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The current study focuses on the biodegradation of selected synthetic dye by using a brown rot fungus, Piptoporus betulinus. Response Surface Methodology (RSM) under Central Composite Design (CCD) was employed to optimize the biodegradation of two synthetic dyes named direct flavine 5-G (Direct-1) and reactive red S3B (Reactive-1). The biodegradation process was optimized by study of the effect of pH, temperature, time period and dye concentration. Further, carbon and nitrogen sources were added to enhance the biodegradation process. Ligninolytic enzymes including laccase, lignin peroxidase and manganese peroxidase were also studied during biodegradation experiments to check their role in the biodegradation process. The results showed that there was 81.17% biodegradation of reactive-1 and 75.91% of direct-1 after optimization of parameters i.e. pH, temperature, time period and dye concentration through RSM. The biodegradation of reactive-1 dye was increased up to 97.29% after the addition of various carbon and nitrogen sources during the biodegradation process, while the biodegradation of direct-1 dye increased upto 93.03% after the addition of carbon and nitrogen sources. These readily available nutrients enhance fungal growth and enzyme production that causes more biodegradation. There was positive interaction among most of the parameters studied, for the biodegradation of above two dyes. The ligninolytic enzymes were actively involved in the process with activities 1638.05 IU/mL for LiP, 1443.01 IU/mL for MnP and 258.88 IU/mL for laccase at the optimized conditions. The optimal conditions for biodegradation of both dyes were pH 6, inoculum size 6 mL, incubation period 5 day and dye concentration 0.03% at temperature 32.5 °C. Lip was the most efficient enzyme involved in the biodegradation process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Industrialization not only revolutionized the life in the past few decades but also leads to environmental pollution by the continuous addition of effluents. There is need to develop techniques for the economic bioremediation of toxic effluents to maintain sustainable environment. In current study, the textile industrial effluent's biodegradation potential of a locally isolated brown rot fungi, Fomitopsis pinicola IEBL-4, was analyzed and optimized. Response surface methodology under Box–Behnken design was employed for the biodegradation of three industrial effluents. The analysis of biodegradation is followed by the study of the ligninolytic enzymes, i.e., manganese peroxidase, lignin peroxidase, and laccase during the process. Biological oxygen demand (BOD) and chemical oxygen demand (COD) of effluents after treatment were determined to check the quality of the biodegradation process. The results showed that there was 72.06 ± 1.76%, 75.15 ± 1.72%, and 79.02 ± 1.62% biodegradation of MT, FST, and ST effluents, respectively after optimization of fungal growth conditions. Addition of various carbon and nitrogen sources further increase biodegradation 15%, 5%, and 9% for MT, FST, and ST effluents, respectively. There was continuous decrease in the values of BOD and COD after each optimization step and values were well below the WHO recommended after final biodegradation. The BOD of MT effluent reduces from 358.30 mg/L to 49.31 ± 0.87 mg/L, 347.2 mg/L to 51.12 ± 0.76 mg/L for FST effluent, and 412.2 mg/L to 45.34 ± 0.9 mg/L for ST effluent after optimization of biodegradation at two stages. The study of ligninolytic enzymes showed that these are involved in the biodegradation process and lignin peroxidase is the most active among all three. The maximum activities calculated were 942.60 ± 5.70 U mL−1 min−1 for LiP, 694.20 ± 4.10 U mL−1 min−1 for MnP, and 435.60 ± 3.30 U mL−1 min−1 for laccase. The enzymatic activities vary with the biodegradation of the effluent suggested dyes dependent secretion of the enzymes. This study could be concluded that F. pinicola IEBL-4 is suitable fungus for the bioremediation of textile industrial effluents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biofuel is an important alternative source of fuel, as many countries are looking to decrease their dependence on fossil fuels. One of the critical steps in biofuel production is the conversion of lignocelluloses to fermentable sugars, and there is need for cheaper and more efficient enzymatic strategies. Consequently, lignocellulase genes from various organisms have been explored. Termites possess varied sets of efficient micro-scale lignocellulose degrading systems. In this study, bacteria that degraded cellulose and xylan were isolated from termite gastrointestinal tract. The isolate was identified as Cellulomonas sp. by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The bacterial enzymes cellulase and xylanase showed the highest activity at 50 °C and pH 8.0. The agricultural substrates were hydrolyzed by cellulases and xylanases, and more sugar was released from corn stover (18.903±0.65 mM/L) than from rice straw or cotton stalk. After direct hydrolysis and fermentation of