Population dynamics of pelagic rotifers in Marala Headworks (Pakistan)

Abstract Research work was designed to investigate the density and diversity of pelagic rotifers in a Lake near Marala Headworks. The physico-chemical parameters of water such as pH, dissolved oxygen, temperature, electrical conductivity, transparency and turbidity were evaluated. Correlation between rotifers and these parameters was also studied. Plankton sampling was done on monthly basis in order to check the population density of rotifers. In total, 18 species of rotifers were identified which belonged to 11 genera. The highest number of rotifers and their diversity was shown by genera namely Brachionus, Keratella, and Filinia. The Brachionus calyciflorus was dominant species in all the samples with mean population density (41%). Analysis of variance of physico-chemical parameters presented that the air and water temperature, electrical conductivity, transparency, dissolved oxygen and oxygen saturation were statistically significant in all the months. While pH was statistically non-significant (p≥0.05. Pearson correlation showed that oxygen and transparency were negatively correlated with rotifers density and diversity. Air and water temperature, concentration of hydrogen ions (pH), electrical conductivity and salinity showed positive relationship with density and diversity of rotifers.

Synthesis, Crystal Structure, DFT Calculations, Hirshfeld Surface Analysis and In Silico Drug-Target Profiling of (R)-2-(2-(1,3-Dioxoisoindolin-2-yl)propanamido)benzoic Acid Methyl Ester

The work here reflects synthesis, DFT studies, Hirshfeld charge analysis and crystal data exploration of pharmacologically important (R)-2-(2-(1,3-dioxoisoindolin-2-yl)propanamido)benzoic acid methyl ester (5) to understand its properties for further chemical transformations. The methyl anthranilate (2) was produced by the esterification of anthranilic acid in an acidic medium. The phthaloyl-protected alanine (4) was rendered by the fusion of alanine with phthalic anhydride at 150 °C, followed by coupling with (2) furnished isoindole (5). The characterization of products was performed using IR, UV-Vis, NMR and MS. Single-crystal XRD also verified the structure of (5) in which N-H⋯O bonding stabilizes the molecular configuration of (5), resulting in the formation of S(6) hydrogen-bonded loop. The molecules of isoindole (5) are connected in the form of dimers, and the π⋯π stacking interaction between aromatic rings further stabilizes the crystal packing. DFT studies suggest that HOMO is over the substituted aromatic ring, the LUMO is present mainly over the indole side, and nucleophilic and electrophilic corners point out the reactivity of the product (5). In vitro and in silico analysis of (5) shows its potential as an antibacterial agent targeting DNA gyrase and Dihydroorotase from E. coli and tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase and DNA gyrase from Staphylococcus aureus.

Synthesis and evaluation of 2-phenylamino-1,4-naphthoquinones derivatives as potential hypoglycaemic agents

Due to the severe side effects revealed by most of the currently used antidiabetic medicines, search for finding new and safe drugs to manage diabetes is continued. Naphthoquinones possessing strong antioxidant properties have been employed as candidates for diabetes therapy. Present study is aimed at finding the antioxidant and hypoglycaemic potential of some novel derivatives of 2-phenylamino-1,4-naphthoquinones (PAN) including chloro, nitro, methyl and bromo (5a-d) derivatives synthesized by single pot experiment. Product crystals were purified by TLC and characterized by FT-IR. The antioxidant potential of the compounds was assayed through DPPH radical scavenging and reducing power activities noted as UV-vis. absorbance. The DPPH assay has showed the powerful antioxidant activity of nitro and bromo derivatives, while the nitro derivative showed the significant reduction potential towards FRAP assay. Hypoglycaemic potential of the compounds was studied in rat animal model. All synthesized compounds revealed better hypoglycaemic activity; however, the chloro-derivative exhibited the more potent hypoglycaemic activity showing about 43% reduction in the mean blood glucose levels of the treated animals. As the bioreduction of naphthoquinones may be influenced by changing its redox properties, it has been noticed that the e-donating resonance effect (+R) of 'chloro' group has shown the significant effects on biological activity through stabalization of its imine form which limits the potential of generation of free radicals during bioreduction of quinones and thus has been proposed as the reason of its hypoglycaemic activity. Future studies employing the properties of e-donating groups of PAN may optimize the drug-receptor interaction for better drug designing and drug development strategies against diabetes and also for the clinical trials.

