Development of a bionematicide with Paecilomyces lilacinus to control Meloidogyne incognita

Root-knot disease caused by Meloidogyne incognita is a matter of grave concern because it affects several economically important crop plants. The use of solid-state fermentation (SSF) may help to elaborate efficient formulations with fungi to be employed in the biologic control of nematodes. Attempts were made to select low-cost substrates for spore production of a strain of Paecilomyces lilacinus with known nematicide capacity. Coffee husks, cassava bagasse, and defatted soybean cake were utilized as substrates, and sugarcane bagasse was used as support. Fermentations were carried out in flasks covered with filter paper at 28°C for 10 d. The products obtained by SSF were evaluated for their nematicide activity in pot experiments containing one seedling of the plant Coleus inoculated with the nematode M. incognita. The plants were evaluated 2 mo after inoculation. Fermented products showed a reduction in the number of nematodes. The best results were obtained with defatted soybean cake, which showed almost 100% reduction in the number of nematodes; the reduction with coffee husk was 80% and with cassava bagasse was about 60%.     

New dirhenium(III) compounds bridged by carboxylate ligands: N(C(4)H(9))(4)[Re(2)(OOCCF(3))Cl(6)] and Re(2)(OOCCCHCo(2)(CO)(6))(4)Cl(2)

The solvothermal reaction of (N(C(4)H(9))(4))(2)[Re(2)Cl(8)] with trifluoroacetic acid and acetic anhydride leads to the new rhenium trifluoroacetate dimer N(C(4)H(9))(4)[Re(2)(OOCCF(3))Cl(6)] (1) and to the rhenium carbonyl dimer Re(2)(mu(2)-Cl)(2)(CO)(8) as the rhenium-reduced byproduct. The reaction of the precursor complex, N(C(4)H(9))(4)[Re(2)(OOCCF(3))Cl(6)] (1), with the organometallic carboxylic acid (CO)(6)Co(2)HCCCOOH leads to the cluster of clusters compound Re(2)(OOCCCHCo(2)(CO)(6))(4)Cl(2) (2), which has the dimer structure of Re(2)(OOCR)(4)Cl(2). Cyclic voltammetric measurements show that Re(2)(OOCCCHCo(2)(CO)(6))(4)Cl(2) (2) has one reduction centered on the dirhenium core and a reduction centered on the cobalt atoms. DFT calculations have been used to rationalize the observed displacements of the voltammetric signals in Re(2)(OOCCCHCo(2)(CO)(6))(4)Cl(2) (2) compared to the parent ligand (CO)(6)Co(2)HCCCOOH and rhenium pivalate.     

Multistate/multifunctional behaviour of 4'-hydroxy-6-nitroflavylium: a write-lock/read/unlock/enable-erase/erase cycle driven by light and pH stimulation

We have investigated the network of reactions observed for the photochromic 4'-hydroxy-6-nitroflavylium compound in aqueous solutions upon pH changes (including pH jump and stopped flow experiments) and light excitation. The changes observed in the NMR and UV/Vis spectra allowed identification of ten different forms in which this compound can be transformed depending on the experimental conditions. Equilibrium and kinetic constants have been determined. Compared with other members of the flavylium family, 4'-hydroxy-6-nitroflavylium is characterized by a large cis-->trans isomerization barrier, and a very efficient hydration reaction. These peculiar features allow writing, reading, storing and erasing photonic information on 4'-hydroxy-6-nitroflavylium by a novel cyclic process that involves the following steps: write-lock/read/unlock/enable-erase/erase.     

Mass transfer determining parameter in facilitated transport through di-(2-ethylhexyl) dithiophosphoric acid activated composite membranes

Activated composite membranes (ACMs) containing di-(2-ethylhexyl) dithiophosphoric acid (D2EHDTPA) as a carrier have been found to facilitate the transport and separation of several cations. This paper describes an approach to the chemical characterisation of the transport phenomena of Zn²⁺, Cd²⁺, Cu²⁺, Ni²⁺, Sn²⁺ and In³⁺ by an ACM. The selectivity of D2EHDTPA based ACM towards different metal ions is presented and discussed focusing in Zn²⁺ and Cd²⁺ transport and recovery. Selectivity demonstrates that zinc ions are removable from mixtures due to the different extraction strength of D2EHDTPA. Such selectivity is based on the differences of the dynamic behaviour of the metal ions transport. In addition, a correlation of the chemical behaviour of those ACM systems with the corresponding solvent extraction systems has been found.     

