Antioxidant activity and Inhibitory effects of Cydonia oblonga Miller. leaves extracts against calcium oxalate stones.

Urinary stone disease is a widespread health problem in both adults and children, and its prevalence has been increasing worldwide. Various plants preparations have already been used since ancient times in order to treat urolithiasis. The aim of this study is to evaluate the antioxidant capacity and litholytic effect on kidney stones of Cydonia oblonga Miller. leaves. The infusion, methanol and acetone extracts were made from Cydonia oblonga Miller. leaf at different concentration. Estimation of mass fractions of total polyphenol, flavonoid, and flavonol contents, as well as the in vitro radical scavenging potential on 2,2'-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical (DPPH·) of the investigated extracts was carried out using colorimetric methods. The litholytic property of the extracts was performed by an in-vitro model using experimentally prepared kidney stones- calcium oxalate. As results, the quince leaf extracts revealed stronger antioxidant properties in the DPPH assay, which was proved by the semi-maximal inhibitory concentration values, being about 36.06 ± 3.55, 74.15 ± 6.29, and 142.35 ± 5.09 µg/ml for methanol, acetone and infusion extracts respectively. Furthermore, the tested extracts were found to be more effective in dissolving calcium oxalate stones compared to the control solutions, the mass loss is about 15.13 ± 1.10% with methanol extract, while it is 14.77 ± 1.74% and 11.14 ± 2.86% for acetone and infusion extracts respectively. These findings confirm the quince leaf's richness in phyto-components, offering anti-oxidant property and being able to be used as a remedy for the management of kidney stones by dissolving calcium oxalate stones in the kidneys.

A Proline-Based Artificial Enzyme That Favors Aldol Condensation Enables Facile Synthesis of Aliphatic Ketones via Tandem Catalysis.

A proline-based artificial enzyme is prepared by grafting the l-proline moieties onto the surface of bovine serum albumin (BSA) protein through atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). The artificial enzyme, the BSA-PolyProline conjugate, prefers to catalyze the formation of unsaturated ketones rather than ß-hydroxy ketones in the reaction between acetone and aldehydes, which is difficult to achieve in free-proline catalysis. The altered reaction selectivity is ascribed to the locally concentrated l-proline moieties surrounding the BSA molecule, indicating a microenvironmental effect-induced switching of the reaction mechanism. Taking advantage of this selectivity, we used this artificial enzyme in conjunction with a natural enzyme, old yellow enzyme 1 (OYE1), to demonstrate a simple synthesis of different aliphatic ketones from acetone and aldehydes via tandem catalysis.

Numerical analysis and early detection of Plasmodium falciparum using a high performance plasmonic biosensor with an external sensing approach.

The authors propose a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensor based on photonic crystal fibers (PCFs) using three hexagonal ring lattices. The sensor can detect biomolecules with maximum wavelength and amplitude sensitivities of 23,000 nm/RIU and 1310.93R I U -1, respectively, in the RI range of 1.32 to 1.42. It can detect infected red blood cells with Plasmodium falciparum for RIs of 1.402, 1.373, 1.395, and 1.383 in various malaria-infected red blood cell stages, including ring phase, trophozoite phase, and schizont phase. Furthermore, the sensor will be able to detect biomolecules such as viruses, proteins, DNA/RNA strands, acetone, ethanol, hexane, isopropanol, hexanol, formic acid, allyl cyanide, and others in its range. With these impressive results and identification capacity, the proposed sensor would benefit the biomaterial field and be appropriate for the early identification of malaria disease.

Efficient Photothermal Catalytic Oxidation Enabled by Three-Dimensional Nanochannel Substrates.

Photothermal catalysis exhibits promising prospects to overcome the shortcomings of high-energy consumption of traditional thermal catalysis and the low efficiency of photocatalysis. However, there is still a challenge to develop catalysts with outstanding light absorption capability and photothermal conversion efficiency for the degradation of atmospheric pollutants. Herein, we introduced the Co3O4 layer and Pt nanoclusters into the three-dimensional (3D) porous membrane through the atomic layer deposition (ALD) technique, leading to a Pt/Co3O4/AAO monolithic catalyst. The 3D ordered nanochannel structure can significantly enhance the solar absorption capacity through the light-trapping effect. Therefore, the embedded Pt/Co3O4 catalyst can be rapidly heated and the O2 adsorbed on the Pt clusters can be activated to generate sufficient O2- species, exhibiting outstanding activity for the diverse VOCs (toluene, acetone, and formaldehyde) degradation. Optical characterization and simulation calculation confirmed that Pt/Co3O4/AAO exhibited state-of-the-art light absorption and a notable localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) effect. In situ diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectrometry (in situ DRIFTS) studies demonstrated that light irradiation can accelerate the conversion of intermediates during toluene and acetone oxidation, thereby inhibiting byproduct accumulation. Our finding extends the application of AAO's optical properties in photothermal catalytic degradation of air pollutants.

