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Abstract Background Groundnut is mainly grown in the semi-arid tropic (SAT) regions worldwide, where abiotic stress like drought is persistent. However, a major research gap exists regarding exploring the genetic and genomic underpinnings of tolerance to drought. In this study, a multi-parent advanced generation inter-cross (MAGIC) population was developed and evaluated for five seasons at two locations for three consecutive years (2018–19, 2019–20 and 2020–21) under drought stress and normal environments. Results Phenotyping data of drought tolerance related traits, combined with the high-quality 10,556 polymorphic SNPs, were used to perform multi-locus model genome-wide association study (GWAS) analysis. We identified 37 significant marker-trait associations (MTAs) (Bonferroni-corrected) accounting, 0.91- 9.82% of the phenotypic variance. Intriguingly, 26 significant MTAs overlap on four chromosomes (Ah03, Ah07, Ah10 and Ah18) (harboring 70% of MTAs), indicating genomic hotspot regions governing drought tolerance traits. Furthermore, important candidate genes associated with leaf senescence (NAC transcription factor), flowering (B3 domain-containing transcription factor, Ulp1 protease family, and Ankyrin repeat-containing protein), involved in chlorophyll biosynthesis (FAR1 DNA-binding domain protein), stomatal regulation (Rop guanine nucleotide exchange factor; Galacturonosyltransferases), and associated with yield traits (Fasciclin-like arabinogalactan protein 11 and Fasciclin-like arabinogalactan protein 21) were found in the vicinity of significant MTAs genomic regions. Conclusion The findings of our investigation have the potential to provide a basis for significant MTAs validation, gene discovery and development of functional markers, which could be employed in genomics-assisted breeding to develop climate-resilient groundnut varieties.

Background Hepatitis B virus (HBV) and Hepatitis C virus (HCV) show similarity in the transmission, distribution, hepatotropism, and leading to chronic asymptomatic infection. Coinfection of HBV and HCV can lead to more severe liver disease and an increased risk for progression to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Most of the people with chronic infection are unaware of their HBV and HCV infections, hence facilitating these to go undiagnosed until these viruses have caused serious liver damage and they act as a potential source of infection for the community at large. Therefore, the present study aimed to find the prevalence of HBV and HCV along with incidences of coinfection of HBV and HCV in patients seeking hospital care in central India. Methods A five-year hospital-based study was carried out at the tertiary care hospital in Central India from 2018 to 2022. A total of 72402 patients attending the outdoor patients and admitted indoor patients who were advised for HBV and HCV for screening before any invasive/surgical procedure and patients who presented with symptoms of acute or chronic liver disease were included in this study. Screening was done by immunochromatography-based card test followed by the confirmation of all samples by enzyme immunoassay. Results Seroprevalence of HBV and HCV was found to be 3.71% and 1.91%, respectively. Coinfection with HBV/HCV was seen in 0.13% of the individuals. The overall prevalence of HBV, HCV, and HBV-HCV coinfection was significantly higher in the male population as compared to females. Conclusion The study findings of seroprevalence of HBV and HCV among the hospital-based population will help to get a baseline understanding of the disease burden in central India. The HBV/HCV coinfection rate also raises serious concerns owing to its high prevalence rate among the younger age.

Abstract Moso bamboo (Phyllostachys edulis), an ecologically and economically important forest species in East Asia, plays vital roles in carbon sequestration and climate change mitigation. However, intensifying climate change threatens moso bamboo survival. Here we generate high-quality haplotype-based pangenome assemblies for 16 representative moso bamboo accessions and integrated these assemblies with 427 previously resequenced accessions. Characterization of the haplotype-based pangenome reveals extensive genetic variation, predominantly between haplotypes rather than within accessions. Many genes with allele-specific expression patterns are implicated in climate responses. Integrating spatiotemporal climate data reveals more than 1050 variations associated with pivotal climate factors, including temperature and precipitation. Climate-associated variations enable the prediction of increased genetic risk across the northern and western regions of China under future emissions scenarios, underscoring the threats posed by rising temperatures. Our integrated haplotype-based pangenome elucidates moso bamboo’s local climate adaptation mechanisms and provides critical genomic resources for addressing intensifying climate pressures on this essential bamboo. More broadly, this study demonstrates the power of long-read sequencing in dissecting adaptive traits in climate-sensitive species, advancing evolutionary knowledge to support conservation.

This study investigates the epidemiology of subclinical mastitis, focusing on prevalence, risk factors, bacterial pathogens, virulence factors, antimicrobial sensitivity, and detection of methicillinresistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bacterial isolates in organized and unorganized dairy farms of Kamrup and adjoining districts of Assam. The overall prevalence of bovine subclinical mastitis was found to be 43.81% using the California Mastitis Test (CMT). Risk factor analysis revealed that age-wise, the highest prevalence was noted in the 4-6 years age group (51.95%) and at 4th lactation (60.40%). Significant associations were found between mastitis prevalence and various factors including age, breed, lactation number, stage of lactation, quarter-wise distribution, farm type, management system, and season. A total of 185 bacterial isolates were obtained, predominantly Staphylococcus spp. (143), with notable occurrences of Streptococcus spp. (22), Escherichia coli (14), and Enterococcus faecalis (6). Staphylococcus aureus emerged as the primary etiological agent, with 81.82% of isolates producing coagulase and 45.45% producing hemolysin, while 54.0% of Staphylococcus aureus isolates tested positive for the protein A (spa) gene. Antimicrobial sensitivity testing revealed enrofloxacin, gentamicin, and ceftriaxone as the most effective antibiotics, with penicillin-G demonstrating the least efficacy. Methicillin resistance was detected in 11.96% of Staphylococcus aureus isolates phenotypically and in 2.56% genotypically (mecA) revealing the emergence of MRSA which is important from a public health point of view. These findings highlight the prevalence of subclinical mastitis, the predominance of Staphylococcus aureus as the causative agent, and the emergence of antimicrobial resistance, which warrants effective control measures and antimicrobial management in dairy farming practices.

Abstract Breast cancer is one of the leading causes of death among women globally, making its diagnosis and treatment challenging. The use of nanotechnology for cancer diagnosis and treatment is an emerging area of research. To address this issue, multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were ligand exchanged with butyric acid (BA) to gain hydrophilic character. The successful functionalization was confirmed by FTIR spectroscopy. Surface morphology changes were observed using SEM, while TEM confirmed the structural integrity of the MWCNTs after functionalization. Particle size, zeta potential, and UV spectroscopy were also performed to further characterize the nanoparticles. The breast cancer aptamer specific to Mucin-1 (MUC-1) was then conjugated with the functionalized MWCNTs. These MWCNTs successfully targeted breast cancer cells (MDA-MB-231) as examined by cellular uptake studies and exhibited a reduction in cancer-induced inflammation, as evidenced by gene transcription (qPCR) and protein expression (immunoblotting) levels. Immunoblot and confocal-based immunofluorescence assay (IFA) indicated the ability of CNTs to induce photothermal cell death of MDA-MB-231 cells. Upon imaging, cancer cells were effectively visualized due to the MWCNTs’ ability to act as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agents. Additionally, MWCNTs demonstrated photothermal capabilities to eliminate bound cancer cells. Collectively, our findings pave the way for developing aptamer-labeled MWCNTs as viable “theranostic alternatives” for breast cancer treatment. Graphical abstract

