γ-Radiations induced phytoconstituents variability in the grains of cultivated buckwheat species of Himalayan region.

Purpose: Buckwheat is a major traditional crop of hilly regions, capable of growing in adverse climatic conditions. During the survey, it was reported that prolonged consumption of buckwheat leads to digestive problems and numbness. The present study was conducted to study the effect of γ-irradiations on buckwheat to make them suitable for daily consumption.

The 26 S proteasome in Entamoeba histolytica: divergence of the substrate binding pockets from host proteasomes.

Objective: Proteasomes are conserved proteases crucial for proteostasis in eukaryotes and are promising drug targets for protozoan parasites. Yet, the proteasomes of Entamoeba histolytica remain understudied. The study's objective was to analyse the differences in the substrate binding pockets of amoeba proteasomes from those of host, and computational modelling of β5 catalytic subunit, with the goal of finding selective inhibitors.

Halogenated Secondary Metabolites from Higher Plants: Potent Drug Candidates for Chikungunya Using Approaches.

Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) causes a debilitating fever and joint pain, with no specific antiviral treatment available. Halogenated secondary metabolites from plants are a promising new class of drug candidates against chikungunya, with unique properties that make them effective against the virus. Plants produce these compounds to defend themselves against pests and pathogens, and they are effective against a wide range of viruses, including chikungunya.

Gallate Moiety of Catechin Is Essential for Inhibiting CCL2 Chemokine-Mediated Monocyte Recruitment.

Leukocyte recruitment witnesses an orchestrated complex formation between the chemokines and their molecular partners. CCL2 chemokine that regulates monocyte trafficking is a worthwhile system from the pharmaceutical perspective. In the current study, four major catechins (EC/EGC/ECG/EGCG) were assessed for their inhibitory potential against CCL2-regulated monocyte/macrophage recruitment.

Integrated bioinformatics analysis reveals novel key biomarkers in diabetic nephropathy.

Objectives: The underlying molecular mechanisms of diabetic nephropathy have yet not been investigated clearly. In this investigation, we aimed to identify key genes involved in the pathogenesis and prognosis of diabetic nephropathy.

Methods: We downloaded next-generation sequencing data set GSE142025 from Gene Expression Omnibus database having 28 diabetic nephropathy samples and nine normal control samples.

Deciphering the Potential of Pre and Pro-Vitamin D of Mushrooms against Mpro and PLpro Proteases of COVID-19: An In Silico Approach.

Vitamin D's role in combating the SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2), the virus causing COVID-19, has been established in unveiling viable inhibitors of COVID-19. The current study investigated the role of pre and pro-vitamin D bioactives from edible mushrooms against Mpro and PLpro proteases of SARS-CoV-2 by computational experiments. The bioactives of mushrooms, specifically ergosterol (provitamin D), 7-dehydrocholesterol (provitamin-D), 22,23-dihydroergocalciferol (provitamin-D), cholecalciferol (vitamin-D), and ergocalciferol (vitamin D) were screened against Mpro and PLpro.

An organotypic model of high-grade serous ovarian cancer to test the anti-metastatic potential of ROR2 targeted Polyion complex nanoparticles.

High-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC) is the most lethal gynaecological malignancy. Most patients are diagnosed at late stages when the tumour has metastasised throughout the peritoneal cavity. The Wnt receptor ROR2 has been identified as a promising therapeutic target in HGSOC, with limited targeting therapeutic options currently available.

Identification of Key Pathways and Genes in Obesity Using Bioinformatics Analysis and Molecular Docking Studies.

Obesity is an excess accumulation of body fat. Its progression rate has remained high in recent years. Therefore, the aim of this study was to diagnose important differentially expressed genes (DEGs) associated in its development, which may be used as novel biomarkers or potential therapeutic targets for obesity.

Hydroxyl Groups on Annular Ring-B Dictate the Affinities of Flavonol-CCL2 Chemokine Binding Interactions.

