Insight into heavy metal chemical fractions in ash collected from municipal and industrial waste incinerators in northern Vietnam.

This investigation involved the collection of fly ash and bottom ash specimens from seven waste incinerators situated in the northern provinces of Vietnam, aimed at assessing the composition and distribution patterns of five chemical fractions of heavy metals (Pb, Cr, As, Cd Cu, and Zn) present in incinerator waste ash. The outcomes reveal that fly ash exhibited a relatively elevated concentration of industrial waste metals (25-66%) such as As, Cd, and Pb primarily in exchangeable (F1) and carbonate fractions (F2), which are mobile forms susceptible to environmental dissolution and consequential bioaccumulation posing health risks to humans. The predominant states of the metals Cr, Cu, and Zn were identified as residual, Fe-Mn oxide, and carbonate, respectively, with their relative proportions showing minimal variation. Conversely, heavy metals were predominantly present in residual residue and Fe-Mn bound form (F3) in bottom ash derived from both residential and commercial waste incineration operations. The non-carcinogenic hazard indices (HI) associated with the examined metals, ranked for both adults and children, were as follows: Pb > Cr > As > Cd > Cu > Zn. Notably, the HI values for Pb, Cr, and As exceeded the permissible threshold (HI > 1) for children. However, the risk of As, Cd, and Pb-related cancer via exposure pathways remained within acceptable limits for both age groups. Conversely, the probability of carcinogenic effects attributable to Cr surpassed the permissible threshold (>10-4), indicating significant health concerns associated with heavy metals in waste incinerators for humans, particularly children.

Degradation of pretilachlor and fenclorim and effects of these compounds on bacterial communities under anaerobic condition.

Pretilachlor and safener fenclorim are the main components of herbicides widely applied to control weeds. Although some pure cultures of bacteria and fungi which degraded these compounds under aerobic conditions were isolated, no isolated pretilachlor- and fenclorim-degrading bacterial strains under anaerobic condition had been available. In this study, the degradation of these compounds and the effects of them on bacterial community structures were investigated under anaerobic conditions. The dissipation rates of pretilachlor and fenclorim in slurries were in the order: soil from paddy field ≈ sediment from river > sediment from mangrove. Moreover, three pretilachlor-degrading bacterial strains (Pseudomonas sp. Pr1, Proteiniclasticum sp. Pr2 and Paracoccus denitrificans Pr3) and two fenclorim-degrading strains (Dechloromonas sp. Fe1 and Ralstonia pickettii Fe2) isolated from a slurry of paddy soil utilized the substrates as sole carbon and energy sources under anaerobic conditions. The degradation of pure pretilachlor and fenclorim at various concentrations by corresponding mixed pure cultures followed the Michaelis-Menten model, with the maximum degradation was 3.10 ± 0.31 µM/day for pretilachlor, and 2.08 ± 0.18 µM/day for fenclorim. During the degradation, 2-chloro-N-(2,6-diethylphenyl) acetamide and 2,6-dimethylaniline were produced in pretilachlor degradation, and benzene was a product of fenclorim degradation. The synergistic degradation of both substrates by all isolated bacteria reduced the metabolites concentrations accumulated in media. This study provides valuable information on effects of pretilachlor and fenclorim on bacterial communities in soil and sediments, and degradation of these substrates by isolated bacteria under anaerobic condition.

Cryptobuchanosides A-G: seven previously undescribed triterpene glycosides from Cryptolepis buchananii R.Br. ex Roem. and Schult. with nitric oxide production inhibition activity.

