At present, more than 60% of the experiments fail to produce results or expected discoveries. This high percentage of “failed“ research generates high level knowledge. But generally, all these negative experiments have not been published anywhere as they have been considered useless for our research target. The All Results Journal is a multidisciplinary, peer-reviewed open-access journal devoted to the publication of scientifically sound results, with a particular emphasis on negative, null, and confirmatory findings. The main objective of The All Results Journal focuses on recovering and publishing negative results—valuable and often underreported pieces of scientific information that are essential for the cumulative and self-correcting nature of science. By providing a rigorous editorial framework for the dissemination of such results, the journal aims to reduce publication bias, enhance research transparency, and promote reproducibility across scientific disciplines. Experiments yielding negative or inconclusive outcomes are considered a vital key for the development of science and a catalyst for genuine, evidence-based empirical knowledge. The All Results Journal covers four main scientific domains (Chemistry, Nanotechnology, Physics, and Biology) organized through thematic categories, while manuscripts are editorially structured according to article type, including Research Articles, Reviews, and Editorials. This structure ensures both disciplinary clarity and editorial consistency within a single unified journal framework. The journal welcomes submissions reporting well-designed experiments, robust methodologies, and transparent data, regardless of the direction or perceived impact of the results. By fostering an inclusive publication model, The All Results Journal seeks to strengthen scientific integrity, support open science practices, and contribute to a more complete and reliable scientific record.
Valorization of orange (Citrus sinensis) peel waste: Isolation and structural elucidation of polymethoxylated flavones
This study explores the valorization of orange (Citrus sinensis) peel waste as a source of bioactive polymethoxylated flavones (PMFs) with nutraceutical potential. A dichloromethane extract from fresh orange peel (including both albedo and flavedo) was subjected to sequential chromatographic separation, yielding three known compounds: 3,5,6,7,8,3′,4′-heptamethoxyflavone (1), nobiletin (2), and sinensetin (3). Structural elucidation was achieved through 1D and 2D NMR techniques, supported by high-resolution mass spectrometry. Although these compounds are already known, their recovery from citrus waste underscores the potential of agri-food by-products as valuable sources of health-promoting natural products. The findings contribute to sustainable waste valorization and support the development of high-value ingredients for pharmaceutical and nutraceutical applications
Copyright (c) 2026 The All Results Journal https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
4-phenylbutyric acid, metformin, terpin and phenoxyethanol do not reduce Lafora bodies in murine Lafora disease
Lafora disease is a fatal neurodegenerative epilepsy that results from the accumulation in the brain of insoluble glycogen aggregates (polyglucosans) into Lafora bodies (LB). It is caused by loss of function mutations in either EPM2A or NHLRC1, encoding the glycogen phosphatase, laforin, and the E3 ubiquitin ligase, malin, respectively. The actions of laforin and malin in glycogen homeostasis are interdependent, deficiency of either leading to dysregulated glycogen synthesis. Several studies have demonstrated that genetic lowering of glycogen synthesis in mouse models of LD is therapeutic, reducing LB, neurodegeneration and behavioral phenotypes. Two FDA-approved drugs, 4-phenylbutyric acid and metformin were recently tested in LD mice and reported to reduce LB accumulation. Glycogen branching enzyme deficiency is a second disease characterized by polyglucosan aggregates. Two additional compounds, terpin and phenoxyethanol, were recently reported to reduce polyglucosan formation in fibroblasts from mice and humans with this disease. In the present study, we administered the above four compounds to genetic mouse models of LD until 3 months of age. At sacrifice we found no reduction in polyglucosan and LB accumulation compared to controls. Our results supplement available data on the above drugs as potential therapies for Lafora disease.
Electroporation Inefficiency in Caulobacter henricii CB4
Caulobacter is a well-studied model organism. The introduction of plasmids into Caulobacter by way of electroporation or conjugation has been well-documented, as well as the barrier Caulobacter’s S-layer has played in the efficiency of these techniques. Standard electroporation and conjugation protocols with Caulobacter henricii CB4 resulted in zero transformants. Various parameters have been shown to increases electroporation efficiency and these parameters were adjusted for CB4. Although, CB4 was not able to take up foreign DNA though electroporation or conjugation, a variety of parameters which increases electroporation efficiency are now located in one location.
