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Objectives: Memecylon scutellatum (Lour.) Hook. & Arn. (Melastomataceae) is a relatively lesser-known species within this genus. This study aims to explore its chemical structure profile and evaluate its ability to inhibit NO production. Methods: The chemical structures of MS were elucidated by comparing their NMR data, and all compounds were evaluated for NO inhibition using the Griess assay. Results: One new compound namely, memeloside (1) and fourteen known compounds, 1- O -(β -D-glucopyranosyl)-2-[2-methoxy-4-(ω -hydroxypropyl)-phenoxy]-propan-3-ol (2), (2 R)- O -[4′-(3″-hydroxypropyl)-2′,6′dimethoxyphenyl]-3- O - β -D-glucopyranosyl- sn -glycerol (3), schizandriside (4), 2-butanone 4-glucopyranoside 6′- O -gallate (5), epicatechin (6), epigallocatechin (7), epigallocatechin gallate (8), myricitrin (9), benzyl O - α -L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1→6)- β -D-glucopyranoside (10), benzyl glucopyranoside (11), 3,4,5-trimethoxyphenyl- β -D-glucopyranoside (12), icariside B1 (13), gallic acid (14), and (7 R,8 R)- threo -7,9,9ʹ-trihydroxy-3,3ʹ-dimethoxy-8- O -4ʹ-neolignan 4- O - β -D-glucopyranoside (15) were isolated from the leaves of M. scutellatum. Compounds 4 and 5 significantly exhibited inhibition of NO production, with IC50 values of 88.92 ± 1.42 µM and 17.14 ± 0.98 µM, respectively. Conclusions: One new compound, named memeloside (1) and fourteen known compounds isolated from the leaves of M. scutellatum. Compounds 4 and 5 demonstrated significant inhibition of NO production, with IC50 values of 88.92 ± 1.42 µM and 17.14 ± 0.98 µM, respectively. These results suggested compound 5 could be a promising candidate for further anti-inflammatory research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pendubot is a popular single input-multi output (SIMO) in laboratories to test control algorithms. In this paper, we focus on a developed model of pendubot -- linear triple-linked pendubot (LTLP) and propose LQR to control this model. Through simulation, link 1 is kept balanced, kept following trajectories when link 2, 3 is kept upward under LQR control. Thence, besides balancing well this model at TOP position, our algorithm also makes system tracking sine and pulse trajectories well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prostate cancer (PCa) remains the most diagnosed non-skin cancer amongst the American male population. Treatment for localized prostate cancer consists of androgen deprivation therapies (ADTs), which typically inhibit androgen production and the androgen receptor (AR). Though initially effective, a subset of patients will develop resistance to ADTs and the tumors will transition to castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). Second generation hormonal therapies such as abiraterone acetate and enzalutamide are typically given to men with CRPC. However, these treatments are not curative and typically prolong survival only by a few months. Several resistance mechanisms contribute to this lack of efficacy such as the emergence of AR mutations, AR amplification, lineage plasticity, AR splice variants (AR-Vs) and increased kinase signaling. Having identified SRC kinase as a key tyrosine kinase enriched in CRPC patient tumors from our previous work, we evaluated whether inhibition of SRC kinase synergizes with enzalutamide or chemotherapy in several prostate cancer cell lines expressing variable AR isoforms. We observed robust synergy between the SRC kinase inhibitor, saracatinib, and enzalutamide, in the AR-FL+/AR-V+ CRPC cell lines, LNCaP95 and 22Rv1. We also observed that saracatinib significantly decreases AR Y534 phosphorylation, a key SRC kinase substrate residue, on AR-FL and AR-Vs, along with the AR regulome, supporting key mechanisms of synergy with enzalutamide. Lastly, we also found that the saracatinib-enzalutamide combination reduced DNA replication compared to the saracatinib-docetaxel combination, resulting in marked increased apoptosis. By elucidating this combination strategy, we provide pre-clinical data that suggests combining SRC kinase inhibitors with enzalutamide in select patients that express both AR-FL and AR-Vs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A selective and sensitive method using a high-performance liquid chromatography-UV detector (HPLC-UV) for the simultaneous determination of Patulin (PAT) and 5-(hydroxymethyl)furfural (5-HMF) in honey and apple juice was developed. The sample preparation technique QuEChERS was applied to increase the sensitivity and selectivity. The linear ranges for PAT and 5-HMF detected by the method were 2.0 ppb ÷ 200.0 ppb and 2.0 ppm ÷ 20 ppm. The results of method validation show that the recovery efficiency for PAT ranged from 92.8% ÷ 98.2% with % RSDr from 0.56% ÷ 0.63% and from 97.9% ÷ 101.2% with %RSD 0.39% ÷ 0.67% for 5-HMF and LOD and LOQ values of the method for PAT and 5-HMF detection were respectively: 0.6 and 2.0 ppb; 0.6 and 2.0 ppm. The influence of the matrix effect on the accuracy, repeatability, and recovery of the method was insignificant. The proposed method was applied to quantify the content of PAT, and 5-HMF in actual samples, collected in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The result showed that PAT was not found in honey samples but was detected in 5 of 10 apple juice samples. In addition, 5-HMF was detected in 3 of 10 honey samples and 10 of 10 apple juice samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates decision-making processes used by South Australian Project Management Offices to select and engage professional consulting services. A range of published literature was examined to determine the extent to which decision-making processes and inputs have been documented to date; the review found that while the literature discusses a variety of client-consultant interactions, it is typically viewed from a post-selection context, and provides a little evidence-based examination of the decision-making factors that precede such engagements. Research into this topic was conducted by interviewing eight project management professionals from different industry backgrounds and employment arrangements. The factors and relationships described were used to develop and promulgate a decision-making framework. Client organisations are anticipated to find this framework useful when establishing the most appropriate resourcing arrangements of their projects, or in making more generalised decisions around their use of consultant services. Consultants are also anticipated to find value from this framework as it will provide a useful reference-point of client engagement motivators and processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presence of β-amylase in ramie leaf and its anti-staling effect on starch-based foods were assessed. The ammonium sulfate fractionate (80% saturation) of the ramie leaf extracts showed a β-amylase activity, giving maltose (Glc2) as a major product, exclusively, when incubating with maltopentaose (Glc5) or soluble starch at 45oC, pH 6.0. The starch-based food product (rice cake) prepared with freeze-dried ramie leaf enzyme revealed that the linear maltooligosaccharides ranging from Glc2 to Glc6 significantly increased and the shorter branch chains (DP<15) of amylopectin increased whereas the longer branch chains (DP>16) decreased in the product. These results demonstrated that maltosyl residue was released from the non-reducing end of the longer branch chains of amylopectin by β-amylase. The ramie leaf-treatment sample significantly reduced the retrogradation rate during 48 h storage at 4oC. As an alternative plant-origin enzyme, the ramie leaf β-amylase has potential for a novel anti-staling additive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]