Anti-adipogenic ß-sitosterol and lupeol from Moringa oleifera suppress adipocyte differentiation through regulation of cell cycle progression.

Triterpenes and phytosterols enriched herbal formulations are known for glucose regulation and lipid metabolism. In this study, triterpenes and phytosterols from Moringa oleifera stem bark have been tested for their role in adipocyte differentiation. Chromatographic analysis revealed a wide range of phenolics, highlighting the presence of flavonoids (kaempferol, quercetin, and rutin), terpenoids (lupeol), and phytosterol (stigmasterol, ß-sitosterol). Lupeol and ß-sitosterol reduced cell viability in a dose-dependent manner showcasing increased G1 phase cell accumulation while reducing other cell cycle phases (S and G2 /M) and significant lowering of intracellular lipid accumulation. Additionally, lupeol (35.37% at 32 µM) and ß-sitosterol (42.97% at 16 µM) inhibited reactive oxygen species generation and increased glucose uptake in adipocytes. Collectively, our results indicate that lupeol and ß-sitosterol efficaciously attenuated adipogenesis via a controlled cell cycle progression and enhanced glucose uptake in adipocytes. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Active components of Moringa oleifera effectively regulate adipocyte differentation suggest that it can be good medicial supllement for control of obesity.

Occurrence, sources and risk assessment of fluoroquinolones in dumpsite soil and sewage sludge from Chennai, India.

Soil and sludge are major reservoirs of organic compounds such as fluoroquinolones (FQs) which are broad-spectrum antibacterial agents. Hence, we monitored three major FQs, namely, ciprofloxacin (CIP), norfloxacin (NOR), and ofloxacin (OFL), in surface soil from two major dumpsites and dry and wet sludge from sewage treatment plants in Chennai city. The mean concentration of FQs in soil and sludge samples were 20 µg/g and 26 µg/g, respectively. Nearly 50% of the total FQs in dumpsite soil was contributed by CIP followed by NOR (32%) and OFL (13%). Similarly, CIP was the major contributor in sludge samples followed by NOR and OFL. The concentration of FQs was two folds higher in wet sludge than dry sludge most likely indicating that water solubility of these compounds might play an important role for elevated level of FQs in wet sludge. Solid waste from pharmaceutical industries, households, and sludge from wastewater treatment plants were expected to be the major source of FQs in dumpsite soil. Predicted risk assessment using soil to water migration concentrations via surface run off indicated high risk to aquatic organisms. However, risk quotient (RQ) was found less to earthworm in most of the soil samples. The findings from this study might help in future policies on disposal of household antibiotics in the solid waste stream.

The World Health Organization Measles Programmatic Risk Assessment Tool-Pilot Testing in India, 2014.

Measles is a leading cause of child mortality, and reduction of child mortality is a key Millennium Development Goal. In 2014, the World Health Organization and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention developed a measles programmatic risk assessment tool to support country measles elimination efforts. The tool was pilot tested in the State of Uttarakhand in August 2014 to assess its utility in India. The tool assessed measles risk for the 13 districts of Uttarakhand as a function of indicator scores in four categories: population immunity, surveillance quality, program delivery performance, and threat. The highest potential overall score was 100. Scores from each category were totaled to assign an overall risk score for each district. From this risk score, districts were categorized as low, medium, high, or very high risk. Of the 13 districts in Uttarakhand in 2014, the tool classified one district (Haridwar) as very high risk and three districts (Almora, Champawat, and Pauri Garhwal) as high risk. The measles risk in these four districts was largely due to low population immunity from high MCV1-MCV2 drop-out rates, low MCV1 and MCV2 coverage, and the lack of a supplementary immunization activity (SIA) within the past three years. This tool can be used to support measles elimination in India by identifying districts that might be at risk for measles outbreaks, and to guide risk mitigation efforts, including strengthening routine immunization services and implementing SIAs.

In Situ Hydrothermal Synthesis of Graphene-CuO Nanocomposites for Lithium Battery Applications.

