Supramolecular bidentate rhodium(I) or iridium(I) phosphine and oxazoline amino acid bioconjugates as selective catalysts for enantioselective reactions.

This publication describes monodentate phosphine and oxazoline ligands attached to an amino acid ester and the application of their supramolecularly assembled rhodium(I) or iridium(I) complexes in asymmetric catalysis. The major feature of these complexes is the transmission of chirality from distant hydrogen bonded amino acids to the prochiral catalytic metal center ("backdoor induction"). The generated homoleptic and heteroleptic rhodium(I) or iridium(I) precatalysts were studied by NMR, UV-VIS and CD spectroscopy as well as X-ray single crystal diffraction.

Trefoil Factor Protein 3 (TFF3) as a Guardian of the Urinary Bladder Epithelium.

Trefoil factor family (TFF) peptides have been examined primarily in the gastrointestinal tract, where they play an important role in the epithelial regeneration. The therapeutic effects of TFFs, particularly the TFF3 protein, have been well studied in humans and in animal models of gastrointestinal injury, whereas little is known about their occurrence and function in the urinary bladder. In this study, we investigated the presence, location, and function of Tff3 in the urinary bladders of wild-type mice (Tff3) and compared them with Tff3 knockout mice (Tff3) using molecular and microscopic methods at the light and electron microscopic level.

Impact of the hydrophilic-lipophilic balance of free-base and Zn(II) tricationic pyridiniumporphyrins and irradiation wavelength in PDT against the melanoma cell lines.

The amphiphilic and asymmetric structure of porphyrins, when used as photosensitizers (PSs) for photodynamic therapy (PDT), has been shown through numerous previous studies to be a very important property that facilitates their entry into cells, which improves their efficiency in PDT. In this work, two groups of cationic AB pyridiniumporphyrins, free-base and chelated with Zn(II), both substituted with alkyl chains of various lengths, were studied in PDT on melanoma cell lines. The aim was to investigate the impact of hydrophilic-lipophilic balance and Zn(II) chelation, and the importance of matching the irradiation wavelength to the optical properties of the PS on in vitro PDT efficiency.

Light-induced rearrangement from macrocyclic to bicyclic lactam: A case study of -chlorinated laurolactam.

Converting macrocycle lactams into bicyclic lactams is proposed as an additional way to further increase the metabolic stability of peptide-based drugs. Unfortunately, the synthesis of bicyclic lactams has to start almost from scratch. This study explores the Hofmann-Löffler-Freytag (HLF) reaction mechanism and products as a potential late-stage functionalisation strategy for facile conversion of macrocyclic to bicyclic ring.

Quinoline- and coumarin-based ligands and their rhenium(I) tricarbonyl complexes: synthesis, spectral characterization and antiproliferative activity on T-cell lymphoma.

Novel 6-substituted 2-(trifluoromethyl)quinoline 5a-5e and coumarin 6a-6d ligands with aldoxime ether linked pyridine moiety were synthesized by O-alkylation of quinoline and coumarin with (E)-picolinaldehyde oxime and subsequently with [Re(CO)Cl] gave rhenium(I) tricarbonyl complexes 5a-5e and 6a-6d that were fully characterized by NMR, single-crystal X-ray diffraction, IR and UV-Vis spectroscopy. The results of antiproliferative evaluation of quinoline and coumarin ligands and their rhenium(I) tricarbonyl complexes on various human tumor cell lines, including acute lymphoblastic leukemia (CCRF-CEM), acute monocytic leukemia (THP1), cervical adenocarcinoma (HeLa), colon adenocarcinoma (CaCo-2), T-cell lymphoma (HuT78), and non-tumor human fibroblasts (BJ) showed that the quinoline complexes 5a-5e had higher inhibitory activity than coumarin complexes 6a-6d, particularly against T-cell lymphoma (HuT78) cells. 6-Methoxy-2-(trifluoromethyl)quinoline 5e and 6-methylcoumarin 6d, and their rhenium(I) tricarbonyl complexes 5e and 6d were found to arrest the cell cycle of HuT78 cells by causing a significant accumulation of cells in the G0/G1 phase and a marked decrease in the number of cells in the G2/M phase.

