The Small Protein SgrT Controls Transport Activity of the Glucose-Specific Phosphotransferase System.

Science.gov (United States)

Lloyd, Chelsea R; Park, Seongjin; Fei, Jingyi; Vanderpool, Carin K

2017-06-01

The bacterial small RNA (sRNA) SgrS has been a fruitful model for discovery of novel RNA-based regulatory mechanisms and new facets of bacterial physiology and metabolism. SgrS is one of only a few characterized dual-function sRNAs. SgrS can control gene expression posttranscriptionally via sRNA-mRNA base-pairing interactions. Its second function is coding for the small protein SgrT. Previous work demonstrated that both functions contribute to relief of growth inhibition caused by glucose-phosphate stress, a condition characterized by disrupted glycolytic flux and accumulation of sugar phosphates. The base-pairing activity of SgrS has been the subject of numerous studies, but the activity of SgrT is less well characterized. Here, we provide evidence that SgrT acts to specifically inhibit the transport activity of the major glucose permease PtsG. Superresolution microscopy demonstrated that SgrT localizes to the cell membrane in a PtsG-dependent manner. Mutational analysis determined that residues in the N-terminal domain of PtsG are important for conferring sensitivity to SgrT-mediated inhibition of transport activity. Growth assays support a model in which SgrT-mediated inhibition of PtsG transport activity reduces accumulation of nonmetabolizable sugar phosphates and promotes utilization of alternative carbon sources by modulating carbon catabolite repression. The results of this study expand our understanding of a basic and well-studied biological problem, namely, how cells coordinate carbohydrate transport and metabolism. Further, this work highlights the complex activities that can be carried out by sRNAs and small proteins in bacteria. IMPORTANCE Sequencing, annotation and investigation of hundreds of bacterial genomes have identified vast numbers of small RNAs and small proteins, the majority of which have no known function. In this study, we explore the function of a small protein that acts in tandem with a well-characterized small RNA during metabolic

Biomedical Research Experiences for Biology Majors at a Small College

Science.gov (United States)

Stover, Shawn K.; Mabry, Michelle L.

2010-01-01

A program-level assessment of the biology curriculum at a small liberal arts college validates a previous study demonstrating success in achieving learning outcomes related to content knowledge and communication skills. Furthermore, research opportunities have been provided to complement pedagogical strategies and give students a more complete…

Brassinosteroids: synthesis and biological activities

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Oklešťková, Jana; Rárová, Lucie; Kvasnica, Miroslav; Strnad, Miroslav

2015-01-01

Roč. 14, č. 6 (2015), s. 1053-1072 ISSN 1568-7767 R&D Projects: GA MŠk(CZ) LO1204 Institutional support: RVO:61389030 Keywords : Brassinosteroids * Chemical synthesis * Plant biological activity Subject RIV: EB - Genetics ; Molecular Biology Impact factor: 2.686, year: 2015

Radiation research contracts: Biological effects of small radiation doses

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hug, O [International Atomic Energy Agency, Division of Health, Safety and Waste Disposal, Vienna (Austria)

1959-04-15

To establish the maximum permissible radiation doses for occupational and other kinds of radiation exposure, it is necessary to know those biological effects which can be produced by very small radiation doses. This particular field of radiation biology has not yet been sufficiently explored. This holds true for possible delayed damage after occupational radiation exposure over a period of many years as well as for acute reactions of the organism to single low level exposures. We know that irradiation of less than 25 Roentgen units (r) is unlikely to produce symptoms of radiation sickness. We have, however, found indications that even smaller doses may produce certain instantaneous reactions which must not be neglected

A review exploring biological activities of hydrazones

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Garima Verma

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The development of novel compounds, hydrazones has shown that they possess a wide variety of biological activities viz. antimicrobial, anticonvulsant, antidepressant, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antiplatelet, antimalarial, anticancer, antifungal, antitubercular, antiviral, cardio protective etc., Hydrazones/azomethines/imines possess-NHN = CH- and constitute an important class of compounds for new drug development. A number of researchers have synthesized and evaluated the biological activities of hydrazones. This review aims at highlighting the diverse biological activities of hydrazones.

Genus Pouteria: chemistry and biological activity

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Cíntia A. M. Silva

Full Text Available The genus Pouteria belongs to the family Sapotaceae and can be widely found around the World. These plants have been used as building material, as food, because the eatable fruits, as well as remedies in folk medicine. Some biological activities have been reported to species of this genus such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and antifungal. However, the real potential of this genus as source of new drugs or phytomedicines remains unknown. Therefore, a review of the so far known chemical composition and biological activities of this genus is presented to stimulate new studies about the species already reported moreover that species have no reference about chemistry or biological activities could be found until now.

Predicting Antitumor Activity of Peptides by Consensus of Regression Models Trained on a Small Data Sample

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Ivanka Jerić

2011-11-01

Full Text Available Predicting antitumor activity of compounds using regression models trained on a small number of compounds with measured biological activity is an ill-posed inverse problem. Yet, it occurs very often within the academic community. To counteract, up to some extent, overfitting problems caused by a small training data, we propose to use consensus of six regression models for prediction of biological activity of virtual library of compounds. The QSAR descriptors of 22 compounds related to the opioid growth factor (OGF, Tyr-Gly-Gly-Phe-Met with known antitumor activity were used to train regression models: the feed-forward artificial neural network, the k-nearest neighbor, sparseness constrained linear regression, the linear and nonlinear (with polynomial and Gaussian kernel support vector machine. Regression models were applied on a virtual library of 429 compounds that resulted in six lists with candidate compounds ranked by predicted antitumor activity. The highly ranked candidate compounds were synthesized, characterized and tested for an antiproliferative activity. Some of prepared peptides showed more pronounced activity compared with the native OGF; however, they were less active than highly ranked compounds selected previously by the radial basis function support vector machine (RBF SVM regression model. The ill-posedness of the related inverse problem causes unstable behavior of trained regression models on test data. These results point to high complexity of prediction based on the regression models trained on a small data sample.

Cyclobutane-Containing Alkaloids: Origin, Synthesis, and Biological Activities

OpenAIRE

Sergeiko, Anastasia; Poroikov, Vladimir V; Hanuš, Lumir O; Dembitsky, Valery M

2008-01-01

Present review describes research on novel natural cyclobutane-containing alkaloids isolated from terrestrial and marine species. More than 60 biological active compounds have been confirmed to have antimicrobial, antibacterial, antitumor, and other activities. The structures, synthesis, origins, and biological activities of a selection of cyclobutane-containing alkaloids are reviewed. With the computer program PASS some additional biological activities are also predicted, which point toward ...

Proximate composition, phytochemical screening, GC-MS studies of biologically active cannabinoids and antimicrobial activities of Cannabis indica

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Muhammad Saqib Isahq

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Objective: To investigate the proximate composition, minerals analysis, phytochemical screening, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS studies of active cannabinoids and antimicrobial activities of Cannabis indica (C. indica leaves, stems, and seeds. Methods: Standard qualitative protocols of phytochemical screening were accomplished for the identification of biologically active phytochemicals. Minerals in plant samples were analyzed by using atomic absorption spectrophotometer. The resins of C. indica were analyzed for medicinally active cannabinoid compounds by GC-MS. The sample for GC-MS study was mixed with small quantity of n-hexane and 30 mL of acetonitrile solution for the identification of cannabinoids. Agar well diffusion method was used for antibacterial activity. For antifungal activity, the tested fungal strains were sub-cultured on Sabouraud’s dextrose agar at 28 °C. Results: Mineral analysis revealed the presence of sodium, potassium, magnesium and some other minerals in all parts of C. indica. Phytochemical investigation showed the presence of alkaloids, saponins, tannins, flavonoids, sterols and terpenoids. C. indica divulged wide spectrum of antibacterial activities against Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Proteus mirabilis. The extracts of plant leaves, seeds and stems showed significant antifungal activities against Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus parasiticus, and Aspergillus oryzae. The biologically active cannabinoids of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (25.040% and cannabidiol (resorcinol, 2-p-mentha-1,8-dien-4-yl-5-pentyl (50.077% were found in Cannabis resin in high percentage. Conclusions: The findings of the study suggested that the existence of biologically active remedial cannabinoids in elevated concentrations and antimicrobial bioassays of C. indica make it a treasured source to be used in herbal preparation for various ailments.

Accelerator mass spectrometry of small biological samples.

Science.gov (United States)

Salehpour, Mehran; Forsgard, Niklas; Possnert, Göran

2008-12-01

Accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) is an ultra-sensitive technique for isotopic ratio measurements. In the biomedical field, AMS can be used to measure femtomolar concentrations of labeled drugs in body fluids, with direct applications in early drug development such as Microdosing. Likewise, the regenerative properties of cells which are of fundamental significance in stem-cell research can be determined with an accuracy of a few years by AMS analysis of human DNA. However, AMS nominally requires about 1 mg of carbon per sample which is not always available when dealing with specific body substances such as localized, organ-specific DNA samples. Consequently, it is of analytical interest to develop methods for the routine analysis of small samples in the range of a few tens of microg. We have used a 5 MV Pelletron tandem accelerator to study small biological samples using AMS. Different methods are presented and compared. A (12)C-carrier sample preparation method is described which is potentially more sensitive and less susceptible to contamination than the standard procedures.

Imidazole: Having Versatile Biological Activities

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Amita Verma

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Imidazoles have occupied a unique position in heterocyclic chemistry, and its derivatives have attracted considerable interests in recent years for their versatile properties in chemistry and pharmacology. Imidazole is nitrogen-containing heterocyclic ring which possesses biological and pharmaceutical importance. Thus, imidazole compounds have been an interesting source for researchers for more than a century. The imidazole ring is a constituent of several important natural products, including purine, histamine, histidine, and nucleic acid. Being a polar and ionisable aromatic compound, it improves pharmacokinetic characteristics of lead molecules and thus is used as a remedy to optimize solubility and bioavailability parameters of proposed poorly soluble lead molecules. There are several methods used for the synthesis of imidazole-containing compounds, and also their various structure reactions offer enormous scope in the field of medicinal chemistry. The imidazole derivatives possess extensive spectrum of biological activities such as antibacterial, anticancer, antitubercular, antifungal, analgesic, and anti-HIV activities. This paper aims to review the biological activities of imidazole during the past years.

[Cycloferon biological activity characteristics].

Science.gov (United States)

Utkina, T M; Potekhina, L P; Kartashova, O L; Vasilchenko, A S

2014-01-01

Study the effect of cycloferon in experimental and clinical conditions on persistence properties of aurococci as well as features of their morpho-functional reaction by atomic force microscopy. The study was carried out in 12 Staphylococcus aureus clones isolated from mucous membrane of nose anterior part of a resident carrier. The effect of cycloferon in vivo was evaluated in 26 resident staphylococci carriers under the control of anti-carnosine activity of staphylococci. Anti-carnosine activity was determined by O.V. Bukharin et al. (1999), biofilm formation -by G.A. O'Toole et al. (2000). Staphylococci treated with cycloferon were studied by atomic force microscopy in contact mode using scanning probe SMM-2000 microscope. The decrease of persistence properties of staphylococci under the effect of cycloferon in vitro and in vivo may be examined as one of the mechanisms of biological activity of the preparation. A significant increase of S. aureus surface roughness and changes in their morphology under the effect of cycloferon allow stating the disorder of barrier functions in the aurococci cell wall. The data obtained expand the understanding of cycloferon biological activity mechanisms.

Adapting to Biology: Maintaining Container-Closure System Compatibility with the Therapeutic Biologic Revolution.

Science.gov (United States)

Degrazio, Dominick

. A packaging component within a container-closure system that is incompatible with the therapeutic biologic can potentially compromise patient safety, drug productivity, and product quality. Thus, each primary, parenteral packaging component within a container-closure system should be optimized to preserve the efficacy and therapeutic activity of a biologic. This review will examine the differences between small-molecule drugs and therapeutic biologics, lay a basic foundation for understanding the stability of therapeutic biologics, and demonstrate potential sources of container-closure system incompatibilities with therapeutic biologics at a mechanistic level. © PDA, Inc. 2015.

Small group gender ratios impact biology class performance and peer evaluations.

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Sullivan, Lauren L; Ballen, Cissy J; Cotner, Sehoya

2018-01-01

Women are underrepresented in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines. Evidence suggests the microclimate of the classroom is an important factor influencing female course grades and interest, which encourages retention of women in STEM fields. Here, we test whether the gender composition of small (8-9 person) learning groups impacts course performance, sense of social belonging, and intragroup peer evaluations of intellectual contributions. Across two undergraduate active learning courses in introductory biology, we manipulated the classroom microclimate by varying the gender ratios of learning groups, ranging from 0% female to 100% female. We found that as the percent of women in groups increased, so did overall course performance for all students, regardless of gender. Additionally, women assigned higher peer- evaluations in groups with more women than groups with less women. Our work demonstrates an added benefit of the retention of women in STEM: increased performance for all, and positive peer perceptions for women.

Advancing Small Satellite Electronics Heritage for Microfluidic Biological Experiments

Science.gov (United States)

White, Bruce; Mazmanian, Edward; Tapio, Eric

2016-01-01

DLR's Eu:CROPIS (Euglena and Combined Regenerative Organic-Food Production in Space) mission, launching in 2017, will carry multiple biological payloads into a sun-synchronous orbit, including NASA Ames' PowerCell experiment. PowerCell will attempt to characterize the viability of synthetic biology at micro-g, Lunar, and Martian gravity levels. PowerCell experiment requirements demand an electronic system similar to previous microfluidic biology payloads, but with an expanded feature set. As such, the system was based on PharmaSat (Diaz-Aguado et al. 2009), a previous successful biology payload from NASA Ames, and improved upon. Newer, more miniaturized electronics allow for greater capability with a lower part count and smaller size. Two identical PowerCell enclosures will fly. Each enclosure contains two separate and identical experiments with a 48-segment optical density measurement system, grow light system, microfluidic system for nutrient delivery and waste flushing, plus thermal control and environmental sensing/housekeeping including temperature, pressure, humidity, and acceleration. Electronics consist of a single Master PCB that interfaces to the spacecraft bus and regulates power and communication, plus LED, Detector, and Valve Manifold PCBs for each experiment. To facilitate ease of reuse on future missions, experiment electronics were designed to be compatible with a standard 3U small sat form factor and power bus, or to interface with a Master power/comm PCB for use in a larger satellite as in the case of PowerCell's flight on Eu:CROPIS.

The Biological Activities of Sesterterpenoid-Type Ophiobolins

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Wei Tian

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Ophiobolins (Ophs are a group of tricarbocyclic sesterterpenoids whose structures contain a tricyclic 5-8-5 carbotricyclic skeleton. Thus far, 49 natural Ophs have been reported and assigned into A–W subgroups in order of discovery. While these sesterterpenoids were first characterized as highly effective phytotoxins, later investigations demonstrated that they display a broad spectrum of biological and pharmacological characteristics such as phytotoxic, antimicrobial, nematocidal, cytotoxic, anti-influenza and inflammation-promoting activities. These bioactive molecules are promising drug candidates due to the developments of their anti-proliferative activities against a vast number of cancer cell lines, multidrug resistance (MDR cells and cancer stem cells (CSCs. Despite numerous studies on the biological functions of Ophs, their pharmacological mechanism still requires further research. This review summarizes the chemical structures, sources, and biological activities of the oph family and discusses its mechanisms and structure–activity relationship to lay the foundation for the future developments and applications of these promising molecules.

The Biological Activities of Sesterterpenoid-Type Ophiobolins.

Science.gov (United States)

Tian, Wei; Deng, Zixin; Hong, Kui

2017-07-18

Ophiobolins (Ophs) are a group of tricarbocyclic sesterterpenoids whose structures contain a tricyclic 5-8-5 carbotricyclic skeleton. Thus far, 49 natural Ophs have been reported and assigned into A-W subgroups in order of discovery. While these sesterterpenoids were first characterized as highly effective phytotoxins, later investigations demonstrated that they display a broad spectrum of biological and pharmacological characteristics such as phytotoxic, antimicrobial, nematocidal, cytotoxic, anti-influenza and inflammation-promoting activities. These bioactive molecules are promising drug candidates due to the developments of their anti-proliferative activities against a vast number of cancer cell lines, multidrug resistance (MDR) cells and cancer stem cells (CSCs). Despite numerous studies on the biological functions of Ophs, their pharmacological mechanism still requires further research. This review summarizes the chemical structures, sources, and biological activities of the oph family and discusses its mechanisms and structure-activity relationship to lay the foundation for the future developments and applications of these promising molecules.

STRUCTURES AND BIOLOGICAL ACTIVITY OF CUPROPHYLLINS

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Martynov A.V.

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Chlorophylls (a, b are the porphyrin compounds and most common chemical in the plant’s world. In fact, these compounds are an obligatory intermediate product both in energy metabolism and in plant catabolism. At the same time, currently there are few pharmaceutical preparations on the pharmaceutical market based on chlorophylls. Dyes based on hydrolyzed chlorophyll are successfully used in the food industry. Commercial chlorophylline is a copper complex of hydrolyzed chlorophylls. As shown earlier in TLC, the chlorophyllin mixture contains a large number of different compounds. It is like water-soluble saponified derivatives in the form of sodium-magnesium complexes, and similar structures in the form of a complex with copper. The latter are more brightly colored, soluble in water and widely used as coloring agents in cooking. In this case, if the initial chlorophyll was not found to have a pronounced biological activity, the substituted derivatives in the form of copper complexes possessed a number of new unique biological properties. Non-hydrolyzed hydrophobic cuprophylline obtained from eucalyptus leaves possessed high antimicrobial activity to most strains of staphylococci, inclusion resistant to antimicrobials and multiresistant strains. This drug is called Chlorophyllipt, it is allowed to be used as a medicinal product and is one of the oldest antibacterial drugs from plants on the market. It is marketed as ethanoic and oily solutions for topical use, and as an alcohol solution for intravenous injections. Its main purpose is the fight against staphylococcal infections. Recently, found that the oral administration of chlorophyllipt activates cellular immunity and indirectly exhibits antiviral activity. Another compound of cuprophyllin is water-soluble chlorophyllin. Some authors show the variability of the structure and biological activity of cuprophyllins. Different derivatives of chlorophyll have different biological activity

Biological activities caused by far-infrared radiation

Science.gov (United States)

Inoué, Shojiro; Kabaya, Morihiro

1989-09-01

Contrary to previous presumption, accumulated evidence indicates that far-infrared rays are biologically active. A small ceramic disk that emist far-infrared rays (4 16 μm) has commonly been applied to a local spot or a whole part of the body for exposure. Pioneering attempts to experimentally analyze an effect of acute and chronic radiation of far-infrared rays on living organisms have detected a growth-promoting effect in growing rats, a sleep-modulatory effect in freely behaving rats and an insomiac patient, and a blood circulation-enhancing effect in human skin. Question-paires to 542 users of far-infrared radiator disks embedded in bedelothes revealed that the majority of the users subjectively evaluated an improvement of their health. These effects on living organisms appear to be non-specifically triggered by an exposure to far-infrared rays, which eventually induce an increase in temperature of the body tissues or, more basically, an elevated motility of body fluids due to decrease in size of water clusters.

Role of Muramyl Dipeptide in Lipopolysaccharide-Mediated Biological Activity and Osteoclast Activity

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Hideki Kitaura

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Lipopolysaccharide (LPS is an endotoxin and bacterial cell wall component that is capable of inducing inflammation and immunological activity. Muramyl dipeptide (MDP, the minimal essential structural unit responsible for the immunological activity of peptidoglycans, is another inflammation-inducing molecule that is ubiquitously expressed by bacteria. Several studies have shown that inflammation-related biological activities were synergistically induced by interactions between LPS and MDP. MDP synergistically enhances production of proinflammatory cytokines that are induced by LPS exposure. Injection of MDP induces lethal shock in mice challenged with LPS. LPS also induces osteoclast formation and pathological bone resorption; MDP enhances LPS induction of both processes. Furthermore, MDP enhances the LPS-induced receptor activator of NF-κB ligand (RANKL expression and toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4 expression both in vivo and in vitro. Additionally, MDP enhances LPS-induced mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK signaling in stromal cells. Taken together, these findings suggest that MDP plays an important role in LPS-induced biological activities. This review discusses the role of MDP in LPS-mediated biological activities, primarily in relation to osteoclastogenesis.

Bioorthogonal cyclization-mediated in situ self-assembly of small-molecule probes for imaging caspase activity in vivo

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Ye, Deju; Shuhendler, Adam J.; Cui, Lina; Tong, Ling; Tee, Sui Seng; Tikhomirov, Grigory; Felsher, Dean W.; Rao, Jianghong

2014-06-01

Directed self-assembly of small molecules in living systems could enable a myriad of applications in biology and medicine, and already this has been used widely to synthesize supramolecules and nano/microstructures in solution and in living cells. However, controlling the self-assembly of synthetic small molecules in living animals is challenging because of the complex and dynamic in vivo physiological environment. Here we employ an optimized first-order bioorthogonal cyclization reaction to control the self-assembly of a fluorescent small molecule, and demonstrate its in vivo applicability by imaging caspase-3/7 activity in human tumour xenograft mouse models of chemotherapy. The fluorescent nanoparticles assembled in situ were imaged successfully in both apoptotic cells and tumour tissues using three-dimensional structured illumination microscopy. This strategy combines the advantages offered by small molecules with those of nanomaterials and should find widespread use for non-invasive imaging of enzyme activity in vivo.

The Use of Group Activities in Introductory Biology Supports Learning Gains and Uniquely Benefits High-Achieving Students

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Gili Marbach-Ad

2016-12-01

Full Text Available This study describes the implementation and effectiveness of small-group active engagement (GAE exercises in an introductory biology course (BSCI207 taught in a large auditorium setting. BSCI207 (Principles of Biology III—Organismal Biology is the third introductory core course for Biological Sciences majors. In fall 2014, the instructors redesigned one section to include GAE activities to supplement lecture content. One section (n = 198 employed three lectures per week. The other section (n = 136 replaced one lecture per week with a GAE class. We explored the benefits and challenges associated with implementing GAE exercises and their relative effectiveness for unique student groups (e.g., minority students, high- and low-grade point average [GPA] students. Our findings show that undergraduates in the GAE class exhibited greater improvement in learning outcomes than undergraduates in the traditional class. Findings also indicate that high-achieving students experienced the greatest benefit from GAE activities. Some at-risk student groups (e.g., two-year transfer students showed comparably low learning gains in the course, despite the additional support that may have been afforded by active learning. Collectively, these findings provide valuable feedback that may assist other instructors who wish to revise their courses and recommendations for institutions regarding prerequisite coursework approval policies.

Ethnobotanical and biological activities of Leptadenia pyrotechnica ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Conclusion: This review includes the substance of different ethnobotanical uses, phytochemistry and exclusive capability of this plant in the field of anti-microbial and human disease activities. Key words: Leptadenia pyrotechnica, Biological activities, Desert plant, Ethnobotanical, Phytochemical activity, phytochemistry.

Bone Scan in Detection of Biological Activity in Nonhypertrophic Fracture Nonunion

OpenAIRE

Gandhi, Sunny J.; Rabadiya, Bhavdeep

2017-01-01

Biological activity of the fracture site is very important factor in treatment planning of fracture nonunion. If no biological activity is detected, then an autologous bone graft can be supplemented or osteogenic supplementations, such as bone morphogenetic protein is given. If biological activity is present, then secure fixation is sufficient to achieve bony union. Biological activity of nonunions is usually assessed by conventional radiographs. The presence of callus formation is usually as...

Mass amplifying probe for sensitive fluorescence anisotropy detection of small molecules in complex biological samples.

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Cui, Liang; Zou, Yuan; Lin, Ninghang; Zhu, Zhi; Jenkins, Gareth; Yang, Chaoyong James

2012-07-03

Fluorescence anisotropy (FA) is a reliable and excellent choice for fluorescence sensing. One of the key factors influencing the FA value for any molecule is the molar mass of the molecule being measured. As a result, the FA method with functional nucleic acid aptamers has been limited to macromolecules such as proteins and is generally not applicable for the analysis of small molecules because their molecular masses are relatively too small to produce observable FA value changes. We report here a molecular mass amplifying strategy to construct anisotropy aptamer probes for small molecules. The probe is designed in such a way that only when a target molecule binds to the probe does it activate its binding ability to an anisotropy amplifier (a high molecular mass molecule such as protein), thus significantly increasing the molecular mass and FA value of the probe/target complex. Specifically, a mass amplifying probe (MAP) consists of a targeting aptamer domain against a target molecule and molecular mass amplifying aptamer domain for the amplifier protein. The probe is initially rendered inactive by a small blocking strand partially complementary to both target aptamer and amplifier protein aptamer so that the mass amplifying aptamer domain would not bind to the amplifier protein unless the probe has been activated by the target. In this way, we prepared two probes that constitute a target (ATP and cocaine respectively) aptamer, a thrombin (as the mass amplifier) aptamer, and a fluorophore. Both probes worked well against their corresponding small molecule targets, and the detection limits for ATP and cocaine were 0.5 μM and 0.8 μM, respectively. More importantly, because FA is less affected by environmental interferences, ATP in cell media and cocaine in urine were directly detected without any tedious sample pretreatment. Our results established that our molecular mass amplifying strategy can be used to design aptamer probes for rapid, sensitive, and selective

Biological conduit small gap sleeve bridging method for peripheral nerve injury: regeneration law of nerve fibers in the conduit

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Pei-xun Zhang

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The clinical effects of 2-mm small gap sleeve bridging of the biological conduit to repair peripheral nerve injury are better than in the traditional epineurium suture, so it is possible to replace the epineurium suture in the treatment of peripheral nerve injury. This study sought to identify the regeneration law of nerve fibers in the biological conduit. A nerve regeneration chamber was constructed in models of sciatic nerve injury using 2-mm small gap sleeve bridging of a biodegradable biological conduit. The results showed that the biological conduit had good histocompatibility. Tissue and cell apoptosis in the conduit apparently lessened, and regenerating nerve fibers were common. The degeneration regeneration law of Schwann cells and axons in the conduit was quite different from that in traditional epineurium suture. During the prime period for nerve fiber regeneration (2-8 weeks, the number of Schwann cells and nerve fibers was higher in both proximal and distal ends, and the effects of the small gap sleeve bridging method were better than those of the traditional epineurium suture. The above results provide an objective and reliable theoretical basis for the clinical application of the biological conduit small gap sleeve bridging method to repair peripheral nerve injury.

Activation of catalase activity by a peroxisome-localized small heat shock protein Hsp17.6CII.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Guannan; Li, Jing; Hao, Rong; Guo, Yan

2017-08-20

Plant catalases are important antioxidant enzymes and are indispensable for plant to cope with adverse environmental stresses. However, little is known how catalase activity is regulated especially at an organelle level. In this study, we identified that small heat shock protein Hsp17.6CII (AT5G12020) interacts with and activates catalases in the peroxisome of Arabidopsis thaliana. Although Hsp17.6CII is classified into the cytosol-located small heat shock protein subfamily, we found that Hsp17.6CII is located in the peroxisome. Moreover, Hsp17.6CII contains a novel non-canonical peroxisome targeting signal 1 (PTS1), QKL, 16 amino acids upstream from the C-terminus. The QKL signal peptide can partially locate GFP to peroxisome, and mutations in the tripeptide lead to the abolishment of this activity. In vitro catalase activity assay and holdase activity assay showed that Hsp17.6CII increases CAT2 activity and prevents it from thermal aggregation. These results indicate that Hsp17.6CII is a peroxisome-localized catalase chaperone. Overexpression of Hsp17.6CII conferred enhanced catalase activity and tolerance to abiotic stresses in Arabidopsis. Interestingly, overexpression of Hsp17.6CII in catalase-deficient mutants, nca1-3 and cat2 cat3, failed to rescue their stress-sensitive phenotypes and catalase activity, suggesting that Hsp17.6CII-mediated stress response is dependent on NCA1 and catalase activity. Overall, we identified a novel peroxisome-located catalase chaperone that is involved in plant abiotic stress resistance by activating catalase activity. Copyright © 2017 Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and Genetics Society of China. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of amino acid substitution on biological activity of cyanophlyctin-β and brevinin-2R

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Ghorani-Azam, Adel; Balali-Mood, Mahdi; Aryan, Ehsan; Karimi, Gholamreza; Riahi-Zanjani, Bamdad

2018-04-01

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), as ancient immune components, are found in almost all types of living organisms. They are bioactive components with strong antibacterial, antiviral, and anti-tumor properties. In this study, we designed three sequences of antimicrobial peptides to study the effects of structural changes in biological activity compared with original peptides, cyanophlyctin β, and brevinin-2R. For antibacterial activity, two Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus and S. epidermidis) and two Gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeroginosa) were assayed. Unlike cyanophlyctin β and brevinin-2R, the synthesized peptide (brevinin-M1, brevinin-M2 and brevinin-M3) showed no considerable antibacterial properties. Hemolytic activity of these peptides was also ignorable even at very high concentrations of 2 mg/ml. However, after proteolytic digestion by trypsin, the peptides showed antibacterial activity comparable to their original template sequences. Structural prediction suggested that the motif sequence responsible for antibacterial activity may be re-exposed to bacterial cell membrane after proteolytic digestion. Also, findings showed that only a small change in primary sequence and therefore structure of peptides may result in a significant alteration in biological activity.

Physical activity and biological maturation: a systematic review

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Eliane Denise Araújo Bacil

2015-03-01

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: To analyze the association between physical activity (PA and biological maturation in children and adolescents. DATA SOURCE: We performed a systematic review in April 2013 in the electronic databases of PubMed/MEDLINE, SportDiscus, Web of Science and LILACS without time restrictions. A total of 628 potentially relevant articles were identified and 10 met the inclusion criteria for this review: cross-sectional or longitudinal studies, published in Portuguese, English or Spanish, with schoolchildren aged 9-15 years old of both genders. DATA SYNTHESIS: Despite the heterogeneity of the studies, there was an inverse association between PA and biological maturation. PA decreases with increased biological and chronological age in both genders. Boys tend to be more physically active than girls; however, when controlling for biological age, the gender differences disappear. The association between PA and timing of maturation varies between the genders. Variation in the timing of biological maturation affects the tracking of PA in early adolescent girls. This review suggests that mediators (BMI, depression, low self-esteem, and concerns about body weight can explain the association between PA and biological maturation. CONCLUSIONS: There is an association between PA and biological maturation. PA decreases with increasing biological age with no differences between genders. As for the timing of biological maturation, this association varies between genders.

On the accuracy of protein determination in large biological samples by prompt gamma neutron activation analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kasviki, K.; Stamatelatos, I.E.; Yannakopoulou, E.; Papadopoulou, P.; Kalef-Ezra, J.

2007-01-01

A prompt gamma neutron activation analysis (PGNAA) facility has been developed for the determination of nitrogen and thus total protein in large volume biological samples or the whole body of small animals. In the present work, the accuracy of nitrogen determination by PGNAA in phantoms of known composition as well as in four raw ground meat samples of about 1 kg mass was examined. Dumas combustion and Kjeldahl techniques were also used for the assessment of nitrogen concentration in the meat samples. No statistically significant differences were found between the concentrations assessed by the three techniques. The results of this work demonstrate the applicability of PGNAA for the assessment of total protein in biological samples of 0.25-1.5 kg mass, such as a meat sample or the body of small animal even in vivo with an equivalent radiation dose of about 40 mSv

On the accuracy of protein determination in large biological samples by prompt gamma neutron activation analysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kasviki, K. [Institute of Nuclear Technology and Radiation Protection, NCSR ' Demokritos' , Aghia Paraskevi, Attikis 15310 (Greece); Medical Physics Laboratory, Medical School, University of Ioannina, Ioannina 45110 (Greece); Stamatelatos, I.E. [Institute of Nuclear Technology and Radiation Protection, NCSR ' Demokritos' , Aghia Paraskevi, Attikis 15310 (Greece)], E-mail: ion@ipta.demokritos.gr; Yannakopoulou, E. [Institute of Physical Chemistry, NCSR ' Demokritos' , Aghia Paraskevi, Attikis 15310 (Greece); Papadopoulou, P. [Institute of Technology of Agricultural Products, NAGREF, Lycovrissi, Attikis 14123 (Greece); Kalef-Ezra, J. [Medical Physics Laboratory, Medical School, University of Ioannina, Ioannina 45110 (Greece)

2007-10-15

A prompt gamma neutron activation analysis (PGNAA) facility has been developed for the determination of nitrogen and thus total protein in large volume biological samples or the whole body of small animals. In the present work, the accuracy of nitrogen determination by PGNAA in phantoms of known composition as well as in four raw ground meat samples of about 1 kg mass was examined. Dumas combustion and Kjeldahl techniques were also used for the assessment of nitrogen concentration in the meat samples. No statistically significant differences were found between the concentrations assessed by the three techniques. The results of this work demonstrate the applicability of PGNAA for the assessment of total protein in biological samples of 0.25-1.5 kg mass, such as a meat sample or the body of small animal even in vivo with an equivalent radiation dose of about 40 mSv.

Loranthus micranthus Linn.: Biological Activities and Phytochemistry

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Soheil Zorofchian Moghadamtousi

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Loranthus micranthus Linn. is a medicinal plant from the Loranthaceae family commonly known as an eastern Nigeria species of the African mistletoe and is widely used in folkloric medicine to cure various ailments and diseases. It is semiparasitic plant because of growing on various host trees and shrubs and absorbing mineral nutrition and water from respective host. Hence, the phytochemicals and biological activities of L. micranthus demonstrated strong host and harvesting period dependency. The leaves have been proved to possess immunomodulatory, antidiabetic, antimicrobial, antihypertensive, antioxidant, antidiarrhoeal, and hypolipidemic activities. This review summarizes the information and findings concerning the current knowledge on the biological activities, pharmacological properties, toxicity, and chemical constituents of Loranthus micranthus.

Polysaccharides from Traditional Chinese Medicines: Extraction, Purification, Modification, and Biological Activity.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Yun; Yao, Fangke; Ming, Ke; Wang, Deyun; Hu, Yuanliang; Liu, Jiaguo

2016-12-13

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has been used to treat diseases in China for thousands of years. TCM compositions are complex, using as their various sources plants, animals, fungi, and minerals. Polysaccharides are one of the active and important ingredients of TCMs. Polysaccharides from TCMs exhibit a wide range of biological activities in terms of immunity- modifying, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative, and anti-tumor properties. With their widespread biological activities, polysaccharides consistently attract scientist's interests, and the studies often concentrate on the extraction, purification, and biological activity of TCM polysaccharides. Currently, numerous studies have shown that the modification of polysaccharides can heighten or change the biological activities, which is a new angle of polysaccharide research. This review highlights the current knowledge of TCM polysaccharides, including their extraction, purification, modification, and biological activity, which will hopefully provide profound insights facilitating further research and development.

Environmental Education and Small Business Environmental Activity

Science.gov (United States)

Redmond, Janice; Walker, Beth

2011-01-01

Environmental education is seen as a key driver of small business environmental management, yet little is known about the activities small business owner-managers are undertaking to reduce their environmental impact or in what areas they may need education. Therefore, research that can identify environmental management activities being undertaken…

The small hive beetle Aethina tumida: A review of its biology and control measures

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrew G. S. CUTHBERTSON et al

2013-10-01

Full Text Available The small hive beetle Aethina tumida is an endemic parasitic pest and scavenger of colonies of social bees indigenous to sub-Saharan Africa. In this region this species rarely inflicts severe damage on strong colonies since the bees have develo­­ped strategies to combat them. However, A. tumida has since ‘escaped’ from its native home and has recently invaded areas such as North America and Australia where its economic impact on the apiculture industry has been significant. Small hive beetle, should it become established within Europe, represents a real and live threat to the UK bee keeping industry. Here we review the biology and current pest status of A. tumida and up to-date research in terms of both chemical and biological control used against this honey bee pest [Current Zoology 59 (5: 644–653, 2013].

Structural Basis for Selective Small Molecule Kinase Inhibition of Activated c-Met

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rickert, Keith W.; Patel, Sangita B.; Allison, Timothy J.; Byrne, Noel J.; Darke, Paul L.; Ford, Rachael E.; Guerin, David J.; Hall, Dawn L.; Kornienko, Maria; Lu, Jun; Munshi, Sanjeev K.; Reid, John C.; Shipman, Jennifer M.; Stanton, Elizabeth F.; Wilson, Kevin J.; Young, Jonathon R.; Soisson, Stephen M.; Lumb, Kevin J. (Merck)

2012-03-15

The receptor tyrosine kinase c-Met is implicated in oncogenesis and is the target for several small molecule and biologic agents in clinical trials for the treatment of cancer. Binding of the hepatocyte growth factor to the cell surface receptor of c-Met induces activation via autophosphorylation of the kinase domain. Here we describe the structural basis of c-Met activation upon autophosphorylation and the selective small molecule inhibiton of autophosphorylated c-Met. MK-2461 is a potent c-Met inhibitor that is selective for the phosphorylated state of the enzyme. Compound 1 is an MK-2461 analog with a 20-fold enthalpy-driven preference for the autophosphorylated over unphosphorylated c-Met kinase domain. The crystal structure of the unbound kinase domain phosphorylated at Tyr-1234 and Tyr-1235 shows that activation loop phosphorylation leads to the ejection and disorder of the activation loop and rearrangement of helix {alpha}C and the G loop to generate a viable active site. Helix {alpha}C adopts a orientation different from that seen in activation loop mutants. The crystal structure of the complex formed by the autophosphorylated c-Met kinase domain and compound 1 reveals a significant induced fit conformational change of the G loop and ordering of the activation loop, explaining the selectivity of compound 1 for the autophosphorylated state. The results highlight the role of structural plasticity within the kinase domain in imparting the specificity of ligand binding and provide the framework for structure-guided design of activated c-Met inhibitors.

Membranolytic Activity of Bile Salts: Influence of Biological Membrane Properties and Composition

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alfred Blume

2007-10-01

Full Text Available The two main steps of the membranolytic activity of detergents: 1 the partitioning of detergent molecules in the membrane and 2 the solubilisation of the membrane are systematically investigated. The interactions of two bile salt molecules, sodium cholate (NaC and sodium deoxycholate (NaDC with biological phospholipid model membranes are considered. The membranolytic activity is analysed as a function of the hydrophobicity of the bile salt, ionic strength, temperature, membrane phase properties, membrane surface charge and composition of the acyl chains of the lipids. The results are derived from calorimetric measurements (ITC, isothermal titration calorimetry. A thermodynamic model is described, taking into consideration electrostatic interactions, which is used for the calculation of the partition coefficient as well as to derive the complete thermodynamic parameters describing the interaction of detergents with biological membranes (change in enthalpy, change in free energy, change in entropy etc. The solubilisation properties are described in a so-called vesicle-to-micelle phase transition diagram. The obtained results are supplemented and confirmed by data obtained from other biophysical techniques (DSC differential scanning calorimetry, DLS dynamic light scattering, SANS small angle neutron scattering.

Polysaccharides from Traditional Chinese Medicines: Extraction, Purification, Modification, and Biological Activity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yun Chen

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM has been used to treat diseases in China for thousands of years. TCM compositions are complex, using as their various sources plants, animals, fungi, and minerals. Polysaccharides are one of the active and important ingredients of TCMs. Polysaccharides from TCMs exhibit a wide range of biological activities in terms of immunity- modifying, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative, and anti-tumor properties. With their widespread biological activities, polysaccharides consistently attract scientist's interests, and the studies often concentrate on the extraction, purification, and biological activity of TCM polysaccharides. Currently, numerous studies have shown that the modification of polysaccharides can heighten or change the biological activities, which is a new angle of polysaccharide research. This review highlights the current knowledge of TCM polysaccharides, including their extraction, purification, modification, and biological activity, which will hopefully provide profound insights facilitating further research and development.

Viscosity and not biological mechanisms often controls the effects of temperature on ciliary activity and swimming velocity of small aquatic organisms

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Larsen, Poul Scheel; Riisgård, H. U.

2009-01-01

organisms using cilia or small appendages for propulsion. Here we summarize results from the literature and from own studies on bio-mechanical activities in response to changing temperature or manipulated viscosity at constant temperature, both having the same change in kinematic viscosity. The survey......A number of studies have shown that temperature-dependent viscosity of the ambient water controls or strongly affects bio-mechanical activity such as beat frequency of water-pumping cilia in mussels and ascidians, swimming velocity of sperm cells, ciliates and small (micro- and meso-scale) aquatic...

Approaching an experimental electron density model of the biologically active trans -epoxysuccinyl amide group-Substituent effects vs. crystal packing

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shi, Ming W.; Stewart, Scott G.; Sobolev, Alexandre N.; Dittrich, Birger; Schirmeister, Tanja; Luger, Peter; Hesse, Malte; Chen, Yu-Sheng; Spackman, Peter R.; Spackman, Mark A.; Grabowsky, Simon (Heinrich-Heine); (Freie); (UC); (Bremen); (JG-UM); (UWA)

2017-01-24

The trans-epoxysuccinyl amide group as a biologically active moiety in cysteine protease inhibitors such as loxistatin acid E64c has been used as a benchmark system for theoretical studies of environmental effects on the electron density of small active ingredients in relation to their biological activity. Here, the synthesis and the electronic properties of the smallest possible active site model compound are reported to close the gap between the unknown experimental electron density of trans-epoxysuccinyl amides and the well-known function of related drugs. Intramolecular substituent effects are separated from intermolecular crystal packing effects on the electron density, which allows us to predict the conditions under which an experimental electron density investigation on trans-epoxysuccinyl amides will be possible. In this context, the special importance of the carboxylic acid function in the model compound for both crystal packing and biological activity is revealed through the novel tool of model energy analysis.

Effect of gamma irradiation on biological activity of thyrotropin

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Strbak, V; Macho, L; Sedlak, J; Hromadova, M

1976-03-01

The biological activity of thyrotropin (TSH) was tested after sterilization by 0.5 and 12.5 Mrad of gamma irradiation. It was found that the biological activity (McKenzie's assay) of TSH irradiated in dry state was not affected during the first month after sterilization by doses of 0.5 and 2.5 Mrad. However, substantial decrease of TSH biological activity was observed 3 to 5 months after the irradiation, the lower activity being after the former dose. The irradiation of TSH by 12.5 Mrad in dry state and by 0.5 and 2.5 Mrad in solution resulted in a decrease of biological activity already during first month. The structural changes in the molecule of TSH were apparently not very extensive, since a decrease of disulfide bonds from 0.96 to 0.77 M per 1M of TSH was found immediately after the irradiation, while uv absorbancy and electrophoretic mobility on polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis were unaffected. These changes were followed by the decrease of TSH stability during storage in dry state. It is hypothesized that TSH molecule may be affected in ..beta.. subunit or in its connection with ..cap alpha...

Effect of gamma irradiation on biological activity of thyrotropin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Strbak, V.; Macho, L.; Sedlak, J.; Hromadova, M.

1976-01-01

The biological activity of thyrotropin (TSH) was tested after sterilization by 0.5 and 12.5 Mrad of gamma radiation. It was found that the biological activity (McKenzie's assay) of TSH irradiated in dry state was not affected during the first month after sterilization by doses of 0.5 and 2.5 Mrad. However, substantial decrease of TSH biological activity was observed 3 to 5 months after the irradiation, the lower activity after the 0.5 Mrad dose. The irradiation of TSH by 12.5 Mrad in dry state and by 0.5 and 2.5 Mrad in solution resulted in decreased biological activity already during the first month. The structural changes in the TSH molecule were apparently not very extensive, as a decrease of disulfide bonds from 0.96 to 0.77 M per 1 M of TSH was found immediately after the irradiation, while UV absorbancy and electrophoretic mobility on polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis were unaffected. These changes were followed by a decrease of TSH stability during storage in dry state. It is hypothesized that a TSH molecule may be affected in a β subunit or in its connection with α. (author)

Transport of biologically active material in laser cutting.

Science.gov (United States)

Frenz, M; Mathezloic, F; Stoffel, M H; Zweig, A D; Romano, V; Weber, H P

1988-01-01

The transport of biologically active material during laser cutting with CO2 and Er lasers is demonstrated. This transport mechanism removes particles from the surface of gelatin, agar, and liver samples into the depth of the laser-formed craters. The transport phenomenon is explained by a contraction and condensation of enclosed hot water vapor. We show by cultivating transported bacteria in agar that biological particles can survive the shock of the transport. Determination of the numbers of active cells evidences a more pronounced activity of the cultivated bacteria after impact with an Er laser than with a CO2 laser.

Systems Biology Graphical Notation: Activity Flow language Level 1 Version 1.2.

Science.gov (United States)

Mi, Huaiyu; Schreiber, Falk; Moodie, Stuart; Czauderna, Tobias; Demir, Emek; Haw, Robin; Luna, Augustin; Le Novère, Nicolas; Sorokin, Anatoly; Villéger, Alice

2015-09-04

The Systems Biological Graphical Notation (SBGN) is an international community effort for standardized graphical representations of biological pathways and networks. The goal of SBGN is to provide unambiguous pathway and network maps for readers with different scientific backgrounds as well as to support efficient and accurate exchange of biological knowledge between different research communities, industry, and other players in systems biology. Three SBGN languages, Process Description (PD), Entity Relationship (ER) and Activity Flow (AF), allow for the representation of different aspects of biological and biochemical systems at different levels of detail. The SBGN Activity Flow language represents the influences of activities among various entities within a network. Unlike SBGN PD and ER that focus on the entities and their relationships with others, SBGN AF puts the emphasis on the functions (or activities) performed by the entities, and their effects to the functions of the same or other entities. The nodes (elements) describe the biological activities of the entities, such as protein kinase activity, binding activity or receptor activity, which can be easily mapped to Gene Ontology molecular function terms. The edges (connections) provide descriptions of relationships (or influences) between the activities, e.g., positive influence and negative influence. Among all three languages of SBGN, AF is the closest to signaling pathways in biological literature and textbooks, but its well-defined semantics offer a superior precision in expressing biological knowledge.

RESEARCHES CONCERNING THE EFFECT OF SOME BIOLOGICALLY-ACTIVE PRODUCTS ON FORAGE BIOMASS YIELD IN SMOOTH BROME

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

I. PET

2008-05-01

Full Text Available Vegetal biostimulants are organic products (natural or synthesized that exert upon plant growth an action similar to the phytohormones’ one, when they are applied in small amounts, in certain stages of plant development. Biostimulants change organisms or organs’ development, nutrition or resistance, under various stress conditions, by inducing changes into the vital processes leading to the improvement of crop quality and quantity, to a better and more operative mechanical harvesting and to an improvement in the agricultural products’ preservation. The application of biologically-active products in the smooth brome crop determined growth of the dry matter yield of up to 1.11 t/ha depending on the product used, and the foliar surface index increased in the variants with application of biologically-active products with up to 1.16 m2SA/m2 land, compared to the control variant.

Biological Activity of Curcuminoids Isolated from Curcuma longa

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Simay Çıkrıkçı

2008-04-01

Full Text Available Curcumin is the most important fraction of turmeric which is responsible for its biological activity. In this study, isolation and biological assessment of turmeric and curcumin have been discussed against standard bacterial and mycobacterial strains such as E.coli , S.aureus, E.feacalis, P.aeuroginosa, M.smegmatis, M.simiae, M.kansasii, M. terrae, M.szulgai and the fungi Candida albicans. The antioxidant activity of curcumin and turmeric were also determined by the CUPRAC method.

The Implementation of Research-based Learning on Biology Seminar Course in Biology Education Study Program of FKIP UMRAH

Science.gov (United States)

Amelia, T.

2018-04-01

Biology Seminar is a course in Biology Education Study Program of Faculty of Teacher Training and Education University of Maritim Raja Ali Haji (FKIP UMRAH) that requires students to have the ability to apply scientific attitudes, perform scientific writing and undertake scientific publications on a small scale. One of the learning strategies that can drive the achievement of learning outcomes in this course is Research-Based Learning. Research-Based Learning principles are considered in accordance with learning outcomes in Biology Seminar courses and generally in accordance with the purpose of higher education. On this basis, this article which is derived from a qualitative research aims at describing Research-based Learning on Biology Seminar course. Based on a case study research, it was known that Research-Based Learning on Biology Seminar courses is applied through: designing learning activities around contemporary research issues; teaching research methods, techniques and skills explicitly within program; drawing on personal research in designing and teaching courses; building small-scale research activities into undergraduate assignment; and infusing teaching with the values of researchers.

Using Active Learning to Teach Concepts and Methods in Quantitative Biology.

Science.gov (United States)

Waldrop, Lindsay D; Adolph, Stephen C; Diniz Behn, Cecilia G; Braley, Emily; Drew, Joshua A; Full, Robert J; Gross, Louis J; Jungck, John A; Kohler, Brynja; Prairie, Jennifer C; Shtylla, Blerta; Miller, Laura A

2015-11-01

This article provides a summary of the ideas discussed at the 2015 Annual Meeting of the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology society-wide symposium on Leading Students and Faculty to Quantitative Biology through Active Learning. It also includes a brief review of the recent advancements in incorporating active learning approaches into quantitative biology classrooms. We begin with an overview of recent literature that shows that active learning can improve students' outcomes in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Education disciplines. We then discuss how this approach can be particularly useful when teaching topics in quantitative biology. Next, we describe some of the recent initiatives to develop hands-on activities in quantitative biology at both the graduate and the undergraduate levels. Throughout the article we provide resources for educators who wish to integrate active learning and technology into their classrooms. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology. All rights reserved. For permissions please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Ficus carica L. (Moraceae: Phytochemistry, Traditional Uses and Biological Activities

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Shukranul Mawa

2013-01-01

Full Text Available This paper describes the botanical features of Ficus carica L. (Moraceae, its wide variety of chemical constituents, its use in traditional medicine as remedies for many health problems, and its biological activities. The plant has been used traditionally to treat various ailments such as gastric problems, inflammation, and cancer. Phytochemical studies on the leaves and fruits of the plant have shown that they are rich in phenolics, organic acids, and volatile compounds. However, there is little information on the phytochemicals present in the stem and root. Reports on the biological activities of the plant are mainly on its crude extracts which have been proven to possess many biological activities. Some of the most interesting therapeutic effects include anticancer, hepatoprotective, hypoglycemic, hypolipidemic, and antimicrobial activities. Thus, studies related to identification of the bioactive compounds and correlating them to their biological activities are very useful for further research to explore the potential of F. carica as a source of therapeutic agents.

A Conceptual Framework for Organizing Active Learning Experiences in Biology Instruction

Science.gov (United States)

Gardner, Joel; Belland, Brian R.

