Xanthohumol for Human Malignancies: Chemistry,Pharmacokinetics and Molecular Targets

Xanthohumol (XH) is an important prenylated flavonoid that is found within the inflorescence of Humulus lupulus L. (Hop plant). XH is an important ingredient in beer and is considered a significant bioactive agent due to its diverse medicinal applications, which include anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antioxidant, immunomodulatory, antiviral, antifungal, antigenotoxic, antiangiogenic, and antimalarial effects as well as strong anticancer activity towards various types of cancer cells. XH acts as a wide ranging chemopreventive and anticancer agent, and its isomer, 8-prenylnaringenin, is a phytoestrogen with strong estrogenic activity. The present review focuses on the bioactivity of XH on various types of cancers and its pharmacokinetics. In this paper, we first highlight, in brief, the history and use of hops and then the chemistry and structure–activity relationship of XH. Lastly, we focus on its prominent effects and mechanisms of action on various cancers and its possible use in cancer prevention and treatment. Considering the limited number of available reviews on this subject, our goal is to provide a complete and detailed understanding of the anticancer effects of XH against different cancers.     

Thermodynamic mechanism of free heme action on sickle cell hemoglobin polymerization

For insights into the mechanisms of heme action on the rate of sickle cell hemoglobin polymerization, we determine the erythrocytic concentration of free heme using a novel method based on enzymatic catalysis and luminescence. We find in sickle cell patients 44 ± 10 µM, in sickle trait individuals, 33 ± 4 µM, and in healthy adults, 21 ± 2 µM. We test the applicability of two mechanisms of heme action: a kinetic one, whereby heme aggregates serve as heterogeneous nucleation centers, and a thermodynamic pathway, in which free heme enhances the attraction between sickle hemoglobin (HbS) molecules in solution. We show that the latter mechanism exclusively operates. The enhanced attraction leads to increase of the total volume of a population of dense liquid clusters by about two orders of magnitude. As the dense liquid clusters serve as locations and precursors to the formation of the HbS polymer nuclei, their increased volume directly leads to faster polymer nucleation. © 2015 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 61: 2861–2870, 2015     

Stability Analysis of Laminated Soft Core Sandwich Plates Using Higher Order Zig-Zag Plate Theory

C₀ finite element model based on higher order zig-zag plate theory is used to study the stability analysis of laminated sandwich plates. The in-plane displacement field is obtained by superposing a global cubically varying displacement field on a zig-zag linearly varying displacement field with different slope in each layer. The transverse displacement assumes to have a quadratic variation within the core and constant in the faces. The conditions regarding transverse shear stress at layer interfaces and top and bottom are satisfied. Numerical examples covering different features of laminated sandwich plates are presented to illustrate the accuracy of the model.     

A Study on the FTIR Spectroscopy of Polylactide Doped with Nano-Aluminium Oxide and Nano-Cupric Oxide

Elucidation of the structure of naturally existing or synthesized substances is an important criterion in the study of materials to predict the application of the substance. In this study, polylactide was doped with nano-aluminium oxide and nano-cupric oxide with 1 and 3 mg of concentration variants. The interaction between the polymer matrix and the nanoparticles has been studied using Fourier transform infrared. Successful doping of the polymer has been observed. Attention has been drawn to check the intermolecular bonding in films having varying thicknesses, films prepared at higher sonication temperatures, and chemical homogeneity of the doped polymer films.     

A multi-item transportation problem with fuzzy tolerance

This paper presents the recently introduced modified subgradient method for optimization and its effectiveness in a fuzzy transportation model. Here a multi-item balanced transportation problem (MIBTP) is formulated where unit transportation costs are imprecise. Also available spaces and budgets at destinations are limited but imprecise. The objective is to find a shipment schedule for the items that minimizes the total cost subjected to imprecise warehouse and budget constraints at destinations. The proposed model is reduced to a multi-objective optimization problem using tolerances, then to a crisp single-objective one using fuzzy non-linear programming (FNLP) technique and Zimmermann's method. The above fuzzy MIBTP is also reduced to another form of deterministic one using modified sub-gradient method (MSM). These two crisp optimization problems are solved by Genetic Algorithm (GA). As an extension, fuzzy multi-item balanced solid transportation problems (STPs) with and without restrictions on some routes and items are formulated and reduced to deterministic ones following FNLP and Zimmermann's methods. These models are also solved by GA. Models are illustrated numerically, optimum results of fuzzy MIBTP from two deductions are compared. Results are also presented for different GA parameters.     

Remote sensing and GIS for locating favourable zones of lead-zinc-copper mineralization in Rajpura-Dariba area,Rajasthan, India

This paper reports the results of a pilot study carried out in RajpuraDariba area, Rajasthan, for locating favourable zones of lead-zinc-copper (Pb-Zn-Cu) mineralization using remote sensing, Geographical Information System (GIS) and geostatistical modelling techniques. Remotely sensed data, both aerial and satellite, were used to update the existing geological map. ATLAS GIS software and multivariate geostatistical techniques were used to analyse and integrate different types of geological and geophysical datasets. The Favourability Index (FI) maps prepared during this study show the occurrence of three favourable zones for Pb-Zn-Cu mineralization. They are: (i) around and north of Rawan ka Khera; (ii) isolated spots between Ruppura and Bhupalsagar; and (iii) north of Dhani. Selective geochemical sampling and resistivity profiling carried out in these favourable zones indicated the presence of geochemical anomalies (anomalous concentrations of Zn and Cu) and low/moderate resistivity zones, respectively. Recent drilling carried out by the Department of Mines and Geology (DMG), Rajasthan, at about 2.5 km north of Rawan ka Khera (one of the predicted favourable zones) indicated evidence of Cu mineralization at a depth of about 70 m.     

Oxidation and Oxidative Bromination Reactions Catalyzed By a Reusable Polymer-Anchored Iron(III) Complex in Water at Room Temperature

A polymer-anchored iron(III) catalyst was synthesized and characterized. Its catalytic activity was evaluated for the oxidation of various alkenes, sulfides, aromatic alcohols and ethylbenzene with 30 % H₂O₂ as the oxidizing agent. The catalyst was also effective for the oxidative bromination reaction with 80–100 % selectivity of monobrominated products with H₂O₂/KBr at room temperature. The above reactions require a minimum amount of H₂O₂ and short reaction time. Most importantly, all the above reactions occur in aqueous medium. The catalyst can be facilely recovered and reused six-atimes without significant decrease in its activity and selectivity.     

Technical note Temporal remote sensing data and GIS application in landslide hazard zonation of part of Western ghat,India

Spatial and temporal multi-layered information is required to assess landslide hazard susceptibility. The manual method of data integration for targeting potential zones susceptible to landslide hazard is time consuming. The present study highlights the utility of temporal remotely-sensed data and knowledgebased Geographical Information Systems for collection, integration and analysis of spatially-oriented data, as well as in finding out the inherent relation between separate entities in parts of West ghat in India.     

Adaptive Discretization for Computerized Tomography

Two adaptive discretization frameworks are tested for computerized tomography (CT) data reconstruction. Removal of inactive pixels is primary motivation. Efficient and user independent entropy optimized masking is employed for spatial filtering purposes. Density of nodes at high gradient of reconstructed physical property is used as adaptation criterion. An alternative option, independent from noisy projection data and nature of the physical properties, is also discussed. Sensitivity analysis between the uniform and nonuniform (evolved via adaptive route) reconstruction grid reveals the utility of nonuniform grids. Iterative and transform based reconstruction techniques are used. Outcomes are tested successfully on three real world projection data from two different compact CT setups and one commercial high-resolution micro-CT scanner.