Search

Documenting the occurrence of bacteria in wild bird species living in close proximity of humans is important, especially when potential pathogenic bacteria could be risks to the health of either birds or humans. The Ibisbill Ibidorhyncha struthersii is a monotypic wader species belonging to family Ibidorhynchidae inhabiting stony rivers of Himalayas and Tibetan Plateau. In the highlands of India the species that shares its habitats with humans, especially at the religious sites at higher elevations, and information on the occurrence of bacteria is therefore relevant. We provide a description of the bacterial faecal microbiota of this species at two elevations, by collecting 45 fresh faecal droppings in sterile collection tubes from April 2018 to September 2018 at two sites, Site I [34°16′7.82″N, 74°53′8.4″E (1757 m above mean sea level)] and Site II [34°17′21.22″N, 75°19′25.68″E (2718 m above mean sea level)] of Kashmir Himalayan river Sindh. The identification by colonial morphology and staining yielded 18 unique bacterial colony isolates. The bacteria were further characterized on the basis of 16S ribosomal RNA gene. This revealed the presence of six species: two Proteobacteria, Pseudomonas fluorescens and P. syringe, common in soil and water, three Firmicutes bacteria common in birds, Bacillus pumilus, B. subtilis, and B. licheniformis (which is found on bird feathers), and one common avian gastrointestinal Enterobacter, Escherichia coli, which can be pathogenic. E. coli was more common at the higher elevation site where human presence was more intense. In summary, in the faecal samples commonly occurring bacteria were detected. Further sampling in other Himalayan Rivers is needed to fully describe the microbiota of this bird species.

Background: Salviamoorcroftiana Wall. ex Benth. is a herbaceous perennial plant indigenous to the Himalayan mountains and especially common in the Kashmir Valley, India. This plant was selected based on its ethnopharmacological promise and the dearth of scientific reporting on its biological activity. This study examined the anticancer therapeutic potential of Salviamoorcroftiana Wall. ex Benth. and also sought to demonstrate its induction of apoptosis, autophagy, and oxidative stress in lung and breast cancer cells. Methods: Soxhlet's extraction technique was used to obtain an ethanolic extract of Salviamoorcroftiana. A 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay was used to evaluate the effects of an ethanolic extract on cell proliferation, and acridine orange/ethidium bromide (AO/EB) staining was used to assess apoptotic cell morphology. Transmission electron microscopy was used to detect autophagy, and 2'-7'dichlorofluorescin diacetate (DCFH-DA) staining was used to measure oxidative stress. Apoptosis and autophagyrelated protein levels were assessed with western blotting. Results: The ethanolic extract showed concentration and time-dependent inhibition of proliferation against A549 and MDA-MB-231 cell lines with IC50 values of 129.32 µg/ml and 118.12 µg/ml, respectively (*p < 0.05). The AO/EB staining revealed that ethanolic extract brings about apoptotic transformations in both cell lines, further supported by western blotting showing higher caspase 3 and 9 and Bax expression and lower Bcl-2 expression. TEM analysis and western blotting showed the formation of autophagosomes and higher expression of LC3B-I and LC3B-II in A549 and MDA-MB-231, respectively, confirming autophagy. Finally, the DCFH-DA staining showed concentration-reliant augmentation of intracellular ROS production in A549 and MDA-MB-231 cells, indicating the induction of oxidative stress by the ethanolic extract. Conclusion: This study showed the remarkable anticancer activity of an ethanolic extract of Salvia moorcroftiana Wall. ex Benth. roots via apoptosis, autophagy, and oxidative stress. Natural drug discovery and design against lung and breast cancer could benefit from these findings.

Sewage sludge is considered as a valuable supplement because of its high organic matter, macro and micro nutrients. Its application has been studied in combination with recommended fertilizer dose (NPK is combination of N, P and K) for crops, viz. Kale and Spinach. The experiment comprised nine treatments (T1=0%SS+0%NPK as Control, T2=25%SS+0%NPK, T3=50%SS+0%NPK, T4=75%SS+0%NPK, T5=100%SS+0%NPK, T6=25%SS+75%NPK, T7=50%SS+50%NPK, T8=75%SS+25%NPK and T9=0%SS+100%NPK) which were laid in a completely randomized manner with triplicates. The study revealed that morphological characters, viz. root length per plant, shoot length per plant, root fresh and dry biomass, leaf area index and weight of edible part were significantly higher in T9 (0%SS+100%NPK) in both kale and spinach. Similarly, leaf area was significantly higher in T8 (75%SS+25% NPK) treatment in both kale and spinach. The various parameters related to plant quality like ascorbic acid, carbohydrate content and protein content were significantly higher with application of 75% Sewage sludge+25%NPK and hence improve growth, yield and quality of kale and spinach. Key words: Sewage sludge, NPK, growth, yield, quality, kale, spinach.

