Oxidoreductase

Oxidoreductase enzymes are a group of enzymes that catalyzes the transfer of electrons from one molecule, the reductant, also called the electron donor, to another, the oxidant, also called the electron acceptor. Oxidoreductase enzymes utilize NADP+ or NAD+ as cofactors. Oxidoreductase enzymes include the following: oxidase, dehydrogenase, peroxidase, hydroxylase, oxygenase, and reductase. Most oxidoreductase enzymes are dehydrogenases. However, reductases are also common. The accepted nomenclature for dehydrogenases is “donor dehydrogenase”, where the donor is the oxidized substrate. Metabolic abnormalities disorders resulting from a deficiency (quantitative and qualitative) or from over-activity of oxidoreductase, which may contribute to the decreased normal performance of life, are becoming common. This book covers the potential applications of oxidoreductases on the growth of oxidoreductase-based diagnostic tests and better biosensors in the design of inventive systems for crucial co-enzyme generations and in the synthesis of polymers and organic substrates. The book describes the role of oxidoreductase as essential in medical drug formation. It can be employed to produce a huge amount of compounds that act as medical mediators like Cephalosporin (beta lactam antibiotic). Furthermore, the idea of how to use different enzymes as targets for medical treatment in different types of cancers is also described in this book

Investigating the mechanisms of action of phytocannabinoids and a novel cognitive enhancer to target the comorbidity of temporal lobe epilepsy

Temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) is the most common type of epilepsy and exists with memory loss as a comorbidity. The conventional therapy available to treat these disorders achieves only modest therapeutic efficacy at best. This study investigates two potential treatments: phytocannabinoids to alleviate seizures, and a novel cognitive enhancer to restore/halt memory deficits. The anti-convulsant properties of cannabidiol (CBD) were first examined with regards to the neuropathology of two major types of hippocampal interneurons expressing parvalbumin (PV) and cholecystokinin (CCK) which are thought to dysfunction during epilepsy. Immunohistochemistry experiments using an in vivo kainic-acid induced epileptic rat model, revealed that PV- and CCK-immunopositive interneurons were significantly affected during epilepsy. This effect was greatly reduced following CBD treatment, suggesting that CBD exerts a neuroprotective function. The effects of CBD on the intrinsic membrane properties of these interneurons, together with hippocampal pyramidal cells, were further investigated in acute brain slices of rat seizure models of TLE (in vivo kainic acid-induced and in vitro Mg2+ free-induced). Whole-cell recordings revealed that bath application of CBD (10 µM) normalised the firing frequency of epileptic adapting pyramidal cells to healthy control levels. A similar effect was seen in hippocampal CCK-immunopositive Schaffer collateral associated (SCA) interneurons. In contrast, CBD resulted in an increased firing of PV-immunopositive interneurons, thus increasing their excitability and restoring the impaired membrane properties of the cells apparent in the epileptic models. The effects of cannabidivarin (CBDV), a similar cannabinoid compound, on the intrinsic membrane properties of these cell types were also evaluated. Additionally, CBDV affected excitatory postsynaptic currents by reducing excitation. In an attempt to address the memory impairment aspect associated with TLE, I investigated the neuronal effects of a5AM21, a novel potential memory enhancer. Electrophysiological experiments revealed that a5AM21 preferentially acts on 5-containing gamma (γ)-aminobutyric acid (GABA) type A (GABAA) receptors, reducing their inhibitory effects. Furthermore, data obtained using behavioural experiment paradigm, the eight-arm radial maze, suggest a significant improvement in short- and long-term memory retrieval in rats treated with a5AM21. In conclusion, the results reveal the potential mechanisms of action of two therapies to alleviate seizures and memory impairment, and the future goals would be to combine CBD/CBDV and a5AM21 as a promising novel targeted therapy for TLE

The Second Conference on Lunar Bases and Space Activities of the 21st Century, volume 2

These 92 papers comprise a peer-reviewed selection of presentations by authors from NASA, the Lunar and Planetary Institute (LPI), industry, and academia at the Second Conference on Lunar Bases and Space Activities of the 21st Century. These papers go into more technical depth than did those published from the first NASA-sponsored symposium on the topic, held in 1984. Session topics included the following: (1) design and operation of transportation systems to, in orbit around, and on the Moon; (2) lunar base site selection; (3) design, architecture, construction, and operation of lunar bases and human habitats; (4) lunar-based scientific research and experimentation in astronomy, exobiology, and lunar geology; (5) recovery and use of lunar resources; (6) environmental and human factors of and life support technology for human presence on the Moon; and (7) program management of human exploration of the Moon and space

Senescence

The book "Senescence" is aimed to describe all the phenomena related to aging and senescence of all forms of life on Earth, i.e. plants, animals and the human beings. The book contains 36 carefully reviewed chapters written by different authors, aiming to describe the aging and senescent changes of living creatures, i.e. plants and animals

Life Sciences Program Tasks and Bibliography for FY 1996

This document includes information on all peer reviewed projects funded by the Office of Life and Microgravity Sciences and Applications, Life Sciences Division during fiscal year 1996. This document will be published annually and made available to scientists in the space life sciences field both as a hard copy and as an interactive Internet web page