I think this article finds some significance with relevance to the presence of water..anyway wait for tomorrow.......
Water Found on the Moon
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Med-Chemist : "Quintessential Medicinal Chemistry"
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Rethinking of Alzheimer's Disease ?
So for the explanation for the Alzheimer's disease is "amyloid hypothesis", i.e., the disease results from of an accumulation of the peptide amyloid beta, the toxic protein fragments that deposit in the brain and become the sticky plaques that have defined Alzheimer's, this hypothesis has been accepted for 100 years. Something new explanation has been provided by George Bartzokis of UCLA professor of psychiatry and he says that a better working hypothesis is the "myelin model". He explains the model in the following lines :
Like insulation around wires, myelin is a fatty sheath that coats our nerve axons, allowing for efficient conduction of nerve impulses. It is key to the fast processing speeds that underlie our higher cognitive functions and encoding of memories. But the lifelong, extensive myelination of the human brain also makes it uniquely vulnerable to damage. The myelin model's central premise is that it is the normal, routine maintenance and repair of myelin throughout life that ultimately initiates the mechanisms that produce degenerative diseases like Alzheimer's. That is, the amyloid-beta peptide and the tau peptide, which is also implicated in Alzheimer's, as well as the signature clinical signs of the disease, such as memory loss and, ultimately, dementia, are all byproducts of the myelin breakdown and repair processes. The pervasive myelination of our brain is the single most unique aspect in which the human brain differs from other species.
Myelin is produced by oligodendrocytes, specialized glial cells that themselves become more vulnerable with age. Myelination of the brain follows an inverted U-shaped trajectory, growing strongly until our 50s, when it very slowly begins to unravel as we age. The myelin that is deposited in adulthood ensheaths increasing numbers of axons with smaller axon diameters and so spreads itself thinner and thinner. As a result, it becomes more susceptible to the ravages of age in the form of environmental and genetic insults and slowly begins to break down faster than it can be repaired.
The exclusive targeting of the amyloid-beta peptide for many years is understandable because the same genes and enzymes involved in controlling myelination and myelin repair are, ironically, also involved in the production of amyloid-beta proteins. Bartzokis' point is that the amyloid beta may actually develop as a result of the natural process of the repair and maintenance of myelin. So the breakdown that leads to Alzheimer's and other age-related brain diseases, such as Parkinson's, may begin much earlier, before the formation of the protein deposits that are used to define these diseases," Bartzokis said. Hope this explanation will lead to new innovative ideas for drug discoverers like rather than targeting amyloid-beta peptide !. Hoping for the better results....
Ref : http://newsroom.ucla.edu/portal/ucla/new-target-for-alzheimer-s-102065.aspx
Like insulation around wires, myelin is a fatty sheath that coats our nerve axons, allowing for efficient conduction of nerve impulses. It is key to the fast processing speeds that underlie our higher cognitive functions and encoding of memories. But the lifelong, extensive myelination of the human brain also makes it uniquely vulnerable to damage. The myelin model's central premise is that it is the normal, routine maintenance and repair of myelin throughout life that ultimately initiates the mechanisms that produce degenerative diseases like Alzheimer's. That is, the amyloid-beta peptide and the tau peptide, which is also implicated in Alzheimer's, as well as the signature clinical signs of the disease, such as memory loss and, ultimately, dementia, are all byproducts of the myelin breakdown and repair processes. The pervasive myelination of our brain is the single most unique aspect in which the human brain differs from other species.
Myelin is produced by oligodendrocytes, specialized glial cells that themselves become more vulnerable with age. Myelination of the brain follows an inverted U-shaped trajectory, growing strongly until our 50s, when it very slowly begins to unravel as we age. The myelin that is deposited in adulthood ensheaths increasing numbers of axons with smaller axon diameters and so spreads itself thinner and thinner. As a result, it becomes more susceptible to the ravages of age in the form of environmental and genetic insults and slowly begins to break down faster than it can be repaired.
