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Boddu Adilakshmi,1 Obireddy Sreekanth Reddy,2– 4 Duddekunta Hemalatha,1 Kummari SV Krishna Rao,1 Wing-Fu Lai2,3 1Polymer Biomaterial Design and Synthesis Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Yogi Vemana University, Kadapa, Andhra Pradesh, 516005, India; 2Department of Urology, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Zhejiang, 310012, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, People’s Republic of China; 4Department of Chemistry, Sri Krishnadevaraya University, Anantapuramu, Andhra Pradesh, 515003, IndiaCorrespondence: Wing-Fu Lai; Kummari SV Krishna Rao, Email rori0610@graduate.hku.hk; ksvkr@yogivemanauniversity.ac.inPurpose: Site-specific drug delivery systems can contribute to the development and execution of effective cancer treatment. Due to its favorable features (including high biocompatibility, high hydrophilicity and ease of functionalization), poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) has been widely adopted to design drug carriers. Generating carriers for delivery of hydrophobic anticancer agents, however, is still a challenge in carrier design.Methods: In the first step, PEG is functionalized with dialdehyde to generate PEG-(CHO)2 using EDC/NHS chemistry. In the second step, Fe3O4 nanoparticles are functionalized with amino groups to generate Fe3O4-NH2. In the third step, PEG-(CHO)2, Fe3O4-NH2 and doxorubicin (DOX) react in an acidic environment to yield a drug conjugate (PEGDA-MN-DOX), which is subsequently characterized by FT-IR, 1H-NMR, SEM, TEM, DLS, TGA, and DSC.Results: The chemical functionalities of the drug conjugate are confirmed by FTIR, H-NMRand XRD analysis.The release pattern of PEGDA-MN-DOX is investigated at 25 and 37 °C at different pH values. The results indicate that the developed drug conjugate cannot only behave as a sustained-release carrier, but can also generate a significant level of reactive oxygen species (ROS), leading to a high level of toxicity against MCF-7 cells while still showing excellent biocompatibility in 3T3 cells.Conclusion: The reported conjugate shows anticancer potential, cancer-targeting ability, and ROS-generating capacity for effective drug encapsulation and sustained release in chemotherapy.Graphical Abstarct: Keywords: PEG, doxorubicin, magnetic nanoparticles, anti-cancer, biocompatibility, drug delivery

IntroductionThere are few longitudinal studies about South Asians (SAs) and little information about recruitment and retention approaches for this ethnic group.MethodsWe followed 906 SAs enrolled in the Mediators of Atherosclerosis in South Asians Living in America (MASALA) cohort for 5 years. Surviving participants were invited for a second clinical exam from 2015 to 2018. A new wave of participants was recruited during 2017-2018. We assessed the yields from different methods of recruitment and retention.ResultsA total of 759 (83%) completed the second clinical exam, and 258 new participants were enrolled. Providing a nearby community hospital location for the study exam, offering cab/shared ride reimbursement, and conducting home visits were the most effective methods for enhancing retention. New participant recruitment targeted women and individuals with lower socioeconomic status, and we found that participant referrals and active community engagement were most effective. Mailing invitational letters to those identified by electronic health records had very low yield.ConclusionRecruitment and retention strategies that address transportation barriers and increase community engagement will help increase the representation of SAs in health research.

AbstractIntroduction:There are few longitudinal studies about South Asians (SAs) and little information about recruitment and retention approaches for this ethnic group.Methods:We followed 906 SAs enrolled in the Mediators of Atherosclerosis in South Asians Living in America (MASALA) cohort for 5 years. Surviving participants were invited for a second clinical exam from 2015 to 2018. A new wave of participants was recruited during 2017–2018. We assessed the yields from different methods of recruitment and retention.Results:A total of 759 (83%) completed the second clinical exam, and 258 new participants were enrolled. Providing a nearby community hospital location for the study exam, offering cab/shared ride reimbursement, and conducting home visits were the most effective methods for enhancing retention. New participant recruitment targeted women and individuals with lower socioeconomic status, and we found that participant referrals and active community engagement were most effective. Mailing invitational letters to those identified by electronic health records had very low yield.Conclusion:Recruitment and retention strategies that address transportation barriers and increase community engagement will help increase the representation of SAs in health research.

