Directed Design, Screening and Antiglycation Activity for 3-Substituted Thiazolium Derivatives, New Analogs of Alagebrium.

Preliminary ab initio calculations led to the synthesis of novel substituted thiazolium salts, analogs of Alagebrium, which were further explored in vitro for their potential as inhibitors of the glycation reaction utilizing three distinct assays: inhibition of fluorescent AGEs formation, anticrosslinking, and deglycation. Despite the unidirectionality of the assays, distinct differences were observed in the mechanisms of interference and activity manifestation by the compounds. The gathered data permitted the formation of hypotheses about the molecular fragments of the studied antiglycators that are of utmost significance in each assay, thereby guiding future design endeavors.

The Fast Evolution of the Stenobothrini Grasshoppers (Orthoptera, Acrididae, and Gomphocerinae) Revealed by an Analysis of the Control Region of mtDNA, with an Emphasis on the Group.

The two cryptic grasshopper species of the genus , and , demonstrate different acoustic behavior despite a strong similarity in morphology. A hybridization between these species is possible in the contact zone; however, there are little molecular data about the relationships of these species. The analysis of the mtDNA control region (CR) reveals that haplotypes of have more in common with the more distant species than with the closely related .

Berberis vulgaris L. extract supplementation exerts regulatory effects on the lifespan and healthspan of Drosophila through its antioxidant activity depending on the sex.

Worldwide the aging population continues to increase, so the concept of healthy longevity medicine has become increasingly significant in modern society. Berberis vulgaris L. fruits serve as a functional food supplement with a high concentration of bioactive compounds, which offer numerous health-promoting benefits.

Highly Selective CO Hydrogenation to Methanol over Complex In/Co Catalysts: Effect of Polymer Frame.

The growing demand for new energy sources governs the intensive research into CO hydrogenation to methanol, a valuable liquid fuel. Recently, indium-based catalysts have shown promise in this reaction, but they are plagued by shortcomings such as structural instability during the reaction and low selectivity. Here, we report a new strategy of controlling the selectivity and stability of bimetallic magnetically recoverable indium-based catalysts deposited onto a solid support.

An Experimental Model of Proton-Beam-Induced Radiation Dermatitis In Vivo.

Radiation dermatitis (RD) is one of the most common side effects of radiation therapy. However, to date, there is a lack of both specific treatments for RD and validated experimental animal models with the use of various sources of ionizing radiation (IR) applied in clinical practice. The aim of this study was to develop and validate a model of acute RD induced using proton radiation in mice.

Behavioral performance and microglial status in mice after moderate dose of proton irradiation.

Cognitive impairment is a remote effect of gamma radiation treatment of malignancies. The major part of the studies on the effect of proton irradiation (a promising alternative in the treatment of radio-resistant tumors and tumors located close to critical organs) on the cognitive abilities of laboratory animals and their relation to morphological changes in the brain is rather contradictory. The aim of this study was to investigate cognitive functions and the dynamics of changes in morphological parameters of hippocampal microglial cells after 7.

The Effect of Chromosomes on Courtship Behavior in Sibling Species of the Group.

Prezygotic isolation mechanisms, particularly courtship behavior, play a significant role in the formation of reproductive barriers. The action of these mechanisms leads to the coexistence of numerous closely related insect species with specific adaptations in a shared or adjacent territory. The genetic basis of these mechanisms has been studied using closely related Drosophila species, such as the group.

Ultramicroporous Polyphenylenes via Diels-Alder Polycondensation Approach.

Development of new microporous organic polymers attracts significant attention due to a wide scope of promising applications. In addition, the synthesis of soluble, non-crosslinking polymers of high surface area and uniform microporosity is very challenging, and the methods for soluble microporous polymers formation are rather limited. In this work, we report a new approach to construct porous polyphenylenes which employs the Diels-Alder polycondensation of multifunctional ethynyl-containing monomers of different spatial architecture with bis(cyclopentadienone)s.

