Flow injection assays for NADH and ethanol using photosensitized rose bengal and luminol–copper (II) chemiluminescence system

The online photoreaction of the rose bengal photosensitized luminol–copper (II) chemiluminescence (CL) system was used for the determination of β-nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) and ethanol (EtOH) in pharmaceutical formulations combined with a flow injection technique. NADH can significantly enhance the CL emission of the reaction. For EtOH, alcohol dehydrogenase in soluble form was utilized in the presence of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide resulting in NADH production. The limit of detection (3σ blank, 𝑛 = 3) of 4.0 × 10⁻⁸ and 2.17 × 10⁻⁵ M, and linear range 1.3 × 10⁻⁷ to 2.5 × 10⁻⁵ M (R² = 0.9998, n = 6) and 0.11–2.17 × 10⁻³ M (R² = 0.9996, n = 6) were obtained for NADH and EtOH respectively. The injection rate was 100 h⁻¹ with a relative standard deviation (n = 3) of 1.5–4.8% in the range studied for both analytes. The procedure was satisfactorily applied to pharmaceutical formulations with recoveries in the range 91.6 ± 3.0% to 110 ± 2.0% for NADH and 88 ± 3.0% to 95.4 ± 4.0% for EtOH. The results obtained were very consistent and did not differ considerably from the reported approaches at a 95% confidence limit. The possible mechanism of the CL reaction is also explained briefly.     

Achieving Balanced Crystallization Kinetics of Donor and Acceptor by Sequential‐Blade Coated Double Bulk Heterojunction Organic Solar Cells

Sequential deposition has great potential to achieve high performance in organic solar cells due to the resulting well‐controlled vertical phase separation. In this work, double bulk heterojunction organic solar cells are fabricated by sequential‐blade cast in ambient conditions. Probed by the in situ grazing incidence X‐ray diffraction and in situ UV–vis absorption measurements, the seq‐blade system exhibits a different tendency from each of the binary films during the film formation process. Due to the extensive aggregation of FOIC, the binary PBDB‐T:FOIC film displays a strong and large phase separation, resulting in low current density (J_sc) and unsatisfactory power conversion efficiency. In the seq‐blade cast system, the bottom layer PBDB‐T:IT‐M produces many crystal nuclei for the top layer PBDB‐T:FOIC, so the PBDB‐T molecules are able to crystallize easily and quickly. Balanced crystallization kinetics between polymer and small molecule and an ideal percolation network in the film are observed. In addition, the balanced crystallization kinetics are favorable toward realizing lower recombination loss through charge transport processes.     

In vivo glucose-6-phosphatase inhibitory,toxicity and antidiabetic potentials of 2-picolylamine thioureas in Swiss albino mice

The 2-picolylamine is a simplest analogue of the alkaloid that has secondary and tertiary nitrogen function in its cyclic structure like that of alkaloids that can be derivatized to a number of biologically active compounds. In connection to our previous work, in the present work, three thiourea derivatives (I = 1,3-bis(2-benzyl-3-phenyl-1-(pyridine-2-yl) propyl) thiourea, II = 1,3-bis (pyridin-2-ylmethyl) thiourea, and III = 1-(2-benzyl-3-phenyl-1-(pyridine-2-yl) propyl)-3-phenylthiourea) were synthesized using 2-picolylamine template which is a readily available synthetic analogue of naturally occurring alkaloid. The biological effect of the synthesized derivatives were monitored on the activity of glucose-6-phosphatase in Swiss albino mice (21-days). The derivatives were also tested for their potential toxicity in a 28-days sub-chronic toxicity studies by assessing their effects on different parameters like hematological, serum biochemistry and liver histology. The therapeutic effect of the safe derivative (I) was examined in streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice as well. The derivatives showed inhibition of the enzyme activity from good to an excellent degree. Compound I had the highest inhibition with 21.42 ± 5.113 mg of the released phosphate as compared to that of the positive control group (84.55 ± 3.213 mg). Only I turned out to be safe for use in animals without exerting any toxic or lethal effects on any of the assessed parameters in the used animal model. Compound I efficiently reversed the effects like hyperglycemia, hyperlipidemia and weight loss in the test animals. Out of these three-tested compounds, I was found safe to be use as therapeutic agent in diabetes complications. However, further toxicological studies in other animal models are needed as well.     

