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Abstract2,4-Dibromophenol (DBP) has several industrial applications, including as a wood preservative and flame retardant. This study investigated the interaction between DBP and human hemoglobin (Hb) using spectroscopic, molecular docking and molecular dynamic techniques. The UV-visible spectra showed ground-state complex formation between DBP and Hb. Fluorescence studies revealed that DBP binding caused significant quenching of Hb fluorescence by the static quenching mechanism. The binding of DBP to Hb is a spontaneous process that involves van der Waals forces and hydrogen bonds. There is one DBP binding site on each Hb molecule that is located at the α1β2interface of Hb. DBP binding did not alter the microenvironment of tyrosine and tryptophan residues in Hb. Circular dichroism studies revealed that DBP increased the α-helical content of Hb. The intrinsic esterase activity of Hb was inhibited by DBP in a concentration-dependent manner. Molecular docking showed that DBP binds to Hb viahydrogen bonds, hydrophobic, van der Waals and π–πinteractions. Molecular dynamics simulation confirmed that the Hb-DBP complex is stable. Overall, the results of this study clearly show that DBP induces structural changes and interferes with the function of Hb. This can have important implications for human health.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma

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In this study, soy protein isolate and modified starch were evaluated as coat material for developing spray-dried flaxseed oil microcapsules. The emulsions were prepared by varying total solids (TS) and oil load (OL) using high shear mixer and then atomized in spray dryer for encapsulation of flaxseed oil. Emulsion with 30% TS and 30% OL had maximum zeta (ζ) potential value of − 36.83 mV, and emulsion having 25% OL and 30% TS had lowest mean droplet diameter of 701.80 nm. Emulsions exhibited shear thinning behaviour. Microencapsulation efficiency (ME), bulk density, tapped density and flowing properties of microcapsules were studied. ME of microcapsules varied from 63.79 to 95.84%. The microcapsule prepared with 30% OL and 30% TS owing to more oil load and zeta potential was selected for evaluation of certain characteristics. Microcapsules were spherical in shape with average particle size of 37.917 µm. Alpha-linolenic acid (18:3) content was 61.67% in the oil extracted from microcapsule. Fourier transform infrared spectra also confirmed the encapsulation of flaxseed oil by selected coat materials. 38.24% oil was released in simulated gastrointestinal conditions from the flaxseed oil microcapsules, and it increased to 60.86% when accompanied with heating prior to digestion.

AbstractMycobacterium tuberculosis(Mtb) encodes a total of 67 PE_PGRS proteins and definite functions of many of them are still unknown. This study reports PE_PGRS45 (Rv2615c) protein from Mtb as NADPH dependent oxido-reductase having substrate specificity for fatty acyl Coenzyme A. Computational studies predicted PE_PGRS45 to be an integral membrane protein of Mtb. Expression of PE_PGRS45 in non-pathogenic Mycobacterium smegmatis, which does not possess PE_PGRS genes, confirmed its membrane localization. This protein was observed to have NADPH binding motif. Experimental validation confirmed its NADPH dependent oxido-reductase activity (Km value = 34.85 ± 9.478 μM, Vmax = 96.77 ± 7.184 nmol/min/mg of protein). Therefore, its potential to be targeted by first line anti-tubercular drug Isoniazid (INH) was investigated. INH was predicted to bind within the active site of PE_PGRS45 protein and experiments validated its inhibitory effect on the oxido-reductase activity of PE_PGRS45 with IC50/Ki values of 5.66 μM. Mtb is resistant to first line drugs including INH. Therefore, to address the problem of drug resistant TB, docking and Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulation studies between PE_PGRS45 and three drugs (Entacapone, Tolcapone and Verapamil) which are being used in Parkinson’s and hypertension treatment were performed. PE_PGRS45 bound the three drugs with similar or better affinity in comparison to INH. Additionally, INH and these drugs bound within the same active site of PE_PGRS45. This study discovered Mtb’s PE_PGRS45 protein to have an oxido-reductase activity and could be targeted by drugs that can be repurposed for TB treatment. Furthermore, in-vitroand in-vivovalidation will aid in drug-resistant TB treatment.HIGHLIGHTSIn-silicoand in-vitrostudies of hypothetical protein PE_PGRS45 (Rv2615c) of Mycobacterium tuberculosis(Mtb) reveals it to be an integral membrane proteinPE_PGRS45 protein has substrate specificity for fatty acyl Coenzyme A (fatty acyl CoA) and possess NADPH dependent oxido-reductase activityDocking and simulation studies revealed that first line anti-tubercular drug Isoniazid (INH) and other drugs with anti-TB property have strong affinity for PE_PGRS45 proteinOxido-reductase activity of PE_PGRS45 protein is inhibited by INHPE_PGRS45 protein could be targeted by drugs that can be repurposed for TB treatmentCommunicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma

Addition of FOG in anode and microalgae in cathode chamber of MFC enhanced the voltage output production by facilitating electrogenesis.

ABSTRACTBackground:The intensive physical regimen followed by throwers and archers can impose stress on the elbow and hand in particular positions, which may increase the risk of developing peripheral nerve disorders and symptoms like pain and numbness. Purpose:The purpose of the study is to investigate the effect of forearm and elbow joint positions on ulnar nerve conduction velocity in throwers, archers, and non-athletes. Method:Total 34 subjects both males and females were included with body mass index (BMI) between 18.5 and 24.9 kg/m2. Nerve conduction study (NeuroStim NS2 EMG/NCV/EP System) was used for measuring ulnar nerve conduction velocity (NCV) across elbow joint at different angles (0° elbow extension, 45°, 90°, and 120° elbow flexion) with different forearm positions. Result:Repeated Measure Analysis of Variance (RMANOVA) revealed that there was a statistically significant difference in mean values of ulnar NCV at different angles, forearm positions & groups (p < .05). Conclusion:The forearm and elbow positions can have a significant impact on ulnar NCV, especially in athletes who perform repetitive upper limb motions. Results showed that the archers had significantly slower NCV than throwers and non-athletes at 90° of elbow flexion and forearm pronation.

