Development of Zein-Pectin Nanoparticle as Drug carrier

Recent years have witnessed tremendous growth of nanotechnology based drug delivery system which reduces drug toxicity and side effects and increases the therapeutic index of the drug. Aim of the study is to develop a biodegradable, non-toxic nanoparticle, solely from natural polymers. Zein – pectin nanoparticle comprising of a hydrophobic zein core and a hydrophilic pectin shell was developed by ultrasonication method. SEM images confirm the nanosize of the nanoparticle. UV- Visible and FT-IR spectroscopic results confirm the incorporation of zein, pectin and the encapsulation of the model drug quercetin in the nanoparticle. Zein is a prolamine class of protein found in wheat, maize etc and pectin is a polymer of galacturonic acid units found in plant cell wal

Synthesis of cobalt ferrite nanoparticles by constant pH co-precipitation and their high catalytic activity in CO oxidation

A series of cobalt ferrite samples were synthesized from a metal nitrate solution at constant pH between 9 and 12 by the controlled co-precipitation method without any surfactant. Cobalt and iron nitrates and sodium hydroxide base were simultaneously dosed so that the pH was precisely controlled during co-precipitation. The samples were characterized by PXRD, SEM, TEM, BET, and TPR. Careful analysis of typical PXRD peak profiles suggested the presence of two different variants of cobalt ferrite, a nano-scale material giving rise to broad peak tails and a more crystalline material leading to a sharper central profile. Rietveld refinement could be used to quantify the relative amount of both nano and crystalline fractions in these samples indicating that their relative abundance can be controlled by the co-precipitation pH. TEM analysis further proved the presence of both crystalline and nanocrystalline region in the samples. The average crystallite size of the cobalt ferrite nanocrystallites was 4–5 nm. These samples exhibit high BET surface area, in the order of 200 m2 g-1. The samples were tested for catalytic performance in the CO oxidation reaction. The surface area, reduction behavior, and catalytic performance of ferrites were dependent on the relative amount of both the crystalline and nanocrystalline phases

Interactive Effects of Morphine on HIV Infection: Role in HIV-Associated Neurocognitive Disorder

HIV epidemic continues to be a severe public health problem and concern within USA and across the globe with about 33 million people infected with HIV. The frequency of drug abuse among HIV infected patients is rapidly increasing and is another major issue since injection drug users are at a greater risk of developing HIV associated neurocognitive dysfunctions compared to non-drug users infected with HIV. Brain is a major target for many of the recreational drugs and HIV. Evidences suggest that opiate drug abuse is a risk factor in HIV infection, neural dysfunction and progression to AIDS. The information available on the role of morphine as a cofactor in the neuropathogenesis of HIV is scanty. This review summarizes the results that help in understanding the role of morphine use in HIV infection and neural dysfunction. Studies show that morphine enhances HIV-1 infection by suppressing IL-8, downregulating chemokines with reciprocal upregulation of HIV coreceptors. Morphine also activates MAPK signaling and downregulates cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB). Better understanding on the role of morphine in HIV infection and mechanisms through which morphine mediates its effects may help in devising novel therapeutic strategies against HIV-1 infection in opiate using HIV-infected population

Base and Catalyst-Free Synthesis of Nitrobenzodiazepines via a Cascade NNitroallylation- Intramolecular Aza-Michael Addition involving o-Phenylenediamines and Nitroallylic Acetates

Published ArticleA [4+3] annulation of o-phenylenediamines with primary nitroallylic acetates affords nitrobenzodiazepines (NBDZs) in good to excellent yield. The reaction which proceeds in MeOH at room temperature in the absence of any base or catalyst involves a cascade SN2 Nnitroallylation- intramolecular aza-Michael addition sequence. In the case of mono-N-arylated ophenylenediamines and o-aminobenzamides, the reaction stops at the SN2 stage affording nitroallylic amines. On the other hand, reaction of o-aminobenzamides with secondary nitroallylic acetates delivers SN2’ products. Formation of stable SN2 and SN2’ products provides insights into the reactivity of primary and secondary nitroallylic acetates and also the mechanism of formation of nitrobenzodiazepines

Evaluation of keeping quality of canine platelet rich plasma under different storage conditions

Platelet rich plasma (PRP) therapy is an integral part of regenerative medicine as the platelets possess a good healing capacity owing to the presence of a wide variety of growth factors in the platelet granules found in the cytoplasm of the platelet. Autologous PRP was prepared from the blood of the patient itself, without any preservatives. Storage of PRP was one of the main hurdles of the treatment modality. During storage, the platelet counts may get reduced, undergo activation or get contaminated with bacteria as no preservatives are used in the preparation of autologous PRP. Cytological changes and microbial quality of the PRP during storage at 4oC and -20oC for seven days were analysed in this study. Reduction in platelet count and the chance of microbial contamination were less when autologous PRP was stored at -20°C compared to 4°C

