What's in the box? Authentication of Echinacea herbal products using DNA metabarcoding and HPTLC.

Science.gov (United States)

Raclariu, Ancuta Cristina; Ţebrencu, Carmen Elena; Ichim, Mihael Cristin; Ciupercǎ, Oana Teodora; Brysting, Anne Krag; de Boer, Hugo

2018-05-15

Differences in regulatory policies between countries as well as a lack of appropriate standardized methods for the authentication and quality control of herbal products directly impact their quality and safety. Echinacea products are among the top-selling herbal products in Europe and the United States with indications for a broad range of ailments. The increased use of Echinacea species has led to concerns about adulterated products resulting from challenges in morphology-based identification, due to overlapping morphological variation, frequent hybridization between species, and deliberate adulteration. This study addressed the need for a novel analytical strategy in the authentication of herbal products. A combination of high performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC) and DNA metabarcoding was employed. Fifty-three Echinacea herbal products marketed across Europe were tested to evaluate the accuracy of these methods in plant identification and their potential for detecting substitutes, adulterants and other unreported plant constituents. HPTLC provides high resolution in the detection of Echinacea phytochemical target compounds, but does not offer information on the other species within the product. Alternatively, we showed that the limitation of HPTLC in detecting non-targeted species can be overcome by the complementary use of DNA metabarcoding. Using DNA metabarcoding, Echinacea species were detected in 34 out of the 38 retained products (89%), but with a lack of discriminatory resolution at the species level due to the low level of molecular divergence within the Echinacea genus. All of the tested herbal products showed considerable discrepancies between ingredients listed on the label and the ones detected using DNA metabarcoding, registering an overall ingredient fidelity of only 43%. The results confirm that DNA metabarcoding can be used to test for the presence of Echinacea species and simultaneously to detect other species present in even highly

Echinacea purpurea and osteopathic manipulative treatment in children with recurrent otitis media: a randomized controlled trial

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Worden Katherine A

2008-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Recurrent otitis media is a common problem in young children. Echinacea and osteopathic manipulative treatment have been proposed as preventive measures, but have been inadequately studied. This study was designed to assess the efficacy of Echinacea purpurea and/or osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT for prevention of acute otitis media in otitis-prone children. Methods A randomized, placebo-controlled, two-by-two factorial trial with 6-month follow-up, conducted 1999 – 2002 in Tucson, Arizona. Patients were aged 12–60 months with recurrent otitis media, defined as three or more separate episodes of acute otitis media within six months, or at least four episodes in one year. Ninety children (44% white non-Hispanic, 39% Hispanic, 57% male were enrolled, of which 84 had follow-up for at least 3 months. Children were randomly assigned to one of four protocol groups: double placebo, echinacea plus sham OMT, true OMT (including cranial manipulation plus placebo echinacea, or true echinacea plus OMT. An alcohol extract of Echinacea purpurea roots and seeds (or placebo was administered for 10 days at the first sign of each common cold. Five OMT visits (or sham treatments were offered over 3 months. Results No interaction was found between echinacea and OMT. Echinacea was associated with a borderline increased risk of having at least one episode of acute otitis media during 6-month follow-up compared to placebo (65% versus 41%; relative risk, 1.59, 95% CI 1.04, 2.42. OMT did not significantly affect risk compared to sham (44% versus 61%; relative risk, 0.72, 95% CI 0.48, 1.10. Conclusion In otitis-prone young children, treating colds with this form of echinacea does not decrease the risk of acute otitis media, and may in fact increase risk. A regimen of up to five osteopathic manipulative treatments does not significantly decrease the risk of acute otitis media. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00010465

Influence of Echinacea purpurea intake during pregnancy on fetal growth and tissue angiogenic activity.

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Ewa Sommer

2008-04-01

Full Text Available The process of angiogenesis and control of blood vessels sprouting are fundamental to human health, as they play key roles in many physiological and pathological conditions. Intake of different pharmaceuticals with antiangiogenic activity by pregnant women may lead to severe developmental disturbances as it was described in case of thalidomide. It may also cause immunomodulatory effects as it was shown for antibiotics, theobromine, caffeic acid or catechins on the pregnant mice model. At present, Echinacea purpurea-based phytoceuticals are among the most popular herbals in the marketplace. Many compounds of Echinacea extracts (polysaccharides, alkamides, polyphenols, glycoproteins exert immunomodulatory, anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory activity. Echinacea is one of the most powerful and effective remedies against many kinds of bacterial and viral infections. In previous studies we shown significant inhibitory effect of the Echinacea purpurea based remedy on tumour angiogenic activity using cutaneous angiogenesis test, and an inhibitory effect on L-1 sarcoma growth was observed . The aim of the present study was to establish whether pharmaceuticals containing alcoholic extracts of Echinacea purpurea given to pregnant mice influence angiogenic activity and tissue VEGF and bFGF production of their fetuses. We showed that angiogenic activity of tissue homogenates was increased in Esberitox group and diminished in case of Immunal forte as compared to standard diet group. In case of Echinapur group we did not find significant differences in angiogenic activity. VEGF and bFGF concentration were lower in all groups compared to the control. In the case of Echinapur and Esberitox number of fetuses in one litter were slightly lower as compared to control group, but the difference is on the border of statistical significance. In conclusion, there is some possibility that pharmaceuticals containing Echinacea purpurea might influence fetal development in

Comparative evaluation of the polyphenol composition and antioxidant capacity of propolis and Echinacea purpurea

OpenAIRE

Silviya S. Georgieva; Valentina L. Christova-Bagdassarian; Maria S. Atanassova

2014-01-01

Objective: This study was undertaken to evaluate and compare total phenolics and total flavonoides, and antioxidant capacity of propolis and Echinacea purpurea ethanol extracts. Methods: Propolis and dried Echinacea purpurea extracts were obtained by extraction methods. The extracts were tested for total phenol and total flavonoid contents and antioxidant capacity was determined by the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay. Results: The content of total phenolics and total flavon...

Fractionation and evaluation of proteins in roots of Echinacea purpurea (L. Moench

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Balciunaite Gabriele

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Echinacea purpurea (L. Moench, a member of the Asteraceae family, is a plant rich in flavonoids, essential oils, phenolic compounds, saponins, polysaccharides and glycoproteins. The aim of the study was to evaluate the protein content in dried roots of Echinacea purpurea (L. Moench after homogenization of roots with liquid nitrogen, extraction in 0.01 mol L-1 phosphate-buffered saline (PBS and purification followed by fractionation of proteins using gel filtration chromatography. Total concentration of proteins was measured using the Bradford method, and evaluation of the molecular mass of proteins was accomplished by applying the SDS-PAGE gel electrophoresis. The Bradford assay revealed that the highest concentration of proteins in fractions collected after gel filtration chomatography was 4.66–6.07 mg mL-1. Glycoproteins, alkamides and polysaccharides in roots of Echinacea purpurea (L. Moench are chemical compounds that are responsible for their immunomodulatory properties. However, information about the difference of protein contents in fresh and dried roots of E. purpurea is insufficient.

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

Science.gov (United States)

2012-08-01

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

Bioavailability of Echinacea Constituents: Caco-2 Monolayers and Pharmacokinetics of the Alkylamides and Caffeic Acid Conjugates

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R. Lehmann

2005-10-01

Full Text Available Many studies have been done over the years to assess the effectiveness of Echinacea as an immunomodulator. We have assessed the potential bioavailability of alkyl- amides and caffeic acid conjugates using Caco-2 monolayers and compared it to their actual bioavailability in a Phase I clinical trial. The caffeic acid conjugates permeated poorly through the Caco-2 monolayers. Alkylamides were found to diffuse rapidly through Caco-2 monolayers. Differences in diffusion rates for each alkylamide correlated to structural variations, with saturation and N-terminal methylation contributing to decreases in diffusion rates. Alkylamide diffusion is not affected by the presence of other constituents and the results for a synthetic alkylamide were in line with those for alkylamides found in an ethanolic Echinacea preparation. We examined plasma from healthy volunteers for 12 hours after ingestion of Echinacea tablets manufactured from an ethanolic liquid extract. Caffeic acid conjugates could not be identified in any plasma sample at any time after tablet ingestion. Alkylamides were detected in plasma 20 minutes after tablet ingestion and for each alkylamide, pharmacokinetic profiles were devised. The data are consistent with the dosing regimen of one tablet three times daily and supports their usage as the primary markers for quality Echinacea preparations.

Study on antioxidant activity of Echinacea purpurea L. extracts and ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

STORAGESEVER

2009-10-05

Oct 5, 2009 ... capacity changes and phenolic profile of Echinacea purpurea, nettle. (Urtica dioica L.), and dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) after application of polyamine and phenolic biosynthesis regulators. J. Agric. Food Chem. 55: 5689-5696. Kaiser MG, Cheeseman JH, Kaiser P, Lamont SJ (2006). Cytokine.

Echinacea and Parsley Oil Ameliorate the Changes Induced by gamma-radiation in Uterus, Ovaries and Bone Marrow of Female Rats

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ramadan, F.L.; Othman, A.

2013-01-01

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the role of Echinacea and parsley oil some biochemical, histological and bone marrow abnormalities, induced by g-irradiation exposure. Echinacea and parsley oil were orally administrated to female rats (50 mg /100 g b.wt./ day and 0.2 ml/100g b.wt./day, respectively) 7 days before and during exposure to radiation for 3 weeks since female rats were submitted to fractionated whole body gamma-radiation 1 Gy every week up to 3 Gy total dose. The results obtained revealed that treatment with Echinacea and parsley oil induced significant amelioration to the harmful effect of radiation on red blood corpuscles (RBCs), white blood corpuscles (WBCs), haemoglobin concentration (Hb), calcium level (Ca), in addition to estradiol (E2) and progesterone (p4) hormones in serum. Moreover, the treatment with Echinacea and parsley oil diminished the increase in urea, uric acid, creatinine and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) levels recorded in the serum of irradiated rats. Our findings demonstrated that exposure to g-radiation caused an increase in the apoptotic cells, while the treatment with Echinacea and parsley oil decreased the apoptotic cells and increased the alive cells in the bone marrow of female rats. Histological observations of the ovary and uterus sections showed that radiation induced deformation in the follicular tissue, dis organization of granulosa cells, abnormal Graafian follicle which appeared without ova, haemorrhage, dilated blood vessels and vacuolation ovarian tissue. Also, the uterus of female rats showed increase in endometrium thickness, decreased muscularis thickness and muscle fibres appeared with pyknotic nuclei. All these changes were obviously improved in animals supplied with echinacea and parsley oil. It could be concluded that Echinacea and parsley oil could be useful and adjunct for maintaining the integrity of biochemical changes, restored the original histological architecture of the ovary and uterus and

Caffeic Acid Derivatives in Market Available Lamiaceae and Echinacea purpurea Products

Science.gov (United States)

Fresh basil leaves contain chicoric acid, the principal phenolic compound of Echinacea purpurea and purportedly the active ingredient in its dietary supplements. Our group discovered and first reported chicoric acid in basil. This following study examined the distribution of chicoric acid within the...

The effect and safety of highly standardized Ginger (Zingiber officinale) and Echinacea (Echinacea angustifolia) extract supplementation on inflammation and chronic pain in NSAIDs poor responders. A pilot study in subjects with knee arthrosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Rondanelli, Mariangela; Riva, Antonella; Morazzoni, Paolo; Allegrini, Pietro; Faliva, Milena Anna; Naso, Maurizio; Miccono, Alessandra; Peroni, Gabriella; Degli Agosti, Irene; Perna, Simone

2017-06-01

The study aimed to evaluate the effect of Zingiber officinale and Echinacea angustifolia extract supplementation (25 mg of ginger and 5 mg of Echinacea) for 30 days on inflammation and chronic pain in knee osteoarthritis (OA). Consecutive nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory-drugs (NSAIDs) poor responders with chronic inflammation and pain due to knee arthrosis were assessed (15 subjects, age: 67.2 ± 7.9, body mass index: 30.6 ± 7.1, men/women:2/13). The primary endpoint was to determine pain improvement from baseline to Day 30 by Tegner Lysholm Knee Scoring. The secondary endpoints were the assessment of Visual Analog Scale for Pain, health-related quality of life, by the ShortForm36 (SF-36), anthropometric parameters, hydration. After supplementation, a significant improvement of 12.27 points was observed for Lysholm scale score (p < 0.05), SF-36 (p < 0.05), and a decrease in -0.52 cm in knee circumference (left) (p < 0.01). This pilot study provides feasibility and safety data for the use of highly standardised ginger and Echinacea extract supplementation in people with knee OA.

Antioxidant capacity changes and phenolic profile of Echinacea purpurea, nettle (Urtica dioica L.), and dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) after application of polyamine and phenolic biosynthesis regulators.

Science.gov (United States)

Hudec, Jozef; Burdová, Mária; Kobida, L'ubomír; Komora, Ladislav; Macho, Vendelín; Kogan, Grigorij; Turianica, Ivan; Kochanová, Radka; Lozek, Otto; Habán, Miroslav; Chlebo, Peter

2007-07-11

The changes of the antioxidant (AOA) and antiradical activities (ARA) and the total contents of phenolics, anthocyanins, flavonols, and hydroxybenzoic acid in roots and different aerial sections of Echinacea purpurea, nettle, and dandelion, after treatment with ornithine decarboxylase inhibitor, a polyamine inhibitor (O-phosphoethanolamine, KF), and a phenol biosynthesis stimulator (carboxymethyl chitin glucan, CCHG) were analyzed spectrophotometrically; hydroxycinnamic acids content was analyzed by RP-HPLC with UV detection. Both regulators increased the AOA measured as inhibition of peroxidation (IP) in all herb sections, with the exception of Echinacea stems after treatment with KF. In root tissues IP was dramatically elevated mainly after CCHG application: 8.5-fold in Echinacea, 4.14-fold in nettle, and 2.08-fold in dandelion. ARA decrease of Echinacea leaves treated with regulators was in direct relation only with cichoric acid and caftaric acid contents. Both regulators uphold the formation of cinnamic acid conjugates, the most expressive being that of cichoric acid after treatment with CCHG in Echinacea roots from 2.71 to 20.92 mg g(-1). There was a strong relationship between increase of the total phenolics in all sections of Echinacea, as well as in the studied sections of dandelion, and the anthocyanin content.

Xanthatin and xanthinosin from the burs of Xanthium strumarium L. as potential anticancer agents.

Science.gov (United States)

Ramírez-Erosa, Irving; Huang, Yaoge; Hickie, Robert A; Sutherland, Ronald G; Barl, Branka

2007-11-01

Xanthatin and xanthinosin, 2 sesquiterpene lactones isolated from the burs of Xanthiun strumarium L. (cocklebur), showed moderate to high in vitro cytotoxic activity in the human cancer cell lines WiDr ATCC (colon), MDA-MB-231 ATCC (breast), and NCI-417 (lung). Xanthatin and xanthinosin were purified as the result of a multi-screening bioassay-guided study of wild plant species of the family Asteraceae, collected from various sites in Saskatchewan, Canada. Seventy-five extracts at a single concentration of 100 microg/mL were evaluated for in vitro cytotoxicity to the human cancer cell lines used. The chloroform extract of Carduus nutans L. (nodding thistle) aerial parts (IC50, 9.3 microg/mL) and the hexane extract of Echinacea angustifolia DC. (narrow-leaved purple coneflower) root (IC50, 4.0 microg/mL) were moderately to highly cytotoxic to the lung cancer cell line. The chloroform extracts of X. strumarium L. burs and Tanacetum vulgare L. (tansy) aerial parts exhibited the highest cytotoxicity for all cell lines tested; their IC50 values, obtained from multidose testing, ranged from 0.1 to 6.2 microg/mL (X. strumarium) and from 2.4 to 9.1 microg/mL (T. vulgare). Further purification of the chloroform fraction of X. strumarium yielded xanthatin and xanthinosin in high yields. This is the first time that these compounds have been reported in the burs of X. strumarium. Their IC50 values are also reported herein.

Isomeric C₁₂-alkamides isolated from purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea (L.) Moench) exhibit characteristics of a PPARγ partial agonist

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

El-Houri, Rime Bahij; Kotowska, Dorota; Wolber, Gerhard

Nuclear hormone receptor PPARγ is predominantly found in adipose tissue and plays a role in regulating adipogenesis and glucose homeostasis. PPARγ belongs to the superfamily of transcription factors that bind DNA and regulate transcription in a ligand-dependent manner. A dichloromethane extract o...

Purple Pelisse: A specialty fingerling potato with purple skin and flesh and medium specific gravity

Science.gov (United States)

Purple Pelisse is a specialty fingerling potato with purple skin and dark purple flesh. It has medium maturity and sets a large number of smooth, small, fingerling-shaped tubers. The tubers have medium specific gravity and high levels of antioxidants. This potato variety is mainly intended for the f...

76 FR 46632 - Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Removal of Echinacea tennesseensis (Tennessee...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-08-03

... Echinacea only supported recognition of one of the five varieties of E. pallida that Binns et al. (2002, pp.... 2). These middle Tennessee habitats typically occur on thin plates of Lebanon limestone that are...

Efficacy and mode of action of an immunomodulator herbal preparation containing Echinacea, wild indigo, and white cedar.

Science.gov (United States)

Wüstenberg, P; Henneicke-von Zepelin, H H; Köhler, G; Stammwitz, U

1999-01-01

Using the example of an allopathic herbal combined preparation containing Echinacea root, wild indigo root, and white cedar leaf tips (Echinaceae radix + Baptisiae tinctoriae radix + Thujae occidentalis herba = Esberitox N), the efficacy and mode of action of a phytoimmunomodulator, or immune system enhancer, is described. Efficacy of the immunomodulator has been demonstrated in studies of acute viral respiratory tract infections and infections requiring antibiotic therapy. In a recent study compliant to GCP, the therapeutic superiority of the herbal immunomodulator over placebo was confirmed as statistically significant and clinically relevant. The present overview describes a model of the antigen-independent mode of action of phytoimmunomodulation ("immunobalancing").

Evaluation of Cichoric Acid of Echinacea purpurea Extract under Different Ecological Conditions in Semnan Province Iran

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Elahe Rostami

2015-02-01

Full Text Available Echinacea purpurea is an herbaceous perennial plant as members of the Asteraceae family. It is one the important medicinal plant in pharmacy industrial. Active substances of Echinaceae are amplifier of body's immune system and antivirus. Echinacea is not native to Iran. The phytochemical traits of medicinal plants depend on ecological conditions involving growing areas, climate conditions; various grow stages and genetic modifications. The aim of this study was the evaluation of cichoric acid of E. purpurea extract in different ecological conditions in Semnan, Iran. Dormancy in seeds was broken by treating them with strafication in 4 °C for 48 h, was grown in nursery beds for autumn and early winter and transfered to four areas with different ecological conditions in late winter. Chashm, Ahuvan, Semnan and Foladmahale were chosen for this experiment. The spacing of plantlet was about 25 × 45 cm in the field. After 2- 3 months, aerial parts of the plants collected in all areas and extract samples were prepared and characterized using high- performance liquid chromatography (HPLC. The components of a basic HPLC system were shown significant values of the cichoric acid in plants under four habitats. The level of cichoric acid in one condition was more than standards level that reported in another references. In addition, ecological diversities have significant impacts the quantity of cichoric acid in E. purpurea.   

Har rød solhatt (Echinacea purpurea), råmelk fra ku (Bovine colostrum) eller c-vitamin effekt på forkjølelse?

OpenAIRE

Vassbotn, Liv Jorunn

2009-01-01

This literature review examines if Echinacea purpurea, Bovine colostrum or Vitamin C has an effect on common cold infections. Effect is defined in this article as prevention, reduction of symptoms or decrease in duration of disease. The 9 clinical studies and 2 meta- analysis included in this literature review has not found statistically significant result by use of Echinacea purpurea, Bovine colostrums or Vitamin C versus placebo during common cold infection. Therefore I cannot recommend the...

Comparing the effect of echinacea and chlorhexidine mouthwash on the microbial flora of intubated patients admitted to the intensive care unit

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Mehdi Safarabadi

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Providing intubated patients admitted to the intensive care units with oral healthcare is one of the main tasks of nurses in order to prevent Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia (VAP. This study aimed at comparing the effects of two mouthwash solutions (echinacea and chlorhexidine on the oral microbial flora of patients hospitalized in the intensive care units. Materials and Methods: In this clinical trial, 70 patients aged between18 and 65 years undergoing tracheal intubation through the mouth in three hospitals in Arak, were selected using simple random sampling and were randomly divided into two groups: the intervention group and the control group. The oral health checklist was used to collect the data (before and after the intervention. The samples were obtained from the orally intubated patients and were then cultured in selective media. Afterwards, the aerobic microbial growth was investigated in all culture media. The data were analyzed using SPSS software. Results: The microbial flora in the echinacea group significantly decreased after the intervention (p < 0.0001 and it was also the case withmicrobial flora of the patients in the chlorhexidine group (p < 0.001. After 4 days, the oral microbial flora of the patients in the intervention group was lower than that of the patients in the control group (p < 0.001. Conclusions: The results showed that the echinacea solution was more effective in decreasing the oral microbial flora of patients in the intensive care unit. Given the benefits of the components of the herb Echinacea, it can be suggested as a viable alternative to chlorhexidine.

Volatile constituents and biological activities of the leaf and root of Echinacea species from South Africa

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M. Nyalambisa

2017-03-01

It is concluded that root and leaf of this Echinacea species contain volatile oils which varied in their yield and chemical compositions. The essential root oil is non-toxic orally and it demonstrated significant anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities in laboratory animals.

Quantitative analyses of the main chemical constituents in the roots of Echinacea purpurea and E. angustifolia produced in Costa Rica

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Loaiza, Jorge; Valverde, Roberto; Rodriguez, Gerardo; Molina, Jorge

2004-01-01

Free phenylpropanoids (chlorogenic and cichoric acids), and glycosidic (echinecoside), as well as the alkamides, present in root extracts of the medicinal plants Echinacea purpurea and E. angustifolia produced in 3 different locations of Costa Rica (Los Santos at 1650 masl, Santa Barbara de Heredia at 1250 masl and Ojo de Agua at 850 masl) were quantified. Results showed a decrease on secondary metabolites associated to an altitude reduction of the growing zone. Concentration of free phenylpropanoids and the echinecoside (synthesized exclusively for E. angustifolia) produced in Costa Rica was 100 and 34% higher than the concentration reported for a standard sample from U.S.A. Alkamides concentration ranged from 0.89-2.31%, as compared to 0.004-0.36% reported from U.S.A. The alkamides produced in Costa Rica were similar in the 3 growing zones. In addition, 2 of them showed different isomerism than the ones reported in samples from U.S.A. These results indicate that in tropical conditions not only is it possible to produce Echinacea, but also that the amount of metabolites is higher than those produced in the Echinacea's origin areas. The presence of compounds with different isomerism could provide an alternative use for those metabolites. (author) [es

Photoluminescence of Turkish purple jade (turkiyenite)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hatipoğlu, Murat; Başevirgen, Yasemin

2012-01-01

The purple-colored unique gem material is only found in the Harmancık (Bursa) region of the western Anatolia (Turkey). Therefore, it is specially called “Turkish purple jade or turkiyenite” on the worldwide gem market. Even though its jadeite implication is the principal constituent, the material cannot be considered as a single jadeite mineral since other implications are quartz, orthoclase, epidote, chloritoid and phlogopite minerals. Even if the analytical methods are used to characterize and identify the Turkish purple jade samples in detail, the luminescence spectra, especially photoluminescence features regarding to composite mineral implications of the material are important because of the existence the numerous characteristic broad and intensive luminescence bands in the samples. We can state that the UV-irradiation luminescence centers as photoluminescence (PL) are due to the overall signals in the Turkish purple jade samples. Accordingly, the distinctive photoluminescence peaks at 743, 717, 698, 484, 465 and 442 nm in PL-2D (counter diagram and sections) and PL-3D (sequence spectra) ranging between 300 and 900 nm of wavelengths, and between 220 and 340 K of temperatures are observed. Finally, photoluminescence features of the heterogeneous-structured material cannot be simply attributed to any chemical impurities, since the jade mass has numerous heterogeneous mineral constituents instead of a single jadeite mineral. Six different mineral implications and chemical impurities in the material composition display complex and individual all kind of luminescence features. Therefore, photoluminescence as well as radioluminescence, cathodoluminescence and thermoluminescence spectra provide positive identification regarding to the provenance (geographic origin) of the original Turkish purple jade (turkiyenite). - Highlights: ► The purple-colored gem material is only found in the Harmancık-Bursa region of Turkey. ► Material is called “Turkish purple

Molecular phylogeny, diversity and bioprospecting of endophytic fungi associated with wild ethnomedicinal North American plant Echinacea purpurea (Asteraceae)

Science.gov (United States)

The endophytic fungal community associated with the wild ethnomedicinal North American plant Echinacea purpurea was investigated as well as its potential for providing antifungal compounds against plant pathogenic fungi. A total of 233 endophytic fungal isolates were obtained and classified into 42 ...

Comparative ozone responses of cutleaf coneflowers (Rudbeckia laciniata var. digitata, var. ampla) from Rocky Mountain and Great Smoky Mountains National Parks, USA.

Science.gov (United States)

Neufeld, Howard S; Johnson, Jennifer; Kohut, Robert

2018-01-01

Cutleaf coneflower (Rudbeckia laciniata L. var. digitata) is native to Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GRSM) and an ozone bioindicator species. Variety ampla, whose ozone sensitivity is less well known, is native to Rocky Mountain National Park (ROMO). In the early 2000s, researchers found putative ozone symptoms on var. ampla and rhizomes were sent to Appalachian State University to verify that the symptoms were the result of ozone exposure. In 2011, potted plants were exposed to ambient ozone from May to August. These same plants were grown in open-top chambers (OTCs) in 2012 and 2013, and exposed to charcoal-filtered (CF), non-filtered (NF), elevated ozone (EO), NF+50ppb in 2012 for 47days and NF+30/NF+50ppb ozone in 2013 for 36 and 36days, respectively. Ozone symptoms similar to those found in ROMO (blue-black adaxial stippling) were reproduced both in ambient air and in the OTCs. Both varieties exhibited foliar injury in the OTCs in an exposure-dependent manner, verifying that symptoms resulted from ozone exposure. In two of the three study years, var. digitata appeared more sensitive than var. ampla. Exposure to EO caused reductions in ambient photosynthetic rate (A) and stomatal conductance (g s ) for both varieties. Light response curves indicated that ozone reduced A, g s , and the apparent quantum yield while it increased the light compensation point. In CF air, var. ampla had higher light saturated A (18.2±1.04 vs 11.6±0.37μmolm -2 s -1 ), higher light saturation (1833±166.7 vs 1108±141.7μmolm -2 s -1 ), and lower Ci/Ca ratio (0.67±0.01 vs 0.77±0.01) than var. digitata. Coneflowers in both Parks are adversely affected by exposure to ambient ozone and if ozone concentrations increase in the Rocky Mountains, greater amounts of injury on var. ampla can be expected. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

An update on purple urine bag syndrome

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Hadano Y

2012-08-01

Full Text Available Yoshiro Hadano,1 Taro Shimizu,2 Shimon Takada,3 Toshiya Inoue,4 Sumire Sorano51Department of General Internal Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Rakuwakai Otowa Hospital, Yamashina-ku, Kyoto, Japan; 2Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA; 3Department of General Internal Medicine, Osaka City General Hospital, Miyakojima-ku, Osaka, Japan; 4Department of Emergency Medicine, Urasoe General Hospital, Urasoe-city, Okinawa, Japan; 5Kobe University School of Medicine, Kusunokicho, Chuoku, Kobe, JapanAbstract: Purple urine bag syndrome is characterized by the urinary drainage bag turning purple in patients on prolonged urinary catheterization, especially those in the bedridden state. It is associated with bacterial urinary tract infections caused by indigo-producing and indirubin-producing bacteria, usually affects women, and is associated with alkaline urine, constipation, and a high bacterial load in the urine. Almost all patients with purple urine bag syndrome are catheterized due to significant disability, and the urinary pH is 7.0 or more. In general, intensive treatment with antibiotics is not recommended. Purple urine bag syndrome per se almost always appears to be asymptomatic and harmless. However, caution is needed, because some cases have been reported to show progression to severe disease states, so further research into the morbidity and mortality of this infection is warranted.Keywords: purple urine, urinary catheterization, geriatrics, urinary tract infection

Establishing native warm season grasses on Eastern Kentucky strip mines

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Barnes, T.G.; Larkin, J.L.; Arnett, M.B. [Univ. of Kentucky, Lexington, KY (United States). Dept. of Forestry

1998-12-31

The authors evaluated various methods of establishing native warm season grasses on two reclaimed Eastern Kentucky mines from 1994--1997. Most current reclamation practices incorporate the use of tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea) and other cool-season grasses/legumes that provide little wildlife habitats. The use of native warm season grasses will likely improve wildlife habitat on reclaimed strip mines. Objectives of this study were to compare the feasibility of establishing these grasses during fall, winter, or spring using a native rangeland seeder or hydroseeding; a fertilizer application at planting; or cold-moist stratification prior to hydroseeding. Vegetative cover, bare ground, species richness, and biomass samples were collected at the end of each growing season. Native warm season grass plantings had higher plant species richness compared to cool-season reclamation mixtures. There was no difference in establishment of native warm season grasses as a result of fertilization or seeding technique. Winter native warm season grass plantings were failures and cold-moist stratification did not increase plant establishment during any season. As a result of a drought during 1997, both cool-season and warm season plantings were failures. Cool-season reclamation mixtures had significantly more vegetative cover and biomass compared to native warm season grass mixtures and the native warm season grass plantings did not meet vegetative cover requirements for bond release. Forbs and legumes that established well included pale purple coneflower (Echinacea pallida), lance-leaf coreopsis (Coreopsis lanceolata), round-headed lespedeza (Lespedeza capitata), partridge pea (Cassia fasiculata), black-eyed susan (Rudbeckia hirta), butterfly milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa), and bergamot (Monarda fistulosa). Results from two demonstration plots next to research plots indicate it is possible to establish native warm season grasses on Eastern Kentucky strip mines for wildlife habitat.

Establishing native warm season grasses on Eastern Kentucky strip mines

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barnes, T.G.; Larkin, J.L.; Arnett, M.B.

1998-01-01

The authors evaluated various methods of establishing native warm season grasses on two reclaimed Eastern Kentucky mines from 1994--1997. Most current reclamation practices incorporate the use of tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea) and other cool-season grasses/legumes that provide little wildlife habitats. The use of native warm season grasses will likely improve wildlife habitat on reclaimed strip mines. Objectives of this study were to compare the feasibility of establishing these grasses during fall, winter, or spring using a native rangeland seeder or hydroseeding; a fertilizer application at planting; or cold-moist stratification prior to hydroseeding. Vegetative cover, bare ground, species richness, and biomass samples were collected at the end of each growing season. Native warm season grass plantings had higher plant species richness compared to cool-season reclamation mixtures. There was no difference in establishment of native warm season grasses as a result of fertilization or seeding technique. Winter native warm season grass plantings were failures and cold-moist stratification did not increase plant establishment during any season. As a result of a drought during 1997, both cool-season and warm season plantings were failures. Cool-season reclamation mixtures had significantly more vegetative cover and biomass compared to native warm season grass mixtures and the native warm season grass plantings did not meet vegetative cover requirements for bond release. Forbs and legumes that established well included pale purple coneflower (Echinacea pallida), lance-leaf coreopsis (Coreopsis lanceolata), round-headed lespedeza (Lespedeza capitata), partridge pea (Cassia fasiculata), black-eyed susan (Rudbeckia hirta), butterfly milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa), and bergamot (Monarda fistulosa). Results from two demonstration plots next to research plots indicate it is possible to establish native warm season grasses on Eastern Kentucky strip mines for wildlife habitat

Variability in In Vitro Macrophage Activation by Commercially Diverse Bulk Echinacea Plant Material is Predominantly Due to Bacterial Lipoproteins and Lipopolysaccharides

Science.gov (United States)

We previously reported that the majority of in vitro monocyte/macrophage activation exhibited by extracts of Echinacea and other botanicals depends upon bacterial lipopolysaccharides and Braun-type bacterial lipoproteins. We determined the contribution made by these bacterial components to the overa...

Surface pH controls purple-to-blue transition of bacteriorhodopsin. A theoretical model of purple membrane surface

OpenAIRE

Szundi, I.; Stoeckenius, W.

1989-01-01

We have developed a surface model of purple membrane and applied it in an analysis of the purple-to-blue color change of bacteriorhodopsin which is induced by acidification or deionization. The model is based on dissociation and double layer theory and the known membrane structure. We calculated surface pH, ion concentrations, charge density, and potential as a function of bulk pH and concentration of mono- and divalent cations. At low salt concentrations, the surface pH is significantly lowe...

How Human Life Is Rare: "The Color Purple"

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, Angela

2014-01-01

"The Color Purple" is a work in art. Its dramatic overtone recognizes the essence of African American culture. "The Color Purple" brings to light the cultural heritage of black origin. Its work translates the poetic story of how black women embrace the thrust of the social conditions of our heritage. The spiritual conviction…

Plant extracts in the control of Phytophthora cryptogea.

Science.gov (United States)

Orlikowski, L B

2001-01-01

Grapefruit extract at dose 40 micrograms/cm3 inhibited Phytophtora cryptogea linear growth about 50% and almost completely suppressed zoosporangia formation. Drenching of gerbera plants with the extract at dose 165 micrograms/cm3 reduced population density of the pathogen about 70% and this high efficacy was noted at least one month after application. Treatment of gerberas with grapefruit extract resulted in protection of about 50% of plants against the pathogen. Biological activity of purple coneflower extract was lower than extract from grapefruit. Significant decrease of population density of the pathogen during the first 5 days and increase of gerbera healthy stand was observed, however, in peat treated with that extract.

Surface pH controls purple-to-blue transition of bacteriorhodopsin. A theoretical model of purple membrane surface.

Science.gov (United States)

Szundi, I; Stoeckenius, W

1989-08-01

We have developed a surface model of purple membrane and applied it in an analysis of the purple-to-blue color change of bacteriorhodopsin which is induced by acidification or deionization. The model is based on dissociation and double layer theory and the known membrane structure. We calculated surface pH, ion concentrations, charge density, and potential as a function of bulk pH and concentration of mono- and divalent cations. At low salt concentrations, the surface pH is significantly lower than the bulk pH and it becomes independent of bulk pH in the deionized membrane suspension. Using an experimental acid titration curve for neutral, lipid-depleted membrane, we converted surface pH into absorption values. The calculated bacteriohodopsin color changes for acidification of purple, and titrations of deionized blue membrane with cations or base agree well with experimental results. No chemical binding is required to reproduce the experimental curves. Surface charge and potential changes in acid, base and cation titrations are calculated and their relation to the color change is discussed. Consistent with structural data, 10 primary phosphate and two basic surface groups per bacteriorhodopsin are sufficient to obtain good agreement between all calculated and experimental curves. The results provide a theoretical basis for our earlier conclusion that the purple-to-blue transition must be attributed to surface phenomena and not to cation binding at specific sites in the protein.

50 CFR 21.53 - Control order for purple swamphens.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... Islands. Any authorized agency personnel may temporarily possess, transport, and dispose of purple... this order to public museums or public institutions for scientific or educational purposes; you may... gallinule (Porphyrula martinica). Authorized persons must take special care not to take purple gallinules or...

Modulation of liver enzymes by an Iranian preparation of Echinacea purpurea

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. Manayi

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Hepatitis B, a common infectious disease of liver, is transmitted by blood and body fluids like semen and vaginal fluid that carry hepatitis B virus (HBV.  In chronic infection, medical care is required to decrease possibility of cirrhosis and liver cancer. In the present report, the hepatoprotective effect of an Echinacea purpurea preparation (Echiherb® has been described in a patient who suffered from HBV infection. The levels of both enzymes of aspartate aminotransferase (AST and alanine aminotransferase (ALT decreased to their normal level after 6 weeks of treatment. Therefore, this report may provide a new perspective for protection of liver in patients with HBV infection along with other diseases which damage liver cells using E. purpurea preparations.

Antioxidant properties of various solvent extracts from purple basil

Science.gov (United States)

Yeşiloğlu, Yeşim; Şit, Latifşah

2012-09-01

Water, ethanol and acetone extracts from leaves and flowers of purple basil, one of the most popular spices consumed in the Thrace region of Turkey, were tested in vitro for their ability to inhibit peroxidation of lipids, to scavenge DPPH, hydrogen peroxide, superoxide anion, to reduce Fe(III) to Fe(II) and to chelate Fe(II) ions. The results showed that purple basil contained naturally occurring antioxidant components and possessed antioxidant activity which may be attributed to its lipid peroxidation inhibitory, radical scavenging and metal chelating activities. It was concluded that purple basil might be a potential source of antioxidants.

Purple corn-associated rhizobacteria with potential for plant growth promotion.

Science.gov (United States)

Castellano-Hinojosa, A; Pérez-Tapia, V; Bedmar, E J; Santillana, N

2018-05-01

Purple corn (Zea mays var. purple amylaceum) is a native variety of the Peruvian Andes, cultivated at 3000 m since the pre-Inca times without N fertilization. We aimed to isolate and identify native plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) for future microbial-based inoculants. Eighteen strains were isolated from the rhizosphere of purple corn plants grown without N fertilization in Ayacucho (Peru). The 16S rRNA gene clustered the 18 strains into nine groups that contained species of Bacillus, Stenotrophomonas, Achromobacter, Paenibacillus, Pseudomonas and Lysinibacillus. A representative strain from each group was selected and assayed for N 2 fixation, phosphate solubilization, indole acetic and siderophore production, 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid deaminase activity and biocontrol abilities. Inoculation of purple corn plants with single and combined strains selected after a principal component analysis caused significant increases in root and shoot dry weight, total C and N contents of the plants. PGPRs can support growth and crop production of purple corn in the Peruvian Andes and constitute the base for microbial-based inoculants. This study enlarges our knowledge on plant-microbial interactions in high altitude mountains and provides new applications for PGPR inoculation in purple amylaceum corn, which is part of the staple diet for the native Quechua communities. © 2018 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

Activities and prevalence of proteobacteria members colonizing Echinacea purpurea fully account for in vitro macrophage activation exhibited by extracts of this botanical

Science.gov (United States)

Evidence supports the theory that bacterial communities colonizing Echinacea purpurea contribute to the innate immune enhancing activity of this botanical. Previously we reported that only about half of the variation in in vitro monocyte stimulating activity exhibited by E. purpurea extracts could ...

Phytochemical profile of a Japanese black-purple rice.

Science.gov (United States)

Pereira-Caro, Gema; Watanabe, Shin; Crozier, Alan; Fujimura, Tatsuhito; Yokota, Takao; Ashihara, Hiroshi

2013-12-01

Black-purple rice is becoming popular with health conscious food consumers. In the present study, the secondary metabolites in dehulled black-purple rice cv. Asamurasaki were analysed using HPLC-PDA-MS(2). The seeds contained a high concentration of seven anthocyanins (1400 μg/g fresh weight) with cyanidin-3-O-glucoside and peonidin-3-O-glucoside predominating. Five flavonol glycosides, principally quercetin-3-O-glucoside and quercetin-3-O-rutinoside, and flavones were detected at a total concentration of 189 μg/g. The seeds also contained 3.9 μg/g of carotenoids consisting of lutein, zeaxanthin, lycopene and β-carotene. γ-Oryzanol (279 μg/g) was also present as a mixture of 24-methylenecycloartenol ferulate, campesterol ferulate, cycloartenol ferulate and β-sitosterol ferulate. No procyanidins were detected in this variety of black-purple rice. The results demonstrate that the black-purple rice in the dehulled form in which it is consumed by humans contains a rich heterogeneous mixture of phytochemicals which may provide a basis for the potential health benefits, and highlights the possible use of the rice as functional food. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Activitie of polyphenoloxidase in yellow and purple onion

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Joeliton Alves Calado

2018-01-01

Full Text Available The high perishability of the onion may limit the shelf life of the bulbs, mainly by the biochemical transformations. The objective of this work is to determine and compare polyphenoloxidase activity (PPO in yellow and purple onions and their functional body. The raw material was purchased in the local market , where they were transported to the Food Analysis Laboratory of the, Center for Agro-Food Science and Technology, Federal University of Campina Grande, Campus Pombal, being selected, cleaned, sorted, peeled processed and carried out chemical and physico- chemical analysis and determination of the enzymatic activity of polyphenol oxidase (PPO. The statistical design was completely randomized with two treatments (purple and yellow onion with six repetitions. The purple onion presented levels of soluble solids, flavonoids and anthocyanins, more significant than the white onion. Both onions showed enzymatic activity, without significant differences.

Aspects of the breeding ecology of the Purple Swamphen Porphyrio ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The Purple Swamphen Porphyrio porphyrio is a common rail that previously was little investigated in North Africa. From 2011 to 2013, its breeding ecology was studied at two natural wetlands in north-east Algeria, namely Garaet Hadj Tahar and Garaet Messaoussa. Numbers of Purple Swamphens at both localities peaked ...

75 FR 9314 - Migratory Bird Permits; Control of Purple Swamphens

Science.gov (United States)

2010-03-01

...) purple swamphens are not migratory and (2) are invasive and should be removed. Though the species is a migratory bird species under the MBTA, it is invasive in the continental U.S. and other locations outside... allow removal of an introduced species that competes with native species of wildlife. Purple swamphens...

How Human Life is Rare: The Color Purple

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Angela Brown

2014-07-01

Full Text Available The Color Purple is a work in art. Its dramatic overtone recognizes the essence of African American culture. The Color Purple brings to light the cultural heritage of black origin. Its work translates the poetic story of how black women embrace the thrust of the social conditions of our heritage. The spiritual conviction undermines loss and finding ones identity. It is a story of human error of resentment in determining self-being a utopia for happiness and human survival.

Characteristics and functional properties of purple corn (Zea mays L. var. subnigroviolaceo

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jhoseline Guillén-Sánchez

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Zea Mays L. variety purple (purple corn is a plant native of America, which has the episperm seeds (grains and the cobs (cob in purple, which gives special characteristics to the pigments that have (between 1.5% and 6.0%, called anthocyanins, which belong to the group of flavonoids. Due to its high content of anthocyanins (cianin C3G-3-glucose as its main color and phenolic compounds act as powerful natural antioxidant and anticancer, Further having functional properties due to these bioactive compounds. The purple corn also provides significant amounts of starch, about 80% (complex carbohydrate, 10% of sugars provide sweetness, up to 11% protein, up to 2% minerals and B vitamins and ascorbic acid, concentrated in endosperm (grain free envelope. Also the nutritional value, the purple corn has a rich composition of phytochemicals, which have beneficial effects on our body, such as neutralize free radicals and act as antimutagenic. His review paper aimed to collect information on the studies undertaken to purple corn as an alternative to artificial food dyes and health benefits when included in the diet. Benefits such as cardiovascular diseases (hypertension, lowering cholesterol, fighting diabetes, being the most remarkable antioxidant action (wrinkle.

Non-invasive investigation on a VI century purple codex from Brescia, Italy

Science.gov (United States)

Aceto, Maurizio; Idone, Ambra; Agostino, Angelo; Fenoglio, Gaia; Gulmini, Monica; Baraldi, Pietro; Crivello, Fabrizio

2014-01-01

Purple codices are among the most relevant and prestigious book productions of Late Antique and Medieval age. They usually contained texts from Holy Writings written with golden or silver inks on parchment dyed in a purple hue. According to the tradition, the colour of parchment was obtained by the well renowned Tyrian purple dye. From the material point of view, however, very little is known about the compounds actually used in the manufacture of these manuscripts. Presently, the information available is limited to the ancient art treatises, with very few diagnostic evidences supporting them and, moreover, none confirming the presence of Tyrian purple. It is more than apparent, then, the need to have at disposal larger and more complete information at the concern, in order to verify what came to us from the literary tradition only. In this study, preliminary results are presented from non-invasive investigation on a VI century purple codex, the so-called CodexBrixianus, held in the Biblioteca Civica Queriniana at Brescia (Italy). Analyses were carried out with XRF spectrometry, UV-visible diffuse reflectance spectrophotometry, molecular spectrofluorimetry and optical microscopy. The results suggest the hypothesis that Tyrian purple had been used as a minor component mixed with other less precious dyes such as folium or orchil.

Purple Urine Bag Syndrome: A Rare Spot Diagnosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Kalsi, Dilraj S; Ward, Joel; Lee, Regent; Handa, Ashok

2017-01-01

Purple urine bag syndrome (PUBS) is a complication of urinary tract infections (UTIs) where catheter bags and tubing turn purple. It is alarming for patients, families, and clinicians; however, it is in itself a benign phenomenon. PUBS is the result of UTIs with specific bacteria that produce sulphatases and phosphatases which lead tryptophan metabolism to produce indigo (blue) and indirubin (red) pigments, a mixture of which becomes purple. Risk factors include female gender, immobility, constipation, chronic catheterisation, and renal disease. Management involves reassurance, antibiotics, and regular changing of catheters, although there are debates regarding how aggressively to treat and no official guidelines. Prognosis is good, but PUBS is associated with high morbidity and mortality due to the backgrounds of patients. Here, we review the literature available on PUBS, present a summary of case studies from the last five years, and propose the Oxford Urine Chart as a tool to aid such diagnoses.

Purple Urine Bag Syndrome: A Rare Spot Diagnosis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dilraj S. Kalsi

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Purple urine bag syndrome (PUBS is a complication of urinary tract infections (UTIs where catheter bags and tubing turn purple. It is alarming for patients, families, and clinicians; however, it is in itself a benign phenomenon. PUBS is the result of UTIs with specific bacteria that produce sulphatases and phosphatases which lead tryptophan metabolism to produce indigo (blue and indirubin (red pigments, a mixture of which becomes purple. Risk factors include female gender, immobility, constipation, chronic catheterisation, and renal disease. Management involves reassurance, antibiotics, and regular changing of catheters, although there are debates regarding how aggressively to treat and no official guidelines. Prognosis is good, but PUBS is associated with high morbidity and mortality due to the backgrounds of patients. Here, we review the literature available on PUBS, present a summary of case studies from the last five years, and propose the Oxford Urine Chart as a tool to aid such diagnoses.

Contact dermatitis as an adverse reaction to some topically used European herbal medicinal products - part 2: Echinacea purpurea-Lavandula angustifolia.

Science.gov (United States)

Gangemi, Sebastiano; Minciullo, Paola L; Miroddi, Marco; Chinou, Ioanna; Calapai, Gioacchino; Schmidt, Richard J

2015-04-01

This review focuses on contact dermatitis as an adverse effect of a selection of topically used herbal medicinal products for which the European Medicines Agency has completed an evaluation up to the end of November 2013 and for which a Community herbal monograph has been produced. Part 2: Echinacea purpurea Moench-Lavandula angustifolia Mill. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Dye-sensitized solar cells based on purple corn sensitizers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Phinjaturus, Kawin; Maiaugree, Wasan; Suriharn, Bhalang; Pimanpaeng, Samuk; Amornkitbamrung, Vittaya; Swatsitang, Ekaphan

2016-01-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Extract from husk, cob and silk of purple corn was used as a photosensitizer in DSSC. • Effect of solvents i.e. acetone, ethanol and DI water on DSSC efficiency was studied. • The highest efficiency of 1.06% was obtained in DSSC based on acetone extraction. - Abstract: Natural dye extracted from husk, cob and silk of purple corn, were used for the first time as photosensitizers in dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The dye sensitized solar cells fabrication process has been optimized in terms of solvent extraction. The resulting maximal efficiency of 1.06% was obtained from purple corn husk extracted by acetone. The ultraviolet–visible (UV–vis) spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and incident photon-to-current efficiency (IPCE) were employed to characterize the natural dye and the DSSCs.

Dye-sensitized solar cells based on purple corn sensitizers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Phinjaturus, Kawin [Materials Science and Nanotechnology Program, Faculty of Science, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002 (Thailand); Maiaugree, Wasan [Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002 (Thailand); Suriharn, Bhalang [Department of Plant Science and Agricultural Resources, Faculty of Agriculture, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002 (Thailand); Pimanpaeng, Samuk; Amornkitbamrung, Vittaya [Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002 (Thailand); Integrated Nanotechnology Research Center (INRC), Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002 (Thailand); Swatsitang, Ekaphan, E-mail: ekaphan@kku.ac.th [Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002 (Thailand); Integrated Nanotechnology Research Center (INRC), Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002 (Thailand); Nanotec-KKU Center of Excellence on Advanced Nanomaterials for Energy Production and Storage, Khon Kaen 40002 (Thailand)

2016-09-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Extract from husk, cob and silk of purple corn was used as a photosensitizer in DSSC. • Effect of solvents i.e. acetone, ethanol and DI water on DSSC efficiency was studied. • The highest efficiency of 1.06% was obtained in DSSC based on acetone extraction. - Abstract: Natural dye extracted from husk, cob and silk of purple corn, were used for the first time as photosensitizers in dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The dye sensitized solar cells fabrication process has been optimized in terms of solvent extraction. The resulting maximal efficiency of 1.06% was obtained from purple corn husk extracted by acetone. The ultraviolet–visible (UV–vis) spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and incident photon-to-current efficiency (IPCE) were employed to characterize the natural dye and the DSSCs.

Effect of high pressure pasteurization on bacterial load and bioactivity of Echinacea purpurea.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Xiu-Min; Hu, Chun; Raghubeer, Errol; Kitts, David D

2010-09-01

High hydrostatic pressure (HHP) technology was applied to organic Echinacea purpurea (E. purpurea) roots and flowers to determine the feasibility of using this technology for cold herb pasteurization, to produce microbiologically safe and shelf-stable products for the natural health products (NHPs) industry. HHP significantly (P pasteurization process treatment to reduce microbial-contamination load while not adversely altering chemical and bioactive function of active constituents present in organic E. purpurea. Our study reports for the first time, the effectiveness of using high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) technology pressure to pasteurize E. purpurea root and flower, and the comparative retention of bioactive phytochemicals. Therefore, this technique can be used in food and natural health product industries to produce high-quality, microbiologically safe, and shelf-stable products.

Simultaneous Determination of Seven Phenolic Acids in Rat Plasma Using UHPLC-ESI-MS/MS after Oral Administration of Echinacea purpurea Extract

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yan Du

2017-09-01

Full Text Available A rapid and sensitive Ultra High Performance Liquid Chromatography Electrospray Ionization Tandem Mass Spectrometry (UHPLC-ESI-MS/MS method was developed and validated to simultaneously determine the concentration of seven phenolic acids (syringic acid, ferulic acid, caffeic acid, vanillic acid, p-coumaric acid, 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid and 4-hydroxybenzoic acid in rat plasma after oral administration of Echinacea purpurea extract. After mixing with the internal standard (IS, butylparaben, plasma samples were prepared by liquid–liquid extraction with ethyl acetate. The separation was performed using the Agilent Eclipse Plus C18 column (1.8 μm, 2.1 mm × 50 mm with a gradient system consisting of solution A (0.1% acetic acid in water and solution B (methanol at a flow rate of 0.3 mL/min. The detection was accomplished by a multiple reaction monitoring (MRM mode with electrospray ionization (ESI. The method was validated in terms of linearity, precision, accuracy, extraction recovery, matrix effect and stability. This method was successfully applied to study the pharmacokinetic properties of the seven compounds after oral administration of Echinacea purpurea extract in rats.

Aphrodisiac Activity of the Aqueous Crude Extract of Purple Corn ( Zea mays) in Male Rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Carro-Juárez, Miguel; Rodríguez-Santiago, Magdalena G; Franco, Miguel Angel; Hueletl-Soto, María Eugenia

2017-10-01

In the present study, the aphrodisiac properties of the purple corn ( Zea mays) in male rats were analyzed. The aqueous crude extract of purple corn (at 25, 50, and 75 mg/kg) was administered to ( a) copulating male rats and ( b) anesthetized and spinal cord transected male rats. Behavioral parameters of copulatory behavior and parameters of the genital motor pattern of ejaculation previous to its inhibition, under the influence of the purple corn extract, are described. Administration of the aqueous crude extract of purple corn significantly facilitates the arousal and execution of male rat sexual behavior without significant influences on the ambulatory behavior. In addition, purple corn extract elicit a significant increase in the number of discharges of the ejaculatory motor patterns and in the total number of genital motor patterns evoked in spinal rats. The present findings show that the aqueous crude extract of purple corn possesses aphrodisiac activity.

Draft Genome Sequence of Pseudomonas sp. EpS/L25, Isolated from the Medicinal Plant Echinacea purpurea and Able To Synthesize Antimicrobial Compounds.

Science.gov (United States)

Presta, Luana; Bosi, Emanuele; Fondi, Marco; Maida, Isabel; Perrin, Elena; Miceli, Elisangela; Maggini, Valentina; Bogani, Patrizia; Firenzuoli, Fabio; Di Pilato, Vincenzo; Rossolini, Gian Maria; Mengoni, Alessio; Fani, Renato

2016-05-05

We announce here the draft genome sequence of Pseudomonas sp. strain EpS/L25, isolated from the stem/leaves of the medicinal plant Echinacea purpurea This genome will allow for comparative genomics in order to identify genes associated with the production of bioactive compounds and antibiotic resistance. Copyright © 2016 Presta et al.

The hydraulic diffusivity and conductivity determination of structured purple soil and purple latosol by vertical infiltration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Appoloni, C.R.; Souza, A.D.B. de; Fante Junior, L.; Oliveira Junior, J.M. de; Oliveira, J.C.M. de.

1990-01-01

The hydraulic diffusivity and conductivity functions of LR (purple latosol) and TE (structured purple soil) (levels A and B) soil samples from the Londrina-PR region were calculated by means of the moisture profile and data from the time evolution of the wet front, taken through measurements of the water infiltration in a soil column and a variational of the vertical flow. The wet front data were taken in a acrylic column coupled in bits base with a porous plate that permitted the water flow against the gravitational field with a suitable velocity of 0.12 cm/min. The moisture profile data were obtained by the gamma ray attenuation method, with a 60 Co source and a Na I (TL) scintillation detector. With a vertical and horizontal measurement table the moisture profile data θ (z,t) were taken in many points of the soil column. (author)

Defined fungal starter granules for purple glutinous rice wine

OpenAIRE

Ngo Thi Phuong Dung, N.T.P.

2004-01-01

The Mekong Delta region ofSouth Vietnamis particularly known as a production area of purple glutinous rice wine ( RuouNepThan ). The latter differs from regular rice wine for its sherry-like taste and flavour and its attractive brown-red colour. Wine is made from purple glutinous rice at home or by small cottage industries, by washing, soaking, steam-cooking, cooling and inoculation of the cooled rice with powdered rice-wine starter ( Men ). The fermentation takes place in two stages, i.e. an...

The risk-benefit profile of commonly used herbal therapies: Ginkgo, St. John's Wort, Ginseng, Echinacea, Saw Palmetto, and Kava.

Science.gov (United States)

Ernst, Edzard

2002-01-01

Because use of herbal remedies is increasing, a risk-benefit profile of commonly used herbs is needed. This article provides a clinically oriented overview of the efficacy and safety of ginkgo, St. John's wort, ginseng, echinacea, saw palmetto, and kava. Wherever possible, assessments are based on systematic reviews of randomized clinical trials. Encouraging data support the efficacy of some of these popular herbal medicinal products, and the potential for doing good seems greater than that for doing harm. The published evidence suggests that ginkgo is of questionable use for memory loss and tinnitus but has some effect on dementia and intermittent claudication. St. John's wort is efficacious for mild to moderate depression, but serious concerns exist about its interactions with several conventional drugs. Well-conducted clinical trials do not support the efficacy of ginseng to treat any condition. Echinacea may be helpful in the treatment or prevention of upper respiratory tract infections, but trial data are not fully convincing. Saw palmetto has been shown in short-term trials to be efficacious in reducing the symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia. Kava is an efficacious short-term treatment for anxiety. None of these herbal medicines is free of adverse effects. Because the evidence is incomplete, risk-benefit assessments are not completely reliable, and much knowledge is still lacking.

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

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

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.

Dye-sensitized solar cells based on purple corn sensitizers

Science.gov (United States)

Phinjaturus, Kawin; Maiaugree, Wasan; Suriharn, Bhalang; Pimanpaeng, Samuk; Amornkitbamrung, Vittaya; Swatsitang, Ekaphan

2016-09-01

Natural dye extracted from husk, cob and silk of purple corn, were used for the first time as photosensitizers in dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The dye sensitized solar cells fabrication process has been optimized in terms of solvent extraction. The resulting maximal efficiency of 1.06% was obtained from purple corn husk extracted by acetone. The ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and incident photon-to-current efficiency (IPCE) were employed to characterize the natural dye and the DSSCs.

Production of purple sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas L.) juice having high anthocyanin content and antioxidant activity

Science.gov (United States)

Dwiyanti, G.; Siswaningsih, W.; Febrianti, A.

2018-05-01

The purpose of the study was to retrieve procedure of production of purple sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas L.) juice with the best total anthocyanin and antioxidant activity. Purple sweet potato was processed into purple sweet potato juice through a process of heating with temperature variations of 700C, 800C, and 900C and various duration of heating, which are 5 mins, 10 mins, and 15 mins. The total anthocyanin was determined by using pH differential method. The antioxidant activity was determined by using DPPH (2,2-Diphenyl-l-picrylhydrazyl) method. Total anthocyanin of purple sweet potato juice declined in the range between 215.08 mg/L - 101.86 mg/L. The antioxidant activity of purple sweet potato juice declined in the range between 90.63% - 67.79%. Antioxidant activity and total anthocyanin purple sweet potato juice decreases with increasing temperature and duration of heating. The best characteristics found in purple sweet potato juice were made with warming temperatures of 800C. The product with the highest antioxidant activity, total anthocyanins, and good durability was prepared at 800C heating temperature for 5 mins.

Characters with multiple usages- phenotypic variability analysis at Echinacea purpurea (L. Moench species

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mihai Radu POP

2010-11-01

Full Text Available Merging aesthetics with utility, some medicinal plants can benefit both of a high production and decoration potential. This calls for diversification of improvement directions of the species. Through this article we suggest one of these species, Echinacea purpurea (L. Moench. This is considered to be important at this time, acquisition of new biological forms - varieties in this species, which show multiple attributes utility based on key biological characteristics, agronomic, physiological, biochemical and agrochemical (medicinal, decorative, culinary etc.. To achieve this goal, studies were undertaken, given in this article, which is the starting point for selecting characters representative for our targets.The results presented in this study reveal a pronounced genetic polymorphism showing the selection operation can use the original material for a quantitative and qualitative differentiation of valuable genotypes that could be approved.

Whole-Genome Sequence of the Purple Photosynthetic Bacterium Rhodovulum sulfidophilum Strain W4

OpenAIRE

Masuda, Shinji; Hori, Koichi; Maruyama, Fumito; Ren, Shukun; Sugimoto, Saori; Yamamoto, Nozomi; Mori, Hiroshi; Yamada, Takuji; Sato, Shusei; Tabata, Satoshi; Ohta, Hiroyuki; Kurokawa, Ken

2013-01-01

We report the draft genome sequence of the purple photosynthetic bacterium Rhodovulum sulfidophilum. The photosynthesis gene cluster comprises two segments?a unique feature among photosynthesis gene clusters of purple bacteria. The genome information will be useful for further analysis of bacterial photosynthesis.

[Purple urine bag syndrome in elderly woman with nutritional supplements].

Science.gov (United States)

Domínguez Alegría, A R; Vélez Díaz-Pallares, M; Moreno Cobo, Ma A; Arrieta Blanco, F; Bermejo Vicedo, T

2012-01-01

The purple urine bag syndrome is a rare entity which typically affects elderly women with prolonged urinary catheterization and weakening chronic diseases. Other predisposing factors are previous urologic pathology, immobility syndrome and chronic constipation. The purple color is due to the presence of high loads of bacteria with sulphatase--phosphatase activity which develop in an alkaline environment as well as the presence of other factors. In the case we present the administration of nutritional supplements containing tryptophan conditioned the generation of this syndrome.

Purple martins in oak woodlands

Science.gov (United States)

Brian D. C. Williams

2002-01-01

Purple martins are cavity-nesting swallows that once nested fairly widely in California’s oak woodlands but are now rare in that habitat. The old oaks of the Tehachapi Range (southern Sierra Nevada) may now host the last martins that nest in oak woodlands, with approximately 100-200 pairs or about 15 percent of the California population. In summer of 2000, we found 57...

Development and characterization of emulsions containing purple rice bran and brown rice oils

Science.gov (United States)

The aims of this study were to characterize purple rice bran oil (PRBO) as extracted from the bran, and to produce and characterize a nano-emulsion containing purple rice bran oil. An emulsion was prepared using PRBO (10%), sodium caseinate (5%) and water (85%). The mixture was sonicated followed ...

Low temperature electron microscopy and electron diffraction of the purple membrane of Halobacterium halobium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hayward, S.B.

1978-09-01

The structure of the purple membrane of Halobacterium halobium was studied by high resolution electron microscopy and electron diffraction, primarily at low temperature. The handedness of the purple membrane diffraction pattern with respect to the cell membrane was determined by electron diffraction of purple membranes adsorbed to polylysine. A new method of preparing frozen specimens was used to preserve the high resolution order of the membranes in the electron microscope. High resolution imaging of glucose-embedded purple membranes at room temperature was used to relate the orientation of the diffraction pattern to the absolute orientation of the structure of the bacteriorhodopsin molecule. The purple membrane's critical dose for electron beam-induced damage was measured at room temperature and at -120 0 C, and was found to be approximately five times greater at -120 0 C. Because of this decrease in radiation sensitivity, imaging of the membrane at low temperature should result in an increased signal-to-noise ratio, and thus better statistical definition of the phases of weak reflections. Higher resolution phases may thus be extracted from images than can be determined by imaging at room temperature. To achieve this end, a high resolution, liquid nitrogen-cooled stage was built for the JEOL-100B. Once the appropriate technology for taking low dose images at very high resolution has been developed, this stage will hopefully be used to determine the high resolution structure of the purple membrane

Morphological characteristic of purple long yard bean cultivars and their tolerance to drought stress

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M W Lestari

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The cultivation of purple long yard bean which tolerance to drought stress and have high productivity can improve farming in arid area. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the mechanism of the tolerance purple long yard beans to drought stress based on morphologic characters, to get the hypothesis method of tolerance and to obtain tolerance cultivars to the drought stress. Eight cultivars of purple long yard beans, i.e. UBPHU1-41, UBPHU1-130, UBPU3-153, UBPU1-202, UBPU2-222, UBPU1-365, Brawijaya 4 and Bagong 2, were tested in two environmental conditions, 100% field capacity and 50% field capacity. The results showed that drought stress in purple long yard bean affected all morphological characters observed, except for root length and flowering time. Estimation of tolerance to drought stress using the Principles Component Analysis (PCA showed that the shoot fresh weight could be an indicator of purple pod bean tolerance to drought stress. However, the test using Stress Susceptibility Index (SSI was not able to classify the purple long yard bean tolerance to drought stress. The results of analysis using PCA followed by discriminant analysis and clustering dendrogram showed that the UBPU1-41, UBPU1-130, UBPU2-222, UBPU1-365, UB4 and Bagong 2 cultivars were medium cultivars that are tolerant to drought stress. Therefore, they can be planted in semiarid regions.

The improvement of functional food in yogurt enriched with purple sweet potato (Ipomea batatas var. Ayamurasaki

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F. Afiati

2018-05-01

Full Text Available he research was conducted to examine the use of purple sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas var. Ayamurasaki to improve functional food of yogurt. This experiment has 2 factors of treatments. The first factor (i was concentration of skim milk, i.e. 0%, 3% and 6%; the second factor (ii was concentration of purple sweet potato, i.e. 0%, 2% and 4% of purple sweet potato. The parameters observed were viability of lactic acid bacteria (LAB, pH, moisture content, protein, fat, carbohydrate, ash and crude fiber and organoleptic. The results showed that there was no interaction between the concentration of skim-milk and the purple sweet potato on total LAB, moisture content and crude fiber. However, the interaction occurred on the levels of fat, protein, carbohydrate and ash. The organoleptic test results that yogurt enriched by 2% purple sweet potato without addition of skim was more preferable by panelist with a value of 3.65.

Purple sweet potato (Ipomea Batatas P. as dentin hypersensitivity desensitization gel

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chariza Hanum Mayvita Iskandar

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Background: Dentin hypersensitivity is a short sharp sense of pain in the teeth when exposed to excitatory stimulus. A total of 74% of world population experiencing dentin hypersensitivity. Home treatment topical desensitization is rarely found in Indonesia. The use of dentrifice is less practical because it must be done with regular brushing. Indonesia has abundant natural resources, one of which is purple sweet potato. Purple sweet potato (Ipomea Batatas P. has highest potasium ions compared to other foodstuffs. Potassium ions can be a solution of dentin hypersensitivity by temporary blocking the suffix pulp nerve impulses. Purpose: The research objective was to determine the effectiveness of the 10% purple sweet potato extract gel of the dental pain threshold score. Method: An experimental study carried out by dental pain threshold score measurements using vitality tester into the teeth with gum recession. Samples included 32 respondents with a single blind and pre-post test control group design. They were divided into treatment group and negative control group. Paired T-test and Wilcoxon were used as data analysis. Result: The results showed dental pain threshold score increasing either in treatment group and negative control, although not as significant as in the treatment group. Conclusion: 10% purple sweet potato extract gel containing potassium ions is able to reduce the pain of dentin hypersensitivity.

Distribution of rock fragments and their effects on hillslope soil erosion in purple soil, China

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Xiaoyan

2017-04-01

Purple soil is widely distributed in Sichuan Basin and Three Gorges Reservoir Area. Purple soil region is abundant in soil fertility and hydrothermal resources, playing an important role in the agricultural development of China. Soil erosion has long been recognized as a major environmental problem in the purple soil region where the population is large and slope farming is commonly practiced, and rainstorm is numerous. The existence of rock fragments is one of the most important characteristics of purple soil. Rock fragments at the soil surface or in the soil layer affect soil erosion processes by water in various direct and indirect ways, thus the erosion processes of soil containing rock fragments have unique features. Against the severe soil degradation by erosion of purple soil slope, carrying out the research about the characteristics of purple soil containing rock fragments and understanding the influence of rock fragments on soil erosion processes have important significance, which would promote the rational utilization of purple soil slope land resources and accurate prediction of purple soil loss. Therefore, the aims of this study were to investigate the distribution of rock fragments in purple soil slope and the impact of rock fragment content on soil physical properties and soil erosion. First, field sampling methods were used to survey the spatial variability of rock fragments in soil profiles and along slope and the physical properties of soils containing rock fragments. Secondly, indoor simulated rainfall experiments were used to exam the effect of rock fragments in the soil layer on soil erosion processes and the relationships between rainfall infiltration, change of surface flow velocity, surface runoff volume and sediment on one hand, and rock fragment content (Rv, 0% 30%, which was determined according the results of field investigation for rock fragment distribution) on the other were investigated. Thirdly, systematic analysis about the

Effects of Feeding Purple Rice ( L. Var. Glutinosa on the Quality of Pork and Pork Products

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sanchai Jaturasitha

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Purple rice is a strain of glutaneous rice rich in anthocyanins and γ-oryzanol. Both types of compounds are involved in antioxidant and lipid metabolism of mammals. Three experimental diet types were used which consisted approximately by half either of purple rice, white rice or corn. Diets were fed to 3×10 pigs growing from about 30 to 100 kg. Meat samples were investigated either as raw or cured loin chops or as smoked bacon produced from the belly. Various physicochemical traits were assessed and data were evaluated by analysis of variance. Traits describing water-holding capacity (drip, thaw, and cooking losses and tenderness (sensory grading, shear force of the meat were mostly not significantly affected by the diet type. However, purple rice feeding of pigs resulted in lower fat and cholesterol contents of loin and smoked bacon compared to white rice, but not compared to corn feeding except of the fat content of the loin. The shelf life of the raw loin chops was improved by purple rice as well. In detail, the occurrence of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances after 9 days of chilled storage was three to four times higher in the white rice and corn diets than with purple rice. The n-6:n-3 ratio in the raw loin chops was 9:1 with purple rice and clearly higher with 12:1 with the other diets, meat lipids. Level and kind of effect of purple rice found in raw meat was not always recovered in the cured loin chops and the smoked bacon. Still the impression of flavor and color, as well as overall acceptability were best in the smoked bacon from the purple-rice fed pigs, whereas this effect did not occur in the cured loin chops. These findings suggest that purple rice has a certain, useful, bioactivity in pigs concerning meat quality, but some of these effects are of low practical relevance. Further studies have to show ways how transiency and low recovery in meat products of some of the effects can be counteracted.

An Analysis of Ecowomanism in The Color Purple

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

陈静颖

2016-01-01

The Color Purple is a well known work of Alice Walker, which describes black women living in the bottom of that soci?ety and a course of them keep fighting for realizing spiritual liberation and personality independence, as well as equality in politics and race. Many scholars at home and abroad prefer to study this novel from feminism, womanism, and writing technique, but few study it from ecowamnism perspcctive. This thesis intends to take The Color Purple of Alice Walker as a research object, ecowom?anism as a theoretical basis for reflecting ecowomanism in it and actual meanings. Only when women bravely realized their self-value, beauty and preciousness and knew the self-importance and being an independent person from spiritual and body, can they achieve happiness. Only we respect, close, head for nature, can harmonious coexistence with nature be realized.

Two transcription factors TaPpm1 and TaPpb1 co-regulate anthocyanin biosynthesis in purple pericarps of wheat

Science.gov (United States)

Jiang, Wenhui; Liu, Tianxiang; Nan, Wenzhi; Jeewani, Diddugodage Chamila; Niu, Yanlu; Li, Chunlian; Shi, Xue; Wang, Cong; Wang, Jiahuan; Li, Yang; Wang, Zhonghua

2018-01-01

Abstract Purple pericarps of bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) are a useful source of dietary anthocyanins. Previous mapping results indicated that the purple pericarp trait is controlled by two complementary genes located on chromosomes 7D and 2A. However, the identity of the genes and the mechanisms by which they regulate the trait are unknown. In this study, two transcription factors were characterised as anthocyanin activators in purple pericarps: TaPpm1 (purple pericarp-MYB 1) and TaPpb1 (purple pericarp-bHLH 1). Three non-functional variants were detected in the coding sequence of TaPpm1 from non-purple seed lines, in which the function of TaPpm1 was destroyed either by insertion-induced frame shifts or truncated peptides. There were six 261-bp tandem repeats in the promoter region of TaPpb1 in the purple-grained varieties, while there was only one repeat unit present in the non-purple varieties. Furthermore, using yeast two-hybrid, dual luciferase, yeast one-hybrid, and transient assays, we were able to demonstrate that the interaction of TaPpm1 and TaPpb1 co-regulates the synthesis of anthocyanin. Overall, our results provide a better understanding of the molecular basis of anthocyanin synthesis in the wheat pericarp and indicate the existence of an integrated regulatory mechanism that controls production. PMID:29562292

Regulation of Anthocyanin Biosynthesis in Purple Leaves of Zijuan Tea (Camellia sinensis var. kitamura

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Lingxia Wang

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Plant anthocyanin biosynthesis is well understood, but the regulatory mechanism in purple foliage tea remains unclear. Using isobaric tag for relative and absolute quantification (iTRAQ, 815 differential proteins were identified in the leaves of Zijuan tea, among which 20 were associated with the regulation of anthocyanin metabolism. We found that the abundances of anthocyanin synthesis-related enzymes such as chalcone synthase, chalcone isomerase, dihydroflavonol 4-reductase and anthocyanin synthetase, as well as anthocyanin accumulation-related UDP-glucosyl transferase and ATP-binding cassette (ABC transporters in the purple leaves were all significantly higher than those in the green leaves. The abundances of the transcription factors bHLH and HY5, regulating anthocyanin biosynthesis at transcriptional level were also obviously higher in purple leaves than those in green leaves. In addition, bifunctional 3-dehydroquinate dehydratase and chorismate mutase in purple leaves were distinctly higher in abundance compared to green leaves, which provided sufficient phenylalanine substrate for anthocyanin synthesis. Furthermore, lignin synthesis was found to be reduced due to the lower abundances of cinnamoyl-CoA reductase 1, peroxidase 15 and laccase-6, which resulted in increase of intermediates flow into anthocyanin synthesis pathway. The physiological data were consistent with proteomic results. These four aspects of biosynthetic regulation contribute to anthocyanin accumulation in purple leaves of Zijuan tea.

A screening method for the isolation of polyhydroxyalkanoate-producing purple non-sulfur photosynthetic bacteria from natural seawater

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Mieko Higuchi-Takeuchi

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs are a family of biopolyesters accumulated by a variety of microorganisms as carbon and energy storage under starvation conditions. We focused on marine purple non-sulfur photosynthetic bacteria as host microorganisms for PHA production and developed a method for their isolation from natural seawater. To identify novel PHA-producing marine purple non-sulfur photosynthetic bacteria, natural seawaters were cultured in nutrient-rich medium for purple non-sulfur photosynthetic bacteria, and twelve pink- or red-pigmented colonies were picked up. Gas chromatography mass spectrometry analysis revealed that four isolates synthesized PHA at levels ranging from 0.5 to 24.4 wt% of cell dry weight. The 16S ribosomal RNA sequence analysis revealed that one isolate (HM2 showed 100% identity to marine purple non-sulfur photosynthetic bacteria. In conclusion, we have demonstrated in this study that PHA-producing marine purple non-sulfur photosynthetic bacteria can be isolated from natural seawater under nutrient-rich conditions.

