生物分析および生物医学ジャーナル

The growing demand for clean and sustainable energy sources has led to an increased interest in the production of hydrogen as an alternative fuel. Bio-oil, derived from biomass, is a promising feedstock for hydrogen production due to its abundant availability and renewable nature. In this study, we performed a thermodynamic analysis of hydrogen production from model compounds of bio-oil through steam reforming. By assessing the thermodynamic feasibility and efficiency of the process, we aimed to provide insights into the potential of bio-oil as a viable source for hydrogen generation, Hydrogen has emerged as a promising alternative to fossil fuels due to its high energy density and zero greenhouse gas emissions when used in fuel cells. The conventional methods of hydrogen production, such as steam methane reforming, have limitations in terms of carbon footprint and dependence on non-renewable resources. Biomass-derived bio-oil, on the other hand, offers a renewable and carbon-neutral source for hydrogen production, the utilization of bio-oil for hydrogen production presents several advantages, including reduced environmental impact, diversification of feedstock sources, and potential integration with existing infrastructure. However, the complex composition of bio-oil poses challenges in terms of process optimization and efficiency. A thermodynamic analysis can provide valuable insights into the feasibility and potential improvements of hydrogen production from bio-oil.

Natural products have long been a source of inspiration for biotechnology applications. Over the years, scientists have discovered numerous molecules from natural sources that have remarkable therapeutic properties. These compounds have been used in traditional medicine for centuries and continue to play a significant role in modern medicine. With advancements in biotechnology, researchers are now exploring new ways to use natural products to treat a variety of diseases. In this article, we will discuss some of the emerging biotechnology applications of natural products. Natural products have been used for centuries to treat infections. Many plants produce compounds that have antibacterial and antiviral properties. These compounds have been used in traditional medicine to treat a variety of infections, including bacterial and viral infections. In recent years, researchers have been exploring new ways to use these natural products to develop new antibiotics and antiviral agents.

This was a cross – sectional study designed to evaluate hormonal and lipid profiles as indicators of menopause. 552 participants {138 (group A), 138 (group B), perimenopausal and menopausal {138 (menopausal woman designated group A), 138 (perimenopausal designated group B) (as test participants) and 276 (women of reproductive age designated as group C which served as control group} aged 18 and 64 years that were randomly recruited. One point sample collection was taken from each participant for determination of FSH, LH, PRL, TSH, Inh, Amh, E2, Prog, calcitonin, T.chol, Trig, HDL-C and LDL-C. FSH, LH, TSH were significantly high while PRL, Inh, Amh, E2, Prog and calcitonin were significantly lower in test participants when compared with control P< 0.05 respectively. T.chol, Trig, LDL-C were significantly higher while HDL-C was significantly lower in test participants when compared with control P< 0.05 respectively. The hormonal profile showed good correlations with lipid profile. The high sensitivities and positive predictive values of both hormonal and lipid profiles in groups A and B showed their predictive priorities in the diagnosis of menopause.

This study is focused on analysis of inhibitory activity of novel molecules in the active site of human caspase-7. Caspase inhibition is an approach for treating multiple diseases such as Osteoarthritis, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and Cisplatin induced renal injury. The caspase family of proteins, particularly activated caspase 3, 7 and 8, is widely implicated in cisplatin induced tubular cell apoptosis. Caspase-7 is a popular drug target for Cisplatin induced renal injury. Coumarins are a family of natural compounds with anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant and many more therapeutic properties. Coumarin derivatives were used as the ligands for the caspase-7 receptor using a molecular docking approach. The crystal structure of caspase-7 was obtained from the protein data bank, entry 4FDL, and a set of coumarin derivatives were docked in to the pre-equilibrated protein structure using AutoDockVina and Gold software. The interaction diagrams were obtained using BIOVIA discovery studio. Hydrogen bonds and pi-stacking interactions were considered favorable for stabilizing the ligand in the active site. Results revealed that there are favorable interactions with coumarin derivatives used in this study and caspase-7. The coumarin derivatives with high binding affinity may be developed as potential drug candidates.

The present study deals with the systematic documentation of traditional knowledge on medicinal plants used by local people. The data was collected with the help of a semi-structured questionnaire following the snowball sampling method. People with some knowledge of medicinal plants were targeted for gathering information. A total of 85 species from 79 genera and 51 families were mentioned by informants for the treatment of 40 types of health ailments. For the use of plants as medicine, 110 informants from 6 villages were interviewed. Leaves (25% species) are the most used plant part and decoction (19 species) is the most used method for preparation of the drug, while the most frequent administration of the drug is oral (85% species) in the present study. The ethnobotanical indices like use value, relative importance and Fidelity Level (FL) of each species have been derived from the primary dataset. To confirm the plant availability and identification, various field surveys were conducted along with informants across the habitat types within Harike wildlife sanctuary. Besides the harvest time of different wild plants mentioned by informants and the development of conservation policies for the medicinal plant sector, the database is prepared.