Antioxidant activity of hydroxy derivatives of coumarin

The inhibition efficiency (antioxidant activity) of hydroxy derivatives of coumarin, such as esculetin, dicumarol, and fraxetin, was studied in the methemalbumin-H₂O₂-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) pseudoperoxidase system at 20°C in a buffered physiological solution (pH 7.4) containing 6% DMF and 0.25% DMSO. The inhibitor’s efficiency was quantitatively characterized by the inhibition constants (K _i, μM) and the inhibition degree (%). The K _i values for esculetin, dicumarol, and fraxetin were 9.5, 15, and 26 μM, respectively. Esculetin and fraxetin inhibited pseudoperoxidase oxidation of TMB in a noncompetitive manner; dicumarol, in a mixed manner. The inhibiting activity of esculetin in peroxidase-catalyzed TMB oxidation at pH 6.4 is characterized by a K _i value equal to 1.15 μM, and the inhibition process is competitive. Esculetin was found to be the most effective antioxidant of plant origin among all derivatives previously studied in model biochemical systems.     

Genetic structure of a novel biofuel-producing microorganism community

Biofuels are an important alternative, renewable source of energy in the face of the ongoing depletion of fossil fuels. Cheese whey is a dairy industry waste characterized by high lactose concentration, which represents a significant environmental problem. Bio-ethanol production by cheese whey could be an effective nonvegetable source for renewable energy production. Here, we report the isolation of a mixed microbial population, able to produce ethanol as main fermentation product from fermenting whey. The microbial consortium has been used to perform a batch fermentation of crude whey in both anoxic and hypoxic conditions. Maximum ethanol concentrations achieved in this study was obtained using the mixed culture in hypoxic conditions, grown at pH 4 and 30°C, with ethanol production yield of 60 g/L. Our research has pointed out an alternative way to both dispose and valorize cheese whey, a dairy by-product that could cause water pollution and harm to the environment if not properly treated.     

Culture senescence and abscisic acid induce saporin production in cultured roots of Saponaria officinalis

The presence and variation of activity of the type 1 ribosome-inactivating protein saporin has been evaluated in cultured roots of the soapwort Saponaria officinalis . Results from western analysis and in vitro protein synthesis inhibition indicate that saporin production is increased in senescing cultures, reaching a maximum value during the late stationary phase. Accordingly, cultures treated with the senescence-related hormone abscisic acid show a significant increase in saporin activity, independently from the culture growth phase. Stress conditions, such as the presence of hydrogen peroxide in the culture medium, had no effect on the modulation of enzymatic activity. The putative regulation of saporin production by abscisic acid and its possible role in accomplishing the ageing programme is discussed.     

EFFECT OF PRICE ON PLEASANTNESS RATINGS AND USE INTENTIONS FOR A CHOCOLATE BAR IN THE PRESENCE AND ABSENCE OF A HEALTH CLAIM

The effect of price information on hedonic and use intention responses to a chocolate bar was investigated in the absence and presence of a health claim related to energy, satiety value and cholesterol content. First, Finnish students (n = 79) tasted and rated blind three chocolate bars (one regular, two containing functional ingredients). Second, one group (“Informed,” n = 40) evaluated the samples with the health claim and price information, the other group (“Control,” n = 39) as a regular bar with price information only. A separate focus group (n = 6) interview was conducted to obtain further views of the claim and samples. Neither the health claim nor the price affected pleasantness ratings, while the increasing price significantly reduced the likelihood of buying and preferred frequency of eating the chocolate bar in both groups. Price affected the likelihood of buying more strongly among females than among males, and involvement with chocolate bars affected the likelihood of buying in the control, but not in the informed group. The focus group interview indicated that healthfulness might be irrelevant for chocolate products. Overall, price heavily affected the likelihood of buying the target product, but price and the health claim were incapable of altering hedonic responses to it.     