In vitro antibacterial activity of fruit pulp extracts of Tamarindus indica against Staphylococcus aureus and Klebsiella pneumoniae.

BACKGROUND: Infectious diseases are increasingly recognized as public health concern worldwide as the rising incidence in multidrug resistance bacteria. This consequently enforces the need to find a new antimicrobial agent where plants have a potential source. This study investigated the antibacterial activity of fruit pulp extract of the Tamarindus indica against Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Klebsiella pneumoniae (K. pneumoniae). METHODS AND MATERIALS: Maceration technique was employed for subsequent extraction of the sample using acetone and ethanol. Antibacterial activity of the plant extract was investigated based on minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) against Gram-negative strain (K. pneumoniae (ATCC 700603)) and Gram-positive strain (S. aureus (ATCC 25923)) using agar disc-diffusion technique. RESULTS: It was found that both acetone and ethanol extracts showed significant antibacterial activities, against both S. aureus and K. pneumoniae as compared to the negative control (P = 0.00), but no significantly different from the drug (P > 0.05). However, K. pneumoniae showed more sensitivity to the extracts than S. aureus with MIC value of 18.75 mg/mL and 9.38 mg/mL for both acetone and ethanol extracts against S. aureus and K. pneumoniae respectively. CONCLUSION: This study suggested that the fruit pulp have antibacterial properties, which might validate their traditional uses.

Anti-Inflammatory Activity of Cyanobacteria Pigment Extracts: Physiological Free Radical Scavenging and Modulation of iNOS and LOX Activity.

Cyanobacteria are among the oldest organisms colonizing Earth. Their great biodiversity and ability to biosynthesize secondary metabolites through a variety of routes makes them attractive resources for biotechnological applications and drug discovery. In this pioneer study, four filamentous cyanobacteria (Cephalothrix lacustris LEGE 15493, Leptolyngbya boryana LEGE 15486, Nodosilinea nodulosa LEGE 06104 and Leptothoe sp. LEGE 11479) were explored for their anti-inflammatory potential in cell and cell-free in vitro bioassays, involving different inflammatory mediators and enzymes. Extracts of different polarities were sequentially prepared and chemically characterized for their content of phycobiliproteins (PBPs) and carotenoids. HPLC-PDA analysis of the acetone extracts revealed ß-carotene to be the dominant carotenoid (18.4-44.3 mg/g) and zeaxanthin as the dominant xanthophyll (52.7-192.9 mg/g), with Leptothoe sp. LEGE 11479 and Nodosilinea nodulosa LEGE 06104, respectively, being the richest strains. The PBP profile was in accordance with the color presented by the aqueous extracts, with Leptolyngbya boryana LEGE 15486 being the richest in phycocyanin (204.5 µg/mg) and Leptothoe sp. LEGE 11479 the richest in phycoerythrin (78.5 µg/mg). Aqueous extracts were more effective in superoxide anion radical scavenging, while acetone ones were more effective in scavenging nitric oxide radical (●NO) and in inhibiting lipoxygenase. Acetone extracts also reduced ●NO production in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages, with the mechanistic study suggesting a downregulation of the inducible nitric oxide synthase expression. Nodosilinea nodulosa LEGE 06104 and Leptothoe sp. LEGE 11479 acetone extracts presented the lowest IC50 values for the mentioned assays, pointing them out as promising resources for the development of new multi-target anti-inflammatory therapies.

LC-MS/MS, GC-MS and molecular docking analysis for phytochemical fingerprint and bioactivity of Beta vulgaris L.