Tuberculosis remains one of the deadliest communicable diseases. Prompt diagnosis of active tuberculosis cases facilitates timely therapeutic intervention and minimizes the community transmission. Although conventional microscopy has low sensitivity, still it remains the corner stone for the diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis in high burden countries like India. On the other hand, Nucleic acid amplification techniques due to their rapidity and sensitivity, not only help in early diagnosis and management of tuberculosis but also curtail the transmission of the disease. This study therefore was aimed at assessing the diagnostic performance of Microscopy by Ziehl Neelsen (ZN) and Auramine Staining (AO) with Gene Xpert/CBNAAT (Cartridge based nucleic acid amplification test) in the diagnosis of Pulmonary Tuberculosis.

The difficult airway is already a challenging situation for anesthesiologists, in that scenario Succinylcholine (SCh) use, because of its rapid onset and short duration of action makes it a neuromuscular blockage drug of choice. Development of masseter muscular rigidity is thought to be an early indicator of the occurrence of the dreaded consequence, malignant hyperthermia. Consequently, it is essential to understand the potential side effects of this widely used drug in order to successfully treat the airway. Resulting is the use of videolaryngoscopic intubation along with propofol use and the procedure was completed successfully with no intraoperative or postoperative problems. Here, we described a case report of a 33-year-old male patient with a difficult airway posted for open reduction internal fixation of bilateral Lefort’s III fracture, developed masseter muscle rigidity (MMR) following administration of a standard dose of SCh.

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Abstract: Wastewater is available medium for microalgal growth due to the presence of macro- and micro-nutrients. However, untreated wastewaters have high concentration of pollutants, chemical oxygen demand (COD), and toxicity which are not favorable for microalgae growth. Thus, mixing different wastewater to balance the nutrient availability might be a suitable approach. The performance of green microalga T. dimorphusGEEL-06 was evaluated for combined wastewater (including pharmaceutical and domestic effluent) treatment at various mixing ratios (1:500, 1:750, and 1:1000×). The microalgal growth kinetics, total nitrogen (TN), total phosphor (TP), COD, fatty acids (FAs) composition, and biodiesel quality were also analyzed. Maximum microalgal growth (1.381 OD680nm) was obtained at 1000×, while high-loading nutrients hindered microalgal growth. T. obliquusGEEL-06 exhibited high nutrient removal N (89.02%) and P (82.73%) from 1000× wastewater. Major fatty acids (FAs) detected in harvested biomass were palmitic acid (33.72%), linoleic acid (22.92%), trans-9-elaidic acid (16.18%), and oleic acid (12.36%). The biodiesel feasibility and properties were confirmed by the presence of C16/C18 accounting for 97.97%. A higher percentage of PUFA (30.92%) was observed in 1000×. This study demonstrated that T. dimorphuscultivated in different mixing ratios of wastewater is suitable for nutrient treatment coupled with biomass and biodiesel production. Graphical abstract:

Dopingless tunnel field effect transistor (DL-TFET) exhibits a great potential for lowering the sub-threshold current and hence increases the ION/IOFFratio because of its electrostatically doped source and drain. An analytical model for double gate dopingless tunnel field transistor (DG-DL TFET) is developed, for the first time, by calculating the source and drain work-function-induced doping and using it for solving the 2D Poisson’s equation in various regions. Electric potentials, energy band diagrams, electric field, corresponding drain current characteristics, and trans-conductance are obtained through the developed model and are validated by performing extensive device simulation for different gate and drain bias voltages. An excellent match between modeled and simulated results proves the efficacy of the developed model. The IONcurrent obtained in Si-based dopingless TFET is 0.16 µA/µm, IOFFhas reduced to 0.296 fA/µm and ION/IOFFobtained from the proposed device structure is 5.4 × 108, and the sub-threshold swing is 50.77 mV/decade. The DG-DL TFET is analyzed for resistive load inverter characteristics and has been further investigated for realizing digital logic functions by controlling the gates of the device independently. The realization of NAND gate requires one “p-type DG-DL TFET”, whereas OR gate requires one “n-type DG-DL TFET”. The implementations of single bias-controlled logics are useful as they render energy-efficient operations and simultaneously increase the packaging density.

ABSTRACTDopingless Tunnel Field Effect Transistor is a prominent device because of its low sub-threshold swing and fast switching speed. In this paper, DL-TFET is investigated for enhancing the performance parameters by applying different engineering techniques. The hetero-junction is implemented in the DL-TFET for increasing the IONcurrent. Further, for reducing the ambipolar current and enhancing the ON-characteristics by introducing the non-uniform oxide layer, hetero-gate and then further optimization is done by varying the “x” compositions of In1-xGaxAs for source side material. The various staggered hetero-gate hetero-junction DL-TFET structures with different EBeffare comparatively investigated for analyzing their performance parameters. Among them, highly staggered Hetero-junction DL-TFET with EBeff = 0.374 eV shows better performance as lower threshold voltage, higher IONcurrent, high transconductance and lower sub-threshold swing. So, the In0.45Ga0.55As/In0.25Ga0.75As based hetero-gate at TG = 4.2 eV and Θ = 7.59° heterojunction DL-TFET structure can be chosen for fast switching and advanced circuit application.

A wide spectrum of clinical manifestations has become a hallmark of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) COVID-19 pandemic, although the immunological underpinnings of diverse disease outcomes remain to be defined. We performed detailed characterization of B cell responses through high-dimensional flow cytometry to reveal substantial heterogeneity in both effector and immature populations. More notably, critically ill patients displayed hallmarks of extrafollicular B cell activation and shared B cell repertoire features previously described in autoimmune settings. Extrafollicular activation correlated strongly with large antibody-secreting cell expansion and early production of high concentrations of SARS-CoV-2-specific neutralizing antibodies. Yet, these patients had severe disease with elevated inflammatory biomarkers, multiorgan failure and death. Overall, these findings strongly suggest a pathogenic role for immune activation in subsets of patients with COVID-19. Our study provides further evidence that targeted immunomodulatory therapy may be beneficial in specific patient subpopulations and can be informed by careful immune profiling.

