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A field experiment was conducted to study the “Genotypic and Phenotypic correlation coefficient in twenty genotypes of Gladiolus for Gwalior region” during 2021-2022 at Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, School of Agriculture, ITM University, Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh. In this experiment twenty genotypes of Gladiolus were planted for the evaluation and the results of investigation revealed that for yield improvement through selection emphasis should be given on the characters like Plant height, Spike length, Rachis length, No. of shoots per plant, No. of corms per plant. Especially the emphasis may be laid down upon the Plant height, Number of florets or Diameter of the floret, since these characters had highly significant and positive correlations with Spike length so a direct selection from genotypes will be more effective for improvement of this crop.

The evaluation of pollen viability and fruit setting capacity are two essential criteria for pollinator’s characterization. This study was carried out to evaluate pollen Fertility/ viability in five Varieties of Tomatoes. We analyzed the viability of pollen grains of five different varieties of tomatoes grown in ITM University, Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, India. Aceto- carmine method is used to estimate pollen viability. The germination percentage, pollen viability and Fruit setting rate were recorded at different stages respectively. Pollen viability in relation to fruit set was analyzed while growth parameters and fruit yield per plant of each variety were also collected and analyzed. Results displayed that the highest pollen viability rate (100%) was obtained in SWEAKAR-448 Variety followed by Arka Vikas (95%), ARJUN-135 (93%), 9005-SIRI (90%) and PKM-1 (80%). The highest percentage of germination (95%) was shown by 9005-SIRI Variety and maximum fruit setting (15-20 Fruits per plant) was recorded in the SWEAKAR-448 Variety. The results showed significant vegetative growth variations and correlations between pollen viability and fruit setting characters. In addition, it was found a noticeable variation in Pollen viability/fertility, was not proportional to fruit setting percentage. In general Pollen viability was directly linked to fruit set, whereas formation and fruit set were not in the tomato varieties that were investigated. Pollen viability was high, which was accompanied through a reduction in the number of fruit sets, fruit size and pollen viability in the field is highly variable, indicating that differences in microenvironment may have a profound effect on fruit setting and pollen viability.

In this study, a plant-mediated method for the synthesis of titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles is reported. Using the titanium oxide and a plant extract of medicinal herb Leucas cephalotes, the TiO2 nanoparticles were effectively synthesized. The reaction temperature was kept between 75 ºC and 80 ºC, while 1 M of TiO2 and the plant extract were being processed. The absorption peak for titanium dioxide nanoparticles in the UV-Vis spectrometer was observed at 212 and 345 nm. The typical dimension of the nanoparticles was determined to be 38.99 nm from the XRD pattern. According to the findings, titanium and oxygen were composed with high energy signals of 61.27% and 23.16%, respectively. According to FT-IR spectrum, the Ti-O bonding absorption peak is appeared at 586 cm-1. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was employed to confirm the spherical shape of the synthesized TiO2 nanoparticles. The green synthesized TiO2 nanoparticles could be used to treat a variety of malignancies. The MTS and MTT assays were used to assess the anticancer activity of biogenic TiO2 nanoparticles. The IC50 values were 1.89, 2.00, 1.98 and 4.00 μM, respectively, against the MCF-7, HeLa, PC-3 and A549 nanoparticles cancer cell lines. Additionally, this study has also shown that synthesized TiO2 nanoparticles are highly active against Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli as well as against yeast (Candida albicans).

Ten pea genotypes had their heritability evaluated in 2021 and '22. Except for the proliferation of plants, change analysis has a substantial impact on all other factors. Unit yield per plant (15.3,16.97) had the highest genotypic and phenotypic co-effective of variety, followed by seed yield per plot (13.91,18.00), and very long time to first bloom (3.56, 3.63) had the lowest; high heritability with hereditary development according to penny of mean was recorded for yield per plant (81.00, 28.4) and case yield per plant (59.00, 22.10), and very long time to first bloom (3.63) had the lowest (0.6, 1.72). According to the results of this research, highlighting these features may significantly boost production.

School of Agriculture, ITM University in Gwalior's Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding performed a Rabi season 2021–2022 study on 15 distinct genotypes of chickpeas to better understand their genetic variability. The genotypes were distributed using a Randomized Block Design with three replications. On the plants themselves, data was gathered on their overall height, the number of main and secondary branches they had at 50% flowering, the number of pods and seeds they had at 100 seeds weight, days to maturity, as well as their grain yields per plant and the total yield per plot. After analyzing the data, A statistical study of each character's genotypes revealed a wide range of results. Plant height, number of main and secondary branches, days to 50% flowering, days to maturity, number of pods per plant, and 100 seed weight provided the highest GCV and PCV values in the experiment. All of these traits, as well as plant height, secondary branch count, days until 50% of the flowers open, pod count per plant, grain production per plant, and total yield per plot, demonstrated significant heritability and genetic advancement as a percentage of the mean. Traits such as plant height, no of seeds per pod, and total yield per plot, exhibited a significant positive correlation with grain yield per plant and this will show a greater direct effect on single yield plant.

Aim: Expression of EGFP was investigated to ascertain the strength and specificity of CMV, U6 and hepatitis B virus (HBV) core promoters in hepatic and non-hepatic cells. Materials & methods: pSilencer-2.1 plasmid vector is known for siRNA-based inhibition. To achieve target-specific correction of disease-causing genes, pSilencer–GFP was constructed. For liver specific expression of therapeutic genes, endogenous U6 promoter of pSilencer-2.1 was replaced with HBV core promoter and ubiquitously active CMV promoter. Results: Transfection results showed that GFP expression under the control of HBV core promoter was higher in hepatic Hep3B than non-hepatic HEK293T cells. Conclusion: HBV core promoter could lead to specific expression in hepatocytes, which might be used in gene therapy of liver diseases as well as for siRNA-based therapeutic strategies.