Revision of the Bicyclus sciathis species group (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) with descriptions of four new species and corrected distributional records

In this paper we present a thorough revision of the sciathis species group of the butterfly genus Bicyclus (Kirby). Type materials are discussed and in several cases lectotypes are assigned to specimens from original type series. Four new, and morphologically distinct, species are described (B. elishiae Brattström sp.n. , B. heathi Brattström sp.n. , B. sigiussidorum Brattström sp.n. and B. subtilisurae Brattström sp.n. ), along with a comprehensive molecular phylogeny that includes exemplar taxa of all currently recognized species. We also investigate the types of all previously synonymized taxa and in the process invalidate the name B. ewondo Libert. This was done after finding the previously missing holotype of B. makomensis (Strand), which clearly belongs to the same species and thereby gives the older name priority. The phylogeny showed that some distinctly different species were surprisingly closely related, suggesting a high rate of morphological evolution in parts of the sciathis group. The distributional records for the group are updated after investigating over 1700 specimens kept in a range of museum collections. Many species previously thought to be broadly sympatric were found to have much more restricted ranges, with the previous overestimations probably based on misidentified specimens. The higher level of allopatry now established will make identification of many morphologically similar species easier. The fact that species often have smaller ranges than previously known, meaning that the level of endemism for African butterflies is likely to be higher than current estimates, has important implications for conservation management. An identification key for males of all 13 currently recognized species in the species group is included. This published work has been registered in ZooBank, http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:837A9D4C‐779A‐4497‐8176‐7151D409DFA5 .     

暴雨和缓冲带特征对城市滨水缓冲带雨洪消减与水质净化效果的影响机制

通过设置多组实验,模拟不同暴雨径流及缓冲带条件,对城市滨水缓冲带在不同暴雨雨型、历时、重现期、缓冲带坡度、植被覆盖度、初期冲刷等条件下的径流削减和水质净化作用进行研究。得出在不同实验条件下,滨水缓冲带的雨量动态径流系数结果在0.29—0.55之间。分析实验结果发现缓冲带对峰型靠前、历时较短、重现期短的暴雨径流削减效果更好,同时更平缓与植被覆盖度更高的缓冲带对径流的削减效果更佳。模拟实验显示,径流中不同污染物去除率范围分别为:SS为66.41%—90.29%、TN为44.48%—64.90%、NH_3-N为32.72%—63.68%、TP为89.83%—95.04%、COD为34.32%—66.23%。缓冲带的径流水质净化效果在应对不同暴雨雨型时未显示明显规律,而缓冲带对中高浓度径流污染物削减率更高能够应对较强的初期冲刷效应。同时更平缓与植被覆盖度更高缓冲带,即表流流速更缓慢时,显示出更好的径流净化效果。     

松瘿小卷蛾及其寄生蜂对落叶松挥发物的嗅觉行为反应

为确定松瘿小卷蛾（Cydia zebeana）对寄主的定位习性,以及探讨对其的综合防治方法,通过Y型管嗅觉仪行为选择实验,分析松瘿小卷蛾及其两种寄生性天敌小卷蛾革腹茧蜂（Ascogaster olethreuti）和卷蛾长体茧蜂（Macrocentrus sp.）对寄主兴安落叶松（Larix gmelinii）的9种不同浓度挥发物的行为反应。结果表明,对雌蛾产生引诱作用的挥发物为3-蒈烯、水芹烯,产生驱避作用的挥发物为月桂烯、罗勒烯、莰烯;（R）-α-蒎烯表现为低浓度引诱高浓度驱避。对雄蛾产生引诱作用的挥发物为（S）-β-蒎烯,产生驱避作用的挥发物为月桂烯、3-蒈烯、（S）-α-蒎烯、莰烯。对小卷蛾革腹茧蜂有引诱作用的挥发物为（S）-β-蒎烯、（S）-α-蒎烯、叶醇,产生驱避作用的挥发物为罗勒烯、莰烯、水芹烯;对卷蛾长体茧蜂有引诱作用的挥发物为（S）-β-蒎烯、（S）-α-蒎烯、（R）-α-蒎烯、叶醇,产生驱避作用的挥发物为罗勒烯、水芹烯。说明在利用推拉策略防控松瘿小卷蛾时,月桂烯、叶醇和（S）-α-蒎烯可用于保护目标林,驱避害虫吸引天敌;水芹烯可以结合化学防治施用于饵木林,诱杀害虫而驱避寄生蜂。     

