Anti-Proteus Activity,Anti-Struvite Crystal,and Phytochemical Analysis of Sida acuta Burm. F. Ethanolic Leaf Extract

Proteus mirabilis is a significant cause of urinary tract infection that may contribute to struvite stones. Anti-infection of this bacterium and anti-struvite formation must be considered. Sida acuta Burm. F. (SA) has been used for the treatment of diseases related to kidneys. Therefore, we investigated the effects of the SA leaf ethanolic extract (SAEE) on growth and on virulent factors (swarming motility and urease activity) of Proteus mirabilis isolated from kidney stone formers. We also evaluated anti-struvite crystal formation and phytochemical constituents of SAEE. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of SAEE against three clinical P. mirabilis isolates were 8 mg/mL. Intriguingly, the 1/2MIC of SAEE had significant inhibitory effects on the swarming motility and urease activity of clinical P. mirabilis isolates when compared with the condition without SAEE. The SAEE at the various concentrations significantly inhibited the average weights of struvite crystals in a dose-dependent manner, compared with the control. The phytochemical analysis revealed that SAEE contained catechin, chlorogenic acid, rutin, and ferulic acid. This study indicated that SAEE has anti-P. mirabilis and anti-struvite crystal activities via its bioactive compounds. For this reason, SAEE may be developed as a new agent for the treatment of struvite stone induced by P. mirabilis.     

Electrochemical immunoassay platform for high sensitivity protein detection based on redox-modified carbon nanotube labels

We report a highly sensitive immunoassay protocol based on the use of redox-modified multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) as electrochemical labels. The MWNTs were coated with methylene blue (MB) at an optically-determined loading of 3.41 × 10(-3) mol g(-1), and were then attached to secondary antibodies (Ab(2)) by adsorption. As a model analyte mouse IgG was collected by primary antibody (Ab(1))-coated magnetic beads. Following binding of the MB-MWNT-Ab(2) conjugates, IgG could be measured by MB reduction. Using differential pulse voltammetry for quantification, IgG was calibrated with a dynamic range of 0.1 pg mL(-1) to 100 pg mL(-1). Given the different possible Ab(1)-MB-MWNT-Ab(2) orientations on the magnetic beads, it was likely that not all the MB communicated with the electrode. A greater quantity of MB could be accessed by using the Fe(CN)(6)(3-/4-) redox couple as a solution phase mediator. This enabled us to lower the dynamic range down to 5 fg mL(-1) to 100 fg mL(-1).     

Investigation of the carrier saturation in facilitated transport of unsaturated hydrocarbons

Single-component facilitated transports of ethylbenzene, styrene, cyclohexene and 1-hexene were carried out using the feed concentrations ranging from 0.5 M to pure. Equilibrium constants of the Ag⁺-solute complex formation, determined by distribution method, were 0.7, 2.2, 32.0, 129.1 M⁻¹, respectively. Carrier saturation was not found with the membrane incorporated with 2.67 M Ag⁺-ion. As the carrier concentration was reduced to 0.51 M, increase in the feed concentration beyond 4.5 M had very little effect on ethylbenzene flux, suggesting the onset of carrier saturation. Styrene and cyclohexene underwent the carrier saturation when the carrier loading was 0.25 M, while a complete saturation was not observed with 1-hexene. Extraction of solute from the membranes revealed that less than 50% of Ag⁺-ions were occupied when the carrier saturation occurred. It was also found that the ability of solute to use available Ag⁺-ions in the membrane was dependent on the equilibrium constant.     

MRI and 1H MRS evaluation for the serial bile duct changes in hamsters after infection with Opisthorchis viverrini

A 3 T MR scanner was used to investigate the relationship between the alteration of bile duct lesions and the hepatic metabolic changes in hamsters infected with Opisthorchis viverrini by using 3 T MRI and ¹H MR spectroscopy. Animals were divided into control and infected groups. Five normal hamsters were used as control; fifty-five hamsters were infected with O. viverrini to induce bile duct lesions and hepatic metabolic changes. T2-weighted image sequence in three orthogonal planes were conducted by MRI scans. Single-voxel ¹H MRS was performed to obtain the relative choline-to-lipid ratios. The livers and bile ducts were excised for the histologic examination. The progression of bile duct changes by histology and metabolic changes in O. viverrini infected hamsters were co-investigated. In the O. viverrini-infected group, the T2-weighted images revealed the time-dependent intra- and extra-hepatic duct dilatations in the liver. The mean (± SD) choline-to-lipid ratios were 0.11 ± 0.035 in the control group, whereas the ratio in the infected group increased significantly with the progression of time. Histologic grading of hepatic inflammation and fibrosis were correlated well with the MRI grading (Spearman rank correlation test; r = 0.746 and p < 0.001). The control group showed no dilatation of the bile ducts and showed normal liver patterns. Noninvasive technique, MRI and ¹H MRS can demonstrated and applied to evaluate not only the inflammation-related fibrosis in the small bile ducts but also the metabolic changes in the liver induced by O. viverrini infection. A significant increase in the choline-to-lipids ratios were observed in parallel with the time-course of infection. O. viverrini infected in human is detected by stool examination. Hepatobiliary morbidity is detected and followed up by ultrasonography. MRI and MRS can be used in conjunction with ultrasonography for evaluation of progression of the disease.     

An efficient one-pot synthesis of bisalkylthioarenes

Bisalkylthioarenes can be prepared efficiently from reactions between dihydroxyarenes and thiols under acidic conditions.