Synthesis of benzofuran based 1,3,5-substituted pyrazole derivatives: as a new class of potent antioxidants and antimicrobials--a novel accost to amend biocompatibility

In search for a new antioxidant and antimicrobial agent with improved potency, we synthesized a series of benzofuran based 1,3,5-substituted pyrazole analogues (5a-l) in five step reaction. Initially, o-alkyl derivative of salicyaldehyde readily furnish corresponding 2-acetyl benzofuran 2 in good yield, on treatment with 1,8-diaza bicyclo[5.4.0]undec-7-ene (DBU) in the presence of molecular sieves. Further, aldol condensation with vanillin, Claisen-Schmidt condensation reaction with hydrazine hydrate followed by coupling of substituted anilines afforded target compounds. The structures of newly synthesized compounds were confirmed by IR, (1)H NMR, (13)C NMR, mass, elemental analysis and further screened for their antioxidant and antimicrobial activities. Among the tested compounds 5d and 5f exhibited good antioxidant property with 50% inhibitory concentration higher than that of reference while compounds 5h and 5l exhibited good antimicrobial activity at concentration 1.0 and 0.5 mg/mL compared with standard, streptomycin and fluconazole respectively.     

Establishing human lacrimal gland cultures with secretory function

Purpose

Dry eye syndrome is a multifactorial chronic disabling disease mainly caused by the functional disruptions in the lacrimal gland. The treatment involves palliation like ocular surface lubrication and rehydration. Cell therapy involving replacement of the gland is a promising alternative for providing long-term relief to patients. This study aimed to establish functionally competent lacrimal gland cultures in–vitro and explore the presence of stem cells in the native gland and the established in-vitro cultures.

Methods

Fresh human lacrimal gland from patients undergoing exenteration was harvested for cultures after IRB approval. The freshly isolated cells were evaluated by flow cytometry for expression of stem cell markers ABCG2, high ALDH1 levels and c-kit. Cultures were established on Matrigel, collagen and HAM and the cultured cells evaluated for the presence of stem cell markers and differentiating markers of epithelial (E-cadherin, EpCAM), mesenchymal (Vimentin, CD90) and myofibroblastic (α-SMA, S-100) origin by flow cytometry and immunocytochemistry. The conditioned media was tested for secretory proteins (scIgA, lactoferrin, lysozyme) post carbachol (100 µM) stimulation by ELISA.

Results

Native human lacrimal gland expressed ABCG2 (mean±SEM: 3.1±0.61%), high ALDH1 (3.8±1.26%) and c-kit (6.7±2.0%). Lacrimal gland cultures formed a monolayer, in order of preference on Matrigel, collagen and HAM within 15–20 days, containing a heterogeneous population of stem-like and differentiated cells. The epithelial cells formed ‘spherules’ with duct like connections, suggestive of ductal origin. The levels of scIgA (47.43 to 61.56 ng/ml), lysozyme (24.36 to 144.74 ng/ml) and lactoferrin (32.45 to 40.31 ng/ml) in the conditioned media were significantly higher than the negative controls (p<0.05 for all comparisons).

Conclusion

The study reports the novel finding of establishing functionally competent human lacrimal gland cultures in-vitro. It also provides preliminary data on the presence of stem cells and duct-like cells in the fresh and in-vitro cultured human lacrimal gland. These significant findings could pave way for cell therapy in future.     

Influence of Lime and Organic Matter on the Mobility of Cadmium in Cadmium-Contaminated Soil in Relation to Nutrition of Spinach

Cadmium and cadmium compounds are water soluble, mobile in most soils, bio-available, and tend to bio-accumulate. A pot culture experiment was conducted on contaminated soil to study the influence of lime and organic matter on the mobility of cadmium in spinach and its rhizosphere soil. Application of lime (50% and 100% lime requirement) and organic matter (0.5 and 1% by weight of soil) to soil decreased the availability of Cd to the soil and plant throughout the crop growth. The highest diethylene triamine penta-acetic acid (DTPA) extractable Cd was 10.84 mg kg^?1 in the treatment OM₀ L₀ (No application of organic matter and lime) at 20 days after sowing of spinach. Likewise, the highest Cd concentration in spinach roots and shoots were 19.80 and 17.0 mg kg^?1 in the treatment OM₀ L₀ at 20 days after sowing. The Cd concentration in spinach roots and shoots were decreased by 63.23 and 71.88%, respectively, in the treatment OM₁ L₁₀₀ (application of FYM at 1.0% by weight of soil and lime at 100% lime requirement) after 60 days of growth. The lowest concentrations of Cd in the soil and plant after the harvest of the crop were 2.88 and 4.27 mg kg^?1, respectively, in the treatment OM₁ L₁₀₀ and resulted in 65.75 and 71.55% decrease over control (OM₀ L₀). The highest total chlorophyll content of leaves was 2.19 mg kg^?1 of fresh weight in the treatment OM₁ L₁₀₀ at 40 days of crop growth.     

