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This study demonstrated the plant growth-promoting capabilities of native actinobacterial strains obtained from different regions of the rice plant, including the rhizosphere (FT1, FTSA2, FB2, and FH7) and endosphere (EB6). We delved into the molecular mechanisms underlying the beneficial effects of these plant-microbe interactions by conducting a transcriptional analysis of a select group of key genes involved in phytohormone pathways. Through in vitro screening for various plant growth-promoting (PGP) traits, all tested isolates exhibited positive traits for indole-3-acetic acid synthesis and siderophore production, with FT1 being the sole producer of hydrogen cyanide (HCN). All isolates were identified as members of the Streptomyces genus through 16S rRNA amplification. In pot culture experiments, rice seeds inoculated with strains FB2 and FTSA2 exhibited significant increases in shoot dry mass by 7% and 34%, respectively, and total biomass by 8% and 30%, respectively. All strains led to increased leaf nitrogen levels, with FTSA2 demonstrating the highest increase (4.3%). On the contrary, strains FB2 and FT1 increased root length, root weight ratio, root volume, and root surface area, leading to higher root nitrogen content. All isolates, except for FB2, enhanced total chlorophyll and carotenoid levels. Additionally, qRT-PCR analysis supported these findings, revealing differential gene expression in auxin (OsAUX1, OsIAA1, OsYUCCA1, OsYUCCA3), gibberellin (OsGID1, OsGA20ox-1), and cytokinin (OsIPT3, OsIPT5) pathways in response to specific actinobacterial treatments. These actinobacterial strains, which enhance both aboveground and belowground crop characteristics, warrant further evaluation in field trials, either as individual strains or in consortia. This could lead to the development of commercial bioinoculants for use in integrated nutrient management practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work elucidates the fabrication and electrochemical performance of solid-state symmetric supercapacitors based on polyaniline and polypyrrole films synthesized through electrochemical deposition. The study systematically investigates the impact of electrolyte pH on the performance of these devices, comparing responses in acidic, neutral, and alkaline environments. The polyaniline-based device demonstrates a superior response in acidic electrolyte conditions, which is attributed to the protonation/deprotonation mechanisms inherent in the polymer matrix, a phenomenon that is explored and interpreted in the paper. However, the symmetric supercapacitor employing polypyrrole exhibits superior performance in both acidic and alkaline electrolytes, suggesting the pseudocapacitive nature of polypyrrole even in alkaline conditions. The redox behavior of polypyrrole in alkaline environments primarily relies on the exchange of hydroxide ions, facilitating polypyrrole's superior retention of its redox characteristics compared to polyaniline. The findings contribute to the rational design of solid-state supercapacitors tailored for specific electrolyte conditions, with potential applications in diverse electrochemical energy storage systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flower-like MoS2 and its composites with reduced graphene oxide (rGO) and graphitic carbon nitride (gC3N4) were prepared to study their suitability in environmental and energy applications. The materials were well characterized by standard techniques. Optical band gaps of all the materials were in the visible region, making them suitable for visible-light photocatalysis applications. The photocatalytic studies have demonstrated that rGO-MoS2 exhibits a much better photodegradation performance than other materials in the study towards methylene blue (MB) and rhodamine B (RhB) dye degradation. The degradation efficiencies of rGO-MoS2 were found to be 83% in 105 min for MB dye and 82% in just 30 min for RhB dye. Two-dimensional rGO sheets greatly improved the photocatalytic performance of the rGO-MoS2 nanocomposite due to the reduction in the electron–hole recombination rate. Electrochemical studies on the samples showed superior performance for rGO-MoS2 with the specific capacitance of 152 F/g at 35 mA/cm2 , having an energy density of 5.3 Wh/kg at a power density of 337 W/kg. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cadmium telluride (CdTe) (211) epitaxial layers were grown on GaAs (211) substrates. These CdTe layers were annealed under tellurium overpressure at different annealing temperatures to optimize conditions for better crystal quality and surface roughness. Tellurium overpressure was calculated using thermodynamical equations and utilized during the growth of the CdTe epitaxial layer by MBE. It was found that crystal quality improved, which manifested in the reduction of XRD peak full width at half maximum (FWHM) from ~ 150 to ~ 70 arcsec, and observation of fivefold reduction in dislocation defect density. Annealing conditions were optimized with a tradeoff between crystal quality and surface roughness. The activation energy of β-dislocations in CdTe epitaxial layers was determined to be Ea = 1.05 ± 0.2 eV. HRXRD FWHM ~ 55 arcsec was obtained for 10-μm thick CdTe buffer layer. The large area (3 in. dia) high crystal quality (HRXRD FWHM ~ 70 arcsec) HgCdTe epitaxial layers were grown on CdTe/ GaAs substrates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drought is a major limiting factor for rice (Oryza sativa L.) production globally, and a cost-effective seed priming technique using bio-elicitors has been found to have stress mitigating effects. Till date, mostly phytohormones have been preferred as bio-elicitors, but the present study is a novel attempt to demonstrate the favorable role of micronutrients-phytohormone cocktail, i.e., iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), and methyl jasmonate (MJ) via seed priming method in mitigating the deleterious impacts of drought stress through physio-biochemical and molecular manifestations. The effect of cocktail/priming was studied on the relative water content, chlorophyll a/b and carotenoid contents, proline content, abscisic acid (ABA) content, and on the activities of ascorbate peroxidase (APX), superoxide dismutase (SOD), NADPH oxidase (Nox), and catalase (CAT). The expressions of drought-responsive genes OsZn-SOD, OsFe-SOD, and Nox1 were found to be modulated under drought stress in contrasting rice genotypes -N-22 (Nagina-22, drought-tolerant) and PS-5 (Pusa Sugandh-5, drought-sensitive). A progressive rise in carotenoids (10–19%), ABA (18–50%), proline (60–80%), activities of SOD (27–62%), APX (46–61%), CAT (50–80%), Nox (16–30%), and upregulated (0.9–1.6-fold) expressions of OsZn-SOD, OsFe-SOD, and Nox1 genes were found in the primed plants under drought condition. This cocktail would serve as a potential supplement in modern agricultural practices utilizing seed priming technique to mitigate drought stress-induced oxidative burst in food crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study investigated how contrasting citrus rootstocks, drought susceptible, Citrus jambhiri Lush cv. Jatti Khatti (JK) and drought-tolerant, X639 (C. reshni Hort. ex Tan. × Poncirous trifoliata), responded to water deficit and re-watering through reciprocal grafting. Self-graft JK showed the most declines in scion growth traits, the highest wilting score and drought injury index and a higher increase in leaf proline content compared to self-graft X639. JK/X639 witnessed a lesser decline in growth, the lowest wilting score and drought injury index among