Human gene expression as a tool to determine horticultural maturity in a bioactive plant (Echinacea purpurea L. Moench)

A phenological study was conducted to determine the impact of harvest maturity on the immune-modulating properties of Echinacea purpurea. The aerial parts of this plant were collected during seven stages of development and were assayed for a common botanical marker for this species, cichoric acid. Plants of selected development stages were also assayed for total polysaccharides and compared for their immune-modulating effects on the THP-1 monocyte/macrophage cell line by means of a gene expression study. Although the concentration of cichoric acid did not change significantly during the course of the study, stage 1 (advanced vegetative) had the highest concentration of total polysaccharides and exhibited the most potent induction activity on immune-modulating cytokines such as interferon-gamma and tumor necrosis factor-alpha. These findings suggest that the use of gene expression may be an effective tool not only to standardize botanical extracts but also to optimize harvest time.     

Monitoring of plant and soil pollution based on ionic impulsion

Total pollution indexes for measuring heavy metal contamination of industrialized areas may be quickly estimated from selected metal partial indexes for soil (M-SPI) or plants (M-PPI). Partial pollution indexes for plants (or soils) are calculated by the formula M-PPI (or M-SPI) = 100 (I ? I _unp)/(I _tox ?I _unp), where I = c _i ^1/ni is the ionic impulsion of the selected metal M, with oxidation number n _i, for its actual plant (or soil) concentration c _i,and I _unp and I _tox, the ionic impulsions for unpolluted and toxid levels of the M in plants (or soils). The total pollution indexes were proposed by analogous formulae containing the sums of contributions of metals accumulated in roots (Pb, Cd, Co, Cr, Ni, Cu, Zn and also Fe for plants), without participation of macroconstituents (K, Mg, Ca, Na, and also Mn), accumulated in plant tops. Partial pollution indexes may also serve to show (i) deficiency or toxicity levels of plants (or soils) and (ii) associations between pollutants, easily detected by a numerical taxonomy's dendrogram. Using correlation coefficient techniques for the Bilbao (Spain) model zone, the total soil pollution index, SPI, may be calculated from Zn-SPI, Pb-SPI, Cu-SPI or Cu-PPI. The total plant pollution index, PPI, is similarly related to Fe-PPI or Zn-PPI, though some distortion is evident when the sampling point is close to specific industrial factories. The best estimation (without distortion) for monitoring total plant pollution index is based on the sum of contributions of essential elements (Fe, Cu, and Zn). This fact suggests the existence of defense mechanisms of plants for balancing both the uptake of toxic metals and deficiencies of essential constituents. Finally total pollution indexes may be used for the estimation of the number of pollutants with toxic levels in plants or soils.     

Influence of CaCl(2) on the foliar biomass and quality of tobacco leaves

The aim of the present work was to determine the influence of different CaCl(2) dosages on foliar biomass and quality of tobacco plants (Nicotiana tabacum L. var. Tennesse 86). Plants were grown under controlled conditions and submitted to regular fertilization with macro- and micronutrients. The CaCl(2) was applied to the nutrient solution at 1.25 mM (T1), 2.5 mM (T2), and 5 mM (T3). The results indicated that, under the experimental conditions of this work, the application of 1.25 mM of CaCl(2) favored the growth and development of the leaves, this leading to improved biomass production in tobacco leaves. The increase in foliar biomass in treatment T1 could largely be a result of the stimulation of NO(3)(-) assimilation. However, this situation has negative consequences for tobacco quality, given that the T1 treatment augmented the NO(3)(-) concentration and the foliar concentration of nicotine (both effects being harmful for human consumption) and decreased the concentration of reducing sugars in leaves of tobacco plants compared with those of T2 and T3. Finally, a close and directly proportional relationship was found in our experiment between the parameters of foliar-biomass production, total N concentration, chlorophyll concentration, and decline in quality.     

Stability of retrieved memory: inverse correlation with trace dominance

In memory consolidation, the memory trace stabilizes and becomes resistant to certain amnesic agents. The textbook account is that for any memorized item, consolidation starts and ends just once. However, evidence has accumulated that upon activation in retrieval, the trace may reconsolidate. Whereas some authors reported transient renewed susceptibility of retrieved memories to consolidation blockers, others could not detect it. Here, we report that in both conditioned taste aversion in the rat and fear conditioning in the medaka fish, the stability of retrieved memory is inversely correlated with the control of behavior by that memory. This result may explain some conflicting findings on reconsolidation of activated memories.     

