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Enzyme inhibitor from natural origin without any side effects and multi diseases target provide more advantageous over commercial drugs. In present study phytocompound lupeol was isolated from Indian traditional medicinal plant Crateva adansonii leave extracts and its possible applications for treating diabetes and inflammation diseases. Single major peak in HPLC profiling and FTIR functional group analysis of lupeol fraction (LF) confirmed the presence of phytocompound lupeol in LF. LF obtained from chloroform leave extract of Crateva adansonii had most prominent inhibitory activity on alpha-amylase and alpha glucosidase with IC50 values 16.31 µg/mL and 41.25 µg/mL respectively. LF exhibit superior COX-2 enzyme (91.36%) inhibition potential among all tested samples whereas LF exhibit equipotent (81.38%) MPO enzyme inhibitory potential compared with celecoxib standard drug (86.19%). In silico validation reveals that lupeol exhibit least docking score with excellent binding affinities of -9.2, -7.6, -10.0 -8.2 Kcal/mol with COX-2, myeloperoxidase, α-amylase and α-glucosidase inflammatory molecular target enzymes respectively than inflammatory (celecoxib) and diabetic (acarbose) reference standard drugs. Further in silico molecular dynamics simulation analysis revealed that Lupeol-COX-2 RMSD (root mean square deviation) plot showed that both COX-2 and Lupeol are stable after 20 NS at 9.0 A for ligand and 3.2 A for protein. Lupeol-α amylase complex showed good level of interaction throughout the simulation when compared with reference standard drug acarbose. Present study findings suggests that lupeol from Crateva adansonii plant could be incorporated in medicinal formulations intended for treatment of chronic inflammation and diabetic disorders.

Marburg virus disease (MVD) caused by the Marburg virus (MARV) generally appears with flu-like symptoms and leads to severe hemorrhagic fever. It spreads via direct contact with infected individuals or animals. Despite being considered to be less threatening in terms of appearances and the number of infected patients, the high fatality rate of this pathogenic virus is a major concern. Until now, no vaccine has been developed to combat this deadly virus. Therefore, vaccination for this virus is necessary to reduce its mortality. Our current investigation focuses on the design and formulation of a multi-epitope vaccine based on the structural proteins of MARV employing immunoinformatics approaches. The screening of potential T-cell and B-cell epitopes from the seven structural proteins of MARV was carried out through specific selection parameters. Afterward, we compiled the shortlisted epitopes by attaching them to an appropriate adjuvant and linkers. Population coverage analysis, conservancy analysis, and MHC cluster analysis of the shortlisted epitopes were satisfactory. Importantly, physicochemical characteristics, human homology assessment, and structure validation of the vaccine construct delineated convenient outcomes. We implemented disulfide bond engineering to stabilize the tertiary or quaternary interactions. Furthermore, stability and physical movements of the vaccine protein were explored using normal-mode analysis. The immune simulation study of the vaccine complexes also exhibited significant results. Additionally, the protein–protein docking and molecular dynamics simulation of the final construct exhibited a higher affinity toward toll-like receptor-4 (TLR4). From simulation trajectories, multiple descriptors, namely, root mean square deviations (rmsd), radius of gyration (Rg), root mean square fluctuations (RMSF), solvent-accessible surface area (SASA), and hydrogen bonds, have been taken into account to demonstrate the inflexible and rigid nature of receptor molecules and the constructed vaccine. Inclusively, our findings suggested the vaccine constructs’ ability to regulate promising immune responses against MARV pathogenesis.

The plants extracts are widely used in traditional medicines and hence considered a potential source for drug discovery. In this study, we assessed the phytochemical composition of Asplenium dalhousiae and Asplenium polypodioides in acetone extracts and checked its antiproliferative potential in MDA-MB-231 cells. We found that both plants are rich in phenolic and flavonoid compounds and are efficient in antioxidant activities. The total phenolic compounds in A. dalhousiae were 44.15 ± 1.38 µg/mg whereas in A. polypodioides were 27.73 ± 1.35 µg/mg. Total flavonoids in A. dalhousiae were 105.39 ± 2.92 µg/mg whereas in A. polypodioides were 101.56 ± 1.75 µg/mg. The ferric reducing power assay indicates 66.38 ± 2.6% reduction by A. dalhousiae whereas 78.43 ± 0.47% reduction by A. polypodioides. Similarly, the total antioxidant capacity of A. dalhousiae was found to be 59.95 ± 1.13 whereas for A. polypodioides the recorded value was 33.03 ± 1.67%. Using GCMS analysis, we identified 25 compounds in A. dalhousiae whereas 26 in A. polypodioides. Four of these compounds are common in both plants. The morphological study and MTT assay revealed that both plants have antiproliferative potential as both plants exerted significant effects on the shape of the MDA-MB-231 cells and inhibited cellular proliferation in time and dose dependent manner. We conclude that both Asplenium plants have potential anticancer compounds.

The fruit of "senduduk" contains a variety of nutrients and vitamins including vitamin C and B1. This study aims to determine the levels of vitamins C and B1 in young and ripe senduduk fruit that grows in coastal areas and in the mountains. The sample of the fruit was extracted with water. The absorbance of the extract of the fruit was then measured using UV-Vis spectrophotometry for vitamin C at a wavelength of 250 nm, while for vitamin B1 was measured at 420 nm. The results showed that vitamin C levels were (G1 = 0.34; G2 = 0.29%; P1 = 0.35; and P2 = 0.31)%, vitamin B1 was (G1 = 0.21; G2 = 0, 10%; P1 = 0.28; and P2 = 0.18)%. The results of the study can be concluded that there is a significant difference in vitamin C levels between young and old fruit, but it is not significantly different for the difference in the place of growth. There is a significant difference in vitamin B1 levels between young and ripe senseng fruit.

Background: Chlorophyll is a green color pigment in plants, algae and photosynthetic bacteria. The chlorophyll contained in the leaves has a function as an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial. This study aims to determine the ability of chlorophyll from several types of vegetables to inhibit Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus and determine the differences in the diameter of the inhibition zone between them. Methods: This study was a laboratory experimental study using a completely randomized design (CRD) divided into 4 treatments, namely aquadest (P0), cassava leaf chlorophyll (P1), kale leaf chlorophyll (P2), and spinach leaf chlorophyll (P3). 6 repetitions each. Microbiological tests were carried out using the well diffusion method. Results: Anova test showed that the chlorophyll extracts of cassava, kale and spinach were very influential (P = 0.000) in inhibiting the growth of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. Duncan's further test showed that the largest average inhibition zone diameter for Escherichia coli was formed by cassava leaf chlorophyll (17.66 mm) and was significantly different from kale leaf chlorophyll (7 mm) and spinach leaves (6.16 mm). Similar to Staphylococcus aureus, the largest average inhibition zone diameter was also formed by cassava leaf chlorophyll, which was 18.16 mm and significantly different from kale leaf chlorophyll (6.75 mm) and spinach leaves (6.08 mm). Conclusion: The chlorophyll extract of cassava leaves, kale and spinach can inhibit the growth of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus with the largest inhibition zone diameter formed by the chlorophyll extract of cassava leaves.