2012-01-01

Introductory biology courses form a cornerstone of undergraduate instruction. However, the predominantly used lecture approach fails to produce higher-order biology learning. Research shows that active learning strategies can increase student learning, yet few biology instructors use all identified active learning strategies. In this paper, we…

Biological activities of some Xylooligosaccharides from ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Xylooligosaccharides (XOS's) exhibited considerable biological activities and be incorporated into many food products and in pharmaceutical and drug industry. XOS's were produced from xylose-containing polysaccharides (XPS's) obtained from natural, xylan-rich, agro-industrial wastes, i.e., corncobs and sugarcane ...

Laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry for direct profiling and imaging of small molecules from raw biological materials

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cha, Sangwon [Iowa State Univ., Ames, IA (United States)

2008-01-01

Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization(MALDI) mass spectrometry(MS) has been widely used for analysis of biological molecules, especially macromolecules such as proteins. However, MALDI MS has a problem in small molecule (less than 1 kDa) analysis because of the signal saturation by organic matrixes in the low mass region. In imaging MS (IMS), inhomogeneous surface formation due to the co-crystallization process by organic MALDI matrixes limits the spatial resolution of the mass spectral image. Therefore, to make laser desorption/ionization (LDI) MS more suitable for mass spectral profiling and imaging of small molecules directly from raw biological tissues, LDI MS protocols with various alternative assisting materials were developed and applied to many biological systems of interest. Colloidal graphite was used as a matrix for IMS of small molecules for the first time and methodologies for analyses of small metabolites in rat brain tissues, fruits, and plant tissues were developed. With rat brain tissues, the signal enhancement for cerebroside species by colloidal graphite was observed and images of cerebrosides were successfully generated by IMS. In addition, separation of isobaric lipid ions was performed by imaging tandem MS. Directly from Arabidopsis flowers, flavonoids were successfully profiled and heterogeneous distribution of flavonoids in petals was observed for the first time by graphite-assisted LDI(GALDI) IMS.

Biological activity of SV40 DNA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abrahams, P.J.

1978-01-01

This thesis deals with a study on the biological activity of SV40 DNA. The transforming activity of SV40 DNA and DNA fragments is investigated in order to define as precisely as possible the area of the viral genome that is involved in the transformation. The infectivity of SV40 DNA is used to study the defective repair mechanisms of radiation damages of human xeroderma pigmentosum cells. (C.F.)

A Review of the Secondary Metabolites and Biological Activities of ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Review Article. A Review of the Secondary Metabolites and Biological. Activities of Tinospora crispa ... triterpenes have been isolated, some of which have also shown corresponding biological activities. The current review is an update on the .... were found to exhibit higher antioxidative potency than the synthetic antioxidant.

Synergistic Effect of Auto-Activation and Small RNA Regulation on Gene Expression

Science.gov (United States)

Xiong, Li-Ping; Ma, Yu-Qiang; Tang, Lei-Han

2010-09-01

Auto-activation and small ribonucleic acid (RNA)-mediated regulation are two important mechanisms in controlling gene expression. We study the synergistic effect of these two regulations on gene expression. It is found that under this combinatorial regulation, gene expression exhibits bistable behaviors at the transition regime, while each of these two regulations, if working solely, only leads to monostability. Within the stochastic framework, the base pairing strength between sRNA and mRNA plays an important role in controlling the transition time between on and off states. The noise strength of protein number in the off state approaches 1 and is smaller than that in the on state. The noise strength also depends on which parameters, the feedback strength or the synthesis rate of small RNA, are tuned in switching the gene expression on and off. Our findings may provide a new insight into gene-regulation mechanism and can be applied in synthetic biology.

Synergistic Effect of Auto-Activation and Small RNA Regulation on Gene Expression

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li-Ping, Xiong; Yu-Qiang, Ma; Lei-Han, Tang

2010-01-01

Auto-activation and small ribonucleic acid (RNA)-mediated regulation are two important mechanisms in controlling gene expression. We study the synergistic effect of these two regulations on gene expression. It is found that under this combinatorial regulation, gene expression exhibits bistable behaviors at the transition regime, while each of these two regulations, if working solely, only leads to monostability. Within the stochastic framework, the base pairing strength between sRNA and mRNA plays an important role in controlling the transition time between on and off states. The noise strength of protein number in the off state approaches 1 and is smaller than that in the on state. The noise strength also depends on which parameters, the feedback strength or the synthesis rate of small RNA, are tuned in switching the gene expression on and off. Our findings may provide a new insight into gene-regulation mechanism and can be applied in synthetic biology

Raman Optical Activity of Biological Molecules

Science.gov (United States)

Blanch, Ewan W.; Barron, Laurence D.

Now an incisive probe of biomolecular structure, Raman optical activity (ROA) measures a small difference in Raman scattering from chiral molecules in right- and left-circularly polarized light. As ROA spectra measure vibrational optical activity, they contain highly informative band structures sensitive to the secondary and tertiary structures of proteins, nucleic acids, viruses and carbohydrates as well as the absolute configurations of small molecules. In this review we present a survey of recent studies on biomolecular structure and dynamics using ROA and also a discussion of future applications of this powerful new technique in biomedical research.

Quantitative Modeling of Membrane Transport and Anisogamy by Small Groups Within a Large-Enrollment Organismal Biology Course

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eric S. Haag

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Quantitative modeling is not a standard part of undergraduate biology education, yet is routine in the physical sciences. Because of the obvious biophysical aspects, classes in anatomy and physiology offer an opportunity to introduce modeling approaches to the introductory curriculum. Here, we describe two in-class exercises for small groups working within a large-enrollment introductory course in organismal biology. Both build and derive biological insights from quantitative models, implemented using spreadsheets. One exercise models the evolution of anisogamy (i.e., small sperm and large eggs from an initial state of isogamy. Groups of four students work on Excel spreadsheets (from one to four laptops per group. The other exercise uses an online simulator to generate data related to membrane transport of a solute, and a cloud-based spreadsheet to analyze them. We provide tips for implementing these exercises gleaned from two years of experience.

Devising of the method for the determination of small and very small amounts of cadmium in biological materials by radiochemical version of neutron activation analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dybczynski, R.; Samczynski, Z.

1996-01-01

The newly modified version of the method for the determination of cadmium in biological materials by radiochemical NAA based on selective post irradiation separation of Cd using ion exchange rasin Retardion 11A8 is presented. The conditions necessary for the selective retaining of Cd on the column exploiting both anionic and cationic ion exchange function of the resin have been discussed. Depending on the composition of the external solution, cadmium existing in the form of either anionic chloride complexes or cationic amine species is taken up by quaternary ammonium or carboxylate functional groups, respectively while accompanying elements are eluted. The elaborated method was further verified by determine Cd content in several certified biological reference materials using neutron activation analysis. The ion exchange separation procedure assures very high radiochemical purity of the cadmium fraction. Decontamination factors obtained for Mo, Sb, Na, Zn, Co, Sc amounted to 10 3 - 10 6 . Detection limit for Cd was 0.5 μg kg -1 . Analytical results show good agreement with the certified values. (author). 10 refs, 7 figs, 1 tab

Neutron activation analysis of biological substances

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ordogh, M.

1978-08-01

A Bowen cabbage sample was used as a reference material for the neutron activation studies, and the method was checked by the analysis of other biological substances (blood or serum etc.). For nondestructive measurements also some non-trace elements were determined in order to decide whether the activation analysis is a useful means for such measurements. The new activation analysis procedure was used for biomedical studies as, e.g., for trace element determination in body fluids, and for the analysis of inorganic components in air samples. (R.P.)

A Review on Phytoconstituents and Biological activities of Cuscuta species.

Science.gov (United States)

Ahmad, Ateeque; Tandon, Sudeep; Xuan, Tran Dang; Nooreen, Zulfa

2017-08-01

The genus Cuscuta belonging to the Cuscutaceae family comprises of about 100-170 species spread around the world. Although several species have been studied for their phytochemical characterization and biological activities but still many species are yet unexplored till date. Cuscuta are parasitic plants generally of yellow, orange, red or rarely green color. The Cuscuta species were reported rich in flavonoid and glycosidic constituents along with alkaloids, fatty acids, fixed oil, minerals, essential oil and others phytomolecules also etc. Flavonoids and other molecules of Cuscuta species were reported for different types of biological activities such as antiproliferative activity, antioxidant activity, anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective, antimicrobial and anxiolytic activity, while some other flavonoids have exhibited potential antiviral and anticancer especially in ovarian and breast cancer activities. This review is an attempt to compile all the available data for the 24 different of Cuscuta species on the basis of different types of phytochemical constituents and biological studies as above. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

The half-lives of biological activity of some pesticides in water

OpenAIRE

Kyaw Myint Oo,

2001-01-01

In the absence of analytical methods, the half-lives of biological activity of pesticides can be estimated by bioassays. To determine the half-lives of biological acivity of pesticides to fish, static bioassays were conducted in the laboratory with ten different formulations of pesticides using Labeo rohita as a bio-indicator. The half-lives of biological activity for ten different pesticides in soft water at pH 7.5 and 27░C, ranged from 4.6 days to 11.8 days. The half-life of biological acti...

Biological activity of selected plants with adaptogenic effect

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eva Ivanišová

2016-05-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study was to determine biological activity of plants with adaptogenic effect: Panax ginseng Mayer., Withania somnifera L., Eleuterococcus senticosus Rupr. et Maxim., Astragallus membranaceus Fisch. and Codonopsis pilosulae Franch. The antioxidant activity was detected by DPPH and phosphomolybdenum method, total polyphenol content with Folin – Ciocalteu reagent, flavonoids content by aluminium chloride method. The detection of antimicrobial activity was carried out by disc diffusion method against three species of Gram-negative bacteria: Escherichia coli CCM 3988, Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica CCM 3807, Yersinia enterocolitica CCM 5671 and two Gram-positive bacteria: Bacillus thuringiensis CCM 19, Stapylococcus aureus subsp. aureus CCM 2461. Results showed that plants with adaptogenic effect are rich for biologically active substances. The highest antioxidant activity by DPPH method was determined in the sample of Eleuterococcus senticosus (3.15 mg TEAC – Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity per g of sample and by phosphomolybdenum method in the sample of Codonopsis pilosulae (188.79 mg TEAC per g of sample. In the sample of Panax ginseng was measured the highest content of total polyphenols (8.10 mg GAE – galic acid equivalent per g of sample and flavonoids (3.41 μg QE – quercetin equivalent per g of sample. All samples also showed strong antimicrobial activity with the best results in Panax ginseng and Withania somnifera in particular for species Yersinia enterocolitica CCM 5671 and Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica CCM 3807. The analyzed species of plant with high value of biological activity can be used more in the future, not only in food, but also in cosmetics and pharmaceutical industries.

Prion-like nanofibrils of small molecules (PriSM): A new frontier at the intersection of supramolecular chemistry and cell biology.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Jie; Du, Xuewen; Xu, Bing

2015-01-01

Formed by non-covalent interactions and not defined at genetic level, the assemblies of small molecules in biology are complicated and less explored. A common morphology of the supramolecular assemblies of small molecules is nanofibrils, which coincidentally resembles the nanofibrils formed by proteins such as prions. So these supramolecular assemblies are termed as prion-like nanofibrils of small molecules (PriSM). Emerging evidence from several unrelated fields over the past decade implies the significance of PriSM in biology and medicine. This perspective aims to highlight some recent advances of the research on PriSM. This paper starts with description of the intriguing similarities between PriSM and prions, discusses the paradoxical features of PriSM, introduces the methods for elucidating the biological functions of PriSM, illustrates several examples of beneficial aspects of PriSM, and finishes with the promises and current challenges in the research of PriSM. We anticipate that the research of PriSM will contribute to the fundamental understanding at the intersection of supramolecular chemistry and cell biology and ultimately lead to a new paradigm of molecular (or supramolecular) therapeutics for biomedicine.

Tax Support of Small Enterprises Activity in Ukraine

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pronoza Pavlo V

2015-03-01

Full Text Available The purpose of the article is to evaluate the importance of small enterprises for the economic development of Ukraine and determine priorities of their stimulation. The analysis of quantitative indicators of small businesses and their comparison with the average level of all enterprises in Ukraine as a whole allowed evaluating their importance in the development of the country. There has been identified a special role of small enterprises in Ukraine’s economy and confirmed the expediency of using tax regulation instruments aimed at their development. There was identified an insufficient efficiency level of tax regulation of small businesses in Ukraine due to using a simplified system of taxation, accounting and reporting. The basic tools used in the framework of tax regulation of small enterprises activities in international practice have been determined. Additional analysis of performance of small enterprises by types of economic activity on the basis of an integrated assessment permitted to identify priorities of using tax regulation instruments in Ukraine.

Application of activation techniques to biological analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bowen, H.J.M.

1981-01-01

Applications of activation analysis in the biological sciences are reviewed for the period of 1970 to 1979. The stages and characteristics of activation analysis are described, and its advantages and disadvantages enumerated. Most applications involve activation by thermal neutrons followed by either radiochemical or instrumental determination. Relatively little use has been made of activation by fast neutrons, photons, or charged particles. In vivo analyses are included, but those based on prompt gamma or x-ray emission are not. Major applications include studies of reference materials, and the elemental analysis of plants, marine biota, animal and human tissues, diets, and excreta. Relatively little use of it has been made in biochemistry, microbiology, and entomology, but it has become important in toxicology and environmental science. The elements most often determined are Ag, As, Au, Br, Ca, Cd, Cl, Co, Cr, Cs, Cu, Fe, Hg, I, K, Mn, Mo, Na, Rb, Sb, Sc, Se, and Zn, while few or no determinations of B, Be, Bi, Ga, Gd, Ge, H, In, Ir, Li, Nd, Os, Pd, Pr, Pt, Re, Rh, Ru, Te, Tl, or Y have been made in biological materials

Biological activity and photostability of biflorin micellar nanostructures.

Science.gov (United States)

Santana, Edson R B; Ferreira-Neto, João P; Yara, Ricardo; Sena, Kêsia X F R; Fontes, Adriana; Lima, Cláudia S A

2015-05-13

Capraria biflora L. is a shrub from the Scrophulariaceae family which produces in its roots a compound named biflorin, an o-naphthoquinone that shows activity against Gram-positive bacteria and fungi and also presents antitumor and antimetastatic activities. However, biflorin is hydrophobic and photosensitive. These properties make its application difficult. In this work we prepared biflorin micellar nanostructures looking for a more effective vehiculation and better preservation of the biological activity. Biflorin was obtained, purified and characterized by UV-Vis, infrared (IR) and 1H- and 13C-NMR. Micellar nanostructures of biflorin were then assembled with Tween 80®, Tween 20® and saline (0.9%) and characterized by UV-Vis spectroscopy and dynamic light scattering (DLS). The results showed that the micellar nanostructures were stable and presented an average size of 8.3 nm. Biflorin micellar nanostructures' photodegradation was evaluated in comparison with biflorin in ethanol. Results showed that the biflorin in micellar nanostructures was better protected from light than biflorin dissolved in ethanol, and also indicated that biflorin in micelles were efficient against Gram-positive bacteria and yeast species. In conclusion, the results showed that the micellar nanostructures could ensure the maintenance of the biological activity of biflorin, conferring photoprotection. Moreover, biflorin vehiculation in aqueous media was improved, favoring its applicability in biological systems.

Biological Activity and Photostability of Biflorin Micellar Nanostructures

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Edson R. B. Santana

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Capraria biflora L. is a shrub from the Scrophulariaceae family which produces in its roots a compound named biflorin, an o-naphthoquinone that shows activity against Gram-positive bacteria and fungi and also presents antitumor and antimetastatic activities. However, biflorin is hydrophobic and photosensitive. These properties make its application difficult. In this work we prepared biflorin micellar nanostructures looking for a more effective vehiculation and better preservation of the biological activity. Biflorin was obtained, purified and characterized by UV-Vis, infrared (IR and 1H- and 13C-NMR. Micellar nanostructures of biflorin were then assembled with Tween 80®, Tween 20® and saline (0.9% and characterized by UV-Vis spectroscopy and dynamic light scattering (DLS. The results showed that the micellar nanostructures were stable and presented an average size of 8.3 nm. Biflorin micellar nanostructures’ photodegradation was evaluated in comparison with biflorin in ethanol. Results showed that the biflorin in micellar nanostructures was better protected from light than biflorin dissolved in ethanol, and also indicated that biflorin in micelles were efficient against Gram-positive bacteria and yeast species. In conclusion, the results showed that the micellar nanostructures could ensure the maintenance of the biological activity of biflorin, conferring photoprotection. Moreover, biflorin vehiculation in aqueous media was improved, favoring its applicability in biological systems.

Biological activation of carbon filters.

Science.gov (United States)

Seredyńska-Sobecka, Bozena; Tomaszewska, Maria; Janus, Magdalena; Morawski, Antoni W

2006-01-01

To prepare biological activated carbon (BAC), raw surface water was circulated through granular activated carbon (GAC) beds. Biological activity of carbon filters was initiated after about 6 months of filter operation and was confirmed by two methods: measurement of the amount of biomass attached to the carbon and by the fluorescein diacetate (FDA) test. The effect of carbon pre-washing on WG-12 carbon properties was also studied. For this purpose, the nitrogen adsorption isotherms at 77K and Fourier transform-infrared (FT-IR) spectra analyses were performed. Moreover, iodine number, decolorizing power and adsorption properties of carbon in relation to phenol were studied. Analysis of the results revealed that after WG-12 carbon pre-washing its BET surface increased a little, the pH value of the carbon water extract decreased from 11.0 to 9.4, decolorizing power remained at the same level, and the iodine number and phenol adsorption rate increased. In preliminary studies of the ozonation-biofiltration process, a model phenol solution with concentration of approximately 10mg/l was applied. During the ozonation process a dose of 1.64 mg O(3)/mg TOC (total organic carbon) was employed and the contact time was 5 min. Four empty bed contact times (EBCTs) in the range of 2.4-24.0 min were used in the biofiltration experiment. The effectiveness of purification was measured by the following parameters: chemical oxygen demand (COD(Mn)), TOC, phenol concentration and UV(254)-absorbance. The parameters were found to decrease with EBCT.

Small molecule screening identifies targetable zebrafish pigmentation pathways

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Colanesi, Sarah; Taylor, Kerrie L; Temperley, Nicholas D

2012-01-01

Small molecules complement genetic mutants and can be used to probe pigment cell biology by inhibiting specific proteins or pathways. Here, we present the results of a screen of active compounds for those that affect the processes of melanocyte and iridophore development in zebrafish and investig......Small molecules complement genetic mutants and can be used to probe pigment cell biology by inhibiting specific proteins or pathways. Here, we present the results of a screen of active compounds for those that affect the processes of melanocyte and iridophore development in zebrafish...... and investigate the effects of a few of these compounds in further detail. We identified and confirmed 57 compounds that altered pigment cell patterning, number, survival, or differentiation. Additional tissue targets and toxicity of small molecules are also discussed. Given that the majority of cell types...

Liposomal packaging generates Wnt protein with in vivo biological activity.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nathan T Morrell

2008-08-01

Full Text Available Wnt signals exercise strong cell-biological and regenerative effects of considerable therapeutic value. There are, however, no specific Wnt agonists and no method for in vivo delivery of purified Wnt proteins. Wnts contain lipid adducts that are required for activity and we exploited this lipophilicity by packaging purified Wnt3a protein into lipid vesicles. Rather than being encapsulated, Wnts are tethered to the liposomal surface, where they enhance and sustain Wnt signaling in vitro. Molecules that effectively antagonize soluble Wnt3a protein but are ineffective against the Wnt3a signal presented by a cell in a paracrine or autocrine manner are also unable to block liposomal Wnt3a activity, suggesting that liposomal packaging mimics the biological state of active Wnts. When delivered subcutaneously, Wnt3a liposomes induce hair follicle neogenesis, demonstrating their robust biological activity in a regenerative context.

The RNAi Universe in Fungi: A Varied Landscape of Small RNAs and Biological Functions.

Science.gov (United States)

Torres-Martínez, Santiago; Ruiz-Vázquez, Rosa M

2017-09-08

RNA interference (RNAi) is a conserved eukaryotic mechanism that uses small RNA molecules to suppress gene expression through sequence-specific messenger RNA degradation, translational repression, or transcriptional inhibition. In filamentous fungi, the protective function of RNAi in the maintenance of genome integrity is well known. However, knowledge of the regulatory role of RNAi in fungi has had to wait until the recent identification of different endogenous small RNA classes, which are generated by distinct RNAi pathways. In addition, RNAi research on new fungal models has uncovered the role of small RNAs and RNAi pathways in the regulation of diverse biological functions. In this review, we give an up-to-date overview of the different classes of small RNAs and RNAi pathways in fungi and their roles in the defense of genome integrity and regulation of fungal physiology and development, as well as in the interaction of fungi with biotic and abiotic environments.

Biological control of saltcedar (Tamarix spp.) by saltcedar leaf beetles (Diorhabda spp.): effects on small mammals

Science.gov (United States)

The spread of introduced saltcedar (Tamarix spp.) throughout many riparian systems across the western United States motivated the introduction of biological control agents that are specific to saltcedar, saltcedar leaf beetles (Diorhabda carinulata, D. elongata; Chrysomelidae). I monitored small mam...

[BIOLOGICAL ACTIVITY OF ANTIMICROBIAL PEPTIDES FROM CHICKENS THROMBOCYTES].

Science.gov (United States)

Sycheva, M V; Vasilchenko, A S; Rogozhin, E A; Pashkova, T M; Popova, L P; Kartashova, O L

2016-01-01

Isolation and study of biological activity of antimicrobial peptides from chickens thrombocytes. Peptides from chickens thrombocytes, obtained by reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography method with stepped and linear gradients of concentration increase of the organic solvent were used in the study. Their antimicrobial activity was determined by microtitration method in broth; mechanism of biological effect--by using fluorescent spectroscopy method with DNA-tropic dyes. Individual fractions of peptides were isolated from chickens thrombocytes, that possess antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus P209 and Escherichia coli K12. A disruption of integrity of barrier structures of microorganisms under the effect of thrombocyte antimicrobial peptides and predominance of cells with damaged membrane in the population of E. coli was established. The data obtained on antimicrobial activity and mechanism of bactericidal effect of the peptide fractions from chickens thrombocytes isolated for the first time expand the understanding of functional properties of chickens thrombocytes and open a perspective for their further study with the aim of use as antimicrobial means.

Marine natural flavonoids: chemistry and biological activities.

Science.gov (United States)

Martins, Beatriz T; Correia da Silva, Marta; Pinto, Madalena; Cidade, Honorina; Kijjoa, Anake

2018-05-04

As more than 70% of the world's surface is covered by oceans, marine organisms offer a rich and unlimited resource of structurally diverse bioactive compounds. These organisms have developed unique properties and bioactive compounds that are, in majority of them, unparalleled by their terrestrial counterparts due to the different surrounding ecological systems. Marine flavonoids have been extensively studied in the last decades due to a growing interest concerning their promising biological/pharmacological activities. The most common classes of marine flavonoids are flavones and flavonols, which are mostly isolated from marine plants. Although most of flavonoids are hydroxylated and methoxylated, some marine flavonoids possess an unusual substitution pattern, not commonly found in terrestrial organisms, namely the presence of sulphate, chlorine, and amino groups. This review presents, for the first time in a systematic way, the structure, natural occurrence, and biological activities of marine flavonoids.

Monitoring Biological Activity at Geothermal Power Plants

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Peter Pryfogle

2005-09-01

The economic impact of microbial growth in geothermal power plants has been estimated to be as high as $500,000 annually for a 100 MWe plant. Many methods are available to monitor biological activity at these facilities; however, very few plants have any on-line monitoring program in place. Metal coupon, selective culturing (MPN), total organic carbon (TOC), adenosine triphosphate (ATP), respirometry, phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA), and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) characterizations have been conducted using water samples collected from geothermal plants located in California and Utah. In addition, the on-line performance of a commercial electrochemical monitor, the BIoGEORGE?, has been evaluated during extended deployments at geothermal facilities. This report provides a review of these techniques, presents data on their application from laboratory and field studies, and discusses their value in characterizing and monitoring biological activities at geothermal power plants.

Ordinary differential equations with applications in molecular biology.

Science.gov (United States)

Ilea, M; Turnea, M; Rotariu, M

2012-01-01

Differential equations are of basic importance in molecular biology mathematics because many biological laws and relations appear mathematically in the form of a differential equation. In this article we presented some applications of mathematical models represented by ordinary differential equations in molecular biology. The vast majority of quantitative models in cell and molecular biology are formulated in terms of ordinary differential equations for the time evolution of concentrations of molecular species. Assuming that the diffusion in the cell is high enough to make the spatial distribution of molecules homogenous, these equations describe systems with many participating molecules of each kind. We propose an original mathematical model with small parameter for biological phospholipid pathway. All the equations system includes small parameter epsilon. The smallness of epsilon is relative to the size of the solution domain. If we reduce the size of the solution region the same small epsilon will result in a different condition number. It is clear that the solution for a smaller region is less difficult. We introduce the mathematical technique known as boundary function method for singular perturbation system. In this system, the small parameter is an asymptotic variable, different from the independent variable. In general, the solutions of such equations exhibit multiscale phenomena. Singularly perturbed problems form a special class of problems containing a small parameter which may tend to zero. Many molecular biology processes can be quantitatively characterized by ordinary differential equations. Mathematical cell biology is a very active and fast growing interdisciplinary area in which mathematical concepts, techniques, and models are applied to a variety of problems in developmental medicine and bioengineering. Among the different modeling approaches, ordinary differential equations (ODE) are particularly important and have led to significant advances

Baltic cyanobacteria- A source of biologically active compounds

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Mazur-Marzec, H.; Błaszczyk, A.; Felczykowska, A.; Hohlfeld, N.; Kobos, J.; Toruńska-Sitarz, A.; PrabhaDevi; Montalva`o, S.; DeSouza, L.; Tammela, P.; Mikosik, A.; Bloch, S.; Nejman-Faleńczyk, B.; Węgrzyn, G.

cyanobacteria, enzyme activity, enzyme inhibitors, immunological activity, natural products, nonribosomal peptides, plant growth regulators 2 INTRODUCTION Cyanobacteria are Gram-negative bacteria which are widely distributed in many water bodies..., immunological, 4 antimicrobial and plant growth tests. The overall aim of the experiments was to identify strains showing the most promising biological activity for potential biotechnological application. MATERIALS AND METHODS Isolation, culture...

SmallWorld Behavior of the Worldwide Active Volcanoes Network: Preliminary Results

Science.gov (United States)

Spata, A.; Bonforte, A.; Nunnari, G.; Puglisi, G.

2009-12-01

We propose a preliminary complex networks based approach in order to model and characterize volcanoes activity correlation observed on a planetary scale over the last two thousand years. Worldwide volcanic activity is in fact related to the general plate tectonics that locally drives the faults activity, that in turn controls the magma upraise beneath the volcanoes. To find correlations among different volcanoes could indicate a common underlying mechanism driving their activity and could help us interpreting the deeper common dynamics controlling their unrest. All the first evidences found testing the procedure, suggest the suitability of this analysis to investigate global volcanism related to plate tectonics. The first correlations found, in fact, indicate that an underlying common large-scale dynamics seems to drive volcanic activity at least around the Pacific plate, where it collides and subduces beneath American, Eurasian and Australian plates. From this still preliminary analysis, also more complex relationships among volcanoes lying on different tectonic margins have been found, suggesting some more complex interrelationships between different plates. The understanding of eventually detected correlations could be also used to further implement warning systems, relating the unrest probabilities of a specific volcano also to the ongoing activity to the correlated ones. Our preliminary results suggest that, as for other many physical and biological systems, an underlying organizing principle of planetary volcanoes activity might exist and it could be a small-world principle. In fact we found that, from a topological perspective, volcanoes correlations are characterized by the typical features of small-world network: a high clustering coefficient and a low characteristic path length. These features confirm that global volcanoes activity is characterized by both short and long-range correlations. We stress here the fact that numerical simulation carried out in

Aspartate and glutamate mimetic structures in biologically active compounds.

Science.gov (United States)

Stefanic, Peter; Dolenc, Marija Sollner

2004-04-01

Glutamate and aspartate are frequently recognized as key structural elements for the biological activity of natural peptides and synthetic compounds. The acidic side-chain functionality of both the amino acids provides the basis for the ionic interaction and subsequent molecular recognition by specific receptor sites that results in the regulation of physiological or pathophysiological processes in the organism. In the development of new biologically active compounds that possess the ability to modulate these processes, compounds offering the same type of interactions are being designed. Thus, using a peptidomimetic design approach, glutamate and aspartate mimetics are incorporated into the structure of final biologically active compounds. This review covers different bioisosteric replacements of carboxylic acid alone, as well as mimetics of the whole amino acid structure. Amino acid analogs presented include those with different distances between anionic moieties, and analogs with additional functional groups that result in conformational restriction or alternative interaction sites. The article also provides an overview of different cyclic structures, including various cycloalkane, bicyclic and heterocyclic analogs, that lead to conformational restriction. Higher di- and tripeptide mimetics in which carboxylic acid functionality is incorporated into larger molecules are also reviewed. In addition to the mimetic structures presented, emphasis in this article is placed on their steric and electronic properties. These mimetics constitute a useful pool of fragments in the design of new biologically active compounds, particularly in the field of RGD mimetics and excitatory amino acid agonists and antagonists.

Assessing Student Behaviors and Motivation for Actively Learning Biology

Science.gov (United States)

Moore, Michael Edward

Vision and Change states that one of the major changes in the way we design biology courses should be a switch in approach from teacher-centered learning to student-centered learning and identifies active learning as a recommended methods. Studies show performance benefits for students taking courses that use active learning. What is unknown is why active learning is such an effective instructional tool and the limits of this instructional method’s ability to influence performance. This dissertation builds a case in three steps for why active learning is an effective instructional tool. In step one, I assessed the influence of different types of active learning (clickers, group activities, and whole class discussions) on student engagement behavior in one semester of two different introductory biology courses and found that active learning positively influenced student engagement behavior significantly more than lecture. For step two, I examined over four semesters whether student engagement behavior was a predictor of performance and found participation (engagement behavior) in the online (video watching) and in-class course activities (clicker participation) that I measure were significant predictors of performance. In the third, I assessed whether certain active learning satisfied the psychological needs that lead to students’ intrinsic motivation to participate in those activities when compared over two semesters and across two different institutions of higher learning. Findings from this last step show us that student’s perceptions of autonomy, competency, and relatedness in doing various types of active learning are significantly higher than lecture and consistent across two institutions of higher learning. Lastly, I tie everything together, discuss implications of the research, and address future directions for research on biology student motivation and behavior.

A small-molecule inhibitor of the ubiquitin activating enzyme for cancer treatment.

Science.gov (United States)

Hyer, Marc L; Milhollen, Michael A; Ciavarri, Jeff; Fleming, Paul; Traore, Tary; Sappal, Darshan; Huck, Jessica; Shi, Judy; Gavin, James; Brownell, Jim; Yang, Yu; Stringer, Bradley; Griffin, Robert; Bruzzese, Frank; Soucy, Teresa; Duffy, Jennifer; Rabino, Claudia; Riceberg, Jessica; Hoar, Kara; Lublinsky, Anya; Menon, Saurabh; Sintchak, Michael; Bump, Nancy; Pulukuri, Sai M; Langston, Steve; Tirrell, Stephen; Kuranda, Mike; Veiby, Petter; Newcomb, John; Li, Ping; Wu, Jing Tao; Powe, Josh; Dick, Lawrence R; Greenspan, Paul; Galvin, Katherine; Manfredi, Mark; Claiborne, Chris; Amidon, Benjamin S; Bence, Neil F

2018-02-01

The ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) comprises a network of enzymes that is responsible for maintaining cellular protein homeostasis. The therapeutic potential of this pathway has been validated by the clinical successes of a number of UPS modulators, including proteasome inhibitors and immunomodulatory imide drugs (IMiDs). Here we identified TAK-243 (formerly known as MLN7243) as a potent, mechanism-based small-molecule inhibitor of the ubiquitin activating enzyme (UAE), the primary mammalian E1 enzyme that regulates the ubiquitin conjugation cascade. TAK-243 treatment caused depletion of cellular ubiquitin conjugates, resulting in disruption of signaling events, induction of proteotoxic stress, and impairment of cell cycle progression and DNA damage repair pathways. TAK-243 treatment caused death of cancer cells and, in primary human xenograft studies, demonstrated antitumor activity at tolerated doses. Due to its specificity and potency, TAK-243 allows for interrogation of ubiquitin biology and for assessment of UAE inhibition as a new approach for cancer treatment.

A small molecule (pluripotin as a tool for studying cancer stem cell biology: proof of concept.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Susan D Mertins

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Cancer stem cells (CSC are thought to be responsible for tumor maintenance and heterogeneity. Bona fide CSC purified from tumor biopsies are limited in supply and this hampers study of CSC biology. Furthermore, purified stem-like CSC subpopulations from existing tumor lines are unstable in culture. Finding a means to overcome these technical challenges would be a useful goal. In a first effort towards this, we examined whether a chemical probe that promotes survival of murine embryonic stem cells without added exogenous factors can alter functional characteristics in extant tumor lines in a fashion consistent with a CSC phenotype. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: The seven tumor lines of the NCI60 colon subpanel were exposed to SC-1 (pluripotin, a dual kinase and GTPase inhibitor that promotes self-renewal, and then examined for tumorigenicity under limiting dilution conditions and clonogenic activity in soft agar. A statistically significant increase in tumor formation following SC-1 treatment was observed (p<0.04. Cloning efficiencies and expression of putative CSC surface antigens (CD133 and CD44 were also increased. SC-1 treatment led to sphere formation in some colon tumor lines. Finally, SC-1 inhibited in vitro kinase activity of RSK2, and another RSK2 inhibitor increased colony formation implicating a role for this kinase in eliciting a CSC phenotype. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: These findings validate a proof of concept study exposure of extant tumor lines to a small molecule may provide a tractable in vitro model for understanding CSC biology.

Exploring rhizosphere bacteria of Eichhornia crassipes for metal tolerance and biological activity

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

PrabhaDevi; Gomez, S.; Ribeiro, M.; Deshpande, S.A.; Singh, K.S.; DeSouza, L.

Cl₃, They were further screened for antibiotic sensitivity and biological activity according to Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method The MTB under metal stress condition showed significant biological activity against clinical pathogens, fouling...

Comparative study of biological activity of glutathione, sodium ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Glutathione (GSH) and sodium tungstate (Na2WO4) are important pharmacological agents. They provide protection to cells against cytotoxic agents and thus reduce their cytotoxicity. It was of interest to study the biological activity of these two pharmacological active agents. Different strains of bacteria were used and the ...

Outdoor Biology Instructional Strategies Trial Edition, Set IV.

Science.gov (United States)

Throgmorton, Larry, Ed.; And Others

Eight games are included in the 24 activities in the Outdoor Biology Instructional Strategies (OBIS) Trial Edition Set IV. There are also simulations, crafts, biological techniques, and organism investigations focusing on animal and plant life in the forest, desert, and snow. Designed for small groups of children ages 10 to 15 from schools and…

Biological Activities of Royal Jelly - Review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Crenguţa I. Pavel

2011-10-01

Full Text Available Royal jelly is a secretion product of the cephalic glands of nurse bees that has been used for centuries for itsextraordinary properties and health effects. This bibliographic study aims to review many of the scientific findingsand research that prove many of the remarkable various actions, effects and some uses of royal jelly. There are takeninto consideration numerous biological properties and effects of royal jelly: antioxidant, neurotrophic, hipoglicemiant, hipocholesterolemiant and hepatoprotective, hypotensive and blood pressure regulatory, antitumor, antibiotic, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory and anti-allergic, general tonic and antiaging. Royal jelly is one ofthe most studied bee products, but there still remains much to reveal about its biochemistry and biological activity infuture research for our health and life benefit.

Biological activity of antitumoural MGBG: the structural variable.

Science.gov (United States)

Marques, M P M; Gil, F P S C; Calheiros, R; Battaglia, V; Brunati, A M; Agostinelli, E; Toninello, A

2008-05-01

The present study aims at determining the structure-activity relationships (SAR's) ruling the biological function of MGBG (methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone)), a competitive inhibitor of S-adenosyl-L-methionine decarboxylase displaying anticancer activity, involved in the biosynthesis of the naturally occurring polyamines spermidine and spermine. In order to properly understand its biochemical activity, MGBG's structural preferences at physiological conditions were ascertained, by quantum mechanical (DFT) calculations.

Novel tendencies in developing small-angle neutron scattering methods for studying the structure of biological macromolecules

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Serdyuk, I.

1995-01-01

In recent 20 years thermal neutron scattering has been acknowledged an important instrument for structural studies in molecular biology. The methods of neutron diffraction of high resolution, which are not discussed in this paper, have already permitted to obtain a detailed representation of the course of proteolytic reactions and have arisen a number of new problems connected with the localization of water molecules and the H-D exchange. The methods of low resolution widely used due to a relative simplicity of the experiment have been successfully applied for both solving structural problems per se and investigating the changes in the structure when macromolecules perform their biological functions. The most promising are novel experimental approaches: the triple isotopic substitution method and the method of spin dynamic polarization. These methods ensure solving structural problems at a higher resolution than the dimensions of the macromolecules studied. Installation of new experimental instruments makes neutron measurements more accessible, and development of direct methods for interpretation of experimental data using the apparatus of spherical harmonics opens new possibilities for small-angle neutron scattering making it a necessary element for interpretation of diffraction data of monocrystals of intricate biological macromolecules. The paper presents a brief account of the tendencies in theoretical development and practical use of small-angle scattering for studying biological macromolecules. Special attention is given to the studies carried out in the Laboratory of Neutron Physics on a unique pulse IBR-2 reactor. (author) 14 refs

Parameters of biological activity in colorectal cancer

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Svobodová, Š.; Topolčan, O.; Holubec jr., L.; Levý, M.; Pecen, Ladislav; Svačina, Š.

2011-01-01

Roč. 31, č. 1 (2011), s. 373-378 ISSN 0250-7005 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z10300504 Keywords : colorectal cancer * biological activity * prognosis * tumor markers * angiogenetic factors * metalloproteinases * adhesion molecules Subject RIV: FD - Oncology ; Hematology Impact factor: 1.725, year: 2011

Advanced biological activated carbon filter for removing pharmaceutically active compounds from treated wastewater.

Science.gov (United States)

Sbardella, Luca; Comas, Joaquim; Fenu, Alessio; Rodriguez-Roda, Ignasi; Weemaes, Marjoleine

2018-04-28

Through their release of effluents, conventional wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) represent a major pollution point sources for pharmaceutically active compounds (PhACs) in water bodies. The combination of a biological activated carbon (BAC) filter coupled with an ultrafiltration (UF) unit was evaluated as an advanced treatment for PhACs removal at pilot scale. The BAC-UF pilot plant was monitored for one year. The biological activity of the biofilm that developed on the granular activated carbon (GAC) particles and the contribution of this biofilm to the overall removal of PhACs were evaluated. Two different phases were observed during the long-term monitoring of PhACs removal. During the first 9200 bed volumes (BV; i.e., before GAC saturation), 89, 78, 83 and 79% of beta-blockers, psychiatric drugs, antibiotics and a mix of other therapeutic groups were removed, respectively. The second phase was characterized by deterioration of the overall performances during the period between 9200 and 13,800 BV. To quantify the respective contribution of adsorption and biodegradation, a lab-scale setup was operated for four months and highlighted the essential role played by GAC in biofiltration units. Physical adsorption was indeed the main removal mechanism. Nevertheless, a significant contribution due to biological activity was detected for some PhACs. The biofilm contributed to the removal of 22, 25, 30, 32 and 35% of ciprofloxacin, bezafibrate, ofloxacin, azithromycin and sulfamethoxazole, respectively. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Biological activity of selected plants with adaptogenic effect

OpenAIRE

Eva Ivanišová; Miroslava Kačániová; Jana Petrová; Radka Staňková; Lucia Godočíková; Tomáš Krajčovič; Štefan Dráb

2016-01-01

The aim of this study was to determine biological activity of plants with adaptogenic effect: Panax ginseng Mayer., Withania somnifera L., Eleuterococcus senticosus Rupr. et Maxim., Astragallus membranaceus Fisch. and Codonopsis pilosulae Franch. The antioxidant activity was detected by DPPH and phosphomolybdenum method, total polyphenol content with Folin – Ciocalteu reagent, flavonoids content by aluminium chloride method. The detection of antimicrobial activity was carried out by disc diff...

Biological AMS at Uppsala University: Status report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Salehpour, Mehran; Forsgard, Niklas; Possnert, Goeran

2010-01-01

In January 2007 a new research program was initiated at Uppsala University focusing on the biological applications of AMS. We have used a 5 MV Pelletron Tandem accelerator to study biological samples. With Microdosing applications in mind, a variety of measurements have been performed on human blood, plasma and urine that have been labeled with a 14 C-labeled pharmaceutical drug covering a concentration range, spanning 3 orders of magnitude. Furthermore, by studying small sample amounts and low concentrations, we have demonstrated sensitivity in the hundred zeptomole range for a small pharmaceutical substance in human blood. Another application of interest, based on the enhanced 14 C activity from the cold war bomb-peak, is dating of DNA molecules providing fundamental data for the regenerative medicine and stem cell research community. We show data on a sensitive carrier method for measuring the isotopic ratio of small biological sample in the few μgC range.

Small wastewater treatment plants in mountain areas: combination of septic tank and biological filter.

Science.gov (United States)

Maunoir, S; Philip, H; Rambaud, A

2007-01-01

Research work has been carried out for more than 20 years by Eparco and the University of Montpellier (France) on the application of biological wastewater treatment processes for small communities. This research has led to a new process which is particularly suitable for remote populations, taking into account several specificities such as as the seasonal fluctuations in the population, the accessibility of the site, the absence of a power supply on site, the reduced area of land available and the low maintenance. Thus, the process, which combines a septic tank operating under anaerobic conditions and a biological aerobic filter, is a solution for wastewater treatment in mountain areas. This paper presents the process and three full-scale applications in the region of the Alps.

Tax incentives for the economic activity of small businesses

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Imanshapieva Mazika Musabekovna

2012-08-01

Full Text Available In article it is shown that the developed structure of the Russian small business doesn't answer problems of modernization of economy, taking into account features of subjects of small business necessity of strengthening of a role of a tax policy for regulation of their activity is given reason. The expediency of introduction in the Tax code of the Russian Federation of concepts «subjects of small business», «the small innovative enterprise» is proved. Necessity of specification of conditions and signs of reference of the organizations to subjects of small-scale business is revealed at application of the simplified system of the taxation. The expediency of change of existing approaches to formation of tax base at application of the general system of the taxation is established and recommendations about tax stimulation of economic activity of subjects of small business are offered.

Biologic activity of porphyromonas endodontalis complex lipids.

Science.gov (United States)

Mirucki, Christopher S; Abedi, Mehran; Jiang, Jin; Zhu, Qiang; Wang, Yu-Hsiung; Safavi, Kamran E; Clark, Robert B; Nichols, Frank C

2014-09-01

Periapical infections secondary to pulpal necrosis are associated with bacterial contamination of the pulp. Porphyromonas endodontalis, a gram-negative organism, is considered to be a pulpal pathogen. P. gingivalis is phylogenetically related to P. endodontalis and synthesizes several classes of novel complex lipids that possess biological activity, including the capacity to promote osteoclastogenesis and osteoclast activation. The purpose of this study was to extract and characterize constituent lipids of P. endodontalis and evaluate their capacity to promote proinflammatory secretory responses in the macrophage cell line, RAW 264.7, as well as their capacity to promote osteoclastogenesis and inhibit osteoblast activity. Constituent lipids of both organisms were fractionated by high-performance liquid chromatography and were structurally characterized using electrospray mass spectrometry or electrospray-mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry. The virulence potential of P. endodontalis lipids was then compared with known biologically active lipids isolated from P. gingivalis. P. endodontalis total lipids were shown to promote tumor necrosis factor alpha secretion from RAW 264.7 cells, and the serine lipid fraction appeared to account for the majority of this effect. P. endodontalis lipid preparations also increased osteoclast formation from RAW 264.7 cells, but osteoblast differentiation in culture was inhibited and appeared to be dependent on Toll-like receptor 2 expression. These effects underscore the importance of P. endodontalis lipids in promoting inflammatory and bone cell activation processes that could lead to periapical pathology. Copyright © 2014 American Association of Endodontists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Importance of Spatiotemporal Information in Biological Motion Perception: White Noise Presented with a Step-like Motion Activates the Biological Motion Area.

Science.gov (United States)

Callan, Akiko; Callan, Daniel; Ando, Hiroshi

2017-02-01

Humans can easily recognize the motion of living creatures using only a handful of point-lights that describe the motion of the main joints (biological motion perception). This special ability to perceive the motion of animate objects signifies the importance of the spatiotemporal information in perceiving biological motion. The posterior STS (pSTS) and posterior middle temporal gyrus (pMTG) region have been established by many functional neuroimaging studies as a locus for biological motion perception. Because listening to a walking human also activates the pSTS/pMTG region, the region has been proposed to be supramodal in nature. In this study, we investigated whether the spatiotemporal information from simple auditory stimuli is sufficient to activate this biological motion area. We compared spatially moving white noise, having a running-like tempo that was consistent with biological motion, with stationary white noise. The moving-minus-stationary contrast showed significant differences in activation of the pSTS/pMTG region. Our results suggest that the spatiotemporal information of the auditory stimuli is sufficient to activate the biological motion area.

Biological activity of Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni and their relationship to health.

Science.gov (United States)

Ruiz-Ruiz, Jorge Carlos; Moguel-Ordoñez, Yolanda Beatriz; Segura-Campos, Maira Rubi

2017-08-13

The leaves of Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni has nutrients and phytochemicals, which make it an adequate source for the extraction and production of functional food ingredients. Preclinical and clinical studies suggest therapeutic and pharmacological applications for stevia and their extracts because they are not toxic and exhibit several biological activities. This review presents the biological activity of Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni and their relationship to antidiabetic, anticariogenic, antioxidant, hypotensive, antihypertensive, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and antitumor activities. Consumption and adverse effects were also reviewed.

Small-scale laser based electron accelerators for biology and medicine: a comparative study of the biological effectiveness

Science.gov (United States)

Labate, Luca; Andreassi, Maria Grazia; Baffigi, Federica; Basta, Giuseppina; Bizzarri, Ranieri; Borghini, Andrea; Candiano, Giuliana C.; Casarino, Carlo; Cresci, Monica; Di Martino, Fabio; Fulgentini, Lorenzo; Ghetti, Francesco; Gilardi, Maria Carla; Giulietti, Antonio; Köster, Petra; Lenci, Francesco; Levato, Tadzio; Oishi, Yuji; Russo, Giorgio; Sgarbossa, Antonella; Traino, Claudio; Gizzi, Leonida A.

2013-05-01

Laser-driven electron accelerators based on the Laser Wakefield Acceleration process has entered a mature phase to be considered as alternative devices to conventional radiofrequency linear accelerators used in medical applications. Before entering the medical practice, however, deep studies of the radiobiological effects of such short bunches as the ones produced by laser-driven accelerators have to be performed. Here we report on the setup, characterization and first test of a small-scale laser accelerator for radiobiology experiments. A brief description of the experimental setup will be given at first, followed by an overview of the electron bunch characterization, in particular in terms of dose delivered to the samples. Finally, the first results from the irradiation of biological samples will be briefly discussed.

Time-slicing subsystem of the biology small-angle x-ray scattering station at the National Synchrotron Light Source

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stubblefield, F.W.

1985-11-01

The time-slicing subsystem of the Biology Small-Angle X-ray Scattering divides the time period during which the data for small-angle x-ray diffraction patterns from biological samples is collected into time slices (or frames). The subsystem, being part of a multiprocessor experiment control and data acquisition system, has its own dedicated processor; it also has special-purpose front-end electronics sufficient to generate the gating and other control signals required to produce a sequence of as many as 256 time slices, measured with a basic time unit of 1 μsec. The electronics also synchronizes with execution of the time slice sequence the application of stimuli to the biological sample, the measurement of voltages generated by the sample, and the application of auxiliary device trigger pulses and routes detector data and auxiliary scaler data into appropriate time-slice-indexed buffers in a large external data memory array. The structure of the entire experiment control and data acquisition system is briefly reviewed. Details of the structure and operation of the time slice subsystem are presented. 7 refs., 5 figs

Safety activities in small businesses

Science.gov (United States)

Sinclair, Raymond C.; Cunningham, Thomas R.

2015-01-01

Background Workplace injuries occur at higher rates in smaller firms than in larger firms, and the number of workplace safety activities appear to be inversely associated with those rates. Predictors of safety activities are rarely studied. Methods This study uses data from a national random survey of firms (n = 722) with less than 250 employees conducted in 2002. Results We found that, regardless of firm size or industry, safety activities were more common in 2002 than they were in a similar 1983 study. Having had an OSHA inspection in the last five years and firm size were stronger predictors of safety activities than industry hazardousness and manager’s perceptions of hazardousness. All four variables were significant predictors (β range .19 to .28; R2 = .27). Conclusions Further progress in the prevention of injuries in small firms will require attention to factors likely subsumed within the firm size variable, especially the relative lack of slack resources that might be devoted to safety activities. PMID:26339124

New approaches to estimation of peat deposits for production of biologically active compounds

Science.gov (United States)

Stepchenko, L. M.; Yurchenko, V. I.; Krasnik, V. G.; Syedykh, N. J.

2009-04-01

It is known, that biologically active preparations from peat increase animals productivity as well as resistance against stress-factors and have adaptogeneous, antioxidant, immunomodulative properties. Optymal choice of peat deposits for the production of biologically active preparations supposes the detailed comparative analysis of peat properties from different deposits. For this the cadastre of peat of Ukraine is developed in the humic substances laboratory named after prof. Khristeva L.A. (Dnipropetrovsk Agrarian University, Ukraine). It based on the research of its physical and chemical properties, toxicity and biological activity, and called Biocadastre. The Biocadastre is based on the set of parameters, including the descriptions of physical and chemical properties (active acidity, degree of decomposition, botanical composition etc.), toxicity estimation (by parabyotyc, infusorial, inhibitor and other tests), biological activity indexes (growth-promoting, antioxidative, adaptogeneous, immunomodulative antistress and other actions). The blocks of Biocadastre indexes are differentiated, taking into account their use for creation the preparations for vegetable, animals and microorganisms. The Biocadastre will allow to choose the peat deposits, most suitable for the production of different biologically active preparations, both wide directed and narrow spectrum of action, depending on application fields (medicine, agriculture, veterinary medicine, microbiological industry, balneology, cosmetology).

High Performance Activity Practices in Small Firms in Romania

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Gabriela ŢUŢUEANU

2014-12-01

Full Text Available High Performance Activity Practices in Small Firms in Romania Abstract: High performance activity practices (HPAPs are human resource management activities aimed at stimulating employee and organisational performance. The application of HPAPs is not widespread in small organisations. We examine whether the implementation of coherent bundles of HPAPs (aimed at employee ability, employee motivation or at the opportunity to perform depends on the scarcity of resources, as reflected in the size of the company, and on strategic decision-making in small firms related to the owner’s expertise and attitudes. In our research, a total of 224 employees from 50 small organisations were asked to rate the presence of HPAPs in their organisation. These averaged perceptions were linked to information provided by the owner–managers on the size of their firm and their own expertise and attitudes. The findings support that smaller but coherent bundles of HPAPs can be found in small organisations and that the implementation of these bundles depends on available resources, strategic decision-making and the combination of the two. These findings highlight the need to integrate the notions of resource poverty and strategic decision-making to understand the uptake of bundles of HPAPs within small firms.

Osculum dynamics and filtration activity in small single-osculum explants of the demosponge Halichondria panicea

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kumala, Lars; Riisgård, Hans Ulrik; Canfield, Donald Eugene

2017-01-01

the clearance method. Osculum dynamics, as expressed by temporal variation of the OSA, including osculum contraction and expansion, correlated with variability in the explant filtration rate, and no water pumping was observed during periods of osculum closure. A linear relationship between filtration rate (FR......Contraction-inflation behavior, including the closure and opening of the exhalant opening (osculum), is common among sponges. This behavior may temporally affect filtration activity, making it difficult to study and understand sponge feeding biology. To examine the interplay between osculum...... dynamics and filtration activity, small (18 mm3) single-osculum explants of the demosponge Halichondria panicea were studied. Time-lapse video stereo-microscope recordings of the osculum cross-sectional area (OSA) were made simultaneously with measurements of the filtration rate (∼15°C, ∼20 PSU) using...

Biologically Active Compounds of Plant Foods: Prospective Impact ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

On the other hand, other biologically active compounds impair health by ... of essential elements through different mechanisms and giving astringent taste, odor, ... The health benefits of selected substances from Ethiopian food crops need to ...

Biological Activity of Ionic Liquids and Their Application in Pharmaceutics and Medicine.

Science.gov (United States)

Egorova, Ksenia S; Gordeev, Evgeniy G; Ananikov, Valentine P

2017-05-24

Ionic liquids are remarkable chemical compounds, which find applications in many areas of modern science. Because of their highly tunable nature and exceptional properties, ionic liquids have become essential players in the fields of synthesis and catalysis, extraction, electrochemistry, analytics, biotechnology, etc. Apart from physical and chemical features of ionic liquids, their high biological activity has been attracting significant attention from biochemists, ecologists, and medical scientists. This Review is dedicated to biological activities of ionic liquids, with a special emphasis on their potential employment in pharmaceutics and medicine. The accumulated data on the biological activity of ionic liquids, including their antimicrobial and cytotoxic properties, are discussed in view of possible applications in drug synthesis and drug delivery systems. Dedicated attention is given to a novel active pharmaceutical ingredient-ionic liquid (API-IL) concept, which suggests using traditional drugs in the form of ionic liquid species. The main aim of this Review is to attract a broad audience of chemical, biological, and medical scientists to study advantages of ionic liquid pharmaceutics. Overall, the discussed data highlight the importance of the research direction defined as "Ioliomics", studies of ions in liquids in modern chemistry, biology, and medicine.

Silychristin: Skeletal Alterations and Biological Activities

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Biedermann, David; Buchta, M.; Holečková, Veronika; Sedlák, David; Valentová, Kateřina; Cvačka, Josef; Bednárová, Lucie; Křenková, Alena; Kuzma, Marek; Škuta, Ctibor; Peikerová, Žaneta; Bartůněk, Petr; Křen, Vladimír

2016-01-01

Roč. 79, č. 12 (2016), s. 3086-3092 ISSN 0163-3864 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GA15-03037S; GA MZd(CZ) NV16-27317A; GA MŠk LO1220; GA MŠk LM2015063; GA MŠk(CZ) LD15081 Institutional support: RVO:61388971 ; RVO:68378050 ; RVO:61388963 Keywords : Silychristin * skeletal alterations * biological activities Subject RIV: CC - Organic Chemistry Impact factor: 3.281, year: 2016

Simple glycolipids of microbes: Chemistry, biological activity and metabolic engineering

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Ahmad Mohammad Abdel-Mawgoud

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Glycosylated lipids (GLs are added-value lipid derivatives of great potential. Besides their interesting surface activities that qualify many of them to act as excellent ecological detergents, they have diverse biological activities with promising biomedical and cosmeceutical applications. Glycolipids, especially those of microbial origin, have interesting antimicrobial, anticancer, antiparasitic as well as immunomodulatory activities. Nonetheless, GLs are hardly accessing the market because of their high cost of production. We believe that experience of metabolic engineering (ME of microbial lipids for biofuel production can now be harnessed towards a successful synthesis of microbial GLs for biomedical and other applications. This review presents chemical groups of bacterial and fungal GLs, their biological activities, their general biosynthetic pathways and an insight on ME strategies for their production.

A Tryptoline Ring-Distortion Strategy Leads to Complex and Diverse Biologically Active Molecules from the Indole Alkaloid Yohimbine.

Science.gov (United States)

Paciaroni, Nicholas G; Ratnayake, Ranjala; Matthews, James H; Norwood, Verrill M; Arnold, Austin C; Dang, Long H; Luesch, Hendrik; Huigens, Robert W

2017-03-28

High-throughput screening (HTS) is the primary driver to current drug-discovery efforts. New therapeutic agents that enter the market are a direct reflection of the structurally simple compounds that make up screening libraries. Unlike medically relevant natural products (e.g., morphine), small molecules currently being screened have a low fraction of sp 3 character and few, if any, stereogenic centers. Although simple compounds have been useful in drugging certain biological targets (e.g., protein kinases), more sophisticated targets (e.g., transcription factors) have largely evaded the discovery of new clinical agents from screening collections. Herein, a tryptoline ring-distortion strategy is described that enables the rapid synthesis of 70 complex and diverse compounds from yohimbine (1); an indole alkaloid. The compounds that were synthesized had architecturally complex and unique scaffolds, unlike 1 and other scaffolds. These compounds were subjected to phenotypic screens and reporter gene assays, leading to the identification of new compounds that possessed various biological activities, including antiproliferative activities against cancer cells with functional hypoxia-inducible factors, nitric oxide inhibition, and inhibition and activation of the antioxidant response element. This tryptoline ring-distortion strategy can begin to address diversity problems in screening libraries, while occupying biologically relevant chemical space in areas critical to human health. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Biological activity of soils strongly polluted with sulfur

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Krol, M; Maliszewska, W; Siuta, J

1972-01-01

Studies were carried out on soils strongly polluted with sulfur and acidified (to pH 1.4). The soils were subjected to an intensive liming. In field and pot experiments, the authors determined: the total quantity of bacteria, actinomycetes, fungi, azotobacter, nitrifiers, proteolytic activity of microorganisms, activity of ammonifiers and the number of sulfur-oxidizing and sulfate-reducing bacteria. It was found that intensive liming of sulfur-affected soils restored their biological activity. 8 references, 5 figures, 1 table.

Radiometallating antibodies and biologically active peptides

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mercer-Smith, J.A.; Roberts, J.C.; Lewis, D.; Newmyer, S.L.; Schulte, L.D.; Burns, T.P.; Mixon, P.L.; Jeffery, A.L.; Schreyer, S.A.; Cole, D.A.; Figard, S.D.; Lennon, V.A.; Hayashi, M.; Lavallee, D.K.

1990-01-01

We have developed methods to radiolabel large molecules, using porphyrins as bifunctional chelating agents for radiometals. The porphyrins are substituted with an N-benzyl group to activate them for radiometallation under mild reaction conditions. Porphyrins that have on functional group for covalent attachment to other molecules cannot cause crosslinking. We have examined the labeling chemistry for antibodies, and we have also developed methods to label smaller biologically active molecules, such as autoantigenic peptides. The autoantigenic peptides, fragments of the acetylcholine receptor, are under investigation for myasthenia gravis research. The methods of covalent attachment of these bifunctional chelating agents to large molecules and the radiometallation chemistry will be discussed

Biologically active substances from Zanthoxylum capense(thumb.) Harv.

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Steyn, PS

1998-08-01

Full Text Available A chemical investigation into the composition of Zanthoxylum capense yielded several biologically active compounds, including pellitorine. A convenient HPLC method was developed to determine the presence of pellitorine in crude extracts from plants...

Biological/Genetic Regulation of Physical Activity Level: Consensus from GenBioPAC.

Science.gov (United States)

Lightfoot, J Timothy; DE Geus, Eco J C; Booth, Frank W; Bray, Molly S; DEN Hoed, Marcel; Kaprio, Jaakko; Kelly, Scott A; Pomp, Daniel; Saul, Michael C; Thomis, Martine A; Garland, Theodore; Bouchard, Claude

2018-04-01

Physical activity unquestionably maintains and improves health; however, physical activity levels globally are low and not rising despite all the resources devoted to this goal. Attention in both the research literature and the public policy domain has focused on social-behavioral factors; however, a growing body of literature suggests that biological determinants play a significant role in regulating physical activity levels. For instance, physical activity level, measured in various manners, has a genetic component in both humans and nonhuman animal models. This consensus article, developed as a result of an American College of Sports Medicine-sponsored round table, provides a brief review of the theoretical concepts and existing literature that supports a significant role of genetic and other biological factors in the regulation of physical activity. Future research on physical activity regulation should incorporate genetics and other biological determinants of physical activity instead of a sole reliance on social and other environmental determinants.

Essential Oil of Thymus munbyanus subsp. coloratus from Algeria: Chemotypification and in vitro Biological Activities.

Science.gov (United States)

Bendif, Hamdi; Boudjeniba, Messaoud; Miara, Mohamed Djamel; Biqiku, Loreta; Bramucci, Massimo; Lupidi, Giulio; Quassinti, Luana; Vitali, Luca A; Maggi, Filippo

2017-03-01

Thymus munbyanus subsp. coloratus (Lamiaceae) is a small shrub endemic to Algeria and Morocco where is found in lawns, rockeries and mountainous regions. From a phytochemical point of view this taxon has never been characterized. In this work we have analysed the chemical compositions of the essential oils obtained from inflorescences and vegetative parts by GC/MS. A new chemotype, i.e. borneol-chemotype, was characterized for the first time in the species. Furthermore, we assessed the biological activities of essential oils, namely the antioxidant, antimicrobial and cytotoxicity on tumor cells that were evaluated by the DPPH, ABTS, and FRAP, disc diffusion, and MTT methods, respectively. Biological assays highlighted a moderate inhibitory effect on Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Candida albicans (inhibition zone diameter in the range 9 - 10 mm), and noteworthy cytotoxicity on A375 human melanoma cells (IC 50 of 46.95 μg/ml). © 2017 Wiley-VHCA AG, Zurich, Switzerland.

On the mechanism of biological activation by tritium.

Science.gov (United States)

Rozhko, T V; Badun, G A; Razzhivina, I A; Guseynov, O A; Guseynova, V E; Kudryasheva, N S

2016-06-01

The mechanism of biological activation by beta-emitting radionuclide tritium was studied. Luminous marine bacteria were used as a bioassay to monitor the biological effect of tritium with luminescence intensity as the physiological parameter tested. Two different types of tritium sources were used: HTO molecules distributed regularly in the surrounding aqueous medium, and a solid source with tritium atoms fixed on its surface (tritium-labeled films, 0.11, 0.28, 0.91, and 2.36 MBq/cm(2)). When using the tritium-labeled films, tritium penetration into the cells was prevented. The both types of tritium sources revealed similar changes in the bacterial luminescence kinetics: a delay period followed by bioluminescence activation. No monotonic dependences of bioluminescence activation efficiency on specific radioactivities of the films were found. A 15-day exposure to tritiated water (100 MBq/L) did not reveal mutations in bacterial DNA. The results obtained give preference to a "non-genomic" mechanism of bioluminescence activation by tritium. An activation of the intracellular bioluminescence process develops without penetration of tritium atoms into the cells and can be caused by intensification of trans-membrane cellular processes stimulated by ionization and radiolysis of aqueous media. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Biological activities of Curcuma longa L.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Araújo CAC

2001-01-01

Full Text Available There are several data in the literature indicating a great variety of pharmacological activities of Curcuma longa L. (Zingiberaceae, which exhibit anti-inflammatory, anti-human immunodeficiency virus, anti-bacteria, antioxidant effects and nematocidal activities. Curcumin is a major component in Curcuma longa L., being responsible for its biological actions. Other extracts of this plant has been showing potency too. In vitro, curcumin exhibits anti-parasitic, antispasmodic, anti-inflammatory and gastrointestinal effects; and also inhibits carcinogenesis and cancer growth. In vivo, there are experiments showing the anti-parasitic, anti-inflammatory potency of curcumin and extracts of C. longa L. by parenteral and oral application in animal models. In this present work we make an overview of the pharmacological activities of C. longa L., showing its importance.

Correlation between the dielectric properties and biological activities of human ex vivo hepatic tissue

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Hang; You, Fusheng; Fu, Feng; Dong, Xiuzhen; Shi, Xuetao; He, Yong; Yang, Min; Yan, Qingguo

2015-01-01

Dielectric properties are vital biophysical features of biological tissues, and biological activity is an index to ascertain the active state of tissues. This study investigated the potential correlation between the dielectric properties and biological activities of human hepatic tissue with prolonged ex vivo time through correlation and regression analyses. The dielectric properties of 26 cases of normal human hepatic tissue at 10 Hz to 100 MHz were measured from 15 min after isolation to 24 h at 37 °C with 90% humidity. Cell morphologies, including nucleus area (NA) and alteration rate of intercellular area (ICAR), were analyzed as indicators of biological activities. Conductivity, complex resistivity, and NA exhibited opposing changes 1 h after isolation. Relative permittivity and ex vivo time were not closely correlated (p > 0.05). The dielectric properties measured at low frequencies (i.e. <1 MHz) were more sensitive than those measured at high frequencies in reflecting the biological activity of ex vivo tissue. Highly significant correlations were found between conductivity, resistivity and the ex vivo time (p < 0.05) as well as conductivity and the cell morphology (p < 0.05). The findings indicated that establishing the correlation between the dielectric properties and biological activities of human hepatic tissue is of great significance for promoting the role of dielectric properties in biological science, particularly in human biology. (paper)

A Vision and Change Reform of Introductory Biology Shifts Faculty Perceptions and Use of Active Learning

Science.gov (United States)

Auerbach, Anna Jo; Schussler, Elisabeth

2017-01-01

Increasing faculty use of active-learning (AL) pedagogies in college classrooms is a persistent challenge in biology education. A large research-intensive university implemented changes to its biology majors’ two-course introductory sequence as outlined by the Vision and Change in Undergraduate Biology Education final report. One goal of the curricular reform was to integrate core biological concepts and competencies into the courses using AL pedagogical approaches. The purpose of this study was to observe the instructional practices used by faculty (N = 10) throughout the 3-year process of reform to determine whether the use of AL strategies (including student collaboration) increased, given that it can maximize student learning gains. Instructors participated in yearly interviews to track any change in their perceptions of AL instruction. Instructors increased their average use of AL by 12% (group AL by 8%) of total class time throughout the 3-year study. Interviews revealed that instructors shifted their definitions of AL and talked more about how to assess student learning over the 3 years of the project. Collaboration, feedback, and time may have been important factors in the reform, suggesting that small shifts over time can accumulate into real change in the classroom. PMID:29146663

Protein stability and enzyme activity at extreme biological temperatures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Feller, Georges

2010-01-01

Psychrophilic microorganisms thrive in permanently cold environments, even at subzero temperatures. To maintain metabolic rates compatible with sustained life, they have improved the dynamics of their protein structures, thereby enabling appropriate molecular motions required for biological activity at low temperatures. As a consequence of this structural flexibility, psychrophilic proteins are unstable and heat-labile. In the upper range of biological temperatures, thermophiles and hyperthermophiles grow at temperatures > 100 0 C and synthesize ultra-stable proteins. However, thermophilic enzymes are nearly inactive at room temperature as a result of their compactness and rigidity. At the molecular level, both types of extremophilic proteins have adapted the same structural factors, but in opposite directions, to address either activity at low temperatures or stability in hot environments. A model based on folding funnels is proposed accounting for the stability-activity relationships in extremophilic proteins. (topical review)

Trends in biological activity research of wild-growing aromatic plants from Central Balkans

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Džamić, A.M.

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Flowering plants consists of more than 300.000 species around the world, out of which a small percentage has been sufficiently investigated from phytochemical and biological activity aspects. Plant diversity of the Balkans is very rich, but still poorly investigated. The aim of this paper is survey of current status and trends in research of wild-growing aromatic plants from Central Balkans. Many aromatic plants are investigated from morphological, physiological, ecological, systematic and phytochemical aspects. However, traditionally used medicinal and aromatic plants can also be considered from applicative aspects, concerning their health effects, and from wide range of usage in cosmetics, and as food, agrochemical and pharmaceutical products. In order to achieve all planned objectives, following methodology has been applied: field research, taxonomic authentication and, comparative biologically assayed phytochemical investigations. The total herbal extracts, postdistillation waste (deodorized extracts, essential oils and individual compounds of some autochthonous plants have been considered as potential source of antibacterial, antifungal, anti-biofilm, antioxidant and cytotoxic agents. In this manuscript, composition of essential oils and extracts were evaluated in a number of species, from the Apiaceae, Lamiaceae, Rosaceae and Asteraceae families. Extracts which were rich in phenols mostly of flavonoids, often showed high antioxidant potential. Also, phenolic compounds identified in essential oils and extracts were mostly responsible for expected antimicrobial activity. Current worldwide demand is to reduce or, if possible, eliminate chemically synthesized food additives. Plant-produced compounds are becoming of interest as a source of more effective and safe substances than synthetically produced antimicrobial agents (as inhibitors, growth reducers or even inactivators that control growth of microorganisms. Many different pathogens have

Biological activities of xanthatin from Xanthium strumarium leaves.

Science.gov (United States)

Nibret, Endalkachew; Youns, Mahamoud; Krauth-Siegel, R Luise; Wink, Michael

2011-12-01

The objective of the present work was to evaluate the biological activities of the major bioactive compound, xanthatin, and other compounds from Xanthium strumarium (Asteraceae) leaves. Inhibition of bloodstream forms of Trypanosoma brucei brucei and leukaemia HL-60 cell proliferation was assessed using resazurin as a vital stain. Xanthatin was found to be the major and most active compound against T. b. brucei with an IC(50) value of 2.63 µg/mL and a selectivity index of 20. The possible mode of action of xanthatin was further evaluated. Xanthatin showed antiinflammatory activity by inhibiting both PGE(2) synthesis (24% inhibition) and 5-lipoxygenase activity (92% inhibition) at concentrations of 100 µg/mL and 97 µg/mL, respectively. Xanthatin exhibited weak irreversible inhibition of parasite specific trypanothione reductase. Unlike xanthatin, diminazene aceturate and ethidium bromide showed strong DNA intercalation with IC(50) values of 26.04 µg/mL and 44.70 µg/mL, respectively. Substantial induction of caspase 3/7 activity in MIA PaCa-2 cells was observed after 6 h of treatment with 100 µg/mL of xanthatin. All these data taken together suggest that xanthatin exerts its biological activity by inducing apoptosis and inhibiting both PGE(2) synthesis and 5-lipoxygenase activity thereby avoiding unwanted inflammation commonly observed in diseases such as trypanosomiasis. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Biological activities of some Fluoroquinolones-metal complexes

African Journals Online (AJOL)

McRoy

Background: Metal ions play a vital role in the design of more biologically active drugs. Aim: The paper reviewed the .... 2H2O by direct reaction of copper(II) sulphate pentahydrate with ciprofloxacin in distilled water. ... membered ring and the chloride ion completes the seven coordination around the Ca2+ion.[37-39].

Objectives of research activities in Biology Branch, Chalk River Nuclear Laboratories, 1976

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1977-03-01

The primary responsibility assigned to the Biology Branch within the framework of CRNL has been an active engagement in basic research related to the assessment of radiation hazards, particularly those to be expected after exposure to relatively low doses of radiation delivered at low dose-rates. The present group is characterized by a broad interest in the entire chain of events by which the initial radiation-induced changes in the living cell are translated into biological effects, with a special focus of attention on the mechanisms by which the initial damage can be largely repaired and by which the risks to man are modified under different circumstances. The basic concepts in radiation biology and risk estimates are reviewed in the light of recent literature on these topics. The current and proposed research activities of the Biology Branch are described. General and specific recommendations for future activities are given. (author)

Ethnobotany, chemistry, and biological activities of the genus Tithonia (Asteraceae).

Science.gov (United States)

Chagas-Paula, Daniela A; Oliveira, Rejane B; Rocha, Bruno A; Da Costa, Fernando B

2012-02-01

The genus Tithonia is an important source of diverse natural products, particularly sesquiterpene lactones, diterpenes, and flavonoids. The collected information in this review attempts to summarize the recent developments in the ethnobotany, biological activities, and secondary metabolite chemistry of this genus. More than 100 structures of natural products from Tithonia are reported in this review. The species that has been most investigated in this genus is T. diversifolia, from which ca. 150 compounds were isolated. Biological studies are described to evaluate the anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antimalarial, antiviral, antidiabetic, antidiarrhoeal, antimicrobial, antispasmodic, vasorelaxant, cancer-chemopreventive, cytotoxic, toxicological, bioinsecticide, and repellent activities. A few of these studies have been carried out with isolated compounds from Tithonia species, but the majority has been conducted with different extracts. The relationship between the biological activity and the toxicity of compounds isolated from the plants of this genus as well as T. diversifolia extracts still remains unclear, and mechanisms of action remain to be determined. Copyright © 2012 Verlag Helvetica Chimica Acta AG, Zürich.

Physio-chemical evaluation and biological activity of Ajuga ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Physio-chemical evaluation and biological activity of Ajuga bracteosa wall and Viola odoroto Linn. Anwar Ali Shad, M. Zeeshan, Hina Fazal, Hamid Ullah Shah, Shabir Ahmed, Hasem Abeer, E. F. Abd_Allah, Riaz Ullah, Hamid Afridi, Akash tariq, Muhammad Adnan Asma ...

Students’ learning activities while studying biological process diagrams

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kragten, M.; Admiraal, W.; Rijlaarsdam, G.

2015-01-01

Process diagrams describe how a system functions (e.g. photosynthesis) and are an important type of representation in Biology education. In the present study, we examined students’ learning activities while studying process diagrams, related to their resulting comprehension of these diagrams. Each

Occurrence, biological activity and synthesis of drimane sesquiterpenoids

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Jansen, B.J.M.; Groot, de Æ.

2004-01-01

In this review the names, structures and occurrence of all new drimanes and rearranged drimanes, which have been published between January 1990 and January 2003 have been collected. Subjects that have been treated are biosynthesis, analysis, biological activities, with special attention to cytotoxic

A small great history of the sister Societies of Developmental Biology in Spain and Portugal.

Science.gov (United States)

Palmeirim, Isabel; Aréchaga, Juan

2009-01-01

We revise the historical evolution of the societies devoted to Developmental Biology from the early activities of the Institut International dEmbryologie (IIE), founded in 1911, with particular emphasis on the more recent constitution of the Spanish Sociedad Española de Biología del Desarrollo (SEBD), founded in 1994, and the Portuguese Sociedade Portuguesa de Biologia do Desenvolvimento (SPBD), founded in 2006. We also describe the role played by The International Journal of Developmental Biology (IJDB) in the constitution of the SEBD and its projection and support to international Developmental Biology societies and individual researchers in the world, according to its mission to be a non-for-profit publication for scientists, by scientists.

Small Group Activities for Introductory Business Classes.

Science.gov (United States)

Mundrake, George

1999-01-01

Describes numerous small-group activities for the following areas of basic business education: consumer credit, marketing, business organization, entrepreneurship, insurance, risk management, economics, personal finance, business careers, global markets, and government regulation. (SK)

Effects of biology teachers' professional knowledge and cognitive activation on students' achievement

Science.gov (United States)

Förtsch, Christian; Werner, Sonja; von Kotzebue, Lena; Neuhaus, Birgit J.

2016-11-01

This study examined the effects of teachers' biology-specific dimensions of professional knowledge - pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) and content knowledge (CK) - and cognitively activating biology instruction, as a feature of instructional quality, on students' learning. The sample comprised 39 German secondary school teachers whose lessons on the topic neurobiology were videotaped twice. Teachers' instruction was coded with regard to cognitive activation using a rating manual. Multilevel path analysis results showed a positive significant effect of cognitive activation on students' learning and an indirect effect of teachers' PCK on students' learning mediated through cognitive activation. These findings highlight the importance of PCK in preservice biology teachers' education. Items of the rating manual may be used to provide exemplars of concrete teaching situations during university seminars for preservice teacher education or professional development initiatives for in-service teachers.

Assessing Student Behaviors and Motivation for Actively Learning Biology

Science.gov (United States)

Moore, Michael Edward

2017-01-01

Vision and Change states that one of the major changes in the way we design biology courses should be a switch in approach from teacher-centered learning to student-centered learning and identifies active learning as a recommended methods. Studies show performance benefits for students taking courses that use active learning. What is unknown is…

Biological Activity Alterations of Human Amniotic Membrane Pre and Post Irradiation Tissue Banking.

Science.gov (United States)

Nemr, Waleed; Bashandy, A S; Araby, Eman; Khamiss, O

Innate immunity of Human Amniotic Membrane (HAM) and its highly active secretome that rich with various types of growth factors and anti-inflammatory substances proposed it as a promising material for many medical studies and applications. This study evaluate the biological activity of cultivated HAM pre and post tissue banking process in which freeze-dried HAM was sterilized by 25 KGray (kGy) dose of γ radiation. The HAM's antimicrobial activity, viability, growth of isolated human amniotic epithelial cells (HAECs), hematopoietic stimulation of co-cultivated murine bone marrow cells (mammalian model), scaffold efficiency for fish brain building up (non-mammalian model) and self re-epithelialization after trypsin denuding treatment were examined as supposed biological activity features. Native HAM revealed viability indications and was active to kill all tested microorganisms; 6 bacterial species (3 Gram-positive and 3 Gram-negative) and Candida albicans as a pathogenic fungus. Also, HAM activity promoted colony formation of murine hematopoietic cells, Tilapia nilotica brain fragment building-up and self re-epithelialization after trypsin treatment. In contrary, radiation-based tissue banking of HAM caused HAM cellular death and consequently lacked almost all of examined biological activity features. Viable HAM was featured with biological activity than fixed HAM prepared by irradiation tissue banking.

Detection of biologically active diterpenoic acids by Raman Spectroscopy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Talian, Ivan; Orinak, Andrej; Efremov, Evtim V.

2010-01-01

Three poorly detectable, biologically active diterpenoic acids, kaurenoic, abietic, and gibberellic acid, were studied by using different modes of Raman spectroscopy. Because of their structural similarities, in the absence of strongly polarizable groups, conventional Raman spectroscopy is not su......Three poorly detectable, biologically active diterpenoic acids, kaurenoic, abietic, and gibberellic acid, were studied by using different modes of Raman spectroscopy. Because of their structural similarities, in the absence of strongly polarizable groups, conventional Raman spectroscopy...... few enhanced Raman lines. SERS spectra with 514-nm excitation with Ag colloids were also relatively weak. The best SERS spectrawere obtained with 785-nm excitation on a novel nanostructured substrate, 'black silicon' coated with a 400-nm gold layer. The spectra showed clear differences...

Biological activities of secondary metabolites of the order Zoanthids

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zahra Aminikhoei

2015-11-01

Full Text Available The phylum Cnidaria is a large, diverse and ecologically important group of marine invertebrates, which produce powerful toxins and venoms. The number of marine natural product from cnidarians isolated from class Anthozoa. Among the Anthozoa, the order of zoanthids are sessile, clonal and mostly brightly colored invertebrate which produce high biodiversity of cytolitic, neurotoxic and cardiotoxic compounds. Zoanthids containing palytoxins are reportedly among the most toxic marine organisms known. In addition, a high concentration of zoanthamine alkaloids extracted from this group.The zoanthamine alkaloids were isolated over 20 years ago, exhibit a broad range of biological activities.The best studied and most well-known biological activity of zoanthamine derivative significantly suppressed bone resorption and enhanced bone formation.

An activity canyon characterization of the pharmacological topography

OpenAIRE

Kulkarni, Varsha S.; Wild, David J.

2016-01-01

Background Highly chemically similar drugs usually possess similar biological activities, but sometimes, small changes in chemistry can result in a large difference in biological effects. Chemically similar drug pairs that show extreme deviations in activity represent distinctive drug interactions having important implications. These associations between chemical and biological similarity are studied as discontinuities in activity landscapes. Particularly, activity cliffs are quantified by th...

Biologically Active Macrocyclic Compounds – from Natural Products to Diversity‐Oriented Synthesis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Madsen, Charlotte Marie; Clausen, Mads Hartvig

2011-01-01

Macrocyclic compounds are attractive targets when searching for molecules with biological activity. The interest in this compound class is increasing, which has led to a variety of methods for tackling the difficult macrocyclization step in their synthesis. This microreview highlights some recent...... developments in the synthesis of macrocycles, with an emphasis on chemistry developed to generate libraries of putative biologically active compounds....

Geochemical pathways and biological uptake of radium in small Canadian Shield lakes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hesslein, R.H.; Slavicek, E.

1984-01-01

The sediment-water interactions and biological uptake of 226 Ra are described for four small Canadian Shield lakes at the Experimental Lakes Area, Kenora, Ontario. A single addition of 226 Ra was made to each lake between 1970 and 1976. Approximately 90 percent of the added 226 Ra initially sorbed to the sediments. Outflow from the lakes showed losses of only 5-11 percent 226 Ra per year. Models are proposed for adsorption and outflow of 226 Ra from lakes. Biological uptake and long-term 226 Ra concentrations were measured in three species of macrophytes, crayfish, and five species of fish. Bioaccumulation ranged from 1100 to 5000 in macrophytes, 705 in crayfish, from 30 to 80 in large trout (Salvelinus namaycush), white sucker (Catostomus commersoni), and lake whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis), and from 230 to 1200 in fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas), pearl dace (Semotilus margarita), and northern redbelly dace (Chrosomus eos). The concept of Ra/Ca ratio in organisms versus water and food is used to explain the differences in bioaccumulation. 226 Ra is discriminated against versus calcium by fish but favoured by macrophytes and crayfish

Protease activated receptors (PARS) mediation in gyroxin biological activity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Silva, Jose Alberto Alves da

2009-01-01

Gyroxin is a serine protease enzyme from the South American rattlesnake (Crotalus durissus terrificus) venom; it is only partially characterized and has multiple activities. Gyroxin induces blood coagulation, blood pressure decrease and a neurotoxic behavior named barrel rotation. The mechanisms involved in this neurotoxic activity are not known. Whereas gyroxin is a member of enzymes with high potential to become a new drug with clinical applications such as thrombin, batroxobin, ancrod, tripsyn and kalicrein, it is important to find out how gyroxin works. The analysis on agarose gel electrophoresis and circular dichroism confirmed the molecules' integrity and purity. The gyroxin intravenous administration in mice proved its neurotoxicity (barrel rotation). In vivo studies employing intravital microscopy proved that gyroxin induces vasodilation with the participation of protease activated receptors (PARs), nitric oxide and Na+K+ATPase. The leukocytes' adherence and rolling counting indicated that gyroxin has no pro inflammatory activity. Gyroxin induced platelet aggregation, which was blocked by inhibitors of PAR1 and PAR4 receptors (SCH 79797 and tcY-NH 2 , respectively). Finally, it was proved that the gyroxin temporarily alter the permeability of the blood brain barrier (BBB). Our study has shown that both the protease-activated receptors and nitric oxide are mediators involved in the biological activities of gyroxin. (author)

Targeted therapies for non-small-cell lung cancer: biology, rationale, and preclinical results from a radiation oncology perspective

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Raben, David; Helfrich, Barb; Bunn, Paul A.

2004-01-01

The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is overexpressed in the majority of non-small-cell lung cancers (NSCLCs). This presents an opportune target for new treatment strategies designed to selectively interfere with the cancer cell growth cycle. Recent investigations into the biology of the EGFR and its downstream signaling pathways have reminded us of the complexity of cancer cell communications from the cytoplasm to the nucleus. Multiple pathways are activated with stimulation of the autocrine and paracrine EGFR loop, from the ras-raf-MEK activation of ERK 1/2 to the P13K-Akt pathway, each playing an important role in cancer cell survival, invasion, and angiogenesis. Preclinical studies have demonstrated that molecules targeting the EGFR, either through extracellular blockade or intracellular interference with the EGFR-associated tyrosine kinase, reversibly or irreversibly, inhibit cancer cell growth. Potent antitumor effects have been observed in human tumor xenograft models. Preclinical studies have also demonstrated cooperative effects when anti-EGFR agents are combined with radiation or chemotherapy. Many of these agents have now entered into advanced human clinical trials with modest dose-related toxicity despite chronic administration. Encouraging response rates with single-agent targeted therapy have been reported in heavily pretreated patients with advanced NSCLC. In addition, agents targeting the angiogenic pathway, which plays a key role in the regulation of angiogenesis, may play an important role in enhancing the efficacy of anti-EGFR agents. This article will focus on the biology, rationale, and preclinical studies with targeted anti-EGFR and antiangiogenic therapies for the management of NSCLC

SYNTHESIS, REACTIVITY AND BIOLOGICAL ACTIVITY OF QUINOXALIN-2-ONE DERIVATIVES

OpenAIRE

El Mokhtar Essassi; R. Bouhfid; Y. Kandri Rodi; S. Ferfra; H. Benzeid; Y. Ramli

2010-01-01

Quinoxalines have a great interest in various fields and particularly in chemistry, biology and pharmacology. It enabled the researchers to develop many methods for their preparations and to seek new fields of application. In this review, we’ll expose different methods of synthesis of the quinoxalin-2-one, its reactivity and finally we’ll discuss the various biological activities of its derivatives.

Biological activity of lactoferrin-functionalized biomimetic hydroxyapatite nanocrystals

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nocerino N

2014-03-01

Full Text Available Nunzia Nocerino,1 Andrea Fulgione,1 Marco Iannaccone,1 Laura Tomasetta,1 Flora Ianniello,1 Francesca Martora,1 Marco Lelli,2 Norberto Roveri,2 Federico Capuano,3 Rosanna Capparelli1 1Department of Agriculture Special Biotechnology Center Federico II, CeBIOTEC Biotechnology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, 2Department of Chemistry, G Ciamician, Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, Bologna, 3Department of Food Inspection IZS ME, Naples, Italy Abstract: The emergence of bacterial strains resistant to antibiotics is a general public health problem. Progress in developing new molecules with antimicrobial properties has been made. In this study, we evaluated the biological activity of a hybrid nanocomposite composed of synthetic biomimetic hydroxyapatite surface-functionalized by lactoferrin (LF-HA. We evaluated the antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties of LF-HA and found that the composite was active against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, and that it modulated proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory responses and enhanced antioxidant properties as compared with LF alone. These results indicate the possibility of using LF-HA as an antimicrobial system and biomimetic hydroxyapatite as a candidate for innovative biomedical applications. Keywords: lactoferrin, hydroxyapatite nanocrystals, biomimetism, biological activity, drug delivery

Biological activity and chemical profile of Lavatera thuringiaca L. extracts obtained by different extraction approaches.

Science.gov (United States)

Mašković, Pavle Z; Veličković, Vesna; Đurović, Saša; Zeković, Zoran; Radojković, Marija; Cvetanović, Aleksandra; Švarc-Gajić, Jaroslava; Mitić, Milan; Vujić, Jelena

2018-01-01

Lavatera thuringiaca L. is herbaceous perennial plant from Malvaceae family, which is known for its biological activity and richness in polyphenolic compounds. Despite this, the information regarding the biological activity and chemical profile is still insufficient. Aim of this study was to investigate biological potential and chemical profile of Lavatera thuringiaca L., as well as influence of applied extraction technique on them. Two conventional and four non-conventional extraction techniques were applied in order to obtain extracts rich in bioactive compound. Extracts were further tested for total phenolics, flavonoids, condensed tannins, gallotannins and anthocyanins contents using spectrophotometric assays. Polyphenolic profile was established using HPLC-DAD analysis. Biological activity was investigated regarding antioxidant, cytotoxic and antibacterial activities. Four antioxidant assays were applied as well as three different cell lines for cytotoxic and fifteen bacterial strain for antibacterial activity. Results showed that subcritical water extraction (SCW) dominated over the other extraction techniques, where SCW extract exhibited the highest biological activity. Study indicates that plant Lavatera thuringiaca L. may be used as a potential source of biologically compounds. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Toxicity of Biologically Active Peptides and Future Safety Aspects: An Update.

Science.gov (United States)

Khan, Fazlullah; Niaz, Kamal; Abdollahi, Mohammad

2018-02-18

Peptides are fragments of proteins with significant biological activities. These peptides are encoded in the protein sequence. Initially, such peptides are inactive in their parental form, unless proteolytic enzymes are released. These peptides then exhibit various functions and play a therapeutic role in the body. Besides the therapeutic and physiological activities of peptides, the main purpose of this study was to highlight the safety aspects of peptides. We performed an organized search of available literature using PubMed, Google Scholar, Medline, EMBASE, Reaxys and Scopus databases. All the relevant citations including research and review articles about the toxicity of biologically active peptides were evaluated and gathered in this study. Biological peptides are widely used in the daily routine ranging from food production to the cosmetics industry and also they have a beneficial role in the treatment and prevention of different diseases. These peptides are manufactured by both chemical and biotechnological techniques, which show negligible toxicity, however, some naturally occurring peptides and enzymes may induce high toxicity. Depending upon the demand and expected use in the food or pharmaceutical industry, we need different approaches to acertain the safety of these peptides preferentially through in silico methods. Intestinal wall disruption, erythrocytes and lymphocytes toxicity, free radical production, enzymopathic and immunopathic tissue damage and cytotoxicity due to the consumption of peptides are the main problems in the biological system that lead to various complicated disorders. Therefore, before considering biologically active peptides for food production and for therapeutic purpose, it is first necessary to evaluate the immunogenicity and toxicities of peptides. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

SYNTHESIS, REACTIVITY AND BIOLOGICAL ACTIVITY OF QUINOXALIN-2-ONE DERIVATIVES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

El Mokhtar Essassi

2010-04-01

Full Text Available Quinoxalines have a great interest in various fields and particularly in chemistry, biology and pharmacology. It enabled the researchers to develop many methods for their preparations and to seek new fields of application. In this review, we’ll expose different methods of synthesis of the quinoxalin-2-one, its reactivity and finally we’ll discuss the various biological activities of its derivatives.

Systems Biology Graphical Notation: Activity Flow language Level 1 Version 1.2

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mi Huaiyu

2015-06-01

Full Text Available The Systems Biological Graphical Notation (SBGN is an international community effort for standardized graphical representations of biological pathways and networks. The goal of SBGN is to provide unambiguous pathway and network maps for readers with different scientific backgrounds as well as to support efficient and accurate exchange of biological knowledge between different research communities, industry, and other players in systems biology. Three SBGN languages, Process Description (PD, Entity Relationship (ER and Activity Flow (AF, allow for the representation of different aspects of biological and biochemical systems at different levels of detail.

Biological activities of Rumex dentatus L: Evaluation of methanol ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

PRECIOUS

2009-12-15

Dec 15, 2009 ... of different the extracts of R. dentatus effectively inhibited tumor ... Plants contain thousands of biologically active mole- .... The vials were kept open over night with .... between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells (Stachel and.

[Evaluation of the total biological activity and allergenic composition of allergenic extracts].

Science.gov (United States)

Lombardero, M; González, R; Duffort, O; Juan, F; Ayuso, R; Ventas, P; Cortés, C; Carreira, J

1986-01-01

In the present study, a complete procedure is presented in order to standardize allergenic extracts, the meaning of which is the measurement of the total allergenic activity and the determination of the allergenic composition. The measurement of the biological activity comprises 2 steps: Preparation of Reference Extracts and determination of their "in vivo" activity. Evaluation of the total allergenic activity of extracts for clinical use. Reference extracts were prepared from the main allergens and their "in vivo" biological activity was determined by a quantitative skin prick test in a sample of at least 30 allergic patients. By definition, the protein concentration of Reference Extract that produces, in the allergic population, a geometric mean wheal of 75 mm.2 has an activity of 100 biological units (BUs). The determination of the biological activity of a problem extract is made by RAST inhibition. The sample is compared with the corresponding Reference Extract by this technique and, from this comparison, it is possible to quantify the activity of the problem extract in biologic units (BUs) with clinical significance. Likewise, different techniques have been used to determine the allergenic composition of extracts. These techniques comprise 2 steps: Separation of the components of the extract. Identification of the components that bind specific human IgE. The separation of the components of the extract has been carried out by isoelectric focusing (IEF) and electrophoresis in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS-PAGE). In order to identify the allergenic components, an immunoblotting technique has been employed. The separated components in the IEF gel or SDS-PAGE gel are transferred to a nitrocellulose sheet and later on, this membrane is overlaid with a serum pool from allergic patients and a mouse monoclonal anti-human IgE, labelled with 125I. Finally, the autoradiography of the nitrocellulose membrane is obtained. In this way it is possible to compare

Generation of structurally novel short carotenoids and study of their biological activity.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Se H; Kim, Moon S; Lee, Bun Y; Lee, Pyung C

2016-02-23

Recent research interest in phytochemicals has consistently driven the efforts in the metabolic engineering field toward microbial production of various carotenoids. In spite of systematic studies, the possibility of using C30 carotenoids as biologically functional compounds has not been explored thus far. Here, we generated 13 novel structures of C30 carotenoids and one C35 carotenoid, including acyclic, monocyclic, and bicyclic structures, through directed evolution and combinatorial biosynthesis, in Escherichia coli. Measurement of radical scavenging activity of various C30 carotenoid structures revealed that acyclic C30 carotenoids showed higher radical scavenging activity than did DL-α-tocopherol. We could assume high potential biological activity of the novel structures of C30 carotenoids as well, based on the neuronal differentiation activity observed for the monocyclic C30 carotenoid 4,4'-diapotorulene on rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells. Our results demonstrate that a series of structurally novel carotenoids possessing biologically beneficial properties can be synthesized in E. coli.

Reconstructing Causal Biological Networks through Active Learning.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hyunghoon Cho

Full Text Available Reverse-engineering of biological networks is a central problem in systems biology. The use of intervention data, such as gene knockouts or knockdowns, is typically used for teasing apart causal relationships among genes. Under time or resource constraints, one needs to carefully choose which intervention experiments to carry out. Previous approaches for selecting most informative interventions have largely been focused on discrete Bayesian networks. However, continuous Bayesian networks are of great practical interest, especially in the study of complex biological systems and their quantitative properties. In this work, we present an efficient, information-theoretic active learning algorithm for Gaussian Bayesian networks (GBNs, which serve as important models for gene regulatory networks. In addition to providing linear-algebraic insights unique to GBNs, leading to significant runtime improvements, we demonstrate the effectiveness of our method on data simulated with GBNs and the DREAM4 network inference challenge data sets. Our method generally leads to faster recovery of underlying network structure and faster convergence to final distribution of confidence scores over candidate graph structures using the full data, in comparison to random selection of intervention experiments.

Synthetic Approaches and Biological Activities of 4-Hydroxycoumarin Derivatives

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Oee-Sook Park

2009-11-01

Full Text Available The main purpose of this review is to summarize recent chemical syntheses and structural modifications of 4-hydroxycoumarin and its derivatives, of interest due to their characteristic conjugated molecular architecture and biological activities.

Spectroscopic study of biologically active glasses

Science.gov (United States)

Szumera, M.; Wacławska, I.; Mozgawa, W.; Sitarz, M.

2005-06-01

It is known that the chemical activity phenomenon is characteristic for some inorganic glasses and they are able to participate in biological processes of living organisms (plants, animals and human bodies). An example here is the selective removal of silicate-phosphate glass components under the influence of biological solutions, which has been applied in designing glasses acting as ecological fertilizers of controlled release rate of the nutrients for plants. The structure of model silicate-phosphate glasses containing the different amounts of the glass network formers, i.e. Ca 2+ and Mg 2+, as a binding components were studied. These elements besides other are indispensable of the normal growth of plants. In order to establish the function and position occupied by the particular components in the glass structure, the glasses were examined by FTIR spectroscopy (with spectra decomposition) and XRD methods. It has been found that the increasing amount of MgO in the structure of silicate-phosphate glasses causes the formation of domains the structure of which changes systematically from a structure of the cristobalite type to a structure corresponding to forsterite type. Whilst the increasing content of CaO in the structure of silicate-phosphate glasses causes the formation of domains the structure of which changes from a structure typical for cristobalite through one similar to the structure of calcium orthophosphate, to a structure corresponding to calcium silicates. The changing character of domains structure is the reason of different chemical activity of glasses.

Recent Advances in Momordica charantia: Functional Components and Biological Activities

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shuo Jia

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Momordica charantia L. (M. charantia, a member of the Cucurbitaceae family, is widely distributed in tropical and subtropical regions of the world. It has been used in folk medicine for the treatment of diabetes mellitus, and its fruit has been used as a vegetable for thousands of years. Phytochemicals including proteins, polysaccharides, flavonoids, triterpenes, saponins, ascorbic acid and steroids have been found in this plant. Various biological activities of M. charantia have been reported, such as antihyperglycemic, antibacterial, antiviral, antitumor, immunomodulation, antioxidant, antidiabetic, anthelmintic, antimutagenic, antiulcer, antilipolytic, antifertility, hepatoprotective, anticancer and anti-inflammatory activities. However, both in vitro and in vivo studies have also demonstrated that M. charantia may also exert toxic or adverse effects under different conditions. This review addresses the chemical constituents of M. charantia and discusses their pharmacological activities as well as their adverse effects, aimed at providing a comprehensive overview of the phytochemistry and biological activities of M. charantia.

Recent Advances in Momordica charantia: Functional Components and Biological Activities.

Science.gov (United States)

Jia, Shuo; Shen, Mingyue; Zhang, Fan; Xie, Jianhua

2017-11-28

Momordica charantia L. ( M. charantia ), a member of the Cucurbitaceae family, is widely distributed in tropical and subtropical regions of the world. It has been used in folk medicine for the treatment of diabetes mellitus, and its fruit has been used as a vegetable for thousands of years. Phytochemicals including proteins, polysaccharides, flavonoids, triterpenes, saponins, ascorbic acid and steroids have been found in this plant. Various biological activities of M. charantia have been reported, such as antihyperglycemic, antibacterial, antiviral, antitumor, immunomodulation, antioxidant, antidiabetic, anthelmintic, antimutagenic, antiulcer, antilipolytic, antifertility, hepatoprotective, anticancer and anti-inflammatory activities. However, both in vitro and in vivo studies have also demonstrated that M. charantia may also exert toxic or adverse effects under different conditions. This review addresses the chemical constituents of M. charantia and discusses their pharmacological activities as well as their adverse effects, aimed at providing a comprehensive overview of the phytochemistry and biological activities of M. charantia .

Biologically Active Metabolites Synthesized by Microalgae

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Michele Greque de Morais

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Microalgae are microorganisms that have different morphological, physiological, and genetic traits that confer the ability to produce different biologically active metabolites. Microalgal biotechnology has become a subject of study for various fields, due to the varied bioproducts that can be obtained from these microorganisms. When microalgal cultivation processes are better understood, microalgae can become an environmentally friendly and economically viable source of compounds of interest, because production can be optimized in a controlled culture. The bioactive compounds derived from microalgae have anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and antioxidant activities, among others. Furthermore, these microorganisms have the ability to promote health and reduce the risk of the development of degenerative diseases. In this context, the aim of this review is to discuss bioactive metabolites produced by microalgae for possible applications in the life sciences.

The importance of extremophile cyanobacteria in the production of biologically active compounds

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Drobac-Čik Aleksandra V.

2007-01-01

Full Text Available Due to their ability to endure extreme conditions, terrestrial cyanobacteria belong to a group of organisms known as "extremophiles". Research so far has shown that these organisms posses a great capacity for producing biologically active compounds (BAC. The antibacterial and antifungal activities of methanol extracts of 21 cyanobacterial strains belonging to Anabaena and Nostoc genera, previously isolated from different soil types and water resources in Serbia, were evaluated. In general, larger number of cyanobacterial strains showed antifungal activity. In contrast to Nostoc, Anabaena strains showed greater diversity of antibacterial activity (mean value of percentages of sensitive targeted bacterial strains 3% and 25.9% respectively. Larger number of targeted fungi was sensitive to cultural liquid extract (CL, while crude cell extract (CE affected more bacterial strains. According to this investigation, the higher biological activity of terrestrial strains as representatives of extremophiles may present them as significant BAC producers. This kind of investigation creates very general view of cyanobacterial possibility to produce biologically active compounds but it points out the necessity of exploring terrestrial cyanobacterial extremophiles as potentially excellent sources of these substances and reveals the most prospective strains for further investigations.

Activation analysis with small mobile reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chung, C.

1990-01-01

A small nuclear reactor (a low-power reactor without heat removal devices) usually has thermal power output under 100 W and an average in-core thermal neutron flux below 10 9 n/cm 2 s. Conventional activation analysis is restricted to determination of specific elements with large neutron capture cross sections in sizable samples. In-vivo prompt gamma activation analysis (IVPGAA) can be used for diagnosis of elemental composition of the human body, particularly the essential elements Ca, Cl, N, and P in the whole body, and toxic Cd and Hg in contaminated organs. In this chapter, activation analysis using an external neutron beam from the Tsing Hua Mobile Educational Reactor (THMER) for in vivo activation is described. Characteristics of the mobile reactor, in-vivo medical diagnosis, and radiation safety are emphasized. 17 refs, 12 figs, 3 tabs

Designing and testing a classroom curriculum to teach preschoolers about the biology of physical activity: The respiration system as an underlying biological causal mechanism

Science.gov (United States)

Ewing, Tracy S.

