Toxicological evaluation of fucoidan extracted from Laminaria japonica in Wistar rats

Fucoidans, the sulfated polysacchrides extracted from brown algae, have been extensively studied for their diverse biological activities. However, there is no detailed report investigating the toxicity of fucoidan. In this study, the acute and subchronic (6 months) toxicity of varying levels of fucoidan extracted from Laminaria japonica was investigated in Wistar rats after oral administration. The results showed that no significant toxicological changes were observed when 300 mg/kg body weight per day fucoidan was administered to rats. But when the dose was increased to 900 and 2500 mg/kg body weight per day, the clotting time was significantly prolonged. Besides this, no other signs of toxicity were observed. Based on these results, it can be concluded that the no adverse effect level of fucoidan from L. japonica is 300 mg/kg body weight per day. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Antioxidant activity of different sulfate content derivatives of polysaccharide extracted from Ulva pertusa (Chlorophyta) in vitro

Polysaccharide extracted from Ulva pertusa (Chlorophyta) is a group of sulfated heteropolysaccharide; for simplicity, the sulfated polysaccharide is referred to as ulvan in this paper. In this study, different sulfate content ulvans were prepared with sulfur trioxide/N,N-diinethylformamide (SO3-DMF) in formamide, and their antioxidant activities were investigated including scavenging activity of superoxide and hydroxyl radicals, reducing Power and metal chelating ability. As expected, we obtained several satisfying results, as follows: firstly, high sulfate content ulvans had more effective scavenging activity on hydroxyl radical than natural ulvan. Secondly, comparing with natural ulvan, high sulfate content ulvans exhibited stronger reducing power. Thirdly, HU4 (sulfate content, 30.8%) and HU5 (sulfate content, 32.8%) showed more pronounce chelating ability on ferrous ion at high concentration than other samples. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Antioxidant activity of sulfated polysaccharide fractions extracted from Laminaria japonica

Fucoidan, a group of sulfated heteropolysaccharide, was extracted from Laminaria japonica, an important economic alga species in China. Three sulfated polysaccharide fractions (F1, F2, and F3) were successfully isolated through anion-exchange column chromatography and had their antioxidant activities investigated employing various established in vitro systems, including superoxide and hydroxyl radical scavenging activity, chelating ability, and reducing power. Chemical analysis suggested that F1 and F3 were heteropolysaccharide in which galactose was the major component, while F2 was a typical fucoidan. All fractions possessed considerable antioxidant activity, and F1, F2 and F3 had stronger antioxidant ability than fucoidan in certain tests. The correlation between the sulfate content and scavenging superoxide radical ability was positive. Available data obtained with in vitro models suggested that the ratio of sulfate content/fucose was an effective indicator to antioxidant activity of the samples. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

In vitro antioxidant activity of acetylated and benzoylated derivatives of polysaccharide extracted from Ulva pertusa (Chlorophyta)

The antioxidant activity of natural ulvan and its derivatives (acetylated and benzoylated ulvans) in vitro was determined, including scavenging activity against superoxide and hydroxyl radicals, reducing power, and chelating ability. Obvious differences in antioxidant activity between natural ulvan and its derivatives were observed, moreover, the antioxidant activity of acetylated and benzoylated ulvans was stronger than that of natural ulvan. (C) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Structural studies on a novel fucogalactan sulfate extracted from the brown seaweed Laminaria japonica

A low molecular weight fucogalactan, obtained from the brown seaweed Laminaria japonica, was separated into three fractions (LF1, LF2 and LF3) by DEAE-Sepharose FF column chromatography. All three fractions contained predominantly fucose, sulfate group and galactose. The results showed that the main fraction LF2 consisted of L-fucose, D-galactose and sulfate at a molar ratio 6:1:9. Structural study on the LF2 was carried out by NMR spectroscopy. The backbone of LF2 was primarily (1 -> 3)-linked alpha-L-fucopyranose residues (75%) and a few (1 -> 4)-alpha-L-fucopyranose linkages (25%). The branch points were at C-4 of 3-linked alpha-L-fucopyranose residues by beta-D-galactopyranose unites (35%, molar ratio) or at C-2 of 3-linked alpha-L-fucopyranose residues by non-reducing terminal fucose unites (65%, molar ratio). Sulfate groups occupied at position C-4 or C-2, sometimes C-2, 4 to fucose residues, and C-3 and/or C-4 to galactose residues. The structure of LF2 was supposed as following: [GRAPHICS] (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

