Luminescent magnetic quantum dots for in vitro/in vivo imaging and applications in therapeutics.

The quest for design of newer/advanced methods for medical diagnosis and targeted therapeutics are of utmost interest and challenging too, because of its importance in clinical diagnosis. Currently available diagnosis methodologies have their own disadvantages. These shortcomings can be overcome by using multimodal imaging systems where two or more imaging modalities may be coupled.

In Vitro Expression and Production of Antibody Against Cymbidium mosaic virus Coat Protein.

Polyclonal rabbit antisera were produced using coat protein of Cymbidium mosaic virus (CymMV) Indian isolate expressed in E. coli as GST fusion. The expressed protein was purified by GST-fusion protein purification kit for use as an immunogen in rabbits.

miR-BAG: bagging based identification of microRNA precursors.

Non-coding elements such as miRNAs play key regulatory roles in living systems. These ultra-short, ∼21 bp long, RNA molecules are derived from their hairpin precursors and usually participate in negative gene regulation by binding the target mRNAs. Discovering miRNA candidate regions across the genome has been a challenging problem.

Development of stevioside Pluronic-F-68 copolymer based PLA-nanoparticles as an antidiabetic nanomedicine.

Stevioside (FDA approved nontoxic natural non-caloric sweetener) has been reported to have very good antidiabetic potential but its use as therapeutic drug is restricted in human due to its deprived intestinal absorption and poor bioavailability. We have nano-bioconjugated this molecule on biodegradable Pluronic-F-68 copolymer based PLA nanoparticles by nanoprecipitation method (spherical, size range 110-130 nm) to overcome deprived intestinal absorption and to enhance the bioavailability. The drug loading calculated by the standard calibrated HPLC was 16.

Comparative studies of volatile oil composition of Rhododendron anthopogon by hydrodistillation, supercritical carbon dioxide extraction and head space analysis.

Volatile oil composition of the leaves of Rhododendron anthopogon (Ericaceae) growing wild in alpine Western Himalaya was studied using different extraction techniques including SC-CO(2) extraction and hydrodistillation (HD). Results from different extraction methodologies were compared with headspace analysis (HS) and evaluated for the effectiveness of techniques in characterisation of various terpene categories and to assess their influence on the yield and composition of volatiles. Variability in constituents and in quantitative yields was observed.

Composition and antimicrobial activity of the essential oil of Heracleum thomsonii (Clarke) from the cold desert of the western Himalayas.

Volatile oil composition of hydro-distilled (HD) and supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO(2)) essential oil of freshly collected aerial parts of Heracleum thomsonii (Umbeliferae) from the western Himalayas was studied by GC-FID and GC-MS. Results revealed qualitative and quantitative dissimilarity in the composition of hydro-distilled and SC-CO(2) extracted oils. Nineteen constituents, which accounted for 89.

Genetic structure of Indian valerian (Valeriana jatamansi) populations in western Himalaya revealed by AFLP.

Valeriana jatamansi Jones is a natural tetraploid species indigenous to the Indian Himalaya. To assess its genetic diversity and population structure, we analyzed six natural populations from the western Himalayan region using amplified fragment length polymorphism. An analysis of molecular variance found that 93% of the genetic variation of V.

Isolation of two major iridoid glucosides from Incarvillea emodi.

Two major iridoid glucosides, namely plantarenaloside, a neurotrophic compound, and boschnaloside, an antibacterial iridoid glucoside, have been isolated from the shoots of Incarvillea emodi (a wild ornamental plant). The compounds are characterised by NMR spectral data and ESI mass spectrometery. This is the first ever report on the isolation of iridoid glucosides from I.

An RNA isolation system for plant tissues rich in secondary metabolites.

Background: Secondary metabolites are reported to interfere with the isolation of RNA particularly with the recipes that use guanidinium-based salt. Such interference was observed in isolation of RNA with medicinal plants rheum (Rheum australe) and arnebia (Arnebia euchroma). A rapid and less cumbersome system for isolation of RNA was essential to facilitate any study related to gene expression.

Abscisic acid response element binding factor 1 is required for establishment of Arabidopsis seedlings during winter.