In this study, nine triterpene glycosides including seven previously undescribed compounds (1-7), were isolated from leaves of Cryptolepis buchananii R.Br. ex Roem. and Schult. using various chromatographic methods. The chemical structures of the compounds were elucidated to be 3-O-ß-D-glucopyranosyl-(1 → 6)-ß-D-glucopyranosyluncargenin C 28-O-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1 → 2)-ß-D-glucopyranosyl ester (1), 3-O-ß-D-glucopyranosyl-(1 → 2)-ß-D-glucopyranosyluncargenin C 28-O-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1 → 2)-ß-D-glucopyranosyl ester (2), 3-O-ß-D-glucopyranosyl-(1 → 2)-ß-D-glucopyranosyluncargenin C 28-O-ß-D-glucopyranosyl-(1 → 4)-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1 → 2)-ß-D-glucopyranosyl ester (3), 3-O-ß-D-glucopyranosyl-(1 → 2)-ß-D-glucopyranosylhederagenin 28-O-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1 → 2)-ß-D-glucopyranosyl ester (4), 3-O-ß-D-glucopyranosylarjunolic acid 28-O-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1 → 2)-ß-D-glucopyranosyl ester (5), 3-O-ß-D-glucopyranosyl-(1 → 2)-ß- D-glucopyranosyl-6ß,23-dihydroxyursolic acid 28-O-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1 → 2)-ß-D-glucopyranosyl ester (6), 3-O-ß-D-glucopyranosyl-6ß,23-dihydroxyursolic acid 28-O-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1 → 2)-ß-D-glucopyranosyl ester (7), asiatic acid 28-O-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1 → 2)-ß-D-glucopyranosyl ester (8), and 3-O-ß-D-glucopyranosylasiatic acid 28-O-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1 → 2)-ß-D-glucopyranosyl ester (9), through infrared, high-resolution electrospray ionization mass spectrometry, one- and two-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance spectral analyses. The isolates inhibited nitric oxide production in lipopolysaccharide-activated RAW 264.7 cells, with half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) values of 18.8-58.5 µM, compared to the positive control compound, dexamethasone, which exhibited an IC50 of 14.1 µM.

Effective activation of peroxymonosulfate by CoCr-LDH for removing organic contaminants in water: from lab-scale to practical applications.

In this study, CoCr layered double hydroxide material (CoCr-LDH) was prepared and used as an effective catalyst for peroxymonosulfate (PMS) activation to degrade organics in water. The prepared CoCr-LDH material had a crystalline structure and relatively porous structure, as determined by various surface analyses. In Rhodamine B (RhB) removal, the most outstanding PMS activation ability belongs to the material with a Co:Cr molar ratio of 2:1. The removal of RhB follows pseudo-first-order kinetics (R2 > 0.99) with an activation energy of 38.23 kJ/mol and efficiency of 98% after 7 min of treatment, and the total organic carbon of the solution reduced 47.2% after 10 min. The activation and oxidation mechanisms were proposed and the RhB degradation pathways were suggested with the key contribution of O2•- and 1O2. Notably, CoCr-LDH can activate PMS over a wide pH range of 4 - 9, and apply to a wide range of organic pollutants and aqueous environments. The material has high stability and good recovery, which can be reused for 5 cycles with a stable efficiency of above 88%, suggesting a high potential for practical recalcitrant water treatment via PMS activation by heterogeneous catalysts.

Antagonistic functions of CTL1 and SUH1 mediate cell wall assembly in Arabidopsis.

Plant genomes contain numerous genes encoding chitinase-like (CTL) proteins, which have a similar protein structure to chitinase belonging to the glycoside hydrolase (GH) family but lack the chitinolytic activity to cleave the ß-1,4-glycosidic bond in chitins, polymers of N-acetylglucosamine. CTL1 mutations found in rice and Arabidopsis have caused pleiotropic developmental defects, including altered cell wall composition and decreased abiotic stress tolerance, likely due to reduced cellulose content. In this study, we identified suppressor of hot2 1 (suh1) as a genetic suppressor of the ctl1 hot2-1 mutation in Arabidopsis. The mutation in SUH1 restored almost all examined ctl1 hot2-1 defects to nearly wild-type levels or at least partially. SUH1 encodes a Golgi-located type II membrane protein with glycosyltransferase (GT) activity, and its mutations lead to a reduction in cellulose content and hypersensitivity to cellulose biosynthesis inhibitors, although to a lesser extent than ctl1 hot2-1 mutation. The SUH1 promoter fused with the GUS reporter gene exhibited GUS activity in interfascicular fibers and xylem in stems; meanwhile, the ctl1 hot2-1 mutation significantly increased this activity. Our findings provide genetic and molecular evidence that the antagonistic activities of CTL1 and SUH1 play an essential role in assembling the cell wall in Arabidopsis.

