The Impact of Natural Deep Eutectic Solvents and Extraction Method on the Co-Extraction of Trace Metals from Fucus vesiculosus

In recent years, natural deep eutectic solvents (NADES) have been widely investigated for the extraction of food and medicinal plants as well as seaweeds. However, the ability of NADES for trace elements co-extraction from natural sources is not well investigated. The aim of this study was to investigate the ability of common NADES for trace elements co-extraction from Fucus vesiculosus. All of the tested NADES did not recover As and Co (concentration <LOQ). Moreover, all of the tested NADES provided a low recovery (<9%) of Ba, Ca, Fe, Mg, Mn, Sr, and Zn. The method of extraction had not shown a statistically significant effect on the co-extraction of all elements (excluding Ba and Ca). In contrast, the water content in NADES was significantly affected on the recovery of Ba, Ca, Mg, Mn, Sr, and Zn. The recovery of Al and Cr was relatively high and considerably varied (from 1.5 to 59.9%). NADES comprising lactic acid:glucose:H₂O (5:3:1) provided the lowest contents of all elements, and the highest extracted amounts were obtained employing water contents of 60–80%. The calculated daily intake of all the elements contained in NADES extracts were less than the daily dose risk estimators. The hazard quotients, hazard indexes, and carcinogenic risk calculated for all trace elements and their combination were considerably less than 1. This evidences no health risk, and carcinogenic risk after topical application of all studied NADES. For the first time, the results of the current study demonstrated that NADES extracts of F. vesiculosus contain a lower amount of trace metals and are safer than the extracts obtained with water and 70% acetone. This indicates a significant advantage for NADES compared with the other solvents.     

Fucose-Rich Sulfated Polysaccharides from Two Vietnamese Sea Cucumbers Bohadschia argus and Holothuria (Theelothuria) spinifera: Structures and Anticoagulant Activity

Fucosylated chondroitin sulfates (FCSs) FCS-BA and FCS-HS, as well as fucan sulfates (FSs) FS-BA-AT and FS-HS-AT were isolated from the sea cucumbers Bohadschia argus and Holothuria (Theelothuria) spinifera, respectively. Purification of the polysaccharides was carried out by anion-exchange chromatography on DEAE-Sephacel column. Structural characterization of polysaccharides was performed in terms of monosaccharide and sulfate content, as well as using a series of non-destructive NMR spectroscopic methods. Both FCSs were shown to contain a chondroitin core [→3)-β-d-GalNAc-(1→4)-β-d-GlcA-(1→]_n bearing sulfated fucosyl branches at O-3 of every GlcA residue in the chain. These fucosyl residues were different in pattern of sulfation: FCS-BA contained Fuc2S4S, Fuc3S4S and Fuc4S at a ratio of 1:8:2, while FCS-HS contained these residues at a ratio of 2:2:1. Polysaccharides differed also in content of GalNAc4S6S and GalNAc4S units, the ratios being 14:1 for FCS-BA and 4:1 for FCS-HS. Both FCSs demonstrated significant anticoagulant activity in clotting time assay and potentiated inhibition of thrombin, but not of factor Xa. FS-BA-AT was shown to be a regular linear polymer of 4-linked α-L-fucopyranose 3-sulfate, the structure being confirmed by NMR spectra of desulfated polysaccharide. In spite of considerable sulfate content, FS-BA-AT was practically devoid of anticoagulant activity. FS-HS-AT cannot be purified completely from contamination of some FCS. Its structure was tentatively represented as a mixture of chains identical with FS-BA-AT and other chains built up of randomly sulfated alternating 4- and 3-linked α-L-fucopyranose residues.     

Primary orthostatic tremor in Great Danes

Two Great Danes were presented for an investigation of 6-month histories of incessant tremor of all 4 limbs and trunk occurring only when the dogs were standing at rest. Dog 1 was a 2-year-old intact female harlequin Great Dane living in the UK, and dog 2 was a 2-year-old castrated male fawn Great Dane living in the United States. The owners described both dogs as having constant quivering of the limbs while standing, suggestive of an involuntary dance, since the age of 18 months. The intensity of the tremors was reported in both dogs to have steadily increased since onset. In dog 1, tremors were noticed to be more pronounced in the fore limbs when she was eating and more pronounced in the hind limbs when she was trying to sit. The owner of dog 1 also reported that the dog could no longer assume a position of recumbency without manual assistance because of the severity of the tremors. Intermittently, tremors were reported to involve the facial musculature of dog 2. Vaccinations were current, and the owners of both dogs did not report any previous medical history, exposure to natural or manufactured toxins, or concurrent treatment. No familial relationship was identified between these 2 dogs.     