Abscisic acid (ABA) plays a crucial role in abiotic stress response apart from its influence on growth and development of a plant. Our studies on abscisic acid response element binding factor 1 (ABF1) gene in Arabidopsis demonstrate that it is required for seedling establishment during winter. ABF1 is also involved in regulating seed dormancy and seed germination to some extent.

Organic acid production and plant growth promotion as a function of phosphate solubilization by Acinetobacter rhizosphaerae strain BIHB 723 isolated from the cold deserts of the trans-Himalayas.

An efficient phosphate-solubilizing plant growth-promoting Acinetobacter rhizosphaerae strain BIHB 723 exhibited significantly higher solubilization of tricalcium phosphate (TCP) than Udaipur rock phosphate (URP), Mussoorie rock phosphate (MRP) and North Carolina rock phosphate (NCRP). Qualitative and quantitative differences were discerned in the gluconic, oxalic, 2-keto gluconic, lactic, malic and formic acids during the solubilization of various inorganic phosphates by the strain. Gluconic acid was the main organic acid produced during phosphate solubilization.

Comparison of the volatile constituents of Elsholtzia fruiticosa extracted by hydrodistillation, supercritical fluid extraction and head space analysis.

Volatile constituents of Elsholtzia fruiticosa (D. Don) Rehder were studied by two different extraction techniques, supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) and hydrodistillation (HD), and the results were compared with head space analysis (HS). Thirty-five constituents were identified in both the SFE and HD oils and fourteen in the HS, accounting for 94.

Phylogenetic diversity of alkaline protease-producing psychrotrophic bacteria from glacier and cold environments of Lahaul and Spiti, India.

The diversity of proteolytic bacteria associated with a glacier and cold environment soils from three different locations in Lahaul and Spiti, India was investigated. Two hundred seventeen bacterial strains were isolated in pure culture. Subsequently these strains were screened for protease-production and one hundred nine showed protease production.

Light and temperature regulated terpene biosynthesis: hepatoprotective monoterpene picroside accumulation in Picrorhiza kurrooa.

Picrorhiza (Picrorhiza kurrooa) is an endangered medicinal plant with well-known hepatoprotective activity attributed to monoterpenoid picrosides. The present article details on regulatory genes of terpenoid metabolism, 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase (pkhmgr) and 1-deoxy-D-xylulose-5-phosphate synthase (pkdxs) from picrorhiza. Since no molecular information was available, these genes were cloned to full-length by degenerate primers and rapid amplification of cDNA ends, followed by cloning of the upstream sequences that showed the presence of core sequences for light and temperature responsiveness.

Direct shoot regeneration from intact leaves of Arnebia euchroma (Royle) Johnston using thidiazuron.

The present study highlights the importance of preculture time and concentration of TDZ (thidiazuron) for direct regeneration from in vitro leaves (attached to shoots) in Arnebia euchroma. Shoot buds proliferated to form multiple shoots on MS medium (Murashige and Skoog medium) with 5.0 microM Kn.

Proteases from psychrotrophs: an overview.

Proteases are hydrolytic enzymes which catalyze the total hydrolysis of proteins in to amino acids. Although proteolytic enzymes can be obtained from animals and plants but microorganisms are the preferred source for industrial applications in view of scientific and economical advantage. Among various groups of microbes, psychrotrophs are ideal candidates for enzymes production keeping in mind that enzymes active at low temperature and stable under alkaline condition, in presence of oxidants and detergents are in large demand as laundry additive.

Chemical composition of hydrodistilled and solvent volatiles extracted from woodchips of Himalayan Cedrus: Cedrus deodara (Roxb.) Loud.

The essential oil and extract obtained from the wood chips of Cedrus deodara by hydrodistillation and percolation respectively have been analyzed by GC-FID and GC-MS techniques. Thirty four compounds were identified from the essential oil and twenty six from the extract accounting for 98.3 and 94.

Synthesis of novel acetates of beta-caryophyllene under solvent-free Lewis acid catalysis.

Acylation of beta-caryophyllene, a sesquiterpene hydrocarbon with acetic anhydride, was carried out under mild catalytic conditions using Lewis acids such as BF3.Et2O, ZnCl2, FeCl3, I2 and AlCl3 as catalysts. Among these, BF3.

