Antifungal activity of extracts from Atacama Desert fungi againstParacoccidioides brasiliensis and identification ofAspergillus felis as a promising source of natural bioactive compounds

Fungi of the genus Paracoccidioides are responsible for paracoccidioidomycosis. The occurrence of drug toxicity and relapse in this disease justify the development of new antifungal agents. Compounds extracted from fungal extract have showing antifungal activity. Extracts of 78 fungi isolated from rocks of the Atacama Desert were tested in a microdilution assay against Paracoccidioides brasiliensis Pb18. Approximately 18% (5) of the extracts showed minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values≤ 125.0 µg/mL. Among these, extract from the fungus UFMGCB 8030 demonstrated the best results, with an MIC of 15.6 µg/mL. This isolate was identified as Aspergillus felis (by macro and micromorphologies, and internal transcribed spacer, β-tubulin, and ribosomal polymerase II gene analyses) and was grown in five different culture media and extracted with various solvents to optimise its antifungal activity. Potato dextrose agar culture and dichloromethane extraction resulted in an MIC of 1.9 µg/mL against P. brasiliensis and did not show cytotoxicity at the concentrations tested in normal mammalian cell (Vero). This extract was subjected to bioassay-guided fractionation using analytical C18RP-high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and an antifungal assay using P. brasiliensis. Analysis of the active fractions by HPLC-high resolution mass spectrometry allowed us to identify the antifungal agents present in the A. felis extracts cytochalasins. These results reveal the potential of A. felis as a producer of bioactive compounds with antifungal activity.

Current approaches and challenges for the metabolite profiling of complex natural extracts.

Metabolite profiling is critical in many aspects of the life sciences, particularly natural product research. Obtaining precise information on the chemical composition of complex natural extracts (metabolomes) that are primarily obtained from plants or microorganisms is a challenging task that requires sophisticated, advanced analytical methods. In this respect, significant advances in hyphenated chromatographic techniques (LC-MS, GC-MS and LC-NMR in particular), as well as data mining and processing methods, have occurred over the last decade. Together, these tools, in combination with bioassay profiling methods, serve an important role in metabolomics for the purposes of both peak annotation and dereplication in natural product research. In this review, a survey of the techniques that are used for generic and comprehensive profiling of secondary metabolites in natural extracts is provided. The various approaches (chromatographic methods: LC-MS, GC-MS, and LC-NMR and direct spectroscopic methods: NMR and DIMS) are discussed with respect to their resolution and sensitivity for extract profiling. In addition the structural information that can be generated through these techniques or in combination, is compared in relation to the identification of metabolites in complex mixtures. Analytical strategies with applications to natural extracts and novel methods that have strong potential, regardless of how often they are used, are discussed with respect to their potential applications and future trends.

Generalized canonical correlation analysis of matrices with different row and column orders

A Method is offered that makes it possible to apply generalized canonicalcorrelations analysis (CANCOR) to two or more matrices of different row and column order. The new method optimizes the generalized canonical correlationanalysis objective by considering only the observed values. This is achieved byemploying selection matrices. We present and discuss fit measures to assessthe quality of the solutions. In a simulation study we assess the performance of our new method and compare it to an existing procedure called GENCOM,proposed by Green and Carroll. We find that our new method outperforms the GENCOM algorithm both with respect to model fit and recovery of the truestructure. Moreover, as our new method does not require any type of iteration itis easier to implement and requires less computation. We illustrate the methodby means of an example concerning the relative positions of the political parties inthe Netherlands based on provincial data.

Effect of Citrus floral extracts on the foraging behavior of the stingless bee Scaptotrigona pectoralis (Dalla Torre)

Effect of Citrus floral extracts on the foraging behavior of the stingless bee Scaptotrigona pectoralis (Dalla Torre). Stingless bees have an important role as pollinators of many wild and cultivated plant species in tropical regions. Little is known, however, about the interaction between floral fragrances and the foraging behavior of meliponine species. Thus we investigated the chemical composition of the extracts of citric (lemon and orange) flowers and their effects on the foraging behavior of the stingless bee Scaptotrigona pectoralis. We found that each type of flower has its own specific blend of major compounds: limonene (62.9%) for lemon flowers, and farnesol (26.5%), (E)-nerolidol (20.8%), and linalool (12.7%) for orange flowers. In the foraging experiments the S. pectoralis workers were able to use the flower extracts to orient to the food source, overlooking plates baited with hexane only. However, orange flower extracts were seemingly more attractive to these worker bees, maybe because of the particular blend present in it. Our results reveal that these fragrances are very attractive to S. pectoralis, so we can infer that within citric orchards they could be important visitors in the study area; however habitat destruction, overuse of pesticides and the competitive override by managed honeybees might have put at risk their populations and thus the ecological services they provide to us.

