Stabilizing Effect of Various Polyols on the Native and the Denatured States of Glucoamylase

Different spectral probes were employed to study the stabilizing effect of various polyols, such as, ethylene glycol (EG), glycerol (GLY), glucose (GLC) and trehalose (TRE) on the native (N), the acid-denatured (AD) and the thermal-denatured (TD) states of Aspergillus niger glucoamylase (GA). Polyols induced both secondary and tertiary structural changes in the AD state of enzyme as reflected from altered circular dichroism (CD), tryptophan (Trp), and 1-anilinonaphthalene-8-sulfonic acid (ANS) fluorescence characteristics. Thermodynamic analysis of the thermal denaturation curve of native GA suggested significant increase in enzyme stability in the presence of GLC, TRE, and GLY (in decreasing order) while EG destabilized it. Furthermore, CD and fluorescence characteristics of the TD state at 71°C in the presence of polyols showed greater effectiveness of both GLC and TRE in inducing native-like secondary and tertiary structures compared to GLY and EG

Performance Evaluation of Fatigue and Fracture Resistance of WMA Containing High Percentages of RAP

Sustainability and durability are the key requirements of pavement structure. Sustainability of asphalt pavement structure involves utilization of Warm Mix Asphalt (WMA) technologies with the addition of Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement (RAP), where durability of asphalt involves performance parameters like fatigue and fracture resistance properties etc. Utilizing the RAP content in asphalt mix increases the mixing and compaction temperature which may degrade the performance of asphalt. Hence, numerous studies have recommended different WMA technologies to decrease mixing and compaction temperature of asphalt mix containing RAP. The present research work evaluates the fatigue and fracture performance of WMA and Hot Mix Asphalt (HMA) with varying percentages of RAP and Sasobit. Different mixes of WMA and HMA were designed with varying percentages of RAP (0, 20, 40 and 60%) through Marshall Mix design. Sasobit (organic/wax-based additive) was used as WMA technology to prepare WMA at varying percentages (0, 2, 4 and 6%). The fatigue behavior of asphalt was evaluated using four-point bending test, where fracture resistance of asphalt was determined using Semi Circular Bending (SCB) test in the laboratory. Fatigue and fracture resistance of WMA were improved with the increase in percentages of Sasobit and RAP content, while the addition of RAP in HMA showed a decreasing trend of fatigue and fracture resistance due to the stiffer nature of RAP. Furthermore, WMA was identified as economical for construction besides other benefits like improved properties and environment friendly asphalt mix. Doi: 10.28991/cej-2021-03091741 Full Text: PD

Influence of Reduced Water Cement Ratio on Behaviour of Concrete Having Plastic Aggregate

The production and use of plastic bottles is increasing tremendously with passing time. These plastic bottles become a problem when they are disposed as they are non-biodegradable. This means that the waste plastic, when dumped, does not decompose naturally and stays in the environment affecting the ecological system. The use of alternative aggregates like Plastic Coarse Aggregate (PCA) is a natural step in solving part of reduction of natural aggregates as well as to solve the issue discussed above. The researchers are trying from half a century to investigate the alternative materials to be replaced in concrete mixture in place of either aggregate or cement.  In this research, the concrete made from plastic waste as coarse aggregates were investigated for compressive strength and Stress-strain relationship. Plastic coarse aggregate have been replaced in place of natural coarse aggregate by different percentages with w/c 0.5, 0.4 and 0.3. The percentage replacement of plastic aggregate in place of mineral coarse aggregate was 25%, 30%, 35% and 40 %. Using Super-plasticizer Chemrite 520-BAS. OPC-53 grade cement was used. Total of forty five Cylinders were prepared based on different combination of Percentage of Plastic aggregate replaced and W/C as discussed above and checked for compressive strength and stress-strain relationship. The compressive strength increases by about 19.25% due to the decrease in W/C from 0.5 to 0.3 for plastic percentage addition of 40%

Conformational destabilization of Bacillus licheniformis α-amylase induced by lysine modification and calcium depletion

Bacillus licheniformis α-amylase (BLA) was chemically modified using 100-fold molar excess of succinic anhydride over protein or 0.66 M potassium cyanate to obtain 42 % succinylated and 81 % carbamylated BLAs. Size and charge homogeneity of modified preparations was established by Sephacryl S-200 HR gel chromatography and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Conformational alteration in these preparations was evident by the larger Stokes radii (3.40 nm for carbamylated and 3.34 nm for succinylated BLAs) compared to 2.43 nm obtained for native BLA. Urea denaturation results using mean residue ellipticity (MRE) as a probe also showed conformational destabilization based on the early start of transition as well as ΔGDH2O values obtained for both modified derivatives and Ca-depleted BLA. Decrease in ΔGDH2O value from 5,930 cal/mol (for native BLA) to 3,957 cal/mol (for succinylated BLA), 3,336 cal/mol (for carbamylated BLA) and 3,430 cal/mol for Ca-depleted BLA suggested reduced conformational stability upon modification of amino groups of BLA or depletion of calcium. Since both succinylation and carbamylation reactions abolish the positive charge on amino groups (both α- and ε- amino), the decrease in conformational stability can be ascribed to the disruption of salt bridges present in the protein which might have released the intrinsic calcium from its binding site

On the purported "backbone fluorescence" in protein three-dimensional fluorescence spectra

