The EPOS Research Infrastructure: a federated approach to integrate solid Earth science data and services

The European Plate Observing System (EPOS) is a Research Infrastructure (RI) committed to enabling excellent science through the integration, accessibility, use and re-use of solid Earth science data, research products and services, as well as by promoting physical access to research facilities. This article presents and describes the EPOS RI and introduces the contents of its Delivery Framework. In November 2018, EPOS ERIC (European Research Infrastructure Consortium) has been granted by the European Commission and was established to design and implement a long-term plan for the integration of research infrastructures for solid Earth science in Europe. Specifically, the EPOS mission is to create and operate a highly distributed and sustainable research infrastructure to provide coordinated access to harmonized, interoperable and quality-controlled data from diverse solid Earth science disciplines, together with tools for their use in analysis and modelling. EPOS relies on leading-edge e-science solutions and is committed to open access, thus enabling a step towards the change in multidisciplinary and cross-disciplinary scientific research in Earth science. The EPOS architecture and its Delivery Framework are discussed in this article to present the contributions to open science and FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable) data management, as well as to emphasize the community building process that supported the design, implementation and construction of the EPOS RI.publishedVersio

Data Management in Distributed, Federated Research Infrastructures: The Case of EPOS

Data management is a key activity when Open Data stewardship through services complying with the FAIR principles is required, as it happens in many National and European initiatives. Existing guidelines and tools facilitate the drafting of Data Management Plans by focusing on a set of common parameters or questions. In this paper we describe how data management is carried out in EPOS, the European Research Infrastructure for providing access to integrated data and services in the solid Earth domain. EPOS relies on a federated model and is committed to remain operational in the long term. In EPOS, five key dimensions were identified for the Federated Data Management, namely the management of: thematic data; e-infrastructure for data integration; community of data providers committed to data provision processes; sustainability; and policies. On the basis of the EPOS experience, which is to some extent applicable to other research infrastructures, we propose additional components that may extend the EU Horizon 2020 Data Management Guidelines template, thus comprehensively addressing the Federated Data Management in the context of distributed Research Infrastructures

Efficient synthesis of novel RGD based peptides and the conjugation of the pyrazine moiety to their N-terminus

Hamdan F, Bigdeli Z, Balalaie S, Sewald N, Michalek C. Efficient synthesis of novel RGD based peptides and the conjugation of the pyrazine moiety to their N-terminus. NEW JOURNAL OF CHEMISTRY. 2019;43(6):2702-2709.The synthesis of modified RGD peptides and their conjugation to the pyrazine skeleton at their N-terminus are described. To modify and alter the RGD sequence, short bioactive peptides such as FALKF and NGRG were added to the RGD N-terminus. Moreover, the in vitro investigation of these modified peptides, by a cell adhesion assay using the melanoma cell lines M21 expressing alpha(v)beta(3) and M21L lacking alpha(v) expression, was made and interestingly peptide 4 containing the pyrazine moiety with the linear RGDFAKLF sequence gave the best IC50 value with M21 and all the peptides were unable to bind to M21L, demonstrating the selective recognition to alpha(v)beta(3). The results showed pyrazine plays an essential role in the activity of the peptides. From these results, we can suggest that these peptides can affect cancer cells by abrogation of cell adhesion (cell migration)

The EPOS Research Infrastructure: a federated approach to integrate solid Earth science data and services

The European Plate Observing System (EPOS) is a Research Infrastructure (RI) committed to enabling excellent science through the integration, accessibility, use and re-use of solid Earth science data, research products and services, as well as by promoting physical access to research facilities. This article presents and describes the EPOS RI and introduces the contents of its Delivery Framework. In November 2018, EPOS ERIC (European Research Infrastructure Consortium) has been granted by the European Commission and was established to design and implement a long-term plan for the integration of research infrastructures for solid Earth science in Europe. Specifically, the EPOS mission is to create and operate a highly distributed and sustainable research infrastructure to provide coordinated access to harmonized, interoperable and quality-controlled data from diverse solid Earth science disciplines, together with tools for their use in analysis and modelling. EPOS relies on leading-edge e-science solutions and is committed to open access, thus enabling a step towards the change in multidisciplinary and cross-disciplinary scientific research in Earth science. The EPOS architecture and its Delivery Framework are discussed in this article to present the contributions to open science and FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable) data management, as well as to emphasize the community building process that supported the design, implementation and construction of the EPOS RI

Linker Hydrophilicity Modulates the Anticancer Activity of RGD-Cryptophycin Conjugates.