Background Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is the cause of a liver disease hepatitis E. The translation product of HEV ORF2 has recently been demonstrated as a protein involved in multiple functions besides performing its major role of a viral capsid. As intrinsically disordered regions (IDRs) are linked to various essential roles in the virus’s life cycle, we analyzed the disorder pattern distribution of the retrieved ORF2 protein sequences by employing different online predictors. Our findings might provide some clues on the disorder-based functions of ORF2 protein that possibly help us in understanding its behavior other than as a HEV capsid protein. Results The modeled three dimensional (3D) structures of ORF2 showed the predominance of random coils or unstructured regions in addition to major secondary structure components (alpha helix and beta strand). After initial scrutinization, the predictors VLXT and VSL2 predicted ORF2 as a highly disordered protein while the predictors VL3 and DISOPRED3 predicted ORF2 as a moderately disordered protein, thus categorizing HEV-ORF2 into IDP (intrinsically disordered protein) or IDPR (intrinsically disordered protein region) respectively. Thus, our initial predicted disorderness in ORF2 protein 3D structures was in excellent agreement with their predicted disorder distribution patterns (evaluated through different predictors). The abundance of MoRFs (disorder-based protein binding sites) in ORF2 was observed that signified their interaction with binding partners which might further assist in viral infection. As IDPs/IDPRs are targets of regulation, we carried out the phosphorylation analysis to reveal the presence of post-translationally modified sites. Prevalence of several disordered-based phosphorylation sites further signified the involvement of ORF2 in diverse and significant biological processes. Furthermore, ORF2 structure-associated functions revealed its involvement in several crucial functions and biological processes like binding and catalytic activities. Conclusions The results predicted ORF2 as a protein with multiple functions besides its role as a capsid protein. Moreover, the occurrence of IDPR/IDP in ORF2 protein suggests that its disordered region might serve as novel drug targets via functioning as potential interacting domains. Our data collectively might provide significant implication in HEV vaccine search as disorderness in viral proteins is related to mechanisms involved in immune evasion.

Green chemistry is a relatively new discipline that promotes the use of a set of guidelines to decrease both the use of and the production of chemical waste. Accordingly, the use of environmentally friendly technology has a more beneficial effect on ecosystems than the use of factory workers. Plant extracts are seen as a greener and cheaper alternative to traditional methods of synthesizing metallic nanoparticles, and their usage is on the rise. In this study, an aqueous leaf extract of Ajuga macrosperma was used to biosynthesize metallic Zinc oxide nanoparticles. There is a limiting and capping effect caused by plants. Ultraviolet spectrophotometric analysis was used to monitor the biosynthesized nanoparticles in real-time. The incorporation of leaf extract resulted in a noticeable hue shift, which allowed for the visual detection of the creation of metallic nanoparticles. Scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), and zeta potential were all used to learn more about the nanoparticles. The SEM scan reveals that the nanoparticles have a spherical form and measure between 10 and 100 nm in size. The XRD analysis verified that the synthetic ZnONPs have a Wurtzite crystalline structure. Results from FTIR and EDAX analysis reveal the nanoparticles' functional groups and elemental makeup. MTT assay was used to test the anticancer activity of A. macrosperma leaves in MCF-7 (breast cancer), HeLa (human embryonic lung cancer), PC-3 (prostate cancer), and A549 (lung cancer). Additionally, research has also shown that produced ZnONPs are highly active against Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Bacillus subtilis and Escherichia coli. as well as against yeast (Candida albicans) showing no efficacy.

Human Faeces (HF) is a solid waste material that is secreted as left amount after digestion of food inside the small intestine of the body. It contains large number of viruses, bacteria, fungi, actinomycetes, archaebacteria etc of which Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB) are very common and play an important role in digestion and immunity. Hence, LAB were isolated and enumerated from HFusing standard protocol in the present study to find out the qualitative and quantitative distribution of LAB in gut microbiome. LAB were isolated using MRS agar medium under anaerobic conditions and was found that Lactobacillus lactis, L. Acidophilus, L. fermentum and Enterococcus faecium were the dominant species and the populations varied from 3.5 x 106 to 4.5 x 1010CFU/mL. It shows that good populations of LAB in gut microbiome survive under anaerobic conditions. LAB have great efficiency to resist against antibiotics. Such species of LAB should be commercialized and marketed at a global stage so that problems related to imbalance in gut microbiome can be solved.

Nanotechnology has become a trending area in the field of science and technology. It has made great advances with the development of functional, engineered nanoparticles. The better advancements made towards the synthesis of nanoparticles using plant materials have become a major focus of researchers because of their advantages including high stability and loading capacity. Recently, zinc oxide nanoparticles have drawn the attention of several researchers owing to their several biological applications including anticancer and antimicrobial activities. Different techniques have been employed for the production of gold nanoparticles due to their elaborated applications in different interdisciplinary fields. The synthetic procedure of plant-based nanoparticles has attracted a keen interest of various researchers as the synthesis is comparatively fast, safe and light and can be followed under basic room conditions without the requirement of any advanced synthesis requirements. Every part of the plants can be used for the synthesis of nanoparticles. Gold nanoparticles play a pivotal role as the most active, environment friendly and biocompatible towards a greener approach. In this review paper, we report highlighted about the various plants extract, which have been used for the synthesis of gold nanoparticles and their biological evaluation based on previous year’s research and scientific papers and journal and articles.

