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The present report describes Ehrlichia canis infection in six thrombocytopenic dogs and role of Tranexamic acid in controlling bleeding. Dogs with history of epistaxis, dullness, depression, anorexia and high fever were observed with tachycardia, enlarged pre scapular lymph nodes and pale mucus membranes. Diagnosis was confirmed by heamatobiochemistry and microscopic examination of peripheral blood smears. All dogs were successfully treated with Doxycycline, Prednisolone, Tranexamic acid and supportive therapy. Tranexamic acid was found to be effective haemostatic drug in controlling nasal bleeding in canine ehrlichiosis without any adverse effect along with Doxycyline. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A total of four camels aged between seven to eight years were presented to the College Clinics with a history of inappetance and intense itching around neck, inguinal and perineal regions. Based on skin scrapping examination and clinical signs, mange infestation of Sarcoptes scabei was confirmed. Successful therapeutic management was done with the use of doramectin @ 0.2 mg/ kg b.wt. s/c along with supportive therapy. Complete recovery and disappearance of mites from skin scrapping was noticed for all four camels after four weeks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The report describes septicemic cutaneous ulcerative disease (SCUD) in Indian soft shell turtle and its clinical management. The turtle was presented with anorexia, lethargy and skin lesions for last ten days. Clinical examination revealed discolored and eroded plastron, erythema and petechial hemorrhage on the shell along with purulent smelly discharge from pitted scutes. Growth of Citrobactor, Klebsiella, Serratia spp. was observed on cultural examination and sensitivity to Chloramphenicol was confirmed. Diagnosis of SCUD was based on history, clinical findings and cultural examination. Treatment was initiated with Chloramphenicol (80 mg/ kg followed by 40 mg/ kg, I.M.), multi-vitamin and amino acid supplementation (2-3 drops orally BID) for ten days. Debriment and washing with Povidone-iodine solution (0.1%) twice daily for a month was advised. Improvement was seen on tenth day post therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cardiac diseases in canines are an extensively studied phenomenon all over the world but meagre information has been reported in India. Certain problems, including historical, physical, and laboratory abnormalities, are associated with cardiovascular or pulmonary disease. In India however, the recognition of canine cardiac diseases has been delayed, and ignored on account of lack of awareness and knowledge by the owner and inadequate diagnostic facility to a field veterinarian. Considering the above facts, the present study was undertaken in Gujarat to survey the prevalence of common cardiac diseases in hospital population of dogs along with the clinical symptoms which often goes undetected due to lack of proper diagnostic techniques to be implied and the most forms of heart disease may be present for many years before any evidence of failure develops. In the present study most of the clinical cases of cardiac diseases were presented with a history of nocturnal coughing (seven cases; 2.55%), exercise intolerance (five cases; 1.82%), partial or complete anorexia (five cases; 1.82%), swelling in abdominal area (four cases; 1.45%), dullness and depression (two cases; 0.72%), cachexia and hepatojugular pulsation (one case each; 0.36% each) at times. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a commentary on bioinformatics and how it helps to boost modern biological research and explores how modern bioinformatics has moved from simple mapping and sequencing to the era of functional genomics. Topics discussed include plant phenomic platforms that accurately measure trait values and variability across crop genotypes; and the traditional ecological and evolutionary problems are being addressed using modern molecular approaches to identify genomic mechanisms.