Inducing effect of skeletal muscle extracts on the appearance of calbindin-immunoreactive dorsal root ganglion cells in culture.

Calbindin D-28k is a calcium-binding protein which is not expressed by dorsal root ganglion cells cultured from 6-day-old (E6) chick embryos. When soluble muscle extracts from embryos at E11, E18 or chickens 2 weeks after hatching were added immediately after seeding, dorsal root ganglia cells grown at E6 displayed neuronal subpopulations expressing calbindin immunoreactivity with time; the effect of muscle extract on the percentage of calbindin-immunoreactive dorsal root ganglia cells followed a dose-response curve. When muscle extract was added to cultures after a 3 day delay, the percentage of calbindin-expressing neurons was unchanged. The effect produced by muscle extract and, to a lesser degree, skin extract on the appearance of calbindin-positive neurons was not reproduced by brain or liver extracts while all four exerted a trophic action on cultured neurons. Hence it is assumed that muscle extract contains a factor which produces an inductive effect on the initiation of calbindin-expression by uncommitted subpopulations of sensory neurons rather than a trophic influence on the selective survival of covertly committed neuronal subpopulations. The fact that muscle extract promoted calbindin expression by dorsal root ganglia cells in neuron-enriched as well as in mixed dorsal root ganglion cell cultures indicates that the factor would act directly on sensory neurons rather than indirectly through mediation of non-neuronal cells. Since the active muscular factor was non-dialysable, heat-inactivated, trypsin-sensitive and retained by molecular filters with a cut-off of 30 K, this factor is probably a protein.

Ethyl glucuronide in plant extracts :O16

Introduction: The specificity of ethyl glucuronide (EtG) in hair as marker of alcohol consumption exceeds by far those of fatty acid ethyl esters. False positive cases are therefore very rare but not excluded as recent publications have shown. Especially, the use of plant extracts containing high percentages of ethanol can lead to EtG hair concentrations typically found in cases of chronic alcohol consumption. As proposed by Baumgartner et al., a nucleohilic substitution could most likely explain this phenomenon. Fresh and dried plants as well as commercial hair lotions based on plants extracts have been analysed for EtG presence or EtG formation. Methods: Urtica dioica, Plantago lanceolata, Cortex Quercus, Sempervivum, Armoracia rusticana, Juniperus communis, Brassica alba, Thymian vulgaris, Salvia officinalis, Majorana hortensis, Aloe vera, birch gingko and green tea leafs, ginger, lemon grass were extracted in water, water/ethanol (50/50) and ethanol (100%). The extracts as well as diluted hair lotions were measured by immunological test (Microgenics DRI® EtG assay) and by LC-MS/MS on Shimadzu Nexera UHPLC coupled with an AB Sciex 4500 QTrap. Results: EtG could not be detected in water extracts of all tested plants. However, DRI® EtG assay indicated the presence of EtG in 66% of the tested ethanolic plant extracts. That could only be confirmed by mass spectrometry in the cases of fresh thyme as well as in dried birch, oak and plantain extracts where EtG concentrations between of 0.25 and 2,09 mg/l were measured. In one hair lotion, the EtG concentration was 0,76 mg/l. Conclusion: Ethanolic plant extracts represents a non-negligible risk for false positive EtG hair tests, especially when applied as lotion without following washing out. The use of hair care products must therefore be evaluated at every hair sampling. In case of doubt, the product should be analysed by mass spectrometric methods since the presence of EtG can't be proven by use of the DRI® EtG assay, only. Our results support Baumgartner's assumption of a nucleophilic substitution in presence of ethanol because EtG was only measured in the ethanolic extracts.

The effects of ridging, row-spacing and seeding rate on carrot yield

Selostus: Maan muotoilun, kylvötavan ja siementiheyden vaikutus porkkanan satoon

Acute Complications of Crohn's Disease: Comparison of Multidetector-Row Computed Tomographic Enterography with Magnetic Resonance Enterography.

Objective: To compare multidetector-row computed tomographic (MDCT) enterography with magnetic resonance (MR) enterography performed upon acute exacerbation of Crohn's disease. Subjects and Methods: Fifty-seven patients (mean age 33.5) with proven Crohn's disease and symptoms suggesting acute exacerbation were prospectively included. After oral administration of 1-2 liters of 5% methylcellulose, MDCT and MR enterography were performed on each patient (mean delay <24 h). Three radiologists blindly and independently evaluated each examination for technical quality and in terms of 8 pathological features of Crohn's disease. Observers' agreement, sensitivity and specificity resulted from comparison with the reference standard [surgery (n = 24), endoscopy (n = 17) and long-term follow-up (n = 16)]. Results: MDCT enterography demonstrated fewer artifacts than MR enterography (p < 0.0001). In 48 MDCT/MR enterography examinations, active disease was demonstrated: abscesses (n = 11), fistulas (n = 13), stenoses (n = 23) and/or intestinal inflammation (n = 38). Observers' agreement (range 0.56-0.87) was not significantly different between MDCT and MR enterography, neither in terms of sensitivity (range 58-95%) nor specificity (range 67-100%) for each of the 8 pathological features. Conclusion: Statistically, MR enterography is of similar diagnostic value as MDCT enterography for acute complications of Crohn's disease. Since the typical Crohn's disease patient is young and will very likely undergo life-long imaging, and given concerns about radiation exposure with MDCT, MR enterography should be the preferred modality.