胶州湾滨海湿地凋落物分解对土壤有机碳矿化的影响

通过室内培养试验和三维荧光光谱技术(3D-EEMs),开展了胶州湾滨海湿地碱蓬、芦苇和互花米草的分解对土壤有机碳矿化的影响研究。结果表明,凋落物的添加提高了土壤有机碳矿化速率和累积矿化量,具体表现为碱蓬互花米草芦苇空白对照;乘幂曲线模型能较好地描述有机碳矿化速率和累积矿化量的变化趋势。光谱分析表明,分解过程中类蛋白荧光强度始终大于类腐殖酸荧光强度;利用荧光区域积分进行定量分析表明,不同处理下类蛋白质物质占比最高,类腐殖质物质次之;荧光参数表明,土壤有机碳的芳香化程度在培养期间先升高后降低。凋落物分解通过增加土壤中的营养物质,提高了土壤中微生物活性,从而改变了土壤有机碳的结构和化学组分,且凋落物的植被特征决定了其对土壤有机碳矿化影响程度的大小。     

IVF-20培养液用于大鼠体外受精的实验研究

目的探讨人用体外受精液用于实验大鼠体外受精的可行性,为实验大鼠的胚胎保种提供参考。方法选用人体外受精IVF-20培养液作为大鼠精子获能和受精培养液,对SD、Wistar、GK、F344等四种不同品系的实验大鼠进行体外受精;用mR1ECM培养液对体外受精所得胚胎进行体外培养实验。同时,将所得2-细胞胚胎移植给经假孕处理的受体鼠。结果四个品系大鼠体外受精后的卵裂率分别可达83.2%、72.6%、87.8%和71.6%。体外受精卵裂胚能够在体外进一步发育,SD大鼠囊胚发育率为16.7%,与体内受精胚胎在体外培养的囊胚发育率(24.5%)差异不显著。80枚2-细胞胚胎移植给2只受体鼠后均妊娠成功,产下正常仔鼠10只,产仔率12.5%。结论用于人体外受精的IVF-20培养液同样适合于实验大鼠精子的体外获能和受精,可以在多种品系获得较高的卵裂率,所得卵裂胚能够在体外发育到囊胚,并且所得卵裂胚在移植给受体鼠后能够产下正常仔鼠。     

樟子松乙醇提取物体外抗氧化活性研究

测定了樟子松球果、树皮、树叶、木质部4个部位提取物的总抗氧化能力、总还原力、二苯代苦味酰基（DPPH·）清除能力、羟基自由基（·OH）清除能力、超氧阴离子（O^·₂）清除能力5个指标,并以抗坏血酸（Vc）为阳性对照评价从樟子松4个部位提取的松多酚体外抗氧化活性。结果表明：（1）从樟子松树皮中提取的樟子松多酚表现出较强的抗氧化能力,在较高浓度下与抗氧化剂（Vc）相差较小;从樟子松球果中提取的樟子松多酚也表现出较强的还原力,甚至超过阳性对照抗氧化剂Vc;（2）从樟子松树皮中提取的樟子松多酚在二苯代苦味酰基（DPPH·）清除能力、羟基自由基（·OH）清除能力上均为三者之中最高的,但都不超过抗氧化剂（Vc）的抗氧化能;（3）超氧阴离子（O^·₂）清除能力。三者的清除率均为负值,说明该方法测定超氧阴离子（O^·₂）清除率存在干扰因素,无法比较三者在这一指标上的能力大小。上述结果表明樟子松乙醇提取物具有较强的抗氧化能力,可作为天然的抗氧化剂。