A MYB transcription factor, DcMYB6, is involved in regulating anthocyanin biosynthesis in purple carrot taproots.

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Zhi-Sheng; Feng, Kai; Que, Feng; Wang, Feng; Xiong, Ai-Sheng

2017-03-27

Carrots are widely grown and enjoyed around the world. Purple carrots accumulate rich anthocyanins in the taproots, while orange, yellow, and red carrots accumulate rich carotenoids in the taproots. Our previous studies indicated that variation in the activity of regulatory genes may be responsible for variations in anthocyanin production among various carrot cultivars. In this study, an R2R3-type MYB gene, designated as DcMYB6, was isolated from a purple carrot cultivar. In a phylogenetic analysis, DcMYB6 was grouped into an anthocyanin biosynthesis-related MYB clade. Sequence analyses revealed that DcMYB6 contained the conserved bHLH-interaction motif and two atypical motifs of anthocyanin regulators. The expression pattern of DcMYB6 was correlated with anthocyanin production. DcMYB6 transcripts were detected at high levels in three purple carrot cultivars but at much lower levels in six non-purple carrot cultivars. Overexpression of DcMYB6 in Arabidopsis led to enhanced anthocyanin accumulation in both vegetative and reproductive tissues and upregulated transcript levels of all seven tested anthocyanin-related structural genes. Together, these results show that DcMYB6 is involved in regulating anthocyanin biosynthesis in purple carrots. Our results provide new insights into the regulation of anthocyanin synthesis in purple carrot cultivars.

Oppression and Revolt in Chimamanda Adichie's Purple Hibiscus ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This paper examines the oppressive practice of Chimamanda Adichie's character – Eugene in Purple Hibiscus on members of his nuclear family. This oppression endangers normal familial relationship as the oppressed view their oppression as an infringement on their fundamental human rights. Therefore, they express ...

Effects of additives on glyphosate activity in purple nutsedge

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rungsit Suwanketnikom

1998-01-01

Effects of additives on 14 C-glyphosate penetration into purple nutsedge leaves were examined in the laboratory and efficacy of glyphosate for purple nutsedge control was studied in the greenhouse and field. The addition of (NH 4 ) 2 SO 4 at 1.0% (v/v) + diesel oil at 1,0% (v/v) + Tendal at 1.0% (v/v) increased 14 C-glyphosate penetration into nutsedge leaves more than the addition of either one alone. (NH 4 ) 2 SO 4 at 1.0% + diesel oil at 1.0% + Tendal at 0.12 or 0.25% increased the phytotoxicity of glyphosate at 0.5 and 0.75 kg, a.e./ha on nutsedge plants in the greenhouse but not in the field. Additives did not enhance glyphosate activity by reducing the number of nutsedae tubers. (author)

Effects of Feeding Purple Rice (Oryza sativa L. Var. Glutinosa) on the Quality of Pork and Pork Products

Science.gov (United States)

Jaturasitha, Sanchai; Ratanapradit, Punnares; Piawong, Witapong; Kreuzer, Michael

2016-01-01

Purple rice is a strain of glutaneous rice rich in anthocyanins and γ-oryzanol. Both types of compounds are involved in antioxidant and lipid metabolism of mammals. Three experimental diet types were used which consisted approximately by half either of purple rice, white rice or corn. Diets were fed to 3×10 pigs growing from about 30 to 100 kg. Meat samples were investigated either as raw or cured loin chops or as smoked bacon produced from the belly. Various physicochemical traits were assessed and data were evaluated by analysis of variance. Traits describing water-holding capacity (drip, thaw, and cooking losses) and tenderness (sensory grading, shear force) of the meat were mostly not significantly affected by the diet type. However, purple rice feeding of pigs resulted in lower fat and cholesterol contents of loin and smoked bacon compared to white rice, but not compared to corn feeding except of the fat content of the loin. The shelf life of the raw loin chops was improved by purple rice as well. In detail, the occurrence of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances after 9 days of chilled storage was three to four times higher in the white rice and corn diets than with purple rice. The n-6:n-3 ratio in the raw loin chops was 9:1 with purple rice and clearly higher with 12:1 with the other diets, meat lipids. Level and kind of effect of purple rice found in raw meat was not always recovered in the cured loin chops and the smoked bacon. Still the impression of flavor and color, as well as overall acceptability were best in the smoked bacon from the purple-rice fed pigs, whereas this effect did not occur in the cured loin chops. These findings suggest that purple rice has a certain, useful, bioactivity in pigs concerning meat quality, but some of these effects are of low practical relevance. Further studies have to show ways how transiency and low recovery in meat products of some of the effects can be counteracted. PMID:26949957

A Comparison of Total Antioxidant Capacities of Concord, Purple, Red, and Green Grapes Using the CUPRAC Assay

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Connor M. Callaghan

2013-10-01

Full Text Available Considering how popular grapes are in terms of their antioxidant benefits, we compared concord, purple, red, and green grapes for total antioxidant capacity (TAC and carbohydrate concentration. All grapes were acquired from commercial sources and samples of each were separated into skinned and not skinned groups. Each whole grape and the skins were individually homogenized and then separated into pulp and supernatant fractions. Each fraction was analyzed for total TAC and carbohydrates. The concord grapes and purple grapes had significantly higher TAC in the homogenates than did the red or green grapes. The concord grapes and green grapes had significantly higher TAC in the pulp than in the cytosol whereas the red and purple grapes had approximately the same amount. The majority of the TAC of the purple and red grapes was in the skin whereas the concord and green grapes had approximately the same TAC in the skin and pulp. The concord and purple grapes had the highest TAC when compared to the red and green grapes, whereas the red and green grapes had approximately the same total TAC.

Effect of oral administration of freshly pressed juice of Echinacea purpurea on the number of various subpopulations of B- and T-lymphocytes in healthy volunteers: results of a double-blind, placebo-controlled cross-over study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schwarz, Evelyn; Parlesak, Alexandr; Henneicke-von-Zeppelin, H. H.

2005-01-01

BACKGROUND: In a recent double-blind placebo-controlled crossover-study the "immune stimulatory" effects (activation of macrophages leading to enhanced phagocytosis and production of several cytokines) of Echinacea purpurea preparations (EPP) which were observed in vitro experiments and following...

Marginal scorch caused by Alternaria alternata on Purple-Caitai ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Marginal scorch caused by Alternaria alternata on Purple-Caitai (Brassia campestris L. ssp. chinensis L.var. utilis Tsen et Lee) in China. Qijun Nie, Zhongjiu Jiao, Fengjuan Zhu, Zhenbiao Jiao, Xiaohui Deng, Zhengming Qiu, Jinping Wu ...

On Harold's "Translucent Reality": A Philosophical and Religious Interpretation of "Harold and the Purple Crayon"

Science.gov (United States)

Keskin, Burhanettin

2017-01-01

In this paper, one of the most popular children's picture books, Harold and the Purple Crayon, is examined in terms of philosophical and religious viewpoints. Harold, a young inquisitive boy, seemingly travels in his world in which he finds himself dealing with various situations. Harold's adventure with his purple crayon reminds us the…

Phenolic composition and antioxidant capacity of yellow and purple-red Ecuadorian cultivars of tree tomato (Solanum betaceum Cav.).

Science.gov (United States)

Espin, Susana; Gonzalez-Manzano, Susana; Taco, Verónica; Poveda, Cristina; Ayuda-Durán, Begoña; Gonzalez-Paramas, Ana M; Santos-Buelga, Celestino

2016-03-01

Tree tomato fruits from the yellow giant, giant purple and New Zealand purple cultivars, cultivated in Ecuador were analysed for their phenolic composition and antioxidant capacity. Twelve hydroxycinnamoyl derivatives and four anthocyanins (in the purple cultivars) were detected and identified. The hydroxycinnamoyl derivatives mostly derived from caffeic acid, being 3-O-caffeoylquinic acid and rosmarinic acid the majority compounds. Furthermore, various rosmarinic acid glucosides, caffeoyl glucoside, feruloyl glucoside and two ferulic acid dehydrodimers were tentatively identified. The presence of rosmarinic acid is particularly relevant as it constituted a majority phenolic compound in the four studied tree tomato cultivars and it had not been reported previously in this fruit. In the purple cultivars main anthocyanins were pelargonidin 3-O-rutinoside and delphinidin 3-O-rutinoside. The New Zealand purple cultivar was by far the richest sample in both hydroxycinnamates (421.6mg/100g dry pulp) and anthocyanins (168.9mg/100g dry pulp). Antioxidant capacity, as determined by FRAP, ABTS and ORAC assays, followed the same pattern as phenolic contents, with the New Zealand purple cultivar being the one with the highest and the yellow giant cultivar with the lowest values. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Inhibition of Genotoxic Effects of UVC Radiation on Human Keratinocyte HaCaT Cells by Echinacea Purpurea (L.) Moench Herbal Extract

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kosalec, I.; Segvic Klaric, M.; Kopjar, N.; Milic, M.

2013-01-01

Exposure of skin to ultraviolet (UV) radiation might provoke acute and chronic inflammation and oxidative stress which might cause DNA damage leading to skin photoaging and photocarcinogenesis. Previously we showed that Echinacea purpurea (L.) Moench (EH) extract, rich in phenolic acids, has protective effect on human blood lymphocytes exposed to UVC radiation. In this study we checked whether the pre-treatment of human keratinocyte HaCaT cells with lyophilisate of EH (1 and 10 mg/mL) could reduce or prevent primary DNA damage induced by UVC radiation (253.7 nm) in laboratory conditions. Prior to that experiment we examined cell viability using MTT test upon exposure to EH and UVC (30 and 60 min) alone and in combination. Primary DNA damage in HaCaT cells was studied using the alkaline comet assay. Exposure of cells to EH and UVC alone or EH in combination with UV radiation did not reduce cell viability. Opposite to that UV radiation (30 and 60 min) caused a significant increase in the level of primary DNA damage (P < 0.001). Pre-treatment of cells with both concentrations of EH was not genotoxic to HaCaT cells. Only concentration of 1 mg/mL EH successfully protected the cells against the effects of 30 min exposure to UVC radiation. Positive results obtained in this study speak in favour of continuing the research on effectiveness of Echinacea purpurea preparations and their potential application in developing cosmetic products for skin protection.(author)

Characterizing the Purple Earth: Modeling the globally integrated spectral variability of the Archean Earth

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sanromá, E.; Pallé, E.; López, R.; Montañés-Rodríguez, P.; Parenteau, M. N.; Kiang, N. Y.; Gutiérrez-Navarro, A. M.

2014-01-01

Ongoing searches for exoplanetary systems have revealed a wealth of planets with diverse physical properties. Planets even smaller than the Earth have already been detected and the efforts of future missions are aimed at the discovery, and perhaps characterization, of small rocky exoplanets within the habitable zone of their stars. Clearly, what we know about our planet will be our guideline for the characterization of such planets. However, the Earth has been inhabited for at least 3.8 Gyr and its appearance has changed with time. Here, we have studied the Earth during the Archean eon, 3.0 Gyr ago. At that time, one of the more widespread life forms on the planet was purple bacteria. These bacteria are photosynthetic microorganisms and can inhabit both aquatic and terrestrial environments. Here, we use a radiative transfer model to simulate the visible and near-infrared radiation reflected by our planet, taking into account several scenarios regarding the possible distribution of purple bacteria over continents and oceans. We find that purple bacteria have a reflectance spectrum that has a strong reflectivity increase, similar to the red edge of leafy plants, although shifted redward. This feature produces a detectable signal in the disk-averaged spectra of our planet, depending on cloud amount and purple bacteria concentration/distribution. We conclude that by using multi-color photometric observations, it is possible to distinguish between an Archean Earth in which purple bacteria inhabit vast extensions of the planet and a present-day Earth with continents covered by deserts, vegetation, or microbial mats.

Effect of Substituting Purple Rice Flour for Wheat Flour on Physicochemical Characteristics, In Vitro Digestibility, and Sensory Evaluation of Biscuits

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Warinporn Klunklin

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Purple rice flour contains high levels of a number of antioxidant compounds; however, it has seldom been used as an ingredient in bakery products. The aim was to increase the nutritional value of biscuits by adding purple rice flour to a basic wheat flour biscuit. The substitution of purple rice flour in place of wheat flour modified the characteristics of the biscuits in terms of increasing the nutritional values. They contained high fiber, antioxidants, and antioxidant activities, while slightly changing the physical properties such as hardness and spread ratio. The study showed that the protein digestibility increased as the content of the purple rice flour was increased in the biscuit mix. The 100% purple rice flour biscuits had the lowest predicted glycemic index (pGI of all the biscuits. Sensory analysis showed that the overall acceptability of the blended flour biscuits at 25 and 50% substitution levels was slightly less than that of the control biscuits with only 9%; however, the scores were above 5 which means the panelists still liked the biscuits a lot. Overall, the inclusion of purple rice flour in biscuits mix increased crude protein content, protein digestibility, and bioactive compounds with acceptable sensory scores from consumers up to 50% substitution of purple rice.

Microbial characteristics of purple paddy soil in response to Pb pollution.

Science.gov (United States)

Jiang, Qiu-Ju; Zhang, Yue-Qiang; Zhang, La-Mei; Zhou, Xin-Bin; Shi, Xiao-Jun

2014-05-01

The study focused on the change of microbial characteristics affected by Plumbum pollution with purple paddy soil in an incubation experiment. The results showed that low concentration of Plumbum had little effect on most of microbial amounts, biological activity and enzymatic activity. However, denitrifying activity was inhibited severely, and inhibition rate was up to 98%. Medium and high concentration of Plumbum significantly reduced the amounts and activity of all microorganisms and enzymatic activity, which increased with incubation time. Negative correlations were found between Plumbum concentrations and microbial amounts, biological activity and enzymatic activities except fungi and actinomyces. Thus they can be used to indicate the Plumbum pollution levels to some extent. LD(50) of denitrifying bacteria (DB) and ED50 of denitrifying activity were 852mg/kg and 33.5mg/kg. Across all test soil microbes, denitrifying bacteria was most sensitive to Plumbum pollution in purple paddy soil. Value of early warning showed that anaerobic cellulose-decomposing bacteria (ACDB) and actinomyces were also sensitive to Plumbum pollution. We concluded that denitrifying activity, actinomyces, ACDB or DB can be chosen as predictor of Plumbum contamination in purple paddy soil.

Tissue-Specific Accumulation of Sulfur Compounds and Saponins in Different Parts of Garlic Cloves from Purple and White Ecotypes.

Science.gov (United States)

Diretto, Gianfranco; Rubio-Moraga, Angela; Argandoña, Javier; Castillo, Purificación; Gómez-Gómez, Lourdes; Ahrazem, Oussama

2017-08-20

This study set out to determine the distribution of sulfur compounds and saponin metabolites in different parts of garlic cloves. Three fractions from purple and white garlic ecotypes were obtained: the tunic (SS), internal (IS) and external (ES) parts of the clove. Liquid Chromatography coupled to High Resolution Mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS), together with bioinformatics including Principal Component Analysis (PCA), Hierarchical Clustering (HCL) and correlation network analyses were carried out. Results showed that the distribution of these metabolites in the different parts of garlic bulbs was different for the purple and the white ecotypes, with the main difference being a slightly higher number of sulfur compounds in purple garlic. The SS fraction in purple garlic had a higher content of sulfur metabolites, while the ES in white garlic was more enriched by these compounds. The correlation network indicated that diallyl disulfide was the most relevant metabolite with regards to sulfur compound metabolism in garlic. The total number of saponins was almost 40-fold higher in purple garlic than in the white variety, with ES having the highest content. Interestingly, five saponins including desgalactotigonin-rhamnose, proto-desgalactotigonin, proto-desgalactotigonin-rhamnose, voghieroside D1, sativoside B1-rhamnose and sativoside R1 were exclusive to the purple variety. Data obtained from saponin analyses revealed a very different network between white and purple garlic, thus suggesting a very robust and tight coregulation of saponin metabolism in garlic. Findings in this study point to the possibility of using tunics from purple garlic in the food and medical industries, since it contains many functional compounds which can be exploited as ingredients.

Protective effect of anthocyanins extracted from purple corn against ultraviolet radiation to drosophila

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zeng Muheng; Zhang Yajun; Liang Jiayong

2013-01-01

The antiradiation effect of anthocyanins from purple corn in Drosophila was investigated. Flies after UV radiation were reproduced in basic culture media and culture media with anthocyanins at concentrations of 0.05 and 0.2 mg · mL"-"1. The protective effect of anthocyanins from purple corn was studied on life-span, reproductive rate of the flies. The results showed that the flies of 0.2 mg · mL"-"1 anthocyanins group were significantly (at P < 0.05) higher than the flies of the control group on average lifespan, time of 50% death and max lifespan after UV radiation. The number of offspring F1 generation of the 0.2 mg · mL"-"1 anthocyanins group was significantly higher than that of the control group. Therefore, anthocyanins from purple corn was able to resist radiation for prolonging lifespan and improving the productivity of the flies. (authors)

Draft Genome Sequence of Pseudomonas sp. Strain Ep R1 Isolated from Echinacea purpurea Roots and Effective in the Growth Inhibition of Human Opportunistic Pathogens Belonging to the Burkholderia cepacia Complex.

Science.gov (United States)

Maggini, Valentina; Presta, Luana; Miceli, Elisangela; Fondi, Marco; Bosi, Emanuele; Chiellini, Carolina; Fagorzi, Camilla; Bogani, Patrizia; Di Pilato, Vincenzo; Rossolini, Gian Maria; Mengoni, Alessio; Firenzuoli, Fabio; Perrin, Elena; Fani, Renato

2017-05-18

In this announcement, we detail the draft genome sequence of the Pseudomonas sp. strain Ep R1, isolated from the roots of the medicinal plant Echinacea purpurea The elucidation of this genome sequence may allow the identification of genes associated with the production of antimicrobial compounds. Copyright © 2017 Maggini et al.

Inhibition of Photo-Genotoxic Effects of UV Radiation on Human Peripheral Blood Lymphocites by Echinacea Purpurea (L.) Moench Herbal Extract

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Segvic Klaric, M.; Kosalec, I.; Vladimir-Knezevic, S.; Blazekovic, B.; Milic, M.; Kopjar, N.

2011-01-01

Ultraviolet (UV) radiation has many negative effects on human skin, including acute and chronic inflammation and oxidative stress which might cause DNA damage leading to skin photoaging and photocarcinogenesis. It was suggested that intake of phenolic acids, which are active components of some medicinal plants, might reduce DNA damage caused by UV radiation. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to check wheather the pretreatment of human peripheral blood lymphocytes with lyophilisate of Echinacea purpurea (L.) Moench (EH) extract (1 and 10 mg/mL) could reduce or prevent primary DNA damage induced by UVC radiation (253.7 nm) in laboratory conditions. Primary DNA damage was studied using the alkaline comet assay on isolated human blood lymphocytes. Plant extract used in this experiment contains phenolic acids (3.47 %), flavonoids (0.13 %), tannins (0.86 %) and proanthocyanidins (0.26 %). HPLC analysis showed that lyophilisate of EH extract contains 3.65 % of chicoric acid. Exposure of lymphocytes to UV radiation (30 and 60 min) caused a significant increase in the level of primary DNA damage (P < 0.001). Pretreatment of cells with both concentrations of EH was not genotoxic, and successfully protected the cells against the effects of UV radiation (30 min). Both concentrations of EH significantly reduced comet tail length after 60 min of UV radiation, while only pre-treatment with 1 mg/mL significantly reduced the values of tail intensity and tail moment (P < 0.001). Positive results obtained in this study speak in favour of continuing the research on effectiveness of Echinacea purpurea preparations and their potential application in developing cosmetic products for skin protection. (author)

Post-Colonial Practice in Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's Purple ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The paper concludes therefore, that it is only when African people's culture and identity are respected by especially those who are non-Africans, that there can be true termination of the colonial process in African continent, as this is the main gamut of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's writing in Purple Hibiscus.

A putative functional MYB transcription factor induced by low temperature regulates anthocyanin biosynthesis in purple kale (Brassica Oleracea var. acephala f. tricolor).

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Bin; Hu, Zongli; Zhang, Yanjie; Li, Yali; Zhou, Shuang; Chen, Guoping

2012-02-01

The purple kale (Brassica Oleracea var. acephala f. tricolor) is a mutation in kales, giving the mutant phenotype of brilliant purple color in the interior. Total anthocyanin analysis showed that the amount of anthocyanins in the purple kale was up to 1.73 mg g(-1) while no anthocyanin was detected in the white kale. To elucidate the molecular mechanism of the anthocyanin biosynthesis in the purple kale, we analyzed the expression of structural genes and some transcription factors associated with anthocyanin biosynthesis in the purple cultivar "Red Dove" and the white cultivar "White Dove". The result showed that nearly all the anthocyanin biosynthetic genes showed higher expression levels in the purple cultivar than in the white cultivar, especially for DFR and ANS, they were barely detected in the white cultivar. Interestingly, the fact that a R2R3 MYB transcription factor named BoPAP1 was extremely up-regulated in the purple kale and induced by low temperature attracted our attention. Further sequence analysis showed that BoPAP1 shared high similarity with AtPAP1 and BoMYB1. In addition, the anthocyanin accumulation in the purple kale is strongly induced by the low temperature stress. The total anthocyanin contents in the purple kale under low temperature were about 50-fold higher than the plants grown in the greenhouse. The expression of anthocyanin biosynthetic genes C4H, F3H, DFR, ANS and UFGT were all enhanced under the low temperature. These evidences strongly suggest that BoPAP1 may play an important role in activating the anthocyanin structural genes for the abundant anthocyanin accumulation in the purple kale.

Preventive Effect of Zea mays L. (Purple Waxy Corn) on Experimental Diabetic Cataract

OpenAIRE

Thiraphatthanavong, Paphaphat; Wattanathorn, Jintanaporn; Muchimapura, Supaporn; Thukham-mee, Wipawee; Wannanon, Panakaporn; Tong-un, Terdthai; Suriharn, Bhalang; Lertrat, Kamol

2014-01-01

Recently, substances possessing antioxidant can prevent cataractogenesis of diabetic cataract. Therefore, this study was carried out to determine the anticataract effect of Zea mays L. (purple waxy corn), a flavonoids rich plant, in experimental diabetic cataract. Enucleated rat lenses were incubated in artificial aqueous humor containing 55 mM glucose with various concentrations of Zea mays L. (purple waxy corn) ranging between 2, 10, and 50 mg/mL at room temperature for 72 h. At the end of ...

Fire and nitrogen effects on Purple Threeawn (Aristida purpurea)abundance in northern mixed-grass prairie old fields

Science.gov (United States)

Purple threeawn (Aristida purpurea Nutt. varieties) is a native grass capable of increasing on rangelands, forming near monocultures, and creating a stable state. Productive rangelands throughout the Great Plains and Intermountain West have experienced increases in purple threeawn abundance, reduci...

Domestic violence in Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's Purple Hibiscus ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Gender-based violence is an issue that has become a part of modern society, cutting across cultures, race, ethnicity and status. In Adichie's Purple Hibiscus, gender-based violence manifests in the form of domestic violence, projected through the Eugene Achike family around whom the story, set in the eastern part of ...

Transcriptional activation of a MYB gene controls the tissue-specific anthocyanin accumulation in a purple cauliflower mutant

Science.gov (United States)

Flavonoids such as anthocyanins possess significant health benefits to humans and play important physiological roles in plants. An interesting Purple gene mutation in cauliflower confers an abnormal pattern of anthocyanin accumulation, giving intense purple color in very young leaves, curds, and see...

Purple Urine Bag Syndrome: A Case Report | Gandhi | Internet ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Purple urine bag syndrome (PUBS) is an uncommon phenomenon reported mostly in chronically constipated, institutionalized females on an indwelling catheter. It can often cause tremendous distress among health care providers. Though the condition is generally described as benign, it should draw immediate attention to ...

Protective Effect of Purple Sweet Potato (Ipomoea batatas Linn ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Purpose: To evaluate the protective effects of purple sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas Linn, Convolvulaceae) extract (IBE) in stimulated BV-2 microglial cells and its anti-oxidant properties. Methods: Cell viability assessment was performed by 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5- diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay.

Antagonistic Activities of Purple Non-sulfur Bacterial Extracts Against Antibiotic Resistant Vibrio sp.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chandrasekaran, R.

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Solvent extracts of native purple non-sulfur bacterial (PNSB isolates from the effluents of brackish shrimp culture ponds, near Nagapattinam coast (South India were evaluated for antibacterial activity by the disc diffusion method. Best results were shown by the chloroform extracts against oxytetracycline resistant Vibrio harveyi and Vibrio fischerii. Among the purple non-sulfur bacterial isolates, Rhodobacter sphaeroides, showed maximum antagonistic activity. The findings suggest that the antagonistic extracts from Rba. sphaeroides could be used as an effective antibiotic in controlling Vibrio spp., in aquaculture systems.

A new method based on supercritical fluid extraction for polyacetylenes and polyenes from Echinacea pallida (Nutt.) Nutt. roots.

Science.gov (United States)

Tacchini, Massimo; Spagnoletti, Antonella; Brighenti, Virginia; Prencipe, Francesco Pio; Benvenuti, Stefania; Sacchetti, Gianni; Pellati, Federica

2017-11-30

The genus Echinacea (Asteraceae) includes species traditionally used in phytotherapy. Among them, Echinacea pallida (Nutt.) Nutt. root extracts are characterized by a representative antiproliferative activity, due to the presence of acetylenic compounds. In this study, supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) was applied and compared with conventional Soxhlet extraction (SE) in order to obtain a bioactive extract highly rich in polyacetylenes and polyenes from E. pallida roots. The composition of the extracts was monitored by means of HPLC-UV/DAD and HPLC-ESI-MS n by using an Ascentis Express C 18 column (150mm×3.0mm I.D., 2.7μm, Supelco, Bellefonte, PA, USA) with a mobile phase composed of (A) water and (B) acetonitrile, under gradient elution. By keeping SFE time at the threshold of 1h (15min static and 45min dynamic for 1 cycle) with the oven temperature set at 40-45°C and 90bar of pressure, an overall extraction yield of 1.18-1.21% (w/w) was obtained, with a high selectivity for not oxidized lipophilic compounds. The biological activity of the extracts was evaluated against human non-small lung A549 and breast carcinoma MCF-7 cancer cell lines. The cytotoxic effect of the SFE extract was more pronounced towards the MCF-7 than the A549 cancer cells, with IC 50 values ranging from 21.01±2.89 to 31.11±2.l4μg/mL; cell viability was affected mainly between 24 and 48h of exposure. The results show the possibility of a new "green" approach to obtain extracts highly rich in genuine polyacetylenes and polyenes from E. pallida roots. The bioactivity evaluation confirmed the cytotoxicity of E. pallida extracts against the considered cancer cell lines, especially against MCF-7 cells, thus suggesting to represent a valuable tool for applicative purposes in cancer prevention. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Toxicity, absorption, translocation, and metabolism of chlorimuron in yellow and purple nutsedge (Cyperus esculentus and C. rotundus)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reddy, K.N.

1987-01-01

Greenhouse, laboratory, and field studies were conducted to investigate the activity of soil and foliar applied chlorimuron on yellow and purple nutsedge. Soil-applied chlorimuron (10 to 60 g/ha) significantly decreased tuber sprouting, shoot emergence, and shoot growth in both yellow and purple nutsedge. Previous exposure to soil-applied chlorimuron was not effective in reducing parent tuber sprouting at any rate in yellow nutsedge, while in purple nutsedge parent tuber sprouting was reduced significantly at 60 g/ha. Shoots of both yellow and purple nutsedge propagules absorbed greater amounts of 14 C than did roots and tubers. However, translocation of 14 C was greater from the roots and tuber than from the shoot. Toxicity of foliar-applied chlorimuron (5 to 30 g/ha) was evident by stunted growth, leaf discoloration, and death in both species. Application of chlorimuron at 20 g/ha gave 84% control in yellow nutsedge and 100% control in purple nutsedge. Chlorimuron treatments reduced shoot dry weight, inhibited secondary shoot production, and killed parent tubers attached to treated plants, regardless of rats, in both species. Over 13% of the foliar-applied 14 C recovered was absorbed and over 15% of that absorbed was translocated at 1 day after application in both species. This increased two-fold by 8 days after application. 14 C translocation was both acropetal and basipetal. Over 68% of the absorbed 14 C in yellow nutsedge and 63% in purple nutsedge was retained in the treated area at 8 days after application. Overall, the basal bulb, rhizomes, and tuber had the least amounts of 14 C in both species

Transport dynamics in membranes of photosynthetic purple bacteria

Science.gov (United States)

Caycedo, Felipe; Rodriguez, Ferney; Quiroga, Luis; Fassioli, Francesca; Johnson, Neil

2007-03-01

Photo-Syntethic Unit (PSU) of purple bacteria is conformed by three basic constituents: Light Harvesting Complex 2 (LH2) antenna complexes, where chromophores are distributed in a ring in close contact with caroteniods with a function of collecting light; LH1s, ring shaped structures of chromophores which harvest and funnel excitations to the Reaction Centre (RC), where phtosynthesis takes place. Studies concerning a single PSU have been capable of reproducing experimental transfer times, but incapable of explaining the fact that architecture LH2-LH1-RC of phototosynthetic membranes changes as light intensity conditions vary. The organization of antenna complexes in the membranes that support PSU seems to have its own functionality. A hopping model where excitations are transferred within a membrane is used, and populations of RC, LH1 and LH2 are investigated. Different statistics concerning arrival times of excitations that excite a single PSU are considered and compared with the global model where coordinates of a great portion of a membrane are included. The model permits in a classical basis to understand which parameters make photosynthesis in purple bateria efficient and reliable.

Defined fungal starter granules for purple glutinous rice wine

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ngo Thi Phuong Dung, N.T.P.

2004-01-01

The Mekong Delta region ofSouth Vietnamis particularly known as a production area of purple glutinous rice wine ( RuouNepThan ). The latter differs from regular

Modulatory effects of Echinacea purpurea extracts on human dendritic cells: a cell- and gene-based study.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Chien-Yu; Chiao, Ming-Tsang; Yen, Po-Jen; Huang, Wei-Chou; Hou, Chia-Chung; Chien, Shih-Chang; Yeh, Kuo-Chen; Yang, Wen-Ching; Shyur, Lie-Fen; Yang, Ning-Sun

2006-12-01

Echinacea spp. are popularly used as an herbal medicine or food supplement for enhancing the immune system. This study shows that plant extracts from root [R] and stem plus leaf [S+L] tissues of E. purpurea exhibit opposite (enhancing vs inhibitory) modulatory effects on the expression of the CD83 marker in human dendritic cells (DCs), which are known as professional antigen-presenting cells. We developed a function-targeted DNA microarray system to characterize the effects of phytocompounds on human DCs. Down-regulation of mRNA expression of specific chemokines (e.g., CCL3 and CCL8) and their receptors (e.g., CCR1 and CCR9) was observed in [S+L]-treated DCs. Other chemokines and regulatory molecules (e.g., CCL4 and CCL2) involved in the c-Jun pathway were found to be up-regulated in [R]-treated DCs. This study, for the first time, demonstrates that E. purpurea extracts can modulate DC differentiation and expression of specific immune-related genes in DCs.

Plant-endophytes interaction influences the secondary metabolism in Echinacea purpurea (L.) Moench: an in vitro model.

Science.gov (United States)

Maggini, Valentina; De Leo, Marinella; Mengoni, Alessio; Gallo, Eugenia Rosaria; Miceli, Elisangela; Reidel, Rose Vanessa Bandeira; Biffi, Sauro; Pistelli, Luisa; Fani, Renato; Firenzuoli, Fabio; Bogani, Patrizia

2017-12-05

The influence of the interaction(s) between the medicinal plant Echinacea purpurea (L.) Moench and its endophytic communities on the production of alkamides is investigated. To mimic the in vivo conditions, we have set up an infection model of axenic in vitro E. purpurea plants inoculated with a pool of bacterial strains isolated from the E. purpurea stems and leaves. Here we show different alkamide levels between control (not-inoculated) and inoculated plants, suggesting that the alkamide biosynthesis may be modulated by the bacterial infection. Then, we have analysed the branched-chain amino acids (BCCA) decarboxylase gene (GenBank Accession #LT593930; the enzymatic source for the amine moiety formation of the alkamides) expression patterns. The expression profile shows a higher expression level in the inoculated E. purpurea tissues than in the control ones. These results suggest that the plant-endophyte interaction can influence plant secondary metabolism affecting the therapeutic properties of E. purpurea.

Purple sweet potato color attenuates domoic acid-induced cognitive deficits by promoting estrogen receptor-α-mediated mitochondrial biogenesis signaling in mice.

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Jun; Wu, Dong-Mei; Zheng, Yuan-Lin; Hu, Bin; Cheng, Wei; Zhang, Zi-Feng

2012-02-01

Recent findings suggest that endoplasmic reticulum stress may be involved in the pathogenesis of domoic acid-induced neurodegeneration. Purple sweet potato color, a class of naturally occurring anthocyanins, has beneficial health and biological effects. Recent studies have also shown that anthocyanins have estrogenic activity and can enhance estrogen receptor-α expression. In this study, we evaluated the effect of purple sweet potato color on cognitive deficits induced by hippocampal mitochondrial dysfunction in domoic acid-treated mice and explored the potential mechanisms underlying this effect. Our results showed that the oral administration of purple sweet potato color to domoic acid-treated mice significantly improved their behavioral performance in a step-through passive avoidance task and a Morris water maze task. These improvements were mediated, at least in part, by a stimulation of estrogen receptor-α-mediated mitochondrial biogenesis signaling and by decreases in the expression of p47phox and gp91phox. Decreases in reactive oxygen species and protein carbonylation were also observed, along with a blockade of the endoplasmic reticulum stress pathway. Furthermore, purple sweet potato color significantly suppressed endoplasmic reticulum stress-induced apoptosis, which prevented neuron loss and restored the expression of memory-related proteins. However, knockdown of estrogen receptor-α using short hairpin RNA only partially blocked the neuroprotective effects of purple sweet potato color in the hippocampus of mice cotreated with purple sweet potato color and domoic acid, indicating that purple sweet potato color acts through multiple pathways. These results suggest that purple sweet potato color could be a possible candidate for the prevention and treatment of cognitive deficits in excitotoxic and other brain disorders. Crown Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Kenyan purple tea anthocyanins ability to cross the blood brain ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

... demonstration that Kenyan purple tea ACNs can cross the BBB, reinforcing the brain's antioxidant capacity. Hence, there is need to study ACNs as suitable candidates for dietary supplements that could support antioxidant capacity in the brain and have potential to provide neuroprotection in neurodegenerative conditions.

Changes in non-enzymatic antioxidant capacity and lipid peroxidation during germination of white, yellow and purple maize seeds

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Deng, B.; Zhang, Y.; Yang, K.

2016-01-01

In this study, the changes in non-enzymatic antioxidant capacity and lipid peroxidation during the germination process of purple, yellow and white maize seeds were compared, under favorable conditions. Results showed that germination can increase non-enzymatic antioxidant capacity (evaluated with ferric reducing power and 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl-hydrate radical scavenging capacity) and lipid peroxidation levels for all these seeds. In addition, non-enzymatic antioxidant capacity observed in the germinating seeds were in the order of purple > yellow > white. However, the highest and lowest levels of lipid peroxidation could be seen during the germination processes of the white and purple seeds, respectively. In addition, the germination rates of the seeds followed the order of white > yellow > purple. Further studies showed that H/sub 2/O/sub 2/ treatment can significantly promote seed germination, especially for purple seeds. In addition, DMTU (dimethylthiourea), a specific scavenger for H/sub 2/O/sub 2/, could slightly but significantly arrest dormancy release. Data analysis showed that a high negative correlation (R/sup 2/ = -0.955) existed between non-enzymatic antioxidant capacity and germination rates. However, a high positive correlation (R/sup 2/ = 0.860) could be detected between lipid peroxidation and germination rates. Finally, lipid peroxidation as a possible novel signaling mechanism for seed germination has been discussed under stress-free conditions. (author)

The purple cauliflower arises from activation of a MYB transcription factor.

Science.gov (United States)

Chiu, Li-Wei; Zhou, Xiangjun; Burke, Sarah; Wu, Xianli; Prior, Ronald L; Li, Li

2010-11-01

Anthocyanins are responsible for the color of many flowers, fruits, and vegetables. An interesting and unique Purple (Pr) gene mutation in cauliflower (Brassica oleracea var botrytis) confers an abnormal pattern of anthocyanin accumulation, giving the striking mutant phenotype of intense purple color in curds and a few other tissues. To unravel the nature of the Pr mutation in cauliflower, we isolated the Pr gene via a combination of candidate gene analysis and fine mapping. Pr encoded a R2R3 MYB transcription factor that exhibited tissue-specific expression, consistent with an abnormal anthocyanin accumulation pattern in the mutant. Transgenic Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) and cauliflower plants expressing the Pr-D allele recapitulated the mutant phenotype, confirming the isolation of the Pr gene. Up-regulation of Pr specifically activated a basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor and a subset of anthocyanin structural genes encoding flavonoid 3'-hydroxylase, dihydroflavonol 4-reductase, and leucoanthocyanidin dioxygenase to confer ectopic accumulation of pigments in the purple cauliflower. Our results indicate that the genetic variation including a Harbinger DNA transposon insertion in the upstream regulatory region of the Pr-D allele is responsible for the up-regulation of the Pr gene in inducing phenotypic change in the plant. The successful isolation of Pr provides important information on the regulatory control of anthocyanin biosynthesis in Brassica vegetables, and offers a genetic resource for development of new varieties with enhanced health-promoting properties and visual appeal.

War Trauma, Politics of Recognition and Purple Heart: PTSD or PTSI?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Irit Keynan

2016-09-01

Full Text Available This paper discusses the exclusion of veterans with combat PTSD (CPTSD from eligibility for the Purple Heart (PH. The main argument is that this exclusion is unjustified and that it strengthens the stigma attached to the traumatized veterans, with detrimental implications to their wellbeing. In the context of the politics of recognition, the history of the term PTSD, and with support evidence from brain studies, the paper contends that in the case of combat veterans, posttraumatic stress should be termed PTSI (posttraumatic stress injury rather than PTSD (posttraumatic stress disorder. The proposed alteration in terminology may enable eligibility of posttraumatic combat veterans’ for the Purple Heart, and consequently mitigate the stigma of their wounds, help to deconstruct their misrecognition as inferior to physiologically wounded, increase their willingness to seek aid, and improve their chances to heal.

IBT-based quantitative proteomics identifies potential regulatory proteins involved in pigmentation of purple sea cucumber, Apostichopus japonicus.

Science.gov (United States)

Xing, Lili; Sun, Lina; Liu, Shilin; Li, Xiaoni; Zhang, Libin; Yang, Hongsheng

2017-09-01

Sea cucumbers are an important economic species and exhibit high yield value among aquaculture animals. Purple sea cucumbers are very rare and beautiful and have stable hereditary patterns. In this study, isobaric tags (IBT) were first used to reveal the molecular mechanism of pigmentation in the body wall of the purple sea cucumber. We analyzed the proteomes of purple sea cucumber in early pigmentation stage (Pa), mid pigmentation stage (Pb) and late pigmentation stage (Pc), resulting in the identification of 5580 proteins, including 1099 differentially expressed proteins in Pb: Pa and 339 differentially expressed proteins in Pc: Pb. GO and KEGG analyses revealed possible differentially expressed proteins, including"melanogenesis", "melanosome", "melanoma", "pigment-biosynthetic process", "Epidermis development", "Ras-signaling pathway", "Wnt-signaling pathway", "response to UV light", and "tyrosine metabolism", involved in pigment synthesis and regulation in purple sea cucumbers. The large number of differentially expressed proteins identified here should be highly useful in further elucidating the mechanisms underlying pigmentation in sea cucumbers. Furthermore, these results may also provide the base for further identification of proteins involved in resistance mechanisms against melanoma, albinism, UV damage, and other diseases in sea cucumbers. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Direct and Indirect Somatic Embryogenesis from Petiole and Leaf Explants of Purple Fan Flower (Scaevola aemula R. Br. cv. 'Purple Fanfare')

OpenAIRE

Shyama Ranjani Weerakoon

2010-01-01

Direct and indirect somatic embryogenesis (SE) from petiole and leaf explants of Scaevola aemula R. Br. cv. 'Purple Fanfare' was achieved. High frequency of somatic embryos was obtained directly from petiole and leaf explants using an inductive plant growth regulator signal thidiazuron (TDZ). Petiole explants were more responsive to SE than leaves. Plants derived from somatic embryos of petiole explants germinated more readily into plants. SE occurred more efficiently in ...

Imaging of solid tumor using near-infrared emitting purple bacteria

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moon, Sung Min; Min, Jung Joon; Kim, Sun A; Choy, Hyon E.; Bom, Hee Seung

2005-01-01

Rhodobacter sphaeroides 2.4.1 is α-3 purple nonsulfur eubacterium with an extensive metabolism. Under anaerobic conditions, it is able to grow by photosynthesis, respiration and fermentation. When grown photosynthetically, it uses wavelengths of light in the near-infrared and contains a reaction center that is the peripheral light-harvesting (LH2) complex. These molecules absorb and emit near-infrared light. Using this near-infrared fluorescent bacterial we investigated its targeting capacity of solid tumor in small animals. R. sphaeroides 2.4.1 strains were cultured in sistrons minimal medium A (SIS) at 32 C. Xenograft tumor model has been established by subcutaneous injection of CT26 mouse colon cancer cell line. 1X10 8 Rhodobacter sphaeroides cells suspended in 100 ul of PBS were injected via tail vein with 1-cc insulin syringe into tumor bearing mouse. In vivo fluorescence imaging has been done after 20 min to 30 days of purple bacteria using indocyanine (ICG) emission filter (Em=810∼835 nm). Near-infrared imaging signal from Rhodobacter sphaeroides was initially detected at liver for 3 days but at the necrotic region of tumor mass thereafter. Total photon flux measured 5.5X10 8 (p/s/cm 2 /sr) at Day 1. Also it was increased to 7.8X10 8 (p/s/cm 2 /sr) at 12 day. One of important characteristic is that the signal appeared only at central necrosis area. It has been monitored for 36 day. We successfully imaged cancer with near-infrared fluorescence bacteria. Our result indicate that near-infrared fluorescence purple bacteria are able to be used to monitor bacterial trafficking in living tumor models

75 FR 48896 - Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Removing the Tennessee Purple Coneflower From the...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-08-12

... which the probability of gene exchange through cross pollination is high, and a colony was defined as.... tennesseensis did not reveal high levels of differentiation among these populations (Baskauf et al. 1994, p. 186... serves two important functions: (1) Providing redundancy on the landscape to minimize the probability...

The effect of feeding wheat with purple pericarp on the growth of carp

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jan Mareš

2015-08-01

Full Text Available This study assessed and compared the influence of feeding wheat with purple pericarp (variety Konini and standard coloured wheat (red variety Bohemia on the growth characteristics of fingerling carp (Cyprinus carpio L. of the "Amurský lysec" line. The total content of anthocyanins converted to cyanidin 3-glucoside in the control Bohemia wheat was 24.95 mg.kg-1 and in the Konini purple wheat 41.70 mg.kg-1. Two experimental variants for feed were evaluated: dipped wheat grain and crushed wheat grain. The feed dose for wheat was 1.5% of the fish stock weight and for natural food (frozen Chironomid larvae was 0.2% of fish stock weight to all variants. Growth parameters (body length, body weight, Fulton's condition factor and feed conversion ratio of the fish were evaluated after one month of administration. The feed consumption and physico-chemical parameters (temperature, oxygen saturation, pH, N-NH4 +, N-NO2-, N-NO3- and Cl- of the environment were observed. During the feeding test, no major differences in food consumption among variations feeding on either wheat and on Chironomid larvae were noted. Satisfying results for mas and length gain were achieved in V2 wheat with purple pericarp (Konini variety - dipped grain, where the average total body length was 156.56 mm and the average unit mass was 60.81 g. In this variant, higher values of the parameters were achieved compared to the control group (100.6%, resp. 104.2%. A positive impact of wheat with purple pericarp on the evaluated parameter of fish condition factor was demonstrated. This trend was confirmed in all variants. No effect was demonstrated for mechanical disruption of kernels on the level of utilization of nutrients. In further experiments on growth characteristics we would like to determine antioxidant parameters in the blood and liver of fry.

SEASONAL, SIZE-RELATED AND AGE-RELATED PATTERNS IN BODY-MASS AND COMPOSITION OF PURPLE SANDPIPERS CALIDRIS-MARITIMA IN BRITAIN

NARCIS (Netherlands)

SUMMERS, RW; UNDERHILL, LG; NICOLL, M; RAE, R; PIERSMA, T

1992-01-01

The masses Of 3229 Purple Sandpipers Calidris maritima from Britain were analysed for differences related to age, season and size. First-year birds were lighter by 2 g. There was only a slight increase in mass in mid-winter, in contrast to other waders wintering in Britain, suggesting that Purple

Proteomic Profiles of Adipose and Liver Tissues from an Animal Model of Metabolic Syndrome Fed Purple Vegetables

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Hala M Ayoub

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Metabolic Syndrome (MetS is a complex disorder that predisposes an individual to Cardiovascular Diseases and type 2 Diabetes Mellitus. Proteomics and bioinformatics have proven to be an effective tool to study complex diseases and mechanisms of action of nutrients. We previously showed that substitution of the majority of carbohydrate in a high fat diet by purple potatoes (PP or purple carrots (PC improved insulin sensitivity and hypertension in an animal model of MetS (obese Zucker rats compared to a control sucrose-rich diet. In the current study, we used TMT 10plex mass tag combined with LC-MS/MS technique to study proteomic modulation in the liver (n = 3 samples/diet and adipose tissue (n = 3 samples/diet of high fat diet-fed rats with or without substituting sucrose for purple vegetables, followed by functional enrichment analysis, in an attempt to elucidate potential molecular mechanisms responsible for the phenotypic changes seen with purple vegetable feeding. Protein folding, lipid metabolism and cholesterol efflux were identified as the main modulated biological themes in adipose tissue, whereas lipid metabolism, carbohydrate metabolism and oxidative stress were the main modulated themes in liver. We propose that enhanced protein folding, increased cholesterol efflux and higher free fatty acid (FFA re-esterification are mechanisms by which PP and PC positively modulate MetS pathologies in adipose tissue, whereas, decreased de novo lipogenesis, oxidative stress and FFA uptake, are responsible for the beneficial effects in liver. In conclusion, we provide molecular evidence for the reported metabolic health benefits of purple carrots and potatoes and validate that these vegetables are good choices to replace other simple carbohydrate sources for better metabolic health.

Adichie's Purple Hibiscus and issues of ideology in the constitution ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

... as subjects, with the eventual emergence of Kambili to self-knowledge and condition of social responsibility. The aim of this is to examine how Adichie's Purple Hibiscus is typical of how the Nigerian novel engages itself in issues of ideology and how these issues, in turn, crystallize the challenges of nation-ness in Nigeria.

Association of a new type of gliding, filamentous, purple phototrophic bacterium inside bundles of Microcoleus chthonoplastes in hypersaline cyanobacterial mats

Science.gov (United States)

D'Amelio, E. D.; Cohen, Y.; Des Marais, D. J.

1987-01-01

An unidentified filamentous purple bacterium, probably belonging to a new genus or even a new family, is found in close association with the filamentous, mat-forming cyanobacterium Microcoleus chthonoplastes in a hypersaline pond at Guerrero Negro, Baja California Sur, Mexico, and in Solar Lake, Sinai, Egypt. This organism is a gliding, segmented trichome, 0.8-0.9 micrometer wide. It contains intracytoplasmic stacked lamellae which are perpendicular and obliquely oriented to the cell wall, similar to those described for the purple sulfur bacteria Ectothiorhodospira. These bacteria are found inside the cyanobacterial bundle, enclosed by the cyanobacterial sheath. Detailed transmission electron microscopical analyses carried out in horizontal sections of the upper 1.5 mm of the cyanobacterial mat show this cyanobacterial-purple bacterial association at depths of 300-1200 micrometers, corresponding to the zone below that of maximal oxygenic photosynthesis. Sharp gradients of oxygen and sulfide are established during the day at this microzone in the two cyanobacterial mats studied. The close association, the distribution pattern of this association and preliminary physiological experiments suggest a co-metabolism of sulfur by the two-membered community. This probable new genus of purple bacteria may also grow photoheterotrophically using organic carbon excreted by the cyanobacterium. Since the chemical gradients in the entire photic zone fluctuate widely in a diurnal cycle, both types of metabolism probably take place. During the morning and afternoon, sulfide migrates up to the photic zone allowing photoautotrophic metabolism with sulfide as the electron donor. During the day the photic zone is highly oxygenated and the purple bacteria may either use oxidized species of sulfur such as elemental sulfur and thiosulfate in the photoautotrophic mode or grow photoheterotrophically using organic carbon excreted by M. chthonoplastes. The new type of filamentous purple sulfur

A thermo-sensitive purple leaf rice mutant--PLM12 and its genetical study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu Guanting; Wang Xianyu; Jin Wei

2001-01-01

PLM12 was a thermo-sensitive purple leaf mutant selected from Indica rice variety Luqingzao 1 treated with pingyangmycin in combination with γ-rays, and for display of its mutant character, a relatively high temperature was required. Compared with its original parent, many major agronomic traits of PLM12 changed to varied extents. Based on spikelet cutting experiment, it was believed that significant decreases in number of filled grains per panicle, fertility, and 1000-grain weight in PLM12 resulted mainly from a great decline in photosynthetic capacity and serious lack of photosynthate in purple leaves. It was indicated by genetic analysis that expression of the mutant phenotype in PLM12 was conditioned by a single recessive major nuclear gene and modified by several minor genes

Análisis cuantitativos de los principales constituyentes químicos de raíces de Echinacea purpurea y E. Angustifolia producidas en Costa Rica1

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Jorge Loaiza

2004-01-01

Full Text Available Se cuantificó los fenilpropanoides libres: ácido clorogénico y ácido cichórico, glicosídicos (equinacósido; así como las alcamidas presentes en extractos de raíces de las plantas medicinales Echinacea purpurea y E. angustifolia, producidas en 3 localidades de Costa Rica: Los Santos a 1650 msnm, Santa Bárbara de Heredia a 1250 msnm y Ojo de Agua a 850 msnm. Conforme disminuyó la altitud de las zonas de siembra, también disminuyó la concentración de los metabolitos analizados. La concentración de los fenilpropanoides y del equinacósido (sintetizado exclusivamente por E. angustifolia producidos en Costa Rica, fue 100 y 34% mayor, respectivamente, que la concentración reportada para una muestra control proveniente de EE.UU. Las alcamidas se produjeron en un rango de 0,89-2,31% comparado con 0,004-0,36% reportado en EE.UU. En Costa Rica la presencia de alcamidas fue similar para las 3 zonas en estudio. Sin embargo, 2 de ellas presentaron un grado de isomerismo diferente al reportado en muestras de EE.UU. Estos resultados indican que en condiciones tropicales, no solo se puede producir Echinacea en un menor tiempo, sino también que las cantidades de metabolitos secundarios son mayores a las producidas por la planta en sus áreas de origen. La presencia de compuestos con diferente grado de isomerismo podría presentar nuevas alternativas de uso de esos metabolitos.

Antiproliferative and cytotoxic effects of purple pitanga (Eugenia uniflora L.) extract on activated hepatic stellate cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Denardin, Cristiane C; Parisi, Mariana M; Martins, Leo A M; Terra, Silvia R; Borojevic, Radovan; Vizzotto, Márcia; Perry, Marcos L S; Emanuelli, Tatiana; Guma, Fátima T C R

2014-01-01

The presence of phenolic compounds in fruit- and vegetable-rich diets has attracted researchers' attention due to their health-promoting effects. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of purple pitanga (Eugenia uniflora L.) extract on cell proliferation, viability, mitochondrial membrane potential, cell death and cell cycle in murine activated hepatic stellate cells (GRX). Cell viability by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay was significantly decreased on cells treated with 50 and 100 µg ml(-1) of purple pitanga extract for 48 and 72 h, and the percentage of dead cell stained with 7-amino-actinomycin D was significantly higher in treated cells. The reduction of cell proliferation was dose dependent, and we also observed alterations on cell cycle progression. At all times studied, GRX cells treated with 50 and 100 µg ml(-1) of purple pitanga showed a significant reduction in cellular mitochondrial content as well as a decrease in mitochondrial membrane potential. Furthermore, our results indicated that purple pitanga extract induces early and late apoptosis/necrosis and necrotic death in GRX cells. This is the first report describing the antiproliferative, cytotoxic and apoptotic activity for E. uniflora fruits in hepatic stellate cells. The present study provides a foundation for the prevention and treatment of liver fibrosis, and more studies will be carried to elucidate this effect. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Cadmium accumulation and growth responses of a poplar (Populus deltoids x Populus nigra) in cadmium contaminated purple soil and alluvial soil

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wu Fuzhong [Faculty of Forestry, Sichuan Agricultural University, 625014, Ya' an (China); Yang Wanqin, E-mail: scyangwq@163.com [Faculty of Forestry, Sichuan Agricultural University, 625014, Ya' an (China); Zhang Jian; Zhou Liqiang [Faculty of Forestry, Sichuan Agricultural University, 625014, Ya' an (China)

2010-05-15

To characterize the phytoextraction efficiency of a hybrid poplar (Populus deltoids x Populus nigra) in cadmium contaminated purple soil and alluvial soil, a pot experiment in field was carried out in Sichuan basin, western China. After one growing period, the poplar accumulated the highest of 541.98 {+-} 19.22 and 576.75 {+-} 40.55 {mu}g cadmium per plant with 110.77 {+-} 12.68 and 202.54 {+-} 19.12 g dry mass in these contaminated purple soil and alluvial soil, respectively. Higher phytoextraction efficiency with higher cadmium concentration in tissues was observed in poplar growing in purple soil than that in alluvial soil at relative lower soil cadmium concentration. The poplar growing in alluvial soil had relative higher tolerance ability with lower reduction rates of morphological and growth characters than that in purple soil, suggesting that the poplar growing in alluvial soil might display the higher phytoextraction ability when cadmium contamination level increased. Even so, the poplars exhibited obvious cadmium transport from root to shoot in both soils regardless of cadmium contamination levels. It implies that this examined poplar can extract more cadmium than some hyperaccumulators. The results indicated that metal phytoextraction using the poplar can be applied to clean up soils moderately contaminated by cadmium in these purple soil and alluvial soil.

Proteomic analysis of tea plants (Camellia sinensis with purple young shoots during leaf development.

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Qiongqiong Zhou

Full Text Available Tea products made from purple leaves are highly preferred by consumers due to the health benefits. This study developed a proteome reference map related to color changes during leaf growth in tea (Camellia sinensis plant with purple young shoots using two-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE. Forty-six differentially expressed proteins were detected in the gel and successfully identified by using MALDI-TOF/TOF-MS. The pronounced changes in the proteomic profile between tender purple leaves (TPL and mature green leaves (MGL included: 1 the lower activity of proteins associated with CO2 assimilation, energy metabolism and photo flux efficiency and higher content of anthocyanins in TPL than those in MGL may protect tender leaves against photo-damage; 2 the higher abundance of chalcone synthase (CHS, chalcone isomerase (CHI and flavonol synthase (FLS likely contributes to the synthesis of anthocyanins, catechins and flavonols in TPL tissues; 3 higher abundance of stress response proteins, such as glutathione S-transferases (GST and phospholipid hydroperoxide glutathione peroxidase (PHGPx, could enhance the tolerance of TPL tissues to adverse condition in; and 4 the increased abundance of proteins related to protein synthesis, nucleic acids and cell wall proteins should be beneficial for the proliferation and expansion of leaf cell in TPL tissues. qPCR analysis showed that the expression of differentially abundant proteins was regulated at the transcriptional level. Therefore, the results indicated that higher abundance of CHI and CHS may account for the production of the purple-shoot phenotype in Wuyiqizhong 18 and thereby, enhancing the anthocyanin biosynthesis. The higher abundance of glutamine synthetase (GS proteins related to the theanine biosynthesis may improve the flavor of tea products from TPL materials. Thus, this work should help to understand the molecular mechanisms underlying the changes in leaf color alteration.

Comparative study of soil erodibility and critical shear stress between loess and purple soils

Science.gov (United States)

Xing, Hang; Huang, Yu-han; Chen, Xiao-yan; Luo, Bang-lin; Mi, Hong-xing

2018-03-01

Loess and purple soils are two very important cultivated soils, with the former in the loess region and the latter in southern sub-tropical region of China, featured with high-risks of erosion, considerable differences of soil structures due to differences in mineral and nutrient compositions. Study on soil erodibility (Kr) and critical shear stress (τc) of these two soils is beneficial to predict soil erosion with such models as WEPP. In this study, rill erosion experimental data sets of the two soils are used for estimating their Kr and τc before they are compared to understand their differences of rill erosion behaviors. The maximum detachment rates of the loess and purple soils are calculated under different hydrodynamic conditions (flow rates: 2, 4, 8 L/min; slope gradients: 5°, 10°, 15°, 20°, 25°) through analytical and numerical methods respectively. Analytical method used the derivative of the function between sediment concentration and rill length to estimate potential detachment rates, at the rill beginning. Numerical method estimated potential detachment rates with the experimental data, at the rill beginning and 0.5 m location. The Kr and τc of these two soils are determined by the linear equation based on experimental data. Results show that the methods could well estimate the Kr and τc of these two soils as they remain basically unchanged under different hydrodynamic conditions. The Kr value of loess soil is about twice of the purple soil, whereas the τc is about half of that. The numerical results have good correlations with the analytical values. These results can be useful in modeling rill erosion processes of loess and purple soils.

Characterization and hepatoprotective activity of anthocyanins from purple sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas L. cultivar Eshu No. 8

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Lin Wang

2017-07-01

Full Text Available The hepatoprotective activity of anthocyanin-rich purple sweet potato extract (APSPE was demonstrated. Sixty mice were randomly divided into six groups: control group [without carbon tetrachloride (CCl4 or APSPE]; model group (with CCl4 only; positive control group (50 mg/kg body weight silymarin; low-dose group (100 mg/kg body weight APSPE; medium-dose group (200 mg/kg body weight APSPE; and high-dose group (400 mg/kg body weight APSPE. After 10 days intragastric administration of the respective supplements, the mice in all groups except control were injected intraperitoneally with CCl4 (0.15% in arachis oil, 10 mL/kg body weight, intravenous. Twelve hours after CCl4 injection, the mice were measured in terms of liver index, levels of aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase in serum, as well as glutathione, superoxide dismutase, and malondialdehyde in liver homogenate. Additionally, the livers of mice were stained with hematoxylin and eosin and sectioned for observation. Nineteen purple sweet potato anthocyanins were identified from the purple sweet potato cultivar Eshu No. 8 and analyzed by liquid chromatography– electrospray ionization–tandem mass spectrometry. Peonidin 3-coumaryl-p-hydroxybenzoyl sophoroside-5-glucoside was first identified in purple sweet potato. The results showed that anthocyanins in Eshu No. 8 had good hepatoprotective activity.

A MYB transcription factor, DcMYB6, is involved in regulating anthocyanin biosynthesis in purple carrot taproots

OpenAIRE

Xu, Zhi-Sheng; Feng, Kai; Que, Feng; Wang, Feng; Xiong, Ai-Sheng

2017-01-01

Carrots are widely grown and enjoyed around the world. Purple carrots accumulate rich anthocyanins in the taproots, while orange, yellow, and red carrots accumulate rich carotenoids in the taproots. Our previous studies indicated that variation in the activity of regulatory genes may be responsible for variations in anthocyanin production among various carrot cultivars. In this study, an R2R3-type MYB gene, designated as DcMYB6, was isolated from a purple carrot cultivar. In a phylogenetic an...

Germination and growth of purple passion fruit seedlings under pre-germination treatments and mycorrhizal inoculation

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Joaquín Guillermo Ramírez Gil

2015-09-01

Full Text Available The cultivation of purple passion fruit plants has increased in Colombia, as a direct result of its well-accepted consumption. Therefore, there is a need for technological solutions aimed at the sustainable growth of its fruit, such as improving seed germination and decreasing phosphorus (P deficiencies, given its low availability in tropical soils. This study aimed to evaluate pre-germination treatments (control, apical and basal seed cuts, alternation of temperature, photoperiod, application of gibberellic acid and immersion in 96 % of H2SO4 and mycorrhizal dependency of purple passion fruit plants, using three levels of P in the soil solution (0.002 mg L-1, 0.02 mg L-1 and 0.2 mg L-1, in 35 combinations with or without the inoculation of the Glomus fasciculatum mycorrhizal fungus. A completely randomized design with five replications per treatment was used. The treatment with the most significant effect for reducing the dormancy of the purple passion fruit seeds is the immersion in 96 % of H2SO4 for 20 minutes. This species shows a high mycorrhizal dependency, when coupled with 0.02 mg L-1 of P in the soil solution.

Response characteristics of soil fractal features to different land uses in typical purple soil watershed.

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Bang-lin Luo

Full Text Available As a fundamental characteristic of soil physical properties, the soil Particle Size Distribution (PSD is important in the research on soil moisture migration, solution transformation, and soil erosion. In this research, the PSD characteristics with distinct methods in different land uses are analyzed. The results show that the upper bound of the volume domain of the clay domain ranges from 5.743 μm to 5.749 μm for all land-use types. For the silt domain of purple soil, the value ranges among 286.852~286.966 μm. For all purple soil land-use types, the order of the volume domain fractal dimensions is D clayD silt(U>D sand (U>D sand and D silt>D silt(U>D sand>D sand(U, respectively. As it is compared with all Dvi, the D silt has the most significant correlativity to the soil texture and organic matter in different land uses of the typical purple soil watersheds. Therefore, Dsilt will be a potential indictor for evaluating the proportion of fine particles in the PSD, as well as a key measurement in soil quality and productivity studies.

The Deep Semantics of Imagery in Alice Walker's The Color Purple ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Hinged on this theoretical framework, the paper assesses the deep semantics of imagery in Walker's The Color Purple and highlights the salient non-ostensive references of the text and the new world it proposes. The analysis reveals the key to a deeper and broader perception of God, the imperativeness of equality of ...

Cadmium accumulation and growth responses of a poplar (Populus deltoids x Populus nigra) in cadmium contaminated purple soil and alluvial soil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu Fuzhong; Yang Wanqin; Zhang Jian; Zhou Liqiang

2010-01-01

To characterize the phytoextraction efficiency of a hybrid poplar (Populus deltoids x Populus nigra) in cadmium contaminated purple soil and alluvial soil, a pot experiment in field was carried out in Sichuan basin, western China. After one growing period, the poplar accumulated the highest of 541.98 ± 19.22 and 576.75 ± 40.55 μg cadmium per plant with 110.77 ± 12.68 and 202.54 ± 19.12 g dry mass in these contaminated purple soil and alluvial soil, respectively. Higher phytoextraction efficiency with higher cadmium concentration in tissues was observed in poplar growing in purple soil than that in alluvial soil at relative lower soil cadmium concentration. The poplar growing in alluvial soil had relative higher tolerance ability with lower reduction rates of morphological and growth characters than that in purple soil, suggesting that the poplar growing in alluvial soil might display the higher phytoextraction ability when cadmium contamination level increased. Even so, the poplars exhibited obvious cadmium transport from root to shoot in both soils regardless of cadmium contamination levels. It implies that this examined poplar can extract more cadmium than some hyperaccumulators. The results indicated that metal phytoextraction using the poplar can be applied to clean up soils moderately contaminated by cadmium in these purple soil and alluvial soil.

Effect of Echinacea purpurea (Asteraceae aqueous extract on antibody response to Bothrops asper venom and immune cell response

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Fernando Chaves

2007-03-01

Full Text Available The effect of aqueous extract of Echinacea purpurea roots on the murine antibody response to Bothrops asper snake venom in vivo was studied. Three groups were used. Group #1, baseline control, was treated with snake venom plus PBS. Group #2 was treated with snake venom plus sodium alginate as adjuvant (routine method used at Instituto Clodomiro Picado, and group #3 or experimental group, was treated with snake venom plus aqueous extract of E. purpurea root as adjuvant. In all groups, the first inoculation was done with Freund’s complete adjuvant (FCA. By the time of the second bleeding, mice in group #3 showed a remarkable increment in the level of anti-venom antibodies compared with those in groups #1 or #2. In vitro immune cell proliferation as a response to aqueous extract of E. purpurea root was studied using human lymphocytes activated with different lectins (Con A, PHA and PWM. In all cases, increase in percentage of lymphoproliferation was greater when E. purpurea root extract was used in addition to individual lectins. Rev. Biol. Trop. 55 (1: 113-119. Epub 2007 March. 31.Se estudió in vivo, el efecto del extracto acuoso de las raíces de Echinacea purpurea en la respuesta de los anticuerpos murinos al veneno de la serpiente Bothrops asper. El grupo 1 control, fue tratado con el veneno y PBS. El grupo 2 con veneno y alginato de sodio (método utilizado en el Instituto Clodomiro Picado, y el grupo 3 o experimental, con veneno y extracto acuoso de las raíces de E. purpurea. En todos los grupos, la primera inmunización fue hecha con FCA (Freund’s Complete Adjuvant. En las muestras correspondientes a la segunda sangría, los ratones del grupo 3 mostraron un marcado incremento en el nivel de anticuerpos, en comparación con los ratones de los otros grupos. También se determinó la proliferación de células inmunes in vitro, como respuesta al extracto acuoso de la raíz de E. purpurea, utilizando linfocitos humanos activados con

[Contents of total anthocyanins and total saponins as well as composition of saponin monomers of Purple and Green Notoginseng Radix et Rhizoma].

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Chang-ling; Yang, Sheng-chao; Chen, Zhong-jian; Shen, Yong; Wei, Fu-gang; Wang, Wu; Long, Ting-ju

2014-10-01

The contents of total anthocyanins and total saponins as well as the composition of saponin monomers of Purple and Green Notoginseng Radix et Rhizoma were studied to compare the medicinal quality and commercial values. Three-year-old Notoginseng Radix et Rhizoma was selected as the research materials. The contents of total anthocyanins and total saponins were determined by spectrophotometry. The compositions of saponin monomers were monitored by HPLC. The significance of content differences was determined by variance analysis. The contents of total anthocyanins and total saponins of Purple Notoginseng Radix et Rhizomawere about 204.85% and 33.86% higher than those of Green Notoginseng Radix et Rhizoma respectively. The Purple and Green Notoginseng Radix et Rhizoma both contained five saponin monomers whose contents were as follows: ginsenoside Rg1 > ginsenoside Rb1 > notoginsenoside R1 > ginsenoside Rd > ginsenoside Re. The contents of notoginsenoside R1, ginsenoside Rd and ginsenoside Re of Purple Notoginseng Radix et Rhizoma were about 16.03%, 10.83% and 5.39% higher than those of Green Notoginseng Radix et Rhizoma respectively. However, the contents of ginsenoside Rg1 and ginsenoside Rb1 of Green Notoginseng Radix et Rhizoma were about 0.93% and 3.33% higher than those of Purple Notoginseng Radix et Rhizoma respectively. With respect to Green Notoginseng Radix et Rhizoma, the increase of the total anthocyanins in Purple Notoginseng Radix et Rhizoma reached a significant level, but the increases of total saponins, notoginsenoside R1, ginsenoside Rd and ginsenoside Re and the decreases of ginsenoside Rg1 and ginsenoside Rb1 did not. The total anthocyanins accumulation in Notoginseng Radix et Rhizoma implies the content increases of the total saponins, notoginsenoside R1, ginsenoside Rd and ginsenoside Re, and the slight decreases of ginsenoside Rg1 and ginsenoside Rb1 contents; but the type and relative contents of saponin monomers remain unchanged. The medicinal

Antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of traditional green and purple "Napoletano" basil cultivars (Ocimum basilicum L.) from Campania region (Italy).

Science.gov (United States)

Tenore, Gian Carlo; Campiglia, Pietro; Ciampaglia, Roberto; Izzo, Luana; Novellino, Ettore

2017-09-01

The present study is the first effort to a comprehensive evaluation of the antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of 'Napoletano' green and purple basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) varieties. The results obtained revealed that the basil sample extracts were characterised by a generally higher polyphenolic concentration than those reported elsewhere for other more conventional and geographically different basil varieties. Napoletano purple basil revealed higher radical-scavenging and ferric-reducing capacities than the green one probably due to its relevant anthocyanin content. As regards the antimicrobial properties, both basil varieties exhibited activity against a broad spectrum of food-borne and human pathogenic micro-organisms, revealing not only a moderate to high natural preserving capacity, but also potentially beneficial influence on human health. Results indicated Napoletano green and purple basils as a good source of antioxidants of potential nutraceutical interest.

Seasonal profiles of leaf ascorbic acid content and redox state in ozone-sensitive wildflowers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Burkey, Kent O.; Neufeld, Howard S.; Souza, Lara; Chappelka, Arthur H.; Davison, Alan W.

2006-01-01

Cutleaf coneflower (Rudbeckia laciniata L.), crown-beard (Verbesina occidentalis Walt.), and tall milkweed (Asclepias exaltata L.) are wildflower species native to Great Smoky Mountains National Park (U.S.A.). Natural populations of each species were analyzed for leaf ascorbic acid (AA) and dehydroascorbic acid (DHA) to assess the role of ascorbate in protecting the plants from ozone stress. Tall milkweed contained greater quantities of AA (7-10 μmol g -1 fresh weight) than crown-beard (2-4 μmol g -1 fresh weight) or cutleaf coneflower (0.5-2 μmol g -1 fresh weight). DHA was elevated in crown-beard and cutleaf coneflower relative to tall milkweed suggesting a diminished capacity for converting DHA into AA. Tall milkweed accumulated AA in the leaf apoplast (30-100 nmol g -1 fresh weight) with individuals expressing ozone foliar injury symptoms late in the season having less apoplast AA. In contrast, AA was not present in the leaf apoplast of either crown-beard or cutleaf coneflower. Unidentified antioxidant compounds were present in the leaf apoplast of all three species. Overall, distinct differences in antioxidant metabolism were found in the wildflower species that corresponded with differences in ozone sensitivity. - Wildflower species exhibit differences in ascorbic acid content and redox status that affect ozone sensitivity

Charge asymmetry of the purple membrane measured by uranyl quenching of dansyl fluorescence. [Halobacterium halobium

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Renthal, R.; Cha, C.H.

1984-05-01

Purple membrane was covalently labeled with 5-(dimethylamino) naphthalene-1-sulfonyl hydrazine (dansyl hydrazine) by carbodiimide coupling to the cytoplasmic surface (carboxyl-terminal tail: 0.7 mol/mol bacteriorhodopsin) or by periodate oxidation and dimethylaminoborane reduction at the extracellular surface (glycolipids: 1 mol/mol). In 2 mM acetate buffer, pH 5.6, micromolar concentrations of UO/sub 2//sup 2 +/ were found to quench the dansyl groups on the cytoplasmic surface (maximum = 26%), while little quenching was observed at the extracellular surface (maximum = 4%). Uranyl ion quenched dansyl hydrazine in free solution at much higher concentrations. Uranyl also bound tightly to unmodified purple membrane, (apparent dissociation constant = 0.8 ..mu..M) as measured by a centrifugation assay. The maximum stoichiometry was 10 mol/mol of bacteriorhodopsin, which is close to the amount of phospholipid phosphorus in purple membrane. The results were analyzed on the assumptions that UO/sub 2//sup 2 +/ binds in a 1:1 complex with phospholipid phosphate and that the dansyl distributon and quenching mechanisms are the same at both surfaces. This indicates a 9:1 ratio of phosphate between the cytoplasmic and extracellular surfaces. Thus, the surface change density of the cytoplasmic side of the membrane is more negative than - 0.010 charges/A/sup 2/.

Environ: E00764 [KEGG MEDICUS

Lifescience Database Archive (English)

Full Text Available E00764 Echinacea Medicinal herb Caffeic acid derivatives, Echinacoside [CPD:C10450... Isobutyramide, Essential ... oil, Pyrrolizidine alkaloid Echinacea angustifolia [TAX:308558], Echinacea pallida [TAX:53749], Echina...cea purpurea [TAX:53751] ... Asteraceae Echinacea aerial part a

Toxic, antimicrobial and hemagglutinating activities of the purple fluid of the sea hare Aplysia dactylomela Rang, 1828

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Melo V.M.M.

1998-01-01

Full Text Available The antimicrobial, hemagglutinating and toxic activities of the purple fluid of the sea hare Aplysia dactylomela are described. Intact or dialyzed purple fluid inhibited the growth of species of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and the action was not bactericidal but bacteriostatic. The active factor or factors were heat labile and sensitive to extreme pH values. The fluid preferentially agglutinated rabbit erythrocytes and, to a lesser extent, human blood cells, and this activity was inhibited by the glycoprotein fetuin, a fact suggesting the presence of a lectin. The fluid was also toxic to brine shrimp nauplii (LD50 141.25 µg protein/ml and to mice injected intraperitoneally (LD50 201.8 ± 8.6 mg protein/kg, in a dose-dependent fashion. These toxic activities were abolished when the fluid was heated. Taken together, the data suggest that the activities of the purple fluid are due primarily to substance(s of a protein nature which may be involved in the chemical defense mechanism of this sea hare.

