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Introduction: With increased urbanization the prevalence of important public health problems like road traffic accidents (RTA) and depression are surging. This study was aimed to determine the association between RTA and depression among Indian population aged ≥45 years. Methods: Using Longitudinal Aging Study in India (LASI) dataset (April 2017–December 2018), we have conducted this study among older adults (45–59 years) and elderly (≥60 years) Indians. Bivariate analysis was conducted to estimate the prevalence of RTA and depression nationally and across aspirants, achievers, and front runner states. Multivariable logistic regression was conducted between RTA and depression, adjusted with demographic and socioeconomic; health related and behavioral factors. P value

ObjectiveDescribe and characterize the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) appearance of annulus fibrosus (AF) high-intensity zone (HIZ) in dogs suffering from intervertebral disc disease (IVDD).MethodsA single-center retrospective case series study. Databases were reviewed from 2011 to 2022 for dogs that underwent MRI diagnosis due to suspected IVDD. Cases were included if they had T2-weighted (T2W) hyperintense annular fibrosus lesions (AFL) on the imaging diagnosis report. To be included, the MRI scan had to be of diagnostic quality and include a sagittal T2W, proton density (PD), or short tau inversion recovery (STIR) sequence of the annular lesion, together with transverse T2W and/or dorsal plane STIR sequences over the HIZ region.ResultsForty one cases (in 39 dogs) of HIZ were included in the study. Mixed breed dogs were the highest represented group representing 25.6% of the cohort. Patient median age was 7.5 years and median weight 23 kg. Primary HIZ appeared in 7/39 dogs (17.95%) and the remaining had acute non-compressive nucleus pulposus extrusion (ANNPE), hydrated nucleus pulposus extrusion (HNPE) or concurrent myelopathy. Characterization of HIZ lesions included several variable appearances in orientation and shape. HIZ lesions were most easily identifiable in the sagittal plane. Similar to humans, the most common site of HIZ without extrusion was the lumbosacral (LS) region. All the dogs with HIZ lesions as the most significant MRI finding, exhibited spinal pain and/or chronic paresis/plegia.Conclusions and clinical significanceBy introducing and defining HIZ lesions to the veterinary imaging nomenclature, we hope future studies will further examine the prevalence and clinical significance of HIZ lesions in canine patients.

The agricultural sector is a foremost contributing factor in supplying food at the global scale. There are plethora of biotic as well as abiotic stressors that act as major constraints for the agricultural sector in terms of global food demand, quality, and security. Stresses affect rhizosphere and their communities, root growth, plant health, and productivity. They also alter numerous plant physiological and metabolic processes. Moreover, they impact transcriptomic and metabolomic changes, causing alteration in root exudates and affecting microbial communities. Since the evolution of hazardous pesticides and fertilizers, productivity has experienced elevation but at the cost of impeding soil fertility thereby causing environmental pollution. Therefore, it is crucial to develop sustainable and safe means for crop production. The emergence of various pieces of evidence depicting the alterations and abundance of microbes under stressed conditions proved to be beneficial and outstanding for maintaining plant legacy and stimulating their survival. Beneficial microbes offer a great potential for plant growth during stresses in an economical manner. Moreover, they promote plant growth with regulating phytohormones, nutrient acquisition, siderophore synthesis, and induce antioxidant system. Besides, acquired or induced systemic resistance also counteracts biotic stresses. The phytomicrobiome exploration is crucial to determine the growth-promoting traits, colonization, and protection of plants from adversities caused by stresses. Further, the intercommunications among rhizosphere through a direct/indirect manner facilitate growth and form complex network. The phytomicrobiome communications are essential for promoting sustainable agriculture where microbes act as ecological engineers for environment. In this review, we have reviewed our building knowledge about the role of microbes in plant defense and stress-mediated alterations within the phytomicrobiomes. We have depicted the defense biome concept that infers the design of phytomicrobiome communities and their fundamental knowledge about plant-microbe interactions for developing plant probiotics.

Nanotechnology is an avant-garde field of scientific research that revolutionizes technological advancements in the present world. It is a cutting-edge scientific approach that has undoubtedly a plethora of functions in controlling environmental pollutants for the welfare of the ecosystem. However, their unprecedented utilization and hysterical release led to a huge threat to the soil microbiome. Nanoparticles(NPs) hamper physicochemical properties of soil along with microbial metabolic activities within rhizospheric soils.Here in this review shed light on concentric aspects of NP-biosynthesis, types, toxicity mechanisms, accumulation within the ecosystem. However, the accrual of tiny NPs into the soil system has dramatically influenced rhizospheric activities in terms of soil properties and biogeochemical cycles. We have focussed on mechanistic pathways engrossed by microbes to deal with NPs.Also, we have elaborated the fate and behavior of NPs within soils. Besides, a piece of very scarce information on NPs-toxicity towards environment and rhizosphere communities is available. Therefore, the present review highlights ecological perspectives of nanotechnology and solutions to such implications. We have comprehend certain strategies such as avant-garde engineering methods, sustainable procedures for NP synthesis along with vatious regulatory actions to manage NP within environment. Moreover, we have devised risk management sustainable and novel strategies to utilize it in a rationalized and integrated manner. With this background, we can develop a comprehensive plan about NPs with novel insights to understand the resistance and toxicity mechanisms of NPs towards microbes. Henceforth, the orientation towards these issues would enhance the understanding of researchers for proper recommendation and promotion of nanotechnology in an optimized and sustainable manner.

