Gamma-Decanolactone Alters the Expression of GluN2B,A1 Receptors,and COX-2 and Reduces DNA Damage in the PTZ-Induced Seizure Model After Subchronic Treatment in Mice

Neurochemical Research - Gamma-decanolactone (GD) has been shown to reduce epileptic behavior in different models, inflammatory decreasing, oxidative stress, and genotoxic parameters. This study...     

Optimization and Technological Development Strategies of an Antimicrobial Extract from Achyrocline alata Assisted by Statistical Design

Achyrocline alata, known as Jateí-ka-há, is traditionally used to treat several health problems, including inflammations and infections. This study aimed to optimize an active extract against Streptococcus mutans, the main bacteria that causes caries. The extract was developed using an accelerated solvent extraction and chemometric calculations. Factorial design and response surface methodologies were used to determine the most important variables, such as active compound selectivity. The standardized extraction recovered 99% of the four main compounds, gnaphaliin, helipyrone, obtusifolin and lepidissipyrone, which represent 44% of the extract. The optimized extract of A. alata has a MIC of 62.5 μg/mL against S. mutans and could be used in mouth care products.     

Towards soil management with Zn and Mn: estimates of fertilisation efficacy of Citrus trees

Nutrient management recommendations for fruit crops lack the understanding of the efficiency of soil fertilisation with manganese (Mn) and zinc (Zn), which could substitute, in part, the traditional foliar applications. Fruit yield of trees in response to Zn and Mn supply via soil may be limited either by sorption reactions with soil colloids or low solubility of fertilisers. We investigated the effects of fertiliser sources and rates of Mn and Zn applied to soils with different sorption capacities on nutrient uptake, biochemical responses and biomass of Citrus. Two experiments were carried out with 2‐year‐old sweet orange trees that received applications of Mn or Zn. The first experiment evaluated the application of Mn fertilisers (MnCO₃ and MnSO₄) at three levels of the nutrient (0, 0.7 and 3.5 g plant^?1 of Mn) in two types of soil (18.1% and 64.4% of clay, referred to as sandy loam and clay soils, respectively). The second experiment, likewise, evaluated Zn fertilisers (ZnO and ZnSO₄) and nutrient levels (0, 1.0 and 5.0 g plant^?1 of Zn). Application of Mn and Zn increased nutrient availability in the soils as well as leaf nutrient concentrations in the trees. The lowest rates, 0.7 g plant^?1 of Mn and 1.0 g plant^?1 of Zn, both as sulphate, were sufficient to supply these micronutrients to sufficient levels in leaves, flowers and fruits. Metal toxicity to plants occurred with higher doses of both nutrients and to a large extent in the sandy soil. In this case, protein bands lower than 25 kDa were observed as well a decrease on leaf chlorophyll content. In the clay soil, despite increased micronutrient concentrations in the plant, responses were less pronounced because of higher adsorption of metals in the soil. Superoxide dismutase (SOD, EC 1.15.1.1) isoenzyme activity was determined by non‐denaturing polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE). The Cu/Zn‐SOD isoenzymes increased with increased Zn rates, but in contrast, when Mn was applied at the highest rate, the activity of Cu/Zn‐SODs decreased. The SOD activity pattern observed indicated increased production of superoxide and consequently an oxidative stress condition at the highest rates of Zn and Mn applied. The results demonstrated that the soil application of Mn and Zn can supply nutrient demands of orange trees, however the low solubility of fertilisers and the high sorption capacity of soils limit fertilisation efficiency. On the contrary, application of sulphate source in sandy soils may cause excess uptake of Mn and Zn and oxidative stress, which impairs the photosynthetic apparatus and consequently tree growth.     

Wooden objects from Ohalo II (23,000 cal BP), Jordan Valley, Israel

Eight wooden objects were found at Ohalo II, a submerged and well-preserved site in the Sea of Galilee, Israel. The fisher-hunter-gatherers' site has been radiometrically dated to 22,500-23,500 (cal BP) with 45 assays read by four laboratories. The wooden objects were found on brush-hut floors. They include a bark plank with polish and use signs, pencil-shaped specimens with longitudinal shavings, and other types that may have been decorative or symbolic. One incised wooden object is identical in size and incision pattern to a gazelle bone implement found in a grave, behind a human skull. The recovered wooden objects are not directly related to hunting, gathering, or fishing, and frustratingly, there are no remains of bows, arrows, spears, handles, or other such items. Nonetheless, the objects present a wide repertoire in terms of size, shape, and possible function. The new finds add to the growing body of evidence concerning the use of perishable materials during the Upper Paleolithic.     