Labdane-type diterpenoids and sesquiterpenes from Curcuma aromatica and their nitric oxide inhibitory activity in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated RAW264.7 macrophages.

One new labdane-type diterpenoid, 3ß,15-dihydroxylabda-8(17),12E-dien-16,15-olide (1) named curcumatin and twelve known compounds, coronarin D (2), isocoronarin D (3), (E)-labda-8(17),12-diene-15,16-dial (4), zerumin A (5), (E)-labda-8(17),12-dien-15,16-dioic acid (6), furanodiene (7), linderazulene (8), zedoarol (9), zedoarondiol (10), germacrone-1,10-epoxide (11), germacrone-4,5-epoxide (12), and zingiberenol (13) were isolated from the ethanol extract of the roots of Curcuma aromatica Salisb. Their structures were elucidated by 1D-, 2D-NMR spectroscopic analysis, HR-ESI-MS, and comparing with the NMR data reported in the literature. Compounds 2, 5, and 13 significantly inhibited the nitric oxide production effect in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages with IC50 values of 8.8 ± 1.7, 4.0 ± 0.9, and 6.2 ± 0.4 µM, respectively.

Chemical constituents from the heterotrophic marine microalgae Aurantiochytrium sp. SC145 and their antimicrobial activities.

One new indol, N-methoxymethyltryptophol (1), one new phenolic, (2 R)-2-(4-hydroxyphenyl)ethyl 2-hydroxy-3-phenylpropanoate (2) and fifteen known compounds (3-17) were isolated from the methanol extract of the fermentation of marine microalgae Aurantiochytrium sp. SC145. Their structures were elucidated by 1D-, 2D-NMR spectroscopic analysis, HR-ESI-MS, quantum chemical calculation methods and by comparing their NMR data with those reported in the literature. All compounds were evaluated for their antimicrobial activities against microorganisms. Compounds 2, 3 and 11 significantly exhibited antimicrobial activities on all tested Gram-(+), Gram-(-) bacteria and the yeast C. albicans with MIC values ranging from 32 to 256 µg/mL.

An outbreak of a novel lineage of dengue virus 2 in Vietnam in 2022.

In 2022, a large dengue outbreak was reported in Vietnam, where dengue was endemic. A total of 1889 acute-phase serum samples were collected from patients with suspected dengue at Vung Tau General Hospital, the core hospital in Vung Tau Province, southern Vietnam. Among the 1889 samples analyzed for laboratory confirmation of dengue virus (DENV) infection, 339 positive cases were identified, of which 130 were primary infections and 209 were secondary infections. DENV-2 was the dominant serotype in both primary and secondary infection groups. Phylogenetic analysis based on sequences of the envelope protein-coding region revealed the emergence of a new DENV-2 lineage during this outbreak.

Synthesis of Inexpensive Ternary Metal Oxides by a Co-Precipitation Method for Catalytic Oxidation of Carbon Monoxide.

By using a simple co-precipitation method, new Fe2 O3 -based nanocatalysts (samples) were synthesized. The samples were composites of two or three transition metal oxides, MOx (M=Fe, Mn, Co, Ni, and Cu). The average size of CuO crystallites in the composites composed of two oxide components (CuO-Fe2 O3 ) was about 14.3 nm, while in those composed of three (CuO-MnOx -Fe2 O3 ), the composite's phase compositions were almost in the amorphous form when annealing the sample at 300 °C. The latter sample had a specific surface area higher than that of the former, 207.9 and 142.1 g/m2 , respectively, explaining its higher catalytic CO oxidation. The CO conversion over the CuO-MnOx -Fe2 O3 -300 catalyst (1 g of catalyst, 2600 ppm of CO concentration in air, and 1.0 L/min of gas flow rate) begins at about 40 °C; the temperature for 50 % CO conversion (t50 ) is near 82 °C; and CO removal is almost complete at t99 ≈110 °C. The activity of the optimal sample was tested in different catalytic conditions, thereby observing a high durability of 99-100 % CO conversion at 130 °C. The obtained results were derived from XRD, FTIR, BET, SEM, elemental analysis and mapping, as well as catalytic experiments.

