Chemical Profiling,Toxicity and Anti-Inflammatory Activities of Essential Oils from Three Grapefruit Cultivars from KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa

The medicinal potential and volatile composition of different parts of three cultivars of grapefruit (Citrus paradisi) were evaluated for their toxicity and anti-inflammatory activities. Fresh leaf and fruit peel were separately isolated by hydrodistillation for 4 h. The essential oils were subjected to GC/GC-MS analysis for chemical profile. Toxicity of the essential oils in mice were evaluated using Lorke’s method, while an anti-inflammatory assay was performed in a rat model using egg albumin-induced oedema. The oils obtained were light yellow in colour, and odour varied from strong citrus smell to mild. Percentage yield of fresh peel oil (0.34–0.57%) was greater than the fresh leaf oil yield (0.21–0.34%). D-limonene (86.70–89.90%) was the major compound identified in the leaf oil, while β-phellandrene (90.00–91.01%) dominated the peel oil. At a dosage level of 5000 mg/kg, none of the oils showed mortality in mice. An anti-inflammatory bioassay revealed that all the oils caused a significant (p < 0.05–0.01) reduction in oedema size when compared to the negative control group throughout the 5 h post induction assessment period. The study reveals that the oils are non-toxic and demonstrate significant anti-inflammatory activity. Our findings suggest that the leaf and peel oils obtained from waste parts of grapefruit plants can be useful as flavouring agents, as well as anti-inflammatory agents.     

MRI相关定量参数在肩峰下撞击综合征诊断中的价值及与肩关节功能、治疗效果的关系

为分析MRI相关定量参数对肩峰下撞击综合征(SIS)的诊断价值,本研究将56例SIS患者设为SIS组,同期56例健康体检者设为对照组,对比了两组对象的一般资料、肩关节功能评分(Constant评分)及MRI相关定量参数水平,探讨了MRI定量参数与Constant评分、SIS发病相关影响因素、治疗效果的关系及对SIS的诊断价值。结果显示SIS组Constant评分、最短肩肱间距低于对照组,肩峰指数、肩锁关节骨赘高度高于对照组,且SIS组治疗有效患者肩峰指数、肩锁关节骨赘高度低于无效患者,最短肩肱间距高于无效患者(P<0.05);SIS患者肩峰指数、肩锁关节骨赘高度与Constant评分呈负相关,而最短肩肱间距与其呈正相关(P<0.05);各MRI相关定量参数均为SIS发病的重要影响因素(P<0.05)。应用各MRI相关定量参数联合诊断SIS特异度为87.50%,敏感度为80.36%。由此可知MRI相关定量参数对SIS诊断价值较高,且与肩关节功能和治疗效果有关。     

Kaempferia parviflora Extract Alleviated Rat Arthritis,Exerted Chondroprotective Properties In Vitro,and Reduced Expression of Genes Associated with Inflammatory Arthritis

Kaempferia parviflora Wall. ex Baker (KP) has been reported to attenuate cartilage destruction in rat model of osteoarthritis. Previously, we demonstrated that KP rhizome extract and its active components effectively suppressed mechanisms associated with RA in SW982 cells. Here, we further evaluated the anti-arthritis potential of KP extract by using multi-level models, including a complete Freund’s adjuvant-induced arthritis and a cartilage explant culture model, and to investigate the effects of KP extract and its major components on related gene expressions and underlying mechanisms within cells. In arthritis rats, the KP extract reduced arthritis indexes, with no significant changes in biological parameters. In the cartilage explant model, the KP extract exerted chondroprotective potential by suppressing sulfated glycosaminoglycans release while preserving high accumulation of proteoglycans. In human chondrocyte cell line, a mixture of the major components equal to their amounts in KP extract showed strong suppression the expression of genes-associated inflammatory joint disease similar to that of the extract. Additionally, KP extract significantly suppressed NF-κB and MAPK signaling pathways. The suppressing expression of necroptosis genes and promoted anti-apoptosis were also found. Collectively, these results provided supportive evidence of the anti-arthritis properties of KP extract, which are associated with its three major components.     

A Theoretical Model for Release Dynamics of an Antifungal Agent Covalently Bonded to the Chitosan

The aim of the study was to create a mathematical model useful for monitoring the release of bioactive aldehydes covalently bonded to the chitosan by reversible imine linkage, considered as a polymer–drug system. For this purpose, two hydrogels were prepared by the acid condensation reaction of chitosan with the antifungal 2-formyl-phenyl-boronic acid and their particularities; influencing the release of the antifungal aldehyde by shifting the imination equilibrium to the reagents was considered, i.e., the supramolecular nature of the hydrogels was highlighted by polarized light microscopy, while scanning electron microscopy showed their microporous morphology. Furthermore, the in vitro fungicidal activity was investigated on two fungal strains and the in vitro release curves of the antifungal aldehyde triggered by the pH stimulus were drawn. The theoretical model was developed starting from the hypothesis that the imine-chitosan system, both structurally and functionally, can be assimilated, from a mathematical point of view, with a multifractal object, and its dynamics were analyzed in the framework of the Scale Relativity Theory. Thus, through Riccati-type gauges, two synchronous dynamics, one in the scale space, associated with the fungicidal activity, and the other in the usual space, associated with the antifungal aldehyde release, become operational. Their synchronicity, reducible to the isomorphism of two SL(2R)-type groups, implies, by means of its joint invariant functions, bioactive aldehyde compound release dynamics in the form of “kink–antikink pairs” dynamics of a multifractal type. Finally, the theoretical model was validated through the experimental data.     

