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Background: Experimental and epidemiological studies indicate an association between exposure to particulate matter (PM) air pollution and increased risk of type 2 diabetes. In view of the high and increasing prevalence of diabetes, we aimed to quantify the burden of type 2 diabetes attributable to PM2·5 originating from ambient and household air pollution.Methods: We systematically compiled all relevant cohort and case-control studies assessing the effect of exposure to household and ambient fine particulate matter (PM2·5) air pollution on type 2 diabetes incidence and mortality. We derived an exposure–response curve from the extracted relative risk estimates using the MR-BRT (meta-regression—Bayesian, regularised, trimmed) tool. The estimated curve was linked to ambient and household PM2·5 exposures from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study 2019, and estimates of the attributable burden (population attributable fractions and rates per 100 000 population of deaths and disability-adjusted life-years) for 204 countries from 1990 to 2019 were calculated. We also assessed the role of changes in exposure, population size, age, and type 2 diabetes incidence in the observed trend in PM2·5-attributable type 2 diabetes burden. All estimates are presented with 95% uncertainty intervals.Findings: In 2019, approximately a fifth of the global burden of type 2 diabetes was attributable to PM2·5 exposure, with an estimated 3·78 (95% uncertainty interval 2·68–4·83) deaths per 100 000 population and 167 (117–223) disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) per 100 000 population. Approximately 13·4% (9·49–17·5) of deaths and 13·6% (9·73–17·9) of DALYs due to type 2 diabetes were contributed by ambient PM2·5, and 6·50% (4·22–9·53) of deaths and 5·92% (3·81–8·64) of DALYs by household air pollution. High burdens, in terms of numbers as well as rates, were estimated in Asia, sub-Saharan Africa, and South America. Since 1990, the attributable burden has increased by 50%, driven largely by population growth and ageing. Globally, the impact of reductions in household air pollution was largely offset by increased ambient PM2·5.Interpretation: Air pollution is a major risk factor for diabetes. We estimated that about a fifth of the global burden of type 2 diabetes is attributable PM2·5 pollution. Air pollution mitigation therefore might have an essential role in reducing the global disease burden resulting from type 2 diabetes.Funding: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Moringa oleifera is a medicinally important plant that has various medical and nutritional uses. Plant miRNAs are a class of non-coding endogenous small RNAs that regulate human-specific mRNA but the mechanistic actions are largely unknown. Here, in this study, we aim to explore the mechanistic action and influence of M. oleifera seed miRNAs on vital human target genes using computer based approaches. The M. oleifera seed miRNAs sequence was taken from published data and identified its human gene targets using a psRNA target analysis server. We identified 94 miRNAs that are able to significantly regulate 47 human target genes, which has enormous biological and functional importance. Out of 47 human targeted genes, 23 genes were found to be associated with PI3K-AKT, RUNX, and MAPK1/MAPK3 signaling pathway which has shown to play key roles in bone metastases during cancer progression. The M. oleifera seed miRNAs hold a strong potential for future research that might uncover the possibility of miRNA-facilitated cross-kingdom regulation and therapeutic targets for bone metastases.

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are extensively used in tissue regenerative procedures. One source of MSCs is the periodontal ligament (PDL) of teeth. Isolation of MSCs from extracted teeth is reasonably simple, being less invasive and presenting fewer ethical concerns than does the harvesting of MSC’s from other sites. The objectives of this study were to isolate and characterize the PDL stem cells (PDLSC) from healthy adults’ extracted teeth and then to characterize them by comparing them with bone-marrow derived MSCs (BMMSC). Methods The PDL tissue was scraped from the roots of freshly extracted teeth to enzymatically digest using collagenase. The cells were sub-cultured. Flow-cytometric analysis for the MSC surface-markers CD105, CD73, CD166, CD90, CD34, CD45 and HLA-DR was performed. To confirm the phenotype, total RNA was extracted to synthesize cDNA and which was then subjected to RT-PCR. The gene-expression for Oct4A, Sox2, NANOG and GAPDH was determined by gel-electrophoresis. To assess their multilineage potential, cells were cultured with osteogenic, chondrogenic and adipogenic medium and then stained by Alizarin-red, Alcian-blue and Oil-Red-O respectively. MSCs from the bone-marrow were processed similarly to serve as controls. Results The cells isolated from extracted teeth expanded successfully. On flow-cytometric analysis, the cells were positive for CD73, CD90, CD105, CD166 and negative for CD34, CD45 and HLA-DR. The PDLSCs expressed Oct4A, Sox2, and NANOG mRNA with GAPDH expression. Cells cultured in the osteogenic, chondrogenic and adipogenic media stained positive for Alizarin-red, Alcian-blue and Oil- Red-O respectively. The surface marker expression and the trilineage differentiation characteristics were comparable to those of the BMMSCs. Conclusions The periodontal ligament tissue of extracted teeth is a potential source of therapeutically useful MSCs. Harvesting them is not invasive and are a promising source of MSC as the PDLSCs showed characteristics similar to those of the highly regarded MSC’s derived from bone-marrow.

Heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90) is the prime molecular chaperone found to be overexpressed in cancer cells and pose as an anti-cancer therapeutic drug target for cancer chemotherapy. Even drugs are available which inhibit Hsp90, the associated side effects along with multi-drug regimen necessitate the identification of natural molecules to block the activity of Hsp90. In this present investigation, we performed virtual screening of Hsp90 inhibitors from a curated collection of natural molecules with proven pharmacological effects. This process helped in the identification of the top two scoring ligands, ginkgetin and theaflavin with favorable as well as crucial interactions with the Hsp90 ligand-binding pocket. Molecular dynamics simulations of these two natural molecules exhibited minimal fluctuations in the binding pattern of ginkgetin and theaflavin to Hsp90 which retained crucial contacts throughout the simulation time. We anticipate that ginkgetin and theaflavin could act as potent Hsp90 inhibitors which are under current investigation in our laboratory.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

Nasturtium officinale W. T Aiton or “watercress” (Brassicaceae) is a nutritionally valuable plant that is the richest source of carotenoids, polyphenols, iron, calcium, iodine, folic acid, essential vitamins and minerals. It is traditionally used for their appetiser, anti-scorbutic, stimulant, diuretic and detoxifying properties. The present study was conducted to investigate the antioxidant potential, phytochemical contents (total phenolic, flavonoids and tannin contents) as well as a preliminary phytochemical screening of different extract of aerial parts of Nasturtium officinale collected from the Kumaun region. The different extracts showed significant antioxidant activity as well as total phenolic, flavonoids and tannin contents. The preliminary phytochemical screening showed the presence of several phytochemical constituents such as carbohydrates, proteins, amino acids, glycosides, alkaloids and others. The hydroalcoholic extract possess significantly (P

Motivation Tea is a cross-pollinated woody perennial plant, which is why, application of conventional breeding is limited for its genetic improvement. However, lack of the genome-wide high-density SNP markers and genome-wide haplotype information has greatly hampered the utilization of tea genetic resources toward fast-track tea breeding programs. To address this challenge, we have generated a first-generation haplotype map of tea (Tea HapMap-1). Out-crossing and highly heterozygous nature of tea plants, make them more complicated for DNA-level variant discovery. Results In this study, whole genome re-sequencing data of 369 tea genotypes were used to generate 2,334,564 biallelic SNPs and 1,447,985 InDels. Around 2928.04 million paired-end reads were used with an average mapping depth of ∼0.31× per accession. Identified polymorphic sites in this study will be useful in mapping the genomic regions responsible for important traits of tea. These resources lay the foundation for future research to understand the genetic diversity within tea germplasm and utilize genes that determine tea quality. This will further facilitate the understanding of tea genome evolution and tea metabolite pathways thus, offers an effective germplasm utilization for breeding the tea varieties. Supplementary information Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.

