R7-binding protein targets the G protein β5/R7-regulator of G protein signaling complex to lipid rafts in neuronal cells and brain

Background  

Heterotrimeric guanine nucleotide-binding regulatory proteins (G proteins), composed of Gα, Gβ, and Gγ subunits, are positioned at the inner face of the plasma membrane and relay signals from activated G protein-coupled cell surface receptors to various signaling pathways. Gβ5 is the most structurally divergent Gβ isoform and forms tight heterodimers with regulator of G protein signalling (RGS) proteins of the R7 subfamily (R7-RGS). The subcellular localization of Gβ 5/R7-RGS protein complexes is regulated by the palmitoylation status of the associated R7-binding protein (R7BP), a recently discovered SNARE-like protein. We investigate here whether R7BP controls the targeting of Gβ5/R7-RGS complexes to lipid rafts, cholesterol-rich membrane microdomains where conventional heterotrimeric G proteins and some effector proteins are concentrated in neurons and brain.     

Work place air particulate monitoring of automobile workshops for public health and safety

Twenty-eight pairs of coarse and fine air particulate samples were collected in front of an automotive workshop located at Tasmasipabad on Chaklala Road in Rawalpindi using a Gent sampler and polycarbonate filters. These samples were collected during the period; 7th to 27th of April 2009. The gravimetric data (PM_2.5 and PM₁₀) were obtained for these samples and were found to exceed the Pakistani standards. Black carbon (BC) was also determined using reflectance measurements and it was found that BC contributed significantly more to the fine mass than to the coarse fraction; i.e. ~10 to ~3 %, respectively. This is not surprising as soot is emitted by combustion processes and is usually found in the fine particulate mass. Using instrumental neutron activation analysis technique all 28 pairs of filters were analyzed for >30 elements. Major elements, in the coarse mass fraction, include Al, K, Fe, Sr, Na, and Zn implying soil as the major source while BC was found to be a higher contributor of PM_2.5. An episode of high PM_2.5 was observed on the 18th of April 2009. Back trajectory analysis showed that the air mass originated from the Middle East where a dust storm was in progress over Iraq.     

Biomedical Applications of Scutellaria edelbergii Rech. f.: In Vitro and In Vivo Approach

In the current study, in vitro antimicrobial and antioxidant activities and in vivo anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities of Scutellaria edelbergii Rech. f. (crude extract and subfractions, i.e., n-hexane, ethyl acetate (EtOAc), chloroform, n-butanol (n-BuOH) and aqueous) were explored. Initially, extraction and fractionation of the selected medicinal plant were carried out, followed by phytochemical qualitative tests, which were mostly positive for all the extracts. EtOAc fraction possessed a significant amount of phenolic (79.2 ± 0.30 mg GAE/g) and flavonoid (84.0 ± 0.39 mg QE/g) content. The EtOAc fraction of S. edelbergii exhibited appreciable antibacterial activity against Gram-negative (Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae) strains and significant zones of inhibition were observed against Gram-positive bacterial strains (Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcus aureus). However, it was found inactive against Candida Albicans and Fusarium oxysporum fungal strains. The chloroform fraction was the most effective with an IC₅₀ value of 172 and 74 µg/mL against DPPH (1,1-Diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl) and ABTS assays, in comparison with standard ascorbic acid 59 and 63 µg/mL, respectively. Moreover, the EtOAc fraction displayed significant in vivo anti-inflammatory activity (54%) using carrageenan-induced assay and significant (55%) in vivo analgesic activity using acetic acid-induced writing assay. In addition, nine known compounds, ursolic acid (UA), ovaul (OV), oleanolic acid (OA), β-sitosterol (BS), micromeric acid (MA), taraxasterol acetate (TA), 5,3′,4′-trihydroxy-7-methoxy flavone (FL-1), 5,7,4′-trihydroxy-6,3′-dimiethoxyflavone (FL-2) and 7-methoxy catechin (FL-3), were isolated from methanolic extract of S. edelbergii. These constituents have never been obtained from this source. The structures of all the isolated constituents were elucidated by spectroscopic means. In conclusion, the EtOAc fraction and all other fractions of S. edelbergii, in general, displayed a significant role as antibacterial, free radical scavenger, anti-inflammatory and analgesic agents which may be due to the presence of these constituents and other flavonoids.     

