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Sample records for mulberry pigment cyanidin

  1. Sol-Gel TiO2 thin films sensitized with the mulberry pigment cyanidin

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    Emerson Henrique de Faria

    2007-12-01

    Full Text Available TiO2 films have various applications, among them solar cells and photodegradation of pollutants. In this study, we investigated TiO2 films functionalized with the organic dye cyanidin extracted from black mulberry (Morus nigra. The TiO2 was functionalized by the sol-gel method and the film was deposited on glass substrates by dip-coating. Our aim was to investigate the interaction between the semiconductor and the dye, as well as the influence of the velocity and number of deposits on the characteristics of the film. Using ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, we observed a shift from the maximum absorption band at 545 nm for the dye’s ethanol solution to 595 nm for the film, indicating interaction of the cyanidin with the TiO2. The absorption spectra in the infrared region of the functionalized TiO2 particles showed bands characteristic of the oxide and indicated their interaction with the dye. Using profilometry and m-line techniques, we found that the films presented thicknesses in the order of 100 nm. A SEM analysis confirmed the high density of the films.

  2. Separation and identification of anthocyanin extracted from mulberry fruit and the pigment binding properties toward human serum albumin.

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    Sheng, Feng; Wang, Yuning; Zhao, Xingchen; Tian, Na; Hu, Huali; Li, Pengxia

    2014-07-16

    Purple pigments were isolated from mulberry extracts using preparative high-speed countercurrent chromatography (HSCCC) and identified by ESI-MS/MS and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) techniques. The solvent system containing methyl tert-butyl ether, 1-butanol, acetonitrile, water, and trifluoroacetic acid (10:30:10:50:0.05; %, v/v) was developed in order to separate anthocyanins with different polarities. Cyanidin 3-O-(6″-O-α-rhamnopyranosyl-β-galactopyranoside) (also known as keracyanin) is the major component present in mulberry (41.3%). Other isolated pigments are cyanidin 3-O-(6″-O-α-rhamnopyranosyl-β-glucopyranoside) and petunidin 3-O-β-glucopyranoside. The binding characteristics of keracyanin with human serum albumin (HSA) were investigated by fluorescence and circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy. Spectroscopic analysis reveals that HSA fluorescence quenched by keracyanin follows a static mode. Binding of keracyanin to HSA mainly depends on van der Waals force or H-bonds with average binding distance of 2.82 nm. The results from synchronous fluorescence, three-dimensional fluorescence, and CD spectra show that adaptive structure rearrangement and decrease of α-helical structure occur in the presence of keracyanin.

  3. Quantification and Purification of Mulberry Anthocyanins with Macroporous Resins

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    Xueming Liu

    2004-01-01

    Full Text Available Total anthocyanins in different cultivars of mulberry were measured and a process for the industrial preparation of mulberry anthocyanins as a natural food colorant was studied. In 31 cultivars of mulberry, the total anthocyanins, calculated as cyanidin 3-glucoside, ranged from 147.68 to 2725.46 mg/L juice. Extracting and purifying with macroporous resins was found to be an efficient potential method for the industrial production of mulberry anthocyanins as a food colorant. Of six resins tested, X-5 demonstrated the best adsorbent capability for mulberry anthocyanins (91 mg/mL resin. The adsorption capacity of resins increased with the surface area and the pore radius. Residual mulberry fruit juice after extraction of pigment retained most of its nutrients, except for anthocyanins, and may provide a substrate for further processing.

  4. Degradation kinetics of cyanidin 3-O-glucoside and cyanidin 3-O-rutinoside during hot air and vacuum drying in mulberry (Morus alba L.) fruit: A comparative study based on solid food system.

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    Zhou, Mo; Chen, Qinqin; Bi, Jinfeng; Wang, Yixiu; Wu, Xinye

    2017-08-15

    The aim of this study is to ascertain the degradation kinetic of anthocyanin in dehydration process of solid food system. Mulberry fruit was treated by hot air and vacuum drying at 60 and 75°C. The contents of cyanidin 3-O-glucoside and cyanidin 3-O-rutinoside were determined by using high performance liquid chromatography. Kinetic and thermodynamic parameters were calculated for analysing the degradation characteristics. Model fitting results showed monomeric anthocyanin degradations were followed the second-order kinetic. Vacuum drying presented high kinetic rate constants and low t 1/2 values. Thermodynamic parameters including the activation energy, enthalpy change and entropy change appeared significant differences between hot air and vacuum drying. Both heating techniques showed similar effects on polyphenol oxidase activities. These results indicate the anthocyanin degradation kinetic in solid food system is different from that in liquid and the oxygen can be regarded as a catalyst to accelerate the degradation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Antinociceptive and Antibacterial Properties of Anthocyanins and Flavonols from Fruits of Black and Non-Black Mulberries

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    Hu Chen

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Anthocyanins and flavones are important pigments responsible for the coloration of fruits. Mulberry fruit is rich in anthocyanins and flavonols, which have multiple uses in traditional Chinese medicine. The antinociceptive and antibacterial activities of total flavonoids (TF from black mulberry (MnTF, TF of Morus nigra and non-black mulberry (MmTF, TF of Morus mongolica; and MazTF, TF of Morus alba ‘Zhenzhubai’ fruits were studied. MnTF was rich in anthocyanins (11.3 mg/g and flavonols (0.7 mg/g identified by ultra-performance liquid chromatography–tunable ultraviolet/mass single-quadrupole detection (UPLC–TUV/QDa. Comparatively, MmTF and MazTF had low flavonol contents and MazTF had no anthocyanins. MnTF showed significantly higher antinociceptive and antibacterial activities toward Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus than MmTF and MazTF. MnTF inhibited the expression of interleukin 6 (IL-6, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS, phospho-p65 (p-p65 and phospho-IκBα (p-IκBα, and increased interleukin 10 (IL-10. Additionally, mice tests showed that cyanidin-3-O-glucoside (C3G, rutin (Ru and isoquercetin (IQ were the main active ingredients in the antinociceptive process. Stronger antinociceptive effect of MnTF was correlated with its high content of anthocyanins and flavonols and its inhibitory effects on proinflammatory cytokines, iNOS and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB pathway-related proteins.

  6. Phytochemical Content of Some Black (Morus nigra L. and Purple (Morus rubra L. Mulberry Genotypes

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    Murat Tosun

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available Bright black (Morus nigra and purple mulberry (Morus rubra are particularly desirable fruits in Turkey. More recently, the interest in these bright black and purple mulberry fruits has also increased because of the popularization of healthy properties of these fruits. The study was carried out in 2008 aiming to determine the antioxidant activity (ferric reducing ability of plasma, FRAP, total phenolic, total anthocyanin, mineral, soluble solid, vitamin C, and total acid content of four black and four purple mulberry genotypes grown in Turkey. The results show that black mulberry genotypes have a higher bioactive content than purple mulberry genotypes. The average total phenolic content and total anthocyanins of black mulberry genotypes were 2149 μg of gallic acid equivalent (GAE per g and 719 μg of cyanidin 3-glucoside equivalent (Cy 3-glu per g of fresh mass. In purple mulberry, these values were for GAE 1690 μg/g and for Cy 3-glu 109 μg/g on fresh mass basis. The average antioxidant activity of black mulberry genotypes was also found to be higher than that of the purple ones according to FRAP assay (Trolox equivalent (TE per fresh mass of black and purple mulberries was 13.35 and 6.87 μmol/g, respectively.

  7. Protective property of mulberry digest against oxidative stress - A potential approach to ameliorate dietary acrylamide-induced cytotoxicity.

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    Zhang, Linxia; Xu, Yang; Li, Yuting; Bao, Tao; Gowd, Vemana; Chen, Wei

    2017-09-01

    The aim of this study was investigating the protective effect of mulberry digest (MBD) on acrylamide-induced oxidative stress. Composition analysis of MBD revealed that it contained six major phenolic compounds (quercetin-3-O-rutinoside, quercetin hexoside, quercetin rhamnosylhexoside hexoside, kaempferol rhamnosylhexoside, cyanidin-3-O-glucoside and cyanidin-3-O-rutinoside). After in vitro digestion, the contents of two anthocyanins were both decreased significantly, while the contents of four flavonoid glycosides were all increased. In addition, MBD was found to successfully suppress acrylamide-induced ROS overproduction, restore the mitochondrial membrane potential, and inhibit the mitochondrial membrane lipid peroxidation and glutathione depletion. More interestingly, the protective effect of MBD against acrylamide-induced oxidative damage was enhanced compared with mulberry fruits without digestion (MBE). Further study revealed that MBD enhanced the cell resistance capacity to acrylamide-induced oxidative stress, rather than its direct reaction with acrylamide. Overall, our results indicate that MBD provides a potent protection against acrylamide-induced oxidative stress. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Mulberry Fruit Extract Affords Protection against Ethyl Carbamate-Induced Cytotoxicity and Oxidative Stress

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    Wei Chen

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Ethyl carbamate (EC is a food and environmental toxicant and is a cause of concern for human exposure. Several studies indicated that EC-induced toxicity was associated with oxidative stress. Mulberry fruits are reported to have a wide range of bioactive compounds and pharmacological activities. The present study was therefore aimed to investigate the protective property of mulberry fruit extract (MFE on EC-induced cytotoxicity and oxidative stress. Chemical composition analysis showed that total phenolic content and total flavonoid content in MFE were 502.43 ± 5.10 and 219.12 ± 4.45 mg QE/100 g FW. Cyanidin-3-O-glucoside and cyanidin-3-O-rutinoside were the major anthocyanins in MFE. In vitro antioxidant studies (DPPH, ABTS, and FRAP assays jointly exhibited the potent antioxidant capacity of MFE. Further study indicated that MFE protected human liver HepG2 cells from EC-induced cytotoxicity by scavenging overproduced cellular ROS. EC treatment promoted intracellular glutathione (GSH depletion and caused mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP collapse, as well as mitochondrial membrane lipid peroxidation, whereas MFE pretreatment significantly inhibited GSH depletion and restored the mitochondrial membrane function. Overall, our study suggested that polyphenolic-rich MFE could afford a potent protection against EC-induced cytotoxicity and oxidative stress.

  9. Influence of Tannin Extract and Yeast Extract on Color Preservation and Anthocyanin Content of Mulberry Wine.

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    You, Yilin; Li, Na; Han, Xue; Guo, Jielong; Liu, Guojie; Huang, Weidong; Zhan, Jicheng

    2018-04-01

    The color of mulberry wine is extremely unstable in processing and aging. This paper investigates the effects of tannin extract and yeast extract on the color and color-preserving characteristics of mulberry wine made from the Dashi cultivar. The results showed that the maximum absorption wavelength in both tannin extract and yeast extract groups changed generating the red shift effect. The color of the tannin extract maintained a good gloss in the first 4 months, while the yeast extract group showed remarkable color preservation for the first 3 months. The total anthocyanin and cyanidin-3-rutinoside contents in both experiment groups were significantly higher than that of the control group, thus proving that tannin extract and yeast extract both exert a remarkably positive effect on preserving the color of mulberry wine during its aging. Moreover, sensory analysis indicated that the quality of mulberry wine treated with tannin extract was significantly higher than that of the control. The distinct color of mulberry wine is one of the foremost qualities that imprints on consumers' senses, but it is extremely unstable in processing and aging. However, the color protection of mulberry wine was not studied previously. In this study, we found that tannin extract and yeast extract both exert a remarkably positive effect on preserving the color of mulberry wine during aging. The study is of great significance as a guide to improving the color stability of mulberry wine, thereby also improving and promoting the development of the mulberry deep processing industry. © 2018 Institute of Food Technologists®.

  10. Inhibition of Carrageenan-Induced Acute Inflammation in Mice by Oral Administration of Anthocyanin Mixture from Wild Mulberry and Cyanidin-3-Glucoside

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    Neuza Mariko Aymoto Hassimotto

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Anthocyanins are flavonoids which demonstrated biological activities in in vivo and in vitro models. Here in the anti-inflammatory properties of an anthocyanin-enriched fraction (AF extracted from wild mulberry and the cyanidin-3-glucoside (C3G, the most abundant anthocyanin in diet, were studied in two acute inflammation experimental models, in the peritonitis and in the paw oedema assays, both of which were induced by carrageenan (cg in mice. In each trial, AF and C3G (4 mg/100 g/animal were orally administered in two distinct protocols: 30 min before and 1 h after cg stimulus. The administration of both AF and C3G suppresses the paw oedema in both administration times (P<0.05. In the peritonitis, AF and C3G reduced the polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN influx in the peritoneal exudates when administered 1 h after cg injection. AF was more efficient reducing the PMN when administered 30 min before cg. Both AF and C3G were found to suppress mRNA as well as protein levels of COX-2 upregulated by cg in both protocols, but the inhibitory effect on PGE2 production in the peritoneal exudates was observed when administered 30 min before cg (P<0.05. Our findings suggest that AF and C3G minimize acute inflammation and they present positive contributions as dietary supplements.

  11. Mulberry (桑葚子 Sang Shèn Zǐ and its Bioactive Compounds, the Chemoprevention Effects and Molecular Mechanisms In Vitro and In Vivo

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    Hui-Pei Huang

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Mulberry (桑葚子 sāng shèn zǐ, a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM in Taiwan, has many bioactive substances, including polyphenol and anthocyanins compounds. Over the past decade, many scientific and medical studies have examined mulberry fruit for its antioxidation and antiinflammation effects both in vitro and in vivo. This review thus focuses on the recent advances of mulberry extracts (MEs and their applications in the prevention and treatment of human cancer, liver disease, obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. The ME modulates several apoptotic pathways and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs to block cancer progression. Mulberry can increase detoxicated and antioxidant enzyme activities and regulate the lipid metabolism to treat hepatic disease resulting from alcohol consumption, high fat diet, lipopolysaccharides (LPS and CCl4 exposure. Of the various compounds in ME, cyanidin 3-glucoside (C3G is the most abundant, and the active compound studied in mulberry research. Herein, the antioxidant and antiinflammatory actions of C3G to improve diabetes and cardiovascular disease are also discussed. These studies provide strong evidence ME may possess the bioactivity to affect the pathogenesis of several chronic diseases.

  12. Anthocyanins standards (cyanidin-3-O-glucoside and cyanidin-3-O-rutinoside isolation from freeze-dried açaí (Euterpe oleraceae Mart. by HPLC

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    Ana Cristina Miranda Senna Gouvêa

    2012-03-01

    Full Text Available Availability of analytical standards is a critical aspect in developing methods for quantitative analysis of anthocyanins. The anthocyanins cyanidin-3-O-glucoside and cyanidin-3-O-rutinoside were isolated from samples of freeze-dried açaí (Euterpe oleraceae Mart., which is a round and purple well-known palm fruit in Brazil, and then used as standards. The isolation of the anthocyanins was performed by High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC, using an adapted six-channel selection valve. The identification of anthocyanin pigments in açaí was based on mass spectrometric data for molecular ions and MS-MS product ions and on previous published data. After the collection procedure, standards with a high purity grade were obtained and an external standard curve of each anthocyanin was plotted.

  13. Protective Effect of Mulberry (Morus alba L.) Extract against Benzo[a]pyrene Induced Skin Damage through Inhibition of Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor Signaling.

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    Woo, Hyunju; Lee, JungA; Park, Deokhoon; Jung, Eunsun

    2017-12-20

    Benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P), a type of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon, is present in the atmosphere surrounding our environment. Although B[a]P is a procarcinogen, enzymatically metabolized benzo[a]pyrene-7,8-dihydrodiol-9,10-epoxide (BPDE) could intercalate into DNA to form bulky BPDE-DNA adducts as an ultimate carcinogenic product in human keratinocytes. The aim of this study was to evaluate the protective effect of mulberry extract, purified from the fruit of Morus Alba L., on B[a]P-induced cytotoxicity in human keratinocytes and its mechanisms of action. In this study, we confirmed that B[a]P induced nuclear translocation and the activation of aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) were decreased by pretreatment of mulberry extract. Mulberry extract could decrease DNA damage through the suppression of B[a]P derived DNA adduct formation and restoration of cell cycle retardation at S phase in a dose-dependent manner. Additionally, cyanidin-3-glucoside (C3G), a major active compound of mulberry extract, showed biological activities to protect the cells from B[a]P exposure, similar to the effectivity of the mulberry extract. These results indicated that the inhibitory effect of C3G against B[a]P inducing skin cancer is attributable to repress the AhR signaling pathway.

  14. Antimicrobial activity, phyto chemical profile and trace minerals of black mulberry (morus nigra l.) fresh juice

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Khalid, N.; Fawad, S.A.; Ahmed, I.

    2011-01-01

    In the present work, the fresh juice of black mulberry (Morus nigra) was tested for antimicrobial activity against various pathogenic microorganisms. Total antioxidant contents, total phenolic contents, total anthocyanins, trace minerals, total acid contents, total solids and ascorbic acid content were also evaluated. The results showed good antimicrobial activity both for Gram- positive and Gram-negative bacteria, with highest zones of inhibition for Bacillus spizizenii (19.68 mm, Gram-positive) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (19.87 mm, Gram-negative). The black mulberry juice was rich in ascorbic acid (23.45 mg/100 g), had low overall acid content (1.60 %) and had 19% total soluble solids. The average total anthocyanins and total phenolic contents of black mulberry juice were 769 mu g/g of cyanidin 3-glucoside equivalent (Cy 3-gly) per gram and 2050 mu g of gallic acid equivalent (GAE) per gram of fresh juice. The average antioxidant activity (Trolox equivalent, TE) of fresh juice was 14.00 mu mol/g according to a FRAP assay and 20.10 mu mol/g according to a DPPH assay. The fresh juice was also rich in a variety of trace minerals. (author)

  15. Biotransformation and metabolism of three mulberry anthocyanin monomers by rat gut microflora.

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    Chen, Yao; Li, Qian; Zhao, Ting; Zhang, Zhen; Mao, Guanghua; Feng, Weiwei; Wu, Xiangyang; Yang, Liuqing

    2017-12-15

    Anthocyanins (ACNs) are naturally occurring components of human diet. Evidence has accumulated regarding the positive association of their intake with chronic disease. Because microbiota has been considered as a metabolic organ, the bacterial-dependent metabolisms of three types of ACNs from mulberry fruits (cyanidin-3-glucoside (C3G), cyanidin-3-rutinoside (C3R), delphinidin-3-rutinoside (D3R)) during a simulation of large intestine conditions were investigated. ACNs and metabolites were analysed and characterized by high performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-mass spectrum (HPLC-ESI-MS/MS). C3G disappeared after 6h of metabolism, while C3R and D3R were no longer detected after 8h. The metabolism of C3G and C3R mainly resulted in the formation of protocatechuic, vanillic, and p-coumaric acids, as well as 2,4,6-trihydroxybenzaldehyde, while the main metabolites of D3R were gallic acid, syringic acid and 2,4,6-trihydroxybenzaldehyde. This research indicated that the intake of ACNs may result in the appearance of specific metabolites that exert a protective effect in the host physiology. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Microencapsulation by spray-drying of anthocyanin pigments from Corozo ( Bactris guineensis) fruit.

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    Osorio, Coralia; Acevedo, Baudilio; Hillebrand, Silke; Carriazo, José; Winterhalter, Peter; Morales, Alicia Lucía

    2010-06-09

    The anthocyanins of Bactris guineensis fruit were isolated with the aid of high-speed countercurrent chromatography (HSCCC) and preparative HPLC, and their chemical structures were elucidated by using spectroscopic methods. Among the identified pigments, cyanidin-3-rutinoside and cyanidin-3-glucoside were characterized as major constituents (87.9%). Peonidin-3-rutinoside, peonidin-3-glucoside, cyanidin-3-(6-O-malonyl)glucoside, and cyanidin-3-sambubioside were present in minor amounts. Four anthocyanin ethanolic extracts (AEEs) were obtained by osmotic dehydration and Soxhlet extraction and physicochemically characterized. The composition of anthocyanins was monitored by HPLC-PDA. The extracts with the highest anthocyanin content were subjected to the spray-drying process with maltodextrin. The so-obtained spray-dried powders were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and found to consist of spherical particles fruit. The microencapsulated powders were analyzed by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), revealing that they are quite stable until 100 degrees C. Storage stability tests of microcapsules showed that the release of anthocyanin pigments follows pseudo-first-order kinetics and that the process rate is increased by temperature and humidity. The most suitable conditions for storage were below 37 degrees C and <76% relative humidity, respectively.

  17. Effects of pH on the stability of cyanidin and cyanidin 3-O-β-glucopyranoside in aqueous solution

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    Rakić Violeta P.

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available The colour variation, colour intensity and stability at various pH values (2.0, 4.0, 7.0 and 9.0 of cyanidin 3-O-β-glucopyranoside (Cy3Glc and its aglycone cyanidin was investigated during a period of 8 hours storage at 25ºC. Our data showed that pH of aqueous solution had impact on spectroscopic profile of cyanidin and Cy3Glc. Beginning with the most acidic solutions, increasing the pH induce bathochromic shifts of absorbance maximum in the visible range for all examined pH values (with the exception pH 4.0 for cyanidin, while the presence of the 3-glucosidic substitution induce hypsochromic shift. Compared to cyanidin, Cy3Glc has higher colour intensity and higher stability in the whole pH range, except at pH 7.0. The 3-glucosidic substitution influences on the colour intensity of Cy3Glc in the alkaline region. After 8-hour incubation of Cy3Glc and cyanidin at pH 2.0 and 25 ºC, 99% of Cy3Glc and only 27% of cyanidin remained unchanged.

  18. Investigating Pigment Radicals in Black Rice Using HPLC and Multi-EPR.

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    Nakagawa, Kouichi; Maeda, Hayato

    2017-01-01

    We investigated the location and distribution of paramagnetic species in black and white rice using electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), X-band (9 GHz) EPR imaging (EPRI), and HPLC. EPR primarily detected two paramagnetic species in black rice, which were identified as a stable radical and Mn 2+ species, based on the g values and hyperfine components of the EPR signals. The signal from the stable radical appeared at g ≈ 2.00 and was relatively strong and stable. Subsequent noninvasive two-dimensional (2D) EPRI revealed that this stable radical was primarily located in the pigmented region of black rice, while very few radicals were observed in the rice interior. Pigments extracted from black rice were analyzed using HPLC; the major compound was found to be cyanidin-3-glucoside. EPR and HPLC results indicate that the stable radical was only found within the pigmented region of the rice, and that it could either be cyanidin-3-glucoside, or one of its oxidative decomposition products.

  19. A new sensor for ammonia based on cyanidin-sensitized titanium dioxide film operating at room temperature

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Xiao-wei, Huang [School of Food and Biological Engineering, Jiangsu University, 301 Xuefu Road, 212013 Zhenjiang, Jiangsu (China); Xiao-bo, Zou, E-mail: zou_xiaobo@ujs.edu.cn [School of Food and Biological Engineering, Jiangsu University, 301 Xuefu Road, 212013 Zhenjiang, Jiangsu (China); Key Laboratory of Modern Agricultural Equipment and Technology, 301 Xuefu Road, 212013 Zhenjiang, Jiangsu (China); Ji-yong, Shi; Jie-wen, Zhao; Yanxiao, Li [School of Food and Biological Engineering, Jiangsu University, 301 Xuefu Road, 212013 Zhenjiang, Jiangsu (China); Limin, Hao; Jianchun, Zhang [The Research Center of China Hemp Materials, Beijing (China)

    2013-07-17

    Graphical abstract: -- Highlights: •TiO{sub 2} was prepared by sol–gel method film and then functionalized with the cyanidin dye. •The morphology and the absorption spectra of films were examined. •The hybrid organic–inorganic formed film here can detect ammonia reversibly at room temperature. •The low humidity could promote the sensitivity of the sensors. -- Abstract: Design and fabrication of an ammonia sensor operating at room temperature based on pigment-sensitized TiO{sub 2} films was described. TiO{sub 2} was prepared by sol–gel method and deposited on glass slides containing gold electrodes. Then, the film immersed in a 2.5 × 10{sup −4} M ethanol solution of cyanidin to absorb the pigment. The hybrid organic–inorganic formed film here can detect ammonia reversibly at room temperature. The relative change resistance of the films at a potential difference of 1.5 V is determined when the films are exposed to atmospheres containing ammonia vapors with concentrations over the range 10–50 ppm. The relative change resistance, S, of the films increased almost linearly with increasing concentrations of ammonia (r = 0.92). The response time to increasing concentrations of the ammonia is about 180–220 s, and the corresponding values for decreasing concentrations 240–270 s. At low humidity, ammonia could be ionized by the cyanidin on the TiO{sub 2} film and thereby decrease in the proton concentration at the surface. Consequently, more positively charged holes at the surface of the TiO{sub 2} have to be extracted to neutralize the adsorbed cyanidin and water film. The resistance response to ammonia of the sensors was nearly independent on temperature from 10 to 50 °C. These results are not actually as good as those reported in the literature, but this preliminary work proposes simpler and cheaper processes to realize NH{sub 3} sensor for room temperature applications.

  20. Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungus Species Dependency Governs Better Plant Physiological Characteristics and Leaf Quality of Mulberry (Morus alba L.) Seedlings.

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    Shi, Song-Mei; Chen, Ke; Gao, Yuan; Liu, Bei; Yang, Xiao-Hong; Huang, Xian-Zhi; Liu, Gui-Xi; Zhu, Li-Quan; He, Xin-Hua

    2016-01-01

    Understanding the synergic interactions between arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and its host mulberry (Morus alba L.), an important perennial multipurpose plant, has theoretical and practical significance in mulberry plantation, silkworm cultivation, and relevant textile industry. In a greenhouse study, we compared functional distinctions of three genetically different AMF species (Acaulospora scrobiculata, Funneliformis mosseae, and Rhizophagus intraradices) on physiological and growth characteristics as well as leaf quality of 6-month-old mulberry seedlings. Results showed that mulberry was AMF-species dependent, and AMF colonization significantly increased shoot height and taproot length, stem base and taproot diameter, leaf and fibrous root numbers, and shoot and root biomass production. Meanwhile, leaf chlorophyll a or b and carotenoid concentrations, net photosynthetic rate, transpiration rate and stomatal conductance were generally significantly greater, while intercellular CO2 concentration was significantly lower in AMF-inoculated seedlings than in non-AMF-inoculated counterparts. These trends were also generally true for leaf moisture, total nitrogen, all essential amino acids, histidine, proline, soluble protein, sugar, and fatty acid as they were significantly increased under mycorrhization. Among these three tested AMFs, significantly greater effects of AMF on above-mentioned mulberry physiological and growth characteristics ranked as F. mosseae > A. scrobiculata > R. intraradices, whilst on mulberry leaf quality (e.g., nutraceutical values) for better silkworm growth as F. mosseae ≈A. scrobiculata > R. intraradices. In conclusion, our results showed that greater mulberry biomass production, and nutritional quality varied with AMF species or was AMF-species dependent. Such improvements were mainly attributed to AMF-induced positive alterations of mulberry leaf photosynthetic pigments, net photosynthetic rate, transpiration rate, and N

  1. Intravascular "mulberry-like" bodies

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Sørensen, Flemming Brandt; Klebe, J G; Henriques, U V

    1988-01-01

    Intravascular "mulberry-like" bodies in a stillborn female infant with moderate maceration are reported. The histogenesis of these structures is discussed based on light-microscopic, immunohistochemical and ultrastructural findings. No demonstrable causal relation between the intravascular lesion...... and fetal death was found, the cause of death being attributed to intrauterine asphyxia. It is concluded, that intravascular "mulberry-bodies" most likely represent artifacts due to red blood cell autolysis.......Intravascular "mulberry-like" bodies in a stillborn female infant with moderate maceration are reported. The histogenesis of these structures is discussed based on light-microscopic, immunohistochemical and ultrastructural findings. No demonstrable causal relation between the intravascular lesions...

  2. mulberry

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Small auxin-up RNA (SAUR) genes are important gene families in auxin ... In this study, we used Arabidopsis sequences as query to search against mulberry, hemp ...... T. J. 1989 Transcription, organization, and sequence of an auxin-.

  3. Intravascular "mulberry-like" bodies

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Sørensen, Flemming Brandt; Klebe, J G; Henriques, U V

    1988-01-01

    Intravascular "mulberry-like" bodies in a stillborn female infant with moderate maceration are reported. The histogenesis of these structures is discussed based on light-microscopic, immunohistochemical and ultrastructural findings. No demonstrable causal relation between the intravascular lesions...... and fetal death was found, the cause of death being attributed to intrauterine asphyxia. It is concluded, that intravascular "mulberry-bodies" most likely represent artifacts due to red blood cell autolysis....

  4. Alcoholic Beverages Obtained from Black Mulberry

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    Jacinto Darias-Martín

    2003-01-01

    Full Text Available Black mulberry (Morus nigra is a fruit not known only for its nutritional qualities and its flavour, but also for its traditional use in natural medicine as it has a high content of active therapeutic compounds. However, this fruit is not widely produced in Spain but some trees are still found growing in the Canary Islands, particularly on the edges of the ravine. The inhabitants of these islands (Tenerife, La Gomera, La Palma, El Hierro and Lanzarote collect the fruit and prepare homemade beverages for medicinal purposes. Numerous authors have reported that type II diabetes mellitus can be controlled by taking a mixture containing black mulberry and water. Apart from that, this fruit has been used for the treatment of mouth, tongue and throat inflammations. In this study we present some characteristics of black mulberry juice (TSS, pH, titratable acidity, citric acid, lactic acid, polyphenols, anthocyanins, the potassium etc. and alcoholic beverages (alcoholic grade, pH, total acidity, volatile acidity, tannins, phenols etc. obtained from black mulberry. Moreover, we have studied the quality of liquors obtained from black mulberry in Canary Islands.

  5. EPR imaging and HPLC characterization of the pigment-based organic free radical in black soybean seeds.

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    Nakagawa, Kouichi; Maeda, Hayato

    2017-02-01

    We investigated the location and distribution of paramagnetic species in dry black, brown, and yellow (normal) soybean seeds using electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), X-band (9 GHz) EPR imaging (EPRI), and HPLC. EPR primarily detected two paramagnetic species in black soybean. These two different radical species were assigned as stable organic radical and Mn 2+  species based on the g values and hyperfine structures. The signal from the stable radical was noted at g ≈ 2.00 and was relatively strong and stable. Subsequent noninvasive two-dimensional (2D) EPRI of the radical present in black soybean revealed that the stable radical was primarily located in the pigmented region of the soybean coat, with very few radicals observed in the soybean cotyledon (interior). Pigments extracted from black soybean were analyzed using HPLC. The major compound was found to be cyanidin-3-glucoside. Multi-EPR and HPLC results indicate that the stable radical was only found within the pigmented region of the soybean coat, and it could be cyanidin-3-glucoside or an oxidative decomposition product.

  6. Kauplus Mulberry - Oksana Tandit = Mulberry - Oksana Tandit store

    Index Scriptorium Estoniae

    2011-01-01

    Inglise firma Mulberry ja eesti moekunstniku Oksana Tanditi kauplusest Tallinnas Suur-Karja 2. Sisearhitektid Tiina Talvi ja Elo Pärlioja. Loetletud sisearhitektide tehtud töid. Interjööris kasutatud sepised valmistasid Tõnu Narro ja Märt Vaidla

  7. Transgenesis: An efficient tool in mulberry breeding

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    DELL

    2013-11-27

    Nov 27, 2013 ... ... (south campus). They have developed drought and salinity tolerent transgenic mulberry ... generates tolerence to salinity and water stress in transgenic mulberry (Morus indica). Key words: ..... seasonal cold acclimation.

  8. Non-Mulberry and Mulberry Silk Protein Sericins as Potential Media Supplement for Animal Cell Culture

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Neety Sahu

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Silk protein sericins, in the recent years, find application in cosmetics and pharmaceuticals and as biomaterials. We investigate the potential of sericin, extracted from both mulberry Bombyx mori and different non-mulberry sources, namely, tropical tasar, Antheraea mylitta; muga, Antheraea assama; and eri, Samia ricini, as growth supplement in serum-free culture medium. Sericin supplemented media containing different concentrations of sericins from the different species are examined for attachment, growth, proliferation, and morphology of fibrosarcoma cells. The optimum sericin supplementation seems to vary with the source of sericins. The results indicate that all the sericins promote the growth of L929 cells in serum-free culture media; however, S. ricini sericin seems to promote better growth of cells amongst other non-mulberry sericins.

  9. Adhesion of electrodeposited coatings on U--Ti and Mulberry

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Johnson, H.R.; Dini, J.W.

    1976-05-01

    Quantitative test data are presented for two etched and plated uranium alloys, U-0.75 Ti and mulberry (U-7.5 Nb, 2.5 Zr). Conical head tensile tests showed that the bond between nickel plating and U--Ti was stronger than that between nickel plating and mulberry. Ring shear tests showed that electroplated nickel coatings are more adherent than other coatings applied to U--Ti. Utilizing a newly developed etchant for mulberry, large cylinders of this material were joined to aluminum and then tensile tested. Results showed that the strength of the joint was directly influenced by the taper angle on the mulberry

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

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

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

    2013-01-01

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

  11. Gamma irradiation enhances biological activities of mulberry leaf extract

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cho, Byoung-Ok; Che, Denis Nchang; Yin, Hong-Hua; Jang, Seon-Il

    2017-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of irradiation on the anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory and whitening effects of mulberry leaf extract. This was done by comparing the phenolic contents; 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging effects; 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonicacid) (ABTS) radical scavenging effects; in vitro tyrosinase inhibitory effects and the production of IL-6, TNF-α, PGE 2 , and NO in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated RAW264.7 macrophages and the production of IL-6 and TNF-α in phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate plus calcium ionophore A23187-stimulated HMC-1 cells, respectively. The results showed that irradiated mulberry leaf extract possesses more anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, and tyrosinase inhibitory activities than their non-irradiated counterpart, probably due to increase in phenolic contents induced by gamma irradiation at dose of 10kGy. This research stresses on the importance of irradiation in functional foods. - Highlights: • Gamma-irradiated mulberry leaf extract enhanced in vitro antioxidant activities. • Gamma-irradiated mulberry leaf extract enhanced in vitro tyrosinase inhibitory effects. • Gamma-irradiated mulberry leaf extract treatment reduced the production of IL-6, TNF-α, PGE 2 , and NO.

  12. Identification of a latent pathogen on mulberry tree with a disease of ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    STORAGESEVER

    2009-10-19

    Oct 19, 2009 ... Pathogen inoculation and comparison. The healthy mulberry trees grown in Wuxing Station of Silkworm and Mulberry Technical Guidance, Huzhou (the area without disea- sed mulberries) and Institute of Sericultural Reseach, Chinese. Academy of Agricultura Sciences (Zhenjiang City, Jiangsu Province).

  13. Comparative analysis of pigments in red and yellow banana fruit.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fu, Xiumin; Cheng, Sihua; Liao, Yinyin; Huang, Bingzhi; Du, Bing; Zeng, Wei; Jiang, Yueming; Duan, Xuewu; Yang, Ziyin

    2018-01-15

    Color is an important characteristic determining the fruit value. Although ripe bananas usually have yellow peels, several banana cultivars have red peels. As details of the pigments in banana fruits are unknown, we investigated these pigments contents and compositions in the peel and pulp of red cultivar 'Hongjiaowang' and yellow cultivar 'Baxijiao' by UPLC-PDA-QTOF-MS and HPLC-PDA techniques. The 'Hongjiaowang' peel color was mainly determined by the presence of anthocyanin-containing epidermal cells. Rutinoside derivatives of cyanidin, peonidin, petunidin, and malvidin were unique to the red peel, and possibly responsible for the red color. 'Hongjiaowang' contained higher total content of carotenoids than 'Baxijiao' in both pulp and peel. Lutein, α-carotene, and β-carotene were main carotenoids, which might play a more important role than flavonoids in producing the yellow banana color owing to the properties and distribution in the fruit. The information will help us understand a complete profile of pigments in banana. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Reducing soil erosion and nutrient loss on sloping land under crop-mulberry management system.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fan, Fangling; Xie, Deti; Wei, Chaofu; Ni, Jiupai; Yang, John; Tang, Zhenya; Zhou, Chuan

    2015-09-01

    Sloping croplands could result in soil erosion, which leads to non-point source pollution of the aquatic system in the Three Gorges Reservoir Region. Mulberry, a commonly grown cash plant in the region, is traditionally planted in contour hedgerows as an effective management practice to control soil erosion and non-point source pollution. In this field study, surface runoff and soil N and P loss on sloping land under crop-mulberry management were investigated. The experiments consisted of six crop-mulberry treatments: Control (no mulberry hedgerow with mustard-corn rotation); T1 (two-row contour mulberry with mustard-corn rotation); T2 (three-row contour mulberry with mustard-corn rotation); T3 (border mulberry and one-row contour mulberry with mustard-corn rotation); T4 (border mulberry with mustard-corn rotation); T5 (two-row longitudinal mulberry with mustard). The results indicated that crop-mulberry systems could effectively reduce surface runoff and soil and nutrient loss from arable slope land. Surface runoff from T1 (342.13 m(3) hm(-2)), T2 (260.6 m(3) hm(-2)), T3 (113.13 m(3) hm(-2)), T4 (114 m(3) hm(-2)), and T5 (129 m(3) hm(-2)) was reduced by 15.4, 35.6, 72.0, 71.8, and 68.1%, respectively, while soil loss from T1 (0.21 t hm(-2)), T2 (0.13 t hm(-2)), T3 (0.08 t hm(-2)), T4 (0.11 t hm(-2)), and T5 (0.12 t hm(-2)) was reduced by 52.3, 70.5, 81.8, 75.0, and 72.7%, respectively, as compared with the control. Crop-mulberry ecosystem would also elevate soil N by 22.3% and soil P by 57.4%, and soil nutrient status was contour-line dependent.

  15. THE COMPOSITION AND THE CONTENT OF PIGMENTS FROM SOME DYEING PLANT FOR IKAT WEAVING IN TIMORRESE REGENCY, EAST NUSA TENGGARA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Neltji Herlina Ati

    2010-06-01

    Full Text Available Ikat weaving is one of traditional-home industry using plant pigments as a dye which have not been known for their pigments composition. So, the research was carried out to know the composition and the content of pigments in young leaf teak, noni root, turmeric tuber, casuarine bark and betel-nut root. The result showed that pigment composition in young leaf teak consisted of β-carotene, pheophytine, phelargonydine 3-glucosyde, phelargonydine 3,7-diglucosyde, chlorophyllide and two other pigments that have not been identified. Most of the pigments composition in betel-nut root have not been identified, but one of them was condensed tanin. Noni root had pigment composition which consisted of hydrolised tanin, flavonoid and morindon. Pigment composition in turmeric tuber were curcumin, demethoxy curcumin and bis-demethoxy curcumin. Whereas casuarine bark had pigment composition which consisted of delphynidine, cyanydine and phelargonydine. The highest pigment concentration in young leaf teak, betel-nut root, noni root, tumeric tuber and casuarine bark was pheophytine, tanin condensation, morindon, curcumin and cyanidine, respectively.   Keywords: ikat weaving, chlorophyll, carotenoid, anthocyanin

  16. Effects of Diets Supplemented with Ensiled Mulberry Leaves and Sun-Dried Mulberry Fruit Pomace on the Ruminal Bacterial and Archaeal Community Composition of Finishing Steers

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Niu, Yuhong; Meng, Qingxiang; Li, Shengli; Ren, Liping; Zhou, Bo; Schonewille, Thomas; Zhou, Zhenming

    This study investigated the effects of ensiled mulberry leaves (EML) and sun-dried mulberry fruit pomace (SMFP) on the ruminal bacterial and archaeal community composition of finishing steers. Corn grain- and cotton meal-based concentrate was partially replaced with EML or SMFP. The diets had

  17. Phenotypic and Transcriptomic Analyses of Autotetraploid and Diploid Mulberry (Morus alba L.).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dai, Fanwei; Wang, Zhenjiang; Luo, Guoqing; Tang, Cuiming

    2015-09-22

    Autopolyploid plants and their organs are often larger than their diploid counterparts, which makes them attractive to plant breeders. Mulberry (Morus alba L.) is an important commercial woody plant in many tropical and subtropical areas. In this study, we obtained a series of autotetraploid mulberry plants resulting from a colchicine treatment. To evaluate the effects of genome duplications in mulberry, we compared the phenotypes and transcriptomes of autotetraploid and diploid mulberry trees. In the autotetraploids, the height, breast-height diameter, leaf size, and fruit size were larger than those of diploids. Transcriptome data revealed that of 21,229 expressed genes only 609 (2.87%) were differentially expressed between diploids and autotetraploids. Among them, 30 genes were associated with the biosynthesis and signal transduction of plant hormones, including cytokinin, gibberellins, ethylene, and auxin. In addition, 41 differentially expressed genes were involved in photosynthesis. These results enhance our understanding of the variations that occur in mulberry autotetraploids and will benefit future breeding work.

  18. Agrobacterium-mediated transient MaFT expression in mulberry (Morus alba L.) leaves.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Su-Li; Yang, Xiao-Bing; Liu, Li-Qun; Jiang, Tao; Wu, Hai; Su, Chao; Qian, Yong-Hua; Jiao, Feng

    2015-01-01

    To optimize Agrobacterium-mediated transient transformation assay in mulberry (Morus alba L.), various infiltration methods, Agrobacterium tumefaciens (A. tumefaciens) strains, and bacterial concentrations were tested in mulberry seedlings. Compared with LBA4404, GV3101 harboring pBE2133 plasmids presented stronger GUS signals at 3 days post infiltration using syringe. Recombinant plasmids pBE2133:GFP and pBE2133:GFP:MaFT were successfully constructed. Transient expression of MaFT:GFP protein was found in leaves, petiole (cross section), and shoot apical meristem (SAM) of mulberry according to the GFP signal. Moreover, MaFT:GFP mRNA was also detected in leaves and SAM via RT-PCR and qRT-PCR. An efficient transient transformation system could be achieved in mulberry seedlings by syringe using A. tumefaciens GV3101 at the OD600 of 0.5. The movement of MaFT expression from leaves to SAM might trigger the precocious flowering of mulberry.

  19. Effects of hydroxycinnamic acids on blue color expression of cyanidin derivatives and their metal chelates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sigurdson, G T; Robbins, R J; Collins, T M; Giusti, M M

    2017-11-01

    Mechanisms to recreate many anthocyanin blue hues in nature are not fully understood, but interactions with metal ions and phenolic compounds are thought to play important roles. Bluing effects of hydroxycinnamic acids on cyanidin and chelates were investigated by addition of the acids to triglycosylated cyanidin (0-50×[anthocyanin]) and by comparison to hydroxycinnamic acid monoacylated and diacylated Cy fractions by spectrophotometry (380-700nm) and colorimetry in pH 5-8. With no metal ions, λ max and absorbance was greatest for cyanidin with diacylation>monoacylation>increasing [acids]. Hydroxycinnamic acids added to cyanidin solutions weakly impacted color characteristics (ΔEacid attachment) resulted in ΔE 5-15. Triglycosylated cyanidin expressed blue color (pH 7-8), suggesting glycosylation pattern also plays a role. Al 3+ chelation increased absorbance 2-42× and λ max ≳40nm (pH 5-6) compared to added hydroxycinnamic acids. Metal chelation and aromatic diacylation resulted in the most blue hues. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Protective effect of mulberry flavonoids on sciatic nerve in alloxan-induced diabetic rats

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ma Song-Tao

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available Mulberry leaves (Morus alba L. are a traditional Chinese medicine for blood serum glucose reduction. This study evaluated the protective effects of mulberry flavonoids on sciatic nerve in alloxan-induced diabetic rats. In this study, 80 Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into five groups: A (control, B (diabetic treated with saline, C-D (diabetic treated with 0.3, 0.1 g/kg mulberry flavonoids once a day for 8 weeks and E (diabetic treated with 0.3 mg/kg methycobal. The diabetic condition was induced by intraperitoneal injection of 200 mg/kg alloxan dissolved in saline. At the end of the experimental period, blood, and tissue samples were obtained for biochemical and histopathological investigation. Treatment with 0.3 g/kg mulberry flavonoids significantly inhibited the elevated serum glucose (P< 0.01. The increased myelin sheath area (P< 0.01, myelinated fiber cross-sectional area and extramedullary fiber number (P< 0.05 were also reduced in alloxan-induced rats treated with 0.3 g/kg mulberry flavonoids. 0.3 g/kg mulberry flavonoids also markedly decreased onion-bulb type myelin destruction and degenerative changes of mitochondria and Schwann cells. These findings demonstrate that mulberry flavonoids may improve the recovery of a severe peripheral nerve injury in alloxan-induced diabetic rats and is likely to be useful as a potential treatment on peripheral neuropathy (PN in diabetic rats.

  1. Sex Distribution of Paper Mulberry (Broussonetia papyrifera in the Pacific.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Johany Peñailillo

    Full Text Available Paper mulberry (Broussonetia papyrifera (L. L'Hér. ex Vent is a dioecious tree native to East Asia and mainland Southeast-Asia, introduced prehistorically to Polynesia as a source of bark fiber by Austronesian-speaking voyagers. In Oceania, trees are coppiced and harvested for production of bark-cloth, so flowering is generally unknown. A survey of botanical records of paper mulberry revealed a distributional disjunction: the tree is apparently absent in Borneo and the Philippines. A subsequent study of chloroplast haplotypes linked paper mulberry of Remote Oceania directly to a population in southern Taiwan, distinct from known populations in mainland Southeast-Asia.We describe the optimization and use of a DNA marker designed to identify sex in paper mulberry. We used this marker to determine the sex distribution in selected localities across Asia, Near and Remote Oceania. We also characterized all samples using the ribosomal internal transcribed spacer sequence (ITS in order to relate results to a previous survey of ITS diversity.In Near and Remote Oceania, contemporary paper mulberry plants are all female with the exception of Hawaii, where plants of both sexes are found. In its natural range in Asia, male and female plants are found, as expected. Male plants in Hawaii display an East Asian ITS genotype, consistent with modern introduction, while females in Remote Oceania share a distinctive variant.Most paper mulberry plants now present in the Pacific appear to be descended from female clones introduced prehistorically. In Hawaii, the presence of male and female plants is thought to reflect a dual origin, one a prehistoric female introduction and the other a modern male introduction by Japanese/Chinese immigrants. If only female clones were dispersed from a source-region in Taiwan, this may explain the absence of botanical records and breeding populations in the Philippines and Borneo, and Remote Oceania.

  2. Improved 1-Deoxynojirimycin (DNJ production in mulberry leaves fermented by microorganism

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yun-Gang Jiang

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available DNJ, an inhibitor of α-glucosidase, is used to suppress the elevation of postprandial hyperglycemia. In this study, we focus on screening an appropriate microorganism for performing fermentation to improve DNJ content in mulberry leaf. Results showed that Ganoderma lucidum was selected from 8 species and shown to be the most effective in improvement of DNJ production from mulberry leaves through fermentation. Based on single factor and three factor influence level tests by following the Plackett-Burman design, the optimum extraction yield was analyzed by response surface methodology (RSM. The extracted DNJ was determined by reverse-phase high performance liquid chromatograph equipped with fluorescence detector (HPLC-FD. The results of RSM showed that the optimal condition for mulberry fermentation was defined as pH 6.97, potassium nitrate content 0.81% and inoculums volume 2 mL. The extraction efficiency reached to 0.548% in maximum which is 2.74 fold of those in mulberry leaf.

  3. Effects of Applied Nitrogen Amounts on the Functional Components of Mulberry (Morus alba L.) Leaves.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sugiyama, Mari; Takahashi, Makoto; Katsube, Takuya; Koyama, Akio; Itamura, Hiroyuki

    2016-09-21

    This study investigated the effects of applied nitrogen amounts on specific functional components in mulberry (Morus alba L.) leaves. The relationships between mineral elements and the functional components in mulberry leaves were examined using mulberry trees cultivated in different soil conditions in four cultured fields. Then, the relationships between the nitrogen levels and the leaf functional components were studied by culturing mulberry in plastic pots and experimental fields. In the common cultured fields, total nitrogen was negatively correlated with the chlorogenic acid content (R(2) = -0.48) and positively correlated with the 1-deoxynojirimycin content (R(2) = 0.60). Additionally, differences in nitrogen fertilizer application levels affected each functional component in mulberry leaves. For instance, with increased nitrogen levels, the chlorogenic acid and flavonol contents significantly decreased, but the 1-deoxynojirimycin content significantly increased. Selection of the optimal nitrogen application level is necessary to obtain the desired functional components from mulberry leaves.

  4. Lead in the soil-mulberry (Morus alba L.)-silkworm (Bombyx mori) food chain: translocation and detoxification.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, Lingyun; Zhao, Ye; Wang, Shuifeng; Han, Shasha; Liu, Jing

    2015-06-01

    The translocation of lead (Pb) in the soil-mulberry-silkworm food chain and the process of Pb detoxification in the mulberry-silkworm chain were investigated. The amount of Pb in mulberry, silkworm, feces and silk increased in a dose-responsive manner to the Pb contents in the soils. Mulberry roots sequestered most of the Pb, ranging from 230.78 to 1209.25 mg kg(-1). Over 92% of the Pb in the mulberry leaves was deposited in the cell wall, and 95.29-95.57% of the Pb in the mulberry leaves was integrated with oxalic acid, pectates and protein, and it had low bioavailability. The Pb concentrations in the silkworm feces were 4.50-4.64 times higher than those in the leaves. The synthesis of metallothioneins in three tissues of the silkworms was induced to achieve Pb homeostasis under Pb stress. These results indicated the mechanism involved in Pb transfer along the food chain was controlled by the detoxification of Pb in different trophic levels. Planting mulberry and rearing silkworm could be a promising approach for the remediation of Pb-polluted soils due to the Pb tolerance of mulberry and silkworm. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  5. The Mulberry (Morus alba L.) Fruit-A Review of Characteristic Components and Health Benefits.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yuan, Qingxia; Zhao, Longyan

    2017-12-06

    Mulberry (Morus alba L.) fruit has a high yield in one fruiting season in many countries, especially in Asia, and a long history of use as an edible fruit and traditional medicine. A great diversity of nutritive compounds such as fatty acids, amino acids, vitamins, minerals, and bioactive compounds, including anthocyanins, rutin, quercetin, chlorogenic acid, and polysaccharides have been found in mulberry fruit depending on the cultivars and maturity stages. Furthermore, the extracts and active components of mulberry fruit have demonstrated numerous biological activities, including antioxidant, neuroprotective, antiatherosclerosis, immunomodulative, antitumor, antihyperglycemic, and hypolipidemic activities in in vitro and in vivo studies, and they have received increasing interest from researchers and pharmaceutical companies. Although some mechanistic studies further substantiate these potential health benefits of mulberry fruit, a need exists to make a better understanding of the roles of these compounds in traditional medicine and the diet. This review provides recent findings regarding the chemical constituents and biological activities of mulberry fruit, which may be useful for stimulating deep research of mulberry fruit and for predicting their uses as important and safe contributors to benefit human health.

  6. Immunoglobulin E reactivity and allergenic potency of Morus papyrifera (paper mulberry) pollen

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Micheal, S.; Wangorsch, A.; Wolfheimer, S.; Foetisch, K.; Minhas, K.; Scheurer, S.; Ahmed, A.

    2013-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Paper mulberry (Morus papyrifera) pollen is considered to be one of the most clinically relevant aeroallergens in Pakistan. To date, the allergenicity of the pollen has not been investigated. OBJECTIVE: To characterize the sensitization profile of mulberry-allergic patients and the

  7. Cadmium transfer and detoxification mechanisms in a soil-mulberry-silkworm system: phytoremediation potential.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, Lingyun; Zhao, Ye; Wang, Shuifeng

    2015-11-01

    Phytoremediation has been proven to be an environmentally sound alternative for the recovery of contaminated soils, and the economic profit that comes along with the process might stimulate its field use. This study investigated cadmium (Cd) transfer and detoxification mechanisms in a soil-mulberry-silkworm system to estimate the suitability of the mulberry and silkworm as an alternative method for the remediation of Cd-polluted soil; it also explored the underlying mechanisms regulating the trophic transfer of Cd. The results show that both the mulberry and silkworm have high Cd tolerance. The transfer factor suggests that the mulberry has high potential for Cd extraction from polluted soil. The subcellular distribution and chemical forms of Cd in mulberry leaves show that cell wall deposition and vacuolar compartmentalization play important role in Cd tolerance. In the presence of increasing Cd concentrations in silkworm food, detoxification mechanisms (excretion and homeostasis) were activated so that excess Cd was excreted in fecal balls, and metallothionein levels in the mid-gut, the posterior of the silk gland, and the fat body of silkworms were enhanced. And, the Cd concentrations in silk are at a low level, ranging from 0.02 to 0.21 mg kg(-1). Therefore, these mechanisms of detoxification can regulate Cd trophic transfer, and mulberry planting and silkworm breeding has high phytoremediation potential for Cd-contaminated soil.

  8. Comparative analysis and nutritional composition of mulberry fruit morus alba plus seabuckthorn (hippophae) and their products

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Alizai, M.N.; Rehman, S.; Shah, W.H.

    2003-01-01

    The fruits of mulberry produced in Northern Pakistan were subjected to hot air dehydration to preserve without losing its natural flavour and nutrients. The dehydrated mulberry powder which is called mulberry beverage base (MBB) yielded good fruit tasty drink when mixed with suitable amount of water Shelf-life assessment was also conducted. The fresh fruit extract and the dehydrated mulberry beverage base (MBB) were analysed for juice/pulp, MBB, moisture, acidity as citric acid, total soluble solids, sugars, ascorbic acid and ash minerals like calcium, potassium, phosphorous, sodium and iron in fresh fruit extract was also determined. Mulberry pulp was mixed with seabuckthorn pulp prior to dehydration. Dehydrated product was found better in taste, colour and flavour. (author)

  9. Morphological, biochemical and sensory characteristics of black mulberry fruits (Morus nigra L.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Beáta Stehlíková

    2013-02-01

    Full Text Available This work aimed at the morphological, biochemical, technological and sensorial determination of black mulberry (Morus nigra L. – MN  fruitage and their utilization in the food production branches. For the experimental purposes were selected 50 genotypes of this population grown in the Pukanec surroundings. The medium fruitage weight determined in the selected collection ranged from 7.26 g (MN-1 to 1.42 g (MN-14, fruitage length in a range of 13.51 mm (MN-14 to 29.20 mm (MN-12 and the medium fruitage width  11.88 mm (MN-14 – 21.12 mm (MN-2. The variability of the evaluated traits varried from low to high degree. Juice yield from matured fruitage achieved 62.40 %. From black mulberry fruitages 16 food products were prepared – juice mixed with cream, yoghurt and/or curd (in several proportions and 3 confectionery products. Sensorial analyses showed significant differences among tested products. In the group of confectionery products was generally preferred the cream-mulberry cake. High values of antioxidative activity has been measured in the chocolate cake with a mulberry jam (36.90 – 28.43 %, followed by the cream-mulberry cake (29.78 – 12.71 % and the fresh mulberry juice (30.97 – 20.17 %. The antioxidation activities exerted generally higher values with the samples tested in water, when compared with those prepared in ethanol extract. Based on the gained results 4 genotypes were selected and recommended for the use in practice, as these provided relative high values of tested traits.doi:10.5219/234

  10. A protective effect of anthocyanins and xanthophylls on UVB-induced damage in retinal pigment epithelial cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Silván, Jose Manuel; Reguero, Marina; de Pascual-Teresa, Sonia

    2016-02-01

    Increased exposure to solar ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation causes oxidative damage that may promote age related macular degeneration (AMD) and other ocular pathologies. This study is aimed to demonstrate the protective effects of some anthocyanins and xanthophylls against the UVB-induced oxidative damage to retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells. ARPE-19 cells were treated with 5 μM cyanidin-3-O-glucoside, delphinidin-3-O-glucoside, lutein, zeaxanthin or a mixture of cyanidin-3-O-glucoside:zeaxanthin prior to UVB exposure (500 J m(-2)). Cell viability and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) phosphorylation were determined by MTT assay and western blot analysis, respectively. Oxidative damage was evaluated by measuring the intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS). The data showed that UVB irradiation reduces the cell viability to 46% with increasing of intracellular ROS levels and phosphorylation of MAPKs. However, pre-treatment (60 min) with 5 μM cyanidin-3-O-glucoside, lutein or zeaxanthin significantly reduced cellular ROS levels and phosphorylation of MAPKs (JNK1/2 and p38) mediated by UVB irradiation and subsequently increased cell viability. Thus, results show that UVB irradiation is able to induce apoptosis in ARPE-19 cells through oxidative stress; however anthocyanins and xanthophylls pre-treatment can attenuate this damage. This suggests that cyanidin-3-O-glucoside, lutein and zeaxanthin are effective in preventing UVB-induced damage in RPE cells and may be suitable as chemoprotective factors for the prevention of ocular damage. The use of natural dietary antioxidants might reduce ocular oxidative damage caused by UVB radiation.

  11. Cyanidin-Based Novel Organic Sensitizer for Efficient Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells: DFT/TDDFT Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kalpana Galappaththi

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Cyanidin is widely considered as a potential natural sensitizer in dye-sensitized solar cells due to its promising electron-donating and electron-accepting abilities and cheap availability. We consider modifications of cyanidin structure in order to obtain broader UV-Vis absorption and hence to achieve better performance in DSSC. The modified molecule consists of cyanidin and the benzothiadiazolylbenzoic acid group, where the benzothiadiazolylbenzoic acid group is attached to the cyanidin molecule by replacing one hydroxyl group. The resulting structure was then computationally simulated by using the Spartan’10 software package. The molecular geometries, electronic structures, absorption spectra, and electron injections of the newly designed organic sensitizer were investigated in this work through density functional theory (DFT and time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT calculations using the Gaussian’09W software package. Furthermore, TDDFT computational calculations were performed on cyanadin and benzothiadiazolylbenzoic acid separately, as reference. The computational studies on the new sensitizer have shown a reduced HOMO-LUMO gap; bathochromic and hyperchromic shifts of absorption spectra range up to near-infrared region revealing its enhanced ability to sensitize DSSCs.

  12. Sericins of mulberry and non-mulberry silkworms for eco-friendly synthesis of silver nanoparticles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chaisabai, Wanna; Khamhaengpol, Arunrat; Siri, Sineenat

    2018-05-01

    Green synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) has received many interests as a simple, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly method. This study reported the use of sericins extracted from non-mulberry (Samia cynthia ricini) and mulberry (Bombyx mori) silkworms for green syntheses of AgNPs. Both sericins possessed the reducing activity, which the reducing activity of S. c. ricini sericin was significantly higher than that of B. mori sericin. The formation of AgNPs facilitated by S. c. ricini sericin was greater than B. mori sericin as determined by the intensity of the surfacing plasmon resonance peak of silver at 412 nm. The synthesized AgNPs using both sericins were spherical and uniform in size with the average diameter of ∼13 nm. The silver component and the crystalline structure was determined by energy-dispersive X-ray and X-ray diffraction analyses. The synthesized AgNPs exhibited the antibacterial activity against both Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus and Gram-negative Escherichia coli, suggesting their potential application as an effective antibacterial agent.

  13. Processing black mulberry into jam: Effects on antioxidant potential and in vitro bioaccessibility

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Tomas, Merve; Toydemir, Gamze; Boyacioglu, Dilek; Hall, R.D.; Beekwilder, M.J.; Capanoglu, Esra

    2017-01-01

    Black mulberries (Morus nigra) were processed into jam on an industrialized scale, including the major steps of: selection of frozen black mulberries, adding glucose-fructose syrup and water, cooking, adding citric acid and apple pectin, removing seeds, and pasteurization. Qualitative and

  14. Analysis of Functional Constituents in Mulberry (Morus alba L.) Twigs by Different Cultivars, Producing Areas, and Heat Processings

    Science.gov (United States)

    Choi, Sang Won; Jang, Yeon Jeong; Lee, Yu Jin; Leem, Hyun Hee; Kim, Eun Ok

    2013-01-01

    Four functional constituents, oxyresveratrol 3′-O-β-D-glucoside (ORTG), oxyresveratrol (ORT), t-resveratrol (RT), and moracin (MC) were isolated from the ethanolic extract of mulberry (Morus alba L.) twigs by a series of isolation procedures, including solvent fractionation, and silica-gel, ODS-A, and Sephadex LH-20 column chromatographies. Their chemical structures were identified by NMR and FABMS spectral analysis. Quantitative changes of four phytochemicals in mulberry twigs were determined by HPLC according to cultivar, producing area, and heat processing. ORTG was a major abundant compound in the mulberry twigs, and its levels ranged from 23.7 to 105.5 mg% in six different mulberry cultivars. Three other compounds were present in trace amounts (<1 mg/100 g) or were not detected. Among mulberry cultivars examined, “Yongcheon” showed the highest level of ORTG, whereas “Somok” had the least ORTG content. Levels of four phytochemicals in the mulberry twigs harvested in early September were higher than those harvested in early July. Levels of ORTG and ORT in the “Cheongil” mulberry twigs produced in the Uljin area were higher than those produced in other areas. Generally, levels of ORTG and ORT in mulberry twigs decreased with heat processing, such as steaming, and microwaving except roasting, whereas those of RT and MC did not considerably vary according to heat processing. These results suggest that the roasted mulberry twigs may be useful as potential sources of functional ingredients and foods. PMID:24551827

  15. Identification of a latent pathogen on mulberry tree with a disease of ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    A disease on mulberries with the typical symptoms of mosaic and dwarf leaves was found in middle areas of China in 1980s. Presently, this disease became serious and spread out. Based on previous finding, we detected a viroid-like small molecular RNA in diseased mulberries tissues. In this paper, we further identified ...

  16. Changes in the Quality of Black Mulberry and Blueberry Sherbets During Storage

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ahsen Rayman Ergün

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available This study was evaluated the quality properties of traditional drink sherbets that are prepared from black mulberry and blueberry fruits. After production sherbets were investigated to determine their pH, acidity, °brix and colour values, total sugar, phenolic, anthocyanin and antioxidant contents. Moreover the sherbets stored at 4°C during 2 months and the changes in these quality properties were examined per month. As a result statistically significant changes were observed in the quality properties of these sherbets of black mulberry and blueberry fruits which are known with their rich content of phytochemical compounds. The results show that in blueberry sherbet the degradation of phenolics was faster than black mulberry sherbet. Anthocyanins that are higher in black mulberry sherbets after production were preserved better in blueberry sherbets at the end of 2nd month. L*and a* values decreased for blackberry and blueberry sherbets during storage. b* value decreased from 5.59 to 4.92 for blackberry sherbet while it increased from 0.62 to 0.79 for blueberry sherbet at the end of the storage time.

  17. Comparative study of aromatic compounds in fruit wines from raspberry, strawberry, and mulberry in central Shaanxi area

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yiming Feng

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available Background: Although grape wines have firmly dominated the production and consumption markets of fruit wines, raspberry, strawberry, and mulberry have been utilized to make wines because of their joyful aroma and high contents of polyphenolic phytochemicals and essential fatty acids. However, little is known about aromatic compounds of the wines produced from these three fruits. Methods: The aromatic composition of fruit wines produced from raspberry, strawberry, mulberry, and red grape was analyzed by GC-MS. Odor activity values (OAVs and relative odor contributions (ROCs were used to estimate the sensory contribution of the aromatic compounds to the overall flavor of the wines. Results: In strawberry, raspberry, and mulberry wines, 27, 30, and 31 odorants were detected, respectively. Alcohols formed the most abundant group, followed by esters and acids. The grape wine contained a wider variety (16 types of alcohols, and 4-methyl-2-pentanol and 2,3-butanediol were not present in the three fruit wines. The quantity of esters in raspberry (1.54% and mulberry wines (2.08% were higher than those of strawberry wine (0.78%, and mulberry wine contained more types of esters. There were no significant differences of acids between the three fruit wines and the control wine. In addition, 2-heptanone, 2-octanone, 2-nonanone, and 2-undecanone were unique to raspberry wine, and nonanal was present only in mulberry wine. The indistinguishable aroma of the three fruit wines was attributed to the dominance of fruity and floral odor components derived from ethyl esters of fatty acids and their contributions to the global aroma of the three fruit wines. Conclusion: The present study demonstrated that there were significant differences in the volatile components of fruit wines made from raspberry, strawberry, and mulberry. The aroma compounds were more abundant in the raspberry and mulberry wines than in the strawberry wine, but the quality of strawberry wine was

  18. Hyperspectral Imaging Coupled with Random Frog and Calibration Models for Assessment of Total Soluble Solids in Mulberries

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yan-Ru Zhao

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Chemometrics methods coupled with hyperspectral imaging technology in visible and near infrared (Vis/NIR region (380–1030 nm were introduced to assess total soluble solids (TSS in mulberries. Hyperspectral images of 310 mulberries were acquired by hyperspectral reflectance imaging system (512 bands and their corresponding TSS contents were measured by a Brix meter. Random frog (RF method was used to select important wavelengths from the full wavelengths. TSS values in mulberry fruits were predicted by partial least squares regression (PLSR and least-square support vector machine (LS-SVM models based on full wavelengths and the selected important wavelengths. The optimal PLSR model with 23 important wavelengths was employed to visualise the spatial distribution of TSS in tested samples, and TSS concentrations in mulberries were revealed through the TSS spatial distribution. The results declared that hyperspectral imaging is promising for determining the spatial distribution of TSS content in mulberry fruits, which provides a reference for detecting the internal quality of fruits.

  19. New potential phytotherapeutics obtained from white mulberry (Morus alba L.) leaves.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gryn-Rynko, Anna; Bazylak, Grzegorz; Olszewska-Slonina, Dorota

    2016-12-01

    The present work demonstrates the profound and unique phyto-pharmacological and nutritional profile of white mulberry (Morus alba L.) leaves which containing considerable amounts of easy digestive proteins, carbohydrates, micro- and macronutrients, polyphenols, free amino acids, organic acids. The wide range of significant biopharmaceutical activities of the aqueous and polar organic solvents extracts from mulberry leaves - including antidiabetic, antibacterial, anticancer, cardiovascular, hypolipidemic, antioxidant, antiatherogenic, and anti-inflammatory - have been critically discussed. The main objective was to demonstrate the results of recently published study on the components of white mulberry leaves exhibiting their biological activity in the various pathological and health human ailments. In addition, we intend to drawn the attention of researchers and public health workers for the extended exploration of this deciduous plant leaves as the source of potential indigenous nutraceuticals and functional food products to enable development of alternative prevention and treatment protocols offered in therapy of the common non-communicable diseases and malignances. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  20. Rat Pial Microvascular Changes During Cerebral Blood Flow Decrease and Recovery: Effects of Cyanidin Administration

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Teresa Mastantuono

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available The reactive oxygen species (ROS are known to play a major role in many pathophysiological conditions, such as ischemia and reperfusion injury. The present study was aimed to evaluate the in vivo cyanidin (anthocyanin effects on damages induced by rat pial microvascular hypoperfusion-reperfusion injury by cerebral blood flow decrease (CBFD and subsequent cerebral blood flow recovery (CBFR. In particular, the main purpose was to detect changes in ROS production after cyanidin administration. Rat pial microvasculature was investigated using fluorescence microscopy through a cranial window (closed; Strahler's method was utilized to define the geometric features of pial vessels. ROS production was investigated in vivo by 2′-7′-dichlorofluorescein-diacetate assay and neuronal damage was measured on isolated brain sections by 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride staining. After 30 min of CBFD, induced by bilateral common carotid artery occlusion, and 60 min of CBFR, rats showed decrease of arteriolar diameter and capillary perfusion; furthermore, increase in microvascular leakage and leukocyte adhesion was observed. Conversely, cyanidin administration induced dose-related arteriolar dilation, reduction in microvascular permeability as well as leukocyte adhesion when compared to animals subjected to restriction of cerebral blood flow; moreover, capillary perfusion was protected. ROS generation increase and marked neuronal damage were detected in animals subjected to CBFD and CBFR. On the other hand, cyanidin was able to reduce ROS generation and neuronal damage. In conclusion, cyanidin treatment showed dose-related protective effects on rat pial microcirculation during CBFD and subsequent CBFR, inducing arteriolar dilation by nitric oxide release and inhibiting ROS formation, consequently preserving the blood brain barrier integrity.

  1. Preparation and Antioxidant Activity of Ethyl-Linked Anthocyanin-Flavanol Pigments from Model Wine Solutions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Lingxi; Zhang, Minna; Zhang, Shuting; Cui, Yan; Sun, Baoshan

    2018-05-03

    Anthocyanin-flavanol pigments, formed during red wine fermentation and storage by condensation reactions between anthocyanins and flavanols (monomers, oligomers, and polymers), are one of the major groups of polyphenols in aged red wine. However, knowledge of their biological activities is lacking. This is probably due to the structural diversity and complexity of these molecules, which makes the large-scale separation and isolation of the individual compounds very difficult, thus restricting their further study. In this study, anthocyanins (i.e., malvidin-3-glucoside, cyanidin-3-glucoside, and peonidin-3-glucoside) and (⁻)-epicatechin were first isolated at a preparative scale by high-speed counter-current chromatography. The condensation reaction between each of the isolated anthocyanins and (⁻)-epicatechin, mediated by acetaldehyde, was conducted in model wine solutions to obtain ethyl-linked anthocyanin-flavanol pigments. The effects of pH, molar ratio, and temperature on the reaction rate were investigated, and the reaction conditions of pH 1.7, molar ratio 1:6:10 (anthocyanin/(⁻)-epicatechin/acetaldehyde), and reaction temperature of 35 °C were identified as optimal for conversion of anthocyanins to ethyl-linked anthocyanin-flavanol pigments. Six ethyl-linked anthocyanin-flavanol pigments were isolated in larger quantities and collected under optimal reaction conditions, and their chemical structures were identified by HPLC-QTOF-MS and ECD analyses. Furthermore, DPPH, ABTS, and FRAP assays indicate that ethyl-linked anthocyanin-flavanol pigments show stronger antioxidant activities than their precursor anthocyanins.

  2. Preparation and Antioxidant Activity of Ethyl-Linked Anthocyanin-Flavanol Pigments from Model Wine Solutions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lingxi Li

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available Anthocyanin-flavanol pigments, formed during red wine fermentation and storage by condensation reactions between anthocyanins and flavanols (monomers, oligomers, and polymers, are one of the major groups of polyphenols in aged red wine. However, knowledge of their biological activities is lacking. This is probably due to the structural diversity and complexity of these molecules, which makes the large-scale separation and isolation of the individual compounds very difficult, thus restricting their further study. In this study, anthocyanins (i.e., malvidin-3-glucoside, cyanidin-3-glucoside, and peonidin-3-glucoside and (–-epicatechin were first isolated at a preparative scale by high-speed counter-current chromatography. The condensation reaction between each of the isolated anthocyanins and (–-epicatechin, mediated by acetaldehyde, was conducted in model wine solutions to obtain ethyl-linked anthocyanin-flavanol pigments. The effects of pH, molar ratio, and temperature on the reaction rate were investigated, and the reaction conditions of pH 1.7, molar ratio 1:6:10 (anthocyanin/(–-epicatechin/acetaldehyde, and reaction temperature of 35 °C were identified as optimal for conversion of anthocyanins to ethyl-linked anthocyanin-flavanol pigments. Six ethyl-linked anthocyanin-flavanol pigments were isolated in larger quantities and collected under optimal reaction conditions, and their chemical structures were identified by HPLC-QTOF-MS and ECD analyses. Furthermore, DPPH, ABTS, and FRAP assays indicate that ethyl-linked anthocyanin-flavanol pigments show stronger antioxidant activities than their precursor anthocyanins.

