Plant Fractions Research Articles

Harnessing the Value of Tripolium pannonicum and Crithmum maritimum Halophyte Biomass through Integrated Green Biorefinery.

Bioactive extracts are often the target fractions in bioprospecting, and halophyte plants could provide a potential source of feedstock for high-value applications as a part of integrated biorefineries. Tripolium pannonicum (Jacq.) Dobrocz. (sea aster) and Crithmum maritimum L. (sea fennel) are edible plants suggested for biosaline halophyte-based agriculture. After food production and harvesting of fresh leaves for food, the inedible plant fractions could be utilized to produce extracts rich in bioactive phytochemicals to maximize feedstock application and increase the economic feasibility of biomass processing to bioenergy. This study analyzed fresh juice and extracts from screw-pressed sea aster and sea fennel for their different phenolic compounds and pigment concentrations. Antioxidant and enzyme inhibition activities were also tested in vitro. Extracts from sea aster and sea fennel had phenolic contents up to 45.2 mgGAE/gDM and 64.7 mgGAE/gDM, respectively, and exhibited >70% antioxidant activity in several assays. Ethanol extracts also showed >70% inhibition activity against acetylcholinesterase and >50% inhibition of tyrosinase and α-glucosidase. Therefore, these species can be seen as potential feedstocks for further investigations.

Quantitative-HPLC-DAD polyphenols analysis, anxiolytic and cognition enhancing potentials of Sorbaria tomentosa Lindl. Rehder

Ethnopharmacological relevanceMedicinal plants of the family Rosaceae have a long history of traditional uses in the management of neurological disorders. Sorbaria tomentosa Lindl. Rehder is composed of antioxidant and neuroprotective polyphenolics. Aims of the studyThe current study was designed to explore phenolics profile via high performance liquid chromatography-photodiode array detector (HPLC-DAD) and validated the neuroprotective and anxiolytic potentials of S. tomentosa by applying in vitro and in vivo approaches. Materials and methodsThe plant crude methanolic extract (St.Crm) and fractions were subjected to HPLC-DAD analysis for qualitative and quantitative assessment of phytochemicals. Samples were screened for in vitro free radicals scavenging assays by using 2,2-diphenylpicrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2′-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) along with acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) enzymes inhibition assays. For cognitive and anxiolytic studies, mice were subjected to open field, elevated plus maze (EPM), light-dark model, Y-maze, shallow water maze (SWM), and novel object recognition (NOR) tests. ResultsHPLC-DAD analysis revealed the presence of high concentrations of phenolic compounds. For instance, in St.Cr, 21 phenolics were quantified, among which apigenin-7-glucoside (291.6 mg/g), quercetin (122.1 mg/g), quercetin-3-feruloylsophoroside-7-glucoside (52.6 mg/g), quercetin-7-glucoside (51.8 mg/g), ellagic acid (42.7 mg/g), luteolin (45.0 mg/g), kaempferol (40.5 mg/g), 5-feruloylquinic acid (43.7 mg/g) were present in higher concentrations. Likewise, in ethyl acetate fraction (St.Et.Ac), 21 phenolics were identified as 3,5-di-caffeoylquinic acid (177.4 mg/g) and 5-hydroxybenzoylquinic acid (46.9 mg/g) were most abundant phytochemicals. Highly valuable phenolics were also identified in other fractions including butanol (St.Bt), chloroform (St.Chf), and n-hexane (St.Hex). The various fractions exhibited concentration dependent inhibition of free radicals in DPPH and ABTS assays. Potent AChE inhibitory potentials were revealed by the test samples with St.Chf, St.Bt and St.EtAc being the most active having an IC50 of 298.1, 580.1, and 606.47 μg mL−1, respectively. Similarly, St.Chf, St.Bt, St.EtAc and St.Cr exhibited potent BChE inhibitory activity and was observed as 59.14, 54.73, 51.35 and 49.44%, respectively. A significant improvement in the exploratory behavior was observed in open field test and stress/anxiety was relieved effectively at 50-100 mg/kg. Likewise, EPM, light-dark and NOR tests revealed an anxiolytic and memory enhancing behaviors. These effects were further corroborated from the Y-maze and SWM transgenic studies that showed considerable improvement in cognition retention. ConclusionsThese findings concluded that S. tomentosa possessed potential anxiolytic and nootropic efficacies and may have therapeutic potential in neurodegenerative disorders.

