Borylated cyclobutanes via thermal [2 + 2]-cycloaddition.

A one-step approach to borylated cyclobutanes from amides of carboxylic acids and vinyl boronates is elaborated. The reaction proceeds via the thermal [2 + 2]-cycloaddition of in situ-generated keteniminium salts.

Psammophytes Alyssum desertorum Stapf and Secale sylvestre Host Are Sensitive to Soil Flooding.

While morphological and functional traits enable hydrophytes to survive under waterlogging and partial or complete submergence, the data on responses of psammophytes-sand plants-to flooding are very limited. We analyzed the effect of 5- and 10-day soil flooding on the photosynthetic apparatus and the synthesis of alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH), heat shock proteins 70 (HSP70), and ethylene in seedlings of psammophytes Alyssum desertorum and Secale sylvestre using electron microscopy, chlorophyll a fluorescence induction, and biochemical methods. It was found that seedlings growing under soil flooding differed from those growing in stationary conditions with such traits as chloroplast ultrastructure, pigment content, chlorophyll fluorescence induction, and the dynamics of ADH, HSP, and ethylene synthesis. Although flooding caused no apparent damage to the photosynthetic apparatus in all the variants, a significant decrease in total photosynthesis efficiency was observed in both studied plants, as indicated by decreased values of φR0 and PIABS,total. More noticeable upregulation of ADH in S. sylvestre, as well as increasing HSP70 level and more intensive ethylene emission in A. desertorum, indicate species-specific differences in these traits in response to short-term soil flooding. Meanwhile, the absence of systemic anaerobic metabolic adaptation to prolonged hypoxia causes plant death.

Spiro[3.3]heptane as a Saturated Benzene Bioisostere.

The spiro[3.3]heptane core, with the non-coplanar exit vectors, was shown to be a saturated benzene bioisostere. This scaffold was incorporated into the anticancer drug sonidegib (instead of the meta-benzene), the anticancer drug vorinostat (instead of the phenyl ring), and the anesthetic drug benzocaine (instead of the para-benzene). The patent-free saturated analogs obtained showed a high potency in the corresponding biological assays.

Photosynthetic Apparatus of Hydrocharis morsus-ranae in Different Solar Lighting.

Hydrocharis morsus-ranae is a free-floating species growing in lakes and slow-flowing rivers near the shore in Europe and Western Asia, and as an invasive plant in the USA and Canada. Light-requiring plants of this species can also grow in the shade, up to about 30% of full sunlight. In this paper we present the data about the photosynthetic apparatus of sunny and shady H. morsus-ranae plants grown in the sun and in the shade in nature. Methods of light and transmission electron microscopy, biochemistry, chlorophyll fluorescence induction as well as the principal component analysis were used. It was found that leaves of plants growing in shade differed from those in the sun with such traits as thickness of a blade, palisade and spongy parenchyma, ultrastructure of chloroplasts, and quantum efficiency of photosynthetic electron transport, the content of chlorophylls and carotenoids, anthocyanins and phenilpropanoids. By these traits, H. morsus-ranae shady plants are similar with shade-bearing plants that indicates their adaptation to light intensity lowering. The ordination plots (PCA) suggested a clear structural and functional shift of plants growing in different lighting showing relationship to light changes in the natural environment. Thus, our results displayed the high phenotypic plasticity of the H. morsus-ranae photosynthetic apparatus, which ensures its acclimation to changing light environment and wide distribution of this species.

ANXIETY AND DEPRESSIVE DISORDERS IN PATIENTS WITH ARTERIAL HYPERTENSION.

OBJECTIVE: The aim: To study the influence of anxiety and depressive disorders on life quality of patients with arterial hypertension. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Materials and methods: 55 patients with arterial hypertension (AH) of 2nd stage were examined to reach the goal. Age diapason was 25-73 years, the middle age was 53.56+10.28. There were 58.2% (32) of women and 41.8% (23) of men among the patients. RESULTS: Results: Results analysis of the investigation of patients with arterial hypertension and anxiety and depressive disorders using the Spielberger-Khanin anxiety inventory showed moderate (30.9%) and high (69.1%) level of trait anxiety. As for the state anxiety the high level of it was confirmed in 74.6% of studied patients and moderate level of state anxiety in 25.5% of patients. During the analysis of gender-based distribution the trait anxiety level was significantly higher in women (p<0.05). Results of PHQ-9 showed subclinical depression level (12.7%), mild (49.1%) and moderate (16.4%). Moderate manifestations of depression were found in 12.7%, severe depression in 9.1% (5 individuals). As for the gender-based distribution, anxiety indicators were significantly higher in women (p<0.01). HADS method did not show significant difference of depression levels of gender-based distribution. CONCLUSION: Conclusions: The majority of individuals with arterial hypertension and nonpsychotic mental disorders have a high level of trait and state anxiety. Direct correlation was found between the trait anxiety indicator and depression severity, which were defined according to HADS and PHQ-9 questionnaires. The level of anxiety and depressive episode severity were found to be reliably higher in women in gender-based distribution, that/which was accompanied by decrease in most of the life quality indicators.