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Summary Introduction Pergularia daemia (Forssk.) Chiov. [PD] is used as a galactagogue by various tribes in Purulia district, India, lacks a scientific basis. Objectives The purpose of the study was to determine whether administration of aqueous leaf extract of P. daemia can increase milk production in lactating mice and encourages development in suckling pups. Methods 30 lactating mice (n=6 per group) with a minimum of 5 pups each were treated with the aqueous PD extract at 50, 100, 150 and 200 mg/kg body weight while the control group was administered with only distilled water. The mice were daily fed with aqueous leaf extract via gavage, which started at day 3 and continued to day 15 post-partum and milk secretion was assessed by the weight-suckle-weight method. The qualitative estimation, UV-vis analysis and GC-MS study of the leaf extract was also done for the presence of phytoconstituents. Results Administration of aqueous leaf extract led to a considerable increase in milk production (28.1%) and the pups gained weight substantially (ppP. daemia revealed 20 major peaks, some with small retention time and also revealing presence of several phyto-estrogenic compounds. Conclusion The present study effectively demonstrated that aqueous leaf extract of PD enhanced milk production in mice and might be used as an alternative strategy for increasing milk production and can be extrapolated to farm animals and human beings.

Purpose: Infections due to invasive non-typhoid salmonella can be dangerous and fatal. The mode of infection and the severity varies from the typhoidal fevers. It is important to find the association between clinical features and the infecting serovar to understand the pathophysiology and course of treatment. Methods: In the present study, extra-intestinal specimens (blood, cerebrospinal fluid and pus) from three patients suffering from septicaemia, meningitis and osteomyelitis were received. Micro-biological and biochemical test for species identification and antibiotic susceptibility was done as per standard protocol. Further, PCR based amplification and sequencing of a portion of the flagellin gene (FliC) was done to confirm the serovar. Results: Salmonella enterica was identified from all the three by microbiological and biochemical examination.The sequence of the Flic gene confirmed the serovar to be S. typhimurium. All the patients were treated successfully for the infection by appropriate antibiotic therapy. Conclusion: The study highlights that serovar Typhimurium is common in invasive non-typhoidal salmonellosis and its pathophysiology and virulence factors expression should be understood in various organ types for better treatment options and outcomes.

Butterflies have always attracted attention due to their unique colourations. As most butterflies are highly specific in their niche utilisation, abundance of the species in a locality may advocate status of ecosystem functioning and environmental health. In recent times, different anthropogenic activities and unscientific management of nature have resulted in a decline of butterfly communities at a rapid rate. The objective of the present study is to study butterfly diversity in and around Midnapore Town, West Bengal, India. A total of 82 butterfly species belonging to six families were recorded during the two years of the study period. Of the six families Nymphalidae is the most abundant family comprising 42.54% of the total population followed by Lycaenidae (22.5%), Pieridae (19.03%), Papilionidae (8.58%), Hesperiidae (7.24%), and Riodinidae (0.11%). Different diversity indices, Lorenz curve, Whittaker plot, and Gini index show high diversity in the butterfly community structure. As Midnapore Town is the connecting area between the plains of Bengal and Chota Nagpur Plateau, the present study may be the baseline for further ecological, environmental, and conservation studies.

The aim of the study was to find out the carbapenem resistance rate and prevalence of different carbapenemase genes in Klebsiella pneumoniae and Escherichia coli from a North Indian corporate hospital that receives both Indian and international patients. A total of 528 clinical isolates of E. coli and K. pneumoniae were included in the study. All isolates that were found resistant to carbapenems by MIC testing (Vitek II Compact®) were screened for NDM, OXA-48, VIM, and KPC genes by PCR. Sequencing of NDM gene and transmissibility by conjugation assay were checked on 22 randomly selected NDM-positive isolates. One hundred and fifty-six isolates (29.54%) were carbapenem-resistant. The rate of carbapenem resistance was significantly higher in K. pneumoniae as compared to E. coli (53.9% vs. 15.6%; p E. coli than K. pneumoniae (p . All the tested isolates formed transconjugants and NDM-5 was the most common variant in both species (15/22). The presence of plasmid-based NDM calls for stricter surveillance measures in our hospital settings.

