Formation and Characterization of Chitosan-Based Polyelectrolyte Complex Containing Antifungal Phenylpropanoids.

In this work, a novel chitosan-based polyelectrolyte complex (PEC) was prepared using chitosan as the cationic polyelectrolyte, while a potassium salt of poly(maleic anhydride-alt-tetradecene) (PMA-14) served as the anionic counterpart. These PECs were used for the encapsulation of two nitroeugenol derivatives: 4-allyl-2-methoxy-6-nitrophenol () and 2-allyl-6-nitrophenol (). The results confirm complex formation and efficient encapsulation of active compounds.

Health Care Access and Quality of Life of Community-Dwelling Senior Citizens in Pampanga, Philippines.

This study examined the association between healthcare access and quality of life (QOL) among senior citizens in Pampanga, Philippines. We conducted a cross-sectional study among 410 community-dwelling senior citizens aged 60 and above. Using validated scales, we assessed both healthcare access and QOL.

Synthesis, Biological Activity, and Molecular-Docking Studies of New Brassinosteroid Analogs.

Much work has been dedicated to the quest to determine the structure-activity relationship in synthetic brassinosteroid (BR) analogs. Recently, it has been reported that analogs with phenyl or benzoate groups in the alkyl chain present activities comparable to those shown by natural BRs, depending on the nature of the substituent in the aromatic ring. However, as it is well known that the activity depends on the structure of the whole molecule, in this work, we have synthesized a series of compounds with the same substituted benzoate in the alkyl chain and a hydroxyl group at C3.

Novel Brassinosteroid Analogues with 3,6 Dioxo Function, 24-Nor-22()-Hydroxy Side Chain and -Substituted Benzoate Function at C-23-Synthesis and Evaluation of Plant Growth Effects.

Brassinosteroids (BRs) are an important group of polyhydroxylated naturally occurring steroidal phytohormones found in the plant kingdom in extremely low amounts. Due to the low concentrations in which these compounds are found, much effort has been dedicated to synthesizing these compounds or their structural analogs using natural and abundant sterols. In this work, we report the synthesis of new brassinosteroid analogs obtained from hyodeoxycholic acid, with a 3,6 dioxo function, 24-Nor-22()-hydroxy side chain and -substituted benzoate function at C-23.

Antimicrobial Activity of Drimanic Sesquiterpene Compounds from against Multiresistant Microorganisms.

In this work, a group of ten sesquiterpene drimanes, including polygodial (), isopolygodial (), and drimenol () obtained from the bark of F. and seven synthetic derivatives, were tested in vitro against a unique panel of bacteria, fungi, and oomycetes with standardized procedures against bacterial strains , , , and The minimum inhibitory concentrations and bactericidal activities were evaluated using standardized protocols. Polygodial () was the most active compound, with MBC 8 μg/mL and MIC 16 μg/mL in ; MBC 16 μg/mL and MIC 32 μg/mL in ; MBC 64 μg/mL and MIC 64 μg/mL in ; and MBC 8 μg/mL and MIC 16 μg/mL and MBC 32 μg/mL and MIC 64 μg/mL in , respectively.

Ethanolic Extract from Fruits of , a Chilean Extremophile Plant. Assessment of Antioxidant Activity and In Vitro Cytotoxicity.

is a shrub with yellow flowers that reach up to two meters high, endemic of the Atacama Region in Chile. This species grows under special environmental conditions such as low altitude, arid areas, and directly sun-exposed habitats. In the present study, ethanolic extract was obtained from fruits of , and then partitioned in solvents of increasing polarity to obtain five fractions: hexane (HF), dichloromethane (DF), ethyl acetate (AF), and the residual water fraction (QF).

Imaging Diffusion and Stability of Single-Chain Polymeric Nanoparticles in a Multi-Gel Tumor-on-a-Chip Microfluidic Device.

