In Vitro Cultures of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Schisandra chinensis</Emphasis> (Turcz.) Baill. (Chinese Magnolia Vine)—a Potential Biotechnological Rich Source of Therapeutically Important Phenolic Acids

The contents of free phenolic acids and cinnamic acid were determined using an HPLC method in methanolic extracts from biomass of Schisandra chinensis (Turcz.) Baill. (Chinese magnolia vine) at different stages of organogenesis, cultured in vitro on a few variants of Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium, containing different concentrations of plant growth regulators 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP) and 1-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) (from 0.1 to 3.0 mg/l) and in extracts from overground parts of plants growing in vivo. Six of 12 analysed compounds were detected in all extracts: chlorogenic, p-coumaric, p-hydroxybenzoic, protocatechuic, salicylic and syringic acids. Total contents of the examined metabolites in biomass of shoot-differentiating callus culture cultivated on six MS medium variants were dependent on concentrations of growth regulators in the media and ranged from 14.90 to 60.05 mg/100 g d.w. Total contents of the compounds in biomass extracts from undifferentiating callus culture maintained only on two of six MS medium variants were higher and amounted to 74.54 and 78.24 mg/100 g d.w. Maximum total contents of phenolic acids in both types of in vitro cultures were greater than in fruits (55.73 mg/100 g d.w.) and leaves (4.55 mg/100 g d.w.) of plants gowning in vivo. Chlorogenic acid and salicylic acid were the main compounds identified in biomass extracts of shoot-differentiating callus cultures (max 22.60 and 21.17 mg/100 g d.w., respectively), while chlorogenic acid (max 38.43 mg/100 g d.w.) and protocatechuic acid (max 20.95 mg/100 g d.w.) prevailed in the extracts from undifferentiating callus cultures. Other compounds dominated in fruits, namely p-coumaric acid (23.36 mg/100 g d.w.) and syringic acid (14.96 mg/100 g d.w.). This is the first report on biochemical potential of cells from S. chinensis in vitro cultures to produce the biologically active phenolic acids. These are the first results on the analysis of this group of metabolites in overground parts of plants growing in vivo, too.     

Holonomy in Quaternionic Quantum Mechanics

The generalization of geometric phase for the quantum systems described by quaternionic quantum mechanics is given. The geometry of the quantum cyclic evolution is studied and the quaternionic Berry phase is shown to be given by the holonomy of the suitably defined fiber bundle.     

Virginia Tobacco Leaves (CTA-VTL-2) – new Polish CRM for inorganic trace analysis including microanalysis

Preparation and certification of a new Polish reference material (CTA-VTL-2) for inorganic trace analysis including microanalysis is described. Virginia Tobacco Leaves of Bulgarian origin were hand picked, dried, comminuted and sieved at conditions preventing contamination of the material with metals. Ca. 13 kg of the material with particle size φ≤ 80 μm was prepared. Certification was based on world-wide interlaboratory comparison in which 60 laboratories from 18 countries participated. Data evaluation was done using an approach which includes rejection of outliers by concurrent use of four different outlier tests followed by calculation of overall means, confidence intervals etc. Several criteria were employed to qualify or disqualify the obtained overall mean as a certified or information value, respectively. 33 elements were certified and information values were established for 10 others. Particle size distribution of CTA-VTL-2 was investigated microscopically. The modal particle diameter was in the range of 15–35 μm. Extensive homogeneity checking by neutron activation analysis revealed that the material is sufficiently homogeneous for mg sample sizes.     

Ladder estimates for micropolar fluid equations and regularity of global attractor

This paper is devoted to obtain ladder inequalities for 2D micropolar fluid equations on a periodic domain Q=(0, L)². The ladder inequalities are differential inequalities that connect the evolution of L² norms of derivatives of order N with the evolution of the L² norms of derivatives of other (usually lower) order. Moreover, we find (with slight assumption on external fields) long‐time upper bounds on the L² norms of derivatives of every order, which implies that a global attractor is made up from C^∞ functions. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The application of green's multi-dimensional function to investigate the stochastic vibrations of dynamical systems

Summary In the paper is presented the application of Green's multi-dimensional function to determine the probabilistic characteristics of the solutions of stochastic linear equations with time-variable coefficients, with random initial conditions and random excitations.The method is applied to calculate the variances of solutions for the vibrations of a vehicle model (or suspension) accelerated over a random profile.

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Anwendung der Greenschen Funktion zur Untersuchung von stochastischen Schwingungen dynamischer Systeme

Übersicht Die Greensche Funktion wird angewendet zur Ermittlung des Lösungsverhaltens stochastischer, linearer Differentialgleichungen mit zeitabhängigen Koeffizienten, mit Zufalls-Anfangsbedingungen und mit Zufalls-Erregung. Die Methode wird in einem Anwendungsbeispiel (Schwingungen eines beschleunigten Fahrzeugmodells) demonstriert.