The genome of the diatom Thalassiosira pseudonana: ecology, evolution, and metabolism

Diatoms are unicellular algae with plastids acquired by secondary endosymbiosis. They are responsible for approximately 20% of global carbon fixation. We report the 34 million-base pair draft nuclear genome of the marine diatom Thalassiosira pseudonana and its 129 thousand-base pair plastid and 44 thousand-base pair mitochondrial genomes. Sequence and optical restriction mapping revealed 24 diploid nuclear chromosomes. We identified novel genes for silicic acid transport and formation of silica-based cell walls, high-affinity iron uptake, biosynthetic enzymes for several types of polyunsaturated fatty acids, use of a range of nitrogenous compounds, and a complete urea cycle, all attributes that allow diatoms to prosper in aquatic environments.     

Polyphenol changes during fermentation of naturally black olives

The individual evolution of phenolic compounds has been studied during the natural fermentation of black olives for the first time. Cyanidin 3-rutinoside and cyanidin 3-glucoside were the main anthocyanins identified in fresh olives, and they were not detected after 1 month of storage either in brine or in olive. The fruit colors were different when aerobic or anaerobic conditions were used and as a consequence of the different anthocyanin polymerizations that took place. At time zero, the polyphenols observed in the olive juice were hydroxytyrosol-4-beta-glucoside, oleuropein, hydroxytyrosol, tyrosol, salidroside, and verbascoside and, after 12 months, the main phenol was hydroxytyrosol. The polyphenol content in the oil phase of olives was also analyzed. The dialdehydic form of elenolic acid linked to hydroxytyrosol and tyrosol, oleuropein aglycon, and ligstroside aglycon were the main compounds found at the beginning of fermentation but were not detected after 3 months. In contrast, hydroxytyrosol, hydroxytyrosol acetate, tyrosol, and tyrosol acetate were the main polyphenols detected in the oil phase of the final product. The acid hydrolysis of the initial glucosides (in olive juice) and the aglycons (in oil phase) was, therefore, the main reaction that took place during fermentation.     

Changes in the phenolic composition of virgin olive oil from young trees (Olea europaea L. cv. Arbequina) grown under linear irrigation strategies.

This study reports the HPLC profiles of phenolic compounds of virgin olive oils obtained from young olive trees (Olea europaea L. cv. Arbequina) and how the application of a linear irrigation strategy affected these. Hydroxytyrosol, tyrosol, vanillic acid, vanillin, 4-(acetoxyethyl)-1,2-dihydroxybenzene, p-coumaric acid, the dialdehydic form of elenolic acid linked to hydroxytyrosol and to tyrosol, lignans, and the oleuropein aglycon were found in all the oils. Hydroxytyrosol, tyrosol, vanillic acid, and p-coumaric acid contents in the oils were unaffected by linear irrigation. The concentration of lignans was lower in the oils from the least irrigated treatment and the concentration of vanillin increased as the amount of irrigation water applied to olive trees increased. However, 4-(acetoxyethyl)-1,2-dihydroxybenzene, the dialdehydic form of elenolic acid linked to hydroxytyrosol and to tyrosol, and the oleuropein aglycon, all of them hydroxyphenyl derivatives, decreased as the level of irrigation water increased. The latter three compounds represented the most considerable part of the phenolic fraction of the oils and they were shown to be correlated to the oxidative stability, the bitter index (K(225)), and the bitter, pungent, and sweet sensory attributes. Linear irrigation strategy changed the profile of the oil phenolic compounds and, therefore, changed both the organoleptic properties and the antioxidant capacity of the product.     

Interrill and rill erodibility in the northern Andean Highlands

There is a lack of quantitative information describing the physical processes causing soil erosion in the Andean Highlands, especially those related to interrill and rill erodibility factors. To assess how susceptible are soils to erosion in this region, field measurements of interrill (Ki) and rill (Kr) erodibility factors were evaluated. These values were compared against two equations used by the Water Erosion Prediction Project (WEPP), and also compared against the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) erodibility factor. Ki observed in situ ranged from 1.9 to 56 × 10⁵ kg s m^− 4 whereas Kr ranged from 0.3 to 14 × 10^− 3 s m^− 1. Sand, clay, silt, very fine sand and organic matter fractions were determined in order to apply WEPP and USLE procedures. Most of the evaluated soils had low erodibility values. However, the estimated USLE K values were in the low range of erodibility values. Stepwise multiple regression analyses were applied to ascertain the influence of the independent soil parameters on the Ki and Kr values. After this, we yield two empirical equations to estimate Ki and Kr under this Andean Highlands conditions. Ki was estimated using as predictors silt and very fine sand, while Kr used as predictors clay, very fine sand and organic matter content. Relationship among Ki, Kr and K are described for the Highland Andean soils.