Quantification of biochemical compounds in Bauhinia Variegata Linn flower extract and its hepatoprotective effect

Liver disorders may occur as a result of exposure to chemical compounds capable of inducing the oxidative stress and hepatic injuries. The aim of present study was to investigate the effects of flower extracts of B. Variegata for the treatment of liver injury induced by the CCl₄. About 1 ml/kg body weight (b.w) of CCl4 was induced to experimental mice by intraperitoneal way for 14 days. The methanol and chloroform extracts (100, 200 and 300 mg/kg b.w) were administered to experimental animals for 14 days along with standard drug Silymarine (100 mg/kg b.w). The extracts alone showed no evidence of hepatic toxicity but animals exposed to CCl₄ without the treatment with B. Variegata presented variations in levels of liver enzymes, antioxidant enzymes, proteins and blood cells as well as injuries in liver cells were also observed during histopathological study. However, after the treatments especially with 300 mg/kg b.w of methanol flower extracts levels of liver markers (ALT, AST and ALP), antioxidant enzymes and blood cells decreases and turned towards normal levels. Whereas level of total proteins and bilirubin was improved and damaged liver cells were repaired. The curative activity of flower extracts can be correlated to the higher potential of antioxidants and occurrence of Quercetin and some other organic compounds those were investigated from flower extracts of B. Variegata during HPLC and GC-MS analysis. The finding of this study supports the use of B. Variegata flower formulation in folk medicines.     

Genome-wide analysis of key salinity-tolerance transporter (HKT1;5) in wheat and wild wheat relatives (A and D genomes)

Exclusion of sodium ions from cells is one of the key salinity tolerance mechanisms in plants. The high-affinity cation transporter (HKT1;5) is located in the plasma membrane of the xylem, excluding Na⁺ from the parenchyma cells to reduce Na⁺ concentration. The regulatory mechanism and exact functions of HKT genes from different genotypic backgrounds are relatively obscure. In this study, the expression patterns of HKT1;5 in A and D genomes of wheat were investigated in root and leaf tissues of wild and domesticated genotypes using real-time PCR. In parallel, the K⁺/Na⁺ ratio was measured in salt-tolerant and salt-sensitive cultivars. Promoter analysis were applied to shed light on underlying regulatory mechanism of the HKT1;5 expression. Gene isolation and qPCR confirmed the expression of HKT1;5 in the A and D genomes of wheat ancestors (Triticum boeoticum, AbAb and Aegilops crassa, MMDD, respectively). Interestingly, earlier expression of HKT1;5 was detected in leaves compared with roots in response to salt stress. In addition, the salt-tolerant genotypes expressed HKT1;5 before salt-sensitive genotypes. Our results suggest that HKT1;5 expression follows a tissue- and genotype-specific pattern. The highest level of HKT1;5 expression was observed in the leaves of Aegilops, 6 h after being subjected to high salt stress (200 mM). Overall, the D genome allele (HKT1;5-D) showed higher expression than the A genome (HKT1;5-A) allele when subjected to a high NaCl level. We suggest that the D genome is more effective regarding Na⁺ exclusion. Furthermore, in silico promoter analysis showed that TaHKT1;5 genes harbor jasmonic acid response elements.     

How the Nucleus and Mitochondria Communicate in Energy Production During Stress: Nuclear MtATP6, an Early-Stress Responsive Gene, Regulates the Mitochondrial F1F0-ATP Synthase Complex

