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At least 487 records · Page 27Linked to original sources
PubMed2006

Purification and characterization of novel proteinase inhibitors from dried figs.

Two types of the natural organic matter P and B were isolated from dried figs by gel permeation and high-performance liquid chromatography. The characterizations of their molecular structures were also performed using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry and infrared absorption spectrometry. As a result, these samples were revealed to inhibit the serine and cysteine proteinases chymotrypsin and papain (K(i) = 10(-)(6)-10(-)(4) M). The optimal inhibitory pH values of the P and B samples were observed to be approximately 5.5 and 5.0, respectively. The analyses of their UV-vis absorption spectra and infrared absorption spectra indicated that they would be a kind of humic substance. The mass spectrometry analyses showed that they possessed relatively small heterogeneous molecules with molecular masses around 692, 845, and 1389 Da for the P sample and around 551, 704, and 909 Da for the B sample.

Chymotrypsin↗
PubMed2002

Identification and quantitation of major carotenoids in selected components of the Mediterranean diet: green leafy vegetables, figs and olive oil.

OBJECTIVE: To characterize the carotenoid content of selected components of the Mediterranean diet commonly eaten by Greek migrants to Melbourne, a population group maintaining a traditional dietary regimen, and who exhibit relatively high circulating carotenoid concentrations and low cardiovascular disease mortality. DESIGN AND SPECIMENS: Opportunistic sampling of wild (sow thistle, amaranth, purslane and dandelion, collected from roadsides and home gardens) and commercially available (chicory, endive) green leafy vegetables and figs in season. Foods were selected on the basis that they are commonly eaten by Greek migrants but not by Anglo-Celtic persons, and had not previously been well-characterized with respect to their carotenoid contents. Extra virgin, cold-pressed olive oil and 'extra light' olive oil were obtained from commercial sources. Specimens were extracted with tetrahydrofuran (or chloroform:methanol for olive oil) and carotenoid contents were quantified using HPLC with UV detection. Two to six specimens of greens and figs were analysed. Dietary intake was assessed by food frequency questionnaire. RESULTS: Wild green vegetables contained high concentrations of lutein (sow thistle>amaranth>purslane>dandelion) and beta-carotene (sow thistle>amaranth>purslane=dandelion). Sow thistle and amaranth contained lutein (15 and 13 mg/100 g, respectively) and beta-carotene (3.3 and 4.0 mg/100 g, respectively) at concentrations greater than that seen in the commercially available species of chicory and endive. Figs contained all major carotenoids appearing in plasma, albeit at low concentrations. Extra virgin cold-pressed olive oil contained substantial quantities of lutein and beta-carotene, but the more-refined 'extra light' olive oil did not. CONCLUSIONS: These components of the traditional Mediterranean diet contribute to the higher circulating concentrations of carotenoids in Greek migrants compared to Anglo-Celtic Australians. SPONSORSHIP: This study largely funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia (grant no. 974098). Extra virgin olive oil donated by Picuba Foods, Marrickville, NSW, Australia.

Australia↗
PubMed2004

True fluorescence spectra of leaves.

True fluorescence spectra of leaves are obtained combining experimental emission and reflectance data. The model used is validated by measuring the system fluorescence in the absence of reabsorption processes (thin layer of chloroplasts).

Chloroplasts↗
PubMed2002

Speciation in fig pollinators and parasites.

Here we draw on phylogenies of figs and fig wasps to suggest how modes of speciation may be affected by interspecific interactions. Mutualists appear to have cospeciated with their hosts to a greater extent than parasites, which showed evidence of host shifting. However, we also repeatedly encountered a pattern not explained by either cospeciation or host switching. Sister species of fig parasites often attack the same host in sympatry, and differences in ovipositor length suggest that parasite speciation could result from divergence in the timing of oviposition with respect to fig development. These observations on fig parasites are consistent with a neglected model of sympatric speciation.

Animals↗
PubMed2005

Incidence of toxigenic fungi and ochratoxin A in dried fruits sold in Brazil.

