Effect of microwave drying of paddy on milling characteristics, cooking quality, and microstructure of rice

Effect of microwave drying on milling, cooking, and microstructure characteristic of paddy rice in comparison to hot air drying was assessed in the present study. Results revealed that modified microwave drying significantly (P < 0.05) affected the milling quality of paddy. Raw paddy had head rice recovery of 49.63%, while after microwave drying, the head rice recovery increased by 6.73% in comparison to hot air drying. Microwave drying brought significant changes in the colour characteristic of rice as it had total colour change of 13.50 in comparison to 10.93 by hot air drying. Cooking time and water uptake ratio after microwave drying increased to 31.46 min and 3.16%, in comparison to 27.05 min and 2.65% for hot air dried samples, respectively. Scanning Electron Microscope images revealed that both hot air and microwave dried rice had a coarse surface and large starch particles, while starch structure was more damaged in hot air drying, however, agglomeration of protein-starch matrix was more uniform in microwave dried samples due to modification of the microwave applicator that prevented thermal decomposition. It was recommended that paddy may be dried using a modified microwave applicator with a shorter duration and a better quality.

A retrospective audit of endoscopic duodenal biopsies to uncover undetected Coeliac disease in Malaysian patients

BACKGROUND

Coeliac disease, an autoimmune enteropathy related to gluten sensitivity was hitherto thought to be rare in Asia. Recent data however suggests that Celiac disease may be under-diagnosed in Asia.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this audit was to determine the frequency of histological changes compatible with Coeliac disease among patients undergoing elective diagnostic oesaphago-gastro-duodenoscopy (OGDS) under the care of a single practitioner in a Malaysian hospital.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The archived endoscopically obtained duodenal biopsy specimens of 241 consecutive Malaysian subjects undergoing elective diagnostic (OGDS) were reviewed by a pathologist blinded to the clinical data. Based on intra-epithelial lymphocyte counts, crypt hyperplasia and villous atrophy, each subject was assigned to one of the categories of the Modified Marsh classification for the histological diagnosis of Coeliac disease. The clinical charts of all subjects were reviewed by a single gastroenterologist blinded to the findings of the histological review.

RESULTS

Of the 241 study subjects, 132 (54.8%) were females. There were 56 (23.2%) Malays, 90 (37.3%) Chinese, 88 (36.5%) Indians and seven (2.9%) from the other category. The median age of the study sample was 49 years (range 15- 88 years). The OGDS was done as part of screening in 15(6.2%) subjects while in the remaining it was part of the investigation of a clinical problem. Based on histological findings, none of the subjects could be assigned to a modified Marsh class of >1. The prevalence of histological changes compatible with Coeliac disease in the study was 0% (binomial exact one-sided 97.5 % confidence interval 0- 1.52%).

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, this audit provides no evidence that active Coeliac disease is significantly under-detected among symptomatic patients presenting for diagnostic OGDS. The possibility that a significant number may have potential coeliac disease cannot be excluded.

Role of magnetic resonance imaging in breast cancer management

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the breast is primarily used as a supplemental tool to breast screening with mammography or ultrasound. A breast MRI is mainly used for women who have been diagnosed with breast cancer, to help measure the size of the cancer, look for other tumors in the breast, and to check for tumors in the opposite breast. For certain women at high risk for breast cancer, a screening MRI is recommended along with a yearly mammogram. MRI is known to give some false positive results which mean more test and/or biopsies for the patient. Thus, although breast MRI is useful for women at high risk, it is rarely recommended as a screening test for women at average risk of breast cancer. Also, breast MRI does not show calcium deposits, known as micro-calcifications which can be a sign of breast cancer.

Ultrasonication-Assisted Synthesis of a d-Glucosamine-Based β-CD Inclusion Complex and Its Application as an Aqueous Heterogeneous Organocatalytic System

For the first time, an inclusion complex has been crafted between a carbohydrate-based molecule and a β-cyclodextrin (CD) hydrophobic cavity for asymmetric catalytic applications. This novel d-glucosamine-based inclusion compound has been synthesized in high yields using an innovative and proficient acoustic cavitation technology and well characterized using various techniques, such as infrared spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, scanning electron microscopy, and other spectroscopic techniques. It was observed that the inclusion of a d-glucosamine derivative into the hydrophobic cavity of β-CD increased its surface area and thermal stability. This catalytic system worked well in water for the direct aldol reaction to afford the products in excellent yields with high diastereo- and enantioselectivities.

