The Experts below are selected from a list of 360 Experts worldwide ranked by ideXlab platform

Sergei Volis - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.

  • Alkaloid chemodiversity in Mandragora spp. is associated with loss-of-functionality of MoH6H, a hyoscyamine 6β-hydroxylase gene.
    Plant science : an international journal of experimental plant biology, 2019
    Co-Authors: Daniel Schlesinger, Rachel Davidovich Rikanati, Adi Faigenboim, Sergei Volis, Vera Vendramin, Federica Cattonaro, Matthew Hooper, Elad Oren, Mark A. Taylor, Yaron Sitrit
    Abstract:

    Abstract Mandrakes (Mandragora spp., Solanaceae) are known to contain tropane alkaloids and have been used since antiquity in traditional medicine. Tropane alkaloids such as scopolamine and hyoscyamine are used in modern medicine to treat pain, motion sickness, as eye pupil dilators and antidotes against organo-phosphate poisoning. Hyoscyamine is converted to 6β-hydroxyhyoscyamine (anisodamine) and scopolamine by hyoscyamine 6β-hydroxylase (H6H), a 2-oxoglutarate dependent dioxygenase. We describe here a marked chemo-diversity in the tropane alkaloid content in Mandragora spp. M. officinarum and M. turcomanica lack anisodamine and scopolamine but display up to 10 fold higher hyoscyamine levels as compared with M. autumnalis. Transcriptomic analyses revealed that H6H is highly conserved among scopolamine-producing Solanaceae. MoH6H present in M. officinarum differs in several amino acid residues including a homozygotic mutation in the substrate binding region of the protein and its prevalence among accessions was confirmed by Cleaved-Amplified-Polymorphic-Sequence analyses. Functional expression revealed that MaH6H, a gene isolated from M. autumnalis encodes an active H6H enzyme while the MoH6H sequence isolated from M. officinarum was functionally inactive. A single G to T mutation in nucleotide 663 of MoH6H is associated with the lack of anisodamine and scopolamine in M. officinalis.

  • evolutionary history and biogeography of Mandragora l solanaceae
    Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 2018
    Co-Authors: Sergei Volis, Keren Fogel, Hang Sun, Marianna Zaretsky
    Abstract:

    Abstract Mandragora L. (Solanaceae) is the only genus of the tribe Mandragoreae, one of the two tribes of the cosmopolitan nightshade family, which occur exclusively in Eurasia and northern Africa. The genus occurs discontinuously in the Mediterranean region, Turanian region, and on the Tibetan Plateau, representing a classical disjunction pattern in the biogeography of the Old World flora. In this study, we reconstructed the genus phylogeny using AFLP, eight plastid DNA regions and one nuclear (ITS) gene, and evaluated the taxonomic value of quantitative traits time to flowering, fruit and seed size. We also analyzed the evolutionary history of the genus based on a phylogenetic framework and dating inferred from a combined data set of seven plastid regions with one fossil calibration point. Our data suggest that Mandragora originated in the Eocene, apparently along the Tethyan coast in broadleaf deciduous mesophytic forests that covered most of the Mediterranean region at that time. The Mediterranean-Turanian clade diverged from the Tibetan Plateau clade about 20.5 million years ago (Ma) as a result of the plateau uplift which probably was enhanced by aridification in the interior of Eurasia. A second split within the genus occurred about 11.1 Ma and resulted in Western Mediterranean and Near East-Turanian clades. Mandragora turcomanica was found to have very closely related evolutionary history with plants from the Near East indicating a possible ancient human assisted migration from Israel to Persia in historic times. In the Tibetan Plateau area, the morphologically distinctive M. chinghaiensis is nested within the M. caulescens clade indicating a very recent diversification within this lineage.