Organophosphorus compounds such as dimethoate (DM) widely used as pesticides due their less persistence in the environment, causes harmful effects in fish and other aquatic organisms. Alcoholic leaf extracts of Azadirachta indica (A. indica) were verified for their possible modulatory changes in fish (Anabas testudineus) by taking into consideration a few haematological, enzymological, histological, and behavioural parameters for 7, 15, and 45 days. Different sets of fish were segregated into the following groups, namely, Group I: normal control without any treatment, Group II: Pesticide treatment at a dose of 13.14 ppm (μg L−1) which is 1/3 of LC50 value (DM), Group III: Pesticide treatment as in group II along with A. indica extract at a dose of 10.32 (μg L−1) which is also 1/3rd of inhibitory concentration of A. indica used to reduce the toxicity burden of dimethoate during the determination of its LC50 bioassay, Group IV: Only plant extract treated at a dose of 10.32 (μg L−1) which is 1/3rd of inhibitory concentration of A. indica used during acute toxicity bioassay. The haematological study reveals that there was a significant decrease of RBC, WBC, MCV, MCHC, and MCH and sudden increase in HCT, PLT in fish treated with DM in comparison to fish treated with DM+ A. indica extract and treated only with A. indica extract at all the three exposure times (7, 15, and 45 days). Similarly, ALP, ACP, GGT, the content of urea and total cholesterol increased at all three exposure times in DM treated fish group when compared to DM+ A. indica extract-treated group. Histopathological observations of gill and liver revealed marked changes in DM treated group which was remarkably modulated in DM+ A. indica extract-treated group. Phytochemical analysis of the leaves reveals the presence of many phytoconstituents. A. indica was used for the first time to protect Anabas testudineus against dimethoate induced toxicity and the present investigation revealed that A. indica had potent protective potential against dimethoate toxicity.

The aim of the study was to find out the carbapenem resistance rate and prevalence of different carbapenemase genes in

We report herein the synthesis and anticancer activity of a set of novel S-linked artemisinins bearing an aliphatic/aromatic/heterocyclic nucleus as a substituent on the sulfur. The compounds were prepared from artemisinin via its lactol-form by an acid-catalyzed condensation of the desired thiol with the lactol. Both the C-10-α- and β-configured thiol ethers were synthesized with a view to making them available for the anticancer activity evaluation using a variety of cell lines. The results show that many of the synthetic derivatives studied possessed good potential as anticancer agents. In order to draw more information on the origin of the anticancer activity, one of the compounds (9a), that showed a broad-spectrum activity in terms of reducing the viability of most of the cell lines studied, in particular proven to be most effective against Prostate (PC-3) cells, was studied in detail to find the underlying mechanism of its action by MTT assay, immunoblotting, flow cytometry and microscopy. Pretreatment of the PC-3 cells with N-acetyl cysteine affected the efficacy of 9a, suggesting the role of reactive oxygen species in reducing their viability. Cell cycle analysis showed increase in G1 phase that was indicative of G1 cell cycle arrest. Wound healing assay revealed anti-migratory effect of 9a Quantitative PCR and western blot analysis showed changes in the gene expression of PCNA, E2F1, Pin1, cyclinD1, phospho-c-jun, c-Myc, eIF4E and other genes involved in proliferation and maintaining the transformed phenotype of prostate cancer cells. Here we report the anti–proliferative property of 9a with a vital and potent target(s) in prostate cancer cells with one of such targets being Pin1 belonging to the parvulin family of PPIases. The results suggest that 9a could be a promising agent in combating prostate cancer.

Non-forage crop residues like rice straw are among the most important and pertinent renewable biomass available for utilization for producing biofuels, specialty chemicals, aromatics etc. Recovery of cellulose from them and its processing for products are two key steps of value addition to these materials that are available in abundance. Of these, rice straw is perhaps the most recalcitrant of all. In this study, production of cellulose triacetate (CTA) from cellulose by three different (alternate) practical methods are reported. It has been demonstrated that cellulose in the form of microcrystalline cellulose (MCC), other celluloses commercially available from chemical suppliers, cotton linters, and rice straw as such (directly after powdering) are suitable as substrates for the reaction. The methods make use of either acetic acid, acetyl chloride or isopropenyl acetate (IPA) as the acetyl donor in the presence of methane sulfonic acid (a cheap and green reagent) as the acid catalyst. The conventional acetyl donor agent, acetic anhydride is also a suitable alternative reagent for the purpose. The post-reaction work-up procedure involves neutralization and filtration as the only two simple successive steps. The processes reported thus eliminate the need for using restricted/toxic chemicals (acetic anhydride and pyridine, respectively) and provide cellulose tri-O-acetate of high purity in excellent yields. Preparation of CTA directly from rice straw has been achieved in >70% yield, representing acetylation of the straw cellulose into its triacetate to an extent of 90%. With IPA as the acyl donor, acetone was a valuable and recoverable co-product. Although not demonstrated in this study, the residue from the acetylation reaction can be utilized for the recovery of value-added materials such as fine silica.

Diazepinium perchlorate, an essentially neutral organic salt possessing excellent stability, has been found to be well suited for the acetylation of free as well as partially protected sugars, phenols, thiophenols, thiols and other alcohols as well as amines. The diazepinium perchlorate-catalyzed acetylation is mild, organic and solvent-free and leaves acid sensitive protecting groups such as TBDMS/TBDPS/Tr ethers and isopropylidene/benzylidene acetals present on a substrate unaffected. Regioselective hydroxyl protection in partially protected carbohydrate derivatives/polyhydroxylic compounds was possible and was proved to be a convenient time-saving alternative to the conventional synthesis of such compounds. Easy preparation of the catalyst, mild reaction conditions and an environmentally benign protocol are some of the notable features of this reaction. The results obtained on the acetylation of phenols and thiophenols could be rationalized through their local nucleophilicity index obtained from DFT calculations.

Acyl transfer reactions of various carbohydrates, alcohols, phenols, thiols and thiophenols were achieved at room temperature in high yields and catalytic efficiency in the presence of methane sulfonic acid, a green organic acid, under solvent-free conditions over short time periods. The method is mild enough to allow acid labile substituents such as isopropylidene acetals and trityl ethers on the reacting substrates to be left completely unaffected. Esterification of free mono- and dicarboxylic acids such as acetic acid, cinnamic acid, sialic acid and tartaric acid with alcohols such as menthol, ethanol, methanol or propylene glycol has also been achieved efficiently at room temperature. A comparative study of the method with the silica-sulfuric acid is also reported.

A highly efficient and cost-effective green method for the synthesis of complex glycopeptides and ureas mediated by carbonyl diimidazole under solvent-free conditions is reported. The reactions could be performed conveniently in a planetary ball mill by dry grinding, and the isolation of the novel sugar derivatives thus produced could be very efficiently achieved by size exclusion chromatography with environmentally benign substances. A diacetone galactose based diamide, upon crystallization, could be examined by X-ray crystallography and was found to possess a heart-shaped structure. Although the 4-aminophenyl galactoside based diamide synthesized formed spherical particles, the alanine-based diamide formed nanofilamentous/-tubular structures as analyzed by TEM imaging.

In(OTf)3 has been found to be an efficient catalyst for the direct conversion of reducing sugars to their respective acylated glycosyl halides in good yields under mild conditions. The glycosyl halides so obtained can be converted to alkyl glycosides in the same pot by reacting them with the respective alcohols in good yield.

Iodine–ammonium acetate–mediated annealation of dimedone with aldehydes led to facile formation of spirodihydrofuran in good yields through tandem Knoevenagel–Michael iodonation and cyclodehydroiodonation reactions in a single pot.

Indium(III) trifluoromethanesulfonate has been found to be extremely efficient in catalyzing acyl transfer reactions of various carbohydrates and their derivatives. Selective acetolyses of certain benzyl ethers/isopropylidene acetals of sugars have been possible using In(OTf)3 in Ac2O (neat). Reaction of the per-O-acetate of 2-deoxy-2-phthalimido-D-glucose with benzyl mercaptan in the presence of In(OTf)3 led to the formation of the corresponding thioglycoside in high yield. Facile formation and hydrolysis of the isopropylidene and benzylidene acetals of various carbohydrates have also been achieved very efficiently in the presence of In(OTf)3. The results show great promise for In(OTf)3 in synthetic carbohydrate chemistry.

In(OTf)3 has been found to be an efficient catalyst for the direct conversion of reducing sugars to their respective acylated glycosyl halides in good yields under mild conditions. The glycosyl halides so obtained can be converted to alkyl glycosides in the same pot by reacting them with the respective alcohols in good yield.

Iodine–ammonium acetate–mediated annealation of dimedone with aldehydes led to facile formation of spirodihydrofuran in good yields through tandem Knoevenagel–Michael iodonation and cyclodehydroiodonation reactions in a single pot.