Disruption of systemic homeostasis by either chronic or acute stressors, such as obesity1or surgery2, alters cancer pathogenesis. Patients with cancer, particularly those with breast cancer, can be at increased risk of cardiovascular disease due to treatment toxicity and changes in lifestyle behaviors3–5. While elevated risk and incidence of cardiovascular events in breast cancer is well established, whether such events impact cancer pathogenesis is not known. Here we show that myocardial infarction (MI) accelerates breast cancer outgrowth and cancer-specific mortality in mice and humans. In mouse models of breast cancer, MI epigenetically reprogrammed Ly6Chimonocytes in the bone marrow reservoir to an immunosuppressive phenotype that was maintained at the transcriptional level in monocytes in both the circulation and tumor. In parallel, MI increased circulating Ly6Chimonocyte levels and recruitment to tumors and depletion of these cells abrogated MI-induced tumor growth. Furthermore, patients with early-stage breast cancer who experienced cardiovascular events after cancer diagnosis had increased risk of recurrence and cancer-specific death. These preclinical and clinical results demonstrate that MI induces alterations in systemic homeostasis, triggering cross-disease communication that accelerates breast cancer.

Background: Sedation is an integral part in the management of critical patients in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU). Optimum sedation is when the child is asleep but easily arousable. The patient should be able to breathe synergistically with the ventilator and should tolerate or be compliant with other therapeutic procedures. Undersedation can make the children hypertensive, tachycardic, and agitated. Conversely, oversedation can cause increased tolerance and prolonged ventilation. Both undersedation and oversedation have negative impacts on patient outcomes such as prolonged mechanical ventilation and ICU stay and increased risk of contracting ventilator-associated pneumonia, thus contributing to significant morbidity and mortality. This study aims to assess sedation levels in ventilated children using RASS in the first 48hrs of ventilation and study their correlation with patient outcomes. Results: Of the 111 children enrolled in the study, 2 were excluded because the sedation was discontinued before 48 h, and 9 were excluded because they were ventilated for more than 7 days. Majority of the children receiving ventilation in PICU were oversedated (40%). Adequately sedated children were observed to have significantly lesser duration of mechanical ventilation (p-value: 0.022) and PICU stay (p-value: 0.01). Undersedated children were noted to have significantly higher incidence of self extubation (p-value: &lt; 0.001), reintubation (p-value: &lt; 0.001), and higher requirement of restraints (p-value: &lt; 0.001). Oversedated had a higher incidence of VAP and mortality (p-value: &lt; 0.001). Conclusion: The findings of this study highlight the importance of achieving adequate sedation in PICU which is associated with better outcomes with respect to duration of ventilation, PICU stay, hospital stay, and mortality. This study also reflects the impact of absence of sedation protocols and emphasizes the need for monitoring of sedation and having protocols to guide clinical practice in order to improve patient outcome.

Performance degradation generated by reverse current flow during fuel cell shut-down/start-up is a big challenge for commercialization of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells in automobile applications. Under transient operating conditions, the formation of H2/O2boundaries on Pt surfaces and the occurrence of undesired oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in an anode cause severe degradation of carbon supports and Pt catalysts in a cathode because of an increase of the cathode potential up to ∼1.5 V. Herein, to directly prevent the formation of H2/O2boundaries in the anode, we propose a unique metal–carbon hybrid core–shell anode catalyst having Pt nanoparticles encapsulated in nanoporous carbon shells for selective H2permeation. This hybrid catalyst exhibits high hydrogen oxidation reaction (HOR) selectivity along with fully subdued ORR activity during long-term operation because of the excellent stability of the carbon molecular sieves. Furthermore, the HOR-selective catalyst effectively suppresses the reverse current flow in a single cell under shut-down/start-up conditions.

Purpose: Preserving our built heritage from the onslaught of weather, pollution, development and the effects of tourism is a complex endeavour. Appended to this is the need to ensure that heritage buildings are inclusive to all users. Thus, built heritage is plagued with contradictions and conflict between conservation goals and those to support inclusivity given the limited resources often available. Dementia has been purposely selected for this study as numbers of diagnosed sufferers are increasing at an alarming rate, and enagement with heritage has been proven to support well-being. The paper aims to discuss this issue. Design/methodology/approach: This research review draws on systematic principles and presents an analysis of the available literature on well-being programmes designed for people living with dementia and their care supporters, with particular reference to programmes in heritage settings, and the resulting impact for users. Findings: This review critically evaluates the available evidence from published literature on the role of the heritage setting, on how it impacts on the experience of dementia participants. In doing so, it draws on findings from the experiences and well-being of people living with dementia and their care supporters; assesses the current state of knowledge, identifies support implications and makes recommendations for future research. In doing so, it highlights a dearth in the literature on research related to the physical environment setting, particular addressing any cognitive impairments that may arise that can alter psychosocial processes, such as lighting, temperature, acoustics and materiality, so that they can be understood and suitably adapted to support the well-being of those living with dementia. Originality/value: The scant lack of financial resources to support inclusivity in built heritage, and the argument that some heritage cannot be adapted, often leads to only limited opportune for people with dementia. Thus, there is an inherent need for an understanding of current research and well-being programmes so that it can be focalled in the future to support built heritage tourism in a way that it is inclusive to all.