“紫砂本不语,科学自有声”——科学解读宜兴紫砂壶%Decipher the science in Yixing purple-clay

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

千人计划专家联谊会青年千人专家委员会; 宜兴市陶瓷行业协会

2016-01-01

The long standing and well established Chinese tea culture creates intricate aesthetics on both substantial and spiritual aspects,where tea sets definitely serve as an important carrier.Purple-clay teapot from Yixing is recognized as one of the best of tea sets.What are the unique characteristics and the underlying science of the highly praised Yixing purple-clay? Taking the advantage of advanced technologies,we investigated purple-clay teapots from the scientific perspective,including the micro-morphology,thermal diffusivity,trace elements,bacterial inhibition,etc.As discovered by experiments,the special micro-porous structures of purple-clay teapots ensure the excellent air permeability;the typical thermal property enables the temperature preservation of tea;the characteristic materials of purple-clay enrich trace elements in water,leading to improvement of the quality of water to some extent;in addition,the distinctive design of purple-clay teapot effectively depress the entrance of micro species,resulting in the highly reduced fermentation of microorganisms.The immaculate design and the unique composition of Yixing purple-clay teapots not only enable them to benefit the taste and healthiness of tea,but also endow them infinite art enchantments.

The Purple Cauliflower Arises from Activation of a MYB Transcription Factor1[W][OA

Science.gov (United States)

Chiu, Li-Wei; Zhou, Xiangjun; Burke, Sarah; Wu, Xianli; Prior, Ronald L.; Li, Li

2010-01-01

Anthocyanins are responsible for the color of many flowers, fruits, and vegetables. An interesting and unique Purple (Pr) gene mutation in cauliflower (Brassica oleracea var botrytis) confers an abnormal pattern of anthocyanin accumulation, giving the striking mutant phenotype of intense purple color in curds and a few other tissues. To unravel the nature of the Pr mutation in cauliflower, we isolated the Pr gene via a combination of candidate gene analysis and fine mapping. Pr encoded a R2R3 MYB transcription factor that exhibited tissue-specific expression, consistent with an abnormal anthocyanin accumulation pattern in the mutant. Transgenic Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) and cauliflower plants expressing the Pr-D allele recapitulated the mutant phenotype, confirming the isolation of the Pr gene. Up-regulation of Pr specifically activated a basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor and a subset of anthocyanin structural genes encoding flavonoid 3’-hydroxylase, dihydroflavonol 4-reductase, and leucoanthocyanidin dioxygenase to confer ectopic accumulation of pigments in the purple cauliflower. Our results indicate that the genetic variation including a Harbinger DNA transposon insertion in the upstream regulatory region of the Pr-D allele is responsible for the up-regulation of the Pr gene in inducing phenotypic change in the plant. The successful isolation of Pr provides important information on the regulatory control of anthocyanin biosynthesis in Brassica vegetables, and offers a genetic resource for development of new varieties with enhanced health-promoting properties and visual appeal. PMID:20855520

Physicochemical characterization of purple banana fiber

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goncalves, A.P.B.; Guimaraes, D.H.; Miranda, C.S.; Oliveira, J.C.; Cruz, A.M.F.; Luporini, S.; Jose, N.M.

2014-01-01

Due to the environmental appeal that has grown in recent years, researches involving the use of renewable sources raw materials reaffirm this need. The vegetable fibers has excelled as promising materials with possibilities in different applications. The objective of this work is the evaluation of the physicochemical properties of banana fiber. These fibers were extracted from the banana pseudostem of a species not yet reported in the literature, Musa velutina, known as purple banana. For this experiment were used in natura fibers and processed fibers with NaOH 5% which were characterized by TGA, DSC, DRX and FTIR analysis. In the thermal analysis, both tested fibers showed good thermal properties. In DRX analysis, the processed fibers showed higher crystallinity. The use of these materials implies adding value to an agricultural waste in addition to being a more ecologically correct proposal. (author)

Singlet-triplet fission of carotenoid excitation in light-harvesting LH2 complexes of purple phototrophic bacteria.

Science.gov (United States)

Klenina, I B; Makhneva, Z K; Moskalenko, A A; Gudkov, N D; Bolshakov, M A; Pavlova, E A; Proskuryakov, I I

2014-03-01

The current generally accepted structure of light-harvesting LH2 complexes from purple phototrophic bacteria conflicts with the observation of singlet-triplet carotenoid excitation fission in these complexes. In LH2 complexes from the purple bacterium Allochromatium minutissimum, a drop in the efficiency of carotenoid triplet generation is demonstrated, which correlates with the extent of selective photooxidation of bacteriochlorophylls absorbing at ~850 nm. We conclude that singlet-triplet fission of carotenoid excitation proceeds with participation of these excitonically coupled bacteriochlorophylls. In the framework of the proposed mechanism, the contradiction between LH2 structure and photophysical properties of carotenoids is eliminated. The possibility of singlet-triplet excitation fission involving a third mediator molecule was not considered earlier.

[Effect of Different Purple Parent Rock on Removal Rates of Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Organics in Landscape Water].

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Xue-jiao; Liu, Xiao-chen; Li, Zhen-lun; Shi, Wen-hao; Yang, Shan

2015-05-01

In order to understand the impacts of physicochemical properties of purple parent rock on the removal rates of nitrogen, phosphorus and organics in landscape water systems, four types of purple parent rocks including Peng-lai-zhen Formation (S1) , Sha-xi-miao Formation (S2) , Fei-xian-guan Formation (S3) and Sui-ning Formation (S4) , which distribute widely in Chongqing, were selected and autoclaved, and added to unsterile landscape water collected from Chong-de Lake in Southwest University, and the landscape water only was used as control. And several indicators such as total nitrogen and phosphorus and so on of every disposal were investigated periodically. The results indicated that: (1) The highest removal rates of total nitrogen, total phosphorus and Ammonia nitrogen were observed in Sl, which were 45.1%, 62.3% and 90%, respectively; the highest removal rate of COD was 94.5% in S4; the ammonia nitrogen content in the purple parent rocks was not obviously changed before and after the experiments, which indicated that the adsorption of ammonia nitrogen on purple parent rock surface was not the main reason for the decrease of ammonia nitrogen in water. (2) Arsenate had inhibitory effect on the sulfate-reducing bacteria, while copper and magnesium had promoting effect on gram-negative bacteria. (3) The microbial diversity was positively correlated to total nitrogen in water. (4) Based on the PCA analyses of microbial community structure and environmental factors, the mineral elements released from parent rock affected the structure and composition of microbial community in the test water, and then influenced the removal rates of nitrogen, phosphorus and organics in water systems.

Purple urine bag syndrome in nursing homes: Ten elderly case reports and a literature review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chi-Hung Lin

2008-12-01

Full Text Available Chi-Hung Lin1, Hsien-Te Huang1, Chia-Chang Chien1, Dong-Sheng Tzeng1,2, For-Wey Lung1,3–51Department of Psychiatry, Kaohsiung Armed Forces General Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; 2Graduate Institute of Occupational Safety and Health; 3Graduate Institute of Behavioral Sciences, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; 4Department of Psychiatry, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan; 5Calo Psychiatric Center, Pingtung County, TaiwanAbstract: Purple urine bag syndrome (PUBS is a rare occurrence, in which the patient has a purple-colored urine bag following urinary catheterization for hours to days. Most of authors believe it is a mixture of indigo (blue and indirubin (red that becomes purple. Previous study showed that PUBS occurred predominantly in chronically catheterized, constipated women. We collected 10 elderly patients with PUBS in two nursing homes. The first two cases were identified by chart review in 1987 and 2003, and then later eight cases (42.1% were collected among 19 urinary catheterized elderly in the period between January 2007 and June 2007. In the present report, PUBS probably can occur in any patients with the right elements, namely urinary tract infection (UTI with bacteria possessing these enzymes, diet with enough tryptophan, and being catheterized. Associations with bed-bound state, Alzheimer’s, or dementia from other causes are reflections of the state of such patients who are at higher risk for UTI, and hence PUBS occurred. Although we presented PUBS as a harmless problem, prevention and control of the nosocomial catheter-associated UTIs (CAUTIs has become very important in the new patient-centered medical era. Thus, we should decrease the duration of catheterization, improve catheter care, and deploy technological advances designed for prevention, especially in the elderly cared for in nursing homes.Keyword: purple urine bag syndrome, indigo, indirubin, nursing home, bacteriuria, indoxyl sulphatase

Identification of Novel Source of Resistance and Differential Response of Allium Genotypes to Purple Blotch Pathogen, Alternaria porri (Ellis) Ciferri

OpenAIRE

Satyabrata Nanda; Subodh Kumar Chand; Purander Mandal; Pradyumna Tripathy; Raj Kumar Joshi

2016-01-01

Purple blotch, caused by Alternaria porri (Ellis) Cifferi, is a serious disease incurring heavy yield losses in the bulb and seed crop of onion and garlic worldwide. There is an immediate need for identification of effective resistance sources for use in host resistance breeding. A total of 43 Allium genotypes were screened for purple blotch resistance under field conditions. Allium cepa accession ?CBT-Ac77? and cultivar ?Arka Kalyan? were observed to be highly resistant. In vitro inoculation...

Spectral effects of LEDs on chlorophyll fluorescence and pigmentation in Phalaenopsis ‘Vivien’ and ‘Purple Star’

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ouzounis, Theoharis; Fretté, Xavier; Ottosen, Carl-Otto

2015-01-01

We examined the effect of light emitting diode (LED) lighting in greenhouse facilities on growth, chlorophyll fluorescence and pigmentation in Phalaenopsis 'Vivien' and 'Purple Star' under purpose-built LED arrays yielding c. 200μmolm-2s-1 at plant height for 14h per day and 24/18°Cday/night temp......We examined the effect of light emitting diode (LED) lighting in greenhouse facilities on growth, chlorophyll fluorescence and pigmentation in Phalaenopsis 'Vivien' and 'Purple Star' under purpose-built LED arrays yielding c. 200μmolm-2s-1 at plant height for 14h per day and 24/18°Cday...

Anthocyanin, phenolics and antioxidant activity changes in purple waxy corn as affected by traditional cooking.

Science.gov (United States)

Harakotr, Bhornchai; Suriharn, Bhalang; Tangwongchai, Ratchada; Scott, Marvin Paul; Lertrat, Kamol

2014-12-01

Antioxidant components, including anthocyanins and phenolic compounds, antioxidant activity, and their changes during traditional cooking of fresh purple waxy corn were investigated. As compared to the raw corn, thermal treatment caused significant (p⩽0.05) decreases in each antioxidant compound and antioxidant activity. Steam cooking preserved more antioxidant compounds than boiling. Boiling caused a significant loss of anthocyanin and phenolic compounds into the cooking water. This cooking water is a valuable co-product because it is a good source of purple pigment. By comparing levels of antioxidant compounds in raw and cooked corn, we determined that degradation results in greater loss than leaching or diffusion into cooking water. Additionally, separation of kernels from the cob prior to cooking caused increased loss of antioxidant compounds. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Seasonal profiles of leaf ascorbic acid content and redox state in ozone-sensitive wildflowers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Burkey, Kent O. [Plant Science Research Unit, USDA-ARS and North Carolina State University, 3127 Ligon Street, Raleigh, NC 27607 (United States)]. E-mail: koburkey@unity.ncsu.edu; Neufeld, Howard S. [Appalachian State University, Boone, NC (United States); Souza, Lara [Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN (United States); Chappelka, Arthur H. [Auburn University, Auburn, AL (United States); Davison, Alan W. [University of Newcastle, Newcastle, England (United Kingdom)

2006-10-15

Cutleaf coneflower (Rudbeckia laciniata L.), crown-beard (Verbesina occidentalis Walt.), and tall milkweed (Asclepias exaltata L.) are wildflower species native to Great Smoky Mountains National Park (U.S.A.). Natural populations of each species were analyzed for leaf ascorbic acid (AA) and dehydroascorbic acid (DHA) to assess the role of ascorbate in protecting the plants from ozone stress. Tall milkweed contained greater quantities of AA (7-10 {mu}mol g{sup -1} fresh weight) than crown-beard (2-4 {mu}mol g{sup -1} fresh weight) or cutleaf coneflower (0.5-2 {mu}mol g{sup -1} fresh weight). DHA was elevated in crown-beard and cutleaf coneflower relative to tall milkweed suggesting a diminished capacity for converting DHA into AA. Tall milkweed accumulated AA in the leaf apoplast (30-100 nmol g{sup -1} fresh weight) with individuals expressing ozone foliar injury symptoms late in the season having less apoplast AA. In contrast, AA was not present in the leaf apoplast of either crown-beard or cutleaf coneflower. Unidentified antioxidant compounds were present in the leaf apoplast of all three species. Overall, distinct differences in antioxidant metabolism were found in the wildflower species that corresponded with differences in ozone sensitivity. - Wildflower species exhibit differences in ascorbic acid content and redox status that affect ozone sensitivity.

THE USE THE GENETICALLY DIFFICULTLY INHERITED TRAIT OF PURPLE ROOT COLOR IN BREEDING PROGRAM FOR THE COMPLICATED TRAIT IN RADISH

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. V. Ugarova

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The understanding the nature of trait inheritance in any crops is that determines the quality of results in breeding program. According to reference on previous publication, it is known that phenotypic manifestation of purple root color in radish was caused by regulatory interrelationship mechanisms of genetic control that is difficult to be used directly in breeding program. From literature sources and on the basis of their own research work the authors have proven the practice to maintain the trait in generations, and implementations of development of purple radish breeding accessions have been presented. At first stage of breeding program the selection of initial breeding accessions was carried out, where 14 varieties (red x white were regarded on the basis of top-crosses to obtain F1 and F2 progenies to be analyzed. Thus, four best combinations from crossing were chosen with 100% of hybridity. Through analysis of hybrids for individual progenies the hybrid population F1 of radish ‘Konfeti’ with different root colors was developed. As result of the individual inbreeding selection on seed plants with pigmented stems and the colored flower rim, the stable breeding accession with purple root was obtained. Thus, in breeding practice in radish it was succeeded to obtain the stably inheriting purple root color in radish accessions, variety ‘Siniiy Iniey’. 

Flash spectroscopy of purple membrane.

Science.gov (United States)

Xie, A H; Nagle, J F; Lozier, R H

1987-04-01

Flash spectroscopy data were obtained for purple membrane fragments at pH 5, 7, and 9 for seven temperatures from 5 degrees to 35 degrees C, at the magic angle for actinic versus measuring beam polarizations, at fifteen wavelengths from 380 to 700 nm, and for about five decades of time from 1 microsecond to completion of the photocycle. Signal-to-noise ratios are as high as 500. Systematic errors involving beam geometries, light scattering, absorption flattening, photoselection, temperature fluctuations, partial dark adaptation of the sample, unwanted actinic effects, and cooperativity were eliminated, compensated for, or are shown to be irrelevant for the conclusions. Using nonlinear least squares techniques, all data at one temperature and one pH were fitted to sums of exponential decays, which is the form required if the system obeys conventional first-order kinetics. The rate constants obtained have well behaved Arrhenius plots. Analysis of the residual errors of the fitting shows that seven exponentials are required to fit the data to the accuracy of the noise level.

Photoresponses of the purple nonsulfur bacteria Rhodospirillum centenum and Rhodobacter sphaeroides.

OpenAIRE

Sackett, M J; Armitage, J P; Sherwood, E E; Pitta, T P

1997-01-01

We have measured the photoresponse of two purple nonsulfur bacteria, Rhodobacter sphaeroides and Rhodospirillum centenum, under defined conditions in a light beam propagating at 90 degrees to the optical axis of the microscope. This beam presented cells with a steep gradient of intensity perpendicular to the direction of propagation and a shallow gradient in the direction of light propagation. R. centenum, a species that reverses to change direction, accumulated in the light beam, as expected...

Different Metabolomic Responses to Carbon Starvation between Light and Dark Conditions in the Purple Photosynthetic Bacterium, Rhodopseudomonas palustris.

Science.gov (United States)

Kanno, Nanako; Matsuura, Katsumi; Haruta, Shin

2018-03-29

Purple photosynthetic bacteria utilize light energy for growth. We previously demonstrated that light energy contributed to prolonging the survival of multiple purple bacteria under carbon-starved conditions. In order to clarify the effects of illumination on metabolic states under carbon-starved, non-growing conditions, we herein compared the metabolic profiles of starved cells in the light and dark using the purple bacterium, Rhodopseudomonas palustris. The metabolic profiles of starved cells in the light were markedly different from those in the dark. After starvation for 5 d in the light, cells showed increases in the amount of ATP and the NAD + /NADH ratio. Decreases in the amounts of most metabolites related to glycolysis and the TCA cycle in energy-rich starved cells suggest the active utilization of these metabolites for the modification of cellular components. Starvation in the dark induced the consumption of cellular compounds such as amino acids, indicating that the degradation of these cellular components produced ATP in order to maintain viability under energy-poor conditions. The present results suggest that intracellular energy levels alter survival strategies under carbon-starved conditions through metabolism.

Successful Treatment of a Lichenoid-Like Granulomatous Reaction to Purple Tattoo Pigment With Intralesional Kenalog.

Science.gov (United States)

Feldstein, Stephanie; Jagdeo, Jared

2015-06-01

Tattoo reactions can be clinically challenging to diagnose and treat. We present a case of a biopsy-proven granulomatous reaction to purple tattoo ink that clinically mimicked lichen planus. This reaction was successfully treated with one course of intralesional kenalog (ILK), with no recurrence six months after treatment. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a granulomatous tattoo reaction appearing clinically like lichen planus, and one of the few reports of a reaction to purple tattoo pigment. It highlights the importance of biopsying tattoo-related dermatoses prior to treatment in order to confirm the diagnosis. It also illustrates how a minimally invasive technique utilizing ILK to treat a granulomatous tattoo reaction can result in excellent dermatologic, cosmetic, and symptomatic outcomes. Based on this therapeutic success, we believe treatment with ILK injections should be attempted before more invasive modalities such as excision or laser therapy.

Identification and Antioxidant Properties of Phenolic Compounds during Production of Bread from Purple Wheat Grains

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lilei Yu

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Phenolic profiles and antioxidant properties of purple wheat varieties were investigated to document the effects of bread-making. Bread crust and crumb along with samples collected after mixing, 30 min fermenting, 65 min fermenting, and baking were examined. Free phenolic content (105.4 to 113.2 mg FAE/100 g significantly (p < 0.05 increased during mixing, fermenting, and baking (65% to 68%. Bound phenolics slightly (p > 0.05 decreased after 30 min fermentation (7% to 9% compared to the dough after mixing, but increased significantly (p < 0.05 during 65 min fermenting and baking (16% to 27%. Their antioxidant activities followed a similar trend as observed for total phenolic content. The bread crust demonstrated increased free (103% to 109% but decreased bound (2% to 3% phenolic content, whereas bread crumb exhibited a reversal of these results. Total anthocyanin content (TAC significantly (p < 0.05 decreased by 21% after mixing; however, it gradually increased to 90% of the original levels after fermenting. Baking significantly (p < 0.05 decreased TAC by 55%, resulting in the lowest value for bread crust (0.8 to 4.4 mg cyn-3-glu equiv./100 g. p-Hydroxybenzoic, vanillic, p-coumaric, and ferulic acids were detected in free-phenolic extracts, while protocatechuic, caffeic syringic, and sinapic were additional acids in bound-phenolic extracts. Cyanidin-3-glucoside was the detectable anthocyanin in purple wheat. Bread-making significantly (p < 0.05 increased the phenolic content and antioxidant activities; however, it compromised the anthocyanin content of purple wheat bread.

Photoprotection in a purple phototrophic bacterium mediated by oxygen-dependent alteration of carotenoid excited-state properties

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Šlouf, V.; Chábera, P.; Olsen, J.D.; Martin, E.C.; Qian, P.; Hunter, C.N.; Polívka, Tomáš

2012-01-01

Roč. 109, č. 22 (2012), s. 8570-8575 ISSN 0027-8424 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z50510513 Keywords : charge-transfer state * photoprotection * purple bacteria * photosynthesis Subject RIV: BO - Biophysics Impact factor: 9.737, year: 2012

Autophagy induced by purple pitanga (Eugenia uniflora L.) extract triggered a cooperative effect on inducing the hepatic stellate cell death.

Science.gov (United States)

Denardin, Cristiane C; Martins, Leo A M; Parisi, Mariana M; Vieira, Moema Queiroz; Terra, Silvia R; Barbé-Tuana, Florencia M; Borojevic, Radovan; Vizzotto, Márcia; Emanuelli, Tatiana; Guma, Fátima Costa Rodrigues

2017-04-01

Activated hepatic stellate cells (HSC) are the major source of collagen I in liver fibrosis. Eugenia uniflora L. is a tree species that is widely distributed in South America. E. uniflora L. fruit-popularly known as pitanga-has been shown to exert beneficial properties. Autophagy contributes to the maintenance of cellular homeostasis and survival under stress situation, but it has also been suggested to be an alternative cell death pathway. Mitochondria play a pivotal role on signaling cell death. Mitophagy of damaged mitochondria is an important cell defense mechanism against organelle-mediated cell death signaling. We previously found that purple pitanga extract induced mitochondrial dysfunction, cell cycle arrest, and death by apoptosis and necrosis in GRX cells, a well-established activated HSC line. We evaluated the effects of 72-h treatment with crescent concentrations of purple pitanga extract (5 to 100 μg/mL) on triggering autophagy in GRX cells, as this is an important mechanism to cells under cytotoxic conditions. We found that all treated cells presented an increase in the mRNA expression of autophagy-related protein 7 (ATG7). Concomitantly, flow cytometry and ultrastructural analysis of treated cells revealed an increase of autophagosomes/autolysosomes that consequentially led to an increased mitophagy. As purple pitanga extract was previously found to be broadly cytotoxic to GRX cells, we postulated that autophagy contributes to this scenario, where cell death seems to be an inevitable fate. Altogether, the effectiveness on inducing activated HSC death can make purple pitanga extract a good candidate on treating liver fibrosis.

Purple grape juice improves endothelial function and reduces the susceptibility of LDL cholesterol to oxidation in patients with coronary artery disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Stein, J H; Keevil, J G; Wiebe, D A; Aeschlimann, S; Folts, J D

1999-09-07

In vitro, the flavonoid components of red wine and purple grape juice are powerful antioxidants that induce endothelium-dependent vasodilation of vascular rings derived from rat aortas and human coronary arteries. Although improved endothelial function and inhibition of LDL oxidation may be potential mechanisms by which red wine and flavonoids reduce cardiovascular risk, the in vivo effects of grape products on endothelial function and LDL oxidation have not been investigated. This study assessed the effects of ingesting purple grape juice on endothelial function and LDL susceptibility to oxidation in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). Fifteen adults with angiographically documented CAD ingested 7.7+/-1.2 mL. kg(-1). d(-1) of purple grape juice for 14 days. Flow-mediated vasodilation (FMD) was measured using high-resolution brachial artery ultrasonography. Susceptibility of LDL particles to oxidation was determined from the rate of conjugated diene formation after exposure to copper chloride. At baseline, FMD was impaired (2.2+/-2. 9%). After ingestion of grape juice, FMD increased to 6.4+/-4.7% (P=0.003). In a linear regression model that included age, artery diameter, lipid values, and use of lipid-lowering and antioxidant therapies, the effect of grape juice on FMD remained significant (mean change 4.2+/-4.4%, PFMD and reduces LDL susceptibility to oxidation in CAD patients. Improved endothelium-dependent vasodilation and prevention of LDL oxidation are potential mechanisms by which flavonoids in purple grape products may prevent cardiovascular events, independent of alcohol content.

Effects of ultrasound treatment in purple cactus pear (Opuntia ficus-indica) juice.

Science.gov (United States)

Zafra-Rojas, Quinatzin Yadira; Cruz-Cansino, Nelly; Ramírez-Moreno, Esther; Delgado-Olivares, Luis; Villanueva-Sánchez, Javier; Alanís-García, Ernesto

2013-09-01

Cactus pear (Opuntia ficus-indica) fruit is a berry with a tasty pulp full of seeds that constitutes about 10-15% of the edible pulp. In Mexico, cactus pear is mainly consumed fresh, but also has the potential to be processed in other products such as juice. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of different ultrasound conditions at amplitude levels ranging (40% and 60% for 10, 15, 25 min; 80% for 3, 5, 8, 10, 15 and 25 min) on the characteristics of purple cactus pear juice. The evaluated parameters were related with the quality (stability, °Brix, pH), microbial growth, total phenolic compounds, ascorbic acid and antioxidant activity (ABTS, DPPH and % chelating activity) of purple cactus pear juices. The ultrasound treatment for time period of 15 and 25 min significantly reduced the microbial count in 15 and 25 min, without affecting the juice quality and its antioxidant properties. Juice treated at 80% of amplitude level showed an increased of antioxidant compounds. Our results demonstrated that sonication is a suitable technique for cactus pear processing. This technology allows the achievement of juice safety and quality standards without compromising the retention of antioxidant compounds. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Purple witchweed (Striga hermonthica) germination and seedbank depletion under different crops, fallow, and bare soil

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Mourik, van T.A.; Stomph, T.J.; Murdoch, A.J.

2011-01-01

Seedbank density is an important aspect that determines the amount of damage that the parasitic weed, purple witchweed (Striga hermonthica; hereafter, called “Striga”), causes on its crop hosts. The seedbank depletion of Striga was measured in Mali and Niger during the 2004 rainy season under the

Identification and Antioxidant Properties of Phenolic Compounds during Production of Bread from Purple Wheat Grains.

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Lilei; Beta, Trust

2015-08-26

Phenolic profiles and antioxidant properties of purple wheat varieties were investigated to document the effects of bread-making. Bread crust and crumb along with samples collected after mixing, 30 min fermenting, 65 min fermenting, and baking were examined. Free phenolic content (105.4 to 113.2 mg FAE/100 g) significantly (p 0.05) decreased after 30 min fermentation (7% to 9%) compared to the dough after mixing, but increased significantly (p bread crust demonstrated increased free (103% to 109%) but decreased bound (2% to 3%) phenolic content, whereas bread crumb exhibited a reversal of these results. Total anthocyanin content (TAC) significantly (p bread crust (0.8 to 4.4 mg cyn-3-glu equiv./100 g). p-Hydroxybenzoic, vanillic, p-coumaric, and ferulic acids were detected in free-phenolic extracts, while protocatechuic, caffeic syringic, and sinapic were additional acids in bound-phenolic extracts. Cyanidin-3-glucoside was the detectable anthocyanin in purple wheat. Bread-making significantly (p bread.

Excitonic energy transfer in light-harvesting complexes in purple bacteria

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ye Jun; Sun Kewei; Zhao Yang; Lee, Chee Kong; Yu Yunjin; Cao Jianshu

2012-01-01

Two distinct approaches, the Frenkel-Dirac time-dependent variation and the Haken-Strobl model, are adopted to study energy transfer dynamics in single-ring and double-ring light-harvesting (LH) systems in purple bacteria. It is found that the inclusion of long-range dipolar interactions in the two methods results in significant increase in intra- or inter-ring exciton transfer efficiency. The dependence of exciton transfer efficiency on trapping positions on single rings of LH2 (B850) and LH1 is similar to that in toy models with nearest-neighbor coupling only. However, owing to the symmetry breaking caused by the dimerization of BChls and dipolar couplings, such dependence has been largely suppressed. In the studies of coupled-ring systems, both methods reveal an interesting role of dipolar interactions in increasing energy transfer efficiency by introducing multiple intra/inter-ring transfer paths. Importantly, the time scale (4 ps) of inter-ring exciton transfer obtained from polaron dynamics is in good agreement with previous studies. In a double-ring LH2 system, non-nearest neighbor interactions can induce symmetry breaking, which leads to global and local minima of the average trapping time in the presence of a non-zero dephasing rate, suggesting that environment dephasing helps preserve quantum coherent energy transfer when the perfect circular symmetry in the hypothetic system is broken. This study reveals that dipolar coupling between chromophores may play an important role in the high energy transfer efficiency in the LH systems of purple bacteria and many other natural photosynthetic systems.

Excitonic energy transfer in light-harvesting complexes in purple bacteria

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ye Jun; Sun Kewei; Zhao Yang; Lee, Chee Kong [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798 (Singapore); Yu Yunjin [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798 (Singapore); College of Physics Science and Technology, Shenzhen University, Guangdong 518060 (China); Cao Jianshu [Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139 (United States)

2012-06-28

Two distinct approaches, the Frenkel-Dirac time-dependent variation and the Haken-Strobl model, are adopted to study energy transfer dynamics in single-ring and double-ring light-harvesting (LH) systems in purple bacteria. It is found that the inclusion of long-range dipolar interactions in the two methods results in significant increase in intra- or inter-ring exciton transfer efficiency. The dependence of exciton transfer efficiency on trapping positions on single rings of LH2 (B850) and LH1 is similar to that in toy models with nearest-neighbor coupling only. However, owing to the symmetry breaking caused by the dimerization of BChls and dipolar couplings, such dependence has been largely suppressed. In the studies of coupled-ring systems, both methods reveal an interesting role of dipolar interactions in increasing energy transfer efficiency by introducing multiple intra/inter-ring transfer paths. Importantly, the time scale (4 ps) of inter-ring exciton transfer obtained from polaron dynamics is in good agreement with previous studies. In a double-ring LH2 system, non-nearest neighbor interactions can induce symmetry breaking, which leads to global and local minima of the average trapping time in the presence of a non-zero dephasing rate, suggesting that environment dephasing helps preserve quantum coherent energy transfer when the perfect circular symmetry in the hypothetic system is broken. This study reveals that dipolar coupling between chromophores may play an important role in the high energy transfer efficiency in the LH systems of purple bacteria and many other natural photosynthetic systems.

Incoming editorial: bigger, purple, pragmatic, and parsimony.

Science.gov (United States)

Hilsenroth, Mark J

2011-03-01

It is with great excitement and enthusiasm that I write to you regarding several updates, new initiatives and changes with our journal. As you may have already noticed, this includes the change to a larger format, and a return to the color purple that helped define this journal from the early 1980s through the turn of the century, as well as to the original title "Psychotherapy." The change in format will allow us to benefit from the standard American Psychological Association (APA) journal design and layout, leading to more efficient processing and arrangement within their electronic journal system. I have found this first year as the Incoming Editor of Psychotherapy to be as challenging, rewarding, and intellectually stimulating as I imagined it would be, and I remain quite excited and enthusiastic about the work ahead. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved).

Electronic band structure and charge density wave transition in quasi-2D KMo6O17 purple bronze

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Valbuena, M. A.; Avila, J.; Vyalikh, D. V.; Guyot, H.; Laubschat, C.; Molodtsov, S. L.; Asensio, M. C.

2008-03-01

High resolution angle-resolved photoemission of quasi-2D KMo6O17 purple bronze has been performed in the range from room temperature to 130 K, slightly above the charge density wave (CDW) transition (Tc = 110 K), and down to 35 K (well below Tc). In this paper we report a detailed study of how electronic band structure is affected by this transition driven by the hidden nesting scenario. The expected spectroscopic fingerprints of the CDW phase transition have been found and discussed according to the hidden one dimension and the development of a quasi-commensurate CDW. The excellent agreement between theory and our experimental results makes of potassium purple bronze a reference system for studying this type of instabilities.

Electronic band structure and charge density wave transition in quasi-2D KMo6O17 purple bronze

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Valbuena, M A; Avila, J; Asensio, M C; Vyalikh, D V; Laubschat, C; Molodtsov, S L; Guyot, H

2008-01-01

High resolution angle-resolved photoemission of quasi-2D KMo 6 O 17 purple bronze has been performed in the range from room temperature to 130 K, slightly above the charge density wave (CDW) transition (T c = 110 K), and down to 35 K (well below T c ). In this paper we report a detailed study of how electronic band structure is affected by this transition driven by the hidden nesting scenario. The expected spectroscopic fingerprints of the CDW phase transition have been found and discussed according to the hidden one dimension and the development of a quasi-commensurate CDW. The excellent agreement between theory and our experimental results makes of potassium purple bronze a reference system for studying this type of instabilities

Alternative expression of vacuolar iron transporter and ferritin genes leads to blue/purple coloration of flowers in tulip cv. 'Murasakizuisho'.

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Shoji, Kazuaki; Momonoi, Kazumi; Tsuji, Tosiaki

2010-02-01

Flowers of tulip cv. 'Murasakizuisho' have a purple perianth except for the bottom region, which is blue in color even though it has the same anthocyanin, delphinidin 3-O-rutinoside, as the entire perianth. The development of the blue coloration in the perianth bottom is due to complexation by anthocyanin, flavonol and iron (Fe), as well as a vacuolar iron transporter, TgVit1. Although transient expression of TgVit1 in the purple cells led to a color change to light blue, the coloration of the transformed cells did not coincide with the dark blue color of the cells of the perianth bottom. We thought that another factor is required for the blue coloration of the cells of perianth bottom. To examine the effect of ferritin (FER), an Fe storage protein, on blue color development, we cloned an FER gene (TgFER1) and performed expression analyses. TgFER1 transcripts were found in the cells located in the upper region of the petals along with purple color development by anthocyanin and were not found in the blue cells of the perianth bottom. This gene expression is in contrast to that of TgVit1, expressed only in the cells of the perianth bottom. Co-expression of TgVIT1 and TgFER-RNAi, constructed for suppressing endogenous TgFER1 by RNA interference (RNAi), changed the purple petal cells to a dark blue color similar to that of the natural perianth bottom. These results strongly suggest that TgVit1 expression and TgFER1 suppression are critical for the development of blue color in the perianth bottom.

Comparison of purple carrot juice and β-carotene in a high-carbohydrate, high-fat diet-fed rat model of the metabolic syndrome.

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Poudyal, Hemant; Panchal, Sunil; Brown, Lindsay

2010-11-01

Anthocyanins, phenolic acids and carotenoids are the predominant phytochemicals present in purple carrots. These phytochemicals could be useful in treatment of the metabolic syndrome since anthocyanins improve dyslipidaemia, glucose tolerance, hypertension and insulin resistance; the phenolic acids may also protect against CVD and β-carotene may protect against oxidative processes. In the present study, we have compared the ability of purple carrot juice and β-carotene to reverse the structural and functional changes in rats fed a high-carbohydrate, high-fat diet as a model of the metabolic syndrome induced by diet. Cardiac structure and function were defined by histology, echocardiography and in isolated hearts and blood vessels; liver structure and function, oxidative stress and inflammation were defined by histology and plasma markers. High-carbohydrate, high-fat diet-fed rats developed hypertension, cardiac fibrosis, increased cardiac stiffness, endothelial dysfunction, impaired glucose tolerance, increased abdominal fat deposition, altered plasma lipid profile, liver fibrosis and increased plasma liver enzymes together with increased plasma markers of oxidative stress and inflammation as well as increased inflammatory cell infiltration. Purple carrot juice attenuated or reversed all changes while β-carotene did not reduce oxidative stress, cardiac stiffness or hepatic fat deposition. As the juice itself contained low concentrations of carotenoids, it is likely that the anthocyanins are responsible for the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of purple carrot juice to improve glucose tolerance as well as cardiovascular and hepatic structure and function.

Microencapsulation of Natural Anthocyanin from Purple Rosella Calyces by Freeze Drying

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Nafiunisa, A.; Aryanti, N.; Wardhani, D. H.; Kumoro, A. C.

2017-11-01

Anthocyanin extract in powder form will improve its use since the powder is easier to store and more applicable. Microencapsulation method is introduced as an efficient way for protecting pigment such as anthocyanin. This research was aimed to characterise anthocyanin encapsulated products prepared from purple Roselle calyces by freeze drying. The liquid anthocyanin extracts from ultrasound-assisted extraction were freeze-dried with and without the addition of 10% w/w maltodextrins as a carrier and coating agents. The quality attributes of the powders were characterised by their colour intensity, water content, and solubility. Analysis of encapsulated material was performed for the powder added by maltodextrin. The stability of the microencapsulated pigment in solution form was determined for 11 days. Total anthocyanin content was observed through pH differential method. The results of the colour intensity analysis confirm that the product with maltodextrin addition has more intense colour with L* value of 29.69 a* value of 54.29 and b* value of 8.39. The result with the addition of maltodextrin has less moisture content and more soluble in water. It is verified that better results were obtained for powder with maltodextrin addition. Anthocyanin in the powder form with maltodextrin addition exhibits higher stability even after 11 days. In conclusion, the microencapsulation of anthocyanin with maltodextrin as a carrier and coating agent presented a potential method to produce anthocyanin powder from purple Roselle.

Molecular Regulation of Photosynthetic Carbon Dioxide Fixation in Nonsulfur Purple Bacteria

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Tabita, Fred Robert [The Ohio State Univ., Columbus, OH (United States)

2015-12-01

The overall objective of this project is to determine the mechanism by which a transcriptional activator protein affects CO₂ fixation (cbb) gene expression in nonsulfur purple photosynthetic bacteria, with special emphasis to Rhodobacter sphaeroides and with comparison to Rhodopseudomonas palustris. These studies culminated in several publications which indicated that additional regulators interact with the master regulator CbbR in both R. sphaeroides and R. palustris. In addition, the interactive control of the carbon and nitrogen assimilatory pathways was studied and unique regulatory signals were discovered.

Influence of environmental factors on growth and pigment synthesis by purple thiobacteria

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Y. О. Pavlova

2007-12-01

Full Text Available The influence of different environmental factors on growth and pigment biosynthesis by particular strains of purple thiobacteria was investigated. These strains belong to the genus Chromatium, Thiocystis, Thiocapsa and Lamprocystis and were isolated from Yavoriv sulphur mine. Calcium, magnesium, manganese, iron and sodium chloride should be included in the medium for optimal growth of these bacteria. Addition of these elements entails increasing the biomass production and synthesis of carotenoids and bacteriochlorophyll a. Initial concentration of inoculum and electron donor has essential influence on growth of purple thiobacteria. Early in the development of culture, sulphide was oxidized, and then the growth impairment and destruction of cells under exposure of light were observed. For the optimization of bacteria growth the electron donor (sulphide must be added many times during the cultivation process in the concentration, which is not exceed an inhibition dose. The additional bringing of the electron donor in the medium promotes the raise of cells’ biomass. The acetate introduction in the medium has positive influence on the pigments’ biosynthesis. The essential factor of growth and pigments’ biosynthesis is the light intensity. Peak gain of the culture growth was observed under 400 lx. The amplification of light exposure is accompanied by the decrease of growth and content of pigments in cells. Oxygen inhibits the synthesis of pigments in all strains

Identification of soybean purple acid phosphatase genes and their expression responses to phosphorus availability and symbiosis

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Background and Aims Purple acid phosphatases (PAPs) are members of the metallo-phosphoesterase family and have been known to play important roles in phosphorus (P) acquisition and recycling in plants. Low P availability is a major constraint to growth and production of soybean, Glycine max. Comparat...

An analytical pipeline to compare and characterise the anthocyanin antioxidant activities of purple sweet potato cultivars.

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Hu, Yijie; Deng, Liqing; Chen, Jinwu; Zhou, Siyu; Liu, Shuang; Fu, Yufan; Yang, Chunxian; Liao, Zhihua; Chen, Min

2016-03-01

Purple sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas L.) is rich in anthocyanin pigments, which are valuable constituents of the human diet. Techniques to identify and quantify anthocyanins and their antioxidant potential are desirable for cultivar selection and breeding. In this study, we performed a quantitative and qualitative chemical analysis of 30 purple sweet potato (PSP) cultivars, using various assays to measure reducing power radical-scavenging activities, and linoleic acid autoxidation inhibition activity. Grey relational analysis (GRA) was applied to establish relationships between the antioxidant activities and the chemical fingerprints, in order to identify key bioactive compounds. The results indicated that four peonidin-based anthocyanins and three cyanidin-based anthocyanins make significant contributions to antioxidant activity. We conclude that the analytical pipeline described here represents an effective method to evaluate the antioxidant potential of, and the contributing compounds present in, PSP cultivars. This approach may be used to guide future breeding strategies. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

TRICAINE METHANESULFONATE (MS-222) SEDATION AND ANESTHESIA IN THE PURPLE-SPINED SEA URCHIN (ARBACIA PUNCTULATA).

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Applegate, Jeffrey R; Dombrowski, Daniel S; Christian, Larry Shane; Bayer, Meredith P; Harms, Craig A; Lewbart, Gregory A

2016-12-01

The purple-spined sea urchin ( Arbacia punctulata ) is commonly found in shallow waters of the western Atlantic Ocean from the New England area of the United States to the Caribbean. Sea urchins play a major role in ocean ecology, echinoculture, and biomedical research. Additionally, sea urchins are commonly displayed in public aquaria. Baseline parameters were developed in unanesthetized urchins for righting reflex (time to regain oral recumbency) and spine response time to tactile stimulus. Tricaine methanesulfonate (MS-222) was used to sedate and anesthetize purple-spined sea urchins and assess sedation and anesthetic parameters, including adhesion to and release from a vertical surface, times to loss of response to tactile stimulus and recovery of righting reflex, and qualitative observations of induction of spawning and position of spines and pseudopodia. Sedation and anesthetic parameters were evaluated in 11 individuals in three circumstances: unaltered aquarium water for baseline behaviors, 0.4 g/L MS-222, and 0.8 g/L MS-222. Induction was defined as the release from a vertical surface with the loss of righting reflex, sedation as loss of righting reflex with retained tactile spine response, anesthesia as loss of righting reflex and loss of tactile spine response, and recovery as voluntary return to oral recumbency. MS-222 proved to be an effective sedative and anesthetic for the purple-spined sea urchin at 0.4 and 0.8 g/L, respectively. Sodium bicarbonate used to buffer MS-222 had no measurable sedative effects when used alone. Anesthesia was quickly reversed with transfer of each individual to anesthesia-free seawater, and no anesthetic-related mortality occurred. The parameters assessed in this study provide a baseline for sea urchin anesthesia and may provide helpful comparisons to similar species and populations that are in need of anesthesia for surgical procedures or research.

Effects of Calcium Ions on the Thermostability and Spectroscopic Properties of the LH1-RC Complex from a New Thermophilic Purple Bacterium Allochromatium tepidum.

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Kimura, Yukihiro; Lyu, Shuwen; Okoshi, Akira; Okazaki, Koudai; Nakamura, Natsuki; Ohashi, Akira; Ohno, Takashi; Kobayashi, Manami; Imanishi, Michie; Takaichi, Shinichi; Madigan, Michael T; Wang-Otomo, Zheng-Yu

2017-05-18

The light harvesting-reaction center (LH1-RC) complex from a new thermophilic purple sulfur bacterium Allochromatium (Alc.) tepidum was isolated and characterized by spectroscopic and thermodynamic analyses. The purified Alc. tepidum LH1-RC complex showed a high thermostability comparable to that of another thermophilic purple sulfur bacterium Thermochromatium tepidum, and spectroscopic characteristics similar to those of a mesophilic bacterium Alc. vinosum. Approximately 4-5 Ca 2+ per LH1-RC were detected by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy and isothermal titration calorimetry. Upon removal of Ca 2+ , the denaturing temperature of the Alc. tepidum LH1-RC complex dropped accompanied by a blue-shift of the LH1 Q y absorption band. The effect of Ca 2+ was also observed in the resonance Raman shift of the C3-acetyl νC═O band of bacteriochlorophyll-a, indicating changes in the hydrogen-bonding interactions between the pigment and LH1 polypeptides. Thermodynamic parameters for the Ca 2+ -binding to the Alc. tepidum LH1-RC complex indicated that this reaction is predominantly driven by the largely favorable electrostatic interactions that counteract the unfavorable negative entropy change. Our data support a hypothesis that Alc. tepidum may be a transitional organism between mesophilic and thermophilic purple bacteria and that Ca 2+ is one of the major keys to the thermostability of LH1-RC complexes in purple bacteria.

Effect of UV irradiation on Echinaceae purpureae interactions with free radicals examined by an X-band (9.3 GHz) EPR spectroscopy.

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Ramos, Paweł; Pilawa, Barbara

The effect of UVA (315-400 nm) irradiation on Echinaceae purpureae interactions with free radicals was examined by the use of electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy. The changes of antioxidant properties of E. purpureae with time of UV irradiation from 10 to 110 min (10 min steps) were determined. DPPH as the paramagnetic reference was used in this study. Changes of EPR signals of the reference after interactions with nonirradiated and UV-irradiated E. purpureae were detected. Interactions of the tested E. purpureae samples caused decrease of the EPR signal of DPPH as the result of its antioxidant properties. The decrease of the amplitude of EPR line of DPPH was lower for interactions with UV-irradiated E. purpureae . EPR examination confirmed antioxidant properties of E. purpureae . The weaker antioxidant properties of E. purpureae after UV irradiation were pointed out. E. purpureae should be storage in the dark. The tests bring to light usefulness of electron paramagnetic resonance with microwave frequency of 9.3 GHz (an X-band) in examination of storage conditions of pharmacological herbs.

Development of Colorectal-Targeted Dietary Supplement Tablets Containing Natural Purple Rice Bran Oil as a Colorectal Chemopreventive

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Busaban Sirithunyalug

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Colorectal cancer occurs due to various factors. The important risks are dietary lifestyle and inflammatory bowel diseases, such as Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. It has been found that the inhibitory enzyme cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2 in the colorectal region can potentially reduce the risk of colorectal cancer. The present study investigated rice bran oil from natural purple rice bran, which exhibits antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity. This study aimed to evaluate the bioactive compound content of natural purple rice bran oil (NPRBO derived from native Thai purple rice and the anti-inflammatory activity of NPRBO in colorectal cancer cells, and to develop a colorectal delivery platform in the form of film-coated tablets. NPRBO from the rice bran of five different Thai purple rice cultivars, namely Khao’ Gam Leum-Phua (KGLP, Khao’ Gam Boung (KGB, Khao’ Gam Thor (KGT, Khao’ Gam Pah E-Kaw (KGPEK, and Khao’ Niaw Dam (KND, were extracted using the supercritical carbon dioxide extraction technique. The amount of γ-oryzanol (ORY, tocotrienols, and tocopherols present in NPRBOs and the in vitro anti-inflammatory activity of NPRBO were investigated. The highest anti-inflammatory NPRBO was transformed into a dry and free-flowing powder by liquisolid techniques. Then, it was compressed into core tablets and coated with Eudragit®L100 and Eudragit® NE30D. The in vitro release study of the film-coated NPRBO tablets was performed in three-phase simulated gastrointestinal media. The cultivar KGLP was superior to the other samples in terms of the ORY, tocotrienol and tocopherol contents and anti-inflammatory activity. Aerosil® was the most suitable absorbent for transforming NPRBO into a free-flowing powder and was used to prepare the NPRBO core tablets. The in vitro KGLP-NPRBO film-coated tablet release profile showed that no ORY was released at gastric pH while 85% of ORY was released at pH 7.4 after 6 h; this would be expected to

Development of Colorectal-Targeted Dietary Supplement Tablets Containing Natural Purple Rice Bran Oil as a Colorectal Chemopreventive

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Sirithunyalug, Busaban; Saenjum, Chalermpong; Charumanee, Suporn; Chaiyasut, Chaiyavat; Sirithunyalug, Jakkapan; Tipduangta, Pratchaya

2018-01-01

Colorectal cancer occurs due to various factors. The important risks are dietary lifestyle and inflammatory bowel diseases, such as Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. It has been found that the inhibitory enzyme cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) in the colorectal region can potentially reduce the risk of colorectal cancer. The present study investigated rice bran oil from natural purple rice bran, which exhibits antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity. This study aimed to evaluate the bioactive compound content of natural purple rice bran oil (NPRBO) derived from native Thai purple rice and the anti-inflammatory activity of NPRBO in colorectal cancer cells, and to develop a colorectal delivery platform in the form of film-coated tablets. NPRBO from the rice bran of five different Thai purple rice cultivars, namely Khao’ Gam Leum-Phua (KGLP), Khao’ Gam Boung (KGB), Khao’ Gam Thor (KGT), Khao’ Gam Pah E-Kaw (KGPEK), and Khao’ Niaw Dam (KND), were extracted using the supercritical carbon dioxide extraction technique. The amount of γ-oryzanol (ORY), tocotrienols, and tocopherols present in NPRBOs and the in vitro anti-inflammatory activity of NPRBO were investigated. The highest anti-inflammatory NPRBO was transformed into a dry and free-flowing powder by liquisolid techniques. Then, it was compressed into core tablets and coated with Eudragit®L100 and Eudragit® NE30D. The in vitro release study of the film-coated NPRBO tablets was performed in three-phase simulated gastrointestinal media. The cultivar KGLP was superior to the other samples in terms of the ORY, tocotrienol and tocopherol contents and anti-inflammatory activity. Aerosil® was the most suitable absorbent for transforming NPRBO into a free-flowing powder and was used to prepare the NPRBO core tablets. The in vitro KGLP-NPRBO film-coated tablet release profile showed that no ORY was released at gastric pH while 85% of ORY was released at pH 7.4 after 6 h; this would be expected to occur in

PROJECTING POPULATION-LEVEL RESPONSE OF PURPLE SEA URCHINS TO LEAD CONTAMINATION FOR AN ESTUARINE ECOLOGICAL RISK ASSESSMENT

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As part of an ecological risk assessment case study at the Portsmouth naval Shipyard (PNS), Kittery, Maine, USA, the population level effects of lead exposure to purple sea urchin, Arbacia punctulata, were investigated using a stage-classified matrix population model. The model d...

Accumulation of Phenolic Compounds and Expression Profiles of Phenolic Acid Biosynthesis-Related Genes in Developing Grains of White, Purple, and Red Wheat.

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Ma, Dongyun; Li, Yaoguang; Zhang, Jian; Wang, Chenyang; Qin, Haixia; Ding, Huina; Xie, Yingxin; Guo, Tiancai

2016-01-01

Polyphenols in whole grain wheat have potential health benefits, but little is known about the expression patterns of phenolic acid biosynthesis genes and the accumulation of phenolic acid compounds in different-colored wheat grains. We found that purple wheat varieties had the highest total phenolic content (TPC) and antioxidant activity. Among phenolic acid compounds, bound ferulic acid, vanillic, and caffeic acid levels were significantly higher in purple wheat than in white and red wheat, while total soluble phenolic acid, soluble ferulic acid, and vanillic acid levels were significantly higher in purple and red wheat than in white wheat. Ferulic acid and syringic acid levels peaked at 14 days after anthesis (DAA), whereas p-coumaric acid and caffeic acid levels peaked at 7 DAA, and vanillic acid levels gradually increased during grain filling and peaked near ripeness (35 DAA). Nine phenolic acid biosynthesis pathway genes (TaPAL1, TaPAL2, TaC3H1, TaC3H2, TaC4H, Ta4CL1, Ta4CL2, TaCOMT1, and TaCOMT2) exhibited three distinct expression patterns during grain filling, which may be related to the different phenolic acids levels. White wheat had higher phenolic acid contents and relatively high gene expression at the early stage, while purple wheat had the highest phenolic acid contents and gene expression levels at later stages. These results suggest that the expression of phenolic acid biosynthesis genes may be closely related to phenolic acids accumulation.

Copigmentation Of Anthocyanin Extract of Purple Sweet Potatoes (Ipomea Batatas L.) Using Ferulic Acid And Tannic Acid

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Susanti, I.; Wijaya, H.; Hasanah, F.; Heryani, S.

2018-02-01

Copigmentation is one of the methods to improve the color stability and intensity of anthocyanin extract. This study aimed to do the copigmentation of the anthocyanin extract of purple sweet potato using ferulic acid and tannic acid. The anthocyanin extraction was conducted with distilled water at pH 7 and pH 2 while the copigmentation was conducted by varying the concentration of ferulic acid and tannic acid. The results showed that best anthocyanin extraction method of the purple sweet potato was using distilled water at pH 2. The yield of freeze dried anthocyanin on the extraction with distilled water at pH 2 was 1710 ppm, while the yield when using distilled water at pH 7 was 888 ppm. Ferulic acid and tannic acid can be used for the copigmentation of anthocyanin extract of purple sweet potato by observing the maximum wavelength shift (bathochromic effect, Δλmax) and increase of color intensity (hyperchromic effect, ΔAmax). The bathochromic effect of ferulic acid began to occur at a concentration of 0.01M, while the hypochromic effect on tannic acid occurred at a concentration of 0.005M and remained up to a concentration of 0.02M. The best copigmentation concentration of ferulic acid was 0.015M, while tannic acid was 0.02M. The use of tannic acid 0.02M is recommended compared to ferulic acid 0.015M because with the same bathocromic effect (Δλmaks = 3,9) results hyperchromic effect (ΔA = 0,258) higher by tannic acid.

Identification of Novel Source of Resistance and Differential Response of Allium Genotypes to Purple Blotch Pathogen, Alternaria porri (Ellis) Ciferri.

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Nanda, Satyabrata; Chand, Subodh Kumar; Mandal, Purander; Tripathy, Pradyumna; Joshi, Raj Kumar

2016-12-01

Purple blotch, caused by Alternaria porri (Ellis) Cifferi, is a serious disease incurring heavy yield losses in the bulb and seed crop of onion and garlic worldwide. There is an immediate need for identification of effective resistance sources for use in host resistance breeding. A total of 43 Allium genotypes were screened for purple blotch resistance under field conditions. Allium cepa accession 'CBT-Ac77' and cultivar 'Arka Kalyan' were observed to be highly resistant. In vitro inoculation of a selected set of genotypes with A. porri , revealed that 7 days after inoculation was suitable to observe the disease severity. In vitro screening of 43 genotypes for resistance to A. porri revealed two resistant lines. An additional 14 genotypes showed consistent moderate resistance in the field as well as in vitro evaluations. Among the related Allium species, A. schoenoprasum and A. roylei showed the least disease index and can be used for interspecific hybridization with cultivated onion. Differential reaction analysis of three A. porri isolates ( Apo-Chiplima, Apn-Nasik, Apg-Guntur ) in 43 genotypes revealed significant variation among the evaluated Allium species ( P = 0.001). All together, the present study suggest that, the newly identified resistance sources can be used as potential donors for ongoing purple blotch resistance breeding program in India.

Physical properties of a frozen yogurt fortified with a nano-emulsion containing purple rice bran oil

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The objectives of this study were to develop and evaluate a frozen yogurt (FY) fortified with a nano-emulsion containing purple rice bran oil (NPRBO). A nano-emulsion with a droplet size range of 150-300 nm was produced by sonication followed by ultra-shear homogenization. The nano-emulsion was mi...

Phenolic Composition and Evaluation of the Antimicrobial Activity of Free and Bound Phenolic Fractions from a Peruvian Purple Corn (Zea mays L.) Accession.

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Gálvez Ranilla, Lena; Christopher, Ashish; Sarkar, Dipayan; Shetty, Kalidas; Chirinos, Rosana; Campos, David

2017-12-01

Beneficial effects on overall gut health by phenolic bioactives-rich foods are potentially due to their modulation of probiotic gut bacteria and antimicrobial activity against pathogenic bacteria. Based on this rationale, the effect of the free and bound phenolic fractions from a Peruvian purple corn accession AREQ-084 on probiotic lactic acid bacteria such as Lactobacillus helveticus and Bifidobacterium longum and the gastric cancer-related pathogen Helicobacter pylori was evaluated. The free and bound phenolic composition was also determined by ultra-performance liquid chromatography. Anthocyanins were the major phenolic compounds (310.04 mg cyanidin-3-glucoside equivalents/100 g dry weight, DW) in the free phenolic fraction along with hydroxycinnamic acids such as p-coumaric acid derivatives, followed by caffeic and ferulic acid derivatives. The bound phenolic form had only hydroxycinnamic acids such as ferulic acid, p-coumaric acid, and a ferulic acid derivative with ferulic acid being the major phenolic compound (156.30 mg/100 g DW). These phenolic compounds were compatible with beneficial probiotic lactic acid bacteria such as L. helveticus and B. longum as these bacteria were not inhibited by the free and bound phenolic fractions at 10 to 50 mg/mL and 10 mg/mL of sample doses, respectively. However, the pathogenic H. pylori was also not inhibited by both purple corn phenolic forms at same above sample doses. This study provides the preliminary base for the characterization of phenolic compounds of Peruvian purple corn biodiversity and its potential health benefits relevant to improving human gut health. This study provides insights that Peruvian purple corn accession AREQ-084 can be targeted as a potential source of health-relevant phenolic compounds such as anthocyanins along with hydroxycinnamic acids linked to its dietary fiber fraction. Additionally, these phenolic fractions did not affect the gut health associated beneficial bacteria nor the pathogenic

Effects of Purple-fleshed Sweet Potato (Ipomoera batatas Cultivar Ayamurasaki) Powder Addition on Color and Texture Properties and Sensory Characteristics of Cooked Pork Sausages during Storage

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Jin, Sang-Keun; Kim, Yeong-Jung; Park, Jae Hong; Hur, In-Chul; Nam, Sang-Hae; Shin, Daekeun

2012-01-01

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of adding purple-fleshed sweet potato (PFP) powder on the texture properties and sensory characteristics of cooked pork sausage. Sodium nitrite alone and sodium nitrite in combination with PFP were added to five different treatments sausages (CON (control) = 0.01% sodium nitrite, SP25 = 0.005% sodium nitrite and 0.25% purple-fleshed sweet potato powder combination, SP50 = 0.005% sodium nitrite and 0.5% purple-fleshed sweet potato powder combination, PP25 = 0.25% purple-fleshed sweet potato powder, PP50 = 0.5% purple-fleshed sweet potato powder). The sausages were cooked to 74°C, stored at 4°C for 6 wks, and used for chemical analysis, textural properties, and a sensory evaluation on 0, 2, 4 and 6 wks of storage, respectively. Similar CIE a* and b* values were determined in sausages from CON, SP25 and SP50 at the end of storage, and they were higher in CIE a* but lower in CIE b* than that of the PP25 and PP50 sausages. Significant differences were observed for brittleness and hardness when PFP was added to the sausages but were not confirmed after 4 wks of storage. The objective color score was influenced by adding PFP; however, the effect was not dose dependent. In overall acceptability, panelists favored the CON, SP25, SP50, and PP50 sausages but did not prefer PP25 sausages at the end of storage. Therefore, adding PFP to cooked pork sausages improved color and texture properties and sensory characteristics, but further study is needed to determine the proper ratio of sodium nitrite and PFP. PMID:25049698

Diversity of purple nonsulfur bacteria in shrimp ponds with varying mercury levels

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Kanokwan Mukkata

2016-07-01

Full Text Available This research aimed to study the diversity of purple nonsulfur bacteria (PNSB and to investigate the effect of Hg concentrations in shrimp ponds on PNSB diversity. Amplification of the pufM gene was detected in 13 and 10 samples of water and sediment collected from 16 shrimp ponds in Southern Thailand. In addition to PNSB, other anoxygenic phototrophic bacteria (APB were also observed; purple sulfur bacteria (PSB and aerobic anoxygenic phototrophic bacteria (AAPB although most of them could not be identified. Among identified groups; AAPB, PSB and PNSB in the samples of water and sediment were 25.71, 11.43 and 8.57%; and 27.78, 11.11 and 22.22%, respectively. In both sample types, Roseobacter denitrificans (AAPB was the most dominant species followed by Halorhodospira halophila (PSB. In addition two genera, observed most frequently in the sediment samples were a group of PNSB (Rhodovulum kholense, Rhodospirillum centenum and Rhodobium marinum. The UPGMA dendrograms showed 7 and 6 clustered groups in the water and sediment samples, respectively. There was no relationship between the clustered groups and the total Hg (HgT concentrations in the water and sediment samples used (<0.002–0.03 μg/L and 35.40–391.60 μg/kg dry weight for studying the biodiversity. It can be concluded that there was no effect of the various Hg levels on the diversity of detected APB species; particularly the PNSB in the shrimp ponds.

MATHEMATICAL SIMULATION OF THE INTERACTIONS AMONG CYANOBACTERIA, PURPLE SULFUR BACTERIA AND CHEMOTROPIC SULFUR BACTERIA IN MICROBIAL MAT COMMUNITIES

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DEWIT, R; VANDENENDE, FP; VANGEMERDEN, H

A deterministic one-dimensional reaction diffusion model was constructed to simulate benthic stratification patterns and population dynamics of cyanobacteria, purple and colorless sulfur bacteria as found in marine microbial mats. The model involves the major biogeochemical processes of the sulfur

Green ultrasound-assisted extraction of anthocyanin and phenolic compounds from purple sweet potato using response surface methodology

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Zhenzhou; Guan, Qingyan; Guo, Ying; He, Jingren; Liu, Gang; Li, Shuyi; Barba, Francisco J.; Jaffrin, Michel Y.

2016-01-01

Response surface methodology was used to optimize experimental conditions for ultrasound-assisted extraction of valuable components (anthocyanins and phenolics) from purple sweet potatoes using water as a solvent. The Box-Behnken design was used for optimizing extraction responses of anthocyanin extraction yield, phenolic extraction yield, and specific energy consumption. Conditions to obtain maximal anthocyanin extraction yield, maximal phenolic extraction yield, and minimal specific energy consumption were different; an overall desirability function was used to search for overall optimal conditions: extraction temperature of 68ºC, ultrasonic treatment time of 52 min, and a liquid/solid ratio of 20. The optimized anthocyanin extraction yield, phenolic extraction yield, and specific energy consumption were 4.91 mg 100 g-1 fresh weight, 3.24 mg g-1 fresh weight, and 2.07 kWh g-1, respectively, with a desirability of 0.99. This study indicates that ultrasound-assisted extraction should contribute to a green process for valorization of purple sweet potatoes.

Phenotypic and genomic characterization of the antimicrobial producer Rheinheimera sp. EpRS3 isolated from the medicinal plant Echinacea purpurea: insights into its biotechnological relevance.

Science.gov (United States)

Presta, Luana; Bosi, Emanuele; Fondi, Marco; Maida, Isabel; Perrin, Elena; Miceli, Elisangela; Maggini, Valentina; Bogani, Patrizia; Firenzuoli, Fabio; Di Pilato, Vincenzo; Rossolini, Gian Maria; Mengoni, Alessio; Fani, Renato

2017-04-01

In recent years, there has been increasing interest in plant microbiota; however, despite medicinal plant relevance, very little is known about their highly complex endophytic communities. In this work, we report on the genomic and phenotypic characterization of the antimicrobial compound producer Rheinheimera sp. EpRS3, a bacterial strain isolated from the rhizospheric soil of the medicinal plant Echinacea purpurea. In particular, EpRS3 is able to inhibit growth of different bacterial pathogens (Bcc, Acinetobacter baumannii, and Klebsiella pneumoniae) which might be related to the presence of gene clusters involved in the biosynthesis of different types of secondary metabolites. The outcomes presented in this work highlight the fact that the strain possesses huge biotechnological potential; indeed, it also shows antimicrobial effects upon well-described multidrug-resistant (MDR) human pathogens, and it affects plant root elongation and morphology, mimicking indole acetic acid (IAA) action. Copyright © 2016 Institut Pasteur. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Electronic band structure and charge density wave transition in quasi-2D KMo{sub 6}O{sub 17} purple bronze

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Valbuena, M A [Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales de Madrid, CSIC, 28049 Madrid (Spain); Avila, J; Asensio, M C [Synchrotron SOLEIL, L' Orme des Merisiers, Saint-Aubin, B.P. 48, 91192 Gif-sur-Yvette Cedex (France); Vyalikh, D V; Laubschat, C; Molodtsov, S L [Institut fuer Festkoerperphysik, Technische Universitaet Dresden, D-01062 Dresden (Germany); Guyot, H [LEPES, CNRS, BP 166, 38042 Grenoble Cedex 9 (France)], E-mail: mvbuena@icmm.csic.es

2008-03-15

High resolution angle-resolved photoemission of quasi-2D KMo{sub 6}O{sub 17} purple bronze has been performed in the range from room temperature to 130 K, slightly above the charge density wave (CDW) transition (T{sub c} = 110 K), and down to 35 K (well below T{sub c}). In this paper we report a detailed study of how electronic band structure is affected by this transition driven by the hidden nesting scenario. The expected spectroscopic fingerprints of the CDW phase transition have been found and discussed according to the hidden one dimension and the development of a quasi-commensurate CDW. The excellent agreement between theory and our experimental results makes of potassium purple bronze a reference system for studying this type of instabilities.

PENGARUH PENAMBAHAN UBI JALAR UNGU TERHADAP SIFAT ORGANOLEPTIK ES KRIM SUSU KAMBING PERANAKAN ETAWA [The Influence of Purple Sweet Potato Increment og Organoleptic Characteristic of Goat Milk Ice Cream of Etawa Generation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Susilawati Susilawati

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Goat milk is perishable foodstuffs and has  low shelf life. One way to preserve it is process goat milk into ice cream. This is usefulforreducingthe damagenutritiongoat milk. Purple sweet potatoes which contain some anthosianin can be added to inprove the texture. However, the amount of purple sweet potato  added will affect the texture and body of icecream.  Therfore this research is needed. This research was purposed to find concentration of purple sweet potato that will produce the best ice cream especially on organoleptic characteristic. The experiment was arranged in  Latin Square design in single factor that consist of 5 levels  concentrations of purple sweet potato paste. There were 0% (reference, 10%, 20%, 30%, and 40% (b/b with 5 replications. Data were analyzed using analysis of variance . furtehre tested using the HSD Test in 5% level of signiificance. The The results showed that addition of  30%  sweet potato paste produced the best quality of goat milk ice cream of Etawa . The score of aroma was 3,5 (not specific goat milk, the taste’s score was 3,47 (sweet, color’s score was 2,8 (rather purple, texture’s score was 3,5 (soft, and the overall  of acceptance was 3,203 (rather like. This ice cream contained water, protein, fat, ash, crude fiber, and total carbohidrate as amuch as 66,98%, protein was 5,5%, 11,86%, 1,34%, 0,3% and 14,2%. Keyword : goat milk, ice cream, purple sweet potato

PENGARUH PENAMBAHAN UBI JALAR UNGU TERHADAP SIFAT ORGANOLEPTIK ES KRIM SUSU KAMBING PERANAKAN ETAWA [The Influence of Purple Sweet Potato Increment og Organoleptic Characteristic of Goat Milk Ice Cream of Etawa Generation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Susilawati Susilawati

2014-10-01

Full Text Available Goat milk is perishable foodstuffs and has  low shelf life. One way to preserve it is process goat milk into ice cream. This is usefulforreducingthe damagenutritiongoat milk. Purple sweet potatoes which contain some anthosianin can be added to inprove the texture. However, the amount of purple sweet potato  added will affect the texture and body of icecream.  Therfore this research is needed. This research was purposed to find concentration of purple sweet potato that will produce the best ice cream especially on organoleptic characteristic. The experiment was arranged in  Latin Square design in single factor that consist of 5 levels  concentrations of purple sweet potato paste. There were 0% (reference, 10%, 20%, 30%, and 40% (b/b with 5 replications. Data were analyzed using analysis of variance . further tested using the HSD Test in 5% level of signiificance. The The results showed that addition of  30%  sweet potato paste produced the best quality of goat milk ice cream of Etawa . The score of aroma was 3,5 (not specific goat milk, the taste’s score was 3,47 (sweet, color’s score was 2,8 (rather purple, texture’s score was 3,5 (soft, and the overall  of acceptance was 3,203 (rather like. This ice cream contained water, protein, fat, ash, crude fiber, and total carbohidrate as amuch as 66,98%, protein was 5,5%, 11,86%, 1,34%, 0,3% and 14,2%. Keywords : goat milk, ice cream, purple sweet potato

Genes essential for phototrophic growth by a purple alphaproteobacterium: Genes for phototrophic growth

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yang, Jianming [Key Lab of Applied Mycology, College of Life Sciences, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao Shandong Province People' s Republic of China; Department of Microbiology, University of Washington, Seattle WA USA; Yin, Liang [Department of Microbiology, University of Washington, Seattle WA USA; Lessner, Faith H. [Department of Biological Sciences, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville AR USA; Nakayasu, Ernesto S. [Biological Sciences Division, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland WA USA; Payne, Samuel H. [Biological Sciences Division, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland WA USA; Fixen, Kathryn R. [Department of Microbiology, University of Washington, Seattle WA USA; Gallagher, Larry [Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle WA USA; Harwood, Caroline S. [Department of Microbiology, University of Washington, Seattle WA USA

2017-07-24

Anoxygenic purple phototrophic bacteria have served as important models for studies of photophosphorylation. The pigment-protein complexes responsible for converting light energy to ATP are relatively simple and these bacteria can grow heterotrophically under aerobic conditions, thus allowing for the study of mutants defective in photophosphorylation. In the past, genes responsible for anoxygenic phototrophic growth have been identified in a number of different bacterial species. Here we systematically studied the genetic basis for this metabolism by using Tn-seq to identify genes essential for the anaerobic growth of the purple bacterium Rhodopseudomonas palustris on acetate in light. We identified 171 genes required for growth in this condition, 35 of which are annotated as photosynthesis genes. Among these are a few new genes not previously shown to be essential for phototrophic growth. We verified the essentiality of many of the genes we identified by analyzing the phenotypes of mutants we generated by Tn mutagenesis that had altered pigmentation. We used directed mutagenesis to verify that the R. palustris NADH:quinone oxidoreductase complex IE is essential for phototrophic growth. As a complement to the genetic data, we carried out proteomics experiments in which we found that 429 proteins were present in significantly higher amounts in cells grown anaerobically in light compared to aerobically. Among these were proteins encoded by subset of the phototrophic growth-essential genes.

Potency of Purple Sweet Potato’s Anthocyanin as Biosensor for Detection of Chemicals in Food Products

Science.gov (United States)

Wulandari, A.; Sunarti, TC; Fahma, F.; Noor, E.

2018-05-01

Bioactive compounds such as anthocyanin are a natural ingredient that produces color with typical specificity. Anthocyanin from Ayamurasaki purple sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas L.) was extracted in ethanol and used as crude anthocyanin extracts. The color of bioactive anthocyanin can be used as a biosensor to detect chemical of food products because it provides a unique color change. However, the each bioactive has a particular sensitivity and selectivity to a specific chemical, so it is necessary to select and test the selectivity. Six chemicals, which were sodium nitrite, sodium benzoate, sodium cyclamate (food additives), formalin, borax (illegal food preservatives), and residue fertilizer (urea) were tested and observed for its color change. The results showed that the bioactive anthocyanin of purple sweet potato with the concentration of ± 42.65 ppm had better selectivity and sensitivity to sodium nitrite with a detection limit of 100 ppm, where the color change response time ranged from 15-20 minutes. The selectivity and sensitivity of this bioactive can be used as the basic information for the development of biosensor.

Characterization of Conventional, Biodynamic, and Organic Purple Grape Juices by Chemical Markers, Antioxidant Capacity, and Instrumental Taste Profile

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Granato, D.; Margraf, T.; Brotzakis, I.; Capuano, E.; Ruth, van S.M.

2015-01-01

The objectives of this study were to characterize organic, biodynamic, and conventional purple grape juices (n = 31) produced in Europe based on instrumental taste profile, antioxidant activity, and some chemical markers and to propose a multivariate statistical model to analyze their quality and

The red, purple and blue modifications of polymeric unsymmetrical hydroxyalkadiynyl-N-arylcarbamate derivatives in Langmuir-Schaefer films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Alekseev, Alexander, E-mail: alexanderalekseev@yandex.ru [A. M. Prokhorov General Physics Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 119991 (Russian Federation); Ihalainen, Petri, E-mail: petri.ihalainen@abo.fi [Laboratory of Physical Chemistry, Center for Functional Materials, Åbo Akademi University, Turku FI-20500 (Finland); Ivanov, Artem [A. M. Prokhorov General Physics Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 119991 (Russian Federation); Domnin, Ivan [Department of Chemistry, St. Petersburg State University, Peterhof, St. Petersburg 198904 (Russian Federation); Klechkovskaya, Vera; Orekhov, Anton [Shubnikov Institute of Crystallography, Russian Academy of Science, Moscow 119333 (Russian Federation); NRC Kurchatov Institute, Moscow 123182 (Russian Federation); Lemmetyinen, Helge; Vuorimaa-Laukkanen, Elina [Department of Chemistry and Bioengineering, Tampere University of Technology, Tampere FI-33101 (Finland); Peltonen, Jouko [Laboratory of Physical Chemistry, Center for Functional Materials, Åbo Akademi University, Turku FI-20500 (Finland); Vyaz' min, Sergey [Laboratory of Nanobiotechnologies, St. Petersburg Academic University-Nanotechnology Research and Education Centre, Russian Academy of Science, St. Petersburg 194021 (Russian Federation)

2016-08-01

Solid topochemical photopolymerization (STP) of Langmuir-Schaefer films of a new class of unsymmetrical diynes, containing N-arylcarbamate groups in the hydrophobic part and hydroxymethylene groups in the hydrophilic part of the molecules was examined. In addition, the monomeric Langmuir monolayer formation was studied by Brewster angle microscopy and the surface morphology of monomer and polymer films on solid substrates were studied by scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. Three phases of polydiacetylene (PDA) (red, purple and blue) were observed after UV-light polymerization of above-mentioned films of alcohol diacetylene (DA) derivatives. The substitution of MeO group in the aryl ring substituent by hydrogen atom and the variation of the methylene group number in the hydrophobic part from 5 to 6 changed significantly the result of STP: instead of blue phase PDA observed for diynes with MeO group, the red phase PDA was observed for DA with H-atom from the very beginning of diyne film UV irradiation. For two other diynilic N-arylcarbamates of identical chemical structures except of the substituents in the aryl ring of hydrophobic parts of the molecules, no changes in the efficiency of polymerization or the position and shape of absorption bands were observed. This indicated the formation of the purple phase PDA. For these molecules, the number of methylene groups in hydrophobic and hydrophilic parts of the molecules was 9 and 2, respectively. - Highlights: • STP reaction of diacetylenes in LS films depends on number and ratio of CH{sub 2} groups. • Three phases of polydiacetylene (red, purple and blue) were observed in LS films. • Structural organization of the monomer film determines the type of polymer phase.

