EVALUATION OF HEAMAGGLUTINATION AND ANTI-CANCER POTENTIAL FROM INDIAN DIETARY PLANTS

Objective: To evaluate the agglutination and anti-cancer activity of different dietary plants, commonly used in Indian dietary system for its therapeutic applications.Methods: Sap/phloem exudates from different dietary plants were collected in phosphate buffer saline (PBS) was evaluated for lectin activity by using haemagglutination method in serial dilution manner. Anticancer activity of the different samples was evaluated against Ehrlich ascites carcinoma (EAC) cells by using trypan blue exclusion method.Results: Samples belongs to Cucurbitaceae family showed promising lectin activity among test samples. Praecitrullus fistulosus and Cucumis prophetarum give 256HU/mg whereas Cucumis dipsauses gives 128HU/mg activity, whereas Abelmoschus esculentus (16HU) which gives low lectin activity. Praecitrullus fistulosus shows anticancer activity 67.38% inhibition at 200µg concentration followed by Cucumis prophetum of 56.36% at 200µg concentration against Ehrlich ascites carcinoma (EAC) cells.Conclusion: The present study demonstrated that dietary lectin having a potential role in the biological field. High lectin activity demonstrates the anticancer effect in Ehrlich ascites carcinoma (EAC) model system, in vitro. Further study needs to isolate and evaluate biologically active lectin molecule in order to demonstrate the anticancer effect

One-Pot Palladium-Catalyzed Ligand- and Metal-Oxidant-Free Aerobic Oxidative Isocyanide Insertion Leading to 2-Amino-substituted-4(3H)-quinazolinones

An efficient, ligand- and metal-oxidant-free, one-pot, cascade aerobic oxidative, palladium-catalyzed, multicomponent reaction has been developed through isocyanide insertion of less active secondary amide and aromatic amine, which leads to 2-amino-substituted-4(3H)-quinazolinones. This approach proves to be one of the simplest methods for the synthesis of this class of valuable bioactive heterocyclic scaffolds

Simple and Rapid Methods for the Analysis of Captopril in Dosage Forms

Abstract: Two indirect methods are described for the micro determination of captopril using hexacyanoferrate (III) as reagent. The reaction used for titrimetry proceeds at room temperature and will be complete in 10 minute with a stoichiometry of 1:1 with respect to the oxidant and captopril. The reaction product used for spectrophotometric determination shows the absorption maximum at 510 nm. The Beer's law is obeyed over the concentration range 0.25-12.00 µg mL -1 , the molar absorptivity and Sandell sensitivity for the system being 9.14×10 3 L mol -1 cm -1 and 23.78 ng cm -2 , respectively. The limit of detection and quantification are found to be 0.08 and 0.26 µg mL -1 , respectively. Both procedures have been applied to the determination of captopril in tablets. The results have been statistically compared with those obtained by the official (BP) method

High Energy Neutrino Signals of Four Neutrino Mixing

We evaluate the upward shower and muon event rates for two characteristic four neutrino mixing models for extragalactic neutrinos, as well as for the atmospheric neutrinos, with energy thresholds of 1 TeV, 10 TeV and 100 TeV. We show that by comparing the shower to muon event rates, one can distinguish between oscillation and no-oscillation models. By measuring shower and muon event rates for energy thresholds of 10 TeV and 100 TeV, and by considering their ratio, it is possible to use extragalactic neutrino sources to determine the type of four-flavor mixing pattern. We find that one to ten years of data taking with kilometer-size detector has a very good chance of providing valuable information about the physics beyond the Standard Model.Comment: version accepted for publication in Phys. Rev.

On Black Hole Detection with the OWL/Airwatch Telescope

In scenarios with large extra dimensions and TeV scale gravity ultrahigh energy neutrinos produce black holes in their interactions with the nucleons. We show that ICECUBE and OWL may observe large number of black hole events and provide valuable information about the fundamental Planck scale and the number of extra dimensions. OWL is especially well suited to observe black hole events produced by neutrinos from the interactions of cosmic rays with the 3 K background radiation. Depending on the parameters of the scenario of large extra dimensions and on the flux model, as many as 28 events per year are expected for a Planck scale of 3 TeV.Comment: 8 pages, including 7 color figures, three figure captions corrected, minor changes for clarification, one reference adde

Tau Neutrinos Underground: Signals of νμ→ντ\nu_\mu \to \nu_\tau Oscillations with Extragalactic Neutrinos

The appearance of high energy tau neutrinos due to $\nu_\mu \to \nu_\tau$ oscillations of extragalactic neutrinos can be observed by measuring the neutrino induced upward hadronic and electromagnetic showers and upward muons. We evaluate quantitatively the tau neutrino regeneration in the Earth for a variety of extragalactic neutrino fluxes. Charged-current interactions of the upward tau neutrinos below and in the detector, and the subsequent tau decay create muons or hadronic and electromagnetic showers. The background for these events are muon neutrino and electron neutrino charged-current and neutral-current interactions, where in addition to extragalactic neutrinos, we consider atmospheric neutrinos. We find significant signal to background ratios for the hadronic/electromagnetic showers with energies above 10 TeV to 100 TeV initiated by the extragalactic neutrinos. We show that the tau neutrinos from point sources also have the potential for discovery above a 1 TeV threshold. A kilometer-size neutrino telescope has a very good chance of detecting the appearance of tau neutrinos when both muon and hadronic/electromagnetic showers are detected.Comment: section added and two new figs; accepted for publication in Physical Review

