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Sample records for cardo onopordum nervosum

  1. Hydrolysis of Lignocellulose Biomass of Onopordum nervosum Boiss; Hidrolisis acida de la Biomasa Lignocelulosica del cardo Onopordum nervosum Boiss

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Suarez Contreras, C; Diaz Palma, A; Paz, M D

    1985-07-01

    Hydrolysis of resistant cellulose of Onopordum nervosum Boiss (thistle) to reducing sugars in dilute sulfuric acid in glass ampoules and long residence times has been studied and kinetic parameters determined. The rate of hydrolysis is similar to that of the cellulose of Douglas fir, but comparatively the effect of the acid is more pronounced than temperature. From kinetic data it can be pre ducted the yield and since it can be obtained at least 45% of the potential glucose (48% as reducing sugars) at 190 degree centigree, 1,6% acid and 6,1 min. residence time, it indicates that the continuous acid hydrolysis of thistle may be a process of commercial interest. (Author) 18 refs.

  2. Acid hydrolysis of Biomass lignocellulose Onopordum nervosum Boiss

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Suarez Contreras, C.; Diaz Palma, A.; Paz, M. D.

    1985-01-01

    Hydrolysis of resistant cellulose of Onopordum nervosum Boiss (thistle) to reducing sugars in dilute sulfuric acid in glass ampoules and long residence times has been studied and kinetic parameters determined. The rate of hydrolysis is similar to that of the cellulose of Douglas fir, but comparatively the effect of the acid is more pronounced than temperature. From kinetic data it can be pre ducted the yield and since it can be obtained at least 45% of the potential glucose (48% as reducing sugars) at 190 degree centigree, 1,6% acid and 6,1 min. residence time, it indicates that the continuous acid hydrolysis of thistle may be a process of commercial interest. (Author) 18 refs

  3. Acid Pre hydrolysis of the Lignocellulose biomass from thistle Onopordum nervosum Boiss; Prehidrolisis acida de la Biomasa Lignocelulosica del Cardo Onopordum nervosum Boiss

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Suarez Contreras, C; Paz Saa, D; Diaz Palma, A

    1983-07-01

    The acid pre hydrolysis of the lignocellulose biomass from thistle O. nervosum has been conducted to determine the conditions for maximum yield of pentoses with minimum yield of hexoses. Variables studied were acid concentration (H{sub 2}SO{sub 4}, 1 , 3, 4 and 5%) , temperature (1000 and 120 degree centigree) time, solid to liquid ratio and degree of fineness of thistle (1 to 65 mesh). (Author) 15 refs.

  4. Acid hydrolysis of the biomass of resistant cellulose of thistle ''Onopordum nervosum boiss''

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Suarez, C.; Diaz Palma, A.; Paz Saa, M.D.

    1985-01-01

    Hydrolysis of resistant cellulose of ''Onopordum nervosum boiss'' (thistle) to reduce sugar in diluted sulfuric acid in glass ampoules and long residence times have been studied and kinetic parameters determined. The rate of hydrolysis is similar to that of the cellulose of Douglas fir, but comparatively the effect of the acid is more pronounced than temperature. From kinetic data the yield can be predicted and since it can be obtained at least 45% of the potential glucose (48% as reducing sugars) at 190 deg C, 1.6% acid and 6.1 min. residence time, it indicates that the continuous acid hydrolysis of thistle may be a process of commercial interest. (author)

  5. Onopordum nervosum as biomass source: some aspects of its production and transformation by enzymatic hydrolysis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Manzanares, P; Negro, M J; Saez, R; Martin, C [Centro de Investigaciones Energeticas, Medioambientales y Tecnologicas, Madrid (Spain). Inst. de Energias Renovables; Fernandez, J [ETSIA, Madrid (Spain). Dept. de Produccion Vegetal, Botanica y Proteccion Vegetal

    1993-01-01

    Onopordum nervosum, a lignocellulosic herbaceous species of the Iberian Peninsula, has been selected as a suitable biomass source to be used in transformation processes to obtain energy or industrial products. In this work, the effectiveness of different chemical pretreatments as a preliminary step to the enzymatic hydrolysis of this lignocellulosic biomass was evaluated. In order to determine biomass productivity, field assays were carried out in 1988 and 1989 using different planting densities and evaluating the effect to top fertilization. Biomass yields between 12 and 20 t ha[sup -1] were obtained, depending on the year and the planting density assayed. No significant differences were found in production rates when top fertilization was applied. Enzymatic hydrolysis of O.nervosum using a cellulolytic complex from Trichoderma longibrachiatum QM9414, gave low yields when untreated lignocellulosic biomass was used as substrate. Among different chemical pretreatments tested, ethanol and butanol solubilizations in the presence of a basic catalyst gave the best results. For the most effective pretreatment conditions, a delignification of about 30% and a complete recovery of glucose in the treated substrate were obtained both for butanol and ethanol. The highest enzymatic hydrolysis yields were found when ethanol was used as solvent, giving a saccharification efficiency of about 66% which, compared to the 23% for the native substrate, indicates the remarkable increment in the susceptibility of the cellulose to enzyme attack effected by this pretreatment. (author)

  6. Acid Pre hydrolysis of the Lignocellulose biomass from thistle Onopordum nervosum Boiss

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Suarez Contreras, C.; Paz Saa, D.; Diaz Palma, A.

    1983-01-01

    The acid pre hydrolysis of the lignocellulose biomass from thistle O. nervosum has been conducted to determine the conditions for maximum yield of pentoses with minimum yield of hexoses. Variables studied were acid concentration (H 2 SO 4 , 1 , 3, 4 and 5%) , temperature (1000 and 120 degree centigree) time, solid to liquid ratio and degree of fineness of thistle (1 to 65 mesh). (Author) 15 refs

  7. Radiation-induced crosslinking of aromatic polymers with cardo group

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xu Jun; Zhang Wanxi

    1991-01-01

    The effects of irradiation on the aromatic polymers with cardo group, such as polyetherketone with cardo group (PEK-C) and polyethersulfone with cardo group (PES-C) were studied. It was found that PEK-C and PES-C can be crosslinked by irradiation under vacuum. Moreover, it was also found that the intensity of the shake-up peak of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) for PEK-C and PES-C varies as irradiation dose. Gelation doses (Rg) of PEK-C and PES-C were estimated by shake-up peaks of XPS. (author) 6 refs.; 8 figs.; 3 tabs

  8. Effect of gamma Irradiation on the acidic hydrolysis of free-hemi cellulose thistle; Efecto de la irradiacion gamma en la hidrolisis acida de cardo exento de pentosas

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Suarez, C.; Paz, M. D.; Diaz, A.

    1983-07-01

    The effect of gamma-irradiation on the subsequent acidic hydrolysis of free-hemi cellulose Onopordum Nervosum Boiss thistle Ls determined. Its shown the influence of gamma-irradiation on the yield of sugar obtained flora the batch wise hydrol isis of the call ulose (1% H{sub 2}SO{sub 4} and 180 degree centigree at increasing doses). At all irradiation levels studied, the rate of hydrolysis of thistle samples was higher than the rate of hydrolysis of the cellulose from paper treated similarly. The maximum over-all yield of sugar in the irradiated lignocellulose material was about 66o at 100 MRad, less than two times the yield obtainable from the control. The corresponding yield from papel was 53%, 2'3 times that of the control. Irradiation under 1% H{sub 2}SO{sub 4} doesn't enhance the yield anyway. (Author) 21 refs.

  9. Effect of gamma Irradiation on the acidic hydrolysis of free-hemi cellulose thistle; Efecto de la irradiacion gamma en la hidrolisis acida de cardo exento de pentosas

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Suarez, C; Paz, M D; Diaz, A

    1983-07-01

    The effect of gamma-irradiation on the subsequent acidic hydrolysis of free-hemi cellulose Onopordum Nervosum Boiss thistle Ls determined. Its shown the influence of gamma-irradiation on the yield of sugar obtained flora the batch wise hydrol isis of the call ulose (1% H{sub 2}SO{sub 4} and 180 degree centigree at increasing doses). At all irradiation levels studied, the rate of hydrolysis of thistle samples was higher than the rate of hydrolysis of the cellulose from paper treated similarly. The maximum over-all yield of sugar in the irradiated lignocellulose material was about 66o at 100 MRad, less than two times the yield obtainable from the control. The corresponding yield from papel was 53%, 2'3 times that of the control. Irradiation under 1% H{sub 2}SO{sub 4} doesn't enhance the yield anyway. (Author) 21 refs.

  10. Enzymatic activity of the cellulolytic complex produced by trichoderma reesei. Enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulose

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Alfonsel Jaen, M.; Negro, M.J.; Saez, R.; Martin Moreno, C.

    1986-01-01

    The enzymatic activity characterization of the cellulolytic complex obtained from Trichoderma reese QM 9414 and the influence of the enzymatic hydrolysis conditions on the hydrolysis yield are studied. Pure cellulose and native or alkali pretreated biomass from Onopordum nervosum have been used as substrates. The values of pH, temperature, substrate concentration and enzyme-substrate ratio for the optimum activity of that complex, evaluated as glucose and reducing sugars productions, have been selected. Previous studies on enzymatic hydrolysis of O. nervosum have shown a remarkable effect of the alkaline pretreatments on the final hydrolysis yield. (author). 10 figs.; 10 refs

  11. Enzymatic activity of the cellulolytic complex produced by Trichoderma reesei. Enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulose; Actividad enzimatica del complejo celulolitico producido por Trichoderma reesei. Hidrolisis enzimatica de la celulosa

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Alfonsel, M; Negro, M J; Saez, R; Martin, C

    1986-07-01

    The enzymatic activity characterization of the cellulolytic complex obtained from Trichoderma reesei QM 9414 and the influence of the enzymatic hydrolysis conditions on the hydrolysis yield are studied. Pure cellulose and native or alkali pretreated biomass Onopordum nervosum have been used as substrates. The values of pH, temperature, substrate concentration and enzyme-substrate ratio for the optimum activity of that complex, evaluated as glucose and reducing sugars production, have been selected. Previous studies on enzymatic hydrolysis of 0. nervosum have shown a remarkable effect of the alkaline pretreatments on the final hydrolysis yield. (Author) 10 refs.

  12. Enzymatic activity of the cellulolytic complex produced by Trichoderma reesei. Enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulose

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Alfonsel J, M.; Negro A, M. J.; Saez A, R.; Martin M, C.

    1986-01-01

    The enzymatic activity characterization of the cellulolytic complex obtained from Trichoderma reesei QM 9414 and the influence of the enzymatic hydrolysis conditions on the hydrolysis yield are studied. Pure cellulose and native or alkali pretreated biomass Onopordum nervosum have been used as substrates. The values of pH, temperature, substrate concentration and enzyme-substrate ratio for the optimum activity of that complex, evaluated as glucose and reducing sugars production, have been selected. Previous studies on enzymatic hydrolysis of 0. nervosum have shown a remarkable effect of the alkaline pretreatments on the final hydrolysis yield. (Author) 10 refs

  13. Cellulase production by two mutant strain of Trichoderma longibrachiatum Qm9414 and Rut C30

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Blanco, M.J.

    1991-01-01

    Native or pretreated biomass from Onopordum nervosum boiss, has been examined as candidate feedstock for cellulase production by two mutant strain of trichoderma longibrachiatum QM9414 and Rut C30. Batch cultivation methods were evaluated and compared with previous experiments using ball-milled, crystalline cellulose (Solka floc). Batch cultivation of T. longibrachiatum Rut C30 on 55% (W/V) acid pretreated O. nervosum biomass yielded enzyme productivities and activities comparable to those obtained on Solka floc. However, the overall enzyme production performance was lower than on Solka floc at comparable cellulose concentrations. This fact may be due to the accumulation of pretreated by products and lignin in the fermentor.(author)

  14. Cellulase production by two mutant strain of Trichoderma longibrachiatum Qm9414 and Rut C30; Produccion de celulasas a partir de dos cepas hiperproductoras de trichoderma longibrachiatum Qm9414 y Rut C30

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Blanco, M.J.