  3. Development of a model for predicting the dry matter production of mulberry [Morus alba] based on meteorological factors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fukui, K.; Ito, D.

    1999-01-01

    It is necessary to predict mulberry growth and yield precisely at any time during the growing period, since mulberry trees are cut anytime along with the increase of the frequency of silkworm rearing per year. Therefore, in this study, attempts were made to develop a model to predict the dry matter production in mulberry fields with standard density with the cooperation of the prefectural experimental stations of Ibaraki, Tochigi, Gunma, Saitama, Tokyo and Gifu. To construct the model, we conducted three experiments. In the first year, we estimated the dry weight of mulberry new shoots based on the length and base width. Logarithm of leaf dry weight of a new shoot was regressed linearly on the logarithm of the product of length and base width. Stem dry weight was estimated with a linear regression of the logarithm on the logarithm of the product of length and base square width. In the next year, we evaluated the maximal effective radiation (Smax) of mulberry, over which mulberry cannot use radiation to produce dry matter. This experiment included shaded and control (non-shaded) plots, and the difference between these plots was analyzed. Shading treatment decreased the dry matter production, but did not affect the radiation conversion efficiency. Shoot dry matter production increased almost proportionally with intercepted radiation except for the later growth periods. Therefore, no Smax was revealed in mulberry fields with standard density. The effect of temperature and growth stage on the radiation conversion efficiency was investigated last year. Relation of temperature and radiation conversion efficiency was not clear for shoot dry matter production. However, there was a positive relation for stem dry mater production. Although the efficiency decreased with mulberry growth for leaf dry matter production, it increased at the early growth stage and decreased at the late stage for stem dry matter production

  4. Tyrosinase Inhibitory and Antioxidant Activities of Silk Cocoons and Mulberry Leaves

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Thongphasuk, Jarunee; Thongphasuk, Piyanuch

    2005-10-01

    Silk cocoons and mulberry leaves have been used in the field of medicines, cosmetics, and foods. The objective of this study is to determine the antioxidant activities of silk cocoons and mulberry leaves using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl radical and thin-layer chromatography (TLC), and to determine tyrosinase inhibitory activities using dihydroxyphenylalanine. The water and ethanol extracts from silk cocoons (Nang Noi, U B1, and Lao) and mulberry leaves showed antioxidants and tyrosinase inhibitory activities. However, the extracts from all samples at 1,000 μg/reaction mixture inhibited tyrosinase in the range of 12.28-45.98%, which was much lower than the standard whitening agent kojic acid (IC50 0.45 μg/reaction mixture). The results from TLC showed that the ethanol extracts from the 3 species of cocoons contained flavonoids, but only the extract from Nang Noi contained carotenoid. In addition, the separation destroyed the fraction with high antioxidant activity. Therefore, the disadvantage of the extract separation is increased cost and decreased antioxidant activities

  5. Tyrosinase Inhibitory and Antioxidant Activities of Silk Cocoons and Mulberry Leaves

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Thongphasuk, Jarunee [Office of Atoms for Peace, Bangkok (Thailand); Thongphasuk, Piyanuch [Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Rangsit University, Pathumthani (Thailand)

    2005-10-15

    Silk cocoons and mulberry leaves have been used in the field of medicines, cosmetics, and foods. The objective of this study is to determine the antioxidant activities of silk cocoons and mulberry leaves using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl radical and thin-layer chromatography (TLC), and to determine tyrosinase inhibitory activities using dihydroxyphenylalanine. The water and ethanol extracts from silk cocoons (Nang Noi, U B1, and Lao) and mulberry leaves showed antioxidants and tyrosinase inhibitory activities. However, the extracts from all samples at 1,000 {mu}g/reaction mixture inhibited tyrosinase in the range of 12.28-45.98%, which was much lower than the standard whitening agent kojic acid (IC50 0.45 {mu}g/reaction mixture). The results from TLC showed that the ethanol extracts from the 3 species of cocoons contained flavonoids, but only the extract from Nang Noi contained carotenoid. In addition, the separation destroyed the fraction with high antioxidant activity. Therefore, the disadvantage of the extract separation is increased cost and decreased antioxidant activities.

  6. DECISION TOOLS FOR MULBERRY THRIPS PSEUDODENDROTHRIPS MORI (NIWA, 1908) MANAGEMENT IN SERICULTURAL REGIONS; AN OVERVIEW

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    KayvanEtebari; L.Matindoost; R.N.Singh

    2004-01-01

    Mulberry thrips Pseudodendrothrips mori (Niwa, 1908) is a major pest of mulberry trees recorded from different sericultural regions of the world. The thrips infestation affects the qualitative and quantitative characters of mulberry leaf, by direct feeding damage to leaves and the ingestion of sap, which in turn affects the silkworm cocoon crop. This is most harmful in dry climates and seasons when heavily attacked plants lose moisture heavily. Under these conditions infestation can seriously deplete yields. The seasonal population fluctuation and the degree of damage caused to the host plant are influenced by various environmental factors including climate, host-plant variety, topography, soil type, and management regimes.This article attempts to review all available documents on mulberry thrips and to discuss the practical approaches for best control of this pest.

  7. Large-scale intersubspecific recombination in the plant-pathogenic bacterium Xylella fastidiosa is associated with the host shift to mulberry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nunney, Leonard; Schuenzel, Erin L; Scally, Mark; Bromley, Robin E; Stouthamer, Richard

    2014-05-01

    Homologous recombination plays an important role in the structuring of genetic variation of many bacteria; however, its importance in adaptive evolution is not well established. We investigated the association of intersubspecific homologous recombination (IHR) with the shift to a novel host (mulberry) by the plant-pathogenic bacterium Xylella fastidiosa. Mulberry leaf scorch was identified about 25 years ago in native red mulberry in the eastern United States and has spread to introduced white mulberry in California. Comparing a sequence of 8 genes (4,706 bp) from 21 mulberry-type isolates to published data (352 isolates representing all subspecies), we confirmed previous indications that the mulberry isolates define a group distinct from the 4 subspecies, and we propose naming the taxon X. fastidiosa subsp. morus. The ancestry of its gene sequences was mixed, with 4 derived from X. fastidiosa subsp. fastidiosa (introduced from Central America), 3 from X. fastidiosa subsp. multiplex (considered native to the United States), and 1 chimeric, demonstrating that this group originated by large-scale IHR. The very low within-type genetic variation (0.08% site polymorphism), plus the apparent inability of native X. fastidiosa subsp. multiplex to infect mulberry, suggests that this host shift was achieved after strong selection acted on genetic variants created by IHR. Sequence data indicate that a single ancestral IHR event gave rise not only to X. fastidiosa subsp. morus but also to the X. fastidiosa subsp. multiplex recombinant group which infects several hosts but is the only type naturally infecting blueberry, thus implicating this IHR in the invasion of at least two novel native hosts, mulberry and blueberry.

  8. Processing black mulberry into jam: effects on antioxidant potential and in vitro bioaccessibility.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tomas, Merve; Toydemir, Gamze; Boyacioglu, Dilek; Hall, Robert D; Beekwilder, Jules; Capanoglu, Esra

    2017-08-01

    Black mulberries (Morus nigra) were processed into jam on an industrialised scale, including the major steps of: selection of frozen black mulberries, adding glucose-fructose syrup and water, cooking, adding citric acid and apple pectin, removing seeds, and pasteurisation. Qualitative and quantitative determinations of antioxidants in black mulberry samples were performed using spectrophotometric methods, as well as HPLC- and LC-QTOF-MS-based measurements. These analyses included the determination of total polyphenolic content, % polymeric colour, total and individual anthocyanin contents, antioxidant capacity, and in vitro bioaccessibility in processing samples. Jam processing led to a significant reduction in total phenolics (88%), total flavonoids (89%), anthocyanins (97%), and antioxidant capacity (88-93%) (P < 0.05). Individual anthocyanin contents, determined using HPLC analysis, also showed a significant decrease (∼99% loss). In contrast, % recovery of bioaccessible total phenolics, anthocyanins, and antioxidant capacity (ABTS assay) increased after jam processing (16%, 12%, and 37%, respectively). Fruit processing resulted in losses of polyphenols, anthocyanins, and antioxidant capacity of black mulberry jam. Optimisation of food processing could help to protect the phenolic compounds in fruits which might be helpful for the food industry to minimise the antioxidant loss and improve the final product quality. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

  9. Effect of Cultivar, Temperature, and Environmental Conditions on the Dynamic Change of Melatonin in Mulberry Fruit Development and Wine Fermentation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Cheng; Yin, Li-Yuan; Shi, Xue-Ying; Xiao, Hua; Kang, Kun; Liu, Xing-Yan; Zhan, Ji-Cheng; Huang, Wei-Dong

    2016-04-01

    High levels of melatonin have been reported in various foods but not in mulberry or its wine. This study investigated the dynamic changes of melatonin levels during mulberry fruit development and ethanol fermentation of 2 different colored mulberry cultivars ("Hongguo2ˮ Morus nigra, black and "Baiyuwangˮ Morus alba, white) at 2 fermentation temperatures (16 and 25 °C). Our results showed that the melatonin level increased in the beginning of mulberry development but decreased in the end. The MnTDC gene expression level correlated with melatonin production, which implied that TDC may be the rate-limiting enzyme of the melatonin biosynthetic process in mulberries. During mulberry fermentation, the melatonin concentration increased rapidly in the beginning and then decreased gradually. Low temperature delayed the melatonin production during fermentation. A relatively high level of melatonin was found in "Hongguo2ˮ compared with "Baiyuwangˮ during fruit development and fermentation. The variation of melatonin correlated with the ethanol production rate, suggesting that melatonin may participate in physiological regulation of Saccharomyces cerevisiae during the fermentation stage. © 2016 Institute of Food Technologists®

  10. Analysis of genetic relationships of mulberry (Morus L.) germplasm ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    STORAGESEVER

    2009-06-03

    Jun 3, 2009 ... Full Length Research Paper. Analysis of genetic ... Key words: Mulberry, molecular marker, genetic diversity, SRAP. ... Europe, North and South America, and Africa, and it is cultivated ... Xingjiang autonomous region, China.

  11. Effect of solar radiation on the functional components of mulberry (Morus alba L.) leaves.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sugiyama, Mari; Katsube, Takuya; Koyama, Akio; Itamura, Hiroyuki

    2016-08-01

    The functional components of mulberry leaves have attracted the attention of the health food industry, and increasing their concentrations is an industry goal. This study investigated the effects of solar radiation, which may influence the production of flavonol and 1-deoxynojirimycin (DNJ) functional components in mulberry leaves, by comparing a greenhouse (poor solar radiation) and outdoor (rich solar radiation) setting. The level of flavonol in leaves cultivated in the greenhouse was markedly decreased when compared with those cultivated outdoors. In contrast, the DNJ content in greenhouse-cultivated plants was increased only slightly when compared with those cultivated outdoors. Interestingly, the flavonol content was markedly increased in the upper leaves of mulberry trees that were transferred from a greenhouse to the outdoors compared with those cultivated only in the outdoors. Solar radiation conditions influence the synthesis of flavonol and DNJ, the functional components of mulberry leaves. Under high solar radiation, the flavonol level becomes very high but the DNJ level becomes slightly lower, suggesting that the impact of solar radiation is great on flavonol but small on DNJ synthesis. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

  12. Galactose-binding lectin from mulberry (Morus alba L. seeds with growth hormone-like activity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    E. Khurtsidze

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Plant lectins are well documented to participate in multiple physiological activities based on selective binding to the carbohydrate structures. They have been reported to play significant roles in various processes such as growth and development, differentiation and plant protection. Nevertheless, the intrinsic roles of plant lectins still remain undefined. We purified a galactose-binding lectin, named MAL, from mulberry (M. alba L. seeds and analyzed its properties. The lectin is composed of one polypeptide of 17 kDa, which is abundant in the seed protein fraction. MAL interacted with GalNAc and galactose residues of saccharides with high binding ability. Western blotting analysis suggested that MAL is deposited in the mulberry leaves and inflorescence. MAL was examined for growth stimulatory activity on mulberry hypocotyls and internodal sections of in vitro grown P. euphratica cultures. Elongation of mulberry hypocotyls was detected in the apical parts of the hypocotyl, where the growth increment was 58%. MAL had no significant effect on the stem elongation and induction of new leaves. Our results suggest that MAL may be involved in the growth and cell elongation at initial stages of tissue development.

  13. Cytomorphological studies of two mulberry varieties (Moraceae ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Two mulberry varieties, namely, S34 and Tr-10 were selected for cytomorphological studies. Stomatal frequency, somatic chromosome number, ploidy level and meiotic behaviour were studied for these varieties. S34 is diploid with 2n=28 and Tr-10 is triploid with 2n=42 chromosomes. Meiosis was irregular. Various ...

  14. Polyhydroxylated alkaloids isolated from mulberry trees (Morusalba L.) and silkworms (Bombyx mori L.).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Asano, N; Yamashita, T; Yasuda, K; Ikeda, K; Kizu, H; Kameda, Y; Kato, A; Nash, R J; Lee, H S; Ryu, K S

    2001-09-01

    New polyhydroxylated alkaloids, (2R,3R,4R)-2-hydroxymethyl-3,4-dihydroxypyrrolidine-N-propionamide from the root bark of Morus alba L., and 4-O-alpha-D-galactopyranosyl-calystegine B(2) and 3 beta,6 beta-dihydroxynortropane from the fruits, were isolated by column chromatography using a variety of ion-exchange resins. Fifteen other polyhydroxylated alkaloids were also isolated. 1-Deoxynojirimycin, a potent alpha-glucosidase inhibitor, was concentrated 2.7-fold by silkworms feeding on mulberry leaves. Some alkaloids contained in mulberry leaves were potent inhibitors of mammalian digestive glycosidases but not inhibitors of silkworm midgut glycosidases, suggesting that the silkworm has enzymes specially adapted to enable it to feed on mulberry leaves. The possibility of preventing the onset of diabetes and obesity using natural dietary supplements containing 1-deoxynojirimycin and other alpha-glucosidase inhibitors in high concentration is of great potential interest.

  15. Anthocyanidins and anthocyanins: colored pigments as food, pharmaceutical ingredients, and the potential health benefits.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khoo, Hock Eng; Azlan, Azrina; Tang, Sou Teng; Lim, See Meng

    2017-01-01

    Anthocyanins are colored water-soluble pigments belonging to the phenolic group. The pigments are in glycosylated forms. Anthocyanins responsible for the colors, red, purple, and blue, are in fruits and vegetables. Berries, currants, grapes, and some tropical fruits have high anthocyanins content. Red to purplish blue-colored leafy vegetables, grains, roots, and tubers are the edible vegetables that contain a high level of anthocyanins. Among the anthocyanin pigments, cyanidin-3-glucoside is the major anthocyanin found in most of the plants. The colored anthocyanin pigments have been traditionally used as a natural food colorant. The color and stability of these pigments are influenced by pH, light, temperature, and structure. In acidic condition, anthocyanins appear as red but turn blue when the pH increases. Chromatography has been largely applied in extraction, separation, and quantification of anthocyanins. Besides the use of anthocyanidins and anthocyanins as natural dyes, these colored pigments are potential pharmaceutical ingredients that give various beneficial health effects. Scientific studies, such as cell culture studies, animal models, and human clinical trials, show that anthocyanidins and anthocyanins possess antioxidative and antimicrobial activities, improve visual and neurological health, and protect against various non-communicable diseases. These studies confer the health effects of anthocyanidins and anthocyanins, which are due to their potent antioxidant properties. Different mechanisms and pathways are involved in the protective effects, including free-radical scavenging pathway, cyclooxygenase pathway, mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway, and inflammatory cytokines signaling. Therefore, this review focuses on the role of anthocyanidins and anthocyanins as natural food colorants and their nutraceutical properties for health. Abbreviations : CVD: Cardiovascular disease VEGF: Vascular endothelial growth factor.

  16. Mulberry (Morus sp. leaf moisture in storage enviroments

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Antonio José Porto

    2010-02-01

    Full Text Available Mulberry leaves (IZ 56/4 cultivar in the pos-harvest, had been taken to the laboratory and submitted to six storage environments (8 hours in open ambient-O, 8 hours in cover ambient- C, 1hO/7hC, 2hO/6hC, 3hO/5hC and 4hO/4hC, aiming to evaluate moisture exchange capacity . It was utilized the experimental design split plot with five replications (blocks, six principal treatments (parcels and nine secondary treatments (sub parcels, weighing of hour in hour, of 08h00min. until 16h00min.. In the period of eight hours of experimentation mulberry leaves moisturedevreased in all the ambients evaluated. However, for cover leaves with wet cloth, for all periods, the water purport (74,63% was maintained close to the original value (08h00min.- 76,07%, demonstrating the efficiency technique in the conservation of the humidity of leaves for feeding silkworm.

  17. Beneficial Effects of Bioactive Compounds in Mulberry Fruits against Cisplatin-Induced Nephrotoxicity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dahae Lee

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available Mulberry, the fruit of white mulberry tree (Morus alba L., Moraceae, is commonly used in traditional Chinese medicines as a sedative, tonic, laxative, and emetic. In our continuing research of the bioactive metabolites from mulberry, chemical analysis of the fruits led to the isolation of five compounds, 1–5. The compounds were identified as butyl pyroglutamate (1, quercetin 3-O-β-d-glucoside (2, kaempferol 3-O-β-d-rutinoside (3, rutin (4, and 2-phenylethyl d-rutinoside (5 by spectroscopic data analysis, comparing their nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR data with those in published literature, and liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry analysis. The isolated compounds 1–5 were evaluated for their effects on anticancer drug-induced side effects by cell-based assays. Compound 1 exerted the highest protective effect against cisplatin-induced kidney cell damage. This effect was found to be mediated through the attenuation of phosphorylation of c-Jun N-terminal kinase, extracellular signal-regulated kinase, p38, mitogen-activated protein kinase, and caspase-3 in cisplatin-induced kidney cell damage.

  18. Specific Detection and Identification of American Mulberry-Infecting and Italian Olive-Associated Strains of Xylella fastidiosa by Polymerase Chain Reaction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guan, Wei; Shao, Jonathan; Elbeaino, Toufic; Davis, Robert E; Zhao, Tingchang; Huang, Qi

    2015-01-01

    Xylella fastidiosa causes bacterial leaf scorch in many landscape trees including elm, oak, sycamore and mulberry, but methods for specific identification of a particular tree host species-limited strain or differentiation of tree-specific strains are lacking. It is also unknown whether a particular landscape tree-infecting X. fastidiosa strain is capable of infecting multiple landscape tree species in an urban environment. We developed two PCR primers specific for mulberry-infecting strains of X. fastidiosa based on the nucleotide sequence of a unique open reading frame identified only in mulberry-infecting strains among all the North and South American strains of X. fastidiosa sequenced to date. PCR using the primers allowed for detection and identification of mulberry-infecting X. fastidiosa strains in cultures and in samples collected from naturally infected mulberry trees. In addition, no mixed infections with or non-specific detections of the mulberry-infecting strains of X. fastidiosa were found in naturally X. fastidiosa-infected oak, elm and sycamore trees growing in the same region where naturally infected mulberry trees were grown. This genotype-specific PCR assay will be valuable for disease diagnosis, studies of strain-specific infections in insects and plant hosts, and management of diseases caused by X. fastidiosa. Unexpectedly but interestingly, the unique open reading frame conserved in the mulberry-infecting strains in the U. S. was also identified in the recently sequenced olive-associated strain CoDiRO isolated in Italy. When the primer set was tested against naturally infected olive plant samples collected in Italy, it allowed for detection of olive-associated strains of X. fastidiosa in Italy. This PCR assay, therefore, will also be useful for detection and identification of the Italian group of X. fastidiosa strains to aid understanding of the occurrence, evolution and biology of this new group of X. fastidiosa strains.

  19. Specific Detection and Identification of American Mulberry-Infecting and Italian Olive-Associated Strains of Xylella fastidiosa by Polymerase Chain Reaction.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wei Guan

    Full Text Available Xylella fastidiosa causes bacterial leaf scorch in many landscape trees including elm, oak, sycamore and mulberry, but methods for specific identification of a particular tree host species-limited strain or differentiation of tree-specific strains are lacking. It is also unknown whether a particular landscape tree-infecting X. fastidiosa strain is capable of infecting multiple landscape tree species in an urban environment. We developed two PCR primers specific for mulberry-infecting strains of X. fastidiosa based on the nucleotide sequence of a unique open reading frame identified only in mulberry-infecting strains among all the North and South American strains of X. fastidiosa sequenced to date. PCR using the primers allowed for detection and identification of mulberry-infecting X. fastidiosa strains in cultures and in samples collected from naturally infected mulberry trees. In addition, no mixed infections with or non-specific detections of the mulberry-infecting strains of X. fastidiosa were found in naturally X. fastidiosa-infected oak, elm and sycamore trees growing in the same region where naturally infected mulberry trees were grown. This genotype-specific PCR assay will be valuable for disease diagnosis, studies of strain-specific infections in insects and plant hosts, and management of diseases caused by X. fastidiosa. Unexpectedly but interestingly, the unique open reading frame conserved in the mulberry-infecting strains in the U. S. was also identified in the recently sequenced olive-associated strain CoDiRO isolated in Italy. When the primer set was tested against naturally infected olive plant samples collected in Italy, it allowed for detection of olive-associated strains of X. fastidiosa in Italy. This PCR assay, therefore, will also be useful for detection and identification of the Italian group of X. fastidiosa strains to aid understanding of the occurrence, evolution and biology of this new group of X. fastidiosa strains.

  20. In Vivo Hypoglycaemic Effect and Inhibitory Mechanism of the Branch Bark Extract of the Mulberry on STZ-Induced Diabetic Mice

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hua-Yu Liu

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Branch bark extract (BBE derived from the mulberry cultivar Husang 32 (Morus multicaulis L. with aqueous alcohol solution has been investigated as an inhibitor of α-glycosidase in vitro. Mulberry BBE was orally administered to STZ-induced diabetic mice for three weeks, and it improved the weight gain and ameliorated the swelling of liver and kidney in diabetic mice. Obviously, mulberry BBE not only can reduce the abnormally elevated levels of serum insulin and ameliorate insulin resistance induced by STZ, but also it regulates dyslipidemia in diabetic mice. To understand this therapeutic effect and the regulatory mechanisms of BBE in diabetic mice, a qRT-PCR experiment was performed, indicating that the mulberry BBE can regulate the mRNA expression of glycometabolism genes in diabetic mice, including glucose-6-phosphatase (G6Pase, glucokinase (GCK, and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK, thereby regulating sugar metabolism and reducing the blood glucose level in diabetic mice. The mulberry BBE can increase the mRNA expression of the genes Ins1, Ins2 and pancreatic duodenal homeobox-1 (PDX-1 and may decrease the insulin resistance in diabetic mice. Those results provide an important basis for making the best use of mulberry branch resources and producing biomedical drugs with added value.

  1. Effects of high hydrostatic pressure and thermal processing on bioactive compounds, antioxidant activity, and volatile profile of mulberry juice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Fan; Du, Bao-Lei; Cui, Zheng-Wei; Xu, Li-Ping; Li, Chun-Yang

    2017-03-01

    The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of high hydrostatic pressure and thermal processing on microbiological quality, bioactive compounds, antioxidant activity, and volatile profile of mulberry juice. High hydrostatic pressure processing at 500 MPa for 10 min reduced the total viable count from 4.38 log cfu/ml to nondetectable level and completely inactivated yeasts and molds in raw mulberry juice, ensuring the microbiological safety as thermal processing at 85 ℃ for 15 min. High hydrostatic pressure processing maintained significantly (p hydrostatic pressure processing enhanced the volatile compound concentrations of mulberry juice while thermal processing reduced them in comparison with the control. These results suggested that high hydrostatic pressure processing could be an alternative to conventional thermal processing for production of high-quality mulberry juice.

  2. Feeding behavior of lambs fed with diets containing mulberry hay

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Luís Gabriel Alves Cirne

    2014-02-01

    Full Text Available The experiment was conducted to evaluate the feeding behavior of lambs fed with diets containing 0, 12.5 and 25.0% of mulberry hay as a substitute for the concentrate. Twenty four Ile de France lambs, non castrated, with 25 kg of body weight and four months old, confined, in a completely randomized design, were used. The feeding daily time (242.01 minutes, rumination (435.48 minutes and leisure (762.50 minutes, the numbers of cakes ruminated per day (658.36 and the time spent per cake (40.03 sec were not affected (P>0.05 by different levels of hay in mulberry concentrate. The dry matter voluntary intake (1.258 kg/day and neutral detergent fiber intake (0.302 kg/day, as well as the efficiency of dry matter intake and rumination (316.24 and 173.54 g/h, respectively and efficiency of neutral detergent fiber intake and rumination (75.89 and 41.68 g/h, respectively were similar in all treatments. The ruminating chew expressed in hour/day (11.29 and the number of chews expressed per cake (72.65 and per day (47.638.06, as well as the number and the feeding time (22.02 meals and 11.23 min/meal, rumination (25.95 ruminations and 17.29 min/rumination and idle (41.81 idle and 18.30 min/idle time, were also not affected (P>0.05. The inclusion of mulberry hay did not change the rumination expressed in g of DM and NDF/cake (1.91 and 0.46, respectively and min/kg of DM and NDF (361.51 and 1.505.78, respectively, as well as the total chew expressed in min/kg of DM and NDF (563.70 and 2.347.19, respectively. The use of mulberry hay partially replacing the concentrated, does not change the feeding behavior of feedlot lambs.

  3. Estimating Genetic Conformism of Korean Mulberry Cultivars Using Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA and Inter-Simple Sequence Repeat Profiling

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sunirmal Sheet

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available Apart from being fed to silkworms in sericulture, the ecologically important Mulberry plant has been used for traditional medicine in Asian countries as well as in manufacturing wine, food, and beverages. Germplasm analysis among Mulberry cultivars originating from South Korea is crucial in the plant breeding program for cultivar development. Hence, the genetic deviations and relations among 8 Morus alba plants, and one Morus lhou plant, of different cultivars collected from South Korea were investigated using 10 random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD and 10 inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR markers in the present study. The ISSR markers exhibited a higher polymorphism (63.42% among mulberry genotypes in comparison to RAPD markers. Furthermore, the similarity coefficient was estimated for both markers and found to be varying between 0.183 and 0.814 for combined pooled data of ISSR and RAPD. The phenogram drawn using the UPGMA cluster method based on combined pooled data of RAPD and ISSR markers divided the nine mulberry genotypes into two divergent major groups and the two individual independent accessions. The distant relationship between Dae-Saug (SM1 and SangchonJo Sang Saeng (SM5 offers a possibility of utilizing them in mulberry cultivar improvement of Morus species of South Korea.

  4. Fatty acids composition of Spanish black (Morus nigra L.) and white (Morus alba L.) mulberries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sánchez-Salcedo, Eva M; Sendra, Esther; Carbonell-Barrachina, Ángel A; Martínez, Juan José; Hernández, Francisca

    2016-01-01

    This research has determined qualitatively and quantitatively the fatty acids composition of white (Morus alba) and black (Morus nigra) fruits grown in Spain, in 2013 and 2014. Four clones of each species were studied. Fourteen fatty acids were identified and quantified in mulberry fruits. The most abundant fatty acids were linoleic (C18:2), palmitic (C16:0), oleic (C18:1), and stearic (C18:0) acids in both species. The main fatty acid in all clones was linoleic (C18:2), that ranged from 69.66% (MN2) to 78.02% (MA1) of the total fatty acid content; consequently Spanish mulberry fruits were found to be rich in linoleic acid, which is an essential fatty acid. The fatty acid composition of mulberries highlights the nutritional and health benefits of their consumption. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Induction of mutation on mulberry (morus alba L.) by using in vitro techniques in combination with gamma irradiation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Nguyen Van Vinh [Nuclear Research Institute, Department of Biotechnology, Dalat (Viet Nam)

    2001-03-01

    Mutation induction and selection of desired characters on mulberry will contribute to industrialization and modernization in agricultural development in Vietnam. The objectives are to conduct biochemical and physiological analyses of collected mulberry varieties and to improve techniques for boosting yield and better quality in some mulberry genotypes by using in vitro technique combined with gamma irradiation. Two mulberry varieties named BauDen and VA 186 were used. Cuts of them were treated with gamma rays of Co-60, cultivated in experimental field with use of vitro technique to rapidly isolate mutants in irradiated population and investigated for plantlets, color of leaves, etc 30 days after cultivation. The results on the mutation frequency and spectrum of variation as well as the results of selection and isolation are presented. Eleven mutated clones from the two starting varieties were obtained during 1993-99. Three of them are now being cultivated in LamDong province fields. (S. Ohno)

  6. Induction of mutation on mulberry (morus alba L.) by using in vitro techniques in combination with gamma irradiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nguyen Van Vinh

    2001-01-01

    Mutation induction and selection of desired characters on mulberry will contribute to industrialization and modernization in agricultural development in Vietnam. The objectives are to conduct biochemical and physiological analyses of collected mulberry varieties and to improve techniques for boosting yield and better quality in some mulberry genotypes by using in vitro technique combined with gamma irradiation. Two mulberry varieties named BauDen and VA 186 were used. Cuts of them were treated with gamma rays of Co-60, cultivated in experimental field with use of vitro technique to rapidly isolate mutants in irradiated population and investigated for plantlets, color of leaves, etc 30 days after cultivation. The results on the mutation frequency and spectrum of variation as well as the results of selection and isolation are presented. Eleven mutated clones from the two starting varieties were obtained during 1993-99. Three of them are now being cultivated in LamDong province fields. (S. Ohno)

  7. Potential natural sensitizers extracted from the skin of Canarium odontophyllum fruits for dye-sensitized solar cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lim, Andery; Kumara, N. T. R. N.; Tan, Ai Ling; Mirza, Aminul Huq; Chandrakanthi, R. L. N.; Petra, Mohammad Iskandar; Ming, Lim Chee; Senadeera, G. K. R.; Ekanayake, Piyasiri

    2015-03-01

    Possibility of use of dye extract from skin samples of a seasonal, indigenous fruit from Borneo, namely Canarium odontophyllum, in dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) are explored. Three main groups of flavonoid pigments are detected and these pigments exhibit different UV-vis absorption properties, and hence showing different light harvesting capabilities. When applied in DSSCs. The detected pigment constituents of the extract consist of aurone (maritimein), anthocyanidin (pelargonidin) and anthocyanidin (cyanidin derivatives). When tested in DSSC, the highest conversion efficiency of 1.43% is exhibited by cyanidin derivatives, and this is followed by conversion efficiencies of 0.51% and 0.79% for aurone and pelargonidin, respectively. It is shown that individual pigments, like cyanidin derivatives and pelargonidin, exhibit higher power conversion efficiency when compared to that of C.odontophyllum skin pigment mixture (with a conversion efficiency of only 0.68%). The results indicate a possibility of masking effects of the pigments when used as a mixture. The acidification of C.odontophyllum skin pigments with concentrated hydrochloric acid improves the conversion efficiency of the mixture from 0.68% to 0.99%. The discussion in this paper will draw data and observations from the variation in absorption and adsorption properties, the HOMO-LUMO levels, the energy band gaps and the functional group compositions of the detected flavonoids.

  8. A holistic picture of Austronesian migrations revealed by phylogeography of Pacific paper mulberry

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chang, Chi-Shan; Liu, Hsiao-Lei; Moncada, Ximena; Seelenfreund, Andrea; Seelenfreund, Daniela; Chung, Kuo-Fang

    2015-01-01

    The peopling of Remote Oceanic islands by Austronesian speakers is a fascinating and yet contentious part of human prehistory. Linguistic, archaeological, and genetic studies have shown the complex nature of the process in which different components that helped to shape Lapita culture in Near Oceania each have their own unique history. Important evidence points to Taiwan as an Austronesian ancestral homeland with a more distant origin in South China, whereas alternative models favor South China to North Vietnam or a Southeast Asian origin. We test these propositions by studying phylogeography of paper mulberry, a common East Asian tree species introduced and clonally propagated since prehistoric times across the Pacific for making barkcloth, a practical and symbolic component of Austronesian cultures. Using the hypervariable chloroplast ndhF-rpl32 sequences of 604 samples collected from East Asia, Southeast Asia, and Oceanic islands (including 19 historical herbarium specimens from Near and Remote Oceania), 48 haplotypes are detected and haplotype cp-17 is predominant in both Near and Remote Oceania. Because cp-17 has an unambiguous Taiwanese origin and cp-17–carrying Oceanic paper mulberries are clonally propagated, our data concur with expectations of Taiwan as the Austronesian homeland, providing circumstantial support for the “out of Taiwan” hypothesis. Our data also provide insights into the dispersal of paper mulberry from South China “into North Taiwan,” the “out of South China–Indochina” expansion to New Guinea, and the geographic origins of post-European introductions of paper mulberry into Oceania. PMID:26438853

  9. Anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer activity of mulberry (Morus alba L.) root bark

    Science.gov (United States)

    2014-01-01

    Background Root bark of mulberry (Morus alba L.) has been used in herbal medicine as anti-phlogistic, liver protective, kidney protective, hypotensive, diuretic, anti-cough and analgesic agent. However, the anti-cancer activity and the potential anti-cancer mechanisms of mulberry root bark have not been elucidated. We performed in vitro study to investigate whether mulberry root bark extract (MRBE) shows anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer activity. Methods In anti-inflammatory activity, NO was measured using the griess method. iNOS and proteins regulating NF-κB and ERK1/2 signaling were analyzed by Western blot. In anti-cancer activity, cell growth was measured by MTT assay. Cleaved PARP, ATF3 and cyclin D1 were analyzed by Western blot. Results In anti-inflammatory effect, MRBE blocked NO production via suppressing iNOS over-expression in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. In addition, MRBE inhibited NF-κB activation through p65 nuclear translocation via blocking IκB-α degradation and ERK1/2 activation via its hyper-phosphorylation. In anti-cancer activity, MRBE deos-dependently induced cell growth arrest and apoptosis in human colorectal cancer cells, SW480. MRBE treatment to SW480 cells activated ATF3 expression and down-regulated cyclin D1 level. We also observed that MRBE-induced ATF3 expression was dependent on ROS and GSK3β. Moreover, MRBE-induced cyclin D1 down-regulation was mediated from cyclin D1 proteasomal degradation, which was dependent on ROS. Conclusions These findings suggest that mulberry root bark exerts anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer activity. PMID:24962785

  10. Antidiabetic and Antioxidant Effects and Phytochemicals of Mulberry Fruit (Morus alba L.) Polyphenol Enhanced Extract

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Yihai; Xiang, Limin; Wang, Chunhua; Tang, Chao; He, Xiangjiu

    2013-01-01

    The antidiabetic and antioxidant activities of the ethyl acetate-soluble extract (MFE) of mulberry fruit (Morus alba L.) were investigated. In vitro, MFE showed potent α-glucosidase inhibitory activity and radical-scavenging activities against DPPH and superoxide anion radicals. In vivo, MFE could significantly decrease fasting blood glucose (FBG) and glycosylated serum protein (GSP), and increase antioxidant enzymatic activities (SOD, CAT, GSH-Px) in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic mice. Bioactivity-guided fractionation of the MFE led to the isolation of 25 phenolic compounds, and their structures were identified on the basis of MS and NMR data. All the 25 compounds were isolated from mulberry fruit for the first time. Also, the α-glucosidase inhibitory activity and antioxidant activity of the phenolics were evaluated. Potent α-glucosidase inhibitory and radical-scavenging activities of these phenolics suggested that they may be partially responsible for the antidiabetic and antioxidant activities of mulberry fruit. PMID:23936259

  11. Antidiabetic and antioxidant effects and phytochemicals of mulberry fruit (Morus alba L. polyphenol enhanced extract.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yihai Wang

    Full Text Available The antidiabetic and antioxidant activities of the ethyl acetate-soluble extract (MFE of mulberry fruit (Morus alba L. were investigated. In vitro, MFE showed potent α-glucosidase inhibitory activity and radical-scavenging activities against DPPH and superoxide anion radicals. In vivo, MFE could significantly decrease fasting blood glucose (FBG and glycosylated serum protein (GSP, and increase antioxidant enzymatic activities (SOD, CAT, GSH-Px in streptozotocin (STZ-induced diabetic mice. Bioactivity-guided fractionation of the MFE led to the isolation of 25 phenolic compounds, and their structures were identified on the basis of MS and NMR data. All the 25 compounds were isolated from mulberry fruit for the first time. Also, the α-glucosidase inhibitory activity and antioxidant activity of the phenolics were evaluated. Potent α-glucosidase inhibitory and radical-scavenging activities of these phenolics suggested that they may be partially responsible for the antidiabetic and antioxidant activities of mulberry fruit.

  12. Phenolic compounds participating in mulberry juice sediment formation during storage.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zou, Bo; Xu, Yu-Juan; Wu, Ji-Jun; Yu, Yuan-Shan; Xiao, Geng-Sheng

    The stability of clarified juice is of great importance in the beverage industry and to consumers. Phenolic compounds are considered to be one of the main factors responsible for sediment formation. The aim of this study is to investigate the changes in the phenolic content in clarified mulberry juice during storage. Hence, separation, identification, quantification, and analysis of the changes in the contents of phenolic compounds, both free and bound forms, in the supernatant and sediments of mulberry juice, were carried out using high performance liquid chromatographic system, equipped with a photo-diode array detector (HPLC-PDA) and HPLC coupled with quadrupole-time of flight mass spectrometric (HPLC-QTOF-MS/MS) techniques. There was an increase in the amount of sediment formed over the period of study. Total phenolic content of supernatant, as well as free phenolic content in the extracts of the precipitate decreased, whereas the bound phenolic content in the sediment increased. Quantitative estimation of individual phenolic compounds indicated high degradation of free anthocyanins in the supernatant and sediment from 938.60 to 2.30 mg/L and 235.60 to 1.74 mg/g, respectively. A decrease in flavonoids in the supernatant was also observed, whereas the contents of bound forms of gallic acid, protocatechuic acid, caffeic acid, and rutin in the sediment increased. Anthocyanins were the most abundant form of phenolics in the sediment, and accounted for 67.2% of total phenolics after 8 weeks of storage. These results revealed that phenolic compounds, particularly anthocyanins, were involved in the formation of sediments in mulberry juice during storage.

  13. Chemistry and biosynthesis of isoprenylated flavonoids from Japanese mulberry tree

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nomura, Taro; Hano, Yoshio; Fukai, Toshio

    2009-01-01

    Many isoprenylated flavonoids have been isolated from Japanese mulberry tree (Moraceae). Among them, kuwanons G (1) and H (2) were the first isolated active substances exhibiting a hypotensive effect. These compounds are considered to be formed through an enzymatic Diels-Alder type reaction between an isoprenyl portion of an isoprenylphenol as the diene and an α, β-double bond of chalcone as the dienophile. The absolute configurations of these Diels-Alder type adducts were confirmed by three different methods. The stereochemistries of the adducts were consistent with those of ones in the Diels-Alder reaction involving exo- and endo-addition. Some strains of Morus alba callus tissues have a high productivity of mulberry Diels-Alder type adducts, such as chalcomoracin (3) and kuwanon J (4). The biosynthetic studies of the mulberry Diels-Alder type adducts have been carried out with the aid of the cell strain. Chalcomoracin (3) and kuwanon J (4) were proved to be enzymatic Diels-Alder type reaction products by the administration experiments with O-methylchalcone derivatives. Furthermore, for the isoprenoid biosynthesis of prenylflavonoids in Morus alba callus tissues by administration of [1,3-13C2]- and [2-13C]-glycerol, a novel way through the junction of glycolysis and pentose-phosphate cycle was proved. Two independent isoprenoid biosynthetic pathways, that for sterols and that for isoprenoidphenols, operate in the Morus alba cell cultures. The former is susceptible to compactin (ML-236) and the latter resists to compactin in the cell cultures, respectively. PMID:19907125

  14. (Poly)phenolic fingerprint and chemometric analysis of white (Morus alba L.) and black (Morus nigra L.) mulberry leaves by using a non-targeted UHPLC-MS approach.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sánchez-Salcedo, Eva M; Tassotti, Michele; Del Rio, Daniele; Hernández, Francisca; Martínez, Juan José; Mena, Pedro

    2016-12-01

    This study reports the (poly)phenolic fingerprinting and chemometric discrimination of leaves of eight mulberry clones from Morus alba and Morus nigra cultivated in Spain. UHPLC-MS(n) (Ultra High Performance Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry) high-throughput analysis allowed the tentative identification of a total of 31 compounds. The phenolic profile of mulberry leaf was characterized by the presence of a high number of flavonol derivatives, mainly glycosylated forms of quercetin and kaempferol. Caffeoylquinic acids, simple phenolic acids, and some organic acids were also detected. Seven compounds were identified for the first time in mulberry leaves. The chemometric analysis (cluster analysis and principal component analysis) of the chromatographic data allowed the characterization of the different mulberry clones and served to explain the great intraspecific variability in mulberry secondary metabolism. This screening of the complete phenolic profile of mulberry leaves can assist the increasing interest for purposes related to quality control, germplasm screening, and bioactivity evaluation. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. A new set of mulberry-specific SSR markers for application in ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Marian Vincent Pinto

    have used these markers to characterize a set of 216 diverse mulberry germplasm and ..... tinctness of a new cultivar or for reliable, cost-effective and quick germplasm ... Morus boninensis Koidz., to establish conservation program. Mol. Ecol.

  16. Effectiveness of matured Morus nigra L. (black mulberry) fruit extract ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    ajl yemi

    2011-11-14

    Nov 14, 2011 ... Morin, a form of flavonoid that is highly found in black mulberry, has been ... determined by the method of Shimoi et al. (1994) with the .... quantified by DAD following HPLC separation at 280 nm for CA and. NA, 254 nm for RU, ...

  17. Feeding response of the silkworm, Bombyx mori, to UV irradiation of mulberry leaves

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yazawa, M.; Shimizu, T.; Hirao, T.

    1992-01-01

    Ultraviolet irradiation of mulberry leaves caused a reduced feeding response in Bombyx mori larvae (ca. 22% reduction in consumption as compared with control). Sucrose content of the foliage decreased after exposure to UV irradiation (0.5 mW/cm 2 ) for 1 hr. Electrophysiological responses of the sensilla styloconica-I to sucrose concentration (ca. 0-80 mg/g) showed a reduced response to UV-irradiated foliage when compared with the control. From feeding, gustatory, and electrophysiological responses, as well as the measurement of sucrose contents of the leaves, we concluded that the reduced feeding response to UV-irradiated leaves is due to the reduced sucrose content of the mulberry leaves, thus reducing pleogostimulatory levels

  18. Cool-cultivated red leaf lettuce accumulates cyanidin-3-O-(6″-O-malonyl)-glucoside and caffeoylmalic acid.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Becker, Christine; Klaering, Hans-Peter; Kroh, Lothar W; Krumbein, Angelika

    2014-03-01

    Cultivating lettuce in greenhouses at low temperatures improves its CO2-balance and may increase its content of flavonoid glycosides and phenolic acids. We cultivated 5weeks old red leaf lettuce seedlings at 20/15°C (day/night) or 12/7°C until plants reached comparable growth stages: small heads were harvested after 13 (warm) and 26 (cool)days, while mature heads were harvested after 26 (warm) or 52 (cool)days. Additionally, some plants were cultivated first cool then warm and vice versa (39days). Cool-cultivated small heads had higher concentrations of cyanidin-3-O-(6″-O-malonyl)-glucoside and caffeoylmalic acid than warm-cultivated ones but we detected no differences concerning quercetin and luteolin glycosides or di-O-caffeoyltartaric and 5-O-caffeoylquinic acid. Regarding mature heads, there were only differences concerning cyanidin-3-O-(6″-O-malonyl)-glucoside. We therefore suggest that only cyanidin-3-O-(6″-O-malonyl)-glucoside was truly responsive to temperatures alone. Previously reported contrasting effects may rather be due to comparison of different growth stages or interactive effects with radiation. Copyright © 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  19. Power ultrasound as a pretreatment to convective drying of mulberry (Morus alba L.) leaves: Impact on drying kinetics and selected quality properties.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tao, Yang; Wang, Ping; Wang, Yilin; Kadam, Shekhar U; Han, Yongbin; Wang, Jiandong; Zhou, Jianzhong

    2016-07-01

    The effect of ultrasound pretreatment prior to convective drying on drying kinetics and selected quality properties of mulberry leaves was investigated in this study. Ultrasound pretreatment was carried out at 25.2-117.6 W/L for 5-15 min in a continuous mode. After sonication, mulberry leaves were dried in a hot-air convective dryer at 60 °C. The results revealed that ultrasound pretreatment not only affected the weight of mulberry leaves, it also enhanced the convective drying kinetics and reduced total energy consumption. The drying kinetics was modeled using a diffusion model considering external resistance and effective diffusion coefficient De and mass transfer coefficient hm were identified. Both De and hm during convective drying increased with the increase of acoustic energy density (AED) and ultrasound duration. However, De and hm increased slowly at high AED levels. Furthermore, ultrasound pretreatment had a more profound influence on internal mass transfer resistance than on external mass transfer resistance during drying according to Sherwood numbers. Regarding the quality properties, the color, antioxidant activity and contents of several bioactive compounds of dried mulberry leaves pretreated by ultrasound at 63.0 W/L for 10 min were similar to that of mulberry leaves without any pretreatments. Overall, ultrasound pretreatment is effective to shorten the subsequent drying time of mulberry leaves without damaging the quality of final product. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  20. Extraction, purification and anti-fatigue activity of γ-aminobutyric acid from mulberry (Morus alba L.) leaves

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Hengwen; He, Xuanhui; Liu, Yan; Li, Jun; He, Qingyong; Zhang, Cuiying; Wei, Benjun; Zhang, Ye; Wang, Jie

    2016-01-01

    Mulberry (Morus alba L.) is a tree species of Moraceae widely distributed in Southern China. In the present study, the white crystal of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) was purified from mulberry leaves, and its bioactivity was also investigated. The main results were as follows: first, the crude GABA was extracted from mulberry leaves by using biochemical methods. Then, the crude was purified by chromatography over an S-8 macroporous resin, Sephadex G-10, and 732 cation exchange resin to yield a white crystal. Lavage administration and exposure of GABA to male NIH mice showed no adverse effects on their growth and development. In an endurance capacity test, the average loaded-swimming time of medium dose was 111.60% longer than the control (P levels of blood urea nitrogen (BUN) were 36.83% and 40.54% lower (P levels were 12.81% and 17.22% lower (P GABA has an advantage over taurine of anti-fatigue effect. These findings were indicative of the anti-fatigue activity of GABA.

  1. Characteristics of sucrose formation, and the influence of UV irradiation on the feeding by the silkworm, in leaves of the mulberry

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yazawa, M.

    1997-01-01

    The mode of formation of sucrose, which is not only a nutritional material but also a phagostimulant for larvae of Bombyx mori, was investigated by measuring the rates of photosynthesis and carbon dioxide fixation in mulberry leaves. Also examined was the influence of UV irradiation to mulberry leaves on the feeding by larvae, as an increase in total amounts of UV rays arriving the surface of the earth due to the destruction of ozone layer has recently led to a global issue. Using mesophyll cells isolated from mulberry leaves, the photosynthetic rate was determined by the oxygen electrode method, and the pathway of carbon dioxide fixation was analyzed by the incorporation of radioactive precursors. In comparison with Ichinose, a popular Japanese race of mulberry, Thailand races investigated were found to be peculiar in that their photosynthetic activities were lower and the photorespiration (glycolic acid cycle) activities were higher, although the synthetic rate of sucrose and its content were much higher than those of Ichinose. It is thus likely that the photorespiration pathway is more important to the sucrose formation in the Thailand races than in Ichinose. In addition, the temperatures during cultivation of mulberry trees was found to influence the relative contributions of photosynthesis and photorespiration to the sucrose formation

  2. Changes in soil physicochemical properties and soil bacterial community in mulberry (Morus alba L.)/alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) intercropping system.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Meng-Meng; Wang, Ning; Hu, Yan-Bo; Sun, Guang-Yu

    2018-04-01

    A better understanding of tree-based intercropping effects on soil physicochemical properties and bacterial community has a potential contribution to improvement of agroforestry productivity and sustainability. In this study, we investigated the effects of mulberry/alfalfa intercropping on soil physicochemical properties and soil bacterial community by MiSeq sequencing of bacterial 16S rRNA gene. The results showed a significant increase in the contents of available nitrogen, available phosphate, available potassium, and total carbon in the rhizosphere soil of the intercropped alfalfa. Sequencing results showed that intercropping improved bacterial richness and diversity of mulberry and alfalfa based on richness estimates and diversity indices. The relative abundances of Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, and Firmicutes were significantly higher in intercropping mulberry than in monoculture mulberry; and the abundances of Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, and Gemmatimonadetes in the intercropping alfalfa were markedly higher than that in monoculture alfalfa. Bacterial taxa with soil nutrients cycling were enriched in the intercropping system. There were higher relative abundances of Bacillus (0.32%), Pseudomonas (0.14%), and Microbacterium (0.07%) in intercropping mulberry soil, and Bradyrhizobium (1.0%), Sphingomonas (0.56%), Pseudomonas (0.18%), Microbacterium (0.15%), Rhizobium (0.09%), Neorhizobium (0.08%), Rhodococcus (0.06%), and Burkholderia (0.04%) in intercropping alfalfa soil. Variance partition analysis showed that planting pattern contributed 26.7% of the total variation of bacterial community, and soil environmental factors explained approximately 56.5% of the total variation. This result indicated that the soil environmental factors were more important than the planting pattern in shaping the bacterial community in the field soil. Overall, mulberry/alfalfa intercropping changed soil bacterial community, which was related to changes in soil total carbon

  3. The antiproliferative effect of mulberry (Morus alba L.) plant on ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Shadia A. Fathy

    2013-08-12

    Aug 12, 2013 ... cell line HepG2 ... a Faculty of Science, Ain Shams University, Egypt ... Mulberry leaf extracts were prepared using the solvents: water, 50% aqueous ... cused on the search for a potential source rich in biologically ... Materials and methods. 2.1. ... HPLC grade (means high quality) were obtained from Fisher.

  4. Genetic diversity and relationships in mulberry (genus Morus as revealed by RAPD and ISSR marker assays

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Thangavelu K

    2004-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The genus Morus, known as mulberry, is a dioecious and cross-pollinating plant that is the sole food for the domesticated silkworm, Bombyx mori. Traditional methods using morphological traits for classification are largely unsuccessful in establishing the diversity and relationships among different mulberry species because of environmental influence on traits of interest. As a more robust alternative, PCR based marker assays including RAPD and ISSR were employed to study the genetic diversity and interrelationships among twelve domesticated and three wild mulberry species. Results RAPD analysis using 19 random primers generated 128 discrete markers ranging from 500–3000 bp in size. One-hundred-nineteen of these were polymorphic (92%, with an average of 6.26 markers per primer. Among these were a few putative species-specific amplification products which could be useful for germplasm classification and introgression studies. The ISSR analysis employed six anchored primers, 4 of which generated 93 polymorphic markers with an average of 23.25 markers per primer. Cluster analysis of RAPD and ISSR data using the WINBOOT package to calculate the Dice coefficient resulted into two clusters, one comprising polyploid wild species and the other with domesticated (mostly diploid species. Conclusion These results suggest that RAPD and ISSR markers are useful for mulberry genetic diversity analysis and germplasm characterization, and that putative species-specific markers may be obtained which can be converted to SCARs after further studies.

  5. Response Surface Optimized Extraction of 1-Deoxynojirimycin from Mulberry Leaves (Morus alba L. and Preparative Separation with Resins

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    Teng Wang

    2014-05-01

    Full Text Available In the present study, the extraction technology and preparative separation of 1-deoxynojirimycin from mulberry leaves were systematically investigated. Four extraction parameters (ethanol concentration, extraction temperature, extraction time and ratio of solvent to sample were explored by response surface methodology (RSM. The results indicated that the maximal yield of 1-deoxynojirimycin was achieved with an ethanol concentration of 55%, extraction temperature of 80 °C, extraction time of 1.2 h and ratio of solvent to sample of 12:1. The extraction yield under these optimum conditions was found to be 256 mg/100 g dry mulberry leaves. A column packed with a selected resin was used to perform dynamic adsorption and desorption tests to optimize the separation process. The results show that the preparative separation of 1-deoxynojirimycin from mulberry leaves can be easily and effectively done by adopting 732 resin. In conclusion, 732 resin is the most appropriate for the separation of 1-deoxynojirimycin from other components in mulberry leaves extracts, and its adsorption behavior can be described with Langmuir isotherms and a two-step adsorption kinetics model. The recovery and purity of 1-deoxynojirimycin in the final product were 90.51% and 15.3%, respectively.

  6. Weather variability influences color and phenolic content of pigmented baby leaf lettuces throughout the season.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marin, Alicia; Ferreres, Federico; Barberá, Gonzalo G; Gil, María I

    2015-02-18

    The lack of consistency in homogeneous color throughout the season of pigmented baby leaf lettuce is a problem for growers because of the rejection of the product and consequently the economic loss. Changes in color as well as individual and total phenolic composition and content as a response to the climatic variables were studied following the analysis of three pigmented baby leaf lettuces over 16 consecutive weeks from February to May, which corresponded to the most important production season in winter in Europe. Color and phenolic content were significantly (P ≤ 0.001) affected by cultivar, harvest week, and climatic variables that occurred in the last week before harvest. Radiation and temperature showed positive correlations with the content of phenolic acids and flavonoids that increased in all three cultivars as the season progressed. Cyanidin-3-O-(6''-O-malonyl)-glucoside content showed positive correlations with temperature and radiation but only in Batavia cultivars whereas in red oak leaf the correlation was with cold temperatures. Regarding hue angle, a positive correlation was shown with the number of hours at temperatures lower than 7 °C. A relationship between hue angle and the content of anthocyanins was not possible to establish. These results suggest that the colorimetric measurement of color cannot be used as a good indicator of anthocyanin accumulation because other pigments such as chlorophylls and carotenoids may contribute as well to the leaf color of pigmented lettuce. This study provides information about the impact of genotype and environment interactions on the biosynthesis of phenolic compounds to explain the variability in the leaf color and product appearance.

  7. Proportional relationship between intercepted solar radiation and dry matter production in a mulberry [Morus] field

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Aqueel, S.A.; Ito, D.; Naoi, T.

    1999-01-01

    In order to investigate the relationship between dry matter production (DMP) and the amount of intercepted solar radiation (S), and to analyze the fluctuations in the radiation conversion efficiency (DMP/S), summer-pruned mulberry (Morus alba L.) trees under a standard planting density were subjected to a shading treatment using a cheesecloth. Then, using a non-destructive method, DMP was examined for 5 plants from each plot every 15 days from July to September. DMP was also examined for mulberry trees under a high planting density. Rates of radiation that penetrated onto the ground and beneath the cheesecloth were measured to calculate S from the incoming solar radiation. In the shading plots, DMP decreased depending on the degree of shading throughout the experimental period. Compared with the control plot, 70 and 60 % DMP were produced finally under 71 and 53 % S. Therefore, DMP was considered to be almost proportional to S even in a broad-leaf population like mulberry. Radiation conversion efficiency gradually decreased with growth regardless of the planting density. At the late growth stage, radiation conversion efficiency was lower in the densely planted field than in the standard density field

  8. Anthocyanins standards (cyanidin-3-O-glucoside and cyanidin-3-O-rutinoside isolation from freeze-dried açaí (Euterpe oleraceae Mart. by HPLC Isolamento de padrões de antocianinas (cianidina-3-O-glucosídeo e cianidina -3-O-rutinosídeo de açaí liofilizado (Euterpe oleraceae Mart. por CLAE

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ana Cristina Miranda Senna Gouvêa

    2012-03-01

    Full Text Available Availability of analytical standards is a critical aspect in developing methods for quantitative analysis of anthocyanins. The anthocyanins cyanidin-3-O-glucoside and cyanidin-3-O-rutinoside were isolated from samples of freeze-dried açaí (Euterpe oleraceae Mart., which is a round and purple well-known palm fruit in Brazil, and then used as standards. The isolation of the anthocyanins was performed by High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC, using an adapted six-channel selection valve. The identification of anthocyanin pigments in açaí was based on mass spectrometric data for molecular ions and MS-MS product ions and on previous published data. After the collection procedure, standards with a high purity grade were obtained and an external standard curve of each anthocyanin was plotted.Disponibilidade de padrões analíticos é um aspecto crítico no desenvolvimento de métodos de análises quantitativas de antocianinas. Para a obtenção dos padrões isolados de antocianinas cianidina-3-O-glicosídeo e cianidina-3-O-rutinosídeo foram utilizadas amostras liofilizadas de açaí (Euterpe oleraceae Mart., que é um conhecido fruto de palmeiras no Brasil de forma arredondada e roxo. O isolamento das antocianinas foi realizado por Cromatografia Líquida de Alta Eficiência (CLAE, utilizando uma válvula seletora de seis canais. A identificação de antocianinas no açaí foi baseada em dados publicados na literatura e por espectrometria de massas. Após a coleta, padrões com um alto grau de pureza foram obtidos e uma curva para padronização externa de cada antocianina foi feita.

  9. The response of mulberry trees after seedling hardening to summer drought in the hydro-fluctuation belt of Three Gorges Reservoir Areas.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Xiaohui; Liu, Yun; Li, Jiaxing; Xiong, Xingzheng; Chen, Yang; Yin, Xiaohua; Feng, Dalan

    2013-10-01

    Interest has developed in the potential of mulberry (Morus alba), a woody perennial, for revegetating the hydro-fluctuation belt of the Three Gorges Reservoir due to its resistance to water-logging stress. To be useful, the trees must also be able to withstand dry conditions in summer when temperatures can be very high and droughts become severe quickly. Here, we report a study in which mulberry seedlings were grown in a greenhouse under a variety of simulated soil water conditions reflecting potential summer scenarios in the hydro-fluctuation belt of the Three Gorges Reservoir Area. We compared the responses of two pretreatment groups of mulberry seedlings to different levels of drought stress. The pretreatment groups differed with respect to drought hardening: the daily-managed (DM) group had relative soil moisture held constant in the range 70-80 %, while the drought-hardened (DH) group had relative soil moisture held constant at 40-50 %. Following the month-long pretreatment of seedlings, the two groups of young trees (DM and DH) were then respectively subjected to three levels of drought stress for a month: normal watering, moderate drought stress, and severe drought stress. A series of measurements comparing the physiological status of the plants in the two groups were then made, and the following results were obtained: (1) As drought stress increased, the heights, base diameters, root surface areas, photosynthetic rates (Pn), stomatal conductances (Gs), and transpiration rates (Tr) of the mulberry trees in both groups (DM and DH) decreased significantly, while the specific root area and abscisic acid (ABA) contents had increasing trends. Root activity and instantaneous water use efficiency of mulberry trees in both groups (DM and DH) were all raised under drought stress conditions than under normal watering, but the root/shoot ratio and leaf water potential were lowered. (2) At the same level of soil water content, the heights, base diameters, root

  10. The Nutritive value of mulberry leaves (Morus Alba) and partial replacement of cotton seed in rations on the performance of growing Vietnamese cattle

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Vu, C.C.; Verstegen, M.W.A.; Hendriks, W.H.; Pham, K.T.

    2011-01-01

    The in vivo digestibility of mulberry leaves (Morus alba) and the effects of the partial replacement of cotton seed with fresh mulberry leaf in rations on the performance of growing Vietnamese cattle was investigated. For the in vivo digestibility trial, twenty castrated rams of Phanrang breed (a

  11. Reverse transcriptase sequences from mulberry LTR retrotransposons: characterization analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ma Bi

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available Copia and Gypsy play important roles in structural, functional and evolutionary dynamics of plant genomes. In this study, a total of 106 and 101, Copia and Gypsy reverse transcriptase (rt were amplified respectively in the Morus notabilis genome using degenerate primers. All sequences exhibited high levels of heterogeneity, were rich in AT and possessed higher sequence divergence of Copia rt in comparison to Gypsy rt. Two reasons are likely to account for this phenomenon: a these elements often experience deletions or fragmentation by illegitimate or unequal homologous recombination in the transposition process; b strong purifying selective pressure drives the evolution of these elements through “selective silencing” with random mutation and eventual deletion from the host genome. Interestingly, mulberry rt clustered with other rt from distantly related taxa according to the phylogenetic analysis. This phenomenon did not result from horizontal transposable element transfer. Results obtained from fluorescence in situ hybridization revealed that most of the hybridization signals were preferentially concentrated in pericentromeric and distal regions of chromosomes, and these elements may play important roles in the regions in which they are found. Results of this study support the continued pursuit of further functional studies of Copia and Gypsy in the mulberry genome.

  12. Accumulation of Flavonoid Glycosides and UFGT Gene Expression in Mulberry Leaves (Morus alba L.) before and after Frost.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yu, Xiaofeng; Zhu, Yiling; Fan, Jingyi; Wang, Dujun; Gong, Xiaohui; Ouyang, Zhen

    2017-08-01

    In order to determine the molecular mechanism underlying the influence of frost on chemical changes in mulberry leaves, the UFGT activity, expression level, and accumulation of flavonoid glycosides in mulberry leaves (Morus alba L.) were studied. The expression of UFGT gene was investigated by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and the UFGT activity, accumulation of flavonoid glycosides was studied by high performance liquid chromatography. Then, the correlation between the expression level of UFGT, the UFGT activity, and the flavonoid glycosides accumulation with temperature was explored. The accumulation of isoquercitrin and astragalin is significantly positively correlated with UFGT gene expression and UFGT activity. On the contrary, the average temperature was significantly negatively correlated with the level of UFGT gene expression and UFGT activity. The results show that after frost, low temperature can induce the expression of UFGT gene in mulberry leaves, resulting in the accumulation of flavonoid glycosides. © 2017 Wiley-VHCA AG, Zurich, Switzerland.

  13. Phenolic acids profiling and antioxidant potential of mulberry (Morus laevigata W., Morus nigra L., Morus alba L.) leaves and fruits grown in Pakistan

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mulberry trees are distributed throughout Pakistan. Besides the use of mulberry in forage and food for animals, it is also used as herbal medicine. The ojbective of this study was to determine phenolic acids profile, sugar content, and the antioxidant activity of the leaves and fruits of three mulb...

  14. Illustrated accounts of coccinellid predators of Maconellicoccus hirsutus (Green) (Hemiptera: Sternorrhyncha: Pseudococcidae) on mulberry in India, with description of a new species of Scymnus Kugelann (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) from West Bengal.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Poorani, J; Lalitha, N

    2018-02-20

    The pink hibiscus mealybug, Maconellicoccus hirsutus (Green), is a major pest of mulberry (Morus alba L.), the sole host of the mulberry silkworm, Bombyx mori (L.), which is a source of livelihood to millions of sericulture farmers in India. Several predators, mainly Coccinellidae (Coleoptera), have been reported to feed on M. hirsutus on mulberry. Coccinellid predators of M. hirsutus collected on mulberry from different parts of India are illustrated here with brief diagnostic notes to facilitate their identification. An account of mycophagous species of coccinellids commonly found on mulberry and misreported as predators of mulberry pests is also given with illustrations. Scymnus (Pullus) latifolius sp. nov., a promising predator of M. hirsutus, hitherto misidentified and reported as Scymnus pallidicollis Mulsant, is described and illustrated from West Bengal, India, with detailed biological notes. Keiscymnus taiwanensis Yang Wu, 1972 is reduced to a new junior synonym of Scymnus pallidicollis Mulsant, 1853 (syn. nov.). Illeis bielawskii Ghorpade, 1976 is found to be a valid species and removed from synonymy with I. bistigmosa Mulsant, 1850 (stat. rev.).

  15. Spatial variation of important mulberry pests and their natural enemies

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A. Mohan

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available Mulberry is a silkworm food plant (Bombyxmori. L that is seriously affected by many insect pests. The incidence of Diaphania pulverulentalis (Hampson, Maconellicoccus hirsutus (Green, Paracoccus marginatus (Williams and Granara de Willink, Aleurodiscus dispersus (Russels and Pseudodendrothrips mori (Niwa and their natural enemies, viz. coccinellids and spiders (/100 plants, were observed through survey and surveillance for 3 months. In February 2013, the incidence of insect pests in Vaikkalpattarai and Reddipudur villages (India was: D. pulverulentalis, 1.20 and 0.85%; P. marginatus, 6.80 and 33.10%; P. mori 42.98 and 45.50%, respectively. Further, the infestation of M. hirsutus (1.40% and A. dispersus (59.72% was also observed in February at Vaikkalpattarai. The population of coccinellids was high in December (1.02 and 0.84/100 plants, but the spider population was even higher in February and January (1.04 and 1.81/100 plants. Population of pests had a significant positive correlation with relative humidity. The population of coccinellids and spiders have positive correlation with temperature and mulberry pests infestation. The natural enemies observed in the study were mostly the ladybird beetles, Psyllobora bisoctonotata and unidentified species of spiders.

  16. Effects of Freeze-dried Mulberry on Antioxidant Activities and Fermented Characteristics of Yogurt during Refrigerated Storage

    Science.gov (United States)

    2015-01-01

    This study investigated the effect of added freeze-dried mulberry fruit juice (FDMJ) (1, 3 and 5%) on the antioxidant activity and fermented characteristic of yogurt during refrigerated storage. A decrease in pH of yogurt and increase in acidity was observed during fermentation. The yogurts with FDMJ exhibited faster rate of pH reduction than control. Initial lactic acid bacteria count of yogurt was 6.49-6.94 Log CFU/g and increased above 9 Log CFU/g in control and 1% in FDMJ yogurt for 24 h. The total polyphenol and anthocyanin content of FDMJ yogurt was higher than that of control due to the presence of phytochemical contents in mulberry. Moreover, antioxidant activity such as DPPH and reducing power was highest 5% FDMJ yogurt. During cold storage, pH decreased or remained constant in all yogurts with values ranging from 4.08 to 4.78 units. In sensory evaluation, the score of 1% FDMJ yogurt was ranked higher when compared with other yogurts. It is proposed that mulberry fruit juice powder can be used to improve sensory evaluation and enhance functionality of yogurt. PMID:26877641

  17. Effects of Freeze-dried Mulberry on Antioxidant Activities and Fermented Characteristics of Yogurt during Refrigerated Storage.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sung, Jung-Min; Kim, Young-Boong; Kum, Jun-Seok; Choi, Yun-Sang; Seo, Dong-Ho; Choi, Hyun-Wook; Park, Jong-Dae

    2015-01-01

    This study investigated the effect of added freeze-dried mulberry fruit juice (FDMJ) (1, 3 and 5%) on the antioxidant activity and fermented characteristic of yogurt during refrigerated storage. A decrease in pH of yogurt and increase in acidity was observed during fermentation. The yogurts with FDMJ exhibited faster rate of pH reduction than control. Initial lactic acid bacteria count of yogurt was 6.49-6.94 Log CFU/g and increased above 9 Log CFU/g in control and 1% in FDMJ yogurt for 24 h. The total polyphenol and anthocyanin content of FDMJ yogurt was higher than that of control due to the presence of phytochemical contents in mulberry. Moreover, antioxidant activity such as DPPH and reducing power was highest 5% FDMJ yogurt. During cold storage, pH decreased or remained constant in all yogurts with values ranging from 4.08 to 4.78 units. In sensory evaluation, the score of 1% FDMJ yogurt was ranked higher when compared with other yogurts. It is proposed that mulberry fruit juice powder can be used to improve sensory evaluation and enhance functionality of yogurt.

  18. Quantitative 1H-NMR Spectroscopy for Profiling Primary Metabolites in Mulberry Leaves

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    Qianqian Liang

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available The primary metabolites in aqueous extract of mulberry (Morus alba L. leaves were characterized by using proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H-NMR spectroscopy. With the convenience of resonance assignment, GABA together with the other 10 primary metabolites was simultaneously identified and quantified in one 1H-NMR spectrum. In this study, external calibration curves for metabolites were employed to calculate the concentrations of interests. The proposed quantitative approach was demonstrated with good linearity (r2 ranged in the interval of 0.9965–0.9999, precision, repeatability, stability (RSD values in the ranges of 0.35–4.89%, 0.77–7.13% and 0.28–2.33%, respectively and accuracy (recovery rates from 89.2% to 118.5%. The established 1H-NMR method was then successfully applied to quantify 11 primary metabolites in mulberry leaves from different geographical regions within a rapid analysis time and a simple sample preparation procedure.

  19. PENAMBAHAN GULA DAPAT MENINGKATKAN STABILITAS WARNA EKSTRAK ANTOSIANIN BUAH MURBEI HITAM YANG TERPAPAR CAHAYA FLUORESENS

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    Erlien Giovani Soeroso

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available Anthocyanins are red to purple pigments and one of potent safe and natural food colorants which possess superior antioxidant activity. However, the stability of anthocyanins depends on various factors, including structure and concentrations, pH, temperatures, light, co-pigment, ascorbic acid, enzymes, metal ions, sugars, protein, sulfur dioxide. The aims of this research were to evaluate the effects of sugar addition on the stability of anthocyanin of black mulberry under different fluorescent light intensities and to determine the appropriate concentration of sugar that could increase black mulberry (Morus nigra L. anthocyanin stability. Fluorescent lamp at 3370, 4210, and 8820 lux (18, 23, and 32 watt, respectively were used to illuminate black mulberry fruit extract (10.09 g/L following 20, 40, 60% (w/v of sugar addition. Determination of anthocyanin color stability in extract of black mulberry fruit was perfomed using degradation kinetics modeling to obtain the appropriate order. The concentration rate (k and half life (t1/2 were then calculated based on subsequent order. The results showed that 20% sugar addition enhance the stability of black mulberry anthocyanin extract as compared to that of control (without sugar addition as indicated by half life increment from 170.826 to 183.733 h. On the other hand, anthocyanin stability decreased to 166.618 and 146.235 h half life with further sugar addition to 40 and 60%, respectively. Therefore, 20% sugar addition to black mulberry extract could improve its anthocyanin stability.