Dispersion and migration of fine particles in two palygorskite‐containing soils of the Jordan Valley

Migration of different mineral particles within columns of soil‐sand mixtures containing 10 or 20 mass % of soil was investigated by establishing differences in the mineral suite between the ”︁bulk clay” and the ”︁mobile fine material” fractions. The ”︁bulk clay” fractions of all soils contained smectite, palygorskite, kaolinite, quartz, feldspar, and calcite. The soils were saturated with sodium by leaching with NaCl solution, and then leached with distilled water. Clay dispersion and particle migration occurred in the columns. Values of SAR (sodium adsorption ratio) of the effluent decreased with time due to carbonate dissolution. At a certain SAR value, the clays apparently formed aggregates, and as a consequence particle migration stopped in the column. In addition to clay‐sized particles (< 2 μm), very‐fine‐silt‐sized particles (2— 5 μm) were able to migrate in the soil‐sand mixtures, too, and to some extent fine‐silt‐sized particles (5—10 μm) as well. Average size of mobile particles decreases with increase of soil content in the soil‐sand mixtures. The mineralogical composition of the ”︁mobile fine material” changed during the experiment. At the beginning of the experiment, the ”︁mobile fine material” was enriched in the non‐phyllosilicates (especially in calcite, and in some cases in quartz, feldspar and dolomite) and contained low concentrations of phyllosilicates (smectite, palygorskite and kaolinite). At the end of the experiment, the proportion of non‐phyllosilicates decreased, and as a consequence, the proportion of phyllosilicates increased. Among the non‐phyllosilicates, calcite was the most mobile mineral. Among the phyllosilicates, palygorskite was preferentially mobilized in topsoil horizons. In subsoil horizons, on the other hand, kaolinite was preferentially mobilized. This difference was explained by the different nature of carbonates in the topsoil and subsoil horizons. Palygorskite is preferentially occluded within the soil carbonates of lacustrine origin over smectite and kaolinite. These carbonates are present mainly in the subsoil horizons. As a consequence, the presence of these carbonates in the subsoil horizons decreases the migration of mainly palygorskite.     

Photosynthetic utilization efficiency of absorbed photosynthetically active radiation by Scots pine and birch forest stands in the southern Taiga

Absorption and utilization of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) were investigated in Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) and birch (Betula pendula Roth.) stands that were 41 years old at the end of the experimental period. Canopy depth of the Scots pine stand was about half that of the birch stand (6.5 versus 11.0 m), but absorption of PAR was similar in the two stands. The Scots pine forest canopy, with a leaf area index of 8.9, absorbed 90% of the incoming PAR (APAR), whereas the birch forest canopy, with a leaf area index of 5.9, absorbed 92% of APAR. During maximum foliage development, the upper Scots pine canopy absorbed more PAR than the upper birch canopy (75 versus 66%). The upper, middle and lower layers of the Scots pine canopy contained 37, 48 and 15% of the total needle surface area, respectively. The corresponding distribution of foliage surface area in the three layers of the birch canopy was 50, 30 and 20%, respectively. Measurements of photosynthetic rate were combined with estimates of leaf area index and stand phytomass to determine rates of primary production on a sunny day, a cloudy day, and on an annual basis. The energy equivalents of short- and long-term carbon gain were used with determinations of APAR to calculate photosynthetic utilization efficiency. Throughout the growing season, photosynthetic utilization efficiency of APAR in the upper canopy layer of the Scots pine forest was almost twice that in the lower canopy layer. In the birch forest, photosynthetic utilization efficiency was greater in the lower canopy layer than in the upper canopy layer. In all cases, utilization efficiency was higher in the birch stand than in the Scots pine stand (52 versus 29 J kJ(-1)). Taking account of respiration of the non-photosynthetic parts of each stand (night respiration of needles or leaves; respiration of branches, trunk and roots), estimated utilization efficiency of APAR for net primary production was 11 J kJ(-1) for Scots pine and 19 J kJ(-1) for birch. Solar conversion ratios, expressed as whole-plant net primary productivity per unit of APAR for the growing season, were 0.81 g MJ(-1) for Scots pine and 0.93 g MJ(-1) for birch.