DNA Barcoding: Molecular Identification and Phylogenetic Analysis of Pheretimoid Earthworm (Metaphire sp. and Amynthas sp.) Based on Mitochondrial Partial COI Gene from Sialkot, Pakistan

The extremely difficult and challenging process is identifying pheretimoid species, genus Metaphire and Amynthas involving increased homoplasy in various morphological characteristics. The molecular identification, phylogenetic relationships, and evolutionary divergence time of earthworms belonging to the pheretimoid complex were investigated in this study using partial mitochondrial COI (cytochrome C oxidase subunit I) gene sequences ranging from 550-680 bp. Results revealed that 86 pheretimoid earthworms were morphologically different from a total of 342 mature worms. Moreover, 11 pheretimoid species were molecularly identified, including Metaphire posthuma (02), M. anomala (01), M. houlleti (02), M. californica (01), M. birmanica (02), Amynthas minimus (01), A. morrisi (01), and M. bununa (01). A phylogenetic tree was constructed with bootstrap values of 95%, which supported a monophyletic lineage of two well-supported clades formed by 12 partial COI sequences and 48 GenBank sequences using Hirudo medicinalis as an outgroup. The monophyly of these obtained genera indicated overall similarity at species level. Today, species like Amynthas, Metaphire and Pheretima have worm diversity in the form of pheretimoid earthworms, which dates to the Late Miocene (11.2-5.3 Mya) and the Pliocene (5.3-2.4 Mya). Compared to all relevant pheretimoid species, genetic p-distance values ranged from 0.0% to 0.57% (less than 1%). These low range values demonstrated that both genera Metaphire and Amynthas, supported the theory, which states that there are shared similarities among the species, despite different morphology. The current study is the first attempt in Pakistan to identify earthworms through DNA barcoding thus providing a genomic stamp. The work explored the significance of COI gene sequences to construct molecular tools that will be useful to overcome the different obstacles in morphologically similar earthworm identification and their phylogenetic study.

A facile microwave assisted synthesis and structure elucidation of (3R)-3-alkyl-4,1-benzoxazepine-2,5-diones by crystallographic, spectroscopic and DFT studies

The use of microwave (MW) irradiation in organic synthesis has become increasingly popular within the pharmaceutical and academic arenas because it is a new enabling technology for drug discovery and development. It is a rapid way of synthesis, which involves faster reaction rates and high selectivity to conventional heating method of syntheses. The MW-assisted 7-exo-tet cyclization of N-acylanthranilic acids afforded (3R)-3-alkyl-4,1-benzoxazepines-2,5-diones in very short duration (20 min) with extraordinary high yields in comparison to conventional heating mode of synthesis. The method development, comparative yields of MW-assisted and thermal method of syntheses, crystallographic, spectroscopic and density functional theory (DFT) studies are reported herein. Four novel compounds with chemical formulas C₁₀H₉BrClNO₃5m, C₁₉H₁₉NO₃6e, C₁₃H₁₄ClNO₃6h and C₁₂H₁₁Br₂NO₃6h were synthesized, validated by ¹HNMR, ¹³CNMR, FT-IR, UVVis, EIMS spectroscopic techniques and confirmed by using single crystal X-ray diffraction (SC-XRD) study. The DFT and TDDFT calculations at B3LYP/6-311 + G(d,p) level of theory were performed for comparative analysis of spectroscopic data, optimized geometries, frontier molecular orbitals (FMOs), natural bond orbital (NBO) analysis and nonlinear optical (NLO) properties of 5m, 6e, 6h and 6o. Overall, experimental findings were supported nicely by corresponding DFT computed results. The NBO analysis confirmed that the presence of non-covalent interactions, hydrogen bonding and hyper- conjugative interactions are pivotal cause for the existence of 5m, 6e, 6h and 6o in the solid-state. NLO analysis showed that 5m, 6e, 6h and 6o have significant NLO properties as compared to prototype standard compound which disclosed their potential for technology related applications.

An efficient protocol for the synthesis of highly sensitive indole imines utilizing green chemistry: optimization of reaction conditions

Novel and highly sensitive indole-based imines have been synthesized. Their synthesis has been compared employing a variety of protocols. Ultimately, a convenient, economical and high yielding set of conditions employing green chemistry have been designed for their synthesis.