Bilateral adrenal metastases is a rare manifestation which can be seen in malignancies such as breast, lung carcinoma and melanomas. Adrenal metastases are usually detected on one side or more rarely on both sides. Molecular imaging with 18fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography-computed tomography often shows unilateral or bilateral adrenal metastases in various malignancies. Here, we present a case of renal cell carcinoma that presented with widespread skeletal and bilateral adrenal metastases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Burkitt's lymphoma (BL) is a highly aggressive type of B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma. BL commonly occurs in children of age 4-7 years and is uncommon in adults, with a worse prognosis. Patients often present with a rapidly growing mass typically involving the abdomen (liver and spleen) and head and neck (nodes, jaw, and facial bones). Pancreas involvement is very rare and very few case reports have been documented so far. Fluorine-18 positron emission tomography/ computed tomography (F-18 PET/CT) is a whole-body survey commonly used for initial staging evaluation. Here, we present an interesting case of BL in an adult female of 43 years, who presented with swelling in the left submandibular region after tooth extraction with multiorgan involvement found on F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose PET/CT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The most predominant kind of disease that is normal among ladies is breast cancer. It is one of the significant reasons among ladies, regardless of huge endeavors to stay away from it through screening developers. An automatic detection system for disease helps doctors to identify and provide accurate results, thereby minimizing the death rate. Computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) has minimum intervention of humans and produces more accurate results than humans. It will be a difficult and long task that depends on the expertise of pathologists. Deep learning methods proved to give better outcomes when correlated with ML and extricate the best highlights of the images. The main objective of this paper is to propose a deep learning technique in combination with a convolution neural network (CNN) and long short-term memory (LSTM) with a random forest algorithm to diagnose breast cancer. Here, CNN is used for feature extraction, and LSTM is used for extracted feature detection. The experimental results show that the proposed system accomplishes 100% of accuracy, a sensitivity of 99%, recall of 99%, and an F1-score of 98% compared to other traditional models. As the system achieved correct results, it can help doctors to investigate breast cancer easily. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work presents the feasibility study of utilizing neat plastic oil TiO 2 nanoparticle is added as additive in the proportion of 100, 150, and 200 ppm fuelled in a stationary single cylinder diesel engine to asses the performance, emission and combustion characteristics. From the local municipality, the waste plastic bottles are collected and it it fed into the pyrolysis reactor to convert into pyrolysis oil. The results from performance analysis revealed that the enrichment of neat plastic with TiO 2 nanoparticle enhanced the brake thermal efficiency than without any additives in the raw oil (plastic oil). Similarly, the results of emission revealed that smoke, and hydrocarbon are considerably reduced with increased proportion of nano additive. Results also revealed that the formation of NOx is higher with POAL200 than plastic oil and other concentration of TiO 2 nanoparticle and diesel fuel. This is due to the higher availability of oxygen content in the fuel, higher quality of fuel and reduced ignition delay. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, cardiovascular deaths and diseases have increased at a fast rate worldwide. The early prediction of this disease is necessary to prevent the deaths. Detection of heart disease requires more experience and good knowledge about heart problems. To detect heart disease in medical science massive quantity of information is collected and accumulated as databases. All the accumulated information could not be worthwhile. Mostly, the datasets are assorted and dispersed in nature. So there is a need for extracting predictive information about heart diseases. Machine learning, an evolving technique that can be used to develop automated systems/frameworks to analyze the data in different domains. It performs well in health care also. There are many techniques available for analyzing and predicting the heart disease, this paper aims to develop predictive models to analyze the datasets relevant to heart disease based on random forest, SVM, J.48, Bayesian prediction and MLP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A lab-scale Hybrid Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket (HUASB) reactor with a working volume of 6.5 litres has been taken for the performance analysis, in the treatability study of pulp and paper mill wastewater. In order to analyze the performance of the reactor, operational parameter like hydraulic retention time (HRT) was varied from 10, 20, 30 and 40 h. In addition to that, performance parameters like chemical oxygen demand (COD), pH, volatile fatty acids (VFA), alkalinity, gas production and VFA/alkalinity ratio are analyzed to check the reactor efficacy. The maximum COD removal efficiency of 81.3% is obtained at 40 h HRT, with gas production (methane content of 58%). Also, the obtained results are fitted to the kinetic models like the standard first order, first order and second order to evaluate the performance of the HUASB reactor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paragangliomas (PGLs) are rare tumours arising from sympathetic and parasympathetic paraganglial neural crest cells. Functional PGLs usually present with manifestations of catecholamine excess such as hypertension, flushing and diaphoresis. Non-functional PGLs are diagnosed incidentally during imaging studies and pose a significant diagnostic challenge. Here, we report the case of 42-year-old female patient with carcinoma cervix who presented with a non-fluorodeoxyglucose-avid PGL. This case report highlights the importance of considering PGL in differential diagnosis and the management of retroperitoneal tumours. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of phosphorus doping on the composition and capacitance properties of mesoporous graphitic carbon nitride (MGCN) is investigated systemically and reported in this article. Pristine and phosphorous doped MGCN are synthesized by using a biocompatible template, carboxymethyl cellulose, and orthophosphoric acid as a dopant. Powder X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopic studies confirm the formation of stacked layers of MGCN. Vibrational and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic studies reveal that phosphorus is doped preferentially on the sites of carbon and, thereby induces defects. The defect and surface area are found to increase on increasing the dopant concentration. Owing to the presence of functionalities, such as P-O and C-P, P-doped MGCN delivers higher specific capacitance than pristine MGCN at all current rates. A symmetrical supercapacitor device fabricated using the electrodes of MGCN synthesized using 0.5 g of dopant delivers an energy density of 17.22 Wh kg-1 at a power density of 500 W kg-1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present work illustrates the effective treatment of raw pulp and paper mill effluent using a model hybrid upflow anaerobic sludge blanket reactor (HUASBR). The physico-chemical and biological characteristics of wastewater were observed to be critical from the pollution potential aspect. The design features of model HUASBR had a respective total and effective working capacity of 7.5 and 6.5l, together with 25 cm depth of packing by polypropylene hexagonal inert material at the top of the reactor. Start-up of the reactor was carried out using an inoculum mixture containing rumen liquid of goat and cow dung slurry at an appropriate ratio of 3 : 1(v/v). Also, the reactor was effectively started up at the end of 36 days. Based on the performance of model HUASBR, under the respective variations of organic loading rates (OLRs) of 1, 2 and 4 kg COD m-3 d-1, the stepwise COD removals were found to be about 41, 69 and 87%. However, a hydraulic loading rate (HRT) of 20 h was appropriately maintained throughout the studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Health care costs are rising rapidly in India. Today, the best health care involves high technologies that latest advancements in medical field facilitate. Now-a-days the medical expenditure are unbearable to the middle and lower income class people. To meet unpredictable medical expenses health insurance will be of much help to the middle and lower income group people. In this context, the present paper discusses the demand for health insurance by the various income groups and also the awareness of the people about health insurance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alloys of chromium have a long history of success in the surgical treatment of many orthopaedic defects. Nonetheless, prostheses loosening are commonly found around arthoplasties due to corrosion of metals. On this basis, it is hypothesized that chromium accumulation interferes with remodeling of bone. The present study aims to analyse the toxic effects of chromium on bone phosphatases in various regions of the bone in rats. Rats were treated with chromium intraperitoneally (0.5 mg/kg) in the form of potassium dichromate for 5 days. The accumulation of chromium is approximately 5.2-fold in the vertebrae, 8.9-fold in the femur and 8.7-fold in the calvaria, when compared to control. Chromium administration significantly reduced the activity of enzymes, eg, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP). The study revealed a significant increase in the concentration of calcium, altered bone formation rate and bone morphology in the femur, vertebrae and calvaria. The interesting findings of the current study suggest altered bone turnover. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The condensation products derived from aniline, phenol and thiophenol by treatment with benzhydroximoyl chloride, exhibited a stepwise (in the first two cases) or concerted (in the third case) loss of OH. and C6H5N from the corresponding skeletally rearranged molecular ions, affording [C6H5CX]+ ions (where X = NH or o or S) when subjected to electron impact. The process has been substantiated by deuterium labelling and exact mass measurements. The base peaks in all the spectra were due to the aniline, phenol and thiphenol radical ions as the case may be, obtained by a shift prior to fragmentation of the oxime hydrogen to the heteroatom contained in these ions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we developed hydrogels using polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), vanillin (V), and a fungus-derived carboxymethyl chitosan (FC) using a freeze-thaw-based method. These hydrogels were strengthened by bonding, including Schiff's base bonding between V and FC and hydrogen bonding between PVA, FC, and V. The physiological properties of these PFCV hydrogels were characterized by FTIR, TGA, compressive