Batee Island is one of the small islands in the Aceh Besar region and is uninhabited and directly faces the Indian Ocean. Batee Island's waters have the potential for marine biota, especially coral reef ecosystems, and other associated biotas. This study aims to determine the percentage and comparison of live coral cover in Batee Island waters and determine the genus' composition in Batee Island waters. This research was conducted in October-November 2016. Collecting coral reef data using the LIT (Line Intercept Transect) method. The results showed that the live coral cover in Batee Island's waters differed between the East and West Batee Islands. The coral reefs' average condition in Batee Island waters at shallow depths (0-5m) is 41.41%, and deep (6-10m) is 36.52%. Overall, the conditions and live coral cover in the waters of Batee Island are classified as moderate. In the waters of Batee Island, there are 31 coral genera. The highest percentage of corals was the genus Acropora (50.02%).Keywords:Batee IslandConditionCoral reefCoral cover

Ficus latex is rich in polyphenolic compounds and hence considered as an antioxidant and anti-proliferative. Many studies are available on Ficus carica (common fig) whereas Ficus salicifolia is less studied. F. salicifolia grows in a harsh dry environment, therefore its latex was selected in the current study along with the F. carica for their comparative anti-cancer potential and the involved molecular mechanism. Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) derived MDA-MB-231 cells were used in the study. MTT and morphological studies indicated that the latex of both plants has anti-proliferative effects. To know their anti-metastatic effects, a wound-healing assay was performed. Both species were able to maintain the wound size compared to the untreated cells indicating their anti-metastatic effects. Using a DNA damage assay kit, we found that both fig species have genotoxic and cytotoxic effects in MDA-MB-231 cells compared to the untreated control. To know the potential molecular mechanism involved, we used a human kinase array kit. We found that ERK2, CREB, and AKT2 were downregulated after treatment the MDA-Mb-231 cells with the latex of F. carica. We assumed that F. salicifolia will also affect the same pathways, however after confirmation through real-time (RT)-PCR, downregulations of the above mentioned pathways were confirmed in cells treated with F. carica latex, however, in cells treated with F. salicifolia the selected genes were upregulated at the transcriptional level. We conclude that latex of both species of ficus have anti-cancer effects in MDA-MB-231 cells, however differ in their level of toxicity and the mechanism of action at the molecular level.

Antibiotic resistance is a global concern. Two members of the bacterial genus Elizabethkingia, namely, E. anophelis and E. meningoseptica have raised much concern in recent years because of their resistance to multiple commonly used antibiotics. Identification of multidrug resistant and pan-drug resistant bacteria has propelled the search for new antibiotics that can act on unconventional targets. Researches are going on to find out the possibility of using bacterial ribonucleotide reductases as a novel target for antibiotic development. Through in silico evaluations, this study aims for characterization and functional annotation of ribonucleotide reductase enzymes of E. anophelis and E. meningoseptica. Binding affinities with these enzymes of the compounds that have shown promising results in inhibiting Pseudomonas aeruginosa growth by acting on its ribonucleotide reductase were also assessed by molecular docking and dynamics simulations. Insights from this study will help in battling these infections in the near future. Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma

The genetically modified cotton holding Bt proteins, is noxious to bollworms larvae but very little is known about its impact on population of non-target spiders within the field. Studies conducted with the aim to identify spiders along with their abundance, prevalence pattern, preying habit on insect pests in Bt cotton (L280, Cry2Ab4) and commonness of symbiotic bacteria in these spiders. Spiders collections were made via vial tapping/jarring, from May to end of October (2018). In total, 13,342 spiders were recorded during the entire cropping season. Least relative abundance was in May (0.28%), highest in August (30.39%) while ahead decline was observed, reached to 12% in October. The 27 species were verified, least richness was in May (3 species), high in August (19 species), later in the end, reduced to 7 species. High abundance was of Hylyphantes graminicola (68.56%) and Neoscona theisi (19.98%). Existence of H. graminicola and Pardosa astrigera observed during the whole cropping season. Presence of seven guilds among spiders had a diverse nature of hunting insect pests and on number of species existed in the crop, maximum was from direct hunting habit. Composition and community structure of microbiota varied as of spider species. Proteobacteria was the most abundant bacterial phylum and topmost genus was Wolbachia in observed spiders. Five groups of bacteria distinguished across 4 clusters of spiders depending on core community of symbiotic bacterial genera. This effort is an initial step to get knowhow about spiders in Bt cotton, which will facilitate future research studies concerning spiders.

A hypothalamic neuropeptide, RF-amide related peptide-3 (RFRP-3), the mammalian ortholog of the avian gonadotropin-inhibitory hormone (GnIH) has inhibitory signals for reproductive axis via G-protein coupled receptor 147 in mammals. Moreover, RFRP-3 has orexigenic action but the mechanism involved in energy homeostasis and glucose metabolism is not yet known. Though, the RFRP-3 modulates orexigenic action in co-operation with other neuropeptides, which regulates metabolic cues in the hypothalamus. Administration of GnIH/RFRP-3 suppresses plasma luteinizing hormone, at the same time stimulates feeding behavior in birds and mammals. Likewise, in the metabolically deficient conditions, its expression is up-regulated suggests that RFRP-3 contributes to the integration of energy balance and reproduction. However, in many other metabolic conditions like induced diabetes and high-fat diet obesity, etc. its role is still not clear while, RFRP-3 induces the glucose homeostasis by adipocytes is reported. The physiological role of RFRP-3 in metabolic homeostasis and the metabolic effects of RFRP-3 signaling in pharmacological studies need a detailed discussion. Further studies are required to find out whether RFRP-3 is associated with restricted neuroendocrine function observed in type II diabetes mellitus, aging, or sub-fertility. In this context, the current review is focused on the role of RFRP-3 in the above-mentioned mechanisms. Studies from search engines including PubMed, Google Scholar, and science.gov are included after following set inclusion/exclusion criteria. As a developing field few mechanisms are still inconclusive, however, based on the available information RFRP-3 seems to be a putative tool in future treatment strategies towards metabolic disease.

Honey bee is vital for pollination and ecological services, boosting crops productivity in terms of quality and quantity and production of colony products: wax, royal jelly, bee venom, honey, pollen and propolis. Honey bees are most important plant pollinators and almost one third of diet depends on bee’s pollination, worth billions of dollars. Hence the role that honey bees have in environment and their economic importance in food production, their health is of dominant significance. Honey bees can be infected by various pathogens like: viruses, bacteria, fungi, or infested by parasitic mites. At least more than 20 viruses have been identified to infect honey bees worldwide, generally from Dicistroviridae as well as Iflaviridae families, like ABPV (Acute Bee Paralysis Virus), BQCV (Black Queen Cell Virus), KBV (Kashmir Bee Virus), SBV (Sacbrood Virus), CBPV (Chronic bee paralysis virus), SBPV (Slow Bee Paralysis Virus) along with IAPV (Israeli acute paralysis virus), and DWV (Deformed Wing Virus) are prominent and cause infections harmful for honey bee colonies health. This issue about honey bee viruses demonstrates remarkably how diverse this field is, and considerable work has to be done to get a comprehensive interpretation of the bee virology.