  20. Expression plasticity and evolutionary changes extensively shape the sugar-mimic alkaloid adaptation of non-digestive glucosidase in lepidopteran mulberry-specialist insects.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Xiaotong; Shi, Liangen; Dai, Xiangping; Chen, Yajie; Xie, Hongqing; Feng, Min; Chen, Yuyin; Wang, Huabing

    2018-05-12

    During the co-evolutionary arms race between plants and herbivores, insects evolved systematic adaptive plasticity to minimise the chemical defence effects of their host plants. Previous studies mainly focused on the expressional plasticity of enzymes in detoxification and digestion. However, the expressional response and adaptive evolution of other fundamental regulators against host phytochemicals are largely unknown. Glucosidase II (GII), which is composed of a catalytic GIIα subunit and a regulatory GIIβ subunit, is an evolutionarily conserved enzyme that regulates glycoprotein folding. In this study, we found that GIIα expression of the mulberry-specialist insect was significantly induced by mulberry leaf extract, 1-Deoxynojirimycin (1-DNJ), whereas GIIβ transcripts were not significantly changed. Moreover, positive selection was detected in GIIα when the mulberry-specialist insects diverged from the lepidopteran order; whereas GIIβ was mainly subjected to purifying selection, thus indicating an asymmetrically selective pressure of GII subunits. In addition, positively selected sites were enriched in the GIIα of mulberry-specialist insects, and located around the 1-DNJ binding sites and in the C-terminal region, which could result in conformational changes that affect catalytic activity and substrate-binding efficiency. These results show that expression plasticity and evolutionary changes extensively shape sugar-mimic alkaloids adaptation of non-digestive glucosidase in lepidopteran mulberry-specialist insects. Our study provides novel insights into a deep understanding of the sequestration and adaptation of phytophagous specialists to host defensive compounds. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

  1. Complete Genome Sequence of Mulberry Vein Banding Associated Virus, a New Tospovirus Infecting Mulberry.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jiaorong Meng

    Full Text Available Mulberry vein banding associated virus (MVBaV that infects mulberry plants with typical vein banding symptoms had been identified as a tentative species of the genus Tospovirus based on the homology of N gene sequence to those of tospoviruses. In this study, the complete sequence of the tripartite RNA genome of MVBaV was determined and analyzed. The L RNA has 8905 nucleotides (nt and encodes the putative RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp of 2877 aa amino acids (aa in the viral complementary (vc strand. The RdRp of MVBaV shares the highest aa sequence identity (85.9% with that of Watermelon silver mottle virus (WSMoV, and contains conserved motifs shared with those of the species of the genus Tospovirus. The M RNA contains 4731 nt and codes in ambisense arrangement for the NSm protein of 309 aa in the sense strand and the Gn/Gc glycoprotein precursor (GP of 1,124 aa in the vc strand. The NSm and GP of MVBaV share the highest aa sequence identities with those of Capsicum chlorosis virus (CaCV and Groundnut bud necrosis virus (GBNV (83.2% and 84.3%, respectively. The S RNA is 3294 nt in length and contains two open reading frames (ORFs in an ambisense coding strategy, encoding a 439-aa non-structural protein (NSs and the 277-aa nucleocapsid protein (N, respectively. The NSs and N also share the highest aa sequence identity (71.1% and 74.4%, respectively with those of CaCV. Phylogenetic analysis of the RdRp, NSm, GP, NSs, and N proteins showed that MVBaV is most closely related to CaCV and GBNV and that these proteins cluster with those of the WSMoV serogroup, and that MVBaV seems to be a species bridging the two subgroups within the WSMoV serogroup of tospoviruses in evolutionary aspect, suggesting that MVBaV represents a distinct tospovirus. Analysis of S RNA sequence uncovered the highly conserved 5'-/3'-ends and the coding regions, and the variable region of IGR with divergent patterns among MVBaV isolates.

  2. Effectively simultaneous naked-eye detection of Cu(II), Pb(II), Al(III) and Fe(III) using cyanidin extracted from red cabbage as chelating agent

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khaodee, Warangkhana; Aeungmaitrepirom, Wanlapa; Tuntulani, Thawatchai

    Simultaneous determination of Cu(II), Pb(II), Al(III) and Fe(III) using cyanidin as a chelating agent was investigated in terms of both quantitative and qualitative detections. Cyanidin was extracted and purified from red cabbage which is a local plant in Thailand. The selectivity of this method was examined by regulating the pH of cyanidin solution operated together with masking agents. It was found that Cu(II), Pb(II), Al(III) and Fe(III) simultaneously responded with the color change at pH 7, pH 6, pH 5 and pH 4, respectively. KF, DMG and the mixture of KF and DMG were used as masking agents for the determination of Fe(III), Al(III) and Pb(II), respectively. Results from naked-eye detection were evaluated by comparing with those of inductively coupled plasma (ICP), and there was no significant difference noticed. Cyanidin using as a multianalyte reagent could be employed for simultaneous determination of Cu(II), Pb(II), Al(III) and Fe(III) at the lowest concentration at 50, 80, 50 and 200 μM, respectively, by slightly varying pHs. Moreover, the proposed method could be potentially applied for real water samples with simplicity, rapidity, low cost and environmental safety.

  3. Effect of Bio-inoculants Applied to M5 Mulberry Under Rain-fed ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Bheema

    Bombyx Mori L., is a monophagous insect that drives almost all required nutrients ... to mulberry plant is, therefore, very essential for the successful silkworm growth and cocoon ... However, the recommended rate of chemical .... Larval duration starting from hatching of the eggs up to 90 per cent of worms attain spinning was.

  4. Effect of Bio-inoculants Applied to M 5 Mulberry Under Rain-fed ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The present investigation was carried out at the department of sericulture, GKVK, UAS, Bangalore, India in 2007 with an objective to determine the effect of three bio-inoculants application to M5 mulberry plant on silkworm (PM x CSR2) growth, development and coocoon traits. The feeding experiment was laid-out in ...

  5. Storage condition of mulberry branches (Morus sp. in the survival, development and production of Bombyx mori L.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Antonio José Porto

    2012-02-01

    Full Text Available The study was carried with the objective of evaluate the survival, development and cocoons production of silkworm fed with mulberry leaves (Cultivar IZ 56/4 from branches stored in warehouse(24 hours or stored in the system of covering with wet cloth and immersion of bases in water, for a period of 72 hours. It was used a completely randomized design, with two treatments and six replications. Caterpillars fed with mulberry leaves from branches stored in the system of covering and immersion for 72 hours had conditions suitable for survival, development and production of cocoon, not differing from those who received leaves from branches stored in the warehouse.

  6. Combined Mass Spectrometry-Based Metabolite Profiling of Different Pigmented Rice (Oryza sativa L. Seeds and Correlation with Antioxidant Activities

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ga Ryun Kim

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available Nine varieties of pigmented rice (Oryza sativa L. seeds that were black, red, or white were used to perform metabolite profiling by using ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF-MS and gas chromatography (GC TOF-MS, to measure antioxidant activities. Clear grouping patterns determined by the color of the rice seeds were identified in principle component analysis (PCA derived from UPLC-Q-TOF-MS. Cyanidin-3-glucoside, peonidin-3-glucoside, proanthocyanidin dimer, proanthocyanidin trimer, apigenin-6-C-glugosyl-8-C-arabiboside, tricin-O-rhamnoside-O-hexoside, and lipids were identified as significantly different secondary metabolites. In PCA score plots derived from GC-TOF-MS, Jakwangdo (JKD and Ilpoom (IP species were discriminated from the other rice seeds by PC1 and PC2. Valine, phenylalanine, adenosine, pyruvate, nicotinic acid, succinic acid, maleic acid, malonic acid, gluconic acid, xylose, fructose, glucose, maltose, and myo-inositol were significantly different primary metabolites in JKD species, while GABA, asparagine, xylitol, and sucrose were significantly distributed in IP species. Analysis of antioxidant activities revealed that black and red rice seeds had higher activity than white rice seeds. Cyanidin-3-glucoside, peonidin-3-glucoside, proanthocyanidin dimers, proanthocyanidin trimers, and catechin were highly correlated with antioxidant activities, and were more plentiful in black and red rice seeds. These results are expected to provide valuable information that could help improve and develop rice-breeding techniques.

  7. High throughput deep degradome sequencing reveals microRNAs and their targets in response to drought stress in mulberry (Morus alba).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Ruixue; Chen, Dandan; Wang, Taichu; Wan, Yizhen; Li, Rongfang; Fang, Rongjun; Wang, Yuting; Hu, Fei; Zhou, Hong; Li, Long; Zhao, Weiguo

    2017-01-01

    MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play important regulatory roles by targeting mRNAs for cleavage or translational repression. Identification of miRNA targets is essential to better understanding the roles of miRNAs. miRNA targets have not been well characterized in mulberry (Morus alba). To anatomize miRNA guided gene regulation under drought stress, transcriptome-wide high throughput degradome sequencing was used in this study to directly detect drought stress responsive miRNA targets in mulberry. A drought library (DL) and a contrast library (CL) were constructed to capture the cleaved mRNAs for sequencing. In CL, 409 target genes of 30 conserved miRNA families and 990 target genes of 199 novel miRNAs were identified. In DL, 373 target genes of 30 conserved miRNA families and 950 target genes of 195 novel miRNAs were identified. Of the conserved miRNA families in DL, mno-miR156, mno-miR172, and mno-miR396 had the highest number of targets with 54, 52 and 41 transcripts, respectively, indicating that these three miRNA families and their target genes might play important functions in response to drought stress in mulberry. Additionally, we found that many of the target genes were transcription factors. By analyzing the miRNA-target molecular network, we found that the DL independent networks consisted of 838 miRNA-mRNA pairs (63.34%). The expression patterns of 11 target genes and 12 correspondent miRNAs were detected using qRT-PCR. Six miRNA targets were further verified by RNA ligase-mediated 5' rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RLM-5' RACE). Gene Ontology (GO) annotations and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis revealed that these target transcripts were implicated in a broad range of biological processes and various metabolic pathways. This is the first study to comprehensively characterize target genes and their associated miRNAs in response to drought stress by degradome sequencing in mulberry. This study provides a framework for understanding

  8. Dissolution and regeneration of non-mulberry Eriogyna Pyretorum silk fibroin

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guo, Yuhang; Li, Xiufang; Zhang, Qiang; Yan, Shuqin; You, Renchuan

    2017-10-01

    Protein-based materials have been actively pursued as biomaterials because of their nontoxicity, biocompatibility and biodegradability. In this work, we demonstrated the potential of Eriogyna pyretorum silk fibroin (ESF), a non-mulberry silk protein, as biomaterials. The degummed ESF fibers could be dissolved completely by Ca(NO3)2/H2O/C2H5OH solution to produce regenerated ESF. The solubility was strongly dependent on the addition of C2H5OH, heating temperature and dissolving time. α-helix and random coil are main molecular conformation in aqueous ESF solution. The sol-gel transition behavior of regenerated ESF was also studied, indicating that the conformational transition of regenerated ESF from random coil/α-helix to β-sheet during gelation. Especially, ESF showed more rapid gelation than mulberry silk fibroin (BSF). Consequently, the gelation rate of BSF could be controlled ranging from tens of minutes to days by changing the ESF ratio, providing useful options for the fabrication of silk hydrogels. Water-stable regenerated ESF film could be achieved by using aqueous ethanol to induce structural transition. Tensile tests showed that the ESF films have a dry strength of approximate 31.0 MPa and a wet strength of approximate 3.3 MPa. This study provides new opportunities as an alternative natural protein material for biomedical applications.

  9. Studies on mutation breeding in mulberry (Morus spp.)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fujita, H.; Wada, M.

    1982-01-01

    Re-irradiation of induced mulberry mutants with gamma rays has proved to give higher mutation frequencies and a wider mutation spectrum than when the original cultivars were irradiated. A comparison between chronic and acute re-irradiation was made, using a special cutting-back technique. Mutation frequencies of the shoots that developed from the sub-lateral shoot in chronic irradiation were lower than in acute irradiation. The five-lobed cultivar Ichinose raised an entire-leaved mutant, IRB240-1, by gamma rays, which showed reversion in leaf shape, from entire to lobed, by re-treatment of the mutant with gamma rays. The mutant and original cultivar were crossed with an entire-leaved cultivar Shiromekeiso. As a result of these crosses, the three mutants are supposed to be not of genic origin concerning leaf shape. A drop of conidia suspension was placed on a scratched surface of the irradiated shoots to select resistant mutants to die-back disease. Two resistant strains were selected by means of inoculation of conidia. It is considered that inoculation of solution using a vaccination apparatus was most efficient and reliable for selecting resistant mutants. Thirteen mutants and three strains were tested for the rooting ability of semi-softwood cuttings. Some mutant strains did not show any disability of rooting initiation of the shoot. Useful mutants which show high rooting ability can be selected by gamma irradiation. To detect the change in fine structure of mulberry a scanning electron microscope was used. The mutants not only varied in visible character from the original, but also in invisible changes, such as trichome, idioblast, etc

  10. Production Efficiency of Cocoon Shell of Silkworm, Bombyx mori L. (Bombycidae: Lepidoptera, as an Index for Evaluating the Nutritive Value of Mulberry, Morus sp. (Moraceae, Varieties

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jalaja Suresh Kumar

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available The nutritional efficiency of mulberry leaves consumed by silkworms, Bombyx mori L., is usually evaluated in terms of the proportion of cocoon shell weight to the amount of food ingested. The production efficiency of cocoon shell is generally used to identify the superiority of a mulberry variety for silkworm rearing. In this study the production efficiency of cocoon shell was used as an index for evaluating the nutritive value of different mulberry varieties of India. Among the varieties, V-1, having highest production efficiency of cocoon shell with less amount of food ingested and highest digestibility, is regarded as the best suitable variety with nutritive values ideal for silkworm rearing.

  11. Optimization of Solid-Liquid Extraction of Antioxidants from Black Mulberry Leaves by Response Surface Methodology

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zoran Zeković

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available The extraction of active components from natural sources depends on different factors. The knowledge of the effects of different extraction parameters is useful for the optimization of the process, as well for the ability to predict the extraction yield. The aim of this study is to examine the influence of solvent concentration (ethanol/water 40–80 %, by volume, temperature (40–80 °C and solvent/raw material ratio (10–30 mL/g on the extraction yield of phenolic compounds, flavonoids and antioxidant activity from black mulberry (Morus nigra L. leaves. Experimental values of total phenolic content were in the range from 18.6 to 48.7 mg of chlorogenic acid equivalents per g of dried leaves and total flavonoids in the range from 6.0 to 21.4 mg of rutin eqivalents per g of dried leaves. Antioxidant activity expressed as the inhibition concentration at 50 % (IC50 value was in the range from 0.019 to 0.078 mg of mulberry extract per mL. Response surface methodology (RSM was used to determine the optimum extraction conditions and to investigate the effect of different variables on the observed properties of mulberry leaf extracts. The results show a good fit to the proposed model (R˄2>0.90. The optimal conditions for obtaining the highest extraction yield of phenolics and flavonoids were within the experimental range. The experimental values agreed with those predicted, thus indicating suitability of the used model and the success of RSM in optimizing the investigated extraction conditions.

  12. "1"3"7Cs distribution in mulberry (Morus alba) after the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant accident and effect of spray application of a liquid potassium fertilizer onto trunk surface

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Harada, Naoki; Nonaka, Masanori; Motojima, Sayaka; Igarashi, Kazuki

    2015-01-01

    After the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant accident in March 2011, contamination of mulberry-leaf tea with over 100Bq kg"-"1 "1"3"7Cs was found. We therefore investigated "1"3"7Cs distribution in mulberry trees (Morus alba) and soil in Nihonmatsu City from 2012. As a result, mulberry leaves near the end of branches (0 - 30 cm), which are usually used as edible leaves, were shown to contain higher "1"3"7Cs concentration than the others. Trunk showed highest "1"3"7Cs concentration among the plant parts of mulberry investigated, while root "1"3"7Cs concentration was relatively low. Autoradiographic studies for leaf, bark and cross-sectional trunk suggest that radioactive substances were deposited onto bark and leaf radioactive contamination could be due to translocation of "1"3"7Cs from trunk. Spray application of 0.5% KH_2PO_4 solution onto trunk surface significantly reduced "1"3"7Cs concentration in edible leaves emerged about one month after the application. However, the effect was limited and insufficient to solve the problem of radioactive contamination in edible mulberry leaves. (author)

  13. Nutrigenetic Screening Strains of the Mulberry Silkworm, Bombyx mori, for Nutritional Efficiency

    OpenAIRE

    Ramesha, Chinnaswamy; Lakshmi, Hothur; Kumari, Savarapu Sugnana; Anuradha, Chevva M.; Kumar, Chitta Suresh

    2012-01-01

    The activity of sericulture is declining due the reduction of mulberry production area in sericulture practicing countries lead to adverse effects on silkworm rearing and cocoon production. Screening for nutrigenetic traits in silkworm, Bombyx mori L. (Lepidoptera: Bombycidae) is an essential prerequisite for better understanding and development of nutritionally efficient breeds/hybrids, which show less food consumption with higher efficiency conversion. The aim of this study was to identify ...

  14. Comparative Study of Phenolic Profile, Antioxidant Capacity, and Color-composition Relation of Roselle Cultivars with Contrasting Pigmentation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Camelo-Méndez, Gustavo A; Jara-Palacios, M José; Escudero-Gilete, M Luisa; Gordillo, Belén; Hernanz, Dolores; Paredes-López, Octavio; Vanegas-Espinoza, Pablo E; Del Villar-Martínez, Alma A; Heredia, Francisco J

    2016-03-01

    Roselle is a plant that accumulates anthocyanins significantly, hence its importance as food coloring and as a source of antioxidant compounds for human health. This study was aimed to determine phenolic composition and antioxidant capacity of methanolic extracts, and beverages obtained from native roselle cultivars in Mexico (Negra, Sudan, Rosa and Blanca) with different degrees of pigmentation, and to establish the color-composition relationship. Chromatographic methods were used to determine phenolic compounds: flavanols, flavonols, benzoic, hibiscus and phenolic acids as well as two main anthocyanins (cyanidin 3-sambubioside and delphinidin 3-sambubioside). The antioxidant capacity was evaluated by ABTS and FRAP assays. Tristimulus colorimetry showed to be a useful technique to determine the color-composition relationship, leading to equations that allowed to predict anthocyanin content of roselle (R > 0.84). Also, a stepwise linear discriminant analysis (SLDA) was developed in order to classify roselle cultivars. The obtained mathematical model could be an important tool to be used in colorimetric characterization of functional compounds used in food processing.

  15. Mulberry anthocyanins improves thyroid cancer progression mainly by inducing apoptosis and autophagy cell death

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hou-Long Long

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available Dietary anthocyanin compounds have multiple biological effects, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-atherosclerotic characteristics. The present study evaluated the anti-tumor capacity of mulberry anthocyanins (MA in thyroid cancer cells. Our data showed that MA suppressed SW1736 and HTh-7 cell proliferation in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Meanwhile, flow cytometry results indicated that MA significantly increased SW1736 and HTh-7 cell apoptosis. We additionally observed that SW1736 and HTh-7 cell autophagy was markedly enhanced after MA treatment. Importantly, anthocyanin-induced cell death was largely abolished by 3-methyladenine (3-MA or chloroquine diphosphate salt (CQ treatment, suggesting that MA-induced SW1736 and HTh-7 cell death was partially dependent on autophagy. In addition, activation of protein kinase B (Akt, mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR, and ribosomal protein S6 (S6 were significantly suppressed by anthocyanin exposure. In summary, MA may serve as an adjunctive therapy for thyroid cancer patients through induction of apoptosis and autophagy-dependent cell death. Keywords: Mulberry anthocyanins, Thyroid cancer, Apoptosis, Autophagic death

  16. Metal toxicity on the basis of the mulberry growth and the mineral status in leaves

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Takagishi, H.; Goto, A.; Sato, T.

    1976-02-01

    Some pot experiments were carried out to evaluate the toxicity of metal elements to mulberry plant. Alluvial sandy loam with strong acidity of pH (H/sub 2/O) ca. 4.5 was used. Leaf yield was reduced as the supply of tested metal element was increased, but the degree of yield reduction was different for each mulberry variety; Kenmochi (Morus bombysis Koidz) was most resistant to toxicity, and followed by Kairyo-Nezumigaeshi (M. Alba Linn) and Roso (M. latifolia Pollet) in the decreasing order of the resistance. The toxicity of test elements was in the order of Cu > Co greater than or equal to Ni > Zn much greater than Mn. The order was estimated from the value half acting concentration in soil which is obtained from multiplication of the half application amount by active coefficient; here the former shows the concentration of each metal which reduces the leaf yield to a half by toxicity and the latter corresponds to the regression coefficient between the supplied amount of metals and the extracted amount by neutral ammonium acetate solution. The soil-mulberry plant relationship of the elements was studied. Nickel had the highest mobility into leaves from soil, and being followed by Zn, Co and Cu of which contents in leaves were not so much affected by their increasing supply. Owing to this relation, the toxicity on the basis of metal content in leaves was in the order of Co greater than or equal to Cu > Ni much greater than Zn > Mn and the order was somewhat different from the above-mentioned one. Phosphorus content in leaves tended to decrease by Zn and Co supply.

  17. The Latex Protein MLX56 from Mulberry (Morus multicaulis Protects Plants against Insect Pests and Pathogens

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ying-Ping Gai

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available Biotic stresses are major constraints limiting the leaf quality and productivity of mulberry. MLX56 is a unique chitin-binding protein isolated from Shin-Ichinose (Morus alba latex that displays toxicity against lepidopteran caterpillars. In this study, the full-length cDNA encoding MLX56 was isolated from Husang 32 (M. multicaulis and designated HMLX56. Amino acid sequence analysis and protein modeling of three MLX56 proteins showed that they were highly conserved among Morus species. Tissue expression pattern analysis showed that the HMLX56 gene was strongly expressed in mulberry bark and leaves but only slightly expressed in fruits. In addition, analysis of GUS expression indicated that the promoter of HMLX56 showed higher transcriptional activity along the vascular strands, and its activity can be regulated by various environmental factors. Like the MLX56 protein from M. alba, the HMLX56 protein showed toxicity to Plutella xylostella. Moreover, when the HMLX56 gene was ectopically expressed in Arabidopsis, the transgenic plants showed enhanced resistance to aphids, the fungal pathogen Botrytis cinerea and the bacterial pathogen Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato DC3000. Our data suggest that the HMLX56 protein has a lectin-like molecular structure consisting of two hevein-like chitin-binding domains which provide not only chitin-binding activities but also other mechanisms of defense. The information provided here improves our understanding of the potential functions and defense mechanisms of MLX56 proteins, enabling in-depth functional analysis of latex exudates and perhaps facilitating mulberry genetic improvement in the future.

  18. Genotypic variation in tolerance to drought stress is highly coordinated with hydraulic conductivity-photosynthesis interplay and aquaporin expression in field-grown mulberry (Morus spp.).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reddy, Kanubothula Sitarami; Sekhar, Kalva Madhana; Reddy, Attipalli Ramachandra

    2017-07-01

    Hydraulic conductivity quantifies the efficiency of a plant to transport water from root to shoot and is a major constriction on leaf gas exchange physiology. Mulberry (Morus spp.) is the most economically important crop for sericulture industry. In this study, we demonstrate a finely coordinated control of hydraulic dynamics on leaf gas exchange characteristics in 1-year-old field-grown mulberry genotypes (Selection-13 (S13); Kollegal Local (KL) and Kanva-2 (K2)) subjected to water stress by withholding water for 20 days and subsequent recovery for 7 days. Significant variations among three mulberry genotypes have been recorded in net photosynthetic rates (Pn), stomatal conductance and sap flow rate, as well as hydraulic conductivity in stem (KS) and leaf (KL). Among three genotypes, S13 showed significantly high rates of Pn, KS and KL both in control as well as during drought stress (DS) and recovery, providing evidence for superior drought-adaptive strategies. The plant water hydraulics-photosynthesis interplay was finely coordinated with the expression of certain key aquaporins (AQPs) in roots and leaves. Our data clearly demonstrate that expression of certain AQPs play a crucial role in hydraulic dynamics and photosynthetic carbon assimilation during DS and recovery, which could be effectively targeted towards mulberry improvement programs for drought adaptation. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  19. Detection of adulteration in mulberry pekmez samples added various sugar syrups with ¹³C/¹²C isotope ratio analysis method.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tosun, Murat

    2014-12-15

    Mulberry pekmez can be adulterated in different ways either during the production process or after production is completed. To identify these adulterations, stable carbon isotope ratio analysis (SCIRA) was performed on the model examples prepared by adding saccharose syrup (SS), glucose syrup (GS) and high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) into two different pure mulberry pekmez samples in the ratios of 0%, 10%, 30% and 50%. The δ(13)C ratio of the pure mulberry pekmez was determined as -26.60‰ on average, the saccharose syrup as -24.80‰, the glucose syrup as -11.20‰ and the high-fructose corn syrup as -11.40‰. In identifying the adulteration made to pekmez, especially with the high-fructose corn syrup, which is obtained from corn starch, and with the glucose syrup, the δ(13)C ratio comes into prominence. However it remains impossible identify the adulterations made with the saccharose, which is obtained from beet sugar, or invert sugar syrups. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Studies on F1 radiation sterilization of diamondback moth and mulberry wild silkworm

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yang Rongxing; Xia Darong; Cu Weiping; Chu Jiming; Zhang Yanjun

    1993-01-01

    The study began in 1988 under the aegis of the FAO/IAEA co-ordinated research programme on Radiation Induced F 1 Sterility in Lepidoptera for Area-Wide Control. During the following four years the control of the mulberry wild silkworm (Bombyx mandarina Moore) and the diamondback moth (Plutella xylostella L.) by means of radiation induced sterility was studied. (author). 4 refs, 9 figs, 6 tabs

  1. Biochar amendment improves soil fertility and productivity of mulberry plant

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Faruque Ahmed

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available Biochar has the potential to improve soil fertility and crop productivity. A field experiment was carried out at the experimental field of Bangladesh Sericulture Research and Training Institute (BSRTI, Rajshahi, Bangladesh. The objective of this study was to examine the effect of biochar on soil properties, growth, yield and foliar disease incidence of mulberry plant. The study consisted of 6 treatments: control, basal dose of NPK, rice husk biochar, mineral enriched biochar, basal dose + rice husk biochar and basal dose + mineral enriched biochar. Growth parameters such as node/meter, total branch number/plant, total leaf yield/hectare/year were significantly increased in basal dose + mineral enriched biochar treated plot in second year compared with the other fertilizer treatments. In second year, the total leaf yield/hectare/year were also 142.1% and 115.9% higher in combined application of basal dose + mineral enriched biochar and basal dose + rice husk biochar, respectively, than the control treatment. The soil properties such as organic matter, phosphorus, sulphur and zinc percentage were significantly increased with both the (mineral enriched and rice husk biochar treated soil applied with or without recommended basal dose of NPK than the control and only the recommended basal dose of NPK, respectively. Further, the lowest incidences of tukra (6.4%, powdery mildew (10.4% and leaf spot (7.6% disease were observed in second year under mineral enriched biochar treated plot than the others. The findings revealed that utilization of biochar has positive effect on the improvement of soil fertility and productivity as well as disease suppression of mulberry plant.

  2. Genetic and Virulent Difference Between Pigmented and Non-pigmented Staphylococcus aureus

    OpenAIRE

    Jing Zhang; Yujuan Suo; Daofeng Zhang; Fangning Jin; Hang Zhao; Chunlei Shi

    2018-01-01

    Staphyloxanthin (STX), a golden carotenoid pigment produced by Staphylococcus aureus, is suggested to act as an important virulence factor due to its antioxidant properties. Restraining biosynthesis of STX was considered as an indicator of virulence decline in pigmented S. aureus isolates. However, it is not clear whether natural non-pigmented S. aureus isolates have less virulence than pigmented ones. In this study, it is aimed to compare the pigmented and non-pigmented S. aureus isolates to...

  3. Antihemolytic Activities of Green Tea, Safflower, and Mulberry Extracts during Plasmodium berghei Infection in Mice

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Suthin Audomkasok

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Malaria-associated hemolysis is associated with mortality in adult patients. It has been speculated that oxidative stress and inflammation induced by malaria parasite are involved in its pathophysiology. Hence, we aimed to investigate the antihemolytic effect of green tea, safflower, and mulberry extracts against Plasmodium berghei infection. Aqueous crude extracts of these plants were prepared using hot water method and used for oral treatment in mice. Groups of ICR mice were infected with 6 × 106 infected red blood cells of P. berghei ANKA by intraperitoneal injection and given the extracts (500, 1500, and 3000 mg/kg twice a day for 4 consecutive days. To assess hemolysis, hematocrit levels were then evaluated. Malaria infection resulted in hemolysis. However, antihemolytic effects were observed in infected mice treated with these extracts at dose-dependent manners. In conclusion, aqueous crude extracts of green tea, safflower, and mulberry exerted antihemolysis induced by malaria infection. These plants may work as potential source in the development of variety of herbal formulations for malarial treatment.

  4. Synthesis and urea-loading of an eco-friendly superabsorbent composite based on mulberry branches

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xiying Liang

    2013-02-01

    Full Text Available Mulberry branch, consisting of bark and stalk, was used as raw skeleton material without any chemical pre-treatment to synthesize an eco-friendly mulberry branch-g-poly(acrylic acid-co-acrylamide (PMB/P(AA-co-AM superabsorbent composite. The synthesis conditions and properties of the PMB/P(AA-co-AM superabsorbent composite were investigated. The results showed that under the optimal synthesis conditions, the water absorbency of the prepared PMB/P(AA-co-AM reached 570.5 g/g in deionized water, 288.0 g/g in tap water, and 70.0 g/g in 0.9 wt% aqueous NaCl solution. The PMB/P(AA-co-AM composite also exhibited excellent water retention capacity as well as a rapid water absorbency rate. The urea loading percentage of the PMB/P(AA-co-AM composite was controlled by the concentration of aqueous urea solution. The release of urea from the loaded PMB/P(AA-co-AM composite in deionized water initially exhibited a high rate of release for 60 min, followed by a rapid decline. Meanwhile, the PMB/P(AA-co-AM superabsorbent composite with larger particle size achieved a better sustained release of urea.

  5. Genetic and Virulent Difference Between Pigmented and Non-pigmented Staphylococcus aureus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Jing; Suo, Yujuan; Zhang, Daofeng; Jin, Fangning; Zhao, Hang; Shi, Chunlei

    2018-01-01

    Staphyloxanthin (STX), a golden carotenoid pigment produced by Staphylococcus aureus , is suggested to act as an important virulence factor due to its antioxidant properties. Restraining biosynthesis of STX was considered as an indicator of virulence decline in pigmented S. aureus isolates. However, it is not clear whether natural non-pigmented S. aureus isolates have less virulence than pigmented ones. In this study, it is aimed to compare the pigmented and non-pigmented S. aureus isolates to clarify the genetic and virulent differences between the two groups. Here, 132 S. aureus isolates were divided into two phenotype groups depending on the absorbance (OD 450 ) of the extracted carotenoids. Then, all isolates were subjected to spa typing and multilocus sequence typing (MLST), and then the detection of presence of 30 virulence factors and the gene integrity of crtN and crtM . Furthermore, 24 typical S. aureus isolates and 4 S. argenteus strains were selected for the murine infection assay of in vivo virulence, in which the histological observation and enumeration of CFUs were carried out. These isolates were distributed in 26 sequence types (STs) and 49 spa types. The pigmented isolates were scattered in 25 STs, while the non-pigmented isolates were more centralized, which mainly belonged to ST20 (59%) and ST25 (13%). Among the 54 non-pigmented isolates, about 20% carried intact crtN and crtM genes. The in vivo assay suggested that comparing with pigmented S. aureus , non-pigmented S. aureus and S. argenteus strains did not show a reduced virulence in murine sepsis models. Therefore, it suggested that there were no significant genetic and virulent differences between pigmented and non-pigmented S. aureus .

  6. Identification and Chacterization of new strains of Enterobacter spp. causing Mulberry (Morus alba) wilt disease in China

    Science.gov (United States)

    A new mulberry wilt disease (MWD) was recently identified in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, China. Typical symptoms of the disease are dark brown discolorations in vascular tissues, leaf wilt, defoliation, and tree decline. Unlike the bacterial wilt disease caused by Ralstonia solanacearum, the leaf w...

  7. Genetic and Virulent Difference Between Pigmented and Non-pigmented Staphylococcus aureus

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jing Zhang

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available Staphyloxanthin (STX, a golden carotenoid pigment produced by Staphylococcus aureus, is suggested to act as an important virulence factor due to its antioxidant properties. Restraining biosynthesis of STX was considered as an indicator of virulence decline in pigmented S. aureus isolates. However, it is not clear whether natural non-pigmented S. aureus isolates have less virulence than pigmented ones. In this study, it is aimed to compare the pigmented and non-pigmented S. aureus isolates to clarify the genetic and virulent differences between the two groups. Here, 132 S. aureus isolates were divided into two phenotype groups depending on the absorbance (OD450 of the extracted carotenoids. Then, all isolates were subjected to spa typing and multilocus sequence typing (MLST, and then the detection of presence of 30 virulence factors and the gene integrity of crtN and crtM. Furthermore, 24 typical S. aureus isolates and 4 S. argenteus strains were selected for the murine infection assay of in vivo virulence, in which the histological observation and enumeration of CFUs were carried out. These isolates were distributed in 26 sequence types (STs and 49 spa types. The pigmented isolates were scattered in 25 STs, while the non-pigmented isolates were more centralized, which mainly belonged to ST20 (59% and ST25 (13%. Among the 54 non-pigmented isolates, about 20% carried intact crtN and crtM genes. The in vivo assay suggested that comparing with pigmented S. aureus, non-pigmented S. aureus and S. argenteus strains did not show a reduced virulence in murine sepsis models. Therefore, it suggested that there were no significant genetic and virulent differences between pigmented and non-pigmented S. aureus.

  8. Annular and central heavy pigment deposition on the posterior lens capsule in the pigment dispersion syndrome: pigment deposition on the posterior lens capsule in the pigment dispersion syndrome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Turgut, Burak; Türkçüoğlu, Peykan; Deniz, Nurettin; Catak, Onur

    2008-12-01

    To report annular and central heavy pigment deposition on the posterior lens capsule in a case of pigment dispersion syndrome. Case report. A 36-year-old female with bilateral pigment dispersion syndrome presented with progressive decrease in visual acuity in the right eye over the past 1-2 years. Clinical examination revealed the typical findings of pigment dispersion syndrome including bilateral Krunkenberg spindles, iris transillumination defects, and dense trabecular meshwork pigmentation. Remarkably, annular and central dense pigmentation of the posterior lens capsule was noted in the right eye. Annular pigment deposition on the posterior lens capsule may be a rare finding associated with pigment dispersion syndrome. Such a finding suggests that there may be aqueous flow into the retrolental space in some patients with this condition. The way of central pigmentation is the entrance of aqueous to Berger's space. In our case, it is probable that spontaneous detachment of the anterior hyaloid membrane aided this entrance.

  9. Structural analysis and anti-obesity effect of a pectic polysaccharide isolated from Korean mulberry fruit Oddi (Morus alba L.)

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Choi, J. W.; Synytsya, A.; Capek, P.; Bleha, R.; Pohl, Radek; Park, Y. I.

    2016-01-01

    Roč. 146, Aug 1 (2016), s. 187-196 ISSN 0144-8617 Institutional support: RVO:61388963 Keywords : mulberry fruit * pectic polysaccharide * structure * pre-adipocytes * apoptosis Subject RIV: CC - Organic Chemistry Impact factor: 4.811, year: 2016

  10. Radiation damage and induced tetraploidy in mulberry (Morus alba L.)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Katagiri, K.

    1976-01-01

    Vigorously growing mulberry shoots were exposed to 5 kR of gamma rays at the rate of 0.2 kR/hr and 5.0 kR/hr and successively pruned three times in two growing seasons. The most radiosensitive part of both the apical and axillary meristems was the second cell layer. The younger axillary bud primordia were more sensitive to radiation then the older ones. Recovery from radiation damage was assumed to be from the flank meristem in the shoot apex. The frequency of mutations was much lower than that of tetraploidy. Among the tetraploids 50% were 2-4-4 chimeras. (author)

  11. Mulberry-extract improves glucose tolerance and decreases insulin concentrations in normoglycaemic adults: Results of a randomised double-blind placebo-controlled study.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mark Lown

    Full Text Available High sugar and refined carbohydrate intake is associated with weight gain, increased incidence of diabetes and is linked with increased cardiovascular mortality. Reducing the health impact of poor quality carbohydrate intake is a public health priority. Reducose, a proprietary mulberry leaf extract (ME, may reduce blood glucose responses following dietary carbohydrate intake by reducing absorption of glucose from the gut.A double-blind, randomised, repeat measure, phase 2 crossover design was used to study the glycaemic and insulinaemic response to one reference product and three test products at the Functional Food Centre, Oxford Brooks University, UK. Participants; 37 adults aged 19-59 years with a BMI ≥ 20kg/m2 and ≤ 30kg/m2. The objective was to determine the effect of three doses of mulberry-extract (Reducose versus placebo on blood glucose and insulin responses when co-administered with 50g maltodextrin in normoglycaemic healthy adults. We also report the gastrointestinal tolerability of the mulberry extract.Thirty-seven participants completed the study: The difference in the positive Incremental Area Under the Curve (pIAUC (glucose (mmol / L x h for half, normal and double dose ME compared with placebo was -6.1% (-18.2%, 5.9%; p = 0.316, -14.0% (-26.0%, -2.0%; p = 0.022 and -22.0% (-33.9%, -10.0%; p<0.001 respectively. The difference in the pIAUC (insulin (mIU / L x h for half, normal and double dose ME compared with placebo was -9.7% (-25.8%, 6.3%; p = 0.234, -23.8% (-39.9%, -7.8%; p = 0.004 and -24.7% (-40.8%, -8.6%; p = 0.003 respectively. There were no statistically significant differences between any of the 4 groups in the odds of experiencing one or more gastrointestinal symptoms (nausea, abdominal cramping, distension or flatulence.Mulberry leaf extract significantly reduces total blood glucose rise after ingestion of maltodextrin over 120 minutes. The pattern of effect demonstrates a classical dose response curve with

  12. Antibacterial, antibiofilm and antitumor activities of grape and mulberry leaves ethanolic extracts towards bacterial clinical strains

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elshahat M. Ramadan

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC were measured at concentrations of 0.01–2.56 mg/mL of grape and mulberry leaves ethanolic extracts. The MIC values were ranged from 0.08 to 0.16 mg/mL against Ps. aeruginosa Ps9, and 0.32 mg/mL against each of S. aureus St3, E. coli Ec3, and S. typhi Sa1. Whereas, the MBC values were ranged from 0.32 to 1.28 mg/mL of the tested extracts. The effects of the tested extracts were also studied representing the bactericidal effect of the grape extract with a ratio of 2 against all investigated isolates, except S. typhi Sa1. Whereas, the mulberry extract had a bactericidal effect towards S. aureus St3 and E. coli Ec3 with ratio of 2, and a bacteriostatic effect against Ps. aeruginosa Ps9 and S. typhi Sa1 with a ratio ≥4. The investigated bacteria found to have a strong ability to form biofilms with densities ranged from 0.67 to 0.80. Both tested extracts inhibited these biofilms with percentages ranged from 48 to 66% at sub-inhibitory concentrations (SICs ranged from 0.04 to 0.16 mg/mL. In addition, the tested extracts have an excellent cytotoxic activity towards colon cancer cell lines (HCT-16. Five phenolic compounds detected in the tested extracts of grape and mulberry using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC after 9.53 min of the retention time. The phenolic compounds of both tested extracts were gallic, coumaric, ferulic, chlorogenic and caffeic with concentrations ranged from 1.28 to 6.56 µg/mL.

  13. Isolation and antisense suppression of flavonoid 3', 5'-hydroxylase modifies flower pigments and colour in cyclamen

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    Patel Deepa

    2010-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Cyclamen is a popular and economically significant pot plant crop in several countries. Molecular breeding technologies provide opportunities to metabolically engineer the well-characterized flavonoid biosynthetic pathway for altered anthocyanin profile and hence the colour of the flower. Previously we reported on a genetic transformation system for cyclamen. Our aim in this study was to change pigment profiles and flower colours in cyclamen through the suppression of flavonoid 3', 5'-hydroxylase, an enzyme in the flavonoid pathway that plays a determining role in the colour of anthocyanin pigments. Results A full-length cDNA putatively identified as a F3'5'H (CpF3'5'H was isolated from cyclamen flower tissue. Amino acid and phylogeny analyses indicated the CpF3'5'H encodes a F3'5'H enzyme. Two cultivars of minicyclamen were transformed via Agrobacterium tumefaciens with an antisense CpF3'5'H construct. Flowers of the transgenic lines showed modified colour and this correlated positively with the loss of endogenous F3'5'H transcript. Changes in observed colour were confirmed by colorimeter measurements, with an overall loss in intensity of colour (C in the transgenic lines and a shift in hue from purple to red/pink in one cultivar. HPLC analysis showed that delphinidin-derived pigment levels were reduced in transgenic lines relative to control lines while the percentage of cyanidin-derived pigments increased. Total anthocyanin concentration was reduced up to 80% in some transgenic lines and a smaller increase in flavonol concentration was recorded. Differences were also seen in the ratio of flavonol types that accumulated. Conclusion To our knowledge this is the first report of genetic modification of the anthocyanin pathway in the commercially important species cyclamen. The effects of suppressing a key enzyme, F3'5'H, were wide ranging, extending from anthocyanins to other branches of the flavonoid pathway. The results

  14. Conjunctival Aspergilloma with Multiple Mulberry Nodules: A Case Report

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jiunn-Liang Chen

    2005-06-01

    Full Text Available A 30-year-old healthy female presented with a 1-year history of chronic mucous discharge, tearing, and irritation in the left eye. Slit-lamp examination revealed severe papillary and follicular reaction surrounding a movable subconjunctival mass on the left upper tarsal conjunctiva. Incision and curettage were performed to establish the diagnosis. Multiple peculiar black mulberry nodules were obtained. The clumps of septate hyphae seen with periodic acid-Schiff stain were characteristic of fungus ball (aspergilloma. The patient's symptoms improved significantly after surgery without any antifungal therapy. Although rarely reported, aspergillus is a common fungus in the conjunctiva that may seed into the subconjunctiva. We present this case to remind ophthalmologists of such a rare cause of recalcitrant conjunctival inflammation in immunocompetent patients.

  15. Iris phenotypes and pigment dispersion caused by genes influencing pigmentation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anderson, Michael G; Hawes, Norman L; Trantow, Colleen M; Chang, Bo; John, Simon W M

    2008-10-01

    Spontaneous mutations altering mouse coat colors have been a classic resource for discovery of numerous molecular pathways. Although often overlooked, the mouse iris is also densely pigmented and easily observed, thus representing a similarly powerful opportunity for studying pigment cell biology. Here, we present an analysis of iris phenotypes among 16 mouse strains with mutations influencing melanosomes. Many of these strains exhibit biologically and medically relevant phenotypes, including pigment dispersion, a common feature of several human ocular diseases. Pigment dispersion was identified in several strains with mutant alleles known to influence melanosomes, including beige, light, and vitiligo. Pigment dispersion was also detected in the recently arising spontaneous coat color variant, nm2798. We have identified the nm2798 mutation as a missense mutation in the Dct gene, an identical re-occurrence of the slaty light mutation. These results suggest that dysregulated events of melanosomes can be potent contributors to the pigment dispersion phenotype. Combined, these findings illustrate the utility of studying iris phenotypes as a means of discovering new pathways, and re-linking old ones, to processes of pigmented cells in health and disease.

  16. Skin Pigmentation Disorders

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pigmentation means coloring. Skin pigmentation disorders affect the color of your skin. Your skin gets its color from a pigment called melanin. Special cells in the skin make melanin. When these cells become damaged or ...

  17. Fuzzy logic, artificial neural network and mathematical model for prediction of white mulberry drying kinetics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jahedi Rad, Shahpour; Kaveh, Mohammad; Sharabiani, Vali Rasooli; Taghinezhad, Ebrahim

    2018-05-01

    The thin-layer convective- infrared drying behavior of white mulberry was experimentally studied at infrared power levels of 500, 1000 and 1500 W, drying air temperatures of 40, 55 and 70 °C and inlet drying air speeds of 0.4, 1 and 1.6 m/s. Drying rate raised with the rise of infrared power levels at a distinct air temperature and velocity and thus decreased the drying time. Five mathematical models describing thin-layer drying have been fitted to the drying data. Midlli et al. model could satisfactorily describe the convective-infrared drying of white mulberry fruit with the values of the correlation coefficient (R 2=0.9986) and root mean square error of (RMSE= 0.04795). Artificial neural network (ANN) and fuzzy logic methods was desirably utilized for modeling output parameters (moisture ratio (MR)) regarding input parameters. Results showed that output parameters were more accurately predicted by fuzzy model than by the ANN and mathematical models. Correlation coefficient (R 2) and RMSE generated by the fuzzy model (respectively 0.9996 and 0.01095) were higher than referred values for the ANN model (0.9990 and 0.01988 respectively).

  18. Antioxidant activity of mulberry (Morus alba L.) fruits in male rats exposed to gamma- radiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hamza, R.G.; Mekawey, H.M.S.; El shahat, A.N.

    2013-01-01

    This study was designed to investigate the possible ameliorative effects of mulberry fruits on oxidative damage induced by irradiation in male rats. Gamma irradiation (2.5 Gy x 3 delivered every other day) resulted in a significant decrease of hepatic glutathione content (GSH) and the activity of xanthine dehydrogenase (XDH), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT). The level of insulin and testosterone as well as the concentration of high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) showed a decrease. A remarkable increase of malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration and xanthine oxidase activity was elevated in the liver. The activity of some liver enzymes, the level of glucose and the concentrations of total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), low density- and very low density lipoprotein-cholesterol showed a significant increase. Administration of mulberry fruit powder (MFP) to irradiated rats was found to offer protection against irradiation induced oxidative stress by elevating the activity of antioxidant enzymes, enhancing liver function in addition to improving the lipid metabolism. From all results collected in this study, it could be concluded that the berries might be considered a natural antioxidant substance that can protect from radiation hazards

  19. Metabolic Effects of Mulberry Leaves: Exploring Potential Benefits in Type 2 Diabetes and Hyperuricemia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A. Hunyadi

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available The leaves of Morus alba L. have a long history in Traditional Chinese Medicine and also became valued by the ethnopharmacology of many other cultures. The worldwide known antidiabetic use of the drug has been suggested to arise from a complex combination effect of various constituents. Moreover, the drug is also a potential antihyperuricemic agent. Considering that type 2 diabetes and hyperuricemia are vice-versa in each other’s important risk factors, the use of mulberry originated phytotherapeutics might provide an excellent option for the prevention and/or treatment of both conditions. Here we report a series of relevant in vitro and in vivo studies on the bioactivity of an extract of mulberry leaves and its fractions obtained by a stepwise gradient on silica gel. In vivo antihyperglycemic and antihyperuricemic activity, plasma antioxidant status, as well as in vitro glucose consumption by adipocytes in the presence or absence of insulin, xanthine oxidase inhibition, free radical scavenging activity, and inhibition of lipid peroxidation were tested. Known bioactive constituents of M. alba (chlorogenic acid, rutin, isoquercitrin, and loliolide were identified and quantified from the HPLC-DAD fingerprint chromatograms. Iminosugar contents were investigated by MS/MS, 1-deoxynojirimycin was quantified, and amounts of 2-O-alpha-D-galactopyranosyl-1-deoxynojirimicin and fagomine were additionally estimated.

  20. Morphological, biochemical and sensory characteristics of black mulberry fruits (Morus nigra L.)

    OpenAIRE

    Beáta Stehlíková; Marcela Čuláková; Andrej Sinica; Lucia Kucelová; Ján Brindza

    2013-01-01

    This work aimed at the morphological, biochemical, technological and sensorial determination of black mulberry (Morus nigra L. – MN)  fruitage and their utilization in the food production branches. For the experimental purposes were selected 50 genotypes of this population grown in the Pukanec surroundings. The medium fruitage weight determined in the selected collection ranged from 7.26 g (MN-1) to 1.42 g (MN-14), fruitage length in a range of 13.51 mm (MN-14) to 29.20 mm (MN-12) and the med...

  1. Influence of cooking on anthocyanins in black rice (Oryza sativa L. japonica var. SBR).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hiemori, Miki; Koh, Eunmi; Mitchell, Alyson E

    2009-03-11

    The composition and thermal stability of anthocyanins in black rice (Oryza sativa L. japonica var. SBR) produced in California were investigated. Six anthocyanin pigments were identified and quantified by high performance liquid chromatography using photo diode-array detection (HPLC-PDA) and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry [LC-(ESI)MS/MS]. The predominant anthocyanins are cyanidin-3-glucoside (572.47 microg/g; 91.13% of total) and peonidin-3-glucoside (29.78 microg/g; 4.74% of total). Minor constituents included three cyanidin-dihexoside isomers and one cyanidin hexoside. Thermal stability of anthocyanins was assessed in rice cooked using a rice cooker, pressure cooker, or on a gas range. All cooking methods caused significant (P rice cooker (74.2%) and gas range (65.4%). Conversely, levels of protocatechuic acid increased 2.7 to 3.4 times in response to all cooking methods. These findings indicate that cooking black rice results in the thermal degradation of cyanidin-3-glucoside and concomitant production of protocatechuic acid.

  2. Dense pigmentation of the posterior lens capsule associated with the pigment dispersion syndrome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, Danny Y; Volpicelli, Mark; Singh, Kuldev

    2003-12-01

    To report an unusual case of pigment dispersion syndrome associated with unilateral dense pigmentation of the posterior lens capsule. Case report. A 59-year-old male with bilateral pigment dispersion syndrome presented with progressive decrease in visual acuity in the left eye over the past 10 to 20 years. Clinical examination revealed the typical findings of pigment dispersion syndrome including the presence of bilateral Krunkenberg spindles, iris transillumination defects, and heavy trabecular meshwork pigmentation. Of note, there was remarkably dense pigmentation of the posterior lens capsule in the eye with decreased visual acuity. Pigmentation of the posterior lens capsule may be a rare finding associated with pigment dispersion syndrome. Such a finding suggests that there may be aqueous flow into the retrolental space in some patients with this condition. The optimal treatment of this unusual condition remains undetermined.

  3. Influence of Fiber Bundle Morphology on the Mechanical and Bonding Properties of Cotton Stalk and Mulberry Branch Reconstituted Square Lumber

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jing Zhang

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available The mechanical properties of natural fiber composites can be strengthened in the longitudinal direction if the fiber is formed in a parallel manner. Reconstituted cotton stalk lumber and mulberry branch lumber were fabricated using hot-press technology, and the effects of fiber morphology on their mechanical and bonding properties were investigated. The fiber bundle size had a great influence on the mechanical and bonding properties of the final products. The maximum specific modulus of rupture (MOR and specific modulus of elasticity (MOE of the reconstituted lumber were obtained for medium-size fiber bundles, and the maximum MOR and MOE of reconstituted cotton stalk lumber was 130.3 MPa·g-1·cm-3 and 12.9 GPa·g-1·cm-3, respectively. The maximum MOR and MOE of the mulberry branch lumber was 147.2 MPa·g-1·cm-3 and 14.7 GPa·g-1·cm-3, respectively. Mechanical interlocking structures in the lumber were observed via fluorescence microscopy, showing that phenol-formaldehyde adhesive had penetrated into several cell layers of the fiber bundle under heating and pressure. The adhesive penetration capacity was stronger when the fiber bundles were smaller in size and density. The reconstituted lumber fabricated from both materials exhibited excellent mechanical performance in the parallel direction. Therefore, reconstituted cotton stalk and mulberry branch lumber are attractive potential materials for the construction industry.

  4. The use of in vitro gas production technique to evaluate molasses supplementation to mulberry (morus alba and rice straw mixed diets

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dwi Yulistiani

    2007-12-01

    Full Text Available Mulberry foliages have high nutritive value (protein content, digestibility and degradability, therefore it is potential to be used as a supplement to poor quality roughages. The objective of this experiment was to evaluate the effect of addition of fermentable energy in the mixed of mulberry and rice straw basal diet. A control diet consisted of either rice straw (RS or urea treated rice straw mixed with mulberry foliage (URS with ratio of 60 : 40%. Treatment was formulated by supplementation of control diet with molasses (as sources of fermentable energy at 3 levels (5, 10 and 15%. The study was conducted in a 2 x 4 factorial experiment, consisted of 2 levels rice straw (untreated and urea treated and 4 levels molasses supplementation (control and 3 levels for molasses. Diets were evaluated using in vitro gas production. The fermentation kinetics was determined from the incubation of 200 mg sample during 96 hours. The calculation of the kinetics based on exponential equation P = A+ B (1-e-ct. A shorter gas production test was carried out to determine truly degradable fermented substrates (in vitro true organic matter degradability/IVTOMD by incubating 500 mg of samples 24 hours. The result showed that there was no significant interaction between rice straw treatment and molasses supplementation on fermentation characteristics, in vitro true dry matter digestibility, fermented substrate and total volatile fatty acid (VFA production. However there was a significant interaction between rice straw treatment on partitioning factor (PF, gas produced, propionic acid production and ratio between acetic acid and propionic acid. Molasses supplementation significantly (P<0.05 decreased gas production and ratio of acetic to propionic acid, and increase PF, propionic acid production in untreated rice straw mulberry (RSM basal diet. It is concluded that molasses supplementation to RSM diet decreased gas production and ratio of C2/C3, and increased PF and

  5. Adsorption of heavy metals by bio-chars produced from pyrolysis of paper mulberry from simulated industrial wastewater

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Adil, S.; Asma, M.

    2014-01-01

    Paper mulberry bio-char (by-product of pyrolysis) was evaluated for the removal of heavy metals (Cd, Cr, Cu, Zn and Pb) from simulated industrial waste water. The surface properties and surface area of the bio-char was found suitable for metal adsorption. Batch sorption studies for adsorption potential of paper mulberry bio-char for Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb and Zn were investigated under different experimental conditions of pH, temperature and contact time. Maximum removal efficiency of Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn was 97.8, 76.8, 85.6, and 82.2 % respectively at pH 12 while maximum removal of Cr was recorded (98%) at pH 2. The removal efficiency showed different behaviour at different contact times. Maximum removal efficiency of Cd, Cr, Zn was 81, 86, 61.4% at contact time of 3 hr. The maximum removal of Cu was 64.2% observed at a contact time of 4 hours while the maximum removal of Pb and Zn was 85% at contact time of 2 hr. The values of the thermodynamic parameters, enthalpy delta H, Gibbs free energy delta G of sorption and entropy delta So were calculated to define endothermic or exothermic behavior of the sorbent used. Negative value of delta G for Cd, Cu, Cr and Pb indicated paper mulberry bio-char as a feasible sorbent for the efficient removal of Cd, Cu, Cr and Pb. Negative value of delta H was observed for Cd and Pb indicating that the adsorption process is exothermic while positive value of delta H was calculated for Cu, Cr and Zn showed that the adsorption is endothermic. The results obtained showed that plant residue bio-char can act as an effective sorbent for the removal of heavy metals from aqueous solutions. (author)

  6. Formation of 14C-asparagine from 14C-precursor in mulberry leaves

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yamashita, Tadaaki

    1981-01-01

    Since a remarkable accumulation of asparagine in the young leaves of mulberry has been observed, the formation of 14 C-asparagine from 14 C-labeled substrates in young leaves was examined in comparison with that in the mature leaves. 14 C-aspartic acid and 14 C-succinic acid expected as active precursors for asparagine biosynthesis, and 14 C-sucrose as respiratory substrates were fed respectively to the disks of young or mature leaves of mulberry. Although 14 C-succinic acid was actively converted to 14 C-asparagine, no significant amount of 14 C-asparagine was formed from 14 C-aspartic acid in two hours of feeding period. The rate of formation of 14 C-asparagine from 14 C-succinic acid in the mature leaves was slightly higher than that in the young leaves. Amino acids other than asparagine acquired 14 C from 14 C-labeled substrates were mainly aspartic acid, glutamic acid, alanine and ν-amino butyric acid in both of the leaves. Intending to accelerate the formation of asparagine in the leaves, ammonium ion was supplied to culturing solution as only source of nitrogen and plants were grown for two weeks in that solution before 14 C-labeled substrates feeding experiments. Supplying of ammonium ion brought about enhanced accumulation of asparagine in the young leaves, and caused remarkable formation of 14 C-asparagine from 14 C-aspartic acid in both of the leaves. However, the rate of 14 C-asparagine formation from 14 C-aspartic acid in the young leaves did not exceed that in the mature leaves. (author)

  7. COCOON PRODUCTION OF THE SILKWORM, Bombyx mori L. (LEPIDOPTERA: BOMBYCIDAE, FED ON LEAVES OF MULBERRY HYBRIDS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    GERBSON AZEVEDO DE MENDONÇA

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available Brazil is the fourth cocoon producer in the world. In São Paulo State there are mulberry some hybrids whose productivity are higher than the commonly cultivated varieties. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of mulberry hybrids (Morus spp. on the cocoon production of silkworm (Bombyx mori L.. The experiment was conducted at the Unidade Regional de Pesquisa de Gália do Instituto de Zootecnia, SP. The caterpillars were fed on leaves of the hybrids IZ-3/2, IZ-13/6, IZ-15/7, IZ-19/13, IZ-56/4, IZ-57/2, IZ- 40, IZ-64, in a rearing hut at 25 oC ± 3 oC and 75% ± 5% relative humidity. 'Korin' was used as standard. The hybrids affected the duration of the larval period and the weight of the caterpillars, prepupaes and the silk glands as well. There was a reduction in the duration of larval development when the caterpillars had been fed with hybrid IZ-56/4 and the 'Korin' variety. Hybrids IZ-57/2, IZ-56/4 and IZ-15/7 presented the highest cocoon production.

  8. Effect of Different Solvents on the Measurement of Phenolics and the Antioxidant Activity of Mulberry (Morus atropurpurea Roxb.) with Accelerated Solvent Extraction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Jiufang; Ou, XiaoQun; Zhang, Xiaoxu; Zhou, ZiYing; Ma, LiYan

    2017-03-01

    The effects of 9 different solvents on the measurement of the total phenolics and antioxidant activities of mulberry fruits were studied using accelerated solvent extraction (ASE). Sixteen to 22 types of phenolics (flavonols, flavan-3-ols, flavanol, hydroxycinnamic acids, hydroxybenzoic acids, and stilbenes) from different mulberry extracts were characterized and quantified using HPLC-MS/MS. The principal component analysis (PCA) was used to determine the suitable solvents to distinguish between different classes of phenolics. Additionally, the phenolic extraction abilities of ASE and ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) were compared. The highest extraction efficiency could be achieved by using 50% acidified methanol (50MA) as ASE solvents with 15.14 mg/gallic acid equivalents g dry weight of mulberry fruit. The PCA results revealed that the 50MA followed by 50% acidified acetone (50AA) was the most efficient solvent for the extraction of phenolics, particularly flavonols (627.12 and 510.31 μg/g dry weight, respectively), while water (W) was not beneficial to the extraction of all categories of phenolics. Besides, the results of 3 antioxidant capability assays (DPPH, ABTS free radical-scavenging assay, and ferric-reducing antioxidant power assay) showed that water-based organic solvents increased the antioxidant capabilities of the extracts compared with water or pure organic solvents. ASE was more suitable for the extraction of phenolics than UAE. © 2017 Institute of Food Technologists®.

  9. Accumulation of Rutin and Betulinic Acid and Expression of Phenylpropanoid and Triterpenoid Biosynthetic Genes in Mulberry (Morus alba L.).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Shicheng; Park, Chang Ha; Li, Xiaohua; Kim, Yeon Bok; Yang, Jingli; Sung, Gyoo Byung; Park, Nam Il; Kim, Soonok; Park, Sang Un

    2015-09-30

    Mulberry (Morus alba L.) is used in traditional Chinese medicine and is the sole food source of the silkworm. Here, 21 cDNAs encoding phenylpropanoid biosynthetic genes and 21 cDNAs encoding triterpene biosynthetic genes were isolated from mulberry. The expression levels of genes involved in these biosynthetic pathways and the accumulation of rutin, betulin, and betulinic acid, important secondary metabolites, were investigated in different plant organs. Most phenylpropanoid and triterpene biosynthetic genes were highly expressed in leaves and/or fruit, and most genes were downregulated during fruit ripening. The accumulation of rutin was more than fivefold higher in leaves than in other organs, and higher levels of betulin and betulinic acid were found in roots and leaves than in fruit. By comparing the contents of these compounds with gene expression levels, we speculate that MaUGT78D1 and MaLUS play important regulatory roles in the rutin and betulin biosynthetic pathways.

  10. Phenolics of Arbutus unedo L. (Ericaceae) fruits: identification of anthocyanins and gallic acid derivatives.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pawlowska, Agata Maria; De Leo, Marinella; Braca, Alessandra

    2006-12-27

    Arbutus unedo L., the strawberry tree (Ericaceae family), is an evergreen shrub or small tree, typical of the Mediterranean fringe and climate. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the profile of the phenolic constituents of A. unedo fruits. Seven compounds were purified by Sephadex LH-20 column chromatography of the MeOH extract followed by HPLC and were characterized as arbutin, beta-D-glucogalline, gallic acid 4-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside, 3-O-galloylquinic acid, 5-O-galloylquinic acid, 3-O-galloylshikimic acid, and 5-O-galloylshikimic acid, by means of NMR and ESI-MS analyses. Moreover, LC-PDA-MS analysis of the red pigment of A. unedo fruits revealed the presence of three anthocyanins recognized as cyanidin 3-O-beta-D-galactopyranoside, delphinidin 3-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside, and cyanidin 3-O-beta-D-arabinopyranoside. These pigments were also quantified.

  11. Effect of heat/pressure on cyanidin-3-glucoside ethanol model solutions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Corrales, M; Lindauer, R; Butz, P; Tauscher, B

    2008-01-01

    The stability of cyanidin-3-glucoside (Cy3gl) in 50% ethanol model solutions under heat/pressure treatments was investigated. Cy3gl was rapidly degraded when solutions were subjected to a heat/pressure treatment. The higher the pressure and the temperature used, the higher the degradation. Moreover, the degradation was increased according to increasing holding times. Parallel to the degradation of Cy3gl several hydrolytic products were formed and identified by LC-DAD/ESI-MS. The degradation of Cy3gl was well fitted to a first order reaction (R=0.99). This study pointed out the rate of susceptibility of Cy3gl in model solutions to degrade when exposed to a heat/pressure treatment and the trigger effect of high hydrostatic pressure to hydrolyse Cy3gl. By contrast, the degradation of anthocyanins in a food matrix (red grape extract solutions) was negligible after a heat/pressure process at 600MPa, 70 deg. C during 1h (P >0.05)

  12. Ecological-friendly pigments from fungi.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Durán, Nelson; Teixeira, Maria F S; De Conti, Roseli; Esposito, Elisa

    2002-01-01

    The dyestuff industry is suffering from the increases in costs of feedstock and energy for dye synthesis, and they are under increasing pressure to minimize the damage to the environment. The industries are continuously looking for cheaper, more environmentally friendly routes to existing dyes. The aim of this minireview is to discuss the most important advances in the fungal pigment area and its interest in biotechnological applications. Characteristic pigments are produced by a wide variety of fungi and the chemical composition of natural dyes are described. These pigments exhibit several biological activities besides cytotoxicity. The synthetic pigments authorized by the EC and in USA and the natural pigments available in the world market are discussed. The obstacle to the exploitation of new natural pigments sources is the food legislation, requesting costly toxicological research, manufacturing costs, and acceptance by consumers. The dislike for novel ingredients is likely to be the biggest impediment for expansion of the pigment list in the near future. If the necessary toxicological testing and the comparison with accepted pigments are made, the fungal pigments, could be acceptable by the current consumer. The potentiality of pigment production in Brazil is possible due to tremendous Amazonian region biodiversity.

  13. Chemistry of Colours

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    focus on why things have colour and what causes them to change their colour. Light is a form of .... Another pigment found in the leaves of many plants is carotene. Carotene absorbs ... structure of cyanidin changes with pH. The form shown in ...

  14. Avaliação nutricional do feno das folhas da amoreira (Morus alba L. em frangos de corte - doi: 10.4025/actascianimsci.v33i4.10679 Nutritional assessment of mulberry (Morus alba L. leaf hay in broilers - doi: 10.4025/actascianimsci.v33i4.10679

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Euclides Braga Malheiros

    2011-09-01

    Full Text Available O experimento foi conduzido com o objetivo de avaliar nutricionalmente o feno das folhas de amoreira, utilizando-se de frangos de corte. Foram utilizados cinco tratamentos (Testemunha (sem amoreira, 3,16% FB, 15% de amoreira (4,14% FB, 30% de amoreira (5,09% FB, Sem amoreira (4,14% FB e Sem amoreira (5,09% FB usando-se o delineamento em blocos casualizados, com dois blocos e três repetições dentro de cada bloco e avaliados os índices de desempenho, o exame histopatológico dos órgãos viscerais e medidas morfométricas do núcleo dos hepatócitos e ácinos pancreáticos. Foi verificado o pior desempenho produtivo para as aves que ingeriram feno de folhas de amoreira, além de lesões tais como esteatose, proliferação de células de ductos hepáticos e necrose focal múltipla no fígado das aves alimentadas com o tratamento 30% de amoreira (5,09% FB, além da diminuição nas dimensões do núcleo dos hepatócitos e dos ácinos pancreáticos.The trial was carried to evaluate the nutritional effects of mulberry leaf hay in broiler chickens. Five treatments were used: control (no mulberry, 3.16% CF; 15% mulberry (4.14% CF; 30% mulberry (5.09% CF, no mulberry (4.14% CF; no mulberry (5.09% CF. A randomized blocks design was used, with two blocks and three replications into the blocks to evaluate performance index, histopathological examination of the visceral organs and morphometric measurements of the hepatocyte nucleus and pancreatic acini. A poor performance index was observed for broilers feeding on mulberry leaves; lesions such as steatosis, proliferation of hepatic duct cells and multiple necrosis were found in the livers of the chickens fed with 30% mulberry (5.09% CF, as well as size reduction of the hepatocyte nucleus and pancreatic acini. From these data, it is concluded that mulberry probably has some toxic substance which can interfere in the improvement of diet ingredients, resulting in damage to broiler chickens.

  15. Pastoreo restringido de ovejas Pelibuey en bancos de proteína de morera (Morus alba Restricted grazing of Pelibuey ewes in protein banks of mulberry (Morus alba

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    P.E Lara

    2007-06-01

    Full Text Available Con el objetivo de medir el efecto del pastoreo de ovejas Pelibuey en un banco de proteína de morera (Morus alba en el comportamiento productivo, se desarrolló un experimento completamente al azar y se utilizaron 10 ovejas de tercer parto con 32 + 2,6 kg de PV, considerando una oveja como unidad experimental; los tratamientos fueron: grupo testigo (T pastoreo en pasto estrella más 250 g de alimento concentrado animal-1 d-1 y pastoreo restringido (2 h d-1 en morera (M. Se encontró diferencia (PWith the objective of measuring the effect of grazing by Pelibuey ewes in a protein bank of mulberry (Morus alba on the productive performance, a completely randomized trial was carried out and 10 third parturition ewes with 32 ± 2,6 kg LW were used, considering one ewe as experimental unit; the treatments were: control -1 -1 -1 group (C grazing in star grass plus 250 g of concentrate feed animal d and restricted grazing (2 h d in mulberry (M. Difference (P < 0,05 was found in the body condition at the moment of weaning, of 2,46 ± 0,30 in C and 2,00 ± 0,24 in M. The voluntary intake (VI of the ewes was higher in mulberry, with 5,05% in pregnancy and 2,97% in lactation with regards to group C (4,28 and 2,28%. The weight at birth and weaning, as well as the MDG were better (P < 0,05 in the offspring of group C with 3,77; 15,61 and 0,207 vs 2,82; 13,01 and 0,185 kg, respectively. This was due to a lower prolificacy in C, for which the kilograms born and weaned were higher in M, with 5,86 and 23,41 vs 4,52 and 18,74 for C. The regrowth capacity of mulberry was optimal for grazing after 70 days, for which it is feasible to substitute the supplementation with concentrate in ewes by restricted grazing for 2 h in a mulberry bank during pregnancy and lactation.

  16. Definition of Eight Mulberry Species in the Genus Morus by Internal Transcribed Spacer-Based Phylogeny.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Qiwei Zeng

    Full Text Available Mulberry, belonging to the order Rosales, family Moraceae, and genus Morus, has received attention because of both its economic and medicinal value, as well as for its important ecological function. The genus Morus has a worldwide distribution, however, its taxonomy remains complex and disputed. Many studies have attempted to classify Morus species, resulting in varied numbers of designated Morus spp. To address this issue, we used information from internal transcribed spacer (ITS genetic sequences to study the taxonomy of all the members of generally accepted genus Morus. We found that intraspecific 5.8S rRNA sequences were identical but that interspecific 5.8S sequences were diverse. M. alba and M. notabilis showed the shortest (215 bp and the longest (233 bp ITS1 sequence length, respectively. With the completion of the mulberry genome, we could identify single nucleotide polymorphisms within the ITS locus in the M. notabilis genome. From reconstruction of a phylogenetic tree based on the complete ITS data, we propose that the Morus genus should be classified into eight species, including M. alba, M. nigra, M. notabilis, M. serrata, M. celtidifolia, M. insignis, M. rubra, and M. mesozygia. Furthermore, the classification of the ITS sequences of known interspecific hybrid clones into both paternal and maternal clades indicated that ITS variation was sufficient to distinguish interspecific hybrids in the genus Morus.

  17. Definition of Eight Mulberry Species in the Genus Morus by Internal Transcribed Spacer-Based Phylogeny.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zeng, Qiwei; Chen, Hongyu; Zhang, Chao; Han, Minjing; Li, Tian; Qi, Xiwu; Xiang, Zhonghuai; He, Ningjia

    2015-01-01

    Mulberry, belonging to the order Rosales, family Moraceae, and genus Morus, has received attention because of both its economic and medicinal value, as well as for its important ecological function. The genus Morus has a worldwide distribution, however, its taxonomy remains complex and disputed. Many studies have attempted to classify Morus species, resulting in varied numbers of designated Morus spp. To address this issue, we used information from internal transcribed spacer (ITS) genetic sequences to study the taxonomy of all the members of generally accepted genus Morus. We found that intraspecific 5.8S rRNA sequences were identical but that interspecific 5.8S sequences were diverse. M. alba and M. notabilis showed the shortest (215 bp) and the longest (233 bp) ITS1 sequence length, respectively. With the completion of the mulberry genome, we could identify single nucleotide polymorphisms within the ITS locus in the M. notabilis genome. From reconstruction of a phylogenetic tree based on the complete ITS data, we propose that the Morus genus should be classified into eight species, including M. alba, M. nigra, M. notabilis, M. serrata, M. celtidifolia, M. insignis, M. rubra, and M. mesozygia. Furthermore, the classification of the ITS sequences of known interspecific hybrid clones into both paternal and maternal clades indicated that ITS variation was sufficient to distinguish interspecific hybrids in the genus Morus.

