bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Review of Anti-Inflammatory Compounds from Marine Fungi, 2000–2018
Authors: Xu Jianzhou , Yi Mengqi , Ding Lijian , He Shan
Published: November 2019

Inflammation is a generalized, nonspecific, and beneficial host response of foreign challenge or tissue injury. However, prolonged inflammation is undesirable. It will cause loss function of involve organs, such as heat, pain redness, and swelling. Marine natural products have gained more and more attention due to their unique mechanism of anti-inflammatory action, and have considered a hotspot for anti-inflammatory drug development. Marine-derived fungi are promising sources of structurally unprecedented bioactive natural products. So far, a plethora of new secondary metabolites with anti-inflammatory activities from marine-derived fungi had been widely reported. This review covers 133 fungal metabolites described in the period of 2000 to 2018, including the structures and origins of these secondary metabolites.
Molecular Characterization of Uropathogenic Escherichia coli Reveals Emergence of Drug Resistant O15, O22 and O25 Serogroups
Authors: Prakapaite Ruta , Saab Frederic , Planciuniene Rita , Petraitis Vidmantas , Walsh Thomas J. , Petraitiene Ruta , Semoskaite Rasa , Baneviciene Rasa , Kalediene Lilija , Kavaliauskas Povilas
Published: November 2019

Background and Objectives: Uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) are common pathogens causing urinary tract infections (UTIs). We aimed to investigate the relationship among clinical manifestation, serogroups, phylogenetic groups, and antimicrobial resistance among UPEC. Materials and Methods: One-hundred Escherichia coli isolates recovered from urine and ureteral scrapings were used for the study. The prevalence of antimicrobial resistance was determined by using European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing (EUCAST) recommendations. E. coli serogroups associated with UTI, as well as phylogenetic diversity were analyzed using multiplex PCR reactions. Results: Eighty-seven strains (87%) were isolated from females, while 13 (13%) from males. A high frequency of resistance to cephalosporins (43%) and fluoroquinolones (31%) was observed. Among UTI-associated serogroups O15 (32.8%), O22 (23.4%), and O25 (15.6%) were dominant and demonstrated elevated resistance rates. The E. coli phylogenetic group B2 was most common. These observations extended to pregnant patients with asymptomatic bacteriuria. Conclusions: Due to high rates of resistance, strategies using empirical therapy of second-generation cephalosporins and fluoroquinolones should be reconsidered in this population.
Corrosion and Tensile Behaviors of Ti-4Al-2V-1Mo-1Fe and Ti-6Al-4V Titanium Alloys
Authors: Qiao Yanxin , Xu Daokui , Wang Shuo , Ma Yingjie , Chen Jian , Wang Yuxin , Zhou Huiling
Published: November 2019

X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), immersion, electrochemical, and tensile tests were employed to analyze the phase constitution, microstructure, corrosion behaviors, and tensile properties of a Ti-6Al-4V alloy and a newly-developed low cost titanium alloy Ti-4Al-2V-1Mo-1Fe. The results showed that both the Ti-6Al-4V and Ti-4Al-2V-1Mo-1Fe alloys were composed of α and β phases. The volume fractions of β phase for these two alloys were 7.4% and 47.3%, respectively. The mass losses after 180-day immersion tests in 3.5 wt.% NaCl solution of these alloys were negligible. The corrosion resistance of the Ti-4Al-2V-1Mo-1Fe alloy was higher than that of the Ti-6Al-4V alloy. The tensile tests showed that the Ti-4Al-2V-1Mo-1Fe alloy presented a slightly higher strength but a lower ductility compared to the Ti-6Al-4V alloy.
A New Perspective on the Health Benefits of Moderate Beer Consumption: Involvement of the Gut Microbiota
Authors: Quesada-Molina Mar , Muñoz-Garach Araceli , Tinahones Francisco J. , Moreno-Indias Isabel
Published: November 2019

Beer is the most widely consumed fermented beverage in the world. A moderate consumption of beer has been related to important healthy outcomes, although the mechanisms have not been fully understood. Beer contains only a few raw ingredients but transformations that occur during the brewing process turn beer into a beverage that is enriched in micronutrients. Beer also contains an important number of phenolic compounds and it could be considered to be a source of dietary polyphenols. On the other hand, gut microbiota is now attracting special attention due to its metabolic effects and as because polyphenols are known to interact with gut microbiota. Among others, ferulic acid, xanthohumol, catechins, epicatechins, proanthocyanidins, quercetin, and rutin are some of the beer polyphenols that have been related to microbiota. However, scarce literature exists about the effects of moderate beer consumption on gut microbiota. In this review, we focus on the relationship between beer polyphenols and gut microbiota, with special emphasis on the health outcomes.
F-Shaped Tunnel Field-Effect Transistor (TFET) for the Low-Power Application
Authors: Yun Seunghyun , Oh Jeongmin , Kang Seokjung , Kim Yoon , Kim Jang Hyun , Kim Garam , Kim Sangwan
Published: November 2019

In this report, a novel tunnel field-effect transistor (TFET) named ‘F-shaped TFET’ has been proposed and its electrical characteristics are analyzed and optimized by using a computer-aided design simulation. It features ultra-thin and a highly doped source surrounded by lightly doped regions. As a result, it is compared to an L-shaped TFET, which is a motivation of this work, the F-shaped TFET can lower turn-on voltage (VON) maintaining high on-state current (ION) and low subthreshold swing (SS) with the help of electric field crowding effects. The optimized F-shaped TFET shows 0.4 V lower VON than the L-shaped TFET with the same design parameter. In addition, it shows 4.8 times higher ION and 7 mV/dec smaller average SS with the same VON as that for L-shaped TFET.
Aptamer Affinity-Bead Mediated Capture and Displacement of Gram-Negative Bacteria Using Acoustophoresis
Authors: Lee SangWook , Kim Byung Woo , Shin Hye-Su , Go Anna , Lee Min-Ho , Lee Dong-Ki , Kim Soyoun , Jeong Ok Chan
Published: November 2019