mechanical testing, and rheology and water contact angle measurements. FTIR spectra confirmed the effective integration of FC and V into the PVA network. TGA results showed that FC and V enhanced the thermal stability of PFCV hydrogels. Mechanical tests showed increasing the amount of V reduced mechanical properties but did not alter the elastic character of hydrogels. SEM images displayed a well-interconnected porous structure with excellent swelling capacity. In addition, we examined biological properties using cell-based in vitro studies and performed antibacterial assessments to assess suitability for potential wound dressing applications. Prestoblue™ and live/dead cell analysis strongly supported skin fibroblast attachment and viability, DPPH assays indicated substantial antioxidant activity, and PFCV hydrogels showed enhanced antibacterial effects against Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Escherichia coli (E. coli). In summary, incorporating V and FC into PVA hydrogels appears to be attractive for wound dressing applications., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the adenosine pharmacological stress-induced electrocardiogram (ECG) changes and their association with stress-induced ischemic defects on myocardial perfusion scintigraphy (MPS) in the evaluation of coronary artery disease (CAD) and to evaluate event-free survival among patients with positive and negative ECG/MPS image findings., Methods: A total of 100 patients were examined using stress MPS from March 2020 to August 2021. Stress-induced ECG changes during adenosine infusion were evaluated. The summed stress score (SSS) was evaluated to identify ischemic defects in myocardium. Association of stress ECG changes and scintigraphic results was evaluated., Results: Out of 100 patients, stress ECG changes during adenosine infusion were seen among 34 patients, whereas 66 patients had normal ECG findings. Positive stress MPS findings with SSS >3 were seen in 22 patients, whereas 78 patients had SSS ≤3. There was no agreement between stress ECG changes and MPS findings with Cohen's kappa coefficient (κ) = -0.023, whereas there was mild agreement between stress ECG changes and SSS >7 with κ = 0.105. Median follow-up of 11 months showed more events among patients with positive ECG changes than negative ECG changes., Conclusion: Adenosine, pharmacological stress is safe to use, but few patients might experience some minor and transient symptoms. Adenosine may induce ECG changes in patients with or without positive MPS findings. Patients with concordant positive findings need aggressive cardiac care, whereas patients with small or no defects on MPS need close monitoring., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright: © 2024 Indian Journal of Nuclear Medicine.)

Difenoconazole is widely used to protect crops, fruits, and vegetables. However, this fungicide can enter aquatic environments and cause harmful effects to non-target organisms and induce little-known biological disorders. Thus, aiming to expand our knowledge about the ecotoxicity of difenoconazole on freshwater ichthyofauna, we aimed to determine the median lethal concentration (LC 50 ) of difenoconazole and evaluate its possible impacts from different toxicity biomarkers, using freshwater fish Labeo rohita as a model system. Using the probit analysis method, the 96 h LC 50 value of difenoconazole in the fish was calculated as 4.5 mg L -1 . Posteriorly, fish were exposed to two sublethal concentrations (0.45 mg L -1 1/10th and 0.9 mg L -1 1/5th LC 50 value) for 21 days. A significant reduction of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activity was noted in the gill, liver, and kidneys of fish compared to the control groups. The level of glutathione-S-transferase (GST) and lipid peroxidation (LPO) activity was higher in all vital tissues of difenoconazole-treated fish. Histological alterations in the gill include epithelial lifting, lamellar fusion, hypertrophy, and epithelial necrosis. At the same time, the liver showed pyknotic nucleus, vacuolation, cellular edema and tubular necrosis, shrinkage of glomeruli, vacuolation, and pyknotic nuclei in the kidney. DNA damage was increased significantly with tail formation based on the concentration and time-dependent manner. Therefore, our study confirms that the exposure of L. rohita to difenoconazole induces negative biological consequences and sheds light on the danger of this fungicide for freshwater fish species. We believe that studies like ours can support actions and strategies for the remediation/mitigation of aquatic pollution by difenoconazole and for the conservation of freshwater ichthyofauna., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest We confirmed no known conflicts of interest associated with this work, and there has been no significant financial support for this work that could have influenced its outcome. Furthermore, we assure you that the manuscript has been read and approved by all named authors and that there are no other persons who satisfied the criteria for authorship but are not listed. Due care has been taken to ensure the integrity of the work., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: Site-specific drug delivery systems can contribute to the development and execution of effective cancer treatment. Due to its favorable features (including high biocompatibility, high hydrophilicity and ease of functionalization), poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) has been widely adopted to design drug carriers. Generating carriers for delivery of hydrophobic anticancer agents, however, is still a challenge in carrier design., Methods: In the first step, PEG is functionalized with dialdehyde to generate