Deregulation of Trace Amine-Associated Receptors (TAAR) Expression and Signaling Mode in Melanoma

Trace amine-associated receptors (TAARs) interact with amine compounds called “trace amines” which are present in tissues at low concentrations. Recently, TAARs expression in neoplastic tumors was reported. In this study, TAARs expression was analyzed in public RNAseq datasets in nevi and melanoma samples and compared to the expression of dopamine receptors (DRDs) that are known to be involved in melanoma pathogenesis. It was found that all DRDs and TAARs are expressed in nevi at comparable levels. Differential expression analysis demonstrated the drastic decrease of TAAR1, TAAR2, TAAR5, TAAR6, and TAAR8 expression in melanomas compared to benign nevi with only TAAR6, TAAR8, and TAAR9 remaining detectable in malignant tumors. No association of TAARs expression levels and melanoma clinicopathological characteristics was observed. TAARs co-expressed genes in melanoma and nevi were selected by correlation values for comparative pathway enrichment analysis between malignant and benign neoplasia. It was found that coexpression of TAARs with genes inquired in neurotransmitter signaling is lost in melanoma, and tumor-specific association of TAAR6 expression with the mTOR pathway and inflammatory signaling is observed. It is not excluded that TAARs may have certain functions in melanoma pathogenesis, the significance of which to tumor progression is yet to be understood.

Effects of Grinding Aids Used in Grinding Calcium Carbonate (CaCO3) Filler on the Properties of Water-Based Interior Paints

Grinding aid chemicals which are used in the grinding of calcium carbonate (CaCO3) to prevent agglomeration are chemisorbed on the surfaces of particles, and the compatibility of them with the solvent, water, or organic resin affects the dispersion of the minerals and ultimately down-stream product properties in consumer industries such as paint, papermaking, and plastic. This study tries to explain the effects of triethanolamine (TEA) and monoethylene glycol (MEG), which are most commonly used as grinding aids, on the behavior of CaCO3 in water-based paints and on the properties of the paints. The powder properties of CaCO3 (grain size, color, surface area, oil absorption capacity, zeta potential, etc.) were characterized, and the changes in the can stability, ease of application, and optical properties (gloss, opacity) of the paints were revealed with rheological and optical analysis. It was observed that amine compounds remained in higher amounts on the CaCO3 surface and created negative results in the paint. On the other hand, glycol compound adhered less on the CaCO3 surface and affected the properties of the final product less than the amine compound. Therefore, CaCO3 ground without using any chemicals gives the best results in terms of long-term stability, ease of application, and visuality of the paint.

Interrogating the Behaviour of a Styryl Dye Interacting with a Mesoscopic 2D-MOF and Its Luminescent Vapochromic Sensing

In this contribution, we report on the solid-state-photodynamical properties and further applications of a low dimensional composite material composed by the luminescent trans-4-(dicyanomethylene)-2-methyl-6-(4-dimethylaminostyryl)-4H-pyran (DCM) dye interacting with a two-dimensional-metal organic framework (2D-MOF), Al-ITQ-HB. Three different samples with increasing concentration of DCM are synthesized and characterized. The broad UV-visible absorption spectra of the DCM/Al-ITQ-HB composites reflect the presence of different species of DCM molecules (monomers and aggregates). In contrast, the emission spectra are narrower and exhibit a bathochromic shift upon increasing the DCM concentration, in agreeance with the formation of adsorbed aggregates. Time-resolved picosecond (ps)-experiments reveal multi-exponential behaviors of the excited composites, further confirming the heterogeneous nature of the samples. Remarkably, DCM/Al-ITQ-HB fluorescence is sensitive to vapors of electron donor aromatic amine compounds like aniline, methylaniline, and benzylamine due to a H-bonding-induced electron transfer (ET) process from the analyte to the surface-adsorbed DCM. These findings bring new insights on the photobehavior of a well-known dye when interacting with a 2D-MOF and its possible application in sensing aniline derivatives.

