Fungistatic activity of Zanthoxylum rhoifolium Lam. bark extracts against fungal plant pathogens and investigation on mechanism of action in Botrytis cinerea

Plant-derived compounds are emerging as an alternative choice to synthetic fungicides. Chloroform–methanol extract, obtained from the bark of Zanthoxylum rhoifolium, a member of Rutaceae, showed a fungistatic effect on Botrytis cinerea, Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, Alternaria alternata, Colletotrichum gloeosporioides and Clonostachys rosea, when added to the growth medium at different concentrations. A fraction obtained by gel separation and containing the alkaloid O-Methylcapaurine showed significant fungistatic effect against B. cinerea and S. sclerotiorum, two of the most destructive phytopathogenic fungi. The underlying mechanism of such an inhibition was further investigated in B. cinerea, a fungus highly prone to develop fungicide resistance, by analysing the expression levels of a set of genes (BcatrB, P450, CYP51 and TOR). O-Methylcapaurine inhibited the expression of all the analysed genes. In particular, the expression of BcatrB gene, encoding a membrane drug transporter involved in the resistance to a wide range of xenobiotic compounds, was strongly inhibited (91%).     

Luminescent Carbon Nanodots: Emergent Nanolights

Similar to its popular older cousins the fullerene, the carbon nanotube, and graphene, the latest form of nanocarbon, the carbon nanodot, is inspiring intensive research efforts in its own right. These surface‐passivated carbonaceous quantum dots, so‐called C‐dots, combine several favorable attributes of traditional semiconductor‐based quantum dots (namely, size‐ and wavelength‐dependent luminescence emission, resistance to photobleaching, ease of bioconjugation) without incurring the burden of intrinsic toxicity or elemental scarcity and without the need for stringent, intricate, tedious, costly, or inefficient preparation steps. C‐dots can be produced inexpensively and on a large scale (frequently using a one‐step pathway and potentially from biomass waste‐derived sources) by many approaches, ranging from simple candle burning to in situ dehydration reactions to laser ablation methods. In this Review, we summarize recent advances in the synthesis and characterization of C‐dots. We also speculate on their future and discuss potential developments for their use in energy conversion/storage, bioimaging, drug delivery, sensors, diagnostics, and composites.     

Chiral Fibers Formation Upon Assembly of Tetraphenylalanine Peptide Conjugated to a PNA Dimer

Self-assembly of biomolecules such as peptides, nucleic acids or their analogues affords supramolecular objects, exhibiting structures and physical properties dependent on the amino-acid or nucleobase composition. Conjugation of the peptide diphenylalanine (FF) to peptide nucleic acids triggers formation of self-assembled structures, mainly stabilized by interactions between FF. In this work we report formation of homogeneous chiral fibers upon self-assembly of the hybrid composed of the tetraphenylalanine peptide (4F) conjugated to the PNA dimer adenine-thymine (at). In this case nucleobases seem to play a key role in determining the morphology and chirality of the fibers. When the PNA “at” is replaced by guanine-cytosine dimer “gc”, disordered structures are observed. Spectroscopic characterization of the self-assembled hybrids, along with AFM and SEM studies is reported. Finally, a structural model consistent with the experimental evidence has also been obtained, showing how the building blocks of 4Fat arrange to give helical fibers.     

In Vivo Biological Behavior of Polymer Scaffolds of Natural Origin in the Bone Repair Process

Autologous bone grafts, used mainly in extensive bone loss, are considered the gold standard treatment in regenerative medicine, but still have limitations mainly in relation to the amount of bone available, donor area, morbidity and creation of additional surgical area. This fact encourages tissue engineering in relation to the need to develop new biomaterials, from sources other than the individual himself. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the effects of an elastin and collagen matrix on the bone repair process in critical size defects in rat calvaria. The animals (Wistar rats, n = 30) were submitted to a surgical procedure to create the bone defect and were divided into three groups: Control Group (CG, n = 10), defects filled with blood clot; E24/37 Group (E24/37, n = 10), defects filled with bovine elastin matrix hydrolyzed for 24 h at 37 °C and C24/25 Group (C24/25, n = 10), defects filled with porcine collagen matrix hydrolyzed for 24 h at 25 °C. Macroscopic and radiographic analyses demonstrated the absence of inflammatory signs and infection. Microtomographical 2D and 3D images showed centripetal bone growth and restricted margins of the bone defect. Histologically, the images confirmed the pattern of bone deposition at the margins of the remaining bone and without complete closure by bone tissue. In the morphometric analysis, the groups E24/37 and C24/25 (13.68 ± 1.44; 53.20 ± 4.47, respectively) showed statistically significant differences in relation to the CG (5.86 ± 2.87). It was concluded that the matrices used as scaffolds are biocompatible and increase the formation of new bone in a critical size defect, with greater formation in the polymer derived from the intestinal serous layer of porcine origin (C24/25).     