Objectives: South Asian body composition is characterized by higher body fat at any given BMI. While this does not occur during fetal growth, it is important to understand if inappropriate fat accretion then begins in the first 2 years in Indian infants.Methods: The fat mass (FM) and fat-free mass (FFM) of healthy term newborns was evaluated at 12 days, 3.5 months, 1 year, and 2 years, by deuterium oxide (D2O) dilution. The effect of being born small versus appropriate for gestational age (SGA vs. AGA), and accelerated early growth pattern on FM and FFM accretion was also investigated.Results: Newborns (262 total, 150 males) with mean birth weight of 2863 ± 418 g were enrolled. FM percentage (FM%) assessed by D2O in 144, 166, 81, and 115 infants at 12 days, 3.5 months, 1 year, and 2 years respectively, was11.6 ± 6.8, 21.1 ± 7.0, 17.9 ± 8.2 and 22.4 ± 9.5%. Boys had higher FFM at all ages, but FM% was similar in both sexes. Children born SGA had similar FM index (FMI) but a lower FFM index (FFMI) at 2 years compared with those born AGA. Infants with catch-up growth between 0 and 2 years had higher FMI at 2 years compared to those without. Infants in the present study had a lower FM% and FMI till 1 year of age in comparison to previous studies from other countries, but had an increase in adiposity between 1 and 2 years, whereas in previous studies FM% remained stable or declined between 1 and 2 years of age.Conclusion: There was an upward inflection in the curve of FM% and FMI between 1 and 2 years of age in the present study, which may represent an early adiposity rebound. Further longitudinal body composition data for Indian infants as well as those of other ethnicities but with low birth weight will clarify whether early accelerated growth pattern contributes to greater accrual of fat rather than lean mass during childhood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dengue is one of the most prominent viral infections and has managed to become endemic in more than 100 countries. NS1 is a non- structural protein that is continuously secreted in the bloodstream of an infected host by the dengue virus. Hence, it is a potent reliable biomarker for the detection of dengue virus. Herein, we report a novel electrochemical immunosensor for detection of dengue virus based on molybdenum disulfide nanoflower (NFs)/fluorine tin oxide electrode (MoS2/FTO). Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are electrodeposited on MoS2 NFs, followed by drop casting of L-cysteine on the Ag/MoS2/FTO modified electrode. Immobilization of anti-NS1 antibodies (Abs) is facilitated by an amide bond formation between the amino group of cysteine and the carboxylic group of antibodies via 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide/N-hydroxysuccinimide chemistry. The characterization of the modified electrode has been done by field emission scanning electron microscopy, fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and electrochemical characterizations. Further, the optimization studies related to buffer pH, response time, and antibody concentration have been optimized. The detection of NS1 protein was done by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy with a wide range of 0.1 pg mL− 1 to 1 µg mL− 1 and a detection limit of 0.023 pg mL− 1. The immunosensor is highly selective for the NS1 protein and has a long shelf life of 30 days. Additionally, it also has a satisfactory recovery percentage of 97.34 to 100.37% (RSD = 1.39–0.48%). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, a novel kind of solar cell based on the N-CQDs/MoS 2 (0D/2D) quantum dimensional heterostructure has been fabricated using a two-dimensional (2D) MoS 2 ultrathin layer and zero-dimensional (0D) Nitrogen-doped carbon quantum dots (N-CQDs). The combination of N-CQDs and MoS 2 offers good optical and electrical characteristics. The current-voltage (I–V) characteristics of the quantum dimensional heterostructure have been recorded in the dark and under the illumination of solar radiations. A significant current rectification ratio has been observed in dark I–V characteristics. Furthermore, a remarkable shift of −13.49 mA in the I–V curve is observed on the exposure to solar radiation. The fabricated quantum dimensional heterostructure exhibits a significant power conversion efficiency (η) of 4.06% and an open-circuit voltage of 0.83 V. The external quantum efficiency (EQE) spectra support the recorded photovoltaic performance of the heterostructure. The aforementioned results could be ascribed to the effective separation of photogenerated electron-hole pairs at the junction contact. The N-CQDs serve as an electron blocking layer, preventing additional carrier recombination at the metal electrode. Our findings show that N-CQDs/MoS 2 heterostructure has a great potential in futuristic low-cost, non-toxic, and highly efficient solar cells for next-generation energy harvesting applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The use of wrapping material during storage of cut flowers creates a modified atmosphere which reduces flower metabolism during storage, thereby slowing carbohydrate consumption as respiratory substrate. The main problem related to dry storage is moisture loss or desiccation. Keeping in view the above aspects, the present study was conducted to enhance the shelf life of tuberose. Methods: The experiment was carried out at Post-Harvest Laboratory of Department of Horticulture, COA, CCS HAU, Hisar during the cropping season (March to September) of year 2019. It was laid out in CRD (factorial) with three replications and twenty-four treatment combinations, comprising of six wrapping materials (newspaper, butter paper, chart sheet, low density polyethylene of 100µ, high density polyethylene of 200µ and control as without wrapping) and four storage time (1, 4, 7 and 10 days), were tested. After harvesting, cut spikes were wrapped in wrapping materials and kept in cold-store at low temperature (less than 5°C), thereafter cut spikes were placed in vase solution (4% sucrose plus 300 ppm 8-HQC) for recording observations on floral parameters. Result: Among different wrapping materials, the butter paper wrapped cut spikes observed better in most of the parameters followed by LDPE (100 µ) wrapped cut spikes. Among the storage time, storage of cut spikes for 1 day observed better in most of the parameters except time taken up to opening of first pair of florets and total post-harvest life. Overall, butter paper wrapped cut spikes stored for 1 day performed better in term of floret diameter (46.73 mm), floret length (56.10 mm), floret longevity (2.89 days), appearance (3.70/5.0 scale), florets opened at a time (32.30%), total opened florets (54.32%), marketable vase life (6.53 days), total vase life (11.17 days), weight loss (17.08%) and solution consumed (135.33 ml) by the spikes. However, the cut spikes wrapped in butter paper stored for 10 days were found better with early opening of first pair of florets (0.95 days) and maximum post-harvest life (20.10 days). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A four year old female Labrador was presented to Dr. V.M. Jhala Clinical complex, Deesa with a history of abdominal distension and loss of appetite for last 10-15 days. The abdominal distension was diagnosed to be ascites of hepatic origin with help of hematobiochemical and clinical examination. Successful therapeutic management of ascites was done using diuretics, liver protectants, antibiotics and other ancillary treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acanthosis nigricans with mixed infection of Staphylococcus and Malassazia spp. in one year old female Labrador was diagnosed and managed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A Holstein Friesian crossbred cow was presented with history of inappetence, absence of rumination, tenesmus, reduced water intake and distended abdomen for last seven days. Rumen was impacted and ruminal motility was absent. Per rectal examination revealed empty rectum with presence of thick mucus. Based on history, clinical examination and omasal motility test, the cow was suspected for omasal impaction. The animal was treated with IA/ fluids and liq. Paraffin on first day followed by rumenotomy on second day. Complete recovery of omasal impaction was seen seven days following rumenotomy and impaction correction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study has investigated two effective routes to improve the response time and the detection range for the n-MoS 2 /p-CuO (conventional p-n) heterojunction. In the first rectification, an insulating AlN layer was inserted between the MoS 2 and CuO layer, which leads the traditional p-n junction to Semiconductor-Insulator-Semiconductor (SIS) with a superior carrier tunneling mechanism. Interestingly, the fabricated heterostructure exhibits self-powered and broad-range photoresponse. The response time (rise time and fall time) of the fabricated n-MoS 2 /p-CuO heterojunction decreases from 93.35 ms to 102.68 ms–11.31 ms and 12.73 ms with the insertion of ultrathin insulating AlN Layer. The higher responsivity and ultrafast photoresponse in n-MoS 2 /AlN/p-CuO (SIS) heterojunction can be ascribed to the carrier tunneling mechanism through the ultrathin-insulating AlN layer. In the second rectification, the detection range can be enhanced up to the UV region by adding a layer of MoS 2 quantum dots (QDs) on the surface of the MoS 2 layer. The fabricated n-MoS 2 QDs/n-MoS 2 /AlN/p-CuO heterostructure shows photoresponse in a broad range from UV to NIR radiations. The obtained results demonstrate the n-MoS 2 /AlN/p-CuO (SIS) heterostructure with the addition of MoS 2 QDs shows excellent potential for next-generation ultrafast optoelectronics applications. • n-MoS 2 /p-CuO and n-MoS 2 /AlN/p-CuO heterostructures were fabricated via sputtering. • Carrier tunneling is a better transport mechanism for optoelectronics applications. • The n-MoS 2 /AlN/p-CuO heterostructure exhibits higher photocurrent and responsivity. • With the insertion of the AlN layer, the response time (τ r /τ f) decreased from 93.35 ms/102.68 ms–11.31 ms/12.73 ms. • Additionally, MoS 2 QDs have been added to the fabricated heterostructures to increase the detection range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Electrochemical cDNA-sensing of Alzheimer's disease biomarker miRNA-137 is done. • The bimetallic Au-Pd nanoparticles are used on PEI@CuO/FTO as sensing platform. • cDNA-sensor responded with linear range from 1fM to 100 nM and LOD of 0.164pM. • Acceptable shelf life of one month with high reproducibility (2.5- 1.46% RSD). • Recovery was obtained ranging from 99% to 103.28% in spiked human serum sample. Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the third most predominantly occurring disease worldwide that is characterized by progressive deterioration of brain cells and change in behaviour, personality, orientation of time and space, leading to functional disability which affects the daily life of patient. We report an electrochemical complementary DNA (cDNA)-sensor for detection of AD by using blood biomarker, micro-ribonucleic acid-137 (miRNA-137). In this context, the gold-palladium/polyethyleneimine@copperoxide nanocomposite-coated fluorine tin oxide (Au-Pd/PEI@CuO/FTO) electrode is used as an immobilization platform for complementary DNA (cDNA) against the target miRNA-137. The thiolated-cDNA (Thi-cDNA) and Au-Pd bimetallic particles interact through the stable electrostatic binding. The fabricated Au-Pd/PEI@CuO/FTO was characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy, cyclic voltammetry, and electrochemical Impendence Spectroscopy. The sensor showed response time of 20 min with the linear range of 1fM to 100 nM and limit of detection as 0.164pM. The recovery of the cDNA-sensor for spiked human serum sample ranged from 99.3 % to 103.28 % with RSD value of 0.62 % to 2.81 %. The easy-to-use procedure, cost effectiveness, compactness, long shelf life (28 days) and high selectivity of cDNA-sensor towards miRNA-137 over even the one-base pair mismatch recommends the sensor's portability and real-life usability for AD detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The present investigation was carried out during the cropping season of year 2019-20 to find out the most suitable growing condition as well as variety of Asiatic lily for the production of bulbs/bulblets under Hisar (Haryana) conditions. Methods: The experiment was laid out in RBD (factorial) with three replications and twelve treatment combinations, comprising of three growing conditions (polyhouse of 200 µ, green shade-net of 50% shade and open field) and four varieties (Courier White, Tresor, Nova Lux and Red Stone). Result: These varieties of Asiatic lily when grown under polyhouse performed better in some parameters resulting in early bulb sprouting, maximum plant height and number of leaves/plant and the minimum days upto harvesting of bulbs, however, in other parameters viz. leaf length and width, weight of bulbs/plant, diameter of bulb and number of bulblets/plant, the shade-net condition was observed to be better than polyhouse. Overall, Tresor performed better, resulting in early bulb sprouting (5.11 days), minimum days (236.56) upto harvesting of bulbs and the maximum plant height (89.01 cm), number of leaves/plant (64.08), leaf length (9.50 cm), diameter of bulb (3.91 cm) and number of bulblets/plant (2.99) and it was followed by Red Stone which produced maximum weight of bulbs/plant (59.03 g) and observed next to Tresor in most of the parameters. Tresor grown under polyhouse took minimum days (231) upto the harvesting of bulbs, produced maximum plant height (115.13 cm) and number of leaves/plant (69.67) and it was closely followed by Red Stone grown under same condition. Further, under the shade-net, Red Stone produced maximum weight of bulbs/ plant (65.30 g) followed by Tresor (63.93 g), while the maximum number of bulblets/plant (3.90) were produced by Tresor followed by Red Stone (3.44). Henceforth, Tresor and Red Stone when grown under polyhouse performed better in vegetative parameters and when grown under shade-net performed better in bulb parameters than the other combinations of growing conditions and varieties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study regarding root characteristics, plant water status and CO2 exchange in relation to drought tolerance in chickpea. The study utilizes six genotypes of chickpea and was evaluated for various root characteristics during the post rainy season. Results show that the genotypes HC-5 and H02-36 could be utilized in crop improvement programs as sources of chickpea breeding for drought tolerance because it showed higher dry matter of roots.

