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The present study investigates various strategies to improve the production of xylitol, a platform chemical, by batch cultivation of Debaryomyces nepalensis. Enhancement of xylitol production via triggerring its biosynthetic pathway in yeast cells was carried out under varied initial phosphate concentrations of the medium and by the addition of stress inducers and co‐substrates. Among the tested phosphate concentrations, the xylitol production was found to be increased by 1.62‐fold at limited initial phosphate concentration (1.5 g L−1). Similarly, among all of the studied co‐substrates, the xylitol production was found to be enhanced by adding 10% maltose at the start of fermentation. Among the different stress inducers tested, addition of hydrogen peroxide and sodium hypochlorite at low concentration (10 ppm) resulted in improved xylitol yields by 28 and 34%, respectively, when compared with the control. De facto stress inducers and nutrient limitations may be worthy of consideration to enhance the production of xylitol in batch culture. We envision that the addition of stress inducers at minimum dosage will enhance xylitol productivity. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A continuous fixed-bed column study was performed using rGO/ZrO 2 as an excellent adsorbent for the removal of F-from water. The column experiments were performed at laboratory scale to examine the potentiality of rGO/ZrO 2 at various initial F-concentration, bed height, and flow rate. The rGO/ZrO 2 nanocomposite was proved to be very promising adsorbent as it showed the excellent adsorption capacity for F-. The maximum adsorption capacity of the rGO/ZrO 2 was found to be 45.7 mg/g at an initial F-concentration of 25 mg/L, bed height of 7.5 cm, a flow rate of 1.66 mL/min at pH 7. The Thomas, BDST, and Yoon–Nelson models were applied to the experimental data to predict the breakthrough curves. Although both the Thomas and Yoon–Nelson models showed good agreement with the experimental data but the Yoon–Nelson model was found to provide the best representation for F-adsorption on the adsorbent. Moreover, the exhausted column was regenerated with 10% NaOH solution successfully with a slight decrease in column capacity up to three adsorption-desorption cycles. Life factor calculation revealed that the nanoadsorbent bed would have sufficient capacity to avoid breakthrough at time t = 0 up to 15.11 cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The AgNPs synthesized by green method have shown great potential in several applications such as biosensing, biomedical, catalysis, electronic etc. The present study deals with the selective colorimetric detection of Fe 3 + using photoinduced green synthesized AgNPs. For the synthesis purpose, an aqueous extract of Croton bonplandianum (AEC) was used as a reducing and stabilizing agent. The biosynthesis was confirmed by UV–visible spectroscopy where an SPR band at λ max 436 nm after 40 s and 428 nm after 30 min corresponded to the existence of AgNPs. The optimum conditions for biosynthesis of AgNPs were 30 min sunlight exposure time, 5.0% (v/v) AEC inoculum dose and 4 mM AgNO 3 concentration. The stability of synthesized AgNPs was monitored up to 9 months. The size and shape of AgNPs with average size 19.4 nm were determined by Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FE-SEM) and High-Resolution Transmission Electron Microscope (HR-TEM). The crystallinity was determined by High-Resolution X-ray Diffractometer (HR-XRD) and Selected Area Electron Diffraction (SAED) pattern. The chemical and elemental compositions were determined by Fourier Transformed Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDX) respectively. The Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) images represented the lateral and 3D topological characteristics of AgNPs. The XPS analysis confirmed the presence of two individual peaks which attributed to the Ag 3d3/2 and Ag 3d5/2 binding energies corresponding to the presence of metallic silver. The biosynthesized AgNPs showed potent antibacterial activity against both gram-positive and gram-negative bacterial strains as well as antioxidant activity. On the basis of results and facts, a probable mechanism was also proposed to explore the possible route of AgNPs synthesis, colorimetric detection of Fe 3 + , antibacterial and antioxidant activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In present investigation, an attempt has been made for the synthesis of cupric oxide