Phytochemical Screening and Antimicrobial activity of Terminalia catappa seed oil obtained from Anyigba, Kogi State, Nigeria, on Some Selected Clinical Isolates
This research was carried out in a bid to seek for alternative ways of dealing with strains of microorganisms that have become resistant to conventional antibiotics. The study was carried out to evaluate the antimicrobial efficacy of Terminalia catappa seed oil obtained from Anyigba, Kogi State Nigeria, on some selected clinical isolates of selected microorganisms (Aspergillus niger, Staphylocuccos aureus, Escherichia coli). The oil was extracted from the seeds using the soxhlet extraction method with n-hexane as the solvent. The Mueller Hinton (well diffusion method) was used to test the susceptibility of the strains of the microorganisms to the oil, using Ciproflaxin as standard positive controls, alongside Tween and DMSO as negative control. Experiments were carried out in duplicates. The results obtained revealed that Terminalia catappa oil was unable to create any inhibition zones on the clinical isolates. From this research, it can be concluded that Terminalia catappa oil had no Antibacterial activity.
Women’s preferences for male facial masculinity are not condition-dependent in a large online study
While several studies have found evidence for conditional-dependent effect on women’s preferences for male masculinity, others have questioned the relative importance of these effects. In this study, we evaluated variation in women’s preference for male facial masculinity in a forced-choice experiment. Nearly 1200 participants scored preference for manipulated photos and surface scans. Between-individual variation in preferences were relatively small, especially for the evaluation of the surface scans. Nevertheless, preferences from the evaluations of photos and scans correlated positively, indicating that both stimuli provide similar biological information. Only few condition-dependent variables correlated significantly with preference for masculinity, and not all in predicted directions. Stronger preference for masculine male faces – albeit only significant for the photos – with higher own women attractiveness was observed as expected. Yet, for perceived infectability, consistently across the photos and scans, a negative association with preference for masculine faces was observed, which is opposite to theoretical predictions. In addition, no effects of pathogen exposure, germ aversion (a correlate of disgust), relational status, preference for short term relationships and sociosexuality were detected. Thus, overall, our study is in line with recent large studies that also find only very weak condition-dependent effects, if any.
Activity on non-methylated DNA limits the use of endonuclease MspJI for epigenetic analyses
Cytosine methylation of DNA in mammals has been associated with both physiological and pathological changes in gene-expression. DNA treatment with methylation sensitive and/or dependent restriction enzymes, followed by PCR amplification is a widely used approach to test CpG methylation. Recently, restriction endonuclease MspJI has been proposed as a promising tool for epigenetic analyses. In this paper, we have tested MspJI as a tool for detecting CpG methylation on mammalian genomic DNA. For this experiment mouse genomic sequences harboring or lacking CpG sites were selected. The extent of degradation was evaluated by PCR using primers flanking the chosen genomic regions. Digestion of mouse genomic DNA, in combination with end-point and real-time PCR reactions, revealed that MspJI treatment reduced the amplification of genomic regions either containing or lacking of CpG motifs. In addition, treatment of bona fide non-methylated (in vitro amplified) DNA samples definitely demonstrated that MspJI shows significant activity against non-methylated DNA. These results show that star activity can be an important concern when using MspJI, even under standard conditions. Therefore, we conclude that (in contrast to classical restriction enzymes), careful case by case evaluation of reaction conditions is mandatory for optimizing the usefulness of MspJI in epigenetic studies.
Evaluation of the toxic potential of aspartame in third instar larvae of transgenic Drosophila melanogaster (hsp70-lacZ) Bg9
Aspartame is commonly used as a sweetener in prepared foods, beverages and in recipes. In the present study the possible toxic effects of aspartame were studied in third instar larvae of transgenic Drosophila melanogaster (hsp70-lacZ) Bg9. The third instar larvae were allowed to feed on the diet having different doses of aspartame. The results obtained in the present study suggest that the exposure of third instar larvae to the diet having 20, 40, 80, 160 and 320 mM of aspartame did not show any significant the toxic effects after 24 hours of the exposure compared to control (p<0.05). The results for pupae formation and emergence of flies also did not show any significant difference compared to control (p<0.05).
