Rumana Ahmad

Bio: Rumana Ahmad is an academic researcher from University of the Punjab. The author has contributed to research in topics: Glutathione S-transferase & Glutathione. The author has an hindex of 15, co-authored 57 publications receiving 676 citations. Previous affiliations of Rumana Ahmad include University of Washington & Life Sciences Institute.

An economic and ecological perspective of ethanol production from renewable agro waste: a review.

Abstract: Agro-industrial wastes are generated during the industrial processing of agricultural products. These wastes are generated in large amounts throughout the year, and are the most abundant renewable resources on earth. Due to the large availability and composition rich in compounds that could be used in other processes, there is a great interest on the reuse of these wastes, both from economical and environmental view points. The economic aspect is based on the fact that such wastes may be used as low-cost raw materials for the production of other value-added compounds, with the expectancy of reducing the production costs. The environmental concern is because most of the agro-industrial wastes contain phenolic compounds and/or other compounds of toxic potential; which may cause deterioration of the environment when the waste is discharged to the nature. Although the production of bioethanol offers many benefits, more research is needed in the aspects like feedstock preparation, fermentation technology modification, etc., to make bioethanol more economically viable.

Molecular docking, PASS analysis, bioactivity score prediction, synthesis, characterization and biological activity evaluation of a functionalized 2-butanone thiosemicarbazone ligand and its complexes.

Abstract: 2-Butanone thiosemicarbazone ligand was prepared by condensation reaction between thiosemicarbazide and butanone. The ligand was characterized by 1H NMR, 13C NMR, FT-IR, mass spectrometry and UV spectroscopic studies. Docking studies were performed to study inhibitory action against topoisomerase II (Topo II) and ribonucleoside diphosphate reductase (RR) enzymes. Inhibition constants (K i ) of the ligand were 437.87 and 327.4 μM for the two enzymes, respectively. The ligand was tested for its potential anticancer activity against two cancer cell lines MDA-MB-231 and A549 using MTT assay and was found to exhibit good activity at higher doses with an IC50 = 80 μM against human breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231. On the other hand, no significant activity was obtained against the lung carcinoma cell line A549. Antibacterial activity of the ligand was tested against Staphylococcus aureus and E. coli using the disc diffusion method. Ligand did not exhibit any significant antibacterial activity. Four complexes of Co(III), Fe(II), Cu(II), and Zn(II) were prepared with the ligand and characterized by various spectroscopic studies. Low molar conductance values were obtained for all complexes displaying non-electrolyte nature except in Co(III) complex. As expected, complexation with metal ions significantly increased the cytotoxicity of the ligand against the tested cell lines viz. IC50 values of <20 μM for Co, Fe, and Zn complexes and approx. 80 μM against MDA cells versus IC50 value of <20 μM for Co and Cu complexes and that of 30 and 50 μM for Fe and Zn complexes, respectively, against A549 cells. The Cu complex was found to be active against E. coli and S. aureus with MIC values in the range of 6–10 mg/mL. Other than Cu, only Co complex was found to possess antibacterial activity with MIC values of 5–10 mg/mL when tested against S. aureus. Bioactivity score and Prediction of Activity Spectra for Substances (PASS) analysis also depicted the drug-like nature of ligand and complexes.

Development of an ELISA to detect the secreted prostate cancer biomarker AGR2 in voided urine.

Abstract: BACKGROUND Comparative transcriptomics between sorted cells identified AGR2 as one of the highest up-regulated genes in cancer. Overexpression in primary tumors was verified by tissue microarray analysis. AGR2 encodes a 19-kDa secreted protein that might be found in urine. METHODS Monoclonal antibodies were generated against AGR2. One antibody pair, P1G4 (IgG1) to capture and P3A5 (IgG2a) to detect, showed good performance characteristics in a sandwich ELISA. This assay could detect AGR2 at sub ng/ml quantities. RESULTS AGR2 was detected in tissue digestion media of tumor specimens and culture media of AGR2-secreting prostate cancer cell lines. Additional testings involved frozen section immunohistochemistry, immunoprecipitation, and Western blot analysis. Voided urine samples were collected from pre-operative cancer patients, and urinary protein was desalted and concentrated by filtration. The amount of AGR2 detected was scored as pg/100 µg total protein, and then converted to pg/ml urine. The developed ELISA detected AGR2 protein, ranging from 3.6 to 181 pg/ml, in an initial cohort of samples. AGR2 was not detected in the urine of non-cancer and a bladder cancer patient. CONCLUSIONS For prostate cancer, an AGR2 urine test could be used for diagnosis. The data, although derived from a small number of samples assayed, showed that developing such a test for clinical application is viable because AGR2 is specific to cancer cells, and apparently secreted into urine. Prostate 72:1023–1034, 2012. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Sustainable bio-ethanol production from agro-residues: A review