Background: Ultra-processed foodstuffs have been replacing traditional beans with tortillas in the Mexican diet in the last decades. Therefore, scientific support is needed to promote a return to good-quality traditional dishes.Objectives: This study aims to evaluate the amino acid digestibility and score of pinto beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) consumed with corn tortillas and guacamole in adults using the dual-tracer method.Methods: The pinto beans were intrinsically labeled using 250 mL of 2H2O (99.8%) per 19 L pot with 3 plants. A paste of cooked beans on toasted corn tortillas and guacamole topping were administered to 3 male and 3 female adults (21-25 years old; BMI, 19-23.5 kg/m2). The protocol was plateau feeding given along with U-[13C]-spirulina protein to evaluate indispensable amino acid (IAA) digestibility using the dual-tracer method. Blood samples were taken in the plateau state. The digestibility of each IAA of the bean protein was calculated by the ratio of its enrichment in the beans to the spirulina in the meal and its appearance in plasma collected in the plateau state, as a percentage corrected by spirulina digestibility. Additionally, the digestible IAA score (DIAAS) was calculated.Results: The 2H enrichment of IAA in the pinto beans was 471 parts per million excess. The isotopic enrichment of 2H and 13C in IAA at 5-8 hours presented plateau states with mean CVs of 12.2% and 13.3%, respectively. The mean digestibility of IAA from pinto beans was 77% ± 1.6%, with the lowest value for threonine. The DIAAS calculated with respect to the pattern requirement for children older than 3 years, adolescents, and adults was 83%, with methionine and cysteine being the limiting amino acids.Conclusions: A Mexican dish of pinto beans, tortillas, and guacamole is a good source of protein as evaluated in adults and could be promoted as a nutritious snack. The assay is registered with the Ethical Committee of the Centro de Investigación en Alimentación y Desarrollo, A.C. as CE/015/2019. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Lysine rich foods such as milk and legumes serve as important food additions to the lysine deficient cereal-based diets of vegetarian populations in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) to alleviate the risk of quality corrected dietary protein inadequacy. Dietary protein quality can be determined by estimating the metabolic availability (MA) of lysine.Objectives: The study aimed to estimate the MA of lysine in spray-dried cow milk powder (SMP), heat-treated spray-dried cow milk powder (HSMP), and a habitually consumed cereal-legume based vegetarian meal (VM), using the indicator amino acid oxidation (IAAO) slope-ratio method.Methods: The MA of lysine in SMP, HSMP, and VM was estimated in 7 healthy young men aged 19-24 y with BMI of 21.5 ± 0.5 kg/m2 in a repeated measures design. The IAAO response slopes with 2 graded lysine intakes (10.5 and 15.0 mg·kg-1·d-1) from the SMP and VM were compared with the response slope generated with 3 graded crystalline lysine intakes (6.0, 10.5, and 15.0 mg·kg-1·d-1) at the subrequirement level. To produce HSMP, pasteurized cow milk was heat treated and spray dried. The MA of lysine in HSMP was tested at a single level of lysine intake (15 mg·kg-1·d-1). A total of 8 IAAO experiments were conducted on each participant in randomized order. The IAAO slopes were estimated using a linear mixed-effect regression model.Results: The MA of lysine in SMP, HSMP, and VM was 91.9%, 69.9%, and 86.6% respectively.Conclusions: Heat treatment reduced the MA of lysine by 22% in HSMP compared with SMP in healthy Indian adults. The lysine MA estimates can be used to optimize lysine limited cereal-based diets, with the addition of appropriately processed legumes and milk powder, to meet the protein requirement. This trial was registered at Clinical Trials Registry of India (http://ctri.nic.in) as CTRI/2019/08/020568. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: Total body potassium (TBK), has a natural radioactive isotope, which can be measured to derive body cell mass (BCM), making it useful in clinical conditions, early growth and pregnancy. The objective was to build a whole-body potassium counter (WBKC), to accurately measure TBK in the body.Methods and Study Design: A WBKC was designed and constructed using a shadow shield. A cellular four compartment (4C) model of fat free mass (FFM), using estimates of TBK along with total body water (TBW), was compared with a molecular 4C model of the body in twenty healthy adults (10 men and 10 women). The molecular 4C model used measurements of TBW, bone mineral content (BMC), and body volume from deuterium dilution (DD), dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and air displacement plethysmography (ADP) respectively.Results: The accuracy and precision of the WBKC were 2.8% and 1.9% with TBK phantoms. The mean estimate of FFM by the molecular 4C model was 40.4±6.8 kg, while it was 41.2±7.3 kg using the cellular 4C model.Conclusions: A WBKC constructed from base principles, was relatively low cost, efficient, safe and noninvasive, but requires some design considerations. Its measurement of FFM compared well with the molecular 4C model. Once constructed, it offers a relatively costless, accurate and repeatable method to measure body composition in conditions with uncertain hydration status, at all life stages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Environmental enteropathy' (EE) is common among children who are highly exposed to enteric pathogens in low-resource settings. We optimized and validated a stable isotope-based breath test of intestinal sucrase activity ( 13 C-SBT) as a noninvasive test of carbohydrate digestion and metabolism., Objectives: The primary objective of this study was to assess the relationship between the 13 C-SBT and the lactulose/rhamnose ratio (LR) and growth in children. Secondary objectives were to assess the relationship between the 13 C-SBT and additional biomarkers of EE. We also characterized the relationship between the 13 C-SBT and child sex and dietary diversity, as well as household socio-economic status and food security., Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 12-to-15-mo-old children were recruited in Bangladesh, India, Kenya, and Peru. Children were assessed with a 4-h 13 C-SBT and a 90-min LR test. Plasma was collected to determine the citrulline and kynurenine/tryptophan ratio. Length and weight were measured, and other variables were assessed through questionnaires. For a subset of children, anthropometry was re-measured after 3 mo. Linear regression was used to examine associations corresponding to each objective., Results: Three sites generated 13 C-SBT breath curves that enabled pooled analysis. Differences in 13 C-SBT breath curves, LR ratios, and other EE biomarkers were observed between sites. No associations were observed for 13 C-SBT summary measures and LR or child growth [e.g., the association between LR and cumulative percent dose recovered at 90 min: -0.39; 95% confidence interval (CI): -1.79, 0.70]. Length-for-age and weight-for-age were positively associated with the time to 50% of dose recovered (0.05; 95% CI: 0.01, 0.09, and 0.05; 95% CI: 0.02, 0.07, respectively), and dietary diversity was associated with time at which 50% of the dose recovered by 240 min is recovered and cumulative percent dose recovered at 90 min (-0.10; 95% CI: -0.18, -0.02 and 2.67; 95% CI: 0.47, 4.88, respectively)., Conclusions: In children at risk of EE, there were no associations between the 13 C-SBT, LR, or other EE biomarkers encompassing different pathophysiological domains of EE. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT04109352., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest VOO is employed by the funding organization. All other authors report no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background/objectives: The bioavailability of crystalline vitamin B 12 (B 12 ) through active absorption is reported to have a maximum capacity of 1.5-2.5 µg per dose. A small passive bioavailability has also been suggested at high doses. The present study aimed to determine the dose-dependency of active B 12 absorption and to quantify its passive absorption at higher doses., Methods: The dose-dependency of crystalline B 12 bioavailability was determined in nine healthy adults, using oral [ 13 C]-cyanocobalamin, in a cross-over design at doses of 2.5, 5, and 10 µg. The dose order was randomised, with a washout of one month. Literature data from was added to the present study data in a meta-analysis of the relation between B 12 bioavailability and dose, to evaluate its pattern at different doses., Results: Bioavailability, as a function of dose, was significantly different between 2.5, 5, and 10 µg doses of [ 13 C]-cyanocobalamin at 50.9 ± 32.5%, 26.7 ± 22.3%, 15.4 ± 13.6%, respectively, ( p < 0.01), while the absolute bioavailability trended upward, at 1.16 ± 0.74 µg, 1.22 ± 1.02 µg, and 1.39 ± 1.23 µg ( p = 0.46). The meta-analysis showed two distinct phases of bioavailability. Up to a dose of 2.6 µg, there was a significant steep positive correlation, with a slope (bioavailability) of 43%/µg suggesting an active process with a maximum of 1.2 µg. At higher doses, the slope was 1%/µg, not significantly different from zero, possibly a passive process., Conclusions: The active bioavailability of crystalline B 12 is not dose-dependent, saturating at ~1.2 µg.

