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In recent years the uptake of fruits is increased due to bioactive compounds present in it. Given this, the purpose of the review is to give information about the extraction process of phytochemicals and the method of their determination. The systematic review comprised recent year papers to bring the knowledge about the bio actives and techniques of their extraction and determination. Most of the fruits contain bioactive compounds and provides various health benefits. Studies included in this paper indicate the infusion of bioactive compounds in fruits and could benefit in improving consumer health. The present review aims to analyze the different phytochemicals that are present in fruits and their mode of extraction and determination.

IntroductionInteraction of human host and its pathogen M.tuberculosis drives tuberculosis disease, resulting in dysregulation of host gene expression. We re-analyzed host gene expression datasets of TB to identify and validate a cellular circuit by interlinking the DEGs with their target miRNAs, GWAS hits associated with immunological phenotypes mapping to the DEGs and associated cellular subtypes through bioinformatic and experimental approaches.MethodologyDEGs were identified systematically through re-analysis of whole blood host transcriptomic datasets of treatment-naive TB patients, obtained from public repositories having at least 1.2 fold change of expression and FDR corrected p-value M.tb antigens: Ag85 complex, LAM, CFP10 and ESAT6, we evaluated their effect on the expression of a subset of the top DEGs with at least two fold change of expression in a monocytic cell line THP1 with or without differentiation into a macrophage-like state with PMA and a T cell line Jurkat E6-1.ResultsWe discovered 305 DEGs (236 up and 69 down-regulated genes) out of which 23 (21 up and 2 down-regulated genes) were top DEGs. Overall, innate immune and myeloid cell associated pathways were enriched for up-regulated genes while T cell associated pathways were enriched for down-regulated genes. Among top DEGs, EPSTI1 was predominantly up-regulated in macrophages while SERPING1 was universally up-regulated in the monocyte model by all antigens. The down-regulation of gene expression was replicated by ESAT6 in T cell line by significantly down-regulating a top down-regulated gene LRRN3.

Plants have a complex system of stress response that deals with different types of stresses. Maize (Zea mays L.), one of the most important crops grown throughout the world, across a range of agro-ecological environments, employs complex mechanisms of gene regulation in response to drought stress. HKI 335 is a tropical maize inbred line showing remarkable adaptation to drought stress. Abiotic stresses, like drought, trigger the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) due to the incomplete reduction or excitation of molecular oxygen, eventually leading to cell damage. Superoxide dismutase (SOD, EC 1.15.1.1) is a metalloenzyme that acts as the first line of defense against ROS. We cloned the Sod2 gene from HKI 335 inbred line and analyzed its protein through detailed in silico characterization. Our comparative modeling revealed that at the level of tertiary structure, the HKI 335 SOD2 protein is highly similar to Potentilla atrosanguinea SOD2, which had been previously identified as highly thermostable SOD that can tolerate autoclaving as well as sub-zero temperatures. We performed phylogenetic analysis, estimated physicochemical properties, post-translational modifications, protein-protein interactions, and domain composition of this SOD2. The phylogenetic analysis showed that orthologous sequences of SOD from different species were clustered into two clusters. Secondary structure prediction indicates that SOD2 is a soluble protein and no transmembrane domains have been found. Most of the beta sheets have RSA value greater than 2. The Ramachandran plot from PDBsum revealed that most of the residues fall in the highly favored region. It was estimated that the value of the instability index was less than 40, the value of the aliphatic index was extremely high and the GRAVY value lies between −2 and +2. We could identify only one phosphorylation site, located at position 20 with a score of 0.692. Overall, the unique stress-tolerant properties of the HKI 335 SOD2, may be one of the reasons contributing to the high drought tolerance trait exhibited by HKI 335 maize inbred line. Further research may reveal more insights into the drought adaptation mechanism in maize and the eventual deployment of the trait in maize hybrids.

Background: People living with HIV/AIDS (PLHIV) are prone to psychological illnesses. HIV/AIDS, not only affects physical health but also emotional and mental health, which affects quality of life (QoL). The aim of present study was to assess the psychosocial variables affecting QoL of PLHIV.Methods: A cross sectional study was done at ART plus centre of a tertiary care hospital of Lucknow, among PLHIV. The questionnaire contained details of the socio-demographic, clinical characteristics, QoL and psychosocial factors including stress, depression, anxiety, stigma, coping and self-transcendence. To see any significant correlation Pearson’s correlation was used to identify relationship between different domains of QoL and psychosocial factors associated with PLHIV. Logistic regression was also used to identify predictors of QoL by using SPSS version 23.0.Results: QoL was rated as poor by 12.2% of the study subjects and 14.6% were dissatisfied with their overall health status. QoL score was highest in “physical health” and “level of independence” domain and the minimum mean score was in “psychological” domain. All the domains of QoL were found to be positively correlated with ‘self-transcendence’ and negatively correlated with ‘stress, depression, anxiety and internalized stigma’.Conclusions: Self-transcendence act as a healing role to improve QoL while depression, stress and anxiety negatively associated with QoL.