Signal peptide prediction suggests Mycobacterium tuberculosis curli pilin subunit secretion via the Sec pathway may hinder MTP overexpression in Escherichia coli
Introduction Mycobacterium tuberculosis curli pili (MTP) are novel, potential TB diagnostic biomarkers as they are important virulence attributes, unique to the M. tuberculosis complex (MTBC). The production of high quality recombinant transmembrane and secretory proteins that can serve as biomarkers may be challenging due to their secretion attributes. For example, the signal peptide of MTP governed by the classical secretion pathway may hinder the purification of the protein in E. coli systems. In this study, the secretion characteristics of MTP were determined and the cloning, expression and purification of MTP was attempted in E.coli. Materials and methods A fragment of MTP unique to MTBC was cloned into pet101 and pGEX-6P-1 vectors. The clones were confirmed by nucleotide sequencing and expression of the protein was attempted at IPTG concentrations ranging from 0.1mM to 1mM and at temperatures between 25 °C to 37 °C. The pGEX-6P-1/mtp clone expressed protein was purified, yielding a MTP-GST fusion protein and a free GST band that were analysed by LC/MS mass spectrometry. Inclusion body preparation attempted from the pet101/mtp clone yielded two bands at 10 kDa and below 10 kDa, both of which were analysed by LC/MS mass spectrometry. Transcription activity of both the clones was interrogated by real time PCR on the cDNA derived from the induced clones at various time points after induction with IPTG. The signal peptide and protein secretion characteristics of the MTP protein were determined by bioinformatics analysis of the amino acid sequence using publically available software. Results The truncated MTP fragments were successfully cloned in both the vectors as confirmed by nucleotide sequencing. Expression of the pGEX-6P-1/mtp clone using 0.5 mM IPTG at 27 °C demonstrated the presence of the expected fragment at approximately 35 kDa. This was confirmed by Western Blotting using anti-GST antibodies. However, purification of MTP in adequate quantities as a pure protein fraction was unsuccessful. Mass spectrometry did not detect any fragments belonging to MTP, but only those of E.coli membrane proteins for the pet101/mtp clone and fragments of the GST tag in the case of the pGEX-6P-1/mtp clone. The bioinformatics secretion analyses of MTP predicted a strong Sec regulated secretion pathway and the absence of non-classical “mycobacterial specific” secretion. Discussion M. tuberculosis membrane and secretory proteins often contain signal peptides. In this study, excluding the signal peptide region and using a GST tag greatly enhanced the expression of the protein in the soluble fraction. However, purification of the MTP peptide remained problematic due to a lower available peptide concentration resulting from the lower molecular weight, in the purified fraction compared to the GST tag. Alternately, the predicted Sec regulated secretion pathway may play a role in inhibition of MTP overexpression in E.coli. Thus, alternatives to E. coli expression systems or more efficient purification strategies are required for the acquisition of high quality M. tuberculosis antigens.
Insufficient Antifungal Potential of Crude Extracts of Carissa Carandas Linn. & Nerium Oleander Linn.”
Objective: To evaluate the antifungal potential of crude extracts from different parts of Carissa carandas Linn. (Leaf, stem & root) and Nerium oleander Linn. (Leaf, stem & root). Material & method: Different parts of plants were collected, dried and then extracted by using soxhlet extraction method in different polar and non-polar solvents (Water, Methanol & petroleum ether). Extracts were then screened for antifungal activity using ‘Disc Diffusion Assay’ against Candida albicans (Yeast), Aspergillus flavus & Tricophyton mentagrophyte (fungi). Minimum inhibitory concentration, Minimum fungicidal concentration & Total activity were studied. Mean and Standard Deviation have also been calculated. Result: The results indicate that all the tested extracts were found to have no antifungal activity against all the tested microorganisms. Conclusion: The tested extracts did not have, or had too little, antifungal activity. Hence, may not be explored as promising source of new antimicrobial drugs.
Identification of Endogenous Bacteria in Micropropagated Helleborus ×nigercors
During micropropagation of Helleborus ×nigercors, plantlets were observed to be bacterially contaminated. To determine the identity of contaminants, bacteria resistant to surface sterilization were isolated and Gram stained. Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and 16S rRNA sequencing were used to identify bacterial isolates H7G and H7S as belonging to the Paenibacillus and Luteibacteri genera, respectively. Strain H7R had highest sequence similarity to the Pseudomonas, Stenotrophomonas, and Lysobacter genera. Strains H7R and H7S were unable to grow in the absence of plant tissue and other bacterial species. Paenibacillus sp. H7G was screened using combinations of antibiotics including streptomycin sulfate, gentamicin sulfate, and cefotaxime, and was only eradicated by concentrations of gentamicin sulfate above phytotoxic levels. This is the first documented exploration of bacterial endophytes associated with Helleborus species.