Background: Protein quality, evaluated using Digestible Indispensable Amino Acid Score (DIAAS), requires ileal digestibility values of individual indispensable amino acids (IAAs) in each protein. However, true tryptophan (Trp) digestibility has rarely been quantified in humans., Objective: To measure the true Trp digestibility and DIAAS of 2 H-intrinsically labeled plant and animal protein sources in humans, using the dual isotope tracer technique., Methods: The true Trp digestibility of 2 H intrinsically labeled plant proteins such as whole mung bean (n = 6) and dehulled mung bean (n = 6), chickpea (n = 5), and yellow pea (n = 5), and protein from animal source foods such as egg white (n = 6), whole egg (n = 6), chicken meat (n = 6), and goat milk (n = 7) was determined against the known digestibility of U- 13 C spirulina whole cell protein as reference, except for goat milk protein that was measured against free crystalline 13 C-Trp as reference. Banked samples from earlier studies conducted to determine true IAA digestibility of different protein sources were used for the analysis. DIAAS was calculated for each test protein using digestibility corrected IAA scores (mg IAA/g of protein) in comparison with the IAA requirement score for adults., Results: The true Trp digestibility of whole mung bean, dehulled mung bean, chickpea, yellow pea, egg white, whole egg, chicken meat, and goat milk were 67.6 ± 3.7%, 74.5 ± 4.4%, 72.6 ± 2.3%, 72.5 ± 2.2%, 89.7 ± 2.5%, 91.4 ± 2.6%, 95.9 ± 2.2%, and 92.8 ± 2.9%, respectively. The true Trp digestibility of plant protein sources was significantly lower than that of animal protein sources (P < 0.05). Trp was not a limiting IAA in all the tested proteins., Conclusion: The true Trp digestibility determined in this study ranged from 67.6 ± 3.7% to 95.9 ± 2.2% for whole mung bean and chicken meat, respectively, and adds to the database of individual true IAA digestibility of different protein sources., Trial Registration Number: This study was registered in Clinical Trials Registry of India (CTRI) with registration numbers CTRI/2017/11/010468, CTRI/2020/04/024512, and CTRI/2018/03/012265., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest The authors report no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024 American Society for Nutrition. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: To assess the impact of nutritional and multiple-micronutrient supplementation to lactating mothers on the micronutrient status of mother-infant dyad at 6 months of age postnatally., Design: This study was a trial that aimed to investigate the impact of maternal nutritional supplementation on infant growth. A secondary objective was to assess the effect on the micronutrient status of mother-infant pairs. The intervention group mothers received snacks with 600 kcal energy, 20 g protein and daily micronutrient tablets., Setting: Blood samples were collected from both mothers and infants at 6 months., Participants: The participants in this study were mother-infant pairs. The micronutrient status of these pairs was assessed through blood samples, focusing on vitamins A, D, B 12 , ferritin, Zn and folate., Results: Micronutrient analysis of serum samples from 600 mother-infant pairs showed that mothers in the intervention group had higher levels of serum ferritin (mean difference (MD) 14·7 ng/ml), retinol (MD 0·6 μmol/l), folate (MD 3·3 ng/ml) and vitamin D (1·03 ng/ml) at 6 months postpartum. Additionally, the supplementation was associated with a higher mean ± sd of serum ferritin (MD 8·9 ng/ml) and vitamin A (MD 0·2 μmol/l) levels in infants at 6 months., Conclusions: The study found that supplementing maternal nutrition with additional dietary and micronutrient intakes during lactation improved maternal micronutrient status and slightly increased ferritin and vitamin A levels in infants at 6 months. The findings highlight the importance of nutritional interventions for improving the micronutrient health of mother-infant pairs, with significant public health implications.Trial registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov (CTRI/2018/04/013095).

Puga geothermal geyser and surrounding area, located in the Himalayan Geothermal Belt of the Trans-Himalayan Plateau in Ladakh, India, are very geographically isolated and considered pristine and free of anthropogenic activities. In this study, we have conducted the first metagenomic investigation of the microbes in and around the geyser. The whole genome sequencing analysis showed the presence of a total of 44.8%, 39.7% and 41.4% bacterial phyla in the PugW, PugS, and PugSo samples respectively, 8.6% of archaeal phyla (in all the samples), unclassified (derived from other sequences, PugW: 27.6%, PugS: 27.6%, and PugSo: 15.5%) and unclassified (derived from bacteria, PugW: 12%, PugS: 13.8%, and PugSo: 13.8%). The majority of archaeal sequences were linked to Euryarchaeota (2.84%) while the majority of the bacterial communities that predominated in most geothermal locations were linked to Pseudomonadota (67.14%) and Bacteroidota (12.52%). The abundant bacterial strains at the species level included Dechloromonas aromatica, Acinetobacter baumannii, and Arcobacter butzleri, in all the samples while the most abundant archaeal species were Methanosaeta thermophile, Methanoregula boonei, and Methanosarcina berkeri. Further, this geothermal geyser metagenome has a large number of unique sequences linked to unidentified and unclassified lineages, suggesting a potential source for novel species of microbes and their products. The present study which only examined one of the many geothermal geysers and springs in the Puga geothermal area, should be regarded as a preliminary investigation of the microbiota that live in the geothermal springs on these remote areas. These findings suggest that further investigations should be undertaken to characterize the ecosystems of the Puga geothermal area, which serve as a repository for unidentified microbial lineages., (© 2024. The Author(s) under exclusive licence to Sociedade Brasileira de Microbiologia.)

The changing global climate brings a gradual yet constant and adverse shift in crop production. Grain crop plants, particularly cereals and legumes, respond varyingly to adverse climate, including reduction in grain yield and changes to their nutrient densities. An understanding of specific changes to crop systems under differing climatic conditions can help in planning diets to meet human nutrient sufficiency. Grain protein content is also affected by adverse environmental factors. Deficits in protein yield, linked to changes in grain or seed protein and antinutrient concentrations, have been reported in major food crops when exposed to elevated carbon dioxide, high temperature, drought, and humidity. These changes, in addition to affecting the quantity of indispensable or essential amino acids (IAA), also impact their bioavailability. Therefore, it is important to assess consequences of climate change on grain protein quality. An important tool to measure grain protein quality, is measuring its digestibility at the level of the ileum and its IAA concentration, linked to a metric called the Digestible IAA Score (DIAAS). A minimally invasive technique called the dual isotope tracer technique, which measures IAA digestibility after simultaneous administration of two different intrinsically labelled protein sources, one a test protein ( 2 H/ 15 N) and one a reference protein ( 13 C) of predetermined digestibility, has been used in evaluation of grain protein IAA digestibility, and promises more in the evaluation of changes based on climate. This review discusses climate induced changes to grain protein quality through the prism of IAA digestibility, using the dual isotope tracer technique., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Kashyap, Reddy, Devi and Kurpad.)

