Marmelene,an alkaloid,and other components of unripe fruits of Aegle Marmelos

From the unripe fruits of Aegle marmelos, a new alkaloid named marmeline was isolated and identified as N-2-hydroxy-2-[4-(3′,3′-dimethylallyloxy)phenyl]ethyl cinnamide. Aegline, imperatorin, alloimperatorin and xanthotoxol were also present.     

The environmental significance of algae in the mi Llandovery succession of the central Oslo Region

Girvanella , micritization phenomena and the dasycladacean alga Cyclocrinites are found in the middle Llandovery succession of the central Oslo Region. Both Girvanella and micritization phenomena occur in carbonate-dominated sequences where sedimentary structures and associated faunas suggest depositional environments above normal wave base. In contrast, Cyclocrinites occurs in shale-dominated sequences where other evidence suggests quiet, deep-water environments. We suggest that Cyclocrinites would not normally be preserved in situ in its life environment in relatively turbulent shallow waters. Preservation most commonly resulted from post mortem transport into low-energy muddy environments devoid of in situ algal activity. The resultant fossil is a flattened cast of this originally spherical alga.     

Quest for wine yeasts—An old story revisited

Numerous studies have described the yeast biota of grapes, and grape must in order to understand better the succession of yeasts during fermentation of wine. The origin of the wine yeasts has been rather controversial. By using more elaborate isolation methods, classical genetic analysis and electrophoretic karyotyping of monosporic clones, with this study, credible proof now exists that the vineyard is the primary source for the wine yeasts and that strains found on the grapes can be followed through the fermentation process.     

Molecular population genetics of the alcohol dehydrogenase locus in the Hawaiian drosophilid D. mimica

Sequence variation among 10 alleles of the alcohol dehydrogenase (Adh) gene of the Hawaiian drosophilid D. mimica was analyzed with reference to the evolutionary history of the Hawaiian subgroup as well as to levels and patterns of polymorphism of the Adh gene in continental drosophilid species. The Adh gene of D. mimica is less polymorphic than that of other drosophilid species, and no replacement substitutions were found. Statistical analyses of the Adh alleles suggested the action of balancing selection and revealed significant linkage disequilibrium among three of the variable sites. The effective population size was estimated to be only slightly smaller than that of continental species and, surprisingly, on the same order of magnitude as the actual size.      

Mechanisms of Carbon Sequestration in Soil Aggregates

Soil and crop management practices have a profound impact on carbon (C) sequestration, but the mechanisms of interaction between soil structure and soil organic C (SOC) dynamics are not well understood. Understanding how an aggregate stores and protects SOC is essential to developing proper management practices to enhance SOC sequestration. The objectives of this article are to: (1) describe the importance of plants and soil functions on SOC sequestration, (2) review the mechanisms of SOC sequestration within aggregates under different vegetation and soil management practices, (3) explain methods of assessing distribution of SOC within aggregates, and (4) identify knowledge gaps with regards to SOC and soil structural dynamics. The quality and quantity of plant residues define the amount of organic matter and thus the SOC pool in aggregates. The nature of plant debris (C:N ratio, lignin content, and phenolic compound content) affects the rate of SOC sequestration. Mechanisms of interaction of aggregate dynamics with SOC are complex and embrace a range of spatial and temporal processes within macro- ( > 250 μ m e.c.d.) and microaggregates ( < 250 μ m e.c.d.). A relevant mechanism for SOC sequestration within aggregates is the confinement of plant debris in the core of the microaggregates. The C-rich young plant residues form and stabilize macroaggregates, whereas the old organic C is occluded in the microaggregates. Interactions of clay minerals with C rich humic compounds in correlation with clay mineralogy determine the protection and storage of SOC. Principal techniques used to assess the C distribution in aggregates include the determination of total organic C in different aggregate size fractions, isotopic methods to assess the turnover and storage of organic C in aggregates, and computed tomography and X-ray scattering to determine the internal porosity and inter-aggregate attributes. The literature is replete with studies on soil and crop management influences on total organic C and soil aggregation. However, research reports on the interactions of SOC within aggregates for C sequestration are scanty. Questions still remain on how SOC interacts physically and chemically with aggregates, and research is needed to understand the mechanisms responsible for the dynamics of aggregate formation and stability in relation to C sequestration.     

Insecticidal effects of selected biological control agents on the larvae of Plutella xylostella (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae)

To identify a more effective and safe biological control agent against a common cabbage pest, Plutella xylostella (L.) (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae), the insecticidal effects of selected biological agents were evaluated. The highest insecticidal effects determined were 100, 73.5, 45.5, 47 and 55.3% using toxin HD‐1 (isolated from the Harry Dumagae strain of Bacillus thuringiensis), toxin BTS‐1 (isolated from the tenebrionis strain of B. thuringiensis), B. thuringiensis Berliner, B. thuringiensis israelensis and B. thuringiensis kurstaki, respectively.     

