Functionalizable oxanorbornane-based head-group in the design of new Non-ionic amphiphiles and their drug delivery properties.

A new group of non-ionic amphiphiles with short alkyl chains and functionalizable oxanorbornane-based head group for drug delivery application are presented. They can be prepared through a sequence that starts with cycloaddition of Boc-protected furfuryl amine with maleic anhydride and reduction of the resulting adduct with LiAlH to get a diol intermediate. Introduction of alkyl chains through these primary hydroxyl groups and subsequent head-group modification via cis-hydroxylation resulted in a number of new amphiphiles in good yields.

Evaluation of tire derived rubber (TDR) fixed biofilm reactor (FBR) for remediation of Methylene blue dye from wastewater.

The present investigation is focused on development of aerobic biofilm on tire-derived rubber (TDR) media and then evaluation of such system for bioremediation of Methylene blue (MB) dye for 9 weeks. After 9 weeks of operation, the COD, BOD, ammonia and color values have been declined by 89.2%, 98.

A Study on removal of Methylene Blue dye by photo catalysis integrated with nanofiltration using statistical and experimental approaches.

In this work, the removal of Methylene Blue dye from the synthetic textile effluent has been investigated using a hybrid system (photocatalysis and nanofiltration). The Commercial ZnO powder was used as a catalyst in the photocatalytic operation. Response surface methodology (RSM) was employed to optimize the various operating parameters such as pH, catalyst loading and time duration and this optimization has enhanced the decolorization efficiencies.

Design of a bio-inspired composite using probabilistic fracture mechanics.

Artificial composites inspired from biological materials such as nacre and bone has a staggered structure of hard inclusions surrounded by a soft interface. These composites possess an excellent combination of strength, toughness and stiffness. These properties depends on a critical value of overlap ratio of inclusions, and hence is one of major parameters in the design of bio-inspired composites.

Activation of Wnt-β-catenin pathway in basal-parabasal layers of normal cervical epithelium comparable during development of uterine cervical carcinoma.

In this study, importance of Wnt-β-catenin pathway in the development of uterine cervical carcinoma was evaluated. For this purpose, the profiles (expression/methylation/deletion) of β-catenin, p-β-catenin (Y654), Wnt3a, and APC were studied in disease free normal cervical epithelium (n = 9), adjacent normal cervical epithelium of primary tumors (n = 70), CIN (n = 28), CACX (n = 102) samples, and two CACX cell lines (HeLa and SiHa). Immunohistochemical analysis revealed high/medium (74-95%) expression of β-catenin/p-β-catenin (Y654) and Wnt3a and low expression (23-26%) of APC in proliferating basal-parabasal layers contrary to differentiated spinous layer in normal cervix irrespective of HPV16 infection.

Gene regulatory networking reveals the molecular cue to lysophosphatidic acid-induced metabolic adaptations in ovarian cancer cells.

Extravasation and metastatic progression are two main reasons for the high mortality rate associated with cancer. The metastatic potential of cancer cells depends on a plethora of metabolic challenges prevailing within the tumor microenvironment. To achieve higher rates of proliferation, cancer cells reprogram their metabolism, increasing glycolysis and biosynthetic activities.

Identification of Changes in the Human Papilloma Virus 16 (HPV16) Genome During Early Dissemination of Cervical Cancer Cells May Complement Histological Diagnosis of Lymph Node Metastasis.

Cancer of the uterine cervix (CACX) is one of the most common carcinoma affecting women worldwide. During treatment, histologically lymph node (LN) metastasis and presence of HPV DNA in blood plasma act as a major prognostic factor. Despite the lack of apparent LN involvement, some early-invasive CACX patients have shown recurrences and poor survival.

A modular approach towards drug delivery vehicles using oxanorbornane-based non-ionic amphiphiles.

The self-assembly of non-ionic amphiphiles with a hydroxylated oxanorbornane head-group was controlled using amino acid units as spacers between hydrophilic and lipophilic domains to get spherical supramolecular aggregates. The ability of these systems to harbour therapeutic agents like ibuprofen, and their drug-release profiles were evaluated. Apart from directing the assembly, the intervening amino acid unit was found to help in drug entrapment as well.

Association of MMP7 -181A→G Promoter Polymorphism with Gastric Cancer Risk: INFLUENCE OF NICOTINE IN DIFFERENTIAL ALLELE-SPECIFIC TRANSCRIPTION VIA INCREASED PHOSPHORYLATION OF cAMP-RESPONSE ELEMENT-BINDING PROTEIN (CREB).