  18. Definition of Eight Mulberry Species in the Genus Morus by Internal Transcribed Spacer-Based Phylogeny

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zeng, Qiwei; Chen, Hongyu; Zhang, Chao; Han, Minjing; Li, Tian; Qi, Xiwu; Xiang, Zhonghuai; He, Ningjia

    2015-01-01

    Mulberry, belonging to the order Rosales, family Moraceae, and genus Morus, has received attention because of both its economic and medicinal value, as well as for its important ecological function. The genus Morus has a worldwide distribution, however, its taxonomy remains complex and disputed. Many studies have attempted to classify Morus species, resulting in varied numbers of designated Morus spp. To address this issue, we used information from internal transcribed spacer (ITS) genetic sequences to study the taxonomy of all the members of generally accepted genus Morus. We found that intraspecific 5.8S rRNA sequences were identical but that interspecific 5.8S sequences were diverse. M. alba and M. notabilis showed the shortest (215 bp) and the longest (233 bp) ITS1 sequence length, respectively. With the completion of the mulberry genome, we could identify single nucleotide polymorphisms within the ITS locus in the M. notabilis genome. From reconstruction of a phylogenetic tree based on the complete ITS data, we propose that the Morus genus should be classified into eight species, including M. alba, M. nigra, M. notabilis, M. serrata, M. celtidifolia, M. insignis, M. rubra, and M. mesozygia. Furthermore, the classification of the ITS sequences of known interspecific hybrid clones into both paternal and maternal clades indicated that ITS variation was sufficient to distinguish interspecific hybrids in the genus Morus. PMID:26266951

  19. UV-B affects the immune system and promotes nuclear abnormalities in pigmented and non-pigmented bullfrog tadpoles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Franco-Belussi, Lilian; Fanali, Lara Zácari; De Oliveira, Classius

    2018-03-01

    Ultra-Violet (UV) radiation is a stressor of the immune system and causes DNA damage. Leukocytes can change in response to environmental changes in anurans, making them an important biomarker of stressful situations. The initial barrier against UV in ectothermic animals is melanin-containing cells in skin and in their internal organs. Here, we tested the effects of UV exposure on immune cells and DNA integrity in pigmented and non-pigmented tadpoles of Lithobates catesbeianus. We used an inflammation model with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) of Escherichia coli to test synergic effects of UV and LPS. We tested the following hypotheses: 1) DNA damage caused by UV will be more pronounced in non-pigmented than in pigmented animals; 2) LPS increases leukocytes in both pigmented and non-pigmented animals by systemic inflammation; 3) The combined LPS and UV exposure will decrease the number of leukocytes. We found that the frequency of immune cells differed between pigmented and non-pigmented tadpoles. UV exposure increased mast cells and DNA damage in erythrocytes in both pigmented and non-pigmented tadpoles, while leukocytes decreased after UV exposure. Non-pigmented tadpoles experienced DNA damage and a lower lymphocyte count earlier than pigmented tadpoles. UV altered immune cells likely as a consequence of local and systemic inflammation. These alterations were less severe in pigmented than in non-pigmented animals. UV and LPS increased internal melanin in pigmented tadpoles, which were correlated with DNA damage and leukocytes. Here, we described for the first time the effects of UV and LPS in immune cells of pigmented and non-pigmented tadpoles. In addition, we demonstrated that internal melanin in tadpoles help in these defenses, since leukocyte responses were faster in non-pigmented animals, supporting the hypothesis that melanin is involved in the initial innate immune response. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  20. Changes in anthocyanidin levels during the maturation of color-fleshed potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) tubers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Šulc, Miloslav; Kotíková, Zora; Paznocht, Luboš; Pivec, Vladimír; Hamouz, Karel; Lachman, Jaromír

    2017-12-15

    Certain potato cultivars are capable of producing anthocyanin pigments in the potato skin and flesh and those pigments have been shown, together with other phytochemicals, to promote good health. Six common anthocyanidins (cyanidin, delphinidin, petunidin, pelargonidin, malvidin and peonidin) were analyzed weekly for 15weeks in red- and purple-fleshed potato cultivars (Red Emma, Königspurpur, Valfi and Blaue de la Mancha) grown in field conditions using a validated LC-(+ESI)MS/MS method. Pelargonidin was the major type detected in red-fleshed cultivars whereas petunidin was the major type detected in the purple ones. Neither cyanidin nor delphinidin were found in any of the cultivars. The anthocyanidin levels observed were as high as 78mg/100g FW during tuber growth; however, fully matured tubers contained only 10-39mg anthocyanidins/100gFW. Anthocyanidin levels were moderately correlated with global solar irradiation (r<0.6252) but not with rainfall or daily temperature. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. The Impact of Plastic Film Mclching on the White Mulberry Fruit Disease and Fruit Quality%果桑地表覆膜对桑白果病发病及果实品质的影响

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    阿布都肉苏力·库尔班; 师志敏; 麦麦提依明·阿尤甫; 石彩云; 吕化荣; 刘永忠

    2016-01-01

    以果桑(Morsu alba L)品种大十(M.alba cv.Big ten)为材料,分别覆盖聚乙烯白色地膜、黑色地膜和银黑反光膜,在果桑萌芽开花前于行内覆盖,比较了开花前不同地表覆膜对果桑果实桑白果病发病率以及果实品质的影响.结果表明,不同地膜覆盖均能显著降低果桑果实桑白果病的发病率,对成熟果实的可滴定酸含量有降低的趋势,同时也显著降低了果实可溶性固形物、花青素和抗坏血酸的含量.说明地表覆膜可以有效预防桑白果病的发生,但是对果实品质的影响尚待进一步试验确认.%To study the influence of different surface mulching before flowering on the white mulberry(Morsu alba L.) disease and fruit quality of mulberry,with M.alba cv.Big ten as tested material,polyethylene mulch film,black and silver black reflective film,respectively,were tightly coated before bud sprouting and flowering of mulberry.The study found that,under different film covering,infection rates of the white mulberry disease and titratable acid (TA) in ripe mulberry fruit reduced significantly.Meanwhile,several beneficial metabolites,such as total soluble solids (TAA),anthocyanin and ascorbic acid dropped significantly.The surface coating could effectively prevent the happening of the white mulberry disease;but the effects on fruit quality is yet to be further confirmed.

  2. Carbachol-mediated pigment granule dispersion in retinal pigment epithelium requires Ca2+ and calcineurin

    OpenAIRE

    Johnson, Adam S; Garc?a, Dana M

    2007-01-01

    Abstract Background Inside bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus) retinal pigment epithelial cells, pigment granules move in response to extracellular signals. During the process of aggregation, pigment motility is directed toward the cell nucleus; in dispersion, pigment is directed away from the nucleus and into long apical processes. A number of different chemicals have been found to initiate dispersion, and carbachol (an acetylcholine analog) is one example. Previous research indicates that the ca...

  3. Overexpression of the mulberry latex gene MaMLX-Q1 enhances defense against Plutella xylostella in Arabidopsis thaliana

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Liu Yan

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Purified mulberry latex chitinase (MLX has a role in defense against some lepidopteran insects. In this study, a full length chitinase gene, MaMLX-Q1, of 1405 bp with a 1140 bp open reading frame, was obtained from mulberry leaves by the degenerate primers and rapid amplification of cDNA ends polymerase chain reaction (RACE-PCR procedure. The gene encoded a mature protein with the predicted molecular mass of 39.38 kDa and an isoelectric point (pI of 6.43; it contained two chitin-binding domains and a hydrolase family 19 chitinase domain. Sequence alignment and phylogenetic analysis grouped it in the class I chitinase protein group. Heterogeneous expression of this MaMLX-Q1 in Arabidopsis showed non-visible alterations in growth phenotype, except for the higher transcriptional expression of MaMLX-Q1 when compared to that of wild-type Arabidopsis. This ectopic MaMLX-Q1 exhibited toxicity to the growth and development of Plutella xylostella larvae, causing significantly lower weight gain and higher mortality. These results indicate an application of MaMLX-Q1 as an insecticide for plant protection.

  4. Long anterior zonules and pigment dispersion.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moroi, Sayoko E; Lark, Kurt K; Sieving, Paul A; Nouri-Mahdavi, Kouros; Schlötzer-Schrehardt, Ursula; Katz, Gregory J; Ritch, Robert

    2003-12-01

    To describe pigment dispersion associated with long anterior zonules. Multicenter observational case series. Fifteen patients, seven of whom were treated for glaucoma or ocular hypertension, were identified with long anterior zonules and pigment dispersion. Transmission electron microscopy was performed on one anterior capsule specimen. All patients had anterior zonules that inserted centrally on the lens capsule. Signs of pigment dispersion included corneal endothelial pigmentation, loss of the pupillary ruff, and variable trabecular meshwork pigmentation. Ultrasound biomicroscopy verified the lack of posterior iris insertion and concavity. There was no exfoliation material. Transmission electron microscopy showed zonular lamellae with adherent pigment granules, and no exfoliation material. Long anterior zonules inserted onto the central lens capsule may cause mechanical disruption of the pigment epithelium at the pupillary ruff and central iris leading to pigment dispersion.

  5. Photosynthetic Pigments in Diatoms.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kuczynska, Paulina; Jemiola-Rzeminska, Malgorzata; Strzalka, Kazimierz

    2015-09-16

    Photosynthetic pigments are bioactive compounds of great importance for the food, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical industries. They are not only responsible for capturing solar energy to carry out photosynthesis, but also play a role in photoprotective processes and display antioxidant activity, all of which contribute to effective biomass and oxygen production. Diatoms are organisms of a distinct pigment composition, substantially different from that present in plants. Apart from light-harvesting pigments such as chlorophyll a, chlorophyll c, and fucoxanthin, there is a group of photoprotective carotenoids which includes β-carotene and the xanthophylls, diatoxanthin, diadinoxanthin, violaxanthin, antheraxanthin, and zeaxanthin, which are engaged in the xanthophyll cycle. Additionally, some intermediate products of biosynthetic pathways have been identified in diatoms as well as unusual pigments, e.g., marennine. Marine algae have become widely recognized as a source of unique bioactive compounds for potential industrial, pharmaceutical, and medical applications. In this review, we summarize current knowledge on diatom photosynthetic pigments complemented by some new insights regarding their physico-chemical properties, biological role, and biosynthetic pathways, as well as the regulation of pigment level in the cell, methods of purification, and significance in industries.

  6. Photosynthetic Pigments in Diatoms

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Paulina Kuczynska

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available Photosynthetic pigments are bioactive compounds of great importance for the food, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical industries. They are not only responsible for capturing solar energy to carry out photosynthesis, but also play a role in photoprotective processes and display antioxidant activity, all of which contribute to effective biomass and oxygen production. Diatoms are organisms of a distinct pigment composition, substantially different from that present in plants. Apart from light-harvesting pigments such as chlorophyll a, chlorophyll c, and fucoxanthin, there is a group of photoprotective carotenoids which includes β-carotene and the xanthophylls, diatoxanthin, diadinoxanthin, violaxanthin, antheraxanthin, and zeaxanthin, which are engaged in the xanthophyll cycle. Additionally, some intermediate products of biosynthetic pathways have been identified in diatoms as well as unusual pigments, e.g., marennine. Marine algae have become widely recognized as a source of unique bioactive compounds for potential industrial, pharmaceutical, and medical applications. In this review, we summarize current knowledge on diatom photosynthetic pigments complemented by some new insights regarding their physico-chemical properties, biological role, and biosynthetic pathways, as well as the regulation of pigment level in the cell, methods of purification, and significance in industries.

  7. Unlike Quercetin Glycosides, Cyanidin Glycoside in Red Leaf Lettuce Responds More Sensitively to Increasing Low Radiation Intensity before than after Head Formation Has Started

    Science.gov (United States)

    2014-01-01

    This study investigated the effect of low-level photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD; 43–230 μmol m–2 s–1) on the major phenolic compounds of red leaf lettuce in three growth stages, before, during, and after head formation, using HPLC-DAD-ESI-MS2 and evaluating via multiple regression analysis. Generally, the light-related increase of flavonoid glycosides was structure and growth stage-dependent. In detail, an interaction was detected between plant age and PPFD regarding cyanidin-3-O-(6″-O-malonyl)-glucoside concentration: the increase was strongest before head formation. The relationship between PPFD and quercetin-3-O-(6″-O-malonyl)-glucoside concentration was linear, whereas the increase of quercetin-3-O-glucoside and -3-O-glucuronide concentrations abated with increasing PPFD. Independent of growth stage, the caffeic acid derivatives concentration was not related to PPFD. All major phenolic compounds decreased with plant age. These results show the differential regulation of cyanidin, quercetin, and caffeic acid derivatives in lettuce, although closely connected biosynthetically, and emphasize the importance of ontogeny in the study of plant physiology. PMID:24382136

  8. Activation of muscarinic acetylcholine receptors elicits pigment granule dispersion in retinal pigment epithelium isolated from bluegill.

    Science.gov (United States)

    González, Alfredo; Crittenden, Elizabeth L; García, Dana M

    2004-07-13

    In fish, melanin pigment granules in the retinal pigment epithelium disperse into apical projections as part of the suite of responses the eye makes to bright light conditions. This pigment granule dispersion serves to reduce photobleaching and occurs in response to neurochemicals secreted by the retina. Previous work has shown that acetylcholine may be involved in inducing light-adaptive pigment dispersion. Acetylcholine receptors are of two main types, nicotinic and muscarinic. Muscarinic receptors are in the G-protein coupled receptor superfamily, and five different muscarinic receptors have been molecularly cloned in human. These receptors are coupled to adenylyl cyclase, calcium mobilization and ion channel activation. To determine the receptor pathway involved in eliciting pigment granule migration, we isolated retinal pigment epithelium from bluegill and subjected it to a battery of cholinergic agents. The general cholinergic agonist carbachol induces pigment granule dispersion in isolated retinal pigment epithelium. Carbachol-induced pigment granule dispersion is blocked by the muscarinic antagonist atropine, by the M1 antagonist pirenzepine, and by the M3 antagonist 4-DAMP. Pigment granule dispersion was also induced by the M1 agonist 4-[N-(4-chlorophenyl) carbamoyloxy]-4-pent-2-ammonium iodide. In contrast the M2 antagonist AF-DX 116 and the M4 antagonist tropicamide failed to block carbachol-induced dispersion, and the M2 agonist arecaidine but-2-ynyl ester tosylate failed to elicit dispersion. Our results suggest that carbachol-mediated pigment granule dispersion occurs through the activation of Modd muscarinic receptors, which in other systems couple to phosphoinositide hydrolysis and elevation of intracellular calcium. This conclusion must be corroborated by molecular studies, but suggests Ca2+-dependent pathways may be involved in light-adaptive pigment dispersion.

  9. Activation of muscarinic acetylcholine receptors elicits pigment granule dispersion in retinal pigment epithelium isolated from bluegill

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Crittenden Elizabeth L

    2004-07-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background In fish, melanin pigment granules in the retinal pigment epithelium disperse into apical projections as part of the suite of responses the eye makes to bright light conditions. This pigment granule dispersion serves to reduce photobleaching and occurs in response to neurochemicals secreted by the retina. Previous work has shown that acetylcholine may be involved in inducing light-adaptive pigment dispersion. Acetylcholine receptors are of two main types, nicotinic and muscarinic. Muscarinic receptors are in the G-protein coupled receptor superfamily, and five different muscarinic receptors have been molecularly cloned in human. These receptors are coupled to adenylyl cyclase, calcium mobilization and ion channel activation. To determine the receptor pathway involved in eliciting pigment granule migration, we isolated retinal pigment epithelium from bluegill and subjected it to a battery of cholinergic agents. Results The general cholinergic agonist carbachol induces pigment granule dispersion in isolated retinal pigment epithelium. Carbachol-induced pigment granule dispersion is blocked by the muscarinic antagonist atropine, by the M1 antagonist pirenzepine, and by the M3 antagonist 4-DAMP. Pigment granule dispersion was also induced by the M1 agonist 4-[N-(4-chlorophenyl carbamoyloxy]-4-pent-2-ammonium iodide. In contrast the M2 antagonist AF-DX 116 and the M4 antagonist tropicamide failed to block carbachol-induced dispersion, and the M2 agonist arecaidine but-2-ynyl ester tosylate failed to elicit dispersion. Conclusions Our results suggest that carbachol-mediated pigment granule dispersion occurs through the activation of Modd muscarinic receptors, which in other systems couple to phosphoinositide hydrolysis and elevation of intracellular calcium. This conclusion must be corroborated by molecular studies, but suggests Ca2+-dependent pathways may be involved in light-adaptive pigment dispersion.

  10. Natural pigments and sacred art

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kelekian, Lena, ,, Lady

    2010-05-01

    Since the dawn of mankind, cavemen has expressed himself through art. The earliest known cave paintings date to some 32,000 years ago and used 4 colours derived from the earth. These pigments were iron oxides and known as ochres, blacks and whites. All pigments known by the Egyptians, the Greeks, the Romans and Renaissance man were natural and it was not until the 18th century that synthetic pigments were made and widely used. Until that time all art, be it sacred or secular used only natural pigments, of which the preparation of many have been lost or rarely used because of their tedious preparation. As a geologist, a mineralogist and an artist specializing in iconography, I have been able to rediscover 89 natural pigments extracted from minerals. I use these pigments to paint my icons in the traditional Byzantine manner and also to restore old icons, bringing back their glamour and conserving them for years to come. The use of the natural pigments in its proper way also helps to preserve the traditional skills of the iconographer. In the ancient past, pigments were extremely precious. Many took an exceedingly long journey to reach the artists, and came from remote countries. Research into these pigments is the work of history, geography and anthropology. It is an interesting journey in itself to discover that the blue aquamarines came from Afghanistan, the reds from Spain, the greens Africa, and so on. In this contribution I will be describing the origins, preparation and use of some natural pigments, together with their history and provenance. Additionally, I will show how the natural pigments are used in the creation of an icon. Being a geologist iconographer, for me, is a sacrement that transforms that which is earthly, material and natural into a thing of beauty that is sacred. As bread and wine in the Eucharist, water during baptism and oil in Holy Union transmit sanctification to the beholder, natural pigments do the same when one considers an icon. The

  11. Phototrophic pigment production with microalgae

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Mulders, K.J.M.

    2014-01-01

    Abstract

    Microalgal pigments are regarded as natural alternatives for food colorants. To facilitate optimization of microalgae-based pigment production, this thesis aimed to obtain key insights in the pigment metabolism of phototrophic microalgae, with the main focus on secondary

  12. Diversity and functional properties of bistable pigments.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tsukamoto, Hisao; Terakita, Akihisa

    2010-11-01

    Rhodopsin and related opsin-based pigments, which are photosensitive membrane proteins, have been extensively studied using a wide variety of techniques, with rhodopsin being the most understood G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR). Animals use various opsin-based pigments for vision and a wide variety of non-visual functions. Many functionally varied pigments are roughly divided into two kinds, based on their photoreaction: bistable and monostable pigments. Bistable pigments are thermally stable before and after photo-activation, but monostable pigments are stable only before activation. Here, we review the diversity of bistable pigments and their molecular characteristics. We also discuss the mechanisms underlying different molecular characteristics of bistable and monostable pigments. In addition, the potential of bistable pigments as a GPCR model is proposed.

  13. Skin pigmentation kinetics after UVB exposure

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ravnbak, M.H.; Philipsen, P.A.; Wiegell, S.R.

    2008-01-01

    There have been few previous studies of the kinetics of pigmentation following ultraviolet B (UVB) exposure, and these have included only fair-skinned persons. The current study investigated pigmentation increase to steady state and fading in 12 Scandinavians and 12 Indians/Pakistanis. Over...... a period of 3 weeks the subjects were UV-irradiated 6 times on the right side of the back and 12 times on the left side using a Solar Simulator and narrowband UVB with equal sub-Minimal Melanogenesis Doses (individually predetermined). Pigmentation was measured from skin remittance at 555 urn and 660 nm...... (allowing correction for erythema). The absolute pigmentation increase was independent of pre-exposure pigmentation, therefore the percentage pigmentation increase was higher in fair-skinned volunteers. The UV dose to minimal pigmentation was higher in darker-skinned persons for single and multiple UV...

  14. Pomegranate leaves and mulberry fruit as natural sensitizers for dye-sensitized solar cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chang, Ho; Lo, Yu-Jen [Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Taipei University of Technology (China)

    2010-10-15

    This study employs chlorophyll extract from pomegranate leaf and anthocyanin extract from mulberry fruit as the natural dyes for a dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC). A self-developed nanofluid synthesis system is employed to prepare TiO{sub 2} nanofluid with an average particle size of 25 nm. Electrophoresis deposition was performed to deposit TiO{sub 2} nanoparticles on the indium tin oxide (ITO) conductive glass, forming a TiO{sub 2} thin film with the thickness of 11 {mu}m. Furthermore, this TiO{sub 2} thin film was sintered at 450 C to enhance the thin film compactness. Sputtering was used to prepare counter electrode by depositing Pt thin film on FTO glass at a thickness of 20 nm. The electrodes, electrolyte (I{sub 3}{sup -}), and dyes were assembled into a cell module and illuminated by a light source simulating AM 1.5 with a light strength of 100 mW/cm{sup 2} to measure the photoelectric conversion efficiency of the prepared DSSCs. According to experimental results, the conversion efficiency of the DSSCs prepared by chlorophyll dyes from pomegranate leaf extract is 0.597%, with open-circuit voltage (V{sub OC}) of 0.56 V, short-circuit current density (J{sub SC}) of 2.05 mA/cm{sup 2}, and fill factor (FF) of 0.52. The conversion efficiency of the DSSCs prepared by anthocyanin dyes from mulberry extract is 0.548%, with V{sub OC} of 0.555 V and J{sub SC} of 1.89 mA/cm{sup 2} and FF of 0.53. The conversion efficiency is 0.722% for chlorophyll and anthocyanin as the dye mixture, with V{sub OC} of 0.53 V, J{sub SC} of 2.8 mA/cm{sup 2}, and FF of 0.49. (author)

  15. The Effects of Supplementary Mulberry Leaf (Morus alba) Extracts on the Trace Element Status (Fe, Zn and Cu) in Relation to Diabetes Management and Antioxidant Indices in Diabetic Rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Król, Ewelina; Jeszka-Skowron, Magdalena; Krejpcio, Zbigniew; Flaczyk, Ewa; Wójciak, Rafał W

    2016-11-01

    Mulberry leaves (Morus alba) have been used in folk medicine to mitigate symptoms of diabetes. The mulberry plant contains phenolic compounds that are able to decrease blood glucose concentration. Since various phenolics have antioxidant and metal binding properties, they can be used to alleviate oxidative stress and chelate trace elements involved in redox reactions. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of dietary supplementation with mulberry leaf extracts (acetone-water (AE) and ethanol-water (EE)) on the trace element status (Fe, Zn and Cu) in relation to diabetes management and antioxidant indices in high-fat diet-fed/STZ diabetic rats. The experiment was performed on 38 male Wistar rats with diabetes (induced by high-fat diet (HF) and streptozotocin injection) or the control fed with AIN-93M or high-fat diet. As a result, five experimental groups were used: (1) a healthy control group fed with AIN-93M; (2) an HF control group; (3) a diabetic HF group; (4) a diabetic HF + AE group (6 g/kg diet); (5) a diabetic HF + EE group (6 g/kg diet). The rats were fed with appropriate diets for 4 weeks. The content of trace elements (Fe, Zn and Cu) in the serum and tissues was measured by means of atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS). Biochemical analyses (glucose, TBARS, FRAP) were performed on the blood serum. It was shown that the AE decreased hepatic and renal Fe stores, while the EE increased hepatic Cu levels in diabetic rats and confirmed their ability to regulate the Fe and Cu status in diabetes. The results confirmed a significant hypoglycaemic and antioxidant potential of both mulberry leaf extracts in diabetic rats.

  16. Determination of pollen quality and quantity in mulberry (morus alba l.)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Erdogan, U.

    2015-01-01

    In this study, the pollen grains of eight different mulberry types in I.spir and Pazaryolu districts of Erzurum were tested for the determination of viability, germination rates, pollen production levels and morphologically homogeneity. Viability of the pollens was determined by TTC (2, 3, 5-triphenly tetrazolium chlorid) and IKI (iodine + potassium iodide) tests. Pollen germination experiments were performed with Agar-plate (1%) method in sucrose solutions of 0, 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25% concentrations. In addition, pollen production and morphologically homogeneity were determined by the Hemacytometric method. The pollen viability of all types used in this study was obtained in high ratios. Pollen germination rates were the highest for 15% and 20% sucrose solutions. The highest pollen production level was obtained from the genotype 6. The morphologically homogeneity levels of pollens changed from 97.36 to 98.86% in types. (author)

  17. Production of Monascus-like pigments

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    2012-01-01

    the cultivation medium with an inoculum of Penicillium to form a cultivation composition; d) cultivating the inoculated cultivation composition of (c); e) separating the one or more produced pigment compositions. The method of the invention may be used for producing Monascus-like pigment compositions for use......The present invention relates to a method for producing one or more Monascus-like pigment composition from Penicillium species comprising: a) providing a cultivation medium comprising a high concentration of C-and N-sources and a high C/N molar ratio, b) adjusting pH to about 5 to 8, c) inoculating...... as colouring agents in food items or non food items. The inventions further relates to Monascus-like pigment composition obtainable by a method of the inventions as well as use of the pigments....

  18. Activation of muscarinic acetylcholine receptors elicits pigment granule dispersion in retinal pigment epithelium isolated from bluegill

    OpenAIRE

    González, Alfredo; Crittenden, Elizabeth L; García, Dana M

    2004-01-01

    Abstract Background In fish, melanin pigment granules in the retinal pigment epithelium disperse into apical projections as part of the suite of responses the eye makes to bright light conditions. This pigment granule dispersion serves to reduce photobleaching and occurs in response to neurochemicals secreted by the retina. Previous work has shown that acetylcholine may be involved in inducing light-adaptive pigment dispersion. Acetylcholine receptors are of two main types, nicotinic and musc...

  19. Pigment production from a mangrove Penicillium

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    SAM

    2014-06-25

    Jun 25, 2014 ... Key words: Penicillium, 2-(4-acetyl phenyl) acetic acid, bio elements, salts, soluble pigment. .... Table 1. Characteristics of the pigment fractions after solvent extraction. ..... naphthoquinone pigment by Fusarium verticillioides.

  20. Effects of Freeze-dried Mulberry on Antioxidant Activities and Fermented Characteristics of Yogurt during Refrigerated Storage

    OpenAIRE

    Sung, Jung-Min; Kim, Young-Boong; Kum, Jun-Seok; Choi, Yun-Sang; Seo, Dong-Ho; Choi, Hyun-Wook; Park, Jong-Dae

    2015-01-01

    This study investigated the effect of added freeze-dried mulberry fruit juice (FDMJ) (1, 3 and 5%) on the antioxidant activity and fermented characteristic of yogurt during refrigerated storage. A decrease in pH of yogurt and increase in acidity was observed during fermentation. The yogurts with FDMJ exhibited faster rate of pH reduction than control. Initial lactic acid bacteria count of yogurt was 6.49-6.94 Log CFU/g and increased above 9 Log CFU/g in control and 1% in FDMJ yogurt for 24 h....

  1. Hairless pigmented guinea pigs: a new model for the study of mammalian pigmentation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bolognia, J L; Murray, M S; Pawelek, J M

    1990-09-01

    A stock of hairless pigmented guinea pigs was developed to facilitate studies of mammalian pigmentation. This stock combines the convenience of a hairless animal with a pigmentary system that is similar to human skin. In both human and guinea pig skin, active melanocytes are located in the basal layer of the interfollicular epidermis. Hairless albino guinea pigs on an outbred Hartley background (CrI:IAF/HA(hr/hr)BR; designated hr/hr) were mated with red-haired guinea pigs (designated Hr/Hr). Red-haired heterozygotes from the F1 generation (Hr/hr) were then mated with each other or with hairless albino guinea pigs. The F2 generation included hairless pigmented guinea pigs that retained their interfollicular epidermal melanocytes and whose skin was red-brown in color. Following UV irradiation, there was an increase in cutaneous pigmentation as well as an increase in the number of active epidermal melanocytes. An additional strain of black hairless guinea pigs was developed using black Hr/Hr animals and a similar breeding scheme. These two strains should serve as useful models for studies of the mammalian pigment system.

  2. Production and characterization of distilled alcoholic beverages obtained by solid-state fermentation of black mulberry (Morus nigra L.) and black currant (Ribes nigrum L.).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alonso González, Elisa; Torrado Agrasar, Ana; Pastrana Castro, Lorenzo M; Orriols Fernández, Ignacio; Pérez Guerra, Nelson

    2010-02-24

    The present study was conducted to appraise the potential of black mulberry and black currant to be used as fermentation substrates for producing alcoholic beverages obtained by distillation of the fruits previously fermented with Sacchromyces cerevisiae IFI83. In the two distillates obtained, the volatile compounds that can pose health hazards are within the limits of acceptability fixed by the European Council (Regulation 110/2008) for fruit spirits. However, the amount of volatile substances in the black currant distillate (121.1 g/hL absolute alcohol (aa)) was lower than the minimum limit (200 g/hL aa) fixed by the aforementioned regulation. The mean volatile composition of both distillates was different from other alcoholic beverages such as four commercial Galician orujo spirits, Portuguese bagaceiras, and two distillates obtained from fermented whey and blackberry. The results obtained showed the feasibility for obtaining distillates from fermented black mulberry and black currant, which have their own distinctive characteristics.

  3. Sensitizing pigment in the fly

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vogt, K.; Kirschfeld, K.

    1983-01-01

    The sensitizing pigment hypothesis for the high UV sensitivity in fly photoreceptors (R1-6) is further substantiated by measurements of the polarisation sensitivity in the UV. The quantum yield of the energy transfer from sensitizing pigment to rhodopsin was estimated by electrophysiological measurements of the UV sensitivity and the rhabdomeric absorptance (at 490 nm) in individual receptor cells. The transfer efficiency is >=0.75 in receptors with an absorptance in the rhabdomeres of 0.55-0.95. This result suggests that the sensitizing pigment is bound in some way to the rhodopsin. A ratio of two molecules of sensitizing pigment per one rhodopsin is proposed. (orig.)

  4. Raman Spectroscopy of Microbial Pigments

    Science.gov (United States)

    Edwards, Howell G. M.; Oren, Aharon

    2014-01-01

    Raman spectroscopy is a rapid nondestructive technique providing spectroscopic and structural information on both organic and inorganic molecular compounds. Extensive applications for the method in the characterization of pigments have been found. Due to the high sensitivity of Raman spectroscopy for the detection of chlorophylls, carotenoids, scytonemin, and a range of other pigments found in the microbial world, it is an excellent technique to monitor the presence of such pigments, both in pure cultures and in environmental samples. Miniaturized portable handheld instruments are available; these instruments can be used to detect pigments in microbiological samples of different types and origins under field conditions. PMID:24682303

  5. Effect of pigment concentration on fastness and color values of thermal and UV curable pigment printing

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baysal, Gulcin; Kalav, Berdan; Karagüzel Kayaoğlu, Burçak

    2017-10-01

    In the current study, it is aimed to determine the effect of pigment concentration on fastness and colour values of thermal and ultraviolet (UV) curable pigment printing on synthetic leather. For this purpose, thermal curable solvent-based and UV curable water-based formulations were prepared with different pigment concentrations (3, 5 and 7%) separately and applied by screen printing technique using a screen printing machine. Samples printed with solvent-based formulations were thermally cured and samples printed with water-based formulations were cured using a UV curing machine equipped with gallium and mercury (Ga/Hg) lamps at room temperature. The crock fastness values of samples printed with solvent-based formulations showed that increase in pigment concentration was not effective on both dry and wet crock fastness values. On the other hand, in samples printed with UV curable water-based formulations, dry crock fastness was improved and evaluated as very good for all pigment concentrations. However, increasing the pigment concentration affected the wet crock fastness values adversely and lower values were observed. As the energy level increased for each irradiation source, the fastness values were improved. In comparison with samples printed with solvent-based formulations, samples printed with UV curable water-based formulations yielded higher K/S values at all pigment concentrations. The results suggested that, higher K/S values can be obtained in samples printed with UV curable water-based formulations at a lower pigment concentration compared to samples printed with solvent-based formulations.

  6. Central posterior capsule pigmentation in a patient with pigment dispersion and previous ocular trauma: a case report.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Al-Mezaine, Hani S

    2010-01-01

    We report a 55-year-old man with unusually dense, unilateral central posterior capsule pigmentation associated with the characteristic clinical features of pigment dispersion syndrome, including a Krukenberg's spindle and dense trabecular pigmentation in both eyes. A history of an old blunt ocular trauma probably caused separation of the anterior hyaloid from the back of the lens, thereby creating an avenue by which pigment could reach the potential space of Berger's from the posterior chamber.

  7. An Approach to Function Annotation for Proteins of Unknown Function (PUFs in the Transcriptome of Indian Mulberry.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    K H Dhanyalakshmi

    Full Text Available The modern sequencing technologies are generating large volumes of information at the transcriptome and genome level. Translation of this information into a biological meaning is far behind the race due to which a significant portion of proteins discovered remain as proteins of unknown function (PUFs. Attempts to uncover the functional significance of PUFs are limited due to lack of easy and high throughput functional annotation tools. Here, we report an approach to assign putative functions to PUFs, identified in the transcriptome of mulberry, a perennial tree commonly cultivated as host of silkworm. We utilized the mulberry PUFs generated from leaf tissues exposed to drought stress at whole plant level. A sequence and structure based computational analysis predicted the probable function of the PUFs. For rapid and easy annotation of PUFs, we developed an automated pipeline by integrating diverse bioinformatics tools, designated as PUFs Annotation Server (PUFAS, which also provides a web service API (Application Programming Interface for a large-scale analysis up to a genome. The expression analysis of three selected PUFs annotated by the pipeline revealed abiotic stress responsiveness of the genes, and hence their potential role in stress acclimation pathways. The automated pipeline developed here could be extended to assign functions to PUFs from any organism in general. PUFAS web server is available at http://caps.ncbs.res.in/pufas/ and the web service is accessible at http://capservices.ncbs.res.in/help/pufas.

  8. Effects of Supplementation of Mulberry (Morus alba) Foliage and Urea-rice Bran as Fermentable Energy and Protein Sources in Sheep Fed Urea-treated Rice Straw Based Diet.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yulistiani, Dwi; Jelan, Z A; Liang, J B; Yaakub, H; Abdullah, N

    2015-04-01

    A digestibility study was conducted to evaluate the effects of supplementing mulberry foliage and urea rice-bran as a source of fermentable energy and protein to 12 sheep fed diets based on urea-treated rice straw (TRS). The three dietary treatments were: T1, TRS with mulberry; T2, TRS with 50% mulberry replaced with rice bran and urea; and T3, TRS with rice bran and urea. The study was arranged in a completely randomized design with four replications for each treatment. The sheep were fed one of the three diets and the supplements were offered at 1.2% of the body weight (BW) and the TRS was provided ad libitum. There were no differences (p>0.05) among the three treatment groups with respect to dry matter (DM) intake (76.8±4.2 g/kg BW(0.75)) and DM, organic matter (OM), and crude protein (CP) digestibility (55.3±1.22; 69.9±0.85; 46.3±1.65% respectively for DM, OM, and CP). The digestibility of fiber (neutral detergent fiber [NDF] and acid detergent fiber) was significantly lower (penergy and protein for sheep fed TRS based diet. The suggested level of supplementation is 1.2% of BW or 32% of the total diet since it resulted in similar effects on the intake of DM, OM, and NDF, digestibility of DM, OM, and CP, N utilization and microbial supply when compared to rice bran and urea supplementation.

  9. Mulberry leaf extract mediated synthesis of gold nanoparticles and its anti-bacterial activity against human pathogens

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Adavallan, K; Krishnakumar, N

    2014-01-01

    Gold nanoparticles (Au-NPs) were synthesized at room temperature using Morus alba (mulberry) leaf extract as reducing and stabilizing agent. The development of plant mediated synthesis of nanoparticles is gaining importance due to its simplicity, low cost, non-toxicity, eco-friendliness, long term stability and reproducible aqueous synthesis method to obtain a self-assembly of nearly monodispersed Au-NPs. The formation and morphology of biosynthesized nanoparticles are investigated with the help of UV-Vis spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering (DLS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), x-ray diffraction (XRD), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) techniques. Au-NPs formation was screened by UV-Vis spectroscopy through color conversion due to surface plasmon resonance band at 538 nm for Au-NPs. DLS studies revealed that the average size of Au-NPs was 50 nm. TEM studies showed the particles to be nearly spherical with few irregular shapes and particle size ranges 15−53 nm. The AFM image clearly shows the surface morphology of the well-dispersed Au-NPs with less than 50 nm. The high crystallinity of nanoparticles is evident from bright circular spots in the selected area electron diffraction (SAED) pattern. X-ray diffraction pattern showed high purity and face-centered cubic structure of Au-NPs. The FT-IR results indicate the presence of different functional groups present in the biomolecule capping the nanoparticles. Further, biosynthesized Au-NPs show strong zone of inhibition against Vibrio cholera (gram-negative) and Staphylococcus aureus (gram-positive) whereas, chemically synthesized Au-NPs and mulberry leaf extract exhibit a fair zone of inhibition. (papers)

  10. Mulberry leaf extract mediated synthesis of gold nanoparticles and its anti-bacterial activity against human pathogens

    Science.gov (United States)

    Adavallan, K.; Krishnakumar, N.

    2014-06-01

    Gold nanoparticles (Au-NPs) were synthesized at room temperature using Morus alba (mulberry) leaf extract as reducing and stabilizing agent. The development of plant mediated synthesis of nanoparticles is gaining importance due to its simplicity, low cost, non-toxicity, eco-friendliness, long term stability and reproducible aqueous synthesis method to obtain a self-assembly of nearly monodispersed Au-NPs. The formation and morphology of biosynthesized nanoparticles are investigated with the help of UV-Vis spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering (DLS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), x-ray diffraction (XRD), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) techniques. Au-NPs formation was screened by UV-Vis spectroscopy through color conversion due to surface plasmon resonance band at 538 nm for Au-NPs. DLS studies revealed that the average size of Au-NPs was 50 nm. TEM studies showed the particles to be nearly spherical with few irregular shapes and particle size ranges 15-53 nm. The AFM image clearly shows the surface morphology of the well-dispersed Au-NPs with less than 50 nm. The high crystallinity of nanoparticles is evident from bright circular spots in the selected area electron diffraction (SAED) pattern. X-ray diffraction pattern showed high purity and face-centered cubic structure of Au-NPs. The FT-IR results indicate the presence of different functional groups present in the biomolecule capping the nanoparticles. Further, biosynthesized Au-NPs show strong zone of inhibition against Vibrio cholera (gram-negative) and Staphylococcus aureus (gram-positive) whereas, chemically synthesized Au-NPs and mulberry leaf extract exhibit a fair zone of inhibition.

  11. The visual pigment cyanide effect.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Crescitelli, F; Karvaly, B

    1989-12-01

    The visual pigment of the Tokay gecko (Gekko gekko) with its in situ absorption maximum at 521 nm has its spectral position at 500 to 505 nm when chloride-deficient digitonin is used for the extraction. In this case the addition of chloride or bromide to the extract restores the maximum to 521 nm. This property, characteristic of gecko pigments in general, does not occur with any of the rhodopsins that have been tested. Simple salts of cyanide, a pseudohalogenoid with an ionic radius close to those of chloride and bromide and/or its hydrolysis product attacks both this gecko pigment and rhodopsins in the dark. This is seen as a slow thermal loss of photopigment if (sodium) cyanide is present at concentrations above 40 mM for the gecko pigment and 150 mM for the rhodopsins of the midshipman (Porichthys notatus) and of the frog (Rana pipiens). In all cases the loss of the photopigment is accompanied by the appearance of a spectral product with maximum absorption at about 340 nm. Cyanide addition has no effect on the photosensitivity of the native pigments and neither does it alter, as do chloride, bromide and other anions, the spectral absorbance curve. The spectral product at 340 nm also appears when the visual pigments are photolyzed in the presence of cyanide salts below the threshold concentrations given above. Incubation of digitonin-solubilized all-trans-retinal with (sodium) cyanide leads to a reaction product with absorption spectrum similar to that obtained with visual pigments under comparable conditions.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

  12. High efficiency non-viral transfection of retinal and iris pigment epithelial cells with pigment epithelium-derived factor.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thumann, G; Stöcker, M; Maltusch, C; Salz, A K; Barth, S; Walter, P; Johnen, S

    2010-02-01

    Transplantation of pigment epithelial cells in patients with age-related macular degeneration and Parkinson's disease has the potential to improve functional rehabilitation. Genetic modification of cells before transplantation may allow the delivery of neuroprotective factors to achieve functional improvement. As transplantation of cells modified using viral vectors is complicated by the possible dissemination of viral particles and severe immune reactions, we have explored non-viral methods to insert genetic material in pigment epithelial cells. Using lipofection or nucleofection ARPE-19 cells, freshly isolated and primary retinal and iris pigment epithelial (IPE) cells were transfected with plasmids encoding green fluorescent protein (GFP) and with three plasmids encoding recombinant pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF) and GFP. Transfection efficiency was evaluated by fluorescence microscopy and stability of protein expression by immunoblotting. Pigment epithelial cells were successfully transfected with plasmid encoding GFP. Expression of GFP in ARPE-19 was transient, but was observed for up to 1 year in IPE cells. Analysis of pigment epithelial cells transfected with PEDF plasmids revealed that PEDF fusion proteins were successfully expressed and functionally active. In conclusion, efficient transfer of genetic information in pigment epithelial cells can be achieved using non-viral transfection protocols.

  13. Effect of Temperature on Acidity and Hydration Equilibrium Constants of Delphinidin-3-O- and Cyanidin-3-O-sambubioside Calculated from Uni- and Multiwavelength Spectroscopic Data.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vidot, Kévin; Achir, Nawel; Mertz, Christian; Sinela, André; Rawat, Nadirah; Prades, Alexia; Dangles, Olivier; Fulcrand, Hélène; Dornier, Manuel

    2016-05-25

    Delphinidin-3-O-sambubioside and cyanidin-3-O-sambubioside are the main anthocyanins of Hibiscus sabdariffa calyces, traditionally used to make a bright red beverage by decoction in water. At natural pH, these anthocyanins are mainly in their flavylium form (red) in equilibrium with the quinonoid base (purple) and the hemiketal (colorless). For the first time, their acidity and hydration equilibrium constants were obtained from a pH-jump method followed by UV-vis spectroscopy as a function of temperature from 4 to 37 °C. Equilibrium constant determination was also performed by multivariate curve resolution (MCR). Acidity and hydration constants of cyanidin-3-O-sambubioside at 25 °C were 4.12 × 10(-5) and 7.74 × 10(-4), respectively, and were significantly higher for delphinidin-3-O-sambubioside (4.95 × 10(-5) and 1.21 × 10(-3), respectively). MCR enabled the obtaining of concentration and spectrum of each form but led to overestimated values for the equilibrium constants. However, both methods showed that formations of the quinonoid base and hemiketal were endothermic reactions. Equilibrium constants of anthocyanins in the hibiscus extract showed comparable values as for the isolated anthocyanins.

  14. Central posterior capsule pigmentation in a patient with pigment dispersion and previous ocular trauma: A case report

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Al-Mezaine Hani

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available We report a 55-year-old man with unusually dense, unilateral central posterior capsule pigmentation associated with the characteristic clinical features of pigment dispersion syndrome, including a Krukenberg′s spindle and dense trabecular pigmentation in both eyes. A history of an old blunt ocular trauma probably caused separation of the anterior hyaloid from the back of the lens, thereby creating an avenue by which pigment could reach the potential space of Berger′s from the posterior chamber.

  15. Statistical interpretation of chromatic indicators in correlation to phytochemical profile of a sulfur dioxide-free mulberry (Morus nigra) wine submitted to non-thermal maturation processes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tchabo, William; Ma, Yongkun; Kwaw, Emmanuel; Zhang, Haining; Xiao, Lulu; Apaliya, Maurice T

    2018-01-15

    The four different methods of color measurement of wine proposed by Boulton, Giusti, Glories and Commission International de l'Eclairage (CIE) were applied to assess the statistical relationship between the phytochemical profile and chromatic characteristics of sulfur dioxide-free mulberry (Morus nigra) wine submitted to non-thermal maturation processes. The alteration in chromatic properties and phenolic composition of non-thermal aged mulberry wine were examined, aided by the used of Pearson correlation, cluster and principal component analysis. The results revealed a positive effect of non-thermal processes on phytochemical families of wines. From Pearson correlation analysis relationships between chromatic indexes and flavonols as well as anthocyanins were established. Cluster analysis highlighted similarities between Boulton and Giusti parameters, as well as Glories and CIE parameters in the assessment of chromatic properties of wines. Finally, principal component analysis was able to discriminate wines subjected to different maturation techniques on the basis of their chromatic and phenolics characteristics. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  16. Nitric oxide-dependent pigment migration induced by ultraviolet radiation in retinal pigment cells of the crab Neohelice granulata.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Filgueira, Daza de Moraes Vaz Batista; Guterres, Laís Pereira; Votto, Ana Paula de Souza; Vargas, Marcelo Alves; Boyle, Robert Tew; Trindade, Gilma Santos; Nery, Luiz Eduardo Maia

    2010-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to verify the occurrence of pigment dispersion in retinal pigment cells exposed to UVA and UVB radiation, and to investigate the possible participation of a nitric oxide (NO) pathway. Retinal pigment cells from Neohelice granulata were obtained by cellular dissociation. Cells were analyzed for 30 min in the dark (control) and then exposed to 1.1 and 3.3 J cm(-2) UVA, 0.07 and 0.9 J cm(-2) UVB, 20 nmβ-PDH (pigment dispersing hormone) or 10 μm SIN-1 (NO donor). Histological analyses were performed to verify the UV effect in vivo. Cultured cells were exposed to 250 μm L-NAME (NO synthase blocker) and afterwards were treated with UVA, UVB or β-PDH. The retinal cells in culture displayed significant pigment dispersion in response to UVA, UVB and β-PDH. The same responses to UVA and UVB were observed in vivo. SIN-1 did not induce pigment dispersion in the cell cultures. L-NAME significantly decreased the pigment dispersion induced by UVA and UVB but not by β-PDH. All retinal cells showed an immunopositive reaction against neuronal nitric oxide synthases. Therefore, UVA and UVB radiation are capable of inducing pigment dispersion in retinal pigment cells of Neohelice granulata and this dispersion may be nitric oxide synthase dependent. © 2010 The Authors. Journal Compilation. The American Society of Photobiology.

  17. State of art in research of ceramic pigments

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sulcova, P.; Trojan, M.

    2004-01-01

    The research of our laboratory is focused on investigation of special inorganic pigments, mainly on ceramic pigments. many pigments used just now are questionable from the hygienic point of view. The fact that the most of the pigments contain problematic elements opens necessity of substitution of pigments containing toxic metals (chromium). Yellow ceramic pigments commonly used such as Pb 2 Sb 2 O 7 , PbCrO 4 and CdS are now being expelled from the market because of their toxicity. For this reason the main attention has been directed to the synthesis of new inorganic compounds mainly with yellow, orange and red colour hues, which can be used as pigments for colouring of glaze, plastics or building materials. In harmony with this postulate the pigments based on CeO 2 represent new special inorganic pigments with high-temperature stability have been synthesized. The commercial significance is in thermal, chemical and light stability, combined with their low toxicity. (author)

  18. True bursal pigmented villonodular synovitis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Abdelwahab, Ibrahim Fikry; Kenan, Samuel; Steiner, German C.; Abdul-Quader, Mohammed

    2002-01-01

    We describe two cases of pigmented villonodular synovitis affecting true bursae. This study was also designed to discuss the term ''pigmented villonodular bursitis'', not confined to true synovial bursae, sometimes creating misunderstanding. (orig.)

  19. Synthesis of new environment-friendly yellow pigments

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Furukawa, Shinya; Masui, Toshiyuki; Imanaka, Nobuhito

    2006-01-01

    New inorganic pigments based on amorphous cerium tungstate, Ce 1-x M x W 2 O 8 (M = Zr or Ti, 0 ≤ x ≤ 0.6), were synthesized and their color properties were characterized from the viewpoint of possible ecological inorganic pigments. The Ce 1-x M x W 2 O 8 materials absorb the visible and the ultraviolet light under 500 nm efficiently, which is originated in the O 2p -Ce 4f and the O 2p -W 5d double charge transfer transitions, and, as a result, the pigments can show a brilliant yellow color. The optical absorption edge wavelength of these pigments depends on the Zr or Ti content, and the effective yellow hue was observed at x = 0.2 for both pigments. The color properties of the present pigments suggest that they have a potential to be applied as a satisfactory pigment for paints. Furthermore, these pigments can be prepared by a simple co-precipitation method. They are inert and safe and do not produce side effects in the human body because they are composed of non-toxic and safe elements

  20. Swapping one red pigment for another.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Davies, Kevin M

    2015-01-01

    Betalains are bright red and yellow pigments, which are produced in only one order of plants, the Caryophyllales, and replace the more familiar anthocyanin pigments. The evolutionary origin of betalain production is a mystery, but a new study has identified the first regulator of betalain production and discovered a previously unknown link between the two pigment pathways.

  1. Modification of cadmium pigments for colouring of polyolefins

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kalinskaya, T.V.; Livshits, I.M.

    1976-01-01

    Modification conditions are studied of cadmium pigments, obtained by different methods, aliphatic acids(C 5 , C 8 and C 17 ). It is found, that cadmium pigments can adsorb acids with the number of atoms of carbon not less than 8. Stearic acid adsorption on lemon cadmium pigment taken as an example has shown the efficiency of pigment modification influence on its dispersancy in non-polar medium. Modification of yellow cadmium pigments of stearic acid makes possible to obtain pigment output forms ensuring a good particle distribution during polyolefine colouring

  2. The penetration depth and lateral distribution of pigment related to the pigment grain size and the calendering of paper

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Buelow, K.; Kristiansson, P.; Schueler, B.; Tullander, E.; Oestling, S.; Elfman, M.; Malmqvist, K.; Pallon, J.; Shariff, A.

    2002-01-01

    The interaction of ink and newspaper has been investigated and the specific question of penetration of ink into the paper has been addressed with a nuclear microprobe using particle induced X-ray emission. The penetration depth of the newsprint is a critical factor in terms of increasing the quality of newsprint and minimising the amount of ink used. The objective of the experiment was to relate the penetration depth of pigment with the calendering of the paper. The dependence of the penetration depth on the pigment grain size was also studied. To study the penetration depth of pigment in paper, cyan ink with Cu as a tracer of the coloured pigment was used. For the study of the penetration depth dependence of pigment size, specially grounded Japanese ink with well-defined pigment grain size was used. This was compared to Swedish ink with pigment grains with normal size-distribution. The results show that the calendering of the paper considerably affects the penetration depth of ink

  3. Ozone Sensitivity and Catalase Activity in Pigmented and Non-Pigmented Strains of Serratia Marcescens.

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Ondarza, José

    2017-01-01

    Ozone exposure rapidly leads to bacterial death, making ozone an effective disinfectant in food industry and health care arena. However, microbial defenses may moderate this effect and play a role in the effective use of oxidizing agents for disinfection. Serratia marcescens is an opportunistic pathogen, expressing genes differentially during infection of a human host. A better understanding of regulatory systems that control expression of Serratia 's virulence genes and defenses is therefore valuable. Here, we investigated the role of pigmentation and catalase in Serratia marcescens on survival to ozone exposure. Pigmented and non-pigmented strains of Serratia marcescens were cultured to exponential or stationary phase and exposed to 5 ppm of gaseous ozone for 2.5 - 10 minutes. Survival was calculated via plate counts. Catalase activity was measured photometrically and tolerance to hydrogen peroxide was assayed by disk-diffusion. Exposure of S. marcescens to 5 ppm gaseous ozone kills > 90% of cells within 10 minutes in a time and concentration-dependent manner. Although pigmented Serratia (grown at 28°C) survived ozonation better than unpigmented Serratia (grown at 35°C), non-pigmented mutant strains of Serratia had similar ozone survival rates, catalase activity and H 2 O 2 tolerance as wild type strains. Rather, ozone survival and catalase activity were elevated in 6 hour cultures compared to 48 hour cultures. Our studies did not bear out a role for prodigiosin in ozone survival. Rather, induction of oxidative stress responses during exponential growth increased both catalase activity and ozone survival in both pigmented and unpigmented S. marcescens .

  4. Carbachol-mediated pigment granule dispersion in retinal pigment epithelium requires Ca2+ and calcineurin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Johnson, Adam S; García, Dana M

    2007-12-19

    Inside bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus) retinal pigment epithelial cells, pigment granules move in response to extracellular signals. During the process of aggregation, pigment motility is directed toward the cell nucleus; in dispersion, pigment is directed away from the nucleus and into long apical processes. A number of different chemicals have been found to initiate dispersion, and carbachol (an acetylcholine analog) is one example. Previous research indicates that the carbachol-receptor interaction activates a Gq-mediated pathway which is commonly linked to Ca2+ mobilization. The purpose of the present study was to test for involvement of calcium and to probe calcium-dependent mediators to reveal their role in carbachol-mediated dispersion. Carbachol-induced pigment granule dispersion was blocked by the calcium chelator BAPTA. In contrast, the calcium channel antagonist verapamil, and incubation in Ca2+-free medium failed to block carbachol-induced dispersion. The calcineurin inhibitor cypermethrin blocked carbachol-induced dispersion; whereas, two protein kinase C inhibitors (staurosporine and bisindolylmaleimide II) failed to block carbachol-induced dispersion, and the protein kinase C activator phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate failed to elicit dispersion. A rise in intracellular calcium is necessary for carbachol-induced dispersion; however, the Ca2+ requirement is not dependent on extracellular sources, implying that intracellular stores are sufficient to enable pigment granule dispersion to occur. Calcineurin is a likely Ca2+-dependent mediator involved in the signal cascade. Although the pathway leads to the generation of diacylglycerol and calcium (both required for the activation of certain PKC isoforms), our evidence does not support a significant role for PKC.

  5. Production of Monascus-like pigments

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    2012-01-01

    The present invention relates to a method for producing one or more Monascus-like pigment composition from Penicillium species comprising: a) providing a cultivation medium comprising a high concentration of C-and N-sources and a high C/N molar ratio, b) adjusting pH to about 5 to 8, c) inoculati...... as colouring agents in food items or non food items. The inventions further relates to Monascus-like pigment composition obtainable by a method of the inventions as well as use of the pigments....

  6. True bursal pigmented villonodular synovitis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Abdelwahab, Ibrahim Fikry [Department of Radiology, New York Methodist Hospital, Affiliated with New York Hospital-Cornell Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY (United States); Kenan, Samuel [Department of Orthopedics, New York University Medical Center, NY (United States); Steiner, German C. [Department of Pathology, Hospital for Joint Diseases/Orthopedic Institute, New York, NY (United States); Abdul-Quader, Mohammed [Department of Radiology, New York Presbyterian Hospital, Columbia University, New York, NY (United States)

    2002-06-01

    We describe two cases of pigmented villonodular synovitis affecting true bursae. This study was also designed to discuss the term ''pigmented villonodular bursitis'', not confined to true synovial bursae, sometimes creating misunderstanding. (orig.)

  7. Anthocyanins in the bracts of Curcuma species and relationship of the species based on anthocyanin composition.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koshioka, Masaji; Umegaki, Naoko; Boontiang, Kriangsuk; Pornchuti, Witayaporn; Thammasiri, Kanchit; Yamaguchi, Satoshi; Tatsuzawa, Fumi; Nakayama, Masayoshi; Tateishi, Akira; Kubota, Satoshi

    2015-03-01

    Five anthocyanins, delphinidin 3-O-rutinoside, cyanidin 3-O-rutinoside, petunidin 3-O-rutinoside, malvidin 3-O-glucoside and malvidin 3-O-rutinoside, were identified. Three anthocyanins, delphinidin 3-O-glucoside, cyanidin 3-O-glucoside and pelargonidin 3-O-rutinoside, were putatively identified based on C18 HPLC retention time, absorption spectrum, including λmax, and comparisons with those of corresponding standard anthocyanins, as the compounds responsible for the pink to purple-red pigmentation of the bracts of Curcuma alismatifolia and five related species. Cluster analysis based on four major anthocyanins formed two clusters. One consisted of only one species, C. alismatifolia, and the other consisted of five. Each cluster further formed sub-clusters depending on either species or habitats.

  8. Crystalline Organic Pigment-Based Field-Effect Transistors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Haichang; Deng, Ruonan; Wang, Jing; Li, Xiang; Chen, Yu-Ming; Liu, Kewei; Taubert, Clinton J; Cheng, Stephen Z D; Zhu, Yu

    2017-07-05

    Three conjugated pigment molecules with fused hydrogen bonds, 3,7-diphenylpyrrolo[2,3-f]indole-2,6(1H,5H)-dione (BDP), (E)-6,6'-dibromo-[3,3'-biindolinylidene]-2,2'-dione (IIDG), and 3,6-di(thiophen-2-yl)-2,5-dihydropyrrolo-[3,4-c]pyrrole-1,4-dione (TDPP), were studied in this work. The insoluble pigment molecules were functionalized with tert-butoxylcarbonyl (t-Boc) groups to form soluble pigment precursors (BDP-Boc, IIDG-Boc, and TDPP-Boc) with latent hydrogen bonding. The single crystals of soluble pigment precursors were obtained. Upon simple thermal annealing, the t-Boc groups were removed and the soluble pigment precursor molecules with latent hydrogen bonding were converted into the original pigment molecules with fused hydrogen bonding. Structural analysis indicated that the highly crystalline soluble precursors were directly converted into highly crystalline insoluble pigments, which are usually only achievable by gas-phase routes like physical vapor transport. The distinct crystal structure after the thermal annealing treatment suggests that fused hydrogen bonding is pivotal for the rearrangement of molecules to form a new crystal in solid state, which leads to over 2 orders of magnitude enhancement in charge mobility in organic field-effect transistor (OFET) devices. This work demonstrated that crystalline OFET devices with insoluble pigment molecules can be fabricated by their soluble precursors. The results indicated that a variety of commercially available conjugated pigments could be potential active materials for high-performance OFETs.

  9. Familial occurrence of pigment dispersion syndrome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bovell, A M; Damji, K F; Dohadwala, A A; Hodge, W G; Allingham, R R

    2001-02-01

    Pigment dispersion syndrome affects up to 4% of the white population. It is characterized by the presence of transillumination defects, Krukenberg's spindle and dense trabecular meshwork pigmentation. Open-angle glaucoma will develop in as many as 50% of affected patients. In this study we describe the familial occurrence of pigment dispersion syndrome in six North American pedigrees and the phenotypic characteristics with respect to pigment dispersion syndrome and glaucoma. Probands with pigment dispersion syndrome were identified in glaucoma clinics at university eye centres in Ottawa and Durham, NC. Families with two or more affected members were evaluated. All willing members in each family underwent a thorough clinical examination and were classified as affected with pigment dispersion syndrome, suspect or unaffected. The previous medical records were reviewed to obtain the past medical and ocular history, including risk factors for glaucoma. All six families are white. Three families show at least two generations of affected members. Of the 43 subjects examined 58% were women. All 14 affected members showed moderate to heavy trabecular meshwork pigmentation and either Krukenberg's spindle or transillumination defects. The affected members were also considerably more myopic (mean spherical equivalent for the right eye -4.72 dioptres) than the suspect group or the unaffected group (mean spherical equivalent -0.79 D and +1.19 D respectively) (p pigment dispersion syndrome. Our ultimate goal is to identify the gene(s) that causes this disorder in order to clarify its molecular etiology and pathophysiology. This may give rise to a molecular classification of the disease as well as provide the foundation for genetic testing and new treatment approaches.

  10. Pigmented xerodermoid - Report of three cases

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Das Jayanta Kumar

    2005-01-01

    Full Text Available Pigmented xerodermoid, a rare genodermatosis, presents with clinical features and pathology similar to xeroderma pigmentosum, but at a later age. DNA repair replication is normal, but there is total depression of DNA synthesis after exposure to UV radiation. Two siblings in their teens and a man in his thirties with features of pigmented xerodermoid, e.g. photophobia, freckle-like lesions, keratoses, dryness of skin, and hypo- and hyper-pigmentation, are described. Although classically the onset of pigmented xerodermoid is said to be delayed till third to fourth decade of life, it seems the disease may appear earlier in the tropics. Early diagnosis and management could be life-saving.

  11. Carbachol-mediated pigment granule dispersion in retinal pigment epithelium requires Ca2+ and calcineurin

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    García Dana M

    2007-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Inside bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus retinal pigment epithelial cells, pigment granules move in response to extracellular signals. During the process of aggregation, pigment motility is directed toward the cell nucleus; in dispersion, pigment is directed away from the nucleus and into long apical processes. A number of different chemicals have been found to initiate dispersion, and carbachol (an acetylcholine analog is one example. Previous research indicates that the carbachol-receptor interaction activates a Gq-mediated pathway which is commonly linked to Ca2+ mobilization. The purpose of the present study was to test for involvement of calcium and to probe calcium-dependent mediators to reveal their role in carbachol-mediated dispersion. Results Carbachol-induced pigment granule dispersion was blocked by the calcium chelator BAPTA. In contrast, the calcium channel antagonist verapamil, and incubation in Ca2+-free medium failed to block carbachol-induced dispersion. The calcineurin inhibitor cypermethrin blocked carbachol-induced dispersion; whereas, two protein kinase C inhibitors (staurosporine and bisindolylmaleimide II failed to block carbachol-induced dispersion, and the protein kinase C activator phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate failed to elicit dispersion. Conclusion A rise in intracellular calcium is necessary for carbachol-induced dispersion; however, the Ca2+ requirement is not dependent on extracellular sources, implying that intracellular stores are sufficient to enable pigment granule dispersion to occur. Calcineurin is a likely Ca2+-dependent mediator involved in the signal cascade. Although the pathway leads to the generation of diacylglycerol and calcium (both required for the activation of certain PKC isoforms, our evidence does not support a significant role for PKC.

  12. Key factors for UV curable pigment dispersions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Magny, B.; Pezron, E.; Ciceron, P.H.; Askienazy, A.

    1999-01-01

    UV oligomers with good pigment dispersion are needed to allow good formulation flexibility and possibility to apply thinner films. Pigment dispersion mainly depends on three phenomena: the wetting of agglomerates, the breakage of agglomerates by mechanical stress and the stabilization of smaller agglomerates and primary particles against flocculation. It has been shown that oligomers with low viscosity and low surface tension induce a good pigment wetting. Examples of monomers and oligomers for good pigment dispersion are given

  13. The gecko visual pigments. The behavior of opsin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Crescitelli, F

    1979-05-01

    The 521-pigment extracted out of the retina of the Tokay gecko has the typical stereospecificity of the vertebrate visual pigments. This is true for the pigment in the chloride-depleted, "blue-shifted" state as well as for the normal pigment with added chloride. While in the chloride-deficient state, pigment regeneration occurred with both 11-cis- and 9-cis-retinals and the regenerated photopigments were also in the blue-shifted, chloride-depleted state. As with the native pigment, these regenerated pigments were bathochromically shifted to their normal positions by the addition of chloride. Chloride-deficient opsin by itself also responded to chloride for the pigment regenerated with 11-cis-retinal from such chloride-treated opsin was in the normal 521-position. Regeneration was always rapid, reaching completion in less than 5 min, and was significantly faster than for cow rhodopsin regenerating under the same conditions. This rapid rate was found with or without chloride, with both 11-cis- and 9-cis-retinals and in the presence of the sulfhydryl poison, p-hydroxymercuribenzoate (PMB). Like the native chloride-deficient pigment, the regenerated chloride-depleted photopigments responded to PMB by a blue shift beyond the position of the chloride-deficient state. The addition of chloride to these "poisoned" regenerated pigments caused a bathochromic shift of such magnitude as to indicate a repair of both the PMB and chloride-deficient blue shift. In this discussion the possible implications of these results to phylogenetic considerations are considered as well as to some molecular properties of the 521-pigment.

  14. Non-aqueous pigmented inkjet inks

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    DEROOVER, GEERT; Bernaerts, Katrien; HOOGMARTENS, IVAN

    2009-01-01

    A non-aqueous inkjet ink comprises a benzimidazolone pigment and a polymeric dispersant according to Formula (I): wherein, T represents hydrogen or a polymerization terminating group; Z represents theA non-aqueous inkjet ink comprises a benzimidazolone pigment and a polymeric dispersant according to

  15. Microscopic Analysis of Pigments Extracted from Spalting Fungi

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sarath M. Vega Gutierrez

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Pigments that are currently available in the market usually come from synthetic sources, or, if natural, often need mordants to bind to the target substrate. Recent research on the fungal pigment extracts from Scytalidium cuboideum, Scytalidium ganodermophthorum, Chlorociboria aeruginosa, and Chlorociboria aeruginascens have been shown to successfully dye materials, like wood, bamboo, and textiles, however, there is no information about their binding mechanisms. Due to this, a microscopic study was performed to provide information to future manufacturers interested in these pigments. The results of this study show that S. ganodermophthorum and C. aeruginosa form an amorphous layer on substrates, while S. cuboideum forms crystal-like structures. The attachment and morphology indicate that there might be different chemical and physical interactions between the extracted pigments and the materials. This possibility can explain the high resistance of the pigments to UV light and color fastness that makes them competitive against synthetic pigments. These properties make these pigments a viable option for an industry that demands natural pigments with the properties of the synthetic ones.

  16. Gingival Pigmentation Affected by Smoking among Different Age Groups: A Quantitative Analysis of Gingival Pigmentation Using Clinical Oral Photographs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kato, Tomotaka; Mizutani, Shinsuke; Takiuchi, Hiroya; Sugiyama, Seiichi; Hanioka, Takashi; Naito, Toru

    2017-08-04

    The presence of any age-related differences in gingival pigmentation associated with smoking, particularly in a young population, remains to be fully investigated. The purpose of this study was to determine the age-related differences in smoking gingival pigmentation. Gingival pigmentation was analyzed using the gingival melanosis record (GMR) and Hedin's classification with frontal oral photographs taken at 16 dental offices in Japan. Participants were categorized into 10-year age groups, and their baseline photographs were compared. In addition, to evaluate the effect of smoking cessation on gingival pigmentation, subjects were divided into a former smoker group (stopped smoking) and current smoker group. A total of 259 patients 19 to 79 years of age were analyzed. People in their 30s showed the most widespread gingival pigmentation. In addition, subjects in their 20s showed a weak effect of smoking cessation on gingival pigmentation. These findings suggested that the gingival pigmentation induced by smoking was more remarkable in young people than in middle-aged people. This information may be useful for anti-smoking education, especially among young populations with a high affinity for smoking.

  17. PRODUCTION OF MONASCUS-LIKE AZAPHILONE PIGMENT

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    2009-01-01

    The present invention relates to the field of biotechnological production of polyketide based colorants from filamentous fungi, in particular a method for preparing a biomass comprising a Monascus-like pigment composition from a nontoxigenic and non-pathogenic fungal source. The present invention...... further relates to use of the Monascus-like pigment composition as a colouring agent for food items and/or non-food items, and a cosmetic composition comprising the Monascus-like pigment composition....

  18. Pigmented xerodermoid - Report of three cases

    OpenAIRE

    Das Jayanta Kumar; Gangopadhyay Asok Kumar

    2005-01-01

    Pigmented xerodermoid, a rare genodermatosis, presents with clinical features and pathology similar to xeroderma pigmentosum, but at a later age. DNA repair replication is normal, but there is total depression of DNA synthesis after exposure to UV radiation. Two siblings in their teens and a man in his thirties with features of pigmented xerodermoid, e.g. photophobia, freckle-like lesions, keratoses, dryness of skin, and hypo- and hyper-pigmentation, are described. Although classically the on...

  19. Production of Monascus-like azaphilone Pigment

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    2009-01-01

    The present invention relates to the field of biotechnological production of polyketide based colorants from filamentous fungi, in particular a method for preparing a biomass comprising a Monascus-like pigment composition from a nontoxigenic and non-pathogenic fungal source. The present invention...... further relates to use of the Monascus-like pigment composition as a colouring agent for food items and/or non-food items, and a cosmetic composition comprising the Monascus-like pigment composition....

  20. Photosynthetic Pigments in Diatoms

    OpenAIRE

    Kuczynska, Paulina; Jemiola-Rzeminska, Malgorzata; Strzalka, Kazimierz

    2015-01-01

    Photosynthetic pigments are bioactive compounds of great importance for the food, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical industries. They are not only responsible for capturing solar energy to carry out photosynthesis, but also play a role in photoprotective processes and display antioxidant activity, all of which contribute to effective biomass and oxygen production. Diatoms are organisms of a distinct pigment composition, substantially different from that present in plants. Apart from light-harvestin...

  1. Mutations in CTNNA1 cause butterfly-shaped pigment dystrophy and perturbed retinal pigment epithelium integrity

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Saksens, N.T.; Krebs, M.P.; Schoenmaker, F.E.; Hicks, W.; Yu, M.; Shi, L.; Rowe, L.; Collin, G.B.; Charette, J.R.; Letteboer, S.J.; Neveling, K.; Moorsel, T.W. van; Abu-Ltaif, S.; Baere, E. De; Walraedt, S.; Banfi, S.; Simonelli, F.; Cremers, F.P.; Boon, C.J.; Roepman, R.; Leroy, B.P.; Peachey, N.S.; Hoyng, C.B.; Nishina, P.M.; Hollander, A.I. den

    2016-01-01

    Butterfly-shaped pigment dystrophy is an eye disease characterized by lesions in the macula that can resemble the wings of a butterfly. Here we report the identification of heterozygous missense mutations in the CTNNA1 gene (encoding alpha-catenin 1) in three families with butterfly-shaped pigment

  2. Seperation, identification and analysis of pigment (melanin ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Nine strains among 180 Streptomyces isolates produce a diffusible dark brown pigment on both peptone-yeast extract agar and synthetic tyrosine-agar. They also show the positive reaction to Ltyrosine or L-dopa substrates. The pigment has been referred to be as merely as dark brown watersoluble pigment, as melanoid or ...