Polygonatum verticillatum (L.) All. is an important medicinal herb that belongs to the family Asparagaceae. The rhizome of the species is used in Chyavanprash preparation and several other ayurvedic formulations. Numerous active constituents like saponins, alkaloids, phytohormones, flavonoids, antioxidants, lysine, serine, aspartic acid, diosgenin, β-sitosterol, etc. have been reported from this species. In this study, morphological, phytochemical, antioxidant and genetic variations of 11 distant populations of P. verticillatum were measured. Considerably (P

CD44+ circulating tumor stem cells (CTSCs) have been significantly associated with aggressiveness, resistance and poor prognosis of oral cancer patients. Thus, targeted elimination of these CTSCs could be a new conceptual framework for enhancing the therapeutic outcome of patients. Docking of potential investigational molecules and simulation results identified Salinomycin as a potential lead compound that could effectively inhibit CD44 receptor. To assess the cytotoxic effect, immuno-magnetically sorted circulatory CD44+ cells were subjected to increasing concentrations of 5FU, Cisplatin and Salinomycin. Salinomycin demonstrated significant cytotoxic effect towards the CD44+ subpopulation in a dose and time dependent manner. Further the effect of these compounds was investigated on apoptosis, cell cycle, signaling pathways and gene expression profiles using MuseTM flow cytometer and Real-Time PCR. It was observed that mRNA expression patterns of CD44v6, Nanog, AKT1, CDKN2A and β-catenin of Salinomycin treated CD44+ cells. Moreover, Salinomycin significantly induced programmed cell death by inducing G2/M cell cycle arrest and inhibiting MAPK/PI3K pathways in this chemo-resistant population. Thus, this study demonstrated the potential of Salinomycin to target the chemo-resistant circulating CD44 population by attenuating its proliferation and survival.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

Increasing use of modified live virus (MLV) vaccines presents challenges to interpret positive results of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) screening PCR that can detect both wild-type and vaccine strains. Instead, vaccine-specific PCR provides a convenient tool to detect vaccine-like virus from a sample. Here we report the development and validation of a real-time RT-PCR specific for PRRSGard® , a newly available commercial PRRSV-2 MLV vaccine. Analytical specificity, sensitivity and diagnostic performance of PRRSGard PCR were evaluated and compared to a commercial PRRSV screening PCR (reference PCR). PRRSGard and reference PCRs did not cross-react with any of the 27 non-PRRSV swine pathogens. PRRSGard PCR did not cross-react with other PRRSV-2 vaccine viruses and 31 laboratory and field PRRSV-2 isolates representing various genetic lineages of PRRSV-2. PRRSGard and reference PCRs consistently detected up to 10-6 and 10-5 dilutions of PRRSGard vaccine virus, respectively. Based on testing serial dilutions of in vitro transcribed RNA, the 95% limit of detection of PRRSGard PCR was 16 genomic copies/reaction with CT cut-off value of 36 and 7 genomic copies/reaction with CT cut-off value of 37. Diagnostic performance of PRRSGard PCR was evaluated using 846 clinical samples (684 serum and 162 oral fluid samples). Compared to the reference screening PCR, diagnostic sensitivity, specificity and agreement of PRRSGard PCR were 95.34%, 98.85% and 97.52% with cut-off CT value of 36 and 98.14%, 96.56% and 97.16% with cut-off CT value of 37. In addition, PRRSGard PCR was able to detect PRRSGard vaccine virus in a sample even with the co-presence of another PRRSV strain. In summary, in contrast to a reference screening PCR that detects both vaccine and field PRRSV strains, PRRSGard PCR provides a convenient tool to specifically detect PRRSGard vaccine-like virus and to inform PRRSV vaccination protocols.

Objective: The present study was designed to evaluate the anti-diarrheal potentials of ethanol extract of Brassica juncea in albino rats. Materials and methods: The defatted powder of whole plant of Brassica juncea subjected to extraction using ethanol in soxhlet apparatus. The acute oral toxicity was studied for ethanol extract according to OECD guidelines 425. The antidiarrheal properties of ethanol extracts was assessed against castor oil induced diarrhea, magnesium sulfate induced diarrhea and charcoal passage test in albino wistar rats. Results: The ethanol extract of Brassica juncea has effectively reversed diarrhea. The extract at higher dose 400mg/kg shows significant reduction the number of feces against castor oil induced and MgSO4 induced diarrhea. In charcoal passage test, higher dose of ethanol extract also shown significant reduction in the distance travelled. Conclusion: The result obtained establish the efficiency of ethanol extract of Brassica juncea as antidiarrheal agent Keywords: Brassica juncea, castor oil, magnesium sulphate, charcoal passage test.

Often regarded as a potential threat to the native fish fauna worldwide, the Brown Trout (Salmo trutta), has successfully established its population in the majority of the Himalayan rivers post its introduction dating back to the eighteenth century. Over the years, the species has gained infamy as a sport fish and is considered a profitable source of income to the locals ensuing a heightened propagule pressure due to lack of appropriate management actions. No comprehensive study has been conducted to date in order to understand the mechanism by which the Brown Trout poses threat to the native fish populations. Through the present study, we could assess its competition with the native Snow Trout (Schizothorax richardsonii) to understand the spatial assemblage of both the species across space in Tirthan, a pristine high-altitude river of the western Himalaya. River Tirthan is one of the major tributaries of River Beas traversing for most of its stretch within the protected boundaries of the Great Himalayan National Park Conservation Area. A total of 108 sampling points were chosen from confluence to origin of rivers/streams, ranging from 989 to 3677msl. A total of 28 explanatory variables were recorded at each point. Overall, the Brown Trout adults were found to be greater in relative abundance (66.1%) than the Snow Trout adults (33.9%). The fingerlings of Snow Trout on the other hand, were distinctively high in relative abundance (61.9%) than those of the invasive Brown Trout (38.1%). Non-native trout showed higher abundance in the higher stream orders i.e. in the main streams while natives mostly restricted themselves to the lower order streams. Redundancy analysis (RDA) for species and environmental covariates resulted in 40.75% of constrained variance with higher eigen values for Redundancy analysis1 and Redundancy analysis2. Ward’s minimum variance clustering of Hellinger transformed data revealed sites agglomerating into six reasonable distinct subgroups with respect to species abundances. Immature individuals of non-native and native trout used similar habitat conditions, but they differed in using habitats at adult stage. Our results show a competitive dominance of Brown Trout in terms of higher abundance and maximum space utilization that highlight an urgent action for preventing its introductions to new areas. We recommend a national policy of ‘The Indian Invasive Species Act’ and management level interventions to control overstocking in the areas of established population.

