Synthesis,antimicrobial and molecular docking studies of enantiomerically pure N-alkylated β-amino alcohols from phenylpropanolamines

Enantiomerically pure N-alkylated β-amino alcohols 1a, 1a′, 1c, 1c′, 1d, 1d′, 1e and 1e′, with ee 100% have been synthesized from phenylpropanolamines 2. Effect of the neighboring chiral environment on the newly formed chiral center has been studied experimentally and concluded that the newly formed chiral center’s absolute configuration is opposite to the adjacent (α- or β-) chiral environment. The antimicrobial activity of the synthesized β-amino alcohols were screened using in vitro disc diffusion method and variable antimicrobial activities were shown for 1a, 1a′, 1c, 1c′, 1d, 1d′, 1e & 1e′ and amongst them 1d & 1d′ exhibited significant activity against bacteria and fungi. In silico studies revealed all the synthesized β-amino alcohols 1a–e and 1a′–e′ have shown good binding energies ranging from −7.38 to −6.09 kJ/mol towards the target receptor DNA topoisomerase IV and 1d′ has shown maximum binding energy −7.38 kJ/mol.     

Sampling Atriplex bladders: a comparison of methods

Abstract. A major objection to the convenient sampling of Chenopodiacean bladders by brushing in aqueous solutions is the suspected leakage of ions from the leaf blade. To overcome this problem, a new method of sampling bladder hair is described, which also achieves rapid and quantitative separation and, at the same time, yields bladder samples of undoubtedly high purity. Leakage is stopped by the aid of liquid nitrogen. Comparison of this method to removal of bladders by brushing in aquenous solutions effectively confirm the validity of the customary method beyond dispute.     

Confidence Limits for the Ratio of Two Binomial Proportions Based on Likelihood Scores: Non-Iterative Method

The interval estimation of the ratio of two binomial proportions based on the score statistic is superior over other methods. Iterative algorithms for calculating the approximate confidence interval have been provided by, e.g., KOOPMAN (1984, Biometrics 40:513–517) and GART and NAM (1988a, Biometrics 44:323–338). This note presents the analytical solutions for upper and lower confidence limits in a closed form and gives examples for numerical illustration. The non-iterative method is generally more desirable than the iterative method.     

Comparison of heart rate monitoring combined with indirect calorimetry and the doubly labelled water (2H218O) method for the measurement of energy expenditure in children

The aim of the present study was to compare data on 24-h energy expenditure (EE24h) in nine boys and ten girls (mean age 9.3 and 8.1 years, respectively) by heart rates (fc) combined with energy expenditure obtained from a 1-day stay in an indirect calorimeter (EEcal) and a 2-week period of normal living using the doubly labelled water method (EEdlw). Individual calibration curves were derived from fc and oxygen uptake measured during sleep (in the calorimeter), standing and walking on a treadmill. An estimation of energy expenditure based on 24-h fc monitoring (EEfc) was made during the stay in the calorimeter and on a normal school-day. Mean results showed an overestimation in EEfc compared to EEcal and EEdlw of 10.4% and 12.3% respectively, varying from 6.3% to 16.2%. These results confirmed earlier observations in adults that for a group the fc method overestimates EE24h by about 10%.     

Relationships of growth,stable carbon isotope composition and anatomical properties of leaf and xylem in seven mulberry cultivars: a hint towards drought tolerance

• The fast growth of mulberry depends on high water consumption, but considerable variations in drought tolerance exist across different cultivars. Physiological and anatomical mechanisms are important to plant survival under drought. However, few research efforts have been made to reveal the relationships of these two aspects in relation to drought tolerance.
• In this study, growth rates, leaf functional physiology and anatomical characteristics of leaf and xylem of 1‐year‐old saplings of seven mulberry cultivars at a common garden were compared. Their relationships were also explored.
• Growth, leaf physiology and anatomy were significantly different among the tested cultivars. Foliar stable carbon isotope composition (δ¹³C) was negatively correlated with growth rates, and closely related to several leaf and xylem anatomical traits. Particularly, leaf thickness, predicted hydraulic conductivity and vessel element length jointly contributed 77% of the variability in δ¹³C. Cultivar Wupu had small stomata, intermediate leaf thickness, the smallest hydraulically weighted vessel diameter and highest vessel number, and higher δ¹³C; Yunguo1 had high abaxial stomatal density, low specific leaf area, moderate hydraulic conductivity and δ¹³C; these are beneficial features to reduce leaf water loss and drought‐induced xylem embolism in arid areas. Cultivar Liaolu11 had contrasting physiological and anatomical traits compared with the previous two cultivars, suggesting that it might be sensitive to drought.
• Our findings indicate that growth and δ¹³C are closely associated with both leaf and xylem anatomical characteristics in mulberry, which provides fundamental information to assist evaluation of drought tolerance in mulberry cultivars and in other woody trees.

     

Quantification of Endospore Concentrations of Pasteuria penetrans in Tomato Root Material

Six methods for quantification of the endospore concentrations of Pasteuria penetrans from tomato roots are described. Mortar disruption and machine disruption methods gave the highest estimations (endospores per gram of root material) of 83.7 and 79.0 million, respectively. These methods were significantly superior to incubation bioassay (47.7 million), enzymatic disruption (32.1 million), and enzymatic disruption + flotation (25.8 million) methods. A centrifugation bioassay method gave the lowest estimation of 12.7 million.