  3. Effect of four varieties of mulberry on biochemistry and nutritional physiology of mulberry pyralid, Glyphodes pyloalis Walker (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. Oftadeh

    2014-08-01

    Full Text Available The effects of four mulberry varieties (Kenmochi, Ichinose, Shin Ichinose, Mahalii on nutritional indices and digestive proteolytic and amylolytic activities of Glyphodes pyloalis Walker (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae were determined at 24±1°C, 75±5% RH and a photoperiod of 16:8 L:D. Fifth instar larvae reared on Shin Ichinose showed the highest efficiency of conversion of digested food and efficiency of conversion of ingested food (3.82±0.16% and 3.11±0.07%, respectively. Approximate digestibility values of the fourth instar larvae were highest (95.23±0.73% and lowest (91.77±1.45% on Kenmochi and Shin Ichinose, respectively. The fifth instar larvae fed on Kenmochi had the highest consumption index (4.6±0.73 and lowest relative growth rate (0.03±0.10, respectively. Our results showed that the highest protease activity in optimal pH was on Malalii variety (0.97 U/mg and the lowest was on Kenmochi (0.75 U/mg. In addition, the highest amylase activity in optimal pH was on Mahalii (0.17 U/mg and lowest on Kenmochi (0.103 U/mg. Specific proteolytic analysis showed that larvae feeding on Mahalii had the highest activity of trypsin and elastase (2.30 and 2.13 U/mg, respectively. This research showed that plasticity in food utilization and enzyme activity is functionally relevant to host plant cultivars. The results of nutritional indices and activity of digestive enzymes indicated that Kenmochi was an unsuitable host for feeding of Glyphodes pyloalis.

  4. Insect food for astronauts: gas exchange in silkworms fed on mulberry and lettuce and the nutritional value of these insects for human consumption during deep space flights.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tong, L; Yu, X; Liu, H

    2011-10-01

    In this study, silkworm moth (Bombyx mori L.) larvae were regarded as an animal protein source for astronauts in the bioregenerative life support system during long-term deep space exploration in the future. They were fed with mulberry and stem lettuce leaves during the first three instars and the last two instars, respectively. In addition, this kind of environmental approach, which utilised inedible biomass of plants to produce animal protein of high quality, can likewise be applied terrestrially to provide food for people living in extreme environments and/or impoverished agro-ecosystems, such as in polar regions, isolated military bases, ships, submarines, etc. Respiration characteristics of the larvae during development under two main physiological conditions, namely eating and not-eating of leaves, were studied. Nutrient compositions of silkworm powder (SP), ground and freeze-dried silkworms on the 3rd day of the 5th instar larvae, including protein, fat, vitamins, minerals and fatty acids, were measured using international standard methods. Silkworms' respiration rates, measured when larvae were eating mulberry leaves, were higher than those of similar larvae that hadn't eaten such leaves. There was a significant difference between silkworms fed on mulberry leaves and those fed on stem lettuce in the 4th and 5th instars (Pinsects were under the two physiological statuses (P<0.01). Moreover, silkworms' respiration quotient under the eating regime was larger than when under the not-eating regime. The SP was found to be rich in protein and amino acids in total; 12 essential vitamins, nine minerals and twelve fatty acids were detected. Moreover, 359 kcal could be generated per 100 gram of SP (dry weight).

  5. Proton beam modification of lead white pigments

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Beck, L.; Gutiérrez, P.C.; Miserque, F.; Thomé, L.

    2013-01-01

    Pigments and paint materials are known to be sensitive to particle irradiation. Occasionally, the analysis of paintings by PIXE can induce a slight or dark stain depending on the experimental conditions (beam current, dose, particle energy). In order to understand this discoloration, we have irradiated various types of art white pigments – lead white (hydrocerussite and basic lead sulfate), gypsum, calcite, zinc oxide and titanium oxide – with an external 3 MeV proton micro-beam commonly used for PIXE experiments. We have observed various sensitivities depending on the pigment. No visible change occurs for calcite and titanium oxide, whereas lead white pigments are very sensitive. For the majority of the studied compounds, the discoloration is proportional to the beam current and charge. The damage induced by proton beam irradiation in lead white pigments was studied by micro-Raman and XPS spectroscopies. Structural modifications and dehydration were detected. Damage recovery was investigated by thermal treatment and UV-light irradiation. The discoloration disappeared after one week of UV illumination, showing that PIXE experiments could be safely undertaken for pigments and paintings

  6. Candida glabrata tryptophan-based pigment production via the Ehrlich pathway.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brunke, Sascha; Seider, Katja; Almeida, Ricardo Sergio; Heyken, Antje; Fleck, Christian Benjamin; Brock, Matthias; Barz, Dagmar; Rupp, Steffen; Hube, Bernhard

    2010-04-01

    Pigments contribute to the pathogenicity of many fungi, mainly by protecting fungal cells from host defence activities. Here, we have dissected the biosynthetic pathway of a tryptophan-derived pigment of the human pathogen Candida glabrata, identified key genes involved in pigment production and have begun to elucidate the possible biological function of the pigment. Using transcriptional analyses and a transposon insertion library, we have identified genes associated with pigment production. Targeted deletion mutants revealed that the pigment is a by-product of the Ehrlich pathway of tryptophan degradation: a mutant lacking a tryptophan-upregulated aromatic aminotransferase (Aro8) displayed significantly reduced pigmentation and a recombinantly expressed version of this protein was sufficient for pigment production in vitro. Pigment production is tightly regulated as the synthesis is affected by the presence of alternative nitrogen sources, carbon sources, cyclic AMP and oxygen. Growth of C. glabrata on pigment inducing medium leads to an increased resistance to hydrogen peroxide, an effect which was not observed with a mutant defective in pigmentation. Furthermore, pigmented yeast cells had a higher survival rate when exposed to human neutrophils and caused increased damage in a monolayer model of human epithelia, indicating a possible role of pigmentation during interactions with host cells.

  7. Effects of Supplementation of Mulberry ( Foliage and Urea-rice Bran as Fermentable Energy and Protein Sources in Sheep Fed Urea-treated Rice Straw Based Diet

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dwi Yulistiani

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available A digestibility study was conducted to evaluate the effects of supplementing mulberry foliage and urea rice-bran as a source of fermentable energy and protein to 12 sheep fed diets based on urea-treated rice straw (TRS. The three dietary treatments were: T1, TRS with mulberry; T2, TRS with 50% mulberry replaced with rice bran and urea; and T3, TRS with rice bran and urea. The study was arranged in a completely randomized design with four replications for each treatment. The sheep were fed one of the three diets and the supplements were offered at 1.2% of the body weight (BW and the TRS was provided ad libitum. There were no differences (p>0.05 among the three treatment groups with respect to dry matter (DM intake (76.8±4.2 g/kg BW0.75 and DM, organic matter (OM, and crude protein (CP digestibility (55.3±1.22; 69.9±0.85; 46.3±1.65% respectively for DM, OM, and CP. The digestibility of fiber (neutral detergent fiber [NDF] and acid detergent fiber was significantly lower (p<0.05 for T3 (46.2 and 46.6 respectively compared to T1 (55.8 and 53.7 respectively and T2 (54.1 and 52.8 respectively. Nitrogen (N intake by sheep on diet T3 was significantly (p<0.05 higher than sheep fed diet T1. However, N balance did not differ among the three diets (3.0±0.32 g/d. In contrast, the rumen ammonia (NH3-N concentrations in sheep fed T2 and T3 were significantly (p<0.05 higher than in sheep fed T1. The NH3-N concentrations for all three diets were above the critical value required for optimum rumen microbial growth and synthesis. Total volatile fatty acid concentrations were highest (p<0.05 in T1 (120.3 mM, whilst the molar proportion of propionic acid was highest in T3 (36.9%. However, the microbial N supply in sheep fed T1 and T3 was similar but was significantly (p<0.05 higher than for sheep fed T2. It was concluded that mulberry foliage is a potential supplement of fermentable energy and protein for sheep fed TRS based diet. The suggested level of

  8. DNA damage in isolated rat hepatocytes exposed to C.I. pigment orange 5 and C.I. pigment yellow 12 by the alkaline comet assay

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Møller, P; Wallin, Håkan; Grunnet, N

    1998-01-01

    The induction of DNA damage by commonly used printing ink pigments, C.I. pigment orange 5 (C.I. 12075) and C.I. pigment yellow 12 (C.I. 21090), was investigated in freshly isolated rat hepatocytes with the comet assay. C.I. pigment yellow 12 is a 3,3'-dichlorobenzidine-based diarylide pigment...

  9. Impact of Pigments on Self-Compacting Concrete

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ernestas Ivanauskas

    2011-04-01

    Full Text Available We describe an impact of using iron oxide pigment on self-compacting concrete (SCC properties. We have experimented with adding portions of iron oxide pigment from 3 % to 6 % into cement paste. A few alternative pigments (chromic oxide and iron oxide hydroxide were used for performing the same experiments. The impact of these pigments on a normal cement paste is described in this paper. We demonstrate that iron oxide pigment reduces the need for water in a normal cement paste. However, adding the pigment also reduces the compressive strength of concrete up to 20 %. The concrete specimens were tested in various time spans, i.e. 1 day to 28 days, by keeping them in 20 ± 2 ºC water – normal consolidation regimen. Some of the specimens were processed in steam chamber, at 60 ºC in order to make the process of the cement hydration faster, as well as to estimate an impact of active SiO2 proportion in ash on SCC properties. We show that using iron oxide pigment for SCC mixture increases the slump-flow property of concrete mix up to 5 %. Experiments with solidified concrete have demonstrated that iron oxide diminishes water absorption up to 6 % and decreases open concrete porosity that makes concrete resistant against freezing. Article in Lithuanian

  10. Microbial Production of Food Grade Pigments

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Laurent Dufossé

    2006-01-01

    Full Text Available The controversial topic of synthetic dyes in food has been discussed for many years. The scrutiny and negative assessment of synthetic food dyes by the modern consumer have raised a strong interest in natural colouring alternatives. Nature is rich in colours (minerals, plants, microalgae, etc., and pigment-producing microorganisms (fungi, yeasts, bacteria are quite common. Among the molecules produced by microorganisms are carotenoids, melanins, flavins, quinones, and more specifically monascins, violacein or indigo. The success of any pigment produced by fermentation depends upon its acceptability on the market, regulatory approval, and the size of the capital investment required to bring the product to market. A few years ago, some expressed doubts about the successful commercialization of fermentation-derived food grade pigments because of the high capital investment requirements for fermentation facilities and the extensive and lengthy toxicity studies required by regulatory agencies. Public perception of biotechnology-derived products also had to be taken into account. Nowadays some fermentative food grade pigments are on the market: Monascus pigments, astaxanthin from Xanthophyllomyces dendrorhous, Arpink Red from Penicillium oxalicum, riboflavin from Ashbya gossypii, b-carotene from Blakeslea trispora. The successful marketing of pigments derived from algae or extracted from plants, both as a food colour and a nutritional supplement, reflects the presence and importance of niche markets in which consumers are willing to pay a premium for »all natural ingredients«.

  11. Studies on pigments of the myxomycete Physarum nudum. II. Separation and optical properties of the pigments from plasmodia cultured in darkness

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    L. Raczkowski

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available The paper presents the data on Separation and some optical properties of the pigments obtained from the plasmodium of the myxomycete Physarum nudum grown in the dark. Pigment Separation was performed by means of thin-layer chromatography with celulose MN 300 as adsorbent and with the solvent: tert.-butylalcohol, H2O, 3N NH4OH at the ratio 5:2:1 In these conditions the chromatograms revealed 12 coloured bands from which pigments were eluted and their absorption spectra as well as the spectra of fluorescence emission were determined. The isolated pigments differ from one another by their physical properties (different Rf values, localization of absorption maxima, and behaviour in acid solution. Nevertheless, certain analogies perceptible between particular pigments per-mitted to distinguish 3 families of the studied pigments demonstrating similar properties.

  12. Fish pigmentation and the melanocortin system.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cal, Laura; Suarez-Bregua, Paula; Cerdá-Reverter, José Miguel; Braasch, Ingo; Rotllant, Josep

    2017-09-01

    The melanocortin system is a complex neuroendocrine signaling mechanism involved in numerous physiological processes in vertebrates, including pigmentation, steroidogenesis and metabolic control. This review focuses at one of its most fascinating function in fish, its regulatory role in the control of pigmentation, in which the melanocortin 1 receptor (Mc1r), its agonist α-melanocyte stimulating hormone (α-Msh), and the endogenous antagonist agouti signaling protein (Asip1) are the main players. Functional control of Mc1r, which is highly expressed in fish skin and whose activation stimulates melanin production and melanosome dispersion in fish melanophores, is considered a key mechanism for vertebrate pigment phenotypes. The α-Msh peptide, the most documented Mc1r agonist involved in pigmentation, is produced in the pituitary gland, activating melanin synthesis by binding to Mc1r in fish melanophores. Finally, Asip1 is the putative factor for establishing the evolutionarily conserved dorso-ventral pigment pattern found across vertebrates. However, we are just starting to understand how other melanocortin system components are acting in this complex regulatory network. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. Phylogeography of herbarium specimens of asexually propagated paper mulberry [Broussonetia papyrifera (L.) L'Hér. ex Vent. (Moraceae)] reveals genetic diversity across the Pacific.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Payacan, Claudia; Moncada, Ximena; Rojas, Gloria; Clarke, Andrew; Chung, Kuo-Fang; Allaby, Robin; Seelenfreund, Daniela; Seelenfreund, Andrea

    2017-09-01

    Paper mulberry or Broussonetia papyrifera (L.) L'Hér. ex Vent. (Moraceae) is a dioecious species native to continental South-east Asia and East Asia, including Taiwan, that was introduced to the Pacific by pre-historic voyagers and transported intentionally and propagated asexually across the full range of Austronesian expansion from Taiwan to East Polynesia. The aim of this study was to gain insight into the dispersal of paper mulberry into Oceania through the genetic analysis of herbaria samples which represent a more complete coverage of the historical geographical range of the species in the Pacific before later introductions and local extinctions occurred. DNA from 47 herbarium specimens of B. papyrifera collected from 1882 to 2006 from different islands of the Pacific was obtained under ancient DNA protocols. Genetic characterization was based on the ribosomal internal transcribed spacer ITS-1 sequence, a sex marker, the chloroplast ndhF-rpl32 intergenic spacer and a set of ten microsatellites developed for B. papyrifera. Microsatellites allowed detection of 15 genotypes in Near and Remote Oceanian samples, in spite of the vegetative propagation of B. papyrifera in the Pacific. These genotypes are structured in two groups separating West and East Polynesia, and place Pitcairn in a pivotal position. We also detected the presence of male plants that carry the Polynesian chloroplast DNA (cpDNA) haplotype, in contrast to findings in contemporary B. papyrifera populations where only female plants bear the Polynesian cpDNA haplotype. For the first time, genetic diversity was detected among paper mulberry accessions from Remote Oceania. A clear separation between West and East Polynesia was found that may be indicative of pulses during its dispersal history. The pattern linking the genotypes within Remote Oceania reflects the importance of central Polynesia as a dispersal hub, in agreement with archaeological evidence. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford

  14. Pigment dispersion syndrome masquerading as acute anterior uveitis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gonzalez-Gonzalez, Luis Alonso; Rodríguez-García, Alejandro; Foster, C Stephen

    2011-06-01

    Signs and symptoms of pigment dispersion may be confused with those of acute anterior uveitis. This case series is intended to aid the ophthalmologist in the clinical differentiation between these two disorders. The authors present a series of 6 patients with pigment dispersion who were initially diagnosed as having acute anterior uveitis and treated with anti-inflammatory medication, including corticosteroids. The patients were referred for a second opinion due to poor or no response to therapy and were found to have pigment dispersion instead of uveitis. Symptoms of pigment dispersion may consist of blurred vision, redness, ocular pain, and photophobia, all of which are also symptoms of acute anterior uveitis. These symptoms, plus the fact that pigment floating in the aqueous humor can be mistaken for inflammation, make diagnosis challenging. Moreover, the possible co-existence of true anterior uveitis and pigment dispersion makes the diagnosis and treatment more difficult.

  15. Unlike Quercetin Glycosides, Cyanidin Glycoside in Red Leaf Lettuce Responds More Sensitively to Increasing Low Radiation Intensity before than after Head Formation Has Started

    OpenAIRE

    Becker, Christine; Klaering, Hans-Peter; Schreiner, Monika; Kroh, Lothar W.; Krumbein, Angelika

    2014-01-01

    This study investigated the effect of low-level photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD; 43–230 μmol m–2 s–1) on the major phenolic compounds of red leaf lettuce in three growth stages, before, during, and after head formation, using HPLC-DAD-ESI-MS2 and evaluating via multiple regression analysis. Generally, the light-related increase of flavonoid glycosides was structure and growth stage-dependent. In detail, an interaction was detected between plant age and PPFD regarding cyanidin-3-O-(6″...

  16. Light-induced vegetative anthocyanin pigmentation in Petunia

    OpenAIRE

    Albert, Nick W.; Lewis, David H.; Zhang, Huaibi; Irving, Louis J.; Jameson, Paula E.; Davies, Kevin M.

    2009-01-01

    The Lc petunia system, which displays enhanced, light-induced vegetative pigmentation, was used to investigate how high light affects anthocyanin biosynthesis, and to assess the effects of anthocyanin pigmentation upon photosynthesis. Lc petunia plants displayed intense purple anthocyanin pigmentation throughout the leaves and stems when grown under high-light conditions, yet remain acyanic when grown under shade conditions. The coloured phenotypes matched with an accumulation of anthocyanins...

  17. Clinical characteristics of pigment dispersion syndrome in Chinese patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Qing, G; Wang, N; Tang, X; Zhang, S; Chen, H

    2009-08-01

    To report clinical findings and characteristics of pigment dispersion syndrome (PDS) in Chinese patients. PDS suspects with any one of the following signs: corneal endothelial pigmentation, iris transillumination defects (ITDs), pigment granule dusting on anterior iris surface, posterior iris bowing, trabecular meshwork (TM) pigmentation, and lenticular or zonular pigmentation were evaluated for PDS at the glaucoma specialty clinic at Beijing Tongren Eye Centre. Diagnosis of PDS required at least two of the following signs: Krukenberg spindle, moderate-to-heavy TM pigmentation (>or=Scheie II) and any degree of lenticular and/or zonular pigmentation. Eighteen patients (12 males and six females) were identified as having PDS during a 1-year period, with mean age of 35.5+/-7.0 years (range, 22-49). All but two eyes from two patients had myopia of -0.5 D or greater, with mean spherical equivalent power of -5.20+/-5.80 D (range, -24.75+/-0.5). The average IOP at initial diagnosis was 33.7+/-10.5 mm Hg (range, 16-56). Fifteen patients (83.3%) were found to have pigmentary glaucoma at their initial diagnosis. All patients showed homogenous increased TM pigmentation as well as lenticular and/or zonular pigmentation. 61.1% of patients (11 of 18) had Krukenberg spindle. None of the patients exhibited spoke-like midperipheral ITDs except for trace-isolated transillumination in both eyes of the two patients. The most common clinical findings in Chinese PDS patients include homogeneous TM pigmentation and pigment granule dusting on lens zonules and/or posterior peripheral lens surface. ITDs are uncommon in Chinese patients with PDS.

  18. Pigmented skin disorders: Evaluation and treatment

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kroon, M.W.

    2015-01-01

    Pigmentary disorders are disturbances of human skin color. Minor changes in the cellular physiology of the skin can dramatically affect pigment production in positive or negative manner. In this these, associated diseases, therapeutical options and disease parameters for the pigmentation disorder

  19. Positive selection of a duplicated UV-sensitive visual pigment coincides with wing pigment evolution in Heliconius butterflies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Briscoe, Adriana D.; Bybee, Seth M.; Bernard, Gary D.; Yuan, Furong; Sison-Mangus, Marilou P.; Reed, Robert D.; Warren, Andrew D.; Llorente-Bousquets, Jorge; Chiao, Chuan-Chin

    2010-01-01

    The butterfly Heliconius erato can see from the UV to the red part of the light spectrum with color vision proven from 440 to 640 nm. Its eye is known to contain three visual pigments, rhodopsins, produced by an 11-cis-3-hydroxyretinal chromophore together with long wavelength (LWRh), blue (BRh) and UV (UVRh1) opsins. We now find that H. erato has a second UV opsin mRNA (UVRh2)—a previously undescribed duplication of this gene among Lepidoptera. To investigate its evolutionary origin, we screened eye cDNAs from 14 butterfly species in the subfamily Heliconiinae and found both copies only among Heliconius. Phylogeny-based tests of selection indicate positive selection of UVRh2 following duplication, and some of the positively selected sites correspond to vertebrate visual pigment spectral tuning residues. Epi-microspectrophotometry reveals two UV-absorbing rhodopsins in the H. erato eye with λmax = 355 nm and 398 nm. Along with the additional UV opsin, Heliconius have also evolved 3-hydroxy-DL-kynurenine (3-OHK)-based yellow wing pigments not found in close relatives. Visual models of how butterflies perceive wing color variation indicate this has resulted in an expansion of the number of distinguishable yellow colors on Heliconius wings. Functional diversification of the UV-sensitive visual pigments may help explain why the yellow wing pigments of Heliconius are so colorful in the UV range compared to the yellow pigments of close relatives lacking the UV opsin duplicate. PMID:20133601

  20. Surgical Management of Iatrogenic Pigment Dispersion Glaucoma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mierlo, Camille Van; Pinto, Luis Abegão; Stalmans, Ingeborg

    2015-01-01

    Iatrogenic pigment dispersion syndrome generally originates from a repetitive, mechanical trauma to the pigmented posterior epithelium of the iris. This trauma can arise after intraocular surgery, most commonly due to an abnormal contact between the intraocular lens (IOL) and the iris. Whether surgical removal of this primary insult can lead to a successful intraocular pressure (IOP) control remains unclear. Case-series. Patients with IOP elevation and clinical signs of pigment dispersion were screened for a diagnosis of iatrogenic IOL-related pigment dispersion. Three patients in which the IOL or the IOL-bag complex caused a pigment dispersion through a repetitive iris chafing were selected. In two cases, replacement of a sulcus-based single-piece IOL (patient 1) or a sub-luxated in-the-bag IOL (patient 2) by an anterior-chamber (AC) iris-fixed IOL led to a sustained decrease in IOP. In the third case, extensive iris atrophy and poor anatomical AC parameters for IOL implantation precluded further surgical intervention. IOL-exchange appears to be a useful tool in the management of iatrogenic pigment dispersion glaucoma due to inappropriate IOL implantation. This cause-oriented approach seems to be effective in controlling IOP, but should be offered only if safety criteria are met. How to cite this article: Van Mierlo C, Abegao Pinto L, Stalmans I. Surgical Management of Iatrogenic Pigment Dispersion Glaucoma. J Curr Glaucoma Pract 2015;9(1):28-32.

  1. Interaction between Vaccinium bracteatum Thunb. leaf pigment and rice proteins.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Li; Xu, Yuan; Zhou, Sumei; Qian, Haifeng; Zhang, Hui; Qi, Xiguang; Fan, Meihua

    2016-03-01

    In this study, we investigated the interaction of Vaccinium bracteatum Thunb. leaf (VBTL) pigment and rice proteins. In the presence of rice protein, VBTL pigment antioxidant activity and free polyphenol content decreased by 67.19% and 68.11%, respectively, and L(∗) of the protein-pigment complex decreased significantly over time. L(∗) values of albumin, globulin and glutelin during 60-min pigment exposure decreased by 55.00, 57.14, and 54.30%, respectively, indicating that these proteins had bound to the pigment. A significant difference in protein surface hydrophobicity was observed between rice proteins and pigment-protein complexes, indicating that hydrophobic interaction is a major binding mechanism between VBTL pigment and rice proteins. A significant difference in secondary structures between proteins and protein-pigment complexes was also uncovered, indicating that hydrogen bonding may be another mode of interaction between VBTL pigment and rice proteins. Our results indicate that VBTL pigment can stain rice proteins with hydrophobic and hydrogen interactions. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Skin Pigmentation Kinetics after Exposure to Ultraviolet A

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ravnbak, M.H.; Philipsen, P.A.; Wiegell, S.R.

    2009-01-01

    Multiple exposures to ultraviolet radiation (UVR) are the norm in nature and phototherapy. However, studies of the kinetics of pigmentation following UVA exposure have included only fair-skinned persons. The aim of this study was to investigate steady-state pigmentation and fading in 12 Scandinav......Multiple exposures to ultraviolet radiation (UVR) are the norm in nature and phototherapy. However, studies of the kinetics of pigmentation following UVA exposure have included only fair-skinned persons. The aim of this study was to investigate steady-state pigmentation and fading in 12...... Scandinavians and 12 Indians/Pakistanis after 6 and 12 exposures on the back using broadband UVA and UVA1 with equal sub-minimal melanogenic doses (individually predetermined). Pigmentation was measured by skin reflectance at 555 and 660 urn. The UV dose to minimal pigmentation was higher in dark......-skinned persons after a single broadband UVA exposure, but independent of pigmentation/skin type after single and multiple UVA1 exposures. To elicit minimal melanogenic doses after 6 and 12 exposures, every dose is lowered by a factor of 2 and 3, respectively, but the cumulative dose increases three- and four...

  3. Pigment Production by the Edible Filamentous Fungus Neurospora Intermedia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rebecca Gmoser

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available The production of pigments by edible filamentous fungi is gaining attention as a result of the increased interest in natural sources with added functionality in the food, feed, cosmetic, pharmaceutical and textile industries. The filamentous fungus Neurospora intermedia, used for production of the Indonesian food “oncom”, is one potential source of pigments. The objective of the study was to evaluate the fungus’ pigment production. The joint effect from different factors (carbon and nitrogen source, ZnCl2, MgCl2 and MnCl2 on pigment production by N. intermedia is reported for the first time. The scale-up to 4.5 L bubble column bioreactors was also performed to investigate the effect of pH and aeration. Pigment production of the fungus was successfully manipulated by varying several factors. The results showed that the formation of pigments was strongly influenced by light, carbon, pH, the co-factor Zn2+ and first- to fourth-order interactions between factors. The highest pigmentation (1.19 ± 0.08 mg carotenoids/g dry weight biomass was achieved in a bubble column reactor. This study provides important insights into pigmentation of this biotechnologically important fungus and lays a foundation for future utilizations of N. intermedia for pigment production.

  4. Preparation, characterization and application of some anti- corrosive molybdate pigments

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Abd El-Ghaffar, M.A.; El-Sawy, S.M.; Ahmed, N.M.

    2005-01-01

    Some molybdate pigments of single and mixed metal ions, namely, zinc, calcium and zinc-calcium molybdates were prepared, characterized and evaluated according to international standard methods. The evaluated pigments were incorporated in some paint formulations. The physicomechanical, chemical and corrosion protective properties of the paint films were measured; this was done in comparison with a commercial imported molybdate pigment. It was found that, the prepared pigments under investigation are fine white crystalline powders of suitable pigment properties. They can be successfully used as environmentally acceptable anti corrosive pigments. They can replace satisfactorily the similar commercial imported pigment and possess adequate or superior properties against corrosion

  5. Alternative Carrier Solvents for Pigments Extracted from Spalting Fungi

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lauren Pittis

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available The use of both naturally occurring and synthetic pigmented wood has been prevalent in woodcraft for centuries. Modern manifestations generally involve either woodworkers’ aniline dyes, or pigments derived from a special class of fungi known as spalting fungi. While fungal pigments are more renewable than anilines and pose less of an environmental risk, the carrier required for these pigments—dichloromethane (DCM—is both problematic for humans and tends to only deposit the pigments on the surface of wood instead of evenly within the material. Internal coloration of wood is key to adoption of a pigmenting system by woodworkers. To address this issue, five solvents that had moderate solubility with the pigments extracted from Chlorociboria aeruginosa and Scytalidium cuboideum were identified, in the hopes that a reduction in solubility would result in a greater amount of the pigment deposited inside the wood. Of the tested solvents, acetonitrile was found to produce the highest internal color in ash, Douglas-fir, madrone, mountain hemlock, Port-Orford cedar, Pacific silver fir, red alder and sugar maple. While these carrier solvents are not ideal for extracting the pigments from the fungi, acetonitrile in particular does appear to allow for more pigment to be deposited within wood. The use of acetonitrile over DCM offers new opportunities for possible industrial spalting applications, in which larger pieces of wood could be uniformly pigmented and sold to the end user in larger quantities than are currently available with spalted wood.

  6. Light-induced vegetative anthocyanin pigmentation in Petunia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Albert, Nick W.; Lewis, David H.; Zhang, Huaibi; Irving, Louis J.; Jameson, Paula E.; Davies, Kevin M.

    2009-01-01

    The Lc petunia system, which displays enhanced, light-induced vegetative pigmentation, was used to investigate how high light affects anthocyanin biosynthesis, and to assess the effects of anthocyanin pigmentation upon photosynthesis. Lc petunia plants displayed intense purple anthocyanin pigmentation throughout the leaves and stems when grown under high-light conditions, yet remain acyanic when grown under shade conditions. The coloured phenotypes matched with an accumulation of anthocyanins and flavonols, as well as the activation of the early and late flavonoid biosynthetic genes required for flavonol and anthocyanin production. Pigmentation in Lc petunia only occurred under conditions which normally induce a modest amount of anthocyanin to accumulate in wild-type Mitchell petunia [Petunia axillaris×(Petunia axillaris×Petunia hybrida cv. ‘Rose of Heaven’)]. Anthocyanin pigmentation in Lc petunia leaves appears to screen underlying photosynthetic tissues, increasing light saturation and light compensation points, without reducing the maximal photosynthetic assimilation rate (Amax). In the Lc petunia system, where the bHLH factor Leaf colour is constitutively expressed, expression of the bHLH (Lc) and WD40 (An11) components of the anthocyanin regulatory system were not limited, suggesting that the high-light-induced anthocyanin pigmentation is regulated by endogenous MYB transcription factors. PMID:19380423

  7. Non-conventional synthesis of ceramic pigments

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dziubak, C.; Rutkowski, R.; Gebel, R.

    2003-01-01

    A short characterization of traditional methods of homogenization of components, used to produce ceramic pigments, was presented. Efficient and economic methods are searched to prepare raw material sets for ceramic pigments as alternative methods for the traditional way of wet mixing in ball mill or of dry mixing in the mixer of 'Z' type. The results of research of the use of sol-gel method to achieve these aims are presented. At the present stage of research, carried out on the yellow praseodymium and coral-pink iron-zirconium pigments show that traditional methods are better. (author)

  8. Overexpression of the IbMYB1 gene in an orange-fleshed sweet potato cultivar produces a dual-pigmented transgenic sweet potato with improved antioxidant activity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Park, Sung-Chul; Kim, Yun-Hee; Kim, Sun Ha; Jeong, Yu Jeong; Kim, Cha Young; Lee, Joon Seol; Bae, Ji-Yeong; Ahn, Mi-Jeong; Jeong, Jae Cheol; Lee, Haeng-Soon; Kwak, Sang-Soo

    2015-04-01

    The R2R3-type protein IbMYB1 is a key regulator of anthocyanin biosynthesis in the storage roots of sweet potato [Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam]. Previously, we demonstrated that IbMYB1 expression stimulated anthocyanin pigmentation in tobacco leaves and Arabidopsis. Here, we generated dual-pigmented transgenic sweet potato plants that accumulated high levels of both anthocyanins and carotenoids in a single sweet potato storage root. An orange-fleshed cultivar with high carotenoid levels was transformed with the IbMYB1 gene under the control of either the storage root-specific sporamin 1 (SPO1) promoter or the oxidative stress-inducible peroxidase anionic 2 (SWPA2) promoter. The SPO1-MYB transgenic lines exhibited higher anthocyanin levels in storage roots than empty vector control (EV) or SWPA2-MYB plants, but carotenoid content was unchanged. SWPA2-MYB transgenic lines exhibited higher levels of both anthocyanin and carotenoids than EV plants. Analysis of hydrolyzed anthocyanin extracts indicated that cyanidin and peonidin predominated in both overexpression lines. Quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction analysis demonstrated that IbMYB1 expression in both IbMYB1 transgenic lines strongly induced the upregulation of several genes in the anthocyanin biosynthetic pathway, whereas the expression of carotenoid biosynthetic pathway genes varied between transgenic lines. Increased anthocyanin levels in transgenic plants also promoted the elevation of proanthocyanidin and total phenolic levels in fresh storage roots. Consequently, all IbMYB1 transgenic plants displayed much higher antioxidant activities than EV plants. In field cultivations, storage root yields varied between the transgenic lines. Taken together, our results indicate that overexpression of IbMYB1 is a highly promising strategy for the generation of transgenic plants with enhanced antioxidant capacity. © 2014 Scandinavian Plant Physiology Society.

  9. A novel method to fabricate superhydrophobic surfaces based on well-defined mulberry-like particles and self-assembly of polydimethylsiloxane

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Jinxin; Pi, Pihui; Wen, Xiufang; Zheng, Dafeng; Xu, Mengyi; Cheng, Jiang; Yang, Zhuoru

    2009-01-01

    A superhydrophobic surface was obtained by combining application of CaCO 3/SiO 2 mulberry-like composite particles, which originated from violent stirring and surface modification, and self-assembly of polydimethylsiloxane. Water contact angle and sliding angle of the superhydrophobic surface were measured to be about 164 ± 2.5° and 5°, respectively. The excellent hydrophobicity is attributed to the synergistic effect of micro-submicro-nano-meter scale roughness (fabricated by composite particles) and the low surface energy (provided by polydimethylsiloxane). This procedure makes it possible for widespread applications of superhydrophobic film due to its simplicity and practicability.

  10. 21 CFR 178.3725 - Pigment dispersants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... HUMAN CONSUMPTION (CONTINUED) INDIRECT FOOD ADDITIVES: ADJUVANTS, PRODUCTION AIDS, AND SANITIZERS Certain Adjuvants and Production Aids § 178.3725 Pigment dispersants. Subject to the provisions of this... 21 Food and Drugs 3 2010-04-01 2009-04-01 true Pigment dispersants. 178.3725 Section 178.3725 Food...

  11. Platelet-Rich Plasma Increases Pigmentation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Uysal, Cagri A; Ertas, Nilgun Markal

    2017-11-01

    Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is an autologous solution of plasma containing 4 to 7 times the baseline concentration of human platelets. Platelet-rich plasma has been widely popular in facial rejuvenation to attenuate wrinkles and has been practically used. The authors have been encountering various patients of increased hiperpigmentation following PRP applications that were performed to attenuate the postinflammatory hiperpigmentation especially after laser treatment. The authors have been using PRP for facial rejuvenation in selected patients and in 1 patient the authors have encountered increased pigmentation over the pigmented skin lesions that were present before the application. The authors recommend that the PRP might increase pigmentation especially in the face region and precautions might be taken before and after the application. Platelet-rich plasma should not be used for the treatment of post inflammatory hiperpigmentation.

  12. Hyperspectral remote sensing of plant pigments.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Blackburn, George Alan

    2007-01-01

    The dynamics of pigment concentrations are diagnostic of a range of plant physiological properties and processes. This paper appraises the developing technologies and analytical methods for quantifying pigments non-destructively and repeatedly across a range of spatial scales using hyperspectral remote sensing. Progress in deriving predictive relationships between various characteristics and transforms of hyperspectral reflectance data are evaluated and the roles of leaf and canopy radiative transfer models are reviewed. Requirements are identified for more extensive intercomparisons of different approaches and for further work on the strategies for interpreting canopy scale data. The paper examines the prospects for extending research to the wider range of pigments in addition to chlorophyll, testing emerging methods of hyperspectral analysis and exploring the fusion of hyperspectral and LIDAR remote sensing. In spite of these opportunities for further development and the refinement of techniques, current evidence of an expanding range of applications in the ecophysiological, environmental, agricultural, and forestry sciences highlights the growing value of hyperspectral remote sensing of plant pigments.

  13. Nota Técnica: Comportamiento productivo de la morera sometida a dos alternativas de fertilización orgánica Technical Note: Productive performance of mulberry subject to two alternatives of organic fertilization

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gertrudis Pentón

    2007-11-01

    Full Text Available Con el objetivo de evaluar el comportamiento agronómico de la morera (Morus alba L. var. Acorazonada ante dos alternativas de fertilización orgánica, se realizó un estudio en áreas de la EEPF «Indio Hatuey». El suelo característico del lugar es del tipo Ferralítico Rojo hidratado; las precipitaciones oscilaron entre 1 000 y 1 145 mm de lluvia por año. En el corte de establecimiento se obtuvieron variaciones altamente significativas entre los tratamientos: testigo sin fertilizar, asociación morera-Albizia lebbeck como abono verde vs morera fertilizada con materia orgánica (41,6; 45,0 y 72,4 g de biomasa seca comestible por individuo, respectivamente. Sin embargo, en la época lluviosa del segundo año de explotación, la producción acumulada no mostró variaciones significativas entre la asociación y la morera fertilizada (88,8 y 86,7 g de biomasa seca comestible por individuo, aunque sí con respecto al testigo que solo produjo 40,7 g. Se concluye que el aporte de materia orgánica al suelo durante el establecimiento de las plantaciones de morera y/o la asociación de A. lebbeck manejada como abono verde, proporcionan una ventaja significativa en la respuesta productiva del arbusto forrajero, y se destacó la segunda alternativa por su carácter endógeno.A study was carried out in areas of the EEPF “Indio Hatuey”, with the objective of evaluating the agronomic performance of mulberry (Morus alba L. var. Acorazonada before two alternatives of organic fertilization. The soil of the site is hydrated Ferralitic Red; rainfall oscillated between 1 000 and 1 145 mm per year. In the establishment cutting highly significant variations were obtained among the treatments: control without fertilization, association mulberry-Albizia lebbeck as green manure vs mulberry fertilized with organic matter (41,6; 45,0 and 72,4 g of edible dry biomass per individual, respectively. Nevertheless, in the rainy season of the second year of exploitation

  14. [Primary pigmented breast adenocarcinoma in a male patient].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dauendorffer, J-N; Pages, C; Abd Alsamad, I; Bagot, M; Fraitag, S

    2013-01-01

    Pigmented mammary tumours are rare. Herein, we report the third case of primary pigmented breast adenocarcinoma in a male patient with clinical mimicking of nodular melanoma of the nipple. A male patient presented with a pigmented nodule of the right nipple. Histological examination of the lesion showed dermal and subcutaneous adenocarcinomatous proliferation. The perilesional stroma contained melanin both inside and outside macrophages, leading us to conclude on primary pigmented breast adenocarcinoma clinically mimicking nodular melanoma of the nipple. Local production of melanin by neoplastic cells in the mammary carcinoma was postulated as the cause of hyperpigmentation of the tumour. Other possible causes are transfer of melanin from overlying melanocytes of the pigmented areolar epidermis to the underlying neoplastic cells, or melanin synthesis by intratumoral melanocytes migrating from the epidermis (which strikes us as the most convincing interpretation for the reported case). Breast adenocarcinoma is a rare tumour in men and may present clinically as a pigmented lesion of the nipple, resulting in the problem of differential diagnosis with primary or metastasised nodular melanoma. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  15. Immunomodulatory activity of methanolic extract of Morus alba Linn. (mulberry) leaves.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bharani, Shendige Eswara Rao; Asad, Mohammed; Dhamanigi, Sunil Samson; Chandrakala, Gowda Kallenahalli

    2010-01-01

    The leaves of Morus alba Linn. (Family: Moraceae) commonly known as mulberry are mainly used as food for the silkworms and they are sometimes eaten as vegetable or used as cattle fodder in different parts of the world. The effect of Morus alba on the immune system was evaluated by using different experimental models such as carbon clearance test, cyclophosphamide induced neutropenia, neutrophil adhesion test, effect on serum immunoglobulins, mice lethality test and indirect haemagglutination test. Methanolic extract of Morus alba was administered orally at low dose and high dose of 100 mg/kg and 1 g/kg respectively and Ocimum sanctum (100 mg/kg, po) was used as standard drug. Morus alba extract in both doses increased the levels of serum immunoglobulins and prevented the mortality induced by bovine Pasteurella multocida in mice. It also increased the circulating antibody titre in indirect haemagglutination test. On the other hand, it showed significant increase in the phagocytic index in carbon clearance assay, a significant protection against cyclophosphamide induced neutropenia and increased the adhesion of neutrophils in the neutrophil adhesion test. Hence, it was concluded that Morus alba increases both humoral immunity and cell mediated immunity.

  16. Micro-pigmentation: implications for patients and professionals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Collingridge, Kim; Calcluth, Julie

    In the UK, reconstructive breast surgery is routinely offered to patients undergoing surgery for breast cancer. The results can be excellent, but without a nipple-areola complex the patient can feel incomplete. In response to patient need, an innovative nurse-led micro-pigmentation service has been developed in the authors' NHS trust, which provides women (and men) an opportunity to complete their reconstruction process. With the use of coloured pigments, micro-pigmentation creates a permanent image of a nipple-areola complex, which improves the aesthetic appearance of the surgically-created breast. As with the development of any new nurse-led innovation, the micro-pigmentation service has professional and client implications. Breast cancer can be devastating and may induce many psychological concerns, not least about body image and sexuality. This article addresses these issues, along with professional matters, such as autonomous practice, role expansion and the blurring of clinical boundaries. These factors are considered in relation to the nursing management of the micro-pigmentation service, where patient autonomy is encouraged to promote acceptance of self-image and closure on the breast cancer experience.

  17. Pigment Production from Immobilized Monascus sp. Utilizing Polymeric Resin Adsorption

    OpenAIRE

    Evans, Patrick J.; Wang, Henry Y.

    1984-01-01

    Pigment production by the fungus Monascus sp. was studied to determine why Monascus sp. provides more pigment in solid culture than in submerged culture. Adding a sterilized nonionic polymeric adsorbent resin directly to the growing submerged culture did not enhance the pigment production, thus indicating that pigment extraction is probably not a factor. Monascus cells immobilized in hydrogel were studied and exhibited decreased pigment production as a result of immobilization. This result is...

  18. Mulberry-like dual-drug complicated nanocarriers assembled with apogossypolone amphiphilic starch micelles and doxorubicin hyaluronic acid nanoparticles for tumor combination and targeted therapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Ke; Liu, Hao; Gao, Wei; Chen, Mu; Zeng, Yun; Liu, Jiajun; Xu, Liang; Wu, Daocheng

    2015-01-01

    A comprehensive strategy for the preparation of mulberry-like dual-drug complicated nanocarriers (MLDC NCs) with high drug loading and adjustable dual-drug ratio was developed. First, apogossypolone (ApoG2) amphiphilic starch micelles (AASt MCs) were prepared by self-assembly process, and doxorubicin (DOX) hyaluronic acid nanoparticles (DHA NPs) were prepared by DOX absorption with excess HA by electrostatic absorption. MLDC NCs were obtained by adsorption of 8-9 DHA NPs around one AASt MC via electrostatic interaction. UV-visible and fluorescence spectrophotometers were used to measure the entrapment efficiency and loading efficiency of the two drugs. Transmission electron microscope and dynamic light scattering method were used to observe the size distribution and morphology of the particles. The tumor-targeting feature caused by HA-receptor mediation was confirmed by in vitro cell uptake and in vivo near-infrared fluorescence imaging. MLDC NCs were found to possess a mulberry-like shape with a dynamic size of 83.1 ± 6.6 nm. The final encapsulation efficiencies of ApoG2 and DOX in MLDC NCs were 94 ± 1.7% and 87 ± 5.8% with respect to drug-loading capacities of 13.3 ± 1.2% and 13.1 ± 3.7%, respectively. Almost no ApoG2 release was found within 80 h and less than 30% of DOX was released into the outer phase even after 72 h. In vivo fluorescence imaging revealed that MLDC NCs had highly efficient targeting and accumulation at the tumor in vivo and was maintained for 96 h after being injected intravenously in mice. Low LD50 for the two drugs in MLDC NCs was found after acute toxicity test. One-fifth normal dosage of the two drugs in MLDC NCs exhibited significantly higher anti-tumor efficiency in reducing tumor size compared with free drugs combination or single drug-loaded nanoparticles individually, indicating that the mulberry-like dual-drug nanoplatform has a great potential in tumor therapy. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights

  19. Analysis of basidiomycete pigments in situ by Raman spectroscopy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tauber, James P; Matthäus, Christian; Lenz, Claudius; Hoffmeister, Dirk; Popp, Jürgen

    2018-02-07

    Basidiomycetes, that is, mushroom-type fungi, are known to produce pigments in response to environmental impacts. As antioxidants with a high level of unsaturation, these compounds can neutralize highly oxidative species. In the event of close contact with other microbes, the enzymatically controlled pigment production is triggered and pigment secretion is generated at the interaction zone. The identification and analysis of these pigments is important to understand the defense mechanism of fungi, which is essential to counteract an uncontrolled spread of harmful species. Usually, a detailed analysis of the pigments is time consuming as it depends on laborious sample preparation and isolation procedures. Furthermore, the applied protocols often influence the chemical integrity of the compound of interest. A possibility to noninvasively investigate the pigmentation is Raman microspectroscopy. The methodology has the potential to analyze the chemical composition of the sample spatially resolved at the interaction zone. After the acquisition of a representative spectroscopic library, the pigment production by basidiomycetes was monitored for during response to different fungi and bacteria. The presented results describe a very efficient noninvasive way of pigment analysis which can be applied with minimal sample preparation. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  20. Synthesis of chromium containing pigments from chromium galvanic sludges

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Andreola, F.; Barbieri, L.; Bondioli, F.; Cannio, M.; Ferrari, A.M.; Lancellotti, I.

    2008-01-01

    In this work the screening results of the scientific activity conducted on laboratory scale to valorise chromium(III) contained in the galvanic sludge as chromium precursor for ceramic pigments are reported. The valorisation of this waste as a secondary raw material (SRM) is obtained by achievement of thermal and chemical stable crystal structures able to color ceramic material. Two different pigments pink CaCr 0.04 Sn 0.97 SiO 5 and green Ca 3 Cr 2 (SiO 4 ) 3 were synthesized by solid-state reactions using dried Cr sludge as chromium oxide precursor. The obtained pigments were characterized by X-ray diffraction and SEM analysis. Furthermore the color developed in a suitable ceramic glaze was investigated in comparison with the color developed by the pigments prepared from pure Cr 2 O 3 . The characterization carried out corroborates the thermal and chemical stability of the synthesized pigments and, especially for the Cr-Sn pink pigment, the powders develop an intense color that is very similar to the color developed by the pigments obtained starting from pure Cr 2 O 3

  1. Chemical characterisation of zircon-cadmium sulfoselenide ceramic pigments

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gazulla Barreda, M. F.; Rodrigo Edo, M.; Blasco Roca, E.; Orduna Cordero, M.

    2013-01-01

    The present paper addresses the development of a methodology that allows the complete chemical characterisation of zircon cadmium sulfoselenide ceramic pigments including minor and major elements. To develop the methodology, five zircon-cadmium sulfoselenide pigments with different hues were selected, studying the different measurement process steps, from sample preparation to the optimisation of the measurement of the different components of the pigments by spectroscopic techniques (WD-XRF and elemental analysis by combustion and IR detection). The chemical characterisation method developed was validated with synthetic standards prepared from the mixture of certified reference materials and pure oxides because no certified referenced materials of this type of pigments were commercially available. The developed method can be used for a complete chemical characterization of zircon-cadmium sulfoselenide ceramic pigments with a very low uncertainty for all the elements analysed. (Author)

  2. The Assessment of Natural Pigmentation in Archaeological Wool

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Scharff, Annemette Bruselius

    2018-01-01

    Naturally coloured wool contains pigment grains that mainly occur as ellipsoidal organelles (eumelanin) or spher¬ical grains (pheomelanin). Eumelanin is the most commonly occurring pigment, but naturally coloured wool fi¬bres contain both eumelanin and pheomelanin. In black and brown wool....... This can especially be the case if the pigments are degraded. When analysing the textiles from Lønne Hede (a Danish Iron Age inhumation grave), it was difficult to gain exact information about the natural pigmentation in some of the samples. To investigate this further, four samples of red-brown yarns from...... patterned fragments were selected for analyses. Earlier dyestuff analyses of the red-brown yarns gave no results, and it was therefore necessary to test the yarns for natural pigmentation. Three different methods were used for the analy¬ses. Transmitted light microscopy of whole mounts of the fibres...

  3. Neurotized congenital melanocytic nevus resembling a pigmented neurofibroma

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nidhi Singh

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Neurotized congenital melanocytic nevus and pigmented neurofibroma (PNF are close mimics and pose a clinicopathological challenge. We present a case of pigmented hypertrichotic plaque over lumbosacral region and discuss the differential diagnosis and its clinical, histopathological and immunohistochemistry features which may aid in differentiation. We highlight the difficulties faced in differentiating neurotized congenital melanocytic nevus from pigmented neurofibroma.

  4. A molecular investigation of adsorption onto mineral pigments

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ninness, Brian J.

    Pigment suspensions are important in several processes such as ceramics, paints, inks, and coatings. In the wet state, pigments are combined with a variety of chemical species such as polymers, surfactants, and polyelectrolytes which produce a complex colloidal system. The adsorption, desorption, and redistribution of these species at the pigment-aqueous solution interface can have an impact on the behavior in both the wet state or its final dried state. The goal of this work is to establish a molecular picture of the adsorption properties of these pigmented systems. A novel in situ infrared technique has been developed which allows the detection of adsorbed surface species on pigment particles in an aqueous environment. The technique involves the use of a polymeric binder to anchor the colloidal pigment particles to the surface of an internal reflection element (IRE). The binder only weakly perturbs about 25% of the reactive surface sites (hydroxyl groups) on silica. The reaction of succinic anhydride with an aminosilanized silica surface has been quantified using this technique. The adsorption dynamics of the cationic surfactant cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (C16TAB) at the TiO2-aqueous solution interface has been investigated using Fourier transform infrared-attenuated total reflection spectroscopy (FTIR-ATR) and electrokinetic analysis. At low bulk concentrations, C16TAB is shown to adsorb as isolated islands with a "defective" bilayer structure. Anionic probe molecules are shown to effectively "tune" the adsorbed surfactant microstructure. The results indicate that the structure of the adsorbed surfactant layer, and not the amount of adsorbed surfactant, dictates the subsequent adsorption behavior of the system. Atomic Layer Deposition is used to deposit a TiO2 layer onto the surfaces of silica and kaolin pigments. The process involves the cyclic reaction sequence of the vapors of TiCl4 and H2O. Three complete deposition cycles are needed before the surfaces

  5. Pigment and terracotta analyses of Hellenistic figurines in Crete

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Maravelaki-Kalaitzaki, P.; Kallithrakas-Kontos, N.

    2003-01-01

    The results of the analyses performed on blue, black, brown, orange, white and purple pigments decorating Hellenistic figurines, excavated in a rock-cut tomb in the archaeological zone of Chania, Crete, Greece, are presented. Different spectroscopic techniques, such as Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence identified the compounds present in the chromatic layers. X-ray diffraction analysis gave complementary information and further support to the spectral assignments. Optical microscopy revealed the nature and sequence of the pigmented layer on the terracotta. Several precious pigments, such as Egyptian blue for the bluish areas, Tyrian purple for the purple ones, and the rare huntite for the white-pigmented areas were identified among the studied pigmented areas. The pigment analysis provides information on the technical aspects related to terracotta manufacture and preservation, and promotes historical indications on cultural and commercial changes among the Mediterranean civilisations

  6. Anthocyanin and Carotenoid Contents in Different Cultivars of Chrysanthemum (Dendranthema grandiflorum Ramat. Flower

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chang Ha Park

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available The flowers of twenty-three cultivars of Dendranthema grandiflorum Ramat. were investigated to determine anthocyanin and carotenoid levels and to confirm the effects of the pigments on the flower colors using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC and electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (ESI-MS. The cultivars contained the anthocyanins cyanidin 3-glucoside (C3g and cyanidin 3-(3ʺ-malonoyl glucoside (C3mg and the following carotenoids: lutein, zeaxanthin, β-cryptoxanthin, 13-cis-β-carotene, α-carotene, trans-β-carotene, and 9-cis-β-carotene. The cultivar “Magic” showed the greatest accumulation of total and individual anthocyanins, including C3g and C3gm. On the other hand, the highest level of lutein and zeaxanthin was noted in the cultivar “Il Weol”. The cultivar “Anastasia” contained the highest amount of carotenoids such as trans-β-carotene, 9-cis-β-carotene, and 13-cis-β-carotene. The highest accumulation of β-cryptoxanthin and α-carotene was noted in the cultivar “Anastasia” and “Il Weol”. Our results suggested that ‘Magic”, “Angel” and “Relance’ had high amounts of anthocyanins and showed a wide range of red and purple colors in their petals, whereas “Il Weol’, “Popcorn Ball’ and “Anastasia” produced higher carotenoid contents and displayed yellow or green petal colors. Interestingly, “Green Pang Pang”, which contained a high level of anthocyanins and a medium level of carotenoids, showed the deep green colored petals. “Kastelli”, had high level of carotenoids as well as a medium level of anthocyanins and showed orange and red colored petals. It was concluded that each pigment is responsible for the petal’s colors and the compositions of the pigments affect their flower colors and that the cultivars could be a good source for pharmaceutical, floriculture, and pigment industries.

  7. The gecko visual pigment: the anion hypsochromic effect.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Crescitelli, F; Karvaly, B

    1991-01-01

    The 521-pigment in the retina of the Tokay gecko (Gekko gekko) readily responds to particular physical and chemical changes in its environment. When solubilized in chloride deficient state the addition of Class I anions (Cl-, Br-) induces a bathochromic shift of the absorption spectrum. Class II anions (NO3-, IO3-, N3-, OCN-, SCN-, SeCN-, N(CN)2-), which exhibit ambidental properties, cause an hypsochromic shift. Class III anions (F-, I-, NO2-, CN-, AsO3-, SO2(4-), S2O2(3-) have no spectral effect on the 521-pigment. Cations appear to have no influence on the pigment absorption and Class I anions prevent or reverse the hypsochromic shift caused by Class II anions. It is suggested that the spectral displacements reflect specific changes in the opsin conformation, which alter the immediate (dipolar) environment of the retinal chromophore. The protein conformation seems to promote excited-state processes most in the native 521-pigment state and least in the presence of Class II anions. This in turn suggests that the photosensitivity of the 521-pigment is controlled by the excited rather than by the ground-state properties of the pigment.

  8. Antimicrobial activity of Micrococcus luteus Cartenoid pigment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Huda Z. Majeed

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Cartenoids are group of pigments, with enormous types different structurally and functionally, have colors range from red to yellow found in a wide variety of plants, fungi, algae and bacteria. The animals took from food because they cannot make it, on contrary, the plants and microbes produce them due to subjection to environment. The aim of the study is to isolate and characterize the cartenoid pigment from Micrococcus luteus. The pigment extraction was done by acetone, and then was characterized with UltraViolet-Visible spectroscopy (UV–Vis and Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR spectroscopy. Then, it was tested for antibacterial activity against five different bacterial isolates and antifungal activity tests against six different fungal isolates by well diffusion method. The results found that, the extracted pigment having antibacterial activity and antifungal activity and having the ability to absorb UVA rays within the range of 300-500 nm. There was no significant difference in antimicrobial effect of pigment, even when the extraction and isolation were done by two culture mediums (Nutrient Broth and Luria Bertani Broth. There were considerable inhibition percentages of adhesion after subjection to Cartenoid pigment ranged between (5.71, 23.84 % for Klebsiella spp. and Pseudomonas aeruginosa respectively and all the 11 isolate changed from Biofilm producer to non-producer. The isolated compound can be used against different bacterial and fungal infections. So they had a great future in medicine, cosmetics and as a sun protecting agent.

  9. Intraclutch variation in avian eggshell pigmentation: the anaemia hypothesis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    De Coster, Greet; De Neve, Liesbeth; Lens, Luc

    2012-10-01

    Many passerine species lay eggs that are speckled with dark protoporphyrin pigmentation. Because protoporphyrin is mainly derived from the blood, we here formulate and test a new hypothesis that links an increase in anaemia along the laying sequence to within-clutch variation in egg pigmentation. More intense pigmentation is expected if pigments accumulate during enhanced red blood cell production in response to anaemia. Reduced pigmentation is expected if pigments are derived from the degradation of red blood cells that circulate in smaller numbers due to blood loss. To test this hypothesis, we manipulated anaemia in great tit (Parus major) females by infesting the nests with hen fleas (Ceratophyllus gallinae) prior to egg laying. Polychromatophil (i.e., immature red blood cells) percentage, as a measure of blood cell production, was positively correlated with parasite load confirming that female great tits experienced stronger anaemia when infested with haematophagous parasites during egg laying. We found a positive relationship between spot darkness and laying order that weakened under high parasite load. This result suggests that anaemia in females due to blood-sucking parasites led to diminished protoporphyrin from disintegrated red blood cells and hence a decreased deposition of protoporphyrin. However, the overall increase in pigment darkness along the laying sequence suggests that pigments also accumulate by enhanced red blood cell production caused by anaemia due to egg production itself.

  10. Multiscale Pigment Analysis of Medieval Illuminated Manuscripts

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sestak, Erica; Manukyan, Khachatur; Wiescher, Michael; Gura, David

    2017-09-01

    Three medieval illuminated manuscripts (codd. Lat. b. 1; Lat. b. 2; Lat. e. 4), housed at the University of Notre Dame's Hesburgh Library, vary in style, pigments, scribes, and regions, despite all three being Psalters used in the Late Middle Ages. XRF and Raman spectroscopy, which provided the elemental and molecular composition of the pigments, respectively, were used to analyze the pigments' compositions in an attempt to narrow further the manuscripts' possible origins. This experimental investigation emphasizes the importance of understanding the history of the manuscript through their pigments. Codd. Lat. b. 1 and Lat. b. 2 are Latinate German Psalters from the fifteenth century likely used in Katharinenkloster in Nuremberg. While there are visible differences in style within each Psalter, the variations in some of the pigment compositions, such as the inconstant presence of zinc, suggest different admixtures. Cod. Lat. e. 4 is a Latinate English Psalter from the fourteenth century, and it was written by two scribes and illuminated by two distinct painters. It is currently being tested to determine whether there are any correlations between the scribes and painters. These physical analyses will clarify the origins and provenances of the manuscripts.

  11. Corrosion inhibition by lithium zinc phosphate pigment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Alibakhshi, E.; Ghasemi, E.; Mahdavian, M.

    2013-01-01

    Highlights: •Synthesis of lithium zinc phosphate (LZP) by chemical co-precipitation method. •Corrosion inhibition activity of pigments compare with zinc phosphate (ZP). •LZP showed superior corrosion inhibition effect in EIS measurements. •Evaluation of adhesion strength and dispersion stability. -- Abstract: Lithium zinc phosphate (LZP) has been synthesized through a co-precipitation process and characterized by XRD and IR spectroscopy. The inhibitive performances of this pigment for corrosion of mild steel have been discussed in comparison with the zinc phosphate (ZP) in the pigment extract solution by means of EIS and in the epoxy coating by means of salt spray. The EIS and salt spray results revealed the superior corrosion inhibitive effect of LZP compared to ZP. Moreover, adhesion strength and dispersion stability of the pigmented epoxy coating showed the advantage of LZP compared to ZP

  12. Differences in pigmentation between life cycle stages in Scrippsiella lachrymosa (dinophyceae).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Persson, Agneta; Smith, Barry C; Cyronak, Tyler; Cooper, Emily; DiTullio, Giacomo R

    2016-02-01

    Various life cycle stages of cyst-producing dinoflagellates often appear differently colored under the microscope; gametes appear paler while zygotes are darker in comparison to vegetative cells. To compare physiological and photochemical competency, the pigment composition of discrete life cycle stages was determined for the common resting cyst-producing dinoflagellate Scrippsiella lachrymosa. Vegetative cells had the highest cellular pigment content (25.2 ± 0.5 pg · cell(-1) ), whereas gamete pigment content was 22% lower. The pigment content of zygotes was 82% lower than vegetative cells, even though they appeared darker under the microscope. Zygotes of S. lachrymosa contained significantly higher cellular concentrations of β-carotene (0.65 ± 0.15 pg · cell(-1) ) than all other life stages. Photoprotective pigments and the de-epoxidation ratio of xanthophylls-cycle pigments in S. lachrymosa were significantly elevated in zygotes and cysts compared to other stages. This suggests a role for accessory pigments in combating intracellular oxidative stress during sexual reproduction or encystment. Resting cysts contained some pigments even though chloroplasts were not visible, suggesting that the brightly colored accumulation body contained photosynthetic pigments. The differences in pigmentation between life stages have implications for interpretation of pigment data from field samples when sampled during dinoflagellate blooms. © 2015 Phycological Society of America.

  13. Fe K-edge XANES of Maya blue pigment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Río, M. Sánchez del; Sodo, A.; Eeckhout, S. G.; Neisius, T.; Martinetto, P.; Dooryhée, E.; Reyes-Valerio, C.

    2005-08-01

    The utilization of techniques used in Materials Science for the characterization of artefacts of interest for cultural heritage is getting more and more attention nowadays. One of the products of the ancient Maya chemistry is the "Maya blue" pigment, made with natural indigo and palygorskite. This pigment is different from any other pigment used in other parts of the world. It is durable and acid-resistant, and still keeps many secrets to scientists even though it has been studied for more than 50 years. Although the pigment is basically made of palygorskite Si8(Mg2Al2)O20(OH)2(OH2)4.4H2O and an organic colourant (indigo: C16H10N2O2), a number of other compounds have been found in previous studies on archaeological samples, like other clays and minerals, iron nanoparticles, iron oxides, impurities of transition metals (Cr, Mn, Ti, V), etc. We measured at the ESRF ID26 beamline the Fe K-edge XANES spectra of the blue pigment in ancient samples. They are compared to XANES spectra of Maya blue samples synthesized under controlled conditions, and iron oxides usually employed as pigments (hematite and goethite). Our results show that the iron found in ancient Maya blue pigment is related to the Fe exchanged in the palygorskite clay. We did not find iron in metallic form or goethite in archaeological Maya blue.

  14. Fe K-edge XANES of Maya blue pigment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rio, M. Sanchez del; Sodo, A.; Eeckhout, S.G.; Neisius, T.; Martinetto, P.; Dooryhee, E.; Reyes-Valerio, C.

    2005-01-01

    The utilization of techniques used in Materials Science for the characterization of artefacts of interest for cultural heritage is getting more and more attention nowadays. One of the products of the ancient Maya chemistry is the 'Maya blue' pigment, made with natural indigo and palygorskite. This pigment is different from any other pigment used in other parts of the world. It is durable and acid-resistant, and still keeps many secrets to scientists even though it has been studied for more than 50 years. Although the pigment is basically made of palygorskite Si 8 (Mg 2 Al 2 )O 20 (OH) 2 (OH 2 ) 4 .4H 2 O and an organic colourant (indigo: C 16 H 10 N 2 O 2 ), a number of other compounds have been found in previous studies on archaeological samples, like other clays and minerals, iron nanoparticles, iron oxides, impurities of transition metals (Cr, Mn, Ti, V), etc. We measured at the ESRF ID26 beamline the Fe K-edge XANES spectra of the blue pigment in ancient samples. They are compared to XANES spectra of Maya blue samples synthesized under controlled conditions, and iron oxides usually employed as pigments (hematite and goethite). Our results show that the iron found in ancient Maya blue pigment is related to the Fe exchanged in the palygorskite clay. We did not find iron in metallic form or goethite in archaeological Maya blue

  15. Combined Laser Treatment in a Patient with Pigment Dispersion Secondary to a Large Iris Pigment Epithelial Cyst

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Özlem Yıldırım

    2012-09-01

    Full Text Available We reported a case of bilateral extensive iris pigment epithelial cysts masquerading as pigment dispersion. A-30-year-old male patient presented with a dull pain in both eyes and a decreased visual acuity OD. He underwent a complete ophthalmic examination. OD was injected and the cells were graded as +3 and pigmented a +2, in the OS. Intraocular pressures (IOP were measured as 42 (OD and 22 (OS mmHg. Gonioscopy revealed a confluent accumulation of dense pigment in both eyes. Visual fields, peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer thickness (Spectral OCT/SLO OTI-OPKO Health. Inc, Miami, FL and optic nerve head tomography (HRT-II Heidelberg Engineering, Heidelberg, Germany results were within normal limits. On ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM, bilateral extensive cysts were identified in the midzonal portion of the iris and in the ciliary body. An, antiglaucomatous treatment was started. Then, we decided to perform both Nd:YAG laser iridocystotomyc and selective laser trabeculoplasty. Fourteen months after the combined therapy, the cysts had not recurred, and still apposed and the IOPs were under control without medication.

  16. Combined laser treatment in a patient with pigment dispersion secondary to a large iris pigment epithelial cyst.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aykan, Umit; Yıldırım, Ozlem

    2012-09-01

    We reported a case of bilateral extensive iris pigment epithelial cysts masquerading as pigment dispersion. A-30-year-old male patient presented with a dull pain in both eyes and a decreased visual acuity OD. He underwent a complete ophthalmic examination. OD was injected and the cells were graded as +3 and pigmented a +2, in the OS. Intraocular pressures (IOP) were measured as 42 (OD) and 22 (OS) mmHg. Gonioscopy revealed a confluent accumulation of dense pigment in both eyes. Visual fields, peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer thickness (Spectral OCT/SLO OTI-OPKO Health. Inc, Miami, FL) and optic nerve head tomography (HRT-II Heidelberg Engineering, Heidelberg, Germany) results were within normal limits. On ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM), bilateral extensive cysts were identified in the midzonal portion of the iris and in the ciliary body. An, antiglaucomatous treatment was started. Then, we decided to perform both Nd:YAG laser iridocystotomyc and selective laser trabeculoplasty. Fourteen months after the combined therapy, the cysts had not recurred, and still apposed and the IOPs were under control without medication.

  17. Single Molecule Spectroscopy on Photosynthetic Pigment-Protein Complexes

    CERN Document Server

    Jelezko, F; Schuler, S; Thews, E; Tietz, C; Wechsler, A; Wrachtrup, J

    2001-01-01

    Single molecule spectroscopy was applied to unravel the energy transfer pathway in photosynthetic pigment-protein complexes. Detailed analysis of excitation and fluorescence emission spectra has been made for peripheral plant antenna LHC II and Photosystem I from cyanobacterium Synechococcus elongatus. Optical transitions of individual pigments were resolved under nonselective excitation of antenna chlorophylls. High-resolution fluorescence spectroscopy of individual plant antenna LHC II indicates that at low temperatures, the excitation energy is localized on the red-most Chl a pool absorbing at 680 nm. More than one pigment molecule is responsible for the fluorescence emission of the LHC II trimer. The spectral lines of single Chl a molecules absorbing at 675 nm are broadened because of the Foerster energy transfer towards the red-most pigments. Low-temperature spectroscopy on single PS I trimers indicates that two subgroups of pigments, which are present in the red antenna pool, differ by the strength of t...

  18. Emerging greener extraction systems for fungal pigments isolation

    OpenAIRE

    Lebeau , Juliana; Venkatachalam , Mekala; Fouillaud , Mireille; Dufossé , Laurent; Caro , Yanis

    2016-01-01

    International audience; Filamentous fungi produce a mixture of various metabolites such as pigments, fatty acids, proteins and other cellular metabolites. Thus, extraction and isolation of the pigmented molecules of interest are necessary steps before proceeding to any further utilization of these metabolites for commercial applications. Pigments can be stored within the biomass, excreted in the fermentation broth or both, suggesting that extraction methods need to be developed accordingly to...

  19. Neoplasia versus hyperplasia of the retinal pigment epithelium

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Heegaard, Steffen; Larsen, J.N.B.; Fledelius, Hans C.

    2001-01-01

    ophthalmology, retinal pigment epithelium, adenoma, tumor-like hyperplasia, histology, immunohistochemistry, tumor, neoplasm, ultrasonography......ophthalmology, retinal pigment epithelium, adenoma, tumor-like hyperplasia, histology, immunohistochemistry, tumor, neoplasm, ultrasonography...

  20. Finnish wallpaper pigments in the 18th-19th century: Presence of KFe3(CrO4)2(OH)6 and odd pigment mixtures

    Science.gov (United States)

    Castro, Kepa; Knuutinen, Ulla; Vallejuelo, Silvia Fdez-Ortiz de; Irazola, Mireia; Madariaga, Juan Manuel

    2013-04-01

    Several Finish wallpapers from the 18th and 19th century were analysed by using Raman spectroscopy assisted with EDXRF instrumentation, in an attempt of determine the pigments used in their manufacture process as well as of trying to date some of the samples through pigment composition. All pigments present in samples were determined and surprisingly the unusual and strange iron (III) chromate yellow pigment was found. Besides, unusual mixtures were found to obtain fashionable colours, especially in blue and green areas, where more than one blue pigments were mixed with green and yellow pigments. Blue verditer, ultramarine blue, Prussian blue, chrome yellow, calcite, lead white, red and yellow iron oxide, gypsum and carbon black were identified. The presence of the risky and poisonous emerald green must be highlighted. The results were compared with those found in other wallpapers from Spain and France.

  1. Zinc deficiency leads to lipofuscin accumulation in the retinal pigment epithelium of pigmented rats.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sylvie Julien

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Age-related macular degeneration (AMD is associated with lipofuscin accumulation whereas the content of melanosomes decreases. Melanosomes are the main storage of zinc in the pigmented tissues. Since the elderly population, as the most affected group for AMD, is prone to zinc deficit, we investigated the chemical and ultrastructural effects of zinc deficiency in pigmented rat eyes after a six-month zinc penury diet. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Adult Long Evans (LE rats were investigated. The control animals were fed with a normal alimentation whereas the zinc-deficiency rats (ZD-LE were fed with a zinc deficient diet for six months. Quantitative Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX microanalysis yielded the zinc mole fractions of melanosomes in the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE. The lateral resolution of the analysis was 100 nm. The zinc mole fractions of melanosomes were significantly smaller in the RPE of ZD-LE rats as compared to the LE control rats. Light, fluorescence and electron microscopy, as well as immunohistochemistry were performed. The numbers of lipofuscin granules in the RPE and of infiltrated cells (Ø>3 µm found in the choroid were quantified. The number of lipofuscin granules significantly increased in ZD-LE as compared to control rats. Infiltrated cells bigger than 3 µm were only detected in the choroid of ZD-LE animals. Moreover, the thickness of the Bruch's membrane of ZD-LE rats varied between 0.4-3 µm and thin, rangy ED1 positive macrophages were found attached at these sites of Bruch's membrane or even inside it. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: In pigmented rats, zinc deficiency yielded an accumulation of lipofuscin in the RPE and of large pigmented macrophages in the choroids as well as the appearance of thin, rangy macrophages at Bruch's membrane. Moreover, we showed that a zinc diet reduced the zinc mole fraction of melanosomes in the RPE and modulated the thickness of the Bruch's membrane.

