Proposal to conserve the name Filago arvensis, with a conserved type, against F. montana (Asteraceae)

[EN] This proposal complements a previous one (Andrés-Sánchez & al. in Taxon 60: 599–600. 2011; proposal 2008) and aims to prevent displacement of the widely used name Filago arvensis L., due to the priority of Filago montana L. over it (Fries, Novit. Fl. Suec. Alt.: 267. 1828)

Antioxidant capacity and fatty acid profile of <i>Centaurea kotschyi</i> (Boiss. & Heldr.) Hayek var. <i>persica</i> (Boiss.) Wagenitz from Turkey

The antioxidant capacity of the methanolic extract and the fatty acid composition of <i>C. kotschyi</i> var. <i>persica</i> were investigated. Six different chemical methods were used to determine the antioxidant capacity. The fatty acid composition was analyzed using gas chromatography. The IC50 value of the extract was determined as 37.09 μg/ml (in the DPPH assay). In the β-carotene/linoleic acid system, the extract exhibited 65.22% inhibition against linoleic acid oxidation. The amount of total phenolic content and total antioxidant capacity were detected as 36.52 mg gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/g and 74.93 mg ascorbic acid equivalent (AE)/g, respectively. The major fatty acid in the composition of <i>C. kotschyi</i> var. <i>persica</i> was found to be C 18:3 ω3 (α-linolenic acid) by GC analysis. The results presented here indicate that <i>C. kotschyi</i> var. <i>persica</i> possess strong antioxidant properties. Therefore, the species can be used as a natural additive in food, cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries.<br><br>La capacidad antioxidante de extractos metanólicos y composición de ácidos grasos de <i>C. kotschyi</i> var. <i>pérsica</i> fueron investigados. Seis métodos químicos diferentes fueron realizados para la determinación de la capacidad antioxidante. La composición de ácidos grasos fue analizada por cromatografía de gases. Los valores de IC50 de los extractos fueron 37.09 μg/ml (en el ensayo con DPPH). En el sistema β-carotene/ácido linoleico, el extracto mostró un 65.22% de inhibición frente a la oxidación del ácido linoleico. La cantidad total de contenido fenólico y capacidad antioxidante total fueron 36.52 mg equivalentes de ácido gallico (GAE)/g y 74.93 mg equivalentes de ácido ascórbico (AE)/g, respectivamente. El principal ácidos graso encontrado, por análisis de CG, en <i>C. kotschyi</i> var. <i>pérsica</i> fue el C 18:3 ω3 (ácido α-linolenico). Los resultados presentados aquí indican que <i>C. kotschyi</i> var. <i>pérsica</i> posee unas fuertes propiedades antioxidantes. Además, las especies pueden ser usadas como aditivos naturales en los alimentos, en cosmética y en industria farmacéutica

Kemijski sastav endemske biljke Centaurea austro-anatolica i ispitivanje antimikrobnog djelovanja protiv multi-rezistentnih bakterija

Hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate and ethanolic extracts of the aerial parts of C. austro-anatolica Hub.-Mor. (Asteraceae) were evaluated against microorganisms, including multi-resistant bacteria, using a paper disc diffusion method. The chloroform extract exhibited significant antibacterial activity toward all bacteria tested. The chemical composition of the chloroform extract was determined by gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The major compounds of the extract were caryophyllene oxide (21.32 %), spathulenol (10.86 %), n-tricosanol (9.58 %) and geranyl isovalerate (8.71 %).Heksanski, kloroformski, etil-acetatni i etanolni ekstrakti vršnih dijelova biljke C. austro-anatolica Hub.-Mor. (Asteraceae) ispitivani su na antimikrobno djelovanje protiv multi-rezistentnih bakterija, koristeći difuzijsku metodu na papirnom disku. Kloroformski ekstrakt pokazao je značajno antibakterijsko djelovanje protiv svih testiranih bakterija. Kemijski sastav tog ekstrakta određivan je plinskom kromatografijom (GC) i plinskom kromatografijom-spektrometrijom masa (GC-MS). Najvažniji sastojci ekstrakta bili su kariofilen oksid (21,32 %), spatulenol (10,86 %), n-trikozanol (9,58 %) i geranil izovalerat (8,71 %)

Strategy for enhancing reliability and lifetime of DC-AC inverters used for wind turbines

Lifetime of wind turbine inverters is below expectations therefore, novel design and drive strategies are timely required to achieve optimum life span. In this work, a novel driving strategy to mitigate stresses on inverters is proposed. First, an electro thermal analysis was carried out using finite element modelling methods. Subsequently, the outcomes of the models were validated using DC/AC IGBT based power inverter module interfaced to 1.1 kW electrical outputs of a horizontal wind turbine operated under different wind speeds. Real time data was collected using both dSPACE system and high speed thermal imaging camera. The proposed driving method is based on adjusting the switching frequency according to wind speed. Edge detection scheme was embedded in Simulink to determine temperature fluctuations caused by variations in wind speed profile. Effects of these fluctuations are mitigated by regulating the switching frequency and power losses based on a look up table and interpolation method. The proposed strategy of operation reduces cyclic temperature depended lifetime span (total lifetime consumption) to 1.45×10−5 cycles compared to 1.88×10−5 when operated under conventional fixed frequency. Wire-bond thermal stress was also reduced from 54.5 MPa, for the fixed switching frequency, to 45.5 MPa. This represents about 21% reduction in total lifetime consumption of inverter's wire-bond which, brings huge benefits to wind energy industry

Chloroplast DNA from lettuce and Barnadesia (Asteraceae): structure, gene localization, and characterization of a large inversion

We have cloned into plasmids 17 of 18 lettuce chloroplast DNA SacI fragments covering 96% of the genome. The cloned fragments were used to construct cleavage maps for 10 restriction enzymes for the chloroplast genomes of lettuce ( Lactuca sativa ) and Barnadesia caryophylla , two distantly related species in the sunflower family (Asteraceae). Both genomes are approximately 151 kb in size and contain a 25 kb inverted repeat. We also mapped the position and orientation of 37 chloroplast DNA genes. The mapping studies reveal that chloroplast DNAs of lettuce and Barnadesia differ by a 22 kb inversion in the large single copy region. Barnadesia has retained the primitive land plant genome arrangement, while the inversion has occurred in a lettuce lineage. The endpoints of the derived lettuce inversion were located by comparison to the well-characterized spinach and tobacco genomes. Both endpoints are located in intergenic spacers within tRNA gene clusters; one cluster being located downstream from the atpA gene and the other upstream from the psbD gene. The endpoint near the atpA gene is very close to one endpoint of a 20 kb inversion in wheat (Howe et al. 1983; Quigley and Weil 1985). Comparison of the restriction site maps gives an estimated sequence divergence of 3.7% for the lettuce and Barnadesia genomes. This value is relatively low compared to previous estimates for other angiosperm groups, suggesting a high degree of sequence conservation in the Asteraceae.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/46961/1/294_2004_Article_BF00384619.pd