Here, we report a simple and effective method for capturing and displacement of gram-negative bacteria using aptamer-modified microbeads and acoustophoresis. As acoustophoresis allows for simultaneous washing and size-dependent separation in continuous flow mode, we efficiently obtained gram-negative bacteria that showed high affinity without any additional washing steps. The proposed device has a simple and efficient channel design, utilizing a long, square-shaped microchannel that shows excellent separation performance in terms of the purity, recovery, and concentration factor. Microbeads (10 µm) coated with the GN6 aptamer can specifically bind gram-negative bacteria. After incubation of bacteria culture sample with aptamer affinity bead, gram-negative bacteria-bound microbeads, and other unbound/contaminants can be separated by size with high purity and recovery. The device demonstrated excellent separation performance, with high recovery (up to 98%), high purity (up to 99%), and a high-volume rate (500 µL/min). The acoustophoretic separation performances were conducted using 5 Gram-negative bacteria and 5 Gram-positive bacteria. Thanks to GN6 aptamer’s binding affinity, aptamer affinity bead also showed binding affinity to multiple strains of gram-negative bacteria, but not to gram-positive bacteria. GN6 coated bead can capture Gram-negative bacteria but not Gram-positive bacteria. This study may present a different perspective in the field of early diagnosis in bacterial infectious diseases. In addition to detecting living bacteria or bacteria-derived biomarkers, this protocol can be extended to monitoring the contamination of water resources and may aid quick responses to bioterrorism and pathogenic bacterial infections.
Enhanced Production of Fatty Acid Ethyl Ester with Engineered fabHDG Operon in Escherichia coli
Authors: Rahman Ziaur , Sung Bong Hyun , Nawab Javed , Siddiqui Muhammad Faisal , Ali Abid , Geraldi Almando , Kim Sun Chang
Published: November 2019

Biodiesel, or fatty acid ethyl ester (FAEE), is an environmentally safe, next-generation biofuel. Conventionally, FAEE is produced by the conversion of oil/fats, obtained from plants, animals, and microorganisms, by transesterification. Recently, metabolic engineering of bacteria for ready-to-use biodiesel was developed. In Escherichia coli, it is produced by fatty acyl-carrier proteins and ethanol, with the help of thioesterase (TesB) and wax synthase (WS) enzymes. One of the foremost barriers in microbial FAEE production is the feedback inhibition of the fatty acid (FA) operon (fabHDG). Here, we studied the effect of biodiesel biosynthesis in E. coli with an engineered fabHDG operon. With a basic FAEE producing BD1 strain harboring tes and ws genes, biodiesel of 32 mg/L were produced. Optimal FAEE biosynthesis was achieved in the BD2 strain that carries an overexpressed operon (fabH, fabD, and fabG genes) and achieved up to 1291 mg/L of biodiesel, a 40-fold rise compared to the BD1 strain. The composition of FAEE obtained from the BD2 strain was 65% (C10:C2, decanoic acid ethyl ester) and 35% (C12:C2, dodecanoic acid ethyl ester). Our findings indicate that overexpression of the native FA operon, along with FAEE biosynthesis enzymes, improved biodiesel biosynthesis in E. coli.
Encapsulation of Upconversion Nanoparticles in Periodic Mesoporous Organosilicas
Authors: Rahmani Saher , Mauriello Jimenez Chiara , Aggad Dina , González-Mancebo Daniel , Ocaña Manuel , M. A. Ali Lamiaa , Nguyen Christophe , Becerro Nieto Ana Isabel , Francolon Nadège , Oliveiro Erwan , Boyer Damien , Mahiou Rachid , Raehm Laurence , Gary-Bobo Magali , Durand Jean-Olivier , Charnay Clarence
Published: November 2019

(1) Background: Nanomedicine has recently emerged as a promising field, particularly for cancer theranostics. In this context, nanoparticles designed for imaging and therapeutic applications are of interest. We, therefore, studied the encapsulation of upconverting nanoparticles in mesoporous organosilica nanoparticles. Indeed, mesoporous organosilica nanoparticles have been shown to be very efficient for drug delivery, and upconverting nanoparticles are interesting for near-infrared and X-ray computed tomography imaging, depending on the matrix used. (2) Methods: Two different upconverting-based nanoparticles were synthesized with Yb3+-Er3+ as the upconverting system and NaYF4 or BaLuF5 as the matrix. The encapsulation of these nanoparticles was studied through the sol-gel procedure with bis(triethoxysilyl)ethylene and bis(triethoxysilyl)ethane in the presence of CTAB. (3) Results: with bis(triethoxysilyl)ethylene, BaLuF5: Yb3+-Er3+, nanoparticles were not encapsulated, but anchored on the surface of the obtained mesoporous nanorods BaLuF5: Yb3+-Er3+@Ethylene. With bis(triethoxysilyl)ethane, BaLuF5: Yb3+-Er3+ and NaYF4: Yb3+-Er3+nanoparticles were encapsulated in the mesoporous cubic structure leading to BaLuF5: Yb3+-Er3+@Ethane and NaYF4: Yb3+-Er3+@Ethane, respectively. (4) Conclusions: upconversion nanoparticles were located on the surface of mesoporous nanorods obtained by hydrolysis polycondensation of bis(triethoxysilyl)ethylene, whereas encapsulation occurred with bis(triethoxysilyl)ethane. The later nanoparticles NaYF4: Yb3+-Er3+@Ethane or BaLuF5: Yb3+-Er3+@Ethane were promising for applications with cancer cell imaging or X-ray-computed tomography respectively.
Retrochalcone Echinatin Triggers Apoptosis of Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma via ROS- and ER Stress-Mediated Signaling Pathways
Authors: Kwak Ah-Won , Choi Joon-Seok , Lee Mee-Hyun , Oh Ha-Na , Cho Seung-Sik , Yoon Goo , Liu Kangdong , Chae Jung-Il , Shim Jung-Hyun
Published: November 2019