Expression of p63 Protein to Differentiate Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia and Carcinoma of Prostate in Pakistani Population

AbstractBackground:  Prostate cancer is the world’s foremost and second cause of cancer associated death typically in males after lung cancer. Histopathological diagnosis of prostatic hyperplasia and prostatic carcinoma can be challenging. The expression of p63 can be used in diagnosis and differentiation of benign pro-static hyperplasia from carcinoma of prostate.Materials and Methods:  We studied sixty prostatic biopsies obtained by TURP and radical prostatectomy. For each case, clinical data was collected. The tissue sections were then diagnosed on basis of routine hematoxylin and eosin. Then immunohistochemical (IHC) analysis was performed on routinely processed, forma-lin-fixed, paraffin embedded tissue.  We also analyzed P63 expression in regions of benign prostatic hyperplasia and prostatic adenocarcinoma. Moreover, detailed examination of tissue sections was observed with light microscopy.Results:  Mean age of patients with adenocarcinoma was 70 ± 12 years however mean age in prostate hyperplasia cases was 66 ± 8 years. With the use of Receiver Operative Characteristic Curve (ROC), the optimal cut point found of PSA was 30.0ng/ml. The results showed that prostate specific antigen (PSA) at this cutoff had a sensitivity of 71.4%, with specificity of 74.4% and accuracy of 73.3%. So PSA could not be considered reliable independently for the diagnosis of carcinoma of prostate. Benign cases in the present study were exclusively positive for immunohistoche-mical expression of p63 while all the cases of prostatic carcinomas expressed negative pattern of staining.Conclusion:   Immunostaining with p63 is useful to differentiate benign prostatic hyperplasia from pro-static carcinoma, so it may be used as valuable tool in the diagnosis of prostatic carcinoma.

Detection of Cytomorphological Changes in Buccal Mucosal Cells of Type 2 Diabetic Patients Using Oral Exfoliative Cytology

AbstractBackground:  Diabetes mellitus is an extremely common endocrine metabolic disorder that results in chronic hyperglycemia. It has effects on various tissues of the body. Due to this increased blood glucose levels considerable cellular changes occur in oral cavity as well. This field has attracted little research. The aim of the study was to analyze the changes in morphology and cytomorphometric measurements in the buccal mucosal cells of type 2 diabetic patients.Objectives:  The Objective of this study was to detect the cytological and morphological alterations of oral epithelial cells, in type 2 diabetic patients and healthy control subjects in exfoliated cytology smears, to com-pare the cytoplasmic diameter, nuclear diameter, and nucleus: cytoplasm ratio in type 2 diabetics and heal-thy control subjects and to analyze the above mentioned cellular alterations in patients with controlled and uncontrolled diabetes.Methods:  Cross-sectional analysis was performed in three groups on the bases of HbA1c levels. Group 1 was uncontrolled diabetics with HbA1C ≥ 7.0%, Gro-up 2 was well controlled diabetics with HbA1c ≤ 7.0% and Group 3 was Control healthy having HbA1C ≤ 5. 6%. Smears from normal buccal mucosa were obtai-ned from each subject and stained with Papanicolaou method. An eyepiece micrometer was used to take mean values of ND, CyD, and N: C ratio. Fifty (50) clearly defined cells were measured in each case in a step wise manner, to evade quantifying cells once more. Comparison of Nuclear Diameter (ND), Cytoplasmic Diameter (CY D) and ratio of two Diameters (N: C) among three groups was performed by using ANOVA. TUKEY’S test for post –hoc analysis was used where required.Results:  The variability in diameter of nucleus among all three sample groups showed significant p-value < 0.001.Whereas the measurement for cytoplasmic diameter between three groups was not significant (p-value 0.178). The ratio of nuclear diameter to cytoplasmic diameter calculated was significant (p-value < 0.001). Hence it proved from the results that considerably exaggerated ND and N: C ratios were seen as the glycemic control (HbA1C) is poorer.Conclusion:  The results suggested that nuclear size of buccal mucosal cells increased in type 2 diabetic pati-ents while no change was observed in cytoplasmic dimensions.

Asymmetric synthesis of 4,1-benzoxazepine-2,5-diones--effect of the halogen of (2S)-α-haloacids

Novel chiral 4,1-benzoxazepine-2,5-diones have been unusually synthesized in a single step by exploiting the chiral pool methodology. Substituted anthranilic acids afford N-acylanthranilic acids and (3R)-3-alkyl-4,1-benzoxazepines-2,5-dione upon coupling with α-chloroacids or α-bromoacids, respectively.

