Design, synthesis and biological evaluation of novel (+)-сamphor and (-)-fenchone based derivatives as potent orthopoxviruses inhibitors

In this work, a library of (+)-camphor and (-)-fenchone based N-acylhydrazones, amides, and esters, including para-substituted aromatic/hetaromatic/cyclohexane ring was synthesized, with potent orthopoxvirus inhibitors identified among them. Investigations of the structure-activity relationship revealed the significance of the substituent at the para-position of the aromatic ring. Also, the nature of the linker between a hydrophobic moiety and aromatic ring was clarified. Derivatives with p-Cl, p-Br, p-CF3, and p-NO2 substituted aromatic ring and derivatives with cyclohexane ring showed the highest antiviral activity against vaccinia virus, cowpox, and ectromelia virus. The hydrazone and the amide group were more favourable as a linker for antiviral activity than the ester group. Compounds 3b and 7e with high antiviral activity were examined using the time-of-addition assay and molecular docking study. The results revealed the tested compounds to inhibit the late processes of the orthopoxvirus replication cycle and the p37 viral protein to be a possible biological target.

"Necessity Is the Mother of Invention" or Inexpensive, Reliable, and Reproducible Protocol for Generating Organoids

Organoids are three-dimensional (3D) cell cultures that replicate some of the key features of morphology, spatial architecture, and functions of a particular organ. Organoids can be generated from both adult and pluripotent stem cells (PSCs), and complex organoids can also be obtained by combining different types of cells, including differentiated cells. The ability of pluripotent cells to self-organize into organotypic structures containing several cell subtypes specific for a particular organ was used for creating organoids of the brain, eye, kidney, intestine, and other organs. Despite the advantages of using PSCs for obtaining organoids, an essential shortcoming that prevents their widespread use has been a low yield when they are obtained from a PSC monolayer culture and a large variation in size. This leads to great heterogeneity on further differentiation. In this article, we describe our own protocol for generating standardized organoids, with emphasis on a method for generating brain organoids, which allows scaling-up experiments and makes their cultivation less expensive and easier.

[Method of enhancing the diagnostic information value of the atrial vectorcardiogram]

An automated differentiation of the P loop from other VCG loops, its 20-fold magnification, visualization, and computation of its major spatial and projection parameters have been made possible, giving precise information on its configuration, duration, the direction of recording, as well as relative positions and directions of its instantaneous vectors. Digital computerization of the traces has produced different vector and scale characteristics of the spatial Pxyz loop.

[Inhibition of noradrenaline and choline active capture by rat brain synaptosomes in the presence of terephthalic acid and its dimethyl ester]

The system of [14C] noradrenaline and [3H] choline trapping by rat brain cortex synaptosomes was studied under the effect of terephthalic acid and its dimethyl ester. Active transport of the labeled substances by synaptosome is established to be considerably inhibited under conditions of the inhalation action of terephthalic acid and its dimethyl ester on rats. A possible influence of the mentioned chemical compounds on the mechanism of the reverse trapping of the mediators is under discussion.