nanoparticles (CuONPs) through a green route by utilizing lemon juice extract as a bioreductant. The synthesized CuONPs were characterized through UV-visible spectroscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The CuONPs were utilized for Cr(VI) removal from water through adsorption method in batch mode at different initial Cr(VI) concentration, pH, temperature and CuONPs dosage. The maximum uptake capacity of CuONPs was found to be 16.63 mg of Cr(VI)/g at pH 4.0. Implementation of response surface methodology (RSM) followed by artificial neural network hybridized with genetic algorithm (ANN-GA) approach has resulted maximum Cr(VI) adsorption of 98.8% under the optimized conditions of initial metal concentration 22.5 mg/L, pH 3.81, CuONPs dose 1.28 g/L and temperature 37.1 °C. Under optimum conditions, adsorption isotherm study was conducted, which showed that the fitness of experimental data was well achieved with Langmuir isotherm model illustrating monolayer pattern of adsorption. Thermodynamic study revealed that the process was spontaneous and endothermic in nature, while adsorption kinetics was best explained by pseudo-second order kinetic model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The amine functionalized graphene aerogel (GAFP) was prepared by using polylysine as an amine-rich cross-linker with the graphene oxide. The prepared GAFP aerogel was characterized by various analytical techniques including FT-IR spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET). The as-prepared GAFP aerogel showed an excellent uptake capacity (170.64 ± 9.69 mg/g) for Cr(VI) which was much greater as compared to recently reported graphene-based adsorbents. The kinetics of Cr(VI) adsorption on the GAFP followed the pseudo-second-order model. The mechanism of adsorption was explored through various diffusion models such as Mckay et al., Waber-Morris, and Richenberg which revealed that the external diffusion and intraparticle diffusion governed the rate of Cr(VI) adsorption. The isotherm studies confirmed that the Cr(VI) chemically adsorbed on the GAFP in monolayer fashion which was consistent with the electrostatic interaction between oxyanions and protonated amine groups. The process of Cr(VI) adsorption was found to be thermodynamically spontaneous and endothermic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An ecofriendly and zero cost approach has been developed for the photoinduced synthesis of more stable AgNPs using an aqueous extract of Murraya koenigii (AEM) as a reducing and stabilizing agent. The exposed reaction mixture of AEM and AgNO 3 to sunlight turned dark brown which primarily confirmed the biosynthesis of AgNPs. The biosynthesis was monitored by UV–vis spectroscopy which exhibited a sharp SPR band at 430 nm after 30 min of sunlight exposure. The optimum conditions for biosynthesis of AgNPs were 30 min of sunlight exposure, 2.0% (v/v) of AEM inoculuam dose and 4.0 mM AgNO 3 concentration. TEM analysis confirmed the presence of spherical AgNPs with average size 8.6 nm. The crystalline nature of the AgNPs was confirmed by XRD analysis where the Bragg's diffraction pattern at (111), (200), (220) and (311) corresponded to face centered cubic crystal lattice of metallic silver. The surface texture was analyzed by AFM analysis where the average roughness of the synthesized AgNPs was found 1.8 nm. FTIR analysis was recorded between 4000 and 400 cm − 1 which confirmed the involvement of various functional groups in the synthesis of AgNPs. On the basis of the linear relationship between SPR band intensity and different concentration of Hg 2 + , the synthesized AgNPs can be used for colorimetric detection of Hg 2 + with a linear range from 50 nm to 500 μM. Based on experimental findings, an oxidation-reduction mechanism between AgNPs and Hg 2 + was also proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present work, AgNPs was synthesized using the aqueous extract of Polyalthia longifolia which was monitored by UV–vis spectroscopy at regular time interval. The optimum conditions for AgNPs biosynthesis were found to be 30 min sunlight exposure, 2.0% (v/v) AEP inoculum dose and 4.0 mM AgNO 3 concentration. SEM and TEM analysis confirmed the presence of anisotropic AgNPs with average size 13.9 nm. The X-Ray techniques confirmed that the AgNPs were crystallized in the face-centered cubic lattice. FTIR analysis confirmed the involvement of functional groups in the AgNPs synthesis. The AgNPs thus obtained showed sufficient antioxidant activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The green synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) has reduced the pollution load in the environment to a greater extent by avoiding the use of hazardous chemicals. In the present work we have developed an ecofriendly and zero cost approach for the green synthesis of more stable and spherical AgNPs using aqueous extract of Erigeron bonariensis (AEE) which act as both reducing and stabilizing agent. The reaction of AEE and AgNO 3 was carried out in direct sunlight for the instant biosynthesis of AgNPs within minutes. The biosynthesis was monitored by UV–vis spectroscopy which exhibited a sharp SPR band at 442 nm and 435 nm after 5 and 35 min of sunlight exposure. The optimum conditions for biosynthesis of AgNPs were found to be 2.5 mM AgNO 3 concentration, 1.5% ( v / v ) of AEE inoculum dose and 35 min of sunlight exposure. Presence of spherical AgNPs with average size 13 nm was confirmed by SEM and TEM analysis. The XRD and SAED analysis confirmed the crystalline nature of the AgNPs where the Bragg's diffraction pattern at (111), (200), (220) and (311) corresponded to face centered cubic crystal lattice of metallic silver. The average roughness of the synthesized AgNPs was 3.21 nm which was confirmed by AFM analysis. FTIR analysis was recorded between 4000 and 400 cm − 1 which confirmed the involvement of various functional groups in the synthesis of AgNPs. The AgNPs thus obtained showed catalytic activity towards degradation of Acridine Orange (AO) without involvement of any hazardous reducing agent. The concentration dependent catalytic activity of the synthesized AgNPs was also monitored using 1, 2 and 3 mL of silver colloids and was found that the degradation of AO followed pseudo first-order kinetics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Waterlogging causes extensive damage to maize crops in tropical and subtropical regions. The identification of tolerance genes and their interactions at the molecular level will be helpful to engineer tolerant genotypes. A whole-genome transcriptome assay revealed the specific role of genes in response to waterlogging stress in susceptible and tolerant genotypes. Genes involved in the synthesis of ethylene and auxin, cell wall metabolism, activation of G-proteins and formation of aerenchyma and adventitious roots, were upregulated in the tolerant genotype. Many transcription factors, particularly ERFs, MYB, HSPs, MAPK, and LOB-domain protein were involved in regulation of these traits. Genes responsible for scavenging of ROS generated under stress were expressed along with those involved in carbohydrate metabolism. The physical locations of 21 genes expressed in the tolerant genotype were found to correspond with the marker intervals of known QTLs responsible for development of adaptive traits. Among the candidate genes, most showed synteny with genes of sorghum and foxtail millet. Co-expression analysis of 528 microarray samples including 16 samples from the present study generated seven functional modules each in the two genotypes, with differing characteristics. In the tolerant genotype, stress genes were co-expressed along with peroxidase and fermentation pathway genes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Study Question: What is the sperm DNA methylation status of imprinted genes in male partners from couples experiencing recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL)?Summary Answer: Aberrations in sperm DNA methylation status of several imprinted genes, such as insulin like growth factor-2-H19 differentially methylated region (IGF2-H19 DMR), intergenic differentially methylated region (IG-DMR), mesoderm specific transcript (MEST), zinc finger protein which regulates apoptosis and cell cycle arrest (ZAC), DMR in intron 10 of KCNQ1 gene (KvDMR), paternally expressed gene 3 (PEG3) and paternally expressed gene 10 (PEG10), as well as decreased sperm global 5-methylcytosine (5mC) levels, are associated with RPL.What Is Known Already: RPL is defined as loss of two or more pregnancies, affecting 1-2% of couples of reproductive age. Although there are several maternal and paternal aetiological factors contributing to RPL, nearly 50% of the cases remain idiopathic. Thus, there is a need to identify putative paternal factors that could be contributing towards pregnancy loss in cases of idiopathic RPL.Study Design, Size, Duration: In this case-control study, 112 couples undergoing RPL with no identifiable cause were recruited from September 2015 to May 2018. The control