Synthesis and biological evaluation of pyrazoline analogues with beta-amino acyl group as dipeptidyl peptidase IV inhibitors.

A series of pyrazoline derivatives with beta-amino acyl group were synthesized and evaluated for their ability to inhibit dipeptidyl peptidase IV. Several pyrazoline derivatives exhibited submicromolar inhibitory activities against DPP-IV. X-ray co-crystal structure of initial hit compound 1h was determined.

Changes in aurantio-obtusin and glucoaurantio-obtusin content in Cassiae Semen via treatment with a crude enzyme extract from Aspergillus usamii.

Cassiae Semen (seeds of Cassia tora) showed a remarkably different HPLC chromatogram after being treated with a crude enzyme extract from Aspergillus usamii. Increased and decreased compounds were identified as aurantio-obtusin and glucoaurantio-obtusin, respectively. The aurantio-obtusin content reached its maximum level (133.

Enhanced removal of lead(II) and cadmium(II) from water in alum coagulation by ferrate(VI) pretreatment.

A laboratory study demonstrated that ferrate pretreatment significantly enhanced lead and cadmium removal in alum coagulation, under the conditions of natural surface water. The enhancement of lead removal was approximately 21 to 37% by ferrate pretreatment at a dosage of 1 to 5 mg/L. The enhanced removal of cadmium by ferrate pretreatment at a dosage of 1 to 5 mg/L exceeded the removal by alum coagulation alone 2-to 12-fold.

Antagonistic effects of yohimbine in pigs anaesthetised with tiletamine/zolazepam and xylazine.

Twelve healthy two-month-old Landrace x Yorkshire pigs of both sexes were randomly assigned to receive either tiletamine and xylazine (zx) or zolazepam and xylazine followed 20 minutes later by yohimbine (zxy). The pigs' scores for immobilisation and analgesia, and their rectal temperature, heart rate, respiration rate, pO(2), pCO(2), alkaline phosphatase, aspartate aminotransferase, glucose and total plasma proteins were determined before and five, 25, 45, 65 and 85 minutes after the administration of the tiletamine/zolazepam and xylazine. The mean total scores for immobilisation and analgesia of the zxy pigs were significantly lower than those of the zx pigs after 85 minutes.

Evaluation of Cu in hepatocellular carcinoma by particle induced X-ray emission.

copper, zinc, iron, and other nine trace elements (TEs) in 30 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) were determined from the HCC itself and the surrounding liver parenchyma (SLP) using particle induced X-ray emission (PIXE). The result showed that the level of Zn, Fe, Co, Ca, Mn, Rb, and Cl in HCC significantly differed from that in the SLP (P<0.01), while no notable change has been observed in content of Cu (P=0.

Plant phenolics as prolyl endopeptidase inhibitors.

Prolyl endopeptidase (PEP, EC 3.4.21.

Breast cancer screening for Korean women must consider traditional risks as well as two genetic risk factors: genetic polymorphisms and inheritable gene mutations.

Asian women worldwide have increasing rates of breast cancer due to acculturation which may be altering, gene to gene and/or, genetic and environmental interactions at the cellular level. The purpose of this integrative review is to alert nurses and physicians to rising rates of breast cancer among Korean women and to a need for breast health screening programs in the United States that are more culturally responsive and attentive to the effects of acculturation and genetic risk factors. A comprehensive review of the English and Korean literature pertaining to rising incidence of breast cancer among Korean women in their homeland and in the United States is retraced since 1983.

Culture and neural differentiation of rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells in vitro.

Adult bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) can differentiate into several types of mesenchymal cells, including osteocytes, chondrocytes, and adipocytes, but can also differentiate into non-mesenchymal cells, such as neural cells, under appropriate experimental conditions. Until now, many protocols for inducing neuro-differentiation in MSCs in vitro have been reported. But due to the differences in MSCs' isolation and culture conditions, the results of previous studies lacked consistency and comparability.

A tetra(L-lysine)-grafted poly(organophosphazene) for gene delivery.

In order to develop a new gene delivery vector, a novel cationic poly(organophosphazene) was synthesized by stepwise nucleophilic substitutions of poly(dichlorophosphazene) with a hydrophilic methoxy-poly(ethylene glycol) (MPEG) as a shielding group and a branched tetra(L-lysine), LysLys(LysEt)(2), as a cationic moiety. The cationic polymer has shown to form a polyplex by DNA condensation and very low in vitro cytotoxicity probably due to the shielding effect of MPEG, which provides a basis for improving the low gene transfection yield of cationic polyphosphazenes.

Metastasis of a histologically benign choroid plexus papilloma: case report and review of the literature.

Cerebrospinal metastases of benign choroid plexus papillomas (CPPs) are extremely rare. We report a case of 32-year-old woman who presented with a 6-month history of vertigo and intermittent headache. Plain CT scan of the cranium revealed a partly calcified tumor filling the fourth ventricle and its right recess.

Synthesis, biological evaluation and structural determination of beta-aminoacyl-containing cyclic hydrazine derivatives as dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPP-IV) inhibitors.

Inhibitors of dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPP-IV) have been shown to be effective treatments for type 2 diabetes. A series of beta-aminoacyl-containing cyclic hydrazine derivatives were synthesized and evaluated as DPP-IV inhibitors. One member of this series, (R)-3-amino-1-(2-benzoyl-1,2-diazepan-1-yl)-4-(2,4,5-trifluorophenyl)butan-1-one (10f), showed potent in vitro activity, good selectivity and in vivo efficacy in mouse models.