PEG-(CHO) 2 using EDC/NHS chemistry. In the second step, Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles are functionalized with amino groups to generate Fe 3 O 4 -NH 2 . In the third step, PEG-(CHO) 2 , Fe 3 O 4 -NH 2 and doxorubicin (DOX) react in an acidic environment to yield a drug conjugate (PEGDA-MN-DOX), which is subsequently characterized by FT-IR, 1 H-NMR, SEM, TEM, DLS, TGA, and DSC., Results: The chemical functionalities of the drug conjugate are confirmed by FTIR, H-NMRand XRD analysis.The release pattern of PEGDA-MN-DOX is investigated at 25 and 37 °C at different pH values. The results indicate that the developed drug conjugate cannot only behave as a sustained-release carrier, but can also generate a significant level of reactive oxygen species (ROS), leading to a high level of toxicity against MCF-7 cells while still showing excellent biocompatibility in 3T3 cells., Conclusion: The reported conjugate shows anticancer potential, cancer-targeting ability, and ROS-generating capacity for effective drug encapsulation and sustained release in chemotherapy., Competing Interests: The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work., (© 2022 Adilakshmi et al.)

Food is a cause of concern due to its effect on health and disease. Diet affects the occurrence and progress of non-communicable diseases, including hypertension, diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular diseases (CVD), and cancers. The exact dietary composition that helps in the prevention of diseases is not known. A higher intake of processed foods, sugar-sweetened beverages, Trans and saturated fats, and a lower intake of fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, and whole grains are generally considered as a poor-quality diet. Therefore, it is of interest to document the lipid profile in healthy human volunteers before and after consuming ghee. Fasting serum lipids were measured before and after the intervention. The effect of the intervention on all the subjects was analysed by comparing the post-intervention data. Data shows that TC and LDL-C are significantly decreased. However, other parameters showed insignificant change. The effect of the intervention on the normolipidaemia group was also analysed. There was no significant change. Thus, data shows that cow ghee consumption is not harmful to health., (© 2022 Biomedical Informatics.)

In recent decades, the ecotoxicological potential of organic ultraviolet filters (OU-VFs) has received growing attention. However, the toxicity of its photoproducts or transformation products on freshwater vertebrates has been little explored. Therefore, the aim of the present study is to evaluate the possible adverse effects of ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate (EHMC) and its photoproducts [2-ethylhexanol (2-EH) and 4-methoxybenzaldehyde (4-MBA)] on the expression of stress-responsive and antioxidant genes. For this, zebrafish (Danio rerio) adults were exposed to pollutants at an environmentally relevant concentration (3 μg/L) and evaluated after 7, 14, and 21 days of exposure. The results of the principal component analysis (PCA) and two-way repeated measures (RM) ANOVA revealed that EHMC, 2-EH, and 4-MBA exposure caused significant downregulation of the genes hsp70, nrf2, cyp1a, ahr, sod1, sod2, cat, gstp1, gpx1a, gss, and gsr (on all trial days) in the liver of the animals. On the other hand, taken together, our data did not show significant differences between the effects induced by EHMC and its photoproducts. The genes evaluated in the present study play a major role in regulating the defensive antioxidant response against EHMC and its photoproducts. Additionally, our study provides an insight into the mechanisms of those OU-VFs in freshwater fish., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest We confirm that there are no known conflicts of interest associated with this work and there has been no significant financial support for this work that could have influenced its outcome. We confirmed that the manuscript has been read and approved by all named authors and that there are no other persons who satisfied the criteria for authorship but are not listed. We further confirm that the order of authors listed in the manuscript has been approved by all of us. Due care has been taken to ensure the integrity of the work., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Natural Strychnos potatorum L. (SPL) polysaccharide-based dual-responsive semi-IPN-type (SPL-DMA) hydrogels have been fabricated using dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate by simple free radical polymerization. Furthermore, a facial and eco-friendly method has been developed for the green synthesis of silver nanoparticles on SPL-DMA hydrogel templates (SPL-DMA-Ag) using an aqueous leaf extract of Carissa spinarum (as a bioreducing agent). SPL-DMA and SPL-DMA-Ag were characterized using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetry analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), dynamic light scattering (DLS), and evaluated network parameters. 5-Fluorouracil and doxorubicin were successfully encapsulated, and in vitro drug release studies were performed at pH values of 1.2 and 7.4 and at 25 and 37 °C. To understand the drug release mechanism of SPL-DMA hydrogels, various kinetic parameters were calculated. Biocompatibility and anticancer activities of SPL-DMA hydrogels were proved by an antioxidant activity study and in vitro cell viability studies against HeLa and 3T3-L1 cell lines. SPL-DMA-Ag hydrogels were used for antibacterial application., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing financial interest., (© 2022 The Authors. Published by American Chemical Society.)