    1991-12-31

    Native or pretreated biomass from Onopordum nervosum boiss, has been examined as candidate feedstock for cellulase production by two mutant strain of trichoderma longibrachiatum QM9414 and Rut C30. Batch cultivation methods were evaluated and compared with previous experiments using ball-milled, crystalline cellulose (Solka floc). Batch cultivation of T. longibrachiatum Rut C30 on 55% (W/V) acid pretreated O. nervosum biomass yielded enzyme productivities and activities comparable to those obtained on Solka floc. However, the overall enzyme production performance was lower than on Solka floc at comparable cellulose concentrations. This fact may be due to the accumulation of pretreated by products and lignin in the fermentor.(author)

  15. Cellulase production by two mutant strain of Trichoderma longibrachiatum Qm9414 and Rut C30. Produccion de celulasas a partir de dos cepas hiperproductoras de trichoderma longibrachiatum Qm9414 y Rut C30

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Blanco, M.J.

    1991-01-01

    Native or pretreated biomass from Onopordum nervosum boiss, has been examined as candidate feedstock for cellulase production by two mutant strain of trichoderma longibrachiatum QM9414 and Rut C30. Batch cultivation methods were evaluated and compared with previous experiments using ball-milled, crystalline cellulose (Solka floc). Batch cultivation of T. longibrachiatum Rut C30 on 55% (W/V) acid pretreated O. nervosum biomass yielded enzyme productivities and activities comparable to those obtained on Solka floc. However, the overall enzyme production performance was lower than on Solka floc at comparable cellulose concentrations. This fact may be due to the accumulation of pretreated by products and lignin in the fermentor.(author)

  16. The Research of Antioxidant Activity of the Endemic Species of Onopordum Anatolicum

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    G. TAŞDELEN

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available As is the case elsewhere in the world, Turkish people have long utilized plants as remedies, food, fuel, and dye, as well as for furniture, ornamentation, agricultural tools, and construction materials. Onopordum is a valuable medicinal plant that is widely used in traditional medicine in Europe. The application of Onopordum as food is limited and its main importance is due to medicine utilization. Because of having flavonoid compositions, Onopordum is an important plant. The Genus Onopordum L. (Asteraceae includes about 38 species. The representatives of the genus are native to Europe, Northern Africa, the Canary Island, the Caucasus, Southwest and Central Asia. In Turkey, this genus is represented with 20 species, 6 of which are endemic. Onopordum (cotton thistle, also known as Scots or Scotch thistle species are biennials herbaceous plants with branched, spinose winged stems. They have application in medical practice as a bactericide, cardiotonic, and hemostatic agent and are used against hypotonicity. In this study antioxidant activities of ethanol, methanol, acetone and benzen extracts of some endemic Onopordum anatolicum (Boiss. Boiss. & Heldr. ex Eig seeds which are in Denizli were examined. DPPH and β-carotene-Linoleic acid methods were used in order to determinethe antioxidant activity. The highest antioxidant activity (77% was seenin the extract which is obtained by using methanol catalyst. The lowest activity of antioxidant of the extracts is acetone (5%. In terms of impact, the strenght of antioxidant depends on the phenolic amount of it. For that purpose, O. anatolicum total fenolic content was calculated in terms of mg/ml gallic acid in the experiment performed by using Folin-Ciocaltaeu medhod. According to these values, the highest amount of phenolic compounds are in methanol and the lowest amount of phenolic compounds are in benzen. According to the results of the experiment performed by using DPPH method, it is obvious that the

  17. Researching of cardos activity for chronic heart failure treatment in case of concomitant chronic kidney disease (stage V, conventional hemodialysis

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    Chepurina N.G.

    2011-06-01

    Full Text Available Aim: comparative investigation of cardos (antibodies to angiotensin II receptor subtype 1 (AT., C-terminal fragment, diovan (Valsartan or both drug combination effects (changing of clinical picture, physical exertion tolerance and quality of life for treatment chronic heart failure (CHF patients. Methods. 12-month open-label randomized research was performed. CHF patients (NYHA Class l-ll, n=30 with concomitant chronic kidney disease (stage V, conventional hemodialysis were randomized (10 patients in each group for 6-month treatment by cardos (group I, average dose 1,8g/day, diovan (group II, average dose 80mg/dayorboth drug combination (group III, cardos 1,8g/day and diovan 80mg/day. CHD basic treatment was prescribed for all patients. In a 6-month drug crossover between groups I and I was performed, group III was divided into 2 subgroups (subgroup IIIA— cardos, subgroup NIB — diovan followed by next 6-month treatment. Results. Long-term treatment by cardos has improved functional class (NYHA of CHF patients with concomitant chronic kidney disease (stage V, conventional hemodialysis. cardos, diovan and both drug combination have demonstrated improvement of physical exertion tolerance, quality of life and patient clinical status during 6-min walking test. Conclusion. Cardos and diovan have shown the same efficacy. Cardos can be used as real alternative in case of ARA administration necessity

  18. Cellulase production by two mutant strain of Trichoderma longibranchiatum QM9414 and Rut C30; Produccion de celulasas a partir de dos cepas hiperproductoras de trichoderma longibranchiatum Qm9-41 4 y Rut C30

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Blanco, M J

    1991-07-01

    Native or pretreated biomass from Onopordum nervosum Boiss, has been examined as candidate feedstock for cellulase production by two mutant strain of Trichoderma Ionqibrachiatum QM9414 and Rut C30. Batch cultivation methods were evaluated and compared with previous experiments using ball-milled, crystalline cellulose (Solka floc). Batch cultivation of T. Ionqibrachiatum Rut C30 on 5% (w/v) acid pretreated O. nervosum biomass yielded enzyme productivities and activities comparable to those obtained on Solka floc. However, the overall enzyme production performance was lower than on Solka floc at comparable cellulose concentrations. This fact may be due to the accumulation of pretreated by products and lignin in the ferment. (Author) 40 refs.

  19. Cellulase production by two mutant strain of Trichoderma longibranchiatum QM 9414 and Rut C30

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Blanco, M. J.

    1991-01-01

    Native or pretreated biomass from Onopordum nervosum Boiss, has been examined as candidate feedstock for cellulase production by two mutant strain of Trichoderma Ionqibrachiatum QM9414 and Rut C30. Batch cultivation methods were evaluated and compared with previous experiments using ball-milled, crystalline cellulose (Solka floc). Batch cultivation of T. Ionqibrachiatum Rut C30 on 5% (w/v) acid pretreated O. nervosum biomass yielded enzyme productivities and activities comparable to those obtained on Solka floc. However, the overall enzyme production performance was lower than on Solka floc at comparable cellulose concentrations. This fact may be due to the accumulation of pretreated by products and lignin in the ferment. (Author) 40 refs

  20. Synthesis, characterization and gas separation properties of novel polyimides containing cardo and tert-butyl-m-terphenyl moieties

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    L. A. Bermejo

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available A series of aromatic polyimides has been obtained by the reaction of two dianhydrides, the commercial 2,2′-bis(3,4-dicarboxyphenylhexafluoropropane dianhydride (6FDA and another having a 5′-tert-butyl-m-terphenyl moiety (BTPDA, with several diamines, including two that have a cardo structure (derived from 9H-fluorene, one of them bearing methyl groups ortho to the amino functionalities (TMeCardo. The solubility, and also the thermal, mechanical, and gas separation properties of the corresponding polyimide membranes were evaluated and compared in order to explore the effect of the different groups in the polyimide backbone. The novel polyimides, which were derived from BTPDA and the cardo diamines, showed high thermal stability, excellent solubility in organic solvents and good gas separation properties, especially the polyimide that bore the ortho methyl substituents. The behavior was especially good for the pair O2/N2, where the TMeCardo polymer overpassed the Robeson upper bound.

  1. Phytotoxic Potential of Onopordum acanthium L. (Asteraceae)

    OpenAIRE

    Watanabe, Yusuke; Novaes, Paula; Kato-Noguchi, Hisashi; Varela Montoya, Rosa; González Molinillo, José María; Macías Domínguez, Francisco Antonio

    2014-01-01

    Onopordum acanthium L. (Asteraceae) is a plant native to southern Europe and southwestern Asia, but it is invasive in disturbed areas and agricultural fields around the world, causing many agronomic problems by interfering with crops or preventing animals from grazing on pastures. Allelopathy could be one of the reasons that this plant has spread over different continents. The aim of the present study was to bioprospect O. acanthium leaf extracts through the isolation and purification of alle...

  2. Reproductive Dynamics of Sterna hirundinacea Lesson, 1831 in Ilha dos Cardos, Santa Catarina, Brazil

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    Hélio Augusto Alves Fracasso

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available In this work, we intend to describe the reproductive dynamics of Sterna hirundinacea in an island from South Brazil. We studied the reproductive biology of this species in its natural environment and provide data on their growth, survival, and reproductive success in Ilha dos Cardos, Santa Catarina, South Brazil. Samplings were carried out daily on the island throughout the reproductive seasons of 2003, 2005, and 2006 and the different stages of development of the chicks were characterized according to age, length of the beak, and plumage characteristics. We provide a basic equation Lm=167.91 (1-e-0.062t--0.23 to determine the approximate age of individuals using their body mass. The main cause of chick mortality on the island was natural (63.17% in 2003, 81.41% in 2005, and 79.96% in 2006, whereas predation contributed to mortality in a proportion of 38.83% in 2003, 18.59% in 2005, and 20.04% in 2006. The absence in the area of the chicks’ main predator, Kelp gull (Larus dominicanus, the large number of chicks that reached the final stages of development, and their reproductive success demonstrate that Ilha dos Cardos is an important breeding site for the species in southern Brazil.

  3. Reproductive success of South American terns (Sterna hirundinacea from Cardos Islands, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil

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    Hélio A.A. Fracasso

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available Sterna hirundinacea (Lesson, 1831 is a migratory seabird that breeds in the Pacific Coast (from Peru to Chile and along the Atlantic coast of South America from Espírito Santo (Brazil to Terra del Fuego (Argentina. This paper describes the reproductive success of South American Terns on Cardos Island, Florianopolis, Brazil in the breeding seasons of 2003, 2005 and 2006. The colony was formed in mid-May in 2003 and early April in other years, with the total number of nests ranging from 1,852 in 2006 to 2,486 in 2005. Hatching success was estimated at 76.39% in 2006, 62.73% in 2003 and 41.1% in 2005, the lowest value that could be attributed to predation by hawks Caracara plancus, lizards Tupinambis merianae and black vulture Coragyps atratus. The chicks hatched in July in 2003, and in June 2005 and 2006, and fledging success was 50.94%, 35.96 and 53.47% respectively. Cardos Island has been constantly used as a breeding site by South American Terns, and therefore represents an important area for conservation of this species. This success could be attributed to low pressure of Kelp gulls (Larus dominicanus, the main predator of seabirds along the Brazilian coast.Sterna hirundinacea (Lesson, 1831 é uma ave migratória que nidifica na costa do Pacífico (do Peru ao Chile e ao longo do Atlântico Sul do Espírito Santo (Brasil até a Terra do Fogo (Argentina. Este trabalho descreve o sucesso reprodutivo do trinta-réis do bico-vermelho na ilha dos Cardos, Florianópolis, Brasil, durante as temporadas reprodutivas de 2003, 2005 e 2006. A formação da colônia ocorreu em maio de 2003 e inicio de abril nos outros anos, com um total de ninhos variando entre 1.852 em 2006 a 2.486 em 2005. O sucesso de incubação foi estimado em 76,39% (2006, 62,73% (2003 e 41,1% em 2005, sendo que os menores valores puderam ser atribuídos a predação dos gaviões Caracara plancus, lagartos Tupinambis merianae e urubus Coragyps atratus. As primeiras eclosões foram

