Aqueous phase synthesis of polysubstituted pyrimidines/pyrrolidines catalyzed by β-cyclodextrin

Highly substituted pyrimidine/pyrrolidine derivatives were synthesized for the first time in water under neutral conditions by the reaction of aromatic amines, dimethyl/diethyl acetylene dicarboxylates, formaldehyde mediated by β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) in good to excellent yields. β-Cyclodextrin can be recovered and reused without any loss of catalytic activity. The β-Cyclodextrins employed were inexpensive and readily available when compared to other types of cyclodextrins (α, γ)

β-Cyclodextrin catalyzed synthesis of substituted indoles in aqueous medium

β-Cyclodextrin catalyzed synthesis of indole derivatives from indole, aldehyde and N-methylaniline is reported. The β-cyclodextrin can be recovered and reused without significant loss of catalytic activity, and it is inexpensive, readily available when compared to other cyclodextrins (α, γ)

Absence of Detectable XMRV and Other MLV-Related Viruses in Healthy Blood Donors in the United States

BACKGROUND: Preliminary studies in chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) patients and XMRV infected animals demonstrated plasma viremia and infection of blood cells with XMRV, indicating the potential risk for transfusion transmission. XMRV and MLV-related virus gene sequences have also been detected in 4-6% of healthy individuals including blood donors in the U.S. These results imply that millions of persons in the U.S. may be carrying the nucleic acid sequences of XMRV and/or MLV-related viruses, which is a serious public health and blood safety concern. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: To gain evidence of XMRV or MLV-related virus infection in the U.S. blood donors, 110 plasma samples and 71 PBMC samples from blood donors at the NIH blood bank were screened for XMRV and MLV-related virus infection. We employed highly sensitive assays, including nested PCR and real-time PCR, as well as co-culture of plasma with highly sensitive indicator DERSE cells. Using these assays, none of the samples were positive for XMRV or MLV-related virus. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Our results are consistent with those from several other studies, and demonstrate the absence of XMRV or MLV-related viruses in the U.S. blood donors that we studied

Phytochemical Analysis, Antioxidant, Antistress, and Nootropic Activities of Aqueous and Methanolic Seed Extracts of Ladies Finger ( Abelmoschus esculentus

Abelmoschus esculentus L. (ladies finger, okra) is a well-known tropical vegetable, widely planted from Africa to Asia and from South Europe to America. In the present study, we investigated the in vitro antioxidant capacity and in vivo protective effect of the aqueous and methanolic seed extracts of Abelmoschus esculentus against scopolamine-induced cognitive impairment using passive avoidance task and acute restraining stress-induced behavioural and biochemical changes using elevated plus maze (EPM) and forced swimming test (FST) in mice. Our results demonstrated that the pretreatment of mice with aqueous and methanolic seed extracts of Abelmoschus esculentus (200 mg/kg, p.o.) for seven days significantly (P< 0.01) attenuated scopolamine-induced cognitive impairment in the passive avoidance test. In addition, these extracts significantly reduced the blood glucose, corticosterone, cholesterol, and triglyceride levels elevated by acute restraint stress and also significantly increased the time spent in open arm in EPM and decreased the immobility time in FST. It has also been revealed that these extracts showed a significant antioxidant activity and no signs of toxicity or death up to a dose of 2000 mg/kg, p.o. These results suggest that the seed extracts of Abelmoschus esculentus L. possess antioxidant, antistress, and nootropic activities which promisingly support the medicinal values of ladies finger as a vegetable

XMRV: usage of receptors and potential co-receptors

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>XMRV is a gammaretrovirus first identified in prostate tissues of Prostate Cancer (PC) patients and later in the blood cells of patients with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS). Although XMRV is thought to use XPR1 for cell entry, it infects A549 cells that do not express XPR1, suggesting usage of other receptors or co-receptors.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>To study the usage of different receptors and co- receptors that could play a role in XMRV infection of lymphoid cells and GHOST (GFP- Human osteosarcoma) cells expressing CD4 along with different chemokine receptors including CCR1, CCR2, etc., were infected with XMRV. Culture supernatants and cells were tested for XMRV replication using real time quantitative PCR.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Infection and replication of XMRV was seen in a variety of GHOST cells, LNCaP, DU145, A549 and Caski cell lines. The levels of XMRV replication varied in different cell lines showing differential replication in different cell lines. However, replication in A549 which lacks XPR1 expression was relatively higher than DU145 but lower than, LNCaP. XMRV replication varied in GHOST cell lines expressing CD4 and each of the co- receptors CCR1-CCR8 and bob. There was significant replication of XMRV in CCR3 and Bonzo although it is much lower when compared to DU145, A549 and LNCaP.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>XMRV replication was observed in GHOST cells that express CD4 and each of the chemokine receptors ranging from CCR1- CCR8 and BOB suggesting that infectivity in hematopoietic cells could be mediated by use of these receptors.</p

Aqueous phase synthesis of polysubstituted pyrimidines/pyrrolidines catalyzed by β-cyclodextrin

Highly substituted pyrimidine/pyrrolidine derivatives were synthesized for the first time in water under neutral conditions by the reaction of aromatic amines, dimethyl/diethyl acetylene dicarboxylates, formaldehyde mediated by β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) in good to excellent yields. β-Cyclodextrin can be recovered and reused without any loss of catalytic activity. The β-Cyclodextrins employed were inexpensive and readily available when compared to other types of cyclodextrins (α, γ)

An environmentally benign and efficient synthesis of 2-thio-substituted benzothiazoles

An environmentally benign, simple and highly efficient method for the synthesis of 2-thio-substituted benzothiazole derivatives has been achieved in good to excellent yields by reacting a series of aryl halides with 2-mercapto benzothiazole, using recyclable CuFe2O4 nanoparticles under ligand free conditions in PEG-400 as solvent. In the present protocol, the copper ferrite nanoparticles can be recovered and reused up to four cycles without significant loss of activity