A novel chromone-substituted trimeric dihydroflavonol from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Anogeissus pendula</Emphasis>

A new chromone-substituted dihydrotriflavonol, (2S,3S)[6-{(3S) 3″,5″-dihydroxy-6″-methoxydihydrochromone}5,3′,4′,5′-tetrahydroxy-7-methoxy-3-O-8-dihydroflavone]₂ 3-O-8[6-{(3S) 3″,5″-dihydroxy-6″methoxydihydrochromone}3,5,3′,4′,5′-pentahydroxy-7-methoxydihydroflavonol] was isolated from the leaves of Anogeissus pendula. The structure was determined by UV, ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR, HMBC, and CD data.     

Stimulated Production of Triterpenoids of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Ganoderma lucidum</Emphasis> by an Ether Extract from the Medicinal Insect, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Catharsius molossus</Emphasis>, and Identification of the Key Stimulating Active Components

The medicinal fungus Ganoderma lucidum was inoculated into the media with and without supplementation of medicinal insect extracts to screen stimulators from Chinese medicinal insects for mycelial growth and triterpenoids production in submerged fermentation. The methanol and ether extracts of the tested insects had no significant stimulatory effect on the mycelial biomass production (P > 0.05), and those of H. remigator and Mylabris phalerata markedly inhibited the mycelial growth. However, the ether extract of Catharsius molossus at a concentration of 200 mg l⁻¹ led to a significant increase in triterpenoids concentration from 231.7 ± 9.77 to 313.7 ± 10.6 mg l⁻¹ (P < 0.01). Analysis of fermentation kinetics of G. lucidum suggests that glucose concentration in the extract of C. molossus-added group decreased more quickly as compared to the control group from day 2 to day 7 of fermentation process, while the triterpenoids biosynthesis was promoted at the same culture period. However, the culture pH profile was not affected by the addition of the extract. Chemical study of the extract show that cis-9,10-methylenehexadecanoic acid (9,10-MEA) and hexadecanoic acid (especially 9,10-MEA) were the key active compounds of the extract responsible for the stimulatory effect on the triterpenoids production.     

A new kaempferol trioside from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Farsetia aegyptia</Emphasis>

A new kaempferol trioside, kaempferol-3-O-(2″-α-L-arabinopyranosyl)-α-L-rhamnopyranoside-7-O-α-L-rhamnopyranoside, along with eight known flavonoid compounds were isolated from the methanolic extract of Farsetia aegyptia Turra. growing in Egypt. The structures were established on the basis of detailed spectral analysis (UV, ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR, APT, HMBC, FABMS, and EIMS).     

A new flavanone glycoside from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Clausena pentaphylla</Emphasis>

From the ethyl acetate extract of the roots of Clausena pentaphylla, a flavanone glycoside, 5,7-dihydroxy3',4'-dimethoxyflavanone 6-C-[α-rhamnopyranosyl-(1 → 6)]-β-glucopyranoside (1), was isolated. The isolated compound was characterized by UV, IR, and NMR (¹H, ¹³C) studies.     

Identification of a new flavone glycoside from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Codonopsis nervosa</Emphasis>

A new flavone glycoside, luteolin 7-O-[(6″′-caffeoyl)-β-D-glucopyranosyl-(1 → 6)]-β-D-glucopyranoside (1), was isolated from Codonopsis nervosa, along with three other known compounds, luteolin 7-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (2), luteolin 7-O-gentiobioside (3), and tangshenoside VI (4). Their structures were determined on the basis of 1D and 2D NMR, IR, and HR-ESI-MS.     

New steroidal glycosides from the stem bark of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Mimusops elengi</Emphasis>

Two new steroidal glycosides (1 and 2) have been isolated from the ethanolic extract of the stem bark of Mimusops elengi L. and characterized as stigmasta-5,22-dien-3β-ol-3β-D-glucuropyranosyl-(6′β→1″)-D-glucopyranoside (1) and β-sitosterol-3β-(3″′,6″′,7″′-trihydroxynaphthyl-2″′-carboxyl)-4″-glucopyranosyl-(1″→4′)-glucopyranoside (2) along with the known compounds stigmasta-5-en-3β-ol, lup-20(29)-en-3β-ol, and stigmasta-5-en-3β-D-glucopyranoside. Their structures have been elucidated on the basis of spectral data analysis and chemical reactions.     