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is a poor prognostic cancer with a low five-year survival rate. Echinatin (Ech) is a retrochalone from licorice. It has been used as a herbal medicine due to its anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative effects. However, its anticancer activity or underlying mechanism has not been elucidated yet. Thus, the objective of this study was to investigate the anti-tumor activity of Ech on ESCC by inducing ROS and ER stress dependent apoptosis. Ech inhibited ESCC cell growth in anchorage-dependent and independent analysis. Treatment with Ech induced G2/M phase of cell cycle and apoptosis of ESCC cells. It also regulated their related protein markers including p21, p27, cyclin B1, and cdc2. Ech also led to phosphorylation of JNK and p38. Regarding ROS and ER stress formation associated with apoptosis, we found that Ech increased ROS production, whereas its increase was diminished by NAC treatment. In addition, ER stress proteins were induced by treatment with Ech. Moreover, Ech enhanced MMP dysfunction and caspases activity. Furthermore, it regulated related biomarkers. Taken together, our results suggest that Ech can induce apoptosis in human ESCC cells via ROS/ER stress generation and p38 MAPK/JNK activation.
Immune Checkpoint PD-1/PD-L1 CTLA-4/CD80 are Blocked by Rhus verniciflua Stokes and its Active Compounds
Authors: Li Wei , Kim Tae In , Kim Ji Hye , Chung Hwan-Suck
Published: November 2019

The bark of Rhus verniciflua Stokes (RVS) has been used to treat cancer in Korean herbal medicine. When we screened for PD-1 and CTLA-4 immune checkpoint inhibitors (PD-1/PD-L1 CTLA-4/CD80) from around 800 herbal extracts using competitive Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA), we found that RVS blocked both the PD-1/PD-L1 and the CTLA-4/CD80 interactions. To identify the active compounds from RVS, we performed bioactivity-guided fractionation, and the ethyl acetate (EtOAc) fraction of RVS proved to be the most effective at blocking the PD-1/PD-L1 and CTLA-4/CD80 interactions. In addition, we isolated and identified 20 major compounds in the EtOAc fraction of RVS and then examined the blocking effects of these 20 compounds on PD-1/PD-L1 and CTLA-4/CD80. Among them, four compounds [eriodictyol (7) > fisetin (9) > quercetin (18) > liquiritigenin (13)] blocked the interaction of PD-1/PD-L1 on competitive ELISA. In addition, four different compounds [protocatechuic acid (2) > caffeic acid (19) > taxifolin (5) > butin (6)] blocked the interaction of CTLA-4/CD80. Our findings suggest that RVS and its components could be used as a potential immune checkpoint inhibitor blockade and could be developed for immuno-oncological therapeutics.
New Indole Glycosides from Aesculus chinensis var. chekiangensis and Their Neuroprotective Activities
Authors: Zhang Nan , Cao Shijie , Huang Weixing , Li Pan , Kang Ning , Ding Liqin , Qiu Feng
Published: November 2019

The dried seeds of Aesculus chinensis Bge. var. chekiangensis (Hu et Fang) Fang, called “Suo Luo Zi”, have been used in traditional Chinese medicine. Nevertheless, most studies have been focused on components of less polarity fractions. In this research, twelve indoles, including six new indole glycosides (1–6) as well as six known analogs were isolated from the polar portion which has been seldom studied. This is the first description of N-glucosylated indoles obtained from the genus of Aesculus. Structures of the new compounds (1–6) were elucidated based on comprehensive interpretation of HRESIMS, 1D and 2D NMR. Additionally, the neuroprotective activities of the N-glucosylated indoles were evaluated for the first time indicating that compounds 1–5 and 9–10 exhibited moderate neuroprotective activities. Further cytotoxicity tests of isolates 1–10 on three human tumor cell lines suggested that none of these compounds were cytotoxic (IC50 > 50 μM).
Development of a Validated UPLC-MS/MS Method for Analyzing Major Ginseng Saponins from Various Ginseng Species
Authors: Yang Ling , Li Chi-Lin , Cheng Yung-Yi , Tsai Tung-Hu
Published: November 2019

Ginsenosides, which contain one triterpene and one or more sugar moieties, are the major bioactive compounds of ginseng. The aim of this study was to develop and optimize a specific and reliable ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) method for the analysis of twelve different resources of ginseng. The six marker compounds of ginsenoside Rb1, ginsenoside Rb2, ginsenoside Rc, ginsenoside Rd, ginsenoside Re, and ginsenoside Rg1, as well as an internal standard, were separated by a reversed-phase C-18 column with a gradient elution of water and methanol-acetonitrile. The multiple-reaction monitoring (MRM) mode was used to quantify and identify twelve market products. The results demonstrated that not only is the logarithm of its partition coefficient (cLog P; octanol-water partition coefficient) one of the factors, but also the number of sugars, position of sugars, and position of the hydroxyl groups are involved in the complicated separation factors for the analytes in the analytical system. If the amount of ginsenoside Rb1 was higher than 40 mg/g, then the species might be Panax quinquefolius, based on the results of the marker ginsenoside contents of various varieties. In summary, this study provides a rapid and precise analytical method for identifying the various ginsenosides from different species, geographic environments, and cultivation cultures.
Curcumin Derivatives Verify the Essentiality of ROS Upregulation in Tumor Suppression
Authors: Nakamae Ikuko , Morimoto Tsumoru , Shima Hiroki , Shionyu Masafumi , Fujiki Hisayo , Yoneda-Kato Noriko , Yokoyama Takashi , Kanaya Shigehiko , Kakiuchi Kiyomi , Shirai Tsuyoshi , Meiyanto Edy , Kato Jun-ya
Published: November 2019

