xMAP-based analysis of three most prevalent staphylococcal toxins in Staphylococcus aureus cultures

Detection of staphylococcal toxins presents a great interest for medical diagnostics. Screening of clinical samples for the presence of several types of staphylococcal toxins using traditional methods—biological tests on animals or cell cultures as well as ELISA—is laborious. Multiplex detection methods would simplify testing. We have designed an xMAP-based assay to detect three staphylococcal toxins—enterotoxins A and B (SEA and SEB) and toxic shock syndrome toxin (TSST)—in cultural supernatants obtained from different strains of Staphylococcus aureus. The limits of detection of SEA, SEB, and TSST multiplex detection in S. aureus growth medium were 10, 1,000, and 5 pg/mL, respectively. Fifty-nine samples of S. aureus cultural supernatants were tested with the xMAP assay. The developed assay has proved highly effective detection of the natural toxins in the samples obtained due to bacterial cells cultivation. In prospect, the developed test system can be used in clinical diagnostics and in monitoring of foodstuffs and environmental objects.     

Neuroprotective Effects of Curcumin in Methamphetamine-Induced Toxicity

Curcumin (CUR), a natural polyphenol extracted from rhizome of the Curcuma longa L, has received great attention for its multiple potential health benefits as well as disease prevention. For instance, CUR protects against toxic agents acting on the human body, including the nervous system. In detail, CUR possesses, among others, strong effects as an autophagy activator. The present study indicates that CUR counteracts methamphetamine (METH) toxicity. Such a drug of abuse is toxic by disturbing the autophagy machinery. We profited from an unbiased, low variable cell context by using rat pheochromocytoma PC12 cell line. In such a system, a strong protection was exerted by CUR against METH toxicity. This was associated with increased autophagy flux, merging of autophagosomes with lysosomes and replenishment of autophagy vacuoles with LC3, which instead is moved out from the vacuoles by METH. This is expected to enable the autophagy machinery. In fact, while in METH-treated cells the autophagy substrates α-synuclein accumulates in the cytosol, CUR speeds up α-synuclein clearance. Under the effects of CUR LC3 penetrate in autophagy vacuoles to commit them to cell clearance and promotes the autophagy flux. The present data provide evidence that CUR counteracts the neurotoxic effects induced by METH by promoting autophagy.     

Arylmethylene-3H-furan(pyrrol)-2-ones in reactions of [3+2]-cycloaddition with activated hydrazones

Spiropyrrolidine derivatives were synthesized for the first time by [3+2]-cycloaddition of 3-arylmethylene-3H-furan(pyrrol)-2-ones to N-benzylidenebenzylamine activated by the system AcOAg-Et₃N. The reaction route and the spectral characteristics of the first obtained compounds have been discussed.     

Thermal behaviour of some novel antimicrobials based on complexes with a Schiff base bearing 1,2,4-triazole pharmacophore

A series of complexes of type [ML(CH₃COO)(OH₂)₂] (M: Co, Ni; HL: 2-[(E)-1H-1,2,4-triazol-3-ylimino)methyl]phenol)) and [M₂L₂(CH₃COO)₂(OH₂)_n] (M: Cu, n = 2; M: Zn, n = 0) were synthesised by template condensation. The compounds were characterised with microanalytical, ESI–MS, IR, electronic, EPR spectra and magnetic data at room temperature. Based on the IR and ESI–MS spectra, a dinuclear structure with the acetate as bridge was proposed for Cu(II) and Zn(II) complexes. The dinuclear structure of Cu(II) complex is also consistent with both magnetic behaviour and EPR spectrum. The thermal analyses have evidenced processes as water elimination, acetate decomposition, as well as oxidative degradation of the Schiff base. The final decomposition product was the most stable metal oxide as indicated by powder X-ray diffraction. The cobalt and copper compounds exhibited a broad spectrum of antibacterial activity towards both planktonic and biofilm-embedded cells. The complexes exhibit a low cytotoxicity except for Cu(II) species that induces the early apoptosis for the HEp 2 cells.     

Surface Modification of ZrO2–3Y2O3 with Highintensity Pulsed N2+ Ion Beams

Russian Physics Journal -     

Conformationally controlled intramolecular heterocyclization of 2,4-diaminoperfluoro-4-methyl-2-pentenethiocyanate-3

Perfluoro-2-methyl-2-pentene-thiocyanate-3 reacts with ammonia to give 2,4-diaminoperfluoro-4-methyl-2-pentenethiocyanate-3 ( 4 ) and 2-aminoperfluoro-4, 4-dimethyl-4,5-dihydro-5-ethylidene-1,3-thiazole ( 5 ). Compound 4 is kinetically stable and at 150°C under-goes rotational isomerization to afford the cyclic isomer 2-amino-4,4-bis(trifluoromethyl)-4,5-dihydro-5-(1-aminoperfluoroethylidene) -1,3-thiazole ( 6 ). Intramolecular cyclizations, resulting in the thiazolines 5 and 6 , proceed likewise via the Thorpe reaction. For compounds 4–6 , X-ray diffraction analyses were undertaken and IR spectra in solution and in solid state were investigated. It is supposed that a high kinetic preference for formation of 4 and the fact that it does not undergo spontaneous cyclization in ammonolysis stem from the NH …︁ N intramolecular hydrogen bonding between two amino groups.     

Catalytic Activity of Amines Hydrochlorides,Intramolecular Catalysis and Stereoselectivity of Phosphorylation of Hydroxylcontaining Nucleophiles with P(III)-N-Ethylanilines

Abstract

The effect of acid-base properties of amines hydrochlorides (AH) on their catalytic activity in methanolysis of P(III)-N-ethylaniline has been studied. The analysis of Bronsted correlation equation was indicative of general acid catalysis and it was thus confirmed, that general regularities had place during alcoholysis of P(III)-amines under catalysis with AH. In addition, the increasing of alcohol polarity leads to the increasing of proton transfer degree (α) from acid catalysts to phospho(III)amine substrate and to the increasing of the positive charge at the phosphorus in the transition state. Besides, the comparison of α values indicates that in more polar methanol (in comparison with tbutanol) the catalysis is more sensitive to the acidity change of used catalysts.     

Selective Detection of Mg2+ for Sensing Applications in Drinking Water

A new series of ligands containing the 2-(2-hydroxy-3- naphthyl)-4-methylbenzoxazole (HNBO) fluorophore showed selectivity for Mg²⁺ ions, without the interference of Ca²⁺. The most promising representative L3 resulted the best performing sensor for Mg²⁺ both in solution and embedded in an all-solid-state optode, especially towards real samples of drinkable water.     

Measuring the difference in group delays between the cores of a multicore optical fiber by means of time-domain interferometry

A way of measuring the difference in group delays between the cores of multi-core optical fiber is proposed. The method is based on a low-coherence Mach–Zehnder interferometer and a broadband radiation source. The corresponding experimental setup is constructed and a seven-core optical fiber with identical cores manufactured at the Fiber Optics Research Center, Russian Academy of Sciences, is studied.