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Leveraging biofuel derived from biomass stands as a pivotal strategy in reducing CO 2 emissions and mitigating the greenhouse effect. Biomass serves as a clean, renewable energy source, offering inherent benefits. However, despite its advantages, biomass encounters obstacles hindering its widespread industrial applications, including its relatively low calorific value, limited grindability, high water content, and susceptibility to corrosion. The torrefaction process has garnered significant attention as an effective method for enhancing the quality of raw biomass for energy production. In this review, we briefly discussed the mechanism of bio-coal preparation using biomass, physico-chemical characterization of different torrefied feedstocks, and the effect of torrefaction parameters, along with the effect of the different types of reactors on biomass torrefaction. Furthermore, bio-coal's emission characteristics and fuel quality throughout the thermal treatment have been covered. Thus, bio-coal finds a wide range of applications in sustainable energy generation, environmental remediation, agri-food development, polymer composites, and others., 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 Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer worldwide in females. This occurs primarily due to the infection of high-risk Human Papilloma Virus (HPV), although in advanced stages it requires support from host cellular factors. BRN3A is one such host cellular factors, whose expression remains high in cervical cancers and upregulates tumorigenic HPV gene expression. The effect of BRN3A on HPV-mediated cervical cancer and the underlying mechanism remains obscure., Objective: To investigates the effect of BRN3A on cancer-promoting biological processes in HPV-positive uterine cervix cancer cells., Methods: We have altered the expression of BRN3A through over-expression (OE) and knock-down (KD) constructs in cervical cancer cell line, SiHa, and did transcriptome profiling through next-generation RNA-sequencing, validation through RT-PCR and BRN3A binding study with in silico promoter study and ChIP PCR methods., Results: This study revealed a substantial change in the expression of several genes associated with cancer-promoting biological processes including viral processes, immune response, cell-death, cell-proliferation, different signaling pathways, etc. Additionally, promoter analysis through in silico mode revealed that a total of 32.7% of genes possess BRN3A binding sites at their promoters. Physical interaction of BRN3A with IFITM1, OAS3, ISG15, BCL2L1 and HSP90AB1 genes was also confirmed., Conclusions: The present study identified molecular targets of BRN3A and provided new insight into the pathogenesis of cervical cancer. According to our knowledge, this is the first report on the effect on eukaryotic transcriptomes after over-expression and knocking down BRN3A., Competing Interests: Declarations. Conflict of interest: The authors declare no conflict of interest. Ethical approval: Since there is no need of external samples from any other individual in this study, therefore, no requirement of consent form, hence, only Institutional Ethical clearance certificate is provided here, please consider it., (© 2025. The Author(s) under exclusive licence to The Genetics Society of Korea.)

This study presents the enzymatic synthesis of resveratrol-3,4'-O-α-diglucoside (RDG) using a hyperactive O-α-glycoligase (MalA-D416R/Q450S) and α-glucopyranosyl fluoride as the donor substrate. The transglycosylation rate for resveratrol by MalA-D416R/Q450S was maximized in 100 mM Tris-HCl (pH 9.5) containing 20 % DMSO at 45°C. Because the pK a of the 4'-OH group of resveratrol is lower than that of the 3-OH group, the 4'-OH group is more nucleophilic at the alkaline pH, leading to a preference for glycosylation at the 4'-OH site rather than the 3-OH site. This preference makes resveratrol 3-O-α-glucoside (R3G) as the more efficient acceptor than resveratrol 4'-O-α-glucoside (R4'G), resulting in negligible production of resveratrol 3-O-α-glucoside (R3G) due to its complete consumption in the second transglycosylation reaction when using a 2:1 ratio of donor to acceptor substrates. From a preparative scale reaction, R4'G and RDG were isolated with yields of 41.2 % and 43.3 %, respectively. The water solubility of RDG exceeded 1.67 M, which represents more than a 9,800-fold improvement compared to resveratrol. In a hydrolysis experiment using intestinal α-glycosidase from rat, the α-glucosides of resveratrol (R4'G and RDG) were completely deglycosylated to the aglycone., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Asymmetric stem cell divisions play instrumental roles in the maintenance, growth and differentiation of organs. Failure of asymmetric stem cell divisions may result in an array of developmental disorders, including cancer. It is well established that the gene, inscuteable, acts as the upstream component of asymmetric cell divisions. In Drosophila larval midgut, a founder adult midgut precursor (AMP) experiences an asymmetric division to instruct its first daughter to become a peripheral cell that serves as a niche where the AMP and its future daughters can remain undifferentiated. The present study demonstrates that inscuteable expressing stem cells require Rab11, a conserved small Ras-like GTPase, for proper proliferation and differentiation. As insc-GAL4 mediated Rab11RNAi in Drosophila larval and adult midguts show the disruption of the niche microenvironment of adult midgut precursors as well as elevated DPP signalling at the larval stage, which is associated with aberrant over-proliferation and early differentiation of larval AMPs and adult intestinal stem cells. The observed connections between Rab11, larval AMP proliferation, niche establishment, and DPP signalling highlight the potential for Rab11 to serve as a key regulatory factor in maintaining tissue homeostasis and balanced cellular growth., 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 Inc. All rights reserved.)

