Coumaroyl-, caffeoyl- and feruloyltartronates and their accumulation in mung bean

Three new plant constituents were isolated from the primary leaves of Vigna radiata (= Phaseolus aureus) and their structures elucidated and characterized with the aid of negative-ion fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry (FAB MS), ¹H NMR and UV spectroscopy, thin-layer, gas-liquid and high performance liquid chromatography. The new conjugates are (E)-p-coumaroyl-, (E)-caffeoyl- and (E)-feruloyltartronic acids. Their structures were unequivocally confirmed by comparison with synthetic material. The metabolism of the new hydroxycinnamic acid conjugates in young plants of Vigna radiata is described.     

Sesquiterpenes from Japanese liverworts

Five Japanese liverworts (Bazzania sp.) were examined for sesquiterpenes. B. japonica and B. pompeana contained two new drimane-type sesquiterpene esters, albicanyl 3,4-dihydroxycinnamate and albicanyl 2,4dihydroxycinnamate. Tridensenone, a new aromadendrane-type sesquiterpene ketone was isolated from B. tridens. The stereostructures of these new sesquiterpenes were elucidated mainly by spectrometry. Barbatane-, bazzanane- and cuparane-type sesquiterpenes were found in all of the five species investigated. These sesquiterpenes, along with the new drimane- and aromadendrane-type sesquiterpenes are useful chemosystematic markers.     

Acylated flavonol glycosides and δ-truxinate derivative from the aerial parts of Lysimachia clethroides

Phytochemical investigation of the aerial parts of Lysimachia clethroides led to the isolation of a new acylated flavonol glycoside (1) and a new δ-truxinate derivative (2), together with three known acylated flavonol glycosides. The structures of the new compounds were determined by spectroscopic methods and chemical evidence as quercetin-3-O-β-d-(6-O-Z-p-coumaroyl)glucopyranoside (1) and monomethyl 3,3′,4,4′-tetrahydroxy-δ-truxinate (2), respectively. All of the isolates were evaluated for their in vitro inhibitory activity against aldose reductase.     

New cis-ent-clerodanes from Linaria japonica

Five new cis-ent-clerodanes, linarenones A–E (1–5) and two known compounds (6 and 7) were isolated from whole plant of Linaria japonica. The structures of these compounds were determined by various spectroscopic analyses (UV, IR, HR–ESI–MS, 1D and 2D NMR). The absolute configuration of five new diterpenoids was confirmed by circular dichroism (CD) analysis and chemical conversion. Cytotoxicity of the isolated compounds against A549 cell lines and Leishmania major were evaluated. The new cis-ent-clerodane 3 was found to be moderately active against A549 cell lines, and new cis-ent-clerodanes 1, 6 and desacetyl-linarienone (7) were active against L. major.     

Commensal Nematodes in the Glands,Genitalia, and Brood Cells of Bees (Apoidea)

Seven species of bees from the eastern United States, representing four families in the Apoidea, were dissected and examined for nematode associates. Dufour''s glands in females of Halictus ligatus, Augochlora pura mosieri, and Augochlorella gratiosa (Halictidae) from Florida were infested with dauer juveniles of Aduncospiculum halicti (Diplogasteridae). The Dufour''s glands of Colletes thoracicus (Colletidae) females from Maryland were infested with dauer juveniles of a new species of Koerneria sp. (Diplogasteridae), and abdominal glands of females of Andrena alleghaniensis (Andrenidae) from New York were infested with dauer juveniles of another new species of Koerneria. The lateral and median oviducts, Dufour''s glands, and poison sacs in females of Anthophora abrupta (Anthophoridae) from Maryland and Alabama were infested with dauer juveniles of a new species of Bursaphelenchus sp. (Aphelenchoididae). Cross sections of the nematode-infested poison sacs of A. abrupta revealed two types of humoral host defense reactions.     