A total of 117 dried fruit samples (black sultanas, white sultanas, dates, dried plums, dried figs and apricots) from different origins were analysed both for toxigenic fungi and for the presence of ochratoxin A. Amongst the fungi found, Aspergillus niger was predominant, with 406 isolates, of which 15% were ochratoxin A producers. They were followed by A. ochraceus, with 15 isolates and 87% ochratoxigenics, and A. carbonarius, with only five isolates of which 60% were ochratoxin A producers. The average infection rates for A. niger in black sultanas, plums, figs, dates and white sultanas were 22.0, 8.0, 4.0, 1.5 and 0.5%, respectively. The apricot samples were not contaminated by any fungi or ochratoxin A. Black sultana and dried figs contained the highest contamination with ochratoxin A, with 33 and 26.3% of the samples containing more than 5 microg kg(-1) respectively, while all the white sultanas, dates and plums had no sample that exceeded this limit.

Aspergillus↗
PubMed2006

Aflatoxins, patulin and ergosterol contents of dried figs in Turkey.

Dried figs of three different categories, palatable, fluorescent, and cull, were investigated for their contents of aflatoxins (B(1), B(2), G(1) and G(2)), patulin, and ergosterol. Samples were obtained from four fig processing plants located in a major fig producing area in the Aegean Region in Turkey. Affinity column clean-up methods were employed for aflatoxins. All aflatoxins, patulin, and ergosterol were determined using high performance liquid chromatography. Palatable figs contaminated with trace amounts of aflatoxins, patulin, and ergosterol, so they posed no risk for the consumer when national and/or international regulatory limits were considered. Fluorescent figs were contaminated with high (117.9-471.9 ppb) aflatoxin levels and cull figs with high patulin (39.3-151.6 ppb) and ergosterol (4.5-18 ppm) levels. The total aflatoxins content was significantly correlated with the patulin content (r(2) = 0.813, p < 0.002) and the ergosterol content (r(2) = 0.920, p < 0.002) only in fluorescent figs. However there was no significant correlation between patulin and ergosterol contents of fluorescent figs. Furthermore, there were no significant correlations between the contents of any two of the three substances in cull figs. This is the first report on the presence of patulin and its co-occurrence with aflatoxin in dried figs.

Aflatoxin B1↗
PubMed2005

Dried fruits: excellent in vitro and in vivo antioxidants.

OBJECTIVE: The goal of this work is to determine the amount and quality of phenol antioxidants in dried fruits and compare them with the corresponding fresh fruits; to compare the nutrients in fresh and dried fruits; to determine if figs are a source of in vivo antioxidants when eaten. METHODS: Commercial samples of dried fruits and fresh fruits were compared in the in vitro studies using a colorimetric method to measure phenolic antioxidants. The quality of the antioxidants was measured by inhibition of lower density lipoprotein oxidation. Ten normal free-living subjects were tested in the human study. Fasting subjects were given 40 g of figs with or without a carbonated beverage and the plasma antioxidant capacity was measured for six hours using the trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity assay. RESULTS: Dates have the highest concentration of polyphenols among the dried fruits. Figs and dried plums have the best nutrient score among the dried fruits, and dates among the fresh fruits. Processing to produce the dried fruit significantly decreases the phenols in the fruits on a dry weight basis. Compared with vitamins C and E, dried fruits have superior quality antioxidants with figs and dried plums being the best. Fig antioxidants can enrich lipoproteins in plasma and protect them from subsequent oxidation. Figs produced a significant increase in plasma antioxidant capacity for 4 hours after consumption, and overcome the oxidative stress of consuming high fructose corn syrup in a carbonated soft drink. CONCLUSION: Dried fruits and especially figs, are a convenient and superior source of some nutrients, but in the American diet amount to less than 1% of total fruit consumed. Figs are in vivo antioxidants after human consumption. The findings suggest that dried fruits should be a greater part of the diet as they are dense in phenol antioxidants and nutrients, most notably fiber.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

An unusual cause of burn injury: fig leaf decoction used as a remedy for a dermatitis of unknown etiology.