Background: Curcumin has been shown to exert pleiotropic biological effects, including anti-tumorigenic activity. We previously showed that curcumin controls reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels through the ROS metabolic enzymes, to prevent tumor cell growth. In this study, we synthesized 39 novel curcumin derivatives and examined their anti-proliferative and anti-tumorigenic properties. Methods and Results: Thirty-nine derivatives exhibited anti-proliferative activity toward human cancer cell lines, including CML-derived K562 leukemic cells, in a manner sensitive to an antioxidant, N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC). Some compounds exhibited lower GI50 values than curcumin, some efficiently induced cell senescence, and others markedly increased ROS levels, efficiently induced cell death and suppressed tumor formation in a xenograft mouse model, without any detectable side effects. A clustering analysis of the selected compounds and their measurement variables revealed that anti-tumorigenic activity was most well-correlated with an increase in ROS levels. Pulldown assays and a molecular docking analysis showed that curcumin derivatives competed with co-enzymes to bind to the respective ROS metabolic enzymes and inhibited their enzymatic activities. Conclusions: The analysis of novel curcumin derivatives established the importance of ROS upregulation in suppression of tumorigenesis, and these compounds are potentially useful for the development of an anti-cancer drug with few side effects.
Quantitative Analysis of Terpenic Compounds in Microsamples of Resins by Capillary Liquid Chromatography
Authors: Ponce-Rodríguez H. D. , Herráez-Hernández R. , Verdú-Andrés J. , Campíns-Falcó P.
Published: November 2019

A method has been developed for the separation and quantification of terpenic compounds typically used as markers in the chemical characterization of resins based on capillary liquid chromatography coupled to UV detection. The sample treatment, separation and detection conditions have been optimized in order to analyze compounds of different polarities and volatilities in a single chromatographic run. The monoterpene limonene and the triterpenes lupeol, lupenone, β-amyrin, and α-amyrin have been selected as model compounds. The proposed method provides linear responses and precision (expressed as relative standard deviations) of 0.6% to 17%, within the 0.5–10.0 µg mL−1 concentration interval; the limits of detection (LODs) and quantification (LOQs) were 0.1–0.25 µg mL−1 and 0.4–0.8 µg mL−1, respectively. The method has been applied to the quantification of the target compounds in microsamples. The reliability of the proposed conditions has been tested by analyzing three resins, white copal, copal in tears, and ocote tree resin. Percentages of the triterpenes in the range 0.010% to 0.16% were measured using sample amounts of 10–15 mg, whereas the most abundant compound limonene (≥0.93%) could be determined using 1 mg portions of the resins. The proposed method can be considered complementary to existing protocols aimed at establishing the chemical fingerprint of these kinds of samples.
α-Glucosidase and Pancreatic Lipase Inhibitory Activities of Diterpenes from Indian Mango Ginger (Curcuma amada Roxb.) and Its Derivatives
Authors: Yoshioka Yuri , Yoshimura Naori , Matsumura Shinichi , Wada Hiroto , Hoshino Maya , Makino Shouhei , Morimoto Masanori
Published: November 2019

Enzymatic inhibitions of crude extracts and their constituents from Zingiberaceae against both rat intestinal α-glucosidase and porcine pancreatic lipase were investigated. Structure–activity relationships using their derivatives were also investigated. The rhizomes extract of mango ginger, Curcuma amada showed remarkable inhibitory activity in the screening test. Two natural labdane diterpenes 1 and 2 and a drimane sesquiterpene 3 were major constituents isolated from this hexane extract. Among them, (E)-labda-8(17),12-diene-15,16-dial (1) was the most prominent compound and showed inhibitory activity against both α-glucosidase and lipase. Derivatives 4–10 from compound 1 were prepared and evaluated using inhibitory assays with these enzymes. The reduced derivative 4 maintained α-glucosidase inhibitory activity, but had decreased pancreatic lipase inhibitory activity compared with parent compound 1. Other tested derivatives of compound 1, including acetates 5–7 and oxidative derivatives 8–10, had very weak α-glucosidase inhibitory activity. Most of these compounds showed moderate pancreatic lipase inhibitory activity. However, only sesquiterpene albicanal (3) showed drastically decreased pancreatic lipase activity compared with 1. These findings suggested that molecular size was essential for enzymatic inhibitory activities of these compounds. These results demonstrated that mango ginger may be useful for the prevention of obesity and being overweight.
Mushrooms of the Genus Ganoderma Used to Treat Diabetes and Insulin Resistance
Authors: Wińska Katarzyna , Mączka Wanda , Gabryelska Klaudia , Grabarczyk Małgorzata
Published: November 2019

Pharmacotherapy using natural substances can be currently regarded as a very promising future alternative to conventional therapy of diabetes mellitus, especially in the case of chronic disease when the body is no longer able to produce adequate insulin or when it cannot use the produced insulin effectively. This minireview summarizes the perspectives, recent advances, and major challenges of medicinal mushrooms from Ganoderma genus with reference to their antidiabetic activity. The most active ingredients of those mushrooms are polysaccharides and triterpenoids. We hope this review can offer some theoretical basis and inspiration for the mechanism study of the bioactivity of those compounds.
Complex Extraction of Metals in an Aqueous Two-Phase System Based on Poly(Ethylene Oxide) 1500 and Sodium Nitrate
Authors: Zakhodyaeva Yulia A. , Zinov’eva Inna V. , Tokar Elena S. , Voshkin Andrey A.
Published: November 2019

