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Background White sweet potato (WSP; Ipomoea batatas L. Simon No. 1) has many potential beneficial effects on metabolic control and diabetes-related insulin resistance. The improvement of insulin resistance by WSP tuber extracts on glucose uptake were not investigated in C2C12 myoblast cells. Results WSP tuberous ethanol extract (WSP-E) was partitioned with ethyl-acetate and water to obtain ethyl-acetate layer (WSP-EA) and water layer (WSP-EW). The WSP-EA shows the highest total phenolic contents and highest antioxidant activity by Folin-Ciocalteu and (2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl-hydrate, DPPH) assay, respectively. After low concentration horse serum on differentiation inducement of C2C12 myoblasts into mature myotubes, the cells were treated with TNF-α to induce insulin resistance. WSP-EA and WSP-EW extracts increased the uptake of fluorescence glucose analogue (2-[N-(7-nitrobenz-2-oxa-1, 3-diazol-4-yl) amino]-2-deoxy-d-glucose, 2-NBDG) in a dose-dependent manner as examined by flow cytometry. The WSP-EA enhanced glucose uptake by activation of phosphorylation of IR (pIR), IRS-1 (pIRS-1) and Akt (pAkt) involved in PI3K (phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase)/protein kinase B (Akt) pathway, also upregulated glucose transporter 4 (GLUT4) expression in myotubes. Conclusions WSP-EA enhanced the glucose uptake in C2C12 myotubes through upregulating the PI3K/Akt pathway. The in vitro data reveal that WSP tuber extracts has potential applications to improve insulin resistance in diabetes.

A series of cobalt(III) complexes of the potent DNA minor groove alkylator (1-(chloromethyl)-5-hydroxy-1H-pyrrolo[3,2-f]quinolin-3(2H)-yl)(5,6,7-trimethoxy-1H-indol-2-yl)methanone (3; seco-CPyI-TMI), with cyclam or cyclen auxiliary ligands (L3 and L5) containing a cross-bridging ethylene (CH2CH2) group or the N,N'-dimethyl derivatives of these (L4 and L6), was prepared. Two 8-quinolinato (2) model complexes of these, [Co(L3)(2)](ClO4)2 and [Co(L6)(2)](ClO4)2, and the aquated derivative [Co(L6)(H2O)2](OTf)3 were characterized by X-ray crystallography. Electrochemistry of the 8-quinolinato model complexes showed that the Co(III)/(II) reduction potential was lowered relative to the unsubstituted cyclen ligand. Evaluation of the cytotoxicity of the racemic seco-CPyI cobalt complexes in vitro showed considerable attenuation of their cytotoxicity relative to the free alkylator and marked hypoxic selectivity, especially [Co(L3)(3)](2+) (9), which was 81-212-fold more potent under hypoxia than 20% oxygen in a panel of 10 human tumor cell lines. However, 9 did not elicit significant killing of hypoxic cells in HT29 tumor xenografts, suggesting possible pharmacological limitations in vivo.

A salt-inclusion mixed-valence uranium(V,VI) silicate, [Na9F2][(U(V)O2)(U(VI)O2)2(Si2O7)2], was synthesized under hydrothermal conditions at 585 °C and 160 MPa and structurally characterized by powder and single-crystal X-ray diffraction (XRD). The valence states of uranium were established by U 4f X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The structure contains two-dimensional (2D) sheets of uranyl disilicate with the composition [UO2Si2O7], which are connected by U(1)(V)O6 tetragonal bipyramids to form thick layers. The Na(+) cations are located at sites in the intralayer and interlayer regions. In addition to Na(+) cations, the interlayer region also contains F(-) anions such that infinite chains with the formula FNa1/1Na4/2 are formed. The same type of chain was observed in K2SnO3. The title compound is not only the first example of salt-inclusion metal silicate synthesized under high-temperature, high-pressure hydrothermal conditions, as well as the first salt-inclusion mixed-valence uranium silicate, but it is also the first mixed-valence uranium(V,VI) silicate in the literature. Crystal data: [Na9F2][(U(V)O2)(U(VI)O2)2(Si2O7)2], triclinic, P1 (No. 2), a = 5.789(1) A, b = 7.423(2) A, c = 12.092(2) A, α = 90.75(3)°, β = 96.09(3)°, γ = 90.90(3)°, V = 516.5(2) A(3), Z = 1, R1 = 0.0241, and wR2 = 0.0612.

