Evaluation of Cellular Uptake and Removal of Chlorpropham in the Treatment of for Phytoene Production.

Chlorpropham is a carbamate herbicide that inhibits cell division and has been widely used as a potato sprout suppressant. Recently we showed that the microalga treated with chlorpropham massively accumulated the colourless carotenoids phytoene and phytofluene. Phytoene and phytofluene are valued for their antioxidant, UV-absorption and skin protectant properties; however, they are present in very low quantities in nature.

A Comparison of β-Carotene, Phytoene and Amino Acids Production in DF 15 (CCAP 19/41) and CCAP 19/30 Using Different Light Wavelengths.

Strains of microalgae are of considerable research and industrial interest because they hyper-accumulate β-carotene as well as produce high-quality protein. To explore the co-production of valuable compounds in , this study compared the production of β-carotene, phytoene and amino acids in two strains cultivated under white, red or blue light until no further nitrogen was available. DF15 (CCAP 19/41 (PLY DF15)) produced more than 12% β-carotene (ash-free dry weight (AFDW) basis), and red light triggered the production of β-carotene at a / β-carotene ratio of 1.

Mitosis Inhibitors Induce Massive Accumulation of Phytoene in the Microalga .

Phytoene is a colourless natural carotenoid that absorbs UV light and provides antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities as well as protection against photodamage. It is therefore valued for its skin health and aesthetic benefits by the cosmetic industry, as well as by the health food sector. The halotolerant green microalga is one of the richest sources of natural carotenoids.

Effect of Light Intensity and Wavelength on Biomass Growth and Protein and Amino Acid Composition of .

is a halotolerant, photoautotrophic marine microalga and one of the richest sources of natural carotenoids but also shows potential as a novel food source with high protein quality. This study sought to optimise the production of biomass, protein and amino acids from , alongside carotenoids using a two-stage cultivation approach based on the use of light of different intensities and quality, i.e.

Stereoisomers of Colourless Carotenoids from the Marine Microalga .

Carotenoids comprise a diverse range of naturally occurring stereoisomers, which differ in their physico-chemical properties. Their biosynthesis begins with phytoene, which is a rarity among carotenoids because it is colourless. Phytoene is sought after as a skin protectant against harmful UV range B (290-320 nm) and C (100-290 nm) light, and as a natural skin-whitening agent and is synthesized from geranylgeranyl diphosphate.

Red Light Control of β-Carotene Isomerisation to cis β-Carotene and Carotenoid Accumulation in .

is a rich source of β-carotene, which has been identified as an important biomolecule in the treatment of retinal dystrophies and other diseases. We previously showed that chlorophyll absorption of red light photons in is coupled with oxygen reduction and phytoene desaturation, and that it increases the pool size of β-carotene. Here, we show for the first time that growth under red light also controls the conversion of extant β-carotene to β-carotene by β-carotene isomerases.

Mitochondrial Function, Mobility and Lifespan Are Improved in by Extracts of 9--β-Carotene from .

Carotenoids are implicated in alleviating ageing and age-related diseases in humans. While data from different carotenoids are mixed in their outcomes, those for 9--β-carotene indicate general positive effects, although basic data on its biological impact are limited. Here, we show that supplementation with 9--β-carotene in ageing improved mitochondrial function in terms of ATP production and whole-body respiration and extended mean lifespan.

Carotenoid Production by under Red Light.

The halotolerant photoautotrophic marine microalga is one of the richest sources of natural carotenoids. Here we investigated the effects of high intensity blue, red and white light from light emitting diodes (LED) on the production of carotenoids by strains of under nutrient sufficiency and strict temperature control favouring growth. Growth in high intensity red light was associated with carotenoid accumulation and a high rate of oxygen uptake.

Potential of New Isolates of Dunaliella Salina for Natural β-Carotene Production.

The halotolerant microalga has been widely studied for natural β-carotene production. This work shows biochemical characterization of three newly isolated strains, DF15, DF17, and DF40, compared with CCAP 19/30 and UTEX 2538 (also known as ). Although all three new strains have been genetically characterized as strains, their ability to accumulate carotenoids and their capacity for photoprotection against high light stress are different.

