: Scaling-Up Differentially Private Causal Graph Discovery.

Causal graph discovery (CGD) is the process of estimating the underlying probabilistic graphical model that represents the joint distribution of features of a dataset. CGD algorithms are broadly classified into two categories: (i) constraint-based algorithms, where the outcome depends on conditional independence (CI) tests, and (ii) score-based algorithms, where the outcome depends on optimized score function. Because sensitive features of observational data are prone to privacy leakage, differential privacy (DP) has been adopted to ensure user privacy in CGD.

Destabilization of β-amyloid aggregates by thrombin derived peptide: plausible role of thrombin in neuroprotection.

β-amyloid (Aβ) aggregates involved in Alzheimer's disease (AD) are resistant to proteases but could be destabilized by small peptides designed to target specific hydrophobic regions of Aβ that take part in aggregate assembly. Since thrombin and AD are intricately connected, and elastase modulates thrombin activity, elastase-digested thrombin peptides were verified for intervention in the Aβ-aggregation pathway. Intact or elastase-digested thrombin destabilized Aβ fibril, as demonstrated by thioflavin T assay.

Method to Study Dynamics of Membrane-Bound Plant Transcription Factors During Biotic Interactions in Tomato.

Sequestration of a transcription factor in a cellular membrane and releasing it on demand is an additional layer of gene regulation that is considered a rapid mode to reprogram a gene expression cascade when a plasma membrane stress signal is perceived. Better understanding of the dynamic exchange of membrane-bound transcription factors (MTFs) during biotic stress requires the development of a simple, efficient, and quick assay system. Here we report an Agrobacterium-based transient transformation method to assay the localization of fluorescent protein-tagged MTFs in tomato leaf epidermal peels that are subsequently infected with a pathogenic fungus.

Mass Spectrometric Analysis of Lewy Body-Enriched α-Synuclein in Parkinson's Disease.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is characterized by intraneuronal inclusions of aggregated α-synuclein protein (so-called Lewy bodies) in distinct brain regions. Multiple posttranslational modifications may affect the structure and function of α-synuclein. Mass spectrometry-based analysis may be useful for the characterization and quantitation of α-synuclein forms, but has proven challenging, mainly due to the insolubility of Lewy bodies in aqueous buffer.

Detection of α-Synuclein in Biological Samples Using Mass Spectrometry.

Here we describe a method using mass spectrometry to characterize and quantify immuno-enriched α-synuclein forms from biochemically fractionated brain tissue.

Degradation of fibrin-β amyloid co-aggregate: A novel function attributed to ubiquitin.

Human placental extract contains numerous bioactive components that are effective wound healing, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory agents. During our investigation on the therapeutic potency of human placental extract, we have purified ubiquitin-like molecules that showed strong fibrino(geno)lytic activity. Further investigation confirmed similar potency of ubiquitin purified from adult human erythrocyte.

Distinct transcriptional and processing regulations control miR167a level in tomato during stress.

Besides their definite role in plant developmental processes miR167 also serve as mediator of stress response. Although differential expression of miR167 occurs during stresses, the regulatory-mechanism of biogenesis remained elusive. Therefore, using tomato as the model plant we have explored the mechanism of regulation of miR167a expression during stresses.

Aristolochic acid and its derivatives as inhibitors of snake venom L-amino acid oxidase.

Snake venom L-amino acid oxidase (LAAO) exerts toxicity by inducing hemorrhage, pneumorrhagia, pulmonary edema, cardiac edema, liver cell necrosis etc. Being well conserved, inhibitors of the enzyme may be synthesized using the template of the substrate, substrate binding site and features of the catalytic site of the enzyme. Previous findings showed that aristolochic acid (AA), a major constituent of Aristolochia indica, inhibits Russell's viper venom LAAO enzyme activity since, AA interacts with DNA and causes genotoxicity, derivatives of this compound were synthesized by replacing the nitro group to reduce toxicity while retaining the inhibitory potency.

Functional characterization of tomato membrane-bound NAC transcription factors.

Genome-wide analysis was carried out to identify and analyze differential expression pattern of tomato membrane bound NAC transcription factors (SlNACMTFs) during stresses. Two biotic-stress-related SlNACMTFs have been characterized to elucidate their regulatory function. NAC transcription factors are known regulators of stress-related gene expression.

An Enzyme from Aristolochia indica Destabilizes Fibrin-β Amyloid Co-Aggregate: Implication in Cerebrovascular Diseases.

Fibrinogen and β-amyloid (Aβ) peptide independently form ordered aggregates but in combination, they form disordered structures which are resistant to fibrinolytic enzymes like plasmin and cause severity in cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA). A novel enzyme of 31.3 kDa has been isolated from the root of the medicinal plant Aristolochia indica that showed fibrinolytic as well as fibrin-Aβ co-aggregate destabilizing properties.

Factor V activator from Daboia russelli russelli venom destabilizes β-amyloid aggregate, the hallmark of Alzheimer disease.

Formation of plaque by fibrils of β-amyloid (Aβ) peptide in the brain is the characteristic feature of Alzheimer disease (AD). Inhibition of the process of aggregate formation from Aβ-monomer and destabilization of the aggregate could be useful for prevention and propagation of the disease respectively. Russell's viper venom (RVV) contains protein(s) that destabilize Aβ aggregates as revealed from the thioflavin T assay.

Characterization of the aqueous extract of the root of Aristolochia indica: evaluation of its traditional use as an antidote for snake bites.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: The aqueous extract of the roots of Aristolochia indica is used as a decoction for the ailment of a number of diseases including snake bite treatment. Though the alcoholic extract of the different parts of the plant are well studied, information on the aqueous extract is limited. We have estimated aristolochic acid, different enzymes, enzyme inhibitors and anti-snake venom potency of its root extract.

Thermal detoxification of the venom from Daboia russelli russelli of Eastern India with restoration of fibrinolytic activity.

The fibrinolytic components of venom have been evaluated for long in the enzymatic treatment of thrombosis. Russell's viper venom has fibrinolytic activity that is associated with hemorrhagic activity. Here it has been investigated whether the crude venom could be detoxified by thermal denaturation retaining fibrinolytic activity.