Skin delivery of synthetic benzoyl pterostilbenes suppresses atopic dermatitis-like inflammation through the inhibition of keratinocyte and macrophage activation.

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is one of the most common skin autoimmune diseases needing continuous anti-inflammatory management. Pterostilbene is reported to exhibit anti-inflammatory activity with higher bioavailability and stability than its parent compound, resveratrol. In this study, a series of synthetic pterostilbene analogs were designed by the hybridization of pterostilbene with chalcones or benzoyl chloride.

Nanostructured Conductive Polypyrrole for Antibacterial Components in Flexible Wearable Devices.

The power generated by flexible wearable devices (FWDs) is normally insufficient to eradicate bacteria, and many conventional antibacterial strategies are also not suitable for flexible and wearable applications because of the strict mechanical and electrical requirements. Here, polypyrrole (PPy), a conductive polymer with a high mass density, is used to form a nanostructured surface on FWDs for antibacterial purposes. The conductive films with PPy nanorods (PNRs) are found to sterilize 98.

Correction: Tuning the arrangement of lamellar nanostructures: achieving the dual function of physically killing bacteria and promoting osteogenesis.

Correction for 'Tuning the arrangement of lamellar nanostructures: achieving the dual function of physically killing bacteria and promoting osteogenesis' by Shi Mo , , 2023, , 881-888, https://doi.org/10.1039/d2mh01147f.

Quantifiable Relationship Between Antibacterial Efficacy and Electro-Mechanical Intervention on Nanowire Arrays.

Physical disruption is an important antibacterial means as it is lethal to bacteria without spurring antimicrobial resistance. However, it is very challenging to establish a quantifiable relationship between antibacterial efficacy and physical interactions such as mechanical and electrical forces. Herein, titanium nitride (TN) nanowires with adjustable orientations and capacitances are prepared to exert gradient electro-mechanical forces on bacteria.

Tuning the arrangement of lamellar nanostructures: achieving the dual function of physically killing bacteria and promoting osteogenesis.

Bacteria killing behavior based on physical effects is preferred for biomedical implants because of the negligible associated side effects. However, our current understanding of the antibacterial activity of nanostructures remains limited and, in practice, nanoarchitectures that are created on orthopedics should also promote osteogenesis simultaneously. In this study, tilted and vertical nanolamellar structures are fabricated on semi-crystalline polyether-ether-ketone (PEEK) argon plasma treatment with or without pre-annealing.

Enhancement of Anticancer Potential of Pterostilbene Derivative by Chalcone Hybridization.

Pterostilbene, a natural metabolite of resveratrol, has been indicated as a potent anticancer molecule. Recently, several pterostilbene derivatives have been reported to exhibit better anticancer activities than that of the parent pterostilbene molecule. In the present study, a series of pterostilbene derivatives were designed and synthesized by the hybridization of pterostilbene, chalcone, and cinnamic acid.

An Untargeted Metabolomics Investigation of Milk from Dairy Cows with Clinical Mastitis by H-NMR.

Mastitis is one of the diseases with the highest incidence in dairy cows, causing huge economic losses to the dairy industry all over the world. The aim of the study was to characterize mastitic milk metabolome through untargeted nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (H-NMR). Taking advantage of the high reproducibility of H-NMR, we had the opportunity to provide quantitative information for all the metabolites identified.

Corrosion Behavior and Biocompatibility of Diamond-like Carbon-Coated Zinc: An In Vitro Study.

Owing to the desirable degradation rate and good biocompatibility, zinc (Zn) and Zn alloys are promising biodegradable implant metals in orthopedic and cardiovascular applications. Surface modification, such as deposition of coatings, is frequently implemented to further enhance their biological properties. In this study, diamond-like carbon (DLC) films are deposited on Zn by magnetron sputtering.

Plasma-activated interfaces for biomedical engineering.

As an important phenomenon to monitor disease development, cell signaling usually takes place at the interface between organisms/cells or between organisms/cells and abiotic materials. Therefore, finding a strategy to build the specific biomedical interfaces will help regulate information transmission and produce better therapeutic results to benefit patients. In the past decades, plasmas containing energetic and active species have been employed to construct various interfaces to meet biomedical demands such as bacteria inactivation, tissue regeneration, cancer therapy, and so on.