Graphene-CuO nanocomposites were prepared by in situ hydrothermal method. The properties of the prepared nanocomposites have been studied by XRD, SEM, TEM, TGA, FT-IR, TGA and CV technqiues. The prepared nanocomposites show uniform dispersion of CuO nanoparticles in between the graphene sheets. The interlayer spacing of the graphene sheets has been increased due to the inclusion of CuO nanoparticles as revealed by TEM analysis. The modification in the interlayer spacing and the CuO functionalization in between the layers would be useful in designing high performance lithium ion battery electrodes.

Utility of portable monitoring in the diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a common but underdiagnosed sleep disorder, which is associated with systemic consequences such as hypertension, stroke, metabolic syndrome, and ischemic heart disease. Nocturnal laboratory-based polysomnography (PSG) is the gold standard test for diagnosis of OSA. PSG consists of a simultaneous recording of multiple physiologic parameters related to sleep and wakefulness including electroencephalography (EEG), electrooculography (EOG), surface electromyography (EMG), airflow measurement using thermistor and nasal pressure transducer, pulse oximetry and respiratory effort (thoracic and abdominal). Multiple alternative and simpler methods that record respiratory parameters alone for diagnosing OSA have been developed in the past two decades. These devices are called portable monitors (PMs) and enable performing sleep studies at a lower cost with shorter waiting times. It has been observed and reported that comprehensive sleep evaluation coupled with the use of PMs can fulfill the unmet need for diagnostic testing in various out-of-hospital settings in patients with suspected OSA. This article reviews the available medical literature on PMs in order to justify the utility of PMs in the diagnosis of OSA, especially in resource-poor, high-disease burden settings. The published practice parameters for the use of these devices have also been reviewed with respect to their relevance in the Indian setting.

Crystal structure of 2-phenyl-ethanaminium 3-carb-oxy-prop-2-enoate.

The title mol-ecular salt, C8H12N(+)·C4H3O4 (-), crystallized with two independent cations and anions in the asymmetric unit. The ethanaminium side chains of the cations exhibit anti conformations [C-C-C-N torsion angles = 176.5 (3) and -179.4 (3)°]. In the crystal, N-H⋯O and C-H⋯O hydrogen bonds connect adjacent anions and cations, and , O-H⋯O hydrogen bonds connect adjacent anions, generating sheets parallel to (001).

Synthesis and Electrochemical Behavior of Ceria Based Bi-Layer Films by Dip Coating Technique.

Ceria based bi-layer films of CeO2-CdS and CeO2-TiO2 were prepared by sol-gel based hydrothermal route combined with dip-coating. The synthesized samples were subjected to various characterizations such as X-ray diffraction, Field emission scanning electron microscopy, thermo-gravimetric analysis, UV-Vis absorption and photoluminescence studies. The prepared materials were dissolved in naffion solution and disposed as a thin film on glassy carbon electrode by dip coating technique. Electrochemical Li+ intercalation/deintercalation was performed by cyclic voltammetry and these results indicate that the CeO2/LiClO4 system is electrochemically reversible. The total intercalation/deintercalation of the CeO2 film, CeO2-CdS and CeO2-TiO2 bi-layer films was determined by cyclic voltammetry, which showed increased charge storage capacity.

Crystal structure of 4-amino-benzoic acid-4-methyl-pyridine (1/1).

In the title 1:1 adduct, C6H7N·C7H7NO2, the carb-oxy-lic acid group is twisted at an angle of 4.32 (18)° with respect to the attached benzene ring. In the crystal, the carb-oxy-lic acid group is linked to the pyridine ring by an O-H⋯N hydrogen bond, forming a dimer. The dimers are linked by N-H⋯O hydrogen bonds, generating (010) sheets.

Studies on visible light photocatalytic and antibacterial activities of nanostructured cobalt doped ZnO thin films prepared by sol-gel spin coating method.