Alliin enriched standardized fraction of Allium hookeri regulates the glucose homeostasis via upregulating hepatic glutathione pool

IntroductionAllium hookeri is a source of organosulfur compounds including alliin which is an antihyperglycemic phytochemical. PurposeThis study tested the effect of methanolic extract (ME) of A. hookeri on glucose uptake and glutathione biosynthesis using sodium palmitate (0.75 mM) induced insulin resistant cultured hepatocytes. MethodThe plant extract was prepared following standard protocol followed by bioactivity- guided fractionation. The plant extract and fractions were tested for glucose uptake assay, cellular glutathione level. Further, immunoblotting study was carried out to check the protein expression of the genes involved in glutathione biosynthesis and glucose metabolism. ResultsBioactivity-guided fractionation showed that the aqueous fraction from the methanolic A. hookeri extract (ME) was rich in alliin and the alliin-enriched standardized fraction (EFr) appeared to regulate glucose homeostasis as the cellular glutathione pool in the palmitate treated hepatocytes remained unaltered. Alteration in cellular glutathione level affects glucose homeostasis. We also observed that expressions of glutamate cysteine ligase (GCLC), glutathione reductase (GR), genes involved in hepatic glutathione biosynthesis were downregulated in palmitate and upregulated in EFr treated hepatocytes. GLUT2 protein expression was upregulated in the palmitate treated and downregulated in the EFr treated hepatocytes, but no change was observed in the protein expression of the gene glutathione synthase (GS). ConclusionsOur results show that EFr of A. hookeri leaves may be a potent botanical drug against type2 diabetes due to its role in the regulation of hepatic glutathione pool.

Protein and carbohydrate fractionation of Urochloa spp. and Megathyrsus maximus forages after intercropping with soybean in an integrated crop-livestock system

ABSTRACT The objective was to evaluate the protein and carbohydrate fractionation of forage plants of the Urochloa spp. and Megathyrsus maximus after intercropping with soybean in crop-livestock integration, in the off-season. The experimental design used was entirely randomised, with four repetitions, in a 4 × 5 factorial scheme. The treatments consisted of four forages: Xaraes palisadegrass (Urochloa brizantha cv. Xaraés), Ruziziensis grass (Urochloa ruziziensis), Mombaça guinea grass (Megathyrsus maximus cv. Mombaça), Tamani guinea grass (Megathyrsus maximus cv. BRS Tamani) and five grazing cycles (each grazing cycle was carried out every 28 days). Forage samples and protein and carbohydrate fractionation were obtained using destructive methods. The results showed that Tamani guinea grass and Xaraes palisadegrass presented higher fractions A of protein and carbohydrates and lower fraction C, being more suitable for integrated systems during the offseason. For all forages, there was a reduction in the protein and carbohydrate A fractions and an increase in the C fraction as grazing cycles advanced. Tamani guinea grass and Xaraes palisadegrass showed the best potential to be used for grazing in the off-season, by being planted as a replacement for soybean, and can be an alternative of quality food to be fed during the dry season.

Modulation of milking performance, methane emissions, and rumen microbiome on dairy cows by dietary supplementation of a blend of essential oils

Cattle represent a high contribution of the livestock's greenhouse gas emissions, mainly in the form of methane. Essential oils are a group of plant secondary metabolites obtained from volatile fractions of plants that have been shown to exert changes in the rumen fermentation and may alter feed efficiency and to reduce methane production. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect on rumen microbial population, CH4 emissions and milking performance of a mixture of essential oils (Agolin Ruminant, Switzerland) incorporated daily in the ration of dairy cattle. Forty Holstein cows (644 ± 63.5 kg of BW producing 41.2 ± 6.44 kg/d of milk with 190 ± 28.3 DIM) were divided into two treatments (n = 20) for 13 wk and housed in a single pen equipped with electronic feeding gates to control access to feed and monitor individual DM intake (DMI) on a daily basis. Treatments consisted of no supplementation (Control) or supplementation of 1 g/d of a blend of essential oils (BEOs) fed in the TMR. Individual milk production was recorded using electronic milk meters on a daily basis. Methane emissions were recorded using sniffers at the exit of the milking parlour. At day 64 of the study, a sample of rumen fluid was collected from 12 cows per treatment after the morning feeding using a stomach tube. There were no differences in DMI, milk yield, or milk composition between the two treatments. However, cows on BEO exhaled less CH4 (444 ± 12.5 l/d) than cows on Control (479 ± 12.5 l/d), and exhaled less (P < 0.05) CH4/kg of DM consumed (17.6 vs 20.1 ± 0.53 l/kg, respectively) from the first week of study, with no interaction with time, which suggests a fast action of BEO of CH4 emissions. Rumen relative abundance of Entodonium increased, and those of Fusobacteria, Chytridiomycota, Epidinium, and Mogibacterium decreased in BEO compared with Control cows. Supplementing 1 g/d of BEO reduces CH4 emissions on absolute terms (l/d) and diminishes the amount of CH4 produced by unit of DM consumed by cows relatively soon after the first supplementation, and the effect is sustained over time without impacting intake or milking performance.