Sex determination embodies a dynamic and intricate developmental process wielding significant influence over the destiny of bipotential gonads, steering them towards male or female gonads. Gonadal differentiation and the postnatal manifestation of the gonadal phenotype involve a sophisticated interplay of transcription factors such as SOX9 and FOXL2. Central to this interplay are chromatin modifiers regulating the mutual antagonism during this interplay. In this review, the key findings and knowledge gaps in DNA methylation, histone modification, and non-coding RNA-mediated control throughout mammalian gonadal development are covered. Furthermore, it explores the role of the developing brain in playing a pivotal role in the initiation of gonadogenesis and the subsequent involvement of gonadal hormone/hormone receptor in fine-tuning sexual differentiation. Based on promising facts, the role of the developing brain through the hypothalamic pituitary gonadal axis is explained and suggested as a novel hypothesis. The article also discusses the potential impact of ecological factors on the human epigenome in relation to sex determination and trans-generational epigenetics in uncovering novel genes and mechanisms involved in sex determination and gonadal differentiation. We have subtly emphasized the disruptions in epigenetic regulations contributing to sexual disorders, which further allows us to raise certain questions, decipher approaches for handling these questions and setting up the direction of future research., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest Authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Dysfunctional mitophagy contributes to Parkinson's disease (PD) by affecting dopamine-producing neurons. Mutations in parkin and pink1 genes, linked to familial PD, impede the removal of damaged mitochondria. Previous studies suggested Rab11's involvement in mitophagy alongside Parkin and Pink1. Additionally, mitochondria-endoplasmic reticulum contact sites (MERCS) regulate cellular functions, including mitochondrial quality control and calcium regulation. Our study explored whether activating mitophagy triggers the unfolded protein response and ER stress pathway in SH-SY5Y human cells. We induced a PD-like state by exposing undifferentiated SH-SY5Y cells to rotenone, an established PD-inducing agent. This led to reduced Rab11 and PERK- expression while increasing ATP5a, a mitochondrial marker, when Rab11 was overexpressed. Our findings suggest that enhancing endosomal trafficking can mitigate ER stress by regulating mitochondria, rescuing cells from apoptosis. Furthermore, we assessed the therapeutic potential of Rab11, both alone and in combination with L-Dopa, in a Drosophila PD model. In summary, our research underscores the role of mitophagy dysfunction in PD pathogenesis, highlighting Rab11's importance in alleviating ER stress and preserving mitochondrial function. It also provides insights into potential PD management strategies, including the synergistic use of Rab11 and L-Dopa., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Clean and renewable energy development is becoming frontier research for future energy resources, as renewable energy offers sustainable and environmentally friendly alternatives to non-renewable sources such as fossil fuels. Among various renewable energy sources, tremendous progress has been made in converting solar energy to electric energy by developing efficient organic photovoltaics. Organic photovoltaic materials comprising conjugated polymers (CP) with narrow optical energy gaps are promising candidates for developing sustainable sources due to their potentially lower manufacturing costs. Organic semiconductor materials with a high electron affinity are required for many optoelectronic applications. We have designed a series of organic semiconductors comprised of cyclopentadithiophene as a donor and thiadiazoloquinoxaline (TQ) as an acceptor, varying the π-conjugation and TQ-derivatives. We have employed density functional theory (DFT) and time-dependent DFT (TDDFT) to evaluate the designed CP's optoelectronic properties, such as optical energy gap, dipole moment, and absorption spectra. Our DFT/TDDFT result shows that the energy gap of CPs is lowered and redshifted in the absorption spectra if there is no insertion of conjugation units such as thiophene and selenophene between donor and acceptor. In addition, selenophene shows relatively better redshift behavior compared to thiophene. Our work also provides rational insight into designing donor/acceptor-based CPs for organic solar cells.

Genistein is one of isoflavones, showing various biological functions for human health. MalA-D416A, termed O-α-glycoligase, is an acid/base catalytic residue-deficient mutant of a α-glucosidase from Sulfolobus solfataricus, synthesizing genistein 7-O-α-glucoside using α-glucosyl fluoride as the donor substrate. Through mutagenesis toward MalA-D416A, an O-α-glycoligase variant with two mutations (D416R and Q450S) was identified as a biocatalyst with a 58.8-fold enhanced catalytic efficiency for genistein compared to the parent enzyme. The use of a 2:1 ratio of α-glucosyl fluoride and genistein at pH 9 facilitated the synthesis of genistein 7,4'-O-α-diglucoside by MalA-D416R/Q450S. The α-diglucoside exhibited 2,459-fold improved water solubility compared to genistein itself as well as facile deglycosylation by the intestinal α-glucosidase from rat, suggesting the potential of the α-diglucoside for improved bioavailability in human intestine. Through molecular docking analyses the modulation of the active site conformation by these mutations was expected for proper binding of both genistein and the monoglucoside., 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 © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Iron (Fe) is an essential plant nutrient that is indispensable for many physiological activities. This study is an effort to identify the molecular and biochemical basis of wheat genotypes with contrasting tolerance towards Fe deficiency. Our physiological experiments performed at the early growth stage in cv. Kanchan (KAN) showed Fe deficiency tolerance, whereas cv. PBW343 (PBW) was susceptible. Under Fe deficient condition, KAN showed delayed chlorosis, high SPAD values, and low malondialdehyde content compared to PBW, indicative of Fe deficient condition. Comparative shoot transcriptomics revealed increased expression of photosynthetic pathway genes in PBW, further suggesting its sensitivity to Fe fluctuations. Under Fe deficiency, both the cultivars showed distinct molecular re-arrangements such as high expression of genes involved in Fe uptake (including membrane transporters) and its remobilization. Specifically, in KAN these changes lead to high root phytosiderophores (PS) biosynthesis and its release, resulting in enhanced Fe translocation index. Utilizing the non-transgenic TILLING (Targeting Induced Lesions in Genomes) technology, we identified TaZIFL4.2D as a putative PS efflux transporter. Characterization of the wheat TILLING lines indicated that TaZIFL4.2 functions in PS release and Fe acquisition, thereby imparting tolerance to Fe deficiency. Altogether, this work highlights the mechanistic insight into Fe deficiency tolerance of hexaploid wheat, thus enabling breeders to select suitable genotypes to utilize nutrients for maximum yields., 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 Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Background: In recent years, the study of molecular basis of uptake, transport and utilization of grain Fe/Zn (GFe/GZn) in wheat has been an active area of research. As a result, it has been shown that a number of transporters are involved in uptake and transport of Fe. In a recent study, knockout of a transporter gene OsVMT (VACUOLAR MUGINEIC ACID TRANSPORTER) in rice was shown to be involved in Fe homoeostasis., Objective: In this study, we analysed VMT genes among six monocots and three dicots with major emphasis on wheat VMT genes (TaVMTs), taking OsVMT gene as a reference., Methods and Results: Using OsVMT gene as a reference, VMT genes were identified and sequence similarities were examined among six monocots and three dicots. Each VMT protein carried one functional domain and 7 to 10 distinct motifs (including 9 novel motifs). The qRT-PCR analysis showed differential expression by all the six TaVMT genes in pairs of contrasting wheat genotypes with high (FAR4 and WB02) and low (K8027 and HD3226) GFe/GZn at two different grain filling stages (14 DAA and 28 DAA). TaVMT1 genes showed up-regulation in high GFe/Zn genotypes relative to low GFe/Zn genotypes, whereas the TaVMT2 genes showed down-regulation or nonsignificant up-regulation in a few cases., Conclusions: At 14 DAA, each of the six TaVMT genes exhibited higher expression in wheat genotypes with high GFe and GZn relative to those with low GFe and GZn, suggesting major role of VMT genes in improvement of grain Fe/Zn homoeostasis, thus making TaVMT genes useful for improvement in Fe/Zn in wheat grains., (© 2023. The Author(s) under exclusive licence to The Genetics Society of Korea.)