The increasing intensity of coronavirus (COVID-19) spreading emphasizes the significant development in home food production to reduce the incoming socioeconomic impact from soaring food prices, supply chain fragility, and severe economic crisis. This preliminary study was initiated to demonstrate the possibility of using electrospun fibers as a potential substrate in the application of seed germination activity. The drive of this preliminary study was to integrate the electrospun nanofiber-based material in exploring the current surge in home food production via seed germination in order to introduce cheap source of food without being distracted by the pandemic impact in general. Mung bean (Vigna radiata L. Wilczek) was chosen as it is easy and fast to sprout. Four samples of poly (ε-caprolactone)- (PCL-) based fibers were prepared by means of electrospinning technique, with the optimized flow rate between 0.05 and 0.20 ml/min at a fixed distance of 10 cm needle tip to collector. Mung bean seeds were allowed to germinate on the fabricated electrospun PCL fibers for 96 hours. Our observations include germination percentage, seedling weight, radicle length, and plumule growth. The highest radicle length and plumule length of seedlings were 27.8 mm and 6.7 mm, respectively. There were no inhibitory effects on seed germination and minimal structural fragmentation of smaller diameter electrospun fibers as revealed by FESEM. These results show that the seeds were able to germinate on electrospun PCL fiber substrate, owing to the properties of high surface area and excellent fluid water uptake of PCL fibers.

Tinospora cordifolia (TC) a traditional plant used in Indian Ayurvedic medicine widely. Different parts of this plant such as stem, roots, leaves are used for treatment and control of various health issues as well as an ingredient in functional foods. It possesses many health promoting and protecting properties. The present article is a critical review providing a comprehensive discussion on therapeutic application and functional significance of TC. The aim of this review is to develop a clear understanding of these issues. Specifically coverage in this review are published information in the areas of Diabetic retinopathy, Free radical scavenging, Anti-Diabetic, Cognition enhancing, Anti-inflammatory, Anti-allergic, Immunomodulatory and Anti-cancer, Management of Hay Fever, Antioxidant, Hypoglycaemic and Hypolipidaemic, Osteoblasts formation, Immunomodulatory, Immunostimulatory, Protection from Skeletal Muscle Atrophy, Gastroprotective, Antiosteoporotic etc. Uses of TC as plant digestive enzyme and as supplementation in formulation of various functional foods are also compiled for the information and knowledge of food scientists and technologists. The future scope of the review remains in exploiting TC so as to enable new and effective formulation in disease eradication. Further studies are necessary, however, to investigate the best practices for the promising implications of TC utilization and its functional significance.

Objective: Multidrug-resistant and pan-drug-resistant pathogens pose major challenges in the management of infections. Nanotechnology-based combination therapy is becoming more common, as it produces a synergistic antimicrobial effect. Study Design: Cross Sectional Study. Setting: Institute of Biogenetic Engineering (IBGE) Islamabad. Period: September 2015 to October 2017. Material & Methods: Silica nanoparticles were prepared by three different modifications using general Stober Method and the synthesized silica nanoparticles SiNPs were named as S1, S2 and S3. The synergism of Ciprofloxacin and Piperacillin-Tazobactam with a combination of silica nanoparticles was evaluated in LB grown culture to determine the sensitivity of Escherichia coli and pseudomonas aeruginosa. Results: The combined application of Ciprofloxacin and S1, S2 and S3 respectively retarded the growth of P. aeruginosa almost completely whereas E. coli showed minimal growth inhibition. Collective therapy of Piperacillin-Tazobactam with S1, S2 and S3 inhibits the normal growth pattern of both E. coli, P. aeruginosa as compared to the control. Conclusion: Combined application of silica nanoparticles and antibiotics inhibited the growth of MDR gram-negative bacteria in vitro.

The experiment was conducted during Kharif season 2018 at Horticulture Research Centre, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel University of Agriculture & Technology; Modipuram, Meerut (U.P.) assess the genetic diversity among fifteen genotypes of bottle gourd [Lagenaria siceraria (Mol.) Standl.]. The genetic diversity analysis according to that the formation of five clusters suggesting the presence of wide genetic diversity. The clustering pattern showed that geographical diversity wasn't related to genetic diversity. The analysis of % contribution of assorted characters toward the expression of total genetic divergence showed that the Days to 50% flowering (14.48%) followed Days of fruit set (12.95%), Vine length (m) (11.67%), Number of fruits per plant (10.93%), Number of the primary branches (10.37%), Days to first fruit harvest (10.16%), Average fruit weight (g) (9.44%), Fruit diameter (cm) (6.63%) contributed maximum towards total genetic divergence. Based on the maximum genetic distance. It is advisable to attempt a crossing of the genotype from cluster II (GP-7) with the genotype of cluster I (GP-5), cluster IV (GP-2) and cluster III (GP-1), which may cause to the generation of a broad spectrum of favorable genetic variability for yield improvement in bottle gourd.