Anselmi M, Borbély AN, Figueras Agustí E, et al. Linker Hydrophilicity Modulates the Anticancer Activity of RGD-Cryptophycin Conjugates. Chemistry - A European Journal . 2021;27(3):1015-1022.Most anticancer agents are hydrophobic and can easily penetrate the tumor cell membrane by passive diffusion. This may impede the development of highly effective and tumor-selective treatment options. A hydrophilic beta-glucuronidase-cleavable linker was used to connect the highly potent antimitotic agent cryptophycin-55 glycinate with the alphavbeta3 integrin ligand c(RGDfK). Incorporation of the self-immolative linker containing glucuronic acid results in decreased cytotoxicity compared to the free payload, suggesting that hydrophilic sugar linkers can preclude passive cellular uptake. In vitro drug-release studies and cytotoxicity assays demonstrated the potential of this small molecule-drug conjugate, providing guidance for the development of therapeutics containing hydrophobic anticancer drugs. © 2020 Wiley-VCH GmbH

A new xanthone derivative from twigs of Garcinia nobilis

Fouotsa H, Tatsimo SJN, Neumann B, et al. A new xanthone derivative from twigs of Garcinia nobilis. Natural Product Research. 2014;28(14):1030-1036.Phytochemical investigation of the twigs of Garcinia nobilis led to the isolation of a new xanthone, named l-hydroxy-2,5-dimethoxyxanthone (1), together with 15 known compounds (2-16). The structures of the new and known compounds were established by means of spectroscopic methods and by comparison with previously reported data. The structure of compound 1 was confirmed by X-ray diffraction data. Compounds 1-16 were tested for their cytotoxic activity against human cervix carcinoma cell line KB-3-1. Compounds 5 and 11 showed moderate activity while others showed weak biological activity in these cytotoxicity assays. Compounds 4 and 9 were found to be inactive

Purpureone, an antileishmanial ergochrome from the endophytic fungus Purpureocillium lilacinum

Lenta BN, Ngatchou J, Frese M, et al. Purpureone, an antileishmanial ergochrome from the endophytic fungus Purpureocillium lilacinum. Zeitschrift für Naturforschung B. 2016;71(11):1159-1167.The ethyl acetate extracts prepared from the mycelia of three endophytic fungi Purpureocillium lilacinum, Aspergillus sp., and Fusarium sp., isolated from the roots of Rauvolfia macrophylla (Apocynaceae) were screened for their antiprotozoal activity in vitro against Plasmodium falciparum (NF54), Leishmania donovani, Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense, and Trypanosoma cruzi. Amongst these extracts, the one from P. lilacinum showed potent antileishmanial activity against L. donovani (IC50 value of 0.174 mu g mL(-1)) with good selectivity (SI = 94.9) toward the L6 cell line, whereas the other extracts were inactive and not selective. The fractionation and purification of the active extract from P. lilacinum by column chromatography over silica gel yielded a new ergochromone derivative (1), together with six known compounds: (22E, 24R)-stigmasta-5,7,22-trien-3-beta-ol (2), (22E, 24R)-stigmasta- 4,6,8(14), 22-tetraen-3-one (3), emodin (4), chrysophanol (5), aloe-emodin (6), and palmitic acid, whose structures were elucidated spectroscopically. Compound 1 was tested in vitro for its antiparasitic activities against the above listed parasites and for its antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, Listeria monocytogenes, Escherichia coli, Providencia stuartii, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The compound displayed potent antileishmanial activity against L. donovani with an IC50 value of 0.63 mu g mL(-1) (0.87 mu m) with good selectivity (SI = 49.5) toward the L6 cell line. It also exhibited good antibacterial activity against three of the tested microbial strains B. cereus, E. coli ATCC879, and P. stuartii ATCC29916 with minimum inhibitory concentrations below 62.6 mu g mL(-1). Compound 1 is thus a promising active compound that could be investigated for antileishmanial and antimicrobial drug development

A new xanthone derivative from twigs of <i>Garcinia nobilis</i>

<div><p>Phytochemical investigation of the twigs of <i>Garcinia nobilis</i> led to the isolation of a new xanthone, named l-hydroxy-2,5-dimethoxyxanthone (<b>1</b>), together with 15 known compounds (<b>2</b>–<b>16</b>). The structures of the new and known compounds were established by means of spectroscopic methods and by comparison with previously reported data. The structure of compound <b>1</b> was confirmed by X-ray diffraction data. Compounds <b>1</b>–<b>16</b> were tested for their cytotoxic activity against human cervix carcinoma cell line KB-3-1. Compounds <b>5</b> and <b>11</b> showed moderate activity while others showed weak biological activity in these cytotoxicity assays. Compounds <b>4</b> and <b>9</b> were found to be inactive.</p></div

Long-chain alkyl-substituted gentisic acid and benzoquinone derivatives from the root of Micronychia tsiramiramy (Anacardiaceae)

Razakarivony AA, Lenta Ndjakou B, Andriamihaja B, et al. Long-chain alkyl-substituted gentisic acid and benzoquinone derivatives from the root of Micronychia tsiramiramy (Anacardiaceae). Zeitschrift für Naturforschung B. 2016;71(4):297-303.A new gentisic acid derivative named micronyc acid (1) and a new 1,4-benzoquinone derivative named micronone (2) have been isolated from the root of Micronychia tsiramiramy together with the known compounds gallic acid (3), methyl gallate (4), moronic acid (5), masticadienolic acid (6), and masticadienediol (7). The structures of 1 and 2 were established using MS and NMR. Compound 1 was tested for antiplasmodial activity in vitro against the chloroquine-resistant strain Plasmodium falciparum W2 and displayed moderate antiplasmodial activity in vitro with an IC50 value of 25.6 mu m. Compounds 1 and its acetyl derivative 1a were also tested for their cytotoxicity against the human cervix carcinoma cell line KB-3-1 and still showed moderate activity