Fern constituents: Cycloartane triterpenoids and allied compounds from Polypodium formosanum and P. niponicum

From the rhizomes of Polypodium formosanum, new triterpenoids of the cycloartane group, (24R)-cyclolaudenol and (24R)-cyclomargenol, were isolated as the corresponding acetates, alcohols and ketones, and their structures were established. Also, from the rhizomes of P. niponicum eight acetates of cycloartane derivatives and two acetates of new methyl sterols were isolated and characterized.     

DNA barcode reveals candidate species of Scinax and Ololygon (Anura: Hylidae) in Atlantic Forest

Molecular species delimitation methods are efficient tools to identify species, including the discovery of new taxa and cryptic organisms, thus being useful to biodiversity studies. In the present work, 16S mitochondrial sequences and cytochrome oxidase I (COI) were used to evaluate the richness of species in the genus Scinax and Ololygon from a biodiversity hotspot in Atlantic Forest. A total of 109 specimens formally belonging to eight species of Scinax and three species of Ololygon were collected in 13 localities along the state of Bahia (northeastern Brazil) and one site in Espírito Santo (southeastern Brazil). Of the Scinax species collected in this study, three were morphologically differentiated from other described species and identified as putative new species (Scinax sp.1, Scinax sp.2 and Scinax sp.3). The species delimitations were inferred using three different methods: ABGD, PTP and mPTP which allowed recognizing 11 Scinax species and five Ololygon species. Scinax sp. 1, Scinax sp. 2 and Scinax sp. 3, have been confirmed as new putative species and Ololygon argyreornata possibly contains cryptic species. We suggest additional studies, including morphological and bioacoustic data to validate these new putative species.     

Arbutin derivatives from the buds of Vaccinium dunalianum and their MS/MS spectrometric fragmentations

Four arbutin derivatives were isolated from the buds of Vaccinium dunalianum in which 4-hydroxyphenyl-6′-(3''-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-4''-hydroxycinnamoyl)-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (1) was a new compound. The structure of the new compound was determined on the basis of NMR and HR-ESI-MS data. All the arbutin derivatives were subjected to the MS/MS analyses from which the MS/MS spectrometric fragmentations were summarized.     

Three new species from the subfamily Phyllocoptinae (Acari,Trombidiformes, Eriophyidae) in Iran

Three new eriophyid species (Phyllocoptinae), Shevtchenkella denticulata sp. n., Notallus pestehae sp. n. and Echinacrus ruthenicus sp. n., were described from Eryngium thyrsoideum Boiss. (Apiaceae), Pistacia vera L. (Anacardiaceae) and Lycium ruthenicum Murray (Solanaceae), respectively. All the three new species were collected from southwest of the East Azerbaijan province, Iran in 2011. It is the first record of an eriophyoid mite collected from E. thyrsoideum and L. ruthenicum and the first record of Notallus from Anacardiaceae plant family.     

New Approach for Interpreting Changes in Circulating Tumour Cells (CTC) for Evaluation of Treatment Effect in Metastatic Breast Cancer

Aim: Attempts have been made to use CTC values for interpretation of treatment response and to guide change of chemotherapy by using a static cut-off of 5 CTC to stratify patients in favourable or unfavourable responders. We propose a new approach to interpret treatment effect using significant changes in CTC values (SCV-limits¹) as grouping parameter for responders and non-responders to chemotherapy among metastatic breast cancer (mBC) patients. Method: CTC were analysed using the CellSearch System in blood from 47 mBC patients before the start of new chemotherapy and before the third cycle of therapy. The new and old approach to interpret changes in CTC values were compared in relation to progression free survival (PFS). Results: The new approach using significant CTC change (P = .032) and the old approach using static cut-off (P > .001) correlated significantly with PFS using a cohort of 47 patients. Conclusion: We propose a new approach to interpret significant changes between baseline and follow-up CTC values as a tool for assessing treatment effect in mBC. Our approach stratified patients in new risk groups that were stratified significantly with respect to PFS. More patients are needed to balance the size of the risk groups for better comparison to the existing approach based on a 5 CTC cut-off.     