Bran data of total flavonoid and total phenolic contents, oxygen radical absorbance capacity, and profiles of proanthocyanidins and whole grain physical traits of 32 red and purple rice varieties

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ming-Hsuan Chen

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Phytochemicals in red and purple bran rice have potential health benefit to humans. We determined the phytochemicals in brans of 32 red and purple global rice varieties. The description of the origin and physical traits of the whole grain (color, length, width, thickness and 100-kernel weight of this germplasm collection are provided along with data of total flavonoid and total phenolic contents, oxygen radical absorbance capacity and total proanthocyanidin contents. The contents and proportions of individual oligomers, from degree of polymerization of monomers to 14-mers, and polymers in bran of these 32 rice varieties are presented (DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2016.04.004 [1]. Keywords: Purple rice, Red rice, Black rice, Proanthocyanidins, Tannins, Flavonoids, Rice bran

Identification of Novel Source of Resistance and Differential Response of Allium Genotypes to Purple Blotch Pathogen, Alternaria porri (Ellis Ciferri

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Satyabrata Nanda

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Purple blotch, caused by Alternaria porri (Ellis Cifferi, is a serious disease incurring heavy yield losses in the bulb and seed crop of onion and garlic worldwide. There is an immediate need for identification of effective resistance sources for use in host resistance breeding. A total of 43 Allium genotypes were screened for purple blotch resistance under field conditions. Allium cepa accession ‘CBT-Ac77’ and cultivar ‘Arka Kalyan’ were observed to be highly resistant. In vitro inoculation of a selected set of genotypes with A. porri, revealed that 7 days after inoculation was suitable to observe the disease severity. In vitro screening of 43 genotypes for resistance to A. porri revealed two resistant lines. An additional 14 genotypes showed consistent moderate resistance in the field as well as in vitro evaluations. Among the related Allium species, A. schoenoprasum and A. roylei showed the least disease index and can be used for interspecific hybridization with cultivated onion. Differential reaction analysis of three A. porri isolates (Apo-Chiplima, Apn-Nasik, Apg-Guntur in 43 genotypes revealed significant variation among the evaluated Allium species (P = 0.001. All together, the present study suggest that, the newly identified resistance sources can be used as potential donors for ongoing purple blotch resistance breeding program in India.

Evaluating the Effect of Onion (Allium cepa L. Sowing Methods on Growth Characteristics of Purple Nutsedge (Cyperus rotundus L. under Different Levels of Nitrogen Fertilizer

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Nosratollah Karimi Arpnahy

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Increasing crop competitive ability is an important part of integrated weed management (IWM. In this regard, identifying weeds reaction to soil fertility status for developing fertilizing methods, as components of IWM programs, is a necessity. Materials and Methods: In order to evaluate the growth characteristics of purple nutsedge under the conditions of interference with onion, a factorial experiment based on randomized complete block design was conducted with three replications at the Research Greenhouse of University of Birjand in 2013. The first factor included three sowing methods of onion (seed sowing, onion set and transplanting and the second factor included three levels of nitrogen (50, 100 and 150 kg N ha-1, equivalent to 25, 50 and 75 mg N kg-1 soil, urea fertilizer with a purity of 46% was used for this purpose. Results and Discussion: The results of analysis of variance showed that sowing method and nitrogen levels had significant effects on plant height, leaf area, aboveground dry weight as well as tuber number and underground dry weights. Moreover, the interaction between sowing methods and nitrogen levels had a significant effect on plant height, leaf area, aboveground dry weight as well as tuber number and underground dry weights. The results of the comparisons of the mean for the interaction of planting methods and different levels of nitrogen indicated an increased weeds growth in direct seeding method and high levels of nitrogen in weed height trait, so that the greatest nutsedge height during the growing season (92.33 cm was obtained at direct seeding method and high nitrogen levels . Moreover, the lowest weed height during the growing season was obtained at onion set planting method and 50 kg ha-1 nitrogen. The highest leaf area of purple nutsedge at ten weeks after planting (446.65 cm2, was obtained in direct seeding method and high levels of nitrogen, and the lowest value for this trait (203.38 cm2, was

WATER EXTRACT OF PURPLE SWEET POTATO TUBERS REDUCES BLOOD PRESSURE 0F HYPERTENSIVE RATS INDUCED BY NaCl

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I MADE JAWI

2013-04-01

Full Text Available Compliance of hypertensive patients to take medication is one of many determinant factors to achieve successful treatment. Side effects and the expensive price of drugs are the causes of the incompliance of patients taking the medication. Utilization of herbal medicine is a new hope to resolve the issue. Purple sweet potato tuber is a plant part that expected has beneficial effect in lowering blood pressure because it contains anthocyanins which are antioxidants and can preserve endothelial function. To prove these hypothesis, a study was conducted with randomized control group pre and post-test design. The  study was done on 20 adult male Wistar rats that were divided into two groups of 10 rats.  Both groups of rats were made hypertensive by administering high doses of NaCl. Control group of rats given only NaCl alone for 14 days. Treatment group were given NaCl and water extract of purple sweet potato tuber with a dose of 4 cc per day for 14 days. Before treatment and during treatment, blood pressure were taken everyday with special sphygmomanometer. The results indicate a significant difference in blood pressure between the control group with treatment (P = 0.0001. In the treatment group, it was observed that there was a significant decrease in blood pressure compared to the control group (P=0.0001. From the results of this study, it can be concluded that administration of purple sweet potato tuber water extract may lower high blood pressure of rats induced by NaCl.

[Effects of Low-Molecular-Weight Organic Acids on the Speciation of Pb in Purple Soil and Soil Solution].

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Jiang; Jiang, Tao; Huang, Rong; Zhang, Jin-zhong; Chen, Hong

2016-04-15

Lead (Pb) in purple soil was selected as the research target, using one-step extraction method with 0.01 mol · L⁻¹ sodium nitrate as the background electrolyte to study the release effect of citric acid (CA), tartaric acid (TA) and acetic acid (AC) with different concentrations. Sequential extraction and geochemical model (Visual Minteq v3.0) were applied to analyze and predict the speciation of Pb in soil solid phase and soil solution phase. Then the ebvironmental implications and risks of low-molecule weight organic acid (LMWOA) on soil Pb were analyzed. The results indicated that all three types of LMWOA increased the desorption capacity of Pb in purple soil, and the effect followed the descending order of CA > TA > AC. After the action of LMWOAs, the exchangeable Pb increased; the carbonate-bound Pb and Fe-Mn oxide bound Pb dropped in soil solid phase. Organic bound Pb was the main speciation in soil solution phase, accounting for 45.16%-75.05%. The following speciation of Pb in soil solution was free Pb, accounting for 22.71%-50.25%. For CA and TA treatments, free Pb ions and inorganic bound Pb in soil solution increased with increasing LMWOAs concentration, while organic bound Pb suffered a decrease in this process. An opposite trend for AC treatment was observed compared with CA and TA treatments. Overall, LMWOAs boosted the bioavailability of Pb in purple soil and had a potential risk to contaminate underground water. Among the three LMWOAs in this study, CA had the largest potential to activate soil Pb.

78 FR 55696 - Request for Comment on Petition Filed by Purple Communications, Inc. Regarding the Provision of...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-09-11

... Commission's VRS Reform Order regarding the use of Internet Protocol Captioned Telephone Service (IP CTS... requested clarification would force Purple and other IP CTS providers to cease the provision of IP CTS using...-B402, Washington, DC 20554, or via email to [email protected] . For detailed instructions for submitting...

Antioxidant activity, phenolic and flavonoids total of ethanolic extract of Ipomoea batata L. leaves (white, yellow, orange, and purple)

Science.gov (United States)

Dewijanti, Indah Dwiatmi; Banjarnahor, Sofna D.; Triyuliani, Maryani, Faiza; Meilawati, Lia

2017-11-01

Antioxidant activity, phenolic and total flavonoids from sweet potato ethanol extract (Ipomea batatas L.) of different varieties (white, yellow, orange and purple) were studied. Sweet potatoes were collected from Research Centre for Chemistry. Sweet potato leaves have been used for numerous oxidative-associated diseases such as cancer, allergy, aging, HIV and cardiovascular. 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl hydrazyl (DPPH) method was used to investigate antioxidant activity in leaves, in which the yellow and purple varieties showed the highest and the lowest scavenging activities of 47.65 µg/ ml (IC50) and 87.402 µg/ ml (IC50), respectively. In this study, the yellow leaves showed the highest concentrations of total phenolic and flavonoids contents at 11.293 µg/g and 44.963 µg/g, respectively. Therefore, sweet potato leaves can be used as a prospective natural antioxidant.

Real-time UV-visible spectroscopy analysis of purple membrane-polyacrylamide film formation taking into account Fano line shapes and scattering.

Science.gov (United States)

Gomariz, María; Blaya, Salvador; Acebal, Pablo; Carretero, Luis

2014-01-01

We theoretically and experimentally analyze the formation of thick Purple Membrane (PM) polyacrylamide (PA) films by means of optical spectroscopy by considering the absorption of bacteriorhodopsin and scattering. We have applied semiclassical quantum mechanical techniques for the calculation of absorption spectra by taking into account the Fano effects on the ground state of bacteriorhodopsin. A model of the formation of PM-polyacrylamide films has been proposed based on the growth of polymeric chains around purple membrane. Experimentally, the temporal evolution of the polymerization process of acrylamide has been studied as function of the pH solution, obtaining a good correspondence to the proposed model. Thus, due to the formation of intermediate bacteriorhodopsin-doped nanogel, by controlling the polymerization process, an alternative methodology for the synthesis of bacteriorhodopsin-doped nanogels can be provided.

A Nanoscale Study of Carbon and Nitrogen Fluxes in Mats of Purple Sulfur Bacteria: Implications for Carbon Cycling at the Surface of Coastal Sediments

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Cédric Hubas

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Mass blooms of purple sulfur bacteria growing seasonally on green stranded macroalgae have a major impact on the microbial composition and functionality of intertidal mats. To explore the active anoxygenic phototrophic community in purple bacterial mats from the Roscoff Aber Bay (Brittany, France, we conducted a combined approach including molecular and high-resolution secondary ion mass spectrometry (NanoSIMS analyses. To investigate the dynamics of carbon and nitrogen assimilation activities, NanoSIMS was coupled with a stable isotope probing (SIP experiment and a compound specific isotope analysis (CSIA of fatty acid methyl ester (FAME. Sediment samples were incubated with 13C- and/or 15N-labeled acetate, pyruvate, bicarbonate and ammonium. NanoSIMS analysis of 13C - and 15N -incubated samples showed elevated incorporations of 13C - and 15N in the light and of 13C -acetate in the dark into dense populations of spherical cells that unambiguously dominated the mats. These results confirmed CSIA data that ranked vaccenic acid, an unambiguous marker of purple sulfur bacteria, as the most strongly enriched in the light after 13C -acetate amendment and indicated that acetate uptake, the most active in the mat, was not light-dependent. Analysis of DNA- and cDNA-derived pufM gene sequences revealed that Thiohalocapsa-related clones dominated both libraries and were the most photosynthetically active members of the mat samples. This study provides novel insights into the contribution of purple sulfur bacteria to the carbon cycle during their seasonal developments at the sediment surface in the intertidal zone.

Light beam control by refractive index change in a modified purple membrane; Hen`i shimaku no kussetsuritsu henka wo riyoshita hikari bimu seigyo

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Takei, H.; Shimizu, N. [Hitachi Ltd., Tokyo (Japan)

1996-04-01

A purple membrane extracted from bacterial halobacterium salinarium is a membrane prepared by two-dimensionally crystallizing bacteriorhodopsin (bR) which is a photo-sensitive protein. When retinal chromophore in the bR absorbs photons, isomerization occurs, so that light cycle of bR comprising a light intermediate of different absorption spectrum occurs. Since this purple membrane has a high stability and a high repetition durability, a study of the application of the same to a rewritable holographic recording medium has been made in recent years. This paper describes an example in which the refractive index variation of a purple membrane the optical characteristics of which varies due to variation is applied to light beam control. The paper introduces a Fabry-Perot resonator as an optical element capable of carrying out light control by utilizing refractive index variation. The paper further describes the possibility of materialization of an optical logic comprising a combination of light-irradiation refractive index variation and a Fabry-Perot resonator and having nonlinear input/output characteristics such as the bistablity owing to the feedback effect in the resonator. 7 refs., 3 figs.

Phenolic content, anthocyanins and antiradical capacity of diverse purple bran rice genotypes as compared to other bran colors

Science.gov (United States)

Phenolic compounds reportedly may reduce the risk of developing chronic disease and their risk factors. Anthocyanins are flavonoids, a subgroup of phenolic compounds in purple colored whole grain rice that have shown these health benefits in animal studies and human clinical trials. We studied the g...

Yellow and purple nutsedges survey in the southeastern Buenos Aires Province, Argentina

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Eyherabide Juan José

2001-01-01

Full Text Available A survey of 79 fields was conducted between December 1993 and January 1994, to determine the distribution and relative importance of species of the genus Cyperus, to justify developing management strategies in the southeastern of Buenos Aires Province, Argentina. Yellow and purple nutsedge were found in 43% and 9% respectively of the surveyed fields. Thirty eight per cent of the surveyed area showed a heavy infestation of yellow nutsedge, and in 90% of cases yellow nutsedge was invading fields cultivated with summer crops and associated with one or more of other seven perennial weeds, mainly bermudagrass.

Charge Density Waves and the Hidden Nesting of Purple Bronze KMo6O17

Science.gov (United States)

Su, Lei; Pereira, Vitor

The layered purple bronze KMo6O17, with its robust triple CDW phase up to high temperatures, became the emblematic example of the ''hidden nesting'' concept. Recent experiments suggest that, on the surface layers, its CDW phase can be stabilized at much higher temperatures, and with a tenfold increase in the electronic gap in comparison with the bulk. Despite such interesting fermiology and properties, the K and Na purple bronzes remain largely unexplored systems, most particularly so at the theoretical level. We introduce the first multi-orbital effective tight-binding model to describe the effect of electron-electron interactions in this system. Upon fixing all the effective hopping parameters in the normal state against an ab-initio band structure, and with only the overall scale of the interactions as sole adjustable parameter, we find that a self-consistent Hartree-Fock solution reproduces extremely well the experimental behavior of the charge density wave (CDW) order parameter in the full range 0 < T < Tc , as well as the precise reciprocal space locations of the partial gap opening and Fermi arc development. The interaction strengths extracted from fitting to the experimental CDW gap are consistent with those derived from an independent Stoner-type analysis This work was supported by the Singapore National Research Foundation under Grant NRF-CRP6-2010-05.

A Path to Freedom——Life of black women in The Color Purple

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

袁丽丹

2005-01-01

Alice Walker sThe Color Purple,published in 1982,tells the story of Celie,ablack woman in the South.Celie was a blackwoman growing up in the South.She mustovercome masogeny,racism and poverty toestablish herself as an independent person.Thenovel also follows the maturation of her sisterNettie and the lives of Shug,Albert,and muchof his extended family.Celie writes letters toGodin which she tells about her life-her roles asdaughter,wife,sister,and mother.In thecourse of her story,Celie meets a series of othe...

The use of polyvinyl chloride dyed with bromo cresol purple in radiation dosimetry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kattan, M.; Al-Kassiri, H.; Daher, Y.

2010-09-01

In this work,the use of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) dyed with Bromo cresol purple in high dose radiation dosimetry has been studied according to the radio chromic change using visible spectrophotometry. The results show linear relationship between the relative absorbance (response) and the absorbed dose at the wavelength 417 nm in the range of 0-50 kGy. Dose rate, irradiation temperature, dye intensity have been investigated and found to be independent of the response. The effects of post-irradiation storage in dark and indirect daylight conditions on dosimetry performance are discussed. (Author)

Purple Corn (Zea mays L.) Phenolic Compounds Profile and Its Assessment as an Agent Against Oxidative Stress in Isolated Mouse Organs

Science.gov (United States)

Ramos-Escudero, Fernando; Muñoz, Ana María; Alvarado-Ortíz, Carlos; Alvarado, Ángel

2012-01-01

Abstract This study was designed to determine the contents of total polyphenols, flavonoids, flavonols, flavanols, and anthocyanins of purple corn (Zea mays L.) extracts obtained with different methanol:water concentrations, acidified with 1% HCl (1 N). Another objective was to determine the antioxidant activity by 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2′-azinobis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS), ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), and deoxyribose assay, individual phenolic compounds by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and endogenous antioxidant enzyme (superoxide dismutase [SOD], catalase [CAT], and total peroxidase [TPX]) activity and lipid peroxidation activity (thiobarbituric acid–reactive substances [TBARS] assay) in isolated mouse organs. Overall, the highest total content of polyphenols, anthocyanins, flavonoids, flavonols, and flavanols was obtained with the 80:20 methanol:water extract, acidified with 1% HCl (1 N). The 50% inhibitory concentration values obtained by the DPPH and ABTS assays with this extract were 66.3 μg/mL and 250 μg/mL, respectively. The antioxidant activity by the FRAP assay was 26.1 μM Trolox equivalents/g, whereas the deoxyribose assay presented 93.6% inhibition. Because of these results, the 80:20 methanol:water extract, acidified with 1% HCl (1 N), was used for the remaining tests. Eight phenolic compounds were identified by HPLC: chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, rutin, ferulic acid, morin, quercetin, naringenin, and kaempferol. Furthermore, it was observed that the purple corn extract was capable of significantly reducing lipid peroxidation (lower malondialdehyde [MDA] concentrations by the TBARS assay) and at the same time increasing endogenous antioxidant enzyme (CAT, TPX, and SOD) activities in isolated mouse kidney, liver, and brain. On the basis of the results, it was concluded that the purple corn extract contained various bioactive phenolic compounds that exhibited

Purple corn (Zea mays L.) phenolic compounds profile and its assessment as an agent against oxidative stress in isolated mouse organs.

Science.gov (United States)

Ramos-Escudero, Fernando; Muñoz, Ana María; Alvarado-Ortíz, Carlos; Alvarado, Ángel; Yáñez, Jaime A

2012-02-01

This study was designed to determine the contents of total polyphenols, flavonoids, flavonols, flavanols, and anthocyanins of purple corn (Zea mays L.) extracts obtained with different methanol:water concentrations, acidified with 1% HCl (1 N). Another objective was to determine the antioxidant activity by 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2'-azinobis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS), ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), and deoxyribose assay, individual phenolic compounds by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and endogenous antioxidant enzyme (superoxide dismutase [SOD], catalase [CAT], and total peroxidase [TPX]) activity and lipid peroxidation activity (thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances [TBARS] assay) in isolated mouse organs. Overall, the highest total content of polyphenols, anthocyanins, flavonoids, flavonols, and flavanols was obtained with the 80:20 methanol:water extract, acidified with 1% HCl (1 N). The 50% inhibitory concentration values obtained by the DPPH and ABTS assays with this extract were 66.3 μg/mL and 250 μg/mL, respectively. The antioxidant activity by the FRAP assay was 26.1 μM Trolox equivalents/g, whereas the deoxyribose assay presented 93.6% inhibition. Because of these results, the 80:20 methanol:water extract, acidified with 1% HCl (1 N), was used for the remaining tests. Eight phenolic compounds were identified by HPLC: chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, rutin, ferulic acid, morin, quercetin, naringenin, and kaempferol. Furthermore, it was observed that the purple corn extract was capable of significantly reducing lipid peroxidation (lower malondialdehyde [MDA] concentrations by the TBARS assay) and at the same time increasing endogenous antioxidant enzyme (CAT, TPX, and SOD) activities in isolated mouse kidney, liver, and brain. On the basis of the results, it was concluded that the purple corn extract contained various bioactive phenolic compounds that exhibited considerable in vitro

Reversible white-purple photochromism in europium doped Sr{sub 3}GdLi(PO{sub 4}){sub 3}F powders

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lv, Yang; Jin, Yahong, E-mail: yhjin@gdut.edu.cn; Wang, Chuanlong; Ju, Guifang; Xue, Feihong; Hu, Yihua, E-mail: huyh@gdut.edu.cn

2017-06-15

Inorganic photochromic materials have attracted growing attention in recent years. Here, a reversible white-purple photochromic powder material Sr{sub 3}GdLi(PO{sub 4}){sub 3}F:Eu{sup 2+} was synthesized by conventional solid-state method. The surface color shows reversible white-purple changes after irradiated alternatively by UV and visible light (or thermal treat). Diffuse reflectance spectra were used to characterize the photochromic properties including coloring and bleaching. The results indicated that the optimal Eu{sup 2+} doping concentration was found to be about 0.5 mol%. Several cycles measurements including photo- and thermal-induced bleaching indicates that Sr{sub 3}GdLi(PO{sub 4}){sub 3}F:Eu{sup 2+} posses high fatigue resistance in photochromism performance. Based on thermoluminescence curves, the photochromism property related factors that the critical role of traps and the motion of charge carriers between traps were discussed. Finally, a schematic diagram for illustrating the photochromic mechanism was proposed.

Geographical provenancing of purple grape juices from different farming systems by proton transfer reaction mass spectrometry using supervised statistical techniques

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Granato, Daniel; Koot, Alex; Ruth, van S.M.

2015-01-01

BACKGROUND: Organic, biodynamic and conventional purple grape juices (PGJ; n = 79) produced in Brazil and Europe were characterized by volatile organic compounds (m/z 20-160) measured by proton transfer reaction mass spectrometry (PTR-MS), and classification models were built using supervised

Inheritance analysis and mapping of quantitative trait loci (QTL controlling individual anthocyanin compounds in purple barley (Hordeum vulgare L. grains.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiao-Wei Zhang

Full Text Available Anthocyanin-rich barley can have great potential in promoting human health and in developing nutraceuticals and functional foods. As different anthocyanin compounds have different antioxidant activities, breeding cultivars with pre-designed anthocyanin compositions could be highly desirable. Working toward this possibility, we assessed and reported for the first time the genetic control of individual anthocyanin compounds in barley. Of the ten anthocyanins assessed, two, peonidin-3-glucoside (P3G and cyanidin-3-glucoside (C3G, were major components in the purple pericarp barley genotype RUSSIA68. Quantitative trait locus (QTL mapping showed that both anthocyanin compounds were the interactive products of two loci, one located on chromosome arm 2HL and the other on 7HS. However, the two different anthocyanin components seem to be controlled by different interactions between the two loci. The effects of the 7HS locus on P3G and C3G were difficult to detect without removing the effect of the 2HL locus. At least one copy of the 2HL alleles from the purple pericarp parent was required for the synthesis of P3G. This does not seem to be the case for the production of C3G which was produced in each of all the different allele combinations between the two loci. Typical maternal effect was also observed in the inheritance of purple pericarp grains in barley. The varied values of different compounds, coupled with their different genetic controls, highlight the need for targeting individual anthocyanins in crop breeding and food processing.

From Serendipity to Rational Design: Tuning the Blue Trigonal Bipyramidal Mn3+ Chromophore to Violet and Purple through Application of Chemical Pressure.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Jun; Lorger, Simon; Stalick, Judith K; Sleight, Arthur W; Subramanian, M A

2016-10-03

We recently reported that an allowed d-d transition of trigonal bipyramidal (TBP) Mn 3+ is responsible for the bright blue color in the YIn 1-x Mn x O 3 solid solution. The crystal field splitting between a'(d z 2 ) and e'(d x 2 -y 2 , d xy ) energy levels is very sensitive to the apical Mn-O distance. We therefore applied chemical pressure to compress the apical Mn-O distance in YIn 1-x Mn x O 3 , move the allowed d-d transition to higher energy, and thereby tune the color from blue to violet/purple. This was accomplished by substituting smaller cations such as Ti 4+ /Zn 2+ and Al 3+ onto the TBP In/Mn site, which yielded novel violet/purple phases. The general formula is YIn 1-x-2y-z Mn x Ti y Zn y Al z O 3 (x = 0.005-0.2, y = 0.1-0.4, and z ≤ 0.1), where the color darkens with the increasing amount of Mn. Higher y or small additions of Al provide a more reddish hue to the resulting purple colors. Substituting other rare earth cations for Y has little impact on color. Crystal structure analysis by neutron powder diffraction confirms a shorter apical Mn-O distance compared with that in the blue YIn 1-x Mn x O 3 . Magnetic susceptibility measurements verify the 3+ oxidation state for Mn. Diffuse reflection spectra were obtained over the wavelength region 200-2500 nm. All samples show excellent near-infrared reflectance comparable to that of commercial TiO 2 , making them ideal for cool pigment applications such as energy efficient roofs of buildings and cars where reducing solar heat to save energy is desired. In a comparison with commercial purple pigments, such as Co 3 (PO 4 ) 2 , our pigments are much more thermally stable and chemically inert, and are neither toxic nor carcinogenic.

Anthocyanins from purple sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam.) and their color modulation by the addition of phenolic acids and food-grade phenolic plant extracts.

Science.gov (United States)

Gras, Claudia C; Nemetz, Nicole; Carle, Reinhold; Schweiggert, Ralf M

2017-11-15

Anthocyanin profiles and contents of three purple sweet potato provenances were investigated by HPLC-DAD-MS n . In contrast to widely uniform profiles, the contents of total (558-2477mg/100gDM) and individual anthocyanins varied widely. Furthermore, quantitative and qualitative effects of intermolecular co-pigmentation were studied by adding chlorogenic and rosmarinic acids, and food-grade phenolic apple and rosemary extracts at various dosages to a diluted purple sweet potato concentrate at pH 0.9, 2.6, 3.6, and 4.6. Addition of co-pigments generally increased pK H estimate -values of anthocyanins from 3.28 (without co-pigments) to up to 4.71, thus substantially broadening the pH range wherein colored forms prevail. The most pronounced hyperchromic shift by up to +50.5% at the absorption maximum was observed at pH 4.6. Simply by blending the co-pigments with purple sweet potato anthocyanins at pH-values ranging from 2.6 to 4.6, purplish-blue, light pink, magenta, brick-red, and intense red hues were accessible as expressed by CIE-L ∗ a ∗ b ∗ color values. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

SYMMETRY AS CONCEPTUAL METAPHOR IN WALKER'S THE COLOR PURPLE

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Elena Tapia

2003-05-01

Full Text Available The author analyzes three types of the conceptual metaphor of embodied symmetry in Alice Walker's novel, The color purple (1982. These metaphorical projections, perceived as equilibrium and its breakage in abstract phenomena, enable readers to reexamine issues of race, non-traditional families, and gender roles. The dis/equilibrium emerges in the novel's epistolary structure. Biological equilibrium breaks in incidents of rape and incest. Walker creates characters in the novel through default-concept opposites of black/white, submissive/dominant, male/female and others. These contraries foreground issues of race and gender. The novel's asymmetries engage readers, leading them to rethink individual character histories and motives. The removal of objects (e.g., rape, mothers deprived of children suggests conceptual asymmetry and alerts readers to parallel themes of sexual and racial oppression. Subjugation sometimes subtle, sometimes blatant- manifests in simple oppositions. In epistemological terms, readers seek causal explanations for the asymmetries of the narrative, interpreting each to recover its history.

Different visible colors and green fluorescence were obtained from the mutated purple chromoprotein isolated from sea anemone.

Science.gov (United States)

Chiang, Cheng-Yi; Chen, Yi-Lin; Tsai, Huai-Jen

2014-08-01

Green fluorescent protein (GFP)-like proteins have been studied with the aim of developing fluorescent proteins. Since the property of color variation is understudied, we isolated a novel GFP-like chromoprotein from the carpet anemone Stichodactyla haddoni, termed shCP. Its maximum absorption wavelength peak (λ(max)) is located at 574 nm, resulting in a purple color. The shCP protein consists of 227 amino acids (aa), sharing 96 % identity with the GFP-like chromoprotein of Heteractis crispa. We mutated aa residues to examine any alteration in color. When E63, the first aa of the chromophore, was replaced by serine (E63S), the λ(max) of the mutated protein shCP-E63S was shifted to 560 nm and exhibited a pink color. When Q39, T194, and I196, which reside in the surrounding 5 Å of the chromophore's microenvironment, were mutated, we found that (1) the λ(max) of the mutated protein shCP-Q39S was shifted to 518 nm and exhibited a red color, (2) shCP-T194I exhibited a purple-blue color, and (3) an additional mutation at I196H of the mutated protein shCP-E63L exhibited green fluorescence. In contrast, when the aa located neither at the chromophore nor within its microenvironment were mutated, the resultant proteins shCP-L122H, -E138G, -S137D, -T95I, -D129N, -T194V, -E138Q, -G75E, -I183V, and -I70V never altered their purple color, suggesting that mutations at the shCP chromophore and the surrounding 5 Å microenvironment mostly control changes in color expression or cause fluorescence to develop. Additionally, we found that the cDNAs of shCP and its mutated varieties are faithfully and stably expressed both in Escherichia coli and zebrafish embryos.

Characterization of N-type glycosylation sites and glycan structures of Purple Acid Phosphatase Phytases from Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dionisio, Giuseppe; Brinch-Pedersen, Henrik; Welinder, Karen Gjesing

2011-01-01

Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) possesses preformed phytase activity in the grain that is essential to make phosphate available to cell metabolism and in food and feed (Brejnholt S. et al., 2011). Cereals contain the purple acid phosphatase type of phytases, PAPhy (Dionisio G. et al., 2011a). Mature......., Skov L. Brinch-Pedersen H. (2011). The degradation of phytate by microbial and wheat phytases is dependent on the phytate matrix and the phytase origin. J. Sci. Food Agri. (in press). Dionisio G., Madsen C.K., Holm P.B., Welinder K.G., Jørgensen M., Stoger E., Arcalis E., Brinch-Pedersen H. (2011a......) Cloning and Characterization of Purple Acid Phosphatase Phytases from Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.), Maize (Zea maize L.) and Rice (Oryza sativa L.). Plant Physiol. [in press, Jan 10, Epub ahead of print] Dionisio G., Brinch-Pedersen H., Welinder K.G., Jørgensen M. (2011b...

Preliminary Assessment about Genetic Diversity, the Stability of Potential Mutants from Two Varieties of Chrysanthemum morifolium Ramat. (Bronze Doa and Purple Farm) via Gamma Irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nguyen Tuong Mien; Le Ngoc Trieu; Le Tien Thanh; Pham Van Nhi; Huynh Thi Trung

2013-01-01

The aim of this study was to evidence the efficiency of irradiation by gamma ray from 60 Co source on chrysanthemum artificial seeds, through that select a number of potential mutants from two varieties of Chrysanthemum morifolium Ramat artificial seeds (Bronze and purple chrysanthemum). The experimental result showed that LD 50 for the Bronze Doa variety was 50 Gy and Purple Farm variety was 100 Gy. Irradiated in vitro artificial seeds were transferred into fresh MS medium and placed in the growth room with three replications at each of dose. The completed in vitro plants were transplanted into ex vitro condition in green house. After 30 days in the greenhouse, survival rate of plantlets were and growth in 20 Gy and 40 Gy for Purple chrysanthemum, while the number of survival Bronze chrysanthemum plantlets were reduced gradually toward the increasing of gamma doses. In this study, on farm, through screening 18 phenotypic mutants of both chrysanthemums were recorded and collected including 6 potential mutants that selected for next research based on their phenotypic differences to the originals, their aesthetic and low mosaic. These 6 potential mutants together with their original varieties were micro-propagated to induce the potential mutant lines for estimation on farm of mutant characteristic segregation rates. (author)

Anti-viral properties and mode of action of standardized Echinacea purpurea extract against highly pathogenic avian Influenza virus (H5N1, H7N7 and swine-origin H1N1 (S-OIV

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Schoop Roland

2009-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Influenza virus (IV infections are a major threat to human welfare and animal health worldwide. Anti-viral therapy includes vaccines and a few anti-viral drugs. However vaccines are not always available in time, as demonstrated by the emergence of the new 2009 H1N1-type pandemic strain of swine origin (S-OIV in April 2009, and the acquisition of resistance to neuraminidase inhibitors such as Tamiflu® (oseltamivir is a potential problem. Therefore the prospects for the control of IV by existing anti-viral drugs are limited. As an alternative approach to the common anti-virals we studied in more detail a commercial standardized extract of the widely used herb Echinacea purpurea (Echinaforce®, EF in order to elucidate the nature of its anti-IV activity. Results Human H1N1-type IV, highly pathogenic avian IV (HPAIV of the H5- and H7-types, as well as swine origin IV (S-OIV, H1N1, were all inactivated in cell culture assays by the EF preparation at concentrations ranging from the recommended dose for oral consumption to several orders of magnitude lower. Detailed studies with the H5N1 HPAIV strain indicated that direct contact between EF and virus was required, prior to infection, in order to obtain maximum inhibition in virus replication. Hemagglutination assays showed that the extract inhibited the receptor binding activity of the virus, suggesting that the extract interferes with the viral entry into cells. In sequential passage studies under treatment in cell culture with the H5N1 virus no EF-resistant variants emerged, in contrast to Tamiflu®, which produced resistant viruses upon passaging. Furthermore, the Tamiflu®-resistant virus was just as susceptible to EF as the wild type virus. Conclusion As a result of these investigations, we believe that this standard Echinacea preparation, used at the recommended dose for oral consumption, could be a useful, readily available and affordable addition to existing control options

Effects of produced water on gametogenesis and gamete performance in the purple sea urchin (Stronglyocentrotus purpuratus)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krause, P.R.

1993-01-01

The author examined the effects of a chronic exposure to produced water (an oil production effluent) discharge on the gametogenesis and gamete performance of the purple sea urchin (Strongylocentrotus purpuratus) using an in situ caging experiment. Adult purple urchins were kept in benthic cages arrayed down-field from a discharging diffuser at 13 sites with distances ranging from 5m to 1,000m. Cage exposures were maintained in the field for eight weeks and each cage held 25 urchins. Gametogenesis was examined for each sex by comparing a size-independent measure of gonad mass as determined by analysis of covariance. The author found that there was a significant negative relationship between gonad mass and cage distance for both sexes, indicating that urchins living closer to the outfall produced significantly larger gonads. Gamete performance was measured through a fertilization kinetic bioassay that holds the concentration of eggs constant and varies the amount of sperm added. The proportion of eggs fertilized under each sperm concentration was determined and the response fit to a kinetics model. Significant differences were found in the fertilizability of eggs between cages. This showed a positive relationship with distance away from the outfall. The findings indicate that while adult urchins exposed to a produced water outfall produced larger gonads, they suffered a marked decreases in gamete performance

Effect of sprouting on anthocyanin, antioxidant activity, color intensity and color attributes in purple sweet potatoes

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Yudiono, K.

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Sweet potatoes stored in a humid state will generally sprout, leading to them being deemed inedible by customers. During the sprouting process enzyme activities increase and as such it was assumed that there had been changes in the nutrition and secondary metabolism compounds, e.g. anthocyanins. The purpose of this research was to investigate the changes occurred in the characteristics of anthocyanins during the purple sweet potatoes’ sprouting. One-factor Randomized Block Design was used in the research design, i.e. the sprouting time in 6 stages: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 weeks. The results showed that the highest antioxidant activity is 51.61±2.11%, the highest color intensity is 0.72±0.72, and the lowest hue angle value or the lowest h is 30.75±0.93o, occurring in the 4th week of sprouting. While the highest total anthocyanin is 222.07±2.65 mg/kg wet weight, and the highest red color value or a* is 12.80±0.49, occurring in the 3rd week of sprouting. The major components that compose purple sweet potatoes are Cyanidin-3-0-glucoside ([M-X]+ = m/z 286.50 to 287.50 and [M]+ = m/z 449 and Peonidin -3,5-0-diglucoside ([M-X]+ = m/z 462.50 to 463.50 and [M]+ = m/z 625.

Metabolomic profiling of the purple sulfur bacterium Allochromatium vinosum during growth on different reduced sulfur compounds and malate

OpenAIRE

Weissgerber, Thomas; Watanabe, Mutsumi; Hoefgen, Rainer; Dahl, Christiane

2014-01-01

Environmental fluctuations require rapid adjustment of the physiology of bacteria. Anoxygenic phototrophic purple sulfur bacteria, like Allochromatium vinosum, thrive in environments that are characterized by steep gradients of important nutrients for these organisms, i.e., reduced sulfur compounds, light, oxygen and carbon sources. Changing conditions necessitate changes on every level of the underlying cellular and molecular network. Thus far, two global analyses of A. vinosum responses to ...

Purple Salt and Tiny Drops of Water in Meteorites

Science.gov (United States)

Taylor, G. J.

1999-12-01

Some meteorites, especially those called carbonaceous chondrites, have been greatly affected by reaction with water on the asteroids in which they formed. These reactions, which took place during the first 10 million years of the Solar System's history, formed assorted water-bearing minerals, but nobody has found any of the water that caused the alteration. Nobody, that is, until now. Michael Zolensky and team of scientists from the Johnson Space Center in Houston and Virginia Tech (Blacksburg, Virginia) discovered strikingly purple sodium chloride (table salt) crystals in two meteorites. The salt contains tiny droplets of salt water (with some other elements dissolved in it). The salt is as old as the Solar System, so the water trapped inside the salt is also ancient. It might give us clues to the nature of the water that so pervasively altered carbonaceous chondrites and formed oceans on Europa and perhaps other icy satellites. However, how the salt got into the two meteorites and how it trapped the water remains a mystery - at least for now.

Preliminary data on antibacterial activity of Echinacea purpurea-associated bacterial communities against Burkholderia cepacia complex strains, opportunistic pathogens of Cystic Fibrosis patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Chiellini, Carolina; Maida, Isabel; Maggini, Valentina; Bosi, Emanuele; Mocali, Stefano; Emiliani, Giovanni; Perrin, Elena; Firenzuoli, Fabio; Mengoni, Alessio; Fani, Renato

2017-03-01

Burkholderia cepacia complex bacteria (Bcc) represent a serious threat for immune-compromised patient affected by Cystic Fibrosis (CF) since they are resistant to many substances and to most antibiotics. For this reason, the research of new natural compounds able to inhibit the growth of Bcc strains has raised new interest during the last years. A source of such natural compounds is represented by medicinal plants and, in particular, by bacterial communities associated with these plants able to produce molecules with antimicrobial activity. In this work, a panel of 151 (endophytic) bacteria isolated from three different compartments (rhizospheric soil, roots, and stem/leaves) of the medicinal plant Echinacea purpurea were tested (using the cross-streak method) for their ability to inhibit the growth of 10 Bcc strains. Data obtained revealed that bacteria isolated from the roots of E. purpurea are the most active in the inhibition of Bcc strains, followed by bacteria isolated from the rhizospheric soil, and endophytes from stem/leaf compartment. At the same time, Bcc strains of environmental origin showed a higher resistance toward inhibition than the Bcc strains with clinical (i.e. CF patients) origin. Differences in the inhibition activity of E. purpurea-associated bacteria are mainly linked to the environment -the plant compartment- rather than to their taxonomical position. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Long-term fertilisation causes excess supply and loss of phosphorus in purple paddy soil.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Yue-Qiang; Wen, Ming-Xia; Li, Xue-Ping; Shi, Xiao-Jun

2014-04-01

Phosphorus (P) loss from cropland is accelerating the eutrophication of waters around the world such as the Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR) in China. We investigated whether purple paddy soil under long-term P applications was a major source of P efflux to the TGR. Substantial surplus P in the plough layer (0-20 cm) was evident after 15-year P applications. Available P (Olsen-P) in the plough layer ranged from 1.9 to 42.4 mg kg(-1) and some of which will exceed the threshold of 30 mg kg(-1) for environmental concern within 7 years of P application (inorganic NPK with or without organic fertiliser). Between 30 and 70% of Olsen-P was leached out of the 0-30 cm soil layer. Surplus P resulted in high P concentrations in the surface water during the rice cropping season, and these concentrations exceeded those in most waters of the TGR and exceeded the critical level for eutrophication (0.1 mg L(-1)) during the first 10 days after rice planting. Furthermore, total P in run-off due to rainfall events exceeded the level for eutrophication, with a total loss of 43.2-147.9 g P ha(-1) depending on the fertilisation. Current agronomic P management in purple paddy soil is environmentally unsustainable in terms of the adverse impact on surface water quality. Integrated P management practices are urgently required to optimise crop yield while minimising P loss in order to protect surface water quality in the TGR region. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry.

Determination and Quantification of the Vinblastine Content in Purple, Red, and White Catharanthus Roseus Leaves Using RP-HPLC Method

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Rohanizah Abdul Rahim

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Purpose: To determine and quantify vinblastine in different varieties of Catharanthus roseus using reversed-phase HPLC method. Methods: The liquid chromatographic separation was performed using a reversed phase C18, Microsorb - MV column (250 mm x 4.6 mm, 5 µm at room temperature and eluted with a mobile phase containing methanol – phosphate buffer (5 mM, pH 6.0 – acetonitrile with different proportion gradient elution at a flow rate of 2.0 mL min-1 and detection at 254 nm. Results: The HPLC method was utilized for the quantification of vinblastine in purple, red and white varieties of Catharanthus roseus leaves. The separation was achieved in less than 8 min. The peak confirmation was done based on the retention times and UV spectra of the reference substance. The method was validated with respect to linearity, precision, recovery, limit of detection and quantification. Results showed that the purple variety gives 1.2 and 1.5 times more vinblastine concentration compared to the white and pink varieties, respectively. Conclusion: The obtained results from different varieties are thus useful for the purpose of vinblastine production from Catharanthus roseus plant.

High mature grain phytase activity in the Triticeae has evolved by duplication followed by neofunctionalization of the purple acid phosphatase phytase (PAPhy) gene

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Madsen, Claus Krogh; Dionisio, Giuseppe; Holme, Inger

2013-01-01

The phytase activity in food and feedstuffs is an important nutritional parameter. Members of the Triticeae tribe accumulate purple acid phosphatase phytases (PAPhy) during grain filling. This accumulation elevates mature grain phytase activities (MGPA) up to levels between ~650 FTU/kg for barley...

Genetics and fine mapping of a purple leaf gene, BoPr, in ornamental kale (Brassica oleracea L. var. acephala).

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Xiao-Ping; Gao, Bao-Zhen; Han, Feng-Qing; Fang, Zhi-Yuan; Yang, Li-Mei; Zhuang, Mu; Lv, Hong-Hao; Liu, Yu-Mei; Li, Zhan-Sheng; Cai, Cheng-Cheng; Yu, Hai-Long; Li, Zhi-Yuan; Zhang, Yang-Yong

2017-03-14

Due to its variegated and colorful leaves, ornamental kale (Brassica oleracea L. var. acephala) has become a popular ornamental plant. In this study, we report the fine mapping and analysis of a candidate purple leaf gene using a backcross population and an F 2 population derived from two parental lines: W1827 (with white leaves) and P1835 (with purple leaves). Genetic analysis indicated that the purple leaf trait is controlled by a single dominant gene, which we named BoPr. Using markers developed based on the reference genome '02-12', the BoPr gene was preliminarily mapped to a 280-kb interval of chromosome C09, with flanking markers M17 and BoID4714 at genetic distances of 4.3 cM and 1.5 cM, respectively. The recombination rate within this interval is almost 12 times higher than the usual level, which could be caused by assembly error for reference genome '02-12' at this interval. Primers were designed based on 'TO1000', another B. oleracea reference genome. Among the newly designed InDel markers, BRID485 and BRID490 were found to be the closest to BoPr, flanking the gene at genetic distances of 0.1 cM and 0.2 cM, respectively; the interval between the two markers is 44.8 kb (reference genome 'TO1000'). Seven annotated genes are located within the 44.8 kb genomic region, of which only Bo9g058630 shows high homology to AT5G42800 (dihydroflavonol reductase), which was identified as a candidate gene for BoPr. Blast analysis revealed that this 44.8 kb interval is located on an unanchored scaffold (Scaffold000035_P2) of '02-12', confirming the existence of assembly error at the interval between M17 and BoID4714 for reference genome '02-12'. This study identified a candidate gene for BoPr and lays a foundation for the cloning and functional analysis of this gene.

Effects of increased pCO2 and geographic origin on purple sea urchin (Strongylocentrotus purpuratus) calcite elemental composition

Science.gov (United States)

LaVigne, M.; Hill, T. M.; Sanford, E.; Gaylord, B.; Russell, A. D.; Lenz, E. A.; Hosfelt, J. D.; Young, M. K.

2012-12-01

Ocean acidification will likely have negative impacts on invertebrates producing skeletons composed of calcium carbonate. Skeletal solubility is partly controlled by the incorporation of "foreign" ions (such as Mg and Sr) into the crystal lattice of these skeletal structures, a process that is sensitive to a variety of biological and environmental factors. Here we explore the effects of life stage, oceanographic region of origin, and changes in the partial pressure of carbon dioxide in seawater (pCO2) on trace elemental composition in the purple sea urchin (Strongylocentrotus purpuratus). We show that, similar to other urchin taxa, adult purple sea urchins have the ability to precipitate skeleton composed of a range of biominerals spanning low to high magnesium calcites. Mg/Ca and Sr/Ca ratios were substantially lower in adult spines compared to adult tests. On the other hand, trace elemental composition was invariant among adults collected from four oceanographically distinct regions along the US west coast (Oregon, Northern California, Central California, and Southern California). Skeletons of newly settled juvenile urchins that originated from adults from the four regions exhibited intermediate Mg/Ca and Sr/Ca between adult spine and test endmembers, indicating that skeleton precipitated during early life stages is more soluble than adult spines and less soluble than adult tests. Mean skeletal Mg/Ca or Sr/Ca of juvenile skeleton did not vary with source region when larvae were reared under present-day, global-average seawater carbonate conditions (400 ppm; pH = 8.02 ± 0.03 1 SD; Ωcalcite = 3.3 ± 0.2 1 SD). However, when reared under elevated CO2 (900 ppm; pH = 7.72 ± 0.03; Ωcalcite = 1.8 ± 0.1), skeletal Sr/Ca in juveniles exhibited increased variance across the four regions. Although larvae from the northern populations (Oregon, Northern California, Central California) did not exhibit differences in Mg or Sr incorporation under elevated CO2 (Sr/Ca = 2

Proteomic analysis of the purple sulfur bacterium Candidatus "Thiodictyon syntrophicum" strain Cad16^T isolated from Lake Cadagno

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Storelli, Nicola; Saad, Maged M.; Frigaard, Niels-Ulrik

2014-01-01

Lake Cadagno is characterised by a compact chemocline with high concentrations of purple sulfur bacteria (PSB). 2D-DIGE was used to monitor the global changes in the proteome of Candidatus "Thiodictyon syntrophicum" strain Cad16T both in the presence and absence of light. This study aimed to disc...

A Stylistic Analysis of Linguistic Patterns in Chichamanda Ngozi Adichie’s Purple Hibiscus

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Muchamad Sholakhuddin Al Fajri

2017-06-01

Full Text Available This study aims to carry out a detailed and systematic stylistic analysis of linguistic patterns in Purple Hibiscus Novel by Chichamanda Ngozi Adichie. It particularly analyses a specific extract of the novel in terms of narration and point of view, conversational analysis, speech and thought presentations and mind style, and how these linguistic devices and patterns are employed by the author to shape characters’ personalities and relationships between them in the reader’s mind. The result appears to suggest that the author successfully represents the protagonist, Kambili as an obedient and a salient daughter who respects deeply his father, while her father, Eugene, is constructed as a strict father and religious who imposes an absolute control on his daughter.

Extraction of bioactive compounds and free radical scavenging activity of purple basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) leaf extracts as affected by temperature and time.

Science.gov (United States)

Pedro, Alessandra C; Moreira, Fernanda; Granato, Daniel; Rosso, Neiva D

2016-05-13

In the current study, response surface methodology (RSM) was used to assess the effects of extraction time and temperature on the content of bioactive compounds and antioxidant activity of purple basil leaf (Ocimum basilicum L.) extracts. The stability of anthocyanins in relation to temperature, light and copigmentation was also studied. The highest anthocyanin content was 67.40 mg/100 g extracted at 30 °C and 60 min. The degradation of anthocyanins with varying temperatures and in the presence of light followed a first-order kinetics and the activation energy was 44.95 kJ/mol. All the extracts exposed to light showed similar half-lives. The extracts protected from light, in the presence of copigments, showed an increase in half-life from 152.67 h for the control to 856.49 and 923.17 h for extract in the presence of gallic acid and phytic acid, respectively. These results clearly indicate that purple basil is a potential source of stable bioactive compounds.

Purple perilla extracts with α-asarone enhance cholesterol efflux from oxidized LDL-exposed macrophages.

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Sin-Hye; Paek, Ji Hun; Shin, Daekeun; Lee, Jae-Yong; Lim, Soon Sung; Kang, Young-Hee

2015-04-01

The cellular accumulation of cholesterol is critical in the development and progression of atherosclerosis. ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters play an essential role in mediating the efflux of excess cholesterol. In the current study, we investigated whether purple Perilla frutescens extracts (PPE) at a non-toxic concentration of 1-10 µg/ml stimulate the induction of the ABC transporters, ABCA1 and ABCG1, and cholesterol efflux from lipid-laden J774A.1 murine macrophages exposed to 50 ng/ml oxidized low-density lipoprotein (LDL). Purple perilla, an annual herb in the mint family and its constituents, have been reported to exhibit antioxidant and cytostatic activity, as well as to exert anti-allergic effects. Our results revealed that treatment with oxidized LDL for 24 h led to the accumulation of lipid droplets in the macrophages. PPE suppressed the oxidized LDL-induced foam cell formation by blocking the induction of scavenger receptor B1. However, PPE promoted the induction of the ABC transporters, ABCA1 and ABCG1, and subsequently accelerated cholesterol efflux from the lipid-loaded macrophages. The liver X receptor (LXR) agonist, TO-091317, and the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) agonist, pioglitazone, increased ABCA1 expression and treatment with 10 µg/ml PPE further enhanced this effect. PPE did not induce LXRα and PPARγ expression per se, but enhanced their expression in the macrophages exposed to oxidized LDL. α-asarone was isolated from PPE and characterized as a major component enhancing the induction of ABCA1 and ABCG1 in macrophages exposed to oxidized LDL. α-asarone, but not β-asarone was effective in attenuating foam cell formation and enhancing cholesterol efflux, revealing an isomeric difference in their activity. The results from the present study demonstrate that PPE promotes cholesterol efflux from macrophages by activating the interaction of PPARγ-LXRα-ABC transporters.

Red, Purple and Pink: The Colors of Diffusion on Pinterest

Science.gov (United States)

Bakhshi, Saeideh; Gilbert, Eric

2015-01-01

Many lab studies have shown that colors can evoke powerful emotions and impact human behavior. Might these phenomena drive how we act online? A key research challenge for image-sharing communities is uncovering the mechanisms by which content spreads through the community. In this paper, we investigate whether there is link between color and diffusion. Drawing on a corpus of one million images crawled from Pinterest, we find that color significantly impacts the diffusion of images and adoption of content on image sharing communities such as Pinterest, even after partially controlling for network structure and activity. Specifically, Red, Purple and pink seem to promote diffusion, while Green, Blue, Black and Yellow suppress it. To our knowledge, our study is the first to investigate how colors relate to online user behavior. In addition to contributing to the research conversation surrounding diffusion, these findings suggest future work using sophisticated computer vision techniques. We conclude with a discussion on the theoretical, practical and design implications suggested by this work—e.g. design of engaging image filters. PMID:25658423

Womanist Interpretation of The Color Purple%《紫色》的妇女主义解读

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

彭亮

2016-01-01

Alice Walker’s master worker The Color Purple is interpreted from a womanist perspective.The four features of womanism,anti-racism,anti-sexism,afro-centrism and humanism, are analyzed.%从妇女主义视角解读沃克的代表作《紫色》，阐释了妇女主义的四大特点：反种族主义，反性别主义，非洲中心主义和人道主义。

Modelling excitonic energy transfer in the photosynthetic unit of purple bacteria

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Linnanto, J.M.; Korppi-Tommola, J.E.I.

2009-01-01

Molecular mechanics and quantum chemical configuration interaction calculations in combination with exciton theory were used to predict vibronic energies and eigenstates of light harvesting antennae and the reaction centre and to evaluate excitation energy transfer rates in the photosynthetic unit of purple bacteria. Excitation energy transfer rates were calculated by using the transition matrix formalism and exciton basis sets of the interacting antenna systems. Energy transfer rates of 600-800 fs from B800 ring to B850 ring in the LH2 antenna, 3-10 ps from LH2 to LH2 antenna, 2-8 ps from LH2 to LH1 antenna and finally 30-70 ps from LH1 to the reaction centre were obtained. Dependencies of energy transfer rates on lateral and vertical inter-complex distances were determined. The results indicate that a fair amount of spatial heterogeneity of antenna complexes in the photosynthetic membrane is tolerated without much loss in excitation energy transfer efficiency

Modelling excitonic energy transfer in the photosynthetic unit of purple bacteria

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Linnanto, J.M. [Department of Chemistry, P.O. Box 35, FIN-40014 University of Jyvaeskylae, Jyvaeskylae (Finland)], E-mail: juha.m.linnanto@jyu.fi; Korppi-Tommola, J.E.I. [Department of Chemistry, P.O. Box 35, FIN-40014 University of Jyvaeskylae, Jyvaeskylae (Finland)

2009-02-23

Molecular mechanics and quantum chemical configuration interaction calculations in combination with exciton theory were used to predict vibronic energies and eigenstates of light harvesting antennae and the reaction centre and to evaluate excitation energy transfer rates in the photosynthetic unit of purple bacteria. Excitation energy transfer rates were calculated by using the transition matrix formalism and exciton basis sets of the interacting antenna systems. Energy transfer rates of 600-800 fs from B800 ring to B850 ring in the LH2 antenna, 3-10 ps from LH2 to LH2 antenna, 2-8 ps from LH2 to LH1 antenna and finally 30-70 ps from LH1 to the reaction centre were obtained. Dependencies of energy transfer rates on lateral and vertical inter-complex distances were determined. The results indicate that a fair amount of spatial heterogeneity of antenna complexes in the photosynthetic membrane is tolerated without much loss in excitation energy transfer efficiency.

Purple corn silk: A potential anti-obesity agent with inhibition on adipogenesis and induction on lipolysis and apoptosis in adipocytes.

Science.gov (United States)

Chaiittianan, Rungsiri; Sutthanut, Khaetthareeya; Rattanathongkom, Ariya

2017-04-06

Corn silk or the stigma of Zea mays L. has traditionally been used in weight loss stimulation and treatment of cystitis, urinary infections and obesity. Purple corn silk, rich of polyphenolic substances, was reported on anti-diabetic and anti-obesity effect in animal studies. However, scientific evidence on mechanisms and targets of action of purple corn silk related to adipocyte life cycle has been limited. To determine phytochemical compositions and investigate anti-obesity potential of the purple corn silk focusing on interruption of adipocyte life cycle; effect on pre-adipocyte proliferation, adipogenesis, adipocyte lipolysis, and apoptosis. The ethanolic purple corn silk extract (PCS) was prepared and investigated for phytochemical compositions by LC/MS/MS technique and anti-obesity potential using murine 3T3-L1 cell line. Using methyl thiazole tetrazolium (MTT) assay, the effects on pre-adipocytes and adipocyte viability and on pre-adipocytes proliferation at 24-, 48-, and 72-h incubation period were evaluated. In addition, anti-adipogenesis via inhibition on adipocyte differentiation and reduction of total lipid accumulation was evaluated using Oil Red O staining and spectrophotometric methods, respectively. The lipolysis effect was determined by measurement of glycerol released content using glycerol test kit after 48-h treatment of PCS to adipocytes. Apoptosis inductive effect was done by using 2-(4-Amidinophenyl)-6-indolecarbamidine dihydrochloride (DAPI) staining method. The polyphenols including anthocyanins, quercetin and phenolic acids and derivatives were found as the major chemical compositions of the PCS. With multiple-stages interruption on the adipocyte life cycle, anti-obesity effect of PCS was interestingly demonstrated. When compared to the control, the PCS at concentration range between 250-1000 μg/mL showed anti-adipogenesis effect as expressing of significant inhibition on pre-adipocyte proliferation at all incubation period (43.52±5

Identification and growth conditions of purple non-sulfur photosynthetic bacteria isolated from palm oil mill effluent

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Radziah Ariffin

2004-01-01

An indigenous strain of the purple non-sulphur photosynthetic bacterium, isolated from palm oil mill effluent was presumably identified as species of Rhodopseudomonas palustris. Cultivation in synthetic medium under different conditions indicated that it gave maximum carotenoid and bacteriophyll synthesis under anaerobic conditions in the light with values of 12.6 and 108.1 mg/g dry cell weight respectively. These values were significantly higher than the pigment content obtained from aerobic cultivation. The specific growth rates in anaerobic was twice those in aerobic conditions in the light. Growth was not occurred in anaerobic or aerobic conditions in the dark. (Author)

Comparison of buckwheat, red clover, and purple tansy as potential surrogate plants for use in semi-field pesticide risk assessments with Bombus impatiens

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Angela E. Gradish

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Background. Bumble bees (Bombus spp. are important wild and managed pollinators. There is increased interest in incorporating data on bumble bees into risk assessments for pesticides, but standardized methods for assessing hazards of pesticides in semi-field and field settings have not yet been established for bumble bees. During semi-field studies, colonies are caged with pesticide-treated flowering surrogate plants, which must be attractive to foragers to ensure colony exposure to the test compound, and must produce an ample nectar and pollen to sustain colonies during testing. However, it is not known which plant(s are suitable for use in semi-field studies with bumble bees. Materials and Methods. We compared B. impatiens foraging activity and colony development on small plots of flowering buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum, var. common, red clover (Trifolium pratense, and purple tansy (Phacelia tanacetifolia under semi-field conditions to assess their suitability as surrogate plants for pesticide risk assessment studies with bumble bees. We also compared the growth characteristics and input requirements of each plant type. Results. All three plant types generally established and grew well. Red clover and purple tansy experienced significant weed pressure and/or insect pest damage. In contrast, pest pressure was extremely low in buckwheat. Overall, B. impatiens foraging activity was significantly greater on buckwheat plots than red clover or purple tansy, but plant type had no effect on number of individuals produced per colony or colony weight. Discussion. Because of the consistently high foraging activity and successful colony development observed on buckwheat plots, combined with its favourable growth characteristics and low maintenance requirements, we recommend buckwheat as a surrogate plant for use in semi-field pesticide toxicity assessments with B. impatiens.

Reconciling the conservation of the purple swamphen (Porphyrio porphyrio and its damage in Mediterranean rice fields through sustainable non-lethal techniques

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Rubén Moreno-Opo

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Resolving human–wildlife conflicts requires the assessment and implementation of appropriate technical measures that minimize negative impacts on socio-economic uses, including agriculture, and ensure the adequate protection of biological diversity. Rice paddies are widely distributed in the western Mediterranean region. Because of their high productivity, they can be a good habitat for waterbirds, including the purple swamphen Porphyrio porphyrio, particularly in areas where natural wetlands have been removed or reduced. As a result of its population growth, there have been increasing levels of damage caused by this species in rice fields due to stem-cutting and opening of bald patches in rice fields. With the aim of reducing damage, we evaluated the effectiveness of passive and active measures that would limit access to rice fields and deter/scare away purple swamphens in affected areas of the Ebro Delta (NE Spain. We selected the techniques according to the growth phase of rice and the activity of birds in the rice fields (perimeter fences and clearing vegetation around the rice plots during sprouting and growing phases, and falconry at maturation. There were positive results during the sprouting and growing phases thanks to fences and clearing vegetation, reducing the affected area by 37.8% between treatment and control plots. This would mean an economic savings of 18,550 €/year in compensation payments by regional administrations including the investment in implementing and maintaining passive protection measures. Active deterrence through falconry did not reduce the level of damage. The analysis of purple swamphen home range, activity centers (centroids, and the proportion of locations in and outside of rice fields showed no differences before and after dissuasive practices. These results were influenced by multiple concurrent factors including weather, the structural configuration of the rice plots and their location. In summary, we

Characteristics of purple nonsulfur bacteria grown under Stevia residue extractions.

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, J; Feng, Y; Wang, Y; Lin, X

2013-11-01

As a consequence of the large-scale cultivation of Stevia plants, releases of plant residues, the byproduct after sweetener extraction, to the environment are inevitable. Stevia residue and its effluent after batching up contain large amounts of organic matters with small molecular weight, which therefore are a potential pollution source. Meanwhile, they are favourite substrates for micro-organism growths. This investigation was aimed to utilize the simulated effluent of Stevia residue to enrich the representative purple nonsulfur bacterium (PNSB), Rhodopseudomonas palustris (Rps. palustris), which has important economic values. The growth profile and quality of Rps. palustris were characterized by spectrophotometry, compared to those grown in common PNSB mineral synthetic medium. Our results revealed that the simulated effluent of Stevia residue not only stimulated Rps. palustris growth to a greater extent, but also increased its physiologically active cytochrome concentrations and excreted indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) content. This variation in phenotype of Rps. palustris could result from the shift in its genotype, further revealed by the repetitive sequence-based PCR (rep-PCR) fingerprinting analysis. Our results showed that the effluent of Stevia residue was a promising substrate for microbial growth. © 2013 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

Calibration of Solar Radio Spectrometer of the Purple Mountain Observatory

Science.gov (United States)

Lei, LU; Si-ming, LIU; Qi-wu, SONG; Zong-jun, NING

2015-10-01

Calibration is a basic and important job in solar radio spectral observations. It not only deduces the solar radio flux as an important physical quantity for solar observations, but also deducts the flat field of the radio spectrometer to display the radio spectrogram clearly. In this paper, we first introduce the basic method of calibration based on the data of the solar radio spectrometer of Purple Mountain Observatory. We then analyze the variation of the calibration coefficients, and give the calibrated results for a few flares. These results are compared with those of the Nobeyama solar radio polarimeter and the hard X-ray observations of the RHESSI (Reuven Ramaty High Energy Solar Spectroscopic Imager) satellite, it is shown that these results are consistent with the characteristics of typical solar flare light curves. In particular, the analysis on the correlation between the variation of radio flux and the variation of hard X-ray flux in the pulsing phase of a flare indicates that these observations can be used to study the relevant radiation mechanism, as well as the related energy release and particle acceleration processes.

Antioxidant and prebiotic activity of five peonidin-based anthocyanins extracted from purple sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam.).

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Hanju; Zhang, Pingping; Zhu, Yongsheng; Lou, Qiuyan; He, Shudong

2018-03-22

Twelve kinds of anthocyanins from the Chinese purple sweet potato cultivar (Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam.) were extracted and identified using LC-MS/MS, which had a high content of peonidin-based anthocyanins. Five peonidin-based anthocyanin monomers (P1, P2, P3, P4 and P5) were isolated by preparative liquid chromatography with structural analyses using an Impact II Q-TOF MS/MS. Then, the functional properties of the anthocyanin monomers, such as the antioxidant activities, proliferative effects on probiotics, and their inhibition on harmful bacteria in vitro, were investigated. The peonidin-based components in purple sweet potato anthocyanins (PSPAs) showed good properties regarding scavenging 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radicals and superoxide anions, and had good potential in reducing the total power activity and Fe 2+ chelating ability. While the order of the antioxidant abilities was as follows: P4 > P5 > P3 > P2 > P1 > PSPAs. Microbial cultivations showed that P1, P2, P3, P4, P5 and PSPAs could induce the proliferation of Bifidobacterium bifidum, Bifidobacterium adolescentis, Bifidobacterium infantis and Lactobacillus acidophilus, and they inhibited the growth of Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella typhimurium, suggesting the anthocyanins might have prebiotic-like activity through the modulation of the intestinal microbiota. Our results indicate that peonidin-based anthocyanins could be further utilized in health foods and pharmaceutical developments.

The influences of purple sweet potato anthocyanin on the growth characteristics of human retinal pigment epithelial cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Min Sun

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Background: Anthocyanins have been proven to be beneficial to the eyes. However, information is scarce about the effects of purple sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas, L. anthocyanin (PSPA, a class of anthocyanins derived from purple sweet potato roots, on visual health. Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate whether PSPA could have influences on the growth characteristics (cellular morphology, survival, and proliferation of human retinal pigment epithelial (RPE cells, which perform essential functions for the visual process. Methods: The RPE cell line D407 was used in the present study. The cytotoxicity of PSPA was assessed by MTT assay. Then, cellular morphology, viability, cell cycle, Ki67expression, and PI3K/MAPK activation of RPE cells treated with PSPA were determined. Results: PSPA exhibited dose-dependent promotion of RPE cell proliferation at concentrations ranging from 10 to 1,000 µg/ml. RPE cells treated with PSPA demonstrated a predominantly polygonal morphology in a mosaic arrangement, and colony-like cells displayed numerous short apical microvilli and typical ultrastructure. PSPA treatment also resulted in a better platform growing status, statistically higher viability, an increase in the S-phase, and more Ki67+ cells. However, neither pAkt nor pERK were detected in either group. Conclusions: We found that PSPA maintained high cell viability, boosted DNA synthesis, and preserved a high percentage of continuously cycling cells to promote cell survival and division without changing cell morphology. This paper lays the foundation for further research about the damage-protective activities of PSPA on RPE cells or human vision.

Genome Sequence of Rhodoferax antarcticus ANT.BRT; A Psychrophilic Purple Nonsulfur Bacterium from an Antarctic Microbial Mat

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jennifer M. Baker

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Rhodoferax antarcticus is an Antarctic purple nonsulfur bacterium and the only characterized anoxygenic phototroph that grows best below 20 °C. We present here a high-quality draft genome of Rfx. antarcticus strain ANT.BRT, isolated from an Antarctic microbial mat. The circular chromosome (3.8 Mbp of Rfx. antarcticus has a 59.1% guanine + cytosine (GC content and contains 4036 open reading frames. In addition, the bacterium contains a sizable plasmid (198.6 kbp, 48.4% GC with 226 open reading frames that comprises about 5% of the total genetic content. Surprisingly, genes encoding light-harvesting complexes 1 and 3 (LH1 and LH3, but not light-harvesting complex 2 (LH2, were identified in the photosynthesis gene cluster of the Rfx. antarcticus genome, a feature that is unique among purple phototrophs. Consistent with physiological studies that showed a strong capacity for nitrogen fixation in Rfx. antarcticus, a nitrogen fixation gene cluster encoding a molybdenum-type nitrogenase was present, but no alternative nitrogenases were identified despite the cold-active phenotype of this phototroph. Genes encoding two forms of ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase were present in the Rfx. antarcticus genome, a feature that likely provides autotrophic flexibility under varying environmental conditions. Lastly, genes for assembly of both type IV pili and flagella are present, with the latter showing an unusual degree of clustering. This report represents the first genomic analysis of a psychrophilic anoxygenic phototroph and provides a glimpse of the genetic basis for maintaining a phototrophic lifestyle in a permanently cold, yet highly variable, environment.

Echinacea

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... supplements and most medications is low. Keep in Mind Tell all your health care providers about any ... Privacy and Policies Accessibility en Español FOIA Site Map Contact Us U.S. Department of Health & Human Services , ...

Interplay between excitation kinetics and reaction-center dynamics in purple bacteria

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Caycedo-Soler, Felipe; RodrIguez, Ferney J; Quiroga, Luis; Johnson, Neil F

2010-01-01

Photosynthesis is arguably the fundamental process of life, since it enables energy from the Sun to enter the food chain on the Earth. It is a remarkable non-equilibrium process in which photons are converted to many-body excitations, which traverse a complex biomolecular membrane, where they are captured and fuel chemical reactions within a reaction center (RC) in order to produce nutrients. The precise nature of these dynamical processes-which lie at the interface between quantum and classical behavior and involve both noise and coordination-is still being explored. Here, we focus on a striking recent empirical finding concerning an illumination-driven transition in the biomolecular membrane architecture of the purple bacteria Rsp. photometricum. Using stochastic realizations to describe a hopping rate model for excitation transfer, we show numerically and analytically that this surprising shift in preferred architectures can be traced to the interplay between the excitation kinetics and the RC dynamics. The net effect is that the bacteria profit from efficient metabolism at low illumination intensities while using dissipation to avoid an oversupply of energy at high illumination intensities.

Effect of pretreatment on purple-fleshed sweet potato flour for cake making

Science.gov (United States)

Hutasoit, M. S.; Julianti, E.; Lubis, Z.

2018-02-01

The purple-fleshed sweet-potato (PFSP) flour was produced by varying pretreatment of washed chips: dipping in 0.5 and 1.0% (w/v) citric acid solution for 30 min, dipping in 0.5 and 1.0% (w/v) citric acid solution for 30 min and followed by steam blanching for 5 min. The pretreatment effect on cake quality was investigated. The results showed that PFSP flour produced from pretreatment with dipping in 0.5% citric acid for 30 min followed by steam blanching for 5 min had higher lightness (L*) value and lower browning index, higher hedonic value of color and aroma and baking expansion. The specific volume of cake from pretreated flour, untreated flour and wheat flour were 44.87, 43.83, and 50.43cm3/g, respectively. The sensory evaluation of cake indicated that cake from pretreated PFSP flour was acceptable compare to those of cake from wheat flour.

Enhancement of broiler performance and immune response by ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Administrator

2011-09-19

Sep 19, 2011 ... response by Echinacea purpurea supplemented in diet. Saied Habibian ... E. purpurea, animal and human studies have shown that. E. purpurea had .... claimed that E. purpurea extract as a feed additive for broilers and layers is .... Echinacea: biological effects and active principles, In: Phytomedicines of ...

The Improved Method for Isolation of Photochrome Trans-membrane Protein Bacteriorhodopsin from Purple Membranes of Halobacterium Halobacterium Halobium ET 1001

OpenAIRE

Oleg Mosin; Ignat Ignatov

2015-01-01

It was developed the improved method for isolation of photochrome trans-membraine protein bacteriorhodopsin (output – 5 mg from 100 g of wet biomass) capable to transform light energy to electrochemical energy of generated protons H+ and АТP. The protein was isolated from purple membranes of photo-organotrophic halobacterium Halobacterium halobium ET 1001 by cellular autolysis by distilled water, processing of bacterial biomass by ultrasound at 22 KHz, alcohol extraction of low and high-weigh...

Estimation of Moisture Content & Metal Ions in White Flowers of Bougainvillea spectabilis and Purple Flowers of Bougainvillea glabra in Pakistan

OpenAIRE

*S. A. Rashid; F. S. Rehmani; 1M. Arman; M. Ibrahim; 2S. Shafique

2011-01-01

Bougainvillea consists of 18 shrubby species, growing in different parts of Pakistan and is being used as Anti-ulcer, Anti-diarrheal, Anti-microbial, Anti- diabetic, Amylase Inhibition and as for low blood pressure but none of the studies on Bougainvillea focused on the estimation of metal ion concentration. The focus of the present study was to estimation of moisture content and comparative analysis of trace metal ions in white flowers of Bougainvillea spectabilis Willd and Purple flowers of...

Purple spot damage dynamics investigated by an integrated approach on a 1244 A.D. parchment roll from the Secret Vatican Archive.

Science.gov (United States)

Migliore, Luciana; Thaller, Maria Cristina; Vendittozzi, Giulia; Mejia, Astrid Yazmine; Mercuri, Fulvio; Orlanducci, Silvia; Rubechini, Alessandro

2017-09-07

Ancient parchments are commonly attacked by microbes, producing purple spots and detachment of the superficial layer. Neither standard cultivation nor molecular methods (DGGE) solved the issue: causative agents and colonization model are still unknown. To identify the putative causal agents, we describe the 16 S rRNA gene analysis (454-pyrosequencing) of the microbial communities colonizing a damaged parchment roll dated 1244 A.D. (A.A. Arm. I-XVIII 3328, Vatican Secret Archives). The taxa in damaged or undamaged areas of the same document were different. In the purple spots, marine halotolerant Gammaproteobacteria, mainly Vibrio, were found; these microorganisms are rare or absent in the undamaged areas. Ubiquitous and environmental microorganisms were observed in samples from both damaged and undamaged areas. Pseudonocardiales were the most common, representing the main colonizers of undamaged areas. We hypothesize a successional model of biodeterioration, based on metagenomic data and spectroscopic analysis of pigments, which help to relate the damage to a microbial agent. Furthermore, a new method (Light Transmitted Analysis) was utilized to evaluate the kind and entity of the damage to native collagen. These data give a significant advance to the knowledge in the field and open new perspectives to remediation activity on a huge amount of ancient document.

A Root-Preferential DFR-Like Gene Encoding Dihydrokaempferol Reductase Involved in Anthocyanin Biosynthesis of Purple-Fleshed Sweet Potato.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Xiaoqiang; Xiang, Min; Fan, Yufang; Yang, Chunxian; Zeng, Lingjiang; Zhang, Qitang; Chen, Min; Liao, Zhihua

2017-01-01

Purple-fleshed sweet potato is good for health due to rich anthocyanins in tubers. Although the anthocyanin biosynthetic pathway is well understood in up-ground organs of plants, the knowledge on anthocyanin biosynthesis in underground tubers is limited. In the present study, we isolated and functionally characterized a root-preferential gene encoding dihydrokaempferol reductase ( IbDHKR ) from purple-fleshed sweet potato. IbDHKR showed highly similarity with the reported dihydroflavonol reductases in other plant species at the sequence levels and the NADPH-binding motif and the substrate-binding domain were also found in IbDHKR. The tissue profile showed that IbDHKR was expressed in all the tested organs, but with much higher level in tuber roots. The expression level of IbDHKR was consistent with the anthocyanin content in sweet potato organs, suggesting that tuber roots were the main organs to synthesize anthocyanins. The recombinant 44 kD IbDHKR was purified and fed by three different dihydroflavonol substrates including dihydrokaempferol (DHK), dihydroquerctin, and dihydromyrecetin. The substrate feeding assay indicated that only DHK could be accepted as substrate by IbDHKR, which was reduced to leucopelargonidin confirmed by LC-MS. Finally, IbDHKR was overexpressed in transgenic tobacco. The IbDHKR-overexpression tobacco corolla was more highly pigmented and contained higher level of anthocyanins than the wild-type tobacco corolla. In summary, IbDHKR was a root-preferential gene involved in anthocyanin biosynthesis and its encoding protein, specifically catalyzing DHK reduction to yield leucopelargonidin, was a candidate gene for engineering anthocyanin biosynthetic pathway.