Electrochemical detection of methyl parathion via a novel biosensor tailored on highly biocompatible electrochemically reduced graphene oxide-chitosan-hemoglobin coatings

A quick electrochemical sensing tool by utilizing novel bioelectrode based on redox active protein hemoglobin (Hb) has been offered here for the determination of methylparathion (MP). The bioelectrode has been designed by immobilizing Hb on electrochemically reduced graphene oxide-chitosan (ERGO-CS/Hb/FTO) based biocompatible coatings. Fourier transform-infrared analyses (FTIR), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), UV-visible and electrochemical characterization reveal the successful grafting of ERGO-CS/Hb/FTO. A detailed impedimetric analysis shows low charge transfer resistance (R_CT) and solution resistance (Rs) for the fabricated biosensor, thus pointing towards improved electrochemical performance and sensitivity. In-depth elucidation of redox analysis has been presented in terms of surface concentration of redox moiety (2.92 × 10^-9 mol cm^-2) and heterogeneous electron transfer rate constant (0.0032 s^-1) which indicate enhanced surface coverage and better charge transfer properties of the proposed electrochemical biosensor. The sensor is equipped with a low limit of detection of 79.77 nM and a high sensitivity of 45.77 Acm^-2 μM^-1 with excellent reproducibility. The modified biosensor also offered its credibility towards detection of MP in vegetable samples with recovery (%) ranging from 94% to 101%. The designed biosensor hereby, evolves as a promising approach for the recognition of MP.

Development of a calibration chamber to evaluate the performance of low-cost particulate matter sensors

Low-cost particulate matter (PM) air quality sensors are becoming widely available and are being increasingly deployed in ambient and home/workplace environments due to their low cost, compactness, and ability to provide more highly resolved spatiotemporal PM concentrations. However, the PM data from these sensors are often of questionable quality, and the sensors need to be characterized individually for the environmental conditions under which they will be making measurements. In this study, we designed and assessed a cost-effective (∼$700) calibration chamber capable of continuously providing a uniform PM concentration simultaneously to multiple low-cost PM sensors and robust calibration relationships that are independent of sensor position. The chamber was designed and evaluated with a Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) model and a rigorous experimental protocol. We then used this new chamber to calibrate 242 Plantower PMS 3003 sensors from two production lots (Batches I and II) with two aerosol types: ammonium nitrate (for Batches I and II) and alumina oxide (for Batch I). Our CFD models and experiments demonstrated that the chamber is capable of providing uniform PM concentration to 8 PM sensors at once within 6% error and with excellent reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient > 0.771). The study identified two malfunctioning sensors and showed that the remaining sensors had high linear correlations with a DustTrak monitor that was calibrated for each aerosol type (R2 > 0.978). Finally, the results revealed statistically significant differences between the responses of Batches I and II sensors to the same aerosol (P-value<0.001) and the Batch I sensors to the two different aerosol types (P-value<0.001). This chamber design and evaluation protocol can provide a useful tool for those interested in systematic laboratory characterization of low-cost PM sensors.

P04.19 Analysis of tumor immune microenvironment and immune checkpoint modulators across infantile and pediatric pilocytic astrocytomas to elucidate the role of immunotherapy in these tumors

BACKGROUND

Pilocytic astrocytomas are the most common central nervous system tumors in pediatric age-group. Although grade I, some of the cases show recurrence and progression, and few might not be amenable to surgery due to location or size, and hence have a less favorable prognosis. Drugs blocking immune check-point interactions such as those including programmed cell death ligand-1 (PD-L1) and cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4 (CTLA-4) are now in clinical use for certain tumors. We performed this study to understand the potential candidature of pilocytic astrocytomas in infants and children for immunotherapy by analyzing the expression of immune checkpoint proteins and immune infiltrate, and correlating with clinical details, wherever possible.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Cases with adequate tissue (2010–2017) diagnosed in pediatric age-group (<18 years) were retreived from the archives of Department of Pathology, AIIMS, New Delhi. Immunohistochemistry for PD-L1 (SP263, Ventana), CTLA-4, CD3, CD8, CD4 and CD68 was performed. Quantification of cytotoxic lymphocytes was done using digital imaging in the core of the tumor.