Brassinosteroids (BRs) are group of plant steroidal hormones that modulate developmental processes and also have pivotal role in stress management. Biosynthesis of BRs takes place through established early C-6 and late C-6 oxidation pathways and the C-22 hydroxylation pathway triggered by activation of the DWF4 gene that acts on multiple intermediates. BRs are recognized at the cell surface by the receptor kinases, BRI1 and BAK1, which relay signals to the nucleus through a phosphorylation cascade involving phosphorylation of BSU1 protein and proteasomal degradation of BIN2 proteins. Inactivation of BIN2 allows BES1/BZR1 to enter the nucleus and regulate the expression of target genes. In the whole cascade of signal recognition, transduction and regulation of target genes, BRs crosstalk with other phytohormones that play significant roles. In the current era, plants are continuously exposed to abiotic stresses and heavy metal stress is one of the major stresses. The present study reveals the mechanism of these events from biosynthesis, transport and crosstalk through receptor kinases and transcriptional networks under heavy metal stress.

ABSTRACT Introduction: Bronchial asthma is a heterogenous disease in children. It often leads to acute exacerbations resulting in increased Emergency Department (ED) visits, hospital admissions and school absenteeism among them. Irrational prescribing practices are quite prevalent among children. This highlights the importance of Drug Utilisation Studies (DUS) that are essential to investigate the pattern of drug use, thereby ensuring cost-effective health care and rational use of drugs. Aim: To evaluate drug utilisation pattern for the treatment of acute asthma exacerbations in children hospitalised in a tertiary care teaching hospital. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional, observational study was conducted in the in-patient, Department of Paediatrics for a period from December 2017 to March 2019. A total of 30 children aged 1-17 years of either sex hospitalised for acute asthma exacerbations were enrolled in the study. Parameters like demographic profile and pattern of drug use were assessed. The collected data was presented as percentages, Standard Deviation (SD) and mean. Results: Results revealed that most commonly affected age group was 1-5 years (43.33% of total subjects) with female predominance. 13.33% children presented a positive family history of asthma. To manage acute exacerbations of asthma, all the patients received anti-asthmatic drug combinations and inhalational route was preferred. Corticosteroids and Short Acting β2 Agonists (SABA) were the most commonly prescribed drug classes. SABA (Levosalbutamol) was prescribed mainly through inhaled route (66.66%). 90% children received inhaled budesonide while IV Hydrocortisone was used in 86.66% cases of exacerbation. Combination of inhaled SABA + Ipratropium bromide was given in 36.66% patients. Montelukast was prescribed in 33.33% children as an add-on therapy. Average duration of hospital stay for the present episode was 3.96±1.04 days. Average number of drugs per prescription was 10.13. None of the drug was prescribed by generic name and antibiotics were used in 96.66% patients. Conclusion: The observed drug utilisation pattern in the present study does not completely comply with the recommendations of standard treatment guidelines for asthma. High prescribing of antibiotics, polypharmacy and prescribing by brands are issues that need to addressed which will ensure rational use of drugs in future.

Cadmium (Cd) metal toxicity is a crucial ecological matter that requires immediate efforts to mitigate it. Brassica juncea plants were exposed to Cd (0 and 200 µM as CdSO4) and foliar application of 24-Epibrassinolide (EBR) (0, 10−7 and 10−5 M). The toxic effect of Cd was evident in terms of declined growth and biomass yield, lowered levels of pigment content and chlorophyll fluorescence, and reduction in gas exchange attributes. The levels of proline and glycinebetaine increased in response to Cd treatment. There was an imperative rise in the contents of H2O2 and malondialdehyde as well as electrolyte leakage in the Cd-stressed plants. With the application of EBR, there was a significant replenishment in growth attributes and photosynthetic efficacy. The contents of ROS (reactive oxygen species) and malondialdehyde as well as electrolyte leakage were reduced by the hormone supplementation. Enhancement in the contents of glutathione and ascorbic acid, and the activities of enzymes of the antioxidative defense system and glyoxalase system was recorded in response to Cd as well as hormone treatment. The in situ levels of Cd in roots and shoot were augmented in response to Cd treatment, but were found to be lowered by the EBR application.

Steroids are a pivotal class of hormones with a key role in growth modulation and signal transduction in multicellular organisms. Synthetic steroids are widely used to cure large array of viral, fungal, bacterial, and cancerous infections. Brassinosteroids (BRs) are a natural collection of phytosterols, which have structural similarity with animal steroids. BRs are dispersed universally throughout the plant kingdom. These plant steroids are well known to modulate a plethora of physiological responses in plants leading to improvement in quality as well as yield of food crops. Moreover, they have been found to play imperative role in stress-fortification against various stresses in plants. Over a decade, BRs have conquered worldwide interest due to their diverse biological activities in animal systems. Recent studies have indicated anticancerous, antiangiogenic, antiviral, antigenotoxic, antifungal, and antibacterial bioactivities of BRs in the animal test systems. BRs inhibit replication of viruses and induce cytotoxic effects on cancerous cell lines. Keeping in view the biological activities of BRs, this review is an attempt to update the information about prospects of BRs in biomedical and clinical application.

