Evaluation of 6-chloro-N-[3,4-disubstituted-1,3-thiazol-2(3H)-ylidene]-1,3-benzothiazol-2-amine Using Drug Design Concept for Their Targeted Activity Against Colon Cancer Cell Lines HCT-116, HCT15, and HT29.

PubMed

Zhu, Ming-Li; Wang, Cui-Yue; Xu, Cheng-Mian; Bi, Wei-Ping; ZHou, Xiu-Ying

2017-03-05

BACKGROUND Colorectal adenocarcinoma is the second leading cause of cancer-related death in the world. The stage of the disease is related to the survival of the patient, and in early phases surgery is the main modality of treatment. The main aim of modern medicinal chemistry is to synthesize small molecules via drug designing, especially by targeting tumor cells. MATERIAL AND METHODS A new series of 19 compounds containing benzothiazole and thiazole were designed. Molecular docking studies were performed on the designed series of molecules. Compounds showing good binding affinity towards the EGFR receptor were selected for synthetic studies. Characterization of the synthesized compounds was done by FTIR, 1HNMR, Mass and C, H, N, analysis. RESULTS The anticancer evaluation of the synthesized compounds was done at NIC, USA at a single dose against colon cancer cell lines HCT 116, HCT15, and HC 29. The active compounds were further evaluated for the 5-dose testing. Compounds were designed by using docking analysis. To ascertain the interaction of EGFR tyrosine kinase binding, energy calculation was used. CONCLUSIONS The results of the present study indicate that the designed compounds show good activity against colon cancer cell lines, which may be further studied to design new potential molecules.

Ultrahigh-efficiency solution-processed simplified small-molecule organic light-emitting diodes using universal host materials

PubMed Central

Han, Tae-Hee; Choi, Mi-Ri; Jeon, Chan-Woo; Kim, Yun-Hi; Kwon, Soon-Ki; Lee, Tae-Woo

2016-01-01

Although solution processing of small-molecule organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) has been considered as a promising alternative to standard vacuum deposition requiring high material and processing cost, the devices have suffered from low luminous efficiency and difficulty of multilayer solution processing. Therefore, high efficiency should be achieved in simple-structured small-molecule OLEDs fabricated using a solution process. We report very efficient solution-processed simple-structured small-molecule OLEDs that use novel universal electron-transporting host materials based on tetraphenylsilane with pyridine moieties. These materials have wide band gaps, high triplet energy levels, and good solution processabilities; they provide balanced charge transport in a mixed-host emitting layer. Orange-red (~97.5 cd/A, ~35.5% photons per electron), green (~101.5 cd/A, ~29.0% photons per electron), and white (~74.2 cd/A, ~28.5% photons per electron) phosphorescent OLEDs exhibited the highest recorded electroluminescent efficiencies of solution-processed OLEDs reported to date. We also demonstrate a solution-processed flexible solid-state lighting device as a potential application of our devices. PMID:27819053

Single molecule fluorescence burst detection of DNA fragments separated by capillary electrophoresis

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Haab, B.B.; Mathies, R.A.

A method has been developed for detecting DNA separated by capillary gel electrophoresis (CGE) using single molecule photon burst counting. A confocal fluorescence microscope was used to observe the fluorescence bursts from single molecules of DNA multiply labeled with the thiazole orange derivative TO6 as they passed through the nearly 2-{mu}m diameter focused laser beam. Amplified photo-electron pulses from the photomultiplier are grouped into bins of 360-450 {mu}s in duration, and the resulting histogram is stored in a computer for analysis. Solutions of M13 DNA were first flowed through the capillary at various concentrations, and the resulting data were usedmore » to optimize the parameters for digital filtering using a low-pass Fourier filter, selecting a discriminator level for peak detection, and applying a peak-calling algorithm. The optimized single molecule counting method was then applied to an electrophoretic separation of M13 DNA and to a separation of pBR 322 DNA from pRL 277 DNA. Clusters of discreet fluorescence bursts were observed at the expected appearance time of each DNA band. The auto-correlation function of these data indicated transit times that were consistent with the observed electrophoretic velocity. These separations were easily detected when only 50-100 molecules of DNA per band traveled through the detection region. This new detection technology should lead to the routine analysis of DNA in capillary columns with an on-column sensitivity of nearly 100 DNA molecules/band or better. 45 refs., 10 figs.« less

Isolation and biological activities of decanal, linalool, valencene, and octanal from sweet orange oil.

PubMed

Liu, Kehai; Chen, Qiulin; Liu, Yanjun; Zhou, Xiaoyan; Wang, Xichang

2012-11-01

Product 1 (82.25% valencene), product 2 (73.36% decanal), product 3 (78.12% octanal), and product 4 (90.61% linalool) were isolated from sweet orange oil by combined usage of molecular distillation and column chromatography. The antioxidant activity of sweet orange oil and these products was investigated using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl and reducing power assays. In this test, product 1 (82.25% valencene), product 2 (73.36% decanal), and product 4 (90.61% linalool) had antioxidant activity, but lower than sweet orange oil. The antimicrobial activity was investigated in order to evaluate their efficacy against 5 microorganisms. The results showed that sweet orange oil, product 2 (73.36% decanal), product 3 (78.12% octanal), and product 4 (90.61% linalool) had inhibitory and bactericidal effect on the test microorganisms (except Penicillium citrinum). Valencene did not show any inhibitory effect. Saccharomyces cerivisiae was more susceptible, especially to the crude sweet orange oil (minimal inhibitory concentration 6.25 μL/mL). The cytotoxicity was evaluated on Hela cells using the 3-(4,5-dimethyl-thiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide assay. All test samples showed significant cytotoxicity on the cell lines with IC(50) values much less than 20 μg/mL. © 2012 Institute of Food Technologists®

Towards a Pharmacophore for Amyloid

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Landau, Meytal; Sawaya, Michael R.; Faull, Kym F.

2011-09-16

Diagnosing and treating Alzheimer's and other diseases associated with amyloid fibers remains a great challenge despite intensive research. To aid in this effort, we present atomic structures of fiber-forming segments of proteins involved in Alzheimer's disease in complex with small molecule binders, determined by X-ray microcrystallography. The fiber-like complexes consist of pairs of {beta}-sheets, with small molecules binding between the sheets, roughly parallel to the fiber axis. The structures suggest that apolar molecules drift along the fiber, consistent with the observation of nonspecific binding to a variety of amyloid proteins. In contrast, negatively charged orange-G binds specifically to lysine sidemore » chains of adjacent sheets. These structures provide molecular frameworks for the design of diagnostics and drugs for protein aggregation diseases. The devastating and incurable dementia known as Alzheimer's disease affects the thinking, memory, and behavior of dozens of millions of people worldwide. Although amyloid fibers and oligomers of two proteins, tau and amyloid-{beta}, have been identified in association with this disease, the development of diagnostics and therapeutics has proceeded to date in a near vacuum of information about their structures. Here we report the first atomic structures of small molecules bound to amyloid. These are of the dye orange-G, the natural compound curcumin, and the Alzheimer's diagnostic compound DDNP bound to amyloid-like segments of tau and amyloid-{beta}. The structures reveal the molecular framework of small-molecule binding, within cylindrical cavities running along the {beta}-spines of the fibers. Negatively charged orange-G wedges into a specific binding site between two sheets of the fiber, combining apolar binding with electrostatic interactions, whereas uncharged compounds slide along the cavity. We observed that different amyloid polymorphs bind different small molecules, revealing that a cocktail of compounds may be required for future amyloid therapies. The structures described here start to define the amyloid pharmacophore, opening the way to structure-based design of improved diagnostics and therapeutics.« less

Pd-Catalyzed Consecutive C-H Arylation Triggered Cyclotrimerization: Synthesis of Star-shaped Benzotristhiazoles and Benzotrisoxazoles.

PubMed

Xu, Zhanqiang; Oniwa, Kazuaki; Kikuchi, Hiromasa; Bao, Ming; Yamamoto, Yoshinori; Jin, Tienan; Terada, Masahiro

2018-05-18

Star-shaped π-extended molecules comprising discotic aromatic cores and peripheral π-conjugated arms have attracted significant attention as diverse optoelectronic materials in terms of their large π-surface, tunable self-assembly, enhanced charge transport and fluorescence, and liquid crystallinity. Although many efforts have been made in construction of various aromatic discotic cores, a new class of C3-symmetric star-shaped discotic π-molecules consisting of electron-deficient benzotristhiazole and benzotrisoxazole cores remains unexplored owing to the unachievable synthetic approaches, which are expected to exhibit distinct optoelectronic properties. Herein, we report a novel and highly efficient Pd-catalyzed cyclotrimerization of the functionalized thiazoles or oxazoles for the construction of a new class of discotic molecules of benzotristhiazole and benzotrisoxazole central cores with star-shaped π-conjugated arms. The combination of Pd2(dba)3/XPhos catalyst systems with the 4-bromo-substituted thiazole enables the formation of a sufficiently stable thiazole-Pd species that participates in the subsequent C-H arylations consecutively to form the corresponding cyclic trimer products. This new class of star-shaped discotic π-extended products showed tunable energy levels and high fluorescence quantum yields that make them promising candidates in optoelectronic application. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Photo-induced interaction of thioglycolic acid (TGA)-capped CdTe quantum dots with cyanine dyes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abdelbar, Mostafa F.; Fayed, Tarek A.; Meaz, Talaat M.; Ebeid, El-Zeiny M.

2016-11-01

The photo-induced interaction of three different sizes of thioglycolic acid (TGA)-capped CdTe quantum dots (CdTe QDs) with two monomethine cyanine dyes belonging to the thiazole orange (TO) family has been studied. Positively charged cyanines interact with QDs surface which is negatively charged due to capping agent carboxylate ions. The energy transfer parameters including Stern-Volmer constant, Ksv, number of binding sites, n, quenching sphere radius, r, the critical energy transfer distance, R0, and energy transfer efficiencies, E have been calculated. The effect of structure and the number of aggregating molecules have been studied as a function of CdTe QDs particle size. Combining organic and inorganic semiconductors leads to increase of the effective absorption cross section of the QDs which can be utilized in novel nanoscale designs for light-emitting, photovoltaic and sensor applications. A synthesized triplet emission of the studied dyes was observed using CdTe QDs as donors and this is expected to play a potential role in molecular oxygen sensitization and in photodynamic therapy (PDT) applications.

Structure-activity relationship studies on quinoxalin-2(1H)-one derivatives containing thiazol-2-amine against hepatitis C virus leading to the discovery of BH6870.

PubMed

Zhong, Qi-Fei; Liu, Rui; Liu, Gang

2015-11-01

Chronic hepatitis C virus infection represents a serious global public health problem, typically resulting in fibrosis, cirrhosis, and ultimately hepatocellular carcinoma. Based on our previous discovery of lead compound 2 (Liu et al. J Med Chem 54:5747-5768, 2011), 35 new quinoxalinone derivatives were explored in this study. Outline of the structure-activity relationships (SARs) revealed that compound BH6870 (36) showed high anti-HCV potency ([Formula: see text]) and a good cell safety index (SI [Formula: see text]). SARs analysis indicated that quinoxalin-2(1H)-one containing a 4-aryl-substituted thiazol-2-amine moiety was optimal for antiviral activity. Introducing a hydrogen-bond acceptor (such as ester or amide group) at the C-3 position of quinoxalin-2(1H)-one was beneficial for the antiviral potency, and especially, N,N-disubstituted amide was far superior to N-monosubstituted amide. Incorporation of more than one halogen (fluorine or chlorine atom) or a strong electron-withdrawing group on the benzene ring of the thiazole-phenyl moiety might reduce electron atmosphere density further and resulted in a dramatical loss of activity. The NH-group of the lactam moiety was clearly required for anti-HCV activity. Design and synthesis of quinoxalin-2(1H)-one derivatives as new non-nucleoside small-molecule HCV inhibitors. BH6870 (36), showing higher antiviral potency and a good cell safety index, was identified.

Crystal and mol-ecular structure of (2Z,5Z)-3-(2-meth-oxy-phen-yl)-2-[(2-meth-oxy-phen-yl)imino]-5-(4-nitro-benzyl-idene)thia-zolidin-4-one.

PubMed

Djafri, Ahmed; Chouaih, Abdelkader; Daran, Jean-Claude; Djafri, Ayada; Hamzaoui, Fodil

2017-04-01

In the title compound, C 24 H 19 N 3 O 5 S, the thia-zole ring (r.m.s. deviation = 0.012 Å) displays a planar geometry and is surrounded by three fragments, two meth-oxy-phenyl and one nitro-phenyl. The thia-zole ring is almost in the same plane as the nitro-phenyl ring, making a dihedral angle of 20.92 (6)°. The two meth-oxy-phenyl groups are perpendicular to the thia-zole ring [dihedral angles of 79.29 (6) and 71.31 (7)° and make a dihedral angle of 68.59 (7)°. The mol-ecule exists in an Z , Z conformation with respect to the C=N imine bond. In the crystal, a series of C-H⋯N, C-H⋯O and C-H⋯S hydrogen bonds, augmented by several π-π(ring) inter-actions, produce a three-dimensional architecture of mol-ecules stacked along the b -axis direction. The experimentally derived structure is compered with that calculated theoretically using DFT(B3YLP) methods.

Automatic cytometric device using multiple wavelength excitations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rongeat, Nelly; Ledroit, Sylvain; Chauvet, Laurence; Cremien, Didier; Urankar, Alexandra; Couderc, Vincent; Nérin, Philippe

2011-05-01

Precise identification of eosinophils, basophils, and specific subpopulations of blood cells (B lymphocytes) in an unconventional automatic hematology analyzer is demonstrated. Our specific apparatus mixes two excitation radiations by means of an acousto-optics tunable filter to properly control fluorescence emission of phycoerythrin cyanin 5 (PC5) conjugated to antibodies (anti-CD20 or anti-CRTH2) and Thiazole Orange. This way our analyzer combining techniques of hematology analysis and flow cytometry based on multiple fluorescence detection, drastically improves the signal to noise ratio and decreases the spectral overlaps impact coming from multiple fluorescence emissions.

Light-controlled cellular internalization and cytotoxicity of nucleic acid-binding agents. Studies in vitro and in zebrafish embryos

PubMed Central

Penas, Cristina; Sánchez, Mateo I.; Guerra-Varela, Jorge; Sanchez-Piñón, Laura; Vázquez, M. Eugenio; Mascareñas, José L.

2016-01-01

We have synthesized oligoarginine conjugates of selected DNA-binding agents (a bisbenzamidine, acridine and thiazole orange) and demonstrated that the DNA binding and cell internalization properties of such conjugates can be inhibited by appending a negatively charged oligoglutamic tail through a photolabile linker. Irradiation with UV light releases the parent octaarginine conjugates, thus restoring their cell internalization and biological activity. Preliminary assays using zebrafish embryos demonstrates the potential of this prodrug strategy for controlling in vivo cytotoxicity. PMID:26534774

Quantum chemical study of penicillin: Reactions after acylation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Rui; Feng, Dacheng; Zhu, Feng

The density functional theory methods were used on the model molecules of penicillin to determine the possible reactions after their acylation on ?-lactamase, and the results were compared with sulbactam we have studied. The results show that, the acylated-enzyme tetrahedral intermediate can evolves with opening of ?-lactam ring as well as the thiazole ring; the thiazole ring-open products may be formed via ?-lactam ring-open product or from tetrahedral intermediate directly. Those products, in imine or enamine form, can tautomerize via hydrogen migration. In virtue of the water-assisted, their energy barriers are obviously reduced.

Tetomilast: new promise for phosphodiesterase-4 inhibitors?

PubMed

Bickston, Stephen J; Snider, Kenneth R; Kappus, Matthew R

2012-12-01

Tetomilast is a novel thiazole phosphodiesterase-4 (PDE-4) inhibitor, which may prove useful in both the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Here, the authors review the pharmacology of the drug, and offer critical review of the available data for use of tetomilast in the treatment of IBD. Peer-reviewed publications, including Phase I and II clinical trials, all other formats included. Tetomilast may be beneficial in IBD. Small differences in molecules and in recombinant proteins can translate into substantial differences in clinical effects and toxicity in IBD. This is a reasonable approach when exploring new options like tetomilast.

Fluorescence Detection of KRAS2 mRNA Hybridization in Lung Cancer Cells with PNA-Peptides Containing an Internal Thiazole Orange

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

We previously developed reporter-peptide nucleic acid (PNA)-peptides for sequence-specific radioimaging and fluorescence imaging of particular mRNAs in cells and tumors. However, a direct test for PNA-peptide hybridization with RNA in the cytoplasm would be desirable. Thiazole orange (TO) dye at the 5′ end of a hybridization agent shows a strong increase in fluorescence quantum yield when stacked upon a 5′ terminal base pair, in solution and in cells. We hypothesized that hybridization agents with an internal TO could distinguish a single base mutation in RNA. Thus, we designed KRAS2 PNA-IGF1 tetrapeptide agents with an internal TO adjacent to the middle base of the 12th codon, a frequent site of cancer-initiating mutations. Our molecular dynamics calculations predicted a disordered bulge with weaker hybridization resulting from a single RNA mismatch. We observed that single-stranded PNA-IGF1 tetrapeptide agents with an internal TO showed low fluorescence, but fluorescence escalated 5–6-fold upon hybridization with KRAS2 RNA. Circular dichroism melting curves showed ∼10 °C higher Tm for fully complementary vs single base mismatch TO-PNA-peptide agent duplexes with KRAS2 RNA. Fluorescence measurements of treated human lung cancer cells similarly showed elevated cytoplasmic fluorescence intensity with fully complementary vs single base mismatch agents. Sequence-specific elevation of internal TO fluorescence is consistent with our hypothesis of detecting cytoplasmic PNA-peptide:RNA hybridization if a mutant agent encounters the corresponding mutant mRNA. PMID:25180641

Tolerance Induction of Temperature and Starvation with Tricalcium Phosphate on Preservation and Sporulation in Bacillus amyloliquefaciens Detected by Flow Cytometry.

PubMed

Shahrokh Esfahani, Samaneh; Emtiazi, Giti; Shafiei, Rasoul; Ghorbani, Najmeh; Zarkesh Esfahani, Seyed Hamid

2016-09-01

The Bacillus species have many applications in the preparation of various enzymes, probiotic, biofertilizer, and biomarkers for which the survival of resting cells and spore formation under different conditions are important. In this study, water and saline along with different mineral substances such as calcium carbonate, calcium phosphate, and silica were used for the detection of survival and preservation of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens. The results showed intensive death of resting cells at 8 °C, but significant survival at 28 °C after one month. However, preservation by minerals significantly decreased the rate of death and induced sporulation at both the temperatures. The resting cells were maintained at room temperature (about 60 % of the initial population survived after a month) in the presence of tricalcium phosphate. The results showed that temperature has more effect on sporulation compare with starvation. The sporulation in normal saline at 28 °C was 70 times more than that at 8 °C; meanwhile, addition of tricalcium phosphate increases sporulation by 90 times. Also, the FTIR data showed the interaction of tricalcium phosphate with spores and resting cells. The discrimination of sporulation from non-sporulation state was performed by nucleic acid staining with thiazole orange and detected by flow cytometry. The flow cytometric studies confirmed that the rates of sporulation in pure water were significantly more at 28 °C. This is the first report on the detection of bacterial spore with thiazole orange by flow cytometry and also on the interaction of tricalcium phosphate with spores by FTIR analyses.

Synthesis of novel di- and tricationic carbapenems with potent anti-MRSA activity.

PubMed

Maruyama, Takahisa; Yamamoto, Yasuo; Kano, Yuko; Kurazono, Mizuyo; Shitara, Eiki; Iwamatsu, Katsuyoshi; Atsumi, Kunio

2009-01-15

A new series of 1beta-methyl carbapenems possessing a 6,7-disubstituted imidazo[5,1-b]thiazol-2-yl group directly attached to the C-2 position of the carbapenem nucleus was prepared, and their activities against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) were evaluated. First, a benzyl moiety was introduced at the C-6 position of imidazo[5,1-b]thiazole attached to the carbapenem. These benzylated molecules showed potent anti-MRSA activity, but poor water solubility. In order to overcome this drawback, we designed and synthesized di- and tricationic carbapenems and finally discovered a novel carbapenem (15i), which exhibited excellent anti-MRSA activity and good water solubility.

Ab initio Hartree-Fock and density functional theory investigations on the conformational stability, molecular structure and vibrational spectra of 5-chloro-3-(2-(4-methylpiperazin-1-yl)-2-oxoethyl)benzo[d]thiazol-2(3H)-one drug molecule.

PubMed

Taşal, Erol; Kumalar, Mustafa

2012-09-01

In this work, the experimental and theoretical spectra of 5-chloro-3-(2-(4-methylpiperazin-1-yl)-2-oxoethyl)benzo[d]thiazol-2(3H)-one molecule (abbreviated as 5CMOT) are studied. The molecular geometry and vibrational frequencies are calculated in the ground state of molecule using ab initio Hartree-Fock (HF) and Density Function Theory (DFT) methods with 6-311++G(d,p), 6-31G++(d,p), 6-31G(d,p), 6-31G(d) and 6-31G basis sets. Three staggered stable conformers were observed on the torsional potential energy surfaces. The complete assignments were performed on the basis of the total energy distribution (TED) of the vibrational modes calculated. The comparison of the theoretical and experimental geometries of the title compound indicated that the X-ray parameters fairly well agree with the theoretically obtained values for the most stable conformer. The theoretical results showed an excellent agreement with the experimental values. The calculated HOMO and LUMO energies show that the charge transfer occurs within the molecule. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Copper coordination polymers constructed from thiazole-5-carboxylic acid: Synthesis, crystal structures, and structural transformation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Meundaeng, Natthaya; Rujiwatra, Apinpus; Prior, Timothy J., E-mail: t.prior@hull.ac.uk

2017-01-15

We have successfully prepared crystals of thiazole-5-carboxylic acid (5-Htza) (L) and three new thiazole-5-carboxylate-based Cu{sup 2+} coordination polymers with different dimensionality, namely, 1D [Cu{sub 2}(5-tza){sub 2}(1,10-phenanthroline){sub 2}(NO{sub 3}){sub 2}] (1), 2D [Cu(5-tza){sub 2}(MeOH){sub 2}] (2), and 3D [Cu(5-tza){sub 2}]·H{sub 2}O (3). These have been characterized by single crystal X-ray diffraction and thermogravimetry. Interestingly, the 2D network structure of 2 can directly transform into the 3D framework of 3 upon removal of methanol molecules at room temperature. 2 can also undergo structural transformation to produce the same 2D network present in the known [Cu(5-tza){sub 2}]·1.5H{sub 2}O upon heat treatment for 2more » h. This 2D network can adsorb water and convert to 3 upon exposure to air. - Highlights: • Rare examples of coordination polymers of thiazole-5-carboxylic acid were prepared. • Non-covalent interactions play a key role on the assembly of the complexes in solid state. • Structural transformation of a 2D framework to a 3D upon removal of methanol is observed.« less

Design, synthesis and biological evaluation of (S)-valine thiazole-derived cyclic and non-cyclic peptidomimetic oligomers as modulators of human P-glycoprotein (ABCB1)

PubMed Central

Singh, Satyakam; Prasad, Nagarajan Rajendra; Kapoor, Khyati; Chufan, Eduardo E.; Patel, Bhargav A.; Ambudkar, Suresh V.; Talele, Tanaji T.

2014-01-01

Multidrug resistance (MDR) caused by ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter P-glycoprotein (P-gp) through extrusion of anticancer drugs from the cells is a major cause of failure to cancer chemotherapy. Previously, selenazole containing cyclic peptides were reported as P-gp inhibitors and these were also used for co-crystallization with mouse P-gp, which has 87% homology to human P-gp. It has been reported that human P-gp, can simultaneously accommodate 2-3 moderate size molecules at the drug binding pocket. Our in-silico analysis based on the homology model of human P-gp spurred our efforts to investigate the optimal size of (S)-valine-derived thiazole units that can be accommodated at drug-binding pocket. Towards this goal, we synthesized varying lengths of linear and cyclic derivatives of (S)-valine-derived thiazole units to investigate the optimal size, lipophilicity and the structural form (linear and cyclic) of valine-derived thiazole peptides that can accommodate well in the P-gp binding pocket and affects its activity, previously an unexplored concept. Among these oligomers, lipophilic linear- (13) and cyclic-trimer (17) derivatives of QZ59S-SSS were found to be the most and equally potent inhibitors of human P-gp (IC50 = 1.5 μM). Cyclic trimer and linear trimer being equipotent, future studies can be focused on non-cyclic counterparts of cyclic peptides maintaining linear trimer length. Binding model of the linear trimer (13) within the drug-binding site on the homology model of human P-gp represents an opportunity for future optimization, specifically replacing valine and thiazole groups in the non-cyclic form. PMID:24288265

Design, synthesis, and biological evaluation of (S)-valine thiazole-derived cyclic and noncyclic peptidomimetic oligomers as modulators of human P-glycoprotein (ABCB1).

PubMed

Singh, Satyakam; Prasad, Nagarajan Rajendra; Kapoor, Khyati; Chufan, Eduardo E; Patel, Bhargav A; Ambudkar, Suresh V; Talele, Tanaji T

2014-01-03

Multidrug resistance caused by ATP binding cassette transporter P-glycoprotein (P-gp) through extrusion of anticancer drugs from the cells is a major cause of failure in cancer chemotherapy. Previously, selenazole-containing cyclic peptides were reported as P-gp inhibitors and were also used for co-crystallization with mouse P-gp, which has 87 % homology to human P-gp. It has been reported that human P-gp can simultaneously accommodate two to three moderately sized molecules at the drug binding pocket. Our in silico analysis, based on the homology model of human P-gp, spurred our efforts to investigate the optimal size of (S)-valine-derived thiazole units that can be accommodated at the drug binding pocket. Towards this goal, we synthesized varying lengths of linear and cyclic derivatives of (S)-valine-derived thiazole units to investigate the optimal size, lipophilicity, and structural form (linear or cyclic) of valine-derived thiazole peptides that can be accommodated in the P-gp binding pocket and affects its activity, previously an unexplored concept. Among these oligomers, lipophilic linear (13) and cyclic trimer (17) derivatives of QZ59S-SSS were found to be the most and equally potent inhibitors of human P-gp (IC50 =1.5 μM). As the cyclic trimer and linear trimer compounds are equipotent, future studies should focus on noncyclic counterparts of cyclic peptides maintaining linear trimer length. A binding model of the linear trimer 13 within the drug binding site on the homology model of human P-gp represents an opportunity for future optimization, specifically replacing valine and thiazole groups in the noncyclic form. Copyright © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Thiophene/thiazole-benzene replacement on guanidine derivatives targeting α2-Adrenoceptors.

PubMed

Flood, Aoife; Trujillo, Cristina; Sanchez-Sanz, Goar; Kelly, Brendan; Muguruza, Carolina; Callado, Luis F; Rozas, Isabel

2017-09-29

Searching for improved antagonists of α 2 -adrenoceptors, a thorough theoretical study comparing the aromaticity of phenyl-, pyridinyl-, thiophenyl- and thiazolylguanidinium derivatives has been carried out [at M06-2X/6-311++G(p,d) computational level] confirming that thiophene and thiazole will be good 'ring equivalents' to benzene in these guanidinium systems. Based on these results, a small but chemically diverse library of guanidine derivatives (15 thiophenes and 2 thiazoles) were synthesised to explore the effect that the bioisosteric change has on affinity and activity at α 2 -adrenoceptors in comparison with our previously studied phenyl derivatives. All compounds were tested for their α 2 -adrenoceptor affinity and unsubstituted guanidinothiophenes displayed the strongest affinities in the same range as the phenyl analogues. In the case of cycloakyl systems, thiophenes with 6-membered rings showed the largest affinities, while for the thiazoles the 5-membered analogue presented the strongest affinity. From all the compounds tested for noradrenergic activity, only one compound exhibited agonistic activity, while two compounds showed very promising antagonism of α 2 -adrenoceptors. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Development of Matrix Metalloproteinase-2 Inhibitors for Cardioprotection

PubMed Central

Bencsik, Péter; Kupai, Krisztina; Görbe, Anikó; Kenyeres, Éva; Varga, Zoltán V.; Pálóczi, János; Gáspár, Renáta; Kovács, László; Weber, Lutz; Takács, Ferenc; Hajdú, István; Fabó, Gabriella; Cseh, Sándor; Barna, László; Csont, Tamás; Csonka, Csaba; Dormán, György; Ferdinandy, Péter

2018-01-01

The objective of our present study is to develop novel inhibitors for MMP-2 for acute cardioprotection. In a series of pilot studies, novel substituted carboxylic acid derivatives were synthesized based on imidazole and thiazole scaffolds and then tested in a screeening cascade for MMP inhibition. We found that the MMP-inhibiting effects of imidazole and thiazole carboxylic acid-based compounds are superior in efficacy in comparison to the conventional hydroxamic acid derivatives of the same molecules. Based on these results, a 568-membered focused library of imidazole and thiazole compounds was generated in silico and then the library members were docked to the 3D model of MMP-2 followed by an in vitro medium throughput screening (MTS) based on a fluorescent assay employing MMP-2 catalytic domain. Altogether 45 compounds showed a docking score of >70, from which 30 compounds were successfully synthesized. Based on the MMP-2 inhibitory tests using gelatin zymography, 7 compounds were then selected and tested in neonatal rat cardiac myocytes subjected to simulated I/R injury. Six compounds showed significant cardio-cytoprotecion and the most effective compound (MMPI-1154) significantly decreased infarct size when applied at 1 μM in an ex vivo model for acute myocardial infarction. This is the first demonstration that imidazole and thiazole carboxylic acid-based compounds are more efficacious MMP-2 inhibitor than their hydroxamic acid derivatives. MMPI-1154 is a promising novel cardio-cytoprotective imidazole-carboxylic acid MMP-2 inhibitor lead candidate for the treatment of acute myocardial infarction. PMID:29674965

Design, synthesis and antimalarial evaluation of novel thiazole derivatives.

PubMed

Bueno, José María; Carda, Miguel; Crespo, Benigno; Cuñat, Ana Carmen; de Cozar, Cristina; León, María Luisa; Marco, J Alberto; Roda, Nuria; Sanz-Cervera, Juan F

2016-08-15

As part of our medicinal chemistry program's ongoing search for compounds with antimalarial activity, we prepared a series of thiazole analogs and conducted a SAR study analyzing their in vitro activities against the chloroquine-sensitive Plasmodium falciparum 3D7 strain. The results indicate that modifications of the N-aryl amide group linked to the thiazole ring are the most significant in terms of in vitro antimalarial activity, leading to compounds with high antimalarial potency and low cytotoxicity in HepG2 cell lines. Furthermore, the observed SAR implies that non-bulky, electron-withdrawing groups are preferred at ortho position on the phenyl ring, whereas small atoms such as H or F are preferred at para position. Finally, replacement of the phenyl ring by a pyridine affords a compound with similar potency, but with potentially better physicochemical properties which could constitute a new line of research for further studies. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Design, synthesis and screening studies of potent thiazol-2-amine derivatives as fibroblast growth factor receptor 1 inhibitors.

PubMed

Kumar, B V S Suneel; Lakshmi, Narasu; Kumar, M Ravi; Rambabu, Gundla; Manjashetty, Thimmappa H; Arunasree, Kalle M; Sriram, Dharmarajan; Ramkumar, Kavya; Neamati, Nouri; Dayam, Raveendra; Sarma, J A R P

2014-01-01

Fibroblast growth factor receptor 1 (FGFR1) a tyrosine kinase receptor, plays important roles in angiogenesis, embryonic development, cell proliferation, cell differentiation, and wound healing. The FGFR isoforms and their receptors (FGFRs) considered as a potential targets and under intense research to design potential anticancer agents. Fibroblast growth factors (FGF's) and its growth factor receptors (FGFR) plays vital role in one of the critical pathway in monitoring angiogenesis. In the current study, quantitative pharmacophore models were generated and validated using known FGFR1 inhibitors. The pharmacophore models were generated using a set of 28 compounds (training). The top pharmacophore model was selected and validated using a set of 126 compounds (test set) and also using external validation. The validated pharmacophore was considered as a virtual screening query to screen a database of 400,000 virtual molecules and pharmacophore model retrieved 2800 hits. The retrieved hits were subsequently filtered based on the fit value. The selected hits were subjected for docking studies to observe the binding modes of the retrieved hits and also to reduce the false positives. One of the potential hits (thiazole-2-amine derivative) was selected based the pharmacophore fit value, dock score, and synthetic feasibility. A few analogues of the thiazole-2-amine derivative were synthesized. These compounds were screened for FGFR1 activity and anti-proliferative studies. The top active compound showed 56.87% inhibition of FGFR1 activity at 50 µM and also showed good cellular activity. Further optimization of thiazole-2-amine derivatives is in progress.

Identifying Novel Molecular Structures for Advanced Melanoma by Ligand-Based Virtual Screening

PubMed Central

Wang, Zhao; Lu, Yan; Seibel, William; Miller, Duane D.; Li, Wei

2009-01-01

We recently discovered a new class of thiazole analogs that are highly potent against melanoma cells. To expand the structure-activity relationship study and to explore potential new molecular scaffolds, we performed extensive ligand-based virtual screening against a compound library containing 342,910 small molecules. Two different approaches of virtual screening were carried out using the structure of our lead molecule: 1) connectivity-based search using Scitegic Pipeline Pilot from Accelerys and 2) molecular shape similarity search using Schrodinger software. Using a testing compound library, both approaches can rank similar compounds very high and rank dissimilar compounds very low, thus validating our screening methods. Structures identified from these searches were analyzed, and selected compounds were tested in vitro to assess their activity against melanoma cancer cell lines. Several molecules showed good anticancer activity. While none of the identified compounds showed better activity than our lead compound, they provided important insight into structural modifications for our lead compound and also provided novel platforms on which we can optimize new classes of anticancer compounds. One of the newly synthesized analogs based on this virtual screening has improved potency and selectivity against melanoma. PMID:19445498

An investigation onto the molecular structure of 5-chloro-3-(2-(4-ethylpiperazine-1-il)-2-oxoethyl)benzo[d]thiazole-2(3H)-on drug molecule before and after atmospheric pressure plasma treatment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tanışlı, Murat; Taşal, Erol; Şahin, Neslihan; Dikmen, Gökhan

2018-05-01

The spectra of molecular structure for the 5-chloro-3-(2-(4-ethylpiperazine-1-il)-2-oxoethyl)benzo[d]thiazole-2(3H)-on drug molecule (abbreviated as 5KEB) before and after the atmospheric pressure plasma treatments (APPTs) of neon (Ne) and argon (Ar) were investigated. The Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), ultraviolet visible (UV-Vis) spectra and NMR measurements of the 5KEB drug molecule dissolved in toluene and ethanol solvents were recorded and examined for liquid phases. Then FT-IR, UV-Vis spectra and NMR measurements were analysed. It is seen that some bonds of 5KEB molecule were decomposed. There were also unobserved vibrational modes. After the Ne plasma at the atmospheric pressure applied to 5KEB drug molecule dissolved in toluene, the bonds as 9Ssbnd 8C; 9Ssbnd 8C = 10 O, 8Csbnd 7N, 7Nsbnd 8C = 10O were vanished, and then the new bonds of the 7N = 8C, 7N = 8C = 10 O, 9Ssbnd 5Csbnd 4Csbnd 7N = 8C = 10O were observed. New photoproducts may be defined as the stretching peaks, stretching vibrational modes for 5KEB drug molecule in liquid phase prepared with ethanol and toluene solvents after APPT. Also, after Ar plasma at atmospheric pressure applied here, the 9Ssbnd 8C bond of the 5KEB drug molecule dissolved in toluene was broken. The isomerization process in UV-Vis was defined by π-π* and n-π* electronic transitions. According to NMR results, protons of pyridine ring, protons of CH2 group bonded to carbonyl group and protons of CH3 group more affected than other protons from Ar and Ne APPTs and these protons were eliminated by Ar and Ne APPTs.

Stereoselective synthesis, X-ray analysis, computational studies and biological evaluation of new thiazole derivatives as potential anticancer agents.

PubMed

Mabkhot, Yahia N; Alharbi, Mohammed M; Al-Showiman, Salim S; Ghabbour, Hazem A; Kheder, Nabila A; Soliman, Saied M; Frey, Wolfgang

2018-05-11

The synthesis of new thiazole derivatives is very important because of their diverse biological activities. Also , many drugs containing thiazole ring in their skeletons are available in the market such as Abafungin, Acotiamide, Alagebrium, Amiphenazole, Brecanavir, Carumonam, Cefepime, and Cefmatilen. Ethyl cyanoacetate reacted with phenylisothiocyanate, chloroacetone, in two different basic mediums to afford the thiazole derivative 6, which reacted with dimethylformamide- dimethyl acetal in the presence of DMF to afford the unexpected thiazole derivative 11. The structures of the thiazoles 6 and 11 were optimized using B3LYP/6-31G(d,p) method. The experimentally and theoretically geometric parameters agreed very well. Also, the natural charges at the different atomic sites were predicted. HOMO and LUMO demands were discussed. The anticancer activity of the prepared compounds was evaluated and showed moderate activity. Synthesis of novel thiazole derivatives was done. The structure was established using X-ray and spectral analysis. Optimized molecular structures at the B3LYP/6-31G(d,p) level were investigated. Thiazole derivative 11 has more electropositive S-atom than thiazole 6. The HOMO-LUMO energy gap is lower in the former compared to the latter. The synthesized compounds showed moderate anticancer activity.

Spectral study and protein labeling of inclusion complex between dye and calixarene sulfonate.

PubMed

Fei, Xuening; Zhang, Yong; Zhu, Sen; Liu, Lijuan; Yu, Lu

2013-05-01

The host-guest inclusion complex of calix[6]arene sulfonate (SCA6) with thiazole orange (TO) formed in aqueous solution was studied. Absorption and fluorescence techniques were used for the analysis of this inclusion complex. The addition of calixarene sulfonate leads to a decrease in both absorption and fluorescence intensity of the dye, indicating that the inclusion complex was formed. Simultaneously, the inclusion phenomenon of another cyanine dye, Cy3, with calixarene sulfonate was investigated. The stability constant of the two complexes was determined, and the results were compared. The water solubility of TO dye was increased in the presence of calixarene sulfonate, and further protein labeling experiments suggested that this TO-SCA6 complex can act as a fluorescent probe for labeling of biomolecules.

Halides Held by Bifurcated Chalcogen-Hydrogen Bonds. Effect of μ(S,N-H)Cl Contacts on Dimerization of Cl(carbene)PdII Species.

PubMed

Mikherdov, Alexander S; Novikov, Alexander S; Kinzhalov, Mikhail A; Boyarskiy, Vadim P; Starova, Galina L; Ivanov, Alexander Yu; Kukushkin, Vadim Yu

2018-03-19

The reaction of cis-[PdCl 2 (CNCy) 2 ] (1) with thiazol-2-amines (2-10) leads to the C,N-chelated diaminocarbene-like complexes [PdCl{ C(N(H)4,5-R 2 -thiazol-2-yl)NHCy}(CNCy)] (11-14; 82-91%) in the case of 4,5-R 2 -thiazol-2-amines (R, R = H, H (2), Me, Me (3), -(CH 2 ) 4 - (4)) and benzothiazol-2-amine (5) or gives the diaminocarbene species cis-[PdCl 2 {C(N(H)Cy)N(H)4-R-thiazol-2-yl}(CNCy)] (15-19; 73-93%) for the reaction with 4-aryl-substituted thiazol-2-amines (R = Ph (6), 4-MeC 6 H 4 (7), 4-FC 6 H 4 (8), 4-ClC 6 H 4 (9), 3,4-F 2 C 6 H 3 (10)). Inspection of the single-crystal X-ray diffraction data for 15-17 and 19 suggests that the structures of all these species exhibit previously unrecognized bifurcated chalcogen-hydrogen bonding μ (S,N-H) Cl and also Pd II ···Pd II metallophilic interactions. These noncovalent interactions collectively connect two symmetrically located molecules of 15-17 and 19, resulting in their solid-state dimerization. The existence of the μ (S,N-H) Cl system and its strength (6-9 kcal/mol) were additionally verified/estimated by a Hirshfeld surface analysis and DFT calculations combined with a topological analysis of the electron density distribution within the formalism of Bader's theory (AIM method) and NBO analysis. The observed noncovalent interactions are jointly responsible for the dimerization of 15-19 not only in the solid phase but also in CHCl 3 solutions, as predicted theoretically by DFT calculations and confirmed experimentally by FTIR, HRESI-MS, 1 H NMR, and diffusion coefficient NMR measurements. Available CCDC data were processed under the new moiety angle, and the observed μ (S,E-H) Cl systems were classified accordingly to E (E = N, O, C) type atoms.

Evaluation of the thiazole Schiff bases as β-glucuronidase inhibitors and their in silico studies.

PubMed

Khan, Khalid Mohammed; Karim, Aneela; Saied, Sumayya; Ambreen, Nida; Rustamova, Xayale; Naureen, Shagufta; Mansoor, Sajid; Ali, Muhammad; Perveen, Shahnaz; Choudhary, M Iqbal; Morales, Guillermo Antonio

2014-05-01

Twenty eight (28) derivatives 2-29 were synthesized and four analogs were found to exhibit single-digit IC(50) values as β-glucuronidase inhibitors. Molecular modeling indicates that three factors: substituent R, lone pair on the nitrogen of azomethine part, and the interactions made by the main skeleton of the molecule, determined the enzyme inhibitory potential of these compounds. The planar conformation of the molecules allows them to fit deep inside the pocket while blocking the entry of other physiological substrates seems to play an important role in their activity.

New benzo[d]thiazol-2-yl-aminoacetamides as potential anticonvulsants: synthesis, activity and prediction of molecular properties.

PubMed

Ali, Ruhi; Siddiqui, Nadeem

2015-04-01

A series of N-(substituted-2-oxo-4-phenylazetidin-1-yl)-2-((6-substitutedbenzo[d]thiazol-2-yl)amino)acetamide derivatives were synthesized using pharmacophoric features with aromatic hydrophobic aryl ring (A), NH-C=O as hydrogen bonding domain, the nitrogen atom as electron donor (D), and phenyl as distal aryl ring (C). The synthesized molecules were initially screened for anticonvulsant activity using the maximal electroshock seizure (MES) test and the subcutaneous pentylenetetrazole test in albino mice. An acute neurotoxicity study on the synthesized molecules was also carried out using the rotarod test. The results of these tests revealed that two compounds, 5b and 5q, showed promising activity with ED50 values of 15.4 and 18.6 mg/kg and protective indices of 20.7 and 34.9 in the MES test, respectively, which are found to be approximately fourfold higher than those of the standard drugs phenytoin (6.9) and carbamazepine (8.1). These molecules may act as lead of the designed scheme. The pharmacokinetic profiles of all the synthesized compounds were estimated using Molinspiration software. None of the compounds violated Lipinski's "rule of five". The possible structure-activity relationship was discussed. In conclusion, this manuscript shows that the developed model has a highly prognostic power for the further investigation of better benzothiazole derivatives for future discovery and development. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Discovery of a Small Molecule Probe That Post-Translationally Stabilizes the Survival Motor Neuron Protein for the Treatment of Spinal Muscular Atrophy.

PubMed

Rietz, Anne; Li, Hongxia; Quist, Kevin M; Cherry, Jonathan J; Lorson, Christian L; Burnett, Barrington G; Kern, Nicholas L; Calder, Alyssa N; Fritsche, Melanie; Lusic, Hrvoje; Boaler, Patrick J; Choi, Sungwoon; Xing, Xuechao; Glicksman, Marcie A; Cuny, Gregory D; Androphy, Elliot J; Hodgetts, Kevin J

2017-06-08

Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is the leading genetic cause of infant death. We previously developed a high-throughput assay that employs an SMN2-luciferase reporter allowing identification of compounds that act transcriptionally, enhance exon recognition, or stabilize the SMN protein. We describe optimization and characterization of an analog suitable for in vivo testing. Initially, we identified analog 4m that had good in vitro properties but low plasma and brain exposure in a mouse PK experiment due to short plasma stability; this was overcome by reversing the amide bond and changing the heterocycle. Thiazole 27 showed excellent in vitro properties and a promising mouse PK profile, making it suitable for in vivo testing. This series post-translationally stabilizes the SMN protein, unrelated to global proteasome or autophagy inhibition, revealing a novel therapeutic mechanism that should complement other modalities for treatment of SMA.

DNA content determination of micronucleated polychromatic erythrocytes induced by clastogens and spindle poisons in mouse bone marrow and peripheral blood

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Grawe, J.; Amneus, H.; Zetterberg, G.

1993-01-01

The frequencies and DNA distributions of micronuclei in polychromatic erythrocytes from the bone marrow and peripheral blood of mice after four different treatments were determined by flow cytometry. Polychromatic erthrocytes were detected using the fluorescent RNA stain thiazole orange, while micronuclei were detected with the DNA stain Hoechst 33342. The treatments were X-irradiation (1 Gy), cyclophosphamide (30 mg/kg), vincristine sulfphate (0.08 mg/kg), and cochicine (1 mg/kg). All treatments showed increased frequencies of micronucleated polychromatic erythrocytes at 30h after treatment in the bone marrow (colchicine 50h) and at 50h in the peripheral blood. The clostogenic agents X-irradiation and cyclophosphamide and themore » spindle poisons vincristine sulphate and cochicine could be grouped according to the fluorescent characteristics of the induced micronuclei as well as the relative frequency of small (0.5-2% if the diploid G1 DNA content) and large (2-10%) micronuclei. In the peripheral blood the relative frequency of large micronuclei was lower than in the bone marrow, indicating that they were partly eliminated before entrance into the peripheral circulation. The nature of presumed micronuclei was verified by sorting. The potential of this approach to give information on the mechanism of induction of micronuclei is discussed.« less

On the organocatalytic activity of N-heterocyclic carbenes: role of sulfur in thiamine.

PubMed

Hollóczki, Oldamur; Kelemen, Zsolt; Nyulászi, László

2012-07-20

The reaction energy profiles of the benzoin condensation from three aldehydes catalyzed by imidazol-2-ylidene, triazol-3-ylidene, and thiazol-2-ylidene have been investigated computationally. The barriers for all steps of all investigated reactions have been found to be low enough to indicate the viability of the mechanism proposed by Breslow in the 1950s. The most remarkable difference in the catalytic cycles has been the increased stability of the Breslow intermediate in case of thiazol-2-ylidene (by ca. 10 kcal/mol) compared to the other two carbenes, which results in lower energy for the coupling of the second aldehyde molecule, thus, increasing the reversibility of the reaction. Since the analogous transketolase reaction, being involved in the carbohydrate metabolism of many organisms, requires an initial decoupling-a reverse benzoin condensation-this difference provides a reasonable explanation for the presence of a thiazolium ring in thiamine instead of the otherwise generally more available imidazole derivatives. The "resting intermediate" found by Berkessel and co-workers for a triazole-based catalyst was found more stable than the Breslow intermediate for all of the systems investigated. The (gas phase) proton affinities of several carbenes were compared, the relative trends being in agreement with the available (in aqueous solution) data. The hydrolytic ring-opening reaction of the thiazole-based carbene was shown to be different from that of imidazole-2-ylidenes.

Thiazole containing Heterocycles with CNS activity.

PubMed

Kalal, Priyanka; Gandhi, Divyani; Prajapat, Prakash; Agarwal, Shikha

2017-07-24

Thiazoles are promising scaffolds in the area of medicinal and pharmaceutical chemistry and have accounted to show different pharmacophoric properties. For the last years, thiazole derivatives have focused too much attention to develop different new CNS active agents. It has been broadly used to generate diverse therapeutic agents against various CNS targets. Histamine H3 receptors are seriously involved in the pathophysiology of numerous disorders of the central nervous system. The literature survey has been done using different database from peer-reviewed journals. The quality of repossessed papers was evaluated using standard tools. The details of important papers were described to focus on the potency of thiazole containing heterocycles with CNS activity. Eighty nine papers were included in the review indicating thiazole containing heterocycles with CNS activity. (1) to (30) papers included different thiazole derivatives impregnated withCNS activity. Different CNS agents have been shown in references (37) to (56). The remaining papers have been searched for anticonvulsant agents (57) to (78) and other miscellaneous activities from (79) to (89). A detailed investigation has been carried out on thiazoles and its derivatives to judge its efficacy to overcome several CNS disorders. This article covers the recent updates of thiazole and its derivative with CNS activity already present in literature and will definitely provide a better platform for the production and development of potent thiazole based CNS vigorous drugs in near future. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

Confocal bioimaging the living cornea with autofluorescence and specific fluorescent probes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Masters, Barry R.; Paddock, Stephen W.

1990-08-01

Confocal bioimaging of the fine structure of the living rabbit cornea with both reflected light and fluorescent light has been demonstrated with a laser scanning confocal imaging system. Kalman averaging was used to reduce the noise in the images. Superficial epithelial, basal epithelial cells, stromal keratocytes, and endothelial cells were imaged. These cells and their subcellular structures were imaged in the two modes for comparison. The superficial epithelial cells were imaged by their autofluorescence (488/520 nm). This fluorescence signal may be due to the mitochondrial flavoproteins and can be used as a noninvasive indicator of cellular oxidative function. Thiazole orange was used to stain cell nuclei for fluorescence imaging. DiOC6 was used to stain the endoplasmic reticulum for fluorescence imaging. Fluorescein- conjugated phalloidin was used to stain actin for fluorescence imaging.

Thiazole yellow G dyed PVA films for optoelectronics: microstructrural, thermal and photophysical studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hebbar, Vidyashree; Bhajantri, R. F.; Naik, Jagadish; Rathod, Sunil G.

2016-07-01

In this paper, we report the microstructural, optical and fluorescence properties of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA)/Thiazole Yellow G (TY) dye composite prepared by solvent casting. The formation of change-transfer complex as a result of the interaction between the dye molecules and polymer chain is confirmed in FTIR, FT-Raman, XRD and DSC studies. SEM studies present the morphology of the samples. The UV-visible absorption spectra possess characteristic peaks of the TY dye corresponding to n-π* transition along with a characteristic peak of PVA. The composites exhibit the decreasing energy gap and increasing refractive index with an increase in wt.% of the TY dye. The fluorescence-quenching phenomena are observed in emission wavelength range of 391-406 nm upon excitation in the vicinity of absorption maxima (335 nm) with the quantum yield of 0.72 for lowest concentration of dye. The prepared composites bear high brightness, and improved thermal stability, which make them a promising material for sensors and optoelectronic applications.

Synthesis and reactions of C-phosphanylated thiazol-2-thiones.

PubMed

Begum, I; Schnakenburg, G; Streubel, R

2016-02-21

The facile regioselective synthesis of the P(iii) substituted thiazol-2-thione 2 is presented. Reaction of 2 with hydrogenperoxide-urea, elemental sulfur and selenium resulted in P(v) chalcogenide thiazol-2-thiones 3-5. All compounds were characterized using (31)P, (1)H, (13)C NMR, IR and elemental analyses and, additionally, by the single-crystal X-ray diffraction technique. Oxidative desulfurization of the 5-phosphinoylated thiazol-2-thione 3 using hydrogenperoxide led to the first C-phosphanoyl substituted thiazolium salt (6). Deprotonation of 6 and in situ reaction with the cyclooctadiene rhodium(i) chloride dimer yielded thiazol-2-ylidene rhodium(i) complex 7 which was confirmed by NMR spectroscopy and ESI-MS spectrometry.

A Review Study on Macrolides Isolated from Cyanobacteria.

PubMed

Wang, Mengchuan; Zhang, Jinrong; He, Shan; Yan, Xiaojun

2017-04-26

Cyanobacteria are rich sources of structurally-diverse molecules with promising pharmacological activities. Marine cyanobacteria have been proven to be true producers of some significant bioactive metabolites from marine invertebrates. Macrolides are a class of bioactive compounds isolated from marine organisms, including marine microorganisms in particular. The structural characteristics of macrolides from cyanobacteria mainly manifest in the diversity of carbon skeletons, complexes of chlorinated thiazole-containing molecules and complex spatial configuration. In the present work, we systematically reviewed the structures and pharmacological activities of macrolides from cyanobacteria. Our data would help establish an effective support system for the discovery and development of cyanobacterium-derived macrolides.

Synthesis of 2,3-dihydronaphtho[2,3-d][1,3]thiazole-4,9-diones and 2,3-dihydroanthra[2,3-d][1,3]thiazole-4,11-diones and novel ring contraction and fusion reaction of 3H-spiro[1,3-thiazole-2,1'-cyclohexanes] into 2,3,4,5-tetrahydro-1H-carbazole-6,11-diones

PubMed Central

Konstantinova, Lidia S; Lysov, Kirill A; Souvorova, Ljudmila I

2013-01-01

Summary Treatment of N-substituted 2-(methylamino)naphthoquinones 3 and -anthracene-1,4-diones 4 with S2Cl2 and DABCO in chlorobenzene gave the corresponding 2,3-dihydronaphtho[2,3-d][1,3]thiazole-4,9-diones 1 and 2,3-dihydroanthra[2,3-d][1,3]thiazole-4,11-diones 2 by triethylamine addition, in high to moderate yields. The DABCO replacement for N-ethyldiisopropylamine in the reaction of anthracene-1,4-diones 4 led unexpectedly to the corresponding 2-thioxo-2,3-dihydroanthra[2,3-d][1,3]thiazole-4,11-diones 10. The reaction of 3H-spiro[1,3-thiazole-2,1'-cyclohexanes] 1d, 2d with Et3N in chlorobenzene under reflux yielded 2,3,4,5-tetrahydro-1H-carbazole-6,11-diones 15, 16, i.e., ring contraction and fusion products. A plausible mechanism was proposed for the formation of the products. PMID:23616798

A Retrospect Study on Thiazole Derivatives as the Potential Antidiabetic Agents in Drug Discovery & Developments.

PubMed

Khatik, Gopal L; Datusalia, Ashok Kumar; Ahsan, Waquar; Kaur, Paranjeet; Vyas, Manish; Mittal, Amit; Nayak, Surendra Kumar

2017-09-15

Heterocycles containing thiazole, a moiety with sulfur and nitrogen is a core structure which found in a number of biologically active compounds. The thiazole ring is notable as a component of the certain natural products, such as vitamin B1 (thiamine) and penicillins. Thiazole is also known as wonder nucleus and has versatile in different biological fields. A number of new compounds contain heterocycle thiazole moieties, thus it is one of the important areas of research. We searched the scientific database using relevant keywords. Among the searched literature only peer-reviewed papers were collected which addresses our questions. The retrieved quality research articles were screened and analyzed critically. The key findings of these studies were included along with their importance. The quality research articles included in this review, were selected for the life-threatening diseases i.e. diabetes, which is one of the serious issues all over the globe with an estimated worldwide prevalence in 2016 of 422 million people, which is expected to rise double by 2030. Since 1995, there has been an explosion of the introduction of new classes of pharmacological agents having thiazole moieties. However, most of the drugs can cause noncompliance, hypoglycemia, and obesity. Thus new antidiabetic drugs with thiazole moieties came up with improved compliance and reduced side effects such as pioglitazone (Actos), rosiglitazone (Avandia), netoglitazone, DRF-2189, PHT46, PMT13, DRF-2519. With such a great importance, research in thiazole is part of many academic and industrial laboratories worldwide. The present review describes the importance of thiazole nucleus and its derivatives as antidiabetic agents with an emphasis on the past as well as recent developments. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

Heterocycle Thiazole Compounds Exhibit Antifungal Activity through Increase in the Production of Reactive Oxygen Species in the Cryptococcus neoformans-Cryptococcus gattii Species Complex.

PubMed

Sá, Nívea Pereira de; Lima, Caroline Miranda de; Lino, Cleudiomar Inácio; Barbeira, Paulo Jorge Sanches; Baltazar, Ludmila de Matos; Santos, Daniel Assis; Oliveira, Renata Barbosa de; Mylonakis, Eleftherios; Fuchs, Beth Burgwyn; Johann, Susana

2017-08-01

Human cryptococcosis can occur as a primary or opportunistic infection and develops as an acute, subacute, or chronic systemic infection involving different organs of the host. Given the limited therapeutic options and the occasional resistance to fluconazole, there is a need to develop novel drugs for the treatment of cryptococcosis. In this report, we describe promising thiazole compounds 1, 2, 3, and 4 and explore their possible modes of action against Cryptococcus To this end, we show evidence of interference in the Cryptococcus antioxidant system. The tested compounds exhibited MICs ranging from 0.25 to 2 μg/ml against Cryptococcus neoformans strains H99 and KN99α. Interestingly, the knockout strains for Cu oxidase and sarcosine oxidase were resistant to thiazoles. MIC values of thiazole compounds 1, 2, and 4 against these mutants were higher than for the parental strain. After the treatment of C. neoformans ATCC 24067 (or C. deneoformans ) and C. gattii strain L27/01 (or C. deuterogattii ) with thiazoles, we verified an increase in intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS). Also, we verified the synergistic interactions among thiazoles and menadione, which generates superoxides, with fractional inhibitory concentrations (FICs) equal to 0.1874, 0.3024, 0.25, and 0.25 for the thiazole compounds 1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively. In addition, thiazoles exhibited antagonistic interactions with parasulphonatephenyl porphyrinato ferrate III (FeTPPS). Thus, in this work, we showed that the action of these thiazoles is related to an interference with the antioxidant system. These findings suggest that oxidative stress may be primarily related to the accumulation of superoxide radicals. Copyright © 2017 American Society for Microbiology.

Design and synthesis of novel 2-(indol-5-yl)thiazole derivatives as xanthine oxidase inhibitors.

PubMed

Song, Jeong Uk; Choi, Sung Pil; Kim, Tae Hun; Jung, Cheol-Kyu; Lee, Joo-Youn; Jung, Sang-Hun; Kim, Geun Tae

2015-03-15

Xanthine oxidase (XO) inhibitors have been widely used for the treatment of gout. Indole rings are frequently used as active scaffold in designing inhibitors for enzymes. Herein, we describe the structure-activity relationship for novel xanthine oxidase inhibitors based on indole scaffold. A series of novel tri-substituted 2-(indol-5-yl)thiazole derivatives were synthesized, and their in vitro inhibitory activities against xanthine oxidase and in vivo efficacy lowering uric acid level in blood were measured. Among them, 2-(3-cyano-2-isopropylindol-5-yl)-4-methylthiazole-5-carboxylic acid exhibits the most potent XO inhibitory activity (IC50 value: 3.5nM) and the excellent plasma uric acid lowering activity. Study of structure activity relationship indicated that hydrophobic moiety (e.g., isopropyl) at 1-position and electron withdrawing group (e.g., CN) at 3-position of indole ring and small hydrophobic group (CH3) at 4-position of the thiazole ring enhanced the XO inhibitory activity. Hydrophobic substitution such as isopropyl at 1-position of the indole moiety without any substitution at 2-position has an essential role for enhancing bioavailability and therefore for high in vivo efficacy. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Combination probes with intercalating anchors and proximal fluorophores for DNA and RNA detection

PubMed Central

Qiu, Jieqiong; Wilson, Adam; El-Sagheer, Afaf H.; Brown, Tom

2016-01-01

A new class of modified oligonucleotides (combination probes) has been designed and synthesised for use in genetic analysis and RNA detection. Their chemical structure combines an intercalating anchor with a reporter fluorophore on the same thymine nucleobase. The intercalator (thiazole orange or benzothiazole orange) provides an anchor, which upon hybridisation of the probe to its target becomes fluorescent and simultaneously stabilizes the duplex. The anchor is able to communicate via FRET to a proximal reporter dye (e.g. ROX, HEX, ATTO647N, FAM) whose fluorescence signal can be monitored on a range of analytical devices. Direct excitation of the reporter dye provides an alternative signalling mechanism. In both signalling modes, fluorescence in the unhybridised probe is switched off by collisional quenching between adjacent intercalator and reporter dyes. Single nucleotide polymorphisms in DNA and RNA targets are identified by differences in the duplex melting temperature, and the use of short hybridization probes, made possible by the stabilisation provided by the intercalator, enhances mismatch discrimination. Unlike other fluorogenic probe systems, placing the fluorophore and quencher on the same nucleobase facilitates the design of short probes containing multiple modifications. The ability to detect both DNA and RNA sequences suggests applications in cellular imaging and diagnostics. PMID:27369379

Novel thiazole derivatives: a patent review (2008 - 2012; Part 1).

PubMed

Leoni, Alberto; Locatelli, Alessandra; Morigi, Rita; Rambaldi, Mirella

2014-02-01

Thiazole is a well-known five-membered heterocyclic compound. Various methods have been worked out for its synthesis. In the last few decades, a lot of work has been done on thiazole ring in order to find new compounds related to this scaffold acting as an antioxidant, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antifungal, antiviral, diuretic, anticonvulsant, neuroprotective and antitumor or cytotoxic drugs with lesser side effects. This review presents the up to date development of different thiazole derivatives. This review gives an account of the recent therapeutic patent literature (2008 - 2012) describing the applications of thiazole and its derivatives on selected activities. In this review, many of the therapeutic applications of thiazole derivatives reported in international patents have been discussed. In addition to selected biological data, some of pharmaceutical applications are also summarized. Because of the large number of patents registered in this period relative to thiazole derivatives the attention was focused, in this first part of the review, on inhibitors of phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase, inhibitors of protein kinase and derivatives modulating enzymes related to metabolism. This review of patented products presents the thiazole ring as the nucleus of the derivatives considered from a medicinal chemistry perspective. The applications are based firstly on the specific enzyme target with very low development in the disease treatment. Most of the described compounds are shown to have beneficial therapeutic effects but at the same time these compounds, selective for 'multi-signaling pathway' targets, may also increase the side-effect potential.

Polylactic acid promotes healing of photodegraded disperse orange 11 molecules

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stubbs, Najee; Bridgewater, Mauricio; Stubbs, Micheala; Kabir, Amin; Crescimanno, Michael; Kuzyk, Mark G.; Dawson, Nathan J.

2018-02-01

We report on the recovery of a photodegraded organic molecule mediated by a biopolymer. Amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) from disperse orange 11 (DO11) dye-doped polylactic acid (PLA) was used to monitor photodegradation while the material was being damaged by a strong pump laser. The ASE signal fully recovers over two hours time when the pump beam is blocked. The fluorescence spectra was also observed to recover after partial photobleaching the dye-doped polymer. PLA is the first biopolymer known to mediate the recovery of a photodegraded organic dye molecule.

Excited state characteristics of acridine dyes: acriflavine and acridine orange.

PubMed

Sharma, Vijay K; Sahare, P D; Rastogi, Ramesh C; Ghoshal, S K; Mohan, D

2003-06-01

The magnitude of the Stokes shift (frequency shifts in absorption and fluorescence spectra) is observed on changing the solvents and further has been used to calculate experimentally the dipole moments (ground state and excited state) of acriflavine and acridine orange dye molecules. Theoretically, dipole moments are calculated using PM 3 Model. The dipole moments of excited states, for both molecules investigated here, are higher than the corresponding values in the ground states. The increase in the dipole moment has been explained in terms of the nature of the excited state. Acriflavine dye overcomes the non-lasing behaviour of acridine orange due to quaternization of the central nitrogen atom.

Bichromophoric dyes for wavelength shifting of dye-protein fluoromodules.

PubMed

Pham, Ha H; Szent-Gyorgyi, Christopher; Brotherton, Wendy L; Schmidt, Brigitte F; Zanotti, Kimberly J; Waggoner, Alan S; Armitage, Bruce A

2015-03-28

Dye-protein fluoromodules consist of fluorogenic dyes and single chain antibody fragments that form brightly fluorescent noncovalent complexes. This report describes two new bichromophoric dyes that extend the range of wavelengths of excitation or emission of existing fluoromodules. In one case, a fluorogenic thiazole orange (TO) was attached to an energy acceptor dye, Cy5. Upon binding to a protein that recognizes TO, red emission due to efficient energy transfer from TO to Cy5 replaces the green emission observed for monochromophoric TO bound to the same protein. Separately, TO was attached to a coumarin that serves as an energy donor. The same green emission is observed for coumarin-TO and TO bound to a protein, but efficient energy transfer allows violet excitation of coumarin-TO, versus longer wavelength, blue excitation of monochromophoric TO. Both bichromophores exhibit low nanomolar KD values for their respective proteins, >95% energy transfer efficiency and high fluorescence quantum yields.

Bichromophoric Dyes for Wavelength Shifting of Dye-Protein Fluoromodules

PubMed Central

Pham, Ha H.; Szent-Gyorgyi, Christopher; Brotherton, Wendy L.; Schmidt, Brigitte F.; Zanotti, Kimberly J.; Waggoner, Alan S.

2015-01-01

Dye-protein fluoromodules consist of fluorogenic dyes and single chain antibody fragments that form brightly fluorescent noncovalent complexes. This report describes two new bichromophoric dyes that extend the range of wavelengths of excitation or emission of existing fluoromodules. In one case, a fluorogenic thiazole orange (TO) was attached to an energy acceptor dye, Cy5. Upon binding to a protein that recognizes TO, red emission due to efficient energy transfer from TO to Cy5 replaces the green emission observed for monochromophoric TO bound to the same protein. Separately, TO was attached to a coumarin that serves as an energy donor. The same green emission is observed for coumarin-TO and TO bound to a protein, but efficient energy transfer allows violet excitation of coumarin-TO, versus longer wavelength, blue excitation of monochromophoric TO. Both bichromophores exhibit low nanomolar KD values for their respective proteins, >95% energy transfer efficiency and high fluorescence quantum yields. PMID:25679477

Exciton-controlled fluorescence: application to hybridization-sensitive fluorescent DNA probe.

PubMed

Okamoto, Akimitsu; Ikeda, Shuji; Kubota, Takeshi; Yuki, Mizue; Yanagisawa, Hiroyuki

2009-01-01

A hybridization-sensitive fluorescent probe has been designed for nucleic acid detection, using the concept of fluorescence quenching caused by the intramolecular excitonic interaction of fluorescence dyes. We synthesized a doubly thiazole orange-labeled nucleotide showing high fluorescence intensity for a hybrid with the target nucleic acid and effective quenching for the single-stranded state. This exciton-controlled fluorescent probe was applied to living HeLa cells using microinjection to visualize intracellular mRNA localization. Immediately after injection of the probe into the cell, fluorescence was observed from the probe hybridizing with the target RNA. This fluorescence rapidly decreased upon addition of a competitor DNA. Multicoloring of this probe resulted in the simple simultaneous detection of plural target nucleic acid sequences. This probe realized a large, rapid, reversible change in fluorescence intensity in sensitive response to the amount of target nucleic acid, and facilitated spatiotemporal monitoring of the behavior of intracellular RNA.

Strand displacement amplification as an in vitro model for rolling-circle replication: deletion formation and evolution during serial transfer.

PubMed Central

Walter, N G; Strunk, G

1994-01-01

Strand displacement amplification is an isothermal DNA amplification reaction based on a restriction endonuclease nicking its recognition site and a polymerase extending the nick at its 3' end, displacing the downstream strand. The reaction resembles rolling-circle replication of single-stranded phages and small plasmids. The displaced sense strand serves as target for an antisense reaction and vice versa, resulting in exponential growth and the autocatalytic nature of this in vitro reaction as long as the template is the limiting agent. We describe the optimization of strand displacement amplification for in vitro evolution experiments under serial transfer conditions. The reaction was followed and controlled by use of the fluorescent dye thiazole orange binding to the amplified DNA. We were able to maintain exponential growth conditions with a doubling time of 3.0 min throughout 100 transfers or approximately 350 molecular generations by using an automatic handling device. Homology of in vitro amplification with rolling-circle replication was mirrored by the occurring evolutionary processes. Deletion events most likely caused by a slipped mispairing mechanism as postulated for in vivo replication took place. Under our conditions, the mutation rate was high and a molecular quasi-species formed with a mutant lacking internal hairpin formation ability and thus outgrowing all other species under dGTP/dCTP deficiency. Images PMID:8058737

Regioselective synthesis of novel 3-allyl-2-(substituted imino)-4-phenyl-3H-thiazole and 2,2‧-(1,3-phenylene)bis(3-substituted-2-imino-4-phenyl-3H-thiazole) derivatives as antibacterial agents

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abbasi Shiran, Jafar; Yahyazadeh, Asieh; Mamaghani, Manouchehr; Rassa, Mehdi

2013-05-01

Several novel 3-allyl-2-(substituted imino)-4-phenyl-3H-thiazole derivatives were synthesized by the reaction of allyl-thioureas and 2-bromoacetophenone. We also report the synthesis of bis-allyl-3H thiazoles using the reaction of various isothiocyanates and 1,3-phenylenediamine. The structures of all compounds were characterized by spectral and elemental analysis. Most of the synthesized compounds exhibited efficient antibacterial activities against Salmonella enterica, Micrococcus luteus, Bacillus subtilis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Discovery of External Modulators of the Fe-Fe Hydrogenase Enzyme in Clostridium acetobutylicum

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-02-01

I-TASSER (orange) with the experimental structure ( PDB ID: 1FEH, blue) ................5 Fig. 4 Putative docking site 1 of Fd (blue) to Fe-only...dock small molecules to a homologous structure of the C. acet. HydA from Clostridium pasteurianum (C. past.; protein data bank [ PDB ] id: 1FEH1) (Fig. 2...Agreement among these models was excellent, as well as agreement with the C. past. crystal structure ( PDB id: 1FEH1). Alignment and comparison with the

Antibacterial activity of 3-methylbenzo[d]thiazol-methylquinolinium derivatives and study of their action mechanism.

PubMed

Sun, Ning; Du, Ruo-Lan; Zheng, Yuan-Yuan; Guo, Qi; Cai, Sen-Yuan; Liu, Zhi-Hua; Fang, Zhi-Yuan; Yuan, Wen-Chang; Liu, Ting; Li, Xiao-Mei; Lu, Yu-Jing; Wong, Kwok-Yin

2018-12-01

The increasing incidence of multidrug resistant bacterial infection renders an urgent need for the development of new antibiotics. To develop small molecules disturbing FtsZ activity has been recognized as promising approach to search for antibacterial of high potency systematically. Herein, a series of novel quinolinium derivatives were synthesized and their antibacterial activities were investigated. The compounds show strong antibacterial activities against different bacteria strains including MRSA, VRE and NDM-1 Escherichia coli. Among these derivatives, a compound bearing a 4-fluorophenyl group (A2) exhibited a superior antibacterial activity and its MICs to the drug-resistant strains are found lower than those of methicillin and vancomycin. The biological results suggest that these quinolinium derivatives can disrupt the GTPase activity and dynamic assembly of FtsZ, and thus inhibit bacterial cell division and then cause bacterial cell death. These compounds deserve further evaluation for the development of new antibacterial agents targeting FtsZ.

Nanoparticle-mediated codelivery of myelin antigen and a tolerogenic small molecule suppresses experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis

PubMed Central

Yeste, Ada; Nadeau, Meghan; Burns, Evan J.; Weiner, Howard L.; Quintana, Francisco J.

2012-01-01

The immune response is normally controlled by regulatory T cells (Tregs). However, Treg deficits are found in autoimmune diseases, and therefore the induction of functional Tregs is considered a potential therapeutic approach for autoimmune disorders. The activation of the ligand-activated transcription factor aryl hydrocarbon receptor by 2-(1′H-indole-3′-carbonyl)-thiazole-4-carboxylic acid methyl ester (ITE) or other ligands induces dendritic cells (DCs) that promote FoxP3+ Treg differentiation. Here we report the use of nanoparticles (NPs) to coadminister ITE and a T-cell epitope from myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG)35–55 to promote the generation of Tregs by DCs. NP-treated DCs displayed a tolerogenic phenotype and promoted the differentiation of Tregs in vitro. Moreover, NPs carrying ITE and MOG35–55 expanded the FoxP3+ Treg compartment and suppressed the development of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis, an experimental model of multiple sclerosis. Thus, NPs are potential new tools to induce functional Tregs in autoimmune disorders. PMID:22745170

Stepwise cycloaddition reaction of N-phenacylbenzothiazolium bromides and nitroalkenes for tetrahydro-, dihydro- and benzo[d]pyrrolo[2,1-b]thiazoles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jin, Gong; Sun, Jing; Yang, Ren-Yin; Yan, Chao-Guo

2017-04-01

The triethylamine promoted stepwise 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reaction of N-phenacylbenzothiazolium bromides with nitroalkenes in ethanol resulted in a mixture of two isomeric tetrahydrobenzo[d]pyrrolo[2,1-b]thiazoles with cis/trans/cis- and all-trans-configurations. More importantly, the corresponding dihydrobenzo[d]pyrrolo[2,1-b]thiazoles can be selectively prepared in refluxing ethanol and the benzo[d]pyrrolo[2,1-b]thiazoles can be obtained in satisfactory yields by sequential dehydrogenation with DDQ as oxidizer. On the other hand, the similar cycloaddition reaction of N-phenacylbenzothiazolium bromides with 1-methy-1-nitroalkenes in refluxing ethanol afforded benzo[d]pyrrolo[2,1-b]thiazoles with splitting out of nitro group. The stereochemistry of the spiro compounds was clearly elucidated on the basis of NMR spectra and sixteen single crystal structures.

Synthesis and biological evaluation of some novel thiazole compounds as potential anti-inflammatory agents.

