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High altitude (HA) environments contain low levels of oxygen, which often cause nonspecific gastrointestinal (GI) disorders associated with acute mountain sickness (AMS). This study is conducted to investigate the alternation of microbial population and the physiological indices after being exposed to HA. Fecal and blood samples were collected from twelve army personnel in base-level environments in (Delhi, India) after acclimatization for seven days at 3505 m HA (Lah, India). Different bacterial groups, oxygen saturation level (SPO2), serum hemoglobin (Hb), hematocrit (HCT), blood urea, creatinine and microbial enzymes such as the α-amylase, proteinase, alkaline phosphatase and β-glucuronidase levels were all measured. It was observed that the total aerobic bacteria decreased significantly and the anaerobic and facultative anaerobic increased gradually in the intestines. Strict anaerobes including Bacteroidetes sp., Bifidobacterium sp., Lactobacillus sp. as well as pathogenic bacteria such as the Salmonella sp. exhibited positive growth. Various physiological parameters including serum hemoglobin, hematocrit, and urea-creatinine were also significantly changed. The microbial enzyme-activity also increased at HA. This confirms that the exposure to HA can change the intestinal microbial population affecting the microbial enzyme production possibly causing GI dysfunctions as a result of the decreased availability of oxygen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, we report fifty four membered, a new set of novel NIR Raman reporters and CyRLA-572 has been selected to be the best among them considering the signal intensity and stability. This new reporter molecule is an excellent partner with our in house Raman reporters (Cy7LA and Cy7.5LA). These three NIR Raman reporters are adsorbed on the gold nanoparticles to obtain their corresponding unique SERS fingerprints in which three individual characteristic peaks are capable to multiplex among them. These multiplexed Raman reporters are applied to develop biocompatible and specific targeting SERS nanotags after tagging with specific antibodies. These multiplex targeted SERS nanotags are applied to detect three targeting receptors in differentiated mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs) consisting three germ layers such as ectoderm, mesoderm and endoderm. After successful recognition of cells by SERS techniques, we detect simultaneously three germ layers in teratoma which is a monster tumor formed from mESC cells in animal xenograft model.