Photobiomodulation Therapy for Attenuating the Dystrophic Phenotype of Mdx Mice

This study analyzed photobiomodulation therapy (PBMT) effects on regenerative, antioxidative, anti-inflammatory and angiogenic markers in the dystrophic skeletal muscle of mdx mice, the experimental model of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), during the acute phase of dystrophy disease. The following groups were set up: Ctrl (control group of normal wild-type mice; C57BL/10); mdx (untreated mdx mice); mdxPred (mdx mice treated with prednisolone) and mdxLA (mdx mice treated with PBMT). The PBMT was carried out using an Aluminum Gallium Arsenide (AIGaAs; IBRAMED® laserpulse) diode, 830 nm wavelength, applied on the dystrophic quadriceps muscle. The mdxLA group showed a degenerative and regenerative area reduction simultaneously with a MyoD level increase, ROS production and inflammatory marker reduction and up-regulation in the VEGF factor. In addition, PBMT presented similar effects to prednisolone treatment in most of the parameters analyzed. In conclusion, our results indicate that PBMT in the parameters selected attenuated the dystrophic phenotype of mdx mice, improving skeletal muscle regeneration; reducing the oxidative stress and inflammatory process; and up-regulating the angiogenic marker.     

Infrared extinction by homogeneous particle aggregates of SiC, FeO and : Comparison of different theoretical approaches

Particle shape and aggregation have a strong influence on the spectral profiles of infrared phonon bands of solid dust grains. Calculating these effects is difficult due to the often extreme refractive index values in these bands. In this paper, we use the discrete dipole approximation (DDA) and the T-matrix method to compute the absorption band profiles for simple clusters of touching spherical grains. We invest reasonable amounts of computation time in order to reach high dipole grid resolutions and take high multipolar orders into account, respectively. The infrared phonon bands of three different refractory materials of astrophysical relevance are considered—silicon carbide, wustite and silicon dioxide. We demonstrate that even though these materials display a range of material properties and therefore different strengths of the surface resonances, a complete convergence is obtained with none of the approaches. For the DDA, we find a strong dependence of the calculated band profiles on the exact dipole distribution within the aggregates, especially in the vicinity of the contact points between their spherical constituents. By applying a recently developed method to separate the material optical constants from the geometrical parameters in the DDA approach, we are able to demonstrate that the most critical material properties are those where the real part of the refractive index is much smaller than unity.     

A straightforward double intramolecular cyclization of dibenzyl dichalcogenols into a triple bond

The intramolecular cyclizations of four types of dibenzyl chalcogenols, which contained one or two ethynyl groups, were carried out. Either the double 5-exo or 6-endo-dig mode ring closure reaction regio- and stereoselectively proceeded to give the corresponding symmetrical bis(benzo[c]chalcogenophene) or bis(isochromene) derivatives from the dibenzyl chalcogenols having a diyne moiety. In contrast, the regioselective tandem 5-exo-dig mode intramolecular ring closure reactions of dibenzyl thiol and selenol having a mono-yne into a triple bond gave the trans-biisobenzothiophene and selenophene as the sole product. However, the similar cyclization of dibenzyl tellurol proceeded in both tandem 5-exo and 6-endo-dig modes to afford the trans-biisobenzotellurophene and ditellurachrysene in good yields with the ratio of 1:1. The X-ray structural analysis of these novel compounds is also presented.     

Stability of centrosome numbers in poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1- and poly(ADP-ribose) glycohydrolase-deficient mouse ES cells

Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 (Parp-1) localizes mainly in the nucleus and functions in DNA repair, genome stability and cell death regulation. Meanwhile, it also localizes in centrosomes and is involved in the regulation of centrosome duplication. An abnormal increase in centrosome numbers is frequently observed in Parp-1-deficient (Parp-1^−/−) mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) (Kanai et al. (2003) Mol. Cell. Biol. 23, 2451–2462). However, there are no studies on whether the centrosome abnormality occurs also in other cell types under Parp-1 deficiency. In this study, we report that Parp-1^−/− mouse embryonic stem (ES) cell lines did not show an abnormally increased number of centrosomes compared to wild-type ES cells. Recently, poly(ADP-ribose) glycohydrolase (Parg) has also been shown to localize in centrosomes (Ohashi et al. (2003) Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 307, 915–921). The number of centrosomes of Parg-deficient (Parg^−/−) ES cells was also analyzed in this study and was found to be stable under Parg deficiency. We also examined centrosome numbers in wild-type, Parp-1^−/− and Parg^−/− ES cell lines after treatment with methylmethanesulfonate (MMS) or γ-irradiation. Although a slight increase in the number of centrosomes is observed in each genotype twenty-four hours after treatment with MMS at 50 μM or with γ-irradiation at 1.4 Gy, there was no difference among the genotypes. These results suggest that loss of Parp-1 and Parg is insufficient to induce abnormality in centrosome numbers in ES cells and that ES cells possibly possess a strict mechanism for the maintenance of a normal number of centrosomes.     