Effect of Two Seeding Rates on Nitrogen Yield and Nitrogen Fixation of Winter and Spring Faba Bean.

Faba bean (Vicia faba L. minor) is an important grain legume and is widely used as food and feed. It is traditionally used as a spring crop in Central European cropping systems. There is increasing interest in winter faba bean due to a higher yield potential, but limited knowledge of nitrogen (N) yields and nitrogen fixation (NFIX) exists. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to compare N concentrations, N yield of plant fractions, soil mineral N (SMN) and SMN sparing in the soil after harvest, NFIX and N balance of two winter faba bean varieties (Diva and Hiverna) to those of a spring faba bean (Alexia) using two seeding rates (25 versus 50 germinable seeds m-2) in a two-year field experiment under Pannonian climate conditions in eastern Austria. The winter faba bean varieties had higher N yields and NFIX, not only due to higher biomass yields, but also due to higher N concentrations and a higher percentage of N derived from atmosphere in the biomass. Conversely, the soil mineral N after harvest was lower compared to the spring faba bean. All treatments had a negative N balance due to higher grain N yield than NFIX. Winter faba beans left higher amounts of biologically-fixed N in residues for the subsequent crop, whereas spring faba bean left more SMN. Winter faba bean varieties obtained good results with both seeding rates, whereas the grain yield and the grain N yield of Alexia tended to higher with the higher seeding rate.

Total Fenolik, Flavonoid, dan Aktivitas Antioksidan Ekstrak dan Fraksi Eceng Gondok (Eichhornia crassipes (Mart.) Solms)

Water hyacinth is a very fast growing aquatic weed. It contains active compounds including flavonoids, alkaloids, steroids, terpenoids, anthocyanins, tannins, phenolics, anthraquinones and quinones. These compounds can be used as antioxidant, antibacterial, antifungal, antitumor, anticancer, anticoronary and antiinflammatory agents. The purpose of this study was to determine the levels of phenolic and flavonoid in water hyacinth plant extracts and fractions and the IC50 value which describes the level of antioxidant effectiveness. The extract was obtained by maceration using ethanol as a solvent. Fractionation of water hyacinth ethanol extract using n-hexane, ethyl acetate and water as solvents. Antioxidant test used DPPH method. Total flavonoid on the ethanol extract were 0.023±0.0015gEQ/g, the ethyl acetate fraction 0.028±0.0015gEQ/g, the n-hexane fraction 0.008±0.0005gEQ/g, and the water fraction 0.002±0.0005gEQ/g. Total phenolic of water hyacinth herb in ethanol extract were 5.403±0.910mgGAE/g, ethyl acetate fraction was 1.810±0.225mgGAE/g, n-hexane fraction was 0.457±0.290mgGAE/g and water fraction was 0.147±0.151mgGAE/g. The IC50 value for the ethanol extract was 48.64mg/L, the ethyl acetate fraction was 223.27mg/L, the water fraction was 451.86mg/L, and the n-hexane fraction was 845.00mg/L.

Anti-cancer Effect and Active Phytochemicals of Houttuynia cordata Thunb. against Human Breast Cancer Cells.