Characterization of native, intermediate, and denatured states is crucial for understanding the factors influencing the stability of proteins. We have carried out molecular dynamics simulations to study the unfolding of three peripheral subunit binding domains (PSBDs): E. coliBBL, Bacillus stearothermophilusE3BD, and human hbSBD, at three different temperatures: 300, 330, and 400 K, and in the presence of two solvents: water and 5 M guanidinium hydrochloride (GndCl) solution. These proteins share similar folds, with two parallel helices, maintained via a hydrophobic core comprising residues from their interconnecting loop. BBL is more sensitive to thermal and chemical denaturation in comparison to hbSBD, and E3BD is the most stable of all of the three proteins. The effect of temperature on the stability of these proteins is more pronounced in “water-only” simulations compared to that in the presence of guanidium hydrochloride in high concentrations. Our results show cooperative unfolding transitions of these proteins, which are triggered by an initial melting of the C-terminal helix H2. The consequent loss of interhelical interactions or native contacts, as observed, leads to the subsequent melting of the N-terminal helix H1.

Background: Resveratrol is a member of the stilbene family emerged as a leading candidate for improving healthspan through potentially slowing the aging process and preventing chronic diseases. A number of institutions and scientists specialized in this field across the world are working to develop a promising Self Emulsifying formulation to enhance bioavailability of hydrophobic resveratrol using oil. Objectives: The objective of the current study is to develop self-nano emulsifying drug delivery systems using long-chain triglycerides of resveratrol to enhance solubility, stability, release kinetics and to overcome low bioavailability. Methods: Solubility studies performed in different lipids, surfactants and cosurfactants. Phase diagrams constructed to select the areas of nanoemulsion. SNEDDS formulation was optimized using 33 central composite design considering lipid (X1), surfactant (X2) and co-surfactant (X3) as critical variables, optimized formulation was located using overlay plot. Results: The nanometer size and high values of zeta potential depicted non-coalescent nature of SNEDDS. The resulted SNEDDS formulation had improved in vitro release followed by Hixson Crowell model with higher regression R2value 0. 929. Thermodynamic stability studies ascertained stable formulation. Mean droplet size in selected nanocarrier was found to be 83.29 nm. The nanocarriers subjected to 2-8°C (45% RH), 25-30°C (60% RH) and 45-50°C (75% RH) in glass vials exhibited no significant changes in 3 months. Conclusion: The novel approach was developed by selecting optimum blends of lipids, surfactants and cosurfactant using central composite design. This study not only offers a good example of augmenting bioavailability of resveratrol but will also provide a promising oral formulation for clinical application.

The aim of this paper is to design a novel rectangular microstrip patch antenna for different wireless applications. Antenna design composed of elliptical slots and is fed by microstrip transmission line. Here the partial ground plane is adopted to increase the impedance bandwidth of proposed antenna in comparison to variation in the length of ground plane. The antenna consists of partial ground plane length 31 mm exhibits the bandwidth of 1440 and 2160 MHz ranging from 1.56 to 3.00 GHz and 6.37 to 8.53 GHz, respectively. Proposed antenna is fabricated and the measured results are in good agreement with the simulated results. From the results, the impedance bandwidth of proposed antenna covers bluetooth (2400–2484 MHz), WiMAX (2500–2700 MHz), WLAN (2400–2485 and 5150–5850 MHz), downlink for X-band satellite communication (7250–7760 MHz) and point to point high speed wireless communication (5925–8500 MHz). Moreover the proposed antenna exhibits near omnidirectional radiation pattern and a high value of gain within the operating frequency ranges.

The rise of portable electronics has led to an increased need for energy storage systems which can offer high energy and power density, as well as significant cyclic stability and flexibility. Herein, we report a 2D-2D flake-on-sheet WS2@N-rGO epitaxial hybrid nanostructure (WNRHN), which significantly enhances energy storage capacity. In the developed epitaxial hybrid nanostructure, the C-O-W bond, that connects the flake and sheet, forms a highly integrated interface, facilitating interfacial charge transport and enhancing its mechanical strength to withstand volume variations. Such emergence of charge driven interfacial transport in the studied system is further supported by ab initio calculations. The epitaxial hybrid nanostructure exhibits remarkable specific capacitance (158.28 F g−1) and cyclability (118 % over 5000 cycles and 85 % over 9000 cycles), demonstrating its significant potential for energy storage. Moreover, the tailored WS2@N-rGO epitaxial hybrid nanostructure offers superior flexibility, making it ideal for use in flexible and portable devices. The as-fabricated symmetric supercapacitor has a remarkable cyclic stability (126 % up to 5000 cycles) with ultra-power (850.03 W/kg) and energy density (19.6 Wh/kg). The asymmetric supercapacitor can deliver maximum energy density (44.23 Wh/kg) and power density (1899.97 W/kg) with high capacitance (88.22 F g−1). The brilliance of this study will lay foundation for 2D-2D epitaxial hybrid nanostructure to fit into commercial application.

Enhancement of growth rates and biochemical composition of marine microalgae are necessary for biofuel generation and other applications. Thus, the aim of the current review is to collect the recently published data on marine microalgae. Followed by cultivation conditions (such as media, light, temperature, pH, and cultivation time) of marine microalgae which are responsible for variations in biochemical composition (including carbohydrates, lipids, and proteins). The strategies for the enhancement of marine microalgae productivity in terms of biomass and biochemical composition are discussed. The desaturase/elongasepathway for fatty acids (including oleic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid, and other acids) production is elucidated. The low lipid content in marine microalgae could be enhanced by targeting the microalgal cell factories under the application of genetic engineering and synthetic biology. The genetic modification strategies combined with omics under stress conditions to enhance the potential of marine microalgae are highlighted. The applications of marine microalgae for environmental (i.e., pollutant removal, biodiesel, and/or other biofuel generation) and human health (such as supplements, pharmaceuticals, and other value-added products) are also emphasized.

