Screening Antioxidant Components in Different Parts of Dandelion Using Online Gradient Pressure Liquid Extraction Coupled with High-Performance Liquid Chromatography Antioxidant Analysis System and Molecular Simulations.

Utilizing online gradient pressure liquid extraction (OGPLE) coupled with a high-performance liquid chromatography antioxidant analysis system, we examined the antioxidative active components present in both the aerial parts and roots of dandelion. By optimizing the chromatographic conditions, we identified the ferric reducing-antioxidant power system as the most suitable for online antioxidant reactions in dandelion. Compared to offline ultrasonic extraction, the OGPLE method demonstrated superior efficiency in extracting chemical components with varying polarities from the samples. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry revealed twelve compounds within the dandelion samples, with nine demonstrating considerable antioxidant efficacy. Of these, the aerial parts and roots of dandelion contained nine and four antioxidant constituents, respectively. Additionally, molecular docking studies were carried out to investigate the interaction between these nine antioxidants and four proteins associated with oxidative stress (glutathione peroxidase, inducible nitric oxide synthase, superoxide dismutase, and xanthine oxidase). The nine antioxidant compounds displayed notable binding affinities below -5.0 kcal/mol with the selected proteins, suggesting potential receptor-ligand interactions. These findings contribute to enhancing our understanding of dandelion and provide a comprehensive methodology for screening the natural antioxidant components from herbs.

Clinical observation of ultraviolet therapy combined with autologous platelet-rich plasma in the treatment of chronic refractory wounds.

Refractory wounds present complex and serious clinical dilemmas in plastic and reconstructive surgeries. Currently, there are no standard guidelines for the treatment of refractory wounds. To observe the clinical effects of ultraviolet (UV) therapy combined with autologous platelet-rich plasma (PRP) on chronic refractory wounds. Between January 2021 and December 2022, 60 inpatients with chronic refractory wounds were enrolled. Twenty patients were assigned to each of control groups 1 and 2 and treatment group according to whether they received PRP or UV treatment. All the patients underwent thorough debridement. Control group 2 received UV radiation. The treatment group underwent UV radiation combined with PRP gel covering the wound. Control group 1 underwent routine dressing changes after surgery, followed by skin grafting or skin key transfer if needed. One month later, we observed the wound healing in the two groups. After 2-4 PRP gel treatments, the wounds of patients in the treatment group healed. The healing time was 25.25 ± 4.93 days, and the dressings were changed 4.15 ± 3.30 times, both of which were better outcomes than in both control groups. In the treatment group, epidermal growth factor (EGF), insulin-like growth factor (IGF), platelet-derived growth factor (PGF), and transforming growth factor ß (TGF-ß) were slightly higher, and the concentration of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) was significantly higher than in the control group (p < 0.05). PRP combined with UV therapy significantly increased the concentration of wound growth factors, accelerated wound healing, shortened treatment time, reduced treatment costs, and alleviated pain in patients.

Nanoparticle drug delivery system for the treatment of brain tumors: Breaching the blood-brain barrier.

The current status of clinical trials utilizing nanoparticle drug delivery system (NDDS) for brain tumors was summarized.Image 1.

Solution and solid-state studies of doubly trimethylene-bridged tetraalkyl p-phenylenediamine diradical dication conformations.

X-ray crystallographic structures are reported for 1(Me)(2+)(SbCl(6)(-))(2) x 2 CH(3)CN, 2(Et)(2+)(SbF(6)(-))(2) x 2 CH(3)CN x 2 CH(2)Cl(2), and 1(iPr)(2+)(SbF(6)(-))(2), which also contained unresolved solvent and is in a completely different conformation than the methyl- and ethyl-substituted compounds. A quite different structure of 1(Me)(2+)(SbF(6)(-))(2) than that previously published was obtained upon crystallizing it from a mixture rich in monocation. It does not contain close intramolecular PD(+),PD(+) contacts but has close intermolecular ones. Low temperature NMR spectra of 1(Me)(2+) and 1(Et)(2+) in 2:1 CD(3)OD/CD(3)CN showed that both contain three conformations of all-gauche NCCC unit material with close intramolecular PD(+),PD(+) contacts. In addition to the both PD(+) ring syn and anti material that had been seen in the crystal structure of 1(Me)(2+)(SbF(6)(-))(2) x 2 CH(3)CN published previously, an unsymmetrical conformation having one PD(+) ring syn and the other anti (abbreviated uns) was seen, and the relative amounts of these conformations were significantly different for 1(Me)(2+) and 1(Et)(2+). Calculations that correctly obtain the relative amounts of both the methyl- and ethyl-substituted material as well as changes in the optical spectra between 1(Me)(2+) and 1(Et)(2+), which contains much less of the uns conformation, are reported.

