Human milk is the gold standard for nutrition of infant growth, whose nutritional value is mainly attributed to human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs). HMOs, the third most abundant component of human milk after lactose and lipids, are complex sugars with unique structural diversity which are indigestible by the infant. Acting as prebiotics, multiple beneficial functions of HMO are believed to be exerted through interactions with the gut microbiota either directly or indirectly, such as supporting beneficial bacteria growth, anti-pathogenic effects, and modulation of intestinal epithelial cell response. Recent studies have highlighted that HMOs can boost infants health and reduce disease risk, revealing potential of HMOs in food additive and therapeutics. The present paper discusses recent research in respect to the impact of HMO on the infant gut microbiome, with emphasis on the molecular basis of mechanism underlying beneficial effects of HMOs.

The discovery and characterization of 7k (BMS-582949), a highly selective p38α MAP kinase inhibitor that is currently in phase II clinical trials for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, is described. A key to the discovery was the rational substitution of N-cyclopropyl for N-methoxy in 1a, a previously reported clinical candidate p38α inhibitor. Unlike alkyl and other cycloalkyls, the sp(2) character of the cyclopropyl group can confer improved H-bonding characteristics to the directly substituted amide NH. Inhibitor 7k is slightly less active than 1a in the p38α enzymatic assay but displays a superior pharmacokinetic profile and, as such, was more effective in both the acute murine model of inflammation and pseudoestablished rat AA model. The binding mode of 7k with p38α was confirmed by X-ray crystallographic analysis.

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The authors demonstrate high response organic ultraviolet (UV) photodetector (PD) using 4,4′,4″-tri-(2-methylphenyl phenylamino) triphenylaine (m-MTDATA) and tris-(8-hydroxyquinoline) gallium (Gaq3) to act as the electron donor and acceptor, respectively. The m-MTDATA:Gaq3 blend device shows a photocurrent of 405μA∕cm−2 at −8V, corresponding to a response of 338mA∕W under an illumination of 365nm UV light with an intensity of 1.2mW∕cm2. The high response is attributed to the enhanced dissociation of geminate hole-electron pairs in the distributed heterojunction of the blend and suppression of radiative decay. Photophysics of the PD involved is also discussed in terms of the performance and device structures.