The exclusive targeting of the amyloid-beta peptide for many years is understandable because the same genes and enzymes involved in controlling myelination and myelin repair are, ironically, also involved in the production of amyloid-beta proteins. Bartzokis' point is that the amyloid beta may actually develop as a result of the natural process of the repair and maintenance of myelin. So the breakdown that leads to Alzheimer's and other age-related brain diseases, such as Parkinson's, may begin much earlier, before the formation of the protein deposits that are used to define these diseases," Bartzokis said. Hope this explanation will lead to new innovative ideas for drug discoverers like rather than targeting amyloid-beta peptide !. Hoping for the better results....
Ref : http://newsroom.ucla.edu/portal/ucla/new-target-for-alzheimer-s-102065.aspx
Gene Therapy Trial To Treat Alzheimer's Disease !
The first study of its kind for the treatment of patients : the phase II study examines the safety and possible benefits of CERE-110. CERE-110 contains a gene and is injected during surgery into a part of the brain affected by Alzheimer's disease.
The gene will instruct brain cells to produce more of a protein, called Nerve Growth Factor or NGF, which helps nerve cells survive and function properly. The transfer of this gene into the brain is a medical technique called gene therapy. Though the goal is to to stop the progression of Alzheimer's disease, its a good move because still there are drugs to be innovated for the complete cure. Congrats Dr. Chris Kalhorn.
Ref : http://explore.georgetown.edu/news/?ID=44677&PageTemplateID=295
Monday, September 21, 2009
Chandrayaan-1 X-ray Spectrometer Success To Provide New Understanding Of Lunar Surface
When I read about the news about the loss of contact with Chandrayaan-1 last month, I thought its huge loss and a set back to ISRO. At least some important info it has provided makes us feel oats. The data finds its significance because of the fact that the science team will be able to determine the geochemistry of new areas of the lunar surface, adding some vital pieces to the jigsaw of the mineralogy of the lunar surface. More....
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Valturna gets FDA approval .....
FDA, has approved Valturna (valsartan & aliskiren respective structures above) tablets, the first and only medicine to target two key points within the renin system, also known as the renin angiotensin aldosteronesystem (RAAS), an important regulator of blood pressure. This is the first approval for Valturna, which is indicated for the treatment of Hypertension (high blood pressure) in patients not adequately controlled on aliskiren or angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) monotherapy and as initial therapy in patients likely to need multiple drugs to achieve their blood pressure goals. This unique combination brings together the powerful blood pressure lowering effects of valsartan and aliskiren. Valturna combines in a single pill valsartan, the active ingredient in Diovan((R)), the number one selling branded Hypertension medicine worldwide, and aliskiren, the active ingredient in Tekturna((R)), the only approved direct renin inhibitor (DRI). Valturna offers significantly greater blood pressure reduction than either valsartan or aliskiren alone. Now for the first time, patients have a treatment option in one pill that targets two key points of the RAAS, which may be overactive in many hypertensive patients. The important fact about the combination is - by targeting two key points within the RAAS, Valturna helps blood vessels relax and widen so blood pressure is lowered. Research suggests that up to 85% of hypertensive patients may need multiple medications to help control their blood pressure, underscoring the need for effective combination treatments, hope this combined drugs will help the patients to a large extent. But those people with stroke, heart attack, heart failure, kidney failure or eye problems resulting from hypertension will have to wait for some more time....
Ref : http://www.novartis.com/newsroom/media-releases/en/2009/1342100.shtml
Ref : http://www.novartis.com/newsroom/media-releases/en/2009/1342100.shtml
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Monolaurin as a microbial agent ?
We know that Coconut oil contains about 40 to 55 percent lauric acid. Lauric acid is the main saturated fatty acid found in coconut fat and in palm kernel oil. Lauric acid is also known as n-dodecanoic acid, which is a saturated medium chain C12-fatty acid, hence the Greek name “dodeca”, meaning twelve. A certain biochemical derivative of lauric acid, monolaurin (see right structure), has proven to be anti-viral, anti-bacterial, and anti-protozoal, both in vitro and in vivo experiments — and monolaurin can destroy lipid-coated viruses, including influenza. Lauric acid, however does not have these properties as strongly as monolaurin. When ingesting coconut oil, only a small percentage—an estimated 3%--of the lauric acid will be transformed by the body into the active monolauric acid. This has been shown to elevate the body’s overall immunity to some degree.
Though there were many companies selling this as a dietery suppliment, now monolaurin has been recognized as safe by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and is known for its antimicrobial properties. If used in combination with other antimicrobial agents, monolaurin can present an effective barrier to microorganisms.