  • phylogeographic study of Mandragora l reveals a case of ancient human assisted migration
    Israel Journal of Plant Sciences, 2015
    Co-Authors: Sergei Volis, Keren Fogel, Marianna Zaretsky, Tao Deng, Hang Sun
    Abstract:

    In reconstructing taxon evolution, historical biogeography is concerned with two kinds of speciation events, both resulting in a fragmented taxon distribution - vicariance and dispersal. We used PCR-RFLP of plastid DNA and a ribosomal internal transcribed spacer, sequencing of the rps16-trnK chloroplast region, flow cytometry (florescence-activated cell sorter; FACS), and ecological niche modeling to understand the role of these two processes in a disjunct distribution of genus Mandragora. The observed phylogeographic structure only partly coincided with currently recognized species. Commonly used recognition of a single species in the whole Mediterranean is not supported, given that a single haplotype observed from Morocco and Spain to Turkey is strikingly different from the haplotypes found in Israel. In the Sino-Himalayan area, the previously recognized M. chinghaiensis is nested within the M. caulescens clade indicating a very recent diversification within this lineage. And, most importantly, the obtained minimum spanning tree, observed haplotype distribution, and results of FACS call into question the existence of M. turkomanica as a species, and even as a lower taxonomic unit. Rather, the mandrake from Central Asia is nested within those from Israel, suggesting their closely related evolutionary history and ancient human assisted migration from Israel to Persia in historic times. Our study suggests that human assisted migration can explain the cases of disjunct species distribution for which vicariance was previously considered as the only plausible explanation.

Hashemi, Elaheh Sadat - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.

  • Écrire l’histoire : savoir et fiction chez Patrick Modiano et Amir Hassan Cheheltan
    HAL CCSD, 2018
    Co-Authors: Hashemi, Elaheh Sadat
    Abstract:

    Adapting Ivan Jablonka’s theories on the relationship of history and literature, and Carlo Ginzburg's notion of “microhistory”, this work aims at studying how two contemporary writers from different cultural and geographical spheres—the French author, Patrick Modiano and the Iranian novelist, Amir Hassan Cheheltan—set about writing history, in the historiographic sense of the term. With a particular focus on Modiano’s La Place de l'Étoile (Place de l'étoile, 1968), The Night Watch (La Ronde de nuit, 1969), Ring Roads (Les Boulevards de ceinture, 1972) and Dora Bruder (1997) and the novels The mirror room (Talar-e aineh, 1990), Mandragora (Mehr-e giah, 1998), Tehran, city without sky (Tehran, shahr-e bi asseman, 2001) and Iranian Dawn (Sepidedam-e irani, 2005) by Cheheltan, this study demonstrates that, despite the omnipresence of history in these texts, none of them actually respect the criteria of the traditional historical novel genre. Rather, it will be suggested, they approach something akin to social-science literature; that is, their narratives endeavor to tell the truth about the world without explicitly representing or re-creating great historical events or portraying great historical figures. Instead, as “Novel-Histories”, these works invite the reader to think about the nature and status of official History. As for Dora Bruder, it can be viewed as “text-search” or a “micro-historical inquiry”; but unlike its more traditional counterparts Modiano’s quest never offers a definitive answer. A thematic analysis will illustrate that the two authors are particularly interested in writing about problematic or marginalized figures in the two metropolises that feature in their work—Paris (Modiano) and Tehran (Cheheltan)—, geographical spaces which are also the theater of history. Finally, the formal and aesthetic aspects of the two works will be explored, with a view to demonstrating their literary and artistic diversity. So, it is a question of comparing how both authors engage with history from a thematic, formal, aesthetic but also epistemic perspective and analyzing the main modes by which history is inscribed in their works.Adaptant la théorie d’Ivan Jablonka sur les rapports entre l’histoire et la littérature ainsi que la théorie de la micro-histoire de Carlo Ginzburg, ce travail se propose d’étudier l’écriture de l’histoire (au sens d’historiographie) dans l’œuvre de deux écrivains contemporains issus de deux aires culturelles et géographiques différentes : l’écrivain français Patrick Modiano et le romancier iranien Amir Hassan Cheheltan. L’étude se concentre sur un choix sélectif des textes des deux auteurs. Le corpus des textes de Modiano est formé par les œuvres suivantes : La Place de l’étoile (1968), La Ronde de nuit (1969), Les Boulevards de ceinture (1972) et Dora Bruder (1997) ; de Cheheltan sont abordées les œuvres suivantes : La Salle des miroirs (Talâr-e aïné, 1990), La Mandragore (Mehr-e giâh,1998), Téhéran, ville sans ciel (Tehran, shahr-e bi asséman, 2001) et L’Aube iranienne (Sépidédam-e irani, 2005). Notre étude démontre que malgré l’omniprésence de l’histoire dans ces textes, ils ne respectent pas les critères du traditionnel roman historique et se rapprochent plutôt d’une littérature science-sociale qui, au moyen du raisonnement et de la narration, vise à dire la vérité sur le monde sans pour autant vouloir représenter ou recréer les grands événements historiques ou mettre en scène ses personnages notoires. « Romans-Histoire », ils invitent le lecteur à réfléchir sur les versions officielles de l’Histoire. Quant à Dora Bruder, il s’identifie plutôt à un « texte-recherche » (Jablonka) ou à une enquête micro-historique sans toutefois que la quête modianesque aboutisse à une réponse définitive. Une analyse de nature thématique montre que les deux auteurs s’intéressent à des figures problématiques ou marginalisées dans deux métropoles qui sont le théâtre de l’histoire : Paris (Modiano) ou Téhéran (Cheheltan). En dernier lieu, nous nous penchons sur l’aspect formel et esthétique des deux œuvres pour montrer la diversité des formes mobilisées par les deux auteurs, chacun à l’intérieur de son œuvre et l’un par rapport à l’autre. Il s’agit donc de comparer le traitement thématique, formel, esthétique mais aussi épistémique que ces écrivains réservent à l’Histoire et d’analyser les principales modalités de son inscription dans leurs œuvres

