Phytochemical attributes of endemic endangered primrose (Primula heterochroma Stapf.) accessions grown in Iran

Primula heterochroma is indigenous to Caspian coast forests in the north of Iran. Total phenols, total flavnoids, total carotenoids and antioxidant capacity of 50 P. heterochroma accessions were investigated. The highest total phenol (1272.31 mg GA equivalent/100 g fresh weight) and total flavonoids (615 mg catechin/100 g fresh weight) were observed in G5 accession from Saravan. The highest antioxidant activity was observed in G14 accession (73.03 %) from Kacha, followed by G2 accession (69.75 %) and G5 accession (66.84 %) from Saravan. The results of HPLC analysis showed that quercetin-3-glucoside was the major phenolic compound widely found in these accessions followed by chlorogenic acid. There was a linear relationship between the antioxidant capacities and the total phenols and total flavonoid. Inversely, there was no statistically significant correlation between total carotenoid and antioxidant activity. Based on the path coefficient analysis, the maximum direct effect on antioxidant was observed in total phenols (0.908). In addition, the cluster analysis based on Euclidean distance with Unweighted pair-group method using arithmetic average (UPGMA) method separated the accessions into four main groups. Our results supported that Iranian wild primrose accessions possess valuable antioxidant properties for therapeutic and potential medicinal use.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s12298-015-0328-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Sex Specific Incidence Rates of Type 2 Diabetes and Its Risk Factors over 9 Years of Follow-Up: Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study

Objective

To investigate the population-based incidence of type 2 diabetes and its potential risk factors in a sex-split cohort of Iranian population.

Materials and Methods

A total of 8400 non-diabetic participants, aged ≥20 years (3620 men and 4780 women) entered the study. Crude and age standardized incidence rates per 1000 person-years were calculated for whole population and each sex separately. Cox proportional hazard models were used to evaluate hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals for all potential risk factors in both uni-variable and multivariable models.

Results

During a median follow-up of 9.5 years, 736 new cases of diabetes were identified, including 433 women and 303 men. The annual crude and age-standardized incidence rates (95% CI) of diabetes in the total population were 10.6 (9.92–11.4) and 9.94 (7.39–13.6) per 1000 person-years of follow-up and the corresponding sex specific rates were 10.2 (9.13–11.4) and 9.36 (5.84–14.92) in men and 11.0 (9.99–12.0) and 10.1 (7.24–13.9) in women, respectively. In the multivariable model, the risk for incident diabetes was significantly associated with fasting and 2 hour post challenge plasma glucose as well as family history of diabetes in both men and women. However, among women, only the contribution of wrist circumference to incident diabetes achieved statistical significance [HR: 1.16 (1.03–1.31)] with waist/height ratio being marginally significant [HR: 1.02 (0.99–1.04)]; while among men, only body mass index was a significant predictor [HR: 1.12 (1.02–1.22)]. Additionally, low education level conferred a higher risk for incident diabetes only among men [HR: 1.80 (1.23–2.36); P for interaction with sex = 0.003].

Conclusion

Overall, sex did not significantly modify the impact of risk factors associated with diabetes among Iranian adults; however, among modifiable risk factors, the independent role of lower education and general adiposity in men and central adiposity in women might require different preventive strategies.     

Characterization of Bacteria by Gas Chromatography: Comparison of Trimethylsilyl Derivatives of Whole-Cell Hydrolysates

A method for the formation of the trimethylsilyl (TMS) derivatives of the whole-cell hydrolysate of bacteria was developed. The TMS derivatives were examined by gas-liquid chromatography. TMS profiles of various bacteria at the genus and species level were compared. Differences in TMS profiles of Listeria, Neisseria, and Clostridium were significant as were differences between the TMS profiles of C. perfringens and C. sporogenes. Two types of C. perfringens, two serotypes of L. monocytogenes, and one culture of C. sporogenes and N. meningitidis were studied. The possible application of TMS profiles as an aid in differentiating closely related organisms which are troublesome to separate by conventional means is discussed.     

Gold or silver deposited on layered manganese oxide: a functional model for the water-oxidizing complex in photosystem II

In this report, gold or silver deposited on layered manganese oxide has been synthesized by a simple method and characterized by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction spectrometry, atomic absorption spectroscopy, and energy-dispersive X-ray mapping. The gold deposited on layered manganese oxide showed efficient catalytic activity toward water oxidation in the presence of cerium(IV) ammonium nitrate. The properties associated with this compound suggest it is a functional model for the water-oxidizing complex in photosystem II.     

