ACTH analog comes up often in conversation and rarely with the context attached. Here we lay out the basics in order, then work through the practical considerations.
Updated 2025-12-26. Numbers and descriptions here follow the published literature rather than marketing material.
Semax is a synthetic heptapeptide developed in the Soviet Union during the 1980s by researchers at the Institute of Molecular Genetics in Moscow. It was designed as a truncated analog of adrenocorticotropic hormone, retaining only the fragment spanning residues four through ten. Investigators sought a peptide that would preserve the cognitive effects associated with ACTH while eliminating the hormonal stimulation of the adrenal cortex. The compound entered clinical use in Russia during the following decade.
Russian regulatory authorities approved the peptide for nasal administration, and it remains listed in the national pharmacopoeia under several trade names. Documented indications include acute ischemic stroke, transient ischemic attacks, traumatic brain injury, and certain ophthalmological and neurological conditions. Physicians also prescribe it for cognitive complaints in older patients, although the evidence base for that use is thinner. Outside Russia and a few neighboring states, the substance is not an approved medicine and is sold instead as a research chemical.
Lyophilized material is chemically stable for extended periods when kept dry, cold, and protected from light. The powder is hygroscopic, so vials should be warmed to room temperature before opening to reduce condensation on the contents. Once dissolved, the peptide is far less stable because peptide bonds are susceptible to hydrolysis and the methionine residue can oxidize. Solutions are typically aliquoted and held at 2-8 °C for short intervals or frozen for longer ones, and repeated freeze-thaw cycles should be avoided.
Routine characterization relies on reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography to establish purity and on mass spectrometry to confirm molecular identity. Electrospray ionization and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization are both used for mass verification. Amino acid analysis and peptide mapping can detect sequence errors. Common impurities include truncated sequences, methionine sulfoxide formed by oxidation, and deamidated products. Chromatograms are usually recorded near 214 nm, where the peptide backbone absorbs, and purity is reported as the percentage area of the principal peak.
| Property | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Molecular class | Synthetic heptapeptide | Analog of an ACTH fragment |
| Amino acid length | Seven residues | Met-Glu-His-Phe-Pro-Gly-Pro |
| Origin | Moscow, 1980s | Institute of Molecular Genetics |
| Approved regions | Russia and some neighboring states | Not cleared in Western markets |
| Common trade names | Multiple national brands | Sold as a nasal formulation |
Semax is a synthetic heptapeptide whose sequence is Met-Glu-His-Phe-Pro-Gly-Pro. The first four residues correspond to the ACTH(4-10) fragment, while the terminal Pro-Gly-Pro extension was added to improve metabolic stability. Its molecular formula is C37H51N9O10S and its monoisotopic mass is approximately 813.9 Da. The compound is classified as a peptide research chemical and as a registered pharmaceutical product in Russia, but it does not hold marketing approval in the European Union or the United States. Naming conventions vary across supplier catalogs.
Development of the compound took place in the Soviet Union during the 1980s, largely through peptide research groups affiliated with the Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute and Moscow State University. Investigators screened fragments of adrenocorticotropic hormone for activity on the central nervous system while attempting to separate cognitive effects from hormonal ones. The shortened sequence was selected because it retained behavioral activity in animal models without stimulating corticosteroid release. Early publications described the molecule as an ACTH(4-10) analog.
Stability depends heavily on physical state. Lyophilized powder held dry, cold and dark retains its content over long periods, whereas dissolved peptide begins to change within days at room temperature. The most cited degradation route is oxidation of the methionine residue, which converts the peptide to a sulfoxide form that elutes differently on chromatography. Hydrolysis of amide bonds and adsorption onto container walls contribute smaller losses. Buffers that exclude oxygen from the headspace slow the oxidation pathway, but no single condition prevents all change indefinitely.
Practical handling follows from those properties. Bulk material is best divided into single-use portions soon after receipt, because each thaw exposes the whole container to moisture and temperature cycling. Vials should be allowed to reach room temperature before opening to prevent condensation on the powder. Low-binding plasticware reduces loss of dilute solutions, and sterile filtration is used when a preparation must remain free of microbial growth. Records of batch number, reconstitution date and storage history are what allow a later analytical result to be interpreted meaningfully.
