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Abstract: The muga silkworm, Antheraea assamensis, is exclusively present in the northeastern regions of India and rearing of this silkworm is a vocation unique to this region in the world. Through culture‐dependent techniques, generic identification using 16S ribosomal RNA probes, diversity analysis and qualitative screening for enzyme activities, our studies have identified a number of bacterial isolates, viz. Bacillus spp., Serratia marcescens, Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, Pseudomonas stutzeri, Acinetobacter sp. and Alcaligens sp., inhabiting the gut of the muga silkworm. Analysis of the culturable bacterial community from the gut of An. assamensis revealed that Bacillus (54%) was the predominant bacterial genus followed by Serratia (24%), Pseudomonas (10%) and Alcaligens (6%). Significant differences in the Shannon–Wiener (H') and Simpson (D) diversity indices of gut bacteria were recorded for An. assamensis collected from different regions. H' and D values were found to be highest for An. assamensis from the Titabar region (H' = 4.73 ± 0.43; D = 10.00 ± 0.11) and lowest for individuals from the Mendipathar region (H' = 2.1 ± 0.05; D = 0.04 ± 0.00) of northeastern India. Qualitative screening for enzyme activities identified about 26 gut bacterial isolates having significantly higher cellulose, amylase and lipase activities. These isolates probably contribute to the digestion and nutrition of their host insect, An. assamensis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa were used for seed treatment of rice; all showed plant growth promoting activity and induced systemic resistance in rice against Rhizoctonia solani G5 and increased seed yield. Production of salicylic acid (Sal) by P. aeruginosa both in vitro and in vivo was quantified with high performance liquid chromatography. All three isolates produced more Sal in King’s B broth than in induced roots. Using a split root system, more Sal accumulated in root tissues of bacterized site than in distant roots on the opposite site of the root system after 1 d, but this difference decreased after 3 d. Sal concentration 0–200 g/L showed no inhibition of mycelial growth of R. solani in vitro, while at ≥300 g/L it inhibited it. P. aeruginosa-pretreated rice plants challenged inoculation with R. solani (as pathogen), an additional increase in the accumulation of peroxidase was observed. Three pathogenesis-related peroxidases in induced rice plants were detected; molar mass of these purified peroxidases was 28, 36 and 47 kDa. Purified peroxidase showed antifungal activity against phytopathogenic fungi R. solani, Pyricularia oryzae and Helminthosporium oryzae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transient splenial lesions (TSL) of the corpus callosum are uncommon radiologic findings that are seen in a number of clinical conditions with varied etiologies. They were first described a decade earlier in patients with epilepsy and hence were thought to be seizure or seizure therapy related. Subsequently, more cases were described by different observers in diseases with different etiologies, and the list is still increasing. Awareness of these lesions is necessary as they are an uncommon finding and have to be differentiated from other infective/noninfective causes. MRI is the imaging modality of choice as these lesions are not seen on routine noncontrast CT scan. The authors here describe two cases which showed TSL, with complete/partial resolution on follow-up scans. The authors also present a review of the literature.

Background: Interstitial lung diseases (ILD) are poorly understood disorders characterised by diffuse damage to the lung parenchyma, with inflammation and fibrosis. Some manifest a progressive fibrotic phenotype with high fatality and limited treatment options, such as idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF)., Summary: The degree to which inflammation plays a role in fibrosis progression is unknown. However, wound healing and fibrosis are intricate processes influenced by various inflammatory factors. Extracellular nucleosides and nucleotides, including adenosine triphosphate (ATP), activate pro-inflammatory responses of innate immunity and are widely implicated in tissue fibrosis across different organs. The pro-inflammatory effects of extracellular nucleotides occur via P1 and P2 purinergic receptors, expressed across the lung and immune system, and have been implicated in various pulmonary diseases including pulmonary fibrosis. This review amalgamates available data on the complex role of P1 and P2 purinergic receptor signalling in pulmonary fibrosis and discusses perspectives for novel treatments., Key Messages: Purinergic signalling plays a complex and pivotal role in pulmonary fibrosis, warranting further study. The intricate interplay between P1 and P2 receptor pathways necessitates a comprehensive approach to understand their collective impact. While evidence from preclinical models is promising, human studies are essential for further understanding in pulmonary fibrosis. Advances in receptor-specific agonists and antagonists provide novel avenues for research and may ultimately lead to new therapies for patients., (The Author(s). Published by S. Karger AG, Basel.)

