Production of antibacterial colored viscose fibers using in situ prepared spherical Ag nanoparticles.

In situ incorporation technique was used for coloration and acquiring excellent antibacterial properties for viscose fibers by silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). AgNPs were prepared in situ and incorporated in viscose matrix directly without using any other reducing and stabilizing agents. The main objective of this research was to successfully employ the reducing and stabilizing features of cellulose to produce nanosilver-viscose composites.

Copper tolerance in Frankia sp. strain EuI1c involves surface binding and copper transport.

Several Frankia strains have been shown to be copper-tolerant. The mechanism of their copper tolerance was investigated for Frankia sp. strain EuI1c.

Degradation of atrazine by Frankia alni ACN14a: gene regulation, dealkylation, and dechlorination.

Atrazine is transformed to N-isopropylammelide through hydroxyatrazine as an intermediate as indicated by high-performance liquid chromatography/mass spectroscopy in culture filtrates of Frankia alni ACN14a and Frankia sp. EuI1c. Both Frankia strains have the ability to degrade atrazine via dechlorination and dealkylation and, subsequently, may be using it as a nitrogen and carbon source as detected here by increasing their growth patterns.

Chemoselective C-benzylation of unprotected anilines with benzyl alcohols using Re2O7 catalyst.

An unprecedented dehydrative C-C bond formation between unprotected anilines with benzyl alcohols is disclosed. Re2O7 catalyst (5 mol %) at elevated reaction temperature (80 °C) provided C-benzylanilines with high to excellent yields and with good chemoselectivities (over N-alkylation). A probable mechanism has been proposed based on mechanistic studies.

Investigation of the effect of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose on the phase transformation and release profiles of carbamazepine-nicotinamide cocrystal.

Purpose: The aim of this work was to investigate the influence of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) on the phase transformation and release profile of carbamazepine-nicotinamide (CBZ-NIC) cocrystal in solution and in sustained release matrix tablets.

Methods: The polymorphic transitions of the CBZ-NIC cocrystal and its crystalline properties were examined by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD), Raman spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM).

Results: The apparent CBZ solubility and dissolution rate of CBZ-NIC cocrystal were constant in different concentrations of HPMC solutions.

A novel anti-windup framework for cascade control systems: an application to underactuated mechanical systems.

This paper describes the anti-windup compensator (AWC) design methodologies for stable and unstable cascade plants with cascade controllers facing actuator saturation. Two novel full-order decoupling AWC architectures, based on equivalence of the overall closed-loop system, are developed to deal with windup effects. The decoupled architectures have been developed, to formulate the AWC synthesis problem, by assuring equivalence of the coupled and the decoupled architectures, instead of using an analogy, for cascade control systems.

Anticancer compound plumbagin and its molecular targets: a structural insight into the inhibitory mechanisms using computational approaches.

Plumbagin (5-hydroxy-2-methyl-1,4-naphthoquinone) is a naphthoquinone derivative from the roots of plant Plumbago zeylanica and belongs to one of the largest and diverse groups of plant metabolites. The anticancer and antiproliferative activities of plumbagin have been observed in animal models as well as in cell cultures. Plumbagin exerts inhibitory effects on multiple cancer-signaling proteins, however, the binding mode and the molecular interactions have not yet been elucidated for most of these protein targets.

Effect of cationic and anionic surfactants on the application of calcium carbonate nanoparticles in paper coating.

Modification of calcium carbonate particles with surfactant significantly improves the properties of the calcium carbonate coating on paper. In this study, unmodified and CTAB (hexadecyltetramethylammonium bromide)- and oleate-modified calcium carbonate nanoparticles were prepared using the wet carbonation technique for paper coating. CTAB (cationic surfactant) and sodium oleate (anionic surfactant) were used to modify the size, morphology, and surface properties of the precipitated nanoparticles.

Designing and synthesis of novel antimicrobial heterocyclic analogs of fatty acids.