A field study was carried out for the first time in Kashmir Valley to investigate the population status and distribution of Ibisbill. The initial reconnaissance surveys conducted across Kashmir Valley, indicated that the Lidder River in district Anantnag and Sindh River in district Ganderbal harbor populations of Ibisbill. During the intensive study carried out in the river Sindh from September 2017 to August 2018, the mean population size was maximum (36±8.63) at Stretch I and minimum (3±1.35) at stretch II. The seasonal population of Ibisbill was maximum (25.66±18.44) in the autumn and minimum (10±9.35) in the winter. The present study indicated that river Sindh provides an ideal habitat for Ibisbill, and was most widely used by the bird. We recommend further intensive research studies on the lesser known aspects of ecology and biology of this enigmatic species for long term conservation planning in the region.

A survey was conducted to know the incidence of viruses in apricot growing in the Srinagar and Shopian regions of Jammu and Kashmir during May 2015. A total of 52 leaf samples were obtained and vir...

Feeding behaviour of Ibisbill was studied in the Kashmir Himalayan River Sindh. Observations on the foraging behaviour were made at six selected sites. The food items consumed by the bird during the study period include aquatic invertebrates, insects, and fishes of smaller size. In a novel finding, the bird was found to feed on a vole (n=2). The main technique used for obtaining prey items was probing, however, pecking was also employed for feeding the larger prey items. A total of 820 observations revealed that the foraging accounted for about 44% of activity time budget in summer while as in winter the foraging was found to contribute to about 62%. Diurnal behavioral rhythms of foraging showed a peak during morning hours (8:00 to 10:00) in summer and in winter the peak was observed during the afternoon (12:00 to 15:00). The probing rate was higher (19.23±0.70) in winter and lower (17.39±0.67) in summer, whereas an inverse trend was observed for capture rate which was higher in summer (8.61±0.46) and lower (5.86±0.27) in winter. The Sindh river was also found to witness anthropogenic activities such as extensive mining (extraction of sand, silt and boulders) and tourism related activities, having a negative impact on the habitat of the bird. From the conservation viewpoint, these habitat impacting activities in this river shall be controlled, to ensure better feeding conditions for Ibisbill and other waterbirds.

Heavy metal exposure to biota has become a severe thread to the environment, as its bioaccumulation, toxicity and persistence is happing at an alarming rate. Heavy metal presence in water bodies has been reported by various researchers. Henceforth their exposure to aquatic organisms is certain. An investigation on the possible toxicological impact of Zinc sulphate on fish Clarias batrachus is carried out in laboratory. Histology of gall bladder was used as a marker for evaluation of toxicity after sub lethal exposure. Fish were exposed to sub-lethal concentrations of 5mg/L, 10mg/L and 15mg/L for 20 days. Simultaneous control was also maintained. Principle histological alterations were deformities in the normal structures of columnar epithelial line, muscular layer, and mucosal folds. 15mg/L and 20mg/L exposure of zinc sulphate altered the sub mucosa besides leading the formation of bile crystals, an indication of water loss. The severity of histopathology was exposure dependent. Histopathological alteration in gall bladder can be regarded as sensitive biomarkers of Zinc sulphate toxicological manifestations hence can be utilized for ecotoxicological biomonitoring of aquatic bodies.

Gastric cancer (GC) is a multistep process characterized by a gradual accumulation of genetic and epigenetic alterations in genes at various stages of progression. Epigenetic alterations like DNA methylation play an important role in cancer and may serve as a biomarker for cancer. The present study was aimed to investigate the promoter hypermethylation, expression profile, and Arg399Gln gene polymorphism of DNA repair gene XRCC1 (X-ray repair cross complimentary group I) in GC patients. A total of 60 histopathologically confirmed GC subjects were recruited in the study. Information on various dietary, lifestyle and environmental factors was obtained in face-to-face interviews using a structured questionnaire from each subject. Tissue samples were taken along with adjacent non-cancerous tissues for analysis. Promoter methylation status and expression of XRCC1 gene was evaluated using MS-PCR and western blotting respectively; while as Arg399Gln polymorphism was analyzed by PCR-RFLP. We found that the XRCC1 gene promoter of 38.3% cancerous tissues were methylated compared to 13.3% of adjacent normal tissues. The promoter hypermethylation status of the gene was found to be significantly associated with the loss of protein expression (P0.0001, OR = 14.63; 95% CI 4.01-53.43). However, we did not find any significant association of polymorphism of XRCC1 Arg399Gln with promoter methylation or protein expression. Further, comparison of methylation status and protein expression with clinical parameters like age, smoking status, etc. was also not significant (P0.05). The present study indicates that XRCC1 undergoes aberrant promoter hypermethylation with subsequent loss of protein expression in gastric cancer.