Do morphometric measurements allow sex discrimination in Mockingbirds (Mimus sp)?
Sexual dimorphism in birds may be expressed as differences in body size, plumage, color and/or behavior. Many species are monomorphic in color, making sex determination difficult in the field. An example of the latter are mockingbirds, which are passerines of the genus Mimus, endemic to the Americas. In order to distinguish between male and female mockingbirds using external body measurements that are easy to take, the objective of this work was to quantify morphometric differences between sexes in adults of the following species: M. thenca (45 specimens), M. patagonicus (95), M. saturninus (88), M. triurus (152), and M. dorsalis (7). We measured the following variables: culmen length, bill height and width, tarsus length, middle toe length, wing chord and tail length. Measurements were generally larger in males than in females except for bill width in M. saturninus and M. triurus, culmen length in M. thenca and M. dorsalis, and bill height in M. dorsalis. There were significant differences between sexes in wing chord for M. patagonicus, M. saturninus and M. triurus; tail length for M. patagonicus and M. triurus; tarsus length for M. patagonicus; and in middle toe length for M. triurus. No significant differences in measurements were found between sexes for M. thenca. Significant discriminant functions were obtained for M. patagonicus, M. saturninus and M. triurus, with a percentage of correct classification less than 80%. Only a few variables were useful for sex determination in the studied Mimus species, i.e. wing chord, tail length, middle toe length and tarsus length for three, two, one and one species, respectively.
SGK1 (glucose transport), dishevelled2 (wnt signaling), LC3/p62 (autophagy) and p53 (apoptosis) proteins are unaltered in Lafora disease
Glycogen forms through the concerted actions of glycogen synthase (GS) which elongates glycogen strands, and glycogen branching enzyme (GBE). Lafora disease (LD) is a fatal neurodegenerative epilepsy that results from neuronal accumulation of hyperphosphorylated glycogen with excessively long strands (called polyglucosans). There is no GBE deficiency in LD. Instead, the disease is caused by loss-of-function mutations in the EPM2A or EPM2B genes, encoding, respectively, a phosphatase, laforin, and an E3 ubiquiting ligase, malin. A number of experimentally derived hypotheses have been published to explain LD, including: The SGK1 hypothesis - Phosphorylated SGK1 (pSGK1) raises cellular glucose uptake and levels, which would activate GS. Based on observing increased pSGK1 in LD mice it was proposed that raised pSGK1 leads to polyglucosan generation through GS hyperactivation. The Dishevelled2 hypothesis - Downregulating malin in cell culture was reported to increase levels of dishevelled2, which through the wnt/glycogen synthase kinase-3 pathway would likewise overactivate GS. The Autophagic defect hypothesis - Polyglucosans may be natural byproducts of normal glycogen metabolism. LD mice were reported to be autophagy-defective. LD would arise from failed autophagy leading to failed polyglucosan clearance. Finally, the p53 hypothesis - laforin and malin were reported to downregulate p53, their absence leading to increased p53, which would activate apoptosis, leading to the neurodegeneration of LD. In the present work we repeat key experiments that underlie these four hypotheses. We are unable to confirm increased pSGK1, dishevelled2, or p53 in LD mice, nor the reported autophagic defects. Our work does not support the above hypotheses in understanding this unique and severe form of epilepsy.
Relationship of angiotensinase and vasopressinase enzymatic activities between hypothalamus and plasma in an obese rat model by high-fat diet
High-fat diets are associated with the development of hypertension. However, a high intake of monounsaturated fat has been proposed to be a dietary factor that can decrease the incidence of hypertension. The renin-angiotensin system (RAS) and vasopressin interact to regulate blood pressure at central and peripheral level. In this study, we investigated the effect of different degrees of dietary fatty acid saturation in the control of RAS and vasopressin on brain-blood. To improve our understanding of their interaction and their relationship, we analyzed angiotensin- and vasopressin-metabolizing activities in hypothalamus and plasma, collected from Wistar rats fed during 24 weeks with diets enriched with extra virgin olive oil (monounsaturated fat) or butter plus cholesterol (saturated fat) compared with a standard diet. As results no angiotensinase and vasopressinase activities were found in hypothalamus and plasma, however significant correlations between enzymatic activities in both regions were noticed. They indicated that our results do not support the beneficial influence of extra virgin olive oil on central and systemic level to regulate blood pressure. Therefore, the substrates hydrolyzed by these activities as well as their functions may be similarly affected and suggest that these studies should be continued because of beneficial of Mediterranean diet, found previously in different works, which may also be an effective tool in the treatment of hypertension.