A Laccase of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Fomes durissimus</Emphasis> MTCC-1173 and Its Role in the Conversion of Methylbenzene to Benzaldehyde

A laccase has been purified from the liquid culture growth medium containing bagasse particles of Fomes durissimus. The method involved concentration of the culture filtrate by ultrafiltration and anion exchange chromatography on diethyl aminoethyl cellulose. The sodium dodecyl sulphate–polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis both gave single protein band indicating that the enzyme preparation was pure. The molecular mass of the purified laccase determined from SDS-PAGE analysis was 75 kDa. Using 2,6-dimethoxyphenol as the substrate, the determined K _m and k _cat values of the laccase are 182 μM and 0.35 s⁻¹, respectively, giving a k _cat/K _m value of 1.92 × 10³ M⁻¹ s⁻¹. The pH and temperature optimum were 4.0 and 35 °C, respectively. The purified laccase has yellow colour and does not show absorption band around 610 nm found in blue laccases. Moreover, it transformed methylbenzene to benzaldehyde in the absence of mediator molecules, property exhibited by yellow laccases.     

Flavonoid oligosides from georgian <Emphasis Type="Italic">Astragalus falcatus</Emphasis>

New flavonoid oligosides were isolated from leaves and flowers of Astragalus falcatus Lam. It was found on the basis of chemical transformations, UV, IR, PMR, ¹³ C NMR, HMBC, HSQC, 1D-TOCSY, and mass spectral properties that falcoside C had the structure quercetin 3-O-[β-D-glucopyranosyl(1 → 3)-α-Lrhamnopyranosyl(1 → 6)]-β-D-galactopyranoside 7-O-β-D-glucopyranoside; falcoside D, isorhamnetin 3-O-[β-D-xylopyranosyl(1 → 3)-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl(1 → 6)]-β-D-galactopyranoside 7-O-α-Lrhamnopyranoside.     

Microencapsulated Engineered <Emphasis Type="Italic">Lactococcus lactis Cells</Emphasis> for Heterologous Protein Delivery: Preparation and In Vitro Analysis

This article demonstrates the potential of encapsulated, engineered Lactococcus lactis as a vehicle for the oral delivery of therapeutic proteins. Using alginate-poly-l-lysine-alginate membrane-encapsulated L. lactis engineered to secrete the reporter protein Staphylococcal aureus nuclease, we show comparable viability and protein secretion between free and immobilized cells. After 12 h, microcapsules with a cell density of 4.8 × 10⁵ colony forming unit (CFU) ml⁻¹ grew to 2.2 × 10⁸ CFU ml⁻¹ and released 0.24 arbitrary unit (AU) ml⁻¹ of nuclease, producing similar results as free cells, which grew from 3.4 × 10⁵ to 1.9 × 10⁸ CFU ml⁻¹ and secreted 0.21 AU ml⁻¹ of nuclease. Moreover, encapsulated cells at a density of 4.4 × 10⁷ CFU ml⁻¹ grew to 2.2 × 10¹⁰ CFU ml⁻¹ in 12 h and secreted 15.3 AU ml⁻¹ of nuclease although 3.1 × 10⁷ CFU ml⁻¹ of free cells reached only 2.3 × 10⁹ CFU ml⁻¹ and released 5.6 AU ml⁻¹ of nuclease. We also show the sustained stability of the microcapsules during storage at 4°C over 8 weeks.     