Cocrystallization of trans-aconitic acid (TACA) and isonicotinamide (INA) using liquid assisted mechanochemical grinding results in a unique supramolecular hydrogen-bonded organic framework (HOF) system encapsulating various organic solvents (liquid guest) with the formation of channel inclusion compounds. Dimension and shape of the framework is dependent on the solvent used during liquid assisted grinding (LAG). Although crystal structure of the cocrystal (TACA) ⋅ (INA) 2  ⋅ (H 2 O)@(INA) 0.5 has been determined by Single Crystal X-ray diffraction (SCXRD), crystal structures of 3 cocrystal HOFs were determined by microcrystal electron diffraction (MicroED) and synchrotron X-ray diffraction due to lack of suitable single crystal. PXRD analysis confirms isostructurality of various host-guest systems; whereas guest incorporation as well as stability of the HOFs were further confirmed using thermogravimetric analysis. This study demonstrates that the framework of HOFs can be tuned by varying solvent molecules used during LAG., (© 2024 The Author(s). Chemistry - A European Journal published by Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Every year, cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) account for about 17.9 million deaths, making them the primary cause of both morbidity and mortality. Conventional drugs, which are often prescribed to treat cardiovascular diseases, are costly and have adverse effects. Consequently, dietary modifications and other medications are needed. Traditional use of Solanum indicum as cardiotonic to treat hypertension and anticoagulant potency has been reported but poorly evaluated scientifically., Aim of the Study: This study investigated the in vivo anticoagulant activity and mechanism of anticoagulation of quercetin (QC), a bioactive compound isolated from S. indicum (SI) hydroethanolic fruit extract., Materials and Methods: Bioassay-guided fractionation (anticoagulant activity) extracted QC from hydroethanolic SI extract. QC was extensively characterized biochemically and pharmacologically. The interaction between QC and thrombin was investigated using spectrofluorometric and isothermal calorimetric methods. Cytotoxicity, antiplatelet, and thrombolytic studies were carried out in vitro. The Swiss albino mice were used to assess the in vivo, anticoagulant, and antithrombotic activities of QC., Results: QC exhibits anticoagulant activity via (i) uncompetitive inhibition of thrombin but not FXa with a Ki value of 33.11 ± 4.2 μM and (ii) a partial inhibition of thrombin-catalyzed platelet aggregation with an IC 50 value of 13.2 ± 1.2 μM. The experimental validation of the in silico study's prediction of QC's binding to thrombin was confirmed by spectrofluorometric and isothermal calorimetric analyses. QC was nontoxic to mammalian, non-hemolytic cells and demonstrated thrombolytic activity by activating plasminogen. QC demonstrated in vivo anticoagulant efficacy, preventing k-carrageen-induced thrombus formation in mice's tails. In the acute circulatory stasis paradigm in mice, QC reduces thromboxane B2 (TXB 2 ) and endothelin-1 (ET-1) while increasing nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and 6-keto prostaglandin F1α (6-keto-PGF1 α)., Conclusion: Effective in vivo anticoagulant and antithrombotic properties of S. indicum's bioactive component QC point to the plant's potential use as a herbal anticoagulant medication for preventing and treating cardiovascular diseases linked to thrombosis., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Traditional and fermented foods are widely consumed by the ethnic population of Northeast India. These foods are not only very nutritious, easily available, and reasonably priced, but also boost immunity and protect from various seasonal infections and have been reported through several investigations. However, pathogens transmitted by these foods have never been reported. The process of preparation and preservation of fermented traditional foods involves various steps that can prompt contamination risks. Using the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)-FoodNet surveillance data, we report the profile of enteric bacteria and mycotoxin-producing fungal pathogens identified in traditional and fermented food items and their importance in public health., Methods: Food samples were collected from rural areas of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Tripura, and Sikkim. Bacterial and fungal pathogens were tested as per the standard operating procedure at respective ICMR-FoodNet laboratories and MycoNet laboratory at Assam. Samples were collected under six broad categories: milk products, edible insects, non-vegetarian, legumes/cereals, veggies, and alcoholic beverages. Data compilation was done centrally through a digital data portal. Quality assurance was done by the ICMR-National Institute for Research in Bacterial Infections (NIRBI), Kolkata., Result: A total of 