Comparison of clinical features between patients with anti-synthetase syndrome and dermatomyositis: Results from the MYONET registry.

OBJECTIVES: To compare clinical characteristics, including the frequency of cutaneous, extramuscular manifestations, and malignancy, between adults with anti-synthetase syndrome (ASyS) and dermatomyositis (DM). METHODS: Using data regarding adults from the MYONET registry, a cohort of DM patients with anti-Mi2/-TIF1É£/-NXP2/-SAE/-MDA5 autoantibodies, and a cohort of ASyS patients with anti-tRNA synthetase autoantibodies (anti-Jo1/-PL7/-PL12/-OJ/-EJ/-Zo/-KS) were identified. Patients with DM sine dermatitis or with discordant dual autoantibody specificities were excluded. Sub-cohorts of patients with ASyS with or without skin involvement were defined based on presence of DM-type rashes (heliotrope rash, Gottron's papules/sign, violaceous rash, shawl sign, V sign, erythroderma, and/or periorbital rash). RESULTS: In total 1,054 patients were included (DM, n = 405; ASyS, n = 649). In ASyS cohort, 31% (n = 203) had DM-type skin involvement (ASyS-DMskin). A higher frequency of extramuscular manifestations, including Mechanic's hands, Raynaud's phenomenon, arthritis, interstitial lung disease, and cardiac involvement differentiated ASyS-DMskin from DM (all p< 0.001), whereas higher frequency of any of four DM-type rashes: heliotrope rash (n = 248, 61% vs n = 90, 44%), violaceous rash (n = 166, 41% vs n = 57, 9%), V sign (n = 124, 31% vs n = 28, 4%), and shawl sign (n = 133, 33% vs n = 18, 3%) differentiated DM from ASyS-DMskin (all p< 0.005). Cancer-associated myositis (CAM) was more frequent in DM (n = 67, 17%) compared with ASyS (n = 21, 3%) and ASyS-DMskin (n = 7, 3%) cohorts (both p< 0.001). CONCLUSION: DM-type rashes are frequent in patients with ASyS; however, distinct clinical manifestations differentiate these patients from classical DM. Skin involvement in ASyS does not necessitate increased malignancy surveillance. These findings will inform future ASyS classification criteria and patient management.

Response Methodology Optimization and Artificial Neural Network Modeling for the Removal of Sulfamethoxazole Using an Ozone-Electrocoagulation Hybrid Process.

Removing antibiotics from water is critical to prevent the emergence and spread of antibiotic resistance, protect ecosystems, and maintain the effectiveness of these vital medications. The combination of ozone and electrocoagulation in wastewater treatment provides enhanced removal of contaminants, improved disinfection efficiency, and increased overall treatment effectiveness. In this work, the removal of sulfamethoxazole (SMX) from an aqueous solution using an ozone-electrocoagulation (O-EC) system was optimized and modeled. The experiments were designed according to the central composite design. The parameters, including current density, reaction time, pH, and ozone dose affecting the SMX removal efficiency of the OEC system, were optimized using a response surface methodology. The results show that the removal process was accurately predicted by the quadric model. The numerical optimization results show that the optimum conditions were a current density of 33.2 A/m2, a time of 37.8 min, pH of 8.4, and an ozone dose of 0.7 g/h. Under these conditions, the removal efficiency reached 99.65%. A three-layer artificial neural network (ANN) with logsig-purelin transfer functions was used to model the removal process. The data predicted by the ANN model matched well to the experimental data. The calculation of the relative importance showed that pH was the most influential factor, followed by current density, ozone dose, and time. The kinetics of the SMX removal process followed the first-order kinetic model with a rate constant of 0.12 (min-1). The removal mechanism involves various processes such as oxidation and reduction on the surface of electrodes, the reaction between ozone and ferrous ions, degradation of SMX molecules, formation of flocs, and adsorption of species on the flocs. The results obtained in this work indicate that the O-EC system is a potential approach for the removal of antibiotics from water.