The present study examined young children's understanding of respiration and oxygen as a source of vital energy underlying physical activity. Specifically, the purpose of the study was to explore whether a coherent biological theory, characterized by an understanding that bodily parts (heart and lungs) and processes (oxygen in respiration) as part of a biological system, can be taught as a foundational concept to reason about physical activity. The effects of a biology-based intervention curriculum designed to teach preschool children about bodily functions as a part of the respiratory system, the role of oxygen as a vital substance and how physical activity acts an energy source were examined. Participants were recruited from three private preschool classrooms (two treatment; 1 control) in Southern California and included a total of 48 four-year-old children (30 treatment; 18 control). Findings from this study suggested that young children could be taught relevant biological concepts about the role of oxygen in respiratory processes. Children who received biology-based intervention curriculum made significant gains in their understanding of the biology of respiration, identification of physical and sedentary activities. In addition these children demonstrated that coherence of conceptual knowledge was correlated with improved accuracy at activity identification and reasoning about the inner workings of the body contributing to endurance. Findings from this study provided evidence to support the benefits of providing age appropriate but complex coherent biological instruction to children in early childhood settings.

Radiation degradation of carbohydrates and their biological activities for plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kume, T.; Nagasawa, N.; Matsuhashi, S.

2000-01-01

Radiation effects on carbohydrates such as chitosan, sodium alginate, carrageenan, cellulose, pectin have been investigated to improve the biological activities. These carbohydrates were easily degraded by irradiation and induced various kinds of biological activities such as anti-bacterial activity, promotion of plant growth, suppression of heavy metal stress, phytoalexins induction. Pectic fragments obtained from degraded pectin induced the phytoalexins such as glyceollins in soybean and pisatin in pea. The irradiated chitosan shows the higher elicitor activity for pisatin than that of pectin. For the plant growth promotion, alginate derived from brown marine algae, chitosan and ligno-cellulosic extracts show a strong activity. Kappa and iota carrageenan derived from red marine algae can promote growth of rice and the highest effect was obtained with kappa irradiated at 100 kGy. Some radiation degraded carbohydrates suppressed the damage of heavy metals on plants. The effects of irradiated carbohydrates on transportation of heavy metals have been investigated by PETIS (Positron Emitting Tracer Imaging System) and autoradiography using 48 V and 62 Zn. (author)

Suitable activated stable nuclide tracer technique and its applications in biology and medicine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Weicheng

1989-01-01

Stable isotopes as tracers in biology and medicine have been more extensively used. Mass spectrometry has been a classic technique in the analysis of stable isotopes because it is very sensitive and precise. Activation analysis has recently been introduced as an analytical tool. Its fast speed and simplicity is a great advantage for handling large batches of samples in isotopic tracer experiments. The combination of enriched stable isotope tracer studies and activation analysis techniques has become an ideal and reliable technique, especially in the fields of biology and medicine. This paper presents a survey of the fundamental principle, the character and the applications in biology and medicine for the suitable activated stable isotope tracer techniques

Biological activity of phenolic compounds present in buckwheat plants

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Kalinová, J.; Tříska, Jan; Vrchotová, Naděžda

2005-01-01

Roč. 16, č. 1 (2005), s. 123-129 ISSN 0971-4693 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z60870520 Keywords : biological activity, extract, Fagopyrum esculenthum Subject RIV: CB - Analytical Chemistry, Separation Impact factor: 0.686, year: 2005

Biologically active polymers from spontaneous carotenoid oxidation: a new frontier in carotenoid activity.

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James B Johnston

Full Text Available In animals carotenoids show biological activity unrelated to vitamin A that has been considered to arise directly from the behavior of the parent compound, particularly as an antioxidant. However, the very property that confers antioxidant activity on some carotenoids in plants also confers susceptibility to oxidative transformation. As an alternative, it has been suggested that carotenoid oxidative breakdown or metabolic products could be the actual agents of activity in animals. However, an important and neglected aspect of the behavior of the highly unsaturated carotenoids is their potential to undergo addition of oxygen to form copolymers. Recently we reported that spontaneous oxidation of ß-carotene transforms it into a product dominated by ß-carotene-oxygen copolymers. We now report that the polymeric product is biologically active. Results suggest an overall ability to prime innate immune function to more rapidly respond to subsequent microbial challenges. An underlying structural resemblance to sporopollenin, found in the outer shell of spores and pollen, may allow the polymer to modulate innate immune responses through interactions with the pattern recognition receptor system. Oxygen copolymer formation appears common to all carotenoids, is anticipated to be widespread, and the products may contribute to the health benefits of carotenoid-rich fruits and vegetables.

Determination of biologically active phenols and polyphenols in various objects by chromatographic techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kochetova, M V; Semenistaya, E N; Larionov, Oleg G; Revina, A A

2007-01-01

Chromatographic techniques for determination of biologically active phenols and polyphenols are considered. Various methods for sample preparation and detection are compared. The advantages of high performance liquid chromatography with spectrophotometric detection for determination of antioxidants are demonstrated. Data on determination of biologically active phenols and polyphenols published in the period from 1995 to 2005 are analysed.

Charged particle activation analysis of phosphorus in biological materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Masumoto, K.; Yagi, M.

1983-01-01

Charged particle activation analysis of phosphorus in biological materials using the 31 P(α,n) sup(34m)Cl reaction has been studied. Since sup(34m)Cl is also produced by the 32 S(α,pn) and the 35 Cl(α,α'n) reactions, the thick-target yield curves on phosphorus, sulfur and chlorine were determined in order to choose the optimum irradiation conditions. As a result, it was found that the activation analysis for phosphorus without interferences from sulfur and chlorine is possible by bombarding with less than 17 MeV alphas. The applicability of this method to biological samples was then examined by irradiating several standard reference materials. It was confirmed that phosphorus can readily be determined at the detection limit of 1μg free from interferences due to the matrix elements. (author)

Biological activities and medicinal properties of Cajanus cajan (L Millsp.

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Dilipkumar Pal

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Cajanus cajan (L Millsp. (Sanskrit: Adhaki, Hindi: Arhar, English: Pigeon pea, Bengali: Tur (family: Fabaceae is the most important grain legume crop of rain-fed agriculture in semi-arid tropics. It is both a food crop and a cover/forage crop with high levels of proteins and important amino acids like methionine, lysine and tryptophan. During the last few decades extensive studies have been carried out regarding the chemistry of C. cajan and considerable progress has been achieved regarding its biological activities and medicinal applications. This review article gives an overview on the biological activities of the compounds isolated, pharmacological actions and clinical studies of C. cajan extracts apart from its general details.

Biological activities and medicinal properties of Cajanus cajan (L) Millsp.

Science.gov (United States)

Pal, Dilipkumar; Mishra, Pragya; Sachan, Neetu; Ghosh, Ashoke K

2011-10-01

Cajanus cajan (L) Millsp. (Sanskrit: Adhaki, Hindi: Arhar, English: Pigeon pea, Bengali: Tur) (family: Fabaceae) is the most important grain legume crop of rain-fed agriculture in semi-arid tropics. It is both a food crop and a cover/forage crop with high levels of proteins and important amino acids like methionine, lysine and tryptophan. During the last few decades extensive studies have been carried out regarding the chemistry of C. cajan and considerable progress has been achieved regarding its biological activities and medicinal applications. This review article gives an overview on the biological activities of the compounds isolated, pharmacological actions and clinical studies of C. cajan extracts apart from its general details.

Finding purchase activity patterns in small & medium enterprises

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vegter, Geert J.

2015-01-01

Finding purchase activity patterns in Small & Medium Enterprises in a research program to enable SMEs to improve their purchase and company performance. Posterpresentatie KCO conferentie, 16 november 2015.

Activating and inhibiting connections in biological network dynamics

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Knight Rob

2008-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Many studies of biochemical networks have analyzed network topology. Such work has suggested that specific types of network wiring may increase network robustness and therefore confer a selective advantage. However, knowledge of network topology does not allow one to predict network dynamical behavior – for example, whether deleting a protein from a signaling network would maintain the network's dynamical behavior, or induce oscillations or chaos. Results Here we report that the balance between activating and inhibiting connections is important in determining whether network dynamics reach steady state or oscillate. We use a simple dynamical model of a network of interacting genes or proteins. Using the model, we study random networks, networks selected for robust dynamics, and examples of biological network topologies. The fraction of activating connections influences whether the network dynamics reach steady state or oscillate. Conclusion The activating fraction may predispose a network to oscillate or reach steady state, and neutral evolution or selection of this parameter may affect the behavior of biological networks. This principle may unify the dynamics of a wide range of cellular networks. Reviewers Reviewed by Sergei Maslov, Eugene Koonin, and Yu (Brandon Xia (nominated by Mark Gerstein. For the full reviews, please go to the Reviewers' comments section.

Aktivitas Biologis Imunoglobulin Yolk Anti Parvovirus Setelah Perlakuan Suhu (BIOLOGY ACTIVITIES OF IgY PARVOVIRUS AFTER HEAT TREATMENT

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I Gusti Ayu Agung Suartini

2016-02-01

Full Text Available This study aims to determine the effect of temperature on the biological activity of various crude and precipitate specific Immunoglobulin (IgY Canine parvovirus (CPV. Hiperimun serum conducted on Isa Brown chickens injected with antigen CPV. Crude yolk Ig preparations derived from chicken serum without purification while the yolk Ig preparations precipitates obtained by the chicken serum was precipitated with ammonium sulfate and dialyzed. Both types of Ig yolk given treatment temperature 50ºC, 60ºC, 70ºC, and 80ºC for 15 minutes. To test Gel Precipitation Test (AGPT is performed to determine whether there is a specific IgY CPV in the serum of chickens. Biological activity of both types of Ig detected with Barriers Haemagglutination test (HI. The design used in this study is completely randomized design factorial. The results of this study indicate that the temperature was highly significant on the activities of IgY crude and precipitates. Activities IgY crude and precipitate down to the treatment temperature of 50ºC, 60ºC, 70ºC, and 80ºC. Geometric Mean Titer crude IgY respectively - were 26.67, 26, 25.33, and <2º Unit HI while IgY precipitates are respectively 26.33, 25.67, 24, and <2º Unit HI. Based on the results of this study concluded that the biological activity of crude IgY better than IgY precipitates after treatment of a wide range of temperatures.

An insight into the biological activities of heterocyclic-fatty acid hybrid molecules.

Science.gov (United States)

Venepally, Vijayendar; Reddy Jala, Ram Chandra

2017-12-01

Heterocyclic compounds are the interesting core structures for the development of new bioactive compounds. Fatty acids are derived from renewable raw materials and exhibit various biological activities. Several researchers are amalgamating these two bioactive components to yield bioactive hybrid molecules with some desirable features. Heterocyclic-fatty acid hybrid derivatives are a new class of heterocyclic compounds with a broad range of biological activities and significance in the field of medicinal chemistry. Over the last few years, many research articles emphasized the significance of heterocyclic-fatty acid hybrid derivatives. The present review article focuses the developments in designing and biological evaluation of heterocyclic-fatty acid hybrid molecules. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.

Diversity of Secondary Metabolites from Marine Bacillus Species: Chemistry and Biological Activity

Science.gov (United States)

Mondol, Muhammad Abdul Mojid; Shin, Hee Jae; Islam, Mohammad Tofazzal

2013-01-01

Marine Bacillus species produce versatile secondary metabolites including lipopeptides, polypeptides, macrolactones, fatty acids, polyketides, and isocoumarins. These structurally diverse compounds exhibit a wide range of biological activities, such as antimicrobial, anticancer, and antialgal activities. Some marine Bacillus strains can detoxify heavy metals through reduction processes and have the ability to produce carotenoids. The present article reviews the chemistry and biological activities of secondary metabolites from marine isolates. Side by side, the potential for application of these novel natural products from marine Bacillus strains as drugs, pesticides, carotenoids, and tools for the bioremediation of heavy metal toxicity are also discussed. PMID:23941823

Spectral parameters and biological activity of macromolecular compounds of humic etiology

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M. V. Zykova

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Materials and methods. 18 native humic acids (HAs were received from nine representative types of peat of the Tomsk region. Two extraction methods were used: sodium hydroxide and sodium pyrophosphate. Molecular structure parameters were investigated by IR-spectroscopy. The assessement of qualitative and quantitative features of the IR-spectra of 18 different humic acids was made. When HAs with mouse macrophages were cultured their ability to influence the NO-stimulation was determined. Thus, the biological activity of HAs and its dependence on the parameters of the molecular structure were studied.Results. The results of infrared spectroscopy showed that the HAs of upland types of peat contain more carbonyl, carboxyl, and ester groups, and HAs of lowland types of peat contain more aromatic carbon, phenolic and alcoholic hydroxyl, ether and carbohydrate fragments. The results of biological activity showed that HAs from upland types of peat induce the formation of nitrogen oxide, wherein the cell activation decreases with HAs obtained by alkali. All types of HAs from lowland types of peat contain an admixture of endotoxin. Some HAs obtained by sodium pyrophosphate have higher immunotropic activity; the HAs can cause antigen-specific stimulation of cells. The activity of HAs does not depend on endotoxin admixture. The results of molecular spectroscopy showed that the most biologically active HAs have higher aromaticity and higher concentration of oxygen-containing functional groups. This result can be used as a marker factor in the standardization of HAs. 

Implications of the use of experimental activities in biology education in public schools

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Vânia Cardoso da Silva Morais

2016-04-01

Full Text Available This study aimed to verify the influence of a didactic sequence with experimental activities on student motivation in relation to the subject matter Biology and check the possibility of applying such a result having as input the cultural-historical perspective and the dynamic of the three pedagogical moments. The work is part of a Master Degree research developed with 70 students from a high school in Patos de Minas city. The analysis of the data collected through observation, questionnaires, reports, testimonies of students, filming and photography of biology classes, points out that the use of experimental activities in Biology classes contributed to the increase of student motivation relating to Biology classes favoring the teaching-learning process and also to promote a converge between the scientific knowledge and reality of the students besides encourage their self-esteem and investigative sense. The results also indicate that it is possible to develop at school a didactic sequence based on the complementarity of two different theoretical lines like the dynamics of the three moments and in the historical and cultural perspective. Based on above considerations, we believe that the use of experimental activities following didactics positively influences student motivation in relation to Biology, favoring the teaching and learning of Biology. However, it is the whole of this, as the theory and the posture of motivating teachers, allowed approximation between scientific knowledge and reality of the students, enabling greater learning of biological concepts.

Biological treatment of textile mill wastewater in the. presence of activated carbon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liaquat, F.; Hassan, M.; Mahboob, S.; Rehman, A.; Liaquat, S.; Khalid, Z.M.

2005-01-01

The main goal of this study was to find out effectiveness of biological treatment for the reduction in chemical oxygen demand (COD) and biological oxygen demand (BOD) of the textile processing industrial wastewater in the absence and presence of granular activated carbon (GAC) in shake flask experiment. To check the pollution level, physio-chemical analysis of effluent from Amtex industry (Faisalabad) was carried out. The outlet effluent contained high value of COD (1100 mg/l), BOD (309 mg/l) with pH 9.2, electrical conductivity (Ec) 3.7 mS/m, total dissolved solids (TDS) (2640 mg/l), total solids (TS) (3060 mg/l), total suspended solids (TSS) (420 19/l) and phenol (.34 mg/l). After initial period of activated sludge adaptation to wastewater, shake flask batch cultures (with and without activated carbon) were operated on lab scale. The COD and BOD were noted after very 12 hours for 3 days. The maximum reduction in COD (82%) and BOD (90%) was observed biological treatment in presence of activated carbon at retention time of 72 hours. (author)

Astaxanthin: Sources, Extraction, Stability, Biological Activities and Its Commercial Applications—A Review

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Ranga Rao Ambati

2014-01-01

Full Text Available There is currently much interest in biological active compounds derived from natural resources, especially compounds that can efficiently act on molecular targets, which are involved in various diseases. Astaxanthin (3,3′-dihydroxy-β, β′-carotene-4,4′-dione is a xanthophyll carotenoid, contained in Haematococcus pluvialis, Chlorella zofingiensis, Chlorococcum, and Phaffia rhodozyma. It accumulates up to 3.8% on the dry weight basis in H. pluvialis. Our recent published data on astaxanthin extraction, analysis, stability studies, and its biological activities results were added to this review paper. Based on our results and current literature, astaxanthin showed potential biological activity in in vitro and in vivo models. These studies emphasize the influence of astaxanthin and its beneficial effects on the metabolism in animals and humans. Bioavailability of astaxanthin in animals was enhanced after feeding Haematococcus biomass as a source of astaxanthin. Astaxanthin, used as a nutritional supplement, antioxidant and anticancer agent, prevents diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and neurodegenerative disorders, and also stimulates immunization. Astaxanthin products are used for commercial applications in the dosage forms as tablets, capsules, syrups, oils, soft gels, creams, biomass and granulated powders. Astaxanthin patent applications are available in food, feed and nutraceutical applications. The current review provides up-to-date information on astaxanthin sources, extraction, analysis, stability, biological activities, health benefits and special attention paid to its commercial applications.

Refolding techniques for recovering biologically active recombinant proteins from inclusion bodies.

Science.gov (United States)

Yamaguchi, Hiroshi; Miyazaki, Masaya

2014-02-20

Biologically active proteins are useful for studying the biological functions of genes and for the development of therapeutic drugs and biomaterials in a biotechnology industry. Overexpression of recombinant proteins in bacteria, such as Escherichia coli, often results in the formation of inclusion bodies, which are protein aggregates with non-native conformations. As inclusion bodies contain relatively pure and intact proteins, protein refolding is an important process to obtain active recombinant proteins from inclusion bodies. However, conventional refolding methods, such as dialysis and dilution, are time consuming and, often, recovered yields of active proteins are low, and a trial-and-error process is required to achieve success. Recently, several approaches have been reported to refold these aggregated proteins into an active form. The strategies largely aim at reducing protein aggregation during the refolding procedure. This review focuses on protein refolding techniques using chemical additives and laminar flow in microfluidic chips for the efficient recovery of active proteins from inclusion bodies.

Refolding Techniques for Recovering Biologically Active Recombinant Proteins from Inclusion Bodies

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Hiroshi Yamaguchi

2014-02-01

Full Text Available Biologically active proteins are useful for studying the biological functions of genes and for the development of therapeutic drugs and biomaterials in a biotechnology industry. Overexpression of recombinant proteins in bacteria, such as Escherichia coli, often results in the formation of inclusion bodies, which are protein aggregates with non-native conformations. As inclusion bodies contain relatively pure and intact proteins, protein refolding is an important process to obtain active recombinant proteins from inclusion bodies. However, conventional refolding methods, such as dialysis and dilution, are time consuming and, often, recovered yields of active proteins are low, and a trial-and-error process is required to achieve success. Recently, several approaches have been reported to refold these aggregated proteins into an active form. The strategies largely aim at reducing protein aggregation during the refolding procedure. This review focuses on protein refolding techniques using chemical additives and laminar flow in microfluidic chips for the efficient recovery of active proteins from inclusion bodies.

Studies on the changes of biologically active complexes of sunflower oil, tard, and butter under gamma irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ivanov, A.; Stamatov, D.

1976-01-01

Investigations of changes in the biologically active complex of sunflower oil, lard and butter under the influence of gamma rays: The points examined are the effect of small, medium and large doses (10 4 , 10 6 and 10 7 ) of gamma rays (Co 60 ) and the after-effect on the carotenes, tocopherols, sterols and linoleic acid in sunflower oil, lard and butter. Under these conditions, only the carotenes and tocopherols are subjected to changes to the point of destruction. What was found is a good correlative connection between the changes in the tocopherols and the degree of oxidation of the corresponding fats. (orig.) [de

Using Active Learning in a Studio Classroom to Teach Molecular Biology

Science.gov (United States)

Nogaj, Luiza A.

2013-01-01

This article describes the conversion of a lecture-based molecular biology course into an active learning environment in a studio classroom. Specific assignments and activities are provided as examples. The goal of these activities is to involve students in collaborative learning, teach them how to participate in the learning process, and give…

Tests of biological activity of metabolites from Penicillium expansum (Link Thom various isolates

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Halina Borecka

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Aqrobacterium tumefaciens and cucumber, mustard and linseeds were compared as test organisms for evaluation of the biological activity of patulin. It was found that the reaction of cucumber seeds and linseed to the patulin concentrations was more pronounced than that of mustard and Aqrobacterium tumefaciens. The activity of metabolites produced by Penicillium expansum was investigated with the use of cucumber seeds. As measure of activity served the percentage of radicule growth inhibition was compared with the growth in control seeds. The biological activity of the metabolites was specific for the isolates, those from apples being more active. Thirty two isolates from pears and 34 from apples were examined.

European activities in space radiation biology and exobiology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Horneck, G.

1996-01-01

In view of the space station era, the European Space Agency has initiated a review and planning document for space life sciences. Radiation biology includes dosimetry of the radiation field and its modification by mass shielding, studies on the biological responses to radiation in space, on the potential impact of space flight environment on radiation effects, and assessing the radiation risks and establishing radiation protection guidelines. To reach a better understanding of the processes leading to the origin, evolution and distribution of life, exobiological activities include the exploration of the solar system, the collection and analysis of extraterrestrial samples and the utilization of space as a tool for testing the impact of space environment on organics and resistant life forms. (author)

Actinobacteria from arid and desert habitats: diversity and biological activity

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Joachim eWink

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract The lack of new antibiotics in the pharmaceutical pipeline guides more and more researchers to leave the classical isolation procedures and to look in special niches and ecosystems. Bioprospecting of extremophilic Actinobacteria through mining untapped strains and avoiding resiolation of known biomolecules is among the most promising strategies for this purpose. With this approach, members of acidtolerant, alkalitolerant, psychrotolerant, thermotolerant, halotolerant and xerotolerant Actinobacteria have been obtained from respective habitats. Among these, little survey exists on the diversity of Actinobacteria in arid areas, which are often adapted to relatively high temperatures, salt concentrations, and radiation. Therefore, arid and desert habitats are special ecosystems which can be recruited for the isolation of uncommon Actinobacteria with new metabolic capability.At the time of this writing, members of Streptomyces, Micromonospora, Saccharothrix, Streptosporangium, Cellulomonas, Amycolatopsis, Geodermatophilus, Lechevalieria, Nocardia and Actinomadura are reported from arid habitats. However, metagenomic data present dominant members of the communities in desiccating condition of areas with limited water availability that are not yet isolated. Furthermore, significant diverse types of polyketide synthase (PKS and nonribosomal peptide synthetase (NRPS genes are detected in xerophilic and xerotolerant Actinobacteria and some bioactive compounds are reported from them. Rather than pharmaceutically active metabolites, molecules with protection activity against drying such as Ectoin and Hydroxyectoin with potential application in industry and agriculture have also been identified from xerophilic Actinobacteria. In addition, numerous biologically active small molecules are expected to be discovered from arid adapted Actinobacteria in the future. In the current survey, the diversity and biotechnological potential of Actinobacteria

Actinobacteria from Arid and Desert Habitats: Diversity and Biological Activity.

Science.gov (United States)

Mohammadipanah, Fatemeh; Wink, Joachim

2015-01-01

The lack of new antibiotics in the pharmaceutical pipeline guides more and more researchers to leave the classical isolation procedures and to look in special niches and ecosystems. Bioprospecting of extremophilic Actinobacteria through mining untapped strains and avoiding resiolation of known biomolecules is among the most promising strategies for this purpose. With this approach, members of acidtolerant, alkalitolerant, psychrotolerant, thermotolerant, halotolerant and xerotolerant Actinobacteria have been obtained from respective habitats. Among these, little survey exists on the diversity of Actinobacteria in arid areas, which are often adapted to relatively high temperatures, salt concentrations, and radiation. Therefore, arid and desert habitats are special ecosystems which can be recruited for the isolation of uncommon Actinobacteria with new metabolic capability. At the time of this writing, members of Streptomyces, Micromonospora, Saccharothrix, Streptosporangium, Cellulomonas, Amycolatopsis, Geodermatophilus, Lechevalieria, Nocardia, and Actinomadura are reported from arid habitats. However, metagenomic data present dominant members of the communities in desiccating condition of areas with limited water availability that are not yet isolated. Furthermore, significant diverse types of polyketide synthase (PKS) and non-ribosomal peptide synthetase (NRPS) genes are detected in xerophilic and xerotolerant Actinobacteria and some bioactive compounds are reported from them. Rather than pharmaceutically active metabolites, molecules with protection activity against drying such as Ectoin and Hydroxyectoin with potential application in industry and agriculture have also been identified from xerophilic Actinobacteria. In addition, numerous biologically active small molecules are expected to be discovered from arid adapted Actinobacteria in the future. In the current survey, the diversity and biotechnological potential of Actinobacteria obtained from arid ecosystems

Actinobacteria from Arid and Desert Habitats: Diversity and Biological Activity

Science.gov (United States)

Mohammadipanah, Fatemeh; Wink, Joachim

2016-01-01

The lack of new antibiotics in the pharmaceutical pipeline guides more and more researchers to leave the classical isolation procedures and to look in special niches and ecosystems. Bioprospecting of extremophilic Actinobacteria through mining untapped strains and avoiding resiolation of known biomolecules is among the most promising strategies for this purpose. With this approach, members of acidtolerant, alkalitolerant, psychrotolerant, thermotolerant, halotolerant and xerotolerant Actinobacteria have been obtained from respective habitats. Among these, little survey exists on the diversity of Actinobacteria in arid areas, which are often adapted to relatively high temperatures, salt concentrations, and radiation. Therefore, arid and desert habitats are special ecosystems which can be recruited for the isolation of uncommon Actinobacteria with new metabolic capability. At the time of this writing, members of Streptomyces, Micromonospora, Saccharothrix, Streptosporangium, Cellulomonas, Amycolatopsis, Geodermatophilus, Lechevalieria, Nocardia, and Actinomadura are reported from arid habitats. However, metagenomic data present dominant members of the communities in desiccating condition of areas with limited water availability that are not yet isolated. Furthermore, significant diverse types of polyketide synthase (PKS) and non-ribosomal peptide synthetase (NRPS) genes are detected in xerophilic and xerotolerant Actinobacteria and some bioactive compounds are reported from them. Rather than pharmaceutically active metabolites, molecules with protection activity against drying such as Ectoin and Hydroxyectoin with potential application in industry and agriculture have also been identified from xerophilic Actinobacteria. In addition, numerous biologically active small molecules are expected to be discovered from arid adapted Actinobacteria in the future. In the current survey, the diversity and biotechnological potential of Actinobacteria obtained from arid ecosystems

Radio-active waste disposal and deep-sea biology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rice, A.L.

1978-01-01

The deep-sea has been widely thought of as a remote, sparsely populated, and biologically inactive environment, well suited to receive the noxious products of nuclear fission processes. Much of what is known of abyssal biology tends to support this view, but there are a few disquieting contra-indications. The realisation, in recent years, that many animal groups show a previously unsuspected high species diversity in the deep-sea emphasized the paucity of our knowledge of this environment. More dramatically, the discovery of a large, active, and highly mobile abysso-bentho-pelagic fauna changed the whole concept of abyssal life. Finally, while there is little evidence for the existence of vertical migration patterns linking the deep-sea bottom communities with those of the overlying water layers, there are similarly too few negative results for the possibility of such transport mechanisms to be dismissed. In summary, biological knowledge of the abyss is insufficient to answer the questions raised in connection with deep-sea dumping, but in the absence of adequate answers it might be dangerous to ignore the questions

Biological Activities and Phytochemicals of Swietenia macrophylla King

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Habsah Abdul Kadir

2013-08-01

Full Text Available Swietenia macrophylla King (Meliaceae is an endangered and medicinally important plant indigenous to tropical and subtropical regions of the World. S. macrophylla has been widely used in folk medicine to treat various diseases. The review reveals that limonoids and its derivatives are the major constituents of S. macrophylla. There are several data in the literature indicating a great variety of pharmacological activities of S. macrophylla, which exhibits antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant effects, antimutagenic, anticancer, antitumor and antidiabetic activities. Various other activities like anti-nociceptive, hypolipidemic, antidiarrhoeal, anti-infective, antiviral, antimalarial, acaricidal, antifeedant and heavy metal phytoremediation activity have also been reported. In view of the immense medicinal importance of S. macrophylla, this review aimed at compiling all currently available information on its ethnomedicinal uses, phytochemistry and biological activities of S. macrophylla, showing its importance.

A small RNA activates CFA synthase by isoform-specific mRNA stabilization.

Science.gov (United States)

Fröhlich, Kathrin Sophie; Papenfort, Kai; Fekete, Agnes; Vogel, Jörg

2013-11-13

Small RNAs use a diversity of well-characterized mechanisms to repress mRNAs, but how they activate gene expression at the mRNA level remains not well understood. The predominant activation mechanism of Hfq-associated small RNAs has been translational control whereby base pairing with the target prevents the formation of an intrinsic inhibitory structure in the mRNA and promotes translation initiation. Here, we report a translation-independent mechanism whereby the small RNA RydC selectively activates the longer of two isoforms of cfa mRNA (encoding cyclopropane fatty acid synthase) in Salmonella enterica. Target activation is achieved through seed pairing of the pseudoknot-exposed, conserved 5' end of RydC to an upstream region of the cfa mRNA. The seed pairing stabilizes the messenger, likely by interfering directly with RNase E-mediated decay in the 5' untranslated region. Intriguingly, this mechanism is generic such that the activation is equally achieved by seed pairing of unrelated small RNAs, suggesting that this mechanism may be utilized in the design of RNA-controlled synthetic circuits. Physiologically, RydC is the first small RNA known to regulate membrane stability.

Repurposing High-Throughput Image Assays Enables Biological Activity Prediction for Drug Discovery.

Science.gov (United States)

Simm, Jaak; Klambauer, Günter; Arany, Adam; Steijaert, Marvin; Wegner, Jörg Kurt; Gustin, Emmanuel; Chupakhin, Vladimir; Chong, Yolanda T; Vialard, Jorge; Buijnsters, Peter; Velter, Ingrid; Vapirev, Alexander; Singh, Shantanu; Carpenter, Anne E; Wuyts, Roel; Hochreiter, Sepp; Moreau, Yves; Ceulemans, Hugo

2018-05-17

In both academia and the pharmaceutical industry, large-scale assays for drug discovery are expensive and often impractical, particularly for the increasingly important physiologically relevant model systems that require primary cells, organoids, whole organisms, or expensive or rare reagents. We hypothesized that data from a single high-throughput imaging assay can be repurposed to predict the biological activity of compounds in other assays, even those targeting alternate pathways or biological processes. Indeed, quantitative information extracted from a three-channel microscopy-based screen for glucocorticoid receptor translocation was able to predict assay-specific biological activity in two ongoing drug discovery projects. In these projects, repurposing increased hit rates by 50- to 250-fold over that of the initial project assays while increasing the chemical structure diversity of the hits. Our results suggest that data from high-content screens are a rich source of information that can be used to predict and replace customized biological assays. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Biological activities (anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant) of fractions ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Biological activities (anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant) of fractions and methanolic extract of Philonotis hastate (Duby Wijk & MargaDant). ... The fractions and methanolic extract exhibited moderate antioxidant potentials with various models. The flavonoid contents of the methanol extract and fractions ranged between 1.70 ...

Effects of heat on the biological activity of wild Cordyceps sinensis

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Pengkai Wu

2015-01-01

Conclusions: These results suggested that heat treatment does not adversely affect SOD or DNase activity, polysaccharide content, or cordycepin dissolution. Thus, heat treatment might be a safe processing method to extend the storage time of wild C. sinensis without compromising biological activity.

Biological effects of high-strength electric fields on small laboratory animals. Interim report, March 1, 1978-September 30, 1979

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Phillips, R.D.; Anderson, L.E.; Kaune, W.T.

1979-12-01

Progress is described on a project assessing the biological effects of 60-Hz electric fields on small laboratory animals (rats and mice). The report includes sections on hematology and seram chemistry, immunology, pathology, metabolism, bone growth, endocrinology, cardiovascular function, neurophysiology, growth and development, and animal behavior. (ACR)

In vitro gamma irradiation of some purified polypeptide hormones and their biological and radioimmunological activity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hromadova, M.; Macho, L.; Strbak, V.; Vigas, M.; Mikulaj, L.

1979-01-01

Some polypeptide hormones (adrenocorticotropin - ACTH, human and bovine growth hormone - GH, human menopausal gonadotropin - HMG, human luteinizing hormone - LH, and bovine thyrotropin - TSH) were irradiated either with 2.5 or 12.5 Mrad (1.1 Mrad/h) or both and their biological activity or immunoreactivity was tested within few days or 3 to 5 months after irradiation. Biological activity of irradiated ACTH (estimation of corticosterone released into medium by incubated adrenals - Saffran and Schally 1955) was not decreased in both time intervals tested. Ten days after irradiation of bovine GH no changes in biological activity (tibia test - Wilhelmi 1973) were found. No decrease of biological activity of irradiated HMG (augmentation of ovarian and uterine weight - Butt 1973) was found 4 months after irradiation and, finaly, no decrease of bovine TSH activity (radioiodine release from prelabelled thyroid in mice - McKenzie 1958) was found 2 to 30 days after irradiation with 2.5 Mrad, while a decrease was observed after 12.5 Mrad. Three to five months after irradiation, however, there was a decrease of biological activity after both doses. The immunological reactivity of irradiated HMG and LH did not differ from that of nonirradiated samples. The same was found with human GH after 2.5 Mrad, while a decrease of reactivity after 12.5 Mrad was detected. It was concluded that, in most of cases, the sterilizing dose of gamma radiation (2.5 Mrad) did not affect the biological activity of polypeptide hormones and that their sensitivity to irradiation appears to differ. (author)

Review of the genus Ipomoea: traditional uses, chemistry and biological activities

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Marilena Meira

Full Text Available Approximately 600-700 species of Ipomoea, Convolvulaceae, are found throughout tropical and subtropical regions of the world. Several of those species have been used as ornamental plants, food, medicines or in religious ritual. The present work reviews the traditional uses, chemistry and biological activities of Ipomoea species and illustrates the potential of the genus as a source of therapeutic agents. These species are used in different parts of the world for the treatment of several diseases, such as, diabetes, hypertension, dysentery, constipation, fatigue, arthritis, rheumatism, hydrocephaly, meningitis, kidney ailments and inflammations. Some of these species showed antimicrobial, analgesic, spasmolitic, spasmogenic, hypoglycemic, hypotensive, anticoagulant, anti-inflammatory, psychotomimetic and anticancer activities. Alkaloids, phenolics compounds and glycolipids are the most common biologically active constituents from these plant extracts.

Synthesis, Physical Characterization and Biological Activity of Some Schiff Base Complexes

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R. Rajavel

2008-01-01

Full Text Available Structural modification of organic molecule has considerable biological relevance. Further, coordination of a biomolecules to the metal ions significantly alters the effectiveness of the biomolecules. In view of the antimicrobial activity ligand [bis-(2-aminobenzaldehyde] malonoyl dihydrazone], metal complexes with Cu(II, Ni(II, Zn(II and oxovanadium(IV have been synthesized and found to be potential antimicrobial agents. An attempt is also made to correlate the biological activities with geometry of the complexes. The complexes have been characterized by elemental analysis, molar conductance, spectra and cyclicvoltammetric measurements. The structural assessment of the complexes has been carried out based on electronic, infrared and molar conductivity values.

Isolation and characterization of biologically active venom protein from sea snake Enhydrina schistosa.

Science.gov (United States)

Damotharan, Palani; Veeruraj, Anguchamy; Arumugam, Muthuvel; Balasubramanian, Thangavel

2015-03-01

The present study is designed to investigate the isolation and characterization of biological and biochemical active venom protein from sea snake, Enhydrina schistosa. The highest purification peaks in ion-exchange chromatography on DEAE-cellulose column were obtained for fraction numbers 39-49 when eluted with 0.35-0.45 M NaCl. Eighty per cent purity was obtained in the final stage of purification, and a single protein band of about 44 kDa was visualized in SDS-polyacrylamide gel under reducing condition. Purified venom protein expressed as haemolytic, cytotoxicity and proteolytic activities with lethal concentration (LC50 ) at 2.0 μg/mL. Venom protein exhibits enzymatic activity and hydrolyzed casein and gelatin. Gelatinolytic activity was optimal at pH 5-9. In conclusion, the present results suggested that the sea snake venom might be feasible sources for biologically active substances. Thus, this low molecular weight component of the venom protein could be used in potentially serve biological and pharmaceutical aspects. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Yellow-Cedar, Callitropsis (Chamaecyparis) nootkatensis, Secondary Metabolites, Biological Activities, and Chemical Ecology.

Science.gov (United States)

Karchesy, Joseph J; Kelsey, Rick G; González-Hernández, M P

2018-05-01

Yellow-cedar, Callitropsis nootkatensis, is prevalent in coastal forests of southeast Alaska, western Canada, and inland forests along the Cascades to northern California, USA. These trees have few microbial or animal pests, attributable in part to the distinct groups of biologically active secondary metabolites their tissues store for chemical defense. Here we summarize the new yellow-cedar compounds identified and their biological activities, plus new or expanded activities for tissues, extracts, essential oils and previously known compounds since the last review more than 40 years ago. Monoterpene hydrocarbons are the most abundant compounds in foliage, while heartwood contains substantial quantities of oxygenated monoterpenes and oxygenated sesquiterpenes, with one or more tropolones. Diterpenes occur in foliage and bark, whereas condensed tannins have been isolated from inner bark. Biological activities expressed by one or more compounds in these groups include fungicide, bactericide, sporicide, acaricide, insecticide, general cytotoxicity, antioxidant and human anticancer. The diversity of organisms impacted by whole tissues, essential oils, extracts, or individual compounds now encompasses ticks, fleas, termites, ants, mosquitoes, bacteria, a water mold, fungi and browsing animals. Nootkatone, is a heartwood component with sufficient activity against arthropods to warrant research focused toward potential development as a commercial repellent and biopesticide for ticks, mosquitoes and possibly other arthropods that vector human and animal pathogens.

On-Demand Targeting: Investigating Biology with Proximity-Directed Chemistry.

Science.gov (United States)

Long, Marcus J C; Poganik, Jesse R; Aye, Yimon

2016-03-23

Proximity enhancement is a central chemical tenet underpinning an exciting suite of small-molecule toolsets that have allowed us to unravel many biological complexities. The leitmotif of this opus is "tethering"-a strategy in which a multifunctional small molecule serves as a template to bring proteins/biomolecules together. Scaffolding approaches have been powerfully applied to control diverse biological outcomes such as protein-protein association, protein stability, activity, and improve imaging capabilities. A new twist on this strategy has recently appeared, in which the small-molecule probe is engineered to unleash controlled amounts of reactive chemical signals within the microenvironment of a target protein. Modification of a specific target elicits a precisely timed and spatially controlled gain-of-function (or dominant loss-of-function) signaling response. Presented herein is a unique personal outlook conceptualizing the powerful proximity-enhanced chemical biology toolsets into two paradigms: "multifunctional scaffolding" versus "on-demand targeting". By addressing the latest advances and challenges in the established yet constantly evolving multifunctional scaffolding strategies as well as in the emerging on-demand precision targeting (and related) systems, this Perspective is aimed at choosing when it is best to employ each of the two strategies, with an emphasis toward further promoting novel applications and discoveries stemming from these innovative chemical biology platforms.

Fabrication, Characterization, and Biological Activity of Avermectin Nano-delivery Systems with Different Particle Sizes

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Anqi; Wang, Yan; Sun, Changjiao; Wang, Chunxin; Cui, Bo; Zhao, Xiang; Zeng, Zhanghua; Yao, Junwei; Yang, Dongsheng; Liu, Guoqiang; Cui, Haixin

2018-01-01

Nano-delivery systems for the active ingredients of pesticides can improve the utilization rates of pesticides and prolong their control effects. This is due to the nanocarrier envelope and controlled release function. However, particles containing active ingredients in controlled release pesticide formulations are generally large and have wide size distributions. There have been limited studies about the effect of particle size on the controlled release properties and biological activities of pesticide delivery systems. In the current study, avermectin (Av) nano-delivery systems were constructed with different particle sizes and their performances were evaluated. The Av release rate in the nano-delivery system could be effectively controlled by changing the particle size. The biological activity increased with decreasing particle size. These results suggest that Av nano-delivery systems can significantly improve the controllable release, photostability, and biological activity, which will improve efficiency and reduce pesticide residues.

Screening of some marine plants from the Indian coast for biological activity

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Naqvi, S.W.A.; Solimabi; Kamat, S.Y.; DeSouza, L.; Reddy, C.V.G.; Bhakuni, D.S.; Dhawan, B.N.

Extracts of twenty five seaweeds from Indian coast have been put through a broad biological screen which includes tests for antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal, antiprotozoal, antifertility activities and a wide range of pharmacological activities...

Natural products as a resource for biologically active compounds

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hanke, F.J.

1986-01-01

The goal of this study was to investigate various sources of biologically active natural products in an effort to identify the active pesticidal compounds involved. The study is divided into several parts. Chapter 1 contains a discussion of several new compounds from plant and animal sources. Chapter 2 introduces a new NMR technique. In section 2.1 a new technique for better utilizing the lanthanide relaxation agent Gd(fod) 3 is presented which allows the predictable removal of resonances without line broadening. Section 2.2 discusses a variation of this technique for use in an aqueous solvent by applying this technique towards identifying the binding sites of metals of biological interest. Section 2.3 presents an unambiguous 13 C NMR assignment of melibiose. Chapter 3 deals with work relating to the molting hormone of most arthropods, 20-hydroxyecdysone. Section 3.1 discusses the use of two-dimensional NMR (2D NMR) to assign the 1 H NMR spectrum of this biologically important compound. Section 3.2 presents a new application for Droplet countercurrent chromatography (DCCC). Chapter 4 presents a basic improvement to the commercial DCCC instrument that is currently being applied to future commercial instruments. Chapter 5 discusses a curious observation of the effects that two previously known compounds, nagilactone C and (-)-epicatechin, have on lettuce and rice and suggest a possible new role for the ubiquitous flavanol (-)-epicatechin in plants

Certification of biological reference materials by instrumental neutron activation analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lanjewar, Mamata R.; Lanjewar, R.B.

2014-01-01

A multielemental instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) method by short and long irradiation has been employed for the determination of 21 minor and trace elements in two standard Reference Materials P-RBF and P-WBF from Institute of Radioecology and Applied Nuclear Techniques ,Czechoslovakia. Also some biological standards such as Bowen's kale, cabbage leaves (Poland) including wheat and rice flour samples of local origin were analysed. It is suggested that INAA is an ideal method for the certification of Reference Materials of Biological Matrices. (author)

Biological activities of extracts from Chenopodium ambrosioides Lineu and Kielmeyera neglecta Saddi

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Sousa Zulane

2012-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Chenopodium ambrosioides and Kielmeyera neglecta are plants traditionally used in Brazil to treat various infectious diseases. The study of the biological activities of these plants is of great importance for the detection of biologically active compounds. Methods Extracts from these plants were extracted with hexane (Hex, dichloromethane (DCM, ethyl acetate (EtOAc and ethanol (EtOH and assessed for their antimicrobial properties, bioactivity against Artemia salina Leach and antifungal action on the cell wall of Neurospora crassa. Results Extracts from C. ambrosioides (Hex, DCM and EtOH and K. neglecta (EtOAc and EtOH showed high bioactivity against A. salina (LD50 C. ambrosioides Hex and DCM showed specific activity against yeasts, highlighting the activity of hexanic extract against Candida krusei (MIC = 100 μg/mL. By comparing the inhibitory concentration of 50% growth (IC 50% with the growth control, extracts from K. neglecta EtOAc and EtOH have shown activities against multidrug-resistant bacteria (Enterococcus faecalis ATCC 51299 and Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 43300, with IC 50% of 12.5 μg/mL The assay carried out on N. crassa allowed defining that extracts with antifungal activity do not have action through inhibition of cell wall synthesis. Conclusions Generally speaking, extracts from C. ambrosioides and K. neglecta showed biological activities that have made the search for bioactive substances in these plants more attractive, illustrating the success of their use in the Brazilian folk medicine.

Accelerator mass spectrometry of ultra-small samples with applications in the biosciences

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Salehpour, Mehran; Håkansson, Karl; Possnert, Göran

2013-01-01

An overview is presented covering the biological accelerator mass spectrometry activities at Uppsala University. The research utilizes the Uppsala University Tandem laboratory facilities, including a 5 MV Pelletron tandem accelerator and two stable isotope ratio mass spectrometers. In addition, a dedicated sample preparation laboratory for biological samples with natural activity is in use, as well as another laboratory specifically for 14 C-labeled samples. A variety of ongoing projects are described and presented. Examples are: (1) Ultra-small sample AMS. We routinely analyze samples with masses in the 5–10 μg C range. Data is presented regarding the sample preparation method, (2) bomb peak biological dating of ultra-small samples. A long term project is presented where purified and cell-specific DNA from various part of the human body including the heart and the brain are analyzed with the aim of extracting regeneration rate of the various human cells, (3) biological dating of various human biopsies, including atherosclerosis related plaques is presented. The average built up time of the surgically removed human carotid plaques have been measured and correlated to various data including the level of insulin in the human blood, and (4) In addition to standard microdosing type measurements using small pharmaceutical drugs, pre-clinical pharmacokinetic data from a macromolecular drug candidate are discussed.

Accelerator mass spectrometry of ultra-small samples with applications in the biosciences

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Salehpour, Mehran, E-mail: mehran.salehpour@physics.uu.se [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Ion Physics, PO Box 516, SE-751 20 Uppsala (Sweden); Hakansson, Karl; Possnert, Goeran [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Ion Physics, PO Box 516, SE-751 20 Uppsala (Sweden)

2013-01-15

An overview is presented covering the biological accelerator mass spectrometry activities at Uppsala University. The research utilizes the Uppsala University Tandem laboratory facilities, including a 5 MV Pelletron tandem accelerator and two stable isotope ratio mass spectrometers. In addition, a dedicated sample preparation laboratory for biological samples with natural activity is in use, as well as another laboratory specifically for {sup 14}C-labeled samples. A variety of ongoing projects are described and presented. Examples are: (1) Ultra-small sample AMS. We routinely analyze samples with masses in the 5-10 {mu}g C range. Data is presented regarding the sample preparation method, (2) bomb peak biological dating of ultra-small samples. A long term project is presented where purified and cell-specific DNA from various part of the human body including the heart and the brain are analyzed with the aim of extracting regeneration rate of the various human cells, (3) biological dating of various human biopsies, including atherosclerosis related plaques is presented. The average built up time of the surgically removed human carotid plaques have been measured and correlated to various data including the level of insulin in the human blood, and (4) In addition to standard microdosing type measurements using small pharmaceutical drugs, pre-clinical pharmacokinetic data from a macromolecular drug candidate are discussed.

Neutron activation analysis of biological material

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kucera, J.; Simkova, M.; Obrusnik, I.

1985-01-01

The possibilities are briefly summed up of usino. NAA (neutron activation analysis) for determining element traces in foodstuffs and their intake by organisms, for monitoring changes in the content of important trace elements in tissues and body fluids owing to environmental pollution, for verifying the results of other analytical techniques and for certifying the content of element traces in reference materials. Examples are given of the use of NAA, and the results are summed up of the determination of Cd, Mn and Zn in biological reference materials NBS SRM-1577, Bovine Liver, Bowen's Kale, IAEA Milk Powder A-11 and IAEA Animal Muscle H-4. (E.S.)

Generation of structurally novel short carotenoids and study of their biological activity

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kim, Se Hyeuk; Kim, Moon S.; Lee, Bun Y.

2016-01-01

Recent research interest in phytochemicals has consistently driven the efforts in the metabolic engineering field toward microbial production of various carotenoids. In spite of systematic studies, the possibility of using C30 carotenoids as biologically functional compounds has not been explored...... thus far. Here, we generated 13 novel structures of C30 carotenoids and one C35 carotenoid, including acyclic, monocyclic, and bicyclic structures, through directed evolution and combinatorial biosynthesis, in Escherichia coli. Measurement of radical scavenging activity of various C30 carotenoid...... structures revealed that acyclic C30 carotenoids showed higher radical scavenging activity than did DL-atocopherol. We could assume high potential biological activity of the novel structures of C30 carotenoids as well, based on the neuronal differentiation activity observed for the monocyclic C30 carotenoid...

Investigating Biological Activity Spectrum for Novel Styrylquinazoline Analogues

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Jaroslaw Polanski

2009-10-01

Full Text Available In this study, series of ring-substituted 2-styrylquinazolin-4(3H-one and 4-chloro-2-styrylquinazoline derivatives were prepared. The syntheses of the discussed compounds are presented. The compounds were analyzed by RP-HPLC to determine lipophilicity. They were tested for their inhibitory activity on photosynthetic electron transport (PET in spinach (Spinacia oleracea L. chloroplasts. Primary in vitro screening of the synthesized compounds was also performed against four mycobacterial strains and against eight fungal strains. Several compounds showed biological activity comparable with or higher than that of the standard isoniazid. It was found that the electronic properties of the R substituent, and not the total lipophilicity of the compound, were decisive for the photosynthesis-inhibiting activity of tested compounds.

78 FR 45051 - Small Business Size Standards; Support Activities for Mining; Correction

Science.gov (United States)

2013-07-26

... Regulations by increasing small business size standards for three of the four industries in North American... SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION 13 CFR Part 121 RIN 3245-AG44 Small Business Size Standards; Support Activities for Mining; Correction AGENCY: U.S. Small Business Administration. ACTION: Final rule; correction...

TOPICAL REVIEW: Protein stability and enzyme activity at extreme biological temperatures

Science.gov (United States)

Feller, Georges

2010-08-01

Psychrophilic microorganisms thrive in permanently cold environments, even at subzero temperatures. To maintain metabolic rates compatible with sustained life, they have improved the dynamics of their protein structures, thereby enabling appropriate molecular motions required for biological activity at low temperatures. As a consequence of this structural flexibility, psychrophilic proteins are unstable and heat-labile. In the upper range of biological temperatures, thermophiles and hyperthermophiles grow at temperatures > 100 °C and synthesize ultra-stable proteins. However, thermophilic enzymes are nearly inactive at room temperature as a result of their compactness and rigidity. At the molecular level, both types of extremophilic proteins have adapted the same structural factors, but in opposite directions, to address either activity at low temperatures or stability in hot environments. A model based on folding funnels is proposed accounting for the stability-activity relationships in extremophilic proteins.