In this study, several proteins (albumin, lysozyme, insulin) and model compounds (Trp, Tyr, homopolypeptides) were used to demonstrate the origin of the fluorescence observed upon their excitation at 220–230 nm. In the last 10 years we have observed a worrying increase in the number of articles claiming that this fluorescence originates from the protein backbone, contrary to the established knowledge that UV protein emission is due to aromatic amino acids only. Overall, our data clearly demonstrate that the observed emission upon excitation at 220–230 nm is due to the excitation of Tyr and/or Trp, with subsequent emission from the lowest excited state (i.e. the same as obtained with 280 nm excitation) in agreement with Kasha's rule. Therefore, this fluorescence peak does not provide any information on backbone conformation, but simply reports on the local environment around the aromatic side chains, just as any traditional protein emission spectrum. The many papers in reputable journals erroneously reporting this peak assignment, contradicting 5 decades of prior knowledge, have led to the creation of a new dogma, where many authors and reviewers now take the purported backbone fluorescence as an established fact. We hope the current paper helps counter this new situation and leads to a reassessment of those papers that make this erroneous claim

DIAGNOSING POST PARTURIENT HEMOGLOBINURIA IN GOAT ON THE BASIS OF HEMATOLOGY, SERUM BIOCHEMISTRY AND TREATMENT RESPONSE

Goats are extremely prone to many metabolic diseases including Postparturient Hemoglobinuria (PPH) and due to this disorder milk production and general health of goats get affected. Exact pathogenesis of this condition is yet not known but many risk factors are considered to be involved in hemoglobinuria and dropped serum phosphorus level followed by parturition is considered to be the most important one. In this paper, economic significance of goat, a case report and diagnosis based on hemogram and serum biochemistry report and the best available treatment protocols are discussed

Tissue characterization of benign cardiac tumors by cardiac magnetic resonance imaging, a review of core imaging protocol and benign cardiac tumors

Generally, cardiac masses are initially suspected on routine echocardiography. Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging is further performed to differentiate tumors from pseudo-tumors and to characterize the cardiac masses based on their appearance on T1/T2-weighted images, detection of perfusion and demonstration of gadolinium-based contrast agent uptake on early and late gadolinium enhancement images. Further evaluation of cardiac masses by CMR is critical because unnecessary surgery can be avoided by better tissue characterization. Different cardiac tissues have different T1 and T2 relaxation times, principally owing to different internal biochemical environments surrounding the protons. In CMR, the signal intensity from a particular tissue depends on its T1 and T2 relaxation times and its proton density. CMR uses this principle to differentiate between various tissue types by weighting images based on their T1 or T2 relaxation times. Generally, tumor cells are larger, edematous, and have associated inflammatory reactions. Higher free water content of the neoplastic cells and other changes in tissue composition lead to prolonged T1/T2 relaxation times and thus an inherent contrast between tumors and normal tissue exists. Overall, these biochemical changes create an environment where different cardiac masses produce different signal intensity on their T1- weighted and T2- weighted images that help to discriminate between them. In this review article, we have provided a detailed description of the core CMR imaging protocol for evaluation of cardiac masses. We have also discussed the basic features of benign cardiac tumors as well as the role of CMR in evaluation and further tissue characterization of these tumors

Reducing the environmental impact of surgery on a global scale: systematic review and co-prioritization with healthcare workers in 132 countries

Abstract Background Healthcare cannot achieve net-zero carbon without addressing operating theatres. The aim of this study was to prioritize feasible interventions to reduce the environmental impact of operating theatres. Methods This study adopted a four-phase Delphi consensus co-prioritization methodology. In phase 1, a systematic review of published interventions and global consultation of perioperative healthcare professionals were used to longlist interventions. In phase 2, iterative thematic analysis consolidated comparable interventions into a shortlist. In phase 3, the shortlist was co-prioritized based on patient and clinician views on acceptability, feasibility, and safety. In phase 4, ranked lists of interventions were presented by their relevance to high-income countries and low–middle-income countries. Results In phase 1, 43 interventions were identified, which had low uptake in practice according to 3042 professionals globally. In phase 2, a shortlist of 15 intervention domains was generated. In phase 3, interventions were deemed acceptable for more than 90 per cent of patients except for reducing general anaesthesia (84 per cent) and re-sterilization of ‘single-use’ consumables (86 per cent). In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for high-income countries were: introducing recycling; reducing use of anaesthetic gases; and appropriate clinical waste processing. In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for low–middle-income countries were: introducing reusable surgical devices; reducing use of consumables; and reducing the use of general anaesthesia. Conclusion This is a step toward environmentally sustainable operating environments with actionable interventions applicable to both high– and low–middle–income countries

Characteristics and thermodynamics of the interaction of 6-shogaol with human serum albumin as studied by isothermal titration calorimetry

The interaction between 6-shogaol, a pharmacologically active ginger constituent, and human serum albumin (HSA), the main in vivo drug transporter, was investigated using isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC). The value of the binding constant, Ka (5.02 ± 1.37 × 104 M−1) obtained for the 6-shogaol-HSA system suggested intermediate affinity. Analysis of the ITC data revealed feasibility of the binding reaction due to favorable enthalpy and entropy changes. The values of the thermodynamic parameters suggested involvement of van der Waals forces, hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic interactions in the 6-shogaol-HSA complex formation