From a Medicinal Mushroom Blend a Direct Anticancer Effect on Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: A Preclinical Study on Lung Metastases

Bioactive metabolites isolated from medicinal mushrooms (MM) used as supportive treatment in conventional oncology have recently gained interest. Acting as anticancer agents, they interfere with tumor cells and microenvironment (TME), disturbing cancer development/progression. Nonetheless, their action mechanisms still need to be elucidated. Recently, using a 4T1 triple-negative mouse BC model, we demonstrated that supplementation with Micotherapy U-Care, a MM blend, produced a striking reduction of lung metastases density/number, paralleled by decreased inflammation and oxidative stress both in TME and metastases, together with QoL amelioration. We hypothesized that these effects could be due to either a direct anticancer effect and/or to a secondary/indirect impact of Micotherapy U-Care on systemic inflammation/immunomodulation. To address this question, we presently focused on apoptosis/proliferation, investigating specific molecules, i.e., PARP1, p53, BAX, Bcl2, and PCNA, whose critical role in BC is well recognized. We revealed that Micotherapy U-Care is effective to influence balance between cell death and proliferation, which appeared strictly interconnected and inversely related (p53/Bax vs. Bcl2/PARP1/PCNA expression trends). MM blend displayed a direct effect, with different efficacy extent on cancer cells and TME, forcing tumor cells to apoptosis. Yet again, this study supports the potential of MM extracts, as adjuvant supplement in the TNBC management.     

Characterization of Phenolic Compounds,Vitamin E and Fatty Acids from Monovarietal Virgin Olive Oils of “Picholine marocaine” Cultivar

Olive oil is an important product in the Mediterranean diet, due to its health benefits and sensorial characteristics. Picholine marocaine is the most cultivated variety in Morocco. The present research aims to evaluate the phenolic compounds, vitamin E and fatty acids of commercial Picholine marocaine virgin olive oils (VOOs) from five different North Moroccan provinces (Chefchaouen, Taounate, Errachidia, Beni Mellal and Taza), using HPLC-photodiode array (PDA)/electrospray ionization (ESI)-MS, normal phase (NP)-HPLC/ fluorescence detector (FLD) and GC-flame ionization detector (FID)/MS, respectively. The obtained results showed an average content of 130.0 mg kg⁻¹ of secoiridoids (oleuropein aglycone, 10-hydroxy-oleuropein aglycone and ligstroside aglycone, oleocanthal and oleacein), 108.1 mg kg⁻¹ of phenolic alcohols (tyrosol and hydroxytyrosol), 34.7 mg kg⁻¹ of phenolic acids (caffeic acid, ferulic acid and elenolic acid), and 8.24 mg kg⁻¹ of flavonoids (luteolin, luteolin glucoside, apigenin). With regard to vitamin E, α-tocopherol was the most abundant vitamin E (57.9 mg kg⁻¹), followed by α-tocotrienol (2.5 mg kg⁻¹), γ-tocopherol (4.5 mg kg⁻¹) and β-tocopherol (1.9 mg kg⁻¹), while δ-tocopherol was not detected. Moreover, 14 fatty acids were found and, among them, oleic acid (76.1%), linoleic acid (8.1%) palmitic acid (8.7%) and stearic acid (2.5%) were the major fatty acids detected. Finally, heat map and principal component analysis allowed us to classify the studied provinces in terms of VOO chemical composition: Chefchaouen (tyrosol and hydroxytyrosol), Taounate (oleuropein aglycone), Errachidia (ferulic acid, w-3 and w-6), Beni Mellal (oleocanthal) and Taza (luteolin and oleic acid).     

Specific Recognition of β-Galactofuranose-Containing Glycans of Synthetic Neoglycoproteins by Sera of Chronic Chagas Disease Patients

Chagas disease (CD) can be accurately diagnosed by detecting Trypanosoma cruzi in patients’ blood using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). However, parasite-derived biomarkers are of great interest for the serological diagnosis and early evaluation of chemotherapeutic efficacy when PCR may fail, owing to a blood parasite load below the method’s limit of detection. Previously, we focused on the detection of specific anti-α-galactopyranosyl (α-Gal) antibodies in chronic CD (CCD) patients elicited by α-Gal glycotopes copiously expressed on insect-derived and mammal-dwelling infective parasite stages. Nevertheless, these stages also abundantly express cell surface glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored glycoproteins and glycoinositolphospholipids (GIPLs) bearing nonreducing terminal β-galactofuranosyl (β-Galf) residues, which are equally foreign to humans and, therefore, highly immunogenic. Here we report that CCD patients’ sera react specifically with synthetic β-Galf-containing glycans. We took a reversed immunoglycomics approach that entailed: (a) Synthesis of T. cruzi GIPL-derived Galfβ1,3Manpα-(CH₂)₃SH (glycan G29_SH) and Galfβ1,3Manpα1,2-[Galfβ1,3]Manpα-(CH₂)₃SH (glycan G32_SH); and (b) preparation of neoglycoproteins NGP29b and NGP32b, and their evaluation in a chemiluminescent immunoassay. Receiver-operating characteristic analysis revealed that NGP32b can distinguish CCD sera from sera of healthy individuals with 85.3% sensitivity and 100% specificity. This suggests that Galfβ1,3Manpα1,2-[Galfβ1,3]Manpα is an immunodominant glycotope and that NGP32b could potentially be used as a novel CCD biomarker.     

