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Abstract Sixteen thio/semicarbazide-based benzyloxy derivatives (BT1-BT16) were synthesized and evaluated for their inhibitory activities against monoamine oxidases (MAOs). Most compounds showed better inhibitory activity against MAO-B than against MAO-A. BT1, BT3, and BT5 showed the greatest inhibitory activity with an identical IC50 value of 0.11 µM against MAO-B, followed by BT6 and BT7 (IC50 = 0.12 µM) and BT2 (IC50 = 1.68 µM). The selectivity index of BT5 was the highest (363.64) for MAO-B, whereas that of BT1 was 88.73. BT1 and BT5 were reversible MAO-B inhibitors, based on the results of dialysis experiments. In inhibition kinetics, BT1 and BT5 were competitive MAO-B inhibitors with Ki values of 0.074 ± 0.0020 and 0.072 ± 0.0079 µM, respectively. Additionally, in the in-vitro parallel artificial membrane penetration assay, BT1 and BT5 crossed the blood–brain barrier. Cytotoxicity and possible neuroprotective effects of the lead compounds were assessed using IMR 32 cells. Levels of the antioxidant superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase in IMR 32 cells were increased by pretreatment with lead compounds. Five lead molecules (BT1, BT3, BT5, BT6, and BT7) were used for the docking studies. A significant pi–pi interaction with Tyr 326 was observed and molecular dynamics studies were performed for the most promising BT1-MAO-B complex. These results suggested that BT1 and BT5 could be used therapeutically for the treatment of various neurodegenerative diseases.

Abstract Five dimethylamino-based chalcone derivatives (AC) were synthesized and evaluated for their inhibition degree against monoamine oxidase (MAO) enzymes. All AC compounds showed better inhibitory activity against MAO-B than that against MAO-A. AC4 showed the highest inhibitory ability with an IC50 value of 0.020 µM, similar to that of a reference drug safinamide (IC50 = 0.019 µM) against MAO-B, followed by AC1 (IC50 = 0.068 µM) and AC3 (IC50 = 0.083 µM). Substituent -F in ring A (AC4) increased the MAO-B inhibition, followed by -H (AC1), -Br (AC3), and -Cl (AC2). The selectivity index (SI) value of AC4 was high (SI = 82.00) as well as other compounds (44.41 to 98.15). AC4 was found to be a reversible inhibitor as confirmed through analysis using the dialysis method. Interestingly, AC4 was observed to be a noncompetitive MAO-B inhibitor with a rare case and with Ki values of 0.011 ± 0.0036 µM. These experiments confirmed that AC4 is a reversible and potent selective inhibitor of MAO-B. Molecular docking experiments revealed that AC4 showed the highest inhibitory activity with a docking score (-9.510 kcal/mol). A study using molecular dynamics modeling revealed that the protein–ligand complex was more stable. It was observed that AC4 was non-cytotoxic in the study using L929 cell line. In conclusion, compound AC4 shows promise as a MAO-B inhibitor.

The Persian walnut, or English walnut, is one of the most prized walnuts, popular for its timber, medicinal properties, oil, and nuts. Due to its high demand across the globe, walnut cultivation has exponentially grown over the years. Despite having the appropriate climate, the state of Uttarakhand still does not cultivate walnut on a large scale. The alternative to growing walnuts with better quality and high production is through in vitro propagation. The present study was conducted to propagate walnut varieties growing in the Uttarakhand region through direct and indirect organogenesis. The DKW medium proved to be the most effective for nodal explant culture, while the MS medium yielded superior results for callus induction. We also optimized the media by varying the liquid/semisolid medium and plant growth regulator combinations. The genotype from higher altitudes of Uttarakhand was found to respond better to the in vitro treatments. The findings can prove useful in propagating good-quality walnut varieties in Uttarakhand on a large scale.

People in the hilly region are looking at soybean, a highly nutritious crop, as a solution to the problem of malnutrition. The inhabitants of hilly areas of Uttarakhand state in the Indian Himalayan region cultivate the soybean variety 'Bhat'. The crop has several health benefits due to its high protein and fiber content. Lack of focused studies on ‘Bhat’ cultivars has led to gradual declination in production of this important crop. The goal of the present study was to analyze the growth and development patterns in the soybean accessions collected from the different villages of the Garhwal division of Uttarakhand. Significant variations were recorded in the germination rate and plantlet development of different accessions of 'Bhat' cultivars on varying growth mediums. Sowing time and adding manure proved to be crucial for optimal germination. The study provides preliminary information that holds potential for identifying the best cultivars suitable for cultivation and varietal improvement programs of this indigenous crop variety of Uttarakhand

