BROWNING OF LENTIL SEEDS, CONCOMITANT LOSS OF VIABILITY, AND THE POSSIBLE ROLE OF SOLUBLE TANNINS IN BOTH PHENOMENA

1984 ◽  
Vol 64 (4) ◽  
pp. 815-824 ◽  
Author(s):  
CONSTANCE NOZZOLILLO ◽  
MATILDE DE BEZADA

Under normal storage conditions, lentil seeds, Lens culinaris Medic. (Fabaceae), were observed to discolor gradually over a 2-yr period from the olive green of freshly harvested seeds to a light yellow and finally a deep brown. Browning was experimentally accelerated by exposure to a warm, humid environment and conversely, retarded by exposure to a cold or dry atmosphere. Browned seeds were judged less viable than green seeds on the basis of (1) a fainter reaction to the tetrazolium test, (2) lower percent germination, and (3) a higher electrical conductivity of the imbibition medium indicative of a loss of membrane integrity and resultant loss of cell solutes. Coats of both green and browned seeds contained a high amount of proanthocyanidins (condensed tannins), both procyanidin and prodelphinidin, but browned seeds exuded much lower amounts of low molecular weight proanthocyanidins (soluble tannins) into the imbibition medium than did green seeds. It is concluded that (1) browning was a result of polymerization of soluble tannins to brown-colored high MW polymers (condensed tannins), and (2) under experimentally provided storage conditions of high relative humidity, embryo death was hastened in the presence of the seed coat, possibly by the interaction of soluble tannins or their precursors with embryo membranes.Key words: Lentils, Lens, seed browning, seed ageing, proanthocyanidins, soluble tannins

Author(s):  
Vikash Kumar Gupta ◽  
Buthaina Mohammad Alkandari ◽  
Wasif Mohammed ◽  
Mohsen Ahmed Abdelmohsen ◽  
Mohammad Gaber Abdullah Mohammad

AbstractStudies available in the literature have shown alterations in blood coagulation tests in severe cases of COVID-19 pneumonia, with a significant risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE). Since microvascular thrombosis is a well-known fact in COVID-19 disease, requiring therapeutic anticoagulation, low-molecular weight heparin (LMWH) in prophylactic dose is a part of the clinical management of hospitalized COVID-19 patients. In this scenario, we describe three cases of abdominal spontaneous retroperitoneal hematoma (SRH) in hospitalized reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR)-confirmed COVID-19 patients.


2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 501
Author(s):  
Kateřina Skopalová ◽  
Katarzyna Anna Radaszkiewicz ◽  
Věra Kašpárková ◽  
Jaroslav Stejskal ◽  
Patrycja Bober ◽  
...  

The active role of biomaterials in the regeneration of tissues and their ability to modulate the behavior of stem cells in terms of their differentiation is highly advantageous. Here, polypyrrole, as a representantive of electro-conducting materials, is found to modulate the behavior of embryonic stem cells. Concretely, the aqueous extracts of polypyrrole induce neurogenesis within embryonic bodies formed from embryonic stem cells. This finding ledto an effort to determine the physiological cascade which is responsible for this effect. The polypyrrole modulates signaling pathways of Akt and ERK kinase through their phosphorylation. These effects are related to the presence of low-molecular-weight compounds present in aqueous polypyrrole extracts, determined by mass spectroscopy. The results show that consequences related to the modulation of stem cell differentiation must also be taken into account when polypyrrole is considered as a biomaterial.


Lung ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mario Cazzola ◽  
Paola Rogliani ◽  
Sundeep Santosh Salvi ◽  
Josuel Ora ◽  
Maria Gabriella Matera

AbstractThere is a possible role for oxidative stress, a state characterized by an altered balance between the production of free radicals or reactive oxygen species (ROS) and antioxidant defences, in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), the genesis of which is quite complex. Excessive oxidative stress could be responsible for the alveolar damage, thrombosis, and red blood cell dysregulation observed in COVID-19. Apparently, deficiency of glutathione (GSH), a low-molecular-weight thiol that is the most important non-enzymatic antioxidant molecule and has the potential to keep the cytokine storm in check, is a plausible explanation for the severe manifestations and death in COVID-19 patients. Thiol drugs, which are considered mucolytic, also possess potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. They exhibit antibacterial activity against a variety of medically important bacteria and may be an effective strategy against influenza virus infection. The importance of oxidative stress during COVID-19 and the various pharmacological characteristics of thiol-based drugs suggest a possible role of thiols in the treatment of COVID-19. Oral and intravenous GSH, as well as GSH precursors such as N-acetylcysteine (NAC), or drugs containing the thiol moiety (erdosteine) may represent a novel therapeutic approach to block NF-kB and address the cytokine storm syndrome and respiratory distress observed in COVID-19 pneumonia patients