The present investigation was carried out at the Experimental Farm, Division of Vegetable Science, SKUAST-K, Shalimar, India during Kharif season 2020. Fifty-seven treatments comprising of 45 F1’s, 10 parents and 2 checks were evaluated for various yield and yield attributing traits in Augmented Bock Design (ABD). Analysis of variance revealed significant differences among the parents (accessions) as well as their crosses for all the traits under both environments, in the individual as well as in pooled data analysis. The maximum fruit yield hecatre-1 (q) was recorded in the accession EC-520074 (961.69) and cross EC-914092 x EC-914097 (1026.39) in E1; accession EC-914097 (719.69) and cross EC-914092 x VRT-02 (971.62) in E2 and accession WIR-3957 (611.93) and cross WIR-5032 x EC – 914092 (898.59) in pooled data analysis indicating that these should be considered for further improvement in future breeding programmes in terms of fruit yield hecatre-1.

Alternaria leaf spot caused by Alternaria alternata is one of the important foliar diseases of brinjal (Solanum melongena L.). The study focused on sustainable and eco-friendly management of Alternaria leaf spot of brinjal in Kashmir valley. The pathogen associated with the disease was identified as Alternaria alternate. The efficacy of various bio-agents and plant extracts was carried out in vitro and Trichoderma harzianum showed highest inhibition among bioagents and among plant extracts Garlic bulb extract showed maximum mycelial growth inhibition. Eco-friendly disease management in the field with most effective bio-agents and plant extracts evaluated in vivo showed that seed treatment with T. harzianum and three foliar spray with Garlic clove extract could effectively manage the disease with lowest disease incidence of 19.13 per cent and intensity of 9.02 per cent respectively and highest fruit yield of 197.80 q/ha, as compared to control plot showing highest disease incidence of 65.51 per cent and intensity of 34.51 per cent respectively with lowest fruit yield of 106.46 q/ha.

Background: The present study is an attempt to explore the anthelmintic activity of ethanolic extract of flower of Calendula officinalis. Various doses of ethanolic extracts were evaluated for their anthelmintic activity on adult Indian earthworms, Pheretima posthuma. Calendula officinalis Linn has been widely used in homeopathic medicine for the treatment of many diseases. It has been reported to possess many pharmacological activities, which include antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral,antioxidant and anti-inflammatory. Methods: The ethanol extract of air dried flowers powder (500g) was prepared by using soxlet apparatus, concentrated and vacuum dried which gave an orange yellowish mass (60.46 g). Extract was subjected to qualitative chemical investigation of phytoconstituents such as glycosides, alkaloids, flavonoids, carbohydrates, tannins, proteins, vitamins, coumarins etc. Results: All extracts were able to show anthelmintic activity at 10mg/mL concentration. The activities are comparable with the standard drugs, piperazine citrate and albendazole. The data were found statistically significantly by using one way Anova at 5% level of significance (p< 0.05). Conclusion: All the doses of ethanolic extract of calendula officinalis showed dose dependent anthelmintic activity in comparison to standard drugs. Keywords: Calendula officinalis, Asteraceae, Anthelmintic, Piperazine citrate, Albendazole

Background: Peroxynitrite, a nitrating and oxidizing agent, is formed by the interaction between nitric oxide and superoxide radicals. H2A histone is a basic nucleoprotein and is one of the major core histones responsible for packaging DNA. It has been shown that they are highly sensitive to oxidizing and nitrating agents. Objective: Nitration of tyrosine residues in proteins by peroxynitrite is regarded as a marker of nitrosative damage. The dityrosine bond, an oxidative covalent cross-link between two tyrosines in protein, is increasingly identified as a marker of oxidative stress, aging and neurodegerative diseases. Methods: Peroxinitrite-mediated nitration and dinitration in H2A histone was assessed by various biophysical techniques. Results: The data presented in this study showed that the dityrosine content was found to be elevated in H2A histone modified with peroxynitrite. The formation of dityrosine showed a decrease in fluorescence intensity, generation of a new peak in FT-IR, increase in hydrodynamic size, and loss of secondary and tertiary structure of H2A resulting in a partially folded structure. Conclusion: We report that H2A may undergo conformational and structural changes under nitrosative and oxidative stress from the deleterious effects of peroxynitrite.

Present investigation was carried out at the Horticulture Research Centre, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel University of Agriculture & Technology, Meerut during zaid-2018-19. Analysis of variance revealed significant variability among the strains of okra for all character’s studied. Heritability estimates varied from 42.97 percentage for duration of crop to 97.07 percent for plant height. Number of primary branches showed high (>25%) GCV. Moderately high variability for GCV coupled with high estimates of heritability were observed for length of internode, number of nodes per plant, plant height, number of fruits per plant, fruit yield per plant and fruit yield (q/ha). High heritability (>60%) was obtained for plant height, number of fruits per plant, fruit yield per plant, number of nodes per plant, number of primary branches, fruit yield (q/ha), length of internode, days to first flower initiation, days to 50% flowering, and days to first fruit set. The moderate heritability (20%) was found to be highest for number of primary branches, length of internode, number of nodes per plant, plant height, number of fruits per plant and fruit yield per plant, while the moderate genetic advance (10%) was observed for fruit yield, days to first flower initiation, days to first fruit set, days to 50% flowering, days to first fruit picking, days to second fruit picking and fruit length.

Catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) has been shown to be a key regulator of pregnancy outcomes in mouse, and its deficiency is causative in the development of a preeclampsia-like disease process. Preeclampsia is a human pregnancy disorder associated with failure of intrauterine trophoblast cell invasion and trophoblast-guided uterine spiral artery remodeling, which are not well-developed in mouse. The purpose of this study was to investigate COMT in rat, a species with deep intrauterine trophoblast invasion. To accomplish this task, we used clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats/Cas9-mediated genome editing of the rat Comt gene. A Comt null rat model was established and its fertility characterized. Comt null male and female rats were viable and fertile. COMT deficiency did not significantly impact pregnancy outcomes, including litter size, placental and fetal weights, Mendelian and sex ratios, or pregnancy-dependent adaptations to hypoxia. Collectively, our findings indicate that pregnancy-associated phenotypic outcomes of COMT deficiency are not equivalent in mouse and rat. In rat, COMT is not required for a successful pregnancy outcome.

Bacterial resistance towards the use of synthetic drugs has created a havoc in the modern era of health sciences. Medicinal plants may pave the way for alternative source of medicines that can overcome bacterial resistance. In this regard, employing three different extraction procedure (Maceration, Decoction and Soxhlet) aqueous extract of Moringa oleifera and Azadirachta indica were prepared and observed for bacterial inhibition and antioxidant properties. Phytochemical screening results revealed the presence of phenols, flavonoids, reducing sugars and saponins. Percentage scavenging activity primarily DPPH assay shows Moringa oleifera Soxhlet 6th (MOS 6th) with the highest percentage scavenging activity. Similarly, total flavonoid content estimation results rendered Moringa oleifera Decoction (MOD) as the highest flavonoid containing sample (68.97 ± 0.9) mg RUE/ml. Antibacterial efficiency of the extracts was monitored against Streptococcus mutans (gram-positive) and Escherichia coli (E. Coli) DH5 (gram-negative) bacteria, 96-well microtiter two-fold dilution reveals lowest MIC of 625 μg ml–1 for Neem soxhlet 6th cycle (NS 6th) against Streptococcus mutans while Moringa oliefera soxhelt 2nd cycle shows a low toxicity pattern (MIC 5000 μg ml–1). However, only three extract (Neem Soxhlet 2nd cycle, Moringa oleifera Soxhlet 2nd cycle and Neem Soxhlet 6th cycle) shows inhibitory potential against E. coli. Furthermore, zone of inhibition acquired via agar-well diffusion assay well corroborates with the results of 96-well pate. Based on extraction procedure, Soxhlet method establishes a good toxicity profile against the studied organism.

Interplay between the nervous and immune systems is critical for homeostasis, and its dysfunction underlies pathologies such as multiple sclerosis, autism, leukemia, and inflammation. The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans provides an opportunity to define evolutionarily conserved mechanisms of regulation of host innate immunity and inflammation in a genetically tractable whole-animal system. In the past few years, the C. elegans nervous system has emerged as an integral part of host defense against pathogens, acting through diverse mechanisms to repress or induce protective transcriptional responses to infection in distal tissues. In this review, we discuss current knowledge of the mechanisms through which the C. elegans nervous system controls the expression of host defense genes in the intestinal epithelium. Although still incomplete, the insights derived from such work have broad implications for neural regulation of epithelial function at mucosal barriers in higher organisms in health and disease.

The present investigation was carried out at the Experimental Field, Division of Vegetable Science, SKUAST-K, Shalimar during Kharif 2018. The experiment was laid out in randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. Thirty genotypes were evaluated for various quantitative and quality traits. Analysis of variance revealed significant differences among genotypes for all the traits. The estimates of phenotypic coefficient of variance were slightly higher than the corresponding genotypic coefficient of variance for all the characters studied indicating the little influence of environment in the expression of these traits. The highest phenotypic and genotypic coefficients of variation were observed for fruit diameter (35.65 and 34.62) followed by total chlorophyll (30.08 and 20.02) and fruit length (23.70 and 23.44). High heritability coupled with high genetic advance was recorded for fruit length (0.97 and 47.74), fruit diameter (0.94 and 71.73), total sugars (0.74 and 24.05) and dry matter content (0.84 and 25.42) indicating that the heritability is most likely due to additive gene effects and thus the chances of fixing by selection are more.

Genetic variability, heritability, genetic advance and genetic advance as a percent over mean for twenty two characters were assessed by field evaluation of sixty chilli genotypes at the Experimental Field, Division of Vegetable Science, SKUAST-K, Shalimar during Kharif 2018. The experiment was laid out in randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. High degree of variation was observed for all characters. The difference between phenotypic coefficient of variation and genotypic coefficient were found to be narrow for most of the traits. The high estimates of heritability was found for number of fruits plant-1 (99%), fruit length (96%), fruit diameter (68%), fruit weight (95%), number of fruits plant-1 (99%), and fruit yield plant-1(99%).