reciprocal grafts after experiencing water deficit as of normal moisture conditions. The plant combinations where X639 was used as rootstocks displayed good recovery in scion growth after re-watering. The root growth traits significantly improved in self X639/X639. The total phenol increased more in self-graft X639 and hetero-graft X639/JK after experiencing water deficit over respective normal moisture conditions. The X639, as scion or rootstock, was able to moderate lipid peroxidation significantly as compared to self-graft JK. Auto-graft X639 and hetero-graft X639/JK exhibited a higher decline in thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) content, catalase, and glutathione reductase activities after re-watering. X639 rootstock prioritised growth, displaying the development of a vigorous root system under water scarcity, attributed to elevated relative water content, membrane stability index, and a robust antioxidant system in both self and reciprocal grafting. Conversely, JK focused on survival indicated by leaf shedding and reduced leaf area. These findings offer insights into citrus rootstock responses to water stress, valuable for citrus cultivation in regions with varying water availability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Endothelial injury, involved in the pathogenesis of renal fibrosis, can generate microparticles (MPs). These are 0.1–1 µm membrane-bound vesicles shed from the damaged or activated cell surfaces. We analyzed the presence of circulating MPs and EnMPs in IgAN and correlated with markers of endothelial injury and disease activity. Methods: The study included 30 IgAN (mean age 31.5 ± 9 years), 25 healthy controls and Lupus nephritis (n = 10) as disease controls. Circulating MPs were quantitated by Flow cytometry and EnMPs were analyzed using anti-CD31-FITC and anti-CD146-PE antibodies. Their levels were correlated with serum von Willebrand Factor, histological Oxford MEST-C score and renal outcome. A prospective validation group of 20 patients of biopsy-proven IgA nephropathy was also included. Results: IgAN had significantly higher levels of MPs, EnMPs and vWF compared to controls. On multivariate analysis, plasma levels of total MPs, EnMPs and serum vWF correlated significantly with the presence of hypertension and E1 on histology. E1 and high MPs (> 130 counts/µl) were associated with shorter time to doubling of serum creatinine. MPs cutoff level of 130 counts/µl had a sensitivity of 75%, specificity of 93.3% and diagnostic accuracy of 89.5% for E1 in the validation cohort. Conclusion: Circulating MPs and EnMPs in IgAN correlate with E1 on histology and have a potential as non-invasive biomarkers to predict disease activity and renal outcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Emotional dampening (blunted responses to affective stimuli or experiences) has been reported in individuals with clinical and subclinical levels of elevated blood pressure (BP). Our aim in the present study was to explore how the basic motivational systems of approach and avoidance to positively- and negatively-valenced stimuli are affected in elevated BP. High BP (n = 27) and Low BP (n = 29) participants completed an approach-avoidance task. In this task, participants pulled the joystick towards them when viewing a happy face (approach) and pushing it away when viewing an angry face (avoid) in the congruent condition, and reversed these action-to-emotion pairings in the incongruent condition. A mixed-design ANOVA revealed a significant main effect of condition, such that overall participants were faster across trials in the congruent than trials of the incongruent condition. There was also an emotion x BP interaction. Among the Low BP group, there were no RT differences to happy and angry expressions (across congruent and incongruent conditions) but those with High BP were quicker to respond to actions paired with angry than happy facial expressions (across conditions). Findings suggest that valence-specific motivational reactions are not dampened with an increase in BP, and are rather sensitized for the negative emotion of anger. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Primary cutaneous Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma-leg type (PCDLBCL-LT) is a rare subtype of cutaneous lymphomas, with high frequency of extra-cutaneous relapse and poor prognosis. We report a case of 70-year-old lady who was diagnosed with PCDLBCL-LT on biopsy and underwent a baseline F-18 FDG PET/CT, followed by interim and post-treatment PET/CTs. With this case report, we highlight the findings of F-18 FDG PET/CT in the staging of this cutaneous lymphoma, and also emphasize on its role in the response assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nitrogen (N) is an essential macronutrient required for crop productivity, which is the limiting resource in most of the agricultural soils. External application of nitrogen fertilizers is necessary to sustain crop productivity. More than 60% of applied nitrogen fertilizer is lost to the environment because of the low nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) of crop plants that results in environmental degradation and also incurs higher input costs to the farmers. In this study, we developed a genetic strategy to improve the nitrogen use efficiency of rice plants by concurrent ectopic expression of OsGS1;1 and OsGS2 encoding genes to enhance the selective glutamine synthetase (GS) isoforms to improve the nitrogen use economy by effectively re–assimilating the internally released ammonia (NH3). We conducted a detailed investigation to establish the physiological impact of the enhanced GS activity in these transgenic rice plants. These transgenic rice plants did not show any fitness cost, moreover displayed an enhanced growth and productivity compared to their corresponding wild type (WT) control/non–transgenic rice plants. The insights of our study demonstrate the increased NUE by effectively re-assimilating the internally released NH3 by concurrent ectopic expression of OsGS1;1 and OsGS2 genes. The increase in assimilated N in transgenic rice plants positively partitioned into the production of photosynthetic enzymes, chlorophyll pigment accumulation that ultimately improves net photosynthetic efficiency with a significant gain in N and C compared to their corresponding WT control rice plants, suggesting that mutual regulation of C/N balance is crucial for proper plant growth and development. Our study suggests that insufficient C supply may provide a constraint on N assimilation and reduce the positive effect of GS overexpression. To circumvent such metabolic imbalances, more refined strategies are needed for improving both the N and C assimilation simultaneously in the same plant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the third data release of the Gaia mission, Gaia DR3 with its precise photometry and astrometry, it is now possible to study the behavior of stars at a scale never seen before. In this paper, we developed new criteria to identify T-Tauri stars (TTS) candidates using UV and optical color-magnitude diagrams (CMDs) by combining the GALEX and Gaia surveys. We found 19 TTS candidates and five of them are newly identified TTS in the Taurus molecular cloud (TMC), not cataloged before as TMC members. For some of the TTS candidates, we also obtained optical spectra from several Indian telescopes. We also present the analysis of distance and proper motion of young stars in the Taurus using data from Gaia DR3. We found that the stars in Taurus show a bimodal distribution with distance, having peaks at 130. 17 - 1.24 1.31 pc and 156. 