Synthesis, stereochemical assignments, and biological activities of homoisoflavonoids

A series of four naturally occurring homoisoflavonoids and eight analogs have been synthesized starting from an appropriately substituted phenol through chroman-4-one, in four steps. The products were assigned as E-isomers based on NMR spectroscopic data. The E-isomers were converted into Z-isomers by photoisomerization. The E- and Z-isomers showed distinct chemical shifts and the differences between (E) and (Z)-homoisoflavonoids in the proton NMR spectra afford a useful method for ascertaining the stereochemistry. The antioxidant activity of homoisoflavonoids was determined by superoxide (NBT) and DPPH free radical scavenging methods. The analog 7-hydroxy-3-[(3,4,5-trihydroxyphenyl)methylene]chroman-4-one displayed excellent activity followed by sappanone A in both the methods and were several times potent than the commercial antioxidants like BHA, BHT, etc. These compounds were evaluated in vitro for their inhibitory activities against 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX) enzyme. The analog 7-hydroxy-3-[(N,N-dimethylaminophenyl)methylene]chroman-4-one was found to possess potent inhibitory activity and was comparable to that of the standard, nordihydroguiaretic acid. These results suggest that these homoisoflavonoids, with their potent antioxidant and 5-LOX inhibitory activities, may have useful applications as antioxidants and lead compounds for asthma and inflammatory diseases.     

Dynamic fuzzy model based predictive controller for a biochemical reactor

The kinetics of bioreactions often involve some uncertainties and the dynamics of the process vary during the course of fermentation. For such processes, conventional control schemes may not provide satisfactory control performance and demands extra effort to design advanced control schemes. In this study, a dynamic fuzzy model based predictive controller (DFMBPC) is presented for the control of a biochemical reactor. The DFMBPC incorporates an adaptive fuzzy modeling framework into a model based predictive control scheme to derive analytical controller output. The DFMBPC has the flexibility to opt with various types of fuzzy models whose choice also lead to improve the control performance. The performance of DFMBPC is evaluated by comparing with a fuzzy model based predictive controller (FMBPC) with no model adaptation and a conventional PI controller. The results show that DFMBPC provides better performance for tracking setpoint changes and rejecting unmeasured disturbances in the biochemical reactor.     

In vitro hybridization in an incompatible cross Nicotiana glutinosa X Nicotiana megalosiphon

Summary Using conventional techniques interspecific hybridization between N. glutinosa (2n=24) and N. megalosiphon (2n=40) results in failure while the reciprocal is successful. Attempts were made here to obtain an F₁ hybrid of N. glutinosa X N. megalosiphon by embryo rescue. These reciprocal hybrids resembled each other in their phenotypic and chromosomal behaviour, i.e. there is broad spectrum of phenotypic variation coupled to chromosomal range from 2n-28 to 32. This may be due to the functional disharmony between chromosome sets of two unrelated species resulting in the elimination of chromosomes.     

Integrative analysis of rewired central metabolism in temozolomide resistant cells

An authenticated U87MG clonal glioblastoma cell line was investigated to identify a sub-population of neurospheroidal (NSP) cells within the main epithelial population (U87MG). The NSP cells sorted using Fluorescence Assisted Cell Sorting (FACS) showed varied morphology, 30% lower growth rates, 40% higher IC₅₀ values for temozolomide drug and could differentiate into the glial cell type (NDx). Metabolite profiling using HR-LCMS identified glucose, glutamine and serine in both populations and tryptophan only in U87MG as growth limiting substrates. Glycine, alanine, glutamate and proline were secreted by U87MG, however proline and glycine were re-utilized in NSP. Exo-metabolite profiling and phenotypic microarrays identified differential metabolism of primary carbon sources glucose and derived pyruvate for U87MG; glutamine and derived glutamate metabolism in NSP. Differential mRNA abundance of AKT1, PTEN, PIK3CA controlling metabolism, drug efflux, nutrient transport and epigenetic control MDM2 are potentially critical in shaping DNA methylation effects of temozolomide. Our study provides a new insight into the combined effect of these factors leading to temozolomide resistance in NSP.     