This article presents an ecologically safe aqueous two-phase system based on poly(ethylene oxide) with a molecular weight of 1500, designed for complex extraction of Ni(II), Co(II), Fe(III), Mn(II), Zn(II), Cu(II), and Al(III) from nitrate solutions. A kinetic dependence has been investigated for a distribution ratio for the metals examined. The influence of pH-values, temperature, initial metal concentration, and nitric acid content have on the extraction of a wide range of metals in the heterogeneous poly(ethylene oxide) 1500-NaNO3-H2O system has been discovered. As a result, the complex extraction of metals (EMe > 60%) was achieved in one step of extraction without introducing additional chemicals into the system.
Synthesis, Characterization, Antimicrobial Activity, and Genotoxicity Assessment of Two Heterocyclic Compounds Containing 1,2,3-Selena- or 1,2,3-Thiadiazole Rings
Authors: Al-Smadi Mousa L. , Mansour Reem , Mahasneh Amjad , Khabour Omar F. , Masadeh Majed M. , Alzoubi Karem H.
Published: November 2019

New 1,2,3-thiadiazole and 1,2,3-selenadiazole derivatives, (4-[4-((4-bromobenzyl)oxy)-phenyl]-1,2,3-thiadiazole (5a), 4-[4-((4-chlorobenzyl)oxy)-phenyl]-1,2,3-thiadiazole (5b)), (4-[4-((4-bromobenzyl)oxy)-phenyl]-1,2,3-selenadiazole (6a), and 4-[4-((4-chlorobenzyl)oxy)-phenyl]-1,2,3-selenadiazole (6b)), were prepared and screened in vitro for their antimicrobial activity against various pathogenic microbes. In addition, two compounds (5a and 6a) were examined for their in vivo genotoxicity using rats and an 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) assay. Compounds 5a and 5b were found to be highly active against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. In addition, a significant inhibition of urinary 8-OHdG level (50.2%) was observed upon treatment of animals with 500 mg/kg body weight (b.w.) of compound 6a (p < 0.0001). However, compound 5a increased urinary 8-OHdG levels. The lethal dose (LD50) values for compounds 5a and 6a were determined by an up-and-down procedure (OECD 425; OECD 1998), which showed that these compounds are safe, since the LD50 was >5000 mg/kg b.w. Thus, the tested compounds might have the potential for use as antibiotics, since they have low genotoxicity and strong antimicrobial activity.
Nanostructured Materials Based on Noble Metals for Advanced Biological Applications
Authors: Venditti Iole
Published: November 2019

This special issue focuses on highlighting the progress of last decade regarding the new nanostructured materials based on noble metals, especially gold and silver. Innovative preparations, functionalizations, and characterizations of these nanomaterials are investigated. Moreover, biotechnological applications, and advanced uses of these compounds for environmental sensing are reported. In particular gold and silver nanomaterials are widely studied due to their high stability, amazing chemical–physical features and, for silver, marked antibacterial properties. It is also hoped that the current special issue will encourage multidisciplinary research on noble metal nanomaterials, expanding the range of potential biological applications. This must be associated with improvements in synthetic methods and with economic feasibility studies of the proposed processes, also exploring the ecotoxicological aspects.
Effect of Solution Conditions on the Properties of Sol–Gel Derived Potassium Sodium Niobate Thin Films on Platinized Sapphire Substrates
Authors: Tkach Alexander , Santos André , Zlotnik Sebastian , Serrazina Ricardo , Okhay Olena , Bdikin Igor , Costa Maria Elisabete , Vilarinho Paula M.
Published: November 2019

If piezoelectric micro-devices based on K0.5Na0.5NbO3 (KNN) thin films are to achieve commercialization, it is critical to optimize the films’ performance using low-cost scalable processing conditions. Here, sol–gel derived KNN thin films are deposited using 0.2 and 0.4 M precursor solutions with 5% solely potassium excess and 20% alkali (both potassium and sodium) excess on platinized sapphire substrates with reduced thermal expansion mismatch in relation to KNN. Being then rapid thermal annealed at 750 °C for 5 min, the films revealed an identical thickness of ~340 nm but different properties. An average grain size of ~100 nm and nearly stoichiometric KNN films are obtained when using 5% potassium excess solution, while 20% alkali excess solutions give the grain size of 500–600 nm and (Na + K)/Nb ratio of 1.07–1.08 in the prepared films. Moreover, the 5% potassium excess solution films have a perovskite structure without clear preferential orientation, whereas a (100) texture appears for 20% alkali excess solutions, being particularly strong for the 0.4 M solution concentration. As a result of the grain size and (100) texturing competition, the highest room-temperature dielectric permittivity and lowest dissipation factor measured in the parallel-plate-capacitor geometry were obtained for KNN films using 0.2 M precursor solutions with 20% alkali excess. These films were also shown to possess more quadratic-like and less coercive local piezoelectric loops, compared to those from 5% potassium excess solution. Furthermore, KNN films with large (100)-textured grains prepared from 0.4 M precursor solution with 20% alkali excess were found to possess superior local piezoresponse attributed to multiscale domain microstructures.
Lactobacillus acidophilus-Fermented Germinated Brown Rice Suppresses Preneoplastic Lesions of the Colon in Rats
Authors: Li Sing-Chung , Lin Han-Pei , Chang Jung-Su , Shih Chun-Kuang
Published: November 2019