Challenge towards plant recombinant protein expression: instability in nuclear and chloroplast transformation
It is crucial to maintain the stability of transgene and its expression level. It seems the transformation method and the target organ can influence this instability. To this aim, two transformation systems, Agrobacterium-mediated and particle bombardment systems which have been applied to introduce tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) into nuclear and chloroplast respectively, have been compared to determine transformation efficiency and tPA expression and stability. The presence of tPA gene in transformants has been confirmed by PCR analysis. The gene expression in nuclear transformants and homoplasmy in transplastomic plants have been assayed by ELISA and southern blot, respectively. Some of the Agrobacterium-derived transformants have shown the heritability and stability of the integrated T-DNA harboring the transgene which encodes the tissue plasminogen activator and instability of its expression in T1 generation. Using Southern blot analysis of bombardment-mediated transformants has surprisingly led to detecting the inheritability of tPA. There are several factors lead to silencing of transgene in transgenic plants which should be considered. Possible reasons for these silencing are like vector designing, methylation, copy number, and genome rearrangement.
In vitro study of modulatory effects of extracts of Strobilanthes Crispus on human cDNA-expressed cytochrome P450 2A6 (CYP2A6) and CYP3A4
Aim: Cytochrome P450 (CYP) 2A6 and CYP3A4 play important roles in biotransformation of endogenous substances as well as xenobiotics. Strobilanthes crispus (L.) Blume (S. crispus) has been found to have anti-cancer activities and this was suggested to be due to inhibition of enzymes involved in metabolic activation of procarcinogens. The purpose of this study was to look into the potential inhibitory effects of various extracts (aqueous, hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate, and methanol) of S. crispus from leaf and stem on human cDNA-expressed CYP2A6 and CYP3A4 activities. Methods: The activity of CYP2A6 was examined via a fluorescence-based 7-hydroxylase coumarin assay. Meanwhile, high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)-based testosterone 6β-hydroxylase assay was established to assess CYP3A4 activity. Results: It was shown that none of the extracts from both leaf and stem potently inhibited CYP2A6 and CYP3A4 activities with IC50values above 100μg/ml. Conclusion: The anticancer potency of S. crispus is unlikely due to the modulation of CYP2A6 and CYP3A4 activities, while other mechanisms might be involved and merits further investigation. On the other hand, potential drug-herb interactions occurring between CYP2A6 and CYP3A4 substrates and S. crispus preparations is relatively low, which requires further investigations via in vivo animal as well as clinical studies.
Evaluation of the Antibacterial Activity of Adansonia digitata L. Seed oil gotten from Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria, on some strains of bacteria
The use of essential oils as antibacterial agents have become popular over the years, this is in a bid to search for alternative ways of dealing with strains of bacteria that have become resistant to conventional antibiotics. This study was carried out to evaluate the antibacterial potentials of Adansonia digitata seed oil from Zaria, Kaduna state, Nigeria, on the clinical isolates of some bacteria (Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli). The oil was extracted from the seeds using the soxhlet extraction method with n-hexane as the solvent. Well diffusion method was used to test susceptibility of the strains of bacteria to the oil, using Gentamycin and Streptomycin as standard positive controls. Experiments were carried out in duplicates. Data obtained from the experiment was analysed using one way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Duncan Multiple Range Test (DMRT), with P < 0.05 considered significant. The results revealed that A. digitata oil was unable to create any inhibition zones in the bacteria cultures. From this research it can be concluded that A. digitata oil had no Antibacterial activity.