RESULTS

A total of 50 pilocytic astrocytomas were included, 14 of them were <3 years (infants), while 36 were of pediatric age-group (3–18 years). Overall, male preponderance was noted. Cerebellum was the most common location, followed by 4th venrticle, optic pathway, hypothalamus, cerebrum and thalamus. Almost all CD3 lymphocytes were cytotoxic T-lymphocyes (CD8 positive, CTLs). Helper T-lymphocyte infiltration was not seen. Median CTL density/mm3 was 13/mm3(Range:1–85/mm3). CTLA-4 was positive in 4 cases, positivity ranged from 1–4 cells/lpf. PD-L1 was found to be positive in 7 cases, and the positivity ranged from 1+ to 2+ in 1 to 5% of tumor cells. A median TAM (tumor associated macrophages) density of 44/hpf (range: 1–98/hpf) was noted. There was no correlation of CTL density with PD-L1 or CTLA-4 expression, and neither with TAM density. On correlation with clinical parameters, a higher density of CTLs and TAMs was noted in infants, and a higher proportion of cases revealed PD-L1 positivity, though not statistically significant. There was no correlation of TILs or TAMs with the tumor location.

CONCLUSION

Immune check point blockade using PD-(L)1 or CTLA4 inhibitors may not be a potential therapeutic option for unresectable or recurrent pilocytic astrocytomas, as low positivity rate as well as extremely low percentage of tumor/ immune cells found to be positive. However, alternate forms of immunotherapy might be helpful as most of the cases showed immune infiltrates and a high density of tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs). Large scale studies with larger numbers and longer follow-up periods including in-vitro and clinical studies are warranted for decoding the tumor immunogram.

P14.117 Cost efficient test algorithm for molecular subgrouping of medulloblastomas for day-to-day practice in resource limited countries

INTRODUCTION

Molecular classification of medulloblastomas(MB) is prognostically and therapeutically relevant and helps in better risk-stratification. Translation of this subgrouping to routine practice still remains a challenge. The most pathologist-accessible techniques for molecular subgrouping include immunohistochemistry(IHC), fluorescent in-situ hybridization(FISH) and Nanostring assay. Objectives:(1)Molecular subgrouping of MBs by IHC and FISH, and Nanostring Assay (2)To compare their efficacy against sequencing and DNA methylation, and cost for applicability in resource-constrained centers

METHODS

Ninety-five cases of MB with adequate tissue were included. Molecular subgrouping was performed by IHC for β-catenin, GAB1, YAP1, and p53; FISH for MYC amplification, and sequencing for CTNNB1, and by Nanostring Assay on the same set of MBs. Further, a subset of cases were subjected to 850k DNA methylation array.

RESULTS

IHC+FISH classified MBs into 15.8% WNT, 16.8% SHH, and 67.4% non-WNT/non-SHH subgroups; with MYC amplification identified in 20.3% cases of non-WNT/non-SHH. A single showed diffuse strong p53 positivity among the SHH subgroup. Nanostring successfully classified 91.5% MBs into 25.3% WNT, 17.2% SHH, 23% Group3 and 34.5% Group4. However, Nanostring assay failure was seen in eight cases, all of which were >8-years-old formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue blocks. Concordant subgroup assignment was noted in 88.5% cases, while subgroup switching was seen in 11.5% cases. Both methods showed prognostic correlation. Among the 5 discrepant cases, which switched to WNT subgroup by Nanostring, only 2 were found to have CTNNB1 mutation. Methylation profiling performed on discordant cases revealed 1 out of 4 extra WNT identified by Nanostring to be WNT, others aligned with IHC subgroups; extra SHH by Nanostring turned out to be SHH by methylation.

CONCLUSIONS

Both IHC supplemented by FISH and Nanostring are robust methods for molecular subgrouping, albeit with few disadvantages. IHC cannot differentiate between Groups 3 and 4, while Nanostring cannot classify older-archived tumors, and is not available at most centres. WNT subgroup with the best prognosis is best detected by IHC or IHC followed by sequencing for confirmation. Nanostring Assay is better suitable to separate Group 3, the worst prognostic group from Group 4. Thus, both the methods complement each other and can be used in concert for high confidence allotment of molecular subgroups in clinical practice. The cost of IHC plus Nanostring will almost be the same as IHC plus FISH. We recommend a cost-efficient algorithmic approach using histopathological subtype and IHC as the first step followed by Nanostring or FISH, wherever suitable.