The date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) is an important fruit crop with significant pharmaceutical potential. Little data are available on comparative pharmaceutical importance of the date pits. We designed this study to assess the antitumorigenic effects of date palm pits extracts from different Emiratis varieties. We used MDA-MB-231 cells derived from triple negative breasts cancer tissues as a model. We found that out of the 17 date pits extracts from 6 Emiratis varieties, three (Khalas extract in water + acetone (1:1), Abu-Maan extract in MeOH + Chloroform (1:1) and Mabroom extract in water + acetone (1:1)) were found effectively cytotoxic and changed morphology of cells in dose and time dependent manner. We found the maximum effect at 2.5 mg/mL concentration at 72 h. We calculated IC50 values for these varieties at 24 h. IC50 values for Khalas, Abu-Maan and Mabroom were 0.982 mg/mL, 1.149 mg/mL and 2.213 mg/mL respectively. We treated the cells with IC50 values of extracts and observed changes in protein profile using human kinase array kit. After analyzing the results, we suggest that EGFR/ERK/FAK pathway, eNOS and src family proteins are targets of these extracts. We conclude that date pits extracts can be a possible therapeutic agent against cancer and we suggest further studies.

Background Bioinformatics tools are of great significance and are used in different spheres of life sciences. There are wide variety of tools available to perform primary analysis of DNA and protein but most of them are available on different platforms and many remain undetected. Accessing these tools separately to perform individual task is uneconomical and inefficient. Objective Our aim is to bring different bioinformatics models on a single platform to ameliorate scientific research. Hence, our objective is to make a tool for comprehensive DNA and protein analysis. Methods To develop a reliable, straight-forward and standalone desktop application we used state of the art python packages and libraries. Bioinformatics Mini Toolbox (BMT) is combination of seven tools including FastqTrimmer, Gene Prediction, DNA Analysis, Translation, Protein analysis and Pairwise and Multiple alignment. Results FastqTrimmer assists in quality assurance of NGS data. Gene prediction predicts the genes by homology from novel genome on the basis of reference sequence. Protein analysis and DNA analysis calculates physiochemical properties of nucleotide and protein sequences, respectively. Translation translates the DNA sequence into six open reading frames. Pairwise alignment performs pairwise global and local alignment of DNA and protein sequences on the basis or multiple matrices. Multiple alignment aligns multiple sequences and generates a phylogenetic tree. Conclusion We developed a tool for comprehensive DNA and protein analysis. The link to download BMT is https://github.com/nasiriqbal012/BMT_SETUP.git.

Chewing the betel leaf is a proses of concocting a mixture of several ingredients such us betel leaves, areca nuts and gambier were known to provide a refreshing teste, overcoming stress and believed can strengthen teeth and gums. In addition, these plants also suspected of having antibacterial potential. This research was conducted to determine the ability of combination of betel leaf extract, areca nut and gambier against Streptococcus mutans. This research was experimental by using Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with 8 treatments which is P0 (aquadest), P1{combination of betel leaf extract, areca nut and gambier (3:3:3)}, P2 (3:2:3), P3 (3:1:2), P4 (1:2:3), P5 (2:1:3). P6 (1:3:2) dan P7 (2:3:1). Microbiology test using was diffusion method. Based on results of Anova showed that combination of betel leaf extract, areca nut and gambier greatly effect the growth of Streptococcus mutans (P = 0,000). Duncan further test results showed that the largest average diameter of inhibition zone is indicated by P1 which is 29,50 mm and not significantly different from P2 (26,0 mm) and P3 (26,25 mm) but significantly different from P4 (18,25 mm), P5 (21,5 mm), P6 (18,75 mm) and P7 (21,75 mm). While the smallest average diameter of inhibition zone is indicated by P4 (18,24 mm) and not significantly different from P5 (21,50 mm), P6 (18,75 mm) and P7 (21,75 mm) but significantly different from P1 (29,50 mm) and not significantly different from P2 (26,0 mm) and P3 (26,25 mm).

The present study was carried out to investigate the effects of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) on the growth, photosynthesis, leaf histology, mineral uptake, phytochemical accumulation, and Rubisco gene expression in Ficus deltoidea var. deltoidea, a slow growing medicinal plant. The F. deltoidea plants were spray-treated with 0 (control), 8, 16, 30 and 60 mM H2O2 under field conditions. The results showed that the applications of 30 mM H2O2 increased the plant height, leaf number, and syconium number by 26%, 9% and 2275%, respectively, over the control specimen. Photosynthetic rates, transpiration, stomatal conductance and chlorophyll content of F. deltoidae plants increased significantly after treatment of 30 mM H2O2. A lower concentration (8 and 16 mM) of H2O2 also improved the leaf histological properties such as tracheary elements and other vascular cells. In addition, treatments with 30 mM H2O2 increased calcium, potassium, total phenolic and flavonoids content, in F. deltoidea plants, by 14%, 15%, 12% and 72%, respectively. In addition, H2O2 treatment at 30 mM concentration downregulated the Rubisco gene with a between 1 and 5 times fold gene expression change. From this study, it can be concluded that spraying with 30 and 16 mM of H2O2 once a week enhanced growth, photosynthesis, mineral accumulation, phenol and flavonoid content, as well as aided Rubisco gene expression, under field conditions.

The heavy metals were studied in water, sediments, algae, and various tissues of Glyptosternon reticulatum and Cyprinus carpio from River Swat, Pakistan, using flame atomic absorption spectrophotometer. The Zn, Cu, Pb and Ni were higher in water at sewage site compared to upstream and downstream sites. In sediments, the Ni and Cd were not detected whereas Cu, Pb and Zn were higher at downstream followed by sewage and upstream sites. The Ni and Zn in algae were higher at upstream and sewage sites compared to downstream site whereas Pb and Cd were higher at upstream site compared to sewage and downstream sites and Cu was found same at all the three sites. The heavy metals (Zn > Cu > Pb and Ni) in tissues (liver > gills > skin > muscles) of G. reticulatum was higher than in C. carpio. This study recommends the proper monitoring of River Swat in order to save its water and inhabitant aquatic life.

Root-knot nematodes Meloidogyne incognita (Kofoid and White) Chitwood and Rhizoctonia bataticola (Taub.) Butler, fungus, are very dangerous root damaging pathogens. Present study was planned to establish a chemical control of these root deteriorating pathogens under lab conditions as well as in field. Maximum death rate of nematode juveniles and minimum numbers of nematode eggs hatched were recorded in plates treated with Cadusafos (Rugby® 100G) @12 g/100 ml and Cartap® (4% G) @9g/100 ml. Chemical treatment of Rhizoctonia bataticola with Trifloxystrobin + Tebuconazole (Nativo®) @0.2 g/100 ml and Mancozeb + Matalaxyl (Axiom) @0.25 g/100 ml significantly controlled the mycelial growth in plates. The best treatments tested in laboratory were applied in field as protective and curative treatments. Results proved that chemical control of root-knot nematode and root rot fungi by tested chemicals at recommended time and dose is a significant management technique under field conditions.