Chemical Structure-Biological Activity Models for Pharmacophores’ 3D-Interactions

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Mihai V. Putz

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Within medicinal chemistry nowadays, the so-called pharmaco-dynamics seeks for qualitative (for understanding and quantitative (for predicting mechanisms/models by which given chemical structure or series of congeners actively act on biological sites either by focused interaction/therapy or by diffuse/hazardous influence. To this aim, the present review exposes three of the fertile directions in approaching the biological activity by chemical structural causes: the special computing trace of the algebraic structure-activity relationship (SPECTRAL-SAR offering the full analytical counterpart for multi-variate computational regression, the minimal topological difference (MTD as the revived precursor for comparative molecular field analyses (CoMFA and comparative molecular similarity indices analysis (CoMSIA; all of these methods and algorithms were presented, discussed and exemplified on relevant chemical medicinal systems as proton pump inhibitors belonging to the 4-indolyl,2-guanidinothiazole class of derivatives blocking the acid secretion from parietal cells in the stomach, the 1-[(2-hydroxyethoxy-methyl]-6-(phenylthiothymine congeners’ (HEPT ligands antiviral activity against Human Immunodeficiency Virus of first type (HIV-1 and new pharmacophores in treating severe genetic disorders (like depression and psychosis, respectively, all involving 3D pharmacophore interactions.

Biological regeneration of phenol-loaded activated carbon (up flow system)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Durrani, M.A.Q.J.; Mirajuddin; Martin, R.J.

1995-01-01

This paper represents the report on the biological regeneration of totally activated carbon following the experimental studies carried out at the University of Birmingham, U.K. Biological regeneration is one of several methods that may be used to restore the adsorptive capacity of exhausted granular activated carbon. This study deals with in situ biological regeneration on a pilot scale. The principal objective of this research was to ascertain whether biological regeneration of GAC could occur under conditions typical of water treatment. The important parameters which may have the greatest impact on bio regeneration for a given adsorbate were studied. The research investigated the extent of bio regeneration for phenol of concentration 50 mg/l. Bio regeneration in the total exhaustion system was evaluated in terms of regeneration efficiency and the substrate removal. A three mode procedure was followed for each bio regeneration run. The prepared carbon was initialing exhausted with an adsorbate; it was then bio regenerated with a mixed culture of bacteria, and lastly the carbon was saturated. In the totally exhausted GAC system, the bio regeneration was enhanced by increasing the duration of regeneration for a fixed initial biomass content of the bioreactor. The regenerated phenol loaded GAC bed had nearly gained its original adsorption after the 5-day period of regeneration. Bacterial counts in the effluents of regenerated GAC columns were significantly more than those of fresh carbon effluents. (author)

Activation analysis of biological materials at the Activation Analysis Centre

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kukula, F.; Obrusnik, I.; Simkova, M.; Kucera, J.; Krivanek, M.

1976-01-01

A review is presented of the work of the Activation Analysis Centre of the Nuclear Research Institute for different fields of the Czechoslovak economy, aimed primarily at analyzing biological materials with the purpose of determining the contents of the so-called vital trace elements and of elements which already have a toxic effect on the organism in trace concentrations. Another important field of research is the path of trace elements from the environment to the human organism. A destructive method for the simultaneous determination of 12 trace elements in 11 kinds of human tissue has been studied. (Z.M.)

Determination of chromium in biological matrices by neutron activation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McClendon, L.T.

1978-01-01

Chromium is recognized to be an essential trace element in several biological systems. It exists in many biological materials in a variety of chemical forms and very low concentration levels which cause problems for many analytical techniques. Both instrumental and destructive neutron activation analysis were used to determine the chromium concentration in Orchard Leaves, SRM 1571, Brewers Yeast, SRM 1569, and Bovine Liver, SRM 1577. Some of the problems inherent with determining chromium in certain biological matrices and the data obtained here at the National Bureau of Standards using this technique are discussed. The results obtained from dissolution of brewers yeast in a closed system as described in the DNAA procedure are in good agreement with the INAA results. The same phenomenon existed in the determination of chromium in bovine liver. The radiochemical procedure described for chromium (DNAA) provides the analyst with a simple, rapid and selective technique for chromium determination in a variety of matrices. (T.G.)

Similarity of hydrolyzing activity of human and rat small intestinal disaccharidases

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Oku T

2011-06-01

Full Text Available Tsuneyuki Oku¹, Kenichi Tanabe¹, Shigeharu Ogawa², Naoki Sadamori¹, Sadako Nakamura¹¹Graduate School of Human Health Science, University of Nagasaki, Siebold, Nagayo, Japan; ²Juzenkai Hospital, Kagomachi, Nagasaki, JapanBackground: The purpose of this study was to clarify whether it is possible to extrapolate results from studies of the hydrolyzing activity of disaccharidases from rats to humans.Materials and methods: We measured disaccharidase activity in humans and rats using identical preparation and assay methods, and investigated the similarity in hydrolyzing activity. Small intestinal samples without malignancy were donated by five patients who had undergone bladder tumor surgery, and homogenates were prepared to measure disaccharidase activity. Adult rat homogenates were prepared using small intestine.Results: Maltase activity was the highest among the five disaccharidases, followed by sucrase and then palatinase in humans and rats. Trehalase activity was slightly lower than that of palatinase in humans and was similar to that of sucrase in rats. Lactase activity was the lowest in humans, but was similar to that of palatinase in rats. Thus, the hydrolyzing activity of five disaccharidases was generally similar in humans and rats. The relative activity of sucrose and palatinase versus maltase was generally similar between humans and rats. The ratio of rat to human hydrolyzing activity of maltase, sucrase, and palatinase was 1.9–3.1, but this was not a significant difference. Leaf extract from Morus alba strongly inhibited the activity of maltase, sucrase, and palatinase, but not trehalase and lactase, and the degree of inhibition was similar in humans and rats. L-arabinose mildly inhibited sucrase activity, but hardly inhibited the activity of maltase, palatinase, trehalase and lactase in humans and rats. The digestibility of 1-kestose, galactosylsucrose, and panose by small intestinal enzymes was very similar between humans and

Expression of biologically active murine interleukin-18 in Lactococcus lactis.

Science.gov (United States)

Feizollahzadeh, Sadegh; Khanahmad, Hossein; Rahimmanesh, Ilnaz; Ganjalikhani-Hakemi, Mazdak; Andalib, Alireza; Sanei, Mohammad Hossein; Rezaei, Abbas

2016-11-01

The food-grade bacterium Lactococcus lactis is increasingly used for heterologous protein expression in therapeutic and industrial applications. The ability of L. lactis to secrete biologically active cytokines may be used for the generation of therapeutic cytokines. Interleukin (IL)-18 enhances the immune response, especially on mucosal surfaces, emphasizing its therapeutic potential. However, it is produced as an inactive precursor and has to be enzymatically cleaved for maturation. We genetically manipulated L. lactis to secrete murine IL-18. The mature murine IL-18 gene was inserted downstream of a nisin promoter in pNZ8149 plasmid and the construct was used to transform L. lactis NZ3900. The transformants were selected on Elliker agar and confirmed by restriction enzyme digestion and sequencing. The expression and secretion of IL-18 protein was verified by SDS-PAGE, western blotting and ELISA. The biological activity of recombinant IL-18 was determined by its ability to induce interferon (IFN)-γ production in L. lactis co-cultured with murine splenic T cells. The amounts of IL-18 in bacterial lysates and supernatants were 3-4 μg mL -1 and 0.6-0.7 ng mL -1 , respectively. The successfully generated L. lactis strain that expressed biologically active murine IL-18 can be used to evaluate the possible therapeutic effects of IL-18 on mucosal surfaces. © FEMS 2016. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Myricetin: A Dietary Molecule with Diverse Biological Activities

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Deepak Kumar Semwal

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Myricetin is a common plant-derived flavonoid and is well recognised for its nutraceuticals value. It is one of the key ingredients of various foods and beverages. The compound exhibits a wide range of activities that include strong anti-oxidant, anticancer, antidiabetic and anti-inflammatory activities. It displays several activities that are related to the central nervous system and numerous studies have suggested that the compound may be beneficial to protect against diseases such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. The use of myricetin as a preserving agent to extend the shelf life of foods containing oils and fats is attributed to the compound’s ability to protect lipids against oxidation. A detailed search of existing literature revealed that there is currently no comprehensive review available on this important molecule. Hence, the present work includes the history, synthesis, pharmaceutical applications and toxicity studies of myricetin. This report also highlights structure-activity relationships and mechanisms of action for various biological activities.

The genus Scrophularia: a source of iridoids and terpenoids with a diverse biological activity.

Science.gov (United States)

Pasdaran, Ardalan; Hamedi, Azadeh

2017-12-01

Scrophularia genus (Scrophulariaceae) includes about 350 species commonly known as figwort. Many species of this genus grow wild in nature and have not been cultivated yet. However, some species are in danger of extinction. This paper reviews the chemical compounds, biological activities and the ethnopharmacology of some Scrophularia species. All information was obtained through reported data on bibliographic database such as Scopus, United States National Agricultural Library, Biological Abstracts, EMBASE, PubMed, MedlinePlus, PubChem and Springer Link (1934-2017). The information in different Pharmacopoeias on this genus was also gathered from 1957 to 2007. The structures of 204 compounds and their biological activity were presented in the manuscript: glycoside esters, iridoid glycosides and triterpenoids are the most common compounds in this genus. Among them, scropolioside like iridoids have shown potential for anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective and wound healing activity. Among the less frequently isolated compounds, resin glycosides such as crypthophilic acids have shown potent antiprotozoal and antimicrobial activities. The Scrophularia genus seems to be a rich source of iridoids and terpenoids, but isolation and identification of its alkaloids have been a neglected area of scientific study. The diverse chemical compounds and biological activities of this genus will motivate further investigation on Scrophularia genus as a source of new therapeutic medications.

Milk kefir: composition, microbial cultures, biological activities, and related products.

Science.gov (United States)

Prado, Maria R; Blandón, Lina Marcela; Vandenberghe, Luciana P S; Rodrigues, Cristine; Castro, Guillermo R; Thomaz-Soccol, Vanete; Soccol, Carlos R

2015-01-01

In recent years, there has been a strong focus on beneficial foods with probiotic microorganisms and functional organic substances. In this context, there is an increasing interest in the commercial use of kefir, since it can be marketed as a natural beverage that has health promoting bacteria. There are numerous commercially available kefir based-products. Kefir may act as a matrix in the effective delivery of probiotic microorganisms in different types of products. Also, the presence of kefir's exopolysaccharides, known as kefiran, which has biological activity, certainly adds value to products. Kefiran can also be used separately in other food products and as a coating film for various food and pharmaceutical products. This article aims to update the information about kefir and its microbiological composition, biological activity of the kefir's microflora and the importance of kefiran as a beneficial health substance.

Biological activities and biomedical potential of sea cucumber (Stichopus japonicus: a review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gun-Woo Oh

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Members of the phylum Echinodermata, commonly known as echinoderms, are exclusively marine invertebrates. Among the Echinodermata, sea cucumber belongs to the family Holothuroidea. The sea cucumber Stichopus (Apostichous japonicus (Selenka is an invertebrate animal inhabiting the coastal sea around Korean, Japan, China, and Russia. Sea cucumber has a significant commercial value, because it contains valuable nutrients such as vitamins and minerals. They possess a number of distinctive biologically and pharmacologically important compounds. In particular, the body wall of sea cucumber is a major edible part. It consists of peptide, collagen, gelatin, polysaccharide, and saponin, which possess several biological activities such as anti-cancer, anti-coagulation, anti-oxidation, and anti-osteoclastogenesis. Furthermore, the regenerative capacity of sea cucumber makes it a medically important organism. This review presents the various biological activities and biomedical potential of sea cucumber S. japonicus.

GOVERNMENT SUPPORT FOR SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED BUSINESS AND INNOVATIVE ACTIVITIES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pоlina Kolisnichenko

2017-09-01

Full Text Available The purpose of the paper is to reveal the conditions of the innovative development of the small and mediumsized entrepreneurship in Ukraine; the problems that suppress the innovative activity and small and medium-sized enterprises development; peculiarities of the tax incentives for the development of the entrepreneurship in the advanced countries and in Ukraine; the main kinds and characteristics of the small and medium-sized enterprises public support. Methodology. The methods of scientific research include: analysis and generalization for studying the main kinds and characteristics of the government support of the small and medium-sized enterprises; dynamic and comparative analysis for studying the problems and factors influencing the development of small and medium enterprises and innovative activity, peculiarities of tax incentives for business development; systemanalytical method for studying the conditions of the innovative development of the small and medium-sized entrepreneurship. Results. The government's financial support priorities should be: optimal application of the fiscal regulation instruments (reduction of the amount of taxes, determination of the criteria for the maximum taxation amount, tax incentives etc., maintenance of the self-investment of small and medium-sized enterprises as well as investment, financial means of the public influence over the development of the enterprises, effective combination of both direct and indirect forms of the innovative development support. Practical implications. The obtained results can be used in the process of formation and implementation of the small and medium enterprise sector development strategy and innovative activity in the long-term perspective. Value/originality. The obtained data can provide a better understanding of the direction of innovative business development in Ukraine.

Biological conversion system

Science.gov (United States)

Scott, C.D.

A system for bioconversion of organic material comprises a primary bioreactor column wherein a biological active agent (zymomonas mobilis) converts the organic material (sugar) to a product (alcohol), a rejuvenator column wherein the biological activity of said biological active agent is enhanced, and means for circulating said biological active agent between said primary bioreactor column and said rejuvenator column.

Connective tissue activation. XXXII. Structural and biologic characteristics of mesenchymal cell-derived connective tissue activating peptide-V.

Science.gov (United States)

Cabral, A R; Cole, L A; Walz, D A; Castor, C W

1987-12-01

Connective tissue activating peptide-V (CTAP-V) is a single-chain, mesenchymal cell-derived anionic protein with large and small molecular forms (Mr of 28,000 and 16,000, respectively), as defined by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The proteins have similar specific activities with respect to stimulation of hyaluronic acid and DNA formation in human synovial fibroblast cultures. S-carboxymethylation or removal of sialic acid residues did not modify CTAP-V biologic activity. Rabbit antibodies raised separately against each of the purified CTAP-V proteins reacted, on immunodiffusion and on Western blot, with each antigen and neutralized mitogenic activity. The amino-terminal amino acid sequence of the CTAP-V proteins, determined by 2 laboratories, confirmed their structural similarities. The amino-terminal sequence through 37 residues was demonstrated for the smaller protein. The first 10 residues of CTAP-V (28 kd) were identical to the N-terminal decapeptide of CTAP-V (16 kd). The C-terminal sequence, determined by carboxypeptidase Y digestion, was the same for both CTAP-V molecular species. The 2 CTAP-V peptides had similar amino acid compositions, whether residues were expressed as a percent of the total or were normalized to mannose. Reduction of native CTAP-V protein released sulfhydryl groups in a protein:disulfide ratio of 1:2; this suggests that CTAP-V contains 2 intramolecular disulfide bonds. Clearly, CTAP-V is a glycoprotein. The carbohydrate content of CTAP-V (16 kd) and CTAP-V (28 kd) is 27% and 25%, respectively. CTAP-V may have significance in relation to autocrine mechanisms for growth regulation of connective tissue cells and other cell types.

Polysaccharies of higher fungi: Biological role, structure and antioxidative activity

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kozarski, M.S.; Klaus, A.; Niksic, M.; Griensven, van L.J.L.D.; Vrvic, M.M.; Jakovljevic, D.M.

2014-01-01

The fungal polysaccharides attract a lot of attention due to their multiple challenging bio-logical properties, such as: anti-tumor, anti-viral, anticomplementary, anticoagulant, hypo-lipidemic, immunomodulatory and immune-stimulatory activities, which all together make them suitable for application

Preparation and characterization of new biologically active polyurethane foams.

Science.gov (United States)

Savelyev, Yuri; Veselov, Vitali; Markovskaya, Ludmila; Savelyeva, Olga; Akhranovich, Elena; Galatenko, Natalya; Robota, Ludmila; Travinskaya, Tamara

2014-12-01

Biologically active polyurethane foams are the fast-developed alternative to many applications of biomedical materials. Due to the polyurethane structure features and foam technology it is possible to incorporate into their structure the biologically active compounds of target purpose via structural-chemical modification of macromolecule. A series of new biologically active polyurethane foams (PUFs) was synthesized with polyethers (MM 2500-5000), polyesters MM (500-2200), 2,4(2,6) toluene diisocyanate, water as a foaming agent, catalysts, foam stabilizers and functional compounds. Different functional compounds: 1,4-di-N-oxy-2,3-bis-(oxymethyl)-quinoxaline (DOMQ), partial sodium salt of poly(acrylic acid) and 2,6-dimethyl-N,N-diethyl aminoacetatanilide hydrochloride were incorporated into the polymer structure/composition due to the chemical and/or physical bonding. Structural peculiarities of PUFs were studied by FTIR spectroscopy and X-ray scattering. Self-adhesion properties of PUFs were estimated by measuring of tensile strength at break of adhesive junction. The optical microscopy method was performed for the PUF morphology studies. Toxicological estimation of the PUFs was carried out in vitro and in vivo. The antibacterial action towards the Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli ATC 25922, E. coli ATC 2150, Klebsiella pneumoniae 6447, Staphylococcus aureus 180, Pseudomonas aeruginosa 8180, Proteus mirabilis F 403, P. mirabilis 6054, and Proteus vulgaris 8718) was studied by the disc method on the solid nutrient. Physic-chemical properties of the PUFs (density, tensile strength and elongation at break, water absorption and vapor permeability) showed that all studied PUFs are within the operational requirements for such materials and represent fine-cellular foams. Spectral studies confirmed the incorporation of DOMQ into the PUF's macrochain. PUFs are characterized by microheterogeneous structure. They are antibacterially active, non

A study on biological activity of marine fungi from different habitats in coastal regions.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Songlin; Wang, Min; Feng, Qi; Lin, Yingying; Zhao, Huange

2016-01-01

In recent years, marine fungi have become an important source of active marine natural products. Former researches are limited in habitats selection of fungi with bioactive compounds. In this paper were to measure antibacterial and antitumor cell activity for secondary metabolites of marine fungi, which were isolated from different habitats in coastal regions. 195 strains of marine fungi were isolated and purified from three different habitats. They biologically active experiment results showed that fungi isolation from the mangrove habitats had stronger antibacterial activity than others, and the stains isolated from the estuarial habitats had the least antibacterial activity. However, the strains separated from beach habitats strongly inhibited tumor cell proliferation in vitro, and fungi of mangrove forest habitats had the weakest activity of inhibiting tumor. Meanwhile, 195 fungal strains belonged to 46 families, 84 genera, 142 species and also showed 137 different types of activity combinations by analyzing the inhibitory activity of the metabolites fungi for 4 strains of pathogenic bacteria and B-16 cells. The study investigated the biological activity of marine fungi isolated from different habitats in Haikou coastal regions. The results help us to understand bioactive metabolites of marine fungi from different habitats, and how to selected biological activity fungi from various marine habitats effectively.

Half dozen of one, six billion of the other: What can small- and large-scale molecular systems biology learn from one another?

Science.gov (United States)

Mellis, Ian A; Raj, Arjun

2015-10-01

Small-scale molecular systems biology, by which we mean the understanding of a how a few parts work together to control a particular biological process, is predicated on the assumption that cellular regulation is arranged in a circuit-like structure. Results from the omics revolution have upset this vision to varying degrees by revealing a high degree of interconnectivity, making it difficult to develop a simple, circuit-like understanding of regulatory processes. We here outline the limitations of the small-scale systems biology approach with examples from research into genetic algorithms, genetics, transcriptional network analysis, and genomics. We also discuss the difficulties associated with deriving true understanding from the analysis of large data sets and propose that the development of new, intelligent, computational tools may point to a way forward. Throughout, we intentionally oversimplify and talk about things in which we have little expertise, and it is likely that many of our arguments are wrong on one level or another. We do believe, however, that developing a true understanding via molecular systems biology will require a fundamental rethinking of our approach, and our goal is to provoke thought along these lines. © 2015 Mellis and Raj; Published by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press.

On small things in water moving around: Purcell's contributions to biology

Science.gov (United States)

Berg, Howard

2012-02-01

I went to see Purcell after finishing my course work for the Ph.D. (1961) to ask whether I might join his group. ``But I don't have any graduate students,`` he said. ``Why is that?'' I asked. ``I can't think of anything to do,'' he replied. That was a wipe out. After I had finished my Ph.D. with Ramsey on the hydrogen maser (1964), Ed and I came up with an idea that led to work on sedimentation field-flow fractionation (PNAS 1967). We had hoped this method would be useful for biology, but problems of adsorption of proteins to surfaces stood in the way. Then I moved over to the biology department and got interested in the motile behavior of bacteria (1968). Here was a subject that I thought Ed would really enjoy. There were wonderful movies made by Norbert Pfennig of experiments done by Theodor Engelmann in the 1880's. We found a 16-mm projector and looked at these movies on Ed's office wall. Ed's first comment proved seminal, ''How can such a small cell swim in a straight line?'' We thought about how cells count molecules in their environment and wrote ``Physics of chemoreception,'' (Biophys. J.,1977). In the meantime, Ed gave a memorable lecture at Viki Weisskopf's retirement symposium, his classic ``Life at low Reynolds number'' (Am. J. Phys. 1977). Ed really wanted to understand what it would be like to swim like a bacterium! He wasn't very interested in what the literature had to say about such a problem, he wanted to think it through for himself. My role was straight man. I very much enjoyed the ride.

Urine: Waste product or biologically active tissue?

Science.gov (United States)

2018-03-01

Historically, urine has been viewed primarily as a waste product with little biological role in the overall health of an individual. Increasingly, data suggest that urine plays a role in human health beyond waste excretion. For example, urine might act as an irritant and contribute to symptoms through interaction with-and potential compromise of-the urothelium. To explore the concept that urine may be a vehicle for agents with potential or occult bioactivity and to discuss existing evidence and novel research questions that may yield insight into such a role, the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease invited experts in the fields of comparative evolutionary physiology, basic science, nephrology, urology, pediatrics, metabolomics, and proteomics (among others) to a Urinology Think Tank meeting on February 9, 2015. This report reflects ideas that evolved from this meeting and current literature, including the concept of urine quality, the biological, chemical, and physical characteristics of urine, including the microbiota, cells, exosomes, pH, metabolites, proteins, and specific gravity (among others). Additionally, the manuscript presents speculative, and hopefully testable, ideas about the functional roles of urine constituents in health and disease. Moving forward, there are several questions that need further understanding and pursuit. There were suggestions to consider actively using various animal models and their biological specimens to elaborate on basic mechanistic information regarding human bladder dysfunction. Published 2018. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

The chemical structures, plant origins, ethnobotany and biological activities of homoisoflavanones.

Science.gov (United States)

du Toit, Karen; Drewes, Siegfried E; Bodenstein, Johannes

2010-03-01

This work reviews the four basic structural types of homoisoflavanones. The relationships between the various structures of homoisoflavanones and their plant origins, ethnobotany and biological activities are put into perspective.

Design, Synthesis, and Biological Evaluation of Isothiosemicarbazones with Antimycobacterial Activity

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Novotná, E.; Waisser, K.; Kuneš, J.; Palát, K.; Skálová, L.; Szotáková, B.; Buchta, V.; Stolaříková, J.; Ulmann, V.; Pávová, Marcela; Weber, Jan; Komrsková, J.; Hašková, P.; Vokřál, I.; Wsól, V.

2017-01-01

Roč. 350, č. 8 (2017), č. článku e1700020. ISSN 0365-6233 Institutional support: RVO:61388963 Keywords : biological activity * cytotoxicity * isocitrate lyase * isothiosemicarbazone * tuberculosis Subject RIV: EE - Microbiology, Virology OBOR OECD: Microbiology Impact factor: 1.994, year: 2016

Internal control activities in small Turkish companies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ismail Bilgi

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this paper is to present major outcomes from an empirical study concerning internal control activities in small Turkish companies, as to propose the improvement guidelines. Methods of analysis and synthesis, descriptive statistics, and statistical comparison were used. The collected data was processed with the help of the SPSS software. Тhe study is limited to organizations based in the European part of Turkey. Most of them operate in areas around large cities, such as Istanbul, Edirne, Kırklareli, and Tekirdağ. They employ on average 19-20 people and have a turnover of about TRY 3 million (≈€715,000, https://sdw.ecb.europa.eu on average. The survey concentrates mainly on small family businesses, which have been present on the market for more than ten years, with managers of good education and other characteristics that presuppose availability of internal control systems. The research results were used to compile main points of a SWOT analysis, as a part of the broader effort to help modernizing the internal control system in Turkish small businesses.

Comparison of growth methods and biological activities of brazilian marine Streptomyces

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. C. Granato

2013-03-01

Full Text Available The present work describes the study of the growth and the cytotoxic and antitumor activities of the extracts of the marine microorganisms Streptomyces acrymicini and Streptomyces cebimarensis, the latter a new strain. Both microorganisms were collected from coastal marine sediments of the north coast of São Paulo state. Growth was performed in a shaker and in a bioreactor using Gym medium and the broths of both microorganisms were extracted with ethyl acetate and n-butanol. Three extracts, two organic and one aqueous, from each microorganism were obtained and tested for cytotoxic and antitumor activity using the SF-295 (Central Nervous System, HCT-8 (Colon cell lines, and the MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide method. The growth methods were compared and show that, although the shaker presented reasonable results, the bioreactor represents the best choice for growth of these microorganisms. The biological activity of the different extracts was evaluated and it was demonstrated that the growth methodology may influence the secondary metabolite production and the biological activity.

Biological Activities of Phenolic Compounds of Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maurizio Servili

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Over the last few decades, multiple biological properties, providing antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, chemopreventive and anti-cancer benefits, as well as the characteristic pungent and bitter taste, have been attributed to Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO phenols. In particular, growing efforts have been devoted to the study of the antioxidants of EVOO, due to their importance from health, biological and sensory points of view. Hydrophilic and lipophilic phenols represent the main antioxidants of EVOO, and they include a large variety of compounds. Among them, the most concentrated phenols are lignans and secoiridoids, with the latter found exclusively in the Oleaceae family, of which the drupe is the only edible fruit. In recent years, therefore, we have tackled the study of the main properties of phenols, including the relationships between their biological activity and the related chemical structure. This review, in fact, focuses on the phenolic compounds of EVOO, and, in particular, on their biological properties, sensory aspects and antioxidant capacity, with a particular emphasis on the extension of the product shelf-life.

MILK KEFIR: COMPOSITION, MICROBIAL CULTURES, BIOLOGICAL ACTIVITIES AND RELATED PRODUCTS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maria Rosa Prado

2015-10-01

Full Text Available In recent years, there has been a strong focus on beneficial foods with probiotic microorganisms and functional organic substances. In this context, there is an increasing interest in the commercial use of kefir, since it can be marketed as a natural beverage that has health promoting bacteria. There are numerous commercially available kefir based-products. Kefir may act as a matrix in the effective delivery of probiotic microorganisms in different types of products. Also, the presence of kefir’s exopolysaccharides, known as kefiran, which has biological activity, certainly adds value to products. Kefiran can also be used separately in other food products and as a coating film for various food and pharmaceutical products. This article aims to update the information about kefir and its microbiological composition, biological activity of the kefir’s microflora and the importance of kefiran as a beneficial health substance.

Recent Activities on the Experimental Research Programme Using Small Tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gryaznevich, M. P.; Bosco, E. del; Malaquias, A.; Mank, G.; Oost, G. van

2006-01-01

A new concept of interactive co-ordinated research using small tokamaks in the mainstream fusion science areas, in testing of new diagnostics, materials and technologies as well as in education, training and broadening of the geography of fusion research in the scope of the IAEA Co-ordinated Research Project (CRP) is discussed in this paper. Besides the presentation of the recent activities on the experimental research programme using small tokamaks and scientific results achieved at the participating laboratories, information is provided about the organisation of the co-ordinated research project. Future plans of the co-ordinated activities within the CRP are discussed

7th Annual Systems Biology Symposium: Systems Biology and Engineering

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Galitski, Timothy P.

2008-04-01

Systems biology recognizes the complex multi-scale organization of biological systems, from molecules to ecosystems. The International Symposium on Systems Biology has been hosted by the Institute for Systems Biology in Seattle, Washington, since 2002. The annual two-day event gathers the most influential researchers transforming biology into an integrative discipline investingating complex systems. Engineering and application of new technology is a central element of systems biology. Genome-scale, or very small-scale, biological questions drive the enigneering of new technologies, which enable new modes of experimentation and computational analysis, leading to new biological insights and questions. Concepts and analytical methods in engineering are now finding direct applications in biology. Therefore, the 2008 Symposium, funded in partnership with the Department of Energy, featured global leaders in "Systems Biology and Engineering."

Radiometric microbiologic assay for the biologically active forms of niacin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kertcher, J.A.; Guilarte, T.R.; Chen, M.F.; Rider, A.A.; McIntyre, P.A.

1979-01-01

A radiometric microbiologic assay has been developed for the determination of niacin in biologic fluids. Lactobacillus plantarum produced 14 CO 2 from L-[U- 14 C] malic acid in quantities proportional to the amount of niacin present. The assay is specific for the biologically active forms of niacin in humans. Thirty normal hemolysates were analyzed and the values ranged from 13.0 to 17.8 μg niacin/ml RBC (mean = 15.27 +- 1.33 s.d.). Good recovery and reproducibility studies were obtained with this assay. On thirty blood samples, correlation was excellent between the radiometric and the conventional turbidimetric assays

Binding of ferric ions is essential for the biological activity of glycine-extended gastrin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baldwin, G.S.; Pannequin, J.; Hollande, F.; Shulkes, A.

2002-01-01

Full text: Non-amidated gastrins, such as glycine-extended gastrin17 (Ggly), are now known to be biologically active. Ggly stimulates cell proliferation and migration, and was recently shown to bind two ferric ions with high affinity. The objective of the present work was to define the structure of Ggly for the first time, and to investigate the role of ferric ions in biological activity. Methods: The structure of Ggly, and the identity of the ammo acids that act as ferric ion ligands, were determined by NMR and fluorescence spectroscopy. The effect on the gastric epithelial cell line IMGE-5 of Ggly fragments, and of Ggy mutants with some or all of the five consecutive glutamate residues replaced by alanine, was measured in terms of cell proliferation, cell migration and phosphorylation of focal adhesion kinase. Results: Ggly adopts a well-defined loop stabilised by hydrophobic interactions between Leu5, Tyrl2, Trp 14 and Phe17. Studies with Ggly fragments indicated that ferric ions bind via the pentaglutamate sequence, which is necessary but not sufficient for full activity Selective replacement of some or all of the glutamates results in a reduction in ferric ion binding, and complete loss of biological activity. Conclusion: Our results are consistent with the hypothesis that ferric ion binding is necessary for biological activity

A Review on Chemical Constituents and Biological Activities of the ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The current review is aimed to deliver some updates on the ethnobotany, phytochemistry and biological activities of Beilschmiedia species in order to throw more light on their therapeutic potentials and future research priorities. Phytochemical studies on Beilschmiedia genus yielded essential oils, endiandric acid ...

Secondary Metabolites from Inula britannica L. and Their Biological Activities

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yoon-Ha Kim

2010-03-01

Full Text Available Inula britannica L., family Asteraceae, is used in traditional Chinese and Kampo Medicines for various diseases. Flowers or the aerial parts are a rich source of secondary metabolites. These consist mainly of terpenoids (sesquiterpene lactones and dimmers, diterpenes and triterpenoids and flavonoids. The isolated compounds have shown diverse biological activities: anticancer, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective and hepatoprotective activities. This review provides information on isolated bioactive phytochemicals and pharmacological potentials of I. britannica.

Gifted and Talented Students' Views about Biology Activities in a Science and Art Center

Science.gov (United States)

Özarslan, Murat; Çetin, Gülcan

2018-01-01

The aim of the study was to determine gifted and talented students' views about biology activities in a science and art center. The study was conducted with 26 gifted and talented students who studied at a science and art center in southwestern Turkey. Students studied animal and plant genus and species in biology activities. Data were collected…

Methodological foundations of evaluation of effectiveness indicators of small-scale business activities

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ivanova T.

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The methodological approach to the measurement of financial indicators of small-scale enterprises has been developed. It enables to secure the comparability of financial condition indicators and the results of small-scale enterprise activities, and also to develop the methods of vertical integral estimate calculation at separate aspects of financial condition and the results of smallscale enterprise activities.

Active Learning Not Associated with Student Learning in a Random Sample of College Biology Courses

Science.gov (United States)

Andrews, T. M.; Leonard, M. J.; Colgrove, C. A.; Kalinowski, S. T.

2011-01-01

Previous research has suggested that adding active learning to traditional college science lectures substantially improves student learning. However, this research predominantly studied courses taught by science education researchers, who are likely to have exceptional teaching expertise. The present study investigated introductory biology courses randomly selected from a list of prominent colleges and universities to include instructors representing a broader population. We examined the relationship between active learning and student learning in the subject area of natural selection. We found no association between student learning gains and the use of active-learning instruction. Although active learning has the potential to substantially improve student learning, this research suggests that active learning, as used by typical college biology instructors, is not associated with greater learning gains. We contend that most instructors lack the rich and nuanced understanding of teaching and learning that science education researchers have developed. Therefore, active learning as designed and implemented by typical college biology instructors may superficially resemble active learning used by education researchers, but lacks the constructivist elements necessary for improving learning. PMID:22135373

Allobetulin and Its Derivatives: Synthesis and Biological Activity

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Talgat S. Seitembetov

2011-03-01

Full Text Available This review covers the chemistry of allobetulin analogs, including their formation by rearrangement from betulin derivatives, their further derivatisation, their fusion with heterocyclic rings, and any further rearrangements of allobetulin compounds including ring opening, ring contraction and ring expansion reactions. In the last part, the most important biological activities of allobetulin derivatives are listed. One hundred and fifteen references are cited and the relevant literature is covered, starting in 1922 up to the end of 2010.

A synopsis of experimental activities on small-break LOCA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hein, D.

1984-01-01

Through reactor safety studies like WASH 1400 or the ''Deutsche Risiko-Studie'' the attention has turned from large break loss of coolant accidents to small breaks because of the high contribution of this type of accidents to core meltdown. But only after the TMI-2 accident were also the main activities in the experimental fields shifted world-wide to the small break LOCAs. Since TMI numerous research programs have either been finished or are underway. This review paper presents: a classification of the various types of transients according to break size; a discussion of major physical phenomena associated with a small break LOCA, and a description of a few selected research programs and the most important results achieved. (author)

The cell biology of T-dependent B cell activation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Owens, T; Zeine, R

1989-01-01

The requirement that CD4+ helper T cells recognize antigen in association with class II Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) encoded molecules constrains T cells to activation through intercellular interaction. The cell biology of the interactions between CD4+ T cells and antigen-presenting cells...... includes multipoint intermolecular interactions that probably involve aggregation of both polymorphic and monomorphic T cell surface molecules. Such aggregations have been shown in vitro to markedly enhance and, in some cases, induce T cell activation. The production of T-derived lymphokines that have been...... implicated in B cell activation is dependent on the T cell receptor for antigen and its associated CD3 signalling complex. T-dependent help for B cell activation is therefore similarly MHC-restricted and involves T-B intercellular interaction. Recent reports that describe antigen-independent B cell...

Very small embryonic-like stem cells: implications in reproductive biology.

Science.gov (United States)

Bhartiya, Deepa; Unni, Sreepoorna; Parte, Seema; Anand, Sandhya

2013-01-01

The most primitive germ cells in adult mammalian testis are the spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) whereas primordial follicles (PFs) are considered the fundamental functional unit in ovary. However, this central dogma has recently been modified with the identification of a novel population of very small embryonic-like stem cells (VSELs) in the adult mammalian gonads. These stem cells are more primitive to SSCs and are also implicated during postnatal ovarian neo-oogenesis and primordial follicle assembly. VSELs are pluripotent in nature and characterized by nuclear Oct-4A, cell surface SSEA-4, and other pluripotent markers like Nanog, Sox2, and TERT. VSELs are considered to be the descendants of epiblast stem cells and possibly the primordial germ cells that persist into adulthood and undergo asymmetric cell division to replenish the gonadal germ cells throughout life. Elucidation of their role during infertility, endometrial repair, superovulation, and pathogenesis of various reproductive diseases like PCOS, endometriosis, cancer, and so on needs to be addressed. Hence, a detailed review of current understanding of VSEL biology is pertinent, which will hopefully open up new avenues for research to better understand various reproductive processes and cancers. It will also be relevant for future regenerative medicine, translational research, and clinical applications in human reproduction.

Very Small Embryonic-Like Stem Cells: Implications in Reproductive Biology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Deepa Bhartiya

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The most primitive germ cells in adult mammalian testis are the spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs whereas primordial follicles (PFs are considered the fundamental functional unit in ovary. However, this central dogma has recently been modified with the identification of a novel population of very small embryonic-like stem cells (VSELs in the adult mammalian gonads. These stem cells are more primitive to SSCs and are also implicated during postnatal ovarian neo-oogenesis and primordial follicle assembly. VSELs are pluripotent in nature and characterized by nuclear Oct-4A, cell surface SSEA-4, and other pluripotent markers like Nanog, Sox2, and TERT. VSELs are considered to be the descendants of epiblast stem cells and possibly the primordial germ cells that persist into adulthood and undergo asymmetric cell division to replenish the gonadal germ cells throughout life. Elucidation of their role during infertility, endometrial repair, superovulation, and pathogenesis of various reproductive diseases like PCOS, endometriosis, cancer, and so on needs to be addressed. Hence, a detailed review of current understanding of VSEL biology is pertinent, which will hopefully open up new avenues for research to better understand various reproductive processes and cancers. It will also be relevant for future regenerative medicine, translational research, and clinical applications in human reproduction.

Computational Systems Chemical Biology

OpenAIRE

Oprea, Tudor I.; May, Elebeoba E.; Leitão, Andrei; Tropsha, Alexander

2011-01-01

There is a critical need for improving the level of chemistry awareness in systems biology. The data and information related to modulation of genes and proteins by small molecules continue to accumulate at the same time as simulation tools in systems biology and whole body physiologically-based pharmacokinetics (PBPK) continue to evolve. We called this emerging area at the interface between chemical biology and systems biology systems chemical biology, SCB (Oprea et al., 2007).

Effect of gamma irradiation on phenol content, antioxidant activity and biological activity of black maca and red maca extracts (Lepidium meyenii walp).

Science.gov (United States)

Zevallos-Concha, A; Nuñez, D; Gasco, M; Vasquez, C; Quispe, M; Gonzales, G F

2016-01-01

This study was performed to determine the effects of gamma irradiation on UV spectrum on maca, total content of polyphenols, 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical-scavenging activities and in vivo biological activities of red and black maca extracts (Lepidium meyenii). Adult mice of the strain Swiss aged 3 months and weighing 30-35 g in average were used to determine biological activities. Daily sperm production, effect on testosterone-induced prostate hyperplasia and forced swimming test were used to determine the effect of irradiation on biological activities of maca extracts. Irradiation did not show differences in UV spectrum but improves the amount of total polyphenols in red maca as well as in black maca extracts. In both cases, black maca extract has more content of polyphenols than red maca extract (p maca extract were administered to mice (p > 0.05). Black maca extract but not red maca extract has more swimming endurance capacity in the forced swimming test. Irradiation of black maca extract increased the swimming time to exhaustion (p maca extract (p > 0.05). Testosterone enanthate (TE) increased significantly the ventral prostate weight. Administration of red maca extract in animals treated with TE prevented the increase in prostate weight. Irradiation did not modify effect of red maca extract on prostate weight (p > 0.05). In conclusion, irradiation does not alter the biological activities of both black maca and red maca extracts. It prevents the presence of microorganisms in the extracts of black or red maca, but the biological activities were maintained.

Biologically inspired technologies in NASA's morphing project

Science.gov (United States)

McGowan, Anna-Maria R.; Cox, David E.; Lazos, Barry S.; Waszak, Martin R.; Raney, David L.; Siochi, Emilie J.; Pao, S. Paul

2003-07-01

For centuries, biology has provided fertile ground for hypothesis, discovery, and inspiration. Time-tested methods used in nature are being used as a basis for several research studies conducted at the NASA Langley Research Center as a part of Morphing Project, which develops and assesses breakthrough vehicle technologies. These studies range from low drag airfoil design guided by marine and avian morphologies to soaring techniques inspired by birds and the study of small flexible wing vehicles. Biology often suggests unconventional yet effective approaches such as non-planar wings, dynamic soaring, exploiting aeroelastic effects, collaborative control, flapping, and fibrous active materials. These approaches and other novel technologies for future flight vehicles are being studied in NASA's Morphing Project. This paper will discuss recent findings in the aeronautics-based, biologically-inspired research in the project.

Evaluating the biological activity of oil-polluted soils using a complex index

Science.gov (United States)

Kabirov, R. R.; Kireeva, N. A.; Kabirov, T. R.; Dubovik, I. Ye.; Yakupova, A. B.; Safiullina, L. M.

2012-02-01

A complex index characterizing the biological activity of soils (BAS) is suggested. It is based on an estimate of the level of activity of catalase; the number of heterotrophic and hydrocarbon oxidizing microorganisms, microscopic fungi, algae, and cyanobacteria; and the degree of development of higher plants and insects in the studied soil. The data on using the BAS coefficient for evaluating the efficiency of rehabilitation measures for oil-polluted soils are given. Such measures included introducing the following biological preparations: Lenoil based on a natural consortium of microorganisms Bacillus brevis and Arthrobacter sp.; the Azolen biofertilizer with complex action based on Azotobacter vinelandii; the Belvitamil biopreparation, which is the active silt of pulp and paper production; and a ready-mixed industrial association of aerobic and anaerobic microorganisms that contains hydrocarbon oxidizing microorganisms of the Arthrobacter, Bacillus, Candida, Desulfovibrio, and Pseudomonas genera.

Radiometric microbiologic assay for the biologically active forms of niacin

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kertcher, J.A.; Guilarte, T.R.; Chen, M.F.; Rider, A.A.; McIntyre, P.A.

1979-05-01

A radiometric microbiologic assay has been developed for the determination of niacin in biologic fluids. Lactobacillus plantarum produced /sup 14/CO/sub 2/ from L-(U-/sup 14/C) malic acid in quantities proportional to the amount of niacin present. The assay is specific for the biologically active forms of niacin in humans. Thirty normal hemolysates were analyzed and the values ranged from 13.0 to 17.8 ..mu..g niacin/ml RBC (mean = 15.27 +- 1.33 s.d.). Good recovery and reproducibility studies were obtained with this assay. On thirty blood samples, correlation was excellent between the radiometric and the conventional turbidimetric assays.

Physical Activity: A Tool for Improving Health (Part 1--Biological Health Benefits)

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Gallaway, Patrick J.; Hongu, Nobuko

2015-01-01

Extension educators have been promoting and incorporating physical activities into their community-based programs and improving the health of individuals, particularly those with limited resources. This article is the first of a three-part series describing the benefits of physical activity for human health: 1) biological health benefits of…

The Future Is Now: Biologics for Non-Infectious Pediatric Anterior Uveitis.

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Lerman, Melissa A; Rabinovich, C Egla

2015-08-01

Anterior uveitis (AU), inflammation of the iris, choroid or ciliary body, can cause significant eye morbidity, including visual loss. In the pediatric age group, the most common underlying diagnosis for AU is juvenile idiopathic associated uveitis and idiopathic AU, which are the focus of this paper. AU is often resistant to medications such as topical corticosteroids and methotrexate. In the past 15 years, biologic agents (biologics) have transformed treatment. In this review, we discuss those in widespread use and those with more theoretical applications for anterior uveitis. Tumor necrosis factor alpha inhibitors (anti-TNFα) have been available the longest and are used widely to treat pediatric uveitis. The effects of anti-TNFα in children are described mostly in small retrospective case series. Together, the literature suggests that the majority of children treated with anti-TNFα achieve decreased uveitis activity and reduced corticosteroid burden. However, many will have disease flares even on treatment. Only a few small studies directly compare outcomes between alternate anti-TNFα (infliximab and adalimumab). The use of different uveitis grading systems, inclusion criteria, and outcome measures makes cross-study comparisons difficult. Whether the achievement and maintenance of inactive disease occurs more frequently with certain anti-TNFα remains controversial. Newer biologics that modulate the immune system differently (e.g., interfere with Th17 activation through IL-17a and IL-6 blockade, limit T lymphocyte costimulation, and deplete B lymphocytes), have shown promise for uveitis. Studies of these agents are small and include mostly adults. Additional biologics are also being explored to treat uveitis. With their advent, we are hopeful that outcomes will ultimately be improved for children with AU. With many biologics available, much work remains to identify the optimal inflammatory pathway to target in AU.

Cell-Selective Biological Activity of Rhodium Metalloinsertors Correlates with Subcellular Localization

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Komor, Alexis C.; Schneider, Curtis J.; Weidmann, Alyson G.; Barton, Jacqueline K.

2013-01-01

Deficiencies in the mismatch repair (MMR) pathway are associated with several types of cancers, as well as resistance to commonly used chemotherapeutics. Rhodium metalloinsertors have been found to bind DNA mismatches with high affinity and specificity in vitro, and also exhibit cell-selective cytotoxicity, targeting MMR-deficient cells over MMR-proficient cells. Ten distinct metalloinsertors with varying lipophilicities have been synthesized and their mismatch binding affinities and biological activities determined. Although DNA photocleavage experiments demonstrate that their binding affinities are quite similar, their cell-selective antiproliferative and cytotoxic activities vary significantly. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) experiments have uncovered a relationship between the subcellular distribution of these metalloinsertors and their biological activities. Specifically, we find that all of our metalloinsertors localize in the nucleus at sufficient concentrations for binding to DNA mismatches. However, the metalloinsertors with high rhodium localization in the mitochondria show toxicity that is not selective for MMR-deficient cells, whereas metalloinsertors with less mitochondrial rhodium show activity that is highly selective for MMR-deficient versus proficient cells. This work supports the notion that specific targeting of the metalloinsertors to nuclear DNA gives rise to their cell-selective cytotoxic and antiproliferative activities. The selectivity in cellular targeting depends upon binding to mismatches in genomic DNA. PMID:23137296

Development and application of a quantitative multiplexed small GTPase activity assay using targeted proteomics.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Cheng-Cheng; Li, Ru; Jiang, Honghui; Lin, Shujun; Rogalski, Jason C; Liu, Kate; Kast, Juergen

2015-02-06

Small GTPases are a family of key signaling molecules that are ubiquitously expressed in various types of cells. Their activity is often analyzed by western blot, which is limited by its multiplexing capability, the quality of isoform-specific antibodies, and the accuracy of quantification. To overcome these issues, a quantitative multiplexed small GTPase activity assay has been developed. Using four different binding domains, this assay allows the binding of up to 12 active small GTPase isoforms simultaneously in a single experiment. To accurately quantify the closely related small GTPase isoforms, a targeted proteomic approach, i.e., selected/multiple reaction monitoring, was developed, and its functionality and reproducibility were validated. This assay was successfully applied to human platelets and revealed time-resolved coactivation of multiple small GTPase isoforms in response to agonists and differential activation of these isoforms in response to inhibitor treatment. This widely applicable approach can be used for signaling pathway studies and inhibitor screening in many cellular systems.

Biochemical studies on certain biologically active nitrogenous compounds

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abdel kader, S.M.; El Sayed, M.M.; El Malt, E.A.; Shaker, E.S.; Abdel Aziz, H.G.

2010-01-01

Certain biologically active nitrogenous compounds such as alkaloids are widely distributed in many wild and medicinal plants such as peganum harmala L. (Phycophyllaceae). However, less literature cited on the natural compounds was extracted from the aerial parts of this plant; therefore this study was conducted on harmal leaves using several solvents. Data indicated that methanol extract was the inhibitoriest effect against some pathogenic bacteria, particularly Streptococcus pyogenus. Chromatographic separation illustrated that presence of four compounds; the most active one was the third compound (3). Elementary analysis (C, H, N) revealed that the primary chemical structure of the active antibacterial compound (C3) was: C17 H21 N3 O7 S with molecular weight 411. Spectroscopic analysis proved that coninical structure was = 1- thioformyl, 8?- D glucoperanoside- Bis- 2, 3 dihydroisopyridino pyrrol. This new compound is represented as a noval ?- carboline alkaloid compound

PMS2 endonuclease activity has distinct biological functions and is essential for genome maintenance.

Science.gov (United States)

van Oers, Johanna M M; Roa, Sergio; Werling, Uwe; Liu, Yiyong; Genschel, Jochen; Hou, Harry; Sellers, Rani S; Modrich, Paul; Scharff, Matthew D; Edelmann, Winfried

2010-07-27

The DNA mismatch repair protein PMS2 was recently found to encode a novel endonuclease activity. To determine the biological functions of this activity in mammals, we generated endonuclease-deficient Pms2E702K knock-in mice. Pms2EK/EK mice displayed increased genomic mutation rates and a strong cancer predisposition. In addition, class switch recombination, but not somatic hypermutation, was impaired in Pms2EK/EK B cells, indicating a specific role in Ig diversity. In contrast to Pms2-/- mice, Pms2EK/EK male mice were fertile, indicating that this activity is dispensable in spermatogenesis. Therefore, the PMS2 endonuclease activity has distinct biological functions and is essential for genome maintenance and tumor suppression.

Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor-γ Inhibits Transformed Growth of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Cells through Selective Suppression of Snail

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Rashmi Choudhary

2010-03-01

Full Text Available Work from our laboratory and others has demonstrated that activation of the nuclear receptor peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPARγ inhibits transformed growth of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC cell lines in vitro and in vivo. We have demonstrated that activation of PPARγ promotes epithelial differentiation of NSCLC by increasing expression of E-cadherin, as well as inhibiting expression of COX-2 and nuclear factor-κB. The Snail family of transcription factors, which includes Snail (Snail1, Slug (Snail2, and ZEB1, is an important regulator of epithelial-mesenchymal transition, as well as cell survival. The goal of this study was to determine whether the biological responses to rosiglitazone, a member of the thiazolidinedione family of PPARγ activators, are mediated through the regulation of Snail family members. Our results indicate that, in two independent NSCLC cell lines, rosiglitazone specifically decreased expression of Snail, with no significant effect on either Slug or ZEB1. Suppression of Snail using short hairpin RNA silencing mimicked the effects of PPARγ activation, in inhibiting anchorage-independent growth, promoting acinar formation in three-dimensional culture, and inhibiting invasiveness. This was associated with the increased expression of E-cadherin and decreased expression of COX-2 and matrix metaloproteinases. Conversely, overexpression of Snail blocked the biological responses to rosiglitazone, increasing anchorage-independent growth, invasiveness, and promoting epithelial-mesenchymal transition. The suppression of Snail expression by rosiglitazone seemed to be independent of GSK-3 signaling but was rather mediated through suppression of extracellular signal-regulated kinase activity. These findings suggest that selective regulation of Snail may be critical in mediating the antitumorigenic effects of PPARγ activators.

