Distribution of calcareous nannoplankton in surface sediments from intertidal and shallow marine regimes of a marginal sea: Jason Bay,South China Sea

The surface sediments collected from the intertidal and shallow marine (0–20 m) regimes of Jason Bay, South China Sea contain calcareous nannoplankton assemblages in whichGephyrocapsa oceanica comprises 99% of the assemblage. The calcareous nannoplankton diversity is very low and the abundance of species tends to increase with both depth and distance offshore and becomes abundant in samples from water depths of 18 m and 20 m.Emiliania huxleyi is absent from all studied samples. The sediments from the intertidal regime contained rare calcareous nannoplankton.     

Comparative bioinformatics analysis and abiotic stress responses of expansin proteins in Cucurbitaceae members: watermelon and melon

Protoplasma - Watermelon and melon are members of the Cucurbitaceae family including economically significant crops in the world. The expansin protein family, which is one of the members of the...     

Synthesis,Biological Evaluation,and Molecular Modeling Studies of New 1,3,4-Thiadiazole Derivatives as Potent Antimicrobial Agents

In this work, the synthesis, characterization, and biological activities of a new series of 1,3,4-thiadiazole derivatives were investigated. The structures of final compounds were identified using ¹H-NMR, ¹³C-NMR, elemental analysis, and HRMS. All the new synthesized compounds were then screened for their antimicrobial activity against four types of pathogenic bacteria and one fungal strain, by application of the MIC assays, using Ampicilin, Gentamycin, Vancomycin, and Fluconazole as standards. Among the compounds, the MIC values of 4 and 8 μg/mL of the compounds 3f and 3g , respectively, are remarkable and indicate that these compounds are good candidates for antifungal activity. The docking experiments were used to identify the binding forms of produced ligands with sterol 14-demethylase to acquire insight into relevant proteins. The MD performed about 100 ns simulations to validate selected compounds’ theoretical studies. Finally, using density functional theory (DFT) to predict reactivity, the chemical characteristics and quantum factors of synthesized compounds were computed. These results were then correlated with the experimental data. Furthermore, computational estimation was performed to predict the ADME properties of the most active compound 3f .     

Synthesis and evaluation of N-substituted indole-3-carboxamide derivatives as inhibitors of lipid peroxidation and superoxide anion formation

The in vitro antioxidant effects of novel N-substituted indole-3-carboxamides (I3CDs) 1-10 on rat liver microsomal NADPH-dependent lipid peroxidation (LP) levels and their free radicals scavenging properties were determined by the inhibition of superoxide anion formation (SOD). Among the synthesized compounds, 4, 5, 8 and 9 significantly inhibited SOD with an inhibition range at 84–100% at 10^{? 3} M concentration. The presence of halo substituents both ortho- and para- positions of these compounds resulted 100% inhibition of SOD. Comparison the activity results of halogenated and non-halogenated derivatives suggested that the halogenated compounds are more active than the non-halogenated compounds. On the other hand, the introduction of a para fluoro benzyl in the 1-position of indole (compounds 7, 8) has more impact on the SOD inhibition when the benzamide ring was mono halogenated. However, none of other compounds had a significant inhibitory effects on the level of lipid peroxidation.     

Calcium hypochlorite on mouse embryonic fibroblast cells (NIH3T3) in vitro cytotoxicity and genotoxicity: MTT and comet assay

Molecular Biology Reports - Antimicrobial irrigation solutions are widely used under clinical settings. Their effect on dental tissue is a subject of recent research, which aims for a safer...     

Agonist Leukadherin-1 Increases CD11b/CD18-Dependent Adhesion Via Membrane Tethers

Integrin CD11b/CD18 is a key adhesion receptor that mediates leukocyte migration and immune functions. Leukadherin-1 (LA1) is a small molecule agonist that enhances CD11b/CD18-dependent cell adhesion to its ligand ICAM-1. Here, we used single-molecule force spectroscopy to investigate the biophysical mechanism by which LA1-activated CD11b/CD18 mediates leukocyte adhesion. Between the two distinct populations of CD11b/CD18:ICAM-1 complex that participate in cell adhesion, the cytoskeleton(CSK)-anchored elastic elements and the membrane tethers, we found that LA1 enhanced binding of CD11b/CD18 on K562 cells to ICAM-1 via the formation of long membrane tethers, whereas Mn²⁺ additionally increased ICAM-1 binding via CSK-anchored bonds. LA1 activated wild-type and LFA1^−/− neutrophils also showed longer detachment distances and time from ICAM-1-coated atomic force microscopy tips, but significantly lower detachment force, as compared to the Mn²⁺-activated cells, confirming that LA1 primarily increased membrane-tether bonds to enhance CD11b/CD18:ICAM-1 binding, whereas Mn²⁺ induced additional CSK-anchored bond formation. The results suggest that the two types of agonists differentially activate integrins and couple them to the cellular machinery, providing what we feel are new insights into signal mechanotransduction by such agents.     

Nebulosides A–B,novel triterpene saponins from under-ground parts of Gypsophila arrostii Guss. var. nebulosa

A bioassay-guided phytochemical analysis of the triterpene saponins from under ground parts of Gypsophila arrostii var. nebulosa allowed the isolation of two triterpene saponins; nebuloside A, B based on gypsogenin and quillaic acid aglycone. Two new oleanane type triterpenoid saponins (nebuloside A, B) and three known saponins (1–3) were isolated from the root bark of Gypsophila arrostii var. nebulosa. The structures of the two new compounds were elucidated as 3-O-β-d-galactopyranosyl-(1→2)-[β-d-xylopyranosyl-(1→3)]-β-d-glucuronopyranosyl quillaic acid 28-O-β-d-glucopyranosyl-(1→3)-[β-d-xylopyranosyl-(1→3)-β-d-xylopyranosyl-(1→4)]-α-l-rhamnopyranosyl-(1→2)-β-d-fucopyranosyl ester (nebuloside A) and 3-O-β-d-xylopyranosyl-(1→3)-[β-d-galactopyranosyl(1→3)-β-d-galactopyranosyl-(1→2)]-β-d-glucuronopyranosyl gypsogenin 28-O-β-d-glucopyranosyl-(1→3)-[β-d-xylopyranosyl-(1→3)-β-d-xylopyranosyl-(1→4)]-α-l-rhamnopyranosyl-(1→2)-β-d-fucopyranosyl ester (nebuloside B), on the basis of extensive spectral analysis and chemical evidence. Nebuloside A and B showed toxicity enhancing properties on saporin a type-I RIP without causing toxicity by themselves at 15 μg/mL.     

Spiders active on snow in eastern Turkey

Abstract

At temperatures below zero in winter months, a total of 202 spiders was collected by pitfall traps from a snow-covered grassland in eastern Turkey. 16 genera and 20 species were recorded, belonging to the families Gnaphosidae, Lycosidae, Linyphiidae, Thomisidae, Theridiidae, Philodromidae, Salticidae, and Tetragnathidae.