Synthesis and antiprotozoal activity of pyridine thioaryl ethers

By reaction of pyridine nitro derivatives containing a mobile halogen atom with thiols of the benzene series, twelve thioaryl ethers of nitropyridine were obtained. However, 2-chloro-3-nitropyridine and 2-chloro-5-nitropyridine were used as reactive pyridine compounds. The reaction was carried out in dimethylformamide (DMFA) or dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) in the presence of bases: sodium ethylate, potash, sodium hydride. Generally, the yields exceeded 90%. The sulfur containing derivatives of aromatic series were 2-mercaptobenzoic acid (compound 1 of Table 1), methyl ester of 2-mercaptobenzoic acid (compounds 2 and 3 of Table 1), compound 3 being obtained by reduction of nitro group of compound 2. Also the amides of 2-mercaptobenzoic acid were used: 3-dimethylaminopropylamide of 2-mercaptobenzoic acid (compound 4 of Table 1), and also the reduction product of compound 4 to 3-aminopyridine derivative (compound 5 of Table 1) and morfolide of 2-mercaptobenzoic acid (compound 6 of Table 1). To make the water-soluble a sodium salt of 2-mercaptobenzoic acid was obtained (compound 7 of Table 1). A number of compounds with the pyridine ring nitrogroup reduced to amine (compounds 8, 10 of Table 1), as well as a number of derivatives containing both free (compounds 9, 10 of Table 1) and acylated amino group (compound 11 of Table 1) were also obtained. We also prepared compound 12 representing a product of interaction of 2-chloro-3-nitropyridine with 2-mercapto-3-acetylpyridine. We should note that the best nitrogroup reductant for the synthesis of compounds 3, 5, 7, and 10 is powdered iron in alcohol medium containing both inorganic and organic acids (hydrochloric or acetic acid). The application of other reducing agents (sodium sulfide and ammonium sulfide) led to strong resinification of the reaction mixture. The compounds were recrystallized from organic solvents (ethyl acetate, benzene, ethanol) for purification. Significant antiprotozoic activity was found in 7 of 12 compounds (58%), with 3-nitro-2-chloropyridine being the most active (7.8 and 3.9 ?g/ml). To enhance the activity, the synthesis of compounds with an amino group in the benzene ring as well as the introduction of both donor and acceptor substituents into the benzene ring is recommended.

Liquid Chromatographic Enantioseparations Utilizing Chiral Stationary Phases Based on Crown Ethers and Cyclofructans

Natural compounds can exist in different forms, where molecules possessing chirality play an essential role in living organisms. Currently, one of the most important tasks of modern analytical chemistry is the enantioseparation of chiral compounds, in particular, the enantiomers of compounds having biological and/or pharmaceutical activity. Whether the task is to analyze environmental or food samples or to develop an assay for drug control, well-reproducible, highly sensitive, stereoselective, and robust methods are required. High-performance liquid chromatography best meets these conditions. Nevertheless, in many cases, gas chromatography, supercritical fluid chromatography, or capillary electrophoresis can also offer a suitable solution. Amino acids, proteins, cyclodextrins, derivatized polysaccharides, macrocyclic glycopeptides, and ion exchangers can serve as efficient selectors in liquid chromatography, and they are quite frequently applied and reviewed. Crown ethers and cyclofructans possessing similar structural characteristics and selectivity in the enantiodiscrimination of different amine compounds are discussed less frequently. This review collects information on enantioseparations achieved recently with the use of chiral stationary phases based on crown ethers or cyclofructans, focusing on liquid chromatographic applications.

