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Purpose The purpose of this study was to elucidate the role and molecular consequences of impaired glutathione (GSH) biosynthesis on eye development. Methods GSH biosynthesis was impaired in surface ectoderm-derived ocular tissues by crossing Gclcf/f mice with hemizygous Le-Cre transgenic mice to produce Gclcf/f/Le-CreTg/- (KO) mice. Control mice included Gclcf/f and Gclcwt/wt/Le-CreTg/- mice (CRE). Eyes from all mice (at various stages of eye development) were subjected to histological, immunohistochemical, Western blot, RT-qPCR, RNA-seq, and subsequent Gene Ontology, Ingenuity Pathway Analysis and TRANSFAC analyses. PAX6 transactivation activity was studied using a luciferase reporter assay in HEK293T cells depleted of GSH using buthionine sulfoximine (BSO). Results Deletion of Gclc diminished GSH levels, increased reactive oxygen species (ROS), and caused an overt microphthalmia phenotype characterized by malformation of the cornea, iris, lens, and retina that is distinct from and much more profound than the one observed in CRE mice. In addition, only the lenses of KO mice displayed reduced crystallin (α, β), PITX3 and Foxe3 expression. RNA-seq analyses at postnatal day 1 revealed 1552 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the lenses of KO mice relative to those from Gclcf/f mice, with Crystallin and lens fiber cell identity genes being downregulated while lens epithelial cell identity and immune response genes were upregulated. Bioinformatic analysis of the DEGs implicated PAX6 as a key upstream regulator. PAX6 transactivation activity was impaired in BSO-treated HEK293T cells. Conclusions These data suggest that impaired ocular GSH biosynthesis may disrupt eye development and PAX6 function.

Alcoholic fatty liver disease (AFLD) is characterized by lipid accumulation and inflammation and can progress to cirrhosis and cancer in the liver. AFLD diagnosis currently relies on histological analysis of liver biopsies. Early detection permits interventions that would prevent progression to cirrhosis or later stages of the disease. Herein, we have conducted the first comprehensive time-course study of lipids using novel state-of-the art lipidomics methods in plasma and liver in the early stages of a mouse model of AFLD, i.e., Lieber-DeCarli diet model. In ethanol-treated mice, changes in liver tissue included up-regulation of triglycerides (TGs) and oxidized TGs and down-regulation of phosphatidylcholine, lysophosphatidylcholine, and 20-22-carbon-containing lipid-mediator precursors. An increase in oxidized TGs preceded histological signs of early AFLD, i.e., steatosis, with these changes observed in both the liver and plasma. The major lipid classes dysregulated by ethanol play important roles in hepatic inflammation, steatosis, and oxidative damage. Conclusion: Alcohol consumption alters the liver lipidome before overt histological markers of early AFLD. This introduces the exciting possibility that specific lipids may serve as earlier biomarkers of AFLD than those currently being used.

With the rapid growing popularity of Additive Manufacturing (AM) processes throughout the globe, researchers, enthusiasts and industries are using it in the manufacturing of complex shapes and parts. In Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM) process, apart from Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS), Polylactic Acid (PLA) is one of the most favoured materials for the manufacturing of various prototypes. However, the usage of FDM printed parts in practical applications is still not so popular due to several reasons. This paper presents a successful testament showcasing implementation of a 3D printed component made of PLA material in a practical application. To demonstrate this, body casing of a GSB 13RE professional hand drill has been successfully 3D printed using PLA material in FDM process. Thereafter, the 3D printed hand drill body casing has been evaluated through assembly and functional testing. It is observed that the body casing perfectly encases the parts of original hand drill as well as performs drilling of holes satisfactorily without any problems. Functional tests have been performed on the assembled model to check for its durability.

A triphenylamine-derived fluorescent covalent organic cage molecule (F-COC) shows enhanced emission when doped in polystyrene (PS) upon exposure to chloroform vapours. A systematic investigation of the fluorescence emission intensity of F-COC in various solvents reveals the gradual enhancement of the emission intensity as a function of the dielectric constant of the solvent; a maximum is observed for chloroform and this gradually decreases in solvents with a higher dielectric constant. The probable reason for the selective high emission of F-COC in chloroform solution or vapor is linked to the orientation polarizability of chloroform, which changes the F-COC molecular orientation. Computational modelling of the model structures illustrates that the optimized excited state energy as a function of the dielectric constant of the solvent deviates from the usual trend, and the specific role of hydrogen bonding interactions with chloroform was elucidated. Picric acid (PA) detection was studied using an F-COC fluorescence quenching technique in solution. The quenching was observed to be a static process, confirming that fluorescence quenching occurs in the ground state. Enhanced solid-state fluorescence arose from the complexation of F-COC with metal ions such as Zn2+ and Cu2+, as well as harmful Cd2+ and Pb2+ ions.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a heterogeneous autoimmune disease, characterized by chronic inflammation, hyperplasia (swelling), tenderness, erosion of cartilage and bones in synovial joints. Transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) is an important regulator of inflammation, and its polymorphism is implicated in several diseases. Therefore, the study was done to determine whether TGF-β1 C/T gene polymorphism was associated with RA in North Indian population.Eighty-seven (male/female: 29/58) healthy controls and 76 (male/female: 17/59) RA patients were recruited for association study between TGF-β1 +869C/T polymorphism. TGF-β1 +869C/T polymorphism was genotyped by allele specific amplification refractory mutation system polymerase chain reaction (ARMS-PCR) to test susceptibility to clinical presentation of RA patients in North Indian population by comparing RA genotypes with control groups.The genotypic association studies and dominant, recessive, and allelic models revealed that TGF-β1 +869C/T gene polymorphism is involved in the onset of RA. TGF-β1 +869 T (either TT or CT) allele and TT v/s CC (OR = 36.18, 95% CI = 11.98-109.31, P = 0.001); TT + CT v/s CC (OR = 0.16, 95% CI = 0.08-0.33, P = 0.001); TT v/s CC + CT (OR = 0.04, 95% CI = 0.1-0.09, P = 0.001); and T v/s C (OR = 0.12, 95% CI = 0.07-0.2, P = 0.001) show significant association with RA as compared with CC genotype or C alleles (P = 0.001). The patient carrying T alleles showed significant associations with increased ESR, uric acid, CRP, DAS28-ESR, and number of tender joints as compared to other genotypes. In the presence of RF, DAS-28-ESR was high in CT genotype. ESR, CRP, and swollen joint count were highest in TT genotype of RF negative patients.TGF-β1 polymorphism is associated with disease activity of RA. Disease activity is strongly modulated in the presence of serum RF and TGF-β1 polymorphism. Key Points •TGF-β1 +869C/T polymorphism was found to be associated with RA in the patients. •The polymorphism showed significant association with all inflammatory parameters as ESR, CRP, and DAS-28 in RA subjects. •RF negative patients showed high ESR, CRP, and swollen joint count with TT genotype. •TGF-β1 polymorphism and serum RF are modulating disease activity in RA.

