The “Egyptian Saints” of the Abyssinian Hagiography

It seems possible to isolate a group of saints born in Egypt (or living there for a long time), different from the traditional saints of that country mainly because they were not martyrs, and substituted the martyrdom by penances and absolute asceticism; the presence of the desert is much more pronounced than in the rest of Abyssinian hagiography, and nearly absolute; the activity of the devil is also very heavily marked; almost all of them are of “Roman” birth or connection. They are Bula/Abib, Gabra Krestos/Alexius, Latṣun, Nob, Gabra Manfas Qeddus, John the Oriental, maybe Tadēwos of Dabra Bartarwa, Yoḥanni of Däbrä ʿAśa, and some others, to which the “Aksumite” saints must be added. The relationship of these saints among themselves is also demonstrated by the codices, in which the “Life” or the hymnography pertaining to one or more of them occur together with those of some of the others, in different combinations

Determinación de caracteres discriminantes en espiga en híbridos de maíz

p.431-435Se efectuó un análisis estadístico discriminante en un grupo de 12 híbridos argentinos de maíz con el fin de detectar cuáles son los caracteres macroscópicos en espiga que más contribuyen a dicha discriminación con el fin de mejorar la respuesta a la selección fenotípica. Para ello se efectuaron mediciones en 12 caracteres en espiga, a saber: longitud de espiga, diámetro medio de la espiga, diámetro en la base de la espiga, número de granos por hilera, número de hileras, número de cariopses, número de chalas, peso de chalas, peso de grano, peso de la espiga, peso de marlo y peso total. Se dividió el análisis en grupos según la clase de híbrido: 2X, 3X ó 4X. La prueba realizada para evaluar el nivel general de discriminación (X de Wilks) y la prueba con respecto a las distancias euclidianas (F Snedecor) entre grupos resultaron altamente significativas lo cual implica la existencia de variación fenotípica estadísticamente significativa entre grupos y oportunidades para aumentar la respuesta a la selección. Se calcularon raíces canónicas para dar cuenta de la naturaleza de la discriminación hallada. La variable peso total resultó la más importante en la composición de la primera variable canónica en híbridos simples mientras que para el grupo de híbridos tres vías las variables más importantes a este respecto resultaron ser el peso de la espiga y el peso de los granos. Finalmente, para el grupo de híbridos dobles ha sido una diferencia entre el peso de los granos y el peso total la variable más importante

Frustula nagranitica

The article tries to point out some miscellaneous problems related to the traditions of the Nine Saints and to the Ethio-Ḥimyaritic war of the 6th c. A.D. For the first subject the interesting results achieved by Antonella Brita 2010 are basically confirmed, and a paragraph against the alleged Syrian/Syriac provenance of these saints is added. As for the second subject, after some onomastic notes stressing the traditional etymology of the second name of king Kaleb (from *sbḥ ‘to dawn’) and recalling the existence in the Islamic tradition of two kings Yūsuf (this explaining in turn the indication “Yūsuf the younger” found in at least one of the versions of the “Martyrium Arethae”), the texts which tell of a pagan king of Ethiopia who defeats a Judaizing one from Yemen (who in turn has persecuted  Christians) are identified as speaking of the first of the two Ethio-Ḥimyaritic wars. Finally, the interesting proposal by Beaucamp – Briquel-Chatonnet – Robin 1999–2000, according to which the war should be dated at least in 531 because Procopius speaks of a still active (and not yet retired to monasticism) king Kaleb at that epoch, is put in doubt, because it tries to conciliate two entirely different kinds of sources, one historical and the other purely hagiographical, which as such has not to be compulsorily harmonized with the first

Siegbert Uhlig (ed.): Encyclopaedia Aethiopica. Vol. 3: He-N

 Review   

Plant genotype and inoculation with indigenous arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi modulate wheat productivity and quality of processed products through changes in the frequency of root AM fungal taxa

Context: Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) have been extensively applied as biofertilizers in wheat to promote crop productivity. However, variability in AM root colonization, grain yield, and nutrients was observed among wheat genotypes and according to AM genotype and environment. Objectives: We hypothesized that wheat response to AM inoculation is more affected by genotype than environment; the response is driven by increases in AM abundance and community structure changes, and not by modification of composition. Methods: We inoculated an indigenous AM consortium on four old genotypes (Bianco Nostrale, Andriolo, Abbondanza, Sieve) and one modern variety (Bologna) of bread wheat for two years. The effect was evaluated by assessing grain yield, nutrients, and quality of processed products (flour and breadsticks), while the AM abundance and the community composition and structure in roots were characterized, at two plant growth stages, using morphological and molecular tools. Results: The functional traits of AMF and plant were better explained by inoculation than by genotype or environment (33 %, 17 %, 4 % of total explained variance), although significant interactions environment x genotype and genotype x inoculation were highlighted. Consistent increases in AM abundance in Sieve and Bologna were associated with positive changes in grain yield and nutrients, supporting the good responsiveness of these genotypes with inoculated AMF, while the plant response of other genotypes was shaped by air temperature and rainfall. However, we did not find significant correlations between changes in AM colonization and mycorrhizal response ratio, with the exception of P and K. After inoculation, AM community composition was similar in all wheat genotypes, but the structure greatly differed among genotypes in interaction with inoculation and plant growth stage. These changes were significantly related to wheat productivity. A Septoglomus taxon, present in the inoculum, was the best predictor of wheat performance. The characterization of the community structure at early crop development and maturity allowed the identification of fast and latest active AM colonizers. Our results showed for the first time that AM inoculation affect the rheological parameters and nutraceuticals of processed products, although the response was modulated by genotype. Conclusions: The selection of responsive wheat genotypes is fundamental for the positive outcome of inoculation. The positive effects on wheat productivity and field persistence of the inoculated AMF support the use of indigenous consortia that have low impacts on resident AMF. Significance: Our findings advance the understanding of the facilitative mechanisms that underlie compatibility between AMF and wheat genotypes