25 - 5.00 1.86 pc. The reason for this bimodality, we think, is due to the fact that different clouds in the TMC region are at different distances. We further showed that the two populations have similar ages and proper motion distribution. Using the Gaia DR3 CMD, we showed that the age of Taurus is consistent with 1 Myr. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using multi-wavelength data sets, we studied the star-formation activity in H ii region Sh 2-61 (hereafter S61). We identified a clustering in the region and estimated the membership using the Gaia proper motion data. The physical environment of S61 is inspected using infrared to radio wavelength images. We also determined the Lyman continuum flux associated with the H ii region and found that the H ii region is formed by at least two massive stars (S1 and S2). We also analyzed the 12 CO ( J = 3 –2) JCMT data of S61, and a shell structure accompanying three molecular clumps are observed towards S61. We found that the ionized gas in S61 is surrounded by dust and a molecular shell. Many young stellar objects and three molecular clumps are observed at the interface of the ionized gas and surrounding gas. The pressure at the interface is higher than in a typical cool molecular cloud. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present the results from our deep optical photometric observations of Bochum 2 (Boc2) star cluster obtained using the 1.3-m Devasthal Fast Optical Telescope along with archival photometric data from Pan-STARRS2/2MASS/UKIDSS surveys. We also used high-quality parallax and proper motion data from the Gaia Data Release 3. We found that the Boc2 cluster has a small size (∼ 1.1 pc) and circular morphology. Using Gaia parallax of member stars and isochrone fitting method, the distance of this cluster is estimated as 3.8 ± 0.4 kpc. We have found that this cluster holds young ( ∼ 5 Myr) and massive (O7–O9) stars as well as an older population of low mass stars. We found that the massive stars were formed in the inner region of the Boc2 cluster in a recent epoch of star formation. We have derived mass function slope (Γ ) in the cluster region as - 2.42 ± 0.13 in the mass range of ∼ 0.72 < M / M ⊙ < 2.8 . The tidal radius of the Boc2 cluster (∼ 7–9) is much more than its observed radius ( ∼ 1.1 pc). This suggests that most of the low-mass stars in this cluster are the remains of an older population of stars formed via an earlier epoch of star formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent times, 3.6m Devasthal Optical Telescope (DOT) has been installed with an optical to near infra-red spectrograph, TANSPEC, which provides spectral coverage from 0.55 to 2.5 microns. Using TANSPEC, we have obtained a single epoch spectrum of a set, containing nine FUors and EXors. We have analysed line profiles of the sources and compared them with the previously published spectra of these objects. Comparing the line profile shapes with the existing theoretical predictions, we have tried to interpret the physical processes that are responsible for the current disc evolution and the present accretion dynamics. Our study has shown the importance of time-evolved spectroscopic studies for a better understanding of the evolution of the accretion a mechanisms. This in turn can help in the better characterization of the young stars displaying episodic accretion behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using optical photometric observations from 1.3-m Devasthal Fast Optical Telescope and deep near-infrared (NIR) photometric observations from TANSPEC mounted on 3.6-m Devasthal Optical Telescope, along with the multi-wavelength archival data, we present our study of open cluster Kronberger 55 to understand the star-formation scenario in the region. The distance, extinction and age of the cluster Kronberger 55 are estimated as ∼ 3.5 kpc, E (B - V) ∼ 1.0 mag and ≲ 5 Myr, respectively. We identified Young Stellar Objects (YSOs) based on their excess infrared (IR) emission using the two-color diagrams (TCDs). The mid-infrared (MIR) images reveal the presence of extended structure of dust and gas emission along with the outflow activities in the region with two peaks, one at the location of cluster Kronberger 55 and another at 5 ′. 35 southwards to it. The association of radio continuum emission with the southern peak, hints towards the formation of massive star/s. The Herschel sub-millimeter maps reveal the presence of two clumps connected with a filamentary structure in this region, and such configuration is also evident in the 12 CO(1–0) emission map. Our study suggests that this region might be a hub-filament system undergoing star formation due to the 'end-dominated collapse scenario'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have performed a detailed analysis on the Teutsch 76 (T76) open cluster using the deep near-infrared (NIR) observations taken with the TANSPEC instrument mounted on the 3.6m Devasthal optical telescope along with the recently available high quality proper motion data from the Gaia data release 3 and deep photometric data from Pan-STARRS1 survey. We have found that the T76 cluster is having a central density concentration with circular morphology, probably due to the star-formation processes. The radius of the T76 cluster is found to be 45 ″ (1.24 pc) and 28 stars within this radius were marked as highly probable cluster members. We have found that the cluster is located at a distance of 5.7 ± 1.0 kpc and is having an age of 50 ± 10 Myr. The mass function slope (Γ ) in the cluster region in the mass range of ∼ 0.75 < M / M ⊙ < 5.8 is estimated as - 1.3 ± 0.2 , which is similar to the value of −1.35 given by Salpeter (1955). The cluster is not showing any signatures of mass-segregation and is currently undergoing dynamical relaxation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the star-formation process, we present a multi-wavelength study of a massive star-forming site RAFGL 5085, which has been associated with the molecular outflow, Hii region and near-infrared cluster. The continuum images at 12, 250, 350 and 500 μ m show a central region (having M clump ∼ 225 M ⊙ ) surrounded by five parsec-scale filaments, revealing a hub-filament system (HFS). In the Herschel column density ( N (H 2) ) map, filaments are identified with higher aspect ratios (length/diameter) and lower N (H 2) values (∼ 0.1– 2.4 × 10 21 cm - 2 ), while the central hub is found with a lower aspect ratio and higher N (H 2) values (∼ 3.5– 7.0 × 10 21 cm - 2 ). The central hub displays a temperature range of [19, 22.5] K in the Herschel temperature map, and is observed with signatures of star formation (including radio continuum emission). The JCMT 13 CO(J = 3–2) line data confirm the presence of HFS and its hub is traced with supersonic and non-thermal motions having higher Mach number and lower thermal to non-thermal pressure ratio. In the 13 CO position–velocity diagrams, velocity gradients along the filaments towards the HFS appear to be observed, suggesting the gas flow in the RAFGL 5085 HFS and the applicability of the clump-fed scenario. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High oil prices and concern about limited oil reserves lead to increase interest in enhanced oil recovery (EOR). Selecting the most efficient development plan is of high interest to optimize economic cost. Hence, the main objective of this study is to construct a novel deep-learning classifier to select the best EOR method based on the reservoir's rock and fluid properties (depth, porosity, permeability, gravity, viscosity), and temperature. Our deep learning-based classifier consists of a one-dimensional (1D) convolutional neural network, long short-term memory (LSTM), and densely connected neural network layers. The genetic algorithm has been applied to tune the hyperparameters of this hybrid classifier. The proposed classifier is developed and tested using 735 EOR projects on sandstone, unconsolidated sandstone, carbonate, and conglomerate reservoirs in more than 17 countries. Both the numerical and graphical investigations approve that the structure-tuned deep learning classifier is a reliable tool to screen the EOR scenarios and select the best one. The designed model correctly classifies training, validation, and testing examples with an accuracy of 96.82%, 84.31%, and 82.61%, respectively. It means that only 30 out of 735 available EOR projects are incorrectly identified by the proposed deep learning classifier. The model also demonstrates a small categorical cross-entropy of 0.1548 for the classification of the involved enhanced oil recovery techniques. Such a powerful classifier is required to select the most suitable EOR candidate for a given oil reservoir with limited field information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The positive effect of herbal supplements on aging and age-related disorders has led to the evolution of natural curatives for remedial neurodegenerative diseases in humans. The advancement in aging is exceedingly linked to oxidative stress. Enhanced oxidative stress interrupts health of humans in various ways, necessitating to find stress alleviating herbal resources. Currently, minimal scientifically validated health and cognitive booster resources are available. Therefore, we explored the impact of plant extracts in different combinations on oxidative stress, life span and cognition using the multicellular transgenic humanized C. elegans, and further validated the same in Mus musculus, besides testing their safety and toxicity. In our investigations, the final product—the HACBF (healthy ageing cognitive booster formulation) thus developed was found to reduce major aging biomarkers like lipofuscin, protein carbonyl, lipid levels and enhanced activity of antioxidant enzymes. Further confirmation was done using transgenic worms and RT-PCR. The cognitive boosting activities analyzed in C. elegans and M. musculus model system were found to be at par with donepezil and L-dopa, the two drugs which are commonly used to treat Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases. In the transgenic C. elegans model system, the HACBF exhibited reduced aggregation of misfolded disease proteins α-synuclein and increased the health of nicotinic acetylcholine receptor, levels of Acetylcholine and Dopamine contents respectively, the major neurotransmitters responsible for memory, language, learning behavior and movement. Molecular studies clearly indicate that HACBF upregulated major genes responsible for healthy aging and cognitive booster activities in C. elegans and as well as in M. musculus. As such, the present herbal product thus developed may be quite useful for healthy aging and cognitive boosting activities, and more so during this covid-19 pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The influence of plasma screening on the intercombination 2s21S0 → 2snp3 P 1 o (n = 2, 3) and resonance 2s2 1S0 → 2snp1 P 1 o (n = 2, 3) transitions of Be-like Si10+, Ca16+ and Fe22+ ions immersed in strongly coupled plasma environment is investigated. The multiconfiguration Dirac–Fock method and relativistic configuration interaction technique have been implemented within the general framework of the ion sphere theory. It has been found that the transition energies associated with Δn = 0 transitions are blue shifted, while the energies corresponding to Δn ≠ 0 transitions are red shifted. The variation of weighted oscillator strengths with free electron density has been studied. Thermodynamic pressure experienced by the ions in the ground state 2s2 1S0 inside the ion sphere is also reported. The results of this study should be of great help in the modeling and the interpretation of spectral properties in laboratory and astrophysical plasmas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, well-test research has witnessed several works to automate reservoir model identification and characterization using computer-assisted models. Since the reservoir model identification is a classification problem, while its characterization is a regression-based task, their simultaneous accomplishment is always challenging. This work combines genetic algorithm optimization and artificial neural networks to identify and characterize homogeneous reservoir systems from well-testing data automatically. A total of eight prediction models, including two classifiers and six regressors, have been trained. The simulated well-test pressure derivatives with varying noise percentages comprise the training samples. The feature selection and hyperparameter tuning have been performed carefully using the genetic algorithm to enhance the prediction accuracy. The models were validated using nine simulated and one real-field test case. The optimized classifier identifies all the reservoir models with a classification accuracy higher than 79%. In addition, the statistical analysis approves that the optimized regressors accurately perform the reservoir characterization with mean relative errors of lower than 4.5%. The minimized manual interference reduces human bias, and the models have significant noise tolerance for practical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This correction notice is for an article titled "Behavioural approach-avoidance tendencies among individuals with elevated blood pressure" published in Current Psychology. The correction addresses an error in the ethical statement of the article. The original statement incorrectly mentioned the approval of the study by an ethics committee that was blinded for review, but it should have stated that the study was approved by an Ethics Committee based at King's College London. The correction notice is provided by Meenakshi Shukla, Jennifer Y. F. Lau, and Rakesh Pandey. Springer Nature, the publisher, maintains a neutral stance on jurisdictional claims and institutional affiliations. [Extracted from the article]

The Breit-Pauli R-matrix method in the close-coupling approximation is used for the calculation of total photoionization cross sections of the Ni XVIII ion in the ground state (2p63s2S1/2) and the lowest two excited states (2p63p2 P 1 / 2 , 3 / 2 o ). The core state wavefunctions are obtained from the configuration interaction technique (CIV3), and the energies of the Ni XIX residual ion are found to be in excellent agreement with the experimental values. It is observed that the present ionization potentials for the considered states are also in accordance with the experimental results. The fully relativistic Dirac atomic R-matrix calculations are performed for the photoionization cross sections of the ground state and the lowest two excited states to compare with our Breit-Pauli R-matrix results. Finally, the Quigley and Berrington method is adopted for investigating the autoionizing bound states arising from numerous open channels. The calculated photoionization cross sections are important for the determination of ionization balance, stellar plasma opacities, and spectral analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The preference and quality of tomato fruit are primarily determined by its apparent colour and appearance. Non-destructive and rapid methods for assessment of tomato colour and ripeness are therefore of immense significance. This study was