Neo-clerodane diterpenoids from teucrium yemense

The aerial parts of Teucrium yemense yielded four new neo-clerodane diterpenoids, namely, 6β-O-acetyl-3β-hydroxyteucroxylepin, teucryemin, 19-O-acetylteucryemin and teucryeminone, in addition to the known flavone cirsiliol. The structures of the new compounds were elucidated from their spectral data, by chemical derivatization and by comparison with closely related compounds.     

New sesquiterpene lactones from Liriodendron tulipifera

Four new sesquiterpene lactones were obtained from L. tulipifera; two germacranolides, lipiferolide (4) and epitulipinolide diepoxide (5) from the leaves, an elemanolide, epitulipdienolide (7), and an eudesmanolide, γ-liriodenolide (6) from the root bark. Structural determination was by physical and chemical methods and by direct correlation to the known epitulipinolide (3). Lipiferolide and epitulipinolide diepoxide possess cytotoxic activity against KB cells.     

Synthesis and antiviral evaluation of some new pyrazole and fused pyrazolopyrimidine derivatives

Some novel substituted pyrazole and pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidine derivatives 2, 4, 8, and 9 were synthesized. Also, some acyclic S-nucleosides of pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidine derivatives 10-13 were prepared via reaction of pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidine-4(3H)-thione derivative 9 with some acyclic sugars. Moreover, the N-nucleoside derivative 14 was prepared via reaction of compound 8 with glucosamine hydrochloride. The antiviral evaluation of some selected new products showed that they have promising antiviral activity against hepatitis-A virus (HAV) and herpes simplex virus type-1 (HSV-1).     

The pathway of dephosphorylation of myo-inositol hexakisphosphate by phytate-degrading enzymes of different Bacillus spp

The pathway of dephosphorylation of myo-inositol hexakisphosphate by the phytate-degrading enzymes of Bacillus subtilis 168, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens ATCC 15841, and Bacillus amyloliquefaciens 45 was established using a combination of high-performance ion chromatography analysis and kinetic studies. The data demonstrate that all the Bacillus phytate-degrading enzymes under investigation dephosphorylate myo-inositol hexakisphosphate by sequential removal of phosphate groups via two independent routes; the routes proceed via D-Ins(1,2,4,5,6)P5 to Ins(2,4,5,6)P4 to finally Ins(2,4,6)P3 or D-Ins(2,5,6)P3 and via D-Ins(1,2,4,5,6)P5 to D-Ins(1,2,5,6)P4 to finally D-Ins(1,2,6)P3. The resulting myo-inositol trisphosphate D-Ins(1,2,6)P3 was degraded via D-Ins(2,6)P2 to finally Ins(2)P after prolonged incubation times in combination with increased enzyme concentration.     

A comparative Study on the Effect of Seed Pre-sowing Treatments with Microwave Radiation and Salicylic Acid in Alleviating the Drought-Induced Damage in Wheat

Journal of Plant Growth Regulation - This study was conducted to compare the potential of physical and chemical seed priming with weak microwave radiation (MR) and salicylic acid (SA),...     

Optical resolution of (±)-dehydrodiisoeugenol: Structure revision of acuminatin

The lignan, acuminatin, whose structure was previously reported as 3, was found to be identical with the methyl ether of (+)-dehydrodi-isoeugenol, and therefore its structure must now be revised to (+)-2.     

Studies on the characterization of rat prostate androgen receptors

Summary Choline used as the sole carbon or carbon and nitrogen source induces in Pseudomonas aeruginosa an active transport system. The induction of the choline uptake is repressed by succinate independently of the presence of ammonium ion in the culture medium. The repression mediated by succinate was insensitive to cyclic AMP. Substitution for dibutyryl-cyclic AMP was without effect. Choline metabolites that also support the growth of Pseudomonas aeruginosa were poor inducer agents of the choline transport. Kinetic evidence and the employment of choline metabolites as effectors indicated that the choline uptake system of this bacterium is formed by at least two components: one of high affinity (Km=3 µM) and another of low affinity (Km=400 µM). Contrary to what occurs in the synaptosome system, the high affinity form for the choline uptake was not dependent on Na⁺ ions and is not inhibited by hemicholinium-3. Since Pseudomonas aeruginosa can utilize choline as the sole carbon and nitrogen source, the induction of the choline transport with two components in this bacterium may be related to its own strategy to survive and grow in an adverse environment.     

Synthesis and anti-H5N1 virus activity of triazole- and oxadiazole-pyrimidine hybrids and their nucleoside analogs

Abstract

New 1,2,3-triazole glycosides and 1,2,4-thioglycosides incorporating a substituted pyrimidinedione ring system were synthesized via click dipolar cycloaddition and heterocyclization of hydrazine-1-carbodithioate derivatives, respectively. The sugar hydrazine derivatives linked aminodimethyluracil were also prepared. In addition, the oxadiazoline substituted with acyclic sugar moieties linked to the pyrimidinedione as acyclic nucleoside analogs were synthesized. The antiviral activity of the synthesized compounds against avian influenza H5N1 virus was investigated and compounds 18, 13 and 19 showed good activities against the virus strains.     

Complement Fixation Reaction for the Diagnosis of Type II Avian (Marek's) Leukosis

The present study was designed to find a complement fixation (CF) reaction for the diagnosis of type II lymphoid leukosis, to learn some of the characteristics of the CF antigen, and to investigate the development of CF antibody response to this infection. JM virus-specific antigen was demonstrated in tumorous chicken tissue, in JM virus-infected chick embryo material, in JM virus-infected chicken kidney, and in duck embryo fibroblast tissue culture by using JM virus-immune rabbit serum. This CF antigen did not show cross-reactivity with Rous sarcoma virus or with RIF-type viruses. It was partially heat-labile. The CF activity was restored at —70 C for 10 months and was resistant to intermittent freeze-thaw treatment. The CF antigen may be denatured by ethyl alcohol, but no significant deleterious effects were noted after ether or chloroform treatment. JM virus-specific CF antibody could not be demonstrated by the direct complement dilution method or by the indirect or inhibition form of the CF test in infected or immunized chicken sera.     

Histochemical and myosin composition of vampire bat (Desmodus rotundus) pectoralis muscle targets a unique locomotory niche

The vampire bat pectoralis muscle contains at least four fiber types distributed in a nonhomogeneous pattern. One of these fiber types, here termed IIe, can be elucidated only by adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase) histochemistry combined with reactions against antifast and antislow myosin antibodies. The histochemical and immunohistochemical observations indicate a well-developed specialization of function within specific regions of the muscle. In parallel, analyses of native myosin isoforms and myosin heavy chain isoforms indicate two points. First, the histochemical “type IIe” fiber is predominant in cranial portions of the muscle, and myosin extracted from these regions exhibits a unique electrophoretic mobility not observed in the myosin isoforms of more traditional laboratory mammals. Second, the type I fibers are confined to the pectoralis abdominalis muscle and a small adjacent region of the caudal part of the pectoralis. This pattern of type I fiber distribution is considered a derived character state compared to muscle histochemical phenotype and isoform composition in the pectoralis muscles of other phyllostomids we have studied (Artibeus jamaicensis, Artibeus lituratus, Carollia perspicillata). We relate this to the unique locomotory needs of the common vampire bat, Desmodus rotundus. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.