One new flavonoid xyloside and one new natural triterpene rhamnoside from the leaves of Syzygium grande

One new flavonoid glycoside, myricetin 4′-methyl ether 3-O-β-d-xylopyranoside (1) and one new natural triterpene glycoside, grandoside (2) were isolated from a MeOH extract of the leaves of Syzygium grande, together with thirteen known compounds (3–15). The structures of the new compounds were determined through a combination of spectroscopic and chemical analyses. All of the isolated compounds were evaluated for their antifungal, antibacterial, anti-leishmania, DPPH radical-scavenging and cytotoxic activities by means of MTT assay.     

Does Sleep Improve Your Grammar? Preferential Consolidation of Arbitrary Components of New Linguistic Knowledge

We examined the role of sleep-related memory consolidation processes in learning new form-meaning mappings. Specifically, we examined a Complementary Learning Systems account, which implies that sleep-related consolidation should be more beneficial for new hippocampally dependent arbitrary mappings (e.g. new vocabulary items) relative to new systematic mappings (e.g. grammatical regularities), which can be better encoded neocortically. The hypothesis was tested using a novel language with an artificial grammatical gender system. Stem-referent mappings implemented arbitrary aspects of the new language, and determiner/suffix+natural gender mappings implemented systematic aspects (e.g. tib scoiffesh + ballerina, tib mofeem + bride; ked jorool + cowboy, ked heefaff + priest). Importantly, the determiner-gender and the suffix-gender mappings varied in complexity and salience, thus providing a range of opportunities to detect beneficial effects of sleep for this type of mapping. Participants were trained on the new language using a word-picture matching task, and were tested after a 2-hour delay which included sleep or wakefulness. Participants in the sleep group outperformed participants in the wake group on tests assessing memory for the arbitrary aspects of the new mappings (individual vocabulary items), whereas we saw no evidence of a sleep benefit in any of the tests assessing memory for the systematic aspects of the new mappings: Participants in both groups extracted the salient determiner-natural gender mapping, but not the more complex suffix-natural gender mapping. The data support the predictions of the complementary systems account and highlight the importance of the arbitrariness/systematicity dimension in the consolidation process for declarative memories.     

Insight into the Evolution of Magnetotaxis in Magnetospirillum spp., Based on mam Gene Phylogeny

Vibrioid- to helical-shaped magnetotactic bacteria phylogenetically related to the genus Magnetospirillum were isolated in axenic cultures from a number of freshwater and brackish environments located in the southwestern United States. Based on 16S rRNA gene sequences, most of the new isolates represent new Magnetospirillum species or new strains of known Magnetospirillum species, while one isolate appears to represent a new genus basal to Magnetospirillum. Partial sequences of conserved mam genes, genes reported to be involved in the magnetosome and magnetosome chain formation, and form II of the ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase gene (cbbM) were determined in the new isolates and compared. The cbbM gene was chosen for comparison because it is not involved in magnetosome synthesis; it is highly conserved and is present in all but possibly one of the genomes of the magnetospirilla and the new isolates. Phylogenies based on 16S rRNA, cbbM, and mam gene sequences were reasonably congruent, indicating that the genes involved in magnetotaxis were acquired by a common ancestor of the Magnetospirillum clade. However, in one case, magnetosome genes might have been acquired through horizontal gene transfer. Our results also extend the known diversity of the Magnetospirillum group and show that they are widespread in freshwater environments.     

Two new Pythium species from China based on the morphology and DNA sequence data

In an investigation of Pythium species in lawn grassland of south China, two new species, Pythium breve and P. baisense, were identified based on morphological characteristics and DNA sequence data. These two new species differ morphologically from the other Pythium species by the oogonia encompassed by many antheridia and with 1?C3 antheridia on the wavy and curved stalks. Furthermore, P. baisense with complexly lobed antheridial stalks differs from P. breve with antheridial stalks entwining the hyphae nearby the oogonia with several turns. Results of phylogenetic analyses showed that these two new species were clearly separated from morphologically similar Pythium species based on the internal transcribed spacer region (ITS1, 5.8S, ITS2) and cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COXI) gene sequences using maximum parsimony and Bayesian methods. These two new species are described and illustrated in detail.     

