Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Tanja E. Peters, Benno Kreuels, Marylyn M. Addo, Egbert Tannich, Camilla Rothe
Summary: This study analyzed 339 cases of returning travellers with confirmed giardiasis between 2007 and 2016 in Hamburg, Germany, finding a significantly higher risk of treatment failure with metronidazole for patients returning from South Asia. Second-line treatment regimens showed inconsistency and unsatisfactory results, suggesting a need for reevaluation of treatment strategies for giardiasis. Prospective trials are urgently needed to assess new first-line treatment options and improve second-line treatment strategies.
TRAVEL MEDICINE AND INFECTIOUS DISEASE
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Organic
Somayeh Behrouz, Mohammad Navid Soltani Rad, Zahra Ganji, Marzieh Behrouz, Elham Zarenezhad, Mahmoud Agholi
Summary: This study describes the design, synthesis, and evaluation of new propargylamine derivatives containing a 2-methyl-5-nitroimidazole core. The propargylamines were efficiently synthesized through a three-component reaction and their antigiardial activity was investigated. Compound 2b exhibited potent antigiardial activity. In addition, in silico analysis was performed to assess the physicochemical properties and docking interactions of the compounds.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Alireza Mousavi, Parham Foroumadi, Zahra Emamgholipour, Pascal Maser, Marcel Kaiser, Alireza Foroumadi
Summary: The nitro-containing compounds discovered in this study showed high activity against Trypanosoma brucei, making them potential candidates for treating sleeping sickness.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Anas J. Rasras, Rawhi H. Al -Far, Eyad A. Younes, Mohamad M. Shakdofa, Nafisah M. Al-Rifai
Summary: In this study, a novel compound consisting of 1,3,4-oxadiazole and imidazole heterocyclic moieties linked with a piperazine ring was synthesized. The product was characterized using NMR, HRMS, and XRD, which revealed a triclinic crystal system and a well-matched structure between experimental and calculated results. The frontier molecular orbital (MO) of the product was calculated and analyzed.
JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR STRUCTURE
(2023)
Review
Immunology
Shahram Solaymani-Mohammadi
Summary: Human giardiasis is a common parasitic disease that can lead to malnutrition and developmental disorders. Understanding the interaction between the parasite and the intestinal epithelial cells may provide insights into the pathology and help identify new therapeutic approaches.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Aya M. Almatary, Walaa M. El Husseiny, Khalid B. Selim, Hassan M. H. Eisa
Summary: A hypoxic environment is common in tumors, leading researchers to develop a series of cytotoxic radiosensitizer agents. Some of these compounds showed good antiproliferative activity under low oxygen conditions and enhanced the sensitivity of tumor cells to DNA damage. Further investigation revealed that these active compounds might exert their effects by inhibiting the CDK2 enzyme, inducing apoptosis and cell cycle arrest in tumor cells.
DRUG DEVELOPMENT RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Sunil L. Dhonnar, Vishnu A. Adole, Rahul A. More, Nutan V. Sadgir, Bapu S. Jagdale, Thansing B. Pawar, Mohamed I. Elzagheid, Lydia Rhyman, Ponnadurai Ramasami
Summary: This study synthesized and analyzed two novel oxadiazole derivatives using experimental and computational methods, and investigated their spectra, structural parameters, charge transfer, and reactivity. The experimental results showed that these compounds exhibited moderate antibacterial and antifungal activity.
JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR STRUCTURE
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Daniel Szulczyk, Anna Bielenica, Piotr Roszkowski, Michal A. Dobrowolski, Wioletta Olejarz, Sebastian Kmiecik, Malgorzata Podsiad, Marta Struga
Summary: Twelve novel derivatives of N-(furan-2-ylmethyl)-1H-tetrazol-5-amine were synthesized and tested for antibacterial, antimycobacterial, and cytotoxic activities. Compound 6 showed the most promising results in antimicrobial studies, particularly inhibiting the growth of S. epidermidis strains. A pharmacophore model was established based on lead compounds from this and previous works.
