Unique Features of Alarmone Metabolism in Clostridioides difficile.

The "magic spot" alarmones (pp)pGpp, previously implicated in Clostridioides difficile antibiotic survival, are synthesized by the RelA-SpoT homolog (RSH) of C. difficile (RSH) and RelQ. These enzymes are transcriptionally activated by diverse environmental stresses.

Enantioselective Catalytic Cyclopropanation-Rearrangement Approach to Chiral Spiroketals.

A highly enantioselective synthesis of chiral heterobicyclic spiroketals is reported via a "one-pot" cyclopropanation-rearrangement (CP-RA) cascade reaction that is sequentially catalyzed by a chiral Rh(II) catalyst and tetrabutylammonium fluoride (TBAF). Exocyclic vinyl substrates form spirocyclopropanes with -butyldimethylsilyl-protected enoldiazoacetates in excellent yields and with excellent enantioselectivities when catalyzed by chiral dirhodium(II) carboxylates, and following desilylation with simultaneous rearrangement in the presence of TBAF, they give ()-spiroketals in high yields with excellent chirality retention (>95% ).

Next generation sequencing and functional pathway analysis to understand the mechanism of action of copper-tolfenamic acid against pancreatic cancer cells.

Anti-cancer activity of tolfenamic acid (TA) in preclinical models for pancreatic cancer (PaCa) is well established. Since the dosage for anti-cancer actions of TA is rather high, we recently demonstrated that IC values of Copper-TA are 30-80% less than TA in 12 cancer cell lines. This study elucidates the underlying mechanisms of Copper-TA in PaCa cells.

Synthesis, characterization, DNA binding, topoisomerase inhibition, and apoptosis induction studies of a novel cobalt(III) complex with a thiosemicarbazone ligand.

In this study, 9-anthraldehyde-N(4)-methylthiosemicarbazone (MeATSC) 1 and [Co(phen)(OCO)]Cl·6HO 2 (where phen = 1,10-phenanthroline) were synthesized. [Co(phen)(OCO)]Cl·6HO 2 was used to produce anhydrous [Co(phen)(HO)](NO)3. Subsequently, anhydrous [Co(phen)(HO)](NO)3 was reacted with MeATSC 1 to produce [Co(phen)(MeATSC)](NO)·1.

Tolerance of High Oral Doses of Nonradioactive and Radioactive Caesium Chloride in the Pale Grass Blue Butterfly .

The biological effects of the Fukushima nuclear accident have been examined in the pale grass blue butterfly, (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae). In previous internal exposure experiments, larvae were given field-collected contaminated host plant leaves that contained up to 43.5 kBq/kg (leaf) of radioactive caesium.

Novel Survivin Inhibitor for Suppressing Pancreatic Cancer Cells Growth via Downregulating Sp1 and Sp3 Transcription Factors.

Background/aims: Targeting survivin, an anti-apoptotic protein and mitotic regulator, is considered as an effective therapeutic option for pancreatic cancer (PaCa). Tolfenamic acid (TA) showed anti-cancer activity in pre-clinical studies. A recent discovery demonstrated a copper(II) complex of TA (Cu-TA) can result in higher activity.

Copper-tolfenamic acid: evaluation of stability and anti-cancer activity.

The non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, Tolfenamic acid (TA) acts as an anti-cancer agent in several adult and pediatric cancer models. Copper (Cu) is an important element with multiple biological functions and has gained interest in medical applications. Recently, [Cu(TA)(bpy)] (Cu-TA) has been synthesized in order to enhance therapeutic activity.

Comparative Morphological Analysis of the Immature Stages of the Grass Blue Butterflies Zizeeria and Zizina (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae).

The pale grass blue butterfly has been used to assess the biological effects of the Fukushima nuclear accident. Zizeeria and Zizina are two closely related genera of grass blue butterflies that are widely distributed in tropical to temperate Asia, Australia, and Africa, making them suitable environmental indicators for these areas. However, the morphological features of the immature stages have been examined only in fragmentary fashion.

Distal-less induces elemental color patterns in Junonia butterfly wings.

Background: The border ocellus, or eyespot, is a conspicuous color pattern element in butterfly wings. For two decades, it has been hypothesized that transcription factors such as Distal-less (Dll) are responsible for eyespot pattern development in butterfly wings, based on their expression in the prospective eyespots. In particular, it has been suggested that Dll is a determinant for eyespot size.

A novel cluster of mariner-like elements belonging to mellifera subfamily from spiders and insects: implications of recent horizontal transfer on the South-West Islands of Japan.

Mariner-like elements (MLEs) have been isolated from various eukaryotic genomes and they are divided into 15 subfamilies, including main five subfamilies: mauritiana, cecropia, mellifera/capitata, irritans, and elegans/briggsae. In the present study, MLEs belonging to mellifera subfamily were isolated from various spiders and insects (Hymenoptera and Lepidoptera) inhabiting the South-West Islands of Japan and neighboring regions. MLEs isolated from 15 different species formed a distinct novel cluster in mellifera subfamily.