COMPUTATIONAL SCREENING FOR NOVEL INHIBITORS OF PROTEINS IN THE MAST CELL DEGRANULATION PATHWAY

Gemstone Team CASCADEAllergies are a pervasive issue and require novel ways of alleviating symptoms. Existing treatments focus on symptom management and immunotherapy in response to an allergic reaction. However, there is also the potential for prophylactic treatment that inhibits molecules involved in the mast cell degranulation pathway, which causes allergic symptoms. We identified potential target proteins downstream of this pathway including PKC, PLCγ, and PI3K isoforms, the activation of which results in the degranulation of mast cells. We computationally modeled protein-inhibitor binding interactions and identified inhibitors with the predicted highest binding affinity to the target pathway proteins. For the most efficient inhibitors, we extended our analysis by construction of analogs to determine which chemical properties of the inhibitors contributed to the highest binding affinity. The identified possible inhibitors have the potential to hinder mast cell degranulation, limit histamine and cytokine release, and therefore prevent allergic symptoms, making them ideal targets for future pharmacology research

Inhibiting Degranulation in Immune Cell Signaling Pathways

Allergies are a pervasive issue and require novel ways of alleviating symptoms. Existing treatments are focused on symptom management and immunotherapy, but there is also potential to target the molecules involved in the downstream pathway, particularly the PLCγ enzymatic pathway. Our research aimed to identify important target molecules involved in this pathway that result in the degranulation of mast cells. We intended to inhibit these molecules in order to hinder mast cell degranulation and therefore prevent allergic symptoms. Our results were tested and measured in MC/9 (mouse mast cell) and RBL-2H3 (rat basophilic) cell lines with multiple cell degranulation assays such as the beta-hexosaminidase and tryptase assay. The results were evaluated based on the comparative effect as well as specificity of inhibitors on mast cell degranulation. We aim to find the most ideal inhibitor for the PLCγ, SK, S1P2 enzymatic pathways in the signalling cascade in order to most effectively reduce degranulation and thus reduce the allergic response.Mosser Lab, Gemstone Honors Program, and our generous LaunchUMD donor

Three new species of Impatiens (Balsaminaceae) from southern Western Ghats, Kerala

Three new species of Impatiens, Impatiens achudanandanii, I. danii, and I. shailajae, are described from Thiruvananthapuram and Idukki districts of Kerala state (SW-India). Impatiens achudanandanii is similar to I. courtallensis and I. herbicola; I. danii to I. goughii and I. shailajae is to I. minae and I. scapiflora. The newly described taxa are readily distinguished from their allied species by unique character combinations, viz. shape of lateral sepal, lower sepal, dorsal petal, seed and pollen morphology. Detailed descriptions along with illustrations and photographs are provided

Three new species of Impatiens (Balsaminaceae) from southern Western Ghats, Kerala

Three new species of Impatiens, Impatiens achudanandanii, I. danii, and I. shailajae, are described from Thiruvananthapuram and Idukki districts of Kerala state (SW-India). Impatiens achudanandanii is similar to I. courtallensis and I. herbicola; I. danii to I. goughii and I. shailajae is to I. minae and I. scapiflora. The newly described taxa are readily distinguished from their allied species by unique character combinations, viz. shape of lateral sepal, lower sepal, dorsal petal, seed and pollen morphology. Detailed descriptions along with illustrations and photographs are provided

A Review of Sustainable Bio-Based Insulation Materials for Energy-Efficient Buildings

The surge towards a sustainable future in the construction industry requires the use of bio-based insulation materials as an alternative to conventional ones for improving energy efficiency in structures. In this article, the features of bio-based insulation materials, including their thermal conductivities, moisture buffering value, fire performance, and life cycle evaluations are examined. It is clear from the review that pre- and post-treatment of the bio-based materials used for insulation materials optimize their properties. The life cycle analysis reveals a significant reduction in global warming potential (GWP) compared to conventional foams. In addition, it is envisaged that producing bio-based insulation materials on a larger scale will further decrease the net GWP. The article, therefore, proposes the implementation of policies that will promote the commercialization of bio-based insulation materials.Licens fulltext: CC BY License</p

Cellulose-Containing Scaffolds Fabricated by Electrospinning: Applications in Tissue Engineering and Drug Delivery

Cellulose is a renewable material which has the advantages of being low cost, eco-friendly, biodegradable, and nontoxic. This polymer has demonstrated excellent properties for the design of scaffolds with promising applications in tissue engineering, food technology, and in the controlled delivery of drugs. The current chapter presents recent advances in the development of scaffolds based on cellulose or cellulose/polymer blends by electrospinning. The effects of the parameters involved in the fabrication process (e.g., properties of the solution, process variables, and ambient conditions) on the morphology, the diameter, the surface, and the homogeneity of the cellulose-containing nanofibers will be presented. Moreover, an overview of potential applications for electrospun scaffolds in both tissue regeneration and controlled delivery of drugs will be discussed.Fil: López Córdoba, Alex Fernando. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Física de Buenos Aires. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Física de Buenos Aires; ArgentinaFil: Castro, Guillermo Raul. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Fermentaciones Industriales. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Fermentaciones Industriales; ArgentinaFil: Goyanes, Silvia Nair. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Física de Buenos Aires. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Física de Buenos Aires; Argentin