Enhanced production of alkaline thermostable keratinolytic protease from calcium alginate immobilized cells of thermoalkalophilic Bacillus halodurans JB 99 exhibiting dehairing activity

The thermoalkalophilic Bacillus halodurans JB 99 cells known for production of novel thermostable alkaline keratinolytic protease were immobilized in calcium alginate matrix. Batch and repeated batch cultivation using calcium alginate immobilized cells were studied for alkaline protease production in submerged fermentation. Immobilized cells with 2.5% alginate and 350 beads/flask of initial cell loading showed enhanced production of alkaline protease by 23.2% (5,275 ± 39.4 U/ml) as compared to free cells (4,280 ± 35.4 U/ml) after 24 h. In the semicontinuous mode of cultivation, immobilized cells under optimized conditions produced an appreciable level of alkaline protease in up to nine cycles and reached a maximal value of 5,975 U/ml after the seventh cycle. The enzyme produced from immobilized cells efficiently degraded chicken feathers in the presence of a reducing agent which can help the poultry industry in the management of keratin-rich waste and obtaining value-added products.     

Azurophil Granule Proteins Constitute the Major Mycobactericidal Proteins in Human Neutrophils and Enhance the Killing of Mycobacteria in Macrophages

Pathogenic mycobacteria reside in, and are in turn controlled by, macrophages. However, emerging data suggest that neutrophils also play a critical role in innate immunity to tuberculosis, presumably by their different antibacterial granule proteins. In this study, we purified neutrophil azurophil and specific granules and systematically analyzed the antimycobacterial activity of some purified azurophil and specific granule proteins against M. smegmatis, M. bovis-BCG and M. tuberculosis H37Rv. Using gel overlay and colony forming unit assays we showed that the defensin-depleted azurophil granule proteins (AZP) were more active against mycobacteria compared to other granule proteins and cytosolic proteins. The proteins showing antimycobacterial activity were identified by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. Electron microscopic studies demonstrate that the AZP disintegrate bacterial cell membrane resulting in killing of mycobacteria. Exogenous addition of AZP to murine macrophage RAW 264.7, THP-1 and peripheral blood monocyte-derived macrophages significantly reduced the intracellular survival of mycobacteria without exhibiting cytotoxic activity on macrophages. Immunofluorescence studies showed that macrophages actively endocytose neutrophil granular proteins. Treatment with AZP resulted in increase in co-localization of BCG containing phagosomes with lysosomes but not in increase of autophagy. These data demonstrate that neutrophil azurophil proteins may play an important role in controlling intracellular survival of mycobacteria in macrophages.     

Noscapinoids with anti-cancer activity against human acute lymphoblastic leukemia cells (CEM): a three dimensional chemical space pharmacophore modeling and electronic feature analysis

We have identified a new class of microtubule-binding compounds—noscapinoids—that alter microtubule dynamics at stoichiometric concentrations without affecting tubulin polymer mass. Noscapinoids show great promise as chemotherapeutic agents for the treatment of human cancers. To investigate the structural determinants of noscapinoids responsible for anti-cancer activity, we tested 36 structurally diverse noscapinoids in human acute lymphoblastic leukemia cells (CEM). The IC₅₀ values of these noscapinoids vary from 1.2 to 56.0 μM. Pharmacophore models of anti-cancer activity were generated that identify two hydrogen bond acceptors, two aromatic rings, two hydrophobic groups, and one positively charged group as essential structural features. Additionally, an atom-based quantitative structure–activity relationship (QSAR) model was developed that gave a statistically satisfying result (R ² = 0.912, Q ² = 0.908, Pearson R = 0.951) and effectively predicts the anti-cancer activity of training and test set compounds. The pharmacophore model presented here is well supported by electronic property analysis using density functional theory at B3LYP/3-21*G level. Molecular electrostatic potential, particularly localization of negative potential near oxygen atoms of the dimethoxy isobenzofuranone ring of active compounds, matched the hydrogen bond acceptor feature of the generated pharmacophore. Our results further reveal that all active compounds have smaller lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) energies concentrated over the dimethoxy isobenzofuranone ring, azido group, and nitro group, which is indicative of the electron acceptor capacity of the compounds. Results obtained from this study will be useful in the efficient design and development of more active noscapinoids.     