  2. Rapid quantitative analysis of individual anthocyanin content based on high-performance liquid chromatography with diode array detection with the pH differential method.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Huayin

    2014-09-01

    A new quantitative technique for the simultaneous quantification of the individual anthocyanins based on the pH differential method and high-performance liquid chromatography with diode array detection is proposed in this paper. The six individual anthocyanins (cyanidin 3-glucoside, cyanidin 3-rutinoside, petunidin 3-glucoside, petunidin 3-rutinoside, and malvidin 3-rutinoside) from mulberry (Morus rubra) and Liriope platyphylla were used for demonstration and validation. The elution of anthocyanins was performed using a C18 column with stepwise gradient elution and individual anthocyanins were identified by high-performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry. Based on the pH differential method, the high-performance liquid chromatography peak areas of maximum and reference absorption wavelengths of anthocyanin extracts were conducted to quantify individual anthocyanins. The calibration curves for these anthocyanins were linear within the range of 10-5500 mg/L. The correlation coefficients (r(2)) all exceeded 0.9972, and the limits of detection were in the range of 1-4 mg/L at a signal-to-noise ratio ≥5 for these anthocyanins. The proposed quantitative analysis was reproducible with good accuracy of all individual anthocyanins ranging from 96.3 to 104.2% and relative recoveries were in the range 98.4-103.2%. The proposed technique is performed without anthocyanin standards and is a simple, rapid, accurate, and economical method to determine individual anthocyanin contents. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  3. Fe K-edge XANES of Maya blue pigment

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rio, M. Sanchez del [ESRF, Experiments Division, B.P. 220, F-38043, Grenoble Cedex (France)]. E-mail: srio@esrf.fr; Sodo, A. [ESRF, Experiments Division, B.P. 220, F-38043, Grenoble Cedex (France); Eeckhout, S.G. [ESRF, Experiments Division, B.P. 220, F-38043, Grenoble Cedex (France); Neisius, T. [ESRF, Experiments Division, B.P. 220, F-38043, Grenoble Cedex (France); Martinetto, P. [Laboratoire de Cristallographie, CNRS, Grenoble B.P. 166, F-38042, Grenoble Cedex 09 (France); Dooryhee, E. [Laboratoire de Cristallographie, CNRS, Grenoble B.P. 166, F-38042, Grenoble Cedex 09 (France); Reyes-Valerio, C. [INAH, Mexico DF (Mexico)

    2005-08-15

    The utilization of techniques used in Materials Science for the characterization of artefacts of interest for cultural heritage is getting more and more attention nowadays. One of the products of the ancient Maya chemistry is the 'Maya blue' pigment, made with natural indigo and palygorskite. This pigment is different from any other pigment used in other parts of the world. It is durable and acid-resistant, and still keeps many secrets to scientists even though it has been studied for more than 50 years. Although the pigment is basically made of palygorskite Si{sub 8}(Mg{sub 2}Al{sub 2})O{sub 20}(OH){sub 2}(OH{sub 2}){sub 4}.4H{sub 2}O and an organic colourant (indigo: C{sub 16}H{sub 10}N{sub 2}O{sub 2}), a number of other compounds have been found in previous studies on archaeological samples, like other clays and minerals, iron nanoparticles, iron oxides, impurities of transition metals (Cr, Mn, Ti, V), etc. We measured at the ESRF ID26 beamline the Fe K-edge XANES spectra of the blue pigment in ancient samples. They are compared to XANES spectra of Maya blue samples synthesized under controlled conditions, and iron oxides usually employed as pigments (hematite and goethite). Our results show that the iron found in ancient Maya blue pigment is related to the Fe exchanged in the palygorskite clay. We did not find iron in metallic form or goethite in archaeological Maya blue.

  4. Pigment dispersion syndrome: a clinical study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scheie, H G; Cameron, J D

    1981-01-01

    This study involved a group of 407 patients (799 eyes) with pigment dispersion syndrome gathered from a glaucoma population of 9200 patients. The sex distribution was equal. The majority (65%) of patients were myopic. The incidence of retinal detachment was 6.4%. No patients were black, but 5 were mulatto. Approximately one-quarter of the patients wih pigment dispersion syndrome (31% of the men, 19% of the women) had glaucoma. The average age of onset of glaucoma was 15 years less than in control patients with chronic simple glaucoma. When both eyes were affected by glaucoma, the glaucoma was consistently more severe in the eye with the more heavily pigmented angle. The degree of iris transillumination was found to be of no importance in predicting the presence of glaucoma or the severity of trabecular pigmentation. The pressure in 66% of the eyes with pigmentary glaucoma was controlled medically. A higher percentage of patients with pigmentary glaucoma required surgery than patients in the control group with chronic simple glaucoma. Men with pigmentary glaucoma required surgery at a much earlier age than women with pigmentary glaucoma. PMID:7236571

  5. Nanoscale Coloristic Pigments: Upper Limits on Releases from Pigmented Plastic during Environmental Aging, In Food Contact, and by Leaching.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Neubauer, Nicole; Scifo, Lorette; Navratilova, Jana; Gondikas, Andreas; Mackevica, Aiga; Borschneck, Daniel; Chaurand, Perrine; Vidal, Vladimir; Rose, Jerome; von der Kammer, Frank; Wohlleben, Wendel

    2017-10-17

    The life cycle of nanoscale pigments in plastics may cause environmental or human exposure by various release scenarios. We investigated spontaneous and induced release with mechanical stress during/after simulated sunlight and rain degradation of polyethylene (PE) with organic and inorganic pigments. Additionally, primary leaching in food contact and secondary leaching from nanocomposite fragments with an increased surface into environmental media was examined. Standardized protocols/methods for release sampling, detection, and characterization of release rate and form were applied: Transformation of the bulk material was analyzed by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), X-ray-tomography and Fourier-Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR); releases were quantified by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS), single-particle-ICP-MS (sp-ICP-MS), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), Analytical Ultracentrifugation (AUC), and UV/Vis spectroscopy. In all scenarios, the detectable particulate releases were attributed primarily to contaminations from handling and machining of the plastics, and were not identified with the pigments, although the contamination of 4 mg/kg (Fe) was dwarfed by the intentional content of 5800 mg/kg (Fe as Fe 2 O 3 pigment). We observed modulations (which were at least partially preventable by UV stabilizers) when comparing as-produced and aged nanocomposites, but no significant increase of releases. Release of pigments was negligible within the experimental error for all investigated scenarios, with upper limits of 10 mg/m 2 or 1600 particles/mL. This is the first holistic confirmation that pigment nanomaterials remain strongly contained in a plastic that has low diffusion and high persistence such as the polyolefin High Density Polyethylene (HDPE).

  6. Pigment Production on L-Tryptophan Medium by Cryptococcus gattii and Cryptococcus neoformans

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chaskes, Stuart; Cammer, Michael; Nieves, Edward; Casadevall, Arturo

    2014-01-01

    In recent years strains previously grouped within Cryptococcus neoformans have been divided into two species C. neoformans and C. gattii, with Cryptococcus neoformans comprising serotypes A, D, and AD and C. gattii comprising serotypes B and C. Cryptococcus neoformans have also been subdivided into two varieties C. neoformans var. grubii, serotype A, and C. neoformans var. neoformans, serotype D. We analyzed the growth and pigment production characteristics of 139 strains of Cryptococcus spp. in L-tryptophan containing media. Nearly all strains of Cryptococcus, including each variety and serotype tested produced a pink water-soluble pigment (molecular weight of 535.2 Da) from L-tryptophan. Consequently, the partial separation of the species was based on whether the pink pigment was secreted into the medium (extracellular) or retained as an intracellular pigment. On L-tryptophan medium C. neoformans var. grubii and serotype AD produced a pink extracellular pigment. In contrast, for C. gattii, the pink pigment was localized intracellularly and masked by heavy production of brown pigments. Pigment production by C. neoformans var. neoformans was variable with some strains producing the pink extracellular pigment and others retained the pink pigment intracellularly. The pink intracellular pigment produced by strains of C. neoformans var. neoformans was masked by production of brown pigments. Cryptococcus laccase mutants failed to produce pigments from L-tryptophan. This is the first report that the enzyme laccase is involved in tryptophan metabolism. Prior to this report Cryptococcus laccase produced melanin or melanin like-pigments from heterocyclic compounds that contained ortho or para diphenols, diaminobenzenes and aminophenol compounds. The pigments produced from L-tryptophan were not melanin. PMID:24736553

  7. Pigment production on L-tryptophan medium by Cryptococcus gattii and Cryptococcus neoformans.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chaskes, Stuart; Cammer, Michael; Nieves, Edward; Casadevall, Arturo

    2014-01-01

    In recent years strains previously grouped within Cryptococcus neoformans have been divided into two species C. neoformans and C. gattii, with Cryptococcus neoformans comprising serotypes A, D, and AD and C. gattii comprising serotypes B and C. Cryptococcus neoformans have also been subdivided into two varieties C. neoformans var. grubii, serotype A, and C. neoformans var. neoformans, serotype D. We analyzed the growth and pigment production characteristics of 139 strains of Cryptococcus spp. in L-tryptophan containing media. Nearly all strains of Cryptococcus, including each variety and serotype tested produced a pink water-soluble pigment (molecular weight of 535.2 Da) from L-tryptophan. Consequently, the partial separation of the species was based on whether the pink pigment was secreted into the medium (extracellular) or retained as an intracellular pigment. On L-tryptophan medium C. neoformans var. grubii and serotype AD produced a pink extracellular pigment. In contrast, for C. gattii, the pink pigment was localized intracellularly and masked by heavy production of brown pigments. Pigment production by C. neoformans var. neoformans was variable with some strains producing the pink extracellular pigment and others retained the pink pigment intracellularly. The pink intracellular pigment produced by strains of C. neoformans var. neoformans was masked by production of brown pigments. Cryptococcus laccase mutants failed to produce pigments from L-tryptophan. This is the first report that the enzyme laccase is involved in tryptophan metabolism. Prior to this report Cryptococcus laccase produced melanin or melanin like-pigments from heterocyclic compounds that contained ortho or para diphenols, diaminobenzenes and aminophenol compounds. The pigments produced from L-tryptophan were not melanin.

  8. Pigment production on L-tryptophan medium by Cryptococcus gattii and Cryptococcus neoformans.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Stuart Chaskes

    Full Text Available In recent years strains previously grouped within Cryptococcus neoformans have been divided into two species C. neoformans and C. gattii, with Cryptococcus neoformans comprising serotypes A, D, and AD and C. gattii comprising serotypes B and C. Cryptococcus neoformans have also been subdivided into two varieties C. neoformans var. grubii, serotype A, and C. neoformans var. neoformans, serotype D. We analyzed the growth and pigment production characteristics of 139 strains of Cryptococcus spp. in L-tryptophan containing media. Nearly all strains of Cryptococcus, including each variety and serotype tested produced a pink water-soluble pigment (molecular weight of 535.2 Da from L-tryptophan. Consequently, the partial separation of the species was based on whether the pink pigment was secreted into the medium (extracellular or retained as an intracellular pigment. On L-tryptophan medium C. neoformans var. grubii and serotype AD produced a pink extracellular pigment. In contrast, for C. gattii, the pink pigment was localized intracellularly and masked by heavy production of brown pigments. Pigment production by C. neoformans var. neoformans was variable with some strains producing the pink extracellular pigment and others retained the pink pigment intracellularly. The pink intracellular pigment produced by strains of C. neoformans var. neoformans was masked by production of brown pigments. Cryptococcus laccase mutants failed to produce pigments from L-tryptophan. This is the first report that the enzyme laccase is involved in tryptophan metabolism. Prior to this report Cryptococcus laccase produced melanin or melanin like-pigments from heterocyclic compounds that contained ortho or para diphenols, diaminobenzenes and aminophenol compounds. The pigments produced from L-tryptophan were not melanin.

  9. Pigments produced by the bacteria belonging to the genus Arthrobacter

    OpenAIRE

    Sutthiwong , Nuthathai; Caro , Yanis; Fouillaud , Mireille; Laurent , Philippe; Valla , A.; Dufossé , Laurent

    2013-01-01

    Poster communication, 7th International Congress of Pigments in Food – New technologies towards health, through colors, Novara, Italy, June 18-21, 2013.; International audience; Since several decades, pigments have been used as a taxonomic tool for the identification and classification of bacteria. Nowadays, pigment producing microorganisms have been also widely interested in scientific disciplines because of their biotechnological potential. With the growing interest in microbial pigments be...

  10. Pigment Production Analysis in Human Melanoma Cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hopkin, Amelia Soto; Paterson, Elyse K; Ruiz, Rolando; Ganesan, Anand K

    2016-05-25

    The human epidermal melanocyte is a highly specialized pigmented cell that serves to protect the epidermis from ultraviolet (UV) damage through the production of melanin, or melanogenesis. Misregulation in melanogenesis leading to either hyper- or hypo-pigmentation is found in human diseases such as malasma and vitiligo. Current therapies for these diseases are largely unsuccessful and the need for new therapies is necessary. In order to identify genes and or compounds that can alter melanogenesis, methods are required that can detect changes in pigment production as well as expression of key melanogenesis transcription factors and enzymes. Here we describe methods to detect changes in melanogenesis in a human melanoma cell line, MNT-1, by (1) analyzing pigment production by measuring the absorbance of melanin present by spectrophotometry, (2) analyzing transcript expression of potent regulators of melanogenesis by qunatitative reverse-transcription (RT)PCR and (3) analyzing protein expression of potent regulators of melanogenesis by Western blot (WB).

  11. Multi-analytical study of historical semiconductor pigments

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Caporosso, V.

    2015-01-01

    This work is focused on the study of semiconductor-based pigments, which substituted traditional pigments in the second half of the 19. century. Synthetic semiconductor pigments may be chemically unstable due to the presence of many impurities unintentionally introduced during manufacturing. The aim of this work is to provide an insight on the application of X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) for the analysis of these painting materials, including both Cd- and Zn-based pigments. Three different approaches have been followed: the semi-quantitative analysis of samples with similar elemental composition, the complementary use of XRF and Raman spectroscopy for the analysis of elemental and molecular composition and the synchrotron-based XRF and XANES for the detection of impurities. The synergetic combination of different techniques provides information useful for the definition of specific markers for future analysis of paint-samples with implications for the conservation and treatment of late 19. and early 20. century paintings.

  12. Blue Pseudoazulene-Skeleton Pigments of Natural Origin

    OpenAIRE

    井上, 謙一郎; イノウエ, ケンイチロウ; KENICHIRO, INOUE

    1993-01-01

    Genipin, an iridoid constituent of Genipa americana, readily reacts with amino acids in the presence of oxygen to give a mixture of polymeric blue pigments whose structures are not determined. In the basic studies to elucidate the structure and formation mechnism of blue pigments, the reaction of genipin with methylamine in the absence of oxygen yielded 9 red compounds leading to blue pigments. In this article, the structures and spectroscopic properties of these red compounds were described....

  13. Internal pigment cells respond to external UV radiation in frogs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Franco-Belussi, Lilian; Nilsson Sköld, Helen; de Oliveira, Classius

    2016-05-01

    Fish and amphibians have pigment cells that generate colorful skins important for signaling, camouflage, thermoregulation and protection against ultraviolet radiation (UVR). However, many animals also have pigment cells inside their bodies, on their internal organs and membranes. In contrast to external pigmentation, internal pigmentation is remarkably little studied and its function is not well known. Here, we tested genotoxic effects of UVR and its effects on internal pigmentation in a neotropical frog, Physalaemus nattereri We found increases in body darkness and internal melanin pigmentation in testes and heart surfaces and in the mesenterium and lumbar region after just a few hours of UVR exposure. The melanin dispersion in melanomacrophages in the liver and melanocytes in testes increased after UV exposure. In addition, the amount of melanin inside melanomacrophages cells also increased. Although mast cells were quickly activated by UVR, only longer UVR exposure resulted in genotoxic effects inside frogs, by increasing the frequency of micronuclei in red blood cells. This is the first study to describe systemic responses of external UVR on internal melanin pigmentation, melanomacrophages and melanocytes in frogs and thus provides a functional explanation to the presence of internal pigmentation. © 2016. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

  14. Mercury adsorption of modified mulberry twig chars in a simulated flue gas.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shu, Tong; Lu, Ping; He, Nan

    2013-05-01

    Mulberry twig chars were prepared by pyrolysis, steam activation and impregnation with H2O2, ZnCl2 and NaCl. Textural characteristics and surface functional groups were performed using nitrogen adsorption and FTIR, respectively. Mercury adsorption of different modified MT chars was investigated in a quartz fixed-bed absorber. The results indicated that steam activation and H2O2-impregnation can improve pore structure significantly and H2O2-impregnation and chloride-impregnation promote surface functional groups. However, chloride-impregnation has adverse effect on pore structure. Mercury adsorption capacities of impregnated MT chars with 10% or 30% H2O2 are 2.02 and 1.77 times of steam activated MT char, respectively. Mercury adsorption capacity of ZnCl2-impregnated MT char increase with increasing ZnCl2 content and is better than that of NaCl-impregnated MT char at the same chloride content. The modified MT char (MT873-A-Z5) prepared by steam activation following impregnation with 5% ZnCl2 exhibits a higher mercury adsorption capacity (29.55 μg g(-1)) than any other MT chars. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Pigment dispersion syndrome and pigmentary glaucoma--a major review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Niyadurupola, Nuwan; Broadway, David C

    2008-12-01

    Pigment dispersion syndrome (PDS) is an interesting condition that can lead to secondary open angle glaucoma. Pigmentary glaucoma is primarily a disease of young people, myopes and men. PDS is characterized by the presence of Krukenberg spindles, iris trans-illumination defects, trabecular meshwork pigmentation and backward bowing of the iris. Posterior bowing of the iris causes rubbing of the pigmented iris epithelium against lens structures, liberation of pigment and trabecular meshwork changes that result in reduced aqueous outflow with the risk of glaucoma. Peripheral laser iridotomy can reverse backward bowing of the iris and may prevent progression of pigmentary glaucoma.

  16. Optimization and design of pigments for heat-insulating coatings

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Guang-Hai; Zhang, Yue

    2010-12-01

    This paper reports that heat insulating property of infrared reflective coatings is obtained through the use of pigments which diffuse near-infrared thermal radiation. Suitable structure and size distribution of pigments would attain maximum diffuse infrared radiation and reduce the pigment volume concentration required. The optimum structure and size range of pigments for reflective infrared coatings are studied by using Kubelka—Munk theory, Mie model and independent scattering approximation. Taking titania particle as the pigment embedded in an inorganic coating, the computational results show that core-shell particles present excellent scattering ability, more so than solid and hollow spherical particles. The optimum radius range of core-shell particles is around 0.3 ~ 1.6 μm. Furthermore, the influence of shell thickness on optical parameters of the coating is also obvious and the optimal thickness of shell is 100-300 nm.

  17. Studies on the bio production of monascus red pigment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Emam, D.A.

    2007-01-01

    there is an increasing interest on natural pigments to replace some currently used synthetic dyes, since the latter have been associated with toxic effects in foods. the red pigment of the fungus Monascus is widely used in all the world as food additives or pharmaceuticals. although pigment production by Monascus spp.in chemically defined media is well documented, very few information is available about the use of agro-industrial wastes. in this regard, the present study has been devoted to investigate the effect of different parameters on red pigment production by the local isolated strain of M. purpureu, in an attempt to maximize the production, and also to develop a potential fermentation process for the production of red pigment using potato processing wastewater (PPW,waters used to wash the potato slices prior to cooking in chips and crisp manufacture) as cheap production medium

  18. Relative Pigment Composition and Remote Sensing Reflectance of Caribbean Shallow-Water Corals.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Juan L Torres-Pérez

    Full Text Available Reef corals typically contain a number of pigments, mostly due to their symbiotic relationship with photosynthetic dinoflagellates. These pigments usually vary in presence and concentration and influence the spectral characteristics of corals. We studied the variations in pigment composition among seven Caribbean shallow-water Scleractinian corals by means of High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC analysis to further resolve the discrimination of corals. We found a total of 27 different pigments among the coral species, including some alteration products of the main pigments. Additionally, pigments typically found in endolithic algae were also identified. A Principal Components Analysis and a Hierarchical Cluster Analysis showed the separation of coral species based on pigment composition. All the corals were collected under the same physical environmental conditions. This suggests that pigment in the coral's symbionts might be more genetically-determined than influenced by prevailing physical conditions of the reef. We further investigated the use of remote sensing reflectance (Rrs as a tool for estimating the total pigment concentration of reef corals. Depending on the coral species, the Rrs and the total symbiont pigment concentration per coral tissue area correlation showed 79.5-98.5% confidence levels demonstrating its use as a non-invasive robust technique to estimate pigment concentration in studies of coral reef biodiversity and health.

  19. Relative Pigment Composition and Remote Sensing Reflectance of Caribbean Shallow-Water Corals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Torres-Pérez, Juan L; Guild, Liane S; Armstrong, Roy A; Corredor, Jorge; Zuluaga-Montero, Anabella; Polanco, Ramón

    2015-01-01

    Reef corals typically contain a number of pigments, mostly due to their symbiotic relationship with photosynthetic dinoflagellates. These pigments usually vary in presence and concentration and influence the spectral characteristics of corals. We studied the variations in pigment composition among seven Caribbean shallow-water Scleractinian corals by means of High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) analysis to further resolve the discrimination of corals. We found a total of 27 different pigments among the coral species, including some alteration products of the main pigments. Additionally, pigments typically found in endolithic algae were also identified. A Principal Components Analysis and a Hierarchical Cluster Analysis showed the separation of coral species based on pigment composition. All the corals were collected under the same physical environmental conditions. This suggests that pigment in the coral's symbionts might be more genetically-determined than influenced by prevailing physical conditions of the reef. We further investigated the use of remote sensing reflectance (Rrs) as a tool for estimating the total pigment concentration of reef corals. Depending on the coral species, the Rrs and the total symbiont pigment concentration per coral tissue area correlation showed 79.5-98.5% confidence levels demonstrating its use as a non-invasive robust technique to estimate pigment concentration in studies of coral reef biodiversity and health.

  20. Production and chemical characterization of pigments in filamentous fungi.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Souza, Patrícia Nirlane da Costa; Grigoletto, Tahuana Luiza Bim; de Moraes, Luiz Alberto Beraldo; Abreu, Lucas M; Guimarães, Luís Henrique Souza; Santos, Cledir; Galvão, Luciano Ribeiro; Cardoso, Patrícia Gomes

    2016-01-01

    Production of pigments by filamentous fungi is gaining interest owing to their use as food colourants, in cosmetics and textiles, and because of the important biological activities of these compounds. In this context, the objectives of this study were to select pigment-producing fungi, identify these fungi based on internal transcribed spacer sequences, evaluate the growth and pigment production of the selected strains on four different media, and characterize the major coloured metabolites in their extracts. Of the selected fungal strains, eight were identified as Aspergillus sydowii (CML2967), Aspergillus aureolatus (CML2964), Aspergillus keveii (CML2968), Penicillium flavigenum (CML2965), Penicillium chermesinum (CML2966), Epicoccum nigrum (CML2971), Lecanicillium aphanocladii (CML2970) and Fusarium sp. (CML2969). Fungal pigment production was influenced by medium composition. Complex media, such as potato dextrose and malt extract, favoured increased pigment production. The coloured compounds oosporein, orevactaene and dihydrotrichodimerol were identified in extracts of L. aphanocladii (CML2970), E. nigrum (CML2971), and P. flavigenum (CML2965), respectively. These results indicate that the selected fungal strains can serve as novel sources of pigments that have important industrial applications.

  1. Analysis of ancient pigments by Raman microscopy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zuo Jian; Xu Cunyi

    1999-01-01

    Raman microscopy can be applied for the spatial resolution, and non-destructive in situ analysis of inorganic pigments in pottery, manuscripts and paintings. Compared with other techniques, it is the best single technique for this purpose. An overview is presented of the applications of Raman microscopy in the analysis of ancient pigments

  2. Heterotrophic cultivation of microalgae for pigment production: A review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hu, Jianjun; Nagarajan, Dillirani; Zhang, Quanguo; Chang, Jo-Shu; Lee, Duu-Jong

    Pigments (mainly carotenoids) are important nutraceuticals known for their potent anti-oxidant activities and have been used extensively as high end health supplements. Microalgae are the most promising sources of natural carotenoids and are devoid of the toxic effects associated with synthetic derivatives. Compared to photoautotrophic cultivation, heterotrophic cultivation of microalgae in well-controlled bioreactors for pigments production has attracted much attention for commercial applications due to overcoming the difficulties associated with the supply of CO 2 and light, as well as avoiding the contamination problems and land requirements in open autotrophic culture systems. In this review, the heterotrophic metabolic potential of microalgae and their uses in pigment production are comprehensively described. Strategies to enhance pigment production under heterotrophic conditions are critically discussed and the challenges faced in heterotrophic pigment production with possible alternative solutions are presented. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. Production of Monascus pigments as extracellular crystals by cell suspension culture.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lu, Fengling; Liu, Lujie; Huang, Yaolin; Zhang, Xuehong; Wang, Zhilong

    2018-01-01

    It is generally accepted that Monascus pigments are predominantly cell-bound, including both intracellular and surface-bound pigments. This long-term misconception was corrected in the present work. Production of extracellular crystal pigments by submerged culture of Monascus sp. was confirmed by microscopic observation and collection of Monascus pigments from extracellular broth by direct membrane filtration. Following up the new fact, the bioactivity of mycelia as whole-cell biocatalyst for biosynthesis and biodegradation of Monascus pigments had been detailedly examined in both an aqueous solution and a nonionic surfactant micelle aqueous solution. Based on those experimental results, cell suspension culture in an aqueous medium was developed as a novel strategy for accumulation of high concentration of Monascus pigments. Thus, glucose feeding during submerged culture in the aqueous medium was carried out successfully and high orange Monascus pigments concentration of near 4 g/L was achieved.

  4. A third, ultraviolet-sensitive, visual pigment in the Tokay gecko (Gekko gekko).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Loew, E R

    1994-06-01

    Numerous extraction and microspectrophotometric studies have shown that the nocturnal Tokay gecko (Gekko gekko), has two visual pigments: a "green" with lambda max at 521 nm and a "blue" at 467 nm. In addition, similar studies on other nocturnal gecko species have found only the same two classes of visual pigment. With the finding that some diurnal species of gecko have a third visual pigment class with lambda max peaking in the UV, doubts were raised concerning the presence of only two visual pigment classes in nocturnal forms. Therefore, a microspectrophotometric re-examination of the Tokay gecko was undertaken to look specifically for a UV visual pigment. A UV-absorbing pigment (364 nm lambda max) was found in approx. 20% of the thin outer segments of type C double rods, thought previously to contain only the 467 nm pigment. That this UV-absorbing pigment was truly a visual pigment was confirmed by its dichroism, behaviour following exposure to UV radiation and "nomogram" fit. It is suggested that this visual pigment had been seen in previous microspectrophotometric studies, but its similarity to known photoproducts peaking in the same spectral region resulted in a case of mistaken identity.

  5. Separation of Chloroplast Pigments Using Reverse Phase Chromatography.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reese, R. Neil

    1997-01-01

    Presents a protocol that uses reverse phase chromatography for the separation of chloroplast pigments. Provides a simple and relatively safe procedure for use in teaching laboratories. Discusses pigment extraction, chromatography, results, and advantages of the process. (JRH)

  6. Vibrational spectroscopic analyses of unique yellow feather pigments (spheniscins) in penguins.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thomas, Daniel B; McGoverin, Cushla M; McGraw, Kevin J; James, Helen F; Madden, Odile

    2013-06-06

    Many animals extract, synthesize and refine chemicals for colour display, where a range of compounds and structures can produce a diverse colour palette. Feather colours, for example, span the visible spectrum and mostly result from pigments in five chemical classes (carotenoids, melanins, porphyrins, psittacofulvins and metal oxides). However, the pigment that generates the yellow colour of penguin feathers appears to represent a sixth, poorly characterized class of feather pigments. This pigment class, here termed 'spheniscin', is displayed by half of the living penguin genera; the larger and richer colour displays of the pigment are highly attractive. Using Raman and mid-infrared spectroscopies, we analysed yellow feathers from two penguin species (king penguin, Aptenodytes patagonicus; macaroni penguin, Eudyptes chrysolophus) to further characterize spheniscin pigments. The Raman spectrum of spheniscin is distinct from spectra of other feather pigments and exhibits 17 distinctive spectral bands between 300 and 1700 cm(-1). Spectral bands from the yellow pigment are assigned to aromatically bound carbon atoms, and to skeletal modes in an aromatic, heterocyclic ring. It has been suggested that the penguin pigment is a pterin compound; Raman spectra from yellow penguin feathers are broadly consistent with previously reported pterin spectra, although we have not matched it to any known compound. Raman spectroscopy can provide a rapid and non-destructive method for surveying the distribution of different classes of feather pigments in the avian family tree, and for correlating the chemistry of spheniscin with compounds analysed elsewhere. We suggest that the sixth class of feather pigments may have evolved in a stem-lineage penguin and endowed modern penguins with a costly plumage trait that appears to be chemically unique among birds.

  7. Pigment from Streptomyces bellus MSA1 isolated from marine sediments

    Science.gov (United States)

    Srinivasan, M.; Merlyn Keziah, S.; Hemalatha, M.; Subathra Devi, C.

    2017-11-01

    The existing study is purposeful on the intracellular pigment extraction from actinomycetes isolated from Kovalam Beach regions of Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. Only one actinobacterial isolate showed pigmented growth out of total 4 isolates. Ethyl acetate as the solvent was used in cell disruption technique for the extraction of intracellular pigments. UV-Visible spectrophotometry, FT-IR spectroscopy, HPLC and GC-MS were used for the partial characterization of the pigment. The extracted pigment was applied for the preparation of lip balm and assessing its textile dyeing property. In addition, the extracted pigment was analysed for antioxidant, antibacterial activity, MTT assay and haemolytic activity. On optimization, dextrose and maltose were the best carbon sources. The finest nitrogen sources were found to be casein and peptone. The optimum temperature range was 35°C -40°C and optimal pH was found to be between 6.0 and 8.0. The obtained results showed potent antioxidant activity and found to be non-toxic to human erythrocytes.

  8. Studies on pigments of the myxomycete Physarum nudum. II. Separation and optical properties of the pigments from plasmodia cultured in darkness

    OpenAIRE

    L. Raczkowski

    2015-01-01

    The paper presents the data on Separation and some optical properties of the pigments obtained from the plasmodium of the myxomycete Physarum nudum grown in the dark. Pigment Separation was performed by means of thin-layer chromatography with celulose MN 300 as adsorbent and with the solvent: tert.-butylalcohol, H2O, 3N NH4OH at the ratio 5:2:1 In these conditions the chromatograms revealed 12 coloured bands from which pigments were eluted and their absorption spectra as well as the spectra o...

  9. Change of Monascus pigment metabolism and secretion in different extractive fermentation process.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Gong; Tang, Rui; Tian, Xiaofei; Qin, Peng; Wu, Zhenqiang

    2017-06-01

    Monascus pigments that were generally produced intracellularly from Monascus spp. are important natural colorants in food industry. In this study, change of pigment metabolism and secretion was investigated through fed-batch extractive fermentation and continuous extractive fermentation. The biomass, secreting rate of pigment and total pigment yield closely correlated with the activated time of extractive fermentation as well as the composition of feeding nutrients. Metal ions played a key role in both the cell growth and pigment metabolism. Nitrogen source was necessary for a high productivity of biomass but not for high pigment yield. Furthermore, fermentation period for the fed-batch extractive fermentation could be reduced by 18.75% with a nitrogen source free feeding medium. Through a 30-day continuous extractive fermentation, the average daily productivity for total pigments reached 74.9 AU day -1 with an increase by 32.6 and 296.3% compared to that in a 6-day conventional batch fermentation and a 16-day fed-batch extractive fermentation, respectively. At the meantime, proportions of extracellular pigments increased gradually from 2.7 to 71.3%, and yellow pigments gradually became dominated in both intracellular and extracellular pigments in the end of continuous extractive fermentation. This findings showed that either fed-batch or continuous extractive fermentation acted as a promising method in the efficient production of Monascus pigments.

  10. Pigments and oligomers for inks - moving towards the best combination

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hutchinson, I.; Smith, S.; Grierson, W.; Devine, E.

    1999-01-01

    The formulation of UV curable printing inks depends on several complex factors. If the individual components of the ink are not complementary, then performance problems can arise. One critical combination is that between the pigment and the oligomer. In a new approach to improve understanding of pigment/oligomer interactions, the resources of a pigment manufacturer and an oligomer manufacturer have been combined to investigate the problem. Initial screening of process yellow pigments and several oligomer types highlighted performance variations which were then examined in more detail

  11. Optimization and design of pigments for heat-insulating coatings

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang Guang-Hai; Zhang Yue

    2010-01-01

    This paper reports that heat insulating property of infrared reflective coatings is obtained through the use of pigments which diffuse near-infrared thermal radiation. Suitable structure and size distribution of pigments would attain maximum diffuse infrared radiation and reduce the pigment volume concentration required. The optimum structure and size range of pigments for reflective infrared coatings are studied by using Kubelka—Munk theory, Mie model and independent scattering approximation. Taking titania particle as the pigment embedded in an inorganic coating, the computational results show that core-shell particles present excellent scattering ability, more so than solid and hollow spherical particles. The optimum radius range of core-shell particles is around 0.3 ∼ 1.6 μm. Furthermore, the influence of shell thickness on optical parameters of the coating is also obvious and the optimal thickness of shell is 100–300 nm. (condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties)

  12. A comprehensive study of eco-friendly natural pigment and its applications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Parmar, Ramendra Singh; Singh, Charu

    2018-03-01

    Actinomycetes, a large group of filamentous bacteria account for 70-80% of secondary metabolites available commercially. The present investigation was undertaken with an aim to identify and characterize pigment from actinomycetes. Actinomycetes were isolated from rhizosphere soil samples collected from different regions of Madhya Pradesh state. Out of 85 actinomycetes, only 5 actinomycetes showed pigment production and based on diffusible pigment production ability one actinomycete ARITM02 was selected. The extraction of pigment was done by solvent extraction method using methanol and purified by TLC and column chromatography. The pigment was characterized by UV-Vis spectroscopy which showed the lamda maximum of 277.44. FTIR spectroscopy suggested various functional groups like amino group, amide group, hydroxide, benzene and lactone group. The Mass spectroscopy and NMR spectroscopy showed that the molecular mass of pigment is 621.7 and molecular formula is C34H43N3O8. The pigment was also tested for Antimicrobial activity against broad spectrum human pathogens, antioxidant test and toxicity test for safe use as a natural colorant in cosmetic, food, pharmaceutical and textile industries. The conclusion of study suggested that this novel pigment could be a versatile natural, safe and multipurpose.

  13. Effects of baking on cyanidin-3-glucoside content and antioxidant properties of black and yellow soybean crackers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Slavin, Margaret; Lu, Yingjian; Kaplan, Nicholas; Yu, Liangli Lucy

    2013-11-15

    Black soybean is a potential functional food ingredient with high anthocyanin content, but the ability to maintain anthocyanin content under dry heat processing has not been reported. This study investigated the effects of soybean seed coat colour and baking time-temperature combinations on the extractable antioxidant properties of a soy cracker food model. Crackers prepared with black soybeans had significantly higher TPC, total isoflavones, and peroxyl, hydroxyl, and ABTS(+) radical scavenging abilities than their yellow counterparts, at all time-temperature combinations. Cyanidin-3-glucoside (C3G) was detected only in black soybean crackers, and all baking treatments significantly decreased C3G. The greatest losses occurred at the low temperature×long time and high temperature×short time, the smallest loss with moderate temperature×short/medium time. The high temperature treatment altered phenolic acid and isoflavone profiles; however, total isoflavones were unaffected. Overall results suggest that moderate baking temperature at minimal time may best preserve anthocyanin and other phenolics in baked black soybean crackers. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Unusual extensive physiologic melanin pigmentation of the oral cavity: A clinical presentation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    K Mallikarjuna

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Pigmented lesions are commonly found in the oral cavity. Oral pigmentations may be physiological or pathological in nature. It may represent as a localized anomaly of limited significance or the presentation of potentially life threatening multisystem disease. Oral pigmentation has a multifactorial etiology. Most of the oral pigmentations are physiologic. Evaluation of a patient with pigmented lesions should include a full medical and dental history, extraoral and intraoral examinations. In this article, we report a case of extensive physiologic pigmentation of the oral cavity in a 12 year old female patient, posing a diagnostic challenge.

  15. Elevated CO2 and salinity are responsible for phenolics-enrichment in two differently pigmented lettuces.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sgherri, Cristina; Pérez-López, Usue; Micaelli, Francesco; Miranda-Apodaca, Jon; Mena-Petite, Amaia; Muñoz-Rueda, Alberto; Quartacci, Mike Frank

    2017-06-01

    Both salt stress and high CO 2 level, besides influencing secondary metabolism, can affect oxidative status of plants mainly acting in an opposite way with salinity provoking oxidative stress and elevated CO 2 alleviating it. The aim of the present work was to study the changes in the composition of phenolic acids and flavonoids as well as in the antioxidant activity in two differently pigmented lettuce cvs (green or red leaf) when submitted to salinity (200 mM NaCl) or elevated CO 2 (700 ppm) or to their combination in order to evaluate how a future global change can affect lettuce quality. Following treatments, the red cv. always maintained higher levels of antioxidant secondary metabolites as well as antioxidant activity, proving to be more responsive to altered environmental conditions than the green one. Overall, these results suggest that the application of moderate salinity or elevated CO 2 , alone or in combination, can induce the production of some phenolics that increase the health benefits of lettuce. In particular, moderate salinity was able to induce the synthesis of the flavonoids quercetin, quercetin-3-O-glucoside, quercetin-3-O-glucuronide and quercitrin. Phenolics-enrichment as well as a higher antioxidant capacity were also observed under high CO 2 with the red lettuce accumulating cyanidin, free chlorogenic acid, conjugated caffeic and ferulic acid as well as quercetin, quercetin-3-O-glucoside, quercetin-3-O-glucuronide, luteolin-7-O-glucoside, rutin, quercitrin and kaempferol. When salinity was present in combination with elevated CO 2 , reduction in yield was prevented and a higher presence of phenolic compounds, in particular luteolin, was observed compared to salinity alone. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  16. Synchrotron powder diffraction on Aztec blue pigments

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sanchez del Rio, M. [European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, B.P. 220, Grenoble Cedex (France); Gutierrez-Leon, A.; Castro, G.R.; Rubio-Zuazo, J. [Spanish CRG Beamline at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, SpLine, B.P. 220, Grenoble Cedex (France); Solis, C. [Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Instituto de Fisica, Mexico, D.F. (Mexico); Sanchez-Hernandez, R. [INAH Subdireccion de Laboratorios y Apoyo Academico, Mexico, D.F. (Mexico); Robles-Camacho, J. [INAH Centro Regional Michoacan, Morelia, Michoacan (Mexico); Rojas-Gaytan, J. [INAH Direccion de Salvamento Arqueologico, Naucalpan de Juarez (Mexico)

    2008-01-15

    Some samples of raw blue pigments coming from an archaeological rescue mission in downtown Mexico City have been characterized using different techniques. The samples, some recovered as a part of a ritual offering, could be assigned to the late Aztec period (XVth century). The striking characteristic of these samples is that they seem to be raw pigments prior to any use in artworks, and it was possible to collect a few {mu}g of pigment after manual grain selection under a microscopy monitoring. All pigments are made of indigo, an organic colorant locally known as anil or xiuhquilitl. The colorant is always found in combination with an inorganic matrix, studied by powder diffraction. In one case the mineral base is palygorskite, a rare clay mineral featuring micro-channels in its structure, well known as the main ingredient of the Maya blue pigment. However, other samples present the minerals sepiolite (a clay mineral of the palygorskite family) and calcite. Another sample contains barite, a mineral never reported in prehispanic paints. We present the results of characterization using high resolution powder diffraction recorded at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (BM25A, SpLine beamline) complemented with other techniques. All of them gave consistent results on the composition. A chemical test on resistance to acids was done, showing a high resistance for the palygorskite and eventually sepiolite compounds, in good agreement with the excellent resistance of the Maya blue. (orig.)

  17. Synchrotron powder diffraction on Aztec blue pigments

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sánchez Del Río, M.; Gutiérrez-León, A.; Castro, G. R.; Rubio-Zuazo, J.; Solís, C.; Sánchez-Hernández, R.; Robles-Camacho, J.; Rojas-Gaytán, J.

    2008-01-01

    Some samples of raw blue pigments coming from an archaeological rescue mission in downtown Mexico City have been characterized using different techniques. The samples, some recovered as a part of a ritual offering, could be assigned to the late Aztec period (XVth century). The striking characteristic of these samples is that they seem to be raw pigments prior to any use in artworks, and it was possible to collect a few μg of pigment after manual grain selection under a microscopy monitoring. All pigments are made of indigo, an organic colorant locally known as añil or xiuhquilitl. The colorant is always found in combination with an inorganic matrix, studied by powder diffraction. In one case the mineral base is palygorskite, a rare clay mineral featuring micro-channels in its structure, well known as the main ingredient of the Maya blue pigment. However, other samples present the minerals sepiolite (a clay mineral of the palygorskite family) and calcite. Another sample contains barite, a mineral never reported in prehispanic paints. We present the results of characterization using high resolution powder diffraction recorded at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (BM25A, SpLine beamline) complemented with other techniques. All of them gave consistent results on the composition. A chemical test on resistance to acids was done, showing a high resistance for the palygorskite and eventually sepiolite compounds, in good agreement with the excellent resistance of the Maya blue.

  18. Gingival pigmentation beneath a metallic crown

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sakai, T.; Hirayasu, R.; Sakai, H.; Hashimoto, N.

    1988-01-01

    Light and electron microscopic studies and energy dispersive X-ray analysis disclosed that the essential cause of gingival discoloration following the placement of a metallic crown, was marked deposition of melanin pigment. Deposition of melanin pigment was observed in epithelial cells, on basement membranes, and in fibroblasts, macrophages and among intercellular ground substance of the proprial layer. Brown or dark brown colored granules were observed in the deep portion of the proprial layer. Some metallic elements as silver and sulfur were detected. It was presumed that these materials were dental metals accidentally implanted in gingival tissues during the therapeutic procedure. The deposition of melanin pigment closely corresponded with mucosal tissue where these materials were present in the deep portion of the proprial layer. These findings suggested that these materials influenced the physiological metabolism of melanin and induced its pathological deposition in the proprial tissue. (author)

  19. [Isolation and preliminary characterization of carotenoids from pink-pigmented methylotrophs].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Konovalova, A M; Shylin, S O; Rokytko, P V

    2006-01-01

    An effective method was developed for complete removal of pigments from the cells and solvent mixture for further separation of pigments using thin layer chromatography on silica gel. Carotenoid samples that have been obtained in this way are of good purity for further investigations. Carotenoid pigments of pink-pigmented facultative methylotrophic bacteria Methylobacterium have been characterized. These carotenoids are represented mainly by xanthophylls, particularly hydroxycarotenoids. Strains M. fujisawaense B-3365 and M. mesophilicum B-3352 also have nonpolar carotenes in a small amount. Physico-chemical properties of carotenoids have been studied.

  20. The Solvent Effectiveness on Extraction Process of Seaweed Pigment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Warkoyo Warkoyo

    2011-09-01

    Full Text Available Eucheuma cottonii seaweed is a species of seaweed cultured in Indonesian waters, because its cultivation is relatively easy and inexpensive. It has a wide variety of colors from green to yellow green, gray, red and brown, indicating photosynthetic pigments, such as chlorophyll and carotenoids. An important factor in the effectiveness of pigment extraction is the choice of solvent. The correct type of solvent in the extraction method of specific natural materials is important so that a pigment with optimum quality that is also benefical to the society can be produced. The target of this research is to obtain a high quality solvent type of carotenoid pigment. This research was conducted using a randomized block design with three (3 replications involving two factors namely solvent type (4 levels: aceton, ethanol, petroleum benzene, hexan & petroleum benzene and seaweed color (3 levels: brown, green and red. Research results indicated that each solvent reached a peak of maximal absorbance at  410-472 nm, namely carotenoids. The usage of acetone solvent gave the best pigment quality. Brown, green and red seaweed have pigment content of 1,28 mg/100 g; 0,98 mg/100 g; 1,35 mg/100 g and rendement of 6,24%; 4,85% and 6,65% respectively.

  1. Ultraviolet radiation induces dose-dependent pigment dispersion in crustacean chromatophores.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gouveia, Glauce Ribeiro; Lopes, Thaís Martins; Neves, Carla Amorim; Nery, Luiz Eduardo Maia; Trindade, Gilma Santos

    2004-10-01

    Pigment dispersion in chromatophores as a response to UV radiation was investigated in two species of crustaceans, the crab Chasmagnathus granulata and the shrimp Palaemonetes argentinus. Eyestalkless crabs and shrimps maintained on either a black or a white background were irradiated with different UV bands. In eyestalkless crabs the significant minimal effective dose inducing pigment dispersion was 0.42 J/cm(2) for UVA and 2.15 J/cm(2) for UVB. Maximal response was achieved with 10.0 J/cm(2) UVA and 8.6 J/cm(2) UVB. UVA was more effective than UVB in inducing pigment dispersion. Soon after UV exposure, melanophores once again reached the initial stage of pigment aggregation after 45 min. Aggregated erythrophores of shrimps adapted to a white background showed significant pigment dispersion with 2.5 J/cm(2) UVA and 0.29 J/cm(2) UVC. Dispersed erythrophores of shrimps adapted to a black background did not show any significant response to UVA, UVB or UVC radiation. UVB did not induce any significant pigment dispersion in shrimps adapted to either a white or a black background. As opposed to the tanning response, which only protects against future UV exposure, the pigment dispersion response could be an important agent protecting against the harmful effects of UV radiation exposure.

  2. Optimizing Angkak Pigments and Lovastatin Production By Monascus purpureus

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    HASIM DANURI

    2008-06-01

    Full Text Available Angkak pigments and lovastatin had been reported very useful as natural coloring agents, as an agent to increase thrombocyte level in Dengue hemorrhagic fever, and also as a compound that was able to control blood cholesterol level. Three strains of fungus Monascus purpureus AKI, AKII, and 915 were selected to produce angkak pigments and lovastatin in potato dextrose agar (PDA medium. The best fungus strain, which is AKII, was then applied in three kinds of rice media (white rice IR-42, red rice BP-1804-IF-9, and a combination of 1:1 (w/w white IR-42 and red rice BP-1804-IF-9 for solid fermentation. The best medium and fermentation times were determined for the production of angkak pigments and lovastatin separately. Results showed that strains, media, and duration of fermentations gave significant effect on the amount of pigment produced. Strain AKII produced highest concentration of angkak pigments. The combination of rice (White IR-42 and red rice BP-1804-IF-9 produced the highest pigment than the individual white and red rie it self. The optimum duration of fermentation was 16 days for strains AKI and AKII, but only 15 days for strain 915. Therefore the strain AKII with media combination of rice and a fermentation time of 16 days were used to investigate the additional effect of various minerals. Addition of the mineral individually gave significant increased on angkak pigment production by AKII, where as the addition of minerals mixture in the forth tube did not.

  3. Radiation-curable coatings containing reactive pigment dispersants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ansel, R.E.

    1985-01-01

    Liquid coating compositions adapted to be cured by exposure to penetrating radiation are disclosed in which a liquid vehicle of coating viscosity having an ethylenically unsaturated portion comprising one or more polyethylenically unsaturated materials adapted to cure on radiation exposure, pigment dispersed in the vehicle, and an ethylenically unsaturated radiation-curable dispersant containing a carboxyl group for wetting the pigment and assisting in the stable dipsersion of the pigment in the vehicle. This dispersant is a half amide or half ester of an ethylenically unsaturated polycarboxylic acid anhydride, such as maleic anhydride, with an organic compound having a molecular weight of from 100 to 4000 and which contains a single hydroxy group or a single amino group as the sole reactive group thereof

  4. Pigments which reflect infrared radiation from fire

    Science.gov (United States)

    Berdahl, Paul H.

    1998-01-01

    Conventional paints transmit or absorb most of the intense infrared (IR) radiation emitted by fire, causing them to contribute to the spread of fire. The present invention comprises a fire retardant paint additive that reflects the thermal IR radiation emitted by fire in the 1 to 20 micrometer (.mu.m) wavelength range. The important spectral ranges for fire control are typically about 1 to about 8 .mu.m or, for cool smoky fires, about 2 .mu.m to about 16 .mu.m. The improved inventive coatings reflect adverse electromagnetic energy and slow the spread of fire. Specific IR reflective pigments include titanium dioxide (rutile) and red iron oxide pigments with diameters of about 1 .mu.m to about 2 .mu.m and thin leafing aluminum flake pigments.

  5. Proof-of-concept: 3D bioprinting of pigmented human skin constructs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ng, Wei Long; Qi, Jovina Tan Zhi; Yeong, Wai Yee; Naing, May Win

    2018-01-23

    Three-dimensional (3D) pigmented human skin constructs have been fabricated using a 3D bioprinting approach. The 3D pigmented human skin constructs are obtained from using three different types of skin cells (keratinocytes, melanocytes and fibroblasts from three different skin donors) and they exhibit similar constitutive pigmentation (pale pigmentation) as the skin donors. A two-step drop-on-demand bioprinting strategy facilitates the deposition of cell droplets to emulate the epidermal melanin units (pre-defined patterning of keratinocytes and melanocytes at the desired positions) and manipulation of the microenvironment to fabricate 3D biomimetic hierarchical porous structures found in native skin tissue. The 3D bioprinted pigmented skin constructs are compared to the pigmented skin constructs fabricated by conventional a manual-casting approach; in-depth characterization of both the 3D pigmented skin constructs has indicated that the 3D bioprinted skin constructs have a higher degree of resemblance to native skin tissue in term of the presence of well-developed stratified epidermal layers and the presence of a continuous layer of basement membrane proteins as compared to the manually-cast samples. The 3D bioprinting approach facilitates the development of 3D in vitro pigmented human skin constructs for potential toxicology testing and fundamental cell biology research.

  6. Kinetic of orange pigment production from Monascus ruber on submerged fermentation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vendruscolo, Francielo; Schmidell, Willibaldo; de Oliveira, Débora; Ninow, Jorge Luiz

    2017-01-01

    Pigments produced by species of Monascus have been used to coloring rice, meat, sauces, wines and beers in East Asian countries. Monascus can produce orange (precursor), yellow and red pigments. Orange pigments have low solubility in culture media and when react with amino groups they become red and largely soluble. The orange pigments are an alternative to industrial pigment production because the low solubility facilitates the downstream operations. The aim of this work was to study the kinetic on the production of orange pigments by Monascus ruber CCT 3802. The shaking frequency of 300 rpm was favorable to production, whereas higher shaking frequencies showed negative effect. Pigment production was partially associated with cell growth, the critical dissolved oxygen concentration was between 0.894 and 1.388 mgO 2  L -1 at 30 °C, and limiting conditions of dissolved oxygen decreased the production of orange pigments. The maintenance coefficient (mo) and the conversion factor of oxygen in biomass (Yo) were 18.603 mgO 2  g x -1  h -1 and 3.133 g x  gO 2 -1 and the consideration of these parameters in the oxygen balance to estimate the biomass concentration provided good fits to the experimental data.

  7. Pigment Cell Differentiation in Sea Urchin Blastula-Derived Primary Cell Cultures

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ageenko, Natalya V.; Kiselev, Konstantin V.; Dmitrenok, Pavel S.; Odintsova, Nelly A.

    2014-01-01

    The quinone pigments of sea urchins, specifically echinochrome and spinochromes, are known for their effective antioxidant, antibacterial, antifungal, and antitumor activities. We developed in vitro technology for inducing pigment differentiation in cell culture. The intensification of the pigment differentiation was accompanied by a simultaneous decrease in cell proliferation. The number of pigment cells was two-fold higher in the cells cultivated in the coelomic fluids of injured sea urchins than in those intact. The possible roles of the specific components of the coelomic fluids in the pigment differentiation process and the quantitative measurement of the production of naphthoquinone pigments during cultivation were examined by MALDI and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. Echinochrome A and spinochrome E were produced by the cultivated cells of the sand dollar Scaphechinus mirabilis in all tested media, while only spinochromes were found in the cultivated cells of another sea urchin, Strongylocentrotus intermedius. The expression of genes associated with the induction of pigment differentiation was increased in cells cultivated in the presence of shikimic acid, a precursor of naphthoquinone pigments. Our results should contribute to the development of new techniques in marine biotechnology, including the generation of cell cultures producing complex bioactive compounds with therapeutic potential. PMID:24979272

  8. Secondary pigmentary glaucoma in patients with underlying primary pigment dispersion syndrome

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sivaraman KR

    2013-03-01

    Full Text Available Kavitha R Sivaraman, Chirag G Patel, Thasarat S Vajaranant, Ahmad A ArefDepartment of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Illinois Eye and Ear Infirmary, University of Illinois at Chicago School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USAAbstract: Primary pigment dispersion syndrome (PPDS is a bilateral condition that occurs in anatomically predisposed individuals. PPDS may evolve into pigmentary glaucoma, but it is difficult to predict which patients will progress. Secondary pigment dispersion is more often unilateral and acquired as a result of surgery, trauma, or intraocular tumor, but can likewise lead to pigmentary glaucoma. We report two cases of patients with bilateral PPDS who developed secondary pigment dispersion and pigmentary glaucoma in one eye. Patients with PPDS who acquire a secondary mechanism of pigment dispersion may be at an increased risk of progression to pigmentary glaucoma, presumably due to an increased burden of liberated pigment. In addition to regular surveillance for progression to glaucoma from PPDS, secondary causes of pigmentary dispersion in these eyes should be considered when patients present with grossly asymmetric findings. When secondary pigment dispersion is identified in eyes with PPDS, we recommend prompt intervention to alleviate the cause of secondary pigment dispersion and/or aggressive control of intraocular pressure to limit glaucomatous damage.Keywords: primary pigment dispersion syndrome, pigmentary glaucoma

  9. Pigmentos maculares Macular pigments

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Renata Canovas

    2009-12-01

    Full Text Available A luteína e a zeaxantina são pigmentos amarelos que se localizam na mácula. Devido à sua localização, diminuem e filtram a quantidade de luz principalmente azul que chega aos fotorreceptores, atuam como antioxidantes e podem melhorar a qualidade visual. Esta é uma revisão do seu mecanismo de incorporação, ação, possíveis aplicações e conhecimento científico a respeito.Lutein and Zeaxanthin are yellow pigments located at the macula. Because of your location macular pigments decrease and filter the amount of blue light that reach photoreceptors, protect the outer retina from oxidative stress and may improve the vision quality. This is a review regarding incorporation mechanism, function and knowledge update.

  10. Secondary pigmentary glaucoma in patients with underlying primary pigment dispersion syndrome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sivaraman, Kavitha R; Patel, Chirag G; Vajaranant, Thasarat S; Aref, Ahmad A

    2013-01-01

    Primary pigment dispersion syndrome (PPDS) is a bilateral condition that occurs in anatomically predisposed individuals. PPDS may evolve into pigmentary glaucoma, but it is difficult to predict which patients will progress. Secondary pigment dispersion is more often unilateral and acquired as a result of surgery, trauma, or intraocular tumor, but can likewise lead to pigmentary glaucoma. We report two cases of patients with bilateral PPDS who developed secondary pigment dispersion and pigmentary glaucoma in one eye. Patients with PPDS who acquire a secondary mechanism of pigment dispersion may be at an increased risk of progression to pigmentary glaucoma, presumably due to an increased burden of liberated pigment. In addition to regular surveillance for progression to glaucoma from PPDS, secondary causes of pigmentary dispersion in these eyes should be considered when patients present with grossly asymmetric findings. When secondary pigment dispersion is identified in eyes with PPDS, we recommend prompt intervention to alleviate the cause of secondary pigment dispersion and/or aggressive control of intraocular pressure to limit glaucomatous damage.

  11. Monascus: a Reality on the Production and Application of Microbial Pigments.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vendruscolo, Francielo; Meinicke Bühler, Rose Marie; Cesar de Carvalho, Júlio; de Oliveira, Débora; Moritz, Denise Estevez; Schmidell, Willibaldo; Ninow, Jorge Luiz

    2016-01-01

    Monascus species can produce yellow, orange, and red pigments, depending on the employed cultivation conditions. They are classified as natural pigments and can be applied for coloration of meat, fishes, cheese, beer, and pates, besides their use in inks for printer and dyes for textile, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical industries. These natural pigments also present antimicrobial activity on pathogenic microorganisms and other beneficial effects to the health as antioxidant and anticholesterol activities. Depending on the substrates, the operational conditions (temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen), and fermentation mode (state solid fermentation or submerged fermentation), the production can be directed for one specific color dye. This review has a main objective to present an approach of Monascus pigments as a reality to obtaining and application of natural pigments by microorganisms, as to highlight properties that makes this pigment as promising for worldwide industrial applications.

  12. Self-Normalized Photoacoustic Technique for the Quantitative Analysis of Paper Pigments

    Science.gov (United States)

    Balderas-López, J. A.; Gómez y Gómez, Y. M.; Bautista-Ramírez, M. E.; Pescador-Rojas, J. A.; Martínez-Pérez, L.; Lomelí-Mejía, P. A.

    2018-03-01

    A self-normalized photoacoustic technique was applied for quantitative analysis of pigments embedded in solids. Paper samples (filter paper, Whatman No. 1), attached with the pigment: Direct Fast Turquoise Blue GL, were used for this study. This pigment is a blue dye commonly used in industry to dye paper and other fabrics. The optical absorption coefficient, at a wavelength of 660 nm, was measured for this pigment at various concentrations in the paper substrate. It was shown that Beer-Lambert model for light absorption applies well for pigments in solid substrates and optical absorption coefficients as large as 220 cm^{-1} can be measured with this photoacoustic technique.

  13. The effects of Sophora angustifolia and other natural plant extracts on melanogenesis and melanin transfer in human skin cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Singh, Suman K; Baker, Richard; Wibawa, Judata I D; Bell, Mike; Tobin, Desmond J

    2013-01-01

    Skin pigmentation is a multistep process of melanin synthesis by melanocytes, its transfer to recipient keratinocytes and its degradation. As dyspigmentation is a prominent marker of skin ageing, novel effective agents that modulate pigmentation safely are being sought for both clinical and cosmetic use. Here, a number of plant extracts were examined for their effect on melanogenesis (by melanin assay and Western blotting) and melanin transfer (by confocal immunomicroscopy of gp100-positive melanin granules in cocultures and by SEM analysis of filopodia), in human melanocytes and in cocultures with phototype-matched normal adult epidermal keratinocytes. Mulberry, Kiwi and Sophora extracts were assessed against isobutylmethylxanthine, hydroquinone, vitamin C and niacinamide. Compared with unstimulated control, all extracts significantly reduced melanogenesis in human melanoma cells and normal adult epidermal melanocytes. These extracts also reduced melanin transfer and reduced filopodia expression on melanocytes, similar to hydroquinone and niacinamide, indicating their effectiveness as multimode pigmentation actives. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

  14. The applications of VIP 397/418 bulbs in free radical white pigmented coatings: UV curing evaluation for different free radical white pigmented formulations (I)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rong Bao; McCartney, R.

    1999-01-01

    White pigmented coatings have gained commercial success using a Gallium doped microwave F600-V bulb. A novel VIP 397/418 bulb has been made recently, by Fusion UV Systems, to increase UV curing efficiency of white pigmented coatings. Previous research work has shown that the VIP 397/418 bulb can cure cationic white pigmented coatings 40-60% faster than a F600-V bulb. Further evaluations of free radical white pigmented coatings have produced significant data indicating that better physical properties (40-50%) or higher cure speeds (50%) can be obtained by using the VIP 397/418 bulb than a F600-V bulb

  15. Quantitative analysis of ancient Egyptian pigments by external PIXE

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Uda, M.; Tsunokami, T.; Murai, R.; Maeda, K.; Harigai, I.; Nakayama, Y.; Yoshimura, S.; Kikuchi, T.; Sakurai, K.; Sasa, Y.

    1993-01-01

    Pigments painted on Egyptian excavations in the 18th Dynasty were analyzed successfully by external PIXE with the aid of the X-ray diffraction. A white pigment was composed on Mg 3 Ca(CO 3 ) 4 ; red: αFe 2 O 3 , αFeO.OH and AsS; pink: Mixtures of white and red pigments; yellow: αFeO.OH and As 2 S 3 ; and blue: CaO.CuO.4SiO 2 . (orig.)

  16. MRI diagnosis of pigmented villonodular synovitis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shang Zhongpu; Sui Zhengyan; Xue Jianrong; Song Cuizhi; Liu Yuekui; Li Jinwang

    2007-01-01

    Objective: To explore the MRI characteristics of pigmented villonodular synovitis. Methods: MRI and clinic data of 14 patients with pigmented villonodular synovitis proved by pathology were reviewed retrospectively. Results: MRI showed diffusible lesions in all 14 cases. 12 cases were located in knee joint, 2 in hip. MRI revealed nodules and masses formed by villis hyperplasia in the joints. MRI demonstrated the nodules with slightly low signal intensity on both T 1 WI and T 2 WI in 13 cases, the destruction of the cartilage in 8 cases, the destruction of the ligament in 5 cases, and the hydropsy in joint cavity in 10 cases, the destruction of the meniscus in 2 cases. Conclusion: The typical features of pigmented villonodular synovitis on MRI revealed the nodules formed by villis hyperplasia in the joint. Hemosiderin in the nodules demonstrated slightly low signal intensity on both T 1 WI and T 2 WI, with the presence of typical features like 'foam rubber cushion' sign and 'lichen' sign. (authors)

  17. Optimization of fermentation conditions for red pigment production ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    An extracellular pigment-producing ascomycetous filamentous fungi belonging to the genera Penicillium was obtained from soil and its optimal culture conditions investigated. The optimal culture conditions for pigment production were as follows; soluble starch 2% (670 units), peptone (880 units), pH 9.0 (900 units); ...

  18. [Is prophylactic YAG iridotomy useful in pigment dispersion syndrome?].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rosentreter, A; Schwenn, O; Funk, J; Dietlein, T

    2013-04-01

    Despite theoretical considerations concerning the advantage of iridotomy in eyes with pigment dispersion syndrome or early pigment glaucoma, there is a lack of clinical evidence that this procedure has a long-term effect in preventing glaucoma damage under these circumstances. However, several factors may contribute to this lack of evidence, e.g. the statistical problem of a low conversion rate from pigment dispersion syndrome to pigment glaucoma or the inclusion criteria in the studies treating patients older than 40 years or genetic dispositions in pigment glaucoma that are not yet fully clear. On the basis of current data the decision for YAG iridotomy should only be taken in patients younger than 40 years, if the midperipheral iris shows an inverse bowing and the intraocular pressure is normal or slightly increased with no progressive signs of optic nerve damage. In cases of insufficient intraocular pressure and visual defects due to glaucomatous optic nerve damage, incisional glaucoma surgery is usually necessary especially in younger patients with a long life expectancy.

  19. Fly ash based zeolitic pigments for application in anticorrosive paints

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shaw, Ruchi; Tiwari, Sangeeta

    2016-01-01

    The purpose of this work is to evaluate the utilization of waste fly ash in anticorrosive paints. Zeolite NaY was synthesized from waste fly ash and subsequently modified by exchanging its nominal cation Na + with Mg 2+ and Ca 2+ ions. The metal ion exchanged zeolite was then used as anticorrosive zeolitic pigments in paints. The prepared zeolite NaY was characterized using X-Ray diffraction technique and Scanning electron microscopy. The size, shape and density of the prepared fly ash based pigments were determined by various techniques. The paints were prepared by using fly ash based zeolitic pigments in epoxy resin and the percentages of pigments used in paints were 2% and 5%. These paints were applied to the mild steel panels and the anticorrosive properties of the pigments were assessed by the electrochemical spectroscopy technique (EIS).

  20. An Inverse Modeling Approach to Estimating Phytoplankton Pigment Concentrations from Phytoplankton Absorption Spectra

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moisan, John R.; Moisan, Tiffany A. H.; Linkswiler, Matthew A.

    2011-01-01

    Phytoplankton absorption spectra and High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) pigment observations from the Eastern U.S. and global observations from NASA's SeaBASS archive are used in a linear inverse calculation to extract pigment-specific absorption spectra. Using these pigment-specific absorption spectra to reconstruct the phytoplankton absorption spectra results in high correlations at all visible wavelengths (r(sup 2) from 0.83 to 0.98), and linear regressions (slopes ranging from 0.8 to 1.1). Higher correlations (r(sup 2) from 0.75 to 1.00) are obtained in the visible portion of the spectra when the total phytoplankton absorption spectra are unpackaged by multiplying the entire spectra by a factor that sets the total absorption at 675 nm to that expected from absorption spectra reconstruction using measured pigment concentrations and laboratory-derived pigment-specific absorption spectra. The derived pigment-specific absorption spectra were further used with the total phytoplankton absorption spectra in a second linear inverse calculation to estimate the various phytoplankton HPLC pigments. A comparison between the estimated and measured pigment concentrations for the 18 pigment fields showed good correlations (r(sup 2) greater than 0.5) for 7 pigments and very good correlations (r(sup 2) greater than 0.7) for chlorophyll a and fucoxanthin. Higher correlations result when the analysis is carried out at more local geographic scales. The ability to estimate phytoplankton pigments using pigment-specific absorption spectra is critical for using hyperspectral inverse models to retrieve phytoplankton pigment concentrations and other Inherent Optical Properties (IOPs) from passive remote sensing observations.

  1. The concave iris in pigment dispersion syndrome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Lance; Ong, Ee Lin; Crowston, Jonathan

    2011-01-01

    To visualize the changes of the iris contour in patients with pigment dispersion syndrome after blinking, accommodation, and pharmacologic miosis using anterior segment optical coherence tomography. Observational case series. A total of 33 eyes of 20 patients with pigment dispersion syndrome. Each eye was imaged along the horizontal 0- to 180-degree meridian using the Visante Anterior Segment Imaging System (Carl Zeiss Meditec, Dublin, CA). Scans were performed at baseline and after focusing on an internal fixation target for 5 minutes, forced blinking, accommodation, and pharmacologic miosis with pilocarpine 2%. Quantitative analysis of the changes in the iris configuration. After 5 minutes of continual fixation, the iris became planar with the mean ± standard deviation curvature decreasing from 214 ± 74 μm to 67 ± 76 μm (P pigment dispersion syndrome after forced blinking, but the iris concavity recovered to 227 ± 113 μm (P = 0.34) and 238 ± 119 μm (P = 0.19) with the -3.0 and -6.0 diopter lenses, respectively. Pilocarpine-induced miosis caused the iris to assume a planar configuration in all subjects. This study shows that the iris in pigment dispersion syndrome assumes a planar configuration when fixating and that the concavity of the iris surface is not restored by blinking. Accommodation restored the iris concavity, suggesting that the posterior curvature of the iris in pigment dispersion syndrome is induced and probably maintained, at least in part, by accommodation. Copyright © 2011 American Academy of Ophthalmology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. Improvement effect of gamma-irradiated complex leaf extract of date plum, persimmon and mulberry on UVB-induced skin damage

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Choi, Ji Won; Cho, Byoung Ok; Che, Denis Nchang; Shin, Jae Young; Fang, Chong Zhou; Jang, Seon Il [Jeonju University, Jeonju (Korea, Republic of)

    2016-11-15

    This study was conducted to evaluate the improvement effect of gamma-irradiated complex leaf extract of Date Plum, Persimmon and Mulberry (γ-DPME) on UVB induced skin damage. The samples were gamma irradiated at doses of 10 kGy. γ-DPME treatment tended to decrease UVB-induced immune cell infiltration and erthyderma index than the groups treated with non-gamma-irradiated DPME (n-DPME) and L-ascobic acid (AA). In addition, γ-DPME treatment significantly decreased skin thickness, melanin index and mast cell infiltration in UVB-irradiated skin. Moreover, γ-DPME treatment significantly decreased the compound 48/80-induced scratching behavior and immune cell infiltration than n-DPME group. These results show that gamma irradiation can be used to increase the physiological activities of DPME.

  3. [Spectral sensitivity and visual pigments of the coastal crab Hemigrapsus sanguineus].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shukoliukov, S A; Zak, P P; Kalamkarov, G R; Kalishevich, O O; Ostrovskiĭ, M A

    1980-01-01

    It has been shown that the compound eye of the coastal crab has one photosensitive pigment rhodopsin and screening pigments, black and orange one. The orange pigment has lambda max = 480 nm, rhodopsin in digitonin is stable towards hydroxylamin action, has lambda max = 490-495 nm and after bleaching is transformed into free retinene and opsin. The pigments with lambda max = 430 and 475 nm of the receptor part of the eye are also solubilized. These pigments are not photosensitive but they dissociate under the effect of hydroxylamine. The curye of spectral sensitivity of the coastal crab has the basic maximum at approximately 525 nm and the additional one at 450 nm, which seems to be provided by a combination of the visual pigment--rhodopsin (lambda max 500 nm) with a carotinoid filter (lambda max 480-490). Specific features of the visual system of coastal crab are discussed.

  4. Chlorophyll: The wonder pigment

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Bhat, S.R.

    Chlorophyll, the green plant pigment, a 'real life force' of living beings, besides synthesizing food, is a great source of vitamins, minerals and other phytochemicals. Adding chlorophyll rich food to our diet fortifies our body against health...

  5. Barumiki antocyjanowe u Iris germanica [Anthocyanin pigments in Iris germanica L.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    J. Szczepańska

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available Anthocyanin pigments occurring in the flowers of Iris germanica were investigated in five varieties: Rota, Wedgewood, Empress of India, Deputate Nomblot and Joanna. The relation between the colour of the flower and the amount of the pigment was studied. The pigments were extracted from the dry plant material with 1% hydrochloric acid in methanol. Paper chromatography and colorimetric determinations were used for identification of the pigments and their quantitative determination. The results allow the following conclusions: 1. The varieties investigated were characterized toy the occurrence of delphinidine glycoside; 2. The colour intensity is dependent on the anthocyanin pigments; 3. The colour spectrum of Iris sp. flowersis greatly extended by yellow copigments.

  6. Unraveling the chemical identity of meat pigments.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pegg, R B; Shahidi, F

    1997-10-01

    This review examines the chemistry of nitrite curing of meat and meat products as it relates to the development of cured meat color and provides a detailed account of how nitrite-free processed meats could be prepared using the preformed cooked cured-meat pigment (CCMP). Thus, a chemical description of meat color, both raw and cooked, and characterization of nitrosylheme pigments follows. Based on electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), visible and infrared spectroscopic studies, evidence has been provided to support the hypothesis that the chemical structure of the preformed CCMP is identical to that of the pigment prepared in situ after thermal processing of nitrite-cured meat and is in fact a mononitrosylheme complex. An appendix, which describes the basic principles of EPR spectroscopy used in the context of this review, is attached.