Nitrate leaching, direct and indirect nitrous oxide fluxes from sloping cropland in the purple soil area, southwestern China

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhou Minghua; Zhu Bo; Butterbach-Bahl, Klaus; Wang Tao; Bergmann, Jessica; Brüggemann, Nicolas; Wang Zhenhua; Li Taikui; Kuang Fuhong

2012-01-01

This study provides a combined dataset on N loss pathways and fluxes from sloping cropland in the purple soil area, southwestern China. A lysimeter experiment was conducted to quantify nitrate leaching (May 2004–May 2010) and N 2 O emission (May 2009–May 2010) losses. Nitrate leaching was the dominant N loss pathway and annual leaching fluxes ranged from 19.2 to 53.4 kg N ha −1 , with significant differences between individual observation years (P 2 O emissions due to N fertilizer use were 1.72 ± 0.34 kg N ha −1 yr −1 , which corresponds to an emission factor of 0.58 ± 0.12%. However, indirect N 2 O emissions caused by nitrate leaching and surface runoff N losses, may contribute another 0.15–0.42 kg N ha −1 yr −1 . Our study shows that nitrate leaching lowered direct N 2 O emissions, highlighting the importance for a better understanding of the tradeoff between direct and indirect N 2 O emissions for the development of meaningful N 2 O emission strategies. - Highlights: ► High NO 3 − leaching losses lowered direct N 2 O emissions. ► Hydrological N losses induced un-neglected indirect N 2 O emissions. ► Considering both direct and indirect N 2 O emission is needed for reduction strategies. - High nitrate leaching losses from sloping croplands of purple soil are accompanied with reductions in direct N 2 O emissions and stimulations of indirect N 2 O emissions.

Towards a semiquantitative non invasive characterisation of Tyrian purple dye composition: Convergence of UV-Visible reflectance spectroscopy and fast-high temperature-high performance liquid chromatography with photodiode array detection.

Science.gov (United States)

Clementi, Catia; Nowik, Witold; Romani, Aldo; Cardon, Dominique; Trojanowicz, Marek; Davantès, Athénaïs; Chaminade, Pierre

2016-07-05

In this paper, partial least square (PLS) regression is innovatively applied for a semi-quantitative non invasive study of the most precious dye of Antiquity: Tyrian purple. This original approach for the study of organic dyes in the cultural heritage field, is based on the correlation of spectrophotometric (UV-Visible) and chromatographic (Fast-HT-HPLC-PDA) data from an extensive set of textiles prepared with different snail species according to historical recipes. A cross-validated PLS model, based on the quantity of 6,6'-dibromoindigotin, displays an excellent correlation factor (R(2)Y = 0.987) between values determined by chromatography and those predicted from reflectance spectra. This indicates that the spectral features of Tyrian purple on textile fibre is strictly related to the amount of this indigoid component whose content may be non invasively predicted from reflectance spectrum. The studied correlation also highlights that, independently of the dyeing method and nature of the textile fibre used, the relative content of 6,6'-dibromindigotin may be used as a parameter to distinguish samples prepared with Hexaplex trunculus L. snails from those prepared with further mollusc species. To validate this model, archaeological textile fragments dating from the Roman period were successfully examined. The results achieved open an absolutely new way in Tyrian purple analysis in cultural heritage by non invasive spectroscopic techniques attesting their convergence with HPLC and giving them a semi-quantitative value. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Huckleberry Gold: A high antioxidant purple skin-yellow flesh specialty market cultivar with potato cyst nematode resistance (H1) and potato virus X resistance (Nb and Rx1)

Science.gov (United States)

Huckleberry Gold is a purple skinned, yellow fleshed fresh market cultivar with similar culinary qualities to the market standard Yukon Gold. It has lower specific gravity, sucrose and vitamin C content, but a significantly higher level of antioxidants. Notable disease resistant characteristics are ...

Cloning and Characterization of Purple Acid Phosphatase Phytases from Wheat, Barley, Maize and Rice

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dionisio, Giuseppe; Madsen, Claus Krogh; Holm, Preben Bach

2011-01-01

development and germination. In wheat, it was demonstrated that a and b isogene expression is driven by different promoters (approximately 31% identity). TaPAPhy_a/b promoter reporter gene expression in transgenic grains and peptide mapping of TaPAPhy purified from wheat bran and germinating grains confirmed......Barley (Hordeum vulgare) and wheat (Triticum aestivum) possess significant phytase activity in the mature grains. Maize (Zea mays) and rice (Oryza sativa) possess little or virtually no preformed phytase activity in the mature grain and depend fully on de novo synthesis during germination. Here......, it is demonstrated that wheat, barley, maize, and rice all possess purple acid phosphatase (PAP) genes that, expressed in Pichia pastoris, give fully functional phytases (PAPhys) with very similar enzyme kinetics. Preformed wheat PAPhy was localized to the protein crystalloid of the aleurone vacuole. Phylogenetic...

Effect of time and storage conditions on the physical and physico-chemical characteristics of the pulp of yellow and purple passion fruit

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Letícia da Silva ARAÚJO

Full Text Available Abstract The aim of this study was evaluate the physical and physico-chemical characteristics of extracted fruit pulp of passion fruit with different skin color (yellow, light and dark purple under refrigeration temperatures and storage times. The extracted pulp of passion fruit was stored at different temperatures: 10 °C, 25 °C; - 30 °C and - 80 °C and at four different storage periods: 0; 10; 20 and 30 days. The following physical and physico-chemical characteristics of the fruit were evaluated: color of fruit peel, fruit weight, diameter, length and width of the fruit, peel thickness, peel mass, pulp mass, pulp color, juice yield, pH, soluble solids, titratable acidity and ratio. The physical and physico-chemical results indicate that all the passion fruit pulp, in natura as well as refrigerated, presented values in conformity to the identity and quality standards. The coloration of the fruit peel influenced the preservation of pulp color during the storage period and conditions. Purple fruits showed no change in the color of the pulp, even under different conservation procedures. The passion fruit pulp can be stored up to 30 days while preserving the physical and physico-chemical characteristics, similar to the pulp in natura.

Effects of gamma-irradiation on the electrokinetic properties of purple membranes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Doltchinkova, V.; Baldjiiska, M.; Stoilova, S.

1998-01-01

The effect of gamma-irradiation (5, 10 and 15 Gy) on the kinetic surface charge of purple membranes (PM) was followed by means of particle microelectrophoresis. The changes in electrophoretic mobility (EPM) were examined at 2, 5 and 26 h, respectively, following irradiation of native PM, and at 2, 26, 50 h and 5 days following irradiation of delipidated PM. It was concluded that the high inhomogeneity of the suspension, even after sonication, largely affects the measured zeta-potential. The 15-Gy treatment significantly increased the net negative surface charge density at 5 and 26 h after irradiation of native PM. However, the opposite effect of approximately twofold reduction of EPM values was derived from simultaneous studies concerning their delipidated form. Low irradiation doses clearly induced an enhancement of negative surface charge density at 2 h post-exposure as well as the formation of unstable structures of delipidated PM. The changes in electrokinetic properties might reflect the specific aggregate formation in both native and delipidated PM. It was suggested that the effect observed of both types of PM was mainly a structural phenomenon possibly related to the modification of functionally active residues. (orig.)

A new energy transfer channel from carotenoids to chlorophylls in purple bacteria.

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Feng, Jin; Tseng, Chi-Wei; Chen, Tingwei; Leng, Xia; Yin, Huabing; Cheng, Yuan-Chung; Rohlfing, Michael; Ma, Yuchen

2017-07-10

It is unclear whether there is an intermediate dark state between the S 2 and S 1 states of carotenoids. Previous two-dimensional electronic spectroscopy measurements support its existence and its involvement in the energy transfer from carotenoids to chlorophylls, but there is still considerable debate on the origin of this dark state and how it regulates the energy transfer process. Here we use ab initio calculations on excited-state dynamics and simulated two-dimensional electronic spectrum of carotenoids from purple bacteria to provide evidence supporting that the dark state may be assigned to a new A g + state. Our calculations also indicate that groups on the conjugation backbone of carotenoids may substantially affect the excited-state levels and the energy transfer process. These results contribute to a better understanding of carotenoid excited states.Carotenoids harvest energy from light and transfer it to chlorophylls during photosynthesis. Here, Feng et al. perform ab initio calculations on excited-state dynamics and simulated 2D electronic spectrum of carotenoids, supporting the existence of a new excited state in carotenoids.

Microencapsulation of purple Brazilian cherry juice in xanthan, tara gums and xanthan-tara hydrogel matrixes.

Science.gov (United States)

Rutz, Josiane K; Zambiazi, Rui C; Borges, Caroline D; Krumreich, Fernanda D; da Luz, Suzane R; Hartwig, Naralice; da Rosa, Cleonice G

2013-11-06

The purple Brazilian cherry (Eugenia uniflora L.) juice was encapsulated in xanthan, tara and xanthan-tara hydrogel matrixes. Encapsulation efficiency, Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), X-ray diffractometry, release profile, stability of carotenoids, phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity of microparticles were evaluated. Encapsulation was confirmed. The highest encapsulation efficiency was obtained with xanthan gum and hydrogel was mostly indicated for the release of carotenoids in GFS and IFS medium. Phenolic compounds had the highest release rate but not in a gradually way, regardless of wall material and fluids under analysis. Stored microparticles at 4 and 25 °C, showed carotenoid degradation. Xanthan and hydrogel wall material provided the greatest stability to these compounds. The microparticles' anti-oxidant activity decreased during storage due to the degradation of carotenoids. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

PENGARUH DAUN UBI JALAR UNGU TERHADAP KADAR SUPEROKSID DISMUTASE TIKUS YANG DIPAPAR ASAP ROKOK (EFFECT OF PURPLE SWEET POTATO LEAVES ON SUPEROXIDE DISMUTASE LEVEL ON RATS EXPOSED TO CIGARETTE SMOKE

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Inggita Kusumastuty

2014-12-01

Superoxide Dismutase (SOD is an enzymatic antioxidant that protects cells from oxidative stress by catalyzing dismutase from superoxide into O2 and H2O2. The purple sweet potato leave (Ipomoea batatas L. Lam is a kind of vegetable plant that contains  high polyphenol which is about 1805 mgGAE on 100-gram edible portions. This research was aimed to determine the effect of purple sweet potato leaves powder in SOD levels that had been given to an animal model with cigarette smoke exposure. 6-8 week- male Rattus novergicus-wistar’s strain was used in this experiment that weighed about 140-250 gram and the entire rats were in healthy condition and were never exposed to another treatment before. Firstly, the rats were prepared in one week which was then divided into 5 treatment groups, a group that had not been exposed to cigarette smoke (P0, cigarette smoke exposed (P1, and exposed to cigarette smoke with the addition PSPL flour treatment in varying doses: 0.07g (P2, 0.14g (P3, and 0.28g (P4 for 30 days. After that, SOD levels were measured with spectrophotometry method. The result shows that there was obviously a significant difference between the treatment groups (ANOVA, p=0.000. In short, it was found that the given PSPL dosages resulted in higher SOD’s level. Keywords :, purple sweet potato leaves, Superoxide Dismutase level, cigarette smoking

Spectroscopic studies of two spectral variants of light-harvesting complex 2 (LH2) from the photosynthetic purple sulfur bacterium Allochromatium vinosum.

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Niedzwiedzki, Dariusz M; Bina, David; Picken, Nichola; Honkanen, Suvi; Blankenship, Robert E; Holten, Dewey; Cogdell, Richard J

2012-09-01

Two spectral forms of the peripheral light-harvesting complex (LH2) from the purple sulfur photosynthetic bacterium Allochromatium vinosum were purified and their photophysical properties characterized. The complexes contain bacteriochlorophyll a (BChl a) and multiple species of carotenoids. The composition of carotenoids depends on the light conditions applied during growth of the cultures. In addition, LH2 grown under high light has a noticeable split of the B800 absorption band. The influence of the change of carotenoid distribution as well as the spectral change of the excitonic absorption of the bacteriochlorophylls on the light-harvesting ability was studied using steady-state absorption, fluorescence and femtosecond time-resolved absorption at 77K. The results demonstrate that the change of the distribution of the carotenoids when cells were grown at low light adapts the absorptive properties of the complex to the light conditions and maintains maximum photon-capture performance. In addition, an explanation for the origin of the enigmatic split of the B800 absorption band is provided. This spectral splitting is also observed in LH2 complexes from other photosynthetic sulfur purple bacterial species. According to results obtained from transient absorption spectroscopy, the B800 band split originates from two spectral forms of the associated BChl a monomeric molecules bound within the same complex. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Evidence from the structure and function of cytochromes c(2) that nonsulfur purple bacterial photosynthesis followed the evolution of oxygen respiration.

Science.gov (United States)

Meyer, Terry; Van Driessche, Gonzalez; Ambler, Richard; Kyndt, John; Devreese, Bart; Van Beeumen, Jozef; Cusanovich, Michael

2010-10-01

Cytochromes c(2) are the nearest bacterial homologs of mitochondrial cytochrome c. The sequences of the known cytochromes c(2) can be placed in two subfamilies based upon insertions and deletions, one subfamily is most like mitochondrial cytochrome c (the small C2s, without significant insertions and deletions), and the other, designated large C2, shares 3- and 8-residue insertions as well as a single-residue deletion. C2s generally function between cytochrome bc(1) and cytochrome oxidase in respiration (ca 80 examples known to date) and between cytochrome bc(1) and the reaction center in nonsulfur purple bacterial photosynthesis (ca 21 examples). However, members of the large C2 subfamily are almost always involved in photosynthesis (12 of 14 examples). In addition, the gene for the large C2 (cycA) is associated with those for the photosynthetic reaction center (pufBALM). We hypothesize that the insertions in the large C2s, which were already functioning in photosynthesis, allowed them to replace the membrane-bound tetraheme cytochrome, PufC, that otherwise mediates between the small C2 or other redox proteins and photosynthetic reaction centers. Based upon our analysis, we propose that the involvement of C2 in nonsulfur purple bacterial photosynthesis was a metabolic feature subsequent to the evolution of oxygen respiration.

Physicochemical Properties and Sensory Evaluation of Wheat-Purple Rice Biscuits Enriched with Green-Lipped Mussel Powder (Perna canaliculus and Spices

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Warinporn Klunklin

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Biscuits are one of the most consumed bakery products eaten by everyone. Purple rice contains much higher levels of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals such as iron and zinc compared to wheat. The aim of this work was to produce a protein-rich biscuit made from purple rice flour and defatted green-lipped mussel powder (Perna canaliculus (0–20% blended with ginger and galangal spices at 4% for each spice. The objective was to produce an inexpensive, balanced, healthy snack product containing increased levels of protein and antioxidants from the mussel powder and to investigate the consumer preferences of these biscuits using the four different ethnic groups (Thai, Chinese, Caucasian, and Pacific Islanders living in New Zealand. The addition of the mussel powder increased the crude protein content by 43% and the protein digestibility by 21% at the highest level of inclusion. The addition of mussel powder significantly (p<0.05 increased the hardness of biscuits while making small increases in the browning index of the cooked biscuit. The phenolic contents and antioxidant activities (DPPH and ABTS were significantly (p<0.05 increased as additional amounts of mussel powder were incorporated into the biscuit mix, resulting in a reduction in the total starch contents. The addition of 10% mussel powder to the control biscuit mix was accepted by all the ethnic groups. Overall, the Pacific Islanders showed a higher appreciation for all the attributes tested.

Study of antidiarrheal and hematology profile of laboratory rat fed with yogurt containing local probiotic and purple sweet potato extract

Science.gov (United States)

Tari, A. I. N.; Handayani, C. B.; Hartati, S.

2018-03-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of local probiotic in yogurt with purple sweet potato extract supplementation on the hematological parameters of albino rats (Spraque dawley). The study was conducted using a Completely Randomized Design with 30 rats divided into 6 groups. In group K-, rats were fed with distilled water from day 1 to 21. In group YTP, Rats were fed with yogurt without probiotics from day 1 to 21. YDP group was rats were fed with probiotic yogurt from day 1 to 21. In group YTP+E, rats were fed with yogurt without probiotic from day 1 to 7, interspersed with exposure to enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) on day 8 to 14. In group YDP+E, rats were fed with probiotic yogurt from day 1 to 7, interspersed by EPEC on day 8 to 24. In group K +, rats were fed with water from day 1 to 7, then fed with EPEC on day 8 to 14, after which water was given back on day 15 to 21. The result showed that probiotic yogurt treatment with supplement of purple sweet potato extract had a significant effect (P<0,05) on feces water content, number of erythrocyte, leucocyte, and hemoglobin. The treatment of YDP had water content in feces 48.422% and the number of erythrocyte, leucocytes, and hemoglobin were 8.578 106/μl, 14.152 106/μl and 13.98 g/dL respectively.

Two-photon excitation spectroscopy of carotenoid-containing and carotenoid-depleted LH2 complexes from purple bacteria.

Science.gov (United States)

Stepanenko, Ilya; Kompanetz, Viktor; Makhneva, Zoya; Chekalin, Sergey; Moskalenko, Andrei; Razjivin, Andrei

2009-08-27

We applied two-photon fluorescence excitation spectroscopy to LH2 complex from purple bacteria Allochromatium minutissimum and Rhodobacter sphaeroides . Bacteriochlorophyll fluorescence was measured under two-photon excitation of the samples within the 1200-1500 nm region. Spectra were obtained for both carotenoid-containing and -depleted complexes of each bacterium to allow their direct comparison. The depletion of carotenoids did not alter the two-photon excitation spectra of either bacteria. The spectra featured a wide excitation band around 1350 nm (2x675 nm, 14,800 cm(-1)) which strongly resembled two-photon fluorescence excitation spectra of similar complexes published by other authors. We consider obtained experimental data to be evidence of direct two-photon excitation of bacteriochlorophyll excitonic states in this spectral region.

High angular and spectral selectivity of purple emperor (Lepidoptera: Apatura iris and A. ilia) butterfly wings.

Science.gov (United States)

Pantelić, Dejan; Curčić, Srećko; Savić-Šević, Svetlana; Korać, Aleksandra; Kovačević, Aleksander; Curčić, Božidar; Bokić, Bojana

2011-03-28

The iridescent features of the butterfly species Apatura iris (Linnaeus, 1758) and A. ilia (Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775) were studied. We recognized the structural color of scales only on the dorsal side of both the fore and hind wings of males of both of the aforementioned butterfly species. The scale dimensions and microstructure were analyzed by a scanning electron microscope (SEM) and transmission electron microscope (TEM). The optical properties were measured and it was found that the peak reflectivity is around 380 nm, with a spectral width (full width at half maximum) of approximately 50 nm in both species. The angular selectivity is high and a purple iridescent color is observed within the angular range of only 18 degrees in both species.

Effects of an oil production effluent on gametogenesis and gamete performance in the purple sea urchin (Strongylocentrotus purpuratus Stimpson)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krause, P.R.

1994-01-01

Adult organisms subjected to chronic discharges from a point source of pollution may exhibit several sublethal responses. One such response is the impairment of gamete production. This may be expressed in the amount and/or quality of gametes produced by adults. In this study the effects of chronic exposure to produced water (an oil production effluent) on the gametogenesis and gamete performance of the purple sea urchin (Strongylocentrotus purpuratus Stimpson) were examined using an in situ caging experiment. Adult purple sea urchins were kept in benthic cages arrayed down-field from a discharging diffuser at 13 sites, with distances ranging from 5 to 1,000 m. Cage exposures were maintained in the field for eight weeks, and each cage held 25 animals. Gametogenesis was examined for each sex by comparing a size-independent measure of relative gonads ass as determined by analysis of covariance. Results showed that there was a significant negative relationship between these estimates of relative gonad mass and distance from the outfall for both sexes, indicating that sea urchins living closer to the outfall produced significantly larger gonads. Gamete performance was measured through a fertilization kinetics bioassay that held the concentration of eggs constant and varied the amount of sperm added. The proportion of eggs fertilized under each sperm concentration was determined and the response fit to a model of fertilizability showed a positive relationship with distance away from the outfall. These findings indicate that although adult sea urchins exposed to a produced water outfall exhibit larger gonads, they suffer a marked decrease in a gamete performance

Runoff, nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) losses from purple slope cropland soil under rating fertilization in Three Gorges Region.

Science.gov (United States)

Bouraima, Abdel-Kabirou; He, Binghui; Tian, Taiqiang

2016-03-01

Soil erosion along with soil particles and nutrients losses is detrimental to crop production. We carried out a 5-year (2010 to 2014) study to characterize the soil erosion and nitrogen and phosphorus losses caused by rainfall under different fertilizer application levels in order to provide a theoretical evidence for the agricultural production and coordinate land management to improve ecological environment. The experiment took place under rotation cropping, winter wheat-summer maize, on a 15° slope purple soil in Chongqing (China) within the Three Gorges Region (TGR). Four treatments, control (CK) without fertilizer, combined manure with chemical fertilizer (T1), chemical fertilization (T2), and chemical fertilizer with increasing fertilization (T3), were designed on experimental runoff plots for a long-term observation aiming to study their effects on soil erosion and nutrients losses. The results showed that fertilization reduced surface runoff and nutrient losses as compared to CK. T1, T2, and T3, compared to CK, reduced runoff volume by 35.7, 29.6, and 16.8 %, respectively and sediment yield by 40.5, 20.9, and 49.6 %, respectively. Regression analysis results indicated that there were significant relationships between soil loss and runoff volume in all treatments. The combined manure with chemical fertilizer (T1) treatment highly reduced total nitrogen and total phosphorus losses by 41.2 and 33.33 %, respectively as compared with CK. Through this 5-year experiment, we can conclude that, on the sloping purple soil, the combined application of manure with fertilizer is beneficial for controlling runoff sediments losses and preventing soil erosion.

Pressure dependence of the Peierls transition in the quasi two-dimensional purple bronze KMo 6O 17

Science.gov (United States)

Rötger, A.; Beille, J.; Laurant, J. M.; Schlenker, C.

1993-09-01

The electrical resistivity and the lattice parameters have been studied as a function of pressure on the quasi-twodimensional purple bronze KMo 6O 17 which shows a Peierls transition towards a commensurate charge density wave state. The Peierls temperature is found to be first slightly decreased for pressures smaller than 6 kbar, then strongly increased above. This increase is associated to an anomalous contraction of the lattice parameters in the plane of the layers. The corresponding large increase of the compressibility above 16 kbar at 300 K is associated to the pretransitional regime of the Peierls transition as a function of pressure. These results are attributed mainly to an improved nesting of the Fermi surface under pressure.

The elemental composition of purple sea urchin (Strongylocentrotus purpuratus) calcite and potential effects of pCO2 during early life stages

Science.gov (United States)

LaVigne, M.; Hill, T. M.; Sanford, E.; Gaylord, B.; Russell, A. D.; Lenz, E. A.; Hosfelt, J. D.; Young, M. K.

2013-06-01

Ocean acidification will likely have negative impacts on invertebrates producing skeletons composed of calcium carbonate. Skeletal solubility is partly controlled by the incorporation of "foreign" ions (e.g. magnesium) into the crystal lattice of these skeletal structures, a process that is sensitive to a variety of biological and environmental factors. Here we explore effects of life stage, oceanographic region of origin, and changes in the partial pressure of carbon dioxide in seawater (pCO2) on trace elemental composition in the purple sea urchin (Strongylocentrotus purpuratus). We show that, similar to other urchin taxa, adult purple sea urchins have the ability to precipitate skeleton composed of a range of biominerals spanning low- to high-Mg calcites. Mg / Ca and Sr / Ca ratios were substantially lower in adult spines compared to adult tests. On the other hand, trace elemental composition was invariant among adults collected from four oceanographically distinct regions spanning a range of carbonate chemistry conditions (Oregon, Northern California, Central California, and Southern California). Skeletons of newly settled juvenile urchins that originated from adults from the four regions exhibited intermediate Mg / Ca and Sr / Ca between adult spine and test endmembers, indicating that skeleton precipitated during early life stages is more soluble than adult spines and less soluble than adult tests. Mean skeletal Mg / Ca or Sr / Ca of juvenile skeleton did not vary with source region when larvae were reared under present-day, global-average seawater carbonate conditions (400 μatm; pHT = 8.02 ± 0.03 1 SD; Ωcalcite = 3.3 ± 0.2 1 SD). However, when reared under elevated pCO2 (900 μatm; pHT = 7.73 ± 0.03; Ωcalcite = 1.8 ± 0.1), skeletal Sr / Ca in juveniles exhibited increased variance across the four regions. Although larvae from the northern populations (Oregon, Northern California, Central California) did not exhibit differences in Mg or Sr

The elemental composition of purple sea urchin (Strongylocentrotus purpuratus calcite and potential effects of pCO2 during early life stages

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M. LaVigne

2013-06-01

Full Text Available Ocean acidification will likely have negative impacts on invertebrates producing skeletons composed of calcium carbonate. Skeletal solubility is partly controlled by the incorporation of "foreign" ions (e.g. magnesium into the crystal lattice of these skeletal structures, a process that is sensitive to a variety of biological and environmental factors. Here we explore effects of life stage, oceanographic region of origin, and changes in the partial pressure of carbon dioxide in seawater (pCO2 on trace elemental composition in the purple sea urchin (Strongylocentrotus purpuratus. We show that, similar to other urchin taxa, adult purple sea urchins have the ability to precipitate skeleton composed of a range of biominerals spanning low- to high-Mg calcites. Mg / Ca and Sr / Ca ratios were substantially lower in adult spines compared to adult tests. On the other hand, trace elemental composition was invariant among adults collected from four oceanographically distinct regions spanning a range of carbonate chemistry conditions (Oregon, Northern California, Central California, and Southern California. Skeletons of newly settled juvenile urchins that originated from adults from the four regions exhibited intermediate Mg / Ca and Sr / Ca between adult spine and test endmembers, indicating that skeleton precipitated during early life stages is more soluble than adult spines and less soluble than adult tests. Mean skeletal Mg / Ca or Sr / Ca of juvenile skeleton did not vary with source region when larvae were reared under present-day, global-average seawater carbonate conditions (400 μatm; pHT = 8.02 ± 0.03 1 SD; Ωcalcite = 3.3 ± 0.2 1 SD. However, when reared under elevated pCO2 (900 μatm; pHT = 7.73 ± 0.03; Ωcalcite = 1.8 ± 0.1, skeletal Sr / Ca in juveniles exhibited increased variance across the four regions. Although larvae from the northern populations (Oregon, Northern California, Central California did not exhibit differences in Mg or Sr

On the role of cytochrome c8 in photosynthetic electron transfer of the purple non-sulfur bacterium Rhodoferax fermentans

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hochkoeppler, Alejandro; Ciurli, Stefano; Kofod, Pauli

1997-01-01

We report on the isolation, purification and functional characterization of a soluble c-type cytochrome from light-grown cells of the purple phototroph Rhodoferax fermentans. This cytochrome is basic (pI = 8), has a molecular mass of 12 kDa, and is characterized by a midpoint reduction potential...... center, in a fast (sub-ms) and a slow (ms) phase. Competition experiments in the presence of both cytochrome c8 and high potential iron-sulfur protein (HiPIP), isolated from the same microorganism, show that cytochrome c8 oxidation is decreased upon addition of HiPIP. These observations suggest...

Bioaccumulation of Stentorin, the Probable Causative Agent for Discolored ("Purple") Eggs and Ovaries in Blue Catfish (Ictalurus furcatus) from Eufaula Lake, Oklahoma, USA.

Science.gov (United States)

Gale, Robert W; Papoulias, Diana M; Schmitt, Christopher J

2015-08-18

Observations of reddish to "purple" discolored eggs in the ovaries of adult female blue catfish (Ictalurus furcatus) from the northern arm of Eufaula Lake, a eutrophic multiuse impoundment in east-central Oklahoma, were first reported in 2006. Blue catfish eggs are normally cream to light yellow. Reports peaked in 2007-2008 and declined through 2009-2010; purple eggs have not been reported between 2010 and 2014. In the laboratory, all tissues and fluids of affected fish were strongly orange-red fluorescent under UV illumination, with the fluorescence most apparent in the lipid-rich ovaries and eggs. The causative agent was isolated chromatographically and confirmed by mass spectrometry as stentorin (1,3,4,6,8,10,11,13-octahydroxy-2,5-diisopropyl-phenanthro[1,10,9,8,o,p,q,r,a]perylene-7,14-dione), the fluorescent, lipophilic pigment associated with the photoreceptor protein of the ciliated protozoan Stentor coeruleus (Heterotrichea; Stentoridae). Larval medaka (Orizias latipes) readily consumed S. coeruleus in the laboratory and were observed to fluoresce in the same manner as the affected blue catfish. Potential deleterious effects of stentorin bioaccumulation remain to be determined, as do the geographic extent and the identities of other fluorescent compounds isolated from catfish eggs and ovaries.

Transformation of monothioarsenate by haloalkaliphilic, anoxygenic photosynthetic purple sulfur bacteria.

Science.gov (United States)

Edwardson, Christian F; Planer-Friedrich, Britta; Hollibaugh, James T

2014-12-01

Thioarsenates are the dominant arsenic species in arsenic-rich, alkaline, and sulfidic waters, but bacterial interactions with these compounds have only recently been examined. Previous studies have shown that microorganisms play a role in the transformation of monothioarsenate to arsenate, including use of monothioarsenate as a chemolithotrophic electron donor coupled with oxygen as an electron acceptor. We obtained enrichment cultures from two saline, alkaline lakes (Mono Lake, CA and Big Soda Lake, NV) that are able to use monothioarsenate as the sole electron donor for anoxygenic photosynthesis. These anoxic cultures were able to convert a 1 mM mixture of thioarsenates completely to arsenate in c. 13 days and 4 mM monothioarsenate to arsenate in c. 17 days. This conversion was light dependent; thus, monothioarsenate can be used as the sole electron donor for anoxygenic photosynthesis. Both of the Mono Lake and Big Soda Lake enrichment cultures were dominated by an organism closely related to Ectothiorhodospira species. We tested additional strains of purple sulfur bacteria and found widespread ability to use monothioarsenate as an electron donor. The ability of bacteria to transform thioarsenates directly via anoxygenic photosynthesis adds a new perspective to the well-studied arsenic and sulfur cycles. © 2014 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. All rights reserved.

A new banding technique for nesting adult purple martins

Science.gov (United States)

Klimkiewicz, M.K.; Jung, P.D.

1977-01-01

Mery (1966) showed an almost equal sex ratio, males returned more frequently than females, over 50% of returns paired with other returns, an adult return rate of 20%, and no pair bonds maintained for more than one season. Her study lasted 13 years. Our study has shown that the return rate of locals to parent colonies is 4.1%, sex ratios are nearly equal (combination of banding and observation), return rate of locals to nearby colonies is 0.9,one pair maintained the pair bond for two years, SY females lay fewer eggs than ASY's, SY adults occasionally do not feed frequently enough to maintain the normal growth pattern of the young, SY adults often build poorly constructed nests with little or no mud, overall nest success is lower in SY adults, adults do indeed return to the same colony (19.6%) box and/or compartment, sexes are balanced in a stable colony, males or females are sometimes in excess in a new colony, SY adults are predominate in a new colony, the limiting factor in colony size is most likely the number of boxes and/or compartments available for nesting and,finally, adults and young do indeed use the boxes for roosting after nesting and fledging is complete (even boxes not their own). All of our results are tentative and subject to change after f rther study. Much additional study will be required before we can come up with conclusive answers to many of these questions about the Purple Martin.

Viscoelastic characteristics and phytochemical properties of purple-rice drinks following ultrahigh pressure and pasteurization

Science.gov (United States)

Worametrachanon, Srivilai; Apichartsrangkoon, Arunee

2014-10-01

This study investigated how pressure (500, 600 MPa/20 min) altered the viscoelastic characteristics and phytochemical properties of germinated and non-germinated purple-rice drinks in comparison with pasteurization. Accordingly, color parameters, storage and loss moduli, anthocyanin content, γ-oryzanol, γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), total phenolic compounds and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylthydrazyl (DPPH) capacity of the processed drinks were determined. The finding showed that germinated and pressurized rice drink had lower Browning Index than the non-germinated and pasteurized rice drink. The plots of storage and loss moduli for processed rice drinks indicated that time of pressurization had greater impact on gel structural modification than the level of pressure used. The phytochemicals, including total phenolics, and DPPH capacity in pressurized rice drinks retained higher quantity than those in pasteurized drink, despite less treatment effects on anthocyanin. On the contrary, both γ-oryzanol and GABA were found in high amounts in germinated rice drink with little variation among processing effects.

Spontaneously Reported Adverse Reactions for Herbal Medicinal Products and Natural Remedies in Sweden 2007-15: Report from the Medical Products Agency.

Science.gov (United States)

Svedlund, Erika; Larsson, Maria; Hägerkvist, Robert

2017-06-01

In relation to the extensive use of herbal medicinal products in self-care, the safety information is limited and there is a need for improvement. This study describes spontaneously reported adverse reactions related to herbal medicinal products and natural remedies in Sweden. To evaluate the characteristics and frequency of adverse events recorded by the Swedish Medical Products Agency, where herbal medicinal products and natural remedies were suspected as causative agents. Adverse drug reactions reported to the Swedish Medical Product Agency during 2007-15 related to approved herbal medicinal products or natural remedies were included and analysed in the retrospective study. Reports had been assessed for causality when they were lodged and only reports that had been assessed as at least possible were included in the study. In total, 116 reports (concerning 259 adverse reactions) related to herbal medicinal products or natural remedies were found in the Swedish national pharmacovigilance database. The active ingredients most frequently suspected during the study period were black cohosh rhizome (15 reports), purple coneflower herb (14 reports) and a combination of extracts of pollen (13 reports). Adverse reactions related to skin and subcutaneous tissue were the most commonly reported reactions. No previously unknown safety problems have been discovered in the present study. This finding could be explained by a thorough pre-approval assessment of medicinal products and the fact that most herbal preparations in medicinal products have been in clinical use for many years (for traditional herbal medicinal products, the requirements are ≥30 years), i.e. adverse reactions are acknowledged and assessed before approval.

Electronic Structures of Purple Bronze KMo6O17 Studied by X-Ray Photoemission Spectra

Science.gov (United States)

Qin, Xiaokui; Wei, Junyin; Shi, Jing; Tian, Mingliang; Chen, Hong; Tian, Decheng

X-ray photoemission spectroscopy study has been performed for the purple bronze KMo6O17. The structures of conduction band and valence band are analogous to the results of ultraviolet photoemission spectra and are also consistent with the model of Travaglini et al., but the gap between conduction and valence band is insignificant. The shape of asymmetric and broadening line of O-1s is due to unresolved contributions from the many inequivalent oxygen sites in this crystal structure. Mo 3d core-level spectrum reveals that there are two kinds of valence states of Molybdenum (Mo+5 and Mo+6). The calculated average valence state is about +5.6, which is consistent with the expectation value from the composition of this material. The tail of Mo-3d spectrum toward higher binding energy is the consequence of the excitation of electron-hole pairs with singularity index of 0.21.

Depleted Uranium Toxicity, Accumulation, and Uptake in Cynodon dactylon (Bermuda) and Aristida purpurea (Purple Threeawn).

Science.gov (United States)

Butler, Afrachanna D; Wynter, Michelle; Medina, Victor F; Bednar, Anthony J

2016-06-01

Yuma Proving Grounds (YPG) in western Arizona is a testing range where Depleted uranium (DU) penetrators have been historically fired. A portion of the fired DU penetrators are being managed under controlled conditions by leaving them in place. The widespread use of DU in armor-penetrating weapons has raised environmental and human health concerns. The present study is focused on the onsite management approach and on the potential interactions with plants local to YPG. A 30 day study was conducted to assess the toxicity of DU corrosion products (e.g., schoepite and meta-schoepite) in two grass species that are native to YPG, Bermuda (Cynodon dactylon) and Purple Threeawn (Aristida purpurea). In addition, the ability for plants to uptake DU was studied. The results of this study show a much lower threshold for biomass toxicity and higher plant concentrations, particularly in the roots than shoots, compared to previous studies.

Stomatal behavior in fruits and leaves of the purple passion fruit (Passiflora edulis Sims and fruits and cladodes of the yellow pitaya [Hylocereus megalanthus (K. Schum. ex Vaupel Ralf Bauer

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Camilo Sánchez

2013-04-01

Full Text Available Plants as C3 and CAM react photosynthetically different but both can grow in the same agroecological zone in the tropics. Therefore we studied the behavior of stomatal opening in fruits and leaves of the purple passion fruit and fruits and cladodes of the yellow pitaya was studied under natural growing conditions in Granada and Fusagasuga, Cundinamarca (Colombia. Imprints were made on the surface of leaves, fruits and cladodes using cosmetic enamel impressions. Three cycles were carried out, each cycle took 72 hours, obtaining three different samples every 3 hours; then the impressions were observed by microscope and the opened and closed stomata were counted in each species. In each sampling, data of solar radiation, temperature and relative humidity (RH were measured. The purple passion fruit had the typical behavior of a C3 plant in the leaves as well as the fruits, and a positive correlation between the stomatal aperture and radiation and temperature was found, along with a negative correlation between stomatal aperture and RH. The pitaya showed the typical behavior of a CAM plant with a negative correlation between the stomatal opening and radiation and temperature, as well as a positive correlation between stomatal opening and RH. Radiation, temperature and RH affected the stomatal opening in the fruits and cladodes. Stomatal densities differed greatly between the species and plant organs. In the purple passion fruit, 106.53 stomata per mm² leaf surface were found, but only 12.64 stomata per mm² fruit surface; whereas in the pitaya, 11.28 and 1.43 stomata per mm² were found on the cladodes and fruits, respectively

Purple Phototrophic Bacterium Enhances Stevioside Yield by Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni via Foliar Spray and Rhizosphere Irrigation

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Jing; Wang, Yiming; Lin, Xiangui

2013-01-01

This study was conducted to compare the effects of foliar spray and rhizosphere irrigation with purple phototrophic bacteria (PPB) on growth and stevioside (ST) yield of Stevia. rebaudiana. The S. rebaudiana plants were treated by foliar spray, rhizosphere irrigation, and spray plus irrigation with PPB for 10 days, respectively. All treatments enhanced growth of S. rebaudiana, and the foliar method was more efficient than irrigation. Spraying combined with irrigation increased the ST yield plant -1 by 69.2% as compared to the control. The soil dehydrogenase activity, S. rebaudiana shoot biomass, chlorophyll content in new leaves, and soluble sugar in old leaves were affected significantly by S+I treatment, too. The PPB probably works in the rhizosphere by activating the metabolic activity of soil bacteria, and on leaves by excreting phytohormones or enhancing the activity of phyllosphere microorganisms. PMID:23825677

In vivo assessment of botanical supplementation on human cytochrome P450 phenotypes: Citrus aurantium, Echinacea purpurea, milk thistle, and saw palmetto.

Science.gov (United States)

Gurley, Bill J; Gardner, Stephanie F; Hubbard, Martha A; Williams, D Keith; Gentry, W Brooks; Carrier, Julie; Khan, Ikhlas A; Edwards, David J; Shah, Amit

2004-11-01

Phytochemical-mediated modulation of cytochrome P450 (CYP) activity may underlie many herb-drug interactions. Single-time point phenotypic metabolic ratios were used to determine whether long-term supplementation of Citrus aurantium , Echinacea purpurea , milk thistle (Silybum marianum), or saw palmetto (Serenoa repens) extracts affected CYP1A2, CYP2D6, CYP2E1, or CYP3A4 activity. Twelve healthy volunteers (6 women, 6 men) were randomly assigned to receive C aurantium , E purpurea , milk thistle, or saw palmetto for 28 days. For each subject, a 30-day washout period was interposed between each supplementation phase. Probe drug cocktails of midazolam and caffeine, followed 24 hours later by chlorzoxazone and debrisoquin (INN, debrisoquine), were administered before (baseline) and at the end of supplementation. Presupplementation and postsupplementation phenotypic trait measurements were determined for CYP3A4, CYP1A2, CYP2E1, and CYP2D6 by use of 1-hydroxymidazolam/midazolam serum ratios (1-hour sample), paraxanthine/caffeine serum ratios (6-hour sample), 6-hydroxychlorzoxazone/chlorzoxazone serum ratios (2-hour sample), and debrisoquin urinary recovery ratios (8-hour collection), respectively. The content of purported "active" phytochemicals was determined for each supplement. Comparisons of presupplementation and postsupplementation phenotypic ratios suggested that these particular supplements had no significant effect on CYP1A2, CYP2D6, CYP2E1, or CYP3A4 activity. Phytochemical profiles indicated that C aurantium was devoid of the CYP3A4 inhibitor 6',7'-dihydroxybergamottin. Quantities of fatty acids, flavonolignans, and cichoric acid were consistent with label claims for saw palmetto, milk thistle, and E purpurea , respectively. Botanical supplements containing C aurantium , milk thistle, or saw palmetto extracts appear to pose a minimal risk for CYP-mediated herb-drug interactions in humans. Although the effects of E purpurea on CYP activity were minor, further

A Comparative Analysis Of Woman Physical Abuse In The Novels The Color Purple By Alice Walker And Women At Point Zero By Nawal El-Saadawi

OpenAIRE

Syahri, Nur Alfi

2014-01-01

Skripsi ini diberi judul “A Comparative Analysis of Woman Physical Abuse in the Novels The Color Purple by Alice Walker and Women at Point Zero by Nawal el-Saadawi” yang menganalisa tentang pelecehan fisik terhadap wanita, yang terkandung dalam 4 unsur, yaitu pelecehan fisik yang dilakukan dalam hubungan keluarga, pelecehan yang dilakukan dalam hubungan pernikahan, pelecehan yang dilakukan dalam hubungan berpacaran, dan pelecehan yang dilakukan dalam hubungan sosial dan politik. Keempat unsur...

Effects of altitudinal variation on pollination in purple passion fruit crops (passiflora edulis f. edulis)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Medina Gutierrez, Julian; Ospina Torres, Rodulfo; Nates Parra, Guiomar

2012-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to study in two crops of purple passion fruit Passiflora edulis f. edulis harvested at different altitudes (2225 m.a.s.l. and 1657 m.a.s.l.) in the municipality of Buenavista - Boyaca, located in the eastern Mountain range of Colombia, in order to familiarize with visitors and pollinators. This study reveals that in both crops there were differences found in composition, the number of visitors and pollinators. In the crop at 2225 m.a.s.l., 7 species were registered, while 18 species were recorded at the 1657 m.a.s.l. crop. In order to achieve this, collected material by the visitors and the floral structures with which they approach, were observed; at the same time four experiments took place: passive pollination, natural pollination, manual pollination and pollinator's efficiency. These experiments established that pollinator species are: in C1 Apis mellifera, and in C2 and Xylocopa frontalis, Xylocopa lachnea and Epicharis sp.

Analysis of aggregate optical spectra using moments. Application to the purple membrane of halobacterium halobium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hemenger, R.P.

1978-01-01

The problem of extracting structural information from the optical spectra of aggregates of molecules interacting through their electronic transitions is studied. One serious difficulty common to all approaches to this problem is that of properly taking into account the effects of molecular vibrations. A series of exact relations derived previously which are correct with regard to molecular vibrations provide a number of independent, explicit connections between aggregate geometrical parameters and moments of experimental spectra. It is shown that, by applying these moment relations to the optical absorption and circular dichroism spectra of simple aggregates, a complete set of equations can be found, i.e., enough equations can be found to solve for all of the geometrical parameters which enter into the expressions for absorption and circular dichroism spectra. This procedure is applied in some detail to the purple membrane of Halobacterium halobium. The results are completely consistent with what is known about its structure

Using genetically modified tomato crop plants with purple leaves for absolute weed/crop classification.

Science.gov (United States)

Lati, Ran N; Filin, Sagi; Aly, Radi; Lande, Tal; Levin, Ilan; Eizenberg, Hanan

2014-07-01

Weed/crop classification is considered the main problem in developing precise weed-management methodologies, because both crops and weeds share similar hues. Great effort has been invested in the development of classification models, most based on expensive sensors and complicated algorithms. However, satisfactory results are not consistently obtained due to imaging conditions in the field. We report on an innovative approach that combines advances in genetic engineering and robust image-processing methods to detect weeds and distinguish them from crop plants by manipulating the crop's leaf color. We demonstrate this on genetically modified tomato (germplasm AN-113) which expresses a purple leaf color. An autonomous weed/crop classification is performed using an invariant-hue transformation that is applied to images acquired by a standard consumer camera (visible wavelength) and handles variations in illumination intensities. The integration of these methodologies is simple and effective, and classification results were accurate and stable under a wide range of imaging conditions. Using this approach, we simplify the most complicated stage in image-based weed/crop classification models. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry.

Charge density wave properties of the quasi two-dimensional purple molybdenum bronze KMo 6O 17

Science.gov (United States)

Balaska, H.; Dumas, J.; Guyot, H.; Mallet, P.; Marcus, J.; Schlenker, C.; Veuillen, J. Y.; Vignolles, D.

2005-06-01

The purple molybdenum bronze KMo 6O 17 is a quasi-two-dimensional compound which shows a Peierls transition towards a commensurate metallic CDW state. Electron spectroscopy (ARUPS), Scanning Tunnelling Microscopy (STM) and spectroscopy (STS) as well as high magnetic field studies are reported. ARUPS studies corroborate the model of the hidden nesting and provide a value of the CDW vector in good agreement with other measurements. STM studies visualize the triple- q CDW in real space. This is consistent with other measurements of the CDW vector. STS studies provide a value of several 10 meV for the average CDW gap. High magnetic field measurements performed in pulsed fields up to 55 T establish that first order transitions to smaller gap states take place at low temperature. These transitions are ascribed to Pauli type coupling. A phase diagram summarizing all observed anomalies and transitions is presented.

Phosphate or phosphite addition promotes the proteolytic turnover of phosphate-starvation inducible tomato purple acid phosphatase isozymes.

Science.gov (United States)

Bozzo, Gale G; Singh, Vinay K; Plaxton, William C

2004-08-27

Within 48 h of the addition of 2.5 mM phosphate (HPO42-, Pi) or phosphite (H2PO3-, Phi) to 8-day-old Pi-starved (-Pi) tomato suspension cells: (i) secreted and intracellular purple acid phosphatase (PAP) activities decreased by about 12- and 6-fold, respectively and (ii) immunoreactive PAP polypeptides either disappeared (secreted PAPs) or were substantially reduced (intracellular PAP). The degradation of both secreted PAP isozymes was correlated with the de novo synthesis of two extracellular serine proteases having M(r)s of 137 and 121 kDa. In vitro proteolysis of purified secreted tomato PAP isozymes occurred following their 24 h incubation with culture filtrate from Pi-resupplied cells. The results indicate that Pi or Phi addition to -Pi tomato cells induces serine proteases that degrade Pi-starvation inducible extracellular proteins.

Differential Expression Patterns in Chemosensory and Non-Chemosensory Tissues of Putative Chemosensory Genes Identified by Transcriptome Analysis of Insect Pest the Purple Stem Borer Sesamia inferens (Walker)

OpenAIRE

Zhang, Ya-Nan; Jin, Jun-Yan; Jin, Rong; Xia, Yi-Han; Zhou, Jing-Jiang; Deng, Jian-Yu; Dong, Shuang-Lin

2013-01-01

BACKGROUND: A large number of insect chemosensory genes from different gene subfamilies have been identified and annotated, but their functional diversity and complexity are largely unknown. A systemic examination of expression patterns in chemosensory organs could provide important information. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We identified 92 putative chemosensory genes by analysing the transcriptome of the antennae and female sex pheromone gland of the purple stem borer Sesamia inferens, am...

Regulators of nonsulfur purple phototrophic bacteria and the interactive control of CO2 assimilation, nitrogen fixation, hydrogen metabolism and energy generation.

Science.gov (United States)

Dubbs, James M; Tabita, F Robert

2004-06-01

For the metabolically diverse nonsulfur purple phototrophic bacteria, maintaining redox homeostasis requires balancing the activities of energy supplying and energy-utilizing pathways, often in the face of drastic changes in environmental conditions. These organisms, members of the class Alphaproteobacteria, primarily use CO2 as an electron sink to achieve redox homeostasis. After noting the consequences of inactivating the capacity for CO2 reduction through the Calvin-Benson-Bassham (CBB) pathway, it was shown that the molecular control of many additional important biological processes catalyzed by nonsulfur purple bacteria is linked to expression of the CBB genes. Several regulator proteins are involved, with the two component Reg/Prr regulatory system playing a major role in maintaining redox poise in these organisms. Reg/Prr was shown to be a global regulator involved in the coordinate control of a number of metabolic processes including CO2 assimilation, nitrogen fixation, hydrogen metabolism and energy-generation pathways. Accumulating evidence suggests that the Reg/Prr system senses the oxidation/reduction state of the cell by monitoring a signal associated with electron transport. The response regulator RegA/PrrA activates or represses gene expression through direct interaction with target gene promoters where it often works in concert with other regulators that can be either global or specific. For the key CO2 reduction pathway, which clearly triggers whether other redox balancing mechanisms are employed, the ability to activate or inactivate the specific regulator CbbR is of paramount importance. From these studies, it is apparent that a detailed understanding of how diverse regulatory elements integrate and control metabolism will eventually be achieved.

Effects of five southern California macroalgal diets on consumption, growth, and gonad weight, in the purple sea urchin Strongylocentrotus purpuratus

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Matthew C. Foster

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Consumer growth and reproductive capacity are direct functions of diet. Strongylocentrotid sea urchins, the dominant herbivores in California kelp forests, strongly prefer giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera, but are highly catholic in their ability to consume other species. The biomass of Macrocystis fluctuates greatly in space and time, and the extent to which urchins can use alternate species of algae or a mixed diet of multiple algal species to maintain fitness when giant kelp is unavailable is unknown. We experimentally examined the effects of single and mixed species diets on consumption, growth and gonad weight in the purple sea urchin Strongylocentrotus purpuratus. Urchins were fed single species diets consisting of one of four common species of macroalgae (the kelps Macrocystis pyrifera and Pterygophora californica, and the red algae Chondracanthus corymbiferus and Rhodymenia californica (hereafter referred to by genus or a mixed diet containing all four species ad libitum over a 13-week period in a controlled laboratory setting. Urchins fed Chondracanthus, Macrocystis and a mixed diet showed the highest growth (in terms of test diameter, wet weight and jaw length and gonad weight, while urchins fed Pterygophora and Rhodymenia showed the lowest. Urchins consumed their preferred food, Macrocystis, at the highest rate when offered a mixture, but consumed Chondracanthus or Macrocystis at similar rates when the two algae were offered alone. The differences in urchin feeding behavior and growth observed between these diet types suggest the relative availability of the algae tested here could affect urchin populations and their interactions with the algal assemblage. The fact that the performance of urchins fed Chondracanthus was similar or higher than those fed the preferred Macrocystis suggests that the availability of the former could could sustain growth and reproduction of purple sea urchins during times of low Macrocystis abundance as is

Complementary and alternative interventions in asthma, allergy, and immunology.

Science.gov (United States)

Bielory, Leonard

2004-08-01

To review which herbs are most commonly used as complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) for treatment of asthma, allergy, and immunologic conditions. A review of the literature was performed using the PubMed and OVID databases searching the keywords asthma, allergy, and CAM to identify studies published between 1980 and 2003 that focused on Echinacea (Echinacea augustifolia, Echinacea pallida, and Echinacea purpurea); garlic (Allium); angelica; chamomile; ephedra; gingko; grape seed extract; licorice root (Glycyrrhiza); St. John's wort (Hypericum); kava kava (Piper); peppermint oil and leaf (Mentha); stinging nettle (Urtica); and ginseng (Panax) published in the English and German literature. Studies included in vitro and in vivo clinical trials and case reports selected according to the expert opinion of the author. Echinacea is one of the most common herbs used to treat symptoms of the "common cold" or upper respiratory tract allergies. Although no common drug interactions have been reported, there is a risk of hepatotoxicity, exacerbation of allergies and asthma, and anaphylactic reactions. Garlic is primarily used for cardiovascular health and relief of cough, colds, and rhinitis. Adverse effects commonly include gastrointestinal disturbances, change in body odor through the sweat and breath, and rarely allergic reactions or hypoglycemia. Other CAM agents, including angelica, German chamomile flower, ephedra, gingko, grape seed extract, licorice root, St. John's wort, kava kava rhizome, peppermint, stinging nettle, and ginseng, are also associated with significant adverse effects. The specialty of allergy and immunology has seen the second largest increase in the popularity of CAM (second only to practitioners who treat lower back pain). Almost all of the CAM interventions have displayed adverse effects, usually in the form of a hypersensitivity reaction. Allergists and clinical immunologists need to become more knowledgeable about CAM so that they can

Baltikinin: A New Myotropic Tryptophyllin-3 Peptide Isolated from the Skin Secretion of the Purple-Sided Leaf Frog, Phyllomedusa baltea

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Daning Shi

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Here we report the identification of a novel tryptophyllin-3 peptide with arterial smooth muscle relaxation activity from the skin secretion of the purple-sided leaf frog, Phyllomedusa baltea. This new peptide was named baltikinin and had the following primary structure, pGluDKPFGPPPIYPV, as determined by tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS fragmentation sequencing and from cloned skin precursor-encoding cDNA. A synthetic replicate of baltikinin was found to have a similar potency to bradykinin in relaxing arterial smooth muscle (half maximal effective concentration (EC50 is 7.2 nM. These data illustrate how amphibian skin secretions can continue to provide novel potent peptides that act through functional targets in mammalian tissues.

Effect of Different Planting Methods of Onion (Allium cepa L. and Nitrogen Rate on Onion Growth Pattern under Interference with Purple Nutsedge (Cyperus rotundus

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N Karimi Arpnahy

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Introduction Human always has looked for improving food production through increasing crops yield. In this path, weeds through competition with crop for environmental factors and inputs have reduced the quantity and quality of crop products. Competition for nitrogen absorption not only is the most common form of intra-specific competition amongst crop plants, but also is the most popular form of inter-specific competition in the system of weed-crop interference. Therefore, understanding the method of nitrogen absorption and its allocation in competing plants, will be a key tool to improve weed management strategies. Materials and Methods In order to study the effect of sowing method and nitrogen rate on the growth pattern of onion under interference with purple nutsedge, a factorial experiment based on a randomized complete block design was conducted with three replications at the Research Greenhouse of University of Birjand in 2013. The first factor included three sowing methods of onion (seed sowing, onion set and transplanting and the second factor consisted of three levels of nitrogen (50, 100 and 150 kg N ha-1, equivalent of 25, 50 and 75 mg N kg-1 soil that urea fertilizer with a purity of 46% was used for this purpose. Results and Discussion The results of the analysis of variance showed that nitrogen levels had significant effects on plant height, leaf area index as well as aboveground and bulb dry weights. Furthermore, sowing methods revealed significant effects on plant height, leaf number, leaf area index as well as aboveground and bulb dry weights. Moreover, the interaction between sowing methods and levels of nitrogen had a significant effect on plant height, leaf area index and aboveground dry weight, while it had no significant effect on leaf number and bulb dry weight. The results of the comparisons of the means of onion planting methods and nitrogen levels interactions confirmed that the superiority of the influence of onion set

Overestimation of Albumin Measured by Bromocresol Green vs Bromocresol Purple Method: Influence of Acute-Phase Globulins.

Science.gov (United States)

Garcia Moreira, Vanessa; Beridze Vaktangova, Nana; Martinez Gago, Maria Dolores; Laborda Gonzalez, Belen; Garcia Alonso, Sara; Fernandez Rodriguez, Eloy

2018-05-22

Usually serum albumin is measured with dye-binding assay as bromocresol green (BCG) and bromocresol purple (BCP) methods. The aim of this paper was to examine the differences in albumin measurements between the Advia2400 BCG method (AlbBCG), Dimension RxL BCP (AlbBCP) and capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE). Albumin concentrations from 165 serum samples were analysed using AlbBCG, AlbBCP and CZE. CZE was employed to estimate different serum protein fractions. Influence of globulins on albumin concentration discrepancies between methods was estimated as well as the impact of the albumin method on aCa concentrations. Medcalc was employed for statistical analysis, setting a value of P albumin concentrations. AlbBCG were positively biased versus CZE (3.54 g/L). There was good agreement between CZE and ALbBCP (Albumin results from the BCP and BCG methods may result in unacceptable differences and clinical confusion, especially at lower albumin concentrations. Serum acute phase proteins contribute to overestimating the albumin concentration using AlbBCG.

Biochemical characterization of the purple form of Marinobacter hydrocarbonoclasticus nitrous oxide reductase

Science.gov (United States)

Dell'Acqua, Simone; Pauleta, Sofia R.; Moura, José J. G.; Moura, Isabel

2012-01-01

Nitrous oxide reductase (N2OR) catalyses the final step of the denitrification pathway—the reduction of nitrous oxide to nitrogen. The catalytic centre (CuZ) is a unique tetranuclear copper centre bridged by inorganic sulphur in a tetrahedron arrangement that can have different oxidation states. Previously, Marinobacter hydrocarbonoclasticus N2OR was isolated with the CuZ centre as CuZ*, in the [1Cu2+ : 3Cu+] redox state, which is redox inert and requires prolonged incubation under reductive conditions to be activated. In this work, we report, for the first time, the isolation of N2OR from M. hydrocarbonoclasticus in the ‘purple’ form, in which the CuZ centre is in the oxidized [2Cu2+ : 2Cu+] redox state and is redox active. This form of the enzyme was isolated in the presence of oxygen from a microaerobic culture in the presence of nitrate and also from a strictly anaerobic culture. The purple form of the enzyme was biochemically characterized and was shown to be a redox active species, although it is still catalytically non-competent, as its specific activity is lower than that of the activated fully reduced enzyme and comparable with that of the enzyme with the CuZ centre in either the [1Cu2+ : 3Cu+] redox state or in the redox inactive CuZ* state. PMID:22451106

Composition and color stability of anthocyanin-based extract from purple sweet potato

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Xiu-li He

2015-09-01

Full Text Available AbstractPurple sweet potato (PSP can provide products with attractive color besides nutritious benefits in food processing. So, the compositions and color stability of an aqueous anthocyanin-based PSP extract were investigated in order to promote its wide use in food industry. PSP anthocyanins were extracted with water, and nine individual anthocyanins (48.72 ug mL–1 in total, 24.36 mg/100 g fresh PSP in yield were found by HPLC analysis. The PSP extract also contained 17.11 mg mL–1 of protein, 0.44 mg mL–1 of dietary fiber, 2.82 mg mL–1 of reducing sugars, 4.02 ug mL–1 of Se, 54.21 ug mL–1 of Ca and 60.83 ug mL–1 of Mg. Changes in color and stability of the PSP extract, as affected by pH, heat, light and extraction process, were further evaluated. Results indicated that PSP anthocyanins had good stability at pH 2.0-6.0, while the color of PSP extract kept stable during 30 days of storage at 20 °C in dark. Both UV and fluorescent exposure weakened the color stability of PSP extract and UV showed a more drastic effect in comparison. A steaming pretreatment of fresh PSP is beneficial to the color stability.

Spectral diffusion and electron-phonon coupling of the B800 BChl a molecules in LH2 complexes from three different species of purple bacteria.

Science.gov (United States)

Baier, J; Gabrielsen, M; Oellerich, S; Michel, H; van Heel, M; Cogdell, R J; Köhler, J

2009-11-04

We have investigated the spectral diffusion and the electron-phonon coupling of B800 bacteriochlorophyll a molecules in the peripheral light-harvesting complex LH2 for three different species of purple bacteria, Rhodobacter sphaeroides, Rhodospirillum molischianum, and Rhodopseudomonas acidophila. We come to the conclusion that B800 binding pockets for Rhodobacter sphaeroides and Rhodopseudomonas acidophila are rather similar with respect to the polarity of the protein environment but that the packaging of the alphabeta-polypeptides seems to be less tight in Rb. sphaeroides with respect to the other two species.

Domestic wastewater treatment with purple phototrophic bacteria using a novel continuous photo anaerobic membrane bioreactor.

Science.gov (United States)

Hülsen, Tim; Barry, Edward M; Lu, Yang; Puyol, Daniel; Keller, Jürg; Batstone, Damien J

2016-09-01

A key future challenge of domestic wastewater treatment is nutrient recovery while still achieving acceptable discharge limits. Nutrient partitioning using purple phototrophic bacteria (PPB) has the potential to biologically concentrate nutrients through growth. This study evaluates the use of PPB in a continuous photo-anaerobic membrane bioreactor (PAnMBR) for simultaneous organics and nutrient removal from domestic wastewater. This process could continuously treat domestic wastewater to discharge limits (60% of PPB, though the PPB community was highly variable. The outcomes from the current work demonstrate the potential of PPB for continuous domestic (and possibly industrial) wastewater treatment and nutrient recovery. Technical challenges include the in situ COD supply in a continuous reactor system, as well as efficient light delivery. Addition of external (agricultural or fossil) derived organics is not financially nor environmentally justified, and carbon needs to be sourced internally from the biomass itself to enable this technology. Reduced energy consumption for lighting is technically feasible, and needs to be addressed as a key objective in scaleup. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Protection of color and chemical degradation of anthocyanin from purple corn (Zea mays L.) by zinc ions and alginate through chemical interaction in a beverage model.

Science.gov (United States)

Luna-Vital, Diego; Cortez, Regina; Ongkowijoyo, Paulina; Gonzalez de Mejia, Elvira

2018-03-01

Anthocyanin-rich purple corn pericarp water extract (PCW) has the potential to be used as a natural pigment in beverages. However, it has a limited shelf-life in aqueous solutions. The aim was to evaluate the effect of zinc ion (Zn 2+ ) and alginate on color and chemical stability of anthocyanins from colored corn (PCW) in a beverage model for 12weeks. PCW was incorporated to Kool-Aid® Invisible™ along with ZnCl 2 and/or alginate. Individual ANC were quantified through HPLC, and color stability was evaluated through the CIE-L*a*b* color system. Complexation between PCW and Zn/alginate was evaluated with fluorescence spectroscopy. The combination of Zn and alginate was the most effective treatment improving the half-life of total ANC concentration (10.4weeks), cyanidin-3-O-glucoside (7.5weeks) and chroma (18.4weeks), compared to only PCW (6.6, 4.5 and 12.7weeks, respectively). Zn and alginate had bimolecular quenching constants (Zn k q : 3.4×10 11 M -1 S -1 and AA k q : 1.0×10 12 M -1 S -1 ) suggesting that fluorescence quenching was binding rather than collisional. Results suggested that Zn/alginate interacted with ANC from purple corn slowing its chemical degradation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mineralogical Characteristics of ＂Yueweizi＂ （Purple Larderite） from Shoushan County, Fujian Province%福建寿山石“月尾紫”的矿物学特征研究

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

韩文; 洪汉烈; 陈涛; 殷科; 吴钰; 赵从华

2012-01-01

针对采自福建寿山地区的寿山石“月尾紫”品种进行了光学显微镜、X射线粉末衍射、拉曼光谱和扫描电子显微镜等仪器的系统分析测试。结果显示，“月尾紫”呈显微微晶结构，主要矿物组成为地开石，基质中可见大量的紫红色矿物赤铁矿。赤铁矿呈浸染状分布，是致使“月尾紫”整体呈现紫色的原因。由于赤铁矿本身色调和富集程度不同，导致“月尾紫”的紫色调有深有浅，同时由于赤铁矿浸染分布于地开石颗粒间，使得“月尾紫”呈现不透明状。扫描电子显微镜下可见地开石颗粒主要呈假六方板状，棱角清晰，厚度均匀，呈叠瓦状、书册状排列，能谱测试结果显示扫描电子显微镜下微米级球状矿物颗粒为二氧化硅。%This paper investigates the mineralogical characteristics of ＂Yueweizi＂ （purple larderite） from Shoushan County, Fujian Province by using optical microscope, X-ray power diffraction （XRD）, Raman spectroscopy and scanning electron microscope （with energy dispersive spectrome- ter, EDS）. The results show that ＂Yueweizi＂ shows microcrystalline structure, that its main min- eral composition is dickite, and that there is a lot of purple-red hematite in the matrix. The purple colouration of ＂Yueweizi＂ is due tohematite. Because of the different amount of hematite, the purple colours have various saturations, and hematite also influences the transparency of the stone. The scanning electron microscope results show that the dickite particles appear as pseudohexagonal platy, have clear edges and almost the same thickness, and overlap with each other. The EDS test results show that the spherical particles are silicon dioxide.

Transient absorption study of two-photon excitation mechanism in the LH2 complex from purple bacterium Rhodobacter sphaeroides.

Science.gov (United States)

Stepanenko, Ilya; Kompanetz, Viktor; Makhneva, Zoya; Chekalin, Sergey; Moskalenko, Andrei; Razjivin, Andrei

2012-03-08

The mechanism of two-photon excitation of a peripheral light-harvesting complex LH2 (B800-850) from purple bacterium Rhodobacter sphaeroides was explained on the basis of femtosecond transient absorption data. Fast bleaching of the B850 absorption band was measured under two-photon excitation by 1350 nm femtosecond pulses, showing fast subpicosecond arrival of excitation energy to B850 circular aggregates. Any spectral changes connected with the B800 absorption band of B800-BChl molecules were absent. A similar picture was observed under one-photon excitation of the LH2 complex by 675 nm femtosecond pulses. We believe these effects may be attributed to direct excitation of high-energy excitonic states of a B850 circular aggregate or its vibrational manifold in accordance with the model of Abe [Chem. Phys. 2001, 264, 355-363].

STUDY ON THE STRUCTURAL BASIS OF PERIPHERAL LIGHT HARVESTING COMPLEXES (LH2 IN PURPLE NON-SULPHUR PHOTOSYNTHETIC BACTERIA

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Tatas H.P. Brotosudarmo

2010-12-01

Full Text Available Photosynthesis provides an example of a natural process that has been optimized during evolution to harness solar energy efficiently and safely, and finally to use it to produce a carbon-based fuel. Initially, solar energy is captured by the light harvesting pigment-protein complexes. In purple bacteria these antenna complexes are constructed on a rather simple modular basis. Light absorbed by these antenna complexes is funnelled downhill to reaction centres, where light drives a trans-membrane redox reaction. The light harvesting proteins not only provide the scaffolding that correctly positions the bacteriochlorophyll a and carotenoid pigments for optimal energy transfer but also creates an environment that can modulate the wavelength at which different bacteriochlorophyll molecules absorb light thereby creating the energy funnel. How these proteins can modulate the absorption spectra of the bacteriochlorophylls will be discussed in this review.

A Gray-purple Mass on the Floor of the Mouth: Gigantic Mucogingival Pyogenic Granuloma in a Teenage Patient.

Science.gov (United States)

Brunet-LLobet, Lluís; Miranda-Rius, Jaume; Lahor-Soler, Eduard; Mrina, Ombeni; Nadal, Alfons

2014-01-01

Pyogenic granuloma is defined as a benign neoplasm of vascular phenotype. This case describes the clinical and histopathological features of a gigantic mucogingival pyogenic granuloma, in a 14-year-old healthy black boy. This exophytic gray-purple mass, related to a toothpick injury, had more than twelve-month evolution on the anterior mandible involving lingual area besides to the floor of the mouth pressing the right salivary duct. Conservative excision was performed, followed by uncomplicated healing with no recurrence in two years. The histopathological examination reported a pyogenic granuloma (lobular capillary haemangioma). The authors provide a discussion of the presurgical differential diagnosis of the lesion. This case report presents an extremely uncommon location of a gigantic pyogenic granuloma, involving mucogingival complex and affecting the salivary outflow. This clinical manuscript may shed light on the controversies about possible mechanisms inducing oral pyogenic granuloma.

Purple head broccoli (Brassica oleracea L. var. italica Plenck), a functional food crop for antioxidant and anticancer potential.

Science.gov (United States)

Chaudhary, Ashun; Choudhary, Sonika; Sharma, Upendra; Vig, Adarsh Pal; Singh, Bikram; Arora, Saroj

2018-05-01

Natural foods are used in many folks and household treatments and have immense potential to treat a serious complication and health benefits, in addition to the basic nutritional values. These food products improve health, delay the aging process, increase life expectancy, and possibly prevent chronic diseases. Purple head Brassica oleracea L. var. italica Plenck is one of such foods and in current studies was explored for chemical compounds at different development stages by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Antioxidant potential was explored employing different assays like molybdate ion reduction, DPPH, superoxide anion radical scavenging and plasmid nicking assay. Inspired by antioxidant activity results, we further explored these extracts for antiproliferative potential by morphological changes, cell cycle analysis, measurement of intracellular peroxides and mitochondrial membrane potential changes. Current study provides the scientific basis for the use of broccoli as easily affordable potent functional food.

On the biphoton excitation of the fluorescence of the bacteriochlorophyll molecules of purple photosynthetic bacteria by powerful near IR femto-picosecond pulses

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Borisov, A. Yu., E-mail: borissov@belozersky.msu.ru [Moscow State University, Belozersky Institute of Physicochemical Biology (Russian Federation)

2011-11-15

The authors of a number of experimental works detected nonresonance biphoton excitation of bacteriochlorophyll molecules, which represent the main pigment in the light-absorbing natural 'antenna' complexes of photosynthesizing purple bacteria, by femtosecond IR pulses (1250-1500 nm). They believe that IR quanta excite hypothetic forbidden levels of the pigments of these bacteria in the double frequency range 625-750 nm. We propose and ground an alternative triplet mechanism to describe this phenomenon. According to our hypothesis, the mechanism of biphoton excitation of molecules by IR quanta can manifest itself specifically, through high triplet levels of molecules in the high fields induced by femtosecond-picosecond laser pulses.

Angular studies of the magnetoresistance in the density wave state of the quasi-two-dimensional purple bronze KMo6O17

Science.gov (United States)

Guyot, H.; Dumas, J.; Kartsovnik, M. V.; Marcus, J.; Schlenker, C.; Sheikin, I.; Vignolles, D.

2007-07-01

The purple molybdenum bronze KMo6O17 is a quasi-two-dimensional compound which shows a Peierls transition towards a commensurate metallic charge density wave (CDW) state. High magnetic field measurements have revealed several transitions at low temperature and have provided an unusual phase diagram “temperature-magnetic field”. Angular studies of the interlayer magnetoresistance are now reported. The results suggest that the orbital coupling of the magnetic field to the CDW is the most likely mechanism for the field induced transitions. The angular dependence of the magnetoresistance is discussed on the basis of a warped quasi-cylindrical Fermi surface and provides information on the geometry of the Fermi surface in the low temperature density wave state.

Fabrication of Natural Sensitizer Extracted from Mixture of Purple Cabbage, Roselle, Wormwood and Seaweed with High Conversion Efficiency for DSSC.

Science.gov (United States)

Chang, Ho; Lai, Xuan-Rong

2016-02-01

This study aims to deal with the influence of different solvent in extraction of natural sensitizer and different thickness of photoelectrode thin film on the photoelectric conversion efficiency and the electron transport properties for the prepared dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSC). The natural dyes of anthocyanin and chlorophyll dyes are extracted from mixture of purple cabbage and roselle and mixture of wormwood and seaweed, respectively. The experimental results show the cocktail dye extracted with ethanol and rotating speed of spin coating at 1000 rpm can achieve the greatest photoelectric conversion efficiency up to 1.85%. Electrochemical impedance result shows that the effective diffusion coefficient for the prepared DSSC with the thickness of photoelectrode thin film at 21 microm are 5.23 x 10(-4) cm2/s.

Effect of consuming a purple-fleshed sweet potato beverage on health-related biomarkers and safety parameters in Caucasian subjects with elevated levels of blood pressure and liver function biomarkers: a 4-week, open-label, non-comparative trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Oki, Tomoyuki; Kano, Mitsuyoshi; Watanabe, Osamu; Goto, Kazuhisa; Boelsma, Esther; Ishikawa, Fumiyasu; Suda, Ikuo

2016-01-01

An open-label study with one treatment arm was conducted to investigate changes in health-related biomarkers (blood pressure and liver enzyme activity) and the safety of 4 weeks of consuming a purple-fleshed sweet potato beverage in Caucasian subjects. Twenty healthy adults, 18-70 years of age, with a body mass index >25 kg/m(2), elevated blood pressure and elevated levels of liver function biomarkers consumed two cartons of purple-fleshed sweet potato beverage (125 ml, including 117 mg anthocyanin per carton) daily for 4 weeks. Hematology, serum clinical profile, dipstick urinalysis and blood pressure were determined before consumption, at 2 and 4 weeks of consumption and after a 2-week washout period. A trend was found toward lowering systolic blood pressure during the treatment period (p=0.0590). No significant changes were found in diastolic blood pressure throughout the study period. Systolic blood pressure was significantly lower after 4 weeks of consumption compared with before consumption (p=0.0125) and was significantly higher after the 2-week washout period compared with after consumption (p=0.0496). The serum alanine aminotransferase level significantly increased over time, but aspartate aminotransferase and γ-glutamyltransferase levels stayed within the normal range of reference values. Safety parameters of the blood and urine showed no clinically relevant changes. The consumption of a purple-fleshed sweet potato beverage for 4 weeks resulted in no clinically relevant changes in safety parameters of the blood and urine and showed a trend toward lowering systolic blood pressure.