The present study was designed to assess the incidence of aflatoxin contamination in animal feed and raw milk samples (total 240 each) collected from dairy farms during the complete year of 2015. These samples were collected through a cluster random sampling technique by dividing the province of Punjab, Pakistan into five clusters (north, south, east, west and central). Factors (environmental & physical) affecting aflatoxin contamination in milk and animal feed at farms were also studied. The AFM1 levels in raw milk & AFB1 levels in feed samples were analyzed by using the ELISA technique. Results demonstrated that overall about 53% raw milk samples from dairy farms were contaminated beyond the US MRL (0.50 µg/L) for AFM1 with than average level of 0.59 µg/L, while the 95% farm feed samples were exceeding the FDA MRL (20 µg/kg) of AFB1 with average level of 43 µg/kg. During winter season, the concentration of AFM1 was higher in all clusters with avg 0.68 µg/L, while the AFB1 contamination was highest in the spring season with avg 54 µg/kg. Market feed prices had negative correlation with AFB1 contamilevels, which were further supported by the positive correlation between quantity of feed at farms with AFM1 and AFB1 contamination. Results exhibited significantly positive impact of environmental factors on milk and feed aflatoxin contamination levels, whereas temperature showed an inverse relationship with AFM1 and AFB1 levels. The study recommends need of synergistic extension work to support dairy farms and highlight the contamination levels for regulatory bodies to introduce strategic policies for control measures., Study recommends dire need of synergistic extension work for the awareness and motivation of farmers. Moreover, this extensive screening facility highlights government authorities to establish mechanism of support required to the farmers in postharvest handling, drying, storage, and transportation of agriculture produce. Strategic actions and policies must implement to make aflatoxin‐free milk supply chain.

This research describes an investigation of the antipyretic and hepatoprotective properties of both a crude organic extract and various subfractions of the ethnomedicinal plant Tinospora crispa, using appropriate animal models. In an attempt to identify potential lead hepatoprotective compounds, in silico experiments were utilized. Antipyretic activity was assessed via the Brewer's yeast‐induced pyrexia method, while hepatoprotective effects were evaluated in a carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)‐induced animal model. A computer‐aided prediction of activity spectra for substances (PASS) model was applied to a selection of documented phytoconstituents, with the aim of identifying those compounds with most promising hepatoprotective effects. Results were analyzed using Molinspiration software. Our results showed that both the methanol extract (METC) and various subfractions (pet ether, PEFTC; n‐hexane, NHFTC; and chloroform, CFTC) significantly (p, Methanol extract and its soluble fractions of Tinospora crispa exerted significant antipyretic activity and methanol extract is also responsible for hepatoprotective activity in vivo and in silico studies revealed that T. crispa possesses potential lead compounds for hepatoprotective activity.

Background Soil carbon-rich organic amendments (biochar, humic substances) may improve the quality and fertility of arable soil. Their co-application can additively enhance the beneficial effect on soil. Hypothetically, the pre-treatment of biochar, by aging via soaking in a solution of commercially available humic substances, could result in synergism, which may exceed the benefit from simple co-application of both amendments to the soil. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the impact of biochar, humic substances, the combination of both, and the impact of biochar aged by humic substances solution on soil microbial activities and plant growth in a short-term pot experiment with lettuce. Results The aging of biochar decreased the C:N ratio as compared to non-activated biochar. The co-application of biochar and humic substances into the soil resulted in the highest microbial biomass carbon and respiration activity. The majority of enzyme activities (β-glucosidase, arylsulfatase, N-acetyl-β-d-glucosaminidase, phosphatase) were the highest in humic substances-amended soil. The application of humic substances and biochar with humic substances seemed to stimulate microbial growth and activity followed by the competition of microflora for nutrients with plants, whereas the aged biochar behaved differently. The plants treated by aged biochar achieved the highest values of dry aboveground and root biomass of all variants. However, the assumed rapid uptake of nutrients by plants resulted in lower nutrient availability for microflora, and a decline in microbial viability. Conclusions Based on this study, the positive effect of co-applied humic substances and biochar on soil fertility, quality, and health can be concluded. The usability of biochar aging by humic solution requires further study. Graphic abstract

This study aims to study the effect of Yucca shidigera as a phytobiotic supplementation in enhancing the production performance of commercial broilers reared under tropical environments. A total of 300 male day-old Ross 308 broiler chicks were randomly allocated into six treatment groups. Treatment 1 broilers were fed with commercial diets without antibiotics. Treatment 2 broilers were fed with commercial diets added with 100 mg/kg oxytetracycline antibiotic. Treatment 3, 4, 5, and 6 were fed with the same commercial diets added with 25, 50, 75, and 100 mg/kg Y. shidigera, respectively, without antibiotic. Throughout the six weeks study period, body weight and feed intake were recorded weekly for each replicate to calculate the body weight gain and feed conversion ratio. In addition, the nutrient digestibility, gut histomorphology, cecal microflora population, carcass characteristics, and meat quality were determined. The results showed significant differences (p &lt, 0.05) in the growth performance, apparent ileal nutrient digestibility, gut histomorphology, carcass traits, and meat quality. Overall, T6 broilers supplemented with 100 mg/kg Y. shidigera demonstrated the best production performances as compared to the other treatment broilers. In summary, information from this study will be valuable for the usability of Y. schidigera, which could be developed as a feed additive to replace antibiotics in the poultry sector in the tropics.

Kajian ini dijalankan bagi mengetahui corak taburan ruang-masa semut (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) dan memahami ekologi ruang semut di ekosistem sawit di Endau Rompin, Pahang. Persampelan dijalankan selama empat bulan berturut-turut di tiga jenis tanah iaitu tanah liat (A1 & A2), tanah gambut dalam (B1 & B2) dan tanah gambut cetek (C1 & C2). Kaedah perangkap lubang digunakan bagi mensampel semut yang mencari makanan di atas tanah. Sejumlah 3,968 individu semut berjaya diperoleh, mewakili 13 genus dalam empat subfamili. Anoplolepis mencatatkan bilangan individu paling melimpah iaitu sebanyak 1,692 individu (45.75%) diikuti dengan Pheidole (862 individu; 23.31%) dan Paratrechina (228 individu; 6.17%). Dalam tanah liat, Anoplolepis ialah genus yang paling melimpah manakala bagi tanah gambut dalam dan cetek, Pheidole adalah genus yang paling melimpah berbanding genus yang lain. Ujian Khi kuasa-dua (dua hala) mengenal pasti perbezaan yang signifikan (p 1; p 0.05). Corak taburan ruang-masa setempat bagi subfamili semut adalah sangat dinamik dengan perubahan corak kelompok dan luang yang berbeza pada bulan yang berlainan. Gambaran awal corak taburan ruang-masa setempat bagi semut di ekosistem sawit yang diperoleh dalam kajian ini menunjukkan hubung kait ekologi dan lakuan beberapa genus walau pun secara kolektifnya dicerap pada peringkat subfamili. Kajian lanjut bagi melihat asosiasi ruang-masa antara subfamili dirasakan perlu bagi memperjelaskan lagi ekologi lakuan dan interaksi dalam kalangan komuniti berfungsi semut.

