An In Vitro Study of the Effect of Viburnum opulus Extracts on Key Processes in the Development of Staphylococcal Infections

Staphylococcus aureus is still one of the leading causes of both hospital- and community-acquired infections. Due to the very high percentage of drug-resistant strains, the participation of drug-tolerant biofilms in pathological changes, and thus the limited number of effective antibiotics, there is an urgent need to search for alternative methods of prevention or treatment for S. aureus infections. In the present study, biochemically characterized (HPLC/UPLC–QTOF–MS) acetonic, ethanolic, and water extracts from fruits and bark of Viburnum opulus L. were tested in vitro as diet additives that potentially prevent staphylococcal infections. The impacts of V. opulus extracts on sortase A (SrtA) activity (Fluorimetric Assay), staphylococcal protein A (SpA) expression (FITC-labelled specific antibodies), the lipid composition of bacterial cell membranes (LC-MS/MS, GC/MS), and biofilm formation (LIVE/DEAD BacLight) were assessed. The cytotoxicity of V. opulus extracts to the human fibroblast line HFF-1 was also tested (MTT reduction). V. opulus extracts strongly inhibited SrtA activity and SpA expression, caused modifications of S. aureus cell membrane, limited biofilm formation by staphylococci, and were non-cytotoxic. Therefore, they have pro-health potential. Nevertheless, their usefulness as diet supplements that are beneficial for the prevention of staphylococcal infections should be confirmed in animal models in the future.     

Modulation of Melanogenesis and Antioxidant Status of Melanocytes in Response to Phototoxic Action of Doxycycline

Doxycycline is a commonly used tetracycline antibiotic showing the broad spectrum of antibacterial action. However, the use of this antibiotic is often connected with the risk of phototoxic reactions that lead to various skin disorders. One of the factors influencing the photosensitivity reactions is the melanin content in melanocytes. In this study, the impact of doxycycline and UVA irradiation on cell viability, melanogenesis and antioxidant defense system in cultured normal human epidermal melanocytes (HEMn‐DP) was examined. The exposure of cells to doxycycline and UVA radiation resulted in concentration‐dependent loss in melanocytes viability and induced melanin biosynthesis. Significant changes were stated in cellular antioxidant enzymes activity: SOD, CAT and GPx, which indicates alterations of antioxidant defense system. The results obtained in vitro may explain the mechanisms of phototoxic reactions that occur in normal human epidermal melanocytes in vivo after exposure of skin to doxycycline and UVA radiation.     

Hockey-stick liquid crystalline 6-oxoverdazyl§

A series of hockey-stick shaped 6-oxoverdazyl radicals 1[n]–3[n], containing CH₃ (a), CF₃ (b) and CN (c) groups in the short ‘arm’, were prepared and their physical properties were investigated. Mesogenic behaviour was found only in the CN derivatives with the COO (1[n]c) and N=N (2[12]c) linking groups, which exhibited a nematic phase. Analysis of binary mixtures of selected compounds with bent-core nematic host 4[12] gave virtual nematic-isotropic transition temperatures, [T_NI], which follow the order 1[12]b < 1[12]c < 1[12]a in one series and 1[12]c < 2[12]c < (3[12]c) in another. The observed effectiveness of the short-arm substituent, CF₃ < CN < CH₃, was related to the magnitude and orientation of the molecular dipole moment calculated with density functional theory methods.     

Lewis Superacidic Ionic Liquids with Tricoordinate Borenium Cations

The first examples of ionic liquids based on borenium cations, [BCl₂L]⁺, are reported. These compounds form highly Lewis acidic liquids under solvent‐free conditions. Their acidity was quantified by determining the Gutmann acceptor number (AN). Extremely high ANs were recorded (up to AN=182, δ_31P=120 ppm), demonstrating that these borenium ionic liquids are the strongest Lewis superacids reported to date, with the acidity enhanced by the ionic liquid environment.     

