Newly found K+-Thioflavin T competitive binding to DNA G-quadruplexes and the development of a label-free fluorescent biosensor with extra low detection limit for K+ determination in urine samples.

The determination of potassium ion K+ in body fluids is important in health monitoring and diagnoses. One of the interesting and simple methods for K+ detection is the use of label-free biosensors based on DNA G-quadruplexes (GQs) coupled with a specific fluorescent probe, such as Thioflavin T (ThT), which lights up when bound with K+-stabilized GQs. However, these biosensors are not generally sensitive. In this work, we found a solution: at a low concentration, K+ competes with ThT in binding to a bimolecular GQ or a tetramolecular GQ, resulting in a decrease in ThT fluorescence emission with increasing K+. Therefore, we developed a label-free turn-off fluorescent K+ sensor. The sensor provides a very low detection limit of 21.87 ± 0.59 nM. Other possible interfering components in urine did not exert any effect even at quantities that were 10-fold greater than their upper limit of normal concentrations found in urine samples. With its only requirement of diluting samples, the developed low-cost label-free probe and simple sensor was successfully applied to the direct detection of K+ in normal urine samples with high accuracy (recoveries ranged from 90% to 100%).

Magnetic microsphere sorbent on CaCO3 templates: Simple synthesis and efficient extraction of trace carbamate pesticides in fresh produce.

Polypyrrole magnetic microspheres were synthesized and used to extract carbaryl, carbofuran, and methomyl before analysis by a high-performance liquid chromatography with diode array detection. Under optimal conditions, four times the preconcentration was achieved with the use of only 1.2 mL of sample. Good linearity with ranges of 3.0-7.5 × 103, 6.0-4.5 × 103, and 15-3.0 × 103 ng kg-1 and limits of detection of 1.37 ± 0.10, 4.7 ± 1.2, and 10.1 ± 5.7 ng kg-1 were obtained, respectively. Good reproducibility (RSDs < 5%) was achieved over 24 cycles of extraction and regeneration. Good accuracy (recoveries 81.6 ± 1.5%-108.3 ± 2.2%) and good precision (RSDs 0.11%-4.5%) were obtained. Carbaryl was detected in apple (2.75 ± 0.23 ng kg-1), carbofuran in tomato (11.34 ± 0.61 ng kg-1), and methomyl in watermelon (34.7 ± 1.7 ng kg-1). The relative expanded uncertainty of the measurement method was less than 14% for all three pesticides.

A novel 3D-printed solid phase microextraction device equipped with silver-polyaniline coated pencil lead for the extraction of phthalate esters in cosmeceutical products.

A screw-based portable and simple solid phase microextraction device was fabricated by a 3D printer and used in combination with the developed silver-incorporated porous polyaniline film pencil lead solid-phase microextraction fiber (Ag/PANI SPME). Scanning electron microscopy revealed a porous structure of the electrodeposited Ag/PANI film. The spectrum from energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and the elemental map confirmed the presence of silver in the porous polymer film. It was used under stirring for the extraction of five phthalate esters: dimethyl phthalate (DMP), diethyl phthalate (DEP), dibutyl phthalate (DBP), benzyl butyl phthalate (BBP) and di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP). The extracted solution was identified and quantified by gas chromatography using a flame ionization detector (GC-FID). Under the optimum conditions of the developed method, a good linearity was obtained in a concentration range of 5.0-1000 µg L-1 for all five phthalate esters with limits of detection (LODs) of 4.41 ±â€¯0.91 µg L-1, 3.98 ±â€¯0.92 µg L-1, 3.65 ±â€¯0.74 µg L-1, 4.91 ±â€¯0.52 µg L-1 and 4.25 ±â€¯0.66 µg L-1 for DMP, DEP, DBP, BBP and DEHP, respectively. The developed method provided good precision when tested with standard solutions (RSD < 5.5%, n = 6) and real samples (RSD < 3.4%, n = 6). Good fiber-to-fiber reproducibility was also confirmed by extraction with six newly prepared fibers; recoveries ranged from 81.09 ±â€¯0.54% to 92.92 ±â€¯0.46% with RSD <6.6%. The developed method was used to determine phthalate esters in 14 cosmeceutical samples. In rubbing alcohol samples, DEP and DEHP were detected at 7.03 ±â€¯0.76 µg L-1 and 5.89 ±â€¯0.53 µg L-1, respectively, while in contact lens cleaners, DEHP was found in a concentration range from 5.3 ±â€¯1.1 µg L-1 to 6.8 ±â€¯1.2 µg L-1. No phthalate esters contamination was detectable in saline solutions, eye cleaners and antibacterial disinfectant liquids. Recoveries in the range of 81.92 ±â€¯0.99% to 102.4 ±â€¯1.1% indicated the good accuracy of the developed method.