  4. Phytotoxic potential of Onopordum acanthium L. (Asteraceae).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Watanabe, Yusuke; Novaes, Paula; Varela, Rosa M; Molinillo, José M G; Kato-Noguchi, Hisashi; Macías, Francisco A

    2014-08-01

    Onopordum acanthium L. (Asteraceae) is a plant native to southern Europe and southwestern Asia, but it is invasive in disturbed areas and agricultural fields around the world, causing many agronomic problems by interfering with crops or preventing animals from grazing on pastures. Allelopathy could be one of the reasons that this plant has spread over different continents. The aim of the present study was to bioprospect O. acanthium leaf extracts through the isolation and purification of allelopathic secondary metabolites with phytotoxicity to explain their invasive behavior. Phytotoxic activity was tested using etiolated wheat coleoptiles. The most active extract was selected to perform a bioassay-guided isolation of two flavonoids, pectolarigenin (1) and scutellarein 4'-methyl ether (2), and two sesquiterpene lactones, elemanolide 11(13)-dehydromelitensin β-hydroxyisobutyrate (3) and acanthiolide (4). All compounds were isolated for the first time from O. acanthium, and acanthiolide (4) is described for the first time. Compound 3 strongly inhibited the growth of wheat coleoptiles and 1 showed an intermediate effect. The results indicate that these compounds could contribute to the invasion of O. acanthium in ecological systems and agricultural fields. Copyright © 2014 Verlag Helvetica Chimica Acta AG, Zürich.

  5. The hydro-alcoholic extracts of Sardinian wild thistles (Onopordum spp.) inhibit TNFα-induced IL-8 secretion and NF-κB pathway in human gastric epithelial AGS cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marengo, Arianna; Fumagalli, Marco; Sanna, Cinzia; Maxia, Andrea; Piazza, Stefano; Cagliero, Cecilia; Rubiolo, Patrizia; Sangiovanni, Enrico; Dell'Agli, Mario

    2018-01-10

    Thistles species (Family: Compositae) are traditionally used in the Mediterranean area, particularly in Sardinia. They are usually gathered from the wild and used for both food and therapeutic purposes, including gastrointestinal disorders. This work aims to evaluate the anti-inflammatory activity of eight wild thistles from Sardinia, in an in vitro model of gastric inflammation, and to identify the major active compounds in the extracts. The hydro-alcoholic extract of the aerial part of each species was prepared. After the induction of inflammation by the addition of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNFα) (10ng/mL), AGS cells were treated with extracts/pure compounds under study. The inhibition of interleukin-8 (IL-8) release, IL-8 and NF-κB promoter activities and NF-κB nuclear translocation were evaluated. Extracts main components were identified by HPLC-PDA-MS/MS. Only Onopordum horridum Viv. and Onopordum illyricum L. hydro-alcoholic extracts reduced, in a concentration-dependent fashion, the IL-8 release and promoter activity in human gastric epithelial cells AGS. The effect was partially due to the NF-κB pathway impairment. Onopordum hydro-alcoholic extracts were also chemically profiled, and caffeoylquinic acid derivatives were the main compounds identified in the extract. Further investigations showed that 3,5 dicaffeoylquinic acid highly inhibited IL-8 secretion in AGS cells (IC 50 0.65μM), thus suggesting that this compound contributed, at least in part, to the anti-inflammatory activity elicited by O. illyricum extracts. Our results suggest that Onopordum species may exert beneficial effects against gastric inflammatory diseases. Thus, these wild plants deserve further investigations as preventive or co-adjuvant agents in gastric diseases. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Effect of γ-irradiation on the acidic hydrolysis of free-hemicellulose thistle

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Suarez, C.; Paz Saa, D.; Diaz Palma, A.

    1983-01-01

    The effect of gamma-irradiation on the subsequent acidic hydrolysis of free-hemicellulose ''Onopordum Nervosum Boiss'' thistle is determined. It is shown the influence of gamma-irradiation on the yield or sugar obtained from the batchwise hydrolysis of the cellulose (1% H 2 SO 4 and 180 0 C) at increasing doses. At all irradiation levels studied, the rate of hydrolysis of thistle samples was higher than the rate of hydrolysis of the cellulose from paper treated similarly. The maximum overall yield of sugar in the irradiated lignocellulosic material was about 66 0 at 100 MRad, less than two times the yield obtainable from the control. The corresponding yield from paper was 53%, 2'3 times that of the control. Irradiation under 1% H 2 SO 4 does not enhance the yield anyway. (author)

  7. Open field experiment to assess the host specificity of Lixus cardui (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), a potential candidate for biological control of Onopordum acanthium (Asteraceae)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scotch thistle Onopordum acanthium (Asteraceae) is native to Europe and Asia and has been accidentally introduced to temperate climates elsewhere, including North America and Australia. In the USA, the weed is most problematic in the semi-arid parts of the Northwest, California and Nevada. Lixus car...

  8. Effect of gamma Irradiation on the acidic hydrolysis of free-hemi cellulose thistle

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Suarez, C.; Paz, M. D.; Diaz, A.

    1983-01-01

    The effect of gamma-irradiation on the subsequent acidic hydrolysis of free-hemi cellulose Onopordum Nervosum Boiss thistle Ls determined. Its shown the influence of gamma-irradiation on the yield of sugar obtained flora the batch wise hydrol isis of the call ulose (1% H 2 SO 4 and 180 degree centigree at increasing doses. At all irradiation levels studied, the rate of hydrolysis of thistle samples was higher than the rate of hydrolysis of the cellulose from paper treated similarly. The maximum over-all yield of sugar in the irradiated lignocellulose material was about 66o at 100 MRad, less than two times the yield obtainable from the control. The corresponding yield from papel was 53%, 2'3 times that of the control. Irradiation under 1% H 2 SO 4 doesn't enhance the yield anyway. (Author) 21 refs

  9. A green approach for preparing anion exchange membrane based on cardo polyetherketone powders

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hu, Jue; Zhang, Chengxu; Zhang, Xiaodong; Chen, Longwei; Jiang, Lin; Meng, Yuedong; Wang, Xiangke

    2014-12-01

    Anion exchange membranes (AEMs) have attracted great attention due to their irreplaceable role in platinum-free fuel cell applications. The majority of AEM preparations have been performed in two steps: the grafting of functional groups and quaternization. Here, we adopted a simpler, more eco-friendly approach for the first time to prepare AEMs by atmospheric-pressure plasma-grafting. This approach enables the direct introduction of anion exchange groups (benzyltrimethylammonium groups) into the polymer matrix, overcoming the need for toxic chloromethyl ether and quaternization reagents. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and 1H NMR spectroscopy results demonstrate that benzyltrimethylammonium groups have been successfully grafted into the cardo polyetherketone (PEK-C) matrix. Thermogravimetric analysis reveals that the plasma-grafting technique is a facile and non-destructive method able to improve the thermal stability of the polymer matrix due to the strong preservation of the PEK-C backbone structure and the cross-linking of the grafted side chains. The plasma-grafted PG-NOH membrane, which shows satisfactory alcohol resistance (ethanol permeability of 6.3 × 10-7 cm2 s-1), selectivity (1.2 × 104 S s cm-3), thermal stability (safely used below 130 °C), chemical stability, anion conductivity (7.7 mS cm-1 at 20 °C in deionized water) and mechanical properties is promising for the construction of high-performance fuel cells.

  10. Protective Effect of Cleistocalyx nervosum var. paniala Fruit Extract against Oxidative Renal Damage Caused by Cadmium

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Warut Poontawee

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Cadmium nephrotoxicity is a serious environmental health problem as it will eventually end up with end stage renal disease. The pathobiochemical mechanism of this toxic heavy metal is related to oxidative stress. This study investigated whether Cleistocalyx nervosum var. paniala fruit extract (CNFE could protect the kidney against oxidative injury caused by cadmium. Initial analysis of the extract revealed antioxidant abilities and high levels of polyphenols, particularly catechin. Its potential renal benefits was further explored in rats treated with vehicle, CNFE, cadmium (2 mg/kg, and cadmium plus CNFE (0.5, 1, 2 g/kg for four weeks. Oxidative renal injury was developed after cadmium exposure as evidenced by blood urea nitrogen and creatinine retention, glomerular filtration reduction, renal structural damage, together with increased nitric oxide and malondialdehyde, but decreased antioxidant thiols, superoxide dismutase, and catalase in renal tissues. Cadmium-induced nephrotoxicity was diminished in rats supplemented with CNFE, particularly at the doses of 1 and 2 g/kg. It is concluded that CNFE is able to protect against the progression of cadmium nephrotoxicity, mostly via its antioxidant power. The results also point towards a promising role for this naturally-occurring antioxidant to combat other human disorders elicited by disruption of redox homeostasis.

  11. Antioxidant activity, total phenolic, and total flavonoid of extracts from stems of Jasminum nervosum Lour

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wei, Xiangyong

    2011-06-01

    Full Text Available Guangxi traditional Chinese Medical University Universidad de Medicina Tradicional China de Guangxi This study evaluated the antioxidant activities of the extracts of Jasminum nervosum Lour. stems along with the effects of different extract solvents on total phenolics (TP, total flavonoids (TF, and antioxidant potential. The antioxidant activity of the extracts was assessed using the following methods: DPPH, ABTS+ both free radicals scavenging assays, and reducing assays. TP and TF were detected by spectrophotometric and HPLC methods. In former methods, the highest amount of TP content was ethy lacetate extract (EAE, expressed as gallic acid equivalents. The greatest TF content was in the n-butanol extract (BE, expressed as lutin equivalents. No significant difference was observed in the TP/TF content between these two extracts. The antioxidant activity and TP/TF content of three extracts seemed to follow the same trend. This implied that there is a good correlation between antioxidant activities and TP/TF content. But in HPLC methods, EAE contained the highest content of lutin and gallic acid, which decreased in the same order of EAE > BE > PE, the rank order of TP/TF content of EAE and BE were different according to antioxidant ability. The overall results showed that the EAE and BE were richer in phenolics and flavonoids than petroleum ether extract (PE, and may represent a good source of antioxidants.Este estudio evaluó las actividades antioxidantes de extractos de tallos de Jasminum nervosum Lour., y el efecto de diferentes disolventes de extracción en los fenoles totales (TP y flavonoides totales (TF, y su potencial antioxidante. La actividad antioxidante de los extractos fue evaluada usando los siguientes métodos: DPPH, ABTS+ y ensayos reductores. TP y TF fueron detectados por métodos espectroscópicos y por HPLC. Con el primer método, el contenido más alto de TP se obtuvo en el extracto con acetato de etilo (EAE, expresado como

  12. Proton exchange membranes from sulfonated polyetheretherketone and sulfonated polyethersulfone-cardo blends: Conductivity, water sorption and permeation properties

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li, Yongli; Nguyen, Quang Trong; Schaetzel, Pierre; Lixon-Buquet, Camille; Colasse, Laurent; Ratieuville, Vincent