Green and Facile Synthesis of Porous SiO2@C Adsorbents from Rice Husk: Preparation, Characterization, and Their Application in Removal of Reactive Red 120 in Aqueous Solution.

In this work, a green, novel, fast, and facile approach for synthesizing a SiO2/C nanocomposite series from rice husk (RH) through quenching and grinding techniques has been reported along with its application for the adsorptive removal of Reactive Red 120 (RR120) dye from an aqueous solution. The effect of carbonization temperature on the textural and interfacial features of RH was confirmed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), while the structure and elemental composition of the as-synthesized RH were investigated via XRD, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET), FT-IR, Raman, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The RH had a high surface area (521.35 m2 g-1), large micropores, mesopores, and total pore volumes of 0.5059, 3.9931, and 5.2196 cm3 g-1, while SiO2 and C were the two major components. In the batch adsorption test, the effects of pH, contact time, adsorbent mass, temperature, and initial RR120 concentration were investigated. The maximum adsorption capacity was fitted by Langmuir, Freundlich, Temkin, Dubinin-Radushkevich (D-R), Hasley, Harkins-Jura, and BET isotherm models, and Langmuir was the best-fitted model. In addition, the pseudo-first-order, pseudo-second-order, intraparticle diffusion, and Elovich chemisorption models were used to explain the adsorption kinetics. Additionally, the values of Gibbs free energy, enthalpy, and entropy thermodynamics suggested that the RR120 adsorption phenomenon by RH8-3 was endothermic and spontaneous. The adsorption process was controlled by a physical mechanism, and the maximum adsorption capacity was found to be 151.52 mg g-1 at pH 2, with a contact time of 90 min, adsorbent amount of 0.03 g, and temperature of 313 K. The adopted technique may open up a new alternative route for the mass utilization of RH for the removal of dyes in water and wastewater and also for various practical applications.

Green synthesis of Piper chaudocanum stem extract mediated silver nanoparticles for colorimetric detection of Hg2+ ions and antibacterial activity.

A green synthetic approach to synthesize silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using the stem extract of Piper chaudocanum for highly sensitive colorimetric detection of Hg2+ with a low limit of detection of 23 nM and easy colorimetric read-out has been reported. In addition, the biosynthesized AgNPs demonstrated efficient antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus. The morphology and structure of the as-synthesized AgNPs were examined using SEM, TEM, EDX, XRD and FT-IR analyses. The XRD and TEM results confirm the formation of AgNPs with an average particle size of 8-12 nm. The TLC, CC and HPLC revealed that four main compounds, pentacosanoic acid (1), piperine (2), ß-sitosterol (3), and campesterol glucoside (4), isolated from P. chaudocanum extract act as reducing and stabilizing agents for AgNP formation, and piperine plays a vital role in green synthesis. The chemical structures of these compounds were determined by ESI MS, FTIR, and one- and two-dimensional NMR spectroscopic data analysis. This approach is an efficient, green, cost-effective, eco-friendly and promising technique for synthesizing AgNPs with applications in the colorimetric detection of Hg2+ and antibacterial activity.

Magnetic transferrin nanoparticles (MTNs) assay as a novel isolation approach for exosomal biomarkers in neurological diseases.

BACKGROUND: Brain-derived exosomes released into the blood are considered a liquid biopsy to investigate the pathophysiological state, reflecting the aberrant heterogeneous pathways of pathological progression of the brain in neurological diseases. Brain-derived blood exosomes provide promising prospects for the diagnosis of neurological diseases, with exciting possibilities for the early and sensitive diagnosis of such diseases. However, the capability of traditional exosome isolation assays to specifically isolate blood exosomes and to characterize the brain-derived blood exosomal proteins by high-throughput proteomics for clinical specimens from patients with neurological diseases cannot be assured. We report a magnetic transferrin nanoparticles (MTNs) assay, which combined transferrin and magnetic nanoparticles to isolate brain-derived blood exosomes from clinical samples. METHODS: The principle of the MTNs assay is a ligand-receptor interaction through transferrin on MTNs and transferrin receptor on exosomes, and electrostatic interaction via positively charged MTNs and negatively charged exosomes to isolate brain-derived blood exosomes. In addition, the MTNs assay is simple and rapid (< 35 min) and does not require any large instrument. We confirmed that the MTNs assay accurately and efficiently isolated exosomes from serum samples of humans with neurodegenerative diseases, such as dementia, Parkinson's disease (PD), and multiple sclerosis (MS). Moreover, we isolated exosomes from serum samples of 30 patients with three distinct neurodegenerative diseases and performed unbiased proteomic analysis to explore the pilot value of brain-derived blood protein profiles as biomarkers. RESULTS: Using comparative statistical analysis, we found 21 candidate protein biomarkers that were significantly different among three groups of neurodegenerative diseases. CONCLUSION: The MTNs assay is a convenient approach for the specific and affordable isolation of extracellular vesicles from body fluids for minimally-invasive diagnosis of neurological diseases.