Soybean seed lipoxygenase-2 is the principal contributor to off-flavour associated with soy-products and constrains the utilization of soybean in food uses. A soybean genotype NRC132 genetically free from lipoxygenase-2 was developed through modified marker-assisted backcrossing by crossing climate-smart variety JS97-52 with null lipoxygenase-2 donor PI596540, an exotic germplasm accession. Null lipoxygenase-2 gene-specific marker and SSR marker linked to Lox2 locus were deployed for foreground selection and phenotyped through lipoxygenase-2 assay. The genotype was tested at multi-locations in Southern and Eastern zone in 2017, 2018, 2019 for yield and reaction to insect pests and diseases. The genotype yielded at par and significantly higher than the best performing check in Southern and Eastern zone, respectively, and showed resistance against potential diseases and insect pests at hotspots. Soy-milk produced from NRC132 gave reduced off-flavour. The genotype identified for release as variety holds potential to boost utilization of soybean in manufacturing food products.

An in vitro propagation protocol has been developed for Berberis asiatica, an important Himalayan medicinal shrub. Significantly higher in vitro seed germination (50%) was obtained in Murashige and...

Late blight disease incited by Phytophthora infestans (Mont) de Bary is a major limitation for potato cultivation. Organic based products are vital in organic cultivation; because these are non-hazardous and eco-friendly in nature. Few bio-products were evaluated against late blight on two popular potato cultivars in India like Kufri Bahar (highly susceptible) and Kufri Mohan (moderately resistant) in two consecutive years (2018–19 and 2019–20). All the seven treatments were found effective up to certain extent for managing the late blight disease. Among the bio-based products neem oil @ 6.0% showed lowest average terminal diseases severity (46.67%), followed by 64.67 and 66.67% with Pseudomonas fluorescens @ 1.0% and Trichoderma viride @ 2.0%, respectively on Kufri Bahar. The highest tuber yields was 28.23 t/ha with neem oil @ 6.0% followed by 28.10 t/ha with Trichoderma viride @ 2.0% against control (24.40 t/ha). Similarly, the lowest average terminal disease severity (27.25%) was recorded with copper hydroxide 53.8% DF @ 0.2%, followed by 28.50% with copper oxychloride 50% WP @ 0.2% on cv. Kufri Mohan. Among the bio-based products, minimum average terminal disease severity (30.92%) was recorded with neem oil @ 6.0% followed by 46.17% with Trichoderma viride @ 2.0% and 47.84% with fermented neem giri @ 1.0% on cv. Kufri Mohan. The highest tuber yields was 40.14 t/ha with copper hydroxide 53.8% DF @ 0.2%, followed by 39.68 t/ha with fermented neem giri @ 1.0% against control 34.64 t/ha. These evaluated treatments could be applied for managing late blight disease in organic cultivation of potato.

Although several studies have suggested that anti-inflammatory strategies reduce secondary infarct growth in animal stroke models, clinical studies have not yet demonstrated a clear benefit of immune modulation in patients. Potential reasons include systematic differences of post-ischemic neuroinflammation between humans and rodents. We here performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to summarize and compare the spatial and temporal distribution of immune cell infiltration in human and rodent stroke. Data on spatiotemporal distribution of immune cells (T cells, macrophages, and neutrophils) and infarct volume were extracted. Data from all rodent studies were pooled by means of a random-effect meta-analysis. Overall, 20 human and 188 rodent stroke studies were included in our analyses. In both patients and rodents, the infiltration of macrophages and neutrophils preceded the lymphocytic influx. Macrophages and neutrophils were the predominant immune cells within 72 h after infarction. Although highly heterogeneously across studies, the temporal profile of the poststroke immune response was comparable between patients and rodents. In rodent stroke, the extent of the immune cell infiltration depended on the duration and location of vessel occlusion and on the species. The density of infiltrating immune cells correlated with the infarct volume. In summary, we provide the first systematic analysis and comparison of human and rodent post-ischemic neuroinflammation. Our data suggest that the inflammatory response in rodent stroke models is comparable to that in patients with stroke. However, the overall heterogeneity of the post-ischemic immune response might contribute to the translational failure in stroke research. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12975-021-00887-4.

P. cirrhifolium, P. multiflorum and P. verticillatum are important medicinal herb of genus Polygonatum found in Himalaya and are used in many ayurvedic formulations including Chyavanprash. However, a comparative account on their biochemical attributes in Himalaya is still lacking. Therefore, the present attempt was made to explore the polyphenolics and antioxidant activity in targeted species. Result revealed a varied range of polyphenolics (i.e., phenolics 1.90–6.12; tannins 1.57–3.78; flavonols 1.30–8.59; flavonoids 1.83–7.32 mg/g dry weight, respectively) and antioxidant activity (ABTS 3.22–6.11; DPPH 0.99–1.70; FRAP 0.35–2.32 mM AAE/100 g dry weight). Results are indicative that P. verticillatum possesses higher polyphenolic activity and P. cirrhifolium is rich in DPPH and FRAP activity. However, P. verticillatum and P. cirrhifolium are threatened in wild and hence, P. multiflorum with maximum total flavonoids and total antioxidant ABTS activity can be prioritized and used as a substitute to reduce pressure on these species.

BACKGROUND: Syphilis is a sexually-transmitted infectious disease caused by Treponema pallidum. Cases of primary and secondary syphilis are on the rise in the United States, with a 14.4% increase in new cases noted from 2017 to 2018 and an escalation of 71% between the years 2014 and 2018. Fulfilling its nickname of “the great imitator,” oral manifestations of syphilis may mimic a variety of infectious, neoplastic, or immune-mediated processes, both clinically and histopathologically. This large spectrum of appearances can create a diagnostic challenge to the clinician and/or pathologist, leading to delay in diagnosis or misdiagnosis. METHODS: A database of oral syphilis cases was created from archives at the University of Kentucky, University of Pittsburgh, LIJMC, Columbia University MC, and University of Tennessee. The age, sex, race, location, duration, and clinical description were recorded. Cases without positive reaction upon immunohistochemistry or serologic tests were excluded. RESULTS: We identified 19 new cases of oral syphilis (17 males, one female, and one case unknown sex) and described the clinical and histopathological features of this re-emerging and potentially fatal disease. All cases demonstrated dense lymphoplasmacytic inflammation, often with inflammatory exocytosis or ulceration at the surface, and perivascular inflammation. CONCLUSIONS: Early recognition of the histopathologic and clinical manifestations of oral syphilis is imperative for prompt diagnosis, improved patient outcomes, and disease prevention.