The plants that we consume in our daily diet and use as a risk preventer against many diseases have many biological and pharmacological activities. In this study, the phytochemical fingerprint and biological activities of Beta vulgaris L. leaf extract, which are widely consumed in the Black Sea region, were investigated. The leaf parts of the plant were dried in an oven at 35 °C and then ground into powder. The main constituents in B. vulgaris were identified by LC-MS/MS and GC-MS analyses. Phenolic content, betaxanthin and betacyanin levels were investigated in the extracts obtained using three different solvents. The biological activity of the extract was investigated by anti-microbial, anti-mutagenic, anti-proliferative and anti-diabetic activity tests. Anti-diabetic activity was investigated by in vitro enzyme inhibition and in-silico molecular docking was performed to confirm this activity. In the LC-MS analysis of B. vulgaris extract, a major proportion of p_coumaric acid, vannilin, protecatechuic aldehyde and sesamol were detected, while the major essential oils determined by GC-MS analysis were hexahydrofarnesyl acetone and phytol. Among the solvents used, the highest extraction efficiency of 2.4% was obtained in methanol extraction, and 36.2 mg of GAE/g phenolic substance, 5.1 mg/L betacyanin and 4.05 mg/L betaxanthin were determined in the methanol extract. Beta vulgaris, which exhibited broad-spectrum anti-microbial activity by forming a zone of inhibition against all tested bacteria, exhibited anti-mutagenic activity in the range of 35.9-61.8% against various chromosomal abnormalities. Beta vulgaris extract, which did not exhibit mutagenic, sub-lethal or lethal effects, exhibited anti-proliferative activity by reducing proliferation in Allium root tip cells by 21.7%. 50 mg/mL B. vulgaris extract caused 58.9% and 55.9% inhibition of α-amylase and α-glucosidase activity, respectively. The interactions of coumaric acid, vanniline, hexahydrofarnesyl acetone and phytol, which are major compounds in phytochemical content, with α-amylase and α-glucosidase were investigated by in silico molecular docking and interactions between molecules via various amino acids were determined. Binding energies between the tested compounds and α-amylase were obtained in the range of - 4.3 kcal/mol and - 6.1 kcal/mol, while for α-glucosidase it was obtained in the range of - 3.7 kcal/mol and - 5.7 kcal/mol. The biological activities of B. vulgaris are closely related to the active compounds it contains, and therefore studies investigating the phytochemical contents of plants are very important. Safe and non-toxic plant extracts can help reduce the risk of various diseases, such as diabetes, and serve as an alternative or complement to current pharmaceutical practices.

Selective Removal of Chlorophyll and Isolation of Lutein from Plant Extracts Using Magnetic Solid Phase Extraction with Iron Oxide Nanoparticles.

In recent years, there has been a growing interest in plant pigments as readily available nutraceuticals. Photosynthetic pigments, specifically chlorophylls and carotenoids, renowned for their non-toxic antioxidant properties, are increasingly finding applications beyond their health-promoting attributes. Consequently, there is an ongoing need for cost-effective methods of isolation. This study employs a co-precipitation method to synthesize magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) coupled with energy dispersive spectrometry (EDS) confirms that an aqueous environment and oxidizing conditions yield nanosized iron oxide with particle sizes ranging from 80 to 140 nm. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) spectra indicate the presence of hydrous iron oxide FeO(OH) on the surface of the nanosized iron oxide. The Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area of obtained nanomaterial was 151.4 m2 g-1, with total pore volumes of pores 0.25 cm3 g-1 STP. The material, designated as iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs), serves as an adsorbent for magnetic solid phase extraction (MSPE) and isolation of photosynthetic pigments (chlorophyll a, lutein) from extracts of higher green plants (Mentha piperita L., Urtica dioica L.). Sorption of chlorophyll a onto the nanoparticles is confirmed using UV-vis spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared photoacoustic spectroscopy (FT-IR/PAS), and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Selective sorption of chlorophyll a requires a minimum of 3 g of IONPs per 12 mg of chlorophyll a, with acetone as the solvent, and is dependent on a storage time of 48 h. Extended contact time of IONPs with the acetone extract, i.e., 72 h, ensures the elimination of remaining components except lutein, with a spectral purity of 98%, recovered with over 90% efficiency. The mechanism of chlorophyll removal using IONPs relies on the interaction of the pigment's carbonyl (C=O) groups with the adsorbent surface hydroxyl (-OH) groups. Based on molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, it has been proven that the selective adsorption of pigments is also influenced by more favorable dispersion interactions between acetone and chlorophyll in comparison with other solutes. An aqueous environment significantly promotes the removal of pigments; however, it results in a complete loss of selectivity.