Background & Aims: Metformin is a widely prescribed first line drug for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM). Studies have shown that the use of metformin is often associated with a decrease in vitamin B 12 (B 12 ) levels in patients with DM. Few studies have shown that this effect could be mitigated with calcium supplementation. In the present study, we quantified the effect of metformin, and metformin co-administered with calcium on B 12 absorption using a novel stable isotope [ 13 C] cyanocobalamin tracer., Methods: A pilot crossover study was conducted to estimate the bioavailability of B 12 in healthy subjects, using [ 13 C] cyanocobalamin as a tracer. In the study, [ 13 C] cyanocobalamin was administered orally to the participants followed by hourly venous sampling to measure the concentration of the tracer and estimate bioavailability. This protocol was followed for three experiment days, each separated by a one month wash out period. As part of the study, all participants received the tracer alone for the control day (C), metformin 850 mg along with the tracer for the metformin day (M) and metformin 850 mg with calcium 500 mg and the tracer for the metformin calcium day (MC)., Results: Seven participants completed all three experiment days. The mean B 12 bioavailability (±SD, n = 7) was 42.6 ± 10.2% for the control day (C), 30.8 ± 15.3% for the metformin day (M) and 46.4 ± 8.6% for the metformin-calcium day (MC). Repeated measures ANOVA was done and the pairwise comparison showed a significant difference in the B 12 bioavailability between control and metformin day (C vs M p = 0.010), and between the metformin and metformin with calcium day (M vs MC p = 0.003)., Conclusion: B 12 bioavailability reduced significantly from baseline (C) when metformin (M) was administered and this reduction was reversed when calcium was co-administered (MC) in healthy participants. In patients using metformin, calcium supplementation as a strategy to prevent B 12 deficiency needs to be further studied., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest No potential conflicts of interests to declare., (Copyright © 2024 European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Due to their distinctive physicochemical characteristics, hot springs are extremely important. The whole genome metagenomic sequencing technology can be utilized to analyze the diverse microbial community that thrives in this habitat due to the particular selection pressure that prevails there. The current investigation emphasizes on culture-independent metagenomic study of the Panamik hot spring and its nearby areas from Ladakh, India. Based on different diversity indices, sequence analysis of the soil reservoir showed higher species richness and diversity in comparison to water and sediment samples. The mineral content and various physicochemical pameters like temperature, pH had an impact on the composition of the microbial community of the geothermal springs. The phyla Proteobacteria, Cyanobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Actinobacter, Firmicutes, and Verrucomicrobia in bacterial domain dominate the thermos-alkaline spring at Panamik in different concentrations. Economically significant microbes from the genera Actinobacter, Thermosynechoccus, Candidatus Solibacter, Chthoniobacter, Synechoccus, Pseudomonas and Sphingomonas, were prevalent in hot spring. In the archaeal domain, the most dominant phylum and genera were Euryarchaeota and Thermococcus in all the samples. Further, the most abundant species were Methanosarcina barkeri, Nitrospumilus maritimus and Methanosarcina acetivorans. The present study which only examined one of the several thermal springs present in the Himalayan geothermal area, should be regarded as a preliminary investigation of the microbiota that live in the hot springs on these remote areas. These findings suggest that further investigations should be undertaken to characterize the ecosystems of the Panamik hot spring, which serve as a repository for unidentified microbial lineages., (© 2024. The Author(s) under exclusive licence to Sociedade Brasileira de Microbiologia.)

In light of their unique and challenging environment, the high-altitude Chumathang geothermal springs in Ladakh, India, are undeniably intriguing for microbiological study. The purpose of this study was to employ a culture-independent sequencing approach to give a comprehensive characterization of the unknown bacterial and archaeal community structure, composition and networks in water and soil from the Chumathang geothermal spring. A total of 50%, and 42.86% bacterial phyla were found in the water, and soil samples respectively and this analysis also showed a total of 9.62% and 7.94% of archaeal phyla in both the samples, respectively. Further, the presence of unclassified (derived from other sequences, water: 17.31%, and soil: 19.05%) and unclassified (derived from bacteria, water: 13.46%, and soil: 12.70%) were also observed in the current metagenomics investigation. Firmicutes and Proteobacteria were the most abundant bacterial phyla in water, whereas Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes were the most abundant bacterial phyla in geothermal soil. Crenarchaeota and Euryarchaeota dominated archeal communities in soil and water, respectively. This metagenomic study gave a detailed insight into the microbial diversity found in Chumathang geothermal spring and surrounding area, located in Ladakh, India. Surprisingly, this finding indicated the existence of geographically distinct microbial communities that were suited to various geothermal water habitats along the Himalayan Geothermal Belt. Future studies must take into account the metabolic pathways of these microbial communities that exist in these extreme environments. This will allow us to obtain a better knowledge of the microbial metabolisms that are common at these geothermal locations, which have a lot of potential for biotechnological applications. They will also enable us to establish links between the microbial community composition and the physicochemical environment of geothermal water and area., (© 2024. The Author(s) under exclusive licence to Sociedade Brasileira de Microbiologia.)

Background: Clinical and biochemical vitamin B 12 (B 12 ) deficiency is lower than anticipated in vegetarians. Extraileal absorption, such as from the colon, as well as reduced daily excretion, may be adaptive mechanisms to maintain B 12 homeostasis with marginal intakes., Objective: To measure the absorption of B 12 from the small and large intestine, and its daily rate of excretion from the body, using a [ 13 C]-cyanocobalamin tracer., Methods: Oral B 12 bioavailability was measured over 12 h after administration of [ 13 C]-cyanocobalamin tracer (2.5 μg) in normal participants. The colonic B 12 bioavailability was evaluated by direct instillation of [ 13 C]-cyanocobalamin (5 μg) into the ascending colon. Bioavailability was calculated from 2-compartmental modeling of the tracer appearance in plasma. The excretion rate of B 12 was measured from [ 13 C]-cyanocobalamin elimination from the body over 4 wk after oral dosing (5 μg)., Results: The oral B 12 bioavailability (n = 11) was 63% ± 10% measured over 12 h. A late absorption peak, accounting for 12% of the absorption, was observed after an average lag time of 8.7 h from dosing. The colonic B 12 bioavailability (n = 10) was 7% ± 5% over 4 h. The daily B 12 excretion rate (n = 4) was 0.7 ± 0.2 μg/d. The minimum daily requirement of B 12 in these participants was derived at 1 μg /d., Conclusions: B 12 is absorbed in the human colon. This observation confirms the potential contribution of the colon in daily B 12 nutriture, and along with a possible lower requirement, could explain the absence of clinical deficiency in populations with marginal B 12 intakes., Trial Registration Number: This study was registered in Clinical Trials Registry of India (CTRI) with the registration number CTRI/2018/04/012957, available from https://ctri.nic.in/Clinicaltrials/showallp.php?mid1=49319&EncHid=&userName=029108., (Copyright © 2023 American Society for Nutrition. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Protein quality of the red kidney bean (RKB), a common source of dietary protein, has been assessed using the protein digestibility-corrected amino acid score (PDCAAS) determined in animal models using mainly oro-fecal digestibility. More recently, the FAO recommended to use digestible indispensable amino acid score (DIAAS) instead of PDCAAS but highlighted insufficient data on true ileal indispensable amino acid (IAA) digestibility of proteins because amino acids are absorbed in the ileum., Objectives: Using a recently developed dual stable isotope tracer method, we aimed to measure each IAA digestibility as representation of true ileal digestibility of the RKB, Phaseolus vulgaris, in humans consuming a typical Jamaican meal., Methods: RKB-IAAs were intrinsically labeled by adding 2 H 2 O to the plants. Uniformly labeled-[ 13 C]-spirulina (standard protein) was added to a meal prepared with the labeled RKB and fed to 10 healthy adults (5 males, 5 females) in a nonrandomized trial as primed/intermittent doses to achieve a steady state IAA enrichment in plasma. Enrichment of 2 H- and 13 C-labeled IAA in plasma and the bean was measured by mass spectrometry. Each IAA digestibility (except tryptophan and histidine) was calculated as the ratio of plasma 2 H-IAA to meal 2 H-IAA divided by the ratio of plasma 13 C-IAA to meal 13C-IAA adjusted for loss of 2 H-atom during transamination and digestibility of spirulina., Results: Adequate IAA labeling (>1000 ppm 2 H excess) and plasma plateau isotopic enrichment were achieved. Mean RKB-IAA digestibility (%) was 79.4 ± 0.5, ranging from 69.0 ± 1.2 (threonine) to 85.7 ± 1.7 (lysine)., Conclusion: The dual stable isotope tracer digestibility data are similar to published oro-fecal digestibility supporting substantial nitrogen exchange in the colon. The individual IAA digestibility is useful to derive DIAAS to replace PDCAAS. Using published RKB-IAA composition, extrapolated DIAAS was 0.63 based on the lowest score for methionine., Clinical Trial Registration: https://register., Clinicaltrials: gov; ID: NCT-04118517., (Copyright © 2023 American Society for Nutrition. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: The gene-environment interaction of the REarranged during Transfection ( RET ) gene with vitamin A in the etiopathogenesis of Hirschsprung disease (HSCR) has been suggested in rodents. The aim of this study was to evaluate vitamin A status in mothers of children with HSCR and to assess its association with pathogenic variants of the RET gene in affected children., Methods: This was a case-control study of stable isotope-based vitamin A measurement stores of mothers of children diagnosed with HSCR (within 8 months from birth, n = 7) and age-matched mothers of normal children (n = 6). Next-generation sequencing of RET exons, along with their upstream promoter region, was performed in the 7 HSCR proband-parent triads to evaluate pathogenic variants., Results: Maternal vitamin A stores in the HSCR group was almost 50% that of those in controls, tending toward significance (0.50 ± 0.17 vs 0.89 ± 0.51 μmol/g respectively, P = 0.079). Two novel pathogenic de novo mutations were identified in 2 cases, and a rare single-nucleotide deletion was detected in the 3.5-kb RET upstream region, in a heterozygous state, in all 7 proband-parent triads. Low-penetrance RET haplotypes associated with HSCR were detected in 5 cases., Discussion: Mothers with children with HSCR had lower vitamin A liver stores than mothers with normal children, and the children who were affected had HSCR despite having no established pathogenic RET variants. Lower maternal vitamin A status may increase the penetrance of genetic mutations in RET , and vitamin-A mediated gene-environment interactions may underpin some of the etiology of HSCR., (Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. on behalf of The American College of Gastroenterology.)