Natural bond orbital, nuclear magnetic resonance analysis and hybrid-density functional theory study of σ-aromaticity in Al2F6, Al2Cl6, Al2Br6 and Al2I6

Natural bond orbital (NBO), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) analysis and hybrid-density functional theory based method (B3LYP/Def2-TZVPP) were used to investigate the correlation between the nucleus-independent chemical shifts [NICS, as an aromaticity criterion], σ _Al(1)-X2(b) → σ*_Al(3)-X4(b) electron delocalizations and the dissociation energies of Al₂F₆, Al₂Cl₆, Al₂Br₆ and Al₂I₆ to 2AlX₃ (X?=?F, Cl, Br, I). The results obtained showed that the dissociation energies of Al₂F₆, Al₂Cl₆, Al₂Br₆ and Al₂I₆ decrease from Al₂F₆ to Al₂I₆. Like aromatic molecules, these compounds have relatively significant negative NICS_iso(0) values. Clearly, based on magnetic criteria, they exhibit aromatic character and make it possible to consider them as σ-delocalized aromatic species, such as Möbius σ-aromatic species. The σ-aromatic character which is demonstrated by their NICS_iso(0) values decreases from Al₂F₆ to Al₂I₆. The NICS_iso values are dominated by the in-plane σ₂₂ (i.e., σ_yy, the plane containing halogen atoms bridged) chemical shift components. The increase of the NICS_iso values explains significantly the decrease of the corresponding dissociation energies of Al₂F₆, Al₂Cl₆, Al₂Br₆ and Al₂I₆. Importantly, the NBO results suggest that in these compounds the dissociation energies are controlled by the stabilization energies associated with σ _Al(1)-X2(b) →σ*_Al(3)-X4(b) electron delocalizations. The decrease of the stabilization energies associated with σ _Al(1)-X2(b) →σ*_Al(3)-X4(b) electron delocalizations is in accordance with the variation of the calculated NICS_iso values. The correlations between the dissociation energies of Al₂F₆, Al₂Cl₆, Al₂Br₆ and Al₂I₆, σ _Al(1)-X2(b) →σ*_Al(3)-X4(b) electron delocalizations, natural atomic orbitals (NAOs) and NICS_iso values have been investigated.     

Lipopeptide Biosurfactant from Acinetobacter junii B6: A Promising Natural Surfactant for Promoting Angiogenesis

International Journal of Peptide Research and Therapeutics - Lipopeptide biosurfactants (LPBs) display unique properties with widespread therapeutic applications. Recently, the wound healing...     

Integrative analysis of OIP5-AS1/HUR1 to discover new potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets in multiple sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a devastating autoimmune disease of the central nervous system associated with demyelination and axonal injury. This study was designed to find potential lncRNAs and their targets that are associated with the molecular basis of MS pathogenesis. In this study, peripheral blood samples were obtained from 50 relapsing-remitting MS (RR-MS) patients and 50 healthy controls. lncRNAs and their target were selected for validation using TaqMan Real-Time PCR. Interactions were studied based on approaches that used to investigation biological functions and signaling pathways affected by differentially expressed messenger RNAs (mRNAs). The results of this study indicate an increase in the expression of HUR1 (p = 0.0001), CPSF7 (p = 0.02), and reduction of CSTF2 expression (p = 0.04). Also, an increase in the expression of OIP5-AS1 (p = 0.01) was observed in men less than 30 years old. We performed a comparative analysis of the long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), and then we ranked them as candidate biomarkers according to a decreasing area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC) and plotted the results. Dysregulation of lncRNA expression has been linked to diseases. Further studies on the HUR1 gene can be used as diagnostic tools for the identification of high-risk individuals in families with a history of disease before, during, and even after treatment. Our data uncovered the expression profiles of lncRNAs and mRNAs in MS patients, which will help delineate the molecular mechanisms in MS pathogenesis. However, further studies need to determine the precise role of these genes in the pathological process in MS.     

Fatty acid and carotenoid production by Sporobolomyces ruberrimus when using technical glycerol and ammonium sulfate

The production of carotenoids, lipid content, and fatty acid composition were all studied in a strain of Sporobolomyces ruberrimus when using different concentrations of technical glycerol as the carbon source and ammonium sulfate as the nitrogen source. The total lipids represented an average of 13% of the dry weight, and the maximum lipids were obtained when using 65.5 g/l technical glycerol (133.63 mg/ g). The optimal conditions for fatty acid production were at 27 degrees C using 20 g of ammonium sulfate and a pH range from 6 to 7, which produced a fatty acid yield of 32.5+/-1 mg/g, including 1.27+/- 0.15 mg of linolenic acid (LNA), 7.50+/-0.45 mg of linoleic acid (LLA), 5.50+/-0.35 mg of palmitic acid (PA), 0.60+/-0.03 mg of palmitoleic acid (PAL), 1.28+/-0.11 mg of stearic acid (SA), 9.09+/-0.22 mg of oleic acid, 2.50+/-0.10 mg of erucic acid (EA), and 4.25+/-0.20 mg of lignoceric acid (LCA), where the palmitic, oleic, and linoleic acids combined formed about 37% of the total fatty acids. The concentration of total carotenoids was 2.80 mg/g when using 20 g of ammonium sulfate, and consisted of torularhodin (2.70 mg/g) and beta-carotene (0.10 mg/ g), at 23 degrees C and pH 6. However, the highest amount with the maximum specific growth rate was obtained (micromax=0.096 h(-1)) with an ammonium sulfate concentration of 30 g/l.