Quantifying exhaled acetone and isoprene through solid phase microextraction and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

BACKGROUND: Acetone, isoprene, and other volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in exhaled breath have been shown to be biomarkers for many medical conditions. Researchers use different techniques for VOC detection, including solid phase microextraction (SPME), to preconcentrate volatile analytes prior to instrumental analysis by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). These techniques include a previously developed method to detect VOCs in breath directly using SPME, but it is uncommon for studies to quantify exhaled volatiles because it can be time consuming due to the need of many external/internal standards, and there is no standardized or widely accepted method. The objective of this study was to develop an accessible method to quantify acetone and isoprene in breath by SPME GC-MS. RESULTS: A system was developed to mimic human exhalation and expose VOCs to a SPME fiber in the gas phase at known concentrations. VOCs were bubbled/diluted with dry air at a fixed flow rate, duration, and volume that was comparable to a previously developed breath sampling method. Identification of acetone and isoprene through GC-MS was verified using standards and observing overlaps in chromatographic retention/mass spectral fragmentation. Calibration curves were developed for these two analytes, which showed a high degree of linear correlation. Acetone and isoprene displayed limits of detection/quantification equal to 12 ppb/37 ppb and 73 ppb/222 ppb respectively. Quantification results in healthy breath samples (n = 15) showed acetone concentrations spanned between 71 ppb and 294 ppb, and isoprene varied between 170 ppb and 990 ppb. Both concentration ranges for acetone and isoprene in this study overlap with those reported in existing literature. SIGNIFICANCE: Results indicate the development of a system to quantify acetone and isoprene in breath that can be adapted to diverse sampling methods and instrumental analyses beyond SPME GC-MS.

Amination and crosslinking of acetone-fractionated hardwood kraft lignin using different amines and aldehydes for sustainable bio-based wood adhesives.

Hardwood kraft lignin from the pulping industry is burned or discarded. Its valorization was conducted by subjecting fractionation, amination with ethylenediamine, diethylenetriamine, and monoethanolamine, and crosslinking with formaldehyde or glyoxal to obtain bio-based wood adhesives. Acetone-soluble and insoluble hardwood kraft lignin were prepared and subjected to amination and then crosslinking. Fourier transform infrared, 13C NMR, 15N NMR, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy results revealed successful amination with amide, imine, and ether bonds and crosslinking of all samples. Hardwood kraft lignin aminated with diethylenetriamine/ethylenediamine and crosslinked using glyoxal exhibited excellent results in comparison with samples crosslinked using formaldehyde. Acetone-insoluble hardwood kraft lignin aminated and crosslinked using diethylenetriamine and formaldehyde, respectively, exhibited excellent adhesion strength with plywood, satisfying the requirements of the Korean standards. The amination and crosslinking of industrial waste hardwood kraft lignin constitute a beneficial valorization method.

Analysis of vitamin D and its metabolites in biological samples - Part II: Optimization of a sample preparation method for liver tissue.

Extraction of vitamin D, including its hydroxylated and esterified metabolites, from soft tissues such as the liver is challenging due to the lipophilic character of matrix and analytes that are expected in very low concentration levels. In this study, we aimed at the optimization of two-step extraction using solid-liquid extraction as the first step, followed by solid-phase extraction. Various solvents, including ethanol, acetonitrile, methanol, acetone, heptane, and heptane with isopropanol, were investigated to isolate vitamin D compounds from liver tissue in the first step. Acetone was finally selected as the most suitable solvent for the solid-liquid extraction, with the highest recovery in the range of 67 - 98% for polar hydroxylated forms and 3 - 28% for lipophilic vitamin D and esters. Two solid phase extraction (SPE) based on the (i) "bind and elute strategy" and (ii) "removal strategy" using hydrophilic-lipophilic balanced SPE sorbent were optimized as a proceeding step for acetone extracts to increase the method selectivity. Finally, two optimized methods, combining solid-liquid extraction and individual SPE strategy, were examined in terms of sensitivity, recovery, matrix effect, accuracy, and precision. The limits of quantification were in the range of 1 - 10 ng/mL and 3 - 20 ng/mL analyzed by ultra-high performance supercritical fluid chromatography and ultra-high performance liquid chromatography hyphenated a with tandem mass spectrometer, respectively. The absolute recovery determined for the "bind and elute strategy" protocol was in the range of 3 - 24 %. Nevertheless, this method was free of matrix effects, which were determined to be in the 73 - 120 % range. On the contrary, the "removal strategy" approach provided higher recovery values for all compounds (47 - 123 %), but the results for nonpolar vitamin D and esters were strongly affected by signal suppression (matrix effects 3 - 51 %). Both methods fulfilled the criteria for accuracy and precision requested by the European Medicine Agency Guideline on Bioanalysis. "Removal strategy" SPE with decreased manual intervention and lower solvent consumption was finally applied to mouse liver tissue to determine vitamin D and its hydroxylated and esterified metabolites for the first time. The results, i.e., vitamin D esters detected in liver tissue, supported the notion that esters of vitamin D can be stored in lipophilic tissues to release vitamin D.