We report the discovery of size-dependent lattice contractions and elongations in the nanoscale hematite (α-Fe2O3) structure revealed by high-resolution X-ray diffraction analysis and spectroscopic measurements. The observed lattice modification effects are classified into two different regions with the crystallite size (CS) with a threshold anomaly at ≈30 nm. In addition to the commonly observed lattice expansion in ionic solids, we report the discovery of lattice contraction at the nanoscale level (<30 nm CS). The consequences of anomalous structural behavior with the CS are reflected in the electronic and vibrational properties of the hematite structure. The characteristic behavior in structural and electronic properties of the hematite structure is closely linked with changes in the bonding character, which shows strong dependence on the CS. We suggest that the lattice expansion is caused by weaker hybridization of egstates, whereas at the nanoscale regime the increased level of Fe 4sp–O 2p hybridization leads to less oxygen 2p to hybridize with the 3d-states, implying an increased level of covalency and reduction in the unit cell parameters. Furthermore, the change in the bonding characteristics leads to the enhanced polaronic conductivity of 4 orders of magnitude at the nanoscale level, which is highly beneficial for the unique structural advantage of the iron oxide and its derived compounds.

Background and Objective: Bacitracin was discovered and named after a 7 year old American girl, Margaret Tracey in 1943 as Bacillus was isolated from her wounds. Bacillus licheniformis is usually present in soil and bird feathers. This bacterium is most commonly present around back plumage and chest of birds. There are different types of bacitracin but the one most potent is Bacitracin A. Bacitracin induced proteins are localized in bacterial membrane. Production of antibiotic initially stopped, resumed by induction of bacitracin induced protein but after few mitotic divisions microbes reverted to their vulnerable state. Induction of protein ceases after 4th hour of stationary phase. Immobilization is necessary for economic, process convenience and stability of the cell. Moreover, immobilization increases the ability of the cell to produce product in high quantity. Conclusion: Maximum production of antibiotic was noted at pH 8 after 4 hours of incubation at various glucose concentrations in shake flask fermentation at 30°C when immobilized in polyacrylamide gel. Increase in antibiotic activity was also found with increase in use of cells. Efforts have been made to alter heterocyclic metal binding subunit of bacitracin by synthesizing heterocyclic building blocks that can be coupled to linear decapeptide and consequently cyclization by PCPTE biodomain of bacitracin. Derivatives of bacitracin showed antimicrobial activities indicating the possibility of overcoming existing limitations just by altering their heterocyclic subunit. Bioactivity and stability can be increased by modifying peptide backbone of compounds.

Background:Salmeterol is a long‐acting β2‐adrenergic receptor agonist used to treat chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The authors of the current study previously showed that preincubation of primary microglial‐enriched cells with salmeterol could inhibit the inflammatory response induced by Escherichia colilipopolysaccharide (LPS), a Toll‐like receptor (TLR)‐4 agonist. In this study, the authors sought to determine if salmeterol had a similar inhibitory effect on the inflammatory response of the murine macrophage cell line RAW264.7 and human monocyte THP‐1 to LPS from Porphyromonas gingivalis(PgLPS), an oral microbe implicated in the pathogenesis of periodontal disease. Methods:RAW264.7 and THP‐1 cells were pretreated with salmeterol, followed by PgLPS, and monitored for production of inflammatory mediators by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay. The nitric oxide concentration and nuclear factor‐kappa B (NF‐κB) activity were measured by Griess method and secretory alkaline phosphatase reporter activity assay, respectively. Reverse‐transcriptase polymerase chain reaction and immunoblot analysis were used to measure messenger RNA and protein levels. Nuclear translocation of NF‐κB was detected by immunofluorescence. Results:Pretreatment with salmeterol significantly inhibited production of proinflammatory mediators by RAW264.7 and THP‐1 cells. Salmeterol downregulated PgLPS‐mediated phosphorylation of the extracellular signal‐regulated kinase 1/2 and c‐Jun N‐terminal kinase but not p38 mitogen‐activated protein kinases (MAPKs). Salmeterol also attenuated activation of NF‐κB via inhibition of nuclear translocation of p65‐NFκB, the transcriptional activity of NF‐κB and IκBα phosphorylation. Conclusion:Salmeterol can significantly inhibit activation of macrophage‐mediated inflammation by PgLPS, suggesting that use of salmeterol may be an effective treatment in inhibiting or lessening the inflammatory response mediated through TLR pathway activation.

In the present study, effect of extrusion variables was evaluated on physical properties of multigrain extrudates. Experiments were designed using central composite rotatable design with independent variables i.e. feed moisture (14–18 % wb), die head temperature (90–110 °C), and screw speed (330–350 rpm). Six responses viz. Expansion ratio (ER), water absorption index (WAI), water solubility index (WSI), bulk density (BD), hardness and overall sensory acceptability were analyzed to obtain optimized extrusion parameters. ER, WAI, WSI, BD, hardness and overall sensory acceptability ranged from 2.64 to 3.18, 3.74 to 5.22 g/g, 20.92 to 45.37 %, 87.14 to 158.90 kg/m3, 23.27 to 68.17 N and 7.1 to 8.2, respectively. Feed moisture had significantly (p < 0.001) negative correlation with ER, WAI, WSI and overall acceptability and positive with BD and hardness. Effect of die head temperature was opposite to that of feed moisture on various physical parameters. ER, WSI and overall acceptability increased with increasing screw speed. Based upon multiple response optimization, optimized conditions were feed moisture: 14 %; die head temperature: 110 °C; and screw speed: 342.4 rpm (342) with maximum desirability (0.93). Protein, calcium and iron in the optimized sample were 15.5 %, 116.6 mg/100 g and, 4.3 mg/100 g, respectively.

The secondary metabolites produced by algae (including macroalgae and microalgae) possess several human health benefits. The bioactive compounds in algae have potential to be used in the medical and pharmaceutical industries for drug discovery. The rapid development of genetic tools and omics approaches has extended the understanding of algal metabolism along with enhanced productivity and improving the properties of bioactive compounds. Thus, the focus of this review is to discuss the molecular progress on algae for bioactive compound production which includes genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics. The comprehensive discussion on multi-omics approaches provides the potential knowledge for future research. The structural and functional genomics, application of genetic tools, molecular mechanisms of bioactive compound synthesis, protein modification, and the omics performance of algae at various levels under abiotic stress are discussed. Gene annotation and identification of key functions are the basis of genomics which provides the comprehensive overview of genetic modification. The recent development of molecular modifications and their application in algae to produce high-yield bioactive compounds that meet human needs through the optimization of algal target strains are also emphasized. The exploration of the molecular mechanisms of bioactive compounds under abiotic stress is of great practical significance to guide the optimization of culture conditions.