Nutrient removal and biomass production: advances in microalgal biotechnology for wastewater treatment

Owing to certain drawbacks, such as energy-intensive operations in conventional modes of wastewater treatment (WWT), there has been an extensive search for alternative strategies in treatment technology. Biological modes for treating wastewaters are one of the finest technologies in terms of economy and efficiency. An integrated biological approach with chemical flocculation is being conventionally practiced in several-sewage and effluent treatment plants around the world. Overwhelming responsiveness to treat wastewaters especially by using microalgae is due to their simplest photosynthetic mechanism and ease of acclimation to various habitats. Microalgal technology, also known as phycoremediation, has been in use for WWT since 1950s. Various strategies for the cultivation of microalgae in WWT systems are evolving faster. However, the availability of innovative approaches for maximizing the treatment efficiency, coupled with biomass productivity, remains the major bottleneck for commercialization of microalgal technology. Investment costs and invasive parameters also delimit the use of microalgae in WWT. This review critically discusses the merits and demerits of microalgal cultivation strategies recently developed for maximum pollutant removal as well as biomass productivity. Also, the potential of algal biofilm technology in pollutant removal, and harvesting the microalgal biomass using different techniques have been highlighted. Finally, an economic assessment of the currently available methods has been made to validate microalgal cultivation in wastewater at the commercial level.     

Effects of water deficit on N2(C2H2) fixation in cowpea and groundnut

The effect of water deficit on nodulation, N₂ fixation, photosynthesis, and total soluble sugars and leghemoglobin in nodules was investigated in cowpea and groundnut. Nitrogenase activity completely ceased in cowpea with a decrease in leaf water potential ( _leaf) from –0.4 MPa to –0.9 MPa, while in groundnut it continued down to –1.7 MPa. With increasing water stress, the acetylene reduction activity (ARA) declined very sharply in cowpea, but ARA gradually decreased in groundnut. Even with mild water stress ( _leaf of 0.2 MPa), nodule fresh weight declined 50% in cowpea partly due to a severe nodule shedding whereas nodule fresh weight declined in groundnut only when _leaf decreased by 1.0 MPa. No nodule shedding was noticed even at a higher stress level in groundnut. Photosynthesis and stomatal conductance were also more stable in groundnut than in cowpea under water stress. There was a sharp increase in total soluble sugars and leghemoglobin in the nodules of groundut with water stress, but no definite trend could be found in cowpea.     

The toxicity of phenolic compounds to soil algal population and toChlorella vulgaris andNostoc linckia

Summary p-Nitrophenol (PNP),m-nitrophenol (MNP), 2,4-dinitrophenol (DNP) and catechol were tested for their effects on algal population in a soil and on pure cultures of two algae isolated from soil. Both PNP and MNP, even at 0.5 kg ha⁻¹ level were toxic to the soil algae; high doses effected increase in toxicity. Inhibition of algae was relatively more with PNP compared to the other two nitrophenols. Catechol treatment up to 1.0 kg ha⁻¹ led to a significant initial enhancement of algae with a subsequent far less toxic effect. The toxicity of the phenolic compounds towardChlorella vulgaris, a green alga andNostoc linckia, a blue-green alga, decreased in the order: MNP≧PNP>DNP>Catechol. However, algicidal or algistatic effect of the test chemicals was fairly more againstC. vulgaris, suggesting that the eukaryotic alga is highly sensitive to such soil pollutants compared to the prokaryotic alga.     

Studies on the nature of relationships between grain size,spikelet number,grain yield and spikelet filling in late duration varieties of rice (Oryza sativa L.)

Summary Studies on the nature of relationship between grain size (in terms of thousand grain weight), grain number, rate of filling and yield have been worked out with late duration (140–150 days) rice varieties. Grain number per m², grains per panicle and yield showed a negative relationship with grain size. There was no compensatory balance between grain size and grain number within a range of thousand grain weight of 15 to 30 g. Based on the peaks in grain filling activity, the varieties were classified into four groups. There was no relationship between grain size and rate of grain filling thereby suggesting that grain filling is determined by inherent endogenous factors.