Horizons of nanotechnology applications in female specific cancers.

Female-specific cancers are the most common cancers in women worldwide. Early detection methods remain unavailable for most of these cancers, signifying that most of them are diagnosed at later stages. Furthermore, current treatment options for most female-specific cancers are surgery, radiation and chemotherapy.

Aquaporins in female specific cancers.

Aquaporins (AQPs) are hydrophobic integral trans-membrane channel proteins implicated in cellular proliferation and water transport in various cancers. They compose a family of 13 different isoforms (25-34 kDa) in mammals that have been identified to date. These AQPs exhibit a unique pattern of tissue expression.

Targeting autophagy in gastrointestinal malignancy by using nanomaterials as drug delivery systems.

Autophagy is a conserved catabolic process involving large protein degradation by a ubiquitous autophagosomic signaling pathway, which is essential for cellular homeostasis. It is triggered by environmental factors such as stress, lack of nutrients, inflammation, and eliminating intracellular pathogens. Although the mechanisms underlying autophagy are still unclear, increasing evidence illuminates the magnitude of autophagy in a wide range of physiological processes and human diseases.

Phosphine Supported Ruthenium Nanoparticle Catalyzed Synthesis of Substituted Pyrazines and Imidazoles from α-Diketones.

A new methodology has been developed for the synthesis of highly substituted nitrogen heterocycles such as pyrazines and imidazoles starting from α-diketones using phosphine supported ruthenium nanoparticles (RuNPs) as catalysts. Ruthenium nanoparticles Ru1-Ru4 supported with different phosphines such as dbdocphos, dppp, DPEphos, and Xantphos are screened, of which Ru1 and Ru4 are found to be the most active. Interestingly, aryl-substituted and alkyl-substituted α-diketones produced different products: namely, pyrazine and imidazoles, respectively.

Effects of naloxone, serotonin, and dopamine on reproduction of the freshwater crab Barytelphusa guerini.

Several investigators suggest a relationship between neurotransmitters, serotonin (also called 5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT), and dopamine (DA) in the regulation of growth and reproductive development of vertebrate species, rather than the invertebrate species. In this study, we evaluated the role of 5-HT and DA in reproductive development of an invertebrate species, the freshwater crab Barytelphusa guerini. We tested the effects of 5-HT both alone and combined, and also the effects of an opioid antagonist naloxone, on reproductive development of B.

The first asymmetric ring-expansion carbonylation of meso-epoxides.

The first asymmetric ring-expansion carbonylation of meso-epoxides to β-lactones is reported. Two structurally diverse chiral Cr(III) chloro complexes in conjunction with Co(2)(CO)(8) were shown to be competent catalytic systems for this transformation, displaying significant levels of asymmetric induction of up to 56% ee.

Deoxygenation of hydroquinones as a general route to norbornane-fused aromatic systems: an entry into substituted and functionalized dimethano- and methanoanthracenes.

A high-yielding route to substituted and functionalized dimethanoanthracenes by the Pd-catalyzed deoxyenation of the corresponding hydroquinone precursors is described. Attempts were made to deoxygenate the 9,10-dimesylate, ditosylate, and ditriflate derivatives of anti-dimethanoanthracene 1a, and it was found that under the studied conditions only the ditriflate 8a gave the corresponding deoxygenated aromatic scaffold. Optimization of the reaction conditions identified the Pd(OAc)(2)/dppf tandem as a suitable catalytic system for this transformation.

In situ generation of the Coates catalyst: a practical and versatile catalytic system for the carbonylation of meso-epoxides.

A highly active catalytic system for the carbonylation of meso- and terminal epoxides to β-lactones is described. The active catalyst, analogous to Coates' catalyst, is generated in situ from commercially available (TPP)CrCl and Co(2)(CO)(8). This practical system circumvents the preparation of air sensitive cobaltate salts, operates at low catalyst loadings, and allows the carbonylation of functionalized, sterically demanding and heterocyclic meso-epoxides.

Structural prediction and analysis of VIH-related peptides from selected crustacean species.

The tentative elucidation of the 3D-structure of vitellogenesis inhibiting hormone (VIH) peptides is conversely underprivileged by difficulties in gaining enough peptide or protein, diffracting crystals, and numerous extra technical aspects. As a result, no structural information is available for VIH peptide sequences registered in the Genbank. In this situation, it is not surprising that predictive methods have achieved great interest.