Background: Bacterial bioagents, Pseudomonas fluorescens, P. putida, Bacillus amyloliquifaciens, and B. megaterium, have management potential against root-knot nematode (RKN), Meloidogyne incognita, in bottle gourd. Results: Field and laboratory experiments were conducted to evaluate the effect of bacterial bioagents Bacillus megaterium1% WP (2 × 106CFU/g), B. amyloliquifaciens1% WP (2 × 108CFU/g), Pseudomonas putida1% WP (2 × 108CFU/g), P. fluorescens1% WP (2 × 109CFU/g) on egg hatching and juvenile mortality of root-knot nematode, M. incognita. All the bacterial species inhibited the egg hatching in M. incognitaand caused juvenile mortality. The lowest mean egg hatching in 120 h. after treatment was observed in P. putida(20.9% mean egg hatching), followed by P. fluorescens(21.1%), B. amyloliquifaciens(23.7%), and B. megaterium(24.7%) at 4% concentration of the formulated product against (47%) egg hatching in control. The juvenile mortality was found highest (57.1% mean mortality) in P. fluorescensin 120 h. of exposure, followed by P. putida(56.13%), B. megaterium(54.46%), and B. amyloliquifaciens(53.13%) at 4% concentration against 0.46 mean juvenile mortality in control, where distilled water was used. Under field conditions, the bottle gourd seeds that were treated either with B. amyloliquefaciens, B. megaterium, P. fluorescens, or P. putidaat 10 g/kg seed along with the application of neem cake (1t/ha) significantly resulted in reduced root gall index and the number of nematode juveniles in soil and roots than the non-treated control. Conclusion: This study revealed that the tested bacterial bioagents, namely B. amyloquefaciens, B. megaterium, P. fluorescens, and P. putida, showed the potential for controlling of root knot nematode (RKN) in the laboratory as well as in field conditions in bottle gourd.

There is an urgent need for a more effective vaccine against Mycobacterium tuberculosis(Mtb). Although CD4+ T cells play a central role in host immunity to Mtb, recent evidence suggests a critical role of CD8+ T cells in combating Mtb. In the present study, we have predicted HLA antigen class I binding peptides of DosRoperon using an in-silico approach.This method is useful as an initial computational filtration of probable epitopes based on their binding ability and antigenicity.

The impact of hydrothermal treatment on functional, rheological, thermal and morphological properties of pearl millet starch was investigated. Starch was modified by heat-moisture treatment (HMT) at 110 °C for 4 h at varying moisture content, i.e. 20 % (HMT-20), 25 % (HMT-25) and 30 % (HMT-30). Resistant starch (RS) content increased significantly (p< 0.05) due to HMT with maximum (6.14 %) for HMT-30. Dextrose equivalent (DE) value also increased due to HMT and ranged between 3.97 and 7.35 %. Solubility of the starch decreased, whereas swelling power and oil absorption capacity increased due to HMT. The pasting temperature increased while peak, breakdown, setback and final viscosity decreased after HMT. The G′ (storage modulus) of starch paste (5 %) from treated samples was lower as compared to native (33.5 Pa). The gelatinization temperature (Tp) increased significantly (p< 0.05) due to HMT. Pearl millet starch granules were mainly round/oval, irregular and polygonal shape with 3–12 µm size. HMT at higher moisture level (30 %) caused cavity on starch granules. This study indicated that HMT increased RS content. The gels of modified starches were softer, having higher self-levelling properties (G′–G″).

ABSTRACTEfficacy and safety data on quadrivalent influenza vaccines (QIVs) for immunization of Indian children are scarce. This phase 3, registration study evaluated the immunogenicity, safety, and tolerability of a QIV in Indian children aged 6–35 months (Group 1) and 3–17 y (Group 2). Subjects received one or two doses (0.5 mL each) of the study vaccine based on their priming status. Immunogenicity (post-vaccination geometric mean fold increase in hemagglutination inhibition [HI] titers and proportion of patients with seroprotection and seroconversion against the four influenza strains), unsolicited adverse events (AEs), and tolerability were analyzed. Among 118 subjects enrolled in each group, the geometric mean(standard deviation) fold increase in HI titers against A(H3N2), A(H1N1), B(Victoria), and B(Yamagata) strains were 31.7(5.33), 10.5(6.06), 4.1(5.70), and 8.6(5.34) in Group 1 and 14.0(4.37), 9.2(4.26), 14.3(6.73), and 14.4(5.41) in Group 2, respectively. Seroprotection was achieved by 91.2%, 83.3%, 41.2%, and 68.4% subjects in Group 1 and 100%, 95.8%, 73.7%, and 89.8% subjects in Group 2, respectively. Seroconversion was achieved by 87.7%, 66.7%, 41.2%, and 64.9% subjects in Group 1 and 89.0%, 78.8%, 69.5%, and 75.4% subjects in Group 2, respectively. Vaccination site pain and fever were the most common local and systemic reactions, respectively. Systemic reactions were more frequent in Group 1 (16.9% vs 7.6%). Most subjects (>90%) did not experience inconvenience within 7 d of vaccination; <10% in both groups reported unsolicited AEs. Thus, the QIV had a positive benefit/risk profile in Indian children/adolescents aged 6 months to 17 y.CTRI Registry No: CTRI/2018/05/014191Registry Name: Clinical Trials Registry – IndiaDate of Trial Registration: May 29, 2018Study Dates: August 03, 2018 (first subject first visit) to January 31, 2019 (last subject last visit)Drugs Controller General of India [DCGI] permission letter number: CT-03/2018

