Production of Terretonin N and Butyrolactone I by Thermophilic Aspergillus terreus TM8 Promoted Apoptosis and Cell Death in Human Prostate and Ovarian Cancer Cells

The anticancer activity of terretonin N (1) and butyrolactone I (2), obtained from the thermophilic fungus Aspergillus terreus TM8, was intensively studied against prostate adenocarcinoma (PC-3) and ovary adenocarcinoma (SKOV3) human cell lines. According to this study, both compounds showed potent cytotoxicity towards ovarian adenocarcinoma cells (SKOV3) with IC₅₀ 1.2 and 0.6 μg/mL, respectively. With respect to metastatic prostate cells (PC-3), the two compounds 1 and 2 showed a significantly promising cytotoxicity effect with IC₅₀ of 7.4 and 4.5 μg/mL, respectively. The tested fungal metabolites showed higher rates of early and late apoptosis with little or no necrotic apoptotic pathway in all treated prostate adenocarcinoma (PC-3) and ovary adenocarcinoma (SKOV3) human cell lines, respectively. The results reported in this study confirmed the promising biological properties of terretonin N (1) and butyrolactone I (2) as anticancer agents via the induction of cellular apoptosis. However, further studies are needed to elucidate the molecular mechanism by which cellular apoptosis is induced in cancer cells.     

DFT Study of a 5‐endo‐trig‐Type Cyclization of 3‐Alkenoic Acids by Using Pd–Spiro‐bis(isoxazoline) as Catalyst: Importance of the Rigid Spiro Framework for Both Selectivity and Reactivity

The reaction pathway of an enantioselective 5‐endo‐trig‐type cyclization of 3‐alkenoic acids catalyzed by a chiral palladium–spiro‐bis(isoxazoline) complex, Pd–SPRIX, has been studied by density functional theory calculations. The most plausible pathway involves intramolecular nucleophilic attack of the carboxylate moiety on the C?C double bond activated by Pd–SPRIX and β‐H elimination from the resulting organopalladium intermediate. The enantioselectivity was determined in the cyclization step through the formation of a π‐olefin complex, in which one of the two enantiofaces of the olefin moiety was selected. The β‐H elimination occurs via a seven‐membered cyclic structure in which the acetate ligand plays a key role in lowering the activation barrier of the transition state. In the elimination step, the SPRIX ligand was found to behave as a monodentate ligand due to the hemilability of one of the isoxazoline units thereby facilitating the elimination. Natural population analysis of this pathway showed that the more weakly electron‐donating SPRIX ligand, compared with the bis(oxazoline) ligand, BOX, facilitated the formation of the π‐olefin complex intermediate, leading to a smaller overall activation energy and a higher reactivity of the Pd–SPRIX catalyst.     

Synthesis of Some Oil Spill Dispersants Based on Sorbitol Esters and Their Capability to Disperse Crude Oil on Seawater to Alleviate Its Accumulation and Environmental Impact

In this respect mono‐, di‐, and tri‐ sorbitol oleate esters [SMO, SDO, and STO] were prepared and then ethoxylated using ethylene oxide to obtain six sorbitol esters at different ethylene oxide content (e.o=5, 12, 15, 20, 35, and 45). They were tested as oil spill dispersants individually and in blends. From the obtained data, it was found that the blends are more effective than the corresponding individual surfactants. The maximum dispersion capability for the prepared surfactants was obtained at HLB range from 9 to 11 for the both individual surfactants and blends. The increase of total carbon number in the surfactant alkyl group leads to increase dispersion capability of the dispersant. The wide range of ethylene oxide content was used, but the maximum dispersion efficiency was obtained at ethylene oxide=20 in E(20)STO. Meanwhile, the dispersion capability increases when the interfacial tension decreases.     

Synthesis and structural investigation of mono- and polynuclear copper complexes of 4-ethyl-1-(pyridin-2-yl) thiosemicarbazide

The reaction between 2-hydrazinopyridine and ethylisothiocyanate produced 4-ethyl-1-(pyridin-2-yl) thiosemicarbazide (HEPTS). Its reaction with copper fluoride, chloride, bromide, acetate, nitrate, perchlorate, sulfate, carbonate, hydroxide and copper metal produced 15 Cu(II) complexes. The copper metal is easily oxidized in aqueous-ethanol solution of HEPTS giving [Cu(2)(EPTS)(H(2)O)(3)(OH)(3)]EtOH. Different complexes for the same anion were synthesized by controlling the heating time. Characterization by elemental, thermal, magnetic and spectral (electronic, IR, mass and ESR) studies showed the formation of mono-, di-, tri- and tetra nuclear complexes. The room temperature solid state ESR spectra of the complexes show an axial spectrum with d(x)(2)-y(2) ground state, suggesting distorted tetragonal geometry around Cu(II) center. The kinetic and thermodynamic parameters for the different decomposition steps in the complexes were calculated. HEPTS and its Cu(II) complexes showed high activity against gram negative bacteria; [Cu(3)(EPTS)(2)(EtOH)(2)Br(4)] has more activity.     

