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ABSTRACTAn unbalanced diet and poor lifestyle are common reasons for numerous health complications in humans. Probiotics are known to provide substantial benefits to human health by producing several bioactive compounds, vitamins, short-chain fatty acids and short peptides. Diets that contain probiotics are limited to curd, yoghurt, kefir, kimchi, etc. However, exploring the identification of more potential probiotics and enhancing their commercial application to improve the nutritional quality would be a significant step to utilizing the maximum benefits. The complex evolution patterns among the probiotics are the hurdles in their characterization and adequate application in the industries and dairy products. This article has mainly discussed the molecular methods of characterization that are based on the analysis of ribosomal RNA, whole genome, and protein markers and profiles. It also has critically emphasized the emerging challenges in industrial applications of probiotics.

ABSTRACTIncreasing wastewater pollution owing to the briskly rising human population, rapid industrialization, and fast urbanization has necessitated highly efficient wastewater treatment technologies. Although several methods of wastewater treatments are in practice, expensiveness, use of noxious chemicals, generation of unsafe by-products, and longer time consumption restrain their use to a great extent. Over the last few decades, nanotechnological wastewater treatment approaches have received widespread recognition globally. Microbially fabricated nanoparticles reduce the utilization of reducing, capping, and stabilizing agents, and exhibit higher adsorptive and catalytic efficiency than chemically synthesized nanomaterials. The present review comprehensively summarizes the applications of microbial nanotechnology in the removal of a wide range of noxious wastewater pollutants. Moreover, prospects and challenges associated with the integration of nanotechnology with other biological treatment technologies including algal-membrane bioreactor, aerobic digestion, microbial fuel cells, and microbial nanofiber webs have also been briefly discussed.

ABSTRACTProlonged insulin resistance is considered one of the reasons for Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus. Upregulation of Protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B), a negative regulator of insulin signalling, has been well studied as a key regulator in prognosis to insulin resistance. It has been widely studied as a desirable molecular therapeutic target. The study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of leaf extract of the medicinal plants Silybum marianum on the inhibition of PTP1B activity. It also explored the synergistic effect with extracts of Gymnema sylvestre (leaves), Momordica charantia (seeds), and Trigonella foenum graecum (seeds). The S. marianum leaves showed dose-dependent inhibition of PTP1B ranging from 9.48–47.95% (25–1000 μg mL−1). Assay with individual plant extracts showed comparatively lesser inhibition of PTP1B as compared to metformin as a control (38% inhibition). However, a synergistic effect showed nearly 45% PTP1B inhibition (higher than metformin) after the assay was done with selected four plant extracts in combination. The effect of leaf extracts of S. marianum was studied for glucose uptake efficiency in yeast cell lines which was found to be increased by 23% as compared to the control (without extract). Metformin improves glucose upake by yeast cells by ~15–31%. GC-MS analysis revealed 23 phytochemicals, some of which possessed anti-diabetic properties. A dose-dependent increase in antioxidant activity of S. marianum leaves extracts was observed (40–53%). The findings of the study highlighted the presence of various phytochemicals in leaves extracts that are effective against PTP1B inhibition and may help in reinvigorating drug development.