Evaluation of structural chemistry and isotopic signatures of refractory soil organic carbon fraction isolated by wet oxidation methods

Accurate quantification of different soil organic carbon (SOC) fractions is needed to understand their relative importance in the global C cycle. Among the chemical methods of SOC fractionation, oxidative degradation is considered more promising because of its ability to mimic the natural microbial oxidative processes in soil. This study focuses on detailed understanding of changes in structural chemistry and isotopic signatures of SOC upon different oxidative treatments for assessing the ability of these chemicals to selectively isolate a refractory fraction of SOC. Replicated sampling (to ~1 m depth) of pedons classified as Typic Fragiudalf was conducted under four land uses (woodlot, grassland, no-till and conventional-till continuous corn [Zea mays L.]) at Wooster, OH. Soil samples (<2 mm) were treated with three oxidizing agents (hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), disodium peroxodisulfate (Na₂S₂O₈) and sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl)). Oxidation resistant residues and the bulk soil from A1/Ap1 horizons of each land use were further analyzed by solid-state ¹³C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and accelerator mass spectrometry to determine structural chemistry and ¹⁴C activity, respectively. Results indicated that, oxidation with NaOCl removed significantly less SOC compared to Na₂S₂O₈ and H₂O₂. The NMR spectra revealed that NaOCl oxidation preferentially removed lignin-derived compounds at 56 ppm and at 110–160 ppm. On the other hand, the SOC resistant to Na₂S₂O₈ and H₂O₂ oxidation were enriched with alkyl C groups, which dominate in recalcitrant macromolecules. This finding was corroborated by the ¹⁴C activity of residual material, which ranged from ?542 to ?259‰ for Na₂S₂O₈ resistant SOC and ?475 to ?182‰ for H₂O₂ resistant SOC as compared to relatively greater ¹⁴C activity of NaOCl resistant residues (?47 to 61‰). Additionally, H₂O₂ treatment on soils after light fraction removal was more effective in isolating the oldest (¹⁴C activity of ?725 to ?469‰) SOC fraction. The Δ¹⁴C signature of SOC removed by different oxidizing agents, calculated by mass balance, was more or less similar irrespective of the difference in labile SOC removal efficiency. This suggests that SOC isolated by many fractionation methods is still a mixture of much younger and older material and therefore it is very important that the labile SOC should be completely removed before measuring the turnover time of stable and refractory pools of SOC.     

Effects of four Bacillus spp. of soil origin on the Colorado potato beetle Leptinotarsa decemlineata (Say)

Four species of Bacillus were isolated from soil in an effort to find safe, effective and alternative biological control agents against plant pests. These bacteria were identified as Bacillus pumilus, Bacillus sphaericus, Bacillus megaterium and Bacillus cereus on the basis of fatty acid methyl ester analysis and carbon utilization profiles by using Microbial Identification and Biolog Microplate Systems. Laboratory experiments carried out to determine the insecticidal activities of these isolates showed that B. pumilus caused 95.7 and 26.7% mortality and B. sphaericus caused 74.5 and 23.3% mortality of Leptinotarsa decemlineata larvae and adults, respectively. B. cereus and B. megaterium showed 51.1 and 29.7%, respectively, of L. decemlineata larvae. This study presents at least two Turkish isolates from the genus Bacillus showing high insecticidal activity against L. decemlineata.     

5-Aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide-1-beta-D-ribofuranoside inhibits cancer cell proliferation in vitro and in vivo via AMP-activated protein kinase

5-Aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide-1-beta-4-ribofuranoside (AICAR) is widely used as an AMP-kinase activator, which regulates energy homeostasis and response to metabolic stress. Here, we investigated the effect of AICAR, an AMPK activator, on proliferation of various cancer cells and observed that proliferation of all the examined cell lines was significantly inhibited by AICAR treatment due to arrest in S-phase accompanied with increased expression of p21, p27, and p53 proteins and inhibition of PI3K-Akt pathway. Inhibition in in vitro growth of cancer cells was mirrored in vivo with increased expression of p21, p27, and p53 and attenuation of Akt phosphorylation. Anti-proliferative effect of AICAR is mediated through activated AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) as iodotubericidin and dominant-negative AMPK expression vector reversed the AICAR-mediated growth arrest. Moreover, constitutive active AMPK arrested the cells in S-phase by inducing the expression of p21, p27, and p53 proteins and inhibiting Akt phosphorylation, suggesting the involvement of AMPK. AICAR inhibited proliferation in both LKB and LKB knock-out mouse embryo fibroblasts to similar extent and arrested cells at S-phase when transfected with dominant negative expression vector of LKB. Altogether, these results indicate that AICAR can be utilized as a therapeutic drug to inhibit cancer, and AMPK can be a potential target for treatment of various cancers independent of the functional tumor suppressor gene, LKB.     

Comparison of angiotensin II (Ang II) effects in the internal anal sphincter (IAS) and lower esophageal sphincter smooth muscles

Studies were performed to compare the actions of Ang II in the internal anal sphincter (IAS) vs. lower esophageal sphincter (LES) smooth muscles in vitro, in opossum and rabbit. Studies also were carried out in isolated smooth muscle cells. In opossum, Ang II produced no discernible effects in the IAS, but did produce a concentration-dependent contraction in the LES. Conversely, in the rabbit, while Ang II caused a modest response in the LES, it caused a significant contraction in the IAS. The contractile responses of Ang II in the opossum LES were mostly resistant to different neurohumoral antagonists but were antagonized by AT1 antagonist losartan. AT2 antagonist PD 123,319, rather than inhibiting, prolonged the contractile action of Ang II. The contractile actions of Ang II in the opossum LES were not modified by the tyrosine kinase inhibitors (genistein and tyrphostin 1 x 10(-6) M) but were partially attenuated by the PKC inhibitor H-7 (1 x 10(-6) M), Ca2+ channel blocker nicardipine (1 x 10(-5) M), Rho kinase inhibitor HA-1077 (1 x 10(-7) M) or p(44/42) MAP kinase inhibitor PD 98059 (5 x 10(-5) M). The combination of HA-1077 and H-7 did not cause an additive attenuation of Ang II responses. Western blot analyses revealed the presence of both AT1 and AT2 receptors. We conclude that Ang lI-induced contraction of sphincteric smooth muscle occurs primarily by the activation of AT1 receptors at the smooth muscle cells and involves multiple pathways, influx of Ca2+, and PKC, Rho kinase and p(44/42) MAP kinase.