Interaction between the antibacterial compound,oleuropein, and model membranes

Oleuropein, a secoiridoid glycoside extracted from the olive tree, Olea europaea L., has been described as showing antibacterial properties. However, the exact mechanism of these antimicrobial properties is not yet well understood. In the present study, we have studied the interaction of oleuropein with phosphatidylglycerol (PG) as a model membrane for Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) (Gram-positive bacteria) and phosphatidylethanolamine and Escherichia coli (E. coli) lipid extract as a model membrane for E. coli (Gram-negative bacteria). The study has been carried out using monolayers as model membranes and using kinetics at constant area and compression isotherms with Brewster angle microscopy (BAM) observations. The results show that oleuropein interacts in higher extent with PG monolayers, which is related with its stronger antibacterial effect against Gram-positive bacteria. The effects on the membrane are probably produced at the cell surface because oleuropein did not form stable mixed monolayers with the lipids assayed at the air/water interface.     

On the theory of radiative transitions in centrosymmetric complexes

The theory of radiative transitions, in centrosymmetric complexes, is examined in great detail, within the framework of the crystal field method.In connection with radiative transitions, the current method of calculations, with and without invoking closure approximation, are considered from a purely theoretical point of view, by taking advantage of the irreducible tensor method put forward by Griffith.Explicit equations are derived throughout the course of this work to account for the vibronic electric dipole moments, associated with d-d and f-f type of excitations.At high Academy of Pedagogic Sciences, Santiago, Chile.     

Correlation between C and O chemical shifts and torsional strain in spiroacetals

The relationship between the ¹³C and ¹⁷O NMR chemical shifts and the dihedral energies (non-bonding interactions) of 1,4-dioxaspiro[4.4]nonane, 1,4-dioxa- and 6,10-dioxaspiro[4.5]decane, 1,4-dioxa- and 6,11-dioxaspiro[4.6]undecane, 1,5-dioxaspiro[5.5]undecane, 1,5-dioxa and 7,12-dioxaspiro[5.6]dodecane and 1,6-dioxaspiro[6.6]tridecane were analyzed. These data showed correlation of the non-bonding interactions with the chemical shift of the spiranic carbon, as well as a linear relationship between ¹³C and ¹⁷O.     

Evaluation of different mediator-modified screen-printed electrodes used in a flow system as amperometric sensors for NADH

This work presents a comparative study between two different methods for the preparation of mediator-modified screen-printed electrodes, to be used as detectors in a reliable flow injection system for the determination of the nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) coenzyme. The best strategy was selected for the final development of compact biosensors based on dehydrogenase enzymes. For the first immobilisation strategy, different redox mediators were electropolymerised onto the SPE surface. The second immobilisation strategy was carried out using polysulfone–graphite composites, which were deposited by screen-printing technology onto the screen-printed electrode (SPE) surface. Both methods achieved an effective and reliable incorporation of redox mediators to the SPE configuration. Finally, a flow system for ammonium determination was developed using a glutamate dehydrogenase (GlDH)-Meldola's Blue (MB)-polysulfone-composite film-based biosensor.

The stability of the redox mediators inside the composite films as well as the negligible fouling effect observed on the electrode surface improve the repeatability and reproducibility of the sensors, important features for continuous analysis in flow systems. Furthermore, the optimised bio/sensors, incorporated in a flow injection system, showed good sensitivities and short response times. Such a good analytical performance together with the simple and fast sensor construction are interesting characteristics to consider the polysulfone-composite films as attractive electrochemical transducer materials for the development of new dehydrogenase-based SPEs.     

Double exchange in polynuclear mixed-valence clusters. 2. Iron-sulfur proteins [Fe4S4]+ and [Fe4S4]3+

The energy states of tetrameric iron clusters with d⁶-d⁶-d⁶-d⁵ and d⁵-d⁵-d⁵-d⁶ electronic configurations, which form the metal frameworks of the [Fe₄S₄]⁺ and [Fe₄S₄]³⁺ iron-sulfur proteins, are calculated using a general approach. It is revealed that the structural distortions of these systems significantly affect the composition of the magnetic states. The effect of the isotropic Heisenberg exchange is considered. Valencia University, Spain. Bordeaux University, France. Moldova State University. Institute of Chemistry, Academy of Sciences, Moldova Republic. Translated fromZhurnal Strukturnoi Khimii, Vol. 37, No. 5, pp. 816–825, September–October, 1996. Translated by I. Izvekova