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a cancer associated with chronic inflammation. Whole grains and probiotics play a protective role against CRC. Fermented grains are receiving increased attention due to their anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer activities. Our previous study found that a combination of germinated brown rice (GBR) with probiotics suppressed colorectal carcinogenesis in rats. However, the cancer-preventive effect of probiotic-fermented GBR has not been reported. This study investigated the preventive effect and possible mechanism of GBR fermented by Lactobacillus acidophilus (FGBR) on colorectal carcinogenesis in rats induced by 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH) and dextran sulfate sodium (DSS). DMH/DSS treatment induced preneoplastic aberrant crypt foci (ACF), elevated serum levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-1β, as well as decreased pro-apoptotic Bax expression. GBR and FGBR reduced the primary ACF number and decreased TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-1β levels. GBR and FGBR at the 2.5% level increased pro-apoptotic cleaved caspase-3 and decreased anti-apoptotic B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) expressions. FGBR at the 2.5% level further reduced the number of sialomucin-producing ACF (SIM-ACF) and increased Bax expression. These results suggest that FGBR may inhibit preneoplastic lesions of the colon via activating the apoptotic pathway. This fermented rice product may have the potential to be developed as a novel dietary supplement for CRC chemoprevention.
The Impact of Postnatal Systemic Steroids on the Growth of Preterm Infants: A Multicenter Cohort Study
Authors: Zozaya Carlos , Avila-Alvarez Alejandro , García-Muñoz Rodrigo Fermín , Couce María L. , Arruza Luis , Fernandez-Perez Cristina , Castro Abdón , Cuesta María Teresa , Vacas Beatriz , Vento Máximo , Saenz de Pipaón Miguel
Published: November 2019

Postnatal steroids, often used to prevent and treat bronchopulmonary dysplasia, may influence the growth of preterm infants, although data are scarce in the literature. This is a multicenter cohort study including surviving preterm infants <32 weeks at birth (n = 17,621) from the Spanish Neonatal Network SEN1500 database, without major congenital malformations. Linear regression models were adjusted for postnatal steroids, respiratory severity course (invasive mechanical ventilation at 28 days), progression to moderate–severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia (O2 at 36 weeks), length of stay, sex, gestational age and z-scores at birth. A subgroup analysis depending on the timing of administration, ventilation status at 28 days and moderate–severe BPD diagnosis was also performed. Overall, systemic postnatal steroids were not independently associated with poorer weight gain (0.1; 95% CI: −0.05 to 0.2 g/kg/day), linear growth (0; 95% CI: −0.03 to 0.01 cm/week) or head circumference growth (−0.01; 95% CI: −0.02 to 0 cm/week). Patients who received steroids after 28 days or who were not O2 dependent at 36 weeks after having received steroids gained more weight (0.22; 95% CI: 0.04 to 0.4 and 0.2; 95% CI: 0.004 to 0.5 g/kg/day, respectively). Globally, systemic postnatal steroids had no significant adjusted effect on postnatal growth.
Rice Bran Derived Bioactive Compounds Modulate Risk Factors of Cardiovascular Disease and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: An Updated Review
Authors: Saji Nancy , Francis Nidhish , Schwarz Lachlan J. , Blanchard Christopher L. , Santhakumar Abishek B.
Published: November 2019

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) are two chronic diseases that have claimed more lives globally than any other disease. Dietary supplementation of functional foods containing bioactive compounds is recognised to result in improvements in free-radical-mediated oxidative stress. Emerging evidence indicates that bioactive compounds derived from rice bran (RB) have therapeutic potential against cellular oxidative stress. This review aims to describe the mechanistic pathways behind CVD and T2DM development and the therapeutic potential of polyphenols derived from RB against these chronic diseases.
In Vitro Activity of Sertraline, an Antidepressant, Against Antibiotic-Susceptible and Antibiotic-Resistant Helicobacter pylori Strains
Authors: Krzyżek Paweł , Franiczek Roman , Krzyżanowska Barbara , Łaczmański Łukasz , Migdał Paweł , Gościniak Grażyna
Published: November 2019

Antibiotic resistance of Helicobacter pylori, a spiral bacterium associated with gastric diseases, is a topic that has been intensively discussed in last decades. Recent discoveries indicate promising antimicrobial and antibiotic-potentiating properties of sertraline (SER), an antidepressant substance. The aim of the study, therefore, was to determine the antibacterial activity of SER in relation to antibiotic-sensitive and antibiotic-resistant H. pylori strains. The antimicrobial tests were performed using a diffusion-disk method, microdilution method, and time-killing assay. The interaction between SER and antibiotics (amoxicillin, clarithromycin, tetracycline, and metronidazole) was determined by using a checkerboard method. In addition, the study was expanded to include observations by light, fluorescence, and scanning electron microscopy. The growth inhibition zones were in the range of 19–37 mm for discs impregnated with 2 mg of SER. The minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) and minimal bactericidal concentrations (MBCs) counted for 2–8 µg/mL and 4–8 µg/mL, respectively. The time-killing assay showed the time-dependent and concentration-dependent bactericidal activity of SER. Bacteria exposed to MBCs (but not sub-MICs and MICs ≠ MBCs) underwent morphological transformation into coccoid forms. This mechanism, however, was not protective because these cells after a 24-h incubation had a several-fold reduced green/red fluorescence ratio compared to the control. Using the checkerboard assay, a synergistic/additive interaction of SER with all four antibiotics tested was demonstrated. These results indicate that SER may be a promising anti-H. pylori compound.
Development of a UV-Stabilized Topical Formulation of Nifedipine for the Treatment of Raynaud Phenomenon and Chilblains
Authors: Wasan Ellen K. , Zhao Jinying , Poteet Joshua , Mohammed Munawar A. , Syeda Jaweria , Orlowski Tatiana , Soulsbury Kevin , Cawthray Jacqueline , Bunyamin Amanda , Zhang Chi , Fahlman Brian M. , Krol Ed S.
Published: November 2019

