Structures of Polyacetoxybriaranes Extracted from the Sea Whip Octocoral Junceella fragilis.

In the present study, an algae-containing octocoral, Junceella fragilis, was subjected to chemical screening. The analysis resulted in the extraction of six polyacetoxybriaranes: a new compound, identified as fragilide Z (1), alongside previously identified analogs, which included 12-epi-fragilide G (2), fragilide P (3), junceellolide D (4), junceellonoid A (5), and juncin ZI (6). The structures of compounds 2-6 were investigated through single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis, whereas that of 1 was examined through two-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance analysis.

The mediating effect of sleep quality on the relationship between social support and depressive symptoms among Chinese nurses during the omicron outbreak.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has led to increased depressive symptoms and diminished sleep quality among nurses. This study explores the relationships among social support, sleep quality, and depressive symptoms among Chinese nurses during the COVID-19 outbreak, with a focus on the mediating role of sleep quality.

Methods: A cross-sectional study involving 2140 nurses was conducted from August to September 2022.

Chlorine-containing polyacetoxybriarane diterpenoids from the octocoral .

The chemical screening of an octocoral identifed as has led to the isolation of five chlorinated briarane-type diterpenoids, including three known metabolites, gemmacolide X (1), frajunolide I (2), and fragilide F (3), along with two new analogs, 12α-acetoxyfragilide F (4) and 12α-acetoxyjunceellin (5). Single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis was carried out to determine the absolute configurations of 1 and 2, while the structures of new compounds 4 and 5 were ascertained with 2D NMR experiments. Briaranes 1 and 3-5 were active in enhancing alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity.

The mediating role of sleep quality in the relationship between dispositional mindfulness and fatigue in Chinese nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background: During the COVID-19 epidemic in China, clinical nurses are at an elevated risk of suffering fatigue. This research sought to investigate the correlation between dispositional mindfulness and fatigue among nurses, as well as the potential mediation role of sleep quality in this relationship.

Methods: This online cross-sectional survey was performed from August to September 2022 to collect data from 2143 Chinese nurses after the re-emergence of COVID-19.

Probing Anti-Leukemic Metabolites from Marine-Derived sp. LY1209.

The unmet need for specific anti-leukemic agents for the treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia led us to screen a variety of marine-derived bacteria. The fermentation broth extract of sp. LY1209 exhibited the most potent anti-proliferative effect against Molt 4 leukemia cells.

Anti-Inflammatory and Antimicrobial Volatile Oils: Fennel and Cumin Inhibit Neutrophilic Inflammation via Regulating Calcium and MAPKs.

Neutrophilic inflammatory diseases, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), or psoriasis, exert a huge burden on the global health system due to the lack of safe and effective treatments. Volatile oils from terrestrial plants showed impressive therapeutic effects against disorders of the skin, digestive system, lungs, liver, metabolism, and nervous system. However, their effect on the immune system and neutrophil function is still elusive.

Briarenols W-Z: Chlorine-Containing Polyoxygenated Briaranes from Octocoral (Kükenthal, 1908).

is proven to be a rich source of 3,8-cyclized cembranoids (briarane) with a bicyclo[8.4.0] carbon core.

Natural Products from Octocorals of the Genus (Family Nephtheidae).

In this review, 170 natural substances, including steroid, diterpenoid, sesquiterpenoid, peptide, prostaglandin, base, chlorolipid, bicyclolactone, amide, piperazine, polyketide, glycerol, benzoic acid, glycyrrhetyl amino acid, hexitol, pentanoic acid, aminoethyl ester, octadecanone, alkaloid, and a 53-kD allergenic component from octocorals belonging to genus , were listed. Some of these compounds displayed potential bioactivities.

Sponge-Derived 24-Homoscalaranes as Potent Anti-Inflammatory Agents.

Scalarane-type sesterterpenoids are known for their therapeutic potential in cancer treatments. However, the anti-inflammatory properties of this class of metabolites remain elusive. Our current work aimed to investigate the anti-inflammatory scalaranes from marine sponge sp.

Briarenols I-K, New Anti-inflammatory 8,17-Epoxybriaranes from the Octocoral (Briareidae).

Five 8,17-epoxybriaranes, including three new compounds-briarenols I-K (-), along with two known analogues, briaexcavatolide P () and briaexcavatin P (), were isolated from the octocoral . The structures of briaranes - were elucidated by spectroscopic methods, including 1D and 2D NMR studies and (+)-HRESIMS. Briarane exerted inhibition effects on inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) release from RAW 264.