O-capped heteroadamantyl-substituted hydrazines and their oxidation products.

The mixed valence bishydrazine radical cation 6(+), obtained by oxidation of 2,6-bi-(2'-oxa-6'-azaadamantane-6'-yl)-2,6-diazaadamantane-2,6-diyl (6) with silver or nitrosonium salts, has been prepared and studied. 6 is obtained along with lesser amounts of the trishydrazine, some of the tetrahydrazine, and apparently traces of the pentahydrazine upon reaction of deprotonated 2-oxa-6-azaadamantane with 2,6-dichloro-2,6-diazaadamantane. The EPR spectrum of 6(+) shows that its charge is localized on one hydrazine unit on the EPR time scale. It shows a Hush-type Robin-Day class II mixed valence band in its optical spectrum despite the fact that the nitrogen lone pairs are held in a perpendicular geometry that would lead to no electronic interaction between the nitrogen atoms that are separated by only four sigma bonds if its nitrogens were planar. The electron transfer distance that is estimated from the calculated dipole moment of 6(+) is the same as that obtained using the average distance between the electrons of the triplet state of the dication 6(2+), calculated from its dipolar EPR splitting, as a model for the electron transfer distance of 6(+), 3.7 A. Using Hush's Gaussian approximation for the optical spectrum with this electron transfer distance produces an estimate of the electronic coupling V(ab) through the saturated bridge of about 400 cm(-1), which is consistent with the observed EPR spectrum of 6(+). From the observed dipolar splitting, the trishydrazine diradical dication has its remote hydrazine units oxidized, although the monocation presumably forms at the central hydrazine unit, which lacks substitution by the more electron-withdrawing oxygen atoms.

EPR and ENDOR studies of dimeric paracyclophane radical cations and dications containing tri- and pentamethylene-bridged p-phenylene diamine units.

Solution EPR and ENDOR studies on the radical cations of three dimeric p-phenylene diamine (PD)-based compounds, the tetraisopropyl-substituted bis-trimethylene-bridged [5,5]paracyclophane 1(iPr)(+) and its tetramethyl- and tetraisopropyl-substituted bis-pentamethylene-bridged [7,7]paracyclophane analogues 3(Me)(+) and 3(iPr)(+), showed that charge is localized on one PD(+) unit on the EPR time scale in all three compounds and determined the nitrogen splitting constants and several of the hydrogen splitting constants for these complex spectra. Rigid glass studies of the diradical dications of 1(iPr)(2+), 3(iPr)(2+), and its tetramethylene-bridged [6,6]paracyclophane analogue 2(iPr)(2+), all of which show significant amounts of thermally excited triplet at low temperature, demonstrated that 1(iPr)(2+) has a singlet ground state but the triplet lies only 0.07 kcal/mol higher in energy, and 3(iPr)(2+) has its triplet lying 0.05 kcal/mol higher in energy than its singlet.

Alkylated trimethylene-bridged bis(p-phenylenediamines).

