ESI-MS spectra of 3-cyano-4-(substituted phenyl)-6-phenyl-2(1H)-pyridinones

Twelve 3-cyano-4-(substituted phenyl)-6-phenyl-2(1H)-pyridinones were investigated by tandem mass spectrometry using positive as well as negative electrospray ionization. The influence of the electron affinity of the substituent and the steric effect on the fragmentation is discussed. Pyridinones with a substituent of low proton affinity show loss of water, HCN or benzene from the pyridinone ring in the first step of MS2 fragmentations. Oppositely, if a substituent with high proton affinity is present on the phenyl ring in the 4-position of pyridinone, the fragmentation paths are complex, depending mainly on the substituent proton acceptor ability. Elimination of neutral molecules CO, HCN, H2O, PhH (benzene) or Ph and CN radicals are fragmentation processes common for all compounds in the subsequent steps of the fragmentations

The in vitro antioxidative and cytotoxic effects of selected Salvia species water extracts

The current paper presents antioxidant and cytotoxic activities and total phenolic and flavonoid content of the selected species of genus Salvia (Lamiaceae) growing wild in Macedonia (S. jurisicii Košanin, S. amplexicaulis Lam., S. ringens Sibth. & Sm.) and Libya (S. fruticosa Mill. and S. lanigera Poir.). Crude water extracts, obtained from aerial parts, were yielded from 6.50 to 14.32%. Total phenolic content was the highest in water extracts of S. amplexicaulis and S. ringens (226.30 and 189.01 mg GAE/g, respectively), while the flavonoids were the most abundant in S. jurisicii extract (32.36 mg QE/g). Antioxidant activities of extracts were measured using DPPH, ABTS and FRAP assays. S. amplexicaulis and S. ringens extracts showed the strongest antioxidant activity, measured using DPPH (14.21 and 23.44 μg/mL, respectively) and ABTS assays (2.91 and 2.42 mg AAE/g, respectively). In FRAP assay, S. amplexicaulis and S. fruticosa extracts exhibited strongest activity (1406.73 and 1191.51 µmol Fe(II)/g). Water extract of S. amplexicaulis and S. ringens performed the strongest cytotoxic activity against K562 cells (151.07 and 173.06 μg/mL, respectively). Based on these findings, it can be concluded that S. amplexicaulis and S. ringens water extracts could be considered as possible source of antioxidant and cytotoxic agents

WHEAT STRAW CONVERSION BY ENZYMATIC SYSTEM OF GANODERMA LUCIDUM

The purpose of this study was to resolve the question of whether various nitrogen sources and concentrations affect characteristics of selected G. lucidum ligninolytic enzymes participating in wheat straw fermentation. This is the first study reporting the presence of versatile peroxidase activity in crude extract of G. lucidum culture, as well as isoforms profile of Mn-oxidizing peroxidases. NH4NO3 was the optimum nitrogen source for laccase and Mn-dependent peroxidase activity, while peptone was the optimum one for versatile peroxidase activity. Four bands with laccase activity were obtained by native PAGE and IEF separations from medium enriched with inorganic nitrogen source, and only two bands from medium containing organic source. Medium composition was not shown to affect isoenzyme patterns of Mn-oxidizing peroxidases. Four isoforms of Mn-dependent peroxidase and three of versatile peroxidase were obtained on native PAGE. By IEF separation, five isoforms of Mn-dependent peroxidase and only two of versatile peroxidase were observed. The results demonstrated that G. lucidum has potential for mineralization and transformation of various agricultural residues and should take more significant participation in large-scale biotechnological processes

Characterisation of surface oxygen groups on different carbon materials by the Boehm method and temperature-programmed desorption

The surface characteristics of different carbon materials: activated carbon, carbon felt, glassy carbon and a porous carbon monolith were investigated. The specific surface area was examined by the BET method with N(2) adsorption, the amount and the type of surface oxygen groups by Boehm titration as well as by temperature-programmed desorption (TPD). By comparing the results obtained using BET analysis with those of TPD and the Boehm method, it was found that the number of surface groups was not proportional to the specific surface area. The total amount of oxygen groups, obtained by TPD, is higher than the amount obtained by Boehms method for porous samples. The inconsistencies between these results originate from the fact that the Boehm method is limited to the determination of acidic and basic groups, whereas TPD provides information on the total number of all surface oxygen groups. In addition, the presence of porosity could reduce the solvent-accessible surface in the Boehm method. The TPD profiles of CO evolution showed the presence of a low temperature maximum, below 650 K, which originates from CO(2) reduction on the carbon material surface