conducted to identify reflectance-based indices and to develop models for the non-destructive determination of colour and ripeness (maturity) of tomato fruits. Tomato fruits of two varieties and two hybrids, representing different ripening stages were investigated. Fruits were either harvested directly from the plants or they were picked up from the lots stored at 25 °C. Reflectance from individual fruit was recorded in a spectrum ranging from 350 to 2500 nm. These fruits at different ripening stages were ranked on a relative ripening score (0.0–8.5). Obtained data (reflectance and ripening score) were subjected to chemometric analysis. In total, six models were developed. The first-best model was based on the index R521 (reflectance at wavelength 521 nm) i.e., y (colour/ripeness) = − 2.456 ln (x) − 1.093 where x is R521. This model had a root mean standard error of prediction (RMSEP) ≥ 0.86 and biasness = − 0.09. The second-best model y = 2.582 ln (x) − 0.805 was based on the index R546 (x) and had RMSEP ≥ 0.89 and biasness = 0.10. Models could bifurcate tomatoes into basic ripening stages and also red and beyond red tomato fruits from other stages across the varieties/hybrids and ripening conditions [for plant harvested (fresh) and stored (aged) fruits]. Findings will prove useful in developing simple and thereby cost-effective tools for rapid screening/sorting of tomato fruits based on their colour or ripeness not only for basic research (phenotyping) but also for the purpose of processing, value-addition, and pharmaceutical usages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alginate is a negatively charged, biocompatible polysaccharide obtained naturally. The presence of deprotonated carboxylic groups imparts a negative charge on Alginate which hinders its interaction with other negatively charged molecules including the cell membrane. Despite this challenge, Alginate presents several advantages as it is structurally similar to the extracellular matrices of living tissues and is FDA approved for oral consumption. Motivated by this, we contemplated the utilization of amine grafted Alginate (Alginate+) as a transfection agent for negatively charged molecules like DNA, protein and siRNA. The net negative charge of Alginate was reduced by the reaction with epichlorohydrin and ammonia which lead to grafting of an amine group. Alginate+ was characterized by zetasizer, proton nuclear magnetic resonance, fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and liquid-chromatography mass spectrometry, followed by visualization under scanning electron microscope. Different concentrations of Alginate+ were assessed for its loading capacity by agarose gel electrophoresis and DNA retardation assay. Further, in-vitro and in-vivo transfection studies suggested that the Alginate+ particles could successfully transfect mammalian cells carrying negatively charged peptides, siRNAs, and DNA (plasmid); furthermore in BALB/c mice significant expression of transfected plasmid was observed in various organs. The probable mode of cell entry and toxicity were predicted through in-silico studies. Finally, the biodegradation of Alginate+ was evaluated in human serum with the addition of ascorbic acid and sodium citrate. Overall, this study provides an easy fabrication method to turn Alginate into an effective delivery carrier with additional properties such as, degradability and reduced toxicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In December 2019, the emergence and expansion of novel and infectious respiratory virus SARS-CoV-2 originated from Wuhan, China caused an unprecedented threat to the public health and became a global pandemic. SARS-CoV-2 is an enveloped, positive sense and single stranded RNA virus belonging to genera betacoronavirus, of Coronaviridae family. The viral genome sequencing studies revealed 75–80% similarity with SARS-CoV. SARS-CoV-2 mainly affects the lower respiratory system and may progress to pneumonia and Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS). Apart from life-threatening situations and burden on the global healthcare system, the COVID-19 pandemic has imposed several challenges on the worldwide economics and livelihood. The novel pathogen is highly virulent, rapidly mutating and has a tendency to cross the species boundaries such as from bats to humans through the evolution and natural selection from intermediate host. In this review we tried to summarize the overall picture of SARS-CoV-2 including origin/ emergence, epidemiology, pathogenesis, genome organization, comparative analysis with other CoVs, infection and replication mechanism along with cellular tropism and immunopathogenesis which will provide a brief panoramic view about the virus and disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Today's demand has approached the sustainable agriculture with synergistic bioinoculants for improved crop production and soil rejuvenation. Furthermore, the emergence of chemical fertilizers, for intensive farming practice increasing for many decades without the knowledge of health hazards and environmental problems, can be resolved. Purposely, the present study was conducted on commercially grown medicinal plant Mentha arvensis L. to improve productivity and yield using natural bio-sources such as bioinoculant and vermicompost. The new findings illustrated that M. arvensis L. showed significantly (P < 0.05) improved plant growth, secondary metabolites, total phytoconstituents, and total antioxidant capacity in bioinoculant-treated plants as compared to the control with carrier vermicompost. Moreover, the highly effective treatment also exceeded the most prominent aroma compounds menthol, menthone, and isomenthone. Most interestingly, with high yield increment, the essential oil also showed significant antibacterial activity. The present study concluded an unambiguous fortification of bioinoculant with carrier vermicompost, showing a promising synergistic potential that validates itself as bio-stimulants in enhancing physiological and biochemical properties of M. arvensis L. resulting in high yield and improved quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is well documented that emotion regulation difficulties are linked with various forms of psychopathology including anxiety and depression but the literature is still inconclusive regarding whether emotion regulation difficulties are transdiagnostic or pathology-specific. We speculate that certain types of emotion regulation difficulties may be transdiagnostic while others may show specificity. The present study attempts to empirically validate this speculation and tries to explore the common (transdiagnostic) and unique domains of emotion regulation difficulties associated with psychometrically identified subclinical groups of anxious and anxious-depressed individuals. University and college students (N = 192) were assessed on self-report measures of emotion regulation difficulties, positive-negative affect, depression, and trait and free-floating anxiety and classified into anxious, anxious-depressed, and normal groups based on the results of cluster analysis. Both subclinical groups reported overall higher levels of emotion regulation difficulties than normals, with anxious-depressed group showing more difficulties than anxious group. While difficulty engaging in goal-directed behaviour, lack of emotional awareness and emotional clarity were common across anxious and anxious-depressed groups, the anxious-depressed group showed a unique profile of emotion regulation difficulties characterized by non-acceptance of emotional response, impulse control difficulties, and