Background: /Objective: The extent of exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI) in the paediatric population with acute pancreatitis (AP) is unknown. The primary objective was to use a 6 h stable-isotope breath test to determine the prevalence of EPI in children with AP. The secondary objective was to determine the diagnostic ability of a 4 h abbreviated breath test in the detection of EPI., Methods: 13 C-mixed triglyceride (MTG) breath test was used to measure fat digestibility in 12 children with AP and 12 normal children. EPI was diagnosed based on a cumulative dose percentage recovery (cPDR) cut-off value < 26.8% present in literature. To reduce the test burden, the diagnostic accuracy of an abbreviated 4 h test was evaluated, using a cPDR cut-off that was the 2.5 th percentile of its distribution in control children., Results: The cPDR of cases was significantly lower than that of controls (27.71 ± 7.88% vs 36.37 ± 4.70%, p = 0.005). The cPDR during acute illness was not significantly different to that at 1 month follow up (24.69 ± 6.83% vs 26.98 ± 11.10%, p = 0.52). The 4 h and 6 h breath test results correlated strongly (r = 0.93, p < 0.001) with each other. The new 4 h test had 87.5% sensitivity and 93.8% specificity for detecting EPI., Conclusion: Two-thirds (66.7%) of this sample of children with AP had EPI during admission, which persisted at 1 month follow up. The 4 h abbreviated 13 C-MTG breath test has good diagnostic ability to detect EPI in children and may improve its clinical utility in this age group., (Copyright © 2023 IAP and EPC. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Human milk provides essential nutrition for infants, and its benefits are well established. We lack data on the influence of maternal nutritional status on milk volume and composition in low-middle income countries., Objective: We aimed to 1) assess lactation performance (human milk volume, macronutrient composition, and infant energy intake) in Indian females and 2) examine the associations between maternal anthropometry (BMI, percentage body fat) and lactation performance., Methods: We conducted an observational study among 232 mother-infant dyads, 2 to 4 mo postpartum in Haryana, India. We used deuterium oxide dose-to-mother technique to measure milk volume and maternal percentage body fat and collected human milk samples to determine macronutrient and energy concentrations. Adjusted multiple linear regression models were used to examine the associations between maternal anthropometry and lactation performance., Results: The mean BMI and percentage body fat of mothers were 21.7 ± 3.6 kg/m 2 and 29.5 ± 7.7, respectively. Milk volume and macronutrient composition were similar to the reference values (means ± standard deviations: milk volume, 724 ± 184 mL/d; median (25th, 75th percentile); protein, 9.9 (8.3, 11.7) g/L; fat, 41.0 ± 15.2 g/L; energy density, 0.71 ± 0.14 kcal/g; lactose, 65.5 (55.3, 71.3) g/L). Maternal BMI and percentage body fat were not significantly associated with macronutrient composition. Both maternal BMI and percentage body fat were negatively associated with milk volume (-7.0, 95% CI: -12.4, -1.6 mL/d; -3.5, 95% CI: -6.0, -1.1mL/d, respectively) but there were no effects on the total energy intake of infants after adjusting for covariates., Conclusion: Most mothers had a normal BMI and milk of similar composition and volume to reference values. Future work in populations with a greater burden of underweight and/or obesity are needed to examine the underlying mechanisms between maternal body composition and milk volume. This trial was registered at The Clinical Trials Registry- India as CTRI/2017/01/007636., (Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The digestible indispensable amino acid score uses ileal digestibility of each indispensable amino acid (IAA) of a dietary protein to calculate its protein quality. However, true ileal digestibility, which is the exclusive sum of digestion and absorption of a dietary protein up to the terminal ileum, is difficult to measure in humans. It is traditionally measured using invasive oro-ileal balance methods but can be confounded by endogenous secreted protein in the intestinal lumen, although the use of intrinsically labeled protein corrects for this. A recent, minimally invasive dual isotope tracer technique is now available to measure true IAA digestibility of dietary protein sources. This method involves simultaneous ingestion of 2 intrinsically but differently (stable) isotopically labeled proteins, a ( 2 H or 15 N-labeled) test protein and ( 13 C-labeled) reference protein whose true IAA digestibility is known. Using a plateau-feeding protocol, the true IAA digestibility is determined by comparing the steady state ratio of blood to meal test protein IAA enrichment to the similar reference protein IAA ratio. The use of intrinsically labeled protein also distinguishes between IAA of endogenous and dietary origin. The collection of blood samples makes this method minimally invasive. As the α- 15 N and α- 2 H atoms of AAs of the intrinsically labeled protein are prone to label loss because of transamination, underestimation of digestibility, appropriate correction factors need to be employed when using 15 N or 2 H labeled test protein. The true IAA digestibility values of highly digestible animal protein by the dual isotope tracer technique are comparable to that measured by direct oro-ileal balance measurements, but no data are yet available for proteins with lower digestibility. A major advantage is that the minimally invasive method allows for true IAA digestibility measurement in humans across different age groups and physiological conditions., (Copyright © 2022 American Society for Nutrition. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Salinity is a major abiotic stress, limiting plant growth and agriculture productivity worldwide. Salicylic acid is known to alleviate the negative effects of salinity. The present study demonstrated the impact of SA on sorghum, a moderately salt-tolerant crop, grown for food, fodder, fiber, and fuel. A screen house experiment was conducted using sorghum genotypes Haryana Jowar HJ 513 and HJ 541 under 4 salt levels (0, 5.0, 7.5, and 10.0 dS m -1 NaCl) and 3 SA (0, 25, and 50 mg dm -3 ) levels with 12 combinations. The leaves were assayed for electrolyte leakage percentage (ELP), i.e., 88.7 % in HJ 541 and 87.2 % in HJ 513, and osmolyte content. Proline content, total soluble carbohydrate content, and glycine betaine content increased considerably. Photosynthetic rate, transpiration rate, and stomatal conductance declined at higher salt levels. The specific enzymatic activities of SOD, CAT, and POX increased 41.1 %, 122.0 %, and 72.8 %, respectively, in HJ 513 under salt stress. Combinations of salt treatment and SA decreased ELP and enhanced osmolyte concentration, rates of gaseous exchange attributes, and also the antioxidant enzymatic activity in salt-stressed leaves. The study established that the specific activity of antioxidative enzymes is enhanced further by addition of SA which may protect the cells from oxidative damage under salt stress, thus mitigating salt stress and enhancing the yield of sorghum. SA can ameliorate the salt stress in plants by affecting the metabolic or physiological frameworks. SA application is an effective management strategy towards mitigating salt stress in order to meet agricultural production and sustainability., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