An attempt to use immunohistochemical methods for semi-quantitative determination of surfactant in bronchial secretion after hyperbaric exposures
Background The most significant index of pulmonary oxygen toxicity is a decrease in vital capacity (VC) dependent on the duration of exposure and partial pressure of oxygen. The only method to measure this decrease is spirometry performed directly after exposure. Objective The aim of the study was to check whether the extent of lung damage could be assessed by quantitative determination of pulmonary surfactant in bronchial secretion. Design Sputum samples were collected before, during and after hyperbaric air or oxygen exposures; histological preparations were prepared and stained immunohistochemically to visualize surfactant. Amongst 781 samples collected, only 209 contained sputum and only 126 were included in the study. In this group, only 64 preparations could be paired for comparison. Results The semi-quantitative method used and statistical findings have not demonstrated any significance. Conclusions The method suggested for assessing the extent of lung damage has been found unsuitable for practical use due to difficulties in obtaining the proper material; moreover, the study findings do not allow to draw conclusions concerning its effectiveness. Key words: oxygen toxicity, lung surfactant, immunochemical methods, detection
Thank you to reviewers of negative results in 2015
The mission of The All Results Journals:Biol is the communication of excellent research work obtaining negative results from all fields of biology and biomedicine. Clearly, a scientific journal’s greatest responsibility toward the scientific community is to ensure that all contributions accepted for publication are rigorously but fairly reviewed, specially in a journal of negative results like this. For this reason, all manuscripts published in the journal are reviewed by expert referees. To be fair with authors and reviewers we decided to use double blind peer-review process since our first issue. The final quality of papers accepted for publication depends to a considerable extent on the reviewers, who give valuable constructive criticism to the authors. The input and dedication of all our reviewers are highly appreciated by both the editors and the authors.
Antifungal potencies of ethanol leaf extracts of four plants found around traditional Yan Barns in south eastern Nigeria on five Yam pathogens implicated in postharvest Yam rot
The susceptibilities of five fungi implicated in postharvest rot of yam, namely, Aspergillus niger, Penicillium oxalicum, Mucor circinelloides, Fusarium oxysporum, and Rhizopus nigricans were evaluated using ethanol leaf extracts of four plants commonly found around traditional yam barns in south eastern. The plants screened were Fagara rubescens, Neubouldia laevis, Pterocarpus soyauxii, and Vernonia amygdalina. Antimicrobial susceptibility was measured as an index of turbidity of broth cultures after incubation 72 hours at ambient temperature (29 – 310C). The optical densities (OD650) were measured by spectrophotometry. None of the test isolates showed susceptibility to any of the plant extracts screened irrespective of the concentration employed. This study also revealed that though all the plants contained bioactive secondary metabolites, no antifungal potency was detected for any of the plant extracts on the test organisms.
Effect of Withania somnifera leaf extract on the dietary supplementation in transgenic Drosophila model of Parkinson’s disease
The role of Withania somnifera L. leaf extract was studied on the transgenic Drosophila model flies expressing normal human alpha synuclein (h-αS) in the neurons. The leaf extract was prepared in acetone and was subjected to GC-MS analysis. W. somnifera extract at final concentration of 0.25, 0.50 and 1.0 µL/mL was mixed with the diet and the flies were allowed to feed for 24 days. The effect of extract was studied on the climbing ability, lipid peroxidation and protein carbonyl content in the brains of transgenic Drosophila. The exposure of extract to PD model flies did not show any significant delay in the loss of climbing ability nor reduced the oxidative stress in the brains of transgenic Drosophila as compared to untreated PD model flies. The results suggest that W. somnifera leaf extract is not potent in reducing the PD symptoms in transgenic Drosophila model of Parkinson’s disease.
Soil as a Source for Potential Nitrilase Producer
Enzymes have been identified as critical proteins since ages to carry out functions that spread across various industries. Enzymes are invaluable catalysts in comparison to their chemical counterparts as their reaction rates are much higher. Add to this enzymes produced from different microorganisms behave differently which adds dimension to their spectrum of activity. Nitrilase is one such enzyme which has a huge potential in biocatalysis of nitriles. Nitrilase(s) are a sub category of hydrolase(s) which carry out hydrolysis of carbon-nitrogen bonds other than the amide bonds. This ability nitrilase has been used in the past to generate chiral acids which otherwise are generated from a very harsh and tedious process. These chiral acids can be incorporated into various schemes of drug synthesis like for the production of chiral intermediates etc. Various ecological habitats have been explored in the past to screen microorganisms that can be potential producers of certain categories of enzymes. Soil is one such component of nature where these microorganisms sustain for longer periods. Selecting a soil sampling site is very critical as it can significantly affect final outcome of the research objectives. The present work deals with screening of nitrilase producing microorganisms from four soil sampling sites. Although this research work has provided many microbial colonies but none of these showed a positive nitrilase activity.
