STABILITY OF THIOAMIDE TYPE OF PIPERINE UNDER ACIDIC AND BASIC CONDITIONS

Thioamide type of piperine, “thiopiperine” is a derivate of piperine that having high potency against breast cancer cells. This research was intended to evaluate the stability of thiopiperine under highly acidic and basic conditions for 72 h at 60⁰C. This study was conducted by the SHIMADZU® UFLC system integrated with a PDA detector, while the analysis was performed in an isocratic separation mode using column C-18 (COSMOSIL®), 150 mm x 4.6 mm, column particle size: 5 µm. Chromatography condition was set using a mobile phase consisting of 50% aqueous acetonitrile with a flow rate of 1 mL/min, while the detection wavelength was 340 nm. The result showed that thiopiperine undergoes extensive degradation under acidic and basic environments.

Exploring Therapeutic Potential Of Invasomes, Transfersomes, Transethosomes, Oleic Acid Vesicles, And Cubosomes Adopting Topical/Transdermal Route

Background: Transdermal drug delivery is considered as a better alternative to oral administration of drugs like proteins or peptides that are susceptible to extensive degradation via first pass metabolism. This delivery route also shows high patient compliance due to no use of painful injections. Conventional delivery systems like creams and gel show poor skin permeation and high dosing frequency. Objective: The objective of this work was to investigate the role of highly advanced micro and nanocarrier systems like invasomes, transfersomes, transethosomes, oleic acid vesicles, and cubosomes for transdermal drug delivery exploring literature survey. Methods: Literature survey for these advanced micro and nanocarrier systems was carried out using search engines like Pubmed and Google scholar. Results: Results of literature investigations revealed that advanced micro and nanocarrier systems discussed earlier have the caliber to enhance skin permeation of various bioactives, show sustain release, and target particular areas of skin better compared to old nanocarriers like liposomes. Conclusion: Present review concludes that advanced micro and nanocarrier systems like invasomes, transfersomes, transethosomes, oleic acid vesicles, and cubosomes are better alternatives for transdermal delivery of therapeutic agents compared to old nanocarriers like liposomes and conventional delivery systems like creams and gels.

Communication Networks as a Catalyst for Holistic Sustainability on Karst Landscapes

Equitable access to communication and education is a key aspect in ensuring sustainability in any natural area. Karst landscapes are especially susceptible to environmental degradation from natural and anthropogenic forces and can benefit from sustainable economic, social, and environmental practices. This study took place in Phong Nha-Kẻ Bàng National Park (PN-KB), a highly developed karst landscape in central Vietnam. Through in-depth interviews, this study explored the ways in which formal and informal communication networks between the diverse stakeholders living within the park can be used to better protect the landscape from further degradation. The research findings suggest that a lack of consistent communication between PN-KB’s residents, rangers, and governing officials has left the landscape vulnerable to extensive degradation and susceptible to catastrophic climatic events. Increasing communication between the stakeholder groups within the park will bolster economic opportunity and ensure equitable access to information and resources, both of which will promote sustainable practices and karst landscape protection.

Characterization of Archaeological European White Elm (Ulmus laevis P.) and Black Poplar (Populus nigra L.)

The present study aims at characterization of freshly-cut and archaeological European white elm and poplar. The archaeological elm sample was buried at a depth of 8–10 m inside of soil with age approximation of ~1800–2000 years old, and the archaeological poplar sample was a part of a boat in a freshwater lake or river with age estimation of ~1000–1200 years. Alteration in the chemical structure of the elm and poplar samples due to the ageing process were confirmed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Both archaeological wood (AW) samples illustrated considerably lower cellulose crystallinity than the fresh samples as determined by X-ray diffraction. The sorption behavior of AW and fresh wood (FW) samples were evaluated by means of dynamic vapor sorption (DVS) analysis. Results exhibited a higher equilibrium moisture content (EMC) and sorption hysteresis values in archaeological elm and poplar as compared with the fresh samples. Higher hydrophilicity of the AW samples than the FW ones is attributed to their higher amorphous structure. The extensive degradation of AW samples were also confirmed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) micrographs.

