<Emphasis Type="Italic">Yarrowia lipolytica</Emphasis> application as a prospective approach for biosynthesis of pyruvic acid from glycerol

With the problems related to chemical methods of pyruvic acid (PA) synthesis, a fast-growing interest has been observed in research aiming at reducing the production cost of PA by applying biotechnological methods. This study aimed to investigate the potential applicability of Yarrowia lipolytica Wratislavia 1.31 yeast strain for valorisation of pure and crude glycerol through the production of industrially desired PA. Conditions required for the effective PA biosynthesis, i.e., pH value, thiamine concentration, agitation, and substrate concentration, were examined in batch and fed-batch cultivation modes. The efficient production of PA occurred under the limitation of thiamine (1 µg L^?1) and was stimulated by moderate pH (4.5) and agitation (800 rev min^?1) of the culture. Under optimal conditions, Y. lipolytica Wratislavia 1.31 was able to produce 85.2 g L^?1 of PA with volumetric productivity of 0.90 g L^?1 h^?1. The yield of PA biosynthesis reached a high level of 1.03 g g^?1. Obtained results confirmed the aptitude of Y. lipolytica yeast to produce high amounts of PA from simple glycerol-containing media. Presented process was very promising and might be considered as an attractive alternative for currently used chemical methods of PA synthesis.     

Contribution of individual flavonoids in Lysimachia species to the antioxidant capacity based on HPLC-DPPH assay

Quantitative phytochemical characterisation of the chief flavonoid aglycones in the hydrolysed Lysimachia extracts revealed the dominance of kaempferol, quercetin and myricetin in L. vulgaris, L. nummularia, L. punctata, L. christinae, L. ciliata and L. clethroides, respectively. Due to the significant radical scavenging capacity of the samples, the contribution of the individual aglycones to the total antioxidant activity became of interest. Therefore, a HPLC method coupled to pre-column DPPH scavenging assay was developed. Differences in the six Lysimachia species’ phenolic composition regarding their participation to the antioxidant activity were revealed. The participation of the three investigated flavonoids to the radical quenching activity was the highest (91.2%) in the L. vulgaris sample, the lowest in L. christinae sample with 29.6%. In L. vulgaris sample, the 76.3% contribution of quercetin to the scavenger capacity was the highest peak area decrement ratio among the investigated samples.     

CHANGES IN TRANSMISSION CHARACTERISTICS OF POLYMETHYLMETHACRYLATE AND CELLULOSE (III) ACETATE DURING EXPOSURE TO ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT

Abstract— Ultraviolet-transparent polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) and cellulose (III) acetate (CA) (often used as a cut-off filter in UVB [280–320 nm] biological effect studies) were exposed to a 20 W Philips TL 12 lamp to examine changes in transmission characteristics due to UVB exposure. Transmission of UVB and biologically weighted UVB (UV_BE(DNA)) through PMMA were similar, 88.3 and 83.5%, respectively. The absorption characteristics of PMMA did not change with time at any of the UV irradiance levels applied. However, transmission of UVB and UVB_BE(DNA)) through new CA differed considerably: 59% versus only 11%, respectively. Also, spectral absorption characteristics changed with time due to degradation of CA, at a rate that was dependent on the incident UVB irradiance. The decrease in transmission through CA of both UVB and UV_BE(DNA) can be described by exponential functions. The CA that was wrapped around the UV lamp showed dramatic changes in UV absorption over the first few hours of use. However, when CA was placed at a longer distance from the light source initial degradation was less. It is concluded that PMMA can be applied in UV effect studies as a reasonable alternative for quartz. The CA should, however, be used with care, because the large transmission decreases that were observed strongly hamper an accurate calculation of (biologically weighted) UVB dose rates.     

Effect of Botanical Extracts on the Growth and Nutritional Quality of Field-Grown White Head Cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata)

Nutraceuticals and functional foods are gaining more attention amongst consumers interested in nutritious food. The consumption of foodstuffs with a high content of phytochemicals has been proven to provide various health benefits. The application of biostimulants is a potential strategy to fortify cultivated plants with beneficial bioactive compounds. Nevertheless, it has not yet been established whether the proposed higher plants (St. John’s wort, giant goldenrod, common dandelion, red clover, nettle, and valerian) are appropriate for the production of potential bio-products enhancing the nutritional value of white cabbage. Therefore, this research examines the impact of botanical extracts on the growth and nutritional quality of cabbage grown under field conditions. Two extraction methods were used for the production of water-based bio-products, namely: ultrasound-assisted extraction and mechanical homogenisation. Bio-products were applied as foliar sprays to evaluate their impact on total yield, dry weight, photosynthetic pigments, polyphenols, antioxidant activity, vitamin C, nitrates, micro- and macroelements, volatile compounds, fatty acids, sterols, and sugars. Botanical extracts showed different effects on the examined parameters. The best results in terms of physiological and biochemical properties of cabbage were obtained for extracts from common dandelion, valerian, nettle, and giant goldenrod. When enriched with nutrients, vegetables can constitute a valuable component of functional food.     