Novel Plant Regeneration and Transient Gene Expression in Catharanthus roseus
Catharanthus roseus genetic transformation represents a real challenge due, in part, to the lack of regeneration capability and this species’ recalcitrance to genetic transformation. In the present work, we demonstrate the regeneration of C. roseus plants from hypocotyls and cotyledons, using specific growth regulator conditions. Plants derived from hypocotyls and cotyledons were successfully acclimated and grown in the greenhouse. Furthermore, C. roseus meristem tissues were shown to have high shoot regeneration potential under conditions optimised for cotyledon- and hypocotyl-derived shooting. Meristem tissues were therefore investigated as a genetic transformation targets using both Agrobacterium tumefaciens and A. rhizogenes. Although meristem-derived shoots transformed with A. tumefaciens harbouring a p35S GUSplus construct revealed transient GUS expression and protein accumulation, they were not amenable to selection even after two months on selection medium. Transformation of C. roseus meristem tissues with A. rhizogenes resulted in a typical hairy root phenotype, in which the adventitious root tissue strongly expressed the p35S GUSplus construct, as revealed by intense GUS staining.
Inability of UV spectrophotometric and RP-HPLC methods to perform as stability indicating assay method for the quantification of eugenol
Availability of a stability indicating assay method for carrying out accelerated stability studies of drug products is essential. In a search of a suitable stability indicating assay method for the quantification of eugenol UV spectrophotometric and high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) methods were tried. Forced degradation studies included use of eugenol samples from acid induced, base induced, oxidative degradation, thermal and photolytic degradations. UV spectrophotometry using methanol as solvent and RP-HPLC method using using photo diode array detector was studied. The UV spectrophotometric and high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) methods failed to demonstrate itself as a stability indicating method as shown by the results of forced degradation studies. From the study results we concluded that UV spectrophotometric and HPLC methods could not be used for the stability studies of eugenol.
Attempts Towards the Bucky-amino Acid Acylation of the Phospho-cytidine-phospho-adenosine (pdCpA) Subunit
The irreversible adsorption of fullerene (C60) substituted amino acids to the hydrophobic resin bead surface during solid phase peptide synthesis leads to low yields. Due to challenge in preparing sufficient C60-substituted phenylalanine (Bucky amino acid, Baa) an alternative route to fullerene-substituted peptides was investigated. The first step is the synthesis of the amino acylated phospho-cytidine-phospho-adenosine subunit (pdCpA-Baa) prior to enzymatically ligating it to a truncated tRNA. However, despite the successful synthesis of the cyanomethyl ester, Fmoc-Baa-OCH2CN (1) no reaction is observed between the hydrophilic pdCpA and hydrophobic Baa even in the presence of cationic surfactant or in DMF solution. As an alternative method a N,N’-diisopropylcarbodiimide coupling route was investigated, which despite the presence of an appropriate m/z in the MALDI-MS did not lead to an isolable product. The successful coupling of a hydrophobic perfluorophenyl ester (Fmoc-Gly-OPfp) to pdCpA suggest that it is steric bulk rather than miscibility that precludes the Baa coupling.
Comment on the book “ATOMIC FORCE MICROSCOPY”
Atomic Force Microscopy is one of the major scientific tools responsible for the emergence of modern nanotechnology. This general book about AFM describes the technique in a straightforward yet profound manner. The most interesting feature of the book is that while it is an introductory text to a technique that is becoming more and more widely applied, expert users of the technique will also find it extremely motivating to go over the more specialized content.