A new triterpene glycoside from fruit of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Phytolacca americana</Emphasis>

Glycosides H and I, the structures of which were established by modern physicochemical analytical methods (PMR, ¹³C NMR, COSY, TOCSY, HMBC, MS) and acid-base hydrolysis, were isolated from the purified total saponins from fruit of Phytolacca americana containing at least 10 triterpene glycosides by rechromatography of enriched fractions over a column of silica gel. Glycoside H was a bidesmoside of phytolaccageninic acid, which was isolated earlier from cell culture of Phytolacca acinosa. Glycoside I was 3-O-(β-D-xylopyranosyl-(1 → 3)-β-D-galactopyranosyl-(1 → 3)- β -D-xylopyranosyl)-28-O- β -D-glucopyranosyl phytolaccagenin, which was isolated by us for the first time.     

Carbohydrates from Lamiaceae. VIII. α-Glucan from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Scutellaria baicalensis</Emphasis> roots

The homogeneous polysaccharide S _b RP-1″ with MW 110 kDa was isolated during an investigation of water-soluble polysaccharides from Scutellaria baicalensis roots. Its aqueous solution gave a positive reaction with iodine and exhibited high specific rotation ([α]_D +188.0°). Chemical, chromatographic, and spectral methods established that S _b RP-1″ was a slightly branched glucan containing in the main chain α-(1 → 4)-glucopyranose units, 8.3% of which were branched at the C-6 atom with single α-glucopyranose units. Glucan S _b RP-1″ was shown to exhibit immunostimulating activity using an azathioprine model of immunosuppression.     

The parathiocyanogen electrode

Stable, yellow anodic films of parathiocyanogen (SCN) _x were formed on a platinum electrode from 2.8 M KSCN in methanol at 45 °C at a constant current of 20–40 mA cm⁻² for 15–30 min. Loosely bound orange crystals of a more amorphous character were removed by rinsing to leave an adherent yellow film with sharp Raman bands under 647.1 nm laser excitation at 627 cm⁻¹ (vCS), 1152 cm⁻¹ and 1236–1261 cm⁻¹ (vNN and vCN). The lack of electroactivity and short-lived photocurrents pointed to an insulating film at potentials up to 1.0 V (SHE). At more positive potentials, longer-lasting photocurrents were obtained, consistent with breakdown of the insulating film. XPS scans confirmed N:C:S ratios close to 1:1:1, with a deficiency of S of some 10% due to S lost as sulfate at the film surface. Oxidation of SeCN⁻ in neutral aqueous solution led to the formation of a less-stable orange paraselenocyanogen film with a Raman band at 1256–1267 cm⁻¹, which decomposed within a day to grey selenium. Received: 12 December 1997 / Accepted: 23 March 1998     

A new flavonoid glycoside from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Galium verum</Emphasis>

A new flavonoid glycoside, an apigenin 7-O-(3,4-di-O-acetyl)-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1 → _6)-β-D- glucopyranoside (1), was isolated from the 95% ethanol extract of Galium verum L. Its structure was elucidated by spectroscopic analysis.     

Isolation and characterization of a new flavone diglucoside from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Salix denticulata</Emphasis>

A new flavone diglucoside named 7,3′-dihydroxy-4′-methoxyflavone-5-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl (6″ → 1‴)-β-D-glucopyranoside (1), along with four known flavonoids, luteolin (2), isoquercetin (3), catechin (4), and diosmetin (5), has been isolated and characterized from Salix denticulata. The structure of the new flavone diglucoside was characterized by means of high field 1D and 2D NMR and MS spectral analysis.     

Solid state electrochemical of the erbium hexacyanoferrate-modified carbon ceramic electrode and its electrocatalytic oxidation of <Emphasis Type="SmallCaps">l</Emphasis>-cysteine