Owing to the astounding biological properties, dietary plant flavonoids have received considerable attention toward developing unique supplementary food sources to prevent various ailments. Chemokines are chemotactic proteins involved in leukocyte trafficking through their interactions with G-protein-coupled receptors and cell surface glycosaminoglycans (GAGs). CCL2 chemokine, a foremost member of CC chemokines, is associated with the pathogenesis of various inflammatory infirmities, thus making the CCL2-Receptor (CCR2)/GAG axis a potential pharmacological target.

Analysis and visualization of sleep stages based on deep neural networks.

Automatic sleep stage scoring based on deep neural networks has come into focus of sleep researchers and physicians, as a reliable method able to objectively classify sleep stages would save human resources and simplify clinical routines. Due to novel open-source software libraries for machine learning, in combination with enormous recent progress in hardware development, a paradigm shift in the field of sleep research towards automatic diagnostics might be imminent. We argue that modern machine learning techniques are not just a tool to perform automatic sleep stage classification, but are also a creative approach to find hidden properties of sleep physiology.

Determinants of Household Food Insecurity in Rural Areas of the Hilly Region of Kumaun, Uttarakhand, India: A Pilot Study.

The food security status of rural inhabitants of the hilly region of the Uttarakhand State was poorly documented. This study aimed to determine the extent and determinants of household food insecurity in rural-hilly areas of Kumaun, Uttarakhand. A cross-sectional, interview-administered survey was conducted among 155 households.

Elucidating the Molecular Interactions of Chemokine CCL2 Orthologs with Flavonoid Baicalin.

An integrated and controlled migration of leukocytes is necessary for the legitimate functioning and maintenance of the immune system. Chemokines and their receptors play a decisive role in regulating the leukocyte migration to the site of inflammation, a phenomena often referred to as chemotaxis. Chemokines and their receptors have become significant targets for therapeutic intervention considering their potential to regulate the immune system.

Molecular insights into the differential structure-dynamics-stability features of interleukin-8 orthologs: Implications to functional specificity.

Chemokines are a sub-group of chemotactic cytokines that regulate the leukocyte migration by binding to G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) and cell surface glycosaminoglycans (GAGs). Interleukin-8 (CXCL8/IL8) is one of the most essential CXC chemokine that has been reported to be involved in various pathophysiological conditions. Structure-function relationships of human IL8 have been studied extensively.

Dissecting the differential structural and dynamics features of CCL2 chemokine orthologs.

Chemokines are a sub-group of cytokines that regulate the leukocyte migration. Monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP/CCL2) is one of the essential CC chemokine that regulates the migration of monocytes into inflamed tissues. It has been observed that the primary sequences of CCL2 orthologs among rodents and primates vary significantly at the C-terminal region.

Comparative evaluation of the efficacy of two modes of delivery of Piroxicam (Dolonex(®)) for the management of postendodontic pain: A randomized control trial.

Background: Alleviating pain is of utmost importance when treating patients with endodontic pain.

Aim: To compare and evaluate the efficacy of two modes of delivery of pretreatment Piroxicam (Dolonex(®), Pfizer) for the management of postendodontic pain.

Materials And Methods: Sixty-six patients with symptomatic irreversible pulpitis were randomly divided into three groups of 22 subjects Group I - control group, no pharmacological intervention, Group II - patients received pretreatment oral Piroxicam (40 mg), Group III - patients received pretreatment intraligamentary injections totaling 0.

Influence of Structure, Charge, and Concentration on the Pectin-Calcium-Surfactant Complexes.

Polymer-surfactant complex formation of pectin with different types of surfactants, cationic (cetyltrimethylammonium bromide, CTAB and dodecyl trimethylammonium bromide, DTAB), anionic (sodium dodecyl sulfate, SDS), and neutral (Triton X-100, TX-100), was investigated at room temperature in the presence and absence of cross-linker calcium chloride using light scattering, zeta potential, rheology, and UV-vis spectroscopic measurements where the surfactant concentration was maintained below their critical micellar concentration (CMC). Results indicated that the interaction of cationic surfactant with pectin in the presence and absence of calcium chloride was much stronger compared to anionic and neutral surfactants. The neutral surfactant showed identifiable interaction despite the absence of any charged headgroup, while anionic surfactant showed feeble or very weak interaction with the polymer.