Potential process 'hurdles' in the use of macroalgae as feedstock for biofuel production in the British Isles.

This review examines the potential technical and energy balance hurdles in the production of seaweed biofuel, and in particular for the MacroBioCrude processing pipeline for the sustainable manufacture of liquid hydrocarbon fuels from seaweed in the UK. The production of biofuel from seaweed is economically, energetically and technically challenging at scale. Any successful process appears to require both a method of preserving the seaweed for continuous feedstock availability and a method exploiting the entire biomass.

Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors. 20. Optimization of Substituted Quinazoline and Pyrido[3,4-d]pyrimidine Derivatives as Orally Active, Irreversible Inhibitors of the Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Family.

Structure-activity relationships for inhibition of erbB1, erbB2, and erbB4 were determined for a series of quinazoline- and pyrido[3,4-d]pyrimidine-based analogues of the irreversible pan-erbB inhibitor, canertinib. Cyclic amine bearing crotonamides were determined to provide rapid inhibition of cellular erbB1 autophosphorylation and good metabolic stability in liver microsome and hepatocyte assays. The influence of 4-anilino substitution on pan-erbB inhibitory potency was investigated.

The influence of photoperiod and light intensity on the growth and photosynthesis of Dunaliella salina (chlorophyta) CCAP 19/30.

The green microalga Dunaliella salina survives in a wide range of salinities via mechanisms involving glycerol synthesis and degradation and is exploited for large amounts of nutraceutical carotenoids produced under stressed conditions. In this study, D. salina CCAP 19/30 was cultured in varying photoperiods and light intensities to study the relationship of light with different growth measurement parameters, with cellular contents of glycerol, starch and carotenoids, and with photosynthesis and respiration.

Emerging pollutants and plants--Metabolic activation of diclofenac by peroxidases.

Human pharmaceuticals and their residues are constantly detected in our waterbodies, due to poor elimination rates, even in the most advanced waste water treatment plants. Their impact on the environment and human health still remains unclear. When phytoremediation is applied to aid water treatment, plants may transform and degrade xenobiotic contaminants through phase I and phase II metabolism to more water soluble and less toxic intermediates.

Responses of tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea) to growth in naphthalene-contaminated sand: xenobiotic stress versus water stress.

The adaptations of tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea) arising from growth in naphthalene-contaminated sand (0.8 g kg(-1) sand dry weight (dw)) were investigated in the contexts of xenobiotic stress and water stress. The transfer of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) across the root endodermis was investigated using the hydrophobic Nile red stain as a PAH homologue.

Changes in the abundance of sugars and sugar-like compounds in tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea) due to growth in naphthalene-treated sand.

The hydrophilic metabolome of tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea) adapted to grow in naphthalene-treated sand (0.8 g kg(-1) sand dw) was analysed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, and peaks corresponding to the more abundant compounds were tentatively identified from analysis of their mass spectral features and reference to the NIST Mass Spectral Database. Particular attention was paid to sugars as they are known to play important roles as stress regulators in plants.

Scanning electron microscopic investigations of root structural modifications arising from growth in crude oil-contaminated sand.

The choice of plant for phytoremediation success requires knowledge of how plants respond to contaminant exposure, especially their roots which are instrumental in supporting rhizosphere activity. In this study, we investigated the responses of plants with different architectures represented by beetroot (Beta vulgaris), a eudicot with a central taproot and many narrower lateral roots, and tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea), a monocot possessing a mass of threadlike fibrous roots to grow in crude oil-treated sand. In this paper, scanning electron microscopy was used to investigate modifications to plant root structure caused by growth in crude oil-contaminated sand.

Canadian expert consensus: optimal treatment of neovascular age-related macular degeneration.

Background: New therapeutic approaches, particularly anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) therapies, prevent, and in some cases reverse, vision damage caused by age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Unequal access to care across Canada remains a problem for many retina specialists and their patients.

Objective: To develop a consensus concerning the management of patients with exudative age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

Antitumor activity and pharmacokinetic properties of PF-00299804, a second-generation irreversible pan-erbB receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor.