Cardiac-related disorders are rapidly growing throughout the world. Accurate classification of cardiovascular diseases is an important research topic in healthcare. During COVID-19, auscultating heart sounds was challenging as health workers and doctors wear protective clothing, and direct contact with patients can spread the outbreak. Thus, contactless auscultation of heart sound is necessary. In this paper, a low-cost ear contactless stethoscope is designed where auscultation is done with the help of a bluetooth-enabled micro speaker instead of an earpiece. The PCG recordings are further compared with other standard electronic stethoscopes like Littman 3 M. This work is made to improve the performance of deep learning-based classifiers like recurrent neural networks (RNN) and convolutional neural networks (CNN) for different valvular heart problems using tuning of hyperparameters like learning rate of optimizers, dropout rate, and hidden layer. Hyper-parameter tuning is used to optimize the performances of various deep learning models and their learning curves for real-time analysis. The acoustic, time, and frequency domain features are used in this research. The investigation is made on the heart sounds of normal and diseased patients available from the standard data repository to train the software models. The proposed CNN-based inception network model achieved an accuracy of 99.65 ± 0.06% on the test dataset with a sensitivity of 98.8  ± 0.05% and specificity of 98.2 ± 0.19%. The proposed hybrid CNN-RNN architecture attained 91.17 ± 0.03% accuracy on test data after hyperparameter optimization, whereas the LSTM-based RNN model achieved 82.32 ± 0.11% accuracy. Finally, the evaluated results were compared with machine learning algorithms, and the improved CNN-based Inception Net model is the most effective among others., (© 2023. International Federation for Medical and Biological Engineering.)

Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs) can provide a clean energy solution to growing energy demands. In order to have devices of high performance, sensitizers that are able to absorb in the near-infrared region (NIR) are needed. Stronger electron donors are needed for intramolecular charge-transfer sensitizers to access longer wavelength photons. Thus, two novel organic dyes with a cross-conjugated dibenzosilin double donor design are studied herein. The double donor delocalizes multiple filled orbitals across both amine donors due to the fused design that planarizes the donor as observed computationally, which improves intramolecular charge-transfer strength. The dyes are studied via density functional theory (DFT), optical spectroscopy, electrochemistry, and in DSC devices. The studies indicate that the dye design can reduce recombination losses, allowing for improved DSC device performances relative to a single arylamine donor. The reduction in recombination losses is attributed to the six alkyl chains that are incorporated into the donor, which offer good surface protection., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing financial interest., (© 2023 The Authors. Published by American Chemical Society.)

As fluorescence bioimaging has increased in popularity, there have been numerous reports on designing organic fluorophores with desirable properties amenable to perform this task, specifically fluorophores with emission in the near-infrared II (NIR-II) region. One such strategy is to utilize the donor-π-acceptor-π-donor approach (D-π-A-π-D), as this allows for control of the photophysical properties of the resulting fluorophores through modulation of the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) and the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) energy levels. Herein, we illustrate the properties of thienothiadiazole (TTD) as an effective acceptor moiety in the design of NIR emissive fluorophores. TTD is a well-known electron-deficient species, but its use as an acceptor in D-π-A-π-D systems has not been extensively studied. We employed TTD as an acceptor unit in a series of two fluorophores and characterized the photophysical properties through experimental and computational studies. Both fluorophores exhibited emission maxima in the NIR-I that extends into the NIR-II. We also utilized electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy to rationalize differences in the measured quantum yield values and demonstrated, to our knowledge, the first experimental evidence of radical species on a TTD-based small-molecule fluorophore. Encapsulation of the fluorophores using a surfactant formed polymeric nanoparticles, which were studied by photophysical and morphological techniques. The results of this work illustrate the potential of TTD as an acceptor in the design of NIR-II emissive fluorophores for fluorescence bioimaging applications., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing financial interest., (© 2023 The Authors. Published by American Chemical Society.)