In recent years, graphene oxide (GO) and reduced graphene oxide (r-GO) are being produced using graphite powder as precursor material but the preparation of graphene derivatives from a non-graphiti...

Objective Understanding cardiorenal pathophysiology in heart failure (HF) is of clinical importance. We sought to characterize the renal hemodynamic function and the transrenal gradient of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) markers in patients with HF and in controls without HF. Methods In this post hoc analysis, the glomerular filtration rate (GFRinulin), effective renal plasma flow (ERPFPAH) and transrenal gradients (arterial-renal vein) of angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE), aldosterone, and plasma renin activity (PRA) were measured in 47 patients with HF and in 24 controls. Gomez equations were used to derive afferent (RA) and efferent (RE) arteriolar resistances. Transrenal RAAS gradients were also collected in patients treated with intravenous dobutamine (HF, n = 11; non-HF, n = 11) or nitroprusside (HF, n = 18; non-HF, n = 5). Results The concentrations of PRA, aldosterone and ACE were higher in the renal vein vs the artery in patients with HF vs patients without HF (P Conclusions A larger transrenal RAAS marker gradient in patients with HF suggests a renal origin for neurohormonal activation associated with a vasoconstrictive renal profile.

Graphical abstract 3-layered, antibacterial, biodegradable, breathable, herbal-extract based, and needleless electrospun face mask., The emergence of COVID-19 pandemic has severely affected human health and world economies. According to WHO guidelines, continuous use of face mask is mandatory for personal protection for restricting the spread of bacteria and virus. Here, we report a 3-ply cotton-PLA-cotton layered biodegradable face-mask containing encapsulated phytochemicals in the inner-filtration layer. The nano-fibrous PLA filtration layer was fabricated using needleless electrospinning of PLA & phytochemical-based herbal-extracts. This 3-layred face mask exhibits enhanced air permeability with a differential pressure of 35.78 Pa/cm2 and superior bacterial filtration efficiency of 97.9% compared to conventional face masks. Close-packed mesh structure of the nano-fibrous mat results in effective adsorption of particulate matter, aerosol particles, and bacterial targets deep inside the filtration layer. The outer hydrophobic layer of mask exhibited effective blood splash resistance up to a distance of 30 cm, ensuring its utilization for medical practices. Computational analysis of constituent phytochemicals using the LibDock algorithm predicted inhibitory activity of chemicals against the protein structured bacterial sites. The computational analysis projected superior performance of phytochemicals considering the presence of stearic acid, oleic acid, linoleic acid, and Arachidic acid exhibiting structural complementarity to inhibit targeted bacterial interface. Natural cotton fibers and PLA bio-polymer demonstrated promising biodegradable characteristics in the presence of in-house cow-dung based biodegradation slurry. Addition of jaggery to the slurry elevated the biodegradation performance, resulting in increment of change of weight from 07% to 12%. The improved performance was attributed to the increased sucrose content in biodegradation slurry, elevating the bacterial growth in the slurry. An innovative face mask has shown promising results for utilization in day-to-day life and medical frontline workers, considering the post-pandemic environmental impacts.

BACKGROUND: During storage, red blood cells (RBCs) undergo significant biochemical and morphologic changes, referred to collectively as the “storage lesion”. It was hypothesized that these defects may arise from disrupted oxygen-based regulation of RBC energy metabolism, with resultant depowering of intrinsic antioxidant systems. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: As a function of storage duration, the dynamic range in RBC metabolic response to three models of biochemical oxidant stress (methylene blue, hypoxanthine/xanthine oxidase, and diamide) was assessed, comparing glycolytic flux by NMR and UHPLC–MS methodologies. Blood was processed/stored under standard conditions (AS-1 additive solution) with leukoreduction. Over a 6-week period, RBC metabolic and antioxidant status were assessed at baseline and following exposure to the three biochemical oxidant models. Comparison was made of glycolytic flux ((1)H-NMR tracking of [2-(13)C]-glucose and metabolomic phenotyping with [1,2,3-(13)C(3)] glucose), reducing equivalent (NADPH/NADP(+)) recycling, and thiol-based (GSH/GSSG) antioxidant status. RESULTS: As a function of storage duration, we observed the following: (1) a reduction in baseline hexose monophosphate pathway (HMP) flux, the sole pathway responsible for the regeneration of the essential reducing equivalent NADPH; with (2) diminished stress-based dynamic range in both overall glycolytic as well as proportional HMP flux. In addition, progressive with storage duration, RBCs showed (3) constraint in reducing equivalent (NADPH) recycling capacity, (4) loss of thiol based (GSH) recycling capacity, and (5) dysregulation of metabolon assembly at the cytoplasmic domain of Band 3 membrane protein (cdB3). CONCLUSION: Blood storage disturbs normal RBC metabolic control, depowering antioxidant capacity and enhancing vulnerability to oxidative injury.

Processing of fish in aquaculture generates considerable amounts of by-products that remain underused and/or unexploited. We evaluated the nutritive content of fish by-products (head, gills, intestines, trimmings, bones, and skin) from meagre and gilthead sea bream fish species reared in Greece in order to estimate their nutritional value for future development of high added-value products. The proximate composition of the fish samples (total protein, total lipid, ash, moisture, and macro-element content) was determined using the Association of Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC) and International Organization for Standardization (ISO) official methods. The content of fatty acids was determined using capillary gas chromatography, and the protein profile was estimated employing scientific orbitrap mass spectrophotometer methodology. The nutrient composition of fish by-products presented fluctuations among the different by-products. Skin was the most significant protein source, trimmings and bones were high in calcium, and the head, intestines, and bones were a good source of lipids. The most abundant lipid acids found in by-products were oleic, palmitic, linoleic, and eicosenoic acids, whereas the most abundant proteins were adenosine triphosphate (ATP) synthase subunit epsilon, mitochondrial nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) dehydrogenase, and mitochondrial cytochrome b-c1 complex subunit 8. These data suggest that by-products constitute valuable sources of nutrients and could therefore be exploited in accordance with the principles of a circular economy.

