This study was conducted to determine physiological and morphological variation of strains of the ectomycorrhizal fungus Hebeloma cylindrosporum associated with Pinus pinaster and its consequence on the symbiotic processes in coastal forests adjacent to Bordeaux, south west France, from 2003-2005. Mycelial cultures were conducted in the laboratory on a rich medium (YMG). Diploid fungal strains from the field as well as hybrid strains, originating from laboratory crosses between haploid isolates, were compared for growth rate at 12oC and 22oC. At 12oC there were significant differences between strains collected in coastal forests with the other strains. Metabolic abilities and growth rates were also investigated for mutant fungal strains that had incorporated in their genome a T-DNA from the phytophatogenic bacterium Agrobacterium tumefaciens. The data indicates that mutations induced by T-DNAs result in phenotypes that could affect symbiotic processes. The possible application of these findings in cultivation of trees in non productive coastal lands is discussed. 

Bark extract of Pinus pinaster contains numerous phenolic compounds such as catechins, taxifolin, and phenolic acids. These compounds have received considerable attentions because of their anti-inflammatory, antimutagenic, anticarcinogenic, antimetastatic and high antioxidant activities. Although P. pinaster bark has been intensely investigated in the past, there is comparably less information available in the literature in regard to P. eldarica bark. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the chemical composition of P. eldarica commonly found in Iran. A reversed-phase high pressure liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) method for the determination of catechin, caffeic acid, ferulic acid, and taxifolin in P. pinaster and P. eldarica was developed. A mixture of 0.1% formic acid in deionized water and 0.1% formic acid in acetonitrile was used as the mobile phase, and chromatographic separation was achieved on a Nova pack C18 at 280 nm. The two studied Pinus species contained high amounts of polyphenolic compounds. Among four marker compounds, the main substances identified in P. pinaster and P. eldarica were taxifolin and catechin, respectively. Furthermore, the composition of the bark oil of P. eldarica obtained by hydrodistillation was analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectroscopy (GC/MS). Thirty-three compounds accounting for 95.1 % of the oil were identified. The oils consisted mainly of mono- and sesquiterpenoid fractions, especially a-pinene (24.6%), caryophyllene oxide (14.0%), d-3-carene (10.7%), (E)-b-caryophyllene (7.9%), and myrtenal (3.1%).

Objective: This study aims to evaluate the chemical composition antioxidant activity, and diuretic effects of Moroccan Pinus pinaster bark ethanolic extract (PPBE). Materials and Methods: The phytochemical composition of PPBE was assessed using HPLC-DAD. Total polyphenols and flavonoids were quantified using the Folin-Ciocalteu and aluminum trichloride methods, respectively, while mineral content was determined by plasma mass spectrometry. Antioxidant activity was assessed using the reducing power assay, total antioxidant capacity, and anti-DPPH free radical assay. For the diuretic effect, sixteen male Wistar rats were divided into four groups: control (distilled water, 10 ml/kg of BW), furosemide (10 mg/kg of BW), and PPBE (200 and 400 mg/kg of BW) groups. After 15 days, plasma and urine were collected for creatinine, potassium, and sodium analysis, along with urine output measurement. Statistical analysis employed one-way ANOVA followed by Tukey multiple comparison test. Results: The PPBE displayed high phenolic content and potent antioxidant properties. Besides, the PPBE phenolic screening showed nine phenolic compounds with ferulate glucoside, gallic acid, and catechin as the main compounds. The PPBE demonstrated a richness in essential minerals. Furthermore, at both doses (200 and 400 mg/kg) PPBE led to a notable elevation in urine flow, urinary sodium concentration, and creatinine clearance, without affecting plasma electrolytes. In contrast, furosemide caused a reduction in plasma potassium levels. Conclusion: PPBE could serve as a bioactive component, antioxidant, or preservative in food formulation. Moreover, it exhibits a diuretic effect without altering plasma composition.

A p-group G is p -central if Gp£Z (G), and G is p2 -abelian if (xy) p2 = xp2 yp2 for all x; yÎG. We prove that for G a finite p2 -abelian p -central p -group, excluding certain cases, the order of G divides the order of Aut (G).

Let G be a finite p-soluble group, and P a Sylow p-subgroup of G. It is proved that if all elements of P of order p (or of order £ 4 for p=2) are contained in the k-th term of the upper central series of P, then the p-length of G is at most 2m+1, where m is the greatest integer such that pm-pm-1£k, and the exponent of the image of P in G=Op; p (G) is at most pm. It is also proved that if P is a powerful p-group, then the p-length of G is equal to 1.