Rab11, a small Ras like GTPase marking the recycling endosomes, plays instrumental roles in Drosophila embryonic epithelial morphogenesis where an array of reports testify its importance in the maintenance of cyto-architectural as well as functional attributes of the concerned cells. Proper Rab11 functions ensure a precise regulation of developmentally active cell signaling pathways which in turn promote the expression of morphogens and other physico-chemical cues which finally forge an embryo out of a single layer of cells. Earlier reports have established that Rab11 functions are vital for fly embryonic development where amorphic mutants such as EP3017 homozygotes show a fair degree of epithelial defects along with incomplete dorsal closure. Here, we present a detailed account of the effects of Rab11 loss of function in the dorso-lateral epithelium which resulted in severe dorsal closure defects along with an elevated JNK-Dpp expression. We further observed that the dorso-lateral epithelial cells undergo epithelial to mesenchymal transition as well as apoptosis in Rab11 mutants with elevated expression levels of MMP1 and Caspase-3, where Caspase-3 contributes to the Rab11 knockout phenotype contrary to the knockdown mutants or hypomorphs. Interestingly, the elevated expressions of the core JNK-Dpp signaling could be rescued with a simultaneous knockdown of wingless in the Rab11 knockout mutants suggesting a genetic interaction of Rab11 with the Wingless pathway during dorsal closure, an ideal model of epithelial wound healing., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Grass pea (Lathyrus sativus) is a cool-season legume crop tolerant to drought, salinity, waterlogging, insects, and other biotic stresses. Despite these beneficial traits, this crop is not cultivated widely due to the accumulation of a neurotoxin - β-N-oxalyl-L-α, β-diaminopropionic acid (β-ODAP) in the seeds and its association with neurolathyrism. In this study, we sequenced and assembled the genome of Lathyrus sativus cultivar Pusa-24, an elite Indian cultivar extensively used in breeding programs. The assembled genome of Lathyrus was 3.80 Gb in length, with a scaffold N50 of 421.39 Mb. BUSCO assessment indicated that 98.3% of highly conserved Viridiplantae genes were present in the assembly. A total of 3.17 Gb (83.31%) of repetitive sequences and 50,106 protein-coding genes were identified in the Lathyrus assembly. The Lathyrus genome assembly reported here thus provides a much-needed and robust foundation for various genetic and genomic studies in this vital legume crop., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a common neurodegenerative disorder caused by the loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra. The pathophysiology of this disease is the formation of the Lewy body, mostly consisting of alpha-synuclein and dysfunctional mitochondria. There are two common PD-associated genes, Pink1 (encoding a mitochondrial ser/thr kinase) and Parkin (encoding cytosolic E3-ubiquitin ligase), involved in the mitochondrial quality control pathway. They assist in removing damaged mitochondria via selective autophagy (mitophagy) which if unchecked, results in the formation of protein aggregates in the cytoplasm. The role of Rab11, a small Ras-like GTPase associated with recycling endosomes, in PD is still unclear. In the present study, we used the PD model of Drosophila melanogaster and found that Rab11 has a crucial role in the regulation of mitochondrial quality control and endo-lysosomal pathways in association with Parkin and Pink1 and Rab11 acting downstream of Parkin. Additionally, overexpression of Rab11 in parkin mutant rescued the mitochondrial impairment, suggesting the therapeutic potential of Rab11 in PD pathogenesis., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest Authors declares no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: TILLING (Targeting Induced Local Lesions in Genomes) is a reverse-genetic strategy that is used to locate an allelic series of induced point mutations in genes of interest. High-throughput TILLING allows the rapid and cost-effective detection of induced point mutations in populations of chemically mutagenized individuals. Grain amylose content is the major constraints for its nutritional quality and have drawn research interest. Identification of allelic variations in genes involved in starch biosynthesis in wheat endosperm is pre-requisite to amenable for nutritional quality improvement., Methods and Results: In this study, 44 EMS-induced (M4 generation) mutant lines having variation for amylose content were used for TILLING sequencing. Overall 2098.08 kb of the sequence was analyzed, and the average mutation density was 1/65.56 kb. In analysis, at the high depth score a total of 32 variations were identified including three natural variations, 76% transitions, 10% transversions, and 14% InDels respectively. The substitutions led to intronic variants, UTRs and up-downstream gene variants in Alpha-amylase, TabZIP77.1, TabZIP1 and Myb respectively. In the Myb transcription factor two missense mutations recorded namely Myb_7B c.680G > A and c.1358 T > C led to p.Gly227Asp and p.Met453Thr and c.1390G > A one substitution in Myb_7D led to p.Val464Ile., Conclusion: The identified missense substitutions were predicted to affect the protein function; hence they may have a probable role in context to the amylose content in mutants. The mutations ascertained in the current study will help in gene discovery in wheat and identified mutants can be used as genetic resources to improve nutritional quality of wheat., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)

Among the HPV-mediated cervical cancers, cellular factor BRN3A has gained considerable attention due to its role in promoting an anti-apoptotic cellular environment and in facilitating epitheliotropic transformations of the host. The majority of previous studies looked at BRN3A's molecular characteristics; however, the possibility of genetic variations in BRN3A's auto-regulatory region in relation to cervical cancer risk has been underestimated until now. In a retrospective study in the Eastern UP population, India, we detected genetic variations in the cis-regulatory proximal enhancer region located around 5.6 kb upstream of transcription start site of BRN3A . Our analysis of PCR and DNA sequencing confirmed this novel SNP ( BRN3A g.60163379A>G) within the auto-regulatory region of BRN3A . As compared to control subjects, cancer cases exhibited a 1.32-fold higher allele frequency (χ2 = 6.315, p = 0.012). In homozygous (GG) but not in heterozygous conditions, odds ratio (OR) analysis suggests a significant association of cancer risk with the SNP (OR = 2.60, p ≤ 0.004). We further confirmed using the functional analysis that this SNP increased the luciferase gene activity in HPV-positive cervical cancer SiHa cells that were exposed to progesterone. As a result of the association of polymorphisms in a non-coding region of an oncogene with increased cancer risks, we are suggesting that this genetic variation in non-coding region can be used in prediction, diagnosis, or predicting the progression of the disease., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

The Drosophila genome codes for two decapping proteins, DCP1 and DCP2, out of which DCP2 is the active decapping enzyme. The present endeavour explores the endogenous promoter firing, transcript and protein expression of DCP2 in Drosophila wherein, besides a ubiquitous expression across development, we identify an active expression paradigm during dorsal closure and a plausible moonlighting expression in the Corazonin neurons of the larval brain. We also demonstrate that the ablation of DCP2 leads to embryonic lethality and defects in vital morphogenetic processes whereas a knockdown of DCP2 in the Corazonin neurons reduces the sensitivity to ethanol in adults, thereby ascribing novel regulatory roles to DCP2. Our findings unravel novel putative roles for DCP2 and identify it as a candidate for studies on the regulated interplay of essential molecules during early development in Drosophila, nay the living world., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