Novel series of long chain isoxazole derivatives were designed as inhibitors of Cytochrome P450-14DM14a-demethylase from Candida albicans and ribosomal subunit of S12 protein from Escherichia coli. The novel compounds (6-10) were synthesized through 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of nitrile oxide to long chain alkynoic acid and alkenyl/hydroxyalkenyl esters and tested for their antimicrobial activity by disk diffusion assay and MIC by broth micro dilution method. After predicting the hidden potential and drug-likeness of compounds, ADMET-related descriptors were also calculated to predict pharmacokinetic properties.

Modeling and automatic feedback control of tremor: adaptive estimation of deep brain stimulation.

This paper discusses modeling and automatic feedback control of (postural and rest) tremor for adaptive-control-methodology-based estimation of deep brain stimulation (DBS) parameters. The simplest linear oscillator-based tremor model, between stimulation amplitude and tremor, is investigated by utilizing input-output knowledge. Further, a nonlinear generalization of the oscillator-based tremor model, useful for derivation of a control strategy involving incorporation of parametric-bound knowledge, is provided.

Biophysical insight into furosemide binding to human serum albumin: a study to unveil its impaired albumin binding in uremia.

Exogenous substances like drugs, when absorbed, enter into the circulatory system and bind reversibly and extensively to human serum albumin (HSA). But transport of various drugs like a diuretic, furosemide (FUR), via albumin in uremia is seriously compromised due to accumulation of uremic toxins. The reason behind it is explored by investigating the binding mechanism of FUR to HSA.

Molecular interaction study of N1-p-fluorobenzyl-cymserine with TNF-α , p38 kinase and JNK kinase.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is an age-related neurodegenerative disease distinguished by progressive memory loss and cognitive decline. It is accompanied by classical neuropathological changes, including cerebral deposits of amyloid- beta peptide (Aβ) containing senile plaques, neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) of phosphorylated tau (p-tau), and clusters of activated glial cells. Postmortem studies strongly support a critical role for neuroinflammation in the pathogenesis of AD, with activated microglia and reactive astrocytes surrounding senile plaques and NFTs.

Robust synchronization of delayed chaotic FitzHugh-Nagumo neurons under external electrical stimulation.

Synchronization of chaotic neurons under external electrical stimulation (EES) is studied in order to understand information processing in the brain and to improve the methodologies employed in the treatment of cognitive diseases. This paper investigates the dynamics of uncertain coupled chaotic delayed FitzHugh-Nagumo (FHN) neurons under EES for incorporated parametric variations. A global nonlinear control law for synchronization of delayed neurons with known parameters is developed.

Chediak-Higashi syndrome presenting in accelerated phase.

Chediak-Higashi Syndrome (CHS) is a rare autosomal recessive disorder, characterized by silver hair, recurrent infections, partial oculo-cutaneous albinism, mild coagulation defect and progressive neuropathy. The characteristic feature of CHS is the presence of huge lysosomes and cytoplasmic inclusions within different body cells like the white blood cells. The disease has an early onset but usually presents in an accelerated phase.

First structural model of full-length human tissue-plasminogen activator: a SAXS data-based modeling study.

Human tissue-plasminogen activator (t-PA) is a multidomain glycoprotein which holds high biomedical value due to its therapeutic role in clot-specific fibrinolysis. Although atomic-resolution structures of individual domains except Kringle1 are available, no structural information is available on how these domains and glycosylation are oriented in space relative to each other in the full-length protein. SAXS intensity profile acquired from samples of t-PA was used to "steer" structures of individual domains and the homology model of the first kringle domain to generate a structural model of the protein part of t-PA.

Stereo-selectivity of human serum albumin to enantiomeric and isoelectronic pollutants dissected by spectroscopy, calorimetry and bioinformatics.

1-naphthol (1N), 2-naphthol (2N) and 8-quinolinol (8H) are general water pollutants. 1N and 2N are the configurational enantiomers and 8H is isoelectronic to 1N and 2N. These pollutants when ingested are transported in the blood by proteins like human serum albumin (HSA).

Enzymatic characterization of Catalase from Bacillus anthracis and prediction of critical residues using information theoretic measure of Relative Entropy.

In order to cope up with the reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated by host innate immune response, most of the intracellular organisms express Catalase for the enzymatic destruction/detoxification of hydrogen peroxide, to combat its deleterious effects. Catalase thus, scavenges ROS thereby playing a pivotal role in facilitating the survival of the pathogen within the host, and thus contributes to its pathogenesis. Bacillus anthracis harbors five isoforms of Catalase, but none of them has been studied so far.