Medicinal plant extracts are commonly used worldwide. Their use relies mostly on historical and anecdotal evidence and might be so hazardous. Phytophotodermatitis is a well-known entity that is caused by the sequential exposure to certain species of plants containing furocoumarins and then to sunlight. In this article, superficial burn lesions caused by fig leaf decoction that was applied to a patient's both upper extremity as a remedy for a dermatitis of unknown etiology is reported. Direct sun exposure is an essential component of phytophotodermatitis. All reported cases to date have in common that patients are exposed to direct sunlight or to artificial UVA lights (like solarium) of varying durations. In our case neither direct sun exposure, other than inevitable indoor UVA influence, nor blister formation was present. The etiologic factors, symptoms, signs, course, and treatment alternatives for phytophotodermatitis are also reviewed briefly.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Fig wasp dispersal and the stability of a keystone plant resource in Borneo.

The stability of interactions in remaining rainforest fragments is an issue of considerable concern for conservation. Figs are a pre-eminent tropical keystone resource because of their importance for wildlife, but are dependent on tiny (1-2 mm) species-specific wasps for pollination. To investigate fig wasp dispersal I trapped insects at various heights (5-75 m) in an isolated fragment (ca. 4500 ha) of Bornean rain forest. Fig wasps constituted the majority of captures above the canopy (pollinators 47%, non-pollinators 5%). However, genera were not evenly represented. There were 50% more species of monoecious fig pollinator than there were host species in the fragment, indicating some must have arrived from forests with different assemblages of figs at least 30 km away. Dioecious fig pollinators were poorly represented suggesting more limited dispersal, which could account for higher endemism and vulnerability to catastrophic disturbance in these figs. Diurnal activity and flight height also varied among genera. Most non-pollinating fig wasps were very rare.

Animals↗
PubMed2006

Kin competition promotes dispersal in a male pollinating fig wasp.

Despite theoretical predictions, there is little empirical evidence that kin competition avoidance promotes dispersal. We show that dispersal by male Platyscapa awekei pollinating fig wasps is promoted by both low returns in the natal fig and kin competition avoidance, with strategies depending on the interaction between phenotype (body size) and local conditions. We discuss the paucity of similar work, how males might assess conditions, and then contrast male dispersal and fighting behaviour. This indicates that differences in the scale at which behaviours affect competition can mean that they are the product of dissimilar selective forces even when they have the same recipients. More generally, this could explain why other social interactions are often mixtures of cooperation and conflict.

Animals↗
PubMed2002

The distribution of Wolbachia in fig wasps: correlations with host phylogeny, ecology and population structure.

We surveyed for the presence and identity of Wolbachia in 44 species of chalcid wasps associated with 18 species of Panamanian figs. We used existing detailed knowledge of the population structures of the host wasps, as well as the ecological and evolutionary relationships among them, to explore the relevance of each of these factors to Wolbachia prevalence and mode of transmission. Fifty-nine per cent of these wasp species have Wolbachia infections, the highest proportion reported for any group of insects. Further, neither the presence nor the frequency of Wolbachia within hosts was correlated with the population structure of pollinator hosts. Phylogenetic analyses of wsp sequence data from 70 individuals representing 22 wasp species show that neither the close phylogenetic relationship nor close ecological association among host species is consistently linked to close phylogenetic affinities of the Wolbachia associated with them. Moreover, no genetic variation was detected within any Wolbachia strain from a given host species. Thus, the spread of Wolbachia within host species exceeds the rate of horizontal transmission among species and both exceed the rate of mutation of the wsp gene in Wolbachia. The presence and, in some cases, high frequency of Wolbachia infections within highly inbred species indicate that the Wolbachia either directly increase host fitness or are frequently horizontally transferred within these wasp species. However, the paucity of cospeciation of Wolbachia and their wasp hosts indicates that Wolbachia do not persist within a given host lineage for long time-periods relative to speciation times.

Animals↗
PubMed2002

Mating system and sex ratios of a pollinating fig wasp with dispersing males.