limited access to emotion regulation strategies. Findings of discriminant function analysis revealed that while anxious-depressed group was characterised by difficulties in regulating emotions, the anxious group presented difficulties in emotional insight. The findings highlight the possible role of both unique and transdiagnostic components of emotion regulation difficulties in the development/maintenance of psychopathologies and have significant implications for predicting future development and psychotherapeutic management of these disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electron impact excitation collision strengths for the transitions among the lowest twelve fine structure levels belonging to 2 p 6 nl ( n = 3 , 4 , l = 0 - 3 ) configurations of Cu XIX ion are presented using the close-coupling Breit–Pauli R-matrix method. Target state wavefunctions have been constructed using the AUTOSTRUCTURE. The collision strengths are also tabulated at selected energies above the excitation thresholds in the range 50–300 Ryd. For assessing the accuracy and reliability of our collision strength values, an independent calculation has been carried out using the relativistic distorted wave method. The effective collision strengths are obtained over a wide electron temperature range of 1.0 × 10 5 - 4.0 × 10 7 K by averaging over a Maxwellian distribution of velocities. We believe that our present results will be beneficial in the modelling of astrophysical and fusion plasmas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

5′-Hydroxy-6, 7, 8, 3′, 4′-pentamethoxyflavone (5-HPF), a polymethoxyflavone compound found in dikamali gum, has been shown to exert a range of beneficial effects on health. We have previously reported that 5-HPF improves the cholinergic dysfunction and also possesses antioxidant properties in Caenorhabditis elegans. In this study, we have identified the effect of 5-HPF on the worm lifespan and its underlying molecular mechanisms. Out of the five tested pharmacological doses of 5-HPF, viz. 6.25, 12.5, 25, 50, and 100 μM, the 50 μM dose maximally extended the mean life of C. elegans by 28%. The present study revealed that 5-HPF supplementation leads to dietary restriction (DR)-like effects in the worms without altering bacterial metabolism. The analysis of mutant animals fed with 5-HPF suggested that the extended lifespan of C. elegans depends upon multiple DR-related signaling pathways, with NRF2 and FOXA being critical factors. Further investigation into the mechanistic aspects indicated that 5-HPF utilizes autophagy pathway induced by DR through the upregulation of autophagy genes bec-1 and lgg-1, evident from the increase in autophagic puncta in the seam cells of lgg-1::gfp tagged worms. This study identifies the longevity-promoting activity of 5-HPF in C. elegans regulated by oxidative stress-resistance genes and DR-induced autophagy pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease clinically characterized by the appearance of red colored, well-demarcated plaques with thickened skin and with silvery scales. Recent studies have established the involvement of a complex signalling network of interactions between cytokines, immune cells and skin cells called keratinocytes. Keratinocytes form the cells of the outermost layer of the skin (epidermis). Visible plaques in psoriasis are developed due to the fast proliferation and unusual differentiation of keratinocyte cells. Despite that, the exact mechanism of the appearance of these plaques in the cytokine-immune cell network is not clear. A mathematical model embodying interactions between key immune cells believed to be involved in psoriasis, keratinocytes and relevant cytokines has been developed. The complex network formed of these interactions poses several challenges. Here, we choose to study subnetworks of this complex network and initially focus on interactions involving TNF α , IL-23/IL-17, and IL-15. These are chosen based on known evidence of their therapeutic efficacy. In addition, we explore the role of IL-15 in the pathogenesis of psoriasis and its potential as a future drug target for a novel treatment option. We perform steady state analyses for these subnetworks and demonstrate that the interactions between cells, driven by cytokines could cause the emergence of a psoriasis state (hyper-proliferation of keratinocytes) when levels of TNF α , IL-23/IL-17 or IL-15 are increased. The model results explain and support the clinical potentiality of anti-cytokine treatments. Interestingly, our results suggest different dynamic scenarios underpin the pathogenesis of psoriasis, depending upon the dominant cytokines of subnetworks. We observed that the increase in the level of IL-23/IL-17 and IL-15 could lead to psoriasis via a bistable route, whereas an increase in the level of TNF α would lead to a monotonic and gradual disease progression. Further, we demonstrate how this insight, bistability, could be exploited to improve the current therapies and develop novel treatment strategies for psoriasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parkinsonism is an age-associated neurodegenerative disorder characterized by aggregation of α-synuclein (α-syn) protein in the substantia nigra region, degeneration of dopaminergic neurons, and deregulated lipid metabolism. Currently, only symptomatic relief has been provided by FDA-approved therapeutic approaches for Parkinson's disease (PD). The present study aims to evaluate the potential of wedelolactone (WDL), a natural occurring coumestan found in Eclipta alba to mitigate the parkinsonism in Caenorhabditis elegans disease model. In the present studies, supplementation with 37.5 μM WDL exhibited a reduction in the level of α-syn in an age-dependent manner (22% at day 5, p < 0.05; and 16% at day 10, p < 0.001, n = 30), along with improvement in neuronal health through basal movement, and elevated the dopamine levels evident through 1-nonanol repulsion results in wild-type and diseased worms. Moreover, WDL augmented the mitochondrial health in wild-type, PD-diseased, and mev-1 mutant worms that establish the inherent activity of WDL in the alleviation of oxidative stress. Furthermore, WDL supplementation significantly decreases the neutral lipid and triglyceride level and also alleviates protein carbonyl level in PD disease condition. The overall investigation will provide a pioneer to the future insights of PD research related to plant-based drugs. qPCR studies after WDL supplementation revealed alteration of genes involved in the regulation of various stress-responsive (sod-5, gst-4, skn-1), α-syn-suppressing (lrk-1, ymel-1, lagr-1, grk-1), and mitochondrial (pink-1) genes. All together, these findings support that the WDL is a promising candidate to combat age-related multi-factorial PD pathology associated with protein misfolding and accumulation. The results provide sufficient information in the development of therapeutic medicines from natural products for improving the health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant-based dietary supplements that delay aging are of significant interest now a days because these naturally occurring bioactive molecules effectively provide pharmaceuticals/neutraceuticals to deal with diseases related to the advanced life expectancy. In this paper, we aimed to investigate the effect of Shatavarin IV (SIV), a steroidal saponin isolated from Asparagus racemosus Willd. on dietary restriction (DR) induced longevity in Caenorhabditis elegans. SIV significantly increased the lifespan to 18% which is independent of antimicrobial activity and reduced the aging by-product, lipofuscin