Fluorimetric assay of interaction of protein with ferrofluids

Magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles are inherently biocompatible and are amenable to post synthesis surface modification, making them excellent candidates for many important applications. If the above can be achieved in a single-step i.e., in situ synthesis and functionalization, the results are expected to be more dramatic for sensitive detection of biomolecules. For any application, it is necessary to confer a high level of binding specificity through surface chemistry, which can be introduced by using biological moieties that possess lock-and-key interactions, like those observed in antibody-antigen and enzyme-substrate recognition. In this paper, we have synthesized water based ferrofluids with serum albumin, the major protein component of blood. A series of other ferrofluids using different biocompatible polymers have also been studied with respect to their size determined by transmission electron microscopy, magnetic behavior with the aid of vibrating sample magnetometry and binding capability to bovine serum albumin by quenching of its native fluorescence. From our results, it can be inferred that binding has taken place between magnetic particles and biomolecules, the binding constants of which indirectly reveal the efficiency of the interaction.     

Do topological parameters of amino acids within protein contact networks depend on their physico-chemical properties?

The three dimensional structure of a protein is determined by the interactions of its constituent amino acids. Considering the amino acids as nodes and the non-bonded interactions among them in 3D space as edges, researchers have constructed protein contact networks and analyzed the values of several topological parameters to uncover different important aspects of proteins. Here, we have analyzed some of the topological parameters such as degree, strength, clustering coefficients, betweenness and closeness centrality of each of the twenty amino acids in a set of non-redundant proteins covering all classes and folds. The results show that the values of these topological parameters vary widely with different amino acids. Also, these values differ significantly with different length scales of proteins. Most of the hydrophobic residues along with Cys, Arg and His have larger contributions to the long range connectivities than short range. We have also studied whether the values of topological parameters have any significant dependency on the physico-chemical properties of the amino acids. While the clustering coefficients show a strong negative correlation with residual volumes, surface areas and number of atoms in the side chains of amino acids; the degrees, strengths and betweenness show positive correlations with the mentioned properties. All the topological parameters show high dependency on bulkiness and average area buried of the amino acid residues in all-range residue networks. The average degree shows higher dependency on hydrophobicity, while the average strength is more able to capture the essences of surface area, residual volume and number of atoms of amino acids. The hydrophobicities of the amino acids and their corresponding degrees show a higher positive correlation in long range networks (LRNs) than short range networks (SRNs). The closeness centrality shows high correlation with two hydrophobic scales and no correlation with surface area, residual volume or number of atoms in LRNs. We have further explored the relationship in hydrophobic, hydrophilic and charged residues separately. Interestingly, charged residues show a higher dependency on the number of atoms than their residual volumes and surface areas. Finally, we present a linear regression model relating the network parameters with physico-chemical properties of amino acids.     

Zirconium (IV), Thorium (IV) and Dioxouranium (VI) Complexes of Dibasic Tridentate Schiff Bases

Dibasic tridentate Schiff bases obtained by the condensation of O -aminobenzoic acid with salicyldehyde and its 5-chloro and 5-bromo derivatives were synthesised and used to pracipitate Zr(IV), Th(IV) and UO₂(VI) metals as complexes. The 1:1 (metal-ligand) stoichiometry of these complexes is shown by elemental analysis, gravimetric estimations and conductometric titrations while the structures of the complexes are proved by i.r. spectra and thermogravimetric analysis. The magnetic susceptibility measurements by Gouy method show, these complexes to be monormeic and diamagnetic. The molar conductance values in nitrobenzene indicate the nonelectrolytic behaviour of the complexes. The results show that the complexes of the type Zr(OH)²L.H²O, Th(OH)²L.H²O and UO²L.H²O are formed having solvent molecule in co-ordination with metal ion.     