    2013-01-01

    Five blend membranes were prepared by solvent evaporation from solutions of the synthesized sulfonated polyetheretherketone (SPEEK) and sulfonated polyethersulfone-cardo (SPESc). Their ion exchange capacity and degree of sulfonation determined by acid–base titration and by thermogravimetric analysis were consistent. The blends glass transition behavior obtained by differential scanning calorimetry suggests that the two sulfonated polymers are compatible in the whole composition range. The values of the activation energy for proton transport determined by conductivity measurements on the SPEEK-based blend membranes were in the range of 13–34 kJ mol −1 , which suggest a mixed transport mechanism that involves both proton jumps on ionic sites and water of hydration and diffusion of proton–water complex in hydrophilic domains. The water vapor sorption in the membranes exhibits sigmoid-shape isotherms which were well fitted by the “new dual mode sorption” model, and the fitted parameters values were successfully used to model the change in the water permeation flux with the upstream water activity using the first Fick's diffusion equation. The fast increase in the permeation flux beyond a critical value of activity (0.5) was owing to the exponential concentration-dependent diffusion coefficient. These modelings allowed us to show a strong increase in the limit diffusion coefficient of water and a decrease in the water-diffusion plasticization coefficient with the SPEEK content in the polymer blends

  13. Synthesis and characterization of sulfonated cardo poly(arylene ether sulfone)s for fuel cell proton exchange membrane application

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Islam, M.M.; Jang, H.H.; Lim, Y.D.; Seo, D.W.; Kim, W.G. [Department of Applied Chemistry, Konkuk University, Chungju, Chungbuk (Korea, Republic of); Kim, T.H.; Hong, Y.T. [Energy Material Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Kim, D.M. [Material Engineering and Science, Hongik Univ, Jochiwon-eup, Yeongi-gun, Chungnam (Korea, Republic of)

    2012-12-15

    Sulfonated cardo poly(arylene ether sulfone)s (SPPA-PES) with various degrees of sulfonation (DS) were prepared by post-sulfonation of synthesized phenolphthalein anilide (PPA; N-phenyl-3,3'-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)-1-isobenzopyrolidone) poly(arylene ether sulfone)s (PPA-PES) by using concentrated sulfuric acid. PPA-PES copolymers were synthesized by direct polycondensation of PPA with bis-(4-fluorophenyl)-sulfone and 4,4'-sulfonyldiphenol. The DS was varied with different mole ratios of PPA (24, 30, 40, 50 mol.%) in the polymer. The structure of the resulting SPPA-PES copolymers and the different contents of the sulfonated unit were studied by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, {sup 1}H NMR spectroscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Sorption experiments were conducted to observe the interaction of sulfonated polymer with water. The ion exchange capacity (IEC) and proton conductivity of SPPA-PES were evaluated according to the increase of DS. The water uptake (WU) of the resulting SPPA-PES membranes was in the range of 20-72%, compared with 28% for Nafion 211 registered. The SPPA-PES membranes showed proton conductivities of 23-82 mS cm{sup -1}, compared with 194 mS cm{sup -1} for Nafion 211 registered, under 100% relative humidity (RH) at 80 C. (Copyright copyright 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

  14. Crystallization and preliminary X-ray diffraction analysis of the electron-transfer complex between the terminal oxygenase component and ferredoxin in the Rieske non-haem iron oxygenase system carbazole 1,9a-dioxygenase

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ashikawa, Yuji; Fujimoto, Zui; Noguchi, Haruko; Habe, Hiroshi; Omori, Toshio; Yamane, Hisakazu; Nojiri, Hideaki

    2005-01-01

    The electron-transfer complex between the terminal oxygenase and ferredoxin of carbazole 1,9a-dioxygenase was crystallized and diffraction data were collected to 1.90 Å resolution. Carbazole 1,9a-dioxygenase, which consists of an oxygenase component (CARDO-O) and the electron-transport components ferredoxin (CARDO-F) and ferredoxin reductase (CARDO-R), catalyzes dihydroxylation at the C1 and C9a positions of carbazole. The electron-transport complex between CARDO-O and CARDO-F crystallizes at 293 K using hanging-drop vapour diffusion with the precipitant PEG MME 2000 (type I crystals) or PEG 3350 (type II). Blossom-shaped crystals form from a pile of triangular plate-shaped crystals. The type I crystal diffracts to a maximum resolution of 1.90 Å and belongs to space group P2 1 , with unit-cell parameters a = 97.1, b = 89.8, c = 104.9 Å, α = γ = 90, β = 103.8°. Diffraction data for the type I crystal gave an overall R merge of 8.0% and a completeness of 100%. Its V M value is 2.63 Å 3 Da −1 , indicating a solvent content of 53.2%

  15. Crystallization and preliminary X-ray diffraction analysis of the electron-transfer complex between the terminal oxygenase component and ferredoxin in the Rieske non-haem iron oxygenase system carbazole 1,9a-dioxygenase

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ashikawa, Yuji [Biotechnology Research Center, The University of Tokyo, 1-1-1 Yayoi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8657 (Japan); Fujimoto, Zui [Department of Biochemistry, National Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, 2-1-2 Kannondai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8602 (Japan); Noguchi, Haruko; Habe, Hiroshi; Omori, Toshio; Yamane, Hisakazu; Nojiri, Hideaki, E-mail: anojiri@mail.ecc.u-tokyo.ac.jp [Biotechnology Research Center, The University of Tokyo, 1-1-1 Yayoi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8657 (Japan)

    2005-06-01

    The electron-transfer complex between the terminal oxygenase and ferredoxin of carbazole 1,9a-dioxygenase was crystallized and diffraction data were collected to 1.90 Å resolution. Carbazole 1,9a-dioxygenase, which consists of an oxygenase component (CARDO-O) and the electron-transport components ferredoxin (CARDO-F) and ferredoxin reductase (CARDO-R), catalyzes dihydroxylation at the C1 and C9a positions of carbazole. The electron-transport complex between CARDO-O and CARDO-F crystallizes at 293 K using hanging-drop vapour diffusion with the precipitant PEG MME 2000 (type I crystals) or PEG 3350 (type II). Blossom-shaped crystals form from a pile of triangular plate-shaped crystals. The type I crystal diffracts to a maximum resolution of 1.90 Å and belongs to space group P2{sub 1}, with unit-cell parameters a = 97.1, b = 89.8, c = 104.9 Å, α = γ = 90, β = 103.8°. Diffraction data for the type I crystal gave an overall R{sub merge} of 8.0% and a completeness of 100%. Its V{sub M} value is 2.63 Å{sup 3} Da{sup −1}, indicating a solvent content of 53.2%.

  16. Investigation of the Antiproliferative Properties of Natural Sesquiterpenes from Artemisia asiatica and Onopordum acanthium on HL-60 Cells in Vitro

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Judit Molnár

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available Plants and plant extracts play a crucial role in the research into novel antineoplastic agents. Four sesquiterpene lactones, artecanin (1, 3β-chloro-4α,10α-dihydroxy-1α,2α-epoxy-5α,7αH-guaia-11(13-en-12,6α-olide (2, iso-seco-tanapartholide 3-O-methyl ether (3 and 4β,15-dihydro-3-dehydrozaluzanin C (4, were isolated from two traditionally used Asteraceae species (Onopordum acanthium and Artemisia asiatica. When tested for antiproliferative action on HL-60 leukemia cells, these compounds exhibited reasonable IC50 values in the range 3.6–13.5 μM. Treatment with the tested compounds resulted in a cell cycle disturbance characterized by increases in the G1 and G2/M populations, while there was a decrease in the S phase. Additionally, 1–3 elicited increases in the hypodiploid (subG1 population. The compounds elicited concentration-dependent chromatin condensation and disruption of the membrane integrity, as revealed by Hoechst 33258–propidium staining. Treatment for 24 h resulted in significant increases in activity of caspases-3 and -9, indicating that the tested sesquiterpenes induced the mitochondrial pathway of apoptosis. The proapoptotic properties of the sesquiterpene lactones were additionally demonstrated withannexin V staining. Compounds 1 and 2 increased the Bax/Bcl-2 expression and decreased the expressions of CDK1 and cyclin B2, as determined at the mRNA level by means of RT-PCR. These experimental results indicate that sesquiterpene lactones may be regarded as potential starting structures for the development of novel anticancer agents.

  17. Development of polymer hybrid materials and analyzing techniques for their depletions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Takaya, Haruo; Kobayashi, Yoshinori; Hirata, Koichi; Nakahara, Hisae; Kinugasa, Shinichi; Kamiya, Yoshinori

    1999-01-01

    The purpose of this research project was to develop new methods for evaluation and analysis of deterioration of polymer materials under radiological environment and its complicated environment including chemical effects. Furthermore, a screening and development for new radio-resistant polymer materials were attempted. In 1996, the third year of this project, the effects of γ-ray exposure on cardo-type polymers, novel high performance molecules were investigated and the early radiochemical changes due to the exposure were studied according to measurement of the life-time of cation. Cardo-type polymers were exposed to γ-ray and the changes in the molecular size and its distribution were analyzed by size exclusion chromatography and multi-angle laser light scattering (SEC/MALLS). Two cardo-type polymers, PI-BP and PA-T were used as the test subjects and polystyrene was as the standard control. Three membranes made from these three polymers were exposed to γ-ray at 0.2-1.2 MGy. The exposed membranes were applied onto SEC/MALLS after dissolving in NMP. The molecular weight of PI-BP was decreased as an increase of the radiation dose and there appeared a peak in a low molecular range when exposed at higher than 0.4 MGy. The molecular weight was decreased depending to the dose for all of the two cardo-type polymers and the control polystyrene sample. The ratio, Mw/Mn for PI-BP was decreased as an increase of the dose, whereas the ratio for PA-T was hardly changed by the exposure. On the contrary, the ratio for the polystyrene sample was greatly changed as an increase of the dose. These results suggest that various molecular-sized chains were produced by the exposure from the molecule, of which size was mono-dispersed before the exposure. (M.N.)

  18. Determinação de atividade antimicrobiana de extratos de plantas de uso popular como antiflamatório

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    N. Caetano

    Full Text Available Antimicrobial activities of “babaçu” (Orbignya martiana, “cardo santo” (Argemone mexicana, “mentrasto” (Ageratum conyzoides, “cavalinha” (Equisetum yeamalis and “terramicina” (Alternanthera brasiliana, used by Brazilian population as antiinflamatory medicine, were studied on Staphylococcus aureus. The freezer dried hydroalcoholic extracts solutions were tested for 7 strains of Staphylococcus aureus, which two of those are methicillin resistant (MRSA. The diffusion method on agar-agar, using holes technique, with tetracycline chlorydrate as standard. “Babaçu”, “cardo santo” and “terramicina” showed antimicrobial activity, within of those “terramicina” inhibited 6 strains, presenting zone inhibition of 22 mm compared to standard antibiotic (34 mm, except the seventh strain which was also tetracycline resistant.

  19. TOP 30 - valdavalt eraettevõtted / Eda-Liis Kann

    Index Scriptorium Estoniae

    Kann, Eda-Liis, 1979-

    2004-01-01

    Ilmunud ka: Delovõje Vedomosti : Desjatiletnije firmõ 4. veebr. lk. 11. Eesti Tööstuse Keskliidu poolt 1994. aastal koostatud 30 edukama ettevõtte edetabelist. 1994. aasta äritegevust meenutavad Balti Laevaremonditehase peadirektor Fjodor Berman ja Saku Õlletehase direktor Cardo Remmel. Lisa: 30 Eesti edukat

  20. Ecological interactions shape the dynamics of seed predation in Acrocomia aculeata (Arecaceae).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pereira, Anielle C F; Fonseca, Francine S A; Mota, Gleicielle R; Fernandes, Ane K C; Fagundes, Marcílio; Reis-Júnior, Ronaldo; Faria, Maurício L

    2014-01-01

    The complex network of direct and indirect relationships determines not only the species abundances but also the community characteristics such as diversity and stability. In this context, seed predation is a direct interaction that affects the reproductive success of the plant. For Acrocomia aculeata, the seed predation by Pachymerus cardo and Speciomerus revoili in post-dispersal may destroy more than 70% of the propagules and is influenced by the herbivory of the fruits during pre-dispersal. Fruits of plants with a higher level of herbivory during pre-dispersal are less attacked by predators in post-dispersal. We proposed a hypothesis that describes this interaction as an indirect defense mediated by fungi in a multitrophic interaction. As explanations, we proposed the predictions: i) injuries caused by herbivores in the fruits of A. aculeata favor fungal colonization and ii) the colonization of A. acuelata fruit by decomposing fungi reduces the selection of the egg-laying site by predator. For prediction (i), differences in the fungal colonization in fruits with an intact or damaged epicarp were evaluated in fruits exposed in the field. For prediction (ii), we performed fruit observations in the field to determine the number of eggs of P. cardo and/or S. revoili per fruit and the amount of fungal colonization in the fruits. In another experiment, in the laboratory, we use P. cardo females in a triple-choice protocol. Each insect to choose one of the three options: healthy fruits, fruits with fungus, or an empty pot. The proposed hypothesis was corroborated. Fruits with injuries in the epicarp had a higher fungal colonization, and fruits colonized by fungi were less attractive for egg-laying by seed predators. This study emphasizes the importance of exploring the networks of interactions between multitrophic systems to understand the dynamics and maintenance of natural populations.