Elevated expression of matrix metalloproteinase7 (MMP7) has been demonstrated to play a pivotal role in cancer invasion. The -181A→G (rs11568818) polymorphism in the MMP7 promoter modulates gene expression and possibly affects cancer progression. Here, we evaluated the impact of -181A→G polymorphism on MMP7 promoter activity and its association with gastric cancer risk in eastern Indian case-control cohorts (n = 520).

Catalytic activity of acid and base with different concentration on sol-gel kinetics of silica by ultrasonic method.

The effects of both acid (acetic acid) and base (ammonia) catalysts in varying on the sol-gel synthesis of SiO2 nanoparticles using tetra ethyl ortho silicate (TEOS) as a precursor was determined by ultrasonic method. The ultrasonic velocity was received by pulsar receiver. The ultrasonic velocity in the sol and the parameter ΔT (time difference between the original pulse and first back wall echo of the sol) was varied with time of gelation.

Differential expression of peroxidase and ABC transporter as the key regulatory components for degradation of azo dyes by Penicillium oxalicum SAR-3.

Fungal species are potential dye decomposers since these secrete spectra of extracellular enzymes involved in catabolism. However, cellular mechanisms underlying azo dye catalysis and detoxification are incompletely understood and obscure. A potential strain designated as Penicillium oxalicum SAR-3 demonstrated broad-spectrum catabolic ability of different azo dyes.

Encompassing receptor flexibility in virtual screening using ensemble docking-based hybrid QSAR: discovery of novel phytochemicals for BACE1 inhibition.

Mimicking receptor flexibility during receptor-ligand binding is a challenging task in computational drug design since it is associated with a large increase in the conformational search space. In the present study, we have devised an in silico design strategy incorporating receptor flexibility in virtual screening to identify potential lead compounds as inhibitors for flexible proteins. We have considered BACE1 (β-secretase), a key target protease from a therapeutic perspective for Alzheimer's disease, as the highly flexible receptor.

Nano-ZnO catalyzed multicomponent one-pot synthesis of novel spiro(indoline-pyranodioxine) derivatives.

A simple catalytic protocol for the synthesis of novel spiro[indoline-pyranodioxine] derivatives has been developed using ZnO nanoparticle as an efficient, green, and reusable catalyst. The derivatives are obtained in moderate to excellent yield by one-pot three-component reaction of an isatin, malononitrile/ethylcyanoacetate, and 2,2-dimethyl-1,3-dioxane-4,6-dione in absolute ethanol under conventional heating and microwave irradiation. The catalyst was recovered by filtration from the reaction mixture and reused during five consecutive runs without any apparent loss of activity for the same reaction.

Biodegradation of azo dyes acid red 183, direct blue 15 and direct red 75 by the isolate Penicillium oxalicum SAR-3.

Soils contaminated with dyes were collected and screened for obtaining potential fungal strains for the degradation of azo dyes. A strain that demonstrated broad spectrum ability for catabolizing different azo dyes viz. Acid Red 183 (AR 183), Direct Blue 15 (DB 15) and Direct Red 75 (DR 75) at 100 mg L(-1) concentration was subsequently identified as Penicillium oxalicum SAR-3 based on 18S and internal transcribed spacer (ITS) rDNA gene sequence analysis.

Alum catalyzed simple, efficient, and green synthesis of 2-[3-amino-5-methyl-5-(pyridin-3-yl)-1,5-dihydro-4H-1,2,4-triazol-4-yl]propanoic acid derivatives in aqueous media.

Alum (KAl(SO4)2 · 12H2O) is an inexpensive, efficient, and nontoxic catalyst used for the synthesis of 2-[3-amino-5-methyl-5-(pyridin-3-yl)-1,5-dihydro-4H-1,2,4-triazol-4-yl]propanoic acid derivatives in aqueous media by the reaction of 3-acetyl pyridine (1), amino acids (2)/(6), and thiosemicarbazide (4) at 80 °C. This methodology offers significant improvements for the synthesis of products with regards to the yield of products, simplicity in operation, and green aspects by avoiding toxic catalysts which uphold the motto of green chemistry. Synthesized compounds have been characterized by FT-IR, (13)C NMR, and (1)HNMR spectroscopy.

ZnO nanoparticles as an efficient, heterogeneous, reusable, and ecofriendly catalyst for four-component one-pot green synthesis of pyranopyrazole derivatives in water.