Building a Better Halide Receptor: Optimum Choice of Spacer,Binding Unit,and Halosubstitution

Quantum calculations are used to measure the binding of halides to a number of bipodal dicationic receptors, constructed as a pair of binding units separated by a spacer group. A number of variations are studied. A H atom on each binding unit (imidazolium or triazolium) is replaced by Br or I. Benzene, thiophene, carbazole, and dimethylnaphthalene are considered as spacer groups. Each receptor is paired with halides F^?, Cl^?, Br^?, and I^?. Substitution with I on the binding unit yields a large enhancement of binding, as much as 13 orders of magnitude; a much smaller increase occurs for substitution with Br. Imidazolium is a more effective binding agent than is triazolium. Benzene and dimethylnaphthalene represent the best spacers, followed by thiophene and carbazole. F^? binds much more strongly than do the other halides, which obey the order Cl^?>Br^?>I^?.     

Theoretical Approach to the Onset of Convection in a Porous Layer

We examine the effect of viscous forces on the displacement of one fluid by a second, immiscible fluid along parallel layers of contrasting porosity, absolute permeability and relative permeability. Flow is characterized using five dimensionless numbers and the dimensionless storage efficiency, so results are directly applicable, regardless of scale, to geologic carbon storage. The storage efficiency is numerically equivalent to the recovery efficiency, applicable to hydrocarbon production. We quantify the shock-front velocities at the leading edge of the displacing phase using asymptotic flow solutions obtained in the limits of no crossflow and equilibrium crossflow. The shock-front velocities can be used to identify a fast layer and a slow layer, although in some cases the shock-front velocities are identical even though the layers have contrasting properties. Three crossflow regimes are identified and defined with respect to the fast and slow shock-front mobility ratios, using both theoretical predictions and confirmation from numerical flow simulations. Previous studies have identified only two crossflow regimes. Contrasts in porosity and relative permeability exert a significant influence on contrasts in the shock-front velocities and on storage efficiency, in addition to previously examined contrasts in absolute permeability. Previous studies concluded that the maximum storage efficiency is obtained for unit permeability ratio; this is true only if there are no contrasts in porosity and relative permeability. The impact of crossflow on storage efficiency depends on the mobility ratio evaluated across the fast shock-front and on the time at which the efficiency is measured.     

Matching product architecture with supply chain design

Product architecture is typically established in the early stages of the product development (PD) cycle. Depending on the type of architecture selected, product design, manufacturing processes, and ultimately supply chain configuration are all significantly affected. Therefore, it is important to integrate product architecture decisions with manufacturing and supply chain decisions during the early stage of the product development. In this paper, we present a multi-objective optimization framework for matching product architecture strategy to supply chain design. In contrast to the existing operations management literature, we incorporate the compatibility between the supply chain partners into our model to ensure the long term viability of the supply chain. Since much of the supplier related information may be very subjective in nature during the early stages of PD, we use fuzzy logic to compute the compatibility index of a supplier. The optimization model is formulated as a weighted goal programming (GP) model with two objectives: minimization of total supply chain costs, and maximization of total supply chain compatibility index. The GP model is solved by using genetic algorithm. We present case examples for two different products to demonstrate the model’s efficacy, and present several managerial implications that evolved from this study.     

Plasma activated water: the next generation eco-friendly stimulant for enhancing plant seed germination,vigor and increased enzyme activity,a study on black gram (Vigna mungo L.)

Plasma Chemistry and Plasma Processing - Chemical fertilization in agriculture is threatening to the ecosystem. Therefore, the use of eco-friendly stimulant for crop revolution is highly desirable....     

Efficient in vivo selection of a novel tumor-associated peptide from a phage display library

We developed a screening procedure to identify ligands from a phage display random peptide library that are selective for circulating bone marrow derived cells homing to angiogenic tumors. Panning the library on blood outgrowth endothelial cell suspension in vitro followed by in vivo selection based on homing of bone marrow-bound phage to angiogenic tumors, yielded the peptide QFPPKLTNNSML. Upon intravenous injection phage displaying this peptide homed to Lewis lung carcinoma (LLC) tumors in vivo whereas control phage did not localize to tumor tissue. Phage carrying the QFPPKLTNNSML peptide labeled with ??Cu radionuclide when administered intravenously into a tumor bearing mouse was detected noninvasively with positron emission tomography (PET) around the tumor. These proof-of-principle experiments demonstrate the ability of the QFPPKLTNNSML peptide to deliver payload (radiolabeled phage conjugates) in vivo to sites of ongoing angiogenesis and point to its potential clinical utility in a variety of physiologic and pathologic processes where neovascular growth is a critical component.