Gold nanosupplement in selective inhibition of methylglyoxal and key enzymes linked to diabetes

The non‐enzymatic glycation of macromolecules resulting into advanced glycation end products (AGEs) that constituents lead secondary complication in diabetes. Currently, scientists are focusing on identifying a novel compound that possibly inhibits AGEs without affecting normal cellular function. So far a number of natural and synthetic compounds were reported. This study intended to evaluate the gold nanoparticles (GNPs) on carbohydrate digestive enzymes inhibition and methylglyoxal (MGO) trapping ability. Initially, GNPs were synthesised using Couroupita guianensis and characterised. Further, remarkable inhibition of α‐amylase, and glucosidase was found through calorimetric techniques. In addition, the results concluded that GNPs limited the glucose uptake and lead to AGEs inhibition. Also, the mechanistic link behind this study illustrated as MGO inhibition will restrict further glycation of macromolecules, eventually control the complication progression. Collectively, GNPs have significant inhibition of digestive enzymes, MGO and AGEs on dose‐dependent manner and metal coated polyphenols have an ideal therapeutic role in controlling diabetes and its complications.Inspec keywords: gold, nanomedicine, enzymes, molecular biophysics, diseases, biochemistry, nanoparticles, calorimetry, patient treatmentOther keywords: gold nanosupplement, selective methylglyoxal inhibition, selective enzyme inhibition, diabetes, nonenzymatic glycation, macromolecules, advanced glycation end products, lead secondary complication, normal cellular function, natural compounds, synthetic compounds, carbohydrate digestive enzymes inhibition, methylglyoxal trapping ability, Couroupita guianensis, α‐amylase, glucosidase, calorimetric techniques, glucose uptake, dose‐dependent inhibition, metal coated polyphenols, therapeutics, Au     

Development of calcium phosphate based apatite from hen’s eggshell

Stoichiometric hydroxyapatite with Ca/P molar ratio, 1.67, was synthesized using hen’s eggshell as calcium source and phosphoric acid by precipitation method. Conventional EDTA titration and gravimetric methods were adopted to estimate the amount of calcium and phosphorous, respectively. Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques were employed to investigate the formation of the HAP phase. Thermal analysis (TG-DTA) was carried out to investigate the thermal stability of HAP powder. FT-IR spectra show the characteristic peaks for phosphate and hydroxyl groups. XRD results reveal that the major characteristic peaks of HAP appear in the region of approximately 26°, 28°, 29°, 30–35°, 39°, 46°, 49° and 50° (2θ) and also indicate that there are no occurrences of secondary phases during HAP formation. TG-DTA result depicts that the synthesized HAP was stable up to 1300°C.     

A new variant of antimetabolic protein,arcelin from an Indian bean, Lablab purpureus (Linn.) and its effect on the stored product pest, Callosobruchus maculatus

The anti-metabolic or insecticidal gene, arcelin (Arl) was isolated, cloned and sequenced using sequence specific degenerate primers from the seeds of Lablab purpureus collected from the Western Ghats, Tamil Nadu, India. The L. purpureus arcelin nucleotide sequence was homologous to Arl-3 and Arl-4 alleles from Phaseolus spp. The protein it encodes has 70% amino acid identity with the amino acid sequences of Arl-3I, Arl-3III, Arl-4 precursor, Arl-4 and Arl-4I. The partially purified arcelin from the seeds of L. purpureus using an artificial diet confirmed the complete retardation of development of the stored product pest Callosobruchus maculatus at 0.2% w/w arcelin-incorporated artificial seeds.     

Support Vector Machine-based Denoising Technique for Removal of White Noise in Partial Discharge Signal

Abstract—Partial discharge (PD) measurement has emerged as a dominant investigative tool for condition monitoring of insulation in high voltage equipment. In general, PD signals are severely polluted by several noises like white noise, random noise, discrete spectral interferences (DSI). The challenge lies with removing these noises from PD signal effectively by preserving the signal features. In this article, support vector machine (SVM) based denoising technique has been proposed for the removal of white noise from PD signal. The proposed SVM technique retains the edge of the original signal efficiently and also pseudo Gibbs phenomenon does not exist with SVM technique. In order to evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed method, artificially simulated PD signal mixed with white noise and the measured PD readings are considered. For the purpose of comparison, other denoising techniques such as fast Fourier transform (FFT), discrete wavelet transform (DWT), and translation invariant wavelet transform (TIWT) are also considered. The results reveal that, SVM based denoising technique shows better performance in terms of higher signal to noise ratio, signal reconstruction error ratio, cross correlation coefficient and reduction in noise level, mean square error, and waveform distortion.     

Heteroepitaxy of Nd(0.67)Sr(0.33)MnO3 on silicon for bolometric x-ray detector application

We have recently reported the design concept and sensor fabrication for a novel bolometric x-ray detector based on a rare earth manganite material for application as a total energy monitor for the Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS) free electron laser at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center (SLAC). The detector employs epitaxial thin films of Nd(0.67)Sr(0.33)MnO(3) grown on Si by pulsed laser deposition. In this paper we report details of the fabrication of the actual detector, its response characteristics under photon illumination from LCLS, and improvements in the growth scheme of the sensor material on Si using a buffer/template layer scheme that employs yttria-stabilized zirconia, cerium oxide (CeO(2)), and bismuth titanate (Bi(4)Ti(3)O(12)). The thermal sensor response changes linearly with the energy of an optical calibration laser as expected, and the signals from optical and x-ray pulses at LCLS are very similar, thereby validating the design concept. To the best of our knowledge, the LCLS detector application reported here is the first practical use of colossal magnetoresistive manganite bolometers.     

Influence of phosphoric acid on the grid alloys of positive plates in the lead acid battery system: A comparative study

The effect of phosphoric acid in lead acid batteries was studied with potential sweep techniques. Lead–tin (2%) and lead–calcium (0.1%) tin (0.35%) alloys were used as the grids. The influence of phosphoric acid in the presence of tin, calcium and calcium alone on the grid were examined. Phosphoric acid inhibits the formation of β-PbO₂ in the alloys.     

Surface protection of copper in acid medium by azoles and surfactants

The influence of derivatives of 1,2,4 triazole, 3-amino 1,2,4-traizole (ATA), 3-amino 5-mercapto 1,2,4 triazole (AMT) and 3-amino 5-methylthio 1,2,4 triazole (AMTT) and ionic surfactants cetyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB) and sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) on the corrosion control of copper in acidic solution was investigated by gravimetric and electrochemical methods. The combined effect of triazoles and surfactants was also evaluated. Electrochemical parameters like corrosion potentials corrosion current density, corrosion rates and inhibition efficiencies were determined. The results reveal the fact that of all triazoles AMTT shows best inhibition and anionic surfactant SDS protects the surface better than the cationic surfactant CTAB. The polarisation data reveal that all inhibitors behave as a mixed type inhibitor. Adsorption of these inhibitors on the surface of copper is found to obey the Langmuir adsorption isotherm. A marked inhibition synergism effect is shown by all the combinations of triazole and surfactant.