Some physical factors including initial pH of medium, cultivation temperature and shaking speed as well as reuse affecting the production of cholesterol oxidase (CholOx) in reactors containing calcium alginate-immobilized cells of Rhodococcus equi No. 23 were investigated. Results revealed that the free cells showed the maximum CholOx in the culture with an initial pH of 5.0, while culture inoculated with immobilized cells exhibited a broad pH range, 6.0–9.0, for maximum CholOx production. The immobilized and free cells produced the maximum CholOx in the culture incubated at 30 and 25°C, respectively. The CholOx production decreased upon increasing the cultivation temperature. Increasing CholOx activity was also noted for both immobilized and free cells of R. equi No. 23 in the culture with increasing shaking speed. Under the optimal culture conditions, that were established, a higher maximum CholOx production of 0.94 unit/ml was found for immobilized R. equi No. 23 compared to that of 0.84 unit/ml for free cells after 48 h of cultivation. Furthermore, no gel leakage was noted after re-use of the calcium alginate-immobilized R. equi No. 23 for seven consecutive 48 h batch culture. The CholOx production in the seventh cycle was about 60.4% of that obtained in the first cycle.

The isotypic compounds (III) and (V) are characterized by single crystal XRD, UV/VIS spectroscopy, and XPS.

The title compound is hydrothermally synthesized from an aqueous mixture of UO3, NaOH, NaF, Na2HPO4, and Na2SiO3 in a molar ratio of Na:F:U:P:Si = 39:5:1:2:10 (autoclave, 160 MPa, 585 °C, 2 d, 71% yield).

A series of cobalt complexes of the potent DNA minor groove alkylator 1-(chloromethyl)-3-(5,6,7-trimethoxyindol-2-ylcarbonyl)-2,3-dihydro-1H-pyrrolo[3,2-f]quinolin-5-ol (seco-6-azaCBI-TMI) were prepared from a series of N-substituted cyclen ligands. The final N-substituted complexes carried formal overall charges ranging from +2 to −2 and showed limited improvements in solubility. They showed similar stabilities to that of the complex with the unsubstituted cyclen ligand, and large but variable attenuation of the cytotoxicity of the free alkylator (2–30-fold), compared to 150-fold for the unsubstituted ligand. However, they had oxic/hypoxic ratios (2–22-fold) comparable to that of the unsubstituted cyclen complex (5).