Determination of lignans,phenolic acids and antioxidant capacity in transformed hairy root culture of Linum usitatissimum

Hairy root culture is a promising alternative method for the production of secondary metabolites. In this study, transformed root of Linum usitatissimum was established using Agrobacterium rhizogenes A4 strain from root cultures for lignans, phenolic acids and antioxidant capacity determination. Total lignin content (secoisolariciresinol diglucoside, secoisolariciresinol and matairesinol) was 55.5% higher in transformed root cultures than in the non-transformed root culture. Secoisolariciresinol was detected in higher concentration (2.107 μmol/g DM) in the transformed root culture than non-transformed culture (1.099 μmol/g DM). Secoisolariciresinol diglucoside and matairesinol were exclusively detected in the transformed root culture, but were not found in the non-transformed root culture. The overall production of phenolic acids in transformed roots was approximately 3.5 times higher than that of the corresponding non-transformed culture. Free radical scavenging DPPH˙ and ABTS˙⁺ assays showed 2.9-fold and 1.76-fold higher anti-oxidant activity in transformed root culture as compared to non-transformed.     

Correcting reaction rates measured by saturation-transfer magnetic resonance spectroscopy

Off-resonance or spillover irradiation and incomplete saturation can introduce significant errors in the estimates of chemical rate constants measured by saturation-transfer magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS). Existing methods of correction are effective only over a limited parameter range. Here, a general approach of numerically solving the Bloch-McConnell equations to calculate exchange rates, relaxation times and concentrations for the saturation-transfer experiment is investigated, but found to require more measurements and higher signal-to-noise ratios than in vivo studies can practically afford. As an alternative, correction formulae for the reaction rate are provided which account for the expected parameter ranges and limited measurements available in vivo. The correction term is a quadratic function of experimental measurements. In computer simulations, the new formulae showed negligible bias and reduced the maximum error in the rate constants by about 3-fold compared to traditional formulae, and the error scatter by about 4-fold, over a wide range of parameters for conventional saturation transfer employing progressive saturation, and for the four-angle saturation-transfer method applied to the creatine kinase (CK) reaction in the human heart at 1.5 T. In normal in vivo spectra affected by spillover, the correction increases the mean calculated forward CK reaction rate by 6-16% over traditional and prior correction formulae.     

Reactions with 2-aminonicotinic acid,I Some 8-aza analogs of quinazolinones and derived tricyclic compounds

The fusion of 2-acetamidonicotinic acid witho-toluidine,p-bromoaniline oro-chloroaniline afforded the corresponding 3-aryl-2-methyl-pyrido-[2,3-d]pyrimidin-4(3H)-ones (4), the 8-aza analogs of 3-aryl-2-methyl-4-quinazolinones, alongside 2-aminonicotinic acid. 2-Methyl-3-2(2-methylphenyl)-pyrido[2,3-d]pyrimidin-4(3H)-one (4a), the 8-aza analog of methaqualone, was converted to the 2-substituted styryl derivatives6 by condensation with some aromatic aldehydes and to the tricyclic system, 10-aza-5,6-dihydro-3-hydroxy-5-(2-methylphenyl)-2-substituted-1H-pyrido [1,2-a] quinazoline-1,6-diones (8) by reaction with monosubstituted bis-2,4,6-trichlorophenyl malonates.     

A novel photothermal excitation cracked medium in gravitational field with two-temperature and hydrostatic initial stress

A New Approach model for a theory of two temperature with finite linear opening Mode-I crack inside a semi-infinite semiconducting medium is presented. The mechanical force influence during the photothermal process with the influence of gravity and hydrostatic initial stress in two dimensions are used. The transient compressive stress wave travels along the crack from the loading region to the crack face. Using mathematical methods under the purview of different three theories (Lord–?hulman (LS) includes one relaxation time, Green–Lindsay (GL) includes two relaxation times, and the classical dynamical coupled theory (CD)). The exact expression of the physical quantities and the two temperature coefficient ratios are obtained analytically using the harmonic wave technique and illustrated graphically. Comparisons between the results of the three theories are also introduced.     

Synthesis of Some New Nitrogen Bridge‐head Triazolopyridines,Pyridotriazines, and Pyridotriazepines Incorporating 6‐Methylchromone Moiety

Some new triazolo[1,5‐a]pyridines, pyrido[1,2‐b][1,2,4]triazines, and pyrido[1,2‐b][1,2,4]triazepines incorporating 6‐methylchromone moiety were prepared from the reaction of 1,6‐diamino‐4‐(6‐methyl‐4‐oxo‐4H‐chromen‐3‐yl)‐2‐oxo‐1,2‐dihydropyridine‐3,5‐dicarbonitrile ( 4 ) with some electrophilic reagents.