Composição florística da regeneração de um trecho de savana na Amazônia Oriental

O objetivo da pesquisa foi conhecer a composição florística da regeneração natural de um trecho de savana amazônica no estado do Pará. O estudo foi realizado em uma savana na localidade de Itapuá, município de Vigia de Nazaré, Pará a 93 km da cidade de Belém. A coleta de dados ocorreu mensalmente no período de setembro de 2019 a fevereiro de 2020 em 80 subparcelas de 1 x 1m alocadas aleatoriamente correspondente a 480 subparcelas em um total de 480 m2. Em cada subparcela foram identificadas e quantificadas todas as espécies com altura ≤ 1 m. A identificação botânica in loco foi realizada por um parabotânico do Museu Paraense Emilio Goeldi (MPEG. A organização das famílias foi de acordo com APG IV e caracterizada em família, gênero, espécie e forma de vida e calculada a média aritmética e desvio padrão com auxílio do Programa Bioestat 5.0. Foram registradas 36 famílias, 73 gêneros e 99 espécies. Fabaceae (14), Poaceae (13), Cyperaceae (9), Myrtaceae (7) e Dilleniaceae (6) foram representativas em número de espécies. Paspalum registrou o maior número de espécies (5) seguido por Chamaecrista, Myrcia e Scleria (4) e Axonopus, Borreria, Byrsonima, Davilla, Doliocarpus, Eriosema, Eugenia, Miconia, Ouratea, Polygala e Rhynchospora (2). A forma de vida dominante foi de Erva com 40 espécies, Arbusto (21) e Árvore (20). A savana de Itapuá apresentou riqueza de 99 espécies, 36 famílias e 73 gêneros estando acima que outras savanas amazônicas cujas espécies estiveram distribuídas nas famílias Fabaceae, Poaceae e Cyperaceae. O gênero Paspalum com o maior número de espécies juntamente com outras caracterizou a forma herbácea como a dominante. Este foi o primeiro registro de espécies regenerantes e suas formas de vida em uma savana amazônica. Com base nesses conhecimentos, outras iniciativas devem ser buscadas para outras manchas de savanas visando mostrar a importância da conservação destes ambientes que ultimamente vem sofrendo ampla degradação na Amazônia. Floristic composition of the regeneration of a stretch of savanna in the Eastern Amazon A B S T R A C TThe savannas are Amazonian and represent an ecological potential for use in several aspects, especially for traditional communities, however, they are suffering forest, environmental and human losses.The objective of the research was to know the floristic composition of the natural regeneration of a stretch of Amazonian savanna in the state of Pará. The study was carried out in the savanna of Itapuá, municipality of Vigia de Nazaré, Pará wich 93 km from the city of Belém. Data collection occurred monthly from September 2019 to February 2020 in 80 1 x 1m subplots randomly allocated corresponding to 480 subplots and a total of 480 m2. In each subplot, all species with height ≤ 1 m were identified and quantified. The botanical identification in loco was carried out by a parabotan from the Museu Paraense Emilio Goeldi (MPEG. The organization of the families was in accordance with APG IV and characterized in family, genera, species and way of life and calculated the arithmetic mean and standard deviation for families and life forms with the aid of the Bioestat 5.0 Program, 36 families, 73 genera and 99 species were registered, Fabaceae (14), Poaceae (13), Cyperaceae (9), Myrtaceae (7) and Dilleniaceae (6) were representative in number of Paspalum registered the largest number of species (5) followed by Chamaecrista, Myrcia and Scleria (4) and Axonopus, Borreria, Byrsonima, Davilla, Doliocarpus, Eriosema, Eugenia, Miconia, Ouratea, Polygala and Rhynchospora (2). Dominant life form was Herb with 40 species, Shrub (21) and Tree (20). It was concluded that the Itapuá savanna presented a richness of 99 species in comparison to other Amazonian savannas distributed in the Fabaceae, Poaceae and Cyperaceae families. Paspa lum with the largest number of species together with others characterized the herbaceous form as the dominant one. This was the first record of regenerating species and their life forms in an Amazonian savanna. Based on this knowledge, other initiatives should be sought for other savanna patches in order to show the importance of conserving these environments, which lately has been undergoing extensive degradation in the Amazon.Keywords: Lower stratum; way of life; conservation.

Abrupt changes across the Arctic permafrost region endanger northern development

<p>Extensive degradation of near-surface permafrost is projected during the 21st century, which will have detrimental effects on northern communities, ecosystems and engineering systems. This degradation will expectedly have consequences for many processes, which most previous modelling studies suggested would occur gradually. Here, we project that soil moisture will decrease abruptly (within a few months) in response to permafrost degradation over large areas of the present-day permafrost region, based on analysis of transient climate change simulations performed using a state-of-the-art regional climate model. This regime shift is reflected in abrupt increases in summer near-surface temperature and convective precipitation, and decreases in relative humidity and surface runoff. Of particular relevance to northern systems are changes to the bearing capacity of the soil due to increased drainage, increases in the potential for intense rainfall events and increases in lightning frequency, which combined with increases in forest fuel combustibility are projected to abruptly and substantially increase the severity of wildfires, which constitute one of the greatest risks to northern ecosystems, communities and infrastructure. The fact that these changes are projected to occur abruptly further increases the challenges associated with climate change adaptation and potential retrofitting measures.</p>

Improvement of Saccharification and Delignification Efficiency of Trichoderma reesei Rut-C30 by Genetic Bioengineering

Trichoderma reesei produces various saccharification enzymes required for biomass degradation. However, the lack of an effective lignin-degrading enzyme system reduces the species’ efficiency in producing fermentable sugars and increases the pre-treatment costs for biofuel production. In this study, we heterologously expressed the Ganoderma lucidum RMK1 versatile peroxidase gene (vp1) in the Rut-C30 strain of T. reesei. The expression of purified 6×His-tag–containing recombinant G. lucidum-derived protein (rVP1) was confirmed through western blot, which exhibited a single band with a relative molecular weight of 39 kDa. In saccharification and delignification studies using rice straw, the transformant (tVP7, T. reesei Rut-C30 expressing G. lucidum-derived rVP1) showed significant improvement in the yield of total reducing sugar and delignification, compared with that of the parent T. reesei Rut-C30 strain. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of tVP7-treated paddy straw showed extensive degradation of several layers of its surface compared with the parent strain due to the presence of G. lucidum-derived rVP1. Our results suggest that the expression of ligninolytic enzymes in cellulase hyperproducing systems helps to integrate the pre-treatment and saccharification steps that may ultimately reduce the costs of bioethanol production.

Glasshouse study of a sprayable, degradable polymer to reduce water use in cotton establishment

This glasshouse pot experiment demonstrated that a new sprayable and degradable polymer reduced soil water evaporation and promoted cotton seedling emergence and establishment. The polymer was tested on two contrasting soils (sandy loam and clay), representative of those used to grow cotton in Australia. Changes in soil water content in non-treated and polymer-treated pots were monitored over 80 days, after surface or subsurface watering. Plant biomass, soil water content and soil chemical properties were determined at harvest. The polymer reduced soil water evaporation by up to 35% in sandy loam and up to 20% in clay, did not compromise seedling emergence and improved plant growth per unit water applied by up to 26.2%. The polymer underwent extensive degradation after 80 days to produce low molecular-weight polymers or oligomers and water-extractable silicon species that may have implications for plant nutrition.