CHINESE NITRARIA TANGUTORUM BOBR。： CHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS OF SEED OIL EXTRACTED BY SFE-CO_2

In order to develop and make good use of Nitraria tangutorum Bobr. in Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau for its ecological and medicinal values, the seed oil was extracted by SFE-CQ2 and the chemical constituents was analyzed by GC/MS. The component relative contents were determined by area nomalization. 28 components were separated from the extracts of SFE-CQj and 12 of them, which accounted for 85.99% were identified. They were(Z, Z)-9, 12-octadecadienoic acid (linoleic acid), bicyclo[ 10. 1. 0] tridec-1-ene, 7-pentadecyne, gamma-sitosterol, gamma-tocopherol, 1, -8,Z-10-hexadecatriene,9,12-octadecadienal, 24-methyl-5-cholestene-3-ol,(Z)-9,17-octadecadienal, stigmastan-3,5-dien, eicosane and so on. Among them, the relative content of (Z, Z)-9,12-octadecadienoic acid is the highest, accounting for 65.85% of the total area. It is concluded that N. tangutorum Bobr. seed oil is a rich source of linoleic acid.

Determination of five pharmacologically active compounds extracted from Rhodiola for natural product drug discovery with HPLC-APCI-MS

A rapid and sensitive liquid chromatography-atmospheric pressure chemical ionization mass spectrometry (HPLC-APCI-MS) assay for the determination of five pharmacologically active compounds (PAC) extracted from the traditional Chinese medicine, Rhodiola , namely salidroside, tyrosol, rhodionin, gallic acid, and ethyl gallate has been developed. In this method, PAC could be baseline separated and detected with DAD at 275 nm. The validation of the method, including sensitivity, linearity, repeatability, and recovery, was examined. The linear calibration curves were acquired with correlation coefficient >0.999 and the limits of detection LOD (at a signal-to-noise ratio=3:1) were between 0.058 and 1.500 mu mol/L. It was found, that the amounts of PAC varied with different species of Rhodiola . The established method is rapid and reproducible for the separation of five natural pharmacologically active compounds from extracts of Rhodiola with satisfactory results.

The life of Rev. David Brainerd, chiefly extracted from his diary. By President Edwards. Somewhat abridged. Embracing, in the chronological order, Brainerd's public journal of the most successful year of his missionary labors.

http://www.archive.org/details/lifeofrevdavidbr00braiiala

Extracted Memory from Temporal Patterns Using Adaptive Resonance and Recurrent Network

We can recognize objects through receiving continuously huge temporal information including redundancy and noise, and can memorize them. This paper proposes a neural network model which extracts pre-recognized patterns from temporally sequential patterns which include redundancy, and memorizes the patterns temporarily. This model consists of an adaptive resonance system and a recurrent time-delay network. The extraction is executed by the matching mechanism of the adaptive resonance system, and the temporal information is processed and stored by the recurrent network. Simple simulations are examined to exemplify the property of extraction.

The utility of survey and administrative data to generate information for research and outcomes-based oral health services development

The aim of this research, which focused on the Irish adult population, was to generate information for policymakers by applying statistical analyses and current technologies to oral health administrative and survey databases. Objectives included identifying socio-demographic influences on oral health and utilisation of dental services, comparing epidemiologically-estimated dental treatment need with treatment provided, and investigating the potential of a dental administrative database to provide information on utilisation of services and the volume and types of treatment provided over time. Information was extracted from the claims databases for the Dental Treatment Benefit Scheme (DTBS) for employed adults and the Dental Treatment Services Scheme (DTSS) for less-well-off adults, the National Surveys of Adult Oral Health, and the 2007 Survey of Lifestyle Attitudes and Nutrition in Ireland. Factors associated with utilisation and retention of natural teeth were analysed using count data models and logistic regression. The chi-square test and the student’s t-test were used to compare epidemiologically-estimated need in a representative sample of adults with treatment provided. Differences were found in dental care utilisation and tooth retention by Socio-Economic Status. An analysis of the five-year utilisation behaviour of a 2003 cohort of DTBS dental attendees revealed that age and being female were positively associated with visiting annually and number of treatments. Number of adults using the DTBS increased, and mean number of treatments per patient decreased, between 1997 and 2008. As a percentage of overall treatments, restorations, dentures, and extractions decreased, while prophylaxis increased. Differences were found between epidemiologically-estimated treatment need and treatment provided for those using the DTBS and DTSS. This research confirms the utility of survey and administrative data to generate knowledge for policymakers. Public administrative databases have not been designed for research purposes, but they have the potential to provide a wealth of knowledge on treatments provided and utilisation patterns.

