Counter-current chromatography for the separation of terpenoids: A comprehensive review with respect to the solvent systems employed

Copyright @ 2014 The Authors.This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits any use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author(s) and the source are credited.Natural products extracts are commonly highly complex mixtures of active compounds and consequently their purification becomes a particularly challenging task. The development of a purification protocol to extract a single active component from the many hundreds that are often present in the mixture is something that can take months or even years to achieve, thus it is important for the natural product chemist to have, at their disposal, a broad range of diverse purification techniques. Counter-current chromatography (CCC) is one such separation technique utilising two immiscible phases, one as the stationary phase (retained in a spinning coil by centrifugal forces) and the second as the mobile phase. The method benefits from a number of advantages when compared with the more traditional liquid-solid separation methods, such as no irreversible adsorption, total recovery of the injected sample, minimal tailing of peaks, low risk of sample denaturation, the ability to accept particulates, and a low solvent consumption. The selection of an appropriate two-phase solvent system is critical to the running of CCC since this is both the mobile and the stationary phase of the system. However, this is also by far the most time consuming aspect of the technique and the one that most inhibits its general take-up. In recent years, numerous natural product purifications have been published using CCC from almost every country across the globe. Many of these papers are devoted to terpenoids-one of the most diverse groups. Naturally occurring terpenoids provide opportunities to discover new drugs but many of them are available at very low levels in nature and a huge number of them still remain unexplored. The collective knowledge on performing successful CCC separations of terpenoids has been gathered and reviewed by the authors, in order to create a comprehensive document that will be of great assistance in performing future purifications. © 2014 The Author(s)

A global experiment on motivating social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic

Significance Communicating in ways that motivate engagement in social distancing remains a critical global public health priority during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study tested motivational qualities of messages about social distancing (those that promoted choice and agency vs. those that were forceful and shaming) in 25,718 people in 89 countries. The autonomy-supportive message decreased feelings of defying social distancing recommendations relative to the controlling message, and the controlling message increased controlled motivation, a less effective form of motivation, relative to no message. Message type did not impact intentions to socially distance, but people’s existing motivations were related to intentions. Findings were generalizable across a geographically diverse sample and may inform public health communication strategies in this and future global health emergencies. Abstract Finding communication strategies that effectively motivate social distancing continues to be a global public health priority during the COVID-19 pandemic. This cross-country, preregistered experiment (n = 25,718 from 89 countries) tested hypotheses concerning generalizable positive and negative outcomes of social distancing messages that promoted personal agency and reflective choices (i.e., an autonomy-supportive message) or were restrictive and shaming (i.e., a controlling message) compared with no message at all. Results partially supported experimental hypotheses in that the controlling message increased controlled motivation (a poorly internalized form of motivation relying on shame, guilt, and fear of social consequences) relative to no message. On the other hand, the autonomy-supportive message lowered feelings of defiance compared with the controlling message, but the controlling message did not differ from receiving no message at all. Unexpectedly, messages did not influence autonomous motivation (a highly internalized form of motivation relying on one’s core values) or behavioral intentions. Results supported hypothesized associations between people’s existing autonomous and controlled motivations and self-reported behavioral intentions to engage in social distancing. Controlled motivation was associated with more defiance and less long-term behavioral intention to engage in social distancing, whereas autonomous motivation was associated with less defiance and more short- and long-term intentions to social distance. Overall, this work highlights the potential harm of using shaming and pressuring language in public health communication, with implications for the current and future global health challenges

Lúpus eritematoso sistêmico: tratamento do acometimento cutâneo/articular

DESCRIÇÃO DO MÉTODO DE COLETA DE EVIDÊNCIAS: Oito reumatologistas que trabalham em serviços que atendem grande número de pacientes com lúpus eritematoso sistêmico, alguns dos quais têm pesquisa e publicações científicas nesta área, foram convidados a participar do grupo de trabalho. Também foram convidados um nefrologista e uma dermatologista que atuam em grandes centros universitários, com grande experiência no atendimento destes pacientes. Todos se reuniram para discutir o tratamento das diferentes manifestações da doença, subdivididos em quatro grupos de trabalho, cada qual ficando responsável por buscar a melhor evidência para o tratamento de um ou mais comprometimentos da doença. a última edição de Dubois's lupus erythematosus, editado por Wallace D e Hahn B, em 2001, foi utilizada como base da discussão. Trabalhos publicados nos últimos cinco anos foram pesquisados no banco de dados do Medline. Devido à freqüência e à heterogeneidade de manifestações da doença, a maioria dos trabalhos terapêuticos não contempla grande casuística, e nem são randômicos e controlados. Como as manifestações e a gravidade da doença variam em diferentes grupos populacionais, devemos avaliar com cuidado os estudos realizados em grupos populacionais distintos. GRAU DE RECOMENDAÇÃO E FORÇA DE EVIDÊNCIA: A: Estudos experimentais e observacionais de melhor consistência. B: Estudos experimentais e observacionais de menor consistência. C: Relatos de casos (estudos não controlados). D: Opinião desprovida de avaliação crítica, baseada em consensos, estudos fisiológicos ou modelos animais. OBJETIVOS: Elaborar recomendação baseada na melhor evidência científica para o tratamento das manifestações cutâneo-articulares do lúpus eritematoso sistêmico. CONFLITO DE INTERESSE: Nenhum conflito de interesse declarado

Investigation of anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive activities of trans-dehydrocrotonin, a 19-nor-clerodane diterpene from Croton cajucara .1.

The anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive effects of trans-dehydrocrotonin, isolated from the bark of Croton cajucara (Euphorbiaceae), were investigated using several animal models. The trans-dehydrocrotonin produced a significant inhibition of carrageenin-induced paw edema and cotton pellet granuloma in rats. It also inhibited the writhings in mice induced by acetic acid, but did not show a significant effect in the hot-plate test in mice. The LD(50) of t-DCTN was 555.0 mg/kg (p.o.) for mice

Typification and quality control of the Andiroba (Carapa guianensis) oil via mass spectrometry fingerprinting

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)The oil from the seeds of the 'Andiroba' tree, which is found throughout most tropical America, contains high levels of unsaturated triacylglycerols (TAG), which makes it attractive to the cosmetics industry. A significant amount of limonoids also confers to this Amazonian oil several pharmaceutical and medical properties. In addition, the oil is also a potential feedstock for biodiesel production, and its many uses have intensified its extractive exploitation in recent years. Herein we report on the characterization of the TAG, free fatty acids (FFA) and limonoid profiles of the Andiroba oil via mass spectrometry (MS) fingerprinting using direct electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS). An ambient desorption/ionization technique known as easy ambient sonic-spray ionization (EASI-MS) was also evaluated with similar results. ESI-MS was performed either for a methanolic solution of a few microliters of the fresh oil or from a simple aqueous extract whereas EASI-MS was applied directly to a droplet of the oil resting on a paper surface. The efficacy of these MS fingerprinting techniques requiring no pre-separation and no or very simple sample preparation protocols was investigated and compared for the typification and quality of this valuable Amazonian oil.5613851391Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Financing Agency of Studies and Projects (FINEP)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq