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Latex, a milky fluid contains proteins, alkaloids and other metabolites, normally exuded at the time of injury. The color of the latex differs from plants to plants where the color are white, yellow, orange etc. These latexes have enormous application in medicine and industries. In this review, various of sources of latexes and its chemical composition are described. Its role in defence and their applications in the field of medicine, nanotechnology is highlighted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, eight halobacterial strains were isolated from seawater. Among the eight isolates, four strains grew well in nutrient medium with 40 g/100 mL of sodium chloride concentration. Amongst all, HA01 was found to show highest amylase activity than others. Highest amylase producing bacteria, i.e. HA01 was subjected for 16S rRNA sequence based identification and it was found to be Aquabacterium sp. strain AS02. The organism showed optimal amylase production at pH 7 and temperature of 42 °C and NaCl concentration of 3 M. The two substrates (banana peel and potato peel) were used for the amylase production among which banana peel showed that highest amylase activity of 6.12 U/mL than potato peel (4.27 U/mL). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metal nanoparticles, such as gold nanoparticles, silver nanoparticles, etc., have many benefits and have been in use for a very long time. Nevertheless, a number of concerns have been raised about the environmental impact and the possibility of exposure to various living systems at the moment. Thus, in this study, silver nanoparticles were synthesized by using plant gum from Bauhinia purpurea and characterization was done using UV-Visible Spectroscopy, Scanning Electron Microscopy, X-ray Diffraction, etc. To determine the accumulation and toxic effects caused by the nanoparticles, Eudrilus eugeniae , Danio rerio , and their embryos were exposed to the synthesized silver nanoparticles and evaluated using microscopic observation, histology, and Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry (ICP-OES).

Plant gums are bio-organic substances that are derived from the barks of trees. They are biodegradable and non-adverse complex polysaccharides that have been gaining usage in recent years due to a number of advantages they contribute to various applications. In this study, gum was collected from Moringa oleifera and Azadirachta indica trees, then dried and powdered. Characterizations of gum polysaccharides were performed using TLC, GC-MS, NMR, etc., and sugar molecules such as glucose and xylose were found to be present. Effects of the gums on Abelmoschus esculentus growth were observed through root growth, shoot growth, and biomass content. The exposure of the seeds to the plant gums led to bio stimulation in the growth of the plants. Poor quality soil was exposed to the gum polysaccharide, where the polysaccharide was found to improve soil quality, which was observed through soil analysis and SEM analysis of soil porosity and structure. Furthermore, the plant gums were also found to have bio-pesticidal activity against mealybugs, which showed certain interstitial damage evident through histopathological analysis.

In December 2019, an unknown viral infection emerged and quickly spread worldwide, resulting in a global pandemic. This novel virus caused severe pneumonia and acute respiratory distress syndrome caused by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). It has caused 6.25 millions of deaths worldwide and remains a major concern for health, society, and the economy. As vaccination is one of the most efficient ways to combat this pandemic, different vaccines were developed in a short period. This review article discusses how coronavirus affected the top nations of the world and the vaccines being used for the prevention. Amongst the vaccines, some vaccines have already been approved, and some have been involved in clinical studies. The article also provides insight into different COVID-19 vaccine platforms, their preparation, working, efficacy, and side effects.

Objective: To examine associations between active patient-physician communication and measures of morbidity in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)., Methods: Audiotapes of routine visits between 79 women with SLE and their rheumatologists were coded for active patient participation and the degree of patient-centered communication of the physician, using a validated coding scheme. Measures of SLE activity, functional disability, and permanent organ damage were recorded at the same visit. Permanent organ damage was reassessed in 68 patients after a median of 4.7 years., Results: Patients who participated more actively in their visits had less permanent organ damage, as measured by the Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics/American College of Rheumatology Damage Index, and tended to accrue less organ damage over time. There were no associations between either active patient participation or physicians' patient-centered communication scores and measures of SLE activity or functional disability., Conclusions: Patients with SLE who participated more actively in their visits had less permanent organ damage, suggesting that involving patients more in their care may decrease morbidity.