agricultural substrates, ethanol (0.425±0.035 g/L) and lactate (0.772±0.075 g/L) were the major end products. Thus, termite gut bacteria can efficiently hydrolyze hemicellulose and cellulose, and these bacteria also have the potential to convert these fermentable sugars into valuable secondary metabolites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urinary tract infection (UTI) affects women more than males mainly due to smaller urethra and feminine genital anatomy. Symptoms of UTI includes painful micturaition, flank pain, fever etc while its signs are pyuria, bacteriuria and tenderness in flank. In order to rule out UTI, laboratory tests are primarily performed, most important are urine routine examination, urine culture and sensitivity test. Radiological evaluation of urinary system is also done to determine the underlying causes of infection and the extent of damage caused to the renal system by the infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current study was designed to investigate the ability of Coniophora puteana IEBL-1, Daedalea dickinsii IEBL-2, Piptoporus betulinus IEBL-3 and Fimitopsis pinicola IEBL-4 to decolorized disperse textile dyes. Five disperse dyes, purchased from supplier were studied including; disperse violet S3RL, yellow brown S2RFL, red W4BS, yellow SRLP and red S3B. The decolorization process was observed for 10 consecutive days with the analysis of process on each day. The results showed that D. dickinsii IEBL-2 (70-80 %) has the more potential of biodegradation of disperse dyes while P. betulinus IEBL-3 (47-59 %) has the least. The study of lignolytic enzymes i.e. lignin peroxidase, manganese peroxidase and laccase showed that C. puteana IEBL-1 and D. dickinsii IEBL-2 produced most active enzymes. Higher enzymatic activities related with more degradation indicated that these are involved in this process. Enzymes showed maximum activities at 30 0C and pH 6.5 with good affinity towards their substrates as indicated by kinetic values. The result indicates that these BRF isolates are suitable for the treatment of textile wastewater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is universal of the hormonal problem and Type II diabetes is foremost obstacle. Accessible management in medicine has numerous contrary paraphernalia. Medical flora shows an essential part in managing diabetes specifically in unindustrialized nations. The present study was done on leaves of Rhazya stricta Decane, Adhatoda zeylanica, Berberis lycium Royle and Olea furrrignea, whose methanolic extracts were used to check their hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic activity by using glucometer and kit method respectively in blood of male and female albino mice Balb C. Results showed that leaves of R. stricta were best for hypoglycemia (125.34±63.79mg/dl, 107.34±18.00mg/dl, 146.00±40.36mg/dl and 178.34±17.03mg/dl), hypocholesterolemia (147.88±21.83mg/dl and 125.89±14.03mg/dl) and triglycerides (103±8.88mg/dl and 89.±43.4mg/dl) in random and fasting conditions, in male and female mice respectively. All plant extract were most effective for hypoglycemia and hypocholesterolemia in female mice as compared to male mice. Moreover statistical analysis revealed that leaves of other plants were also effective but less than leaves of R. stricta. So this plant part and a combination of presently used plants can be used for further studies particularly among females by the purification of active compounds against hyperglycemia and hypercholesterolemia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Chronic hepatitis C infection is the main causative agents for public health problem. Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is generally considered as hepatotropic virus but it can also infect the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). The aim of present study was to detect HCV RNA and non-structural protein 5 (NS5A) in PBMCs of the patients who achieved sustained virological response (SVR) and to explore their role in relapse. We investigated HCV RNA of genotype 3a in PBMCs of SVR responders Pakistani patients. A total of 62 patients who achieved SVR treated with interferon and ribavirin for 24 weeks were included in the study. PBMCs from blood were isolated by ficoll gradient centrifugation method using Ficoll reagent. Viral RNA in PBMCs was detected by quantitative real time PCR and HCV NS5A protein in was detected by immunofluorescence assay. Seven (11.3%) patients were relapsers. A positive association between viral RNA in the PBMCs and relapse was observed. Relapse occurred significantly more often in patients with HCV RNA in their PBMCs at SVR stage than the patients who did not have the RNA (25 % Vs 4.8 %, P=0.03 OR=6.66 CI%=1.16-38.13). HCV protein expression in PBMCs have showed the significant association with relapse (31.6% Vs 2.3%, OR=19.39; P=0.00). The study concludes that patients having HCV RNA and NS5A protein in PBMCs after achieving the SVR are more likely to go in relapse as compared to those negative for HCV RNA and protein in PBMCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]