PubMed

Helal, M H M; Salem, M A; El-Gaby, M S A; Aljahdali, M

2013-07-01

In the present investigation, furo[2,3-d]thiazol-5(2H)-one 5 was obtained from reaction of thiosemicarbazone derivative 2 with diethyl acetylene dicarboxylate. A series of newly synthesized 2-(hydrazinyl)thiazol-4(5H)-one 6, 7 &8 and 2-(4-(substituted)-thiazol-2-yl)hydrazono derivatives 9a, b &10 were synthesized from treatment of thiosemicarbazone derivative 2 with appropriate α-halogenated compounds. Also, a one pot synthesis of thiazole derivatives 13 &15 was achieved from three components reaction of hydrazone derivative 11 with phenyl isothiocyanate and α-halogenated compounds catalyzed by DMF/KOH. 4-(4-Morpholino phenyl) thiazol-2-amino 17 was obtained via the reaction of acetophenone derivative 1 with thiourea in presence of iodine. The reactivity of 2-aminothiazole 17 toward some electrophilic reagents was investigated. The structure of the newly compounds was confirmed on the basis of elemental analysis and spectral data. The antibacterial activity towards two Gram negative (Proteus mirabilis &Serratia marcesens) and two Gram positive (Staphylococcus aureus &Bacillus cereus) bacteria was investigated. The anti-inflammatory activity was also investigated and the inhibition of the carrageenin-induced oedema by these compounds was established. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Developing SABRE as an analytical tool in NMR

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lloyd, Lyrelle Stacey

Work presented in this thesis centres around the application of the new hyperpolarisation technique, SABRE, within nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, focusing on optimisation of the technique to characterise small organic molecules. While pyridine was employed as a model substrate, studies on a range of molecules are investigated including substituted pyridines, quinolines, thiazoles and indoles are detailed. Initial investigations explored how the properties of the SABRE catalyst effect the extent of polarisation transfer exhibited. The most important of these properties proved to be the rate constants for loss of pyridine and hydrides as these define the contact time of pyridine with the parahydrogen derived hydride ligands in the metal template. The effect of changing the temperature, solvent or concentration of substrate or catalyst are rationalised. For instance, the catalyst ICy(a) exhibits relatively slow ligand exchange rates and increasing the temperature during hyperpolarisation increases the observed signal enhancements. These studies have revealed a second polarisation transfer template can be used with SABRE in which two substrate molecules are bound. This allows the possibility of investigation of larger substrates which might otherwise be too sterically encumbered to bind. Another significant advance relates to the first demonstration that SABRE can be used in conjunction with an automated system designed with Bruker allowing the acquisition of scan averaged, phase cycled and traditional 2D spectra. The system also allowed investigations into the effect of the polarisation transfer field and application of that knowledge to collect single-scan 13C data for characterisation. The successful acquisition of 1H NOESY, 1H-1H COSY, 1H-13C 2D and ultrafast 1H-1H COSY NMR sequences is detailed for a 10 mM concentration sample, with 1H data collected for a 1 mM sample. A range of studies which aim to demonstrate the applicability of SABRE to the characterisation of small molecules and pharmaceuticals have been conducted.

Improving the photostability of bright monomeric orange and red fluorescent proteins.

PubMed

Shaner, Nathan C; Lin, Michael Z; McKeown, Michael R; Steinbach, Paul A; Hazelwood, Kristin L; Davidson, Michael W; Tsien, Roger Y

2008-06-01

All organic fluorophores undergo irreversible photobleaching during prolonged illumination. Although fluorescent proteins typically bleach at a substantially slower rate than many small-molecule dyes, in many cases the lack of sufficient photostability remains an important limiting factor for experiments requiring large numbers of images of single cells. Screening methods focusing solely on brightness or wavelength are highly effective in optimizing both properties, but the absence of selective pressure for photostability in such screens leads to unpredictable photobleaching behavior in the resulting fluorescent proteins. Here we describe an assay for screening libraries of fluorescent proteins for enhanced photostability. With this assay, we developed highly photostable variants of mOrange (a wavelength-shifted monomeric derivative of DsRed from Discosoma sp.) and TagRFP (a monomeric derivative of eqFP578 from Entacmaea quadricolor) that maintain most of the beneficial qualities of the original proteins and perform as reliably as Aequorea victoria GFP derivatives in fusion constructs.

Induction of rat liver microsomal epoxide hydrolase by thiazole and pyrazine: hydrolysis of 2-cyanoethylene oxide.

PubMed

Kim, S G; Kedderis, G L; Batra, R; Novak, R F

1993-08-01

Liver microsomal epoxide hydrolase (mEH) is active in the detoxification of epoxide-containing carcinogens. The effects of thiazole and pyrazine, constituents of tobacco and tobacco smoke as well as of a variety of foods, on the expression and regulation of mEH were examined in rats (200 mg/kg body wt/day, i.p., 1-3 days). Immunoblot analyses using rabbit anti-rat mEH antibody revealed a significant increase in mEH levels in hepatic microsomes isolated from either thiazole- or pyrazine-treated animals. Another protein (approximately 43 kd) cross-reacting with polyclonal mEH antibody was found to be increased concomitantly following pyrazine treatment. Northern and slot blot analyses showed substantial increases in mEH mRNA following either thiazole or pyrazine treatment. The level of mEH mRNA increased 17-fold at 24 h following thiazole treatment, relative to control. Approximately 20- and 16-fold increases in mEH mRNA were also observed at 48 and 72 h respectively following treatment with pyrazine. The level of polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-amplified mEH DNA derived from poly(A)+ RNA was clearly elevated following either thiazole or pyrazine treatment relative to that from untreated animals. Both sense and antisense strands of PCR-amplified mEH DNA were cloned into an M13mp19 phage vector in order to examine the nucleotide sequences of PCR-amplified mEH DNA derived from the poly(A)+ RNA isolated from thiazole- or pyrazine-treated animals. Sequence analyses revealed that the sequence of PCR-amplified DNA from the induced mRNA was identical to that published for mEH cDNA. Epoxide hydrolase activity toward the hydrolysis of 2-cyanoethylene oxide (CEO), the epoxide metabolite of the rat carcinogen acrylonitrile, was not significant in hepatic microsomes from untreated rats, but was substantially induced by treatment with thiazole or pyrazine. Microsomal hydrolysis activity was heat-sensitive and potently inhibited by 1,1,1-trichloropropene-2,3-oxide, indicating that mEH was the catalyst. The Vmax for the hydrolysis of CEO by hepatic microsomes from thiazole-treated rats (13.4 nmol/min/mg protein) was 1.5-fold greater than that with microsomes from pyrazine-treated rats, whereas similar Km values (approximately 1 mM) were observed for both microsomal preparations. These kinetic data correlate well with the increases in mEH mRNA observed after administration of thiazole or pyrazine to rats. These results provide evidence that administration of thiazole or pyrazine induces mEH with a large increase in mEH mRNA, and that the induced mEH catalyzes the hydrolysis of CEO.

Radiation damage in vitamin B 1: An endor study of an x-irradiated single crystal of thiamine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Geoffroy, M.; Reddy, M. V. V. S.; Lambelet, P.; Horman, I.

A single crystal of thiamine chloride hydrochloride has been x-irradiated at room temperature and studied by 1H-ENDOR spectroscopy at 110 K. It is shown that at least two radical species are trapped in the crystal. Several 1H-hyperfine tensors have been determined for each radical; they indicate that one species is due to cleavage of the thiamine molecule into its pyrimidine and thiazole moieties while the other species is due to hydrogen addition onto the pyrimidine ring.

New insights into the chemistry of fac-[Ru(CO)₃]²⁺ fragments in biologically relevant conditions: the CO releasing activity of [Ru(CO)₃Cl₂(1,3-thiazole)], and the X-ray crystal structure of its adduct with lysozyme.

PubMed

Santos, M F A; Seixas, J D; Coelho, A C; Mukhopadhyay, A; Reis, P M; Romão, M J; Romão, C C; Santos-Silva, T

2012-12-01

Complexes of the general formula fac-[Ru(CO)(3)L(3)](2+), namely CORM-2 and CORM-3, have been successfully used as experimental CO releasing molecules (CO-RMs) but their mechanism of action and delivery of CO remain unclear. The well characterized complex [Ru(CO)(3)Cl(2)(1,3-thiazole)] (1) is now studied as a potential model CO-RM of the same family of complexes using LC-MS, FTIR, and UV-vis spectroscopy, together with X-ray crystallography. The chemistry of [Ru(CO)(3)Cl(2)(1,3-thiazole)] is very similar to that of CORM-3: it only releases residual amounts of CO to the headspace of a solution in PBS7.4 and produces marginal increase of COHb after long incubation in whole blood. 1 also reacts with lysozyme to form Ru adducts. The crystallographic model of the lysozyme-Ru adducts shows only mono-carbonyl Ru species. [Ru(H(2)O)(4)(CO)] is found covalently bound to a histidine (His15) and to two aspartates (Asp18 and Asp119) at the protein surface. The CO release silence of both 1 and CORM-3 and their rapid formation of protein-Ru(CO)(x)(H(2)O)(y) (x=1,2) adducts, support our hypothesis that fac-[Ru(CO)(3)L(3)] CO-RMs deliver CO in vivo through the decay of their adducts with plasma proteins. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Quantum chemical exploration of the intramolecular hydrogen bond interaction in 2-thiazol-2-yl-phenol and 2-benzothiazol-2-yl-phenol in the context of excited-state intramolecular proton transfer: A focus on the covalency in hydrogen bond

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paul, Bijan Kumar; Ganguly, Aniruddha; Guchhait, Nikhil

2014-10-01

The present work demonstrates a computational exploration of the intramolecular H-bond (IMHB) interaction in two model heterocyclic compounds - 2-thiazol-2-yl-phenol (2T2YP) and 2-benzothiazol-2-yl-phenol (2B2YP) by meticulous application of various quantum chemical tools. Major emphasis is rendered on the analysis of IMHB interaction by calculation of electron density ρ(r) and Laplacian ∇2ρ(r) at the bond critical point using the Atoms-In-Molecule methodology. Topological features based on ρ(r) suggest that at equilibrium geometry the IMHB interaction develops certain characteristics typical of a covalent interaction. The interplay between aromaticity and Resonance-Assisted H-Bond (RAHB) has also been discussed using both geometrical and magnetic criteria. The occurrence of IMHB interaction in 2T2YP and 2B2YP has also been criticized under the provision of the Natural Bond Orbital (NBO) analysis. The ESIPT phenomenon in the molecular systems is also critically addressed on the lexicon of potential energy surface (PES) analysis.

Stereochemical control factors in the Hantzsch thiazole synthesis: a Hammett substitution correlation analysis.

PubMed

Qiao, Q; So, S S; Goodnow, R A

2001-11-15

[reaction--see text] It is possible to correlate the distribution of stereochemical products produced during a Hantzsch thiazole synthesis according to the Hammett free-energy equation. This analysis confirms the presumed control of the rate of epimerization during thiazole formation due to stabilization of a cationic transition state intermediate during dehydration of the thiazoline ring system. In the chemical system under study, the stereochemical outcome of the reaction also appears to occur according to a kinetically controlled protonation of a thiazoline tautomer.

One step preparation and electrochemical analysis of IQS, a cell-cell communication signal in the nosocomial pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

PubMed

Shang, Fengjun; Muimhneacháin, Eoin Ó; Jerry Reen, F; Buzid, Alyah; O'Gara, Fergal; Luong, John H T; Glennon, Jeremy D; McGlacken, Gerard P

2014-10-01

Pseudomonas aeruginosa uses a hierarchical cell-cell communication system consisting of a number of regulatory elements to coordinate the expression of bacterial virulence genes. Sensitive detection of quorum sensing (QS) molecules has the potential for early identification of P. aeruginosa facilitating early medical intervention. A recently isolated cell-cell communication molecule, a thiazole termed IQS, can bypass the las QS system of P. aeruginosa under times of stress, activating a subset of QS-controlled genes. This compound offers a new target for pathogen detection and has been prepared in a one step protocol. A simple electrochemical strategy was employed for its sensitive detection using boron-doped diamond and glassy carbon electrodes by cyclic voltammetry and amperometry. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Charge transfer in the weak driving force limit in blends of MDMO-PPV and dithienylthiazolo[5,4-d]thiazoles towards organic photovoltaics with high V(OC).

PubMed

Nevil, Nissy; Ling, Yun; Van Mierloo, Sarah; Kesters, Jurgen; Piersimoni, Fortunato; Adriaensens, Peter; Lutsen, Laurence; Vanderzande, Dirk; Manca, Jean; Maes, Wouter; Van Doorslaer, Sabine; Goovaerts, Etienne

2012-12-05

A series of three 5'-aryl-2,5-dithienylthiazolo[5,4-d]thiazole (DTTzTz) semiconducting molecules with different aryl substituents has been investigated as alternative acceptor materials in combination with the donor polymer poly[2-methoxy-5-(3',7'-dimethyloctyloxy)-1,4-phenylene vinylene] (MDMO-PPV) in order to evaluate the photoinduced charge transfer (CT) efficiency in the resulting blends, designed towards possible application in organic photovoltaics. Photoluminescence quenching together with polaron detection by electron paramagnetic resonance and photoinduced absorption (PIA) demonstrate an increasing charge transfer efficiency when the DTTzTz substituents are varied from thien-2-yl to 4-trifluoromethylphenyl and 4-cyanophenyl groups, correlating well with the increasing acceptor strength in this series of molecules. In line with this observation, there is a decrease in the effective optical bandgap relative to pure MDMO-PPV that becomes more pronounced along this series of acceptor compounds, reaching 0.12 eV in the blend with 4-CN-Ph-DTTzTz. Intermolecular interactions between the blend components lead to lower energy transitions which are found to contribute significantly to the device external quantum efficiency. The high V(OC) reached in devices based on MDMO-PPV:4-CN-Ph-DTTzTz blends meets the expectations for such a donor:acceptor combination. However, thermal activation of charge carrier recombination occurs because of the weak driving force for charge transfer, as shown by time-dependent PIA measurements, and this is suggested as a cause for the observed low photovoltaic performance.

A structure-based virtual screening approach toward the discovery of histone deacetylase inhibitors: identification of promising zinc-chelating groups.

PubMed

Park, Hwangseo; Kim, Sukyoung; Kim, Yong Eun; Lim, Soo-Jeong

2010-04-06

The inhibitors of histone deacetylases (HDACs) have drawn a great deal of attention due to their promising potential as small-molecule therapeutics for the treatment of cancer. By means of virtual screening with docking simulations under consideration of the effects of ligand solvation, we were able to identify six novel HDAC inhibitors with IC(50) values ranging from 1 to 100 muM. These newly identified inhibitors are structurally diverse and have various chelating groups for the active site zinc ion, including N-[1,3,4]thiadiazol-2-yl sulfonamide, N-thiazol-2-yl sulfonamide, and hydroxamic acid moieties. The former two groups are included in many drugs in current clinical use and have not yet been reported as HDAC inhibitors. Therefore, they can be considered as new inhibitor scaffolds for the development of anticancer drugs by structure-activity relationship studies to improve the inhibitory activities against HDACs. Interactions with the HDAC1 active site residues responsible for stabilizing these new inhibitors are addressed in detail.

Local and global structural drivers for the photoactivation of the orange carotenoid protein

DOE PAGES

Gupta, Sayan; Guttman, Miklos; Leverenz, Ryan L.; ...

2015-09-18

Here, photoprotective mechanisms are of fundamental importance for the survival of photosynthetic organisms. In cyanobacteria, the orange carotenoid protein (OCP), when activated by intense blue light, binds to the light-harvesting antenna and triggers the dissipation of excess captured light energy. Using a combination of small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), X-ray hydroxyl radical footprinting, circular dichroism, and H/D exchange mass spectrometry, we identified both the local and global structural changes in the OCP upon photoactivation. SAXS and H/D exchange data showed that global tertiary structural changes, including complete domain dissociation, occur upon photoactivation, but with alteration of secondary structure confined tomore » only the N terminus of the OCP. Microsecond radiolytic labeling identified rearrangement of the H-bonding network associated with conserved residues and structural water molecules. Collectively, these data provide experimental evidence for an ensemble of local and global structural changes, upon activation of the OCP, that are essential for photoprotection.« less

Local and global structural drivers for the photoactivation of the orange carotenoid protein

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gupta, Sayan; Guttman, Miklos; Leverenz, Ryan L.

Here, photoprotective mechanisms are of fundamental importance for the survival of photosynthetic organisms. In cyanobacteria, the orange carotenoid protein (OCP), when activated by intense blue light, binds to the light-harvesting antenna and triggers the dissipation of excess captured light energy. Using a combination of small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), X-ray hydroxyl radical footprinting, circular dichroism, and H/D exchange mass spectrometry, we identified both the local and global structural changes in the OCP upon photoactivation. SAXS and H/D exchange data showed that global tertiary structural changes, including complete domain dissociation, occur upon photoactivation, but with alteration of secondary structure confined tomore » only the N terminus of the OCP. Microsecond radiolytic labeling identified rearrangement of the H-bonding network associated with conserved residues and structural water molecules. Collectively, these data provide experimental evidence for an ensemble of local and global structural changes, upon activation of the OCP, that are essential for photoprotection.« less

The synthesis of ethacrynic acid thiazole derivatives as glutathione S-transferase pi inhibitors.

PubMed

Li, Ting; Liu, Guyue; Li, Hongcai; Yang, Xinmei; Jing, Yongkui; Zhao, Guisen

2012-04-01

Glutathione S-transferase pi (GSTpi) is a phase II enzyme which protects cells from death and detoxifies chemotherapeutic agents in cancer cells. Ethacrynic acid (EA) is a weak GSTpi inhibitor. Structure modifications were done to improve the ability of EA to inhibit GSTpi activity. Eighteen EA thiazole derivatives were designed and synthesized. Compounds 9a, 9b and 9c with a replacement of carboxyl group of EA by a heterocyclic thiazole exhibited improvement over EA to inhibit GSTpi activity. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Synthesis, antimicrobial activity and advances in structure-activity relationships (SARs) of novel tri-substituted thiazole derivatives.

PubMed

Reddy, Guda Mallikarjuna; Garcia, Jarem Raul; Reddy, Vemulapati Hanuman; de Andrade, Ageo Meier; Camilo, Alexandre; Pontes Ribeiro, Renan Augusto; de Lazaro, Sergio Ricardo

2016-11-10

Trisubstituted thiazoles were synthesized and studied for their antimicrobial activity and supported by theoretical calculations. In addition, MIC, MBC and MFC were also tested. Moreover, the present study was analyzed to scrutinize comprehensive structure-activity relationships. In fact, LUMO orbital energy and orbital orientation was reliable to explain their antibacterial and antifungal assay. Amongst the tested compounds, tri-methyl-substituted thiazole compound showed higher antimicrobial activity and low MIC value due to highest LUMO energy. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Host-guest interaction between Acridine orange molecules and AFI or CHA zeolite crystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Yanping; Fu, Ling; Xu, Xintong; Li, Irene Ling; Ruan, Shuangchen; Jian, Dunliang; Zhai, Jianpang

2017-02-01

Acridine orange (AO) molecules were incorporated in AlPO4-5, SAPO-5 and SAPO-47 single crystals by vapor-phase diffusion method. Polarized absorption spectra show that AO molecules are well aligned by the one-dimensional channel systems of AlPO4-5 and SAPO-5 matrices. While the orientation of AO molecules in SAPO-47 crystals is diverse owing to the three-dimensional cage structure of chabazite (structure code CHA). The absorption peak and emission peak of AO/SAPO-5 blue shift compared with that of AO/AlPO4-5 because the channel environment changes from non-polar medium to polar medium when Si substituted in the framework of AlPO4-5. The greater blue shift in absorption band and emission band of AO/SAPO-47 are expected to originate from the polar channel medium and smaller channel size of SAPO-47.

Genome-Wide Characterization and Expression Analysis of Major Intrinsic Proteins during Abiotic and Biotic Stresses in Sweet Orange (Citrus sinensis L. Osb.)

PubMed Central

de Paula Santos Martins, Cristina; Pedrosa, Andresa Muniz; Du, Dongliang; Gonçalves, Luana Pereira; Yu, Qibin; Gmitter, Frederick G.; Costa, Marcio Gilberto Cardoso

2015-01-01

The family of aquaporins (AQPs), or major intrinsic proteins (MIPs), includes integral membrane proteins that function as transmembrane channels for water and other small molecules of physiological significance. MIPs are classified into five subfamilies in higher plants, including plasma membrane (PIPs), tonoplast (TIPs), NOD26-like (NIPs), small basic (SIPs) and unclassified X (XIPs) intrinsic proteins. This study reports a genome-wide survey of MIP encoding genes in sweet orange (Citrus sinensis L. Osb.), the most widely cultivated Citrus spp. A total of 34 different genes encoding C. sinensis MIPs (CsMIPs) were identified and assigned into five subfamilies (CsPIPs, CsTIPs, CsNIPs, CsSIPs and CsXIPs) based on sequence analysis and also on their phylogenetic relationships with clearly classified MIPs of Arabidopsis thaliana. Analysis of key amino acid residues allowed the assessment of the substrate specificity of each CsMIP. Gene structure analysis revealed that the CsMIPs possess an exon-intron organization that is highly conserved within each subfamily. CsMIP loci were precisely mapped on every sweet orange chromosome, indicating a wide distribution of the gene family in the sweet orange genome. Investigation of their expression patterns in different tissues and upon drought and salt stress treatments, as well as with ‘Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus’ infection, revealed a tissue-specific and coordinated regulation of the different CsMIP isoforms, consistent with the organization of the stress-responsive cis-acting regulatory elements observed in their promoter regions. A special role in regulating the flow of water and nutrients is proposed for CsTIPs and CsXIPs during drought stress, and for most CsMIPs during salt stress and the development of HLB disease. These results provide a valuable reference for further exploration of the CsMIPs functions and applications to the genetic improvement of both abiotic and biotic stress tolerance in citrus. PMID:26397813

Genome-Wide Characterization and Expression Analysis of Major Intrinsic Proteins during Abiotic and Biotic Stresses in Sweet Orange (Citrus sinensis L. Osb.).

PubMed

Martins, Cristina de Paula Santos; Pedrosa, Andresa Muniz; Du, Dongliang; Gonçalves, Luana Pereira; Yu, Qibin; Gmitter, Frederick G; Costa, Marcio Gilberto Cardoso

2015-01-01

The family of aquaporins (AQPs), or major intrinsic proteins (MIPs), includes integral membrane proteins that function as transmembrane channels for water and other small molecules of physiological significance. MIPs are classified into five subfamilies in higher plants, including plasma membrane (PIPs), tonoplast (TIPs), NOD26-like (NIPs), small basic (SIPs) and unclassified X (XIPs) intrinsic proteins. This study reports a genome-wide survey of MIP encoding genes in sweet orange (Citrus sinensis L. Osb.), the most widely cultivated Citrus spp. A total of 34 different genes encoding C. sinensis MIPs (CsMIPs) were identified and assigned into five subfamilies (CsPIPs, CsTIPs, CsNIPs, CsSIPs and CsXIPs) based on sequence analysis and also on their phylogenetic relationships with clearly classified MIPs of Arabidopsis thaliana. Analysis of key amino acid residues allowed the assessment of the substrate specificity of each CsMIP. Gene structure analysis revealed that the CsMIPs possess an exon-intron organization that is highly conserved within each subfamily. CsMIP loci were precisely mapped on every sweet orange chromosome, indicating a wide distribution of the gene family in the sweet orange genome. Investigation of their expression patterns in different tissues and upon drought and salt stress treatments, as well as with 'Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus' infection, revealed a tissue-specific and coordinated regulation of the different CsMIP isoforms, consistent with the organization of the stress-responsive cis-acting regulatory elements observed in their promoter regions. A special role in regulating the flow of water and nutrients is proposed for CsTIPs and CsXIPs during drought stress, and for most CsMIPs during salt stress and the development of HLB disease. These results provide a valuable reference for further exploration of the CsMIPs functions and applications to the genetic improvement of both abiotic and biotic stress tolerance in citrus.

Synthesis and Pin1 inhibitory activity of thiazole derivatives.

PubMed

Zhao, Hailong; Cui, Guonan; Jin, Jing; Chen, Xiaoguang; Xu, Bailing

2016-11-15

Pin1 (Protein interacting with NIMA1) is a peptidyl prolyl cis-trans isomerase (PPIase) which specifically catalyze the conformational conversion of the amide bond of pSer/Thr-Pro motifs in its substrate proteins and is a novel promising anticancer target. A series of new thiazole derivatives were designed and synthesized, and their inhibitory activities were measured against human Pin1 using a protease-coupled enzyme assay. Of all the tested compounds, a number of thiazole derivatives bearing an oxalic acid group at 4-position were found to be potent Pin1 inhibitors with IC 50 values at low micromolar level. The detailed structure-activity relationships were analyzed and the binding features of compound 10b (IC 50 5.38μM) was predicted using CDOCKER program. The results of this research would provide informative guidance for further optimizing thiazole derivatives as potent Pin1 inhibitors. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Synthesis of nanoparticle emulsion collector HNP and its application in microfine chalcopyrite flotation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

He, G. C.; Ding, J.; Huang, C. H.; Kang, Q.

2018-01-01

Hydrophobic polystyrene nanoparticles bearing thiazole groups named HNP were used as collectors to improve recovery of microfine chalcopyrite in flotation. HNP adsorbs onto microfine particles selectively, which were modified hydrophobically to induce flotation effectively. Particle size and scanning electron microscope analysis for HNP show that HNP is a spherical nano particles with small size, uniform distribution and good dispersion. Infrared spectrum analysis for HNP proved that functional monomer 2-mercapto styrene acrylic thiazole was bonded chemically onto styrene. Flotation test results indicate that HNP is the right collector of chalcopyrite. Especially, the recovery of chalcopyrite is higher than 95% in neutral and acid media. FTIR results reveal that the flotation selectivity of collector HNP is due to strong chemical absorption onto chalcopyrite surface. Zeta potential analysis shows that the zeta potential of chalcopyrite decreased more quickly after interaction with HNP with the increase of pulp pH value, confirming that collector HNP is an anionic collector. Scanning electron microscope conform that HNP has good selective adsorption on chalcopyrite.

A FRET-facilitated photoswitching using an orange fluorescent protein with the fast photoconversion kinetics.

PubMed

Subach, Oksana M; Entenberg, David; Condeelis, John S; Verkhusha, Vladislav V

2012-09-12

Fluorescent proteins photoswitchable with noncytotoxic light irradiation and spectrally distinct from multiple available photoconvertible green-to-red probes are in high demand. We have developed a monomeric fluorescent protein, called PSmOrange2, which is photoswitchable with blue light from an orange (ex./em. at 546 nm/561 nm) to a far-red (ex./em. at 619 nm/651 nm) form. Compared to another orange-to-far-red photoconvertable variant, PSmOrange2 has blue-shifted photoswitching action spectrum, 9-fold higher photoconversion contrast, and up to 10-fold faster photoswitching kinetics. This results in the 4-fold more PSmOrange2 molecules being photoconverted in mammalian cells. Compared to common orange fluorescent proteins, such as mOrange, the orange form of PSmOrange has substantially higher photostability allowing its use in multicolor imaging applications to track dynamics of multiple populations of intracellular objects. The PSmOrange2 photochemical properties allow its efficient photoswitching with common two-photon lasers and, moreover, via Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) from green fluorescent donors. We have termed the latter effect a FRET-facilitated photoswitching and demonstrated it using several sets of interacting proteins. The enhanced photoswitching properties of PSmOrange2 make it a superior photoconvertable protein tag for flow cytometry, conventional microscopy, and two-photon imaging of live cells.

Photoionization and ionic dissociation of the C3 H3 NS molecule induced by soft X-ray near the C1s edge.

PubMed

Lago, A F; Januário, R D; Cavasso Filho, R L; Simon, M; Dávalos, J Z

2017-10-01

Time of flight mass spectrometry, electron-ion coincidence, and ion yield spectroscopy were employed to investigate for the first time the thiazole (C 3 H 3 NS) molecule in the gas phase excited by synchrotron radiation in the soft X-ray domain. Total ion yield (TIY) and photoelectron-photoion coincidence (PEPICO) spectra were recorded as a function of the photon energy in the vicinity of the carbon K edge (C1s). The C1s resonant transitions as well as the core ionization thresholds have been determined from the profile of TIY spectrum, and the features were discussed. The corresponding partial ion yields were determined from the PEPICO spectra for the cation species produced upon the molecular photodissociation. Additional ab initio calculations have also been performed from where relevant structural and electronic configuration parameters were obtained for this molecule. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Synthesis, biological evaluation, and metabolic stability of chlorogenic acid derivatives possessing thiazole as potent inhibitors of α-MSH-stimulated melanogenesis.

PubMed

Jo, Hyeju; Zhou, Yuanyuan; Viji, Mayavan; Choi, Minho; Lim, Jae Young; Sim, Jaeuk; Rhee, Jeongtae; Kim, Youngsoo; Seo, Seung-Yong; Kim, Wun-Jae; Hong, Jin Tae; Lee, Heesoon; Lee, Kiho; Jung, Jae-Kyung

2017-11-01

A series of catechol and dioxolane analogs containing thiazole CGA derivatives have been synthesized and evaluated for their inhibitory activity against α-MSH. The inhibitory activity was improved by replacing an α,β-unsaturated carbonyl of previously reported caffeamides with thiazole motif. Surprisingly, compound 7d, one of the derivatives of dioxolane analogs, displayed the most potent inhibitory activity with an IC 50 of 0.90μM. Further studies on metabolic stability and bioactivation potential were also accomplished. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Spectroscopic, single crystal X-ray, Hirshfeld, in vitro and in silico biological evaluation of a new series of potent thiazole nucleus integrated with pyrazoline scaffolds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salian, Vinutha V.; Narayana, Badiadka; Sarojini, Balladka K.; Kumar, Madan S.; Nagananda, Govinahalli S.; Byrappa, Kullaiah; Kudva, Avinash K.

2017-03-01

In the present study, the spectroscopic characterization of a new series of substituted thiazole linked pyrazoline scaffolds 4a-l was performed. The formation of 4a-l from the intermediate 3-(4-chlorophenyl)-5-[4-(propan-2-yl)phenyl]-4,5-dihydro-1H-pyrazole-1-carbothioamide 2 and substituted 2-bromo-1-phenylethanone 3a-l was evidenced through the changes in FTIR, 1H NMR, 13C NMR, LCMS data. The X-ray diffraction studies revealed that compound 2 and 4g crystallized in monoclinic crystal system with P21/n space group. Compound 4j crystallized in triclinic system, P1¯ space group with Z = 4. The percentage of intermolecular contacts and distribution of electrostatic potential of molecular crystal structures was resolved by Hirshfeld surface analysis with 2D finger plots and electrostatic potential map. The newly synthesized derivatives were screened for their in vitro antioxidant and antimicrobial activity. The single crystal studies revealed that, for compounds 2, 4g and 4j the isopropyl phenyl ring is positioned at near right angle with the other rings. Due to the lack of planarity of bulkier group substituted to phenyl ring (ring B), all the synthesized molecules showed weak to moderate radical scavenging capacity owing to the destabilization of the radical formed during oxidation. Also, on performing molecular docking studies to explore the interactions of ligand with the target pyrimidine nucleoside hydrolase YbeK with bound ribose complex (PNH, PDB ID-3GHW), disclosed that active compounds emerged for in vitro studies also bound to PNH more efficiently. The compounds with polar group substitution interacted through hydrogen bonding while other molecules with non-covalent interactions.

Trapping characteristic of halloysite lumen for methyl orange

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Hao; Yan, Hua; Pei, Zhenzhao; Wu, Junyong; Li, Rongrong; Jin, Yanxian; Zhao, Jie

2015-08-01

The interaction of clay minerals and dyes is an area of great interest especially in the development of novel adsorbents. In this report, we demonstrated interaction of halloysite nanotubes (HNTs) and an anionic dye, methyl orange (MO), through a electrostatic attraction. Halloysite lumen has a trapping characteristic for methyl orange, which is mainly determined by the positively charged nature of the inner surface of HNTs. XRD results confirmed that intercalation of methyl orange into HNTs did not occur. SEM-EDS and photostability results showed that MO molecules were primarily in HNTs lumen. Adsorption isotherm studies revealed an interesting phenomenon, i.e., a sudden increase of adsorption capacity occurred in the initial dye concentration of about 75 mg/L, which was just the dye concentration corresponding to the onset of dye oligomer formation. This suggested dye aggregation state had a decisive influence to the adsorption behavior of MO on the halloysite. BET results demonstrated at low and high dye concentrations, single MO molecule and aggregation of several dimers through hydrophobic interaction, interacted with Al-OH2+ sites on the inner wall, respectively. Desorption experiments showed that MO in HNTs can be completely removed with deionized water, indicating halloysite is a low-cost and efficient adsorbent for anionic dye.

Classification of Scaffold-Hopping Approaches

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-11-01

and six-member rings, including thiazoles, pyrroles and pyrazines (Fig. 4) [29,30]. The newly designed compounds were ranked by ease of synthesis and...FIGURE 4 Structures of the cannabinoid 1 (CB1) antagonists (a) rimonabant, (b) thiazole derivative, (c) pyrrole derivative, and (d) pyrazine derivative

Synthesis, in vitro β-glucuronidase inhibitory activity and in silico studies of novel (E)-4-Aryl-2-(2-(pyren-1-ylmethylene)hydrazinyl)thiazoles.

PubMed

Salar, Uzma; Khan, Khalid Mohammed; Syed, Shazia; Taha, Muhammad; Ali, Farman; Ismail, Nor Hadiani; Perveen, Shahnaz; Wadood, Abdul; Ghufran, Mehreen

2017-02-01

Current research is based on the synthesis of novel (E)-4-aryl-2-(2-(pyren-1-ylmethylene)hydrazinyl)thiazole derivatives (3-15) by adopting two steps route. First step was the condensation between the pyrene-1-carbaldehyde (1) with the thiosemicarbazide to afford pyrene-1-thiosemicarbazone intermediate (2). While in second step, cyclization between the intermediate (2) and phenacyl bromide derivatives or 2-bromo ethyl acetate was carried out. Synthetic derivatives were structurally characterized by spectroscopic techniques such as EI-MS, 1 H NMR and 13 C NMR. Stereochemistry of the iminic double bond was confirmed by NOESY analysis. All pure compounds 2-15 were subjected for in vitro β-glucuronidase inhibitory activity. All molecules were exhibited excellent inhibition in the range of IC 50 =3.10±0.10-40.10±0.90μM and found to be even more potent than the standard d-saccharic acid 1,4-lactone (IC 50 =48.38±1.05μM). Molecular docking studies were carried out to verify the structure-activity relationship. A good correlation was perceived between the docking study and biological evaluation of active compounds. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Acridine orange--its use in the specific staining of DNA in mammalian tissue sections.

PubMed

Dutt, M K

1981-01-01

This paper reports on a new method for the use of acridine orange (AO) in an aqueous solution at pH 4.5 for staining DNA of rat tissue sections from which RNA has been extracted selectively with cold phosphoric acid. Not only this, AO can also be used as dye-SO2 reagent, prepared with NHCl and potassium metabisulphite, for staining DNA-aldehyde molecules of acid-hydrolysed tissue sections. AO samples, manufactured by the National Aniline Division as well as by G. T. Gurr have been used with equal success. Studies of stained sections under light microscope reveal the presence of specifically stained yellowish-orange nuclei. Those sections under fluorescent microscope with proper exciter and barrier filters reveal nuclei of maroon colour. The in situ absorption spectra of nuclei stained with AO-SO2 following acid-hydrolysis of tissue sections as well as those of nuclei stained with an aqueous solution of the dye following extraction of RNA have been presented herein. The mode of binding in the former case has been considered to be due to binding of the teritary amino group of the dye molecules with the DNA-aldehyde molecules and in the latter case to be due to electrostatic binding between the positively charged dye molecules with negatively charged phosphate groups of DNA. Implications of all these findings have been discussed.

High Throughput Synthesis of 2,3,6-Trisubstituted-5,6-Dihydroimidazo[2,1-b]thiazole Derivatives

PubMed Central

Li, Yangmei; Giulianotti, Marc; Houghten, Richard A.

2011-01-01

A facile approach to the synthesis of 2,3,6-trisubstituted-5,6-dihydroimidazo[2,1-b]thiazole was reported. A resin bound cyclic thiourea was formed by the treatment of a resin bound diamine with 1,1′-thiocarbonyldiimidazole, and then reacted with a α-haloketone to generate a resin bound isothiourea. HF treatment of the resin bound isothiourea resulted in the cleavage of the product and simultaneous formation of an enamine bond. This led to the formation of the 2,3,6-trisubstituted-5,6-dihydroimidazo[2,1-b]thiazole in high yield and purity. PMID:21461055

High Throughput Synthesis of 2,3,6-Trisubstituted-5,6-Dihydroimidazo[2,1-b]thiazole Derivatives.

PubMed

Li, Yangmei; Giulianotti, Marc; Houghten, Richard A

2011-02-09

A facile approach to the synthesis of 2,3,6-trisubstituted-5,6-dihydroimidazo[2,1-b]thiazole was reported. A resin bound cyclic thiourea was formed by the treatment of a resin bound diamine with 1,1'-thiocarbonyldiimidazole, and then reacted with a α-haloketone to generate a resin bound isothiourea. HF treatment of the resin bound isothiourea resulted in the cleavage of the product and simultaneous formation of an enamine bond. This led to the formation of the 2,3,6-trisubstituted-5,6-dihydroimidazo[2,1-b]thiazole in high yield and purity.

Features of the reaction of heterocyclic analogs of chalcone with lanthanide shift reagents

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Turov, A.V.; Khilya, V.P.

1994-10-01

The PMR spectra of heterocyclic analogs of 2-hydroxychalcone containing thiazole, benzofuran, triazole, imidazole, benzodioxane, or pyridine rings in the presence of lanthanide shift reagents are studied. It is found that the most effective reagent for modifying the spectra of these compounds is Yb(fod)3. The broadening of the spectra of 2-hydroxy chalcones in the presence of lanthanide shift reagents is explained by the dynamic effects of complex formation. An example is given of the determination of the conformation of molecules of 2-hydroxychalcone by the simultaneous use of lanthanide shift reagents and the homonuclear Overhauser effect. 9 refs., 1 fig., 1 tab.

Synthesis of the PPARbeta/delta-selective agonist GW501516 and C4-thiazole-substituted analogs.

PubMed

Pereira, Raquel; Gaudon, Claudine; Iglesias, Beatriz; Germain, Pierre; Gronemeyer, Hinrich; de Lera, Angel R

2006-01-01

Sequential, position-selective, Pd-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions of 2,4-dibromo-5-hydroxymethylthiazole provided the scaffold for the synthesis of GW501516, the most potent PPARbeta/delta agonist yet described, and equally selective analogs at the thiazole-C4 position.

Purely Organic Thermally Activated Delayed Fluorescence Materials for Organic Light-Emitting Diodes.

PubMed

Wong, Michael Y; Zysman-Colman, Eli

2017-06-01

The design of thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) materials both as emitters and as hosts is an exploding area of research. The replacement of phosphorescent metal complexes with inexpensive organic compounds in electroluminescent (EL) devices that demonstrate comparable performance metrics is paradigm shifting, as these new materials offer the possibility of developing low-cost lighting and displays. Here, a comprehensive review of TADF materials is presented, with a focus on linking their optoelectronic behavior with the performance of the organic light-emitting diode (OLED) and related EL devices. TADF emitters are cross-compared within specific color ranges, with a focus on blue, green-yellow, orange-red, and white OLEDs. Organic small-molecule, dendrimer, polymer, and exciplex emitters are all discussed within this review, as is their use as host materials. Correlations are provided between the structure of the TADF materials and their optoelectronic properties. The success of TADF materials has ushered in the next generation of OLEDs. © 2017 The Authors. Published by WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

A Thiazole Coumarin (TC) Turn-On Fluorescence Probe for AT-Base Pair Detection and Multipurpose Applications in Different Biological Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Narayanaswamy, Nagarjun; Kumar, Manoj; Das, Sadhan; Sharma, Rahul; Samanta, Pralok K.; Pati, Swapan K.; Dhar, Suman K.; Kundu, Tapas K.; Govindaraju, T.

2014-09-01

Sequence-specific recognition of DNA by small turn-on fluorescence probes is a promising tool for bioimaging, bioanalytical and biomedical applications. Here, the authors report a novel cell-permeable and red fluorescent hemicyanine-based thiazole coumarin (TC) probe for DNA recognition, nuclear staining and cell cycle analysis. TC exhibited strong fluorescence enhancement in the presence of DNA containing AT-base pairs, but did not fluoresce with GC sequences, single-stranded DNA, RNA and proteins. The fluorescence staining of HeLa S3 and HEK 293 cells by TC followed by DNase and RNase digestion studies depicted the selective staining of DNA in the nucleus over the cytoplasmic region. Fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) analysis by flow cytometry demonstrated the potential application of TC in cell cycle analysis in HEK 293 cells. Metaphase chromosome and malaria parasite DNA imaging studies further confirmed the in vivo diagnostic and therapeutic applications of probe TC. Probe TC may find multiple applications in fluorescence spectroscopy, diagnostics, bioimaging and molecular and cell biology.

A Thiazole Coumarin (TC) Turn-On Fluorescence Probe for AT-Base Pair Detection and Multipurpose Applications in Different Biological Systems

PubMed Central

Narayanaswamy, Nagarjun; Kumar, Manoj; Das, Sadhan; Sharma, Rahul; Samanta, Pralok K.; Pati, Swapan K.; Dhar, Suman K.; Kundu, Tapas K.; Govindaraju, T.

2014-01-01

Sequence-specific recognition of DNA by small turn-on fluorescence probes is a promising tool for bioimaging, bioanalytical and biomedical applications. Here, the authors report a novel cell-permeable and red fluorescent hemicyanine-based thiazole coumarin (TC) probe for DNA recognition, nuclear staining and cell cycle analysis. TC exhibited strong fluorescence enhancement in the presence of DNA containing AT-base pairs, but did not fluoresce with GC sequences, single-stranded DNA, RNA and proteins. The fluorescence staining of HeLa S3 and HEK 293 cells by TC followed by DNase and RNase digestion studies depicted the selective staining of DNA in the nucleus over the cytoplasmic region. Fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) analysis by flow cytometry demonstrated the potential application of TC in cell cycle analysis in HEK 293 cells. Metaphase chromosome and malaria parasite DNA imaging studies further confirmed the in vivo diagnostic and therapeutic applications of probe TC. Probe TC may find multiple applications in fluorescence spectroscopy, diagnostics, bioimaging and molecular and cell biology. PMID:25252596

Discovery of novel N-(5-(arylcarbonyl)thiazol-2-yl)amides and N-(5-(arylcarbonyl)thiophen-2-yl)amides as potent RORγt inhibitors.

PubMed

Wang, Yonghui; Cai, Wei; Zhang, Guifeng; Yang, Ting; Liu, Qian; Cheng, Yaobang; Zhou, Ling; Ma, Yingli; Cheng, Ziqiang; Lu, Sijie; Zhao, Yong-Gang; Zhang, Wei; Xiang, Zhijun; Wang, Shuai; Yang, Liuqing; Wu, Qianqian; Orband-Miller, Lisa A; Xu, Yan; Zhang, Jing; Gao, Ruina; Huxdorf, Melanie; Xiang, Jia-Ning; Zhong, Zhong; Elliott, John D; Leung, Stewart; Lin, Xichen

2014-01-15

Novel series of N-(5-(arylcarbonyl)thiazol-2-yl)amides and N-(5-(arylcarbonyl)thiophen-2-yl)amides were discovered as potent retinoic acid receptor-related orphan receptor-gamma-t (RORγt) inhibitors. SAR studies of the RORγt HTS hit 6a led to identification of thiazole ketone amide 8h and thiophene ketone amide 9g with high binding affinity and inhibitory activity of Th17 cell differentiation. Compound 8h showed in vivo efficacy in both mouse experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) and collagen induced arthritis (CIA) models via oral administration. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

An unprecedented chemospecific and stereoselective tandem nucleophilic addition/cycloaddition reaction of nucleophilic carbenes with ketenimines.

PubMed

Cheng, Ying; Ma, Yang-Guang; Wang, Xiao-Rong; Mo, Jun-Ming

2009-01-16

The first study of the reaction between nucleophilic carbenes and ketenimines is reported. The interaction of thiazole and benzothiazole carbenes with ketenimines proceeded in a chemospecific and stereoselective manner to produce thiazole- and benzothiazole-spiro-pyrrole derivatives generally in good yields. The reaction was proposed to proceed via a tandem nucleophilic addition of carbene to the C=N bond of ketenimine followed by a stepwise [3+2] cycloaddition of the 1,3-dipolar intermediate with the C=C bond of ketenimine. This reaction provides a powerful protocol for the construction of novel polyfunctional thiazole-spiro-pyrrole or benzothiazole-spiro-pyrrole compounds that are not readily accessible by other methods.

Camphyl-based α-diimine palladium complexes: highly efficient precatalysts for direct arylation of thiazoles in open-air.

PubMed

Chen, Fu-Min; Lu, Dong-Dong; Hu, Li-Qun; Huang, Ju; Liu, Feng-Shou

2017-07-21

Based on the strategy of the development of phosphine-free palladium-catalyzed direct C-H arylation, a series of camphyl-based α-diimine palladium complexes bearing sterically bulky substituents were synthesized and characterized. The palladium complexes were applied for the cross-coupling of thiazole derivatives with aryl bromides. The effect of the sterically bulky substituent on the N-aryl moiety as well as the reaction conditions was screened. Under the optimal protocols, a wide range of aryl bromides can be smoothly coupled with thiazoles in good to excellent yields in the presence of a low palladium loading of 0.2 mol% under open-air conditions.

Structural genes for thiamine biosynthetic enzymes (thiCEFGH) in Escherichia coli K-12.

PubMed Central

Vander Horn, P B; Backstrom, A D; Stewart, V; Begley, T P

1993-01-01

Escherichia coli K-12 synthesizes thiamine pyrophosphate (vitamin B1) de novo. Two precursors [4-methyl-5-(beta-hydroxyethyl)thiazole monophosphate and 4-amino-5-hydroxymethyl-2-methylpyrimidine pyrophosphate] are coupled to form thiamine monophosphate, which is then phosphorylated to make thiamine pyrophosphate. Previous studies have identified two classes of thi mutations, clustered at 90 min on the genetic map, which result in requirements for the thiazole or the hydroxymethylpryimidine. We report here our initial molecular genetic analysis of the thi cluster. We cloned the thi cluster genes and examined their organization, structure, and function by a combination of phenotypic testing, complementation analysis, polypeptide expression, and DNA sequencing. We found five tightly linked genes, designated thiCEFGH. The thiC gene product is required for the synthesis of the hydroxymethylpyrimidine. The thiE, thiF, thiG, and thiH gene products are required for synthesis of the thiazole. These mutants did not respond to 1-deoxy-D-threo-2-pentulose, indicating that they are blocked in the conversion of this precursor compound to the thiazole itself. Images PMID:8432721

Coumarin benzothiazole derivatives as chemosensors for cyanide anions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Kangnan; Liu, Zhiqiang; Guan, Ruifang; Cao, Duxia; Chen, Hongyu; Shan, Yanyan; Wu, Qianqian; Xu, Yongxiao

2015-06-01

Four coumarin benzothiazole derivatives, N-(benzo[d]thiazol-2-yl)-2-oxo-2H-chromene-3-carboxamide (1), (Z)-N-(3-methylbenzo[d]thiazol-2(3H)-ylidene)-2-oxo-2H-chromene-3-carboxamide (2), 7-(diethylamino)-N-(benzo[d]thiazol-2-yl)-2-oxo-2H-chromene-3-carboxamide (3) and (Z)-7-(diethylamino)-N-(3-methylbenzo[d]thiazol-2(3H)-ylidene)-2-oxo-2H-chromene-3-carboxamide) (4), have been synthesized. Their crystal structures, photophysical properties in acetonitrile and recognition properties for cyanide anions have been investigated. All the compounds are generally planar, especially compound 1 exhibits perfect planarity with dihedral angle between benzothiazolyl group and coumarin group being only 3.63°. Coumarin benzothiazole compounds 1 and 3 can recognize cyanide anions by Michael addition reaction and compound 3 exhibits color change from yellow to colorless and green fluorescence was quenched completely, which can be observed by naked eye. Coumarin benzothiazolyliden compound 4 can recognize cyanide anions with fluorescence turn-on response based on the copper complex ensemble displacement mechanism.

Total synthesis of the thiopeptide antibiotic amythiamicin D.

PubMed

Hughes, Rachael A; Thompson, Stewart P; Alcaraz, Lilian; Moody, Christopher J

2005-11-09

The thiopeptide (or thiostrepton) antibiotics are a class of sulfur containing highly modified cyclic peptides with interesting biological properties, including reported activity against MRSA and malaria. Described herein is the total synthesis of the thiopeptide natural product amythiamicin D, which utilizes a biosynthesis-inspired hetero-Diels-Alder route to the pyridine core of the antibiotic as a key step. Preliminary studies using a range of serine-derived 1-ethoxy-2-azadienes established that hetero-Diels-Alder reaction with N-acetylenamines proceeded efficiently under microwave irradiation to give 2,3,6-trisubstituted pyridines. The thiazole building blocks of the antibiotic were obtained by either classical Hantzsch reactions or by dirhodium(II)-catalyzed chemoselective carbene N-H insertion followed by thionation, and were combined to give the bis-thiazole that forms the left-hand fragment of the antibiotic. The key Diels-Alder reaction of a tris-thiazolyl azadiene with benzyl 2-(1-acetylaminoethenyl)thiazole-4-carboxylate gave the core tetrathiazolyl pyridine, which was elaborated into the natural product by successive incorporation of glycine and bis-thiazole fragments followed by macrocyclization.

Heterocyclic Anions of Astrobiological Interest

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cole, Callie A.; Demarais, Nicholas J.; Yang, Zhibo; Snow, Theodore P.; Bierbaum, Veronica M.

2013-12-01

As more complex organic molecules are detected in the interstellar medium, the importance of heterocyclic molecules to astrobiology and the origin of life has become evident. 2-Aminothiazole and 2-aminooxazole have recently been suggested as important nucleotide precursors, highlighting azoles as potential prebiotic molecules. This study explores the gas-phase chemistry of three deprotonated azoles: oxazole, thiazole, and isothiazole. For the first time, their gas-phase acidities are experimentally determined with bracketing and H/D exchange techniques, and their reactivity is characterized with several detected interstellar neutral molecules (N2O, O2, CO, OCS, CO2, and SO2) and other reactive species (CS2, CH3Cl, (CH3)3CCl, and (CH3)3CBr). Rate constants and branching fractions for these reactions are experimentally measured using a modified commercial ion trap mass spectrometer whose kinetic data are in good accord with those of a flowing afterglow apparatus reported here. Last, we have examined the fragmentation patterns of these deprotonated azoles to elucidate their destruction mechanisms in high-energy environments. All experimental data are supported and complemented by electronic structure calculations at the B3LYP/6-311++G(d,p) and MP2(full)/aug-cc-pVDZ levels of theory.

Femtomole-Scale High-Throughput Screening of Protein Ligands with Droplet-Based Thermal Shift Assay.

PubMed

Liu, Wen-Wen; Zhu, Ying; Fang, Qun

2017-06-20

There is a great demand to measure protein-ligand interactions in rapid and low cost way. Here, we developed a microfluidic droplet-based thermal shift assay (dTSA) system for high-throughput screening of small-molecule protein ligands. The system is composed of a nanoliter droplet array chip, a microfluidic droplet robot, and a real-time fluorescence detection system. Total 324 assays could be performed in parallel in a single chip with an 18 × 18 droplet array. The consumption of dTSA for each protein or ligand sample was only 5 nL (femtomole scale), which is significantly reduced by over 3 orders of magnitude compared with those in 96- or 384-well plate-based systems. We also observed the implementation of TSA in nanoliter droplet format could substantially improve assay precision with relative standard deviation (RSD) of 0.2% (n = 50), which can be ascribed to the enhanced thermal conduction in small volume reactors. The dTSA system was optimized by studying the effect of droplet volumes, as well as protein and fluorescent dye (SYPRO Orange) concentrations. To demonstrate its potential in drug discovery, we applied the dTSA system in screening inhibitors of human thrombin with a commercial library containing 100 different small molecule compounds, and two inhibitors were successfully identified and confirmed.

Photobleaching effect in azo-dye containing epoxy resin films: the potentiality of carbon nanotubes as azo-dye dispensers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Díaz Costanzo, Guadalupe; Goyanes, Silvia; Ledesma, Silvia

2015-04-01

Azo-dye molecules may suffer from bleaching under certain illumination conditions. When this photoinduced process occurs, it generates an irreversible effect that is characterized by the loss of absorption of the dye molecule. Moreover, the well-known isomerization of azodye molecules does not occur anymore. In this work it is shown how the addition of a small amount of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) helps to decrease the bleaching effect in a photosensitive guest-host azo-polymer film. Two different systems were fabricated using an epoxy resin as polymer matrix. An azo-dye, Disperse Orange 3, was used as photosensitive material in both systems and MWCNTs were added into one of them. The optical response of the polymeric systems was studied considering the degree of photoinduced birefringence. Photobleaching of the azo-dye was observed in all cases however, the effect is lower for the composite material containing 0.2 wt % MWCNTs. The weak interaction between MWCNTs and dye molecules is less favorable when the material is heated. The optical behavior of the heated composite material suggests that carbon nanotubes can be potentially used as azo dye dispensers. The results are interpreted in terms of the non-covalent interaction between azo-dye molecules and MWCNTs.

A Versatile Technique for the In Vivo Imaging of Human Tumor Xenografts Using Near-Infrared Fluorochrome-Conjugated Macromolecule Probes

PubMed Central

Suemizu, Hiroshi; Kawai, Kenji; Higuchi, Yuichiro; Hashimoto, Haruo; Ogura, Tomoyuki; Itoh, Toshio; Sasaki, Erika; Nakamura, Masato

2013-01-01

Here, we present a versatile method for detecting human tumor xenografts in vivo, based on the enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect, using near-infrared (NIR) fluorochrome-conjugated macromolecule probes. Bovine serum albumin (BSA) and two immunoglobulins—an anti-human leukocyte antigen (HLA) monoclonal antibody and isotype control IgG2a—were labeled with XenoLight CF770 fluorochrome and used as NIR-conjugated macromolecule probes to study whole-body imaging in a variety of xenotransplantation mouse models. NIR fluorescent signals were observed in subcutaneously transplanted BxPC-3 (human pancreatic cancer) cells and HCT 116 (colorectal cancer) cells within 24 h of NIR-macromolecule probe injection, but the signal from the fluorochrome itself or from the NIR-conjugated small molecule (glycine) injection was not observed. The accuracy of tumor targeting was confirmed by the localization of the NIR-conjugated immunoglobulin within the T-HCT 116 xenograft (in which the orange-red fluorescent protein tdTomato was stably expressed by HCT 116 cells) in the subcutaneous transplantation model. However, there was no significant difference in the NIR signal intensity of the region of interest between the anti-HLA antibody group and the isotype control group in the subcutaneous transplantation model. Therefore, the antibody accumulation within the tumor in vivo is based on the EPR effect. The liver metastasis generated by an intrasplenic injection of T-HCT 116 cells was clearly visualized by the NIR-conjugated anti-HLA probe but not by the orange-red fluorescent signal derived from the tdTomato reporter. This result demonstrated the superiority of the NIR probes over the tdTomato reporter protein at enhancing tissue penetration. In another xenograft model, patient-derived xenografts (PDX) of LC11-JCK (human non-small cell lung cancer) were successfully visualized using the NIR-conjugated macromolecule probe without any genetic modification. These results suggested that NIR-conjugated macromolecule, preferably, anti-HLA antibody probe is a valuable tool for the detection of human tumors in experimental metastasis models using whole-body imaging. PMID:24358218

Thiamin biosynthesis in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Origin of carbon-2 of the thiazole moiety.

PubMed Central

White, R L; Spenser, I D

1979-01-01

Radioactivity from [2-14C]glycine enters C-2 of the thiazole moiety of thiamin and no other site, in Saccharomyces cerevisiae (strains A.T.C.C. 24903 and 39916, H.J. Bunker). Radioactivity from L-[Me-14C]methionine or from DL-[2-14C]tyrosine does not enter thiamin. PMID:384994

Transition-metal-free synthesis of imidazo[2,1-b]thiazoles and thiazolo[3,2-a]benzimidazoles via an S-propargylation/5-exo-dig cyclization/isomerization sequence using propargyl tosylates as substrates.

PubMed

Omar, Mohamed A; Frey, Wolfgang; Conrad, Jürgen; Beifuss, Uwe

2014-11-07

A transition-metal-free route for the synthesis of several N-fused heterocycles, including thiazolo[3,2-a]benzimidazoles and imidazo[2,1-b]thiazoles, is reported. The reaction between propargyl tosylates and 2-mercaptobenzimidazoles under basic conditions results in 3-substituted thiazolo[3,2-a]benzimidazoles, in yields up to 92% in a single synthesis step. With 2-mercaptoimidazoles as the substrate, the corresponding imidazo[2,1-b]thiazoles were exclusively obtained. The transformation is considered to proceed as an intermolecular S-propargylation that is followed by 5-exo-dig ring closure and double-bond isomerization.

Eco-Friendly Synthesis of Some Thiosemicarbazones and Their Applications as Intermediates for 5-Arylazothiazole Disperse Dyes.

PubMed

Gaffer, Hatem E; Khalifa, Mohamed E

2015-12-09

The solid-solid reactions of thiosemicarbazide with 4-formylantipyrine, 2-acetylpyrrole and camphor were performed to afford the thiosemicarbazones 1-3 which underwent hetero-cyclization with phenacyl bromide to furnish the corresponding thiazole derivatives 4-6. The yields of the reactions are quantitative in all cases and the products do not require further purification. A series of 5-arylazo-2-(substituted ylidene-hydrazinyl)-thiazole dyes 7-9 was then prepared by diazo coupling of thiazole derivatives 4-6 with several diazonium chlorides. The synthesized dyes were applied as disperse dyes for dyeing polyester fabric. The dyed fabrics exhibit good washing, perspiration, sublimation and light fastness properties, with little variation in their moderate to good rubbing fastness.

Antibacterial Evaluation of Synthetic Thiazole Compounds In Vitro and In Vivo in a Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) Skin Infection Mouse Model.

PubMed

Mohammad, Haroon; Cushman, Mark; Seleem, Mohamed N

2015-01-01

The emergence of community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), including strains resistant to current antibiotics, has contributed to an increase in the number of skin infections reported in humans in recent years. New therapeutic options are needed to counter this public health challenge. The aim of the present study was to examine the potential of thiazole compounds synthesized by our research group to be used topically to treat MRSA skin and wound infections. The broth microdilution method confirmed that the lead thiazole compound and four analogues are capable of inhibiting MRSA growth at concentrations as low as 1.3 μg/mL. Additionally, three compounds exhibited a synergistic relationship when combined with the topical antibiotic mupirocin against MRSA in vitro via the checkerboard assay. Thus the thiazole compounds have potential to be used alone or in combination with mupirocin against MRSA. When tested against human keratinocytes, four derivatives of the lead compound demonstrated an improved toxicity profile (were found to be non-toxic up to a concentration of 20 μg/mL). Utilizing a murine skin infection model, we confirmed that the lead compound and three analogues exhibited potent antimicrobial activity in vivo, with similar capability as the antibiotic mupirocin, as they reduced the burden of MRSA present in skin wounds by more than 90%. Taken altogether, the present study provides important evidence that these thiazole compounds warrant further investigation for development as novel topical antimicrobials to treat MRSA skin infections.

In vitro evaluation of cytotoxicity and leishmanicidal activity of phthalimido-thiazole derivatives.

PubMed

Aliança, Amanda Silva Dos Santos; Oliveira, Arsênio Rodrigues; Feitosa, Ana Paula Sampaio; Ribeiro, Karla Raíza Cardoso; de Castro, Maria Carolina Accioly Brelaz; Leite, Ana Cristina Lima; Alves, Luiz Carlos; Brayner, Fábio André

2017-07-15

It is estimated that the worldwide prevalence of leishmaniasis is around 12 million individuals in 80 countries, with 400,000new cases per year. In the search for new leishmanicidal agents, the hybrid phthalimido-thiazoles have been identified as an important scaffold for drug design and discovery. The present study thus reports the in vitro activity of a series of phthalimido-thiazole derivatives. Cytotoxicity against a strain of L. infantum, Vero cells, J774 macrophages and peritoneal macrophages was evaluated, as well as nitric oxide (NO) production. Activity against amastigote and promastigote forms of L. infantum and microscopic changes in the parasite and intracellular targets of the parasite were achieved. The results show that the compounds arising from hybridization of phthalimide and 1,3-thiazole exhibit promising leishmanicidal activity. Compounds 2j and 2m were the most potent of the series tested and the parasites treated with these compounds exhibited ultrastructural changes, such as cell body shrinkage, loss of cellular membrane integrity, vacuolization of cytoplasm, membrane profiles surrounding organelles and swelling of mitochondria. The data showed that these compounds reduced the survival of intracellular amastigotes and presented low toxicity for mammalian cells. The compounds produced increased NO production compared to untreated cells in non-infected macrophages. Treated promastigote forms showed an increase in the number of cells stained with propidium iodide. The compounds brought about significant changes in mitochondrial membrane potential. According to the present study, phthalimido-thiazole compounds exhibit leishmanicidal activity and could be used to develop novel antileishmaniasis drugs and explore potential molecular targets. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Succinic acid production from orange peel and wheat straw by batch fermentations of Fibrobacter succinogenes S85.

PubMed

Li, Qiang; Siles, Jose A; Thompson, Ian P

2010-10-01

Succinic acid is a platform molecule that has recently generated considerable interests. Production of succinate from waste orange peel and wheat straw by consolidated bioprocessing that combines cellulose hydrolysis and sugar fermentation, using a cellulolytic bacterium, Fibrobacter succinogenes S85, was studied. Orange peel contains D-limonene, which is a well-known antibacterial agent. Its effects on batch cultures of F. succinogenes S85 were examined. The minimal concentrations of limonene found to inhibit succinate and acetate generation and bacterial growth were 0.01%, 0.1%, and 0.06% (v/v), respectively. Both pre-treated orange peel by steam distillation to remove D: -limonene and intact wheat straw were used as feedstocks. Increasing the substrate concentrations of both feedstocks, from 5 to 60 g/L, elevated succinate concentration and productivity but lowered the yield. In addition, pre-treated orange peel generated greater succinate productivities than wheat straw but had similar resultant titres. The greatest succinate titres were 1.9 and 2.0 g/L for pre-treated orange peel and wheat straw, respectively. This work demonstrated that agricultural waste such as wheat straw and orange peel can be biotransformed to succinic acid by a one-step consolidated bioprocessing. Measures to increase fermentation efficiency are also discussed.

Increased risks of cardiovascular diseases and insulin resistance among the Orang Asli in Peninsular Malaysia.

PubMed

Tuan Abdul Aziz, Tuan Azlin; Teh, Lay Kek; Md Idris, Muhd Hanis; Bannur, Zakaria; Ashari, Lydiatul Shima; Ismail, Adzrool Idzwan; Ahmad, Aminuddin; Isa, Kamarudzaman Md; Nor, Fadzilah Mohd; Rahman, Thuhairah Hasrah Abdul; Shaari, Syahrul Azlin Binti; Jan Mohamed, Hamid Jan; Mohamad, Nornazliya; Salleh, Mohd Zaki

2016-03-24

Despite the strategic development plan by the authorities for the Orang Asli, there are six subtribes of which their population numbers are small (less than 700). These minorities were not included in most of the health related studies published thus far. A comprehensive physiological and biomedical updates on these small subtribes in comparison to the larger subtribes and the urban Malay population is timely and important to help provide appropriate measures to prevent further reduction in the numbers of the Orang Asli. A total of 191 Orang Asli from different villages in Peninsular Malaysia and 115 healthy urban Malays were recruited. Medical examinations and biochemical analyses were conducted. Framingham risk scores were determined. Data was analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics, Version 20.0. A higher percentage of the Orang Asli showed high insulin levels and hsCRP compared to the healthy Malays denoting possible risk of insulin resistance. High incidences of low HDL-c levels were observed in all the Orang Asli from the six subtribes but none was detected among the urban Malays. A higher percentage of inlanders (21.1% of the males and 4.2% of the females) were categorized to have high Framingham Risk Score. Orang Asli staying both in the inlands and peripheries are predisposed to cardiovascular diseases and insulin resistance diabetes mellitus. The perception of Orang Asli being healthier than the urban people no longer holds. We believed that this information is important to the relevant parties in strategizing a healthier community of the Orang Asli to avoid the vanishing of the vulnerable group(s).

Imidazo[2,1-b]thiazoles and their use as pharmaceuticals: Sanofi-Aventis EP 1 923 062 A1 (equivalent to WO2008058641).

PubMed

Karimian, K

2009-03-01

Imidazothiazoles are well-known compounds and many derivatives of this fused ring system have been evaluated for potential biological activity. The present application is focused on imidazo[2,1-b]thiazoles with pharmacological ability to stimulate the expression (transcription) of the enzyme endothelial nitric oxide (NO) synthase. This invention contains two types of claims. First, several imidazo[2,1-b]thiazoles (and compositions thereof) that were not previously reported in chemical literature are claimed (claims 6 - 15). Second, the use of the claimed compounds in the treatment of several different diseases is claimed (claims 1 - 5 and 16). The claimed imidazo[2,1-b]thiazoles are synthesized by the condensation of 2-aminothiazole with an alpha-halo ketone. Evaluation of pharmacological activity of the claimed compounds is based on previously reported methodologies. Results are at their best reported in descriptive terms. The descriptive presentation of results in this application does not allow a critical evaluation of the claims. However, this does not diminish the potential commercial importance of this application. Because of the importance of nitric oxide regulation in physiological systems, more research in this area of medicinal chemistry can be anticipated.

Mammalian pheromones VIII Chemical characterization of preorbital gland secretion of grey duiker,Sylvicapra grimmia (Artiodactyla: Bovidae).

PubMed

Burger, B V; Pretorius, P J; Spies, H S; Bigalke, R C; Grierson, G R

1990-02-01

Using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry 33 constituents of the preorbital gland of the grey duiker,Sylvicapra grimmia, were identified as unbranched alkanes, 2-alkanones, alkanals, alkanoic acids, alkan-4-olides, as well as 3-methyl-3-buten-1-ol, (Z)-9-octadecenoic acid, benzyl cyanide, diethyl sulfoxide, 2-isobutyl-1,3-thiazole, 2-isobutyl-4,5-dihydro-1,3-thiazole, and 3,4-epoxy-2-dodecanone. Determination of the relative concentrations of these components in a limited number of secretion samples taken from males and females revealed that in these samples the two thiazole derivatives and the epoxy ketone were present in consistently and significantly higher concentrations in male than in female secretions. This suggests that they could act as sex recognition cues.

New platinum (II) and palladium (II) complexes of coumarin-thiazole Schiff base with a fluorescent chemosensor properties: Synthesis, spectroscopic characterization, X-ray structure determination, in vitro anticancer activity on various human carcinoma cell lines and computational studies.

PubMed

Şahin, Ömer; Özdemir, Ümmühan Özmen; Seferoğlu, Nurgül; Genc, Zuhal Karagöz; Kaya, Kerem; Aydıner, Burcu; Tekin, Suat; Seferoğlu, Zeynel

2018-01-01

A new coumarin-thiazole based Schiff base (Ligand, L) and its Pd(II), Pt(II) complexes; ([Pd(L) 2 ] and [Pt(L) 2 ]), were synthesized and characterized using spectrophotometric techniques (NMR, IR, UV-vis, LC-MS), magnetic moment, and conductivity measurements. A single crystal X-ray analysis for only L was done. The crystals of L have monoclinic crystal system and P21/c space group. To gain insight into the structure of L and its complexes, we used density functional theory (DFT) method to optimize the molecules. The photophysical properties changes were observed after deprotonation of L with CN - via intermolecular charge transfer (ICT). Additionally, as the sensor is a colorimetric and fluorimetric cyanide probe containing active sites such as coumarin-thiazole and imine (CH=N), it showed fast color change from yellow to deep red in the visible region, and yellow fluorescence after CN - addition to the imine bond, in DMSO. The reaction mechanisms of L with CN - , F - and AcO - ions were evaluated using 1 H NMR shifts. The results showed that, the reaction of L with CN - ion was due to the deprotonation and addition mechanisms at the same time. The anti-cancer activity of L and its Pd(II) and Pt(II) complexes were evaluated in vitro using MTT assay on the human cancer lines MCF-7 (human breast adenocarcinoma), LS174T (human colon carcinoma), and LNCAP (human prostate adenocarcinoma). The anti-cancer effects of L and its complexes, on human cells, were determined by comparing the half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC 50 ) values. The activity results showed that, the Pd(II) complex of L has higher anti-tumor effect than L and its Pt(II) complex against the tested human breast adenocarcinoma (MCF-7), human prostate adenocarcinoma (LNCAP), and human colon carcinoma (LS174T) cell lines. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Agent Orange exposure and cancer incidence in Korean Vietnam veterans: a prospective cohort study.

PubMed

Yi, Sang-Wook; Ohrr, Heechoul

2014-12-01

During the Vietnam War, US and allied military sprayed approximately 77 million liters of tactical herbicides including Agent Orange, contaminated with 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin. To the authors' knowledge, few studies to date have examined the association between Agent Orange exposure and cancer incidence among Korean veterans who were exposed to Agent Orange during the Vietnam War. An Agent Orange exposure index, based on the proximity of the veteran's military unit to the area that was sprayed with Agent Orange, was developed using a geographic information system-based model. Cancer incidence was followed for 180,251 Vietnam veterans from 1992 through 2003. After adjustment for age and military rank, high exposure to Agent Orange was found to significantly increase the risk of all cancers combined (adjusted hazards ratio [aHR], 1.08). Risks for cancers of the mouth (aHR, 2.54), salivary glands (aHR, 6.96), stomach (aHR, 1.14), and small intestine (aHR, 2.30) were found to be significantly higher in the high-exposure group compared with the low-exposure group. Risks for cancers of all sites combined (aHR, 1.02) and for cancers of the salivary glands (aHR, 1.47), stomach (aHR, 1.03), small intestine (aHR, 1.24), and liver (aHR, 1.02) were elevated with a 1-unit increase in the exposure index. Exposure to Agent Orange several decades earlier may increase the risk of cancers in all sites combined, as well as several specific cancers, among Korean veterans of the Vietnam War, including some cancers that were not found to be clearly associated with exposure to Agent Orange in previous cohort studies primarily based on Western populations. © 2014 American Cancer Society.

EDTA aggregates induce SYPRO orange-based fluorescence in thermal shift assay

PubMed Central

Kroeger, Tobias; Frieg, Benedikt; Zhang, Tao; Hansen, Finn K.; Marmann, Andreas; Proksch, Peter; Nagel-Steger, Luitgard; Groth, Georg; Smits, Sander H. J.

2017-01-01

Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) is widely used in the life sciences as chelating ligand of metal ions. However, formation of supramolecular EDTA aggregates at pH > 8 has been reported, which may lead to artifactual assay results. When applied as a buffer component at pH ≈ 10 in differential scanning fluorimetry (TSA) using SYPRO Orange as fluorescent dye, we observed a sharp change in fluorescence intensity about 20°C lower than expected for the investigated protein. We hypothesized that this change results from SYPRO Orange/EDTA interactions. TSA experiments in the presence of SYPRO Orange using solutions that contain EDTA-Na+ but no protein were performed. The TSA experiments provide evidence that suggests that at pH > 9, EDTA4- interacts with SYPRO Orange in a temperature-dependent manner, leading to a fluorescence signal yielding a “denaturation temperature” of ~68°C. Titrating Ca2+ to SYPRO Orange and EDTA solutions quenched fluorescence. Ethylene glycol tetraacetic acid (EGTA) behaved similarly to EDTA. Analytical ultracentrifugation corroborated the formation of EDTA aggregates. Molecular dynamics simulations of free diffusion of EDTA-Na+ and SYPRO Orange of in total 27 μs suggested the first structural model of EDTA aggregates in which U-shaped EDTA4- arrange in an inverse bilayer-like manner, exposing ethylene moieties to the solvent, with which SYPRO Orange interacts. We conclude that EDTA aggregates induce a SYPRO Orange-based fluorescence in TSA. These results make it relevant to ascertain that future TSA results are not influenced by interference between EDTA, or EDTA-related molecules, and the fluorescent dye. PMID:28472107

Continuous blade coating for multi-layer large-area organic light-emitting diode and solar cell

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Chun-Yu; Chang, Hao-Wen; Chang, Yu-Fan; Chang, Bo-Jie; Lin, Yuan-Sheng; Jian, Pei-Siou; Yeh, Han-Cheng; Chien, Hung-Ta; Chen, En-Chen; Chao, Yu-Chiang; Meng, Hsin-Fei; Zan, Hsiao-Wen; Lin, Hao-Wu; Horng, Sheng-Fu; Cheng, Yen-Ju; Yen, Feng-Wen; Lin, I.-Feng; Yang, Hsiu-Yuan; Huang, Kuo-Jui; Tseng, Mei-Rurng

2011-11-01

A continuous roll-to-roll compatible blade-coating method for multi-layers of general organic semiconductors is developed. Dissolution of the underlying film during coating is prevented by simultaneously applying heating from the bottom and gentle hot wind from the top. The solvent is immediately expelled and reflow inhibited. This method succeeds for polymers and small molecules. Uniformity is within 10% for 5 cm by 5 cm area with a mean value of tens of nanometers for both organic light-emitting diode (OLED) and solar cell structure with little material waste. For phosphorescent OLED 25 cd/A is achieved for green, 15 cd/A for orange, and 8 cd/A for blue. For fluorescent OLED 4.3 cd/A is achieved for blue, 9 cd/A for orange, and 6.9 cd/A for white. For OLED with 2 cm by 3 cm active area, the luminance variation is within 10%. Power conversion efficiency of 4.1% is achieved for polymer solar cell, similar to spin coating using the same materials. Very-low-cost and high-throughput fabrication of efficient organic devices is realized by the continuous blade-only method.