Author(s):  
I. O. Pasichna ◽  
V. I. Vdovychenko

The recent scientific researches provide evidence of the important role of microbiota for human health. The microbiome is a very complex system, that exists in an equilibrium state and performs multiple functions. The intestinal microflora is disturbed under the influence of iatrogenic factors, and products of microbial origin are used to correct this. The first group of such drugs include probiotics. Their positive effect is associated with immunological and non‑immunological effects. The results of many studies proved the positive effects of probiotics in clinical practice, however publications of recent years outline their low effectiveness and transient nature of the effect, even with prolonged use. Another group of preparations refers to prebiotics, which selectively stimulate the growth of colon microflora. A combination of probiotics and prebiotics, called synbiotics, also in use. Currently, much attention is paid to metabiotics. This group includes various low molecular weight molecules with various chemical manifestations. The components of metabiotics are cellular elements, metabolites and signaling molecules of probiotic cultures. Metabiotics provide the optimal conditions of homeostasis in the contact zone, which are necessary for the normal interaction of the epithelium and microflora, as well as directly affect the physiological functions and biochemical reactions of the macroorganism. The antibacterial properties of metabiotics allow to fight pathogenic and opportunistic flora, without affecting the beneficial microorganisms of the intestine. Creation of targeted metabiotics is a novel promising direction in this area. The possibility of creating a programmed metabiotic drug is considered, depending on the type of disorders of the intestinal microbiocenosis and the peculiarities of the life of specific pathogenic or opportunistic strains.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xueting Sun ◽  
Xin Li ◽  
Yue Cui ◽  
Ziwei Jiang ◽  
Qiao Wang ◽  
...  

Abstract This study was to explore the functional role of Comamonas testosteroni (Ct) on soil indigenous microorganisms, and analyze the effect of Ct on PAHs degradation in PAH-contaminated soil. Results showed that inoculation of Ct could degrade naphthalene (Nap), phenanthrene (Phe), and benzo [α] pyrene (BaP) significantly. The degradation rate of Nap, Phe and BaP was 81.18%, 63.38% and 37.98% on day 25, respectively, suggesting that the low molecular weight of Nap and Phe were easier to be degraded by microorganisms than BaP. Network analysis showed that inoculation of Ct significantly increased the bacteria closely related to PAHs. Structural equation models confirmed Steroidobacter as functional bacteria could affect the degradation of Nap and BaP. Inoculated Ct could effectively enhance the synergy among indigenous bacteria to degrade PAHs. This would be helpful to understand the function of inoculated strains in PAH-contaminated soil and identify functional microorganisms of PAHs remediation.


2018 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 1 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lalu Vijayakrishnapillai ◽  
John Desmarais ◽  
Michael Groeschen ◽  
Michael Perlin

The PTEN/PI3K/mTOR signal transduction pathway is involved in the regulation of biological processes such as metabolism, cell growth, cell proliferation, and apoptosis. This pathway has been extensively studied in mammals, leading to the conclusion that PTEN is a major tumor suppressor gene. PTEN orthologues have been characterized in a variety of organisms, both vertebrates and non-vertebrates, and studies of the associated PTEN/PI3K/mTOR pathway indicate that it is widely conserved. Studies in fungal systems indicated a role of PTEN in fungal defense mechanisms in Candida albicans, and in the developmental process of sporulation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The present study was aimed at investigating the role of the PTEN ortholog, ptn1, in Ustilago maydis, the pathogen of maize. U. maydis ptn1 mutant strains where ptn1 gene is deleted or overexpressed were examined for phenotypes associate with mating, virulence and spore formation. While the overexpression of ptn1 had no substantial effects on virulence, ptn1 deletion strains showed slight reductions in mating efficiency and significant reductions in virulence; tumor formation on stem and/or leaves were severely reduced. Moreover, tumors, when present, had significantly lower levels of mature teliospores, and the percent germination of such spores was similarly reduced. Thus, ptn1 is required for these important aspects of virulence in this fungus.


2013 ◽  
Vol 61 (2) ◽  
pp. 161-172 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Pál ◽  
O. Gondor ◽  
T. Janda

Low temperature is one of the most important limiting factors for plant growth throughout the world. Exposure to low temperature may cause various phenotypic and physiological symptoms, and may result in oxidative stress, leading to loss of membrane integrity and to the impairment of photosynthesis and general metabolic processes. Salicylic acid (SA), a phenolic compound produced by a wide range of plant species, may participate in many physiological and metabolic reactions in plants. It has been shown that exogenous SA may provide protection against low temperature injury in various plant species, while various stress factors may also modify the synthesis and metabolism of SA. In the present review, recent results on the effects of SA and related compounds in processes leading to acclimation to low temperatures will be discussed.


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