Pollution from the leather industry is of great concern for tanners worldwide. The unhairing and fiber-opening processes, which contribute the majority of the pollution through the use of sodium sulfide and calcium hydroxide, were replaced in this study by processes using an enzyme and the imidiazolium-based ionic liquid (IL) 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate. In addition, the deliming process, which is typically applied after liming operations, was completely avoided, eliminating the use of ammonium salts, which leads to other environmental concerns. The extent of fiber opening of the matrix was analyzed by estimating the proteoglycan content and performing histological studies. The physical strength properties of the IL-treated leathers were found to be comparable to standard norms. This study thus demonstrates that ILs can be successfully employed for unhairing, where they can enhance the activity of unhairing enzymes, as well as for the fiber-opening process of leather making.

Diagnostic markers are needed for accidental or deliberate radiation exposure that could cause acute and chronic radiation toxicity. Biomarkers of temporal, dose-dependent, aging-attenuated and multiple radiation exposures have been previously described by others. However, the physiological origin and biochemical networks that generate these biomarkers and their association at the molecular level have yet to be explored. Hence, the discovery and identification of total-body-irradiation-induced tissue specific biomarkers remains an enormous challenge within radiation biodosimetry research. To determine the tissue level response of total-body exposure (6 Gy), metabolomics analysis was carried out on radiosensitive tissues bone marrow, ileum, liver, muscle and lung as well as serum and on urine within 12 h postirradiation. Differences in the metabolic signatures between the sham and gamma-irradiated groups were analyzed by hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography (HILIC)-based ultra-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-ESI-QTOFMS). A panel of 67 biomarkers identified in radiosensitive tissues and biofluids (serum and urine) at a 6 Gy dose. Among the identified biomarkers, 3-methylglutarylcarnitine (3-MGC) was found to be a novel metabolite in liver, serum and urine that could potentially be an early radiation response marker. The degree of metabolic changes among different tissues showed perturbations in pathways including DNA methylation, energy, nucleic acid, amino acid, glutathione and bile acid metabolism. These results highlight metabolomics as a potential novel approach to understand functional alterations in the metabolome that could be adapted for use in the rapid assessment of radiation exposure and triage protocols in the case of nuclear incidents.

Acute lung injury (ALI) and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) are among the major causes of death worldwide due to acute inflammation in the lung. AT-rich interactive domain–containing 5a (Arid5a) is an RNA-binding protein involved in inflammatory autoimmune disease through post-transcriptional control of Il6, Stat3 and Tbx21 gene expression. We found that Arid5a-deficient mice were highly refractory to bleomycin (BLM)-induced lethality. Arid5a deficiency suppressed lung pathology, cytokine production (especially, IL-6), and clinical symptoms in BLM-treated mice. Production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in response to BLM-induced cellular damage was inhibited in Arid5a-deficient mice, potentially affecting the level of oxidized 1-palmitoyl-2-arachidonoyl-phosphaticylcholine (OxPAPC) production. OxPAPC, which is supposed to be a TLR4/TLR2 ligand, stimulated expression of the Arid5a and Il6 genes. Thus, reduction of ROS production in Arid5a-deficient mice could mitigate OxPAPC production, which in turn decreases IL-6 production in vivo due to dysregulated post-transcriptional regulation by loss of Arid5a. Therefore, the control of Arid5a expression represents a potential therapeutic target for treatment of ALI and ARDS.

Coumarin-based different series of hydrazone derivatives were synthesized and evaluated for anticancer activity against four different human cancer cell lines. The activity of the compounds were compared with doxorubicin as a standard drug and all the compounds exhibited good to moderate cytotoxicity with IC50 values ranging from 6.07 to 60.45 µM against all the examined cancer cell lines. Based on the screening results, it was concluded that the compounds 12a and 18a were the most promising medicinal entities. In vitro tubulin polymerisation inhibition assay was performed for the compounds 12a and 18a and these two compounds displayed good potency when compared with colchicine as the standard drug. The interaction of these compounds with tubulin protein was also studied with the help of molecular docking technique using Discovery studio software. Furthermore, the molecular and ADMET properties of the compounds were computed with Osiris property software and PreADMET server. The compounds exhibited exciting in vitro and in silico results. Hence we propose that the compounds 12a and 18a could be developed as tubulin targeted potential antiproliferative agents.

There has been increasing interest to synthesize porous graphene structures for various applications, viz. super-capacitors, photovoltaic cells and sensors due to their unique structure with interconnected network, high surface area, excellent electrical conductivity and good thermal stability. Herein, a facile and highly effective scalable method has been developed to synthesize porous graphene network (PGN) from reduced graphene oxide. PNG was synthesized by a facile process that combines the synthesis of graphene oxide (GO) by modified Hummers method and optimization of reduction temperature in ambient conditions. The morphology of the prepared samples was investigated by scanning electron microscopy. Structural transformation during reduction of GO under ambient conditions was investigated using X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy. In comparison to already existing methods, these results demonstrate a very convenient and general protocol to synthesize the PGN from GO for various applications.

Summary Gelation of PVDF has been studies in presence of two-dimensional layered silicate. Nanoclay crystallizes piezoelectric β-phase in gel state as revealed through XRD and electron diffraction studies. Fibrilar morphology of both gel and nanogel is studied through scanning and transmission electron microscopy. The formation of compound of PVDF and solvent is evident while the fraction of PVDF required to form compound is less in nanogel as compared pure gel. The layered structure of assembly in gel and nanogel is revealed through small angle neutron scattering suggesting very small size blob of 7.4 nm for nanogel against the moderately larger size in pure gel of 30.7 nm. Epitaxial crystallization of PVDF in β-phase has been suggested on top of layered silicate.

Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) is a multifactorial disease causing visual impairment in old age. Oxidative stress is one of the main contributors for the disease progression. Paraoxonase (PON), a HDL-resident antioxidant enzyme which removes oxidized low density lipoprotein (oxLDL), which is not studied much in AMD. This study assesses the PON activities in relation to the lipid status and genetic variants in AMD patients. In this prospective case-control study, a total of 48 AMD patients and 30 unrelated healthy controls were recruited. The serum oxLDL and Plasma Homocysteine (Hcy) levels were estimated by ELISA. Plasma Homocysteine thiolactone (HCTL) was estimated by HPLC. Serum PON activities were estimated by spectrophotometry. PON gene expression was assessed by qPCR and protein expression by western blot, immunofluorescence and FACS analysis. Two known single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the coding region of PON1, Q192R and L55M variants were checked in the AMD patients and controls and their association with PON activity and lipid levels were determined. Serum paraoxonase (PONase) and thiolactonase (PON-HCTLase) activities were significantly elevated in AMD patients than in controls apart from elevated serum levels of total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), oxLDL. While serum LDL levels in AMD patients correlate positively with PON HCTLase activity, the serum high density lipoprotein (HDL) correlates with both PONase and PON-HCTLase activities. However, multiple regression analysis showed that, amongst the parameters, only serum TG was a significant risk factor for AMD, after adjusting for demographic parameters as well as cataract. PON2 was significantly increased at the level of gene expression (p = 0.03) as seen in circulating peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of AMD patients possibly mediated by the transcription factor SP1, that showed 2-fold increase. PON1 and 2 protein expressions also showed significant increase in the PBMC of AMD patients. At serum level, PON1 protein was significantly increased in AMD patients. Cholesterol transporters such as CD36, SR-B1 and ABCA1 gene expressions were also found to be higher (1.5, 1.9 and 2.4-fold respectively) in AMD, though not statistically significant. While the wet AMD (CNV) was found to be associated with increase in oxLDL and serum PONase activity, the dry AMD was associated with increased HDL and serum PON-HCTLase activity. The genotype and allele frequencies of Q192R & L55M were not significantly different between AMD patients and controls. However, altered lipid status and PON activities were associated with the genotype in AMD patients. A higher enzyme activity was observed for the RR genotype of Q192R in the cohort, irrespective of case and control. Thus the PON genotype and phenotype seem to play a role in the pathogenesis of AMD.

Salicylaldimine copper complex has been synthesized and its reactivity for the ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of lactide has been studied. This monomeric copper complex was prepared by the reaction of copper(II) solution with one molar equivalent of salicylaldimine Schiff-base ligand in methanol under nitrogen atmosphere. This copper complex has been characterized by different spectroscopic methods, which showed square planar geometry. The molecular structure of the salicylaldimine Schiff-base has been determined by X-ray diffraction studies. The complex was tested as the initiator for the ring-opening polymerization of lactide, with variation in diamine group in ligand. The rate of polymerization is dependent on the diamine group in the following order: ethylene > propylene > phenyl. The salicylaldimine copper complex allows controlled ring-opening polymerization as indicated by the linear relationship between the percentage conversion and the number-average molecular weight. On the basis of literature reports, a mechanism for ROP of lactide has been proposed.

Introduction: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a chronic disease characterized by high blood glucose levels due to absolute or relative circulating insulin levels. Plants represent a major potential source of drugs for treating diabetes. The study of plants having antidiabetic activity may give a new approach in the treatment of DM. Aim: This study was aimed to investigate the glucose utilization capacity of bioactivity-guided fractions of Barleria prionitis and Hyptis suaveolens. Materials and Methods: The dried coarse powdered plant material was extracted in aqueous ethanol by cold maceration; further, ethanolic extracts were fractionated using solvents of varying polarity and were investigated in isolated rat hemidiaphragm using 0.1% and 0.2% concentrations of plant extracts. Results: The tested fractions of both plants showed significant and dose-dependent increased glucose uptake capacity and was found to be maximum with petroleum ether and aqueous ethanolic extracts of both plants; 0.2% concentration of both plant extracts is superior in activity when compared to 0.1% of the test extracts. H. suaveolens has produced more glucose utilization capacity when compared to B. prionitis. Conclusion: The activity of H. suaveolens is comparable to standard insulin (P < 0.01). Both the plant materials have some extra pancreatic mechanism like glucose uptake by peripheral tissue.

Excessive consumption of alcohol is a leading cause of lifestyle-induced morbidity and mortality worldwide. Although long-term alcohol abuse has been shown to be detrimental to the liver, brain and many other organs, our understanding of the exact molecular mechanisms by which this occurs is still limited. In tissues, ethanol is metabolized to acetaldehyde (mainly by alcohol dehydrogenase and cytochrome p450 2E1) and subsequently to acetic acid by aldehyde dehydrogenases. Intracellular generation of free radicals and depletion of the antioxidant glutathione (GSH) are believed to be key steps involved in the cellular pathogenic events caused by ethanol. With continued excessive alcohol consumption, further tissue damage can result from the production of cellular protein and DNA adducts caused by accumulating ethanol-derived aldehydes. Much of our understanding about the pathophysiological consequences of ethanol metabolism comes from genetically-engineered mouse models of ethanol-induced tissue injury. In this review, we provide an update on the current understanding of important mouse models in which ethanol-metabolizing and GSH-synthesizing enzymes have been manipulated to investigate alcohol-induced disease.

Cr2(MoO4)3 and N-doped Cr2(MoO4)3 are prepared by sol-gel and solid state methods, respectively. These molybdates are characterized by powder X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, FT-IR and UV-visible diffuse reflectance pectroscopy. The photodegradation of methylene blue solution was investigated in the presence of these oxides. За допомогою золь-гель методу і методу твердого стану одержано Cr2(MoO4)3 і N-вмісний Cr2(MoO4)3, відповідно. З використанням порошкової рентгенівської дифракції, скануючої електронної мікроскопії, енергодисперсійної спектроскопії, термогравіметричного аналізу, Фур'є-спектроскопії та УФ-пектроскопії дифузного відбиття проведено аналіз одержаних молібдатів. У присутності цих сполук досліджено фотодеградацію метиленового синього.

The effect of pretreatments on puffing of finger millet, bengal gram and maize were studied. The grains were pre - treated with water and citric acid solution (1% concentration). The puffed grains were evaluated for puffing yield, bulk density and angle of repose. All these three parameters of the puffed grains pre-treated with water. The yield (%) of corn varied to an higher extent for about 16 per cent for puffed grains pre-treated with water than pre-treated citric acid. There was almost no effect of pre-treatments of bengal gram on the puffing of grains. The bulk density of citric acid pre-treated corn was found to be 0.659 g/cc that is less than bulk density of water pre-treated corn puffed corn. The angle of repose of bengal gram that is pre-treated with water was 32.43 0 and that of citric acid pre-treated was found to be 31.51 0 . The sensory evaluation of the chapatti was made with blend of the three flours of puffed finger millet, bengal gram and maize with wheat in different proportions. The chapatti made from the blend of wheat 80 per cent maize 10 per cent finger millet 5 per cent and bengal gram 5 per cent has good overall acceptability of 8.34 on ten point hedonic scale by sensory evaluation.