The ISOLDE Solenoidal Spectrometer (ISS) experiment uses an ex-MRI magnet to direct RIBs at a light target. Conditions produced by this reaction replicate those present in astrophysical processes, and measuring the properties of the atomic nuclei will also provide a better understanding of nucleon-nucleon interactions in exotic nuclei. The experiment was commissioned in 2021 and finished construction during the Long Shutdown 2. The ISOLTRAP experiment is a high-precision mass spectrometer that uses the ToF detection technique to measure mass. Since the start of its operation, ISOLTRAP has measured the mass of hundreds of short-lived radioactive nuclei, as well as confirming the existence of doubly magic isotopes. The setup was upgraded in 2011 to include a multi-reflection time-of-flight mass spectrometer (MR-ToF), allowing the detection of more exotic isotopes.
To completely block the uptake of iodine-131 by the purposeful addition of perchlorate ions to a populace's water supply, aiming at dosages of 0.5 mg/kg-day, or a water concentration of 17 ppm, would therefore be grossly inadequate at truly reducing radioiodine uptake. Perchlorate ion concentrations in a region's water supply would need to be much higher, at least 7.15 mg/kg of body weight per day, or a water concentration of 250 ppm, assuming people drink 2 liters of water per day, to be truly beneficial to the population at preventing bioaccumulation when exposed to a radioiodine environment, independent of the availability of iodate or iodide drugs. The continual distribution of perchlorate tablets or the addition of perchlorate to the water supply would need to continue for no less than 80–90 days, beginning immediately after the initial release of radioiodine was detected. After 80–90 days passed, released radioactive iodine-131 would have decayed to less than 0.1% of its initial quantity, at which time the danger from biouptake of iodine-131 is essentially over. In the event of a radioiodine release, the ingestion of prophylaxis potassium iodide, if available, or even iodate, would rightly take precedence over perchlorate administration, and would be the first line of defense in protecting the population from a radioiodine release.
A 2023 study also found evidence that Neanderthal single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) likely play a "significant role" in autism susceptibility and heritability in autism populations across the United States. According to the study, "Although most studies on autism genomics focus on the deleterious nature of variants, there is the possibility some of these autism-associated Neanderthal SNPs have been under weak positive selection. In support, recent studies have identified genetic variants implicated in both autism and high intelligence. Meanwhile, autistic people often perform better on tests of fluid intelligence than neurotypicals." Another 2017 study that analyzed 68 genes associated with neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism, found that these disorders were also affected by natural selection and interbreeding between Homo sapiens and other archaic human species. The study also recommended further research into the link between Neanderthal single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism, in modern-day humans.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
== T cell Response to MiHAs == The MiHAs bound to a MHC presented on a cell surface may be recognized as a self peptide or not recognized by either CD8+ or CD4+ T cells. The lack of recognition of a T cell to this self antigen is the reason why allogeneic stem cell transplantation for an HLA matched gene or a developing fetus's MiHAs during pregnancy may not be recognized by T cells and marked as foreign leading to an immune response. Although B cell receptors can also recognize MHCs, immune responses seem to only be elicited by T cells. The consequences of an immune response are seen in allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HCT) when the peptides encoded by polymorphic genes differ between the recipient and the donor T cells. As a result, the donor T cells can target the recipients cells called graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). Although graft or bone marrow rejection can have detrimental effects, there are immunotherapy benefits when cytotoxic T lymphocytes are specific for a self antigen and can target antigens expressed selectively on leukemic cells in order to destroy these tumor cells referred to as graft-versus- leukemia effect (GVL). The recognition of a mature T cell to this self antigen should not induce an immune response. During thymic selection occurring in the thymus, only a thymocyte TCR that recognizes either class I or class II MHC molecule plus peptide should survive positive selection.
==== Sovereignty ==== During his tenure as prime minister, Mahathir asserted Malaysia's sovereignty over several features in the Spratly Islands, claiming Swallow Reef in 1983, Ardasier Reef and Mariveles Reef in 1986, and Investigator Shoal and Erica Reef in 1999. His administration cited Malaysia's continental shelf limits and the 1982 UNCLOS as the basis for these claims, while also responding to Vietnam's territorial activities in the region. To strengthen Malaysia's position, Mahathir oversaw the transformation of Swallow Reef into an artificial island with military fortifications, establishing it as a permanent naval outpost. Despite this militarisation, he maintained diplomatic engagement with Beijing, balancing relations with ASEAN claimants and employing a hedging strategy involving China and the United States. Mahathir's foreign policy towards China on the Spratlys was notably pragmatic. While Malaysia pursued its territorial claims, he emphasised dialogue over confrontation. In 1993, he stated that Malaysia had "no problem with China" regarding the Spratlys, and in 1994, he welcomed China's proposal for joint exploration, opposing further internationalisation of the dispute.
