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Wheat grass, one of the members of Poaceae family, has been examined for therapeutic drugs efficiently. Wheat grass juice has become a popular beverage in various countries. Wheat grass is low in calories but high in nutrients, including antioxidants such as glutathione, vitamin C, and vitamin E. The juice is extracted from shoots of tender wheat grass and is an intensive source of minerals, vitamins, chlorophylls, antioxidants, polyphenols and active enzymes. The present investigation deals with the isolation of endophytic bacteria from wheat grass and development of probiotic formulation. A total of 25 endophytic bacteria were isolated from wheat grass and screened for pigment and hydrolytic enzyme production. The selected bacterial strains were screened for antimicrobial activity against pathogenic organisms Bacillus cereus (MTCC-430) , E. coli (MTCC-1687) and Yersinia sp. (MTCC-4912). The efficient bacterial strain EU-WG-01 was identified using 16S rRNA gene sequencing as Bacillus subtilis. Bacillus subtilis EU-WG-01 was inoculated into mango juice to prepare a probiotic formulation. Bacillus subtilis EU-WG-01 at concentration of 15% was used to ferment the probiotic drink. The physiochemical (Total soluble sugars, reducing/non-reducing sugars, titratable acidity, antioxidant activity, protein content, color attributes and ascorbic acid), biomass and cell viable count were analysed. Among the physiochemical parameters a significant decrease was observed in total soluble sugar from 15.68°brix to 16.51°brix, total sugars from 13.30% to 7.50%, non-reducing sugars reduced from 10.20% to 1.30%, ascorbic acid from 21.60/100 mg mL−1 to 14.90/100 mg mL−1. The antioxidant activity from 6.55% to 3.56% except for titratable acidity and reducing sugars increased significantly during 30 days storage under refrigeration. Bacillus subtilis EU-WG-01 viability was found to remain well above 2 log CFU/mL−1 for 30 days. Bacillus subtilis EU-WG-01 could be used for probiotic formulation for human health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The significant strides made in interconnected associations between probiotics and human health have paved the way for remarkable advancements in probiotic functional foods. Probiotic foods play a pivotal role in functional food sector as leading components. In order to safeguard viability of delicate probiotics in face of various adverse conditions, there has been a surge in the development of delivery systems for probiotics. Probiotic organisms are widely recognized for their numerous health-promoting abilities. As a result, probiotics have gained significant popularity as a viable method for improving digestive and immune health. Medical professionals are increasingly recommending probiotics as effective therapeutic interventions for various health conditions. The intricate communities of microorganisms that inhabit the human gastrointestinal tract have a vital role to play in maintaining human health. Researchers have reached a consensus on the definition of probiotics and have made significant strides in comprehending their mechanisms of action. Probiotic bacteria are living non-pathogenic microorganisms that have been found to have advantageous effects on gastrointestinal tract of host, as documented in various articles. The maintenance and optimal population of probiotic bacteria are crucial for functioning the digestive system. As a result, probiotics are considered for addressing various abnormal conditions of the gastrointestinal tract, including colon cancer, Crohn's disease and inflammatory bowel disease. Probiotics are experiencing a substantial increase in popularity, primarily due to their extensive applicability and established safety profile. The present review deals with diversity, distribution encompassing their profile, applications, formulations, current aspects and role of probiotics for human health. • Probiotics are live microorganisms that are intended to have health benefits when they are consumed. • Probiotics have gained increasing attention as functional ingredients in various food and beverage products. • Probiotics are commonly employed in the analysis of numerous disorders or diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BRCA1 gene mutations account for about 25-28% of hereditary Breast Cancer as BRCA1 is included in the category of high penetrance genes. Except for few commonmutations, there is a heterogenous spectrum of BRCA1 mutations in various ethnic groups. 