The unregulated discharge of nanoparticles (NPs) from various nanotechnology industries into the environment is expected to alter the composition and physiological functions of soil microbiota. Considering this knowledge gap, the impact of five NPs (Ag, ZnO, CuO, Al2O3, and TiO2) differing in size and morphology on growth behavior and physiological activity of Azotobacter chroococcum, Bacillus thuringiensis, Pseudomonas mosselii, and Sinorhizobium meliloti were investigated. Various biochemical and microscopic approaches were adopted. Interestingly, all bacterial strains were found sensitive to Ag-NPs and ZnO-NPs but showed tolerance toward CuO, Al2O3, and TiO2-NPs. The loss of cellular respiration due to NPs was coupled with a reduction in population size. ZnO-NPs at 387.5 μg mL-1 had a maximum inhibitory impact on A. chroococcum and reduced its population by 72%. Under Ag-NP stress, the reduction in IAA secretion by bacterial strains followed the order S. meliloti (74%) > P. mosselii (63%) > A. chroococcum (49%). The surface of bacterial cells had small- or large-sized aggregates of NPs. Also, numerous gaps, pits, fragmented, and disorganized cell envelopes were visible. Additionally, a treated cell surface appeared corrugated with depressions and alteration in cell length and a strong heterogeneity was noticed under atomic force microscopy (AFM). For instance, NPs induced cell roughness for P. mosselii followed the order 12.6 nm (control) > 58 nm (Ag-NPs) > 41 nm (ZnO-NPs). TEM analysis showed aberrant morphology, cracking, and disruption of the cell envelope with extracellular electron-dense materials. Increased permeability of the inner cell membrane caused cell death and lowered EPS production. Ag-NPs and ZnO-NPs also disrupted the surface adhering ability of bacteria, which varied with time and concentration of NPs. Conclusively, a plausible mechanism of NP toxicity to bacteria has been proposed to understand the mechanistic basis of ecological interaction between NPs and resourceful bacteria. These results also emphasize to develop strategies for the safe disposal of NPs.

This study demonstrates a comprehensive and cost-effective one-step rapid bio-fabrication of Eucalyptus globulus leaf extract (ELE) bio-actives functionalized copper oxide nanoparticles (CuONPs); and analyze its apoptotic and toxic effects in human breast cancer (MCF-7) cells and Aspergillus flavus. The state-of-art characterization data confirmed the thermal-stability of (i) ELE-CuONPs and (ii) surface associated ELE bio-active compounds bearing characteristic functional groups (aromatic OH, polymeric OH, C O, and C O) over a range of conventional temperatures (30 °C–80 °C), and microwave (MW) heat (140 °C). The MW accelerated ELE-CuONPs (16.9 nm) treated (25−100 μg/ml) MCF-7 cells showed a significant (p

The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) is a ligand-activated transcription factor involved in the regulation of biological responses to more planar aromatic hydrocarbons, like TCDD. We previously described the sequence of events following exposure of male rats to a dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congener, 3,3’,4,4’,5-pentachlorobiphenyl (PCB126), that binds avidly to the AhR and causes various types of toxicity including metabolic syndrome, fatty liver, and disruption of energy homeostasis. The purpose of this study was, to investigate the role of AhR to mediate those toxic manifestations following sub-acute exposure to PCB126 and to examine possible sex differences in effects. For this goal, we created an AhR knockout (AhR-KO) model using CRISPR/Cas9. Comparison was made to the wild type (WT) male and female Holtzman Sprague Dawley rats. Rats were injected with a single IP dose of corn oil vehicle or 5 µmol/kg PCB126 in corn oil and necropsied after 28 days. PCB126 caused significant weight loss, reduced relative thymus weights, and increased relative liver weights in WT male and female rats, but not in AhR-KO rats. Similarly, significant pathologic changes were visible which included necrosis and regeneration in female rats, micro- and macro-vesicular hepatocellular vacuolation in males, and a paucity of glycogen in livers of both sexes in WT rats only. Hypoglycemia and lower IGF1, and reduced serum non-esterified fatty acids (NEFAs) was found in serum of both sexes of WT rats, low serum cholesterol levels only in the females, and no changes in AhR-KO rats. The expression of genes encoding enzymes related to xenobiotic metabolism (e.g. CYP1A1), gluconeogenesis, glycogenolysis, and fatty acid oxidation were unaffected in the AhR-KO rats following PCB126 exposure as opposed to WT rats where expression was significantly upregulated (PPARα, females only) or downregulated suggesting a disrupted energy homeostasis. Interestingly, Acox2, Hmgcs, G6Pase and Pc were affected in both sexes, the gluconeogenesis and glucose transporter genes Pck1, Glut2, Sds, and Crem only in male WT-PCB rats. These results show the essential role of the AhR in glycogenolysis, gluconeogenesis, and fatty acid oxidation, i.e. in the regulation of energy production and homeostasis, but also demonstrate a significant difference in the effects of PCB126 in males verses females, suggesting higher vulnerability of glucose homeostasis in males and more changes in fatty acid/lipid homeostasis in females. These differences in effects, which may apply to more/all AhR agonists, should be further analyzed to identify health risks to specific groups of highly exposed human populations.