Recent studies have used sex ratios to quantify the mating systems of organisms, the argument behind it being that more female-biased sex ratios are an indication of higher local mate competition, which goes hand-in-hand with higher levels of inbreeding. Although qualitative tests of the effects of mating systems on sex ratios abound, there is a dearth of studies that quantify both the mating system and the sex ratio. I use a colour dimorphism with a simple Mendelian inheritance to quantify the mating system of an unusual fig-pollinating wasp in which males disperse to obtain matings on non-natal mating patches. In qualitative agreement with initial expectations, the sex ratios of single foundresses are found to be higher than those of regular species. However, by quantifying the mating system, it is shown that the initial expectation is incorrect and this species' sex ratio is a poor predictor of its mating system (it underestimates the frequency of sib-mating). The species has a very high variance in sex ratio suggesting that excess males can simply avoid local mate competition (and hence a lowered fitness to their mother) by dispersing to other patches.

Animals↗
PubMed2005

Convergent incidences of Wolbachia infection in fig wasp communities from two continents.

Wide surveys suggest that Wolbachia bacteria infect ca. 20% of all insect species, but particular taxonomic or ecological groups may display significantly higher or lower incidences. We studied 61 fig wasp species in Australia and found the highest known incidence (67%) of infection in a targeted study of this nature. A comparable study in Panama reported a similar figure (59%), confirming the exceptionally high incidence of Wolbachia in fig wasps. Importantly, these are two independent estimates of Wolbachia incidence in fig wasp communities, because no host species, or even genera, are shared between localities. The high level of infection may reflect enhanced opportunities for horizontal transmission inside fig fruits. Although incidence was similar in Panama and Australia, the actual strains involved were different and region-specific. Local strains were shared by several host species, although there was often no obvious (direct) ecological link between two hosts with the same infection.

Animals↗
PubMed2004

Evolution of a complex coevolved trait: active pollination in a genus of fig wasps.

Only three insect lineages have evolved complex active pollination behaviour and only fig wasps (Agaonidae) have also reverted from active to passive pollination. Previously, it was assumed that there was a single origin of active pollination in fig wasps, followed by one independent loss in each of five genera. We show here that there have been three to six changes in pollination behaviour within just one genus (Pleistodontes). The results suggest multiple gains of active pollination in fig wasps, but are sensitive to assumptions about the relative costs of gaining and losing this complex behaviour. In addition, previous comparative studies at higher taxonomic levels have reported correlated evolution between active pollination in wasps and low anther/ovule ratios in figs. We report that changes in pollination behaviour between congeneric species correlate perfectly with changes in anther/ovule ratios in the host figs, showing no phylogenetic inertia in coadaptation at the species level.

Animals↗
PubMed2005

Anti-inflammatory mechanisms of phenanthroindolizidine alkaloids.

The molecular mechanisms for the anti-inflammatory activity of phenanthroindolizidine alkaloids were examined in an in vitro system mimicking acute inflammation by studying the suppression of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)/interferon-gamma (IFNgamma)-induced nitric oxide production in RAW264.7 cells. Two of the phenanthroindolizidine alkaloids, NSTP0G01 (tylophorine) and NSTP0G07 (ficuseptine-A), exhibited potent suppression of nitric oxide production and did not show significant cytotoxicity to the LPS/IFNgamma-stimulated RAW264.7 cells, in contrast to their respective cytotoxic effects on cancer cells. Tylophorine was studied further to investigate the responsible mechanisms. It was found to inhibit the induced protein levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha, inducible nitric-oxide synthase (iNOS), and cyclooxygenase (COX)-II. It also inhibited the activation of murine iNOS and COX-II promoter activity. However, of the two common responsive elements of iNOS and COX-II promoters, nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) and adaptor protein (AP)1, only AP1 activation was inhibited by tylophorine in the LPS/IFNgamma-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. Further studies showed that the tylophorine enhanced the phosphorylation of Akt and thus decreased the expression and phosphorylation levels of c-Jun protein, thereby causing the subsequent inhibition of AP1 activity. Furthermore, the tylophorine was able to block mitogen-activated protein/extracellular signal-regulated kinase kinase 1 activity and its downstream signaling activation of NF-kappaB and AP1. Thus, NSTP0G01 exerts its anti-inflammatory effects by inhibiting expression of the proinflammatory factors and related signaling pathways.

Adaptor Protein Complex 1↗