185AGdel and 5382ins Care the most common BRCA1 alterations (founder mutations) which have been identified in most of the population. This review has been compiled with an aim to consolidate the information on genetic variants reported in BRCA1 found in various ethnic groups, their functional implications if known; involvement of BRCA1 in various cellular pathways/processes and potential BRCA1 targeted therapies. The pathological variations of BRCA1 vary among different ethical groups. A systematic search in PubMed and Google scholar for the literature on BRCA1 gene was carried out to figure out structure and function of BRCA1 gene. BRCA1 is a large protein having 1863 amino acids with multiple functional domains and interacts with multiple proteins to carry out various crucial cellular processes. BRCA1 plays a major role in maintaining genome integrity, transcription regulation, chromatin remodeling, cell cycle checkpoint control, DNA damage repair, chromosomal segregation, and apoptosis. Studies investigating the phenotypic response of mutant BRCA1 protein and comparing it to wildtype BRCA1 protein are clinically important as they are involved in homologous recombination and other repair mechanisms. These studies may help in developing more targetted therapies, detecting novel interacting partners, identification of new signaling pathways that BRCA1 is a part of or downstream target genes that BRCA1 affects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 25th April 2015 Nepal Earthquake was found associated with a series of aftershocks, and the mainshock rupture propagated predominantly towards SE direction where a major aftershock (Mw 7.3) rocked on 12th May 2015 to the east of the mainshock that enhanced the rate of occurrence of aftershocks in the affected region. We conducted a rigorous analysis of strong motion data to understand the characteristics of ground motion and their bearing on the structural design codes, responsible for the damage to the structures in the border area of India to Nepal. The effect of ground geology on the acceleration response spectra are also evaluated using main shock and its associated strong earthquakes. All the sites used in the present analysis are located on alluvium deposits showing a predominant period of 0.242 sec for horizontal components and at 0.193 sec for vertical components. Our results demonstrated that observed Peak Ground Acceleration (PGA) has prominent distribution in the border cities of UP and Bihar. PGA ranges from 3 to 80 cm/sec 2 in the study region for the epicentral distance varying from 120 km to 495 km with respect to the source zone (mainshock). The Peak Ground Velocity (PGV) varies from 1 to 16 cm/sec while the Peak Ground Displacement (PGD) lies in between 1 cm and 20 cm for the same area. Our study shows that variation of PGD, PGV, and PGA are controlled and dictated by the geo-morphological constraints, besides the nature and extent of structural heterogeneities of the sub-surface geological formation materials. The obtained normalised spectral amplifications are compared with the Bureau of Indian Standard code for construction of buildings which shows that the current Indian building design code is within the structural limits proposed for the seismic forces at all periods for alluvium sites, suggesting that the structural heterogeneity has the strong role contributing towards the intrinsic attenuation in the seismic wave propagating medium. Our analysis also shows a good correspondence with the nonlinearity of the seismic waves, which in turn controls the degree of damage in an area. We infer that extent of damage to the structures in the border cities of India, vicinity to the rupture zone can be avoided if the existing building design code could have been implemented as the earthquake risk resilient mitigation plan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The dependence of L subshell X-ray intensity ratios on incident proton energy and the CK transitions has been investigated in elements 57⩽Z⩽92. The intensity ratio I(Lα )/I(Ll ) neither shows variation with energy nor any dependence on the CK transitions. In general, the ratios I(Lα )/I(Lβ ) and I(Lα )/I(Lγ ), first increase with incident proton energy, attain a maximum value, then start decreasing and attain an almost constant value after a particular energy (ranging from about 4.6MeV for La to 5.8MeV for U). A comparison has been made among the intensity ratios evaluated using three different sets of parameters. A maximum difference of about 18% has been observed among the different values. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In this paper we describe an Assertion Checking Environment (ACE) for compositional verification of programs, which are written in an industrially sponsored safe subset of C programming language called MISRA C [Guidelines for the Use of the C Language in Vehicle Based Software, 1998]. The theory is based on Hoare logic [Commun. ACM 12 (1969) 576] and the C programs are verified using static assertion checking technique. First the functional specifications of the program, captured in the form of pre- and post-conditions for each C function, are derived from the specifications. These pre- and post-conditions are then introduced as assertions (also called annotations or formal comments) in the program code. The assertions are then proved formally using ACE and theorem proving tool called Stanford Temporal Prover [The Stanford Temporal Prover User''s Manual, 1998]. ACE has been developed by us and consists mainly of a translator c2spl, a GUI and some utility programs. The technique and tools developed are targeted towards verification of real-time embedded software. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• Metal bioaccumulation of O. intermedium BPS-20 and O. ciceri BPS-26 are evaluated. • Bioaccumulation of 85.34% (Pb) and 74.87% (Ni) was found in O. intermedium BPS-20. • The O. ciceri BPS-26 showed 71.20% (Pb) and 88.48% (Ni) bioaccumulation. • The production of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) seen by SEM analysis. • The presence of heavy metal resistant proteins and ATPase transporters is reported. The present study describes the heavy metal bioaccumulation potential of Ochrobactrum intermedium BPS-20 and Ochrobactrum ciceri BPS-26. A total of 27 isolates were retrieved from the soils of industrial areas and these two were selected based on their maximum metal tolerance. They can resist up to 2400 mg/L and 2000 mg/L of Lead and 850 mg/L and 1200 mg/L of Nickel respectively. The atomic absorption spectroscopic analysis showed considerably good bioaccumulation by O. intermedium BPS-20 (85.34% and 74.87%) and O. ciceri BPS-26 (71.20% and 88.48%) for Lead and Nickel respectively. The growth rate studies also demonstrated no inhibitory effects of heavy metals in the medium. Further the SEM analysis showed the presence of extracellular polymeric substances around bacterial cells. Moreover, the functional gene annotation confirmed the presence of ATPase, ABC, and HoxN/HupN/NixA families of transporters. Thus, both the isolates provide a better solution for the removal of metal pollutants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Lead bioaccumulation from an industrial waste contaminated site is reported. • Bacillus cereus BPS-9 showed Lead accumulation of 79.26 % and higher MIC. • SEM micrographs showed dense and distorted B. cereus cells after bioaccumulation. • In-silico studies confirmed heavy metal encoding resistant genes and transporters. This study explores the soil microorganisms for their Lead bioremediation capability. The MIC values of the six Lead resistant bacteria were evaluated, and the AAS studies of these isolates estimated their Lead accumulation percentage. The results showed that the isolate namely Bacillus cereus BPS-9 as identified based on 16S rDNA gene sequences was shown to have the highest Lead accumulation potential (79.26 %) and also selected for bioaccumulation studies. Despite the reduction in growth rate, the superoxide dismutase activity of B. cereus BPS-9 was increased with a rise in the concentration of Lead manifested through increased nitro-blue tetrazolium (NBT) reduction from 3.94 % to 77.48 %. Moreover, the biosorption capacity of B. cereus BPS-9 was 193.93 mg/g and the Langmuir isotherm model showed a value of R 2 = 0.9. Furthermore, the FTIR analysis also established the role of C-H, C=C, N=N, N-H, and C-O functional groups in Lead adsorption and the SEM micrographs showed that the cells of B. cereus BPS-9 became dense, adhered and distorted after Lead adsorption. Finally, the In-silico results obtained by functional analysis through SEED viewer of the whole genome of B. cereus deciphered the presence of genes encoding heavy metal resistant proteins and transporters for the efflux of heavy metals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We simulate the strong ground motion for an expected major earthquake (Mw 7.0) beneath the Bhutan Himalayan region with an empirical Green's function method using waveforms recorded from the 2009 Bhutan mainshock (Mw 6.1) and its largest aftershock (Mw 5.1). Fault orientation and location of the simulated event extend the length of the fault plane determined from the 2009 Bhutan mainshock and