Oranges or "lemons"? Family farming and product quality in the Spanish orange industry, 1870-1960.

PubMed

Garrido, Samuel

2010-01-01

In the early twentieth century California became a big exporter of some agricultural products that, until then, had only been grown on a large scale in the mediterranean basin. As a result, exports of those products diminished or stagnated in Mediterranean countries, with important repercussions on their economies. The Spanish orange industry, however, continued to expand, despite the fact that a substantial percentage of Spanish oranges came from farms owned by (often illiterate) small peasants who, in comparison to the California growers, used a great deal of labor, small amounts of capital, and little science. This paper shows that Spanish farmers were in fact capable of growing high-quality oranges at prices that were more competitive than those in California, although interested they often preferred to satisfy the strong demand for middling fruit from Great Britain because it was a more profitable business. This, combined with a deficient use of brand names, gave the Spanish citrus industry serious reputation problems by the 1930s, from which, however, it recovered quickly.

Chiral thiazoline and thiazole building blocks for the synthesis of peptide-derived natural products.

PubMed

Just-Baringo, Xavier; Albericio, Fernando; Alvarez, Mercedes

2014-01-01

Thiazoline and thiazole heterocycles are privileged motifs found in numerous peptide-derived natural products of biological interest. During the last decades, the synthesis of optically pure building blocks has been addressed by numerous groups, which have developed a plethora of strategies to that end. Efficient and reliable methodologies that are compatible with the intricate and capricious architectures of natural products are a must to further develop their science. Structure confirmation, structure-activity relationship studies and industrial production are fields of paramount importance that require these robust methodologies in order to successfully bring natural products into the clinic. Today's chemist toolbox is assorted with many powerful methods for chiral thiazoline and thiazole synthesis. Ranging from biomimetic approaches to stereoselective alkylations, one is likely to find a suitable method for their needs.

Reticulocyte analysis using flow cytometry.

PubMed

Corberand, J X

1996-12-01

Automation of the reticulocyte count by means of flow cytometry has considerably improved the quality of this investigation. This article deals firstly with the reasons for the poor performance of the microscopic technique and with the physiological principles underlying identification and classification of reticulocytes using RNA labeling. It then outlines the automated methods currently on the market, which can be classified in three categories: a) "general-purpose" cytofluorometers, which in clinical laboratories usually deal with lymphocyte immunophenotyping; b) the only commercially available cytofluorometer dedicated to the reticulocyte count; this automat has the advantage of requiring no human intervention as it merely needs to be fed with samples; c) hematology analyzers with specific modules for automatic counting of reticulocytes previously incubated with a non-fluorescent dye. Of the various fluorescent markers available, thiazole orange, DEQTC iodide and auramine are most often used for this basic hematology test. The quality of the count, the availability of new reticulocyte indices (maturation index, percentage of young reticulocytes) and rapidity of the count give this test renewed value in the practical approach to the diagnosis of anemia, and also open new perspectives in the surveillance of aplastic anemia after chemotherapy or bone marrow grafting.

Hit-to-lead optimization of 2-(1H-pyrazol-1-yl)-thiazole derivatives as a novel class of EP1 receptor antagonists.

PubMed

Atobe, Masakazu; Naganuma, Kenji; Kawanishi, Masashi; Morimoto, Akifumi; Kasahara, Ken-ichi; Ohashi, Shigeki; Suzuki, Hiroko; Hayashi, Takahiko; Miyoshi, Shiro

2013-11-15

We describe a medicinal chemistry approach to generate a series of 2-(1H-pyrazol-1-yl)thiazole compounds that act as selective EP1 receptor antagonists. The obtained results suggest that compound 12 provides the best EP1 receptor antagonist activity and demonstrates good oral pharmacokinetics. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mechanistic insight into ligand binding to G-quadruplex DNA

PubMed Central

Di Leva, Francesco Saverio; Novellino, Ettore; Cavalli, Andrea; Parrinello, Michele; Limongelli, Vittorio

2014-01-01

Specific guanine-rich regions in human genome can form higher-order DNA structures called G-quadruplexes, which regulate many relevant biological processes. For instance, the formation of G-quadruplex at telomeres can alter cellular functions, inducing apoptosis. Thus, developing small molecules that are able to bind and stabilize the telomeric G-quadruplexes represents an attractive strategy for antitumor therapy. An example is 3-(benzo[d]thiazol-2-yl)-7-hydroxy-8-((4-(2-hydroxyethyl)piperazin-1-yl)methyl)-2H-chromen-2-one (compound 1), recently identified as potent ligand of the G-quadruplex [d(TGGGGT)]4 with promising in vitro antitumor activity. The experimental observations are suggestive of a complex binding mechanism that, despite efforts, has defied full characterization. Here, we provide through metadynamics simulations a comprehensive understanding of the binding mechanism of 1 to the G-quadruplex [d(TGGGGT)]4. In our calculations, the ligand explores all the available binding sites on the DNA structure and the free-energy landscape of the whole binding process is computed. We have thus disclosed a peculiar hopping binding mechanism whereas 1 is able to bind both to the groove and to the 3’ end of the G-quadruplex. Our results fully explain the available experimental data, rendering our approach of great value for further ligand/DNA studies. PMID:24753420

Introducing double polar heads to highly fluorescent Thiazoles: Influence on supramolecular structures and photonic properties.

PubMed

Kaufmann, M; Hupfer, M L; Sachse, T; Herrmann-Westendorf, F; Weiß, D; Dietzek, B; Beckert, R; Presselt, M

2018-04-30

Supramolecular structures determine properties of optoelectronically active materials and can be tailored via the Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) technique. Interactions between dyes can cause high crystallinities of Langmuir monolayers, thus rendering retaining their integrity during the LB-deposition challenging. However, increasing degrees of freedom exclusively at the polar anchoring moieties of dyes might improve processability without perturbing the dye's optoelectronic properties nor the function-determining crystallinity of the layer. (Amphiphilic) thiazole dyes without, with a mono-polar, and with a double-polar anchor were synthesized, whereas the two constituting polar moieties of the latter derivate are separated by a flexible alkyl chain. The supramolecular structures and crystallinities of Langmuir and LB monolayers were characterized by means of LB isotherms, atomic force microscopy and polarization-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy. As compared to the mono-polar reference the introduction of a flexible double-polar head did not deteriorate UV-vis absorption, emission or electrochemical properties of the thiazole but significantly extended the range of constant compressibility modulus, thus indicating improved processability of the Langmuir monolayers. Indeed, AFM studies revealed that the integrity of the monolayers could be retained during LB-deposition. Additionally, also the underlying supramolecular structure of the chromophore moieties is largely identical to those obtained from the mono-polar reference thiazoles. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Quantum mechanical, spectroscopic studies (FT-IR, FT-Raman, NMR, UV) and normal coordinates analysis on 3-([2-(diaminomethyleneamino) thiazol-4-yl] methylthio)-N'-sulfamoylpropanimidamide

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Muthu, S.; Uma Maheswari, J.; Sundius, Tom

2013-05-01

Famotidine (3-([2-(diaminomethyleneamino) thiazol-4-yl] methylthio)-N'-sulfamoylpropanimidamide) is a histamine H2-receptor antagonist that inhibits stomach acid production, and it is commonly used in the treatment of peptic ulcer disease (PUD) and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD/GORD). Quantum chemical calculations of the equilibrium geometry of famotidine in the ground state were carried out using density functional theory (DFT/B3LYP) with the 6-311G(d,p) basis set. In addition, harmonic vibrational frequencies, infrared intensities and Raman activities were calculated at the same level of theory. A detailed interpretation of the infrared and Raman spectrum of the drug is also reported. Theoretical simulations of the FT-IR, and FT-Raman spectra of the title compound have been calculated. Good correlations between the experimental 1H and 13C NMR chemical shifts and calculated GIAO shielding tensors were found. The results of the energy and oscillator strength calculations by time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) supplement the experimental findings. Total and partial density of state (TDOS and PDOS) and also overlap population density of state (COOP or OPDOS) diagrams analysis were presented. The dipole moment, linear polarizability and first order hyperpolarizability values were also computed. The linear polarizability and first order hyperpolarizabilities of the studied molecule indicate that the compound is a good candidate for nonlinear optical materials.

Time-resolved polarization imaging by pump-probe (stimulated emission) fluorescence microscopy.

PubMed Central

Buehler, C; Dong, C Y; So, P T; French, T; Gratton, E

2000-01-01

We report the application of pump-probe fluorescence microscopy in time-resolved polarization imaging. We derived the equations governing the pump-probe stimulated emission process and characterized the pump and probe laser power levels for signal saturation. Our emphasis is to use this novel methodology to image polarization properties of fluorophores across entire cells. As a feasibility study, we imaged a 15-microm orange latex sphere and found that there is depolarization that is possibly due to energy transfer among fluorescent molecules inside the sphere. We also imaged a mouse fibroblast labeled with CellTracker Orange CMTMR (5-(and-6)-(((4-chloromethyl)benzoyl)amino)tetramethyl-rhodamine). We observed that Orange CMTMR complexed with gluthathione rotates fast, indicating the relatively low fluid-phase viscosity of the cytoplasmic microenvironment as seen by Orange CMTMR. The measured rotational correlation time ranged from approximately 30 to approximately 150 ps. This work demonstrates the effectiveness of stimulated emission measurements in acquiring high-resolution, time-resolved polarization information across the entire cell. PMID:10866979

To eliminate an unused lighthouse reservation, provide management consistency by incorporating the rocks and small islands along the coast of Orange County, California, into the California Coastal National Monument managed by the Bureau of Land Management, and meet the original Congressional intent of preserving Orange County's rocks and small islands, and for other purposes.

THOMAS, 111th Congress

Rep. Campbell, John [R-CA-48

2009-01-06

Senate - 08/05/2010 Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 539. (All Actions) Tracker: This bill has the status Passed HouseHere are the steps for Status of Legislation:

Synthesis, Structural, DNA Binding and Cleavage Studies of Cu(II) Complexes Containing Benzothiazole Cored Schiff Bases.

PubMed

Tejaswi, Somapangu; Kumar, Marri Pradeep; Rambabu, Aveli; Vamsikrishna, Narendrula; Shivaraj

2016-11-01

Novel benzothiazole Schiff bases L 1 [1-((4,6-difluorobenzo[d]thiazol-2-ylimino)methyl) naphthalen-2-ol], L 2 [3-((4,6-difluorobenzo[d]thiazol-2-ylimino) methyl)benzene-1,2-diol], L 3 [2-((4,6-difluorobenzo[d]thiazol-2-ylimino)methyl)-5-methoxyphenol], L 4 [2-((4,6-difluorobenzo[d]thiazol-2-ylimino)methyl)-4-chlorophenol] and their binary Cu(II) complexes were synthesized. The structures of all the compounds have been discussed on the basis of elemental analysis, FT-IR, NMR, UV-Visible, ESI-Mass, TGA, ESR, SEM, powder XRD and magnetic moments. Based on the analytical and spectral data a square planar geometry has been assigned to all complexes in which the Schiff bases act as monobasic bidentate ligands, coordinating through the azomethine nitrogen and phenolic oxygen atom. DNA binding ability of these complexes was studied on CT-DNA by using UV-Vis absorption, fluorescence and viscometry. DNA cleavage ability of the complexes was examined on pBR322 DNA by using gel electrophoresis method. All the DNA binding studies reveal that they are good intercalators. The bioefficacy of the ligands and their complexes was examined against the growth of bacteria and fungi in vitro to evaluate their antimicrobial potential. The screening data revealed that the complexes showed more antimicrobial activity than the corresponding free ligands.

Structure-Activity Relationship and Pharmacokinetic Studies of 1,5-Diheteroarylpenta-1,4-dien-3-ones: A Class of Promising Curcumin-Based Anticancer Agents.

PubMed

Wang, Rubing; Chen, Chengsheng; Zhang, Xiaojie; Zhang, Changde; Zhong, Qiu; Chen, Guanglin; Zhang, Qiang; Zheng, Shilong; Wang, Guangdi; Chen, Qiao-Hong

2015-06-11

Forty-three 1,5-diheteroaryl-1,4-pentadien-3-ones were designed as potential curcumin mimics, structurally featuring a central five-carbon dienone linker and two identical nitrogen-containing aromatic rings. They were synthesized using a Horner-Wadsworth-Emmons reaction as the critical step and evaluated for their cytotoxicity and antiproliferative activities toward both androgen-insensitive and androgen-sensitive prostate cancer cell lines and an aggressive cervical cancer cell line. Most of the synthesized compounds showed distinctly better in vitro potency than curcumin in the four cancer cell lines. The structure-activity data acquired from the study validated (1E,4E)-1,5-dihereroaryl-1,4-pentadien-3-ones as an excellent scaffold for in-depth development for clinical treatment of prostate and cervical cancers. 1-Alkyl-1H-imidazol-2-yl, ortho pyridyl, 1-alkyl-1H-benzo[d]imidazole-2-yl, 4-bromo-1-methyl-1H-pyrazol-3-yl, thiazol-2-yl, and 2-methyl-4-(trifluoromethyl)thiazol-5-yl were identified as optimal heteroaromatic rings for the promising in vitro potency. (1E,4E)-1,5-Bis(2-methyl-4-(trifluoromethyl)thiazol-5-yl)penta-1,4-dien-3-one, featuring thiazole rings and trifluoromethyl groups, was established as the optimal lead compound because of its good in vitro potency and attractive in vivo pharmacokinetic profiles.

Additive effect of multiple pharmacological chaperones on maturation of CFTR processing mutants

PubMed Central

Wang, Ying; Loo, Tip W.; Bartlett, M. Claire; Clarke, David M.

2007-01-01

The most common cause of CF (cystic fibrosis) is the deletion of Phe508 (ΔF508) in the CFTR [CF TM (transmembrane) conductance regulator] chloride channel. One major problem with ΔF508 CFTR is that the protein is defective in folding so that little mature protein is delivered to the cell surface. Expression of ΔF508 CFTR in the presence of small molecules known as correctors or pharmacological chaperones can increase the level of mature protein. Unfortunately, the efficiency of corrector-induced maturation of ΔF508 CFTR is probably too low to have therapeutic value and approaches are needed to increase maturation efficiency. We postulated that expression of ΔF508 CFTR in the presence of multiple correctors that bound to different sites may have an additive effect on maturation. In support of this mechanism, we found that expression of P-glycoprotein (CFTR's sister protein) processing mutants in the presence of two compounds that bind to different sites (rhodamine B and Hoechst 33342) had an additive effect on maturation. Therefore we tested whether expression of ΔF508 CFTR in the presence of combinations of three different classes of corrector molecules would increase its maturation efficiency. It was found that the combination of the quinazoline VRT-325 together with the thiazole corr-2b or bisaminomethylbithiazole corr-4a doubled the steady-state maturation efficiency of ΔF508 CFTR (approx. 40% of total CFTR was mature protein) compared with expression in the presence of a single compound. The additive effect of the correctors on ΔF508 CFTR maturation suggests that they directly interact at different sites of the protein. PMID:17535157

To eliminate an unused lighthouse reservation, provide management consistency by incorporating the rocks and small islands along the coast of Orange County, California, into the California Coastal National Monument managed by the Bureau of Land Management, and meet the original Congressional intent of preserving Orange County's rocks and small islands, and for other purposes.

THOMAS, 112th Congress

Rep. Campbell, John [R-CA-48

2011-03-08

Senate - 12/08/2011 Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. (All Actions) Tracker: This bill has the status Passed HouseHere are the steps for Status of Legislation:

An Orange is an Orange

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Martin

1975-01-01

The citrus thrips is a small insect pest that causes some cosmetic damage, but seldom causes yield reduction, tree kills, or lower the nutritional value or eating quality of citrus fruits. In California however, economic and marketing factors have prompted the massive, unnecessary overuse of insecticides to kill this pest. (Author/MA)

Mayamontana coccolobae (Basidiomycota), a new sequestrate taxon from Belize

Treesearch

Michael A. Castellano; James M. Trappe; D. Jean Lodge

2007-01-01

A new semi-hypogeous, sequestrate genus and species in the Basidiomycota is described from the Maya Mountains of Belize, where it was fruiting in association with Coccoloba belizensis. Mayamontana coccolobae is characterized by small, bright orange basidiomata with a friable, loculate, red-orange to red gleba and bilaterally...

21 CFR 146.151 - Orange juice for manufacturing.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... apply to the hybrid species described in § 146.135). Seeds (except embryonic seeds and small fragments of seeds that cannot be separated by good manufacturing practice) are removed, and pulp and orange oil may be adjusted in accordance with good manufacturing practice. If pulp is added it shall be other...

California mild CTV strains that break resistance in Trifoliate Orange

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

This is the final report of a project to characterize California isolates of Citrus tristeza virus (CTV) that replicate in Poncirus trifoliata (trifoliate orange). Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) of viral small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) and assembly of full-length sequences of mild California CTV i...

Structure-based design and biological evaluation of novel 2-(indol-2-yl) thiazole derivatives as xanthine oxidase inhibitors.

PubMed

Song, Jeong Uk; Jang, Jae Wan; Kim, Tae Hun; Park, Heuisul; Park, Wan Su; Jung, Sang-Hun; Kim, Geun Tae

2016-02-01

Inhibition of xanthine oxidase (XO) has obviously been a central concept for controlling hyperuricemia, which causes serious and painful inflammatory arthritis disease such as gout. We discovered a series of novel 2-(indol-2-yl)thiazole derivatives as XO inhibitors at the level of nanomolar activity. Structure-guided design using molecular modeling program (Accelrys Software program) provided an excellent basis for optimization of 2-(indol-2-yl)thiazole compounds. Structure-activity relationship indicated that hydrophobic alkoxy group (isopropoxy, cyclopentoxy) at 5-position and hydrogen binding acceptor (NO2, CN) at 7-position of indole ring appear as critical functional groups. Among the compounds, 2-(7-nitro-5-isopropoxy-indol-2-yl)-4-methylthiazole-5-carboxylic acid (9m) exhibits the most potent XO inhibitory activity (IC50 value: 5.1 nM) and the excellent uric acid lowering activity in potassium oxonate induced hyperuricemic rat model. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Synthesis of N-(6-Arylbenzo[d]thiazole-2-acetamide Derivatives and Their Biological Activities: An Experimental and Computational Approach.

PubMed

Gull, Yasmeen; Rasool, Nasir; Noreen, Mnaza; Altaf, Ataf Ali; Musharraf, Syed Ghulam; Zubair, Muhammad; Nasim, Faiz-Ul-Hassan; Yaqoob, Asma; DeFeo, Vincenzo; Zia-Ul-Haq, Muhammad

2016-02-25

A new series of N-(6-arylbenzo[d]thiazol-2-yl)acetamides were synthesized by C-C coupling methodology in the presence of Pd(0) using various aryl boronic pinacol ester/acids. The newly synthesized compounds were evaluated for various biological activities like antioxidant, haemolytic, antibacterial and urease inhibition. In bioassays these compounds were found to have moderate to good activities. Among the tested biological activities screened these compounds displayed the most significant activity for urease inhibition. In urease inhibition, all compounds were found more active than the standard used. The compound N-(6-(p-tolyl)benzo[d]thiazol-2-yl)acetamide was found to be the most active. To understand this urease inhibition, molecular docking studies were performed. The in silico studies showed that these acetamide derivatives bind to the non-metallic active site of the urease enzyme. Structure-activity studies revealed that H-bonding of compounds with the enzyme is important for its inhibition.

Synthesis and biological evaluation of 2-benzylamino-4(5)-(6-methylpyridin-2-yl)-5(4)-([1,2,4]triazolo[1,5-a]-pyridin-6-yl)thiazoles as transforming growth factor-β type 1 receptor kinase inhibitors.

PubMed

Krishnaiah, Maddeboina; Jin, Cheng Hua; Sreenu, Domalapally; Subrahmanyam, Vura Bala; Rao, Kota Sudhakar; Son, Do-Hyun; Park, Hyun-Ju; Kim, Seung Won; Sheen, Yhun Yhong; Kim, Dae-Kee

2012-11-01

A series of 2-benzylamino-4(5)-(6-methylpyridin-2-yl)-5(4)-([1,2,4]triazolo[1,5-a]pyridin-6-yl)thiazoles 12a-ab, 13a, 13b, and 18a-d has been synthesized and evaluated for their ALK5 inhibitory activity in an enzyme assay and in a cell-based luciferase reporter assay. The N-(3-fluorobenzyl)-4-(6-methylpyridin-2-yl)-5-([1,2,4]triazolo[1,5-a]pyridin-6-yl)thiazol-2-amine (12b) inhibited ALK5 phosphorylation with an IC(50) value of 7.01 nM and showed 61% inhibition at 30 nM in a luciferase reporter assay using HaCaT cells permanently transfected with p3TP-luc reporter construct. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Triazole incorporated thiazoles as a new class of anticonvulsants: design, synthesis and in vivo screening.

PubMed

Siddiqui, Nadeem; Ahsan, Waquar

2010-04-01

Various 3-[4-(substituted phenyl)-1,3-thiazol-2-ylamino]-4-(substituted phenyl)-4,5-dihydro-1H-1,2,4-triazole-5-thiones (7a-t) were designed keeping in view the structural requirements suggested in the pharmacophore model for anticonvulsant activity. Thiazole and triazole moieties being anticonvulsants were clubbed together to get the titled compounds and their in vivo anticonvulsant screening were performed by two most adopted seizure models, maximal electroshock seizure (MES) and subcutaneous pentylenetetrazole (scPTZ). Two compounds 7d and 7f showed significant anticonvulsant activity in both the screens with ED(50) values 23.9 mg/kg and 13.4 mg/kg respectively in MES screen and 178.6 mg/kg and 81.6 mg/kg respectively in scPTZ test. They displayed a wide margin of safety with Protective index (PI), median hypnotic dose (HD(50)) and median lethal dose (LD(50)) much higher than the standard drugs. Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Mars Life? - Orange-colored Carbonate Mineral Globules

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1996-01-01

This photograph shows orange-colored carbonate mineral globules found in a meteorite, called ALH84001, believed to have once been a part of Mars. These carbonate minerals in the meteorite are believed to have been formed on Mars more than 3.6 billion years ago. Their structure and chemistry suggest that they may have been formed with the assistance of primitive, bacteria-like living organisms. A two-year investigation by a NASA research team found organic molecules, mineral features characteristic of biological activity and possible microscopic fossils inside of carbonate minerals such as these in the meteorite.

Formic acid enhanced effective degradation of methyl orange dye in aqueous solutions under UV-Vis irradiation.

PubMed

Wang, Jingjing; Bai, Renbi

2016-09-15

Developing efficient technologies to treat recalcitrant organic dye wastewater has long been of great research and practical interest. In this study, a small molecule, formic acid (FA), was applied as a process enhancer for the degradation of methyl orange (MO) dye as a model recalcitrant organic pollutant in aqueous solutions under the condition of UV-Vis light irradiation and air aeration at the ambient temperature of 25 °C. It was found that the decolouration of the dye solutions can be rapidly achieved, reducing the time, for example, from around 17.6 h without FA to mostly about less than 2 h with the presence of FA. The mineralization rate of MO dye reached as high as 81.8% in 1.5 h in the case of initial MO dye concentration at 25 mg L(-1), which is in contrast to nearly no mineralization of the MO dye for a similar system without the FA added. The study revealed that the generation of the H2O2 species in the system was enhanced and the produced OH radicals effectively contributed to the degradation of the MO dye. Process parameters such as the initial concentration of MO dye, FA dosage and solution pH were all found to have some effect on the degradation efficiency under the same condition of UV-Vis light irradiation and air aeration. The MO dye degradation performance was found to follow a first-order reaction rate to the MO dye concentration in most cases and there existed a positive correlation between the reaction rate constant and the initial FA concentration. Compared to the traditional H2O2/UV-Vis oxidation system, the use of FA as a process-enhancing agent can have the advantages of low cost, easy availability, and safe to use. The study hence demonstrates a promising approach to use a readily available small molecule of FA to enhance the degradation of recalcitrant organic pollutants, such as MO dye, especially for their pre-treatment. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Edesign: Primer and Enhanced Internal Probe Design Tool for Quantitative PCR Experiments and Genotyping Assays.

PubMed

Kimura, Yasumasa; Soma, Takahiro; Kasahara, Naoko; Delobel, Diane; Hanami, Takeshi; Tanaka, Yuki; de Hoon, Michiel J L; Hayashizaki, Yoshihide; Usui, Kengo; Harbers, Matthias

2016-01-01

Analytical PCR experiments preferably use internal probes for monitoring the amplification reaction and specific detection of the amplicon. Such internal probes have to be designed in close context with the amplification primers, and may require additional considerations for the detection of genetic variations. Here we describe Edesign, a new online and stand-alone tool for designing sets of PCR primers together with an internal probe for conducting quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) and genotypic experiments. Edesign can be used for selecting standard DNA oligonucleotides like for instance TaqMan probes, but has been further extended with new functions and enhanced design features for Eprobes. Eprobes, with their single thiazole orange-labelled nucleotide, allow for highly sensitive genotypic assays because of their higher DNA binding affinity as compared to standard DNA oligonucleotides. Using new thermodynamic parameters, Edesign considers unique features of Eprobes during primer and probe design for establishing qPCR experiments and genotyping by melting curve analysis. Additional functions in Edesign allow probe design for effective discrimination between wild-type sequences and genetic variations either using standard DNA oligonucleotides or Eprobes. Edesign can be freely accessed online at http://www.dnaform.com/edesign2/, and the source code is available for download.

Edesign: Primer and Enhanced Internal Probe Design Tool for Quantitative PCR Experiments and Genotyping Assays

PubMed Central

Kasahara, Naoko; Delobel, Diane; Hanami, Takeshi; Tanaka, Yuki; de Hoon, Michiel J. L.; Hayashizaki, Yoshihide; Usui, Kengo; Harbers, Matthias

2016-01-01

Analytical PCR experiments preferably use internal probes for monitoring the amplification reaction and specific detection of the amplicon. Such internal probes have to be designed in close context with the amplification primers, and may require additional considerations for the detection of genetic variations. Here we describe Edesign, a new online and stand-alone tool for designing sets of PCR primers together with an internal probe for conducting quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) and genotypic experiments. Edesign can be used for selecting standard DNA oligonucleotides like for instance TaqMan probes, but has been further extended with new functions and enhanced design features for Eprobes. Eprobes, with their single thiazole orange-labelled nucleotide, allow for highly sensitive genotypic assays because of their higher DNA binding affinity as compared to standard DNA oligonucleotides. Using new thermodynamic parameters, Edesign considers unique features of Eprobes during primer and probe design for establishing qPCR experiments and genotyping by melting curve analysis. Additional functions in Edesign allow probe design for effective discrimination between wild-type sequences and genetic variations either using standard DNA oligonucleotides or Eprobes. Edesign can be freely accessed online at http://www.dnaform.com/edesign2/, and the source code is available for download. PMID:26863543

The Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor Ligand ITE Inhibits TGFβ1-Induced Human Myofibroblast Differentiation

PubMed Central

Lehmann, Geniece M.; Xi, Xia; Kulkarni, Ajit A.; Olsen, Keith C.; Pollock, Stephen J.; Baglole, Carolyn J.; Gupta, Shikha; Casey, Ann E.; Huxlin, Krystel R.; Sime, Patricia J.; Feldon, Steven E.; Phipps, Richard P.

2011-01-01

Fibrosis can occur in any human tissue when the normal wound healing response is amplified. Such amplification results in fibroblast proliferation, myofibroblast differentiation, and excessive extracellular matrix deposition. Occurrence of these sequelae in organs such as the eye or lung can result in severe consequences to health. Unfortunately, medical treatment of fibrosis is limited by a lack of safe and effective therapies. These therapies may be developed by identifying agents that inhibit critical steps in fibrotic progression; one such step is myofibroblast differentiation triggered by transforming growth factor-β1 (TGFβ1). In this study, we demonstrate that TGFβ1-induced myofibroblast differentiation is blocked in human fibroblasts by a candidate endogenous aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) ligand 2-(1′H-indole-3′-carbonyl)-thiazole-4-carboxylic acid methyl ester (ITE). Our data show that ITE disrupts TGFβ1 signaling by inhibiting the nuclear translocation of Smad2/3/4. Although ITE functions as an AhR agonist, and biologically persistent AhR agonists, such as 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin, cause severe toxic effects, ITE exhibits no toxicity. Interestingly, ITE effectively inhibits TGFβ1-driven myofibroblast differentiation in AhR−/− fibroblasts: Its ability to inhibit TGFβ1 signaling is AhR independent. As supported by the results of this study, the small molecule ITE inhibits myofibroblast differentiation and may be useful clinically as an antiscarring agent. PMID:21406171

Osage-orange: a pioneering stewardship species

Treesearch

James P. Barnett; James D. Burton

1997-01-01

Osage-orange, a small tree with a number of unique characteristics, played an important role in the settlement of the prairies. One of the more significant contributions was in the use of the species for hedges. The thorny, low-spreading crowns provided excellent fencing when properly main tamed. This use, plus its later used in skelterbelts, exert a continuing...

Complementary roles of benzylpiperazine and iodine 'vapor' in the strong enhancement of orange photoluminescence from CuI(1 1 1) thin film.

PubMed

Rawal, Takat B; Turkowski, Volodymyr; Rahman, Talat S

2014-05-07

We have employed density functional theory, corrected by the on-site electron-electron repulsion energy U, to clarify the mechanism behind the enhanced orange photoluminescence (PL) of a CuI(1 1 1) thin film conjugated with a benzylpiperazine (BZP) molecule in the presence of an iodine 'vapor' atom. Our results demonstrated that the adsorbed molecule and the 'vapor' atom play complementary roles in producing the PL. The latter, in attaching to the film surface, creates a hole-trapping surface state located ~0.25 eV above the valence band-edge of the film, in good agreement with ~0.2 eV reported in experiments. Upon photo-excitation of the BZP/CuI(1 1 1) system in the presence of surface iodine 'vapor' atoms, excited electrons are transferred into the conduction band of CuI, and holes are trapped by the 'vapor' atoms. These holes, in turn, quickly relax into the HOMO state of the BZP molecule, owing to the fact that the molecule adsorbs on the film surface in the immediate vicinity of a 'vapor' atom. Relaxed holes subsequently recombine with excited electrons in the conduction band of the CuI film, thereby producing a luminescence peak at ~2.1 eV, in qualitative agreement with experimental findings.

Recent progress in reversible photodegradation of Disperse Orange 11 when doped in PMMA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramini, Shiva K.; Anderson, Benjamin; Kuzyk, Mark G.

2011-12-01

We report observations that dye-doped PMMA polymer with the organic dye Disperse Orange 11 exhibits self healing after photodegradation by continuous optical pumping whereas in liquid solution, degradation is permanent. This observation illustrates the important role of the polymer matrix in facilitating recovery of the dye molecules. In this work, we report on linear optical absorbance studies that confirm the existence of a quasi-stable state that is not formed in liquid solution. Studies as a function of dye concentration and temperature support our hypothesis of the role of molecular interactions in the decay and healing process that is mediated by the polymer host.

2-(3′-Indolyl)-N-arylthiazole-4-carboxamides: Synthesis and evaluation of antibacterial and anticancer activities

PubMed Central

Tantak, Mukund P.; Wang, Jing; Singh, Rajnish Prakash; Kumar, Anil; Shah, Kavita; Kumar, Dalip

2015-01-01

A new series of 2-(3′-indolyl)-N-arylthiazole-4-carboxamides 17a-p has been designed and synthesized. Initial reaction of readily available thioamides 15 with bromopyruvic acid under refluxing conditions produced different thiazole carboxylic acids 16 which upon coupling with arylamines by using EDCI.HCl and HOBt afforded diverse arylthiazole-4-carboxamides 17a-p in 78-87% yields. Antibacterial activity evaluation against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial strains led to compounds 17i-k and 17o as potent and selectively (Gram-negative) antibacterial agents. The cytotoxicity of thiazole carboxamides 17a-p was also evaluated on a panel of human cancer cell lines. Among the tested derivatives, compounds 17i (IC50 = 8.64 μM; HEK293T) and 17l (IC50 = 3.41 μM; HeLa) were identified as the most potent analogues of the series. Preliminary mechanism of action studies of thiazole carboxamide 17i suggested that its cytotoxicity against HeLa cells involves the induction of cell death by apoptosis. PMID:26298501

Thiosemicarbazones and Phthalyl-Thiazoles compounds exert antiviral activity against yellow fever virus and Saint Louis encephalitis virus.

PubMed

Pacca, Carolina Colombelli; Marques, Rafael Elias; Espindola, José Wanderlan P; Filho, Gevânio B O Oliveira; Leite, Ana Cristina Lima; Teixeira, Mauro Martins; Nogueira, Mauricio L

2017-03-01

Arboviruses, arthropod-borneviruses, are frequency associated to human outbreak and represent a serious health problem. The genus Flavivirus, such as Yellow Fever Virus (YFV) and Saint Louis Encephalitis Virus (SLEV), are important pathogens with high morbidity and mortality worldwide. In Brazil, YFV is maintained in sylvatic cycle, but many cases are notified annually, despite the efficiency of vaccine. SLEV causes an acute encephalitis and is widely distributed in the Americas. There is no specific antiviral drugs for these viruses, only supporting treatment that can alleviate symptoms and prevent complications. Here, we evaluated the potential anti-YFV and SLEV activity of a series of thiosemicarbazones and phthalyl-thiazoles. Plaque reduction assay, flow cytometry, immunofluorescence and cellular viability were used to test the compounds in vitro. Treated cells showed efficient inhibition of the viral replication at concentrations that presented minimal toxicity to cells. The assays showed that phthalyl-thiazole and phenoxymethyl-thiosemicarbazone reduced 60% of YFV replication and 75% of SLEV replication. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

The Synthesis and Photophysical Characterization of Porphyrin Photoactive Materials for Use as Sensitizers in Organic Photovoltaics and Photodynamic Therapy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marin, Dawn Marie

Solar energy conversion and photodynamic therapy (PDT) are very different applications. However, both utilize very similar photoactive molecules called porphyrins. Porphyrins are structural analogs of chlorophyll and also function as prosthetic groups in some biological enzymes. Understanding the structure/function relationship of these molecules is crucial for enhancing the energy generation efficiency of molecular solar cells and improving chemotherapeutic activity in PDT. In this dissertation, two approaches were applied with the goal of increasing the efficiency of molecular semiconductors for these applications: the heavy atom effect and donor-acceptor molecules. We enhanced the efficiency of triplet excited state formation and singlet oxygen generation for porphyrin sensitizers using the heavy atom effect. The heavy atom effect induces spin-orbit coupling to promote intersystem crossing into the triplet state. In this study, a carbomethoxyphenyl substituent was replaced with either a bromophenyl or an iodophenyl substituent on 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(4-carbomethoxyphenyl)porphyrin. The longer lifetimes obtained from the increase in the triplet excited state allow for longer exciton diffusion lengths and lower recombination rates in photovoltaics. Also, the enhanced intersystem crossing is beneficial for photodynamic therapy because it increases singlet oxygen generation, which destroys tumor cells. Optimizing photovoltaic performance and PDT efficacy can also be accomplished with donor-acceptor molecules because they have extended electronic pi bond delocalization across the molecule, which causes the molecule to absorb longer wavelengths of light. Donor-acceptor molecules should produce photovoltaic devices that absorb more of the solar spectrum and produce sensitizers that absorb wavelengths of light that can penetrate through tissues. Donor-acceptor molecules were synthesized using 5,15-bis(4-carbomethoxyphenyl)porphyrin as the acceptor and thiazolo[5,4-d]thiazole derivatives as the donor. The excited state dynamics of the heavy atom derivatives and donor-acceptor molecules were studied using UV-vis spectroscopy, steady-state emission, time-resolved and delayed photoluminescence.

Chaos at the Heart of Orion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2006-01-01

NASA's Spitzer and Hubble Space Telescopes have teamed up to expose the chaos that baby stars are creating 1,500 light-years away in a cosmic cloud called the Orion nebula.

This striking infrared and visible-light composite indicates that four monstrously massive stars at the center of the cloud may be the main culprits in the familiar Orion constellation. The stars are collectively called the 'Trapezium.' Their community can be identified as the yellow smudge near the center of the image.

Swirls of green in Hubble's ultraviolet and visible-light view reveal hydrogen and sulfur gas that have been heated and ionized by intense ultraviolet radiation from the Trapezium's stars. Meanwhile, Spitzer's infrared view exposes carbon-rich molecules called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the cloud. These organic molecules have been illuminated by the Trapezium's stars, and are shown in the composite as wisps of red and orange. On Earth, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are found on burnt toast and in automobile exhaust.

Together, the telescopes expose the stars in Orion as a rainbow of dots sprinkled throughout the image. Orange-yellow dots revealed by Spitzer are actually infant stars deeply embedded in a cocoon of dust and gas. Hubble showed less embedded stars as specks of green, and foreground stars as blue spots.

Stellar winds from clusters of newborn stars scattered throughout the cloud etched all of the well-defined ridges and cavities in Orion. The large cavity near the right of the image was most likely carved by winds from the Trapezium's stars.

Located 1,500 light-years away from Earth, the Orion nebula is the brightest spot in the sword of the Orion, or the 'Hunter' constellation. The cosmic cloud is also our closest massive star-formation factory, and astronomers believe it contains more than 1,000 young stars.

The Orion constellation is a familiar sight in the fall and winter night sky in the northern hemisphere. The nebula is invisible to the unaided eye, but can be resolved with binoculars or small telescopes.

This image is a false-color composite where light detected at wavelengths of 0.43, 0.50, and 0.53 microns is blue. Light at wavelengths of 0.6, 0.65, and 0.91 microns is green. Light at 3.6 microns is orange, and 8.0 microns is red.

Deep sequencing of viral small-RNAs of citrus tristeza virus (CTV) reveals genomic differences between two Italian isolates of CTV

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

A recent Citrus tristeza virus (CTV) epidemic of quick decline (QD) killed many sweet orange trees grafted on sour orange rootstock in Sicily but left some asymptomatic trees in the same field. Recent reports indicated cross-protection involves exclusion of a severe CTV strain by a mild strain of th...

Expansion of ribosomally produced natural products: a nitrile hydratase- and Nif11-related precursor family

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background A new family of natural products has been described in which cysteine, serine and threonine from ribosomally-produced peptides are converted to thiazoles, oxazoles and methyloxazoles, respectively. These metabolites and their biosynthetic gene clusters are now referred to as thiazole/oxazole-modified microcins (TOMM). As exemplified by microcin B17 and streptolysin S, TOMM precursors contain an N-terminal leader sequence and C-terminal core peptide. The leader sequence contains binding sites for the posttranslational modifying enzymes which subsequently act upon the core peptide. TOMM peptides are small and highly variable, frequently missed by gene-finders and occasionally situated far from the thiazole/oxazole forming genes. Thus, locating a substrate for a particular TOMM pathway can be a challenging endeavor. Results Examination of candidate TOMM precursors has revealed a subclass with an uncharacteristically long leader sequence closely related to the enzyme nitrile hydratase. Members of this nitrile hydratase leader peptide (NHLP) family lack the metal-binding residues required for catalysis. Instead, NHLP sequences display the classic Gly-Gly cleavage motif and have C-terminal regions rich in heterocyclizable residues. The NHLP family exhibits a correlated species distribution and local clustering with an ABC transport system. This study also provides evidence that a separate family, annotated as Nif11 nitrogen-fixing proteins, can serve as natural product precursors (N11P), but not always of the TOMM variety. Indeed, a number of cyanobacterial genomes show extensive N11P paralogous expansion, such as Nostoc, Prochlorococcus and Cyanothece, which replace the TOMM cluster with lanthionine biosynthetic machinery. Conclusions This study has united numerous TOMM gene clusters with their cognate substrates. These results suggest that two large protein families, the nitrile hydratases and Nif11, have been retailored for secondary metabolism. Precursors for TOMMs and lanthionine-containing peptides derived from larger proteins to which other functions are attributed, may be widespread. The functions of these natural products have yet to be elucidated, but it is probable that some will display valuable industrial or medical activities. PMID:20500830

Synthesis, structure characterization, in vitro and in silico biological evaluation of a new series of thiazole nucleus integrated with pyrazoline scaffolds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sadashiva, Rajitha; Naral, Damodara; Kudva, Jyothi; Madan Kumar, S.; Byrappa, K.; Mohammed Shafeeulla, R.; Kumsi, Manjunatha

2017-10-01

In the current study, a series of 2,4-disubstituted-1,3-thiazoles linked with pyrazoline scaffolds 3a-o were rationally designed and synthesized. The structures of the title compounds were elucidated by spectroscopic data (UV-Vis, IR, NMR and Mass spectra) and elemental analysis. Single crystal X-Ray diffraction studies revealed that, the compounds 3i and 3k crystallized in monoclinic crystal system with P21/n space group and Z = 4. The molecules 3i and 3k were connected with intermolecular hydrogen bonds N2-H2 … O1, N3sbnd H3 … Cl1 and short contacts (Csbnd H … π and Csbnd Cl … π). Intramolecular hydrogen bonds, N3sbnd H3 … N5 and C5sbnd H5 ….N1 were also existed. The compounds were evaluated for their anticancer activity against A549 and MCF-7 human cancer cell lines and in vitro antimicrobial activity against pathogenic microbial strains. The compounds bearing chloro atom at the para position of phenyl ring A like 3f, 3j and 3k with the IC50: 7.5, 5.0 and 5.0 μM respectively, exhibited better activity than standard drug Cisplatin (IC50: 10.0 μM). In addition, the compounds 3a, 3f, 3j and 3l have exhibited the similar antimicrobial activity as that of standard drug Ciprofloxacin and Fluconazole. Furthermore, to support the biological potency of the compounds, in silico molecular docking studies were carried out against the E. coli MurB (PDB code: pdb:2MBR)

An Electron-Transporting Thiazole-Based Polymer Synthesized Through Direct (Hetero)Arylation Polymerization.

PubMed

Chávez, Patricia; Bulut, Ibrahim; Fall, Sadiara; Ibraikulov, Olzhas A; Chochos, Christos L; Bartringer, Jérémy; Heiser, Thomas; Lévêque, Patrick; Leclerc, Nicolas

2018-05-25

In this work, a new n -type polymer based on a thiazole-diketopyrrolopyrrole unit has been synthesized through direct (hetero)arylation polycondensation. The molar mass has been optimized by systematic variation of the the monomer concentration. Optical and electrochemical properties have been studied. They clearly suggested that this polymer possess a high electron affinity together with a very interesting absorption band, making it a good non-fullerene acceptor candidate. As a consequence, its charge transport and photovoltaic properties in a blend with the usual P3HT electron-donating polymer have been investigated.

Facile synthesis of highly substituted 3-aminofurans from thiazolium salts, aldehydes, and dimethyl acetylenedicarboxylate.

PubMed

Ma, Cheng; Ding, Hanfeng; Wu, Guangming; Yang, Yewei

2005-10-28

[reaction: see text] A facile preparation of 3-aminofuran derivatives via multicomponent reactions of thiazole carbenes, aldehydes, and dimethyl acetylenedicarboxylate (DMAD) is reported. In this process, the thiazole carbenes, generated in situ from thiazolium salts, reacted with aldehydes and DMAD at -78 to 0 degree C in CH(2)Cl(2) to afford the substituted furans in moderate to good yields. Eight substituted thiazolium salts were employed as carbene precursors in the reaction. Besides aryl aldehydes, alpha,beta-unsaturated aldehydes, aliphatic aldehydes, and arenedial were also investigated and found to be applicable to this reaction.

Apollo 17 "Orange soil" and meteorite impact on liquid lava

USGS Publications Warehouse

Roedder, E.; Weiblen, P.W.

1973-01-01

THE 'orange soil' from Shorty Crater differs greatly from ordinary lunar soils in that it consists of ???99% 10-300 ??m smooth shiny spherules and broken fragments of spherules of transparent orange glass, about 20% of which contain partly crystallized to opaque material. The remaining 1 % is chiefly crystalline basalt fragments. Although the colour of the individual orange spherule varies with thickness from yellow-orange to red-brown, all orange glass in our sample (74220, 70; 0.25 g) has a uniform index of refraction (??? 1.712). By contrast, other lunar soils contain spherules ranging from 1.50 to 1.75. The orange glass is also completely free of bubbles, to the limit of resolution of the light microscope, whereas bubbles are present in many other spherule samples. The spherules generally appear spherical in a normal microscope mount, but when viewed from two directions many are found to be oblate spheroids with axial ratios varying from near 1.00 to as low as 0.42 (Fig. 1a). Some have fissioned during free flight1 and all stages of the fission process are found, as described for the Apollo 11 samples. Only a few spherules seem to have been distorted by landing while still soft. One notable exception is the occurrence of small spherules of orange glass conforming and adhering to the surface of larger black spherules (Fig. 1b). ?? 1973 Nature Publishing Group.

Enhanced decolorization of methyl orange in aqueous solution using iron-carbon micro-electrolysis activation of sodium persulfate.

PubMed

Li, Peng; Liu, Zhipeng; Wang, Xuegang; Guo, Yadan; Wang, Lizhang

2017-08-01

Reactivity of sodium persulfate (PS) in the decolorization of methyl orange (MO) in aqueous solution using an iron-carbon micro-electrolysis (ICE) method was investigated. The effects of sodium persulfate doses, pH, Fe-to-C mass ratios, initial MO concentration as well as the reaction temperature were comprehensively studied in batch experiments. The ICE-PS coupled process was more suitable for wide ranges of pH, initial MO concentration and reaction temperature, accompanied by the reduction of Fe compared ICE. The MO removal efficiency improved substantially by ICE-PS technique, 76.03% for ICE and 91.27% for ICE-PS at experimental conditions of pH 3.0, Fe-to-C mass ratio 3:1, PS addition 10 mM and initial MO concentration 0.61 mM. Furthermore, the biodegradability index (BI) dramatically increased from 0.26 to 0.65. The binary hydroxyl and sulfate radicals that non-selectively degrade MO to the derivatives with small molecules are ascribed to ICE-PS method as detected by the UV-vis spectra. The PS activation resource was Fe 2+ through the hydroxyl radical quenching reaction by the additive tert-butanol (TBA). This study provides an in-depth theoretical understanding of the development and wide commercial application of the ICE technology to refractory industrial dye wastewater treatment. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Binding of fluorescent acridine dyes acridine orange and 9-aminoacridine to hemoglobin: Elucidation of their molecular recognition by spectroscopy, calorimetry and molecular modeling techniques.

PubMed

Chatterjee, Sabyasachi; Kumar, Gopinatha Suresh

2016-06-01

The molecular interaction between hemoglobin (HHb), the major human heme protein, and the acridine dyes acridine orange (AO) and 9-aminoacridine (9AA) was studied by various spectroscopic, calorimetric and molecular modeling techniques. The dyes formed stable ground state complex with HHb as revealed from spectroscopic data. Temperature dependent fluorescence data showed the strength of the dye-protein complexation to be inversely proportional to temperature and the fluorescence quenching was static in nature. The binding-induced conformational change in the protein was investigated using circular dichroism, synchronous fluorescence, 3D fluorescence and FTIR spectroscopy results. Circular dichroism data also quantified the α-helicity change in hemoglobin due to the binding of acridine dyes. Calorimetric studies revealed the binding to be endothermic in nature for both AO and 9AA, though the latter had higher affinity, and this was also observed from spectroscopic data. The binding of both dyes was entropy driven. pH dependent fluorescence studies revealed the existence of electrostatic interaction between the protein and dye molecules. Molecular modeling studies specified the binding site and the non-covalent interactions involved in the association. Overall, the results revealed that a small change in the acridine chromophore leads to remarkable alteration in the structural and thermodynamic aspects of binding to HHb. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

X-ray crystallographic study of 3-Oxo-2-{[4-(thiazol-2-ylsulfamoyl)-phenyl]-hydrazono}-butyric acid ethyl ester and its application in the solvent assisted naked eye sensing of Hg(II)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Upadhyay, K. K.; Upadhyay, Shalini; Kumar, Kamlesh; Prasad, Rajendra

2009-06-01

The 3-Oxo-2-{[4-(thiazol-2-ylsulfamoyl)-phenyl]-hydrazono}-butyric acid ethyl ester (OSPBE) was studied through single crystal structure analysis revealing some interesting supramolecular architectural patterns. The N(3)-N(4) bond length of OSPBE was found to be 1.36 Å matching well with reported N-N bond length in the literature and hence clearly proved that it is the keto form of OSPBE which is stable. Full structural optimization of OSPBE using density functional theory (DFT) at the HCTH407/6-31G ∗∗ level also proved that the keto form of OSPBE is stable. The UV-Vis absorption peaks for OSPBE predicted by the time dependent DFT at B3LYP/6-311G ∗∗ level matched quite well with the experimentally observed UV-Vis bands for OSPBE. The OSPBE was successfully tested as the naked eye sensor for Hg(II) as its chloride salt at the millimolar level in dimethylsulfoxide. A color change from red orange to olive green was observed on addition of 1.0 equiv. of Hg(II) to the 1.0 × 10 -3 M DMSO solution of the chemosensor. The role of DMSO in the sensing process appears to be the crucial one because the intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) band of OSPBE in DMSO observed at 489 nm did not appear in the UV-Vis spectrum of OSPBE in nujol. The UV-Vis and 1H NMR titrations revealed that formation of six membered 1:1 chelate between OSPBE and Hg(II) along with reversible supramolecular association of DMSO with NH at N-2 position in OSPBE may be responsible for its Hg(II) sensing. No sensing for other d 10 metal ions like Zn(II) and Cd(II) were observed with OSPBE under similar conditions. Besides DMSO, some other polar aprotic solvents like DMF and acetone having X dbnd O (where X = C) also produced similar type of color change on the addition of 1.0 equiv. of Hg(II) to their respective 1.0 × 10 -3 M OSPBE solutions. Nevertheless, polar aprotic solvent like acetonitrile not having X dbnd O or non-polar aprotic solvent like chloroform no color change was observed under similar conditions.

Interior. Distillation apparatus used for extracting small test amounts of ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

Interior. Distillation apparatus used for extracting small test amounts of latex from plant fiber. - Thomas A. Edison Laboratories, Building No. 2, Main Street & Lakeside Avenue, West Orange, Essex County, NJ

Effect of Bearing Defects

DTIC Science & Technology

1974-12-01

defect types were tested at various levels: Comet- Tail, Dig-Nick, Dirt Brinell, Grind-Skip Lines, Impingement, Orange Peel , Pit, Scratch and "Liney...Shallow irregular indentation of surface. <.0015 max. dim. -(<.0008)*’ Otange Peel Pebbly appearance of raceway surface. Small ** Comet Tail Pit...scratch; dig-nick; impingement; grind-skip lines; and orange peel . The data obtained indicated that these defects in most cases, affected bearing

Complete mitochondrial genome of the orange clownfish Amphiprion percula (Pisces: Perciformes, Pomacentridae).

PubMed

Tao, Yong; Li, Jian-Long; Liu, Min; Hu, Xue-Yi

2016-01-01

In this study we determined the complete mitochondrial (mt) genome of the orange clownfish Amphiprion percula. The circular mtDNA molecule was 16,645 bp in size and the overall nucleotide composition of the H-strand was 29.20% A, 25.80% T, 16.03% G and 28.98% C, with an A + T bias. The complete mitogenome encoded 13 protein-coding genes, 2 rRNAs, 22 tRNAs and 1 control region (D-loop), with the gene arrangement and translation direction basically identical to other typical vertebrate mitogenomes. The similarity of the complete mitogenomes between A. percula and A. ocellaris (AP006017) was 95.60%, clearly different at molecular level.

Trends in active pharmaceutical ingredient salt selection based on analysis of the Orange Book database.

PubMed

Paulekuhn, G Steffen; Dressman, Jennifer B; Saal, Christoph

2007-12-27

The Orange Book database published by the U.S. Drug and Food Administration (FDA) was analyzed for the frequency of occurrence of different counterions used for the formation of pharmaceutical salts. The data obtained from the present analysis of the Orange Book are compared to reviews of the Cambridge Structural Database (CSD) and of the Martindale "The Extra Pharmacopoeia". As well as showing overall distributions of counterion usage, results are broken down into 5-year increments to identify trends in counterion selection. Chloride ions continue to be the most frequently utilized anionic counterions for the formation of salts as active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), while sodium ions are most widely utilized for the formation of salts starting from acidic molecules. A strong trend toward a wider variety of counterions over the past decade is observed. This trend can be explained by a stronger need to improve physical chemical properties of research and development compounds.

Acridine Orange/exosomes increase the delivery and the effectiveness of Acridine Orange in human melanoma cells: A new prototype for theranostics of tumors.

PubMed

Iessi, Elisabetta; Logozzi, Mariantonia; Lugini, Luana; Azzarito, Tommaso; Federici, Cristina; Spugnini, Enrico Pierluigi; Mizzoni, Davide; Di Raimo, Rossella; Angelini, Daniela F; Battistini, Luca; Cecchetti, Serena; Fais, Stefano

2017-12-01

Specifically targeted drug delivery systems with low immunogenicity and toxicity are deemed to increase efficacy of cancer chemotherapy. Acridine Orange (AO) is an acidophilic dye with a strong tumoricidal action following excitation with a light source at 466 nm. However, to date the clinical use of AO is limited by the potential side effects elicited by systemic administration. The endogenous nanocarrier exosomes have been recently introduced as a natural delivery system for therapeutic molecules. In this article, we show the outcome of the administration to human melanoma cells of AO charged Exosomes (Exo-AO), in both monolayer and spheroid models. The results showed an extended drug delivery time of Exo-AO to melanoma cells as compared to the free AO, improving the cytotoxicity of AO. This study shows that Exo-AO have a great potential for a real exploitation as a new theranostic approach against tumors based on AO delivered through the exosomes.

Citrus essential oils and four enantiomeric pinenes against Culex pipiens (Diptera: Culicidae).

PubMed

Michaelakis, Antonios; Papachristos, Dimitrios; Kimbaris, Athanasios; Koliopoulos, George; Giatropoulos, Athanasios; Polissiou, Moschos G

2009-09-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the toxicity of pinenes (enantiomers of alpha- and beta-) and essential oils from Greek plants of the Rutaceae family against the mosquito larvae of Culex pipiens (Diptera: Culicidae). Essential oils were isolated by hydrodistillation from fruit peel of orange (Citrus sinensis L.), lemon (Citrus limon L.), and bitter orange (Citrus aurantium L.). The chemical composition was determined by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) analysis. Citrus essential oils contained in high proportion limonene and in lower quantities p-menthane molecules and pinenes. The insecticidal action of these essential oils and enantiomers of their pinenes on mosquito larvae was evaluated. Plant essential oils exhibited strong toxicity against larvae with the LC(50) values ranging from 30.1 (lemon) to 51.5 mg/L (orange) depending on Citrus species and their composition. Finally, the LC(50) value of pinenes ranging from 36.53 to 66.52 mg/L indicated an enantioselective toxicity only for the beta-pinene enantiomer.

Molten salt-supported polycondensation of optically active diacid monomers with an aromatic thiazole-bearing diamine using microwave irradiation.

PubMed

Mallakpour, Shadpour; Zadehnazari, Amin

2014-05-01

Microwave heating was used to prepare optically active thiazole-bearing poly(amide-imide)s. Polymerization reactions were carried out in the molten tetrabutylammonium bromide as a green molten salt medium and triphenyl phosphite as the homogenizer. Structural elucidation of the compounds was performed by Fourier transform infrared and NMR spectroscopic data and elemental analysis results. The polymeric samples were readily soluble in various organic solvents, forming low-colored and flexible thin films via solution casting. They showed high thermal stability with decomposition temperature being above 360 °C. They were assembled randomly in a nanoscale size.

Naturally Inspired Peptide Leads: Alanine Scanning Reveals an Actin‐Targeting Thiazole Analogue of Bisebromoamide

PubMed Central

Johnston, Heather J.; Boys, Sarah K.; Makda, Ashraff; Carragher, Neil O.

2016-01-01

Abstract Systematic alanine scanning of the linear peptide bisebromoamide (BBA), isolated from a marine cyanobacterium, was enabled by solid‐phase peptide synthesis of thiazole analogues. The analogues have comparable cytotoxicity (nanomolar) to that of BBA, and cellular morphology assays indicated that they target the actin cytoskeleton. Pathway inhibition in human colon tumour (HCT116) cells was explored by reverse phase protein array (RPPA) analysis, which showed a dose‐dependent response in IRS‐1 expression. Alanine scanning reveals a structural dependence to the cytotoxicity, actin targeting and pathway inhibition, and allows a new readily synthesised lead to be proposed. PMID:27304907

Novel 4-(4-substituted-thiazol-2-ylamino)-N-(pyridin-2-yl)-benzenesulfonamides as cytotoxic and radiosensitizing agents.

PubMed

Ghorab, Mostafa M; Ragab, Fatma A; Heiba, Helmy I; Agha, Hebaallah M; Nissan, Yassin M

2012-01-01

A series of novel 4-(4-substituted-thiazol-2-ylamino)-N-(pyridin-2-yl) benzene-sulfonamides were synthesized and screened for their cytotoxic activity against human breast cancer cell line (MCF-7). Compounds 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, and 14 displayed significant activity against MCF-7 when compared to doxorubicin, which was used as a reference drug. The synergistic effect of Gamma radiation for the most active derivatives 7, 9, and 11 was also studied and their IC(50) values markedly decreased to 11.9 μM, 11.7 μM, and 11.6 μM, respectively.

Molten salt-supported polycondensation of optically active diacid monomers with an aromatic thiazole-bearing diamine using microwave irradiation

PubMed Central

Mallakpour, Shadpour; Zadehnazari, Amin

2013-01-01

Microwave heating was used to prepare optically active thiazole-bearing poly(amide-imide)s. Polymerization reactions were carried out in the molten tetrabutylammonium bromide as a green molten salt medium and triphenyl phosphite as the homogenizer. Structural elucidation of the compounds was performed by Fourier transform infrared and NMR spectroscopic data and elemental analysis results. The polymeric samples were readily soluble in various organic solvents, forming low-colored and flexible thin films via solution casting. They showed high thermal stability with decomposition temperature being above 360 °C. They were assembled randomly in a nanoscale size. PMID:25685498

The aryl hydrocarbon receptor ligand ITE inhibits TGFβ1-induced human myofibroblast differentiation.

PubMed

Lehmann, Geniece M; Xi, Xia; Kulkarni, Ajit A; Olsen, Keith C; Pollock, Stephen J; Baglole, Carolyn J; Gupta, Shikha; Casey, Ann E; Huxlin, Krystel R; Sime, Patricia J; Feldon, Steven E; Phipps, Richard P

2011-04-01

Fibrosis can occur in any human tissue when the normal wound healing response is amplified. Such amplification results in fibroblast proliferation, myofibroblast differentiation, and excessive extracellular matrix deposition. Occurrence of these sequelae in organs such as the eye or lung can result in severe consequences to health. Unfortunately, medical treatment of fibrosis is limited by a lack of safe and effective therapies. These therapies may be developed by identifying agents that inhibit critical steps in fibrotic progression; one such step is myofibroblast differentiation triggered by transforming growth factor-β1 (TGFβ1). In this study, we demonstrate that TGFβ1-induced myofibroblast differentiation is blocked in human fibroblasts by a candidate endogenous aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) ligand 2-(1'H-indole-3'-carbonyl)-thiazole-4-carboxylic acid methyl ester (ITE). Our data show that ITE disrupts TGFβ1 signaling by inhibiting the nuclear translocation of Smad2/3/4. Although ITE functions as an AhR agonist, and biologically persistent AhR agonists, such as 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin, cause severe toxic effects, ITE exhibits no toxicity. Interestingly, ITE effectively inhibits TGFβ1-driven myofibroblast differentiation in AhR(-/-) fibroblasts: Its ability to inhibit TGFβ1 signaling is AhR independent. As supported by the results of this study, the small molecule ITE inhibits myofibroblast differentiation and may be useful clinically as an antiscarring agent. Copyright © 2011 American Society for Investigative Pathology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Synthesis, XRD single crystal structure analysis, vibrational spectral analysis, molecular dynamics and molecular docking studies of 2-(3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenyl) benzothiazole

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sarau Devi, A.; Aswathy, V. V.; Sheena Mary, Y.; Yohannan Panicker, C.; Armaković, Stevan; Armaković, Sanja J.; Ravindran, Reena; Van Alsenoy, C.

2017-11-01

The vibrational spectra and corresponding vibrational assignments of 2-(3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenyl)benzothiazole is reported. Single crystal XRD data of the title compound is reported and the orientation of methoxy group is cis to nitrogen atom of the thiazole ring. The phenyl ring breathing modes of the title compound are assigned at 1042 and 731 cm-1 theoretically. The charge transfer within the molecule is studied using frontier molecular orbital analysis. The chemical reactivity descriptors are calculated theoretically. The NMR spectral data predicted theoretically are in good agreement with the experimental data. The strong negative region spread over the phenyl rings, nitrogen atom and oxygen atom of the hydroxyl group in the MEP plot is due to the immense conjugative and hyper conjugative resonance charge delocalization of π-electrons. Molecule sites prone to electrophilic attacks have been determined by analysis of ALIE surfaces, while Fukui functions provided further insight into the local reactivity properties of title molecule. Autoxidation properties have been investigated by calculation of bond dissociation energies (BDEs) of hydrogen abstraction, while BDEs of the rest of the single acyclic bonds were valuable for the further investigation of degradation properties. Calculation of radial distribution functions was performed in order to determine which atoms of the title molecule have pronounced interactions with water molecules. The title compound forms a stable complex with aryl hydrocarbon receptor and can be a lead compound for developing new anti-tumor drug. Antimicrobial properties of the title compound was screened against one bacterial culture Escherchia coli and four fungal cultures viz., Aspergillus niger, Pencillum chrysogenum, Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Rhyzopus stolonifer.

No Mickey Mouse Operation: Despite Cutting-Edge Technology, Free Book Delivery, and Bilingual Programming, Luring Users Is the Orange County Library's Greatest Challenge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rogers, Michael

2004-01-01

Living in the vast shadow cast by the spires of the Magic Kingdom presents special challenges for Orlando's Orange County Library System (OCLS), the most formidable of which is increasing its relatively small user base. The library additionally faces tension between the administration and staff, political strife on the board, and looming contract…

Optimization of the Alkyl Linker of TO Base Surrogate in Triplex-Forming PNA for Enhanced Binding to Double-Stranded RNA.

PubMed

Sato, Takaya; Sato, Yusuke; Nishizawa, Seiichi

2017-03-23

A series of triplex-forming peptide nucleic acid (TFP) probes carrying a thiazole orange (TO) base surrogate through an alkyl linker was synthesized, and the interactions between these so-called tFIT probes and purine-rich sequences within double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) were examined. We found that the TO base surrogate linker significantly affected both the binding affinity and the fluorescence response upon triplex formation with the target dsRNA. Among the probes examined, the TO base surrogate connected through the propyl linker in the tFIT probes increased the binding affinity by a factor of ten while maintaining its function as the fluorescent universal base. Isothermal titration calorimetry experiments revealed that the increased binding affinity resulted from the gain in the binding enthalpy, which could be explained by the enhanced π-stacking interaction between the TO base surrogate and the dsRNA part of the triplex. We expect that these results will provide a molecular basis for designing strong binding tFIT probes for fluorescence sensing of various kinds of purine-rich dsRNAs sequences including those carrying a pyrimidine-purine inversion. The obtained data also offers a new insight into further development of the universal bases incorporated in TFP. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Label-free detection of kanamycin based on a G-quadruplex DNA aptamer-based fluorescent intercalator displacement assay

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xing, Yun-Peng; Liu, Chun; Zhou, Xiao-Hong; Shi, Han-Chang

2015-01-01

This work was the first to report that the kanamycin-binding DNA aptamer (5'-TGG GGG TTG AGG CTA AGC CGA-3') can form stable parallel G-quadruplex DNA (G4-DNA) structures by themselves and that this phenomenon can be verified by nondenaturing polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and circular dichroism spectroscopy. Based on these findings, we developed a novel label-free strategy for kanamycin detection based on the G4-DNA aptamer-based fluorescent intercalator displacement assay with thiazole orange (TO) as the fluorescence probe. In the proposed strategy, TO became strongly fluorescent upon binding to kanamycin-binding G4-DNA. However, the addition of kanamycin caused the displacement of TO from the G4-DNA-TO conjugate, thereby resulting in decreased fluorescent signal, which was inversely related to the kanamycin concentration. The detection limit of the proposed assay decreased to 59 nM with a linear working range of 0.1 μM to 20 μM for kanamycin. The cross-reactivity against six other antibiotics was negligible compared with the response to kanamycin. A satisfactory recovery of kanamycin in milk samples ranged from 80.1% to 98.0%, confirming the potential of this bioassay in the measurement of kanamycin in various applications. Our results also served as a good reference for developing similar fluorescent G4-DNA-based bioassays in the future.

Alcoholic fermentation induces melatonin synthesis in orange juice.

PubMed

Fernández-Pachón, M S; Medina, S; Herrero-Martín, G; Cerrillo, I; Berná, G; Escudero-López, B; Ferreres, F; Martín, F; García-Parrilla, M C; Gil-Izquierdo, A

2014-01-01

Melatonin (N-acetyl-5-methoxytryptamine) is a molecule implicated in multiple biological functions. Its level decreases with age, and the intake of foods rich in melatonin has been considered an exogenous source of this important agent. Orange is a natural source of melatonin. Melatonin synthesis occurs during alcoholic fermentation of grapes, malt and pomegranate. The amino acid tryptophan is the precursor of all 5-methoxytryptamines. Indeed, melatonin appears in a shorter time in wines when tryptophan is added before fermentation. The aim of the study was to measure melatonin content during alcoholic fermentation of orange juice and to evaluate the role of the precursor tryptophan. Identification and quantification of melatonin during the alcoholic fermentation of orange juice was carried out by UHPLC-QqQ-MS/MS. Melatonin significantly increased throughout fermentation from day 0 (3.15 ng/mL) until day 15 (21.80 ng/mL) reaching larger amounts with respect to other foods. Melatonin isomer was also analysed, but its content remained stable ranging from 11.59 to 14.18 ng/mL. The enhancement of melatonin occurred mainly in the soluble fraction. Tryptophan levels significantly dropped from 13.80 mg/L (day 0) up to 3.19 mg/L (day 15) during fermentation. Melatonin was inversely and significantly correlated with tryptophan (r = 0.907). Therefore, the enhancement in melatonin could be due to both the occurrence of tryptophan and the new synthesis by yeast. In summary, the enhancement of melatonin in novel fermented orange beverage would improve the health benefits of orange juice by increasing this bioactive compound. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Fumigant Activity of Sweet Orange Essential Oil Fractions Against Red Imported Fire Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae).

PubMed

Hu, Wei; Zhang, Ning; Chen, Hongli; Zhong, Balian; Yang, Aixue; Kuang, Fan; Ouyang, Zhigang; Chun, Jiong

2017-08-01

Sweet orange oil fractions were prepared by molecular distillation of cold-pressed orange oil from sample A (Citrus sinensis (L.) 'Hamlin' from America) and sample B (Citrus sinensis Osbeck 'Newhall' from China) respectively, and their fumigant activities against medium workers of red imported fire ants (Solenopsis invicta Buren) were investigated. The volatile composition of the orange oil fractions was identified and quantified using GC-MS. Fractions from sample A (A1, A2, and A3) contained 23, 37, and 48 chemical constituents, and fractions from sample B (B1, B2, and B3) contained 18, 29, and 26 chemical constituents, respectively. Monoterpenes were the most abundant components, accounting for 73.56% to 94.86% of total orange oil fractions, among which D-limonene (65.28-80.18%), β-pinene (1.71-5.58%), 3-carene (0.41-4.01%), β-phellandrene (0.58-2.10%), and linalool (0.31-2.20%) were major constituents. Fumigant bioassay indicated that all orange oil fractions exerted good fumigant toxicity against workers of fire ants at 3, 5, 10, and 20 mg/centrifuge tubes, and B1 had the strongest insecticidal potential, followed by A1, B2, A2, B3, and A3. The fractions composed of more high volatile molecules (A1 and B1) showed greater fumigant effects than others. Compounds linalool and D-limonene, which were the constituents of the orange oil, exhibited excellent fumigant toxicity against red imported fire ant workers. Linalool killed red imported fire ant workers completely at 5, 10, and 20 mg/tube after 8 h of treatment, and D-limonene induced >86% mortality at 8 h of exposure. © The Authors 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Bright Summer Afternoon on the Mars Utopian Planitia

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1976-01-01

A UTOPIAN BRIGHT SUMMER AFTERNOON ON MARS--Looking south from Viking 2 on September 6, the orange-red surface of the nearly level plain upon which the spacecraft sits is seen strewn with rocks as large as three feet across. Many of these rocks are porous and sponge-like, similar to some of Earth's volcanic rocks. Other rocks are coarse-grained such as the large rock at lower left. Between the rocks, the surface is blanketed with fine-grained material that, in places, is piled into small drifts and banked against some of the larger blocks. The cylindrical mast with the orange cable is the low-gain antenna used to receive commands from Earth.

Veterans Affairs: Presumptive Service Connection and Disability Compensation

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-03-28

Orange] dioxin have slightly higher rates of diabetes or prostate cancer, have resulted in an inexorable push to compensate all veterans with... diabetes /prostate cancer even if it is likely that [Agent Orange] dioxin exposure is a determinative factor in only a small percentage of cases. Since it...is impossible to know what role dioxin played in any particular case, all Vietnam veterans with diabetes and prostate cancer have been and are being

Veterans Affairs: Presumptive Service Connection and Disability Compensation

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-09-13

that those exposed to [Agent Orange] dioxin have slightly higher rates of diabetes or prostate cancer, have resulted in an inexorable push to...compensate all veterans with diabetes /prostate cancer even if it is likely that [Agent Orange] dioxin exposure is a determinative factor in only a small...percentage of cases. Since it is impossible to know what role dioxin played in any particular case, all Vietnam veterans with diabetes and prostate

Structural investigation of a new antimicrobial thiazolidine compound

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cozar, I. B.; Pırnǎu, A.; Vedeanu, N.; Nastasǎ, C.

2013-11-01

Thiazoles and their derivatives have attracted the interest over the last decades because of their varied biological activities: antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, inflammation or in the treatment of allergies. A new synthesized compound 3-[2-(4-Methyl-2-phenyl-thiazol-5-yl)-2-oxo-ethyl]-thazolidine-2,4-dione was investigated by FT-IR, FT-Raman, 1H, 13C NMR spectroscopies and also by DFT calculations at B3LYP/6-31G(d) level of theory. The very good correlation found between the experimental and theoretical data shows that the optimized molecular structure is very close to reality. Also the NMR spectra show a monomeric behaviour of this compound in solutions.

Spectral properties and structure of unsymmetrical diarylethenes based on thiazole ring with hydrogen at the reactive carbon.

PubMed

Lvov, Andrey G; Alexeeva, Anna M; Lvova, Evgeniya A; Krayushkin, Mikhail M; Shirinian, Valerii Z

2018-05-31

Six new photoactive unsymmetrical diarylethenes bearing thiazole ring with hydrogen at the reactive carbon atom have been synthesized. Their structures have been studied by DFT calculations and X-ray crystallography. All compounds undergo irreversible photochemical transformations under irradiation with ultraviolet light, proceeding through the photocyclization stage. It has been found that only some normal (thiophene, imidazole and pyrazole derivatives) and inverse type (oxazole derivative) diarylethenes form colored photoinduced isomers under UV. In polar acetonitrile these intermediates show relatively fast irreversible thermal reaction, while in nonpolar toluene slow cycloreversion to initial diarylethenes is the predominant process of these species. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Structural investigation of a new antimicrobial thiazolidine compound

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cozar, I. B.; Pîrnău, A.; Vedeanu, N.

2013-11-13

Thiazoles and their derivatives have attracted the interest over the last decades because of their varied biological activities: antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, inflammation or in the treatment of allergies. A new synthesized compound 3-[2-(4-Methyl-2-phenyl-thiazol-5-yl)-2-oxo-ethyl]-thazolidine-2,4-dione was investigated by FT-IR, FT-Raman, {sup 1}H, {sup 13}C NMR spectroscopies and also by DFT calculations at B3LYP/6-31G(d) level of theory. The very good correlation found between the experimental and theoretical data shows that the optimized molecular structure is very close to reality. Also the NMR spectra show a monomeric behaviour of this compound in solutions.