After 150 years of introduction of the brown trout Salmo trutta in Himalaya, the native species’ response to this globally pervasive invader, is still unknown. Here, we investigate the effects of invasion of brown trout on native snow trout Schizothorax richardsonii, one of the most primitive species that co-evolved with the Himalayan orogeny. We contrast two natural river systems which harbour snow trout in the absence (allopatry) and presence (sympatry) of brown trout. We put forth that sympatric snow trout adapted to a ‘fast’ life history with maturation at a smaller length, greater fecundity and smaller egg diameter to cope with brown trout invasion. However, investment in a reproductive-somatic trade off was evident with a disrupted size structure and reduced abundance as compared to the allopatric population. Although the fast life history adaptations of snow trout might increase their competitive ability with invasive brown trout, trading off the somatic fitness in the process seemingly acts as a deterrent to longevity. We attribute the plastic responses of snow trout to their plausible inherent potential of sustenance and recovery from high invasion pressures. The popularity of brown trout as a sport fish in Himalaya however poses extraneous propagule pressure on the snow trout, which warrants quantification through future research.

Pests are small organisms which are detrimental for humans, crops, livestock and forestry and mainly belong to phylum Arthropoda. Insects serve as pests for destroying agriculture while mosquitoes are even a greater problem to the humans as they act as vectors to transmit the disease-causing germs and viruses for deadly diseases like malaria, dengue, West Nile virus, chikungunya, yellow fever, filariasis, etc. Use of chemicals is obvious choice but pose a great environmental issue due to their persistent nature and overall damage to the biodiversity. The only possible and the most potent alternative to chemical pesticides is to look for a biological alternate or biocide, one of which is, Bacillus thuringiensis (Bacillales: Bacillaceae), a microbe that produces ‘Cry’ protein that is at the crux of its bio pesticidal property. Till date there are hundreds of different Cry proteins identified that can target large variety of agriculture pests (Lepidopteran, Dipteran, and Coleopteran larvae, Orthopteran pests) and human pests especially mosquitoes such as Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae). Moreover, the Cry proteins can inventively be modified with the help of modern biotechnological computational biotechnological advancements for improved potency, addressed as chimeric proteins and are proposed to be boon for control of vector borne diseases. The aim of this review article is to revisit the strategic role of B. thuringiensis as a potential Dipteran vector control agent and shed new light upon some recent in-silico approaches which might further improve the strategy.

The population of snow leopard (Panthera uncia) is declining across their range, due to poaching, habitat fragmentation, retaliatory killing, and a decrease of wild prey species. Obtaining information on rare and cryptic predators living in remote and rugged terrain is important for making conservation and management strategies. We used the Maximum Entropy (MaxEnt) ecological niche modeling framework to predict the potential habitat of snow leopards across the western Himalayan region, India. The model was developed using 34 spatial species occurrence points in the western Himalaya, and 26 parameters including, prey species distribution, temperature, precipitation, land use and land cover (LULC), slope, aspect, terrain ruggedness and altitude. Thirteen variables contributed 98.6% towards predicting the distribution of snow leopards. The area under the curve (AUC) score was high (0.994) for the training data from our model, which indicates predictive ability of the model. The model predicted that there was 42 432 km2 of potential habitat for snow leopards in the western Himalaya region. Protected status was available for 11 247 km2 (26.5%), but the other 31 185 km2 (73.5%) of potential habitat did not have any protected status. Thus, our approach is useful for predicting the distribution and suitable habitats and can focus field surveys in selected areas to save resources, increase survey success, and improve conservation efforts for snow leopards.

A normal menstruation denotes a healthy state of female reproductive system. If the menstrual bleeding is abnormally excessive, prolonged and is associated with pain, it indicates some pathology. The abnormal menstrual cycle not only disturbs the general health, it also disturbs routine work schedule of the woman and her entire family. There is no direct reference of Puberty menorrhagia in classics. Puberty menorrhagia is defined as excessive bleeding occurring between menarche to 19 years of age. Anovulatory bleeding with irregular shedding of endometrium is the cause for puberty Menorrhagia which can be effectively tackled with the help of herbal drugs which contains hemostatic action. Asrigdara mainly due to vitiation of Vata and Pitta Doshas, hence the treatment should be based on use of drugs which are having predominance of Kashayarasa and Pitta-Vatashamaka properties and Stambhan action. Thus selected drugs are Indrayavadi Yoga and Bhoomyamalaki Choorna possess Vata-Pitta Shamaka and Raktastambhaka. This research work is comparative clinical study. 40 patients presenting with Pratyatma Lakshana of Asrigdara were randomly selected and divided into 2 groups of 20 patients each. Group A were given Indrayavadi Yoga and group B were given Bhoomyamalaki Choorna for a period of 2 menstrual cycle and two follow up during treatment and one follow up after treatment. After the completion of clinical trial, it was found that Bhoomyamalaki Choorna which was group B is more effective than group A. The overall effect in group A and Group B, both the groups shown excellent response, but when comparing all the parameters Bhoomyamalaki Choorna shown more significant response than Indrayavadi Yoga. Trial drug is a better remedy for Asrigdara. It has no side effect, cost effective.

Background: Human reproduction is the most intricate event as ~ 20% of human pregnancies end in miscarriages for which chromosomal anomalies are a common factor. The chromosomal variations associated with reproductive failures include translocations, inversions, supernumerary marker chromosomes, heterochromatic polymorphisms, etc., Till date, the significance of heteromorphic variants in reproductive failures is unclear. Aim: The aim of this study is to investigate the role of chromosomal anomalies and polymorphic variations in reproductive failure. Materials and Methods: Chromosomal analysis using GTG banding was performed on 638 couples (1276 individuals). Results: In the present study, 138 of 1276 individuals showed chromosomal variations with respect to heterochromatic variants and Robertsonian translocations. The most common variants observed across the population studied were the pericentric inversion of the chromosome 9 [inv(9)(p11q13), 3.68%] followed by pstk + on the short arm of chromosome 15 (15pstk+, 1.95%) and Robertsonian translocation of chromosomes 13 and 14 [rob(13;14)(q10;q10), 1.25%]. The maximum percentage of heterochromatic variation was observed in females with recurrent pregnancy loss (Groups A, 4.78%) and males with wives having recurrent miscarriages (Group B, 3.68%) and the minimum was recorded in patients with in vitro fertilization (IVF) failures (Group C, 0.23%) and couples having a history of the malformed child (Group F, 0.23%). Conclusions: High level of chromosomal polymorphic variations in patients with reproductive failures warrants their in-depth analysis to nail down the causative factors. Hence, cytogenetic analysis coupled with genetic counseling becomes indispensable for patients suffering from infertility, reproductive failures and pregnancy losses before IVF treatment to rule out the carrier status.