Brief cognitive behavioral therapy in primary care: a hybrid type 2 patient-randomized effectivenessimplementation design

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Despite the availability of evidence-based psychotherapies for depression and anxiety, they are underused in non-mental health specialty settings such as primary care. Hybrid effectiveness-implementation designs have the potential to evaluate clinical and implementation outcomes of evidence-based psychotherapies to improve their translation into routine clinical care practices. METHODS: This protocol article discusses the study methodology and implementation strategies employed in an ongoing, hybrid, type 2 randomized controlled trial with two primary aims: (1) to determine whether a brief, manualized cognitive behavioral therapy administered by Veterans Affairs Primary Care Mental Health Integration program clinicians is effective in treating depression and anxiety in a sample of medically ill (chronic cardiopulmonary diseases) primary care patients and (2) to examine the acceptability, feasibility, and preliminary outcomes of a focused implementation strategy on improving adoption and fidelity of brief cognitive behavioral therapy at two Primary Care-Mental Health Integration clinics. The study uses a hybrid type 2 effectiveness/implementation design to simultaneously test clinical effectiveness and to collect pilot data on a multifaceted implementation strategy that includes an online training program, audit and feedback of session content, and internal and external facilitation. Additionally, the study engages the participation of an advisory council consisting of stakeholders from Primary Care-Mental Health Integration, as well as regional and national mental health leaders within the Veterans Administration. It targets recruitment of 320 participants randomized to brief cognitive behavioral therapy (n = 200) or usual care (n = 120). Both effectiveness and implementation outcomes are being assessed using mixed methods, including quantitative evaluation (e.g., intent-to-treat analyses across multiple time points) and qualitative methods (e.g., focus interviews and surveys from patients and providers). Patient-effectiveness outcomes include measures of depression, anxiety, and physical health functioning using blinded independent evaluators. Implementation outcomes include patient engagement and adherence and clinician brief cognitive behavioral therapy adoption and fidelity. CONCLUSIONS: Hybrid designs are needed to advance clinical effectiveness and implementation knowledge to improve healthcare practices. The current article describes the rationale and challenges associated with the use of a hybrid design for the study of brief cognitive behavioral therapy in primary care. Although trade-offs exist between scientific control and external validity, hybrid designs are part of an emerging approach that has the potential to rapidly advance both science and practice. Trial registration NCT01149772 at http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01149772.     

Glucose phosphorylation and mitochondrial binding are required for the protective effects of hexokinases I and II

Alterations in glucose metabolism have been demonstrated for diverse disorders ranging from heart disease to cancer. The first step in glucose metabolism is carried out by the hexokinase (HK) family of enzymes. HKI and II can bind to mitochondria through their N-terminal hydrophobic regions, and their overexpression in tissue culture protects against cell death. In order to determine the relative contributions of mitochondrial binding and glucose-phosphorylating activities of HKs to their overall protective effects, we expressed full-length HKI and HKII, their truncated proteins lacking the mitochondrial binding domains, and catalytically inactive proteins in tissue culture. The overexpression of full-length proteins resulted in protection against cell death, decreased levels of reactive oxygen species, and possibly inhibited mitochondrial permeability transition in response to H₂O₂. However, the truncated and mutant proteins exerted only partial effects. Similar results were obtained with primary neonatal rat cardiomyocytes. The HK proteins also resulted in an increase in the phosphorylation of voltage-dependent anion channel (VDAC) through a protein kinase C (PKC)-dependent pathway. These results suggest that both glucose phosphorylation and mitochondrial binding contribute to the protective effects of HKI and HKII, possibly through VDAC phosphorylation by PKC.     

Microbial decolorization of spentwash: a review

Spentwash is one of the most complex and cumbersome wastewater with very high BOD, COD and other organic and inorganic toxic constituents. It is dark brown colored and difficult to treat by normal biological process such as activated sludge or anaerobic lagooning. The color is due to the presence of melanoidins, caramels and other polymers. These compounds have anti oxidant properties which render them toxic to microorganisms. Spentwash disposal into the environment is hazardous and has a considerable pollution potential. It affects the aesthetic merit. Its decolorization by physical or chemical methods have been investigated and were found unsuitable. In the recent past, increasing attention has been directed towards utilizing microbial activity for decolorization of spentwash. This review reveals various groups of microorganisms which have potential in spentwash decolorization. The role of enzymes in decolorization and the microbial degradation of individual compounds imparting color to spentwash are also discussed.