Sono-incorporation of CuO nanoparticles on the surface and into the mesoporous hexatitanate layers: Enhanced Fenton-like activity in degradation of orange-G at its neutral pH

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sehati, S.; Entezari, M. H.

2017-03-01

In this work, for the first time, CuO/Ti6O13 mesoporous nanocomposite was synthesized by direct intercalation of CuO nanoparticles into hexatitanate layers in the presence of ultrasound. In fact mesoporous potassium hexatitanate with high pore size (44.94 nm) was used as a support. CuO nanoparticles were grown into the titanate pores which caused formation of ultra small CuO with uniform size and high surface area. In fact, titanate is considered as a substrate for better dispersion and nucleation of the CuO nanoparticles which prevented the agglomeration and overgrowth of guest molecules. The prepared sample was characterized by XRD, FE-SEM, TEM, UV-vis spectra, N2 adsorption-desorption, Raman spectra and FT-IR techniques. The product was used as a heterogeneous Fenton-like catalyst for the degradation of Orang G (OG). The effect of important parameters, including pH, H2O2 addition rate and catalyst loading on the decolorization of OG were investigated. Based on the results, CuO/Ti6O13 catalyst exhibited high catalytic activity for OG degradation in aqueous solution at neutral pH of the dye. Moreover, breaking of H2O2 during the catalytic reaction was monitored by spectroscopic method. The results confirmed the decomposition of H2O2 to produce rad OH which is the main active species for the degradation of OG.

Synthesis and Structural Features of [4,4'-Diisopropoxyester-2,2'-bipyridine], [Dichloro(4,4'-diisopropoxyester-2,2'-bi-pyridine)-platinum(ii)] and Its Dichloromethane Solvated Pseudo-Polymorph: Versatile Supramolecular Interactions

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Browning, Charles; Nesterov, Vladimir N.; Wang, Xiaoping

We report that the organic ligand 4,4'-diisopropoxyester-2,2'-bipyridine, C 18H 20N 2O 4 (1), crystallizes in the triclinic crystal system P-1 and the molecule occupies a special position in the unit cell. In the crystal, molecules form stacks with partial overlapping of the pyridine rings. The Pt(II) dichloro complex of 1 crystallizes from a mixture of ethanol/hexane and from dichloromethane to form orange and yellow crystals, respectively. The orange non-solvated crystals of the (bipyridine)(dichloro)platinum(II) complex C 18H 20N 2O 4PtCl 2 (2) crystallize in the triclinic crystal system P-1 as well with two independent molecules in the unit cell. In themore » crystal packing, molecules form two types of dimers with Pt1 ··· Pt1A and Pt2···Pt2A distances of 3.478 and 5.186 angstrom respectively. The yellow crystals, as a solvated pseudo-polymorph C 18H 20N 2O 4PtCl 2·1.5 CH 2Cl 2 (3) also crystallize in the triclinic crystal system P-1 with two independent molecules in the unit cell. In the crystal packing, molecules form Pt2 ···Pt1 ···Pt1A ···Pt2A intermolecular contacts with alternating distances 3.501 and 3.431 angstrom, respectively, forming infinite chains. Graphical Abstract The dichloro(bipyridine)platinum complex, dichloro(4,4'-diisopropoxyester-2,2'-bipyridine)platinum(II), forms single crystals as a stable non-solvated form and a solvated polymorph with dramatically different supramolecular structure and short contacts.« less

Synthesis and Structural Features of [4,4'-Diisopropoxyester-2,2'-bipyridine], [Dichloro(4,4'-diisopropoxyester-2,2'-bi-pyridine)-platinum(ii)] and Its Dichloromethane Solvated Pseudo-Polymorph: Versatile Supramolecular Interactions

DOE PAGES

Browning, Charles; Nesterov, Vladimir N.; Wang, Xiaoping; ...

2015-06-03

We report that the organic ligand 4,4'-diisopropoxyester-2,2'-bipyridine, C 18H 20N 2O 4 (1), crystallizes in the triclinic crystal system P-1 and the molecule occupies a special position in the unit cell. In the crystal, molecules form stacks with partial overlapping of the pyridine rings. The Pt(II) dichloro complex of 1 crystallizes from a mixture of ethanol/hexane and from dichloromethane to form orange and yellow crystals, respectively. The orange non-solvated crystals of the (bipyridine)(dichloro)platinum(II) complex C 18H 20N 2O 4PtCl 2 (2) crystallize in the triclinic crystal system P-1 as well with two independent molecules in the unit cell. In themore » crystal packing, molecules form two types of dimers with Pt1 ··· Pt1A and Pt2···Pt2A distances of 3.478 and 5.186 angstrom respectively. The yellow crystals, as a solvated pseudo-polymorph C 18H 20N 2O 4PtCl 2·1.5 CH 2Cl 2 (3) also crystallize in the triclinic crystal system P-1 with two independent molecules in the unit cell. In the crystal packing, molecules form Pt2 ···Pt1 ···Pt1A ···Pt2A intermolecular contacts with alternating distances 3.501 and 3.431 angstrom, respectively, forming infinite chains. Graphical Abstract The dichloro(bipyridine)platinum complex, dichloro(4,4'-diisopropoxyester-2,2'-bipyridine)platinum(II), forms single crystals as a stable non-solvated form and a solvated polymorph with dramatically different supramolecular structure and short contacts.« less

Synthesis, molecular docking studies of coumarinyl-pyrazolinyl substituted thiazoles as non-competitive inhibitors of mushroom tyrosinase.

PubMed

Saeed, Aamer; Mahesar, Parvez Ali; Channar, Pervaiz Ali; Abbas, Qamar; Larik, Fayaz Ali; Hassan, Mubashir; Raza, Hussain; Seo, Sung-Yum

2017-10-01

A series of coumarinyl-pyrazolinyl substituted thiazoles derivatives were synthesized and their inhibitory effects on the DPPH and mushroom tyrosinase were evaluated. The results showed that all of the synthesized compounds exhibited significant mushroom tyrosinase inhibitory activities. In particular, 3-(5-(4-(benzyloxy)-3-methoxyphenyl)-1-(4-(4-bromophenyl)thiazol-2-yl)-4,5-dihydro-1H-pyrazol-3-yl)-2H-chromen-2-one (7j) exhibited the most potent tyrosinase inhibitory activity with IC 50 value 0.00458±0.00022μM compared with the IC 50 value of kojic acid is 16.84±0.052μM. The inhibition mechanism analyzed by Lineweaver-Burk plots revealed that the type of inhibition of compound 7j on tyrosinase was noncompetitive. The docking study against tyrosinase enzyme was also performed to determine the binding affinity of the compounds. The compound 7a showed the highest binding affinity (-10.20kcal/mol) with active binding site of tyrosinase. The initial structure activity relationships (SARs) analysis suggested that further development of such compounds might be of interest. The statistics of our results endorses that compound 7j may serve asa structural template for the design and development of novel tyrosinase inhibitors. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Adsorbed States of phosphonate derivatives of N-heterocyclic aromatic compounds, imidazole, thiazole, and pyridine on colloidal silver: comparison with a silver electrode.

PubMed

Podstawka, Edyta; Olszewski, Tomasz K; Boduszek, Bogdan; Proniewicz, Leonard M

2009-09-03

Here, we report a systematic surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) study of the structures of phosphonate derivatives of the N-heterocyclic aromatic compounds imidazole (ImMeP ([hydroxy(1H-imidazol-5-yl)methyl]phosphonic acid) and (ImMe)(2)P (bis[hydroxy-(1H-imidazol-4-yl)-methyl]phosphinic acid)), thiazole (BAThMeP (butylaminothiazol-2-yl-methyl)phosphonic acid) and BzAThMeP (benzylaminothiazol-2-yl-methyl)phosphonic acid)), and pyridine ((PyMe)(2)P (bis[(hydroxypyridin-3-yl-methyl)]phosphinic acid)) adsorbed on nanometer-sized colloidal particles. We compared these structures to those on a roughened silver electrode surface to determine the relationship between the adsorption strength and the geometry. For example, we showed that all of these biomolecules interact with the colloidal surface through aromatic rings. However, for BzAThMeP, a preferential interaction between the benzene ring and the colloidal silver surface is observed more so than that between the thiazole ring and this substrate. The PC(OH)C fragment does not take part in the adsorption process, and the phosphonate moiety of ImMeP and (ImMe)(2)P, being removed from the surface, only assists in this process.

Synthesis, spectroscopic, electrochemical and computational studies of rhenium(i) tricarbonyl complexes based on bidentate-coordinated 2,6-di(thiazol-2-yl)pyridine derivatives.

PubMed

Klemens, Tomasz; Czerwińska, Katarzyna; Szlapa-Kula, Agata; Kula, Slawomir; Switlicka, Anna; Kotowicz, Sonia; Siwy, Mariola; Bednarczyk, Katarzyna; Krompiec, Stanisław; Smolarek, Karolina; Maćkowski, Sebastian; Danikiewicz, Witold; Schab-Balcerzak, Ewa; Machura, Barbara

2017-07-25

Nine rhenium(i) complexes possessing three carbonyl groups together with a bidentate coordinated 2,6-di(thiazol-2-yl)pyridine derivative were synthesized to examine the impact of structure modification of the triimine ligand on the photophysical, thermal and electrochemical properties of [ReCl(CO) 3 (4-R n -dtpy-κ 2 N)]. The Re(i) complexes were fully characterized using IR, 1 H and 13 C, HRMS-ESI and single crystal X-ray analysis. Their thermal properties were evaluated using DSC and TGA measurements. Photoluminescence spectra of [ReCl(CO) 3 (4-R n -dtpy-κ 2 N)] were investigated in solution and in the solid state, at 298 and 77 K. Both emission wavelengths and quantum yields of [ReCl(CO) 3 (4-R n -dtpy-κ 2 N)] were found to be structure-related, demonstrating a crucial role of the substituent attached to the 2,6-di(thiazol-2-yl)pyridine skeleton. In order to fully understand the photophysical properties of [ReCl(CO) 3 (4-R n -dtpy-κ 2 N)], density functional theory (DFT) and time-dependent DFT (TD-DFT) calculations were performed. Furthermore, the complexes which showed appropriate solubility in chloroform were tested as an emissive active layer in OLED devices.

Synthesis and Antimicrobial Evaluation of Some Novel Thiazole, Pyridone, Pyrazole, Chromene, Hydrazone Derivatives Bearing a Biologically Active Sulfonamide Moiety

PubMed Central

Darwish, Elham S.; Abdel Fattah, Azza M.; Attaby, Fawzy A.; Al-Shayea, Oqba N.

2014-01-01

This study aimed for the synthesis of new heterocyclic compounds incorporating sulfamoyl moiety suitable for use as antimicrobial agents via a versatile, readily accessible N-[4-(aminosulfonyl)phenyl]-2-cyanoacetamide (3). The 2-pyridone derivatives were obtained via reaction of cyanoacetamide with acetylacetone or arylidenes malononitrile. Cycloaddition reaction of cyanoacetamide with salicyaldehyde furnished chromene derivatives. Diazotization of 3 with the desired diazonium chloride gave the hydrazone derivatives 13a–e. Also, the reactivity of the hydrazone towards hydrazine hydrate to give Pyrazole derivatives was studied. In addition, treatment of 3 with elemental sulfur and phenyl isothiocyanate or malononitrile furnished thiazole and thiophene derivatives respectively. Reaction of 3 with phenyl isothiocyanate and KOH in DMF afforded the intermediate salt 17 which reacted in situ with 3-(2-bromoacetyl)-2H-chromen-2-one and methyl iodide afforded the thiazole and ketene N,S-acetal derivatives respectively. Finally, reaction of 3 with carbon disulfide and 1,3-dibromopropane afforded the N-[4-(aminosulfonyl) phenyl]-2-cyano-2-(1,3-dithian-2-ylidene)acetamide product 22. All newly synthesized compounds were elucidated by considering the data of both elemental and spectral analysis. The compounds were evaluated for both their in vitro antibacterial and antifungal activities and showed promising results. PMID:24445259

Visualization of drug-nucleic acid interactions at atomic resolution v. structure of two aminoacridine/dinucleoside monophosphate crystalline complexes, proflavine: 5-iodocytidylyl(3'-5') guanosine and acridine orange: 5-iodocytidylyl(3'-5') guanosine

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Reddy, B.S.; Seshadri, T.P.; Sakore, T.D.

1979-01-01

Acridine orange and proflavine form complexes with the dinucleoside monophosphate, 5-iodocytidylyl(3'-5') guanosine (iodoCpG). The acridine orange-iodoCpG crystals are monoclinic, space group P2/sub 1/, with unit cell dimensions a = 14.36 A, b = 19.64 A, c = 20.67 A, ..beta.. = 102.5. The proflavine-iodoCpG crystals are monoclinic, space group C2, with unit cell dimensions a = 32.14 A, b = 22.23 A, c = 18.42 A, ..beta.. = 123.3. Both structures have been solved to atomic resolution by Patterson and Fourier methods, and refined by full matrix least squares. Acridine orange forms an intercalative structure with iodoCpG but the acridinemore » nucleus lies asymmetrically in the intercalation site. This asymmetric intercalation is accompanied by a sliding of base-pairs upon the acridine nucleus. Base-pairs above and below the drug are separated by about 6.8 A and are twisted about 10/sup 0/. Proflavine demonstrates symmetric intercalation with iodoCpG. Hydrogen bonds connect amino- groups on proflavine with phosphate oxygen atoms on the dinucleotide. Base-pairs above and below the intercalative proflavine molecule are twisted about 36/sup 0/. The altered magnitude of this angular twist reflects the sugar puckering pattern that is observed. We propose a proflavine-DNA and an acridine orange-DNA binding model. We will describe these models in detail in this paper.« less

DFT Study of the Structure, Reactivity, Natural Bond Orbital and Hyperpolarizability of Thiazole Azo Dyes

PubMed Central

Osman, Osman I.

2017-01-01

The structure, reactivity, natural bond orbital (NBO), linear and nonlinear optical (NLO) properties of three thiazole azo dyes (A, B and C) were monitored by applying B3LYP, CAM-B3LYP and ωB97XD functionals with 6-311++G** and aug-cc-pvdz basis sets. The geometrical parameters, dipole moments, HOMO-LUMO (highest occupied molecular orbital, lowest unoccupied molecular orbital) energy gaps, absorption wavelengths and total hyperpolarizabilities were investigated in carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) chloroform (CHCl3), dichloromethane (CH2Cl2) and dimethlysulphoxide (DMSO). The donor methoxyphenyl group deviates from planarity with the thiazole azo moiety by ca. 38°; while the acceptor dicyanovinyl, indandione and dicyanovinylindanone groups diverge by ca. 6°. The HOMOs for the three dyes are identical. They spread over the methoxyphenyl donor moiety, the thiazole and benzene rings as π-bonding orbitals. The LUMOs are shaped up by the nature of the acceptor moieties. The LUMOs of the A, B and C dyes extend over the indandione, malononitrile and dicyanovinylindanone acceptor moieties, respectively, as π-antibonding orbitals. The HOMO-LUMO splittings showed that Dye C is much more reactive than dyes A and B. Compared to dyes A and B, Dye C yielded a longer maximum absorption wavelength because of the stabilization of its LUMOs relative to those of the other two. The three dyes show solvatochromism accompanied by significant increases in hyperpolarizability. The enhancement of the total hyperpolarizability of C compared to those of A and B is due to the cumulative action of the long π-conjugation of the indanone ring and the stronger electron-withdrawing ability of the dicyanovinyl moiety that form the dicyanovinylindanone acceptor group. These findings are facilitated by a natural bond orbital (NBO) technique. The very high total hyperpolarizabilities of the three dyes define their potent nonlinear optical (NLO) behaviour. PMID:28157151

Synthesis of New Thiazolyl Coupled Pyrazoles Bearing 2,4-Thiazolidinedionyl Pharmacophore and Their Anti-Inflammatory and Antibacterial Evaluation.

PubMed

Khillare, Lalit; Bhosle, Manisha; Bhalerao, Mahendra; Kharat, Kiran; Mane, Ramrao

2017-01-01

2, 4-Thiazolidinedione (TZD), pyrazole and thiazole heterocyclic rings exhibit a wide range of pharmacological activities. Medicinal chemists use these heterocyclic moieties as scaffolds in drug designing and discovery. The existing medicaments, celecoxib and meloxicam, used for treating inflammation and pain are having, pyrazole and thiazole, respectively as key scaffolds. Pyrazoles coupled with 2, 4-thiazolidinediones may display enhanced anti-inflammatory activity. With this hope the bench work was carried out. Heterocyclic aldehydes, 3-(4-methyl-2-substituted thiazol-5-yl)-1-phenyl-1Hpyrazole- 4- carbaldehydes (4a-b) have been allowed to undergo Knoevenagel condensation with N-substituted 2,4-thiazolidinediones (5a-e) in PEG-400 in the presence of L-proline at 110°C and obtained the condensed products (6a-j). COX-2 evaluation of the titled product has been carried out using in vitro COX-2 ELISA Kit. Antibacterial activity of these compounds (6a-j) has also been determined. On the basis of 1H NMR, 13C NMR and Mass spectral data of the condensed products the structures have been assigned to (Z)-5-((3-(4-methyl-2-substituted thiazol-5-yl)-1- phenyl-1H-pyrazol-4-yl)methylene) 3-substituted thiazolidine-2,4-diones (6a-j). Among the evaluated compounds (6a-j), 6f, 6g, 6h, 6i and 6j have shown notable COX-2 inhibitory activity. Compounds, 6a, 6b, 6c, 6d, 6e and 6f have inhibited the growth of the Bacillus cereus NCIM 2106, Bacillus subtilis NCIM 2063, Pseudomonas aeruginosa NCIM 2074, Salmonella typhimurium NCIM 2501 and Staphylococcus aureus NCIM 2079. However, compound 6f has emerged as a suitable candidate with dual properties i.e. COX-2 inhibitory and antibacterial in the present study. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

[Dichlorido (2-(2-(1H-benzo[d]thiazol-2-yl)hydrazono)propan-1-ol) Cu(II)]: Crystal structure, Hirshfeld surface analysis and correlation of its ESI-MS behavior with [Dichlorido 3-(hydroxyimino)-2-butanone-2-(1H-benzo[d]thiazol-2-yl)hydrazone Cu(II)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kamat, Vinayak; Kumara, Karthik; Naik, Krishna; Kotian, Avinash; Netalkar, Priya; Shivalingegowda, Naveen; Neratur, Krishnappagowda Lokanath; Revankar, Vidyanand

2017-12-01

In the present work, Cu(II) complexes of 2-(2-benzo[d]thiazol-2-yl)hydrazono)propan-1-ol (L1) and 3-(hydroxyimino)-2-butanone-2-(1H-benzo[d]thiazol-2-yl)hydrazone (L2) are synthesized and characterized by various spectro-analytical techniques. The structure of Cu(II) complex of L1 i.e., [CuL1Cl2], is unambiguously determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction method. While similar efforts were unsuccessful in the case of Cu(II) complex of L2 i.e., [CuL2Cl2]. Hence, to avail the structural facts, various cationic/anionic fragments or adducts formed during positive/negative mode electrospray ionization (ESI) of CuL1Cl2 and CuL2Cl2 have been identified with the help of their charge, monoisotopic masses and isotopic distributions. The similarity in the ESI behavior of two complexes has inferred their structural resemblance, which is further supported by DFT optimized structures, EPR spectral studies and analytical measurements. The EPR spectral behavior (g|| > g⊥ > 2.02) of the complexes are attributed to an axial symmetry with the dx2-y2 ground state having square pyramidal Cu(II) ion. CuL1Cl2 has crystallized in monoclinic crystal system in P21/c space group. The molecular complex has ring-metal (Cg-Me) interactions of the type Cg···>Cu, which contributes to the crystal packing. The Cl⋯H (30.6%) interactions have the major contribution among all intermolecular contacts and have played a vital role in the stabilization of the molecular structure, which is extended to 3D network through Csbnd H···Cg and Cg-Cg interactions.

Acridine orange as a biosensitive photovoltaic material

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sharifi, Faranak; Bauld, Reg; Fanchini, Giovanni

2013-10-01

Acridine orange (AO), a biosensitive molecule that is customarily used for labeling nucleic acids including DNA and RNA, is here investigated as a cost effective, water soluble, and photoactive material for the fabrication of potentially biosensitive organic photovoltaics. The electronic energy levels of AO are determined using Kelvin Probe Force Microscopy (KPFM) and UV-Visible spectroscopy. The effect of anticrystallization agents, as well as low-temperature annealing, on the work function of AO is investigated: amorphous AO films are shown to possess a significantly higher work function than microcrystalline AO films and the work function also increases by annealing. Photo-induced processes in AO films are investigated by considering the changes of the KPFM signal under illumination. We demonstrate that acridine orange is able to photogenerate electron-hole pairs at rates comparable to the most commonly used solar-grade photovoltaic materials, including polythiophenes. In addition, the effect of the morphology of different types of AO thin films spun from different solvents is studied in bilayer photovoltaic devices fabricated from stacks of AO and phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester thin films.

Durangite from the Black Range, New Mexico, and new data on durangite from Durango and Cornwall.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Foord, E.E.; Oakman, M.R.; Maxwell, C.H.

1985-01-01

Durangite, associated with cassiterite, hematite, quartz, tridymite, cristobalite and clinopyroxene, occurs in small veinlets within flows, ash-flow tuffs and lithic tuffs in a tin mine near Boiler Peak, New Mexico. It is clear to semi-translucent, pale yellow-orange to medium orange-red with a vitreous lustre, pale yellow streak; H. 5-5.5%; irregular to conchoidal fracture and a good (110) cleavage; elongate along c with (110), (010), (021) and (111) the prominent forms; Dmeas 3.90, Dcalc 3.92 g/cm3; alpha medium yellow orange 1.634(3), beta pale yellow orange 1.663(3), gamma colourless 1.685(3); weak to moderate dispersion r < v. The structural formula is: (Na0.93Li0.07)SIGMA 1.00(Al0.89Fe0.07Mn0.06)SIGMA 1.02As0.99O4(F0.90(OH)0.07)SIGMA 0.97. Indexed XRD powder data are tabulated; a 6.574(1), b 8.505(2), c 7.019(1) A, beta 115.34o; space group C2/c; Z = 4. Additional X-ray and chemical data on durangite from Durango and Cornwall are also included.-L.T.T.

Discovery of N-(4-aryl-5-aryloxy-thiazol-2-yl)-amides as potent RORγt inverse agonists.

PubMed

Wang, Yonghui; Yang, Ting; Liu, Qian; Ma, Yingli; Yang, Liuqing; Zhou, Ling; Xiang, Zhijun; Cheng, Ziqiang; Lu, Sijie; Orband-Miller, Lisa A; Zhang, Wei; Wu, Qianqian; Zhang, Kathleen; Li, Yi; Xiang, Jia-Ning; Elliott, John D; Leung, Stewart; Ren, Feng; Lin, Xichen

2015-09-01

A novel series of N-(4-aryl-5-aryloxy-thiazol-2-yl)-amides as RORγt inverse agonists was discovered. Binding mode analysis of a RORγt partial agonist (2c) revealed by co-crystal structure in RORγt LBD suggests that the inverse agonists do not directly interfere with the interaction between H12 and the RORγt LBD. Detailed SAR exploration led to identification of potent RORγt inverse agonists such as 3m with a pIC50 of 8.0. Selected compounds in the series showed reasonable activity in Th17 cell differentiation assay as well as low intrinsic clearance in mouse liver microsomes. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Androgen Receptor Antagonists and Anti-Prostate Cancer Activities of Some Newly Synthesized Substituted Fused Pyrazolo-, Triazolo- and Thiazolo-Pyrimidine Derivatives

PubMed Central

Bahashwan, Saleh A.; Fayed, Ahmed A.; Ramadan, Mohamed A.; Amr, Abd El-Galil E.; Al-Harbi, Naif O.

2014-01-01

A series of substituted pyrazole, triazole and thiazole derivatives (2–13) were synthesized from 1-(naphtho[1,2-d]thiazol-2-yl)hydrazine as starting material and evaluated as androgen receptor antagonists and anti-prostate cancer agents. The newly synthesized compounds showed potent androgen receptor antagonists and anti-prostate cancer activities with low toxicity (lethal dose 50 (LD50)) comparable to Bicalutamide as reference drug. The structures of newly synthesized compounds were confirmed by IR, 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR, and MS spectral data and elemental analysis. The detailed synthesis, spectroscopic data, LD50 values and pharmacological activities of the synthesized compounds are reported. PMID:25421248

Variation in carotenoid–protein interaction in bird feathers produces novel plumage coloration

PubMed Central

Mendes-Pinto, Maria M.; LaFountain, Amy M.; Stoddard, Mary Caswell; Prum, Richard O.; Frank, Harry A.; Robert, Bruno

2012-01-01

Light absorption by carotenoids is known to vary substantially with the shape or conformation of the pigment molecule induced by the molecular environment, but the role of interactions between carotenoid pigments and the proteins to which they are bound, and the resulting impact on organismal coloration, remain unclear. Here, we present a spectroscopic investigation of feathers from the brilliant red scarlet ibis (Eudocimus ruber, Threskiornithidae), the orange-red summer tanager (Piranga rubra, Cardinalidae) and the violet-purple feathers of the white-browed purpletuft (Iodopleura isabellae, Tityridae). Despite their striking differences in colour, all three of these feathers contain canthaxanthin (β,β-carotene-4,4′-dione) as their primary pigment. Reflectance and resonance Raman (rR) spectroscopy were used to investigate the induced molecular structural changes and carotenoid–protein interactions responsible for the different coloration in these plumage samples. The results demonstrate a significant variation between species in the peak frequency of the strong ethylenic vibration (ν1) peak in the rR spectra, the most significant of which is found in I. isabellae feathers and is correlated with a red-shift in canthaxanthin absorption that results in violet reflectance. Neither polarizability of the protein environment nor planarization of the molecule upon binding can entirely account for the full extent of the colour shift. Therefore, we suggest that head-to-tail molecular alignment (i.e. J-aggregation) of the protein-bound carotenoid molecules is an additional factor. PMID:22832362

Molecular diversity, metabolic transformation, and evolution of carotenoid feather pigments in cotingas (Aves: Cotingidae).

PubMed

Prum, Richard O; LaFountain, Amy M; Berro, Julien; Stoddard, Mary Caswell; Frank, Harry A

2012-12-01

Carotenoid pigments were extracted from 29 feather patches from 25 species of cotingas (Cotingidae) representing all lineages of the family with carotenoid plumage coloration. Using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), mass spectrometry, chemical analysis, and ¹H-NMR, 16 different carotenoid molecules were documented in the plumages of the cotinga family. These included common dietary xanthophylls (lutein and zeaxanthin), canary xanthophylls A and B, four well known and broadly distributed avian ketocarotenoids (canthaxanthin, astaxanthin, α-doradexanthin, and adonixanthin), rhodoxanthin, and seven 4-methoxy-ketocarotenoids. Methoxy-ketocarotenoids were found in 12 species within seven cotinga genera, including a new, previously undescribed molecule isolated from the Andean Cock-of-the-Rock Rupicola peruviana, 3'-hydroxy-3-methoxy-β,β-carotene-4-one, which we name rupicolin. The diversity of cotinga plumage carotenoid pigments is hypothesized to be derived via four metabolic pathways from lutein, zeaxanthin, β-cryptoxanthin, and β-carotene. All metabolic transformations within the four pathways can be described by six or seven different enzymatic reactions. Three of these reactions are shared among three precursor pathways and are responsible for eight different metabolically derived carotenoid molecules. The function of cotinga plumage carotenoid diversity was analyzed with reflectance spectrophotometry of plumage patches and a tetrahedral model of avian color visual perception. The evolutionary history of the origin of this diversity is analyzed phylogenetically. The color space analyses document that the evolutionarily derived metabolic modifications of dietary xanthophylls have resulted in the creation of distinctive orange-red and purple visual colors.

Reticulocyte count in red-blood-cell units stored in AS-1.

PubMed

Urbina, A; Palomino, F

2013-05-01

Previous data that showed maintenance of reticulocyte percentage in whole blood stored in CPDA-1 have led to the assumption that reticulocyte maturation becomes arrested during refrigerated storage. However, reticulocyte behaviour in red-blood-cell units stored in additive solutions has not yet been studied. This study was thus aimed at determining reticulocyte count and reticulocyte subtypes in red-blood-cells units stored in AS-1. Reticulocyte percentage and subtypes were determined by flow cytometry with thiazole orange in six red-blood-cells units stored in AS-1. Reticulocyte count was 26.8 ± 4.6 × 10(9) /l at week 0.5 and 8.2 ± 2.9 × 10(9) /l at week 6. Total haemolysis during storage was 0.19 ± 0.08%. High-fluorescence reticulocytes were 2.0 ± 3.2 × 10(9) /l at week 0.5 and decreased by weeks 2, 4 and 6. Low-fluorescence reticulocytes were 22.1 ± 3.1 × 10(9) /l at week 0.5 and decreased by weeks 4 and 6. A significant decrease in reticulocytes occurred during red-blood-cells units' storage in AS-1. Even if it were assumed that all of haemolysed cells during storage were reticulocytes, there are a number of them whose disappearance cannot be explained by this mechanism. Changes observed in reticulocyte subtypes suggest that they mature during storage. © 2013 The Author(s) Vox Sanguinis © 2013 International Society of Blood Transfusion.

High-efficiency white OLEDs based on small molecules

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hatwar, Tukaram K.; Spindler, Jeffrey P.; Ricks, M. L.; Young, Ralph H.; Hamada, Yuuhiko; Saito, N.; Mameno, Kazunobu; Nishikawa, Ryuji; Takahashi, Hisakazu; Rajeswaran, G.

2004-02-01

Eastman Kodak Company and SANYO Electric Co., Ltd. recently demonstrated a 15" full-color, organic light-emitting diode display (OLED) using a high-efficiency white emitter combined with a color-filter array. Although useful for display applications, white emission from organic structures is also under consideration for other applications, such as solid-state lighting, where high efficiency and good color rendition are important. By incorporating adjacent blue and orange emitting layers in a multi-layer structure, highly efficient, stable white emission has been attained. With suitable host and dopant combinations, a luminance yield of 20 cd/A and efficiency of 8 lm/W have been achieved at a drive voltage of less than 8 volts and luminance level of 1000 cd/m2. The estimated external efficiency of this device is 6.3% and a high level of operational stability is observed. To our knowledge, this is the highest performance reported so far for white organic electroluminescent devices. We will review white OLED technology and discuss the fabrication and operating characteristics of these devices.

Farnesyltransferase inhibitors: CAAX mimetics based on different biaryl scaffolds.

PubMed

Straniero, Valentina; Pallavicini, Marco; Chiodini, Giuseppe; Ruggeri, Paola; Fumagalli, Laura; Bolchi, Cristiano; Corsini, Alberto; Ferri, Nicola; Ricci, Chiara; Valoti, Ermanno

2014-07-01

Mimetics of the C-terminal CAAX tetrapeptide of Ras protein were designed as farnesyltransferase (FTase) inhibitors (FTIs) by replacing AA with o-aryl or o-heteroaryl substituted p-hydroxy- or p-aminobenzoic acid, while maintaining the replacement of C with 1,4-benzodioxan-2-ylmethyl or 2-amino-4-thiazolylacetyl residue as in previous CAAX mimetics. Both FTase inhibition and antiproliferative effect were showed by two thiazole derivatives, namely those with 1-naphthyl (10 and 10a) or 3-furanyl (15 and 15a) in the central spacer, and by the benzodioxane derivative with 2-thienyl (6 and 6a) in the same position. Accumulation of unprenylated RAS was demonstrated in cells incubated with 15a. Consistently with FTIs literature, such results delineate the biaryl scaffold not only as a spacer but also as a sensible area of these mimetic molecules, where modifications at the branching aromatic ring are not indifferent and should be matter of further investigation. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Identification and Localization of the Gene Cluster Encoding Biosynthesis of the Antitumor Macrolactam Leinamycin in Streptomyces atroolivaceus S-140

PubMed Central

Cheng, Yi-Qiang; Tang, Gong-Li; Shen, Ben

2002-01-01

Leinamycin (LNM), produced by Streptomyces atroolivaceus, is a thiazole-containing hybrid peptide-polyketide natural product structurally characterized with an unprecedented 1,3-dioxo-1,2-dithiolane moiety that is spiro-fused to a 18-member macrolactam ring. LNM exhibits a broad spectrum of antimicrobial and antitumor activities, most significantly against tumors that are resistant to clinically important anticancer drugs, resulting from its DNA cleavage activity in the presence of a reducing agent. Using a PCR approach to clone a thiazole-forming nonribosomal peptide synthetase (NRPS) as a probe, we localized a 172-kb DNA region from S. atroolivaceus S-140 that harbors the lnm biosynthetic gene cluster. Sequence analysis of 11-kb DNA revealed three genes, lnmG, lnmH, and lnmI, and the deduced product of lnmI is characterized by domains characteristic to both NRPS and polyketide synthase (PKS). The involvement of the cloned gene cluster in LNM biosynthesis was confirmed by disrupting the lnmI gene to generate non-LNM-producing mutants and by characterizing LnmI as a hybrid NRPS-PKS megasynthetase, the NRPS module of which specifies for l-Cys and catalyzes thiazole formation. These results have now set the stage for full investigations of LNM biosynthesis and for generation of novel LNM analogs by combinatorial biosynthesis. PMID:12446651

Identification And Survival Of Bacteriohopanepolyol In A Hot Spring Microbial Mat

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Janke, Linda L.; Chang, Sherwood (Technical Monitor)

1995-01-01

The polar lipids of a hot spring microbial mat located in Yellowstone National Park were examined for the presence of bacteriohopanepolvols (BHP). BHP are a group of molecules consisting of a hopanoid (peotacyclic triterpene) linked via a n-alkyl polyhydroxylated chain to a variety of polar end groups. BHP have been isolated in varying amounts from phylogenetically diverse eubacterial groups including cyanobacteria, methanotrophs and the Rhodospirillaceae. The hopanoids are excellent biomarkers and have been detected in sedimentary rocks as old as 1.7 bya. In order to interpret the ancient organic record, it is important to understand the abundance, source and fate of such biomarker compounds in microbial mats. A 40 sq cm mat section was taken from a 52 to 55 C site in the effluent channel of Octopus Spring and was sampled vertically over approximately 16 mm. The first 5-6 mm was sectioned into a top green layer (310 mg dry weight) and several subjacent, deep orange layers (240 and 250 mg, respectively). The lower 10 mm of the mat was sectioned into two gelatinous orange layers containing a siliceous gritty material (260 and 440 mg) which increased with depth, and a bottom layer composed almost exclusively of siliceous sinter (4.1 g). The progressive decrease in total organic carbon from 45% in the top green layer to only 4% in the bottom layer reflects the observed increase in siliceous deposition. GC-MS analysis of the phospholipid and glycolipid fatty acids yielded predominantly saturated normal chain acids, n-15 to n-18, and iso-branched acids, i-15 to i-17. Small amounts of unsaturated fatty acids (16:1, two positional isomers of 18:1, and two cyclopropyl acids, C(sub 17) and C(sub 19)) were present mainly in the top layer. Esterified fatty acid which is a good index for intact cellular membrane, i.e. viable organisms, was highest in the top two layers (203 and 231 micro g/mg total lipid, respectively) and gradually decreased to 66 micro g/mg total lipid in the bottom layer. Small amounts of BHP were present in all six layers, however in this case, BHP was lowest in the top green and subjacent deep-orange layers (118 and 172 micro g/mg total lipid, respectively) and increased with depth reaching almost 400 micro g/mg in the bottom two layers. This data suggest that BHP are survivina the initial phase of mat degradation and may be preferentially enriched in any organic record of such thermal environments. The relatively low level of BHP in the top layer also suggests that cyanobacteria may not be the major source of BHP in this mat. Since Chloroflexus a major component of the deep-orange layer has been reported to lack BHP, this material may prove a valuable biomarker for some other mat inhabitant. Further isotopic characterization of this BHP should help resolve this finding.

A newly synthesized thiazole derivative as a fluoride ion chemosensor: naked-eye, spectroscopic, electrochemical and NMR studies.

PubMed

Sarıgüney, Ahmet Burak; Saf, Ahmet Özgür; Coşkun, Ahmet

2014-07-15

2,3-Indoledione 3-thiosemicarbazone (TSCI) and a novel compound 3-(2-(4-(4-phenoxyphenyl)thiazol-2-yl)hydrazono)indolin-2-one (FTHI) were synthesized with high yield and characterized by spectroscopic techniques. The complexation behaviors of TSCI and FTHI for various anionic species (F(-), Cl(-), Br(-), I(-), NO2(-), NO3(-), BzO(-), HSO4(-), ClO4(-)) in CH3CN were investigated and compared by UV-vis spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry and (1)H NMR titration techniques. FTHI showed high degree of selectivity for fluoride over other anions. This selectivity could be easily observed by the naked eye, indicating that FTHI is potential colorimetric sensor for fluoride anion. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Synthesis, molecular modeling studies and evaluation of antifungal activity of a novel series of thiazole derivatives.

PubMed

Lino, Cleudiomar Inácio; Gonçalves de Souza, Igor; Borelli, Beatriz Martins; Silvério Matos, Thelma Tirone; Santos Teixeira, Iasmin Natália; Ramos, Jonas Pereira; Maria de Souza Fagundes, Elaine; de Oliveira Fernandes, Philipe; Maltarollo, Vinícius Gonçalves; Johann, Susana; de Oliveira, Renata Barbosa

2018-05-10

In the search for new antifungal agents, a novel series of fifteen hydrazine-thiazole derivatives was synthesized and assayed in vitro against six clinically important Candida and Cryptococcus species and Paracoccidioides brasiliensis. Eight compounds showed promising antifungal activity with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values ranging from 0.45 to 31.2 μM, some of them being equally or more active than the drug fluconazole and amphotericin B. Active compounds were additionally tested for toxicity against human embryonic kidney (HEK-293) cells and none of them exhibited significant cytotoxicity, indicating high selectivity. Molecular modeling studies results corroborated experimental SAR results, suggesting their use in the design of new antifungal agents. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Preparation of K-doped TiO2 nanostructures by wet corrosion and their sunlight-driven photocatalytic performance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shin, Eunhye; Jin, Saera; Kim, Jiyoon; Chang, Sung-Jin; Jun, Byung-Hyuk; Park, Kwang-Won; Hong, Jongin

2016-08-01

K-doped TiO2 nanowire networks were prepared by the corrosion reaction of Ti nanoparticles in an alkaline (potassium hydroxide: KOH) solution. The prepared nanostructures were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) analysis, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and photoluminescence (PL) spectra. Their sunlight-driven photocatalytic activity was also investigated with differently charged dye molecules, such as methylene blue, rhodamine B and methyl orange. The adsorption of the dye molecules on the photocatalyst surface would play a critical role in their selective photodegradation under sunlight illumination.

A proteomic analysis of the chromoplasts isolated from sweet orange fruits [Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck].

PubMed

Zeng, Yunliu; Pan, Zhiyong; Ding, Yuduan; Zhu, Andan; Cao, Hongbo; Xu, Qiang; Deng, Xiuxin

2011-11-01

Here, a comprehensive proteomic analysis of the chromoplasts purified from sweet orange using Nycodenz density gradient centrifugation is reported. A GeLC-MS/MS shotgun approach was used to identify the proteins of pooled chromoplast samples. A total of 493 proteins were identified from purified chromoplasts, of which 418 are putative plastid proteins based on in silico sequence homology and functional analyses. Based on the predicted functions of these identified plastid proteins, a large proportion (∼60%) of the chromoplast proteome of sweet orange is constituted by proteins involved in carbohydrate metabolism, amino acid/protein synthesis, and secondary metabolism. Of note, HDS (hydroxymethylbutenyl 4-diphosphate synthase), PAP (plastid-lipid-associated protein), and psHSPs (plastid small heat shock proteins) involved in the synthesis or storage of carotenoid and stress response are among the most abundant proteins identified. A comparison of chromoplast proteomes between sweet orange and tomato suggested a high level of conservation in a broad range of metabolic pathways. However, the citrus chromoplast was characterized by more extensive carotenoid synthesis, extensive amino acid synthesis without nitrogen assimilation, and evidence for lipid metabolism concerning jasmonic acid synthesis. In conclusion, this study provides an insight into the major metabolic pathways as well as some unique characteristics of the sweet orange chromoplasts at the whole proteome level.

Synthesis and crystal structure of Cd-based metal-organic framework for removal of methyl-orange from aqueous solution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tella, Adedibu C.; Olawale, Margaret D.; Neuburger, Markus; Obaleye, Joshua A.

2017-11-01

A novel [Cd(INA)2(H2O)]. ISB (1) (INA = isonicotinate; ISB = isobutanol) was synthesized through the reaction between the isonicotinic acid ligand and cadmium (II) salt and characterized by elemental analysis, FTIR and UV-Visible spectroscopies, SEM and Single crystal X-ray diffraction. The crystal is orthorhombic, space group Pbca, a = 12.24(10) Å, b = 15.4646(13) Å, c = 18.8445(17) Å, V = 3569(3) Å3, Z = 8. The pentagonal bipyramid (seven coordinate) around the cadmium (II) ion is of the form CdN2O5 coordinating to four oxygen atoms from carboxylates, one oxygen atom from water molecule and two nitrogen atoms of pyridine. The structure of compound is stabilized by two hydrogen bonds namely intermolecular (O-H-O) and intramolecular type C-H-O accounting for polymeric nature of the metal-organic frameworks. 1 was studied for adsorptive removal of methyl orange (MO) from aqueous solution. Equilibrium isotherm study reveals that Langmuir model gave a better fitting result than the Freundlich model. The pseudo-second order model could be used to interpret adsorption kinetics. The maximum adsorption capacity calculated by Langmuir was 166 mg/g at 300 K. These results indicate the adsorption of MO on 1 is partly due to electrostatic interaction between methyl orange and the adsorbent. 1 could be used as adsorbent to remove methyl orange from aqueous solution.

Combined in Vitro and in Silico Studies for the Anticholinesterase Activity and Pharmacokinetics of Coumarinyl Thiazoles and Oxadiazoles

PubMed Central

Ibrar, Aliya; Khan, Ajmal; Ali, Majid; Sarwar, Rizwana; Mehsud, Saifullah; Farooq, Umar; Halimi, Syed M. A.; Khan, Imtiaz; Al-Harrasi, Ahmed

2018-01-01

In a continuation of our previous work for the exploration of novel enzyme inhibitors, two new coumarin-thiazole 6(a–o) and coumarin-oxadiazole 11(a–h) hybrids have been designed and synthesized. All the compounds were characterized by 1H- and 13C-NMR spectroscopy and elemental analysis. New hybrid analogs were evaluated against acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE) in order to know their potential for the prevention of Alzheimer's disease (AD). In coumarinyl thiazole series, compound 6b was found as the most active member against AChE having IC50 value of 0.87 ± 0.09 μM, while the compound 6j revealed the same efficacy against BuChE with an IC50 value of 11.01 ± 3.37 μM. In case of coumarinyl oxadiazole series, 11a was turned out to be the lead candidate against AChE with an IC50 value of 6.07 ± 0.23 μM, whereas compound 11e was found significantly active against BuChE with an IC50 value of 0.15 ± 0.09 μM. To realize the binding interaction of these compounds with AChE and BuChE, the molecular docking studies were performed. Compounds from coumarinyl thiazole series with potent AChE activity (6b, 6h, 6i, and 6k) were found to interact with AChE in the active site with MOE score of −10.19, −9.97, −9.68, and −11.03 Kcal.mol−1, respectively. The major interactions include hydrogen bonding, π-π stacking with aromatic residues, and interaction through water bridging. The docking studies of coumarinyl oxadiazole derivatives 11(a–h) suggested that the compounds with high anti-butyrylcholinesterase activity (11e, 11a, and 11b) provided MOE score of −9.9, −7.4, and −8.2 Kcal.mol−1, respectively, with the active site of BuChE building π-π stacking with Trp82 and water bridged interaction. PMID:29632858

Combined in vitro and in silico studies for the anticholinesterase activity and pharmacokinetics of coumarinyl thiazoles and oxadiazoles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ibrar, Aliya; Khan, Ajmal; Ali, Majid; Sarwar, Rizwana; Mehsud, Saifullah; Farooq, Umar; Halimi, Syed M. A.; Khan, Imtiaz; Al-Harrasi, Ahmed

2018-03-01

In a continuation of our previous work for the exploration of novel enzyme inhibitors, two new coumarin-thiazole 6(a–o) and coumarin-oxadiazole 11(a–h) hybrids have been designed and synthesized. All the compounds were characterized by 1H- and 13C-NMR spectroscopy and elemental analysis. New hybrid analogues were evaluated against acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE) in order to know their potential for the prevention of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). In coumarinyl thiazole series, compound 6b was found as the most active member against AChE having IC50 value of 0.87 ± 0.09 µM, while the compound 6j revealed the same efficacy against BuChE with an IC50 value of 11.01 ± 3.37 µM. In case of coumarinyl oxadiazole series, 11a was turned out to be the lead candidate against AChE with an IC50 value of 6.07 ± 0.23 µM, whereas compound 11e was found significantly active against BuChE with an IC50 value of 0.15 ± 0.09 µM. To realize the binding interaction of these compounds with AChE and BuChE, the molecular docking studies were performed. Compounds from coumarinyl thiazole series with potent AChE activity (6b, 6h, 6i and 6k) were found to interact with AChE in the active site with MOE score of ‒10.19, ‒9.97, ‒9.68, and ‒11.03 Kcal.mol‒1, respectively. The major interactions include hydrogen bonding, π-π stacking with aromatic residues, and interaction through water bridging. The docking studies of coumarinyl oxadiazole derivatives 11(a-h) suggested that the compounds with high anti-butyrylcholinesterase activity (11e, 11a and 11b) provided MOE score of ‒9.9, ‒7.4 and ‒8.2 Kcal.mol‒1 respectively, with the active site of BuChE building π-π stacking with Trp82 and water bridged interaction.

Theoretical study on p-type D-π-A sensitizers with modified π-spacers for dye-sensitized solar cells.

PubMed

Yan, Wen; Chaitanya, Kadali; Sun, Zhi-Dan; Ju, Xue-Hai

2018-02-24

Based on a prototype sensitizer W2, we designed triarylamine-based p-type sensitizers W2-1 to W2-7 that contain modified π-spacers (π'), a π-spacer and two anchors. For W2-1 to W2-4, instead of 2,1,3-benzothiadiazole in W2, thieno[3,4-b]-1,4-dioxin, thiophene, thieno[3,4-c][1,2,5]thiadizole, thiazolo[5,4-d]thiazole are π' and thiophene as π-spacer. For W2-5 to W2-8, π' and π are same, with 2,1,3-benzothiadiazole, thieno[3,4-b]-1,4-dioxin, thieno[3,4-c][1,2,5]thiadiazo, thiazolo[5,4-d]thiazole, respectively, as the π'-spacers. Structure optimization, electronic level and absorption characters were calculated with density functional theory (DFT) and time-dependent DFT (TDDFT) at the CAM-B3LYP/6-311G (d,p). The solvent effect was involved using a polarized continuum model in chloroform. The results showed that the highest occupied molecular orbital and the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital guarantee sufficient hole injection (lower than -0.2 eV), and dye regeneration (lower than -0.2 eV). W2-4 has higher light-harvesting efficiency (LHE) (0.994) and larger overlap with the visible light from 400 nm to 600 nm. Finally, the results suggest that the driving force of hole injection, dye regeneration and charge recombination (ΔG inj , ΔG reg and ΔG CR ) of W2-4 are the best, with more negative ΔG inj (-4.33), ΔG reg (-1.74) and more positive ΔG CR (1.92). Replacing 2,1,3-benzothiadiazole with thiazolo[5,4-d]thiazole as π'-spacers is a effective way to improve the performance of the dyes. An introduction of thiazolo[5,4-d]thiazole group can improve the absorption ability and hinder charge recombination. Graphical abstract Absorption spectra of p-type D-π-A sensitizers with modified π-spacers.

Young Stars Emerge from Orion Head

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-05-17

This image from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope shows infant stars "hatching" in the head of the hunter constellation, Orion. Astronomers suspect that shockwaves from a supernova explosion in Orion's head, nearly three million years ago, may have initiated this newfound birth. The region featured in this Spitzer image is called Barnard 30. It is located approximately 1,300 light-years away and sits on the right side of Orion's "head," just north of the massive star Lambda Orionis. Wisps of green in the cloud are organic molecules called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. These molecules are formed anytime carbon-based materials are burned incompletely. On Earth, they can be found in the sooty exhaust from automobile and airplane engines. They also coat the grills where charcoal-broiled meats are cooked. Tints of orange-red in the cloud are dust particles warmed by the newly forming stars. The reddish-pink dots at the top of the cloud are very young stars embedded in a cocoon of cosmic gas and dust. Blue spots throughout the image are background Milky Way along this line of sight. This composite includes data from Spitzer's infrared array camera instrument, and multiband imaging photometer instrument. Light at 4.5 microns is shown as blue, 8.0 microns is green, and 24 microns is red. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA09411

Young Stars Emerge from Orion's Head

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2007-01-01

This image from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope shows infant stars 'hatching' in the head of the hunter constellation, Orion. Astronomers suspect that shockwaves from a supernova explosion in Orion's head, nearly three million years ago, may have initiated this newfound birth

The region featured in this Spitzer image is called Barnard 30. It is located approximately 1,300 light-years away and sits on the right side of Orion's 'head,' just north of the massive star Lambda Orionis.

Wisps of green in the cloud are organic molecules called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. These molecules are formed anytime carbon-based materials are burned incompletely. On Earth, they can be found in the sooty exhaust from automobile and airplane engines. They also coat the grills where charcoal-broiled meats are cooked.

Tints of orange-red in the cloud are dust particles warmed by the newly forming stars. The reddish-pink dots at the top of the cloud are very young stars embedded in a cocoon of cosmic gas and dust. Blue spots throughout the image are background Milky Way along this line of sight.

This composite includes data from Spitzer's infrared array camera instrument, and multiband imaging photometer instrument. Light at 4.5 microns is shown as blue, 8.0 microns is green, and 24 microns is red.

Carotenoids of Sea Angels Clione limacina and Paedoclione doliiformis from the Perspective of the Food Chain

PubMed Central

Maoka, Takashi; Kuwahara, Takashi; Narita, Masanao

2014-01-01

Sea angels, Clione limacina and Paedoclione doliiformis, are small, floating sea slugs belonging to Gastropoda, and their gonads are a bright orange-red color. Sea angels feed exclusively on a small herbivorous sea snail, Limacina helicina. Carotenoids in C. limacina, P. doliiformis, and L. helicina were investigated for comparative biochemical points of view. β-Carotene, zeaxanthin, and diatoxanthin were found to be major carotenoids in L. helicina. L. helicina accumulated dietary algal carotenoids without modification. On the other hand, keto-carotenoids, such as pectenolone, 7,8-didehydroastaxanthin, and adonixanthin were identified as major carotenoids in the sea angels C. limacina and P. doliiformis. Sea angels oxidatively metabolize dietary carotenoids and accumulate them in their gonads. Carotenoids in the gonads of sea angels might protect against oxidative stress and enhance reproduction. PMID:24633249

Experimental and theoretical investigations on acid catalysed stereoselective synthesis of new indazolyl-thiazole derivatives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gautam, Poonam; Gautam, Deepika; Chaudhary, R. P.

2018-05-01

1-Arylidene-2-tetralone (2), obtained from condensation of 2-tetralone and aromatic aldehydes in acetic acid and HCl, on condensation with thiosemicarbazide in acidic and alkaline medium afforded tetrahydro-2H-benzo[e]indazole-2-carbothioamide as trans (3) and cis (4) diastereoisomers of 1-H and 9b-H respectively. The synthesis of new indazolyl-thiazol-4(5H)-ones (5) from trans isomer (3) and α-halo acids is reported. A DFT study along with single crystal X-ray diffraction data of a representative compound (5a) is presented. The chemistry of the reaction of indazole-2-carbothioamides with methyl iodide, DMAD and acetic anhydride is described. Eight newly synthesised compounds were screened for their antibacterial and antifungal activities. Some of the compounds have shown promising antimicrobial activities.

Synthesis of Novel Thiazole Based Carbaldehyde as Potential Sensor for Fluoride Anion and their Spectroscopic Properties.

PubMed

Tayade, Rajratna P; Sekar, Nagaiyan

2017-05-01

A novel thiazole based carbaldehyde bearing benzimidazole fluorophore as the receptor unit for F - anion was prepared by multi steps synthesis. Density functional theory was used to understand the structural and electronic properties the receptor. The anion sensing activities of receptor 4 were studied for various anions in acetonitrile solvent. The receptor showed fluorescence enhancement in the presence of fluoride anion due to intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) mechanism. No significant changes were observed upon addition of less basic anions such as OAc - , Cl - , Br - , I - , HSO 4 - . After the interaction of fluoride anion with the receptor 4 leads to an 88 nm red shift in emission maxima. [TBA]OH and 1 H NMR titration experiments indicated that deprotonation of N-H in the benzimidazole due to interaction with fluoride anions.

Mammalian pheromone studies, VII. Identification of thiazole derivatives in the preorbital gland secretions of the grey duiker, Sylvicapra grimmia, and the red duiker, Cephalophus natalensis.

PubMed

Burger, B V; Pretorius, P J; Stander, J; Grierson, G R

1988-01-01

2-Isobutyl-1,3-thiazole and its 4,5-dihydro derivative were identified in the preorbital gland secretions of the grey duiker, Sylvicapra grimmia, and the red duiker, Cephalophus natalensis, but are absent from the preorbital secretion of the blue duiker, C. monticola. These two compounds which are present in high, but varying concentrations in the secretions of male grey duikers, are present in low concentrations in the secretions of females. This seems to be the only consistent significant difference between the secretions of male and female grey duikers and together with the fact that only males mark out their territories, was construed as evidence in favour of these two compounds playing a significant role in the territorial behaviour of male grey duikers.

Synthesis and biological screening of 2'-aryl/benzyl-2-aryl-4-methyl-4',5-bithiazolyls as possible anti-tubercular and antimicrobial agents.

PubMed

Abhale, Yogita K; Sasane, Amit V; Chavan, Abhijit P; Deshmukh, Keshav K; Kotapalli, Sudha Sravanti; Ummanni, Ramesh; Sayyad, Sadikali F; Mhaske, Pravin C

2015-04-13

A series of 2'-aryl/benzyl-2-aryl-4-methyl-4',5-bithiazolyl derivatives, 25-64 were synthesized and evaluated for inhibitory activity against Mycobacterium smegmatis MC(2) 155 strain and antimicrobial activities against four pathogenic bacteria Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Proteus vulgaris. Among them, compounds 40, 49, 50, and 54 exhibited moderate to good inhibition on the growth of the bacteria Mycobacterium smegmatis at the concentration of 30 μM. Compounds 26, 40, 44, 54 and 56 exhibited moderate to good antibacterial activity. Compound 5-(2'-(4-fluorobenzyl)thiazol-4'-yl)-2-(4-fluorophenyl)-4-methyl-thiazole (54) exhibited both antitubercular as well as antimicrobial activity against all tested strains. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Synthesis and evaluation of sulfonamide-bearing thiazole as carbonic anhydrase isoforms hCA I and hCA II.

PubMed

Kılıcaslan, Soner; Arslan, Mustafa; Ruya, Zeynep; Bilen, Çigdem; Ergün, Adem; Gençer, Nahit; Arslan, Oktay

2016-12-01

Sulfonamide-bearing thiazole compounds were synthesized and their inhibitory effects on the activity of purified human carbonic anhydrase I and II were evaluated. Human carbonic anhydrase isoenzymes (hCA-I and hCA-II) were purified from erythrocyte cells by affinity chromatography. The inhibitory effects of the 12 synthesized sulfonamide (5a-l) on the hydratase and esterase activities of these isoenzymes (hCA-I and hCA-II) were studied in vitro. In relation to these activities, the inhibition equilibrium constants (Ki) were determined. The results showed that all the synthesized compounds inhibited the CA isoenzyme activity. Among them 5b was found to be the most active (IC50 = 0.35 μM; Ki: 0.33 μM) for hCA I and hCA II.

Highly selective potentiometric and colorimetric determinations of cobalt (II) ion using thiazole based ligands.

PubMed

Singhal, Divya; Singh, Ashok Kumar; Upadhyay, Anjali

2014-12-01

New PVC-membrane electrodes were prepared by using 2-((thiazol-2-ylimino)methyl)phenol (L1) and 2-((thiazol-2-ylamino)methyl)phenol (L2) and explored as Co(II) selective electrodes. The effect of various plasticizers and anion excluder was studied in detail and improved performance was observed. It was found that the electrode based on L1 shows better response characteristics in comparison to L2. Optimum performance was observed for the membrane electrode having a composition of L1:NaTPB:DBP:PVC≡2:8:78:62 (w/w, mg). The performance of PME based on L1 was compared with that of CGE. The electrodes exhibit Nernstian slope for Co(II) ions with a limit of detection of 6.91×10(-7) mol L(-1) for PME and 7.94×10(-8) mol L(-1) for CGE. The response time for PME and CGE was found to be 15s and 12 s respectively. The potentiometric responses are independent in the pH range 3.0-9.0 for CGE. The CGE could be used for a period of 90 days. The CGE was used as an indicator electrode in potentiometric titration of EDTA with Co(2+) ion. Further the selectivity of the L1 and L2 was also confirmed by the UV-vis and colorimetric studies and found that L1 is more selective for Co(II) ion. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Development of 2-(Substituted Benzylamino)-4-Methyl-1, 3-Thiazole-5-Carboxylic Acid Derivatives as Xanthine Oxidase Inhibitors and Free Radical Scavengers.

PubMed

Ali, Md Rahmat; Kumar, Suresh; Afzal, Obaid; Shalmali, Nishtha; Sharma, Manju; Bawa, Sandhya

2016-04-01

A series of 2-(substituted benzylamino)-4-methylthiazole-5-carboxylic acid was designed and synthesized as structural analogue of febuxostat. A methylene amine spacer was incorporated between the phenyl ring and thiazole ring in contrast to febuxostat in which the phenyl ring was directly linked with the thiazole moiety. The purpose of incorporating methylene amine was to provide a heteroatom which is expected to favour hydrogen bonding within the active site residues of the enzyme xanthine oxidase. The structure of all the compounds was established by the combined use of FT-IR, NMR and MS spectral data. All the compounds were screened in vitro for their ability to inhibit the enzyme xanthine oxidase as per the reported procedure along with DPPH free radical scavenging assay. Compounds 5j, 5k and 5l demonstrated satisfactory potent xanthine oxidase inhibitory activities with IC50 values, 3.6, 8.1 and 9.9 μm, respectively, whereas compounds 5k, 5n and 5p demonstrated moderate antioxidant activities having IC50 15.3, 17.6 and 19.6 μm, respectively, along with xanthine oxidase inhibitory activity. Compound 5k showed moderate xanthine oxidase inhibitory activity as compared with febuxostat along with antioxidant activity. All the compounds were also studied for their binding affinity in active site of enzyme (PDB ID-1N5X). © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

Studies on non-steroidal inhibitors of aromatase enzyme; 4-(aryl/heteroaryl)-2-(pyrimidin-2-yl)thiazole derivatives.

PubMed

Sahin, Zafer; Ertas, Merve; Berk, Barkın; Biltekin, Sevde Nur; Yurttas, Leyla; Demirayak, Seref

2018-05-01

Steroidal and non-steroidal aromatase inhibitors target the suppression of estrogen biosynthesis in the treatment of breast cancer. Researchers have increasingly focused on developing non-steroidal derivatives for their potential clinical use avoiding steroidal side-effects. Non-steroidal derivatives generally have planar aromatic structures attached to the azole ring system. One part of this ring system comprises functional groups that inhibit aromatization through the coordination of the haem group of the aromatase enzyme. Replacement of the triazole ring system and development of aromatic/cyclic structures of the side chain can increase selectivity over aromatase enzyme inhibition. In this study, 4-(aryl/heteroaryl)-2-(pyrimidin-2-yl)thiazole derivatives were synthesized and physical analyses and structural determination studies were performed. The IC 50 values were determined by a fluorescence-based aromatase inhibition assay and compound 1 (4-(2-hydroxyphenyl)-2-(pyrimidine-2-yl)thiazole) were found potent inhibitor of enzyme (IC 50 :0.42 nM). Then, their antiproliferative activity over MCF-7 and HEK-293 cell lines was evaluated using a 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Compounds 1, 7, 8, 13, 15, 18, 21 were active against MCF-7 breast cancer cells. Lastly, a series of docking experiments were undertaken to analyze the crystal structure of human placental aromatase and identify the possible interactions between the most active structure and the active site. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Dwarf Galaxies Swimming in Tidal Tails

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2005-01-01

This false-color infrared image from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope shows little 'dwarf galaxies' forming in the 'tails' of two larger galaxies that are colliding together. The big galaxies are at the center of the picture, while the dwarfs can be seen as red dots in the red streamers, or tidal tails. The two blue dots above the big galaxies are stars in the foreground.

Galaxy mergers are common occurrences in the universe; for example, our own Milky Way galaxy will eventually smash into the nearby Andromeda galaxy. When two galaxies meet, they tend to rip each other apart, leaving a trail, called a tidal tail, of gas and dust in their wake. It is out of this galactic debris that new dwarf galaxies are born.

The new Spitzer picture demonstrates that these particular dwarfs are actively forming stars. The red color indicates the presence of dust produced in star-forming regions, including organic molecules called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. These carbon-containing molecules are also found on Earth, in car exhaust and on burnt toast, among other places. Here, the molecules are being heated up by the young stars, and, as a result, shine in infrared light.

This image was taken by the infrared array camera on Spitzer. It is a 4-color composite of infrared light, showing emissions from wavelengths of 3.6 microns (blue), 4.5 microns (green), 5.8 microns (orange), and 8.0 microns (red). Starlight has been subtracted from the orange and red channels in order to enhance the dust features.

Structural Modifications of Neuroprotective Anti-Parkinsonian (−)-N6-(2-(4-(Biphenyl-4-yl)piperazin-1-yl)-ethyl)-N6-propyl-4,5,6,7-tetrahydrobenzo[d]thiazole-2,6-diamine (D-264): An Effort toward the Improvement of in Vivo Efficacy of the Parent Molecule

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

In our overall goal to develop multifunctional dopamine D2/D3 agonist drugs for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease (PD), we previously synthesized potent D3 preferring agonist D-264 (1a), which exhibited neuroprotective properties in two animal models of PD. To enhance the in vivo efficacy of 1a, a structure–activity relationship study was carried out. Competitive binding and [35S]GTPγS functional assays identified compound (−)-9b as one of the lead molecules with preferential D3 agonist activity (EC50(GTPγS); D3 = 0.10 nM; D2/D3 (EC50): 159). Compounds (−)-9b and (−)-8b exhibited high in vivo activity in two PD animal models, reserpinized and 6-hydroxydopamine (OHDA)-induced unilateral lesioned rats. On the other hand, 1a failed to show any in vivo activity in these models unless the compound was dissolved in 5–10% beta-hydroxy propyl cyclodextrin solution. Lead compounds exhibited appreciable radical scavenging activity. In vitro experiments with dopaminergic MN9D cells indicated neuroprotection by both 1a and (−)-9b from toxicity of MPP+. PMID:24471976

Simple structured hybrid WOLEDs based on incomplete energy transfer mechanism: from blue exciplex to orange dopant.

PubMed

Zhang, Tianyou; Zhao, Bo; Chu, Bei; Li, Wenlian; Su, Zisheng; Yan, Xingwu; Liu, Chengyuan; Wu, Hairuo; Gao, Yuan; Jin, Fangming; Hou, Fuhua

2015-05-15

Exciplex is well known as a charge transfer state formed between electron-donating and electron-accepting molecules. However, exciplex based organic light emitting diodes (OLED) often performed low efficiencies relative to pure phosphorescent OLED and could hardly be used to construct white OLED (WOLED). In this work, a new mechanism is developed to realize efficient WOLED with extremely simple structure by redistributing the energy of triplet exciplex to both singlet exciplex and the orange dopant. The micro process of energy transfer could be directly examined by detailed photoluminescence decay measurement and time resolved photoluminescence analysis. This strategy overcomes the low reverse intersystem crossing efficiency of blue exciplex and complicated device structure of traditional WOLED, enables us to achieve efficient hybrid WOLEDs. Based on this mechanism, we have successfully constructed both exciplex-fluorescence and exciplex-phosphorescence hybrid WOLEDs with remarkable efficiencies.

Simple structured hybrid WOLEDs based on incomplete energy transfer mechanism: from blue exciplex to orange dopant

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Tianyou; Zhao, Bo; Chu, Bei; Li, Wenlian; Su, Zisheng; Yan, Xingwu; Liu, Chengyuan; Wu, Hairuo; Gao, Yuan; Jin, Fangming; Hou, Fuhua

2015-05-01

Exciplex is well known as a charge transfer state formed between electron-donating and electron-accepting molecules. However, exciplex based organic light emitting diodes (OLED) often performed low efficiencies relative to pure phosphorescent OLED and could hardly be used to construct white OLED (WOLED). In this work, a new mechanism is developed to realize efficient WOLED with extremely simple structure by redistributing the energy of triplet exciplex to both singlet exciplex and the orange dopant. The micro process of energy transfer could be directly examined by detailed photoluminescence decay measurement and time resolved photoluminescence analysis. This strategy overcomes the low reverse intersystem crossing efficiency of blue exciplex and complicated device structure of traditional WOLED, enables us to achieve efficient hybrid WOLEDs. Based on this mechanism, we have successfully constructed both exciplex-fluorescence and exciplex-phosphorescence hybrid WOLEDs with remarkable efficiencies.

Simple structured hybrid WOLEDs based on incomplete energy transfer mechanism: from blue exciplex to orange dopant

PubMed Central

Zhang, Tianyou; Zhao, Bo; Chu, Bei; Li, Wenlian; Su, Zisheng; Yan, Xingwu; Liu, Chengyuan; Wu, Hairuo; Gao, Yuan; Jin, Fangming; Hou, Fuhua

2015-01-01

Exciplex is well known as a charge transfer state formed between electron-donating and electron-accepting molecules. However, exciplex based organic light emitting diodes (OLED) often performed low efficiencies relative to pure phosphorescent OLED and could hardly be used to construct white OLED (WOLED). In this work, a new mechanism is developed to realize efficient WOLED with extremely simple structure by redistributing the energy of triplet exciplex to both singlet exciplex and the orange dopant. The micro process of energy transfer could be directly examined by detailed photoluminescence decay measurement and time resolved photoluminescence analysis. This strategy overcomes the low reverse intersystem crossing efficiency of blue exciplex and complicated device structure of traditional WOLED, enables us to achieve efficient hybrid WOLEDs. Based on this mechanism, we have successfully constructed both exciplex-fluorescence and exciplex-phosphorescence hybrid WOLEDs with remarkable efficiencies. PMID:25975371

Enhanced UV-Visible Light Photocatalytic Activity by Constructing Appropriate Heterostructures between Mesopore TiO₂ Nanospheres and Sn₃O₄ Nanoparticles.

PubMed

Hu, Jianling; Tu, Jianhai; Li, Xingyang; Wang, Ziya; Li, Yan; Li, Quanshui; Wang, Fengping

2017-10-19

Novel TiO₂/Sn₃O₄ heterostructure photocatalysts were ingeniously synthesized via a scalable two-step method. The impressive photocatalytic abilities of the TiO₂/Sn₃O₄ sphere nanocomposites were validated by the degradation test of methyl orange and •OH trapping photoluminescence experiments under ultraviolet (UV) and visible light irradiation, respectively. Especially under the visible light, the TiO₂/Sn₃O₄ nanocomposites demonstrated a superb photocatalytic activity, with 81.2% of methyl orange (MO) decomposed at 30 min after irradiation, which greatly exceeded that of the P25 (13.4%), TiO₂ (0.5%) and pure Sn₃O₄ (59.1%) nanostructures. This enhanced photocatalytic performance could be attributed to the mesopore induced by the monodispersed TiO₂ cores that supply sufficient surface areas and accessibility to reactant molecules. This exquisite hetero-architecture facilitates extended UV-visible absorption and efficient photoexcited charge carrier separation.

Self-Assembly of Electron Donor-Acceptor-Based Carbazole Derivatives: Novel Fluorescent Organic Nanoprobes for Both One- and Two-Photon Cellular Imaging.

PubMed

Zhang, Jinfeng; Chen, Wencheng; Kalytchuk, Sergii; Li, King Fai; Chen, Rui; Adachi, Chihaya; Chen, Zhan; Rogach, Andrey L; Zhu, Guangyu; Yu, Peter K N; Zhang, Wenjun; Cheah, Kok Wai; Zhang, Xiaohong; Lee, Chun-Sing

2016-05-11

In this study, we report fluorescent organic nanoprobes with intense blue, green, and orange-red emissions prepared by self-assembling three carbazole derivatives into nanorods/nanoparticles. The three compounds consist of two or four electron-donating carbazole groups linked to a central dicyanobenzene electron acceptor. Steric hindrance from the carbazole groups leads to noncoplanar 3D molecular structures favorable to fluorescence in the solid state, while the donor-acceptor structures endow the molecules with good two-photon excited emission properties. The fluorescent organic nanoprobes exhibit good water dispersibility, low cytotoxicity, superior resistance against photodegradation and photobleaching. Both one- and two-photon fluorescent imaging were shown in the A549 cell line. Two-photon fluorescence imaging with the fluorescent probes was demonstrated to be more effective in visualizing and distinguishing cellular details compared to conventional one-photon fluorescence imaging.

A proteomic analysis of the chromoplasts isolated from sweet orange fruits [Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck

PubMed Central

Zeng, Yunliu; Pan, Zhiyong; Ding, Yuduan; Zhu, Andan; Cao, Hongbo; Xu, Qiang; Deng, Xiuxin

2011-01-01

Here, a comprehensive proteomic analysis of the chromoplasts purified from sweet orange using Nycodenz density gradient centrifugation is reported. A GeLC-MS/MS shotgun approach was used to identify the proteins of pooled chromoplast samples. A total of 493 proteins were identified from purified chromoplasts, of which 418 are putative plastid proteins based on in silico sequence homology and functional analyses. Based on the predicted functions of these identified plastid proteins, a large proportion (∼60%) of the chromoplast proteome of sweet orange is constituted by proteins involved in carbohydrate metabolism, amino acid/protein synthesis, and secondary metabolism. Of note, HDS (hydroxymethylbutenyl 4-diphosphate synthase), PAP (plastid-lipid-associated protein), and psHSPs (plastid small heat shock proteins) involved in the synthesis or storage of carotenoid and stress response are among the most abundant proteins identified. A comparison of chromoplast proteomes between sweet orange and tomato suggested a high level of conservation in a broad range of metabolic pathways. However, the citrus chromoplast was characterized by more extensive carotenoid synthesis, extensive amino acid synthesis without nitrogen assimilation, and evidence for lipid metabolism concerning jasmonic acid synthesis. In conclusion, this study provides an insight into the major metabolic pathways as well as some unique characteristics of the sweet orange chromoplasts at the whole proteome level. PMID:21841170

Bringing forward the new generation of alkoxy-thiourea as potential treatment for Acanthamoeba keratitis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khairul, Wan M.; Goh, Yit-Peng; Daud, Adibah Izzati; Nakisah, M. A.

2017-02-01

Alkoxy substituted thiourea derivatives with general formula of A-ArC(O)NHC(S)NHAr-D which A represents the methoxy group and D denotes -OCnH2n+1 have been successfully synthesised and characterized. In turn, all the synthesised molecules were assayed for anti-amoebic activities towards Acanthamoeba sp to examine the cytotoxicity effect at their IC50 and membrane permeability. As predicted, the findings showed that the synthesised molecules owing promising anti-amoebic activity towards Acanthamoeba sp. To support, the Acridine-orange/Propidium iodide (AOPI) staining result under fluorescence microscopy revealed the treated amoeba cells by these alkoxy thiourea derivatives exhibited loss in their membrane permeability.

Healthy Eating for Vegetarians: 10 Tips for Vegetarians

MedlinePlus

... Added Sugars Others Everything You Eat and Drink Matters Variety Amount Nutrition Other Ingredients Start with Small ... fortified breakfast cereals and orange juice, and some dark-green leafy vegetables (collard, turnip, and mustard greens; ...

Cool Stars May Have Different Prebiotic Chemical Mix

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2009-01-01

NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope detected a prebiotic, or potentially life-forming, molecule called hydrogen cyanide (HCN) in the planet-forming disks around yellow stars like our sun, but not in the disks around cooler, reddish stars.

The observations are plotted in this graph, called a spectrum, in which light from the gas in the disks around the stars has been split up into its basic components, or wavelengths. Data from stars like our sun are yellow, and data from cool stars are orange. Light wavelengths are shown on the X-axis, and the relative brightness of disk emission is shown on the Y-axis. The signature of a baseline molecule, called acetylene (C₂H₂), was seen for both types of stars, but hydrogen cyanide was seen only around stars like our sun.

Hydrogen cyanide is an organic, nitrogen-containing molecule. Five hydrogen cyanide molecules can link up to form adenine, one of the four chemical bases of DNA.