Effect of temperature on seed production in the invasive grass Glyceria maxima (Hartm.) Holmb. (Poaceae) in South Africa

Temperature is one of the main factors that determine sexual reproduction in terrestrial and emergent aquatic plant species. The effect of temperature on sexual reproduction and seed production of Glyceria maxima (Hartm.) Holmb. in the southern hemisphere is unknown. Glyceria maxima collections in February 2010 at three isolated infestations in KwaZulu-Natal failed to yield a single seed, only empty panicles. Laboratory experiments showed that vernalisation had no consistent effect on seed production. Field- and laboratory-grown plants produced seeds in the 2010/2011 season, because of having sufficient time at optimum temperatures required for seed production (1 491 and 1 585 hours, respectively), compared to a shorter period (1 352 hours) of suitable temperatures during the 2009/2010 growing season. An inadequate period of optimum temperatures (15–25°C) during seed production resulted in the lack of seeds in the field in the 2009/2010 growing season. This study showed that temperature and duration of exposure thereto during the seed-production period play vital roles in G. maxima sexual reproduction.     

Cloning and endogenous expression of a Eucalyptus grandis UDP-glucose dehydrogenase cDNA

UDP-glucose dehydrogenase (UGDH) catalyzes the oxidation of UDP-glucose (UDP-Glc) to UDP-glucuronate (UDP-GlcA), a key sugar nucleotide involved in the biosynthesis of plant cell wall polysaccharides. A full-length cDNA fragment coding for UGDH was cloned from the cambial region of 6-month-old E. grandis saplings by RT-PCR. The 1443-bp-ORF encodes a protein of 480 amino acids with a predicted molecular weight of 53 kDa. The recombinant protein expressed in Escherichia coli catalyzed the conversion of UDP-Glc to UDP-GlcA, confirming that the cloned cDNA encodes UGDH. The deduced amino acid sequence of the cDNA showed a high degree of identity with UGDH from several plant species. The Southern blot assay indicated that more than one copy of UGDH is present in Eucalyptus. These results were also confirmed by the proteomic analysis of the cambial region of 3- and 22-year-old E. grandis trees by 2-DE and LC-MS/MS, showing that at least two isoforms are present. The cloned gene is mainly expressed in roots, stem and bark of 6-month-old saplings, with a lower expression in leaves. High expression levels were also observed in the cambial region of 3- and 22-year-old trees. The results described in this paper provide a further view of the hemicellulose biosynthesis during wood formation in E. grandis.     

Isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 R132C mutation occurs exclusively in microsatellite stable colorectal cancers with the CpG island methylator phenotype

The CpG Island Methylator Phenotype (CIMP) is fundamental to an important subset of colorectal cancer; however, its cause is unknown. CIMP is associated with microsatellite instability but is also found in BRAF mutant microsatellite stable cancers that are associated with poor prognosis. The isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 (IDH1) gene causes CIMP in glioma due to an activating mutation that produces the 2-hydroxyglutarate oncometabolite. We therefore examined IDH1 alteration as a potential cause of CIMP in colorectal cancer. The IDH1 mutational hotspot was screened in 86 CIMP-positive and 80 CIMP-negative cancers. The entire coding sequence was examined in 81 CIMP-positive colorectal cancers. Forty-seven cancers varying by CIMP-status and IDH1 mutation status were examined using Illumina 450K DNA methylation microarrays. The R132C IDH1 mutation was detected in 4/166 cancers. All IDH1 mutations were in CIMP cancers that were BRAF mutant and microsatellite stable (4/45, 8.9%). Unsupervised hierarchical cluster analysis identified an IDH1 mutation-like methylation signature in approximately half of the CIMP-positive cancers. IDH1 mutation appears to cause CIMP in a small proportion of BRAF mutant, microsatellite stable colorectal cancers. This study provides a precedent that a single gene mutation may cause CIMP in colorectal cancer, and that this will be associated with a specific epigenetic signature and clinicopathological features.