Thanx to the researchers from Zhejiang University in China, who studied the use of monolaurin as a nontraditional preservative in food products by combining it with commonly used antimicrobials in various concentrations and testing it on bacterial strains including Esherichia coli and on food components such as soy protein and water-soluble starch.
The findings are really interesting :
1. Monolaurin combined with ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA)，a binding agent, was effective against Esherichia coliand Bacillus subtilis but not Staphylococcus aureus.
2. When combined with the antimicrobial nisin, monolaurin was synergistically effective against all three bacteria.
3. Antibacterial effectiveness was reduced by fat or starch but was not affected by protein.
Congrats for this achievement...
Ref : http://www.ift.org/cms/?pid=1002122
Thanx to the researchers from Zhejiang University in China, who studied the use of monolaurin as a nontraditional preservative in food products by combining it with commonly used antimicrobials in various concentrations and testing it on bacterial strains including Esherichia coli and on food components such as soy protein and water-soluble starch.
The findings are really interesting :
1. Monolaurin combined with ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA)，a binding agent, was effective against Esherichia coliand Bacillus subtilis but not Staphylococcus aureus.
2. When combined with the antimicrobial nisin, monolaurin was synergistically effective against all three bacteria.
3. Antibacterial effectiveness was reduced by fat or starch but was not affected by protein.
Congrats for this achievement...
Ref : http://www.ift.org/cms/?pid=1002122
Podophyllotoxin in American Mayapple ?
A common plant called American mayapple (see the picture) may soon offer an alternative to an Asian cousin that's been harvested almost to extinction because of its anti-cancer properties. The near-extinct Asian plant, Podophyllyum emodi, produces podophyllotoxin (see the structure), a compound used in manufacturing etoposide, the active ingredient in a drug used for treating lung and testicular cancer. Podophyllyum emodi is a cousin of the common mayapple, sometimes considered a weed, found in the United States.
Podophyllotoxin and its derivatives are used in several commercially available pharmaceutical products such as the anticancer drugs etoposide, teniposide, and etopophos, which are used in the treatment of small-cell lung cancer, lymphoblastic leukemia, testicular cancer, and brain tumors. Podophyllotixin derivatives are also used for the treatment of psoriasis and malaria, and some are being tested for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. Currently, podophyllotoxin is produced commercially using the roots and rhizomes of Indian mayapple, an endangered species harvested from the wild in India, Pakistan, Nepal, and China.
Now the researchers from the US, found that mayapple colonies in the eastern part of the United States can be used for the development of high podophyllotoxin cultivars, which could subsequently provide the base for commercial production of podophyllotoxin in the United States.
Ref : http://hortsci.ashspublications.org/cgi/content/abstract/44/2/349
Now the researchers from the US, found that mayapple colonies in the eastern part of the United States can be used for the development of high podophyllotoxin cultivars, which could subsequently provide the base for commercial production of podophyllotoxin in the United States.
Ref : http://hortsci.ashspublications.org/cgi/content/abstract/44/2/349
House plants to cut Indoor Ozone !
We know that ozone, the main component of air pollution or smog, is a highly reactive, colorless gas formed when oxygen reacts with other chemicals. And ozone pollution is most often associated with outdoor air, the gas also infiltrates indoor environments like homes and offices. And that is why those who have 
allergy like 'morning sneeze' will be advised by doctors to avoid going outside early in the 
morning and one can follow this advise sincerely. But when I read in an article that ozone can be released by 
ordinary copy machines (xerox machines), laser printers, ultraviolet lights, and some electrostatic air purification systems, all of which contribute to increased indoor ozone levels, I got an answer for one of my freind's problem.
allergy like 'morning sneeze' will be advised by doctors to avoid going outside early in the 
morning and one can follow this advise sincerely. But when I read in an article that ozone can be released by 
ordinary copy machines (xerox machines), laser printers, ultraviolet lights, and some electrostatic air purification systems, all of which contribute to increased indoor ozone levels, I got an answer for one of my freind's problem.We are aware that the extensive list of toxic effects of ozone on humans are pulmonary edema, hemorrhage, inflammation, and reduction of lung function. So I was wondering how one can take care of themselves even by staying in house (avoiding morning walk) ?.
