The kinetics of oxidation of iota- and lambda-carrageenan as sulfated carbohydrates by permanganate ion in aqueous perchlorate solutions at a constant ionic strength of 2.0 mol dm3 have been investigated spectrophotometrically. The pseudo-first-order plots were found to be of inverted S-shape throughout the entire courses of reactions. The initial rates were found to be relatively slow in the early stages, followed by an increase in the oxidation rates over longer time periods. The experimental observations showed first-order dependences in permanganate and fractional first-order kinetics with respect to both carrageenans concentration for both the induction and autoacceleration periods. The results obtained at various hydrogen ion concentrations showed that the oxidation processes in these redox systems are acid-catalyzed throughout the two stages of oxidation reactions. The added salts lead to the prediction that MnIII is the reactive species throughout the autoacceleration periods. Kinetic evidence for the formation of 1:1 intermediate complexes was revealed. The kinetic parameters have been evaluated and tentative reaction mechanisms in good agreement with the kinetic results are discussed.

The kinetics of oxidation of iota- and lambda-carrageenan as sulfated carbohydrates by permanganate ion in aqueous perchlorate solutions at a constant ionic strength of 2.0 mol dm3 have been investigated spectrophotometrically. The pseudo-first-order plots were found to be of inverted S-shape throughout the entire courses of reactions. The initial rates were found to be relatively slow in the early stages, followed by an increase in the oxidation rates over longer time periods. The experimental observations showed first-order dependences in permanganate and fractional first-order kinetics with respect to both carrageenans concentration for both the induction and autoacceleration periods. The results obtained at various hydrogen ion concentrations showed that the oxidation processes in these redox systems are acid-catalyzed throughout the two stages of oxidation reactions. The added salts lead to the prediction that MnIII is the reactive species throughout the autoacceleration periods. Kinetic evidence for the formation of 1:1 intermediate complexes was revealed. The kinetic parameters have been evaluated and tentative reaction mechanisms in good agreement with the kinetic results are discussed.

The kinetics of oxidation of iota- and lambda-carrageenan as sulfated carbohydrates by permanganate ion in aqueous perchlorate solutions at a constant ionic strength of 2.0 mol dm3 have been investigated spectrophotometrically. The pseudo-first-order plots were found to be of inverted S-shape throughout the entire courses of reactions. The initial rates were found to be relatively slow in the early stages, followed by an increase in the oxidation rates over longer time periods. The experimental observations showed first-order dependences in permanganate and fractional first-order kinetics with respect to both carrageenans concentration for both the induction and autoacceleration periods. The results obtained at various hydrogen ion concentrations showed that the oxidation processes in these redox systems are acid-catalyzed throughout the two stages of oxidation reactions. The added salts lead to the prediction that MnIII is the reactive species throughout the autoacceleration periods. Kinetic evidence for the formation of 1:1 intermediate complexes was revealed. The kinetic parameters have been evaluated and tentative reaction mechanisms in good agreement with the kinetic results are discussed.

Tetra-n-butyl ammonium bromide (TBAB) was found to be an efficient phase-transfer catalyst for the synthesis of pyrido[2,3-d]pyrimidines by one-pot reaction of 6-aminouracils, aromatic aldehydes, and malononitrile or ethyl cyanoacetate in water under ultrasonic irradiation. The advantages of this method are the use of an inexpensive and readily available catalyst, short reaction time, easy work-up, improved yields, and the use of water as a solvent that is environmentally benign.

Regioselective synthesis of some new dispiro[indane-2,3'-pyrrolidine-2',3"-indoline]-1,2",3- triones (4a-j) has been generated by 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reaction of 2-arylidene-indan-1,3- diones (1a-j) as dipolarophiles with non-stabilized azomethine ylides, generated in situ via decarboxylative condensation of isatin (2) and sarcosine (3). Anti-inflammatory activity of the prepared compounds (4a-j) was determined in vivo by the acute carrageenan-induced paw edema in rats. Many of the prepared compounds exhibit considerable anti-inflammatory properties "at a dose of 10 mg/kg body weight", especially (4b) and (4c) which reveal promising activities relative to indomethacin which was used as a reference standard in this study.

Regioselective synthesis of some new dispiro[indane-2,3'-pyrrolidine-2',3"-indoline]-1,2",3- triones (4a-j) has been generated by 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reaction of 2-arylidene-indan-1,3- diones (1a-j) as dipolarophiles with non-stabilized azomethine ylides, generated in situ via decarboxylative condensation of isatin (2) and sarcosine (3). Anti-inflammatory activity of the prepared compounds (4a-j) was determined in vivo by the acute carrageenan-induced paw edema in rats. Many of the prepared compounds exhibit considerable anti-inflammatory properties "at a dose of 10 mg/kg body weight", especially (4b) and (4c) which reveal promising activities relative to indomethacin which was used as a reference standard in this study.

