Phytochemical Characterization of Veronica officinalis L., V. teucrium L. and V. orchidea Crantz from Romania and Their Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Properties

Aerial parts of Veronica species are used in Romanian traditional medicine for the treatment of various conditions like kidney diseases, cough, and catarrh, and are known for their wound-healing properties. In the present study, the phenolic and sterolic content and the antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of three Veronica species (Plantaginaceae), V. officinalis L., V. teucrium L. and V. orchidea Crantz, were studied. The identification and quantification of several phenolic compounds and phytosterols were performed using LC/MS techniques and the main components were p-coumaric acid, ferulic acid, luteoline, hispidulin and β-sitosterol. More than that, hispidulin, eupatorin and eupatilin were detected for the first time in the Veronica genus. Nevertheless, representatives of the Veronica genus were never investigated in terms of their phytosterol content. The antioxidant potential investigated by Trolox equivelents antioxidant capacity (TEAC) and EPR spectroscopy revealed that V. officinalis and V. orchidea extracts presented similar antioxidant capacities, whilst the values registered for V. teucrium extract are lower. Regarding the antimicrobial activity of the investigated species, Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocytogenes and Listeria ivanovii were the most sensitive strains with MIC values between 3.9 and 15.62 mg/mL. The results obtained by this study may serve to promote better use of representatives from the genus Veronica as antioxidant and antimicrobial agents.     

Perfect histogram matching PCA for face recognition

We present an enhanced principal component analysis (PCA) algorithm for improving rate of face recognition. The proposed pre-processing method, termed as perfect histogram matching, modifies the image histogram to match a Gaussian shaped tonal distribution in the face images such that spatially the entire set of face images presents similar facial gray-level intensities while the face content in the frequency domain remains mostly unaltered. Computationally inexpensive, the perfect histogram matching algorithm proves to yield superior results when applied as a pre-processing module prior to the conventional PCA algorithm for face recognition. Experimental results are presented to demonstrate effectiveness of the technique.     

Metallo-functionalized first-generation salicylaldimine poly(propylenimine) tetraamine dendrimers: Electrochemical study and atomic force microscopy imaging

The adsorption and the redox processes of two first-generation salicylaldiamine dendritic ligands and their copper, cobalt and nickel metallo-functionalized complexes have been studied at two types of carbon electrode surface. Glassy carbon (GC) was used in an electrochemistry study and highly oriented pyrolitic graphite (HOPG) in ex situ atomic force microscopy (AFM) imaging. All salicylaldimine ligands and their metallo-functionalized complexes adsorb on the surface of the HOPG electrode, resulting in the formation of nanoclusters and films, which vary between 0.9 and 6 nm in size, depending on the metallo-functionalized salicylaldimine dendrimer chemical composition and solution concentration. Differential pulse voltammetry of the surface-confined films has shown that the anodic reactions observed correspond to the oxidation of the hydroxyl groups present in the ligand structure of all compounds. However, by following the changes in peak currents, potentials and width at half height it has been shown that destabilization of the ligand internal structure occurred in the metallo-functionalized complexes depending on the metal involved. The electrochemical behaviour of the surface-confined films observed in buffer solution was related to the morphology, obtained by AFM, of the immobilised first-generation salicylaldiamine dendritic ligands and corresponding salicylaldimine metallo-functionalized complexes.     

A Spectral-SAR Model for the Anionic-Cationic Interaction in Ionic Liquids: Application to Vibrio fischeri Ecotoxicity

Within the recently launched the spectral-structure activity relationship (S-SAR) analysis, the vectorial anionic-cationic model of a generic ionic liquid is proposed, along with the associated algebraic correlation factor in terms of the measured and predicted activity norms. The reliability of the present scheme is tested by assessing the Hansch factors, i.e. lipophylicity, polarizability and total energy, to predict the ecotoxicity endpoints of wide types of ionic liquids with ammonium, pyridinium, phosphonium, choline and imidazolium cations on the aquatic bacteria Vibrio fischeri. The results, while confirming the cationic dominant influence when only lipophylicity is considered, demonstrate that the anionic effect dominates all other more specific interactions. It was also proved that the S-SAR vectorial model predicts considerably higher activity for the ionic liquids than for its anionic and cationic subsystems separately, in all considered cases. Moreover, through applying the least norm-correlation path principle, the complete toxicological hierarchies are presented, unfolding the ecological rules of combined cationic and anionic influences in ionic liquid toxicity.     