  • Writing history : knowledge and fiction in works of Patrick Modiano and Amir Hassan Cheheltan
    2018
    Co-Authors: Hashemi, Elaheh Sadat
    Abstract:

    Adaptant la théorie d’Ivan Jablonka sur les rapports entre l’histoire et la littérature ainsi que la théorie de la micro-histoire de Carlo Ginzburg, ce travail se propose d’étudier l’écriture de l’histoire (au sens d’historiographie) dans l’œuvre de deux écrivains contemporains issus de deux aires culturelles et géographiques différentes : l’écrivain français Patrick Modiano et le romancier iranien Amir Hassan Cheheltan. L’étude se concentre sur un choix sélectif des textes des deux auteurs. Le corpus des textes de Modiano est formé par les œuvres suivantes : La Place de l’étoile (1968), La Ronde de nuit (1969), Les Boulevards de ceinture (1972) et Dora Bruder (1997) ; de Cheheltan sont abordées les œuvres suivantes : La Salle des miroirs (Talâr-e aïné, 1990), La Mandragore (Mehr-e giâh,1998), Téhéran, ville sans ciel (Tehran, shahr-e bi asséman, 2001) et L’Aube iranienne (Sépidédam-e irani, 2005). Notre étude démontre que malgré l’omniprésence de l’histoire dans ces textes, ils ne respectent pas les critères du traditionnel roman historique et se rapprochent plutôt d’une littérature science-sociale qui, au moyen du raisonnement et de la narration, vise à dire la vérité sur le monde sans pour autant vouloir représenter ou recréer les grands événements historiques ou mettre en scène ses personnages notoires. « Romans-Histoire », ils invitent le lecteur à réfléchir sur les versions officielles de l’Histoire. Quant à Dora Bruder, il s’identifie plutôt à un « texte-recherche » (Jablonka) ou à une enquête micro-historique sans toutefois que la quête modianesque aboutisse à une réponse définitive. Une analyse de nature thématique montre que les deux auteurs s’intéressent à des figures problématiques ou marginalisées dans deux métropoles qui sont le théâtre de l’histoire : Paris (Modiano) ou Téhéran (Cheheltan). En dernier lieu, nous nous penchons sur l’aspect formel et esthétique des deux œuvres pour montrer la diversité des formes mobilisées par les deux auteurs, chacun à l’intérieur de son œuvre et l’un par rapport à l’autre. Il s’agit donc de comparer le traitement thématique, formel, esthétique mais aussi épistémique que ces écrivains réservent à l’Histoire et d’analyser les principales modalités de son inscription dans leurs œuvres.Adapting Ivan Jablonka’s theories on the relationship of history and literature, and Carlo Ginzburg's notion of “microhistory”, this work aims at studying how two contemporary writers from different cultural and geographical spheres—the French author, Patrick Modiano and the Iranian novelist, Amir Hassan Cheheltan—set about writing history, in the historiographic sense of the term. With a particular focus on Modiano’s La Place de l'Étoile (Place de l'étoile, 1968), The Night Watch (La Ronde de nuit, 1969), Ring Roads (Les Boulevards de ceinture, 1972) and Dora Bruder (1997) and the novels The mirror room (Talar-e aineh, 1990), Mandragora (Mehr-e giah, 1998), Tehran, city without sky (Tehran, shahr-e bi asseman, 2001) and Iranian Dawn (Sepidedam-e irani, 2005) by Cheheltan, this study demonstrates that, despite the omnipresence of history in these texts, none of them actually respect the criteria of the traditional historical novel genre. Rather, it will be suggested, they approach something akin to social-science literature; that is, their narratives endeavor to tell the truth about the world without explicitly representing or re-creating great historical events or portraying great historical figures. Instead, as “Novel-Histories”, these works invite the reader to think about the nature and status of official History. As for Dora Bruder, it can be viewed as “text-search” or a “micro-historical inquiry”; but unlike its more traditional counterparts Modiano’s quest never offers a definitive answer. A thematic analysis will illustrate that the two authors are particularly interested in writing about problematic or marginalized figures in the two metropolises that feature in their work—Paris (Modiano) and Tehran (Cheheltan)—, geographical spaces which are also the theater of history. Finally, the formal and aesthetic aspects of the two works will be explored, with a view to demonstrating their literary and artistic diversity. So, it is a question of comparing how both authors engage with history from a thematic, formal, aesthetic but also epistemic perspective and analyzing the main modes by which history is inscribed in their works