Some philological problems in the "Miracles" of Gabra Manfas Qeddus

The philological examination of the genealogical tree of the “Miracles” of Gabra Manfas Qeddus, based of course on the principle of conjunctive errors and not on that of marginal similarities, has shown two important phenomena: 1. that not just one, but at least six different stemmas (for miracles I, II‑VII, VIII, IX, X‑XIII) can be identified; and 2. that none of these stemmas has the slightest relationship with those already identified for the “Life”. This involves an important historical consequence, because it demonstrates the profound difference, which has always been supposed in hagiography, between the redaction of the “Life” and that of the “Miracles” of the same saint

Apigenin-7-Glucuronide from Urera aurantiaca Inhibits Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha and Total Nitrite Release in Lipopolysaccharide-Activated Macrophages

Urera aurantiaca is an Argentinean medicinal and edible species traditionally used to treat symptoms of inflammation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the anti-inflammatory activity of a methanol extract and its major compound. U. aurantiaca aerial parts were extracted with methanol by maceration. A phytochemical analysis was performed, and the extract's major component, apigenin-7-glucuronide (A7G), was identified by spectroscopic and HPLC methods. The analysis of the inflammatory mediators nitric oxide (NO) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) in lipopolysaccharide- (LPS-) stimulated macrophages were used in the evaluation of the extract and the major compound anti-inflammatory effects. The extract reduced LPS-augmented NO release from 100 μg/mL (27%), reaching the highest inhibition at 1000 μg/mL (96.3%), while A7G reduced it 30.7% at 1 μg/mL, and its maximum effect was 97.1% at 10 μg/mL. In the TNF-α model, the extract at 500 and 1000 μg/mL reduced LPS-augmented TNF-α by 13.5% and 93.9%, respectively; meanwhile, A7G reduced it by 26.2% and 83.8% at 5 and 10 μg/mL, respectively. U. aurantiaca popular use was validated. In the present study, for the first time, A7G was isolated from U. aurantiaca; furthermore, A7G showed anti-inflammatory effect in the macrophage cell line RAW264.7 (ATCC) and seems to be responsible for the extract anti-inflammatory effect.Fil: Marrassini, Carla. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Química y Metabolismo del Fármaco. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Instituto de Química y Metabolismo del Fármaco; ArgentinaFil: Cogoi, Laura Carolina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Química y Metabolismo del Fármaco. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Instituto de Química y Metabolismo del Fármaco; ArgentinaFil: Sülsen, Valeria Patricia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Química y Metabolismo del Fármaco. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Instituto de Química y Metabolismo del Fármaco; ArgentinaFil: Anesini, Claudia Alejandra. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Química y Metabolismo del Fármaco. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Instituto de Química y Metabolismo del Fármaco; Argentin

Acute Hypotensive, Diuretic and Antioxidant Activities Induced by Urtica circularis

Aims: The aim of this study was to investigate the possible hypotensive and diuretic effects of ethanolic extract of Urtica circularis (Hicken) Sorarú (Urticaceae) using preclinical methods. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy and Biochemistry, Universidad de Buenos Aires, from July 2015 to January 2016. Methodology: Effect on blood pressure and heart rate on anaesthetized normotensive and hypertensive rats were measured using Statham Gould P23ID pressure transducer coupled to a Grass 79D polygraph. Rats were placed in metabolic cages in order to collect urine. Urinary volume was measured and sodium and potassium concentration was estimated from each urine sample using indirect ion-selective electrode potentiometry. The vasorelaxant activity of major compound was studied using isolated aortic rings. Antioxidant activity was estimated measuring 2,2 diphenyl 2 picryl hydrazyl hydrate radical scavenging activity. Results: The intravenous administration of the extract of U. circularis (0.1–30 mg/kg) in anaesthetized normotensive and hypertensive rats caused a dose-dependent reduction in the mean arterial pressure without affecting the heart rate. The greater reduction of blood pressure induced by U. circularis was observed in hypertensive rats (30 mg/kg: Spontaneously Hypertensive Rat: -34.7±3.3 mmHg, Spague Dawley: -18.3±3.9 mmHg). Cumulative urinary excretions 24 h after treatment with the extract 100 and 300 mg/kg were 18.2±1.2 and 14.9±1.5 mL respectively, significantly higher than the control group (9.0±1.3 mL). The addition of cumulative concentrations of vicenin-2 (10-7-10-4M) generated relaxation in endothelium-intact aortic rings pre-contracted with 10–7M Phenylephrine (Emax = 66.2±3.5%). Extract showed antioxidant activity reaching 45% of DPPH scavenging activity at 1000 μg/mL, meanwhile the flavonoid reached 20% of scavenger capacity. Conclusion: U. circularis, has a diuretic, antioxidant and hypotensive effect. Vicenin-2, the major component of this extract showed vasorelaxant activity, potentially responsible for the properties of the extract.Fil: Rodriguez Basso, A.. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Departamento de Farmacología; ArgentinaFil: Marrassini, Carla. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Departamento de Farmacología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Anesini, Claudia Alejandra. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Departamento de Farmacología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Gorzalczany, Susana Beatriz. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Departamento de Farmacología; Argentin