Synthesis and antimycobacterial evaluation of novel 5,6-dimethoxy-1-oxo-2,5-dihydro-1H-2-indenyl-5,4-substituted phenyl methanone analogues

In present investigation, a series of substituted phenyl-5,6-dimethoxy-1-oxo-2,5-dihydro-1H-2-indenylmethanone analogues were synthesized and were evaluated for antimycobacterial activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis H₃₇Rv and INH resistant M. tuberculosis. All the newly synthesized compounds were showing moderate to high inhibitory activities. The compound 5,6-dimethoxy-1-oxo-2,5-dihydro-1H-2-indenyl-4-fluorophenylmethanone (5g) was found to be the most promising compounds active against M. tuberculosis H₃₇Rv and isoniazid (INH) resistant M. tuberculosis with Minimum inhibitory concentration 0.10 and 0.10 μM.     

Design,synthesis and evaluation of novel 5,6-dimethoxy-1-oxo-2,3-dihydro-1H-2-indenyl-3,4-substituted phenyl methanone analogues

In present investigation, a series of substituted phenyl-5,6-dimethoxy-1-oxo-2,3-dihydro-1H-2-indenylmethanone analogues were synthesized and were tested for their potential for treating AD disease. All the newly synthesized compounds were showing moderate to high AChE inhibitory activities, with compound 5,6-dimethoxy-1-oxo-2,3-dihydro-1H-2-indenyl-3,4,5-trimethoxyphenylmethanone (5f) produced significant activities with 2.7 ± 0.01 μmol/L.     

Androgen receptors in coeliac ganglion in late pregnant rat

The ovarian function is controlled by endocrine factors and neural influence. In late pregnant rat, androstenedione, from the coeliac ganglion, has a luteotrophic effect in the ex vivo coeliac ganglion-superior ovarian nerve-ovary system. In this work we investigate the presence of androgen receptors in the coeliac ganglion of late pregnant rats by immunohistochemistry. We also explore, from a physiological point of view, the potential participation of these receptors in the androstenedione ganglionic action on progesterone release and metabolism, as well as on nitrites release in the ovary compartment. The coeliac ganglion was isolated after being fixed in situ and immunohistochemistry was performed. In the system, three experimental groups were used with the addition of (a) androstenedione, (b) flutamide, and (c) androstenedione plus flutamide in the ganglion compartment. Progesterone and nitrite concentrations were determined in the ovary compartment at different incubation times. Corpora lutea samples isolated at the end of incubation were used to determine the expressions and activities of the progesterone synthesis (3β-hydroxysteroid-dehydrogenase, 3β-HSD) and degradation (20α-hydroxysteroid-dehydrogenase, 20α-HSD) enzymes. Immunohistochemistry revealed cytoplasmatic androgen receptor immunoreactivity in neural somas in the coeliac ganglion. In the coeliac ganglion-superior ovarian nerve-ovary system, androstenedione addition increased 3β-HSD and decreased 20α-HSD, showed a tendency to decrease 20α-HSD expression, and increased nitrites release in relation to control. Androstenedione plus flutamide decreased progesterone and nitrites release in relation to the androstenedione group. This work demonstrates the presence of androgen receptors in neurons of celiac ganglion and provides evidence for the luteotrophic action of androstenedione via a neural pathway that may be mediated by these receptors.     

Immunity protein protects colicin E2 from OmpT protease

The endonuclease colicin E2 (ColE2), a bacteriocidal protein, and the associated cognate immunity protein (Im2) are released from producing Escherichia coli cells. ColE2 interaction with the target cell outer membrane BtuB protein and Tol import machinery allows the dissociation of Im2 from its colicin at the outer membrane surface. Here, we use in vivo approaches to show that a small amount of ColE2-Im2 protein complex bound to sensitive cells is susceptible to proteolytic cleavage by the outer membrane protease, OmpT. The presence of BtuB is required for ColE-Im2 cleavage by OmpT. The amount of colicin cleaved by OmpT is greatly enhanced when ColE2 is dissociated from Im2. We further demonstrate that OmpT cleaves the C-terminal DNase domain of the toxin. As expected, strains that over-produce OmpT are less susceptible to infection by ColE2 than by ColE2-Im2. Our findings reveal an additional function for the immunity protein beside protection of producing cells against their own colicin in the cytoplasm. Im2 protects ColE2 against OmpT-mediated proteolytic attack.     

Impact of anaerobic digestion on organic matter quality in pig slurry

Changes in pig slurry organic matter (OM) during anaerobic digestion (AD) were studied in a reactor to characterize OM evolution through AD. OM maturity and stability were evaluated using different biological and physico-chemical methods. Germination and growth chamber experiments revealed a higher maturity of digested slurry (DS) than raw slurry (RS). Soil incubations showed that DS was more stable than RS with a C-mineralization of 12.0 g CO₂-C 100 g^?1 C_org after 49 days as compared to 17.6 g CO₂-C 100 g^?1 C_org. Biochemical fractionation showed a relative increase in stable compounds such as hemicellulose-like and lignin-like molecules. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy showed some changes in the chemical structures of OM with a reduction in the aliphatic chain, lipid and polysaccharide levels. A comparison between the evolution of OM during AD and the first weeks of a composting process showed almost identical changes. Finally a theoretical method called Fictitious Atomic-group Separation was applied to the elemental compositions of RS and DS. DS was less humified than RS and presented the properties of a fulvic acid, indicating that the observed stability in DS was mainly due to the biodegradation of the most labile compounds.     

Two new <Emphasis Type="Italic">Corollospora</Emphasis> species and one new anamorph based on morphological and molecular data

Two new species of the genus Corollospora, namely, C. anglusa sp. nov. with its anamorph Varicosporina anglusa sp. nov. and C. portsaidica sp. nov., which were isolated from the coast of the Mediterranean Sea in Egypt, are described in this article based on morphological and molecular evidence. The two new species have one-septate ascospores. Corollospora anglusa resembles C. gracilis by having narrow one-septate hyaline ascospores; however, they differ in ascomata and ascospore dimensions and in pure culture characteristics. Single-ascospore culture of C. anglusa produces the conidia of its anamorph, whereas an anamorph has not been reported for C. gracilis. Varicosporina anglusa differs from the other two known Varicosporina species by having conidial branches that are filamentous, rectangularly branched, hypha like, and disarticulated into two- or one-celled fragments. Corollospora portsaidica is morphologically similar to C. cinnamomea, but the two species differ in the dimensions, shape, and ornamentation of the ascospores. The new Corollospora species were confirmed to be divergent from other similar Corollospora species based on phylogenetic analyses of partial sequences of the LSU rDNA region.     

A preliminary investigation of allozyme genetic variation and population structure in common pandora (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Pagellus erythrinus</Emphasis>, Sparidae) from Tunisian and Libyan coasts

The genetic characterization of natural populations of common pandora (Pagellus erythrinus, Sparidae) was studied using allozyme markers. Fish samples (n = 360) were collected from five locations along the Tunisian coasts and one from the Libyan coast. From eight enzymatic systems, 12 putative enzyme-coding loci were resolved, 8 of which were polymorphic at a level of 99%. F statistics indices revealed a significant departure from panmixia with heterozygote deficiencies and a slight genetic differentiation between samples. Neighbor-joining dendrogram constructed by Reynolds genetic distance showed that the populations sampled from the southeastern Mediterranean Sea were more differentiated from the others.