Whey protein concentrates (WPCs) enhance innate mucosal immunity during early life and have a protective role in some immune disorders. To further elucidate the potential benefits of this protein, the present study investigated the effect of dietary supplementation with WPCs on blood parameters, plasma cytokine profiles, and immune cell proliferation and chemotaxis. A total of 45 male mice were equally distributed into three experimental groups and treated daily for 21 days as follows: group I was a control group that was orally supplemented with distilled water, group II was orally supplemented with undenatured WP (100 mg/kg body weight), and group III was orally supplemented with bovine serum albumin (100 mg/kg body weight). We found that the plasma cytokine levels of interleukin (IL)-1α, IL-1β, IL-10 and tumor necrosis factor-α and the levels of reactive oxygen species, cholesterol, triglycerides and the lipid profile were significantly decreased in the WP-treated group compared to the control group. In contrast, the levels of IL-2, IL-4, IL-7, IL-8 and glutathione were significantly elevated, and consequently, the ability of peripheral blood mononuclear cells to proliferate in response to stimulation with different antigens was significantly increased in the WP-treated group. Moreover, the in vitro chemotaxis of B, T and bone-marrow-derived dendritic cells toward CC chemokine ligand- 21 and CXC chemokine ligand-12 was significantly increased, by twofold, in WP-treated mice compared to the control group. Taken together, our data reveal the benefits of WP supplementation in enhancing immune cell proliferation and migration to the secondary lymphoid organs. © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Long and persistent uncontrolled diabetes tends to degenerate the immune system and increase the incidence of infections in diabetic patients. A serious complication of diabetes is impaired healing, which diminishes physical activity and, in some cases, leads to chronic wounds and limb amputation. Whey proteins (WPs) enhance immunity during early development and have a protective role in some immune disorders. The effect of camel WPs on wound healing in a streptozotocin-induced type 1 diabetic mice model was investigated. Sixty male mice were equally distributed into 3 experimental groups: group 1, non-diabetic control mice; group 2, diabetic mice; and group 3, diabetic mice that were orally supplemented with undenatured WP (100 mg/kg body weight/day for 1 month through oral gavage). We observed that the diabetic mice exhibited delayed wound closure characterized by a significant reduction in collagen deposition, prolonged elevation in inflammatory cytokines, aberrant activation of STAT3 and reduction in the activation of Akt and NF-κB when compared with the control mice. Moreover, in the diabetic mice, the wound-resident macrophages were dysfunctional and demonstrated increased apoptosis, a significant reduction in their phagocytotic ability, aberrant activation of STAT3 and a marked reduction in the activation of Akt. Interestingly, the supplementation of diabetic mice with WP significantly enhanced the collagen deposition, limited the inflammatory stimuli, restored the activation of STAT3, Akt and NF- κB and greatly improved the closure of diabetic wounds compared with the control mice. Most important, the supplementation of diabetic mice with WP rescued functional, long-lived wound-resident macrophages. Our data reveal the benefits of WP supplementation in improving the healing and closure of diabetic wounds.

In the present study we evaluated the anti-tumor potential of samsum ant venom (SAV) from Pachycondyla sennaarensis on the human breast carcinoma cell line MCF-7. We found that SAV induced growth arrest of MCF-7 cells without affecting the viability of MCF-10 (non-tumorigenic normal breast epithelial cells) and normal PBMCs. We then analyzed its impact on IGF-1-mediated MCF-7 cell proliferation and its effect on the underlying IGF-1 signaling pathways. Using flow cytometry analysis, we showed that the percentage of apoptotic cells was fourfold higher in SAV-treated cells as compared to untreated cells. More importantly, treatment with SAV induced a marked reduction in actin polymerization and a subsequent marked reduction in IGF-1-mediated cell proliferation. In addition to growth-inhibitory and proapoptotic effects, significant reductions were also observed in the phosphorylation of AKT and ERK, but not p38MAPK, in SAV-treated cells as compared to untreated cells. Our data reveal unique anti-tumor effects of samsum ant venom.

OBJECTIVE: We investigated the impact of maternal food restriction during gestation and lactation on the number and function of peripheral T cells in adult male offspring. STUDY DESIGN: Pregnant rats either received ad libitum (control) feed or were 50% food restricted (FR) from day zero of gestation to delivery and during the lactation period. After weaning, pups from control and FR mother rats were fed normally until they reached 8 weeks of age. At 8 weeks of age, blood parameters, plasma cytokine levels, and T cell number and function were determined in 10 male offspring from each group. RESULTS: FR offspring exhibited decreased numbers of total and CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes and a significant reduction in plasma IL-2 and IL-7 compared with control offspring. In addition, T lymphocytes from FR offspring exhibited a 2-fold decrease in IL-2- and IL-7-mediated AKT and STAT5 phosphorylation, altered actin polymerization, and diminished superantigen-mediated proliferation and cytokine production as compared with control offspring. CONCLUSIONS: aken together, these findings suggest that early undernutrition, particularly during the prenatal and lactation periods, attenuates T cell survival and the immune response.