Genotypic difference in response of peroxidase and superoxide dismutase isozymes and activities to salt stress in barley

Difference in isozymes and activities of peroxidase (POD) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) in two barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) genotypes differing in salt tolerance (Gebeina, tolerant; Quzhou, sensitive) was investigated using a hydroponic experiment. The activities of both enzymes were significantly increased when the plants of the two barley genotypes were exposed to salt stress, with salt-tolerant genotype being generally higher than the sensitive one. The variation in the POD and SOD isozymes was dependent on barley genotype, salt level and exposure time. When the plants were exposed to salt stress for 10 days, two new POD isozymes were found, R _m0.26 (R _m, relative mobility of enzyme to dye) in Gebeina and R _m0.45 in Quzhou. Both isozymes disappeared after 20 days of salt stress, but R _m0.26 appeared again 30 days after the stress. Two new SOD isozymes of R _m0.19 and R _m0.46 were found in Gebeina when exposed to NaCl for 10 days, but only R _m0.46 in Quzhou. As the time of salt stress extended, more new SOD isozymes were detected, R _m0.35 in both genotypes in all different salt treatments and R _m0.48 in Gebeina under 200 mM NaCl stress. At 30 days after the stress, all the new SOD isozymes disappeared except for R _m0.48 in Gebeina under 200 mM NaCl stress. The results suggest that the increased POD and SOD activities could be partly due to the formation of some new isozymes and the tolerant variety had better ability to form new isozymes to overcome salt stress.     

Two new aporphine alkaloids with glucose consumption increasing activity from Cassytha filiformis

Two new aporphine alkaloids, named precassythine (1) and (+)− 6S-ocotecine-N-oxide (2), were isolated from Cassytha filiformis. The new structures were elucidated by applying various spectroscopic techniques, including 1D-, ²D NMR and HRESIMS. The absolute configurations of 1 and 2 were determined by calculated electronic circular dichroism (ECD). Both compounds were evaluated for their effects on glucose consumption on HL-7702 cells at different concentrations. The results showed that the two new compounds significantly increased glucose consumption.     

3-Hydroxyisoflavanones from the stem bark of Dalbergia melanoxylon: Isolation,antimycobacterial evaluation and molecular docking studies

Two new 3-hydroxyisoflavanones, (S)-3,4′,5-trihydroxy-2′,7-dimethoxy-3′-prenylisoflavanone (trivial name kenusanone F 7-methyl ether) and (S)-3,5-dihydroxy-2′,7-dimethoxy-2″,2″-dimethylpyrano[5″,6″:3′,4′]isoflavanone (trivial name sophoronol-7-methyl ether) along with two known compounds (dalbergin and formononetin) were isolated from the stem bark of Dalbergia melanoxylon. The structures were elucidated using spectroscopic techniques. Kenusanone F 7-methyl ether showed activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis, whereas both of the new compounds were inactive against the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum at 10 μg/ml. Docking studies showed that the new compounds kenusanone F 7-methyl ether and sophoronol-7-methyl ether have high affinity for the M. tuberculosis drug target INHA.     

Steroidal Saponins from the Rhizomes of Aspidistra typica

Eleven new furostanol saponins, typaspidosides B-L (1–11), one new spirostanol saponin, typaspidoside M (12), and five known spirostanol saponins, 25S-atropuroside (13), neoaspidistrin (14), (25S)-pratioside D₁ (15), 25S-aspidistrin (16) and 25S-neosibiricoside (17) were isolated from the rhizomes of Aspidistra typica Baill. The structures of the new compounds were established using 1D and 2D NMR (¹H-¹H COSY, HMQC, HMBC and ROESY) spectroscopy, high resolution mass spectrometry, and chemical methods. The aglycones of 1–3 (unusual furostanol saponins with opened E ring type), 9 and 10 (the methoxyl substituent at C-23 position) were found, identified from natural products for the first time. Moreover, the anti-HIV activities of the isolated steroidal glycosides were assessed, and compounds 13, 14, 16 and 17 exhibited high active against HIV-1.