Comparisons of different extraction methods and solvents for saliva samples.

INTRODUCTION: Changes in the categories and concentrations of salivary metabolites may be closely related to oral, intestinal or systemic diseases. To study salivary metabolites, the first analytical step is to extract them from saliva samples as much as possible, while reducing interferences to a minimum. Frequently used extraction methods are protein precipitation (PPT), liquid-liquid extraction (LLE) and solid-phase extraction (SPE), with various organic solvents. The types and quantities of metabolites extracted with different methods may vary greatly, but few studies have systematically evaluated them. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to select the most suitable methods and solvents for the extraction of saliva according to different analytical targets. METHODS: An untargeted metabolomics approach based on liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry was applied to obtain the raw data. The numbers of metabolites, repeatability of the data and intensities of mass spectrometry signals were used as evaluation criteria. RESULTS: PPT resulted in the highest coverage. Among the PPT solvents, acetonitrile displayed the best repeatability and the highest coverage, while acetone resulted in the best signal intensities for the extracted compounds. LLE with the mixture of chloroform and methanol was the most suitable for the extraction of small hydrophobic compounds. CONCLUSION: PPT with acetonitrile or acetone was recommended for untargeted analysis, while LLE with the mixture of chloroform and methanol was recommended for small hydrophobic compounds.

Transcriptome analysis reveals limited toxic effects of the UV-filter benzophenone-3 (BP-3) on the hermatypic coral Acropora tenuis and its symbiotic dinoflagellates.

This study aimed to investigate the toxic and transcriptomic effects of the ultraviolet filter benzophenone-3 (BP-3) on Acropora tenuis and its symbiotic dinoflagellates while using acetone as a solvent. Seven-day exposure to 50 and 500 µg/L, which is higher than most BP-3 records from coastal waters, did not affect coral colour or dinoflagellate photosynthesis. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between seawater and solvent controls were <20 in both corals and dinoflagellates. Eleven coral DEGs were detected after treatment with 50 µg/L BP-3. Fourteen coral DEGs, including several fluorescent protein genes, were detected after treatment with 500 µg/L BP-3. In contrast, no dinoflagellate DEGs were detected in the BP-3 treatment group. These results suggest that the effects of 50-500 µg/L BP-3 on adult A. tenuis and its dinoflagellates are limited. Our experimental methods with lower acetone toxicity provide a basis for establishing standard ecotoxicity tests for corals.

Genome-wide characterization of circulating metabolic biomarkers.

Genome-wide association analyses using high-throughput metabolomics platforms have led to novel insights into the biology of human metabolism1-7. This detailed knowledge of the genetic determinants of systemic metabolism has been pivotal for uncovering how genetic pathways influence biological mechanisms and complex diseases8-11. Here we present a genome-wide association study for 233 circulating metabolic traits quantified by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy in up to 136,016 participants from 33 cohorts. We identify more than 400 independent loci and assign probable causal genes at two-thirds of these using manual curation of plausible biological candidates. We highlight the importance of sample and participant characteristics that can have significant effects on genetic associations. We use detailed metabolic profiling of lipoprotein- and lipid-associated variants to better characterize how known lipid loci and novel loci affect lipoprotein metabolism at a granular level. We demonstrate the translational utility of comprehensively phenotyped molecular data, characterizing the metabolic associations of intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy. Finally, we observe substantial genetic pleiotropy for multiple metabolic pathways and illustrate the importance of careful instrument selection in Mendelian randomization analysis, revealing a putative causal relationship between acetone and hypertension. Our publicly available results provide a foundational resource for the community to examine the role of metabolism across diverse diseases.

Extracts of Jamun seeds inhibited the growth of human (Hep-2) cancer cells.