Ecological Response in the Integrated Process of Biostimulation and Bioaugmentation of Diesel-Contaminated Soil

The study applied microbial molecular biological techniques to show that 2.5% to 3.0% (w/w) of diesel in the soil reduced the types and number of bacteria in the soil and destroyed the microbial communities responsible for the nitrogen cycle. In the meantime, the alkane degradation gene alkB and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) degradation gene nah evolved in the contaminated soil. We evaluated four different remediation procedures, in which the biostimulation-bioaugmentation joint process reached the highest degradation rate of diesel, 59.6 ± 0.25% in 27 days. Miseq sequencing and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) showed that compared with uncontaminated soil, repaired soil provides abundant functional genes related to soil nitrogen cycle, and the most significant lifting effect on diesel degrading bacteria γ-proteobacteria. Quantitative analysis of degrading functional genes shows that degrading bacteria can be colonized in the soil. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) results show that the components remaining in the soil after diesel degradation are alcohol, lipids and a small amount of fatty amine compounds, which have very low toxicity to plants. In an on-site remediation experiment, the diesel content decreased from 2.7% ± 0.3 to 1.12% ± 0.1 after one month of treatment. The soil physical and chemical properties returned to normal levels, confirming the practicability of the biosimulation-bioaugmentation jointed remediation process.

Deterioration of modern concrete structures and asphalt pavements by respiratory action and trace quantities of organic matter

In concrete structures (concrete), damage from cracks, deterioration, amorphization, and delamination occur in some structures, causing disaggregation (concrete changed to very fine particles) and hollowing out of the concrete. In concrete pavements, damage from large amounts of pop-out of aggregate occurs from the surface of the concrete pavement 4–5 hours after spraying of snow melting agent on the surface of the pavement. The damage from disaggregation, blistering, cracks, and peeling-off of a surface course have also been observed in asphalt runways and highways. The damage from disaggregation, cracks and pop-out of aggregate in asphalt pavements and concrete structures have long been seen as strange and unexpected and have defied explanation. As a result of examinations in various experiments, it was concluded that all of the unexplained kinds of damage of both asphalt pavements and concrete structures were caused by Trace Quantities of Organic Matter (TQOM), Air Entrained (AE) water reducing agent in air and/or cement, and surfactant in snow melting agent. The emission sources of TQOM and these organic substances were also identified by chemical analysis for these unexpected and unexplained phenomena. The TQOM includes phthalate compounds (phthalates in the following), amine compounds, phosphate compounds, snow melting agent and Sodium Polyoxyethylene Nonyl phenyl Ether Sulfate (SPNES). SPNES is a surfactant in windshield washer fluid for automobiles. We found that the water content and content of organic matter in damaged asphalt pavements and concrete structures are also important indicators for the damage. Further, a new evaluation method for amorphization was proposed in this study and it appears suitable for evaluating the safety of concrete structures along roads which were exposed to TQOM in severely air-polluted environments.

Metodyka kontrolowania związków aminowych i lateksów w płuczkach wiertniczych

In industrial practice, rock hydration inhibitors, classified as amine compounds, are being increasingly used in drilling mud compositions. There is no methodology for determining this type of compounds content in the drilling mud, and proper servicing of this type of muds requires constant monitoring of their content to ensure appropriate inhibitory properties. During drilling, amine compounds adsorb on the surface of rocks and their concentration decreases during drilling and reduces the inhibitory properties of the mud. A common additive used in the composition of drilling muds is latex, the determination of which is necessary to ensure the mud parameters stability. Compounds of this type ensure the stability of the borehole wall, while their content also decreases during drilling. The results obtained from the research presented in the article allowed to propose methods for the determination of amine compounds and latexes. These methods can be used in the field laboratory when servicing drilling muds. The article presents the methodology for determining the content of new types of chemicals used in drilling muds, i.e. rock hydration inhibitors classified as amine compounds and latexes. The proposed methods enable proper servicing of muds with the addition of the agents that ensure the maintenance of appropriate mud properties. The method for the determination of amine compounds consists in determining the total nitrogen in the drilling mud filtrate. Dilution of the filtrate provides the results within the measuring range of the method and reduces the concentration of chloride ions, the amount of which may not exceed 10 000 mg/dm3. The first method of latex determination is weight determination of the dry residue after separation of the latex from the filtrate with acetone. The second one is based on nephelometric measurements of a tenfold diluted filtrate. The measurement result is the NTU (nephelometric turbidity unit) value depending on the latex content in the filtrate. All of the developed methods require the preparation of calibration curves, which are the basis for calculating the content of a given agent in the mud.