Nanoscience and nanotechnology has attracted a lot of attention because of its wide variety of applications. Plant based metallic nanoparticles revolutionized the health sector with targeting nano drug to cure different ailments. Living beings are known to be susceptible to microbial attack followed by multidrug resistance of microorganism put the necessitates for searching more efficient methods of drug delivery or drug production. In the present study, we report the green synthesis of stable hexagonally shaped zinc oxide nanoparticles from leaf extract of Ajuga bracteosa and their antimicrobial efficacy against the selected bacterial (Streptococcus pneumonia, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumonia, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) and fungal (Aspergillus fumigates and Trichoderma viride) strains by using agar well diffusion method. Initial colour change and surface-plasmon-resonance (SPR) absorbance bands between 349 nm gave support to the synthesis of zinc oxide nanoparticles. These nanoparticles were further characterized by XRD, EDX, TEM and FTIR techniques. XRD analysis showed that nanoparticles are crystalline in nature. TEM measurements showed that nanoparticles are hexagonally shaped with their average size less than 27 nm. FTIR spectra confirms the presence of phytochemicals which were responsible for reducing, capping and stabilizing the nanoparticles. Antimicrobial results of the synthesized ZnO nanoparticles has indicated the good potential of nanoparticles against all tested microorganism in the present study.

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is one of the causative agents of liver infections. The essential open reading frame 4 (ORF4) encoded protein role in HEV regulation remains undetermined. Intrinsically disordered protein regions (IDPRs)/intrinsically disordered protein (IDPs) in viral proteomes are linked with virus’s pathogenicity and infectivity. Therefore, in the present study, we have examined the unstructured/disordered regions of ORF4 proteins by analyzing the prevalence of intrinsic disorder. The intrinsic disorder propensity analysis of ORF4 proteins revealed JN167538 (Rat) as a structured protein, LC057248 (HEV) and LC177791 (Ferret) as moderately disordered proteins and KU168733 (Human) as a highly disordered protein, categorizing them as ORDP, IDPRs and IDR, respectively. All the ORF4 proteins consisted of molecular recognition features (MoRFs), i.e., intrinsic disorder-based protein–protein interaction (PPI) sites used by proteins to interact with specific partners, in addition to several nucleotide-binding sites. As IDPR and IDP, in conjunction with molecular recognition (PPI, RNA binding and DNA binding), our results signified the ORF4 protein’s interactions with the host membranes and further viral infection. In particular, as IDP, the ORF4 protein (Human) could possibly contribute to viral replication through PPIs. The presence of various disordered-based phosphorylation sites further signified the role of ORF4 proteins in various biological processes, such as post-translational modifications (/PTMs). Furthermore, structure-based analyses of ORF4 proteins revealed it as a multifunctional-associated protein, due to its involvement in various binding and catalytic activities. Collectively, data from this comprehensive investigation suggested ORF4 protein’s role in regulation and pathogenesis of HEV.

A novel one-dimensional carbon material Known as carbon nanotubes (CNTs), having their high aspects ratio and as well as advance electrical properties which make them best candidate for cathode field emitters. In this work, we have introduced the easy and cost-effective approach to improving the CNT field emitters emission properties. Here we have modified the surface of CNT field emitter via decorating with silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs). Attachment of Ag NPs on CNT surface via thermal evaporation technique. The as-prepared samples of pristine CNTs and decorated CNTs with Ag NPs were characterized by the scanning electron microscope for morphology analysis, quality and qualitative analysis done by Raman spectroscopy. Here we have applied the Fowler Nordheim hypothesis for the analysis of electron field emission of as-prepared cathode field emitters. The turn-on ( E to ) and threshold ( E th ) field reduced after CNT field emitters coated with Ag NPs. The field enhancement factor ( β ) and emission current density ( J ) enhanced after coating. Ag NPs decorated/coated CNT field emitters can be utilized in field emission device applications.

Extensive investigation on the molecular and electronic structure of 2-amino-5-trifluoromethyl-1,3,4-thiadiazole in the ground state and in the first excited state has been performed. The energy barrier corresponding to the conversion between imino and amino tautomers has been calculated, which indicates the existence of amino tautomer in solid state for the title compound. The FT–Raman and FT-IR spectra were recorded and compared with theoretical vibrational wavenumbers, and a good coherence has been observed. The MESP map, dipole moment, polarizability, and hyperpolarizability have been calculated to comprehend the properties of the title molecule. High polarizability value estimation of the title compound may enhance its bioactivity. Natural bonding orbital analysis has been done on monomer and dimer to investigate the charge delocalization and strength of hydrogen bonding, respectively. Strong hydrogen bonding interaction energies of 17.09/17.49 kcal mol–1 have been calculated at the B3LYP/M06-2X functional. The UV–vis spectrum was recorded and related to the theoretical spectrum. The title compound was biologically examined for anticancer activity by studying the cytotoxic performance against two human cancer cell lines (A549 and HeLa) along with the molecular docking simulation. Both molecular docking and cytotoxic performance against cancer cell lines show positive outcomes, and the title compound appears to be a promising anticancer agent.

BackgroundViral diseases are highly widespread infections caused by viruses. These viruses are passing from one human to other humans through a certain medium. The medium might be mosquito, animal, reservoir and food, etc. Here, the population of both human and mosquito vectors are important.Main body of the abstractThe main objectives are here to introduce the historical perspective of mathematical modeling, enable the mathematical modeler to understand the basic mathematical theory behind this and present a systematic review on mathematical modeling for four vector-borne viral diseases using the deterministic approach. Furthermore, we also introduced other mathematical techniques to deal with vector-borne diseases. Mathematical models could help forecast the infectious population of humans and vectors during the outbreak.Short conclusionThis study will be helpful for mathematical modelers in vector-borne diseases and ready-made material in the review for future advancement in the subject. This study will not only benefit vector-borne conditions but will enable ideas for other illnesses.