Beneficial health effects of cumin (Cuminum cyminum) seeds upon incorporation as a potential feed additive in livestock and poultry: A mini-review

Cumin (Cuminum cyminum Linn) is an annual plant of the family Umbelliferae, with its use dating back to ancient times when it was cultivated for its medicinal and culinary potential. Cumin seeds could contain a wide variety of phytochemicals, including alkaloids, coumarins, anthraquinones, flavonoids, glycosides, proteins, resins, saponins, tannins, and steroids. In particular, linoleic acid, one of the unsaturated fatty acids found in abundance in cumin oleoresin, is credited with promoting good health. Many of cumin's purported biological actions in livestock and poultry have been attributed to flavonoids such as apigenin, luteolin, and glycosides. Cumin has several healthful qualities, such as antibacterial, insecticidal, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antioxidant, anticancer, anti-diabetic, anti-platelet aggregation, hypotensive, bronchodilatory, immunological, anti-amyloidogenic, and anti-osteoporotic properties. Cumin supplementation may improve milk production and reproductive function in dairy cows by altering the feeding pattern of bacteria in the rumen, encouraging the growth of beneficial microbes, or stimulating the secretion of certain digestive enzymes. Because of the low price of cumin seed, it could be concluded that its inclusion in the diet might be beneficial to the commercial poultry industry and reduce the overall cost of egg and meat production. In recent years a rise in cumin's popularity has been seen as a result of the herbal movement spearheaded by naturopaths, yoga gurus, advocates of alternative medicine, and manufacturers of feed additives. Animal nutritionists are exploring the use of cumin for its potential to boost growth, improve nutrient usage efficiency, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This mini-review discusses how cumin could be used as a feed ingredient to boost productivity and ensure healthy animal reproduction

Protein Profile Changes during Porcine Oocyte Aging and Effects of Caffeine on Protein Expression Patterns

It has been shown that oocyte aging critically affects reproduction and development. By using proteomic tools, in the present study, changes in protein profiles during porcine oocyte aging and effects of caffeine on oocyte aging were investigated. By comparing control MII oocytes with aging MII oocytes, we identified 23 proteins that were up-regulated and 3 proteins that were down-regulated during the aging process. In caffeine-treated oocytes, 6 proteins were identified as up-regulated and 12 proteins were identified as down-regulated. A total of 38 differentially expressed proteins grouped into 5 regulation patterns were determined to relate to the aging and anti-aging process. By using the Gene Ontology system, we found that numerous functional gene products involved in metabolism, stress response, reactive oxygen species and cell cycle regulation were differentially expressed during the oocyte aging process, and most of these proteins are for the first time reported in our study, including 2 novel proteins. In addition, several proteins were found to be modified during oocyte aging. These data contribute new information that may be useful for future research on cellular aging and for improvement of oocyte quality

A genome-wide identification and comparative analysis of the lentil MLO genes

Revista electrónica on linePowdery mildew is a widespread fungal plant disease that can cause significant losses in many crops. Some MLO genes (Mildew resistance locus O) have proved to confer a durable resistance to powdery mildew in several species. Resistance granted by the MLO gene family members has prompted an increasing interest in characterizing these genes and implementing their use in plant breeding. Lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.) is a widely grown food legume almost exclusively consumed as dry seed with an average world production of 4.5 million tons. Powdery mildew causes severe losses on certain lentil cultivars under particular environmental conditions. Data mining of the lentil CDC Redberry draft genome allowed to identify up to 15 gene sequences with homology to known MLO genes, designated as LcMLOs. Further characterization of these gene sequences and their deduced protein sequences demonstrated conformity with key MLO protein characteristics such as the presence of transmembrane and calmodulin binding domains, as well as that of other conserved motifs. Phylogenetic and other comparative analyses revealed that LcMLO1 and LcMLO3 are the most likely gene orthologs related to powdery mildew response in other species, sharing a high similarity with other known resistance genes of dicot species, such as pea PsMLO1 and Medicago truncatula MtMLO1 and MtMLO3. Sets of primers were designed as tools to PCR amplify the genomic sequences of LcMLO1 and LcMLO3, also to screen lentil germplasm in search of resistance mutants. Primers were used to obtain the complete sequences of these two genes in all of the six wild lentil relatives. Respective to each gene, all Lens sequences shared a high similarity. Likewise, we used these primers to screen a working collection of 58 cultivated and 23 wild lentil accessions in search of length polymorphisms present in these two genes. All these data widen the insights on this gene family and can be useful for breeding programs in lentil and close related species.S