An interferon-beta promoter reporter assay for high throughput identification of compounds against multiple RNA viruses.

PubMed

Guo, Fang; Zhao, Xuesen; Gill, Tina; Zhou, Yan; Campagna, Matthew; Wang, Lijuan; Liu, Fei; Zhang, Pinghu; DiPaolo, Laura; Du, Yanming; Xu, Xiaodong; Jiang, Dong; Wei, Lai; Cuconati, Andrea; Block, Timothy M; Guo, Ju-Tao; Chang, Jinhong

2014-07-01

Virus infection of host cells is sensed by innate pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) and induces production of type I interferons (IFNs) and other inflammatory cytokines. These cytokines orchestrate the elimination of the viruses but are occasionally detrimental to the hosts. The outcomes and pathogenesis of viral infection are largely determined by the specific interaction between the viruses and their host cells. Therefore, compounds that either inhibit viral infection or modulate virus-induced cytokine response should be considered as candidates for managing virus infection. The aim of the study was to identify compounds in both categories, using a single cell-based assay. Our screening platform is a HEK293 cell-based reporter assay where the expression of a firefly luciferase is under the control of a human IFN-β promoter. We have demonstrated that infection of the reporter cell line with a panel of RNA viruses activated the reporter gene expression that correlates quantitatively with the levels of virus replication and progeny virus production, and could be inhibited in a dose-dependent manner by known antiviral compound or inhibitors of PRR signal transduction pathways. Using Dengue virus as an example, a pilot screening of a small molecule library consisting of 26,900 compounds proved the concept that the IFN-β promoter reporter assay can serve as a convenient high throughput screening platform for simultaneous discovery of antiviral and innate immune response modulating compounds. A representative antiviral compound from the pilot screening, 1-(6-ethoxybenzo[d]thiazol-2-yl)-3-(3-methoxyphenyl) urea, was demonstrated to specifically inhibit several viruses belonging to the family of flaviviridae. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effects of high hydrostatic pressure on the overall quality of Pêra-Rio orange juice during shelf life.

PubMed

Spira, Paz; Bisconsin-Junior, Antonio; Rosenthal, Amauri; Monteiro, Magali

2018-01-01

The effect of high hydrostatic pressure on antioxidant activity, total phenolic compounds, physicochemical characteristics, color, pectin methylesterase activity, and microbiological count were evaluated during the shelf life of Pêra-Rio orange juice. Pressurized (520 MPa, 60 ℃, for 360 s), non-processed and pasteurized (95 ℃/30 s) orange juice were compared at zero time of storage. Pressurized and pasteurized juices were studied during a refrigerated 90-day shelf life. Pressurization did not cause expressive change in physicochemical characteristics of Pêra-Rio orange juice along shelf life, but significantly reduced pectin methylesterase residual activity to 13% and microbiological counts below detection levels up to 68 days of storage, with small counts (30.0 × 10 CFU/mL mesophilic aerobic bacteria and 20.7 × 10 CFU/mL yeast and mold) at 90 days, capable of ensuring the juice's stability along shelf life. Lightness ( L*) and b* values were significantly reduced by high hydrostatic pressure during shelf life, while a* values were significantly higher. Ascorbic acid decreased around 80% during shelf life. Antioxidant activity remained stable after processing and during storage.

Discoloration of the wetted surface in the 6.1D dissolver

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rudisill, T.; Mickalonis, J.; Crapse, K.

During a camera inspection of a failed coil in the 6.1D dissolver, an orange discoloration was observed on a portion of the dissolver wall and coils. At the request of H-Canyon Engineering, the inspection video of the dissolver was reviewed by SRNL to assess if the observed condition (a non-uniform, orange-colored substance on internal surfaces) was a result of corrosion. Although the dissolver vessel and coil corrode during dissolution operations, the high acid conditions are not consistent with the formation of ferrous oxides (i.e., orange/rust-colored corrosion products). In a subsequent investigation, SRNL performed dissolution experiments to determine if residues frommore » the nylon bags used for Pu containment could have generated the orange discoloration following dissolution. When small pieces of a nylon bag were placed in boiling 8 M nitric acid solutions containing other components representative of the H-Canyon process, complete dissolution occurred almost immediately. No residues were obtained even when a nylon mass to volume ratio greater than 100 times the 6.1D dissolver value was used. Degradation products from the dissolution of nylon bags are not responsible for the discoloration observed in the dissolver.« less

CP5484, a novel quaternary carbapenem with potent anti-MRSA activity and reduced toxicity.

PubMed

Maruyama, Takahisa; Yamamoto, Yasuo; Kano, Yuko; Kurazono, Mizuyo; Matsuhisa, Eiji; Takata, Hiromi; Takata, Toshihiko; Atsumi, Kunio; Iwamatsu, Katsuyoshi; Shitara, Eiki

2007-10-01

A new series of 1beta-methyl carbapenems possessing a 6,7-disubstituted imidazo[5,1-b]thiazol-2-yl group directly attached to the C-2 position of the carbapenem nucleus was prepared, and the activities of these compounds against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) were evaluated. To study the effect of basic moieties on anti-MRSA activity, we introduced an amino, or imino, or amidino group at the 6-position of imidazo[5,1-b]thiazole in place of the carbamoylmethyl moiety of CP5068. Anti-MRSA activities of almost all basic group-substituted carbapenems were improved, though some of the compounds showed stronger acute toxicity in mice than IPM. In order to decrease the toxicity without decreasing the activity, we introduced various additional functionalities around the basic moiety. Finally, we obtained CP5484, which has excellent anti-MRSA activity and low acute toxicity.

Quantum mechanical and spectroscopic (FT-IR, 13C, 1H NMR and UV) investigations of 2-(5-(4-Chlorophenyl)-3-(pyridin-2-yl)-4,5-dihydropyrazol-1-yl)benzo[d]thiazole by DFT method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Diwaker

2014-07-01

The electronic, NMR, vibrational, structural properties of a new pyrazoline derivative: 2-(5-(4-Chlorophenyl)-3-(pyridine-2-yl)-4,5-dihydropyrazol-1-yl)benzo[d]thiazole has been studied using Gaussian 09 software package. Using VEDA 4 program we have reported the PED potential energy distribution of normal mode of vibrations of the title compound. We have also reported the 1H and 13C NMR chemical shifts of the title compound using B3LYP level of theory with 6-311++G(2d,2p) basis set. Using time dependent (TD-DFT) approach electronic properties such as HOMO and LUMO energies, electronic spectrum of the title compound has been studied and reported. NBO analysis and MEP surface mapping has also been calculated and reported using ab initio methods.

Genetic Evidence for the Action of Oxathiin and Thiazole Derivatives on the Succinic Dehydrogenase System of Ustilago maydis Mitochondria

PubMed Central

Georgopoulos, S. G.; Alexandri, E.; Chrysayi, M.

1972-01-01

The inhibitory effect of fungitoxic derivatives of 1,4-oxathiin on substrate oxidation by the basidiomycete Ustilago maydis is diminished by a single-gene mutation (oxr). The difference between mutant and wild type is approximately the same on the basis of inhibition of either growth and operation of the tricarboxylic acid cycle in intact cells or succinate-driven reduction of ferricyanide by mitochondrial preparations. The mutation affects the behavior of the succinic dehydrogenase system of mitochondria not only in the presence but also in the absence of the toxicant, from which it is concluded that some component of the system itself has been modified. The malonate and the antimycin A sensitivity of the oxr mutant is similar to that of the wild type but cross-resistance to thiazole derivatives is easily demonstrated. Images PMID:5030620

Supramolecular assembly of group 11 phosphorescent metal complexes for chemosensors of alcohol derivatives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lintang, H. O.; Ghazalli, N. F.; Yuliati, L.

2018-04-01

We report on systematic study on vapochromic sensing of ethanol by using phosphorescent trinuclear metal pyrazolate complexes with supramolecular assembly of weak intermolecular metal-metal interactions using 4-(3,5-dimethoxybenzyl)-3,5-dimethyl pyrazole ligand (1) and group 11 metal ions (Cu(I), Ag(I), Au(I)). Upon excitation at 284, the resulting complexes showed emission bands with a peak centered at 616, 473 and 612 nm for 2(Cu), 2(Ag) and 2(Au), respectively. Chemosensor 2(Cu) showed positive response to ethanol vapors in 5 mins by blue-shifting its emission band from 616 to 555 nm and emitting bright orange to green. Otherwise 2(Au) gave shifting from its emission band centered at 612 to 587 nm with Δλ of 25 nm (41%) and color changes from red-orange to light green-orange while 2(Ag) showed quenching in its original emission intensity at 473 nm in 40% with color changes from dark green to less emissive. These results demonstrate that sensing capability of chemosensor 2(Cu) with suitable molecular design of ligand and metal ion in the complex is due to the formation of a weak intermolecular hydrogen bonding interaction of O atom at the methoxy of the benzyl ring with the OH of the vapors at the outside of the molecules.

Kinetic and isotherm studies of bisphenol A adsorption onto orange albedo(Citrus sinensis): Sorption mechanisms based on the main albedo components vitamin C, flavones glycosides and carotenoids.

PubMed

Kamgaing, Theophile; Doungmo, Giscard; Melataguia Tchieno, Francis Merlin; Gouoko Kouonang, Jimmy Julio; Mbadcam, Ketcha Joseph

2017-07-03

Orange albedo and its adsorption capacity towards bisphenol A (BPA) were studied. Adsorption experiments were conducted in batch mode at 25-55°C. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy were used to characterise the biosorbent. The effects of various parameters including adsorption time, equilibrium pH, adsorbent dosage and initial adsorbate concentration were investigated. The optimum contact time and pH for the removal of BPA were 60 min and 2, respectively. It was found that the adsorption isotherms best matched the Freundlich model, the adsorption of BPA being multilayer and that of the albedo surface heterogeneous. From the kinetic studies, it was found that the removal of BPA best matched the pseudo-second order kinetic model. An adsorption mechanism based on the albedo surface molecules is proposed and gives a good account of π-π interactions and hydrogen bonding. Orange albedo, with a maximum BPA loading capacity of 82.36 mg g -1 (significantly higher than that of most agricultural residues), is a good candidate for BPA adsorption in aqueous media.

Morphological and mineral analysis of dental enamel after erosive challenge in gastric juice and orange juice.

PubMed

Braga, Sheila Regina Maia; De Faria, Dalva Lúcia Araújo; De Oliveira, Elisabeth; Sobral, Maria Angela Pita

2011-12-01

This study evaluated and compared in vitro the morphology and mineral composition of dental enamel after erosive challenge in gastric juice and orange juice. Human enamel specimens were submitted to erosive challenge using gastric juice (from endoscopy exam) (n = 10), and orange juice (commercially-available) (n = 10), as follows: 5 min in 3 mL of demineralization solution, rinse with distilled water, and store in artificial saliva for 3 h. This cycle was repeated four times a day for 14 days. Calcium (Ca) loss after acid exposure was determined by atomic emission spectroscopy. The presence of carbonate (CO) and phosphate (PO) in the specimens was evaluated before and after the erosive challenge by FT-Raman spectroscopy. Data were tested using t-tests (P < 0.05). Morphology of enamel was observed in scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The mean loss of Ca was: 12.74 ± 3.33 mg/L Ca (gastric juice) and 7.07 ± 1.44 mg/L Ca (orange juice). The analysis by atomic emission spectroscopy showed statistically significant difference between erosive potential of juices (P = 0.0003). FT-Raman spectroscopy found no statistically significant difference in the ratio CO/PO after the erosive challenge. The CO/PO ratios values before and after the challenge were: 0.16/0.17 (gastric juice) (P = 0.37) and 0.18/0.14 (orange juice) (P = 0.16). Qualitative analysis by SEM showed intense alterations of enamel surface. The gastric juice caused more changes in morphology and mineral composition of dental enamel than orange juice. The atomic emission spectroscopy showed to be more suitable to analyze small mineral loss after erosive challenge than FT-Raman. Copyright © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Potential of aryl-urea-benzofuranylthiazoles hybrids as multitasking agents in Alzheimer's disease.

PubMed

Kurt, Belma Zengin; Gazioglu, Isil; Basile, Livia; Sonmez, Fatih; Ginex, Tiziana; Kucukislamoglu, Mustafa; Guccione, Salvatore

2015-09-18

New benzofuranylthiazole derivatives containing the aryl-urea moiety were synthesized and evaluated in vitro as dual acetylcholinesterase (AChE)-butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE) inhibitors. In addition, the cupric reducing antioxidant capacities (CUPRAC) and ABTS cation radical scavenging abilities of the synthesized compounds were assayed. The result showed that all the synthesized compounds exhibited inhibitory activity on both AChE and BuChE with 1-(4-(5-bromobenzofuran-2-yl)thiazol-2-yl)-3-(2-fluorophenyl)urea (e25, IC50 value of 3.85 μM) and 1-(4-iodophenyl)-3-(4-(5-nitrobenzofuran-2-yl)thiazol-2-yl)urea (e38, IC50 value of 2.03 μM) as the strongest inhibitors against AChE and BuChE, respectively. Compound e38 was 8.5-fold more potent than galanthamine. The selectivity index of e25 and e38 was 2.40 and 0.37 against AChE and BuChE, respectively. Compound e2, e4 and e11 (IC50 = 0.2, 0.5 and 1.13 μM, respectively) showed a better ABTS cation radical scavenging ability than the standard quercetin (IC50 = 1.18 μM). Best poses of compounds e38 on BuChE and e25 on AChE indicate that the thiazole ring and the amidic moiety are important sites of interaction with both ChEs. In addition, the benzofuran ring and phenyl ring are anchored to the side chains of both enzymes by π-π(pi-pi) interactions. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

A far-red fluorescent protein evolved from a cyanobacterial phycobiliprotein.

PubMed

Rodriguez, Erik A; Tran, Geraldine N; Gross, Larry A; Crisp, Jessica L; Shu, Xiaokun; Lin, John Y; Tsien, Roger Y

2016-09-01

Far-red fluorescent proteins (FPs) are desirable for in vivo imaging because with these molecules less light is scattered, absorbed, or re-emitted by endogenous biomolecules compared with cyan, green, yellow, and orange FPs. We developed a new class of FP from an allophycocyanin α-subunit (APCα). Native APC requires a lyase to incorporate phycocyanobilin. The evolved FP, which we named small ultra-red FP (smURFP), covalently attaches a biliverdin (BV) chromophore without a lyase, and has 642/670-nm excitation-emission peaks, a large extinction coefficient (180,000 M(-1)cm(-1)) and quantum yield (18%), and photostability comparable to that of eGFP. smURFP has significantly greater BV incorporation rate and protein stability than the bacteriophytochrome (BPH) FPs. Moreover, BV supply is limited by membrane permeability, and smURFPs (but not BPH FPs) can incorporate a more membrane-permeant BV analog, making smURFP fluorescence comparable to that of FPs from jellyfish or coral. A far-red and near-infrared fluorescent cell cycle indicator was created with smURFP and a BPH FP.

Alkaloids as important scaffolds in therapeutic drugs for the treatments of cancer, tuberculosis, and smoking cessation.

PubMed

Kittakoop, Prasat; Mahidol, Chulabhorn; Ruchirawat, Somsak

2014-01-01

Alkaloid molecules can act, depending on a type of amine functionality present in alkalods, as either hydrogenacceptor or hydrogen-donor for hydrogen bonding that is critically important for the interaction (binding) between targets (enzymes, proteins and receptors) and drugs (ligands). Because of this unique property, alkaloid scaffolds are therefore present in several drugs and lead compounds. This review highlights alkaloid scaffolds in drugs, particularly those recently approved in 2012; it also covers the scaffolds in leads and drug candidates which are in clinical trials and preclinical pipeline. The review focuses on three therapeutic areas including treatments of cancer, tuberculosis, and tobacco cessation. Alkaloid scaffolds in drugs and leads are inspired by those of naturally occurring alkaloids, and these scaffolds include pyridine, piperidine, quinoline, quinolinone, quinazoline, isoquinoline, indole, indolinone, isoindole, isoxazole, imidazole, indazole, thiazole, pyrazole, oxazolidinone, oxadiazole, and benzazepine. In addition to medicinal chemistry aspects, natural products possessing an individual alkaloid scaffold, as well as the mechanism of action of drugs and leads, are also discussed in this review.

Crystal structure of di-chlorido-{4-[(E)-(meth-oxy-imino-κN)meth-yl]-1,3-thia-zol-2-amine-κN (3)}palladium(II).

PubMed

Dyakonenko, Viktorita V; Zholob, Olga O; Orysyk, Svitlana I; Pekhnyo, Vasily I

2015-01-01

In the title compound, [PdCl2(C5H7N3OS)], the Pd(II) atom adopts a distorted square-planar coordination sphere defined by two N atoms of the bidentate ligand and two Cl atoms. The mean deviation from the coordination plane is 0.029 Å. The methyl group is not coplanar with the plane of the metallacycle [torsion angle C-O-N-C = 20.2 (4)°]. Steric repulsion between the methyl group and atoms of the metallacycle is manifested by shortened intra-molecular H⋯C contacts of 2.27, 2.38 and 2.64 Å, as compared with the sum of the van der Waals radii of 2.87 Å. The amino group participates via one H atom in the formation of an intra-molecular N-H⋯Cl hydrogen bond. In the crystal, the other H atom of the amino group links mol-ecules via bifurcated N-H⋯(Cl,O) hydrogen bonds into chains parallel to [001].

RITA Mimics: Synthesis and Mechanistic Evaluation of Asymmetric Linked Trithiazoles.

PubMed

Pietkiewicz, Adrian L; Zhang, Yuqi; Rahimi, Marwa N; Stramandinoli, Michael; Teusner, Matthew; McAlpine, Shelli R

2017-04-13

The established cytotoxic agent RITA contains a thiophene-furan-thiophene backbone and two terminal alcohol groups. Herein we investigate the effect of using thiazoles as the backbone in RITA-like molecules and modifying the terminal groups of these trithiazoles, thereby generating 41 unique structures. Incorporating side chains with varied steric bulk allowed us to investigate how size and a stereocenter impacted biological activity. Subjecting compounds to growth inhibition assays on HCT-116 cells showed that the most potent compounds 7d , 7e , and 7h had GI 50 values of 4.4, 4.4, and 3.4 μM, respectively, versus RITA (GI 50 of 800 nM). Analysis of these compounds in apoptosis assays proved that 7d , 7e , and 7h were as effective as RITA at inducing apoptosis. Evaluating the impact of 7h on proteins targeted by RITA (p53, c-Myc, and Mcl-1) indicated that it acts via a different mechanism of action to that of RITA. RITA suppressed Mcl-1 protein via p53, whereas compound 7h suppressed Mcl-1 expression via an alternative mechanism independent of p53.

Small amount of water induced preparation of several morphologies for InBO3:Eu3+ phosphor via a facile boric acid flux method and their luminescent properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ding, Wen; Liang, Pan; Liu, Zhi-Hong

2017-05-01

Four kinds of morphologies for InBO3:Eu3+ phosphor have been prepared via a facile boric acid flux method only by adjusting the small amount of added water. The prepared samples have been characterized by XRD, FT-IR, and SEM. It was found that the size and morphology of the samples could be effectively controlled by adjusting reaction temperature, reaction time, especially the small amount of added water, which plays an extremely critical role in the controlling morphology. The possible growth mechanisms for microsphere and flower-like morphologies were further discussed on the basis of time-dependent experiments. Furthermore, the luminescence properties of prepared InBO3:Eu3+ samples have been investigated by photoluminescence (PL) spectra. The results show that the InBO3:Eu3+ phosphors show strong orange emissions under ultraviolet excitation at 237 nm. The monodisperse microsphere sample possesses the highest PL intensity among above four morphologies, which can be used as a potential orange luminescent material.

Effective and less invasive diagnostic strategy for gastrointestinal GVHD

PubMed Central

Endo, Katsuya; Fujishima, Fumiyoshi; Kuroha, Masatake; Moroi, Rintaro; Onodera, Motoyuki; Naito, Takeo; Kanazawa, Yoshitake; Kimura, Tomoya; Shiga, Hisashi; Kakuta, Yoichi; Kinouchi, Yoshitaka; Shimosegawa, Tooru

2018-01-01

Background and study aims  Rectosigmoidoscopy with biopsy has been regarded to be a useful procedure to diagnose gastrointestinal graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). However, little is known about the specific colonoscopic features of gastrointestinal GVHD. In this study, we focused on the 4 unique colonoscopic findings – orange peel appearance, spotty redness, small mucosal sloughing, and diffuse mucosal defect – which are possible specific findings of gastrointestinal GVHD. We aimed to estimate the usefulness of these four unique colonoscopic findings in the rectosigmoid portion to diagnose gastrointestinal GVHD. Patients and methods  Seventy patients who were histologically diagnosed with gastrointestinal GVHD at our institute were retrospectively enrolled. Colonoscopic findings were reviewed, focusing on the four characteristic findings. The percentage of the positive cases for the characteristic findings was calculated. The final scoping portion and the number of cases showing any of the four characteristic findings in the rectosigmoid portion were also evaluated. The relationships between biopsy sites and the histological findings were also evaluated. Results  Orange peel appearance was observed in 66 cases (94.3 %). Spotty redness was observed in 45 cases (64.3 %). Small mucosal sloughing was observed in 49 cases (70.0 %). Diffuse mucosal defect was observed in six cases (8.6 %). The number of cases that were concurrently positive for one, two, and three findings were 16 (20.8 %), 20 (26.0 %), and 34 (48.6 %), respectively. Fifty-eight cases (82.9 %) were investigated up to the rectosigmoid portion, and 12 (17.1 %) were investigated beyond the sigmoid colon. All of the cases showed at least 1 of the 4 characteristics in the rectosigmoid portion. The percentage of crypt apoptosis in the biopsy specimen from orange peel appearance, spotty redness, small mucosal sloughing, and diffuse mucosal defect were 87.5 %, 83.3 %, 87.2 %, and 88.9 %, respectively. Conclusion  Orange peel appearance, spotty redness, small mucosal sloughing, and diffuse mucosal defect are the characteristic colonoscopic findings useful for diagnosis of gastrointestinal GVHD. These findings are frequently observed in the rectosigmoid portion. The histological detection rates for crypt cell apoptosis from these findings are high. Identifying the four characteristic findings on rectosigmoidoscopy and taking biopsies from these areas could be essential for the diagnostic strategy for gastrointestinal GVHD. PMID:29507868

A facile and eco-friendly synthesis of diarylthiazoles and diarylimidazoles in water

EPA Science Inventory

A simple, efficient and high yielding greener protocol for the synthesis of substituted thiazoles and imidazoles is described that utilizes the reaction of readily available α-tosyloxy ketones with variety of thioamides/amidines in water

Regulation of the Synthesis of the Angucyclinone Antibiotic Alpomycin in Streptomyces ambofaciens by the Autoregulator Receptor AlpZ and Its Specific Ligand▿

PubMed Central

Bunet, Robert; Mendes, Marta V.; Rouhier, Nicolas; Pang, Xiuhua; Hotel, Laurence; Leblond, Pierre; Aigle, Bertrand

2008-01-01

Streptomyces ambofaciens produces an orange pigment and the antibiotic alpomycin, both of which are products of a type II polyketide synthase gene cluster identified in each of the terminal inverted repeats of the linear chromosome. Five regulatory genes encoding Streptomyces antibiotic regulatory proteins (alpV, previously shown to be an essential activator gene; alpT; and alpU) and TetR family receptors (alpZ and alpW) were detected in this cluster. Here, we demonstrate that AlpZ, which shows high similarity to γ-butyrolactone receptors, is at the top of a pathway-specific regulatory hierarchy that prevents synthesis of the alp polyketide products. Deletion of the two copies of alpZ resulted in the precocious production of both alpomycin and the orange pigment, suggesting a repressor role for AlpZ. Consistent with this, expression of the five alp-located regulatory genes and of two representative biosynthetic structural genes (alpA and alpR) was induced earlier in the alpZ deletion strain. Furthermore, recombinant AlpZ was shown to bind to specific DNA sequences within the promoter regions of alpZ, alpV, and alpXW, suggesting direct transcriptional control of these genes by AlpZ. Analysis of solvent extracts of S. ambofaciens cultures identified the existence of a factor which induces precocious production of alpomycin and pigment in the wild-type strain and which can disrupt the binding of AlpZ to its DNA targets. This activity is reminiscent of γ-butyrolactone-type molecules. However, the AlpZ-interacting molecule(s) was shown to be resistant to an alkali treatment capable of inactivating γ-butyrolactones, suggesting that the AlpZ ligand(s) does not possess a lactone functional group. PMID:18296523

Regulation of the synthesis of the angucyclinone antibiotic alpomycin in Streptomyces ambofaciens by the autoregulator receptor AlpZ and its specific ligand.

PubMed

Bunet, Robert; Mendes, Marta V; Rouhier, Nicolas; Pang, Xiuhua; Hotel, Laurence; Leblond, Pierre; Aigle, Bertrand

2008-05-01

Streptomyces ambofaciens produces an orange pigment and the antibiotic alpomycin, both of which are products of a type II polyketide synthase gene cluster identified in each of the terminal inverted repeats of the linear chromosome. Five regulatory genes encoding Streptomyces antibiotic regulatory proteins (alpV, previously shown to be an essential activator gene; alpT; and alpU) and TetR family receptors (alpZ and alpW) were detected in this cluster. Here, we demonstrate that AlpZ, which shows high similarity to gamma-butyrolactone receptors, is at the top of a pathway-specific regulatory hierarchy that prevents synthesis of the alp polyketide products. Deletion of the two copies of alpZ resulted in the precocious production of both alpomycin and the orange pigment, suggesting a repressor role for AlpZ. Consistent with this, expression of the five alp-located regulatory genes and of two representative biosynthetic structural genes (alpA and alpR) was induced earlier in the alpZ deletion strain. Furthermore, recombinant AlpZ was shown to bind to specific DNA sequences within the promoter regions of alpZ, alpV, and alpXW, suggesting direct transcriptional control of these genes by AlpZ. Analysis of solvent extracts of S. ambofaciens cultures identified the existence of a factor which induces precocious production of alpomycin and pigment in the wild-type strain and which can disrupt the binding of AlpZ to its DNA targets. This activity is reminiscent of gamma-butyrolactone-type molecules. However, the AlpZ-interacting molecule(s) was shown to be resistant to an alkali treatment capable of inactivating gamma-butyrolactones, suggesting that the AlpZ ligand(s) does not possess a lactone functional group.

Photocatalytic degradation of Orange G dye under solar light using nanocrystalline semiconductor metal oxide.

PubMed

Thennarasu, G; Kavithaa, S; Sivasamy, A

2011-08-01

The photocatalytic degradation of Orange G (OG) dye has been investigated using synthesised nanocrystalline ZnO as a photocatalyst and sunlight as the irradiation source. The formation of ZnO prepared from its precursor was confirmed through FT-IR and powder X-ray diffraction analyses. Surface morphology was characterised by scanning electron microscope and transmission electron microscope analysis. Band gap energy of synthesised nanocrystalline ZnO was calculated using diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS). Different experimental parameters such as effects of pH, dye concentrations and mass of catalyst were standardised in order to achieve complete degradation of the dye molecules under solar light irradiation. The kinetics of oxidation of OG was also studied. The complete degradation of OG was evident after 90 min of irradiation at an initial pH of 6.86. The degradation of OG was confirmed by UV-Visible spectrophotometer, high-pressure liquid chromatography, ESI-Mass and chemical oxygen demand analyses. The adsorption of dye onto catalytic surface was analysed employing model equations such as Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms, and it was found that the Langmuir isotherm model best fitted the adsorption data. The solar photodegradation of OG followed pseudo-first-order kinetics. HPLC and ESI-Mass analyses of the degraded samples suggested that the dye molecules were readily degraded under solar irradiation with nanocrystalline ZnO.

Molecular targets for small-molecule modulators of circadian clocks

PubMed Central

He, Baokun; Chen, Zheng

2016-01-01

Background Circadian clocks are endogenous timing systems that regulate various aspects of mammalian metabolism, physiology and behavior. Traditional chronotherapy refers to the administration of drugs in a defined circadian time window to achieve optimal pharmacokinetic and therapeutic efficacies. In recent years, substantial efforts have been dedicated to developing novel small-molecule modulators of circadian clocks. Methods Here, we review the recent progress in the identification of molecular targets of small-molecule clock modulators and their efficacies in clock-related disorders. Specifically, we examine the clock components and regulatory factors as possible molecular targets of small molecules, and we review several key clock-related disorders as promising venues for testing the preventive/therapeutic efficacies of these small molecules. Finally, we also discuss circadian regulation of drug metabolism. Results Small molecules can modulate the period, phase and/or amplitude of the circadian cycle. Core clock proteins, nuclear hormone receptors, and clock-related kinases and other epigenetic regulators are promising molecular targets for small molecules. Through these targets small molecules exert protective effects against clock-related disorders including the metabolic syndrome, immune disorders, sleep disorders and cancer. Small molecules can also modulate circadian drug metabolism and response to existing therapeutics. Conclusion Small-molecule clock modulators target clock components or diverse cellular pathways that functionally impinge upon the clock. Target identification of new small-molecule modulators will deepen our understanding of key regulatory nodes in the circadian network. Studies of clock modulators will facilitate their therapeutic applications, alone or in combination, for clock-related diseases. PMID:26750111

Walking patterns induced by learned odors in the honeybee, Apis mellifera L.

PubMed

Yamashita, Toshiya; Haupt, S Shuichi; Ikeno, Hidetoshi; Ai, Hiroyuki

2016-01-01

The odor localization strategy induced by odors learned via differential conditioning of the proboscis extension response was investigated in honeybees. In response to reward-associated but not non-reward-associated odors, learners walked longer paths than non-learners and control bees. When orange odor reward association was learned, the path length and the body turn angles were small during odor stimulation and greatly increased after stimulation ceased. In response to orange odor, bees walked locally with alternate left and right turns during odor stimulation to search for the reward-associated odor source. After odor stimulation, bees walked long paths with large turn angles to explore the odor plume. For clove odor, learning-related modulations of locomotion were less pronounced, presumably due to a spontaneous preference for orange in the tested population of bees. This study is the first to describe how an odor-reward association modulates odor-induced walking in bees. © 2016. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

Leaf photosynthetic and water-relations responses for 'Valencia' orange trees exposed to oxidant air pollution

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Olszyk, D.M.; Takemoto, B.K.; Poe, M.

1991-01-01

Leaf responses were measured to test a hypothesis that reduced photosynthetic capacity and/or altered water relations were associated with reductions in yield for 'Valencia' orange trees (Citrus sinensis (L.), Osbeck) exposed to ambient oxidant air pollution. Exposures were continuous for 4 years to three levels of oxidants (in charcoal-filtered, half-filtered, and non-filtered air). Oxidants had no effect on net leaf photosynthetic rates or on photosynthetic pigment concentrations. A single set of measurements indicated that oxidants increased leaf starch concentrations (24%) prior to flowering, suggesting a change in photosynthate allocation. Leaves exposed to oxidants had small, but consistent, changes in watermore » relations over the summer growing season, compared to trees growing in filtered air. Other changes included decreased stomatal conductance (12%) and transpiration (9%) rates, and increased water pressure potentials (5%). While all responses were subtle, their cumulative impact over 4 years indicated that 'Valencia' orange trees were subject to increased ambient oxidant stress.« less

Recent advances in developing small molecules targeting RNA.

PubMed

Guan, Lirui; Disney, Matthew D

2012-01-20

RNAs are underexploited targets for small molecule drugs or chemical probes of function. This may be due, in part, to a fundamental lack of understanding of the types of small molecules that bind RNA specifically and the types of RNA motifs that specifically bind small molecules. In this review, we describe recent advances in the development and design of small molecules that bind to RNA and modulate function that aim to fill this void.

Linkage of iron elution and dissolved oxygen consumption with removal of organic pollutants by nanoscale zero-valent iron: Effects of pH on iron dissolution and formation of iron oxide/hydroxide layer.

PubMed

Fujioka, Nanae; Suzuki, Moe; Kurosu, Shunji; Kawase, Yoshinori

2016-02-01

The iron elution and dissolved oxygen (DO) consumption in organic pollutant removal by nanoscale zero-valent iron (nZVI) was examined in the range of solution pH from 3.0 to 9.0. Their behaviors were linked with the removal of organic pollutant through the dissolution of iron and the formation of iron oxide/hydroxide layer affected strongly by solution pH and DO. As an example of organic pollutants, azo-dye Orange II was chosen in this study. The chemical composition analyses before and after reaction confirmed the corrosion of nZVI into ions, the formation of iron oxide/hydroxide layer on nZVI surface and the adsorption of the pollutant and its intermediates. The complete decolorization of Orange II with nZVI was accomplished very quickly. On the other hand, the total organic carbon (TOC) removal was considerably slow and the maximum TOC removal was around 40% obtained at pH 9.0. The reductive cleavage of azo-bond by emitted electrons more readily took place as compared with the cleavage of aromatic rings of Orange II leading to the degradation to smaller molecules and subsequently the mineralization. A reaction kinetic model based on the Langmuir-Hinshelwood/Eley-Rideal approach was developed to elucidate mechanisms for organic pollutant removal controlled by the formation of iron oxide/hydroxide layer, the progress of which could be characterized by considering the dynamic concentration changes in Fe(2+) and DO. The dynamic profiles of Orange II removal linked with Fe(2+) and DO could be reasonably simulated in the range of pH from 3.0 to 9.0. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Expected and unexpected products of reactions of 2-hydrazinylbenzo-thia-zole with 3-nitro-benzene-sulfonyl chloride in different solvents.

PubMed

Morscher, Alexandra; de Souza, Marcus V N; Wardell, James L; Harrison, William T A

2018-05-01

The syntheses and crystal structures of 2-[2-(propan-2-yl-idene)hydrazin-yl]-1,3-benzo-thia-zol-3-ium 3-nitro-benzene-sulfonate (C 10 H 12 N 2 S + ·C 6 H 4 NO 5 S - ), (I), 2-[2-(3-nitro-benzene-sulfon-yl)hydrazin-yl]-1,3-benzo-thia-zole (C 13 H 10 N 4 O 4 S 2 ), (II) and 2-[2-(3-nitro-benzene-sulfon-yl)hydrazin-yl]-1,3-benzo-thia-zol-3-ium 3-nitro-benzene-sulfonate (C 13 H 11 N 4 O 4 S 2 + ·C 6 H 4 NO 5 S - ), (III) are reported. Salt (I) arose from an unexpected reaction of 2-hydrazinylbenzo-thia-zole with the acetone solvent in the presence of 3-nitro-benzene-sulfonyl chloride, whereas (II) and (III) were recovered from the equivalent reaction carried out in methanol. The crystal of (I) features ion pairs linked by pairs of N-H⋯O s (s = sulfonate) hydrogen bonds; adjacent cations inter-act by way of short π-π stacking inter-actions between the thia-zole rings [centroid-centroid separation = 3.4274 (18) Å]. In (II), which crystallizes with two neutral mol-ecules in the asymmetric unit, the mol-ecules are linked by N-H⋯N and N-H⋯O n (n = nitro) hydrogen bonds to generate [[Formula: see text]1[Formula: see text

78 FR 2908 - Oranges, Grapefruit, Tangerines, and Tangelos Grown in Florida; Increased Assessment Rate

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-01-15

... Tangelos Grown in Florida; Increased Assessment Rate AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA. ACTION... Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) has considered the economic impact of this rulemaking on small entities..., January 15, 2013 / Proposed Rules#0;#0; [[Page 2908

Development and characterization of activated hydrochars from orange peels as potential adsorbents for emerging organic contaminants.

PubMed

Fernandez, M E; Ledesma, B; Román, S; Bonelli, P R; Cukierman, A L

2015-05-01

Activated hydrochars obtained from the hydrothermal carbonization of orange peels (Citrus sinensis) followed by various thermochemical processing were assessed as adsorbents for emerging contaminants in water. Thermal activation under flows of CO2 or air as well as chemical activation with phosphoric acid were applied to the hydrochars. Their characteristics were analyzed and related to their ability to uptake three pharmaceuticals (diclofenac sodium, salicylic acid and flurbiprofen) considered as emerging contaminants. The hydrothermal carbonization and subsequent activations promoted substantial chemical transformations which affected the surface properties of the activated hydrochars; they exhibited specific surface areas ranging from 300 to ∼620 m(2)/g. Morphological characterization showed the development of coral-like microspheres dominating the surface of most hydrochars. Their ability to adsorb the three pharmaceuticals selected was found largely dependent on whether the molecules were ionized or in their neutral form and on the porosity developed by the new adsorbents. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Photocatalytic activity of biogenic silver nanoparticles synthesized using potato (Solanum tuberosum) infusion.

PubMed

Roy, Kaushik; Sarkar, C K; Ghosh, C K

2015-07-05

In this study, we have reported a fast and eco-benign procedure to synthesis silver nanoparticle at room temperature using potato (Solanum tuberosum) infusion along with the study of its photocatalytic activity on methyl orange dye. After addition of potato infusion to silver nitrate solution, the color of the mixture changed indicating formation of silver nanoparticles. Time dependent UV-Vis spectra were obtained to study the rate of nanoparticle formation with time. Purity and crystallinity of the biogenic silver nanoparticles were examined by X-ray diffraction (XRD). Average size and morphology of the nanoparticles were characterized by dynamic light scattering (DLS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy (FTIR) was employed to detect functional bio-molecules responsible that contribute to the reduction and capping of biosynthesized Ag nanoparticles. Further, these synthesized nanoparticles were used to investigate their ability to degrade methyl orange dye under sunlight irradiation and the results showed effective photocatalytic property of these biogenic silver nanoparticles. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Domain Organization in Candida glabrata THI6, a Bifunctional Enzyme Required for Thiamin Biosynthesis in Eukaryotes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Paul, Debamita; Chatterjee, Abhishek; Begley, Tadhg P.

2010-11-15

THI6 is a bifunctional enzyme found in the thiamin biosynthetic pathway in eukaryotes. The N-terminal domain of THI6 catalyzes the ligation of the thiamin thiazole and pyrimidine moieties to form thiamin phosphate, and the C-terminal domain catalyzes the phosphorylation of 4-methyl-5-hydroxyethylthiazole in a salvage pathway. In prokaryotes, thiamin phosphate synthase and 4-methyl-5-hydroxyethylthiazole kinase are separate gene products. Here we report the first crystal structure of a eukaryotic THI6 along with several complexes that characterize the active sites responsible for the two chemical reactions. THI6 from Candida glabrata is a homohexamer in which the six protomers form a cage-like structure. Eachmore » protomer is composed of two domains, which are structurally homologous to their monofunctional bacterial counterparts. Two loop regions not found in the bacterial enzymes provide interactions between the two domains. The structures of different protein-ligand complexes define the thiazole and ATP binding sites of the 4-methyl-5-hydroxyethylthiazole kinase domain and the thiazole phosphate and 4-amino-5-hydroxymethyl-2-methylpyrimidine pyrophosphate binding sites of the thiamin phosphate synthase domain. Our structural studies reveal that the active sites of the two domains are 40 {angstrom} apart and are not connected by an obvious channel. Biochemical studies show 4-methyl-5-hydroxyethylthiazole phosphate is a substrate for THI6; however, adenosine diphospho-5{beta}-ethyl-4-methylthiazole-2-carboxylic acid, the product of THI4, is not a substrate for THI6. This suggests that an unidentified enzyme is necessary to produce the substrate for THI6 from the THI4 product.« less

Synthesis, spectroscopic characterization, DFT calculations and biological evaluation of benzothiazole derivative bearing Mn(II) and Ni(II) metal ions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

El-Gamel, Nadia E. A.; Ali, Korany A.

2017-11-01

N-(benzo[d]thiazol-2-yl)-3-oxo-3-phenylpropanamide ligand and its Nickel and Manganese complexes have been synthesized and characterized by elemental and thermal analyses, IR, diffuse reflectance, mass and UV-Vis spectra, molar conductance and magnetic moment measurements. The decomposition mechanism and thermal stability of the investigated complexes are interpreted in terms of their structures. The thermal behaviour of the complexes has been studied and different thermodynamic parameters are calculated using Coats-Redfern method. N-(benzo[d]thiazol-2-yl)-3-oxo-3-phenylpropanamide is a neutral bidentate ligand coordinating metal ions via thiazole ring nitrogen and amide carbonyl O forming high spin octahedral complexes with Mn(II) (2) and distorted square planar in case of Ni(II) (1). Natural bond orbital analysis and geometry optimization were carried out at DFT/B3LYP/6-31G(d) level of theory for the ligand and the mentioned complexes. Ab inito computations at the HF/6-31G(d) level of the theory is conducted in order to detect any probability of a hydrogen bond formation in the ligand. The dipole moment of the Ni(II) and Mn(II) complexes is recorded to be 9.69 and 7.39 Debye, respectively, indicating that the complexes are more polarized than the ligand 2.39 Debye. The in vitro biological activity of the metal chelates is screened against the Gram-positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus) and Gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli), fungus (Aspergillus flavus, Candida albicans). Ni(II) complexes displayed the highest activity against Candida albicans and Staphylococcus aureus with MIC values of 13, 30 μg/cm3, respectively.

Biotransformation and Detoxification of Xylidine Orange Dye Using Immobilized Cells of Marine-Derived Lysinibacillus sphaericus D3

PubMed Central

Devi, Prabha; Wahidullah, Solimabi; Sheikh, Farhan; Pereira, Rochelle; Narkhede, Niteen; Amonkar, Divya; Tilvi, Supriya; Meena, Ram Murthy

2017-01-01

Lysinibacillus sphaericus D3 cell-immobilized beads in natural gel sodium alginate decolorized the xylidine orange dye 1-(dimethylphenylazo)-2-naphthol-6-sulfonic acid sodium salt in the laboratory. Optimal conditions were selected for decolorization and the products formed were evaluated for toxicity by disc diffusion assay against common marine bacteria which revealed the non-toxic nature of the dye-degraded products. Decolorization of the brightly colored dye to colorless products was measured on an Ultra Violet-Vis spectrophotometer and its biodegradation products monitored on Thin Layer Chromatographic plate and High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). Finally, the metabolites formed in the decolorized medium were characterized by mass spectrometry. This analysis confirms the conversion of the parent molecule into lower molecular weight aromatic phenols and sulfonic acids as the final products of biotransformation. Based on the results, the probable degradation products of xylidine orange were naphthol, naphthylamine-6-sulfonic acid, 2-6-dihydroxynaphthalene, and bis-dinaphthylether. Thus, it may be concluded that the degradation pathway of the dye involved (a) reduction of its azo group by azoreductase enzyme (b) dimerization of the hydrazo compound followed by (c) degradation of monohydrazo as well as dimeric metabolites into low molecular weight aromatics. Finally, it may be worth exploring the possibility of commercially utilizing L. sphaericus D3 for industrial applications for treating large-scale dye waste water. PMID:28208715

Removal of binary dyes mixtures with opposite and similar charges by adsorption, coagulation/flocculation and catalytic oxidation in the presence of CeO2/H2O2 Fenton-like system.

PubMed

Issa Hamoud, Houeida; Finqueneisel, Gisèle; Azambre, Bruno

2017-06-15

In this study, the removal of binary mixtures of dyes with similar (Orange II/Acid Green 25) or opposite charges (Orange II/Malachite Green) was investigated either by simple adsorption on ceria or by the heterogeneous Fenton reaction in presence of H 2 O 2 . First, the CeO 2 nanocatalyst with high specific surface area (269 m 2 /g) and small crystal size (5 nm) was characterized using XRD, Raman spectroscopy and N 2 physisorption at 77 K. The adsorption of single dyes was studied either from thermodynamic and kinetic viewpoints. It is shown that the adsorption of dyes on ceria surface is highly pH-dependent and followed a pseudo-second order kinetic model. Adsorption isotherms fit well the Langmuir model with a complete monolayer coverage and higher affinity towards Orange II at pH 3, compared to other dyes. For the (Orange II/Acid Green 25) mixture, both the amounts of dyes adsorbed on ceria surface and discoloration rates measured from Fenton experiments were decreased by comparison with single dyes. This is due to the adsorption competition existing onto the same surface Ce x+ sites and the reaction competition with hydroxyl radicals, respectively. The behavior of the (Orange II/Malachite Green) mixture is markedly different. Dyes with opposite charges undergo paired adsorption on ceria as well as homogeneous and heterogeneous coagulation/flocculation processes, but can also be removed by heterogeneous Fenton process. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mid-level perceptual features distinguish objects of different real-world sizes.

PubMed

Long, Bria; Konkle, Talia; Cohen, Michael A; Alvarez, George A

2016-01-01

Understanding how perceptual and conceptual representations are connected is a fundamental goal of cognitive science. Here, we focus on a broad conceptual distinction that constrains how we interact with objects--real-world size. Although there appear to be clear perceptual correlates for basic-level categories (apples look like other apples, oranges look like other oranges), the perceptual correlates of broader categorical distinctions are largely unexplored, i.e., do small objects look like other small objects? Because there are many kinds of small objects (e.g., cups, keys), there may be no reliable perceptual features that distinguish them from big objects (e.g., cars, tables). Contrary to this intuition, we demonstrated that big and small objects have reliable perceptual differences that can be extracted by early stages of visual processing. In a series of visual search studies, participants found target objects faster when the distractor objects differed in real-world size. These results held when we broadly sampled big and small objects, when we controlled for low-level features and image statistics, and when we reduced objects to texforms--unrecognizable textures that loosely preserve an object's form. However, this effect was absent when we used more basic textures. These results demonstrate that big and small objects have reliably different mid-level perceptual features, and suggest that early perceptual information about broad-category membership may influence downstream object perception, recognition, and categorization processes. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

Interspecies scaling and prediction of human clearance: comparison of small- and macro-molecule drugs

PubMed Central

Huh, Yeamin; Smith, David E.; Feng, Meihau Rose

2014-01-01

Human clearance prediction for small- and macro-molecule drugs was evaluated and compared using various scaling methods and statistical analysis.Human clearance is generally well predicted using single or multiple species simple allometry for macro- and small-molecule drugs excreted renally.The prediction error is higher for hepatically eliminated small-molecules using single or multiple species simple allometry scaling, and it appears that the prediction error is mainly associated with drugs with low hepatic extraction ratio (Eh). The error in human clearance prediction for hepatically eliminated small-molecules was reduced using scaling methods with a correction of maximum life span (MLP) or brain weight (BRW).Human clearance of both small- and macro-molecule drugs is well predicted using the monkey liver blood flow method. Predictions using liver blood flow from other species did not work as well, especially for the small-molecule drugs. PMID:21892879

Using the QCM Biosensor-Based T7 Phage Display Combined with Bioinformatics Analysis for Target Identification of Bioactive Small Molecule.

PubMed

Takakusagi, Yoichi; Takakusagi, Kaori; Sugawara, Fumio; Sakaguchi, Kengo

2018-01-01

Identification of target proteins that directly bind to bioactive small molecule is of great interest in terms of clarifying the mode of action of the small molecule as well as elucidating the biological phenomena at the molecular level. Of the experimental technologies available, T7 phage display allows comprehensive screening of small molecule-recognizing amino acid sequence from the peptide libraries displayed on the T7 phage capsid. Here, we describe the T7 phage display strategy that is combined with quartz-crystal microbalance (QCM) biosensor for affinity selection platform and bioinformatics analysis for small molecule-recognizing short peptides. This method dramatically enhances efficacy and throughput of the screening for small molecule-recognizing amino acid sequences without repeated rounds of selection. Subsequent execution of bioinformatics programs allows combinatorial and comprehensive target protein discovery of small molecules with its binding site, regardless of protein sample insolubility, instability, or inaccessibility of the fixed small molecules to internally located binding site on larger target proteins when conventional proteomics approaches are used.

76 FR 55721 - New York Disaster #NY-00108

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-09-08

... SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION [Disaster Declaration 12776 and 12777] New York Disaster NY-00108... declaration of a major disaster for the State of New York (FEMA-4020-DR), dated 08/31/2011. Incident... Loans Only): New York: Broome, Chenango, Clinton, Columbia, Franklin, Hamilton, Montgomery, Orange...

Design, Synthesis, and Biological Evaluation of 4-Phenoxyquinoline Derivatives Containing Benzo[d]thiazole-2-yl Urea as c-Met Kinase Inhibitors.

PubMed

Lei, Hongrui; Hu, Gang; Wang, Yu; Han, Pei; Liu, Zijian; Zhao, Yanfang; Gong, Ping

2016-08-01

A series of novel 4-phenoxyquinoline derivatives containing the benzo[d]thiazole-2-yl urea moiety were synthesized and evaluated for their cytotoxicity against the HT-29, MKN-45, and H460 cell lines. The structures of the target compounds were confirmed by (1) H NMR and MS spectra. Most of them showed moderate to excellent potency against the three tested cell lines. Especially, compound 23 was identified a promising agent (c-Met IC50  = 17.6 nM), showing the most potent anticancer activities with IC50 values of 0.18, 0.06, and 0.01 µM against the HT-29, MKN-45, and H460 cell lines, respectively. The docking results of 23 with the c-Met kinase model 3LQ8 showed a specific binding mode between the ligand and the target protein. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Volatiles and water- and fat-soluble precursors of Saanen goat and cross Suffolk lamb flavour.

PubMed

Madruga, Marta; Dantas, Ingrid; Queiroz, Angela; Brasil, Luciana; Ishihara, Yuri

2013-02-07

This paper evaluates the concentrations of water- and fat-soluble precursors of meat flavour, with the aim of characterising the effect of species on the volatile profile of grilled goat and lamb meat. Compared to goat, lamb meat had higher levels of saturated fatty acids--SFA, monounsaturated fatty acids--MUFA and polyunsaturated fatty acids--PUFA and similar levels of sugars and free amino acids, except for lysine and glycine, which were higher in goat. Major differences were detected in lipid-derived volatiles; only pyrazine, thiazole, and some Strecker aldehydes were at different concentrations in these species. Volatile compounds derived from the oxidation of linoleic acid were at higher levels in meat from lamb due to the higher concentration of the latter, while compounds formed from α-linolenic acid were at higher levels in goat. It can be concluded that lamb meat has a stronger flavour profile compared to goat meat because it has the highest concentrations of lipid-derived volatile compounds, primarily straight saturated alkanals, pyrazines and thiazole.

Quantum mechanical and spectroscopic (FT-IR, 13C, 1H NMR and UV) investigations of 2-(5-(4-Chlorophenyl)-3-(pyridin-2-yl)-4,5-dihydropyrazol-1-yl)benzo[d]thiazole by DFT method.

PubMed

Diwaker

2014-07-15

The electronic, NMR, vibrational, structural properties of a new pyrazoline derivative: 2-(5-(4-Chlorophenyl)-3-(pyridine-2-yl)-4,5-dihydropyrazol-1-yl)benzo[d]thiazole has been studied using Gaussian 09 software package. Using VEDA 4 program we have reported the PED potential energy distribution of normal mode of vibrations of the title compound. We have also reported the (1)H and (13)C NMR chemical shifts of the title compound using B3LYP level of theory with 6-311++G(2d,2p) basis set. Using time dependent (TD-DFT) approach electronic properties such as HOMO and LUMO energies, electronic spectrum of the title compound has been studied and reported. NBO analysis and MEP surface mapping has also been calculated and reported using ab initio methods. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Synthesis and in vitro evaluation of new derivatives of 2-substituted-6-fluorobenzo[d]thiazoles as cholinesterase inhibitors.

PubMed

Imramovský, Aleš; Pejchal, Vladimír; Štěpánková, Šárka; Vorčáková, Katarína; Jampílek, Josef; Vančo, Ján; Šimůnek, Petr; Královec, Karel; Brůčková, Lenka; Mandíková, Jana; Trejtnar, František

2013-04-01

A series of novel cholinesterase inhibitors based on 2-substituted 6-fluorobenzo[d]thiazole were synthesised and characterised by IR, (1)H, (13)C and (19)F NMR spectroscopy and HRMS. Purity was checked by elemental analyses. The novel carbamates were tested for their ability to inhibit acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE). The toxicity of the most active compounds was investigated using a standard in vitro test with HepG2 cells, and the ratio between biological activity and toxicity was determined. In addition, the toxicity of the most active compounds was evaluated against MCF7 cells using the xCELLigence system. Structure-activity relationships reflecting the dependence of cholinesterase inhibitors on the lipophilicity of the compounds as well as on the Taft polar and steric substituent constants are discussed. The specific orientation of the inhibitors in the binding site of acetylcholinesterase was determined using molecular docking of the most active compound. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A π-Conjugation Extended Viologen as a Two-Electron Storage Anolyte for Total Organic Aqueous Redox Flow Batteries.

PubMed

Luo, Jian; Hu, Bo; Debruler, Camden; Liu, Tianbiao Leo

2018-01-02

Extending the conjugation of viologen by a planar thiazolo[5,4-d]thiazole (TTz) framework and functionalizing the pyridinium with hydrophilic ammonium groups yielded a highly water-soluble π-conjugation extended viologen, 4,4'-(thiazolo[5,4-d]thiazole-2,5-diyl)bis(1-(3-(trimethylammonio)propyl)pyridin-1-ium) tetrachloride, [(NPr) 2 TTz]Cl 4  , as a novel two-electron storage anolyte for aqueous organic redox flow battery (AORFB) applications. Its physical and electrochemical properties were systematically investigated. Paired with 4-trimethylammonium-TEMPO (N Me -TEMPO) as catholyte, [(NPr) 2 TTz]Cl 4 enables a 1.44 V AORFB with a theoretical energy density of 53.7 Wh L -1 . A demonstrated [(NPr) 2 TTz]Cl 4 /N Me -TEMPO AORFB delivered an energy efficiency of 70 % and 99.97 % capacity retention per cycle. © 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

C9/12 Ribbon-Like Structures in Hybrid Peptides Alternating α- and Thiazole-Based γ-Amino Acids.

PubMed

Bonnel, Clément; Legrand, Baptiste; Simon, Matthieu; Martinez, Jean; Bantignies, Jean-Louis; Kang, Young Kee; Wenger, Emmanuel; Hoh, Francois; Masurier, Nicolas; Maillard, Ludovic T

2017-12-11

According to their restricted conformational freedom, heterocyclic γ-amino acids are usually considered to be related to Z-vinylogous γ-amino acids. In this context, oligomers alternating α-amino acids and thiazole-based γ-amino acids (ATCs) were expected to fold into a canonical 12-helical shape as described for α/γ-hybrid peptides composed of cis-α/β-unsaturated γ-amino acids. However, through a combination of X-ray crystallography, NMR spectroscopy, FTIR experiments, and DFT calculations, it was determined that the folding behavior of ATC-containing hybrid peptides is much more complex. The homochiral α/(S)-ATC sequences were unable to adopt a stable conformation, whereas the heterochiral α/(R)-ATC peptides displayed novel ribbon structures stabilized by unusual C 9/12 -bifurcated hydrogen bonds. These ribbon structures could be considered as a succession of pre-organized γ/α dipeptides and may provide the basis for designing original α-helix mimics. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Facilities for small-molecule crystallography at synchrotron sources.

PubMed

Barnett, Sarah A; Nowell, Harriott; Warren, Mark R; Wilcox, Andrian; Allan, David R

2016-01-01

Although macromolecular crystallography is a widely supported technique at synchrotron radiation facilities throughout the world, there are, in comparison, only very few beamlines dedicated to small-molecule crystallography. This limited provision is despite the increasing demand for beamtime from the chemical crystallography community and the ever greater overlap between systems that can be classed as either small macromolecules or large small molecules. In this article, a very brief overview of beamlines that support small-molecule single-crystal diffraction techniques will be given along with a more detailed description of beamline I19, a dedicated facility for small-molecule crystallography at Diamond Light Source.

Systems Based Study of the Therapeutic Potential of Small Charged Molecules for the Inhibition of IL-1 Mediated Cartilage Degradation

PubMed Central

Kar, Saptarshi; Smith, David W.; Gardiner, Bruce S.; Grodzinsky, Alan J.

2016-01-01

Inflammatory cytokines are key drivers of cartilage degradation in post-traumatic osteoarthritis. Cartilage degradation mediated by these inflammatory cytokines has been extensively investigated using in vitro experimental systems. Based on one such study, we have developed a computational model to quantitatively assess the impact of charged small molecules intended to inhibit IL-1 mediated cartilage degradation. We primarily focus on the simplest possible computational model of small molecular interaction with the IL-1 system—direct binding of the small molecule to the active site on the IL-1 molecule itself. We first use the model to explore the uptake and release kinetics of the small molecule inhibitor by cartilage tissue. Our results show that negatively charged small molecules are excluded from the negatively charged cartilage tissue and have uptake kinetics in the order of hours. In contrast, the positively charged small molecules are drawn into the cartilage with uptake and release timescales ranging from hours to days. Using our calibrated computational model, we subsequently explore the effect of small molecule charge and binding constant on the rate of cartilage degradation. The results from this analysis indicate that the small molecules are most effective in inhibiting cartilage degradation if they are either positively charged and/or bind strongly to IL-1α, or both. Furthermore, our results showed that the cartilage structural homeostasis can be restored by the small molecule if administered within six days following initial tissue exposure to IL-1α. We finally extended the scope of the computational model by simulating the competitive inhibition of cartilage degradation by the small molecule. Results from this model show that small molecules are more efficient in inhibiting cartilage degradation by binding directly to IL-1α rather than binding to IL-1α receptors. The results from this study can be used as a template for the design and development of more pharmacologically effective osteoarthritis drugs, and to investigate possible therapeutic options. PMID:27977731

Role of cloned carotenoid genes expressed in Escherichia coli in protecting against inactivation by near-UV light and specific phototoxic molecules

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tuveson, R.W.; Larson, R.A.; Kagan, J.

1988-10-01

Genes controlling carotenoid synthesis were cloned from Erwinia herbicola and expressed in an Escherichia coli strain. Carotenoids protect against high fluences of near-UV (NUV; 320 to 400 nm) but not against far-UV (200-300 nm). Protection of E. coli cells was not observed following treatment with either psoralen or 8-methoxypsoralen plus NUV. However, significant protection of cells producing carotenoids was observed with three photosensitizing molecules activated by NUV (alpha-terthienyl, harmine, and phenylheptatriyne) which are thought to have the membrane as an important lethal target. Protection of carotenoid-producing cells against inactivation was not observed with acridine orange plus visible light but wasmore » seen with toluidine blue O plus visible light.« less

Role of cloned carotenoid genes expressed in Escherichia coli in protecting against inactivation by near-UV light and specific phototoxic molecules.

PubMed Central

Tuveson, R W; Larson, R A; Kagan, J

1988-01-01

Genes controlling carotenoid synthesis were cloned from Erwinia herbicola and expressed in an Escherichia coli strain. Carotenoids protect against high fluences of near-UV (NUV; 320 to 400 nm) but not against far-UV (200-300 nm). Protection of E. coli cells was not observed following treatment with either psoralen or 8-methoxypsoralen plus NUV. However, significant protection of cells producing carotenoids was observed with three photosensitizing molecules activated by NUV (alpha-terthienyl, harmine, and phenylheptatriyne) which are thought to have the membrane as an important lethal target. Protection of carotenoid-producing cells against inactivation was not observed with acridine orange plus visible light but was seen with toluidine blue O plus visible light. PMID:3049544

Twisted cyanines: a non-planar fluorogenic dye with superior photostability and its use in a protein-based fluoromodule.

PubMed

Shank, Nathaniel I; Pham, Ha H; Waggoner, Alan S; Armitage, Bruce A

2013-01-09

The cyanine dye thiazole orange (TO) is a well-known fluorogenic stain for DNA and RNA, but this property precludes its use as an intracellular fluorescent probe for non-nucleic acid biomolecules. Further, as is the case with many cyanines, the dye suffers from low photostability. Here, we report the synthesis of a bridge-substituted version of TO named α-CN-TO, where the central methine hydrogen of TO is replaced by an electron withdrawing cyano group, which was expected to decrease the susceptibility of the dye toward singlet oxygen-mediated degradation. An X-ray crystal structure shows that α-CN-TO is twisted drastically out of plane, in contrast to TO, which crystallizes in the planar conformation. α-CN-TO retains the fluorogenic behavior of the parent dye TO in viscous glycerol/water solvent, but direct irradiation and indirect bleaching studies showed that α-CN-TO is essentially inert to visible light and singlet oxygen. In addition, the twisted conformation of α-CN-TO mitigates nonspecific binding and fluorescence activation by DNA and a previously selected TO-binding protein and exhibits low background fluorescence in HeLa cell culture. α-CN-TO was then used to select a new protein that binds and activates fluorescence from the dye. The new α-CN-TO/protein fluoromodule exhibits superior photostability to an analogous TO/protein fluoromodule. These properties indicate that α-CN-TO will be a useful fluorogenic dye in combination with specific RNA and protein binding partners for both in vitro and cell-based applications. More broadly, structural features that promote nonplanar conformations can provide an effective method for reducing nonspecific binding of cationic dyes to nucleic acids and other biomolecules.

Twisted Cyanines: A Non-Planar Fluorogenic Dye with Superior Photostability and its Use in a Protein-Based Fluoromodule

PubMed Central

Shank, Nathaniel I.; Pham, Ha; Waggoner, Alan S.; Armitage, Bruce A.

2013-01-01

The cyanine dye thiazole orange (TO) is a well-known fluorogenic stain for DNA and RNA, but this property precludes its use as an intracellular fluorescent probe for non-nucleic acid biomolecules. Further, as is the case with many cyanines, the dye suffers from low photostability. Here we report the synthesis of a bridge-substituted version of TO named α-CN-TO, where the central methine hydrogen of TO is replaced by an electron withdrawing cyano group, which was expected to decrease the susceptibility of the dye toward singlet oxygen-mediated degradation. An X-ray crystal structure shows that α-CN-TO is twisted drastically out of plane, in contrast to TO, which crystallizes in the planar conformation. α-CN-TO retains the fluorogenic behavior of the parent dye TO in viscous glycerol/water solvent, but direct irradiation and indirect bleaching studies showed that α-CN-TO is essentially inert to visible light and singlet oxygen. In addition, the twisted conformation of α-CN-TO mitigates non-specific binding and fluorescence activation by DNA and a previously selected TO-binding protein and exhibits low background fluorescence in HeLa cell culture. α-CN-TO was then used to select a new protein that binds and activates fluorescence from the dye. The new α-CN-TO/protein fluoromodule exhibits superior photostability to an analogous TO/protein fluoromodule. These properties indicate that α-CN-TO will be a useful fluorogenic dye in combination with specific RNA and protein binding partners for both in vitro and cell-based applications. More broadly, structural features that promote nonplanar conformations can provide an effective method for reducing nonspecific binding of cationic dyes to nucleic acids and other biomolecules. PMID:23252842

Antibody-enabled small-molecule drug discovery.

PubMed

Lawson, Alastair D G

2012-06-29

Although antibody-based therapeutics have become firmly established as medicines for serious diseases, the value of antibodies as tools in the early stages of small-molecule drug discovery is only beginning to be realized. In particular, antibodies may provide information to reduce risk in small-molecule drug discovery by enabling the validation of targets and by providing insights into the design of small-molecule screening assays. Moreover, antibodies can act as guides in the quest for small molecules that have the ability to modulate protein-protein interactions, which have traditionally only been considered to be tractable targets for biological drugs. The development of small molecules that have similar therapeutic effects to current biologics has the potential to benefit a broader range of patients at earlier stages of disease.

Treatability of Ninth Avenue Superfund Site Groundwater

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-03-01

few Paramecium and round worms are present also. The effluent is ,ecoming more cloudy. 3 February 89 Rotifers continue to be the dominant species...too small to identify. 10 February 89 The diversity of living organisms is increasing. Paramecium , stalked and free-swimming ciliates, and many small... Paramecium are present also. Filamentous material continues to be in sample. The flocs are a yellow/orange color. G4 17 February 89 There are a few

Small Molecule Chemical Probes of MicroRNA Function

PubMed Central

Velagapudi, Sai Pradeep; Vummidi, Balayeshwanth R.; Disney, Matthew D.

2015-01-01

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small, non-coding RNAs that control protein expression. Aberrant miRNA expression has been linked to various human diseases, and thus miRNAs have been explored as diagnostic markers and therapeutic targets. Although it is challenging to target RNA with small molecules in general, there have been successful campaigns that have identified small molecule modulators of miRNA function by targeting various pathways. For example, small molecules that modulate transcription and target nuclease processing sites in miRNA precursors have been identified. Herein, we describe challenges in developing chemical probes that target miRNAs and highlight aspects of miRNA cellular biology elucidated by using small molecule chemical probes. We expect that this area will expand dramatically in the near future as strides are made to understand small molecule recognition of RNA from a fundamental perspective. PMID:25500006

Highly effective copper-mediated gem-difluoromethylenation of arylboronic acids.

PubMed

Ma, Guobin; Wan, Wen; Hu, Qingyang; Jiang, Haizhen; Wang, Jing; Zhu, Shizheng; Hao, Jian

2014-07-18

A copper-mediated gem-difluoromethylenation of aryl, heteroaryl and vinyl boronic acids with bromodifluoromethylated oxazole or thiazole derivatives has been developed. This novel reaction showed an excellent functional group tolerance and wide substrate scope, providing facile access to practical application in drug discovery and development.

Synthesis, molecular properties estimations, and dual dopamine D2 and D3 receptor activities of Benzthiazole-based ligands.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schübler, Moritz; Sadek, Bassem; Kottke, Tim; Weizel, Lilia; Stark, Holger

2017-09-01

Neurleptic drugs, e.g. aripiprazole, targeting the dopamine D2s and D3 receptors (D2sR and D3R) in the central nervous system are widely used in the treatment of several psychotic and neurodegenerative diseases. Therefore, a new series of benz[d]thiazole-based ligands (1-18) was synthesized by applying the bioisosteric approach derived from the selective D3Rs ligand BP-897 and its structurally related benz[d]imidazole derivatives. Herein, introduction of the benz[d]thiazole moiety was well tolerated by D2sR and D3R binding sites leading to antagonist affinities in the low nanomolar concentration range at both receptor subtypes. Further exploration of different substitution patterns at the benz[d]thiazole heterocycle and the basic 4-phenylpiperazine resulted in the discovery of high dually acting D2sR and D3R ligands. Moreover, the methoxy substitution at 2-position of 4-phenylpiperazine resulted in significantly (22-fold) increased D2sR binding affinity as compared to the parent ligand BP-897, and improved physicochemical and drug-likeness properties of ligands 1-9. However, the latter structural modifications failed to improve the drug-able properties in ligands having un-substituted 4-phenylpiperazine analogues (10-18). Accordingly, compound 7 showed in addition to high dual affinity at the D2sR and D3R (Ki (hD2SR) = 2.8 ± 0.8 nM; Ki (hD3R) = 3.0 ± 1.6 nM), promising clogS, clogP, LE (hD2sR, hD3R), LipE (hD2sR, hD3R), and drug-likeness score values of -4.7, 4.2, (0.4, 0.4), (4.4, 4.3), and 0.7, respectively. Also, the deaminated analogue 8 (Ki (hD2SR) = 3.2 ± 0.4 nM; Ki (hD3R) = 8.5 ± 2.2 nM) revealed clogS, clogP, LE (hD2sR, hD3R), LipE (hD2sR, hD3R) and drug-likeness score values of -4.7, 4.2, (0.4, 0.4), (3.9, 3.5), and 0.4, respectively. The results observed for the newly developed benz[d]thiazole-based ligands 1-18 provide clues for the diversity in structure activity relationships (SARs) at the D2sR and D3R subtypes.

Syntheses and structure characterization of ten acid-base hybrid crystals based on N-containing aromatic brønsted bases and mineral acids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Zhihao; Jin, Shouwen; Li, Xiaoliang; Xiao, Xiao; Hu, Kaikai; Guo, Ming; Chi, Xinchen; Liu, Hui; Wang, Daqi

2017-10-01

Cocrystallization of the aromatic brønsted bases with a series of mineral acids gave a total of ten hybrid salts with the compositions: (2-methylquinoline)2: (hydrochloride acid): 3H2O [(HL1)+. (L1)·· (Cl-) · (H2O)3] (1), (6-bromobenzo[d]thiazol-2-amine): (hydrochloride acid) [(HL2)+. (Cl-)] (2), (6-bromobenzo[d]thiazol-2-amine): (nitric acid) [(HL2)+. (NO3-)] (3), (6-bromobenzo[d]thiazol-2-amine): (sulfuric acid) [(HL2)+ · (HSO4)-] (4), (6-bromobenzo[d]thiazol-2-amine): (phosphoric acid) [(HL2)+ · (H2PO4)-] (5), (5,7-dimethyl-1,8-naphthyridine-2-amine): (hydrochloride acid): 3H2O [(HL3)+ · (Cl-) (H2O)3] (6), (5,7-dimethyl-1,8-naphthyridine-2-amine): (hydrobromic acid): CH3OH [(HL3)+ · (Br)- · CH3OH] (7), (5,7-dimethyl-1,8-naphthyridine-2-amine): (sulfuric acid): H2O [(HL3)+ · (HSO4)- · H2O] (8), (2-aminophenol): (phosphoric acid) [(HL4)+ · (H2PO4)-] (9), and (2-amino-4-chlorophenol): (phosphoric acid) [(HL5)+ · (H2PO4)-] (10). The ten salts have been characterized by X-ray diffraction analysis, IR, and elemental analysis, and the melting points of all the salts were also reported. And their structural and supramolecular aspects are fully analyzed. The result reveals that among the ten investigated crystals the ring N of the heterocycle or the NH2 in the aminophenol are protonated when the acids are deprotonated, and the crystal packing is interpreted in terms of the strong charge-assisted classical hydrogen bonds between the NH+/NH3+ and deprotonated acidic groups. Further analysis of the crystal packing of the salts indicated that a different family of additional CHsbnd O, CHsbnd Cl, CH3sbnd N, CH3sbnd O, CHsbnd Br, CH3sbnd Br, Brsbnd Cl, Clsbnd S, Osbnd S, Osbnd O, Brsbnd S, Hsbnd H, and π-π associations contribute to the stabilization and expansion of the total high-dimensional frameworks. For the coexistence of the various weak nonbonding interactions these structures adopted homo or hetero supramolecular synthons or both. Some classical supramolecular synthons, such as R22(8), R42(8), R43(10) and R44(12), usually observed in the organic solids, were again shown to be involved in constructing most of these H-bonding networks.

Medium-Bandgap Small-Molecule Donors Compatible with Both Fullerene and Nonfullerene Acceptors.

PubMed

Huo, Yong; Yan, Cenqi; Kan, Bin; Liu, Xiao-Fei; Chen, Li-Chuan; Hu, Chen-Xia; Lau, Tsz-Ki; Lu, Xinhui; Sun, Chun-Lin; Shao, Xiangfeng; Chen, Yongsheng; Zhan, Xiaowei; Zhang, Hao-Li

2018-03-21

Much effort has been devoted to the development of new donor materials for small-molecule organic solar cells due to their inherent advantages of well-defined molecular weight, easy purification, and good reproducibility in photovoltaic performance. Herein, we report two small-molecule donors that are compatible with both fullerene and nonfullerene acceptors. Both molecules consist of an (E)-1,2-di(thiophen-2-yl)ethane-substituted (TVT-substituted) benzo[1,2-b:4,5-b']dithiophene (BDT) as the central unit, and two rhodanine units as the terminal electron-withdrawing groups. The central units are modified with either alkyl side chains (DRBDT-TVT) or alkylthio side chains (DRBDT-STVT). Both molecules exhibit a medium bandgap with complementary absorption and proper energy level offset with typical acceptors like PC 71 BM and IDIC. The optimized devices show a decent power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 6.87% for small-molecule organic solar cells and 6.63% for nonfullerene all small-molecule organic solar cells. Our results reveal that rationally designed medium-bandgap small-molecule donors can be applied in high-performance small-molecule organic solar cells with different types of acceptors.

Inforna 2.0: A Platform for the Sequence-Based Design of Small Molecules Targeting Structured RNAs.

PubMed

Disney, Matthew D; Winkelsas, Audrey M; Velagapudi, Sai Pradeep; Southern, Mark; Fallahi, Mohammad; Childs-Disney, Jessica L

2016-06-17

The development of small molecules that target RNA is challenging yet, if successful, could advance the development of chemical probes to study RNA function or precision therapeutics to treat RNA-mediated disease. Previously, we described Inforna, an approach that can mine motifs (secondary structures) within target RNAs, which is deduced from the RNA sequence, and compare them to a database of known RNA motif-small molecule binding partners. Output generated by Inforna includes the motif found in both the database and the desired RNA target, lead small molecules for that target, and other related meta-data. Lead small molecules can then be tested for binding and affecting cellular (dys)function. Herein, we describe Inforna 2.0, which incorporates all known RNA motif-small molecule binding partners reported in the scientific literature, a chemical similarity searching feature, and an improved user interface and is freely available via an online web server. By incorporation of interactions identified by other laboratories, the database has been doubled, containing 1936 RNA motif-small molecule interactions, including 244 unique small molecules and 1331 motifs. Interestingly, chemotype analysis of the compounds that bind RNA in the database reveals features in small molecule chemotypes that are privileged for binding. Further, this updated database expanded the number of cellular RNAs to which lead compounds can be identified.

Mapping the Small Molecule Interactome by Mass Spectrometry.