1227 samples were collected, among which 78 samples (6.8%) were positive for enteric pathogens, with Bacillus cereus being the most prevalent one (n = 59). Furthermore, 71 fungal isolates were detected from different food categories. The most common mycotoxin-producing fungal genera include Aspergillus [A. fumigatus (n = 7)], Rhizopus [R. arrhizus (n = 13)], and Penicillium (n = 2)., Conclusion: Traditional foods have immense social, and cultural value and popularity among locals. However, processing, fermentation, and preservation of these foods without any preservatives and refrigerators, increases the possibility of contamination and growth by pathogenic organisms. It is crucial to understand the contamination risk involved during preparation so that the safety of these traditional foods can be ensured and local delicacies can be relished without any fear of foodborne infections and outbreaks, particularly when consumed by masses during festivals., Competing Interests: Declarations. Ethics approval and consent to participate: Ethical clearance from the ICMR-Central Ethics Committee on Human Research (CECHR) was obtained (Reference Number: CECHR 003/2023). Additionally, the informed consent to participate was obtained from all of the participants in the study. Consent for publication: Not applicable. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: Food safety is a global concern, which is often underestimated owing to challenges in investigating foodborne diseases. These challenges arise from the increased globalization of the food trade, advancements in agricultural practices, and shifts in environmental factors. In North-East India, common diarrheal outbreaks from fermented foods pose significant health risks. Despite these challenges, systematic data on foodborne pathogens is lacking in India, highlighting a crucial gap in understanding food safety issues., Objective: The aim of this research protocol is to establish an integrated surveillance system to identify enteric pathogens circulating within humans, food animals, and the environment through a health approach in North-East India, and to conduct outbreak investigations., Methods: The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) initiated a surveillance study across all 8 North-East states in India, employing a centralized digital database for data collation. The project aims to enhance the infrastructure for microbial culture, antibiotic sensitivity testing, and molecular epidemiological studies. The study involves laboratory-based surveillance of foodborne pathogens in market foods, hospitalized diarrheal patients, poultry and animal farms, slaughterhouses, butcher shops, and diarrheal outbreaks. A standardized case report form ensures consistent data collection of age, sex, signs, symptoms, and admission dates for diarrheal cases. Stool and rectal swabs will undergo testing for pathogen identification and antimicrobial resistance. Similarly, samples of market foods, food animals, and the environment will be collected. Outbreaks confirmed by the Integrated Disease Surveillance Project (IDSP) will be thoroughly investigated following standardized guidelines., Results: In phase I, 5 surveillance centers were established across 4 states (ie, Assam [Dibrugarh and Guwahati], Tripura, Sikkim, and Arunachal Pradesh) in 2020. Following an interim phase I data assessment and the successful establishment of a streamlined system for data procurement, investigation, recording, and analysis, along with the implementation of regular training and monitoring programs, phase II expansion was initiated in 2023-24. This includes the addition of 7 more centers (including 3 veterinary centers) in the remaining 4 states (ie, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, and Nagaland), eventually covering the entire North-Eastern Region of India., Conclusions: Food and waterborne diseases are a constant public health problem in many countries. Key challenges to the enhancement of food safety policy include the paucity of systematic data and awareness. With this background, ICMR's initiative is the first systematic surveillance study in the country to adopt a single health approach. Data obtained from this project will help to understand the risk of acquiring food and waterborne pathogens, their transmission pathways, and antimicrobial resistance patterns. The scientific evidence generated through this project will be helpful in formulating and strengthening food safety policy and in initiating government programs to protect the health of the nation., International Registered Report Identifier (irrid): DERR1-10.2196/56469., (©Venencia Albert, Thandavarayan Ramamurthy, Madhuchhanda Das, Samaresh Das, Anup Kumar Ojha, Pallab Sarmah, Dimpu Gogoi, Karma G Dolma, Tapan Majumdar, Indira Sarangthem, Tapan Dutta, Suranjana Chaliha Hazarika. Originally published in JMIR Research Protocols (https://www.researchprotocols.org), 21.10.2024.)