Ab Initio Study of Graphene Interaction with O-2, O, and O-

A systematic ab initio (DFT-GGA) study of adsorption of various oxygen species on graphene has been performed in order to find out general trends and provide a good starting point to analyze the oxidation of more complex carbon materials. Particular attention was paid to finding an appropriate supercell model. According to our findings, atomic O is characterized by stable adsorption on graphene and very strong adsorption on defective graphene. On the other hand, O-2 does not adsorb on graphene and is allowed to diffuse freely to the defect, where it is expected to dissociate into two strongly adsorbed O atoms. The obtained results were compared with available theoretical data in the literature and good agreement was achieved

Micromorphological and anatomical characteristics of Salvia amplexicaulis Lam., S. jurisicii Košanin and S. ringens Sibth. & Sm. (Lamiaceae)

In this study, we examined Salvia amplexicaulis Lam., S. jurisicii Košanin and S. ringens Sibth. & Sm. collected in the Republic of North Macedonia, which are for the first time subjected to detailed micromorphological and structural analysis using light and scanning electron microscopy. The nutlets and mucilage were additionally subjected to spectroscopic analysis using Raman and Attenuated Total Reflectance Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy. The anatomical structure of stems and leaves is described and compared. The stems, leaves and calyces bear numerous one- and multi-cellular nonglandular trichomes, and various peltate, capitate and digitiform glandular trichomes. The nutlets differ in size and shape, as well as in myxocarpy. The nutlets predominantly contained α-linolenic and linoleic acid, whereas the mucilages are primarily formed of polysaccharides. The results obtained in this study confirmed the importance of micromorphological and anatomical analysis of Salvia L. spp. plant parts, particularly trichomes and nutlets, and hence contributing to the knowledge about the variety of micromorphological characteristics within the genus Salvia L.This is the peer-reviewed version of the article: Alimpić-Aradski, A.; Janosević, D.; Pećinar, I.; Budimir, S.; Dajić-Stevanović, Z.; Matevski, V.; Marin, P. D.; Duletić-Lausević, S. Micromorphological and Anatomical Characteristics of Salvia Amplexicaulis Lam., S. Jurisicii Kosanin and S. Ringens Sibth. & Sm. (Lamiaceae). Plant Biosystems 2021, 155 (1). [https://doi.org/10.1080/11263504.2020.1727976]

Problem pušenja među mladima u Crnoj Gori - rezultati GYTS (Global Youth Tobacco Survey) istraživanja

Smoking is a burning healthcare and economy issue, especially in underdeveloped countries. The aim of this study was to determine the number of smokers among elementary school students in Montenegro and to assess the correlates of tobacco use. The study was done in 2003 using the World Health Organization Global Youth Tobacco Survey. Our data showed that children as young as ten years smoked. There were 3.6 % permanent smokers and one in three students (30.6 %) experimented with smoking. More than two thirds who smoked agreed that they should quit smoking, and three fourths tried to quit. This study has also shown that children talk too little about smoking in schools and are exposed to passive smoking at home and elsewhere. Activities to solve the elementary school smoking problem should include preventive programs to be introduced into regular school curricula because this is the only way to address the issue properly. In addition, legislation prohibiting indoor tobacco smoking should be implemented rigorously to protect children from passive smoking in public places.Pušenje duhana velik je zdravstveni i ekonomski problem, posebno u zemljama u razvoju. Istraživanje je provedeno radi utvrđivanja broja pušača u populaciji učenika osnovnih škola, kao i utvrđivanja stavova, znanja i ponašanja učenika u vezi s pušenjem. Istraživanje o potrošnji duhana kod djece u osnovnim školama u Crnoj Gori provedeno je 2003. godine po jedinstvenoj metodologiji Svjetske zdravstvene organizacije - Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS). Podaci dobiveni istraživanjem pokazali su da u osnovnim školama Crne Gore postoji evidentan problem pušenja, i to već kod djece prije navršene desete godine života. U osnovnim školama postoji 3,6 % stalnih pušača, dok je jedan od troje (30,6 %) učenika eksperimentirao s cigaretama. Više od dvije trećine djece koja puše suglasno je da treba prestati s pušenjem, a tri četvrtine njih su pokušavale prestati s pušenjem. Osim toga, istraživanje je pokazalo da djeca malo govore u školama o problemu pušenja, da su osnovci konstantno izloženi utjecaju pasivnog pušenja u vlastitim kućama, kao i izvan kuće. Problem pušenja u osnovnim školama postoji i treba definirati aktivnosti za njegovo rješavanje. Prije svega, treba omogućiti uključivanje preventivnih programa u redovite obrazovne programe u školama, da bi se o problemu pušenja govorilo na adekvatan način. Također, mora se inicirati striktno provođenje “Zakona o ograničenju upotrebe duhanskih proizvoda” da bi djecu zaštitili od pasivnog pušenja