A small number of stress-responsive genes, such as those of the mitochondrial F₁F₀-ATP synthase complex, are encoded by both the nucleus and mitochondria. The regulatory mechanism of these joint products is mysterious. The expression of 6-kDa subunit (MtATP6), a relatively uncharacterized nucleus-encoded subunit of F₀ part, was measured during salinity stress in salt-tolerant and salt-sensitive cultivated wheat genotypes, as well as in the wild wheat genotypes, Triticum and Aegilops using qRT-PCR. The MtATP6 expression was suddenly induced 3 h after NaCl treatment in all genotypes, indicating an early inducible stress-responsive behavior. Promoter analysis showed that the MtATP6 promoter includes cis-acting elements such as ABRE, MYC, MYB, GTLs, and W-boxes, suggesting a role for this gene in abscisic acid-mediated signaling, energy metabolism, and stress response. It seems that 6-kDa subunit, as an early response gene and nuclear regulatory factor, translocates to mitochondria and completes the F₁F₀-ATP synthase complex to enhance ATP production and maintain ion homeostasis under stress conditions. These communications between nucleus and mitochondria are required for inducing mitochondrial responses to stress pathways. Dual targeting of 6-kDa subunit may comprise as a mean of inter-organelle communication and save energy for the cell. Interestingly, MtATP6 showed higher and longer expression in the salt-tolerant wheat and the wild genotypes compared to the salt-sensitive genotype. Apparently, salt-sensitive genotypes have lower ATP production efficiency and weaker energy management than wild genotypes; a stress tolerance mechanism that has not been transferred to cultivated genotypes.     

Structure-activity study of phosphoramido acid esters as acetylcholinesterasf inhibitors

Phosphoramido acid esters (CH₃)₂NP(O)X(p-OC₆H₄-CH₃) (containing P-Cl (1), P-O (2), P-F (3), P-CN (5), and P-N (4,6) bonds, X for 2, 4 and 6 is OCH₃, (C₂H₅)₂N and morpholin) have been synthesized to investigate the structure-activity study of AChE enzyme inhibition, through the parameters logP, δ³¹P and IC₅₀. After their characterization by ³¹P, ³¹P{¹H}, ¹³C, ¹H NMR, IR and mass spectroscopy, the parameters logP and δ³¹P (³¹P chemical shift in NMR) were used to evaluated the lipophilicity and electronical properties. The ability of compounds to inhibit human AChE was predicted by PASS software (version 1.193), and experimentally evaluated by a modified Ellman's assay.     

Effect of anode angle on photon beam spectra and depth dose characteristics for X-RAD320 orthovoltage unit

Background

In radiation therapy with orthovoltage units, the tube design has a crucial effect on its dosimetric features.

Aim

In this study, the effect of anode angle on photon beam spectra, depth dose and photon fluence per initial electron was studied for a commercial orthovoltage unit of X-RAD320 biological irradiator.

Materials and methods

The MCNPX MC code was used for modeling in the current study. We used the Monte Carlo method to model the X-RAD320 X-ray unit based on the manufacturer provided information. The MC model was validated by comparing the MC calculated photon beam spectra with the results of SpekCalc software. The photon beam spectra were calculated for anode angles from 15 to 35 degrees. We also calculated the percentage depth doses for some angles to verify the impact of anode angle on depth dose. Additionally, the heel effect and its relation with anode angle were studied for X-RAD320 irradiator.

Results

Our results showed that the photon beam spectra and their mean energy are changed significantly with anode angle and the optimum anode angle of 30 degrees was selected based on less heel effect and appropriate depth dose and photon fluence per initial electron.

Conclusion

It can be concluded that the anode angle of 30 degrees for X-RAD320 unit used by manufacturer has been selected properly considering the heel effect and dosimetric properties.     

Association of multiple drug resistance-1 gene polymorphism with multiple drug resistance in breast cancer patients from an ethnic Saudi Arabian population

Chemotherapy has been used widely to treat cancer, both as a systemic therapy and as a local treatment. Unfortunately, many types of cancer are still refractory to chemotherapy. The mechanisms of anticancer drug resistance have been extensively explored but have not been fully characterized. This study analyzed the occurrences of polymorphism (SNP) in the MDR1 gene in breast cancer patients and determined a possible association with chemotherapy. The study group included one hundred breast carcinoma patients who subsequently received chemotherapy (the regimen generally consisted of commonly used drugs such as cyclophosphamide, adriamycin, 5-fluorouracil, docetaxel and their combinations). Blood samples from 100 healthy individuals are used, as controls were also genotyped for the MDR1 gene. This investigation revealed a significant correlation with response to various regimens of chemotherapy showing a low response to therapy with the CT/TT genotype at (exon 12) 1236 codon (p < 0.001). These findings demonstrate, for the first time, that the polymorphisms in (exon 12) 1236 codon of the MDR1 gene greatly influence the drug response in patients from the Arab population of Saudi Arabia.