Focus on Science
Volume:2 Issue: 1, Jan-Mar 2016

Formamidines are derivatives of the unstable imidic acid having a unique and fascinating spectrum of biological and pharmacological activity. The aim of the present study id to evaluate the phenylphosphonic acid (PPA) as a catalyst for synthesis of symmetry and asymmetry formamidines.
A solution of the aniline (0.094 g, 1.0 mmol) and trimethyl orthoformate (0.318 g, 3.0 mmol) in 2.5 mL water as solvent and phenylphosphonic acid (0.015 g, 10 mol%) was heat to 55 oC with natural condition for 15 min. After an appropriate time (TLC) the reaction mixture was washed with cold water, and the product was isolated by filtering. A solution of the aniline (0.094 g, 1.0 mmol, 1 equiv) and DMF-DMA (0.360 g, 3 mmol) in solvent-free condition and phenylphosphonic acid (0.015 g, 10 mol%) was heat to 55 oC with natural condition until completion (TLC). The reaction was cooled to room temperature, and after addition water to the reaction, the product as colorless oil was extracted by CH2Cl2.
We had found that both Amberlist-15 and phenylphosphonic acid (PPA) are effective in reaction progress in 45 and 10 min, respectively. But, based on quick reaction time and also easy water separable of the formamidine from water soluble phenylphosphonic acid (PPA), we select PPA as ideal catalyst in synthesis of N, N-diarylformamidine.
The reaction of alkyl orthoformates with aromatic amines in the presence of phenylphosphonic Acid (PPA) as a catalyst to produce alkyl N, N-disubstituted Formamidines has been shown to be general. Reaction of orthoformates with an aromatic primary-amine, preferably in the presence of PPA in solvent-free or water-medium condition, gives formamidine in excellent yields.

Cardiac glycosides such as digoxin have been considered recently as anticancer drugs based on some epidemiological evidences. However, controversies results have been obtained in several experimental and clinical researches following using them. Therefore, in the present study the antiproliferative properties of digoxin and its mechanisms on the liver cancer cell line have been studied.
HepG2 cell line was cultured with different concentrations of digoxin for 6, 12, 24 and 48 hrs. The cell proliferation and viability were determined with MTT assay and trypan blue respectively. Also, hematoxilin staining was applicated for nucleus morphology.
Cell proliferation and viability were decreased after treatment of the cells with digoxin in all groups compared to control. Colony formation decreased significantly in groups received digoxin. Also, nucleus morphology showed apoptotic changes in the cells after digoxin especially after 48 h.
Digoxin decreases the cell proliferation and viability in liver cancer cell line. It is suggested that digoxin exerts its antitumor properties through antiproliferative properties and apoptosis. Since, digoxin is cytotoxic on the cells, finding the doses that have the minimum toxicity in the patients are necessary. In vivo studies in future help us to know more about the mechanisms involve in antitumoral effects of glycosides.

To use Brucella oprF protein in various studies, it is necessary that the protein to be pure. To increase the purity of proteins can be used from Escherichia coli to produce recombinant protein. Because E. coli bacteria do not give post-translational modifications on the protein, the protein produced by the cells will accumulate as inclusion body. The aim of this study was to optimize protein expression oprF by changing the concentration of the inducer (Isopropyl β-D-1-thiogalactopyranoside) IPTG, induction time and change the temperature in order to increase soluble protein expression in bacteria.
Bl21 cells containing pET28a-oprF recombinant plasmid inoculated to equal volume of Treffic broth medium in different bottles and incubated in 37ºC up to OD 600 to 0.6. Then, four medium were induced by 0.1 mM IPTG and two of them induced by 1 mM IPTG. Medium incubated in three different temperatures 18, 23, 37ºC. The expression of recombinant protein follows by SDS-PAGE analysis.
Inducing Bl21 cells containing recombinant plasmid with 0.1 mM IPTG and incubation at 18 ° C for 15 hours is the best condition for oprF protein expression as a soluble form.
Solubility of oprF protein was increased by lowering the growth temperature and inducer concentration.

MicroRNAs are small non protein coding entities that play crucial regulatory role in plants as well as animals by altering their gene expression either by wrecking or blocking the process of translation of the homologous mRNAs. It is an accepted fact that the plant miRNAs are conserved in nature and hence comparative genomics approach can be employed to identify novel miRNAs from the expressed sequence tags (ESTs) and genome survey sequences (GSSs).
In the present study, ESTs and GSSs of Cucumis melo were subjected to BLASTn against non redundant miRNAs from miRBase. BLASTX was performed to remove non coding sequences. The remaining sequences were further subjected to MFOLD to predict the secondary structure and MFEI values. psRNATarget server was employed to predict the targets for newly identified miRNAs which were functionally annotated using GO and KEGG. MEGA version 6 was used to generate phylogenetic tree.
The present study identified 15 novel miRNAs from Cucumis melo ESTs and GSSs having average MFEI value of 0.803. A total of 178 targets were predicted. GO analysis revealed a maximum of 8 and 3 miRNAs involved in response to abiotic and biotic stress, respectively while 1 miRNA was found to be involved in both the type of stresses.
The identified targets were observed to have a role in plant growth and development, metabolism, senescence, disease resistance and various other stress responses. The findings will further contribute towards understanding of the miRNAs function and their regulatory mechanisms in melon.

Coronary Artery Diseases (CAD), comprise of diseases of the heart and blood vessels. It is believed that cardiovascular disease is account for one third of all deaths throughout the world, and its prevalence is increasing. Multiple contributing factors are responsible for CAD and knowing the new factors can help health care providers more precise and earlier distinguish of the diseases. In the present study we reviewed 10 new factors including: Endothelin-1 (ET-1), Interferon-Inducible Protein of 10 kD (IP-10), Small Dense Low Density Lipoprotein (SdLDL), Urokinase Plasminogen Activator (uPA), Endocan, Toll-like Receptors (TLRs), Proprotein Convertase Subtilisin/kexin Type 9 (PCSK9), Osteopontin, Choline Plasmalogens, and Homocysteine.

Melatonin is produced in various organs, but its preferentially nocturnal synthesis and release by the pineal gland is decisive for its chronobiological actions. The short half-life of circulating melatonin has been reason for developing synthetic melatonergic agonists. With regard to age- and disease-related dysfunction of the melatonergic system, treatment with melatonin or its synthetic analogs may be used for alleviating health problems with a respective etiology. This review addresses limitations arising from drug-specific metabolism and disregarded chronobiological rules.
Metabolism: Differences are illustrated by comparing the metabolism of melatonin and two approved synthetic melatonergic agonists, ramelteon and agomelatine. Apart from hydroxylation and dealkylation reactions, melatonin can be converted to methoxylated kynuramines, a route absent in the two synthetic drugs. An unsual property is present in the ramelteon metabolite M-II, which still displays melatonergic activity, but attains 30 to100 times higher levels than the parent compound. Two double hydroxylated agomelatine metabolites may be involved in sometimes occurring hepatotoxicity.
Chronobiology of Melatonergic Drugs: Sleep latency facilitation and readjustment of circadian rhythms require only short actions. Circadian entrainment must consider the phase response curve and requires repetitive well-timed administration. Findings in nocturnally active rodents cannot be generally translated to humans, especially not regarding sleep and, perhaps, not in insulin resistance.
Melatonin and synthetic analogs can be suitable for treating sleep-onset difficulties, circadian rhythm sleep disorders and subtypes of depression with an etiology of circadian dysfunction. Applications in the field of metabolic syndrome and insulin resistance have to be seen with caution.