The purpose of the present work was to evaluate the impact of popping on the physical, nutritional and pasting characteristics of maize and sorghum. The bulk and true densities of both the maize and sorghum flour were observed significantly (P < 0.01) higher as compared to popped maize and sorghum flour. The water absorption and solubility index were higher for the popped grain flours due to porous structure. Water absorption index of maize grain increased upon popping from 302.7 ± 8.86 to 418.33 ± 9.77 and from 233.93 ± 4.04 to 397.57 ± 8.55 for sorghum grain. The peak, breakdown, final and setback viscosity values were lower for the popped flours. The lightness value of popped maize flour was significantly (p < 0.01) higher and ‘a’ and ‘b’ values were significantly (p < 0.01) lower than un-popped maize flour. However, in case of sorghum, popping exhibited reverse behaviour in terms of colour characteristics by causing a decrease in lightness and increase in a value, b value and chroma. In vitro protein digestibility of maize and sorghum increased significantly (p < 0.01) from 47.25 to 59.30 and 40.71 to 48.67 %, respectively after popping. Significant (p < 0.01) decrease in carotenoid, moisture content and increase in protein and carbohydrate content was observed upon popping.

Elevated levels of lipoprotein (a) [Lp(a)] are a well-established risk factor for developing CVD. While Lp(a) levels are thought to be independent of other plasma lipoproteins, some trials have reported a positive association between Lp(a) and HDL. Whether Lp(a) has a direct effect on HDL is not known. Here we investigated to determine whether Lp(a) had any effect on the ABCA1 pathway of HDL production in liver cells. Incubation of HepG2 cells with Lp(a) upregulated the PPARγ protein by 1.7-fold and the liver X receptor α protein by 3-fold. This was accompanied by a 1.8-fold increase in ABCA1 protein and a 1.5-fold increase in cholesterol efflux onto apoA1. We showed that Lp(a) was internalized by HepG2 cells, however, the ABCA1 response to Lp(a) was mediated by the selective uptake of oxidized phospholipids (oxPLs) from Lp(a) via the scavenger receptor-B1 and not by Lp(a) internalization per se. We conclude that there is a biological connection between Lp(a) and HDL through the ability of Lp(a)'s oxPLs to upregulate HDL biosynthesis.

Process for development of instant corn based dessert mix powder was optimized employing full factorial design. Instantization of corn was done using hot air popping method. Popped corn flour (PCF) and whole milk powder (WMP) varied from 26.84 to 37.78 and 42.50 to 53.68 %, respectively in the dessert mix samples. The hedonic scores for appearance, consistency, mouthfeel, taste/flavour and overall acceptability of corn based dessert samples varied from 6.573 to 8.067, 6.458 to 8.175, 6.653 to 8.343, 6.667 to 8.250 and 6.875 to 8.188, respectively. Overall sensory acceptability score was maximum for sample containing 14:24 ratio of PCF:WMP. Sensory characteristics of dessert mix were affected by both the factors and also by the interaction of both factors. Bulk density, water absorption and water solubility index ranged from 0.152 to 0.205 g/mL, 203.71 to 260.67 % and 36.88 to 42.44 %, respectively. Physico-chemical and organoleptic quality characteristics were affected by PCF, WMP and interaction of both factors. Lightness values decreased while peak and final viscosities increased with increasing proportion of corn in dessert mix samples. Protein, fat, minerals, crude fiber, calories, and in vitro protein digestibility for most acceptable sample was 17.34 %, 14.96 %, 3.68 %, 1.1 %, 449.2 kcal/100 g and 70.32 % respectively. Optimized instant corn based dessert mix powder consisted of 29.75 % PCF, 50.99 % WMP, 4.25 % rice powder and 15 % sugar.

Consumers demand and desire health foods, which are portable, convenient and proportioned as well. Cereal bars have emerged as an attractive and innovative option for convenience food product. With this aim, energy bar samples were prepared using popped maize flour (12–22 %) in addition to other ingredients such as legume grits, soy protein. Three sweeteners viz. corn syrup (CS), honey (H) and jaggery (J) were used with 45, 50 and 55 % levels. The influence of level and type of sweetener was studied on colour characteristics, cutting strength and sensory characteristics. All the quality characteristics were significantly affected by type of sweetener except for taste score. Further, all the parameters except for aroma and yellowness index were also affected by level of sweetener. The sensory panellists rated the jaggery-based samples superior for all the sensory parameters. The cutting strength was highest for jaggery-based samples. Based upon the sensory evaluation, the sample having 17 % popped corn flour and 50 % jaggery was found most acceptable and analyzed for proximate composition. 100 g of optimised corn-based energy bar provided 9.2 g fat, 12.64 g protein, 3.14 g total minerals, 158.79 mg calcium, 4.114 mg iron and 414.4 kcal energy. The free fatty acid content and microbial load of the energy bar sample was within the acceptable limit for 3 months under refrigerated conditions. Thus, corn-based energy bar is a better choice for a quick meal or snack than a fast food meal and other highly processed packaged convenience foods.

Previous studies have shown that lack of sleep exerts deleterious effects on a variety of systems with detectable changes in metabolic, endocrine and immune pathways. Both short and long sleep durations are related to increased likelihood of diabetes and hypertension. However, the relation between sleep duration, sleep quality and Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) is not clear in the Indian population. We examined the hypothesis that sleep duration (compared with <6 h) and quality of sleep (PSQI > 5) are risk factors for CAD.

The aim of this work was to optimize the formulations for wheat-based pasta incorporated with pearl millet flour and vegetables. A blend of wheat and pearl millet flour (9:1) with vegetable paste (2 % dry solids) was extruded. Incorporation of pearl millet flour and vegetable resulted in nutritionally rich pasta as compared to control due to increased mineral content viz., calcium (23.5–40.9 mg/100 g), iron (2.7–4.3 mg/100 g), phosphorous (121–244 mg/100 g), potassium (130–190 mg/100 g), and sodium (8.9–21.1 mg/100 g). Vegetable incorporation improved the textural attributes i.e., increased firmness and decreased stickiness significantly (p≤ 0.05) and caused significant (p≤ 0.05) reduction in gruel loss. Based on the nutritional, textural and sensory acceptability, spinach incorporated pasta was most acceptable. The effect of storage time was not significant on pasta quality parameters, indicating that pasta was acceptable up to 3 months stored in polyethylene bags (50 μ) without any preservative under ambient conditions.