The tribes of the Tons Valley in Uttarakhand, India, prepare Pakhoi, a traditional drink, as the subject of the current study. This drink is known to have therapeutic properties and has potential applications in anti-cancer research. The present study investigates the antiproliferative activity of key compounds found in this drink. Numerous computational tools have assessed the physicochemical properties, pharmacokinetics, drug likeness, and medicinal chemistry of these compounds. SwissADME and Molsoft were utilized to determine properties such as drug likeness scores, especially for Tomentin, which showed the highest score of 1.09. To evaluate anticancer potential, PASS Online software was employed to obtain bioactivity scores; the program reports activity as probable activity (Pa) with values ranging from 0.000 to 1.000 and has a 95% accuracy rate. Pa values greater than 0.7 suggest greater pharmacological action, whereas values less than 0.7 indicate less activity. A variety of drugs regulate ion channel modulators, crucial therapeutic targets that facilitate the passage of charged particles across cell membranes. The next server predicted Haplopine, molecule 4, to be the most bioactive ion channel modulator, with a score of 0.35. Molinspiration: Kinase inhibitors are drugs that selectively inhibit or alter disease-related signaling. Atherospermidine, one of the components in the drink, displayed a bioactivity score of 0.32 as a kinase inhibitor. CLC-Pred was employed to determine the cytotoxicity of major compounds found in the drink for specific cancer cell lines, which shows the value of Pa 0.907 and Pi 0.004. Furthermore, we used PaccMann, a compound that indicates efficacy against cancer cell lines, to determine the IC50 value. It predicted that Narciclasine and Tomentin would be efficient in reducing the proliferation of certain cell lines. Molecular docking was conducted to gain insights into the molecular interaction between the compounds and their specific targets, and the ligand shows the best binding affinity with the protein target CDK4 with -9.7 binding affinity. Swiss Target Prediction helped identify the targets associated with the compounds. The study provided significant insights into the potential of the tribal drink as an anticancer therapeutic agent.

The need to focus on traditional crops for food security has been realized across the globe. ‘Bhat’ is an indigenous soybean variety from the Indian Himalayan Region that has been neglected in recent times due to changing agricultural choices. The present study was conducted on 52 indigenous soybean accessions collected from different villages of Uttarakhand, a hilly state in Northern India, to determine the concentrations of various macro- and microelements in the crop. The analysis used the HHXRF (handheld X-ray fluorescence) spectroscopic technique and atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS). The findings reveal that the ‘bhat’ is an extremely nutrient-rich crop with calcium being the most significant macronutrient (highest concentration of 27,300 ppm), followed by phosphorus, potassium, and sulphur found in the bhat seeds. The study suggests that samples from Pauri Garhwal (Gwad Khirsu, Bironkhal, Sripur), Tehri (PratapNagar, Singoli), Chamoli (Paini, and Agastyamuni) villages were rich in all the major macronutrients. Among the micronutrients, silicon was found to be the most dominant with the highest concentration of 1920 ppm. This was followed by the dominance of iron, zinc, and manganese in descending order of abundance. Tipri, Chandola Rai Goonth, Chopdiun, and Paini villages were found to have the highest concentrations of microelements. The statistical data analysis confirms that seed samples from different regions are significantly similar in terms of nutrient concentrations, except for Si and Fe, thereby indicating that ‘bhat’ from any of the villages is equally good for consumption. However, seed samples from certain regions were found to be contaminated with heavy metals, indicating soil pollution, which demands attention towards current agricultural practices. The findings show that the crop is an exceptional source of essential and quasi-essential elements and should be promoted to benefit the hill populations.

Due to the continuous depletion of natural resources currently used for electricity generation, it is imperative to develop alternative energy sources. Human waste is nowadays being explored as an efficient source to produce bio-energy. Human waste is renewable and can be used as a source for an uninterrupted energy supply in bioelectricity or biofuel. Annually, human waste such as urine is produced in trillions of liters globally. Hence, utilizing the waste to produce bioenergy is bio-economically suitable and ecologically balanced. Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) play a crucial role in providing an effective mode of bioelectricity production by implementing the role of transducers. MFCs convert organic matter into energy using bio-electro-oxidation of material to produce electricity. Over the years, MFCs have been explored prominently in various fields to find a backup for providing bioenergy and biofuel. MFCs involve the role of exoelectrogens which work as transducers to convert the material into electricity by catalyzing redox reactions. This review paper demonstrates how human waste is useful for producing electricity and how this innovation would be beneficial in the long term, considering the current scenario of increasing demand for the supply of products and shortages of natural resources used to produce biofuel and bioelectricity.

Research progress on sustainable and renewable biofuel has gained motion over the years, not just due to the rapid reduction of dwindling fossil fuel supplies but also due to environmental and potential energy security issues as well. Intense interest in microalgae (photosynthetic microbes) as a promising feedstock for third-generation biofuels has grown over recent years. Fuels derived from algae are now considered sustainable biofuels that are promising, renewable, and clean. Therefore, selecting the robust species of microalgae with substantial features for quality biodiesel production is the first step in the way of biofuel production. A contemporary investigation is more focused on several strategies and techniques to achieve higher biomass and triglycerides in microalgae. The improvement in lipid enhancement in microalgae species by genetic manipulation approaches, such as metabolic or genetic alteration, and the use of nanotechnology are the most recent ways of improving the production of biomass and lipids. Hence, the current review collects up-to-date approaches for microalgae lipid increase and biodiesel generation. The strategies for high biomass and high lipid yield are discussed. Additionally, various pretreatment procedures that may aid in lipid harvesting efficiency and improve lipid recovery rate are described.