Fast preparation of PtRu catalysts supported on carbon nanofibers by the microwave-polyol method and their application to fuel cells.

PtRu alloy nanoparticles (24 +/- 1 wt %, Ru/Pt atomic ratios = 0.91-0.97) supported on carbon nanofibers (CNFs) were prepared within a few minutes by using a microwave-polyol method.

Inhalant use among indiana school children, 1991-2004.

Objective: To examine the prevalence and trend of inhalant use among Indiana public school students.

Methods: The Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drug Use among Indiana Children and Adolescents surveys conducted annually between 1991 and 2004 were reanalyzed using 2-way moving average, Poisson regression, and ANOVA tests.

Results: The prevalence had increased during 1991- 1997, decreased during 1997- 2002, and increased again since 2003.

Anticoccidial effect of green tea-based diets against Eimeria maxima.

Anticoccidial effects of green tea (GT)-based diets were evaluated in chickens following oral infection with Eimeria maxima an ubiquitous intestinal parasite of poultry that impairs the growth and feed efficiency of infected birds. Five-week-old chickens were assigned to four groups (GT 0.5%, GT 2.

Flexibility of inorganic tennis ball structures inducing anion selectivity.

Inorganic tennis balls (ITBs), [[{Pt(betmp)(dach)}(2)Cu](2)(X)][X](3) (in which X=ClO(4) (-) (3), NO(3) (-) (4), Cl(-) (5) and Br(-) (6); dach=trans-1,2-diaminocyclohexane and betmp=bisethylthiomethylidenepropanedioate) and [[{Pt(dteym)(dach)}(2)Cu](2)(PF(6))][PF(6)](3) (7; dteym=1,3-dithiepane-2-ylidenemalonate), were prepared as crystals. Investigation of their X-ray crystal structures revealed that shapes of the cavities in ITBs show significant distortions that depend on the properties of the encapsulated anions. The CuCu* distance was observed to be longest in 7 and shortest in 5, the difference between them being 2.

Nrf2: a potential molecular target for cancer chemoprevention by natural compounds.

One of the most prominent strategies of cancer chemoprevention might be protecting cells or tissues against various carcinogens and carcinogenic metabolites derived from exogenous or endogenous sources. This protection could be achieved through the induction of phase 2 detoxifying enzymes and antioxidant enzymes such as glutathione S-transferase, NAD(P)H quinone oxidoreductase 1, and heme oxygenase-1, a process that is mediated mainly by the antioxidant response elements (ARE) within the promoter regions of these genes. Nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), a member of the Cap 'n' collar (CNC) family of basic region-leucine zipper transcription factors, plays a key role in ARE-mediated gene expression.

Characterization of boldione and its metabolites in human urine by liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization mass spectrometry and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry.

Boldione (1,4-androstadiene-3,17-dione) is a direct precursor (prohormone) to the anabolic steroid boldenone (1,4-androstadiene-17beta-ol-3-one). It is advertised as a highly anabolic/androgenic compound promoting muscularity, enhancing strength and overall physical performance, and is available on the Internet and in health stores. This work was undertaken to determine and characterize boldione and its metabolites in human urine, using both liquid chromatography with electrospray ionization mass spectrometry and gas chromatography with mass spectrometry and derivatization.

Suppression of arachidonic acid metabolism and nitric oxide formation by kudzu isoflavones in murine macrophages.

Inhibitory effect of kudzu isoflavones on arachidonic acid metabolism and nitric oxide (NO) production in lipopolysaccharide activated RAW 264.7 macrophages were investigated. Isoflavone aglycones, such as daidzein, genistein, biochanin A, and formononetin significantly suppressed arachidonic acid release (50 microM).

Self-assembly of rectangles and prisms via a molecular "clip".

Aromatic molecular "clips" bearing two symmetrically bound platinum moieties have been prepared. The molecular "clip" 4 readily self-assembled with linear linkers such as 4,4'-bipyridyl, 1,4-bis[2-(4-isocyano-3,5-diisopropylphenyl)ethynyl]benzene, and nicotinic acid to form molecular rectangles. The overall dimensions of the rectangle 7 were 7.

Expression pattern and intensity of protoporphyrin IX induced by liposomal 5-aminolevulinic acid in rat pilosebaceous unit throughout hair cycle.

We have developed liposomal formulation of 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) to enhance topical delivery and examined ALA-induced protoporpyrin (PpIX) expression in rat pilosebaceous unit throughout hair cycle. Two types of liposomes--glycerol dilaulate (GDL) and phosphatidylcholine (PC)--were formulated and both liposomal ALA increased PpIX expression in rat dorsal skin and pilosebaceous units when compared with free ALA. However, iontophoresis combined with liposomal ALA reduced the expression intensity of PpIX in hair bulbs although it achieved deeper and wider expression of PpIX through transfollicular pathway.

The effect of xin mai tong capsules in protecting survival cardiac muscles of the patients with acute myocardial infarction.

To study the effect of Composite Xin Mai Tong capsules in protecting survival cardiac muscles in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) after percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) operation. The treatment with Composite XMT capsules started 3 days prior to the operation and continued for a period of 4 weeks; and its effect on the number of segments of nuclide resting ventricular myocardial imaging, the nuclide defect extension score (ES) and nuclide defect severity score (SS), and the level of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) of circulatory blood were determined and compared with that of the control group. More segments originally scored 1 turning to be scored 2 in nuclide imaging were seen in the treatment group than in the control group; and smaller ES and less SS seen in the former than in the latter group (P < 0.