An extremely efficient catalytic protocol for the synthesis of a series of pyranopyrazole derivatives developed in a one-pot four-component approach in the presence of ZnO nanoparticles as heterogeneous catalyst using water as a green solvent is reported. Greenness of the process is well instituted as water is exploited both as reaction media and medium for synthesis of catalyst. The ZnO nanoparticles exhibited excellent catalytic activity, and the proposed methodology is capable of providing the desired products in good yield (85-90%) and short reaction time.

Effect of β-cyclodextrin on the molecular properties of myricetin upon nano-encapsulation: insight from optical spectroscopy and quantum chemical studies.

Myricetin, a bioactive plant flavonol, readily forms inclusion complex with the drug delivery vehicle beta-cyclodextrin (β-CD). Appearance of typical "dual emission", consisting of normal (470 nm) and ESIPT tautomer (530 nm) bands, with concomitant rise in fluorescence intensity and dramatically blue shifted normal fluorescence of myricetin with increasing β-CD concentration, indicates facile entry of myricetin into the cavity of β-CD. The stoichiometry of the inclusion complex has been established to be equimolar (1:1), with an equilibrium constant of 439 ± 18 M(-1) at 25 °C.

Bioconversion to chitosan: a two stage process employing chitin deacetylase from Penicillium oxalicum SAEM-51.

Chitin deacetylase from Penicillium oxalicum SAEM-51 was evaluated for bioconversion of chitin to chitosan in a two stage chemical and enzymatic process. Variations in morphology, crystallinity and thermal properties following chemical treatment were evaluated by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetric analysis. Degree of deacetylation of the substrates was determined using FT-IR and elemental analysis.

Pinpointing proline substitution to be responsible for the loss of amyloidogenesis in IAPP.

Human islet amyloid polypeptide (hIAPP) is highly amyloidogenic, whereas its homologs in rodents are non-amyloidogenic. This observed non-amyloidogenecity of rodent IAPP has been attributed to substitutions by proline in a region of IAPP that forms the core of the fibril. By employing molecular dynamics simulation, we have analyzed effects of position-specific proline substitution on amyloidogenesis of the core region of the hIAPP fibril (22-28).

Thermophilic biological nitrogen removal in industrial wastewater treatment.

Nitrification is an integral part of biological nitrogen removal processes and usually the limiting step in wastewater treatment systems. Since nitrification is often considered not feasible at temperatures higher than 40 °C, warm industrial effluents (with operating temperatures higher than 40 °C) need to be cooled down prior to biological treatment, which increases the energy and operating costs of the plants for cooling purposes. This study describes the occurrence of thermophilic biological nitrogen removal activity (nitritation, nitratation, and denitrification) at a temperature as high as 50 °C in an activated sludge wastewater treatment plant treating wastewater from an oil refinery.

Semicarbazone--a versatile therapeutic pharmacophore for fragment based anticonvulsant drug design.

During the last fifteen years, semicarbazones have been extensively investigated for their anticonvulsant properties. 4-(4-Flurophenoxy) benzaldehyde semicarbazone (C0102862, V102862) was discovered as a lead molecule and is being developed as a potent antiepileptic drug, with maximal electroshock (MES) ED₅₀ of i.p.

A mechanistic insight into the amyloidogenic structure of hIAPP peptide revealed from sequence analysis and molecular dynamics simulation.

A collective approach of sequence analysis, phylogenetic tree and in silico prediction of amyloidogenecity using bioinformatics tools have been used to correlate the observed species-specific variations in IAPP sequences with the amyloid forming propensity. Observed substitution patterns indicate that probable changes in local hydrophobicity are instrumental in altering the aggregation propensity of the peptide. In particular, residues at 17th, 22nd and 23rd positions of the IAPP peptide are found to be crucial for amyloid formation.

A CRITICAL STUDY ON THE INTERACTIONS OF HESPERITIN WITH HUMAN HEMOGLOBIN: FLUORESCENCE SPECTROSCOPIC AND MOLECULAR MODELING APPROACH.

Hesperitin, a ubiquitous bioactive flavonoid abundant in citrus fruits is known to possess antioxidant, anti-carcinogenic, hypolipidemic, vasoprotective and other important therapeutic properties. Here we have explored the interactions of hesperitin with normal human hemoglobin (HbA), using steady state and time resolved fluorescence spectroscopy, far UV circular dicroism (CD) spectroscopy, combined with molecular modeling computations. Specific interaction of the flavonoid with HbA is confirmed from flavonoid-induced static quenching which is evident from steady state fluorescence as well as lifetime data.