Tracking of Short Distance Transport Pathways in Biological Tissues by Ultra-Small Nanoparticles

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Segmehl, Jana S.; Lauria, Alessandro; Keplinger, Tobias; Berg, John K.; Burgert, Ingo

2018-03-01

In this work, ultra-small europium-doped HfO2 nanoparticles were infiltrated into native wood and used as trackers for studying penetrability and diffusion pathways in the hierarchical wood structure. The high electron density, laser induced luminescence, and crystallinity of these particles allowed for a complementary detection of the particles in the cellular tissue. Confocal Raman microscopy and high-resolution synchrotron scanning wide-angle X-ray scattering (WAXS) measurements were used to detect the infiltrated particles in the native wood cell walls. This approach allows for simultaneously obtaining chemical information of the probed biological tissue and the spatial distribution of the integrated particles. The in-depth information about particle distribution in the complex wood structure can be used for revealing transport pathways in plant tissues, but also for gaining better understanding of modification treatments of plant scaffolds aiming at novel functionalized materials.

A Review of the Composition of the Essential Oils and Biological Activities of Angelica Species

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Kandasamy Sowndhararajan

2017-09-01

Full Text Available A number of Angelica species have been used in traditional systems of medicine to treat many ailments. Especially, essential oils (EOs from the Angelica species have been used for the treatment of various health problems, including malaria, gynecological diseases, fever, anemia, and arthritis. EOs are complex mixtures of low molecular weight compounds, especially terpenoids and their oxygenated compounds. These components deliver specific fragrance and biological properties to essential oils. In this review, we summarized the chemical composition and biological activities of EOs from different species of Angelica. For this purpose, a literature search was carried out to obtain information about the EOs of Angelica species and their bioactivities from electronic databases such as PubMed, Science Direct, Wiley, Springer, ACS, Google, and other journal publications. There has been a lot of variation in the EO composition among different Angelica species. EOs from Angelica species were reported for different kinds of biological activities, such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, immunotoxic, and insecticidal activities. The present review is an attempt to consolidate the available data for different Angelica species on the basis of major constituents in the EOs and their biological activities.

GOVERNMENT SUPPORT FOR SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED BUSINESS AND INNOVATIVE ACTIVITIES

OpenAIRE

Pоlina Kolisnichenko

2017-01-01

The purpose of the paper is to reveal the conditions of the innovative development of the small and mediumsized entrepreneurship in Ukraine; the problems that suppress the innovative activity and small and medium-sized enterprises development; peculiarities of the tax incentives for the development of the entrepreneurship in the advanced countries and in Ukraine; the main kinds and characteristics of the small and medium-sized enterprises public support. Methodology. The methods of scientific...

Screening of some biological activities of Alyssum fulvescens var. fulvescens known as ege madwort.

Science.gov (United States)

Ozay, Cennet; Mammadov, Ramazan

2017-09-01

In this research, the phenolic composition, antioxidant, antibacterial and cytotoxic activities of the methanolic extracts obtained from Alyssum fulvescens var. fulvescens aerial parts known as Ege kuduzotu in western Turkey, were firstly investigated. The antioxidant activity of the extract was determined by DPPH, metal chelating, phosphomolybdenum, β-carotene/linoleic acid and ferric reducing power assays. Moreover, total phenolic and flavonoid contents in the extract were investigated. The brine shrimp (Artemia salina L.) lethality test was used to investigate for the possible cytotoxic activity of the extract. Microdilution broth method was used to study antibacterial potency of extract against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. The extract exhibited good biological activities. Total phenolic and flavonoid contents in the extract were significantly correlated with antioxidant potentials. HPLC analysis showed that chlorogenic acid was the major phenolic in extract tested. The results indicated that the extract of A. fulvescens var. fulvescens may be considered as a potential source of biological agents and in vivo investigations are needed to test the biological effects of A. fulvescens var. fulvescens.

Maturation processes and structures of small secreted peptides in plants

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Ryo eTabata

2014-07-01

Full Text Available In the past decade, small secreted peptides have proven to be essential for various aspects of plant growth and development, including the maintenance of certain stem cell populations. Most small secreted peptides identified in plants to date are recognised by membrane-localized receptor kinases, the largest family of receptor proteins in the plant genome. This peptide-receptor interaction is essential for initiating intracellular signalling cascades. Small secreted peptides often undergo post-translational modifications and proteolytic processing to generate the mature peptides. Recent studies suggest that, in contrast to the situation in mammals, the proteolytic processing of plant peptides involves a number of complex steps. Furthermore, NMR-based structural analysis demonstrated that post-translational modifications induce the conformational changes needed for full activity. In this mini review, we summarise recent advances in our understanding of how small secreted peptides are modified and processed into biologically active peptides and describe the mature structures of small secreted peptides in plants.

A systems biology approach for miRNA-mRNA expression patterns analysis in non-small cell lung cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Najafi, Ali; Tavallaei, Mahmood; Hosseini, Sayed Mostafa

2016-01-01

Non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLCs) is a prevalent and heterogeneous subtype of lung cancer accounting for 85 percent of patients. MicroRNAs (miRNAs), a class of small endogenous non-coding RNAs, incorporate into regulation of gene expression post-transcriptionally. Therefore, deregulation of miRNAs' expression has provided further layers of complexity to the molecular etiology and pathogenesis of different diseases and malignancies. Although, until now considerable number of studies has been carried out to illuminate this complexity in NSCLC, they have remained less effective in their goal due to lack of a holistic and integrative systems biology approach which considers all natural elaborations of miRNAs' function. It is able to reliably nominate most affected signaling pathways and therapeutic target genes by deregulated miRNAs during a particular pathological condition. Herein, we utilized a holistic systems biology approach, based on appropriate re-analyses of microarray datasets followed by reliable data filtering, to analyze integrative and combinatorial deregulated miRNA-mRNA interaction network in NSCLC, aiming to ascertain miRNA-dysregulated signaling pathway and potential therapeutic miRNAs and mRNAs which represent a lion' share during various aspects of NSCLC's pathogenesis. Our systems biology approach introduced and nominated 1) important deregulated miRNAs in NSCLCs compared with normal tissue 2) significant and confident deregulated mRNAs which were anti-correlatively targeted by deregulated miRNA in NSCLCs and 3) dysregulated signaling pathways in association with deregulated miRNA-mRNAs interactions in NSCLCs. These results introduce possible mechanism of function of deregulated miRNAs and mRNAs in NSCLC that could be used as potential therapeutic targets.

Biological activity of common mullein, a medicinal plant.

Science.gov (United States)

Turker, Arzu Ucar; Camper, N D

2002-10-01

Common Mullein (Verbascum thapsus L., Scrophulariaceae) is a medicinal plant that has been used for the treatment of inflammatory diseases, asthma, spasmodic coughs, diarrhea and other pulmonary problems. The objective of this study was to assess the biological activity of Common Mullein extracts and commercial Mullein products using selected bench top bioassays, including antibacterial, antitumor, and two toxicity assays--brine shrimp and radish seed. Extracts were prepared in water, ethanol and methanol. Antibacterial activity (especially the water extract) was observed with Klebsiella pneumonia, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis and Escherichia coli. Agrobacterium tumefaciens-induced tumors in potato disc tissue were inhibited by all extracts. Toxicity to Brine Shrimp and to radish seed germination and growth was observed at higher concentrations of the extracts.

Synthesis and biological activity of imidazopyridine anticoccidial agents: part I.

Science.gov (United States)

Scribner, Andrew; Dennis, Richard; Hong, Jean; Lee, Shuliang; McIntyre, Donald; Perrey, David; Feng, Dennis; Fisher, Michael; Wyvratt, Matthew; Leavitt, Penny; Liberator, Paul; Gurnett, Anne; Brown, Chris; Mathew, John; Thompson, Donald; Schmatz, Dennis; Biftu, Tesfaye

2007-01-01

Coccidiosis is the major cause of morbidity and mortality in the poultry industry. Protozoan parasites of the genus Eimeria invade the intestinal lining of the avian host causing tissue pathology, poor weight gain, and in some cases mortality. Resistance to current anticoccidials has prompted the search for new therapeutic agents with potent in vitro and in vivo activity against Eimeria. Antiparasitic activity is due to inhibition of a parasite specific cGMP-dependent protein kinase (PKG). In this study, we present the synthesis and biological activity of imidazo[1,2-a]pyridine anticoccidial agents. From this series, several compounds showed subnanomolar in vitro activity and commercial levels of in vivo activity. However, the potential genotoxicity of these compounds precludes them from further development.

Biological activities of species in the genus Tulbaghia : A review ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Species of the genus Tulbaghia has been widely used in traditional medicine to treat various ailments such rheumatism, fits, fever, earache, tuberculosis etc. It is believed that the species possess several therapeutic properties. This paper evaluates some of the biological activities of the genus Tulbaghia. It is evident from ...

Human papillomavirus molecular biology.

Science.gov (United States)

Harden, Mallory E; Munger, Karl

Human papillomaviruses are small DNA viruses with a tropism for squamous epithelia. A unique aspect of human papillomavirus molecular biology involves dependence on the differentiation status of the host epithelial cell to complete the viral lifecycle. A small group of these viruses are the etiologic agents of several types of human cancers, including oral and anogenital tract carcinomas. This review focuses on the basic molecular biology of human papillomaviruses. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Instrumental neutron activation analysis for the certification of biological reference materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ambulkar, M.N.; Chutke, N.L.; Garg, A.N.

1992-01-01

A multielemental instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) method by short and long irradiation has been employed for the determination of 22 minor and trace constituents in two proposed Standard Reference Materials P-RBF and P-WBF from Institute of Radioecology and Applied Nuclear Techniques, Czechoslovakia. Also some biological standards such as Bowen's Kale, Cabbage leaves (Poland) including wheat and rice flour samples of local origin were analysed. It is suggested that INAA is an ideal method for the certification of reference materials of biological matrices. (author). 7 refs., 1 tab

Biological Activity Predictions and Hydrogen Bonding Analysis in Quinolines

Science.gov (United States)

Gupta, Palvi; Kamni

The paper has been designed to make a comprehensive review of a particular series of organic molecular assembly in the form of compendium. An overview of general description of fifteen quinoline derivatives has been given. The biological activity spectra of quinoline derivatives have been correlated on structure activity relationships base which provides the different Pa (possibility of activity) and Pi (possibility of inactivity) values. Expositions of the role of intermolecular interactions in the identified derivatives have been discussed with the standard distance and angle cut-off criteria criteria as proposed by Desiraju and Steiner (1999) in an International monogram on crystallography. Distance-angle scatter plots for intermolecular interactions are presented for a better understanding of the packing interactions which exist in quinoline derivatives.

Application of Biologically Activated Brown Coal in Cu(II Sorption

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Andrea Beňová

2004-12-01

Full Text Available The removal of heavy metal ions from wastewaters using different adsorbents is currently of great interest. Adsorption of cooper ions from aqueous solutions on biologically activated brown coal was investigated. Four families of adsorbents were prepared from brown coal by microorganisms activity. There were used soi microfungi such as Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus clavatus, Penicillium glabrum and Trichoderma viride. The equilibrium of the adsorption process was well described by the Langmuir isotherm and the maximum capacity of the sorbents was determined.

Biological treatment of sludge digester liquids.

Science.gov (United States)

van Loosdrecht, M C M; Salem, S

2006-01-01

Nitrogen removal in side stream processes offers a good potential for upgrading wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) that need to meet stricter effluent standards. Removing nutrients from these internal process flows significantly reduces the N-load to the main treatment plant. These internal flows mainly result from the sludge processing and have a high temperature and a high concentration of ammonia. Therefore, the required reactor volumes as well as the required aerobic SRT are small. Generally, biological treatment processes are more economical and preferred over physical-chemical processes. Recently, several biological treatment processes have been introduced for sludge water treatment. These processes are available now on the activated sludge market (e.g. SHARON, ANAMMOX and BABE processes). The technologies differ in concept and in the limitations guiding the application of these processes for upgrading WWTPs. This paper reviews and compares different biological alternatives for nitrogen removal in side streams. The limitations for selecting a technology from the available ones in the activated sludge market are noted and analysed. It is stressed that the choice for a certain process is based on more aspects than pure process engineering arguments.

Biological activities of red propolis: a rewiew

Science.gov (United States)

de Figueiredo, Sonia M; de Freitas, Marcia Christina Dornelas; de Oliveira, Daiana Teixeira; de Miranda, Marina Barcelos; Vieira-Filho, Sidney Augusto; Caligiorne, Rachel Basques

2018-02-23

• Background: The red propolis (RdProp) is a resin produced by Apis mellifera bees, which collect the reddish exudate on the surface of its botanic source, the species Dalbergiae castophyllum, popularly known in Brazil as "rabo de bugio". Considered as the 13th type of Brazilian propolis, this resin has been gaining prominence due to its natural composition, rich in bioactive substances not found in other types of propolis. • Objective: This review aims to address the most important characteristics of PV, its botanical origin, the main constituents, its biological properties and the patents related to this natural product. • Method: By means of the SciFinder, Google Patents, Patus® and Spacenet, scientific articles and patents involving the term "red propolis" were searched until August 2017 • Results: A number of biological properties, including antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antiparasitic, antitumor, antioxidant, metabolic and nutraceutical activities are attributed to RdProp, demonstrating the great potential of its use in the food, pharmaceutical and cosmetics industries. • Conclusion: The available papers are associated to pharmacological potential of RdProp, but the molecular mechanisms or bioactive compounds responsible for each activity have not yet been fully elucidated. The RdProp patents currently found are directed to components for the pharmaceutical industry (EP2070543A1; WO2014186851A1; FR3006589A1; CN1775277A; CN105797149A; CN1879859A), cosmetic (JP6012138B2; JP2008247830A; JP6012138B2) and food (JP5478392B2; CN101380052A; WO2006038690A1). Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

Small business support of youth physical activity opportunities.

Science.gov (United States)

Suminski, Richard R; Ding, Ding

2012-01-01

Describe small business support for youth physical activity opportunities (YPAO) and identify factors associated with this support. Cross-sectional analysis of quantitative data relating business characteristics and support for YPAO. Eight demographically heterogeneous, urban neighborhoods in a Midwest metropolitan area. Adult small business owners (n = 90; 65% response rate; mean age 48.4 years; 73.3% male; 45.2% minority). Neighborhood demographics from the 2000 U.S. Census and self-reported business and owner characteristics. Multivariate analysis of variance was used to contrast business and owner characteristics between businesses that did and did not support YPAO. Businesses supporting YPAO had larger annual operating (F = 7.6; p = .018) and advertising budgets (F = 8.5; p = .009) and had younger owners (F = 6.1; p = .034), with sports backgrounds (χ(2) = 5.6; p = .018) and who felt businesses should support YPAO (χ(2) = 3.8; p = .048). Of the 46 businesses not supporting YPAO, 82.6% felt small businesses should support YPAO. The major reasons for nonsupport were difficulty identifying YPAO to support and not being asked for support. Business (e.g., budgets) and business owner characteristics (e.g., age), owner connectedness with YPAO, and the approach used for garnering support (active solicitation, clearly defined support mechanism) were associated with supporting YPAO. Additional business (e.g., annual revenues), owner (e.g., perceptions of YPAO), and environmental (e.g., crime rate, land use) factors should be examined as potential correlates.

Biological Activity Assessment in Mexican Tropical Soils with Different Hydrocarbon Contamination Histories

OpenAIRE

Riveroll-Larios, Jessica; Escalante-Espinosa, Erika; Fócil-Monterrubio, Reyna L.; Díaz-Ramírez, Ildefonso J.

2015-01-01

The use of soil health indicators linked to microbial activities, such as key enzymes and respirometric profiles, helps assess the natural attenuation potential of soils contaminated with hydrocarbons. In this study, the intrinsic physicochemical characteristics, biological activity and biodegradation potential were recorded for two soils with different contamination histories (>5 years and

Multi-element neutron activation analysis of biological tissues: contribution to the study of trace element accumulation as a function of aging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gaudry, Andre.

1975-01-01

The accumulation of trace elements in various organs as a function of age was studied in rats, in connection with tissue aging phenomena. Part one reviews the various methods available to develop a programme of simultaneous multi-element analysis in biological matrices. Part two studies the precision and accuracy offered by neutron activation analysis. Special attention is paid to the problem of sample contamination by the silica glass irradiation supports. The possible causes of this effect are mentioned and a procedure limiting its harmful influence is proposed. Part three defines the restrictions introduced by the use of a method to separate the activable matrix. The fourth and last chapter describes the development of a multielement chemical separation system, designed to work semi-automatically for the simultaneous treatment of three samples and a standard in a shielded cell of small dimensions. The principles of a multi-comparator calibration where a knowledge of certain conventional but imprecise nuclear data is unnecessary owing to an experimental expedient are outlined briefly. Finally the separation method is tried out on various biological samples, including a reference (bovine liver SRM1577-NBS), and some results are given [fr

Exploiting biological activities of brown seaweed Ecklonia cava for potential industrial applications: a review.

Science.gov (United States)

Wijesinghe, W A J P; Jeon, You-Jin

2012-03-01

Seaweeds are rich in vitamins, minerals, dietary fibres, proteins, polysaccharides and various functional polyphenols. Many researchers have focused on brown algae as a potential source of bioactive materials in the past few decades. Ecklonia cava is a brown seaweed that is abundant in the subtidal regions of Jeju Island in the Republic of Korea. This seaweed attracted extensive interest due to its multiple biological activities. E. cava has been identified as a potential producer of wide spectrum of natural substances such as carotenoids, fucoidans and phlorotannins showing different biological activities in vital industrial applications including pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, cosmeceutical and functional food. This review focuses on biological activities of the brown seaweed E. cava based on latest research results, including antioxidant, anticoagulative, antimicrobial, antihuman immunodeficiency virus, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, antimutagenic, antitumour and anticancer effects. The facts summarized here may provide novel insights into the functions of E. cava and its derivatives and potentially enable their use as functional ingredients in potential industrial applications.

Activation of TRPM7 channels by small molecules under physiological conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Hofmann, T; Schäfer, S; Linseisen, M; Sytik, L; Gudermann, T; Chubanov, V

2014-12-01

Transient receptor potential cation channel, subfamily M, member 7 (TRPM7) is a cation channel covalently linked to a protein kinase domain. TRPM7 is ubiquitously expressed and regulates key cellular processes such as Mg(2+) homeostasis, motility, and proliferation. TRPM7 is involved in anoxic neuronal death, cardiac fibrosis, and tumor growth. The goal of this work was to identify small molecule activators of the TRPM7 channel and investigate their mechanism of action. We used an aequorin bioluminescence-based assay to screen for activators of the TRPM7 channel. Valid candidates were further characterized using patch clamp electrophysiology. We identified 20 drug-like compounds with various structural backbones that can activate the TRPM7 channel. Among them, the δ opioid antagonist naltriben was studied in greater detail. Naltriben's action was selective among the TRP channels tested. Naltriben activates TRPM7 currents without prior depletion of intracellular Mg(2+) even under conditions of low PIP2. Moreover, naltriben interfered with the effect of the TRPM7 inhibitor NS8593. Finally, our experiments with TRPM7 variants carrying mutations in the pore, TRP, and kinase domains indicate that the site of TRPM7 activation by this small-molecule ligand is most likely located in or near the TRP domain. In conclusion, we identified the first organic small-molecule activators of TRPM7 channels, thus providing new experimental tools to study TRPM7 function in native cellular environments.

Eurotium (Aspergillus) repens metabolites and their biological activity.

Science.gov (United States)

Podojil, M; Sedmera, P; Vokoun, J; Betina, V; Baráthová, H; Duracková, Z; Horáková, K; Nemec, P

1978-01-01

Eurotium repens mycelium cultivated under static conditions was used to isolate and identify metabolities--echinulin, physcion, erythroglaucin, flavoglaucin and asperentin; the filtrate of the culture yielded asperentin 8-methylether. The broadest biological activity spectrum was displayed by asperentin which had antibacterial and antifungal effects and, at a concentration of 86 microgram/ml, caused 50% mor7 tality in Artemia saline larvae. The highest cytotoxicity towards HeLa cells was found in physcion which caused 50% growth inhibition at a concentration of 0.1 microgram/ml.

Synthesis, crystal structure and biological activity of novel diester cyclophanes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Pengfei; Yang, Bingqin; Fang, Xianwen; Cheng, Zhao; Yang, Meipan

2012-01-01

A series of novel diester cyclophanes was synthesized by esterification of 1,2-benzenedicarbonyl chloride with eight different diols under high dilution conditions. The structures of the compounds were verified by elemental analysis, 1 H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), IR spectroscopy and high resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS). The crystal structures of two compounds were characterized by single crystal X-ray diffractometry (XRD). All the new cyclophanes were evaluated for biological activities and the results showed that some of these compounds have low antibacterial or antifungal activities (author)

Adsorption of Heavy Metals on Biologically Activated Brown Coal Sludge

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mária Praščáková

2005-11-01

Full Text Available Adsorption of cooper (II and zinc (II ions from aqueous solutions on a biologically activated brown coal sludge was investigated. Four families of adsorbents were prepared from the brown coal sludge bya microorganism’s activity. There were used microscopic fungi such as Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus clavatus, Penicillium glabrum and Trichoderma viride. Prepared sorbents were capable of removing Cu (II and Zn (II. The sorption isotherm has been constructed and the specific metal uptake and the maximum capacity of the adsorbent have been determined.

Myogenic activation and calcium sensitivity of cannulated rat mesenteric small arteries

NARCIS (Netherlands)

VanBavel, E.; Wesselman, J. P.; Spaan, J. A.

1998-01-01

Pressure-induced activation of vascular smooth muscle may involve electromechanical as well as nonelectromechanical coupling mechanisms. We compared calcium-tone relations of cannulated rat mesenteric small arteries during pressure-induced activation, depolarization (16 to 46 mmol/L K+), and

Screening vaccine formulations for biological activity using fresh human whole blood.

OpenAIRE

Brookes, RH; Hakimi, J; Ha, Y; Aboutorabian, S; Ausar, SF; Hasija, M; Smith, SG; Todryk, SM; Dockrell, HM; Rahman, N

2014-01-01

Understanding the relevant biological activity of any pharmaceutical formulation destined for human use is crucial. For vaccine-based formulations, activity must reflect the expected immune response, while for non-vaccine therapeutic agents, such as monoclonal antibodies, a lack of immune response to the formulation is desired. During early formulation development, various biochemical and biophysical characteristics can be monitored in a high-throughput screening (HTS) format. However, it rem...

Mineralogical characteristics of the silica polymorphs in relation to their biological activities

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Guthrie, G.D. Jr. [Los Alamos National Lab., NM (United States); Heaney, P.J. [Princeton Univ., NJ (United States). Dept. of Geological and Geophysical Sciences

1993-10-01

Numerous aspects of minerals (including the silica polymorphs) can effect their biological activities. These include periodic structures, compositional variations, dissolution characteristics, surface properties, and particle size/shape. In order to understand mineral-induced pathogenesis in a mechanistic way, the links between these properties and biochemical processes must be elucidated. This paper presents some of the basic properties of the silica polymorphs that may relate to pathogenicity and mineralogical strategies for designing biological assays to evaluate these properties.

Phytochemistry and biological activities of Heracleum persicum: a review.

Science.gov (United States)

Majidi, Zahra; Sadati Lamardi, S N

2018-05-24

Heracleum persicum Desf. ex Fisch is used in Iranian traditional medicines, for the treatment of various diseases including neurological, gastrointestinal, respiratory, rheumatological and urinary tract diseases. In phytochemical analysis of H. persicum, several classes of natural chemicals including volatile (aliphatic esters, carbonyls, phenyl propenes and terpenes) and nonvolatile (flavonoids, furanocoumarins, tannins and alkaloids) constituents as well as different minerals have been identified. Scientific studies on H. persicum proved that it has a wide range of biological and pharmacological activities. This article has provided comprehensive information on Iranian traditional uses, phytochemistry and pharmacological activities of H. persicum. Copyright © 2018 Shanghai Changhai Hospital. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Diversity and Biological Activities of Endophytic Fungi Associated with Micropropagated Medicinal Plant Echinacea purpurea (L.) Moench

Science.gov (United States)

2012-08-01

1105 Diversity and Biological Activities of Endophytic Fungi Associated with Micropropagated Medicinal Plant Echinacea purpurea (L.) Moench Luiz H...fungal community and micropropagated clones of E. purpurea was re-established after acclimatization to soil and the endophytic fungi produced compounds...Diversity and Biological Activities of Endophytic Fungi Associated with Micropropagated Medicinal Plant Echinacea purpurea (L.) Moench 5a. CONTRACT

Nanofibrous matrixes with biologically active hydroxybenzophenazine pyrazolone compound for cancer theranostics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kandhasamy, Subramani; Ramanathan, Giriprasath; Muthukumar, Thangavelu; Thyagarajan, SitaLakshmi; Umamaheshwari, Narayanan; Santhanakrishnan, V P; Sivagnanam, Uma Tiruchirapalli; Perumal, Paramasivan Thirumalai

2017-01-01

The nanomaterial with the novel biologically active compounds has been actively investigated for application in cancer research. Substantial use of nanofibrous scaffold for cancer research with potentially bioactive compounds through electrospinning has not been fully explored. Here, we describe the series of fabrication of nanofibrous scaffold loaded with novel potential biologically active hydroxybenzo[a]phenazine pyrazol-5(4H)-one derivatives were designed, synthesized by a simple one-pot, two step four component condensation based on Michael type addition reaction of lawsone, benzene-1,2-diamine, aromatic aldehydes and 3-methyl-1-phenyl-1H-pyrazol-5(4H)-one as the substrates. The heterogeneous solid state catalyst (Fe (III) Y-Zeolite) could effectively catalyze the reaction to obtain the product with high yield and short reaction time. The synthesized compounds (5a–5p) were analyzed by NMR, FTIR and HRMS analysis. Compound 5c was confirmed by single crystal XRD studies. All the compounds were biologically evaluated for their potential inhibitory effect on anticancer (MCF-7, Hep-2) and microbial (MRSA, MTCC 201 and FRCA) activities. Among the compounds 5i exhibited the highest levels of inhibitory activity against both MCF-7, Hep-2 cell lines. Furthermore, the compound 5i (BPP) was evaluated for DNA fragmentation, flow cytometry studies and cytotoxicity against MCF-7, Hep-2 and NIH 3T3 fibroblast cell lines. In addition, molecular docking (PDB ID: (1T46)) studies were performed to predict the binding affinity of ligand with receptor. Moreover, the synthesized BPP compound was loaded in to the PHB-PCL nanofibrous scaffold to check the cytotoxicity against the MCF-7, Hep-2 and NIH 3T3 fibroblast cell lines. The in vitro apoptotic potential of the PHB-PCL-BPP nanofibrous scaffold was assessed against MCF-7, Hep-2 cancerous cells and fibroblast cells at 12, 24 and 48 h respectively. The nanofibrous scaffold with BPP can induce apoptosis and also suppress the

Nanofibrous matrixes with biologically active hydroxybenzophenazine pyrazolone compound for cancer theranostics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kandhasamy, Subramani [Organic Chemistry Division, CSIR-Central Leather Research Institute, Adyar, Chennai 600020, Tamilnadu (India); Ramanathan, Giriprasath [Bioproducts Lab, CSIR-Central Leather Research Institute, Chennai 600020, Tamilnadu (India); Muthukumar, Thangavelu [Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine (IKE), Division of Neuro and Inflammation Sciences (NIV), Linkoping University (Sweden); Thyagarajan, SitaLakshmi [Bioproducts Lab, CSIR-Central Leather Research Institute, Chennai 600020, Tamilnadu (India); Umamaheshwari, Narayanan [Organic Chemistry Division, CSIR-Central Leather Research Institute, Adyar, Chennai 600020, Tamilnadu (India); Santhanakrishnan, V P [Department of Plant Biotechnology, TNAU, Coimbatore, Tamilnadu (India); Sivagnanam, Uma Tiruchirapalli, E-mail: suma67@gmail.com [Bioproducts Lab, CSIR-Central Leather Research Institute, Chennai 600020, Tamilnadu (India); Perumal, Paramasivan Thirumalai, E-mail: ptperumal@gmail.com [Organic Chemistry Division, CSIR-Central Leather Research Institute, Adyar, Chennai 600020, Tamilnadu (India)

2017-05-01

The nanomaterial with the novel biologically active compounds has been actively investigated for application in cancer research. Substantial use of nanofibrous scaffold for cancer research with potentially bioactive compounds through electrospinning has not been fully explored. Here, we describe the series of fabrication of nanofibrous scaffold loaded with novel potential biologically active hydroxybenzo[a]phenazine pyrazol-5(4H)-one derivatives were designed, synthesized by a simple one-pot, two step four component condensation based on Michael type addition reaction of lawsone, benzene-1,2-diamine, aromatic aldehydes and 3-methyl-1-phenyl-1H-pyrazol-5(4H)-one as the substrates. The heterogeneous solid state catalyst (Fe (III) Y-Zeolite) could effectively catalyze the reaction to obtain the product with high yield and short reaction time. The synthesized compounds (5a–5p) were analyzed by NMR, FTIR and HRMS analysis. Compound 5c was confirmed by single crystal XRD studies. All the compounds were biologically evaluated for their potential inhibitory effect on anticancer (MCF-7, Hep-2) and microbial (MRSA, MTCC 201 and FRCA) activities. Among the compounds 5i exhibited the highest levels of inhibitory activity against both MCF-7, Hep-2 cell lines. Furthermore, the compound 5i (BPP) was evaluated for DNA fragmentation, flow cytometry studies and cytotoxicity against MCF-7, Hep-2 and NIH 3T3 fibroblast cell lines. In addition, molecular docking (PDB ID: (1T46)) studies were performed to predict the binding affinity of ligand with receptor. Moreover, the synthesized BPP compound was loaded in to the PHB-PCL nanofibrous scaffold to check the cytotoxicity against the MCF-7, Hep-2 and NIH 3T3 fibroblast cell lines. The in vitro apoptotic potential of the PHB-PCL-BPP nanofibrous scaffold was assessed against MCF-7, Hep-2 cancerous cells and fibroblast cells at 12, 24 and 48 h respectively. The nanofibrous scaffold with BPP can induce apoptosis and also suppress the

Ecological Roles and Biological Activities of Specialized Metabolites from the Genus Nicotiana.

Science.gov (United States)

Jassbi, Amir Reza; Zare, Somayeh; Asadollahi, Mojtaba; Schuman, Meredith C

2017-10-11

Species of Nicotiana grow naturally in different parts of the world and have long been used both medicinally and recreationally by human societies. More recently in our history, Nicotiana tabacum has attracted interest as one of the most economically important industrial crops. Nicotiana species are frequently investigated for their bioactive natural products, and the ecological role of their specialized metabolites in responses to abiotic stress or biotic stress factors like pathogens and herbivores. The interest of tobacco companies in genetic information as well as the success of a few wild tobacco species as experimental model organisms have resulted in growing knowledge about the molecular biology and ecology of these plants and functional studies of the plant's natural products. Although a large number of reviews and books on biologically active natural products already exists, mostly from N. tabacum, we focus our attention on the ecological roles and biological activity of natural products, versus products from cured and processed material, in this Review. The studied compounds include alkaloids, aromatic compounds, flavonoids, volatiles, sesquiterpenoids, diterpenes alcohols, and sugar esters from trichomes of the plants, and recently characterized acyclic hydroxygeranyllinalool diterpene glycosides (HGL-DTGs). In this Review (1800s-2017), we describe the above-mentioned classes of natural products, emphasizing their biological activities and functions as they have been determined either in bioassay-guided purification approaches or in bioassays with plants in which the expression of specific biosynthetic genes has been genetically manipulated. Additionally, a review on the history, taxonomy, ecology, and medicinal application of different Nicotiana species growing around the globe presented in this Review may be of interest for pharmacognosists, natural products, and ecological chemists.

Supercritical Algal Extracts: A Source of Biologically Active Compounds from Nature

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Izabela Michalak

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The paper discusses the potential applicability of the process of supercritical fluid extraction (SFE in the production of algal extracts with the consideration of the process conditions and yields. State of the art in the research on solvent-free isolation of biologically active compounds from the biomass of algae was presented. Various aspects related with the properties of useful compounds found in cells of microalgae and macroalgae were discussed, including their potential applications as the natural components of plant protection products (biostimulants and bioregulators, dietary feed and food supplements, and pharmaceuticals. Analytical methods of determination of the natural compounds derived from algae were discussed. Algal extracts produced by SFE process enable obtaining a solvent-free concentrate of biologically active compounds; however, detailed economic analysis, as well as elaboration of products standardization procedures, is required in order to implement the products in the market.

On the possibility of biologically active fenole substances forming during irradiation of vegetable origin products

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koval'skaya, L.P.; Petrash, I.P.; Medvedeva, T.N.; Lezhneva, M.L.; Shchegoleva, G.I.

1974-01-01

The purpose of this study was to find out whether biologically active substances of phenol nature can form upon irradiation of fresh fruits and vegetables with doses of 200-300 Krad, to ascertain the stability of these substances during storage and processing, and to see whether they display cytostatic effects. The results of the study led to modifications and improvements in the methods used to study biologically active substances of phenol nature in fresh fruits irradiated with 200-300 krad. The total amount of phenolic compounds was found to be somewhat increased upon their extraction with cold ethanol. Of the substances detected in extracts from red tomatoes, the contens of chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, and naranguenine were appreciably increased. Neither chemical methods nor bioassays revealed in irradiated juices and fruits any biologically active substances affecting the living organism. (E.T.)

Influence of Technological Processes on Biologically Active Compounds of Produced Grapes Juices

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Tříska, Jan; Balík, J.; Strohalm, J.; Novotná, P.; Vrchotová, Naděžda; Lefnerová, D.; Landfeld, A.; Híc, P.; Tománková, E.; Veverka, J.; Houška, M.

2016-01-01

Roč. 9, č. 3 (2016), s. 421-429 ISSN 1935-5130 R&D Projects: GA MŠk(CZ) LO1415; GA MZe QJ1210258; GA MZe QI91B094 Institutional support: RVO:67179843 Keywords : Grapevine juices * Thermomaceration * Biologically active compounds * Antioxidative capacity * Total polyphenols * Antimutagenic activity Subject RIV: GM - Food Processing Impact factor: 2.576, year: 2016

The Future is Now – Biologics for Non-Infectious Pediatric Anterior Uveitis

Science.gov (United States)

Lerman, Melissa A.; Rabinovich, C. Egla

2015-01-01

Anterior uveitis (AU), inflammation of the iris, choroid, or ciliary body, can cause significant eye morbidity, including visual loss. In the pediatric age group, the most common underlying diagnosis for AU is juvenile idiopathic associated uveitis and idiopathic AU, which are the focus of this paper. AU is often resistant to medications such as topical corticosteroids and methotrexate. In the past 15 years, biologic agents (biologics) have transformed treatment. In this review, we discuss those in widespread use and those with more theoretical applications for anterior uveitis. Tumor Necrosis Factor alpha inhibitors (anti-TNFα) have been available the longest and are used widely to treat pediatric uveitis. The effects of anti-TNFα in children are described mostly in small retrospective case series. Together, the literature suggests that the majority of children treated with anti-TNFα achieve decreased uveitis activity and reduce corticosteroid burden. However, many will have disease flares even on treatment. Only a few small studies directly compare outcomes between alternate anti-TNFα (infliximab and adalimumab). The use of different uveitis grading systems, inclusion criteria, and outcome measures, makes cross-study comparisons difficult. Whether the achievement and maintenance of inactive disease occurs more frequently with certain anti-TNFα remains controversial. Newer biologics that modulate the immune system differently (e.g., interfere with TH17 activation through IL-17a and IL-6 blockade, limit T lymphocyte costimulation, and deplete B lymphocytes), have shown promise for uveitis. Studies of these agents are small and include mostly adults. Additional biologics are also being explored to treat uveitis. With their advent, we are hopeful that outcomes will ultimately be improved for children with AU. With many biologics available, much work remains to identify the optimal inflammatory pathway to target in AU. PMID:25893479

Molecular locks and keys: the role of small molecules in phytohormone research

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sandra eFonseca

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Plant adaptation, growth and development rely on the integration of many environmental and endogenous signals that collectively determine the overall plant phenotypic plasticity. Plant signalling molecules, also known as phytohormones, are fundamental to this process. These molecules act at low concentrations and regulate multiple aspects of plant fitness and development via complex signalling networks. By its nature, phytohormone research lies at the interface between chemistry and biology. Classically, the scientific community has always used synthetic phytohormones and analogs to study hormone functions and responses. However, recent advances in synthetic and combinational chemistry, have allowed a new field, plant chemical biology, to emerge and this has provided a powerful tool with which to study phytohormone function.Plant chemical biology is helping to address some of the most enduring questions in phytohormone research such as: Are there still undiscovered plant hormones? How can we identify novel signalling molecules? How can plants activate specific hormone responses in a tissue-specific manner? How can we modulate hormone responses in one developmental context without inducing detrimental effects on other processes? The chemical genomics approaches rely on the identification of small molecules modulating different biological processes and have recently identified active forms of plant hormones and molecules regulating many aspects of hormone synthesis, transport and response. We envision that the field of chemical genomics will continue to provide novel molecules able to elucidate specific aspects of hormone-mediated responses. In addition, compounds blocking specific responses could uncover how complex biological responses are regulated. As we gain information about such compounds we can design small alterations to the chemical structure to further alter specificity, enhance affinity or modulate the activity of these compounds.

Myoelectric activity of the small intestine during morphine dependence and withdrawal in rats

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kuperman, D.A.; Sninsky, C.A.; Lynch, D.F.

1987-01-01

The authors investigated (1) the effect of morphine dependence on the migrating myoelectric complex (MMC) of the small intestine, (2) whether bacterial overgrowth developed in morphine-dependent rats, and (3) the effect of naloxone and methylbromide naltrexone, a peripheral opioid antagonist, on the MMC in morphine-naive and morphine-dependent rats. They also evaluated intestinal motility during naloxone-induced withdrawal in animals pretreated with clonidine. Intestinal myoelectric activity was monitored by four indwelling electrodes in unanesthetized, fasted rats. D-[ 14 C]xylose breath tests were performed before and after morphine-pellet implantation to evaluate the presence of bacterial overgrowth of the small intestine. Naloxone had no effect on myoelectric activity of the small intestine in morphine-naive rats. Cycling activity fronts were present in morphine-dependent animals, but there was a significant prolongation of activity front periodicity and slowing of the propagation velocity. No significant increase in 14 CO 2 excretion was noted in the morphine-dependent rats. They conclude from their studies that (1) myoelectric activity of the small intestine develops incomplete tolerance to morphine; (2) bacterial overgrowth is not a feature of morphine dependence in the rat; (3) alterations of intestinal myoelectric activity are a component of the opiate withdrawal syndrome, and they appear at least partially mediated by a peripheral mechanism that can be suppressed by an α 2 -adrenergic agonist

Myoelectric activity of the small intestine during morphine dependence and withdrawal in rats

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kuperman, D.A.; Sninsky, C.A.; Lynch, D.F.

1987-04-01

The authors investigated (1) the effect of morphine dependence on the migrating myoelectric complex (MMC) of the small intestine, (2) whether bacterial overgrowth developed in morphine-dependent rats, and (3) the effect of naloxone and methylbromide naltrexone, a peripheral opioid antagonist, on the MMC in morphine-naive and morphine-dependent rats. They also evaluated intestinal motility during naloxone-induced withdrawal in animals pretreated with clonidine. Intestinal myoelectric activity was monitored by four indwelling electrodes in unanesthetized, fasted rats. D-(/sup 14/C)xylose breath tests were performed before and after morphine-pellet implantation to evaluate the presence of bacterial overgrowth of the small intestine. Naloxone had no effect on myoelectric activity of the small intestine in morphine-naive rats. Cycling activity fronts were present in morphine-dependent animals, but there was a significant prolongation of activity front periodicity and slowing of the propagation velocity. No significant increase in /sup 14/CO/sub 2/ excretion was noted in the morphine-dependent rats. They conclude from their studies that (1) myoelectric activity of the small intestine develops incomplete tolerance to morphine; (2) bacterial overgrowth is not a feature of morphine dependence in the rat; (3) alterations of intestinal myoelectric activity are a component of the opiate withdrawal syndrome, and they appear at least partially mediated by a peripheral mechanism that can be suppressed by an ..cap alpha../sub 2/-adrenergic agonist.

Determination of mercury concentration in biological materials by neutron activation analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Munoz, L.; Gras, N.; Cortes, E.; Cassorla, V.

1983-01-01

The objective of this work was to obtain a confident analytical method for measuring the mercury concentration in biological materials. Destructive neutron activation analysis was used for this purpose and a radiochemical separation method was studied to isolate the mercury from its main interferences: sodium and phosphorus, because these elements in biological materials are in high concentrations. The method developed was based on the copper amalgamation under controlled conditions. Yield and reproductibility studies were performed using 203 Hg as radioactive tracer. Finally, food samples of regular consumption were analyzed and the results were compared with those recommended by FAO/WHO. (Author)

Involving postgraduate's students in undergraduate small group teaching promotes active learning in both

Science.gov (United States)

Kalra, Ruchi; Modi, Jyoti Nath; Vyas, Rashmi

2015-01-01

Background: Lecture is a common traditional method for teaching, but it may not stimulate higher order thinking and students may also be hesitant to express and interact. The postgraduate (PG) students are less involved with undergraduate (UG) teaching. Team based small group active learning method can contribute to better learning experience. Aim: To-promote active learning skills among the UG students using small group teaching methods involving PG students as facilitators to impart hands-on supervised training in teaching and managerial skills. Methodology: After Institutional approval under faculty supervision 92 UGs and 8 PGs participated in 6 small group sessions utilizing the jigsaw technique. Feedback was collected from both. Observations: Undergraduate Feedback (Percentage of Students Agreed): Learning in small groups was a good experience as it helped in better understanding of the subject (72%), students explored multiple reading resources (79%), they were actively involved in self-learning (88%), students reported initial apprehension of performance (71%), identified their learning gaps (86%), team enhanced their learning process (71%), informal learning in place of lecture was a welcome change (86%), it improved their communication skills (82%), small group learning can be useful for future self-learning (75%). Postgraduate Feedback: Majority performed facilitation for first time, perceived their performance as good (75%), it was helpful in self-learning (100%), felt confident of managing students in small groups (100%), as facilitator they improved their teaching skills, found it more useful and better identified own learning gaps (87.5%). Conclusions: Learning in small groups adopting team based approach involving both UGs and PGs promoted active learning in both and enhanced the teaching skills of the PGs. PMID:26380201

Neutron-Activation Analysis of Biological Material with High Radiation Levels

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Samsahl, K

1966-09-15

A method has been developed for the chemical separation and subsequent gamma-spectrometric analysis of the alkali metals, the alkaline earths, the rare earths, chromium, hafnium, lanthanum, manganese, phosphorus, scandium and silver in neutron-activated biological material. The separation steps, being fully automatic, are based on a combination of ion-exchange and partition chromatography and require 40 min.

Neutron-Activation Analysis of Biological Material with High Radiation Levels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Samsahl, K.

1966-09-01

A method has been developed for the chemical separation and subsequent gamma-spectrometric analysis of the alkali metals, the alkaline earths, the rare earths, chromium, hafnium, lanthanum, manganese, phosphorus, scandium and silver in neutron-activated biological material. The separation steps, being fully automatic, are based on a combination of ion-exchange and partition chromatography and require 40 min

Synthesis, crystal structure and biological activity of novel diester cyclophanes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, Pengfei; Yang, Bingqin; Fang, Xianwen; Cheng, Zhao; Yang, Meipan, E-mail: yangbq@nwu.edu.cn [Department of Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Synthetic and Natural Functional Molecule Chemistry, Northwest University, Shaanxi (China)

2012-10-15

A series of novel diester cyclophanes was synthesized by esterification of 1,2-benzenedicarbonyl chloride with eight different diols under high dilution conditions. The structures of the compounds were verified by elemental analysis, {sup 1}H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), IR spectroscopy and high resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS). The crystal structures of two compounds were characterized by single crystal X-ray diffractometry (XRD). All the new cyclophanes were evaluated for biological activities and the results showed that some of these compounds have low antibacterial or antifungal activities (author)

NBS activities in biological reference materials

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rasberry, S.D.

1988-12-01

NBS activities in biological reference materials during 1986-1988 are described with a preview of plans for future certifications of reference materials. During the period, work has been completed or partially completed on about 40 reference materials of importance to health, nutrition, and environmental quality. Some of the reference materials that have been completed during the period and are described include: creatinine (SRM 914a), bovine serum albumin (SRM 927a), cholesterol in human serum (SRM's 1951-1952), aspartate aminotransferase (RM 8430), cholesterol and fat-soluble vitamins in coconut oil (SRM 1563), wheat flour (SRM 1567a), rice flour (SRM 1568a), mixed diet (RM 8431a), dinitropyrene isomers and 1-nitropyrene (SRM 1596), and complex PAH's from coal tar (SRM 1597). Oyster tissue (SRM 1566a) is being analyzed and should be available in 1988.

The activation analysis of gold in small refractory pebbles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bibby, D.M.; Chaix, R.P.

1975-08-01

The gold content of a suite of small pebbles, residual to the milling and leach of a gold bearing ore, has been investigated by means of neutron activation analysis (NAA). An NAA technique presenting a sensitivity of 0.02μgm gold, was used as being appropriate to the samples under investigation. An alternative NAA technique developed with the same sample suite showed a sensitivity of the order of 10 -4 to 10 -5 μgm gold. The NAA techniques developed, are appropriate to the determination of gold in small samples of ore not normally amenable to milling and/or dissolution

Optically and biologically active mussel protein-coated double-walled carbon nanotubes.

Science.gov (United States)

Jung, Yong Chae; Muramatsu, Hiroyuki; Fujisawa, Kazunori; Kim, Jin Hee; Hayashi, Takuya; Kim, Yoong Ahm; Endo, Morinobu; Terrones, Mauricio; Dresselhaus, Mildred S

2011-12-02

A method of dispersing strongly bundled double-walled carbon nanotubes (DWNTs) via a homogeneous coating of mussel protein in an aqueous solution is presented. Optical activity, mechanical strength, as well as electrical conductivity coming from the nanotubes and the versatile biological activity from the mussel protein make mussel-coated DWNTs promising as a multifunctional scaffold and for anti-fouling materials. Copyright © 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Correlation between biological activity and electron transferring of bovine liver catalase: Osmolytes effects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tehrani, H. Sepasi; Moosavi-Movahedi, A.A.; Ghourchian, H.

2013-01-01

Highlights: • Proline increases ET in Bovine Liver Catalase (BLC) whereas histidine decreases it. • Proline also increased the biological activity, whereas histidine decreased it. • Electron transferring and biological activity for BLC are directly correlated. • Proline causes favorable ET for BLC shown by positive E 1/2 (E°′) and negative ΔG. • Histidine makes ET unfavorable for BLC, manifested by E 1/2 (E°′) 0. -- Abstract: Catalase is a crucial antioxidant enzyme that protects life against detrimental effects of H 2 O 2 by disproportionating it into water and molecular oxygen. Effect of proline as a compatible and histidine as a non compatible osmolyte on the electron transferring and midpoint potential of catalase has been investigated. Proline increases the midpoint potential (ΔE m > 0), therefore causing the ΔG ET to be less positive and making the electron transfer reaction more facile whereas histidine decreases the E m (ΔE m ET , thereby rendering the electron transfer reaction less efficient. These results indicate the inhibitory effect of histidine evident by a −37% decrease in the cathodic peak current compared to 16% increase in the case of proline indicative of activation. The insight paves the tedious way towards our ultimate goal of elucidating a correlation between biological activity and electron transferring

Small business activity does not measure entrepreneurship.

Science.gov (United States)

Henrekson, Magnus; Sanandaji, Tino

2014-02-04

Entrepreneurship policy mainly aims to promote innovative Schumpeterian entrepreneurship. However, the rate of entrepreneurship is commonly proxied using quantity-based metrics, such as small business activity, the self-employment rate, or the number of startups. We argue that those metrics give rise to misleading inferences regarding high-impact Schumpeterian entrepreneurship. To unambiguously identify high-impact entrepreneurs we focus on self-made billionaires (in US dollars) who appear on Forbes Magazine's list and who became wealthy by founding new firms. We identify 996 such billionaire entrepreneurs in 50 countries in 1996-2010, a systematic cross-country study of billionaire entrepreneurs. The rate of billionaire entrepreneurs correlates negatively with self-employment, small business ownership, and firm startup rates. Countries with higher income, higher trust, lower taxes, more venture capital investment, and lower regulatory burdens have higher billionaire entrepreneurship rates but less self-employment. Despite its limitations, the number of billionaire entrepreneurs appears to be a plausible cross-country measure of Schumpeterian entrepreneurship.

Small business activity does not measure entrepreneurship

Science.gov (United States)

Henrekson, Magnus; Sanandaji, Tino

2014-01-01

Entrepreneurship policy mainly aims to promote innovative Schumpeterian entrepreneurship. However, the rate of entrepreneurship is commonly proxied using quantity-based metrics, such as small business activity, the self-employment rate, or the number of startups. We argue that those metrics give rise to misleading inferences regarding high-impact Schumpeterian entrepreneurship. To unambiguously identify high-impact entrepreneurs we focus on self-made billionaires (in US dollars) who appear on Forbes Magazine’s list and who became wealthy by founding new firms. We identify 996 such billionaire entrepreneurs in 50 countries in 1996–2010, a systematic cross-country study of billionaire entrepreneurs. The rate of billionaire entrepreneurs correlates negatively with self-employment, small business ownership, and firm startup rates. Countries with higher income, higher trust, lower taxes, more venture capital investment, and lower regulatory burdens have higher billionaire entrepreneurship rates but less self-employment. Despite its limitations, the number of billionaire entrepreneurs appears to be a plausible cross-country measure of Schumpeterian entrepreneurship. PMID:24449873

Progress in small angle neutron scattering activities in Malaysia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abdul Aziz Bin Mohamed; Azali Bin Muhamad; Shukri Bin Mohd

1999-01-01

The current status of SANS (Small Angle Neutron Scattering facility) activities in Malaysia has been presented. Many works need to be done for system improvement before the system can be confidently used as one of effective quality control tools in materials production and engineering sectors. (author)

Use of biological activities to monitor the removal of fuel contaminants - perspective for monitoring hydrocarbon contamination: A review

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Maila, MP

2005-01-01

Full Text Available Soil biological activities are vital for the restoration of soil contaminated with hydrocarbons. Their role includes the biotransformation of petroleum compounds into harmless compounds. In this paper, the use of biological activities as potential...