Salim S Sabri - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.

Laugée Thierry - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.

  • Les monstres sont parmi nous
    Bibliothèque nationale de France, 2018
    Co-Authors: Renneville Marc, Laugée Thierry
    Abstract:

    International audienceL’évocation de la figure du monstre est spontanément associée à une réaction de répulsion et de mise à distance de soi ou du collectif dans lequel l’individu se reconnaît. Le monstre, c’est d’abord l’autre ; les monstres, qu’ils soient amis ou ennemis, désignent un écart, une différence. Plutôt que d’offrir un panorama des divers types de monstres fantastiques, une galerie des êtres merveilleux ou curieux, le présent dossier entend porter une attention particulière à la fabrique et aux observateurs du monstre, et considérer le monstrueux comme un fait social. Il évoque des figures monstrueuses aussi diverses que la bête du Gévaudan, la mandragore, la procession des cent démons des rouleaux japonais, ou encore le Frankenstein de Mary Shelley et sa postérité cinématographique. Il questionne l’inscription des monstres dans notre vie culturelle et sociale, l’homme vivant « en compagnie des monstres

Abdol-basset Ghorbani - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.

  • Mandragora turcomanica solanaceae in iran a new distribution record for an endangered species 1
    Systematics and Biodiversity, 2003
    Co-Authors: Hossein Akhani, Abdol-basset Ghorbani
    Abstract:

    Abstract Mandragora turcomanica Mizg. is reported from gardens of Dahaneh village c.7 km north of Kalaleh in Golestan Province (NE Iran). The plants were transplanted from wild populations by the local people many years ago, because of their highly aromatic leaves and fruits. Current information suggests the species is extinct or extremely rare in natural habitats in Iran and protection of extant stands in this village is urgently recommended. It is already known to be endangered in Turkmenistan. The detailed morphological characteristics are discussed and compared with the Mediterranean M. officinarum L., and photographs of the plant are provided.

  • DOI: 10.1017/S1477200003001105 Printed in the United Kingdom C © The Natural History Museum Hossein Akhani*
    2002
    Co-Authors: Abdol-basset Ghorbani
    Abstract:

    Mandragora turcomanica (Solanaceae) in Iran: a new distribution record for an endangered species1 Abstract Mandragora turcomanicaMizg. is reported fromgardensofDahanehvillage c. 7 km north of Kalaleh in Golestan Province (NE Iran). The plants were transplanted from wild populations by the local people many years ago, because of their highly aromatic leaves and fruits. Current information suggests the species is extinct or extremely rare in natural habitats in Iran andprotectionof extant stands in this village is urgently recommended. It is already known to be endangered in Turkmenistan. The detailed morphological characteristics are discussed and compared with the MediterraneanM. officinarum L., and photographs of the plant are provided