Purple perilla extracts allay ER stress in lipid-laden macrophages.

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Sin-Hye Park

Full Text Available There is a growing body of evidence that excess lipids, hypoxic stress and other inflammatory signals can stimulate endoplasmic reticulum (ER stress in metabolic diseases. However, the pathophysiological importance and the underlying mechanisms of this phenomenon remain unknown. The current study investigated that 50 ng/ml oxidized LDL promoted unfolded protein response (UPR and ER stress in J774A1 murine macrophages, which was blocked by extracts (PPE of purple Perilla frutescens, a plant of the mint family Lamiaceae. The ER stressor tunicamycin was employed as a positive control. Treating 1-10 µg/ml oxidized LDL for 24 h elicited lipotoxic apoptosis in macrophages with obvious nuclear condensation and DNA fragmentation, which was inhibited by PPE. Tunicamycin and oxidized LDL activated and induced the UPR components of activating transcription factor 6 and ER resident chaperone BiP/Grp78 in temporal manners and such effects were blocked by ≥5 µg/ml PPE. In addition, PPE suppressed the enhanced mRNA transcription and splicing of X-box binding protein 1 (XBP1 by tunicamycin and oxidized LDL. The protein induction and nuclear translocation of XBP1 were deterred in PPE-treated macrophages under ER stress. The induction of ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1, scavenger receptor-B1 (SR-B1 and intracellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1 was abolished by the ER stressor in activated macrophages. The protein induction of ABCA1 and ICAM1 but not SR-B1 was retrieved by adding 10 µg/ml PPE to cells. These results demonstrate that PPE inhibited lipotoxic apoptosis and demoted the induction and activation of UPR components in macrophages. PPE restored normal proteostasis in activated macrophages oxidized LDL. Therefore, PPE was a potent agent antagonizing macrophage ER stress due to lipotoxic signals associated with atherosclerosis.

1H NMR of High-Potential Iron-Sulfur Protein from the Purple Non-Sulfur Bacterium Rhodoferax fermentans

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ciurli, Stefano; Cremonini, Mauro Andrea; Kofod, Pauli

1996-01-01

residues bound to the [4Fe-4S]3+/2+ cluster have been performed using one-dimensional NOE and exchange spectroscopy experiments. 1H-NMR hyperfine shifts and relaxation rates of cluster-bound Cys β-CH2 protons indicate that in the [4Fe-4S]3+ cluster one iron ion can be formally described as Fe(III), while......Oxidized and reduced forms of high-potential iron-sulfur protein (HiPIP) from the purple non-sulfur photosynthetic bacterium Rhodoferux fermentans have been characterized using 1H-NMR spectroscopy. Pairwise and sequence-specific assignments of hyperfine-shifted 1H-NMR signals to protons of cysteine...... longitudinal relaxation rates of Cys β-CH2 protons in HiPIPs from six different sources as a function of the Fe-S-Cβ-Cα dihedral angle, indicate that the major contribution is due to a dipolar metal-centered mechanism, with a non-negligeable contribution from a ligand-centered dipolar mechanism which involves...

Effect of cultivar on phenolic levels, anthocyanin composition, and antioxidant properties in purple basil (Ocimum basilicum L.).

Science.gov (United States)

Flanigan, Patrick M; Niemeyer, Emily D

2014-12-01

In this study, we determined the effect of cultivar on total and individual anthocyanin concentrations and phenolic acid levels in eight purple basil varieties and examined the relationship between anthocyanin content, phenolic acid composition, and antioxidant properties. Cultivar had a significant influence on total anthocyanin concentrations as well as individual anthocyanin composition. The four major basil anthocyanins (labelled A-D) were quantified and cultivar had a statistically significant effect on anthocyanins B (p<0.01), C (p<0.01), and D (p<0.01), but not on anthocyanin A (p=0.94). Cultivar did not have a significant effect on total phenolic levels, although it did influence the concentration of some individual phenolic acids, including caftaric (p=0.03) and chicoric (p=0.04) acids. Although total phenolic and anthocyanin levels correlated with measured FRAP antioxidant capacities, for some cultivars the individual phenolic acid and anthocyanin composition was also an important factor affecting the antioxidant properties. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Meta-Cresol Purple Reference Material® (RM) for Seawater pH Measurements

Science.gov (United States)

Easley, R. A.; Waters, J. F.; Place, B. J.; Pratt, K. W.

2016-02-01

The pH of seawater is a fundamental quantity that governs the carbon dioxide - carbonate system in the world's oceans. High quality pH measurements for long-term monitoring, shipboard studies, and shorter-term biological studies (mesocosm and field experiments) can be ensured through a reference material (RM) that is compatible with existing procedures and which is traceable to primary pH measurement metrology. High-precision spectrophotometric measurements of seawater pH using an indicator dye such as meta-cresol purple (mCP) are well established. However, traceability of these measurements to the International System of Units (SI) additionally requires characterizing the spectrophotometric pH response of the dye in multiple artificial seawater buffers that themselves are benchmarked via primary pH (Harned cell) measurements at a range of pH, salinity, and temperature. NIST is currently developing such a mCP pH RM using this approach. This material will also incorporate new procedures developed at NIST for assessing the purity and homogeneity of the mCP reagent itself. The resulting mCP will provide long-term (years) stability and ease of shipment compared to artificial seawater pH buffers. These efforts will provide the oceanographic user community with a NIST issued mCP (RM), characterized as to its molar absorptivity values and acid dissociation constants (pKa), with uncertainties that comply with the Guide to the Expression of Uncertainty in Measurement (GUM).

Effect of Slope, Rainfall Intensity and Mulch on Erosion and Infiltration under Simulated Rain on Purple Soil of South-Western Sichuan Province, China

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Muhammad Naeem Khan

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Purple soil is widely distributed in the hilly areas of the Sichuan basin, southwest China, and is highly susceptible to water erosion. The triggering of this process is related to slope, rainfall intensity and surface cover. Therefore, this study assesses the effects of different simulated rainfall intensities with different slopes on hydrological and erosional processes in un-mulched and mulched purple soils. Results show that the sediment and water losses increased with an increase of rainfall intensity and slope steepness. Generally, the slope contribution (Sc on water and sediment losses decreased with increasing rainfall intensity and slope steepness under both un-mulched and mulched soil. In un-mulched conditions, water losses were independent of slope steepness (Sc < 50% during the highest rainfall intensity. However, in mulched soil, the higher contributions of slope (Sc and rainfall (Rc were found for water and sediment losses, respectively, i.e., >50%, except during the increase in slope steepness from 15° to 25° under the highest rainfall intensity (120 mm·h−1. The effectiveness of mulch was more pronounced in reducing sediment losses (81%–100% compared with water losses (14%–100%. The conservation effectiveness of mulch both decreased and increased with slope steepness for water and sediment losses, respectively, under higher rainfall intensities. Water infiltration and recharge coefficient (RC decreased with an increase of slope steepness, while with an increase in rainfall intensity, the water infiltration and RC were increased and decreased, respectively, in both un-mulched and mulched soil. On the other hand, mulched soil maintained a significantly (α = 0.05 higher infiltration capacity and RC compared to that of the un-mulched soil.

Analysis of risk factors in elderly patients with purple urine bag syndrome: A retrospective analysis in a medical center in northern Taiwan

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Tao-Chun Peng

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Purple urine bag syndrome (PUBS, an uncommon phenomenon that turns urine tubes or bags purple or blue, can be encountered in long-term-care facilities. A thorough literature review shows that East Asia has a high incidence of PUBS. It is important to recognize the clinical features and risk factors of this phenomenon. The aim of this study is to explore the characteristics of patients with PUBS and correlate the onset of PUBS symptoms with risk factors. Materials and Methods: We reported nine cases of clinically confirmed PUBS between January 2009 and June 2013. Pertinent clinical information was collected, including age, feeding type, renal function, type of Foley catheter, urine analysis, and bacteriological data. Results: All of patients with PUBS presented with stable vital signs without evidence of clinical infection, such as fever or chills. The mean age of the patients was 86.6 ± 10.1 years, with a preponderance of females (77%. Five PUBS patients (55% had a history of chronic renal insufficiency. Six patients (66% had constipation. A logistic regression univariate analysis demonstrated a statistically significant urine pH in patients with PUBS [odds ratio (OR, 3.078; P = 0.036]. Risk factors, such as gender, were found to be significant using logistic regression multivariate analysis (OR, 0.031; P = 0.021. During the follow-up, all of the patients had Foley catheters re-inserted, and all of the patients received health education. Conclusion: The incidence of PUBS in the elderly population is associated with asymptomatic bacteriuria, urine pH, and gender but not renal function, type of feeding, or type of Foley catheter used. To understand PUBS and maintain urological hygiene, it is important to educate families and health care workers about PUBS and to recognize that PUBS is not regarded as a symptom of severe disease.

Domestic cooking methods affect the phytochemical composition and antioxidant activity of purple-fleshed potatoes.

Science.gov (United States)

Tian, Jinhu; Chen, Jianle; Lv, Feiyan; Chen, Shiguo; Chen, Jianchu; Liu, Donghong; Ye, Xingqian

2016-04-15

The effects of domestic cooking methods (boiling, baking, steaming, microwaving, frying, and stir-frying) and a new cooking method (air-frying) on the composition of phytochemicals (phenolics, anthocyanins, and carotenoids) and the antioxidant activity in purple-fleshed potatoes were investigated. Compared with raw potatoes, reductions of 23.59-90.42%, 7.09-72.44%, 7.45-83.15%, and 20.15-76.16% in the vitamin C, total phenolic, anthocyanin and carotenoid contents, respectively, was observed after cooking. Decreases of 7.88%, 21.55%, 22.48, 6.31%, and 61.38% in DPPH radical-scavenging activity was also observed after boiling, steaming, baking, microwaving and stir-frying, respectively, whereas an increase of 30.52% was noted after air-frying. A correlation analysis revealed that the antioxidant activity was in accordance with the total phenolic content and that this activity showed the lowest correlation with the vitamin C content. Among all of the cooking methods investigated in this study, stir-frying retained only slight levels of the phytochemicals and antioxidant activity observed in raw potatoes, whereas steaming and microwaving were able to retain most of the health-promoting compounds found in raw potatoes and may thus be suitable methods for cooking potatoes. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Identification of natural red and purple dyes on textiles by Fiber-optics Reflectance Spectroscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

Maynez-Rojas, M A; Casanova-González, E; Ruvalcaba-Sil, J L

2017-05-05

Understanding dye chemistry and dye processes is an important issue for studies of cultural heritage collections and science conservation. Fiber Optics Reflectance Spectroscopy (FORS) is a powerful technique, which allows preliminary dye identification, causing no damage or mechanical stress on the artworks subjected to analysis. Some information related to specific light scattering and absorption can be obtained in the UV-visible and infrared range (300-1400nm) and it is possible to discriminate the kind of support fiber in the near infrared region (1000-2500nm). The main spectral features of natural dye fibers samples, such as reflection maxima, inflection points and reflection minima, can be used in the differentiation of various red natural dyes. In this work, a set of dyed references were manufactured following Mexican recipes with red dyes (cochineal and brazilwood) in order to determine the characteristic FORS spectral features of fresh and aged dyed fibers for their identification in historical pieces. Based on these results, twenty-nine indigenous textiles belonging to the National Commission for the Development of Indigenous People of Mexico were studied. Cochineal and brazilwood were successfully identified by FORS in several pieces, as well as the mixture of cochineal and indigo for purple color. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Análisis de la expresión diferencial de genes involucrados en la interacción planta de papa-fitoplasma “Mexican potato purple top”

OpenAIRE

Douriet Gámez, Nadia Rubí

2014-01-01

Se ha identificado al fitoplasma “Mexican potato purple top” (MPPT) afectando al cultivo de papa en México, provocando grandes pérdidas en su producción. El estudio y control de estos patógenos es difícil por ser parásitos obligados. Sin embargo, en el fitoplasma AY-WB se han identificado genes codificantes para proteínas de virulencia (SAP11 y SAP30) que alteran la fisiología celular y modulan la defensa de las plantas hospederas, por lo que es importante determinar si dichos ...

Evaluation of a Salmonella Enteritidis vaccine and related ELISA for respective induction and assessment of acquired immunity to the vaccine and/or Echinacea purpurea in Awassi Ewes.

Science.gov (United States)

Barbour, Elie K; Assi, Chibli A Abou; Shaib, Houssam; Hamadeh, Shadi; Murtada, Muhammad; Mahmoud, Ghassan; Yaghmoor, Soonham; Iyer, Archana; Harakeh, Steve; Kumosani, Taha

2015-05-05

The aim of this study was to evaluate an experimental Salmonella Enteritidis (SE) bacterin and an indirect ELISA system to assess quantitatively the acquired immunity in Awassi ewes to the vaccine and/or Echinacea purpurea (EP) dried roots. Four treatments of the ewes were included in the experimental design, with 6 ewes/treatment. The first treatment (T1) had the controls that were non-vaccinated and non-treated with EP. The T2 ewes were only treated with EP. The T3 and T4 ewes were vaccinated at D1 (initiation of trial) and D10, while the T4 ewes were additionally administered the EP dried roots. Blood was collected from the jugular vein of all ewes at D1, D10, D21 and D45. The construction of the vaccine and the ELISA are detailed within the manuscript. The ELISA was able to detect quantitatively the significant acquired primary and secondary immunity to the vaccine in T3 and T4 ewes, compared to their low level of background immunities at initiation of the experiment (p0.05) in T1 control ewes, and in the T2 ewes that were given only the (EP) (p>0.05). Moreover, the ELISA was able to uncover the significant seroconversion of secondary immune response in T4 ewes at D21 compared to that at D10 (pewes. This is the first work in literature that reports the need to supplement the vaccination by the experimental SE bacterin with daily oral intake of 250mg of EP-dried roots, effective the first vaccination day and up to 21 days, for obtaining a statistically significant seroconversion. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Redshift of the purple membrane absorption band and the deprotonation of tyrosine residues at high pH: Origin of the parallel photocycles of trans-bacteriorhodopsin

OpenAIRE

Balashov, S. P.; Govindjee, R.; Ebrey, T. G.

1991-01-01

At high pH (> 8) the 570 nm absorption band of all-trans bacteriorhodopsin (bR) in purple membrane undergoes a small (1.5 nm) shift to longer wavelengths, which causes a maximal increase in absorption at 615 nm. The pK of the shift is 9.0 in the presence of 167 mM KCl, and its intrinsic pK is ∼8.3. The red shift of the trans-bR absorption spectrum correlates with the appearance of the fast component in the light-induced L to M transition, and absorption increases at 238 and 297 nm which are a...

Enxertia de progênies de maracujazeiro-roxo australiano em espécies nativas Grafting of australian purple passion fruit progenies in different native species

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Márcio de Carvalho Pires

2009-09-01

Full Text Available O maracujá-roxo (Passiflora edulis, apesar de ser desconhecido no Brasil, pode tornar-se numa fonte de renda alternativa para o agricultor, devido à boa remuneração e aceitação da fruta in natura no mercado europeu. Com o objetivo de avaliar a produção de mudas clonais de maracujá-roxo provenientes da Austrália, foi realizado um experimento no Setor de Fruticultura da Universidade de Brasília entre os meses de maio de 2005 e fevereiro de 2006. O delineamento experimental utilizado foi o de blocos casualizados, com 3 repetições, em arranjo fatorial 7 x 2 x 3, sendo sete porta-enxertos, duas variedades-copa e três épocas de avaliação. A parcela foi formada por 3 plantas úteis. Utilizaram-se como porta-enxertos (PE as espécies P. serrato digitata, P. nitida, P. coccinea, P. quadrangularis, P. edulis e P. edulis f. flavicarpa híbrido 'EC-2-0' e o híbrido P. coccinea X P. setacea, e como copa (CP, as variedades '96A' e '25' de maracujazeiro-roxo. As estacas enraizadas foram transferidas para sacolas plásticas e mantidas sob nebulização intermitente. A enxertia foi efetuada 30 dias após. As avaliações do índice de pegamento foram efetuadas aos 31 e 61 dias após a enxertia (DAE. As combinações CP/PE (entre "25" e "96 A" X P. nitida, seguidas das combinações ("25" e "96 A" X P. edulis f. flavicarpa híbrido 'EC-2-0', com 100%, 90%, 90% e 80%, respectivamente, obtiveram alto índice de pegamento aos 61 DAE. A produção de mudas de maracujazeiro-roxo enxertadas nas espécies de maracujazeiro silvestres e comerciais P. nitida, P. quadrangularis, P. edulis f. flavicarpa híbrido 'EC-2-0' e P. edulis é viável do ponto de vista técnico, pois não ocorreram problemas de incompatibilidade, e os enxertos apresentaram alta taxa de pegamento.Purple passion fruit (Passiflora edulis, even though is unknown in Brazil, can be an alternative income for the farmers due to good price and acceptance by the European market. Aiming to

Investigating the Effect of Drought Stress on Growth and distribution of Purple Nutsedge (Cyperus rotundus L.

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N. Karimi Arpanahi

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Drought is one of the most important and common environmental stresses in the country, which affect different stages of plant growth and development. Drought can affect plants growth in various ways, thereby reduces and delays germination, and decreases shoot growth and dry matter production. In the case of high water stress, it results showed great reductions in photosynthesis and disruption of the physiological processes, as well as growth stop and eventually plant death.Purple nutsedge (Cyperus rotundus L. has been listed as the world’s worst weed based onits worldwide distribution (92 countries and interference with over 50 crops. It causes high yield losses in fruiting vegetables and cucurbits in eastern and southeastern parts of Iran, where drought stress is a common phenomenon. Therefore, it is of utmost importance to understand the response of this noxious weed species to drought stress. Materials and Methods: In order to study the effect of drought stress on growth and distribution of purple nutsedge, two separate experiments were carried out in a randomized complete block design with three replications in the Research Greenhouse at Birjand University in 2013. The first experiment consisted of 6 irrigation interval levels (3, 6, 9, 12, 15 and 18- day irrigation intervals and the second one were 5 irrigation levels based on field capacity (12.5, 25, 50, 75 and 100 % FC. Results and Discussion: ANOVA results of both experiments showed that all growth characteristics of purple nutsedge were affected by drought stress. The results of irrigation interval stress experiment showed that the maximum height (76 cm, leaf area (110.83 cm2, stem number (4.66 stemperpot, shoot dry weight (4.132 gr per plant, tuber number (7.66 tuber per pot and total underground organs dry weight (4.435 gr per plant were observed in 3- day irrigation interval. Also, the lowest amount of these characteristics was obtained in 18- day irrigation interval

Behavioral thermoregulation in Hemigrapsus nudus, the amphibious purple shore crab.

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McGaw, I J

2003-02-01

The thermoregulatory behavior of Hemigrapsus nudus, the amphibious purple shore crab, was examined in both aquatic and aerial environments. Crabs warmed and cooled more rapidly in water than in air. Acclimation in water of 16 degrees C (summer temperatures) raised the critical thermal maximum temperature (CTMax); acclimation in water of 10 degrees C (winter temperatures) lowered the critical thermal minimum temperature (CTMin). The changes occurred in both water and air. However, these survival regimes did not reflect the thermal preferences of the animals. In water, the thermal preference of crabs acclimated to 16 degrees C was 14.6 degrees C, and they avoided water warmer than 25.5 degrees C. These values were significantly lower than those of the crabs acclimated to 10 degrees C; these animals demonstrated temperature preferences for water that was 17 degrees C, and they avoided water that was warmer than 26.9 degrees C. This temperature preference was also exhibited in air, where 10 degrees C acclimated crabs exited from under rocks at a temperature that was 3.2 degrees C higher than that at which the 16 degrees C acclimated animals responded. This behavioral pattern was possibly due to a decreased thermal tolerance of 16 degrees C acclimated crabs, related with the molting process. H. nudus was better able to survive prolonged exposure to cold temperatures than to warm temperatures, and there was a trend towards lower exit temperatures with the lower acclimation (10 degrees C) temperature. Using a complex series of behaviors, the crabs were able to precisely control body temperature independent of the medium, by shuttling between air and water. The time spent in either air or water was influenced more strongly by the temperature than by the medium. In the field, this species may experience ranges in temperatures of up to 20 degrees C; however, it is able to utilize thermal microhabitats underneath rocks to maintain its body temperature within fairly narrow

Extraction of natural colorant from purple sweet potato and dyeing of fabrics with silver nanoparticles for augmented antibacterial activity against skin pathogens.

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Velmurugan, Palanivel; Kim, Jae-In; Kim, Kangmin; Park, Jung-Hee; Lee, Kui-Jae; Chang, Woo-Suk; Park, Yool-Jin; Cho, Min; Oh, Byung-Taek

2017-08-01

The main objective of this study was to extract natural colorant from purple sweet potato powder (PSPP) via a water bath and ultrasound water bath using acidified ethanol (A. EtOH) as the extraction solvent. When optimizing the colorant extraction conditions of the solvents, acidified ethanol with ultrasound yielded a high extraction capacity and color intensity at pH2, temperature of 80°C, 20mL of A. EtOH, 1.5g of PSPP, time of 45min, and ultrasonic output power of 75W. Subsequently, the colorant was extracted using the optimized conditions for dyeing of textiles (leather, silk, and cotton). This natural colorant extraction technique can avoid serious environmental pollution during the extraction and is an alternative to synthetic dyes, using less solvent and simplified abstraction procedures. The extracted purple sweet potato natural colorant (PSPC) was used to dye leather, silk, and cotton fabrics in an eco-friendly approach with augmented antibacterial activity by in situ synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) and dyeing. The optimal dyeing conditions for higher color strength (K/S) values were pH2 and 70°C for 45min. The colorimetric parameters L ∗ , a ∗ , b ∗ , C, and H were measured to determine the depth of the color. The Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) spectra of undyed control, dyed with PSPC and dyed with blend of PSPC and AgNPs treated leather, silk and cotton fabric were investigated to study the interaction among fiber type, nanoparticles, and dye. The structural morphology of leather and silk and cotton fabrics and the anchoring of AgNPs with elemental compositions were investigated by scanning electron microscopy-energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDS). The dry and wet rubbing fastness for dye alone and dye with nanoparticles were grade 4-5 and 4, respectively. Thus, the results of the present study clearly suggest that in situ synthesis of AgNPs along with dyeing should be considered in the development of

The spatially resolved characterisation of Egyptian blue, Han blue and Han purple by photo-induced luminescence digital imaging.

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Verri, G

2009-06-01

The photo-induced luminescence properties of Egyptian blue, Han blue and Han purple were investigated by means of near-infrared digital imaging. These pigments emit infrared radiation when excited in the visible range. The emission can be recorded by means of a modified commercial digital camera equipped with suitable glass filters. A variety of visible light sources were investigated to test their ability to excite luminescence in the pigments. Light-emitting diodes, which do not emit stray infrared radiation, proved an excellent source for the excitation of luminescence in all three compounds. In general, the use of visible radiation emitters with low emission in the infrared range allowed the presence of the pigments to be determined and their distribution to be spatially resolved. This qualitative imaging technique can be easily applied in situ for a rapid characterisation of materials. The results were compared to those for Egyptian green and for historical and modern blue pigments. Examples of the application of the technique on polychrome works of art are presented.

Bose-Einstein condensation in the Han purple compound: a high field NMR study

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Kraemer, Steffen; Horvatic, Mladen; Berthier, Claude [Laboratoire National des Champs Magnetiques Intenses, CNRS, Grenoble (France); Stern, Raivo [NICPB, Tallinn (Estonia); Kimura, Tsuyoshi [Osaka University, Osaka (Japan)

2011-07-01

The quasi-2D, antiferromagnetic exchange coupled spin-1/2 dimer compound BaCuSi{sub 2}O{sub 6} (Han purple) is considered as a prototype of the magnetic field induced Bose-Einstein Condensation (BEC) of triplet excitations on a lattice. Recently, BaCuSi{sub 2}O{sub 6} has been claimed to exhibit an unusual reduction of dimensionality of the BEC from 3D to 2D when lowering the temperature, induced by frustration between adjacent planes. However, due to a structural transformation at 90 K, different intradimer exchange couplings and different gaps ({delta}{sub B}/{delta}{sub A}=1.16) exist in every second plane along the c axis. First Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) experiments have shown that this leads to a population of bosons in the B planes, n{sub B}, much smaller than in A planes in the field range {delta}{sub A}/g{mu}{sub B} < H < {delta}{sub B}/g{mu}{sub B} where n{sub B}=0 is expected in a model of uncoupled planes. More recently, a better model has been presented, which takes into account both frustration and quantum fluctuations. This leads to a non-zero population n{sub B} of uncondensed bosons in the B plane, increasing quadratically with (H-H{sub c1}), as compared to the linear dependence of n{sub A}. In our contribution we compare our new NMR results, obtained at high magnetic fields (23-27 T) and low temperatures (50 mK), to these models.

Modeling the eco-physiology of the purple mauve stinger, Pelagia noctiluca using Dynamic Energy Budget theory

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Augustine, Starrlight; Rosa, Sara; Kooijman, Sebastiaan A. L. M.; Carlotti, François; Poggiale, Jean-Christophe

2014-11-01

Parameters for the standard Dynamic Energy Budget (DEB) model were estimated for the purple mauve stinger, Pelagia noctiluca, using literature data. Overall, the model predictions are in good agreement with data covering the full life-cycle. The parameter set we obtain suggests that P. noctiluca is well adapted to survive long periods of starvation since the predicted maximum reserve capacity is extremely high. Moreover we predict that the reproductive output of larger individuals is relatively insensitive to changes in food level while wet mass and length are. Furthermore, the parameters imply that even if food were scarce (ingestion levels only 14% of the maximum for a given size) an individual would still mature and be able to reproduce. We present detailed model predictions for embryo development and discuss the developmental energetics of the species such as the fact that the metabolism of ephyrae accelerates for several days after birth. Finally we explore a number of concrete testable model predictions which will help to guide future research. The application of DEB theory to the collected data allowed us to conclude that P. noctiluca combines maximizing allocation to reproduction with rather extreme capabilities to survive starvation. The combination of these properties might explain why P. noctiluca is a rapidly growing concern to fisheries and tourism.

Kinetics, mass transport characteristics, and structural changes during air-drying of purple yam (Dioscorea Alata L.) at different process conditions

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De Vera, Flordeliza C.; Comaling, Leif Anthony B.; Lao, Iya Ray Alyanna M.; Caparanga, Alvin R.; Sauli, Zaliman

2017-11-01

This experiment was designed to follow the 2k factorial design to study the effects of the three drying parameters on the drying characteristics and effective moisture diffusivity and to fit each run performed on the best thin-layer drying kinetics model. Raw purple yam samples were pre-treated and undergone the designed drying procedures at which the weight of the samples were recorded every minute until such time that the sample weights become constant. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) is utilized for qualitative analysis of the dried samples. The number of pores per unit area and the overall aesthetics of the surface of the dried samples were compared also using SEM. Considering the qualitative analysis conducted on the samples from the images of SEM, dried samples from run 2 has the most desirable conditions such as high temperature and low air velocity for drying because the samples from this run have large pore diameters with minimal cell breakages.

Use of membrane technology and resins for the separation and purification of polyphenols purple tree tomato (Solanum betaceum Cav

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Elena Beltrán

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The polyphenols fractionation of mesocarp juices, placenta and purple tree tomato peel using the pore size of the membrane as a means of selection was performed using micro and ultrafiltration tangential; tests made with HPLC showed that fractionation of phenolic compounds was not performed. The processes of concentration of the clarified juices of placenta and tree tomato peel by reverse osmosis obtained a volumetric concentration factor of 2 and 2.2 respectively. The polyphenol concentration increased by 1.5 times for placenta and 2.4 times for peel and antioxidant capacity increased by 2.4 times for both juices. The anthocyanins of placenta increased by 2.6 times. The use of the resin XA 5071 FG concentrated phenolic compounds with an increase of antioxidant capacity in a range between 4 and 5.5, and anthocyanins concentration was increased 1.8 times in the placenta juice. In conclusion the process of polyphenols concentration of tree tomato was more efficient using the resin XA 5071 FG than the reverse osmosis applied in this research.

Local and global influences on population declines of coastal waders: Purple Sandpiper Calidris maritima numbers in the Moray Firth, Scotland

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Summers, Ron W.; Foster, Simon; Swann, Bob; Etheridge, Brian

2012-05-01

Declines in numbers by several wader species in Britain have been linked to climate change, but the mechanism for the declines has rarely been explored. Britain lies at the northern end of the East Atlantic Flyway, and supports 1.3 million out of the Flyway's 8.5 million coastal waders (Charadrii) in winter and the Purple Sandpiper is one of the species whose numbers have declined. Here, we examine the dynamics of the decline as observed in the Moray Firth, northeast Scotland, investigating whether the decline was due to poorer apparent survival (return rate) or poorer recruitment of young birds. The maximum number in the Moray Firth declined from 860 in 1987/88 to 236 in 2006/07, with some increase during winters 2007/08 and 2008/09. At the three main high-tide roosts (Balintore, Lossiemouth and Buckie) the maximum combined number declined from 574 to 90. Changes in survival and recruitment (percentage of first-year birds) were examined at these roosts from captured samples, which were ringed and recaptured. There were no significant changes between winters in survival rates, nor were there differences between the survival rates of age groups (first-year and adult) or bill size groups, which represented birds of different sex and breeding origin. Annual survival estimates for the three roosts ranged from 72 to 77%. The percentage of first-year birds varied among roosts and years; the lowest values were during the late 1980s/early 1990s and early 2000s. A free-running population model incorporating varying percentages of first-year birds and constant mortality for each roost provided a plausible explanation for the decline. Although modelled numbers followed the observed pattern, a discrepancy in one year was carried forward in subsequent years, so that the fit with the observed numbers was parallel rather than similar. However, it seems that the decline in numbers was largely due to poorer recruitment. We discuss whether breeding success had declined, whether the

Impacts of Habitat Complexity on Physiology: Purple Shore Crabs Tolerate Osmotic Stress for Shelter

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McGaw, I. J.

2001-12-01

Purple shore crabs, Hemigrapsus nudus (Crustacea: Decapoda), can survive indefinitely in salinities of 8 (25% SW), but also tolerate short-term exposure to salinities as low as 2. In the laboratory their salinity preference range, determined from choice chamber experiments, is 22-32 and they can discriminate between pairs of salinities separated by a difference of 2. These crabs show a strong positive thigmotaxis and a weak negative phototaxis and tend to choose environments with available shelter. The presence of shelter significantly alters the behaviour of this species. When shelter is available the salinity preference range is 10-32. Even in salinities below this preference range, the presence of shelter prolongs the time spent in the lower test salinities. This change in behaviour has implications on the crab's physiology: the haemolymph osmolality falls to lower levels when crabs remain in low salinity under shelters. In the field, H. nudus is found in creeks with salinities close to freshwater and they may remain in this salinity for up to 11 h, if there are rocks under which to shelter. An increase in habitat complexity increases the number of crabs that are found within the creek. These crabs in the low salinity environment have a lower haemolymph osmolality than crabs on the nearby open shore. In H. nudus the behavioural selection of a shelter appears to outweigh the physiological costs associated with osmotic regulation of the body fluids. Therefore, the distribution of H. nudus in estuaries may depend more on the availability of suitable habitats rather than the salinity tolerance of this species.

Energy transfer in purple bacterial photosynthetic units from cells grown in various light intensities.

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Niedzwiedzki, Dariusz M; Gardiner, Alastair T; Blankenship, Robert E; Cogdell, Richard J

2018-05-03

Three photosynthetic membranes, called intra-cytoplasmic membranes (ICMs), from wild-type and the ∆pucBA abce mutant of the purple phototrophic bacterium Rps. palustris were investigated using optical spectroscopy. The ICMs contain identical light-harvesting complex 1-reaction centers (LH1-RC) but have various spectral forms of light-harvesting complex 2 (LH2). Spectroscopic studies involving steady-state absorption, fluorescence, and femtosecond time-resolved absorption at room temperature and at 77 K focused on inter-protein excitation energy transfer. The studies investigated how energy transfer is affected by altered spectral features of the LH2 complexes as those develop under growth at different light conditions. The study shows that LH1 → LH2 excitation energy transfer is strongly affected if the LH2 complex alters its spectroscopic signature. The LH1 → LH2 excitation energy transfer rate modeled with the Förster mechanism and kinetic simulations of transient absorption of the ICMs demonstrated that the transfer rate will be 2-3 times larger for ICMs accumulating LH2 complexes with the classical B800-850 spectral signature (grown in high light) compared to the ICMs from the same strain grown in low light. For the ICMs from the ∆pucBA abce mutant, in which the B850 band of the LH2 complex is blue-shifted and almost degenerate with the B800 band, the LH1 → LH2 excitation energy transfer was not observed nor predicted by calculations.

Comparative analysis of the transcriptome in tissues secreting purple and white nacre in the pearl mussel Hyriopsis cumingii.

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Zhiyi Bai

Full Text Available The triangle sail mussel Hyriopsis cumingii (Lea is the most important mussel species used for commercial freshwater pearl production in China. Mussel color is an important indicator of pearl quality. To identify genes involved in the nacre coloring, we conducted RNA-seq and obtained 541,268 sequences (298 bp average size and 440,034 sequences (293 bp average size in secreting purple and white nacre libraries (P- and W-libraries, respectively. The 981,302 Expressed Sequence Tags (ESTs were assembled into 47,812 contigs and 289,386 singletons. In BLASTP searches of the deduced protein, 22,495 were proteins with functional annotations. Thirty-three genes involved in pearl or shell formation were identified. Digital expression analysis identified a total of 358 differentially expressed genes, and 137 genes in the P-library and 221 genes in the W-library showed significantly higher expression. Furthermore, a set of SSR motifs and SNPs between the two samples was identified from the ESTs, which provided the markers for genetic linkage, QTL analysis and future breeding. These EST sequences provided valuable information to further understand the molecular mechanisms involved in the formation, color determination and evolution of the pearl or shell.

Fecal microbiota of lambs fed purple prairie clover (Dalea purpurea Vent.) and alfalfa (Medicago sativa).

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Huang, Qianqian; Holman, Devin B; Alexander, Trevor; Hu, Tianming; Jin, Long; Xu, Zhongjun; McAllister, Tim A; Acharya, Surya; Zhao, Guoqi; Wang, Yuxi

2018-01-01

The present study assessed the effect of purple prairie clover (PPC) and PPC condensed tannins (CT) on the fecal microbiota of lambs using high-throughput 16S rRNA gene pyrosequencing. A total of 18 individual lambs were randomly divided into three groups and fed either green chop alfalfa (Alf), a 40:60 (DM basis; Mix) mixture of Alf and PPC, or Mix supplemented with polyethylene glycol (Mix-P) for 18 days. Fecal samples were collected on days 13 through 18 using digital rectal retrieval. The DNA of fecal samples was extracted and the microbial 16S rRNA gene amplicons were sequenced using 454 pyrosequencing. Regardless of diet, the bacterial community was dominated by Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes with many sequences unclassified at the genus level. Forage type and CT had no effect on the fecal microbial composition at the phylum level or on α-diversity. Compared to the Alf diet, the Mix diet reduced the relative abundance of Akkermansia (P = 0.03) and Asteroleplasma (P = 0.05). Fecal microbial populations in Alf and Mix-P clustered separately from each other when assessed using unweighted UniFrac (P < 0.05). These results indicate that PPC CT up to 36 g/kg DM in the diet had no major effect on fecal microbial flora at the phyla level and exerted only minor effects on the genera composition of fecal microbiota in lambs.

The usage of sulfide and thiosulfate ions by purple non-sulfur bacteria Rhodopseudomonas yavorovii

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O. V. Tarabas

2017-07-01

Full Text Available This article covers the patterns of oxidation of sulfide and thiosulfate ions by bacteria Rhodopseudomonas yavorovii Ya-2016 under different cultivation conditions. In the environments with 1.4–5.6 мМ Na2S2O3, R. yavorovii Ya-2016 bacteria accumulated biomass of 1.4–1.6 g/l, which was higher than biomass (1.2-0.6 g/l accumulated by the bacteria with the same concentrations of Na2S × 9H2O. The efficiency of oxidation of 1.4, 2.8, 5.6 мМ sulfide- and thiosulfate-ions as donors of electrons by the bacteria equaled 97.4, 42.6, 18.7 and 68.8, 28.0, 3.7%, respectively. As a result of bacterial oxidation of 1.4 мМ hydrogen sulfide and sodium thiosulphate in the environment accumulation of 0.13–1.30 мМ sulfate-ions occurs, and the element sulfur becomes an intermediate metabolite in the environment with Na2S×9H2O. R. yavorovii Ya-2016 bacteria are capable of using sulfate-ions as a single source of sulfate at increase in photptrophs. In the environment with 2.5 мМ sulfate-ions concentration the bacteria biomass was 1.4 g/l, the bacteria assimilated 17.7% of sulfates. Because purple non-sulfur bacteria R. yavorovii Ya-2016 are capable of using sulfide-ions as donors of electrons of anoxygenic photosynthesis and using sulfate-ions as a single source of sulfate, they could be successfully used in the technologies of remediating the environment from compounds of sulfur.

Characterization of yellow -, red-, and purple- kernel maize (zea mays L.) accessions in Ghana

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ansah, G.

2013-07-01

Twenty yellow-, red-, and purple-kernel maize accessions were collected from three regions in Ghana for the study. The objectives were to characterize the yellow-, red- and purple-kernel maize accessions in Ghana using phenotypic traits in order to determine their identity, using molecular traits for confirmation of their identity and to determine the presence of the opaque-2 gene and β-carotene content of the grains as a way of assessing nutritional quality. A replicated field experiment was conducted to evaluate and characterize the accessions based on 16 quantitative and eleven qualitative traits. The same accessions were characterized based on 16 SSR markers. Variability in β-carotene content was determined by HPLC while presence of opaque 2-gene was determined by a light box. The results revealed that accessions GH4055 and GH4863 are extra early maturing and therefore can be very useful for urban farmers producing fresh maize and for cultivation in the coastal savanna ecological zone. However, they produce smaller cobs (Cob weight = 58.24g) as compared to other accessions. Significant variability in morphological traits was observed among the accessions with cob weight, number of kernels per row, plant height and 1000 seed weight having coefficient of variation of 42.7544, 20.5828, 11.4634, 13.0634 and 26.76 respectively. Few traits contributed to the variations observed as revealed by the principal components analysis and these include days to 50% anthesis, days to 50% of leaf senescence, plant height and cob weight. A dendrogram generated from morphological traits clustered the accessions based on kernel colour, physical structure of the plant and geographical location. Two duplicates were identified among the accessions and widest genetic distance was observe between NYRI and GH4055. Strong correlation exist between most of the morphological traits measured (r= 0.9193) but negative correlation was observed between most important yield parameters and

Hydrogen from food processing wastes via photofermentation using Purple Non-sulfur Bacteria (PNSB) – A review

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ghosh, Shiladitya; Dairkee, Umme Kulsoom; Chowdhury, Ranjana; Bhattacharya, Pinaki

2017-01-01

Highlights: • Food processing wastes/wastewaters are potential feedstocks for PNSB-bioH_2 systems. • Several bottlenecks exist in efficient usage of food processing wastes/wastewaters by PNSBs. • Pretreatment of feedstocks is a challenging issue. • Genetic modification significantly enhances the H_2 outcome of PNSBs. • Food waste/wastewater - PNSB is a sustainable combination for production of H_2. - Abstract: Purple non-sulfur bacteria (PNSB) mediated production of biohydrogen utilizing solid food waste and food processing wastewater possess enormous potential to be implemented as an ideal “green energy technology”. This paper reviews the current state-of-the-art utilization of solid wastes and wastewaters of several food and beverage processing industries in photofermentative H_2 production systems. Detailed accounts of the complex composition of various solid food wastes and food processing wastewaters along with the pretreatments used for enhancement of H_2 production by PNSBs have been presented. Factors like compositional complexity, presence of inhibitory compounds and resistance to light penetration are identified as the prime bottlenecks hindering the efficient utilization of food waste and wastewaters in photofermentative H_2 production. Genetic manipulation of the PNSBs to overcome the inherent metabolic complications has been discussed as a probable amelioration strategy for enhancement of H_2 yield. Based on profound discussions the scopes for upgradation of the photofermentative biohydrogen systems using food waste/wastewater have been highlighted and recommended for the overall enhancement of the sustainability of the processes.

Fried Green Tomatoes and The Color Purple: A case study in lesbian friendship and cultural controversy.

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Proehl, Kristen

2018-01-02

Published in the 1980s, Fannie Flagg's Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Café and Alice Walker's The Color Purple are lesbian coming-of-age narratives that share a great deal in common in terms of their thematic content, publication histories, and cultural afterlives. In both novels, female friendships are shaped by patriarchal violence and develop in the context of the rural, segregated, early twentieth-century U.S. South. But the two novels also diverge in significant ways, as differences in race, gender, class, and sexuality shape their protagonists' experiences of love and friendship. As filmmakers Steven Spielberg and Jon Avnet adapted these novels for the screen, they made decisions about how to portray the texts' representations of homoerotic friendship and same-sex love. Both films generated significant cultural controversy as a result, particularly as some viewers claimed that the films elided the novels' representations of lesbian sexuality. Building upon recent scholarship in critical race theory, queer theory, and friendship studies, I argue that Walker's and Flagg's representations of queer friendship, a term that I describe in more detail throughout the essay, subvert dominant classifications of romantic, familial, and platonic love. By comparatively analyzing the American public's reception of the two film adaptations in conjunction with close readings of scenes from the novels and films, I reveal how representations of queer friendship not only catalyze cultural controversy, but also serve as a vehicle of social criticism.

Ground-State Electronic Structure of RC-LH1 and LH2 Pigment Assemblies of Purple Bacteria via the EBF-MO Method.

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Shrestha, Kushal; Jakubikova, Elena

2015-08-20

Light-harvesting antennas are protein-pigment complexes that play a crucial role in natural photosynthesis. The antenna complexes absorb light and transfer energy to photosynthetic reaction centers where charge separation occurs. This work focuses on computational studies of the electronic structure of the pigment networks of light-harvesting complex I (LH1), LH1 with the reaction center (RC-LH1), and light-harvesting complex II (LH2) found in purple bacteria. As the pigment networks of LH1, RC-LH1, and LH2 contain thousands of atoms, conventional density functional theory (DFT) and ab initio calculations of these systems are not computationally feasible. Therefore, we utilize DFT in conjunction with the energy-based fragmentation with molecular orbitals method and a semiempirical approach employing the extended Hückel model Hamiltonian to determine the electronic properties of these pigment assemblies. Our calculations provide a deeper understanding of the electronic structure of natural light-harvesting complexes, especially their pigment networks, which could assist in rational design of artificial photosynthetic devices.

Purple Sweet Potato Color Ameliorates Cognition Deficits and Attenuates Oxidative Damage and Inflammation in Aging Mouse Brain Induced by D-Galactose

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Qun Shan

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Purple sweet potato color (PSPC, a naturally occurring anthocyanin, has a powerful antioxidant activity in vitro and in vivo. This study explores whether PSPC has the neuroprotective effect on the aging mouse brain induced by D-galactose (D-gal. The mice administrated with PSPC (100 mg/kg.day, 4 weeks, from 9th week via oral gavage showed significantly improved behavior performance in the open field and passive avoidance test compared with D-gal-treated mice (500 mg/kg.day, 8 weeks. We further investigate the mechanism involved in neuroprotective effects of PSPC on mouse brain. Interestingly, we found, PSPC decreased the expression level of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS, and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2, inhibited nuclear translocation of nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-κB, increased the activity of copper/zinc superoxide dismutase (Cu/Zn-SOD and catalase (CAT, and reduced the content of malondialdehyde (MDA, respectively. Our data suggested that PSPC attenuated D-gal-induced cognitive impairment partly via enhancing the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory capacity.

Dietary Supplement Fact Sheets

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... Primary Mitochondrial Disorders Weight Loss A Acai Aloe Vera Anabolic Steroids Antioxidants (see Exercise and Athletic Performance ) ... Pills (see Weight Loss ) Dietary Supplements Vitamin D E Echinacea Ephedra Essiac/Flor-Essence European Elder Evening ...

Effect of purple light on the ferroelectric and transport properties of epitaxial Mn-doped BiFeO{sub 3} film

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Peng, Zengwei; Liu, Baoting; Zhu, Huijuan; Zhao, Qingxun; Wang, Yinglong [College of Physics Science and Technology, Hebei University, Baoding 071002 (China)

2012-08-15

An epitaxial SrRuO{sub 3} (SRO)/BiFe{sub 0.95}Mn{sub 0.05}O{sub 3} (BFMO)/SRO heterostructure is fabricated on (001)-SrTiO{sub 3} (STO) substrate, in which the SRO film is prepared by magnetron sputtering and the BFMO film is deposited by a sol-gel method. The effect of purple-light irradiation on the SRO/BFMO/SRO capacitor is studied. It is found that the leakage current density of the SRO/BFMO/SRO capacitor, measured at 5 V, increases from 0.013 A/cm{sup 2} in the dark to 0.043 A/cm{sup 2} in the light. The change of the hysteresis loop of the capacitor upon irradiation can be interpreted by the trapping of photoinduced charges to incur the reorientation of domain and the increase of the leakage current density. In addition, the capacitance versus voltage (C-V) characteristic of this film is investigated and displays a typical butterfly shape. The above results indicate a potential application of BFMO film for optoelectronic devices. (Copyright copyright 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Modelando a coordenação de fosfato com o sítio ativo das fosfatases ácidas púrpuras Modeling the coordination of phosphate to the active site of purple acid phosphatases

OpenAIRE

Marcos Aires de Brito; Ademir Neves; Luiz R. Zilli

1997-01-01

We present a new binuclear complex, Fe2III(BBPMP)(OH)(O2 P(OPh)2) ClO4.CH3OH, 3, where BBPMP is the anion of 2,6-bis(2-hydroxybenzyl)(2-pyridylmethyl) aminomethyl-4-methylphenol, as a suitable model for the chromophoric site of purple acid phosphatases coordinated to phosphate. The complex was obtained by the reaction of complex 2, Fe2III(BBPMP)(O2P(OPh) 2)2 ClO4.H2O, in CH3CN with one equivalent of triethylamine. Based on the chromophoric properties of the model complex, lmax = 560 nm/ e = 4...

Comparative analysis of antibacterial activity of povidone iodine and homoeopathic mother tinctures as antiseptics

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Muhammad Mohsin Zaman

2016-01-01

Conclusion: This study confirms the antibacterial activity and more effectiveness of Thuja occidentalis and Rhus glabra mother tinctures than povidone iodine. The other tested mother tinctures also have antibacterial activity against tested bacteria, except Echinacea.

Screening of radical scavenging activity of some medicinal and aromatic plant extracts

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Miliauskas, G.; Venskutonis, R.P.; Beek, van T.A.

2004-01-01

Extracts of 12 medicinal and aromatic plants were investigated for their radical scavenging activity using DPPH and ABTS assays: Salvia sclarea, Salvia glutinosa, Salvia pratensis, Lavandula angustifolia, Calendula officinalis, Matricaria recutita, Echinacea purpurea, Rhaponticum carthamoides,

Ultra-broadband 2D electronic spectroscopy of carotenoid-bacteriochlorophyll interactions in the LH1 complex of a purple bacterium

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Maiuri, Margherita [CNR-IFN, Dipartimento di Fisica, Politecnico di Milano, P.zza L. da Vinci 32, Milano 20133 (Italy); Department of Chemistry, Princeton University, Washington Road, Princeton, New Jersey 08544 (United States); Réhault, Julien; Polli, Dario; Cerullo, Giulio, E-mail: giulio.cerullo@polimi.it [CNR-IFN, Dipartimento di Fisica, Politecnico di Milano, P.zza L. da Vinci 32, Milano 20133 (Italy); Carey, Anne-Marie; Hacking, Kirsty; Cogdell, Richard J. [Glasgow Biomedical Research Centre, IBLS, University of Glasgow, 126 Place, Glasgow G12 8TA, Scotland (United Kingdom); Garavelli, Marco [Dipartimento di Chimica “G. Ciamician,” Università di Bologna, Via Selmi 2, IT-40126 Bologna (Italy); CNRS, Institut de Chimie de Lyon, École Normale Supérieure de Lyon, Université de Lyon, 46 Allée d’Italie, F-69364 Lyon Cedex 07 (France); Lüer, Larry [Madrid Institute for Advanced Studies, IMDEA Nanociencia, Madrid (Spain)

2015-06-07

We investigate the excitation energy transfer (EET) pathways in the photosynthetic light harvesting 1 (LH1) complex of purple bacterium Rhodospirillum rubrum with ultra-broadband two-dimensional electronic spectroscopy (2DES). We employ a 2DES apparatus in the partially collinear geometry, using a passive birefringent interferometer to generate the phase-locked pump pulse pair. This scheme easily lends itself to two-color operation, by coupling a sub-10 fs visible pulse with a sub-15-fs near-infrared pulse. This unique pulse combination allows us to simultaneously track with extremely high temporal resolution both the dynamics of the photoexcited carotenoid spirilloxanthin (Spx) in the visible range and the EET between the Spx and the B890 bacterio-chlorophyll (BChl), whose Q{sub x} and Q{sub y} transitions peak at 585 and 881 nm, respectively, in the near-infrared. Global analysis of the one-color and two-color 2DES maps unravels different relaxation mechanisms in the LH1 complex: (i) the initial events of the internal conversion process within the Spx, (ii) the parallel EET from the first bright state S{sub 2} of the Spx towards the Q{sub x} state of the B890, and (iii) the internal conversion from Q{sub x} to Q{sub y} within the B890.

Ion-Pair Extractive Spectrophotometric Assay of Terbinafine Hydrochloride in Pharmaceuticals and Spiked Urine Using Bromocresol Purple

Science.gov (United States)

Salem Qarah, N. A.; Basavaiah, K.; Swamy, N.

2016-09-01

Two simple, rapid, selective, and sensitive methods were developed and validated for the determination of terbinafi ne hydrochloride (TBH) in pharmaceuticals and urine. The fi rst method (method A) is based on the formation of a yellow ion-pair complex of TBH and bromocresol purple (BCP), a sulfonephthalein dye, in Walpole buffer of pH 3.61, which was extracted into chloroform and investigated at 420 nm. For the second method (method B) the drug-dye ion-pair was broken in alkaline KOH medium, and the resulting free dye color was measured at 610 nm. All variables were studied to optimize the reaction conditions. The regression analysis of Beer's law plots showed good correlation in the concentration ranges of 1-10 and 0.1-2.0 μg/mL for method A and method B, respectively. Molar absorptivity values were 2.99 × 104, and 1.51×105 L/(mol × cm) for measurements by these methods. The methods were also validated for limits of detection (LOD) and quantifi cation (LOQ), intra-day and inter-day accuracy and precision, selectivity, robustness and ruggedness. The composition of the ion-pair (drug-dye) used in the method A was found to be 1:1 by both mole-ratio and Job's methods. The developed methods were applied to tablets, and the results were in good agreement with the label claim and those of the reference method. Because of its high sensitivity, method A was applied to spiked human urine with percent recoveries in the range 96.58-107.3 and a standard deviation <2%.

Characterisation of the LH2 spectral variants produced by the photosynthetic purple sulphur bacterium Allochromatium vinosum.

Science.gov (United States)

Carey, Anne-Marie; Hacking, Kirsty; Picken, Nichola; Honkanen, Suvi; Kelly, Sharon; Niedzwiedzki, Dariusz M; Blankenship, Robert E; Shimizu, Yuuki; Wang-Otomo, Zheng-Yu; Cogdell, Richard J

2014-11-01

This study systematically investigated the different types of LH2 produced by Allochromatium (Alc.) vinosum, a photosynthetic purple sulphur bacterium, in response to variations in growth conditions. Three different spectral forms of LH2 were isolated and purified, the B800-820, B800-840 and B800-850 LH2 types, all of which exhibit an unusual split 800 peak in their low temperature absorption spectra. However, it is likely that more forms are also present. Relatively more B800-820 and B800-840 are produced under low light conditions, while relatively more B800-850 is produced under high light conditions. Polypeptide compositions of the three different LH2 types were determined by a combination of HPLC and TOF/MS. The B800-820, B800-840 and B800-850 LH2 types all have a heterogeneous polypeptide composition, containing multiple types of both α and β polypeptides, and differ in their precise polypeptide composition. They all have a mixed carotenoid composition, containing carotenoids of the spirilloxanthin series. In all cases the most abundant carotenoid is rhodopin; however, there is a shift towards carotenoids with a higher conjugation number in LH2 complexes produced under low light conditions. CD spectroscopy, together with the polypeptide analysis, demonstrates that these Alc. vinosum LH2 complexes are more closely related to the LH2 complex from Phs. molischianum than they are to the LH2 complexes from Rps. acidophila. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Perturbation of gut bacteria induces a coordinated cellular immune response in the purple sea urchin larva

Science.gov (United States)

CH Ho, Eric; Buckley, Katherine M; Schrankel, Catherine S; Schuh, Nicholas W; Hibino, Taku; Solek, Cynthia M; Bae, Koeun; Wang, Guizhi; Rast, Jonathan P

2016-01-01

The purple sea urchin (Strongylocentrotus purpuratus) genome sequence contains a complex repertoire of genes encoding innate immune recognition proteins and homologs of important vertebrate immune regulatory factors. To characterize how this immune system is deployed within an experimentally tractable, intact animal, we investigate the immune capability of the larval stage. Sea urchin embryos and larvae are morphologically simple and transparent, providing an organism-wide model to view immune response at cellular resolution. Here we present evidence for immune function in five mesenchymal cell types based on morphology, behavior and gene expression. Two cell types are phagocytic; the others interact at sites of microbial detection or injury. We characterize immune-associated gene markers for three cell types, including a perforin-like molecule, a scavenger receptor, a complement-like thioester-containing protein and the echinoderm-specific immune response factor 185/333. We elicit larval immune responses by (1) bacterial injection into the blastocoel and (2) seawater exposure to the marine bacterium Vibrio diazotrophicus to perturb immune state in the gut. Exposure at the epithelium induces a strong response in which pigment cells (one type of immune cell) migrate from the ectoderm to interact with the gut epithelium. Bacteria that accumulate in the gut later invade the blastocoel, where they are cleared by phagocytic and granular immune cells. The complexity of this coordinated, dynamic inflammatory program within the simple larval morphology provides a system in which to characterize processes that direct both aspects of the echinoderm-specific immune response as well as those that are shared with other deuterostomes, including vertebrates. PMID:27192936

Ocean acidification research in the 'post-genomic' era: Roadmaps from the purple sea urchin Strongylocentrotus purpuratus.

Science.gov (United States)

Evans, Tyler G; Padilla-Gamiño, Jacqueline L; Kelly, Morgan W; Pespeni, Melissa H; Chan, Francis; Menge, Bruce A; Gaylord, Brian; Hill, Tessa M; Russell, Ann D; Palumbi, Stephen R; Sanford, Eric; Hofmann, Gretchen E

2015-07-01

Advances in nucleic acid sequencing technology are removing obstacles that historically prevented use of genomics within ocean change biology. As one of the first marine calcifiers to have its genome sequenced, purple sea urchins (Strongylocentrotus purpuratus) have been the subject of early research exploring genomic responses to ocean acidification, work that points to future experiments and illustrates the value of expanding genomic resources to other marine organisms in this new 'post-genomic' era. This review presents case studies of S. purpuratus demonstrating the ability of genomic experiments to address major knowledge gaps within ocean acidification. Ocean acidification research has focused largely on species vulnerability, and studies exploring mechanistic bases of tolerance toward low pH seawater are comparatively few. Transcriptomic responses to high pCO₂ seawater in a population of urchins already encountering low pH conditions have cast light on traits required for success in future oceans. Secondly, there is relatively little information on whether marine organisms possess the capacity to adapt to oceans progressively decreasing in pH. Genomics offers powerful methods to investigate evolutionary responses to ocean acidification and recent work in S. purpuratus has identified genes under selection in acidified seawater. Finally, relatively few ocean acidification experiments investigate how shifts in seawater pH combine with other environmental factors to influence organism performance. In S. purpuratus, transcriptomics has provided insight into physiological responses of urchins exposed simultaneously to warmer and more acidic seawater. Collectively, these data support that similar breakthroughs will occur as genomic resources are developed for other marine species. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Presence, distribution and effect of white, pink and purple morphs on pollination in the orchid Orchis mascula

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Bertrand Schatz

2013-12-01

Full Text Available How floral polymorphism of flowering plants can be maintained in evolutionary time has long intrigued ecologists and is still debated. In particular, how floral colour polymorphism influences reproductive success is still poorly understood. Here, we investigated the case of Orchis mascula, a deceptive orchid species in which the presence of rare white-flowered individuals is known to increase the percentage pollination of co-occurring coloured morphs. In a brief review, we report all the orchid species for which rare colour morphs are recorded and show that colour polymorphism occurs in most orchid genera occurring in France. In this study, more than 20,000 individuals of O. mascula were surveyed and some rare clear pink morphs were recorded. The frequencies of white-flowered and clear pink-flowered individuals were 0.59% and 0.28%, respectively. These two rare-colour flowered individuals were not randomly distributed and restricted to a few populations. In addition, the presence of pink-flowered individuals and the use of experimental pink lures resulted in an increase in the percentage pollination of surrounding purple-flowered individuals, as previously shown for white-flowered individuals and white lures. These new observations favour kin selection as the means by which floral colour polymorphism is maintained in this species. We suggest conducting comparative studies of other species in order to evaluate the importance of this mechanism in orchid pollination and that of other plant families.

In vivo screening of five phytochemicals/extracts and a fungal immunomodulatory protein against colibacillosis in broilers

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Peek, H.W.; Halkes, S.B.A.; Tomassen, M.M.M.; Mes, J.J.; Landman, W.J.M.

2013-01-01

Five phytochemicals/extracts (an extract from Echinacea purpurea, a ß-glucan-rich extract from Shiitake, betaine [Betain™], curcumin from Curcuma longa [turmeric] powder, carvacrol and also a recombinant fungal immunomodulatory protein [FIP] from Ganoderma lucidum) cloned and expressed in

[Construction and Characterization of B850-Only LH2 Energy Transfer System in Purple Bacteria].

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Kai; Zhao, Chun-gui; Yue, Hui-ying; Yang, Su-ping; Qu, Yin-bo; Jiao, Nian-zhi

2015-04-01

To seek microscopic molecular mechanism of energy transfer and complex reconstitution in the photosynthesis, the conditions for construction of B850-only peripheral light-harvesting complex (LH2) and their properties were investigated using absorption, fluorescence spectroscopy, molecular sieve chromatography, ultrafiltration and sodium dodecylsulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) from the purple bacteria. The results indicated that bacteriochlorophylls (BChl) of B800 incubated in 10 mmo · L(-1) Tris-HCl (pH 8.0) buffer are selectively released from their binding sites of LH2 of Rhodobacter azotoformans (A-LH2) by 0.08% (W/V) SDS. B850-only A-LH2 was constructed after removing free BChl mixing with 10% methyl alcohol by ultrafiltration. B850 BChl was released after A-LH2 was incubated for 240 min in dark at room temperature (RT). While BChl of B800 incubated in pH 1.9 buffer were selectively released from their binding sites of LH2 of Rhodopseudomonas palustris (P-LH2). The authors acquired two components using molecular sieve chromatography. Free BChl of one component was not removed and self-assembled to P-LH2. The other removed free BChl and B850-only P-LH2 was constructed. B850 unchanged after P-LH2 was incubated. P-LH2 α and β subunits have different molecular weights, but those of A-LH2 are in the contrary. It is concluded that B850-only P-LH2 is more stable than A-LH2. The enigmatic split of the B800 absorption band was not observed in these LH2, but we acquired two kinds of B800-released LH2 from Rhodopseudomonas palustris. The authors' results may provide a new light to separate homogeneous Apoprotein LH2.

A simple and sensitive resonance Rayleigh scattering-energy transfer method for amino acids coupling its Ruhemann's purple and graphene oxide probe

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Luo, Yanghe [School of Food and Bioengineering, Hezhou University, Hezhou 542899 (China); Key Laboratory of Ecology of Rare and Endangered Species and Environmental Protection of Ministry Education, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Control Theory and Technology, Guangxi Normal University, Guilin 541004 (China); Li, Chongnin; Qin, Aimian [Key Laboratory of Ecology of Rare and Endangered Species and Environmental Protection of Ministry Education, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Control Theory and Technology, Guangxi Normal University, Guilin 541004 (China); Liang, Aihui, E-mail: ahliang2008@163.com [Key Laboratory of Ecology of Rare and Endangered Species and Environmental Protection of Ministry Education, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Control Theory and Technology, Guangxi Normal University, Guilin 541004 (China); Jiang, Zhiliang, E-mail: zljiang@mailbox.gxnu.edu.cn [School of Food and Bioengineering, Hezhou University, Hezhou 542899 (China); Key Laboratory of Ecology of Rare and Endangered Species and Environmental Protection of Ministry Education, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Control Theory and Technology, Guangxi Normal University, Guilin 541004 (China)

2017-05-15

In pH 7.2 KH{sub 2}PO{sub 4}-NaOH buffer solution, graphene oxide (GO) has strong resonance Rayleigh scattering (RRS) effect at 400 nm, and amino acid reacted with ninhydrin to form blue-violet complex Ruhemann's purple (RP) with a absorption peak at 400 nm. RPs can strongly adsorbed on the surface of GO, and the RRS donor of GO probes coupled with the receptor of RP that reduced the RRS intensity at 400 nm due to the RRS-energy transfer (RRS-ET) from the GO to RP. With the increase of amino acid concentration, the RRS intensity quenched linearly at 400 nm due to the RRS-ET enhancing. The quenched intensity responds linearly with glutamic acid concentration in the range of 0.2–200 μmol L{sup −1}, with a detection limit of 0.08 µmol L{sup −1}. This simple and sensitive RRS-ET method was used to detect the content of amino acid in oral liquid, with satisfactory results.

Influence of the Mother Bulb Size on the Growth and Development of Allium ‘Purple Rain’

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aurelia Elena Rosca

2016-11-01

Full Text Available The experiment aims was to study the influences of the mother bulb weight on the growth and development, of the plants of ornamental onion. The study was conducted during October 2015 – June 2016 and the biologic material was represented by Allium ‘Purple Rain’. The bulbs were divided in three different weight groups: W1 (15.1-30 g, W2 (5.1-15 g, W3 (< 5 g, which were reprezented the three variants (V1, V2, respectively V3. The bulbs were planted in the field and the plants were studied thrue the biometric determinations. The results were compared with the average of the experiment. The research showed  that  the all the analyzed  characters (number and length of leaves, number and  weight of new formed bulbs, flowers yield, diameter of the inflorescence were decreasing from V1 to the V3 variant. The highest number of the flowering plants (98.9 % was resulted from V1 variant. From V2, bloomed only 20% of the bulbs and from V3 the bulbs did not got flowers. The flowering time was earlier for the plants resulted from the biggest bulbs (V1, with around 3 days, then the V2 and around 7 days then V3.  The capacity to form new bulbs, expressed in bulb number or bulb weight per plant, was increased with the increasing of the mother bulb weight. The number of leaves per plant and the length of the leaves were higher for  V1, as against the other two variants

Characterization of the regulatory network of BoMYB2 in controlling anthocyanin biosynthesis in purple cauliflower.

Science.gov (United States)

Chiu, Li-Wei; Li, Li

2012-10-01

Purple cauliflower (Brassica oleracea L. var. botrytis) Graffiti represents a unique mutant in conferring ectopic anthocyanin biosynthesis, which is caused by the tissue-specific activation of BoMYB2, an ortholog of Arabidopsis PAP2 or MYB113. To gain a better understanding of the regulatory network of anthocyanin biosynthesis, we investigated the interaction among cauliflower MYB-bHLH-WD40 network proteins and examined the interplay of BoMYB2 with various bHLH transcription factors in planta. Yeast two-hybrid studies revealed that cauliflower BoMYBs along with the other regulators formed the MYB-bHLH-WD40 complexes and BobHLH1 acted as a bridge between BoMYB and BoWD40-1 proteins. Different BoMYBs exhibited different binding activity to BobHLH1. Examination of the BoMYB2 transgenic lines in Arabidopsis bHLH mutant backgrounds demonstrated that TT8, EGL3, and GL3 were all involved in the BoMYB2-mediated anthocyanin biosynthesis. Expression of BoMYB2 in Arabidopsis caused up-regulation of AtTT8 and AtEGL3 as well as a subset of anthocyanin structural genes encoding flavonoid 3'-hydroxylase, dihydroflavonol 4-reductase, and leucoanthocyanidin dioxygenase. Taken together, our results show that MYB-bHLH-WD40 network transcription factors regulated the bHLH gene expression, which may represent a critical feature in the control of anthocyanin biosynthesis. BoMYB2 together with various BobHLHs specifically regulated the late anthocyanin biosynthetic pathway genes for anthocyanin biosynthesis. Our findings provide additional information for the complicated regulatory network of anthocyanin biosynthesis and the transcriptional regulation of transcription factors in vegetable crops.

Seasonal and nightly variations of gravity-wave energy density in the middle atmosphere measured by the Purple Crow Lidar

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R. J. Sica

2007-11-01

Full Text Available The Purple Crow Lidar (PCL is a large power-aperture product monostatic Rayleigh-Raman-Sodium-resonance-fluorescence lidar, which has been in operation at the Delaware Observatory (42.9° N, 81.4° W, 237 m elevation near the campus of The University of Western Ontario since 1992. Kinetic-energy density has been calculated from the Rayleigh-scatter system measurements of density fluctuations at temporal-spatial scales relevant for gravity waves, e.g. soundings at 288 m height resolution and 9 min temporal resolution in the upper stratosphere and mesosphere. The seasonal averages from 10 years of measurements show in all seasons some loss of gravity-wave energy in the upper stratosphere. During the equinox periods and summer the measurements are consistent with gravity waves growing in height with little saturation, in agreement with the classic picture of the variations in the height at which gravity waves break given by Lindzen (1981. The mean values compare favourably to previous measurements when computed as nightly averages, but the high temporal-spatial resolution measurements show considerable day-to-day variability. The variability over a night is often extremely large, with typical RMS fluctuations of 50 to 100% at all heights and seasons common. These measurements imply that using a daily or nightly-averaged gravity-wave energy density in numerical models may be highly unrealistic.

A Novel Phytase with Sequence Similarity to Purple Acid Phosphatases Is Expressed in Cotyledons of Germinating Soybean Seedlings 1

Science.gov (United States)

Hegeman, Carla E.; Grabau, Elizabeth A.

2001-01-01

Phytic acid (myo-inositol hexakisphosphate) is the major storage form of phosphorus in plant seeds. During germination, stored reserves are used as a source of nutrients by the plant seedling. Phytic acid is degraded by the activity of phytases to yield inositol and free phosphate. Due to the lack of phytases in the non-ruminant digestive tract, monogastric animals cannot utilize dietary phytic acid and it is excreted into manure. High phytic acid content in manure results in elevated phosphorus levels in soil and water and accompanying environmental concerns. The use of phytases to degrade seed phytic acid has potential for reducing the negative environmental impact of livestock production. A phytase was purified to electrophoretic homogeneity from cotyledons of germinated soybeans (Glycine max L. Merr.). Peptide sequence data generated from the purified enzyme facilitated the cloning of the phytase sequence (GmPhy) employing a polymerase chain reaction strategy. The introduction of GmPhy into soybean tissue culture resulted in increased phytase activity in transformed cells, which confirmed the identity of the phytase gene. It is surprising that the soybean phytase was unrelated to previously characterized microbial or maize (Zea mays) phytases, which were classified as histidine acid phosphatases. The soybean phytase sequence exhibited a high degree of similarity to purple acid phosphatases, a class of metallophosphoesterases. PMID:11500558

Repetibilidade da produção, número e peso de frutos de seleções de pitanga roxa Repeatability of the production, number and weight of fruits of selections purple surinam cherry

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

José Severino de Lira Júnior

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Este trabalho teve como objetivos avaliar a produção, número de frutos e peso do fruto de seleções de pitanga roxa (Eugenia uniflora L. estimar por diferentes métodos seus coefificientes de repetibilidade e o número mínimo de avaliações necessárias para selecioná-las com maior confiabilidade, sob as condições edafoclimáticas da Zona da Mata Norte de Pernambuco. O método de componentes principais mostra-se eficiente para estimar coeficientes de repetibilidade da produção, número de frutos e peso da pitanga. A cultivar Tropicana (fruto vermelho apresenta a maior produção média anual, quando comparada com as pitangas de coloração roxa. Entre as cinco seleções de pitanga roxa, a IPA-15.1 apresenta a maior produção média anual. Para peso do fruto, o melhor resultado foi obtido pela seleção IPA-41.1. Os coeficientes estimados para produção número de frutos e peso da pitanga indicam que a variância ambiental pouco influencia essas características fenotípicas de uma safra para outra. Para produção, número de frutos e peso do fruto são necessárias 2, 2 e 5 safras, respectivamente, para selecionar genótipos superiores de pitanga com 90% de confiabilidade dos resultados.This study aimed to evaluate the production, number of fruits and weight of the fruit of selections of pitanga purple, different methods for estimating their coefficients of repeatability and the minimum number of evaluations required to select them with greater reliability, under edaphoclimatic conditions of the Forest Zone of North Pernambuco State, Brazil. The method of principal components was more efficient to estimate the repeatability coefficients of production, number of fruits and weight of surinam cherry fruit. The ‘Tropicana’ cultivar (red fruit presents the highest average annual production when compared with the surinam cherry staining purple. Among the five purple surinam cherry of selections, the IPA-15.1 presents the highest

Nectonema zealandica n. sp. (Nematomorpha: Nectonematoidea) parasitising the purple rock crab Hemigrapsus edwardsi (Brachyura: Decapoda) in New Zealand, with notes on the prevalence of infection and host defence reactions.

Science.gov (United States)

Poinar, G; Brockerhoff, A M

2001-10-01

A new species of marine hairworm, Nectonema zealandica (Nematomorpha: Nectonematoidea), is described from the purple rock crab Hemigrapsus edwardsi Hilgendorf from the South Island, New Zealand. This is the first record of Nectonema in the South Pacific Ocean and the southernmost locality for the genus. The description is based on juveniles and pre-adults taken from crabs. The new species is characterised by its stomal structure, presence of four cephalic papillae, mesenchyme arranged in eight lobes in pre-adults, insertion of muscle layer increasing body diameter at the septum and translucent anterior chamber. Data on the prevalence of infection over a three-year period, rates of parasitism in relation to host sex and size, and host defence reactions are presented. A list of all reported hosts of nectonematids is included.

Characterisation of nutrient profile of quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa), amaranth (Amaranthus caudatus), and purple corn (Zea mays L.) consumed in the North of Argentina: proximates, minerals and trace elements.

Science.gov (United States)

Nascimento, Ana Cláudia; Mota, Carla; Coelho, Inês; Gueifão, Sandra; Santos, Mariana; Matos, Ana Sofia; Gimenez, Alejandra; Lobo, Manuel; Samman, Norma; Castanheira, Isabel

2014-04-01

Quinoa, amaranth and purple corn are Andean cereals largely consumed in North of Argentina. Nutrient analysis with the purpose of inclusion in the Argentinean FCDB and e-search EuroFIR has become urgent matter. In this work proximate and mineral profile of Andean cereals cultivated in the North of Argentina were determined and compared with rice. Proximate analysis showed that Andean cereals have similar profile but significantly higher (pquinoa content could contribute up to 55% of consumers DRI. Andean cereals and rice are poor sources of potassium. To guarantee the interchange of data among users and producers of FCDB component values were obtained in compliance with EuroFIR guidelines for compilation process. Present work provides necessary information to FCDB users who wish to have access to food reference analytical parameters. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Botanical supplements: detecting the transition from ingredients to supplements

Science.gov (United States)

Methods were developed using flow injection mass spectrometry (FIMS) and chemometrics for the comparison of spectral similarities and differences of 3 botanical ingredients and their supplements: Echinacea purpurea aerial samples and solid and liquid supplements, E. purpurea root samples and solid s...

Ranking Tool Created for Medicinal Plants at Risk of Being Overharvested in the Wild

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Lisa Marie Castle

2014-05-01

Full Text Available We developed an adaptable, transparent tool that can be used to quantify and compare vulnerability to overharvest for wild collected medicinal plants. Subsequently, we are creating a list of the most threatened medicinal plants in temperate North America. The new tool scores species according to their life history, the effects of harvest, their abundance and range, habitat, and demand. The resulting rankings, based on explicit criteria rather than expert opinion, will make it easier to discuss areas of vulnerability and set conservation priorities. Here we present scores for 40 species assessed using the At-Risk Tool and discuss the traits that led to different scores for six example species: echinacea (Echinacea angustifolia DC. Asteraceae, peyote (Lophophora williamsii (Lem. ex Salm-Dyck J.M. Coult. Cactaceae, sandalwood (Santalum spp. L. Santalaceae, stinging nettle (Urtica dioica L. Urticaceae, American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius L. Araliaceae and mayapple (Podophyllum peltatum L. Berberidaceae.

