On Models of Directed Path Graphs Non Rooted Directed Path Graphs

A directed path graph is the intersection graph of a family of directed subpaths of a directed tree. A rooted directed path graph is the intersection graph of a family of directed subpaths of a rooted tree. Clearly, rooted directed path graphs are directed path graphs. Several characterizations are known for directed path graphs: one by forbidden induced subgraphs and one by forbidden asteroids. It is an open problem to find such characterizations for rooted directed path graphs. With the purpose of proving knowledge in this direction, we show in this paper properties of directed path models that can not be rooted for chordal graphs with any leafage and with leafage four. Therefore, we prove that for leafage four directed path graphs minimally non rooted directed path graphs have a unique asteroidal quadruple, and can be characterized by the presence of certain type of asteroidal quadruples.     

Evaluation of GSH adducts of adrenaline in biological samples

The sustained high release of catecholamines to circulation is a deleterious condition that may induce toxicity, which seems to be partially related to the products formed by oxidation of catecholamines that can be further conjugated with glutathione (GSH). The aim of the present study was to develop a method for the determination of GSH adducts of adrenaline in biological samples. Two position isomers of the glutathion-S-yl-adrenaline were synthesized and characterized by HPLC using diode array, coulometric and mass detectors. A method for the extraction of these adducts from human plasma was also developed, based on adsorption to activated alumina, which showed adequate recoveries and proved to be crucial in removing interferences from plasma. The selectivity, precision and linearity of the method were all within the accepted values for these parameters. Furthermore, the sensitivity of this method allows the detection of adduct amounts that are within the range of the expected concentrations for these adducts under certain pathophysiological conditions and/or drug treatments. In conclusion, the development of this method allows the direct analysis of GSH adducts of adrenaline in human plasma, providing a valuable tool for the study of the catecholamine oxidation process and its related toxicity.     

New diterpenoids from Calceolaria polifolia

Four new and seven known diterpenes have been isolated from the dichloromethane extract of the aerial parts of Calceolaria polifolia. The structures of the new compounds were established by spectroscopic evidence.     

Dissociation enthalpies of synthesized multicomponent gas hydrates with respect to the guest composition and cage occupancy

This study presents the influences of additional guest molecules such as C2H6, C3H8, and CO2 on methane hydrates regarding their thermal behavior. For this purpose, the onset temperatures of decomposition as well as the enthalpies of dissociation were determined for synthesized multicomponent gas hydrates in the range of 173-290 K at atmospheric pressure using a Calvet heat-flow calorimeter. Furthermore, the structures and the compositions of the hydrates were obtained using X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy as well as hydrate prediction program calculations. It is shown that the onset temperature of decomposition of both sI and sII hydrates tends to increase with an increasing number of larger guest molecules than methane occupying the large cavities. The results of the calorimetric measurements also indicate that the molar dissociation enthalpy depends on the guest-to-cavity size ratio and the actual concentration of the guest occupying the large cavities of the hydrate. To our knowledge, this is the first study that observes this behavior using calorimetrical measurements on mixed gas hydrates at these temperature and pressure conditions.     

Polyphenolic Flavonoid Compound Quercetin Effects in the Treatment of Acute Myeloid Leukemia and Myelodysplastic Syndromes

Flavonoids are ubiquitous groups of polyphenolic compounds present in most natural products and plants. These substances have been shown to have promising chemopreventive and chemotherapeutic properties with multiple target interactions and multiple pathway regulations against various human cancers. Polyphenolic flavonoid compounds can block the initiation or reverse the promotion stage of multistep carcinogenesis. Quercetin is one of the most abundant flavonoids found in fruits and vegetables and has been shown to have multiple properties capable of reducing cell growth in cancer cells. Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) therapy remains a challenge for hematologists worldwide, and the outcomes for patients with both disorders continue to be poor. This scenario indicates the increasing demand for innovative drugs and rational combinative therapies. Herein, we discuss the multitarget effects of the flavonoid quercetin, a naturally occurring flavonol, on AML and MDS.     