In the present work, we have examined the role of triazine based functional moieties namely cyanuric chloride (CYC), 2-chloro-4, 6-bis (dimethylamino)-1, 3, 5-triazine (CBDT) and 1-chloro-3, 5-diazido-2, 4, 6-triazine (CDT), which are attached to the terminal carbons of hydroxyl terminated polybutadiene (HTPB), on the structure-property of polyurethanes (PUs). Triazine attached HTPB, called as modified HTPB, was polymerized with varieties of diisocyanates and the resulting PUs were further cured at 70 °C for 5 days to prepare the free-standing elastic PU films. Thorough spectroscopic studies (FT-IR and 13 C CP-MAS solid state NMR) of PU films could not identify any hydrogen bonding interactions between urethane bonds and triazine rings present in the soft segment (HTPB segment) of PU but revealed the presence of favorable electrostatic interaction between them because of the electron rich nature of triazine and the presence of polar substituents on the triazine ring. An in-depth small angle X-ray scattering study along with morphological study carried out by scanning electron microscopy confirmed that the interaction between urethane and triazine is the driving force for the formation of nanometer size mass fractals of hard segment domains (HSD) in the triazine attached HTPB-PU. Tensile strength and mechanical stability of modified HTPB-PU was found to be better than the native HTPB-PU owing to the formation of HSD. The current study also revealed the influence of nature and position of substituents in the triazine ring on the properties of modified PUs. The electron donating dimethyl amine groups of CBDT and segregation of PU chain were responsible for the strong photoluminescence of HTPB-CBDT-PU film compared to all other modified HTPB-PUs.

During mammalian development, some methylated cytosines (5mC) in CG dinucleotides are iteratively oxidized by TET dioxygenases to 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC), 5-formylcytosine (5fC), and 5-carboxylcytosine (5caC). The effect of these cytosine oxidative products on the sequence-specific DNA binding of transcription factors is being actively investigated. Here, we used the electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) to examine C/EBPα and C/EBPβ homodimers binding to all 25 chemical forms of a CG dinucleotide for two DNA sequences: the canonical C/EBP 8-mer TTGC|GCAA and the chimeric C/EBP|CRE 8-mer TTGC|GTCA. 5hmC in the CG dinucleotide in the C/EBP|CRE motif 8-mer TGAC|GCAA inhibits binding of C/EBPβ but not C/EBPα. Binding was increased by 5mC, 5fC and 5caC. Circular dichroism monitored thermal denaturations for C/EBPβ bound to the C/EBP|CRE motif confirmed the EMSA. The structural differences between C/EBPα and C/EBPβ that may account for the difference in binding 5hmC in the 8-mer TGAC|GCAA are explored.

Ethylene glycol is a common alcohol found in many household products such as household hard surface cleaner, paints, varnish, auto glass cleaner and antifreeze. While extremely toxic and often fatal on ingestion, few cases with early presentation by the patient have resulted in death; thus, rapid diagnosis is paramount to effectively treating ethylene glycol poisoning. In this study, we compare two sequential cases of ethylene glycol poisoning in a single individual, which resulted in strikingly different outcomes.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic and prevalent joint disease resulting in degenerative changes in the cartilage. Now-a-days vitamin-D is emerging as an important component which has a wide biological effects. The studies are evaluating the beneficial effects of vitamin-D in osteoarthritis therefore the present investigation was planned to analyze i) levels of vitamin-D in selected controls and OA patients, ii) monitor gene expression changes in CYP2R1, CYP3A4, CYP27B1, CYP24A1 and CYP27A1, whose products are involved in vitamin D metabolism. Our result shows that there was no significant difference in the vitamin-D levels in OA versus controls. The mean vitamin D levels in controls was 35.9 ng/ml (3 had ViD

Summary The study was conducted to evaluate the vanadium-induced testicular toxicity and its effect on sperm parameters, sperm nuclear DNA damage and histological alterations in Sprague Dawley rats and to assess the protective effect of G-hesperidin against this damage. Treatment of rats with vanadium at a dose of 1 mg kg bw−1 for 90 days resulted in significant reduction in serum testosterone levels, sperm count and motility. Further, a parallel increase in abnormal sperm morphology and adverse histopathological changes in testis was also associated with vanadium administration when compared to normal control. Moreover, sperm chromatin dispersion assay revealed that vanadium induces sperm nuclear DNA fragmentation. A marked increase in testicular malondialdehyde levels and decreased activity of antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase and catalase indicates vanadium-induced oxidative stress. Co-administration of G-hesperidin at a dose of 25 and 50 mg kg bw−1 significantly attenuated the sperm parameters and histological changes by restoring the antioxidant levels in rat testis. These results suggested that vanadium exposure caused reduced bioavailability of androgens to the tissue and increased free radical formation, thereby causing structural and functional changes in spermatozoa. G-hesperidin exhibited antioxidant effect by protecting the rat testis against vanadium-induced oxidative damage, further ensures antioxidant potential of bioflavonoids.

Three oxidative products of 5-methylcytosine (5mC) occur in mammalian genomes. We evaluated if these cytosine modifications in a CG dinucleotide altered DNA binding of four B-HLH homodimers and three heterodimers to the E-Box motif CGCAG|GTG. We examined 25 DNA probes containing all combinations of cytosine in a CG dinucleotide and none changed binding except for carboxylation of cytosine (5caC) in the strand CGCAG|GTG. 5caC enhanced binding of all examined B-HLH homodimers and heterodimers, particularly the Tcf3|Ascl1 heterodimer which increased binding ∼10-fold. These results highlight a potential function of the oxidative products of 5mC, changing the DNA binding of sequence-specific transcription factors.

Vinyl Acetate was copolymerized with Acrylamide in Four different formulations (95:05%, 90:10%, 85:15% and 80:20 %) (wt%) using redoxcatalysts by emulsion polymerization at 45 Deg C in water. The emulsions were casted on glass plates to form films. The films were tested for Mechanical properties like tensile strength, elongation at break and tear strength. Water vapour Permeability was determined. Optical property Haze was determined. The films were characterized by FT –IR spectroscopy and by DSC(Differential Scanning Calorimetry) for Tg, Tm and Td. The emulsions were precipitated using non solvent Methanol. The copolymers films were used for testing of MFI to know the flow characteristics.

Photoluminescent graphene quantum dots (GQDs) have received tremendous attention due to their sui generis chemical, electronic and optical properties but fabricating the pristine quality of GQD is extremely challenging. Herein, we have reported the pyrolysis of citric acid which in the presence of different bases viz. triethylamine, ammonium hydroxide and urea, produced N-doped GQDs at different pH. The effect of different pH has been studied in detail to optimize the formation conditions of the GQD. Ultraviolet–visible (UV–Vis) spectroscopy and normalized fluorescence spectra were applied to analyze the optical properties of the GQD. The mean particle size was analyzed by a particle size analyzer (dynamic light dispersion).

