anti-Tuberculosis natural products: synthesis and biological evaluation of pyridoacridine alkaloids related to ascididemin

There is an urgent need for novel therapeutics possessing new modes of action to treat tuberculosis (TB) infections. In this study we report on the synthesis and biological evaluation of a series of pyrido[2,3,4-kl]acridin-6-one alkaloids related to the anti-TB (MIC 0.35 μM) but cytotoxic (IC₅₀ <0.14 μM) marine natural product ascididemin (1). The most interesting compounds identified were 21 and 24, which were found to inhibit the growth of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) H₃₇Rv with MIC 2.0 μM, but with negligible cytotoxicity towards Vero and P388 cells (IC₅₀>25 μM). Another analogue (10) was evaluated against a range of singly-drug-resistant strains of Mtb and was found to exhibit no cross-resistance. These results suggest that the pyrido[2,3,4-kl]acridin-6-one skeleton may provide a useful scaffold for future studies directed towards possible anti-TB drugs.     

Panduratin A inhibits the growth of A549 cells through induction of apoptosis and inhibition of NF-kappaB translocation

In the present study we investigated the effects of panduratin A, isolated from Boesenbergia rotunda, on proliferation and apoptosis in A549 human non-small cell lung cancer cells. Cell proliferation and induction of apoptosis was determined by the real-time cellular analyzer (RTCA), MTT assay and High Content Screening (HCS). The RTCA assay indicated that panduratin A exhibited cytotoxicity, with an IC?? value of 4.4 μg/mL (10.8 μM). Panduratin A arrested cancer cells labeled with bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) and phospho-Histone H3 in the mitotic phase. The cytotoxic effects of panduratin A were found to be accompanied by a dose-dependent induction of apoptosis, as assessed by DNA condensation, nuclear morphology and intensity, cell permeability, mitochondrial mass/ potential, F-actin and cytochrome c. In addition, treatment with an apoptosis-inducing concentration of panduratin A resulted in significant inhibition of Nuclear Factor-kappa Beta (NF-κB) translocation from cytoplasm to nuclei activated by tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), as illustrated by the HCS assay. Our study provides evidence for cell growth inhibition and induction of apoptosis by panduratin A in the A549 cell line, suggesting its therapeutic potential as an NF-κB inhibitor.     

Development of a method for the determination of heavy metals in calcified tissues by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry

Calcified tissues are good indicators of exposure to environmental pollution since the mineral phase incorporates heavy metals to which it is exposed during development. Analysis of these specimens is difficult due to the low concentration of the elements of interest compared with the high concentration of the matrix elements. ICP-MS allows rapid multielement determination of samples and a method for the determination of trace elements in calcified tissues is presented with reference to an SRM of Bone Ash (NIST 1400). Received: 2 October 1998 / Revised: 30 November 1998 / Accepted: 4 December 1998     

Current transport across the pentacene/CVD-grown graphene interface for diode applications

We investigate the electronic transport properties across the pentacene/graphene interface. Current transport across the pentacene/graphene interface is found to be strikingly different from transport across pentacene/HOPG and pentacene/Cu interfaces. At low voltages, diodes using graphene as a bottom electrode display Poole–Frenkel emission, while diodes with HOPG and Cu electrodes are dominated by thermionic emission. At high voltages conduction is dominated by Poole–Frenkel emission for all three junctions. We propose that current across these interfaces can be accurately modeled by a combination of thermionic and Poole–Frenkel emission. Results presented not only suggest that graphene provides low resistive contacts to pentacene where a flat-laying orientation of pentacene and transparent metal electrodes are desired but also provides further understanding of the physics at the organic semiconductor/graphene interface.     

1,3-dimethyl-8-oxoisoguanine, a new purine from the New Zealand ascidian Pseudodistoma cereum

A new purine, 1,3-dimethyl-8-oxoisoguanine (2) was isolated from the New Zealand ascidian Pseudodistoma cereum. The structure of 2 was elucidated by the use of standard spectroscopic techniques, including natural abundance 1H-15N 2D NMR.     