Marginal adaptation and performance of bioactive dental restorative materials in deciduous and young permanent teeth

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the adaptation of different types of restorations towards deciduous and young permanent teeth. Materials and Methods: Class V cavities were prepared in deciduous and young permanent teeth and filled with different materials (a conventional glass-ionomer, a resin-modified glass-ionomer, a poly-acid-modified composite resin and a conventional composite resin). Specimens were aged in artificial saliva for 1, 6, 12 and 18 months, then examined by SEM. Results: The composite resin and the polyacid-modified composite had better marginal adaptation than the glass-ionomers,though microcracks developed in the enamel of the tooth. The glass-ionomers showed inferior marginal quality and durability, but no microcracking of the enamel. The margins of the resin-modified glass-ionomer were slightly superior to the conventional glass-ionomer. Conditioning improved the adaptation of the composite resin, but the type of tooth made little or no difference to the performance of the restorative material. All materials were associated with the formation of crystals in the gaps between the filling and the tooth; the quantity and shape of these crystals varied with the material. Conclusions: Resin-based materials are generally better at forming sound, durable margins in deciduous and young permanent teeth than cements, but are associated with microcracks in the enamel. All fluoride-releasing materials give rise to crystalline deposits.

Extraction and radioimmunoassay quantitation of neuropeptide Y (NPY) and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) from human dental pulp tissue

The measurement of neuropeptides in complex biological tissue samples requires efficient and appropriate extraction methods so that immunoreactivity is retained for subsequent radioimmunoassay detection. Since neuropeptides differ in their molecular mass, charge and hydrophobicity, no single method will suffice for the optimal extraction of various neuropeptides. In this study, dental pulp tissue was obtained from 30 human non-carious teeth. Of the three different neuropeptide extraction methods employed, boiling in acetic acid in the presence of protease inhibitors yielded the highest levels of neuropeptide Y (NPY) and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP). High pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis of dental pulp tissue verified the authenticity of the neuropeptides extracted. © 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

A polysaccharide extracted from sphagnum moss as antifungal agent in archaeological conservation

On the basis of the well-known preservative properties of Sphagnum moss, a potential opportunity to use moss polysaccharides (Sphagnan) in art conservation was tested. Polysaccharides were extracted from the moss (S. palustre spp.) in the amount of 4.1% of the Sphagnum plant dry weight. All lignocelluloses were removed from this extract as a result of the treatment of the moss cellulose with sodium chlorite. The extracted polysaccharide possessed a strong acidic reaction (pH 2.8) and was soluble in water and organic solvents. The extract was tested on laboratory bacterial cultures by the disk-diffusion method. The antibacterial effect was demonstrated for E. coli and P. aeruginosa (both gram-negative) while Staphylococcus aurelus (gram-positive) was shown to be insensitive to Sphagnum polysaccharides. The antifungal effect of Sphagnum extract was tested by the disk-diffusion method on the spores of seventeen fungal species. These fungi were isolated from ethnographic museum objects and from archaeological objects excavated in the Arctic. Twelve of these isolates appeared susceptible to the extract. The inhibiting effect of the extract was also tested by the modified broth-dilution method on the most typical isolate (Aspergillus spp.). In this experiment, in one ml of the nutritious broth, 40µl of 3% solution of polysaccharides in water killed 10,000 fungal spores in 6 hours. The inhibiting effect was not connected to the acidity or osmotic effect of Sphagnum polysaccharides. As an example of the application of Sphagnum polysaccharides in art conservation, they were added as preservative agents to conservation waxes. After three weeks of exposure of microcrystalline wax to test fungi (Aspergillus spp.), 44% of wax was consumed. When, however, ~ 0.1% (w/w) of Sphagnum extract was mixed with wax, the weight loss of wax was only 4% in the same time interval. On the basis of this study it was concluded that Sphagnum moss and Sphagnum products can be recommended for use in art conservation as antifungal agents.