  1. Ecological Interactions Shape the Dynamics of Seed Predation in Acrocomia aculeata (Arecaceae)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pereira, Anielle C. F.; Fonseca, Francine S. A.; Mota, Gleicielle R.; Fernandes, Ane K. C.; Fagundes, Marcílio; Reis-Júnior, Ronaldo; Faria, Maurício L.

    2014-01-01

    Background The complex network of direct and indirect relationships determines not only the species abundances but also the community characteristics such as diversity and stability. In this context, seed predation is a direct interaction that affects the reproductive success of the plant. For Acrocomia aculeata, the seed predation by Pachymerus cardo and Speciomerus revoili in post-dispersal may destroy more than 70% of the propagules and is influenced by the herbivory of the fruits during pre-dispersal. Fruits of plants with a higher level of herbivory during pre-dispersal are less attacked by predators in post-dispersal. We proposed a hypothesis that describes this interaction as an indirect defense mediated by fungi in a multitrophic interaction. As explanations, we proposed the predictions: i) injuries caused by herbivores in the fruits of A. aculeata favor fungal colonization and ii) the colonization of A. acuelata fruit by decomposing fungi reduces the selection of the egg-laying site by predator. Methodology/Principal Findings For prediction (i), differences in the fungal colonization in fruits with an intact or damaged epicarp were evaluated in fruits exposed in the field. For prediction (ii), we performed fruit observations in the field to determine the number of eggs of P. cardo and/or S. revoili per fruit and the amount of fungal colonization in the fruits. In another experiment, in the laboratory, we use P. cardo females in a triple-choice protocol. Each insect to choose one of the three options: healthy fruits, fruits with fungus, or an empty pot. The proposed hypothesis was corroborated. Fruits with injuries in the epicarp had a higher fungal colonization, and fruits colonized by fungi were less attractive for egg-laying by seed predators. Conclusion/Significance This study emphasizes the importance of exploring the networks of interactions between multitrophic systems to understand the dynamics and maintenance of natural populations. PMID:24875386

  2. Suppression of BRCA2 by Mutant Mitochondrial DNA in Prostate Cancer

    Science.gov (United States)

    2014-07-01

    Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6K 2P5, Canada 9Institute of Biomembranes and Bioenergetics, National Research Council (C.N.R.), Bari, Italy ...Jacquotte A, Polsky D, Ferrara J, Perez-Soler R, Cordon-Cardo C, Pagano M and Osman I. Altered expression of p27 and Skp2 proteins in prostate cancer of

  3. Diseases of the heart and main vessels

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kiseleva, I.P.; Ivanitskij, A.V.

    1988-01-01

    The problems of roentgenoanatomy of children and adolescent heart are considered. Various methods of roentgenological examinations in diagnosis of cardo-vascular diseases (roentgenoscopy, roentgenography, tomography, roentgenokymography) are described. A scheme of data study of roentgenolocial examinations is given. Roentgenograms of children heart with various congenital and acquired heart diseases, as well as myocarditis, pericarditis, endocardium fibroelastosis are presented

  4. Euroliit jagab kirjanduspreemiaid

    Index Scriptorium Estoniae

    2009-01-01

    Euroopa Komisjon kuulutas välja esimesed Euroopa kirjanduspreemia laureaadid: Paulus Hochgatterer (Austria), Mila Pavicevic (Horvaatia), Emmanuelle Pagano (Prantsusmaa), Szécsi Noémi (Ungari), Karen Gillece (Iirimaa), Daniele Del Giudice (Itaalia), Laura Sintija Černiauskaitė (Leedu), Carl Frode Tiller (Norra), Jacek Dukaj (Poola), Dulce Maria Cardos (Portugal), Pavol Rankov (Slovakkia), Helena Henschen (Rootsi)

  5. Large-Scale Linear Optimization through Machine Learning: From Theory to Practical System Design and Implementation

    Science.gov (United States)

    2016-08-10

    IEEE, 2005. Mohsen Bayati, Christian Borgs , Jennifer Chayes, and Ric- cardo Zecchina. Belief propagation for weighted b- matchings on arbitrary...on automatic protocol behavior analysis and Resource management for hyper connected for IoT Services); the Center for Integrated Smart Sensors funded...maximum weight b-matching,” in International Conference on Artificial Intelligence and Statistics, 2007, pp. 195–202. [13] M. Bayati, C. Borgs , J

  6. Studies on Viburnum nervosum Hook: Chemistry and Spectroscopy ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Capprifoliaceae). This is the first time the compound has been isolated from the genus Viburnum. Derivatives of bergenin namely bergenin diethyl ether, bergenin pentaacetate and bergenin diethyl ether triacetate were prepared and characterized ...

  7. Karyotipic asymmetry of both wild and cultivated species of Pennisetum

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vânia Helena Techio

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available This study aimed the establishment of the relation between karyotipic asymmetry values obtained for different accessions of both wild and cultivated species of Pennisetum from Germplasm Bank of Embrapa Gado de Leite/Juiz de Fora-Minas Gerais State, Brazil. Conventional cell cycle synchronization protocols and Feulgen staining method were used to obtain metaphases plates. The wild-type accessions corresponded to the species P. setosum (2n=6x=54, P. nervosum (2n=4x=36, and P. orientale (2n=4x=36, and the cultivated to P. purpureum (2n=4x=28 and P. glaucum (2n=2x=14. No significant difference was found for the total length of chromosomes (p>0.05 among the species. The analysis of intra-chromosomal asymmetry (A1 and inter-chromosomal asymmetry (A2 has shown that P. setosum has a tendency to chromosome asymmetry. P. nervosum, P. orientale, and P. purpureum have presented an intermediary level of asymmetry and P. glaucum, low asymmetry. Considering Stebbins criteria, the karyotype of P. glaucum and those from the three wild species fitted into the category 1A-symmetrical. With regard to P. purpureum, karyotypes of the accessions BAGs 54, 65 and 91 fitted into the category 2B and the other two genotypes (BAGs 63 and 75 fitted into the 1A. Comparison between the karyotype classification according to the inter- and intra-chromosomal asymmetry and Stebbins methodologies revealed that this last one alone was not able to detect small variations between karyotypes of the taxa closely related.

  8. Novelties on taxonomy and nomenclature of Spanish vascular hybrids

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Crespo, Manuel B.

    1990-05-01

    Full Text Available The nomenclature of some Iberian hybrids is revised and several new combinations are proposed: Centaurea X subdecurrens var. segobricensis, C. X subdecurrens notbosubsp. albuferae, Cistus X hybridus nothosubsp. grandiflorus var. secallianus. C. X ledon var. recognitus, C. X nigricans var. longifolius, C. X nigricans nothosubsp. grosii and Onopordum X humile var. turolensis. Besides, a new nothosubspecies: Sideritis x paui nothosubsp. enguerana (S. hirsuta X S. incana subsp. virgata, is described for the mountains of Valencia Province (E of Spain.

    Se revisa la nomenclatura de algunos híbridos vasculares ibéricos, proponiéndose algunas nuevas combinaciones: Centaurea X subdecurrens var. segobricensis, C. X subdecurrens notbosubsp. albuferae, Cistus X hybridus nothosubsp. grandiflorus var. secallianus. C. X ledon var. recognitus, C. X nigricans var. longifolius, C. X nigricans nothosubsp. grosii y Onopordum X humile var. turolensis. Además, se describe una nueva notosubespecie de las montañas de la provincia de Valencia: Sideritis X paui nothosubsp. enguerana (S. hirsuta X S. incana subsp. virgata.

  9. High-temperature polyimide coating for optical fibres

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Semjonov, S L; Dianov, E M [Fiber Optics Research Center, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow (Russian Federation); Sapozhnikov, D A; Erin, D Yu; Zabegaeva, O N; Kushtavkina, I A; Vygodskii, Ya S [A.N. Nesmeyanov Institute of Organoelement Compounds, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow (Russian Federation); Nishchev, K N [N.P. Ogarev Mordovia State University, Saransk (Russian Federation)

    2015-04-30

    We present our first results on the fabrication of new, high-performance polyimide coatings. The key components of the coatings are polyimides containing various cardo and/or fluoroalkylene groups, which allows the coatings to retain their high-temperature stability and facilitates the storage of the starting polymer and the optical fibre coating process owing to the good solubility of such copolymers in many organic solvents. Annealing for 30 s, 1 h and 24 h at temperatures of 430, 350 and 300 °C, respectively, reduces the strength of optical fibres having such coating by no more than 10%. (optical fibres)

  10. Effect of Bulky and Hydroxyl Groups on Gas Separation Performance of Polyimide Membranes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Bo Mi; Kim, Deuk Ju; Nam, Sang Yong

    2015-03-01

    A series of polyimides were synthesized by a polycondensation reaction using various aromatic dianhydrides and diamines containing bulky cardo and hydroxyl groups. The imidization and chemical structure of the polyimides were confirmed by NMR and FT-IR. The thermal and gas properties of the polyimides were measured by time-lag, XRD, TGA, and DSC studies. The polyimides showed excellent solubility in common organic solvents and high thermal stability. The CO2 selectivity of HPI membrane was higher than traditional polyimides. In particular, the incorporation of hydroxyl groups improved the CO2 permeability of the polyimide due to increased carbon dioxide solubility. The HPI was thermally converted to polybenzoxazole (PBO) at 450 °C.

  11. Spanish Summary (Nuevos meteoritos encountrados en lmilac)

    Science.gov (United States)

    1987-03-01

    Desde tiempos prehistoricos han sido coleccionadas piedras que caen dei cielo. Hasta hace poco eran la unica fuente para hacer estudios de laboratorio de la materia extragal, ktica, e incluso en nuestra era espacial, siguen siendo una valiosa fuente de investigacion de la temprana historia dei sistema solar. Se estima que como termine medio cada kilometro cuadrado de la superficie terrestre es golpeada cada millon de aiios por un meteorito con un pese superior a 500 gramos. La mayoria se pierden en los oceanos 0 caen en regiones con escasa poblacion. Como resultado, los museos en el munda reciben anualmente tan solo alrededor de 6 meteoritos cuya caida fuera atestiguada. Otros llegan por hallazgos casuales que en la mayoria de los casos son meteoritos que han cardo en tiempos prehistoricos.