Phytochemistry and Biological Properties of Burnet Weed (Sanguisorba spp.: A Review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anestis KARKANIS

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Great burnet (Sanguisorba officinalis L. and small burnet (Sansguisorba minor Scop. are edible, perennial weeds widely distributed in the world. These are the most widespread Sanguisorba species. The bioactive components of Sanguisorba plants include phenolics (phenolic acids, flavonoids and neolignans and terpenoids. Large potential exists to use burnets as medicinal plants. Sanguisorba species are known to show anticancer properties, antioxidative, antimicrobial and antiviral activities. Also, Sanguisorba extracts show anti-Alzheimer and anti-inflammatory properties. Small burnet extracts could also be a useful alternative to synthetic fungicides for crop production. This review focuses on biological activities of Sanguisorba extracts and emphasizing their potential applications in pharmaceutical areas.

Robust emergence of small-world structure in networks of spiking neurons.

Science.gov (United States)

Kwok, Hoi Fei; Jurica, Peter; Raffone, Antonino; van Leeuwen, Cees

2007-03-01

Spontaneous activity in biological neural networks shows patterns of dynamic synchronization. We propose that these patterns support the formation of a small-world structure-network connectivity optimal for distributed information processing. We present numerical simulations with connected Hindmarsh-Rose neurons in which, starting from random connection distributions, small-world networks evolve as a result of applying an adaptive rewiring rule. The rule connects pairs of neurons that tend fire in synchrony, and disconnects ones that fail to synchronize. Repeated application of the rule leads to small-world structures. This mechanism is robustly observed for bursting and irregular firing regimes.

Pharmaceutical wastewater treatment by internal micro-electrolysis--coagulation, biological treatment and activated carbon adsorption.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Kangle; Liu, Suiqing; Zhang, Qiang; He, Yiliang

2009-12-01

Treatment of pharmaceutical wastewater by the combined process of internal micro-electrolysis and coagulation, biological treatment and activated carbon adsorption was studied. Internal micro-electrolysis and coagulation served as the pretreatment for the wastewater before biological treatment to reduce the contaminants' toxicity to microbes and improve the biodegradability of wastewater to guarantee the smooth operation of the biological process. Biological treatment was the main body of the whole process which took an unparalleled role in removing COD (chemical oxygen demand). Activated carbon adsorption was adopted as the post-treatment process to further remove the remaining non-biodegradable particles. Results showed that the removal rates of COD and S2- (sulphide ion) by pretreatment were 66.9% and 98.9%, respectively, and the biodegradability, as measured by the ratio of biodegradable COD to initial COD, of the wastewater was greatly improved from 0.16 +/- 0.02 to 0.41 +/- 0.02. The overall removal rate of COD in the wastewater achieved by this combined treatment process was up to 96%, and the effluent COD met the Chinese tertiary discharge standard (GB 8978-1996).

Evaluation of Biologically Active Compounds from Calendula officinalis Flowers using Spectrophotometry

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Butnariu Monica

2012-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background This study aimed to quantify the active biological compounds in C. officinalis flowers. Based on the active principles and biological properties of marigolds flowers reported in the literature, we sought to obtain and characterize the molecular composition of extracts prepared using different solvents. The antioxidant capacities of extracts were assessed by using spectrophotometry to measure both absorbance of the colorimetric free radical scavenger 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH as well as the total antioxidant potential, using the ferric reducing power (FRAP assay. Results Spectrophotometric assays in the ultraviolet-visible (UV-VIS region enabled identification and characterization of the full range of phenolic and flavonoids acids, and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC was used to identify and quantify phenolic compounds (depending on the method of extraction. Methanol ensured more efficient extraction of flavonoids than the other solvents tested. Antioxidant activity in methanolic extracts was correlated with the polyphenol content. Conclusions The UV-VIS spectra of assimilator pigments (e.g. chlorophylls, polyphenols and flavonoids extracted from the C. officinalis flowers consisted in quantitative evaluation of compounds which absorb to wavelengths broader than 360 nm.

Chemistry and Biological Activities of Flavonoids: An Overview

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shashank Kumar

2013-01-01

Full Text Available There has been increasing interest in the research on flavonoids from plant sources because of their versatile health benefits reported in various epidemiological studies. Since flavonoids are directly associated with human dietary ingredients and health, there is need to evaluate structure and function relationship. The bioavailability, metabolism, and biological activity of flavonoids depend upon the configuration, total number of hydroxyl groups, and substitution of functional groups about their nuclear structure. Fruits and vegetables are the main dietary sources of flavonoids for humans, along with tea and wine. Most recent researches have focused on the health aspects of flavonoids for humans. Many flavonoids are shown to have antioxidative activity, free radical scavenging capacity, coronary heart disease prevention, hepatoprotective, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer activities, while some flavonoids exhibit potential antiviral activities. In plant systems, flavonoids help in combating oxidative stress and act as growth regulators. For pharmaceutical purposes cost-effective bulk production of different types of flavonoids has been made possible with the help of microbial biotechnology. This review highlights the structural features of flavonoids, their beneficial roles in human health, and significance in plants as well as their microbial production.

Biological Activity and Phytochemical Study of Scutellaria platystegia.

Science.gov (United States)

Madani Mousavi, Seyedeh Neda; Delazar, Abbas; Nazemiyeh, Hossein; Khodaie, Laleh

2015-01-01

This study aimed to determine biological activity and phytochemical study of Scutellaria platystegia (family Labiatae). Methanolic (MeOH) extract of aerial parts of S. platystegia and SPE fractions of methanolic extract (specially 20% and 40% methanolic fractions), growing in East-Azarbaijan province of Iran were found to have radical scavenging activity by DPPH (2, 2-diphenyl -1- pycryl hydrazyl) assay. Dichloromethane (DCM) extract of this plant exhibited animalarial activity by cell free method providing IC50 at 1.1876 mg/mL. Crude extracts did not exhibit any toxicity assessed by brine shrimp lethality assay. Phytochemical study of methanolic extract by using reverse phase HPLC method and NMR instrument for isolation and identification of pure compounds respectively, yielded 2-(4- hydroxy phenyl) ethyl-O-β-D- glucopyranoside from 10% and apigenin 7-O-glucoside, verbascoside and martynoside from 40% SPE fraction. Occurance of verbascoside and martynoside as biochemical markers appeared to be widespread in this genus. Antioxidant and antimalarial activity of MeOH and DCM extracts, respectively, as well as no general toxicity of them could provide a basis for further in-vitro and in-vivo studies and clinical trials to develop new therapeutical alternatives.

Chemistry and Biological Activities of Flavonoids: An Overview

Science.gov (United States)

Kumar, Shashank; Pandey, Abhay K.

2013-01-01

There has been increasing interest in the research on flavonoids from plant sources because of their versatile health benefits reported in various epidemiological studies. Since flavonoids are directly associated with human dietary ingredients and health, there is need to evaluate structure and function relationship. The bioavailability, metabolism, and biological activity of flavonoids depend upon the configuration, total number of hydroxyl groups, and substitution of functional groups about their nuclear structure. Fruits and vegetables are the main dietary sources of flavonoids for humans, along with tea and wine. Most recent researches have focused on the health aspects of flavonoids for humans. Many flavonoids are shown to have antioxidative activity, free radical scavenging capacity, coronary heart disease prevention, hepatoprotective, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer activities, while some flavonoids exhibit potential antiviral activities. In plant systems, flavonoids help in combating oxidative stress and act as growth regulators. For pharmaceutical purposes cost-effective bulk production of different types of flavonoids has been made possible with the help of microbial biotechnology. This review highlights the structural features of flavonoids, their beneficial roles in human health, and significance in plants as well as their microbial production. PMID:24470791

Progress in small angle neutron scattering activities in Malaysia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mohamed, Abudl Aziz Bin

2000-01-01

Research activities by use of small angle neutron scattering in Malaysia are briefly reported. Scattered neutron data are displayed in two or three-dimensional isometric view by the data acquisition system. Visual Basic is utilized for data acquisition and MathCad for data processing and analyses. (Y. Kazumata)

Progress in small angle neutron scattering activities in Malaysia

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mohamed, Abudl Aziz Bin [Industrial Technology Division, Malaysian Institute for Nuclear Technology Research (MINT) (Indonesia)

2000-10-01

Research activities by use of small angle neutron scattering in Malaysia are briefly reported. Scattered neutron data are displayed in two or three-dimensional isometric view by the data acquisition system. Visual Basic is utilized for data acquisition and MathCad for data processing and analyses. (Y. Kazumata)

Biological preconcentrator

Science.gov (United States)

Manginell, Ronald P [Albuquerque, NM; Bunker, Bruce C [Albuquerque, NM; Huber, Dale L [Albuquerque, NM

2008-09-09

A biological preconcentrator comprises a stimulus-responsive active film on a stimulus-producing microfabricated platform. The active film can comprise a thermally switchable polymer film that can be used to selectively absorb and desorb proteins from a protein mixture. The biological microfabricated platform can comprise a thin membrane suspended on a substrate with an integral resistive heater and/or thermoelectric cooler for thermal switching of the active polymer film disposed on the membrane. The active polymer film can comprise hydrogel-like polymers, such as poly(ethylene oxide) or poly(n-isopropylacrylamide), that are tethered to the membrane. The biological preconcentrator can be fabricated with semiconductor materials and technologies.

Synthesis and biological activity of oxytocin analogues containing unnatural amino acids in position 9: structure activity study

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Magafa, V.; Borovičková, Lenka; Slaninová, Jiřina; Cordopatis, P.

2010-01-01

Roč. 38, č. 5 (2010), s. 1549-1559 ISSN 0939-4451 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z40550506 Keywords : oxytocin antagonists * position 9 * unnatural amino acids * biological activity Subject RIV: CC - Organic Chemistry Impact factor: 4.106, year: 2010

Biological Activity of Tannins from Acacia mangium Bark Extracted by Different Solvents

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

E. Wina

2010-08-01

Full Text Available Acacia mangium bark is abundant byproduct of wood industry in Indonesia. It is underutilized and mainly used as fire wood for the wood industry. The bark contains high level of tannin but the tannin has not been extracted or produced commercially. Tannin isolate can be used for several purposes such as tanning agent for leather, adhesive for plywood or particle board, etc. In ruminant, tannin can be detrimental but can also be beneficial. This experiment was aimed of getting the highest yield of tannin extract with the highest biological activity in rumen fermentation. Nine different solvents at different temperatures were used to extract tannin from A. mangium bark. The extracts were analyzed for their tannin contents and biological activities. Tannin content was analyzed using folin ciocalteau and butanol-HCl methods. Biological activity was described as a percentage of an increase in gas production in the in vitro rumen-buffer fermentation, with and without addition of PEG. The results show that Na2SO3 solution extracted more tannin than other solutions and the higher the concentration of Na2SO3 solution, the higher the yield of tannin extract. The solution of 6% sodium sulphite gave the highest yield of tannin extract (31.2% of original bark sample and the highest concentration of tannin (18.26% but produced a negative effect on in vitro fermentation (% increase of gas production = 2.70%. Extraction with 50% acetone gave a high yield of extract (22.28% of original bark which contained 12.98% of tannin and showed the highest biological response (% increase of gas production = 216%. In conclusion, sodium sulphite solution is not recommended for tannin extraction if the tannin will be used as feed additive in ruminant feed; on the other hand, the aqueous acetone (50% acetone solution is a better choice to be used.

Intervention with Serine Protease Activity with Small Peptides

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Xu, Peng

2015-01-01

Serine proteases perform proteolytic reactions in many physiological and metabolic processes and have been certified as targets for therapeutics. Small peptides can be used as potent antagonists to target serine proteases and intervene with their activities. Urokinase-type plasminogen activator (u......PA) plays an important role in plasminogen activation system, which has many physiological and pathological functions and is closely associated with the metastasis of tumor cells. Based on a mono-cyclic peptidic inhibitor of murine uPA (muPA), mupain-1, which was screened out from a phage-display library...... before, we elucidated the binding and inhibitory mechanism by using multiple techniques, like X-ray crystallography, site-directed mutagenesis, isothermal titration calorimetry and surface plasmon resonance analysis. By studying the peptide-enzyme interaction, we discovered an unusual inhibitor...

Summary of diamino pyrazoles derived and study their biological activities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hagui, Marwa

2016-01-01

The work involves the synthesis of new heterocyclic structures diamino pyrazoles derivatives that are present in many natural products and products of pharmacological and therapeutic interests and study their biological activities. In order to develop a radiotracer interest and use in diagnostic nuclear medicine, we are interested to synthesis a pyrazole derivative with the precursor [Re(CO)5Br] and studying the antibacterial and antifungal activity of 3.5-diamino pyrazole and even thioamide complex rhenium. The objectives of our workout: 1/ Synthesis of molecules 3,5-diamino pyrazole and thioamide. 2/ Synthesis of 3,5-diamino pyrazole-rhenium complex. 3/ The in vitro study: Bacteriological Tests (Study of antibacterial and antifungal activity of 3,5-diamino pyrazole and thioamide). The first part of this work concerns the chemical synthesis of molecules such as: thioamide, Amp z1 Ampz2 and then we had synthesized the complex 3,5-diamino pyrazole-rhenium. Similarly we determined the physicochemical characteristics of the compounds synthesized by CLHP, CCM and RMN ( 1 H, 13 C). The second part is devoted to the study in vitro of biological activities of the synthesized molecules and complex 3,5 diaminopyrazole-rhenium with concentration 1 mg/mL and 2 mg/mL. The results allow us to say that the thioamide and Ampz2 have antibacterial activity against S. enterica and Ampz2 has low activity against S. aureus and P. aeruginossa. Other pyrazole derivatives have no significant antibacterial and antifungal activity. The results also show that the synthesized compounds of concentration 2 mg/mL in relation to the inhibition zones of amoxicillin and DMSO: 1/ Escherichia coli, there is antibacterial activity for thioamide, and the Amp z1-Re Ampz2 compound. 2/ Staphylococcus aureus, the complex Ampz 1-Re and the thioamide have significant antibacterial activity. 3/ Salmonella, we observe that the thioamide molecules, Ampz2 and Amp z1-Re have significant antibacterial activity

Introduction to the Symposium "Leading Students and Faculty to Quantitative Biology through Active Learning".

Science.gov (United States)

Waldrop, Lindsay D; Miller, Laura A

2015-11-01

The broad aim of this symposium and set of associated papers is to motivate the use of inquiry-based, active-learning teaching techniques in undergraduate quantitative biology courses. Practical information, resources, and ready-to-use classroom exercises relevant to physicists, mathematicians, biologists, and engineers are presented. These resources can be used to address the lack of preparation of college students in STEM fields entering the workforce by providing experience working on interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary problems in mathematical biology in a group setting. Such approaches can also indirectly help attract and retain under-represented students who benefit the most from "non-traditional" learning styles and strategies, including inquiry-based, collaborative, and active learning. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology. All rights reserved. For permissions please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Traditional Uses, Chemical Constituents, and Biological Activities of Bixa orellana L.: A Review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daniela de Araújo Vilar

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Bixa orellana L., popularly known as “urucum,” has been used by indigenous communities in Brazil and other tropical countries for several biological applications, which indicates its potential use as an active ingredient in pharmaceutical products. The aim of this work was to report the main evidence found in the literature, concerning the ethnopharmacology, the biological activity, and the phytochemistry studies related to Bixa orellana L. Therefore, this work comprises a systematic review about the use of Bixa orellana in the American continent and analysis of the data collected. This study shows the well-characterized pharmacological actions that may be considered relevant for the future development of an innovative therapeutic agent.

Synthesis, Crystal Structure and Biological Activities of Novel Anthranilic(Isophthalic) Acid Esters

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

YAN Tao; YU Guan-ping; LIU Peng-fei; XIONG Li-xia; YU Shu-jing; LI Zheng-ming

2012-01-01

In search of environmentally benign insecticides with high activity,low toxicity and low resistance,a series of novel anthranilic(isophthalic) acid esters was designed and synthesized based on the structure of ryanodine modulating agent.All the compounds were characterized by 1H NMR spectra,elemental analysis or high resolution mass spectrometry(HRMS).The preliminary results of biological activity assessment indicate that some of the title compounds exhibit certain but unremarkable insecticidal activity against Mythimna separata Walker at 200 mg/L and fungicidal activities against five funguses at 50 mg/L.

Research and Teaching: Instructor Use of Group Active Learning in an Introductory Biology Sequence

Science.gov (United States)

Auerbach, Anna Jo; Schussler, Elisabeth E.

2016-01-01

Active learning (or learner-centered) pedagogies have been shown to enhance student learning in introductory biology courses. Student collaboration has also been shown to enhance student learning and may be a critical part of effective active learning practices. This study focused on documenting the use of individual active learning and group…

Biology Myth-Killers

Science.gov (United States)

Lampert, Evan

2014-01-01

"Biology Myth-Killers" is an activity designed to identify and correct common misconceptions for high school and college introductory biology courses. Students identify common myths, which double as biology misconceptions, and use appropriate sources to share the "truth" about the myths. This learner-centered activity is a fun…

Synthesis and biological activity of imidazopyridine anticoccidial agents: Part II.

Science.gov (United States)

Scribner, Andrew; Dennis, Richard; Lee, Shuliang; Ouvry, Gilles; Perrey, David; Fisher, Michael; Wyvratt, Matthew; Leavitt, Penny; Liberator, Paul; Gurnett, Anne; Brown, Chris; Mathew, John; Thompson, Donald; Schmatz, Dennis; Biftu, Tesfaye

2008-06-01

Coccidiosis is the major cause of morbidity and mortality in the poultry industry. Protozoan parasites of the genus Eimeria invade the intestinal lining of the avian host causing tissue pathology, poor weight gain, and in some cases mortality. Resistance to current anticoccidials has prompted the search for new therapeutic agents with potent in vitro and in vivo activity against Eimeria. Recently, we reported the synthesis and biological activity of potent imidazo[1,2-a]pyridine anticoccidial agents. Antiparasitic activity is due to inhibition of a parasite specific cGMP-dependent protein kinase (PKG). In this study, we report the synthesis and anticoccidial activity of a second set of such compounds, focusing on derivatization of the amine side chain at the imidazopyridine 7-position. From this series, several compounds showed subnanomolar in vitro activity and commercial levels of in vivo activity. However, the potential genotoxicity of these compounds precludes them from further development.

Efficiency of biological activator formulated material (BAFM) for volatile organic compounds removal--preliminary batch culture tests with activated sludge.

Science.gov (United States)

Corre, Charline; Couriol, Catherine; Amrane, Abdeltif; Dumont, Eric; Andrès, Yves; Le Cloirec, Pierre

2012-01-01

During biological degradation, such as biofiltration of air loaded with volatile organic compounds, the pollutant is passed through a bed packed with a solid medium acting as a biofilm support. To improve microorganism nutritional equilibrium and hence to enhance the purification capacities, a Biological Activator Formulated Material (BAFM) was developed, which is a mixture of solid nutrients dissolving slowly in a liquid phase. This solid was previously validated on mineral pollutants: ammonia and hydrogen sulphide. To evaluate the efficiency of such a material for biodegradation of some organic compounds, a simple experiment using an activated sludge batch reactor was carried out. The pollutants (sodium benzoate, phenol, p-nitrophenol and 2-4-dichlorophenol) were in the concentration range 100 to 1200 mg L(-1). The positive impact of the formulated material was shown. The improvement of the degradation rates was in the range 10-30%. This was the consequence of the low dissolution of the nutrients incorporated during material formulation, followed by their consumption by the biomass, as shown for urea used as a nitrogen source. Owing to its twofold interest (mechanical resistance and nutritional supplementation), the Biological Activator Formulated Material seems to be a promising material. Its addition to organic or inorganic supports should be investigated to confirm its relevance for implementation in biofilters.

New enamine derivatives of lapachol and biological activity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

OLIVEIRA MAILCAR F.

2002-01-01

Full Text Available A convenient synthesis of the new enamine derivatives 2-(4-morpholinyl-3-(3-methyl-2-butenyl-1,4-naphthalenedione, 2-(1-piperidinyl-3-(3-methyl-2-butenyl-1,4-naphtalenedione and 2-(1-pyrrolidinyl-3-(3-methyl-2-butenyl-1,4-naphthalenedione was carried out from natural 2-hydroxy-3-(3-methyl-2-butenyl-1,4-naphthalenedione (lapachol and morpholine, piperidine and pyrrolidine. The structures of the products were established mainly by NMR analysis, including 2D experiments. Biological activities of these products were evaluated against Artemia salina, Aedes aegypti and cytotoxicity using A549 human breast cells.

Parsley: a review of ethnopharmacology, phytochemistry and biological activities.

Science.gov (United States)

Farzaei, Mohammad Hosein; Abbasabadi, Zahra; Ardekani, Mohammad Reza Shams; Rahimi, Roja; Farzaei, Fatemeh

2013-12-01

To summarize comprehensive information concerning ethnomedicinal uses, phytochemistry, and pharmacological activities of parsley. Databases including PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, and Web of Science were searched for studies focusing on the ethnomedicinal use, phytochemical compounds and biological and pharmacological activities of parsley. Data were collected from 1966 to 2013. The search terms were: "Parsley" or "Petroselinum crispum" or "Petroselinum hortence". Parsley has been used as carminative, gastro tonic, diuretic, antiseptic of urinary tract, anti-urolithiasis, anti-dote and anti-inflammatory and for the treatment of amenorrhea, dysmenorrhea, gastrointestinal disorder, hypertension, cardiac disease, urinary disease, otitis, sniffle, diabetes and also various dermal disease in traditional and folklore medicines. Phenolic compounds and flavonoids particularly apigenin, apiin and 6"-Acetylapiin; essential oil mainly myristicin and apiol; and also coumarins are the active compounds identified in Petroselinum crispum. Wide range of pharmacological activity including antioxidant, hepatoprotective, brain protective, anti-diabetic, analgesic, spasmolytic, immunosuppressant, anti-platelet, gastroprotective, cytoprotective, laxative, estrogenic, diuretic, hypotensive, antibacterial and antifungal activities have been exhibited for this plant in modern medicine. It is expectant that this study resulted in improvement the tendencies toward Petroselinum crispum as a useful and important medicinal plant with wide range of proven medicinal activity.

Comparative SPR study on the effect of nanomaterials on the biological activity of adsorbed proteins

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mei, Q.; Chen, Y.; Hong, J.; Chen, H.; Ding, X.; Yin, Y.; Koh, K.; Lee, J.

2012-01-01

Bioactivity of proteins is evaluated to test the adverse effects of nanoparticles interjected into biological systems. Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) spectroscopy detects binding affinity that is normally related to biological activity. Utilizing SPR spectroscopy, a concise testing matrix is established by investigating the adsorption level of bovine serum albumin (BSA) and anti-BSA on the surface covered with 11-mercaptoundecanoic acid (MUA); magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) and single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs), respectively. The immunoactivity of BSA on MNPs and SWCNT decreased by 18 % and 5 %, respectively, compared to that on the gold film modified with MUA. This indicates that MNPs cause a considerable loss of biological activity of adsorbed protein. This effect can be utilized for practical applications on detailed biophysical research and nanotoxicity studies. (author)

Physicochemical Properties, Biological Activity, Health Benefits, and General Limitations of Aged Black Garlic: A Review.

Science.gov (United States)

Ryu, Ji Hyeon; Kang, Dawon

2017-06-01

Garlic (Allium sativum) has been used as a medicinal food since ancient times. However, some people are reluctant to ingest raw garlic due to its unpleasant odor and taste. Therefore, many types of garlic preparations have been developed to reduce these attributes without losing biological functions. Aged black garlic (ABG) is a garlic preparation with a sweet and sour taste and no strong odor. It has recently been introduced to Asian markets as a functional food. Extensive in vitro and in vivo studies have demonstrated that ABG has a variety of biological functions such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, anti-obesity, anti-diabetic, anti-allergic, cardioprotective, and hepatoprotective effects. Recent studies have compared the biological activity and function of ABG to those of raw garlic. ABG shows lower anti-inflammatory, anti-coagulation, immunomodulatory, and anti-allergic effects compared to raw garlic. This paper reviews the physicochemical properties, biological activity, health benefits, adverse effects, and general limitations of ABG.

Physicochemical Properties, Biological Activity, Health Benefits, and General Limitations of Aged Black Garlic: A Review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ji Hyeon Ryu

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Garlic (Allium sativum has been used as a medicinal food since ancient times. However, some people are reluctant to ingest raw garlic due to its unpleasant odor and taste. Therefore, many types of garlic preparations have been developed to reduce these attributes without losing biological functions. Aged black garlic (ABG is a garlic preparation with a sweet and sour taste and no strong odor. It has recently been introduced to Asian markets as a functional food. Extensive in vitro and in vivo studies have demonstrated that ABG has a variety of biological functions such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, anti-obesity, anti-diabetic, anti-allergic, cardioprotective, and hepatoprotective effects. Recent studies have compared the biological activity and function of ABG to those of raw garlic. ABG shows lower anti-inflammatory, anti-coagulation, immunomodulatory, and anti-allergic effects compared to raw garlic. This paper reviews the physicochemical properties, biological activity, health benefits, adverse effects, and general limitations of ABG.

High sensitivity neutron activation analysis of environmental and biological standard reference materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Greenberg, R.R.; Fleming, R.F.; Zeisler, R.

1984-01-01

Neutron activation analysis is a sensitive method with unique capabilities for the analysis of environmental and biological samples. Since it is based upon the nuclear properties of the elements, it does not suffer from many of the chemical effects that plague other methods of analysis. Analyses can be performed either with no chemical treatment of the sample (instrumentally), or with separations of the elements of interest after neutron irradiation (radiochemically). Typical examples of both types of analysis are discussed, and data obtained for a number of environmental and biological SRMs are presented. (author)

Development of Bicarbonate-Activated Peroxide as a Chemical and Biological Warfare Agent Decontaminant

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Richardson, David E

2006-01-01

...) and other chemistry for the decontamination of chemical and biological warfare agents. The mechanism of formation of the active oxidant, peroxymonocarbonate, has been investigated in detail. New surfoxidants...

Current studies of biological materials using instrumental and radiochemical neutron activation analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fardy, J.J.; McOrist, G.D.; Farrar, Y.J.

1985-01-01

Instrumental neutron activation analysis still remains the preferred option when analysing the trace element distribution in a wide rage of materials by neutron activation analysis. However, when lower limits of detection are required or major interferences reduce the effectiveness of this technique, radiochemical neutron activation analysis is applied. This paper examines the current use of both methods and the development of rapid radiochemical techniques for analysis of the biological materials, hair, cow's milk, human's milk, milk powder, blood and blood serum

Biological activity of Penaeus monodon GILT in shrimp pathogen protection

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Aekkaraj Nualla-ong

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Gamma-interferon-inducible lysosomal thiol reductase (GILT contains a CXXC active site motif that possesses thiol reductase activity by catalyzing the disulfide bond reduction of exogenous antigens. Mutating the active site of human GILT to change the cysteine residues to serine residues eliminates this property. Our previous study reported that Penaeus monodon GILT (PmGILT contained a CXXS active site motif. Therefore, we assessed the enzymatic activity of PmGILT and demonstrated that it displayed identical thiol reductase activity at an acidic pH. In addition, the biological activity of PmGILT against shrimp pathogens, including white spot syndrome virus (WSSV and Gram-negative bacteria, was investigated. The neutralization of WSSV with PmGILT indicated the inhibition of WSSV invasion into shrimp hemocyte cells. Moreover, the relative percentage survival of shrimp injected with PmGILT-treated virus solution was 75%. Finally, the antimicrobial activity of PmGILT was confirmed by the growth inhibition of Vibrio harveyi. These results establish the role of PmGILT in the inhibition of the virulence of two major shrimp pathogens.

Active damping technique for small DC-link capacitor based drive system

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Maheshwari, Ram Krishan; Munk-Nielsen, Stig; Henriksen, Bjarne

2010-01-01

A detailed model of Adjustable Speed Drive (ASD) is discussed, which yield a general rule for active damping in a small DC link based drive. A desired value of input LC resonance damping coefficient can be achieved by changing gain parameters. The modified state space matrix due to active damping...

Bioanalytical characterisation of multiple endocrine- and dioxin-like activities in sediments from reference and impacted small rivers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kinani, Said, E-mail: said@dcmr.polytechnique.f [Unite d' Ecotoxicologie, Institut National de l' Environnement Industriel et des Risques (INERIS), BP2, F-60550 Verneuil en Halatte (France); Departement de Chimie des Mecanismes Reactionnels, Ecole Polytechnique, 91128 Palaiseau Cedex (France); Bouchonnet, Stephane, E-mail: stephane.bouchonnet@dcmr.polytechnique.f [Departement de Chimie des Mecanismes Reactionnels, Ecole Polytechnique, 91128 Palaiseau Cedex (France); Creusot, Nicolas [Unite d' Ecotoxicologie, Institut National de l' Environnement Industriel et des Risques (INERIS), BP2, F-60550 Verneuil en Halatte (France); Bourcier, Sophie [Departement de Chimie des Mecanismes Reactionnels, Ecole Polytechnique, 91128 Palaiseau Cedex (France); Balaguer, Patrick [Institut National de la Sante et de la Recherche Medicale (INSERM), U896, Montpellier, F-34298 (France); Porcher, Jean-Marc [Unite d' Ecotoxicologie, Institut National de l' Environnement Industriel et des Risques (INERIS), BP2, F-60550 Verneuil en Halatte (France); Ait-Aissa, Selim, E-mail: selim.ait-aissa@ineris.f [Unite d' Ecotoxicologie, Institut National de l' Environnement Industriel et des Risques (INERIS), BP2, F-60550 Verneuil en Halatte (France)

2010-01-15

A comprehensive evaluation of organic contamination was performed in sediments sampled in two reference and three impacted small streams where endocrine disruptive (ED) effects in fish have been evidenced. The approach combined quantitative chemical analyses of more than 50 ED chemicals (EDCs) and a battery of in vitro bioassays allowing the quantification of receptor-mediated activities, namely estrogen (ER), androgen (AR), dioxin (AhR) and pregnane X (PXR) receptors. At the most impacted sites, chemical analyses showed the presence of natural estrogens, organochlorine pesticides, parabens, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (16 PAHs), bisphenol A and alkylphenols, while synthetic steroids, myco-estrogens and phyto-estrogens were not detected. Determination of toxic-equivalent amounts showed that 28-96% of estrogenic activities in bioassays (0.2-6.3 ng/g 17beta-estradiol equivalents) were explained by 17beta-estradiol and estrone. PAHs were major contributors (20-60%) to the total dioxin-like activities. Interestingly, high PXR and (anti)AR activities were detected; however, the targeted analysed compounds could not explain the measured biological activities. This study highlighted the presence of multiple organic EDCs in French river sediments subjected to mixed diffuse pollution, and argues for the need to further identify AR and PXR active compounds in the aquatic environment. - Multiple endocrine disrupting chemicals (ER, AR, AhR and PXR ligands) are detected in French river sediments using a panel of in vitro bioassays and analytical methods.

Surface mixing and biological activity in the four Eastern Boundary Upwelling Systems

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V. Rossi

2009-08-01

Full Text Available Eastern Boundary Upwelling Systems (EBUS are characterized by a high productivity of plankton associated with large commercial fisheries, thus playing key biological and socio-economical roles. Since they are populated by several physical oceanic structures such as filaments and eddies, which interact with the biological processes, it is a major challenge to study this sub- and mesoscale activity in connection with the chlorophyll distribution. The aim of this work is to make a comparative study of these four upwelling systems focussing on their surface stirring, using the Finite Size Lyapunov Exponents (FSLEs, and their biological activity, based on satellite data. First, the spatial distribution of horizontal mixing is analysed from time averages and from probability density functions of FSLEs, which allow us to divide each areas in two different subsystems. Then we studied the temporal variability of surface stirring focussing on the annual and seasonal cycle. We also proposed a ranking of the four EBUS based on the averaged mixing intensity. When investigating the links with chlorophyll concentration, the previous subsystems reveal distinct biological signatures. There is a global negative correlation between surface horizontal mixing and chlorophyll standing stocks over the four areas. To try to better understand this inverse relationship, we consider the vertical dimension by looking at the Ekman-transport and vertical velocities. We suggest the possibility of a changing response of the phytoplankton to sub/mesoscale turbulence, from a negative effect in the very productive coastal areas to a positive one in the open ocean. This study provides new insights for the understanding of the variable biological productivity in the ocean, which results from both dynamics of the marine ecosystem and of the 3-D turbulent medium.

Biological and therapeutic activities, and anticancer properties of curcumin.

Science.gov (United States)

Perrone, Donatella; Ardito, Fatima; Giannatempo, Giovanni; Dioguardi, Mario; Troiano, Giuseppe; Lo Russo, Lucio; DE Lillo, Alfredo; Laino, Luigi; Lo Muzio, Lorenzo

2015-11-01

Curcumin (diferuloylmethane) is a polyphenol derived from the Curcuma longa plant. Curcumin has been used extensively in Ayurvedic medicine, as it is nontoxic and exhibits a variety of therapeutic properties, including antioxidant, analgesic, anti-inflammatory and antiseptic activities. Recently, certain studies have indicated that curcumin may exert anticancer effects in a variety of biological pathways involved in mutagenesis, apoptosis, tumorigenesis, cell cycle regulation and metastasis. The present study reviewed previous studies in the literature, which support the therapeutic activity of curcumin in cancer. In addition, the present study elucidated a number of the challenges concerning the use of curcumin as an adjuvant chemotherapeutic agent. All the studies reviewed herein suggest that curcumin is able to exert anti-inflammatory, antiplatelet, antioxidative, hepatoprotective and antitumor activities, particularly against cancers of the liver, skin, pancreas, prostate, ovary, lung and head neck, as well as having a positive effect in the treatment of arthritis.

Integrated Biological Control

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

JOHNSON, A.R.

2002-01-01

Biological control is any activity taken to prevent, limit, clean up, or remediate potential environmental, health and safety, or workplace quality impacts from plants, animals, or microorganisms. At Hanford the principal emphasis of biological control is to prevent the transport of radioactive contamination by biological vectors (plants, animals, or microorganisms), and where necessary, control and clean up resulting contamination. Other aspects of biological control at Hanford include industrial weed control (e.g.; tumbleweeds), noxious weed control (invasive, non-native plant species), and pest control (undesirable animals such as rodents and stinging insects; and microorganisms such as molds that adversely affect the quality of the workplace environment). Biological control activities may be either preventive (apriori) or in response to existing contamination spread (aposteriori). Surveillance activities, including ground, vegetation, flying insect, and other surveys, and apriori control actions, such as herbicide spraying and placing biological barriers, are important in preventing radioactive contamination spread. If surveillance discovers that biological vectors have spread radioactive contamination, aposteriori control measures, such as fixing contamination, followed by cleanup and removal of the contamination to an approved disposal location are typical response functions. In some cases remediation following the contamination cleanup and removal is necessary. Biological control activities for industrial weeds, noxious weeds and pests have similar modes of prevention and response

One feature of the activated southern Ordos block: the Ziwuling small earthquake cluster

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Li Yuhang

2014-08-01

Full Text Available Small earthquakes (Ms > 2.0 have been recorded from 1970 to the present day and reveal a significant difference in seismicity between the stable Ordos block and its active surrounding area. The southern Ordos block is a conspicuous small earthquake belt clustered and isolated along the NNW direction and extends to the inner stable Ordos block; no active fault can match this small earthquake cluster. In this paper, we analyze the dynamic mechanism of this small earthquake cluster based on the GPS velocity field (from 1999 to 2007, which are mainly from Crustal Movement Observation Network of China (CMONOC with respect to the north and south China blocks. The principal direction of strain rate field, the expansion ratefield, the maximum shear strain rate, and the rotation rate were constrained using the GPS velocity field. The results show that the velocity field, which is bounded by the small earthquake cluster from Tongchuan to Weinan, differs from the strain rate field, and the crustal deformation is left-lateral shear. This left-lateral shear belt not only spatially coincides with the Neo-tectonic belt in the Weihe Basin but also with the NNW small earthquake cluster (the Ziwuling small earthquake cluster. Based on these studies, we speculate that the NNW small earthquake cluster is caused by left-lateral shear slip, which is prone to strain accumulation. When the strain releases along the weak zone of structure, small earthquakes diffuse within its upper crust. The maximum principal compression strees direction changed from NE-SW to NEE-SWW, and the former reverse faults in the southwestern margin of the Ordos block became a left-lateral strike slip due to readjustment of the tectonic strees field after the middle Pleistocene. The NNW Neo-tectonic belt in the Weihe Basin, the different movement character of the inner Weihe Basin (which was demonstrated through GPS measurements and the small earthquake cluster belt reflect the activated

Quinones from plants of northeastern Brazil: structural diversity, chemical transformations, NMR data and biological activities.

Science.gov (United States)

Lemos, Telma L G; Monte, Francisco J Q; Santos, Allana Kellen L; Fonseca, Aluisio M; Santos, Hélcio S; Oliveira, Mailcar F; Costa, Sonia M O; Pessoa, Otilia D L; Braz-Filho, Raimundo

2007-05-20

The present review focus in quinones found in species of Brazilian northeastern Capraria biflora, Lippia sidoides, Lippia microphylla and Tabebuia serratifolia. The review cover ethnopharmacological aspects including photography of species, chemical structure feature, NMR datea and biological properties. Chemical transformations of lapachol to form enamine derivatives and biological activities are discussed.

Pereskia aculeata Muller (Cactaceae Leaves: Chemical Composition and Biological Activities

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Lucèia Fàtima Souza

2016-09-01

Full Text Available The aims of this work were to study the chemical composition of the essential oil from the leaves of Pereskia aculeata and to evaluate some biological activities of three leaf extracts. The phenolic content, antioxidant activity, and in vitro antimicrobial and antifungal activities were determined. The methanol extract showed antioxidant activity (EC50 7.09 mg/mL and high polyphenols content (15.04 ± 0.31 mg gallic acid equivalents (GAE/g. The petroleum ether extract exhibited potent antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli, whereas the chloroform extract showed inhibitory activity against Bacillus cereus and Staphylococcus aureus. The petroleum ether and methanol extracts were more effective in inhibiting the growth of Aspergillus versicolor. The possible cytotoxicity of extracts on neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cancer cell line and the influence on adenylate cyclase (ADCY expression was also studied. P. aculeata chloroform extract showed antiproliferative activity with an IC50 value of 262.83 µg/mL. Treatments of SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells with 100 µg/mL of methanol extract significantly reduced ADCY1 expression.

Pereskia aculeata Muller (Cactaceae) Leaves: Chemical Composition and Biological Activities.

Science.gov (United States)

Souza, Lucèia Fàtima; Caputo, Lucia; Inchausti De Barros, Ingrid Bergman; Fratianni, Florinda; Nazzaro, Filomena; De Feo, Vincenzo

2016-09-03

The aims of this work were to study the chemical composition of the essential oil from the leaves of Pereskia aculeata and to evaluate some biological activities of three leaf extracts. The phenolic content, antioxidant activity, and in vitro antimicrobial and antifungal activities were determined. The methanol extract showed antioxidant activity (EC50 7.09 mg/mL) and high polyphenols content (15.04 ± 0.31 mg gallic acid equivalents (GAE)/g). The petroleum ether extract exhibited potent antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli, whereas the chloroform extract showed inhibitory activity against Bacillus cereus and Staphylococcus aureus. The petroleum ether and methanol extracts were more effective in inhibiting the growth of Aspergillus versicolor. The possible cytotoxicity of extracts on neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cancer cell line and the influence on adenylate cyclase (ADCY) expression was also studied. P. aculeata chloroform extract showed antiproliferative activity with an IC50 value of 262.83 µg/mL. Treatments of SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells with 100 µg/mL of methanol extract significantly reduced ADCY1 expression.

Time scale of diffusion in molecular and cellular biology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Holcman, D; Schuss, Z

2014-01-01

Diffusion is the driver of critical biological processes in cellular and molecular biology. The diverse temporal scales of cellular function are determined by vastly diverse spatial scales in most biophysical processes. The latter are due, among others, to small binding sites inside or on the cell membrane or to narrow passages between large cellular compartments. The great disparity in scales is at the root of the difficulty in quantifying cell function from molecular dynamics and from simulations. The coarse-grained time scale of cellular function is determined from molecular diffusion by the mean first passage time of molecular Brownian motion to a small targets or through narrow passages. The narrow escape theory (NET) concerns this issue. The NET is ubiquitous in molecular and cellular biology and is manifested, among others, in chemical reactions, in the calculation of the effective diffusion coefficient of receptors diffusing on a neuronal cell membrane strewn with obstacles, in the quantification of the early steps of viral trafficking, in the regulation of diffusion between the mother and daughter cells during cell division, and many other cases. Brownian trajectories can represent the motion of a molecule, a protein, an ion in solution, a receptor in a cell or on its membrane, and many other biochemical processes. The small target can represent a binding site or an ionic channel, a hidden active site embedded in a complex protein structure, a receptor for a neurotransmitter on the membrane of a neuron, and so on. The mean time to attach to a receptor or activator determines diffusion fluxes that are key regulators of cell function. This review describes physical models of various subcellular microdomains, in which the NET coarse-grains the molecular scale to a higher cellular-level, thus clarifying the role of cell geometry in determining subcellular function. (topical review)

Time scale of diffusion in molecular and cellular biology

Science.gov (United States)

Holcman, D.; Schuss, Z.

2014-05-01

Diffusion is the driver of critical biological processes in cellular and molecular biology. The diverse temporal scales of cellular function are determined by vastly diverse spatial scales in most biophysical processes. The latter are due, among others, to small binding sites inside or on the cell membrane or to narrow passages between large cellular compartments. The great disparity in scales is at the root of the difficulty in quantifying cell function from molecular dynamics and from simulations. The coarse-grained time scale of cellular function is determined from molecular diffusion by the mean first passage time of molecular Brownian motion to a small targets or through narrow passages. The narrow escape theory (NET) concerns this issue. The NET is ubiquitous in molecular and cellular biology and is manifested, among others, in chemical reactions, in the calculation of the effective diffusion coefficient of receptors diffusing on a neuronal cell membrane strewn with obstacles, in the quantification of the early steps of viral trafficking, in the regulation of diffusion between the mother and daughter cells during cell division, and many other cases. Brownian trajectories can represent the motion of a molecule, a protein, an ion in solution, a receptor in a cell or on its membrane, and many other biochemical processes. The small target can represent a binding site or an ionic channel, a hidden active site embedded in a complex protein structure, a receptor for a neurotransmitter on the membrane of a neuron, and so on. The mean time to attach to a receptor or activator determines diffusion fluxes that are key regulators of cell function. This review describes physical models of various subcellular microdomains, in which the NET coarse-grains the molecular scale to a higher cellular-level, thus clarifying the role of cell geometry in determining subcellular function.

Physical Activity, Physical Performance, and Biological Markers of Health among Sedentary Older Latinos

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Gerardo Moreno

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Background. Physical activity is associated with better physical health, possibly by changing biological markers of health such as waist circumference and inflammation, but these relationships are unclear and even less understood among older Latinos—a group with high rates of sedentary lifestyle. Methods. Participants were 120 sedentary older Latino adults from senior centers. Community-partnered research methods were used to recruit participants. Inflammatory (C-reactive protein and metabolic markers of health (waist circumference, HDL-cholesterol, triglycerides, insulin, and glucose, physical activity (Yale physical activity survey, and physical performance (short physical performance NIA battery were measured at baseline and 6-month followup. Results. Eighty percent of the sample was female. In final adjusted cross-sectional models, better physical activity indices were associated with faster gait speed (P<0.05. In adjusted longitudinal analyses, change in self-reported physical activity level correlated inversely with change in CRP (β=-0.05; P=0.03 and change in waist circumference (β=-0.16; P=0.02. Biological markers of health did not mediate the relationship between physical activity and physical performance. Conclusion. In this community-partnered study, higher physical activity was associated with better physical performance in cross-sectional analyses. In longitudinal analysis, increased physical activity was associated with improvements in some metabolic and inflammatory markers of health.

Exploring the structure of biological macromolecules in solution using Quokka, the small angle neutron scattering instrument, at ANSTO

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wood, Kathleen; Jeffries, Cy M.; Knott, Robert B.; Sokolova, Anna; Jacques, David A.; Duff, Anthony P.

2015-01-01

Small angle neutron scattering (SANS) is widely used to extract structural parameters, shape and other types of information from a vast array of materials. The technique is applied to biological macromolecules and their complexes in solution to reveal information often not accessible by other techniques. SANS measurements on biomolecules present some particular challenges however, one of which is suitable instrumentation. This review details SANS experiments performed on two well-characterised globular proteins (lysozyme and glucose isomerase) using Quokka, the recently commissioned SANS instrument at the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO). The instrument configuration as well as data collection and reduction strategies for biological investigations are discussed and act as a general reference for structural biologists who use the instrument. Both model independent analysis of the two proteins and ab initio modelling illustrate that Quokka-SANS data can be used to successfully model the overall shapes of proteins in solution, providing a benchmark for users

NMR spectroscopy, Hammett correlations and biological activity of some Schiff bases derived from piperonal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Echevarria, Aurea; Giesbrecht, Astrea

1999-01-01

A series of eleven Schiff Bases have been synthesized. They were obtained by condensation of piperonal (3,4-methylenedioxybenzaldehyde) with the corresponding aromatic primary amines. Their 1 H and 13 C-NMR spectra have been obtained and the Hammett correlations including chemical shifts and the substituent constants (σ p , σR e σI) were studied. Linear and bilinear significant correlations were observed for iminic carbon (C-α) and C-1 ' , showing a more significant resonance effect on chemical shifts. The chemical shifts for C-4 ' were highly affected by substituent effects, especially for halogens in the expected direction. Their biological activity against microorganisms has also been measured and significant activity was showed against Epidermophyton floccosum. The biological activity did not give a reasonable relationship with electronic effects. (author)

Applications of thermal neutron scattering in biology, biochemistry and biophysics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Worcester, D.L.

1977-01-01

Biological applications of thermal neutron scattering have increased rapidly in recent years. The following categories of biological research with thermal neutron scattering are presently identified: crystallography of biological molecules; neutron small-angle scattering of biological molecules in solution (these studies have already included numerous measurements of proteins, lippoproteins, viruses, ribosomal subunits and chromatin subunit particles); neutron small-angle diffraction and scattering from biological membranes and membrane components; and neutron quasielastic and inelastic scattering studies of the dynamic properties of biological molecules and materials. (author)

Effect of gamma irradiation on the pigments and the biological activities of methanolic extracts from leaves of centipedegrass (Eremochloa ophiuroides Munro)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Eun Mi; Lee, Seung Sik; Bai, Hyoung-Woo; Cho, Jae-Young; Kim, Tae Hoon; Chung, Byung Yeoup

2013-01-01

Extracts from centipedegrass (Eremochloa ophiuroides Munro) have been previously identified as having beneficial effects medically and cosmetically. In this study, the effects of gamma irradiation on pigment removal and biological activities of centipedegrass extracts to promote industrial application were investigated. The methanolic extracts were exposed to gamma irradiation at dose ranging from 2 to 20 kGy. The major pigments of centipedegrass extracts, cyanidin-3-O-glucoside and cyanidin-3-O-(6″-malonyl-)glucoside, were found to be effectively removed by gamma irradiation above 10 kGy. Although the reddish-orange color of the cyanidins was markedly decreased by gamma irradiation, the biological activities were relatively unaffected. The biological activities such as 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical-scavenging activity, inhibition of tyrosinase activity, and inhibition of elastase activity in methanolic extracts were modulated from 50.5% to 70.2%, from 50.9% to 65.8% and from 65.6% to 94.0%, respectively. Surprisingly, the biological activities have the highest activities after 6–8 kGy of gamma irradiation. These results indicate that despite pigment degradation, biological activities were maintained or increased by gamma irradiation. Based on these results, gamma irradiation may be a useful tool to remove the undesirable reddish-orange color present in centipedegrass without any loss of biological activities, thereby promoting its utility in industrial applications such as manufacturing of cosmetic products. - Highlights: • The pigments of centipedegrass extracts were decreased by gamma irradiation. • The contents of maysin and its derivatives were slightly changed by gamma irradiation. • The biological activities of centipedegrass extracts were retained or increased by gamma irradiation

Insects: an underrepresented resource for the discovery of biologically active natural products

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lauren Seabrooks

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Nature has been the source of life-changing and -saving medications for centuries. Aspirin, penicillin and morphine are prime examples of Nature׳s gifts to medicine. These discoveries catalyzed the field of natural product drug discovery which has mostly focused on plants. However, insects have more than twice the number of species and entomotherapy has been in practice for as long as and often in conjunction with medicinal plants and is an important alternative to modern medicine in many parts of the world. Herein, an overview of current traditional medicinal applications of insects and characterization of isolated biologically active molecules starting from approximately 2010 is presented. Insect natural products reviewed were isolated from ants, bees, wasps, beetles, cockroaches, termites, flies, true bugs, moths and more. Biological activities of these natural products from insects include antimicrobial, antifungal, antiviral, anticancer, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects.

Excretion of lead and its biological activity several years after termination of exposure

Science.gov (United States)

Přerovská, I.; Teisinger, J.

1970-01-01

Přerovská, and Teisinger, J. (1970).Brit. J. industr. Med.,27, 352-355. Excretion of lead and its biological activity several years after termination of exposure. A group of 27 persons who had been treated some years previously for chronic lead poisoning at our clinic, and who had not come into occupational contact with lead since, was examined. Half of them had had no occupational exposure to lead for 3 to 5 years and the others for 8 to 17 years. In most of these persons there is still an increased lead excretion, originating from an increased deposit in the bones. The mobilization test after calcium versenate (CaEDTA) injection was greater than 0·350 mg/24 hours. The values found for haemoglobin, punctate basophilia, coproporphyrin and ALA in urine were normal, but there was, in all cases, a decreased ALA-D activity. This finding suggests biological activity of such negligible lead flow many years after termination of exposure. PMID:5488694

Gamma radiation effect on biological activity and enzymatic properties of snake venoms

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Herrera, E.; Yarleque, A.; Campos, S.; Zavaleta, A.

