Ecdysteroids from the Korean Endemic Species with Activities against Glucocorticoid Receptors and 11β-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase Type 1.

Two new ecdysteroids, spectasterone A () and spectasterone B (), together with four known ecdysteroids, breviflorasterone (), ajugalactone (), 20-hydroxyecdysone (), and polypodine B () were isolated from the Korean endemic plant using feature-based molecular networking analysis. The chemical structures of and were determined based on the interpretation of NMR and mass spectrometric data. Their absolute configurations were established using coupling constants, NOESY interactions, Mosher's method, and ECD and DP4+ calculations.

Comparison of Serum Urea, Salivary Urea, and Creatinine Levels in Pre-Dialysis and Post-Dialysis Patients: A Case-Control Study.

Background Frequent venepuncture for monitoring of serum urea and creatinine in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients on dialysis will result in venous damage and infection. In this research, we assessed the feasibility of utilizing salivary samples as a substitute for serum samples in determining the levels of urea and creatinine in patients with CKD undergoing dialysis. Methods The study participants included 50 patients diagnosed with CKD undergoing hemodialysis and an equal number of apparently healthy individuals.

Analysis of protein-protein interface with incorporating low-frequency molecular interactions in molecular dynamics simulation.

Protein-protein interactions are vital for various biological processes such as immune reaction, signal transduction, and viral infection. Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulation is a powerful tool for analyzing non-covalent interactions between two protein molecules. In general, MD simulation studies on the protein-protein interface have focused on the analysis of major and frequent molecular interactions.

Residue interaction network and molecular dynamics simulation study on the binding of S239D/I332E Fc variant with enhanced affinity to FcγRIIIa receptor.

Engineering of Fc has been adapted as an efficient method for enhanced or reduced affinity towards Fc receptors in the development of therapeutic antibodies. S239D/I332E mutation of Fc induces approximately two logs greater affinity to the FcγRIIIa receptor and has been extensively employed in various Fc engineering studies. It is known that the mutation gives rise to the formation of salt bridges between the mutated residues of Fc and FcγRIIIa, but the overall effect of the mutation in the binding interface of the Fc-FcγRIIIa complex is still unclear.

Effect of molecular properties of the protein-ligand complex on the prediction accuracy of AutoDock.

Molecular docking approach has been extensively used to predict the ligand's binding conformation in the binding pocket of protein. However, its prediction accuracy is still limited and highly dependent on target protein-ligand complexes. In this study, we investigated the effects of ligand torsion number, ligand hydrophobicity, and binding-site hydrophobicity on the prediction accuracy of Autodock, a popular molecular docking tool, combinatorially as well as respectively.

Combinatorial Effect of Ligand and Ligand-Binding Site Hydrophobicities on Binding Affinity.

Computational methods to study protein-ligand interactions at a molecular level have been successful to a certain extent in predicting the pose, atomic interactions, and so forth, but poor efficiency in estimating a protein-ligand binding affinity is still a crucial problem to be solved. Analyzing the protein-ligand interactions quantitatively is one primary concern for understanding. Qualitative analysis of these interactions may lead to better insights about protein-ligand interactions.

Activated derived biowaste carbon for enhanced desalination performance in brackish water.

Membrane capacitive deionization (MCDI) is an effective process to remove salt ions from brackish water. In this work, a systematic investigation was carried out to study the effects of applied potential and salt concentration on salt adsorption capacity (SAC), charge efficiency () and energy consumption in an MCDI system using biowaste derived carbon as electrodes. We studied the comparative MCDI performance of derived carbon as electrodes before and after activation.

Free-standing flexible film as a binder-free electrode for an efficient hybrid deionization system.

In recent years, capacitive deionization (CDI) has emerged as an energy efficient and cost-effective technology for the desalination of brackish water. However, high energy consumption and poor desalting efficiency at high salinity levels have hampered the application of CDI for seawater (∼35 000 mg L-1). A novel method of CDI termed hybrid capacitive deionization (HCDI) employs the use of a faradaic electrode paired with a capacitive electrode.

Efficient Sodium-Ion Intercalation into the Freestanding Prussian Blue/Graphene Aerogel Anode in a Hybrid Capacitive Deionization System.