Houttuynia cordata Thunb (HCT) is a medicinal herb used in Southeast Asia. Aim of this work: This study aimed at investigating the cytotoxicity of this plant extract and fractions towards human breast cancer MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 cells. HCT's phytoactive compounds are determined. Cell viability was determined by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. The mode of cell death was measured by staining with annexin V-FITC and propidium iodide (PI) employing flow cytometry technique. The oxidative stress was measured by using 2',7'-dihydrodichlorofluorescein diacetate (DCFH-DA) and dihydroethidium (DHE+) fluorescent probes and using a fluorescence microplate reader. HCT phytochemicals were characterized by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The proliferation of MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 cells was dramatically decreased by the crude extract and individual fraction of HCT. Ethyl acetate was the solvent fraction with the highest toxicity against MCF-7 cells, followed by dichloromethane, crude, and hexane fractions, respectively, whereas in MDA-MB231 cells, dichloromethane, crude, hexane, and ethyl acetate fractions each had the strongest impact, respectively. The methanol fraction had no effect on either cell line up to 200 μg/ml. The extract and fractions were less harmful to the NIH3T3 normal murine fibroblast cell line. The mode of both cell death was apoptosis evidenced by the increase of cell population stained with annexin V-FITC and PI. The fluorescence probes of both DCFH-DA and DHE in MDA-MB-231 cell line were enhanced. Phenolic acids included chlorogenic acid (CA), gallic acid (GA), transcoumaric acid (TCA), vanillic acid (VA), and syringic acid (SA), as well as flavonoids like quercetin and rutin, were identified as the active phytochemicals in the crude and fractions by using HPLC method. MDA-MB-231cells underwent apoptosis via oxidative stress when induced with HCT hexane fraction. Phenolic acids and flavonoids were identified in HCT's extract and fractions.

Opuntia spp.: An Overview of the Bioactive Profile and Food Applications of This Versatile Crop Adapted to Arid Lands

Opuntia spp. are crops well adapted to adverse environments and have great economic potential. Their constituents, including fruits, cladodes, and flowers, have a high nutritional value and are rich in value-added compounds. Cladodes have an appreciable content in dietary fiber, as well as bioactive compounds such as kaempferol, quercetin, and isorhamnetin. Fruits are a major source of bioactive compounds such as phenolic acids and vitamin C. The seeds are mainly composed of unsaturated fatty acids and vitamin E. The flowers are also rich in phenolic compounds. Therefore, in addition to their traditional uses, the different plant fractions can be processed to meet multiple applications in the food industry. Several bakery products have been developed with the incorporation of cladode flour. Pectin and mucilage obtained from cladodes can act as edible films and coatings. Fruits, fruit extracts, and fruit by-products have been mixed into food products, increasing their antioxidant capacity and extending their shelf life. Betalains, obtained from fruits, can be used as food colorants and demonstrate promising applications as a sensor in food packaging. This work reviews the most valuable components of the different fractions of this plant and emphasizes its most recent food applications, demonstrating its outstanding value.

Germacrane-Type Sesquiterpene Lactones from Achillea millefolium L. and Their Anti-Inflammatory Activity.

Six undescribed germacrane-type sesquiterpene lactones, millefoliumons A-F, and two known analogs were isolated from the ethyl acetate fraction of the whole plant of Achillea millefolium L. growing in Xinjiang, China. The structures of these compounds were fully elucidated by their 1D and 2D nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and high resolution mass (HR-ESI-MS) spectral data, and comparison with literatures. The absolute configurations of millefoliumons A-F were confirmed by experimental and calculated electronic circular dichroism data (ECD), and 13 C-NMR calculations and DP4+ probability analysis. All compounds displayed the approximate tendency to inhibit the nitric oxide (NO) release in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced BV2 cells.

In vitro antiviral effect of ethanolic extracts from Azadirachta indica and Melia azedarach against goat lentivirus in colostrum and milk

This study aimed to evaluate, in vitro, the use of leaf extracts of Azadirachta indica (A. indica) and Melia azedarach (M. azedarach) as antivirals against caprine lentivirus (CLV) in colostrum and milk of goat nannies. These were collected from eight individuals and infected with the standard strain of CLV. Samples were then subdivided into aliquots and treated with 150 µg/mL of crude extract, and with ethyl acetate and methanol fractions for 30, 60, and 90 min. Next, somatic cells from colostrum and milk were co-cultured with cells from the ovine third eyelid. After this step, viral titers of the supernatants collected from treatments with greater efficacy in co-culture were assessed. The organic ethyl acetate fractions of both plants at 90 min possibly inhibited the viral activity of CLV by up to a thousandfold in colostrum. In milk, this inhibition was up to 800 times for the respective Meliaceae. In conclusion, the ethanolic fraction of ethyl acetate from both plants demonstrated efficacy against CLV in samples from colostrum and milk when subjected to treatment, which was more effective in colostrum.