The performance of single-chain polymeric nanoparticles (SCPNs) in biomedical applications highly depends on their conformational stability in cellular environments. Until now, such stability studies are limited to 2D cell culture models, which do not recapitulate the 3D tumor microenvironment well. Here, a microfluidic tumor-on-a-chip model is introduced that recreates the tumor milieu and allows in-depth insights into the diffusion, cellular uptake, and stability of SCPNs.

New Brassinosteroid Analogs with 23,24-Dinorcholan Side Chain, and Benzoate Function at C-22: Synthesis, Assessment of Bioactivity on Plant Growth, and Molecular Docking Study.

The synthesis and biological evaluation of brassinosteroids (BRs) analogs with chemical modification in the side alkyl chain is a matter of current interest. Recently, a series of BR analogs with phenyl or benzoate groups in the alkyl chain have been reported. The effect of substitution in the aromatic ring on the biological activities of these new analogs has been evaluated, and the results suggest that the bioactivity is enhanced by substitution with an F atom.

Reaching the Tumor: Mobility of Polymeric Micelles Inside an Tumor-on-a-Chip Model with Dual ECM.

Degradable polymeric micelles are promising drug delivery systems due to their hydrophobic core and responsive design. When applying micellar nanocarriers for tumor delivery, one of the bottlenecks encountered is the tumor tissue barrier: crossing the dense mesh of cells and the extracellular matrix (ECM). Sometimes overlooked, the extracellular matrix can trap nanoformulations based on charge, size, and hydrophobicity.

The Synthesis of Novel -Steroids and , -Unsaturated-Cyanoketone from Diosgenin.

Recent studies have demonstrated the antiproliferative and cytotoxic effects of aza-steroids and steroidal sapogenins on human cancer cell lines. The scientific community has shown a growing interest in these compounds as drug candidates for cancer treatment. In the current work, we report the synthesis of new diosgenin oxime derivatives as potential antiproliferative agents.

Enhancing Safety in Hyperbaric Environments through Analysis of Autonomic Nervous System Responses: A Comparison of Dry and Humid Conditions.

Diving can have significant cardiovascular effects on the human body and increase the risk of developing cardiac health issues. This study aimed to investigate the autonomic nervous system (ANS) responses of healthy individuals during simulated dives in hyperbaric chambers and explore the effects of the humid environment on these responses. Electrocardiographic- and heart-rate-variability (HRV)-derived indices were analyzed, and their statistical ranges were compared at different depths during simulated immersions under dry and humid conditions.

Study of Cannabis Oils Obtained from Three Varieties of and by Two Different Extraction Methods: Phytochemical Characterization and Biological Activities.

Currently, much effort is being placed into obtaining extracts and/or essential oils from L. for specific therapeutic purposes or pharmacological compositions. These potential applications depend mainly on the phytochemical composition of the oils, which in turn are determined by the type of a and the extraction method used to obtain the oils.

Synthesis of Four Steroidal Carbamates with Antitumor Activity against Mouse Colon Carcinoma CT26WT Cells: In Vitro and In Silico Evidence.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most lethal cancers worldwide. If detected on time, surgery can expand life expectations of patients up to five more years. However, if metastasis has grown deliberately, the use of chemotherapy can play a crucial role in CRC control.

First wave of SARS-CoV-2 in Santiago Chile: Seroprevalence, asymptomatic infection and infection fatality rate.

Background: The first wave of SARS-CoV-2 infection in Chile occurred during the cold season reaching a peak by the end of June 2020, with 80 % of the cases concentrated in its capital, Santiago. The main objective of this study was to estimate the attack rate during this first wave of SARS-CoV-2 in a large, densely populated city with more than seven million inhabitants. Since the number of confirmed cases provides biased information due to individuals' potential self-selection, mostly related to asymptomatic patients and testing access, we measured antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 to assess infection prevalence during the first wave in the city, as well as estimate asymptomatic cases, and infection fatality ratio.

Secondary Metabolites Isolated from Chilean Marine Algae: A Review.