Complexometric titration with potenciometric indicator to determination of calcium and magnesium in soil extracts¹

This study proposes a method of direct and simultaneous determination of the amount of Ca2+ and Mg2+ present in soil extracts using a Calcium Ion-Selective Electrode and by Complexometric Titration (ISE-CT). The results were compared to those obtained by conventional analytical techniques of Complexometric Titration (CT) and Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (FAAS). There were no significant differences in the determination of Ca2+ and Mg2+ in comparison with CT and FAAS, at a 95 % confidence level. Additionally, results of this method were more precise and accurate than of the Interlaboratorial Control (IC).

Comparison of three antigenic extracts of Eurotium amstelodami in serological diagnosis of farmer's lung disease.

In France and Finland, farmer's lung disease (FLD), a hypersensitivity pneumonitis common in agricultural areas, is mainly caused by Eurotium species. The presence of antibodies in patients' serum is an important criterion for diagnosis. Our study aimed to improve the serological diagnosis of FLD by using common fungal particles that pollute the farm environment as antigens. Fungal particles of the Eurotium species were observed in handled hay. A strain of Eurotium amstelodami was grown in vitro using selected culture media; and antigen extracts from sexual (ascospores), asexual (conidia), and vegetative (hyphae) forms were made. Antigens were tested by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), which was used to test for immunoglobulin G antibodies from the sera of 17 FLD patients, 40 healthy exposed farmers, and 20 nonexposed controls. The antigens were compared by receiver operating characteristic analysis, and a threshold was then established. The ascospores contained in asci enclosed within cleistothecia were present in 38% of the hay blades observed; conidial heads of aspergillus were less prevalent. The same protocol was followed to make the three antigen extracts. A comparison of the results for FLD patients and exposed controls showed the area under the curve to be 0.850 for the ascospore antigen, 0.731 for the conidia, and 0.690 for the hyphae. The cutoffs that we determined, with the standard deviation for measures being taken into account, showed 67% for sensitivity and 92% for specificity with the ascospore antigen. In conclusion, the serological diagnosis of FLD by ELISA was improved by the adjunction of ascospore antigen.

Soil Compaction Curve of an Oxisol Under Sugarcane Planted After In-row Deep Tillage

ABSTRACT Soil tillage that maintains the productivity of sugarcane plantations, providing an area for the root development and without traffic on crop rows, has given rise to new technologies in rural areas. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the soil physical properties in two sugarcane plantations, one of which was prepared with deep tilling and the other with conventional tillage. The experiment was conducted in Lençóis Paulista, São Paulo State. Soil penetration resistance and relative density were analyzed. The cone index was lower in deep-tilled soil without traffic in all layers, than in deep-tilled soil with traffic and in conventional tillage. In both tillage treatments, the relative density values were acceptable in the 0.00-0.15 m soil layer, but considered detrimental for sugarcane development in the 0.15-0.30 and 0.30-0.45 m layers.

Nitrogen and Potassium in Narrow-Row Cotton

ABSTRACT Information on fertilizer management for cotton in narrow-row cropping system is scarce; therefore, studies are needed to improve nutrient stewardship for such systems. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of nitrogen and potassium application on yield and fiber quality of cotton under a narrow-row system. A field trial was carried out for three years, where the treatments were set up in an incomplete factorial arrangement [(4 × 4) + 1] under a randomized block design, with four N rates (20, 40, 60, and 80 kg ha-1), four K2O rates (0, 40, 80, and 120 kg ha-1), and one control (no N or K2O), for a total of 17 treatments, with four replicates. Urea and potassium chloride were applied on the soil surface 20 days after crop emergence. Varieties used were FMT 701 (2009/2010 and 2010/2011) and FMT 709 (2011/2012). Cotton yield and fiber quality parameters were measured. In the narrow-row cropping system, cotton lint yield was positively affected by N and K application. Cotton yield in relation to K applications was not dependent on N rates. Potassium application increased the micronaire index and fiber resistance, whereas high N rates reduced fiber resistance.