LEMONGRASS PLANT LEAF AND CULM AS POTENTIAL SOURCES OF REINFORCEMENT FOR BIO-COMPOSITES

A possible source of natural reinforcement for bio-composites can be represented by lemongrass plant (Cymbopogon flexuosus), a clumped and perennial grass which belongs to the Poaceae family. This plant is extensively used for several applications such as pharmacology, food preservation and cosmetics but, to the best of our knowledge, few papers were published on its use as source for reinforcement of composites and no one article was focused on the comparison between lemongrass leaves and culms as potential source of natural reinforcement. To this aim, a preliminary investigation on leaf and culm fibers was carried out to compare their physical and chemical features as well as their tensile properties. Furthermore, bio-composites based on a biodegradable starch-derived matrix (MaterBi®) and lemongrass leaf and culm particles were manufactured via extrusion and compression molding. For both fillers, two compositions (i.e., 10% and 20 wt.%) were investigated in terms of morphological and mechanical properties

Pyrrolidine-based cationic γ-peptide: a DNA-binding molecule works as a potent anti-gene agent

Pyrrolidine-based cationic peptides showing high stability to enzyme degradation and strong binding affinity towards DNA are widely investigated as tools to interfere in gene expression. Several studies have been focused on γ-peptide analogs with modifications on the peptide backbone in the attempt to overcome solubility, uptake, and aggregation issues. Pyrrolidine-based γ-peptide derivatives having two different modes of backbone conformation show interesting properties in terms of secondary structure and affinity of binding towards nucleic acids. In this paper, we illustrate our results obtained on two cationic 8-mer γ-peptides Gp1 and Gp2, and how they differ in side-chain spacing along the backbone was tested for DNA binding and DNA transfection activity. Both γ-peptides are stable toward protease digestion. Gp1 binds to DNA more tightly than GP2. This binding ability of Gp1 is attributed to its characteristic of single-chain PPII-like conformation. The Gp1 shows a reduction in its electrophoretic mobility when treated with plasmid DNA. The DNA transfection ability of γ-peptide Gp1 was compared with commercially available transfection reagent Effectene. In each case, Gp1 significantly enhanced the transfection efficiency (40%) of plasmid in Schneider cells compared to the commercial reagent (18%). The other γ-peptide GP2 is not active

Searching, fast and slow, through product catalogs

String matching algorithms in the presence of abbreviations, such as in Stock Keeping Unit (SKU) product catalogs, remains a relatively unexplored topic. In this paper, we present a unified architecture for SKU search that provides both a real-time suggestion system (based on a Trie data structure) as well as a lower latency search system (making use of character level TF-IDF in combination with language model vector embeddings) where users initiate the search process explicitly. We carry out ablation studies that justify designing a complex search system composed of multiple components to address the delicate trade-off between speed and accuracy. Using SKU search in the Dynamics CRM as an example, we show how our system vastly outperforms, in all aspects, the results provided by the default search engine. Finally, we show how SKU descriptions may be enhanced via generative text models (using gpt-3.5-turbo) so that the consumers of the search results may get more context and a generally better experience when presented with the results of their SKU search

Anti-proliferative activity and characterization data on oxadiazole derivatives

10.1016/j.dib.2020.105979Data in Brief3110597

The suitability of lightfield camera depth maps for coordinate measurement applications

Plenoptic cameras can capture 3D information in one exposure without the need for structured illumination, allowing grey scale depth maps of the captured image to be created. The Lytro, a consumer grade plenoptic camera, provides a cost effective method of measuring depth of multiple objects under controlled lightning conditions. In this research, camera control variables, environmental sensitivity, image distortion characteristics, and the effective working range of two Lytro first generation cameras were evaluated. In addition, a calibration process has been created, for the Lytro cameras, to deliver three dimensional output depth maps represented in SI units (metre). The novel results show depth accuracy and repeatability of +10.0 mm to -20.0 mm, and 0.5 mm respectively. For the lateral X and Y coordinates, the accuracy was +1.56 m to −2.59 m and the repeatability was 0.25 µm

1-Benzhydryl-4-(4-chloro­phenyl­sulfonyl)piperazine

The title compound, C23H23ClN2O2S, was synthesized by the nucleophilic substitution of 1-benzhydrylpiperazine with 4-chloro­phenyl­sulfonyl chloride. The piperazine ring is in a chair conformation. The geometry around the S atom is that of a distorted tetra­hedron. There is a large range of bond angles around the piperazine N atoms. The dihedral angle between the least-squares plane (p1) defined by the four coplanar C atoms of the piperazine ring and the benzene ring is 81.6 (1)°. The dihedral angles between p1 and the phenyl rings are 76.2 (1) and 72.9 (2)°. The two phenyl rings make a dihedral angle of 65.9 (1)°. Intramolecular C—H⋯O hydrogen bonds are present