aftershock along its strike. The simulated PGA values are compared with the results derived from a ground motion prediction equation (GMPE) for the Himalayan region and it is found that different levels of accelerations are associated with different rupture initiation points on the fault plane. It is observed that the NE Indian region is capable of generating peak ground acceleration (PGA) in exceedance to 121 cm/s2 for simulated earthquake (Mw 7.0). The maximum impacts of shaking will be on the sites located near the rupture initiation points that are poised to generate higher values of ground acceleration. To validate our simulation, we also estimate the extent of rupture directivity of the simulated earthquake with respect to four initiation points indicating that higher value of PGA and shaking duration exist either to South or to South-West azimuths from the imitated locations, which are corroborated with respective geology of the sites. This study suggests that areas of maximum ground shaking would occur in the vicinity of the source initiation where possibility of relatively stronger earthquake hazards does exist, which in turn requires attention for adoption of earthquake risk mitigation plans in view of impacts of trans-boundary earthquakes in the region. • Different acceleration levels are associated with different rupture initiation points beneath Bhutan extended to NE-India. • Maximum impacts of shaking is on sites located in S or SW of rupture initiation which is confirmed by rupture directivity. • Cities in NE India are capable to generate PGA equivalent to a maximum of 121 cm/s2 in case of simulated earthquake. • Proactive steps should be regulated to mitigate the trans-boundary disastrous earthquakes in NE-India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dopamine transporter (DAT) functions as a key regulator of dopaminergic neurotransmission via re-uptake of synaptic dopamine (DA). Cocaine binding to DAT blocks this activity and elevates extracellular DA, leading to psychomotor stimulation and addiction, but the mechanisms by which cocaine interacts with DAT and inhibits transport remain incompletely understood. Here, we addressed these questions using computational and biochemical methodologies to localize the binding and adduction sites of the photoactivatable irreversible cocaine analog 3β-(p-chlorophenyl)tropane-2β-carboxylic acid, 4'-azido- 3'-iodophenylethyl ester ([125I]RTI 82). Comparative modeling and small molecule docking indicated that the tropane pharmacophore of RTI 82 was positioned in the central DA active site with an orientation that juxtaposed the aryliodoazide group for cross-linking to rat DAT Phe-319. This prediction was verified by focused methionine substitution of residues flanking this site followed by cyanogen bromide mapping of the [125I]RTI 82-labeled mutants and by the substituted cysteine accessibility method protection analyses. These findings provide positive functional evidence linking tropane pharmacophore interaction with the core substrate-binding site and support a competitive mechanism for transport inhibition. This synergistic application of computational and biochemical methodologies overcomes many uncertainties inherent in other approaches and furnishes a schematic framework for elucidating the ligand-protein interactions of other classes of DA transport inhibitors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dopamine transporter (DAT) blockers like cocaine and many other abused and therapeutic drugs bind and stabilize an inactive form of the transporter inhibiting reuptake of extracellular dopamine (DA). The resulting increases in DA lead to the ability of these drugs to induce psychomotor alterations and addiction, but paradoxical findings in animal models indicate that not all DAT antagonists induce cocaine-like behavioral outcomes. How this occurs is not known, but one possibility is that uptake inhibitors may bind at multiple locations or in different poses to stabilize distinct conformational transporter states associated with differential neurochemical endpoints. Understanding the molecular mechanisms governing the pharmacological inhibition of DAT is therefore key for understanding the requisite interactions for behavioral modulation and addiction. Previously, we leveraged complementary computational docking, mutagenesis, peptide mapping, and substituted cysteine accessibility strategies to identify the specific adduction site and binding pose for the crosslinkable, photoactive cocaine analog, RTI 82, which contains a photoactive azide attached at the 2β position of the tropane