The novel SARS-CoV-2 is the etiological agent causing the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which continues to become an inevitable pandemic outbreak. Over a short span of time, the structures of therapeutic target proteins for SARS-CoV-2 were identified based on the homology modelled structure of similar virus, SARS-CoV that transmitted rapidly in 2003. Since the outset of the disease, the research community has been looking for a potential drug lead. Out of all the known resolved structures related to SARS-CoV-2; 3-chymotrypsin (3 C) like protease (3CLpro) is considered as an attractive anti-viral drug compound on the grounds of its role in viral replication and probable non-interactive competency to bind to any viral host protein. To the best of our knowledge, till date only one compound has been identified and tested in-vitro as a potent inhibitor of 3CLpro protein, addressed as N3 (PubChem Compound CID: 6323191) and is known to bind irreversibly to 3CLpro suppressing its activity. Using computational approach, we intend to identify a probable natural fungal metabolite to interact and inhibit 3CLpro. Here after performing docking and molecular dynamics of various small molecules derived as a secondary metabolite from fungi, we propose Flaviolin as potent inhibitor of 3CLpro of novel Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

Valeriana jatamansi Jones is an important herbaceous plant of the Caprifoliaceae family used for the treatment of insomnia and stress-related disorders, due to its sedative and anxiolytic propertie...

Traditional medicines derived from plant and other natural sources have several advantages over synthetic drugs when used for the management of pathological conditions. Natural product based therapies are safer than synthetic drugs-based chemotherapies. One of such sources of bioactive molecules includes C. procera and C. gigantea, flowering herbal plants, belonging to the genus Calotropis, family Apocynaceae, which, due to their diverse pharmacological profile, have been widely employed in Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha and other traditional systems for the treatment of various diseases. The various parts of this plant are rich in phytoconstituents such as cardiac glycosides, flavonoids, terpenoids, steroids, phenolic compounds, proteins etc. Due to the presence of multiple constituents, this plant possess diverse biological activities such as analgesic, antitumor, antihelmintic, antioxidant, hepatoprotective, antidiarrhoeal, anticonvulsant, antimicrobial, oestrogenic, antinociceptive, antimalarial activity etc. The present review provides comprehensive information about various phytochemical constituents of the plant along with their medicinal importance.

The results of genotype x environment interaction analysis revealed highly significant mean squares due to genotypes as well as environments for all the characters which indicated presence of substantial differences among the genotypes as well as environments for all the eleven characters. The environment linear (E-L) component was also significant for all the characters indicating that the six environments can be graded linearly for their differences in influencing the expression of characters of wheat genotypes. The mean squares due to genotype x environment interaction were also highly significant for all the characters except days to heading, plant height, effective tillers per plant and total number of tillers per plant to suggest important role of g x e interaction in expression of most of the characters in wheat. The linear component of g x e interaction was significant for all the characters which indicated good possibility of predicting linear responses of genotypes for all the characters under study. Thus, there would be ample possibility of discriminating the genotypes for above average, below average and average linear responses to predict their performances in changing environments under study. The significance of non-linear component (pooled deviation) of g x e interactions for all characters except ear length suggested that considerable number of genotypes may exhibit unpredictable and unstable mean performance for different characters across environments even defying their prediction on the basis of linear sensitivity coefficient.

Biodegradation of reactive azo dyes has been an arduous problem for decades. Several efficient biosystems have been proposed for dye degradation, but most of them are dependent on the availability of costly co-substrates such as peptone, yeast extract, and/or glucose. The present study describes the azo dye degradation by a bacterial consortium using glycerol as a sole co-substrate. The consortium was developed from a mixed bacterial culture obtained upon enrichment of soil sediment for Reactive Blue 28 (RB28) decolorization in the presence of glycerol (0.1%; v/v). The consortium with three bacterial species, i.e., Stenotrophomonas acidaminiphila APG1, Cellulomonas sp. APG4, and Pseudomonas stutzeri APG2, designated as “SCP,” decolorized 92% of 100 ppm dye in 96 h. The intricacies of the interactions existing within the members of the consortium were resolved by a simple and unique analysis called “BSocial.” Among all the members, Cellulomonas sp. APG4 exerted a net-positive impact for decolorization (%) on the consortium. The net fitness of the community increased when all the three species were present, and thus, all of them were selected for further analysis. Moreover, APG4 seemed to be central in the reductive decolorization as it possessed the highest reductase activity. The dye degradation by the consortium was demonstrated by UV-Visible spectroscopy, HPTLC, and FTIR spectroscopy of control and decolorized cell-free supernatant. The LC-ESI-MS analysis of metabolites extracted from decolorized cell-free medium led to the identification of degradation products, thus leading us to propose the plausible pathway for degradation of RB28 by bacterial consortium. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (10.1007/s42770-020-00303-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive breast cancer subtype that lacks hormonal receptors. This reduces the therapeutic options for TNBC patients creating more focus on chemotherapy. Drug resistance has posed as a major hurdle in treating TNBC patients. Deregulation of drug transporter proteins is one of major factors that cause resistance to chemotherapeutic drugs. In this study, ABCC6 a drug transporter protein that is found dysregulated in several resistant cancer cells has been docked with natural compounds or phytochemicals with known anti-cancer activities. Subtrifloralactone G, a withanolide extracted from Deprea subtriflora is found to show highest binding energy with ABCC6 protein. Molecular dynamics simulations further prove the stability of the ABCC6 protein- Subtrifloralactone G ligand complex. ADMET analysis shows that phytochemical Subtrifloralactone G can be used as an anti-cancer therapeutic drug in treating resistant cancer cells. The study mainly focuses on the role of phytochemicals in treating resistant TNBC cells.

Ghost moths in the genus Thitarodes Viette, 1968, are hosts of the economically important caterpillar fungus, which is harvested in high mountain meadows across the Hengduan mountains and the Himalayas. In northwestern India, although caterpillar fungus has been collected in the state of Uttarakhand, no adults of Thitarodes species have been recorded. We report the sighting of a female pupa of Thitarodes sp. and its last-instar molt at Munsiyari, Uttarakhand, India, on 5 July 2019 and estimate that the adult emergence time in this habitat should be late July or early August. Although the habitats of caterpillar fungus in Uttarakhand are geographically closer to those in Nepal, they are climatically more similar to habitats of caterpillar fungus in Qinghai province in China. Among records at the same elevation, climatic variables are highly predictive of the emergence date of Thitarodes adults (adjusted-R2: 0.7925, F = 6.27, P = 0.03). Our result highlights the role of the Himalayan mountains as both a north–south climatic barrier and an east–west climatic gradient. We encourage local stakeholders and scientists in Uttarakhand to survey adult emergences of Thitarodes from July to mid-August.