Recently I found this interesting fact that three common indoor houseplants (see pictures), snake plant (Sansevieria trifasciata), spider plant (Chlorophytum comosum), and golden pothos (Epipremnum aureum) can reduce the ozone concentrations effectively.
Hope plants as a mitigation method could serve as a cost-effective tool, where expensive pollution mitigation technology may not be economically feasible in the days to come....
Ref : http://horttech.ashspublications.org/cgi/content/abstract/19/2/286
Saturday, September 19, 2009
New Antituberculosis Compounds ?
We all know how TB has become a pandemic and several attempts to eradicate the disease have been tried and scientists are still finding new ways. However the most disadvantage part for the scientists lies in the fact that "the disease-causing bacteria have a sophisticated mechanism for surviving dormant in infected cells". i.e., TB bacteria have a sophisticated way to remove the damaged proteins — a protein-cleaving complex known as a proteasome — identified in earlier research by the Nathan lab. By breaking down damaged proteins, the proteasome allows the bacteria to remain dormant, and possibly go on to cause active TB. And hence finding drugs to disable the proteasome would be a new way to fight TB.
In developing proteasome-inhibitor drugs, scientists face several hurdles. A significant one is the fact that human cells also possess proteasomes, which are essential to their survival. To be effective, the drugs would have to specifically target the TB proteasome without adversely affecting the human protein-cleanup complex.
This study represents a shift in strategy for designing antibiotics that treat TB, says Dr. Lin (Assistant Research professor of Microbiology and Immunology at Weill Cornell Medical College). All the groups who tried focused on developing drugs that attacked the bacterium in its active phase, but this group has found a compound that may help to destroy it in its dormant stage.
The Weill Cornell team screened 20,000 compounds for TB proteasome inhibition activity. They identified and synthesized a group of inhibitors, which they then tested for their ability to inhibit the proteasome inside the mycobacteria. They also tested the compounds' effect on monkey epithelial cells and human immune system cells in culture. After reading this article, I could recollect the High Throughput Screening of my compounds (Southern Research Institute, Birmingham). The newly synthesized compounds are specific, less toxic, more active and more over the inhibition of the TB proteasome is irreversible and about 1,000-fold more effective than the minor inhibition observed against human proteasomes.
The Weill Cornell team screened 20,000 compounds for TB proteasome inhibition activity. They identified and synthesized a group of inhibitors, which they then tested for their ability to inhibit the proteasome inside the mycobacteria. They also tested the compounds' effect on monkey epithelial cells and human immune system cells in culture. After reading this article, I could recollect the High Throughput Screening of my compounds (Southern Research Institute, Birmingham). The newly synthesized compounds are specific, less toxic, more active and more over the inhibition of the TB proteasome is irreversible and about 1,000-fold more effective than the minor inhibition observed against human proteasomes.
The structural studies revealed that the inhibitor molecules block the proteasome's ability to degrade proteins in more than one way: by producing a direct chemical change to the proteasome active site, and by altering the conformation of the "pocket" into which protein fragments bind before being degraded. Congrats for this efforts and all the best for their future endeavor.... More....
New Material For Nanoscale Computer Chips
We already use various organic materials for example, flat screens, such as OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode). The new results show how small and advanced devices made of organic materials can become. I read recently about an article in a blog titled Cell phone TV ? and was amused by the use of OLED and it may overtake the usage of LCDs. I would say the following findings are really interesting and are a step ahead - nanochemists from the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Nano-Science Center, Department of Chemistry have developed nanoscale electric contacts out of organic and inorganic nanowires. In the contact they have crossed the wires like Mikado sticks and coupled several contacts together in an electric circuit. In this way they have produced prototype computer electronics on the nanoscale and by doing so they have succeeded in placing several transistors consisting of nanowires together on a nano device. Though it is a first step towards realisation of future electronic circuitry based on organic materials – a possible substitute for today’s silicon-based technologies. Hope this step will lead to the possibility of making computers in different ways in the near future...
Ref : http://www.ku.dk/english/news/?content=http://www.ku.dk/english/news/danish_chinese_nano_science.htm
Ref : http://www.ku.dk/english/news/?content=http://www.ku.dk/english/news/danish_chinese_nano_science.htm
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