  7. Corneal collagen crosslinking and pigment dispersion syndrome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    LaHood, Benjamin R; Moore, Sacha

    2017-03-01

    We describe the case of a keratoconus patient with pigment dispersion syndrome (PDS) who was treated for progressive corneal ectasia with corneal collagen crosslinking (CXL). Pigment dispersion syndrome has been shown to have associated morphologic changes of the corneal endothelium. Corneal CXL has the potential to cause toxicity to the corneal endothelium, and adjacent pigment might increase the likelihood of damage. In this case, the presence of PDS had no detrimental effect on the outcome of treatment, and no complications were observed at 12 months follow-up, indicating that it may be safe to perform corneal CXL in the setting of PDS. This is an important observation as the number of indications for corneal CXL grows. Copyright © 2017 ASCRS and ESCRS. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. [Analysis of pigments from Rhodotorula glutinis by Raman spectroscopy and thin layer chromatography].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yuan, Yu-feng; Tao, Zhan-hua; Wang, Xue; Li, Yong-qing; Liu, Jun-xian

    2012-03-01

    The pigments from Rhodotorula glutinis were separated by using thin layer chromatography, and the result showed that Rhodotorula glutinis cells could synthesize at least three kinds of pigments, which were beta-carotene, torulene, and torularhodin. The Raman spectra based on the three pigments were acquired, and original spectra were preprocessed by background elimination, baseline correction, and three-point-smoothing, then the averaged spectra from different pigments were investigated, and the result indicated that Raman shift which represents C-C bond was different, and the wave number of beta-carotene demonstrated the largest deviation, finally torulene and torularhodin in Rhodotorula glutinis had more content than beta-carotene. Quantitative analysis of Raman peak height ratio revealed that peak height ratio of pigments showed little difference, which could be used as parameters for further research on living cells, providing reference content of pigments. The above results suggest that Raman spectroscopy combined with thin layer chromatography can be applied to analyze pigments from Rhodotorula glutinis, provides abundant information about pigments, and serves as an effective method to study pigments.

  9. Prodigiosin pigment of Serratia marcescens is associated with increased biomass production.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Haddix, Pryce L; Shanks, Robert M Q

    2018-04-03

    Serratia marcescens is a gram-negative, facultatively-anaerobic bacterium and opportunistic pathogen which produces the red pigment prodigiosin. We employed both batch culture and chemostat growth methods to investigate prodigiosin function in the producing organism. Pigmentation correlated with an increased rate of ATP production during population lag phase. Results with a lacZ transcriptional fusion to the prodigiosin (pig) biosynthetic operon revealed that operon transcription is activated by low cellular levels of ATP at high cell density. Furthermore, these data enabled estimation of the ATP per cell minimum value at which the operon is induced. Pigmented cells were found to accumulate ATP more rapidly and to multiply more quickly than non-pigmented cells during the high density growth phase. Finally, results with both batch and chemostat culture revealed that pigmented cells grow to approximately twice the biomass yield as non-pigmented S. marcescens bacteria. Prodigiosin production may, therefore, provide a growth advantage at ambient temperatures.

  10. Current perspective of yellowish-orange pigments from microorganisms- a review

    OpenAIRE

    Aruldass , Claira Arul; Dufossé , Laurent; Ahmad , Wan Azlina

    2018-01-01

    International audience; Natural yellowish-orange pigments are derived from bacteria, yeasts, fungi and microalgae, including Chryseobacterium, Monascus and Chlorella. The purpose of this review is to provide an overview of these pigments in various aspects towards exploiting them for numerous functions. These pigments are produced in various shades of yellow-orange and categorised as carotenoids, anthraquinones, zeaxanthin, flexirubin and other compounds. They served as alternative colourants...

  11. Production of colourful pigments consisting of amorphous arrays of silica particles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yoshioka, Shinya; Takeoka, Yukikazu

    2014-08-04

    It is desirable to produce colourful pigments that have anti-fading properties and are environmentally friendly. In this Concept, we describe recently developed pigments that exhibit such characteristics. The pigments consist of amorphous arrays of submicron silica particles, and they exhibit saturated and angle-independent structural colours. Variously coloured pigments can be produced by changing the size of the particles, and the saturation of the colour can be controlled by incorporating small amounts of black particles. We review a simple analysis that is useful for interpreting the angular independence of the structural colours and discuss the remaining tasks that must be accomplished for the realistic application of these pigments. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  12. Raman af hvide pigmenter

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Reeler, Nini Elisabeth Abildgaard; Nielsen, Ole Faurskov; Sauer, Stephan P. A.

    2013-01-01

    Et samspil mellem kunst og kemi. I et samarbejde mellem Statens Museum for Kunst og Kemisk Institut på KU er Ramanspek-troskopi brugt til at definere sammensætningen af blandinger af blyhvidt og calcit i maleriers hvide pigmenter....

  13. Ultrastructural analysis of the pigment dispersion syndrome in DBA/2J mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schraermeyer, Mareike; Schnichels, Sven; Julien, Sylvie; Heiduschka, Peter; Bartz-Schmidt, Karl-Ulrich; Schraermeyer, Ulrich

    2009-11-01

    To characterise ocular pigment abnormalities associated with iris atrophy in DBA/2J mice as a model for human pigment dispersion syndrome. Immunohistochemistry, electron and light microscopy were performed to examine the eyes of DBA/2J mice ranging in age from 2.5 to 18 months old. The focus of our study was the description of the ultrastructural modifications in the irides of DBA/2J mice. The DBA/2J mice presented modifications in the melanosomes in all the pigmented parts of the eye, including the retinal pigment epithelial cells and choroidal melanocytes of the ciliary pigment epithelium. The extracellular matrix of the iris stroma disappeared with ageing. Pigmented cells detached from the iris and migrated into the trabecular meshwork exclusively on the anterior iris surface. These cells were identified as macrophages by immunohistochemistry and electron microscopy. There was no evidence that melanocytes or iris pigment epithelial cells migrated into the trabecular meshwork, but they became more and more depigmented. The aqueous outflow was blocked by pigment-laden cells, but not by cellular debris or melanosomes. No substantial amount of extracellular melanosomes was observed. The morphology of melanosomes is aberrant in all pigment cells in the eyes of DBA/2J mice. We conclude that the disease process begins with the transfer of both immature melanosomes from the iris pigment epithelium (IPE) and melanocytes to macrophages, which subsequently migrate into the trabecular meshwork. Accumulating macrophages cause a blockade of the chamber angle. As the disease progresses, the IPE, melanocytes and iris stroma, including blood vessels, disappear, leading to iris atrophy. It is speculated that the loss of these pigment cells is partly caused by reduction of the iris stroma.

  14. TEM studies of the crystal growth of indanthrone pigments

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    McHendry, P.

    1998-01-01

    The aim of this work was to study the crystal growth of indanthrone during the pigmentation process. The colouring properties of a pigment are dependant on the chemical and crystallographic structure of the pigment. However, other factors are known to affect these properties including particle size, particle size distribution and level of dispersion in the chosen application medium. The parameters which affect the growth of the pigment particles were investigated with the emphasis placed on the mechanism by which growth took place. The final form of the crystals after growth was also investigated in some detail. Various electron microscopy techniques were employed in the investigations in this thesis. High and low magnification imaging and diffraction were studied on the CTEM (conventional transmission electron microscope) whilst PEELS (parallel electron energy loss spectroscopy) and DPC (differential phase contrast) studies took place on the VG HB5 STEM (scanning transmission electron microscope). In addition to these studies, x-ray diffraction and surface area analysis techniques were employed. The low magnification CTEM work gave good information on the size, shape and size distribution of the pigment particles and enabled detailed analysis of the level of growth attained under varied reaction conditions. (author)

  15. Analysis and characterisation of phytochemicals in mulberry (Morus alba L.) fruits grown in Vojvodina, North Serbia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Natić, Maja M; Dabić, Dragana Č; Papetti, Adele; Fotirić Akšić, Milica M; Ognjanov, Vladislav; Ljubojević, Mirjana; Tešić, Živoslav Lj

    2015-03-15

    In this study, the polyphenolic profile of 11 Morus alba fruits grown in the Vojvodina region was investigated. Ultra high performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) coupled with Linear Trap Quadrupole and OrbiTrap mass analyzer, and UHPLC coupled with a diode array detector and a triple-quadrupole mass spectrometer were used for the identification and quantification of the polyphenols, respectively. A total of 14 hydroxycinnamic acid esters, 13 flavonol glycosides, and 14 anthocyanins were identified in the extracts with different distributions and contents according to the sampling. The total phenolic content ranged from 43.84 to 326.29 mg GAE/100g frozen fruit. The radical scavenging capacity (50.18-86.79%), metal chelating ability (0.21-8.15%), ferric ion reducing power (0.03-38.45 μM ascorbic acid) and superoxide anion radical scavenging activity (16.53-62.83%) were assessed. The findings indicated that mulberry polyphenolics may act as potent superoxide anion radical scavengers and reducing agents. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Effects of Power Ultrasound on Stability of Cyanidin-3-glucoside Obtained from Blueberry

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Guang-Long Yao

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available Power ultrasound (US could potentially be used in the food industry in the future. However, the extent of anthocyanin degradation by US requires investigation. Cyanidin-3-glucoside (Cy-3-glu obtained from blueberry extracts was used as research material to investigate the effect of power ultrasound on food processing of anthocyanin-rich raw materials. The effects of ultrasonic waves on the stability of Cy-3-glu and on the corresponding changes in UV-Vis spectrum and antioxidant activity were investigated, and the mechanisms of anthocyanin degradation induced by ultrasonic waves were discussed. To explore Cy-3-glu degradation in different environments, we kept the Cy-3-glu solution treated with ultrasonic waves in four concentrations (0%, 10%, 20%, and 50% of ethanol aqueous solutions to simulate water, beer, wine, and liquor storage environment according to the chemical kinetics method. Results show that the basic spectral characteristics of Cy-3-glu did not significantly change after power ultrasound cell crusher application at 30 °C. However, with anthocyanin degradation, the intensity of the peak for Cy-3-glu at 504 nm significantly decreased (p < 0.05. The degradation kinetics of Cy-3-glu by ultrasonic waves (200–500 W frequency fitted well to first-order reaction kinetics, and the degradation rate constant of Cy-3-glu under power ultrasound was considerably larger than that under thermal degradation (p < 0.05. The sensitivity of the anthocyanins of blueberry to temperature increased with increasing ethanol concentration, and the longest half-life was observed in 20% ethanol aqueous solution.

  17. Retrospective Evaluation of Topical Bimatoprost and Iris Pigmentation Change.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zaleski-Larsen, Lisa A; Ruth, Nadine H; Fabi, Sabrina G

    2017-12-01

    Topical bimatoprost is a topical prostaglandin analog originally used to treat glaucoma and more recently used to cosmetically induce hypertrichosis of the eyelashes. Iris pigmentation change has been noted in the treatment of glaucoma but has not been assessed with the cosmetic periorbital application of bimatoprost. To evaluate for iris pigmentation change with the long-term cosmetic use of topical bimatoprost. A retrospective chart review in a cosmetic dermatology practice of women (N = 50) who consistently purchased topical bimatoprost over an average of 4.59 years was compared with that of age-matched non-bimatoprost patients (N = 50). A blinded evaluator assessed each patient for iris pigmentary change. No iris pigmentation change was noted with the cutaneous application of bimatoprost. The cutaneous application of bimatoprost appears to be safe with minimal risk for iris pigmentation change.

  18. Loci associated with skin pigmentation identified in African populations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Crawford, Nicholas G.; Kelly, Derek E.; Hansen, Matthew E. B.; Beltrame, Marcia H.; Fan, Shaohua; Bowman, Shanna L.; Jewett, Ethan; Ranciaro, Alessia; Thompson, Simon; Lo, Yancy; Pfeifer, Susanne P.; Jensen, Jeffrey D.; Campbell, Michael C.; Beggs, William; Hormozdiari, Farhad; Mpoloka, Sununguko Wata; Mokone, Gaonyadiwe George; Nyambo, Thomas; Meskel, Dawit Wolde; Belay, Gurja; Haut, Jake; Rothschild, Harriet; Zon, Leonard; Zhou, Yi; Kovacs, Michael A.; Xu, Mai; Zhang, Tongwu; Bishop, Kevin; Sinclair, Jason; Rivas, Cecilia; Elliot, Eugene; Choi, Jiyeon; Li, Shengchao A.; Hicks, Belynda; Burgess, Shawn; Abnet, Christian; Watkins-Chow, Dawn E.; Oceana, Elena; Song, Yun S.; Eskin, Eleazar; Brown, Kevin M.; Marks, Michael S.; Loftus, Stacie K.; Pavan, William J.; Yeager, Meredith; Chanock, Stephen; Tishkoff, Sarah

    2017-01-01

    Despite the wide range of skin pigmentation in humans, little is known about its genetic basis in global populations. Examining ethnically diverse African genomes, we identify variants in or near SLC24A5, MFSD12, DDB1, TMEM138, OCA2 and HERC2 that are significantly associated with skin pigmentation. Genetic evidence indicates that the light pigmentation variant at SLC24A5 was introduced into East Africa by gene flow from non-Africans. At all other loci, variants associated with dark pigmentation in Africans are identical by descent in southern Asian and Australo-Melanesian populations. Functional analyses indicate that MFSD12 encodes a lysosomal protein that affects melanogenesis in zebrafish and mice, and that mutations in melanocyte-specific regulatory regions near DDB1/TMEM138 correlate with expression of UV response genes under selection in Eurasians. PMID:29025994

  19. Ultraviolet radiation effects on pigmentation in the cyanobacterium ''Phormidium uncinatum''

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Donkor, V.A.; Haeder, D.P.

    1997-01-01

    The Baikal strain of the cyanobacterium Phormidium uncinatum was found to possess the photosynthetic pigments chlorophyll a, carotenoids, phycocyanin and allophycocyanin, while the Tuebingen strain of Phormidium contained, in addition to these, the biliprotein phycoerythrin. Sucrose gradient centrifugation of the pigment extracts resulted in a separation of the phycobiliproteins into several bands, which according to their absorption and fluorescence properties, were identified as monomers, trimers and hexamers. With increasing UV-B irradiation the heavier aggregates were broken down into smaller components. Photobleaching of these accessory pigments also occurred. FPLC gel filtration analyses of the pigments also showed loss of heavier aggregates of the phycobilins and bleaching of the pigments. SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of the sucrose gradient and FPLC fractions indicated loss of the biliproteins with increasing UV-B irradiation. The loss of the β- were more rapid than that of the α- subunits. Increasing levels of ultraviolet irradiation is therefore deleterious to these organism. (author)

  20. Properties of alginate fiber spun-dyed with fluorescent pigment dispersion.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Ping; Tawiah, Benjamin; Tian, Anli; Wang, Chunxia; Zhang, Liping; Fu, Shaohai

    2015-03-15

    Spun-dyed alginate fiber was prepared by the spun-dyeing method with the mixture of fluorescent pigment dispersion and sodium alginate fiber spinning solution, and its properties were characterized by SEM, TGA, DSC, and XRD. The results indicate that fluorescent pigment dispersion prepared with esterified poly (styrene-alt maleic acid) had excellent compatibility with sodium alginate fiber spinning solution, and small amount of fluorescent pigment could reduce the viscosity of spun-dyed spinning solutions. SEM photo of spun-dyed alginate fiber indicated that fewer pigment particles deposited on its surface. TGA, DSC, and XRD results suggested that thermal properties and crystal phase of spun-dyed alginate fibers had slight changes compared to the original alginate fibers. The fluorescence intensity of spun-dyed alginate fiber reached its maximum when the content of fluorescent pigment was 4%. The spun-dyed alginate fiber showed excellent rubbing and washing fastness. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Synthesis and Characterization of a New Heterocyclic Azo Pigment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Asniza, M.; Issam, A.M.; Khalil, H.P.S.A.

    2011-01-01

    A new heterocyclic coupling agent has been produced from the reaction of maleic anhydride and p-aminophenol, namely N-(4-hexahydrophenol)maleimide. The coupling agent underwent azo coupling reaction with aromatic amine, which is p-aminophenol to produce a new heterocyclic azo pigment. The pigment was then subjected to solubility, hiding power and light fastness test. Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Ultraviolet/ Visible (UV/Vis) Spectroscopy, and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ( 1 H-NMR, 13 C-NMR) were used to obtain the characteristics and structural features of the pigment. (author)

  2. Fumed metallic oxides and conventional pigments for glossy inkjet paper

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Hyunkook

    Product development activity in the area of inkjet printing papers has accelerated greatly to meet the rapidly growing market for inkjet papers. Advancements in inkjet printing technology have also placed new demands on the paper substrate due to faster printing rates, greater resolution through increased drop volumes, and colorants added to the ink. To meet these requirements, papermakers are turning to pigmented size press formulations or pigmented coating systems. For inkjet coating applications, both the internal porosity of the pigment particles as well as the packing porosity of the coating affect print quality and dry time. Pores between the pigment particles allow for rapid diffusion of ink fluids into the coating structure, while also providing capacity for ink fluid uptake. Past research has shown the presence of coating cracks to increase the microroughness of the papers, consequently reducing the gloss of the silica/polyvinyl alcohol based coating colors. Coating cracks were not observed, at the same level of magnification, in the scanning electron microscopy images of alumina/polyvinyl alcohol coated papers. Studies are therefore needed to understand the influence of coating cracking on the microroughening of silica/polyvinyl alcohol based coatings and consequences to coating and ink gloss. Since micro roughening is known to be linked to shrinkage of the coating layer, studies are needed to determine if composite pigments can be formulated, which would enable the coating solids of the formulations to be increased to minimize the shrinkage of coating layer during drying. Coating solids greater than 55% solids are needed to reduce the difference between application solids and the coating's immobilization solids point in order to reduce shrinkage. The aim of this research was to address the above mentioned needed studies. Studies were performed to understand the influence of particle packing on gloss and ink jet print quality. Composite pigment structures

  3. Abnormal pigmentation within cutaneous scars: A complication of wound healing

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sarah Chadwick

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Abnormally pigmented scars are an undesirable consequence of cutaneous wound healing and are a complication every single individual worldwide is at risk of. They present a challenge for clinicians, as there are currently no definitive treatment options available, and render scars much more noticeable making them highly distressing for patients. Despite extensive research into both wound healing and the pigment cell, there remains a scarcity of knowledge surrounding the repigmentation of cutaneous scars. Pigment production is complex and under the control of many extrinsic and intrinsic factors and patterns of scar repigmentation are unpredictable. This article gives an overview of human skin pigmentation, repigmentation following wounding and current treatment options.

  4. Pigment dispersion syndrome associated with optic nerve melanocytoma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Asorey-García, A; Méndez-Hernández, C D; Santos-Bueso, E; García-Feijoo, J

    2015-10-01

    A 60-year old patient was referred for cataract surgery. The examination showed retrokeratic pigment in the left eye, which had an intraocular pressure of 24 mm Hg. The funduscopy showed a brown lesion on the left optic disk, with adjacent vitreous seeding of pigment. The patient was thus diagnosed with secondary pigment dispersion syndrome due to optic disk melanocytoma. Although melanocytoma is most commonly a benign, stationary tumor, it may present with major complications leading to significant visual loss. A patient with melanocytoma of the optic disk should be examined periodically. Copyright © 2014 Sociedad Española de Oftalmología. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  5. Bio production of red pigment by local isolate of Monascus purpureus

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Youssef, B.M.; Khalaf, M.A.; Emam, D.A.; Hazaa, M.M.; Shash, S.M.

    2009-01-01

    There is an increased interest on natural pigments to replace some currently used synthetic dyes, since the latter have been associated with toxic effects in foods. The red pigment of the fungus Monascus is widely used in all the world as food additives or pharmaceuticals. The Monascus purpureus local strain, which was isolated from dried silage sample was employed for red pigment production in submerged fermentation (Sm F) conditions. Different fermentation parameters including: incubation period, temperature, initial ph of the medium, agitation, different carbon and nitrogen sources, bio elements and type of inoculum and its age; were carried out under Sm F conditions to enhance the red pigment production. The maximum red pigment production (1.27 gI -1 ) was achieved at incubation temperature 30 C, initial ph 5.5, agitation rate 150 rpm, 2% starch and 0.4% ammonium sulphate as carbon and nitrogen sources, respectively, after 4 days when the production medium inoculated with 12 h age from seed culture inoculum. An experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of gamma irradiation on the activity of Monascus purpureus towards red pigment production. The maximum red pigment production (I.9 gI -1 ) was obtained at 0.5 kGy dose level

  6. Dissecting historical changes of selective pressures in the evolution of human pigmentation

    OpenAIRE

    Huang, Xin; Wang, Sijia; Jin, Li; He, Yungang

    2018-01-01

    Human pigmentation is a highly diverse trait among populations, and has drawn particular attention from both academic and non-academic investigators for thousands of years. To explain the diversity of human pigmentation, researchers have proposed that human pigmentation is adapted for ultraviolet radiation and driven by natural selection. Although studies have detected signals of natural selection in several human pigmentation genes, none have quantitatively investigated the historical select...

  7. Pigment dispersion syndrome associated with spontaneous subluxation of crystalline lens

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vikas Veerwal

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Pigment dispersion syndrome (PDS is an ocular condition characterized by a dispersion of iris pigment throughout the eye. This pigment is deposited in a characteristic manner on the corneal endothelium as Krukenberg's spindle, anterior surface of the iris, in the trabecular meshwork, on the lens and zonule and occasionally on the anterior hyaloid face. Even with deposition of pigment on zonular fibers, no zonular weakness, or zonular dehiscence has been reported in these cases. We report a unique case of PDS with bilateral spontaneous subluxation of crystalline lens. With characteristic findings of pigment distribution in both his eyes, the patient had concave iris configuration with heavily pigmented trabecular meshwork confirming the diagnosis of PDS. The patient had bilateral 180° temporal subluxation of crystalline lens in both his eyes. The usual cause of lens subluxation such as Marfan's Syndrome and Ehler's Danlos Syndrome was ruled out. The patient underwent right eye followed by left eye intracapsular cataract extraction with ab-interno technique with postoperative best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA of 6/9 in both eyes. Spontaneous subluxation of crystalline lens in isolated PDS is not known to occur and has been reported by means of this case. We recommend a thorough assessment of zonular status in all cases of PDS.

  8. Pigment dispersion syndrome associated with spontaneous subluxation of crystalline lens.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Veerwal, Vikas; Goyal, Jawahar Lal; Jain, Parul; Arora, Ritu

    2017-01-01

    Pigment dispersion syndrome (PDS) is an ocular condition characterized by a dispersion of iris pigment throughout the eye. This pigment is deposited in a characteristic manner on the corneal endothelium as Krukenberg's spindle, anterior surface of the iris, in the trabecular meshwork, on the lens and zonule and occasionally on the anterior hyaloid face. Even with deposition of pigment on zonular fibers, no zonular weakness, or zonular dehiscence has been reported in these cases. We report a unique case of PDS with bilateral spontaneous subluxation of crystalline lens. With characteristic findings of pigment distribution in both his eyes, the patient had concave iris configuration with heavily pigmented trabecular meshwork confirming the diagnosis of PDS. The patient had bilateral 180° temporal subluxation of crystalline lens in both his eyes. The usual cause of lens subluxation such as Marfan's Syndrome and Ehler's Danlos Syndrome was ruled out. The patient underwent right eye followed by left eye intracapsular cataract extraction with ab-interno technique with postoperative best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) of 6/9 in both eyes. Spontaneous subluxation of crystalline lens in isolated PDS is not known to occur and has been reported by means of this case. We recommend a thorough assessment of zonular status in all cases of PDS.

  9. The 'push-pull' dosimeter: When two pigments are better than one

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bosi, Stephen G; Baldock, Clive; Smee, Robert

    2010-01-01

    A new kind of gel dosimeter (the 'push-pull' dosimeter) is proposed which would contain two spectrally complementary pigments, one which darkens with increasing dose and another which bleaches. The bleaching pigment would be optimised for high sensitivity and the darkening pigment for low sensitivity. By employing dual pigments optimised independently, the usual requisite compromises between sensitivity at low dose and accuracy at high dose would be relaxed. Such a gel, after exposure would be read using two successive optical CT scans employing two different scan wavelengths. The use of dual pigments could also reduce the occurrence of regions of high optical attenuation which generate artefacts in optical CT. This paper also presents results of simulations of the behaviour of such a gel when scanned using optical cone beam CT.

  10. Genome-Wide Identification and Characterization of Four Gene Families Putatively Involved in Cadmium Uptake, Translocation and Sequestration in Mulberry

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wei Fan

    2018-06-01

    Full Text Available The zinc-regulated transporters, iron-regulated transporter-like proteins (ZIPs, the natural resistance and macrophage proteins (NRAMP, the heavy metal ATPases (HMAs and the metal tolerance or transporter proteins (MTPs families are involved in cadmium (Cd uptake, translocation and sequestration in plants. Mulberry (Morus L., one of the most ecologically and economically important (as a food plant for silkworm production genera of perennial trees, exhibits excellent potential for remediating Cd-contaminated soils. However, there is no detailed information about the genes involved in Cd2+ transport in mulberry. In this study, we identified 31 genes based on a genome-wide analysis of the Morus notabilis genome database. According to bioinformatics analysis, the four transporter gene families in Morus were distributed in each group of the phylogenetic tree, and the gene exon/intron structure and protein motif structure were similar among members of the same group. Subcellular localization software predicted that these transporters were mainly distributed in the plasma membrane and the vacuolar membrane, with members of the same group exhibiting similar subcellular locations. Most of the gene promoters contained abiotic stress-related cis-elements. The expression patterns of these genes in different organs were determined, and the patterns identified, allowing the categorization of these genes into four groups. Under low or high-Cd2+ concentrations (30 μM or 100 μM, respectively, the transcriptional regulation of the 31 genes in root, stem and leaf tissues of M. alba seedlings differed with regard to tissue and time of peak expression. Heterologous expression of MaNRAMP1, MaHMA3, MaZIP4, and MaIRT1 in Saccharomyces cerevisiae increased the sensitivity of yeast to Cd, suggested that these transporters had Cd transport activity. Subcellular localization experiment showed that the four transporters were localized to the plasma membrane of yeast and

  11. Novel environment friendly corrosion inhibitor pigments based on naturally occurring clay minerals

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bohm, S.; McMurray, H.N.; Worsley, D.A. [University of Wales, Swansea (United Kingdom). Dept. of Materials Engineering; Powell, S.M. [University of Wales, Swansea (United Kingdom). Engineering Doktorate Centre

    2001-12-01

    Novel, ceramic, corrosion inhibitor pigments consisting of cerium (III) and calcium (II) cation exchanged bentonites have been shown to provide effective cut-edge corrosion resistance in organic coated galvanised steel. The bentonite pigments were prepared from a naturally occurring (Wyoming) bentonite with a cation-exchange-capacity of 0.7 milli-equivalents per gram. Cation exchange was carried out by repeated washing with aqueous solutions of cerium (III) chloride and calcium (II) chloride to produce bentonites containing 31500 ppm exchangeable cerium (III) and 13500 ppm exchangeable calcium (II) respectively. The resulting bentonite pigments were dispersed in a polyester-resin based primer paint system to give a pigment volume concentration of 19%. For comparison, two similar primer systems were prepared containing a commercial calcium (II) exchanged silica pigment Shieldex: 60 000 ppm calcium (II) and a strontium chromate dispersion, both with a 19% pigment volume concentration. All three primer systems were applied (5 {mu}m) to the zinc surface of galvanised 0.7 mm gauge sheet steel and overcoated with an architectural polyester topcoat (18 {mu}m). The performance of the inhibitor pigments was compared by measuring the rate of corrosion-driven organic coating delamination from the cut edge of samples during 1000 h of salt-spray testing. The calcium (II) bentonite pigment exhibited an anti-delamination performance similar to that of strontium chromate but superior to that of Shieldex. However, the cerium (III) bentonite pigment was superior in performance to both strontium chromate and Shieldex. Thus, the bentonite pigments represent promising, environmentally friendly, ion-exchange corrosion inhibitors which exhibit good anti-delamination performance by comparison with current commercial systems. (orig.)

  12. Synthesis and characterization of hematite pigment obtained from a steel waste industry

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Prim, S.R. [Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of the State of Santa Catarina, Santa Catarina (Brazil); Folgueras, M.V., E-mail: dem2mvf@joinville.udesc.br [Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of the State of Santa Catarina, Santa Catarina (Brazil); Lima, M.A. de [Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of the State of Santa Catarina, Santa Catarina (Brazil); Hotza, D. [Departamento de Engenharia Quimica, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Santa Catarina (Brazil)

    2011-09-15

    Highlights: {yields} The study of using of a industrial waste for the synthesis of hematite pigments. {yields} The nanometer dimension this waste and your behavior as chromophore. {yields} The effect of process variables on the mechanisms of encapsulation sintered pigments. - Abstract: Pigments that meet environmental and technology requirements are the focus of the research in the ceramic sector. This study focuses on the synthesis of ceramic pigment by encapsulation of hematite in crystalline and amorphous silica matrix. Iron oxide from a metal sheet rolling process was used as chromophore. A different content of hematite and silica was homogenized by conventional and high energy milling. The powders obtained after calcinations between 1050 and 1200 {sup o}C for 2 h were characterized by X-ray diffraction and SEM analysis. The pigments were applied to ceramic enamel and porcelain body. The effect of pigment was measured by comparing L*a*b* values of the heated samples. Results showed that the color developed is influenced by variables such as oxide content employed, conditions of milling and processing temperature. The results showed that the use of pigment developed does not interfere in microstructural characteristics of pigmented material. The best hue was obtained from samples with 15 wt% of chromophore, heated at 1200 {sup o}C in amorphous silica matrix.

  13. The red pigment prodigiosin is not an essential virulence factor in entomopathogenic Serratia marcescens.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, Wei; Li, JingHua; Chen, Jie; Liu, XiaoYuan; Xiang, TingTing; Zhang, Lin; Wan, YongJi

    2016-05-01

    Although pigments produced by pathogenic microbes are generally hypothesized as essential virulence factors, the role of red pigment prodigiosin in the pathogenesis of entomopathogenic Serratia marcescens is not clear. In this study, we analyzed the pathogenicity of different pigmented S. marcescens strains and their non-pigmented mutants in silkworms. Each pigmented strain and the corresponding non-pigmented mutants showed very similar LD50 value (statistically no difference), but caused very different symptom (color of the dead larva). Our results clearly indicated that the red pigment prodigiosin is not an essential virulence factor in entomopathogenic S. marcescens. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  14. Visual pigments in a living fossil, the Australian lungfish Neoceratodus forsteri

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Davies Wayne L

    2007-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background One of the greatest challenges facing the early land vertebrates was the need to effectively interpret a terrestrial environment. Interpretation was based on ocular adaptations evolved for an aquatic environment millions of years earlier. The Australian lungfish Neoceratodus forsteri is thought to be the closest living relative to the first terrestrial vertebrate, and yet nothing is known about the visual pigments present in lungfish or the early tetrapods. Results Here we identify and characterise five visual pigments (rh1, rh2, lws, sws1 and sws2 expressed in the retina of N. forsteri. Phylogenetic analysis of the molecular evolution of lungfish and other vertebrate visual pigment genes indicates a closer relationship between lungfish and amphibian pigments than to pigments in teleost fishes. However, the relationship between lungfish, the coelacanth and tetrapods could not be absolutely determined from opsin phylogeny, supporting an unresolved trichotomy between the three groups. Conclusion The presence of four cone pigments in Australian lungfish suggests that the earliest tetrapods would have had a colorful view of their terrestrial environment.

  15. Visual pigments in a living fossil, the Australian lungfish Neoceratodus forsteri.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bailes, Helena J; Davies, Wayne L; Trezise, Ann E O; Collin, Shaun P

    2007-10-25

    One of the greatest challenges facing the early land vertebrates was the need to effectively interpret a terrestrial environment. Interpretation was based on ocular adaptations evolved for an aquatic environment millions of years earlier. The Australian lungfish Neoceratodus forsteri is thought to be the closest living relative to the first terrestrial vertebrate, and yet nothing is known about the visual pigments present in lungfish or the early tetrapods. Here we identify and characterise five visual pigments (rh1, rh2, lws, sws1 and sws2) expressed in the retina of N. forsteri. Phylogenetic analysis of the molecular evolution of lungfish and other vertebrate visual pigment genes indicates a closer relationship between lungfish and amphibian pigments than to pigments in teleost fishes. However, the relationship between lungfish, the coelacanth and tetrapods could not be absolutely determined from opsin phylogeny, supporting an unresolved trichotomy between the three groups. The presence of four cone pigments in Australian lungfish suggests that the earliest tetrapods would have had a colorful view of their terrestrial environment.

  16. Marennine, Promising Blue Pigments from a Widespread Haslea Diatom Species Complex

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Romain Gastineau

    2014-05-01

    Full Text Available In diatoms, the main photosynthetic pigments are chlorophylls a and c, fucoxanthin, diadinoxanthin and diatoxanthin. The marine pennate diatom Haslea ostrearia has long been known for producing, in addition to these generic pigments, a water-soluble blue pigment, marennine. This pigment, responsible for the greening of oysters in western France, presents different biological activities: allelopathic, antioxidant, antibacterial, antiviral, and growth-inhibiting. A method to extract and purify marennine has been developed, but its chemical structure could hitherto not be resolved. For decades, H. ostrearia was the only organism known to produce marennine, and can be found worldwide. Our knowledge about H. ostrearia-like diatom biodiversity has recently been extended with the discovery of several new species of blue diatoms, the recently described H. karadagensis, H. silbo sp. inedit. and H. provincialis sp. inedit. These blue diatoms produce different marennine-like pigments, which belong to the same chemical family and present similar biological activities. Aside from being a potential source of natural blue pigments, H. ostrearia-like diatoms thus present a commercial potential for aquaculture, cosmetics, food and health industries.

  17. NANO-SIZED PIGMENT APPLICATIONS IN İZNİK TILES

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Esin GÜNAY

    2012-12-01

    Full Text Available Traditional İznik tiles are known as “unproducable” due to its high quartz content. İznik tiles contain four different layers as “body, engobe (slip, decors and glaze” and each one has some different starting materials. Recent studies have showed that the production techniques and the particle size of pigments are important parameters in development of colours. TUBITAK MRC and İznik Foundation carried out an experimental work to improve and understand the effects of nanotechnology application to İznik tiles. High quartz content was kept as it is and pigments were applied in decorationas nano-sized pigments.İznik tiles were produced and comparison was carried out between traditional and modern İznik tiles in colour and brightness. Characterization techniques were used in order to understand andcompare the results and also the effects of nano-sized pigments to İznik tiles.

  18. Resonant imaging of carotenoid pigments in the human retina

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gellermann, Werner; Emakov, Igor V.; McClane, Robert W.

    2002-06-01

    We have generated high spatial resolution images showing the distribution of carotenoid macular pigments in the human retina using Raman spectroscopy. A low level of macular pigments is associated with an increased risk of developing age-related macular degeneration, a leading cause of irreversible blindness. Using excised human eyecups and resonant excitation of the pigment molecules with narrow bandwidth blue light from a mercury arc lamp, we record Raman images originating from the carbon-carbon double bond stretch vibrations of lutein and zeaxanthin, the carotenoids comprising human macular pigments. Our Raman images reveal significant differences among subjects, both in regard to absolute levels as well as spatial distribution within the macula. Since the light levels used to obtain these images are well below established safety limits, this technique holds promise for developing a rapid screening diagnostic in large populations at risk for vision loss from age-related macular degeneration.

  19. Molecular cloning and biochemical characterization of the UDP-glucose: flavonoid 3-O-glucosyltransferase from Concord grape (Vitis labrusca).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hall, Dawn; Yuan, Xiao Xin; Murata, Jun; De Luca, Vincenzo

    2012-02-01

    Glucosylation of anthocyanidin substrates at the 3-O-position is crucial for the red pigmentation of grape berries and wine. The gene that encodes the enzyme involved in this reaction has been cloned from Vitis labrusca cv. Concord, heterologously expressed, and the recombinant enzyme (rVL3GT) was characterized. VL3GT has 96% amino acid sequence identity with Vitis vinifera VV3GT and groups phylogenetically with several other flavonoid 3-O-glycosyltransferases. In vitro substrate specificity studies and kinetic analyses of rVL3GT indicate that this enzyme preferentially glucosylates cyanidin as compared with quercetin. Crude protein extracts from several Concord grape tissues were assayed for glucosyltransferase activity with cyanidin and quercetin as acceptor substrates. A comparison of the VL3GT activities toward with these substrates showed that the 3GT enzyme activity is consistent with the expression of VL3GT in these tissues and is coincident with the biosynthesis of anthocyanins in both location and developmental stages. Enzyme activities in grape mesocarp, pre-veraison exocarp, leaf, flower bud, and flower tissues glucosylated quercetin but not cyanidin at high rates, suggesting the presence of additional enzymes which are able to glucosylate the 3-O-position of flavonols with higher specificity than anthocyanidins. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Sonodegradation of cyanidin-3-glucosylrutinoside: degradation kinetic analysis and its impact on antioxidant capacity in vitro.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sun, Jianxia; Li, Xinghua; Lin, Xinyu; Mei, Zhouxiong; Li, Yitao; Ding, Lijun; Bai, Weibin

    2017-03-01

    As an alternative preservation method for thermal treatment, ultrasound comprises a novel non-thermal processing technology that can significantly avoid undesirable nutritional changes. However, the recent literature indicates that anthocyanin degradation occurs when ultrasound is applied in juice at high amplitude parameters. Such work has mainly focussed on the effect of ultrasound on stability, the antioxidant capacity of cyanidin-3-glucosylrutinoside (Cy-3-glc-rut) and the correlation between anthocyanin degradation and ·OH generation in a simulated system. The spectral intensities of Cy-3-glc-rut at 518 and 282 nm decreased with increasing ultrasound power and treatment time. The degradation of Cy-3-glc-rut was consistent with first-order reaction kinetics (r 2  > 0.9000) and there was a good linear correlation between anthocyanin degradation and hydroxyl radical formation induced by ultrasound (r 2  = 0.9258). Moreover, a decrease in the antioxidant activity of Cy-3-glc-rut after ultrasound evaluated by the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl and ferric reducing antioxidant power methods was observed. Overall, the results of the present study show that ultrasound will accelerate the degradation of Cy-3-glc-rut with the growth of power over time. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

  1. Mass Spectrometric Analysis of Synthetic Organic Pigments.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sugaya, Naeko; Takahashi, Mitsuko; Sakurai, Katsumi; Tanaka, Nobuko; Okubo, Ichiro; Kawakami, Tsuyoshi

    2018-04-18

    Though synthetic organic colorants are used in various applications nowadays, there is the concern that impurities by-produced during the manufacturing and degradation products in some of these colorants are persistent organic pollutants and carcinogens. Thus, it is important to identify the synthetic organic colorants in various products, such as commercial paints, ink, cosmetics, food, textile, and plastics. Dyes, which are soluble in water and other solvents, could be analyzed by chromatographic methods. In contrast, it is difficult to analyze synthetic organic pigments by these methods because of their insolubility. This review is an overview of mass spectrometric analysis of synthetic organic pigments by various ionization methods. We highlight a recent study of textile samples by atmospheric pressure solid analysis probe MS. Furthermore, the mass spectral features of synthetic organic pigments and their separation from other components such as paint media and plasticizers are discussed.

  2. Microanalysis study of archaeological mural samples containing Maya blue pigment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sanchez del Rio, M.; Martinetto, P.; Somogyi, A.; Reyes-Valerio, C.; Dooryhee, E.; Peltier, N.; Alianelli, L.; Moignard, B.; Pichon, L.; Calligaro, T.; Dran, J.-C.

    2004-01-01

    Elemental analysis by X-ray fluorescence and particle induced X-ray emission is applied to the study of several Mesoamerican mural samples containing blue pigments. The most characteristic blue pigment is Maya blue, a very stable organo-clay complex original from Maya culture and widely used in murals, pottery and sculptures in a vast region of Mesoamerica during the pre-hispanic time (from VIII century) and during the colonization until 1580. The mural samples come from six different archaeological sites (four pre-hispanic and two from XVI century colonial convents). The correlation between the presence of some elements and the pigment colour is discussed. From the comparative study of the elemental concentration, some conclusions are drawn on the nature of the pigments and the technology used

  3. Microanalysis study of archaeological mural samples containing Maya blue pigment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sánchez del Río, M.; Martinetto, P.; Somogyi, A.; Reyes-Valerio, C.; Dooryhée, E.; Peltier, N.; Alianelli, L.; Moignard, B.; Pichon, L.; Calligaro, T.; Dran, J.-C.

    2004-10-01

    Elemental analysis by X-ray fluorescence and particle induced X-ray emission is applied to the study of several Mesoamerican mural samples containing blue pigments. The most characteristic blue pigment is Maya blue, a very stable organo-clay complex original from Maya culture and widely used in murals, pottery and sculptures in a vast region of Mesoamerica during the pre-hispanic time (from VIII century) and during the colonization until 1580. The mural samples come from six different archaeological sites (four pre-hispanic and two from XVI century colonial convents). The correlation between the presence of some elements and the pigment colour is discussed. From the comparative study of the elemental concentration, some conclusions are drawn on the nature of the pigments and the technology used.

  4. Microanalysis study of archaeological mural samples containing Maya blue pigment

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sanchez del Rio, M. [ESRF, BP220, F-38043 Grenoble (France)]. E-mail: srio@esrf.fr; Martinetto, P. [Laboratoire de Cristallographie, CNRS, BP166 F-30842 Grenoble (France); Somogyi, A. [ESRF, BP220, F-38043 Grenoble (France); Reyes-Valerio, C. [INAH, Mexico DF (Mexico); Dooryhee, E. [Laboratoire de Cristallographie, CNRS, BP166 F-30842 Grenoble (France); Peltier, N. [Laboratoire de Cristallographie, CNRS, BP166 F-30842 Grenoble (France); Alianelli, L. [INFM-OGG c/o ESRF, BP220, F-38043 Grenoble Cedex (France); Moignard, B. [C2RMF, 6 Rue des Pyramides, F-75041 Paris Cedex 01 (France); Pichon, L. [C2RMF, 6 Rue des Pyramides, F-75041 Paris Cedex 01 (France); Calligaro, T. [C2RMF, 6 Rue des Pyramides, F-75041 Paris Cedex 01 (France); Dran, J.-C. [C2RMF, 6 Rue des Pyramides, F-75041 Paris Cedex 01 (France)

    2004-10-08

    Elemental analysis by X-ray fluorescence and particle induced X-ray emission is applied to the study of several Mesoamerican mural samples containing blue pigments. The most characteristic blue pigment is Maya blue, a very stable organo-clay complex original from Maya culture and widely used in murals, pottery and sculptures in a vast region of Mesoamerica during the pre-hispanic time (from VIII century) and during the colonization until 1580. The mural samples come from six different archaeological sites (four pre-hispanic and two from XVI century colonial convents). The correlation between the presence of some elements and the pigment colour is discussed. From the comparative study of the elemental concentration, some conclusions are drawn on the nature of the pigments and the technology used.

  5. Internal and external factors affecting photosynthetic pigment composition in plants: a meta-analytical approach.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Esteban, Raquel; Barrutia, Oihana; Artetxe, Unai; Fernández-Marín, Beatriz; Hernández, Antonio; García-Plazaola, José Ignacio

    2015-04-01

    Photosynthetic pigment composition has been a major study target in plant ecophysiology during the last three decades. Although more than 2000 papers have been published, a comprehensive evaluation of the responses of photosynthetic pigment composition to environmental conditions is not yet available. After an extensive survey, we compiled data from 525 papers including 809 species (subkingdom Viridiplantae) in which pigment composition was described. A meta-analysis was then conducted to assess the ranges of photosynthetic pigment content. Calculated frequency distributions of pigments were compared with those expected from the theoretical pigment composition. Responses to environmental factors were also analysed. The results revealed that lutein and xanthophyll cycle pigments (VAZ) were highly responsive to the environment, emphasizing the high phenotypic plasticity of VAZ, whereas neoxanthin was very stable. The present meta-analysis supports the existence of relatively narrow limits for pigment ratios and also supports the presence of a pool of free 'unbound' VAZ. Results from this study provide highly reliable ranges of photosynthetic pigment contents as a framework for future research on plant pigments. © 2014 The Authors. New Phytologist © 2014 New Phytologist Trust.

  6. Characteristic Elemental Composition of Oil Pigments using Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chung, Yong Sam; Kim, Sun Ha; Sun, Gwang Min; Lim, Jong Myung; Moon, Jong Hwa; Kim, Young Jin; Lim, Sung Jin; Song, Yu Na; Kim, Ken

    2009-01-01

    The principal aim of this study is to identify the applicability of instrumental neutron activation analysis as a non-destructive examination tool for the quantitative composition analysis associated with authentication, restoration, and conservation of art objects in the field of cultural heritage. Generally, the chemical composition of pigments are associated with the colors such as white, yellow, orange, red, green, blue and black, and it varies with raw materials of pigments. According to the colors of a different pigments, chemical compositions are as follows; for example, white pigments were used for a mixture of Pb(CO 3 ) 2 , PbSO 4 , PbO, Pb(OH) 2 , ZnO, ZnS, TiO 2 , BaSO 4 , CaCO 3 , Al 2 O 3 , As 2 S 3 , etc.; black pigments were series of carbon black, borne ash, MnO+Mn 2 O 3 , etc.; red pigments were Fe 2 O 3 , Pb 3 O 4 , HgS, PbMo 4 , CdS+CdSe, etc.; brown and yellow pigments were PbCrO 4 , ZnCrO 4 , CdS-ZnS, K 3 [Co(NO 2 ) 6 ], Pb(SbO 3 ) 2 , C 19 H 16 O 11 Mg, SrCrO 4 , etc.; green pigments were Cr 2 O 3 , Cr 2 O(OH) 4 , Cu(C 2 H 3 O 2 )-2Cu(OH) 2 ), Cr 2 O 3 -Al 2 O 3 -CoO, etc.; blue pigments were Fe 4 [Fe(CN) 6 ] 3 , CoO-Al 2 O 3 , Na 8 - 10 Al 6 Si 6 O 24 S 2-4 , etc. This first step is to obtain quantitative data on the concentrations of major, minor and trace elements in oil pigments and to explain pigment sources by statistical treatment as reported in many literatures. The determination of major, minor and micro elements in the subject materials are essential in many fields of basic science and technology as well as commercial and industrial fields. In particular, direct analysis of a sample offers a more effective investigation method in these fields. Instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) has an inherent advantage of being a non-destructive, simultaneously multi-elemental analysis with high accuracy and sensitivity. In order to characterize the elemental contents of art objects, the quantitative analysis of oil pigment series was

  7. Destruction of liver haem by norethindrone. Conversion into green pigments

    OpenAIRE

    White, Ian N. H.

    1981-01-01

    1. Factors affecting the norethindrone-mediated conversion of hepatic haem into green pigments have been studied in the rat. Concentrations of haem and green pigments were estimated spectrophotometrically after esterification and separation by silica gel high-pressure liquid chromatography (h.p.l.c.). 2. Accumulation of green pigments in the liver was dependent on the dose of steroid and the time after dosing, maximum values being reached after 4–8h. Phenobarbitone pretreatment of rats result...

  8. Characterization of pre-hispanic pigments by modern analytical techniques

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ortega A, M.

    2003-01-01

    In this work, the study of mural painting pigments from two archaeological sites (The Great Temple in Mexico city and Cacaxtla) was performed to know their materials composition, identify their structural characteristics and properties by using modern analytical techniques. Blue, ochre, red and black pigments of Mexica culture (1325-1521 a.C. / late Post Classic period); blue, ochre, red, brown, pink, green and white of Olmeca- Xicalanca culture (700-900 a.C. / Epiclassic period) were studied. Data about materials used, technological evolution, mineralogical background, cultural interchange and origin was obtained. Environmental exposition of these paintings since their discovering has produced changes and damage on their materials. Therefore, stability of some pigments has been notorious, ''Maya Blue'' specially presents extraordinary resistance to diluted and concentrated acids and alkalis including boiling condition, acqua regia, solvents, oxidant and reducing agents, moderate heat and biocorrosi6n; for that reason its study was emphasized. ''Maya Blue'' pigment was synthesized in laboratory using the processes described by historic sources (with indigophera suffruticosa leaves and synthetic indigo) up to obtain a stable pigment including acqua regia action. Clay matrix sorbs nearly 0.4 weight percent of organic dye, which cover 79% of palygorskita surface area. (Author)

  9. The importance of tattoo pigment in sentinel lymph nodes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Soran, Atilla; Menekse, Ebru; Kanbour-Shakir, Amal; Tane, Kaori; Diego, Emilia; Bonaventura, Marguerite; Johnson, Ronald

    2017-01-01

    The presence of pigment in axillary lymph nodes (LN) secondary to migration of tattoo ink can imitate the appearance of a blue sentinel lymph node (SLN) on visual inspection, causing the operator to either miss the true SLN or excise more than is needed. We present patients with tattoos ipsilateral to an early stage breast cancer who underwent a SLN biopsy. Patients were retrospectively reviewed from medical records and clinicopathologic data was collected. A total of 52 LNs were retrieved from 15 patients for sentinel mapping and 29 of them had tattoo pigmentation on pathologic evaluation. Of those 29 SLNs, 2 of them (6.9%) were pigmented, but did not contain either blue dye or Tc-99m (pseudopigmented SLN). Two (3.8%) SLNs were positive for metastasis; both of these had either blue dye or Tc99m uptake, and 1 demonstrated tattoo pigment in the node. In this cohort of patients with ipsilateral tattoos, removed more LNs lead to unnecessary excision which may important for increasing the risk of arm morbidity from SLN biopsy. However, the presence of tattoo pigment did not interfere with understaging for axillary mapping and it did not effect of pathological identification of SLNs positivity.

  10. 40 CFR 415.340 - Applicability; description of the chrome pigments production subcategory.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... chrome pigments production subcategory. 415.340 Section 415.340 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL... SOURCE CATEGORY Chrome Pigments Production Subcategory § 415.340 Applicability; description of the chrome pigments production subcategory. This subpart applies to discharges to waters of the United States and...

  11. The pigmentation of powder coatings with the use of block copolymer dispersants

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Duivenvoorde, F.L.; Nostrum, van C.F.; Linde, van der R.

    1999-01-01

    The dispersing of pigments in powder coatings is a difficult and complicated process. The incomplete dispersion under standard extrusion conditions can be attributed to a combination of poor pigment wetting and insufficient disruption of the pigment agglomerates, as a result of the rheological

  12. Screening of Auricularia auricula strains for strong production ability of melanin pigments

    OpenAIRE

    ZOU, Yu; MA, Kun

    2017-01-01

    Abstract Melanin pigments have great application value and development potential in food industry to use as nature functional food colorants. In initial study, twenty-two Auricularia auricula strains were screened for stronger production ability of melanin pigments by solid culture. Three A. auricula strains (RF201, QD2 and QD6) with higher pigment production capacity were selected for further study through submerged culture supplementing 1 g/L l-tyrosine. The maximal pigment yields of A. aur...

  13. 75 FR 52930 - Carbazole Violet Pigment 23 From India: Preliminary Results of Antidumping Duty Changed...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-08-30

    ... of presscake and dry color. Pigment dispersions in any form (e.g., pigment dispersed in oleoresins... DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE International Trade Administration [A-533-838] Carbazole Violet Pigment 23... order on carbazole violet pigment 23 from India to determine whether Meghmani Pigments (Meghmani) is the...

  14. Pigments, parasites and personalitiy: towards a unifying role for steroid hormones?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Silje Kittilsen

    Full Text Available A surging interest in the evolution of consistent trait correlations has inspired research on pigment patterns as a correlate of behavioural syndromes, or "animal personalities". Associations between pigmentation, physiology and health status are less investigated as potentially conserved trait clusters. In the current study, lice counts performed on farmed Atlantic salmon Salmo salar naturally infected with ectoparasitic sea lice Lepeophtheirus salmonis showed that individual fish with high incidence of black melanin-based skin spots harboured fewer female sea lice carrying egg sacs, compared to less pigmented fish. There was no significant association between pigmentation and lice at other developmental stages, suggesting that host factors associated with melanin-based pigmentation may modify ectoparasite development to a larger degree than settlement. In a subsequent laboratory experiment a strong negative correlation between skin spots and post-stress cortisol levels was revealed, with less pigmented individuals showing a more pronounced cortisol response to acute stress. The observation that lice prevalence was strongly increased on a fraction of sexually mature male salmon which occurred among the farmed fish further supports a role for steroid hormones as mediators of reduced parasite resistance. The data presented here propose steroid hormones as a proximate cause for the association between melanin-based pigmentation and parasites. Possible fundamental and applied implications are discussed.

  15. Retinal pigment epithelial dystrophy in Briard dogs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lightfoot, R M; Cabral, L; Gooch, L; Bedford, P G; Boulton, M E

    1996-01-01

    The eyes of normal Briard dogs, Briards affected with inherited retinal pigment epithelial dystrophy (RPED) and a range of normal crossbred and beagle dogs were examined and the histopathology of RPED in the Briard was compared with the histopathological features of ageing in the normal canine retina. RPED was characterised by the accumulation of auto-fluorescent lipofuscin-like inclusions in the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), which initially involved only non-pigmented RPE cells overlying the tapetum but subsequently spread to all pigmented RPE cells. Secondary neuro-retinal degeneration was characterised by a gradual loss of the outer nuclear layer and the subsequent atrophy and degeneration of the inner retina. The loss of primary photoreceptors in the peripheral retina was accompanied by the migration of photoreceptor nuclei and appeared to resemble severe changes due to ageing. Intra-vitreal radiolabelled leucine was used to examine the rate of turnover of the outer segments of the rods in some Briards, but no significant variations were found. The activity of acid phosphatase in RPE was assayed in vitro and showed comparable regional variations in Briard and crossbred dogs. The results suggest that RPED in the Briard is unlikely to be due either to an increased rate of turnover of rod outer segments (and thus an increased phagocytic load) or to a primary insufficiency of lysosomal enzyme.

  16. Refractory Pigmentation Associated with Laugier-Hunziker Syndrome following Er:YAG Laser Treatment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ergun, Sertan; Saruhanoğlu, Alp; Migliari, Dante-Antonio; Maden, Ilay; Tanyeri, Hakkı

    2013-01-01

    The present report describes a case of Laugier-Hunziker syndrome (LHS), a rare benign condition. A patient with LHS develops acquired melanotic pigmentation of the lips and buccal mucosa, often with pigmentation of the nails occurring. No systemic symptoms are associated with this syndrome. Normally, no treatment is required for this condition, unless for aesthetic reason, mainly due to pigmentation on the lip mucosa. We present a case of LHS, 37-year-old female, whose pigmentations on her lip and in the oral cavity were treated with an Er:YAG laser. At the postoperative 12th month followup, the lesions recurred. The effects of any surgical attempt to treat pigmentations associated with LHS were discussed.

  17. Synthesis and characterization of black, red and yellow nanoparticles pigments from the iron sand

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mufti, Nandang; Atma, T.; Fuad, A.; Sutadji, E.

    2014-01-01

    The aim of this research is to synthesize nanoparticles of black pigment of Magnetite (Fe 3 O 4 ), red pigment of hematite (α-Fe 2 O 3 ), and yellow pigment of ghoetite (α-FeOOH) from the iron sand. The black pigment of Fe 3 O 4 and the yellow pigment α-FeOOH nanoparticles were synthesized by coprecipitation method with variation of pH. Whereas, the red pigment Fe 2 O 3 was synthesized by sintering Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles at temperature between 400 °C and 700 7°C for 1 hour. All the pigments has been characterized using X-ray diffraction and SEM. The XRD results shown that the particle size of the black pigmen Fe 3 O 4 , red pigment Fe 3 O 4 and yellow pigment α-FeOOH are around 12, 32, and 30 nm respectively. The particle size of Fe 2 O 3 nanoparticles increase by increasing sintering temperature from 32 nm at 400 °C to 39 nm at 700 °C. For yellow pigment of α-FeOOH, the particle size increase by increasing pH from 30,54 nm at pH 4 to 48,60 nm at pH 7. The SEM results shown that the morphologies of black, yellow and red pigments are aglomarated

  18. Production of a Blue Pigment (Glaukothalin by Marine Rheinheimera spp.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hans-Peter Grossart

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available Two γ-Proteobacteria strains, that is, HP1 and HP9, which both produce a diffusible deep blue pigment, were isolated from the German Wadden Sea and from the Øresund, Denmark, respectively. Both strains affiliate with the genus Rheinheimera. Small amounts of the pigment could be extracted from HP1 grown in a 50 L fermenter and were purified chromatographically. Chemical analysis of the pigment including NMR and mass spectrometry led to a molecular formula of C34H56N4O4 (m.w. 584.85 which has not yet been reported in literature. The molecule is highly symmetrically and consists of two heterocyclic halves to which aliphatic side chains are attached. The pigment has been named glaukothalin due to its blue color and its marine origin (glaukos, gr.=blue, thalatta, gr.=sea. Production of glaukothalin on MB2216 agar plates by our Rheinheimera strains is affected in the presence of other bacterial strains either increasing or decreasing pigment production. The addition of a single amino acid, arginine (5 gl−1, greatly increases pigment production by our Rheinheimera strains. Even though the production of glaukothalin leads to inhibitory activity against three bacterial strains from marine particles, our Rheinheimera isolates are inhibited by various bacteria of different phylogenetic groups. The ecological role of glaukothalin production by Rheinheimera strains, however, remains largely unknown.

  19. Clonal origins of cells in the pigmented retina of the zebrafish eye

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Streisinger, G.; Coale, F.; Taggart, C.; Walker, C.; Grunwald, D.J.

    1989-01-01

    Mosaic analysis has been used to study the clonal basis of the development of the pigmented retina of the zebrafish, Brachydanio rerio. Zebrafish embryos heterozygous for a recessive mutation at the gol-1 locus were exposed to gamma-irradiation at various developmental stages to create mosaic individuals consisting of wild-type pigmented cells and a clone of pigmentless (golden) cells in the eye. The contribution of individual embryonic cells to the pigmented retina was measured and the total number of cells in the embryo that contributed descendants to this tissue was determined. Until the 32-cell stage, almost every blastomere has some descendants that participate in the formation of the pigmented retina of the zebrafish. During subsequent cell divisions, up to the several thousand-cell stage, the number of ancestral cells is constant: approximately 40 cells are present that will give rise to progeny in the pigmented retina. Analysis of the size of clones in the pigmented retina indicates that the cells of this tissue do not arise through a rigid series of cell divisions originating in the early embryo. The findings that each cleavage stage cell contributes to the pigmented retina and yet the contribution of such cells is highly variable are consistent with the interpretation that clonal descendants of different blastomeres normally intermix extensively prior to formation of the pigmented retina

  20. Physical and hydrologic environments of the Mulberry coal reserves in eastern Kansas

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kenny, J.F.; Bevans, H.E.; Diaz, A.M.

    1982-01-01

    Strippable reserves of Mulberry coal underlie an area of approximately 300 square miles of Miami, Linn, and Bourbon Counties of eastern Kansas. Although subject to State reclamation law, current and projected strip mining of this relatively thin coal seam could alter and hydrologic environment of the study area. Drained by the Marais des Cygnes and Little Osage Rivers and their tributaries, this area is characterized by low relief and moderately impermeable soils. Streamflows are poorly sustained by ground-water discharge and fluctuate widely due to climatic extremes and usage of surface-water supplies. Because ground-water supplies are generally unreliable in quantity and quality, surface water is used to meet most water requirements in the study area. Primary used of surface waters are for domestic supplies, maintenance of wildlife and recreational areas, and cooling needs at LaCygne Power Plant. The prevailing chemical type of the natural streamflow is calcium bicarbonate, with concentrations of dissolved solids generally less than 500 milligrams per liter and pH near neutral. Additional streamflow and water-quality data are needed to evaluate the premining characteristics of and the anticipated changes in the hydrologic environment as strip mining proceeds within the study area. A network of data-collection stations and a sampling scheme have been established to acquire this additional information. (USGS)

  1. Cone visual pigments are present in gecko rod cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kojima, D; Okano, T; Fukada, Y; Shichida, Y; Yoshizawa, T; Ebrey, T G

    1992-08-01

    The Tokay gecko (Gekko gekko), a nocturnal lizard, has two kinds of visual pigments, P467 and P521. In spite of the pure-rod morphology of the photoreceptor cells, the biochemical properties of P521 and P467 resemble those of iodopsin (the chicken red-sensitive cone visual pigment) and rhodopsin, respectively. We have found that the amino acid sequence of P521 deduced from the cDNA was very similar to that of iodopsin. In addition, P467 has the highest homology with the chicken green-sensitive cone visual pigment, although it also has a relatively high homology with rhodopsins. These results give additional strength to the transmutation theory of Walls [Walls, G. L. (1934) Am. J. Ophthalmol. 17, 892-915], who proposed that the rod-shaped photoreceptor cells of lizards have been derived from ancestral cone-like photoreceptors. Apparently amino acid sequences of visual pigments are less changeable than the morphology of the photoreceptor cells in the course of evolution.

  2. Radiation degradation of molasses pigment. 2. Molecular weight fraction

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sawai, Teruko; Sekiguchi, Masayuki; Tanabe, Hiroko

    1996-01-01

    Water demand in Tokyo has increased rapidly. Because of the scarcity of water sources within the city, Tokyo is dependent on water from other prefectures. Recycling of municipal effluent is an effective means of coping with water shortage in Tokyo. We have studied the radiation treatment of waste water for recycling. The degradation of molasses pigments in waste water from yeast factory by radiation was investigated. The dialyzed molasses pigments and non-dialyzed samples in waste waters were compared in chromaticity, UV absorption, color different and COD. The dialysis and fractionation by permeable membrane were carried out with Seamless Cellulose tubing (Union Carbide Corporation) and spectra/Por membrane (Spectrum Medical Industries INC.) The TOC values decreased and the dark brown color faded with increasing dose. The high molecular weight components of molasses pigment were degraded to lower molecular weight substances and decomposed to carbon dioxide. The relationships between the value of chromaticity/TOC and molecular weight of molasses pigments were obtained by radiation. (author)

  3. New insights into melanosome transport in vertebrate pigment cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aspengren, Sara; Hedberg, Daniel; Sköld, Helen Nilsson; Wallin, Margareta

    2009-01-01

    Pigment cells of lower vertebrates provide an excellent model to study organelle transport as they specialize in the translocation of pigment granules in response to defined chemical cues. This review will focus on the well-studied melanophore/melanocyte systems in fish, amphibians, and mammals. We will describe the roles of melanin, melanophores, and melanocytes in animals, current views on how the three motor proteins dynein, kinesin, and myosin-V are involved in melanosome transport along microtubules and actin filaments, and how signal transduction pathways regulate the activities of the motors to achieve aggregation and dispersion of melanosomes. We will also describe how melanosomes are transferred to surrounding skin cells in amphibians and mammals. Comparative studies have revealed that the ability of physiological color change is lost during evolution while the importance of morphological color change, mainly via transfer of pigment to surrounding skin cells, increases. In humans, pigment mainly has a role in protection against ultraviolet radiation, but also perhaps in the immune system.

  4. [Synthesis and characterization of chromium doped Y3Al5O12 compound pigment].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yue, Shi-Juan; Su, Xiao; Jiang, Han-Jie; Liu, Shao-Xuan; Hong, You-Li; Zhang, Kai; Huang, Wan-Xias; Xiong, Zu-Jiang; Zhao, Ying; Liu, Cui-Ge; Wei, Yong-Ju; Meng, Tao; Xu, Yi-Zhuang; Wu, Jin-Guang

    2012-09-01

    The authors synthesized a new kind of green pigment via co-precipitation method by doping Y3Al5O12 with Cr+. The size of the pigment particles is around 200 nm as observed under scanning electron microscope. XRD results demonstrate that the pigment crystalline form of the pigment is yttrium alluminium garnet. UV-Vis spectra were used to investigate the coordination states and transition behavior of the doping ions. In addition, the colour feature was measured by CIE L* a* b* chroma value. The pigment was blended with polypropylene and then polypropylene fiber was produced using the polypropelene-pigment composite via molten spinning process. The distribution of the pigment particles in the polypropylene fibers was characterized by Xray computed tomography (CT) technique on the Beijing synchrotron radiation facility. The result states that the composite oxide pigment particles are homogeneously dispersed in the polypropylene fibers. The pigments are stable, non-toxic to the environment, and may be applied in non-aqueous dyeing to reduce waste water emitted by textile dyeing and printing industry.

  5. The power of pigments, calibrating chemoclines with chlorophylls and carotenoids.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Junium, C. K.; Uveges, B. T.

    2017-12-01

    Phototrophic organisms produce a diversity of pigments that serve a broad range of specific biochemical functions. Pigments are either directly associated with the photosynthetic apparatus, the most notable being chlorophyll a, or are accessory pigments such as the carotenoid lutein. Their functions can also be categorized into roles that are related to light harvesting (e.g. fucoxanthin) or for photoprotection (e.g. scytonemin). The abundances of these two classes of pigments from environmental samples can provide specific information about photointensity and how it relates to environmental changes. For example, a deepening of the chemo/nutricline can result in the increased production of light gathering relative to photoprotective pigments. Here we apply a relatively simple approach that utilizes the abundance of photosynthetic relative to photoprotective pigments to help constrain changes in the water column position of the chemocline. To test the efficacy of this approach we have utilized the sedimentary record of the anoxic Lake Kivu in the East African Rift. Recent Lake Kivu sediments are punctuated by a series of sapropels that may be associated with overturn of the lake, and release of carbon dioxide and sulfide during potential limnic eruptions. Carbon and nitrogen isotopes decrease significantly at the onset of sapropel deposition and suggest that 13C-depleted dissolved inorganic carbon was upwelled into surface waters and was accompanied by high concentrations of ammonium, that allowed for 15N-depletion during incomplete nitrogen utilization. The pigment record, specifically the ratio of the photoprotective carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin to chlorophyll a increases significantly at the onset of sapropel deposition. This suggests that the chemocline shallowed, displacing phototrophic communities toward the surface of the lake where light intensities required production of photoprotective pigments. This approach can easily be applied to a wide variety of

  6. Ocular distribution of topically applied adrenaline in albino and pigmented rabbits

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Urtti, A.; Periviita, L.; Salminen, L.

    1984-01-01

    Systemic absorption, ocular distribution and ocular metabolism in albino and pigmented rabbit of topically applied 1% [ 3 H]1-adrenaline eye drops was studied by liquid scintillation counting and thin layer chromatography. The effect of adrenaline on the pupillary diameter was also registered. The peak plasma level of adrenaline was reached at 150 min. The corneal adrenaline metabolism was substantial, but did not vary with the rabbit strain. At 30 min after instillation, the total adrenaline concentration of pigmented iris and ciliary body exceeded that of corresponding albino tissues. At 180 min the drug concentration of the iris and ciliary body did not differ between the rabbit strains. Th time course of adrenaline induced mydriasis was equal in both rabbit strains. Since neither total adrenaline concentration at 180 min nor the time course of adrenaline induced mydriasis differed between the rabbit strains, the higher initial adrenaline uptake by pigmented tissues is not explained by pigment binding. It is proposed that the increased initial binding of adrenaline by pigmented tissues is caused by a difference between pigmented and albino tissues in the number of adrenergic neurones; this is also supported by the literature. (author)

  7. Structures and colour properties of new red wine pigments

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Håkansson, Anders Eckart; Pardon, K.; Hayasaka, Y.

    2003-01-01

    the colour properties of the pigments were characterized; it could be demonstrated that the pyranoanthocyanins retained their red colour at pH 3.6 in model wine and were resistant to bisulfite-mediated bleaching. Finally, HPLC-MS analysis confirmed the presence of both anthocyanin-derived pigments in red...... wine....

  8. Enhancing Dark Shade Pigment Dyeing of Cotton Fabric Using Plasma Treatment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chi-Wai Kan

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available This study is intended to investigate the effect of atmospheric pressure plasma treatment on dark shade pigment dyeing of cotton fabric. Experimental results reveal that plasma-treated cotton fabric can attain better color yield, levelness, and crocking fastness in dark shade pigment dyeing, compared with normal cotton fabric (not plasma treated. SEM analysis indicates that cracks and grooves were formed on the cotton fiber surface where the pigment and the binder can get deposited and improve the color yield, levelness, and crocking fastness. It was also noticed that pigment was aggregated when deposited on the fiber surface which could affect the final color properties.

  9. Optimal methodologies for terahertz time-domain spectroscopic analysis of traditional pigments in powder form

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ha, Taewoo; Lee, Howon; Sim, Kyung Ik; Kim, Jonghyeon; Jo, Young Chan; Kim, Jae Hoon; Baek, Na Yeon; Kang, Dai-ill; Lee, Han Hyoung

    2017-05-01

    We have established optimal methods for terahertz time-domain spectroscopic analysis of highly absorbing pigments in powder form based on our investigation of representative traditional Chinese pigments, such as azurite [blue-based color pigment], Chinese vermilion [red-based color pigment], and arsenic yellow [yellow-based color pigment]. To accurately extract the optical constants in the terahertz region of 0.1 - 3 THz, we carried out transmission measurements in such a way that intense absorption peaks did not completely suppress the transmission level. This required preparation of pellet samples with optimized thicknesses and material densities. In some cases, mixing the pigments with polyethylene powder was required to minimize absorption due to certain peak features. The resulting distortion-free terahertz spectra of the investigated set of pigment species exhibited well-defined unique spectral fingerprints. Our study will be useful to future efforts to establish non-destructive analysis methods of traditional pigments, to construct their spectral databases, and to apply these tools to restoration of cultural heritage materials.

  10. The relationship between the violet pigment PP-V production and intracellular ammonium level in Penicillium purpurogenum

    OpenAIRE

    Kojima, Ryo; Arai, Teppei; Matsufuji, Hiroshi; Kasumi, Takafumi; Watanabe, Taisuke; Ogihara, Jun

    2016-01-01

    Penicillium purpurogenum is the fungus that produces an azaphilone pigment. However, details about the pigment biosynthesis pathway are unknown. The violet pigment PP-V is the one of the main pigments biosynthesized by this fungus. This pigment contains an amino group in a pyran ring as its core structure. We focused on this pigment and examined the relationship between intracellular ammonium concentration and pigment production using glutamine as a nitrogen source. The intracellular ammonium...

  11. An investigation of multispectral imaging for the mapping of pigments in paintings

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Yonghui; Berns, Roy S.; Taplin, Lawrence A.; Coddington, James

    2008-02-01

    Compared with colorimetric imaging, multispectral imaging has the advantage of retrieving spectral reflectance factor of each pixel of a painting. Using this spectral information, pigment mapping is concerned with decomposing the spectrum into its constituent pigments and their relative contributions. The output of pigment mapping is a series of spatial concentration maps of the pigments comprising the painting. This approach was used to study Vincent van Gogh's The Starry Night. The artist's palette was approximated using ten oil pigments, selected from a large database of pigments used in oil paintings and a priori analytical research on one of his self portraits, executed during the same time period. The pigment mapping was based on single-constant Kubelka-Munk theory. It was found that the region of blue sky where the stars were located contained, predominantly, ultramarine blue while the swirling sky and region surrounding the moon contained, predominantly, cobalt blue. Emerald green, used in light bluish-green brushstrokes surrounding the moon, was not used to create the dark green in the cypresses. A measurement of lead white from Georges Seurat's La Grande Jatte was used as the white when mapping The Starry Night. The absorption and scattering properties of this white were replaced with a modern dispersion of lead white in linseed oil and used to simulate the painting's appearance before the natural darkening and yellowing of lead white oil paint. Pigment mapping based on spectral imaging was found to be a viable and practical approach for analyzing pigment composition, providing new insight into an artist's working method, the possibility for aiding in restorative inpainting, and lighting design.