1986-01-01

The effect of gamma radiation, from Co-60, on the biological activity and on some enzymatic activities, present in the venoms of Lachesis muta and Bothrops atrox, using samples of dried venom that had been irradiated at a dose of 0.1, 0.5 and 1.0 Mrad have been studied. Variations in the degree of hemorrhage and local necrosis were observed in albino mice injected subcutaneously with venoms of both types. The reduction of the biological activity was greater for the local hemorrhagic effect and was dependent on the doses of irradiation. The specific activity of various enzymes, present in both venoms, is affected by the gamma radiation, at a dose of 0.1 Mrad the order of increasing inactivation being: exonuclease (4%), phospholipase (24%), caseinolytic enzyme (20%), tamesterase (33%), a thrombine-like enzyme (40%), fibrinolytic enzyme (41%), 5'-nucleotidase (50%) and endonuclease (55%). The enzymatic inactivation was augmented by 0.5 and 1.0 Mrad, without maintaining an arithmetic relation. The enzyme of major resistance to the radiation was exonuclease, whereas 5'-nucleotidase and endonuclease were the most sensitive. No significant changes were observed in the spectrum of UV absorbtion (range 260 to 290 nm) nor in the contents of L-tyrosine in the irradiated venoms

Biological regeneration of para-nitrophenol loaded activated carbon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Durrani, M.A.Q.; Martin, R.J.

1997-01-01

Biological regeneration is one of several methods that may be used to restore the adsorptive capacity of exhausted granular activated carbon (GAC). This study deals with in-situ biological regeneration on a pilot scale. The principal objective of this research was to ascertain whether biological regeneration of GAC could occur under conditions typical of water treatment. The important parameters which may have the greatest impact on bio regeneration of a given adsorbate were studied. The research investigated the extent of bio regeneration for para-nitrophenol (PNP) of concentration 50 mg/L. Bio regeneration in the total exhaustion system was evaluated in terms of regeneration efficiency and the substrate removal. A three mode procedure was followed for each bio regeneration run. The prepared carbon was initially exhausted with an adsorbate; it was then bio regenerated for para-nitrophenol (PNP) of concentration 50 mg/L. Bio regeneration in he total exhaustion system was evaluated in terms of regeneration efficiency and the substrate removal. A three mode procedure was followed for each bio regeneration run. The prepared carbon was initially exhausted with an adsorbate; it was then bio regenerated with a mixed culture of bacteria, and lastly the carbon was re-saturated. In the totally exhausted GAC system, the bio regeneration was enhanced by increasing the during of regeneration for a fixed initial biomass content of the bioreactor. The bio regeneration efficiency of the totally exhausted (with PNP) GAC the empty bed contact time (EBCT) and the initial concentration of the substrate had a profound effect on the bio regeneration efficiency. Bacterial counts in the effluents of regenerated GAC columns were significantly more than those of fresh carbon effluents. (author)

New biological deodrization device using dried activated sludge. Kanso odei wo mochiita shinki seibutsu dasshu sochi no kaihatsu

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hatakeyama, S.; Nagayasu, K.; Suwa, T.; Hayashitani, M.; Ito, H.; Habata, K.; Kitakaze, T. (Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd., Tokyo (Japan))

1993-10-20

The new biological deodorization device was developed using dried activated sludge as deodorant. Activated sludge obtained from a waste water treatment plant was dried at room temperature to protect from extinction of microorganisms in it before its charge into the device, and washed by water only as required. Offensive odor substances were oxidation-decomposed by microorganism after their adsorption into sludge surfaces, while microorganisms survived for a long time while getting such substances as nutritive sources. As basic deodorization characteristics were studied with the experimental device and artificial odor gases, more than 99% of 200 and 2,000 ppm H2S were removed at space velocities of 400/h and 33/h, respectively, together with nine typical offensive odor substances. As the result of demonstration tests with the small test device installed in a public waste water treatment plant, a high deodorizing efficiency was retained for 10 months or more, and its running cost was as low as 75% of that of current systems because of only one necessary washing every month. 3 refs., 14 figs., 12 tabs.

Biologically Active and Antimicrobial Peptides from Plants

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Carlos E. Salas

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Bioactive peptides are part of an innate response elicited by most living forms. In plants, they are produced ubiquitously in roots, seeds, flowers, stems, and leaves, highlighting their physiological importance. While most of the bioactive peptides produced in plants possess microbicide properties, there is evidence that they are also involved in cellular signaling. Structurally, there is an overall similarity when comparing them with those derived from animal or insect sources. The biological action of bioactive peptides initiates with the binding to the target membrane followed in most cases by membrane permeabilization and rupture. Here we present an overview of what is currently known about bioactive peptides from plants, focusing on their antimicrobial activity and their role in the plant signaling network and offering perspectives on their potential application.

Biologically Active and Antimicrobial Peptides from Plants

Science.gov (United States)

Salas, Carlos E.; Badillo-Corona, Jesus A.; Ramírez-Sotelo, Guadalupe; Oliver-Salvador, Carmen

2015-01-01

Bioactive peptides are part of an innate response elicited by most living forms. In plants, they are produced ubiquitously in roots, seeds, flowers, stems, and leaves, highlighting their physiological importance. While most of the bioactive peptides produced in plants possess microbicide properties, there is evidence that they are also involved in cellular signaling. Structurally, there is an overall similarity when comparing them with those derived from animal or insect sources. The biological action of bioactive peptides initiates with the binding to the target membrane followed in most cases by membrane permeabilization and rupture. Here we present an overview of what is currently known about bioactive peptides from plants, focusing on their antimicrobial activity and their role in the plant signaling network and offering perspectives on their potential application. PMID:25815307

Design and biological activity of β-sheet breaker peptide conjugates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rocha, Sandra; Cardoso, Isabel; Boerner, Hans; Pereira, Maria Carmo; Saraiva, Maria Joao; Coelho, Manuel

2009-01-01

The sequence LPFFD (iAβ 5 ) prevents amyloid-β peptide (Aβ) fibrillogenesis and neurotoxicity, hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease (AD), as previously demonstrated. In this study iAβ 5 was covalently linked to poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) and the activity of conjugates was assessed and compared to the activity of the peptide alone by in vitro studies. The conjugates were characterized by MALDI-TOF. Competition binding assays established that conjugates retained the ability to bind Aβ with similar strength as iAβ 5 . Transmission electron microscopy analysis showed that iAβ 5 conjugates inhibited amyloid fibril formation, which is in agreement with binding properties observed for the conjugates towards Aβ. The conjugates were also able to prevent amyloid-induced cell death, as evaluated by activation of caspase 3. These results demonstrated that the biological activity of iAβ 5 is not affected by the pegylation process.

Investigating the Relationship between Instructors' Use of Active-Learning Strategies and Students' Conceptual Understanding and Affective Changes in Introductory Biology: A Comparison of Two Active-Learning Environments.

Science.gov (United States)

Cleveland, Lacy M; Olimpo, Jeffrey T; DeChenne-Peters, Sue Ellen

2017-01-01

In response to calls for reform in undergraduate biology education, we conducted research examining how varying active-learning strategies impacted students' conceptual understanding, attitudes, and motivation in two sections of a large-lecture introductory cell and molecular biology course. Using a quasi-experimental design, we collected quantitative data to compare participants' conceptual understanding, attitudes, and motivation in the biological sciences across two contexts that employed different active-learning strategies and that were facilitated by unique instructors. Students participated in either graphic organizer/worksheet activities or clicker-based case studies. After controlling for demographic and presemester affective differences, we found that students in both active-learning environments displayed similar and significant learning gains. In terms of attitudinal and motivational data, significant differences were observed for two attitudinal measures. Specifically, those students who had participated in graphic organizer/worksheet activities demonstrated more expert-like attitudes related to their enjoyment of biology and ability to make real-world connections. However, all motivational and most attitudinal data were not significantly different between the students in the two learning environments. These data reinforce the notion that active learning is associated with conceptual change and suggests that more research is needed to examine the differential effects of varying active-learning strategies on students' attitudes and motivation in the domain. © 2017 L. M. Cleveland et al. CBE—Life Sciences Education © 2017 The American Society for Cell Biology. This article is distributed by The American Society for Cell Biology under license from the author(s). It is available to the public under an Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike 3.0 Unported Creative Commons License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0).

Tuning the sensitivity of lanthanide-activated NIR nanothermometers in the biological windows

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Cortelletti, P.; Skripka, A.; Facciotti, C.; Pedroni, M.; Caputo, G.; Pinna, N.; Quintanilla, M.; Benayas, A.; Vetrone, F.; Speghini, A.

2018-01-01

Lanthanide-activated SrF2 nanoparticles with a multishell architecture were investigated as optical thermometers in the biological windows. A ratiometric approach based on the relative changes in the intensities of different lanthanide (Nd3+ and Yb3+) NIR emissions was applied to investigate the

Determination of trace elements in biological material by neutron activation analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tran Van, L.; Teherani, D.K.

1989-01-01

Eighteen trace elements in biological materials [grass (Imperata cylindrica), mimosa plant (Mimosa pudica), rice] by neutron activation method were determined. In the comparative analysis the content of the same element was different in each material, although they were collected at the same place and the same sampling method was applied. (author) 4 refs.; 1 fig.; 1 tab

Biological activities of undescribed North American lichen species.

Science.gov (United States)

Yeash, Erik A; Letwin, Lyndon; Malek, Lada; Suntres, Zacharias; Knudsen, Kerry; Christopher, Lew P

2017-11-01

Lichens provide a large array of compounds with the potential for pharmaceutical development. In the present study, extracts from three previously undescribed North American lichen species were examined for antioxidant, antibacterial and anticancer activities. The results from this study demonstrated the following: (i) Acarospora socialis ethanol extract exhibited significant DPPH antioxidant scavenging activities, which were concentration dependent; (ii) acetone and ethyl acetate extracts of Xanthoparmelia mexicana inhibited Gram-positive bacteria but had no effect on Gram-negative bacteria; X. mexicana acetone extract yielded a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 20.9 µg mL -1 against Staphylococcus aureus, and 41.9 µg mL -1 against Enterococcus faecalis; (iii) acetone extract of Lobothallia alphoplaca inhibited growth of cultured breast cancer MCF-7 cells with an effective concentration (EC 50 ) of 87 µg mL -1 ; the MCF-7 cell cycle appears arrested in the G2 phase, whereas the DNA synthesis cell cycle (S) may be inhibited. New lichen species that possess strong biological activities have been identified. These lichens comprise secondary metabolites that possess antioxidant, antibacterial and anticancer properties. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

BIOLOGICALLY ACTIVE SUBSTANCES OF SPIRIT PRODUCTION WASTE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. S. Kayshev

2014-01-01

Full Text Available A content of biologically active compounds (BAC with signified pharmacological activity in distillers grains was proved. It is prospective for applications of these grains as a raw material resource of pharmaceuticals. A composition of BAC distillers grains received from wheat, corn, barley, millet at different spirit enterprises which use hydro fermentative grain processing. Considering polydispersity of distillers grains they were separated on solid and liquid phases preliminary. Physical and chemical characteristics of distillers grains' liquid base were identified. Elementary composition of distillers grains is signified by active accumulation of biogenic elements (phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, calcium, sodium, iron and low content of heavy metals. The solid phase of distillers grains accumulates carbon, hydrogen and nitrogen in high concentration. The liquid phase of distillers grains contains: proteins and amino acids (20-46%, reducing sugars (5,6%-17,5%, galacturonides (0,8-1,4%, ascorbic acid (6,2-11,4 mg%. The solid base of distillers grains contains: galacturonides (3,4-5,3%, fatty oil (8,4-11,1% with predomination of essential fatty acids, proteins and amino acids (2,1-2,5%, flavonoids (0,4-0,9%, tocopherols (3,4-7,7 mg%. A method of complex processing of distillers grains based on application of membrane filtering of liquid phase and liquid extraction by inorganic and organic solvents of solid phase, which allows almost full extraction of the sum of biologically active compounds (BAC from liquid phase (Biobardin BM and solid phase (Biobardin UL. Biobardin BM comprises the following elements: proteins and amino acids (41-69%, reducing sugars (3,5-15,6%, fatty oil (0,2-0,3%, flavonoids (0,2-0,7%, ascorbic acid (17-37 mg%. Biobardin UL includes: oligouronids (16,4-19,5%, proteins and amino acids (11-21%, fatty oil (3,2-4,9% which includes essential acids; flavonoids (0,6-1,5%, tocopherols (6,6-10,2 mg%, carotinoids (0,13-0,21 mg

Physicochemical Characteristics and Biological Activity of Irradiated Pectin Solution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kwon, J.H.; Kang, H.J.; Jo, C.O.; Jeong, I.Y.; Byun, M.W.

2005-01-01

Pectin was dissolved in HCI, citric acid, and deionized distilled water (DW, 2%, v/v) and irradiated at different irradiation doses (2.5-50 kGy) by gamma ray to investigate its physicochemical characteristics and biological activity. Viscosity of pectin solution was significantly decreased by irradiation up to 10 kGy, then remained constant thereafter. Gamma-irradiation increased monosaccharide and polysaccharide levels up to 30-40 kDa. Electron donating ability of pectin solution was highest when DW was added was increased by increasing irradiation dose (p less than 0.05)

Isolation of biologically active peptides from the venom of Japanese carpenter bee, Xylocopa appendiculata.

Science.gov (United States)

Kawakami, Hiroko; Goto, Shin G; Murata, Kazuya; Matsuda, Hideaki; Shigeri, Yasushi; Imura, Tomohiro; Inagaki, Hidetoshi; Shinada, Tetsuro

2017-01-01

Mass spectrometry-guided venom peptide profiling is a powerful tool to explore novel substances from venomous animals in a highly sensitive manner. In this study, this peptide profiling approach is successfully applied to explore the venom peptides of a Japanese solitary carpenter bee, Xylocopa appendiculata (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Apidae: Anthophila: Xylocopinae: Xylocopini). Although interesting biological effects of the crude venom of carpenter bees have been reported, the structure and biological function of the venom peptides have not been elucidated yet. The venom peptide profiling of the crude venom of X. appendiculata was performed by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight mass spectroscopy. The venom was purified by a reverse-phase HPLC. The purified peptides were subjected to the Edman degradation, MS/MS analysis, and/or molecular cloning methods for peptide sequencing. Biological and functional characterization was performed by circular dichroism analysis, liposome leakage assay, and antimicrobial, histamine releasing and hemolytic activity tests. Three novel peptides with m / z 16508, 1939.3, and 1900.3 were isolated from the venom of X. appendiculata . The peptide with m / z 16508 was characterized as a secretory phospholipase A 2 (PLA 2 ) homolog in which the characteristic cysteine residues as well as the active site residues found in bee PLA 2 s are highly conserved. Two novel peptides with m/z 1939.3 and m/z 1900.3 were named as Xac-1 and Xac-2, respectively. These peptides are found to be amphiphilic and displayed antimicrobial and hemolytic activities. The potency was almost the same as that of mastoparan isolated from the wasp venom. We found three novel biologically active peptides in the venom of X. appendiculata and analyzed their molecular functions, and compared their sequential homology to discuss their molecular diversity. Highly sensitive mass analysis plays an important role in this study.

Occurrence, biological activities and 13C NMR data of amides from Piper (Piperaceae)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nascimento, Jeferson C. do; Paula, Vanderlucia F. de; David, Jorge M.; David, Juceni P.

2012-01-01

This manuscript describes an update review with up to 285 references concerning the occurrence of amides from a variety of species of the genus Piper (Piperaceae). Besides addressing occurrence, this review also describes the biological activities attributed to extracts and pure compounds, a compiled 13 C NMR data set, the main correlations between structural and NMR spectroscopic data of these compounds, and employment of hyphened techniques such as LC-MS, GC-MS and NMR for analysis of amides from biological samples and crude Piper extracts. (author)

Approach for targeting Ras with small molecules that activate SOS-mediated nucleotide exchange.

Science.gov (United States)

Burns, Michael C; Sun, Qi; Daniels, R Nathan; Camper, DeMarco; Kennedy, J Phillip; Phan, Jason; Olejniczak, Edward T; Lee, Taekyu; Waterson, Alex G; Rossanese, Olivia W; Fesik, Stephen W

2014-03-04

Aberrant activation of the small GTPase Ras by oncogenic mutation or constitutively active upstream receptor tyrosine kinases results in the deregulation of cellular signals governing growth and survival in ∼30% of all human cancers. However, the discovery of potent inhibitors of Ras has been difficult to achieve. Here, we report the identification of small molecules that bind to a unique pocket on the Ras:Son of Sevenless (SOS):Ras complex, increase the rate of SOS-catalyzed nucleotide exchange in vitro, and modulate Ras signaling pathways in cells. X-ray crystallography of Ras:SOS:Ras in complex with these molecules reveals that the compounds bind in a hydrophobic pocket in the CDC25 domain of SOS adjacent to the Switch II region of Ras. The structure-activity relationships exhibited by these compounds can be rationalized on the basis of multiple X-ray cocrystal structures. Mutational analyses confirmed the functional relevance of this binding site and showed it to be essential for compound activity. These molecules increase Ras-GTP levels and disrupt MAPK and PI3K signaling in cells at low micromolar concentrations. These small molecules represent tools to study the acute activation of Ras and highlight a pocket on SOS that may be exploited to modulate Ras signaling.

Protein aggregates as depots for the release of biologically active compounds.

Science.gov (United States)

Artemova, Natalya V; Kasakov, Alexei S; Bumagina, Zoya M; Lyutova, Elena M; Gurvits, Bella Ya

2008-12-12

Protein misfolding and aggregation is one of the most serious problems in cell biology, molecular medicine, and biotechnology. Misfolded proteins interact with each other or with other proteins in non-productive or damaging ways. However, a new paradigm arises that protein aggregation may be exploited by nature to perform specific functions in different biological contexts. From this consideration, acceleration of stress-induced protein aggregation triggered by any factor resulting in the formation of soluble aggregates may have paradoxical positive consequences. Here, we suggest that amorphous aggregates can act as a source for the release of biologically active proteins after removal of stress conditions. To address this concept, we investigated the kinetics of thermal aggregation in vitro of yeast alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) as a model substrate in the presence of two amphiphilic peptides: Arg-Phe or Ala-Phe-Lys. Using dynamic light scattering (DLS) and turbidimetry, we have demonstrated that under mild stress conditions the concentration-dependent acceleration of ADH aggregation by these peptides results in formation of large but soluble complexes of proteins prone to refolding.

Synthesis of molecules of biological interest labelled with high specific activity tritium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Petillot, Yves

1975-01-01

Labelled molecules are artificial organic compounds possessing one or several radioactive or steady isotopic atoms. Using tritium to label molecules presents several benefits: a raw material easy to obtain with a high purity and at reasonable cost; synthesised labelled molecules displaying high specific activities very interesting in molecular biology; high resolution of radiographies; relatively simple and quick introduction of tritium atoms in complex molecules. Thus, this report for graduation in organic chemistry addresses the synthesis and study of new labelled molecules which belong to families of organic compounds which have fundamental activities in biology: uridine 3 H-5,6 and thymidine 3 H-methyl which are nucleotides which intervene under the form of phosphates in the synthesis of nucleic acids, oestradiol 3 H-2,4,6,7 which is a powerful estrogenic hormone which naturally secreted by the ovary; and noradrenaline 3 H-1,1' and dopamine 3 H-1,2 which are usually secreted by adrenal medulla and have multiple actions on the nervous system

Coming Out in Class: Challenges and Benefits of Active Learning in a Biology Classroom for LGBTQIA Students.

Science.gov (United States)

Cooper, Katelyn M; Brownell, Sara E

As we transition our undergraduate biology classrooms from traditional lectures to active learning, the dynamics among students become more important. These dynamics can be influenced by student social identities. One social identity that has been unexamined in the context of undergraduate biology is the spectrum of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and asexual (LGBTQIA) identities. In this exploratory interview study, we probed the experiences and perceptions of seven students who identify as part of the LGBTQIA community. We found that students do not always experience the undergraduate biology classroom to be a welcoming or accepting place for their identities. In contrast to traditional lectures, active-learning classes increase the relevance of their LGBTQIA identities due to the increased interactions among students during group work. Finally, working with other students in active-learning classrooms can present challenges and opportunities for students considering their LGBTQIA identity. These findings indicate that these students' LGBTQIA identities are affecting their experience in the classroom and that there may be specific instructional practices that can mitigate some of the possible obstacles. We hope that this work can stimulate discussions about how to broadly make our active-learning biology classes more inclusive of this specific population of students. © 2016 K. M. Cooper and S. E. Brownell. CBE—Life Sciences Education © 2016 The American Society for Cell Biology. This article is distributed by The American Society for Cell Biology under license from the author(s). It is available to the public under an Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike 3.0 Unported Creative Commons License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0).

Active Interaction Mapping as a tool to elucidate hierarchical functions of biological processes.

Science.gov (United States)

Farré, Jean-Claude; Kramer, Michael; Ideker, Trey; Subramani, Suresh

2017-07-03

Increasingly, various 'omics data are contributing significantly to our understanding of novel biological processes, but it has not been possible to iteratively elucidate hierarchical functions in complex phenomena. We describe a general systems biology approach called Active Interaction Mapping (AI-MAP), which elucidates the hierarchy of functions for any biological process. Existing and new 'omics data sets can be iteratively added to create and improve hierarchical models which enhance our understanding of particular biological processes. The best datatypes to further improve an AI-MAP model are predicted computationally. We applied this approach to our understanding of general and selective autophagy, which are conserved in most eukaryotes, setting the stage for the broader application to other cellular processes of interest. In the particular application to autophagy-related processes, we uncovered and validated new autophagy and autophagy-related processes, expanded known autophagy processes with new components, integrated known non-autophagic processes with autophagy and predict other unexplored connections.

Characterization of the corrosion resistance of biologically active solutions: The effects of anodizing and welding

Science.gov (United States)

Walsh, Daniel W.

1991-01-01

An understanding of fabrication processes, metallurgy, electrochemistry, and microbiology is crucial to the resolution of microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC) problems. The object of this effort was to use AC impedance spectroscopy to characterize the corrosion resistance of Type II anodized aluminum alloy 2219-T87 in sterile and biologically active media and to examine the corrosion resistance of 316L, alloy 2219-T87, and titanium alloy 6-4 in the welded and unwelded conditions. The latter materials were immersed in sterile and biologically active media and corrosion currents were measured using the polarization resistance (DC) technique.

Essential Oil Variability and Biological Activities of Tetraclinis articulata (Vahl) Mast. Wood According to the Extraction Time.

Science.gov (United States)

Djouahri, Abderrahmane; Saka, Boualem; Boudarene, Lynda; Baaliouamer, Aoumeur

2016-12-01

In the present work, the hydrodistillation (HD) and microwave-assisted hydrodistillation (MAHD) kinetics of essential oil (EO) extracted from Tetraclinis articulata (Vahl) Mast. wood was conducted, in order to assess the impact of extraction time and technique on chemical composition and biological activities. Gas chromatography (GC) and GC/mass spectrometry analyses showed significant differences between the extracted EOs, where each family class or component presents a specific kinetic according to extraction time, technique and especially for the major components: camphene, linalool, cedrol, carvacrol and α-acorenol. Furthermore, our findings showed a high variability for both antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities, where each activity has a specific effect according to extraction time and technique. The highlighted variability reflects the high impact of extraction time and technique on chemical composition and biological activities, which led to conclude that we should select EOs to be investigated carefully depending on extraction time and technique, in order to isolate the bioactive components or to have the best quality of EO in terms of biological activities and preventive effects in food. © 2016 Wiley-VHCA AG, Zurich, Switzerland.

Chemical composition and biological activity of ripe pumpkin fruits (Cucurbita pepo L.) cultivated in Egyptian habitats.

Science.gov (United States)

Badr, Sherif E A; Shaaban, Mohamed; Elkholy, Yehya M; Helal, Maher H; Hamza, Akila S; Masoud, Mohamed S; El Safty, Mounir M

2011-09-01

The chemical composition and biological activity of three parts (rind, flesh and seeds) of pumpkin fruits (Cucurbita pepo L.) cultivated in Egypt were studied. Chemical analysis of fibre, protein, β-carotene, carbohydrates, minerals and fatty acids present in the rind, flesh, seeds and defatted seeds meal was conducted. Chemical, GC-MS and biological assays of organic extracts of the main fruit parts, rind and flesh established their unique constituents. Chromatographic purification of the extracts afforded triglyceride fatty acid mixture (1), tetrahydro-thiophene (2), linoleic acid (3), calotropoleanly ester (4), cholesterol (5) and 13(18)-oleanen-3-ol (6). GC-MS analysis of the extract's unpolar fraction revealed the existence of dodecane and tetradecane. Structures of the isolated compounds (1-6) were confirmed by NMR and EI-MS spectrometry. Antimicrobial, antiviral and antitumour activities of the fruit parts were discussed. The promising combined extract of rind and flesh was biologically studied for microbial and cytotoxic activities in comparison with the whole isolated components.

Chemical constituents and biological activities of the genus Linaria (Scrophulariaceae).

Science.gov (United States)

Cheriet, Thamere; Mancini, Ines; Seghiri, Ramdane; Benayache, Fadila; Benayache, Samir

2015-01-01

This is a review on 95 references dealing with the genus Linaria (Scrophularioideae-Antirrhineae tribe), a known genus of the Scrophulariaceae family, which comprises about 200 species mainly distributed in Europe, Asia and North Africa. The use of some Linaria species in folk medicine has attracted the attention for chemical and biological studies. This report is aimed to be a comprehensive overview on the isolated or identified known and often new metabolites from the 41 Linaria species so far cited. It is organised presenting first the phytochemical classes of alkaloids, polyphenols including flavonoids, the latter being quite diffused and mostly present as flavones, flavonols and their glycosides, and terpenoids including iridoids and steroids. Second, the results from biological investigation on plant extracts, pure natural products isolated from Linaria species and some synthetic derivatives are reported, with antitumour, anti-acetylcholinesterase, anti-inflammatory and analgesic, antioxidant and antibacterial activities.

Simultaneous Determination of Arsenic, Manganese, and Selenium in Biological Materials by Neutron-Activation Analysis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Heydorn, Kaj; Damsgaard, Else

1973-01-01

A new method was developed for the simultaneous determination of arsenic, manganese, and selenium in biological material by thermal-neutron activation analysis. The use of 81 mSe as indicator for selenium permitted a reduction of activation time to 1 hr for a 1 g sample, and the possibility of loss...

Phytochemistry and Biological Properties of Burnet Weed (Sanguisorba spp.: A Review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anestis KARKANIS

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Great burnet (Sanguisorba officinalis L. and small burnet (Sansguisorba minor Scop. are edible, perennial weeds widely distributed in the world. These are the most widespread Sanguisorba species. The bioactive components of Sanguisorba plants include phenolics (phenolic acids, flavonoids and neolignans and terpenoids. Large potential exists to use burnets as medicinal plants. Sanguisorba species are known to show anticancer properties, antioxidative, antimicrobial and antiviral activities. Also, Sanguisorba extracts show anti-Alzheimer and anti-inflammatory properties. Small burnet extracts could also be a useful alternative to synthetic fungicides for crop production. This review focuses on biological activities of Sanguisorba extracts and emphasizing their potential applications in pharmaceutical areas.

Selenylation Modification of Degraded Polysaccharide from Enteromorpha prolifera and Its Biological Activities

Science.gov (United States)

Lv, Haitao; Duan, Ke; Shan, Hu

2018-04-01

Polysaccharide extracted from Enteromorpha prolifera possessed excellent biological activities, but its molecular weight was greatly high which influenced the activity. Organic Se had higher biological activities and was safer than inorganic Se species. In the present study, Enteromorpha polysaccharide was degraded to low molecular weight by free-radical degradation method of H2O2 and ascorbic acid. By single factor and orthogonal experiments, the optimal degradation conditions were reaction time of 2 h, reaction temperature of 50°C, H2O2/ascorbic acid (n/n=1:1) concentration of 15 mmol L-1, and solid-liquid ratio of 1:50 (g mL-1). Then, the degraded polysaccharide was chemically modified to obtain its selenide derivatives by nitric acid-sodium selenite method. The selenium content was 1137.29 μg g-1, while the content of sulfate radical had no change. IR spectra indicated that the selenite ester group was formed. Degraded polysaccharide selenide was characterized and evaluated for antioxidant, antifungal and antibacterial activities. The results showed that degraded polysaccharide selenide had strong capacity of scavenging DPPH and ·OH free radical. It had significant antibacterial properties for Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis and Salmonella spp., and it also had significant antifungal properties for Apple anthrax. The result ascertained degradation and selenylation modification did not change the main structure of polysaccharides. It was possible that free-radical degradation was an effective way for enhancing antioxidant activity to decrease molecular weight of polysaccharides.

Multiple, novel biologically active endophytic actinomycetes isolated from upper Amazonian rainforests.

Science.gov (United States)

Bascom-Slack, Carol A; Ma, Cong; Moore, Emily; Babbs, Beatrice; Fenn, Kathleen; Greene, Joshua S; Hann, Bradley D; Keehner, Jocelyn; Kelley-Swift, Elizabeth G; Kembaiyan, Vivek; Lee, Sun Jin; Li, Puyao; Light, David Y; Lin, Emily H; Schorn, Michelle A; Vekhter, Daniel; Boulanger, Lori-Ann; Hess, W M; Vargas, Percy Núñez; Strobel, Gary A; Strobel, Scott A

2009-08-01

Microbial biodiversity provides an increasingly important source of medically and industrially useful compounds. We have isolated 14 actinomycete species from a collection of approximately 300 plant stem samples from the upper Amazonian rainforest in Peru. All of the cultured isolates produce substances with inhibitory activity directed at a range of potential fungal and bacterial pathogens. For some organisms, this activity is very broad in spectrum while other organisms show specific activity against a limited number of organisms. Two of these organisms preferentially inhibit bacterial test organisms over eukaryotic organisms. rDNA sequence analysis indicates that these organisms are not equivalent to any other cultured deposits in GenBank. Our results provide evidence of the untapped biodiversity in the form of biologically active microbes present within the tissues of higher plants.

Small molecule probes for cellular death machines.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Ying; Qian, Lihui; Yuan, Junying

2017-08-01

The past decade has witnessed a significant expansion of our understanding about the regulated cell death mechanisms beyond apoptosis. The application of chemical biological approaches had played a major role in driving these exciting discoveries. The discovery and use of small molecule probes in cell death research has not only revealed significant insights into the regulatory mechanism of cell death but also provided new drug targets and lead drug candidates for developing therapeutics of human diseases with huge unmet need. Here, we provide an overview of small molecule modulators for necroptosis and ferroptosis, two non-apoptotic cell death mechanisms, and discuss the molecular pathways and relevant pathophysiological mechanisms revealed by the judicial applications of such small molecule probes. We suggest that the development and applications of small molecule probes for non-apoptotic cell death mechanisms provide an outstanding example showcasing the power of chemical biology in exploring novel biological mechanisms. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Neutron flux measurements at the TRIGA reactor in Vienna for the prediction of the activation of the biological shield

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Merz, Stefan; Djuricic, Mile; Villa, Mario; Boeck, Helmuth; Steinhauser, Georg

2011-01-01

The activation of the biological shield is an important process for waste management considerations of nuclear facilities. The final activity can be estimated by modeling using the neutron flux density rather than the radiometric approach of activity measurements. Measurement series at the TRIGA reactor Vienna reveal that the flux density next to the biological shield is in the order of 10 9 cm -2 s -1 at maximum power; but it is strongly influenced by reactor installations. The data allow the estimation of the final waste categorization of the concrete according to the Austrian legislation. - Highlights: → Neutron activation is an important process for the waste management of nuclear facilities. → Biological shield of the TRIGA reactor Vienna has been topic of investigation. → Flux values allow a categorization of the concrete concerning radiation protection legislation. → Reactor installations are of great importance as neutron sources into the biological shield. → Every installation shows distinguishable flux profiles.

In vitro biological activity of tannins from Acacia and other tree fruits ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This study was designed to investigate impact of tannins on in vitro ruminal fermentation parameters as well as relationships between concentration and in vitro biological activity of tannins present in tree fruits. Dry and mature fruits of known phenolic content harvested from Acacia nilotica, A. erubescens, A. erioloba, ...

The anti-tumor effect and biological activities of the extract JMM6 ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Juglans mandshurica Maxim is a traditional herbal medicines in China, and its anti-tumor bioactivities are of research interest. Bioassay-guided fractionation method was employed to isolate anti-tumor compounds from the stem barks of the Juglans mandshurica Maxim. The anti-tumor effect and biological activities of the ...

Facile Chemical Access to Biologically Active Norcantharidin Derivatives from Biomass

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Konstantin I. Galkin

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Reductive amination of 2,5-diformylfuran (DFF was used to implement the transition from bio-derived 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF to pharmaceuticals. The synthesized bis(aminomethylfurans were utilized as building blocks for the construction of new derivatives with structural cores of naturally occurring biologically active compounds. Using the one-pot procedure, which included the Diels–Alder reaction followed by hydrogenation of the double bond, bio-derived analogues of the anticancer drug norcantharidin were obtained. The cyclization process was diastereoselective, and resulted in the formation of tricyclic products with the endo configuration. Analysis of cytotoxycity for the resulting tricyclic amine-containing compounds showed an increase of anticancer activity as compared with the unsubstituted norcantharimide.

The biological activities and chemical composition of Pereskia species (Cactaceae)--a review.

Science.gov (United States)

Pinto, Nícolas de Castro Campos; Scio, Elita

2014-09-01

The exploration of nature as a source of sustainable, novel bioactive substances continues to grow as natural products play a significant role in the search for new therapeutic and agricultural agents. In this context, plants of the genus Pereskia (Cactaceae) have been studied for their biological activities, and are evolving as an interesting subject in the search for new, bioactive compounds. These species are commonly used as human foodstuffs and in traditional medicine to treat a variety of diseases. This review focuses on the bioactivity and chemical composition of the genus Pereskia, and aims to stimulate further studies on the chemistry and biological potential of the genus.

Study Under AC Stimulation on Excitement Properties of Weighted Small-World Biological Neural Networks with Side-Restrain Mechanism

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yuan Wujie; Luo Xiaoshu; Jiang Pinqun

2007-01-01

In this paper, we propose a new model of weighted small-world biological neural networks based on biophysical Hodgkin-Huxley neurons with side-restrain mechanism. Then we study excitement properties of the model under alternating current (AC) stimulation. The study shows that the excitement properties in the networks are preferably consistent with the behavior properties of a brain nervous system under different AC stimuli, such as refractory period and the brain neural excitement response induced by different intensities of noise and coupling. The results of the study have reference worthiness for the brain nerve electrophysiology and epistemological science.

Occurrence, biological activities and 13C NMR data of amides from Piper (Piperaceae

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jeferson C. do Nascimento

2012-01-01

Full Text Available This manuscript describes an update review with up to 285 references concerning the occurrence of amides from a variety of species of the genus Piper (Piperaceae. Besides addressing occurrence, this review also describes the biological activities attributed to extracts and pure compounds, a compiled 13C NMR data set, the main correlations between structural and NMR spectroscopic data of these compounds, and employment of hyphened techniques such as LC-MS, GC-MS and NMR for analysis of amides from biological samples and crude Piper extracts.

Inhibition of survivin influences the biological activities of canine histiocytic sarcoma cell lines.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hiroki Yamazaki

Full Text Available Canine histiocytic sarcoma (CHS is an aggressive malignant neoplasm that originates from histiocytic lineage cells, including dendritic cells and macrophages, and is characterized by progressive local infiltration and a very high metastatic potential. Survivin is as an apoptotic inhibitory factor that has major functions in cell proliferation, including inhibition of apoptosis and regulation of cell division, and is expressed in most types of human and canine malignant neoplasms, including melanoma and osteosarcoma. To investigate whether survivin was expressed at high levels in CHS and whether its expression was correlated with the aggressive biological behavior of CHS, we assessed relation between survivin expression and CHS progression, as well as the effects of survivin inhibition on the biological activities of CHS cells. We comparatively analyzed the expression of 6 selected anti-apoptotic genes, including survivin, in specimens from 30 dogs with histiocytic sarcoma and performed annexin V staining to evaluate apoptosis, methylthiazole tetrazolium assays to assess cell viability and chemosensitivity, and latex bead assays to measure changes in phagocytic activities in 4 CHS cell lines and normal canine fibroblasts transfected with survivin siRNA. Survivin gene expression levels in 30 specimens were significantly higher than those of the other 6 genes. After transfection with survivin siRNA, apoptosis, cell growth inhibition, enhanced chemosensitivity, and weakened phagocytic activities were observed in all CHS cell lines. In contrast, normal canine fibroblasts were not significantly affected by survivin knockdown. These results suggested that survivin expression may mediate the aggressive biological activities of CHS and that survivin may be an effective therapeutic target for the treatment of CHS.

Yucca Mountain Biological resources monitoring program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1991-01-01

The US Department of Energy (US DOE) is required by the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982 (as amended in 1987) to study and characterize Yucca Mountain as a possible site for a geological repository for high-level radioactive waste. To ensure site characterization activities do not adversely affect the Yucca Mountain area, an environmental program, the Yucca Mountain Biological Resources Monitoring Program, has been implemented monitor and mitigate environmental impacts and to ensure activities comply with applicable environmental laws. Potential impacts to vegetation, small mammals, and the desert tortoise (an indigenous threatened species) are addressed, as are habitat reclamation, radiological monitoring, and compilation of baseline data. This report describes the program in Fiscal Years 1989 and 1990. 12 refs., 4 figs., 17 tabs

Three-dimensional structure and cyanobacterial activity within a desert biological soil crust.

Science.gov (United States)

Raanan, Hagai; Felde, Vincent J M N L; Peth, Stephan; Drahorad, Sylvie; Ionescu, Danny; Eshkol, Gil; Treves, Haim; Felix-Henningsen, Peter; Berkowicz, Simon M; Keren, Nir; Horn, Rainer; Hagemann, Martin; Kaplan, Aaron

2016-02-01

Desert biological soil crusts (BSCs) are formed by adhesion of soil particles to polysaccharides excreted by filamentous cyanobacteria, the pioneers and main producers in this habitat. Biological soil crust destruction is a central factor leading to land degradation and desertification. We study the effect of BSC structure on cyanobacterial activity. Micro-scale structural analysis using X-ray microtomography revealed a vesiculated layer 1.5-2.5 mm beneath the surface in close proximity to the cyanobacterial location. Light profiles showed attenuation with depth of 1%-5% of surface light within 1 mm but also revealed the presence of 'light pockets', coinciding with the vesiculated layer, where the irradiance was 10-fold higher than adjacent crust parts at the same depth. Maximal photosynthetic activity, examined by O2 concentration profiles, was observed 1 mm beneath the surface and another peak in association with the 'light pockets'. Thus, photosynthetic activity may not be visible to currently used remote sensing techniques, suggesting that BSCs' contribution to terrestrial productivity is underestimated. Exposure to irradiance higher than 10% full sunlight diminished chlorophyll fluorescence, whereas O2 evolution and CO2 uptake rose, indicating that fluorescence did not reflect cyanobacterial photosynthetic activity. Our data also indicate that although resistant to high illumination, the BSC-inhabiting cyanobacteria function as 'low-light adapted' organisms. © 2015 Society for Applied Microbiology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Work environment and occupational risk assessment for small animal Portuguese veterinary activities.

Science.gov (United States)

Macedo, Angela C; Mota, Vânia T; Tavares, João M; Machado, Osvaldo L; Malcata, Francisco X; Cristo, Marinela P; Mayan, Olga N

2018-03-01

The professional work of small animal veterinary staff encompasses a wide diversity of demanding tasks. This has prompted a number of studies covering physical, chemical, biological, ergonomic, or psychological hazards, as well as their health effects upon veterinary workers. However, such results were obtained from self-reported surveys (via paper or online). This study reports the identification of potential hazards and provides a risk assessment of 15 veterinary clinics based on data from walk-through surveys, interviews with workers, and quantification of indoor air quality parameters including concentration of volatile organic compounds (total, isoflurane, and glutaraldehyde). The risk arising from X-ray exposure was unacceptable in seven clinics; X-ray examination should be discontinued in the absence of isolated radiation rooms, poor safety practices, and lack of personal protective equipment. Ergonomic-related hazards and work practices should be revised as soon as possible, considering that improper postures, as well as moving and lifting heavy animals are major causes of musculoskeletal disorders. The risk levels were, in general, small or medium (acceptable) with regard to exposure to physical hazards (such as bites, scratches, cuts, and burns) and biological hazards. It was observed that the indoor air quality parameters including temperature, respirable particulate matter and total volatile organic compounds do not indicate a comfortable workplace environment, requiring clinics' attention to keep the safe environment. The veterinarians and nurses were exposed to isoflurane (above 2 ppm) during surgery if an extractor system for waste gas was used instead of a scavenging system. Finally, veterinary workers did not possess any type of training on occupational safety and health issues, even though they recognized its importance.

FINASOL OSR 52 active components biodegradation by using the biologic activator Biolen IG 30

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bergueiro, J. R.; Luengo, M. C.; Socias, S.; Perez, F.; Laseca, D. [Universidad de las Islas Baleares, Palma de Mallorca (Spain); Perez-Navarro, A.; Morales, N. [Universidad Alfonso X El Sabio, Madrid (Spain)

1997-10-01

Degradation of the active ingredients in the FINASOL OSR 52, a commonly used dispersant in the treatment of marine oil spills, was studied. BIOLEN IG 30, comprising a mixture of bacteria, specially selected for their ability to degrade a wide range of chemical compounds, was used as the biodegrading agent. The kinetic coefficients of the degradation process were determined at different conditions, at ambient temperature, and at controlled 20 degrees C. BIOLEN IC 10 biologic activator was found to be adequate for total ionic and anionic dispersant degradation of the FINASOL OSR 52 at room temperature and at controlled 20 degrees C. Weekly addition of one gram of BIOLEN IG 30 was observed to improve biodegradation percentages for both ionic and anionic dispersants at controlled 20 degrees C. 12 refs., 5 tabs., 4 figs.

FINASOL OSR 52 active components biodegradation by using the biologic activator Biolen IG 30

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bergueiro, J. R.; Luengo, M. C.; Socias, S.; Perez, F.; Laseca, D.; Perez-Navarro, A.; Morales, N.

1997-01-01

Degradation of the active ingredients in the FINASOL OSR 52, a commonly used dispersant in the treatment of marine oil spills, was studied. BIOLEN IG 30, comprising a mixture of bacteria, specially selected for their ability to degrade a wide range of chemical compounds, was used as the biodegrading agent. The kinetic coefficients of the degradation process were determined at different conditions, at ambient temperature, and at controlled 20 degrees C. BIOLEN IC 10 biologic activator was found to be adequate for total ionic and anionic dispersant degradation of the FINASOL OSR 52 at room temperature and at controlled 20 degrees C. Weekly addition of one gram of BIOLEN IG 30 was observed to improve biodegradation percentages for both ionic and anionic dispersants at controlled 20 degrees C. 12 refs., 5 tabs., 4 figs

Time-dependent effects of ultraviolet and nonthermal atmospheric pressure plasma on the biological activity of titanium

Science.gov (United States)

Choi, Sung-Hwan; Jeong, Won-Seok; Cha, Jung-Yul; Lee, Jae-Hoon; Yu, Hyung-Seog; Choi, Eun-Ha; Kim, Kwang-Mahn; Hwang, Chung-Ju

2016-09-01

Here, we evaluated time-dependent changes in the effects of ultraviolet (UV) and nonthermal atmospheric pressure plasma (NTAPPJ) on the biological activity of titanium compared with that of untreated titanium. Grade IV machined surface titanium discs (12-mm diameter) were used immediately and stored up to 28 days after 15-min UV or 10-min NTAPPJ treatment. Changes of surface characteristics over time were evaluated using scanning electron microscopy, surface profiling, contact angle analysis, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and surface zeta-potential. Changes in biological activity over time were as determined by analysing bovine serum albumin adsorption, MC3T3-E1 early adhesion and morphometry, and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity between groups. We found no differences in the effects of treatment on titanium between UV or NTAPPJ over time; both treatments resulted in changes from negatively charged hydrophobic (bioinert) to positively charged hydrophilic (bioactive) surfaces, allowing enhancement of albumin adsorption, osteoblastic cell attachment, and cytoskeleton development. Although this effect may not be prolonged for promotion of cell adhesion until 4 weeks, the effects were sufficient to maintain ALP activity after 7 days of incubation. This positive effect of UV and NTAPPJ treatment can enhance the biological activity of titanium over time.

Reductive methylation of insulin. Production of a biologically active tritiated insulin

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Marsh, J W; Nahum, A; Steiner, D F [Department of Biochemistry, University of Chicago, Illinois, USA

1983-01-01

Reductive methylation of the three amino groups of porcine insulin was accomplished by incubation with formaldehyde and sodium cyanoborohydride. The two amino termini and the epsilon amino group of B29 lysine were each dimethylated within 1 h of incubation. The fully methylated insulin bound more tightly to a reverse phase column than did native insulin, had a slightly more acid isoelectric point, and maintained approximately 50% biological activity when examined with an insulin sensitive cultured cell line. Reductive methylation with sodium cyanoboro (/sup 3/H) hydride resulted in a (/sup 3/H) methylated insulin with a specific activity of 6 Ci/mmol.

Preparation of iodoinsulin with preserved biological activity. [/sup 125/I, /sup 127/I

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dominiczak, M [Akademia Medyczna, Gdansk (Poland)

1978-01-01

The paper presents a method of receiving iodoinsulin with preserved biological activity. As a raw material, recrystallized bovine insulin produced by ''Polfa'' was used. Chloramine T was used as an oxidizing agent in the iodide reaction. Insulin was labelled with /sup 125/I or /sup 127/I at a molar concentration of 0.6/n NaI to insulin. Obtained product contained about 0.3 iodine atoms per insulin molecule. Specific radioactivity of the iodoinsulin was between 77 and 147 ..mu..Ci/..mu..g. Such an insulin was over 95% precipitable with trichloroacetic acid. Its immunological reactivity varied from 89% to 100% while its biological activity, determined using the consumption of glucose by the fatty tissue of rat epididymis was 92% +- 24% of the native insulin activity. The half-life of /sup 125/I-insulin in the rat blood circulation was determined the clearance curve being biphasic. The half-life of the first phase (shorter one) was 0.64 +- 0.2 minute while the longer phase 8.89 +- 2.16 minutes.

Akttvitas Selulase, Amilase Dan Invertase Pada Tanah Kebun Biologi Wamena*[cellulase, Amylase and Invertase Activities Achieved From Soil of Wamena Biological Research Station

OpenAIRE

Rahmansyah, M; Latupapua, HJD

2003-01-01

Enzymatic activities in soil as due to microbes action in organic matter degradation, lead to propose as indicators for determining soil degree enrichment.In this work, the enzymatic activities of cellulase, invertase and amylase were determined in tropical soil collected from Biological Research Station in Wamena. Result of measurement on five soil samples showed that cellulase activity occurred between 0.10 - 0.31 mg reducing sugar/g soil/hour in 2% Carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) substrate, a...

Computer-aided discovery of biological activity spectra for anti-aging and anti-cancer olive oil oleuropeins.

Science.gov (United States)

Corominas-Faja, Bruna; Santangelo, Elvira; Cuyàs, Elisabet; Micol, Vicente; Joven, Jorge; Ariza, Xavier; Segura-Carretero, Antonio; García, Jordi; Menendez, Javier A

2014-09-01

Aging is associated with common conditions, including cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and Alzheimer's disease. The type of multi-targeted pharmacological approach necessary to address a complex multifaceted disease such as aging might take advantage of pleiotropic natural polyphenols affecting a wide variety of biological processes. We have recently postulated that the secoiridoids oleuropein aglycone (OA) and decarboxymethyl oleuropein aglycone (DOA), two complex polyphenols present in health-promoting extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), might constitute a new family of plant-produced gerosuppressant agents. This paper describes an analysis of the biological activity spectra (BAS) of OA and DOA using PASS (Prediction of Activity Spectra for Substances) software. PASS can predict thousands of biological activities, as the BAS of a compound is an intrinsic property that is largely dependent on the compound's structure and reflects pharmacological effects, physiological and biochemical mechanisms of action, and specific toxicities. Using Pharmaexpert, a tool that analyzes the PASS-predicted BAS of substances based on thousands of "mechanism-effect" and "effect-mechanism" relationships, we illuminate hypothesis-generating pharmacological effects, mechanisms of action, and targets that might underlie the anti-aging/anti-cancer activities of the gerosuppressant EVOO oleuropeins.

Small molecule inhibitors block Gas6-inducible TAM activation and tumorigenicity.

Science.gov (United States)

Kimani, Stanley G; Kumar, Sushil; Bansal, Nitu; Singh, Kamalendra; Kholodovych, Vladyslav; Comollo, Thomas; Peng, Youyi; Kotenko, Sergei V; Sarafianos, Stefan G; Bertino, Joseph R; Welsh, William J; Birge, Raymond B

2017-03-08

TAM receptors (Tyro-3, Axl, and Mertk) are a family of three homologous type I receptor tyrosine kinases that are implicated in several human malignancies. Overexpression of TAMs and their major ligand Growth arrest-specific factor 6 (Gas6) is associated with more aggressive staging of cancers, poorer predicted patient survival, acquired drug resistance and metastasis. Here we describe small molecule inhibitors (RU-301 and RU-302) that target the extracellular domain of Axl at the interface of the Ig-1 ectodomain of Axl and the Lg-1 of Gas6. These inhibitors effectively block Gas6-inducible Axl receptor activation with low micromolar IC 50s in cell-based reporter assays, inhibit Gas6-inducible motility in Axl-expressing cell lines, and suppress H1299 lung cancer tumor growth in a mouse xenograft NOD-SCIDγ model. Furthermore, using homology models and biochemical verifications, we show that RU301 and 302 also inhibit Gas6 inducible activation of Mertk and Tyro3 suggesting they can act as pan-TAM inhibitors that block the interface between the TAM Ig1 ectodomain and the Gas6 Lg domain. Together, these observations establish that small molecules that bind to the interface between TAM Ig1 domain and Gas6 Lg1 domain can inhibit TAM activation, and support the further development of small molecule Gas6-TAM interaction inhibitors as a novel class of cancer therapeutics.

A photocleavable rapamycin conjugate for spatiotemporal control of small GTPase activity.

Science.gov (United States)

Umeda, Nobuhiro; Ueno, Tasuku; Pohlmeyer, Christopher; Nagano, Tetsuo; Inoue, Takanari

2011-01-12

We developed a novel method to spatiotemporally control the activity of signaling molecules. A newly synthesized photocaged rapamycin derivative induced rapid dimerization of FKBP (FK-506 binding protein) and FRB (FKBP-rapamycin binding protein) upon UV irradiation. With this system and the spatially confined UV irradiation, we achieved subcellularly localized activation of Rac, a member of small GTPases. Our technique offers a powerful approach to studies of dynamic intracellular signaling events.

Metal-containing Complexes of Lactams, Imidazoles, and Benzimidazoles and Their Biological Activity

Science.gov (United States)