PubMed

Flaxman, Hope A; Woo, Christina M

2018-01-16

Mapping small molecule interactions throughout the proteome provides the critical structural basis for functional analysis of their impact on biochemistry. However, translation of mass spectrometry-based proteomics methods to directly profile the interaction between a small molecule and the whole proteome is challenging because of the substoichiometric nature of many interactions, the diversity of covalent and noncovalent interactions involved, and the subsequent computational complexity associated with their spectral assignment. Recent advances in chemical proteomics have begun fill this gap to provide a structural basis for the breadth of small molecule-protein interactions in the whole proteome. Innovations enabling direct characterization of the small molecule interactome include faster, more sensitive instrumentation coupled to chemical conjugation, enrichment, and labeling methods that facilitate detection and assignment. These methods have started to measure molecular interaction hotspots due to inherent differences in local amino acid reactivity and binding affinity throughout the proteome. Measurement of the small molecule interactome is producing structural insights and methods for probing and engineering protein biochemistry. Direct structural characterization of the small molecule interactome is a rapidly emerging area pushing new frontiers in biochemistry at the interface of small molecules and the proteome.

Controlling composition and color characteristics of Monascus pigments by pH and nitrogen sources in submerged fermentation.

PubMed

Shi, Kan; Song, Da; Chen, Gong; Pistolozzi, Marco; Wu, Zhenqiang; Quan, Lei

2015-08-01

Submerged fermentations of Monascus anka were performed with different nitrogen sources at different pH in 3 L bioreactors. The results revealed that the Monascus pigments dominated by different color components (yellow pigments, orange pigments or red pigments) could be selectively produced through pH control and nitrogen source selection. A large amount of intracellular pigments dominated by orange pigments and a small amount of water-soluble extracellular yellow pigments were produced at low pH (pH 2.5 and 4.0), independently of the nitrogen source employed. At higher pH (pH 6.5), the role of the nitrogen source became more significant. In particular, when ammonium sulfate was used as nitrogen source, the intracellular pigments were dominated by red pigments with a small amount of yellow pigments. Conversely, when peptone was used, intracellular pigments were dominated by yellow pigments with a few red pigments derivatives. Neither the presence of peptone nor ammonium sulfate promoted the production of intracellular orange pigments while extracellular pigments with an orangish red color were observed in both cases, with a higher yield when peptone was used. Two-stage pH control fermentation was then performed to improve desirable pigments yield and further investigate the effect of pH and nitrogen sources on pigments composition. These results provide a useful strategy to produce Monascus pigments with different composition and different color characteristics. Copyright © 2015 The Society for Biotechnology, Japan. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Splash dispersal of Phyllosticta citricarpa conidia from infected citrus fruit

PubMed Central

Perryman, S. A. M.; Clark, S. J.; West, J. S.

2014-01-01

Rain-splash dispersal of Phyllosticta citricarpa (syn. Guignardia citricarpa) conidia (pycnidiospores) from infected oranges was studied in still air and combined with wind. High power microscopy demonstrated the presence of conidia in splash droplets from diseased oranges, which exuded conidia for over one hour during repeated wetting. The largest (5 mm) incident drops produced the highest splashes (up to 41.0 cm). A linear-by-quadratic surface model predicted highest splashes to be 41.91 cm at a horizontal distance of 25.97 cm from the target orange. Large splash droplets contained most conidia (4–5.5 mm splashes averaged 308 conidia), but were splashed <30 cm horizontal distance. Most (80–90%) splashes were <1 mm diameter but carried only 0–4 conidia per droplet. In multiple splash experiments, splashes combined to reach higher maxima (up to 61.7 cm; linear-by-quadratic surface model prediction, 62.1 cm) than in the single splash experiments. In combination with wind, higher wind speeds carried an increasing proportion of splashes downwind travelling horizontally at least 8 m at the highest wind speed tested (7 m/s), due to a small proportion of droplets (<1 mm) being aerosolised. These experiments suggest that P. citricarpa conidia can be dispersed from infected oranges by splashes of water in rainfall events. PMID:25298272

Splash dispersal of Phyllosticta citricarpa conidia from infected citrus fruit.

PubMed

Perryman, S A M; Clark, S J; West, J S

2014-10-09

Rain-splash dispersal of Phyllosticta citricarpa (syn. Guignardia citricarpa) conidia (pycnidiospores) from infected oranges was studied in still air and combined with wind. High power microscopy demonstrated the presence of conidia in splash droplets from diseased oranges, which exuded conidia for over one hour during repeated wetting. The largest (5 mm) incident drops produced the highest splashes (up to 41.0 cm). A linear-by-quadratic surface model predicted highest splashes to be 41.91 cm at a horizontal distance of 25.97 cm from the target orange. Large splash droplets contained most conidia (4-5.5 mm splashes averaged 308 conidia), but were splashed <30 cm horizontal distance. Most (80-90%) splashes were <1 mm diameter but carried only 0-4 conidia per droplet. In multiple splash experiments, splashes combined to reach higher maxima (up to 61.7 cm; linear-by-quadratic surface model prediction, 62.1 cm) than in the single splash experiments. In combination with wind, higher wind speeds carried an increasing proportion of splashes downwind travelling horizontally at least 8 m at the highest wind speed tested (7 m/s), due to a small proportion of droplets (<1 mm) being aerosolised. These experiments suggest that P. citricarpa conidia can be dispersed from infected oranges by splashes of water in rainfall events.

Small molecule chemical probes of microRNA function.

PubMed

Velagapudi, Sai Pradeep; Vummidi, Balayeshwanth R; Disney, Matthew D

2015-02-01

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small, non-coding RNAs that control protein expression. Aberrant miRNA expression has been linked to various human diseases, and thus miRNAs have been explored as diagnostic markers and therapeutic targets. Although it is challenging to target RNA with small molecules in general, there have been successful campaigns that have identified small molecule modulators of miRNA function by targeting various pathways. For example, small molecules that modulate transcription and target nuclease processing sites in miRNA precursors have been identified. Herein, we describe challenges in developing chemical probes that target miRNAs and highlight aspects of miRNA cellular biology elucidated by using small molecule chemical probes. We expect that this area will expand dramatically in the near future as progress is made in understanding small molecule recognition of RNA. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

JPRS Report East Asia Southeast Asia

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-06-24

cashew nut , orange, and lemon. Many provinces increased their industrial crops by 10 to 15 percent and 15 to 20 percent in terms of area and...Evaporated Milk (1 Small Tin) . Fish/Meat/Poultry (1 Kilo) Eggs (3 Pieces) Dried Beans and Nuts . (100 grams) Cereals (2 Kilos) Kamote/Potatoes (1

50 CFR 32.34 - Iowa.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... may possess only approved nontoxic shot while hunting for any allowed birds or other small game. C... regulations subject to the following conditions: 1. You may only possess approved nontoxic shot (see § 32.2(k... with one or more of the following articles of visible, external, solid-blaze-orange clothing: a hat...

Host status of grapefruit and Valencia oranges for Anastrepha serpentina and Anastrepha ludens (Diptera: Tephritidae).

PubMed

Mangan, Robert L; Thomas, Donald B; Moreno, Aleena M Tarshis

2011-04-01

Anastrepha serpentina (Wiedemann) (Diptera: Tephritidae) is sporadically captured in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas. Although its preferred hosts are in the Sapotaceae family, several varieties of Citrus, including grapefruit and oranges are listed as alternate hosts. Although Mexican fruit fly, Anastrepha ludens (Loew), is known to be a major pest of Citrus, doubt exists as to the status of Citrus as a breeding host for A. serpentina. To evaluate the host status of commercial Citrus for A. serpentina we compared oviposition and development with that of A. ludens under laboratory conditions with 'Rio Red' grapefruit (Citrus paradisi MacFayden) and 'Valencia' oranges [Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck] in different stages of maturity. Both fly species oviposited in early season fruit in which the eggs and larvae died in the fruit albedo. Survival of either species to the adult stage occurred in later season grapefruit. In oranges, no A. serpentina larvae survived compared with 150 A. ludens surviving to adults. Survival on both Citrus species was much lower for A. serpentina, only approximately 5% of eggs eclosed into larvae in grapefruit compared with approximatley 50% for A. ludens. In oranges approximately 16% of A. serpentina eggs eclosed compared with approximately 76% for A. ludens. In grapefruit, only one fourth as many A. serpentina larvae survived to the adult stage compared with A. ludens. Additional experiments were performed in a greenhouse on small, caged trees of la coma (Sideroxylon celastrinum H.B.K.), a Texas species of Sapotaceae. The A. serpentina females readily oviposited into these berries and normal adults emerged. The present low incidence of the adults, coupled with the high mortality during development of the larvae, suggests that Texas citrus is unlikely to support a breeding population of A. serpentina.

Molecular detection and species identification of Enterocytozoon bieneusi isolated from immunocompetent Orang Asli in Malaysia.

PubMed

Ashikin, Azah; Al-Mekhlafi, Hesham M; Moktar, Norhayati; Anuar, Tengku Shahrul

2017-04-01

Most studies of opportunistic infections focus on immunocompromised patients. However, there is a lack of information on microsporidiosis in healthy people (immunocompetent) worldwide. This study aimed to detect and identify microsporidia species in immunocompetent Orang Asli living in Pahang, Malaysia. Orang Asli is a collective term for a group of indigenous people that usually reside in the interior regions of Peninsular Malaysia. They comprise about 0.7% of the total population in Malaysia and 76% of them lived below the poverty line i.e., poor housing conditions with the lack of access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation, contaminated environment, high illiteracy rate and unhygienic practices by these people. Stool samples were collected from 209 Orang Asli and analyzed for detecting the presence of Enterocytozoon bieneusi and Encephalitozoon intestinalis by polymerase chain reaction assay targeting small subunit ribosomal RNA gene. E. bieneusi was detected in 8 individuals (3.83%). This infection was commonly found in males than females (5.2% vs. 2.7%). All infected Orang Asli were adults, with a mean age of 44years. Diarrhea and other gastrointestinal symptoms were reported in one case (12.5%) among individuals infected with this species. These findings clearly show that exposure to E. bieneusi may actually be common than reported. The accurate detection and identification of microsporidian species by molecular technique will improve therapy, clinical manifestations and prognosis of this infection, as no antiparasitic therapy has been approved for E. bieneusi. It is hoped that these findings will allow the formulation of better health management and disease prevention advisories, and improvement in the standards of health in similar communities. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Defining RNA-Small Molecule Affinity Landscapes Enables Design of a Small Molecule Inhibitor of an Oncogenic Noncoding RNA.

PubMed

Velagapudi, Sai Pradeep; Luo, Yiling; Tran, Tuan; Haniff, Hafeez S; Nakai, Yoshio; Fallahi, Mohammad; Martinez, Gustavo J; Childs-Disney, Jessica L; Disney, Matthew D

2017-03-22

RNA drug targets are pervasive in cells, but methods to design small molecules that target them are sparse. Herein, we report a general approach to score the affinity and selectivity of RNA motif-small molecule interactions identified via selection. Named High Throughput Structure-Activity Relationships Through Sequencing (HiT-StARTS), HiT-StARTS is statistical in nature and compares input nucleic acid sequences to selected library members that bind a ligand via high throughput sequencing. The approach allowed facile definition of the fitness landscape of hundreds of thousands of RNA motif-small molecule binding partners. These results were mined against folded RNAs in the human transcriptome and identified an avid interaction between a small molecule and the Dicer nuclease-processing site in the oncogenic microRNA (miR)-18a hairpin precursor, which is a member of the miR-17-92 cluster. Application of the small molecule, Targapremir-18a, to prostate cancer cells inhibited production of miR-18a from the cluster, de-repressed serine/threonine protein kinase 4 protein (STK4), and triggered apoptosis. Profiling the cellular targets of Targapremir-18a via Chemical Cross-Linking and Isolation by Pull Down (Chem-CLIP), a covalent small molecule-RNA cellular profiling approach, and other studies showed specific binding of the compound to the miR-18a precursor, revealing broadly applicable factors that govern small molecule drugging of noncoding RNAs.

Electrochemical Capture and Release of CO2 in Aqueous Electrolytes Using an Organic Semiconductor Electrode

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Developing efficient methods for capture and controlled release of carbon dioxide is crucial to any carbon capture and utilization technology. Herein we present an approach using an organic semiconductor electrode to electrochemically capture dissolved CO2 in aqueous electrolytes. The process relies on electrochemical reduction of a thin film of a naphthalene bisimide derivative, 2,7-bis(4-(2-(2-ethylhexyl)thiazol-4-yl)phenyl)benzo[lmn][3,8]phenanthroline-1,3,6,8(2H,7H)-tetraone (NBIT). This molecule is specifically tailored to afford one-electron reversible and one-electron quasi-reversible reduction in aqueous conditions while not dissolving or degrading. The reduced NBIT reacts with CO2 to form a stable semicarbonate salt, which can be subsequently oxidized electrochemically to release CO2. The semicarbonate structure is confirmed by in situ IR spectroelectrochemistry. This process of capturing and releasing carbon dioxide can be realized in an oxygen-free environment under ambient pressure and temperature, with uptake efficiency for CO2 capture of ∼2.3 mmol g–1. This is on par with the best solution-phase amine chemical capture technologies available today. PMID:28378994

A Ferrocene-Quinoxaline Derivative as a Highly Selective Probe for Colorimetric and Redox Sensing of Toxic Mercury(II) Cations

PubMed Central

Zapata, Fabiola; Caballero, Antonio; Molina, Pedro; Tarraga, Alberto

2010-01-01

A new chemosensor molecule 3 based on a ferrocene-quinoxaline dyad recognizes mercury (II) cations in acetonitrile solution. Upon recognition, an anodic shift of the ferrocene/ferrocenium oxidation peaks and a progressive red-shift (Δλ = 140 nm) of the low-energy band, are observed in its absorption spectrum. This change in the absorption spectrum is accompanied by a colour change from orange to deep green, which can be used for a “naked-eye” detection of this metal cation. PMID:22163528

Allergenicity of orange juice and orange seeds: a clinical study.

PubMed

Zhu, S L; Ye, S T; Yu, Y

1989-06-01

Oranges are considered to be common allergenic fruits in China. They may induce severe food allergy in sensitive individuals. Allergic histories were analyzed in 26 orange-sensitive patients. Intradermal tests with extracts of orange juice and seeds were performed in 16 out of the 26 patients. P-K test was performed in one patient. The allergic history analysis suggested that clinical symptoms of some orange-allergic subjects were different from other fruit allergies but similar to nut and other oil plant seed allergies. The skin test and P-K test showed that the major allergenic components of orange reside in orange seeds instead of orange juice. Systemic reactions developed in 5 patients after intradermal tests with 1:20-200 (w/v) orange seed extracts. We considered that orange seed contains high potent allergens which may induce orange sensitivity due to careless chewing of orange seeds.

Small Molecule Inhibitors of AI-2 Signaling in Bacteria: State-of-the-Art and Future Perspectives for Anti-Quorum Sensing Agents

PubMed Central

Guo, Min; Gamby, Sonja; Zheng, Yue; Sintim, Herman O.

2013-01-01

Bacteria respond to different small molecules that are produced by other neighboring bacteria. These molecules, called autoinducers, are classified as intraspecies (i.e., molecules produced and perceived by the same bacterial species) or interspecies (molecules that are produced and sensed between different bacterial species). AI-2 has been proposed as an interspecies autoinducer and has been shown to regulate different bacterial physiology as well as affect virulence factor production and biofilm formation in some bacteria, including bacteria of clinical relevance. Several groups have embarked on the development of small molecules that could be used to perturb AI-2 signaling in bacteria, with the ultimate goal that these molecules could be used to inhibit bacterial virulence and biofilm formation. Additionally, these molecules have the potential to be used in synthetic biology applications whereby these small molecules are used as inputs to switch on and off AI-2 receptors. In this review, we highlight the state-of-the-art in the development of small molecules that perturb AI-2 signaling in bacteria and offer our perspective on the future development and applications of these classes of molecules. PMID:23994835

FLIPPER, a combinatorial probe for correlated live imaging and electron microscopy, allows identification and quantitative analysis of various cells and organelles.

PubMed

Kuipers, Jeroen; van Ham, Tjakko J; Kalicharan, Ruby D; Veenstra-Algra, Anneke; Sjollema, Klaas A; Dijk, Freark; Schnell, Ulrike; Giepmans, Ben N G

2015-04-01

Ultrastructural examination of cells and tissues by electron microscopy (EM) yields detailed information on subcellular structures. However, EM is typically restricted to small fields of view at high magnification; this makes quantifying events in multiple large-area sample sections extremely difficult. Even when combining light microscopy (LM) with EM (correlated LM and EM: CLEM) to find areas of interest, the labeling of molecules is still a challenge. We present a new genetically encoded probe for CLEM, named "FLIPPER", which facilitates quantitative analysis of ultrastructural features in cells. FLIPPER consists of a fluorescent protein (cyan, green, orange, or red) for LM visualization, fused to a peroxidase allowing visualization of targets at the EM level. The use of FLIPPER is straightforward and because the module is completely genetically encoded, cells can be optimally prepared for EM examination. We use FLIPPER to quantify cellular morphology at the EM level in cells expressing a normal and disease-causing point-mutant cell-surface protein called EpCAM (epithelial cell adhesion molecule). The mutant protein is retained in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and could therefore alter ER function and morphology. To reveal possible ER alterations, cells were co-transfected with color-coded full-length or mutant EpCAM and a FLIPPER targeted to the ER. CLEM examination of the mixed cell population allowed color-based cell identification, followed by an unbiased quantitative analysis of the ER ultrastructure by EM. Thus, FLIPPER combines bright fluorescent proteins optimized for live imaging with high sensitivity for EM labeling, thereby representing a promising tool for CLEM.

Effect of fresh orange juice intake on physiological characteristics in healthy volunteers.

PubMed

Asgary, Sedigheh; Keshvari, Mahtab; Afshani, Mohammad Reza; Amiri, Masoud; Laher, Ismail; Javanmard, Shaghayegh Haghjooy

2014-01-01

Background. Impaired endothelial function is a predictor of cardiovascular events. Orange juice (OJ) is rich in dietary flavonoids and could inhibit oxidative stress and inflammatory responses. We examined the effects of commercial (COJ) and fresh orange juice (FOJ) on endothelial function and physiological characteristics in healthy humans. Materials and Methods. Twenty-two healthy volunteers years were enrolled in a single blind randomized crossover controlled trial. The two groups consumed either COJ for the first 4 weeks and then FOJ (CFOJ, 4 weeks), or FOJ for the first 4 weeks and then COJ (FCOJ, 4 weeks). We assessed endothelial function by measuring flow-mediated dilation, serum concentrations of lipids, apolipoproteins A and B (apo A-1 and apo B), and inflammatory markers such as vascular endothelial adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM-1), E-selectin, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), and interleukin-6. Results. Consumption of both juices decreased VCAM, hs-CRP, and E-selectin but increased apo A-1. A decline in LDL occurred in the FOJ group. There were no differences between the characteristics of two groups, with the exception of apo A-1 levels that were increased with both forms of OJ. The largest variations occurred with hs-CRP, VCAM in both groups. Conclusion. Consumption of COJ and FOJ produced beneficial effects on the physiological characteristics of healthy volunteers. Although these results could encourage the consumption of OJ, intervention studies are needed to determine the long-term effects of these types of OJ on metabolic and cardiovascular endpoints.

Organic small molecule semiconducting chromophores for use in organic electronic devices

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Welch, Gregory C.; Hoven, Corey V.; Nguyen, Thuc-Quyen

Small organic molecule semi-conducting chromophores containing a pyridalthiadiazole, pyridaloxadiazole, or pyridaltriazole core structure are disclosed. Such compounds can be used in organic heterojunction devices, such as organic small molecule solar cells and transistors.

Structure-guided Discovery of Dual-recognition Chemibodies.

PubMed

Cheng, Alan C; Doherty, Elizabeth M; Johnstone, Sheree; DiMauro, Erin F; Dao, Jennifer; Luthra, Abhinav; Ye, Jay; Tang, Jie; Nixey, Thomas; Min, Xiaoshan; Tagari, Philip; Miranda, Les P; Wang, Zhulun

2018-05-15

Small molecules and antibodies each have advantages and limitations as therapeutics. Here, we present for the first time to our knowledge, the structure-guided design of "chemibodies" as small molecule-antibody hybrids that offer dual recognition of a single target by both a small molecule and an antibody, using DPP-IV enzyme as a proof of concept study. Biochemical characterization demonstrates that the chemibodies present superior DPP-IV inhibition compared to either small molecule or antibody component alone. We validated our design by successfully solving a co-crystal structure of a chemibody in complex with DPP-IV, confirming specific binding of the small molecule portion at the interior catalytic site and the Fab portion at the protein surface. The discovery of chemibodies presents considerable potential for novel therapeutics that harness the power of both small molecule and antibody modalities to achieve superior specificity, potency, and pharmacokinetic properties.

Rational design of chemical genetic probes of RNA function and lead therapeutics targeting repeating transcripts.

PubMed

Disney, Matthew D

2013-12-01

RNA is an important yet vastly underexploited target for small molecule chemical probes or lead therapeutics. Small molecules have been used successfully to modulate the function of the bacterial ribosome, viral RNAs and riboswitches. These RNAs are either highly expressed or can be targeted using substrate mimicry, a mainstay in the design of enzyme inhibitors. However, most cellular RNAs are neither highly expressed nor have a lead small molecule inhibitor, a significant challenge for drug discovery efforts. Herein, I describe the design of small molecules targeting expanded repeating transcripts that cause myotonic muscular dystrophy (DM). These test cases illustrate the challenges of designing small molecules that target RNA and the advantages of targeting repeating transcripts. Lastly, I discuss how small molecules might be more advantageous than oligonucleotides for targeting RNA. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Advancing Biological Understanding and Therapeutics Discovery with Small Molecule Probes

PubMed Central

Schreiber, Stuart L.; Kotz, Joanne D.; Li, Min; Aubé, Jeffrey; Austin, Christopher P.; Reed, John C.; Rosen, Hugh; White, E. Lucile; Sklar, Larry A.; Lindsley, Craig W.; Alexander, Benjamin R.; Bittker, Joshua A.; Clemons, Paul A.; de Souza, Andrea; Foley, Michael A.; Palmer, Michelle; Shamji, Alykhan F.; Wawer, Mathias J.; McManus, Owen; Wu, Meng; Zou, Beiyan; Yu, Haibo; Golden, Jennifer E.; Schoenen, Frank J.; Simeonov, Anton; Jadhav, Ajit; Jackson, Michael R.; Pinkerton, Anthony B.; Chung, Thomas D.Y.; Griffin, Patrick R.; Cravatt, Benjamin F.; Hodder, Peter S.; Roush, William R.; Roberts, Edward; Chung, Dong-Hoon; Jonsson, Colleen B.; Noah, James W.; Severson, William E.; Ananthan, Subramaniam; Edwards, Bruce; Oprea, Tudor I.; Conn, P. Jeffrey; Hopkins, Corey R.; Wood, Michael R.; Stauffer, Shaun R.; Emmitte, Kyle A.

2015-01-01

Small-molecule probes can illuminate biological processes and aid in the assessment of emerging therapeutic targets by perturbing biological systems in a manner distinct from other experimental approaches. Despite the tremendous promise of chemical tools for investigating biology and disease, small-molecule probes were unavailable for most targets and pathways as recently as a decade ago. In 2005, the U.S. National Institutes of Health launched the decade-long Molecular Libraries Program with the intent of innovating in and broadening access to small-molecule science. This Perspective describes how novel small-molecule probes identified through the program are enabling the exploration of biological pathways and therapeutic hypotheses not otherwise testable. These experiences illustrate how small-molecule probes can help bridge the chasm between biological research and the development of medicines, but also highlight the need to innovate the science of therapeutic discovery. PMID:26046436

High mobility high efficiency organic films based on pure organic materials

DOEpatents

Salzman, Rhonda F [Ann Arbor, MI; Forrest, Stephen R [Ann Arbor, MI

2009-01-27

A method of purifying small molecule organic material, performed as a series of operations beginning with a first sample of the organic small molecule material. The first step is to purify the organic small molecule material by thermal gradient sublimation. The second step is to test the purity of at least one sample from the purified organic small molecule material by spectroscopy. The third step is to repeat the first through third steps on the purified small molecule material if the spectroscopic testing reveals any peaks exceeding a threshold percentage of a magnitude of a characteristic peak of a target organic small molecule. The steps are performed at least twice. The threshold percentage is at most 10%. Preferably the threshold percentage is 5% and more preferably 2%. The threshold percentage may be selected based on the spectra of past samples that achieved target performance characteristics in finished devices.

Sugar-Terminated Nanoparticle Chaperones Are 102-105 Times Better Than Molecular Sugars in Inhibiting Protein Aggregation and Reducing Amyloidogenic Cytotoxicity.

PubMed

Pradhan, Nibedita; Shekhar, Shashi; Jana, Nihar R; Jana, Nikhil R

2017-03-29

Sugar-based osmolyte molecules are known to stabilize proteins under stress, but usually they have poor chaperone performance in inhibiting protein aggregation. Here, we show that the nanoparticle form of sugars molecule can enhance their chaperone performance typically by 10 2 -10 5 times, compared to molecular sugar. Sugar-based plate-like nanoparticles of 20-40 nm hydrodynamic size have been synthesized by simple heating of acidic aqueous solution of glucose/sucrose/maltose/trehalose. These nanoparticles have excitation-dependent green/yellow/orange emission and surface chemistry identical to the respective sugar molecule. Fibrillation of lysozyme/insulin/amyloid beta in extracellular space, aggregation of mutant huntingtin protein inside model neuronal cell, and cytotoxic effect of fibrils are investigated in the presence of these sugar nanoparticles. We found that sugar nanoparticles are 10 2 -10 5 times efficient than respective sugar molecules in inhibiting protein fibrillation and preventing cytotoxicity arising of fibrils. We propose that better performance of the nanoparticle form is linked to its stronger binding with fibril structure and enhanced cell uptake. This result suggests that nanoparticle form of osmolyte can be an attractive option in prevention and curing of protein aggregation-derived diseases.

Characterizing protein domain associations by Small-molecule ligand binding

PubMed Central

Li, Qingliang; Cheng, Tiejun; Wang, Yanli; Bryant, Stephen H.

2012-01-01

Background Protein domains are evolutionarily conserved building blocks for protein structure and function, which are conventionally identified based on protein sequence or structure similarity. Small molecule binding domains are of great importance for the recognition of small molecules in biological systems and drug development. Many small molecules, including drugs, have been increasingly identified to bind to multiple targets, leading to promiscuous interactions with protein domains. Thus, a large scale characterization of the protein domains and their associations with respect to small-molecule binding is of particular interest to system biology research, drug target identification, as well as drug repurposing. Methods We compiled a collection of 13,822 physical interactions of small molecules and protein domains derived from the Protein Data Bank (PDB) structures. Based on the chemical similarity of these small molecules, we characterized pairwise associations of the protein domains and further investigated their global associations from a network point of view. Results We found that protein domains, despite lack of similarity in sequence and structure, were comprehensively associated through binding the same or similar small-molecule ligands. Moreover, we identified modules in the domain network that consisted of closely related protein domains by sharing similar biochemical mechanisms, being involved in relevant biological pathways, or being regulated by the same cognate cofactors. Conclusions A novel protein domain relationship was identified in the context of small-molecule binding, which is complementary to those identified by traditional sequence-based or structure-based approaches. The protein domain network constructed in the present study provides a novel perspective for chemogenomic study and network pharmacology, as well as target identification for drug repurposing. PMID:23745168

M33: A Close Neighbor Reveals its True Size and Splendor (3-color composite)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2009-01-01

One of our closest galactic neighbors shows its awesome beauty in this new image from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope. M33, also known as the Triangulum Galaxy, is a member of what's known as our Local Group of galaxies. Along with our own Milky Way, this group travels together in the universe, as they are gravitationally bound. In fact, M33 is one of the few galaxies that is moving toward the Milky Way despite the fact that space itself is expanding, causing most galaxies in the universe to grow farther and farther apart.

When viewed with Spitzer's infrared eyes, this elegant spiral galaxy sparkles with color and detail. Stars appear as glistening blue gems (several of which are actually foreground stars in our own galaxy), while dust rich in organic molecules glows green. The diffuse orange-red glowing areas indicate star-forming regions, while small red flecks outside the spiral disk of M33 are most likely distant background galaxies. But not only is this new image beautiful, it also shows M33 to be surprising large bigger than its visible-light appearance would suggest. With its ability to detect cold, dark dust, Spitzer can see emission from cooler material well beyond the visible range of M33's disk. Exactly how this cold material moved outward from the galaxy is still a mystery, but winds from giant stars or supernovas may be responsible.

M33 is located about 2.9 million light-years away in the constellation Triangulum. This is a three-color composite image showing infrared observations from two of Spitzer instruments. Blue represents combined 3.6- and 4.5-micron light and green shows light of 8 microns, both captured by Spitzer's infrared array camera. Red is 24-micron light detected by Spitzer's multiband imaging photometer.

NASA Galaxy Mission Celebrates Sixth Anniversary

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-04-28

NASA Galaxy Evolution Explorer Mission celebrates its sixth anniversary studying galaxies beyond our Milky Way through its sensitive ultraviolet telescope, the only such far-ultraviolet detector in space. The mission studies the shape, brightness, size and distance of distant galaxies across 10 billion years of cosmic history, giving scientists a wealth of data to help us better understand the origins of the universe. One such object is pictured here, the galaxy NGC598, more commonly known as M33. This image is a blend of the Galaxy Evolution Explorer's M33 image and another taken by NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope. M33, one of our closest galactic neighbors, is about 2.9 million light-years away in the constellation Triangulum, part of what's known as our Local Group of galaxies. Together, the Galaxy Evolution Explorer and Spitzer can see a broad spectrum of sky. Spitzer, for example, can detect mid-infrared radiation from dust that has absorbed young stars' ultraviolet light. That's something the Galaxy Evolution Explorer cannot see. This combined image shows in amazing detail the beautiful and complicated interlacing of the heated dust and young stars. In some regions of M33, dust gathers where there is very little far-ultraviolet light, suggesting that the young stars are obscured or that stars further away are heating the dust. In some of the outer regions of the galaxy, just the opposite is true: There are plenty of young stars and very little dust. Far-ultraviolet light from young stars glimmers blue, near-ultraviolet light from intermediate age stars glows green, near-infrared light from old stars burns yellow and orange, and dust rich in organic molecules burns red. The small blue flecks outside the spiral disk of M33 are most likely distant background galaxies. This image is a four-band composite that, in addition to the two ultraviolet bands, includes near infrared as yellow/orange and far infrared as red. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA11999

Proteoform-specific protein binding of small molecules in complex matrices

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Characterizing the specific binding between protein targets and small molecules is critically important for drug discovery. Conventional assays require isolation and purification of small molecules from complex matrices through multistep chromatographic fractionation, which may alter their original ...

Identification of sensory attributes that drive consumer liking of commercial orange juice products in Korea.

PubMed

Kim, Mina K; Lee, Young-Jin; Kwak, Han Sub; Kang, Myung-woo

2013-09-01

Orange juice is a well-accepted fruit juice, and its consumption increases steadily. Many studies have been conducted to understand the sensory characteristics of orange juice throughout its varying processing steps. Sensory language and consumer likings of food can be influenced by culture. The objective of this study is to evaluate the sensory characteristics of commercially available orange juices in Korea and identify drivers of liking for orange juices in Korea. A quantitative descriptive analysis was conducted using a trained panel (n = 10) to evaluate 7 orange juice samples in triplicates, followed by consumer acceptance tests (n = 103). Univariate and multivariate statistical analyses were conducted for data analysis. The sensory characteristics of commercially available orange juice were documented and grouped: group 1 samples were characterized by high in natural citrus flavors such as orange peel, orange flesh, citrus fruit, and grape fruit, whereas group 2 samples were characterized by processed orange-like flavors such as over-ripe, cooked-orange, and yogurt. Regardless of orange flavor types, a high intensity of orange flavor in orange juice was identified as a driver of liking for orange juices in Korea. Three distinct clusters were segmented by varying sensory attributes that were evaluated by likes and dislikes. Overall, many similarities were noticed between Korean market segment and global orange juice market. By knowing the drivers of liking and understanding the distinct consumer clusters present in the Korean orange juice market, the orange juice industry could improve the strategic marketing of its products in Korea. © 2013 Institute of Food Technologists®

HPLC-DAD-MS Profiling of Polyphenols Responsible for the Yellow-Orange Color in Apple Juices of Different French Cider Apple Varieties.

PubMed

Le Deun, Erell; Van der Werf, Remmelt; Le Bail, Gildas; Le Quéré, Jean-Michel; Guyot, Sylvain

2015-09-09

The pigments responsible for the yellow-orange coloration of apple juices have remained largely unknown up to now. Four French cider apple juices were produced in conditions similar to those used in the cider-making industry. The oxidized juices, characterized using the CIE L a b parameters, displayed various colors depending on the apple variety and native phenolic composition. HPLC-DAD-MS revealed contrasting pigment profiles related to oxidized tanning and nontanning molecules. The latter were divided into two groups according to their polarity and their visible spectra. With regard to phenolic classes, flavanol monomers and hydroxycinnamic acids played an essential role in the formation of oxidation products. Interestingly, dihydrochalcones appeared to include precursors of some yellow compounds. Indeed, the yellow pigment phloretin xyloglucoside oxidation product (PXGOPj), derived from phloretin xyloglucoside, was clearly identified in apple juices as a xyloglucose analogue of the yellow pigment phloridzin oxidation product (POPj), previously characterized in a model solution by Le Guernevé et al. (Tetrahedron Lett. 2004, 45 (35), 6673-6677).

Fast decolorization of azo methyl orange via heterogeneous Fenton and Fenton-like reactions using alginate-Fe2+/Fe3+ films as catalysts.

PubMed

Quadrado, Rafael F N; Fajardo, André R

2017-12-01

The efficiency of Fenton and Fenton-like processes can be seriously affected by the continuous loss of iron ions and by the formation of solid sludge. Here, alginate (Alg) films were synthesized to stabilize iron ions (Fe 2+ and Fe 3+ ) and to enhance their catalytic activities towards the decolorization of methyl orange via heterogeneous Fenton and Fenton-like processes. Iron ions were ionically bond to the Alg molecules resulting in a three-dimensional network with specific structural and morphological features according to the valence states of iron. Our results demonstrated that both Alg-Fe 2+ and Alg-Fe 3+ films show highlighted catalytic activity for the decolorization of MO and high decolorization rates. Reuse experiments demonstrated that both films could be employed in at least five consecutive decolorization processes without losing their catalytic efficiency or stability. Taken together, our findings reveal that the Alg-Fe 2+ and Alg-Fe 3+ films may be suitable low-cost catalysts in heterogeneous Fenton and Fenton-like processes. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Facile Fabrication of Cu2O Nanobelts in Ethanol on Nanoporous Cu and Their Photodegradation of Methyl Orange

PubMed Central

Yang, Yulin; Qin, Fengxiang; Wang, Hao; Chang, Hui

2018-01-01

Thin cupric oxide (Cu2O) nanobelts with width of few tens of nanometers to few hundreds of nanometers were fabricated in anhydrous ethanol on nanoporous copper templates that was prepared via dealloying amorphous Ti40Cu60 ribbons in hydrofluoric acid solutions at 348 K. The Cu2O octahedral particles preferentially form in the water, and nanobelts readily undergo the growth along the lengthwise and widthwise in the anhydrous ethanol. The ethanol molecules serve as stabilizing or capping reagents, and play a key role of the formation of two-dimensional Cu2O nanobelts. Cu atoms at weak sites (i.e., twin boundary) on the nanoporous Cu ligaments are ionized to form Cu2+ cations, and then react with OH− to form Cu2O and H2O. The two-dimensional growth of Cu2O nanostructure is preferred in anhydrous ethanol due to the suppression of random growth of Cu2O nanoarchitectures by ethanol. Cu2O nanobelts have superior photodegradation performance of methyl orange, three times higher than nanoporous Cu. PMID:29562692

What Was It like? Being in the Pioneer Class at UC Merced

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Perry, Lisa

2007-01-01

Entering the UC Merced campus and turning onto Scholars Lane, students saw, in this order, large cow pastures surrounding the campus, tall chainlink fences enclosing construction materials, orange fences stating "limits of construction," and across the small road, the residence facilities. Students who were willing to brave this…

Connecting synthetic chemistry decisions to cell and genome biology using small-molecule phenotypic profiling

PubMed Central

Wagner, Bridget K.; Clemons, Paul A.

2009-01-01

Discovering small-molecule modulators for thousands of gene products requires multiple stages of biological testing, specificity evaluation, and chemical optimization. Many cellular profiling methods, including cellular sensitivity, gene-expression, and cellular imaging, have emerged as methods to assess the functional consequences of biological perturbations. Cellular profiling methods applied to small-molecule science provide opportunities to use complex phenotypic information to prioritize and optimize small-molecule structures simultaneously against multiple biological endpoints. As throughput increases and cost decreases for such technologies, we see an emerging paradigm of using more information earlier in probe- and drug-discovery efforts. Moreover, increasing access to public datasets makes possible the construction of “virtual” profiles of small-molecule performance, even when multiplexed measurements were not performed or when multidimensional profiling was not the original intent. We review some key conceptual advances in small-molecule phenotypic profiling, emphasizing connections to other information, such as protein-binding measurements, genetic perturbations, and cell states. We argue that to maximally leverage these measurements in probe and drug discovery requires a fundamental connection to synthetic chemistry, allowing the consequences of synthetic decisions to be described in terms of changes in small-molecule profiles. Mining such data in the context of chemical structure and synthesis strategies can inform decisions about chemistry procurement and library development, leading to optimal small-molecule screening collections. PMID:19825513

Small Molecule based Musculoskeletal Regenerative Engineering

PubMed Central

Lo, Kevin W.-H.; Jiang, Tao; Gagnon, Keith A.; Nelson, Clarke; Laurencin, Cato T.

2014-01-01

Clinicians and scientists working in the field of regenerative engineering are actively investigating a wide range of methods to promote musculoskeletal tissue regeneration. Small molecule-mediated tissue regeneration is emerging as a promising strategy for regenerating various musculoskeletal tissues and a large number of small molecule compounds have been recently discovered as potential bioactive molecules for musculoskeletal tissue repair and regeneration. In this review, we summarize the recent literature encompassing the past four years in the area of small bioactive molecule for promoting repair and regeneration of various musculoskeletal tissues including bone, muscle, cartilage, tendon, and nerve. PMID:24405851

Synthesis, structural characterization, and DFT calculations of 3-buthyl-4-(3-methyl-3-mesitylcyclobut-1-yl)-1,3-thiazole-2(3H)-thione

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Şen, B.; Barim, E.; Kirilmis, C.

2016-03-15

The title compound, C{sub 21}H{sub 29}NS{sub 2}, has been synthesized and its crystal structure has been determined from single crystal X-ray diffraction data. Crystals are monoclinic, a = 11.4923(8), b = 13.1842(7), c = 14.6583(8) Å, β = 109.983(6)°, sp. gr. P2{sub 1}/c, Z = 4. Mesityl and thiazole groups are in cis positions with respect to the cyclobutane ring. The cyclobutane ring is puckered, with a dihedral angle of 26.6(2)° between the two three-atom planes. The crystal structure involves one weak intermolecular C–H···S hydrogen-bond. The molecular geometry was also optimized using density functional theory (DFT/B3LYP) method with the 6-311G(d,more » p) basis set in ground state. Geometric parameters (bond lengths, bond angles and torsion angles) and vibrational assignments have been calculated theoretically and compared with the experimental data.« less

(+)-Meyeniins A-C, Novel Hexahydroimidazo[1,5-c]thiazole Derivatives from the Tubers of Lepidium meyenii: Complete Structural Elucidation by Biomimetic Synthesis and Racemic Crystallization.

PubMed

Zhou, Min; Ma, Hang-Ying; Liu, Zhi-Hua; Yang, Guang-Yu; Du, Gang; Ye, Yan-Qing; Li, Gan-Peng; Hu, Qiu-Fen

2017-03-08

(+)-Meyeniins A-C (1-3), a novel class of sulfur-containing hexahydroimidazo[1,5-c]thiazole derivatives, were isolated from the tubers of Lepidium meyenii (maca) cultivated in Lijiang, Yunnan province, China. Guided by their biosynthetic hypothesis, a stereocontrolled biomimetic synthesis of meyeniins A-C and their individual enantiomers was efficiently accomplished by a combination of a condensation reaction and Edman degradation. The formation of high-quality crystals for X-ray crystallography occurred much more readily from a racemic mixture of (±)-meyeniin A than with the single enantiomer alone in this case. These extensive strategies, combined with circular dichroism (CD) spectra, allowed the complete structural assignments of (+)-meyeniins A-C. Among them, (+)-meyeniin A showed moderate selective cytotoxicities against the HL-60, A549 and MCF-7 human cell lines with IC 50 values of 14.41, 32.22, and 33.14 μM, respectively. To some extent, these findings support traditional applications of maca as healthy nutritional supplements or functional foods for cancer prevention.

1-[(2-arylthiazol-4-yl)methyl]azoles as a new class of anticonvulsants: design, synthesis, in vivo screening, and in silico drug-like properties.

PubMed

Ahangar, Nematollah; Ayati, Adile; Alipour, Eskandar; Pashapour, Arsalan; Foroumadi, Alireza; Emami, Saeed

2011-11-01

A series of novel thiazole incorporated (arylalkyl)azoles were synthesized and screened for their anticonvulsant properties using maximal electroshock and pentylenetetrazole models in mice. Among target compounds, 1-[(2-(4-chlorophenyl)thiazol-4-yl)methyl]-1H-imidazole (compound 4b), 1-[(2-phenylthiazol-4-yl)methyl]-1H-1,2,4-tria-zole (8a), and its 4-chlorophenyl analog (compound 8b) were able to display noticeable anticonvulsant activity in both pentylenetetrazole and maximal electroshock tests with percentage protection range of 33-100%. A computational study was carried out for prediction of pharmacokinetics properties and drug-likeness. The structure-activity relationship and in silico drug relevant properties (molecular weight, topological polar surface area, clog P, hydrogen bond donors, hydrogen bond acceptors, and log BB) confirmed that the compounds were within the range set by Lipinski's rule-of-five, and possessing favorable physicochemical properties for acting as CNS-drugs, making them potentially promising agents for epilepsy therapy. © 2011 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

Stable and general-purpose chemiluminescent detection system for horseradish peroxidase employing a thiazole compound enhancer and some additives.

PubMed

Iwata, R; Ito, H; Hayashi, T; Sekine, Y; Koyama, N; Yamaki, M

1995-10-10

A stable and highly sensitive chemiluminescent detection system for horseradish peroxidase (HRP)/luminol/hydrogen peroxide using a newly designed thiazole compound enhancer has been established. Some additives for the chemiluminescent reaction were explored to overcome some defects of the reaction such as rapid decay and high background of light emission. Recrystallization of luminol and the addition of several detergents into the reacting solution were effective to increase specific light emissions. The addition of skim milk into the reacting solution reduced the background. Consequently, skim milk combined with a detergent increased the signal to noise ratio about 20 times compared with the reactions in the absence of both additives. The optimal concentration of enhancer and the addition of egg albumin stabilized the emission. In the new method, 6x 10(-18) mol of HRP was detectable. This would be the most sensitive enhanced chemiluminescent detection system for HRP. Furthermore, we could detect picogram per milliliter (10(-17) mol) concentrations of a trace component in biological materials such as endothelin-1 by employing this reaction.

Cobalt Complex with Thiazole-Based Ligand as New Pseudomonas aeruginosa Quorum Quencher, Biofilm Inhibitor and Virulence Attenuator.

PubMed

Borges, Anabela; Simões, Manuel; Todorović, Tamara R; Filipović, Nenad R; García-Sosa, Alfonso T

2018-06-08

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is one of the most dreaded human pathogens, because of its intrinsic resistance to a number of commonly used antibiotics and ability to form sessile communities (biofilms). Innovative treatment strategies are required and that can rely on the attenuation of the pathogenicity and virulence traits. The interruption of the mechanisms of intercellular communication in bacteria (quorum sensing) is one of such promising strategies. A cobalt coordination compound (Co( HL )₂) synthesized from ( E )-2-(2-(pyridin-2-ylmethylene)hydrazinyl)-4-(p-tolyl)thiazole ( HL ) is reported herein for the first time to inhibit P. aeruginosa 3-oxo-C12-HSL-dependent QS system (LasI/LasR system) and underling phenotypes (biofilm formation and virulence factors). Its interactions with a possible target, the transcriptional activator protein complex LasR-3-oxo-C12-HSL, was studied by molecular modeling with the coordination compound ligand having stronger predicted interactions than those of co-crystallized ligand 3-oxo-C12-HSL, as well as known-binder furvina. Transition metal group 9 coordination compounds may be explored in antipathogenic/antibacterial drug design.

Defining RNA–Small Molecule Affinity Landscapes Enables Design of a Small Molecule Inhibitor of an Oncogenic Noncoding RNA

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

RNA drug targets are pervasive in cells, but methods to design small molecules that target them are sparse. Herein, we report a general approach to score the affinity and selectivity of RNA motif–small molecule interactions identified via selection. Named High Throughput Structure–Activity Relationships Through Sequencing (HiT-StARTS), HiT-StARTS is statistical in nature and compares input nucleic acid sequences to selected library members that bind a ligand via high throughput sequencing. The approach allowed facile definition of the fitness landscape of hundreds of thousands of RNA motif–small molecule binding partners. These results were mined against folded RNAs in the human transcriptome and identified an avid interaction between a small molecule and the Dicer nuclease-processing site in the oncogenic microRNA (miR)-18a hairpin precursor, which is a member of the miR-17-92 cluster. Application of the small molecule, Targapremir-18a, to prostate cancer cells inhibited production of miR-18a from the cluster, de-repressed serine/threonine protein kinase 4 protein (STK4), and triggered apoptosis. Profiling the cellular targets of Targapremir-18a via Chemical Cross-Linking and Isolation by Pull Down (Chem-CLIP), a covalent small molecule–RNA cellular profiling approach, and other studies showed specific binding of the compound to the miR-18a precursor, revealing broadly applicable factors that govern small molecule drugging of noncoding RNAs. PMID:28386598

Understanding the Halogenation Effects in Diketopyrrolopyrrole-Based Small Molecule Photovoltaics.

PubMed

Sun, Shi-Xin; Huo, Yong; Li, Miao-Miao; Hu, Xiaowen; Zhang, Hai-Jun; Zhang, You-Wen; Zhang, You-Dan; Chen, Xiao-Long; Shi, Zi-Fa; Gong, Xiong; Chen, Yongsheng; Zhang, Hao-Li

2015-09-16

Two molecules containing a central diketopyrrolopyrrole and two oligothiophene units have been designed and synthesized. Comparisons between the molecules containing terminal F (FDPP) and Cl (CDPP) atoms allowed us to evaluate the effects of halogenation on the photovoltaic properties of the small molecule organic solar cells (OSCs). The OSCs devices employing FDPP:PC71BM films showed power conversion efficiencies up to 4.32%, suggesting that fluorination is an efficient method for constructing small molecules for OSCs.

ChemBank: a small-molecule screening and cheminformatics resource database.

PubMed

Seiler, Kathleen Petri; George, Gregory A; Happ, Mary Pat; Bodycombe, Nicole E; Carrinski, Hyman A; Norton, Stephanie; Brudz, Steve; Sullivan, John P; Muhlich, Jeremy; Serrano, Martin; Ferraiolo, Paul; Tolliday, Nicola J; Schreiber, Stuart L; Clemons, Paul A

2008-01-01

ChemBank (http://chembank.broad.harvard.edu/) is a public, web-based informatics environment developed through a collaboration between the Chemical Biology Program and Platform at the Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT. This knowledge environment includes freely available data derived from small molecules and small-molecule screens and resources for studying these data. ChemBank is unique among small-molecule databases in its dedication to the storage of raw screening data, its rigorous definition of screening experiments in terms of statistical hypothesis testing, and its metadata-based organization of screening experiments into projects involving collections of related assays. ChemBank stores an increasingly varied set of measurements derived from cells and other biological assay systems treated with small molecules. Analysis tools are available and are continuously being developed that allow the relationships between small molecules, cell measurements, and cell states to be studied. Currently, ChemBank stores information on hundreds of thousands of small molecules and hundreds of biomedically relevant assays that have been performed at the Broad Institute by collaborators from the worldwide research community. The goal of ChemBank is to provide life scientists unfettered access to biomedically relevant data and tools heretofore available primarily in the private sector.

Fourier domain optical coherence tomographic and auto-fluorescence findings in indeterminate choroidal melanocytic lesions.

PubMed

Singh, Arun D; Belfort, Rubens N; Sayanagi, Kaori; Kaiser, Peter K

2010-04-01

To compare detection rates of drusen and subretinal fluid by Fourier domain optical coherence tomography (FD OCT) and orange pigment by fundus autofluorescence (FAF) with ophthalmoscopy in indeterminate choroidal melanocytic lesions. In a consecutive case series of 38 patients with indeterminate choroidal melanocytic lesion that would have been categorised as a small tumour according to the size-based nomenclature used in the Collaborative Ocular Melanoma Study, each eye was submitted to ophthalmoscopic examination, FD OCT and FAF. The presence of drusen, subretinal fluid and orange pigment was recorded for each lesion by a single observer at the time of initial ophthalmoscopic evaluation and on fundus photographs. FD OCT and autofluorescence images were reviewed in all cases in a masked fashion. The ophthalmoscopic examination revealed drusen in 42%, subretinal fluid in 53% and orange pigment in 50% of patients. FD-OCT detected drusen in 45% and subretinal fluid in 58% of cases, and FAF detected orange pigment in 58% of cases. Based on the McNemar test, none of the differences were statistically significant at the 0.05 level. FD OCT and FAF complement clinical examination by verifying and documenting retinal and RPE changes associated with indeterminate choroidal melanocytic lesions. The detection rates by FD OCT and FAF of important qualitative prognostic factors appear to be equivalent to ophthalmoscopy by a trained observer. Once validated in a larger number of patients, FD OCT and FAF findings can be incorporated into diagnostic algorithms.

Harnessing Connectivity in a Large-Scale Small-Molecule Sensitivity Dataset | Office of Cancer Genomics

Cancer.gov

Identifying genetic alterations that prime a cancer cell to respond to a particular therapeutic agent can facilitate the development of precision cancer medicines. Cancer cell-line (CCL) profiling of small-molecule sensitivity has emerged as an unbiased method to assess the relationships between genetic or cellular features of CCLs and small-molecule response. Here, we developed annotated cluster multidimensional enrichment analysis to explore the associations between groups of small molecules and groups of CCLs in a new, quantitative sensitivity dataset.

A Nonfullerene Small Molecule Acceptor with 3D Interlocking Geometry Enabling Efficient Organic Solar Cells.

PubMed

Lee, Jaewon; Singh, Ranbir; Sin, Dong Hun; Kim, Heung Gyu; Song, Kyu Chan; Cho, Kilwon

2016-01-06

A new 3D nonfullerene small-molecule acceptor is reported. The 3D interlocking geometry of the small-molecule acceptor enables uniform molecular conformation and strong intermolecular connectivity, facilitating favorable nanoscale phase separation and electron charge transfer. By employing both a novel polymer donor and a nonfullerene small-molecule acceptor in the solution-processed organic solar cells, a high-power conversion efficiency of close to 6% is demonstrated. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

A "roller-wheel" Pt-containing small molecule that outperforms its polymer analogs in organic solar cells

DOE PAGES

He, Wenhan; Wu, Qin; Livshits, Maksim Y.; ...

2016-05-23

A novel Pt-bisacetylide small molecule (Pt-SM) featuring “roller-wheel” geometry was synthesized and characterized. When compared with conventional Pt-containing polymers and small molecules having “dumbbell” shaped structures, Pt-SM displays enhanced crystallinity and intermolecular π–π interactions, as well as favorable panchromatic absorption behaviors. Furthermore, organic solar cells (OSCs) employing Pt-SM achieve power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) up to 5.9%, the highest reported so far for Pt-containing polymers and small molecules.

A "roller-wheel" Pt-containing small molecule that outperforms its polymer analogs in organic solar cells

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

He, Wenhan; Wu, Qin; Livshits, Maksim Y.

A novel Pt-bisacetylide small molecule (Pt-SM) featuring “roller-wheel” geometry was synthesized and characterized. When compared with conventional Pt-containing polymers and small molecules having “dumbbell” shaped structures, Pt-SM displays enhanced crystallinity and intermolecular π–π interactions, as well as favorable panchromatic absorption behaviors. Furthermore, organic solar cells (OSCs) employing Pt-SM achieve power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) up to 5.9%, the highest reported so far for Pt-containing polymers and small molecules.

A new five-coordinated copper compound for efficient degradation of methyl orange and Congo red in the absence of UV-visible radiation.

PubMed

Han, Li-Juan; Kong, Ya-Jie; Yan, Ting-Jiang; Fan, Lu-Tong; Zhang, Qi; Zhao, Hua-Jun; Zheng, He-Gen

2016-11-22

A new copper-based coordination compound Cu 2 (2,2'-bipy) 2 (pfbz) 4 (1) (where 2,2'-bipy = 2,2'-bipyridine; pfbz = pentafluorobenzoate), was hydrothermally synthesized and structurally characterized. Compound 1 having a binuclear structure consists of two copper cations and two oxygen atoms alternately in a plane square arrangement. In the presence of very small amounts of H 2 O 2 , the catalytic properties of compound 1 for the degradation of methyl orange (MO) are excellent in the absence of UV-visible radiation. Moreover, compound 1 presents suitable properties for degradation of Congo red (CR). Our results indicated that the five-coordinated copper compound, 1, will be a promising candidate for efficient degradation of organic dyes.

Can oral rehydration solution be safely flavored at home?

PubMed

Nijssen-Jordan, C

1997-12-01

To determine the concentration of sodium, potassium, glucose, and osmolality of oral rehydration solutions (ORS) which have been flavored with varying amounts of unsweetened Kool-Aid powder, Jell-O powder, apple juice, or orange juice. Descriptive. Alberta Children's Hospital Chemistry Laboratory. None. Addition of varying amounts of flavoring easily available in all households to commercially available unsweetened ORS. Concentrations of electrolytes, glucose, and osmolality. Addition of fruit juices or flavor powders to commercially produced ORS does alter the electrolyte content and osmolality. When limited amounts of flavoring or juice is added, the osmolality of the solution approaches iso-osmolality. Small amounts of unsweetened Kool-Aid powder, Jell-O powder, and apple or orange juice can be added to oral rehydration solutions without significantly altering electrolyte composition and osmolality.

A-π-D-π-A Electron-Donating Small Molecules for Solution-Processed Organic Solar Cells: A Review.

PubMed

Wang, Zhen; Zhu, Lingyun; Shuai, Zhigang; Wei, Zhixiang

2017-11-01

Organic solar cells based on semiconducting polymers and small molecules have attracted considerable attention in the last two decades. Moreover, the power conversion efficiencies for solution-processed solar cells containing A-π-D-π-A-type small molecules and fullerenes have reached 11%. However, the method for designing high-performance, photovoltaic small molecules still remains unclear. In this review, recent studies on A-π-D-π-A electron-donating small molecules for organic solar cells are introduced. Moreover, the relationships between molecular properties and device performances are summarized, from which inspiration for the future design of high performance organic solar cells may be obtained. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Artificial neural network and particle swarm optimization for removal of methyl orange by gold nanoparticles loaded on activated carbon and Tamarisk.

PubMed

Ghaedi, M; Ghaedi, A M; Ansari, A; Mohammadi, F; Vafaei, A

2014-11-11

The influence of variables, namely initial dye concentration, adsorbent dosage (g), stirrer speed (rpm) and contact time (min) on the removal of methyl orange (MO) by gold nanoparticles loaded on activated carbon (Au-NP-AC) and Tamarisk were investigated using multiple linear regression (MLR) and artificial neural network (ANN) and the variables were optimized by partial swarm optimization (PSO). Comparison of the results achieved using proposed models, showed the ANN model was better than the MLR model for prediction of methyl orange removal using Au-NP-AC and Tamarisk. Using the optimal ANN model the coefficient of determination (R2) for the test data set were 0.958 and 0.989; mean squared error (MSE) values were 0.00082 and 0.0006 for Au-NP-AC and Tamarisk adsorbent, respectively. In this study a novel and green approach were reported for the synthesis of gold nanoparticle and activated carbon by Tamarisk. This material was characterized using different techniques such as SEM, TEM, XRD and BET. The usability of Au-NP-AC and activated carbon (AC) Tamarisk for the methyl orange from aqueous solutions was investigated. The effect of variables such as pH, initial dye concentration, adsorbent dosage (g) and contact time (min) on methyl orange removal were studied. Fitting the experimental equilibrium data to various isotherm models such as Langmuir, Freundlich, Tempkin and Dubinin-Radushkevich models show the suitability and applicability of the Langmuir model. Kinetic models such as pseudo-first order, pseudo-second order, Elovich and intraparticle diffusion models indicate that the second-order equation and intraparticle diffusion models control the kinetic of the adsorption process. The small amount of proposed Au-NP-AC and activated carbon (0.015 g and 0.75 g) is applicable for successful removal of methyl orange (>98%) in short time (20 min for Au-NP-AC and 45 min for Tamarisk-AC) with high adsorption capacity 161 mg g(-1) for Au-NP-AC and 3.84 mg g(-1) for Tamarisk-AC. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Artificial neural network and particle swarm optimization for removal of methyl orange by gold nanoparticles loaded on activated carbon and Tamarisk

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghaedi, M.; Ghaedi, A. M.; Ansari, A.; Mohammadi, F.; Vafaei, A.

2014-11-01

The influence of variables, namely initial dye concentration, adsorbent dosage (g), stirrer speed (rpm) and contact time (min) on the removal of methyl orange (MO) by gold nanoparticles loaded on activated carbon (Au-NP-AC) and Tamarisk were investigated using multiple linear regression (MLR) and artificial neural network (ANN) and the variables were optimized by partial swarm optimization (PSO). Comparison of the results achieved using proposed models, showed the ANN model was better than the MLR model for prediction of methyl orange removal using Au-NP-AC and Tamarisk. Using the optimal ANN model the coefficient of determination (R2) for the test data set were 0.958 and 0.989; mean squared error (MSE) values were 0.00082 and 0.0006 for Au-NP-AC and Tamarisk adsorbent, respectively. In this study a novel and green approach were reported for the synthesis of gold nanoparticle and activated carbon by Tamarisk. This material was characterized using different techniques such as SEM, TEM, XRD and BET. The usability of Au-NP-AC and activated carbon (AC) Tamarisk for the methyl orange from aqueous solutions was investigated. The effect of variables such as pH, initial dye concentration, adsorbent dosage (g) and contact time (min) on methyl orange removal were studied. Fitting the experimental equilibrium data to various isotherm models such as Langmuir, Freundlich, Tempkin and Dubinin-Radushkevich models show the suitability and applicability of the Langmuir model. Kinetic models such as pseudo-first order, pseudo-second order, Elovich and intraparticle diffusion models indicate that the second-order equation and intraparticle diffusion models control the kinetic of the adsorption process. The small amount of proposed Au-NP-AC and activated carbon (0.015 g and 0.75 g) is applicable for successful removal of methyl orange (>98%) in short time (20 min for Au-NP-AC and 45 min for Tamarisk-AC) with high adsorption capacity 161 mg g-1 for Au-NP-AC and 3.84 mg g-1 for Tamarisk-AC.

A general electrochemical method for label-free screening of protein–small molecule interactions†

PubMed Central

Cash, Kevin J.; Ricci, Francesco

2010-01-01

Here we report a versatile method by which the interaction between a protein and a small molecule, and the disruption of that interaction by competition with other small molecules, can be monitored electrochemically directly in complex sample matrices. PMID:19826675

Toward Generalization of Iterative Small Molecule Synthesis

PubMed Central

Lehmann, Jonathan W.; Blair, Daniel J.; Burke, Martin D.

2018-01-01

Small molecules have extensive untapped potential to benefit society, but access to this potential is too often restricted by limitations inherent to the customized approach currently used to synthesize this class of chemical matter. In contrast, the “building block approach”, i.e., generalized iterative assembly of interchangeable parts, has now proven to be a highly efficient and flexible way to construct things ranging all the way from skyscrapers to macromolecules to artificial intelligence algorithms. The structural redundancy found in many small molecules suggests that they possess a similar capacity for generalized building block-based construction. It is also encouraging that many customized iterative synthesis methods have been developed that improve access to specific classes of small molecules. There has also been substantial recent progress toward the iterative assembly of many different types of small molecules, including complex natural products, pharmaceuticals, biological probes, and materials, using common building blocks and coupling chemistry. Collectively, these advances suggest that a generalized building block approach for small molecule synthesis may be within reach. PMID:29696152

Detection of oranges from a color image of an orange tree

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weeks, Arthur R.; Gallagher, A.; Eriksson, J.

1999-10-01

The progress of robotic and machine vision technology has increased the demand for sophisticated methods for performing automatic harvesting of fruit. The harvesting of fruit, until recently, has been performed manually and is quite labor intensive. An automatic robot harvesting system that uses machine vision to locate and extract the fruit would free the agricultural industry from the ups and downs of the labor market. The environment in which robotic fruit harvesters must work presents many challenges due to the inherent variability from one location to the next. This paper takes a step towards this goal by outlining a machine vision algorithm that detects and accurately locates oranges from a color image of an orange tree. Previous work in this area has focused on differentiating the orange regions from the rest of the picture and not locating the actual oranges themselves. Failure to locate the oranges, however, leads to a reduced number of successful pick attempts. This paper presents a new approach for orange region segmentation in which the circumference of the individual oranges as well as partially occluded oranges are located. Accurately defining the circumference of each orange allows a robotic harvester to cut the stem of the orange by either scanning the top of the orange with a laser or by directing a robotic arm towards the stem to automatically cut it. A modified version of the K- means algorithm is used to initially segment the oranges from the canopy of the orange tree. Morphological processing is then used to locate occluded oranges and an iterative circle finding algorithm is used to define the circumference of the segmented oranges.

Screening of Small Molecule Interactor Library by Using In-Cell NMR Spectroscopy (SMILI-NMR)

PubMed Central

Xie, Jingjing; Thapa, Rajiv; Reverdatto, Sergey; Burz, David S.; Shekhtman, Alexander

2011-01-01

We developed an in-cell NMR assay for screening small molecule interactor libraries (SMILI-NMR) for compounds capable of disrupting or enhancing specific interactions between two or more components of a biomolecular complex. The method relies on the formation of a well-defined biocomplex and utilizes in-cell NMR spectroscopy to identify the molecular surfaces involved in the interaction at atomic scale resolution. Changes in the interaction surface caused by a small molecule interfering with complex formation are used as a read-out of the assay. The in-cell nature of the experimental protocol insures that the small molecule is capable of penetrating the cell membrane and specifically engaging the target molecule(s). Utility of the method was demonstrated by screening a small dipeptide library against the FKBP–FRB protein complex involved in cell cycle arrest. The dipeptide identified by SMILI-NMR showed biological activity in a functional assay in yeast. PMID:19422228

Interactions of quercetin, curcumin, epigallocatechin gallate and folic acid with gelatin.

PubMed

Yang, Tingting; Yang, Huiru; Fan, Yan; Li, Bafang; Hou, Hu

2018-06-15

Some small bioactive molecules from food show the potential health benefits, but with poor chemical stability and bioavailability. The interactions between small molecules and gelatin were investigated. Fluorescence experiments demonstrated that the bimolecular quenching constants (k q ) of complexes (gelatin-quercetin, gelatin-curcumin, gelatin-epigallocatechin gallate, gelatin-folic acid) were 3.7 × 10 12  L·mol -1 ·s -1 , 1.4 × 10 12  L·mol -1 ·s -1 , 2.7 × 10 12  L·mol -1 ·s -1 and 8.5 × 10 12  L·mol -1 ·s -1 , indicating that fluorescence quenching did not arise from a dynamical mechanism, but from gelatin-small molecules binding. Furthermore, the affinity with gelatin was ranked in the order of folic acid > quercetin > epigallocatechin gallate > curcumin. Fluorescence spectroscopy, ultraviolet and visible absorption spectroscopy, FTIR and circular dichroism showed that the interactions between small molecules and gelatin did not significantly alter the conformation and secondary structure of gelatin. Non-covalent interactions may result in the binding of gelatin with small molecules. The interactions were considered to be through two modes: (1) small molecules bound within the hydrophobic pockets of gelatin; (2) small molecules surrounded the gelatin molecule mainly through hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic interactions. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Template-Free Hydrothermal Synthesis, Mechanism, and Photocatalytic Properties of Core-Shell CeO2 Nanospheres

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Huijie; Meng, Fanming; Gong, Jinfeng; Fan, Zhenghua; Qin, Rui

2018-03-01

CeO2 nanospheres with the core-shell nanostructure have been successfully synthesized by a template-free hydrothermal method. The structures, morphologies and optical properties of core-shell CeO2 nanospheres were analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), TG, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, XRD, EDS, SAED, scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy, UV-Vis diffuse reflectance spectra, Raman analyses. The degradation efficiencies of core-shell CeO2 nanospheres for methyl orange were as high as 93.49, 95.67 and 98.28% within 160 min, and the rates of photo degradation of methyl orange by core-shell CeO2 nanospheres under UV-light were 0.01693, 0.01782 and 0.02375 min-1. Methyl orange was degraded in photocatalytic oxidation processes, which mainly gave the credit to a large number of reactive species including h+, surface superoxide species ·O2 -, and ·OH radicals. The core-shell structure, small crystallite size and the conversion between Ce3+ and Ce4+ of CeO2 nanospheres were of importance for its catalytic activity. These results demonstrated the possibility of improving the efficient catalysts of the earth abundant CeO2 catalysts.

Morphological analysis of the hindlimb in apes and humans. II. Moment arms

PubMed Central

Payne, R C; Crompton, R H; Isler, K; Savage, R; Vereecke, E E; Günther, M M; Thorpe, S K S; D'Août, K

2006-01-01

Flexion/extension moment arms were obtained for the major muscles crossing the hip, knee and ankle joints in the orang-utan, gibbon, gorilla (Eastern and Western lowland) and bonobo. Moment arms varied with joint motion and were generally longer in proximal limb muscles than distal limb muscles. The shape of the moment arm curves (i.e. the plots of moment arm against joint angle) differed in different hindlimb muscles and in the same muscle in different subjects (both in the same and in different ape species). Most moment arms increased with increasing joint flexion, a finding which may be understood in the context of the employment of flexed postures by most non-human apes (except orang-utans) during both terrestrial and arboreal locomotion. When compared with humans, non-human great apes tended to have muscles better designed for moving the joints through large ranges. This was particularly true of the pedal digital flexors in orang-utans. In gibbons, the only lesser ape studied here, many of the moment arms measured were relatively short compared with those of great apes. This study was performed on a small sample of apes and thus differences noted here warrant further investigation in larger populations. PMID:16761974

A photoswitchable orange-to-far-red fluorescent protein, PSmOrange.

PubMed

Subach, Oksana M; Patterson, George H; Ting, Li-Min; Wang, Yarong; Condeelis, John S; Verkhusha, Vladislav V

2011-07-31

We report a photoswitchable monomeric Orange (PSmOrange) protein that is initially orange (excitation, 548 nm; emission, 565 nm) but becomes far-red (excitation, 636 nm; emission, 662 nm) after irradiation with blue-green light. Compared to its parental orange proteins, PSmOrange has greater brightness, faster maturation, higher photoconversion contrast and better photostability. The red-shifted spectra of both forms of PSmOrange enable its simultaneous use with cyan-to-green photoswitchable proteins to study four intracellular populations. Photoconverted PSmOrange has, to our knowledge, the most far-red excitation peak of all GFP-like fluorescent proteins, provides diffraction-limited and super-resolution imaging in the far-red light range, is optimally excited with common red lasers, and can be photoconverted subcutaneously in a mouse. PSmOrange photoswitching occurs via a two-step photo-oxidation process, which causes cleavage of the polypeptide backbone. The far-red fluorescence of photoconverted PSmOrange results from a new chromophore containing N-acylimine with a co-planar carbon-oxygen double bond.

Long-term effects of elevated carbon dioxide on sour orange tree specific gravity and anatomy

Treesearch

Michael C. Wiemann; David Kretschmann; Alan Rudie; Bruce A. Kimball; Sherwood B. Idso

2008-01-01

Exposure to elevated levels of atmospheric CO2 for a period of 17 years resulted in small but statistically significant decreases in wood basic specific gravity and number of rays per millimeter. Other anatomical characteristics (percentages of tissues, number of vessels per square millimeter, vessel diameters, and fiber wall thickness) were...

Selection and Biosensor Application of Aptamers for Small Molecules

PubMed Central

Pfeiffer, Franziska; Mayer, Günter

2016-01-01

Small molecules play a major role in the human body and as drugs, toxins, and chemicals. Tools to detect and quantify them are therefore in high demand. This review will give an overview about aptamers interacting with small molecules and their selection. We discuss the current state of the field, including advantages as well as problems associated with their use and possible solutions to tackle these. We then discuss different kinds of small molecule aptamer-based sensors described in literature and their applications, ranging from detecting drinking water contaminations to RNA imaging. PMID:27379229

Methods to enable the design of bioactive small molecules targeting RNA

PubMed Central

Disney, Matthew D.; Yildirim, Ilyas; Childs-Disney, Jessica L.

2014-01-01

RNA is an immensely important target for small molecule therapeutics or chemical probes of function. However, methods that identify, annotate, and optimize RNA-small molecule interactions that could enable the design of compounds that modulate RNA function are in their infancies. This review describes recent approaches that have been developed to understand and optimize RNA motif-small molecule interactions, including Structure-Activity Relationships Through Sequencing (StARTS), quantitative structure-activity relationships (QSAR), chemical similarity searching, structure-based design and docking, and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Case studies described include the design of small molecules targeting RNA expansions, the bacterial A-site, viral RNAs, and telomerase RNA. These approaches can be combined to afford a synergistic method to exploit the myriad of RNA targets in the transcriptome. PMID:24357181

Methods to enable the design of bioactive small molecules targeting RNA.

PubMed

Disney, Matthew D; Yildirim, Ilyas; Childs-Disney, Jessica L

2014-02-21

RNA is an immensely important target for small molecule therapeutics or chemical probes of function. However, methods that identify, annotate, and optimize RNA-small molecule interactions that could enable the design of compounds that modulate RNA function are in their infancies. This review describes recent approaches that have been developed to understand and optimize RNA motif-small molecule interactions, including structure-activity relationships through sequencing (StARTS), quantitative structure-activity relationships (QSAR), chemical similarity searching, structure-based design and docking, and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Case studies described include the design of small molecules targeting RNA expansions, the bacterial A-site, viral RNAs, and telomerase RNA. These approaches can be combined to afford a synergistic method to exploit the myriad of RNA targets in the transcriptome.

Harnessing Connectivity in a Large-Scale Small-Molecule Sensitivity Dataset.

PubMed

Seashore-Ludlow, Brinton; Rees, Matthew G; Cheah, Jaime H; Cokol, Murat; Price, Edmund V; Coletti, Matthew E; Jones, Victor; Bodycombe, Nicole E; Soule, Christian K; Gould, Joshua; Alexander, Benjamin; Li, Ava; Montgomery, Philip; Wawer, Mathias J; Kuru, Nurdan; Kotz, Joanne D; Hon, C Suk-Yee; Munoz, Benito; Liefeld, Ted; Dančík, Vlado; Bittker, Joshua A; Palmer, Michelle; Bradner, James E; Shamji, Alykhan F; Clemons, Paul A; Schreiber, Stuart L

2015-11-01

Identifying genetic alterations that prime a cancer cell to respond to a particular therapeutic agent can facilitate the development of precision cancer medicines. Cancer cell-line (CCL) profiling of small-molecule sensitivity has emerged as an unbiased method to assess the relationships between genetic or cellular features of CCLs and small-molecule response. Here, we developed annotated cluster multidimensional enrichment analysis to explore the associations between groups of small molecules and groups of CCLs in a new, quantitative sensitivity dataset. This analysis reveals insights into small-molecule mechanisms of action, and genomic features that associate with CCL response to small-molecule treatment. We are able to recapitulate known relationships between FDA-approved therapies and cancer dependencies and to uncover new relationships, including for KRAS-mutant cancers and neuroblastoma. To enable the cancer community to explore these data, and to generate novel hypotheses, we created an updated version of the Cancer Therapeutic Response Portal (CTRP v2). We present the largest CCL sensitivity dataset yet available, and an analysis method integrating information from multiple CCLs and multiple small molecules to identify CCL response predictors robustly. We updated the CTRP to enable the cancer research community to leverage these data and analyses. ©2015 American Association for Cancer Research.

Biomimetic TiO2 formation from interfacial sol-gel chemistry leading to new photocatalysts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jaffer Al-Timimi, Iman A.; Onwukwe, Uche K.; Worsley, Myles P.; Sermon, Paul A.

2016-09-01

The surfaces of Portobello mushroom spores (PMS) have been used to produce Au and Ag nanoparticles, which are held thereon. They have then been overcoated with TiOx. These adsorbed more methyl orange (MO) pollutant from water than commercial P25 TiO2. After calcination they form biomimetic TiO2 (PMS) and removal of the biotemplate, they catalyse faster rates of MO from water (molecules/mg/s) than P25 anataserutile. Other biotemplates are now anticipated that will yield biomimetic photocatalysts with higher turnover number (s-1) removal of endocrine disrupters from water.