Nanostructured cobalt doped ZnO thin films were deposited on glass substrate by sol-gel spin coating technique and characterized by X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, field-emission scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and UV-Vis spectroscopy. The XRD results showed that the thin films were well crystalline with hexagonal wurtzite structure. The results of EDAX and XPS revealed that Co was doped into ZnO structure. FESEM images revealed that the films possess granular morphology without any crack and confirm that Co doping decreases the grain size. UV-Vis transmission spectra show that the substitution of Co in ZnO leads to band gap narrowing. The Co doped ZnO films were found to exhibit improved photocatalytic activity for the degradation of methylene blue dye under visible light in comparison with the undoped ZnO film. The decrease in grain size and extending light absorption towards the visible region by Co doping in ZnO film contribute equally to the improved photocatalytic activity. The bactericidal efficiency of Co doped ZnO films were investigated against a Gram negative (Escherichia coli) and a Gram positive (Staphylococcus aureus) bacteria. The optical density (OD) measurement showed better bactericidal activity at higher level of Co doping in ZnO.

Crystal structure of 4-bromo-anilinium 4-methyl-benzene-sulfonate.

In the crystal of the title mol-ecular salt, C6H7BrN(+)·C7H7O3S(-), the anions and cations are linked via N-H⋯O hydrogen bonds forming layers, enclosing R 2 (2)(4) ring motifs, lying parallel to (001). Within the layers there are short O⋯O contacts of 2.843 (2) Å.

Structural, optical, thermal and mechanical properties of Urea tartaric acid single crystals.

Urea tartaric acid (UT) an organic nonlinear optical (NLO) material was synthesized from aqueous solution and the crystals were grown by the slow evaporation technique. The single crystal X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis revealed that the UT crystal belongs to the orthorhombic system. The functional groups of UT have been identified by the Fourier transform infrared spectral studies. The optical transparent window in the visible and near the IR regions was investigated. The transmittance of UT has been used to calculate the refractive index (n) as a function of the wavelength. The nonlinear optical property of the grown crystal has been confirmed by the Kurtz powder second harmonic generation test. The birefringence of the crystal was determined using a tungsten halogen lamp source. The laser induced surface damage threshold for the grown crystal was measured using the Nd:YAG laser. The anisotropic in mechanical property of the grown crystals was studied using Vicker's microhardness tester at different planes. The etch pit density of UT crystals was investigated. The thermal behavior of UT was investigated using the TG-DTA and DSC studies.

Crystal structure of 4-(di-methyl-amino)-pyridinium 4-amino-benzoate dihydrate.

In the title hydrated mol-ecular salt, C7H11N2 (+)·C7H6NO2 (-)·2H2O, the cation is protonated at the pyridine N atom and the dihedral angle between the benzene ring and the CO2 (-) group in the anion is 8.5 (2)°. In the crystal, the cation forms an N-H⋯O hydrogen bond to the anion and the anion forms two N-H⋯O hydrogen bonds to adjacent water mol-ecules. Both water mol-ecules form two O-H⋯O hydrogen bonds to carboxyl-ate O atoms. In combination, these hydrogen bonds generate a three-dimensional network and two weak C-H⋯π inter-actions are also observed.

Synthesis, growth, structural and optical studies of a novel organic Piperazine (bis) p-toluenesulfonate single crystal.

A novel organic single crystal of Piperazinium (bis) p-toluenesulfonate (PPTS) was grown by a slow evaporation solution growth technique. The structure of the grown crystal was determined using single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. The PPTS crystal belongs to the triclinic crystal system with space group of P1¯. The presence of functional groups was confirmed by FTIR spectral analysis. The optical transmittance range and cut-off wavelength were identified by UV-vis-NIR spectral studies. The luminescent properties of PPTS crystal were investigated. The thermal behavior of PPTS crystal was studied by TG-DT analyses.

Glycinium 3-carb-oxy-4-hy-droxy-benzene-sulfonate.

In the anion of the title salt, C2H6NO2 (+)·C7H5O6S(-), the dihedral angle between the carb-oxy-lic acid group and the benzene ring is 5.02 (12)°. In the crystal, the anions are linked into inversion dimers through pairs of O-H⋯O hydrogen bonds between the carb-oxy-lic acid groups and sulfonate O atoms. A pair of C-H⋯O inter-actions is also observed within each dimer. The anion dimers and the cations are linked into a three-dimensional network by N-H⋯O, O-H⋯O and C-H⋯O hydrogen bonds.

Benzotriazolium 4-methyl-benzene-sulfonate.