Microtubule poleward flux as a target for modifying chromosome segregation errors.

Cancer cells often display errors in chromosome segregation, some of which result from improper chromosome alignment at the spindle midplane. Chromosome alignment is facilitated by different rates of microtubule poleward flux between sister kinetochore fibers. However, the role of the poleward flux in supporting mitotic fidelity remains unknown.

Proteomic analysis of the combined effects of cannabigerol and 3-O-ethyl ascorbic acid on kinase-dependent signalling in UVB-irradiated human keratinocytes.

Oxidative stress induced by medium-wavelength ultraviolet radiation (UVB) is one of the most dangerous environmental stressors for the skin. Therefore, various medicinal remedies aim to prevent the harmful effects of UVB or support the recovery of the damaged cells. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of bioactive phytocannabinoid cannabigerol (CBG) together with 3-O-ethyl ascorbic acid (EAA), a stable, lipophilic derivative of the antioxidant vitamin C, on UVB-induced changes of proteome in cultured human keratinocytes 24 h after treatment.

Mass Spectrometry Advances in Analysis of Glioblastoma.

Some cancers such as glioblastoma (GBM), show minimal response to medical interventions, often only capable of mitigating tumor growth or alleviating symptoms. High metabolic activity in the tumor microenvironment marked by immune responses and hypoxia, is a crucial factor driving tumor progression. The many developments in mass spectrometry (MS) over the last decades have provided a pivotal tool for studying proteins, along with their posttranslational modifications.

Dynamics of Cu and Pb during sediment remobilization and associated risk for coastal water quality.

Laboratory resuspension experiments were performed using three sediments and seawater, contrasted in terms of metals concentration/contents, metals partitioning in sediments as well as physical-chemical characteristics of both sediment and seawater. The aim of the study was to examine if the variability in metals content and metals distribution onto carrier phases are influencing the dynamics of metal transfers from and to sediment. Since Cu and Pb are classical contaminants found in coastal areas, their dissolved concentrations were monitored (up to 360 h) to assess their release or removal by particles, with a particle concentration of 2.

BODIPY Compounds Substituted on Boron.

BODIPY compounds are important organic dyes with exceptional spectral and photophysical properties and numerous applications in different scientific fields. Their widespread applications have flourished due to their easy structural modifications, which enable the preparation of different molecular structures with tunable spectral and photophysical properties. To date, researchers have mostly devoted their efforts to modifying BODIPY -position or pyrrole rings, whereas the substitution of fluorine atoms remains largely unexplored.

Stability and reversibility of organic molecule modifications of CVD-synthesized monolayer MoS.

We investigated the stability of monolayer MoSsamples synthesized using chemical vapor deposition and subsequently modified with organic molecules under ambient conditions. By analyzing the optical signatures of the samples using photoluminescence spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and surface quality using atomic force microscopy, we observed that this modification of monolayer MoSwith organic molecules is stable and retains its optical signature over time under ambient conditions. Furthermore, we show the reversibility of the effects induced by the organic molecules, as heating the modified samples restores their original optical signatures, indicating the re-establishment of the optical properties of the pristine monolayer MoS.

Proteomic study of medicinal mushroom extracts reveals antitumor mechanisms in an advanced colon cancer animal model via ribosomal biogenesis, translation, and metabolic pathways.

Introduction: Colorectal cancer ranks as the third most common cancer in both men and women, with approximately 35% of cases being stage IV metastatic at diagnosis. Even with treatment advancements, the survival rates for these patients remain suboptimal. There is a significant focus on developing multi-targeted therapies due to the common issue of drug resistance in standard and targeted cancer treatments.

Desert dust improves the photophysiology of heat-stressed corals beyond iron.

Desert dust is an important source of essential metals for marine primary productivity, especially in oligotrophic systems surrounded by deserts, such as the Red Sea. However, there are very few studies on the effects of dust on reef-building corals and none on the response of corals to heat stress. We therefore supplied dust to two coral species (Stylophora pistillata and Turbinaria reniformis) kept under control conditions (26 °C) or heat stress (32 °C).

Elimination of torasemide from aqueous medium: influence of sorption and photocatalytic processes parameters supported by DFT analysis.