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Jessica V. Faria, Fernanda P. Z. Passos, Paulo H. A. da Costa, Andressa P. de Oliveira, Yasmin O. D. da Cruz, Frederico S. Castelo-Branco, Maria C. S. Lourenco, Silvane M. F. Murta, Policarpo A. S. Junior, Alice M. R. Bernardino, Monica M. Bastos, Nubia Boechat
Summary: This study designed and synthesized two new series of compounds and evaluated their activities against Chagas disease and tuberculosis. The results showed that one of the compounds had important activity against both diseases. This study reinforces the importance of this compound in antimicrobial activity and provides a starting point for the development of new drugs.
MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY
(2022)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Azimdine Habib, Lova Andrianonimiadana, Maheninasy Rakotondrainipiana, Prisca Andriantsalama, Ravaka Randriamparany, Rindra Vatosoa Randremanana, Rado Rakotoarison, Ines Vigan-Womas, Armand Rafalimanantsoa, Pascale Vonaesch, Philippe J. Sansonetti, Jean-Marc Collard
Summary: The study found a high prevalence of intestinal parasite infestations among children living in disadvantaged areas in Madagascar, with almost all individuals infected with at least one parasitic species. Children aged 4 to 5 and mothers with low educational levels were associated with infestation, while children drinking untreated water were linked to certain parasite infestations. Stunted children were also associated with certain parasite infections.
PLOS NEGLECTED TROPICAL DISEASES
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Organic
Marta Papis, Raffaella Bucci, Alessandro Contini, Maria Luisa Gelmi, Leonardo Lo Presti, Giovanni Poli, Gianluigi Broggini, Camilla Loro
Summary: A phosphine-catalyzed domino assembly of six units of 2-bromomethyl acrylates was developed to synthesize polyalkenyl adducts containing two cyclohexenyl rings. This method involves initial dimerization and subsequent trimerization of the substrate, resulting in the formation of seven carbon-carbon bonds and four stereocenters. The protocol has also been successfully scaled up to gram-scale experiments.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Zhipeng Guan, Shuxiang Zhu, Yayu Ye, Xiangwei Li, Yanlong Liu, Pengjie Wang, Heng Zhang, Zhiliang Huang, Aiwen Lei
Summary: In this study, an electrochemical mediator-induced intermolecular selective (3+2) annulation was developed for the synthesis of a library of decorated cyclopentenes and cyclopentanes. This method offers high efficiency, mild reaction conditions, broad substrate scope, good functional group tolerance, and high regioselectivity.
ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION
(2022)
Article
Parasitology
Zuleima Blanco, Michael R. Mijares, Hegira Ramirez, Esteban Fernandez-Moreira, Henry J. Oviedo, Noris M. Rodriguez, Jaime E. Charris
Summary: This study synthesized novel small molecules and evaluated their biological properties against the main Leishmania species causing cutaneous leishmaniasis in Venezuela. Compounds 7 and 8 exhibited high activity against both species, showing potential as alternative treatment options.
PARASITOLOGY RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Hang Su, Taiwei Chu
Summary: Hypoxia imaging agents labeled with tricarbonyl technetium-99m were prepared and evaluated for their hypoxic selectivity. The results showed that the agents with different carbon chain lengths and 2-nitroimidazole groups exhibited varying hypoxic selectivity. Compounds with one 2-nitroimidazole group showed decreased hypoxic selectivity as the carbon chain lengthened. However, compounds with two 2-nitroimidazole groups demonstrated better hypoxic selectivity in cell experiments. Further modifications are needed to improve the clearance rate in the blood for these agents.
BIOORGANIC & MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY LETTERS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Qing Ruan, Yitong Liu, Lihao Liao, Jinyu Hao, Yuhao Jiang, Jianyong Jiang, Junbo Zhang
Summary: This study developed novel Tc-99m-labeled hypoxia imaging radiotracers by synthesizing five different complexes with various linker moieties. In vitro cell experiments showed that all five complexes exhibited high uptake in hypoxic cells, indicating good hypoxia selectivity. In vivo biodistribution studies in tumor-bearing mice revealed that one of the complexes had the highest tumor uptake, but required further optimization for tumor hypoxia imaging.
Review
Chemistry, Analytical
Carlos A. Valdez
Summary: The misuse of synthetic opioids belonging to the fentanyl class has raised serious safety concerns, prompting efforts worldwide to find effective solutions. Key research areas include controlling production and distribution, developing detection methods, and finding efficient antidotes. The review article summarizes the current literature on the detection and identification of synthetic opioids using GC-MS methods.