This work reports the fabrication of an electrochemical glucose biosensor based on functionalized graphene, assembled onto a gold-sputtered screen-printed electrode. With the aim of simplicity, versatility, and low cost, biosensors dually functionalized with graphene oxide containing excess carboxylic acids and thiol functionality were synthesized and characterized by Fourier transform infrared, Raman, and UV–vis spectroscopy. The increased carboxylic groups of the graphene backbone provided more active sites for the remote functional groups of glucose oxidase during 1-ethyl-3-(3-(dimethylamino)propyl)carbodiimide-assisted immobilization. The modified electrode interface was characterized by scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and cyclic voltammetry. This hybrid electrode interface showed higher sensitivity for glucose (3.1732 μA mM–1 cm–2) with a detection limit of 0.3194 mM (S/N = 3). Furthermore, the fabricated biosensor demonstrated a linear response in 3–9 mM glucose concentration ...

Simeulue is a cluster of islands that rich of commercial fisheries in Aceh waters. Management of the fisheries products is highly related to species identification in order to ascertain the appropriate steps to manage the resources sustainably. Identification using DNA barcoding tools is the right answer for the problem that have not been able to be resolved even by morphological approach. Some of 11 individual samples were taken from 6 sampling points based on lobster’s catchment and cultivation areas. All of the samples were identified using COI mitochodrial DNA resulting 6 species including Scomber scombus, Scomberomorus plurilineatus, Octopus cyanea, Taeniura Lymna, Sympterygia bonapartii and Panulirus versicolor. The DNA bases were aligned using MEGA application and Neigbour- Joining method, Kimura 2 parameters resulting a 690 base pairs nucleotides. Reconstruction of philogenetic tree shows that the species of Simeulue were conjoined into one clade with the sequences downloaded from genebank. It shows that those species were closely related genetically indicating by the bootstrap value of Scomber scombus (100), Scomberomorus plurilineatus (100), Octopus cyanea (100). The results of the study shows that the DNA barcoding tools can explicate not only the identification up to the species level but also the genetic relationship that can be seen from the interspecies bases composition.

The present study was designed to evaluate the strength of association of raised plasma homocysteine concentration as a risk factor for coronary heart disease independent of conventional risk factor. It was a case control study conducted at Punjab Institute of Cardiology Lahore. A total of 210 subjects aged 25 to 60 years comprising of 105 newly admitted patients of CHD as cases and 105 age and sex matched healthy individuals with no history of CHD as control were recruited for the study. Fasting blood samples were obtained from cases and controls. Plasma homocysteine was analyzed by fluorescence polarization immunoassay (FPIA) method on automated immunoassay analyzer (Abbott IMX). Total cholesterol, triglyceride and HDL cholesterol were analyzed using calorimetric kit methods. The concentration of LDL cholesterol was calculated using Friedewald formula. The patients were also assessed for traditional risk factors such as age, sex, family history of CVD, hypertension, smoking and physical activity, and were compared with control subjects. The collected data was entered in SPSS version 24 for analysis and interpretation.The mean age in controls and experimental groups were 43.00± 8.42 years and 44.72± 8.59 years with statistically same distribution (p- value= 0.144). The mean plasma homocysteine for cases was 22.33± 9.22 µmol/L where as it was 12.59±3.73 µmol/L in control group. Highly significant difference was seen between the mean plasma level of homocysteine in cases and controls (p˂0.001).Simple logistic regression indicates a strong association of coronary heart disease with hyperhomocysteinemia (OR 7.45), which remained significantly associated with coronary heart disease by multivariate logistic regression (OR 7.10, 95%C1 3.12-12.83, p=0.000). The present study concludes that elevated levels of Plasma homocysteine is an independent risk factor for coronary heart disease independent of conventional risk factors and can be used as an indicator for predicting the future possibility for the onset of CVD. Resumo O presente estudo foi desenhado para avaliar a força da associação da concentração elevada de homocisteína no plasma como um fator de risco para doença cardíaca coronária independente do fator de risco convencional. Foi um estudo de caso-controle realizado no Punjab Institute of Cardiology Lahore. Um total de 210 indivíduos com idade entre 25 e 60 anos, compreendendo 105 pacientes recém-admitidos de CHD como casos e 105 indivíduos saudáveis pareados por idade e sexo sem histórico de CHD como controle, foi recrutado para o estudo. Amostras de sangue em jejum foram obtidas de casos e controles. A homocisteína plasmática foi analisada pelo método de imunoensaio de polarização de fluorescência (FPIA) em analisador de imunoensaio automatizado (Abbott IMX). Colesterol total, triglicerídeos e colesterol HDL foram analisados usando métodos de kit calorimétrico. A concentração de colesterol LDL foi calculada pela fórmula de Friedewald. Os pacientes também foram avaliados para fatores de risco tradicionais, como idade, sexo, história familiar de DCV, hipertensão, tabagismo e atividade física, e foram comparados com indivíduos de controle. Os dados coletados foram inseridos no SPSS versão 24 para análise e interpretação. A média de idade nos grupos controles e experimentais foi de 43,00 ± 8,42 anos e 44,72 ± 8,59 anos com distribuição estatisticamente igual (p-valor = 0,144). A homocisteína plasmática média para os casos foi de 22,33 ± 9,22 µmol / L, enquanto no grupo controle foi de 12,59 ± 3,73 µmol / L. Diferença altamente significativa foi observada entre o nível plasmático médio de homocisteína em casos e controles (p ˂ 0,001). A regressão logística simples indica uma forte associação de doença cardíaca coronária com hiper-homocisteinemia (OR 7,45), que permaneceu significativamente associada com doença cardíaca coronária por multivariada regressão logística (OR 7,10, 95% C1 3,12-12,83, p = 0,000). O presente estudo conclui que níveis elevados de homocisteína plasmática são fator de risco independente para doença cardíaca coronária, independentemente dos fatores de risco convencionais, e pode ser usado como um indicador para prever a possibilidade futura de aparecimento de DCV.

The unavailability of vaccine and medicines raised serious issues during COVID-19 pandemic and peoples from different parts of world relied on traditional medicine for their immediate recovery from COVID-19 and it found effective also. The current research aims to target COVID-19 immunological human host receptors i.e. angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE)-2, interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and protease-activated receptor (PAR)-1 using curcumin derivatives to prevent viral infection and control overproduction of early clinical responses of COVID-19. Targeting these host proteins will mitigate the infection and will filter out many complications caused by these proteins in COVID-19 patients. It is proven through computer-aided computational modeling approaches, total 30 compounds of curcumin and its derivatives were chosen. Drug-likeness parameters were calculated for curcumin and its derivatives and 20 curcumin analogs were selected for docking analysis. From docking analysis of 20 curcumin analogs against five chosen human host receptor targets reveals 11 curcumin analogs possess least binding affinity and best interaction at active sites subjected to absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion (ADME) analysis. Density functional theory (DFT) analysis of five final shortlisted curcumin derivatives was done to show least binding affinity toward chosen host target protein. Molecular dynamics simulation (MDS) was performed to observe behavior and interaction of potential drug hydrazinocurcumin against target proteins ACE-2 and PAR-1. It was performed at 100 nanoseconds and showed satisfactory results. Finally, our investigation reveals that hydrazinocurcumin possesses immunomodulatory and anti-cytokine therapeutic potential against COVID-19 and it can act as COVID-19 warrior drug molecule and promising choice of drug for COVID-19 treatment, however, it needs further