The recent Food and Agricultural Organization/World Health Organization/United Nations University expert consultations on protein requirements and quality have emphasized the need for the new Digestible Indispensable Amino Acid Score (DIAAS), as a measure of protein quality. This requires human measurements of the true ileal digestibility of individual indispensable amino acids (IAAs) until the end of the small intestine. Digestibility is measured using standard oro-ileal balance methods, which can only be achieved by an invasive naso-ileal intubation in healthy participants or fistulation at the terminal ileum. Significant efforts have been made over the last 2 decades to develop noninvasive or minimally invasive methods to measure IAA digestibility in humans. The application of intrinsically labeled (with stable isotopes like 13C, 15N, and 2H) dietary proteins has helped in circumventing the invasive oro-ileal balance techniques and allowed the differentiation between endogenous and exogenous protein. The noninvasive indicator amino acid oxidation (IAAO) technique, which is routinely employed to measure IAA requirements, has been modified to estimate metabolic availability (a sum of digestibility and utilization) of IAA in foods, but provides an estimate for a single IAA at a time and is burdensome for participants. The recently developed minimally invasive dual isotope tracer method measures small intestinal digestibility of multiple amino acids at once and is suitable for use in vulnerable groups and disease conditions. However, it remains to be validated against standard oro-ileal balance techniques. This review critically evaluates and compares the currently available stable isotope-based protein quality evaluation methods with a focus on the digestibility and metabolic availability measurements in humans. In view of building a reliable DIAAS database of various protein sources and subsequently supporting protein content claims in food labeling, a re-evaluation and harmonization of the available methods are necessary., (© The Author(s) 2021. Published by Oxford University Press.)

The symbiotic relationship between insects and gut microbes contributes to their fitness by serving immense range of functions viz. nutrition and digestion, detoxification, communication and reproduction etc. However, this relationship between insect and gut microbes varies from mutualistic to pathogenic. Gut microbes become pathogenic when the healthy normal microbial composition is perturbed leading to the death of insect host. Spodoptera litura (Fab.) is a polyphagous pest that causes significant damage to many agricultural crops. The management of this pest primarily depends upon chemical insecticides which have resulted in development of resistance. Thus in search for alternative strategies, culturable gut bacteria isolated from S. litura were screened for insecticidal potential. Among these Serratia marcescens and Enterococcus mundtii induced higher larval mortality in S. litura. The mortality rate increased from 32 to 58% due to S. marcescens at concentrations ranging from 2.6 × 10 8 to 5.2 × 10 9  cfu/ml and 26 to 52% in case of E. mundtii due to increase in concentration from 4.6 × 10 8 to 6.1 × 10 9  cfu/ml. Both the bacteria negatively affected the development, nutritional physiology and reproductive potential of insect. The results indicated a change in gut microbial composition as well as damage to the gut epithelial membrane. Invasion of gut bacteria into the haemocoel led to septicaemia and ultimately death of host insect. In conclusion both these gut bacteria may serve as potential biocontrol agents against S. litura., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Background: Spodoptera litura (Fab.) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) commonly known as tobacco caterpillar is a polyphagous pest that causes significant damage to many agricultural crops. The extensive use of chemical insecticides against S. litura has resulted in development of resistance. In order to find potential biocontrol agents, gut microbes were investigated for insecticidal potential. These microbes live in a diverse relationship with insects that may vary from beneficial to pathogenic., Results: Enterococcus casseliflavus, Enterococcus mundtii, Serratia marcescens, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas paralactis and Pantoea brenneri were isolated from adults of S. litura. Screening of these microbial isolates for insecticidal potential against S. litura showed higher larval mortality due to K. pneumoniae and P. paralactis. These bacteria also negatively affected the development of insect along with significant decline in relative growth and consumption rate as well as efficiency of conversion of ingested and digested food of insect. The bacteria significantly decreased the reproductive potential of insect. Perturbations in the composition of gut microbiome and damage to gut epithelium were also observed that might be associated with decreased survival of this insect., Conclusions: Our study reveals the toxic effects of K. pneumoniae and P. paralactis on biology of S. litura. These bacteria may be used as potential candidates for developing ecofriendly strategies to manage this insect pest., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Background: A large proportion of infants in low- and middle-income countries are stunted. These infants are often fed complementary foods that are low-quality, primarily in terms of protein and micronutrients., Objectives: We aimed to test 2 milk-cereal mixes supplemented with modest and high amounts of protein during 6-12 mo of age, compared with no supplementation, for their effect on length-for-age z score (LAZ) at 12 mo of age., Methods: Eligible infants (6 mo plus ≤29 d) were randomly assigned to either of the 2 interventions (modest- and high-protein) or a no supplement group. The milk-cereal mixes provided ∼125 kcal, 30%-45% energy from fats, and 80%-100% RDA of multiple micronutrients (MMN). The modest-protein group received 2.5 g protein [protein energy ratio (PER): 8%; 0.75 g from milk source] and the high-protein group received 5.6 g protein (PER: 18%, 1.68 g from milk source). One packet was given daily for 180 d. Counseling on continued breastfeeding and optimal infant-care practices was provided to all., Results: We enrolled 1548 infants (high-protein: n = 512; modest-protein: n = 519; and no supplement: n = 517). Compared with the no supplement group, there was an improvement in LAZ [adjusted mean difference (MD): 0.08; 95% CI: 0.01, 0.15], weight-for-age z score (MD: 0.12; 95% CI: 0.06, 0.19), weight-for-length z score (MD: 0.11; 95% CI: 0.02, 0.19), and midupper arm circumference z score (MD: 0.10; 95% CI: 0.02, 0.18) in the high-protein group at 12 mo of age. No significant differences for these anthropometric indicators were noted between the modest-protein and no supplement groups or between the high- and modest-protein groups., Conclusions: Cereal mixes with higher amounts of milk-based protein and MMN may lead to improvement in linear growth and other anthropometric indexes in infants, compared with no supplementation.This trial was registered at ctri.nic.in as CTRI/2018/04/012932., (© The Author(s) 2021. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Society for Nutrition.)

Background: In lower-middle-income settings, growth faltering in the first 6 mo of life occurs despite exclusive breastfeeding., Objective: The aim was to test the efficacy of an approach to improve the dietary adequacy of mothers during lactation and thus improve the growth of their infants., Methods: Eligible mother-infant dyads (infants ≤7 d of age) were randomly assigned to either intervention or control groups. Mothers in the intervention group received snacks that were to be consumed daily, which provided 600 kcal of energy-with 25-30% of energy derived from fats (150-180 kcal) and 13% of energy from protein (80 kcal). Micronutrients were supplemented as daily tablets. We provided counseling on breastfeeding and infant-care practices to mothers in both groups. The primary outcome was attained infant length-for-age z scores (LAZ) at 6 mo of age. Secondary outcomes included exclusive breastfeeding proportion reported by the mother, maternal BMI and midupper arm circumference (MUAC), hemoglobin concentrations in mothers and infants, and the proportion of anemic infants at 6 mo of age., Results: We enrolled 816 mother-infant dyads. The intervention did not achieve a significant effect on LAZ at 6 mo (adjusted mean difference: 0.09; 95% CI: -0.03, 0.20). Exclusive breastfeeding at 5 mo was higher (45.1% vs. 34.5%; RR: 1.31; 95% CI: 1.04, 1.64) in the intervention group compared with the controls. There were no significant effects on mean hemoglobin concentration or the proportion of anemic infants at 6 mo of age compared with the control group. We noted significant effects on maternal nutritional status (BMI, MUAC, hemoglobin concentration, and proportion anemic)., Conclusions: Postnatal supplementation of 600 kcal energy, 20 g protein, and multiple micronutrients daily to lactating mothers did not affect infant LAZ at age 6 mo. Such supplementation may improve maternal nutritional status. This trial was registered at Clinical Trials Registry-India as CTRI/2018/04/013095., (© The Author(s) 2021. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Society for Nutrition.)