  12. Cytotoxic and Apoptogenic Effects of Cyanidin-3-Glucoside on the Glioblastoma Cell Line.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hosseini, Masoumeh Mansoubi; Karimi, Aliasghar; Behroozaghdam, Mitra; Javidi, Mohammad Amin; Ghiasvand, Saeedeh; Bereimipour, Ahmad; Aryan, Hoda; Nassiri, Farbod; Jangholi, Ehsan

    2017-12-01

    Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most prevalent and aggressive primary cerebral tumor. The median survival time is 15 months despite maximum treatment because the tumor is resistant to most therapeutic modalities. Several studies have indicated chemopreventive and chemotherapeutic activity of cyanidin-3-glucoside (C3G) as an anthocyanin component. We aimed to illustrate the cytotoxic and apoptogenic effects of C3G in the U87 cell line (human GBM cell line). Cytotoxic activity was evaluated using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide tetrazolium assay after treatment with C3G at different concentrations in the U87 cell line. Cisplatin was used as a positive control for 24 and 48 hours. The percentage of apoptotic cells was determined using an Annexin V/propidium iodide assay, and the expression of bax, bcl2, and p53 genes was assessed using real-time polymerase chain reaction. Treatment of U87 cells with 40 μg/mL of C3G resulted in 32% apoptotic cells after 24 hours. To further confirm that C3G treatment induced apoptosis in U87 cells, RNA expression of bax, bcl2, and p53 genes was investigated after treatment. Real-time polymerase chain reaction indicated that the expression of bax and p53 increased, whereas the expression of bcl2 decreased. C3G had an apoptogenic effect in the GBM cell line. New information regarding the therapeutic effects of C3G in GBM could ultimately lead to the production of new drugs. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. Melanocortin systems on pigment dispersion in fish chromatophores.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kobayashi, Yuki; Mizusawa, Kanta; Saito, Yumiko; Takahashi, Akiyoshi

    2012-01-01

    α-Melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH) is responsible for pigment dispersion in the chromatophores of fish and other tetrapods such as amphibians and reptiles. Recently, we discovered that α-MSH did not always stimulate pigment dispersion because this hormonal peptide exerted no effects on the melanophores of flounders. We assumed that the reduction of α-MSH activity was related to the co-expression of different α-MSH receptor subtypes - termed melanocortin receptors (MCR) - a member of G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCR) - based on several reports demonstrating that GPCR forms heterodimers with various properties that are distinct from those of the corresponding monomers. In this review, we summarize the relationships between the pigment-dispersing activity of α-MSH-related peptides, molecular forms of α-MSH-related peptides, and mcr subtypes expressed in fish chromatophores.

  14. Primary description of surface water phytoplankton pigment patterns in the Bay of Bengal

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Naik, R.K.; Anil, A; Narale, D.D.; Chitari, R.R.; Kulkarni, V.V.

    . Comparison of pigment data with microscopic cell counts indicated a significant relationship between the diatom pigment index (Diat sub (DP)) and diatom abundance. However, the relationship between the dinoflagellate pigment index (Dino sub (DP...

  15. Characteristic Elemental Composition of Oil Pigments using Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chung, Yong Sam; Kim, Sun Ha; Sun, Gwang Min; Lim, Jong Myung; Moon, Jong Hwa; Kim, Young Jin [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Lim, Sung Jin; Song, Yu Na; Kim, Ken [National Museum of Contemporary Art, Gwacheon (Korea, Republic of)

    2009-10-15

    The principal aim of this study is to identify the applicability of instrumental neutron activation analysis as a non-destructive examination tool for the quantitative composition analysis associated with authentication, restoration, and conservation of art objects in the field of cultural heritage. Generally, the chemical composition of pigments are associated with the colors such as white, yellow, orange, red, green, blue and black, and it varies with raw materials of pigments. According to the colors of a different pigments, chemical compositions are as follows; for example, white pigments were used for a mixture of Pb(CO{sub 3}){sub 2}, PbSO{sub 4}, PbO, Pb(OH){sub 2}, ZnO, ZnS, TiO{sub 2}, BaSO{sub 4}, CaCO{sub 3}, Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}, As{sub 2}S{sub 3}, etc.; black pigments were series of carbon black, borne ash, MnO+Mn{sub 2}O{sub 3}, etc.; red pigments were Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3}, Pb{sub 3}O{sub 4}, HgS, PbMo{sub 4}, CdS+CdSe, etc.; brown and yellow pigments were PbCrO{sub 4}, ZnCrO{sub 4}, CdS-ZnS, K{sub 3}[Co(NO{sub 2}){sub 6}], Pb(SbO{sub 3}){sub 2}, C{sub 19}H{sub 16}O{sub 11}Mg, SrCrO{sub 4}, etc.; green pigments were Cr{sub 2}O{sub 3}, Cr{sub 2}O(OH){sub 4}, Cu(C{sub 2}H{sub 3}O{sub 2})-2Cu(OH){sub 2}), Cr{sub 2}O{sub 3}-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}-CoO, etc.; blue pigments were Fe{sub 4}[Fe(CN){sub 6}]{sub 3}, CoO-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}, Na{sub 8}-{sub 10}Al{sub 6}Si{sub 6}O{sub 24}S{sub 2-4}, etc. This first step is to obtain quantitative data on the concentrations of major, minor and trace elements in oil pigments and to explain pigment sources by statistical treatment as reported in many literatures. The determination of major, minor and micro elements in the subject materials are essential in many fields of basic science and technology as well as commercial and industrial fields. In particular, direct analysis of a sample offers a more effective investigation method in these fields. Instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) has an inherent advantage of being a

  16. 75 FR 29719 - Carbazole Violet Pigment 23 From India: Continuation of Countervailing Duty Order

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-05-27

    ..., paste, wet cake) and finished pigment in the form of presscake and dry color. Pigment dispersions in any... DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE International Trade Administration [C-533-839] Carbazole Violet Pigment 23... Pigment 23 From India, 69 FR 77995 (December 29, 2004). On November 2, 2009, the Department initiated and...

  17. New blue pigment produced by Pantoea agglomerans and its production characteristics at various temperatures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fujikawa, Hiroshi; Akimoto, Ryo

    2011-01-01

    A bacterium capable of producing a deep blue pigment was isolated from the environment and identified as Pantoea agglomerans. The pigment production characteristics of the bacterium under various conditions were studied. The optimal agar plate ingredients for pigment production by the bacterium were first studied: the optimal ingredients were 5 g/liter glucose, 10 g/liter tryptic soy broth, and 40 g/liter glycerol at pH 6.4. Bacterial cells grew on the agar plate during the incubation, while the pigment spread into the agar plate, meaning that it is water soluble. Pigment production was affected by the initial cell density. Namely, at higher initial cell densities ranging from 10(6.3) to 10(8.2) CFU/cm(2) on the agar plate, faster pigment production was observed, but no blue pigment was produced at a very high initial density of 10(9.1) CFU/cm(2). Thus, the cell population of 10(8.2) CFU/cm(2) was used for subsequent study. Although the bacterium was capable of growing at temperatures above and below 10°C, it could produce the pigment only at temperatures of ≥10°C. Moreover, the pigment production was faster at higher temperatures in the range of 10 to 20°C. Pigment production at various temperature patterns was well described by a new logistic model. These results suggested that the bacterium could be used in the development of a microbial temperature indicator for the low-temperature-storage management of foods and clinical materials. To our knowledge, there is no other P. agglomerans strain capable of producing a blue pigment and the pigment is a new one of microbial origin.

  18. Production of water-soluble yellow pigments via high glucose stress fermentation of Monascus ruber CGMCC 10910.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Meihua; Huang, Tao; Chen, Gong; Wu, Zhenqiang

    2017-04-01

    Monascus pigments are secondary metabolites of Monascus species and are mainly composed of yellow pigments, orange pigments and red pigments. In this study, a larger proportion of Monascus yellow pigments could be obtained through the selection of the carbon source. Hydrophilic yellow pigments can be largely produced extracellularly by Monascus ruber CGMCC 10910 under conditions of high glucose fermentation with low oxidoreduction potential (ORP). However, keeping high glucose levels later in the culture causes translation or a reduction of yellow pigment. We presume that the mechanism behind this phenomenon may be attributed to the redox level of the culture broth and the high glucose stress reaction of M. ruber CGMCC 10910 during high glucose fermentation. These yellow pigments were produced via high glucose bio-fermentation without citrinin. Therefore, these pigments can act as natural pigments for applications as food additives.

  19. A comprehensive study of eco-friendly natural pigment and its applications

    OpenAIRE

    Parmar, Ramendra Singh; Singh, Charu

    2017-01-01

    Actinomycetes, a large group of filamentous bacteria account for 70–80% of secondary metabolites available commercially. The present investigation was undertaken with an aim to identify and characterize pigment from actinomycetes. Actinomycetes were isolated from rhizosphere soil samples collected from different regions of Madhya Pradesh state. Out of 85 actinomycetes, only 5 actinomycetes showed pigment production and based on diffusible pigment production ability one actinomycete ARITM02 wa...

  20. Controlling composition and color characteristics of Monascus pigments by pH and nitrogen sources in submerged fermentation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shi, Kan; Song, Da; Chen, Gong; Pistolozzi, Marco; Wu, Zhenqiang; Quan, Lei

    2015-08-01

    Submerged fermentations of Monascus anka were performed with different nitrogen sources at different pH in 3 L bioreactors. The results revealed that the Monascus pigments dominated by different color components (yellow pigments, orange pigments or red pigments) could be selectively produced through pH control and nitrogen source selection. A large amount of intracellular pigments dominated by orange pigments and a small amount of water-soluble extracellular yellow pigments were produced at low pH (pH 2.5 and 4.0), independently of the nitrogen source employed. At higher pH (pH 6.5), the role of the nitrogen source became more significant. In particular, when ammonium sulfate was used as nitrogen source, the intracellular pigments were dominated by red pigments with a small amount of yellow pigments. Conversely, when peptone was used, intracellular pigments were dominated by yellow pigments with a few red pigments derivatives. Neither the presence of peptone nor ammonium sulfate promoted the production of intracellular orange pigments while extracellular pigments with an orangish red color were observed in both cases, with a higher yield when peptone was used. Two-stage pH control fermentation was then performed to improve desirable pigments yield and further investigate the effect of pH and nitrogen sources on pigments composition. These results provide a useful strategy to produce Monascus pigments with different composition and different color characteristics. Copyright © 2015 The Society for Biotechnology, Japan. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  1. Photosynthetic pigments of oceanic Chlorophyta belonging to prasinophytes clade VII.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lopes Dos Santos, Adriana; Gourvil, Priscillia; Rodríguez, Francisco; Garrido, José Luis; Vaulot, Daniel

    2016-02-01

    The ecological importance and diversity of pico/nanoplanktonic algae remains poorly studied in marine waters, in part because many are tiny and without distinctive morphological features. Amongst green algae, Mamiellophyceae such as Micromonas or Bathycoccus are dominant in coastal waters while prasinophytes clade VII, yet not formerly described, appear to be major players in open oceanic waters. The pigment composition of 14 strains representative of different subclades of clade VII was analyzed using a method that improves the separation of loroxanthin and neoxanthin. All the prasinophytes clade VII analyzed here showed a pigment composition similar to that previously reported for RCC287 corresponding to pigment group prasino-2A. However, we detected in addition astaxanthin for which it is the first report in prasinophytes. Among the strains analyzed, the pigment signature is qualitatively similar within subclades A and B. By contrast, RCC3402 from subclade C (Picocystis) lacks loroxanthin, astaxanthin, and antheraxanthin but contains alloxanthin, diatoxanthin, and monadoxanthin that are usually found in diatoms or cryptophytes. For subclades A and B, loroxanthin was lowest at highest light irradiance suggesting a light-harvesting role of this pigment in clade VII as in Tetraselmis. © 2015 Phycological Society of America.

  2. Extraction of fungal polyketide pigments using ionic liquids.

    OpenAIRE

    Lebeau , Juliana ,; Venkatachalam , Mekala; Fouillaud , Mireille; Dufossé , Laurent; Caro , Yanis

    2016-01-01

    Poster communication, 8th International Conference of Pigments in Food, “Coloured foods for health benefits”, Cluj-Napoca, Romania, June 28 - July 01, 2016.; International audience; Filamentous fungi have been widely recognized as promising sources of various types ofbiomolecules and are therefore highly investigated. The production of fungal pigments is oneintensively studied domain in order to respond to the growing demand for natural colorants assubstitutes to synthetic dyes used in food, ...

  3. Variation of Synechococcus Pigment Genetic Diversity Along Two Turbidity Gradients in the China Seas.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xia, Xiaomin; Liu, Hongbin; Choi, Donghan; Noh, Jae Hoon

    2018-01-01

    Synechococcus are important and widely distributed picocyanobacteria that encompass a high pigment diversity. In this study, we developed a primer set (peBF/peAR) for amplifying the cpeBA operon sequence from Synechococcus genomic DNA to study Synechococcus pigment diversity along two turbidity gradients in the China seas. Our data revealed that all previously reported pigment types occurred in the South (SCS) and East (ECS) China Seas. In addition, a novel pigment genetic type (type 3f), represented by the high phycourobilin Synechococcus sp. strain KORDI-100 (Exc495:545 = 2.35), was detected. This pigment genetic type differs from the 3c/3d types not only for a very high PUB/PEB ratio but also for a different intergenic spacer sequence and gene organization of the phycobilisome. Synechococcus of different pigment types exhibited clear niche differentiation. Type 2 dominated in the coastal waters, whereas type 3c/3d and 3f were predominant in oceanic waters of the SCS in summer. In the ECS, however, type 3a was the major pigment type throughout the transect. We suggest that in marine environment, various pigment types often co-occur but with one type dominant and PUB/PEB ratio is related to geographic distribution of Synechococcus pigment types. The two marginal seas of China have markedly different Synechococcus pigment compositions.

  4. Nanoscale Coloristic Pigments: Upper Limits on Releases from Pigmented Plastic during Environmental Aging, In Food Contact, and by Leaching

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Neubauer, Nicole; Scifo, Lorette; Navratilova, Jana

    2017-01-01

    The life cycle of nanoscale pigments in plastics may cause environmental or human exposure by various release scenarios. We investigated spontaneous and induced release with mechanical stress during/after simulated sunlight and rain degradation of polyethylene (PE) with organic and inorganic pigm...... investigated scenarios, with upper limits of 10 mg/m2 or 1600 particles/mL. This is the first holistic confirmation that pigment nanomaterials remain strongly contained in a plastic that has low diffusion and high persistence such as the polyolefin High Density Polyethylene (HDPE)....

  5. Estimating water stressed dwarf green bean pigment concentration through hyperspectral indices

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Koksal, E.S.; Ustrun, H.; Ozcan, H.; Gunturk, A.

    2010-01-01

    In this study, the relationship between leaf pigment concentration (analyzed in the laboratory) and four spectral indexes (measured in the field) was investigated. For this purpose, field experiments consisting of six different irrigation treatments were conducted with dwarf green beans during 2005 growing season. Based on spectral data, spectral indexes were plotted against pigment concentration. Results showed that under water stress, the chlorophyll and carotene contents of green bean leaves rose. According to linear regression analysis between spectral indexes and pigment contents, the Normalized Difference Pigment Chlorophyll Index (NPCI) and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) had the highest correlations with the chlorophyll (a, b and total), and carotene content of leaves. (author)

  6. Leaf Surface Scanning Electron Microscopy of 16 Mulberry Genotypes (Morus spp. with Respect to their Feeding Value in Silkworm (Bombyx mori L. Rearing Microscopía Electrónica de Barrido de la Superficie Foliar de 16 Genotipos de Morus spp. en Relación a su Valor Alimenticio para Crianza del Gusano de la Seda (Bombyx mori L.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    B.K Singhal

    2010-06-01

    Full Text Available Mulberry (Morus spp. is the only silkworm (Bombyx mori L. food plant. In Indian sub tropics, S-146 is the only popular and ruling mulberry genotype for silkworm rearing. As a result, mulberry leaf availability is always the limiting factor, and therefore, sub tropics are contributing less than 1% of the country’s total silk production compared with more than 60% under tropical conditions. Besides climatic conditions, this is due to a very limited number of mulberry genotypes available in this region for silkworm rearing. However, in the mean time, 15 mulberry genotypes viz. ‘Tr-10’,‘Chinese White’,‘K-2’,‘Sujanpur Local’,‘BC2-59’,‘S-1635’,‘C-1730’,‘Mandalaya’,‘S-30’‘(Vishala,‘RFS-175’,‘Anantha’,‘C-2016’,‘C-2017’,‘S-41’ and‘V-1’ were also introduced in the sub tropics, but remained unexplored. In sericulture, leaf surface is also an important parameter for, both, the silkworm’s acceptability of not having any feeding impediment and the mulberry improvement programs. The objective of this study was to explore the possibilities of using these 16 mulberry genotypes for their leaf surface characteristics by scanning electron microscopy and using them for sericulture. Based on leaf yield, stomatal size, stomatal number per unit of area and trichomes and idioblasts length, these genotypes were grouped into different categories. The mulberry genotype ‘Mandalaya’, in addition to the ruling genotype ‘S-146’ excelled because of their higher leaf yield and desired leaf surface characteristics. Furthermore, the genotypes ‘K-2’, ‘S-41’ and ‘Sujanpur Local’ are also suggested to develop high yield mulberry genotypes in the Indian sub tropics.La morera (Morus spp. es la única planta de alimento para el gusano de la seda (Bombyx mori L.. En los sub-trópicos de la India, ‘S-146’ es el único genotipo popular y predominante de morera para criarlo. Como resultado, la

  7. New Yellow Synergist for Stable Pigment Dispersion of Inkjet Ink.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Song, Gihyun; Lee, Hayoon; Jung, Hyocheol; Kang, Seokwoo; Park, Jongwook

    2018-02-01

    Minimizing ink droplet and self-dispersed pigment mixture are becoming hot issues for high resolution of inkjet printing. New synergist including sulfonic acid group of PY-74 was suggested and synthesized. Pigment itself did not show water solubility but new synergist, SY-11 exhibited good solubility in water and organic solvents such as DMSO and DMF. When aqueous pigment ink was prepared with SY-11, storage stability of the ink has been remained for 7 days under periodically repeated heating and cooling conditions. Particle size of formulated ink was around 150 nm.

  8. The influence of temperature on the color of TiO2:Cr pigments

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gomes Vieira, Fagner Ticiano; Silva Melo, Danniely; Jackson Guedes de Lima, Severino; Longo, Elson; Paskocimas, Carlos Alberto; Silva Junior, Wilson; Gouveia de Souza, Antonio; Garcia dos Santos, Ieda Maria

    2009-01-01

    TiO 2 :Cr brown pigments were prepared via a polymeric precursor derived from the Pechini method. The pigments were analyzed by infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, ultraviolet-vis spectroscopy, and colorimetry. The increase of the calcination temperature from 700 to 1000 deg. C led to a decrease in the L* values, corresponding to darkening of the pigments. The pigments obtained in this work are darker than those produced by a solid-state reaction method reported before. The change in the pigment color is due to the anatase-rutile phase transition, which leads to a shift in the charge transfer bond (Ti 4+ ↔ O 2- ) due to a change in the crystal field around the chromophore ions. Moreover, the oxidation state of chromium was observed to change, and this also alters the color of the pigments

  9. Dermoscopic clues to differentiate facial lentigo maligna from pigmented actinic keratosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lallas, A; Tschandl, P; Kyrgidis, A; Stolz, W; Rabinovitz, H; Cameron, A; Gourhant, J Y; Giacomel, J; Kittler, H; Muir, J; Argenziano, G; Hofmann-Wellenhof, R; Zalaudek, I

    2016-05-01

    Dermoscopy is limited in differentiating accurately between pigmented lentigo maligna (LM) and pigmented actinic keratosis (PAK). This might be related to the fact that most studies have focused on pigmented criteria only, without considering additional recognizable features. To investigate the diagnostic accuracy of established dermoscopic criteria for pigmented LM and PAK, but including in the evaluation features previously associated with nonpigmented facial actinic keratosis. Retrospectively enrolled cases of histopathologically diagnosed LM, PAK and solar lentigo/early seborrhoeic keratosis (SL/SK) were dermoscopically evaluated for the presence of predefined criteria. Univariate and multivariate regression analyses were performed and receiver operating characteristic curves were used. The study sample consisted of 70 LMs, 56 PAKs and 18 SL/SKs. In a multivariate analysis, the most potent predictors of LM were grey rhomboids (sixfold increased probability of LM), nonevident follicles (fourfold) and intense pigmentation (twofold). In contrast, white circles, scales and red colour were significantly correlated with PAK, posing a 14-fold, eightfold and fourfold probability for PAK, respectively. The absence of evident follicles also represented a frequent LM criterion, characterizing 71% of LMs. White and evident follicles, scales and red colour represent significant diagnostic clues for PAK. Conversely, intense pigmentation and grey rhomboidal lines appear highly suggestive of LM. © 2015 British Association of Dermatologists.

  10. Probabilistic classification method on multi wavelength chromatographic data for photosynthetic pigments identification

    Science.gov (United States)

    Prilianti, K. R.; Setiawan, Y.; Indriatmoko, Adhiwibawa, M. A. S.; Limantara, L.; Brotosudarmo, T. H. P.

    2014-02-01

    Environmental and health problem caused by artificial colorant encourages the increasing usage of natural colorant nowadays. Natural colorant refers to the colorant that is derivate from living organism or minerals. Extensive research topic has been done to exploit these colorant, but recent data shows that only 0.5% of the wide range of plant pigments in the earth has been exhaustively used. Hence development of the pigment characterization technique is an important consideration. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) is a widely used technique to separate pigments in a mixture and identify it. In former HPLC fingerprinting, pigment characterization was based on a single chromatogram from a fixed wavelength (one dimensional) and discard the information contained at other wavelength. Therefore, two dimensional fingerprints have been proposed to use more chromatographic information. Unfortunately this method leads to the data processing problem due to the size of its data matrix. The other common problem in the chromatogram analysis is the subjectivity of the researcher in recognizing the chromatogram pattern. In this research an automated analysis method of the multi wavelength chromatographic data was proposed. Principal component analysis (PCA) was used to compress the data matrix and Maximum Likelihood (ML) classification was applied to identify the chromatogram pattern of the existing pigments in a mixture. Three photosynthetic pigments were selected to show the proposed method. Those pigments are β-carotene, fucoxanthin and zeaxanthin. The result suggests that the method could well inform the existence of the pigments in a particular mixture. A simple computer application was also developed to facilitate real time analysis. Input of the application is multi wavelength chromatographic data matrix and the output is information about the existence of the three pigments.

  11. Free radical scavenging activities of pigment extract from Hibiscus ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The macroporous resin adsorption method was used to purify the pigment from Hibiscus syriacus L. petals. Through the comparison of the adsorption and desorption rates of six types of macroporous resins including AB-8, S-8, NKA-9, DM-130, D101 and 860021 to the pigment, 860021 resin was selected as the most ...

  12. Quantitative analysis of pigment dispersion taking into account the full agglomerate size distribution

    OpenAIRE

    Kiil, Søren

    2017-01-01

    This work concerns the development of simulation tools for mapping of pigment dispersion. Focus has been on the mechanical breakage of pigment agglomerates. The underlying physical mechanism was assumed to be surface erosion of spherical pigment agglomerates, and the full agglomerate particle size distribution was simulated. Data from previous experimental investigations with organic pigments were used for model validation.When the linear rate of agglomerate surface erosion was taken to be pr...

  13. Synthesis and characterization of hematite pigment obtained from a steel waste industry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Prim, S R; Folgueras, M V; de Lima, M A; Hotza, D

    2011-09-15

    Pigments that meet environmental and technology requirements are the focus of the research in the ceramic sector. This study focuses on the synthesis of ceramic pigment by encapsulation of hematite in crystalline and amorphous silica matrix. Iron oxide from a metal sheet rolling process was used as chromophore. A different content of hematite and silica was homogenized by conventional and high energy milling. The powders obtained after calcinations between 1050 and 1200 °C for 2h were characterized by X-ray diffraction and SEM analysis. The pigments were applied to ceramic enamel and porcelain body. The effect of pigment was measured by comparing L*a*b* values of the heated samples. Results showed that the color developed is influenced by variables such as oxide content employed, conditions of milling and processing temperature. The results showed that the use of pigment developed does not interfere in microstructural characteristics of pigmented material. The best hue was obtained from samples with 15 wt% of chromophore, heated at 1200 °C in amorphous silica matrix. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  14. Pigment organization in the photosynthetic apparatus of Roseiflexus castenholzii.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Collins, Aaron M; Xin, Yueyong; Blankenship, Robert E

    2009-08-01

    The light-harvesting-reaction center (LHRC) complex from the chlorosome-lacking filamentous anoxygenic phototroph (FAP), Roseiflexus castenholzii (R. castenholzii) was purified and characterized for overall pigment organization. The LHRC is a single complex that is comprised of light harvesting (LH) and reaction center (RC) polypeptides as well as an attached c-type cytochrome. The dominant carotenoid found in the LHRC is keto-gamma-carotene, which transfers excitation to the long wavelength antenna band with 35% efficiency. Linear dichroism and fluorescence polarization measurements indicate that the long wavelength antenna pigments absorbing around 880 nm are perpendicular to the membrane plane, with the corresponding Q(y) transition dipoles in the plane of the membrane. The antenna pigments absorbing around 800 nm, as well as the bound carotenoid, are oriented at a large angle with respect to the membrane. The antenna pigments spectroscopically resemble the well-studied LH2 complex from purple bacteria, however the close association with the RC makes the light harvesting component of this complex functionally more like LH1.

  15. Genetic Basis of Melanin Pigmentation in Butterfly Wings.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Linlin; Martin, Arnaud; Perry, Michael W; van der Burg, Karin R L; Matsuoka, Yuji; Monteiro, Antónia; Reed, Robert D

    2017-04-01

    Despite the variety, prominence, and adaptive significance of butterfly wing patterns, surprisingly little is known about the genetic basis of wing color diversity. Even though there is intense interest in wing pattern evolution and development, the technical challenge of genetically manipulating butterflies has slowed efforts to functionally characterize color pattern development genes. To identify candidate wing pigmentation genes, we used RNA sequencing to characterize transcription across multiple stages of butterfly wing development, and between different color pattern elements, in the painted lady butterfly Vanessa cardui This allowed us to pinpoint genes specifically associated with red and black pigment patterns. To test the functions of a subset of genes associated with presumptive melanin pigmentation, we used clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/Cas9 genome editing in four different butterfly genera. pale , Ddc , and yellow knockouts displayed reduction of melanin pigmentation, consistent with previous findings in other insects. Interestingly, however, yellow-d , ebony , and black knockouts revealed that these genes have localized effects on tuning the color of red, brown, and ochre pattern elements. These results point to previously undescribed mechanisms for modulating the color of specific wing pattern elements in butterflies, and provide an expanded portrait of the insect melanin pathway. Copyright © 2017 by the Genetics Society of America.

  16. Development of waste-based ceramic pigments

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Costa, G.

    2007-02-01

    Full Text Available We report the preparation of ceramic pigments using industrial wastes as primary sources. In this context, the use of Al-rich sludge generated in the wastewater treatment unit of an anodising or surface coating industrial plant, and a galvanizing sludge from the Cr/Ni plating process, will be detailed. The ceramic pigments reported here were prepared using typical solid state reactions involving the metal rich sludge. The main focus will be on the synthesis of chrome-tin orchid cassiterite (Sn,CrO2, chrome-tin red malayaite Ca(Cr,SnSiO5, victoria green garnet Ca3Cr2Si3O12, and chrome alumina pink/green corundum (Cr,Al2O3 pigments. The pigments were fully characterised and then were tested in a standard ceramic glaze after. Typical working conditions and colour development will be reported.

    Se presenta la preparación de pigmentos cerámicos empleando residuos industriales como fuente de materias primas. Se detallan el uso de barros ricos en aluminio obtenidos en los tratamientos de depuración de aguas de plantas industriales de anodizado y barros de galvanizados de chapados de Cr/Ni. Los pigmentos cerámicos se prepararon empleando reacción en estados sólido a partir del barro rico en metal. Los principales pigmentos estudiados son orquídea casiterita de cromo-estaño (Sn,CrO2, malayita rojo de cromo-estaño Ca(Sn,CrSiO3, granate verde victoria Ca3Cr2Si3O12, y corindón rosa/verde de cromo alúmina (Cr,Al2O3. Los pigmentos fueron caracterizados y ensayados después de ser vidriados en cerámicas estándares. Se presentan las condiciones de trabajo y el desarrollo de color.

  17. Liquid chromatographic separation of terpenoid pigments in foods and food products.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cserháti, T; Forgács, E

    2001-11-30

    The newest achievements in the use of various liquid chromatographic techniques such as adsorption and reversed-phase thin-layer chromatography and HPLC employed for the separation and quantitative determination of terpenoid-based color substances in foods and food products are reviewed. The techniques applied for the analysis of individual pigments and pigments classes are surveyed and critically evaluated. Future trends in the separation and identification of pigments in foods and food products are delineated.

  18. Small molecule screening identifies targetable zebrafish pigmentation pathways

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

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

    2012-01-01

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

  19. Melanocortin systems on pigment dispersion in fish chromatophores

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yuki eKobayashi

    2012-02-01

    Full Text Available Alpha-Melanocyte-stimulating hormone (alpha-MSH is responsible for pigment dispersion in the chromatophores of fish and other tetrapods such as amphibians and reptiles. Recently, we discovered that alpha-MSH did not always stimulate pigment dispersion because this hormonal peptide exerted no effects on the melanophores of flounders. We assumed that the reduction of alpha-MSH activity was related to the co-expression of different alpha-MSH receptor subtypes—termed melanocortin receptors (MCR—a member of G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCR—based on several reports demonstrating that GPCR forms heterodimers with various properties that are distinct from those of the corresponding monomers. In this review, we summarize the relationships between the pigment-dispersing activity of alpha-MSH-related peptides, molecular forms of alpha-MSH-related peptides, and Mcr subtypes expressed in fish chromatophores.

  20. Bioactive Pigments from Marine Bacteria: Applications and Physiological Roles

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Azamjon B. Soliev

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Research into natural products from the marine environment, including microorganisms, has rapidly increased over the past two decades. Despite the enormous difficulty in isolating and harvesting marine bacteria, microbial metabolites are increasingly attractive to science because of their broad-ranging pharmacological activities, especially those with unique color pigments. This current review paper gives an overview of the pigmented natural compounds isolated from bacteria of marine origin, based on accumulated data in the literature. We review the biological activities of marine compounds, including recent advances in the study of pharmacological effects and other commercial applications, in addition to the biosynthesis and physiological roles of associated pigments. Chemical structures of the bioactive compounds discussed are also presented.

  1. The role of the lens in pigment dispersion syndrome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Lance

    2010-12-01

    In patients with pigment dispersion syndrome, changes of the iris configuration can occur with accommodation, blinking, miotics, and following a laser iridotomy. This observational case series looks at the changes following cataract surgery in 3 eyes with signs of pigment dispersion, symptomatic cataracts, and no previous laser iridotomy that were imaged with optical coherence tomography. The iris was concave posteriorly in dark and light lighting conditions, and became flat following an uncomplicated cataract operation. This may be explained by the elimination of iridolenticular contact, which contributes to the mechanism of reverse pupil block. These iris changes suggest the lens plays an important role in the mechanism of pigment dispersion. Copyright 2010, SLACK Incorporated.

  2. A comparison of interocular differences in patients with pigment dispersion syndrome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yip, Leonard W; Sothornwit, Nisa; Berkowitz, Jonathan; Mikelberg, Frederick S

    2009-01-01

    Pigment dispersion syndrome (PDS) and pigmentary glaucoma (PG) are characterized by loss of iris pigment because of reverse pupillary block. The loss of iris pigment is manifested as transillumination defects. Differences in ocular anatomy have been found between subjects with PDS and controls. Our study aims to see if differences in interocular anatomic features are also related to differences in the quantity of transillumination defects between eyes. This is an observational case series of 30 eyes of 15 subjects with PDS/PG in at least 1 eye. Patients underwent refraction, exophthalmometry, corneal and anterior chamber analysis by Pentacam, biometry, A-scan, ultrasound biomicroscopy, and anterior segment digital photography. The Pentacam mean central radii of the posterior corneal surface (cornea back Rm), vertical central radius of curvature of the posterior corneal surface (cornea back Rv), and keratometric power deviation (influence of the posterior surface of the cornea on refractive power) were statistically different between eyes with greater pigment loss and eyes with lesser pigment loss. Eyes with greater pigment loss had a larger back radius of corneal curvature and a correspondingly numerically smaller keratometric power deviation. Other measurements of ocular anatomy were not statistically significant. A flatter curvature of the posterior corneal surface of the eye is associated with increased pigment loss in PDS and PG. The authors postulate that this could result in a difference in the biomechanical properties of the cornea, increased deformation with blinking, and a pumping action resulting in the reverse pupil block of PDS.

  3. 75 FR 62765 - Carbazole Violet Pigment 23 From India: Final Results of Antidumping Duty Changed-Circumstances...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-13

    ... finished pigment in the form of presscake and dry color. Pigment dispersions in any form (e.g., pigment... DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE International Trade Administration [A-533-838] Carbazole Violet Pigment 23... Act), that Meghmani Pigments is the successor-in-interest to Alpanil Industries. DATES: Effective Date...

  4. Analysis of the laser-induced discoloration of lead white pigment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cooper, M.I.; Fowles, P.S.; Tang, C.C.

    2002-01-01

    The use of laser cleaning in artwork conservation is becoming increasingly important. An investigation into the effects of laser radiation on lead white pigment, considered to be historically the most important of all white pigments used in art, has been undertaken. Samples of pigment and pigment in a water-colour binding medium have been prepared and irradiated by laser radiation at 1064 nm (pulse duration 5-10 ns) at an average fluence of 0.3 J cm -2 . Irradiation under such conditions leads to the formation of an extremely thin discoloured layer. Synchrotron X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) have been used to characterise the altered layer. Analytical evidence for the formation of elemental lead is presented for the first time and the effect of exposure of the altered layer to air and the effect of a binding medium on the process are discussed

  5. Identification and Profiling of Active Compounds from Golden Apple Snail’s Egg Pigments

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Asadatun Abdullah

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available Golden apple snail (Pomacea canaliculata has been known as rice corps pest due to high adaptability and reproductive power. Utilization of Pomacea canaliculata’s eggs as raw materials in the food and health industry is one of the efforts to eradicate the pest snail. This study was aimed to identify the active compounds contained in the extract pigments of Pomacea canaliculata’s eggs. The methods of this study were extraction of pigments using acetone and methanol, analyzing the active compound (secondary metabolite qualitatively, TLC to determine pigment components and LC-MS/MS to identify active compounds semi quantitatively. The results showed that active compounds in the methanol extract contain 11 carotenoid pigments of xanthophyl group, two carotenoid pigments of carotene group, and 2 active compounds in nonpigmented form, whereas the acetone extract contain 11 pigmentcarotenoids of xanthophyl group and 2 compounds active in non-pigment form.

  6. The application of ion-exchanged clay as corrosion inhibiting pigments in organic coatings

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chrisanti, Santi

    High strength aluminum alloys are used in aerospace industry and are normally coated to prevent corrosion. The corrosion protection of the coatings is mainly provided by pigmented-primer layer. Strontium chromate pigments are widely used, but they are toxic and carcinogenic. The objective of the current study is to develop and characterize the ion exchange compounds bentonite and hydrotalcite as corrosion inhibiting pigments. These compounds were synthesized with different cations and anions, and were used either alone or in mixtures as particulate additive in organic coatings. In coating applications as well as bulk solution, the inhibitor release mechanism is based on ion exchange. To evaluate corrosion inhibition, pigments extract solutions were used in potentiodynamic polarization as well as electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) experiments on bare aluminum alloy 2024-T3. Cathodic polarization showed that zinc- and cerium-containing filtrate solutions modestly inhibited cathodic current density. These solutions also decreased the extent of pitting damage formed on the surface, as compared to uninhibited 0.5 M NaCl solution. Pigments were also added as primer additives, and painted on AA2024-T3. The coated panels were then subjected to salt spray exposure testing. The possibility of sensing inhibitor exhaustion by means of X-ray diffraction interrogation of the pigment in a coating is demonstrated and discussed on cerium bentonite-pigmented coatings. Although cerium bentonite-pigmented coatings did not show behavior indicative of self-healing, the combination of bentonite and hydrotalcite that released Ce3+, Zn 2+, and PO43- showed potent scribe protection even after 3000 h exposure in salt spray. Promising self-healing was also demonstrated by pigments that consisted of decavanadate-hydrotalcite and zinc pyrovanadate, as indicated by a shiny scribed area after 1000h exposure in salt spray. When these pigments are used, blistering is minimized.

  7. Ag nanoparticles agargel nanocomposites for SERS detection of cultural heritage interest pigments

    Science.gov (United States)

    Amato, F.; Micciche', C.; Cannas, M.; Gelardi, F. M.; Pignataro, B.; Li Vigni, M.; Agnello, S.

    2018-02-01

    Agarose gel (agargel) composites with commercial and laboratory made silver nanoparticles were prepared by a wet solution method at room temperature. The gel composites were used for pigment extraction and detection by Raman spectroscopy. Red (alizarin) and violet (crystal violet) pigments deposited on paper were extracted by the composites and were investigated by micro-Raman spectroscopy. Evaluation was carried out of the surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) effect induced by the silver nanoparticles embedded in the gel. A kinetic approach as a function of time was used to determine the efficiency of pigments extraction by composites deposition. A non-invasive extraction process of few minutes is demonstrated. This process induces active SERS for both used pigments. The reported results show the full exploitability of agargel silver nanoparticle composites for the extraction of pigments from paper based artworks.

  8. Tracking of pigment accumulation and secretion in extractive fermentation of Monascus anka GIM 3.592.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Gong; Bei, Qi; Huang, Tao; Wu, Zhenqiang

    2017-10-04

    Monascus pigments are promising sources for food and medicine due to their natural food-coloring functions and pharmaceutical values. The innovative technology of extractive fermentation is used to promote pigment productivity, but reports of pigment trans-membrane secretion mechanism are rare. In this study, tracking of pigment accumulation and secretion in extractive fermentation of Monascus anka GIM 3.592 was investigated. The increased vacuole size in mycelia correlated with fluorescence intensity (r > 0.85, p fermentation and batch fermentation, a threefold decrease in the NAD + /NADH ratio in mycelia and a more than 200-fold increase in glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH) activity in extracellular broth occurred, further suggesting that a reduction reaction for pigment conversion from orange pigments to yellow pigments occurred in non-aqueous phase solution. A putative model was established to track the localization of Monascus pigment accumulation and its trans-membrane secretion in extractive fermentation. This finding provides a theoretical explanation for microbial extractive fermentation of Monascus pigments, as well as other non-water-soluble products.

  9. Analytical Investigation Of Pigments, Ground Layer And Media Of Cartonnage Fragments From Greek Roman Period

    Science.gov (United States)

    Afifi, Hala. A. M.

    Some cartonnage fragments from Hawara, Fayoum Excavation were examined to identify pigments, media and grounds. It belonged to the Greek-Roman period. They were studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Energy dispersive X ray analysis (EDS) equipped with Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). These techniques were used to identify the composition and morphology of grounds, nature of pigments and media used in cartonnage fragments. The coarse ground layer was composed of calcite and traces of quartz. The fine ground layer used under the pigments directly was composed of calcite only. Carbon black was used as black pigment while lead oxide as red pigment, showing the influence of Roman and Greek pigments on Egyptian art in these later periods. Blue colorant was identified as cuprorivaite and yellow pigment was goethite. Animal glue was used in the four pigments as medium colored.

  10. Treatment of gingival pigmentation : A case series

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Prasad Deepak

    2005-01-01

    Full Text Available A smile expresses a feeling of joy, success, sensuality, affection and courtesy, and reveals self confidence and kindness. The harmony of the smile is determined not only by the shape, the position and the color of the teeth but also by the gingival tissues. Gingival health and appearance are essential components of an attractive smile. Gingival pigmentation results from melanin granules, which are produced by melanoblasts. The degree of pigmentation depends on melanoblastic activity. Although melanin pigmentation of the gingiva is completely benign and does not present a medical problem, complaints of ′black gums′ are common particularly in patients having a very high smile line (gummy smile. For depigmentation of gingiva different treatment modalities have been reported like- Bur abrasion, scraping, partial thickness flap, cryotherapy, electrosurgery and laser. In the present case series bur abrasion, scraping, partial thickness flap (epithelial excision cryotherapy and electrosurgery have been tried for depigmentation, which are simple, effective and yield good results, along with good patient satisfaction. The problems encountered with some of these techniques have also been discussed.

  11. Differences in antimicrobial susceptibility of pigmented and unpigmented colonial variants of Mycobacterium avium.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stormer, R S; Falkinham, J O

    1989-01-01

    Unpigmented colonial variants were isolated from pigmented Mycobacterium avium isolates recovered from patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome and the environment. The variants were interconvertible: the rate of transition from unpigmented to pigmented type was 4.0 x 10(-5) variants per cell per generation. The unpigmented variants were more tolerant to antibiotics, especially beta-lactams, and Cd2+ and Cu2+ salts than were their pigmented parents. Both pigmented and unpigmented variants of the strains produced beta-lactamase, although beta-lactamase did not appear to be a determinant of beta-lactam susceptibility. Pigmented variants grew more rapidly in a number of commonly used mycobacterial media, were more hydrophobic, and had higher carotenoid contents than their unpigmented segregants. PMID:2808669

  12. Metabolism and Pigmentation Patterns during Metamorphosis of Plaice (Pleuronectes platessa) larvae

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Christensen, Mette Nørregaard; Korsgaard, Bodil

    1999-01-01

    Protein metabolism, growth and pigmentation patterns were studied during the process of metamorphosis in the plaice Pleuronectes platessa. Based on the morphological and concurrent metabolic observations the process of metamorphosis could be divided into three different phases: (1) premetamorphosis....... Calcium assimilation reached a plateau depicting complete ossification of the skeleton. Lipid catabolism dominated by the end of the metamorphosis process. Pigmentation appeared to develop in two marked phases. During premetamorphosis larval melanophores and xanthophores dominated the pigmentation pattern...

  13. Multispectral diagnostic imaging of the iris in pigment dispersion syndrome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roberts, Daniel K; Lukic, Ana; Yang, Yongyi; Wilensky, Jacob T; Wernick, Miles N

    2012-08-01

    To determine if wavelength selection with near infrared iris imaging may enhance iris transillumination defects (ITDs) in pigment dispersion syndrome. An experimental apparatus was used to acquire iris images in 6 African-American (AA) and 6 White patients with pigment dispersion syndrome. Light-emitting diode probes of 6 different spectral bands (700 to 950 nm) were used to project light into patients' eyes. Iris patterns were photographed, ITD regions of interest were outlined, and region of interest contrasts were calculated for each spectral band. Contrasts varied as a function of wavelength (Ppigmented eyes may be slightly longer than for less pigmented eyes.

  14. Interactions between colloidal silver and photosynthetic pigments located in cyanobacteria fragments and in solution.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Siejak, Przemysław; Frackowiak, Danuta

    2007-09-25

    Changes in the yield of the fluorescence emitted by pigments of photosynthetic organisms could be used for the establishment of the presence of some toxic substances. The presence of colloidal metals can be indicated by enhancement of pigments' emission as a result of plasmons generation. The spectra of the pigments of cyanobacterium Synechocystis located in the bacterium fragments and in solutions with and without colloidal silver additions have been measured. The quantum yield of the pigments' fluorescence in solution has been observed to increase at some wavelength of excitation, while the fluorescence of the pigments in the bacteria fragments has been only quenched as a consequence of interactions with colloidal silver particles. Close contact between pigment molecules located in bacteria fragments and silver particles is probably not possible. We plan in future to investigate the influence of other, more typical metal pollutants of water, using similar spectral methods and several other photosynthetic bacteria pigments, in solution, in cell fragments and in the whole bacteria organisms.

  15. Evaluation of blotchy pigments in the anterior chamber angle as a sign of angle closure

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Harsha L Rao

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: Blotchy pigments in the anterior chamber (AC angle are considered diagnostic of primary angle closure (PAC. But there are no reports either on the prevalence of blotchy pigments in AC angles or the validity of this sign. Aims: To determine the prevalence of blotchy pigments in AC angles and to evaluate their relationship with glaucomatous optic neuropathy (GON in eyes with occludable angles. Setting and Design: Cross-sectional, comparative study. Materials and Methods: Gonioscopy was performed in 1001 eyes of 526 subjects (245 eyes of 148 consecutive, occludable angle subjects and 756 eyes of 378 non-consecutive, open angle subjects, above 35 years of age. Quadrant-wise location of blotchy pigments was documented. Statistical Analysis: Odds of blotchy pigments in occludable angles against that in open angles were evaluated. Relationship of GON with blotchy pigments in occludable angle eyes was evaluated using a multivariate model. Results: Prevalence of blotchy pigments in occludable angles was 28.6% (95% CI, 22.9-34.3 and in open angles was 4.7% (95% CI, 3.2-6.3. Blotchy pigments were more frequently seen in inferior (16% and superior quadrants (15% of occludable angles, and inferior quadrant of open angles (4%. Odds of superior quadrant blotchy pigments in occludable angles were 33 times that in open angles. GON was seen in 107 occludable angle eyes. Blotchy pigments were not significantly associated with GON (odds ratio = 0.5; P = 0.1. Conclusions: Blotchy pigments were seen in 28.6% of occludable angle eyes and 4.7% of open angles eyes. Presence of blotchy pigments in the superior quadrant is more common in occludable angles. Presence of GON in occludable angle eyes was not associated with blotchy pigments.

  16. Evaluation of blotchy pigments in the anterior chamber angle as a sign of angle closure

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rao, Harsha L; Mungale, Sachin C; Kumbar, Tukaram; Parikh, Rajul S; Garudadri, Chandra S

    2012-01-01

    Background: Blotchy pigments in the anterior chamber (AC) angle are considered diagnostic of primary angle closure (PAC). But there are no reports either on the prevalence of blotchy pigments in AC angles or the validity of this sign. Aims: To determine the prevalence of blotchy pigments in AC angles and to evaluate their relationship with glaucomatous optic neuropathy (GON) in eyes with occludable angles. Setting and Design: Cross-sectional, comparative study. Materials and Methods: Gonioscopy was performed in 1001 eyes of 526 subjects (245 eyes of 148 consecutive, occludable angle subjects and 756 eyes of 378 non-consecutive, open angle subjects), above 35 years of age. Quadrant-wise location of blotchy pigments was documented. Statistical Analysis: Odds of blotchy pigments in occludable angles against that in open angles were evaluated. Relationship of GON with blotchy pigments in occludable angle eyes was evaluated using a multivariate model. Results: Prevalence of blotchy pigments in occludable angles was 28.6% (95% CI, 22.9-34.3) and in open angles was 4.7% (95% CI, 3.2-6.3). Blotchy pigments were more frequently seen in inferior (16%) and superior quadrants (15%) of occludable angles, and inferior quadrant of open angles (4%). Odds of superior quadrant blotchy pigments in occludable angles were 33 times that in open angles. GON was seen in 107 occludable angle eyes. Blotchy pigments were not significantly associated with GON (odds ratio = 0.5; P = 0.1). Conclusions: Blotchy pigments were seen in 28.6% of occludable angle eyes and 4.7% of open angles eyes. Presence of blotchy pigments in the superior quadrant is more common in occludable angles. Presence of GON in occludable angle eyes was not associated with blotchy pigments. PMID:23202393

  17. Shedding light on serpent sight: the visual pigments of henophidian snakes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Davies, Wayne L; Cowing, Jill A; Bowmaker, James K; Carvalho, Livia S; Gower, David J; Hunt, David M

    2009-06-10

    The biologist Gordon Walls proposed his "transmutation" theory through the 1930s and the 1940s to explain cone-like morphology of rods (and vice versa) in the duplex retinas of modern-day reptiles, with snakes regarded as the epitome of his hypothesis. Despite Walls' interest, the visual system of reptiles, and in particular snakes, has been widely neglected in favor of studies of fishes and mammals. By analyzing the visual pigments of two henophidian snakes, Xenopeltis unicolor and Python regius, we show that both species express two cone opsins, an ultraviolet-sensitive short-wavelength-sensitive 1 (SWS1) (lambda(max) = 361 nm) pigment and a long-wavelength-sensitive (LWS) (lambda(max) = 550 nm) pigment, providing the potential for dichromatic color vision. They also possess rod photoreceptors which express the usual rod opsin (Rh1) pigment with a lambda(max) at 497 nm. This is the first molecular study of the visual pigments expressed in the photoreceptors of any snake species. The presence of a duplex retina and the characterization of LWS, SWS1, and Rh1 visual pigments in henophidian snakes implies that "lower" snakes do not provide support for Walls' transmutation theory, unlike some "higher" (caenophidian) snakes and other reptiles, such as geckos. More data from other snake lineages will be required to test this hypothesis further.

  18. The production of pigments and hydrogen through a Spirogyra sp. biorefinery

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pacheco, R.; Ferreira, A.F.; Pinto, T.; Nobre, B.P.; Loureiro, D.; Moura, P.; Gouveia, L.; Silva, C.M.

    2015-01-01

    Highlights: • Sugar content of microalgae must increase to increase H 2 yield. • Electrocoagulation and solar dryer reduce 90% the harvesting-drying energy demand. • Paddle wheels contribute 5% to culture energy demand when using ideal 0.1 kW/m 2 . • Pigment extraction increases 2 times the biorefinery economic benefits. • Pigment energy demand account for 62% and must be reduced significantly. - Abstract: This paper discusses the overall energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions when extracting pigments and producing hydrogen from Spirogyra sp. microalga biomass. The energy evaluation from the biomass leftovers was also included in this work. The influence of the functional unit and different allocation criteria on the biorefinery assessments is also shown. The study consists of laboratory tests showing Spirogyra sp. growth, harvesting, drying, pigment extraction and fermentation by Clostridium butyricum. Electrocoagulation and solar drying were tested and compared to conventional centrifugation and electrical dewatering in terms of their energy consumption for harvesting and dewatering, respectively. To discuss the biorefinery viability, the pigments and biohydrogen (bioH 2 ) retail costs are considered against operational costs according to electricity needs. The low yield of biochemical hydrogen and the high energy requirements for the pigment extraction were identified as main topics for further research. This research hopefully contributes to highlight the importance of energy and emission balances in order to decide on feasibility of the biorefinery

  19. Monodisperse Hollow Tricolor Pigment Particles for Electronic Paper

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Meng Xianwei

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract A general approach has been designed to blue, green, and red pigments by metal ions doping hollow TiO 2. The reaction involves initial formation of PS at TiO2 core–shell nanoparticles via a mixed-solvent method, and then mixing with metal ions solution containing PEG, followed calcining in the atmosphere. The as-prepared hollow pigments exhibit uniform size, bright color, and tunable density, which are fit for electronic paper display.

  20. Obtention of ceramic pigments with residue from electroplating

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Boss, A.; Kniess, C.T.; Aguiar, B.M. de; Prates, P.B.; Milanez, K.

    2011-01-01

    The incorporation of industrial residues in industrial processes opens up new business opportunities and reduces the volume of extraction of raw materials, preserving natural resources, which are limited. An important residue is the mud from galvanic industry, consisting of alkali and transition metals. According to NBR 10004/2004, this residue can be classified as Class I (hazardous), depending on the concentration of metals present in the mud. This paper proposes a method for reusing the residue from electroplating in ceramic pigments. The characterization of residual plating was obtained by chemical analysis, mineralogical analysis and pH measurements. The electroplating waste was incorporated in different percentages on a standard pigment formula of industrial ceramic, consisting mainly of Zn, Fe and Cr. The obtained pigments were applied in ceramic glazes to colorimetric and visual analysis, which showed good results with the addition of up to 15% of industrial waste. (author)

  1. Laser-generated acoustic wave studies on tattoo pigment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Paterson, Lorna M.; Dickinson, Mark R.; King, Terence A.

    1996-01-01

    A Q-switched alexandrite laser (180 ns at 755 nm) was used to irradiate samples of agar embedded with red, black and green tattoo dyes. The acoustic waves generated in the samples were detected using a PVDF membrane hydrophone and compared to theoretical expectations. The laser pulses were found to generate acoustic waves in the black and green samples but not in the red pigment. Pressures of up to 1.4 MPa were produced with irradiances of up to 96 MWcm-2 which is comparable to the irradiances used to clear pigment embedded in skin. The pressure gradient generated across pigment particles was approximately 1.09 X 1010 Pam-1 giving a pressure difference of 1.09 +/- 0.17 MPa over a particle with mean diameter 100 micrometers . This is not sufficient to permanently damage skin which has a tensile strength of 7.4 MPa.

  2. Comparison of color, chemical and mineralogical compositions of mine drainage sediments to pigment

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kirby, C.S. [Bucknell Univ., Lewisburg, PA (United States). Geology Dept.; Decker, S.M. [Boston College, MA (United States). Dept. of Geology and Geophysics; Macander, N.K. [Parsons Engineering Science, Fairfax, VA (United States)

    1999-03-01

    Forty-three untreated and actively and passively (wetland) treated coal mine drainage sediments and five yellow-red pigments were characterized using X-ray fluorescence, fusion-inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and tristimulus colorimeter. Primary crystalline iron-bearing phases were goethite and lepidocrocite, and iron phases converted to hematite upon heating. Quartz was nearly ubiquitous except for synthetic pigments. Gypsum, bassinite, calcite, and ettringite were found in active treatment sediments. Iron concentrations from highest to lowest were synthetic pigment>wetland sediment>natural pigment>active treatment (untreated sediments varied more widely), and manganese was highest in actively treated sediments. Loss on ignition was highest for passively treated sediments. No clear trends were observed between quantified color parameters (L*, a*, b*, and Redness Index) and chemical compositions. Because sediments from passive treatment are similar in chemistry, mineralogy, and color to natural pigments, the mine drainage sediments may be an untrapped resource for pigment. (orig.)

  3. An ESR study of the spectra of paint pigments in 'drying' linseed oil

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Slogett, R.; Troup, G.; Hutton, D.

    1999-01-01

    Full text: Since previous ESR work on the identification of RAW paint pigments, mainly mineral, looked promising, we decided to examine the spectra when the pigments were applied, in oil, to a non-reactive, microwave transparent polymer. The polymer used shows no significant ESR signals in the range 2000-4000 gauss at ∼9.1 GHz and room temperature. The oil used is Winsor and Newton Drying Linseed Oil, and contains 'manganese driers'. The spectrum of the pure liquid oil is shown, as well as that of the dried oil on the substrate. Many of the pigment spectra shown are so strong that not a trace of the oil Mn(2+) can be seen at the pigment concentrations used. The effect of the linseed oil on modern synthetic indigo, an organic pigment still available made from plants, is also shown. ESR still looks to be a useful supplementary technique for paint pigment identification

  4. Chicken feather peptone: A new alternative nitrogen source for pigment production by Monascus purpureus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Orak, Tugba; Caglar, Ozge; Ortucu, Serkan; Ozkan, Hakan; Taskin, Mesut

    2018-04-10

    Peptones are accepted as one of the most favourable nitrogen sources supporting pigment synthesis in Monascus purpureus. The present study was performed to test the feasibility of chicken feather peptone (CFP) as nitrogen source for pigment production from M. purpureus ATCC16365. CFP was compared with fish peptone (FP) and protease peptone (PP) in order to elucidate its effectiveness on pigment production. CFP was prepared from waste feathers using hydrolysis (KOH) and neutralization (H 2 SO 4 ) methods. The protein content of CFP was determined as 67.2 g/100 g. Optimal concentrations of CFP and glucose for pigment production were determined as 3 and 20 g/L, respectively. A medium pH of 5.5 and an incubation period of 7-days were found to be more favourable for pigment production. In CFP, PP and FP media, yellow pigment absorbances were 2.819, 2.870 and 2.831, red pigment absorbances were 2.709, 2.304 and 2.748, and orange pigment absorbances were 2.643, 2.132 and 2.743, respectively. Sugar consumption and mycelia growth showed the similar trends in CFP, FP and PP media. This study indicates that the peptone from chicken feathers may be a good nutritional substrate for pigment production from M. purpureus. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. Melanin-Like Pigment Synthesis by Soil Bacillus weihenstephanensis Isolates from Northeastern Poland.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Justyna M Drewnowska

    Full Text Available Although melanin is known for protecting living organisms from harmful physical and chemical factors, its synthesis is rarely observed among endospore-forming Bacillus cereus sensu lato. Here, for the first time, we reported that psychrotolerant Bacillus weihenstephanensis from Northeastern Poland can produce melanin-like pigment. We assessed physicochemical properties of the pigment and the mechanism of its synthesis in relation to B. weihenstephanensis genotypic and phenotypic characteristics. Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR spectroscopy displayed a stable free radical signal of the pigment from environmental isolates which are consistent with the commercial melanin. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR and physicochemical tests indicated the phenolic character of the pigment. Several biochemical tests showed that melanin-like pigment synthesis by B. weihenstephanensis was associated with laccase activity. The presence of the gene encoding laccase was confirmed by the next generation whole genome sequencing of one B. weihenstephanensis strain. Biochemical (API 20E and 50CHB tests and genetic (Multi-locus Sequence Typing, 16S rRNA sequencing, and Pulsed-Field Gel Electrophoresis characterization of the isolates revealed their close relation to the psychrotrophic B. weihenstephanensis DSMZ 11821 reference strain. The ability to synthesize melanin-like pigment by soil B. weihenstephanensis isolates and their psychrotrophic character seemed to be a local adaptation to a specific niche. Detailed genetic and biochemical analyses of melanin-positive environmental B. weihenstephanensis strains shed some light on the evolution and ecological adaptation of these bacteria. Moreover, our study raised new biotechnological possibilities for the use of water-soluble melanin-like pigment naturally produced by B. weihenstephanensis as an alternative to commercial non-soluble pigment.

  6. Intelligent poly (vinyl alcohol)-chitosan nanoparticles-mulberry extracts films capable of monitoring pH variations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ma, Qianyun; Liang, Tieqiang; Cao, Lele; Wang, Lijuan

    2018-03-01

    The aim of this study was to prepare a visually responsive intelligent film based on poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA), chitosan nanoparticles (CHNPs) and mulberry extracts (MBE). CHNPs were first prepared by using ionotropic gelation method to enhance the mechanical properties of PVA based films. The morphology, particle size, zeta potential and crystallinity of CHNPs were measured. The resultant CHNPs were spherical with a diameter of 381.2nm, with high stability and a zeta potential of 49.1±1.33mV. The film with 6% CHNPs (P-C6) had the highest tensile strength (∼73.43MPa). MBE was incorporated into the P-C6 film. The film containing 20% MBE had the highest tensile strength and showed visible color responses to variations across pH 1-13. The film was tested by monitoring the spoilage of fish. The color of the film changed from red to green as the fish spoiled. Therefore, the pH responsive intelligent film developed here can be used as a package label to detect food spoilage. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  7. Two rapid pigmentation tests for identification of Cryptococcus neoformans.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kaufmann, C S; Merz, W G

    1982-01-01

    Two tests were developed for the rapid identification of Cryptococcus neoformans based on pigment produced by the organism's phenoloxidase activity. Caffeic acid was incorporated into cornmeal agar, a medium used routinely for yeast identification. When tested on this medium, only C. neoformans isolates produced brown pigment. All other yeasts maintained their normal morphology and did not produce the reaction product. A non-medium-based test was developed for same-day identification of C. neoformans isolates. Paper strips saturated with a buffered L-beta-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine-ferric citrate solution were inoculated with isolates and incubated at 37 degrees C. Pigment production occurred only with C. neoformans isolates, many within 60 to 90 min. All other yeasts remained negative. PMID:7040452

  8. Pigmented Villonodular Synovitis Causing Osteonecrosis of the Femoral Head: A Case Report

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tomohiro Mimura

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available We report a case of a 27-year-old man with pigmented villonodular synovitis of the hip joint with coincident osteonecrosis of the femoral head. According to our review of the English-language literature, no detailed report of osteonecrosis of the femoral head complicated with pigmented villonodular synovitis has been published. Preoperative X-ray images showed joint narrowing and severe multiple bone erosions at the acetabulum and femoral neck. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a low-intensity band attributable to osteonecrosis of the femoral head and massive diffuse pigmented villonodular synovitis lesions. Comparison of a three-dimensional computed tomographic image of this patient with an angiographic image of a normal individual demonstrated proximity of the pigmented villonodular synovitis-induced bone erosions to the medial and lateral femoral circumflex arteries and retinacular arteries, suggesting likely the compromise of the latter by the former. We propose that the massive pigmented villonodular synovitis may have contributed to the pathogenesis of osteonecrosis of the femoral head in this patient. We performed open synovectomy and total hip arthroplasty. No operative complications occurred, and no recurrence of the pigmented villonodular synovitis was detected for 3 years after the operation.

  9. Pigmented villonodular synovitis: MR findings

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Soler, R.; Rivera, E.; Perez Fontan, F.J.; Yebra, T.; Fuente, C. de la

    1994-01-01

    Pigmented villonodular synovitis is an un-common lesion of the synovium that typically involves diffusely the knee. We present the MR findings of two cases involving the knee,one of them diffuse and the other one localized in the supra patellar bursa. (Author)

  10. Pseudoepitheliomatous Hyperplasia in a Red Pigment Tattoo

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kazlouskaya, Viktoryia

    2015-01-01

    Red pigment tattoos are known to cause pseudoepitheliomatous hyperplasia in the skin, frequently simulating squamous cell carcinoma or keratoacanthoma. Herein, the authors present two additional cases of red pigment tattoo pseudoepitheliomatous hyperplasia in which they noted a lichenoid tissue reaction. They reviewed the previously published cases and observed a lichenoid reaction in the histopathological images similar to hypertrophic lichen planus. The authors suggest that these reactions might best be referred to as “lichenoid reaction with pseudoepitheliomatous hyperplasia” or “hypertrophic lichen planus-like reaction.” Accordingly, recognition of an inflammatory component may allow additional treatment options. PMID:26705448

  11. Dietary Anthocyanins against Obesity and Inflammation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Yoon-Mi; Yoon, Young; Yoon, Haelim; Park, Hyun-Min; Song, Sooji; Yeum, Kyung-Jin

    2017-10-01

    Chronic low-grade inflammation plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of obesity, due to its associated chronic diseases such as type II diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, pulmonary diseases and cancer. Thus, targeting inflammation is an attractive strategy to counter the burden of obesity-induced health problems. Recently, food-derived bioactive compounds have been spotlighted as a regulator against various chronic diseases due to their low toxicity, as opposed to drugs that induce severe side effects. Here we describe the beneficial effects of dietary anthocyanins on obesity-induced metabolic disorders and inflammation. Red cabbage microgreen, blueberry, blackcurrant, mulberry, cherry, black elderberry, black soybean, chokeberry and jaboticaba peel contain a variety of anthocyanins including cyanidins, delphinidins, malvidins, pelargonidins, peonidins and petunidins, and have been reported to alter both metabolic markers and inflammatory markers in cells, animals, and humans. This review discusses the interplay between inflammation and obesity, and their subsequent regulation via the use of dietary anthocyanins, suggesting an alternative dietary strategy to ameliorate obesity and obesity associated chronic diseases.

  12. Visual pigments of the box jellyfish species Chiropsella bronzie

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    O*Connor, Megan; Garm, Anders Lydik; Marshall, Justin

    2010-01-01

    Box jellyfish (Cubomedusae) possess a unique visual system comprising 24 eyes of four morphological types. Moreover, box jellyfish display several visually guided behaviours, including obstacle avoidance and light-shaft attractance. It is largely unknown what kind of visual information box...... results strongly indicate that only one type of visual pigment is present in the upper and lower lens eyes with a peak absorbance of approximately 510 nm. Additionally, the visual pigment appears to undergo bleaching, similar to that of vertebrate visual pigments....

  13. 75 FR 977 - Carbazole Violet Pigment 23 From India: Preliminary Results of Countervailing Duty Administrative...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-07

    ... the form of presscake and dry color. Pigment dispersions in any form (e.g., pigments dispersed in... DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE International Trade Administration [C-533-839] Carbazole Violet Pigment 23... countervailing duty order on carbazole violet pigment 23 (CVP-23) from India for the period January 1, 2007...

  14. The influence of paint dispersion parameters on the spectral selectivity of black-pigmented coatings

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gunde, M.K.; Orel, Z.C. [National Institute of Chemistry, Ljubljana (Slovenia); Hutchins, M.G. [Oxford Brookes University, Oxford (United Kingdom). School of Engineering

    2003-10-31

    The optical properties of variously prepared black-pigmented solar absorbing paints were calculated in terms of their effective absorption and scattering abilities. The phenomenological two-parameter Kubelka-Munk effective medium theory was applied. Paints with the same composition were prepared for different degrees of pigment dispersion and characterized by the average size of pigment agglomerates present in the pigment/vehicle system. Prepared paints were applied to aluminium foil in two ways, by coil coating and by spraying. The size of coarse pigment particles and the paint application technique influence the spectral selectivity and thus determine the final performance of spectrally selective surfaces. (author)

  15. Talaromyces atroroseus, a new species efficiently producing industrially relevant red pigments

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Frisvad, Jens Christian; Yilmaz, Neriman; Thrane, Ulf

    2013-01-01

    ., described in this study, produces the azaphilone biosynthetic families mitorubrins and Monascus pigments without any production of mycotoxins. Within the red pigment producing clade, T. atroroseus resolved in a distinct clade separate from all the other species in multigene phylogenies (ITS, β......Some species of Talaromyces secrete large amounts of red pigments. Literature has linked this character to species such as Talaromyces purpurogenus, T. albobiverticillius, T. marneffei, and T. minioluteus often under earlier Penicillium names. Isolates identified as T. purpurogenus have been...... reported to be interesting industrially and they can produce extracellular enzymes and red pigments, but they can also produce mycotoxins such as rubratoxin A and B and luteoskyrin. Production of mycotoxins limits the use of isolates of a particular species in biotechnology. Talaromyces atroroseus sp. nov...

  16. Simulating watercolor by modeling diffusion, pigment, and paper fibers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Small, David

    1991-08-01

    This paper explores a parallel approach to the problem of predicting the actions of pigment and water when applied to paper fibers. This work was done on the Connection Machine II, whose parallel architecture allows one to cast the problem as that of a complex cellular automata. One defines simple rules for the behavior of each cell based on the state of that cell and its immediate neighbors. By repeating the computation for each cell in the paper over many time steps, elaborate and realistic behaviors can be achieved. The simulation takes into account diffusion, surface tension, gravity, humidity, paper absorbency and the molecular weight of each pigment. At each time step a processor associated with each fiber in the paper computes water and pigment gradients, surface tension and gravitational forces, and decides if there should be any movement of material. Pigment and water can be applied and removed (blotting) with masks created from type or scanned images. Use of a parallel processor simplifies the creation and testing of software, and variables can be stored and manipulated at highprecision. The resulting simulation runs at approximately one-tenth real time.

  17. Pigmented basal cell carcinoma of the eyelid in Hispanics

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lily Koo Lin

    2008-10-01

    Full Text Available Lily Koo Lin1, Han Lee2, Eli Chang11Department of Oculoplastics, Doheny Eye Institute, Los Angeles, CA, USA; 2Department of Dermatology, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USABackground: Pigmented basal cell carcinoma (PBCC of the eyelid has not been well cited in the literature, and is often overlooked in the differential diagnosis of pigmented eyelid lesions. We aim to describe PBCC of the eyelid in Hispanic patients.Methods: Retrospective review of patients with eyelid skin cancer who presented to the Department of Dermatology at the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California and the Doheny Eye Institute from January 2002 to November 2005.Results: Sixty-nine of the 79 patients with eyelid skin cancer had basal cell carcinoma. Eight of these patients were Hispanic. Four of the eight Hispanic patients had PBCC.Conclusions: Although eyelid PBCC is regarded as a rare condition, it may occur more commonly in the Hispanic population and should be remembered in the differential diagnosis of pigmented eyelid lesions.Keywords: pigmented basal cell carcinoma, eyelid, skin cancer, lesions

  18. Removal of dogs' gingival pigmentation with CO2 laser

    Science.gov (United States)

    Figueiredo, Jose A. P.; Chavantes, Maria C.; Gioso, Marco A.; Pesce, Hildeberto F.; Jatene, Adib D.

    1995-05-01

    The aim of this study was to analyze the ability of CO2 laser to remove physiologic pigmentation of gingiva. Dogs were chosen for this study because of their intense black pigmentation on the gingiva, similar to what can be found in human negroes and other dark- skinned races. Three specimens were irradiated at the left side of the buccal aspect of the gingiva, while for comparison the right side was used as a control. CO2 laser in a continuous mode applying 3 watt power was used (Xanar-20, USA). The portion to be irradiated was continuously irrigated with saline solution, to prevent tissue damage from the excessive heat generated. The handpiece device irradiated the target easily and fast, with no bleeding. All the pigmentation could be removed from the portion exposed to the laser beam. A 45th day follow up showed very little repigmentation just in one of the specimens. It could be concluded that CO2 laser irradiation can be an alternative to remove pigmentation of the gingiva for cosmetic purposes. The risk of repigmentation exists, so the patients should be aware of this inconvenience, sometimes demanding further irradiation.

  19. NON-AQUEOUS PIGMENTED INKJET INKS

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    DEROOVER, GEERT; Bernaerts, Katrien; HOOGMARTENS, IVAN

    2010-01-01

    A non-aqueous inkjet ink includes a benzimidazolone pigment and a polymeric dispersant according to Formula (I): wherein, T represents hydrogen or a polymerization terminating group; Z represents the residue of polyethyleneimine having a number-average molecular weight of at least 100; A represents

  20. Twenty natural organic pigments for application in dye sensitized solar cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Castillo, D.; Sánchez Juárez, A.; Espinosa Tapia, S.; Guaman, A.; Obregón Calderón, D.

    2016-09-01

    In this work we present the results of a study of twenty natural pigments obtained from plants and insects from southern Ecuador. Many of them will be considered as a potential natural sensitizer for the construction of DSSCs. The results indicate that these pigments have a good performance in the absorbance and wavelength spectra. Were selected four best pigments for the construction of DSSCs, Rumex tolimensis Wedd, Raphanus sativus, Hibiscus sabdariffa, and Prunus serótina, however the conversion efficiency is lower than 1%.