In this paper, we have reported that the field emission properties of multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were significantly increased by decorating their surface by iron oxide nanoparticles. MWCNTs were prepared on silicon substrate through low-pressure chemical vapour deposition using acetylene as source gas. The iron oxide nanoparticles were grown on the surface of MWCNTs by thermal evaporation technique. Modified surface morphologies of the prepared films were characterized through field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM), Raman spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. A significant change in current density, stability and turn-on voltage has been observed in iron oxide-coated MWCNT films. Decoration of iron oxide nanoparticles reduces turn-on voltage from 4 to 3.4 V/μm, while current density increases from 10.15 to 33.26 mA/cm2. For practical MWCNT-based field emission devices, it is necessary to improve the emission current density and stability. The excellent field emission parameters are obtained and calculated which make them useful for high-performance field emission-based devices. The mechanism of emission of electrons is well described by the Fowler Nordheim theory.

Aim: G glycoprotein ectodomain (Ge) of BA genotype of group B respiratory syncytial virus was expressed and purified to achieve maximum yield of the protein. Materials & methods: We optimized different parameters like strains, temperature, inducer concentration and post induction time period for efficient protein expression in Escherichia coli. The protein was purified using affinity chromatography and confirmed by western blotting. Results: It was concluded that a 5-h induction with 0.75 mM isopropyl β-D-1-thiogalactopyranoside at 37°C in BL21(DE3) cells was the most favorable condition for maximal protein expression. The far-UV circular dichroism spectroscopy suggested that it is an α-helical protein. Conclusion: The purified Ge protein can be characterized by antigenic and biophysical methods in future studies, which will probably assist in vaccine development.

ZnO has been adopted as preferred material in transparent transistors and can be very useful in products such as field emission displays (FEDs). In this work, Zinc Oxide nanoflowers/nanoparticles have been synthesized by using sol–gel technique. During synthesis, zinc acetate and distilled water were used precursors. The characterization of synthesized zinc oxide nanoparticles was done by field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and high-resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM). FESEM results revealed the nanoflower type structure of zinc oxide nanoparticles. Further, field emission studies of the grown ZnO nanoflowers were studied and it was observed that due to flower type structure, ZnO nanoparticles have high current density of 30.5 mA/cm2 with low turn on field at 1.2 Vμm−1 and good field enhancement factor.

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) or kala-azar is a vector-borne dreaded protozoal infection that is caused by the parasite

Oral submucous fibrosis (OSMF) is a chronic, potentially malignant condition of the oral mucosa and the habitual chewing of areca nut is believed to be the most potent etiological factor. The role of reactive oxygen species (ROS), epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and various cytokines and growth factors has been established in recent studies. The components of areca nut particularly, arecoline, flavonoids and copper have been found to affect fibroblasts, endothelial and epithelial cells through various biological pathways which are either down-regulated or up-regulated during different stages of the disease. However, the underlying molecular pathogenesis of OSMF is still partially understood.

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is the causative agent of Hepatitis E infections across the world. Intrinsically disordered protein regions (IDPRs) or intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) are regions or proteins that are characterized by lack of definite structure. These IDPRs or IDPs play significant roles in a wide range of biological processes, such as cell cycle regulation, control of signaling pathways, etc. IDPR/IDP in proteins is associated with the virus's pathogenicity and infectivity. The prevalence of IDPR/IDP in rat HEV proteome remains undetermined. Hence, we examined the unstructured/disordered regions of the open reading frame (ORF) encoded proteins of rat HEV by analyzing the prevalence of intrinsic disorder. The intrinsic disorder propensity analysis showed that the different ORF proteins consisted of varying fraction of intrinsic disorder. The protein ORF3 was identified with maximum propensity for intrinsic disorder while the ORF6 protein had the least fraction of intrinsic disorder. The analysis revealed ORF6 as a structured protein (ORDP); ORF1 and ORF4 as moderately disordered proteins (IDPRs); and ORF3 and ORF5 as highly disordered proteins (IDPs). The protein ORF2 was found to be moderately as well as highly disordered using different predictors, thus, was categorized into both IDPR and IDP. Such disordered regions have important roles in pathogenesis and replication of viruses.

Background Hepatitis E virus (HEV) of the family Hepeviridae is a major causative agent of acute hepatitis in developing countries. The Y-domain is derived from multi-domain non-structural polyprotein encoded by open reading frame 1 (ORF1). Previous studies have demonstrated the essentiality of Y-domain sequences in HEV life cycle; however, its function remains completely unexplored. The following study was thus conceptualized to examine the detailed computational investigation for the putative Y-domain to estimate its phylogenetic assessment, physiochemical properties, structural and functional characteristics using in silico analyses. Results The phylogenetic assessment of Y-domain with a vast range of hosts indicated that the protein was very well conserved throughout the course of evolution. The Y-domain was found to be unstable, hydrophilic and basic in nature with high thermostability value. Structural analysis of Y-domain revealed mixed α/β structural fold of the protein having higher percentage of alpha-helices. The three-dimensional (3D) protein model generated through homology modelling revealed the presence of clefts, tunnels and pore. Gene ontology analysis predicted Y-domain protein’s involvement in several binding and catalytic activities as well as significant biological processes. Mutations in the conserved amino acids of the Y-domain suggested that it may stabilize or de-stabilize the protein structure that might affect its structure–function relationship. Conclusions This theoretical study will facilitate towards deciphering the role of unexplored Y-domain, thereby providing better understanding towards the pathogenesis of HEV infection.