along with increased locomotion, and chemotaxis behavior in wild type worms. The longevity effect has been dependent on eat-2, which was further validated via reduced pharyngeal pumping rate that established the effect similar to DR induced longevity. Moreover, like eat-2 mutant worms, SIV reduces the total progeny number of wild type worm along with a significant alleviation of stored fat, which reconfirms the involvement of eat-2 mediated longevity. Further, it was also observed that DR induced longevity mechanism by SIV requires mTOR which works in PHA-4/FOXA dependent manner. In addition to this, the role of autophagy mechanism concerning SIV mediated DR was confirmed via bec-1, unc-51, and lgg-1. The longevity effect achieved by SIV was also dependent on SKN-1/NRF-2 and partially dependent on DAF-16/FOXO. Furthermore, the DR-induced longevity by SIV was found to be independent of hsf-1 exhibiting non-significant alteration in the mRNA expression of downstream target genes hsp-16.2 and hsp-70. Altogether, this study provides first-hand information on the pro-longevity effect of SIV in worms that have been mediated by the DR-regulating gene induced autophagy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS) assesses emotion regulation among adults and adolescents, in healthy as well as clinical populations. However, its factor structure is a widely debated issue. Although earlier studies replicated the original six-factor structure, they pointed out psychometrically poor items in the DERS. The issue is further complicated by the findings of recent studies reporting a five- or even a four-factor structure of the DERS. Further, several studies have questioned the validity of the Awareness dimension of DERS and suggested excluding this dimension. Against this backdrop, the present study attempts to examine the factor structure of the Hindi version of the DERS (DERS-H) on 434 healthy participants (303 females, 131 males) of middle socio-economic status. Findings of the exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) did not support either of the one-, six- or five-factor solutions. After excluding five psychometrically poor items (poor loadings and higher standardized residuals), the CFA though yielded a satisfactory fit for first-order six-factor model, the second-order model did not fit well. However, after removing the Awareness dimension, the first-order as well as the second-order modified five-factor models provided apt fits to the data. This modified DERS-H (and its five sub-domains) showed satisfactory reliability and validity as well as factor structure invariance across gender and age. The findings suggest that the modified DERS-H is a psychometrically sound tool (with stable factor structure) to measure the second-order construct of emotion regulation difficulties as well as its five first-order subdomains, particularly in the Indian cultural context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Religion and spirituality play a significant role as coping resources under stressful circumstances. Nursing professionals confront with a variety of stressors repeatedly and are found to employ religious/spiritual coping techniques in managing the negative impact of work stress. The present review explores different religious and spiritual coping strategies utilized by nurses of different socio-cultural and religious backgrounds and highlights the importance of treating religion and spirituality as two separate entities in studying their stress-buffering effect. The MEDLINE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, PsycArticles databases and Google Scholar were searched from 2006 to 2017 with the key words nursing, stress, religious coping, religiosity and spirituality. Various notions of the divine/transcendent aspect of life have led to lack of consensus over a functional definition of religion as well as spirituality. This is found to be the core element of methodological inadequacy in studying individuals’ reliance on religion and spirituality during stress. Further, most of the existing measures do not adequately explore spirituality as a construct independent of religion. Measures should be more culture sensitive to discover culturally enriched religious practices and rituals adopted by individuals belonging to different socio-cultural milieu to overcome stress. The role of religion and spirituality in stress resilience, emotion regulation and burnout among nurses around the globe needs further empirical support. Multiple levels at which religious and spiritual coping may moderate/mediate the relationship between work stress and behavioral/emotional outcomes among human service personnel who face high emotional labor demands should be more comprehensively analyzed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cholinergic dysfunction is manifested in a plethora of neurodegenerative and psychiatric disorders such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and Huntington's diseases. The extent of cholinergic affliction is maximum in Alzheimer's disease which is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder involving death of cholinergic neurons. To this date, the therapeutic management of cholinergic dysfunction is limited to provide symptomatic relief through the use of acetylcholinesterase (Ache) inhibitors only. The present study elaborates the potential of thyme oil and its individual components in curtailing cholinergic deficits. We found that thyme oil augments neurotransmission by modulating synaptic acetylcholine (Ach) levels and nicotinic acetylcholine receptor activity, being orchestrated through upregulation of genes cho-1, unc-17 and unc-50. Studies on individual components revealed para-cymene (1-methyl-4-propan-2-ylbenzene) as the active component of thyme oil, contributing its effects through upregulation of cho-1, cha-1, unc-17 and unc-50, while downregulating ace-1 and ace-2. Interestingly, thymol and gamma-terpinene which although were devoid of any activity individually, exhibited significantly enhanced synaptic Ach levels and nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAchR) responsiveness, when administered in combination. Our findings advocate thyme oil and its constituents as potential candidates for amelioration of cholinergic dysfunction. The study is speculated to make a way for a new line of 'phytomolecules-based drugs' from the diverse pool of natural compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of rutin and gallic acid on growth, phytochemical and defense gene activation of rice ( Oryza sativa L.) was investigated. The seeds of rice were primed with different concentrations of rutin and gallic acid (10-60 µg mL) to explicate the effect on germination on water agar plates. Further, to study the effect of most effective concentrations of gallic acid (60 µg mL) and rutin (50 µg mL), greenhouse pot experiment was set up to determine the changes in growth, antioxidant and defense parameters. The results revealed more pronounced effect of gallic acid on total chlorophyll and carotenoids as well as on total flavonoid content and free radical scavenging activities. Gene expression analysis of OsWRKY71, PAL, CHS and LOX genes involved in strengthening the plant defense further validated the results obtained from the biochemical analysis. Microscopic analysis also confirmed reduction in total reactive oxygen species, free radicals like HO and O by exogenous application of gallic acid and rutin. The data obtained thus suggest that both gallic acid and rutin can affect the growth and physiology of rice plants and therefore can be used to develop effective plant growth