A kind of erbium hexacyanoferrate (ErHCF)-modified carbon ceramic electrodes (CCEs) fabricated by mechanically attaching ErHCF samples to the surface of CCEs derived from sol–gel technique was proposed. The resulting modified electrodes exhibit well-defined redox responses with the formal potential of +0.215 V [vs saturated calomel electrode (SCE)] at a scan rate of 20 mV s⁻¹ in 0.5 M KCl (pH 7) solution. The voltammetric characteristics of the ErHCF-modified CCEs were investigated by voltammetry. Attractively, the ErHCF-modified CCEs presented good electrocatalytic activity with a marked decrease in the overvoltage about 400 mV for l-cysteine oxidation. The calibration plot for l-cysteine determination was linear at 5.0 × 10⁻⁶–1.3 × 10⁻⁴ M with a linear regression equation of I(A) = 0.558 + 0.148c (μM) (R ² = 0.9989, n = 20), and the detection limit was 2 × 10⁻⁶ M (S/N = 3). At last, the ErHCF-modified CCEs were used for amperometric detection of l-cysteine in real samples.     

Development of a multichannel flow-through chemiluminescence microarray chip for parallel calibration and detection of pathogenic bacteria

Pathogen detection is important for health and safety reasons. Several outbreaks all over the world have shown the need for rapid, qualitative, quantitative, and, particularly, multianalyte detection systems. Hence, a multichannel flow-through chemiluminescence microarray chip for parallel detection of pathogenic bacteria was developed. The disposable chip made of acrylonitrile–butadiene–styrene (ABS) copolymer was devised as a support for a multiplexed sandwich immunoassay. Calibration and measurement was possible in one experiment, because the developed chip contains six parallel flow-through microchannels. Polyclonal antibodies against the pathogenic bacteria Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella typhimurium, and Legionella pneumophila were immobilized on the chip by microcontact printing in order to use them as specific receptors. Detection of the captured bacteria was carried out by use of specific detection antibodies labelled with biotin and horseradish peroxidase (HRP)–streptavidine conjugates. The enzyme HRP generates chemiluminescence after adding luminol and hydrogen peroxide. This signal was observed by use of a sensitive CCD camera. The limits of detection are 1.8 × 10⁴ cells mL⁻¹ for E. coli O157:H7, 7.9 × 10⁴ cells mL⁻¹ for L. pneumophila, and 2.0 × 10⁷ cells mL⁻¹ for S. typhimurium. The overall assay time for measurement and calibration is 18 min, enabling very fast analysis.      

Thiophene-based glass-forming hole-transporting hydrazones

The synthesis, optical, thermal, and photoelectrical properties of new thiophene-based hydrazones are reported. The ionization potentials of the films of thiophene-based hydrazones, measured by the electron photoemission technique, range from 4.99 to 5.58 eV. Hole-drift mobilities in the solid solutions in bisphenol-Z polycarbonate (PC-Z) of the synthesized hydrazones were studied by time of flight technique. Room temperature charge mobilities in the solid solution of 5,2″-diformyl-2,2′:5′,5″-terthiophene di(N,N-diphenylhydrazone) in PC-Z exceeded 10⁻⁵ cm²/Vs at high applied electric fields. Correspondence: Juozas Vidas Grazulevicius, Department of Organic Technology, Kaunas University of Technology, Radvilenu pl. 19, LT-50254 Kaunas, Lithuania.     

Determination of the primary structure and carboxyl p<Emphasis Type="Italic">K</Emphasis><Subscript>A</Subscript>s of heparin-derived oligosaccharides by band-selective homonuclear-decoupled two-dimensional <Superscript>1</Superscript>H NMR

