Eco-Friendly Synthesis of ZnO for Efficient Photodegradation of Pharmaceutical Drug Removal by Photocatalysis.

In the present work, a comparative study on eco-friendly synthesis of zinc oxide (ZnO) sample 1 and sample 2 with 3.17 and 4.17 M NaOH, respectively, is reported.

Exploring the Potential of Saffron as a Therapeutic Agent in Depression Treatment: A Comparative Review.

Depression is a significant mental health challenge globally. While traditional antidepressants are effective, they often have unwanted side effects. Saffron, a natural spice derived from L.

KCa1.1 and Kv1.3 channels regulate the interactions between fibroblast-like synoviocytes and T lymphocytes during rheumatoid arthritis.

Background: Fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS) and CCR7 effector memory T (T) cells are two of the major cell types implicated in the progression of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). In particular, FLS become highly invasive, whereas T cells proliferate and secrete proinflammatory cytokines, during RA. FLS and T cells may also interact and influence each other's phenotypes.

Controlled cortical impact-induced neurodegeneration decreases after administration of the novel calpain-inhibitor Gabadur.

One aspect of secondary injury in traumatic brain injury is the marked increase in intracellular calcium and resultant over-activation of the calcium-dependent neutral cysteine protease calpain. Gabadur is a novel protease inhibitor with calpain-inhibition properties formulated from the classic protease inhibitor leupeptin linked to a pregabalin carrier. This construction allows the entire compound to cross the blood-brain barrier after peripheral administration to better target the site of injury.

A practical diastereoselective synthesis of (-)-bestatin.

Diastereoselective addition of nitromethane to Boc-D-Phe-H in the presence of sodium hydride in diethyl ether/hexane containing 15-crown-5 and subsequent N,O-protection with 2,2-dimethoxypropane gave trans-oxazolidine in a diastereomeric ratio of >16:1. The oxazolidine was easily separated by column chromatography, which after Nef reaction was coupled to H-Leu-OtBu. The 8-step synthesis afforded (-)-bestatin in an overall yield of 24.

Structure, folding and stability of a minimal homologue from Anemonia sulcata of the sea anemone potassium channel blocker ShK.

Peptide toxins elaborated by sea anemones target various ion-channel sub-types. Recent transcriptomic studies of sea anemones have identified several novel candidate peptides, some of which have cysteine frameworks identical to those of previously reported sequences. One such peptide is AsK132958, which was identified in a transcriptomic study of Anemonia sulcata and has a cysteine framework similar to that of ShK from Stichodactyla helianthus, but is six amino acid residues shorter.

Development of highly selective Kv1.3-blocking peptides based on the sea anemone peptide ShK.

ShK, from the sea anemone Stichodactyla helianthus, is a 35-residue disulfide-rich peptide that blocks the voltage-gated potassium channel Kv1.3 at ca. 10 pM and the related channel Kv1.

Kv1.3 channel-blocking immunomodulatory peptides from parasitic worms: implications for autoimmune diseases.

The voltage-gated potassium (Kv) 1.3 channel is widely regarded as a therapeutic target for immunomodulation in autoimmune diseases. ShK-186, a selective inhibitor of Kv1.

A potent and Kv1.3-selective analogue of the scorpion toxin HsTX1 as a potential therapeutic for autoimmune diseases.

HsTX1 toxin, from the scorpion Heterometrus spinnifer, is a 34-residue, C-terminally amidated peptide cross-linked by four disulfide bridges. Here we describe new HsTX1 analogues with an Ala, Phe, Val or Abu substitution at position 14. Complexes of HsTX1 with the voltage-gated potassium channels Kv1.

(99m)Tc-Galacto-RGD2: a novel 99mTc-labeled cyclic RGD peptide dimer useful for tumor imaging.

This study sought to evaluate [(99m)Tc(HYNIC-Galacto-RGD2)(tricine)(TPPTS)] ((99m)Tc-Galacto-RGD2: HYNIC = 6-hydrazinonicotinyl; Galacto-RGD2 = Glu[cyclo[Arg-Gly-Asp-D-Phe-Lys(SAA-PEG2-(1,2,3-triazole)-1-yl-4-methylamide)]]2 (SAA = 7-amino-L-glycero-L-galacto-2,6-anhydro-7-deoxyheptanamide, and PEG2 = 3,6-dioxaoctanoic acid); and TPPTS = trisodium triphenylphosphine-3,3',3″-trisulfonate) as a new radiotracer for tumor imaging. Galacto-RGD2 was prepared via the copper(I)-catalyzed 1,3-dipolar azide-alkyne Huisgen cycloaddition. HYNIC-Galacto-RGD2 was prepared by reacting Galacto-RGD2 with sodium succinimidyl 6-(2-(2-sulfonatobenzaldehyde)hydrazono)nicotinate (HYNIC-OSu) in the presence of diisopropylethylamine, and was evaluated for its integrin αvβ3 binding affinity against (125)I-echistatin bound to U87MG glioma cells.

Targeted tyrosine iodination in a multi-tyrosine vasopressin analog.

Iodination of the conserved 2-tyrosine (Tyr(2)) residue in the pressin and tocin rings of arginine- or lysine-vasopressin (AVP or LVP), and oxytocin, respectively, impairs binding to their respective receptors. Synthetic antagonists that have their Tyr(2) either replaced by another amino acid or irreversibly blocked by an O-methyl or O-ethyl ether, but have, instead, an iodinatable phenol moiety outside the pressin/tocin ring, are used for radiolabeling. We explored another approach to avoid iodinating Tyr(2) by capping this residue with a reversible O-acetyl group, incorporated during peptide synthesis.