promoters and as substitute of biofertilizers for maximizing their use in field conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An Ayurvedic polyherbal extract (PHE) comprising six herbs viz. Berberis aristata, Cyperus rotundus, Cedrus deodara, Emblica officinalis, Terminalia chebula and Terminalia bellirica is mentioned as an effective anti-hyperglycemic agent in 'Charaka Samhita', the classical text of Ayurveda. Previously, antidiabetic drug metformin was found to elicit antiaging effects and PHE was also found to exhibit antidiabetic effects in humans. Therefore, we screened it for its in vivo antioxidant antiaging effect on stress and lifespan using human homologous Caenorhabditis elegans model system. The effect on aging is evaluated by studying effect of PHE on mean survival in worms. The stress modulatory potential was assessed by quantification of intracellular ROS level, autofluorescent age pigment lipofuscin, oxidative and thermal stress assays. Additionally, stress response was quantified using gene reporter assays. The 0.01 µg/ml dose of PHE was able to enhance mean lifespan by 16.09% ( P < 0.0001) in C. elegans. Furthermore, PHE treated worms demonstrated oxidative stress resistance in both wild type and stress hypersensitive mev- 1 mutant along with upregulation of stress response genes sod- 3 and gst- 4. The delayed aging under stress can be attributed to its direct reactive oxygen species-scavenging activity and regulation of some age associated genes like daf- 2, daf- 16, skn- 1, sod- 3 and gst- 4 in wild-type worms. Additonally, PHE delayed age related paralysis phenotype in CL4176 transgenic worms. Altogether, our results suggest PHE significantly improves the oxidative stress and life span in C. elegans. Overall the present study suggests this polyherbal formulation might play important role in regultaing aging and related complications like diabetes. Graphical Abstract: [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Concerns related to higher levels of acrylamide in processed carbohydrate-rich foods, especially in fried potato products, are well known. This article provides updates on various aspects of acrylamide in processed potato products including mechanisms of acrylamide formation and health risks due to its intake. Levels of reducing sugars in potatoes are considered as a main factor contributing towards the formation of acrylamide in processed potato products. Useful approaches in lowering the levels of reducing sugars such as use of suitable varieties, storage methods, storage temperature and duration of storage are described and discussed. Importance and practical utility of various steps before and during the processing that can contribute in reducing the final concentration of acrylamide are highlighted. Progress made and present status of potato processing industry in India are part of this article. The article describes varietal improvement and spread of short-term and long-term storage technologies in India and their contribution towards round the year availability of processing-grade potatoes to the processing industries and how all this has helped in achieving reduced levels of acrylamide in chips and French fries. Outcome and implications of cold-induced sweetening tolerance in potatoes are presented along with other management practices and strategies that can lower the acrylamide levels in processed potato products. Future lines of work have been suggested to make the consumption of fried potato products safer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present investigation, metabolites of Streptomyces sp. MTN14 and Trichoderma harzianum ThU significantly enhanced biomass yield (3.58 and 3.48 fold respectively) in comparison to the control plants. The secondary metabolites treatments also showed significant augmentation (0.75-2.25 fold) in withanolide A, a plant secondary metabolite. Lignin deposition, total phenolic and flavonoid content in W. somnifera were maximally induced in treatment having T. harzianum metabolites. Also, Trichoderma and Streptomyces metabolites were found much better in invoking in planta contents and antioxidants compared with their live culture treatments. Therefore, identification of new molecular effectors from metabolites of efficient microbes may be used as biopesticide and biofertilizer for commercial production of W. somnifera globally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

World over, potatoes are being stored at 8-12 °C (85-90 % RH). This is the most common way of long-term (up to 6 to 9 months) storage of potatoes. The benefit of storing the potatoes within the temperature range of 8-12 °C is minimum accumulation of sugars in stored potato tubers. In sub-temperate, sub-tropical and tropical countries of the world, short-term (3 to 4 months) storage of potatoes is being done by non-refrigerated traditional/on-farm methods. These short- and long-term storage methods keep the stored potatoes suitable not only for table purpose but also for processing. However, once the natural dormancy period of potato is over, the prevailing temperatures in these storage methods favour sprouting and sprout growth. Therefore, use of some sprout suppressant to check the sprout growth becomes essential under these methods of potato storage. CIPC [Isopropyl N-(3-chlorophenyl) carbamate] is the most wide spread and commonly used sprout suppressant on potatoes. CIPC has been in use for more than 50 years and research carried out over such a long period use of CIPC has not only enhanced our understanding of its properties and chemistry but also about the production and toxicological status of its metabolites/degradation products. Today, various safety issues and concerns have surfaced primarily due to continuous and long-term use of CIPC. This review presents an appraisal on CIPC and explains the reasons for the long-time dependence on this chemical as a potato sprout suppressant. Issues like maximum residue limit and acceptable daily intake limit are being discussed for CIPC. This article brings an update on practical aspects of potato storage, residue levels of CIPC, efficacy of CIPC as sprout suppressant and health and environmental safety issues linked with CIPC and its metabolites. The aim of this article is to find possible solutions, way outs and future plans that can make the sprout suppression of potatoes safer and more risk free. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Folic acid (FA) is an essential nutrient that the human body needs but cannot be synthesized on its own. Fortified foods and plant food sources such as green leafy vegetables, beans, fruits, and juices are good sources of FA to meet the daily requirements of the body. The aim was to evaluate the effect of dietary FA levels on the longevity of well-known experimental aging model Caenorhabditis elegans. Here, we show for first time that FA extends organism life span and causes a delay in aging. We observed that FA inhibits mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) and insulin/insulin growth factor 1 (IGF-1) signaling pathways to control both oxidative stress levels and life span. The expression levels of stress- and life span-relevant gerontogenes, viz. daf-16, skn-1, and sir. 2.1, and oxidative enzymes, such as glutathione S-transferase 4 (GST-4) and superoxide dismutase 3 (SOD-3), were also found to be highly enhanced to attenuate the intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) damage and to delay the aging process. Our study promotes the use of FA to mitigate abiotic stresses and other aging-related ailments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]