Raynaud’s Phenomenon is a vascular affliction resulting in pain and blanching of the skin caused by excessive and prolonged constriction of arterioles, usually due to cold exposure. Nifedipine is a vasodilatory calcium channel antagonist, which is used orally as the first-line pharmacological treatment to reduce the incidence and severity of attacks when other interventions fail to alleviate the condition and there is danger of tissue injury. Oral administration of nifedipine, however, is associated with systemic adverse effects, and thus topical administration with nifedipine locally to the extremities would be advantageous. However, nifedipine is subject to rapid photodegradation, which is problematic for exposed skin such as the hands. The goal of this project was to analyze the photostability of a novel topical nifedipine cream to UVA light. The effect of incorporating the photoprotectants rutin, quercetin, and/or avobenzone (BMDBM) into the nifedipine cream on the stability of nifedipine to UVA light exposure and the appearance of degradation products of nifedipine was determined. Rutin and quercetin are flavonoids with antioxidant activity. Both have the potential to improve the photostability of nifedipine by a number of mechanisms that either quench the intermolecular electron transfer of the singlet excited dihydropyridine to the nitrobenzene group or by preventing photoexcitation of nifedipine. Rutin at either 0.1% or 0.5% (w/w) did not improve the stability of nifedipine 2% (w/w) in the cream after UVA exposure up to 3 h. Incorporation of quercetin at 0.5% (w/w) did improve nifedipine stability from 40% (no quercetin) to 77% (with quercetin) of original drug concentration after 3 h UVA exposure. A combination of BMDBM and quercetin was the most effective photoprotectant for maintaining nifedipine concentration following up to 8 h UVA exposure.
Comparison of the Complete Eragrostis pilosa Chloroplast Genome with Its Relatives in Eragrostideae (Chloridoideae; Poaceae)
Authors: Somaratne Yamuna , Guan De-Long , Abbood Nibras Najm , Zhao Liang , Wang Wen-Qiang , Xu Sheng-Quan
Published: November 2019

Eragrostis of the tribe Eragrostideae is a taxonomically complex genus, because of its polyploid nature and the presence of similar morphological characters among its species. However, the relationship between these morphologically indistinguishable species at the genomic level has not yet been investigated. Here, we report the complete chloroplast genome of E. pilosa and compare its genome structures, gene contents, simple sequence repeats (SSRs), sequence divergence, codon usage bias, and Kimura 2-parameter (K2P) interspecific genetic distances with those of other Eragrostideae species. The E. pilosa chloroplast genome was 134,815 bp in length and contained 132 genes and four regions, including a large single-copy region (80,100 bp), a small single-copy region (12,661 bp), and a pair of inverted repeats (21,027 bp). The average nucleotide diversity between E. pilosa and E. tef was estimated to be 0.011, and 0.01689 among all species. The minimum and maximum K2P interspecific genetic distance values were identified in psaA (0.007) and matK (0.029), respectively. Of 45 SSRs, eight were shared with E. tef, all of which were in the LSC region. Phylogenetic analysis resolved the monophyly of the sampled Eragrostis species and confirmed the close relationship between E. pilosa and E. tef. This study provides useful chlorophyll genomic information for further species identification and phylogenetic reconstruction of Eragrostis species.
Effect of Zearalenone and Hormone Regulators on Microspore Embryogenesis in Anther Culture of Wheat
Authors: Weigt Dorota , Niemann Janetta , Siatkowski Idzi , Zyprych-Walczak Joanna , Olejnik Przemysław , Kurasiak-Popowska Danuta
Published: November 2019

The purpose of this work was to assess the impact of zearalenone (ZEN) and selected hormone regulators on the effectiveness of microspore embryogenesis in anther culture of wheat. The plant material comprised F1 hybrids of winter and spring wheat. Six combinations of media inducing microspore proliferation and formation of embryogenic structures were investigated: two combinations of growth regulators (D - 2,4-D + dicamba, K - 2,4-D + kinetin), each with three ZEN concentrations (0 mL/L, 0.1 mL/L, 0.2 mL/L). A significant increase in microspore embryogenesis effectiveness on media with the addition of ZEN was observed both at the stages of its induction and the formation of green plants in some genotypes. In case of both combinations of growth regulators, an increased concentration of ZEN resulted in more effective induction of microspore embryogenesis. The most effective induction medium was the D medium supplemented with 0.2 mL/L ZEN. As a result of the use of zearalenone together with two combinations of growth regulators, all genotypes tested produced androgenic structures, which indicates the breakdown of genotypic recalcitrant in the analysed hybrids. In addition, green plants were obtained from 18 out of 19 tested hybrids. The addition of ZEN to the medium did not affect the number of regenerated albino plants nor the number of spontaneous genome doublings proportion.
Nitric Oxide Is Involved in the Regulation of the Ascorbate–Glutathione Cycle Induced by the Appropriate Ammonium: Nitrate to Mitigate Low Light Stress in Brassica pekinensis
Authors: Hu Linli , Li Yutong , Wu Yue , Lv Jian , Dawuda Mohammed Mujitaba , Tang Zhongqi , Liao Weibiao , Calderón-Urrea Alejandro , Xie Jianming , Yu Jihua
Published: November 2019