Ultrafast UPLC-ESI-MS and HPLC with monolithic column for determination of principal flavor compounds in vanilla pods.

In this study, two novel chromatographic methods based on monolithic column high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) were developed for the ultrafast determination of principal flavor compounds namely vanillin, vanillic acid, p-hydroxybenzoic acid, and p-hydroxybenzaldehyde in ethanolic extracts of Vanilla planifolia pods. Good separation was achieved within 2.5 min using Chromolith RP18e column (100 mm x 4.

Organic acid production in vitro and plant growth promotion in maize under controlled environment by phosphate-solubilizing fluorescent Pseudomonas.

Background: Phosphorus deficiency is a major constraint to crop production due to rapid binding of the applied phosphorus into fixed forms not available to the plants. Microbial solubilization of inorganic phosphates has been attributed mainly to the production of organic acids. Phosphate-solubilizing microorganisms enhance plant growth under conditions of poor phosphorus availability by solubilizing insoluble phosphates in the soil.

Simultaneous densitometric determination of shikonin, acetylshikonin, and beta-acetoxyisovaleryl-shikonin in ultrasonic-assisted extracts of four Arnebia species using reversed-phase thin layer chromatography.

A simple, precise, and rapid high-performance thin-layer chromatographic (HPTLC) method for the simultaneous quantification of pharmacologically important naphthoquinone shikonin (1) together with its derivatives acetylshikonin (2), and beta-acetoxyisovalerylshikonin (3) in four species of genus Arnebia (A. euchroma, A. guttata, A.

Steroidal saponins from Asparagus racemosus.

Two new steroidal saponins, shatavaroside A (1) and shatavaroside B (2) together with a known saponin, filiasparoside C, were isolated from the roots of Asparagus racemosus. Filiasparoside C was first time isolated from this plant. Their structures were elucidated by 1D and 2D NMR experiments including correlation spectroscopy, distortionless enhancement by polarization transfer, heteronuclear multiple quantum correlation and heteronuclear multiple bond coherence spectroscopy as well as electrospray ionization-QTOF-MS/MS analysis.

Simple and efficient enzymatic transglycosylation of stevioside by beta-cyclodextrin glucanotransferase from Bacillus firmus.

Stevioside was subjected to 1,4-intermolecular transglycosylation using beta-cyclodextrin glucanotransferase (beta-CGtase) produced from an alkalophilic strain of Bacillus firmus. The reaction was carried out by traditional, ultrasound-assisted and microwave-assisted techniques. Reaction under microwave conditions was faster and was completed in 1 min yielding two 1,4 transglycosylated products, 4'-O-alpha-D: -glycosyl stevioside (I) and 4''-O-alpha-D: -maltosyl stevioside (II) in 66% and 24%, respectively.

Antioxidant activity and ultra-performance LC-electrospray ionization-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry for phenolics-based fingerprinting of Rose species: Rosa damascena, Rosa bourboniana and Rosa brunonii.

Roses are one of the most important groups of ornamental plants and their fruits and flowers are used in a wide variety of food, nutritional products and different traditional medicines. The antioxidant activity of methanolic extracts from fresh flowers of three rose species (Rosa damascena, Rosa bourboniana and Rosa brunonii) was evaluated by 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl hydrazyl (DPPH) free-radical method. The ability to scavenge DPPH radical was measured by the discoloration of the solution.

Effects of extraction methods on phenolic contents and antioxidant activity in aerial parts of Potentilla atrosanguinea Lodd. and quantification of its phenolic constituents by RP-HPLC.

The effects of different solvent systems (methanol, ethanol, acetone, and their 50% aqueous concentrations) and extraction procedures (microwave, ultrasound, Soxhlet and maceration) on the antioxidant activity of aerial parts of Potentilla atrosanguinea were investigated by three different bioassays: 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) diammonium salt (ABTS), 2,2'-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging assays and ferric reducing antioxidant potential (FRAP). The 50% aqueous ethanol extracts exhibited strong antioxidant activity measured in terms of Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) [(54.34 to 122.