A genome-wide association study (GWAS) for 10 yield and yield component traits was conducted using an association panel comprising 225 diverse spring wheat genotypes. The panel was genotyped using 10,904 SNPs and evaluated for three years (2016-2019), which constituted three environments (E1, E2 and E3). Heritability for different traits ranged from 29.21 to 97.69%. Marker-trait associations (MTAs) were identified for each trait using data from each environment separately and also using BLUP values. Four different models were used, which included three single trait models (CMLM, FarmCPU, SUPER) and one multi-trait model (mvLMM). Hundreds of MTAs were obtained using each model, but after Bonferroni correction, only 6 MTAs for 3 traits were available using CMLM, and 21 MTAs for 4 traits were available using FarmCPU; none of the 525 MTAs obtained using SUPER could qualify after Bonferroni correction. Using BLUP, 20 MTAs were available, five of which also figured among MTAs identified for individual environments. Using mvLMM model, after Bonferroni correction, 38 multi-trait MTAs, for 15 different trait combinations were available. Epistatic interactions involving 28 pairs of MTAs were also available for seven of the 10 traits; no epistatic interactions were available for GNPS, PH, and BYPP. As many as 164 putative candidate genes (CGs) were identified using all the 50 MTAs (CMLM, 3; FarmCPU, 9; mvLMM, 6, epistasis, 21 and BLUP, 11 MTAs), which ranged from 20 (CMLM) to 66 (epistasis) CGs. In-silico expression analysis of CGs was also conducted in different tissues at different developmental stages. The information generated through the present study proved useful for developing a better understanding of the genetics of each of the 10 traits; the study also provided novel markers for marker-assisted selection (MAS) to be utilized for the development of wheat cultivars with improved agronomic traits., Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11032-021-01240-1., Competing Interests: Competing interestsThe authors declare no competing interests., (© The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V. 2021.)

Biomaterials play a crucial role in tissue engineering as a functional replacement, regenerative medicines, supportive scaffold for guided tissue growth, and drug delivery devices. The term biomaterial refers to metals, ceramics, and polymers account for the vast majority. In the case of polymers, hydrogels have emerged as active materials for an immense variety of applications. Epoxy-based hydrogels possess a unique network structure that enables very high levels of hydrophilicity and biocompatibility. Hydrogel such as Medipacs Epoxy Polymers (MEPs) models were constructed to understand water's behavior at the water/hydrogel interface and hydrogel network. We computed the Gibbs dividing surface (GDS) to define the MEP/water interface, and all the physicochemical properties were computed based on GDS. We calculated the radial distribution function (RDF), the 2D surface roughness of the immersed MEPs. RDF analysis confirmed that the first hydration shell is at a distance of 1.86 Å, and most of the water molecules are near the hydroxyl group of the MEPs network. Hydrogen bonds (H-bonds) analysis was performed, and the observation suggested that the disruption of the H-bonds between MEP chains leads to an increase in the polymer matrix's void spaces. These void spaces are filled with diffused water molecules, leading to swelling of the MEP hydrogel. The swelling parameter was estimated from the fitted curve of the yz-lattice of the simulation cell. The MEP/water interface simulation results provide insightful information regarding the design strategy of epoxy-based hydrogel and other hydrogels vital for biomedical applications., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Retaining glycosidase mutants lacking its general acid/base catalytic residue are originally termed thioglycoligases which synthesize thio-linked disaccharides using sugar acceptor bearing a nucleophilic thiol group. A few thioglycoligases derived from retaining α-glycosidases have been classified into a new class of catalysts, O-glycoligases which transfer sugar moiety to a hydroxy group of sugar acceptors, resulting in the formation of O-linked glycosides or oligosaccharides. In this study, an efficient O-α-glucosylation of flavonoids was developed using an O-α-glycoligase derived from a thermostable α-glucosidase from Sulfolobus solfataricus (MalA-D416A). The O-glycoligase exhibited efficient transglycosylation activity with a broad substrate spectrum for all kinds of tested flavonoids including flavone, flavonol, flavanone, flavanonol, flavanol and isoflavone classes in yields of higher than 90%. The glucosylation by MalA-D416A preferred alkaline conditions, suggesting that pH-promoted deprotonation of hydroxyl groups of the flavonoids would accelerate turnover of covalent enzyme intermediate via transglucosylation. More importantly, the glucosylation of flavonoids by MalA-D416A was exclusively regioselective, resulting in the synthesis of flavonoid 7-O-α-glucosides as the sole product. Kinetic analysis and molecular dynamics simulations provided insights into the acceptor specificity and the regiospecificity of O-α-glucosylation by MalA-D416A. This pH promoted transglycosylation using O-α-glycoligases may prove to be a general synthesis route to flavonoid O-α-glycosides., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Small molecular organic fluorophores have garnered significant interest because of their indispensable use in fluorescence imaging (FI) and optoelectronic devices. Herein, we designed triphenylamine (TPA)-capped donor-acceptor-donor (D-A-D)-based fluorophores having a variation at the heterocyclic donor (D) units, 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene ( EDOT ), furan ( FURAN ), thiophene ( THIO ), and 1-methyl-1 H -pyrrole ( MePyr ), with isoindigo as the core electron acceptor (A) unit. Synthesis of these fluorophores ( II-X-TPA ) resulted in four symmetrical dye molecules: II-EDOT-TPA , II-FURAN-TPA , II-THIO-TPA , and II-MePyr-TPA , where TPA functioned as a terminal unit and a secondary electron donor group. Photophysical, electrochemical, and computational analyses were conducted to investigate the effect of heterocyclic donor units on the II-X-TPA derivatives. Density functional theory (DFT) and time-dependent DFT (TD-DFT) calculations provided insightful features of structural and electronic properties of each fluorophore and correlated well with experimental observations. Electron density distribution maps, overlapping frontier molecular orbital diagrams, and highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) to lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) electron transfer indicated intramolecular charge transfer (ICT). Theoretical studies confirmed the experimental HOMO energy trend and demonstrated its crucial importance in understanding each heterocycle's donor ability. Stokes shifts of up to ∼178 nm were observed, whereas absorptions and emissions were shifted deeper into the NIR region, resulting from ICT. Results suggest that this isoindigo fluorophore series has potential as a molecular scaffold for the development of efficient FI agents. The studied fluorophores can be further tuned with different donor fragments to enhance the ICT and facilitate in shifting the optical properties further into the NIR region.