Low light intensity is common in northern China due to fog or haze, and causes stress for crop plants. To solve the problem of low light intensity stress on the growth and development of vegetable crops in China, new cropping strategies must be developed. We previously showed that an appropriate ratio of ammonium and nitrate (NH4+:NO3−) can alleviate the effect of low light stress on plants, although it is not clear what mechanism is involved in this alleviation. We propose the hypothesis that an appropriate ammonium/nitrate ratio (10:90) can induce NO synthesis to regulate the AsA-GSH cycle in mini Chinese cabbage seedlings under low light intensity. To test the hypothesis, we conducted a series of hydroponic experiments. The results indicated that, under low light intensity conditions, appropriate NH4+:NO3− (N, NH4+:NO3− = 10:90) decreased the contents of malondialdehyde (MDA), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), and superoxide anion (O2−) in leaves compared with nitrate treatment. Exogenous nitric oxide (SNP) had the same effects on MDA, H2O2, and O2−. However, with the addition of a NO scavenger (hemoglobin, Hb) and NO inhibitors (N-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester, L-NAME), NaN3 (NR inhibitor) significantly increased the contents of MDA, H2O2, and O2-. The application of N solution enhanced the AsA-GSH cycle by increasing the activities of ascorbate peroxidase (APX), glutathione reductase (GR), monodehydroascorbate reductase (MDHAR), dehydroascorbate reductase (DHAR), and ascorbate oxidase (AAO), compared with control (NH4+:NO3− = 0:100). Meanwhile, exogenous SNP significantly increased the above indicators. All these effects of N on AsA-GSH cycle were inhibited by the addition of Hb, L-NAME and NaN3 in N solution. The results also revealed that the N and SNP treatments upregulated the relative expression level of GR, MDHAR1, APXT, DHAR2, and AAO gene in mini Chinese cabbage leaves under low light stress. These results demonstrated that the appropriate NH4+:NO3− (10:90) induced NO synthesis which regulates the AsA-GSH cycle in mini Chinese cabbage seedlings under low light stress.
Systematic Analysis of Alkaline/Neutral Invertase Genes Reveals the Involvement of Smi-miR399 in Regulation of SmNINV3 and SmNINV4 in Salvia miltiorrhiza
Authors: Zhou Hong , Li Caili , Qiu Xiaoxiao , Lu Shanfa
Published: November 2019

Alkaline/neutral invertases (NINVs), which irreversibly catalyze the hydrolysis of sucrose into fructose and glucose, play crucial roles in carbohydrate metabolism and plant development. Comprehensive insights into NINV genes are lacking in Salvia miltiorrhiza, a well-known traditional Chinese medicinal (TCM) plant with significant medicinal and economic value. Through genome-wide prediction, nine putative SmNINV genes, termed SmNINV1-SmNINV9, were identified. Integrated analysis of gene structures, sequence features, conserved domains, conserved motifs and phylogenetic trees revealed the conservation and divergence of SmNINVs. The identified SmNINVs were differentially expressed in roots, stems, leaves, flowers, and different root tissues. They also responded to drought, salicylic acid, yeast extract, and methyl jasmonate treatments. More importantly, computational prediction and experimental validation showed that SmNINV3 and SmNINV4 were targets of Smi-miR399, a conserved miRNA previously shown to affect Pi uptake and translocation through the cleavage of PHOSPHATE2 (PHO2). Consistently, analysis of 43 NINV genes and 26 miR399 sequences from Arabidopsis thaliana, Populus trichocarpa, Manihot esculenta, and Solanum lycopersicum showed that various AtNINV, PtNINV, MeNINV, and SlNINV genes were regulated by miR399. It indicates that the miR399-NINV module exists widely in plants. Furthermore, Smi-miR399 also cleaved SmPHO2 transcripts in S. miltiorrhiza, suggesting the complexity of NINVs, PHO2, and miR399 networks.
Time–Temperature–Plasticization Superposition Principle: Predicting Creep of a Plasticized Epoxy
Authors: Krauklis Andrey E. , Akulichev Anton G. , Gagani Abedin I. , Echtermeyer Andreas T.
Published: November 2019

Long-term creep properties and the effect of water are important for fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) composite materials used in offshore applications. Epoxies are often used as a matrix material in such composites. A typical design lifetime of offshore FRP structures is 25 or more years in direct contact with water leading to some deterioration of the material properties. Knowing and predicting the extent of the material property deterioration in water is of great interest for designers and users of the offshore FRP structures. It has been established that the time–temperature superposition principle (TTSP) is a useful tool for estimating changes in properties of polymer materials at long times or extreme temperatures. In this work, a time–temperature–plasticization superposition principle (TTPSP) is described and used for predicting the long-term creep behavior of an epoxy compound. The studied epoxy does not degrade chemically via hydrolysis or chain scission but is negatively affected by plasticization with water. The methodology enables prediction of the long-term viscoelastic behavior of amorphous polymers at temperatures below the glass transition (Tg) using short-term creep experimental data. The results also indicate that it is possible to estimate the creep behavior of the plasticized polymer based on the short-term creep data of the respective dry material and the difference between Tg values of dry polymer and plasticized polymer. The methodology is useful for accelerated testing and for predicting the time-dependent mechanical properties of a plasticized polymer below the glass transition temperature.
Correlations between Process Parameters and Outcome Properties of Laser-Sintered Polyamide
Authors: Stoia Dan Ioan , Marşavina Liviu , Linul Emanoil
Published: November 2019

As additive manufacturing (AM) becomes more accessible, correlating process parameters with geometric and mechanical properties is an important topic. Because the number of process variables in AM is large, extensive studies must be conducted in order to underline every particular influence. The study focuses on two variables—part orientation in the orthogonal horizontal plane and energy density—and targets two outcomes—geometric and tensile properties of the parts. The AM process was conducted on selective laser sintering (SLS) machine EOS Formiga P100 using EOS white powder polyamide (PA2200). After finishing the sinterization process, the parts were postprocessed, measured, weighted, and mechanically tested. The geometric evaluation and mass measurements of every sample allowed us to compute the density of all parts according to the sinterization energy and orientation, and to determine the relative error of every dimension. By conducting the tensile testing, the elastic and strength properties were determined according to process variables. A linear trend regarding sample density and energy density was identified. Also, large relative dimensional errors were recorded for the lowest energy density. Mechanical properties encountered the highest value for the highest energy density at a 45° orientation angle.