Abstract The suboptimal efficacies of existing anti-malarial drugs attributed to the emergence of drug resistance dampen the clinical outcomes. Hence, there is a need for developing novel drug and drug targets. Recently silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) constructed with the leaf extracts of Euphorbia cotinifolia were shown to possess antimalarial activity. Therefore, the synthesized AgNPs from Euphorbia cotinifolia (EcAgNPs) were tested for their parasite clearance activity. We determined the antimalarial activity in the asexual blood stage infection of 3D7 (laboratory strain) P. falciparum. EcAgNPs demonstrated the significant inhibition of parasite growth (EC50 of 0.75 µg/ml) in the routine in vitro culture of P. falciparum. The synthesized silver nanoparticles were seen to induce apoptosis in P. falciparum through increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) ROS production and activated programmed cell death pathways characterized by the caspase-3 and calpain activity. Also, altered transcriptional regulation of Bax/Bcl-2 ratio indicated the enhanced apoptosis. Moreover, inhibited expression of PfLPL-1 by EcAgNPs is suggestive of the dysregulated host fatty acid flux via parasite lipid storage. Overall, our findings suggest that EcAgNPs are a non-toxic and targeted antimalarial treatment, and could be a promising therapeutic approach for clearing malaria infection.

Introduction: Peanut is susceptible to infection of Aspergillus fungi and conducive to aflatoxin contamination, hence developing aflatoxin-resistant variety is highly meaningful. Identifying functional genes or loci conferring aflatoxin resistance and molecular diagnostic marker are crucial for peanut breeding. Objectives: This work aims to (1) identify candidate gene for aflatoxin production resistance, (2) reveal the related resistance mechanism, and (3) develop diagnostic marker for resistance breeding program. Methods: Resistance to aflatoxin production in a recombined inbred line (RIL) population derived from a high-yielding variety Xuhua13 crossed with an aflatoxin-resistant genotype Zhonghua 6 was evaluated under artificial inoculation for three consecutive years. Both genetic linkage analysis and QTL-seq were conducted for QTL mapping. The candidate gene was further fine-mapped using a secondary segregation mapping population and validated by transgenic experiments. RNA-Seq analysis among resistant and susceptible RILs was used to reveal the resistance pathway for the candidate genes. Results: The major effect QTL qAFTRA07.1 for aflatoxin production resistance was mapped to a 1.98 Mbp interval. A gene, AhAftr1 (Arachis hypogaea Aflatoxin resistance 1), was detected structure variation (SV) in leucine rich repeat (LRR) domain of its production, and involved in disease resistance response through the effector-triggered immunity (ETI) pathway. Transgenic plants with overexpression of AhAftr1(ZH6) exhibited 57.3% aflatoxin reduction compared to that of AhAftr1(XH13). A molecular diagnostic marker AFTR.Del.A07 was developed based on the SV. Thirty-six lines, with aflatoxin content decrease by over 77.67% compared to the susceptible control Zhonghua12 (ZH12), were identified from a panel of peanut germplasm accessions and breeding lines through using AFTR.Del.A07. Conclusion: Our findings would provide insights of aflatoxin production resistance mechanisms and laid meaningful foundation for further breeding programs.

Natural products have long been a cornerstone of drug discovery, providing diverse and biologically relevant chemical scaffolds. This work aims to guide newcomers to natural product research and, specifically, drug discovery by presenting a curated list of 30 key publications selected through an international survey of experts and critical evaluation by the authors. The selected works span textbooks, review articles, and original research papers, covering various aspects of natural product research, including chemistry, pharmacology, analytical sciences, emerging open science, and computational approaches. We discuss historical milestones in natural product drug discovery, highlighting the specific contributions of the U.S. National Cancer Institute in developing anticancer and anti-HIV agents. The present work also addresses current challenges and innovations in the field, emphasizing the importance of data quality, interdisciplinary collaboration, and the integration of artificial intelligence. By providing this carefully selected reading list and accompanying analysis, we aim to offer a comprehensive yet accessible entry point for researchers new to natural product-based drug discovery and highlight future directions and opportunities in this dynamic field.

Epilepsy, a complex neurological condition marked by recurring seizures, is increasingly recognized for its intricate relationship with mitochondria, the cellular powerhouses responsible for energy production and calcium regulation. This review offers an in-depth examination of the interplay between epilepsy, mitochondrial function, and aging. Many factors might account for the correlation between epilepsy and aging. Mitochondria, integral to cellular energy dynamics and neuronal excitability, perform a critical role in the pathophysiology of epilepsy. The mechanisms linking epilepsy and mitochondria are multifaceted, involving mitochondrial dysfunction, reactive oxygen species (ROS), and mitochondrial dynamics. Mitochondrial dysfunction can trigger seizures by compromising ATP production, increasing glutamate release, and altering ion channel function. ROS, natural byproducts of mitochondrial respiration, contribute to oxidative stress and neuroinflammation, critical factors in epileptogenesis. Mitochondrial dynamics govern fusion and fission processes, influence seizure threshold and calcium buffering, and impact seizure propagation. Energy demands during seizures highlight the critical role of mitochondrial ATP generation in maintaining neuronal membrane potential. Mitochondrial calcium handling dynamically modulates neuronal excitability, affecting synaptic transmission and action potential generation. Dysregulated mitochondrial calcium handling is a hallmark of epilepsy, contributing to excitotoxicity. Epigenetic modifications in epilepsy influence mitochondrial function through histone modifications, DNA methylation, and non-coding RNA expression. Potential therapeutic avenues targeting mitochondria in epilepsy include mitochondria-targeted antioxidants, ketogenic diets, and metabolic therapies. The review concludes by outlining future directions in epilepsy research, emphasizing integrative approaches, advancements in mitochondrial research, and ethical considerations. Mitochondria emerge as central players in the complex narrative of epilepsy, offering profound insights and therapeutic potential for this challenging neurological disorder.

Summary: The anti-inflammatory activity of a phytocompound (oleuropein [OLP]) in the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-mimicked macrophage model of inflammation demonstrates the importance of PI3K-Akt1 signaling in establishing “immune homeostasis.” Here, we present a protocol for the cultivation of in vitro cultures of P. falciparum for carrying out drug sensitivity assays. We describe steps for parasite synchronization, drug treatment, DNA isolation, and starvation-induced autophagy. This protocol provides insights into autophagy and parasite tolerance to drug pressure.For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Sharma et al.1 : Publisher’s note: Undertaking any experimental protocol requires adherence to local institutional guidelines for laboratory safety and ethics.