New ligands H(2)L2-H(2)L6 comprise the cyclen macrocycle which is N,N'-dialkylated at the 1,7-nitrogen atoms by three- and four-carbon alkyl chains bearing terminal sulfonic (C(3) H(2)L2), phosphonic (C(3) H(2)L3, C(4) H(2)L4) or carboxylic acid (C(3) H(2)L5, C(4) H(2)L6) groups, and HL7 is N-monoalkylated by a four-carbon sulfonic acid group. The ligands were prepared by alkylation of a bridged bisaminal intermediate. The syntheses of cobalt(III) complexes containing a tetradentate cyclen, N,N'-1,7-Me(2)cyclen, cyclam or L2-L7 ligand together with the bidentate 8-quinolinato (8QO(-)) ligand, of interest as it is a model for a more potent cytotoxic analogue, were investigated. Coordination of ligands (L) cyclen, N,N'-1,7-Me(2)cyclen or cyclam to cobalt(III) was achieved using Na(3)[Co(NO(6))] to form [Co(L)(NO(2))(2)](+). HOTf (trifluoromethansulfonic acid) was used to prepare the triflato complexes [Co(L)(OTf)(2)](+), followed by substitution of the labile triflato ligands to yield [Co(L)(8QO)](ClO(4))(2) isolated as the perchlorate salts. One further example containing cyclam and the 5-hydroxymethyl-8-quinolinato ligand was also prepared by this method. Complexes containing the pendant arm ligands L2-L6 were prepared from the cobalt precursor trans-[Co(py)(4)Cl(2)](+). Reaction of this complex with H(2)L2·4HCl and 8QOH produced [Co(L2)(8QO)] in one step and contains two deprotonated sulfonato pendant arms. The reaction of H(2)L3·4HBr with [Co(py)(4)Cl(2)](+) gave [Co(L3)]Cl in which L3 acts as a hexadenate ligand with the three-carbon phosphonato side chains coordinated to cobalt. H(2)L5·4HCl bearing three-carbon carboxylic acid pendant arms gave a similar result. The four-carbon ligands were coordinated to cobalt by reaction of [Co(py)(4)Cl(2)](+) with H(2)L4·4HBr or H(2)L6·4HCl to give [Co(HL4)Cl(2)] or [Co(H(2)L6)Cl(2)]Cl, which in turn with 8QOH gave the 8QO(-) complexes [Co(L4)(8QO)] bearing anionic phosphate pendant arms or [Co(H(2)L6)(8QO)]Cl(2) containing neutral carboxylic acid side chains. The reaction of Na(3)[Co(CO(3))(3)] with the mono-N-alkylated ligand HL7·4HCl and then HOTf gave [Co(L7)(CO(3))] and then in turn [Co(L7)(OTf)(2)]. The carbonato complex [Co(L7)(CO(3))] with [8QO](2)[SO(4)] produced [Co(L7)(CO(3))]. All complexes containing L7 bear an anionic sulfonato group on the side chain. The synthesis and characterisation of the six new ligands based on N-alkylated cylen ligand and the cobalt complexes outlined above are described, along with cyclic voltammograms of the 8QO(-) complexes and the molecular structures determined by X-ray crystallography of [Co(cyclen)(H(2)O)(2)](OTf)(3) (formed by aquation of the triflato complex), [Co(cyclen)(8QO)](ClO(4))(2), Co(L2)(8QO)·2H(2)O, Co(L4)(8QO)·6H(2)O and [Co(H(2)L6)Cl(2)]Cl·H(2)O. These demonstrate the coordination of the cyclen ligand in the folded anti-O,syn-N configuration with the N-alkylated nitrogens occupying apical positions.

A series of metal complexes were prepared as potential prodrugs of the extremely toxic DNA minor groove alkylator 1-(chloromethyl)-5-hydroxy-3-[(5,6,7-trimethoxyindol-2-yl)carbonyl]-2,3-dihydro-1H-pyrrolo[3,2-f]quinoline (seco-6-azaCBI-TMI) and close analogues. The pyrrolo[3,2-f]quinoline cytotoxins were prepared from 2-methoxy-4-nitroaniline in a nine-step synthesis involving a Skraup construction of a quinoline intermediate, its appropriate functionalization, and a final radical cyclization. The metal complexes were prepared from these and the labile metal complex synthons [Co(cyclen)(OTf)(2)](+), [Cr(acac)(2)(H(2)O)(2)](+), and [Co(2)(Me(2)dtc)(5)](+). The cobalt complexes were considerably more stable than the free effectors and showed significant attenuation of the cytotoxicity of the latter, with IC(50) ratios (complex/effector) of 50- to 150-fold, and substantial hypoxic cell selectivity, with IC(50) ratios (oxic/hypoxic cells) of 20- to 40-fold. The cobalt complexes were also efficiently activated by ionizing radiation, with G values for loss of the compound close to the theoretical value for one-electron reduction of 0.68 micromol/J. This work extends earlier observations that cobalt cyclen complexes are suitable for both the bioreductive and radiolytic release of potent pyrrolo[3,2-f]quinoline effectors.

Rhodococcus equi No. 23 was immobilized in calcium alginate. No detrimental effect on the viability of the test organism was observed during the immobilization procedure. Approx. 98% of the cell population originally present in the alginate solution were immobilized in the gel beads. When the cells of an equal volume of the culture, obtained respectively at exponential phase (12 h preculture), late-exponential phase (20 h preculture) or stationary phase (36 h preculture) were immobilized, the gel beads prepared with the stationary-phase culture were found to contain the highest cell population [about 10(8) colony-forming units (CFU)/g of beads]. In addition, gel beads, prepared with late-exponential-phase culture, exhibited the highest production of cholesterol oxidase (CholOx) after 48 h of incubation. Increasing the bead mass from 3.5 to 14.0 g/100 ml of medium increased CholOx production. However, further increasing the bead mass resulted in a reduction of CholOx production. Furthermore, on the basis of a similar initial cell population, the alginate-immobilized cells of R. equi No. 23 produced a significantly higher amount of CholOx (P