Integration of human papilloma virus (HPV) in human genome is a random event, and fragile sites are one of the most susceptible sites for viral integrations. WWOX (WW-domain containing oxidoreductase) gene harbours the second most common fragile site, FRA16D, and can be an important candidate for HPV integration and cervical carcinogenesis. Our aim was to evaluate the potential role of WWOX in cervical carcinogenesis. Presence of HPV and its genotype was detected by PCR in normal cervix tissues and human cervical carcinoma. The expression of WWOX transcript and its protein was examined by RT-PCR, RNA in situ hybridization, and immunoblotting. Southern blotting and sequencing were used to determine the alternative transcripts of WWOX . Statistical analysis were performed by Mann Whitney U-test, Pearson correlation coefficient test at significance level of P value < 0.05. Prevalence of HPV was observed in cervicitis (40%), cervical intraepithelial neoplasia patients (50%), and invasive cervical carcinoma patients (89.6%). Clinicopathological findings suggested a correlation of reduced level of WWOX protein and progression of cervical carcinoma deciphering its role in tumorigenesis. Furthermore, we observed aberrant WWOX transcript having deleted exon 6-8 region in invasive cervical cancer tissues as well as normal cervix samples. More than 60% of cervical carcinoma samples showed reduced protein level with an increase in wild type transcript level suggesting the involvement of a negative regulator, pAck1 (activated Cdc42- associated kinase) which might ubiquitinate WWOX protein leading to its degradation. Also, nuclear retention of WWOX transcript in invasive cervical carcinoma tissues suggests its regulation at post-transcriptional level. Our findings suggest that WWOX acts as a tumor suppressor in cervical carcinoma and could act as a potential therapeutic target for the disease.

Dorsal closure during Drosophila embryogenesis provides a robust genetic platform to study the basic cellular mechanisms that govern epithelial wound healing and morphogenesis. As dorsal closure proceeds, the lateral epithelial tissue (LE) adjacent to the dorsal opening advance contra-laterally, with a simultaneous retraction of the amnioserosa. The process involves a fair degree of coordinated cell shape changes in the dorsal most epithelial (DME) cells as well as a few penultimate rows of lateral epithelial (LE) cells (collectively referred here as Dorsolateral Epithelial (DLE) cells), lining the periphery of the amnioserosa, which in due course of time extend contra-laterally and ultimately fuse over the dorsal hole, giving rise to a dorsal epithelial continuum. The JNK-Dpp signaling in the dorsolateral epidermis, plays an instrumental role in guiding their fate during this process. A large array of genes have been reported to be involved in the regulation of this core signaling pathway, yet the mechanisms by which they do so is hitherto unclear, which forms the objective of our present study. Here we show a probable mechanism via which lgl, a conserved tumour suppressor gene, regulates the JNK-Dpp pathway during dorsal closure and epithelial morphogenesis. A conditional/targeted knock-down of lgl in the dorsolateral epithelium of embryos results in failure of dorsal closure. Interestingly, we also observed a similar phenotype in a Rab11 knockdown condition. Our experiment suggests Rab11 to be interacting with lgl as they seem to synergize in order to regulate the core JNK-Dpp signaling pathway during dorsal closure and also during adult thorax closure process., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The use of transposons to create mutations has been the cornerstone of Drosophila genetics in the past few decades. Second-site mutations caused by transpositions are often devoid of transposons and thereby affect subsequent analyses. In a P -element mutagenesis screen, a second site mutation was identified on chromosome 3, wherein the homozygous mutants exhibit classic hallmarks of tumor suppressor mutants, including brain tumor and lethality; hence the mutant line was initially named as lethal (3) tumorous brain [ l(3)tb ]. Classical genetic approaches relying on meiotic recombination and subsequent complementation with chromosomal deletions and gene mutations mapped the mutation to CG6169, the mRNA decapping protein 2 ( DCP2 ), on the left arm of the third chromosome (3L). Thus the mutation was renamed as DCP2 l(3)tb Fine mapping of the mutation further identified the presence of a Gypsy -LTR like sequence in the 5'UTR coding region of DCP2 , along with the expansion of the adjacent upstream intergenic AT-rich sequence. The mutant phenotypes are rescued by the introduction of a functional copy of DCP2 in the mutant background, thereby establishing the causal role of the mutation and providing a genetic validation of the allelism. With the increasing repertoire of genes being associated with tumor biology, this is the first instance of mRNA decapping protein being implicated in Drosophila tumorigenesis. Our findings, therefore, imply a plausible role for the mRNA degradation pathway in tumorigenesis and identify DCP2 as a potential candidate for future explorations of cell cycle regulatory mechanisms., (Copyright © 2020 Mishra et al.)