CRITICAL REVIEWS IN ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
(2022)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Tanay Kaymak, Petr Hruz, Jan Hendrik Niess
Summary: The esophagus is an understudied anatomical immune segment that may contribute to inflammatory esophageal diseases due to its unique anatomical and physiological characteristics.
Article
Chemistry, Inorganic & Nuclear
Maryline G. Ferrier, Carlos A. Valdez, Saurabh Kumar Singh, Saphon Hok, Debmalya Ray, Laura Gagliardi, John D. Despotopulos
Summary: In this study, the unsaturated hexathia-18-crown-6 (UHT18C6) molecule was investigated for its extraction efficiency of Hg(II) in HCl and HNO3 media, compared to the saturated hexathia-18-crown-6 (HT18C6). Batch experiments showed that Hg(II) had better extraction at low acid molarity, but almost no extraction was observed at high acid concentrations. Speciation studies and density functional theory calculations were also conducted to understand the extraction mechanism and the bonding nature. The results indicated that UHT18C6 can potentially extract both Hg(II) and Cn(II), and the extraction kinetics were explored for future applications with short-lived Cn(II) species.
INORGANIC CHEMISTRY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Carlos A. Valdez, Edmund P. Salazar, Roald N. Leif
Summary: This paper presents an efficient method for the methylation of a panel of chlorophenols using trimethyloxonium tetrafluoroborate (TMO) for their qualitative detection and identification. The method is simple and converts the phenols into their O-methylated counterparts conveniently at ambient temperature. The effectiveness of two versions of the protocol was successfully tested in six distinct soil matrices, demonstrating their ability to simultaneously derivatize the chlorophenols.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Urs Duthaler, Fabio Bachmann, Claudia Suenderhauf, Tanja Grandinetti, Florian Pfefferkorn, Manuel Haschke, Petr Hruz, Jamal Bouitbir, Stephan Krahenbuhl
Summary: Liver cirrhosis affects the activity of different CYP isoforms, and this variability must be considered for dose adjustment of drugs in patients with liver cirrhosis.
CLINICAL PHARMACOKINETICS
(2022)
Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Tanay Kaymak, Berna Kaya, Philipp Wuggenig, Sandro Nuciforo, Andreas Goldi, Franz Oswald, Julien Roux, Mario Noti, Hassan Melhem, Petr Hruz, Jan Hendrik Niess
Summary: This study illustrates the importance of the IL-20 subfamily in maintaining the barrier function of the esophagus in the context of EoE. The dysregulation of IL-20 subfamily signaling disrupts the integrity of the esophageal epithelial barrier and promotes the development of EoE. Targeting the IL-20 subfamily signaling pathway may provide a novel strategy for the treatment of EoE.
Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Stephan Miehlke, Christoph Schlag, Alfredo J. Lucendo, Luc Biedermann, Cecilio Santander Vaquero, Christoph Schmoecker, Jamal Hayat, Petr Hruz, Constanza Ciriza de los Rios, Albert Jan Bredenoord, Michael Vieth, Alain Schoepfer, Stephen Attwood, Ralph Mueller, Sarah Burrack, Roland Greinwald, Alex Straumann
Summary: This study confirms the effectiveness and safety of a novel budesonide orodispersible tablet in the treatment of active eosinophilic oesophagitis patients for 6 weeks in an open-label induction treatment.
UNITED EUROPEAN GASTROENTEROLOGY JOURNAL
(2022)
Article
Biology
Theresa Rohm, Lena Keller, Angela J. T. Bosch, Shefaa AlAsfoor, Zora Baumann, Amandine Thomas, Sophia J. Wiedemann, Laura Steiger, Elise Dalmas, Josua Wehner, Leila Rachid, Catherine Mooser, Bahtiyar Yilmaz, Nerea Fernandez Trigo, Annaise J. Jauch, Stephan Wueest, Daniel Konrad, Sandrine Henri, Jan H. Niess, Petr Hruz, Stephanie C. Ganal-Vonarburg, Julien Roux, Daniel T. Meier, Claudia Cavelti-Weder
Summary: Expansion of pro-inflammatory macrophages in the colon occurs early after high-fat diet initiation, prior to macrophage accumulation in the adipose tissue, in a microbiome-dependent fashion. Macrophage depletion systemically and/or exclusively in the colon improves glucose metabolism. This study highlights the importance of colonic macrophage subpopulations in regulating glucose homeostasis and suggests that pharmacological targeting of these macrophages may be a potential therapy for obesity-related glycemic control.