Determination of the structure of heparin-derived oligosaccharides by ¹H NMR is challenging because resonances for all but the anomeric protons cover less than 2 ppm. By taking advantage of increased dispersion of resonances for the anomeric H¹ protons at low pD and the superior resolution of band-selective, homonuclear-decoupled (BASHD) two-dimensional ¹H NMR, the primary structure of the heparin-derived octasaccharide ∆UA(2S)-[(1 → 4)-GlcNS(6S)-(1 → 4)-IdoA(2S)-]₃-(1 → 4)-GlcNS(6S) has been determined, where ∆UA(2S) is 2-O-sulfated ∆^4,5-unsaturated uronic acid, GlcNS(6S) is 6-O-sulfated, N-sulfated β-d-glucosamine and IdoA(2S) is 2-O-sulfated α-l-iduronic acid. The spectrum was assigned, and the sites of N- and O-sulfation and the conformation of each uronic acid residue were established, with chemical shift data obtained from BASHD-TOCSY spectra, while the sequence of the monosaccharide residues in the octasaccharide was determined from inter-residue NOEs in BASHD-NOESY spectra. Acid dissociation constants were determined for each carboxylic acid group of the octasaccharide, as well as for related tetra- and hexasaccharides, from chemical shift–pD titration curves. Chemical shift–pD titration curves were obtained for each carboxylic acid group from sub-spectra taken from BASHD-TOCSY spectra that were measured as a function of pD. The pK _As of the carboxylic acid groups of the ∆UA(2S) residues are less than those of the IdoA(2S) residues, and the pK _As of the carboxylic acid groups of the IdoA(2S) residues for a given oligosaccharide are similar in magnitude. Relative acidities of the carboxylic acid groups of each oligosaccharide were calculated from chemical shift data by a pH-independent method.     

Structure and lithium mobility of Li<Subscript>4</Subscript>Pt<Subscript>3</Subscript>Si

The lithium-rich silicide Li₄Pt₃Si was synthesised from the elements by high-temperature synthesis in a sealed niobium ampoule. Its structure was refined on the basis of single-crystal X-ray diffraction data: R32, a = 693.7(2), c = 1627.1(4) pm, wR2 = 0.0762, 525 F² values and 21 variables. The striking structural motifs of the Li₄Pt₃Si structure are silicon atoms with a slightly distorted trigonal prismatic platinum coordination with short Si–Pt distances (238–246 pm). Always two trigonal prisms are condensed via a common Pt₃ triangle, and these double units built up a three-dimensional network by condensation via common corners. The channels left by this prismatic network are filled by two crystallographically independent lithium sites in a 3:1 ratio. The single crystal X-ray data were fully confirmed by neutron powder diffraction and ⁷Li magic-angle spinning (MAS)–nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) results. The two distinct lithium sites are well differentiated by their ⁷Li isotropic chemical shift and nuclear electric quadrupolar interaction parameters. MAS-NMR spectra reveal signal coalescence effects above 300 K, indicating chemical exchange between the lithium sites on the millisecond timescale. The spectra can be simulated with a simple two-site exchange model. From the resulting temperature-dependent correlation times, an activation energy of 50 kJ/mol is extracted.     

Scale up and Application of Biosurfactant from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bacillus subtilis</Emphasis> in Enhanced Oil Recovery

There is a lack of fundamental knowledge about the scale up of biosurfactant production. In order to develop suitable technology of commercialization, carrying out tests in shake flasks and bioreactors was essential. A reactor with integrated foam collector was designed for biosurfactant production using Bacillus subtilis isolated from agricultural soil. The yield of biosurfactant on biomass (Y _p/x), biosurfactant on sucrose (Y _p/s), and the volumetric production rate (Y) for shake flask were obtained about 0.45 g g⁻¹, 0.18 g g⁻¹, and 0.03 g l⁻¹ h⁻¹, respectively. The best condition for bioreactor was 300 rpm and 1.5 vvm, giving Y _x/s, Y _p/x, Y _p/s, and Y of 0.42 g g⁻¹, 0.595 g g⁻¹, 0.25 g g⁻¹, and 0.057 g l⁻¹ h⁻¹, respectively. The biosurfactant maximum production, 2.5 g l⁻¹, was reached in 44 h of growth, which was 28% better than the shake flask. The obtained volumetric oxygen transfer coefficient (K _L a) values at optimum conditions in the shake flask and the bioreactor were found to be around 0.01 and 0.0117 s⁻¹, respectively. Comparison of K _L a values at optimum conditions shows that biosurfactant production scaling up from shake flask to bioreactor can be done with K _L a as scale up criterion very accurately. Nearly 8% of original oil in place was recovered using this biosurfactant after water flooding in the sand pack.