Screening of the Medicines for Malaria Venture Pandemic Response Box for Discovery of Antivirulent Drug against Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Resistance development and exhaustion of the arsenal of existing antibacterial agents urgently require an alternative approach toward drug discovery. Herein, we report the screening of Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV) Pandemic Response Box (PRB) through a cascade developed to streamline the potential compounds with antivirulent properties to combat an opportunistic pathogen, Pseudomonas aeruginosa. To find an agent suppressing the production of P.

Silver Nanoparticles and Its Mechanistic Insight for Chronic Wound Healing: Review on Recent Progress.

Wounds are structural and functional disruptions of skin that occur because of trauma, surgery, acute illness, or chronic disease conditions. Chronic wounds are caused by a breakdown in the finely coordinated cascade of events that occurs during healing. Wound healing is a long process that split into at least three continuous and overlapping processes: an inflammatory response, a proliferative phase, and finally the tissue remodeling.

Semi-synthetic puwainaphycin/minutissamide cyclic lipopeptides with improved antifungal activity and limited cytotoxicity.

Microbial cyclic lipopeptides are an important class of antifungal compounds with applications in pharmacology and biotechnology. However, the cytotoxicity of many cyclic lipopeptides limits their potential as antifungal drugs. Here we present a structure-activity relationship study on the puwainaphycin/minutissamide (PUW/MIN) family of cyclic lipopeptides isolated from cyanobacteria.

Fatty Acid Substitutions Modulate the Cytotoxicity of Puwainaphycins/Minutissamides Isolated from the Baltic Sea Cyanobacterium UHCC-0300.

Puwainaphycins (PUW) and minutissamides (MIN) are structurally homologous cyclic lipopeptides that exhibit high structural variability and possess antifungal and cytotoxic activities. While only a minor variation can be found in the amino acid composition of the peptide cycle, the fatty acid (FA) moiety varies largely. The effect of FA functionalization on the bioactivity of PUW/MIN chemical variants is poorly understood.

New Insights into Tolytoxin Effect in Human Cancer Cells: Apoptosis Induction and the Relevance of Hydroxyl Substitution of Its Macrolide Cycle on Compound Potency.

Scytophycins, including tolytoxin, represent a class of actin disrupting macrolides with strong antiproliferative effects on human cells. Despite intense research, little attention has been paid to scytophycin-induced cell death or the structural features affecting its potency. We show that tolytoxin and its natural analogue, 7-O-methylscytophycin B, lacking the hydroxyl substitution in its macrolactone ring, differ substantially in their cytotoxic effect.

Similar incidence of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in patients with rheumatic diseases with and without hydroxychloroquine therapy.

Background: Hydroxychloroquine is not efficacious as post-exposure prophylaxis against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). It is not known whether as pre-exposure prophylaxis it may prevent COVID-19.

Objective: To compare the incidence of COVID-19 in Spanish patients with autoimmune rheumatic diseases treated with and without hydroxychloroquine.

Draft Genome Sequence of Terrestrial sp. Strain VITNK9, Isolated from Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India, Exhibiting Antagonistic Activity against Fish Pathogens.

We report the draft genome sequence of sp. strain VITNK9, isolated from a soil sample collected in Vellore District (12.9165°N, 79.

Biological and Pharmacological Potential of Xylitol: A Molecular Insight of Unique Metabolism.

Xylitol is a white crystalline, amorphous sugar alcohol and low-calorie sweetener. Xylitol prevents demineralization of teeth and bones, otitis media infection, respiratory tract infections, inflammation and cancer progression. NADPH generated in xylitol metabolism aid in the treatment of glucose-6-phosphate deficiency-associated hemolytic anemia.

Discovery of Unusual Cyanobacterial Tryptophan-Containing Anabaenopeptins by MS/MS-Based Molecular Networking.

Heterocytous cyanobacteria are among the most prolific sources of bioactive secondary metabolites, including anabaenopeptins (APTs). A terrestrial filamentous sp. CT11 collected in Costa Rica bamboo forest as a black mat, was studied using a multidisciplinary approach: genome mining and HPLC-HRMS/MS coupled with bioinformatic analyses.

Antimicrobial activity and bioactive profiling of heterocytous cyanobacterial strains using MS/MS-based molecular networking.

The rapid emergence of resistance in pathogenic bacteria together with a steep decline in economic incentives has rendered a new wave in the drug development by the pharmaceutical industry and researchers. Since cyanobacteria are recognized as wide producers of pharmaceutically important compounds, we investigated thirty-four cyanobacterial extracts prepared by solvents of different polarities for their antimicrobial potential. Almost all tested cyanobacterial strains exhibited some degree of antimicrobial bioactivity, with more general effect on fungal strains compared with bacteria.