Engineered Peptides for Applications in Cancer-Targeted Drug Delivery and Tumor Detection

Cancer-targeting peptides as ligands for targeted delivery of anticancer drugs or drug carriers have the potential to significantly enhance the selectivity and the therapeutic benefit of current chemotherapeutic agents. Identification of tumor-specific biomarkers like integrins, aminopeptidase N, and epidermal growth factor receptor as well as the popularity of phage display techniques along with synthetic combinatorial methods used for peptide design and structure optimization have fueled the advancement and application of peptide ligands for targeted drug delivery and tumor detection in cancer treatment, detection and guided therapy. Although considerable preclinical data have shown remarkable success in the use of tumor targeting peptides, peptides generally suffer from poor pharmacokinetics, enzymatic instability, and weak receptor affinity, and they need further structural modification before successful translation to clinics is possible. The current review gives an overview of the different engineering strategies that have been developed for peptide structure optimization to confer selectivity and stability. We also provide an update on the methods used for peptide ligand identification, and peptide- receptor interactions. Additionally, some applications for the use of peptides in targeted delivery of chemotherapeutics and diagnostics over the past 5 years are summarized.

Encompassment of Benzyl Isothiocyanate in cyclodextrin using ultrasonication methodology to enhance its stability for biological applications

The use of methodical and innovative sonication method has been explored for the fabrication of inclusion complex of Benzyl Isothiocyanate, a potential anticancer and -antimicrobial agent. The advancement involved investigation of inclusion behaviour, characterisation and an in-depth study of thermal and UV stability of Benzyl Isothiocyanate with cyclodextrins; β-CD and hp-β-CD. The sonication driven encompassment in cyclodextrins helped to overcome the hindrance of low solubility and high volatility. Investigations of physical and thermodynamic parameters using UV-visible spectroscopy, FTIR, XRD, TGA etc confirmed stability of inclusion complexes. Both β-CD and hp-β-CD based inclusion complexes retained the antimicrobial property of the free Benzyl Isothiocyanate, indicating their potential utility as antimicrobial agents. Haematological safety and cellular uptake data gives direction to in-depth analysis for its exploitation of anti-tumour activity.

Formulation and physiochemical study of α-tocopherol based oil in water nanoemulsion stabilized with non toxic, biodegradable surfactant: Sodium stearoyl lactate

The unique properties such as high optical clarity, stability and enhanced bioavailability of nanoemulsion make them useful for food, cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries. In this work, sodium stearoyl lactate and Tween 80 surfactants were collectively used to fabricate alpha tocopherol based oil in water nanoemulsion using high energy ultrasonication method. The spherical nature of pure and drug loaded nanoemulsion has been confirmed with transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The influence of pH, dilution, surfactant concentration and ionic strength on average particle size of pure and nutraceutical (benzylisothiocyanate and curcumin) encapsulated emulsion was examined. The prepared emulsion exhibited good stability up to 90days in salt solution (50-200mM) and different pH conditions. The cumulative release % of benzylisothiocyanate and curcumin was found to be 50.29% in 36h and 89.15% in 150h respectively. The antioxidant activity of pure, benzylisothiocyanate, curcumin and cocktail (benzylisothiocyanate and curcumin) nanoemulsion was calculated with 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical. The IC₅₀ value of different antioxidant showed that benzylisothiocyanate nanoemulsion acted as better antioxidant as compared to pure and curcumin encapsulated nanoemulsion. Also the cell viability of pure nanoemulsion was found to be 24% on hep G2 cell. The effect of UV light irradiation on curcumin and benzylisothiocyanate stability was carried out in different solvent conditions (water/ethanol and nanoemulsion). The degradation of curcumin by the impact of UV light was successfully controlled by trapping in NEm.