Rational approximations of the Arrhenius integral using Jacobi fractions and gaussian quadrature

The aim of this work is to find approaches for the Arrhenius integral by using the n-th convergent of the Jacobi fractions. The n-th convergent is a rational function whose numerator and denominator are polynomials which can be easily computed from three-term recurrence relations. It is noticed that such approaches are equivalent to the one established by the Gauss quadrature formula and it can be seen that the coefficients in the quadrature formula can be given as a function of the coefficients in the recurrence relations. An analysis of the relative error percentages in the approximations is also presented.     

Optical probes for detection and quantification of neutrophils’ oxidative burst. A review

Neutrophils, also known as polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN), are the most common type of white blood cells, comprising about 50-70% of all white blood cells. In the event of inflammatory processes, neutrophils display increased mobility, tissue influx ability, prolonged life span, and an increased phagocytic capacity, constituting the initial participants in the cellular defense of the organism. One of the most important defense systems of neutrophils corresponds to their ability to mediate a strong oxidative burst through the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS). While oxidative burst is important for the elimination of invading microorganisms, the overproduction of ROS and RNS or the impairment of endogenous antioxidant defenses may result to detrimental effects to the host. The nature and the extent of ROS and RNS production by neutrophils in response to different stimuli is, consequently, a matter of extensive research, with scientific reports showing an enormous variability on the detection methodologies employed. This review attempts to provide a critical assessment of the most common approaches to identify and quantify reactive species formed during the neutrophils’ oxidative burst. The detection mechanisms and performance, as well as advantages and limitations of the different methodologies, are scrutinized, focusing on the use of fluorimetric, chemiluminometric and colorimetric probes.     

Characterization of O2 (1Δg)-derived oxidation products of tryptophan: A combination of tandem mass spectrometry analyses and isotopic labeling studies

The fragmentation mechanisms of singlet oxygen [O(2) ((1)Delta(g))]-derived oxidation products of tryptophan (W) were analyzed using collision-induced dissociation coupled with (18)O-isotopic labeling experiments and accurate mass measurements. The five identified oxidized products, namely two isomeric alcohols (trans and cis WOH), two isomeric hydroperoxides (trans and cis WOOH), and N-formylkynurenine (FMK), were shown to share some common fragment ions and losses of small neutral molecules. Conversely, each oxidation product has its own fragmentation mechanism and intermediates, which were confirmed by (18)O-labeling studies. Isomeric WOH lost mainly H(2)O + CO, while WOOH showed preferential elimination of C(2)H(5)NO(3) by two distinct mechanisms. Differences in the spatial arrangement of the two isomeric WOHs led to differences in the intensities of the fragment ions. The same behavior was also found for trans and cis WOOH. FMK was shown to dissociate by a diverse range of mechanisms, with the loss of ammonia the most favored route. MS/MS analyses, (18)O-labeling, and H(2)(18)O experiments demonstrated the ability of FMK to exchange its oxygen atoms with water. Moreover, this approach also revealed that the carbonyl group has more pronounced oxygen exchange ability compared with the formyl group. The understanding of fragmentation mechanisms involved in O(2) ((1)Delta(g))-mediated oxidation of W provides a useful step toward the structural characterization of oxidized peptides and proteins.     

Calorimetric and SEM studies of PHB–PET polymeric blends

PHB [poly (3-hydroxybutyrate)], post-consumer soft-drink bottles poly (ethylene terephthalate) PET (herein named PET-R) and PHBPET-R (blends of PHB and PET-R in several compositions) samples were evaluated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and scanning electronic microscopy (SEM) in order to verify their thermal properties and porosity according to amounts of PET-R added the blends. The DSC curve showed that the solvents used to solve the polymer mixture cause changes in the thermal behavior of PET-R films and in PHBPET-R blends. SEM studies of the PHBPET-R blends show that with a gradual mass increase of PET-R, there are gradual increases in the porosity of the films.     

The modified complex Busemann-Petty problem on sections of convex bodies

The complex Busemann-Petty problem asks whether origin symmetric convex bodies in with smaller central hyperplane sections necessarily have smaller volume. The answer is affirmative if n ≤ 3 and negative if n ≥ 4. Since the answer is negative in most dimensions, it is natural to ask what conditions on the (n − 1)-dimensional volumes of the central sections of complex convex bodies with complex hyperplanes allow to compare the n-dimensional volumes. In this article we give necessary conditions on the section function in order to obtain an affirmative answer in all dimensions. The result is the complex analogue of [16].