One and two electron oxidation of N,N',N'',N'''-tetramethyl-1,5,12,16-tetraaza[5,5]paracyclophane (Me3C), a bis-trimethylene bridged bis-p-phenylene diamine (PD), and its ethyl and isopropyl analogues are discussed. The monocation and dication are both stable, as demonstrated by optical studies that show they are in equilibrium in solution, with an especially small difference in first and second oxidation potentials for Me3C in MeCN (+23 to -20 mV, measured by simulation of the optical spectrum and of the cyclic voltammogram, respectively). The monocations have charge localized in one PD unit and show a Hush-type mixed valence transition between their PD0 and PD.+ groups. The dications Me3C2+ and Et3C2+ have optical spectra that appear to show large splittings between their PD.+ groups and have a weak ESR spectrum, and 1H NMR data show that the former is a ground-state singlet. iPr3C2+ has a very different optical spectrum and exhibits a triplet ESR spectrum at 120 K. X-ray crystal structures show that for Me3C0 the N(CH2)3N units on each side are in doubly anti (aa) conformations that put the aryl rings as far apart as possible, but Me3C2+ has doubly gg N(CH2)3N trimethylene bridges and both N,N and C,C distances between the PD.+ groups that are significantly below van der Walls contact. In contrast, iPr3C0 is in a doubly ag conformation, and its diradical dication is suggested to be a triplet because it does not attain the doubly gg conformation.

Design, synthesis, and biological activity of 5,10-dihydro-dibenzo[b,e][1,4]diazepin-11-one-based potent and selective Chk-1 inhibitors.

A novel series of 5,10-dihydro-dibenzo[b,e][1,4]diazepin-11-ones have been synthesized as potent and selective checkpoint kinase 1 (Chk1) inhibitors via structure-based design. Aided by protein X-ray crystallography, medicinal chemistry efforts led to the identification of compound 46d, with potent enzymatic activity against Chk1 kinase. While maintaining a low cytotoxicity of its own, compound 46d exhibited a strong ability to abrogate G2 arrest and increased the cytotoxicity of camptothecin by 19-fold against SW620 cells. Pharmacokinetic studies revealed that it had a moderate bioavailabilty of 20% in mice. Two important binding interactions between compound 46b and Chk1 kinase, revealed by X-ray cocrystal structure, were hydrogen bonds between the hinge region and the amide bond of the core structure and a hydrogen bond between the methoxy group and Lys38 of the protein.

Synthesis and in-vitro biological activity of macrocyclic urea Chk1 inhibitors.

A variety of macrocyclic urea compounds were prepared as potent Chk1 inhibitors by modifying the C5 position of the benzene ring of the macrocyclic urea with ether moieties, aliphatic carbon chains, amide and halides. Enzymatic activity less than 20nM was observed in 29 of 40 compounds. Compounds 14, 46d, and 48j provided the best overall results in the cellular assays as they abrogated doxorubicin-induced cell cycle arrest (IC(50)=3.31, 3.08, and 3.13microM) and enhanced doxorubicin cytotoxicity (IC(50)=0.54, 1.27, and 0.96microM) while displaying no single agent activity, respectively.

Transcriptional profiling of rat skeletal muscle hypertrophy under restriction of blood flow.

Blood flow restriction (BFR) under low-intensity resistance training (LIRT) can produce similar effects upon muscles to that of high-intensity resistance training (HIRT) while overcoming many of the restrictions to HIRT that occurs in a clinical setting. However, the potential molecular mechanisms of BFR induced muscle hypertrophy remain largely unknown. Here, using a BFR rat model, we aim to better elucidate the mechanisms regulating muscle hypertrophy as induced by BFR and reveal possible clinical therapeutic targets for atrophy cases. We performed genome wide screening with microarray analysis to identify unique differentially expressed genes during rat muscle hypertrophy. We then successfully separated the differentially expressed genes from BRF treated soleus samples by comparing the Affymetrix rat Genome U34 2.0 array with the control. Using qRT-PCR and immunohistochemistry (IHC) we also analyzed other related differentially expressed genes. Results suggested that muscle hypertrophy induced by BFR is essentially regulated by the rate of protein turnover. Specifically, PI3K/AKT and MAPK pathways act as positive regulators in controlling protein synthesis where ubiquitin-proteasome acts as a negative regulator. This represents the first general genome wide level investigation of the gene expression profile in the rat soleus after BFR treatment. This may aid our understanding of the molecular mechanisms regulating and controlling muscle hypertrophy and provide support to the BFR strategies aiming to prevent muscle atrophy in a clinical setting.