Ultrasound processed nanoemulsion: A comparative approach between resveratrol and resveratrol cyclodextrin inclusion complex to study its binding interactions, antioxidant activity and UV light stability

Resveratrol is a naturally occurring therapeutic molecule used for treatment of diseases caused by oxidative stress. This investigation elucidates the advantages of fabrication of size controlled resveratrol inclusion complex. This has been done by encapsulating resveratrol-cyclodextrin inclusion complex in a phospholipid stabilized nanoemulsion formulated by ultrasonication emulsification method. The prepared nanoemulsion has been compared with resveratrol encapsulated nanoemulsion system. The morphology of the resveratrol nanoemulsion and inclusion complex nanoemulsion have been observed using transmission electron microscopy with average size 20.41±3.41 and 24.48±5.70nm respectively. The nanoemulsion showed good loading and release efficiency. The radical diminishing potential of resveratrol and its inclusion complex has been compared in nanoemulsion. The effect of UV irradiation (365nm) on resveratrol in different solvent systems (ethanol, water and nanoemulsion) indicated that nanoemulsion prevents degradation of resveratrol. Efforts have also been made to explore the interactions between bovine serum albumin and resveratrol in nanoemulsion.

Physiochemical and cytotoxicity study of TPGS stabilized nanoemulsion designed by ultrasonication method

The main aim of the present work was to prepare TPGS stabilized D-α-Tocopherol, lemon oil, tween-80, and water nanoemulsion by low cost and highly effective sonication method. The prepared nanoemulsion showed good stability for 60days at variable temperature conditions i.e. 4, 25 and 37°C. The tolerance of the prepared nanoemulsion to salt (50mM-500mM) and pH (pH 2-pH 7.4) was also studied. The morphology and droplet size of pure and quinine loaded nanoemulsion was characterized with transmission electron microscopy. The prepared formulation was transparent and the obtained average particle size ranged between 25nm and 35nm. The nanoemulsion was found to be non toxic. The cell viability study of pure nanoemulsion carried out on Hep G2 cells revealed that the cell viability was 100%. The formulation further exhibited high quinine loading and release capacity with cumulative release up to 76±2% and 65±2% at pH 7.4 and pH 5.5 respectively. The interaction between quinine and vitamins (riboflavin, thiamine and biotin) was also carried out (aqueous medium). The study revealed that riboflavin had strong interaction with quinine and vitamins vis-à-vis thiamine and biotin.

ASSESSMENT OF INHALATION DOSE FROM THE INDOOR 222Rn AND 220Rn USING RAD7 AND PINHOLE CUP DOSEMETERS

Radon is the most important source of natural radiation and is responsible for approximately half of the received dose from all sources. Most of this dose is from inhalation of the radon progeny, especially in closed atmospheres. Concentration of radon (²²²Rn) and thoron (²²⁰Rn) in the different villages of Jalandhar and Kapurthala district of Punjab has been calculated by pinhole cup dosemeters and RAD7. On an average, it has been observed from the study that the values of all the parameters calculated are higher in case of active monitoring than the passive monitoring. The calculated equilibrium equivalent ²²²Rn concentration (EEC_Rn) and equilibrium equivalent ²²⁰Rn concentration (EEC_Th) fluctuate in the range from 5.58 to 34.29 and from 0.35 to 2.7 Bq m^-3 as estimated by active technique, respectively. Similarly, the observed mean value of the potential alpha energy concentration of ²²²Rn (PAEC_Rn) and ²²⁰Rn (PAEC_Th) is 4.55 and 4.34 mWL, respectively. The dose rate to the soft tissues and lung from indoor ²²²Rn varies from 0.06 to 0.38 and from 0.50 to 3.05 nGy h^-1, respectively. The total annual effective dose for the residents of the study area is less than 10 mSv.

Nanomechanical sandwich assay for multiple cancer biomarkers in breast cancer cell-derived exosomes

The use of exosomes as cancer diagnostic biomarkers is technically limited by their size, heterogeneity and the need for extensive purification and labelling. We report the use of cantilever arrays for simultaneous detection of multiple exosomal surface-antigens with high sensitivity and selectivity. Exosomes from breast cancer were selectively identified by detecting over-expressed membrane-proteins CD24, CD63, and EGFR. Excellent selectivity however, was achieved when targeting the cell-surface proteoglycan, Glypican-1 at extraordinary limits (∼200 exosomes per mL, ∼0.1 pg mL(-1)).