A quantum mechanical analysis of the light-harvesting complex 2 (LH2) from purple photosynthetic bacteria: insights into the electrostatic effects of transmembrane helices.

Science.gov (United States)

Pichierri, Fabio

2011-02-01

We perform a quantum mechanical study of the peptides that are part of the LH2 complex from Rhodopseudomonas acidophila, a non-sulfur purple bacteria that has the ability of producing chemical energy from photosynthesis. The electronic structure calculations indicate that the transmembrane helices of these peptides are characterized by dipole moments with a magnitude of about 150D. When the full nonamer assembly made of 18 peptides is considered, then a macrodipole of magnitude 806D is built up from the vector sum of each monomer dipole. The macrodipole is oriented normal to the membrane plane and with the positive tip toward the cytoplasm thereby indicating that the electronic charge of the protein scaffold is polarized toward the periplasm. The results obtained here suggest that the asymmetric charge distribution of the protein scaffold contributes an anisotropic electrostatic environment which differentiates the absorption properties of the bacteriochlorophyll pigments, B800 and B850, embedded in the LH2 complex. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Morphological, structural, thermal, compositional, vibrational, and pasting characterization of white, yellow, and purple Arracacha Lego-like starches and flours (Arracacia xanthorrhiza).

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Londoño-Restrepo, Sandra M; Rincón-Londoño, Natalia; Contreras-Padilla, Margarita; Millan-Malo, Beatriz M; Rodriguez-Garcia, Mario E

2018-07-01

This work is focused on the chemical, structural, morphological, thermal, IR vibrational, and pasting characterization of isolated white, yellow, and purple Arracacha starches from Colombia. Inductive couple plasma showed that these starches are rich in potassium. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) images show that the starch granules are formed by ovoid fully filled Lego-like starch microparticles, the circular cross-section has a diameter between 9 and 15μm and mayor axis between 20 and 30μm. Each one of these ovoids is formed by irregular wedge-shaped 6 to 10 isolated starch granules with an average size between 4 and 12μm. The amylose content ranged between 31 and 36%. Arracacha starches exhibited high viscosity values (between 20.000 and 28.000cP), which could be influenced by the high content of potassium ions, due to the C-H~K Van Der Waals interaction that was identified by using IR spectroscopy. According to the X-ray diffraction analysis, the starch patterns exhibited broad diffracted peaks which could be associated with the existence of nano-crystals and lamellae; the Differential Scanning calorimetry (DSC) result showed starches with a low gelatinization temperature of about 60°C. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Preanesthetic Assessment of Herbal and Dietary Supplement Use

Science.gov (United States)

2000-10-01

in the U.S. in 1995 were echinacea, garlic, goldenseal, ginseng, ginkgo, saw palmetto, ma huang, aloe, Siberian ginseng, and cranberry . Since then, St...should be avoided by patients taking prednisone and in patients with manic- depressive disorders and psychosis (Miller, 1998). Fishman, Catarau, Sachs

The action of red wine and purple grape juice on vascular reactivity is independent of plasma lipids in hypercholesterolemic patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Coimbra, S R; Lage, S H; Brandizzi, L; Yoshida, V; da Luz, P L

2005-09-01

Although red wine (RW) reduces cardiovascular risk, the mechanisms underlying the effect have not been identified. Correction of endothelial dysfunction by RW flavonoids could be one mechanism. We measured brachial artery reactivity by high-resolution ultrasonography, plasma lipids, glucose, adhesion molecules (ICAM-1 and VCAM), and platelet function in 16 hypercholesterolemic individuals (8 men and 8 women; mean age 51.6 +/- 8.1 years) without other risk factors. Twenty-four normal subjects were used as controls for vascular reactivity. Subjects randomly received RW, 250 ml/day, or purple grape juice (GJ), 500 ml/day, for 14 days with an equal wash-out period. At baseline, all 16 subjects were hypercholesterolemic (mean LDL = 181.0 +/- 28.7 mg/dl) but HDL, triglycerides, glucose, adhesion molecules, and platelet function were within normal limits. Brachial artery flow-mediated dilation was significantly decreased compared to controls (9.0 +/- 7.1 vs 12.1 +/- 4.5%; P effect on either molecule. No significant alterations were observed in plasma lipids, glucose or platelet aggregability with RW or GJ. Both RW and GJ similarly improved flow-mediated dilation, but RW also enhanced endothelium-independent vasodilation in hypercholesterolemic patients despite the increased plasma cholesterol. Thus, we conclude that GJ may protect against coronary artery disease without the additional negative effects of alcohol despite the gender.

Enhanced accumulation of carotenoids in sweetpotato plants overexpressing IbOr-Ins gene in purple-fleshed sweetpotato cultivar.

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Sung-Chul; Kim, Sun Ha; Park, Seyeon; Lee, Hyeong-Un; Lee, Joon Seol; Park, Woo Sung; Ahn, Mi-Jeong; Kim, Yun-Hee; Jeong, Jae Cheol; Lee, Haeng-Soon; Kwak, Sang-Soo

2015-01-01

Sweetpotato [Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam] is an important root crop that produces low molecular weight antioxidants such as carotenoids and anthocyanin. The sweetpotato orange (IbOr) protein is involved in the accumulation of carotenoids. To increase the levels of carotenoids in the storage roots of sweetpotato, we generated transgenic sweetpotato plants overexpressing IbOr-Ins under the control of the cauliflower mosaic virus (CaMV) 35S promoter in an anthocyanin-rich purple-fleshed cultivar (referred to as IbOr plants). IbOr plants exhibited increased carotenoid levels (up to 7-fold) in their storage roots compared to wild type (WT) plants, as revealed by HPLC analysis. The carotenoid contents of IbOr plants were positively correlated with IbOr transcript levels. The levels of zeaxanthin were ∼ 12 times elevated in IbOr plants, whereas β-carotene increased ∼ 1.75 times higher than those of WT. Quantitative RT-PCR analysis revealed that most carotenoid biosynthetic pathway genes were up-regulated in the IbOr plants, including PDS, ZDS, LCY-β, CHY-β, ZEP and Pftf, whereas LCY-ɛ was down-regulated. Interestingly, CCD1, CCD4 and NCED, which are related to the degradation of carotenoids, were also up-regulated in the IbOr plants. Anthocyanin contents and transcription levels of associated biosynthetic genes seemed to be altered in the IbOr plants. The yields of storage roots and aerial parts of IbOr plants and WT plants were not significantly different under field cultivation. Taken together, these results indicate that overexpression of IbOr-Ins can increase the carotenoid contents of sweetpotato storage roots. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Colorless to purple-red switching electrochromic anthraquinone imides with broad visible/near-IR absorptions in the radical anion state: simulation-aided molecular design.

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Chen, Fengkun; Zhang, Jie; Jiang, Hong; Wan, Xinhua

2013-07-01

The large redshift of near-infrared (NIR) absorptions of nitro-substituted anthraquinone imide (Nitro-AQI) radical anions, relative to other AQI derivatives, is rationalized based on quantum chemical calculations. Calculations reveal that the delocalization effects of electronegative substitution in the radical anion states is dramatically enhanced, thus leading to a significant decrease in the HOMO-LUMO band gap in the radical anion states. Based on this understanding, an AQI derivative with an even stronger electron-withdrawing dicyanovinyl (di-CN) substituent was designed and prepared. The resulting molecule, di-CN-AQI, displays no absorption in the Vis/NIR region in the neutral state, but absorbs intensively in the range of λ=700-1000 (λmax ≈860 nm) and λ=1100-1800 nm (λmax ≈1400 nm) upon one-electron reduction; this is accompanied by a transition from a highly transmissive colorless solution to one that is purple-red. The relationship between calculated radical anionic HOMO-LUMO gaps and the electron-withdrawing capacity of the substituents is also determined by employing Hammett parameter, which could serve as a theoretical tool for further molecular design. Copyright © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Electronic structure of charge-density-wave state in quasi-2D KMo6O17 purple bronze characterized by angle resolved photoemission spectroscopy

Science.gov (United States)

Valbuena, M. A.; Avila, J.; Drouard, S.; Guyot, H.; Asensio, M. C.

2006-01-01

We report on an angle-resolved-photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) investigation of layered quasi-two dimensional (2D) Molybdenum purple bronze KMo6O17 in order to study and characterizes the transition to a charge-density-wave (CDW) state. We have performed photoemission temperature dependent measurements cooling down from room temperature (RT) to 32 K, well below the Peierls transition for this material, with CDW transition temperature Tc =110 K. The spectra have been taken at a selected kF point of the Fermi surface (FS) that satisfies the nesting condition of the FS, looking for the characteristic pseudo-gap opening in this kind of materials. The pseudogap has been estimated and it result to be in agreement with our previous works. The shift to lower binding energy of crossing Fermi level ARPES feature have been also confirmed and studied as a function of temperature, showing a rough like BCS behaviour. Finally we have also focused on ARPES measurements along ΓM¯ high symmetry direction for both room and low temperature states finding some insight for ‘shadow’ or back folded bands indicating the new periodicity of real lattice after the CDW lattice distortion.

The Effects of Curcuma longa L., Purple Sweet Potato, and Mixtures of the Two on Immunomodulation in C57BL/6J Mice Infected with LP-BM5 Murine Leukemia Retrovirus.

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Soo-Jeung; Lee, Dasom; Lee, Minhee; Kwon, Han-Ol; Kim, Hyesook; Park, Jeongjin; Jeon, Woojin; Cha, Minseok; Jun, Suhwa; Park, Kwangjin; Lee, Jeongmin

2018-06-04

The immune response is stimulated to protect the body from external antigens and is controlled by several types of immune cells. In the present study, the immunomodulatory effects of Curcuma longa L., purple sweet potato, and mixtures of the two (CPM) were investigated in C57BL/6 mice infected with LP-BM5 murine leukemia virus (MuLV). Mice were divided into seven groups as follows: normal control, infected control (LP-BM5 MuLV infection), positive control (LP-BM5 MuLV infection+dietary supplement of red ginseng 300 mg/kg body weight), the original powder of C. longa L. (C; LP-BM5 MuLV infection+dietary supplement of C 189 mg/kg body weight), the original powder of purple sweet potato (P; LP-BM5 MuLV infection+dietary supplement of P 1811 mg/kg body weight), CPM Low (CPL; LP-BM5 MuLV infection+CPM 2 g/kg body weight), and CPM High (CPH; LP-BM5 MuLV infection+CPM 5 g/kg body weight). Dietary supplementation lasted for 12 weeks. Dietary supplementation of CPM inhibited LP-BM5 MuLV-induced lymphadenopathy and splenomegaly and inhibited reduction of messenger RNA (mRNA) expression of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) I and II. Moreover, CPM reduced the decrease in T- and B cell proliferation, reduced the population of CD4(+)/CD8(+) T cells, and remedied the unbalanced production of T helper-1 (Th1)/T helper-2 (Th2) cytokines in LP-BM5 MuLV-infected mice. In addition, CPM inhibited reduction of phagocytosis in peritoneal macrophages and decreased serum levels of immunoglobulin A (IgA), immunoglobulin E (IgE), and immunoglobulin G (IgG). These results suggest that CPM had a positive effect on immunomodulation in C57BL/6 mice induced by LP-BM5 leukemia retrovirus infection.

Pigment exchange in the light collecting complex of Rhodospirillum rubrum purple bacteria and Fourier transform Raman spectroscopy on metallo-bacterio-pheophytins a

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Naveke, Arne

1998-03-01

Light collecting complexes (antennas) in membranes of photosynthetic bacteria and plants capture solar light during photosynthesis and transmit the excitation energy to the reaction centre where it is transformed into energy which can be used by the organism. Antennas and reaction centres are made of polypeptides and pigments (bacterio-chlorophylls) which have a crucial role in solar energy capture, but also in subsequent energy transfers. Whereas three-dimensional structures of some antennas and reaction centres are already known with a high resolution, there is almost no quantitative data on interactions between polypeptides and pigments which however confer their specificity to these complexes. A possibility to obtain such data is to introduce chemically modified pigments within antennas and reaction centres. In this research thesis, some metallo-bacteriopheophytins a have been synthesized and studied by Fourier transform Raman spectroscopy. Vibrations modes have been studied. A process of exchange of the bacterio-chlorophyll a in the LHI antenna of the Rhodospirillum rubrum purple bacteria has been developed to obtain a good efficiency in antennas containing zinc-bacterio-pheophytin a and nickel-bacterio-pheophytin a, as well as bacterio-pheophytin a. Absorption spectra are discussed as well as the occurring relationships between complexes, and the extent of the occurring exchange [fr

Spontaneous stacking of purple membranes during immobilization with physical cross-linked poly(vinyl alcohol) hydrogel with retaining native-like functionality of bacteriorhodopsin

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Yokoyama, Yasunori; Tanaka, Hikaru; Yano, Shunsuke; Takahashi, Hiroshi; Kikukawa, Takashi; Sonoyama, Masashi; Takenaka, Koshi

2017-05-01

We previously discovered the correlation between light-induced chromophore color change of a photo-receptor membrane protein bacteriorhodopsin (bR) and its two-dimensional crystalline state in the membrane. To apply this phenomenon to a novel optical memory device, it is necessary that bR molecules are immobilized as maintaining their structure and functional properties. In this work, a poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) hydrogel with physical cross-linkages (hydrogen bonds between PVA chains) that resulted from repeated freezing-and-thawing (FT) cycles was used as an immobilization medium. To investigate the effects of physically cross-linked PVA gelation on the structure and function of bR in purple membranes (PMs), spectroscopic techniques were employed against PM/PVA immobilized samples prepared with different FT cycle numbers. Visible circular dichroism spectroscopy strongly suggested PM stacking during gelation. X-ray diffraction data also indicated the PM stacking as well as its native-like crystalline lattice even after gelation. Time-resolved absorption spectroscopy showed that bR photocycle behaviors in PM/PVA immobilized samples were almost identical to that in suspension. These results suggested that a physically cross-linked PVA hydrogel is appropriate for immobilizing membrane proteins in terms of maintaining their structure and functionality.

Charge-density-wave partial gap opening in quasi-2D KMo 6O 17 purple bronze studied by angle resolved photoemission spectroscopy

Science.gov (United States)

Valbuena, M. A.; Avila, J.; Pantin, V.; Drouard, S.; Guyot, H.; Asensio, M. C.

2006-05-01

Low dimensional (LD) metallic oxides have been a subject of continuous interest in the last two decades, mainly due to the electronic instabilities that they present at low temperatures. In particular, charge density waves (CDW) instabilities associated with a strong electron-phonon interaction have been found in Molybdenum metallic oxides such as KMo 6O 17 purple bronze. We report an angle resolved photoemission (ARPES) study from room temperature (RT) to T ˜40 K well below the Peierls transition temperature for this material, with CDW transition temperature TCDW ˜120 K. We have focused on photoemission spectra along ΓM high symmetry direction as well as photoemission measurements were taken as a function of temperature at one representative kF point in the Brillouin zone in order to look for the characteristic gap opening after the phase transition. We found out a pseudogap opening and a decrease in the density of states near the Fermi energy, EF, consistent with the partial removal of the nested portions of the Fermi surface (FS) at temperature below the CDW transition. In order to elucidate possible Fermi liquid (FL) or non-Fermi liquid (NFL) behaviour we have compared the ARPES data with that one reported on quasi-1D K 0.3MoO 3 blue bronze.

Kandungan Gizi dan Indeks Glikemik Bolu Kukus yang Terbuat Dari Tepung Ubi Jalar dan Rumput Laut

OpenAIRE

Alamsyah, Wahidatul Ukhra

2016-01-01

Steamed sponge cake made from purple sweet potato flour and seaweed flour is an alternative food are subsituting wheat flour with purple sweet potatoes and seaweeds. Purple sweet potatoes contents much β-carotene which is caused this steamed sponge cake as a kind of cake rich in antioxidants. Purple sweet potato can be processed into refined products, one of them into flour. Through the purple sweet potato flour caan also be processed into steamed sponge cake. To enrich the fiber, steamed spo...

Elicitation of Pharmacologically Active Substances in Intact Medical Plant

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Kužel, S.; Vydra, J.; Tříska, Jan; Vrchotová, Naděžda; Hrubý, Martin; Cígler, P.

2009-01-01

Roč. 57, č. 17 (2009), s. 7907-7911 ISSN 0021-8561 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z60870520; CEZ:AV0Z40500505 Keywords : elicitation * medical plant * Echinacea purpurea * secondary metabolite * foliar application * phenolics Subject RIV: CB - Analytical Chemistry, Separation Impact factor: 2.469, year: 2009

The effect of pigment matrix, temperature and amount of carrier on the yield and final color properties of spray dried purple corn (Zea mays L.) cob anthocyanin powders.

Science.gov (United States)

Lao, Fei; Giusti, M Monica

2017-07-15

Spray drying is an economic technique to produce anthocyanin-based colorants. High pigments yields with minimum color degradation are desirable to maximize quality and profits. This study evaluated the impacts of purple corncob (PCC) anthocyanin extraction matrices (hot water, 40% ethanol, C18 purified), drying inlet temperature (130, 150, 170°C) and amount of carrier (2%, 5%, 10% maltodextrin) on the yields and quality of PCC anthocyanin powders. Monomeric and polymeric anthocyanins, color properties (CIELch, haze), and pigments composition before and after spray drying were determined. The yield and final color quality of spray dried PCC anthocyanins were affected (p<0.05) by all parameters evaluated. The pigment matrix, inlet temperature, and carrier amount had biggest impacts on product water solubility, pigments degradation and yield, respectively. The optimal combination of hot water extracts spray dried with 5% maltodextrin at 150°C gave the highest pigment yield (∼90%) with good solubility with the least color loss. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Estimation of maximum acceptable concentration of lead and cadmium in plants and their medicinal preparations].

Science.gov (United States)

Zitkevicius, Virgilijus; Savickiene, Nijole; Abdrachmanovas, Olegas; Ryselis, Stanislovas; Masteiková, Rūta; Chalupova, Zuzana; Dagilyte, Audrone; Baranauskas, Algirdas

2003-01-01

Heavy metals (lead, cadmium) are possible dashes which quantity is defined by the limiting acceptable contents. Different drugs preparations: infusions, decoctions, tinctures, extracts, etc. are produced using medicinal plants. The objective of this research was to study the impurities of heavy metals (lead, cadmium) in medicinal plants and some drug preparations. We investigated liquid extracts of fruits Crataegus monogyna Jacq. and herbs of Echinacea purpurea Moench., tinctures--of herbs Leonurus cardiaca L. The raw materials were imported from Poland. Investigations were carried out in cooperation with the Laboratory of Antropogenic Factors of the Institute for Biomedical Research. Amounts of lead and cadmium were established after "dry" mineralisation using "Perkin-Elmer Zeeman/3030" model electrothermic atomic absorption spectrophotometer (ETG AAS/Zeeman). It was established that lead is absorbed most efficiently after estimation of absorption capacity of cellular fibers. About 10.73% of lead crosses tinctures and extracts, better cadmium--49.63%. Herbs of Leonurus cardiaca L. are the best in holding back lead and cadmium. About 14.5% of lead and cadmium crosses the tincture of herbs Leonurus cardiaca L. We estimated the factors of heavy metals (lead, cadmium) in the liquid extracts of Crataegus monogyna Jacq. and Echinacea purpurea Moench., tincture of Leonurus cardiaca L. after investigations of heavy metals (lead, cadmium) in drugs and preparations of it. The amounts of heavy metals (lead, cadmium) don't exceed the allowable norms in fruits of Crataegus monogyna Jacq., herbs of Leonurus cardiaca L. and Echinacea purpurea Moench. after estimation of lead and cadmium extraction factors, the maximum of acceptable daily intake and the quantity of drugs consumption in day.

Population pharmacokinetics of enrofloxacin in purple sea stars (Pisaster ochraceus) following an intracoelomic injection or extended immersion.

Science.gov (United States)

Rosenberg, Justin F; Haulena, Martin; Phillips, Brianne E; Harms, Craig A; Lewbart, Gregory A; Lahner, Lesanna L; Papich, Mark G

2016-11-01

OBJECTIVE To determine population pharmacokinetics of enrofloxacin in purple sea stars (Pisaster ochraceus) administered an intracoelomic injection of enrofloxacin (5 mg/kg) or immersed in an enrofloxacin solution (5 mg/L) for 6 hours. ANIMALS 28 sea stars of undetermined age and sex. PROCEDURES The study had 2 phases. Twelve sea stars received an intracoelomic injection of enrofloxacin (5 mg/kg) or were immersed in an enrofloxacin solution (5 mg/L) for 6 hours during the injection and immersion phases, respectively. Two untreated sea stars were housed with the treated animals following enrofloxacin administration during both phases. Water vascular system fluid samples were collected from 4 sea stars and all controls at predetermined times during and after enrofloxacin administration. The enrofloxacin concentration in those samples was determined by high-performance liquid chromatography. For each phase, noncompartmental analysis of naïve averaged pooled samples was used to obtain initial parameter estimates; then, population pharmacokinetic analysis was performed that accounted for the sparse sampling technique used. RESULTS Injection phase data were best fit with a 2-compartment model; elimination half-life, peak concentration, area under the curve, and volume of distribution were 42.8 hours, 18.9 μg/mL, 353.8 μg•h/mL, and 0.25 L/kg, respectively. Immersion phase data were best fit with a 1-compartment model; elimination half-life, peak concentration, and area under the curve were 56 hours, 36.3 μg•h/mL, and 0.39 μg/mL, respectively. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Results suggested that the described enrofloxacin administration resulted in water vascular system fluid drug concentrations expected to exceed the minimum inhibitory concentration for many bacterial pathogens.

From Clinging to Digging: The Postembryonic Skeletal Ontogeny of the Indian Purple Frog, Nasikabatrachus sahyadrensis (Anura: Nasikabatrachidae.

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Gayani Senevirathne

Full Text Available The Indian Purple frog, Nasikabatrachus sahyadrensis, occupies a basal phylogenetic position among neobatrachian anurans and has a very unusual life history. Tadpoles have a large ventral oral sucker, which they use to cling to rocks in torrents, whereas metamorphs possess adaptations for life underground. The developmental changes that underlie these shifts in habits and habitats, and especially the internal remodeling of the cranial and postcranial skeleton, are unknown. Using a nearly complete metamorphic series from free-living larva to metamorph, we describe the postembryonic skeletal ontogeny of this ancient and unique monotypic lineage. The torrent-dwelling larva possesses a dorsoventrally flattened body and a head with tiny dorsal eyes, robust lower and upper jaw cartilages, well-developed trabecular horns, and a definable gap between the trabecular horns and the tip of the snout. Unlike tadpoles of many other frogs, those of Nasikabatrachus retain larval mouthparts into late metamorphic stages. This unusual feature enables the larvae to maintain their clinging habit until near the end of metamorphosis. The subsequent ontogenetic shift from clinging to digging is correlated with rapid morphological changes and behavioral modifications. Metamorphs are equipped with a shortened tibiafibula and ossified prehallical elements, which likely facilitate initial digging using the hind limbs. Subsequently, the frogs may shift to headfirst burrowing by using the wedge-shaped skull, anteriorly positioned pectoral girdle, well-developed humeral crests and spatula-shaped forelimbs. The transition from an aquatic life in torrents to a terrestrial life underground entails dramatic changes in skeletal morphology and function that represent an extreme in metamorphic remodeling. Our analysis enhances the scope for detailed comparative studies across anurans, a group renowned for the diversity of its life history strategies.

Síndrome da Luva Púrpura: principais intervenções preventivas e terapêuticas de enfermagem Síndrome del Guante Púrpura: principales intervenciones preventivas y terapéuticas de enfermería Purple Glove Syndrome: main preventive and therapeutic nursing interventions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Denise Miyuki Kusahara

2007-06-01

Full Text Available A Síndrome da Luva Púrpura, complicação relacionada à administração de fenitoína por cateteres intravenosos periféricos, caracteriza-se pelo surgimento de lesões teciduais no local de administração do fármaco, que variam de flebite à necrose local, sendo possível se identificar, nos casos mais severos, evolução para a síndrome compartimental e suas graves conseqüências. Este estudo teve por finalidade descrever a Síndrome da Luva Púrpura e os principais cuidados preventivos e terapêuticos de enfermagem. Identificaram-se 15 publicações sobre a temática, das quais incluíram-se dez artigos. Desta forma foi possível verificar as características da síndrome, bem como propor as principais intervenções de enfermagem, tanto na prevenção quanto no cuidado.El Síndrome del guante púrpura, complicación relacionada a la administración de fenitoína por catéteres intravenosos periféricos, se caracteriza por el surgimiento de lesiones teciduales en el lugar de la administración del fármaco, que varían de flebitis a la necrosis local, siendo posible identificarse, en los casos más severos, evolución para el síndrome compartimental y sus graves consecuencias. Este estudio tiene por finalidad describir el Síndrome del guante Púrpura y los principales cuidados preventivos y terapéuticos de enfermería. Se identificaron 15 publicaciones sobre la temática, de las cuales se incluyeron diez artículos. Fue posible verificar las características del síndrome, así como proponer las principales intervenciones de enfermería, tanto en la prevención como en el cuidado.The Purple Glove Syndrome, complication related to the administration of phenytoin through peripheral intravenous catheters, is characterized for the development of injuries in the site of catheter placement. Injuries range from phlebitis to local necrosis, being possible to identify in most severe cases, the development of the compartmental syndrome and

Concentrations of oligomers and polymers of proanthocyanidins in red and purple rice bran and their relationships to total phenolics, flavonoids, antioxidant capacity and whole grain color.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Ming-Hsuan; McClung, Anna M; Bergman, Christine J

2016-10-01

Proanthocyanidins, a flavonoids subgroup, are proposed to have chronic disease modulation properties. With the eventual goal of enhancing rice phytonutrient concentrations, we investigated the genotypic variation of the concentrations of individual oligomers and polymers of proanthocyanidins in red and purple rice brans. A 4.3-fold variation in total proanthocyanidins (sum of oligomers and polymers) in the extractable fraction was found and the concentration was highly correlated with total phenolics, total flavonoids and antiradical capacity. Variation in the proportion of oligomers and polymers existed, with monomers to trimers, 4-6mers, 7-10mers and polymers accounting for 7, 18, 26.5 and 48.7%, respectively, of the total. The redness value a(∗) of whole grain rice measured in CIE L(∗)a(∗)b(∗) color space was negatively and positively correlated with extractable and non-extractable proanthocyanidins, respectively. The variation found indicates it is possible to select rice with bran containing high levels of total proanthocyanidins and specific degree of polymerization profiles. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

STABILITY OF BETACYANIN PIGMENTS FROM RED PURPLE PITAYA FRUIT (Hylocereus polyrhizus : INFLUENCE OF PH, TEMPERATURE, METAL IONS AND ASCORBIC ACID

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tang, C.S Tang, C.S

2010-06-01

Full Text Available Betacyanin pigments from red-purple pitaya fruit (Hylocereus polyrhizus could be an attractive source of red colourant for food application. This paper presents results on the extraction of betacyanin pigments from pitaya fruits grown locally in Malaysia. Both the flesh of the fruit and its mesocarp were investigated and it was found that the flesh had higher pigment contents compared to its peel component. The concentration of betacyanins expressed as betanin equivalents per 100 g of flesh and peel were 10.1 ± 0.6 mg and 6.7 ± 0.2 mg, respectively when 80% methanol was used.  The stability of betacyanin pigments were investigated at different pH, temperature and in presence of different concentrations of metal ions (Cu2+ and Fe2+ and ascorbic acid. The results showed that the pigment was most stable at pH range between 5 and 6. However, it forfeited its stability to the heat induced at elevated temperatures. Metal ions (Cu2+ and Fe2+ proved to be capable of accelerating betacyanin degradation, with Cu2+ exhibiting the greatest effect. By contrast, supplementation with ascorbic acid could enhance the pigment stability against the detrimental effects caused by pH, temperature and metal ions. Nevertheless, if the concentration of ascorbic acid exceeds 0.7 %, it may change its role from pigment stabilizer to become a pro-oxidant.    Keywords: Betacyanin, pigments, pitaya fruit, Hylocereus polyrhizus, ascorbic acid

Shelf life, physicochemical, microbiological and antioxidant properties of purple cactus pear (Opuntia ficus indica) juice after thermoultrasound treatment.

Science.gov (United States)

Cruz-Cansino, Nelly Del Socorro; Ramírez-Moreno, Esther; León-Rivera, Jesús Ernesto; Delgado-Olivares, Luis; Alanís-García, Ernesto; Ariza-Ortega, José Alberto; Manríquez-Torres, José de Jesús; Jaramillo-Bustos, Diana Pamela

2015-11-01

The objective of this study was to evaluate changes in color, betalain content, browning index, viscosity, physical stability, microbiological growth, antioxidant content and antioxidant activity of purple cactus pear juice during storage after thermoultrasonication at 80% amplitude level for 15 and 25 min in comparison with pasteurized juice. Thermoultrasound treatment for 25 min increased color stability and viscosity compared to treatment for 15 min (6.83 and 6.72 MPa, respectively), but this last parameter was significantly lower (p<0.05) compared to the control and pasteurized juices (22.47 and 26.32 MPa, respectively). Experimental treatment reduced significantly (p<0.05) sediment solids in juices. Total plate counts decreased from the first day of storage exhibiting values of 1.38 and 1.43 logCFU/mL, for 15 and 25 min treatment, respectively. Compared to the control, both treatments reduced enterobacteria counts (1.54 logCFU/mL), and compared to pasteurized juice decreased pectinmethylesterase activity (3.76 and 3.82 UPE/mL), maintained high values of ascorbic acid (252.05 and 257.18 mg AA/L) and antioxidant activity (by ABTS: 124.8 and 115.6 mg VCEAC/100 mL; and DPPH: 3114.2 and 2757.1 μmol TE/L). During storage thermoultrasonicated juices had a minimum increase in pectinmethylesterase activity (from day 14), and exhibited similar total plate counts to pasteurized juice. An increase of phenolic content was observed after 14 days of storage, particularly for treatment at 80%, 25 min, and an increase in antioxidant activity (ABTS, DPPH) by the end of storage. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Conformational Complexity in the LH2 Antenna of the Purple Sulfur Bacterium Allochromatium vinosum Revealed by Hole-Burning Spectroscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

Kell, Adam; Jassas, Mahboobe; Acharya, Khem; Hacking, Kirsty; Cogdell, Richard J; Jankowiak, Ryszard

2017-06-15

This work discusses the protein conformational complexity of the B800-850 LH2 complexes from the purple sulfur bacterium Allochromatium vinosum, focusing on the spectral characteristics of the B850 chromophores. Low-temperature B850 absorption and the split B800 band shift blue and red, respectively, at elevated temperatures, revealing isosbestic points. The latter indicates the presence of two (unresolved) conformations of B850 bacteriochlorophylls (BChls), referred to as conformations 1 and 2, and two conformations of B800 BChls, denoted as B800 R and B800 B . The energy differences between average site energies of conformations 1 and 2, and B800 R and B800 B are similar (∼200 cm -1 ), suggesting weak and strong hydrogen bonds linking two major subpopulations of BChls and the protein scaffolding. Although conformations 1 and 2 of the B850 chromophores, and B800 R and B800 B , exist in the ground state, selective excitation leads to 1 → 2 and B800 R → B800 B phototransformations. Different static inhomogeneous broadening is revealed for the lowest energy exciton states of B850 (fwhm ∼195 cm -1 ) and B800 R (fwhm ∼140 cm -1 ). To describe the 5 K absorption spectrum and the above-mentioned conformations, we employ an exciton model with dichotomous protein conformation disorder. We show that both experimental data and the modeling study support a two-site model with strongly and weakly hydrogen-bonded B850 and B800 BChls, which under illumination undergo conformational changes, most likely caused by proton dynamics.

[Relationships between vegetation characteristics and soil properties at different restoration stages on slope land with purple soils in Hengyang of Hunan Province, South-central China].

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Ning; Zou, Dong-Sheng; Yang, Man-Yuan; Hu, Li-Zhen; Zou, Fang-Ping; Song, Guang-Tao; Lin, Zhong-Gui

2013-01-01

By using space series to replace time series, this paper studied the relationships between the vegetation characteristics and soil properties at different restoration stages on the slope land with purple soils in Hengyang of Hunnan Province South-central China. There existed obvious differences in the soil physical and chemical properties at different restoration stages. From grassplot, grass-shrub, shrub to shrub-arbor, the soil organic matter, total and available N, and moisture contents increased markedly, soil bulk density had an obvious decrease, soil total and available P contents changed little, and soil pH decreased gradually, but no significant differences were observed among different restoration stages. At different restoration stages, the biomass of plant community had effects on the quantity and composition of soil microbes. The quantities of soil bacteria and fungi had significant positive correlations with the aboveground biomass of plant community, but the quantity of soil actinomycetes had less correlation with plant community's aboveground biomass. At different restoration stages, the activities of soil urease, protease, alkaline phosphatase, invertase, cellulase, catalase, and polyphenol oxidase decreased with increasing soil layer, and had significant positive correlations with plant community's richness and aboveground biomass.

Caffeoylquinic acid-rich purple sweet potato extract, with or without anthocyanin, imparts neuroprotection and contributes to the improvement of spatial learning and memory of SAMP8 mouse.

Science.gov (United States)

Sasaki, Kazunori; Han, Junkyu; Shimozono, Hidetoshi; Villareal, Myra O; Isoda, Hiroko

2013-05-29

The effects of caffeoylquinic acid (CQA)-rich purple sweet potato (PSP) extract, with (PSPEa) or without (PSPEb) anthocyanin, on the improvement of spatial learning and memory of senescence-accelerated prone mouse strain (SAMP) 8 was determined. SAMP8 was treated with 20 mg/kg/day of PSPEa or PSPEb for 30 days. The effect on spatial learning and memory and the molecular mechanism of this effect were determined in vivo (SAMP8) and in vitro (SH-SY5Y cells). PSPEa or PSPEb reduced the escape latency time of SAMP8 by 17.0 ± 8.0 and 14.2 ± 5.8 s (P overexpression of antioxidant-, energy metabolism-, and neuronal plasticity-related proteins in the brain of SAMP8. Additionally, PSPEa and PSPEb increased the cell viability by 141.6 and 133% as compared to Aβ1-42-treated cells. These findings suggest that PSP rich in CQA derivatives with or without anthocyanidine had a neuroprotective effect on mouse brain and can improve the spatial learning and memory of SAMP8.

Charge-density-wave partial gap opening in quasi-2D KMo6O17 purple bronze studied by angle resolved photoemission spectroscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Valbuena, M.A.; Avila, J.; Pantin, V.; Drouard, S.; Guyot, H.; Asensio, M.C.

2006-01-01

Low dimensional (LD) metallic oxides have been a subject of continuous interest in the last two decades, mainly due to the electronic instabilities that they present at low temperatures. In particular, charge density waves (CDW) instabilities associated with a strong electron-phonon interaction have been found in Molybdenum metallic oxides such as KMo 6 O 17 purple bronze. We report an angle resolved photoemission (ARPES) study from room temperature (RT) to T ∼40 K well below the Peierls transition temperature for this material, with CDW transition temperature T CDW ∼120 K. We have focused on photoemission spectra along ΓM high symmetry direction as well as photoemission measurements were taken as a function of temperature at one representative k F point in the Brillouin zone in order to look for the characteristic gap opening after the phase transition. We found out a pseudogap opening and a decrease in the density of states near the Fermi energy, E F , consistent with the partial removal of the nested portions of the Fermi surface (FS) at temperature below the CDW transition. In order to elucidate possible Fermi liquid (FL) or non-Fermi liquid (NFL) behaviour we have compared the ARPES data with that one reported on quasi-1D K 0.3 MoO 3 blue bronze

Innate Immune Complexity in the Purple Sea Urchin: Diversity of the Sp185/333 System

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, L. Courtney

2012-01-01

The California purple sea urchin, Strongylocentrotus purpuratus, is a long-lived echinoderm with a complex and sophisticated innate immune system. There are several large gene families that function in immunity in this species including the Sp185/333 gene family that has ∼50 (±10) members. The family shows intriguing sequence diversity and encodes a broad array of diverse yet similar proteins. The genes have two exons of which the second encodes the mature protein and has repeats and blocks of sequence called elements. Mosaics of element patterns plus single nucleotide polymorphisms-based variants of the elements result in significant sequence diversity among the genes yet maintains similar structure among the members of the family. Sequence of a bacterial artificial chromosome insert shows a cluster of six, tightly linked Sp185/333 genes that are flanked by GA microsatellites. The sequences between the GA microsatellites in which the Sp185/333 genes and flanking regions are located, are much more similar to each other than are the sequences outside the microsatellites suggesting processes such as gene conversion, recombination, or duplication. However, close linkage does not correspond with greater sequence similarity compared to randomly cloned and sequenced genes that are unlikely to be linked. There are three segmental duplications that are bounded by GAT microsatellites and include three almost identical genes plus flanking regions. RNA editing is detectible throughout the mRNAs based on comparisons to the genes, which, in combination with putative post-translational modifications to the proteins, results in broad arrays of Sp185/333 proteins that differ among individuals. The mature proteins have an N-terminal glycine-rich region, a central RGD motif, and a C-terminal histidine-rich region. The Sp185/333 proteins are localized to the cell surface and are found within vesicles in subsets of polygonal and small phagocytes. The coelomocyte proteome shows full

A comparative transcriptome analysis of a wild purple potato and its red mutant provides insight into the mechanism of anthocyanin transformation.

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Fang Liu

Full Text Available In this study, a red mutant was obtained through in vitro regeneration of a wild purple potato. High-performance liquid chromatography and Mass spectrometry analysis revealed that pelargonidin-3-O-glucoside and petunidin-3-O-glucoside were main anthocyanins in the mutant and wild type tubers, respectively. In order to thoroughly understand the mechanism of anthocyanin transformation in two materials, a comparative transcriptome analysis of the mutant and wild type was carried out through high-throughput RNA sequencing, and 295 differentially expressed genes (DEGs were obtained. Real-time qRT-PCR validation of DEGs was consistent with the transcriptome date. The DEGs mainly influenced biological and metabolic pathways, including phenylpropanoid biosynthesis and translation, and biosynthesis of flavone and flavonol. In anthocyanin biosynthetic pathway, the analysis of structural genes expressions showed that three genes, one encoding phenylalanine ammonia-lyase, one encoding 4-coumarate-CoA ligase and one encoding flavonoid 3',5'-hydroxylasem were significantly down-regulated in the mutant; one gene encoding phenylalanine ammonia-lyase was significantly up-regulated. Moreover, the transcription factors, such as bZIP family, MYB family, LOB family, MADS family, zf-HD family and C2H2 family, were significantly regulated in anthocyanin transformation. Response proteins of hormone, such as gibberellin, abscisic acid and brassinosteroid, were also significantly regulated in anthocyanin transformation. The information contributes to discovering the candidate genes in anthocyanin transformation, which can serve as a comprehensive resource for molecular mechanism research of anthocyanin transformation in potatoes.

Separation of betacyanins from purple flowers of Gomphrena globosa L. by ion-pair high-speed counter-current chromatography.

Science.gov (United States)

Spórna-Kucab, Aneta; Jagodzińska, Joanna; Wybraniec, Sławomir

2017-03-17

Betacyanins, known as antioxidants and chemopreventive natural compounds with colourful properties, were extracted from purple flowers of Gomphrena globosa L. belonging to the Amaranthaceae family and separated for the first time by ion-pair high-speed counter-current chromatography (HSCCC). The pigments were detected by LC-DAD-ESI-MS/MS technique. Separation of betacyanins (300mg) by HSCCC was accomplished in four solvent systems: tert-butyl methyl ether - butanol - acetonitrile - water (0.7% and 1.0% HFBA - heptafluorobutyric acid - system I and III) and tert-butyl methyl ether - butanol - methanol - water (0.7% and 1.0% HFBA - system II and IV) (2:2:1:5, v/v/v/v) in the head-to-tail mode. The mobile phase (aqueous phase) was run at 2.0ml/min and the column rotation speed was 860rpm. The applied systems enabled to study the influence of HFBA concentration as well as systems polarity on betacyanins separation. Comparison of the systems containing 0.7% HFBA (systems I-II) demonstrates that the replacement of acetonitrile by methanol increases the resolution (R s ) between all betacyanins and does not influence the retention of the stationary phase (S f =76%). Higher concentration of the acid in systems III-IV slightly decreases S f to 71% in the systems with 1.0% HFBA. Comparison of the resolution values for betacyanins in the systems with 0.7% and 1.0% HFBA demonstrates that higher concentration of the acid improves the separation effectiveness for all betacyanins as a result of increasing of the chemical affinity of the pigments to the organic stationary phase in HSCCC. The systems III-IV with 1% HFBA are the most effective for the separation of all the studied betacyanins. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The structure of a purple acid phosphatase involved in plant growth and pathogen defence exhibits a novel immunoglobulin-like fold

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Svetlana Vladimirovna Antonyuk

2014-03-01

Full Text Available Phosphatases function in the production, transport and recycling of inorganic phosphorus, which is crucial for cellular metabolism and bioenergetics, as well as in bacterial killing, since they are able to generate reactive oxygen species via Fenton chemistry. Diphosphonucleotide phosphatase/phosphodiesterase (PPD1, a glycoprotein plant purple acid phosphatase (PAP from yellow lupin seeds, contains a bimetallic Fe–Mn catalytic site which is most active at acidic pH. Unlike other plant PAPs, PPD1 cleaves the pyrophosphate bond in diphosphonucleotides and the phosphodiester bond in various phosphodiesters. The homohexameric organization of PPD1, as revealed by a 1.65 Å resolution crystal structure and confirmed by solution X-ray scattering, is unique among plant PAPs, for which only homodimers have previously been reported. A phosphate anion is bound in a bidentate fashion at the active site, bridging the Fe and Mn atoms in a binding mode similar to that previously reported for sweet potato PAP, which suggests that common features occur in their catalytic mechanisms. The N-terminal domain of PPD1 has an unexpected and unique fibronectin type III-like fold that is absent in other plant PAPs. Here, the in vitro DNA-cleavage activity of PPD1 is demonstrated and it is proposed that the fibronectin III-like domain, which `overhangs' the active site, is involved in DNA selectivity, binding and activation. The degradation of DNA by PPD1 implies a role for PPD1 in plant growth and repair and in pathogen defence.

The LH2 complexes are assembled in the cells of purple sulfur bacterium Ectothiorhodospira haloalkaliphila with inhibition of carotenoid biosynthesis.

Science.gov (United States)

Ashikhmin, Aleksandr; Makhneva, Zoya; Moskalenko, Andrey

2014-03-01

The effect of the inhibitor of carotenoid (Car) biosynthesis, diphenylamine (DPA), on the cells of the purple sulfur bacterium Ectothiorhodospira (Ect.) haloalkaliphila has been studied. There occurs an inhibition of the biosynthesis of colored Cars (≥99 %) at 71 μM DPA. Considering "empty" Car pockets (Moskalenko and Makhneva 2012) the content of Cars in the DPA-treated samples is first calculated more correctly. The total content of the colored Cars in the sample at 71 μM DPA does not exceed 1 % of the wild type. In the DPA-treated cells (membranes) a complete set of pigment-protein complexes is retained. The LH2 complex at 71 μM DPA is isolated, which is identical to the LH2 complex of the wild type in near IR absorption spectra. This suggests that the principles for assembling this LH2 complex in vivo in the absence of colored Cars remain the same. These results are in full agreement with the data obtained earlier for Allochromatium (Alc.) minutissimum (Moskalenko and Makhneva 2012). They are as follows: (1) DPA almost entirely inhibits the biosynthesis of the colored Cars in Ect. haloalkaliphila cells. (2) In the DPA-treated samples non-colored Cars are detected at 53.25 μM DPA (as traces) and at 71 μM DPA. (3) DPA may affect both phytoene synthase (at ≤71 μM DPA) and phytoene desaturase (at ≥53.25 μM DPA). (4) The assembly of LH2 complex does occur without any colored Cars.

A Purple Cupredoxin from Nitrosopumilus maritimus Containing a Mononuclear Type 1 Copper Center with an Open Binding Site

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hosseinzadeh, Parisa; Tian, Shiliang; Marshall, Nicholas M.; Hemp, James; Mullen, Timothy; Nilges, Mark J.; Gao, Yi-Gui; Robinson, Howard; Stahl, David A.; Gennis, Robert B.; Lu, Yi

2016-05-25

Mononuclear cupredoxin proteins usually contain a coordinately saturated type 1 copper (T1Cu) center and function exclusively as electron carriers. Here we report a cupredoxin isolated from the nitrifying archaeon Nitrosopumilus maritimus SCM1, called Nmar1307, that contains a T1Cu center with an open binding site containing water. It displays a deep purple color due to strong absorptions around 413 nm (1880 M^–1 cm^–1) and 558 nm (2290 M^–1 cm^–1) in the UV–vis electronic spectrum. EPR studies suggest the protein contains two Cu(II) species of nearly equal population, one nearly axial, with hyperfine constant A∥ = 98 × 10^–4 cm^–1, and another more rhombic, with a smaller A∥ value of 69 × 10^–4 cm^–1. The X-ray crystal structure at 1.6 Å resolution confirms that it contains a Cu atom coordinated by two His and one Cys in a trigonal plane, with an axial H2O at 2.25 Å. Both UV–vis absorption and EPR spectroscopic studies suggest that the Nmar1307 can oxidize NO to nitrite, an activity that is attributable to the high reduction potential (354 mV vs SHE) of the copper site. These results suggest that mononuclear cupredoxins can have a wide range of structural features, including an open binding site containing water, making this class of proteins even more versatile.

Phytochemical Assays of Commercial Botanical Dietary Supplements

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Robert Krochmal

2004-01-01

Full Text Available The growing popularity of botanical dietary supplements (BDS has been accompanied by concerns regarding the quality of commercial products. Health care providers, in particular, have an interest in knowing about product quality, in view of the issues related to herb-drug interactions and potential side effects. This study assessed whether commercial formulations of saw palmetto, kava kava, echinacea, ginseng and St. John's wort had consistent labeling and whether quantities of marker compounds agreed with the amounts stated on the label. We purchased six bottles each of two lots of supplements from nine manufacturers and analyzed the contents using established commercial methodologies at an independent laboratory. Product labels were found to vary in the information provided, such as serving recommendations and information about the herb itself (species, part of the plant, marker compound, etc. With regard to marker compound content, little variability was observed between different lots of the same brand, while the content did vary widely between brands (e.g. total phenolic compounds in Echinacea ranged from 3.9–15.3 mg per serving; total ginsenosides in ginseng ranged from 5.3–18.2 mg per serving. Further, the amounts recommended for daily use also differed between brands, increasing the potential range of a consumer's daily dose. Echinacea and ginseng were the most variable, while St. John's wort and saw palmetto were the least variable. This study highlights some of the key issues in the botanical supplement market, including the importance of standardized manufacturing practices and reliable labeling information. In addition, health care providers should keep themselves informed regarding product quality in order to be able to appropriately advise patients utilizing both conventional and herbal medicines.

Phytochemical Assays of Commercial Botanical Dietary Supplements

Science.gov (United States)

2004-01-01

The growing popularity of botanical dietary supplements (BDS) has been accompanied by concerns regarding the quality of commercial products. Health care providers, in particular, have an interest in knowing about product quality, in view of the issues related to herb-drug interactions and potential side effects. This study assessed whether commercial formulations of saw palmetto, kava kava, echinacea, ginseng and St. John's wort had consistent labeling and whether quantities of marker compounds agreed with the amounts stated on the label. We purchased six bottles each of two lots of supplements from nine manufacturers and analyzed the contents using established commercial methodologies at an independent laboratory. Product labels were found to vary in the information provided, such as serving recommendations and information about the herb itself (species, part of the plant, marker compound, etc.) With regard to marker compound content, little variability was observed between different lots of the same brand, while the content did vary widely between brands (e.g. total phenolic compounds in Echinacea ranged from 3.9–15.3 mg per serving; total ginsenosides in ginseng ranged from 5.3–18.2 mg per serving). Further, the amounts recommended for daily use also differed between brands, increasing the potential range of a consumer's daily dose. Echinacea and ginseng were the most variable, while St. John's wort and saw palmetto were the least variable. This study highlights some of the key issues in the botanical supplement market, including the importance of standardized manufacturing practices and reliable labeling information. In addition, health care providers should keep themselves informed regarding product quality in order to be able to appropriately advise patients utilizing both conventional and herbal medicines. PMID:15841264

Phytochemical-rich medicinal plant extracts suppress bacterial antigens-induced inflammation in human tonsil epithelial cells

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Niluni M. Wijesundara

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Background Pharyngitis is an inflammatory condition of the pharynx and associated structures commonly caused by the Group A streptococci (GAS. There is a growing interest in discovering plant-based anti-inflammatory compounds as potential alternatives to conventional drugs. This study evaluated anti-inflammatory activity of phytochemical-rich extracts prepared from 12 herbal plants using human tonsil epithelial cells (HTonEpiC in vitro. Methods The HTonEpiC were induced by a mixture of lipoteichoic acid (LTA and peptidoglycan (PGN (10 µg/mL; bacterial antigens for 4 h and then exposed to ethanol extracts (EE or aqueous extracts (AE for 20 h. The secretion of four pro-inflammatory cytokines was measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA. Total phenolic and total flavonoid contents of the extracts were determined using spectrophotometric methods. Results The herbal plant extracts (≤5 µg/mL were not cytotoxic to HTonEpiC. The extracts exhibited a broad range of reduction (1.2%–92.6% of secretion of interleukin-8 (IL-8, human beta defensin-2 (hBD-2, epithelial-derived neutrophil activating protein-78 (ENA-78, and granulocyte chemotactic protein-2 (GCP-2. Both EE and AE of clove, ginger, and echinacea flower and EE from danshen root significantly inhibited the pro-inflammatory cytokine production as induced by LTA and PGN in HTonEpiCs at the concentrations of 1 and 5 µg/mL. Discussion Our observations indicate that danshen root, clove, ginger, and echinacea flower extracts exhibit an anti-inflammatory effect in HTonEpiCs. The most efficacious extracts from danshen root, clove, ginger and echinacea flowers have potential to be used as natural sources for developing phytotherapeutic products in the management of painful inflammation due to streptococcal pharyngitis.

Publications | Page 266 | IDRC - International Development ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

Biodiversity and health: Are we killing the plants that can cure? Getting a cold? Take some echinacea. Feeling stressed? Try a little ginseng. Worried and depressed? Perhaps some St. John's wort will pick you up. The growth in popularity of these and hundreds of other herbal remedies in Europe and North America has ...

Optimization of multifunnel traps for emerald ash borer (Coleoptera: Buprestidae): influence of size, trap coating, and color.

Science.gov (United States)

Francese, Joseph A; Rietz, Michael L; Mastro, Victor C

2013-12-01

Field assays were conducted in southeastern and south-central Michigan in 2011 and 2012 to optimize green and purple multifunnel (Lindgren funnel) traps for use as a survey tool for the emerald ash borer, Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire. Larger sized (12- and 16-unit) multifunnel traps caught more beetles than their smaller-sized (4- and 8-unit) counterparts. Green traps coated with untinted (white) fluon caught almost four times as many adult A. planipennis as Rain-X and tinted (green) fluon-coated traps and almost 33 times more beetles than untreated control traps. Purple multifunnel traps generally caught much lower numbers of A. planipennis adults than green traps, and trap catch on them was not affected by differences in the type of coating applied. However, trap coating was necessary as untreated control purple traps caught significantly less beetles than traps treated with Rain-X and untinted or tinted (purple) fluon. Proportions of male beetles captured were generally much higher on green traps than on purple traps, but sex ratios were not affected by trap coating. In 2012, a new shade of purple plastic, based on a better color match to an attractive purple paint than the previously used purple, was used for trapping assays. When multifunnel traps were treated with fluon, green traps caught more A. planipennis adults than both shades of purple and a prism trap that was manufactured based on the same color match. Trap catch was not affected by diluting the fluon concentration applied to traps to 50% (1:1 mixture in water). At 10%, trap catch was significantly lowered.

Relaxation dynamics of the LH2 complex from a photosynthetic purple bacterium Thiorhodospira sibirica studied by the near-IR femtosecond pump-probe method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Razjivin, A P; Pishchal'nikov, R Yu; Kozlovskii, V S; Kompanets, V O; Chekalin, Sergei V; Moskalenko, A A; Makhneva, Z K

2005-01-01

Photoinduced changes in the absorption spectrum of the LH2 (B800-830-850) complex from a Thiorhodospira sibirica (Trs. sibirica) bacterium are studied by the pump-probe method. The complex has the anomalous absorption spectrum exhibiting three bands in the near-IR region at 793, 826.5, and 846.5 nm. At room temperature, the excitation energy transfer from the B800, B830, and B859 bands was detected with the time constants τ 1 ∼0.5 ps, τ 2 ∼2.5 ps, and τ 3 of the order of a few hundreds of picoseconds, respectively. A rapid energy transfer from the B830 band compared to energy transfer from the B850 band (τ 2 ||τ 3 ) suggests that all the three bands belong to the same complex (i.e., that the LH2 complex from Trs. sibirica is homogeneous). A slower energy transfer (by three - five times) from the B830 band of the LH2 complex from Trs. sibirica compared to energy transfer from the B800 band of the LH2 complexes (B800-850 and especially B800-820) from other purple bacteria suggests that the electronic structures of ensembles of bacteriochlorophyll molecules in these complexes are substantially different. (laser applications and other topics in quantum electronics)

2005 Department of Defense Survey of Health Related Behaviors among Active Duty Military Personnel

Science.gov (United States)

2006-12-01

Fentanyl Cannabis , THC, "pot", "weed", "chronic" LSD ("acid"), Phencyclidine (PCP) ("angel dust"), Mescaline, Peyote, Psilocybin, "mushrooms" (or...Palmetto) . . . . . . . . . . . . Weight loss products (such as Chromium Picolinate, Ripped Fuel, caffeine , Dexatrim, Acutrim, Metabolife, Metabolite...Echinacea, Ginseng, Saw Palmetto) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Weight loss products (such as Chromium Picolinate, Ripped Fuel, caffeine , Dexatrim

Effect of storage temperature on physico-chemical and sensory attributes of purple passion fruit (Passiflora edulis Sims).

Science.gov (United States)

Kishore, Kundan; Pathak, K A; Shukla, Rohit; Bharali, Rinku

2011-08-01

Physico-chemical and sensory quality of juice from purple passion fruit under different storage temperature and time were assessed. The maximum loss in fruit weight was recorded under room temperature (25 ± 1°C) followed by at 11 ± 1°C. There was an increase in juice percentage up to 9 and 13 days under room temperature and storage at 11 ± 1°C respectively. The optimum flavour in juice was up to 5 days at 25 ± 1°C and up to 21 days at 8 ± 1°C. A significant reduction in sourness was recorded on 5th day under all treatments and the scores for sourness became almost constant after 17 days. The maximum increase in the mean scores of sweetness on 5th day was observed at 25 ± 1°C followed by at 11 ± 1°C. The optimum level of juice sweetness was maintained up to 21 days at 8 ± 1°C. Total soluble solids content increased in initial stage followed by reduction. There was a reduction in the titrable acidity up to 21 days at 8 ± 1°C. A decreasing trend in the reducing and non-reducing sugar of passion fruit was observed under all the treatments. Fruits stored at 25 ± 1°C, developed off-flavour in juice after 5 days, while storage at 8 ± 1°C produced no off-flavor even up to 21 days. Fruits can be stored for 5 days only at 25 ± 1°C as the overall sensory quality of juice reduced significantly afterwards, while juice maintained the optimum overall quality up to 21 days at 8 ± 1°C.

Evaluating the Nature of So-Called S*-State Feature in Transient Absorption of Carotenoids in Light-Harvesting Complex 2 (LH2) from Purple Photosynthetic Bacteria.

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Niedzwiedzki, Dariusz M; Hunter, C Neil; Blankenship, Robert E

2016-11-03

Carotenoids are a class of natural pigments present in all phototrophic organisms, mainly in their light-harvesting proteins in which they play roles of accessory light absorbers and photoprotectors. Extensive time-resolved spectroscopic studies of these pigments have revealed unexpectedly complex photophysical properties, particularly for carotenoids in light-harvesting LH2 complexes from purple bacteria. An ambiguous, optically forbidden electronic excited state designated as S* has been postulated to be involved in carotenoid excitation relaxation and in an alternative carotenoid-to-bacteriochlorophyll energy transfer pathway, as well as being a precursor of the carotenoid triplet state. However, no definitive and satisfactory origin of the carotenoid S* state in these complexes has been established, despite a wide-ranging series of studies. Here, we resolve the ambiguous origin of the carotenoid S* state in LH2 complex from Rba. sphaeroides by showing that the S* feature can be seen as a combination of ground state absorption bleaching of the carotenoid pool converted to cations and the Stark spectrum of neighbor neutral carotenoids, induced by temporal electric field brought by the carotenoid cation-bacteriochlorophyll anion pair. These findings remove the need to assign an S* state, and thereby significantly simplify the photochemistry of carotenoids in these photosynthetic antenna complexes.

Vocal behavior of the elusive purple frog of India (Nasikabatrachus sahyadrensis, a fossorial species endemic to the Western Ghats.

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Ashish Thomas

Full Text Available Quantitative descriptions of animal vocalizations can inform an understanding of their evolutionary functions, the mechanisms for their production and perception, and their potential utility in taxonomy, population monitoring, and conservation. The goal of this study was to provide the first acoustical and statistical analysis of the advertisement calls of Nasikabatrachus sahyadrensis. Commonly known as the Indian purple frog, N. sahyadrensis is an endangered species endemic to the Western Ghats of India. As the only known species in its family (Nasikabatrachidae, it has ancient evolutionary ties to frogs restricted to the Seychelles archipelago (Sooglossidae. The role of vocalizations in the behavior of this unique species poses interesting questions, as the animal is fossorial and potentially earless and it breeds explosively above the soil for only about two weeks a year. In this study, we quantified 19 acoustic properties of 208 calls recorded from 10 males. Vocalizations were organized into distinct call groups typically composed of two to six short (59 ms, pulsatile calls, each consisting of about five to seven pulses produced at a rate of about 106 pulses/s. The frequency content of the call consisted of a single dominant peak between 1200-1300 Hz and there was no frequency modulation. The patterns of variation within and among individuals were typical of those seen in other frogs. Few of the properties we measured were related to temperature, body size, or condition, though there was little variation in temperature. Field observations and recordings of captive individuals indicated that males engaged in both antiphonal calling and call overlap with nearby calling neighbors. We discuss our findings in relation to previous work on vocal behavior in other fossorial frogs and in sooglossid frogs.

Peripheral Light-Harvesting LH2 Complex Can Be Assembled in Cells of Nonsulfur Purple Bacterium Rhodoblastus acidophilus without Carotenoids.

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Bol'shakov, M A; Ashikhmin, A A; Makhneva, Z K; Moskalenko, A A

2015-09-01

The effect of carotenoids on the assembly of LH2 complex in cells of the purple nonsulfur bacterium Rhodoblastus acidophilus was investigated. For this purpose, the bacterial culture was cultivated with an inhibitor of carotenoid biosynthesis - 71 µM diphenylamine (DPA). The inhibitor decreased the level of biosynthesis of the colored carotenoids in membranes by ~58%. It was found that a large amount of phytoene was accumulated in them. This carotenoid precursor was bound nonspecifically to LH2 complex and did not stabilize its structure. Thermostability testing of the isolated LH2 complex together with analysis of carotenoid composition revealed that the population of this complex was heterogeneous with respect to carotenoid composition. One fraction of the LH2 complex with carotenoid content around 90% remains stable and was not destroyed under heating for 15 min at 50°C. The other fraction of LH2 complex containing on average less than one molecule of carotenoid per complex was destroyed under heating, forming a zone of free pigments (and polypeptides). The data suggest that a certain part of the LH2 complexes is assembled without carotenoids in cells of the nonsulfur bacterium Rbl. acidophilus grown with DPA. These data contradict the fact that the LH2 complex from nonsulfur bacteria cannot be assembled without carotenoids, but on the other hand, they are in good agreement with the results demonstrated in our earlier studies of the sulfur bacteria Allochromatium minutissimum and Ectothiorhodospira haloalkaliphila. Carotenoidless LH2 complex was obtained from these bacteria with the use of DPA (Moskalenko, A. A., and Makhneva, Z. K. (2012) J. Photochem. Photobiol., 108, 1-7; Ashikhmin, A., et al. (2014) Photosynth. Res., 119, 291-303).

Atomic force microscopy reveals multiple patterns of antenna organization in purple bacteria: implications for energy transduction mechanisms and membrane modeling.

Science.gov (United States)

Sturgis, James N; Niederman, Robert A

2008-01-01

Recent topographs of the intracytoplasmic membrane (ICM) of purple bacteria obtained by atomic force microscopy (AFM) have provided the first surface views of the native architecture of a multicomponent biological membrane at submolecular resolution, representing an important landmark in structural biology. A variety of species-dependent, closely packed arrangements of light-harvesting (LH) complexes was revealed: the most highly organized was found in Rhodobacter sphaeroides in which the peripheral LH2 antenna was seen either in large clusters or in fixed rows interspersed among ordered arrays of dimeric LH1-reaction center (RC) core complexes. A more random organization was observed in other species containing both the LH1 and LH2 complexes, as typified by Rhododspirillum photometricum with randomly packed monomeric LH1-RC core complexes intermingled with large, paracrystalline domains of LH2 antenna. Surprisingly, no structures that could be identified as the ATP synthase or cytochrome bc (1) complexes were observed, which may reflect their localization at ICM vesicle poles or in curved membrane areas, out of view from the flat regions imaged by AFM. This possible arrangement of energy transducing complexes has required a reassessment of energy tranduction mechanisms which place the cytochrome bc (1) complex in close association with the RC. Instead, more plausible proposals must account for the movement of quinone redox species over considerable membrane distances on appropriate time scales. AFM, together with atomic resolution structures are also providing the basis for molecular modeling of the ICM that is leading to an improved picture of the supramolecular organization of photosynthetic complexes, as well as the forces that drive their segregation into distinct domains.

Charge-density-wave partial gap opening in quasi-2D KMo{sub 6}O{sub 17} purple bronze studied by angle resolved photoemission spectroscopy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Valbuena, M.A. [LURE, Centre Universitaire Paris-Sud, Bat. 209D, B.P. 34, 91898 Orsay Cedex (France); Avila, J. [Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales de Madrid, ICMM - CSIC, 28049 Madrid (Spain); Synchrotron SOLEIL, L' Orme des Merisiers, Saint-Aubin - B.P. 48, 91192 GIF-SUR-YVETTE Cedex (France); Pantin, V. [LURE, Centre Universitaire Paris-Sud, Bat. 209D, B.P. 34, 91898 Orsay Cedex (France); Drouard, S. [LEPES-CENES, B.P. 166x, 38042 Grenoble, Cedex 9 (France); Guyot, H. [LEPES-CENES, B.P. 166x, 38042 Grenoble, Cedex 9 (France); Asensio, M.C. [Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales de Madrid, ICMM - CSIC, 28049 Madrid (Spain) and Synchrotron SOLEIL, L' Orme des Merisiers, Saint-Aubin - B.P. 48, 91192 GIF-SUR-YVETTE Cedex (France)]. E-mail: asensio@synchrotron-soleil.fr

2006-05-30

Low dimensional (LD) metallic oxides have been a subject of continuous interest in the last two decades, mainly due to the electronic instabilities that they present at low temperatures. In particular, charge density waves (CDW) instabilities associated with a strong electron-phonon interaction have been found in Molybdenum metallic oxides such as KMo{sub 6}O{sub 17} purple bronze. We report an angle resolved photoemission (ARPES) study from room temperature (RT) to T {approx}40 K well below the Peierls transition temperature for this material, with CDW transition temperature T {sub CDW} {approx}120 K. We have focused on photoemission spectra along {gamma}M high symmetry direction as well as photoemission measurements were taken as a function of temperature at one representative k {sub F} point in the Brillouin zone in order to look for the characteristic gap opening after the phase transition. We found out a pseudogap opening and a decrease in the density of states near the Fermi energy, E {sub F}, consistent with the partial removal of the nested portions of the Fermi surface (FS) at temperature below the CDW transition. In order to elucidate possible Fermi liquid (FL) or non-Fermi liquid (NFL) behaviour we have compared the ARPES data with that one reported on quasi-1D K{sub 0.3}MoO{sub 3} blue bronze.

Pharmacognostical study of achenes of some plants from Asteraceae family

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Y.O. Bychkova

2014-04-01

Full Text Available In the present paper are represented morphological studies on determination of weight of 1000 achenes, and sieve analysis of fruits of some plants from Asteraceae family (Arctium lappa L., Leuzea carthamoides (Willd. D.C, Inula helenium L., Echinacea purpurea Moench., Calendula officinalis L.. Lipid, alcohol-soluble and water-soluble complexes in fruits of C. officinalis were studied.

New Genome Sequence of an Echinaceapurpurea Endophyte, Arthrobacter sp. Strain EpSL27, Able To Inhibit Human-Opportunistic Pathogens.

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Miceli, Elisangela; Presta, Luana; Maggini, Valentina; Fondi, Marco; Bosi, Emanuele; Chiellini, Carolina; Fagorzi, Camilla; Bogani, Patrizia; Di Pilato, Vincenzo; Rossolini, Gian Maria; Mengoni, Alessio; Firenzuoli, Fabio; Perrin, Elena; Fani, Renato

2017-06-22

We announce here the draft genome sequence of Arthrobacter sp. strain EpSL27, isolated from the stem and leaves of the medicinal plant Echinacea purpurea and able to inhibit human-pathogenic bacterial strains. The genome sequencing of this strain may lead to the identification of genes involved in the production of antimicrobial molecules. Copyright © 2017 Miceli et al.

Potential health benefits from the flavonoids in grape products on vascular disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Folts, John D

2002-01-01

In the dog, monkey, a nd human we have shown that 5 ml/kg of red wine or 5-10 ml/kg of purple grape juice but not orange or grapefruit juice inhibits platelet activity, and protects against epinephrine activation of platelets. Red wine and purple grape juice enhances platelet and endothelial production of nitric oxide (Fitzpatrick et al., 1993, Parker et al., 2000). This is thought to be one of the mechanisms whereby purple grape juice significantly improved endothelial function in 15 patients with coronary artery disease. The consumption of purple grape juice by the patients also offered increased protection against LDL cholesterol oxidation, even though all the patients were also taking another antioxidant vitamin E, 400 IU/day. The number of people and animals in these studies was small; however, each one acted as their own control as measurements were made in each before, and then after consumption of red wine or purple grape juice. Thus these studies are thought to be significant. We feel that the results of these studies are encouraging and justify further research on larger numbers of subjects. This suggests that the flavonoids in purple grape juice and red wine may inhibit the initiation of atherosclerosis by one or more of the mechanisms described above. It will take years to fully characterize the potential benefits of daily consumption of red wine or purple grape juice for maintaining a healthy heart. Based on the existing evidence of antiplatelet and antioxidant benefits and improved endothelial function from red wine and purple grape juice, it seems reasonable to suggest that moderate amounts of red wine or purple grape juice be included among the 5-7 daily servings of fruits and vegetables per day as recommended by the American Heart Association to help reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular disease.

Variability studies in some qualitative characters of cowpea ( Vigna ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Two types of flower colour were observed, purple and white. With the exception of the Upper East Region accessions which showed only white flower colour, accessions from all the other regions showed both white and purple colours with the accessions with purple colour in the majority. In most of the accessions from the ...

Relationship between Color and Emotion: A Study of College Students

Science.gov (United States)

Kaya, Naz; Epps, Helen H.

2004-01-01

Ninety-eight college students were asked to indicate their emotional responses to five principle hues (i.e., red, yellow, green, blue, purple), five intermediate hues (i.e., yellow-red, green-yellow, blue-green, purple-blue, and red-purple), and three achromatic colors (white, gray, and black) and the reasons for their choices. The color stimuli…

Level-1 Milestone 350 Definitions v1

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Quinn, T

2006-11-17

This milestone is the direct result of work that started seven years ago with the planning for a 100-teraFLOP platform and will be satisfied when 100 teraFLOPS is placed in operation and readied for Stockpile Stewardship Program simulations. The end product of this milestone will be a production-level, high-performance computing system, code named Purple, designed to be used to solve the most demanding stockpile stewardship problems, that is, the large-scale application problems at the edge of our understanding of weapon physics. This fully functional 100 teraFLOPS system must be able to serve a diverse scientific and engineering workload. It must also have a robust code development and production environment, both of which facilitate the workload requirements. This multi-year effort includes major activities in contract management, facilities, infrastructure, system software, and user environment and support. Led by LLNL, the trilabs defined the statement of work for a 100-teraFLOP system that resulted in a contract with IBM known as the Purple contract. LLNL worked with IBM throughout the contract period to resolve issues and collaborated with the Program to resolve contractual issues to ensure delivery of a platform that best serves the Program for a reasonable cost. The Purple system represents a substantial increase in the classified compute resources at LLNL for NNSA. The center computer environment must be designed to accept the Purple system and to scale with the increase of compute resources to achieve required end-to-end services. Networking, archival storage, visualization servers, global file systems, and system software will all be enhanced to support Purple's size and architecture. IBM and LLNL are sharing responsibility for Purple's system software. LLNL is responsible for the scheduler, resource manager, and some code development tools. Through the Purple contract, IBM is responsible for the remainder of the system software including the

Organochlorine residues and shell thicknesses in eggs of the clapper rail, common gallinule, purple gallinule, and limpkin (class Aves), eastern and southern United States, 1972-74.

Science.gov (United States)

Klaas, E E; Ohlendorf, H M; Cromartie, E

1980-12-01

Organochlorine residues and shell thicknesses were surveyed in eggs of the clapper rail (Rallus longirostris), purple gallinule (Porphyrula martinica), common gallinule (Gallinula chloropas), and limpkin (Aramus guarauna) from the eastern and southern United States. Clapper rail eggs were collected during 1972-73 in New Jersey, Virginia, and South Carolina. During 1973-74, gallinule eggs were collected in Florida, South Carolina, and Louisiana, and limpkin eggs were collected in Florida. Egg contents were analyzed for residues of organochlorine pesticides, including DDT, TDE, DDE, dieldrin, mirex, heptachlor epoxide, oxychlordane, cis-chlordane (and/or trans-nonachlor), cis-nonachlor, hexachlorobenzene (HCB), toxaphene, and endrin, and for polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). Shell thicknesses of recent eggs of these species were compared with archival eggs that had been collected before 1947. With the exception of the limpkin, the majority of eggs analyzed contained residues of p,p'-DDE and PCBs. Geometric means ranged from 0.10 ppm to 1.3 ppm. Small amounts (less than 1.0 ppm) of mirex, dieldrin, cis-chlordane (and/or trans-nonachlor), TDE, and DDT were detected in a few eggs. No evidence of eggshell thinning was found for any of the species studied. DDE residues in clapper rail eggs were higher in New Jersey and Virginia than in South Carolina.

Organochlorine residues and shell thickness in eggs of the clapper rail, common gallinule, purple gallinule, and limpkin (Class Aves), eastern and southern United States, 1972-74

Science.gov (United States)

Klaas, E.E.; Ohlendorf, H.M.; Cromartie, E.

1980-01-01

Organochlorine residues and shell thicknesses were surveyed in eggs of the clapper rail (Rallus longirostris), purple gallinule (Porphyrula martinica), common gallinule (Gallinula chloropas), and limpkin (Aramus guarauna) from the eastern and southern United States. Clapper rail eggs were collected during 1972-73 in New Jersey, Virginia, and South Carolina. During 1973-74, gallinule eggs were collected in Florida, South Carolina, and Louisiana, and limpkin eggs were collected in Florida. Egg contents were analyzed for residues of organochlorine pesticides, including DDT, TDE, DDE, dieldrin, mirex, heptachlor epoxide, oxychlordane, cis-chlordane (and/or trans-nonachlor), cis-nonachlor, hexachlorobenzene (HCB), toxaphene, and endrin, and for polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). Shell thicknesses of recent eggs of these species were compared with archival eggs that had been collected before 1947. With the exception of the limpkin, the majority of eggs analyzed contained residues of p,p'-DDE and PCBs. Geometric means ranged from 0.10 ppm to 1.3 ppm. Small amounts (less than 1.0 ppm) of mirex, dieldrin, cis-chlordane (and/or trans-nonachlor), TDE, and DDT were detected in a few eggs. No evidence of eggshell thinning was found for any of the species studied. DDE residues in clapper rail eggs were higher in New Jersey and Virginia than in South Carolina.