Type 2 diabetes has a strong association with the development of cardiovascular disease, which is grouped as diabetic heart disease (DHD). DHD is associated with the progressive loss of cardiovascular cells through the alteration of molecular signalling pathways associated with cell death. In this study, we sought to determine whether diabetes induces dysregulation of miR-532 and if this is associated with accentuated apoptosis. RT-PCR analysis showed a significant increase in miR-532 expression in the right atrial appendage tissue of type 2 diabetic patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery. This was associated with marked downregulation of its anti-apoptotic target protein apoptosis repressor with caspase recruitment domain (ARC) and increased TUNEL positive cardiomyocytes. Further analysis showed a positive correlation between apoptosis and miR-532 levels. Time-course experiments in a mouse model of type 2 diabetes showed that diabetes-induced activation of miR-532 occurs in the later stage of the disease. Importantly, the upregulation of miR-532 preceded the activation of pro-apoptotic caspase-3/7 activity. Finally, inhibition of miR-532 activity in high glucose cultured human cardiomyocytes prevented the downregulation of ARC and attenuated apoptotic cell death. Diabetes induced activation of miR-532 plays a critical role in accelerating cardiomyocytes apoptosis. Therefore, miR-532 may serve as a promising therapeutic agent to overcome the diabetes-induced loss of cardiomyocytes.

Black gram (Vigna mungo L.) growing areas of district Jhansi coming under Bundelkhand region of Uttar Pradesh were surveyed during Kharif 2018 for the occurrence of anthracnose disease of black gram. A total of 22 villages were visited under six blocks of Jhansi during this period. Blockwise comparison of the survey in Jhansi revealed that less mean disease incidence (10%) and severity (4.0%) occurred in the Chirgaon block. Highest disease incidence (24%) and severity (12%) were observed in block Moth. The block Bangra, Babina, Badagaon, and Bamour secured disease incidence 23.5, 20, 16.44 and 15% and severity 15.14, 12, 7.44 and 8.5% respectively. Nine fungicides (viz. folicur@0.1%, tilt @0.1%, natio@0.0.5%, saaf@0.2%, bavistin@0.2%, dithane Z-78@0.2%, amistar top, kavach@0.2% and blitox@0.2%) were tested against anthracnose disease of black gram under field condition. Among them, seed treatment with carbendazim@ 3gram/kg seed and foliar spray of mixture of azole and strobilurin group T3- natio@0.05 ( tebuconazole + trifloxystrobin) and T7-amistar top@0.1% (azoxystrobin+ difenoconazole) were found significantly (at 0.05%) superior over the rest of treatments, both showed minimum (6%) disease severity with maximum (78.51%) disease control. Significant (at 0.05%) increase in yield (47.5%) also observed in both treatments T3 and T7. The treatment T1- Spray of Folicur@0.1%, T2- Spray of Tilt @0.1%, T4- Spray of Saaf@0.2%, T5- Spray of Bavistin@0.2%, T8- Spray of Kavach@0.2%, T9- Spray of Blitox@0.2% also showed good results in reducing the black gram anthracnose disease severity per cent (64.29, 57.14, 64.28, 57.14, 71.42 and 64.28 and also increased the yield per cent 37.5, 35, 42.5, 36.25, 45 and 45 respectively.

Sm. is a perennial, rhizomatous, essential oil bearing, plant belongs to the family Zingiberaceae. In the present study, essential oil composition in rhizome part was analysed among 16 populations ...

Background: Endangered plant “Kakoli” is important component of Ashtwarga group of plants and anti-aging Ayurvedic preparations. Due to limited supply of original plant, official substitutes and common adulterants are being used by drug manufacturers. There is a need to identify a marker compound that could differentiate original plant from substitutes and common adulterants. Objective: To isolate and characterize the marker compound from roots of this plant. Material and methods: The extract of plant root was prepared in methanol and marker compound was isolated from methanol extract through column chromatography by using silica gel (60–120 mesh size) in glass column (1000mm x 50mm). The compound was obtained in fractions numbered 990-1550 and isolated by cutting and pooling of TLC plate of compound having Rf = 0.52 by the use of mobile phase toluene: ethyl acetate: formic acid (9.5: 0.5: 0.1 v/v/v). Compound was characterized by using IR, NMR, Mass and UV spectroscopy. Results: The methanol extract was blackish brown in color and showed the presence of alkaloids, terpenoids, phytosterols, flavonoids, phenolics and amino acid. The isolated compound was found to be colorless terpenoid needle with m.p. 168-171°C; [α]D +62.8° (c 1.0,CHCl3). Spectral analysis confirmed presence of lupenone. Conclusion: In present study lupenone was isolated for the first time from Kakoli. None of adulterants and substitutes of Kakoli are reported to have lupenone hence can be used as marker for identification as well as differentiation of the plant from official substitutes and common adulterants. Bangladesh Journal of Medical Science Vol.19(4) 2020 p.692-696

A synergistic, nanoscale electrical interface with the membranes of exoelectrogenic microbes will have a transformative impact on biological cell-based electronic devices. Here, we report that a co...

Fungicide application is an effective management option to control late blight of potato (caused by Phytophthora infestans). Field experiments were conducted to evaluate the efficacy of recently introduced and previously used fungicides on late blight management and potato yields in the western plains of Nepal in 2015 and 2016 crop seasons. Fungicides and a non‐treated control (NTC) were replicated three times in a randomized block design planted with late blight susceptible cultivar Cardinal. Chlorothalonil, copper oxychloride, dimethomorph, fenamidone + mancozeb, mancozeb and metalaxyl were sprayed in 2015. In 2016, carbendazim was used instead of chlorothalonil. The area under disease progress curve (AUDPC) was consistently reduced in years by dimethomorph (90% and 65% in 2015 and 2016, respectively), fenamidone + mancozeb (68% and 62%) and mancozeb (40% and 47%) compared with the NTC. Similarly, tuber yield was increased with the application of dimethomorph (266% and 146% in 2015 and 2016, respectively), fenamidone + mancozeb (211% and 155%) and mancozeb (136% and 116%) compared with the NTC. Chlorothalonil reduced AUDPC by 43% and increased tuber yield by 170% in 2015. Other fungicides either had inconsistent results or did not reduce late blight severity and consequent effects on potato yield. The overall benefit–cost ratio was highest for dimethomorph in both years. These results show efficacy of dimethomorph, fenamidone + mancozeb and mancozeb in reducing late blight severity and increasing potato tuber yield in the plains of Nepal.

