Predict the characteristics of the DI engine with various injection timings by Glycine max oil biofuel using artificial neural networks.

Glycine max oil biofuel (GMOB) is a product of the transesterification of soybean oil. It contains a substantial amount of thermal energy. In this study, the result of varying fuel injection timings on the performance, ignition, and exhaust parameters of a research engine with single-cylinder, four-stroke with direct injection (DI) diesel was experimentally investigated and optimised using artificial neural networks (ANN). The results demonstrated that a 20% fuel blend with 24.5° before top dead centre (b TDC) decreased brake thermal efficiency (BTE), NOx emissions, and exhaust cylinder temperature but improved fuel consumption, carbon dioxide emissions (CDE), and smoke emissions. With 26.5° b TDC, the BTE was found to be approximately 5.0% higher while the fuel consumption was approximately 2.0% lower than with the original injection timing of 24.5° b TDC. At 26.5° b TDC, the NOx emission was approximately 8.6% higher, and the smoke emission was approximately 4.07% lower than at the original injection timing (24.5° b TDC).

S-adenosyl-L-homocysteine Hydrolase: Its Inhibitory Activity Against Plasmodium falciparum and Development of Malaria Drugs.

Parasite Plasmodium falciparum is continuously giving a challenge to human beings by changing itself against most of the antimalarial drugs and its consequences can be seen in the form of a huge number of deaths each year especially in the poor and developing country. Due to its drug resistance ability, new drugs are regularly needed to kill the organism. Many new drugs have been developed based on different mechanisms. One of the potential mechanisms is to hamper protein synthesis by blocking the gene expression. S-Adenosyl-L-homocysteine (SAH) hydrolase is a NAD+ dependent tetrameric enzyme, which is responsible for the reversible hydrolysis of AdoHcy to adenosine and L-homocysteine, has been recognized as a new target for antimalarial agents since the parasite has a specific SAH hydrolase. The inhibition of SAH hydrolase causes the intracellular accumulation of S-Adenosyl-L-homocysteine, elevating the ratio of SAH to S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) and inhibiting SAM-dependent methyltransferase that catalyzes methylation of the capped structure at the 5'-terminus of mRNA, and other methylation reaction which is essential for parasite proliferation. In other words, S-Adenosyl-Lhomocysteine hydrolase regulates methyltransferase reactions. In this way, SAH hydrolase inhibitors can be used for the treatment of different diseases like malaria, cancer, viral infection, etc. by ultimately stopping the synthesis of protein. Many antiviral drugs have been synthesized and marketed which are based on the inhibition of SAH hydrolase. This review summarises the development of SAH inhibitors developed over the last 20 years and their potentiality for the treatment of malaria.

Proteomic Analysis of the Human Anterior Pituitary Gland.

The pituitary function is regulated by a complex system involving the hypothalamus and biological networks within the pituitary. Although the hormones secreted from the pituitary have been well studied, comprehensive analyses of the pituitary proteome are limited. Pituitary proteomics is a field of postgenomic research that is crucial to understand human health and pituitary diseases. In this context, we report here a systematic proteomic profiling of human anterior pituitary gland (adenohypophysis) using high-resolution Fourier transform mass spectrometry. A total of 2164 proteins were identified in this study, of which 105 proteins were identified for the first time compared with high-throughput proteomic-based studies from human pituitary glands. In addition, we identified 480 proteins with secretory potential and 187 N-terminally acetylated proteins. These are the first region-specific data that could serve as a vital resource for further investigations on the physiological role of the human anterior pituitary glands and the proteins secreted by them. We anticipate that the identification of previously unknown proteins in the present study will accelerate biomedical research to decipher their role in functioning of the human anterior pituitary gland and associated human diseases.

Purification and biological characterization of bacterially expressed recombinant buffalo prolactin.