     

Variability in different antimony,arsenic and chromium species in waters and bottom sediments of three water reservoirs in Upper Silesia (Poland): a comparative study

Migration of metals/metalloids and their inorganic forms from bottom sediments into waters and from waters into bottom sediments is a complex process. Understanding this mechanism is essential for recognising transformations that occur in water reservoir ecosystems. The following research was conducted in 2012–2014. The aim was to define the time and spatial correlations in the changes of total and ionic antimony, arsenic and chromium concentrations in waters and bottom sediments of three water reservoirs located in Upper Silesia (Poland), i.e. P?awniowice, Rybnik and Gocza?kowice. The ionic form contents were determined with high-performance liquid chromatography-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (HPLC-ICP-MS). The research was carried out to verify whether the bottom sediments deposited in the discussed reservoirs could have posed an environmental threat due to the possible release of toxic ionic forms (i.e. As(III), Sb(III) and Cr(VI)) into the pelagic zone. The comparison of the research results obtained for three reservoirs (being under different anthropopressure influence) enabled the researchers to describe the bioavailability of specific elements and their species. It also helped to discern the existing environmental threats for such water reservoirs and their users.     

Artemisia abrotanum L. (Southern Wormwood)—History,Current Knowledge on the Chemistry,Biological Activity,Traditional Use and Possible New Pharmaceutical and Cosmetological Applications

Artemisia abrotanum L. (southern wormwood) is a plant species with an important position in the history of European and Asian medicine. It is a species famous as a medicinal plant in Central Asia, Asia Minor, and in South-East and Central Europe. The raw materials obtained from this species are Abrotani herba and Abrotani folium. In the traditional European medicine, they have been used successfully most of all in liver and biliary tract diseases, in parasitic diseases in children and as antipyretic medication. In the official European medicine, this plant species is recommended by the French Pharmacopoeia for use in homeopathy. In many European countries, it is used traditionally in allopathy. The latest studies on the biological activity of extracts from the aboveground parts of the plant and/or the leaves, and/or the essential oil have provided evidence of other possible applications related to their antibacterial, antifungal, antioxidant, anticancer, and antiallergic properties. The latest studies have also focused on the repellent activity of the essential oil of this species and the possibility to use it in the prevention of diseases in which insects are the vectors. The main substances obtained from the plant that are responsible for this activity are: the essential oil, coumarins, phenolic acids, and flavonoids. Some of the latest investigations emphasize the large differences in the composition of the essential oil, determined by the geographical (climatic) origin of the plant. A. abrotanum is recommended by the European Cosmetic Ingredients Database (CosIng) as a source of valuable cosmetic ingredients. Additionally, the leaves of this species possess a well-established position in the food industry. This plant species is also the object of biotechnological studies.     

Illicium verum (Star Anise) and Trans-Anethole as Valuable Raw Materials for Medicinal and Cosmetic Applications

Illicium verum Hook f. (star anise) is considered an important species in Traditional Chinese Medicine and is also used in contemporary medicine in East Asian countries. It occurs in natural habitats in southeastern parts of China and Vietnam, and is cultivated in various regions in China. The raw materials—Anisi stellati fructus and Anisi stellati aetheroleum obtained from this species exhibit expectorant and spasmolytic activities. The European Pharmacopoeia (4th edition) indicates that these raw materials have been used in allopathy since 2002. The biological activities of the above-mentioned raw materials are determined by the presence of valuable secondary metabolites such as monoterpenoids, sesquiterpenoids, phenylpropanoids, and flavonoids. Recent pharmacological studies on fruit extracts and the essential oil of this species have confirmed their antibacterial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant activities and thus their medicinal and cosmetic value. The aim of this review was to examine the progress of phytochemical and pharmacological studies that focused on possible cosmetic applications. In addition to fruit extracts and essential oil, the current consensus on the safety of trans-anethole, which is the main compound of essential oil used in cosmetology, is underlined here.     

Geometry and Topology Induced Electronic Properties of Graphene Derived Quantum Systems

Three different topological structures built on the basis of a graphene lattice are investigated. Clusters of the (3,6) type homeomorphic with the sphere, toroidal, and cylindrical carbon nanotubes are shown to have the same dispersion relation, inherited from the planar graphene lattice. The persistent currents in axially symmetric structures, their dependence on the size and geometry of the molecule, are also discussed.     

Gas chromatography for in situ analysis of a cometary nucleus. IV. Study of capillary column robustness for space application

As part of the development of the European Space Agency Rosetta space mission to investigate a cometary nucleus, the selection of columns dedicated to the gas chromatographic subsystem of the Cometary Sampling and Composition (COSAC) experiment was achieved. Once the space probe launched, these columns will be exposed to the harsh environmental constraints of space missions: vibrations, radiation (by photons or energetic particles), space vacuum, and large temperature range. In order to test the resistance of the flight columns and their stationary phases, the columns were exposed to these rough conditions reproduced in the laboratory. The comparison of the analytical performances of the columns, evaluated prior and after the environmental tests, demonstrated that all the columns withstand space constraints, and that their analytical properties were preserved. Therefore, all the selected capillary columns, even having porous layer or chiral stationary phases, were qualified for space exploration.