Kottamides A-D: novel bioactive imidazolone-containing alkaloids from the New Zealand ascidian Pycnoclavella kottae

Kottamides A-D (1-4), novel 2,2,5-trisubstituted imidazolone-containing alkaloids, were isolated from the New Zealand endemic ascidian Pycnoclavella kottae and structurally characterized using 15N natural abundance 2-D NMR in addition to standard spectroscopic methods. The kottamides exhibited anti-inflammatory and anti-metabolic activity as well as cytotoxicity toward tumor cell lines.     

Student and Teacher Perspectives Across Mathematics and Science Classrooms: The Importance of Engaging Contexts

Substantial recent focus has been placed upon the competitiveness of American students in increasingly global economies and entrepreneurial enterprises. As concerns center on students’ educational preparedness and their efforts at continued learning, researchers acknowledge the importance of student engagement with school. In order to foster engaged learners, teachers must be able to determine and monitor their students’ levels of engagement. The current study examined the alignment of perceptions of engagement by students, teachers, and outside observers across middle and high school mathematics and science classrooms. Results indicated significant teacher‐student differences in perceptions of student cognitive engagement across mathematics and science classrooms with teachers consistently perceiving higher levels than students. Moreover, most effect sizes were moderate to large. A subsequent multi‐level analysis indicated that while teacher perceptions of student cognitive engagement were somewhat predictive of student reported cognitive engagement, academic engagement ratings by outside observers were not.     

Synthesis and optical properties of diaza- and tetraazatetracenes

A series of functionalized diaza- and tetraazatetracenes was synthesized, either by condensation of an aromatic diamine with an ortho-quinone/diethyloxalate followed by chlorination with POCl(3) to give diazatetracenes or by palladium-catalyzed coupling of a phenylenediamine with various 2,3-dichloroquinoxalines to give tetraazatetracenes (after oxidation with MnO(2)). Representative examples included halogenated and nitrated derivatives. The optical properties of these azatetracenes were discussed with respect to their molecular structures and substitution patterns. The diazatetracenes and tetraazatetracenes formed two different groups that had significantly different electronic structures and properties. Furthermore, 1,2,3,4-tetrafluoro-6,11-bis((triisopropylsilyl)ethynyl)benzo[b]phenazine was synthesized, which is the first reported fluorinated diazatetracene. Single-crystal X-ray analysis of this compound is reported.     

Oxidative addition and insertion reactions of cyclic alkyne-platinum(0) complexes

The reactions of various alkyne-platinum(0) complexes with methyl iodide and with iodine have been studied. The 3-hexyne complex Pt(C₂H₅C₂C₂H₅)(PPh₃)₂ gives alkyne-free oxidative addition products PtI(CH₃) (PPh₃)₂ and PtI₂ (PPh₃)₂ exclusively. In contrast, the strained cyclic alkyne complexes Pt(C₆H₈)(PPh₃)₂, Pt(C₇H₁₀)(PPh₃)₂, Pt(C₆H₈) (dppe) and Pt(C₇H₁₀) (dppe)¹ react with methyl iodide to give mainly 2-methylcycloalkenyiplatinum(II) complexes, e.g. PtI(C₆H₈CH₃) (PPh₃)₂, formed by electrophilic attack on the metal-alkyne bond. Iodine reacts similarly with Pt(C₆H₈) (PPh₃)₂ and Pt(C₇H₁₀) (PPh₃)₂ to give 2-iodocycloalkenylplatinum(II) complexes but, in the case of the corresponding dppe complexes, PtI₂(dppe) is the main product. The insertion reaction of methyl iodide with Pt(C₆H₈)(PPh₃)₂ proceeds via an oxidative addition intermediate PtI(CH₃) (C₆H₈) (PPh₃)₂ which can be isolated. Trifluoromethyl iodide reacts with Pt(C₆H₈)(PPh₃)₂ to give a 2-iodocyclohexenyl complex Pt(CF₃) (C₆H₈I) (PPh₃)₂ and with Pt(C₇H₁₀) (PPh₃)₂ to give PtI(CF₃) (PPh₃)₂. ³¹P NMR data are given and discussed.