Abstract Background Aspergillus flavus is an important agricultural and food safety threat due to its production of carcinogenic aflatoxins. It has high level of genetic diversity that is adapted to various environments. Recently, we reported two reference genomes of A. flavus isolates, AF13 (MAT1-2 and highly aflatoxigenic isolate) and NRRL3357 (MAT1-1 and moderate aflatoxin producer). Where, an insertion of 310 kb in AF13 included an aflatoxin producing gene bZIP transcription factor, named atfC. Observations of significant genomic variants between these isolates of contrasting phenotypes prompted an investigation into variation among other agricultural isolates of A. flavus with the goal of discovering novel genes potentially associated with aflatoxin production regulation. Present study was designed with three main objectives: (1) collection of large number of A. flavus isolates from diverse sources including maize plants and field soils; (2) whole genome sequencing of collected isolates and development of a pangenome; and (3) pangenome-wide association study (Pan-GWAS) to identify novel secondary metabolite cluster genes. Results Pangenome analysis of 346 A. flavus isolates identified a total of 17,855 unique orthologous gene clusters, with mere 41% (7,315) core genes and 59% (10,540) accessory genes indicating accumulation of high genomic diversity during domestication. 5,994 orthologous gene clusters in accessory genome not annotated in either the A. flavus AF13 or NRRL3357 reference genomes. Pan-genome wide association analysis of the genomic variations identified 391 significant associated pan-genes associated with aflatoxin production. Interestingly, most of the significantly associated pan-genes (94%; 369 associations) belonged to accessory genome indicating that genome expansion has resulted in the incorporation of new genes associated with aflatoxin and other secondary metabolites. Conclusion In summary, this study provides complete pangenome framework for the species of Aspergillus flavus along with associated genes for pathogen survival and aflatoxin production. The large accessory genome indicated large genome diversity in the species A. flavus, however AflaPan is a closed pangenome represents optimum diversity of species A. flavus. Most importantly, the newly identified aflatoxin producing gene clusters will be a new source for seeking aflatoxin mitigation strategies and needs new attention in research.

Abstract Myocarditis is considered a fatal form of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in suckling calves. In the present study, a total of 17 calves under 4 months of age and suspected clinically for FMD were examined for clinical lesions, respiratory rate, heart rate, and heart rhythm. Lesion samples, saliva, nasal swabs, and whole blood were collected from suspected calves and subjected to Sandwich ELISA and reverse transcription multiplex polymerase chain reaction (RT-mPCR) for detection and serotyping of FMD virus (FMDV). The samples were found to be positive for FMDV serotype “O”. Myocarditis was suspected in 6 calves based on tachypnoea, tachycardia, and gallop rhythm. Serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST), creatinine kinase myocardial band (CK-MB) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and cardiac troponins (cTnI) were measured. Mean serum AST, cTn-I and LDH were significantly higher (P 2 months 2 months

Abstract Background Foliar diseases namely late leaf spot (LLS) and leaf rust (LR) reduce yield and deteriorate fodder quality in groundnut. Also the high oleic acid content has emerged as one of the most important traits for industries and consumers due to its increased shelf life and health benefits. Results Genetic mapping combined with pooled sequencing approaches identified candidate resistance genes (LLSR1 and LLSR2 for LLS and LR1 for LR) for both foliar fungal diseases. The LLS-A02 locus housed LLSR1 gene for LLS resistance, while, LLS-A03 housed LLSR2 and LR1 genes for LLS and LR resistance, respectively. A total of 49 KASPs markers were developed from the genomic regions of important disease resistance genes, such as NBS-LRR, purple acid phosphatase, pentatricopeptide repeat-containing protein, and serine/threonine-protein phosphatase. Among the 49 KASP markers, 41 KASPs were validated successfully on a validation panel of contrasting germplasm and breeding lines. Of the 41 validated KASPs, 39 KASPs were designed for rust and LLS resistance, while two KASPs were developed using fatty acid desaturase (FAD) genes to control high oleic acid levels. These validated KASP markers have been extensively used by various groundnut breeding programs across the world which led to development of thousands of advanced breeding lines and few of them also released for commercial cultivation. Conclusion In this study, high-throughput and cost-effective KASP assays were developed, validated and successfully deployed to improve the resistance against foliar fungal diseases and oleic acid in groundnut. So far deployment of allele-specific and KASP diagnostic markers facilitated development and release of two rust- and LLS-resistant varieties and five high-oleic acid groundnut varieties in India. These validated markers provide opportunities for routine deployment in groundnut breeding programs.

Abstract As noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) pose a significant global health burden, identifying effective diagnostic and predictive markers for these diseases is of paramount importance. Epigenetic modifications, such as DNA methylation, have emerged as potential indicators for NCDs. These have previously been exploited in other contexts within the framework of neural network models that capture complex relationships within the data. Applications of neural networks have led to significant breakthroughs in various biological or biomedical fields but these have not yet been effectively applied to NCD modeling. This is, in part, due to limited datasets that are not amenable to building of robust neural network models. In this work, we leveraged a neural network trained on one class of NCDs, cancer, as the basis for a transfer learning approach to non-cancer NCD modeling. Our results demonstrate promising performance of the model in predicting three NCDs, namely, arthritis, asthma, and schizophrenia, for the respective blood samples, with an overall accuracy (f-measure) of 94.5%. Furthermore, a concept based explanation method called Testing with Concept Activation Vectors (TCAV) was used to investigate the importance of the sample sources and understand how future training datasets for multiple NCD models may be improved. Our findings highlight the effectiveness of transfer learning in developing accurate diagnostic and predictive models for NCDs.

Drug resistance in Plasmodium falciparum presents a formidable challenge to the humanity. And, unavailability of an effective vaccine worsens the situation further. Autophagy is one of the mechanisms employed by parasite to evade drug pressure to survive. Autophagy induced by the P. falciparum in response to the oleuropein pressure may answer many questions related to the parasite survival as well as evolving drug tolerance. The survival/autophagy axis could be an important avenue to explore in order to address certain questions related to the evolution of drug resistance. In addition, humanized mouse model of P. falciparum infection could serve as an important preclinical tool to investigate the oleuropein-induced autophagy, potentially helping to dissect the mechanisms underlying the development of antimalarial drug resistance.

Bamboo is a perennial rapid-growing plant that is given preference for renewable biosources for biofuels and bio-based chemical conversion. Bamboos are rich in cellulose and have highly recalcitrant biomass due to high lignin. Bamboo is abundantly available in Northeastern India and can be utilized as a feedstock biofuels. Here, we evaluated the pretreatment of bamboo residues Dendrocalamus strictus with different concentrations of alkali, hydrogen peroxide, and alkaline hydrogen peroxide and its influence on biomass digestibility for enhancement of sugar recovery with Celic C cellulase enzyme blend. Enzymatic hydrolysis data indicated untreated raw biomass showed a digestibility of 40% after 48 h of incubation. The biomass pretreated with alkali showed a maximum digestibility of 61% obtained from 10% loaded with 0.5% w/v NaOH. Pretreatment of the bamboo with H2O2 shows a maximum digestibility of 75% from biomass loaded with 1% w/v of H2O2. Combinational pretreatment of alkaline hydrogen peroxide showed a maximum efficiency of biomass digestibility of 83% attained from biomass loaded with 1% w/v NaOH-H2O2. Crystallinity index (CrI) analysis showed that CrI increased from 64% to 70.75% in pretreated biomass. FTIR and SEM analysis show changes in functional groups, morphology, and surface of biomass in pretreated biomass. Compositional analysis shows that 68% of lignin removal is obtained from alkaline hydrogen peroxide pretreatment. Cellulose content increased from 52% to 65%, and hemicellulose decreased from 18.6% to 8.6%. Results indicated that the potential possibility of bamboo waste biomass as feedstock for biorefinery products and alkaline hydrogen peroxide pretreatment methods is an efficient strategy for sugar recovery for bioethanol production.