Polyphenolic Content and Biological Activities of Post-Distillation Waste of Three Sage Species from the Republic of Macedonia

This research was aimed at investigating polyphenolic content, antioxidant and anti-neurodegenerative activities of post-distillation waste extracts of Macedonian Salvia amplexicaulis, S. jurisicii and S. ringens, for the first time. Total phenolic and flavonoid contents varied in a broad range (3.92-146.49 mg GAE/g and 7.11-67.51 mg QE/g, respectively), with the highest values obtained for S. amplexicaulis and S. ringens extracts. Certain S. amplexicaulis and S. ringens extracts neutralized more than 80% of DPPH radicals at the highest concentration, while S. amplexicaulis extracts showed up to ≈50% inhibition of β-carotene oxidation in β-carotene/linoleic acid assay. Post-distillation waste extracts inhibited acetylcholinesterase (25.94-38.15%) and tyrosinase (18.84-59.52%), with the strongest inhibition of S. amplexicaulis extracts. The obtained results suggest that post-distillation waste of tested species, especially of S. amplexicaulis, show antioxidant and anti-neurodegenerative activities and could be considered as potential raw material rich in polyphenols

Evaluation of bioactivities and phenolic composition of extracts of Salvia officinalis L. (Lamiaceae) collected in Montenegro

Sage (Salvia officinalis) is the best-known species of the genus Salvia, due to its medicinal and flavouring properties. This research was conducted on samples of S. officinalis collected from Potoci (SOP) in the continental part of Montenegro and from Valdanos (SOV) and Luštica (SOL) in the country´s coastal region. Extracts prepared using 96% ethanol, 50% ethanol and hot distilled water were examined for phenolic composition, as well as for their antioxidant, enzyme-inhibiting and cytotoxic activities. The HPLC-DAD method was employed for quantitative-qualitative analysis of phenolic compounds in extracts, which confirmed the presence of rosmarinic and caffeic acids and luteolin-7-O-glucoside. Total phenolic and flavonoid contents, antioxidant activity, and inhibition of acetylcholinesterase and tyrosinase were measured spectrophotometrically. In the applied antioxidant tests (DPPH, FRAP and β-carotene/linoleic acid tests) and tests of inhibition of the enzymes acetylcholinesterase and tyrosinase, the SOP extracts showed stronger antioxidant and enzyme-inhibiting activities compared to SOV and SOL, while the most efficient solvent was 50% ethanol. The highest cytotoxic activity in the MTT test was recorded for 96% ethanol extracts, especially in the case of the SOL sample, against the A375 cell line. All of the tested bioactivities were more strongly correlated with total phenolic content than with flavonoid content. Differences in the tested bioactivities of extracts obtained from plants collected at ecologically different localities and with different extractio

Biological activities of Cretan Salvia pomifera extracts

The polyphenolic content and biological activities of dichloromethane, chloroform, ethyl acetate, and ethanol extracts of Cretan Salvia pomifera L. (Lamiaceae) were analysed. The ethyl acetate extract showed the highest content of total phenolics and total flavonoids. The ethanol extract exhibited the highest activity in the DPPH and FRAP assays, while the dichloromethane extract had the highest activity in the ABTS test. The ethyl acetate extract showed the highest activity in the β-carotene--linoleic acid system. The antioxidant activity of extracts was positively correlated with the total content of phenolics. Extracts demonstrated weak antibacterial activity. The ethyl acetate extract had the highest acethylcholinesterase inhibition at 50 μg/mL, while the ethanol and dichloromethane extracts showed the highest activity of tyrosinase inhibition at 25 μg/mL. In view of the significance of antioxidants in prevention and treatment of neurological diseases, the noticeable antioxidant and anti-neurodegenerative effects of the ethanol and ethyl acetate extracts recorded in this study make further research on S. pomifera seem promisin