Dynamic contrast enhanced MRI breast for lesion detection and characterization with histopathological co relation: preliminary experience at tertiary care hospital.

Objective: To determine the morphological and enhancement characteristics significantly associated with malignant breast lesions on dynamic contrast enhanced MRI by considering the histopathological findings as a gold standard.

Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed on 70 patients who underwent MRI breast during the study period because of suspicious mammographic abnormalities. MR imaging was performed on 1.

Elimination of endogenous toxin, creatinine from blood plasma depends on albumin conformation: site specific uremic toxicity & impaired drug binding.

Uremic syndrome results from malfunctioning of various organ systems due to the retention of uremic toxins which, under normal conditions, would be excreted into the urine and/or metabolized by the kidneys. The aim of this study was to elucidate the mechanisms underlying the renal elimination of uremic toxin creatinine that accumulate in chronic renal failure. Quantitative investigation of the plausible correlations was performed by spectroscopy, calorimetry, molecular docking and accessibility of surface area.

Delay-dependent anti-windup synthesis for stability of constrained state delay systems using pole-constraints.

This paper proposes the design of anti-windup compensator gain for stability of actuator input constrained state delay systems using constrained pole-position of the closed-loop. Based on Delay-Dependent Lyapunov-Krasovskii functionals and local sector conditions, a new LMI characterization is derived that ensures closed-loop asymptotic stability of constrained state delay systems while accounting upper bound fixed state delay and largest lower bound of the system's pole-position in the formulation of anti-windup gain. Besides, at saturation, the method significantly nullifies the inherent slow dynamics present in the system.

Bleeding disorders in the tribe: result of consanguineous in breeding.

Objective: To determine the frequency and clinical features of bleeding disorders in the tribe as a result of consanguineous marriages.

Design: Cross Sectional Study

Introduction: Countries in which consanguinity is a normal practice, these rare autosomal recessive disorders run in close families and tribes. Here we describe a family, living in village Ali Murad Chandio, District Badin, labeled as haemophilia.

Bridge to surgery using partially covered self-expandable metal stents (PCMS) in malignant biliary stricture: an acceptable paradigm?

Background And Aim: Partially covered self-expanding metal stents (PCMS) have been extensively used for palliation of malignant distal biliary stricture. Many centers have been using them as a bridge to surgery (BTS) regardless of resectability with or without eventual neoadjuvant therapy. We analyzed the outcome of all patients receiving PCMS and subsequently referred for surgery in our institution.

Employing information theoretic measures and mutagenesis to identify residues critical for drug-proton antiport function in Mdr1p of Candida albicans.

By employing information theoretic measures, this study presents a structure and functional analysis of a multidrug-proton antiporter Mdr1p of Candida albicans. Since CaMdr1p belongs to drug-proton antiporter (DHA1) family of Major Facilitator Superfamily (MFS) of transporters, we contrasted DHA1 (antiporters) with Sugar Porter family (symporters). Cumulative Relative Entropy (CRE) calculated for these two sets of alignments enabled us to selectively identify conserved residues of not only CaMdr1p but for the entire DHA1 family.

Novel implant for transcervical sterilization.

Compared to laparoscopic surgery for interval tubal sterilization, the transcervical approach is an effective method of female sterilization which obviates the requirement of general anesthesia and surgical incision. However, current methods of transcervical sterilization are unable to provide an instant occlusion. This paper focuses on the design, development and testing of a novel implant (James E.

Static and low order anti-windup synthesis for cascade control systems with actuator saturation: an application to temperature-based process control.

In this paper, a new framework for designing static and low order anti-windup compensator (AWC) for industrial cascade control systems with actuator saturation constraint is presented. Based on less conservative block diagonal quadratic Lyapunov function, sector boundedness, decoupled architecture, L(2) norm reduction and cascade loop compensation, linear matrix inequalities are developed which guarantee stability and suitable performance for overall closed-loop system. Static AWC parameters are obtained by comparing the full order AWC architecture with generalized architecture for cascade control system.