Shiv Nadar University

About: Shiv Nadar University is a education organization based out in Dadri, Uttar Pradesh, India. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Graphene. The organization has 1015 authors who have published 1924 publications receiving 18420 citations.

Relating the physical properties of aqueous solutions of ionic liquids with their chemical structures

Abstract: The physical properties of an aqueous solution of a macromolecule primarily depend on its chemical structure and the mesoscopic aggregates formed by many of such molecules. Ionic liquids (ILs) are the macromolecules that have caught significant research interests for their enormous industrial and biomedical applications. In the present paper, the physical properties, such as density, viscosity, ionic conductivity of aqueous solutions of various ILs, have been investigated. These properties are found to systematically depend on the shape and size of the anion and the cation along with the solution concentration. The ionic conductivity and viscosity behavior of the solutions do not strictly follow the Walden rule that relates the conductivity to the viscosity of the solution. However, the modified Walden rule could explain the behavior. A simple calculation based on the geometry of a given molecule could shed the light on the observed results.

Identification of differentially expressed genes in rice during its early phases of interaction with Magnaporthe oryzae

Abstract: Rice blast caused by Magnaporthe oryzae is one of the most destructive diseases causing extensive yield loss throughout the world. The present study deals with identification of stress responsive genes in susceptible rice cultivar HR 12 after challenge with M. oryzae. Transcript profiling using the Affymetrix 57 K GeneChip revealed a total of 72 differentially expressed genes whose expression level was significantly altered under diseased condition. Molecular function enrichment analysis suggested that the differentially regulated genes were mainly related to protein degradation and modification, cell signalling and stressrelated mechanisms. Our study reveals that majority of the genes of protein degradation and modification, transport, signalling and transcription factors are repressed at the initial stages of interaction. The host genes that were induced in response to pathogen infection included hormonal signalling, cell wall defense and transcription factors belonging to the WRKY super family. This study would be helpful in identification of early induced genes in pathogen associated molecular patterns (PAMP)-Triggered Immunity.

The H1047R PIK3CA oncogene induces a senescence-like state, pleiotropy and acute HSP90 dependency in HER2+ mammary epithelial cells.

Abstract: In pre-clinical models, co-existence of Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor-2 (HER2)-amplification and PI3K catalytic subunit (PIK3CA) mutations results in aggressive, anti-HER2 therapy-resistant breast tumors. This is not always reflected in clinical setting. We speculated that the complex interaction between the HER2 and PIK3CA oncogenes is responsible for such inconsistency. We performed series of biochemical, molecular and cellular assays on genetically engineered isogenic mammary epithelial cell lines and breast cancer cells expressing both oncogenes. In vitro observations were validated in xenografts models. We showed that H1047R, one of the most common PIK3CA mutations, is responsible for endowing a senescence-like state in mammary epithelial cells overexpressing HER2. Instead of imposing a permanent growth arrest characteristic of oncogene-induced senescence, the proteome secreted by the mutant cells promotes stem cell enrichment, angiogenesis, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, altered immune surveillance and acute vulnerability toward HSP90 inhibition. We inferred that the pleiotropism, as observed here, conferred by the mutated oncogene, depending on the host microenvironment, contributes to conflicting pre-clinical and clinical characteristics of HER2+, mutated PIK3CA-bearing tumor cells. We also came up with a plausible model for evolution of breast tumors from mammary epithelial cells harboring these two molecular lesions.

An evaluation of GPS opportunity in market for precision agriculture

Abstract: Monitoring and performing agricultural practices over a large spatial coverage often require advanced and accurate positional information in order to optimize the operational costs as well as reduce estimated time of completion. Agricultural practices with large farms are challenging to operate from remote sensing until accurate positional information is not available, which necessitates the use of Global Positioning System (GPS) for acquiring sample position using Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSSs). Thus, development of positional accuracies with the help of GNSS signals has boosted up the involvement of GPS-based instruments in precision agriculture (PA). It has opened the wide door for the implementation of GPS in the PA, as per user needs and requirements. Furthermore, GPS instruments have been evolved with time, and nowadays advanced GPS instruments are in the market and can be operated via mobile with any operating systems, i.e., iOS, Android, or Windows. Availability of GPS signals in several instruments or equipment has been looked as the market opportunity and increasing trends in PA resulting in innovations of techniques for route optimization for optimal use of fertilizer spray and related activities in agricultural practices transforming to new look as SMART farming. The main conclusion of this chapter is to make aware about the growing GPS applications and evolution of SMART farming, that is, wisely employing Internet for precision applications.

Enhanced Microscopic Dynamics of a Liver Lipid Membrane in the Presence of an Ionic Liquid.

Abstract: Ionic liquids (ILs) are an important class of emerging compounds, owing to their widespread industrial applications in high-performance lubricants for food and cellulose processing, despite their toxicity to living organisms. It is believed that this toxicity is related to their actions on the cellular membrane. Hence, it is vital to understand the interaction of ILs with cell membranes. Here, we report on the effects of an imidazolium-based IL, 1-decyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate (DMIM[BF4]), on the microscopic dynamics of a membrane formed by liver extract lipid, using quasielastic neutron scattering (QENS). The presence of significant quasielastic broadening indicates that stochastic molecular motions of the lipids are active in the system. Two distinct molecular motions, (i) lateral motion of the lipid within the membrane leaflet and (ii) localized internal motions of the lipid, are found to contribute to the QENS broadening. While the lateral motion could be described assuming continuous diffusion, the internal motion is explained on the basis of localized translational diffusion. Incorporation of the IL into the liver lipid membrane is found to enhance the membrane dynamics by accelerating both lateral and internal motions of the lipids. This indicates that the IL induces disorder in the membrane and enhances the fluidity of lipids. This could be explained on the basis of its location in the lipid membrane. Results are compared with various other additives and we provide an indication of a possible correlation between the effects of guest molecules on the dynamics of the membrane and its location within the membrane.