Abstract: Due to increasing population and industrialization, the demand of energy is increasing day by day. Simultaneously, the worldwide bio-ethanol production is increasing constantly. The maize, sugarcane and sugar beets are major traditional agricultural crops used as bio-ethanol production but these crops are unable to meet the global demand of bio-ethanol production due to their primary value of food and feed. Hence, cellulosic materials such as agro-residues are attractive feedstock for bio-ethanol production. The cellulosic material is the most abundant biomass and agro-residues on the earth. Bio-ethanol from agro-residues could be a promising technology that involves four processes of pre-treatment, enzymatic hydrolysis, fermentation and distillation. These processes have several challenges and limitations such as biomass transport and handling, and efficient pre-treatment process for removing the lignin from the lignocellulosic agro-residues. Proper pre-treatment process may increase the concentrations of fermentable sugars after enzymatic hydrolysis, thereby improving the efficiency of the whole process. Others, efficient microbes and genetically modified microbes may also enhance the enzymatic hydrolysis. Conversion of cellulose to ethanol requires some new pre-treatment, enzymatic and fermentation technologies, to make the whole process cost effective. In this review, we have discussed about current technologies for sustainable bioethanol production from agro-residues.

Cu-Catalyzed Click Reaction in Carbohydrate Chemistry

Abstract: Cu(I)-catalyzed azide–alkyne 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition (CuAAC), popularly known as the “click reaction”, serves as the most potent and highly dependable tool for facile construction of simple to complex architectures at the molecular level. Click-knitted threads of two exclusively different molecular entities have created some really interesting structures for more than 15 years with a broad spectrum of applicability, including in the fascinating fields of synthetic chemistry, medicinal science, biochemistry, pharmacology, material science, and catalysis. The unique properties of the carbohydrate moiety and the advantages of highly chemo- and regioselective click chemistry, such as mild reaction conditions, efficient performance with a wide range of solvents, and compatibility with different functionalities, together produce miraculous neoglycoconjugates and neoglycopolymers with various synthetic, biological, and pharmaceutical applications. In this review we highlight the successful advancement of Cu(I)...

Recent advances in second generation bioethanol production: An insight to pretreatment, saccharification and fermentation processes

Abstract: In response to the scarcity of non-renewable energy sources, sustainable and renewable biofuels from biomass have gained utmost attention. Utilization of lignocellulosic biomass for production of varied energy forms (second generation fuels) like biogas, biodiesel, bioethanol, etc has increased in the past decade. Their properties of being naturally abundant and easily accessible throughout the year, makes them an attractive energy alternative. Efficient pretreatment techniques for effective transformation of lignocelluloses to varied products, by increasing digestibility of celluloses and hemicelluloses can be achieved through acid, alkali treatment, enzymatic hydrolysis, and steam explosion. Idea behind optimizing pretreatment protocol is to maximize release of monosaccharide sugars for conversion to value added products. Tailoring of hydrolytic enzymes through various approaches is well accepted for increasing specific activity of particular enzymatic reaction and can also be clubbed with other pretreatment processes minimizing chemical usage. We at our laboratory are working on optimization of process parameters for enhancing efficiency of saccharification process to obtain maximal monosaccharide sugars that can be converted to bioethanol. Present review compiles various approaches made by prominent scientists for efficient utilization of celluloses and hemicelluloses for ethanol production and also describes recent advanced techniques utilized for the same. Greater emphasis has been led on comparative study on utilization of simple sugars by bacteria and fungi and effect of consolidated bioprocess system on ethanol production from varied agro-industrial wastes.

Vicinal Diamino Functionalities as Privileged Structural Elements in Biologically Active Compounds and Exploitation of their Synthetic Chemistry

Abstract: The chemistry, synthetic routes and medicinal properties of vicinal diamines and imidazolines are discussed. Synthetic routes towards chemically and pharmaceutically important molecules containing vicinal diamine functionality are discussed in detail. This mini review article covers the new developments of diamine chemistry between 2000 and 2005.