group comprised of 106 healthy proven fertile couples with no history of infertility or miscarriage.Participants/materials, Setting, Methods: In this study, we investigated the paternal genetic and epigenetic factors that could be associated with RPL. We studied DNA methylation, by pyrosequencing, of selected imprinted genes implicated in embryo development, such as IGF2-H19 DMR, IG-DMR, MEST, ZAC, KvDMR, PEG3, PEG10 and small nuclear ribonucleoprotein polypeptide N (SNRPN) in sperm of men whose partners present RPL. Global DNA methylation in sperm was evaluated by studying 5mC content and long interspersed nuclear element 1 (LINE1) promoter methylation. We also studied polymorphisms by pyrosequencing in the IGF2-H19 DMR as well in the IGF2 promoter in both groups.Main Results and the Role Of Chance: In the RPL group, we found a significant decrease in the global sperm 5mC levels and significant decrease in DNA methylation at three CpG sites in LINE1 promoter. For IGF2-H19 DMR and IG-DMR, a significant decrease in sperm DNA methylation at specific CpG sites was observed in RPL group. For maternally imprinted genes like MEST, ZAC, KvDMR, PEG3 and PEG10 hypermethylation was noted. Polymorphism studies for IGF2-H19 DMR and IGF2 revealed significant differences in the genotypic frequencies in males.Limitations, Reasons For Caution: In this study, we analysed the methylation levels of selected candidate imprinted genes implicated in embryo development. Detection of methylation changes occurring at the genome-wide level may reveal further candidate genes having a better distinction between the control and study groups.Wider Implications Of the Findings: Our study demonstrates that certain polymorphisms and aberrant sperm methylation status in imprinted genes are associated with RPL and could contribute to the aetiology of RPL. This study suggests that investigation of paternal genetic and epigenetic factors could be useful in identification of possible causes of idiopathic RPL.Study Funding/competing Interest(s): This study was funded by Department of Science and Technology-Science and Engineering Research Board (EMR/2014/000145) and National Institute for Research in Reproductive Health intramural funds (RA/872/01-2020). All authors declare no conflict of interest.Trial Registration Number: N/A. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we have reported easy and economical synthesis of highly fluorescent nitrogen-rich carbon quantum dots (N-CQDs). The as-prepared N-CQDs displayed strong blue color emission along with CIE co-ordinate index (0.15, 0.14). The N-CQDs possess comparatively high QY of 57% using quinine sulfate as a standard. Furthermore, the as-prepared N-CQDs defend against the high salt strength and longtime photostability over the six months of incubation. Apart from this, the as-prepared N-CQDs responded as a sensor for the 'turn-off' detection of Co2+ along with the detection limit of 0.12 μM over a linear range from 0.5 to 3 μM. The mechanistic study proved the detection of Co2+ was based on the IFE, static quenching, aggregation, and complex formation between the amino group of N-CQDs and Co2+. Moreover, the fluorescence of the quenched N-CQDs can reappear and get 'turn-on' by using GSH, AA, EDTA, and cyst; thus, the prepared N-CQDs could further execute as a probe for the Co2+ detection. Inspired by these outstanding properties, the as-prepared N-CQDs were also successfully employed for the practical application toward monitoring the trace level of Co2+ in a vitamin B-12 sample. • Nitrogen-rich carbon quantum dots (N-CQDs) were synthesized by simple hydrothermal treatment of glycine and PEI. • The synthesized N-CQDs have relatively high QY of 57% using quinine sulfate as a reference. • The N-CQDs were found to be a promising nano-probe to detect Co2+. • The feasibility of the proposed system was checked in a vitamin B-12 sample toward the Co2+ detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A genomewide transcriptome assay of two subtropical genotypes of maize was used to observe the expression of genes at seedling stage of drought stress. The number of genes expressed differentially was greater in HKI1532 (a drought tolerant genotype) than in PC3 (a drought sensitive genotype), indicating primary differences at the transcriptional level in stress tolerance. The global coexpression networks of the two genotypes differed significantly with respect to the number of modules and the coexpression pattern within the modules. A total of 174 drought-responsive