Chile is in the extreme southwestern part of America, and it has an extreme length, of approximately 4300 km that increases to 8000 km considering the Chilean Antarctic Territory. Despite the large extent of its coastal territory and the diversity of geographic environments and climates associated with Chilean coasts, the research on marine resources in Chile has been rather scarce. From marine organisms found in Chilean coastal waters, algae have been the most studied, since they contain a wide range of interesting secondary metabolites that have some structural traits that make them unique and uncharacteristic.

Phytochemical Profiling and Assessment of Anticancer Activity of Extracts Obtained from In Vitro Cultures.

Plant cell culture is a source of plant material from which bioactive metabolites can be extracted. In this work, the in vitro propagation of , an endemic Chilean shrub with anticancer activity, is described. Different media were tested and optimized for the introduction, propagation, and rooting steps of the micropropagation process.

Global longitudinal strain assessment of cardiac function and extravascular lung water formation after diving using semi-closed circuit rebreather.

Purpose: The aim of the present investigation is to study the relationship of ventricular global longitudinal strain (GLS) and ultrasound lung comets (ULC) formation to establish a link between extravascular pulmonary water formation and cardiac contractile dysfunction.

Methods: This is a prospective observational study including 14 active military divers. The subjects performed two sea dives of 120 min each with a semi-closed SCUBA circuit at 10 m depth.

Synthesis and Fungicidal Activity of Hydrated Geranylated Phenols against .

is a ubiquitous fungus that affects hundreds of plants, resulting in economic losses to the horticulture and fruit industry. The search for new antifungal agents is a matter of current interest. Thus, in this work a series of geranylated phenols in which the side alkyl chain has been hydrated have been synthesized, and their activity against has been evaluated.

Exposure of 4-year to 24-year olds to tobacco imagery on prime-time Chilean television.

Introduction: The extent of the population's exposure to tobacco imagery across all genres of regular TV programming and the contribution of each of these genres is unknown, except for UK broadcast channels. The objective of this study is to estimate the exposure of young people to tobacco imagery on Chilean prime-time television and the programme source contributing to such exposure.

Methods: Programmes aired during 3 weeks in 2019 from the 15 highest audience channels in Chile were content-analysed for the occurrence of tobacco categorised as actual use, implied use, tobacco paraphernalia, tobacco brand appearances and whether they violated Chilean smoke-free law for each 1 min interval (92 639).

A theoretical chemistry-based strategy for the rational design of new luminescent lanthanide complexes: an approach from a multireference SOC-NEVPT2 method.

Theoretical methods of the SOC-NEVPT2 type combined with a molecular fragmentation scheme have been proven to be a powerful tool that allows explaining the luminescence sensitization mechanism in Ln(III) coordination compounds through the antenna effect. In this work, we have used this strategy to predict luminescence in a family of compounds of the Eu(R-phen)(BTA)3 type where R-phen = 5-methyl-1,10-phenanthroline (Me-phen), 5-nitro-1,10-71 phenanthroline (Nitro-phen), 4,5-diazafluoren-9-one (One-phen), or 5,6-epoxy-5,6-dihydro-1,10-72 phenanthroline (Epoxy-phen); and BTA = fluorinated β-diketone. Possible sensitization pathways were elucidated from the energy difference between the ligand-centered triplet (T) states and the emissive excited states of the Eu(III) fragments (Latva rules).

Assessing the Control of Postharvest Gray Mold Disease on Tomato Fruit Using Mixtures of Essential Oils and Their Respective Hydrolates.

Gray mold disease, which is caused by Pers ex. Fr., results in serious economic losses to (tomato) crop productivity.

Synthesis and Biological Activity of New Brassinosteroid Analogs of Type 24-Nor-5β-Cholane and 23-Benzoate Function in the Side Chain.

Brassinosteroids are polyhydroxysteroids that are involved in different plants' biological functions, such as growth, development and resistance to biotic and external stresses. Because of its low abundance in plants, much effort has been dedicated to the synthesis and characterization of brassinosteroids analogs. Herein, we report the synthesis of brassinosteroid 24-nor-5β-cholane type analogs with 23-benzoate function and 22,23-benzoate groups.