Formulation of saponin stabilized nanoemulsion by ultrasonic method and its role to protect the degradation of quercitin from UV light

The objective of the present study was to prepare quercitin (QT) loaded o/w nanoemulsion using food grade surfactants (saponin and tween 80). The prepared nanoemulsion) was stable up to 30 days. The average particle size of the nanoemulsion was 52 ± 10 nm. The formation of saponin stabilized nanoemulsion was confirmed by transmission electron microscopy. Quercitin (QT) trapped nanoemulsion showed higher stability on exposure to UV light (254 nm) as compared to water/ethanol system. The degradation rate was found to decrease from 9 ± 1%, 11 ± 1% at pH 7.4, 8.0 respectively as compared to 42 ± 2% in water/ethanol system. Attempt was also made to study the interaction of QT with two different bile salts (sodium cholate and sodium taurocholate). The free radical scavenging activity of DPPH quercitin and curcumin was compared in NEm media. The obtained IC50 value of quercitin, curcumin and ascorbic acid are 28.88 ± 1, 45.53 ± 2 and 51.51 ± 2 μM respectively. The values of binding constant for sodium cholate (NaC) and sodium taurocholate (NaTC) are 2.66 × 10(5) and 2.72 × 10(4) M(-1) respectively. Sodium cholate (NaC) was found to show strong interaction towards quercitin (QT) due to more electron density on oxygen atom of carboxylate ion.

G9a histone methyltransferase inhibitor BIX01294 promotes expansion of adult cardiac progenitor cells without changing their phenotype or differentiation potential

OBJECTIVES

As a follow-up to our previous reports showing that the G9a histone methyltransferase-specific inhibitor BIX01294 enhances bone marrow cell cardiac potential, this drug was examined for its effects on cardiomyocytes and mouse cardiac progenitor cells (CPCs).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Cardiomyocytes and cardiac explants were cultured ± BIX01294, and examined for changes in cardiac function, protein and gene expression. Additionally, enriched populations of CPCs, contained in the 'phase bright cell' component of explants, were harvested from non-treated and BIX01294-treated cardiac tissue, and assayed for differences in cell phenotype and differentiation potential. Mouse CPCs were cultured with rat cardiomyocytes to allow differentiation of the progenitors to be assayed using species-specific PCR primers.

RESULTS

While BIX01294 had no discernible effect on myocyte function and sarcomeric organization, treatment with this drug significantly increased CPC proliferation, as indicated by enhanced MTT metabolization and BrdUrd incorporation (4.1- and 2.0-fold, respectively, P < 0.001) after 48 h labelling, and increased Ki67 expression (4.8-fold, P < 0.001) after 7 days culture. Heart explants exposed to BIX01294 generated 3.6-fold (P < 0.005) greater yields of CPCs by 2 weeks culture. Importantly, CPCs obtained from non-treated and BIX01294-treated cultures did not differ in phenotype or differentiation potential.

CONCLUSIONS

These data indicate that BIX01294 can expand CPCs without undermining their capacity as cardiac progenitors, and suggest that this drug may have utility for generating large numbers of CPCs for cardiac repair.

Nanoemulsions as an effective medium for encapsulation and stabilization of cholesterol/β-cyclodextrin inclusion complex

BACKGROUND

Inclusion complex formation between β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) and suitable guest molecules such as cholesterol (Ch) has regularly been exploited to design self-assembled structures. In the present study an effective nanoemulsion medium (lecithin/Tween 80/ethyl oleate/water) was selected for solubilizing and stabilizing Ch and Ch/β-CD inclusion complex. Phase solubility, spectroscopic, thermodynamic, Z-average diameter and morphological analyses were conducted.

RESULTS

Phase solubility data analysis demonstrated an increase in Ch solubility at low β-CD concentrations (0.01-0.35 mmol L(-1) ). Transmission electron microscopy and Z-average diameter data indicated the spherical nature of the droplets and confirmed the formation of nanoemulsions with an average size of less than 50 nm. The negative value of ΔG obtained during analysis further indicated that the binding was spontaneous in nature.

CONCLUSION

Primarily, this research demonstrates the use of nanoemulsions as a medium in food matrices, instead of water, for hosting Ch in β-CD.