A flexible and wearable paper-based chemiresistive sensor modified with SWCNTs-PdNPs-polystyrene microspheres composite for the sensitive detection of ethylene gas: A new method for the determination of fruit ripeness and corruption.

This study developed a flexible and wearable paper-based chemoresistive sensor (FWPCS) by modifying a SWCNT-PdNP-polystyrene microsphere (SPPM) composite (SPPM/FWPCS) for the low-cost and online determination of fruit ripeness and corruption. A new method for the batch and low-cost fabrication of SPPM/FWPCSs based on laser direct writing was proposed. The sensing mechanism of FWPCS relies on the electron depletion layer in the sensing composite created by the Schottky barriers among SWCNTs, PdNPs, and the adsorbed oxygen, along with the construction of O2-. When the SPPM sensing film is exposed to ethylene, trapped electrons are released into the conduction band through oxidation and cleavage of ethylene, causing a decrease in resistance. The properties and morphology of the synthesized SPPM composite were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and Raman spectroscopy. Additionally, the key parameters for the fabrication of SPPMs/FWPCS related to the sensing performance were optimized. The concentration of C2H4 can be detected down to 100 ppb using the SPPMs/FWPCS at 25 °C. Finally, the real-time determination of banana ripeness and corruption verified the feasibility of the sensor, indicating that the SPPMs/FWPCS has prospects in monitoring fruit ripeness and corruption during storage and transportation.

Exploring the Potential of Stem Cell-Based Therapy for Aesthetic and Plastic Surgery.

Over the last decade, stem cell-associated therapies are widely used because of their potential in self-renewable and multipotent differentiation ability. Stem cells have become more attractive for aesthetic uses and plastic surgery, including scar reduction, breast augmentation, facial contouring, hand rejuvenation, and anti-aging. The current preclinical and clinical studies of stem cells on aesthetic uses also showed promising outcomes. Adipose-derived stem cells are commonly used for fat grafting that demonstrated scar improvement, anti-aging, skin rejuvenation properties, etc. While stem cell-based products have yet to receive approval from the FDA for aesthetic medicine and plastic surgery. Moving forward, the review on the efficacy and potential of stem cell-based therapy for aesthetic and plastic surgery is limited. In the present review, we discuss the current status and recent advances of using stem cells for aesthetic and plastic surgery. The potential of cell-free therapy and tissue engineering in this field is also highlighted. The clinical applications, advantages, and limitations are also discussed. This review also provides further works that need to be investigated to widely apply stem cells in the clinic, especially in aesthetic and plastic contexts.

Development of Molecular Markers to Detect Diaporthe spp. from Decayed Soybean Seeds.

Soybean is one of the world's most widely cultivated food crops, and soybean seeds are supplied from national seed resources in Korea. However, the transmission of seed-borne diseases through infected soybean seeds is problematic. Among these diseases, soybean seed decay is caused by Diaporthe spp. Infecting the pods, and the infected seeds show rotting symptoms. Most diseased seeds are removed during the selection process; however, it is difficult to distinguish infected seeds that do not display symptoms. Hence, a sequence-based method was devised to screen Diaporthe-infected seeds. Based on the nuclear ribosomal internal transcribe spacer (ITS) region of the pathogen, a primer was designed to distinguish the infection from other soybean seed pathogens. As a result of the comparison between healthy and Diaporthe-diseased seeds by using the primers, Diaporthe was detected only in the diseased seeds. Therefore, it is possible to distribute healthy soybean seeds by detecting Diaporthe-diseased seeds at the genetic level using the Diaporthe-specific primers.