Recombinant prolactin (PRL) from water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) has been cloned and expressed in a prokaryotic expression system. The hormone was also successfully refolded into a biologically active form. Total RNA was purified from buffalo pituitaries and the buPRL cDNA was synthesized using primers designed on bovine PRL sequence. This prolactin cDNA was cloned in a pET 28a vector and expressed in Escherichia coli strain BL21(DE3)pLysS. Most of the expressed protein was present as insoluble inclusion bodies. The inclusion bodies were solubilized and buPRL was purified by Ni-NTA column. The purified protein was refolded by gradually decreasing the concentration of denaturant during dialysis. Total yield of the refolded and soluble prolactin was 22 mg/L from 100 mL bacterial culture in LB medium. The recombinant prolactin was as active as native prolactin in stimulating growth of Nb2 lymphoma cells.

Molecular dissection of an hCG-beta epitope using single-step solid phase radioimmunoassay.

BACKGROUND: Peptides and proteins have both sequence-specific (contiguous) and conformation-specific (discontiguous) epitopes. Sequence-specific epitopes are delineated by peptide approach and other robust methods like competition assays, gene expression assays, synthetic peptide library based assays etc. Available methods for delineation of conformation-specific epitopes are cumbersome (X-ray crystallography etc.), time-consuming and require costly sophisticated equipments. Hence, there is a need to develop a simple method for identification and mapping of conformation-specific epitopes. METHOD: In the single-step solid phase radioimmunoassay (SS-SPRIA), an immunochemical bridge of 'mouse IgG-anti-mouse IgG' was prepared in the polypropylene wells followed by adsorption with hCG specific monoclonal antibody (MAb) G(1)G(10).1. The extent of competitive inhibition in binding ability of (125)IhCG-beta with chemically or enzymatically modified hCG-beta to immobilized MAb G(1)G(10).1 in comparison to hCG-beta standards was utilized to identify the epitopic amino acid involved in epitope-paratope interaction. RESULTS: Data clearly suggest that the epitope under investigation consisted of Arg (94, 95) and Asp (99) at the core region with a Lys (104) and a His (106) in the proximity and absence of chymotrypsin susceptible Phe or Tyr in this region. CONCLUSION: The data of SS-SPRIA revealed the 93-100 loop of amino acid sequence, as the core region of conformation-specific epitope of hCG-beta at or near the receptor-binding region. Hence, SS-SPRIA seems to be a simple method for identification and mapping of conformation-specific epitopes.

Long term blocking of GABA-A receptor in locus coeruleus by bilateral microinfusion of picrotoxin reduced rapid eye movement sleep and increased brain Na-K ATPase activity in freely moving normally behaving rats.

Isolated studies showed that norepinephrinergic REM-OFF neurons are active throughout except during rapid eye movement (REM) sleep when they are inhibited possibly by GABA. Similarly, independent studies have also reported that during REM sleep deprivation those REM-OFF neurons continue firing, that there is increased norepinephrine (NE) in the brain and that increased levels of NE increases the Na-K ATPase activity in the brain. However, it was not known if all those changes were directly related to REM sleep deprivation, what could be the mechanism for such changes and their patho-physiological significance. To confirm the same, based on the reports, mostly from our group, it was hypothesised that GABA antagonist in the locus coeruleus (LC) should at least significantly reduce REM sleep and simultaneously increase Na-K ATPase activity in the brain. To confirm the proposed hypothesis, picrotoxin, a GABA-A receptor antagonist, was bilaterally microinjected every 6 h for 36 h into the LC of freely moving normally behaving rats and the effects on electrophysiological signals signifying sleep-wakefulness and on brain synaptosome Na-K ATPase activity were estimated. The microinjection was done with the help of a remote control pump without handling or disturbing the rats. The findings that REM sleep was significantly reduced and there was associated increase in Na-K ATPase activity confirmed our hypothesis. The results also support our modified (GABA-mediated) model of neural connections in the LC for the regulation of REM sleep. Also, this is probably the first report to simulate REM sleep deprivation using receptor antagonist.