Bryophyllum pinnatum Inhibits Angiotensin Converting Enzyme and Arginase Activities in Sodium Flouride Induced Hypertensive Rats

ABSTRACT Background: This study investigated the Bryophyllum pinnatum live plant fractions’ effects on the activities of angiotensin-converting-enzyme (ACE), arginase, blood pressure, and biochemical parameters in sodium fluoride (NaF)-induced hypertensive rats. The results revealed that diastolic blood pressure (DBP), systolic blood pressure (SBP), mean arterial pressure (MAP), heart rate (HR), and arginase activity were reduced with increased nitric oxide level compared to hypertensive rats. The aqueous fraction (AQF), n-hexane fraction (NHF), and ethyl acetate fraction (EAF) boosted superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and reduced glutathione (GSH) levels with reduction in malondialdehyde (MDA) of hypertensive-treated rats. NHF portends the capability to inhibit ACE and arginase activities and enhanced the antioxidant biomarkers.

Constituents of the Stem Bark of Trichilia monadelpha (Thonn.) J. J. De Wilde (Meliaceae) and Their Antibacterial and Antiplasmodial Activities

The chemical investigation of the EtOH extract from the stem bark of Trichilia monadelpha (Thonn.) J. J. De Wilde afforded two new limonoids (1 and 2): 24-acetoxy-21,25-dihydroxy-21,23-epoxytirucall-7-en-3-one (1) and (6R)-1-O-deacetylkhayanolide E (2), together with eleven known compounds (3-13), including additional limonoids, flavonoids, triterpenoids, steroids, and fatty acid. Their structures were determined using 1D- and 2D-NMR experiments, ESI mass spectrometry, and single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. The antibacterial and antiplasmodial activities of the extracts, sub-extracts, fractions, and some of the isolated compounds were evaluated in known pathogenic strains, including Staphylococcus aureus and Plasmodium falciparum. Fraction E (n-Hex/EtOAc 30:70, v/v) showed significant activity against S. aureus ATCC 25923 with a MIC value of 3.90 µg/mL, while one of its constituents (epicatechin (9)) exhibited significant activity with MIC values of 7.80 µg/mL. Interestingly, grandifotane A (6) (IC50 = 1.37 µM) and khayanolide D (5) (IC50 = 1.68 µM) were highly active against the chloroquine-sensitive/sulfadoxine-resistant plasmodium falciparum 3D7 strain, unlike their corresponding plant extract and fractions.

Mangrove zonation mapping in West Africa, at 10-m resolution, optimized for inter-annual monitoring

The surface area of mangrove ecosystems in Senegal have fluctuated substantially over several decades. Satellite data at 10 to 30-m resolution, which has been available since the 1980s, has allowed the mapping and quantification of these dynamics. However, the plant formations have reorganized internally; this has not been well-documented, possibly because there is no established method for detecting zonation of the Senegalese mangrove. This paper proposes a two-step method for mapping the zonation of the Saloum Delta mangrove. First, mangrove surfaces were detected using machine learning methods from an object-based time series. Finally, a typology was developed through object-based clustering using time-series metrics derived from the harmonic regression modeling of the vegetation fraction. A comparison with field data allowed us to determine the number of classes and discriminating variables. The results showed that the selected method resulted in an overall accuracy of 97.55% (Kappa = 95.42) for the land cover at 4 classes (Water, Mangrove, Salt flats, Other land covers), with an F1-Score of 98.91% for the mangroves. Second, our results suggest that the annual trend of the vegetation fraction at the object scale is effective in differentiating mangrove zonation into three classes based on canopy density and stand height (HM: High mangrove; LDM: Low and dense mangrove; LOM: Low and open mangrove). Finally, the temporal stability of the classes and uncertainty around the magnitudes of the plant fraction values per class were assessed by Bayesian inference. An overall accuracy of 85.5% can be expected to identify the zonation typology on an inter-annual scale. This mapping technique can be used to characterize the rate of change in zonation in response to environmental changes and to guide management strategies.

