Treatment of Human Glioblastoma U251 Cells with Sulforaphane and a Peptide Nucleic Acid (PNA) Targeting miR-15b-5p: Synergistic Effects on Induction of Apoptosis

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is a lethal malignant tumor accounting for 42% of the tumors of the central nervous system, the median survival being 15 months. At present, no curative treatment is available for GBM and new drugs and therapeutic protocols are urgently needed. In this context, combined therapy appears to be a very interesting approach. The isothiocyanate sulforaphane (SFN) has been previously shown to induce apoptosis and inhibit the growth and invasion of GBM cells. On the other hand, the microRNA miR-15b is involved in invasiveness and proliferation in GBM and its inhibition is associated with the induction of apoptosis. On the basis of these observations, the objective of the present study was to determine whether a combined treatment using SFN and a peptide nucleic acid interfering with miR-15b-5p (PNA-a15b) might be proposed for increasing the pro-apoptotic effects of the single agents. To verify this hypothesis, we have treated GMB U251 cells with SFN alone, PNA-a15b alone or their combination. The cell viability, apoptosis and combination index were, respectively, analyzed by calcein staining, annexin-V and caspase-3/7 assays, and RT-qPCR for genes involved in apoptosis. The efficacy of the PNA-a15b determined the miR-15b-5p content analyzed by RT-qPCR. The results obtained indicate that SFN and PNA-a15b synergistically act in inducing the apoptosis of U251 cells. Therefore, the PNA-a15b might be proposed in a “combo-therapy” associated with SFN. Overall, this study suggests the feasibility of using combined treatments based on PNAs targeting miRNA involved in GBM and nutraceuticals able to stimulate apoptosis.     

New chalcone based liquid crystals with allylidene amino linking unit: Synthesis and characterization

In this study, the synthesis, structural characterization and mesomorphic properties of newly thirteen calamitic shaped compounds derived from allylidene amino chalcone and 4-n-alkoxy benzoyloxy benzoic acid. Comp.H₁ to H₃ exhibited nonliquid crystalline nature, while comp.H₄ to comp.H₁₈ displayed enantiotropical smectic C phase. Phase transition temperatures of present synthesised compounds were determined by optical polarising microscopy (POM), differential scanning calorimetric (DSC) and powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) techniques. Thermal stabilities of smectic to isotropic phase are 150.0 °C and temperature range of mesophase is in decreasing order from comp.H₃ to comp.H₁₈ respectively. The presences of SmC phase are the type of broken fan and needle type in present synthesized series. It is also shown that presence of chalcone amino allylidene central linking group favors a calamitic liquid crystalline behaviour in molecules with lower member to higher member aliphatic side chain in alkoxy group (-OR).     

Signless Laplacians of finite graphs

We survey properties of spectra of signless Laplacians of graphs and discuss possibilities for developing a spectral theory of graphs based on this matrix. For regular graphs the whole existing theory of spectra of the adjacency matrix and of the Laplacian matrix transfers directly to the signless Laplacian, and so we consider arbitrary graphs with special emphasis on the non-regular case. The results which we survey (old and new) are of two types: (a) results obtained by applying to the signless Laplacian the same reasoning as for corresponding results concerning the adjacency matrix, (b) results obtained indirectly via line graphs. Among other things, we present eigenvalue bounds for several graph invariants, an interpretation of the coefficients of the characteristic polynomial, a theorem on powers of the signless Laplacian and some remarks on star complements.     

用AT89C51单片机和MAX505 DAC研制的程控信号源

本文介绍了用单片机AT89C51和MAX505 DAC制作程控信号源的原理,并在其中对AT89C51单片机和MAX505 DAC的工作原理及特性,怎样用单片机的中断控制和串行接口控制作为重点给予了阐述。     

玻璃基质微流控芯片用于DNA片段的分离和C677T基因突变的快速检测

基于微加工方法,在一般实验条件下,成功地制备了玻璃芯片。利用水溶性聚合物对玻璃通道进行动态修饰,从而抑制了DNA分子的吸附作用,并成功地用于DNA片段的分离和四氢叶酸还原酶基因(MTHFR)中C677T的突变检测。     

New C15 Acetogenins from Two Species of Laurencia from the Aegean Sea

The chemical diversity of the approximately 1,200 natural products isolated from red algae of the genus Laurencia, in combination with the wide range of their biological activities, have placed species of Laurencia in the spotlight of marine chemists’ attention for over 60 years. The chemical investigation of the organic (CH₂Cl₂/MeOH) extracts of Laurencia microcladia and Laurencia obtusa, both collected off the coasts of Tinos island in the Aegean Sea, resulted in the isolation of 32 secondary metabolites, including 23 C₁₅ acetogenins (1–23), 7 sesquiterpenes (24–30) and 2 diterpenes (31 and 32). Among them, six new C₁₅ acetogenins, namely 10-acetyl-sagonenyne (2), cis-sagonenyne (3), trans-thuwalenyne C (4), tinosallene A (11), tinosallene B (12) and obtusallene XI (17), were identified and their structures were elucidated by extensive analysis of their spectroscopic data. Compounds 1–3, 5–11, 13 and 15–32 were evaluated for their antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli.     

Obituary: Professor Dr.-Ing. Justus Mühlenpfordt

Abstract

The dose-dependent isotope fractionation during decarboxylation (¹³C/¹²C) amplifies the radiation effect in the relatively low dose range. The fractionation of the nitrogen isotopes during deamination (¹⁵N/¹⁴N) at the dose of 17 Gy was found to be smaller than that of decarboxylation.     

Computerprogramm zur interaktiven Auswertung von 15N-tracerkinetischen Stoffwechselexperimenten

The theoretical concept of the computer program is based on the compartment theory for the 3-pool model using single pulse administration of the tracer. The code estimates the model parameters by means of the non-linear method of least squares fit under steady state conditions. Furthermore the parameters of the protein metabolism are calculated. The program works interactively and allows reading and modifying the experimental ¹⁵N tracer data via terminal and controlling the program.     

Local crystal structure of nano-manganese-oxide gold adsorbent

The local crystal structure of dried and deuterated nano-manganese-oxide powder samples was studied via atomic pair distribution function analysis of X-ray and neutron powder diffraction data. The protonated sample shows ultrahigh efficiency as a gold adsorbent even from ppt-level aqueous solutions such as seawater. We show that the nano-manganese-oxide particles have an R-MnO₂-type local crystal structure. The possible role of the protons on the surface of the nano-particles is discussed.