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is a major causative agent of acute hepatitis in developing countries. The Norway rat HEV genome consists of six open reading frames (ORFs), i.e., ORF1, ORF2, ORF3, ORF4, ORF5 and ORF6. The additional reading frame encoded protein ORF5 is attributed to life cycle of rat HEV. The ORFF5 protein's function remains undetermined. Therefore, it is of interest to analyze the ORF5 protein for its physiochemical properties, primary structure, secondary structure, tertiary structure and functional characteristics using bioinformatics tools. Analysis of the ORF5 protein revealed it as highly unstable, hydrophilic with basic pI. The ORF5 protein consisted mostly of Arg, Pro, Ser, Leu and Gly. The 3D structural homology model of the ORF5 protein generated showed mixed α/β structural fold with predominance of coils. Structural analysis revealed the presence of clefts, pores and a tunnel. This data will help in the sequence, structure and functional annotation of ORF5.

Background Hepatitis E is a liver disease caused by the pathogen hepatitis E virus (HEV). The largest polyprotein open reading frame 1 (ORF1) contains a nonstructural Y-domain region (YDR) whose activity in HEV adaptation remains uncharted. The specific role of disordered regions in several nonstructural proteins has been demonstrated to participate in the multiplication and multiple regulatory functions of the viruses. Thus, intrinsic disorder of YDR including its structural and functional annotation was comprehensively studied by exploiting computational methodologies to delineate its role in viral adaptation. Results Based on our findings, it was evident that YDR contains significantly higher levels of ordered regions with less prevalence of disordered residues. Sequence-based analysis of YDR revealed it as a “dual personality” (DP) protein due to the presence of both structured and unstructured (intrinsically disordered) regions. The evolution of YDR was shaped by pressures that lead towards predominance of both disordered and regularly folded amino acids (Ala, Arg, Gly, Ile, Leu, Phe, Pro, Ser, Tyr, Val). Additionally, the predominance of characteristic DP residues (Thr, Arg, Gly, and Pro) further showed the order as well as disorder characteristic possessed by YDR. The intrinsic disorder propensity analysis of YDR revealed it as a moderately disordered protein. All the YDR sequences consisted of molecular recognition features (MoRFs), i.e., intrinsic disorder-based protein–protein interaction (PPI) sites, in addition to several nucleotide-binding sites. Thus, the presence of molecular recognition (PPI, RNA binding, and DNA binding) signifies the YDR’s interaction with specific partners, host membranes leading to further viral infection. The presence of various disordered-based phosphorylation sites further signifies the role of YDR in various biological processes. Furthermore, functional annotation of YDR revealed it as a multifunctional-associated protein, due to its susceptibility in binding to a wide range of ligands and involvement in various catalytic activities. Conclusions As DP are targets for regulation, thus, YDR contributes to cellular signaling processes through PPIs. As YDR is incompletely understood, therefore, our data on disorder-based function could help in better understanding its associated functions. Collectively, our novel data from this comprehensive investigation is the first attempt to delineate YDR role in the regulation and pathogenesis of HEV.

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is the main cause of acute hepatitis worldwide. HEV accounts for up to 30% mortality rate in pregnant women, with highest incidences reported for genotype 1 (G1) HEV. The contributing factors in adverse cases during pregnancy in women due to HEV infection is still debated. The mechanism underlying the pathogenesis of viral infection is attributed to different genomic component of HEV, i.e., open reading frames (ORFs): ORF1, ORF2, ORF3 and ORF4. Recently, ORF4 has been discovered in enhancing the replication of GI isolates of HEV through regulation of an IRES-like RNA element. However, its characterization through computational methodologies remains unexplored. In this novel study, we provide comprehensive overview of ORF4 protein's genetic and molecular characteristics through analyzing its sequence and different structural levels. A total of three different datasets (Human, Rat and Ferret) of ORF4 genomes were built and comparatively analyzed. Several non-synonymous mutations in conjunction with higher entropy values were observed in rat and ferret datasets, however, limited variation was observed in human ORF4 genomes. Higher transition to tranversion ratio was observed in the ORF4 genomes. Studies have reported the association of intrinsic disordered proteins (IDP) with drug discovery due to its role in several signaling and regulatory processes through protein-protein interactions (PPIs). As PPIs are potent drug target sources, thus the ORF4 protein was explored by analyzing its polypeptide structure in order to shed light on its intrinsic disorder. Pressures that lead towards preponderance of disordered-promoting amino acid residues shaped the evolution of ORF4. The intrinsic disorder propensity analysis revealed ORF4 protein (Human) as a highly disordered protein (IDP). Predominance of coils and lack of secondary structure further substantiated our findings suggesting its involvement in binding to ligand molecules. Thus, ORF4 contributes to cellular signaling processes through protein-protein interactions, as IDPs are targets for regulation to accelerate the process of drug designing strategies against HEV infections.

The novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, responsible for the COVID-19 outbreak, has become a pandemic threatening millions of lives worldwide. Recently, several vaccine candidates and drugs have shown promising effects in preventing or treating COVID-19, but due to the development of mutant strains through rapid viral evolution, urgent investigations are warranted in order to develop preventive measures and further improve current vaccine candidates. Positive-sense-single-stranded RNA viruses comprise many (re)emerging human pathogens that pose a public health problem. Our innate immune system and, in particular, the interferon response form an important first line of defense against these viruses. Flexibility in the genome aids the virus to develop multiple strategies to evade the innate immune response and efficiently promotes their replication and infective capacity. This review will focus on the innate immune response to SARS-CoV-2 infection and the virus' evasion of the innate immune system by escaping recognition or inhibiting the production of an antiviral state. Since interferons have been implicated in inflammatory diseases and immunopathology along with their protective role in infection, antagonizing the immune response may have an ambiguous effect on the clinical outcome of the viral disease. This pathology is characterized by intense, rapid stimulation of the innate immune response that triggers activation of the Nod-like receptor family, pyrin-domain-containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome pathway, and release of its products including the pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-6, IL-18, and IL-1β. This predictive view may aid in designing an immune intervention or preventive vaccine for COVID-19 in the near future.

Background Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is a member of the family Hepeviridae and causes acute HEV infections resulting in thousands of deaths worldwide. The zoonotic nature of HEV in addition to its tendency from human to human transmission has led scientists across the globe to work on its different aspects. HEV also accounts for about 30% mortality rates in case of pregnant women. The genome of HEV is organized into three open reading frames (ORFs): ORF1 ORF2 and ORF3. A reading frame encoded protein ORF4 has recently been discovered which is exclusive to GT 1 isolates of HEV. The ORF4 is suggested to play crucial role in pregnancy-associated pathology and enhanced replication. Though studies have documented the ORF4’s importance, the genetic features of ORF4 protein genes in terms of compositional patterns have not been elucidated. As codon usage performs critical role in establishment of the host–pathogen relationship, therefore, the present study reports the codon usage analysis (based on nucleotide sequences of HEV ORF4 available in the public database) in three hosts along with the factors influencing the codon usage patterns of the protein genes of ORF4 of HEV. Results The nucleotide composition analysis indicated that ORF4 protein genes showed overrepresentation of C nucleotide and while A nucleotide was the least-represented, with random distribution of G and T(U) nucleotides. The relative synonymous codon usage (RSCU) analysis revealed biasness toward C/G-ended codons (over U/A) in all three natural HEV-hosts (human, rat and ferret). It was observed that all the ORF4 genes were richly endowed with GC content. Further, our results showed the occurrence of both coincidence and antagonistic codon usage patterns among HEV-hosts. The findings further emphasized that both mutational and selection forces influenced the codon usage patterns of ORF4 protein genes. Conclusions To the best of our knowledge, this is first bioinformatics study evaluating codon usage patterns in HEV ORF4 protein genes. The findings from this study are expected to increase our understanding toward significant factors involved in evolutionary changes of ORF4.

Background Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is a positive-sense RNA virus belonging to the family Hepeviridae. The genome of HEV is organized into three open-reading frames (ORFs): ORF1, ORF2, and ORF3. The ORF1 non-structural Y-domain region (YDR) has been demonstrated to play an important role in the HEV pathogenesis. The nucleotide composition, synonymous codon usage bias in conjunction with other factors influencing the viral YDR genes of HEV have not been studied. Codon usage represents a significant mechanism in establishing the host-pathogen relationship. The present study for the first time elucidates the detailed codon usage patterns of YDR among HEV and HEV-hosts (Human, Rabbit, Mongoose, Pig, Wild boar, Camel, Monkey). Results The overall nucleotide composition revealed the abundance of C and U nucleotides in YDR genomes. The relative synonymous codon usage (RSCU) analysis indicated biasness towards C and U over A and G ended codons in HEV across all hosts. Codon frequency comparative analyses among HEV-hosts showed both similarities and discrepancies in usage of preferred codons encoding amino acids, which revealed that HEV codon preference neither completely differed nor completely showed similarity with its hosts. Thus, our results clearly indicated that the synonymous codon usage of HEV is a mixture of the two types of codon usage: coincidence and antagonism. Mutation pressure from virus and natural selection from host seems to be accountable for shaping the codon usage patterns in YDR. The study emphasised that the influence of compositional constraints, codon usage biasness, mutational alongside the selective forces were reflected in the occurrence of YDR codon usage patterns. Conclusions Our study is the first in its kind to have reported the analysis of codon usage patterns on a total of seven different natural HEV hosts. Therefore, knowledge of preferred codons obtained from our study will not only augment our understanding towards molecular evolution but is also envisaged to provide insight into the efficient viral expression, viral adaptation, and host effects on the HEV YDR codon usage.

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is a major causative agent of hepatitis E infections across the globe. Although the essentiality of HEV nonstructural polyprotein (pORF1) putative Y-domain (Yd) has been established in viral pathogenesis, its structural-functional role remains elusive. The current research discusses the novel exploration on Yd protein expression, purification, biophysical characterization and structure-based docking analysis. The codon optimized synthetic gene and optimized expression parameters i.e., 5 h induction with 0.25 mM IPTG at 37 °C, resulted in efficient production of Yd protein (~40 kDa) in E. coli BL21(DE3) cells. Majority of the recombinant Yd (rYd) protein expressed as inclusion bodies was solubilized in 0.5% N-lauroylsarcosine and purified using Ni-NTA chromatography. Circular dichroism (CD) and UV visible absorption spectroscopic studies on Yd revealed both secondary and tertiary structure stability in alkaline range (pH 8.0–10.0), suggesting correlation with its physiological activity. Thus, loss in structure at low pH perhaps play crucial role in cytoplasmic-membrane interaction. The biophysical data were in good agreement with insilico structural analyses, which suggested mixed α/β fold, non-random and basic nature of Yd protein. Furthermore, due to Yd protein essentiality in HEV replication and pathogenesis, it was considered as a template for docking and drug-likeness analyses. The 3D modeling of Yd protein and structure-based screening and drug-likeness of inhibitory compounds, including established antiviral drugs led to the identification of top nine promising candidates. Nonetheless, in vitro studies on the predicted interaction of Yd with intracellular-membrane towards establishing replication-complexes as well as validations of the proposed therapeutic agents are warranted.