Background: Psychological illnesses among PLHIV may cause poor engagement to their HIV care and it may lead to poor treatment outcomes. Therefore, early detection of depression and suicidal behaviour is important for timely intervention to improve mental health and HIV/AIDS-related treatment outcomes. So, the AIM of the study was to assess the prevalence of depression and its relation with suicidal ideation among PLHIV.Methods: This was a cross-sectional and facility-based study, 205 PLHIV were recruited by using systematic random sampling from ART plus centre, Lucknow. Depression and suicidal ideation were assessed using the nine-item patient health questionnaire (PHQ-9) tool. Data were analysed using Chi-square test and multivariate logistic regression in SPSS version-23.Results: The results revealed that the prevalence of depression among study participants was 36.6%, in which about more than half (56.0%) were females and about 54.4% females had suicidal ideation. In the multivariate logistic analysis, gender; AOR=3.07, 95% CI (1.53-6.14), category; AOR=3.66, 95% CI (1.60-8.34), type of family; AOR=0.26, 95% CI (0.12-0.58), socio-economic status; AOR=7.93, 95% CI (2.32-27.06) and PLHIV on co-trimoxazole prophylactic treatment; AOR=0.47, 95% CI (0.23-0.99) were significantly associated with depressionConclusions: The results signify the psychological morbidities of illness among PLHIV, so without good mental health care, people with HIV may fail their treatment, which also affects their health.

HIV-infected individuals on combined antiretroviral therapy (ART) with virologic suppression exhibit sustained immune dysfunction. Our recent work has highlighted that monocytic myeloid derived suppressor cells (M-MDSC) are elevated in these individuals and suppress immune responses. Factors responsible for M-MDSC expansion in vivo are unknown. Here we compared circulating frequency of M-MDSC in HIV-infected persons from the US and India where HIV subtype-B or –C predominate, respectively. We further investigated soluble mediators of residual immune activation in two cohorts and determined their correlation with M-MDSC expansion. Our findings show that M-MDSC are elevated and correlate with plasma levels of IL-6 in both cohorts. Chemokines CXCL10, CCL4 and CXCL8 were also elevated in HIV-infected individuals, but were not correlated with M-MDSC. These findings support that IL-6 is important in M-MDSC expansion which is independent of HIV subtype.

In order to dissect the adaptation response of maize to heat-stress, we characterized and juxtaposed different physio-biochemical parameters for two contrasting genotypes, namely DTPYC9F119 (heat-stress tolerant) and K64R (heat-stress susceptible) under 6 days heat treatment (38/28 °C). Chlorophyll a and b content was found to be reduced under high temperature in both the genotypes, but, it was reduced more prominently in the susceptible genotype (K64R). Net photosynthetic rate was significantly reduced under high temperature in K64R but this reduction was relatively lower in case of DTPYC9F119. Stomatal conductance was increased under stress treatment in both the genotypes but the rate of increase was lower in tolerant one (DTPYC9F119). Activity of anti-oxidant enzymes (viz. catalase, peroxidase and superoxide dismutase) and their gene expression was increased in both the genotypes under heat-stress condition. Thus, the heat-stress tolerant genotype has evolved some strategies like modulation of anti-oxidant gene expression, lower transpiration rate, lower increase of internal CO(2) concentration which could make sustain a basic level of photosynthesis even under high temperature stress, etc. that may contribute to its tolerance trait.

Brassinosteroids (BRs) are a family of about 70 structurally related polyhydroxy steroidal phytohormones that regulate a number of physiological processes in plants. Among these, brassinolide (BL), 28-homobrassinolide (28-homoBL) and 24-epibrassinolide (24-EpiBL) are more common. The present study aims at studying the usefulness of 24-epiBL in ameliorating the impacts of heat-stress in maize along with its role in regulating cellular antioxidant defense system. Maize hybrid PMH 3 was grown in pots in a green house maintained at 14 hours day (25℃)/10hours night (17℃). A solution of 24-epiBL (1 μM) was applied externally at V4 stage. Leaf tissues were sampled from both treated and control plants. Subsequently, both the groups of pots were placed in plant growth chamber maintained at high temperature (48℃; RH 50%). Plants were sampled for biochemical analysis after 3, 6, 9, 24 and 48 hours of high temperature exposure. Exogenous application of 24-EpiBL arrested protein degradation and enhanced cell membrane stability, as compared to the control. The biochemical activities of antioxidant enzymes such as catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and peroxidase (POX) were found to be dynamically and variably modulated post 24-epiBL treatment. Thus, the study supports the role of BRs as anti-stress agents.

Anemia is not a diagnosis; it is a manifestation of an underlying disorder. Thus, even mild, asymptomatic anemia should be investigated so that the primary problem can be diagnosed and treated. Laboratory evaluation begins with a CBC, including WBC and platelet counts, RBC indices and morphology (MCV, MCH, MCHC, RBC distribution width (RDW)), and examination of the peripheral smear. In many instances routine test like Hb, TLC, DLC, GBP fail to decide anemia especially in early cases and also fail to decide the type of anaemia. In such situations the RBC indices and RDW are very useful. These become abnormal even before changes in routine hemogram are appreciable. Thalassemia minor poses problems in diagnosis because GBP reveals no features of hemolysis rather it has microcytic hypochromic picture which has similarity with iron deficiency anemia. It is difficult to differentiate between two by only GBP. Several decision making rules have been proposed for differentiation. METHOD: The present study was carried out in 100 cases to evaluate anaemia in different age groups based on RBC Indices and RDW and to evaluate sensitivity of RBC indices and RDW in diagnosis of anaemia. Cases showing positivity by various rules and RDW in favour of thalassemia minor were subjected to Hb electrophoresis for confirmation of diagnosis. RESULTS: RBC indices are more sensitive for diagnosis of microcytic hypochromic anemia, normocytic normochromic anemia and macrocytic anemia than PBS alone. RDW-CV is superior to all in use to differentiate iron deficiency anemia and thalassemia minor having high sensitivity 87.3% and specificity 90.5%.