Cardio- and nephroprotective effects of fractions isolated from Lycium barbarum (goji berry) in models of cardio- and nephrotoxicity in rats

The aim of the present study was to identify agents that reduce the anthracyclines-induced cardiovascular and renal damage and have the potential to enhance their therapeutic effects. Three fractions of Lycium barbarum (Goji berry), pectin-free, polysaccharide and a combination of the two (1:1, w/w), were tested on rat models of doxorubicin (DOX)-induced cardio- and nephrotoxicity. They were administered p.o. as doses of 2 mg/kg. DOX was applied at a cumulative dose of 20 mg/kg (i.p.). Different biomarkers for cardiotoxicity (creatine kinase, creatine kinase-MB fraction, aspartate aminotransferase, lactate dehydrogenase), nephrotoxicity (creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, uric acid) and the serum potassium levels were evaluated. Histological analysis of hearts and kidneys was performed. The male Wistar rats treated only with DOX showed a drastic increase in all biomarkers for toxicity. Meanwhile, in all cohorts receiving simultaneously any of the plant fractions, the biomarkers for heart and kidney tissue damage were significantly reduced (p < 0.001 for uric acid; p < 0.01 for other parameters). Intriguingly, the pectin-free fraction and the combined one showed the most pronounced decrease in the indicators for toxicity. Histological findings also confirmed these observations, suggesting that the fractions in question need to be investigated as potential enhancers of anthracyclines’ pharmacodynamic effects.

Effects of Cotinus coggygria extract on human blood T and NK cells activity in vitro

It is an important research area to define the bioactivities of plant fractions and to create appropriate utilization areas for them. Although Cotinus coggygria, which is widely used in folk medicine, which grows from Europe to the center of China, has a wide variety of bioactivities, there is limited information about its influence on the immune system.The anti-proliferative effects of Cotinus coggygria extract on stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were determined by CFSE dilution method. The effects of the extract on peripheral blood T and natural killer (NK) cells were followed by their proliferative responses. Annexin V / PI staining method was used to evaluate the apoptotic effects of the extract on PBMCs. The effects of the extracts on expression levels of IL-1?, IL-2, IL-4 and IL-10 genes were investigated.Effect of Cotinus coggygria on the proliferation of T cells and NK cell subsets were decreased in a dose dependent manner. Anti-proliferative effect of Cotinus coggygria extract on stimulated PBMCs was not directly related to its apoptotic properties, it also changes the cytokine genes expression on PBMCs. Our study suggests that Cotinus coggygria methanol extract, whose anti-inflammatory effects have not been investigated yet, may be a pioneer in the identification of new molecules with anti-inflammatory properties and the development of related therapies.

Corn yield components can be stabilized via tillering in sub-optimal plant densities.

Crop plasticity is fundamental to sustainability discussions in production agriculture. Modern corn (Zea mays L.) genetics can compensate yield determinants to a small degree, but plasticity mechanisms have been masked by breeder selection and plant density management preferences. While tillers are a well-known source of plasticity in cereal crops, the functional trade-offs of tiller expression to the hierarchical yield formation process in corn are unknown. This investigation aimed to further dissect the consequences of tiller expression on corn yield component determination and plasticity in a range of environments from two plant fraction perspectives - i) main stalks only, considering potential functional trade-offs due to tiller expression; and ii) comprehensive (main stalk plus tillers). This multi-seasonal study considered a dataset of 17 site-years across Kansas, United States. Replicated field trials evaluated tiller presence (removed or intact) in two hybrids (P0657AM and P0805AM) at three target plant densities (25000, 42000, and 60000 plants ha-1). Record of ears and kernels per unit area and kernel weight were collected separately for both main stalks and tillers in each plot. Indicated tiller contributions impacted the plasticity of yield components in evaluated genotypes. Ear number and kernel number per area were less dependent on plant density, but kernel number remained key to yield stability. Although ear number was less related to yield stability, ear source and type were significant yield predictors, with tiller axillary ears as stronger contributors than main stalk secondary ears in high-yielding environments. Certainly, managing for the most main stalk primary ears possible - that is, optimizing the plant density (which consequently reduces tiller expression), is desirable to maximize yields. However, the demonstrated escape from the deterministic hierarchy of corn yield formation may offer avenues to reduce corn management dependence on a seasonally variable optimum plant density, which cannot be remediated mid-season.