Introduction Resource-constrained countries (RCCs) have the highest burden of cervical cancer (CC) in the world. Nonetheless, although CC can be prevented through screening for precancerous lesions, only a small proportion of women utilise screening services in RCCs. The objective of this study was to examine the magnitude of inequalities of women’s knowledge and utilisation of cervical cancer screening (CCS) services in RCCs. Methods A total of 1,802,413 sample observations from 18 RCC’s latest national-level Demographic and Health Surveys (2008 to 2017–18) were analysed to assess wealth-related inequalities in terms of women’s knowledge and utilisation of CCS services. Regression-based decomposition analyses were applied in order to compute the contribution to the inequality disparities of the explanatory variables for women’s knowledge and utilisation of CCS services. Results Overall, approximately 37% of women had knowledge regarding CCS services, of which, 25% belonged to the poorest quintile and approximately 49% from the richest. Twenty-nine percent of women utilised CCS services, ranging from 11% in Tajikistan, 15% in Cote d’Ivoire, 17% in Tanzania, 19% in Zimbabwe and 20% in Kenya to 96% in Colombia. Decomposition analyses determined that factors that reduced inequalities in women’s knowledge of CCS services were male-headed households (− 2.24%; 95% CI: − 3.10%, − 1.59%; P ), currently experiencing amenorrhea (− 1.37%; 95% CI: − 2.37%, − 1.05%; P ), having no problems accessing medical assistance (− 10.00%; 95% CI: − 12.65%, − 4.89%; P ), being insured (− 6.94%; 95% CI: − 9.58%, − 4.29%; P ) and having an urban place of residence (− 9.76%; 95% CI: − 12.59%, − 5.69%; P ). Similarly, factors that diminished inequality in the utilisation of CCS services were being married (− 8.23%;95% CI: − 12.46%, − 5.80%; P ), being unemployed (− 14.16%; 95% CI: − 19.23%, − 8.47%; P ) and living in urban communities (− 9.76%; 95% CI: − 15.62%, − 5.80%; P ). Conclusions Women’s knowledge and utilisation of CCS services in RCCs are unequally distributed. Significant inequalities were identified among socioeconomically deprived women in the majority of countries. There is an urgent need for culturally appropriate community-based awareness and access programs to improve the uptake of CCS services in RCCs.

Abscisic acid (ABA) is a ubiquitous phytohormone, plays important roles in several physiological processes, including stress adaptation, flowering, seed germination, fruit ripening, and leaf senescence etc. ABA binds with START domain proteins called Pyrabactin Resistance1 (PYR1)/PYR1-like (PYL)/Regulatory Components of ABA Receptors (RCARs) and controls the activity of PP2C phosphatase proteins and in turn the ABA-dependent signaling pathway. Fourteen ABA receptors have been identified in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana and have shown to be involved in various biological functions. Under field conditions, exogenous application of ABA produces inadequate physiological response due to its rapid conversion into the biologically inactive metabolites. ABA shows selective binding preferences to PYL receptor subtypes and hence produces pleiotropic physiological and phenotypic effects which limit the usage of ABA in agriculture. An agrochemical meant for ameliorating the undesirable physiological effect of the plant should ideally have positive biological attributes without affecting the normal growth, development, and yield. Therefore, to overcome the limitations of ABA for its usage in various agricultural applications, several types of ABA-mimicking agents have been developed. Many compounds have been identified as having significant ABA-agonist/antagonist activity and can be employed to reverse the excessive/moderate ABA action. The present review highlights the potential usage of ABA signaling modulators for managing agronomic and postharvest traits. Besides, designing, development and versatile usage of ABA-mimicking compounds displaying ABA agonists and antagonist activities are discussed in detail.

Cisplatin is used as chemotherapeutic drug for oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). However, OSCC cells develop resistance following long-term cisplatin exposure. Resistance against cisplatin chemo-therapy is accredited to the process of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, which in-turn has been linked to tumor-recurrence. miRNA deregulation, a common event in cancer, plays contributory role in chemo-resistance. Exosomes acts as the natural cargo for miRNA and facilitates inter-cell communication in the tumor micro-environment. Hence, exosomal-mediated miRNA transference may play essential role in drug resistance and serve as a target for cancer-therapy. miR-155 upregulation in OSCC has been described, however, its relevance in the observed chemo-resistance is unclear and also, if exosomes have any role in miR-155 regulation remain elusive. In the present study, we document for the first time the critical role of exosomes in mediating increments in miR-155 expression in OSCC cells that have acquired cisplatin resistance (cisRes cells). Importantly, exosomal transfer from cisRes to the cisplatin sensitive (cisSens) cells was found to confer significant miR-155 induction in the recipient cisSens cells. Restoration of miR-155 expression in cisSens cells following miR-155 mimics treatment led to epithelial to mesenchymal transition, enhancements in their migratory potential as well as acquisition of resistant phenotype. Notably, similar augmentations in the migratory and chemo-resistant traits were seen upon delivery of exosomes from cisRes to the recipient cisSens cells. Overall, our findings establish the significance of exosomal-mediated miR-155 shuttling in the cisplatin-chemoresistance, commonly observed in OSCC cells, thereby providing rationale for targeting miR-155 signalling for oral cancer therapy.

In this 21st century cancer has become the second big reason for death next to heart attack in both developed and the developing countries. Worldwide, there are almost 2.1 million newly diagnosed breast cancer cases in 2018, accounting for 1 in 4 cancer cases among women. Triple Negative Human Breast Cancer is one of the types of human breast cancer. The plant extracts of Thevetia peruviana (Pers.) K. Schum. has been used against the Triple Negative Human Breast Cancer cell line MDA-MB-231 for the current experiment All the 5 parts (leaf, stem, flower, fruit and seed) had been selected for the experiment and the extracts of the various parts were made in hydro-alcoholic solvent i.e. methanol: Water.

Mahonia jaunsarensis (Family Berberidaceae) is an endemic species of the Himalaya narrowly distributed in Chakrata hills of Uttarakhand. Considering that the species is traditionally used by local inhabitants for various purposes, this study was made to explore its biochemical attributes using diverse solvent systems, i.e., ethanol, methanol and distilled water. Results revealed a varied range of total phenolics (1.00–1.39 mg GAE/g); tannins (1.01–1.11 mg TAE/g); flavonoids (1.07–1.22 mg QE/g); and flavonols (0.71–1.04 mg QE/g) across solvent extractions. Likewise, in vitro antioxidant activity (i.e., ABTS 0.82–1.09; DPPH 0.94–1.16; and FRAP 0.81–1.05 mM AAE/100 g fresh weight) varied. Results are indicative that the species possess higher bioactive attributes and a good source of natural antioxidant. A solvent system with moderate polarity, such as methanol, was found best for harnessing the maximum potential. The study provides baseline information on biochemical attributes of the species, which can, with due R&D interventions, be extended for the industrial applications.

Root-knot nematode (Meloidogyne spp.) in tomato is reported to cause yield reduction in a considerable amount world widely including the symptoms ranging from stunted growth, galled roots, chlorosis, wilting and eventually death of the host. Species of Meloidogyne labeled as a paramount pathogen for their devasting results in crop fields are pretty dominant in each temperate to tropical regions of the world. Due to the increasing destruction and losses by these nematodes the world food security is on stake questioning future food availability as well. From researchers to growers each one’s keen interest is the strategies and further plans to control the nematode infestation. While on their way of experiments and evaluation many solutions have crossed the path making biological one undoubtedly the smartest one. In tomato, the familiar plant integrities such as neem extracts, marigold, crotalaria, oat owning antagonistic nature was proven to nematode population greatly. Those small tiny creatures homing around the soil i.e. rhizobacteria, fungi were found to be the best weapon for combating averse to Meloidogyne spp. Chemical is also considered a good option unless it is limited to a line; since chemical nematicides are opposing the proposition of sustainable development in agriculture they are pushed behind making them limited for their necessity. The struggling debate on chemical vs biological solutions on the plant and crop conservation has been the topic of discussion since ages but one thing that we cannot overlook is the process of mechanism that is involved in biological ones is way more environmentally sound.