Background: Milk is an important high-quality animal protein source in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Although the true ileal digestibility and absorption of milk has been shown to be high in French adults, this may be lower in individuals from LMICs who are at risk of environmental enteropathy., Objective: To determine the true ileal indispensable amino acid (IAA) digestibility of intrinsically labeled goat milk protein in South Indian women of reproductive age (WRA), using the dual-isotope tracer technique, and to measure intestinal absorption of amino acid and inert sugar in the same participants using L-allo-isoleucine and a dual-sugar assay., Methods: Milk with 2H-labeled protein collected from a lactating goat fed intrinsically 2H-labeled fodder (maize and cowpea) was spray dried. Labeled milk protein was administered in a plateau feeding protocol to WRA with normal BMI, in whom urinary lactulose and mannitol recovery and the lactulose/mannitol ratio (LMR) were measured, to determine its true ileal IAA digestibility by the dual-isotope tracer technique with a reference U-13C-amino acid mixture. A phenylalanine absorption index was calculated from the plasma to meal ratio of 13C9 phenylalanine within the digestibility protocol. On a separate day, the allo-isoleucine absorption index was estimated from the ratio of plasma allo-isoleucine enrichments after oral 13C6-15N-L- and intravenous 2H10-L-allo-isoleucine administration., Results: The means ± SDs of true ileal IAA digestibility of goat milk protein, lactulose and mannitol recovery, LMR, allo-isoleucine and phenylalanine absorption index were 94.0 ± 2.9%, 0.09 ± 0.03%, 7.9 ± 2.3%, 0.012 ± 0.004, 88.4 ± 3.8% and 24.5 ± 1.6%, respectively. The LMR correlated with the allo-isoleucine absorption index (rs = -0.93, P = 0.008)., Conclusion: The true ileal digestibility of goat milk protein in South Indian WRA with normal intestinal absorptive function and integrity was comparable to earlier estimates in healthy French adults., (© The Author(s) 2021. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Society for Nutrition.)

Background: Vitamin B-12 deficiency is widespread in many parts of the world, affecting all age groups and increasing with age. It is primarily due to a low intake of animal source foods or malabsorption. The measurement of bioavailability of vitamin B-12 is etiologically important in deficiency but is limited due to the use of radioactive isotopes like [57Co]- or [14C]-cyanocobalamin., Objectives: The aim of this study was to measure the bioavailability of [13C]-cyanocobalamin in humans and to assess the effect of parenteral replenishment of vitamin B-12 on the bioavailability., Methods: We synthesized a stable isotope-labeled vitamin B-12, [13C]-cyanocobalamin, using Salmonella enterica by providing [13C2]-ethanolamine as a sole carbon source. After purification and mass spectrometry-based characterization, its oral bioavailability was measured in the fasted state with high and low oral doses, before and after parenteral replenishment of vitamin B-12 stores, from the kinetics of its plasma appearance in a 2-compartment model., Results: [13C]-cyanocobalamin was completely decyanated to [13C]-methylcobalamin describing metabolic utilization, and its plasma appearance showed early and late absorption phases. At a low dose of 2.3 µg, the mean bioavailability was 46.2 ± 12.8 (%, mean ± SD, n = 11). At a higher dose of 18.3 µg, the mean bioavailability was 7.6 ± 1.7 (%, mean ± SD, n = 4). Parenteral replenishment of the vitamin B-12 store in deficient individuals prior to the measurement resulted in a 1.9-fold increase in bioavailability., Conclusions: Vitamin B-12 bioavailability is dose dependent and at a low dose that approximates the normal daily requirement (46%). The stable isotope method described here could be used to define the etiology of deficiency and to inform the dietary requirement in different physiologic states as well as the dose required for supplementation and food fortification. This trial was registered at the Clinical Trials Registry of India as CTRI/2018/04/012957., (Copyright © The Author(s) on behalf of the American Society for Nutrition 2020.)

Background & Aims: Stunting in children is a comorbid condition in undernutrition that may be ameliorated by the provision of high-quality foods that provide protein and micronutrients. Addressing this problem in lower social economic environments requires, in part, affordable and scalable food-based solutions with efficacious food products. Towards this end, biochemical/metabolic indicators for fast-throughput screening of foods and their components are desired. A highly acceptable and economical micronutrient-fortified food product with different levels of legume protein was provided to stunted Indian children for one month, to determine change in their linear growth and explore associated biochemical, metabolomic and microbiome indicators., Methods: A randomized controlled pilot trial was conducted with 100 stunted children (6-10 years of age) to elucidate metabolic and microbiome-based biomarkers associated with linear growth. They were randomized into 4 groups receiving 6, 8, 10 or 12 g of legume-based protein for one month. Anthropometry, blood biochemistry, aminoacidomics, acylcarnitomics and fecal microbiome were measured before and after feeding., Results: No significant differences were observed between groups in height, height-for-age Z-score (HAZ) or BMI-for-age Z-score (BAZ); however, 38 serum metabolites were altered significantly (Bonferroni adjusted P < 0.1) in response to the interventions. IGF-1 (Insulin like Growth Factor-1) was positively (ρ > 0.2, P = 0.02), while serine and ornithine (ρ < -0.2, P = 0.08) were negatively associated with change in height. Leucine, isoleucine and valine positively correlated (P = 0.011, 0.023 and 0.007 respectively) with change in BAZ. Three Operational Taxonomic Units belonging to Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes (VIP score > 1.5) were significantly correlated with change in height., Conclusions: In this pilot trial, a number of fasting serum metabolomic and fecal microbiome signatures were associated with linear growth after a short-term dietary intervention. The alterations of these markers should be validated in long-term dietary intervention trials as potential screening indicators towards the development of food products that favor growth. This trial was registered at www.ctri.nic.in as CTRI/2016/12/007564., Competing Interests: Conflicts of interest MD has a consultant relation with MARS, Inc., USA. CLK is the Mars Chair in Developmental Nutrition. AVK is an advisor to the Tata Trusts, India. All other authors report no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2020. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Background: Legumes are an excellent plant source of the limiting indispensable amino acid (IAA) lysine in vegetarian, cereal-based diets. However, their digestibility is poor largely because of their antiprotease content. Extrusion can enhance digestibility by inactivating trypsin inhibitors and thus potentially improve the protein quality of legumes., Objective: We measured the digestibility of extruded chickpea and yellow pea protein with use of a dual stable isotope method in moderately stunted South Indian primary school children., Methods: Twenty-eight moderately stunted children (height-for-age z scores <-2.0 SD and >-3.0 SD) aged 6-11 y from low to middle socioeconomic status were randomly assigned to receive a test protein (extruded intrinsically [2H]-labeled chickpea or yellow pea) along with a standard of U-[13C]-spirulina protein to measure amino acid (AA) digestibility with use of a dual stable isotope method. Individual AA digestibility in the test protein was calculated by the ratios of AA enrichments in the test protein to the standard protein in the food and their appearance in blood plasma collected at 6 and 6.5 h during the experiment, representing a plateau state., Results: The mean AA digestibility of extruded chickpea and yellow pea protein in moderately stunted children (HAZ; -2.86 to -1.2) was high and similar in both extruded test proteins (89.0% and 88.0%, respectively, P = 0.83). However, lysine and proline digestibilities were higher in extruded chickpea than yellow pea (79.2% compared with 76.5% and 75.0% compared with 72.0%, respectively, P < 0.02)., Conclusion: Extruded chickpea and yellow pea protein had good IAA digestibility in moderately stunted children, which was 20% higher than an earlier report of their digestibility when pressure-cooked, measured by the same method in adults. Higher digestibility of lysine and proline highlights better retention of these AA in chickpea during extrusion-based processing. Extrusion might be useful for developing high-quality protein foods from legumes. This trial was registered at www.ctri.nic.in as CTRI/2018/03/012439., (Copyright © The Author(s) 2020.)