The sorption and photocatalytic activity of pharmaceutical torasemide using an immobilized TiO photocatalyst were investigate. The experimental design included optimization of reaction conditions such as pH and initial pharmaceutical concentration in aqueous solution using the response surface modeling approach, scavenger tests to gain insight into the photocatalysis mechanism, and application of the process to more complex water matrices. TiO in the role of sorbent showed a low capacity for torasemide (12.

Capturing the mechanosensitivity of cell proliferation in models of epithelium.

Despite the primary role of cell proliferation in tissue development and homeostatic maintenance, the interplay between cell density, cell mechanoresponse, and cell growth and division is not yet understood. In this article, we address this issue by reporting on an experimental investigation of cell proliferation on all time- and length-scales of the development of a model tissue, grown on collagen-coated glass or deformable substrates. Through extensive data analysis, we demonstrate the relation between mechanoresponse and probability for cell division, as a function of the local cell density.

Application of mass cytometry in multiparametric characterization of precancerous cervical lesions.

Cervical cancer (CC) is the fourth most common malignant tumor in women worldwide. Detecting different biomarkers together on single cells by novel method mass cytometry could contribute to more precise screening. Liquid-based cytology (LBC) cervical samples were collected (N = 53) from women categorized as normal and precancerous lesions.

Clinician's Guide to Epitranscriptomics: An Example of N-Methyladenosine (mA) RNA Modification and Cancer.

Epitranscriptomics is the study of modifications of RNA molecules by small molecular residues, such as the methyl (-CH) group. These modifications are inheritable and reversible. A specific group of enzymes called "writers" introduces the change to the RNA; "erasers" delete it, while "readers" stimulate a downstream effect.

Prominent Neuroprotective Potential of Indole-2--methylpropargylamine: High Affinity and Irreversible Inhibition Efficiency towards Monoamine Oxidase B Revealed by Computational Scaffold Analysis.

: Monoamine oxidases (MAO) are flavoenzymes that metabolize a range of brain neurotransmitters, whose dysregulation is closely associated with the development of various neurological disorders. This is why MAOs have been the central target in pharmacological interventions for neurodegeneration for more than 60 years. Still, existing drugs only address symptoms and not the cause of the disease, which underlines the need to develop more efficient inhibitors without adverse effects.

Synthesis, Absolute Configuration, Biological Profile and Antiproliferative Activity of New 3,5-Disubstituted Hydantoins.

Hydantoins, a class of five-membered heterocyclic compounds, exhibit diverse biological activities. The aim of this study was to synthesize and characterize a series of novel 3,5-disubstituted hydantoins and to investigate their antiproliferative activity against human cancer cell lines. The new hydantoin derivatives - were prepared as racemic mixtures of - and -isomers via a base-assisted intramolecular amidolysis of C-3 functionalized β-lactams.

Transition Metals Coordination by Bis-imidazole-calix[4]arene Ligands with and Without Pyrene Units Grafted at the Large Rim.

Herein, the presented results show that previously studied DNA/RNA-interacting bis-imidazole-calix[4]arene systems can, in aqueous solutions, efficiently bind a series of biorelevant transition metal cations by coordination with the two imidazole arms at the small rim of their macrocyclic basket. The SCXRD and NMR results structurally characterised the complexes formed by referent bis-imidazole-calix[4]arene with Cu and Zn. In solid-state (crystal), the bis-anilino derivative/Cu complex, only upon exposure to the air, undergoes intramolecular dehydrogenative coupling of two neighbouring aniline units, yielding an azo bridge at the large rim of the calix[4]arene basket.

Long-read genome assembly of the insect model organism reveals spread of satellite DNA in gene-rich regions by recurrent burst events.

Eukaryotic genomes are replete with satellite DNAs (satDNAs), large stretches of tandemly repeated sequences that are mostly underrepresented in genome assemblies. Here we combined nanopore long-read sequencing with a reference-guided assembly approach to generate an improved, high-quality genome assembly, TcasONT, of the model beetle Enriched by 45 Mb in repetitive regions, the new assembly comprises almost the entire genome sequence. We use the enhanced assembly to conduct global and in-depth analyses of abundant euchromatic satDNAs.