Some Novel Cobalt Diphenylphosphine Complexes: Synthesis,Characterization, and Behavior in the Polymerization of 1,3-Butadiene

Some novel cobalt diphenylphosphine complexes were synthesized by reacting cobalt(II) chloride with (2-methoxyethyl)diphenylphosphine, (2-methoxyphenyl)diphenylphosphine, and 2-(1,1-dimethylpropyl)-6-(diphenylphosphino)pyridine. Single crystals suitable for X-ray diffraction studies were obtained for the first two complexes, and their crystal structure was determined. The novel compounds were then used in association with methylaluminoxane (MAO) for the polymerization of 1,3-butadiene, and their behavior was compared with that exhibited in the polymerization of the same monomer by the systems CoCl₂(PⁿPrPh₂)₂/MAO and CoCl₂(PPh₃)₂/MAO. Some significant differences were observed depending on the MAO/Co ratio used, and a plausible interpretation for such a different behavior is proposed.     

Unravelling the Phytochemical Composition and the Pharmacological Properties of an Optimized Extract from the Fruit from Prunus mahaleb L.: From Traditional Liqueur Market to the Pharmacy Shelf

Prunus mahaleb L. fruit has long been used in the production of traditional liqueurs. The fruit also displayed scavenging and reducing activity, in vitro. The present study focused on unravelling peripheral and central protective effects, antimicrobial but also anti-COVID-19 properties exerted by the water extract of P. mahaleb. Anti-inflammatory effects were studied in isolated mouse colons exposed to lipopolysaccharide. Neuroprotection, measured as a blunting effect on hydrogen-peroxide-induced dopamine turnover, was investigated in hypothalamic HypoE22 cells. Antimicrobial effects were tested against different Gram+ and Gram- bacterial strains. Whereas anti-COVID-19 activity was studied in lung adenocarcinoma H1299 cells, where the gene expression of ACE2 and TMPRSS2 was measured after extract treatment. The bacteriostatic effects induced on Gram+ and Gram- strains, together with the inhibition of COX-2, TNFα, HIF1α, and VEGFA in the colon, suggest the potential of P. mahaleb water extract in contrasting the clinical symptoms related to ulcerative colitis. The inhibition of the hydrogen peroxide-induced DOPAC/DA ratio indicates promising neuroprotective effects. Finally, the downregulation of the gene expression of ACE2 and TMPRSS2 in H1299 cells, suggests the potential to inhibit SARS-CoV-2 virus entry in the human host. Overall, the results support the valorization of the local cultivation of P. mahaleb.     

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.     

Ion atmosphere relaxation and percolative electron transfer in Co bipyridine DNA molten salts

Polypyridyl complexes of Co decorated with 350-Da polyether chains (Co(350)(2+)) form molten phases of nucleic acids when paired with DNA counterions (Co(350)DNA) or 25-mer oligonucleotides. Analysis of voltammetry and chronoamperometry of mixtures of these phases with complexes having ClO(4)(-) counterions (Co(350)(ClO(4))(2)) and no other diluent provides charge transport rates from the oxidation and reduction currents for the complexes. As the mole fraction of the Co(350)(ClO(4))(2) complex in the mixture is varied from ca. 0.25 to 1, the physical diffusion constants derived from the Co(III/II) wave increase from 1 x 10(-11) cm(2)/s to 5 x 10(-10) cm(2)/s, and apparent diffusion constants dominated by the Co(II/I) electron self-exchange increase from 1 x 10(-10) cm(2)/s to 2 x 10(-8) cm(2)/s. Pure Co(350)DNA melts, containing no Co(350)(ClO(4))(2) complex, do not exhibit recognizable voltammetric waves; DNA suppresses the Co(II/I) electron transfer reactions of Co complexes for which it is the counterion. There are therefore two microscopically distinct kinds of Co(350) complexes, those with DNA and those with ClO(4)(-) counterions, with respect to their Co(II/I) electron-transfer dynamics, leading to percolative behavior in their mixtures. The electron-transfer rates of the Co(II/I) couple are controlled by the diffusive relaxation of the ionic atmosphere around the reaction pair, and the inactivity of the bound Co complexes can be attributed to the very low mobility of the anionic phosphate groups in the DNA counterion. Substitution of sulfonated polystyrene for DNA produced similar results, suggesting that this phenomenon is general to other polymer counterions of low mobility. We conclude that the measured Co(II/I) charge transport and electron-transfer rate constants reflect more the diffusive mobility of the perchlorate counterion than the intrinsic Co(II/I) electron hopping rate.