Progress toward phidianidine analogues containing a 1,2,3-triazole ring

Phidianidines are a class of compound that has been extracted from the sea mollusk Phidianis militaris. These compounds have been shown to exhibit a variety of useful properties such as antihistamine effects, anti-cancer activity, agonism of the µ-opioid receptor and neuroprotection. The biological activities are thought to be caused by the 1,2,4- oxadiazole ring found within the molecule. The goal of this project is to synthesize analogues of phidianidine that contain a 1,2,3-triazole instead of the 1,2,4 oxadiazole ring using a method that will allow for other regions of the molecule to be changed. This will help to elucidate the role of the 1,2,4-oxadiazole ring in biological activity as well as probe if the 1,2,3-triazole analogue can provide significant improvement to any activities

Impact of Cannabinoids on Human Neural Differentiation and Oxidative Stress Response

Cannabinoids are a group of over 144 known compounds extracted from hemp species. Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive compound in hemp, and the non-psychoactive cannabidiol (CBD) are the most commonly known and most well studied cannabinoids. As cannabinoids can be sold for medicinal or recreational purposes, it\u27s important to understand the impact of these cannabinoids on the brain. To explore the effects of cannabinoids on neural development, undifferentiated SH-SY5Y human neuroblastoma cells were used as a model of fetal neurons. SH-SY5Y cells were fully differentiated in the presence of no cannabinoids, THC, and/or CBD and analyzed for any developmental differences. In addition to the qualitative development assessment, we also explored the cytoprotective properties of THC and CBD against reactive oxidative species (ROS) on neural cells. We did not discover any difference in neuron development when exposed to THC or CBD, but we did discover a statistically significant protection against ROS when grown in the presence of CBD.https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/fsrs2022/1070/thumbnail.jp

'To live and die [for] Dixie': Irish civilians and the Confederate States of America

Around 20,000 Irishmen served in the Confederate army in the Civil War. As a result, they left behind, in various Southern towns and cities, large numbers of friends, family, and community leaders. As with native-born Confederates, Irish civilian support was crucial to Irish participation in the Confederate military effort. Also, Irish civilians served in various supporting roles: in factories and hospitals, on railroads and diplomatic missions, and as boosters for the cause. They also, however, suffered in bombardments, sieges, and the blockade. Usually poorer than their native neighbours, they could not afford to become 'refugees' and move away from the centres of conflict. This essay, based on research from manuscript collections, contemporary newspapers, British Consular records, and Federal military records, will examine the role of Irish civilians in the Confederacy, and assess the role this activity had on their integration into Southern communities. It will also look at Irish civilians in the defeat of the Confederacy, particularly when they came under Union occupation. Initial research shows that Irish civilians were not as upset as other whites in the South about Union victory. They welcomed a return to normalcy, and often 'collaborated' with Union authorities. Also, Irish desertion rates in the Confederate army were particularly high, and I will attempt to gauge whether Irish civilians played a role in this. All of the research in this paper will thus be put in the context of the Drew Gilpin Faust/Gary Gallagher debate on the influence of the Confederate homefront on military performance. By studying the Irish civilian experience one can assess how strong the Confederate national experiment was. Was it a nation without a nationalism