Gellan gum is an anionic exopolysaccharide produced by S. Paucimobilis ATCC 31461. Gellan have wide applications in food industry, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. Gel cluster involved in the biosynthesis of dTDP-L-Rha, glycosyltransferases and proteins requisite for gellan polymerization and export comprises of 18 genes. This study focuses on homology modelling of gel C, a component of gellan gum gene cluster using known protein structure of PDB server by Swiss, Phyre 2 and I-TASSER. Secondary structure prediction was analyzed using I-TASSER. Appropriate template for the modeling was determined using Protein BLAST. Visualization of the protein models was done using online software tool PyMOL. Structure validation was performed using various programs such as RAMPAGE, PROSA, VERIFY3D, ERRAT and QMEAN. RAMPAGE revealed that the predicted model has 94% amino acids in the core region of Ramachandran plot. Quality of the generated 3D models was validated using ProSA which display two characteristics of the input structure: Z-score and energy plots. Protein models with 3-D sequence profiles were retreived using VERIFY3D. Amino acid environment was evaluated by ERRAT and unreliable regions were identified using QMEAN. In our study, the protein modelling using Phyre 2 was found to be the most adequate when compared to modeling by Swiss model and I-TASSER model. Structural validation confirmed the reliability of model. The results indicated that gel C plays a crucial role in the polysaccharide chain length determination and so it can be a potential candidate for multiple expressions in Sphingomonas paucimobilis ATCC 31461.

Gellan gum, an anionic, high-molecular-weight, hetero exo-polysaccharide produced by Sphingomonas paucimobilis ATCC 31461 has potential applications in food and pharmaceutical industries, as a gelling agent, a highly-viscous biogum, a stabilizing agent etc. Three dimensional structure of a protein encoded by a gene could be useful to identify the function of the gene. This study investigates about the 3-D structure prediction of gel Q and gel K protein of Sphingomonas paucimobilis ATCC 31461 using two different protein modeling tools, Phyre2 and I-Tasser. Amplified gel Q and gel K genes were sequenced and the template protein structure identification was carried out using BLASTp with PDB. Superpositioning of the model with the template was analyzed with PyMol. Structure Validation servers of RAMPAGE, PROSA, Verify 3D, ERRAT and Qmean endorsed the 3D structure. The Phyre2 and I-Tasser model of gel Q protein showed best probability conformation with 94.3% and 80.7% residue respectively in the core region of Ramachandran plot showing greater accuracy of model prediction compared to gel K protein with 92.3% and 78.6% residue for Phyre2 and ITasser models respectively. Phyre2 server generated a finer prediction, analysis and validation for gel Q and gel K protein structure than the I-Tasser server. The results generated using Expasy tool also suggested that glycosyl transferase protein, encoded by the genes gel Q and gel K in the gel cluster may be directly involved in the fourth sugar addition of the repeating unit and in the incorporation of GlcA from UDP-glucuronic acid, into glucosyl-α-pyrophosphorylpolyprenol intermediate respectively. In order to develop a recombinant Sphingomonas paucimobilis ATCC 31461, gel Q and gel K gene might be a powerful successor for the overexpression of the gene to enhance gellan gum production.

A simple, efficient, and environmentally benign methodology has been accomplished for the synthesis of α-aminophosphonates by one-pot three-component reaction of ethyl-2-amino-α-(methoxy-imino)-4-thiazoleacetate, aldehydes, and diethylphosphite by using Amberlyst-15 as catalyst at room temperature under solvent-free conditions. Their chemical structures were characterized by infrared (IR), NMR (1H, 13C & 31P), mass spectral, and elemental analysis. All the title compounds were screened for radical-scavenging activity by 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), nitic oxide (NO), and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) methods. Supplementary materials are available for this article. Go to the publisher's online edition of Phosphorus, Sulfur, and Silicon and the Related Elements for the following free supplemental files: Additional text and figures.

Integrins play an important role in tumor progression, invasion and metastasis. Therefore we aimed to evaluate a preclinical imaging approach applying ανβ3 integrin targeted hybrid Fluorescence Molecular Tomography/X-ray Computed Tomography (FMT-XCT) for monitoring tumor progression as well as early therapy response in a syngeneic murine Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) model. Lewis Lung Carcinomas were grown orthotopically in C57BL/6 J mice and imaged in-vivo using a ανβ3 targeted near-infrared fluorescence (NIRF) probe. ανβ3-targeted FMT-XCT was able to track tumor progression. Cilengitide was able to substantially block the binding of the NIRF probe and suppress the imaging signal. Additionally mice were treated with an established chemotherapy regimen of Cisplatin and Bevacizumab or with a novel MEK inhibitor (Refametinib) for 2 weeks. While μCT revealed only a moderate slowdown of tumor growth, ανβ3 dependent signal decreased significantly compared to non-treated mice already at one week post treatment. ανβ3 targeted imaging might therefore become a promising tool for assessment of early therapy response in the future.

Adenine-thymine (AT)-rich interactive domain containing protein 5a (Arid5a) is an RNA-binding protein that has been shown to play an important immune regulatory function via the stabilization of IL-6 and STAT3 mRNA. However, the role of Arid5a in the overwhelming and uncontrolled immune response that leads to septic shock is unknown. Here, we report that Arid5a-deficient mice are highly resistant to lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced endotoxic shock and secrete lower levels of major proinflammatory cytokines, including IFN-γ, IL-6, and TNF-α, than WT mice in response to LPS. Arid5a deficiency resulted in decreased levels of IFN-γ under Th1 cell conditions, in which T-box expressed in T cells (T-bet) mRNA expression was inhibited. Arid5a bound to the conserved stem loop structure of the 3′UTR of T-bet and stabilized its mRNA. Arid5a-deficient mice were also resistant to Propionibacterium acnes-primed LPS injection, which is considered to be a T-cell–mediated IFN-γ dependent endotoxic shock mouse model. Thus, regulation of IFN-γ by Arid5a via the stabilization of T-bet mRNA in Th1 cells contributes to the development of septic shock in mice. In addition, our previous study suggests that Arid5a control the IL-6 level in vivo in response to LPS by stabilization of IL-6 mRNA. We also observed that neutralization of IFN-γ and IL-6 significantly recovered the mice from endotoxic shock. Taken together, we conclude that Arid5a regulates the augmentation of IL-6 and IFN-γ in response to LPS, which possibly works synergistically for amplification of various other cytokines that ultimately cause the development of septic shock in mice.