基于联合变换相关的机载航空相机像移测量

为了提高像移测量精度,针对机载航空摆扫相机提出一种坐标变换法和图像相关法相结合的像移测量方法。利用坐标变换法得到初始像移速度,利用图像联合变换相关法对像移速度残差进行补偿。联合图像通过一个面阵CCD获得,该面阵CCD放置在相机焦平面上并与成像线阵TDI CCD平行,其输出的当前图像与参考图像合并构成联合图像进行二维空间联合变换相关运算,得到像移修正矢量。对该矢量分别在相机摆扫方向和载机飞行方向进行分解,从而得到摆扫像移和前向像移的修正量。仿真实验结果表明,在输入图像信噪比为4 dB时,像移测量误差在0.1 pixel以内。     

Measurement of micro weld joint position based on magneto-optical imaging

In a laser butt joint welding process,it is required that the laser beam focus should be controlled to follow the weld joint path accurately.Small focus wandering off the weld joint may result in insufficient penetration or unacceptable welds.Recognition of joint position offset,which describes the deviation between the laser beam focus and the weld joint,is important for adjusting the laser beam focus and obtaining high quality welds.A new method based on the magneto-optical(MO)imaging is applied to measure the micro weld joint whose gap is less than 0.2 mm.The weldments are excited by an external magnetic field,and an MO sensor based on principle of Faraday magneto effect is used to capture the weld joint images.A sequence of MO images which are tested under different magnetic field intensities and different weld joint widths are acquired.By analyzing the MO image characteristics and extracting the weld joint features,the influence of magnetic field intensity and weld joint width on the MO images and detection of weld joint position is observed and summarized.     

Synthesis and Cytotoxic Activity of 1‐{3‐[1‐(5‐Organylsilylfuran‐2‐yl)silinan‐1‐yl]propyl}amines and Some Trimethylgermyl Analogues

New highly cytotoxic 1‐{3‐[1‐(5‐organylsilyl‐furan‐2‐yl)silinan‐1‐yl]propyl}amines and some trimethylgermyl analogues (IC₅₀ 1–7 μg mL^?1) have been synthesized by a hydrosilylation reaction of aliphatic and heterocyclic N‐allylamines in the presence of Speier’s catalyst. The effects of the silacycle, the element‐organic substituent in position 5 of the furan ring, and the structure of the amine on the cytotoxicity of the new compounds have been studied.     

Design of Enzymatically Cleavable Prodrugs of a Potent Platinum‐Containing Anticancer Agent

Using a versatile synthetic approach, a new class of potential ester prodrugs of highly potent, but systemically too toxic, platinum–acridine anticancer agents was generated. The new hybrids contain a hydroxyl group, which has been masked with a cleavable lipophilic acyl moiety. Both butanoic (butyric) and bulkier 2‐propanepentanoic (valproic) esters were introduced. The goals of this design were to improve the drug‐like properties (e.g., logD) and to reduce the systemic toxicity of the pharmacophore. Two distinct pathways by which the target compounds undergo effective ester hydrolysis, the proposed activating step, have been confirmed: platinum‐assisted, self‐immolative ester cleavage in a low‐chloride environment (LC‐ESMS, NMR spectroscopy) and enzymatic cleavage by human carboxylesterase‐2 (hCES‐2) (LC‐ESMS). The valproic acid ester derivatives are the first example of a metal‐containing agent cleavable by the prodrug‐converting enzyme. They show excellent chemical stability and reduced systemic toxicity. Preliminary results from screening in lung adenocarcinoma cell lines (A549, NCI‐H1435) suggest that the mechanism of the valproic esters may involve intracellular deesterification.     

Preparation and Biosafety Evaluation of the Peptide Dendron Functionalized Mesoporous Silica Nanohybrid

Mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) have been extensively studied and proposed as promising candidates for numerous biomedical applications.In this study,we report the design,preparation,characterization and biosafety evaluation of peptide dendron functionalized mesoporous silica nanohybrid.This nanohybrid was prepared by surface modification of MSNs via click reaction of azido-MSNs with alkynyl peptide dendrons,and characterized by TEM,SEM,TGA,dynamic light scattering (DLS).In vitro cytotoxicity of the nanohybrid was evaluated against different cell lines by CCK-8 assay.The in vivo toxicity evaluation was measured by body weight shift,blood routine test and histological analysis,suggesting that the peptide functionalized nanohybrid possessed good biocompatibility due to the non-observed significant side effects to normal organs of healthy mice.Overall,considering our results we believe that the peptide dendron functionalized mesoporous silica nanohybrid is very promising in further biomedical applications.     

Facile Preparation of WO3−x Dots with Remarkably Low Toxicity and Uncompromised Activity as Co-reactants for Clinical Diagnosis by Electrochemiluminescence

The exceptional nature of WO_3−x dots has inspired widespread interest, but it is still a significant challenge to synthesize high-quality WO_3−x dots without using unstable reactants, expensive equipment, and complex synthetic processes. Herein, the synthesis of ligand-free WO_3−x dots is reported that are highly dispersible and rich in oxygen vacancies by a simple but straightforward exfoliation of bulk WS₂ and a mild follow-up chemical conversion. Surprisingly, the WO_3−x dots emerged as co-reactants for the electrochemiluminescence (ECL) of Ru(bpy)₃²⁺ with a comparable ECL efficiency to the well-known Ru(bpy)₃²⁺/tripropylamine (TPrA) system. Moreover, compared to TPrA, whose toxicity remains a critical issue of concern, the WO_3−x dots were ca. 300-fold less toxic. The potency of WO_3−x dots was further explored in the detection of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) with the most competitive limit of detection so far.