Gastrointestinal (GI) cancers represent a significant global health challenge, driving relentless efforts to identify innovative diagnostic and therapeutic approaches. Recent strides in microbiome research have unveiled a previously underestimated dimension of cancer progression that revolves around the intricate metabolic interplay between GI cancers and the host's gut microbiota. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of these emerging metabolic interactions and their potential to catalyze a paradigm shift in precision diagnosis and therapeutic breakthroughs in GI cancers. The article underscores the groundbreaking impact of microbiome research on oncology by delving into the symbiotic connection between host metabolism and the gut microbiota. It offers valuable insights into tailoring treatment strategies to individual patients, thus moving beyond the traditional one-size-fits-all approach. This review also sheds light on novel diagnostic methodologies that could transform the early detection of GI cancers, potentially leading to more favorable patient outcomes. In conclusion, exploring the metabolic interactions between host gut microbiota and GI cancers showcases a promising frontier in the ongoing battle against these formidable diseases. By comprehending and harnessing the microbiome's influence, the future of precision diagnosis and therapeutic innovation for GI cancers appears more optimistic, opening doors to tailored treatments and enhanced diagnostic precision.

Background: Diabetic nephropathy represents a significant microvascular complication of diabetes, characterized by extracellular matrix accumulation, loss of cell-cell junctions, microalbuminuria, and diminished creatinine clearance. Despite its prevalence, therapeutic options dedicated to this condition are currently lacking. Natural products like bioflavonoids have garnered attention for their potential therapeutic benefits. The present study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of a bioflavonoid combination, including ginger extract, soy extract, and hesperetin, in a diabetic rat model. Methods: Diabetes was initiated in the rat pups via intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin on the fifth postnatal day. After six weeks, rats exhibiting blood sugar levels exceeding 160 mg/dL were allocated into diabetic control and treatment groups, with eight animals each. A subset of rats received citrate buffer as a control. The treatment group received the bioflavonoid combination orally for twenty-four weeks. Various parameters, including glycemic levels, urinary parameters, antioxidant status, mRNA expression via Western blot, gel zymography, and immunohistochemistry, were assessed at the study's conclusion. Results: The bioflavonoid combination demonstrated significant reductions in hyperglycemia and various urinary parameters compared to controls. Notably, it modulated MMP-9/TIMP-1 expression, upregulated GLUT-4, and downregulated TGF-β. Additionally, the combination enhanced total antioxidant capacity, indicating potential antioxidative benefits. Conclusions: This study highlights the therapeutic potential of a bioflavonoid combination (ginger extract, soy extract, and hesperetin) in improving renal function in diabetic nephropathy. By modulating key factors such as MMP-9/TIMP-1, TGF-β, and GLUT-4, this combination presents a promising avenue for further exploration in managing diabetic nephropathy. These findings underscore the importance of natural products as potential therapeutic agents in addressing diabetic complications.

Lung cancer remains a significant global health concern with limited treatment options and poor prognosis, particularly in advanced stages. Small extracellular vesicles such as exosomes, secreted by cancer cells, play a pivotal role in mediating drug resistance in lung cancer. Exosomes have been found to facilitate intercellular communication by transferring various biomolecules between cancer cells and their microenvironment. Additionally, exosomes can transport signaling molecules promoting cancer cell survival and proliferation conferring resistance to chemotherapy. Moreover, exosomes can modulate the tumor microenvironment by inducing phenotypic changes hindering drug response. Understanding the role of exosomes in mediating drug resistance in lung cancer is crucial for developing novel therapeutic strategies and biomarkers to overcome treatment limitations. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge on conventional and emerging drug resistance mechanisms and the involvement of exosomes as well as exosome-mediated factors mediating drug resistance in lung cancer.

Abstract Fusarium wilt (FW) is the most severe soil‐borne disease of chickpea that causes yield losses up to 100%. To improve FW resistance in JG 11, a high‐yielding variety that became susceptible to FW, we used WR 315 as the donor parent and followed the pedigree breeding method. Based on disease resistance and yield performance, four lines were evaluated in station trials during 2017–2018 and 2018–2019 at Kalaburagi, India. Further, two lines, namely, Kalaburagi chickpea desi 5 (KCD 5) and KCD 11, which possesses the resistance allele for a specific single‐nucleotide polymorphism marker linked with FW resistance, were evaluated across six different locations (Bidar, Kalaburagi, Raichur, Siruguppa, Bhimarayanagudi and Hagari) over a span of 3 years (2020–2021, 2021–2022 and 2022–2023). KCD 11 exhibited notable performance, showcasing yield advantages of 8.67%, 11.26% and 23.88% over JG 11, and the regional checks Super Annigeri 1 (SA 1) and Annigeri 1, respectively, with enhanced FW resistance in wilt sick plot. Further, KCD 11 outperformed JG 11, SA 1 and Annigeri 1 in multi‐location trials conducted across three seasons in the North Eastern Transition Zone, North Eastern Dry Zone, and North Dry Zones of Karnataka. KCD 11 was also tested in trials conducted by All India Coordinated Research Project on chickpea and was also nominated for state varietal trials for its release as a FW‐resistant and high‐yielding variety. The selected line is anticipated to cater the needs of chickpea growers with the dual advantage of yield increment and disease resistance.

Abstract Nitrogen (N) as an inorganic macronutrient is inevitable for plant growth, development, and biomass production. Many external factors and stresses, such as acidity, alkalinity, salinity, temperature, oxygen, and rainfall, affect N uptake and metabolism in plants. The uptake of ammonium (NH4+) and nitrate (NO3−) in plants mainly depends on soil properties. Under the sufficient availability of NO3− (>1 mM), low‐affinity transport system is activated by gene network NRT1, and under low NO3− availability (

In chickpea breeding, drought is a major concern and a complex trait controlled by several genes. To develop drought-tolerant varieties, it is essential to use the available germplasm and genomic resources. Over the years, the landraces have proven to be a good source for the dissection of genes for different yield and yield-related traits. The present investigation for marker–trait associations (MTAs) and candidate gene identification was conducted by studying 125 chickpea landraces collected from the West Asia and North Africa (WANA) region, along with 4 varieties suitable for irrigated and rainfed environments. This study analyzed 13 physio-morphological traits in 2 consecutive years at two isolated locations (IARI, New Delhi, and Dharwad). A strong correlation coefficient was observed between the trait seed yield (SY) and biological yield (BY) under both conditions. The Drought Susceptibility Index (DSI) ranged from 0.02 to 1.84 and 0.10 to 2.04 at the IARI, New Delhi and Dharwad locations, respectively. The genotypic data of 6,367 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) distributed across the genome were used for genetic diversity study, population structure, and genome-wide association study (GWAS). The average polymorphic information content (PIC) value observed was 0.25, and the average linkage disequilibrium (LD) decay distance was 152,269 bp across the genome. A total of four subgroups were observed within the population for genotypic data. Fixed and random model Circulating Probability Unification (FarmCPU) was used for the GWAS analysis, which considered both fixed- and random-effect models. A total of 52 significant SNPs were reported in both irrigated and rainfed conditions at low locations; 7 SNPs were associated with more than one trait, which may have pleiotropic effects. Significant SNPs were annotated in the pulse database. The identified genomic region found in or near MTA under rainfed conditions encodes for guard cell hydrogen peroxide-resistant1 (GHR1), late embryogenesis-abundant, E3 ubiquitin-protein ligase, walls are thin1 (WAT1), and beta-galactosidase that are known to be associated with drought tolerance.

