Chemical composition and larvicidal activity of essential oils of three Artemisia species

Aedes aegypti L. (Diptera: Culicidae) is a vector for serious diseases in tropical regions. This pest is mainly controlled by commercial larvicides but the application of such products has led to environmental problems. Essential oils (EO) have been consistently reported as molecules with insecticidal activity and can be used to produce more environmentally friendly larvicides in the control of A. aegypti. In this study, the larvicidal effect of essential oils (EO) from the leaves of three Artemisia species was evaluated against A. aegypti. The oils were obtained from steam distillation and their chemical composition was determined by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. The EO of Artemisia camphorata was the most active in the screening bioassay and presented LC₅₀ and LC₉₅ of 64.95 and 74.18 μg ml⁻¹, respectively. In addition, we found that germacrene D-4-ol was the constituent responsible for the toxicity of this EO. Artemisia camphorata EO and its major constituent, germacrene D-4-ol, are promising for the development of natural larvicides against A. aegypti.     

A new survey of Brazilian marine algae for agglutinins

Aqueous protein extracts from 30 Brazilian marine algae were examined for haemagglutinating activity using native and enzyme-treated rabbit, chicken, sheep and human erythrocytes. Most extracts agglutinated at least one of the blood cells used. Sheep and rabbit erythrocytes were more suitable for detection of the agglutinating activity. The minimum protein concentration necessary to produce positive agglutination was usually lower with enzyme-treated erythrocytes than native ones. The five algal protein extracts showing the greatest haemagglutination titre were tested for sugar-binding specificity. Only the activity present in the green alga Cauler pacupressoides was inhibited by simple sugars and not by the glycoproteins tested. The activity of the other four extracts was inhibited by at least one of the glycoproteins utilised. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Distribution and content of calcium and potassium in eucalyptus leaves infected with Calonectria pteridis

Calonectria leaf spot, caused by Calonectria pteridis, is a serious problem in Eucalyptus crops in both nursery and the field. Under ideal conditions, the disease can cause severe defoliation. It is known that calcium and potassium are directly related to the plant's resistance to pathogens. Thus, the knowledge of how a balanced fertilization of Ca and K interferes in the distribution of these nutrients at the infection site would contribute to elucidate the resistance of the plant related to its nutrition. This study investigated the effect of calcium and potassium fertilizer application on the content and distribution of these nutrients in the symptomatic leaf area, transition zone and asymptomatic leaf area over time. Eucalyptus seedlings were grown in nutrient solution under different Ca and K treatments (6 mmol/L K + 4 mmol/L Ca, 6 mmol/L K + 8 mmol/L Ca and 9 mmol/L K + 12 mmol/L Ca) and inoculated with C. pteridis. Leaves were removed at 24, 48 and 72 hr after inoculation (hai) and evaluated by X-ray microanalysis. The highest calcium content among the different leaf areas was observed in the symptomatic area, and the levels in this area increased over time, with the highest mean value observed at 72 hai in the 6K + 8Ca treatment. In the other treatments, the mean calcium content peaked at 48 hai and then decreased. A similar pattern in asymptomatic tissue was observed for potassium in the 6K + 8Ca treatment. Fertilization with calcium and potassium directly affected the demand and availability of nutrients at different times during infection. These results demonstrate that plant defence responses and their continuity over time during infection rely on balanced calcium and potassium fertilization because these nutrients are directly involved in plant resistance to the pathogen.     

On the Three-Finger Protein Domain Fold and CD59-Like Proteins in Schistosoma mansoni

Background

It is believed that schistosomes evade complement-mediated killing by expressing regulatory proteins on their surface. Recently, six homologues of human CD59, an important inhibitor of the complement system membrane attack complex, were identified in the schistosome genome. Therefore, it is important to investigate whether these molecules could act as CD59-like complement inhibitors in schistosomes as part of an immune evasion strategy.

Methodology/Principal Findings

Herein, we describe the molecular characterization of seven putative SmCD59-like genes and attempt to address the putative biological function of two isoforms. Superimposition analysis of the 3D structure of hCD59 and schistosome sequences revealed that they contain the three-fingered protein domain (TFPD). However, the conserved amino acid residues involved in complement recognition in mammals could not be identified. Real-time RT-PCR and Western blot analysis determined that most of these genes are up-regulated in the transition from free-living cercaria to adult worm stage. Immunolocalization experiments and tegument preparations confirm that at least some of the SmCD59-like proteins are surface-localized; however, significant expression was also detected in internal tissues of adult worms. Finally, the involvement of two SmCD59 proteins in complement inhibition was evaluated by three different approaches: (i) a hemolytic assay using recombinant soluble forms expressed in Pichia pastoris and E. coli; (ii) complement-resistance of CHO cells expressing the respective membrane-anchored proteins; and (iii) the complement killing of schistosomula after gene suppression by RNAi. Our data indicated that these proteins are not involved in the regulation of complement activation.

Conclusions

Our results suggest that this group of proteins belongs to the TFPD superfamily. Their expression is associated to intra-host stages, present in the tegument surface, and also in intra-parasite tissues. Three distinct approaches using SmCD59 proteins to inhibit complement strongly suggested that these proteins are not complement inhibitors and their function in schistosomes remains to be determined.     

CO2 adsorption on polar surfaces of ZnO

Physical and chemical adsorption of CO₂ on ZnO surfaces were studied by means of two different implementations of periodic density functional theory. Adsorption energies were computed and compared to values in the literature. In particular, it was found that the calculated equilibrium structure and internuclear distances are in agreement with previous work. CO₂ adsorption was analyzed by inspection of the density of states and electron localization function. Valence bands, band gap and final states of adsorbed CO₂ were investigated and the effect of atomic displacements analyzed. The partial density of states (PDOS) of chemical adsorption of CO₂ on the ZnO(0001) surface show that the p orbitals of CO₂ were mixed with the ZnO valence band state appearing at the top of the valence band and in regions of low-energy conduction band.

Converging Modalities Ground Abstract Categories: The Case of Politics

Three studies are reported examining the grounding of abstract concepts across two modalities (visual and auditory) and their symbolic representation. A comparison of the outcomes across these studies reveals that the symbolic representation of political concepts and their visual and auditory modalities is convergent. In other words, the spatial relationships between specific instances of the political categories are highly overlapping across the symbolic, visual and auditory modalities. These findings suggest that abstract categories display redundancy across modal and amodal representations, and are multimodal.     

Expression and pharmacological inhibition of TrkB and EGFR in glioblastoma

Molecular Biology Reports - A member of the Trk family of neurotrophin receptors, tropomyosin receptor kinase B (TrkB, encoded by the NTRK2 gene) is an increasingly important target in various...     

Donepezil Prevents Inhibition of Cerebral Energetic Metabolism Without Altering Behavioral Parameters in Animal Model of Obesity

Neurochemical Research - Obesity is characterized by chronic inflammation of low grade. The cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway favors the reduction of the inflammatory response. In this work the...