The Correlation of Cold Denaturation Temperature with Surface Stability Factor of Proteins

Cold denaturation is an intriguing phenomenon in protein denaturation for elucidating protein accessible surface area (ASA). Compared to the impact of protein surface, the importance of protein-water interactions in cold denaturation may be ruled out significantly. Here, based on the ASA, we have defined a new factor, the surface stability factor (SSF). From the SSF, in combination with the cold denaturation temperature (T(g')) or temperature at DeltaS = 0 (T(s)) of a given protein, one can predict the percent of hydrophobic surface area (H), percent of total surface there on positive and negative charge sum (effective charge) be zero (C), percent of patches hydrophobicity (HP) and others critical surface parameters without any need to the crystallographic data.     

The emerging role of substance P/neurokinin-1 receptor signaling pathways in growth and development of tumor cells

Journal of Physiology and Biochemistry - Tachykinins (TKs) include an evolutionarily conserved group of small bio-active peptides which possess a common carboxyl-terminal sequence,...     

Health Risk Assessment of Consumption of Heavy Metals in Market Food Crops from Sialkot and Gujranwala Districts,Pakistan

This study was performed to investigate the potential health risk of heavy metals (HMs) through consumption of market food crops (MFCs) in the Sialkot and Gujranwala districts, Pakistan. Both study areas are located in industrialized regions of the country, where atmospheric pollution is a problem and irrigation of food crops is mostly practiced on the use of wastewater/contaminated water. For the purpose of this study, MFCs samples were collected and assessed for HMs (Cr, Ni, Cd, Pb, Mn, Cu, Zn, and Fe) by using flame atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Concentration of HMs such as Pb and Cd exceeded the Food and Agriculture/World Health Organization's recommended limits in all MFCs, while Cr in most of the vegetables of the Sialkot and Gujranwala districts also exceeded that limit. The health risk index was >1 in Triticum aestivum for Pb and Cd intake in the Sialkot district and only Pb in the Gujranwala district. Therefore, this study suggests pretreatment of wastewater and its utilization for lawns and green belts irrigation, rather than for food crops. This study also suggests a regular monitoring of HMs in the irrigation water, subsequent soil, air, and MFCs in order to prevent or reduce health hazards.     

Antineoplastic drug‐loaded polymer‐modified magnetite nanoparticles: Comparative analysis of EPR‐mediated drug delivery

This study aimed to design and evaluate enhanced permeation and retention (EPR)‐mediated anticancer effect of polymer‐modified and drug‐loaded magnetite nanocomposites. The preformulated bare (10 nm), chitosan‐superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO; 69 nm), heparin‐SPIO (42 nm), and (3‐aminopropyl)triethoxysilane‐polyethylene glycol‐SPIO (17 nm) nanocomposites were utilized to evaluate the EPR‐mediated localized cancer targeting and retention of doxorubicin (DOX) and paclitaxel (PTX) in human ovarian cancer cell lines, A2780 and OVCAR‐3 in vitro and in the tumor‐baring Balb/c mice in vivo. Fluorescence microscopy showed that DOX‐ and PTX‐loaded SPIO nanoparticles caused long‐term accumulation and cytoplasmic retention in A2780 and OVCAR‐3 cells, as compared to free drugs in vitro. In vivo antiproliferative effect of present formulations on immunodeficient female Balb/c mice showed a tremendous amount of ovarian tumor shrinkage within 6 weeks. The present nanocomposite systems of targeted drug delivery proved to be efficient drug carrier with sustained drug release and long‐term retention with enhanced cytotoxic properties in vitro and in vivo.     

Supplementation of Salicylic Acid and Citric Acid for Alleviation of Cadmium Toxicity to Brassica juncea

Journal of Plant Growth Regulation - The reported study investigated the interaction between salicylic acid (SA) and citric acid (CA) in cadmium (Cd)-stressed Brassica juncea plants. Seedling...     

Nortriterpenoids from the roots of Paeonia emodi

Chemical investigation of chloroform–ethyl acetate extract from the roots of Paeonia emodi yielded four hitherto unknown noroleanane triterpenoids (1–4) together with four known compounds (5–8). Their structures were established by analysis of spectroscopic data. Compounds 1–8 were evaluated for cytotoxic activities against human cancer cell lines A549, HL-60, HCT116 and ZR-75-30. Compounds 1, 2, 3, 6 and 7 showed modest cytotoxicity against HL-60, HCT116 and ZR-75-30.     

In vitro cormlet production of saffron (Crocus sativus L. Kashmirianus) and their flowering response under greenhouse

A complete protocol for the saffron cormlet production under in vitro conditions and subsequent flowering under greenhouse conditions is described. Highest number of cormlets (70.0 ± 0.30) per corm slice (explant) could be regenerated on Murashige and Skoog (MS) half strength medium supplemented with thidiazuron (TDZ) (20 μM), Indole acetic acid (IAA) (10 μM), and sucrose (40 g/l). Maximum germination (90%) of these cormlets could be achieved on MS medium containing 6-benzyl amino purine (BAP) (20 μM) and α-naphthalene acetic acid (NAA) (15 μM). In order to increase the size of the in vitro raised cormlets, these were cultured on MS medium containing TDZ (15 μM) and IAA in the range of 1.5-30 μM. Maximum increase in cormlet size could be attained on TDZ (15 μM) + IAA (12.5 μM) + sucrose (30 g/l), and the average size of cormlets was 2.5g. In another experiment, apical vegetative buds of actively growing corms were cultured for cormlet development, and corms of size 2.5g could be developed on MS medium with NAA (15 μM), BAP (20 μM), and sucrose (30 g/l). The in vitro developed cormlets were dried under shade at 25 ± 2°C for 7 d. These were then planted in small cups containing clay loam soil and kept in green house at 20 ± 2°C. In vitro developed cormlets with mean weight 2.5 g showed maximum flowering (25%) as well as vegetative growth (55%), while only 19% cormlets of 2.0 g flowered. To our knowledge this is the first report on successful flowering from in vitro raised cormlets under greenhouse.