Prostate cancer (PC) and Ovarian cancer (OC) are two of the most common types of cancer that affect the reproductive systems of older men and women. These cancers are associated with a poor quality of life among the aged population. Therefore, finding new and innovative ways to detect, treat, and prevent these cancers in older patients is essential. Finding biomarkers for these malignancies will increase the chance of early detection and effective treatment, subsequently improving the survival rate. Studies have shown that the prevalence and health of some illnesses are linked to an impaired immune system. However, the age-associated changes in the immune system during malignancies such as PC and OC are poorly understood. Recent research has suggested that the excessive production of inflammatory immune mediators, such as interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-8 (IL-8), transforming growth factor (TGF), tumor necrosis factor (TNF), CXC motif chemokine ligand 1 (CXCL1), CXC motif chemokine ligand 12 (CXCL12), and CXC motif chemokine ligand 13 (CXCL13), etc., significantly impact the development of PC and OC in elderly patients. Our review focuses on the latest functional studies of pro-inflammatory cytokines (interleukins) and CXC chemokines, which serve as biomarkers in elderly patients with PC and OC. Thus, we aim to shed light on how these biomarkers affect the development of PC and OC in elderly patients. We also examine the current status and future perspective of cytokines (interleukins) and CXC chemokines-based therapeutic targets in OC and PC treatment for elderly patients.

Abstract The EOS™2D/3D system is a low-dose, 3D imaging system that utilizes two perpendicular X-ray beams to create simultaneous frontal and lateral images of the body. This is a useful modality to assess spinal pathologies. However, due to the slow imaging acquisition time up to 25 s, motion artifacts (MA) frequently occur. These artifacts may not be distinguishable from pathological findings, such as scoliosis, and may impair the diagnostic process. The aim of this study was to design a method to detect MA in EOS X-ray. We retrospectively analyzed EOS imaging from 40 patients wearing a radiopaque reference device during imaging. We drew a straight vertical line along the reference device. We measured deviations from it to quantify MA, presenting these findings through descriptive statistics. For a subset of patients with high MA, acquisitions were repeated after giving specific instructions to stand still. For these patients, we compared MA between the two acquisitions. In our study, a substantial proportion of patients exhibited MA ≥ 1 mm, with 80% in frontal projections and 87.9% in lateral projections. In the subjects who received a second acquisition, MA was significantly lower in the second images. Our method allows for a precise detection of MA on EOS images through a simple, yet reliable solution. Our method may improve the reliability of spine measurements, and reduce the risk of wrong diagnosis due to low imaging quality.

Trehalose (Tre) is a non-reducing disaccharide found in many species, including bacteria, fungi, invertebrates, yeast, and even plants, where it acts as an osmoprotectant, energy source, or protein/membrane protector. Despite relatively small amounts in plants, Tre concentrations increase following exposure to abiotic stressors. Trehalose-6-phosphate, a precursor of Tre, has regulatory functions in sugar metabolism, crop production, and stress tolerance. Among the various abiotic stresses, temperature extremes (heat or cold stress) are anticipated to impact crop production worldwide due to ongoing climate changes. Applying small amounts of Tre can mitigate negative physiological, metabolic, and molecular responses triggered by temperature stress. Trehalose also interacts with other sugars, osmoprotectants, amino acids, and phytohormones to regulate metabolic reprogramming that underpins temperature stress adaptation. Transformed plants expressing Tre-synthesis genes accumulate Tre and show improved stress tolerance. Genome-wide studies of Tre-encoding genes suggest roles in plant growth, development, and stress tolerance. This review discusses the functions of Tre in mitigating temperature stress—highlighting genetic engineering approaches to modify Tre metabolism, crosstalk, and interactions with other molecules—and in-silico approaches for identifying novel Tre-encoding genes in diverse plant species. We consider how this knowledge can be used to develop temperature-resilient crops essential for sustainable agriculture.

Abstract The plant genome and its microbiome act together to enhance survival and promote host growth under various stresses. Plant microbiome plays an important role in plant productivity via a multitude of mechanisms including provision of nutrients and resistance against different biotic and abiotic factors. However, the molecular mechanisms responsible for plant microbiome interactions remain largely unknown. Nevertheless, gaining a deeper understanding of the plant genetic traits driving microbiome recruitments and assembly holds the potential to greatly enhance our capacity to utilize the microbiome effectively, leading to sustainable improvements in agricultural productivity and produce quality. This article explores the mutual influence of specific plant genes in modulating the rhizosphere (area around plant roots) microbiome, and how this rhizosphere microbiome impacts the plant genes, ultimately enhancing plant health and productivity. It further examines the effects of various rhizosphere microbiota, including Bacillus, Pseudomonas, Azospirillum, Trichoderma spp., on plant development, immunology and the expression of host functional genes. We conclude that the adoption of a hologenomics approach (i.e., considering both the plant genome and the genomes of all microorganisms colonizing the plant) can significantly advance our understanding of plant resistance and resilience to biotic and abiotic stresses. This approach can offer improved solutions for agronomic challenges in the future. Furthermore, within this context, we identify key knowledge gaps within the discipline and propose frameworks that may be employed in the future to harness plant–microbial interactions effectively, leading to a sustainable increase in farm productivity.

Recently, we proposed a new method, based on protein profiles derived from physicochemical dynamic time warping (PCDTW), to functionally/structurally classify coronavirus spike protein receptor binding domains (RBD). Our method, as used herein, uses waveforms derived from two physicochemical properties of amino acids (molecular weight and hydrophobicity (MWHP)) and is designed to reach into the twilight zone of homology, and therefore, has the potential to reveal structural/functional relationships and potentially homologous relationships over greater evolutionary time spans than standard primary sequence alignment-based techniques. One potential application of our method is inferring deep evolutionary relationships such as those between the RBD of the spike protein of betacoronaviruses and functionally similar proteins found in other families of viruses, a task that is extremely difficult, if not impossible, using standard multiple alignment-based techniques. Here, we applied PCDTW to compare members of four divergent families of viruses to betacoronaviruses in terms of MWHP physicochemical similarity of their RBDs. We hypothesized that some members of the families Arteriviridae, Astroviridae, Reoviridae (both from the genera rotavirus and orthoreovirus considered separately), and Toroviridae would show greater physicochemical similarity to betacoronaviruses in protein regions similar to the RBD of the betacoronavirus spike protein than they do to other members of their respective taxonomic groups. This was confirmed to varying degrees in each of our analyses. Three arteriviruses (the glycoprotein-2 sequences) clustered more closely with ACE2-binding betacoronaviruses than to other arteriviruses, and a clade of 33 toroviruses was found embedded within a clade of non-ACE2-binding betacoronaviruses, indicating potentially shared structure/function of RBDs between betacoronaviruses and members of other virus clades.

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Article This paper develops an easy design analysis for a simple high selective T-shaped band-stop filter (BSF) loaded with a capacitance. It applies the developed design theory to obtain an appropriate capacitance value for tuning the cut-off frequency. This paper clearly explains the design mechanism for such a simple tunable BSF using ABCD matrices. Simulated filters loaded with capacitances (up to 1.1 pF) show a change in rejection frequencies from 2 GHz (un-tuned) down to 1.047 GHz with 50dB rejection and around 36% -3dB fractional bandwidth. It also shows the effect on pass frequencies which change from 1 GHz down to 111 MHz, while the separation between pass and stop frequency remains around 1 GHz. Measurements on fabricated prototypes match the simulation and theory for tunable frequencies closely. It also compares the performance of the filter with previously reported similar structures.