Stability improvement for dried droplet pretreatment by suppression of coffee ring effect using electrochemical anodized nanoporous tin dioxide substrate.

A novel nanoporous analytical platform is reported to improve the stability of the dried droplet method (DDM). This nanoporous platform was made of tin dioxide (Np SnO) substrate by electrochemical anodization from tin (Sn) slide. The DDM is a widely used sample pretreatment in analytical chemistry that involves placing a droplet of solution onto the substrate and drying for analytical testing.

Synthetic Naphthofuranquinone Derivatives Are Effective in Eliminating Drug-Resistant in Hyphal, Biofilm, and Intracellular Forms: An Application for Skin-Infection Treatment.

is the most common cause of fungal infection. The emergence of drug resistance leads to the need for novel antifungal agents. We aimed to design naphthofuranquinone analogs to treat drug-resistant for topical application on cutaneous candidiasis.

A Quantitative Bacteria Monitoring and Killing Platform Based on Electron Transfer from Bacteria to a Semiconductor.

A platform with both bacteria killing and sensing capabilities is crucial for monitoring the entire bacteria-related process on biomaterials and biomedical devices. Electron transfer (ET) between the bacteria and a Au-loaded semiconductor (ZnO) is observed to be the primary factor for effective bacteria sensing and fast bacteria killing. The electrons produce a saturation current that varies linearly with the bacteria number, semi-logarithmically, with R of 0.

Discovery of 4-Anilinoquinolinylchalcone Derivatives as Potential NRF2 Activators.

Activation of nuclear factor erythroid-2-related factor 2 (NRF2) has been proven to be an effective means to prevent the development of cancer, and natural curcumin stands out as a potent NRF2 activator and cancer chemopreventive agent. In this study, we have synthesized a series of 4-anilinoquinolinylchalcone derivatives, and used a NRF2 promoter-driven firefly luciferase reporter stable cell line, the HaCaT/ARE cells, to screen a panel of these compounds. Among them, ()-3-{4-[(4-acetylphenyl)amino]quinolin-2-yl}-1-(4-fluorophenyl)prop-2-en-1-one () significantly increased NRF2 activity in the HaCaT cell with a half maximal effective concentration (EC) value of 1.

Facile skin targeting of a thalidomide analog containing benzyl chloride moiety alleviates experimental psoriasis via the suppression of MAPK/NF-κB/AP-1 phosphorylation in keratinocytes.

Background: Thalidomide can be a TNF-α inhibitor for treating skin inflammation. This drug exhibits a strong toxicity that limits its application.

Objective: We synthesized a thalidomide analog containing the benzyl chloride group (2-[1-(3-chlorobenzyl)-2,6-dioxopiperidin-3-yl]isoindoline-1,3-dione, CDI) to examine anti-inflammatory activity against psoriasis.

Nonleaching Antibacterial Concept Demonstrated by In Situ Construction of 2D Nanoflakes on Magnesium.

In bone implants, antibacterial biomaterials with nonleaching surfaces are superior to ones based on abrupt release because systemic side effects arising from the latter can be avoided. In this work, a nonleaching antibacterial concept is demonstrated by fabricating 2D nanoflakes in situ on magnesium (Mg). Different from the conventional antibacterial mechanisms that depend on Mg release and pH increase, the nanoflakes exert mechanical tension onto the bacteria membranes to destroy microorganisms on contact and produce intracellular stress via physical interactions, which is also revealed by computational simulations.

Atomic-Scale Intercalation of Graphene Layers into MoSe Nanoflower Sheets as a Highly Efficient Catalyst for Hydrogen Evolution Reaction.

MoSe is an efficient catalyst for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and can potentially replace conventional catalysts composed of noble metals such as Pt. The HER activity of MoSe originates mainly from the edge sites of Se atoms, but the low concentration of Se exposed to the electrolyte hampers the performance. Hence, activating a larger portion of the basal plane of Se atoms is an effective way to improve the HER properties.

Discovery of 3-Arylquinoxaline Derivatives as Potential Anti-Dengue Virus Agents.