INTRODUCTION: In the last century, the human laryngeal epithelioma has become a life-threatening disease leading to a high rate of mortality worldwide. The current investigation is focusing on the antiproliferative effect of Eugenia jambolana seed extracts against Hep-2 cancer cells. METHODS: The active compounds from the seeds of E. jambolana were extracted by the decoction extraction method using acetone, ethanol, and methanol. The filtrates from the different solvents were subjected to liquid-liquid separation before drying by a rotary evaporator. In various doses, the crude extracts and carcinoma were subjected to a methylthiazolyl diphenyl tetrazolium bromide assay. Cell viability was determined under ultraviolet visualization at an absorbance of 540 nm. The data of the viable cells were subjected to analysis of variance at P ≤ .01. RESULTS: Crude compounds of E. jambolana seeds extracted by acetone, methanol, and methanol extract had an anticarcinoma effect. Among the extracts, methanol extract possessed a recommendable anti-carcinoma effect compared to acetone and ethanol crude extracts. At a concentration of 125 µg/mL, the crude extracts of methanol, acetone, and ethanol destroyed 49.57, 35.01, and 27.67 carcinomas, respectively. The concentration of 31.25 µg/mL of acetone extract and 125 µg/mL of ethanolic extract affected 28.11 and 27.67 carcinomas, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: E.jambolana seeds possess anticarcinoma potency and thus can be administered in the reduction of proliferative carcinoma. The study recommended further studies which will involve the elution of pure compounds from the methanol extract of E. jambolana that possess antitumour and antiproliferative activity against Hep-2 cell lines.

Examination of Permeation Resistance of Chemical Protective Gloves Made of Laminate-Film Materials Against Chemical Substances.

This study investigated the permeation resistance of chemical protective gloves made of laminate film comprising nylon, ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer (EVOH), and other materials against different chemical substances to examine their usability in different work processes. The permeation resistance of the chemical protective glove was tested using the Japanese Industrial Standards (JIS) test method against twelve substances: acetone, acetonitrile, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate, n-hexane, methanol, tetrahydrofuran, toluene, 2-propanol, 1-butanol, 1,4-diethylene dioxide, and ethanol. After 480 min, no substance, except for methanol and ethanol, permeated at a standard permeation rate of 0.1 µg/cm2/min. Methanol and ethanol showed permeation at 1 min and 30 min elapsed, respectively. Hence, the gloves tested in this study exhibited permeation resistance to various chemical substances, and can thus be used in many work processes. Some film materials have short permeation time against certain chemical substances, but the chemical protective gloves tested in this study can be used at work sites, such as manufacturing sites, that require permeation resistance to different chemical substances.

Oviposition Deterrent Activity of Some Wild Plants for Adult Females of Chrysomya albiceps with Medical and Veterinary Importance.

<b>Background and Objective:</b> <i>Chrysomya albiceps</i> is widely spread worldwide, causing myiasis in both humans and animals and playing a mechanical role in the spreading of helminths, viruses and bacteria. Searching for new and safe alternative control methods is very important to eliminate the transmission of pathogens. This study aims to determine the oviposition-deterrent activity of <i>Juniperus procera</i>, <i>Artemisia absinthium</i>, <i>Rosmarinus officinalis</i> and <i>Hypoestes forskaolii</i> wild plants against adult <i>Chrysomya albiceps</i>. <b>Materials and Methods:</b> The effect of plant extracts from <i>Juniperus procera</i>, <i>Artemisia absinthium</i>, <i>Rosmarinus officinalis</i> and <i>Hypoestes forskaolii</i> plants were tested against adult females of <i>Chrysomya albiceps</i> for oviposition deterrent or repellency. These extracts resulted in oviposition deterrent efficacy for adult females of <i>C. albiceps</i> based on the plant type, plant part (leaves or stems), extract type (methanol, acetone and petroleum ether) and tested dose. <b>Results:</b> The highest anti-oviposition activity against <i>C. albiceps</i> females presented from <i>A. absinthium</i> stems acetone extract at a dose of 1 mg cm² by 100 %, while at 0.5 mg cm² recorded remarkable repellency by 86.7% as compared with the control treatment. According to the dose-response relationship, <i>A. absinthium</i> methanol and acetone extracts were ED₅₀ values of 0.85, 0.319 mg cm² (leaves) and 1.88, 0.576 mg cm² (stems), followed by <i>J. procera</i> methanol extract by 0.983 mg cm² (leaves) and 0.98 mg cm² (stems), respectively achieved highest oviposition deterrent efficiency as compared with other extracts. <b>Conclusion:</b> The high repellency activities of these extracts can be utilized to stop <i>C. albiceps</i> flies from laying eggs on wounds and transmitting myiasis diseases to humans and animals and could potentially replace pesticides used in the future control programs of flies.