Additionally a rapid separation approach was published in the Journal of Chromatography A in 2007. The process uses high-capacity high-speed countercurrent chromatography (high-capacity HSCCC). Through this method honokiol can be separated and purified to above 98% purity with a high yield in under an hour.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
Fever or pyrexia in humans is a symptom of an anti-infection defense mechanism that appears with body temperature exceeding the normal range caused by an increase in the body's temperature set point in the hypothalamus. There is no single agreed-upon upper limit for normal temperature: sources use values ranging between 37.2 and 38.3 °C (99.0 and 100.9 °F) in humans. The increase in set-point triggers increased muscle contractions and causes a feeling of cold or chills. This results in greater heat production and efforts to conserve heat. When the set-point temperature returns to normal, a person feels hot, becomes flushed, and may begin to sweat. Rarely a fever may trigger a febrile seizure, with this being more common in young children. Fevers do not typically go higher than 41 to 42 °C (106 to 108 °F). A fever can be caused by many medical conditions ranging from non-serious to life-threatening. This includes viral, bacterial, and parasitic infections—such as influenza, the common cold, meningitis, urinary tract infections, appendicitis, Lassa fever, COVID-19, and malaria. Non-infectious causes include vasculitis, deep vein thrombosis, connective tissue disease, side effects of medication or vaccination, and cancer. It differs from hyperthermia, in that hyperthermia is an increase in body temperature over the temperature set point, due to either too much heat production or not enough heat loss. Treatment to reduce fever is generally not required. Treatment of associated pain and inflammation, however, may be useful and help a person rest.
OpenAI co-founder Andrej Karpathy criticized AI agents as being ineffective and promoting AI slop. Issues with multi-agent systems include few coordination protocols between component agents, inconsistent performance, and challenges debugging. In November 2025, Anthropic claimed that a group of hackers sponsored by China attempted a cyberattack against at least 30 organizations by using Claude Code in an agentic workflow, and that several of these infiltrations had succeeded. However, independent cybersecurity researchers questioned the significance of Anthropic's findings. Whittaker argued that the push by Big Tech companies to deploy AI agents risked security vulnerabilities across the Internet.
On September 28 Hanmi and Zentec Pharmaceuticals agreed that Zentec would market Hanmi's small molecule cancer drug candidate, HM95573; Zentec paid $80 million upfront, with $830 million in milestones, and royalties. On September 29, Hanmi and Roche's cancer subsidiary Genentech announced a deal for Hanmi's Phase I cancer drug candidate, HM95573, which targets the MAPK/ERK pathway; Roche agreed to pay $80 million upfront, and the deal included $830 million in milestones. In December 2016 the Sanofi deal was reduced in scope, with Hanmi receiving back rights to the once-weekly insulin and the combination GLP1-RA/insulin product, and agreeing to repay Sanofi $250 million of the $434 million upfront payment. On December 3, 2019, Rapt Therapeutics and Hanami Pharmaceutical announced collaboration to develop and commercialize FLX475 in Asia. FLX475 is an oral, small molecule CCR4 antagonist in development for the treatment of multiple cancers. In August 2020, chairman and founder of Hanmi Pharmaceutical Lim Sung-ki died of a chronic disease. He was 80. On May 15, 2023, Athenex, which was Hanmi's U.S. partner for its anticancer product, Oraxol, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.
those who smoked only hookah (no cigarettes, bidis, etc.), prepared between 1 and 4 times a day with a quantity of up to 120 g of a tobacco-molasses mixture each (i.e. the tobacco weight equivalent of up to 60 cigarettes of 1 g each) and consumed in 1 to 8 sessions". Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) is a marker found in several cancers. Levels in exclusive hookah smokers were lower compared to cigarette smokers, although the difference was not as statistically significant as that between a hookah smoker and a non-smoker. Also, the study concluded that heavy hookah smoking (2–4 daily preparations; 3–8 sessions a day; >2 hrs to ≤ 6 hours) substantially raises CEA levels. Hookah smokers were nearly 6 times more likely to develop lung cancer than healthy non-smokers in Kashmir.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
It originated at the Institute of Molecular Genetics in Moscow during the 1980s. The work was carried out by a Russian research group that specialized in peptide neuropharmacology.
It is registered as a medicine in Russia and has been used clinically there for decades. No regulatory agency in Western Europe or North America has approved it for any indication.
Semax corresponds to the four-to-ten fragment of adrenocorticotropic hormone. Because it omits the first three residues, it lacks the adrenal-stimulating action of the full hormone.
Dry powder is normally held at -20 °C or lower, away from light and moisture. Sealed vials can also be kept at 2-8 °C for shorter intervals. Warming to room temperature before opening prevents condensation.