Spontaneous urinary bladder perforation as a cause of recurrent, progressive ascites with multiorgan dysfunction syndrome

Spontaneous rupture of the urinary bladder wall is a rare complication that may lead to intraperitoneal accumulation of urine and is mistaken for ascites from other causes. This often leads to repeated and inconclusive diagnostic tests. Here, we report the case of a 60-year-old female, with a past history of cervical cancer, who presented with recurrent episodes of pain abdomen and breathlessness over 1 year period. She was hospitalized multiple times and found to have ascites. Ultrasound and computed tomography scan of the abdomen along with an ascitic fluid analysis were done at each admission, which were inconclusive as to the cause of the ascites. A diagnostic laparoscopy to rule out peritoneal metastases showed perforation of the urinary bladder wall with intraperitoneal urine leakage. Bladder wall repair was done the following which the patient recovered uneventfully

Pyrazole-based analogs as potential antibacterial agents against methicillin-resistance staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and its SAR elucidation

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is becoming lethal to humanity due to easy transmission and difficult-to-treat skin and flimsy diseases. The most threatening aspect is the rapid resistance development of MRSA to any approved antibiotics, including vancomycin. The development of new, efficient, and nontoxic drug candidate to fight against MRSA isolates is the need of the hour. The intriguing molecular structure and versatile bioactive pyrazole core attracting to development required novel antibiotics. This review presents the decade developments of pyrazole-containing derivatives with a broad antibacterial movement against diverged bacterial strains. In specific, we correlated the efficacy of structurally diversified pyrazole analogs against MRSA and discussed different angles of structure-activity relationship (SAR). The current survey highlights pyrazole hybrids' present scenario on MRSA studies, covering articles published from 2011 to 2020. This collective information may become an excellent platform to plan and develop new pyrazole-based small MRSA growth inhibitors with minimal side effects. (C) 2020 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved

N-[4-Cyano-3-(trifluoro­meth­yl)phen­yl]-2-eth­oxy­benzamide

In the title compound, C17H13F3N2O2, the two aromatic rings are essentially coplanar, forming a dihedral angle of 2.78 (12)°. The non-H atoms of the eth­oxy group are coplanar with the attached ring [maximum deviation = 0.271 (3) Å]. An intra­molecular N—H⋯O hydrogen bond occurs. In the crystal structure, mol­ecules are linked by inter­molecular C—H⋯N and C—H⋯F hydrogen bonds

Tacrine-allyl/propargylcysteine-benzothiazole trihybrids as potential anti-Alzheimer's drug candidates

The authors acknowledge the Portuguese Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT) for the project UID/QUI/00100/2013, postdoctoral fellowships (RSK and KC). We also thank the doctoral fellowship from Erasmus Namaste program (AH).On continuing our research on new drug candidates for Alzheimer's disease (AD), we have designed, synthesized and evaluated a series of multifunctional trihybrid agents. The design strategy was based on the incorporation of a benzothiazole (BTA) moiety on a series of very recently reported bihybrids, resulting from the conjugation of a tacrine (TAC) with natural based moieties, namely S-allylcysteine (SAC) (garlic constituent) and S-propargylcysteine (SPRC). Thus, in addition to the acetylcholinesterase inhibition (AChEI) and anti-ROS capacity of the bihybrids (TAC-SAC/SPRC), the new trihybrids (TAC-SAC/SPRC-BTA) were endowed with 5-fold capacity for inhibition of the amyloid beta-peptide (Aβ) aggregation. The BTA moiety led also to considerable enhancement of the AChEI on the trihybrids, which molecular modeling suggested to be due to the simultaneous binding to the catalytic active site and peripheral anionic site of AChE. The trihybrids were also assessed for the MAO inhibition, but resulted in lower activity than expected, ascribed to the low accessibility of the propargyl groups to the enzyme active site. Finally, the effects of the compounds on the viability of neuroblastome cells stressedwith Aβ42 and H2O2 showed moderate cell protection. Overall, the performed studies illustrate the importance (and limitations) of enclosing several molecular scaffolds in one molecular entity to allow the modulation of multiple AD targets.PostprintPeer reviewe