Summary: Antimalarial drug resistance and unavailability of effective vaccine warrant for newer drugs and drug targets. Hence, anti-inflammatory activity of phyto-compound (oleuropein; OLP) was determined in antigen (LPS)-stimulated human THP-1 macrophages (macrophage model of inflammation; MMI). Reduction in the inflammation was controlled by the PI3K-Akt1 signaling to establish the “immune-homeostasis.” Also, OLP treatment influenced the cell death/autophagy axis leading to the modulated inflammation for extended cell survival. The findings with MII prompted us to detect the antimalarial activity of OLP in the wild type (3D7), D10-expressing GFP-Atg18 parasite, and chloroquine-resistant (Dd2) parasite. OLP did not show the parasite inhibition in the routine in vitro culture of P. falciparum whereas OLP increased the antimalarial activity of artesunate. The molecular docking of autophagy-related proteins, investigations with MMI, and parasite inhibition assays indicated that the host activated the autophagy to survive OLP pressure. The challenge model of P. berghei infection showed to induce autophagy for circumventing anti-plasmodial defenses.

Neuroblastoma (NB) is the most frequent solid tumor in pediatric cases, contributing to around 15% of childhood cancer-related deaths. The wide-ranging genetic, morphological, and clinical diversity within NB complicates the success of current treatment methods. Acquiring an in-depth understanding of genetic alterations implicated in the development of NB is essential for creating safer and more efficient therapies for this severe condition. Several molecular signatures are being studied as potential targets for developing new treatments for NB patients. In this article, we have examined the molecular factors and genetic irregularities, including those within insulin gene enhancer binding protein 1 (ISL1), dihydropyrimidinase-like 3 (DPYSL3), receptor tyrosine kinase-like orphan receptor 1 (ROR1) and murine double minute 2-tumor protein 53 (MDM2-P53) that play an essential role in the development of NB. A thorough summary of the molecular targeted treatments currently being studied in pre-clinical and clinical trials has been described. Recent studies of immunotherapeutic agents used in NB are also studied in this article. Moreover, we explore potential future directions to discover new targets and treatments to enhance existing therapies and ultimately improve treatment outcomes and survival rates for NB patients.

Chickpea, being an important grain legume crop, is often confronted with the adverse effects of high temperatures at the reproductive stage of crop growth, drastically affecting yield and overall productivity. The current study deals with an extensive evaluation of chickpea genotypes, focusing on the traits associated with yield and their response to heat stress. Notably, we observed significant variations for these traits under both normal and high-temperature conditions, forming a robust basis for genetic research and breeding initiatives. Furthermore, the study revealed that yield-related traits exhibited high heritability, suggesting their potential suitability for marker-assisted selection. We carried out single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotyping using the genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS) method for a genome-wide association study (GWAS). Overall, 27 marker–trait associations (MTAs) linked to yield-related traits, among which we identified five common MTAs displaying pleiotropic effects after applying a stringent Bonferroni-corrected p-value threshold of 4.95] using the BLINK (Bayesian-information and linkage-disequilibrium iteratively nested keyway) model. Through an in-depth in silico analysis of these markers against the CDC Frontier v1 reference genome, we discovered that the majority of the SNPs were located at or in proximity to gene-coding regions. We further explored candidate genes situated near these MTAs, shedding light on the molecular mechanisms governing heat stress tolerance and yield enhancement in chickpeas such as indole-3-acetic acid–amido synthetase GH3.1 with GH3 auxin-responsive promoter and pentatricopeptide repeat-containing protein, etc. The harvest index (HI) trait was associated with marker Ca3:37444451 encoding aspartic proteinase ortholog sequence of Oryza sativa subsp. japonica and Medicago truncatula, which is known for contributing to heat stress tolerance. These identified MTAs and associated candidate genes may serve as valuable assets for breeding programs dedicated to tailoring chickpea varieties resilient to heat stress and climate change.

Abstract Temperatures below or above optimal growth conditions are among the major stressors affecting productivity, end‐use quality, and distribution of key staple crops including rice (Oryza sativa), wheat (Triticum aestivum), and maize (Zea mays L.). Among temperature stresses, cold stress induces cellular changes that cause oxidative stress and slowdown metabolism, limit growth, and ultimately reduce crop productivity. Perception of cold stress by plant cells leads to the activation of cold‐responsive transcription factors and downstream genes, which ultimately impart cold tolerance. The response triggered in crops to cold stress includes gene expression/suppression, the accumulation of sugars upon chilling, and signaling molecules, among others. Much of the information on the effects of cold stress on perception, signal transduction, gene expression, and plant metabolism are available in the model plant Arabidopsis but somewhat lacking in major crops. Hence, a complete understanding of the molecular mechanisms by which staple crops respond to cold stress remain largely unknown. Here, we make an effort to elaborate on the molecular mechanisms employed in response to low‐temperature stress. We summarize the effects of cold stress on the growth and development of these crops, the mechanism of cold perception, and the role of various sensors and transducers in cold signaling. We discuss the progress in cold tolerance research at the genome, transcriptome, proteome, and metabolome levels and highlight how these findings provide opportunities for designing cold‐tolerant crops for the future.

Abstract Global mean temperature is increasing at a rapid pace due to the rapid emission of greenhouse gases majorly from anthropogenic practices and predicted to rise up to 1.5°C above the pre‐industrial level by the year 2050. The warming climate is affecting global crop production by altering biochemical, physiological, and metabolic processes resulting in poor growth, development, and reduced yield. Maize is susceptible to heat stress, particularly at the reproductive and early grain filling stages. Interestingly, heat stress impact on crops is closely regulated by associated environmental covariables such as humidity, vapor pressure deficit, soil moisture content, and solar radiation. Therefore, heat stress tolerance is considered as a complex trait, which requires multiple levels of regulations in plants. Exploring genetic diversity from landraces and wild accessions of maize is a promising approach to identify novel donors, traits, quantitative trait loci (QTLs), and genes, which can be introgressed into the elite cultivars. Indeed, genome wide association studies (GWAS) for mining of potential QTL(s) and dominant gene(s) is a major route of crop improvement. Conversely, mutation breeding is being utilized for generating variation in existing populations with narrow genetic background. Besides breeding approaches, augmented production of heat shock factors (HSFs) and heat shock proteins (HSPs) have been reported in transgenic maize to provide heat stress tolerance. Recent advancements in molecular techniques including clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) would expedite the process for developing thermotolerant maize genotypes.

Abstract Terminal drought is one of the major constraints to crop production in chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.). In order to map drought tolerance related traits at high resolution, we sequenced multi‐parent advanced generation intercross (MAGIC) population using whole genome resequencing approach and phenotyped it under drought stress environments for two consecutive years (2013–14 and 2014–15). A total of 52.02 billion clean reads containing 4.67 TB clean data were generated on the 1136 MAGIC lines and eight parental lines. Alignment of clean data on to the reference genome enabled identification of a total, 932,172 of SNPs, 35,973 insertions, and 35,726 deletions among the parental lines. A high‐density genetic map was constructed using 57,180 SNPs spanning a map distance of 1606.69 cM. Using compressed mixed linear model, genome‐wide association study (GWAS) enabled us to identify 737 markers significantly associated with days to 50% flowering, days to maturity, plant height, 100 seed weight, biomass, and harvest index. In addition to the GWAS approach, an identity‐by‐descent (IBD)‐based mixed model approach was used to map quantitative trait loci (QTLs). The IBD‐based mixed model approach detected major QTLs that were comparable to those from the GWAS analysis as well as some exclusive QTLs with smaller effects. The candidate genes like FRIGIDA and CaTIFY4b can be used for enhancing drought tolerance in chickpea. The genomic resources, genetic map, marker‐trait associations, and QTLs identified in the study are valuable resources for the chickpea community for developing climate resilient chickpeas.