Rab11, a member of Rab-GTPase family, and a marker of recycling endosomes has been reported to be involved in the differentiation of various tissues in Drosophila. Here we report a novel role of Rab11 in the differentiation of stellate cells via the non-canonical Notch pathway in Malpighian tubules. During Malpighian tubule development caudal visceral mesodermal cells intercalate into the epithelial tubule of ectodermal origin consisting of principal cells, undergo mesenchymal to epithelial transition and differentiate into star shaped stellate cells in adult Malpighian tubule. Two transcription factors, Teashirt and Cut (antagonistic to each other) are known to be expressed in stellate cells and principal cells, respectively, from early stages of development and serve as markers for these cells. Inhibition of Rab11 function or over-expression of activated Notch in stellate cells resulted in the expression of Cut that leads to down-regulation of Teashirt or vice-versa that leads to hampered differentiation of stellate cells. The stellate cells do not transform to star/bar shaped and remain in mesenchymal state in adult Malpighian tubule. Over-expression of Deltex, which plays important role in non-canonical Notch signaling pathway, shows similar phenotype of stellate cells as seen in individuals with down-regulated Rab11, while down-regulation of Deltex in genetic background of Rab11 RNAi rescues Teashirt expression and shape of stellate cells. Our experiments suggest that an inhibition or reduction of Rab11 function in stellate cells results in the faulty recycling of Notch receptors to plasma membrane as they accumulate in early and late endosomes, leading to Deltex mediated non-canonical Notch activation., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Differential DNA methylation due to Lr28 was examined in susceptible (S) wheat cv. HD2329 and its resistant (R) near isogenic line (NIL) (HD2329+Lr28) using two approaches: methylation sensitive amplified polymorphism (MSAP) and methylated DNA immunoprecipitation (MeDIP). S/R lines each had a large number of hypomethylated genes and relatively fewer hypermethylated genes at 96 hai (hours after inoculation) relative to 0 hbi (hours before inoculation), suggesting activation of many genes during the passage of time (96 hai), although identity of genes may differ in S and R lines. When R NIL was compared with S cultivar, there were many hypermethylated and fewer hypomethylated genes in R NIL relative to S cultivar, suggesting that many genes that are active in S cultivar are silenced in R NIL, both at 0 hbi and at 96 hai. Level of methylation was generally abundant in intergenic regions followed by that in promoters, transcription termination sites (TTSs) and exons/introns. Hypermethylation in promoter and gene body regions was not always associated with inhibition of gene expression and vice-versa, indicating that more than one regulatory mechanisms may control the expression of genes due to pathogen attack in presence and absence of Lr28. MSAP analysis also showed abundance of m CG methylation in S cultivar and that of m CCG methylation in R NIL (at 96 hai), suggesting differences in methylation context in NILs with and without Lr28. The results of the present study improved our understanding of the epigenetic control of leaf rust resistance in wheat.

Applications of self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) on surfaces are prevalent in modern technologies and drives the need for a better understanding of the surface domain architecture of SAMs. To explore structural interaction at the interface between gold surfaces and a hydroxyl-terminated alkanethiol, 11-hydroxy-1-undecanethiol, (C11TH) we have employed a combined computational and experimental approach. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations were carried out on the thiol-gold interface using both the Perdew-Burke-Ernzerhof (PBE) and van der Waals (optB86b) density functionals. Our ab initio molecular dynamics (AIMD) simulations revealed that the interface consists of four different distinguished phases, each with different C11TH orientations. Experiments involved deposition of C11TH SAMs onto gold, with the resultant surfaces examined with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and ellipsometry. Weighted average projected density of states (PDOS) of the different phases were photoionization cross section corrected and these were confirmed by experimental XPS data. Computed molecular parameters including tilt angles and the thickness of SAMs also agreed with the XPS and ellipsometry results. Hydrogen bonding arising from the terminal hydroxyl groups is the primary factor governing the stability of the four phases. Experimental results from XPS and ellipsometry along with DFT simulation results provide insights into the formation of the different orientations of SAM on Au(111) which will guide future efforts in the self-assembled SAMs architecture for other thiols or metal substrates.

Background: Despite being a sensitive and less explored issue, abortion is a major preventable cause of maternal morbidity and mortality affecting millions of women in developing countries., Objectives: The study aimed to determine the occurrence, nature, and predictors of abortion among women in the reproductive age group in Naxalbari block of Darjeeling district., Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in Naxalbari block of Darjeeling district, West Bengal, India, from May 2015 to April 2016, among 420 women aged 15-49 years selected from 30 villages by cluster sampling technique. A predesigned, pretested interview schedule validated in the local vernacular was used. Binary logistic regression was used for finding out predictors of abortion among ever-pregnant women., Results: Lifetime occurrence of abortion was 33.6%. Among total 178 events of abortion, 51.7% were spontaneous and 48.3% induced. Majority of spontaneous abortions events were attended by a doctor (73.9%). About 59.3% of induced abortions were illegal, and unwanted pregnancy was major reason (62.4%) for induced abortion. Private facilities and over the counter drugs were preferred. Lower education, nuclear family, number of children <2, not having male child, domestic violence during pregnancy were significant predictors of abortion., Conclusions: Illegal abortions were highly prevalent in the area. Unwanted pregnancies hint toward unmet needs of family planning. Stigma and poor awareness were the root cause of not visiting a health facility in case of abortions. Building up of better infrastructure, better orientation of frontline workers, non-judgemental and confidential services will attract women to in government facilities., Competing Interests: None