Polyurethane doped with low‐concentration erbium

Polyurethane (PU) with lactate structures in its conformation can be used as a biological and biodegradable polymer. Polyurethane lactate (PUL) was doped with small quantities of an erbium (Er³⁺) complex, which hindered the N?N group. 2,2′‐Dihydroxyazobenzene was used as a ligand for the Er³⁺ complex. PUL in the presence of the used Er³⁺ complex caused water from the complex to be replaced by the polar structures from the polymer. These structures acted as crystallization germs for the structuration of the PU matrix. As a consequence, both the mechanical and thermal properties of the polymer were improved. The sample with the highest mechanical properties contained only 0.064 μmol of Er³⁺ complex/g of sample. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 103: 659–669, 2007     

Studies concerning the course of some acute respiratory diseases in nine districts of south-east area of Romania between November 1994 and April 1995. Epidemiological, virological and serological data

A moderate level of morbidity through acute respiratory diseases (ARD), of the upper tract, viral pneumonia and clinical influenza was recorded during November 1994 and April 1995 in the South-East area of Romania (nine districts). By virological and serological investigation adenosyncytial respiratory, parainfluenza type 3 and influenza type B viruses were found to be the most frequent etiological agents of these infections which affected especially the babies and the children of 1-14 years of age. Sporadic influenza outbreaks were noticed from which influenza strains of virus were isolated, antigenically related to the prototype strain A/Johannesburg 33/94.     

Stability of fatty acyl-coenzyme a thioester ligands of hepatocyte nuclear factor-4α and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-α

Although long-chain fatty acyl-coenzyme A (LCFA-CoA) thioesters are specific high-affinity ligands for hepatocyte nuclear factor-4α (HNF-4α) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-α (PPARα), X-ray crystals of the respective purified recombinant ligand-binding domains (LBD) do not contain LCFA-CoA, but instead exhibit bound LCFA or have lost all ligands during the purification process, respectively. As shown herein: (i) The acyl chain composition of LCFA bound to recombinant HNF-4α reflected that of the bacterial LCFA-CoA pool, rather than the bacterial LCFA pool. (ii) Bacteria used to produce the respective HNF-4α and PPARα contained nearly 100-fold less LCFA-CoA than LCFA. (iii) Under conditions used to crystallize LBD (at least 3 wk at room temperature in aqueous buffer), 16∶1-CoA was very unstable in buffer alone. (iv) In the presence of the respective nuclear receptor (i.e., HNF-4α and PPARα), LBD 70–75% of 16∶1-CoA was degraded after 1 d at room temperature in the crystallization buffer, whereas as much as 94–97% of 16∶1-CoA was degraded by 3 wk. (v) Cytoplasmic LCFA-CoA binding proteins such as acyl-CoA binding protein, sterol carrier protein-2, and liver-FA binding protein slowed the process of 16∶1-CoA degradation proportional to their respective affinities for this ligand. Taken together, these data for the first time indicated that the absence of LCFA-CoA in the crystallized HNF-4α and PPARα was due to the paucity of LCFA-CoA in bacteria as well as to the instability of LCFA-CoA in aqueous buffers and the conditions used for LBD crystallization. Furthermore, instead of protecting bound LCFA-CoA from autohydrolysis like several cytoplasmic LCFA-CoA binding proteins, these nuclear receptors facilitated LCFA-CoA degradation.     

Multi-element including rare earth content of lichens, bark, soils, and waste following industrial closure

The fate of rare earth and other rare elements entering the environment is largely unknown. The lichen Hypogymnia physodes was transplanted over a 40 km long transect centered on a major metallurgical waste dump close to the Zlatna town center two weeks after smelter closure. Lichens, bark, soil, and waste dump materials were analyzed for 56 elements (including REE). Lichen and bark multi-element compositions were alike, reflecting fixation of elements of environmental concern and the ability for tree canopies to concentrate substances leading to enhanced deposition to both lichens and bark. Higher REE enrichment in lichens than in soil confirm efficient fixation in lichens. The negative europium anomaly in lichens and soil, similar to that in upper crust, confirm a strong crustal influence on lichen signatures across the transect area. Multi-element analysis supports the view that epiphytic lichens, unlike trees, are not influenced by lower groundwater, and they are excellent indicators for REE and other rare elements entering the surface environment, difficult to detect by conventional means.     

Robocast zirconia-toughened alumina scaffolds: Processing,structural characterisation and interaction with human primary osteoblasts

Zirconia-toughened alumina (ZTA) is the gold-standard ceramic in hip arthroplasty, but still lacks direct osseointegration and a metal shell, often coated with a bioactive layer, is currently required. The latter could potentially be replaced by a thinner, architectured ZTA layer, thereby allowing for larger acetabular components, with larger range of motion and lower dislocation risk. Robocasting may be an adequate technique to fabricate the architectured layer. Therefore, as a first step, this study aimed to produce ZTA scaffolds (3D-ZTA) by robocasting and assess their in vitro response. Shape retention was achieved by using a stable, well-dispersed, high solid loading ink injected in acid pH waterbath. 3D-ZTA exhibit regularly spaced microporous, rough struts and fully interconnected macroporosity. Human primary osteoblasts were homogenously distributed inside 3D-ZTA and showed increased osteogenic marker expression compared to 2D-ZTA control. Further work will focus on optimizing scaffold design to improve cell retention and extracellular matrix maturation.     

Hydrogen storage performance of methyl-substituted mesoporous silica with tailored textural characteristics

Journal of Porous Materials - The present study reports a systematic analysis of morphology and hydrogen sorption capacity of mesoporous organic-inorganic silica prepared by varying the silica...