genes were selected from HKI1532, and their coexpression network revealed key correlations between different adaptive pathways, each cluster of the network representing a specific biological function. Transcription factors related to ABA-dependent stomatal closure, signalling, and phosphoprotein cascades work in concert to compensate for reduced photosynthesis. Under stress, water balance was maintained by coexpression of the genes involved in osmotic adjustments and transporter proteins. Metabolism was maintained by the coexpression of genes involved in cell wall modification and protein and lipid metabolism. The interaction of genes involved in crucial biological functions during stress was identified and the results will be useful in targeting important gene interactions to understand drought tolerance in greater detail. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Earlier studies were focused on the genetics of temperate and tropical maize under drought. We identified genetic loci and their association with functional mechanisms in 240 accessions of subtropical maize using a high-density marker set under water stress. Results: Out of 61 significant SNPs (11 were false-discovery-rate-corrected associations), identified across agronomic traits, models, and locations by subjecting the accessions to water stress at flowering stage, 48% were associated with drought-tolerant genes. Maize gene models revealed that SNPs mapped for agronomic traits were in fact associated with number of functional traits as follows: stomatal closure, 28; flowering, 15; root development, 5; detoxification, 4; and reduced water potential, 2. Interactions of these SNPS through the functional traits could lead to drought tolerance. The SNPs associated with ABA-dependent signalling pathways played a major role in the plant's response to stress by regulating a series of functions including flowering, root development, auxin metabolism, guard cell functions, and scavenging reactive oxygen species (ROS). ABA signalling genes regulate flowering through epigenetic changes in stress-responsive genes. ROS generated by ABA signalling are reduced by the interplay between ethylene, ABA, and detoxification signalling transductions. Integration of ABA-signalling genes with auxin-inducible genes regulates root development which in turn, maintains the water balance by regulating electrochemical gradient in plant. Conclusions: Several genes are directly or indirectly involved in the functioning of agronomic traits related to water stress. Genes involved in these crucial biological functions interacted significantly in order to maintain the primary as well as exclusive functions related to coping with water stress. SNPs associated with drought-tolerant genes involved in strategic biological functions will be useful to understand the mechanisms of drought tolerance in subtropical maize. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Maize is an increasingly important food crop in southeast Asia. The elucidation of its genetic architecture, accomplished by exploring quantitative trait loci and useful alleles in various lines across numerous breeding programs, is therefore of great interest. The present study aimed to characterize subtropical maize lines using high-quality SNPs distributed throughout the genome. Results We genotyped a panel of 240 subtropical elite maize inbred lines and carried out linkage disequilibrium, genetic diversity, population structure, and principal component analyses on the generated SNP data. The mean SNP distance across the genome was 70 Kb. The genome had both high and low linkage disequilibrium (LD) regions; the latter were dominant in areas near the gene-rich telomeric portions where recombination is frequent. A total of 252 haplotype blocks, ranging in size from 1 to 15.8 Mb, were identified. Slow LD decay (200- 300 Kb) at r2 ⩽ 0.1 across all chromosomes explained the selection of favorable traits around low LD regions in different breeding programs. The association mapping panel was characterized by strong population substructure. Genotypes were grouped into three distinct clusters with a mean genetic dissimilarity coefficient of 0.36. Conclusions The genotyped panel of subtropical maize lines characterized in this study should be useful for association mapping of agronomically important genes. The dissimilarity uncovered among genotypes provides an opportunity to exploit the heterotic potential of subtropical elite maize breeding lines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]