We designed and synthesized a series of novel 3-arylquinoxaline derivatives and evaluated their biological activities as potential dengue virus (DENV) replication inhibitors. Among them, [3-(4-methoxyphenyl)quinoxalin-2-yl](phenyl)methanol (), [6,7-dichloro-3-(4-methoxyphenyl)quinoxalin-2-yl](phenyl)methanol (), and (4-methoxyphenyl)(3-phenylquinoxalin-2-yl)methanone () were found to significantly inhibit the DENV RNA expression in Huh-7-DV-Fluc cells with a potency better than that of ribavirin. Compound reduced DENV replication in both viral protein and messenger RNA (mRNA) levels in a dose-dependent manner and exhibited no significant cell cytotoxicity.

Design, Synthesis, and Anti-Bacterial Evaluation of Triazolyl-Pterostilbene Derivatives.

resistance to current antibiotics has become the greatest global challenge facing public health. The development of new antimicrobial agents is urgent and important and is needed to provide additional therapeutic options. In our previous study, we found out that pterostilbene exhibited potent antibacterial activity, especially against methicillin-resistant (MRSA).

Discovery of Furanoquinone Derivatives as a Novel Class of DNA Polymerase and Gyrase Inhibitors for MRSA Eradication in Cutaneous Infection.

Methicillin-resistant (MRSA) is the primary microbe responsible for skin infections that are particularly difficult to eradicate. This study sought to inhibit planktonic and biofilm MRSA using furanoquinone-derived compounds containing imine moiety. A total of 19 furanoquinone analogs were designed, synthesized, and assessed for anti-MRSA potency.

Discovery of 2-Substituted 3-Arylquinoline Derivatives as Potential Anti-Inflammatory Agents Through Inhibition of LPS-Induced Inflammatory Responses in Macrophages.

We describe herein the preparation of certain 2-substituted 3-arylquinoline derivatives and the evaluation of their anti-inflammatory effects in LPS-activated murine J774A.1 macrophage cells. Among these newly synthesized 2-substituted 3-arylquinoline derivatives, 2-(4-methoxy- benzoyl)-3-(3,4,5-trimethoxyphenyl)quinoline () and 2-(4-fluorobenzoyl)-3-(3,4,5-trimethoxy- phenyl)quinoline () are two of the most active compounds which can inhibit the production of NO at non-cytotoxic concentrations.

Intrinsic Surface Effects of Tantalum and Titanium on Integrin α5β1/ ERK1/2 Pathway-Mediated Osteogenic Differentiation in Rat Bone Mesenchymal Stromal Cells.

Background/aims: Accumulating evidence demonstrates the superior osteoinductivity of tantalum (Ta) to that of titanium (Ti); however, the mechanisms underlying these differences are unclear. Thus, the objective of the present study was to examine the effects of Ta and Ti surfaces on osteogenesis using rat bone mesenchymal stromal cells (rBMSCs) as a model.

Methods: Ta and Ti substrates were polished to a mirror finish to minimize the influences of structural factors, and the intrinsic surface effects of the two materials on the integrin α5β1/mitogen-activated protein kinases 3 and 1 (ERK1/2) cascade-mediated osteogenesis of rBMSCs were evaluated.

Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of Thalidomide Derivatives as Potential Anti-Psoriasis Agents.

Several thalidomide derivatives were synthesized and evaluated for their anti-inflammatory activity. Introduction of the benzyl group to the parent thalidomide is unfavorable in which 2-(1-benzyl-2,6-dioxopiperidin-3-yl)isoindoline-1,3-dione () was inactivated. However, the inhibitory activities on TNF-α and IL-6 expression in HaCaT cells were improved by the substitution of a chloro- or methoxy- group at the phenyl position of .

Immunomodulatory Effects of Calcium and Strontium Co-Doped Titanium Oxides on Osteogenesis.

The effects of calcium (Ca) or strontium (Sr) on host osteogenesis and immune responses have been investigated separately. In clinical practice, these two elements may both be present around an orthopedic device, but their potential synergistic effects on osteogenesis and the immune response have not been explored to date. In this work, we investigated the immunomodulatory effects of Ca and Sr co-doped titanium oxides on osteogenesis using the mouse macrophage cell line RAW 264.

Monte Carlo simulation of vapor-liquid equilibrium and critical asymmetry of square-well dimer fluid.

The critical behavior of square-well dimer fluid has been investigated using grand canonical ensemble Monte Carlo simulations combined with a histogram reweighting technique, hyper-parallel tempering and finite-size scaling. The critical temperature and density obtained are T(c)*=1.5495±0.