Polymers containing substituted 2-phenyl-benzoxazole side-chain groups: Synthesis and phase behavior

The synthesis of substituted 2-phenyl-benzoxazoles has been accomplished by ring closure of Schiff bases. The compounds have been used as precursors of acrylic derivatives displaying LC properties: Four comb-like homopolymers have been obtained by radical catalysis from the acrylic monomers. The polymers have been characterized by ¹H-NMR, DSC, x-ray diffraction, viscometry, and polarizing microscopy. Three of the polymers exhibit liquid crystalline properties of smectic type. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Characterization of the Phytochemical Composition and Bioactivities of Anacyclus maroccanus Ball. and Anacyclus radiatus Loisel Aerial Parts: Preliminary Evidence for the Possible Development of Moroccan Plants

In the present study, the phytochemical composition and bioactivities of A. maroccanus (AM) and A. radiatus (AR), two ecotypes collected in the Demnate road and Essaouira regions, respectively, were studied to highlight a pharmacological interest and to enable possible pharmaceutical development. To this end, methanolic and ethyl acetate extracts were prepared for each ecotype by fractionation; next, their phytochemical composition was evaluated by spectrophotometric and chromatographic analysis. Moreover, in line with the available evidence for Anacyclus spp. and their traditional use, a screening of bioactivities, including antioxidant, hypoglycemic, antiglycative, chelating, and antibacterial activities, was performed. The extracts were characterized by high amounts of polyphenols, tannins, and flavonoids, especially in the methanolic extracts; these samples were also enriched in carotenoids despite a lower chlorophyll content. Chlorogenic acid and rutin were the major identified compounds. The extracts also showed interesting hypoglycemic, antiglycative, and antibacterial properties, although with differences in efficacy and potency. Present results provide more scientific basis to the ethnopharmacological uses of Anacyclus spp. and suggest a further interest in AM and AR ecotypes as natural sources of bioactive compounds and/or phytocomplexes for possible pharmaceutical and nutraceutical developments.     

Thermal degradation of poly(p-methylstyrene)

The thermal degradation behaviour, in the absence of oxygen, of poly(p-methylstyrene) has been investigated. Monomer is the main product formed in the degradation process, together with different oligomers which have been identified and whose amounts have been determined. A reaction mechanism accounting for the formation of the degradation products, and similar to the mechanism established for polystyrene, is proposed. The main differences of the process comparing with polystyrene are the higher amount of monomer which is produced and the crosslinking structures which are formed at T < 400° C.     

Information Network Modeling for U.S. Banking Systemic Risk

In this work we investigate whether information theory measures like mutual information and transfer entropy, extracted from a bank network, Granger cause financial stress indexes like LIBOR-OIS (London Interbank Offered Rate-Overnight Index Swap) spread, STLFSI (St. Louis Fed Financial Stress Index) and USD/CHF (USA Dollar/Swiss Franc) exchange rate. The information theory measures are extracted from a Gaussian Graphical Model constructed from daily stock time series of the top 74 listed US banks. The graphical model is calculated with a recently developed algorithm (LoGo) which provides very fast inference model that allows us to update the graphical model each market day. We therefore can generate daily time series of mutual information and transfer entropy for each bank of the network. The Granger causality between the bank related measures and the financial stress indexes is investigated with both standard Granger-causality and Partial Granger-causality conditioned on control measures representative of the general economy conditions.     

Boron‐Containing Probes for Non‐optical High‐Resolution Imaging of Biological Samples

Boron has been employed in materials science as a marker for imaging specific structures by electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) or secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS). It has a strong potential in biological analyses as well; however, the specific coupling of a sufficient number of boron atoms to a biological structure has proven challenging. Herein, we synthesize tags containing closo‐1,2‐dicarbadodecaborane, coupled to soluble peptides, which were integrated in specific proteins by click chemistry in mammalian cells and were also coupled to nanobodies for use in immunocytochemistry experiments. The tags were fully functional in biological samples, as demonstrated by nanoSIMS imaging of cell cultures. The boron signal revealed the protein of interest, while other SIMS channels were used for imaging different positive ions, such as the cellular metal ions. This allows, for the first time, the simultaneous imaging of such ions with a protein of interest and will enable new biological applications in the SIMS field.     

Rhodium catalyzed hydroformylation of 2-phenylsulfonylbicyclo[2.2.1] alkenes: effect of the phenylsulfonyl group

The preliminary results of the hydroformylation of 2-phenylsulfonyl substituted norbornene and norbornadiene derivatives catalyzed by the unmodified Rh(CO)₂acac system are presented. The reaction, occurring under standard oxo conditions, gives polyfunctionalized exo norbornene- and exo norbornanecarboxaldehydes. The effect of the phenylsulfonyl group has been evaluated: it has been found that the steric properties of the sulfonyl substituent, more than the electronic ones, influence the regioselectivity of the process.     

PICVib: An accurate,fast, and simple procedure to investigate selected vibrational modes at high theoretical levels

A new approach Procedure for Investigating Categories of Vibrations (PICVib) for estimating vibrational frequencies of selected modes using only the structure and energy calculations at a more demanding computational level is presented and explored. The PICVib has an excellent performance at only a small fraction of the computational demand required for a complete analytical calculation. The errors are smaller than ca. 0.5% when DFT functionals are combined with high level ab initio methods. The approach is general because it can use any quantum chemical program and electronic structure method. It is very robust because it was validated for a wide range of frequency values (ca. 20–4800 cm^–1) and systems: XH₃ (D_3h) with X = B, Al, Ga, N, P, As, O, S, and Se, YH₄ (D_4h) with Y = C, Si, and Ge, conformers of RDX, S_N2 and E2 reactions, [W(dppe)₂(NNC₅H₁₀)] complex, carbon nanotubes, and hydrogen‐bonded complexes including guanine‐cytosine pair. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.