In this study, we introduced an efficient hybrid capacitive deionization (HCDI) system for removal of NaCl from brackish water, in which Prussian blue nanocubes embedded in a highly conductive reduced graphene oxide aerogel have been used as a binderfree intercalation anode to remove Na ions. The combination of redox-active nanocubes and the three-dimensional porous graphene network yielded a high salt removal capacity of 130 mg g at the current density of 100 mA g. Moreover, energy recovery and energy consumption upon different desorption voltages of the HCDI system were investigated and the result showed a notably low energy consumption of 0.

Molecular Organization Induced Anisotropic Properties of Perylene - Silica Hybrid Nanoparticles.

Optically active silica nanoparticles are interesting owing to high stability and easy accessibility. Unlike previous reports on dye loaded silica particles, here we address an important question on how optical properties are dependent on the aggregation-induced segregation of perylene molecules inside and outside the silica nanoparticles. Three differentially functionalized fluorescent perylene - silica hybrid nanoparticles are prepared from appropriate ratios of perylene derivatives and tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) and investigated the structure property correlation (P-ST, P-NP and P-SF).

Synthesis and Characterization of Superhydrophobic, Self-cleaning NIR-reflective Silica Nanoparticles.

Multifunctional coatings offer many advantages towards protecting various surfaces. Here we apply aggregation induced segregation of perylene diimide (PDI) to control the surface morphology and properties of silica nanoparticles. Differentially functionalized PDI was incorporated on the surface of silica nanoparticles through Si-O-Si bonds.

Selective removal of photocatalytic non-degradable fluorosurfactants from reverse osmosis concentrate.

Recently photocatalytic treatment of municipal reverse osmosis concentrate (ROC) has drawn increasing attention due to its relatively high efficiency and low cost. However, photocatalytic reactions by commercially available TiO₂ are not able to degrade fluorosurfactants in the ROC sample due to the absence of photoreactive groups in these compounds. Here we investigated adsorption and coagulation methods and their efficiencies in removing fluorosurfactants.

Evolution and impact of bacterial drug resistance in the context of cystic fibrosis disease and nosocomial settings.

The use of antibiotics is unavoidable in trying to treat acute infections and in the prevention and control of chronic infections. Over the years, an ever increasing number of infections has escalated the use of antibiotics, which has necessitated action against an emerging bacterial resistance. There seems to be a continuous acquisition of new resistance mechanisms among bacteria that switch niches between human, animals, and the environment.

Lactobacillus reuteri DSM 20016 produces cobalamin-dependent diol dehydratase in metabolosomes and metabolizes 1,2-propanediol by disproportionation.

A Lactobacillus reuteri strain isolated from sourdough is known to produce the vitamin cobalamin. The organism requires this for glycerol cofermentation by a cobalamin-dependent enzyme, usually termed glycerol dehydratase, in the synthesis of the antimicrobial substance reuterin. We show that the cobalamin-synthesizing capacity of another L.

Adaptive expression of foreign genes in the clonal variants of bacteria: from proteomics to clinical application.

Clonal variants of bacteria are able to colonize environmental niches and patients. The factors, that determine the interplay between the colonization of diverse habitats and adaptation, are acquired through horizontal gene transfer. Elucidation of mechanisms, which lead to the prevalence of dominant bacterial clones in patients and the environment, requires the knowledge of complex phenotypes.

Proteome analysis reveals adaptation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa to the cystic fibrosis lung environment.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is known for the chronic lung colonization of cystic fibrosis (CF) patients in addition to eye, ear and urinary tract infections. With the underlying disease CF patients are predisposed to P. aeruginosa chronic lung infection, which leads to morbidity and mortality.

Microcolony formation: a novel biofilm model of Pseudomonas aeruginosa for the cystic fibrosis lung.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa colonizing the lung of cystic fibrosis patients is responsible for a decline in health and poor prognosis for these patients. Once established, growth of P. aeruginosa in microcolonies makes it very difficult to eradicate the organisms by antimicrobial treatment.

Worldwide distribution of Pseudomonas aeruginosa clone C strains in the aquatic environment and cystic fibrosis patients.

Highly successful bacterial clones have the ability to effectively colonize environmental niches and patients. However, the factors which determine the complex interplay between the colonization of environmental niches and patients are mainly unknown. In this study we show that Pseudomonas aeruginosa clone C strains are distributed worldwide and highly prone to infect cystic fibrosis (CF) patients in Canada, England, France and Germany.