The occurrence of Benzotriazole Ultraviolet Stabilizer-328 (BUV-328) in different environmental and biological matrices is of immediate environmental concern. In the present study, we evaluated the toxicity of BUV-328 in zebrafish liver tissues to understand the role of oxidative damage in hepatotoxicity. Adult zebrafish were exposed to 0.01, 0.1 and 1 mg/L of BUV-328. At the end of 14, 28 and 42 days, liver tissues were examined for the responses of antioxidant enzymes, gene expression and histopathological alterations. The results indicated that superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activities were elevated at concentrations of 0.1 and 1 mg/L on 14th and 28th day. Glutathione S-transferase (GST) activity and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were elevated in all the treated groups. The transcriptional levels of genes encoding sod, cat, gpx and gst enzymes were increased at 14th day and then declined (except sod on 28th day). Moreover, transcription of cyp1a and hsp70 were up-regulated throughout the study period. Histopathological lesions such as hypertrophy, cellular and nuclear enlargement, cytoplasmic and nuclear degeneration, necrosis with pyknotic nuclei, lipid and cytoplasmic vacuolization and nuclear displacement to the periphery were found to be increased with the dose and exposure duration. In brief, our findings indicate that even a low dose of BUV-328 is toxic to induce oxidative stress and liver damage in zebrafish over a long period of exposure., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Pyriproxyfen (PPF), a broad-spectrum insecticide known to cause reproductive and endocrine disruption in invertebrates, while the data is scarce in aquatic vertebrates. The goal of this study is to investigate the impact of PPF on reproductive endocrine system of male and female zebrafish along hypothalamus-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis. In brain, PPF caused significant alteration in the transcripts of erα, lhβ, and cyp19b genes in male and fshβ, lhβ, and cyp19b genes in female zebrafish. The downstream genes of steroidogenic pathway like, star, 3βhsd, 17βhsd, and cyp19a expression were significantly altered in gonad of both sexes. Subsequent changes in circulatory steroid hormone levels lead to imbalance in hormone homeostasis as revealed from estradiol/testosterone (E 2 /T) ratio. Further, the vitellogenin transcript level was enhanced in hepatic tissues and their blood plasma content was increased in male (16.21%) and declined in female (21.69%). PPF also induced histopathological changes in gonads such as, reduction of mature spermatocytes in male and vitellogenic oocytes in female zebrafish. The altered E 2 /T ratio and gonadal histopathology were supported by the altered transcript levels of HPG axis genes. Overall, these findings provide new insights of PPF in zebrafish reproductive system and highlights for further investigations on its potential risks in aquatic environment., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

In the present study, we explored the adverse effects of Octyl methoxycinnamate (OMC), and its photoproducts, namely 2-ethylhexanol (2-EH) and 4-methoxybenzaldehyde (4-MBA) on the developmental stages of zebrafish using various biomarkers such as developmental toxicity, oxidative stress, antioxidant response, neurotoxicity and histopathological changes. The 96 h effective concentrations (EC 50 ) of OMC, 2-EH and 4-MBA were found to be 64.0, 34.0 and 3.5 µg/mL, respectively in the embryo toxicity test. Embryos exposed to the EC 50 of OMC, 2-EH and 4-MBA showed time-dependent increases in the malformation, heart rate and hatching delay. The lipid peroxidation (LPO) level was significantly (p < 0.05) increased and both induction and inhibition of SOD, CAT, GPx and GST activities were observed in the zebrafish embryos exposed to OMC, 2-EH and 4-MBA. GSH activity was significantly (p < 0.05) decreased in the highest exposure groups, when compared with the control. AChE activity was increased in lower concentrations of OMC, 2-EH and 4-MBA exposed embryos whereas, the activity was found to be decreased in highest concentration. Moreover, the histopathological studies showed severe damage to the muscle fibers and yolk sac regions of the larvae with 4-MBA treatment. The photoproduct 4-MBA has the highest toxic effect, followed by 2-EH and OMC. Our results provide useful insights into the impacts of OMC and its photoproducts on zebrafish development., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