Rural Health Planning in India 455

Abstract Rural Health is an important commodity not only at the individual level but also in terms of the micro-and macroeconomic scale of a country. Improvement of health status is therefore on the political agenda of every government. Health planning in India is an integral part of national socio-economic planning. The guide-lines for national health planning were provided by a number of committees dating back to the Bhore committee in 1946. These committees were appointed by the Government in India from time to time to review the existing health situation and recommend measures for further action. Establishing health care planning in India is a key to improving the health of the Indian Population. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has been facilitating Health needs in India by establishing various schemes and organizations. The Government is conscious of th

A drug targeting only p110α can block phosphoinositide 3-kinase signalling and tumour growth in certain cell types

Genetic alterations in PI3K (phosphoinositide 3-kinase) signalling are common in cancer and include deletions in PTEN (phosphatase and tensin homologue deleted on chromosome 10), amplifications of PIK3CA and mutations in two distinct regions of the PIK3CA gene. This suggests drugs targeting PI3K, and p110α in particular, might be useful in treating cancers. Broad-spectrum inhibition of PI3K is effective in preventing growth factor signalling and tumour growth, but suitable inhibitors of p110α have not been available to study the effects of inhibiting this isoform alone. In the present study we characterize a novel small molecule, A66, showing the S-enantiomer to be a highly specific and selective p110α inhibitor. Using molecular modelling and biochemical studies, we explain the basis of this selectivity. Using a panel of isoform-selective inhibitors, we show that insulin signalling to Akt/PKB (protein kinase B) is attenuated by the additive effects of inhibiting p110α/p110β/p110δ in all cell lines tested. However, inhibition of p110α alone was sufficient to block insulin signalling to Akt/PKB in certain cell lines. The responsive cell lines all harboured H1047R mutations in PIK3CA and have high levels of p110α and class-Ia PI3K activity. This may explain the increased sensitivity of these cells to p110α inhibitors. We assessed the activation of Akt/PKB and tumour growth in xenograft models and found that tumours derived from two of the responsive cell lines were also responsive to A66 in vivo. These results show that inhibition of p110α alone has the potential to block growth factor signalling and reduce growth in a subset of tumours

Withanolides and related steroids

Since the isolation of the first withanolides in the mid-1960s, over 600 new members of this group of compounds have been described, with most from genera of the plant family Solanaceae. The basic structure of withaferin A, a C28 ergostane with a modified side chain forming a δ-lactone between carbons 22 and 26, was considered for many years the basic template for the withanolides. Nowadays, a considerable number of related structures are also considered part of the withanolide class; among them are those containing γ-lactones in the side chain that have come to be at least as common as the δ-lactones. The reduced versions (γ and δ-lactols) are also known. Further structural variations include modified skeletons (including C27 compounds), aromatic rings and additional rings, which may coexist in a single plant species. Seasonal and geographical variations have also been described in the concentration levels and types of withanolides that may occur, especially in the Jaborosa and Salpichroa genera, and biogenetic relationships among those withanolides may be inferred from the structural variations detected. Withania is the parent genus of the withanolides and a special section is devoted to the new structures isolated from species in this genus. Following this, all other new structures are grouped by structural types. Many withanolides have shown a variety of interesting biological activities ranging from antitumor, cytotoxic and potential cancer chemopreventive effects, to feeding deterrence for several insects as well as selective phytotoxicity towards monocotyledoneous and dicotyledoneous species. Trypanocidal, leishmanicidal, antibacterial, and antifungal activities have also been reported. A comprehensive description of the different activities and their significance has been included in this chapter. The final section is devoted to chemotaxonomic implications of withanolide distribution within the Solanaceae. Overall, this chapter covers the advances in the chemistry and biology of withanolides over the last 16 years.Fil: Misico, Rosana Isabel. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Química Orgánica; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Unidad de Microanálisis y Métodos Físicos Aplicados a la Química Orgánica (i); ArgentinaFil: Nicotra, V.. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Córdoba. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal (p); Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Químicas. Departamento de Química Orgánica; ArgentinaFil: Oberti, Juan Carlos María. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Córdoba. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal (p); Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Químicas. Departamento de Química Orgánica; ArgentinaFil: Barboza, Gloria Estela. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Córdoba. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal (p); Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Químicas. Departamento de Farmacia; ArgentinaFil: Gil, Roberto Ricardo. University Of Carnegie Mellon; Estados UnidosFil: Burton, Gerardo. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Química Orgánica; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Unidad de Microanálisis y Métodos Físicos Aplicados a la Química Orgánica (i); Argentin

Software for the frontiers of quantum chemistry:An overview of developments in the Q-Chem 5 package

This article summarizes technical advances contained in the fifth major release of the Q-Chem quantum chemistry program package, covering developments since 2015. A comprehensive library of exchange–correlation functionals, along with a suite of correlated many-body methods, continues to be a hallmark of the Q-Chem software. The many-body methods include novel variants of both coupled-cluster and configuration-interaction approaches along with methods based on the algebraic diagrammatic construction and variational reduced density-matrix methods. Methods highlighted in Q-Chem 5 include a suite of tools for modeling core-level spectroscopy, methods for describing metastable resonances, methods for computing vibronic spectra, the nuclear–electronic orbital method, and several different energy decomposition analysis techniques. High-performance capabilities including multithreaded parallelism and support for calculations on graphics processing units are described. Q-Chem boasts a community of well over 100 active academic developers, and the continuing evolution of the software is supported by an “open teamware” model and an increasingly modular design