Abstract Climate change is varying the availability of resources, soil physicochemical properties, and rainfall events, which collectively determines soil physical and chemical properties. Soil constraints—acidity (pH 8.5)—are major causes of wheat yield loss in arid and semiarid cropping systems. To cope with changing environments, plants employ adaptive strategies such as phenotypic plasticity, a key multifaceted trait, to promote shifts in phenotypes. Adaptive strategies for constrained soils are complex, determined by key functional traits and genotype × environment × management interactions. The understanding of the molecular basis of stress tolerance is particularly challenging for plasticity traits. Advances in sequencing and high‐throughput genomics technologies have identified functional alleles in gene‐rich regions, haplotypes, candidate genes, mechanisms, and in silico gene expression profiles at various growth developmental stages. Our review focuses on favorable alleles for enhanced gene expression, quantitative trait loci, and epigenetic regulation of plant responses to soil constraints, including heavy metal stress and nutrient limitations. A strategy is then described for quantitative traits in wheat by investigating significant alleles and functional characterization of variants, followed by gene validation using advanced genomic tools, and marker development for molecular breeding and genome editing. Moreover, the review highlights the progress of gene editing in wheat, multiplex gene editing, and novel alleles for smart control of gene expression. Application of these advanced genomic technologies to enhance plasticity traits along with soil management practices will be an effective tool to build yield, stability, and sustainability on constrained soils in the face of climate change.

Abstract The grain‐filling stage in Triticum aestivum (wheat) is highly vulnerable to increasing temperature as terminal heat stress diminishes grain quality and yield. To examine the mechanism of terminal heat tolerance, we performed the biochemical and gene expression analyses using two heat‐tolerant (WH730 and WH1218) and two heat‐sensitive (WH711 and WH157) wheat genotypes. We observed a significant increase in total soluble sugar (25%–47%), proline (7%–15%), and glycine betaine (GB) (22%–34%) contents in flag leaf, whereas a decrease in grain‐filling duration, 1000‐kernel weight (8%–25%), and grain yield per plant (11%–23%) was observed under the late‐sown compared to the timely sown. The maximum content of osmolytes, including total soluble sugar, proline, and GB, was observed in heat‐tolerant genotypes compared to heat‐sensitive genotypes. The expression of 10 heat‐responsive genes associated with heat shock proteins (sHsp‐1, Hsp17, and HsfA4), flavonoid biosynthesis (F3′‐1 and PAL), β‐glucan synthesis (CslF6 and CslH), and xyloglucan metabolism (XTH1, XTH2, and XTH5) was studied in flag leaf exposed to different heat treatments (34, 36, 38, and 40°C) at 15 days after anthesis by quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction. A significant increase in the relative fold expression of these genes with increasing temperature indicated their involvement in providing heat‐stress tolerance. The high differential expression of most of the genes in heat‐tolerant genotype “WH730” followed by “WH1218” indicates the high adaptability of these genotypes to heat stress compared to heat‐sensitive wheat genotypes. Based on the previous results, “WH730” performed better in terms of maximum osmolyte accumulation, grain yield, and gene expression under heat stress.

Abstract Drought is one of the major constraints limiting chickpea productivity. To unravel complex mechanisms regulating drought response in chickpea, we generated transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics datasets from root tissues of four contrasting drought‐responsive chickpea genotypes: ICC 4958, JG 11, and JG 11+ (drought‐tolerant), and ICC 1882 (drought‐sensitive) under control and drought stress conditions. Integration of transcriptomics and proteomics data identified enriched hub proteins encoding isoflavone 4′‐O‐methyltransferase, UDP‐d‐glucose/UDP‐d‐galactose 4‐epimerase, and delta‐1‐pyrroline‐5‐carboxylate synthetase. These proteins highlighted the involvement of pathways such as antibiotic biosynthesis, galactose metabolism, and isoflavonoid biosynthesis in activating drought stress response mechanisms. Subsequently, the integration of metabolomics data identified six metabolites (fructose, galactose, glucose, myoinositol, galactinol, and raffinose) that showed a significant correlation with galactose metabolism. Integration of root‐omics data also revealed some key candidate genes underlying the drought‐responsive “QTL‐hotspot” region. These results provided key insights into complex molecular mechanisms underlying drought stress response in chickpea.

Poly(I:C) and R848, synthetic ligands that activate Toll-like receptor 3 (TLR3) and TLR7/8 respectively, have been well-established for their ability to stimulate the immune system and induce antigen-specific immune responses. These ligands are capable of inducing the production of cytokines and chemokines, and hence support the activation and differentiation of B and T cells. We saw the long-lasting and perdurable immune responses by these adjuvants essentially required for an efficacious subunit vaccine. In this study, we investigated the potential of poly(I:C) and R848 to elicit B and T cell responses to the OVA antigen. We assessed the stimulatory effects of these ligands on the immune system, their impact on B and T cell activation, and their ability to enhanced generation of B and T cells. Collectively, our findings contribute to the understanding how poly(I:C) and R848 can be utilized as an adjuvant system to enhance immune responses to protein-based subunit vaccines. In the end, this work provides insights for the development of novel vaccination strategies and improving the vaccine efficacy. Present work shall help formulate newer strategies for subunit vaccines to address the infectious diseases.

Abstract Background Microbial community played an essential role in ecosystem processes, be it mangrove wetland or other intertidal ecologies. Several enzymatic activities like hydrolases are effective ecological indicators of soil microbial function. So far, little is known on halophilic bacterial contribution and function on a genomic viewpoint of Indian Sundarban Wetland. Considering the above mentioned issues, the aims of this study was to understand the life style, metabolic functionalities and genomic features of the isolated bacterium, Salinicoccus roseus strain RF1H. A comparative genome-based study of S. roseus has not been reported yet. Henceforth, we have considered the inclusion of the intra-species genome comparison of S. roseus to gain insight into the high degree of variation in the genome of strain RF1H among others. Results Salinicoccus roseus strain RF1H is a pink-red pigmented, Gram-positive and non-motile cocci. The bacterium exhibited high salt tolerance (up to 15% NaCl), antibiotic resistance, biofilm formation and secretion of extracellular hydrolytic enzymes. The circular genome was approximately 2.62978 Mb in size, encoding 574 predicted genes with GC content 49.5%. Presence of genomic elements (prophages, transposable elements, CRISPR-Cas system) represented bacterial virulence and multidrug-resistance. Furthermore, genes associated with salt tolerance, temperature adaptation and DNA repair system were distributed in 17 genomic islands. Genes related to hydrocarbon degradation manifested metabolic capability of the bacterium for potential biotechnological applications. A comparative pangenome analysis revealed two-component response regulator, modified C4-dicarboxylate transport system and osmotic stress regulated ATP-binding proteins. Presence of genes encoding arginine decarboxylase (ADC) enzyme being involved in biofilm formation was reported from the genome. In silico study revealed the protein is thermostable and made up with ~ 415 amino acids, and hydrophilic in nature. Three motifs appeared to be evolutionary conserved in all Salinicoccus sequences. Conclusion The first report of whole genome analysis of Salinicoccus roseus strain RF1H provided information of metabolic functionalities, biofilm formation, resistance mechanism and adaptation strategies to thrive in climate-change induced vulnerable spot like Sundarban. Comparative genome analysis highlighted the unique genome content that contributed the strain’s adaptability. The biomolecules produced during metabolism are important sources of compounds with potential beneficial applications in pharmaceuticals.