Analysis of the effects of Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinases-1, -2 and -3 N- and C-terminal domains on signaling markers during X. laevis development
Extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling is accomplished largely by matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), which cleave individual components of the ECM to facilitate cell migration. Tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs) are secreted MMP inhibitors, which, along with the cell surface MMP inhibitor reversion-inducing cysteine-rich protein with Kazal motifs (RECK), bind to MMPs and inhibit their activity. Although TIMPs were originally characterized based on their MMP-inhibitory activities, TIMPs are now known to be multifunctional proteins, with structurally and functionally distinct N- and C-terminal domains. TIMP N-terminal domains bind to and inhibit MMPs, while their C-terminal domains have demonstrated in vitro cell signaling activity in apoptosis, cell proliferation, and cell migration pathways. This study utilized TIMP N- and C-terminal domain constructs to examine individual domain functions related to cell proliferation, apoptosis and migration in Xenopus laevis embryos. Western blot analysis revealed that none of the TIMP constructs altered phospho-histone-3 levels. Conversely, TIMP-1 full-length and C-terminal domain constructs both elevated caspase-3 and RECK levels, while TIMP-2 C-terminal and TIMP-3 N-terminal domain constructs both decreased RECK levels. Thus the C-terminal domains of Xenopus TIMP-1 and -2, but not TIMP-3, can transduce signals that are independent of their MMP inhibitory role.
Reusable Areas of Clinically Used Ventilators Carry Low Numbers of Aerobic Bacteria
Ventilator associated pneumonia (VAP) remains a serious problem for critically ill patients. We swabbed nine reusable areas on 20 clinically-used ventilators from a VA Hospital shortly after they had been removed from patients and identified bacterial isolates. No bacteria were isolated from most of the samples and of the samples that did grow bacteria, the majority of those had fewer than 10 colonies. The bacteria that were isolated were primarily non-pathogenic Gram-positive skin flora. Of the 20 ventilators swabbed, only one cultured bacteria associated with nosocomial infections: methicillin-resistant S.aureus. The most commonly contaminated areas were those most likely to be touched by healthcare professionals: the power button and the screen. The areas in closest proximity to the patients, the inspiratory and expiratory ports were the least often contaminated areas. Overall, very few bacteria were transferred to the reusable areas of the ventilators following clinical use.
Thank you to reviewers of negative results in 2014
The mission of The All Results Journals:Biol is the communication of excellent research work obtaining negative results from all fields of biology and biomedicine. Clearly, a scientific journal’s greatest responsibility toward the scientific community is to ensure that all contributions accepted for publication are rigorously but fairly reviewed, specially in a journal of negative results like this. For this reason, all manuscripts published in the journal are reviewed by expert referees. The final quality of papers accepted for publication depends to a considerable extent on the reviewers, who give valuable constructive criticism to the authors. The input and dedication of all our reviewers are highly appreciated by both the editors and the authors. At the end of 2014, we gratefully acknowledge the valuable support of the following scientists who have reviewed papers for the journal during the past 12 months: Benjamin Mudrak Carlos Juan Ceacero Ruiz Charumathi Sabanayagam Emilio Gonzalez Enrique Cobos Girish Mahajan Jordi Martinez Quintanilla Joseph Sullivan Karen Sagredo Laura Plaza Arregui Luis Diaz Maria Pilar Ayuda Durán Narasimhulu Korrapati Nicolas Navrot Osvaldo Ernesto Antonio Arce Robert Mandell Ron Van Noorden Ronald Dorenbos Sonia Malik Tomas Salmeron Parra Victor Quesada Vijay Nema William Smith
Unsuccessful in vitro regeneration from Phalaenopsis (Orchidaceae) flowers
Regeneration in vitro has never been achieved from flower parts from members of the Orchidaceae and no report exists for Phalaenopsis. Studies that do exist all used immature (unopened) flower buds. In a bid to overcome this hurdle, in vitro organogenesis was attempted with various parts (dorsal sepal (base + center + tip); petal (base + center + tip); lateral sepal (base + center + tip); labellum (base + center + tip); pedicel (outer + inner tissue); column; anther cap; stigmatic surface) of immature and fully opened Phalaenopsis Gallant Beau ‘George Vazquez’ flowers. Despite the use of an extremely wide selection of plant growth regulators in Vacin and Went basal medium, and their concentrations, in both darkness and light conditions, no organogenesis could be achieved from any of the flower parts tested. Some callus was obtained on the column in response to 2 or 4 mg/l TDZ in the light, or to 1 mg/l 2,4-D and 1 mg/l dicamba in the dark, but the callus was hard and could not be further proliferated or induced to form organs. Although negative, these trials provide encouraging signs that organogenesis may be possible from flower parts with a little more insistence. To be able to achieve such regeneration would potential allow for the generation of haploid or polyploidy plants which may have practical use in orchid breeding and biotechnology if such plants (or plant parts) can be clonally propagated.