NetAllergen, a random forest model integrating MHC-II presentation propensity for improved allergenicity prediction.

Allergy is a pathological immune reaction towards innocuous protein antigens. Although only a narrow fraction of plant or animal proteins induce allergy, atopic disorders affect millions of children and adults and cost billions in healthcare systems worldwide. In silico predictors can aid in the development of more innocuous food sources. Previous allergenicity predictors used sequence similarity, common structural domains, and amino acid physicochemical features. However, these predictors strongly rely on sequence similarity to known allergens and fail to predict protein allergenicity accurately when similarity diminishes. To overcome these limitations, we collected allergens from AllergenOnline, a curated database of IgE-inducing allergens, carefully removed allergen redundancy with a novel protein partitioning pipeline, and developed a new allergen prediction method, introducing MHC presentation propensity as a novel feature. NetAllergen outperformed a sequence similarity-based BLAST baseline approach, and previous allergenicity predictor AlgPred 2 when similarity to known allergens is limited. The web service NetAllergen and the datasets are available at https://services.healthtech.dtu.dk/services/NetAllergen-1.0/.

Grassland-woodland transitions over decadal timescales in the Terai-Duar savanna and grasslands of the Indian subcontinent

The Terai-Duar Savanna and Grassland ecoregion (hereafter Terai), located at the base of the Himalayas in the Indian subcontinent, support diverse ecosystems with pure grasslands, savanna, and forests in varying proportions. There are indications that grasslands and savanna are being lost to woody encroachment across the ecoregion. A significant fraction of plant and animal taxa are endemic to grasslands, so the decline of grasslands is likely to impact biodiversity and ecosystem function. We assessed large-scale vegetation changes to Terai habitats over three decades (1989–2019) and quantified the role of environmental factors in driving the observed changes. Selecting eight large protected wildlife habitats (four each from India and Nepal), we performed supervised vegetation classification for three-time points. We then quantified grassland-woodland transitions and used Bayesian Conditional Autoregressive spatial models to test the influence of climatic, environmental, and anthropogenic factors on observed changes. Including the protected sites with substantial grassland areas, we found that the total extent of grasslands was 1417 km2 (28 % of total area) in 1988–1989, which declined by 34.4 % to 923 km2 in three decades, while woodland area increased by 8,7% from 3235 km2 to 3516 km2. Grasslands were also converted to cropland or inundated by flooding, but to a lesser extent. Dry season grass fire had the strongest influence on grassland persistence, followed by anthropogenic impacts. However, the eight sites differed with respect to the nature and extent of the changes in vegetation transitions, perhaps reflecting site differences in climatic conditions and anthropogenic influence.

Inhibition of Advanced Glycation End-Products by Tamarindus indica and Mitragyna inermis Extracts and Effects on Human Hepatocyte and Fibroblast Viability

Tamarindus indica and Mitragyna inermis are widely used by herbalists to cure diabetes mellitus. The aim of this study is to investigate the inhibitory potential of aqueous and various organic solvent fractions from both plants and some isolated compounds against advanced glycation end-products (AGEs). For this purpose, an in vitro BSA-fructose glycation model was used to evaluate the inhibition of AGE formation. Furthermore, the effects of the fractions on mouse fibroblast (NIH-3T3) and human hepatocyte (HepG2) survival were evaluated. The leaf, stem, and root fractions of both plants exhibited significant inhibition of AGEs formation. The IC50 values appeared to be less than 250 µg/mL; however, all fractions presented no adverse effects on NIH-3T3 up to 500 µg/mL. Otherwise, our phytochemical investigation afforded the isolation of a secoiridoid from the Mitragyna genus named secoiridoid glucoside sweroside (1), along with three known quinovic acid glycosides: quinovic acid-3β-O-β-d-glucopyranoside (2), quinovic acid-3-O-β-d-6-deoxy-glucopyranoside, 28-O-β-d-glucopyranosyl ester (3), and quinovic acid 3-O-α-l-rhamnopyranosyl-(4→1)-β-d-glucopyranoside (4). In particular, 1-3 are compounds which have not previously been described in Mitragyna inermis roots. However, the isolated compounds did not exhibit AGE inhibitory activity. Further investigation on these potent antiglycation fractions may allow for the isolation of new antidiabetic drug candidates.