Sarcoconvolutums F and G: Polyoxygenated Cembrane-Type Diterpenoids from Sarcophyton convolutum,a Red Sea Soft Coral

Natural products and chemical analogues are widely used in drug discovery, notably in cancer and infectious disease pharmacotherapy. Sarcophyton convolutum (Alcyoniidae) a Red Sea–derived soft coral has been shown to be a rich source of macrocyclic diterpenes and cyclized derivatives. Two previously undescribed polyoxygenated cembrane-type diterpenoids, sarcoconvolutums F (1) and G (2), as well as four identified analogues (3–6) together with a furan derivate (7) were isolated from a solvent extract. Compounds were identified by spectroscopic techniques, including NMR, HREIMS, and CD, together with close spectral comparisons of previously published data. Sarcoconvolutum F (1) contains a rare 1-peroxid-15-hydroxy-10-ene functionality. Isolated metabolites (1–7) were screened against lung adenocarcinoma (A549), cervical cancer (HeLa) and oral cavity carcinoma (HSC-2) lines. Compound 4 exhibited an IC₅₀ 56 µM and 55 µM against A549 and HSC-2 cells, respectively.     

Surface modification of PET films by atmospheric pressure plasma exposure with three reactive gas sources

The surface modification of poly (ethylene terephthalate) (PET) film was carried out using an atmospheric pressure plasma (APP) jet device with three reactive gases: air, N₂, and Ar. The water contact angles on the PET film were found to decrease considerably after the APP exposure. The changes in the advancing and receding contact angles of water on the APP-exposed PET film with aging time were examined by the wetting force measurements employing the Wilhelmy method. The hydrophobic recovery due to the rinsing with water as well as the aging in air was observed only for the advancing angle, which was probably caused by the dissolution of low molecular weight oxidized materials into water, the loss of volatile oxidized species to the atmosphere and the reorientation and the migration of polymer chains. The wettability and the surface free energy of the APP-exposed PET film after diminishing hydrophobic recovery was sufficiently large compared with the untreated film. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy confirmed that the PET film surface was oxidized due to the APP exposure. When N₂ gas was used for the APP exposure, the surface nitrogen concentration was found to increase with decreasing D. The surface oxygen concentration on the APP-exposed PET film was reduced by rinsing with water, in accordance with the hydrophobic recovery behavior. From atomic force microscopy, surface topographical change due to the APP exposure was observed. The changes in the PET surface properties due to the APP exposure as mentioned above were remarkable for using N₂ gas.     

Intelligent Sugar Complexes

Abstract

The structure of [Co(L-Rha)₃-mn)]Br₂.2CH₃OH, where (Rhah-tren is tris(N-rhamnosyl-2-aminoethyl)amine, was elucidated by X-ray crystallography, which confirmed the unprecedented configurational inversion of [Co((Rha)₃-tren)]²⁺, around the metal center reversibly by an addition and a removal of sulfate.     

Bivalent ligands of CXCR4 with rigid linkers for elucidation of the dimerization state in cells

To date, challenges in the design of bivalent ligands for G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) have revealed difficulties stemming from lack of knowledge of the state of oligomerization of the GPCR. The synthetic bivalent ligands with rigid linkers that are presented here can predict the dimer form of CXCR4 and be applied to molecular probes in cancerous cells. This "molecular ruler" approach would be useful in elucidating the details of CXCR4 oligomer formation.     

Preparation and properties of flexible free‐standing films via polyalkoxysiloxanes by acid‐catalyzed controlled hydrolytic polycondensation of tetraethoxysilane and tetramethoxysilane

Acid‐catalyzed controlled hydrolytic polycondensation of tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) and tetramethoxysilane (TMOS) provided polyalkoxysiloxanes PEOS and PMOS, with high molecular weight of 1100–12 000 or 2700–31 000, respectively. They were stable to self‐condensation, soluble in organic solvents, and especially characterized by high silica content of up to 62% (PEOS) and 72% (PMOS). Flexible and transparent free‐standing films with tensile strength of 1.6–5.2 MPa (PEOS) or 3.6–11.8 MPa (PMOS) were prepared by heating polyalkoxysilanes at 80°C for one to several days. They are also regarded to be a potential precursor for coatings and binders. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.