Excited State Properties of 3'-Hydroxyechinenone in Solvents and in the Orange Carotenoid Protein from Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Niedzwiedzki, Dariusz M.; Liu, Haijun; Blankenship, Robert E.

The orange carotenoid protein (OCP) is a 35 kDa water-soluble protein involved in a photoprotective mechanism of the photosynthetic apparatus of cyanobacteria. The OCP contains a single molecule of the carotenoid 3'-hydroxyechinenone (3'-hECN). We have performed transient absorption studies at 77 K in the visible and near-infrared spectral ranges on 3'-hECN in solvent glass and in both inactive (orange) and active (red) forms of OCP. In the OCP the cryogenic temperature prohibited the protein from spontaneous conversion between activity stages and allowed us to study well-defined spectral forms of the protein. The studies show that each form of the OCPmore » consists of two protein subpopulations having different photophysical properties of the bound 3'-hECN. At 77 K the inactive OCP reveals two lifetimes of the first excited state of 3'-hECN of 5.2 and 11 ps while in the active form of OCP these are 3.2 and 7.1 ps. We have also determined the energy of the first excited singlet state of 3'-hECN in long-lived subpopulations of both OCP forms at 77 K. This is 13,750 cm –1 in the inactive OCP and 12,300 cm -1 in the active OCP. Shortening of the lifetime and decrease of the energy of the first excited singlet state of 3'-hECN confirm the lengthening of the effective conjugation of the carotenoid upon the inactive-to-active conversion of OCP.« less

Effect of Fresh Orange Juice Intake on Physiological Characteristics in Healthy Volunteers

PubMed Central

Asgary, Sedigheh; Keshvari, Mahtab; Afshani, Mohammad Reza; Javanmard, Shaghayegh Haghjooy

2014-01-01

Background. Impaired endothelial function is a predictor of cardiovascular events. Orange juice (OJ) is rich in dietary flavonoids and could inhibit oxidative stress and inflammatory responses. We examined the effects of commercial (COJ) and fresh orange juice (FOJ) on endothelial function and physiological characteristics in healthy humans. Materials and Methods. Twenty-two healthy volunteers years were enrolled in a single blind randomized crossover controlled trial. The two groups consumed either COJ for the first 4 weeks and then FOJ (CFOJ, 4 weeks), or FOJ for the first 4 weeks and then COJ (FCOJ, 4 weeks). We assessed endothelial function by measuring flow-mediated dilation, serum concentrations of lipids, apolipoproteins A and B (apo A-1 and apo B), and inflammatory markers such as vascular endothelial adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM-1), E-selectin, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), and interleukin-6. Results. Consumption of both juices decreased VCAM, hs-CRP, and E-selectin but increased apo A-1. A decline in LDL occurred in the FOJ group. There were no differences between the characteristics of two groups, with the exception of apo A-1 levels that were increased with both forms of OJ. The largest variations occurred with hs-CRP, VCAM in both groups. Conclusion. Consumption of COJ and FOJ produced beneficial effects on the physiological characteristics of healthy volunteers. Although these results could encourage the consumption of OJ, intervention studies are needed to determine the long-term effects of these types of OJ on metabolic and cardiovascular endpoints. PMID:24967267

Identification of a Broad-Spectrum Antiviral Small Molecule against Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus and Ebola, Hendra, and Nipah Viruses by Using a Novel High-Throughput Screening Assay

PubMed Central

Elshabrawy, Hatem A.; Fan, Jilao; Haddad, Christine S.; Ratia, Kiira; Broder, Christopher C.; Caffrey, Michael

2014-01-01

ABSTRACT Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) and Ebola, Hendra, and Nipah viruses are members of different viral families and are known causative agents of fatal viral diseases. These viruses depend on cathepsin L for entry into their target cells. The viral glycoproteins need to be primed by protease cleavage, rendering them active for fusion with the host cell membrane. In this study, we developed a novel high-throughput screening assay based on peptides, derived from the glycoproteins of the aforementioned viruses, which contain the cathepsin L cleavage site. We screened a library of 5,000 small molecules and discovered a small molecule that can inhibit the cathepsin L cleavage of all viral peptides with minimal inhibition of cleavage of a host protein-derived peptide (pro-neuropeptide Y). The small molecule inhibited the entry of all pseudotyped viruses in vitro and the cleavage of SARS-CoV spike glycoprotein in an in vitro cleavage assay. In addition, the Hendra and Nipah virus fusion glycoproteins were not cleaved in the presence of the small molecule in a cell-based cleavage assay. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the small molecule is a mixed inhibitor of cathepsin L. Our broad-spectrum antiviral small molecule appears to be an ideal candidate for future optimization and development into a potent antiviral against SARS-CoV and Ebola, Hendra, and Nipah viruses. IMPORTANCE We developed a novel high-throughput screening assay to identify small molecules that can prevent cathepsin L cleavage of viral glycoproteins derived from SARS-CoV and Ebola, Hendra, and Nipah viruses that are required for their entry into the host cell. We identified a novel broad-spectrum small molecule that could block cathepsin L-mediated cleavage and thus inhibit the entry of pseudotypes bearing the glycoprotein derived from SARS-CoV or Ebola, Hendra, or Nipah virus. The small molecule can be further optimized and developed into a potent broad-spectrum antiviral drug. PMID:24501399

Identification of a broad-spectrum antiviral small molecule against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus and Ebola, Hendra, and Nipah viruses by using a novel high-throughput screening assay.

PubMed

Elshabrawy, Hatem A; Fan, Jilao; Haddad, Christine S; Ratia, Kiira; Broder, Christopher C; Caffrey, Michael; Prabhakar, Bellur S

2014-04-01

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) and Ebola, Hendra, and Nipah viruses are members of different viral families and are known causative agents of fatal viral diseases. These viruses depend on cathepsin L for entry into their target cells. The viral glycoproteins need to be primed by protease cleavage, rendering them active for fusion with the host cell membrane. In this study, we developed a novel high-throughput screening assay based on peptides, derived from the glycoproteins of the aforementioned viruses, which contain the cathepsin L cleavage site. We screened a library of 5,000 small molecules and discovered a small molecule that can inhibit the cathepsin L cleavage of all viral peptides with minimal inhibition of cleavage of a host protein-derived peptide (pro-neuropeptide Y). The small molecule inhibited the entry of all pseudotyped viruses in vitro and the cleavage of SARS-CoV spike glycoprotein in an in vitro cleavage assay. In addition, the Hendra and Nipah virus fusion glycoproteins were not cleaved in the presence of the small molecule in a cell-based cleavage assay. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the small molecule is a mixed inhibitor of cathepsin L. Our broad-spectrum antiviral small molecule appears to be an ideal candidate for future optimization and development into a potent antiviral against SARS-CoV and Ebola, Hendra, and Nipah viruses. We developed a novel high-throughput screening assay to identify small molecules that can prevent cathepsin L cleavage of viral glycoproteins derived from SARS-CoV and Ebola, Hendra, and Nipah viruses that are required for their entry into the host cell. We identified a novel broad-spectrum small molecule that could block cathepsin L-mediated cleavage and thus inhibit the entry of pseudotypes bearing the glycoprotein derived from SARS-CoV or Ebola, Hendra, or Nipah virus. The small molecule can be further optimized and developed into a potent broad-spectrum antiviral drug.

Recent Developments in β-Cell Differentiation of Pluripotent Stem Cells Induced by Small and Large Molecules

PubMed Central

Kumar, S. Suresh; Alarfaj, Abdullah A.; Munusamy, Murugan A.; Singh, A. J. A. Ranjith; Peng, I-Chia; Priya, Sivan Padma; Hamat, Rukman Awang; Higuchi, Akon

2014-01-01

Human pluripotent stem cells, including human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) and human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs), hold promise as novel therapeutic tools for diabetes treatment because of their self-renewal capacity and ability to differentiate into beta (β)-cells. Small and large molecules play important roles in each stage of β-cell differentiation from both hESCs and hiPSCs. The small and large molecules that are described in this review have significantly advanced efforts to cure diabetic disease. Lately, effective protocols have been implemented to induce hESCs and human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) to differentiate into functional β-cells. Several small molecules, proteins, and growth factors promote pancreatic differentiation from hESCs and hMSCs. These small molecules (e.g., cyclopamine, wortmannin, retinoic acid, and sodium butyrate) and large molecules (e.g. activin A, betacellulin, bone morphogentic protein (BMP4), epidermal growth factor (EGF), fibroblast growth factor (FGF), keratinocyte growth factor (KGF), hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), noggin, transforming growth factor (TGF-α), and WNT3A) are thought to contribute from the initial stages of definitive endoderm formation to the final stages of maturation of functional endocrine cells. We discuss the importance of such small and large molecules in uniquely optimized protocols of β-cell differentiation from stem cells. A global understanding of various small and large molecules and their functions will help to establish an efficient protocol for β-cell differentiation. PMID:25526563

High Throughput, Label-free Screening Small Molecule Compound Libraries for Protein-Ligands using Combination of Small Molecule Microarrays and a Special Ellipsometry-based Optical Scanner.

PubMed

Landry, James P; Fei, Yiyan; Zhu, X D

2011-12-01

Small-molecule compounds remain the major source of therapeutic and preventative drugs. Developing new drugs against a protein target often requires screening large collections of compounds with diverse structures for ligands or ligand fragments that exhibit sufficiently affinity and desirable inhibition effect on the target before further optimization and development. Since the number of small molecule compounds is large, high-throughput screening (HTS) methods are needed. Small-molecule microarrays (SMM) on a solid support in combination with a suitable binding assay form a viable HTS platform. We demonstrate that by combining an oblique-incidence reflectivity difference optical scanner with SMM we can screen 10,000 small-molecule compounds on a single glass slide for protein ligands without fluorescence labeling. Furthermore using such a label-free assay platform we can simultaneously acquire binding curves of a solution-phase protein to over 10,000 immobilized compounds, thus enabling full characterization of protein-ligand interactions over a wide range of affinity constants.

Delivery of small molecules for bone regenerative engineering: preclinical studies and potential clinical applications.

PubMed

Laurencin, Cato T; Ashe, Keshia M; Henry, Nicole; Kan, Ho Man; Lo, Kevin W-H

2014-06-01

Stimulation of bone regeneration using growth factors is a promising approach for musculoskeletal regenerative engineering. However, common limitations with protein growth factors, such as high manufacturing costs, protein instability, contamination issues, and unwanted immunogenic responses of the host reduce potential clinical applications. New strategies for bone regeneration that involve inexpensive and stable small molecules can obviate these problems and have a significant impact on the treatment of skeletal injury and diseases. Over the past decade, a large number of small molecules with the potential of regenerating skeletal tissue have been reported in the literature. Here, we review this literature, paying specific attention to the prospects for small molecule-based bone-regenerative engineering. We also review the preclinical study of small molecules associated with bone regeneration. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Small molecule annotation for the Protein Data Bank

PubMed Central

Sen, Sanchayita; Young, Jasmine; Berrisford, John M.; Chen, Minyu; Conroy, Matthew J.; Dutta, Shuchismita; Di Costanzo, Luigi; Gao, Guanghua; Ghosh, Sutapa; Hudson, Brian P.; Igarashi, Reiko; Kengaku, Yumiko; Liang, Yuhe; Peisach, Ezra; Persikova, Irina; Mukhopadhyay, Abhik; Narayanan, Buvaneswari Coimbatore; Sahni, Gaurav; Sato, Junko; Sekharan, Monica; Shao, Chenghua; Tan, Lihua; Zhuravleva, Marina A.

2014-01-01

The Protein Data Bank (PDB) is the single global repository for three-dimensional structures of biological macromolecules and their complexes, and its more than 100 000 structures contain more than 20 000 distinct ligands or small molecules bound to proteins and nucleic acids. Information about these small molecules and their interactions with proteins and nucleic acids is crucial for our understanding of biochemical processes and vital for structure-based drug design. Small molecules present in a deposited structure may be attached to a polymer or may occur as a separate, non-covalently linked ligand. During curation of a newly deposited structure by wwPDB annotation staff, each molecule is cross-referenced to the PDB Chemical Component Dictionary (CCD). If the molecule is new to the PDB, a dictionary description is created for it. The information about all small molecule components found in the PDB is distributed via the ftp archive as an external reference file. Small molecule annotation in the PDB also includes information about ligand-binding sites and about covalent and other linkages between ligands and macromolecules. During the remediation of the peptide-like antibiotics and inhibitors present in the PDB archive in 2011, it became clear that additional annotation was required for consistent representation of these molecules, which are quite often composed of several sequential subcomponents including modified amino acids and other chemical groups. The connectivity information of the modified amino acids is necessary for correct representation of these biologically interesting molecules. The combined information is made available via a new resource called the Biologically Interesting molecules Reference Dictionary, which is complementary to the CCD and is now routinely used for annotation of peptide-like antibiotics and inhibitors. PMID:25425036

Small molecule annotation for the Protein Data Bank.

PubMed

Sen, Sanchayita; Young, Jasmine; Berrisford, John M; Chen, Minyu; Conroy, Matthew J; Dutta, Shuchismita; Di Costanzo, Luigi; Gao, Guanghua; Ghosh, Sutapa; Hudson, Brian P; Igarashi, Reiko; Kengaku, Yumiko; Liang, Yuhe; Peisach, Ezra; Persikova, Irina; Mukhopadhyay, Abhik; Narayanan, Buvaneswari Coimbatore; Sahni, Gaurav; Sato, Junko; Sekharan, Monica; Shao, Chenghua; Tan, Lihua; Zhuravleva, Marina A

2014-01-01

The Protein Data Bank (PDB) is the single global repository for three-dimensional structures of biological macromolecules and their complexes, and its more than 100,000 structures contain more than 20,000 distinct ligands or small molecules bound to proteins and nucleic acids. Information about these small molecules and their interactions with proteins and nucleic acids is crucial for our understanding of biochemical processes and vital for structure-based drug design. Small molecules present in a deposited structure may be attached to a polymer or may occur as a separate, non-covalently linked ligand. During curation of a newly deposited structure by wwPDB annotation staff, each molecule is cross-referenced to the PDB Chemical Component Dictionary (CCD). If the molecule is new to the PDB, a dictionary description is created for it. The information about all small molecule components found in the PDB is distributed via the ftp archive as an external reference file. Small molecule annotation in the PDB also includes information about ligand-binding sites and about covalent and other linkages between ligands and macromolecules. During the remediation of the peptide-like antibiotics and inhibitors present in the PDB archive in 2011, it became clear that additional annotation was required for consistent representation of these molecules, which are quite often composed of several sequential subcomponents including modified amino acids and other chemical groups. The connectivity information of the modified amino acids is necessary for correct representation of these biologically interesting molecules. The combined information is made available via a new resource called the Biologically Interesting molecules Reference Dictionary, which is complementary to the CCD and is now routinely used for annotation of peptide-like antibiotics and inhibitors. © The Author(s) 2014. Published by Oxford University Press.

Developing an Efficient and General Strategy for Immobilization of Small Molecules onto Microarrays Using Isocyanate Chemistry.

PubMed

Zhu, Chenggang; Zhu, Xiangdong; Landry, James P; Cui, Zhaomeng; Li, Quanfu; Dang, Yongjun; Mi, Lan; Zheng, Fengyun; Fei, Yiyan

2016-03-16

Small-molecule microarray (SMM) is an effective platform for identifying lead compounds from large collections of small molecules in drug discovery, and efficient immobilization of molecular compounds is a pre-requisite for the success of such a platform. On an isocyanate functionalized surface, we studied the dependence of immobilization efficiency on chemical residues on molecular compounds, terminal residues on isocyanate functionalized surface, lengths of spacer molecules, and post-printing treatment conditions, and we identified a set of optimized conditions that enable us to immobilize small molecules with significantly improved efficiencies, particularly for those molecules with carboxylic acid residues that are known to have low isocyanate reactivity. We fabricated microarrays of 3375 bioactive compounds on isocyanate functionalized glass slides under these optimized conditions and confirmed that immobilization percentage is over 73%.

Cell-targetable DNA nanocapsules for spatiotemporal release of caged bioactive small molecules

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Veetil, Aneesh T.; Chakraborty, Kasturi; Xiao, Kangni; Minter, Myles R.; Sisodia, Sangram S.; Krishnan, Yamuna

2017-12-01

Achieving triggered release of small molecules with spatial and temporal precision at designated cells within an organism remains a challenge. By combining a cell-targetable, icosahedral DNA-nanocapsule loaded with photoresponsive polymers, we show cytosolic delivery of small molecules with the spatial resolution of single endosomes in specific cells in Caenorhabditis elegans. Our technology can report on the extent of small molecules released after photoactivation as well as pinpoint the location at which uncaging of the molecules occurred. We apply this technology to release dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), a neurosteroid that promotes neurogenesis and neuron survival, and determined the timescale of neuronal activation by DHEA, using light-induced release of DHEA from targeted DNA nanocapsules. Importantly, sequestration inside the DNA capsule prevents photocaged DHEA from activating neurons prematurely. Our methodology can in principle be generalized to diverse neurostimulatory molecules.

Biochemical characterization of blood orange, sweet orange, lemon, bergamot and bitter orange.

PubMed

Moufida, Saïdani; Marzouk, Brahim

2003-04-01

This paper reports on the composition of aroma compounds and fatty acids and some physico-chemical parameters (juice percentage, acidity and total sugars) in five varieties of citrus: blood orange, sweet orange, lemon, bergamot and bitter orange. Volatile compounds and methyl esters have been analyzed by gas chromatography. Limonene is the most abundant compound of monoterpene hydrocarbons for all of the examined juices. Eighteen fatty acids have been identified in the studied citrus juices, their quantification points out that unsaturated acids predominate over the saturated ones. Mean concentration of fatty acids varies from 311.8 mg/l in blood orange juice to 678 mg/l in bitter orange juice. Copyright 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd.

Zirconium and silver co-doped TiO2 nanoparticles as visible light catalyst for reduction of 4-nitrophenol, degradation of methyl orange and methylene blue

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Naraginti, Saraschandra; Stephen, Finian Bernard; Radhakrishnan, Adhithya; Sivakumar, A.

2015-01-01

Catalytic activity of Zr and Ag co-doped TiO2 nanoparticles on the reduction of 4-nitrophenol, degradation of methylene blue and methyl orange was studied using sodium borohydride as reducing agent. The nanoparticles were characterized using X-ray diffraction, energy dispersive X-ray, high resolution transmission electron microscopy, selected area electron diffraction and UV-Vis spectroscopy. The rate of the reduction/degradation was found to increase with increasing amount of the photocatalyst which could be attributed to higher dispersity and small size of the nanoparticles. The catalytic activity of Zr and Ag co-doped TiO2 nanoparticles showed no significant difference even after recycling the catalyst four times indicating a promising potential for industrial application of the prepared photocatalyst.

Sources, transport and deposition of terrestrial organic material: A case study from southwestern Africa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Herrmann, Nicole; Boom, Arnoud; Carr, Andrew S.; Chase, Brian M.; Granger, Robyn; Hahn, Annette; Zabel, Matthias; Schefuß, Enno

2016-10-01

Southwestern Africa's coastal marine mudbelt, a prominent Holocene sediment package, provides a valuable archive for reconstructing terrestrial palaeoclimates on the adjacent continent. While the origin of terrestrial inorganic material has been intensively studied, the sources of terrigenous organic material deposited in the mudbelt are yet unclear. In this study, plant wax derived n-alkanes and their compound-specific δ13C in soils, flood deposits and suspension loads from regional fluvial systems and marine sediments are analysed to characterize the origin of terrestrial organic material in the southwest African mudbelt. Soils from different biomes in the catchments of the Orange River and small west coast rivers show on average distinct n-alkane distributions and compound-specific δ13C values reflecting biome-specific vegetation types, most notably the winter rainfall associated Fynbos Biome of the southwestern Cape. In the fluvial sediment samples from the Orange River, changes in the n-alkane distributions and compound-specific δ13C compositions reveal an overprint by local vegetation along the river's course. The smaller west coast rivers show distinct signals, reflecting their small catchment areas and particular vegetation communities. Marine surface sediments spanning a transect from the northern mudbelt (29°S) to St. Helena Bay (33°S) reveal subtle, but spatially coherent, changes in n-alkane distributions and compound-specific δ13C, indicating the influence of Orange River sediments in the northern mudbelt, the increasing importance of terrigenous input from the adjacent western coastal biomes in the central mudbelt, and contributions from the Fynbos Biome to the southern mudbelt. These findings indicate the different sources of terrestrial organic material deposited in the mudbelt, and highlight the potential the mudbelt has to preserve evidence of environmental change from the adjacent continent.

Common fluorescent proteins for single-molecule localization microscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klementieva, Natalia V.; Bozhanova, Nina G.; Mishina, Natalie M.; Zagaynova, Elena V.; Lukyanov, Konstantin A.; Mishin, Alexander S.

2015-07-01

Super-resolution techniques for breaking the diffraction barrier are spread out over multiple studies nowadays. Single-molecule localization microscopy such as PALM, STORM, GSDIM, etc allow to get super-resolved images of cell ultrastructure by precise localization of individual fluorescent molecules via their temporal isolation. However, these methods are supposed the use of fluorescent dyes and proteins with special characteristics (photoactivation/photoconversion). At the same time, there is a need for retaining high photostability of fluorophores during long-term acquisition. Here, we first showed the potential of common red fluorescent protein for single-molecule localization microscopy based on spontaneous intrinsic blinking. Also, we assessed the effect of different imaging media on photobleaching of these fluorescent proteins. Monomeric orange and red fluorescent proteins were examined for stochastic switching from a dark state to a bright fluorescent state. We studied fusions with cytoskeletal proteins in NIH/3T3 and HeLa cells. Imaging was performed on the Nikon N-STORM system equipped with EMCCD camera. To define the optimal imaging conditions we tested several types of cell culture media and buffers. As a result, high-resolution images of cytoskeleton structure were obtained. Essentially, low-intensity light was sufficient to initiate the switching of tested red fluorescent protein reducing phototoxicity and provide long-term live-cell imaging.

Recent development of organic light-emitting diode utilizing energy transfer from exciplex to phosphorescent emitter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seo, Satoshi; Shitagaki, Satoko; Ohsawa, Nobuharu; Inoue, Hideko; Suzuki, Kunihiko; Nowatari, Hiromi; Takahashi, Tatsuyoshi; Hamada, Takao; Watabe, Takeyoshi; Yamada, Yui; Mitsumori, Satomi

2016-09-01

This study investigates an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) utilizing energy transfer from an excited complex (exciplex) comprising donor and acceptor molecules to a phosphorescent dopant. An exciplex has a very small energy gap between the lowest singlet and triplet excited states (S1 and T1). Thus, both S1 and T1 energies of the exciplex can be directly transferred to the T1 of the phosphorescent dopant by adjusting the emission energy of the exciplex to the absorption-edge energy of the dopant. Such an exciplex‒triplet energy transfer (ExTET) achieves high efficiency at low drive voltage because the electrical excitation energy of the exciplex approximates the T1 energy of the dopant. Furthermore, the efficiency of the reverse intersystem crossing (RISC) of the exciplex does not affect the external quantum efficiency (EQE) of the ExTET OLED. The RISC of the exciplex is inhibited when the T1 energy of either donor or acceptor molecules is close to or lower than that of the exciplex itself. Even in this case, however, the ExTET OLED maintains its high efficiency because the T1 energy of each component of the exciplex or the T1 energy of the exciplex itself can be transferred to the dopant. We also varied the emission colors of ExTET OLEDs from sky-blue to red by introducing various phosphorescent dopants. These devices achieved high EQEs (≍30%), low drive voltages (≍3 V), and extremely long lifetimes (e.g., 1 million hours for the orange OLED) at a luminance of 1,000 cd/m2.

Effects and mechanism on Kapton film under ozone exposure in a ground near space simulator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wei, Qiang; Yang, Guimin; Liu, Gang; Jiang, Haifu; Zhang, Tingting

2018-05-01

The effect on aircraft materials in the near space environment is a key part of air-and-space integration research. Ozone and aerodynamic fluids are important organizational factors in the near space environment and both have significant influences on the performance of aircraft materials. In the present paper a simulated ozone environment was used to test polyimide material that was rotated at the approximate velocity of 150-250 m/s to form an aerodynamic fluid field. The goal was to evaluate the performance evolution of materials under a comprehensive environment of ozone molecular corrosion and aerodynamic fluids. The research results show that corrosion and sputtering by ozone molecules results in Kapton films exhibiting a rugged "carpet-like" morphology exhibits an increase in surface roughness. The morphology after ozone exposure led to higher surface roughness and an increase in surface optical diffuse reflection, which is expressed by the lower optical transmittance and the gradual transition from light orange to brown. The mass loss test, XPS, and FTIR analysis show that the molecular chains on the surface of the Kapton film are destroyed resulting in Csbnd C bond breaking to form small volatile molecules such as CO2 or CO, which are responsible for a linear increase in mass loss per unit area. The Csbnd N and Csbnd O structures exhibit weakening tendency under ozone exposure. The present paper explores the evaluation method for Kapton's adaptability under the ozone exposure test in the near space environment, and elucidates the corrosion mechanism and damage mode of the polyimide material under the combined action of ozone corrosion and the aerodynamic fluid. This work provides a methodology for studying materials in the near-space environment.

Delivery of fluorophores by calcium phosphate-coated nanoliposomes and interaction with Staphylococcus aureus biofilms.

PubMed

Rivero Berti, Ignacio; Dell' Arciprete, María Laura; Dittler, María Laura; Miñan, Alejandro; Fernández Lorenzo de Mele, Mónica; Gonzalez, Mónica

2016-06-01

The delivery capacity and mechanical stability of calcium phosphate (CaP) coated 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphate (DOPA) liposomes free and adsorbed on bacterial surface was investigated introducing either acridine orange (AO) or 5,10,15,20-Tetrakis(1-methyl-4-pyridinio)porphyrin (TMP) in the aqueous core of the liposomes. The obtained nanomaterials were thoroughly characterized by electron and optical microscopy and by fluorescence techniques. Distribution of the AO and TMP molecules between the aqueous liposomes core and the outer solution was demonstrated by the band shifts and broadening of the excitation-emission matrices and the modified Stern-Volmer model for fluorescence quenching. In aqueous suspensions, c.a. 40% of AO was released to the outer solution while only a small percentage of TMP was observed to reach the outer liposome surface. The nanoliposomes adhesion capacity and the leaking of fluorophore molecules to Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) biofilms were further evaluated. A close interaction between liposomes and S. aureus biofilm was evidenced by TEM and SEM imaging. Epifluorescence experiments demonstrated that CaP-coated liposomes have good biofilm staining capability after two hours incubation of the biofilms with the liposomes, thus supporting an important release of the fluorophores when in contact with the biofilm. Altogether, the obtained results strongly suggest that CaP-coated liposomes are capable of activating drug release when in presence of S. aureus biofilms and smears. The studies herein presented, indicate that CaP-coated liposomes are potential vehicles for the selective delivery of drugs to S. aureus biofilms, as is the case of the singlet oxygen photosensitizer TMP, a well known photodynamic antibacterial agent. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Exploring biology with small organic molecules

PubMed Central

Stockwell, Brent R.

2011-01-01

Small organic molecules have proven to be invaluable tools for investigating biological systems, but there is still much to learn from their use. To discover and to use more effectively new chemical tools to understand biology, strategies are needed that allow us to systematically explore ‘biological-activity space’. Such strategies involve analysing both protein binding of, and phenotypic responses to, small organic molecules. The mapping of biological-activity space using small molecules is akin to mapping the stars — uncharted territory is explored using a system of coordinates that describes where each new feature lies. PMID:15602550

Coloration principles of nymphaline butterflies - thin films, melanin, ommochromes and wing scale stacking.

PubMed

Stavenga, Doekele G; Leertouwer, Hein L; Wilts, Bodo D

2014-06-15

The coloration of the common butterflies Aglais urticae (small tortoiseshell), Aglais io (peacock) and Vanessa atalanta (red admiral), belonging to the butterfly subfamily Nymphalinae, is due to the species-specific patterning of differently coloured scales on their wings. We investigated the scales' structural and pigmentary properties by applying scanning electron microscopy, (micro)spectrophotometry and imaging scatterometry. The anatomy of the wing scales appears to be basically identical, with an approximately flat lower lamina connected by trabeculae to a highly structured upper lamina, which consists of an array of longitudinal, parallel ridges and transversal crossribs. Isolated scales observed at the abwing (upper) side are blue, yellow, orange, red, brown or black, depending on their pigmentation. The yellow, orange and red scales contain various amounts of 3-OH-kynurenine and ommochrome pigment, black scales contain a high density of melanin, and blue scales have a minor amount of melanin pigment. Observing the scales from their adwing (lower) side always revealed a structural colour, which is blue in the case of blue, red and black scales, but orange for orange scales. The structural colours are created by the lower lamina, which acts as an optical thin film. Its reflectance spectrum, crucially determined by the lamina thickness, appears to be well tuned to the scales' pigmentary spectrum. The colours observed locally on the wing are also due to the degree of scale stacking. Thin films, tuned pigments and combinations of stacked scales together determine the wing coloration of nymphaline butterflies. © 2014. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

Analysis of the Radiometric Response of Orange Tree Crown in Hyperspectral Uav Images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Imai, N. N.; Moriya, E. A. S.; Honkavaara, E.; Miyoshi, G. T.; de Moraes, M. V. A.; Tommaselli, A. M. G.; Näsi, R.

2017-10-01

High spatial resolution remote sensing images acquired by drones are highly relevant data source in many applications. However, strong variations of radiometric values are difficult to correct in hyperspectral images. Honkavaara et al. (2013) presented a radiometric block adjustment method in which hyperspectral images taken from remotely piloted aerial systems - RPAS were processed both geometrically and radiometrically to produce a georeferenced mosaic in which the standard Reflectance Factor for the nadir is represented. The plants crowns in permanent cultivation show complex variations since the density of shadows and the irradiance of the surface vary due to the geometry of illumination and the geometry of the arrangement of branches and leaves. An evaluation of the radiometric quality of the mosaic of an orange plantation produced using images captured by a hyperspectral imager based on a tunable Fabry-Pérot interferometer and applying the radiometric block adjustment method, was performed. A high-resolution UAV based hyperspectral survey was carried out in an orange-producing farm located in Santa Cruz do Rio Pardo, state of São Paulo, Brazil. A set of 25 narrow spectral bands with 2.5 cm of GSD images were acquired. Trend analysis was applied to the values of a sample of transects extracted from plants appearing in the mosaic. The results of these trend analysis on the pixels distributed along transects on orange tree crown showed the reflectance factor presented a slightly trend, but the coefficients of the polynomials are very small, so the quality of mosaic is good enough for many applications.

Genome-Wide Classification and Evolutionary and Expression Analyses of Citrus MYB Transcription Factor Families in Sweet Orange

PubMed Central

Hou, Xiao-Jin; Li, Si-Bei; Liu, Sheng-Rui; Hu, Chun-Gen; Zhang, Jin-Zhi

2014-01-01

MYB family genes are widely distributed in plants and comprise one of the largest transcription factors involved in various developmental processes and defense responses of plants. To date, few MYB genes and little expression profiling have been reported for citrus. Here, we describe and classify 177 members of the sweet orange MYB gene (CsMYB) family in terms of their genomic gene structures and similarity to their putative Arabidopsis orthologs. According to these analyses, these CsMYBs were categorized into four groups (4R-MYB, 3R-MYB, 2R-MYB and 1R-MYB). Gene structure analysis revealed that 1R-MYB genes possess relatively more introns as compared with 2R-MYB genes. Investigation of their chromosomal localizations revealed that these CsMYBs are distributed across nine chromosomes. Sweet orange includes a relatively small number of MYB genes compared with the 198 members in Arabidopsis, presumably due to a paralog reduction related to repetitive sequence insertion into promoter and non-coding transcribed region of the genes. Comparative studies of CsMYBs and Arabidopsis showed that CsMYBs had fewer gene duplication events. Expression analysis revealed that the MYB gene family has a wide expression profile in sweet orange development and plays important roles in development and stress responses. In addition, 337 new putative microsatellites with flanking sequences sufficient for primer design were also identified from the 177 CsMYBs. These results provide a useful reference for the selection of candidate MYB genes for cloning and further functional analysis forcitrus. PMID:25375352

Morphological study on small molecule acceptor-based organic solar cells with efficiencies beyond 7% (Presentation Recording)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ma, Wei; Yan, He

2015-10-01

Despite the essential role of fullerenes in achieving best-performance organic solar cells (OSCs), fullerene acceptors have several drawbacks including poor light absorption, high-cost production and purification. For this reason, small molecule acceptor (SMA)-based OSCs have attracted much attention due to the easy tunability of electronic and optical properties of SMA materials. In this study, polymers with temperature dependent aggregation behaviors are combined with various small molecule acceptor materials, which lead to impressive power conversion efficiencies of up to 7.3%. The morphological and aggregation properties of the polymer:small molecule blends are studied in details. It is found that the temperature-dependent aggregation behavior of polymers allows for the processing of the polymer solutions at moderately elevated temperature, and more importantly, controlled aggregation and strong crystallization of the polymer during the film cooling and drying process. This results in a well-controlled and near-ideal polymer:small molecule morphology that is controlled by polymer aggregation during warm casting and thus insensitive to the choice of small molecules. As a result, several cases of highly efficient (PCE between 6-7.3%) SMA OSCs are achieved. The second part of this presentation will describe the morphology of a new small molecule acceptor with a unique 3D structure. The relationship between molecular structure and morphology is revealed.

Identification of small molecule inhibitors of cytokinesis and single cell wound repair

PubMed Central

Clark, Andrew G.; Sider, Jenny R.; Verbrugghe, Koen; Fenteany, Gabriel; von Dassow, George; Bement, William M.

2013-01-01

Screening of small molecule libraries offers the potential to identify compounds that inhibit specific biological processes and, ultimately, to identify macromolecules that are important players in such processes. To date, however, most screens of small molecule libraries have focused on identification of compounds that inhibit known proteins or particular steps in a given process, and have emphasized automated primary screens. Here we have used “low tech” in vivo primary screens to identify small molecules that inhibit both cytokinesis and single cell wound repair, two complex cellular processes that possess many common features. The “diversity set”, an ordered array of 1990 compounds available from the National Cancer Institute, was screened in parallel to identify compounds that inhibit cytokinesis in D. excentricus (sand dollar) embryos and single cell wound repair in X. laevis (frog) oocytes. Two small molecules were thus identified: Sph1 and Sph2. Sph1 reduces Rho activation in wound repair and suppresses formation of the spindle midzone during cytokinesis. Sph2 also reduces Rho activation in wound repair and may inhibit cytokinesis by blocking membrane fusion. The results identify two small molecules of interest for analysis of wound repair and cytokinesis, reveal that these processes are more similar than often realized and reveal the potential power of low tech screens of small molecule libraries for analysis of complex cellular processes. PMID:23125193

High-throughput identification and rational design of synergistic small-molecule pairs for combating and bypassing antibiotic resistance.

PubMed

Wambaugh, Morgan A; Shakya, Viplendra P S; Lewis, Adam J; Mulvey, Matthew A; Brown, Jessica C S

2017-06-01

Antibiotic-resistant infections kill approximately 23,000 people and cost $20,000,000,000 each year in the United States alone despite the widespread use of small-molecule antimicrobial combination therapy. Antibiotic combinations typically have an additive effect: the efficacy of the combination matches the sum of the efficacies of each antibiotic when used alone. Small molecules can also act synergistically when the efficacy of the combination is greater than the additive efficacy. However, synergistic combinations are rare and have been historically difficult to identify. High-throughput identification of synergistic pairs is limited by the scale of potential combinations: a modest collection of 1,000 small molecules involves 1 million pairwise combinations. Here, we describe a high-throughput method for rapid identification of synergistic small-molecule pairs, the overlap2 method (O2M). O2M extracts patterns from chemical-genetic datasets, which are created when a collection of mutants is grown in the presence of hundreds of different small molecules, producing a precise set of phenotypes induced by each small molecule across the mutant set. The identification of mutants that show the same phenotype when treated with known synergistic molecules allows us to pinpoint additional molecule combinations that also act synergistically. As a proof of concept, we focus on combinations with the antibiotics trimethoprim and sulfamethizole, which had been standard treatment against urinary tract infections until widespread resistance decreased efficacy. Using O2M, we screened a library of 2,000 small molecules and identified several that synergize with the antibiotic trimethoprim and/or sulfamethizole. The most potent of these synergistic interactions is with the antiviral drug azidothymidine (AZT). We then demonstrate that understanding the molecular mechanism underlying small-molecule synergistic interactions allows the rational design of additional combinations that bypass drug resistance. Trimethoprim and sulfamethizole are both folate biosynthesis inhibitors. We find that this activity disrupts nucleotide homeostasis, which blocks DNA replication in the presence of AZT. Building on these data, we show that other small molecules that disrupt nucleotide homeostasis through other mechanisms (hydroxyurea and floxuridine) also act synergistically with AZT. These novel combinations inhibit the growth and virulence of trimethoprim-resistant clinical Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates, suggesting that they may be able to be rapidly advanced into clinical use. In sum, we present a generalizable method to screen for novel synergistic combinations, to identify particular mechanisms resulting in synergy, and to use the mechanistic knowledge to rationally design new combinations that bypass drug resistance.

High-throughput identification and rational design of synergistic small-molecule pairs for combating and bypassing antibiotic resistance

PubMed Central

Lewis, Adam J.; Mulvey, Matthew A.

2017-01-01

Antibiotic-resistant infections kill approximately 23,000 people and cost $20,000,000,000 each year in the United States alone despite the widespread use of small-molecule antimicrobial combination therapy. Antibiotic combinations typically have an additive effect: the efficacy of the combination matches the sum of the efficacies of each antibiotic when used alone. Small molecules can also act synergistically when the efficacy of the combination is greater than the additive efficacy. However, synergistic combinations are rare and have been historically difficult to identify. High-throughput identification of synergistic pairs is limited by the scale of potential combinations: a modest collection of 1,000 small molecules involves 1 million pairwise combinations. Here, we describe a high-throughput method for rapid identification of synergistic small-molecule pairs, the overlap2 method (O2M). O2M extracts patterns from chemical-genetic datasets, which are created when a collection of mutants is grown in the presence of hundreds of different small molecules, producing a precise set of phenotypes induced by each small molecule across the mutant set. The identification of mutants that show the same phenotype when treated with known synergistic molecules allows us to pinpoint additional molecule combinations that also act synergistically. As a proof of concept, we focus on combinations with the antibiotics trimethoprim and sulfamethizole, which had been standard treatment against urinary tract infections until widespread resistance decreased efficacy. Using O2M, we screened a library of 2,000 small molecules and identified several that synergize with the antibiotic trimethoprim and/or sulfamethizole. The most potent of these synergistic interactions is with the antiviral drug azidothymidine (AZT). We then demonstrate that understanding the molecular mechanism underlying small-molecule synergistic interactions allows the rational design of additional combinations that bypass drug resistance. Trimethoprim and sulfamethizole are both folate biosynthesis inhibitors. We find that this activity disrupts nucleotide homeostasis, which blocks DNA replication in the presence of AZT. Building on these data, we show that other small molecules that disrupt nucleotide homeostasis through other mechanisms (hydroxyurea and floxuridine) also act synergistically with AZT. These novel combinations inhibit the growth and virulence of trimethoprim-resistant clinical Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates, suggesting that they may be able to be rapidly advanced into clinical use. In sum, we present a generalizable method to screen for novel synergistic combinations, to identify particular mechanisms resulting in synergy, and to use the mechanistic knowledge to rationally design new combinations that bypass drug resistance. PMID:28632788

X-ray characterization of solid small molecule organic materials

DOEpatents

Billinge, Simon; Shankland, Kenneth; Shankland, Norman; Florence, Alastair

2014-06-10

The present invention provides, inter alia, methods of characterizing a small molecule organic material, e.g., a drug or a drug product. This method includes subjecting the solid small molecule organic material to x-ray total scattering analysis at a short wavelength, collecting data generated thereby, and mathematically transforming the data to provide a refined set of data.

Group specific internal standard technology (GSIST) for simultaneous identification and quantification of small molecules

DOEpatents

Adamec, Jiri; Yang, Wen-Chu; Regnier, Fred E

2014-01-14

Reagents and methods are provided that permit simultaneous analysis of multiple diverse small molecule analytes present in a complex mixture. Samples are labeled with chemically identical but isotopically distince forms of the labeling reagent, and analyzed using mass spectrometry. A single reagent simultaneously derivatizes multiple small molecule analytes having different reactive functional groups.

Crossing borders to bind proteins--a new concept in protein recognition based on the conjugation of small organic molecules or short peptides to polypeptides from a designed set.

PubMed

Baltzer, Lars

2011-06-01

A new concept for protein recognition and binding is highlighted. The conjugation of small organic molecules or short peptides to polypeptides from a designed set provides binder molecules that bind proteins with high affinities, and with selectivities that are equal to those of antibodies. The small organic molecules or peptides need to bind the protein targets but only with modest affinities and selectivities, because conjugation to the polypeptides results in molecules with dramatically improved binder performance. The polypeptides are selected from a set of only sixteen sequences designed to bind, in principle, any protein. The small number of polypeptides used to prepare high-affinity binders contrasts sharply with the huge libraries used in binder technologies based on selection or immunization. Also, unlike antibodies and engineered proteins, the polypeptides have unordered three-dimensional structures and adapt to the proteins to which they bind. Binder molecules for the C-reactive protein, human carbonic anhydrase II, acetylcholine esterase, thymidine kinase 1, phosphorylated proteins, the D-dimer, and a number of antibodies are used as examples to demonstrate that affinities are achieved that are higher than those of the small molecules or peptides by as much as four orders of magnitude. Evaluation by pull-down experiments and ELISA-based tests in human serum show selectivities to be equal to those of antibodies. Small organic molecules and peptides are readily available from pools of endogenous ligands, enzyme substrates, inhibitors or products, from screened small molecule libraries, from phage display, and from mRNA display. The technology is an alternative to established binder concepts for applications in drug development, diagnostics, medical imaging, and protein separation.

Membrane Fusion Induced by Small Molecules and Ions

PubMed Central

Mondal Roy, Sutapa; Sarkar, Munna

2011-01-01

Membrane fusion is a key event in many biological processes. These processes are controlled by various fusogenic agents of which proteins and peptides from the principal group. The fusion process is characterized by three major steps, namely, inter membrane contact, lipid mixing forming the intermediate step, pore opening and finally mixing of inner contents of the cells/vesicles. These steps are governed by energy barriers, which need to be overcome to complete fusion. Structural reorganization of big molecules like proteins/peptides, supplies the required driving force to overcome the energy barrier of the different intermediate steps. Small molecules/ions do not share this advantage. Hence fusion induced by small molecules/ions is expected to be different from that induced by proteins/peptides. Although several reviews exist on membrane fusion, no recent review is devoted solely to small moleculs/ions induced membrane fusion. Here we intend to present, how a variety of small molecules/ions act as independent fusogens. The detailed mechanism of some are well understood but for many it is still an unanswered question. Clearer understanding of how a particular small molecule can control fusion will open up a vista to use these moleucles instead of proteins/peptides to induce fusion both in vivo and in vitro fusion processes. PMID:21660306

21 CFR 146.145 - Orange juice from concentrate.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... sweetening ingredients referred to in paragraph (a) of this section are sugar, sugar sirup, invert sugar... Juices and Beverages § 146.145 Orange juice from concentrate. (a) Orange juice from concentrate is the...), orange oil, orange pulp, and one or more of the sweetening ingredients listed in paragraph (b) of this...

21 CFR 146.145 - Orange juice from concentrate.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... sweetening ingredients referred to in paragraph (a) of this section are sugar, sugar sirup, invert sugar... Juices and Beverages § 146.145 Orange juice from concentrate. (a) Orange juice from concentrate is the...), orange oil, orange pulp, and one or more of the sweetening ingredients listed in paragraph (b) of this...

21 CFR 146.145 - Orange juice from concentrate.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... sweetening ingredients referred to in paragraph (a) of this section are sugar, sugar sirup, invert sugar... Juices and Beverages § 146.145 Orange juice from concentrate. (a) Orange juice from concentrate is the...), orange oil, orange pulp, and one or more of the sweetening ingredients listed in paragraph (b) of this...

21 CFR 146.145 - Orange juice from concentrate.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... sweetening ingredients referred to in paragraph (a) of this section are sugar, sugar sirup, invert sugar... Juices and Beverages § 146.145 Orange juice from concentrate. (a) Orange juice from concentrate is the...), orange oil, orange pulp, and one or more of the sweetening ingredients listed in paragraph (b) of this...

21 CFR 146.145 - Orange juice from concentrate.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... sweetening ingredients referred to in paragraph (a) of this section are sugar, sugar sirup, invert sugar... Juices and Beverages § 146.145 Orange juice from concentrate. (a) Orange juice from concentrate is the...), orange oil, orange pulp, and one or more of the sweetening ingredients listed in paragraph (b) of this...

Making Online Assessment Work: How K-12 Technologists Are Prepping Their Infrastructures and Staffs for Web-Based Testing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heun, Christopher

2006-01-01

With federal funding riding on test scores, student performance is crucial. Information systems are an important ingredient of assessments that are sometimes overlooked. Small rural school districts, such as Orange County, Virginia, often have only a modest IT budget and must find ways to improve the reliability and redundancy of their systems.…

At left, center just at edge of photograph are large ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

At left, center just at edge of photograph are large organization boards with small cardboard cards which can be moved to different slots. Historical photographs show Edison using these boards to manage production of photographs and other items within the Edison companies. - Thomas A. Edison Laboratories, Building No. 5, Main Street & Lakeside Avenue, West Orange, Essex County, NJ

Development of fluorescent tracers for the real-time monitoring of renal function

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Poreddy, Amruta R.; Asmelash, Bethel; Debreczeny, Martin P.; Fitch, Richard M.; Freskos, John N.; Galen, Karen P.; Gaston, Kimberly R.; Kostelc, James G.; Kumar, Rana; Marzan, Tim A.; Neumann, William L.; Rajagopalan, Raghavan; Schoenstein, Tasha M.; Shieh, Jeng-Jong; Wilcox, J. Micah; Wojdyla, Jolette K.; Dorshow, Richard B.

2011-03-01

Accurate measurement of glomerular filtration rate (GFR) at the bedside is highly desirable in order to assess renal function in real-time, which is currently an unmet clinical need. In our pursuit to develop exogenous fluorescent tracers as GFR markers, various hydrophilic derivatives of 3,6-diaminopyrazine-2,5-dicarboxylic acid with varying molecular weights and absorption/emission characteristics were synthesized. These include polyhydroxyalkyl based small molecules and poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) substituted moderate molecular weight compounds, which were further sub-grouped into analogs having blue excitation with green emission, and relatively longer wavelength analogs having green excitation with orange emission. Lead compounds were identified in each of the four classes on the basis of structure- activity relationship studies, which included in vitro plasma protein binding, in vivo urine recovery of administered dose, and in vivo optical monitoring. The in vivo optical monitoring experiments with lead candidates have been correlated with plasma pharmacokinetic (PK) data for measurement of clearance and hence GFR. Renal clearance of these compounds, occurring exclusively via glomerular filtration, was established by probenecid blocking experiments. The renal clearance property of all these advanced candidates was superior to that of the iothalamate, which is currently an accepted standard for the measurement of GFR.

A comparative study between para-aminophenyl and ortho-aminophenyl benzothiazoles using NMR and DFT calculations.

PubMed

Pierens, G K; Venkatachalam, T K; Reutens, D

2014-08-01

Ortho-substituted and para-substituted aminophenyl benzothiazoles were synthesised and characterised using NMR spectroscopy. A comparison of the proton chemical shift values reveals significant differences in the observed chemical shift values for the NH protons indicating the presence of a hydrogen bond in all ortho-substituted compounds as compared to the para compounds. The presence of intramolecular hydrogen bond in the ortho amino substituted aminophenyl benzothiazole forces the molecule to be planar which may be an additional advantage in developing these compounds as Alzheimer's imaging agent because the binding to amyloid fibrils prefers planar compounds. The splitting pattern of the methylene proton next to the amino group also showed significant coupling to the amino proton consistent with the notion of the existence of slow exchange and hydrogen bond in the ortho-substituted compounds. This is further verified by density functional theory calculations which yielded a near planar low energy conformer for all the o-aminophenyl benzothiazoles and displayed a hydrogen bond from the amine proton to the nitrogen of the thiazole ring. A detailed analysis of the (1)H, (13)C and (15)N NMR chemical shifts and density functional theory calculated structures of the compounds are described. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Perylene-Diimide Based Donor-Acceptor-Donor Type Small-Molecule Acceptors for Solution-Processable Organic Solar Cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ganesamoorthy, Ramasamy; Vijayaraghavan, Rajagopalan; Sakthivel, Pachagounder

2017-12-01

Development of nonfullerene acceptors plays an important role in the commercial availability of plastic solar cells. We report herein synthesis of bay-substituted donor-acceptor-donor (D-A-D)-type perylene diimide (PDI)-based small molecules (SM-1 to SM-4) by Suzuki coupling method and their use as acceptors in bulk heterojunction organic solar cells (BHJ-OSCs) with poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) polymer donor. We varied the number of electron-rich thiophene units and the solubilizing side chains and also evaluated the optical and electrochemical properties of the small molecules. The synthesized small molecules were confirmed by Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, and high-resolution mass spectroscopy (HR-MS). The small molecules showed extensive and strong absorption in the ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) region up to 750 nm, with bandgap (E_{{g}}^{{opt}} ) reduced below <2 eV. The energy levels of small molecules SM-1 to SM-4 were suitable for use as electron-accepting materials. The small molecules showed good thermal stability up to 300°C. BHJ-OSCs with SM-1 and P3HT polymer donor showed maximum power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 0.19% with V oc of 0.30 V, J sc of 1.72 mA cm-2, and fill factor (FF) of 37%. The PCE decreased with the number of thiophene units. The PCE of SM-2 was lower than that of SM-1. This difference in PCE can be explained by the higher aggregation tendency of the bithiophene compared with the thiophene unit. Introduction of the solubilizing group in the bay position increased the aggregation property, leading to much lower PCE than for the small molecules without solubilizing group.

Design and Synthesis of Human ABCB1 (P-Glycoprotein) Inhibitors by Peptide Coupling of Diverse Chemical Scaffolds on Carboxyl and Amino Termini of (S)-Valine-Derived Thiazole Amino Acid

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

P-glycoprotein (P-gp) serves as a therapeutic target for the development of multidrug resistance reversal agents. In this study, we synthesized 21 novel compounds by peptide coupling at corresponding carboxyl and amino termini of (S)-valine-based bis-thiazole and monothiazole derivatives with diverse chemical scaffolds. Using calcein-AM efflux assay, we identified compound 28 (IC50 = 1.0 μM) carrying 3,4,5-trimethoxybenzoyl and 2-aminobenzophenone groups, respectively, at the amino and carboxyl termini of the monothiazole zwitter-ion. Compound 28 inhibited the photolabeling of P-gp with [125I]-iodoarylazidoprazosin with IC50 = 0.75 μM and stimulated the basal ATP hydrolysis of P-gp in a concentration-dependent manner (EC50 ATPase = 0.027 μM). Compound 28 at 3 μM reduced resistance in cytotoxicity assay to paclitaxel in P-gp-expressing SW620/Ad300 and HEK/ABCB1 cell lines. Biochemical and docking studies showed site-1 to be the preferable binding site for 28 within the drug-binding pocket of human P-gp. PMID:24773054

Facile one-pot multicomponent synthesis and molecular docking studies of steroidal oxazole/thiazole derivatives with effective antimicrobial, antibiofilm and hemolytic properties.

PubMed

Ansari, Anam; Ali, Abad; Asif, Mohd; Rauf, Mohd Ahmar; Owais, Mohammad; Shamsuzzaman

2018-06-01

A series of steroidal oxazole and thiazole derivatives have been synthesized employing thiosemicarbazide/semicarbazide hydrochloride and ethyl 2-chloroacetoacetate with a simple and facile one-pot multicomponent reaction pathway. The antimicrobial activity of newly synthesized compounds were evaluated against four bacterial strains namely Gram-negative (Escherichia coliand Pseudomonas aeruginosa) and Gram-positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus and Listeria monocytogenes) in addition to pathogenic fungi (Candida albicans and Cryptococcus neoformans). Bioactivity assay manifested that most of the compounds exhibited good antimicrobial activity. To provide additional insight into antimicrobial activity, the compounds were also tested for their antibiofilm activity against S. aureus biofilm. Moreover, molecular docking study shows binding of compounds with amino acid residues of DNA gyrase and glucosamine-6-phosphate synthase (promising antimicrobial target) through hydrogen bonding interactions. Hemolytic activity have been also investigated to ascertain the effect of compounds over RBC lysis and results indicate good prospects for biocompatibility. The expedient synthesis of steroidal heterocycles, effective antibacterial and antifungal behavior against various clinically relevant human pathogens, promising biocompatibility offer opportunities for further modification and potential applications as therapeutic agents. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Anticancer potential of benzothiazolic derivative (E)-2-((2-(benzo[d]thiazol-2-yl)hydrazono)methyl)-4-nitrophenol against melanoma cells.

PubMed

Vasconcelos, Zanair Soares; Ralph, Ana Carolina Lima; Calcagno, Danielle Queiroz; Dos Santos Barbosa, Gleyce; do Nascimento Pedrosa, Tatiana; Antony, Lucas Pio; de Arruda Cardoso Smith, Marília; de Lucas Chazin, Eliza; Vasconcelos, Thatyana Rocha Alves; Montenegro, Raquel Carvalho; de Vasconcellos, Marne Carvalho

2018-08-01

Malignant melanoma is an important type of cancer worldwide due to its aggressiveness and poor survival rate. Significant efforts to understand the biology of melanoma and approaches to treat the advanced disease are focused on targeted gene inhibitors. Frequently mutated genes, such as NRAS, B-RAF and TP53, significantly exceed the frequency of mutations of other genes, emphasizing their importance for future targeted therapies. Considering the antitumor activity of benzothiazolic derivatives, this study aimed to demonstrate the action of benzothiazolic (E)-2-((2-(benzo[d]thiazol-2-yl)hydrazono)methyl)-4-nitrophenol (AFN01) against three established human melanoma cell lines that recapitulate the molecular landscape of the disease in terms of its genetic alterations and mutations, such as the TP53, NRAS and B-RAF genes. The results presented here indicate that AFN01, as a significant cytostatic and cytotoxic drug due to its induction of DNA fragmentation, causes single and double DNA strand breaks, consequently inhibiting cell proliferation, migration and invasion by promoting apoptosis. Our data suggest that AFN01 might be considered as a future therapeutic option for managing melanoma. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Optical and electrochemical characteristics of Ir(III) complexes with metalated 4-(4-bromophenyl)-2-methyl-1,3-thiazole and isocyanide, ethylenediamine, and diethyldithiocarbamate ligands

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Katlenok, E. A.; Kinzhalov, M. A.; Eremina, A. A.; Balashev, K. P.

2017-05-01

The influence of donor-acceptor properties of tert-butyl-, 2.6-dimethylphenyl-, and 4-bromophenyl-isocyanides (BuNC, XylNC, BpNC), ethylenediamine (En), and diethyldithiocarbamate ions (Dtc-) on the 1H and 13C NMR, IR, optical, and electrochemical characteristics of Ir(III) complexes with metalated 4-(4-bromophenyl)-2-methyl-1,3-thiazole is studied. Enhancement of the donor properties of BpNC, XylNC, BuNC, En, and Dtc- ligands leads to a bathochromic shift of metal-to-ligand charge transfer (MLCT) bands and to a decrease in the difference between the one-electron oxidation and reduction potentials of complexes. The bathochromic shift of the low-temperature phosphorescence of complexes in frozen (77 K) solutions with increasing donor properties of BpNC, XylNC, BuNC, En, and Dtc-ligands is caused by a decrease in the admixture of MLCT to the intraligand excited state of {Ir(bptz)2}. Quenching of the phosphorescence of complexes in liquid solutions is attributed to the thermally-induced population of excited d- d* states with subsequent nonradiative deactivation.

DNA Binding, Cleavage and Antibacterial Activity of Mononuclear Cu(II), Ni(II) and Co(II) Complexes Derived from Novel Benzothiazole Schiff Bases.

PubMed

Vamsikrishna, Narendrula; Kumar, Marri Pradeep; Tejaswi, Somapangu; Rambabu, Aveli; Shivaraj

2016-07-01

A series of novel bivalent metal complexes M(L1)2 and M(L2)2 where M = Cu(II), Ni(II), Co(II) and L1 = 2-((benzo [d] thiazol-6-ylimino)methyl)-4-bromophenol [BTEMBP], L2 = 1-((benzo [d] thiazol-6-ylimino)methyl) naphthalen-2-ol [BTEMNAPP] were synthesized. All the compounds have been characterized by elemental analysis, SEM, Mass, (1)H NMR, (13)C NMR, UV-Vis, IR, ESR, spectral data and magnetic susceptibility measurements. Based on the analytical and spectral data four-coordinated square planar geometry is assigned to all the complexes. DNA binding properties of these complexes have been investigated by electronic absorption spectroscopy, fluorescence and viscosity measurements. It is observed that these binary complexes strongly bind to calf thymus DNA by an intercalation mode. DNA cleavage efficacy of these complexes was tested in presence of H2O2 and UV light by gel electrophoresis and found that all the complexes showed better nuclease activity. Finally the compounds were screened for antibacterial activity against few pathogens and found that the complexes have potent biocidal activity than their free ligands.

Synthesis, conformational analysis, and biological activity of new analogues of thiazole-4-carboxamide adenine dinucleotide (TAD) as IMP dehydrogenase inhibitors.

PubMed

Franchetti, Palmarisa; Cappellacci, Loredana; Pasqualini, Michela; Petrelli, Riccardo; Jayaprakasan, Vetrichelvan; Jayaram, Hiremagalur N; Boyd, Donald B; Jain, Manojkumar D; Grifantini, Mario

2005-03-15

Thiazole-4-carboxamide adenine dinucleotide (TAD) analogues T-2'-MeAD (1) and T-3'-MeAD (2) containing, respectively, a methyl group at the ribose 2'-C-, and 3'-C-position of the adenosine moiety, were prepared as potential selective human inosine monophosphate dehydrogenase (IMPDH) type II inhibitors. The synthesis of heterodinucleotides was carried out by CDI-catalyzed coupling reaction of unprotected 2'-C-methyl- or 3'-C-methyl-adenosine 5'-monophosphate with 2',3'-O-isopropylidene-tiazofurin 5'-monophosphate, and then deisopropylidenation. Biological evaluation of dinucleotides 1 and 2 as inhibitors of recombinant human IMPDH type I and type II resulted in a good activity. Inhibition of both isoenzymes by T-2'-MeAD and T-3'-MeAD was noncompetitive with respect to NAD substrate. Binding of T-3'-MeAD was comparable to that of parent compound TAD, while T-2'-MeAD proved to be a weaker inhibitor. However, no significant difference was found in inhibition of the IMPDH isoenzymes. T-2'-MeAD and T-3'-MeAD were found to inhibit the growth of K562 cells (IC(50) 30.7 and 65.0muM, respectively).

Hierarchical virtual screening approaches in small molecule drug discovery.

PubMed

Kumar, Ashutosh; Zhang, Kam Y J

2015-01-01

Virtual screening has played a significant role in the discovery of small molecule inhibitors of therapeutic targets in last two decades. Various ligand and structure-based virtual screening approaches are employed to identify small molecule ligands for proteins of interest. These approaches are often combined in either hierarchical or parallel manner to take advantage of the strength and avoid the limitations associated with individual methods. Hierarchical combination of ligand and structure-based virtual screening approaches has received noteworthy success in numerous drug discovery campaigns. In hierarchical virtual screening, several filters using ligand and structure-based approaches are sequentially applied to reduce a large screening library to a number small enough for experimental testing. In this review, we focus on different hierarchical virtual screening strategies and their application in the discovery of small molecule modulators of important drug targets. Several virtual screening studies are discussed to demonstrate the successful application of hierarchical virtual screening in small molecule drug discovery. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Systematic development of small molecules to inhibit specific microscopic steps of Aβ42 aggregation in Alzheimer's disease.

PubMed

Habchi, Johnny; Chia, Sean; Limbocker, Ryan; Mannini, Benedetta; Ahn, Minkoo; Perni, Michele; Hansson, Oskar; Arosio, Paolo; Kumita, Janet R; Challa, Pavan Kumar; Cohen, Samuel I A; Linse, Sara; Dobson, Christopher M; Knowles, Tuomas P J; Vendruscolo, Michele

2017-01-10

The aggregation of the 42-residue form of the amyloid-β peptide (Aβ42) is a pivotal event in Alzheimer's disease (AD). The use of chemical kinetics has recently enabled highly accurate quantifications of the effects of small molecules on specific microscopic steps in Aβ42 aggregation. Here, we exploit this approach to develop a rational drug discovery strategy against Aβ42 aggregation that uses as a read-out the changes in the nucleation and elongation rate constants caused by candidate small molecules. We thus identify a pool of compounds that target specific microscopic steps in Aβ42 aggregation. We then test further these small molecules in human cerebrospinal fluid and in a Caenorhabditis elegans model of AD. Our results show that this strategy represents a powerful approach to identify systematically small molecule lead compounds, thus offering an appealing opportunity to reduce the attrition problem in drug discovery.

Synthesis of many different types of organic small molecules using one automated process.

PubMed

Li, Junqi; Ballmer, Steven G; Gillis, Eric P; Fujii, Seiko; Schmidt, Michael J; Palazzolo, Andrea M E; Lehmann, Jonathan W; Morehouse, Greg F; Burke, Martin D

2015-03-13

Small-molecule synthesis usually relies on procedures that are highly customized for each target. A broadly applicable automated process could greatly increase the accessibility of this class of compounds to enable investigations of their practical potential. Here we report the synthesis of 14 distinct classes of small molecules using the same fully automated process. This was achieved by strategically expanding the scope of a building block-based synthesis platform to include even C(sp3)-rich polycyclic natural product frameworks and discovering a catch-and-release chromatographic purification protocol applicable to all of the corresponding intermediates. With thousands of compatible building blocks already commercially available, many small molecules are now accessible with this platform. More broadly, these findings illuminate an actionable roadmap to a more general and automated approach for small-molecule synthesis. Copyright © 2015, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Antibody-Mediated Small Molecule Detection Using Programmable DNA-Switches.

PubMed

Rossetti, Marianna; Ippodrino, Rudy; Marini, Bruna; Palleschi, Giuseppe; Porchetta, Alessandro

2018-06-13

The development of rapid, cost-effective, and single-step methods for the detection of small molecules is crucial for improving the quality and efficiency of many applications ranging from life science to environmental analysis. Unfortunately, current methodologies still require multiple complex, time-consuming washing and incubation steps, which limit their applicability. In this work we present a competitive DNA-based platform that makes use of both programmable DNA-switches and antibodies to detect small target molecules. The strategy exploits both the advantages of proximity-based methods and structure-switching DNA-probes. The platform is modular and versatile and it can potentially be applied for the detection of any small target molecule that can be conjugated to a nucleic acid sequence. Here the rational design of programmable DNA-switches is discussed, and the sensitive, rapid, and single-step detection of different environmentally relevant small target molecules is demonstrated.

Large scale nanoparticle screening for small molecule analysis in laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry

DOE PAGES

Yagnik, Gargey B.; Hansen, Rebecca L.; Korte, Andrew R.; ...

2016-08-30

Nanoparticles (NPs) have been suggested as efficient matrixes for small molecule profiling and imaging by laser-desorption ionization mass spectrometry (LDI-MS), but so far there has been no systematic study comparing different NPs in the analysis of various classes of small molecules. Here, we present a large scale screening of 13 NPs for the analysis of two dozen small metabolite molecules. Many NPs showed much higher LDI efficiency than organic matrixes in positive mode and some NPs showed comparable efficiencies for selected analytes in negative mode. Our results suggest that a thermally driven desorption process is a key factor for metalmore » oxide NPs, but chemical interactions are also very important, especially for other NPs. Furthermore, the screening results provide a useful guideline for the selection of NPs in the LDI-MS analysis of small molecules.« less

Large scale nanoparticle screening for small molecule analysis in laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yagnik, Gargey B.; Hansen, Rebecca L.; Korte, Andrew R.

Nanoparticles (NPs) have been suggested as efficient matrixes for small molecule profiling and imaging by laser-desorption ionization mass spectrometry (LDI-MS), but so far there has been no systematic study comparing different NPs in the analysis of various classes of small molecules. Here, we present a large scale screening of 13 NPs for the analysis of two dozen small metabolite molecules. Many NPs showed much higher LDI efficiency than organic matrixes in positive mode and some NPs showed comparable efficiencies for selected analytes in negative mode. Our results suggest that a thermally driven desorption process is a key factor for metalmore » oxide NPs, but chemical interactions are also very important, especially for other NPs. Furthermore, the screening results provide a useful guideline for the selection of NPs in the LDI-MS analysis of small molecules.« less

Small Molecule Signaling Agents: The Integrated Chemistry and Biochemistry of Nitrogen Oxides, Oxides of Carbon, Dioxygen, Hydrogen Sulfide, and Their Derived Species

PubMed Central

Fukuto, Jon M.; Carrington, Samantha J.; Tantillo, Dean J.; Harrison, Jason G.; Ignarro, Louis J.; Freeman, Bruce A.; Chen, Andrew; Wink, David A.

2014-01-01

Several small molecule species formally known primarily as toxic gases have, over the past 20 years, been shown to be endogenously generated signaling molecules. The biological signaling associated with the small molecules NO, CO, H2S (and the nonendogenously generated O2), and their derived species have become a topic of extreme interest. It has become increasingly clear that these small molecule signaling agents form an integrated signaling web that affects/regulates numerous physiological processes. The chemical interactions between these species and each other or biological targets is an important factor in their roles as signaling agents. Thus, a fundamental understanding of the chemistry of these molecules is essential to understanding their biological/physiological utility. This review focuses on this chemistry and attempts to establish the chemical basis for their signaling functions. PMID:22263838

Fluorination-enabled optimal morphology leads to over 11% efficiency for inverted small-molecule organic solar cells

PubMed Central

Deng, Dan; Zhang, Yajie; Zhang, Jianqi; Wang, Zaiyu; Zhu, Lingyun; Fang, Jin; Xia, Benzheng; Wang, Zhen; Lu, Kun; Ma, Wei; Wei, Zhixiang

2016-01-01

Solution-processable small molecules for organic solar cells have attracted intense attention for their advantages of definite molecular structures compared with their polymer counterparts. However, the device efficiencies based on small molecules are still lower than those of polymers, especially for inverted devices, the highest efficiency of which is <9%. Here we report three novel solution-processable small molecules, which contain π-bridges with gradient-decreased electron density and end acceptors substituted with various fluorine atoms (0F, 1F and 2F, respectively). Fluorination leads to an optimal active layer morphology, including an enhanced domain purity, the formation of hierarchical domain size and a directional vertical phase gradation. The optimal morphology balances charge separation and transfer, and facilitates charge collection. As a consequence, fluorinated molecules exhibit excellent inverted device performance, and an average power conversion efficiency of 11.08% is achieved for a two-fluorine atom substituted molecule. PMID:27991486

[Effect of annealing temperature on the crystallization and spectroscopic response of a small-molecule semiconductor doped in polymer film].

PubMed

Yin, Ming; Zhang, Xin-Ping; Liu, Hong-Mei

2012-11-01

The crystallization properties of the perylene (EPPTC) molecules doped in the solid film of the derivative of polyfluorene (F8BT) at different annealing temperatures, as well as the consequently induced spectroscopic response of the exciplex emission in the heterojunction structures, were studied in the present paper. Experimental results showed that the phase separation between the small and the polymer molecules in the blend film is enhanced with increasing the annealing temperature, which leads to the crystallization of the EPPTC molecules due to the strong pi-pi stacking. The size of the crystal phase increases with increasing the annealing temperature. However, this process weakens the mechanisms of the heterojunction configuration, thus, the total interfacial area between the small and the polymer molecules and the amount of exciplex are reduced significantly in the blend film. Meanwhile, the energy transfer from the polymer to the small molecules is also reduced. As a result, the emission from the exciplex becomes weaker with increasing the annealing temperature, whereas the stronger emission from the polymer molecules and from the crystal phase of the small molecules can be observed. These experimental results are very important for understanding and tailoring the organic heterojunction structures. Furthermore, this provides photophysics for improving the performance of photovoltaic or solar cell devices.

Analysis of the Spectroscopic Aspects of Cationic Dye Basic Orange 21.

PubMed

Eizig, Zehavit; Major, Dan T; Kasdan, Harvey L; Afrimzon, Elena; Zurgil, Naomi; Sobolev, Maria; Deutsch, Mordechai

2015-09-24

Spectroscopic properties of cationic dye basic orange 21 (BO21) in solutions, in solids, and within leukocytes were examined. Results obtained with solutions indicate that influence of variables such as pH, viscosity, salt composition, and various proteins on the absorption spectrum of BO21 is negligible. However, in the presence of heparin, a blue shift (484-465 nm) is observed, which is attributed to the aggregation of BO21 on the polyanion. Applying density functional theory demonstrates that in aqueous solutions (a) the formation of BO21 oligomers is thermodynamically favorable, they are oriented in an antiparallel dipolar arrangement, and their binding energies are lower than those of parallel dipolar arrangements, (b) association between BO21 aggregates and heparin is highly favorable, and (c) the blue shift is due to the mixing of π → π* transitions caused by BO21 molecule stacking. However, when embedded in basophils, the absorption spectra of intracellular BO21 is extremely red-shifted, with two peaks (at 505 and 550 nm) found to be attributed to BO21 and the BO21-heparin complex, respectively, which are intracellularly hosted in nonaqueous environments. Initial evidence of the ability to differentiate between leukocyte types by BO21 is presented.

Analysis of Some New Electronic Transitions Observed Using Intracavity Laser Spectroscopy (ils): Possible Identification of HCuN

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harms, Jack C.; Grames, Ethan M.; O'Brien, Leah C.; O'Brien, James J.

2017-06-01

Four new electronic transitions with blue-degraded bandheads were observed in the orange-red region of the visible spectrum. The transitions were observed in the plasma discharge of a hollow copper cathode placed within the cavity of a tunable dye laser system, allowing molecular absorbance to be enhanced upon laser amplification. To produce the molecules, the surface of the copper cathode was soaked in a dilute ammonia solution prior to installation, and 1 torr of H_2 was used as the sputter gas in the dc plasma discharge. The bandheads were observed at 16,560 \\wn, 16,485 \\wn, 16,027 \\wn, and 15,960 \\wn. Using 1.5 torr of D_2 as the sputter gas resulted in a -3 \\wn shift in origin for the bands in the 16,000 \\wn region. Four rotational branches have been identified in each transition, and the transitions have been fit to independent ^{2}Σ - ^{2}Π transitions using PGOPHER, with spin-orbit splittings in the Hund's case (a) Π-states of -71.2 \\wn and -65.4 \\wn. The transitions have tentatively been assigned to HCuN. Results of this analysis will be presented.

21 CFR 146.137 - Frozen orange juice.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Frozen orange juice. 146.137 Section 146.137 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) FOOD FOR... Beverages § 146.137 Frozen orange juice. (a) Frozen orange juice is orange juice as defined in § 146.135...

Hippocampal and cortical neuronal growth mediated by the small molecule natural product clovanemagnolol.

PubMed

Khaing, Zin; Kang, Danby; Camelio, Andrew M; Schmidt, Christine E; Siegel, Dionicio

2011-08-15

The use of small molecule surrogates of growth factors that directly or indirectly promote growth represents an attractive approach to regenerative medicine. With synthetic access to clovanemagnolol, a small molecule initially isolated from the bark of the Bigleaf Magnolia tree, we have examined the small molecule's ability to promote growth of embryonic hippocampal and cortical neurons in serum-free medium. Comparisons with magnolol, a known promoter of growth, reveals that clovanmagnolol is a potent neurotrophic agent, promoting neuronal growth at concentrations of 10 nM. In addition, both clovanemagnolol and magnolol promote growth through a biphasic dose response. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Second-generation DNA-templated macrocycle libraries for the discovery of bioactive small molecules.

PubMed

Usanov, Dmitry L; Chan, Alix I; Maianti, Juan Pablo; Liu, David R

2018-07-01

DNA-encoded libraries have emerged as a widely used resource for the discovery of bioactive small molecules, and offer substantial advantages compared with conventional small-molecule libraries. Here, we have developed and streamlined multiple fundamental aspects of DNA-encoded and DNA-templated library synthesis methodology, including computational identification and experimental validation of a 20 × 20 × 20 × 80 set of orthogonal codons, chemical and computational tools for enhancing the structural diversity and drug-likeness of library members, a highly efficient polymerase-mediated template library assembly strategy, and library isolation and purification methods. We have integrated these improved methods to produce a second-generation DNA-templated library of 256,000 small-molecule macrocycles with improved drug-like physical properties. In vitro selection of this library for insulin-degrading enzyme affinity resulted in novel insulin-degrading enzyme inhibitors, including one of unusual potency and novel macrocycle stereochemistry (IC 50  = 40 nM). Collectively, these developments enable DNA-templated small-molecule libraries to serve as more powerful, accessible, streamlined and cost-effective tools for bioactive small-molecule discovery.