ZIKV Inhibitors Based on Pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyridazine-7-one Core: Rational Design, In Vitro Evaluation, and Theoretical Studies.

The Zika virus (ZIKV) is believed to cause birth defects, and no anti-ZIKV drugs have been approved by medical organizations to date. Starting from antimicrobial lead compounds with a pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyridazine-7-one scaffold, we synthesized 16 derivatives and screened their ability to interfere with ZIKV infection utilizing a cell-based phenotypic assay. Of these, five compounds showed significant inhibition of ZIKV with a selective index value greater than 4.6. In particular, compound 9b showed the best anti-ZIKV activity with a selectivity index of 22.4 (half-maximal effective concentration = 25.6 µM and 50% cytotoxic concentration = 572.4 µM). Through the brine shrimp lethality bioassay, 9b, 10b, 12, 17a, and 19a showed median lethal dose values in a range of 87.2-100.3 µg/mL. Compound 9b was also targeted to the NS2B-NS3 protease of ZIKV using molecular docking protocols, in which it acted as a noncompetitive inhibitor and strongly bound to five key amino acids (His51, Asp75, Ser135, Ala132, Tyr161). Utilizing the pharmacophore model of 9b, the top 20 hits were identified as prospective inhibitors of NS2B-NS3 protease, and six of them were confirmed for their stability with the protease via redocking and molecular dynamics simulations.

A Co3O4 Nanoparticle-Modified Screen-Printed Electrode Sensor for the Detection of Nitrate Ions in Aquaponic Systems.

In this study, a screen-printed electrode (SPE) modified with cobalt oxide nanoparticles (Co3O4 NPs) was used to create an all-solid-state ion-selective electrode used as a potentiometric ion sensor for determining nitrate ion (NO3-) concentrations in aquaculture water. The effects of the Co3O4 NPs on the characterization parameters of the solid-contact nitrate ion-selective electrodes (SC-NO3--ISEs) were investigated. The morphology, physical properties and analytical performance of the proposed NO3--ion selective membrane (ISM)/Co3O4 NPs/SPEs were studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), cyclic voltammetry (CV), potentiometric measurements, and potentiometric water layer tests. Once all conditions were optimized, it was confirmed that the screen-printed electrochemical sensor had high potential stability, anti-interference performance, good reproducibility, and no water layer formation between the selective membrane and the working electrode. The developed NO3--ISM/Co3O4 NPs/SPE showed a Nernstian slope of -56.78 mV/decade for NO3- detection with a wide range of 10-7-10-2 M and a quick response time of 5.7 s. The sensors were successfully used to measure NO3- concentrations in aquaculture water. Therefore, the electrodes have potential for use in aquaponic nutrient solution applications with precise detection of NO3- in a complicated matrix and can easily be used to monitor other ions in aquaculture water.

Synthesis, Anti-Influenza H1N1 and Anti-Dengue Activity of A-Ring Modified Oleanonic Acid Polyamine Derivatives.

A series of sixteen A-ring modified (2,3-indolo-, 2-benzylidene) oleanonic acid derivatives, holding some cyclic amines, linear polyamines and benzylaminocarboxamides at C28, has been synthesized and screened for antiviral activity against influenza A/PuertoRico/8/34 (H1N1) and Dengue virus serotypes of DENV-1, -2, -3, -4. It was found that 28-homopiperazine 2 and 3-N-phthalyl 22 amides of oleanonic acid demonstrated high potency with selectivity index SI 27 (IC50 21 µM) and 42 (IC50 12 µM). Oleanonic acid aminoethylpiperazine amide 6 and C-azepano-erythrodiol 23 appeared to be the most effective compounds against DENV-1 (IC50's 67 and 107 µM) and -2 (IC50's 86 and 68 µM correspondingly) serotypes.