Energy efficient, facile and cost effective methodology for formation of an inclusion complex of resveratrol with hp-β-CD

A stable inclusion complex was obtained by using a greener, energy proficient approach via an ultrasonic method.

Exploitation of sperm-Escherichia coli interaction at the receptor-ligand level for the development of anti-receptor antibodies as the vaginal contraceptive

In an earlier work performed in our laboratory, we have been able to isolate a sperm receptor (SR) from human spermatozoa playing critical role in fertilization using sperm--E. coli interactions at the receptor-ligand level. It has been hypothesized that for the development of an immunocontraceptive, antibodies generated against the SR should have the ability to impair sperm parameters. In this league, an attempt was made to generate anti-SR antibodies and their effect on sperm parameters such as motility, viability, Mg(2+) -dependent ATPase activity, acrosome status, and apoptotic index was examined. Loss of sperm motility was observed with 100% agglutination. Interaction of anti-SR antibodies with spermatozoa resulted in reduced Mg(2+) -dependent ATPase activity (1020 ± 0.53%), premature acrosomal loss (61.5 ± 0.67%) as well as induced apoptosis (58.76 ± 2.5%). The induction of sperm damage was specifically because of anti-SR polyclonal antibodies as it could be mitigated by the addition of purified SR. Further, when in vivo efficacy of anti-SR antibodies was checked, results showed that a single intravaginal administration with anti-SR antibodies in female BALB/c mice led to the failure of conception. However, simultaneous administration of SR with anti-SR polyclonal antibodies resulted in sustenance of fertility. Infertility induced by anti-SR antibodies did not show any other tissue pathology; hence the present work highlights the potential of anti-SR polyclonal antibodies to be used as a vaginal contraceptive.

Quantification of penoxsulam in soil and rice samples by matrix solid phase extraction and liquid-liquid extraction followed by HPLC-UV method

The paper exploits the development of novel, simple and sensitive methodology involving matrix solid phase dispersion (MSPD) and the comparison of MSPD with liquid-liquid extraction (LLE) for the evaluation of residual penoxsulam in soil and rice samples. Extracted samples were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with ultraviolet detector at 230 nm. Both methods were optimized, considering different parameters, and under optimum conditions, the mean recoveries obtained were in the range of 85-104 % for MSPD and 78.8-90.7 % for LLE. Precision values expressed as relative standard deviation (RSD) were ≤10 for MSPD and ≤15 for LLE. Linearity for penoxsulam was in the range of 0.01-20 μg mL(-1) with limits of detection and limits of quantification of 0.01 and 0.03 mg kg(-1), respectively.

Alterations in mitochondrial DNA copy number and the activities of electron transport chain complexes and pyruvate dehydrogenase in the frontal cortex from subjects with autism

Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder associated with social deficits and behavioral abnormalities. Recent evidence suggests that mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress may contribute to the etiology of autism. This is the first study to compare the activities of mitochondrial electron transport chain (ETC) complexes (I-V) and pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH), as well as mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) copy number in the frontal cortex tissues from autistic and age-matched control subjects. The activities of complexes I, V and PDH were most affected in autism (n=14) being significantly reduced by 31%, 36% and 35%, respectively. When 99% confidence interval (CI) of control group was taken as a reference range, impaired activities of complexes I, III and V were observed in 43%, 29% and 43% of autistic subjects, respectively. Reduced activities of all five ETC complexes were observed in 14% of autistic cases, and the activities of multiple complexes were decreased in 29% of autistic subjects. These results suggest that defects in complexes I and III (sites of mitochondrial free radical generation) and complex V (adenosine triphosphate synthase) are more prevalent in autism. PDH activity was also reduced in 57% of autistic subjects. The ratios of mtDNA of three mitochondrial genes ND1, ND4 and Cyt B (that encode for subunits of complexes I and III) to nuclear DNA were significantly increased in autism, suggesting a higher mtDNA copy number in autism. Compared with the 95% CI of the control group, 44% of autistic children showed higher copy numbers of all three mitochondrial genes examined. Furthermore, ND4 and Cyt B deletions were observed in 44% and 33% of autistic children, respectively. This study indicates that autism is associated with mitochondrial dysfunction in the brain.