Environmental stress including heavy metal pollution is increasing at high speed and is polluting the cultivable land. Consequently, it results in affecting human population through entering into food chain. The current study aims that Cd stress (0.4 mM) led to toxicity and deleterious effects on 45-day-old Lycopersicon esculentum plants. The use of rhizobacterial strains underlines the main hypothesis of the present research that have been exploited in order to alleviate the Cd induced stress in plants and promoting their growth sidewise. The morphological parameters, plant pigments, and gaseous exchange parameters were estimated and found to be reduced in plants due to Cd toxicity. Along with this, the levels of phenolic compounds and osmoprotectants were stimulated in plants raised in Cd spiked soils. In addition, free amino acid content was reduced in plants under Cd treatment. It was revealed that these bacterial strains Pseudomonas aeruginosa (M1) and Burkholderia gladioli (M2) when inoculated to tomato plants improved the morphological characteristics and enhanced photosynthetic attributes. Moreover, the level of phenolic compounds and osmoprotectants were further enhanced by both the inoculating agents independently. However, in situ localization studies of phenol accumulation in root sections was found to be enhanced in Cd treated plants as revealed through higher intensity of yellowish-brown colour. The supplementation of bacterial strains further accumulated the phenols in Cd stressed root sections as evidenced through increased colour intensity. Therefore, the present study suggested that bacterial strains mitigates Cd stress from tomato plants through improving morphological, physiological and metabolite profiles. Consequently, the present research advocates the best utilization of rhizobacteria as stress alleviators for sustainable agriculture.

Plants face a variety of abiotic stresses, which generate reactive oxygen species (ROS), and ultimately obstruct normal growth and development of plants. To prevent cellular damage caused by oxidative stress, plants accumulate certain compatible solutes known as osmolytes to safeguard the cellular machinery. The most common osmolytes that play crucial role in osmoregulation are proline, glycine-betaine, polyamines, and sugars. These compounds stabilize the osmotic differences between surroundings of cell and the cytosol. Besides, they also protect the plant cells from oxidative stress by inhibiting the production of harmful ROS like hydroxyl ions, superoxide ions, hydrogen peroxide, and other free radicals. The accumulation of osmolytes is further modulated by phytohormones like abscisic acid, brassinosteroids, cytokinins, ethylene, jasmonates, and salicylic acid. It is thus important to understand the mechanisms regulating the phytohormone-mediated accumulation of osmolytes in plants during abiotic stresses. In this review, we have discussed the underlying mechanisms of phytohormone-regulated osmolyte accumulation along with their various functions in plants under stress conditions.

The concentration of copper in soil is increasing, which may potentially affect the crop yield. Brassinosteroids are well known to enhance tolerance towards abiotic stress, but role of castasterone in this context is poorly understood. The present study was designed to explore the potential of castasterone to enhance copper tolerance in Brassica juncea plants. Results indicate that copper increased the production of superoxide anion radical and hydrogen peroxide, maximum at 0.75 mM of copper exposure (31.71 and 68.29% at 60 days). This overproduction of reactive oxygen species hampered the photosynthetic pigments and gas exchange parameters. Application of castasterone as seed soaking method significantly activated the enzymatic defense system. Superoxide dismutase, polyphenol oxidase and catalase showed maximum enhancement in the activities. The study further highlighted the modulations of polyphenols in B. juncea with castasterone and copper. Phenolic profiling shows that accumulation of polyphenols increase with the castasterone application under copper stress. Caffeic acid, ellagic acid, catechin and chlorogenic acid were the most prominent polyphenols observed in this study.

In this era of urbanization and environmental pollution, antioxidants and antimutagens derived from plants are promising safeguards for human health. In the current investigation, we analyzed the antioxidant and antimutagenic effects of the hexane, chloroform, and ethyl acetate fractions of Rhododendron arboreum Sm. leaves and determined their chemical composition. The different fractions inhibited lipid peroxidation, repressed the production of nitric oxide radicals, and prevented deoxyribose degradation. The antimutagenic activity of the leaf fractions was analyzed against 4-nitro-O-phenylenediamine, sodium azide and 2-aminofluorene mutagens in two test strains (TA-98 and TA-100) of Salmonella typhimurium. The experiment was conducted using pre- and co-incubation modes. The best results were obtained in the pre-incubation mode, and against indirect acting mutagen. The presence of a number of bioactive constituents was confirmed in the different fractions by GC-MS analysis. The study reveals the strong antioxidant and antimutagenic activity of R. arboreum leaves. We propose that those activities of R. arboreum might correspond to the combined effect of the phytochemicals identified by GC-MS analysis. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on the antimutagenic activity of R. arboreum leaves.