In the title molecular salt, C6H6N3 (+)·C7H7O3S(-), the components are linked by N-H⋯O hydrogen bonds into zigzag chains along [100]. These chains are further connected by weak C-H⋯O, C-H⋯π and π-π (centroid-to-centroid distances = 3.510, 3.701 and 3.754 Å) inter-actions into a three-dimensional network.

Crystal structure of piperidinium 4-nitro-phenolate.

In the title mol-ecular salt, C5H12N(+)·C6H4NO3 (-), the piperidine ring adopts a chair conformation and the cation is protonated at the N atom. In the anion, the nitro group is twisted at an angle of 10.30 (11)° with respect to the attached benzene ring. In the crystal, N-H⋯O hydrogen bonds link adjacent anions and cations into infinite chains propagating along [100]. The chains are linked by C-H⋯π inter-actions, forming sheets lying parallel to (001).

Crystal structure of 2-phenyl-ethyl-amin-ium 4-nitro-phenolate monohydrate.

In the title hydrated mol-ecular salt, C8H12N(+)·C6H4NO3 (-)·H2O, the conformation of the side chain in the cation is anti [C-C-C-N = 179.62 (12)°] and the dihedral angle between the aromatic ring and the nitro group in the anion is 3.34 (11)°. In the crystal, the components are linked by O-H⋯O and N-H⋯O hydrogen bonds, generating (10-1) sheets, which feature R 4 (4)(21) loops. The sheets inter-act by weak aromatic π-π stacking inter-actions [centroid-centroid distance = 3.896 (3) Å], forming a three-dimensional network.

N-H∙∙∙O, O-H∙∙∙O hydrogen-bonded supramolecular sheet formation in the bis(2-aminoanilinium) fumarate, 3-methylanilinium hydrogen fumarate and 4-chloroanilinium hydrogen fumarate salts.

In bis(2-aminoanilinum) fumarate, 2C6H9N2⁺·C4H2O4²â», (I), the asymmetric unit consists of two aminoanilinium cations and one fumarate dianion, whereas in 3-methylanilinium hydrogen fumarate, C7H10N⁺·C4H3O4⁻, (II), and 4-chloroanilinium hydrogen fumarate, C6H7ClN⁺·C4H3O4⁻, (III), the asymmetric unit contains two symmetry-independent hydrogen fumate anions and anilinium cations with a slight difference in their geometric parameters; the two salts are isostructural. In (II) and (III), the carboxylic acid H atoms of the anions are disordered across both ends of the anion, with equal site occupancies of 0.50. Both the 4-chloroanilinium cations of (III) are disordered over two orientations with major occupancies fixed at 0.60 in each case. The hydrogen fumarate anions of (II) and (III) form one-dimensional anionic chains linked through O-H∙∙∙O hydrogen bonds. Salts (II) and (III) form two-dimensional supramolecular sheets built from R4416), R44(18), R55(25) and C2²(14) motifs extending parallel to the (010) plane, whereas in (I), an (010) sheet is formed built from two R4³(13) motifs, two R2²(9) motifs and an R44(18) motif.

4-(4-Bromo-styr-yl)-1-methylpyridinium tosyl-ate.

In the cation of the title compound, C14H13BrN(+)·C7H7O3S(-), the dihedral angle between the benzene and pyridine rings is 8.34 (11)°. The Br atom is disordered over two positions with site occupancies of 0.74 (2) and 0.26 (2). The mol-ecular structure is stabilized by a weak intra-molecular C-H⋯O inter-actions. The crystal structure exhibits weak C-H⋯O and π-π [centroid-centroid distance = 3.7466 (17) Å] inter-actions, forming a three dimensional network.

4-[2-(4-But-oxy-phen-yl)ethen-yl]-1-methyl-pyridinium tosylate.

In the title mol-ecular salt, C18H22NO(+)·C7H7O3S(-), the dihedral angle between the aromatic rings in the cation is 10.00 (9)°; its alkyl side chain adopts an extended conformation. In the crystal, weak C-H⋯O and π-π [centroid-centroid distance = 3.7658 (17) Å] inter-actions link the components, generating a three-dimensional network.