IFN-α prevents Ag-induced arthritis (AIA), and in this study we investigated the role of IDO1 and TGF-β signaling for this anti-inflammatory property of IFN-α. Arthritis was induced by methylated BSA (mBSA) in mBSA-sensitized wild-type (WT), Ido1−/−, or Ifnar−/− mice, treated or not with IFN-α or the IDO1 product kynurenine (Kyn). Enzymatic IDO1 activity, TGF-β, and plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDC) were neutralized by 1-methyltryptophan and Abs against TGF-β and pDC, respectively. IDO1 expression was determined by RT-PCR, Western blot, and FACS, and enzymatic activity by HPLC. Proliferation was measured by 3H-thymidine incorporation and TGF-β by RT-PCR and ELISA. WT but not Ido1−/− mice were protected from AIA by IFN-α, and Kyn, the main IDO1 product, also prevented AIA, both in WT and Ifnar−/− mice. Protective treatment with IFN-α increased the expression of IDO1 in pDC during AIA, and Ab-mediated depletion of pDC, either during mBSA sensitization or after triggering of arthritis, completely abrogated the protective effect of IFN-α. IFN-α treatment also increased the enzymatic IDO1 activity (Kyn/tryptophan ratio), which in turn activated production of TGF-β. Neutralization of enzymatic IDO1 activity or TGF-β signaling blocked the protective effect of IFN-α against AIA, but only during sensitization and not after triggering of arthritis. Likewise, inhibition of the IDO1 enzymatic activity in the sensitization phase, but not after triggering of arthritis, subdued the IFN-α–induced inhibition of mBSA-induced proliferation. In conclusion, presence of IFN-α at Ag sensitization activates an IDO1/TGF-β–dependent anti-inflammatory program that upon antigenic rechallenge prevents inflammation via pDC.

Joint destruction in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is due to tissue injury in the area caused by inflammatory reactions, release of MMPs and free radicals produced by neutrophils and macrophages. The control of free radical production may have therapeutic roles thus the study was done to check the status of lipid peroxidation product malondialdehyde (MDA) and a few antioxidant enzymes in RA patients. 45 RA patients and 40 controls were selected. Controls were asymptomatic and RA patients were selected according to ACR criteria. RA patients had significantly high MDA, SOD and ALP and reduced activity of catalase and GR as compared to controls. SOD showed positive correlation with ALP. GR was positively related with MDA, SOD and ALP. The study shows that MDA is involved in the pathogenesis of RA. The system is trying to quench free radicals by high SOD activity. Higher production of H2O2 or some other mechanism is responsible for inhibition of catalase and GR. However system is trying to reduce the damage by neutralizing superoxide anion. Therapeutic intervention of the oxidative stress may be considered for effective control of inflammation in RA patients.

Synthesized and structurally characterized is a new series of soft-host frameworks assembled by charge-assisted hydrogen bonds between an anionic metal complex (MC) and cationic organic linkers (OL), specifically [Co(en)(ox)(2)](-) and diprotonated 4,4'-bipyridinium (H(2)bpy) or 1,2-bis(4-pyridinium)ethylene (H(2)bpye). While frameworks built of cationic complexes and anionic organic linkers are already well-known, the seven new compounds described here represent the first series of frameworks with reversed polarity, that is, made of anionic complexes and cationic organic linkers. The compounds have a general formula [OL][MC](2)·n(guest), where the guest molecules 4,4'-biphenol (bp), 4-methoxyphenol (mp), 1,4-dimethoxybenzene (dmb), 1,6-dimethoxynaphtalene (dmn), and 4-nitroanisole (na). Structurally the compounds can be described as pillared-layer frameworks with layers constructed of MC anions and linked together by hydrogen-bonded cationic OL pillars. The guest molecules occupy the galleries between the pillars while their steric, electronic, and π-π and hydrogen-bonding capabilities influence the overall structure of the soft frameworks.

We have developed novel cathode materials in the chemical composition of Li2ZnSiO4, Li1.5Zn1.5SiO4, Li1Zn2Sio4, Li0.5Zn2.5SiO4 and Zn2SiO4 by a sol-gel method. Structural and thermal properties of these materials have been carried out from the measurement of their XRD, FTIR, and TG-DTA profiles. For the Zn2SiO4 sample, the optimized synthesis temperature has been found to be 900°C and maintaining this temperature; the remaining other samples have also been developed for their analysis. The ac conductivity, dielectric constant, dielectric loss values have been obtained and their trends have been explained on the basis of the distribution of Li+ ions in them because of their display of Maxwell- Wagner interfacial- type polarization.

Progression of Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and osteoarthritis (OA) is associated with inflammation and oxidative stress. Previous studies have shown that there was no difference between RA and OA patients regarding the percentages of the different lymphocytes subsets reflecting the abnormalities in T cells and its subsets that may contribute to the pathogenesis of OA as in RA. Therefore, the present study was aimed to analyze that whether disease activity of OA is able to affect a few serological and biochemical parameters in the same way as RA does or differently. The study was done on 36 asymptomatic controls (25 women), 28 patients with OA (20 women), 36 patients with RA (22 women). Patients with OA were screened according to radiological and clinical finding of Kellgren and Lawrence grade and ACR criteria and assessed by VAS and WOMAC score. Patients with RA were selected who were fulfilling 4/5 symptoms of ACR criteria, and their DAS28-CRP, VAS score, and RF positivity were evaluated. Participants of the groups were matched for sex, age, weight, and height (body mass index). The BMI of all three groups was also found to be the same (P > 0.05). The mean level of LDL, Cholesterol, MDA, CRP, and Triglyceride was significantly (P

Citation Prakash GJ, Suman P, Gupta SK. Relevance of syndecan-1 in the trophoblastic BeWo cell syncytialization. Am J Reprod Immunol 2011; 66: 385–393 Problem To investigate the role of syndecan-1 in the differentiation of the BeWo cells into syncytiotrophoblast. Method of study BeWo cells were stimulated with forskolin to form syncytia, and the expression of syndecan-1, desmoplakin I+II, human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) and angiogenesis-associated factors was analyzed. Syndecan-1 was silenced by siRNA to evaluate its involvement in the forskolin-mediated syncytia formation. Results Treatment of the BeWo cells with forskolin led to a significant increase in the syncytia formation. It was associated with an increase in the expression of syndecan-1 with a concomitant decrease in the expression of desmoplakin I+II. Forskolin treatment of the BeWo cells also led to an increase in the secretion of soluble endoglin, whereas no change was observed in the soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1. Silencing of the syndecan-1 expression in BeWo cells led to a significant decrease in cell fusion both in the presence and in the absence of forskolin. It was associated with a significant decrease in hCG level in the conditioned medium. Conclusion Syndecan-1 is up-regulated in BeWo cells during differentiation and its silencing inhibits syncytialization and thus could be a useful biomarker for syncytiotrophoblast formation.