Abstract High-quality reference genome assemblies, representative of global heterotic patterns, offer an ideal platform to accurately characterize and utilize genetic variation in the primary gene pool of hybrid crops. Here we report three platinum grade de-novo, near gap-free, chromosome-level reference genome assemblies from the active breeding germplasm in pearl millet with a high degree of contiguity, completeness, and accuracy. An improved Tift genome (Tift23D2B1-P1-P5) assembly has a contig N50 ~ 7,000-fold (126 Mb) compared to the previous version and better alignment in centromeric regions. Comparative genome analyses of these three lines clearly demonstrate a high level of collinearity and multiple structural variations, including inversions greater than 1 Mb. Differential genes in improved Tift genome are enriched for serine O-acetyltransferase and glycerol-3-phosphate metabolic process which play an important role in improving the nutritional quality of seed protein and disease resistance in plants, respectively. Multiple marker-trait associations are identified for a range of agronomic traits, including grain yield through genome-wide association study. Improved genome assemblies and marker resources developed in this study provide a comprehensive framework/platform for future applications such as marker-assisted selection of mono/oligogenic traits as well as whole-genome prediction and haplotype-based breeding of complex traits.

Abstract Salinity and drought stress substantially decrease crop yield and superiority, directly threatening the food supply needed to meet the rising food needs of the growing total population. Nanotechnology is a step towards improving agricultural output and stress tolerance by improving the efficacy of inputs in agriculture via targeted delivery, controlled release, and enhanced solubility and adhesion while also reducing significant damage. The direct application of nanoparticles (NPs)/nanomaterials can boost the performance and effectiveness of physio‐biochemical and molecular mechanisms in plants under stress conditions, leading to advanced stress tolerance. Therefore, we presented the effects and plant responses to stress conditions, and also explored the potential of nanomaterials for improving agricultural systems, and discussed the advantages of applying NPs at various developmental stages to alleviate the negative effects of salinity and drought stress. Moreover, we feature the recent innovations in state‐of‐the‐art nanobiotechnology, specifically NP‐mediated genome editing via CRISPR/Cas system, to develop stress‐smart crops. However, further investigations are needed to unravel the role of nanobiotechnology in addressing climate change challenges in modern agricultural systems. We propose that combining nanobiotechnology, genome editing and speed breeding techniques could enable the designing of climate‐smart cultivars (particularly bred or genetically modified plant varieties) to meet the food security needs of the rising world population.

Abstract Lithium-based nonaqueous redox flow batteries (LRFBs) are alternative systems to conventional aqueous redox flow batteries because of their higher operating voltage and theoretical energy density. However, the use of ion-selective membranes limits the large-scale applicability of LRFBs. Here, we report high-voltage membrane-free LRFBs based on an all-organic biphasic system that uses Li metal anode and 2,4,6-tri-(1-cyclohexyloxy-4-imino-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine)-1,3,5-triazine (Tri-TEMPO), N-propyl phenothiazine (C3-PTZ), and tris(dialkylamino)cyclopropenium (CP) cathodes. Under static conditions, the Li||Tri-TEMPO, Li||C3-PTZ, and Li||CP batteries with 0.5 M redox-active material deliver capacity retentions of 98%, 98%, and 92%, respectively, for 100 cycles over ~55 days at the current density of 1 mA/cm2 and a temperature of 27 °C. Moreover, the Li||Tri-TEMPO (0.5 M) flow battery delivers an initial average cell discharge voltage of 3.45 V and an energy density of ~33 Wh/L. This flow battery also demonstrates 81% of capacity for 100 cycles over ~45 days with average Coulombic efficiency of 96% and energy efficiency of 82% at the current density of 1.5 mA/cm2 and at a temperature of 27 °C.

In this work, a dual-port antenna system is simulated and fabricated for cognitive radio (CR) application. The proposed system comprises a tapered-fed monopole ultra-wideband (UWB) sensing antenna and a dual-narrowband (NB) communicating antenna. For miniaturization, the UWB sensing antenna is placed on the front side of the communicating antenna. The sensing operation takes place over 2.1–12 GHz. The E-shaped dual-band antenna operates at 3.9 GHz and 6.04 GHz. The envelope correlation coefficient (ECC) and isolation are measured to be lower than 0.12 and greater than 18 dB, respectively, within the range of acceptable values for both parameters. The antenna prototype was fabricated and tested experimentally to confirm the simulation’s findings. The outcomes of both the simulation and the testing revealed a definite consistency. This work gives a miniaturized model and good isolation, which is appropriate for C-band applications.

As of early 2022, Mpox has resurged and expanded globally, posing a new threat to global health. In close to 110 countries, 87,000 confirmed cases and 112 deaths have been reported as on April 18, 2023. Considering the current pandemic crisis and future developments, it is imperative to understand and characterize the global patent scenario of Mpox. In biological sciences, patents are often promising indicators of technological knowledge production. This patent landscape analysis is the first to provide a solid intellectual foundation for the ongoing development of diagnostic measures, therapeutic drug agents, and vaccines for Mpox. Our search encompassed several patent databases to identify patents related to Mpox, including PatSeer, Google patents, lens.org, Espacenet, and Patentscope. Patenting trends are discussed, and a Whitespace analysis is carried out in this paper, suggesting the knowledge gaps and promising areas for future research on Mpox. This study could serve as an epicentre for provoking ideas and mitigation strategies.

Abstract In addition to the challenge of meeting global demand for food production, there are increasing concerns about food safety and the need to protect consumer health from the negative effects of foodborne allergies. Certain bio‐molecules (usually proteins) present in food can act as allergens that trigger unusual immunological reactions, with potentially life‐threatening consequences. The relentless working lifestyles of the modern era often incorporate poor eating habits that include readymade prepackaged and processed foods, which contain additives such as peanuts, tree nuts, wheat, and soy‐based products, rather than traditional home cooking. Of the predominant allergenic foods (soybean, wheat, fish, peanut, shellfish, tree nuts, eggs, and milk), peanuts (Arachis hypogaea) are the best characterized source of allergens, followed by tree nuts (Juglans regia, Prunus amygdalus, Corylus avellana, Carya illinoinensis, Anacardium occidentale, Pistacia vera, Bertholletia excels), wheat (Triticum aestivum), soybeans (Glycine max), and kidney beans (Phaseolus vulgaris). The prevalence of food allergies has risen significantly in recent years including chance of accidental exposure to such foods. In contrast, the standards of detection, diagnosis, and cure have not kept pace and unfortunately are often suboptimal. In this review, we mainly focus on the prevalence of allergies associated with peanut, tree nuts, wheat, soybean, and kidney bean, highlighting their physiological properties and functions as well as considering research directions for tailoring allergen gene expression. In particular, we discuss how recent advances in molecular breeding, genetic engineering, and genome editing can be used to develop potential low allergen food crops that protect consumer health.