Background Our environment is replete with chemicals that can affect embryonic and extraembryonic development. Dioxins, such as 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo- p -dioxin (TCDD), are compounds affecting development through the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR). Objectives The purpose of this investigation was to examine the effects of TCDD exposure on pregnancy and placentation and to evaluate roles for AHR and cytochrome P450 1A1 (CYP1A1) in TCDD action. Methods Actions of TCDD were examined in wild-type and genome-edited rat models. Placenta phenotyping was assessed using morphological, biochemical, and molecular analyses. Results TCDD exposures were shown to result in placental adaptations and at higher doses, pregnancy termination. Deep intrauterine endovascular trophoblast cell invasion was a prominent placentation site adaptation to TCDD. TCDD-mediated placental adaptations were dependent upon maternal AHR signaling but not upon placental or fetal AHR signaling nor the presence of a prominent AHR target, CYP1A1. At the placentation site, TCDD activated AHR signaling within endothelial cells but not trophoblast cells. Immune and trophoblast cell behaviors at the uterine-placental interface were guided by the actions of TCDD on endothelial cells. Discussion We identified an AHR regulatory pathway in rats activated by dioxin affecting uterine and trophoblast cell dynamics and the formation of the hemochorial placenta. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP9256.

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of oil pulling in the management of oral submucous fibrosis (OSMF) . Material and Methods: A total of 62 patients clinically and histopathologically diagnosed as OSMF were incorporated in the present study. The subjects are randomly divided equally into two groups, Group A (oil pulling group) and Group B (placebo group). Subjects in Group A were asked to perform OP with sesame oil on an empty stomach in the morning for 3 months and Group B was given placebo capsules for 3 months. Assessment of various clinical parameters was done regularly, and data were analyzed using the Chi-square test. Results: Eighty-two percent had a habit of betel nut chewing, while 18% of the patients had tobacco chewing habits, which were among the main causative factors for OSMF. Clinical improvements in mouth opening, tongue protrusion, difficulty in speech and deglutition, and burning sensation were significant in the Group A. None of the patients reported any discomfort or side effects. The symptoms were not severe in nature and resolved in few days without stopping the therapy. Conclusion: Oil pulling can bring about significant clinical improvements in the symptoms like a mouth opening and tongue protrusion.

Fungal growth in table grapes (Vitis vinifera cv. beauty seedless) is triggered by Botrytis cinerea, Penicillium sp., Aspergillus sp., and Rhizopus stolonifera during post-harvest storage. Due to the safety aspects, this research aimed to develop antifungal packaging embedded with essential oils (EOs) to alleviate the fungal decay of table grapes (TG). The various levels of EOs (0.5–5%, v/v) from clove, cinnamon, thyme, peppermint, lemon, bergamot, ginger, spearmint, and lemongrass were tested against Aspergillus sp. The results attained in radial growth, disk diffusion method, minimal inhibitory concentration, and minimal fungicidal concentration revealed that 1% clove essential oil (CEO) showed higher efficacy against Aspergillus sp. compared to the untreated control and other treatments. CEO at the 1% level exhibited a pleasant odor intensity in TG than the other EOs. The active polyvinyl alcohol (7% PVA) film with 1% CEO resulted in lower weight loss, disease severity, and TG berry drop than the control and other treated samples. Additionally, the acceptance score in the TG sample wrapped with a PVA film containing 1% CEO was augmented. Therefore, the PVA film with 1% CEO retarded the fungal growth and prolonged the shelf life of TG during storage of 21 days at 13 °C and 75% relative humidity (RH).

It has become evident over the past several years that the intestinal microbial ecosystem plays a critical role in the development and prevention of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and other metabolic disorders, such as hypertension, obesity, diabetes mellitus, and metabolic syndrome. The intestinal microbiota ecosystem functions as a major virtual endocrine organ that interacts and responds to molecules’ signals within the host. Several meta-organismal pathways are involved in the gut–host interaction, including trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO) and short-chain fatty acids (SCFA). Host phenotype and cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) varying from hypertension, insulin resistance, and obesity to more specific inflammatory processes, such as atherosclerosis and hypercoagulability, have shown to be affected by the gut–host interaction. Additionally, several studies that involved animals and humans demonstrated a striking connection between the development of new CVDs and an imbalance in the gut microbiota composition along with the presence of their derived metabolites. Through this review article, we aim to evaluate the role of the normal gut microbiota ecosystem, its association with CVDs, effects of the therapies used to control and manage CVDs in the gut microbiota environment and explore potential therapeutic interventions to amplify disease outcomes in patients with CVDs.