pharmacophore. Here, we utilize similar methodology with a different cocaine analog N-[4-(4-azido-3-I-iodophenyl)-butyl]-2-carbomethoxy-3-(4-chlorophenyl)tropane , MFZ 2–24, where the photoactive azide is attached to the tropane nitrogen. In contrast to RTI 82, which crosslinked into residue Phe319 of transmembrane domain (TM) 6, our findings show that MFZ 2–24 adducts to Leu80 in TM1 with modeling and biochemical data indicating that MFZ 2–24, like RTI 82, occupies the central S1 binding pocket with the (+)-charged tropane ring nitrogen coordinating with the (−)-charged carboxyl side chain of Asp79. The superimposition of the tropane ring in the three-dimensional binding poses of these two distinct ligands provides strong experimental evidence for cocaine binding to DAT in the S1 site and the importance of the tropane moiety in competitive mechanisms of DA uptake inhibition. These findings set a structure-function baseline for comparison of typical and atypical DAT inhibitors and how their interactions with DAT could lead to the loss of cocaine-like behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maximum magnitude (MM) earthquake in the Kopili fault zone of North-East India has been assessed using different approaches, which are primarily dependent on various parameters such as fault geometry, slip rate, geodetic moment rate, and convergence rate. The analyses reveal that the source zone has accumulated strain energy, during the last 72 years since 1943, enough to produce a strong earthquake of magnitude ≥ 7. On supplementing with the historical data, we conclude M w 7.3 as the maximum potential earthquake for the Kopili source zone. Such large earthquake, on its occurrence, may cause widespread significant ground shakings and damage to infrastructures in the study region. We, therefore, also simulated strong ground motion, in the form of peak ground acceleration (PGA), for the M w 7.3 potential earthquake using Empirical Green’s Function (EGF) approach for ten different sites. In the analysis, an earthquake of magnitude M w 6.5, which has been simulated using a recorded M w 5.3 earthquake, is used as Green’s Function. The two-step approach is adopted in the simulation process, as the required criteria, i.e., moment ratio of < 1000 between the target potential event (M w 7.3) and the element event (M w 5.3) could not be met. We found that the cities like Tezpur, Masamari, Tumuki, Dhekiajuli, Nagaon, Bomdila, Udalguri, Seppa, Hajoi, Behali, Guwahati, and Itanagar that are located ∼ 60–130 km from the source zone may experience very strong to moderate ground shaking with PGA ranging between 0.36–0.14 g. However, the cities located in the distance range of ∼ 130 – 300 km from the source, namely Jorhat, Ziro, Mokokchung, Dhubri, and Kokrajhar are expected to have low ground shaking with PGA < 0.14 g. The study therefore provides valuable insights to the likely seismic hazard scenario in north-east India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Valeriana jatamansi Jones. syn. V. wallichii DC (Indian valerian) is an aromatic as well as medicinal crop. It is commercially used as a substitute for V. officinalis. The valepotriates, mostly from its underground parts, possess tranquillising property. The present studies were conducted during 2001–2006 in Palampur, Himachal Pradesh in the Indian western Himalaya to study seasonal variation of plant growth, and content of enriched fraction of valepotriates and essential oil in its underground parts. The studies were conducted with V. jatamansi cultivar Himbala raised under natural shade. Fresh weight of underground parts and length of root were significantly higher during July and August, the time of maximum rains in the study area. However, dry matter in underground parts was maximum in October. Enriched fraction of valepotriates in underground parts ranged from 2.0 to 5.6%. Enriched fraction of valepotriates was significantly lower during February to June (2.4–3.6%), the time of flowering and fruiting in the crop, and was significantly higher during January, October and November (5.4, 4.7 and 4.9%, respectively). Essential oil in the underground parts ranged from 0.1 to 0.5% and was significantly higher during March to June (0.3–0.4%) attaining its peak in June (0.4%). Estimate of yield of enriched fraction of valepotriates indicated that November or January is the ideal time to harvest V. jatamansi for enriched fraction of valepotriates production, while May is appropriate harvesting time for production of essential oil in western Himalayan region in India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]