Complexes of Cationic Pyridylphenylene Dendrimers with Anionic Liposomes: The Role of Dendrimer Composition in Membrane Structural Changes.

In the last decades, dendrimers have received attention in biomedicine that requires detailed study on the mechanism of their interaction with cell membranes. In this article, we report on the role of dendrimer structure in their interaction with liposomes. Here, the interactions between cationic pyridylphenylene dendrimers of the first, second, and third generations with mixed or completely charged pyridyl periphery (D, D, D, and D) with cholesterol-containing (CL/Chol/DOPC) anionic liposomes were investigated by microelectrophoresis, dynamic light scattering, fluorescence spectroscopy, and conductometry.

Ni Nanoparticles Stabilized by Hyperbranched Polymer: Does the Architecture of the Polymer Affect the Nanoparticle Characteristics and Their Performance in Catalysis?

Heat-up and hot-injection methods were employed to synthesize Ni nanoparticles (NPs) with narrow size distribution in the presence of hyperbranched pyridylphenylene polymer (PPP) as a stabilizing agent. It was shown that depending on the synthetic method, Ni NPs were formed either in a cross-linked polymer network or stabilized by a soluble hyperbranched polymer. Ni NPs were characterized by a combination of transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning TEM, thermogravimetric analysis, powder X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, energy dispersive X-ray analysis, and magnetic measurements.

Dendrimers as Antiamyloid Agents.

Dendrimer-protein conjugates have significant prospects for biological applications. The complexation changes the biophysical behavior of both proteins and dendrimers. The dendrimers could influence the secondary structure of proteins, zeta-potential, distribution of charged regions on the surface, the protein-protein interactions, etc.

Episodes of Rapid Recovery of the Functional Activity of the Gene in the Evolutionary History of Phylogenetically Distant Species.

As assemblies of genomes of new species with varying degrees of relationship appear, it becomes obvious that structural rearrangements of the genome, such as inversions, translocations, and transposon movements, are an essential and often the main source of evolutionary variation. In this regard, the following questions arise. How conserved are the regulatory regions of genes? Do they have a common evolutionary origin? And how and at what rate is the functional activity of genes restored during structural changes in the promoter region? In this article, we analyze the evolutionary history of the formation of the regulatory region of the gene in different lineages of the genus , as well as the participation of mobile elements in structural rearrangements and in the replacement of specific areas of the promoter region with those of independent evolutionary origin.

Ru@hyperbranched Polymer for Hydrogenation of Levulinic Acid to Gamma-Valerolactone: The Role of the Catalyst Support.

Hydrogenation of levulinic acid (LA) obtained from cellulose biomass is a promising path for production of γ-valerolactone (GVL)-a component of biofuel. In this work, we developed Ru nanoparticle containing nanocomposites based on hyperbranched pyridylphenylene polymer, serving as multiligand and stabilizing matrix. The functionalization of the nanocomposite with sulfuric acid significantly enhances the activity of the catalyst in the selective hydrogenation of LA to GVL and allows the reaction to proceed under mild reaction conditions (100 °C, 2 MPa of H) in water and low catalyst loading (0.

Low-Intensity Femtosecond Radiation Activates the Natural Defenses of Mice in vivo.

The possibility of induction of cytogenetic damage in the bone marrow, changes in the cellularity of lymphoid organs and blood composition in mice irradiated with low-intensity femtosecond laser radiation at a power flux density of 5.1, 10.4, and 52 mJ/cm (0.

Magnetically Recoverable Nanoparticulate Catalysts for Cross-Coupling Reactions: The Dendritic Support Influences the Catalytic Performance.

Carbon-carbon cross-coupling reactions are among the most important synthetic tools for the preparation of pharmaceuticals and bioactive compounds. However, these reactions are normally carried out using copper, phosphines, and/or amines, which are poisonous for pharmaceuticals. The use of nanocomposite catalysts holds promise for facilitating these reactions and making them more environmentally friendly.

