Multilabeled classification approach to find a plant source for terpenoids

Recently, we have built a classification model that is capable of assigning a given sesquiterpene lactone (STL) into exactly one tribe of the plant family Asteraceae from which the STL has been isolated. Although many plant species are able to biosynthesize a set of peculiar compounds, the occurrence of the same secondary metabolites in more than one tribe of Asteraceae is frequent. Building on our previous work, in this paper, we explore the possibility of assigning an STL to more than one tribe (class) simultaneously. When an object may belong to more than one class simultaneously, it is called multilabeled. In this work, we present a general overview of the techniques available to examine multilabeled data. The problem of evaluating the performance of a multilabeled classifier is discussed. Two particular multilabeled classification methods-cross-training with support vector machines (ct-SVM) and multilabeled k-nearest neighbors (ML-kNN)-were applied to the classification of the STLs into seven tribes from the plant family Asteraceae. The results are compared to a single-label classification and are analyzed from a chemotaxonomic point of view. The multilabeled approach allowed us to (1) model the reality as closely as possible, (2) improve our understanding of the relationship between the secondary metabolite profiles of different Asteraceae tribes, and (3) significantly decrease the number of plant sources to be considered for finding a certain STL. The presented classification models are useful for the targeted collection of plants with the objective of finding plant sources of natural compounds that are biologically active or possess other specific properties of interest.     

The redox couple avarol/avarone in the fight with malignant gliomas: the case study of U-251 MG cells

This study aimed to screen in vitro antitumour activity of the redox couple avarol/avarone against the human malignant glioma cell line U-251 MG for the first time. Compared both with avarol and positive controls used (temozolomide and doxorubicin), avarone was found to be the most active compound with IC₅₀ value below 1 μM (IC₅₀ 0.68 ± 0.04 μM, 96 h). Considerable less DNA damage in the cells treated with avarol and avarone vs. doxorubicin (105 & 123% vs. 299%, respectively; untreated U-251 MG cells were used as a control, 100%), coupled with no sign of cytotoxicity against the normal human foetal lung fibroblast MRC-5 cells (IC₅₀ > 100 μM), has actually pointed out the importance of this marine sesquiterpenoid quinone structure as a promising lead compound in development of novel brain chemotherapeutics.     

On the complexation kinetics for metallization of organic layers: palladium onto a pyridine-terminated araliphatic thiol film

Palladium nanoparticles have been deposited electrochemically onto self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of 4-(4-(4-pyridyl)phenyl)phenylmethanethiol. A pronounced correlation between the kinetics of the complexation between pyridine nitrogens and Pd cations and the sample potential has been observed. The amount of the Pd deposit significantly increases by adjusting the sample potential during the complexation step to values below the point of zero charge. The size of the spherical shaped Pd nanoparticles varies within a certain limit according to the amount of Pd(2+) ions initially coordinated on top of the SAM. The metallic state of these particles was confirmed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and infrared reflection-absorption spectroscopy. Moreover, CO adsorption on the clean Pd deposit revealed further information about the crystallographic orientation of the nanoparticles.     

Synthetic studies toward (-)-FR901483 using a conjugate allylation to install the C-1 quaternary carbon

Two approaches to the aza-tricyclo dodecane skeleton of (-)-FR901483 are reported. Both routes utilized a Grignard addition to an N-acylpyridinium salt to establish the absolute stereochemistry at C-6 and a highly diastereoselective conjugate allylation reaction to form the quaternary center at C-1 of the natural product in an excellent yield. Although the desired polysubstituted piperidine intermediates were prepared regio- and stereoselectively, the construction of the C-8/C-9 bond connectivity could not be achieved. All attempts at a pinacol cyclization or an intramolecular 6-exo-tet epoxide opening were unsuccessful because of an unfavorable A(1,3) strain inherent in the molecule.