Use of mRNA expression signatures to discover small molecule inhibitors of skeletal muscle atrophy

PubMed Central

Adams, Christopher M.; Ebert, Scott M.; Dyle, Michael C.

2017-01-01

Purpose of review Here, we discuss a recently developed experimental strategy for discovering small molecules with potential to prevent and treat skeletal muscle atrophy. Recent findings Muscle atrophy involves and requires widespread changes in skeletal muscle gene expression, which generate complex but measurable patterns of positive and negative changes in skeletal muscle mRNA levels (a.k.a. mRNA expression signatures of muscle atrophy). Many bioactive small molecules generate their own characteristic mRNA expression signatures, and by identifying small molecules whose signatures approximate mirror images of muscle atrophy signatures, one may identify small molecules with potential to prevent and/or reverse muscle atrophy. Unlike a conventional drug discovery approach, this strategy does not rely on a predefined molecular target but rather exploits the complexity of muscle atrophy to identify small molecules that counter the entire spectrum of pathological changes in atrophic muscle. We discuss how this strategy has been used to identify two natural compounds, ursolic acid and tomatidine, that reduce muscle atrophy and improve skeletal muscle function. Summary Discovery strategies based on mRNA expression signatures can elucidate new approaches for preserving and restoring muscle mass and function. PMID:25807353

Use of mRNA expression signatures to discover small molecule inhibitors of skeletal muscle atrophy.

PubMed

Adams, Christopher M; Ebert, Scott M; Dyle, Michael C

2015-05-01

Here, we discuss a recently developed experimental strategy for discovering small molecules with potential to prevent and treat skeletal muscle atrophy. Muscle atrophy involves and requires widespread changes in skeletal muscle gene expression, which generate complex but measurable patterns of positive and negative changes in skeletal muscle mRNA levels (a.k.a. mRNA expression signatures of muscle atrophy). Many bioactive small molecules generate their own characteristic mRNA expression signatures, and by identifying small molecules whose signatures approximate mirror images of muscle atrophy signatures, one may identify small molecules with potential to prevent and/or reverse muscle atrophy. Unlike a conventional drug discovery approach, this strategy does not rely on a predefined molecular target but rather exploits the complexity of muscle atrophy to identify small molecules that counter the entire spectrum of pathological changes in atrophic muscle. We discuss how this strategy has been used to identify two natural compounds, ursolic acid and tomatidine, that reduce muscle atrophy and improve skeletal muscle function. Discovery strategies based on mRNA expression signatures can elucidate new approaches for preserving and restoring muscle mass and function.

Mass amplifying probe for sensitive fluorescence anisotropy detection of small molecules in complex biological samples.

PubMed

Cui, Liang; Zou, Yuan; Lin, Ninghang; Zhu, Zhi; Jenkins, Gareth; Yang, Chaoyong James

2012-07-03

Fluorescence anisotropy (FA) is a reliable and excellent choice for fluorescence sensing. One of the key factors influencing the FA value for any molecule is the molar mass of the molecule being measured. As a result, the FA method with functional nucleic acid aptamers has been limited to macromolecules such as proteins and is generally not applicable for the analysis of small molecules because their molecular masses are relatively too small to produce observable FA value changes. We report here a molecular mass amplifying strategy to construct anisotropy aptamer probes for small molecules. The probe is designed in such a way that only when a target molecule binds to the probe does it activate its binding ability to an anisotropy amplifier (a high molecular mass molecule such as protein), thus significantly increasing the molecular mass and FA value of the probe/target complex. Specifically, a mass amplifying probe (MAP) consists of a targeting aptamer domain against a target molecule and molecular mass amplifying aptamer domain for the amplifier protein. The probe is initially rendered inactive by a small blocking strand partially complementary to both target aptamer and amplifier protein aptamer so that the mass amplifying aptamer domain would not bind to the amplifier protein unless the probe has been activated by the target. In this way, we prepared two probes that constitute a target (ATP and cocaine respectively) aptamer, a thrombin (as the mass amplifier) aptamer, and a fluorophore. Both probes worked well against their corresponding small molecule targets, and the detection limits for ATP and cocaine were 0.5 μM and 0.8 μM, respectively. More importantly, because FA is less affected by environmental interferences, ATP in cell media and cocaine in urine were directly detected without any tedious sample pretreatment. Our results established that our molecular mass amplifying strategy can be used to design aptamer probes for rapid, sensitive, and selective detection of small molecules by means of FA in complex biological samples.

A Medical Center Network for Optimized Lung Cancer Biospecimen Banking

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-10-01

Carcinoma Stage IIB N N .149 1 8 .132 1 8 .092 1 No - Quit Smoking 50 AR Agent Orange , Nuclear weapons, Second-hand smoke Agent Orange , Nuclear weapons...Smoking 30 None Agent Orange , Asbestos, Second-hand smoke Agent Orange , Asbestos, Second-hand smoke S0159 Squamous Cell Carcinoma Stage IIB Y N...2.560 100 80 25 6 7 0.670 4 4 0.370 1 No - Quit Smoking 30 NV Agent Orange , Asbestos, Nuclear weapons, Second- hand smoke Agent Orange , Asbestos

Determination of volatile, phenolic, organic acid and sugar components in a Turkish cv. Dortyol (Citrus sinensis L. Osbeck) orange juice.

PubMed

Kelebek, Hasim; Selli, Serkan

2011-08-15

Orange flavour is the results of a natural combination of volatile compounds in a well-balanced system including sugars, acids and phenolic compounds. This paper reports the results of the first determination of aroma, organic acids, sugars, and phenolic components in Dortyol yerli orange juices. A total of 58 volatile components, including esters (nine), terpenes (19), terpenols (13), aldehydes (two), ketones (three), alcohols (four) and acids (eight) were identified and quantified in Dortyol yerli orange juice by GC-FID and GC-MS. Organic acids, sugars and phenolic compositions were also determined by HPLC methods. The major organic acid and sugar found were citric acid and sucrose, respectively. With regard to phenolics, 14 compounds were identified and quantified in the orange juice. Terpenes and terpenols were found as the main types of volatile components in Dortyol yerli orange juice. In terms of aroma contribution to orange juice, 12 compounds were prominent based on the odour activity values (OAVs). The highest OAV values were recorded for ethyl butanoate, nootkatone, linalool and DL-limonene. When we compare the obtained results of cv. Dortyol orange juice with the other orange juice varieties, the composition of Dortyol orange juice was similar to Valencia and Navel orange juices. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry.

7 CFR 906.13 - Variety or varieties.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

...) Navel oranges; (b) Early and Midseason oranges, except Navel oranges; (c) Valencia and similar late type oranges; (d) White seeded grapefruit; (e) White seedless grapefruit; (f) Pink and red seeded grapefruit...

7 CFR 906.13 - Variety or varieties.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

...) Navel oranges; (b) Early and Midseason oranges, except Navel oranges; (c) Valencia and similar late type oranges; (d) White seeded grapefruit; (e) White seedless grapefruit; (f) Pink and red seeded grapefruit...

7 CFR 906.13 - Variety or varieties.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

...) Navel oranges; (b) Early and Midseason oranges, except Navel oranges; (c) Valencia and similar late type oranges; (d) white seeded grapefruit; (e) white seedless grapefruit; (f) pink and red seeded grapefruit...

7 CFR 906.13 - Variety or varieties.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

...) Navel oranges; (b) Early and Midseason oranges, except Navel oranges; (c) Valencia and similar late type oranges; (d) white seeded grapefruit; (e) white seedless grapefruit; (f) pink and red seeded grapefruit...

Influence of thermocleavable functionality on organic field-effect transistor performance of small molecules

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mahale, Rajashree Y.; Dharmapurikar, Satej S.; Chini, Mrinmoy Kumar; Venugopalan, Vijay

2017-06-01

Diketopyrrolopyrrole based donor-acceptor-donor conjugated small molecules using ethylene dioxythiophene as a donor was synthesized. Electron deficient diketopyrrolopyrrole unit was substituted with thermocleavable (tert-butyl acetate) side chains. The thermal treatment of the molecules at 160 °C eliminated the tert-butyl ester group results in the formation of corresponding acid. Optical and theoretical studies revealed that the molecules adopted a change in molecular arrangement after thermolysis. The conjugated small molecules possessed p-channel charge transport characteristics in organic field effect transistors. The charge carrier mobility was increased after thermolysis of tert-butyl ester group to 5.07 × 10-5 cm2/V s.

Orange Button Solar Data Exchange | Energy Analysis | NREL

Science.gov Websites

Orange Button Solar Data Exchange Orange Button Solar Data Exchange The new Orange Button Solar Data Exchange tool serves as an online resource for the solar industry to share, sell, or retrieve solar data and connect with colleagues. Screenshot image of Orange Button data website home page. The

Discovery of Small Molecules that Inhibit the Disordered Protein, p27Kip1

PubMed Central

Iconaru, Luigi I.; Ban, David; Bharatham, Kavitha; Ramanathan, Arvind; Zhang, Weixing; Shelat, Anang A.; Zuo, Jian; Kriwacki, Richard W.

2015-01-01

Disordered proteins are highly prevalent in biological systems, they control myriad signaling and regulatory processes, and their levels and/or cellular localization are often altered in human disease. In contrast to folded proteins, disordered proteins, due to conformational heterogeneity and dynamics, are not considered viable drug targets. We challenged this paradigm by identifying through NMR-based screening small molecules that bound specifically, albeit weakly, to the disordered cell cycle regulator, p27Kip1 (p27). Two groups of molecules bound to sites created by transient clusters of aromatic residues within p27. Conserved chemical features within these two groups of small molecules exhibited complementarity to their binding sites within p27, establishing structure-activity relationships for small molecule:disordered protein interactions. Finally, one compound counteracted the Cdk2/cyclin A inhibitory function of p27 in vitro, providing proof-of-principle that small molecules can inhibit the function of a disordered protein (p27) through sequestration in a conformation incapable of folding and binding to a natural regulatory target (Cdk2/cyclin A). PMID:26507530

Discovery of Small Molecules that Inhibit the Disordered Protein, p27 Kip1

DOE PAGES

Iconaru, Luigi I.; Ban, David; Bharatham, Kavitha; ...

2015-10-28

In disordered proteins we see that they are highly prevalent in biological systems. They control myriad signaling and regulatory processes, and their levels and/or cellular localization are often altered in human disease. In contrast to folded proteins, disordered proteins, due to conformational heterogeneity and dynamics, are not considered viable drug targets. We challenged this paradigm by identifying through NMR-based screening small molecules that bound specifically, albeit weakly, to the disordered cell cycle regulator, p27 Kip1 (p27). Moreover, two groups of molecules bound to sites created by transient clusters of aromatic residues within p27. Conserved chemical features within these two groupsmore » of small molecules exhibited complementarity to their binding sites within p27, establishing structure-activity relationships for small molecule: disordered protein interactions. Finally, one compound counteracted the Cdk2/cyclin A inhibitory function of p27 in vitro, providing proof-of- principle that small molecules can inhibit the function of a disordered protein (p27) through sequestration in a conformation incapable of folding and binding to a natural regulatory target (Cdk2/cyclin A).« less

A simple approach to a vision-guided unmanned vehicle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Archibald, Christopher; Millar, Evan; Anderson, Jon D.; Archibald, James K.; Lee, Dah-Jye

2005-10-01

This paper describes the design and implementation of a vision-guided autonomous vehicle that represented BYU in the 2005 Intelligent Ground Vehicle Competition (IGVC), in which autonomous vehicles navigate a course marked with white lines while avoiding obstacles consisting of orange construction barrels, white buckets and potholes. Our project began in the context of a senior capstone course in which multi-disciplinary teams of five students were responsible for the design, construction, and programming of their own robots. Each team received a computer motherboard, a camera, and a small budget for the purchase of additional hardware, including a chassis and motors. The resource constraints resulted in a simple vision-based design that processes the sequence of images from the single camera to determine motor controls. Color segmentation separates white and orange from each image, and then the segmented image is examined using a 10x10 grid system, effectively creating a low resolution picture for each of the two colors. Depending on its position, each filled grid square influences the selection of an appropriate turn magnitude. Motor commands determined from the white and orange images are then combined to yield the final motion command for video frame. We describe the complete algorithm and the robot hardware and we present results that show the overall effectiveness of our control approach.

Exploiting the Spur of the Moment to Enhance Healthy Consumption: Verbal Prompting to Increase Fruit Choices in a Self-Service Restaurant.

PubMed

van Kleef, Ellen; van den Broek, Oriana; van Trijp, Hans C M

2015-07-01

People often have good intentions to eat healthily, but these intentions may get overruled by temporary moments of temptation. The current study examined the effectiveness of "verbal prompting" as a nudge to increase fruit salad sales in a natural setting. A field experiment was conducted in a self-service restaurant during breakfast time. After an initial baseline period, the intervention involved four different prompts suggesting ordering a side dish (i.e. orange juice, fruit salad, pancakes) given by cashiers to visitors. The intervention phase lasted 13 weeks. Cash register and observational data were obtained. In addition, a sample of visitors (N = 393) responded to a survey. A significant increase in sales of orange juice was observed during the orange juice verbal prompts intervention periods (35-42% of all breakfasts sold) compared to baseline (20% of all breakfasts sold). Similarly, sales of fruit salad (9%) and pancakes (3%) rose to a small but significant extent compared to baseline sales (3% and 1%, respectively). Survey results showed that customers did not feel pressurised into purchasing a side dish. Together, findings suggest that verbal prompts involving healthy side dishes are a potential useful nudge to implement in other food service settings. © 2015 The International Association of Applied Psychology.

Changes in the fluorescence of the Caribbean coral Montastraea faveolata during heat-induced bleaching

USGS Publications Warehouse

Zawada, David G.; Jaffe, J.S.

2003-01-01

In order to evaluate the response of commonly occurring green and orange fluorescent host-based pigments, a thermal stress experiment was performed on specimens of the Caribbean coral Montastraea faveolata. Seven paired samples were collected from a small oceanic reef near Lee Stocking Island in the Bahamas. Seven of the fourteen corals were subjected to elevated temperatures for 28 d, followed by a recovery period lasting 53 d. Throughout the experiment, high-resolution (~400 µm pixel-1) multispectral images of induced fluorescence were recorded at wavelengths corresponding to the green and orange host pigments, plus chlorophyll. These images revealed that the fluorescence of both host pigments was concentrated at polyp centers and declined by 70–90% in regions between polyps. Chlorophyll fluorescence, however, was distributed almost uniformly across the entire coral surface, but with decreases of 10–30% around polyp centers. A normalized difference ratio between the green and orange pigments (GO ratio) was developed to facilitate comparison with chlorophyll fluorescence as a bleaching indicator. Analysis showed a high correspondence between a sustained GO ratio of less than zero and the death of corals. Finally, this ratio was resistant to contamination from other sources of chlorophyll fluorescence, such as filamentous algae.

The effect of flavoring oral rehydration solution on its composition and palatability.

PubMed

te Loo, D Maroeska; van der Graaf, Fedde; Ten, Walther Tjon A

2004-11-01

As a number of mild to moderately dehydrated children refuse to drink oral rehydration solution (ORS) because of its strong salty taste, many parents and health workers flavor ORS with the childs favorite juice. The effects of flavoring ORS on electrolyte content and osmolality were assessed and the palatability of various solutions were compared with commercially flavored ORS. Osmolality, sodium, potassium, chloride and glucose content after flavoring with varying concentrations of apple juice, orange juice or orangeade was determined. Two of the solutions were offered to 30 children and adults to assess palatability. All additions to ORS (apple juice, orange juice or orangeade) caused a decrease of sodium (-30 to -53 mmol/L) and chloride (-27 to -47 mmol/L) content, whereas osmolality increased to greater than 311 mOsm/kg. These homemade oral rehydration solutions did not fulfill ESPGAN criteria for ORS, and rehydration will therefore be less effective. The majority of subjects also preferred the commercially flavored ORS. Only very small amounts of apple juice or orange juice can be added to the ORS without significantly altering electrolyte composition and osmolality. Palatability, however, does not improve compared with commercially flavored ORS. We therefore recommend using commercially flavored ORS, the composition of which fulfills ESPGAN criteria.

Moon - False Color Mosaic

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1992-01-01

This false-color photograph is a composite of 15 images of the Moon taken through three color filters by Galileo's solid-state imaging system during the spacecraft's passage through the Earth-Moon system on December 8, 1992. When this view was obtained, the spacecraft was 425,000 kilometers (262,000 miles) from the Moon and 69,000 kilometers (43,000 miles) from Earth. The false-color processing used to create this lunar image is helpful for interpreting the surface soil composition. Areas appearing red generally correspond to the lunar highlands, while blue to orange shades indicate the ancient volcanic lava flow of a mare, or lunar sea. Bluer mare areas contain more titanium than do the orange regions. Mare Tranquillitatis, seen as a deep blue patch on the right, is richer in titanium than Mare Serenitatis, a slightly smaller circular area immediately adjacent to the upper left of Mare Tranquillitatis. Blue and orange areas covering much of the left side of the Moon in this view represent many separate lava flows in Oceanus Procellarum. The small purple areas found near the center are pyroclastic deposits formed by explosive volcanic eruptions. The fresh crater Tycho, with a diameter of 85 kilometers (53 miles), is prominent at the bottom of the photograph, where part of the Moon's disk is missing.

Strategy to discover diverse optimal molecules in the small molecule universe.

PubMed

Rupakheti, Chetan; Virshup, Aaron; Yang, Weitao; Beratan, David N

2015-03-23

The small molecule universe (SMU) is defined as a set of over 10(60) synthetically feasible organic molecules with molecular weight less than ∼500 Da. Exhaustive enumerations and evaluation of all SMU molecules for the purpose of discovering favorable structures is impossible. We take a stochastic approach and extend the ACSESS framework ( Virshup et al. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2013 , 135 , 7296 - 7303 ) to develop diversity oriented molecular libraries that can generate a set of compounds that is representative of the small molecule universe and that also biases the library toward favorable physical property values. We show that the approach is efficient compared to exhaustive enumeration and to existing evolutionary algorithms for generating such libraries by testing in the NKp fitness landscape model and in the fully enumerated GDB-9 chemical universe containing 3 × 10(5) molecules.

Strategy To Discover Diverse Optimal Molecules in the Small Molecule Universe

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

The small molecule universe (SMU) is defined as a set of over 1060 synthetically feasible organic molecules with molecular weight less than ∼500 Da. Exhaustive enumerations and evaluation of all SMU molecules for the purpose of discovering favorable structures is impossible. We take a stochastic approach and extend the ACSESS framework (Virshup et al. J. Am. Chem. Soc.2013, 135, 7296–730323548177) to develop diversity oriented molecular libraries that can generate a set of compounds that is representative of the small molecule universe and that also biases the library toward favorable physical property values. We show that the approach is efficient compared to exhaustive enumeration and to existing evolutionary algorithms for generating such libraries by testing in the NKp fitness landscape model and in the fully enumerated GDB-9 chemical universe containing 3 × 105 molecules. PMID:25594586

Prediction of small molecule binding property of protein domains with Bayesian classifiers based on Markov chains.

PubMed

Bulashevska, Alla; Stein, Martin; Jackson, David; Eils, Roland

2009-12-01

Accurate computational methods that can help to predict biological function of a protein from its sequence are of great interest to research biologists and pharmaceutical companies. One approach to assume the function of proteins is to predict the interactions between proteins and other molecules. In this work, we propose a machine learning method that uses a primary sequence of a domain to predict its propensity for interaction with small molecules. By curating the Pfam database with respect to the small molecule binding ability of its component domains, we have constructed a dataset of small molecule binding and non-binding domains. This dataset was then used as training set to learn a Bayesian classifier, which should distinguish members of each class. The domain sequences of both classes are modelled with Markov chains. In a Jack-knife test, our classification procedure achieved the predictive accuracies of 77.2% and 66.7% for binding and non-binding classes respectively. We demonstrate the applicability of our classifier by using it to identify previously unknown small molecule binding domains. Our predictions are available as supplementary material and can provide very useful information to drug discovery specialists. Given the ubiquitous and essential role small molecules play in biological processes, our method is important for identifying pharmaceutically relevant components of complete proteomes. The software is available from the author upon request.

Small Molecule Protection of Bone Marrow Hematopoietic Stem Cells

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-10-01

several recently identified small molecules can protect hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) from damage or killing by endogenous aldehydes . Proof-of-concept...anemia bone marrow failure CD34+ hematopoietic stem cells aldehydes formaldehyde DNA damage DNA base adduct DNA-protein crosslink mass...below. Revised Specific Aim 1: Small molecule protection of human cells from aldehyde - induced killing (in vitro studies - no mice or human subjects

Growing Oranges. People on the Farm.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Department of Agriculture, Washington, DC. Office of Governmental and Public Affairs.

This booklet, one in a series about life on modern farms, describes the daily lives of three orange growers in Florida and one in California. Two of the Florida orange growers also have other jobs, one as manager of a citrus cooperative and the other as a citrus insurance salesman. The operations of orange groves, the care and picking of oranges,…

Construction of horizontal stratum landform-like composite foams and their methyl orange adsorption capacity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Jiajia; Shi, Xiaowen; Zhan, Yingfei; Qiu, Xiaodan; Du, Yumin; Deng, Hongbing

2017-03-01

Chitosan (CS)/rectorite (REC)/carbon nanotubes (CNTs) composite foams with good mechanical properties were successfully fabricated by unidirectional freeze-casting technique. The morphology of the foam showed the well-ordered porous three-dimensional layers and horizontal stratum landform-like structure. The holes on the layers looked like the wings of butterfly. Additionally, the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy results indicated the successful addition of CNTs and REC. The intercalated REC with CS chains was confirmed by small-angle X-ray diffraction. The surface structure of the foams was also analyzed by Raman spectroscopy. The adsorption experiments showed that when the mass ratio of CS to REC was 10:1 and CNTs content was 20%, the composite foam performed best in adsorbing low concentration methyl orange, and the largest adsorption capacity was 41.65 mg/g.

Antioxidant effectiveness of organically and non-organically grown red oranges in cell culture systems.

PubMed

Tarozzi, A; Hrelia, S; Angeloni, C; Morroni, F; Biagi, P; Guardigli, M; Cantelli-Forti, G; Hrelia, P

2006-03-01

Consumers consider plant food products from organic origin healthier than the corresponding conventional plant foods. Clear experimental evidence supporting this assumption is still lacking. To determine if the organic red oranges have a higher phyto-chemical content (i. e., phenolics, anthocyanins and ascorbic acid), total antioxidant activity and in vitro bioactivity, in terms of protective effect against oxidative damage at cellular level, than nonorganic red oranges. Total phenolics were measured using the Folin Ciocalteau assay, while total anthocyanins and ascorbic acid levels were determined by spectrophotometric and HPLC analysis, respectively. In addition, the total antioxidant activity of red orange extracts was measured by the ABTS(*+) test. The ability of red orange extracts to counteract conjugated diene containing lipids and free radical production in cultured rat cardiomyocytes and differentiated Caco-2 cells, respectively, was assessed. Organic oranges had significantly higher total phenolics, total anthocyanins and ascorbic acid levels than the corresponding non-organic oranges (all p < 0.05). Moreover, the organic orange extracts had a higher total antioxidant activity than non-organic orange extracts (p < 0.05). In addition, our results indicate that red oranges have a strong capacity of inhibiting the production of conjugated diene containing lipids and free radicals in rat cardiomyocytes and differentiated Caco-2 cells, respectively. Statistically higher levels of antioxidant activity in both cell models were found in organically grown oranges as compared to those produced by integrated agriculture practice. Our results clearly show that organic red oranges have a higher phytochemical content (i. e., phenolics, anthocyanins and ascorbic acid), total antioxidant activity and bioactivity than integrated red oranges. Further studies are needed to confirm whether the organic agriculture practice is likely to increase the antioxidant activity of other varieties of fruits and vegetables.

DG-AMMOS: a new tool to generate 3d conformation of small molecules using distance geometry and automated molecular mechanics optimization for in silico screening.

PubMed

Lagorce, David; Pencheva, Tania; Villoutreix, Bruno O; Miteva, Maria A

2009-11-13

Discovery of new bioactive molecules that could enter drug discovery programs or that could serve as chemical probes is a very complex and costly endeavor. Structure-based and ligand-based in silico screening approaches are nowadays extensively used to complement experimental screening approaches in order to increase the effectiveness of the process and facilitating the screening of thousands or millions of small molecules against a biomolecular target. Both in silico screening methods require as input a suitable chemical compound collection and most often the 3D structure of the small molecules has to be generated since compounds are usually delivered in 1D SMILES, CANSMILES or in 2D SDF formats. Here, we describe the new open source program DG-AMMOS which allows the generation of the 3D conformation of small molecules using Distance Geometry and their energy minimization via Automated Molecular Mechanics Optimization. The program is validated on the Astex dataset, the ChemBridge Diversity database and on a number of small molecules with known crystal structures extracted from the Cambridge Structural Database. A comparison with the free program Balloon and the well-known commercial program Omega generating the 3D of small molecules is carried out. The results show that the new free program DG-AMMOS is a very efficient 3D structure generator engine. DG-AMMOS provides fast, automated and reliable access to the generation of 3D conformation of small molecules and facilitates the preparation of a compound collection prior to high-throughput virtual screening computations. The validation of DG-AMMOS on several different datasets proves that generated structures are generally of equal quality or sometimes better than structures obtained by other tested methods.

Cheminformatics-aided discovery of small-molecule Protein-Protein Interaction (PPI) dual inhibitors of Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF) and Receptor Activator of NF-κB Ligand (RANKL).

PubMed

Melagraki, Georgia; Ntougkos, Evangelos; Rinotas, Vagelis; Papaneophytou, Christos; Leonis, Georgios; Mavromoustakos, Thomas; Kontopidis, George; Douni, Eleni; Afantitis, Antreas; Kollias, George

2017-04-01

We present an in silico drug discovery pipeline developed and applied for the identification and virtual screening of small-molecule Protein-Protein Interaction (PPI) compounds that act as dual inhibitors of TNF and RANKL through the trimerization interface. The cheminformatics part of the pipeline was developed by combining structure-based with ligand-based modeling using the largest available set of known TNF inhibitors in the literature (2481 small molecules). To facilitate virtual screening, the consensus predictive model was made freely available at: http://enalos.insilicotox.com/TNFPubChem/. We thus generated a priority list of nine small molecules as candidates for direct TNF function inhibition. In vitro evaluation of these compounds led to the selection of two small molecules that act as potent direct inhibitors of TNF function, with IC50 values comparable to those of a previously-described direct inhibitor (SPD304), but with significantly reduced toxicity. These molecules were also identified as RANKL inhibitors and validated in vitro with respect to this second functionality. Direct binding of the two compounds was confirmed both for TNF and RANKL, as well as their ability to inhibit the biologically-active trimer forms. Molecular dynamics calculations were also carried out for the two small molecules in each protein to offer additional insight into the interactions that govern TNF and RANKL complex formation. To our knowledge, these compounds, namely T8 and T23, constitute the second and third published examples of dual small-molecule direct function inhibitors of TNF and RANKL, and could serve as lead compounds for the development of novel treatments for inflammatory and autoimmune diseases.

8. August, 1970 PUMP BEHIND PELEG COGGESHALL HOUSE, 10 ORANGE ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

8. August, 1970 PUMP BEHIND PELEG COGGESHALL HOUSE, 10 ORANGE STREET (MASS-1063) - Orange & Union Streets Neighborhood Study, 8-31 Orange Street, 9-21 Union Street & Stone Alley, Nantucket, Nantucket County, MA

Spectral studies of N-nonyl acridine orange in anionic, cationic and neutral surfactants

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wiosetek-Reske, Agnieszka M.; Wysocki, Stanisław

2006-08-01

The spectroscopic and photophysical properties of N-nonyl acridine orange - a metachromatic dye useful as a mitochondrial probe in living cells - are reported in water and microheterogeneous media: anionic sodium dodecylsulfate (SDS), cationic cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) and neutral octylophenylpolyoxyethylene ether (TX-100). The spectral changes of N-nonyl acridine orange were observed in the presence of varying amount of SDS, CTAB and TX-100 and indicated formation of a dye-surfactant complex. The spectral changes were also regarded to be caused by the incorporation of dye molecules to micelles. It was proved by calculated values Kb and f in the following order: Kb TX-100 > Kb CTAB > Kb SDS and fTX-100 > fCTAB > fSDS. NAO binds to the micelle regardless the micellar charge. There are two types of interactions between NAO and micelles: hydrophobic and electrostatic. The hydrophobic interactions play a dominant role in binding of the dye to neutral TX-100. The unexpected fact of the binding NAO to cationic CTAB can be explained by a dominant role of hydrophobic interactions over electrostatic repulsion. Therefore, the affinity of NAO to CTAB is smaller than TX-100. Electrostatic interactions play an important role in binding of NAO to anionic micelles SDS. We observed a prolonged fluorescence lifetime after formation of the dye-surfactant complex τSDS > τTX-100 > τCTAB > τwater, the dye being protected against water in this environment. TX-100 is found to stabilize the excited state of NAO which is more polar than the ground state. Spectroscopic and photophysical properties of NAO will be helpful for a better understanding of the nature of binding and distribution inside mammalian cells.

Visible light degradation of Orange II using xCuyOz/TiO2 heterojunctions.

PubMed

Helaïli, N; Bessekhouad, Y; Bouguelia, A; Trari, M

2009-08-30

Cu(2)O/TiO(2), Cu/Cu(2)O/TiO(2) and Cu/Cu(2)O/CuO/TiO(2) heterojunctions were prepared and studied for their potential application as photocatalysts able to induce high performance under visible light. Orange II was used as a representative dye molecule. The effect of the amount and composition of the photosensitizers toward the activation of TiO(2) was studied. In each case, the global mechanism of Inter Particle Electrons Injection (IPEI) was discussed. The highest photocatalytic activity was observed for the system Cu/Cu(2)O/CuO (MB2 catalyst) under visible light (t(1/2)=24 min, k=159.7 x 10(-3)min(-1)) and for the heterojunction cascade Cu/Cu(2)O/CuO/TiO(2) (MB2 (50%)/TiO(2)) under UV-vis light (t(1/2)=4 min, k=1342 x 10(-3)min(-1)). In the last case, the high performance was attributed firstly to the electromotive forces developed under this configuration in which CuO energy bands mediate the electrons transfer from Cu(2)O to TiO(2). The formation of monobloc sensitizers also accounts for the decrease of the probability of the charges lost. It was demonstrated that "Cu(2)O/CuO" governs the capability of the heterojunction cascade and Cu does not play a significant role regardless of the heterojunction cascade efficiency. The electrical energy consumption per order of magnitude for photocatalytic degradation of Orange II was investigated for some representative catalytic systems. Visible/MB2 and UV/vis MB2 (50%)/TiO(2) exhibited respectively 0.340 and 0.05 kW hm(-3) demonstrating the high efficiency of the systems.

The Effectiveness of Aerial Hydromulch as a Post-Fire Erosion Control Treatment in Southern California

Treesearch

P.M. Wohlgemuth; J.L. Beyers; P.R. Robichaud

2010-01-01

Following a wildfire in the Santa Ana Mountains of northeast Orange County, California, a monitoring project was established to test whether aerial hydromulch reduced post-fire hillslope and small watershed erosion, and to document its impact on re-growing vegetation. The study site received below normal rainfall both the first and second winters after the fire. A high...

Styrax americanus Lam.

Treesearch

K.F Connor

2004-01-01

American snowbell, also known as mock orange or storax, is a deciduous shrub or small tree with a widely branched crown. It reaches 3 to 5 m in height, and the stems can reach 7.5 cm in diameter. While the bark on the stems is smooth and dark grey to brown, branches range in color from green to grey to red-brown. Young stems are pubescent, becoming glabrous with age....

Directional growth of Ag nanorod from polymeric silver cyanide: A potential substrate for concentration dependent SERS signal enhancement leading to melamine detection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roy, Anindita; Sahoo, Ramkrishna; Chowdhury, Joydeep; Bhattacharya, Tara Shankar; Agarwal, Ratnesh; Pal, Tarasankar

2017-08-01

Attention has been directed to prepare exclusive one-dimensional silver nanostructure from the linear inorganic polymer AgCN. Successive color change from yellow to orange, to red and finally to green reflects the evolution of high yielding Ag nanorods (NRs) from well-known -[Ag-CN]- chains of polymeric AgCN at room temperature. The parental 1D morphology of AgCN is retained within the as-synthesized Ag NRs. So we could successfully exploit the Ag NR for surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) studies for sensing a popular milk adulterant melamine down to picomolar level. We observed interesting concentration dependent selective SERS band enhancement of melamine. The enhanced 1327 cm- 1 SERS signal intensity at lower concentration (10- 9 and 10- 12 M) of melamine speaks for the preferential participation of -C-N of melamine molecule with Ag surface. On the other hand, '-NH2' group together with ring 'N' participation of melamine molecule onto Ag surface suggested an adsorptive stance at higher (10- 3-10- 7 M) concentration range. Thus the binding modes of the molecule at the Ag surface justify its fluxional behavior.

Investigating the Chemical Pathways to PAH- and PANH-Based Aerosols in Titan's Atmospheric chemistry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sciamma-O'Brien, Ella Marion; Contreras, Cesar; Ricketts, Claire Louise; Salama, Farid

2011-01-01

A complex organic chemistry between Titan's two main constituents, N2 and CH4, leads to the production of more complex molecules and subsequently to solid organic aerosols. These aerosols are at the origin of the haze layers giving Titan its characteristic orange color. In situ measurements by the Ion Neutral Mass Spectrometer (INMS) and Cassini Plasma Spectrometer (CAPS) instruments onboard Cassini have revealed the presence of large amounts of neutral, positively and negatively charged heavy molecules in the ionosphere of Titan. In particular, benzene (C6H6) and toluene (C6H5CH3), which are critical precursors of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) compounds, have been detected, suggesting that PAHs might play a role in the production of Titan s aerosols. Moreover, results from numerical models as well as laboratory simulations of Titan s atmospheric chemistry are also suggesting chemical pathways that link the simple precursor molecules resulting from the first steps of the N2-CH4 chemistry (C2H2, C2H4, HCN ...) to benzene, and to PAHs and nitrogen-containing PAHs (or PANHs) as precursors to the production of solid aerosols.

Profiling protein function with small molecule microarrays

PubMed Central

Winssinger, Nicolas; Ficarro, Scott; Schultz, Peter G.; Harris, Jennifer L.

2002-01-01

The regulation of protein function through posttranslational modification, local environment, and protein–protein interaction is critical to cellular function. The ability to analyze on a genome-wide scale protein functional activity rather than changes in protein abundance or structure would provide important new insights into complex biological processes. Herein, we report the application of a spatially addressable small molecule microarray to an activity-based profile of proteases in crude cell lysates. The potential of this small molecule-based profiling technology is demonstrated by the detection of caspase activation upon induction of apoptosis, characterization of the activated caspase, and inhibition of the caspase-executed apoptotic phenotype using the small molecule inhibitor identified in the microarray-based profile. PMID:12167675

Red-fleshed sweet orange juice improves the risk factors for metabolic syndrome.

PubMed

Silveira, Jacqueline Q; Dourado, Grace K Z S; Cesar, Thais B

2015-01-01

Orange juice consumption can promote lower levels of oxidative stress and inflammation due to the antioxidant activity of citrus flavonoids and carotenoids. In addition, red-fleshed sweet orange juice (red orange juice) also contains lycopene. This study investigated the effects of red orange juice consumption on risk factors for metabolic syndrome. Volunteers consumed red orange juice daily for 8 weeks, with clinical and biochemical assessments performed at baseline and on the final day. There was no change in the abdominal obesity, but low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, C-reactive protein decreased, while there was an increase of the antioxidant activity in serum after red orange juice consumption. Insulin resistance and systolic blood pressure were reduced in normal-weight volunteers, while diastolic blood pressure decreased in overweight volunteers after intervention. Red orange juice showed anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and lipid-lowering properties that may prevent the development of metabolic syndrome.

Free-standing few-layered graphene oxide films: selective, steady and lasting permeation of organic molecules with adjustable speeds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Tao; An, Qi; Luan, Xinglong; Zhang, Qian; Zhang, Yihe

2016-01-01

A variety of small molecules with diameters around 1 nm possess a range of functions, such as antibiotic, antimicrobic, anticoagulant, pesticidal and chemotherapy effects, making these molecules especially useful in various applications ranging from medical treatment to environmental microbiological control. However, the long-term steady delivery (release or permeation) of these small molecules with adjustable and controllable speeds has remained an especially challenging task. In this study, we prepared covalently cross-linked free-standing few-layered GO films using a layer-by-layer technique in combination with photochemical cross-linkages, and achieved a controlled release of positively charged, negatively charged, and zwitterionic small molecules with adjustable and controllable speeds. The steady delivery of the small molecule lasted up to 9 days. Other functionalities, such as graphene-enhanced Raman spectra and electrochemical properties that could also be integrated or employed in delivery systems, were also studied for our films. We expect the special molecular delivery properties of our films to lead to new possibilities in drug/fertilizer delivery and environmental microbiological control applications.A variety of small molecules with diameters around 1 nm possess a range of functions, such as antibiotic, antimicrobic, anticoagulant, pesticidal and chemotherapy effects, making these molecules especially useful in various applications ranging from medical treatment to environmental microbiological control. However, the long-term steady delivery (release or permeation) of these small molecules with adjustable and controllable speeds has remained an especially challenging task. In this study, we prepared covalently cross-linked free-standing few-layered GO films using a layer-by-layer technique in combination with photochemical cross-linkages, and achieved a controlled release of positively charged, negatively charged, and zwitterionic small molecules with adjustable and controllable speeds. The steady delivery of the small molecule lasted up to 9 days. Other functionalities, such as graphene-enhanced Raman spectra and electrochemical properties that could also be integrated or employed in delivery systems, were also studied for our films. We expect the special molecular delivery properties of our films to lead to new possibilities in drug/fertilizer delivery and environmental microbiological control applications. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: AFM images of GO and GO films, UV-vis spectra of delayed release, and permeation fidelities. See DOI: 10.1039/c5nr08129g

A Fragment-Based Method of Creating Small-Molecule Libraries to Target the Aggregation of Intrinsically Disordered Proteins.

PubMed

Joshi, Priyanka; Chia, Sean; Habchi, Johnny; Knowles, Tuomas P J; Dobson, Christopher M; Vendruscolo, Michele

2016-03-14

The aggregation process of intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) has been associated with a wide range of neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. Currently, however, no drug in clinical use targets IDP aggregation. To facilitate drug discovery programs in this important and challenging area, we describe a fragment-based approach of generating small-molecule libraries that target specific IDPs. The method is based on the use of molecular fragments extracted from compounds reported in the literature to inhibit of the aggregation of IDPs. These fragments are used to screen existing large generic libraries of small molecules to form smaller libraries specific for given IDPs. We illustrate this approach by describing three distinct small-molecule libraries to target, Aβ, tau, and α-synuclein, which are three IDPs implicated in Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. The strategy described here offers novel opportunities for the identification of effective molecular scaffolds for drug discovery for neurodegenerative disorders and to provide insights into the mechanism of small-molecule binding to IDPs.

Systematic development of small molecules to inhibit specific microscopic steps of Aβ42 aggregation in Alzheimer’s disease

PubMed Central

Habchi, Johnny; Chia, Sean; Limbocker, Ryan; Mannini, Benedetta; Ahn, Minkoo; Perni, Michele; Hansson, Oskar; Arosio, Paolo; Kumita, Janet R.; Challa, Pavan Kumar; Cohen, Samuel I. A.; Dobson, Christopher M.; Knowles, Tuomas P. J.; Vendruscolo, Michele

2017-01-01

The aggregation of the 42-residue form of the amyloid-β peptide (Aβ42) is a pivotal event in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The use of chemical kinetics has recently enabled highly accurate quantifications of the effects of small molecules on specific microscopic steps in Aβ42 aggregation. Here, we exploit this approach to develop a rational drug discovery strategy against Aβ42 aggregation that uses as a read-out the changes in the nucleation and elongation rate constants caused by candidate small molecules. We thus identify a pool of compounds that target specific microscopic steps in Aβ42 aggregation. We then test further these small molecules in human cerebrospinal fluid and in a Caenorhabditis elegans model of AD. Our results show that this strategy represents a powerful approach to identify systematically small molecule lead compounds, thus offering an appealing opportunity to reduce the attrition problem in drug discovery. PMID:28011763

Genome-Scale Architecture of Small Molecule Regulatory Networks and the Fundamental Trade-Off between Regulation and Enzymatic Activity

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Reznik, Ed; Christodoulou, Dimitris; Goldford, Joshua E.

Metabolic flux is in part regulated by endogenous small molecules that modulate the catalytic activity of an enzyme, e.g., allosteric inhibition. In contrast to transcriptional regulation of enzymes, technical limitations have hindered the production of a genome-scale atlas of small molecule-enzyme regulatory interactions. Here, we develop a framework leveraging the vast, but fragmented, biochemical literature to reconstruct and analyze the small molecule regulatory network (SMRN) of the model organism Escherichia coli, including the primary metabolite regulators and enzyme targets. Using metabolic control analysis, we prove a fundamental trade-off between regulation and enzymatic activity, and we combine it with metabolomic measurementsmore » and the SMRN to make inferences on the sensitivity of enzymes to their regulators. By generalizing the analysis to other organisms, we identify highly conserved regulatory interactions across evolutionarily divergent species, further emphasizing a critical role for small molecule interactions in the maintenance of metabolic homeostasis.« less

Simultaneous optimization of biomolecular energy function on features from small molecules and macromolecules

PubMed Central

Park, Hahnbeom; Bradley, Philip; Greisen, Per; Liu, Yuan; Mulligan, Vikram Khipple; Kim, David E.; Baker, David; DiMaio, Frank

2017-01-01

Most biomolecular modeling energy functions for structure prediction, sequence design, and molecular docking, have been parameterized using existing macromolecular structural data; this contrasts molecular mechanics force fields which are largely optimized using small-molecule data. In this study, we describe an integrated method that enables optimization of a biomolecular modeling energy function simultaneously against small-molecule thermodynamic data and high-resolution macromolecular structural data. We use this approach to develop a next-generation Rosetta energy function that utilizes a new anisotropic implicit solvation model, and an improved electrostatics and Lennard-Jones model, illustrating how energy functions can be considerably improved in their ability to describe large-scale energy landscapes by incorporating both small-molecule and macromolecule data. The energy function improves performance in a wide range of protein structure prediction challenges, including monomeric structure prediction, protein-protein and protein-ligand docking, protein sequence design, and prediction of the free energy changes by mutation, while reasonably recapitulating small-molecule thermodynamic properties. PMID:27766851

Identifying the preferred RNA motifs and chemotypes that interact by probing millions of combinations.

PubMed

Tran, Tuan; Disney, Matthew D

2012-01-01

RNA is an important therapeutic target but information about RNA-ligand interactions is limited. Here, we report a screening method that probes over 3,000,000 combinations of RNA motif-small molecule interactions to identify the privileged RNA structures and chemical spaces that interact. Specifically, a small molecule library biased for binding RNA was probed for binding to over 70,000 unique RNA motifs in a high throughput solution-based screen. The RNA motifs that specifically bind each small molecule were identified by microarray-based selection. In this library-versus-library or multidimensional combinatorial screening approach, hairpin loops (among a variety of RNA motifs) were the preferred RNA motif space that binds small molecules. Furthermore, it was shown that indole, 2-phenyl indole, 2-phenyl benzimidazole and pyridinium chemotypes allow for specific recognition of RNA motifs. As targeting RNA with small molecules is an extremely challenging area, these studies provide new information on RNA-ligand interactions that has many potential uses.

Design of a bioactive small molecule that targets r(AUUCU) repeats in spinocerebellar ataxia 10.

PubMed

Yang, Wang-Yong; Gao, Rui; Southern, Mark; Sarkar, Partha S; Disney, Matthew D

2016-06-01

RNA is an important target for chemical probes of function and lead therapeutics; however, it is difficult to target with small molecules. One approach to tackle this problem is to identify compounds that target RNA structures and utilize them to multivalently target RNA. Here we show that small molecules can be identified to selectively bind RNA base pairs by probing a library of RNA-focused small molecules. A small molecule that selectively binds AU base pairs informed design of a dimeric compound (2AU-2) that targets the pathogenic RNA, expanded r(AUUCU) repeats, that causes spinocerebellar ataxia type 10 (SCA10) in patient-derived cells. Indeed, 2AU-2 (50 nM) ameliorates various aspects of SCA10 pathology including improvement of mitochondrial dysfunction, reduced activation of caspase 3, and reduction of nuclear foci. These studies provide a first-in-class chemical probe to study SCA10 RNA toxicity and potentially define broadly applicable compounds targeting RNA AU base pairs in cells.

Identifying the Preferred RNA Motifs and Chemotypes that Interact by Probing Millions of Combinations

PubMed Central

Tran, Tuan; Disney, Matthew D.

2012-01-01

RNA is an important therapeutic target but information about RNA-ligand interactions is limited. Here we report a screening method that probes over 3,000,000 combinations of RNA motif-small molecule interactions to identify the privileged RNA structures and chemical spaces that interact. Specifically, a small molecule library biased for binding RNA was probed for binding to over 70,000 unique RNA motifs in a high throughput solution-based screen. The RNA motifs that specifically bind each small molecule were identified by microarray-based selection. In this library-versus-library or multidimensional combinatorial screening approach, hairpin loops (amongst a variety of RNA motifs) were the preferred RNA motif space that binds small molecules. Furthermore, it was shown that indole, 2-phenyl indole, 2-phenyl benzimidazole, and pyridinium chemotypes allow for specific recognition of RNA motifs. Since targeting RNA with small molecules is an extremely challenging area, these studies provide new information on RNA-ligand interactions that has many potential uses. PMID:23047683

Small-Molecule-Directed Hepatocyte-Like Cell Differentiation of Human Pluripotent Stem Cells.

PubMed

Mathapati, Santosh; Siller, Richard; Impellizzeri, Agata A R; Lycke, Max; Vegheim, Karianne; Almaas, Runar; Sullivan, Gareth J

2016-08-17

Hepatocyte-like cells (HLCs) generated in vitro from human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) provide an invaluable resource for basic research, regenerative medicine, drug screening, toxicology, and modeling of liver disease and development. This unit describes a small-molecule-driven protocol for in vitro differentiation of hPSCs into HLCs without the use of growth factors. hPSCs are coaxed through a developmentally relevant route via the primitive streak to definitive endoderm (DE) using the small molecule CHIR99021 (a Wnt agonist), replacing the conventional growth factors Wnt3A and activin A. The small-molecule-derived DE is then differentiated to hepatoblast-like cells in the presence of dimethyl sulfoxide. The resulting hepatoblasts are then differentiated to HLCs with N-hexanoic-Tyr, Ile-6 aminohexanoic amide (Dihexa, a hepatocyte growth factor agonist) and dexamethasone. The protocol provides an efficient and reproducible procedure for differentiation of hPSCs into HLCs utilizing small molecules. © 2016 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Bioorthogonal cyclization-mediated in situ self-assembly of small-molecule probes for imaging caspase activity in vivo

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ye, Deju; Shuhendler, Adam J.; Cui, Lina; Tong, Ling; Tee, Sui Seng; Tikhomirov, Grigory; Felsher, Dean W.; Rao, Jianghong

2014-06-01

Directed self-assembly of small molecules in living systems could enable a myriad of applications in biology and medicine, and already this has been used widely to synthesize supramolecules and nano/microstructures in solution and in living cells. However, controlling the self-assembly of synthetic small molecules in living animals is challenging because of the complex and dynamic in vivo physiological environment. Here we employ an optimized first-order bioorthogonal cyclization reaction to control the self-assembly of a fluorescent small molecule, and demonstrate its in vivo applicability by imaging caspase-3/7 activity in human tumour xenograft mouse models of chemotherapy. The fluorescent nanoparticles assembled in situ were imaged successfully in both apoptotic cells and tumour tissues using three-dimensional structured illumination microscopy. This strategy combines the advantages offered by small molecules with those of nanomaterials and should find widespread use for non-invasive imaging of enzyme activity in vivo.

9,10-Azaboraphenanthrene-containing small molecules and conjugated polymers: synthesis and their application in chemodosimeters for the ratiometric detection of fluoride ions.

PubMed

Zhang, Weidong; Li, Guoping; Xu, Letian; Zhuo, Yue; Wan, Wenming; Yan, Ni; He, Gang

2018-05-21

The introduction of main group elements into conjugated scaffolds is emerging as a key route to novel optoelectronic materials. Herein, an efficient and versatile way to synthesize polymerizable 9,10-azaboraphenanthrene ( BNP )-containing monomers by aromaticity-driven ring expansion reactions between highly antiaromatic borafluorene and azides is reported, and the corresponding conjugated small molecules and polymers are developed as well. The BNP -containing small molecules and conjugated polymers showed good air/moisture stability and notable fluorescence properties. Addition of fluoride ions to the BNP -based small molecules and polymers induced a rapid change in the emission color from blue to green/yellow, respectively, accompanied by strong intensity changes. The conjugated polymers showed better ratiometric sensing performance than small molecules due to the exciton migration along the conjugated chains. Further experiments showed that the sensing process is fully reversible. The films prepared by solution-deposition of BNP -based compounds in the presence of polycaprolactone also showed good ratiometric sensing for fluoride ions.

Small molecules enhance CRISPR genome editing in pluripotent stem cells.

PubMed

Yu, Chen; Liu, Yanxia; Ma, Tianhua; Liu, Kai; Xu, Shaohua; Zhang, Yu; Liu, Honglei; La Russa, Marie; Xie, Min; Ding, Sheng; Qi, Lei S

2015-02-05

The bacterial CRISPR-Cas9 system has emerged as an effective tool for sequence-specific gene knockout through non-homologous end joining (NHEJ), but it remains inefficient for precise editing of genome sequences. Here we develop a reporter-based screening approach for high-throughput identification of chemical compounds that can modulate precise genome editing through homology-directed repair (HDR). Using our screening method, we have identified small molecules that can enhance CRISPR-mediated HDR efficiency, 3-fold for large fragment insertions and 9-fold for point mutations. Interestingly, we have also observed that a small molecule that inhibits HDR can enhance frame shift insertion and deletion (indel) mutations mediated by NHEJ. The identified small molecules function robustly in diverse cell types with minimal toxicity. The use of small molecules provides a simple and effective strategy to enhance precise genome engineering applications and facilitates the study of DNA repair mechanisms in mammalian cells. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Genome-Scale Architecture of Small Molecule Regulatory Networks and the Fundamental Trade-Off between Regulation and Enzymatic Activity

DOE PAGES

Reznik, Ed; Christodoulou, Dimitris; Goldford, Joshua E.; ...

2017-09-12

Metabolic flux is in part regulated by endogenous small molecules that modulate the catalytic activity of an enzyme, e.g., allosteric inhibition. In contrast to transcriptional regulation of enzymes, technical limitations have hindered the production of a genome-scale atlas of small molecule-enzyme regulatory interactions. Here, we develop a framework leveraging the vast, but fragmented, biochemical literature to reconstruct and analyze the small molecule regulatory network (SMRN) of the model organism Escherichia coli, including the primary metabolite regulators and enzyme targets. Using metabolic control analysis, we prove a fundamental trade-off between regulation and enzymatic activity, and we combine it with metabolomic measurementsmore » and the SMRN to make inferences on the sensitivity of enzymes to their regulators. By generalizing the analysis to other organisms, we identify highly conserved regulatory interactions across evolutionarily divergent species, further emphasizing a critical role for small molecule interactions in the maintenance of metabolic homeostasis.« less

Effect of chlorine dioxide gas on Salmonella enterica inoculated on navel orange surfaces and its impact on the quality attributes of treated oranges.

PubMed

Bhagat, Arpan; Mahmoud, Barakat S M; Linton, Richard H

2011-01-01

Microorganisms, including pathogens of public health significance, have been shown to contaminate orange juice during the mechanical extraction of juice. The problem gets exacerbated when washed oranges have high initial microbial load, due to an insufficient postharvest treatment. The objective of this study was to investigate the reduction of Salmonella enterica on orange surfaces using ClO₂ gas treatments to achieve a 5 log reduction, consistent with the recommendations of the U.S. Department of Agriculture-National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods. A mixed culture of four Salmonella strains, isolated from previous orange juice outbreaks, was spot inoculated onto orange skin surface areas. The oranges were then treated with 0.1, 0.3, and 0.5 mg/L ClO₂ gas for 2-14 minutes at 22°C and 90%-95% relative humidity. Surviving bacteria on treated areas were recovered and enumerated over treatment time on a nonselective medium, tryptic soy agar, followed by culturing onto a selective medium, xylose lysine deoxycholate agar. A >5 log reduction of Salmonella per sample of orange surface was observed with 0.1 and 0.3 mg/L ClO₂ gas treatments at 14 minutes and a similar log reduction was observed at 0.5 mg/L ClO₂ gas at 10 minutes. This result demonstrates that the treatment of oranges with ClO₂ gas is a promising technology that could be successfully employed for the treatment of whole oranges to reduce the risk of Salmonella outbreaks in orange juice.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chang, Yung-Ting; Department of Electrical Engineering, Graduate Institute of Photonics and Optoelectronics, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan 10617, Taiwan; Liu, Shun-Wei

Single-layer blue phosphorescence organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs) with either small-molecule or polymer hosts are fabricated using solution process and the performances of devices with different hosts are investigated. The small-molecule device exhibits luminous efficiency of 14.7 cd/A and maximum power efficiency of 8.39 lm/W, which is the highest among blue phosphorescence OLEDs with single-layer solution process and small molecular hosts. Using the same solution process for all devices, comparison of light out-coupling enhancement, with brightness enhancement film (BEF), between small-molecule and polymer based OLEDs is realized. Due to different dipole orientation and anisotropic refractive index, polymer-based OLEDs would trap less lightmore » than small molecule-based OLEDs internally, about 37% better based simulation results. In spite of better electrical and spectroscopic characteristics, including ambipolar characteristics, higher carrier mobility, higher photoluminescence quantum yield, and larger triplet state energy, the overall light out-coupling efficiency of small molecule-based devices is worse than that of polymer-based devices without BEF. However, with BEF for light out-coupling enhancement, the improved ratio in luminous flux and luminous efficiency for small molecule based device is 1.64 and 1.57, respectively, which are significantly better than those of PVK (poly-9-vinylcarbazole) devices. In addition to the theoretical optical simulation, the experimental data also confirm the origins of differential light-outcoupling enhancement. The maximum luminous efficiency and power efficiency are enhanced from 14.7 cd/A and 8.39 lm/W to 23 cd/A and 13.2 lm/W, respectively, with laminated BEF, which are both the highest so far for single-layer solution-process blue phosphorescence OLEDs with small molecule hosts.« less

Specklinia dunstervillei, a New Species Long Confused with Specklinia endotrachys (Orchidaceae: Pleurothallidinae).

PubMed

Karremans, Adam P; Pupulin, Franco; Gravendeel, Barbara

2015-01-01

Specklinia dunstervillei is described as a new species in recognition of the distinctness of a Venezuelan species related to and confused with Specklinia endotrachys. It was illustrated for the first time by G. C. K. Dunsterville in 1963 from a plant collected in Trujillo on the Cordillera de Merida. The newly named species can be easily recognized by its small habit, short leaves and small reddish-orange flowers, the non-ascending dorsal sepal and the obtuse petals that are shortly apiculate. Specklinia dunstervillei is formally described and illustrated once again and compared morphologically and genetically with its closest relatives.

Plasmonic Aptamer-Gold Nanoparticle Sensors for Small Molecule Fingerprint Identification

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-08-01

AFRL-RH-WP-TR-2014-0107 PLASMONIC APTAMER -GOLD NANOPARTICLE SENSORS FOR SMALL MOLECULE FINGERPRINT IDENTIFICATION Jorge Chávez Grant Slusher...Plasmonic Aptamer -Gold Nanoparticle Sensors for Small Molecule Fingerprint Identification 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER N/A 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM...The utilization of the plasmonic response of aptamer -gold nanoparticle conjugates (Apt-AuNPs) to design cross- reactive arrays for fingerprint

Covalent small-molecule-RNA complex formation enables cellular profiling of small-molecule-RNA interactions.

PubMed

Guan, Lirui; Disney, Matthew D

2013-09-16

Won't let you go! A strategy is described to design small molecules that react with their cellular RNA targets. This approach not only improves the activity of compounds targeting RNA in cell culture by a factor of about 2500 but also enables cell-wide profiling of its RNA targets. Copyright © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Re-education begins at home: an overview of the discovery of in vivo-active small molecule modulators of endogenous stem cells.

PubMed

Um, JungIn; Lee, Ji-Hyung; Jung, Da-Woon; Williams, Darren R

2018-04-01

Degenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease, heart disease and arthritis cause great suffering and are major socioeconomic burdens. An attractive treatment approach is stem cell transplantation to regenerate damaged or destroyed tissues. However, this can be problematic. For example, donor cells may not functionally integrate into the host tissue. An alternative methodology is to deliver bioactive agents, such as small molecules, directly into the diseased tissue to enhance the regenerative potential of endogenous stem cells. Areas covered: In this review, the authors discuss the necessity of developing these small molecules to treat degenerative diseases and survey progress in their application as therapeutics. They describe both the successes and caveats of developing small molecules that target endogenous stem cells to induce tissue regeneration. This article is based on literature searches which encompass databases for biomedical research and clinical trials. These small molecules are also categorized per their target disease and mechanism of action. Expert opinion: The development of small molecules targeting endogenous stem cells is a high-profile research area. Some compounds have made the successful transition to the clinic. Novel approaches, such as modulating the stem cell niche or targeted delivery to disease sites, should increase the likelihood of future successes in this field.

Bottom-up design of small molecules that stimulate exon 10 skipping in mutant MAPT pre-mRNA.

PubMed

Luo, Yiling; Disney, Matthew D

2014-09-22

One challenge in chemical biology is to develop small molecules that control cellular protein content. The amount and identity of proteins are influenced by the RNAs that encode them; thus, protein content in a cell could be affected by targeting mRNA. However, RNA has been traditionally difficult to target with small molecules. In this report, we describe controlling the protein products of the mutated microtubule-associated protein tau (MAPT) mature mRNA with a small molecule. MAPT mutations in exon 10 are associated with inherited frontotemporal dementia and Parkinsonism linked to chromosome 17 (FTDP-17), an incurable disease that is directly caused by increased inclusion of exon 10 in MAPT mRNA. Recent studies have shown that mutations within a hairpin at the MAPT exon 10-intron junction decrease the thermodynamic stability of the RNA, increasing binding to U1 snRNP and thus exon 10 inclusion. Therefore, we designed small molecules that bind and stabilize a mutant MAPT by using Inforna, a computational approach based on information about RNA-small-molecule interactions. The optimal compound selectively bound the mutant MAPT hairpin and thermodynamically stabilized its folding, facilitating exon 10 exclusion. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Small Molecule Supplements Improve Cultured Megakaryocyte Polyploidization by Modulating Multiple Cell Cycle Regulators.

PubMed

Zou, Xiaojing; Qu, Mingyi; Fang, Fang; Fan, Zeng; Chen, Lin; Yue, Wen; Xie, Xiaoyan; Pei, Xuetao

2017-01-01

Platelets (PLTs) are produced by megakaryocytes (MKs) that completed differentiation and endomitosis. Endomitosis is an important process in which the cell replicates its DNA without cytokinesis and develops highly polyploid MK. In this study, to gain a better PLTs production, four small molecules (Rho-Rock inhibitor (RRI), nicotinamide (NIC), Src inhibitor (SI), and Aurora B inhibitor (ABI)) and their combinations were surveyed as MK culture supplements for promoting polyploidization. Three leukemia cell lines as well as primary mononuclear cells were chosen in the function and mechanism studies of the small molecules. In an optimal culture method, cells were treated with different small molecules and their combinations. The impact of the small molecules on megakaryocytic surface marker expression, polyploidy, proliferation, and apoptosis was examined for the best MK polyploidization supplement. The elaborate analysis confirmed that the combination of SI and RRI together with our MK induction system might result in efficient ploidy promotion. Our experiments demonstrated that, besides direct downregulation on the expression of cytoskeleton protein actin, SI and RRI could significantly enhance the level of cyclins through the suppression of p53 and p21. The verified small molecule combination might be further used in the in vitro PLT manufacture and clinical applications.

Small Molecule Supplements Improve Cultured Megakaryocyte Polyploidization by Modulating Multiple Cell Cycle Regulators

PubMed Central

Fang, Fang; Chen, Lin; Yue, Wen

2017-01-01

Platelets (PLTs) are produced by megakaryocytes (MKs) that completed differentiation and endomitosis. Endomitosis is an important process in which the cell replicates its DNA without cytokinesis and develops highly polyploid MK. In this study, to gain a better PLTs production, four small molecules (Rho-Rock inhibitor (RRI), nicotinamide (NIC), Src inhibitor (SI), and Aurora B inhibitor (ABI)) and their combinations were surveyed as MK culture supplements for promoting polyploidization. Three leukemia cell lines as well as primary mononuclear cells were chosen in the function and mechanism studies of the small molecules. In an optimal culture method, cells were treated with different small molecules and their combinations. The impact of the small molecules on megakaryocytic surface marker expression, polyploidy, proliferation, and apoptosis was examined for the best MK polyploidization supplement. The elaborate analysis confirmed that the combination of SI and RRI together with our MK induction system might result in efficient ploidy promotion. Our experiments demonstrated that, besides direct downregulation on the expression of cytoskeleton protein actin, SI and RRI could significantly enhance the level of cyclins through the suppression of p53 and p21. The verified small molecule combination might be further used in the in vitro PLT manufacture and clinical applications. PMID:29201898

Small Molecules Affect Human Dental Pulp Stem Cell Properties Via Multiple Signaling Pathways

PubMed Central

Al-Habib, Mey; Yu, Zongdong

2013-01-01

One fundamental issue regarding stem cells for regenerative medicine is the maintenance of stem cell stemness. The purpose of the study was to test whether small molecules can enhance stem cell properties of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) derived from human dental pulp (hDPSCs), which have potential for multiple clinical applications. We identified the effects of small molecules (Pluripotin (SC1), 6-bromoindirubin-3-oxime and rapamycin) on the maintenance of hDPSC properties in vitro and the mechanisms involved in exerting the effects. Primary cultures of hDPSCs were exposed to optimal concentrations of these small molecules. Treated hDPSCs were analyzed for their proliferation, the expression levels of pluripotent and MSC markers, differentiation capacities, and intracellular signaling activations. We found that small molecule treatments decreased cell proliferation and increased the expression of STRO-1, NANOG, OCT4, and SOX2, while diminishing cell differentiation into odonto/osteogenic, adipogenic, and neurogenic lineages in vitro. These effects involved Ras-GAP-, ERK1/2-, and mTOR-signaling pathways, which may preserve the cell self-renewal capacity, while suppressing differentiation. We conclude that small molecules appear to enhance the immature state of hDPSCs in culture, which may be used as a strategy for adult stem cell maintenance and extend their capacity for regenerative applications. PMID:23573877

Methodologies for Studying B. subtilis Biofilms as a Model for Characterizing Small Molecule Biofilm Inhibitors.

PubMed

Bucher, Tabitha; Kartvelishvily, Elena; Kolodkin-Gal, Ilana

2016-10-09

This work assesses different methodologies to study the impact of small molecule biofilm inhibitors, such as D-amino acids, on the development and resilience of Bacillus subtilis biofilms. First, methods are presented that select for small molecule inhibitors with biofilm-specific targets in order to separate the effect of the small molecule inhibitors on planktonic growth from their effect on biofilm formation. Next, we focus on how inoculation conditions affect the sensitivity of multicellular, floating B. subtilis cultures to small molecule inhibitors. The results suggest that discrepancies in the reported effects of such inhibitors such as D-amino acids are due to inconsistent pre-culture conditions. Furthermore, a recently developed protocol is described for evaluating the contribution of small molecule treatments towards biofilm resistance to antibacterial substances. Lastly, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) techniques are presented to analyze the three-dimensional spatial arrangement of cells and their surrounding extracellular matrix in a B. subtilis biofilm. SEM facilitates insight into the three-dimensional biofilm architecture and the matrix texture. A combination of the methods described here can greatly assist the study of biofilm development in the presence and absence of biofilm inhibitors, and shed light on the mechanism of action of these inhibitors.

A bright cyan-excitable orange fluorescent protein facilitates dual-emission microscopy and enhances bioluminescence imaging in vivo

PubMed Central

Chu, Jun; Oh, Young-Hee; Sens, Alex; Ataie, Niloufar; Dana, Hod; Macklin, John J.; Laviv, Tal; Welf, Erik S.; Dean, Kevin M.; Zhang, Feijie; Kim, Benjamin B.; Tang, Clement Tran; Hu, Michelle; Baird, Michelle A.; Davidson, Michael W.; Kay, Mark A.; Fiolka, Reto; Yasuda, Ryohei; Kim, Douglas S.; Ng, Ho-Leung; Lin, Michael Z.

2016-01-01

Orange-red fluorescent proteins (FPs) are widely used in biomedical research for multiplexed epifluorescence microscopy with GFP-based probes, but their different excitation requirements make multiplexing with new advanced microscopy methods difficult. Separately, orange-red FPs are useful for deep-tissue imaging in mammals due to the relative tissue transmissibility of orange-red light, but their dependence on illumination limits their sensitivity as reporters in deep tissues. Here we describe CyOFP1, a bright engineered orange-red FP that is excitable by cyan light. We show that CyOFP1 enables single-excitation multiplexed imaging with GFP-based probes in single-photon and two-photon microscopy, including time-lapse imaging in light-sheet systems. CyOFP1 also serves as an efficient acceptor for resonance energy transfer from the highly catalytic blue-emitting luciferase NanoLuc. An optimized fusion of CyOFP1 and NanoLuc, called Antares, functions as a highly sensitive bioluminescent reporter in vivo, producing substantially brighter signals from deep tissues than firefly luciferase and other bioluminescent proteins. PMID:27240196

Reactions of Pd(II) and Pt(II) Complexes With Tetraethylthiouram Disulfide

PubMed Central

Cervantes, G.; Molins, E.; Miravitlles, C.

1997-01-01

The reactions of tetraethylthiouram disulfide (DTS), an inhibitor of the nephrotoxicity of Pt(II) drugs, an efficient agent in the treatment of chronic alcoholism, in the treatment of HIV infections, AIDS and heavy metal toxicity, and a fungicide and herbicide, with K2[PtCl4], in ratio 1:1 and 1:2, gave the compounds [PtCl2DTS] and [Pt(S2CNEt2)2] respectively. The reaction of the complexes K2[PdCl4], Pd(AcO)2 and [PdCl2(PhCN)2], where PhCN = Benzonitrile, with tetraethylthiouram disulfide in ratio 1:1 or 1:2, yielded orange crystals identified as [Pd(S2CNEt2)2]. The crystals were suitable for study by X-ray diffraction. The -S-S- bridge in the tetraethylthiouram disulfude molecule was broken and the two molecules of the thiocarbamate derivative were bound to the Pd(II) by the equivalents sulfur atoms. All the compounds were characterized by IR, 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopies. PMID:18475812

Urinary excretion of Citrus flavanones and their major catabolites after consumption of fresh oranges and pasteurized orange juice: A randomized cross-over study.

PubMed

Aschoff, Julian K; Riedl, Ken M; Cooperstone, Jessica L; Högel, Josef; Bosy-Westphal, Anja; Schwartz, Steven J; Carle, Reinhold; Schweiggert, Ralf M

2016-12-01

Orange juice contains flavanones including hesperidin and narirutin, albeit at lower concentrations as compared to orange fruit. Therefore, we compared bioavailability and colonic catabolism of flavanones from orange juice to a 2.4-fold higher dose from fresh oranges. Following a randomized two-way cross-over design, 12 healthy subjects consumed a test meal comprising either fresh oranges or pasteurized orange juice, delivering 1774 and 751 μmol of total Citrus flavanones, respectively. Deglucuronidated and desulfated hesperetin, naringenin, and the flavanone catabolites 3-(3'-hydroxy-4'-methoxyphenyl)propionic acid, 3-(3'-hydroxyphenyl)hydracrylic acid, 4-hydroxyhippuric acid, and hippuric acid were quantitated in 24-h urine by UHPLC-MS/MS. Differences in urinary hesperetin excretion were found to be nonsignificant (p = 0.5209) both after consumption of orange fruit (21.6 ± 8.0 μmol) and juice (18.3 ± 7.2 μmol). By analogy, postprandial flavanone catabolite excretions were highly similar between treatments. Excretion of 3-(3'-hydroxy-4'-methoxyphenyl)propionic acid was inversely related to that of hesperetin, illustrating the catabolite/precursor relationship. Despite 2.4-fold higher doses, excretion of flavanones from ingested fresh orange fruit did not differ from that following orange juice consumption, possibly due to a saturation of absorption or their entrapment in the fiber-rich matrix of the fruit. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Electronic Structure of Small Lanthanide Containing Molecules

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kafader, Jared O.; Ray, Manisha; Topolski, Josey E.; Chick Jarrold, Caroline

2016-06-01

Lanthanide-based materials have unusual electronic properties because of the high number of electronic degrees of freedom arising from partial occupation of 4f orbitals, which make these materials optimal for their utilization in many applications including electronics and catalysis. Electronic spectroscopy of small lanthanide molecules helps us understand the role of these 4f electrons, which are generally considered core-like because of orbital contraction, but are energetically similar to valence electrons. The spectroscopy of small lanthanide-containing molecules is relatively unexplored and to broaden this understanding we have completed the characterization of small cerium, praseodymium, and europium molecules using photoelectron spectroscopy coupled with DFT calculations. The characterization of PrO, EuH, EuO/EuOH, and CexOy molecules have allowed for the determination of their electron affinity, the assignment of numerous anion to neutral state transitions, modeling of anion/neutral structures and electron orbital occupation.

System dynamics of subcellular transport.

PubMed

Chen, Vivien Y; Khersonsky, Sonya M; Shedden, Kerby; Chang, Young Tae; Rosania, Gus R

2004-01-01

In pharmacokinetic experiments, interpretations often hinge on treating cells as a "black box": a single, lumped compartment or boundary. Here, a combinatorial library of fluorescent small molecules was used to visualize subcellular transport pathways in living cells, using a kinetic, high content imaging system to monitor spatiotemporal variations of intracellular probe distribution. Most probes accumulate in cytoplasmic vesicles and probe kinetics conform to a nested, two-compartment dynamical system. At steady state, probes preferentially partition from the extracellular medium to the cytosol, and from the cytosol to cytoplasmic vesicles, with hydrophobic molecules favoring sequestration. Altogether, these results point to a general organizing principle underlying the system dynamics of subcellular, small molecule transport. In addition to plasma membrane permeability, subcellular transport phenomena can determine the active concentration of small molecules in the cytosol and the efflux of small molecules from cells. Fundamentally, direct observation of intracellular probe distribution challenges the simple boundary model of classical pharmacokinetics, which considers cells as static permeability barriers.

Extraction of orange peel's essential oil by solvent-free microwave extraction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qadariyah, Lailatul; Amelia, Prilia Dwi; Admiralia, Cininta; Bhuana, Donny S.; Mahfud, Mahfud

2017-05-01

Sweet orange peel (Citrus sinensis) is part of orange plant that contains essential oils. Generally, taking essential oil from orange peel is still using hydrodistillation and steam-hydrodistillation method which still needs solvent and takes a long time to produce high quality essential oil. Therefore, the objectives of this experiment are to study the process of orange peel's essential oil extraction using Solvent Free Microwave Extraction (SFME) and to study the operating condition that effect an optimum yield and quality of the essential oil. In this experiment, extraction process with SFME method goes for 60 minutes at atmospheric pressure. Variables for SFME are: variation of orange peel condition (fresh and dry), ratio orange peel mass to distiller volume (0,1; 0,2; 0,3; 0,4 g/mL), orange peel size (±0,5; ±2; ±3,5 cm width), and microwave power (100, 264, 400 Watt). Moisture content of fresh peel is 71,4% and for dry peel is 17,37% which is obtained by sun drying. The result of this experiment will be analyzed with GC-MS, SEM, density, and miscibility in ethanol 90%. The optimum result obtained from this experiment based on the number of the yield under condition of fresh orange peel is at peel mass/distiller volume 0,1 g/mL, orange peel size ±3,5 cm width, and microwave power 400 Watt, results 1,6738% yield. The result of GC-MS for fresh orange peel shows that the dominant compound is Limonene 54,140% and for dry orange peel is Limonene 59,705%. The density obtained is around 0,8282-0,8530 g/mL and miscibility in ethanol 90% is 1:5.

Activation of Polymine Catabolism as a Novel Strategy for Treating and/or Preventing Human Prostate Cancer

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-03-01

strategy against prostate cancer and thus, worthy of small molecule discovery and development. On the basis of findings obtained over the past 3...support for the discovery and development of specific small molecule inducers of SSAT as a novel therapeutic strategy targeting prostate cancer. This...D. Unscheduled Findings. Findings under Tasks 1 and 3 provided genetic evidence for the discovery and development of small molecule inducers of