Signaling through the erbB receptor family of tyrosine kinases contributes to the proliferation, differentiation, migration, and survival of a variety of cell types. Abnormalities in members of this receptor family have been shown to play a role in oncogenesis, thus making them attractive targets for anticancer treatments. PF-00299804 is a second-generation irreversible pan-erbB receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor currently in phase I clinical trials.

Retinal arteriolar hemodynamic response to a combined isocapnic hyperoxia and glucose provocation in early sight-threatening diabetic retinopathy.

Purpose: To quantify the magnitude of change of retinal arteriolar hemodynamics induced by a combined isocapnic hyperoxia and glucose provocation in diabetic patients with early sight-threatening diabetic retinopathy (DR) and in age-matched control subjects and to compare the response to that of an isocapnic hyperoxia provocation alone. The study hypothesis was that hyperglycemia reduces the retinal vascular reactivity response to a hyperoxic stimulus.

Methods: The sample comprised 17 control subjects (group 1), 15 patients with no clinically visible DR (group 2), 16 patients with mild-to-moderate nonproliferative DR (group 3), and 15 patients with diabetic macular edema (group 4).

Retinal arteriolar diameter, blood velocity, and blood flow response to an isocapnic hyperoxic provocation in early sight-threatening diabetic retinopathy.

Purpose: To quantify the magnitude of retinal arteriolar vascular reactivity in diabetic patients stratified by severity of retinopathy and in age-matched control subjects. The sample comprised 21 nondiabetic control subjects (group 1), 19 patients with no clinically visible DR (group 2), 19 patients with mild-to-moderate nonproliferative DR and without clinically evident diabetic macular edema (DME) (group 3), and 17 patients with DME (group 4). methods Subjects initially breathed air, followed by oxygen, while isocapnia was maintained.

Retinal arteriolar hemodynamic response to an acute hyperglycemic provocation in early and sight-threatening diabetic retinopathy.

The aim was to quantify the magnitude of retinal arteriolar vascular reactivity to a hyperglycemic provocation in diabetic patients stratified by severity of retinopathy and in age-matched controls. The sample comprised 20 non-diabetic controls (Group 1), 19 patients with no clinically visible DR (Group 2), 18 patients with mild-to-moderate non-proliferative DR (Group 3) and 18 patients with diabetic macular edema (Group 4). Retinal hemodynamic measurements using the Canon Laser Blood Flowmeter (CLBF-100) were acquired before and 1 h after drinking a standardized oral glucose load drink.

Tyrosine kinase inhibitors. 19. 6-Alkynamides of 4-anilinoquinazolines and 4-anilinopyrido[3,4-d]pyrimidines as irreversible inhibitors of the erbB family of tyrosine kinase receptors.

Structure-activity relationships for inhibition of erbB1, erbB2, and erbB4 were determined for a series of alkynamide analogues of quinazoline- and pyrido[3,4-d]pyrimidine-based compounds. The compounds were prepared by coupling the appropriate 6-aminoquinazolines or 6-aminopyrido[3,4-d]pyrimidines with alkynoic acids, using EDCI.HCl in pyridine.

2-Aminoquinazoline inhibitors of cyclin-dependent kinases.

The inhibition of cyclin-dependent kinase 4 (Cdk4) causes cell cycle arrest and restores a checkpoint that is absent in the majority of tumor cells. Compounds that inhibit Cdk4 selectively are targeted for treating cancer. Appropriate substitution of 2-aminoquinazolines is demonstrated to produce high levels of selectivity for Cdk4 versus closely related serine-threonine kinases.

Discovery of a potent and selective inhibitor of cyclin-dependent kinase 4/6.

A pharmacological approach to inhibition of cyclin-dependent kinases 4 and 6 (Cdk4/6) using highly selective small molecule inhibitors has the potential to provide novel cancer therapies for clinical use. Achieving high levels of selectivity for Cdk4/6, versus other ATP-dependent kinases, presents a significant challenge. The pyrido[2,3-d]pyrimidin-7-one template provides an effective platform for the inhibition of a broad cross-section of kinases, including Cdks.