  12. [Host plants of Aphis gossypii (Aphididae), vector of virus of Cucumis melo melon (Cucurbitaceae) in Costa Rica].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sánchez, M V; Agüero, R; Rivera, C

    2001-03-01

    Plant species associated with commercial melon crops and surrounding areas were examined to identity the natural host plants of Aphis gossypii Glover. The study was conducted in two farms located in different melon production areas and plant life zones of Costa Rica. Plant species diversity, percent coverage and distribution over time were recorded during one year. Differences between locations were observed. A total of 86 plant species (49 families) and 72 plant species (40 families) were identified associated to the crop in farms A and B, respectively. In both farms a total of 24 species plants (16 families) were colonized by A. gossypii and 16 (10 families) are new reports of host plant species for this aphid. The new reports are: Justicia comata, Tetramerium nervosum, Alternanthera pubiflora, Cassia massoni, C. reticulata, Cleome viscosa, C. spinosa, Croton argenteus, Caperonia palustris, Chamaesyce gyssopilopia, Phyllantus amarus, Sida decumbens, Ludwigia erecta, Passiflora foetida, Guazuma ulmifolia and Corchorus orinocensis.

  13. El cardo, el ave y la verdad. Entrevista con el pintor Antonio López

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jean-Philippe Peynot

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Antonio López es reconocido como uno de los más grandes pintores actuales por numerosas instituciones y por un público muy amplio. Al escoger pintar su entorno más cercano, de manera realista y sin imponer siquiera un estilo, supo que su camino sería difícil y solitario, lejos de los críticos de arte, curadores, galeristas y otros actores de la escena contemporánea. De la fidelidad de su mirada nació una obra, y de esta obra nació el pintor, que nos habla en esta entrevista, al horizonte de una verdad. Entre otros reconocimientos Antonio López recibió el Premio Príncipe de Asturias de las Artes en 1985 y el Premio Velázquez de Artes Plásticas en 2006.

  14. Avaliação de extratos vegetais no controle de mosca-branca, Bemisia tabaci biótipo B em abóbora Evaluation of plant extracts in the control of whitefly Bemisia tabaci biotype B in squash

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bruno Marcus Freire Vieira Lima

    2013-09-01

    Full Text Available A abóbora (Cucurbita moschata Duch. é uma cultura de importância para a agricultura familiar da região Nordeste do Brasil. No entanto, a ocorrência do prateamento das folhas da aboboreira ocasionado pela mosca-branca, Bemisia tabaci biótipo B limita sua produção, causando prejuízos aos agricultores. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a eficiência de extratos vegetais sobre o nível populacional de ninfas de mosca-branca em abóbora cv. Jacarezinho. O experimento foi instalado em campo experimental, em blocos casualizados, constituído de seis tratamentos e três repetições. As aplicações dos extratos vegetais foram feitas com intervalo de sete dias, fazendo-se uso de substâncias extraídas das seguintes plantas: canudo (Ipomoea carnea subsp. fistulosa, mamona (Ricinus communis L., tinguí (Mascagnia rigida Griseb, cardo-santo (Argemone mexicana L., e o óleo comercial Natuneem®. Todos os extratos vegetais obtiveram eficiência no controle de ninfas B. tabaci, sendo o R. communis (75,49%, M. rigida (73,99%, I. carnea (72,24%, óleo de nim (70,4% e A. mexicana (69,16%.The squash (Cucurbita moschata Duch. is an important crop for family farmers in the northeast of Brazil. However, the occurrence of leaf silvering caused by the whitefly, Bemisia tabaci biotype B, limits production, causing losses to farmers. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficiency of plant extracts on the population levels of whitefly nymphs on the squash cv. Jacarezinho. The experiment was conducted at an experimental field, in a randomized block design consisting of six treatments and three replications. Applications of plant extracts were made at an interval of seven days, making use of substances extracted from the following plants: Ipomoea carnea subsp. Fistulosa, castor bean (Ricinus communis L., Tingui (Mascagnia rigida Griseb, cardo-santo (Argemone mexicana L., and the commercial oil product Natuneem ®. All of the plant extracts were

  15. Layer chromatography-bioassays directed screening and identification of antibacterial compounds from Scotch thistle.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Móricz, Ágnes M; Krüzselyi, Dániel; Alberti, Ágnes; Darcsi, András; Horváth, Györgyi; Csontos, Péter; Béni, Szabolcs; Ott, Péter G

    2017-11-17

    The antibacterial profiling of Onopordum acanthium L. leaf extract and subsequent targeted identification of active compounds is demonstrated. Thin-layer chromatography (TLC) and off-line overpressured layer chromatography (OPLC) coupled with direct bioautography were utilized for investigation of the extract against eight bacterial strains including two plant and three human pathogens and a soil, a marine and a probiotic human gut bacteria. Antibacterial fractions obtaining infusion-transfusion OPLC were transferred to HPLC-MS/MS analysis that resulted in the characterization of three active compounds and two of them were identified as, linoleic and linolenic acid. OPLC method was adopted to preparative-scale flash chromatography for the isolation of the third active compound, which was identified after a further semi-preparative HPLC purification as the germacranolide sesquiterpene lactone onopordopicrin. Pure onopordopicrin exhibited antibacterial activity that was specified as minimal inhibitory concentration in the liquid phase as well. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. Cytotaxonomy of some species and of interspecific hybrids of Pennisetum (Poaceae, Poales

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vânia Helena Techio

    2002-01-01

    Full Text Available Cytotaxonomic studies were carried out on 26 accessions of Pennisetum spp. originating from the Active Germplasm Bank of Embrapa Gado de Leite-Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brazil.This study presents cytogenetics and reproductive morphological data for each one of these accessions, which allowed groupings and suggest botanical identifications to be established. The metaphases of the accessions characterized as P. purpureum confirmed the presence of 2n = 28 chromosomes that have already been described for this species. For the hybrids between P. purpureum and P. glaucum and for the hexaploids, resulting from the chromosome duplication of these hybrids, 2n = 21 and 2n = 42 chromosomes were confirmed, respectively. The wild accession identified as P. setosum showed metaphases with 2n = 54 chromosomes, while those characterized as P. nervosum had cells with 2n = 36 chromosomes. The wild accession 15 was different from the others for the morphological characters, with 2n = 36 chromosomes, and was classified as P. orientale. Two statistical procedures were used (canonical variables and cluster analysis on the basis of the Mahalanobis distance, and the results confirmed the conclusions obtained from the cytogenetic and morphologic analysis.

  17. Anatomy of Subterranean Organs of Medicinally Used Cardueae and Related Species and its Value for Discrimination

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fritz, Elisabeth; Saukel, Johannes

    2011-01-01

    Numerous species of the Asteraceae, the composites, are famous for their use in both traditional and conventional medicine. Reliable anatomical descriptions of these plants and of possible adulterations provide a basis for fast identification and cheap purity controls of respective medicinal drugs by means of light microscopy. Nevertheless, detailed comparative studies on root and rhizome anatomy of valuable as well as related inconsiderable composite plants are largely missing yet. The presented study aims to narrow this gap by performing anatomical analyses of roots and rhizomes of 16 species belonging to the tribe Cardueae, of formerly and currently used drugs as well as their near relatives as potential adulterations (Carlina acaulis L., Carlina vulgaris L., Arctium lappa L., Arctium tomentosum Mill., Carduus defloratus L., Carduus personata (L.) Jacq, Cirsium arvense (L.) Scop., Cirsium vulgare (Savi) Ten., Cirsium erisithales (Jacq.) Scop., Onopordum acanthium L., Silybum marianum (L.) Gaertn., Rhaponticum scariosum Lam., Centaurea jacea L., Centaurea scabiosa L., Centaurea cyanus L., Cnicus benedictus L.). A detailed verbal and graphical survey of the analysed anatomical features is provided. Several characters were finally extracted which allow for discrimination of the examined species and may be effectively used for drug quality controls. PMID:21617780

  18. Sulfonation of PEEK-WC polymer via chloro-sulfonic acid for potential PEM fuel cell applications

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Iulianelli, A.; Clarizia, G.; Gugliuzza, A.; Ebrasu, D.; Basile, A. [Institute on Membrane Technology, ITM-CNR, c/o University of Calabria, Via P. Bucci, Cubo 17/C, 87030 Rende (CS) (Italy); Bevilacqua, A. [Research Centre Italsistemi S.r.l., Via Avogadro, 88900 Crotone (KR) (Italy); Trotta, F. [Department of Organic Chemistry, University of Torino, C.So M. D' Azeglio 48, 10125 Torino (TO) (Italy)

    2010-11-15

    The preparation and characterization of thin dense sulfonated poly-ether-ether-ketone with cardo group (PEEK-WC) membranes for proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) applications are described. The sulfonation of PEEK-WC polymer was realized via chloro-sulfonic acid and different kinds of membrane samples were prepared with a sulfonation degree ranging from 67 to 99%. The degree of sulfonation, homogeneity and thickness significantly affect both the membrane transport properties and the electrochemical performances. The dense character of the membranes was confirmed by SEM analysis. Proton conductivity measurements were carried out in a temperature range from 30 to 80 C and at 100% of relative humidity, reaching 5.40 x 10{sup -3} S/cm{sup -1} as best value at 80 C and with a sulfonation degree (DS) of 99%. At the same conditions, a water uptake of 17% was achieved. DSC and TGA characterizations were used in order to determine the thermal stability of the membranes, confirming a T{sub g} ranging between 206 and 216 C depending on the DS, whereas FT-IR yielded indication about intermolecular interactions and water uptake at various sulfonation degrees. (author)

  19. Energetic evaluation of indigenous tree and shrub species in Basilicata, Southern Italy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Todaro L

    2007-01-01

    Full Text Available An evaluation of energetic characteristics such as high calorific value (on ash-free dry weight basis, ash, carbon, nitrogen, and moisture content of 12 indigenous tree and shrub species of Southern Italy (Basilicata Region was carried out. The studied species are the most abundant in this area: Quercus cerris L., Quercus pubescens Willd., Fraxinus ornus L., Populus canescens (Aiton Smith, Salix alba L., Alnus cordata L., Robinia pseudoacacia L., Olea europaea L., Spartium junceum L., Rubus hirtus W., Onopordum illirium L., Arundo donax L. For Q. cerris, Q. pubescens and O. europaea L., the energetic characteristics were measured by separating the wood components from the leaves. Q. cerris leaves contained the greatest high calorific value. F. ornus leaves had a greater ash content than the other samples while the lowest values were measured for S. junceum, Q. pubescens and R. pseudoacacia. The highest content of Carbon was in O. europaea leaves. A. donax and O. illirium had the lower level of high calorific value and Carbon than all the other species. The highest Nitrogen content was measured in Q. cerris leaves and the lowest one in F. ornus wood components.