A binder free battery type supercapacitor electrode composed of 3D hierarchical dandelion-fiber flake-like structure has been synthesized by cost-effective, layer by layer (LbL) method for 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50 LbL cycles on flexible stainless-steel substrate. Among all the synthesized working electrodes, 40 LbL cycles shows the prominent electrochemical performance with a wide operating potential window (−1.0 to +1.0 V) in 1.0 M aq. Na2SO4 electrolyte. The maximum specific capacity of 958 C g−1 (maximum specific capacitance 479 F g−1) for 1 mA current rate has been achieved by using the three-electrode system. The novel composite material Al(OH)3/MnO2 shows the battery type supercapacitor electrode that comprises the high electronic conductivity with a better electrocapacitive performance that improves the energy storage capability. For having the deeper insight of charge storage mechanism, we evaluate the contribution of charges coming from the individual surface capacitive and diffusion-controlled process. The galvanostatic charge discharge illustrates good cyclic reversibility of composite film whereas electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) demonstrate the capacitive behavior of nanocomposite thin film with a low value of Rct ∼ 0.01 Ω cm−1. Therefore, it could be anticipated that Al(OH)3/MnO2 nanocomposite thin film is a promising electrode material for flexible and portable electronic devices, electric vehicles, etc.

Background:The re-emerging Zika virus has posed a serious threat to human health due to its association with the neurological disorders. The NS3 protein of Zika virus plays a pivotal role in the genome replication and thus may prove to be a critical target for the drug designing studies.Objective:The present study was conceptualized to analyze the crystal structure of NS3 protein of Zika virus followed by the identification of it’s potential inhibitors.Methods:Crystal structure of the NS3 protein was evaluated in detail. Docking of the NS3 protein was done with 130 different ligands including dengue virus inhibitors and their similar compounds along with some approved drugs. The drug likeliness properties were checked for non drug compounds.Results:Structural analysis of the NS3 protein revealed three important sites namely ATP- and RNAbinding sites as well as a central cavity. The selected ten ligands (ZINC05487635, ZINC0092398, ZINC13345444, 4-methoxyphenyl 4-chloro-3-nitrobenzoate, Luteolin, Ivermectin, Suramin, Dasatinib, Panduratin A, and ARDP0009) showed a higher binding affinity for the NS3 protein and good drug likeliness properties.Conclusion:These inhibitors could possibly act as potential lead molecules for future drug designing studies. Our present computational data is envisaged to be useful for gathering experimental evidences towards the development of potential therapeutic molecules against this arthropod mediated pathogen.

The fiber wrapped tuberose structured Fe:Sr(OH)2 have been successfully deposited by using a simple and low cost chemical approach of successive ion layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) method as binder-free electrodes for supercapacitors. The structural properties have been obtained by the XRD patterns, while FTIR shows the chemical bond analysis. The FE-SEM micrographs show fiber wrapped tuberose structured morphology and the Fe doping into Sr(OH)2 is confirmed by EDX. The deposited films show the battery type electrode behaviour in 1 M Na2SO4 aqueous solution. As an active electrode material, the specific capacity of 871 C g−1 (specific capacitance of 792 F g−1) at 1.2 mA cm−2 with cycle retention of ∼79% at 5 mA cm−2 has been obtained for 0.5 at.% Fe:Sr(OH)2. The electrochemical properties of the synthesised electrode reveal that it has the great potential for next-generation energy storage applications.

Introduction: Lymphedema is a symptom of morphologically or functionally insufficient lymph transport. There are several etiological factors damaging the lymphatic pathways. Infections and trauma of limb skin and deep tissues evoke reaction of peripheral lymphatics and lymph nodes [1]. Aim and Objective: To compare the “efficacy of pneumatic compression therapy (PCT), lymphatic drainage exercises and control group in patient with lower limb lymph edema. Methodology: Subject randomly assigned into three groups viz group A, B and C. Group A patients given Pneumatic Compression Therapy (PCT) and Manual Lymphatic Drainage (MLD). Group B given Lymphatic Drainage Exercises (LDE) and Manual lymphatic drainage (MLD) and Group C given Manual lymphatic drainage (MLD) for lower limb lymph edema. All three groups were treated for four weeks.Results: The age, weight and height of subjects in groups A, B and C were compared by using analysis of variance. There was no significant difference found in age, weight and height in all 3 groups (P>0.05). But significant difference found at 3 to 4 weeks in all 3 groups. (P

Lung cancer is the major cause of cancer-associated deaths across the world in both men and women. Lung cancer consists of two major clinicopathological categories, i.e., small cell lung cancer (SCLC) and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Lack of diagnosis of NSCLC at an early stage in addition to poor prognosis results in ineffective treatment, thus, biomarkers for appropriate diagnosis and exact prognosis of NSCLC need urgent attention. The proposed study aimed to reveal essential microRNAs (miRNAs) involved in the carcinogenesis of NSCLC that probably could act as potential biomarkers. The NSCLC-associated expression datasets revealed 12 differentially expressed miRNAs (DEMs). MiRNA-mRNA network identified key miRNAs and their associated genes, for which functional enrichment analysis was applied. Further, survival and validation analysis for key genes was performed and consequently transcription factors (TFs) were predicted. We obtained twelve miRNAs as common DEMs after assessment of all datasets. Further, four key miRNAs and nine key genes were extracted from significant modules based on the centrality approach. The key genes and miRNAs reported in our study might provide some information for potential biomarkers profitable to increased prognosis and diagnosis of lung cancer.