Efecto vasodilatador mediado por óxido nítrico del extracto hidroalcohólico de Zea mays L. (maíz morado en anillos aórticos de rata Vasodilator effect mediated by nitric oxide of the Zea mays L (andean purple corn hydroalcoholic extract in aortic rings of rat

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Oscar Moreno-Loaiza

2010-12-01

Full Text Available Objetivo. Evaluar la respuesta vasodilatadora e inhibidora de la vasoconstricción del extracto hidroalcohólico de Zea mays L. (maíz morado y determinar si esta respuesta es mediada por óxido nítrico (NO. Materiales y métodos. Se obtuvo un extracto de las corontas de maíz morado maceradas durante ocho días en etanol al 70%, y posterior concentración del producto. Se trabajó con anillos aórticos de rata en cámara de órganos aislados, bañada con solución Krebs-Hensleit (K-H y se registró la actividad vasomotora con un transductor de tensión isométrica. Se produjo una contracción basal con KCl 120 mM sobre la cual determinó el efecto vasodilatador de tres dosis del extracto: 0,1; 0,5 y 1,0 mg/mL. Se utilizó L-NG-Nitroarginina metil ester (L-NAME para comprobar que la vasodilatación depende de la óxido nítrico sinteasa (NOs. Luego se comparó la inhibición de la contracción vascular tras la incubación durante 30 minutos, con extracto de maíz morado y captopril 10-5 M. Resultados. Se observó una reducción de la contracción máxima (100% a 85,25 ± 2,60%, 77,76 ± 3,23% y 73,3 ± 4,87%, para las dosis de 0,1; 0,5 y 1,0 mg/mL, respectivamente. La vasodilatación fue inhibida por la incubación previa con L-NAME. El extracto de maíz morado no inhibió la contracción vascular, a diferencia del captopril (reducción a 75,27 ± 8,61%. Conclusión. El extracto hidroalcohólico de Zea mays L produce vasodilatación dependiente de la síntesis de NO.Objective: To evaluate the vasodilator response of the hydroalcoholic extract of Zea mays L. (Andean purple corn and to determine if this response is mediated by nitric oxide (NO. Material and methods: We obtained an extract by maceration for eight days of Andean purple corn cobs in 70% ethanol and subsequent concentration of the product. Thoracic aortic rings were evaluated in an isolated organ chamber, bathed with Krebs-Hensleit solution (KH, and vasomotor activity was recorded

Utilization of natural indicators for borax identification in the Indonesian tofu

Science.gov (United States)

Purbaningtias, Tri Esti; Lestari, Intan Dwi; Wiyantoko, Bayu; Kurniawati, Puji; Sriadryani, Devi

2017-03-01

Borax has been found in food products i.e. on the Indonesian Tofu that is often consumed by people. Generally, the identification of borax in food products hard to do by the public. Indicators of natural materials will allow the public to identify the presence of borax in food easier. Qualitative test for borax on Indonesian Tofu showed purple cabbage and sappanwood are the effective natural indicators. The result of determining borax on Indonesian Tofu indicated natural indicator from purple cabbage had the smallest correction factor (with conventional indicators PP) about 4.8%. The results of the validation method for purple cabbage indicator in acid-base titration showed that the purple cabbage indicator is homogenous but unstable. The natural indicators of purple cabbage could not be used again after three days of extraction time based on the results of control chart.

Purple pitcher plant (Sarracenia rosea Dieback and partial community disassembly following experimental storm surge in a coastal pitcher plant bog.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Matthew J Abbott

Full Text Available Sea-level rise and frequent intense hurricanes associated with climate change will result in recurrent flooding of inland systems such as Gulf Coastal pitcher plant bogs by storm surges. These surges can transport salt water and sediment to freshwater bogs, greatly affecting their biological integrity. Purple pitcher plants (Sarracenia rosea are Gulf Coast pitcher plant bog inhabitants that could be at a disadvantage under this scenario because their pitcher morphology may leave them prone to collection of saline water and sediment after a surge. We investigated the effects of storm surge water salinity and sediment type on S. rosea vitality, plant community structure, and bog soil-water conductivity. Plots (containing ≥1 ramet of S. rosea were experimentally flooded with fresh or saline water crossed with one of three sediment types (local, foreign, or no sediment. There were no treatment effects on soil-water conductivity; nevertheless, direct exposure to saline water resulted in significantly lower S. rosea cover until the following season when a prescribed fire and regional drought contributed to the decline of all the S. rosea to near zero percent cover. There were also significant differences in plant community structure between treatments over time, reflecting how numerous species increased in abundance and a few species decreased in abundance. However, in contrast to S. rosea, most of the other species in the community appeared resilient to the effects of storm surge. Thus, although the community may be somewhat affected by storm surge, those few species that are particularly sensitive to the storm surge disturbance will likely drop out of the community and be replaced by more resilient species. Depending on the longevity of these biological legacies, Gulf Coastal pitcher plant bogs may be incapable of fully recovering if they become exposed to storm surge more frequently due to climate change.

The action of red wine and purple grape juice on vascular reactivity is independent of plasma lipids in hypercholesterolemic patients

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Coimbra S.R.

2005-01-01

Full Text Available Although red wine (RW reduces cardiovascular risk, the mechanisms underlying the effect have not been identified. Correction of endothelial dysfunction by RW flavonoids could be one mechanism. We measured brachial artery reactivity by high-resolution ultrasonography, plasma lipids, glucose, adhesion molecules (ICAM-1 and VCAM, and platelet function in 16 hypercholesterolemic individuals (8 men and 8 women; mean age 51.6 ± 8.1 years without other risk factors. Twenty-four normal subjects were used as controls for vascular reactivity. Subjects randomly received RW, 250 ml/day, or purple grape juice (GJ, 500 ml/day, for 14 days with an equal wash-out period. At baseline, all 16 subjects were hypercholesterolemic (mean LDL = 181.0 ± 28.7 mg/dl but HDL, triglycerides, glucose, adhesion molecules, and platelet function were within normal limits. Brachial artery flow-mediated dilation was significantly decreased compared to controls (9.0 ± 7.1 vs 12.1 ± 4.5%; P < 0.05 and increased with both GJ (10.1 ± 7.1 before vs 16.9 ± 6.7% after: P < 0.05 and RW (10.1 ± 6.4 before vs 15.6 ± 4.6% after; P < 0.05. RW, but not GJ, also significantly increased endothelium-independent vasodilation (17.0 ± 8.6 before vs 23.0 ± 12.0% after; P < 0.01. GJ reduced ICAM-1 but not VCAM and RW had no effect on either molecule. No significant alterations were observed in plasma lipids, glucose or platelet aggregability with RW or GJ. Both RW and GJ similarly improved flow-mediated dilation, but RW also enhanced endothelium-independent vasodilation in hypercholesterolemic patients despite the increased plasma cholesterol. Thus, we conclude that GJ may protect against coronary artery disease without the additional negative effects of alcohol despite the gender.

Perianth bottom-specific blue color development in Tulip cv. Murasakizuisho requires ferric ions.

Science.gov (United States)

Shoji, Kazuaki; Miki, Naoko; Nakajima, Noriyuki; Momonoi, Kazumi; Kato, Chiharu; Yoshida, Kumi

2007-02-01

The entire flower of Tulipa gesneriana cv. Murasakizuisho is purple, except the bottom, which is blue. To elucidate the mechanism of the different color development in the same petal, we prepared protoplasts from the purple and blue epidermal regions and measured the flavonoid composition by HPLC, the vacuolar pH by a proton-selective microelectrode, and element contents by the inductively coupled plasma (ICP) method. Chemical analyses revealed that the anthocyanin and flavonol compositions in both purple and blue colored protoplasts were the same; delphinidin 3-O-rutinoside (1) and major three flavonol glycosides, manghaslin (2), rutin (3) and mauritianin (4). The vacuolar pH values of the purple and blue protoplasts were 5.5 and 5.6, respectively, without any significant difference. However, the Fe(3+) content in the blue protoplast was approximately 9.5 mM, which was 25 times higher than that in the purple protoplasts. We could reproduce the purple solution by mixing 1 with two equimolar concentrations of flavonol with lambda(vismax) = 539 nm, which was identical to that of the purple protoplasts. Furthermore, addition of Fe(3+) to the mixture of 1-4 gave the blue solution with lambda(vismax) = 615 nm identical to that of the blue protoplasts. We have established that Fe(3+) is essential for blue color development in the tulip.

Echinacea: What Should I Know about It?

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... not match what the label says. Find a company that quality tests its products. Then you will ... Travel Occupational Health First Aid and Injury Prevention Crisis Situations Pets and Animals myhealthfinder Food and Nutrition ...

Application of polyacrylamide to reduce phosphorus losses from a Chinese purple soil: a laboratory and field investigation.

Science.gov (United States)

Jiang, Tao; Teng, Lingling; Wei, Shiqiang; Deng, Lili; Luo, Zaibo; Chen, Yupeng; Flanagan, Dennis C

2010-07-01

Use of anionic polyacrylamide (PAM) to control phosphorus (P) losses from a Chinese purple soil was studied in both a laboratory soil column experiment and a field plot experiment on a steep slope (27%). Treatments in the column study were a control, and PAM mixed uniformly into the soil at rates of 0.02, 0.05, 0.08, 0.10, and 0.20%. We found that PAM had an important inhibitory effect on vertical P transport in the soil columns, with the 0.20% PAM treatment having the greatest significant reduction in leachate soluble P concentrations and losses resulting from nine leaching periods. Field experiments were conducted on 5m wide by 21m long natural rainfall plots, that allowed collection of both surface runoff and subsurface drainage water. Wheat was planted and grown on all plots with typical fertilizer applied. Treatments included a control, dry PAM at 3.9 kg ha(-1), dry PAM at 3.9 kg ha(-1) applied together with lime (CaCO(3) at 4.9 t ha(-1)), and dry PAM at 3.9 kg ha(-1) applied together with gypsum (CaSO(4).2H(2)O at 4 t ha(-1)). Results from the field plot experiment in which 5 rainfall events resulted in measurable runoff and leachate showed that all PAM treatments significantly reduced runoff volume and total P losses in surface runoff compared to the control. The PAM treatments also all significantly reduced water volume leached to the tile drain. However, total P losses in the leachate water were not significantly different due to the treatments, perhaps due to the low PAM soil surface application rate and/or high experimental variability. The PAM alone treatment resulted in the greatest wheat growth as indicated by the plant growth indexes of wheat plant height, leaf length, leaf width, grain number per head, and dried grain mass. Growth indexes of the PAM with Calcium treatments were significantly lesser. These results indicate that the selection and use of soil amendments need to be carefully determined based upon the most important management goal at a

Theoretical investigation of the reaction mechanism for the phosphate diester hydrolysis using an asymmetric dinuclear metal complex as a biomimetic model of the purple acid phosphatase enzyme.

Science.gov (United States)

Ferreira, Dalva E C; De Almeida, Wagner B; Neves, Ademir; Rocha, Willian R

2008-12-14

In this work we have applied quantum mechanical calculations, at the density functional theory level, to investigate the phosphate diester hydrolysis promoted by a cationic heterodinuclear Fe(III)...Zn(II) complex that mimics the structural and functional properties of the purple acid phosphatase (PAP) enzymes. The hydrolysis of the dimethyl phosphate diester was investigated in the gas phase and in solution by means of the continuum PCM model, using the B3LYP hybrid exchange-correlation functional. Our computed results showed that the hydrolysis of the dimethyl phosphate ester takes place in two steps. The first step corresponds to a slow P-O bond formation through nucleophilic attack of the coordinated (Fe(III))-OH group. The second step consists of a proton transfer process followed by the release of a methanol molecule. The first step is rate determining with activation free energy of 12.3 kcal mol(-1), which is about 3 times lower than the activation free energy for the uncatalyzed reaction. We also show that the heterodinuclear site plays an important role favoring an associative mechanism for the phosphate diester hydrolysis, favoring the formation of a high energy intermediate phosphorane, and orienting the phosphate group to the nucleophilic attack.

Studies on floral biology of passion fruit (passiflora spp.)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kishore, K.; Pathak, K.A.; Shukla, R.; Bharali, R.

2010-01-01

Floral biology of purple, yellow, giant and Passiflora foetida was studied at the ICAR Research Complex, Mizoram Centre, Kolasib, Mizoram, India during 2005-07. Purple, giant and P. foetida had major bloom during March-April, July-August and September-October. While major bloom in yellow was mainly during May-June and September-October. Purple, giant and P. foetida had the maximum duration of bloom of 42.4, 22.5 and 32.6 days, respectively during March-April with the maximum duration of effective bloom of 12.5 8.6 and 10.4 days in purple, giant and P. foetida, respectively. Yellow had the maximum duration of bloom for 28.4 days and effective bloom of 10.5 days during May-June. Most of the flowers of purple (54.5%) and giant (58.5%) opened between 6-7 hrs, while the maximum per cent of anthesis in yellow (70%) took place between 12-13 hrs. Pollen dehiscence and pollination in purple and giant mainly occurred between 7-8 hrs, while 13-14 hrs was the major period of pollen dehiscence and pollination in yellow. The earliest anthesis (5-6 hrs), anther dehiscence (6-7 hrs) and pollination (6-7 hrs) were recorded in P. foetida. The maximum stigma receptivity was recorded on the day of anthesis in all the passion fruits. Completely curved style was more common in all passion fruits that gave the maximum fruit set. The maximum number of bees observed between 7-8 hrs in purple and giant and between 13-14 hrs in yellow. The most common pollinating bee in purple, giant and yellow was Apis mellifera, while A. cerena was in P. foetida. (author)

Angioendotheliosarcoma of the nose--a case report

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Waersted, A; Andersen, Klaus Ejner; Hansen, J P

1984-01-01

Angioendotheliosarcoma of the face or scalp is regarded as a highly malignant tumor. We present a case with onset as a purple macule on the nose, suspected to be rosacea, and emphasize the use of early skin biopsy when a red or purple discoloration is seen in the face of elderly people.......Angioendotheliosarcoma of the face or scalp is regarded as a highly malignant tumor. We present a case with onset as a purple macule on the nose, suspected to be rosacea, and emphasize the use of early skin biopsy when a red or purple discoloration is seen in the face of elderly people....

Functional characterization of Dihydroflavonol-4-reductase in anthocyanin biosynthesis of purple sweet potato underlies the direct evidence of anthocyanins function against abiotic stresses.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Hongxia; Fan, Weijuan; Li, Hong; Yang, Jun; Huang, Jirong; Zhang, Peng

2013-01-01

Dihydroflavonol-4-reductase (DFR) is a key enzyme in the catalysis of the stereospecific reduction of dihydroflavonols to leucoanthocyanidins in anthocyanin biosynthesis. In the purple sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas Lam.) cv. Ayamurasaki, expression of the IbDFR gene was strongly associated with anthocyanin accumulation in leaves, stems and roots. Overexpression of the IbDFR in Arabidopsis tt3 mutants fully complemented the pigmentation phenotype of the seed coat, cotyledon and hypocotyl. Downregulation of IbDFR expression in transgenic sweet potato (DFRi) using an RNAi approach dramatically reduced anthocyanin accumulation in young leaves, stems and storage roots. In contrast, the increase of flavonols quercetin-3-O-hexose-hexoside and quercetin-3-O-glucoside in the leaves and roots of DFRi plants is significant. Therefore, the metabolic pathway channeled greater flavonol influx in the DFRi plants when their anthocyanin and proanthocyanidin accumulation were decreased. These plants also displayed reduced antioxidant capacity compared to the wild type. After 24 h of cold treatment and 2 h recovery, the wild-type plants were almost fully restored to the initial phenotype compared to the slower recovery of DFRi plants, in which the levels of electrolyte leakage and hydrogen peroxide accumulation were dramatically increased. These results provide direct evidence of anthocyanins function in the protection against oxidative stress in the sweet potato. The molecular characterization of the IbDFR gene in the sweet potato not only confirms its important roles in flavonoid metabolism but also supports the protective function of anthocyanins of enhanced scavenging of reactive oxygen radicals in plants under stressful conditions.

Functional characterization of Dihydroflavonol-4-reductase in anthocyanin biosynthesis of purple sweet potato underlies the direct evidence of anthocyanins function against abiotic stresses.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hongxia Wang

Full Text Available Dihydroflavonol-4-reductase (DFR is a key enzyme in the catalysis of the stereospecific reduction of dihydroflavonols to leucoanthocyanidins in anthocyanin biosynthesis. In the purple sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas Lam. cv. Ayamurasaki, expression of the IbDFR gene was strongly associated with anthocyanin accumulation in leaves, stems and roots. Overexpression of the IbDFR in Arabidopsis tt3 mutants fully complemented the pigmentation phenotype of the seed coat, cotyledon and hypocotyl. Downregulation of IbDFR expression in transgenic sweet potato (DFRi using an RNAi approach dramatically reduced anthocyanin accumulation in young leaves, stems and storage roots. In contrast, the increase of flavonols quercetin-3-O-hexose-hexoside and quercetin-3-O-glucoside in the leaves and roots of DFRi plants is significant. Therefore, the metabolic pathway channeled greater flavonol influx in the DFRi plants when their anthocyanin and proanthocyanidin accumulation were decreased. These plants also displayed reduced antioxidant capacity compared to the wild type. After 24 h of cold treatment and 2 h recovery, the wild-type plants were almost fully restored to the initial phenotype compared to the slower recovery of DFRi plants, in which the levels of electrolyte leakage and hydrogen peroxide accumulation were dramatically increased. These results provide direct evidence of anthocyanins function in the protection against oxidative stress in the sweet potato. The molecular characterization of the IbDFR gene in the sweet potato not only confirms its important roles in flavonoid metabolism but also supports the protective function of anthocyanins of enhanced scavenging of reactive oxygen radicals in plants under stressful conditions.

Fermentation of purple Jerusalem artichoke extract to improve the α-glucosidase inhibitory effect in vitro and ameliorate blood glucose in db/db mice.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Zhiqiang; Hwang, Seung Hwan; Lee, Sun Youb; Lim, Soon Sung

2016-06-01

Jerusalem artichoke has inhibitory activity against α-glucosidase and decreases fasting serum glucose levels, which may be related to its fructan content. The biological activity of fructan can be influenced by the degree of polymerization. Thus, in this study, the inhibitory effects of original and fermented purple Jerusalem artichoke (PJA) on α-glucosidase were compared in vitro. Additionally, the anti-diabetes effect of Lactobacillus plantarum-fermented PJA (LJA) was studied in a non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus animal model (C57BIKsJ db/db). The water extract of PJA was fermented by L. plantarum, and two strains of Bacillus subtilis to compare their anti-α-glucosidase activities in vitro by α-glucosidase assays. The anti-diabetes effect of LJA was studied in a non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus animal model (C57BIKsJ db/db) for seven weeks. During the experiment, food intake, body weight, and fasting blood glucose were measured every week. At the end of the treatment period, several diabetic parameters and the intestinal α-glucosidase activity were measured. The LJA showed the highest α-glucosidase inhibitory activity in vitro. In the in vivo study, it resulted in a significantly lower blood glucose concentration than the control. Serum insulin and HDL cholesterol levels were significantly higher and the concentrations of triglycerides, non-esterified fatty acids, and total cholesterol were significant lower in mice treated with LJA after seven weeks. In addition, the intestinal α-glucosidase activity was partially inhibited. These results suggested that LJA regulates blood glucose and has potential use as a dietary supplement.

Anthocyanin accumulation and molecular analysis of anthocyanin biosynthesis-associated genes in eggplant (Solanum melongena L.).

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Yanjie; Hu, Zongli; Chu, Guihua; Huang, Cheng; Tian, Shibing; Zhao, Zhiping; Chen, Guoping

2014-04-02

Eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) is an edible fruit vegetable cultivated and consumed worldwide. The purple eggplant is more eye-catching and popular for the health-promoting anthocyanins contained in the fruit skin. Two kinds of anthocyanin were separated and identified from purple cultivar (Zi Chang) by high-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry. To investigate the molecular mechanisms of anthocyanin accumulation in eggplant, the transcripts of anthocyanin biosynthetic and regulatory genes were analyzed in the fruit skin and the flesh of the purple cultivar and the white cultivar (Bai Xue). Compared with the other tissues, SmMYB1 and all anthocyanin biosynthetic genes except PAL were dramatically upregulated in the fruit skin of the purple cultivar. Overexpression of SmMYB1 activated abundant anthocyanin accumulation in the regenerating shoots of eggplant. These results prove that transcriptional activation of SmMYB1 accounts for constitutive upregulation of most anthocyanin biosynthetic genes and the onset of anthocyanin biosynthesis in the purple cultivar.

Effects of ozone water on growth of Lactuca sativa var. ramosa Hort and Erwinia carotovora subsp. carotovora

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Guo Zhenghong

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Research on pathogenic bacteria growth of purple lettuce (Lactuca sativa var. ramosa and its photosynthetic physiology by being sprayed ozone water on the surface of the purple lettuce with different concentration during the reproductive stage. However,little is known regarding its concentration effect. In this study,we found that ozone water in a low concentration such as 2 mg/L did not inhibit the growth of pathogenic bacteria that originate from purple lettuce and also not affect the photosynthetic physiology of purple lettuce;in a high concentration,for example,14 mg/L,can completely suppressed the growth of pathogenic bacteria but,significantly influenced the activity of photosynthetic physiology;and in a moderate amount (6 mg/L not only completely impeded the growth of pathogenic bacteria,but also slightly increased the activity of photosynthetic physiology. Based on the above results,we propose that spraying the purple lettuce with a moderate concentration of ozone water is an efficient strategy for green disinfection.

Improving detection tools for the emerald ash borer (Coleoptera: Buprestidae): comparison of prism and multifunnel traps at varying population densities.

Science.gov (United States)

Francese, Joseph A; Rietz, Michael L; Crook, Damon J; Fraser, Ivich; Lance, David R; Mastro, Victor C

2013-12-01

The current emerald ash borer survey trap used in the United States is a prism trap constructed from a stock purple corrugated plastic. In recent years, several colors (particularly shades of green and purple) have been shown to be more attractive to the emerald ash borer than this stock color. Our goal was to determine if plastics produced with these colors and incorporated into prism traps can improve and serve as a new alternative to plastics already in use for the emerald ash borer survey. The plastics were tested in moderate to heavily infested areas in Michigan in two initial studies to test their effectiveness at catching the emerald ash borer. Because results from studies performed in heavily infested sites may not always correspond with what is found along the edges of the infestation, we compared trap catch and detection rates (recording at least one catch on a trap over the course of the entire trapping season) of several trap types and colors at sites outside the core of the currently known emerald ash borer infestation in a nine-state detection tool comparison study. Two of the new plastics, a (Sabic) purple and a medium-dark (Sabic) green were incorporated into prism traps and tested alongside a standard purple prism trap and a green multifunnel trap. In areas with lower emerald ash borer density, the new purple (Sabic) corrugated plastic caught more beetles than the current purple prism trap, as well as more than the medium-dark green (Sabic) prism and green multifunnel traps. Sabic purple traps in the detection tools comparison study recorded a detection rate of 86% compared with 73, 66, and 58% for the standard purple, Sabic green, and green multifunnel traps, respectively. These detection rates were reduced to 80, 63, 55, and 46%, respectively, at low emerald ash borer density sites.

Mining pollution and the diet of the purple-striped Gudgeon Mogurnda Mogurnda Richardson (Eleotridae) in the Finniss River, Northern Territory, Australia

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jeffree, R.A.; Williams, N.J.

1980-01-01

During the dry season of 1974, collections of the purple-striped Gudgeon Mogurnda Mogurnda were taken from the Finniss River of the Northern Territory; during the wet season, this river receives acidic and metallic pollutants from the formerly mined area of Rum Jungle. The fish consumed a great variety of foods, with high abundances of dytiscidae, chironomidae, ceratopogonidae, trichoptera, odonata, copepoda, decapoda, and pisces. For no food was there a significant regression against habitat descriptors in both of the zones; this emphasizes that pollution effects are more complex than simply depressing or raising the abundances of the dietary species. Five foods were more abundant in the diets of the polluted zone, and three in those of the unpolluted zone. The dietary abundances of two foods, both crustacean, increased in the polluted zone, compared to the unpolluted zone, through the dry season. Two categories of foods: (1) those obtaining oxygen directly from the atmosphere or via a film or bubble of air; and (2) the converse set (aquatic respirers), were contrasted for their usefulness in distinguishing between the zones, by both hierarchical agglomerative and discriminant function analyses. One collection from the polluted zone was reclassified as unpolluted on the basis of its grouping behaviour. The relevance for pollution studies of dietary analysis of euryphagous fish, rather than sampling aquatic fauna directly, is discussed in terms of food substitution, switching, strategies for abundance and recovery by the fauna, and possible effects of the pollutants on the fish as an intervening collector. Downstream patterns of abundance of the invertebrate fauna in this study are broadly similar to those of other studies in which such chemically diverse metals as Pb, Zn, and Cu are the pollutants, but there are differences for some faunal components.

An approach for understanding the heredity of two quality traits (head color and tightness in globe artichoke (Cynara scolymus L.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cravero Vanina Pamela

2005-01-01

Full Text Available The inheritance of head color and tightness in globe artichoke was studied utilizing crosses between inbreed lines and between clones and self-pollinated clones from different genetic origins. These genetic materials were sowed in a completely randomized design with 20 plants per plot and genotype. Globe artichoke heads were classified into three colors (purple-green, purple and green and three head tightness types (compact, fairly compact and soft and the segregating ratios for these traits tested in each offspring using the chi-square test. Crosses between green and purple inbreed lines produced only purple-green heads but F2 generation segregated at a purple-green:purple:green ratio of 9:3:4. The self-pollinated compact head clones produced a compact head:fairly compact head:soft head ratio of 12:3:1. The remaining crosses between lines and among clones and backcrosses verified these ratios. These results suggest that two loci with a simple recessive epistasis are involved in the inheritance of head color and that two loci with simple dominant epistasis are involved in the expression of the different head tightness types. The inheritance models proposed here could be helpful in predicting the appearance of artichoke heads if breeders need to obtain hybrid seeds for a desirable phenotype.

Treatment and Remediation of Petroleum-Contaminated Soils Using Selective Ornamental Plants

OpenAIRE

Liu, Rui; Jadeja, Rajendrasinh N.; Zhou, Qixing; Liu, Zhe

2012-01-01

Pot-culture experiments were carried out to assess the phytoremediation potential of 14 ornamental plants in weathered petroleum-contaminated soil, which was collected in the Shengli Oil Field, one of the biggest oil fields in China, by examining their impact on the degradation potential of total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPHs) and its composition. Results showed Gaillardia aristata, Echinacea purpurea, Fawn (Festuca arundinacea Schreb), Fire Phoenix (a combined F. arundinacea), and Medicago sa...

Effects of ozone water on growth of Lactuca sativa var. ramosa Hort and Erwinia carotovora subsp. carotovora

OpenAIRE

Guo Zhenghong; Wang Zuoming; Yin Lijun; Zhao Xuejun; Wang Wenjia; Wang Quanxi

2017-01-01

Research on pathogenic bacteria growth of purple lettuce (Lactuca sativa var. ramosa) and its photosynthetic physiology by being sprayed ozone water on the surface of the purple lettuce with different concentration during the reproductive stage. However,little is known regarding its concentration effect. In this study,we found that ozone water in a low concentration such as 2 mg/L did not inhibit the growth of pathogenic bacteria that originate from purple lettuce and also not affect the phot...

Activation tagging in tomato identifies a transcriptional regulator of anthocyanin biosynthesis, modification, and transport.

Science.gov (United States)

Mathews, Helena; Clendennen, Stephanie K; Caldwell, Colby G; Liu, Xing Liang; Connors, Karin; Matheis, Nikolaus; Schuster, Debra K; Menasco, D J; Wagoner, Wendy; Lightner, Jonathan; Wagner, D Ry

2003-08-01

We have developed a high-throughput T-DNA insertional mutagenesis program in tomato using activation tagging to identify genes that regulate metabolic pathways. One of the activation-tagged insertion lines (ant1) showed intense purple pigmentation from the very early stage of shoot formation in culture, reflecting activation of the biosynthetic pathway leading to anthocyanin accumulation. The purple coloration resulted from the overexpression of a gene that encodes a MYB transcription factor. Vegetative tissues of ant1 plants displayed intense purple color, and the fruit showed purple spotting on the epidermis and pericarp. The gene-to-trait relationship of ant1 was confirmed by the overexpression of ANT1 in transgenic tomato and in tobacco under the control of a constitutive promoter. Suppression subtractive hybridization and RNA hybridization analysis of the purple tomato plants indicated that the overexpression of ANT1 caused the upregulation of genes that encode proteins in both the early and later steps of anthocyanidin biosynthesis as well as genes involved in the glycosylation and transport of anthocyanins into the vacuole.

Rheology of Potato flour Mixes and Wheat to Make Bread

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Ely Fernando Sacón-Vera

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Evaluate the rheological properties of flour mixes Ipomoea batata and Triticum vulgare for the preparation of bread dough, was the goal of this research for it a completely randomized design, as treatments sweet potato flour was used varieties are used: Toquecita, Guayaco Purple, Purple Ecuador, Brazil and Ina Purple in a 30/70 ratio (sweet potato flour / wheat flour respectively. The rheological variables: water absorption, development time, weakening of the dough stability, water absorption index (C1, mixing rate (C2, gluten strength index (C3, gel viscosity (C4, resistance index amylase (C5 and starch retro gradation index (C6 were evaluated with Mixolab equipment. The results showed that the variety Purple Brazil showed better characteristics of flours recommended premixes for the baking process in response to these indices

SARI BUAH MARKISA UNGU MENCEGAH PENINGKATAN MDA SERUM TIKUS DENGAN DIET ATEROGENIK

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Inggita Kusumastuty

2014-07-01

Full Text Available Abstrak Markisa ungu merupakan buah tropis yang mengandung antioksidan antara lain vitamin A, vitamin C, β-karoten, komponen flavonoid dan fiber. Dalam 100 ml sari buah markisa ungu terdapat 1070 µg β-karoten. Pemberian sari buah markisa diduga dapat mencegah peningkatan MDA. Tujuan dari penelitian ini adalah untuk mengetahui pengaruh pemberian sari buah markisa ungu per oral terhadap pencegahan peningkatan kadar MDA serum. Desain penelitian ini adalah Post-test Control Group yang dilakukan pada 30 ekor tikus jantan. Kelompok I adalah tikus yang diberi pakan normal (P0, kelompok II diberi diet aterogenik (P1, kelompok III diberi diet aterogenik dan sari buah markisa ungu 2,3 ml (P2, kelompok IV diberi diet aterogenik dan sari buah markisa ungu 3,3 ml (P3 dan kelompok V diberi diet aterogenik dan sari buah markisa ungu 4,2 ml (P4. Pemberian sari buah markisa ungu dilakukan secara oral melalui sonde setiap hari selama 60 hari. Parameter yang diukur dalam penelitian ini adalah kadar MDA serum dengan spektrofotometer. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan terdapat pengaruh pemberian sari buah markisa ungu terhadap penghambatan  peningkatan kadar MDA serum (ANOVA, p=0.000. Uji Post Hoc Tukey menunjukkan ketiga dosis sari markisa ungu yang diberikan dapat mencegah peningkatan kadar MDA serum tikus wistar. Dosis ketiga yaitu 4,2 ml/ hari yang diberikan selama 60 hari bersamaan dengan diet aterogenik secara statistik dapat mengembalikan tikus pada kondisi normal (post hoc tuckey, p=0,115. Kata kunci : sari buah markisa ungu, kadar MDA serum, diet aterogenik   Abstract Purple passion fruit is the one of tropical fruits which is contain of antioxidans such as vitamin A, vitamin C, β-karoten, flavonoid and fiber. One hundred mililitres of purple passion fruit’s juice contain 1070 µg of β-karoten. Purple passion fruit’s juice has been predicted to  inhibit the increase of MDA. The aim of this study was to find the effects of purple passion fruit�

Characterizations of purple non-sulfur bacteria isolated from paddy fields, and identification of strains with potential for plant growth-promotion, greenhouse gas mitigation and heavy metal bioremediation.

Science.gov (United States)

Sakpirom, Jakkapan; Kantachote, Duangporn; Nunkaew, Tomorn; Khan, Eakalak

2017-04-01

This study was aimed at selecting purple non-sulfur bacteria (PNSB) isolated from various paddy fields, including Cd- and Zn-contaminated paddy fields, based on their biofertilizer properties. Among 235 PNSB isolates, strain TN110 was most effective in plant growth-promoting substance (PGPS) production, releasing 3.2 mg/L of [Formula: see text] , 4.11 mg/L of 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) and 3.62 mg/L of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), and reducing methane emission up to 80%. This strain had nifH, vnfG and anfG, which are the Mo, V and Fe nitrogenase genes encoded for key enzymes in nitrogen fixation under different conditions. This strain provided 84% and 55% removal of Cd and Zn, respectively. Another isolate, TN414, not only produced PGPS (1.30 mg/L of [Formula: see text] , 0.94 mg/L of ALA and 0.65 mg/L of IAA), but was also efficient in removing both Cd and Zn at 72% and 74%, respectively. Based on 16S rDNA sequencing, strain TN110 was identified as Rhodopseudomonas palustris, while strain TN414 was Rubrivivax gelatinosus. A combination of TN110 and TN414 could potentially provide a biofertilizer, which is a greener alternative to commercial/chemical fertilizers and an agent for bioremediation of heavy metals and greenhouse gas mitigation in paddy fields. Copyright © 2016 Institut Pasteur. All rights reserved.

Pengaruh Substitusi Tepung Ubi Jalar Ungu Terhadap Kualitas Roti Tawar

OpenAIRE

Yuliandari, Vebi; Ruaida, Ruaida; Holinesti, Rahmi

2015-01-01

Purple sweet potato flour as a food ingredient has not been optimally used in the diversification of food processing, while the purple sweet potato flour can be an alternative to replace some of the flour as the main ingredient of bread This study aimed to analyze the effect of substitution of purple sweet potato flour as much as 5 %, 10% and 15% of the wheat flour used for external quality and internal quality as well as hedonic on bread. The research is a pure experiment with completely ran...

Исследование возможности применения амаранта багряного в технологии изделий из дрожжевого теста

OpenAIRE

Simakova, Olga; Korenets, Yurii; Yudina, Tatiana; Nazarenko, Iryna; Goriainova, Iuliia

2018-01-01

It was experimentally found that additives of purple amaranth (APA) have high enzyme activity, which is proved by high activity of the amylase complex: maltose number of 5 % water extract from dry foliage of purple amaranth is 12.31±0.36 %, with addition of CaCl2 (Са2+=0.01 g/l), it is 16.0±0.35 %. The obtained results indicate the prospects of using APA for enhancing baking properties of wheat flour.We determined the required concentration of the additive of flour from dry foliage of purple ...

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Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

, alternate, long-petioled and heart-shapedwith 5-7 prominent nerves and apex drawn out. Flowers are yellow with purple base, slowly changing to purple on withering. Fruits are globose capsules, which turn brown on drying. The plant parts ...

Studies on photosynthetic bacteria isolated from an estuarine beach of Goa

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Karanth, N.G.K.; Nair, S.; LokaBharathi, P.A.

-sulphur purple bacteria). It had a characteristic absorption maximum at 850 nm which is a general feature of purple bacteria. The optimum pH for this strain was 7. Effect of different organic substances, nitrogenous compounds, and pollutants CO2 fixation...

Emission lineshapes of the B850 band of light-harvesting 2 (LH2) complex in purple bacteria: a second order time-nonlocal quantum master equation approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Kumar, Praveen; Jang, Seogjoo

2013-04-07

The emission lineshape of the B850 band in the light harvesting complex 2 of purple bacteria is calculated by extending the approach of 2nd order time-nonlocal quantum master equation [S. Jang and R. J. Silbey, J. Chem. Phys. 118, 9312 (2003)]. The initial condition for the emission process corresponds to the stationary excited state density where exciton states are entangled with the bath modes in equilibrium. This exciton-bath coupling, which is not diagonal in either site excitation or exciton basis, results in a new inhomogeneous term that is absent in the expression for the absorption lineshape. Careful treatment of all the 2nd order terms are made, and explicit expressions are derived for both full 2nd order lineshape expression and the one based on secular approximation that neglects off-diagonal components in the exciton basis. Numerical results are presented for a few representative cases of disorder and temperature. Comparison of emission line shape with the absorption line shape is also made. It is shown that the inhomogeneous term coming from the entanglement of the system and bath degrees of freedom makes significant contributions to the lineshape. It is also found that the perturbative nature of the theory can result in negative portion of lineshape in some situations, which can be removed significantly by inclusion of the inhomogeneous term and completely by using the secular approximation. Comparison of the emission and absorption lineshapes at different temperatures demonstrates the role of thermal population of different exciton states and exciton-phonon couplings.

Transcriptomics reveal transgenerational effects in purple sea urchin embryos: Adult acclimation to upwelling conditions alters the response of their progeny to differential pCO2 levels.

Science.gov (United States)

Wong, Juliet M; Johnson, Kevin M; Kelly, Morgan W; Hofmann, Gretchen E

2018-03-01

Understanding the mechanisms with which organisms can respond to a rapidly changing ocean is an important research priority in marine sciences, especially in the light of recent predictions regarding the pace of ocean change in the coming decades. Transgenerational effects, in which the experience of the parental generation can shape the phenotype of their offspring, may serve as such a mechanism. In this study, adult purple sea urchins, Strongylocentrotus purpuratus, were conditioned to regionally and ecologically relevant pCO 2 levels and temperatures representative of upwelling (colder temperature and high pCO 2 ) and nonupwelling (average temperature and low pCO 2 ) conditions typical of coastal upwelling regions in the California Current System. Following 4.5 months of conditioning, adults were spawned and offspring were raised under either high or low pCO 2 levels, to examine the role of maternal effects. Using RNA-seq and comparative transcriptomics, our results indicate that differential conditioning of the adults had an effect on the gene expression patterns of the progeny during the gastrula stage of early development. For example, maternal conditioning under upwelling conditions intensified the transcriptomic response of the progeny when they were raised under high versus low pCO 2 conditions. Additionally, mothers that experienced upwelling conditions produced larger progeny. The overall findings of this study are complex, but do suggest that transgenerational plasticity in situ could act as an important mechanism by which populations might keep pace with rapid environmental change. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

On Light-Induced Photoconversion of B800 Bacteriochlorophylls in the LH2 Antenna of the Purple Sulfur Bacterium Allochromatium vinosum.

Science.gov (United States)

Kell, Adam; Jassas, Mahboobe; Hacking, Kirsty; Cogdell, Richard J; Jankowiak, Ryszard

2017-11-02

The B800-850 LH2 antenna from the photosynthetic purple sulfur bacterium Allochromatium vinosum exhibits an unusual spectral splitting of the B800 absorption band; i.e., two bands are well-resolved at 5 K with maxima at 805 nm (B800 R ) and 792 nm (B800 B ). To provide more insight into the nature of the B800 bacteriochlorophyll (BChl) a molecules, high-resolution hole-burning (HB) spectroscopy is employed. Both white light illumination and selective laser excitations into B800 R or B800 B lead to B800 R → B800 B phototransformation. Selective excitation into B800 B leads to uncorrelated excitation energy transfer (EET) to B800 R and subsequent B800 R → B800 B phototransformation. The B800 B → B800 R EET time is 0.9 ± 0.1 ps. Excitation at 808.4 nm (into the low-energy side of B800 R ) shows that the lower limit of B800 R → B850 EET is about 2 ps, as the B800 R → B800 B phototransformation process could contribute to the corresponding zero-phonon hole width. The phototransformation of B800 R leads to a ∼ 200 cm -1 average blue-shift of transition energies, i.e., B800 R changes into B800 B . We argue that it is unlikely that B800-B850 excitonic interactions give rise to a splitting of the B800 band. We propose that the latter is caused by different protein conformations that can lead to both strong or weak hydrogen bond(s) between B800 pigments and the protein scaffolding. Temperature-dependent absorption spectra of B800, which revealed a well-defined isosbestic point, support a two-site model, likely with strongly and weakly hydrogen-bonded B800 BChls. Thus, BChls contributing to B800 R and B800 B could differ in the position of the proton in the BChl carbonyl-protein hydrogen bond, i.e., proton dynamics along the hydrogen bond may well be the major mechanism of this phototransformation. However, the effective tunneling mass is likely larger than the proton mass.

Laboratory and field response of the emerald ash borer (Coleoptera: Buprestidae), to selected regions of the electromagnetic spectrum.

Science.gov (United States)

Crook, Damon J; Francese, Joseph A; Zylstra, Kelley E; Fraser, Ivich; Sawyer, Alan J; Bartels, David W; Lance, David R; Mastro, Victor C

2009-12-01

Retinal sensitivity of Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) was examined with an aim to improve trap efficacy for the beetle. Electroretinogram (ERG) recordings from dark-adapted compound eyes of male and female were measured at different wavelengths across the spectrum ranging from 300 to 700 nm. The spectral sensitivity curves revealed peaks in the UV (340 nm), the violet/purple (420-430 nm), blue (460 nm), and green (540-560 nm) regions of the spectrum. Females were sensitive to red regions of the spectrum (640-670 nm), whereas males were not. A spectrophotometer was used to measure the wavelength and reflectance for ash foliage, purple corrugated plastic traps, as well as the elytra and abdomen of adult A. planipennis. Traps were painted using colors based on ERG and spectrophotometer measurements and compared with purple corrugated plastic traps currently used by the USDA-APHIS-PPQ-EAB National Survey. In a field assay conducted along the edges of several A. planipennis-infested ash stands, there were no significant differences in trap catch among green, red, or purple treatments. Dark blue traps caught significantly fewer A. planipennis than red, light green, or dark purple traps. In a second assay where purple and green treatments were placed in the mid canopy of ash trees (approximately 13 m in height), trap catch was significantly higher on green treatments. We hypothesize that when placed in the mid-canopy, green traps constitute a foliage-type stimulus that elicits food-seeking and/or host seeking behavior by A. planipennis.

Comparison of trap types and colors for capturing emerald ash borer adults at different population densities.

Science.gov (United States)

Poland, Therese M; Mccullough, Deborah G

2014-02-01

Results of numerous trials to evaluate artificial trap designs and lures for detection of Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire, the emerald ash borer, have yielded inconsistent results, possibly because of different A. planipennis population densities in the field sites. In 2010 and 2011, we compared 1) green canopy traps, 2) purple canopy traps, 3) green double-decker traps, and 4) purple double-decker traps in sites representing a range of A. planipennis infestation levels. Traps were baited with cis-3-hexenol in both years, plus an 80:20 mixture of Manuka and Phoebe oil (2010) or Manuka oil alone (2011). Condition of trees bearing canopy traps, A. planipennis infestation level of trees in the vicinity of traps, and number of A. planipennis captured per trap differed among sites in both years. Overall in both years, more females, males, and beetles of both sexes were captured on double-decker traps than canopy traps, and more beetles of both sexes (2010) or females (2011) were captured on purple traps than green traps. In 2010, detection rates were higher for purple (100%) and green double-decker traps (100%) than for purple (82%) or green canopy traps (64%) at sites with very low to low A. planipennis infestation levels. Captures of A. planipennis on canopy traps consistently increased with the infestation level of the canopy trap-bearing trees. Differences among trap types were most pronounced at sites with low A. planipennis densities, where more beetles were captured on purple double-decker traps than on green canopy traps in both years.

Analysis of the Black Female Initiation Characteristics in The Color Purple%《紫色》中的黑人女性成长特点

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

冯丽君; 鱼戏溪

2012-01-01

美国传统成长小说的主人公大都是男性,艾丽斯·沃克在其代表作《紫色》中则成功塑造了一位黑人女性成长主人公——西丽。由于深受种族主义和父权主义的双重压迫,西丽被剥夺了受教育的权利和追求幸福的自由,但是在黑人女性同胞的指引下,西丽以其顽强的毅力克服了种种困难,成功地实现了从无知到成熟的转变。西丽艰辛的成长过程正是黑人女性寻求解放的过程,西丽用自己成功的成长经历,为黑人女性树立了榜样,为黑人妇女的解放指明了方向。%The heroes of the traditional American Initiation Stories generally are male, while in her masterpiece The Color Purple, Alice Walker successfully creats a black-female Initiation hero Celie. Suffering from the double oppressions of racism and sexism, Celie is deprived of her right of formal education and pursuit of happiness. Nevertheless, under the guide the black-female sisters, Celie manages to overcome all the difficulties and successfully grow from innocence to maturity. The hardness of Celie＇s growing process is just like the process of black-females＇ pursuing emancipation. Using her own experiences, Celie sets a good example for all the black women and a right direction for black women＇s liberation.

Metabolism of the herbicide glufosinate-ammonium in plant cell cultures of transgenic (rhizomania-resistant) and non-transgenic sugarbeet (Beta vulgaris), carrot (Daucus carota), purple foxglove (Digitalis purpurea) and thorn apple (Datura stramonium).

Science.gov (United States)

Müller, B P; Zumdick, A; Schuphan, I; Schmidt, B

2001-01-01

The metabolism of the herbicide glufosinate-ammonium was investigated in heterotrophic cell suspension and callus cultures of transgenic (bar-gene) and non-transgenic sugarbeet (Beta vulgaris). Similar studies were performed with suspensions of carrot (Daucus carota), purple foxglove (Digitalis purpurea) and thorn apple (Datura stramonium). 14C-labelled chemicals were the (racemic) glufosinate, L-glufosinate, and D-glufosinate, as well as the metabolites N-acetyl L-glufosinate and 3-(hydroxymethylphosphinyl)propionic acid (MPP). Cellular absorption was generally low, but depended noticeably on plant species, substance and enantiomer. Portions of non-extractable residues ranged from 0.1% to 1.2% of applied 14C. Amounts of soluble metabolites resulting from glufosinate or L-glufosinate were between 0.0% and 26.7% of absorbed 14C in non-transgenic cultures and 28.2% and 59.9% in transgenic sugarbeet. D-Glufosinate, MPP and N-acetyl L-glufosinate proved to be stable. The main metabolite in transgenic sugarbeet was N-acetyl L-glufosinate, besides traces of MPP and 4-(hydroxymethylphosphinyl)butanoic acid (MPB). In non-transgenic sugarbeet, glufosinate was transformed to a limited extent to MPP and trace amounts of MPB. In carrot, D stramonium and D purpurea, MPP was also the main product; MPB was identified as a further trace metabolite in D stramonium and D purpurea.

Studies on distribution and residue of sulfur in simulated acid rain in vegetable and soil by using 35S

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wan Zhaoliang; Liu Dayong

1995-01-01

Distribution and residue of sulfur in simulated acid rain in two kinds of vegetables (lettuce and Chinese cabbage) and three types of soils (acid yellow earth, acid and neutral purple soils) were studied by using 35 S tracer method. The results showed that the higher concentration of acid rain was sprayed, the more residue of sulfur in vegetable there would be. The residue of sulfur in vegetable varied with the different physical and chemical properties of soils, the order of sulfur residue in vegetable was: acid purple soil>acid yellow earth>neutral purple soil. In the same soil, the residue of sulfur in lettuce was higher than that in Chinese cabbage, for the same vegetable, the residue of sulfur in leaves were higher than that in stems. The order of sulfur residue in different soils was acid purple soil>acid yellow earth>neutral purple soil. The higher concentration of acid rain was sprayed, the more residue of sulfur in soil surface there would be. The sulfur residue varied with the depth of soil and the pH value of acid rain. With the increase of soil depth, a slight increase of sulfur residue with rain of ph 6 and a slight decrease with rain of pH 4.0 and 2.5 were found

Produção da capuchinha em cultivo solteiro e consorciado com os repolhos verde e roxo sob dois arranjos de plantas Yield of nasturtium in monocrop and intercropped with 'green' and 'purple' cabbage under two arrangements of plants

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ademir Antunes Moraes

2008-08-01

Full Text Available Objetivou-se, neste trabalho, estudar a produção de flores da capuchinha e das " cabeças" do repolho, cultivadas como culturas solteiras e consorciadas. Foi estudada a capuchinha 'Jewel' (Ca, em cultivo solteiro e consorciado com os repolhos de folhas verdes 'Sooshu' (RV ou roxas 'Red Extra Early' (RR, sob duas (2 ou três (3 fileiras de plantas no canteiro. Os dez tratamentos resultantes (Ca2, Ca3, RV2, RV3, RR2, RR3, Ca2RV3, Ca3RV2, Ca2RR3, Ca3RR2 foram arranjados no delineamento experimental blocos casualizados, com três repetições. As colheitas das flores da capuchinha foram efetuadas entre 30 e 155 dias após o transplante (DAT e as das " cabeças" dos repolhos, entre 102 e 140 DAT. O maior número de flores e a maior massa fresca das flores da capuchinha foi em cultivo solteiro (12.022.220 ha-1 e 8,20 t ha-1, respectivamente. No consórcio, os maiores valores foram com o repolho roxo (7.555.560 ha-1 e 5,04 t ha-1, respectivamente. As produções médias de massas fresca das " cabeças" do repolho com folhas verdes em cultivo solteiro e consorciado foram de 33,78 e 35,76 t ha-1 e do repolho roxo foram de 23,19 e 19,50 t ha-1, respectivamente. O cálculo da razão de área equivalente foi de 1,56 (Ca2RV3, 1,33 (Ca3RV2, 1,30 (Ca2RR3 e 1,45 (Ca3RR2, indicando ser viável cultivar em consórcio. Considerando a renda bruta, pode-se concluir que o consórcio da capuchinha e do repolho foi viável para o produtor de repolho, devendo optar-se pelo arranjo Ca2RV3. O produtor de capuchinha deve optar pelo cultivo solteiro, com duas fileiras no canteiro.This work has as aim to study yield of nasturtium flowers and of cabbage 'heads' that were cultivated as monocrops and intercrops. 'Jewel' nasturtium (Ca was studied in monocrop and intercropped with 'Sooshu' green leaves (RV or 'Red Extra Early' purple leaves (RR cabbages, under two (2 or three (3 rows of plants per plot. The ten resultant treatments (Ca2, Ca3, RV2, RV3, RR2, RR3, Ca2RV3, Ca3RV2

Identification of the monobrominated derivative of Acid Red 52 (Food Red No. 106) in pickled vegetables.

Science.gov (United States)

Ochi, Naoki; Okuda, Tetsuya; Fujii, Hisashi

2016-09-01

Two unknown dyes (purple and purplish-red) were detected by TLC in two pickled vegetable (sakura-zuke daikon) samples containing Acid Red 52 (AR) and New Coccine as food colorants. HPLC with diode-array detection and LC/MS analyses suggested that the purple dye is monobrominated AR and the purplish-red dye is its N-desethyl derivative, which would be generated mainly during sample preparation. For the identification of the purple dye, a reference compound was prepared by bromination of AR followed by isolation of the monobrominated AR, the structure of which was elucidated as 4'-brominated AR (4'BrAR) by LC/ToF-MS and (1)H-NMR spectroscopy. The purple dye was confirmed as 4'BrAR by comparison of its retention time, ultraviolet-visible spectrum and mass spectrum with those of the prepared reference compound. To our knowledge, this is the first report of the detection of 4'BrAR in foods.

Soil attributes and efficiency of sulfentrazone on control of purple nutsedge (Cyperus rotundus L. Atributos de solo e a eficiência do sulfentrazone no controle de tiririca (Cyperus rotundus L.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pedro Luís da Costa Aguiar Alves

2004-06-01

Full Text Available In the soil, herbicides are submitted to absorption, leaching and degradation by physical, chemical and biological processes or absorbed by plants. All these processes are dependent on soil class and weather conditions and affect the product efficiency on weed control. The objective of this work was to investigate the influence of soil attributes on sulfentrazone efficiency for controlling purple nutsedge (Cyperus rotundus L. . Soil samples from LVAd (Typic Haplustox, LVd, LVdf and LVef (Typic Haplustox and Typic Eutrustox, NVe (Rhodic Kandiustalf, and LVd (Typic Haplustox were collected under two crop conditions aiming to have different clay, Fe oxides, and organic matter contents. The soil samples were submitted to granulometric, chemical and mineralogical characterization. A bioassay was used to evaluate the efficacy of sulfentrazone (1.6 L c.p. ha-1 to control purple nutsedge on pre-emergence. The sulfentrazone behaved differently among the studied soil classes. The product efficiency decreased when the soil Fe oxide content increased, following the order: LVAd, LVd, NVe, LVef and LVdf. Clay content, ranging from 240 to 640 g kg-1, and organic matter content, ranging from 12 to 78 g kg-1, did not influence sulfentrazone efficiency.Herbicidas aplicados ao solo são submetidos à adsorção, lixiviação e degradação por processos físicos, químicos e biológicos, além da absorção pelas plantas. Todos esses processos são afetados pela classe dos solos onde foram aplicados e das condições climáticas reinantes logo após a aplicação, que afetarão a eficiência dos produtos no controle de plantas daninhas. Investigaram-se as influências dos atributos de solos e condições de cultivo na eficiência do herbicida sulfentrazone no controle da planta daninha tiririca (Cyperus rotundus L.. O Latossolo Vermelho-Amarelo Distrófico (LVAd, o Latossolo Vermelho (LVd - Distrófico; LVdf - Distroférrico; LVef - Eutroférrico e o Nitossolo

Stark absorption spectroscopy on the carotenoids bound to B800-820 and B800-850 type LH2 complexes from a purple photosynthetic bacterium, Phaeospirillum molischianum strain DSM120.

Science.gov (United States)

Horibe, Tomoko; Qian, Pu; Hunter, C Neil; Hashimoto, Hideki

2015-04-15

Stark absorption spectroscopy was applied to clarify the structural differences between carotenoids bound to the B800-820 and B800-850 LH2 complexes from a purple photosynthetic bacterium Phaeospirillum (Phs.) molischianum DSM120. The former complex is produced when the bacteria are grown under stressed conditions of low temperature and dim light. These two LH2 complexes bind carotenoids with similar composition, 10% lycopene and 80% rhodopin, each with the same number of conjugated CC double bonds (n=11). Quantitative classical and semi-quantum chemical analyses of Stark absorption spectra recorded in the carotenoid absorption region reveal that the absolute values of the difference dipole moments |Δμ| have substantial differences (2 [D/f]) for carotenoids bound to either B800-820 or B800-850 complexes. The origin of this striking difference in the |Δμ| values was analyzed using the X-ray crystal structure of the B800-850 LH2 complex from Phs. molischianum DSM119. Semi-empirical molecular orbital calculations predict structural deformations of the major carotenoid, rhodopin, bound within the B800-820 complex. We propose that simultaneous rotations around neighboring CC and CC bonds account for the differences in the 2 [D/f] of the |Δμ| value. The plausible position of the rotation is postulated to be located around C21-C24 bonds of rhodopin. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Purple sweet potato color alleviates D-galactose-induced brain aging in old mice by promoting survival of neurons via PI3K pathway and inhibiting cytochrome C-mediated apoptosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Jun; Wu, Dong-mei; Zheng, Yuan-lin; Hu, Bin; Zhang, Zi-feng

2010-05-01

Purple sweet potato color (PSPC), a class of naturally occurring anthocyanins, protects brain function against oxidative stress induced by D-galactose (D-gal) (Sigma-Aldrich, St. Louis, MO, USA). Our data showed that PSPC enhanced open-field activity, decreased step-through latency, and improved spatial learning and memory ability in D-gal-treated old mice by decreasing advanced glycation end-products' (AGEs) formation and the AGE receptor (RAGE) expression, and by elevating Cu,Zn-superoxide dismutase (Cu,Zn-SOD) (Sigma-Aldrich) and catalase (CAT) expression and activity. Cleavage of caspase-3 and increased terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT)-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate (dUTP) nick-end-labeling (TUNEL)-positive cells in D-gal-treated old mice were inhibited by PSPC, which might be attributed to its antioxidant property. PSPC also suppressed the activation of c-Jun NH(2)-terminal kinase (JNK) and the release of cytochrome c from mitochondria that counteracted the onset of neuronal apoptosis in D-gal-treated old mice. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) activation was required for PSPC to promote the neuronal survival accompanied with phosphorylation and activation of Akt and p44/42 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) by using PI3K inhibitor LY294002 (Cell Signaling Technology, Inc., Beverly, MA, USA), implicating a neuronal survival mechanism. The present results suggest that neuronal survival promoted by PSPC may be a potentially effective method to enhance resistance of neurons to age-related disease.

Super-Resolution for Color Imagery

Science.gov (United States)

2017-09-01

September 2017 2. REPORT TYPE Technical Report 3. DATES COVERED (From - To) 1 October 2016‒30 September 2017 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Super...slightly lighter shade of purple. There is slightly less purple coloring on the white paper than with the other 2 color spaces, and the black font is

Sedimentology, Mineralogy, Morphology, and Characterization of Purple Non-Sulfur Bacteria Communities from Modern Hypersaline Microbial Mats in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands

Science.gov (United States)

Rodriguez Colon, B. J.; Rivera-Lopez, E. O.; Ramirez-Martinez, W. R.; Rios-Velazquez, C.; Perez-Valentin, K. A.

2017-12-01

Microbial mats are organosedimentary structures which house complex guilds of microbial communities, held together by a gelatinous exopolymeric substance (EPS). This biofilm contributes to the formation of laminations by binding and trapping sediments, as well as in-situ organomineralization. Microbial mats commonly thrive in extreme habitats, such as the hypersaline environments, which have been studied throughout several coastal regions in the Caribbean. This project aims to study the morphology, sedimentology, and mineralogy of five different modern hypersaline microbial mats from Puerto Rico and Anegada that have not yet been studied, to assess their differences/similarities. At the same time, we intent to isolate and characterize purple non-sulfur bacteria (PNSB), which is an anoxyphototrophic microorganism that contributes to the pink pigmentation observed in the second layer of a typical microbial mat. Different layers within each mat were separated, dissected and dissolved to remove all organic material. The resulting sediment was then analyzed mineralogically using X-ray diffraction, and used to make petrographic thin sections. To isolate PNSB candidates, serial dilutions followed by filtration were performed to extracted sections from the pink layer of each mat. The samples were planted in Petri dishes with marine media and placed in Anaerobic Jars. Colonies Descriptions, Gram stain and molecular analysis using 16S rDNA gene was performed. Preliminary results show a diversity of mat morphologies throughout the ponds, similar to what has been observed in other hypersaline ponds and marshes in the Caribbean. Sedimentary analysis shows that the mats from Puerto Rico have similar allochthonous material (e.g. Halimeda sp. fragments). Microcodium fabrics, conoform structures, and hemispheroidal morphologies were observed as well. In Anegada, lithified microbialites were observed in the Red Pond location. Mineralogically, all samples were similar except for the

Diploïde populaties van de smeerwortel in Nederland bedreigd

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Gadella, Th.W.J.; Kliphuis, E.

1985-01-01

S. officinale is a variable species. In the Netherlands three cytotypes occur: 2n = 24, 40, 48. The white-flowered diploid (2n = 24) is rare in Europe. The tetraploid cytotype (2n = 48) is represented by white- and purple-flowered plants in the Netherlands and by purple-flowered plants in Poland. In

Arsenic-Redox Transformation and Plant Growth Promotion by Purple Nonsulfur Bacteria Rhodopseudomonas palustris CS2 and Rhodopseudomonas faecalis SS5.

Science.gov (United States)

Batool, Kanza; Tuz Zahra, Fatima; Rehman, Yasir

2017-01-01

Arsenic (As) is a well-known toxic metalloid found naturally and released by different industries, especially in developing countries. Purple nonsulfur bacteria (PNSB) are known for wastewater treatment and plant growth promoting abilities. As-resistant PNSB were isolated from a fish pond. Based on As-resistance and plant growth promoting attributes, 2 isolates CS2 and SS5 were selected and identified as Rhodopseudomonas palustris and Rhodopseudomonas faecalis , respectively, through 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Maximum As(V) resistance shown by R. faecalis SS5 and R. palustris CS2 was up to 150 and 100 mM, respectively. R . palustris CS2 showed highest As(V) reduction up to 62.9% (6.29 ± 0.24 mM), while R. faecalis SS5 showed maximum As(III) oxidation up to 96% (4.8 ± 0.32 mM), respectively. Highest auxin production was observed by R. palustris CS2 and R. faecalis SS, up to 77.18 ± 3.7 and 76.67 ± 2.8  μ g mL -1 , respectively. Effects of these PNSB were tested on the growth of Vigna mungo plants. A statistically significant increase in growth was observed in plants inoculated with isolates compared to uninoculated plants, both in presence and in absence of As. R. palustris CS2 treated plants showed 17% (28.1 ± 0.87 cm) increase in shoot length and 21.7% (7.07 ± 0.42 cm) increase in root length, whereas R. faecalis SS5 treated plants showed 12.8% (27.09 ± 0.81 cm) increase in shoot length and 18.8% (6.9 ± 0.34 cm) increase in root length as compared to the control plants. In presence of As, R. palustris CS2 increased shoot length up to 26.3% (21.0 ± 1.1 cm), while root length increased up to 31.3% (5.3 ± 0.4 cm), whereas R. faecalis SS5 inoculated plants showed 25% (20.7 ± 1.4 cm) increase in shoot length and 33.3% (5.4 ± 0.65 cm) increase in root length as compared to the control plants. Bacteria with such diverse abilities could be ideal for plant growth promotion in As-contaminated sites.

The Inhibitory Effects of Purple Sweet Potato Color on Hepatic Inflammation Is Associated with Restoration of NAD⁺ Levels and Attenuation of NLRP3 Inflammasome Activation in High-Fat-Diet-Treated Mice.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Xin; Zhang, Zi-Feng; Zheng, Gui-Hong; Wang, Ai-Min; Sun, Chun-Hui; Qin, Su-Ping; Zhuang, Juan; Lu, Jun; Ma, Dai-Fu; Zheng, Yuan-Lin

2017-08-08

Purple sweet potato color (PSPC), a class of naturally occurring anthocyanins, exhibits beneficial effects on metabolic syndrome. Sustained inflammation plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of metabolic syndrome. Here we explored the effects of PSPC on high-fat diet (HFD)-induced hepatic inflammation and the mechanisms underlying these effects. Mice were divided into four groups: Control group, HFD group, HFD + PSPC group, and PSPC group. PSPC was administered by daily oral gavage at doses of 700 mg/kg/day for 20 weeks. Nicotinamide riboside (NR) was used to increase NAD⁺ levels. Our results showed that PSPC effectively ameliorated obesity and liver injuries in HFD-fed mice. Moreover, PSPC notably blocked hepatic oxidative stress in HFD-treated mice. Furthermore, PSPC dramatically restored NAD⁺ level to abate endoplasmic reticulum stress (ER stress) in HFD-treated mouse livers, which was confirmed by NR treatment. Consequently, PSPC remarkably suppressed the nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) p65 nuclear translocation and nucleotide oligomerization domain protein1/2 (NOD1/2) signaling in HFD-treated mouse livers. Thereby, PSPC markedly diminished the NLR family, pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome activation, ultimately lowering the expressions of inflammation-related genes in HFD-treated mouse livers. In summary, PSPC protected against HFD-induced hepatic inflammation by boosting NAD⁺ level to inhibit NLRP3 inflammasome activation.

Defense.gov - Special Report - Tragedy at Fort Hood

Science.gov (United States)

. 6, 2015 – Army Secretary John M. McHugh approved awarding the Purple Heart and its civilian base. U.S. Army photo by Daniel Cernero High-Res >> Army Secretary John M. McHugh presents the Purple Heart to retired Army Staff Sgt. Alonzo Lunsford Jr. Army Secretary John M. McHugh presents the

Upper petal lip colour polymorphism in Collinsia heterophylla

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Understanding the genetics of a polymorphic trait is important to predict its likely evolution. In Collinsia heterophylla, the upper petal lip colour can be either be white or white with a purple band, while the lower petal lip colour is invariably purple. Because the corolla is only partly polymorphic, the polymorphism can not have ...

Analysis of Maceaene and Macamide Contents of Petroleum Ether Extract of Black, Yellow, and Purple Lepidium Meyenii (Maca and Their Antioxidant Effect on Diabetes Mellitus Rat Model

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Congyang Qiu

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Maceaene and macamide contents as well as antioxidant effect of petroleum ether extract of black maca (BM, yellow maca (YM, and purple maca (PM on diabetes mellitus (DM rats were investigated. The results showed that seven, six, and five analogues of macamides were identified from the petroleum ether extracts of BM, YM, and PM, respectively. BM extract exhibited the highest contents of total macamides. Comparatively, the PM extract has the lowest macamide quantity. The maceaene contents in all the extracts showed no significant difference (p>0.05. Macamide contents in maca with the same color were not statistically different. Pharmacological results showed that 60-day oral administration of the petroleum ether extract of maca (100 mg/kg.d can significantly decrease lipid oxidation as indicated by the decreased thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS and carbonylated proteins (CP concentrations on DM rat model (P<0.05. Among them, oral administration of PM extract showed the lowest TBRAS and CP concentrations. All maca extracts can enhance antioxidant enzyme (SOD, superoxide dismutase; CAT, catalase activity of liver and red blood cells (RBC of DM rat. However, only oral administration of PM extract can increase SOD and CAT activity of both RBC and liver. The glutathion (GSH contents in plasma were significantly increased in DM rats treated with PM extract (p<0.05. But, oral administration of BM and YM extracts did not enhance GSH levels. Take together, the data suggested that PM extract exhibited the most potent antioxidant activity on DM rat model. And, maceaene and macamide in maca extract was not correlated with its antioxidant ability.

Probiotic-fermented purple sweet potato yogurt activates compensatory IGF‑IR/PI3K/Akt survival pathways and attenuates cardiac apoptosis in the hearts of spontaneously hypertensive rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Pei-Pei; Hsieh, You-Miin; Kuo, Wei-Wen; Lin, Yueh-Min; Yeh, Yu-Lan; Lin, Chien-Chung; Tsai, Fuu-Jen; Tsai, Chang-Hai; Huang, Chih-Yang; Tsai, Cheng-Chih

2013-12-01

Apoptosis is recognized as a predictor of adverse outcomes in subjects with cardiac diseases. The aim of this study was to explore the effects of probiotic-fermented purple sweet potato yogurt (PSPY) with high γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) content on cardiac apoptosis in spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR) hearts. The rats were orally adminsitered with 2 different concentrations of PSPY (10 and 100%) or captopril, 15.6 mg/kg, body weight (BW)/day. The control group was administered distilled water. DAPI and TUNEL staining were used to detect the numbers of apoptotic cells. A decrease in the number of TUNEL-positive cardiac myocytes was observed in the SHR-PSPY (10 and 100%) groups. In addition, the levels of key components of the Fas receptor- and mitochondrial-dependent apoptotic pathways were determined by western blot analysis. The results revealed that the levels of the key components of the Fas receptor- and mitochondrial-dependent apoptotic pathway were significantly decreased in the SHR-captopril, and 10 and 100% PSPY groups. Additionally, the levels of phosphorylated insulin-like growth factor‑I receptor (p-IGF‑IR) were increased in SHR hearts from the SHR-control group; however, no recovery in the levels of downstream signaling components was observed. In addition, the levels of components of the compensatory IGF-IR-dependent survival pathway (p-PI3K and p-Akt) were all highly enhanced in the left ventricles in the hearts form the SHR-10 and 100% PSPY groups. Therefore, the oral administration of PSPY may attenuate cardiomyocyte apoptosis in SHR hearts by activating IGF‑IR-dependent survival signaling pathways.

Running title: Antioxidant and cell viability of Echinacea purpurea

African Journals Online (AJOL)

shieh cho han

protein and starch production to the development of ... and amylase have also markedly increased the digesti- bility of low glutinousness ... feedstuff, feed processing (temperature and moisture content) ... digestion of anti-nutrient substance. 4.

Multiple UV reflectance peaks in the iridescent neck feathers of pigeons

Science.gov (United States)

McGraw, Kevin J.

Recent studies of colorful plumage signals in birds have been aided by the finding that birds can see ultraviolet (UV) light and thus may communicate using colors invisible to humans. Some of the pioneering and more pivotal work on avian color vision was performed with domestic pigeons (Columba livia), yet surprisingly there have been few detailed reports of the UV-reflecting properties of pigeon feathers. Here, I use UV-VIS fiber-optic spectrometry to document the full-spectrum reflectance characteristics of iridescent purple and green neck plumage in pigeons. Neck feathers that appear purple to the human eye exhibit four reflectance peaks-two in the UV and one in the blue and red regions-and thus exhibit a UV-purple hue. Neck feathers that appear green to the human eye are characterized by five spectral peaks: two in the UV (UVA and UVB), a predominant green peak, and secondary violet and red peaks, conferring a UV-purple-green color. Such elaborate UV coloration suggests that birds may use an even more complex and `hidden' UV signaling system than previously thought.

[Monitoring of chemical components with different color traits of Tussilago farfara using NMR-based metabolomics].

Science.gov (United States)

Mi, Xi; Li, Zhen-yu; Qin, Xue-mei; Zhang, Li-zeng

2013-11-01

The quality and grade of traditional Chinese medicinal herbs were assessed by their characteristics traditionally. According to traditional experience, the quality of the purple Flos Farfarae is better than that of yellow buds. NMR-based metabolomic approach combined with significant analysis of microarray (SAM) and Spearman rank correlation analysis were used to investigate the different metabolites of the Flos Farfarae with different color feature. Principal component analysis (PCA) showed clear distinction between the purple and yellow flower buds of Tussilago farfara. The S-plot of orthogonal PLS-DA (OPLS-DA) and t test revealed that the levels of threonine, proline, phosphatidylcholine, creatinine, 4, 5-dicaffeoylquinic acid, rutin, caffeic acid, kaempferol analogues, and tussilagone were higher in the purple flower buds than that in the yellow buds, in agreement with the results of SAM and Spearman rank correlation analysis. The results confirmed the traditional medication experience that "purple flower bud is better than the yellow ones", and provide a scientific basis for assessing the quality of Flos Farfarae by the color features.

Underutilized chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa, Aronia arbutifolia, Aronia prunifolia) accessions are rich sources of anthocyanins, flavonoids, hydroxycinnamic acids, and proanthocyanidins.

Science.gov (United States)

Taheri, Rod; Connolly, Bryan A; Brand, Mark H; Bolling, Bradley W

2013-09-11

Polyphenols from underutilized black, purple, and red aronia (Aronia melanocarpa, Aronia prunifolia, and Aronia arbutifolia) and 'Viking' (Aronia mitschurinii) berries were characterized. Anthocyanin and nonanthocyanin flavonoids were quantitated by UHPLC-DAD-MS and proanthocyanidins by normal-phase HPLC. On a dry weight basis, anthocyanins were mainly cyanidin-3-galactoside, highest in black aronia (3.4-14.8 mg/g) and lowest in red aronia (0.5-0.8 mg/g) as cyandin-3-galactoside equivalents. Berries from 'Viking' and the red accession UC021 had substantially more proanthocyanidins than the other accessions, with 3.3 and 3.8 mg catechin equiv/g, respectively. Chlorogenic acids and quercetin glycosides were most abundant in purple UC047 berries, at 17.3 and 1.3 mg/g, respectively. In contrast to anthocyanin content, total phenol values were highest in berries from red and purple accessions and attributed to phenolic acid and proanthocyanin content. Thus, red, purple, and black aronia berries are rich sources of polyphenols with various levels of polyphenol classes.

Comparative study on nutritional quality and application value in three mutants of indigofera pseudotinctoria mats

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mei Shufang; Mei Zhong; Zhao Hua; Huang Xin; Ye Hongxia; Shu Xiaoli; Wu Dianxing

2013-01-01

Major nutritional quality and values in purple-leaf, yellow-leaf and high flavone mutants of Indigofera pseudotinctoria Mats were investigated compared with the wild type. The content of protein in leaves of high flavone mutant was 26.45%, 24.31% higher than that of the wild type. The content of fiber in high flavone mutant was 18.92% lower than that of the wild type. The contents of Fe, Cu, Mn, Zn in high flavone mutant were increased by 72.34% , 7.02%, 21.01% and 38.75%, respectively. Contents of TAA and EAA in high flavone mutant were increase by 27.85% and 27.68%, respectively. The contents of protein in purple- and yellow-leaf mutants were lower than that of the wild types, and the contents of Ca in purple- and yellow-leaf mutants were increased by 15.22% and 25.46%. The results above indicated that high flavone mutant had high application values used as feed crop, while purple- and yellow-leaf mutants also had feeding values to some extent. (authors)

Effect of Rhizosphere Enzymes on Phytoremediation in PAH-Contaminated Soil Using Five Plant Species

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Rui; Dai, Yuanyuan; Sun, Libo

2015-01-01

A pot experiment was performed to study the effectiveness of remediation using different plant species and the enzyme response involved in remediating PAH-contaminated soil. The study indicated that species Echinacea purpurea, Festuca arundinacea Schred, Fire Phoenix (a combined F. arundinacea), and Medicago sativa L. possess the potential for remediation in PAH-contaminated soils. The study also determined that enzymatic reactions of polyphenol oxidase (except Fire Phoenix), dehydrogenase (except Fire Phoenix), and urease (except Medicago sativa L.) were more prominent over cultivation periods of 60d and 120d than 150d. Urease activity of the tested species exhibited prominently linear negative correlations with alkali-hydrolyzable nitrogen content after the tested plants were cultivated for 150d (R2 = 0.9592). The experiment also indicated that alkaline phosphatase activity in four of the five tested species (Echinacea purpurea, Callistephus chinensis, Festuca arundinacea Schred and Fire Phoenix) was inhibited during the cultivation process (at 60d and 120d). At the same time, the study determined that the linear relationship between alkaline phosphatase activity and effective phosphorus content in plant rhizosphere soil exhibited a negative correlation after a growing period of 120d (R2 = 0.665). Phytoremediation of organic contaminants in the soil was closely related to specific characteristics of particular plant species, and the catalyzed reactions were the result of the action of multiple enzymes in the plant rhizosphere soil. PMID:25822167

76 FR 52272 - Technical Revisions To Conform to the Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act of 2010

Science.gov (United States)

2011-08-22

... benefits before issuing any rule that may result in expenditure by state, local, or Tribal governments, in... November 11, 1998), or any''. 0 b. In paragraph (b)(3), removing ``Purple Heart'' and adding, in its place, ``Medal of Honor or Purple Heart''. 0 c. In paragraph (b)(6), removing ``, or for any'' and adding, in its...