  20. Plantas hospederas de Aphis gossypii (Aphididae, vector de virus del melón Cucumis melo (Cucurbitaceae en Costa Rica

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M.V. Sánchez

    2001-03-01

    Full Text Available Se identificaron las especies hospederas naturales de Aphis gossypii Glover (Aphididae: Homoptera en plantaciones comerciales de melón para la exportación en Costa Rica. El estudio se realizó en dos fincas, ubicadas una en la provincia de Guanacaste y la otra en la provincia de Puntarenas, correspondientes a dos zonas de vida vegetal diferentes. Se identificaron como especies hospederas del áfido todas aquellas especies vegetales en las que se observó la presencia del áfido en su forma áptera. En ambas fincas el estudio se realizó en los alrededores y dentro del cultivo de melón. En la finca A en cinco diferentes comunidades vegetales (cultivo, canal de drenaje, charral, potrero mejorado y semi-bosque previamente seleccionadas y en la finca B en cuatro comunidades vegetales (cultivo, charral, pastizal natural y semi-bosque. Especímenes de las plantas colonizadas por áfidos y los áfidos colonizadores de cada especie fueron recolectadas para su identificación. Los áfidos se preservaron en alcohol al 70% v/v e identificaron utilizando las claves taxonómicas para áfidos, confirmándose como especie dominante a A. gossypii. La diversidad, cobertura y época de aparición de las especies de plantas hospederas fue monitoreada durante un año calendario en las diferentes comunidades vegetales presentes en ambas fincas, observándose diferencias entre las dos fincas estudiadas. En la finca A se observaron 86 diferentes especies vegetales, pertenecientes a 49 familias, asociadas al cultivo del melón, mientras que en la finca B se identificaron 72 especies de 40 familias. En conjunto para ambas fincas, un de 24 especies de plantas (16 familias estaban colonizadas por el áfido A. gossypii. De éstas, 16 especies de 10 familias, son reportes nuevos de plantas hospederas para este áfido: Justicia comata, Tetramerium nervosum, Alternanthera pubiflora, Cassia massoni, C. reticulata, Cleome viscosa, C. spinosa, Croton argenteus, Caperonia

  1. ¿Quién parte y reparte? Análisis de la disposición urbana en la Cartago fenicia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fumadó Ortega, Iván

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available In this paper I would like to highlight the signifi cant architectural regularity which characterizes the pre-Roman archeological remains registered in Carthage. Despite having been repeatedly interpreted from a preconceived logical and spatial point of view, these remains allow us to set out that the Tyrian foundation was established in the Carthaginian peninsula according to a model that is referred to as per strigas in archaeological literature because it was documented better at the Archaic Greek colonies in Sicily. To defend this idea, I will indicate which architectonic remains make up its material basic, paying special attention to the remains found underneath the crossroads of the decumanus maximus and the cardo x-east, and I will try to summarize the state of the current issue on the urban shape of Phoenician Carthage. I will then go over several documentated examples of orthogonal land division in urban spaces from the Ancient Near East. This information will provide insight on the possible technical and practical context of Phoenician societies in the 9th and 8th centuries BC and, more specifically, the socio-political context of the Carthaginian founders. Finally, in light of these elements, I will put forward a proposal of a reconstruction of the urban layout of Phoenician Carthage as a whole.En este artículo quiero llamar la atención sobre la significativa regularidad arquitectónica que caracteriza los restos arqueológicos prerromanos registrados en Cartago. Pese a haber sido repetidas veces interpretados desde un prejuicio lógico-espacial, estos datos permiten proponer que la fundación tiria se implantó en la península cartaginesa según un modelo que, estando mejor documentado en las colonias arcaicas griegas de Sicilia, ha sido denominado per strigas por la historiografía arqueológica. Para defender esta tesis señalaré qué restos arquitectónicos le sirven de base material, con especial atención a los hallados bajo

  2. At the Mercy of Gaia: Deep Ecologial Unrest and America's fall as Nature's Nation in Kingdom of the Spiders

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jacob Lillemose

    2015-10-01

    Full Text Available This paper looks as the animal horror genre as a way to discuss current notions of ecology in relation to a specific American idea of being "Nature's Nation". The central work for the discussion is the movie Kingdom of the Spiders (1977 by John Cardos, which depicts how a small Arizona town is taken over by a "swarm" of tarantulas. Without any obvious explanation the spiders slowly but steadily invade the town and start killing both other animals and humans until they have completely covered the town in their web. The paper connects the movie to a long tradition of fiction describing how nature turns on humans and reverses the power relation be-tween man and nature that is fundamental to modernity. Moreover, the paper connects the movie to Maurice Maeterlincks ideas of swarm communities as mani-fested by ants and termites to argue that these communities are ecologically superior to the the communities of man-made civilisation. Finally, the paper discusses Kingdom of the Spiders and animal horror in general in relation to recent ideas of non-human ecologies and critiques of anthropocentrism and makes the point that these works of fiction serve as both dramatic and philosophical visions of a world without humans.

  3. Real-time monitoring of luminescent lifetime changes of PtOEP oxygen sensing film with LED/photodiode-based time-domain lifetime device.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ji, Shaomin; Wu, Wanhua; Wu, Yubo; Zhao, Taiyang; Zhou, Fuke; Yang, Yubin; Zhang, Xin; Liang, Xiaofen; Wu, Wenting; Chi, Lina; Wang, Zhonggang; Zhao, Jianzhang

    2009-05-01

    A cost-effective LED/photodiode(PD)-based time-domain luminescent lifetime measuring device with rugged electronics and simplified algorithms was assembled and successfully used to characterize oxygen sensing films, by continuously monitoring phosphorescence lifetime changes of phosphorescent platinum octaethylporphyrin (PtOEP) in cardo poly(aryl ether ketone) polymer (IMPEK-C) vs. variation of the oxygen partial pressure in a gas mixture (O(2)/N(2)). The results determined by both phosphorescence lifetime and intensity monitoring were compared and the lifetime mode gave results which are in good agreement with the intensity mode. The lifetime-based linear Stern-Volmer plot indicates that the PtOEP molecules are nearly homogeneously distributed in the sensing film. The phosphorescent lifetime of the PtOEP film changes from 75 micros in neat N(2) to less than 2 micros in neat O(2). The sensing system (by combination of the PtOEP sensing film with the home-assembled lifetime device) gives a high lifetime-based O(2) sensing resolution, e.g. about 2 micros Torr(-1) for low O(2) concentration (below 3.5% O(2), V/V). This feasible lifetime device configuration is affordable to most sensor laboratories and the device may facilitate the study of O(2) sensing material with the continuous lifetime monitoring method.

  4. Project of CO{sub 2} fixation and utilization using catalytic hydrogenation reaction for coping with the global environment issues

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    2000-03-01

    Discussions were given on a carbon dioxide fixing and utilizing project utilizing hydrogenating reaction by means of a catalytic method. In the discussions, development was made on such foundation technologies as CO2 separation by using Cardo type CO2 membrane, a technology to synthesize methanol through hydrogen addition by means of the catalytic method, and an electrolytic technology of membrane-electrode mixed type, as well as a methanol synthesis bench test of 50 kg/d scale. In order to develop this result into specific applications, demonstration tests are required that use methanol synthesizing pilot plants of 4 t/d and 80 t/d capacities. In addition, for the electric power to produce a huge amount of hydrogen, development is necessary on a solar energy utilizing technology of large scale and low cost. Furthermore, from the economic and social viewpoints, the achievements of this project are regarded to depend on understanding of the necessity of a policy of putting a large number of methanol fuel cell automobiles into use, and dealing with the global warming problem. Energy required to change CO2 into useful chemical substance requires five times as much energy as has been produced, hence prevention of the global warming through this channel is difficult. (NEDO)

  5. Terapia combinada de homeopatía y Su Jok en pacientes con herpes zóster

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jobana Carmenza Forero Perdomo

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available Se realizó un estudio cuasi-experimental, de intervención terapéutica, en 60 pacientes con herpes zóster, que asistieron a la consulta de Dermatología del Hospital General Docente "Dr. Juan Bruno Zayas Alfonso" de Santiago de Cuba, desde julio del 2012 hasta marzo del 2014, a fin de determinar la efectividad de la terapia combinada de homeopatía y Su Jok, para lo cual se utilizaron pruebas estadísticas paramétricas y no paramétricas. Los pacientes fueron asignados aleatoriamente a 2 grupos; en uno se aplicó el tratamiento convencional (grupo de control y en el otro, la terapéutica alternativa (grupo de estudio Se emplearon los remedios homeopáticos Sulphur, Apis mellifica, Rhus toxicodendron y Daphne mezereum; las semillas de cardo santo para estimular los puntos de correspondencia de Su Jok y los medicamentos aciclovir, dipirona y difenhidramina. En la serie predominaron las féminas (38,3 %, los grupos etarios de 45-64 años (58,3 % y la forma clínica intercostal (38,3 %; asimismo, los síntomas más frecuentes fueron el dolor, prurito y ardor, con primacía del primero (51,6 %. La terapia combinada de Su Jok y homeopatía mostró resultados similares (83,3 % a los obtenidos con la convencional (86,6 % y produjo mínimos efectos adversos (6,6 %

  6. Scientific evaluation of medicinal plants used for the treatment of abnormal uterine bleeding by Avicenna.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mobli, Masumeh; Qaraaty, Marzieh; Amin, Gholamreza; Haririan, Ismaeil; Hajimahmoodi, Mannan; Rahimi, Roja

    2015-07-01

    Abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB) is one of the prevalent gynecological disorders that cause considerable morbidity and management of that plays an important role in protecting women's health. This review focuses on medicinal plants mentioned by Avicenna, a great Iranian philosopher and physician (A.D. 980-1037), in his book Canon for treatment of AUB. Medicinal plants mentioned in Canon for treatment of AUB were elicited and searched in electronic databases including PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar and Cochrane library to find studies that confirmed their efficacy. Data were collected for the years 1980-2014. The findings included 23 plants belonging to 18 families. Scientific findings have revealed that these plants control AUB through four mechanisms of action including inhibition of inflammatory process, inhibition of prostaglandins production, antiproliferative activity on human cervical cancer cells (HeLa), and estrogenic activity. All of the plants exhibited anti-inflammatory activity in vitro and/or in vivo. Cuscuta chinensis and Portulaca oleracea exhibited estrogenic activity. Boswellia carteri, Lens culinaris, Myrtus communis, Polygonum aviculare, Pistacia lentiscus, and Punica granatum have revealed inhibitory activity on biosynthesis of prostaglandins. Some of the mentioned plants including: Ceratonia siliqua, Cuscuta chinensis, Cuscuta epithymum, Cydonia oblonga, Paeonia sp., Portulaca oleracea, Solanum nigrum, Rumex acetosa and Onopordum acanthium have shown antiproliferative activity on HeLa cells. Investigation of traditional Iranian medicine literatures can lead to the identification of effective natural medicines for the management of AUB; however, conclusive confirmation of the efficacy and safety of these treatments needs more evaluations.

  7. The potential medicinal value of plants from Asteraceae family with antioxidant defense enzymes as biological targets.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koc, Suheda; Isgor, Belgin S; Isgor, Yasemin G; Shomali Moghaddam, Naznoosh; Yildirim, Ozlem

    2015-05-01

    Plants and most of the plant-derived compounds have long been known for their potential pharmaceutical effects. They are well known to play an important role in the treatment of several diseases from diabetes to various types of cancers. Today most of the clinically effective pharmaceuticals are developed from plant-derived ancestors in the history of medicine. The aim of this study was to evaluate the free radical scavenging activity and total phenolic and flavonoid contents of methanol, ethanol, and acetone extracts from flowers and leaves of Onopordum acanthium L., Carduus acanthoides L., Cirsium arvense (L.) Scop., and Centaurea solstitialis L., all from the Asteraceae family, for investigating their potential medicinal values of biological targets that are participating in the antioxidant defense system such as catalase (CAT), glutathione S-transferase (GST), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx). In this study, free radical scavenging activity and total phenolic and flavonoid contents of the plant samples were assayed by DPPH, Folin-Ciocalteu, and aluminum chloride colorimetric methods. Also, the effects of extracts on CAT, GST, and GPx enzyme activities were investigated. The highest phenolic and flavonoid contents were detected in the acetone extract of C. acanthoides flowers, with 90.305 mg GAE/L and 185.43 mg Q/L values, respectively. The highest DPPH radical scavenging was observed with the methanol leaf extracts of C. arvense with an IC50 value of 366 ng/mL. The maximum GPx and GST enzyme inhibition activities were observed with acetone extracts from the flower of C. solstitialis with IC50 values of 79 and 232 ng/mL, respectively.

