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Growing media is the important aspect to measure healthy seedlings in ridgegourd. Hydrogel polymer in media provide bio-stimulant to nitrogen promotes seed germination through function as signaling molecule. The present study reports that hydrogel polymer when mixed with cocopeat, perlite, vermiculite (3:1:1) ratio bestows myriad effects on seedling growth. Herein, seed sown in media of cocopeat, perlite, vermiculite (3:1:1) along with 1 gm hydrogel polymer improved seedling germination, root and shoot growth, chlorophyll content and net profit as compared to control.

Meat fraud is an ongoing issue. So, Identification of meat adulterant as well as bacterial contamination is utmost need. Advance technology like Multiplex and digital droplet PCR are the two currently used methods for diagnosing contamination of meat. However, simultaneous testing of adulterant and bacterial contamination in livestock are not done profoundly. Here, we have design PCR primers which can be used to identify adulterant and bacterial contamination concurrently.

Tuberculosis is a health concern worldwide. The anti-tubercular drugs (particularly rifampicin) used for its management offers side effects like acute kidney injury. Creatinine, which is recognised as an important biomarker for the renal function, is commonly estimated with Jaffe's reaction (alkaline picrate reaction). However, interference of Jaffe's reaction with non-creatinine chromogens has been reported. In this context, we have checked the possibility of interference by Rifampicin and Isoniazid at therapeutic concentration with the Jaffe's reaction. Through in-silico study, we have studied the reaction prediction of picric acid with other chemicals/reactant (i.e. Rifampicin, Isoniazid and non-creatinine chromogens) in terms of confidence value. It is observed that the confidence value of reaction prediction between picric acid and INH and Rifampicin is much more than the same of pyruvic acid (non-creatinine chromogen). Further, we have checked the absorbance value of Jaffe's reaction mixture in aqueous media in the presence of both the drugs at 520nm. It is observed that the absorbance of alkaline picric acid increases with an increase in drug concentration. However, the increasing trend of absorbance is much more in the case of rifampicin compared to INH. It appears from our result rifampicin, and isoniazid has the potential to behave as non-creatinine chromogen and can give false positive creatinine results in Jaffe's reaction. Thus, it can cause misdiagnosis in patients consuming these drugs. We recommend study in the biological matrix for further validation of the result.

The present investigation promotes the usage of RAP for developing countries like India where hot mix asphalt is still the most popular and utilized technology. Dense Bituminous Macadam (DBM) mixes were prepared with different proportions (50% & 100%) of coarse RAP (C), fine RAP (F) and total RAP (T) obtained from two different sources separately. This approach was adopted owing to the fact that uncontrolled milling is still the most practically doable method for reclaiming RAP. The optimum proportion of RAP for DBM mixes was decided based upon several strength and durability properties. It was found that C mixes demand higher quantity of virgin asphalt followed by F and T mixes for achieving the desirable volumetric properties. T mixes were found to have the highest Marshall Stability value whereas rest of the mixes could attain comparable stability value. Similarly, the rutting performance of all the mixes was significantly higher than the control mix; however, F mixes showed comparable performance to T mixes. On the other hand, both the individual fractions of RAP had comparable moisture resistance (tensile strength ratio) to the control mix, whereas, total fraction mixes could not meet the minimum specified limits. Even the abrasion resistance of C and F mixes in standard condition was higher than the control mix. The results indicated that natural coarse and fine aggregates may be replaced completely by coarse RAP and fine RAP, respectively, for preparation of DBM mixes without much affecting the performance-related properties. Also, this combination would provide a cost saving of about 40%.

Vitamin D has generated interest in the context of COVID-19 pandemic. Some authorities believe that it is beneficial; others think that without proven deficiency it should not be administered. The results of clinical trial are still awaited. Therefore nothing regarding the matter is conclusively known. In this context we believe that selocalcitol, a Vitamin D analogue if administered via inhalational route, has the potential to prevent SARS-CoV2 infection. The basis of this idea is presented here.

Introduction: The purpose of the present study was to screen excipients such as amino acids and non-aqueous solvents for their stabilizing effect on catalase, a model protein, for lyophilization. The present study also includes optimization of lyophilization cycle for catalase formulations, which is essential from the commercial point of view, since lyophilization is an extremely costly process. Materials and Methods: Activity of catalase was determined using catalase activity assay. Differential scanning calorimetry was used to determine eutectic melting temperature of the frozen catalase solution, which is essential for the optimization of lyophilization cycle. Results: When catalase was lyophilized without excipients, it was found that about 65-78% of the initial activity of catalase was lost during the lyophilization process in a concentration dependent manner. The maximum stability of catalase during lyophilization was observed at pH 7.0. Amino acids like alanine, glycine, lysine, serine and 4-hydroxy proline showed strong stabilizing effect on catalase during lyophilization by protecting catalase activity above 95%, whereas valine and cysteine hydrochloride showed destabilizing effect on catalase. Non-aqueous solvents such as dimethyl formamide, dimethyl sulphoxide, polyethylene glycol (PEG) 200, PEG 400, PEG 600 and ethylene glycol also showed destabilizing effect on catalase during lyophilization. Conclusions: In order to prevent loss of catalase activity during lyophilization of catalase, use of amino acids like alanine, glycine, lysine, serine and 4-hydroxy proline in optimum concentration is highly advisable.

The aim of the study was to understand the effect of benzyl alcohol on biological activity, aggregation behavior, denaturant and heat-induced unfolding of lysozyme. Compatibility studies of lysozyme carried out with a number of anti-microbial preservatives, indicated benzyl alcohol to be the best suppressor of protein aggregation against heat stress. The effect of this preservative was checked at various pH values ranging from 4.0 to 9.0. In spite of reducing the thermal denaturation temperature (T(m)) at all pH values, benzyl alcohol had a stabilizing effect on lysozyme in terms of retaining the biological activity when the enzyme was incubated at 75 degrees C. The reduction in T(m) with increasing benzyl alcohol concentration was correlated with decreasing surface tension of surrounding medium. A detailed thermodynamic study of lysozyme in the presence of benzyl alcohol was carried out at pH 6.2. Change in Gibb's free energy of thermal unfolding at 25 degrees C was found to remain constant in the presence of benzyl alcohol, indicating no interaction of benzyl alcohol with the native protein at room temperature. Both the enthalpy and entropy change at mid point of thermal unfolding were found to increase in the presence of benzyl alcohol indicating the stabilization of partially unfolded state.

The aim of the study was to investigate the stability of a model protein, lysozyme, in the presence of the commonly used preservative benzyl alcohol. Techniques including lytic assay, size exclusion chromatography, circular dichroism, differential scanning calorimetry, native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and dynamic light scattering were used to study the overall stability of lysozyme in the presence of benzyl alcohol. The stability of lysozyme against thermal stress was higher in the presence of benzyl alcohol. In the presence of 0.5%, 0.9% and 2% v/v benzyl alcohol, the enzyme showed 33%, 42% and 75% residual activity, respectively, when exposed to 75 degrees C for 2 h, as compared to the 22% activity of control sample. A gradual increase in the size of aggregates was observed for the control sample relative to the samples containing benzyl alcohol, as a result of loss of monomer concentration. The effect was found to be concentration-dependent with 2% benzyl alcohol showing maximum prevention of heat-induced unfolding and aggregation. This effect is remarkable since the thermal transition temperature of the enzyme decreases in the presence of benzyl alcohol. Benzyl alcohol favours the thermal denaturation of lysozyme but stabilizes the lysozyme against the heat-induced aggregation.