Atomic-Scale Modification of Oxidation Phenomena on the Ge(100) Surface by Si Alloying.

Properties of Ge oxides are significantly different from those of widely used Si oxides. For example, the instability of GeO at device junctions causes electronic defect levels that degrade the performance of Ge-containing devices (e.g.

Interaction of multicomponent anionic liposomes with cationic pyridylphenylene dendrimer: Does the complex behavior depend on the liposome composition?

Dendrimers are individual macromolecular compounds having a great potential for biomedical application. The key step of the cell penetration by dendrimers is the interaction with lipid bilayer. Here, the interaction between cationic pyridylphenylene dendrimer of third generation (D) and multicomponent liquid (CL/POPC), solid (CL/DPPC) and cholesterol-containing (CL/POPC/30% Chol) anionic liposomes was investigated by dynamic light scattering, fluorescence spectroscopy, conductometry, calorimetric studies and molecular dynamic (MD) simulations.

Hsp70 affects memory formation and behaviorally relevant gene expression in Drosophila melanogaster.

Heat shock proteins, in particular Hsp70, play a central role in proteostasis in eukaryotic cells. Due to its chaperone properties, Hsp70 is involved in various processes after stress and under normal physiological conditions. In contrast to mammals and many Diptera species, inducible members of the Hsp70 family in Drosophila are constitutively synthesized at a low level and undergo dramatic induction after temperature elevation or other forms of stress.

Low dose of carbon ion irradiation induces early delayed cognitive impairments in mice.

People often encounter various sources of ionizing radiation, both in modern medicine and under various environmental conditions, such as space travel, nuclear power plants or in conditions of man-made disasters that may lead to long-term cognitive impairment. Whilst the effect of exposure to low and high doses of gamma and X-radiation on the central nervous system (CNS) has been well investigated, the consequences of protons and heavy ions irradiation are quite different and poorly understood. As for the assessment of long-term effects of carbon ions on cognitive abilities and neurodegeneration, very few data appeared in the literature.

The effects of the sex chromosomes on the inheritance of species-specific traits of the copulatory organ shape in Drosophila virilis and Drosophila lummei.

The shape of the male genitalia in many taxa is the most rapidly evolving morphological structure, often driving reproductive isolation, and is therefore widely used in systematics as a key character to distinguish between sibling species. However, only a few studies have used the genital arch of the male copulatory organ as a model to study the genetic basis of species-specific differences in the Drosophila copulatory system. Moreover, almost nothing is known about the effects of the sex chromosomes on the shape of the male mating organ.

Pd Catalyst Based on Hyperbranched Polypyridylphenylene Formed In Situ on Magnetic Silica Allows for Excellent Performance in Suzuki-Miyaura Reaction.

Here, for the first time, we developed a catalytic composite by forming a thin layer of a cross-linked hyperbranched pyridylphenylene polymer (PPP) on the surface of mesoporous magnetic silica (FeO-SiO, MS) followed by complexation with Pd species. The interaction of Pd acetate (PdAc) with pyridine units of the polymer results in the formation of Pd complexes which are evenly distributed through the PPP layer. The MS-PPP-PdAc catalyst was tested in the Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling reaction with four different para-Br-substituted arenes, demonstrating enhanced catalytic properties for substrates containing electron withdrawing groups, and especially, for 4-bromobenzaldehyde.

Combined Effect of Low-Intensity Helium-Neon Laser and X-Ray Radiation on in Vivo Cellular Response of the Whole Blood and Lymphoid Organs in Mice.

We studied the effect of exposure to helium-neon laser (dose range 0.16-50 mJ/cm) on activation of natural protection reserve in mice using the adaptive response test. DNA comets method revealed a protective response manifested in DNA damage level in whole blood leukocytes of mice and in lymphoid organs by the thymus and spleen weight index; preexposure to laser did not induce the adaptive response.