  8. [Cardiodoron® bei Patienten mit Schlafstörungen - Ergebnisse einer prospektiven Beobachtungsstudie].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rother, Claudia; Schnelle, Martin

    Hintergrund: Schlafstörungen gehören zu den häufigsten gesundheitlichen Problemen der heutigen Zeit. Stress und die dadurch bedingte innere Anspannung sowie eine unrhythmische Lebensführung z.B. durch Schichtarbeit sind bekannte auslösende Faktoren. Weniger bekannt ist, dass auch funktionelle Herz-Kreislauf-Beschwerden zu Störungen des Schlafs führen können und dass deren Behandlung zu einer Verbesserung der Schlafqualität beiträgt. Ganzheitlich betrachtet geht es daher um die Wiederherstellung einer gesunden Rhythmik, insbesondere des Herz-/Atem- sowie des Schlaf-Wach-Rhythmus, die Cardiodoron®, eine Heilpflanzenkomposition aus Primula veris, Hyoscyamus niger und Onopordum acanthium, unterstützt. Patienten und Methoden: Mittels einer prospektiven, multizentrischen Beobachtungsstudie sollte ermittelt werden, wie sich funktionelle Herz-Kreislauf-Beschwerden und/oder Schlafstörungen unter der Behandlung mit Cardiodoron® (Dilution) über 3-6 Monate entwickeln. Im Zeitraum von September 2009 bis März 2012 dokumentierten 92 Ärzte 501 Patienten, von denen 380 über Schlafstörungen klagten und deren Daten in dieser Publikation näher betrachtet werden. Nach einer Aufnahmeuntersuchung erfolgte nach 90 Tagen eine Abschlussuntersuchung und bei Fortführung der Therapie nach nochmals 90 Tagen eine Follow-up-Untersuchung. Neben 30 ärztlicherseits bewerteten Symptomen beurteilten die Patienten ihr Befinden mittels Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) nach Buysse und der Beschwerden-Liste nach von Zerssen (B-L und B-L'). Ergebnisse: Unter der Cardiodoron®-Therapie gingen bei guter Verträglichkeit sowohl die Ausprägung der Schlafstörungen (um 65% von 2,0 auf 0,7 Punkte) als auch die erfassten 30 Symptome (um 59% von 24,3 auf 9,9 Punkte) deutlich zurück (p mit Schlafstörungen (mit oder ohne funktionelle Herz-Kreislauf-Beschwerden) kann die Ausprägung der Beschwerden mit Cardiodoron® deutlich gesenkt werden. Cardiodoron® ist gut verträglich. © 2016 S

  9. Educação Matemática, formas de vida e alunos investigadores: um estudo na perspectiva da Etnomatemática

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rosana Zanon

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available A presente investigação, resultado de uma prática pedagógica investigativa de cunho qualitativo desenvolvida com uma turma de alunos do primeiro ano do Ensino Médio Politécnica de uma Escola Estadual do Município de Doutor Rícardo, RS, tem como aparte teórico o campo da educação matemática denominado de Etnomatemática. Com o objetivo de problernatízar os jogos de linguagem matemáticos presentes na forma de vida de trabalhadores do campo do referido município e suas semelhanças de família com aqueles gestados na matemática escolar, o material empírico da pesquisa foi gerado por meio de anotações no diário de campo da professora pesquisadora, aplicação de questionários, entrevistas realizadas com trabalhadores do campo e de uma empresa de laticínios e material escrito e produzido pelos alunos. A análise Espaço, Rio de Janeiro, n.40, jul./dez, 2013 efetivada sobre o material de pesquisa permitiu a elaboração de três unidades de análise: a por um lado, os alunos aludem que necessitam buscar oportunidades de trabalho e sobrevivência em ambientes externos às atividades agrícolas; por outro, os agricultores entrevistados apontam que há inúmeras exigências para que os produtores possam fazer parte do mercado e vender seus produtos agrícolas; b os jogos de linguagem matemáticos presentes na forma de vida camponesa da comunidade examinada apresentam regras como aproximação e arredondamento, mas fazem uso de cálculos usualmente presentes nas escolas c as fronteiras que delimitam as formas de vida urbana e rural se apresentaram muito tênues na comunidade em questão.

  10. [Administration of Cardiodoron® in patients with functional cardiovascular disorders and/or sleep disorders--results of a prospective, non-interventional study].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rother, Claudia

    2013-01-01

    Functional cardiovascular disorders (FCD) can be attributed to around 25-40% of all heart patients, i.e. organic causes are not detectable. Characteristic symptoms are tachycardia, palpitations, cardiac arrhythmia, hyperventilation, vertigo, vasovagal syncopes and sleep disorders, with the latter being a problem of its own. Disturbed vegetative rhythms form the basis of these diseases. The medicinal product Cardiodoron counteracts the dysfunctional vegetative rhythmicity with 3 medicinal plants--Primula veris (common cowslip), Hyoscyamus niger (black henbane) and Onopordum acanthium (cotton thistle). By means of a prospective, multicentre, non-interventional study, the development of disease-specific disorders during treatment with Cardiodoron (drops) was supposed to be shown. Between September 2009 and March 2012, 92 physicians documented 501 patients suffering from functional cardiovascular and/or sleep disorders who have been treated with Cardiodoron for 3-6 months. After an initial examination, a final examination after 90 (± 10) days and, in case of continuation of therapy, a follow-up examination after 90 (± 10) days were carried out. Besides 30 symptoms assessed by the physicians, the patients rated their condition on the basis of the complaints list according to v. Zerssen (B-L and B-L') and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) according to Buysse. The severity of functional cardiovascular disorders as well as sleep disorders was significantly reduced. The same applies for all of the documented 30 disease-specific symptoms. Furthermore, the total score of the complaints list was significantly reduced as well as the PSQI. The largest effect regarding all parameters was detectable after 3 months. Continuation of Cardiodoron therapy stabilised the symptomatology once more and resulted in further improvement. On average, patients reported initial improvement after 13 days of treatment. Tolerability was almost consistently assessed with 'very good / good

  11. Ku70 is required for late B cell development and immunoglobulin heavy chain class switching.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Manis, J P; Gu, Y; Lansford, R; Sonoda, E; Ferrini, R; Davidson, L; Rajewsky, K; Alt, F W

    1998-06-15

    Immunoglobulin (Ig) heavy chain (HC) class switch recombination (CSR) is a late B cell process that involves intrachromosomal DNA rearrangement. Ku70 and Ku80 form a DNA end-binding complex required for DNA double strand break repair and V(D)J recombination. Ku70(-/-) (K70T) mice, like recombination activating gene (RAG)-1- or RAG-2-deficient (R1T or R2T) mice, have impaired B and T cell development at an early progenitor stage, which is thought to result at least in part from defective V(D)J recombination (Gu, Y., K.J. Seidl, G.A. Rathbun, C. Zhu, J.P. Manis, N. van der Stoep, L. Davidson, H.L. Cheng, J.M. Sekiguchi, K. Frank, et al. 1997. Immunity. 7:653-665; Ouyang, H., A. Nussenzweig, A. Kurimasa, V.C. Soares, X. Li, C. Cordon-Cardo, W. Li, N. Cheong, M. Nussenzweig, G. Iliakis, et al. 1997. J. Exp. Med. 186:921-929). Therefore, to examine the potential role of Ku70 in CSR, we generated K70T mice that carry a germline Ig HC locus in which the JH region was replaced with a functionally rearranged VH(D)JH and Ig lambda light chain transgene (referred to as K70T/HL mice). Previously, we have shown that B cells from R1T or R2T mice carrying these rearranged Ig genes (R1T/HL or R2T/HL mice) can undergo CSR to IgG isotypes (Lansford, R., J. Manis, E. Sonoda, K. Rajewsky, and F. Alt. 1998. Int. Immunol. 10:325-332). K70T/HL mice had significant numbers of peripheral surface IgM+ B cells, which generated serum IgM levels similar to those of R2T/HL mice. However, in contrast to R2T/HL mice, K70T/HL mice had no detectable serum IgG isotypes. In vitro culture of K70T/HL B cells with agents that induce CSR in normal or R2T/HL B cells did lead to the induction of germline CH transcripts, indicating that initial signaling pathways for CSR were intact in K70T/HL cells. However, treatment with such agents did not lead to detectable CSR by K70T/HL B cells, and instead, led to cell death within 72 h. We conclude that Ku70 is required for the generation of B cells that have

  12. Warionia (Asteraceae: a relict genus of Cichorieae?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Katinas, Liliana

    2008-12-01

    Full Text Available The genus Warionia, with its only species W. saharae, is endemic to the northwestern edge of the African Sahara desert. This is a somewhat thistle-like aromatic plant, with white latex, and fleshy, pinnately- partite leaves. Warionia is in many respects so different from any other genus of Asteraceae, that it has been tentatively placed in the tribes Cardueae, Cichorieae, Gundelieae, and Mutisieae. Until now, a comprehensive study of Warionia to have a complete context for discussing its taxonomic position is lacking. The general morphology, anatomy, palynology and chromosome number of W. saharae are investigated here, and the species is described and illustrated. Laticifers in leaves and stems indicate a relationship with Cichorieae, and are associated with the phloem, in contact with it or with the surrounding sclerenchyma sheath. The pollen features indicate a strong relation with Cardueae, namely the structure with Anthemoid pattern where the columellae are joined to the foot layer, the ectosexine with thin columellae, the endosexine with stout and ramified columellae, the conspicuous spines with globose bases and conspicuous apical channels, and the tectum surface very perforate. Chromosomal counts resulted in 2n = 34. The morphological and palynological evidence positions Warionia between the tribes Cardueae and Cichorieae suggesting that it could be a remnant of the ancestral stock that gave rise to both tribes.El género Warionia, y su única especie, W. saharae, es endémico del noroeste del desierto africano del Sahara. Es una planta semejante a un cardo, aromática, con látex blanco y hojas carnosas, pinnatipartidas. Warionia es tan diferente de otros géneros de Asteraceae que fue ubicada en las tribus Cardueae, Cichorieae, Gundelieae y Mutisieae. Hasta ahora, no existía un estudio global de Warionia como contexto para discutir su posición taxonómica. Se ha investigado aquí su morfología, anatomía, palinología y n

  13. Carnaria: The Festival of the Goddess Carna

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marjeta Šašel Kos

    2012-07-01

    hinges has been questioned by many scholars, believing that the poet had confounded her with Cardea (cardo is the Latin for ‘door hinge’. To all appearances, however, no such goddess as Cardea had ever existed (a conclusion partly accepted by the scholarship, and Ovid’s lines offer no proof that Carna might not have been the goddess of hinges as well. Te idea could hardly have been Ovid’s own invention: what is more likely is that his contemporaries actually worshipped Carna also as a patron of doors, an office agreeing with her other characteristics. Her name, however, probably derives from caro, carnis, ‘flesh’, as an early etymology has claimed. Carna was an ancient Roman goddess: ‘Time has dimmed the tradition which sets forth how she acquired the powers she owns, but you shall learn it from my song’ (103–104. According to Ovid, the grove of Alernus near the Tiber, still held sacred in his own time, was the birthplace of a nymph, Cranaë. She managed to evade all suitors until she was caught by Janus, from whom she could not hide because he had eyes in the back of his head. In return for her maidenhood, he invested her with power over the hinges and gave her a twig of whitethorn (spina alba, which repels harm from doors. Particularly dangerous were nocturnal birds of prey, the striges which attacked nurseless infants in their cradles at night, rent their innards and sucked their blood. On one occasion, Carna thus rescued the five-day-old Proca (the future great-grandfather of Romulus and king in Alba Longa by touching the doorposts and threshold three times with a whitethorn twig, sprinkling the entrance with healing water, and sacrificing the innards of a suckling pig just two months old. Ovid begins by naming Carna and the Calends sacred to her and continues by using her ‘old’ name, Cranaë, but reverts to the name ‘Carna’ after the Proca episode, saying: ‘You ask why fat bacon is eaten on these [C]alends, and why beans are mixed with