COMMUNICATIONS BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Edmond A. Lau, Heather P. Enright, Victoria M. Lao, Michael A. Malfatti, Brian Mayer, Audrey Williams, Carlos Valdez
Summary: The ability of the cyclodextrin-oxime construct 6-OxP-CD to bind and degrade nerve agents GF, GD, and VX has been studied. It was found that 6-OxP-CD can degrade GF instantly and form an inclusion complex with GD to improve its degradation efficiency. However, no evidence of an inclusion complex between 6-OxP-CD and VX was found.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Brian P. Mayer, Daniel J. Kennedy, Edmond Y. Lau, Carlos A. Valdez
Summary: In this study, new CDs were synthesized and their binding affinity towards fentanyl hydrochloride was evaluated. The optimal CD showed a remarkable affinity for fentanyl with a binding constant of 66,500M(-1), the highest reported to date. These CDs are believed to have potential applications in medical countermeasures for opioid exposure, biosensors, and forensic science.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Brian P. Mayer, Mark L. Dreyer, Maria C. Prieto Conaway, Carlos A. Valdez, Todd Corzett, Roald Leif, Audrey M. Williams
Summary: In this study, machine learning techniques were applied to identify discriminative fragment ions from mass spectrometric data for the detection of type A and B trichothecenes. The developed machine learning-driven precursor ion scan method can be used to screen unknown unknown trichothecenes.
ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Medicine, Legal
Carlos A. Valdez, Jose A. Rosales, Alexander K. Vu, Roald N. Leif
Summary: The development of efficient methods for the analysis and detection of illicit drugs in the environment is crucial in the field of chemical forensics. This study presents a method using trichloroethoxycarbonylation chemistry to extract and confirm the presence of fentanyl, acetylfentanyl, thiofentanyl, and acetylthiofentanyl in a high clay-content soil. The results demonstrate the use of chloroformate chemistry as an additional chemical tool to retrospectively confirm the presence of these highly toxic substances.
JOURNAL OF FORENSIC SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Medicine, Legal
Carlos A. A. Valdez, Alexander K. K. Vu, Saphon Hok, Armando Alcaraz
Summary: This study presents a benzylation method for enhancing the detection of low molecular weight N,N-disubstituted ethanolamines, which are difficult to detect by routine gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analyses due to their low molecular weight and polar nature. The optimized conditions involve the treatment of the ethanolamine with benzyl bromide in the presence of an inorganic base in dichloromethane at 55 degrees C for 2 h. The method successfully enabled the detection of N,N-dimethylethanolamine, N,N-diethylethanolamine, and N,N-diisopropylethanolamine in the presence of interference from a glycerol-rich matrix sample.
JOURNAL OF FORENSIC SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Carlos A. Valdez, Jose A. Rosales, Roald N. Leif
Summary: In the field of forensic chemistry, the identification and characterization of illicit drugs are important for government and law enforcement. This report presents a method for analyzing synthetic opioids fentanyl and acetylfentanyl in soil using electron ionization gas chromatography mass spectrometry (EI-GC-MS). The method involves extraction of the opioids, followed by reaction with Troc-Cl to generate specific products for retrospective confirmation. The method detection limits were determined for the opioids in the soil matrix and can be used for future analysis.
FORENSIC CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Toxicology
Doris Lam, Aimy Sebastian, Chandrakumar Bogguri, Nicholas R. R. Hum, Alexander Ladd, Jose Cadena, Carlos A. A. Valdez, Nicholas O. O. Fischer, Gabriela G. G. Loots, Heather A. A. Enright
Summary: This study investigated the effects of fentanyl on cortical neural network activity through in vitro experiments, revealing that high doses of fentanyl could lead to changes in neural network activity, while even low doses could induce transcriptomic changes.
FRONTIERS IN TOXICOLOGY
(2022)