New chromogenic substrates of human neutrophil cathepsin G containing non-natural aromatic amino acid residues in position P1 selected by combinatorial chemistry methods

Specificity of human cathepsin G was explored using combinatorial chemistry methods. Deconvolution of a tetrapeptide library, where 5-amino-2-nitrobenzoic acid served as a chromophore attached at the C-terminus, yielded the active sequence Phe-Val-Thr-Tyr-Anb^5,2-NH₂. This sequence was used for a second-generation library with the general formula Ac-Phe-Val-Thr-X-Anb^5,2-NH₂, where position X was replaced with several amino acids: l-pyridyl- alanine (Pal), 4-nitro-l-phenylalanine (Nif), 4-amino-l- phenylalanine (Amf), 4-carboxy-l-phenylalanine (Cbf), 4-guanidine-l-phenylalanine (Gnf), 4-methyloxycarbonyl- l-phenylalanine (Mcf), 4-cyano-l-phenylalanine (Cyf), Phe, Tyr, Arg and Lys. Specificity ligand parameters, k _cat and K _M, with human cathepsin G were determined for all chromogenic substrates synthesized. The highest value of the specificity constant (k _cat/K _M) was obtained for a substrate with the Gnf residue in position P₁. This peptide was 10 times more active than the second most active substrate which contained the Amf residue. The following order of potency was established: Gnf > > Amf > Tyr = Phe > Arg= Lys > Cyf. Substrate specificity for cathepsin G is greatly enhanced when an aromatic side chain and a strong positive charge are incorporated in residue P₁.     

Ammonium ionic liquid as modulator of the critical micelle concentration of ammonium surfactant at aqueous solution: conductimetric and dynamic light scattering (DLS) studies

We report measurements of self aggregation in aqueous solution of an ionic liquid (IL), didecyl-dimethylammonium nitrate ([DDA][NO(3)]) and a surfactant hexadecyl-trimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) and of mixtures of these two salts. The electrical conductivity and dynamic light scattering (DLS) measurements were used for the characterization of the aggregation process. The conductivity measurements were performed at three temperatures. The critical micelle concentration (CMC) was determined at different temperatures and at different ratio of two salts. The effect of IL on the micellization of CTAB has been discussed. Our results suggest that organized structures formed by CTAB and [DDA][NO(3)] self assembly in domains of several hundred nanometers size. The micellar solubility of the salicylic acid in mixed salt aqueous solutions was determined to probe the physical properties of these assemblies. We have observed, that the micellar solubility enhancement was only slightly influenced by the nature of micelles present in aqueous solution. This proves that salicylic acid solubilization is enthalpy driven.     

Validation of the HS-GC-FID method for the determination of ethanol residue in tablets

This paper describes the validation of a HS-GC-FID method (based on the Pharmacopeia’s method) for the determination of ethanol content in tablets. A general view of the procedure development/optimization process is presented. The main point of this study is the calculation of validation parameters. Selectivity of the method was determined. Linearity (r > 0.997) was observed in the range from 9.0 to 3,040 μg of ethanol per sample (because the mass of the tablets used was around 200 mg, this corresponds to 45–15,200 μg g⁻¹). The method showed good recoveries (average 99.0%), and a relative standard deviation for repeatability and intermediate precision of 4.5% and 5.5% respectively. The limit of detection was calculated to be 3.0 μg of ethanol per sample (15 μg g⁻¹). The uncertainty budget was done according to the "Guide to the Expression of Uncertainty in Measurement" (GUM)[1], and a relative expanded uncertainty was estimated as 4.8%.     

Metal-coated fused silica fibers as a support for immobilized compounds yielding a volatile analyte (C<Subscript>2</Subscript>H<Subscript>4</Subscript>)

This paper presents the results of investigations of chemically modified fibers comprising an immobilized compound that yields ethene as the analyte in generated standard gaseous mixtures. Prior to chemical modification, the fibers were coated with a thin aluminum layer to improve their mechanical strength. Commercially available Al-coated fibers were used in this work. During thermal decomposition of the immobilized compound, reproducible quantities of the analyte per unit fiber length were obtained for all the investigated fibers (fiber diameter (μm)/outside diameter (μm) of the Al-coated fiber = 110/146, 220/300, and 660/830), amounting to 0.685 ± 0.032, 0.8300 ± 0.0081, and 1.092 ± 0.010 ng cm⁻¹, respectively. The proposed procedure can be used successfully for the generation of measured component of matrix-free reference materials.