Characterization of microstructure, viscoelasticity, heterogeneity and ergodicity in pectin-laponite-CTAB-calcium nanocomposite hydrogels.

In order to customize the viscoelastic properties of pectin gels, it is necessary to work on a composite platform. Herein, the gelation kinetics, and viscoelastic characterization of anionic polysaccharide pectin dispersion prepared in presence of nanoclay laponite are reported using dynamic light scattering and rheology measurements. The ratio Rg/Rh (Rg and Rh are radius of gyration and hydrodynamic radius respectively) determined from light scattering data revealed the presence of random coils of pectin chains inside the gel matrix.

Attenuation of the early events of α-synuclein aggregation: a fluorescence correlation spectroscopy and laser scanning microscopy study in the presence of surface-coated Fe3O4 nanoparticles.

The aggregation of α-synuclein (A-syn) has been implicated in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease (PD). Although the early events of aggregation and not the matured amyloid fibrils are believed to be responsible for the toxicity, it has been difficult to probe the formation of early oligomers experimentally. We studied the effect of Fe3O4 nanoparticle (NP) in the early stage of aggregation of A-syn using fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS) and laser scanning microscopy.

Coexistence of iso-nonergodic laponite gel and glass in 1-methyl-3-octylimidazolium chloride ionic liquid solutions.

We report unique colloidal gel-glass coexistence in aqueous laponite dispersion (2% w/v) in the presence of 1-methyl-3-octylimidazolium chloride ionic liquid (IL, [C8mim][Cl], concentration 0.01 to 0.05% w/v), where both of the phases had identical nonergodicity and were dynamically interactive.

AR-A 014418 Used against GSK3beta Downregulates Expression of hnRNPA1 and SF2/ASF Splicing Factors.

Glioblastoma is one of the most aggressive forms of primary brain tumors of glial cells, including aberrant regulation of glycogen synthase kinase 3 β (GSK3 β ) and splicing factors deregulation. Here, we investigate the role of small molecule AR-A014418 and Manzamine A against GSK3 kinase with factual control on splicing regulators. AR-A 014418, 48 hrs posttreatment, caused dose (25-100  μ M) dependent inhibition in U373 and U87 cell viability with also inhibition in activating tyrosine phosphorylation of GSK3alpha (Tyr 279) and beta (Tyr 216).

Effect of unconventional carbon sources on biosurfactant production and its application in bioremediation.

The potential of an alkaliphilic bacterium Klebsiella sp. strain RJ-03, to utilize different unconventional carbon sources for the production of biosurfactant was evaluated. The biosurfactant produced using corn powder, potato peel powder, Madhuca indica and sugarcane bagasse containing medium, exhibited significantly higher viscosity and maximum reduction in surface tension as compared to other substrates.

Production and structural characterization of biosurfactant produced by an alkaliphilic bacterium, Klebsiella sp.: evaluation of different carbon sources.

The potential of an alkaliphilic bacterium Klebsiella sp. strain RJ-03, to utilize different carbon sources for the production of an extracellular biosurfactant was evaluated. Among the several carbon substrates tested, production of the crude biosurfactant was found to be the highest with starch (10.

The presence of the iron-sulfur motif is important for the conformational stability of the antiviral protein, Viperin.

Viperin, an antiviral protein, has been shown to contain a CX(3)CX(2)C motif, which is conserved in the radical S-adenosyl-methionine (SAM) enzyme family. A triple mutant which replaces these three cysteines with alanines has been shown to have severe deficiency in antiviral activity. Since the crystal structure of Viperin is not available, we have used a combination of computational methods including multi-template homology modeling and molecular dynamics simulation to develop a low-resolution predicted structure.