Hierarchical porous PLLA/ACP fibrous membrane towards bone tissue scaffold.

Electrospun fibres have emerged as vital components in developing tissue engineering scaffolds. Calcium phosphate-based materials, renowned for their bioactivity and biocompatibility, have garnered considerable attention in biomedical applications. This study focuses on the incorporation of amorphous calcium phosphate (ACP) nanoparticles into poly(L-lactic acid) (PLLA) to produce electrospun PLLA/ACP fibrous membranes. Subsequent treatment with acetone yielded a hierarchical porous structure, boasting an ultra-high surface area of 94.7753 ± 0.3884 m2/g. The ACP nanoparticles, initially encapsulated by PLLA, were exposed on the fibre surface after acetone treatment. Furthermore, the porous PLLA/ACP fibrous membrane exhibited superior mechanical properties (Young's modulus = 0.148 GPa, tensile strength = 3.05 MPa) and enhanced wettability. In a 7-day in vitro cell culture with human osteoblast-like cells, the porous PLLA/ACP fibrous membrane demonstrated a significant improvement in osteoblast adhesion and proliferation, with a proliferation rate increase of 252.0% and 298.7% at day 4 and day 7, respectively. These findings underscore the potential of the porous PLLA/ACP fibrous membrane as a promising candidate for bone tissue scaffolds.

Solanum pseudocapsicum vs Capsicum annum; comparative phenolics profiling using green ultrasonic extraction and UHPLC analysis.

BACKGROUND: Solanum pseudocapsicum (PC) and Capsicum annum (CA) belongs to the family of Solanaceae. CA have been reported a rich source of phenolics whereas, the phenolics content of GA (gallic acid), SC (scopoletin), RA (rosmarinic acid), and RV (resveratrol) are yet to be reported for the PC-fruit. This study comparatively evaluates the phenolics profile for different parts (seeds and skin) and colors (green and red) of the PC- and CA-fruits using the green solvents of ethanol (ET), acetone (AC), water (H2O), and different combinations of these solvents. METHODOLOGY: Ultrasonics extraction (US) and UHPLC analysis were employed for phenolics evaluation. RESULTS: The USMD (method development) revealed the highest extract yield of 62 mg/100 mg for the PC-skin in ET:AC (70:30) solvent whereas, more phenolics (ppm) were observed for PC-seeds in ET:AC (50:50) solvent, particularly the SC (29.46) and GA (16.92). The UHPLCMDMV exhibited significant accuracies (100.70-114.14 %) with r2-values (0.9993-0.9997) in the linearity range of 1-200 ppm. The USMV (method validation) in PC- and CA-fruit parts and colors revealed more extract yields for the red skin part of the PC- (180.5 mg) and CA-fruit (126.2 mg). The phenolics were seen more in the green seeds of the PC-fruit (ppm); SC (276), GA (147.36), RV (28.54), and RA (23.87) followed by the green PC-skin, and red/green CA-seeds. The statistical models of mean differences, ANOVA, and Pearson's correlation showed significant differences for the PC-fruit parts (seeds and skin) and colors (red and green) vs extract yield and phenolics content (P = 0.05). CONCLUSION: PC-and CA-fruits were successfully evaluated where the seeds for the green fruits exhibited more phenolics amount.

Structure and Synthesis of Vindolicine and Derivatives.

This article describes the reaction of vindoline with formaldehyde and trimethyl orthoformate to prepare vindolicine, tris-vindolicinyl methane and higher molecular weight homologues. The synthesis of 10-formyl vindoline as an intermediate allowed further exploration of its chemistry, in particular the reaction with acetone which yielded a symmetrical dimer, which was further reacted with vindoline to give molecules containing three and four vindoline units. These molecules were characterized by NMR and for some of them (vindolicine, 10-formyl vindoline, 10-(1'-(but-1'-en-3'-one))-vindoline) by X-ray crystallography. Depending on the substitution and on the absence of axes of symmetry, the NMR spectra displayed non-equivalent spin systems for the vindoline moieties. The dimer formed from the double condensation of 10-formyl vindoline with acetone showed cytotoxic activity in the micromolar range.