The authors in this research investigated the role of double catalyst layer Fe/Al in the growth of SWCNTs to obtain high current density, low turn on field and high field enhancement factor to act as efficient field emitters. We synthesise SWCNTs by PECVD technique using Fe/Al as a dual catalyst layer on Si substrate. It is seen that during the growth of SWCNTs, Al act as a barrier layer which reduces the diffusion of Fe catalyst in Si substrate resulting in high density vertically aligned growth of SWCNTs. Field emission measurements show high current density 30.5 mA/cm2 at very low turn-on field 1.2 Vμm−1 with a high field enhancement factor of 1.6 × 104. Stability and repeatability parameters of as-grown highly vertically aligned SWCNTs are also studied as a function of current density. Stability results show fairly stable field emitters for 7 h with good repeatability.

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is classified as an endocrinological disorder of metabolism, which is marked by an increased rise in prevalence as well as incidence around the globe. The main aim of the study includes an assessment of the incidence, clinical profile evaluation and susceptibility pattern of bacteria against antimicrobial drugs in diabetic subjects. A total of 280 cases were included in the study of which the patients diagnosed with diabetes were assessed for their biochemical profiles as well as culture and sensitivity assays. 106 patients were diagnosed with diabetes out of 280 and were also associated with certain physiological disorders. Among these 106 patients, 103 patients showed an incidence of microbial infections. Of these patients, 63 were males, and 40 were females. Significant activities were observed against Klebsiella by tazobactam (68.8%). Sulzone (cefoperozone + sulbactam) demonstrated the most significant antimicrobial activities against Staphylococcus aureus (87.5%). Efficacy of Cefipime against Pseudomonas was quite substantial (66.6%) followed by Sulphamethazole (61.1%). Maximum activities were observed by cefixime against E. coli (61.5%) followed by nitrofurantoin (43.5%). Infections caused by Pseudomonas and Staphylococcus aureus were present in 18 and 8 patients, respectively.

The re-emergence of Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) infection in humans with no approved antiviral therapies or vaccines is one of the major problems with global significance. In the present investigation, we screened 80 in-house quinoline derivatives for their anti-CHIKV activity by computational techniques and found 4-hydroxy-1-methyl-3-(3-morpholinopropanoyl)quinoline-2(1H)-one (QVIR) to have potential binding affinities with CHIKV nsP2 and E2 glycoproteins. QVIR was evaluated in vitro for its anti-CHIKV potential. QVIR showed strong inhibition of CHIKV infection with an EC50 (50% effective concentration) value of 2.2 ± 0.49 μM without significant cytotoxicity (CC50 > 200 μM) and was chosen for further elucidation of its antiviral mechanism. The infectious viral particle formation was abolished by approximately 72% at a QVIR concentration of 20 μM during infection in the BHK-21 cell line, and the CHIKV RNA synthesis was diminished by 84% for nsP2 as well as 74% for E2, whereas the levels of viral proteins were decreased by 69.9% for nsP2 and 53.9% for E2. Flow cytometry analysis confirmed a huge decline in the expression of viral nsP2 and E2 proteins by 71.84 and 67.7%, respectively. Time of addition experiments indicated that QVIR inhibited viral infection at early and late stages of viral replication cycle, and the optimal inhibition was observed at 16 h post infection. The present study advocates for the first time that QVIR acts as a substantial and potent inhibitor against CHIKV and might be as an auspicious novel drug candidate for the development of therapeutic agents against CHIKV infections.

Haemorrhoids are variceal Dilatation of anal and perianal venous plexus. Classically situated in the 3,7,11, o'clock position (left lateral, right posterior & right anterior respectively). Superior haemorrhoidal (vein) gives 2 branches on right side and 1 branch on left side. Hence, Piles are 2 on the right side and 1 on the left side. It was probably Buqrat (Hippocrates) (460 BC) who was the first to apply the name to the flow of blood from the veins of the anus. There is a detailed description of Bawaseer in classical books authored by ancient Unani physicians. Haemorrhoids are one of the most common anorectal disorders with a reported prevalence of 4.4% up to 36.4% of the general population. The peak prevalence occurs between 45 and 65 years of age. Anatomical classification of haemorrhoids includes internal and external haemorrhoids based on whether they are above or below the dentate line. Goligher's classification is the clinical staging of the prolapsing degree of internal haemorrhoids. Risk factors for hemorrhoidal disease are conditions associated with increased intra-abdominal pressures such as pregnancy, obesity, constipation and straining during defecation and sitting for a long time on the toilet seat, and chronic cough. Principal complaints of haemorrhoids include bleeding on defecation and prolapse of tissue. Haemorrhoid diagnosis involves taking a detailed history and conducting anorectal examinations (visual inspection, manipulation, digital examination, and anoscope. Report of first recorded treatment for haemorrhoids comes from the Egyptian papyrus dated 1700 BC: “… Thou shouldest give a recipe, an ointment of great protection; Acacia leaves, ground, titurated and cooked together. Conservative treatment is used in “Everyday Lifestyle Guidance. Drug therapy for haemorrhoids is typically utilized for bleeding, pain, and swelling. Operative hemorrhoidectomies are reserved mainly for third- and fourth-degree haemorrhoids.