The role of neutrophils in host defense involves several cell processes including phagocytosis, degranulation of antimicrobial proteins, and the release of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs). In turn, dysregulated cell activity is associated with the pathogenesis of airway and rheumatic diseases, in which neutrophil-derived enzymes including peptidyl-arginine deiminases (PADs) play a role. Known physiological functions of PADs in neutrophils are limited to the activity of PAD isotype 4 in histone citrullination in NET formation. The aim of this study was to extend our knowledge on the role of PADs in neutrophils and, specifically, bacterial killing within the confines of the phagocytic vacuole. Human neutrophils were fractionated by sucrose gradient ultracentrifuge and PADs localized in subcellular compartments by Western blot analysis. Direct interaction of PADs with Pseudomonas aeruginosa ( P. aeruginosa ) was assessed by flow cytometry and Western blot overlay. The participation of neutrophil PAD2 and PAD4 in killing of P. aeruginosa was assessed by inclusion of PAD-specific inhibitors. In vitro , bactericidal activity of recombinant human PAD2 or PAD4 enzymes against P. aeruginosa was determined by enumeration of colony-forming units (CFU). Together with neutrophil elastase (NE), PAD2 and PAD4 were localized to primary granules and, following activation with particulate stimuli, were degranulated in to the phagocytic vacuole. In vitro , PAD2 and PAD4 bound P. aeruginosa (p = 0.04) and significantly reduced bacterial survival to 49.1 ± 17.0 (p < 0.0001) and 48.5 ± 13.9% (p < 0.0001), respectively. Higher antibacterial activity was observed at neutral pH levels with the maximum toxicity at pH 6.5 and pH 7.5, comparable to the effects of neutrophil bactericidal permeability increasing protein. In phagosomal killing assays, inclusion of the PAD2 inhibitor, AFM-30a, or PAD4 inhibitor, GSK484, significantly increased survival of P. aeruginosa (AFM-30a, p = 0.05; and GSK484, p = 0.0079). Results indicate that PAD2 and PAD4 possess antimicrobial activity and are directly involved in the neutrophil antimicrobial processes. This study supports further research into the development of PAD-based antimicrobials., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Baird, Yusuf, Forde, Pohl, Kavanagh, Fitzpatrick, Gogoi and Reeves.)

Acne Vulgaris or Acne is a multifactorial bacterial infection caused by Propionibacterium acne, leading to inflammation and decreased quality of life, especially in adolescence. Currently, antibiotics and retinoids are preferred for treating acne. However, their continuous usage may lead to anti-microbial resistance and other side effects. Therefore, research on developing effective strategies to reduce antimicrobial resistance and improve acne healing is ongoing. The current work reports the synthesis and evaluation of near-infrared light-absorbing copper sulfide (CuS) nanoparticles loaded with a biomolecule, Glycyrrhizin (Ga). The photothermal efficacy studies, and in-vitro and in-vivo experiments indicated that the Ga-CuS NPs generated localized hyperthermia in acne-causing bacteria, leading to their complete growth inhibition. The results indicated that the Ga-Cus NPs possess excellent antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties in the acne and inflammatory models. This could be from the synergistic effect of CuS NPs mediated mild Photothermal effect and inherent pharmacological properties of Ga. Further detailed studies of the formulations can pave the way for application in cosmetic clinics for the effective and minimally invasive management of Acne-like conditions., (© 2024. Controlled Release Society.)

We study the phase separation kinetics of miktoarm star polymer (MSP) melts/blends with diverse architectures using dissipative particle dynamics simulation. Our study focuses on symmetric and asymmetric miktoarm star polymer (SMSP/AMSP) mixtures based on arm composition and number. For a fixed MSP chain size, the characteristic microphase-separated domains initially show diffusive growth with a growth exponent ϕ∼1/3 for both melts that gradually crossover to saturation at late times. The simulation results demonstrate that the evolution morphology of SMSP melt exhibits perfect dynamic scaling with varying arm numbers; the timescale follows a power-law decay with an exponent θ≃1 as the number of arms increases. The structural constraints on AMSP melts cause the domain growth rate to decrease as the number of one type of arms increases while their length remains fixed. This increase in the number of arms for AMSP corresponds to increased off-criticality. The saturation length in AMSP follows a power-law increase with an exponent λ≃2/3 as off-criticality decreases. Additionally, macrophase separation kinetics in SMSP/AMSP blends show a transition from viscous (ϕ∼1) to inertial (ϕ∼2/3) hydrodynamic growth regimes at late times; this exhibits the same dynamical universality class as linear polymer blends, with slight deviations at early stages.