The N1s ESCA Spectrum of Protonated 1,8-Bis-(Dimethylamino) Naphthalene (“proton sponge”)

The ESCA spectrum of protonated 1,8-bis-(dimethylamino) naphthalene (“proton sponge”) (I) has been recorded in the region of N1s binding energies. The results indicate that IH⁺ possesses an unsymmetrical N? H…?N hydrogen bridge.     

Synthesis,Structure of Zwitterionic 2‐Amino‐N′‐(imidazolidin‐2‐ylidene)benzohydrazides,and Their Transformation into 3‐(Imidazolidin‐2‐ylideneamino)quinazolin‐4(1H)‐one Derivatives

The reaction of 2‐chloro‐4,5‐dihydroimidazole ( 5 ) with 2‐aminobenzohydrazides 6a–e led to the formation of 2‐amino‐N′‐(imidazolidin‐2‐ylidene)benzohydrazides as zwitterions 7a–e , which on treatment with carbon disulfide in the presence of triethylamine afforded 3‐(imidazolidin‐2‐ylideneamino)‐2‐thioxo‐2,3‐dihydroquinazolin‐4(1H)‐ones 8a–e . Compounds 8a–d were further converted into the corresponding 3‐(imidazolidin‐2‐ylideneamino)quinazoline‐2,4(1H,3H)‐diones 9a–d using hydrogen peroxide–sodium hydroxide solution. The structures of the compounds prepared were established by elemental analyses, IR and NMR spectra as well as X‐ray crystallographic analyses of 7e and 9a .     

The adiabatic‐to‐diabatic transformation angle and topological phases for strongly interacting states: Solution with four states

A few years back T. Vértesi et al. (J Phys Chem A 2005, 109, 3476) gave an elegant procedure to derive the adiabatic‐to‐diabatic transformation angle (ADT‐angle) for lowest two states, γ₁₂, in presence of their interaction with the higher states. In this article, we explicitly solved the coupled differential equations involving the ADT‐angles describing the mixing of four interacting states for the first time to get all the ADT‐angles, γ_ij's (including the γ₁₂) associated with well‐defined topological phases. In application to a suitable configuration space (CS) of a molecular system, we have demonstrated well‐defined Berry phases (Berry M. V., R Soc London Ser A 1984, 45, 392) for an isolated system with as many as four strongly interacting states. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Ultraviolet-B-induced cyclobutane-pyrimidine dimer formation and repair in Arctic marine macrophytes

The significance of ultraviolet-B radiation (UVBR: 280-315 nm)-induced DNA damage as a stress factor for Arctic marine macrophytes was examined in the Kongsfjord (Spitsbergen, 78 degrees 55.5'N, 11 degrees 56.0'E) in summer. UVBR penetration in the water column was monitored as accumulation of cyclobutane-pyrimidine dimers (CPD) in bare DNA. This showed that UVBR transparency of the fjord was variable, with 1% depths ranging between 4 and 8 m. In addition, induction and repair kinetics of CPD were studied in several subtidal macrophytes obtained from the Kongsfjord (5-15 m). Surface exposure experiments demonstrated CPD accumulation in Palmaria palmata, Devaleraea ramentacea, Phycodrys rubens, Coccotylus truncatus and Odonthalia dentata. In artificial light, field collected material of P. palmata, D. ramentacea, P. rubens and Laminaria saccharina showed efficient CPD repair, with only 10% of the artificially induced CPD remaining after 5 h. No significant differences in repair rate were observed among these species. CPD repair was slower or absent in O. dentata, C. truncatus and Monostroma arcticum, indicating that fast repair mechanisms such as photolyase were not continuously expressed in these species. CPD repair rates were not directly related to the vertical distribution of algae in the water column and to the reported UV sensitivity of the examined species. Dosimeter incubations showed that maximal exposure to DNA damaging wavelengths was low for all examined species. Furthermore, most species collected below the 1% depth for DNA damage displayed efficient CPD repair, suggesting that UVBR-induced CPD currently impose a minor threat for mature stages of these species growing in the Kongsfjord, Spitsbergen.     

2‐Chloro‐4,5‐dihydroimidazole,Part X. Revisiting route to N‐heteroarylimidazolidin‐2‐ones

The ureidation reactions of 2‐ and 4‐picoline N‐oxides with 2‐chloro‐4,5‐dihydroimidazole are described. A mechanism of novel thioureidation reaction of 4‐picoline N‐oxide with 2‐(4,5‐dihydro‐1H‐imidazol‐2‐ylthioxy)‐4,5‐dihydro‐1H‐imidazole is proposed. Structural assignment is confirmed by ¹H and ¹³C nmr as well as by X‐ray crystallography.