Emodin,A Naturally Occuring Anthraquinone: Its Isolation and Spectrophotometric Determination in Rumex Cyprius Plant

A new method for isolation and specrophotometric determination of emodin is presented. Emodin was isolated by thin layer chromatography (tlc) and column chromatography (cc) techniques, as an orange long crystalline substance. Emodin exhibits two absorption maxima, at 420 and 520 nm. Stability of the color and the effect of pH were studied. Beer's law is obeyed in the range 2–30 ppm.

The method is applied to the determination of emodin in roots, stems, and leaves of Rumex cyprius plant.     

Evaluation of laboratory performance using proficiency test exercise results

The IAEA conducted the IAEA-CU-2006-06 Proficiency Test (PT) on “The determination of major, minor and trace elements in ancient Chinese ceramic” in 2006. The results of this PT showed that of the 21 analytes reported by our laboratory 9 failed the precision criteria. Therefore the results reported by our laboratory along with the results of other laboratories which carried out analysis using neutron activation analysis (NAA) were studied. It was found that the major factor contributing towards data falling in the “Warning” category, failing the precision criteria was the high uncertainties cited in the certificates of the reference materials (RMs) used for quantification of data. In this regard, it is recommended that synthetic standards should be prepared and used on a routine basis especially for the measurement of the elements K, Eu, Lu, Ta, Tb and Yb.     

Synthesis and structure of Zn7(mu4-O)2(OAc)10(Pz)2(OAc = acetate; Pz = pyrazine)

Reaction of Zn(OAc)(2).2H(2)O with pyrazine in refluxing ethanol gives the unusual heptanuclear complex Zn7(mu4-O)(2)(OAc)(10)(Pz)(2) (1) (OAc = acetate, Pz = pyrazine) in 46% yield. A single-crystal X-ray diffraction study of revealed a central Zn(7) core in which two pseudo-tetrahedral Zn(4) units are joined at a common vertex. The two pyrazine molecules are bound as terminal (eta1) ligands.     

Varying Track Etch Rates along the Fission Fragments＇ Trajectories in CR-39 Detectors

We determine the behavior of track etch rate VT along the tracks in CR-39 detectors exposed to fission fragments from ^252Cf source. CR-39 detectors are etched at 70℃ in different concentrations of Na2COa-mixed 6M NaOH solutions for different etching time intervals of 5-10min starting from 15 min up to 210min. Two values of track etch rate are determined along the fission fragment trajectories. The variation in VT is correlated with the energy loss rate of the fission fragment in the detector material.     

Investigating droplet separation efficiency in wire-mesh mist eliminators in bubble column

Effects of design parameters on performance of wire-mesh mist eliminators were experimentally investigated in 15 cm bubble column. The demisters performances were evaluated by droplet collection efficiency as a function of wide ranges of operating and design parameters. These parameters include: droplet size exiting the demister (250–380 μm), specific surface area (236–868 m²/m³), void fraction (97–98.3%), wire diameter (0.14–0.28 mm), packing density (130–240 kg/m³), and superficial gas velocity (0.109–0.118 m/s. All demisters were 15 cm in diameter with 10 cm pad thickness, made from 316L stainless steel layered type demister pad wires. Experiments were carried out using air–water system at ambient temperature and atmospheric pressure. The experimental data on the droplet removal efficiency were obtained using Malvern Laser Droplet Sizer. The removal efficiency was found to increase with the increasing the demister specific surface area, packing density, and superficial gas velocity. In contrast, the removal efficiency was found to increase with decreasing the demister void fraction and wire diameter. The separation efficiency is correlated empirically as a function of the design parameters. A good agreement was obtained between the measured values and the correlation predictions with ±5% accuracy.     

Assessing soil pollution from a municipal waste dump in Islamabad, Pakistan: a study by INAA and AAS

INAA and AAS techniques have been employed to determine 40 elements in soil of a municipal waste dump in sector H-11, Islamabad. Background soil was also analyzed to study the extent of contamination of the dump site soil. Most of the major elements in these soils represented the geochemical composition of the soil in this area. The enrichment factors for quantified elements identified high Sb and Mg contents that could be attributed to the presence of PET and food materials in the waste. Geo-accumulation Index (I _geo), Pollution Index (PI) and the Integrated Pollution Index (IPI) have also been calculated for all elements. The values for these indices show that municipal waste has distorted the soil ambiance and the soil of waste dump site is slightly to moderately polluted as compared to the background soil. The dump soil was found to be moderately polluted by the elements Ba, Br, Ga, Rb, Zn, Ni and Pb. Significantly high Cu, Mg and Sb contamination was observed for the waste soil that is likely to pose an environmental issue if current waste disposal procedures are continuously employed.