In eukaryotes, the recognition of the DNA postreplication errors and initiation of the mismatch repair is carried out by two MutS homologs: MutSα and MutSβ. MutSα recognizes base mismatches and 1 to 2 unpaired nucleotides whereas MutSβ recognizes longer insertion-deletion loops (IDLs) with 1 to 15 unpaired nucleotides as well as certain mismatches. Results from molecular dynamics simulations of native MutSβ:IDL-containing DNA and MutSα:mismatch DNA complexes as well as complexes with swapped DNA substrates provide mechanistic insight into how the differential substrate specificities are achieved by MutSα and MutSβ, respectively. Our simulations results suggest more extensive interactions between MutSβ and IDL-DNA and between MutSα and mismatch-containing DNA that suggest corresponding differences in stability. Furthermore, our simulations suggest more expanded mechanistic details involving a different degree of bending when DNA is bound to either MutSα or MutSβ and a more likely opening of the clamp domains when noncognate substrates are bound. The simulation results also provide detailed information on key residues in MutSβ and MutSα that are likely involved in recognizing IDL-DNA and mismatch-containing DNA, respectively.

In earlier studies, it was shown that ex vivo Mycobacterium tuberculosis-infected type II alveolar epithelial cells generate de novonitric oxide (NO), but the mycobactericidal quantity of NO was released only by stimulation of these cells with proinflammatory cytokines, i.e. IFN-γ, TNF-α and IL-1β. In the present communication, it was demonstrated that M. tuberculosis-infected/mycobacterial antigens stimulated cells utilize both, JAK-STAT and NF-κB pathways for the induction of inducible Nitric Oxide Synthase (iNOS) mRNA and NO production.

Every year, new companies and brands come into existence in India; and in this race standing a chance to be the best is endless. Hence to position itself to be the best, companies always aim at increasing their brand reach through various platforms. The most proven way to improvise the brand reach had always been through advertising. It had been evident that the most companies’ highly preferred mediums to advertise their products are television and the internet. In the past more than a decade the research reports have shown that the maximum number of viewership medium had been television and digital media. Keeping the desired results in consideration, most brands choose to spend millions on advertisements over these mediums. Even when the whole country came to a standstill due to the COVID pandemic, brands continued to advertise and promote their products. Some brands even changed their approach after considering COVID-19 and the lockdown, while others continued with their old advertisement sources and mediums. This study has analysed how brands in India have promoted their products on television and the social media platform such as Instagram, Facebook, and so on. The brands that have been selected in this study are Indian and international brands that have majority of their buyers in India.

The study was aimed at the identification of a potential anti-cancer compound from the leaf extract of Lagerstroemiaspeciosa, against pancreatic cancer cells (PANC-1). Out of different extracts tested, methanolic extract showed significant cytotoxicity at an IC50of 289.5 ± 0.03 µg/mL after 24 h (MTT assay). The safety of the extract was ascertained using normal pancreatic cells (hTERT-HPNE). Methanolic extract was able to induce apoptosis in 28.9 ± 0.01% of PANC-1 cells as determined by flow cytometry. RT-PCR analysis of PANC-1 cells also recorded an increase in the mRNA expression of pro-apoptotic genes i.e., Caspase-3(12.82 folds), Rb(10 folds) and Bad(8.74 folds) after treatment. Expression of other pro-apoptotic genes such as Baxand TNFwas also upregulated by 4.04 and 4.01 folds, respectively. However, the mRNA expression of anti-apoptotic genes, NF-κB, Cdkand Bcl-2was found to be downregulated. The bioactive extract was then fractionated on preparative silica gel plates into 24 bands. Out of these, band fraction 9 exhibited significant cytotoxicity (IC50219 ± 0.04 µg/mL) on the PANC-1 cells. The mass spectral (HPLC–MS) and FTIR analysis of the fraction indicated the bioactive compound to be a derivative of Diosgenin, which can be a possible candidate for cancer therapeutics in future.

ABSTRACTCurcumin (CUR) shows antifungal activity against a range of pathogenic fungi, including Candida albicans. The reported mechanisms of action of CUR include reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, defects in the ergosterol biosynthesis pathway, decrease in hyphal development, and modulation of multidrug efflux pumps. Reportedly, each of these pathways is independently linked to the cell wall machinery in C. albicans, but surprisingly, CUR has not been previously implicated in cell wall damage. In the present study, we performed transcriptional profiling to identify the yet-unidentified targets of CUR in C. albicans. We found that, among 348 CUR-affected genes, 51 were upregulated and 297 were downregulated. Interestingly, most of the cell wall integrity pathway genes were downregulated. The possibility of the cell wall playing a critical role in the mechanism of CUR required further validation; therefore, we performed specific experiments to establish if there was any link between the two. The fractional inhibitory concentration index values of 0.24 to 0.37 show that CUR interacts synergistically with cell wall-perturbing (CWP) agents (caspofungin, calcofluor white, Congo red, and SDS). Furthermore, we could observe cell wall damage and membrane permeabilization by CUR alone, as well as synergistically with CWP agents. We also found hypersusceptibility in calcineurin and mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase pathway mutants against CUR, which confirmed that CUR also targets cell wall biosynthesis in C. albicans. Together, these data provide strong evidence that CUR disrupts cell wall integrity in C. albicans. This new information on the mechanistic action of CUR could be employed in improving treatment strategies and in combinatorial drug therapy.

Synthesis of 3,4-dihydropyrimidin-2(1H)-one using nickel (II) oxide under solvent free conditions and microwave irradiations leads to excellent yield. The product formation takes shorter time under microwave irradiations. Acetonitrile was the best solvent at 75 °C. In the present methodology, the catalyst nickel oxide is inexpensive, readily available, efficient, recyclable and green.