(1) Background: Enterococcus faecium DO is an environmental microbe, which is a mesophilic, facultative, Gram-positive, and multiple habitat microorganism. Enterococcus faecium DO is responsible for many diseases in human. The fight against infectious diseases is confronted by the development of multiple drug resistance in E. faecium. The focus of this research work is to identify a novel compound against this pathogen by using bioinformatics tools and technology. (2) Methods: We screened the proteome (accession No. PRJNA55353) information from the genome database of the National Centre for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) and suggested a potential drug target. I-TASSER was used to predict the three-dimensional structure of the protein, and the structure was optimized and minimized by different tools. PubChem and ChEBI were used to retrieve the inhibitors. Pharmacophore modeling and virtual screening were performed to identify novel compounds. Binding interactions of compounds with target protein were checked using LigPlot. pkCSM, SwissADME, and ProTox-II were used for adsorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity (ADMET) properties. (3) Results: Novel selected compounds have improved absorption and have better ADMET properties. Based on our results, the chemically identified inhibitor ZINC48942 targeted the receptor that can inhibit the activity of infection in E. faecium. This research work will be beneficial for the scientific community and could aid in the design of a new drug against E. faecium infections. (4) Conclusions: It was observed that novel compounds are potential inhibitors with more efficacy and fewer side effects. This research work will help researchers in testing and identification of these chemicals useful against E. faecium.

Bartonelloses are emerging infectious diseases that are common in humans and animals worldwide. Several Bartonella species associated with companion animals such as Bartonella henselae and Bartonella rochalimae are species with zoonotic implications and have become a global concern. Other Bartonella species associated with wild animals, however, remain underappreciated particularly in the developing regions of the world. To explore further on this neglected bacterial agent, Leptocyclopodia ferrari (Nycteribiidae) bat flies collected from Cynopterus brachyotis (Pteropodidae), an endemic fruit bat species in Southeast Asia, were molecularly examined for the presence of Bartonella. Both 16S-23S ribosomal RNA intergenic spacer region and citrate synthase gene sequences exhibited less than 95% similarity to all previously reported Bartonella spp. Further phylogenetic analysis revealed a novel clade of this Bartonella sp. with high bootstrap support. The vectorial capacity of bat flies in transmitting this novel pathogen merits further investigation.

A study was conducted on the toxicity potential of six insecticides (Lesenta 80% WG, Trunk 20% SC, Karate 2.5 EC, Route 57 EC, Refree 5% SC and Thimet 5G) against the sugarcane black bug (C. excavatus) at two different locations in tehsil Kot Addu District Muzaffargarh, Pakistan. Seven treatments including control with three replications were maintained following Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD). The treatments were applied at their recommended doses and mortality data were recorded before and after 24 followed by 48, 72 and 168 hours of application. The results revealed that all the insecticides significantly suppressed the target pest population compared to control. Route 57 EC (Malathion) was revealed as most effective insecticide due to causing highest mortality in both locations 84.29% and 84.44% followed by Trunk 20 % SC (Clothinadion) with 80.03% and 79.88% mortality of the target pest after 168 hours of application. Whereas Karate 2.5 EC (Lambda cyhalothrin) was evaluated as least effective with 51.95% and 52.97% mortality at both locations, respectively. Our results suggest that Route 57 EC (Malathion) @ 500 ml per acre is effective against sugarcane black bug and can be used for the chemical management of this pest. Keyword: Black bug; Efficacy; Insecticides; Malathion; Sugarcane http://dx.doi.org/10.19045/bspab.2020.90180

The use of Probiotics in aquaculture got an importance in the previous years. Hence, present study was carried out to evaluate the effects of the commercially available dietary probiotic (a consortium of Bacillus subtilis and Saccharomyces cerevisiae) on the growth, proximate body composition, digestive enzymes, hematological parameters and immune response of rohu (Labeo rohita) in a polyculture system. Fingerlings with average body weight and length of 11.00 ± 2.34 g and 9.50 ± 5.50 cm, respectively, were stocked in 6 earthen ponds, at the rate of 200 fingerlings/pond making a total of 1200 fingerlings. The experiment was extended for 3 months in two groups i.e. probiotics treated and control groups. After three months feeding trial glucose, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), moisture content, ash contents and feed conversion rate (FCR) were significantly decreased in the probiotics supplemented group. At the same time point, Hb, MCH, HCT, total protein, plasma protein, lipid contents, final body mass and final body weight, percent weight gain, cellulase activity, protease activity and amylase activity and white blood corpuscles were significantly increased in the probiotics supplemented group. In conclusion, the use of probiotic enhanced growth, digestive enzyme activities and immune response of L. rohita in a polyculture system.

The core objective was to evaluate the effect of probiotic fortification at three phases of formula milk administration in malnourished children. A dose related effect was determined in 30 severely acute malnourished children (6-59 months) in a double-blind, randomized design. According to the results, serum albumin levels, treatment T2 (6 billion cfu) has significantly increased albumin levels (3.7g/dL) and the effect of phase-III (Plumpy'nut) was found to be better. Results regarding sodium levels showing probiotic-dose have significant effect (P≤0.05) in phases as well. Moreover, the effect of T1 i.e. 3 billion cfu of probiotics has significantly reduced sodium levels (141.8mmol/L) vs. others and the effect of phase-II was better on reducing sodium levels. which is further confirmed in terms of reduced erythrocyte sedimentation rate levels at phase-III (29.566 vs. phase-II, 41.3 and phase-I, 46.533 mm/h). Conclusively, the effect of 6 billion cfu at phase-III was more effective on blood parameters.

In human‐modified landscapes, important ecological functions such as predation are negatively affected by anthropogenic activities, including the use of pesticides and habitat degradation. Predation of insect pests is an indicator of healthy ecosystem functioning, which provides important ecosystem services, especially for agricultural systems. In this study, we compare predation attempts from arthropods, mammals, and birds on artificial caterpillars in the understory, between three tropical agricultural land‐use types: oil palm plantations, rubber tree plantations, and fruit orchards. We collected a range of local and landscape‐scale data including undergrowth vegetation structure; elevation; proximity to forest; and canopy cover in order to understand how environmental variables can affect predation. In all three land‐use types, our results showed that arthropods and mammals were important predators of artificial caterpillars and there was little predation by birds. We did not find any effect of the environmental variables on predation. There was an interactive effect between land‐use type and predator type. Predation by mammals was considerably higher in fruit orchards and rubber tree than in oil palm plantations, likely due to their ability to support higher abundances of insectivorous mammals. In order to maintain or enhance natural pest control in these common tropical agricultural land‐use types, management practices that benefit insectivorous animals should be introduced, such as the reduction of pesticides, improvement of understory vegetation, and local and landscape heterogeneity., Arthropods were the most dominant predators, followed by mammals and birds. Predation by mammals was considerably higher in fruit orchards and rubber tree than in oil palm plantations. Natural predators should be promoted as an alternative to chemical insecticides.