Thermoreversible gelation of a copolymer, poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-chlorotrifluoroethylene), has been studied in a series of aromatic diesters (phthalates) with varying aliphatic chain length, n. The gelation rate gradually increases with increasing n, but no gelation occurs in dioctyl phthalate (n = 8), giving rise to a solvent dependency. Structures of gels and dried gels have been studied through X-ray diffraction and FTIR studies. Fibrillar morphology is evident for the series of solvents, but its dimension (both lateral and diameter) systematically changes with n. Solvent retention power of gels has gradually been increased with increasing n while the thermal degradation of copolymer occurs at same temperature, reflecting varying interactions between copolymer and various aliphatic chain length phthalates in gels. Phase diagrams of the gels exhibit the formation of two kinds of polymer−solvent complexes and have been predicted theoretically through electronic structure calculation. Both the small-...

Intact red blood cells (RBCs) are required for phenotypic analyses. In order to allow separation (time and location) between subject encounter and sample analysis, we developed a research-specific RBC cryopreservation protocol and assessed its impact on data fidelity for key biochemical and physiological assays. RBCs drawn from healthy volunteers were aliquotted for immediate analysis or following glycerol-based cryopreservation, thawing, and deglycerolization. RBC phenotype was assessed by (1) scanning electron microscopy (SEM) imaging and standard morphometric RBC indices, (2) osmotic fragility, (3) deformability, (4) endothelial adhesion, (5) oxygen (O2) affinity, (6) ability to regulate hypoxic vasodilation, (7) nitric oxide (NO) content, (8) metabolomic phenotyping (at steady state, tracing with [1,2,3-13C3]glucose ± oxidative challenge with superoxide thermal source; SOTS-1), as well as in vivo quantification (following human to mouse RBC xenotransfusion) of (9) blood oxygenation content mapping and flow dynamics (velocity and adhesion). Our revised glycerolization protocol (40% v/v final) resulted in >98.5% RBC recovery following freezing (-80°C) and thawing (37°C), with no difference compared to the standard reported method (40% w/v final). Full deglycerolization (>99.9% glycerol removal) of 40% v/v final samples resulted in total cumulative lysis of ~8%, compared to ~12–15% with the standard method. The post cryopreservation/deglycerolization RBC phenotype was indistinguishable from that for fresh RBCs with regard to physical RBC parameters (morphology, volume, and density), osmotic fragility, deformability, endothelial adhesivity, O2 affinity, vasoregulation, metabolomics, and flow dynamics. These results indicate that RBC cryopreservation/deglycerolization in 40% v/v glycerol final does not significantly impact RBC phenotype (compared to fresh cells).

Backgorund: Hypericum perforatum extract (HPE), is known for its antidepressant effect. Methods: In the present study we investigated the effect of H. perforatum gold nanoparticles (Nanohypericum-HPGNPs) protective role against restraint stress-induced behavioral and biochemical alterations in mice. Animals were immobilized for a period of 6 hrs/day. HPE (200 mg/kg) and nanohypericum (20 mg/kg) were administered 30 minutes before the animals were subjected to acute immobilized stress. Behavioral test parameters for anxiety and spatial memory were assessed followed by biochemical parmeters (lipid peroxidation, super oxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, reduced glutathione, etc.) subsequently. Results: The behavior study showed severe anxiety and memory loss compared to unstressed animals. Biochemical analyses revealed an increase in lipid per oxidation, depletion of super oxide dismutase, reduced glutathione, catalase activity and glutathione per oxidase as compared to unstressed animal. Twenty one days of H. perforatum and nanohypericum treatment in a dose of 200 mg/kg and 20 mg/kg, respectively, significantly attenuated restraint stress-induced behavioral and oxidative damage. Conclusion: In conclusion nanohypericum prove the modest activity than the HPE.

Chiral C2-symmetric bis(amide) molecules, N,N′-bis(4-fluorobenzoyl)-(1R,2R)-diaminocyclohexane (BFBDC), N,N′-bis(4-nitrobenzoyl)-(1R,2R)-diaminocyclohexane (BNBDC), N,N′-bis(4-methoxybenzoyl)-(1R,2R)-diaminocyclohexane (BMBDC), and N,N′-bis(4-aminobenzoyl)-(1R,2R)-diaminocyclohexane (BABDC) are synthesized, and their assembly patterns in the solid state are investigated through single-crystal X-ray analysis. A range of noncovalent interactions give rise to helical superstructures in the crystals. The compounds exhibit good optical transparency and high thermal stability; these may be attributed to the specific molecular structure and extended supramolecular interactions. BMBDC and BABDC molecules possess the largest hyperpolarizabilities in the series owing to the presence of electron-donating groups and exhibit second harmonic generation (SHG) in the solid state. The optical transparency, thermal stability, and SHG capability make these materials potentially interesting candidates for quadratic nonlinear...

Exploratory experiments were performed to test the feasibility of coagulation and flocculation as a post-treatment process for the effluent of an Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket (UASB) reactor treating domestic sewage. Commonly used coagulants [alum, polyaluminium chloride (PAC), ferric chloride, and ferric sulphate] were utilized in a series of jar tests to determine the optimum coagulant dose. The total and fecal coliforms in the effluent were less than 100,000 MPN/100 mL and 10,000 MPN/100 mL, respectively. It was found that all the tested coagulants were effective in reducing the effluent BOD and SS to less than 20 mg/L and 50 mg/L, respectively. The optimum chemical dosage was 20 mg/L (as Al) for alum 24 mg/L (as Al) for PAC, and 39.6 mg/L (as Fe) for FeCl3 and 17.6 mg/L (as Fe) for FeSO4, respectively. Coagulation–flocculation alone was not sufficient to reduce the fecal coliforms concentration to a permissible limit (1000 MPN/100 mL) for unrestricted irrigation. Thus, it would be necessary to disinfect the coagulated effluent. It was found out that after coagulation, a chlorine dose of 1–2 mg/L can reduce the fecal coliforms to less than 1000 MPN/100 mL. © 2007 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Environ Prog, 2007.

Polyethylene glycol (PEG-400) was found to be an inexpensive, non-toxic, and effective medium for the one-pot synthesis of 1,2-disubstituted benzimidazoles in excellent yields. Eco-friendliness, low cost, high yields, and recyclability of the PEG-400 are the important features of this protocol.