Photoperiod is dominant environmental factor that controls plant growth and development. Even though research on plants response to photoperiod is significant in agriculture, molecular mechanisms of garlic in response to photoperiod remain largely unknown. In the current investigation, 3 months old garlic plants were treated with long day (LD) and short day (SD) for 10 and 20 days after treatment (DAT). Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) analysis of phytohormones exhibited that indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), zeatin riboside (ZR) and salicylic acid (SA) were observed maximum under LD at 10 DAT, whereas abscisic acid (ABA), gibberellic acid 3 (GA3), zeatin (ZT) and jasmonic acid (JA) were observed maximum under LD at 20 DAT. Transcriptome sequencing analysis was done to evaluate the transcriptional response to LD and SD. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were detected to have pathway enrichment. i.e., DNA binding transcription factor activity, transcription regulator activity, transferase activity, transferring hexosyl groups, and sequence specific-DNA binding activity, plant hormone signal transduction, circadian rhythm-plant, biosynthesis of amino acids, phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, and starch and sucrose metabolism. Furthermore, 28 and 40 DEGs were identified related to photoperiod and hormone signaling, respectively and their interaction in response to LD and SD were discussed in detail. Outcomes of current investigation might be useful to provide novel resources for garlic bulb formation in response to photoperiod.

Loratadine is an important anti-allergic drug. It is a second generation antihistamine drug used to treat allergic rhinitis, hay fever and urticaria. Human serum alpha 1-acid glycoprotein (AG) is an important acute phase protein and its serum concentration is found to increase in inflammation and acute response.The binding interaction between loratadine and AG is studied using spectroscopy and molecular docking techniques. The results obtained from fluorescence quenching experiments demonstrated that the fluorescence intensity of AG is quenched by loratadine. Loratadine was found to bind AG with the binding constant of ≈10

Przewalski's horses (Equus ferus przewalskii) are an endangered equid species. Anesthesia administered by remote delivery is often needed to provide medical care. Behavioral and physiologic parameters were prospectively compared in 14 horses (8 females and 6 males, 3–18 yr) after a single-dart or staged two-dart anesthesia induction protocol with intramuscular medetomidine (0.06 mg/kg), butorphanol (0.05 mg/kg), thiafentanil (0.02 mg/kg), and ketamine (1 mg/kg). Seven horses were randomly assigned to receive all drugs in a single dart, and the other seven to receive medetomidine and butorphanol 10 min prior to thiafentanil and ketamine in a second dart. Induction and recovery quality were scored on a scale from 1 to 5 (worst to best), and video recordings were assessed for frequency of specific behaviors. Need for supplemental propofol was recorded. Median induction score was significantly better (P = 0.01) after two darts (4/5) compared to a single dart (3/5). Degree of muscle fasciculation (undesirable) during induction was significantly lower (P= 0.006) with the two-dart protocol. During the transition to recumbency, 71% versus 14% of horses transitioned headfirst (undesirable) after a single dart versus two darts, respectively (P= 0.07). Supplemental propofol administration was necessary in 43% of horses after two darts and in 100% of horses after a single dart (P= 0.10) to facilitate intubation and reach a working depth of anesthesia. Physiologic and recovery parameters were not significantly different between groups. Improved induction quality was observed clinically using a staged two-dart versus a single-dart protocol and should be considered when anesthetizing captive Przewalski's horses using this drug combination.

Senecio graciliflorus DC root extract was studied for secondary metabolite composition following the bioactivity-guided isolation technique. The ethyl acetate extract of Senecio graciliflorus root yielded nine chemical constituents: 3,4-di-tert-butyl toluene, stigmasterol, β-sitosterol, 2β-(angeloyloxy)furanoeremophilane, gallic acid, 2β-{[(Z)-2-hydroxymethylbut-2-enoyl]oxy}furanoeremophilane, 1-hydroxypentan-2-yl-4-methylbenzoate, sarcinic acid, and sitosterol 3-O-β-d-glucopyranoside. The structures of the chemical constituents were elucidated on the basis of spectral data analysis in the light of literature. All the compounds are being reported for the first time from this plant. The isolated constituents were screened for neuroprotective effects against corticosterone-induced impairment in neuroblastoma cell lines (SH-SY5S cells). The viability of SH-SY5S cells was determined using MTT assay. Among various isolated compounds, three natural products (sarcinic acid, gallic acid, and β-sitosterol) displayed robust neurotropic activity. The compounds increased neuronal cell survival in differentiated neuroblastoma cells (SH-SY5Y) from high-dose corticosterone (400 µM)–induced cell death. All the three constituents showed maximum AKT/ERK pathway activation at 20 µM concentration. The studies are aimed to explore small molecules for treating neurodegeneration underlying various neurological disorders to restore neuronal cell plasticity.