This study is aimed to evaluate the toxic effects of triclosan (TCS) in an Indian major carp Labeo rohita. The 96-h LC 50 value of triclosan to L. rohita was found to be 0.39 mg L -1 . Fish were exposed to two sublethal concentrations (0.039 mg L -1 , treatment I and 0.078 mg L -1 , treatment II) of TCS for 35 days, and certain hematobiochemical, antioxidant, histopathological responses were measured. Compared to the control group, there was a significant (p < 0.05) decrease in the values and genotoxicity of hematological parameters such as hemoglobin (Hb), hematocrit (Hct), and erythrocyte (RBC) in TCS-exposed fish, but the values of leucocyte count (WBC), mean corpuscular volume (MCV), and mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH) were found to be increased. A biphasic response in mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) value was observed during the study period (35 days). Significant (p < 0.05) alterations in plasma biochemical parameters (glucose and protein), electrolytes (Na + , K + , and Cl - ), and transaminases (GOT and GPT) were observed in fish treated with TCS in both treatments. Gill Na + /K + -ATPase activity was found to be decreased in fish treated with TCS in both treatments. Enzymatic and nonenzymatic antioxidant index levels have also fluctuated in all the tissues (gill, liver, and kidney). The histological lesions were comparatively more severe in the gill than the liver and kidney. Comet assay showed DNA damage on exposure at two sublethal concentrations. The present results suggest that TCS is highly toxic to fish even at sublethal concentrations.

Ketoprofen a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) is widely used in over-the-counter to treat pain, swelling and inflammation. Due to extensive application these drugs has been detected in surface waters which may create a risk to aquatic organisms. The aim of the present study is to assess the ecotoxicity of ketoprofen at different concentrations (1, 10 and 100 μg/ml) on embryos and adult zebrafish (1, 10 and 100 μg L -1 ) under laboratory conditions. In embryos, concentration dependent developmental changes such as edema, spinal curvature, slow heartbeat, delayed hatching, and mortality rate were observed. In adult zebrafish, biochemical enzymes such as AST, ALT and LDH activities were significantly (P < 0.05) increased whereas a decrease in Na + /K + -ATPase activity was noticed in all the tested concentrations of the drug ketoprofen. Similarly, exposure of ketoprofen caused a significant decrease in antioxidant levels in liver tissue (SOD, CAT, GSH, GPx, and GST). However, lipid peroxidation (LPO) level in liver tissue was found to be increased. The histopathological studies further evidenced the impact of ketoprofen in the liver tissue of zebrafish. The present result concludes that ketoprofen could have an impact on the development and biological endpoints of the zebra fish at above concentrations. The malformation in the development of the embryo and changes in the biological end points may provide integrated evaluation of the toxic effect of ketoprofen on zebrafish in a new perspective., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

This study was aimed to evaluate the toxins of Xenorhabdus nematophilus bacterial isolate MDUStBa15 isolated from the nematode Steinernema carpocapsae that can parasitize two tailed mealybug Ferrisia virgata which is a new pest on tuberose. Soluble protein and organic fractions were characterized from cell free extract of X. nematophilus. Using SDS PAGE, presence of low molecular weight toxic proteins (12, 42 and 60 kDa) was observed in cell free extracts of X. nematophilus. Among these three proteins, 12 kDa was newly found in this study which showed anti-feedant activity and the maximum of 87.50% and 82.50% mortality of crawlers and adults of F. virgata, respectively at 72 h after treatment. GC-MS analysis of culture filtrates revealed the presence of five major compounds, all are exhibiting insecticidal property. Among several organic fractions, 1, 4 - epoxynaphthalene - 1 (2H) - methanol, 4,5,7-tris (1,1 - dimethylethyl) - 3,4 - dihydro; Pentacosane and Hexacosane were found in this study. Pot culture study revealed that an optimum dose of 5 ml/l of crude toxin caused the maximum mortality in crawlers (100%) and in adults (96.8%) of F. virgata at 72 h after spraying. In a field study application of 5 ml/l crude toxin along with biocontrol agent (Ladybird beetle - Cryptolaemus montrouzieri) registered the 90.55% mortality in crawlers and 73.60% mortality in adults