4-Chloro-2-hydroxy-N-(4-methylphenyl)benzamide

In the title compound, C₁₄H₁₂ClNO₂, the dihedral angle between the aromatic rings is 14.87 (11)° and an intra­molecular N—H⋯O hydrogen bond generates an S(6) ring. In the crystal, mol­ecules are linked by O—H⋯O hydrogen bonds, generating C(6) chains propagating along the c-axis direction.

2-Hydroxy-N-(4-methylphenyl)benzamide

In the crystal structure of the title compound, C₁₄H₁₃NO₂, the mol­ecules are approximately planar, the r.m.s. deviation for all non-H atoms being 0.0435 Å; the dihedral angle between the two rings is 3.45 (12)°. The planarity is accounted for in terms of the presence of intra­molecular N—H⋯O and C—H⋯O hydrogen bonding, each of which completes an S(6) ring motif. The mol­ecules are stabilized in the form of supra­molecular chains extending along the crystallographic c axis due to inter­molecular O—H⋯O and C—H⋯O hydrogen bonding; each type leads to an R₂¹(6) ring motif.

5-Chloro-2-hy-droxy-benzoic acid

The asymmetric unit of the title compound, C₇H₅ClO₃, contains two mol­ecules; both feature an intra­molecular O—H⋯O hydrogen bond, which generates an S(6) ring. In the crystal, both mol­ecules form inversion dimers linked by pairs of O—H⋯O hydrogen bonds with R₂²(8) ring motifs. The dimers are inter­linked by C—H⋯O inter­actions.

2-Hydroxy-N-(3-nitrophenyl)benzamide

In the crystal structure of title compound, C₁₃H₁₀N₂O₄, as expected, the nitro- and hy­droxy-substituted benzene rings are planar with r. m. s. deviations of 0.0037 and 0.0014 Å, respectively, but are twisted slightly relative to each other, making a dihedral angle of 12.23 (7)°. The nitro group is only slightly twisted [by 2.71 (16)°] with respect to its parent ring. An intra­molecular N—H⋯O hydrogen bond forms an S(6) ring motif. Inter­molecular N—H⋯O and O—H⋯O hydrogen bonds build up sheets parallel to the ab plane. Futhermore, weak π–π inter­actions [centroid–centroid distances = 3.7150 (8) 3.7342 (6) and 3.9421 (8) Å] between the rings yield a three-dimensional network.

2-Hy-droxy-5-nitro-N-phenyl-benzamide

The mol-ecule of the title compound, C(13)H(10)N(2)O(4), is almost planar with a dihedral angle between the benzene rings of 1.99 (13)°. The nitro group and its parent benzene ring are oriented at a dihedral angle of 7.6 (3)°. Intra-molecular C-H⋯O and N-H⋯O hydrogen bonds form two planar S(6) motifs. Inter-molecular O-H⋯O=C hydrogen bonds join mol-ecules into chains extending along the c axis.

2-Hydr-oxy-5-nitro-benzamide

In the title compound, C(7)H(6)N(2)O(4), an intra-molecular O-H⋯O hydrogen bond generates an S(6) ring. In the crystal, inversion dimers linked by pairs of N-H⋯O hydrogen bonds occur. Weak C-H⋯O links consolidate the packing, leading to R(2) (1)(7) and R(2) (2)(10) loops within (100) polymeric sheets.

2-Hydr-oxy-3-nitro-benzamide

The asymmetric unit of title compound, C₇H₆N₂O₄, contains two mol­ecules, one of which has a disordered nitro group with an occupancy ratio of 0.517 (9):0.483 (9) for the O atoms. Both mol­ecules contain an intra­molecular O—H⋯O hydrogen bond. In the crystal, both mol­ecules form inversion dimers linked by pairs of N—H⋯O hydrogen bonds, resulting in R₂²(8) ring motifs. The dimers are connected by further N—H⋯O links and weak C—H⋯O inter­actions, resulting in a layered motif.

2-Hydroxy-3-nitro-N-phenylbenzamide

The asymmetric unit of the title compound, C₁₃H₁₀N₂O₄, contains two crystallographically independent mol­ecules. The aromatic rings are oriented at dihedral angles of 24.39 (3) and 7.47 (3)° in the two mol­ecules and intra­molecular N—H⋯O and O—H⋯O hydrogen bonds result in the formation of two planar six-membered rings. In the crystal structure, inter­molecular O—H⋯O and C—H⋯O hydrogen bonds link the mol­ecules into chains, forming R₂²(10) ring motifs. Weak π–π contacts between the benzene and phenyl rings [centroid–centroid distance = 3.955 (3) Å] may further stabilize the structure.