Introduction The renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) is an important target in the treatment of hypertension. Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors block the conversion of angiotensin I to angiotensin II. ACE inhibitors not only treat hypertension but also decrease morbidity and mortality in heart failure patients and in patients with acute myocardial infarction. The discontinuation of ACE inhibitors before the surgery is still controversial. To assess the current magnitude of the problem in our population, we aimed to conduct this study, which evaluated the frequency of intraoperative hypotension after the induction of anesthesia in controlled hypertensive patients with preoperative ACE inhibitors. Material and methods This descriptive case series study was conducted at a tertiary hospital in a developing country after approval from the Ethics Review Committee. A total of 115 adult patients, from 16 to 60 years of age, who have undergone elective surgery, have controlled hypertension on the desired drugs for at least six months, have no history of any cardiac event, and have taken the drug on the morning of the surgery, were included in the study after written consent. The demographic data of the patients were entered into the proforma. Preoperative systolic, diastolic, and mean arterial pressure were recorded by the researcher or an assignee in the preoperative holding area. The patients were followed in the recovery room by the team conducting the study until 10 minutes after the arrival of the patient in the recovery room. All statistical analyses were performed using Statistical Packages for the Social Sciences version 19 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL). p-value ≤0.05 was considered significant. Results Of the 115 patients, 56 (48.7%) patients were in the age group between 51 and 60 years of age; 38 patients were between the ages of 41 and 50 years and only 21 patients were 40 years or less. On gender, 68 patients were female and 47 were male. According to body mass index (BMI), the majority of the patients were in the overweight group, amounting to 53 (46%), and 86 (74.78%) patients were known diabetics. Overall, 77 (66.96%) of the patients developed intraoperative hypotension with 41 (35.65%) patients requiring the use of vasopressors in order to correct the hypotension. No statistically significant difference was found between demographic and clinical variables. Conclusion Intraoperative hypotension is more frequent in patients with controlled hypertension on ACE inhibitors although more studies need to be conducted on a larger population in order to determine a more definitive result.

With an increasing fatality rate, severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) has emerged as a promising threat to human health worldwide. Recently, the World Health Organization (WHO) has announced the infectious disease caused by SARS-CoV-2, which is known as coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-2019), as a global pandemic. Additionally, the positive cases are still following an upward trend worldwide and as a corollary, there is a need for a potential vaccine to impede the progression of the disease. Lately, it has been documented that the nucleocapsid (N) protein of SARS-CoV-2 is responsible for viral replication and interferes with host immune responses. We comparatively analyzed the sequences of N protein of SARS-CoV-2 for the identification of core attributes and analyzed the ancestry through phylogenetic analysis. Subsequently, we predicted the most immunogenic epitope for the T-cell and B-cell. Importantly, our investigation mainly focused on major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I potential peptides and NTASWFTAL interacted with most human leukocyte antigen (HLA) that are encoded by MHC class I molecules. Further, molecular docking analysis unveiled that NTASWFTAL possessed a greater affinity towards HLA and also available in a greater range of the population. Our study provides a consolidated base for vaccine design and we hope that this computational analysis will pave the way for designing novel vaccine candidates.

Multiple antibiotic-resistant strains of Klebsiella pneumoniae can cause life-threatening infections. Bacterial enoyl-acyl carrier protein (ACP) reductases (ENRs) are considered critical targets for developing antibiotics. Our current study aims to identify inhibitors of K. pneumoniae ENRs (FabI and FabV). Due to the unavailability of experimental structures, protein models of FabI and FabV were predicted and validated in this study. Virtual screening of the 1930 FDA-approved drug database was conducted against the active site of the FabI protein with the help of the LEA3D server, and carfilzomib was chosen among the screened drugs for further docking studies. Carfilzomib, a proteasome inhibitor used in the treatment of multiple myeloma, was among the best-suited compounds obtained from the virtual screening and was found to be bactericidal in the in vitro experiment. Carfilzomib was docked against the active sites of the FabI and FabV proteins, and the ENR of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, InhA. Carfilzomib showed a high binding affinity with all three proteins. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were conducted following the docking studies. MD simulations revealed that carfilzomib binds strongly to the active sites of the above mentioned ENRs. Our study found that carfilzomib is a potential inhibitor of the ENRs of K. pneumoniae and M. tuberculosis. This is a possible mechanism of its bactericidal property against M. tuberculosis observed in vitro in addition to its predicted actions on zinc-dependent metalloprotease-1 and peptide deformylase, two other drug target enzymes of M. tuberculosis. Our study suggests that this drug could be used as a lead compound to develop antibiotics that can selectively act against ENRs of bacteria, without interfering with the activities of human proteasome. Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma

The oomycete Phytophthora capsici causes chili pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) blight that is extremely hard to control. In this work, the diversity of Trichoderma species from chili farms and their antagonistic activity against virulent strains of P. capsici were studied. The maximum likelihood phylogenetic analysis based on translation elongation factor 1α (TEF1α) locus revealed divergent evolution in the population structure of Trichoderma species exhibiting antagonistic activities against P. capsici. In vitro confrontation analysis revealed that Trichoderma harzianum, T. viride and T. reesei displayed over 85.5% inhibition of mycelial growth of P. capsici. Furthermore, soil application of Trichoderma species under greenhouse conditions effectively suppressed root–rot severity by 11.24–26.50% (P

Background The study was conducted to evaluate the analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antipyretic properties of ethanolic extract of Tacca integrifolia rhizome (EETI) in mice and cytotoxic effects in brine shrimp nauplii followed by a PASS prediction study for some isolated compounds of T. integrifolia. Additionally, this experiment included the in silico molecular docking and ADME/T property analyses of some phytochemicals. Methods Formalin- induced paw licking test and acetic acid-induced writhing test for analgesic activity, carrageenan-induced paw edema test for anti-inflammatory potential and Brewer’s yeast-induced pyrexia test for antipyretic activity were applied. Antinociceptive and antineoplastic activity for breast cancer were revealed with PASS program. Schrodinger suite 2015 was used to evaluate the binding interaction and ADME/T properties of selected phytoconstituents with estrogen receptor alpha. Results In formalin-induced paw licking test, EETI at the doses of 200 and 400 mg/kg BW showed highly significant inhibition of writhing in both neurogenic and inflammatory phases. While EETI also exhibited highly significant, compared to control, writhing inhibition for both the doses in acetic acid-induced writhing test. Moderate anti-inflammatory effect at a dose of 400 mg/kg BW was noticed in paw-edema test. It also showed 77.51% of maximum antipyretic effect which was significantly effective compared to standard drug paracetamol (150 mg/kg) in Brewer’s yeast-induced pyrexia test. The EETI showed potential cytotoxic activity with LC50 value of 114.46 μg/mL. The PASS prediction revealed the potential antinociceptive and antineoplastic activity of target compounds. The compounds betulinic acid, quercetin-3-α-arabinoside, catsanogenin were found to be effective in molecular docking study. Conclusion It is evident that the EETI possesses highly significant analgesic activity with remarkable anti-inflammatory and antipyretic activity. The phytoconstituents have potential antinociceptive and antineoplastic (breast cancer) activity. Graphical abstract

Non-bullous congenital ichthyosiform erythroderma (NCIE) is characterized by skin scaling with erythema. In this study, two Pakistani families with NCIE are genetically characterized through Whole Exome and Sanger sequencing to identify molecular basis of the disease. We identified a nonsense homozygous c.2026C>T mutation of ALOXE3, causing premature termination of the eLOX3 protein (p.Q676X). In silico studies predicted impaired enzymatic activity of the premature truncated eLOX3, leading to abnormal synthesis of specific hepoxilin derivatives, essential for epidermal barrier formation. It is the first ever study reporting homozygotes of p.Q676X mutation in ethnically distinct two Pakistani families; otherwise, heterozygotes of the said mutation have been reported in South Asian population only. Hence, mutation seems to be region-specific and may be useful for molecular diagnosis of NCIE. Moreover, our findings should help in genetic counseling and career screening.