of F. virgata at 7 days after spraying. The present study provides the clear evidence for the toxicity of protein; organic fraction and crude toxin which was obtained from X. nematophilus isolate MDUStBa15 against F. virgata on tuberose both in lab and field conditions. Hence, it can be utilised to manage the F. virgata on tuberose., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Extensive use of quinalphos, an organophosphorus pesticide, is likely to reach the aquatic environment and thereby posing a health concern for aquatic organisms. Oxidative stress and antioxidant responses may be good indicators of pesticide contamination in aquatic organisms. The data on quinalphos induced oxidative stress and antioxidant responses in carps are scanty. This study is aimed to assess the two sublethal concentrations of quinalphos (1.09 and 2.18 μL L -1 ) on oxidative stress and antioxidant responses of Cyprinus carpio for a period of 20 days. In liver, the malondialdehyde level was found to be significantly increased in both the concentrations. The results of the antioxidant parameters obtained show a significant increase in superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione-S-transferase activity in liver of fish. These results demonstrate that environmentally relevant levels of the insecticide quinalphos can cause oxidative damage and increase the antioxidant scavenging capacity in C. carpio. This may reflect the potential role of these parameters as useful biomarkers for the assessment of pesticide contamination. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol 31: 1399-1406, 2016., (© 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

The human oral metagenomic DNA cloned into plasmid pUC19 was used to construct a DNA library in Escherichia coli. Functional screening of 40,000 metagenomic clones led to identification of a clone LIP2 that exhibited halo on tributyrin agar plate. Sequence analysis of LIP2 insert DNA revealed a 939 bp ORF (omlip1) which showed homology to lipase 1 of Acinetobacter junii SH205. The omlip1 ORF was cloned and expressed in E. coli BL21 (DE3) using pET expression system. The recombinant enzyme was purified to homogeneity and the biochemical properties were studied. The purified OMLip1 hydrolyzed p-nitrophenyl esters and triacylglycerol esters of medium and long chain fatty acids, indicating the enzyme is a true lipase. The purified protein exhibited a pH and temperature optima of 7 and 37 °C respectively. The lipase was found to be stable at pH range of 6-7 and at temperatures lower than 40 °C. Importantly, the enzyme activity was unaltered, by the presence or absence of many divalent cations. The metal ion insensitivity of OMLip1offers its potential use in industrial processes.

The alpha-amylases activity was improved by random mutagenesis and screening. A region comprising residues from the position 34-281 was randomly mutated in B. licheniformis alpha-amylase (AmyL), and the library with mutations ranging from low, medium, and high frequencies was generated. The library was screened using an effective liquid-phase screening method to isolate mutants with an altered pH profile. The sequencing of improved variants indicated 2-5 amino acid changes. Among them, mutant TP8H5 showed an altered pH profile as compared with that of wild type. The sequencing of variant TP8H5 indicated 2 amino acid changes, Ile157Ser and Trp193Arg, which were located in the solvent accessible flexible loop region in domain B.

The Val289 residue in the alpha-amylase of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, which is equivalent to the Ala289 and Val286 residues in the alpha-amylases of B. stearothermophilus and B. licheniformis, respectively, was studied by site-directed mutagenesis. This residue was substituted with 10 different amino acids by random substitution of the Val codon. In these mutant alpha-amylases, Val289 was substituted with Ile, Tyr, Phe, Leu, Gly, Pro, Ser, Arg, Glu, and Asp. Compared with the wild-type alpha-amylase, the mutant alpha-amylase Val289Ile showed 20% more hydrolytic activity, whereas Val289Phe and Val289Leu showed 50% lesser activity. On the other hand, the mutant alpha-amylases Val289Gly, Val289Tyr, Val289Ser, and Val289Pro showed less than 15% activity. The substitution of Val289 with Arg, Asp, or Glu resulted in complete loss of the alpha-amylase activity. Interestingly, the mutant alpha-amylase Val289Tyr had acquired a transglycosylation activity, which resulted in the change of product profile of the reaction, giving a longer oligosaccharide.