Objective: This study investigated the prospective associations of circulating levels of sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) levels with cardiometabolic biomarkers and risk of gestational diabetes (GDM) during pregnancy. It also examines the longitudinal trajectory of SHBG in women with and without GDM. Methods: We conducted a nested case-control study of 107 incident GDM cases and 214 matched controls within the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Fetal Growth Studies-Singleton Cohort. The cohort enrolled non-obese and obese women aged 18-40 years with a singleton pregnancy between 8 and 13 weeks of gestation from 2009 to 2013. GDM was ascertained via medical records review. Blood samples were drawn four times at gestational weeks 10-14, 15-26, 23-31, and 33-39. The prospective associations between SHBG levels and cardiometabolic biomarkers were examined using the Spearman partial correlation among the controls. The longitudinal trajectories of SHBG levels were examined among the cases and the controls. Meta-analysis of prospective studies were performed to examine the association between SHBG levels and GDM risk. Results: SHBG levels at gestational weeks 10-14 were significantly inversely associated with fasting insulin (r= -0.17, P= 0.01) and insulin resistance as measured by HOMA-IR (r= -0.17, P= 0.01) at gestational week 15-26. SHBG at gestational weeks 10-14 and 15-26 was lower in cases than controls (mean ± standard deviation: (204.0±97.6) vs. (220.9±102.5) nmol/L, P= 0.16 and (305.6±124.3) vs. (322.7±105.1) nmol/L, P= 0.14, respectively), yet the differences were not significant. In the meta-analysis, SHBG was 41.5 nmol/L (95% confidence interval: 23.9, 59.1, P < 0.01) significantly lower among women with GDM than without, and each 50 nmol/L increase in SHBG was significantly associated with an odds ratio of 0.85 (95% confidence interval: 0.76-0.95, P= 0.01) for GDM. Conclusion: Lower SHBG levels in early pregnancy were prospectively associated with higher high insulin levels and insulin resistance in mid-pregnancy and subsequent risk of GDM, independent of adiposity. SHBG may serve as a marker for the identification of high-risk pregnancies during early pregnancy. Key words: Diabetes, gestational; Sex binding hormones; Cardiometabolic risk markers; Cohort analysis; Longitudinal measurement; Meta-analysis

Berberis, one of the major sources of berberine and polyphenols, is widely accepted genus for its medicinal properties. The inclusion of these phytochemicals in different health formulations has widened its scope in pharmaceuticals and nutraceuticals. In the present study, multi-component analysis (MCA) has been used to extract these nutraceutical compounds from Berberis jaeschkeana roots under microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) conditions. To determine the optimum extraction condition, different factors, including, microwave power, sample to solvent ratio, irradiation time, solvent pH and solvent concentration were tested under 42 experiments. The MCA includes, Plackett-Burmen and Central Composite Design and analyzes model fitness, regression coefficient (β), analysis of variance (ANOVA) and 3D response curve. The results showed significant model fitness and involvement of linear, quadratic and interactive effect of different factors. Under optimized MAE condition, [i.e. 1 g of sample extracted through 70 mL of a solution (100% methanol pH 2.0), provided microwave power of 598 W for 2 min of irradiation time], the berberine and palmatine contents were recorded as 46.38 mg g−1 and 20.54 mg g−1 respectively. Under optimized condition, the yield of alkaloids were found closer to the models’ predicted value. Similarly, total phenolic content and antioxidant activities were also found closer to the models’ predicted value. To test the suitability of the optimized MAE condition for other species i.e., Berberis asiatica, extraction of alkaloids and polyphenolics was conducted and recorded higher yield to the previous records. Moreover, under optimum extraction condition, six and seven polyphenolic compounds from B. jaeschkeana and B. asiatica were quantified respectively. The proposed MAE optimization design using MCA contributes towards faster and greener extraction of alkaloids and polyphenolics with higher yield. Moreover these greener approaches could sustainably utilize species during extract preparation and harnessing its nutraceutical and pharmaceutical potential. This study design could also be replicated on other valuable species or compounds for effective extraction of nutraceutical components and sustainable utilization of natural products.

In recent years, microRNAs (miRNAs) and tRNA-derived RNA fragments (tRFs) have been reported extensively following different approaches of identification and analysis. Comprehensively analyzing the present approaches to overcome the existing variations, we developed a benchmarking methodology each for the identification of miRNAs and tRFs, termed as miRNA Prediction Methodology (miRPreM) and tRNA-induced small non-coding RNA Prediction Methodology (tiRPreM), respectively. We emphasized the use of respective genome of organism under study for mapping reads, sample data with at least two biological replicates, normalized read count support and novel miRNA prediction by two standard tools with multiple runs. The performance of these methodologies was evaluated by using Oryza coarctata, a wild rice species as a case study for model and non-model organisms. With organism-specific reference genome approach, 98 miRNAs and 60 tRFs were exclusively found. We observed high accuracy (13 out of 15) when tested these genome-specific miRNAs in support of analyzing the data with respective organism. Such a strong impact of miRPreM, we have predicted more than double number of miRNAs (186) as compared with the traditional approaches (79) and with tiRPreM, we have predicted all known classes of tRFs within the same small RNA data. Moreover, the methodologies presented here are in standard form in order to extend its applicability to different organisms rather than restricting to plants. Hence, miRPreM and tiRPreM can fulfill the need of a comprehensive methodology for miRNA prediction and tRF identification, respectively, for model and non-model organisms.

The current investigational work was designed to evaluate inhibitory effect of ethanol extract of Nymphaea nauchali against experimentally induced ulcers in albino wistar rats. The aerial parts of Nymphaea nauchali were dried under shade, powdered and deffated with petroleum ether and then marc left over was subjected to ethanol extraction using soxhlet apparatus. Antiulcer activity of ethanol extract was determined against ethanol induced and aspirin induced ulcers in experimental animal models. The total number of ulcers formed, ulcer index, percentage inhibition, ulcerated area, protected area, pH and Total acidity were parameters in the study. The ethanol extract of Nymphaea nauchali have significantly reduced the total number of ulcers formed, ulcer index, ulcerated area and total acidity in therapeutic groups compare to vehicle control and there by significantly increased percentage inhibition of ulcers and protected area which was evident by significant rise in pH of gastric content. The effect of extracts was dose dependent and results were comparable to that of standard drug omeprazole. The results obtained from the present work suggest that the ethanol extract of Nymphaea nauchali possess significant anti-ulcer potentials against experimentally induced ulcers in albino rats.