The manifestation of aflatoxins in feed and food is a major issue in the world as its presence leads to some health problems. This study investigates the incidence of aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) contamination in raw milk samples which were collected from Punjab, Pakistan. The Cluster Random Sampling technique was used to collect 960 milk samples from five different regions, and samples were collected every month. The AFM1 level in raw milk was analyzed by the ELISA technique. The findings demonstrate that 70% of samples exceeded the United States permissible maximum residue limits (MRL 0.50 µg/L), with an overall AFM1 level that ranged from 0.3 to 1.0 µg/L. AFM1 contamination varied with the season: The highest average contamination was detected in winter (0.875 µg/L), followed by autumn (0.751 µg/L), spring (0.654 µg/L), and summer (0.455 µg/L). The Eastern region exhibited the highest average AFM1 contamination (0.705 µg/L). Milk samples from the Northern region were found to be widely contaminated, as 86.9% samples exceeded the US MRL, followed by the Eastern region, with 72.3% samples being contaminated with &gt, 0.5 µg/L AFM1. The study indicated that the raw milk supply chain was heavily contaminated. Recommendations and remedial measures need to be developed by regulatory authorities to improve the raw milk quality.

The use of probiotics is considered effective for survival, growth and enhanced immune response in aquaculture. In the current study, effects of commercially available probiotic (Magic Plus) was investigated on survival, growth and immune response of Mori (Cirrhinus mrigala) in a polyculture system. The experiment was conducted for 90 days on 1200 fingerlings in two groups i.e. control and probiotic supplemented groups each having 600 fingerlings. Control group was fed with 35% protein basal diet without any supplements and the other group was supplemented with commercially available probiotic at the rate of (1012 CFU kg−1 diet). After 90 days, probiotic supplemented group was characterized with significant increase (p

Paper description: The manuscript demonstrates the first isolation and characterization of PGPR associated with the Nicotiana tabacum root soil system from an unexplored and isolated area of Pakistan. The findings demonstrate that the indigenous microbial community of this region possess a strong potential to enhance the growth and yield of tobacco crop through enhancement of nutrients uptake and antifungal activity. These finding have a significant and sustainable impact in terms of reduction of application of chemical fertilizers/fungicides and enhancement of growth and yield of crop. A bstract: An unexplored soil microbial community associated with the root system of Nicotiana tabacum was isolated to analyze its impact on growth and yield of the crop. A total of nine isolates out of 180 were biochemically screened and characterized as potential plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria due to the expression of growth-promoting traits. All isolates were positive for ammonia production, 8 were positive for phosphate solubilization but none for auxin production. The majority of the isolates were also found positive for hydrogen cyanide, siderophore and hydrolytic/degradative enzymes production, enabling them to restrict the growth of Fusarium oxysporum in an in vitro assay. Although all tested isolates enhanced tobacco growth significantly, Baj-ER-01 and CD-RS-03 were found to be the most promising in enhancing all aspects of growth. This study provides evidence for the enhancement of growth and yield of inoculated tobacco plants through an adequate supply of nutrients and/or controlling phytopathogens. https://doi.org/10.2298/ABS180315035K Received: March 15, 2018; Revised: July 22, 2018; Accepted: July 26, 2018; Published online: August 9, 2018 How to cite this article: Khan S, Subhan F, Haleem KS, Khattak MNK, Khan I, Sultan T, Tauseef I. Impact of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria on yield and disease control of Nicotiana tabacum . Arch Biol Sci. 2018;70(4):717-25.

Background Osteopetrosis is a rare inherited bone disorder mainly described as an increased bone density caused by defective osteoclastic bone resorption. To date, genetic variants of eleven genes have been reported so far to be associated with different types of osteopetrosis. However, malignant infantile osteopetrosis, a lethal form of the disease, is mostly (50%) caused by mutation(s) in TCIRG1 gene. In this study, we investigated a consanguineous Pakistani family clinically and genetically to elucidate underlying molecular basis of the infantile osteopetrosis. Methods DNA samples from five family members were subjected to SNP-array based whole genome homozygosity mapping. Data was analyzed and potentially pathogenic mutation was identified by Sanger sequencing of two affected as well as three phenotypically healthy individuals in the family. The significance of identified pathogenic variation and its impact on protein structure and function was studied using various bioinformatics tools. Results DNA samples from five family members were subjected to genome-wide SNP array genotyping and homozygosity mapping which identified ~4 Mb region on chr11 harboring the TCIRG1 gene. Sanger sequencing unveiled a novel homozygous deletion c. 624delC in exon 6 of the TCIRG1 gene encodes a3 subunit of V-ATPase complex. The identified deletion resulted in a frame shift producing a truncated protein of 208 aa. In silico analysis of premature termination of the a3 subunit of V-ATPase complex revealed deleterious effects on the protein structure, predicting impaired or complete loss of V-ATPase function causing infantile osteopetrosis. Conclusions Since a3 subunit of V-ATPase complex plays a crucial role in bone resorption process, structurally abnormal a3 subunit might have adversely affected bone resorption process, leading to infantile osteopetrosis in Pakistani family. Therefore, the present study not only expands the genotypic spectrum of osteopetrosis but also improve understandings of the role of V-ATPase a3 subunit in bone resorption process. Moreover, our findings should help in genetic counseling and provide further insight into the disease pathogenesis and potential targeted therapy. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12881-017-0506-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Cytochrome B (Cyt B) gene and control region of mitochondrial DNA are considered important for evaluating phylogenetic association of a species. In this study, we sequenced Cyt B and control region...

Background and aims Aspergillus terreus Thom is a pathogen of public health and agricultural importance for its seamless abilities to expand its ecological niche. The aim of this study was holistically to investigate A. terreus morphological and immunoadaptations and their implication in antifungal resistance and proliferation during infection. Materials and methods In-depth unstructured mining of relevant peer-reviewed literature was performed for A. terreus morphological, immune, resistance, and genetic diversity based on the sequenced calmodulin-like gene. Results Accessory conidia and phialidic conidia produced by A. terreus confer discrete anti-fungal resistance that ensures survivability during therapies. Interestingly, by producing unique metabolites such as Asp-melanin and terretonin, A. terreus is capable of hijacking macrophages and scavenging iron, respectively. As such, A. terreus has established a rare mechanism to mitigate phagocytosis and swing the interaction dynamics in favor of its proliferation and survival in hosts. Conclusion It is further unraveled that besides A. terreus genetic diversity, morphological, biochemical, and immunologic adaptations associated with conidia germination and discharge of chemical signals during infection enable masking of the host defense as an integral part of its strategy to survive and rapidly colonize hosts.