Organoarsenical species contents in cooked seafood.

The organoarsenical species arsenobetaine (AB), arsenocholine (AC), tetramethylarsonium ion (TMA+), dimethylarsinic acid (DMA), and monomethylarsonic acid (MMA) were determined in 64 cooked seafood products (fish, bivalves, squid, crustaceans) included in a Total Diet Study carried out in the Basque Country (Spain). For cooking, various treatments were employed (grilling, roasting, baking, stewing, boiling, steaming, microwaving). The results obtained show that in cooked seafood AB is the major species, followed by DMA and TMA+.

Communication and social skills in socially anxious and nonanxious individuals in the context of romantic relationships.

This study examined differences between socially anxious and nonanxious individuals' ability to use effective communication skills and social skills in the context of romantic relationships. Socially anxious (n = 13) and nonanxious (n = 14) individuals and their romantic partners were videotaped while participating in 10-minute neutral, negative, and pleasant conversations. Regardless of the type of conversation in which they were involved, socially anxious individuals demonstrated impairment in 10 of the 11 social skill variables assessed.

Organoarsenical species contents in fresh and processed seafood products.

A study was carried out to determine organic species of arsenic in the main varieties of seafood consumed in the Basque country (Spain). The concentrations of arsenobetaine (AB), dimethylarsinic acid (DMA), monomethylarsonic acid (MMA), arsenocholine (AC), and tetramethylarsonium ion (TMA(+)) in 64 samples corresponding to different food items are presented. The study provides information about a possible distribution pattern of organoarsenical species in seafood products.

Arsenic in cooked seafood products: study on the effect of cooking on total and inorganic arsenic contents.

Total and inorganic arsenic contents were analyzed in cooked seafood products consumed in Spain during the period July 1997-June 1998: hake, meagrim, small hake, anchovy, Atlantic horse mackerel, sardine, bivalves, crustaceans, squid, and salted cod. Various cooking treatments were used (grilling, roasting, baking, stewing, boiling, steaming, and microwaving). The results obtained were compared statistically with those found previously in the same products raw, and they showed that after cooking there was a significant increase in the concentration of total arsenic for salted cod and bivalves, and in the concentration of inorganic arsenic for bivalves and squid.

Mixed Monolayers of Cyclosporin-A and Phospholipids at the Air-Water Interface.

Cyclosporin-A (CsA) is a pharmaceutical product which has a polypeptide structure and immunosuppressive activity. It may be administered in the form of liposomes, and this has a series of advantages. Therefore, in this paper, the possible interaction between CsA and phospholipids is studied.

Total and inorganic arsenic in fresh and processed fish products.

Total arsenic and inorganic arsenic contents were determined in 153 samples of seafood products consumed in the Basque Country (Spain): fish (white fish and blue fish), mollusks, crustaceans, and preserved fish. White fish presented higher levels of total arsenic and lower levels of inorganic arsenic than the blue fish, indicating possible differences in the metabolization of inorganic arsenic. For total arsenic, 66% of the samples exceeded the maximum permitted level by the strictest international legislation in seafood products [1 microg g(-)(1), wet weight (ww)].

[Incidence of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis in cirrhotic patients with ascites. A two-year prospective study].

The prevalence of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis in patients with decompensated liver cirrhosis admitted to our unit during last two years was studied. Criteria of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis were positive bacteriology and greater than 250/mm3 polymorphonuclear leukocyte count. 84 examinations in 50 patients were made.

[Serum aluminum and normal kidney function: effect of age and environmental exposure to aluminum].

The first cases of aluminium (Al) toxicity were reported in metal workers with apparent normal renal function. Although safety in industry has had a great improvement over the last decades, it is reasonable to think that Al workers might have a higher daily Al exposure than normal population. Therefore the aim of this study was to investigate the serum Al levels in volunteers with normal renal function, having different jobs, including people working in the main Al factory in our area.

Endogenous inhibitors of monoamine oxidase present in human cerebrospinal fluid.

Inhibitory activity against the enzyme monoamine oxidase is present in low molecular weight fractions (less than 100,000) of human cerebrospinal fluid. These endogenous substances of different molecular weights (3000 to more than 35,000) act like monoamine oxidase inhibitor drugs to inhibit both type A and type B monoamine oxidase.