L655,240, acting as a competitive BACE1 inhibitor, efficiently decreases ß-amyloid peptide production in HEK293-APPswe cells.

AIM: To identify a small molecule L655,240 as a novel ß-secretase (BACE1) inhibitor and to investigate its effects on ß-amyloid (Aß) generation in vitro. METHODS: Fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) was used to characterize the inhibitory effect of L655,240 on BACE1. Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) technology-based assay was performed to study the binding affinity of L655,240 for BACE1. The selectivity of L655,240 toward BACE1 over other aspartic proteases was determined with enzymatic assay. The effects of L655,240 on Aß40, Aß42, and sAPPß production were studied in HEK293 cells stably expressing APP695 Swedish mutant(K595N/M596L) (HEK293-APPswe cells). The activities of BACE1, γ-secretase and α-secretase were assayed, and both the mRNA and protein levels of APP and BACE1 were evaluated using real-time PCR (RT-PCR) and Western blot analysis. RESULTS: L655,240 was determined to be a competitive, selective BACE1 inhibitor (IC(50)=4.47±1.37 µmol/L), which bound to BACE1 directly (K(D)=17.9±0.72 µmol/L). L655,240 effectively reduced Aß40, Aß42, and sAPPß production by inhibiting BACE1 without affecting the activities of γ-secretase and α-secretase in HEK293-APPswe cells. L655,240 has no effect on APP and BACE1 mRNA or protein levels in HEK293-APPswe cells. CONCLUSION: The small molecule L655,240 is a novel BACE1 inhibitor that can effectively decreases Aß production in vitro, thereby highlighting its therapeutic potential for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.

Tetrahydroanthraquinone and xanthone derivatives from the marine-derived fungus Trichoderma aureoviride PSU-F95.

Trichodermaquinone (1) and trichodermaxanthone (2) were isolated from the marine-derived fungus Trichoderma aureoviride PSU-F95 together with eleven known compounds. The structures were interpreted by spectroscopic methods. Known coniothranthraquinone 1 and emodin displayed strong antibacterial activity against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus with the MIC values of 8 and 4 µg/mL, respectively.

Sesquiterpene and xanthone derivatives from the sea fan-derived fungus Aspergillus sydowii PSU-F154.

Three new sesquiterpenes, named aspergillusenes A and B and (+)-(7S)-7-O-methylsydonic acid, and two new hydrogenated xanthone derivatives, named aspergillusones A and B, were isolated from the sea fan-derived fungus Aspergillus sydowii PSU-F154 together with 10 known compounds. Their structures were identified on the basis of spectroscopic data. The isolated compounds were evaluated for their antioxidant activity.

Synthesis and conformational analysis of cyclic analogues of inverse gamma-turns.

Gamma-turn analogues comprising a modified dipeptide constrained in an eleven-membered ring were prepared by alkene metathesis and analysed by NMR and molecular modelling studies. The results reveal that some of the cyclic analogues form inverse gamma-turns and preferentially adopt conformations determined by the identity of the incorporated amino acid residues and the nature of the constraining linker (E/Z-alkene or alkane).