Probing Anti-Proliferative 24-Homoscalaranes from a Sponge sp.

In the current study, an NMR spectroscopic pattern-based procedure for probing scalarane derivatives was performed and four new 24-homoscalaranes, lendenfeldaranes A-D (- ), along with three known compounds, 12α-acetoxy-22-hydroxy-24-methyl-24-oxoscalar-16-en- 25-al (), felixin F (), and 24-methyl-12,24,25-trioxoscalar-16-en-22-oic acid () were isolated from the sponge sp. The structures of scalaranes - were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic analysis. Scalaranes - were further evaluated for their cytotoxicity toward a series of human cancer cell lines and the results suggested that and dominated in the anti- proliferative activity of the extract.

New 8-Hydroxybriaranes from the Gorgonian Coral (Ellisellidae).

Three new 8-hydroxybriaranes-fragilides R-T (-) were obtained from a sea whip gorgonian coral . The structures of briaranes - were elucidated by using spectroscopic methods, including 1D (H and C NMR), 2D (COSY, HSQC, HMBC, and NOESY experiments) NMR studies, and (+)-HRESIMS. Fragilides S and T ( and ) are the only briaranes known to possess 8α-hydroxy and 17β-methyl groups, respectively.

New 1,4-Dienonesteroids from the Octocoral sp.

Two new steroids, dendronesterones D () and E (), featuring with 1,4-dienone moiety, along with three known steroids, methyl 3-oxochola-4,22-diene-24-oate (), 5α,8α-epidioxy-24()- methylcholesta-6,22-dien-3β-ol (), and 5α,8α-epidioxy-24()-methylcholesta-6,9(11),22-trien-3β-ol (), were isolated from an octocoral sp. The structures of steroids and were elucidated by using spectroscopic methods and steroid was found to exhibit significant in vitro anti-inflammatory activity in lipopolysaccharides (LPS)-induced RAW264.7 macrophage cells by inhibiting the expression of the iNOS protein.

PPAR-α improves the recovery of lung function following acute respiratory distress syndrome by suppressing the level of TGF-β1.

Although peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-α has been reported to be involved in preventing acute lung injury (ALI), the molecular regulation of post‑ALI lung recovery remains to be fully elucidated. The aim of the present study was to characterize the mechanism by which PPAR‑α prevents ALI and examine the role of PPAR‑α in the recovery of lung function following acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Reverse transcription‑quantitative‑polymerase chain reaction and western blot analyses suggested that PPAR‑α was effective in suppressing transforming growth factor (TGF)‑β1 in HLF cells and RAW 264.

Chloroquine enhances replication of influenza A virus A/WSN/33 (H1N1) in dose-, time-, and MOI-dependent manners in human lung epithelial cells A549.

Anti-malaria drug, chloroquine, has been reported to be effective against influenza A virus (IAV) in vitro and used in in-vivo experiments and clinical trial for prevention or treatment of influenza. In this study, it has been shown by immunofluorescence, hemagglutination, and plaque assays that chloroquine enhanced A/WSN/33 (H1N1) replication with pronounced cytopathic effect in dose-, time-, and MOI-dependent manners in human lung epithelial cells A549. Time-of-addition assay showed that inhibitory effect on virus replication by chloroquine pre-treatment was indistinctive, and virus productions were enhanced when the drug was applied after viral adsorption.

Signal-BNF: a Bayesian network fusing approach to predict signal peptides.

A signal peptide is a short peptide chain that directs the transport of a protein and has become the crucial vehicle in finding new drugs or reprogramming cells for gene therapy. As the avalanche of new protein sequences generated in the postgenomic era, the challenge of identifying new signal sequences has become even more urgent and critical in biomedical engineering. In this paper, we propose a novel predictor called Signal-BNF to predict the N-terminal signal peptide as well as its cleavage site based on Bayesian reasoning network.

Differential transcription-activating capability of NS1 proteins from different influenza virus subtypes expressed in yeast.

Influenza A virus NS1 protein is an important regulatory factor with multiple functions and contributes greatly to viral pathogenesis. In the present study, transcription-activating potential of NS1 from different influenza A virus subtypes was examined in yeast two-hybrid system. The bait vectors containing different NS1 genes, along with an empty prey vector, were transformed into yeast AH109(for growth assay on QDO plate and alpha-galactosidase assay), and Y187(for beta-galactosidase assay).