The objective of this work was to evaluated the effects of debranning (2% and 4%) of Indian and exotic wheat varieties on pasting, protein profile and rheological properties of meal. Exotic varieties grains showed significant difference in cooking properties despite having similar protein content. Debranned grains of exotic varieties showed significantly lower water uptake (WU) than those from Indian varieties. Ash content, protein content and mixographic properties (mixing time, dough strength) of meal decreased with increase in extent of debranning. With increase in debranning level unextractable polymeric proteins (UnEx-PP) decreased while unextractable monomeric proteins (UnEx-MP) increased. Exotic varieties had lower extractable PP as compared to Indian wheat varieties. With increase in debranning level pasting parameters (final, breakdown and peak viscosity) increased. Exotic varieties showed the higher gluten strength indicated by mixographic parameters. Wheat grains debranned to 4% debranning level showed better cooking properties. Exotic wheat varieties showed better pasting and mixing properties as compared to Indian wheat varieties., (Copyright © 2019. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Sec15, a component of an evolutionarily conserved octomeric exocyst complex, has been identified as an interactor of GTP-bound Rab11 in mammals and Drosophila which shows its role in secretion in yeast and intracellular vesicle transport. Here, we report the expression patterns of Drosophila Sec15 (DSec15) transcript and Sec15 protein during Drosophila development. At early embryonic stages, a profound level of maternally loaded DSec15 transcript and protein is found. At cellular blastoderm cells (stage 5 embryos); the expression is seen in pole cells, apical membrane and sub-apical region. The transcript is predominantly accumulated in mesoderm, tracheal pits, gut, LE cells, trachea, and ventral nerve cord as development proceeds. While, a robust expression of Sec15 is seen in amnioserosa (AS), lateral epidermis (LAE), developing trachea, gut, ventral nerve cord and epithelial cells. During larval development, the transcript is also found in all imaginal discs with a distinguished accumulation in the morphogenetic furrow of eye disc, gut, proventriculus and gastric ceacae, garland cells/nephrocytes, malpighian tubules, ovary and testis. Further, we show that Sec15 co-localizes with Rab11 during Drosophila embryonic and larval development. Finally, using a genetic approach, we demonstrate that Sec15 interacts with Rab11 in producing blister during Drosophila wing development., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Ten novel fullerene-derivatives (FDs) of C 60 and C 70 had been designed as acceptor for polymer solar cell (PSC) by employing the quantitative structure-property relationship (QSPR) model, which was developed strategically with a reasonably big pool of experimental power conversion efficiency (PCE) data. The QSPR model was checked and validated with stringent parameter and reliability of predicted PCE values of all designed FDs. They were assessed by the applicability domain (AD) and process randomization test. The predicted PCE of FDs range from 7.96 to 23.01. The obtained encouraging results led us to the additional theoretical analysis of the energetics and UV-Vis spectra of isolated dyes employing Density functional theory (DFT) and Time-dependent-DFT (TD-DFT) calculations using PBE/6-31G(d,p) and CAM-B3LYP/6-311G(d,p) level calculations, respectively. The FD4 is the best C 60 -derivatives candidates for PSCs as it has the lowest exciton binding energy, up-shifted lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) energy level to increase open-circuit voltage (V OC ) and strong absorption in the UV region. In case of C 70 -derivatives, FD7 is potential candidate for future PSCs due to its strong absorption in UV-Vis region and lower exciton binding energy with higher V OC . Our optoelectronic results strongly support the developed QSPR model equation. Analyzing QSPR model and optoelectronic parameters, we concluded that the FD1, FD2, FD4, and FD10 are the most potential candidates for acceptor fragment of fullerene-based PSC. The outcomes of tactical molecular design followed by the investigation of optoelectronic features are suggested to be employed as a significant resource for the synthesis of FDs as an acceptor of PSCs.

Klebsiella pneumoniae is a human pathogen, capable of forming biofilms on abiotic and biotic surfaces. The limitations of the therapeutic options against Klebsiella pneumoniae is actually due to its innate capabilities to form biofilm and harboring determinants of multidrug resistance. We utilized a newer approach for classification of biofilm producing Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates and subsequently we evaluated the chemistry of its slime, more accurately its biofilm. We extracted and determined the amount of polysaccharides and proteins from representative bacterial biofilms. The spatial distribution of sugars and proteins were then investigated in the biofilm matrix using confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). Thereafter, the extracted matrix components were subjected to sophisticated analysis incorporating Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, one-dimensional gel-based electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and MALDI MS/MS analysis. Besides, the quantification of its total proteins, total sugars, uronates, total acetyl content was also done. Results suggest sugars are not the only/major constituent of its biofilms. The proteins were harvested and subjected to SDS-PAGE which revealed various common and unique protein bands. The common band was excised and analyzed by HPLC. MALDI MS/MS results of this common protein band indicated the presence of different proteins within the biofilm. The 55 different proteins were identified including both cytosolic and membrane proteins. About 22 proteins were related to protein synthesis and processing while 15 proteins were identified related to virulence. Similarly, proteins related to energy and metabolism were 8 and those related to capsule and cell wall synthesis were 4. These results will improve our understanding of Klebsiella biofilm composition and will further help us design better strategies for controlling its biofilm such as techniques focused on weakening/targeting certain portions of the slime which is the most common building block of the biofilm matrix.

A new Schiff base, CMD, designed based on a coumarin platform was synthesized and fully characterized through single crystal X-ray diffraction studies. CMD underwent selective Zn2+-triggered hydrolysis in ethanolic medium followed by restructuring of its fragments, resulting in a "turn-on" green fluorogenic response. This response was confirmed through various physico-chemical measurements along with single crystal X-ray diffraction studies. This selective hydrolytic fluorogenic event was exploited for the successful optical detection and live cell imaging of Zn2+ in SiHa cells. The above restructured products were characterized as two new Schiff bases, viz.CM and NSA, of which NSA was highly fluorescent (green). Hence, the formation of this green fluorogenic product accounted for the above fluorogenic "turn-on" sensing of Zn2+ with a sub-nanomolar detection limit. Spectroscopic evidence along with mass determinations indicated that the Zn-CMD ensemble took the form of CM-Zn-CM in solution, supporting our above proposal of hydrolysis and restructuring. However, the X-ray diffraction studies of the Zn-CMD ensemble further revealed it to consist of NSA and CM-Zn-CM', where CM' is yet another new Schiff base formed in situ during the process of developing single crystals.

Seeds serve as biochemical factories of nutrition, processing, bio-energy and storage related important bio-molecules and act as a delivery system to transmit the genetic information to the next generation. The research pertaining towards delineating the complex system of regulation of genes and pathways related to seed biology and nutrient partitioning is still under infancy. To understand these, it is important to know the genes and pathway(s) involved in the homeostasis of bio-molecules. In recent past with the advent and advancement of modern tools of genomics and genetic engineering, multi-layered 'omics' approaches and high-throughput platforms are being used to discern the genes and proteins involved in various metabolic, and signaling pathways and their regulations for understanding the molecular genetics of biosynthesis and homeostasis of bio-molecules. This can be possible by exploring systems biology approaches via the integration of omics data for understanding the intricacy of seed development and nutrient partitioning. These information can be exploited for the improvement of biologically important chemicals for large-scale production of nutrients and nutraceuticals through pathway engineering and biotechnology. This review article thus describes different omics tools and other branches that are merged to build the most attractive area of research towards establishing the seeds as biochemical factories for human health and nutrition., Competing Interests: Compliance with ethical standardsThe authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Seven 'lead' dye-sensitizers from Tetrahydroquinoline (THQ) family were proposed and designed based on the structural attributes via quantitative-structure property relationship (QSPR) modeling. They were screened rationally through different computational approaches to explore their potential applications as photosensitizers for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). Compelling photophysical properties such as electron injection driving force, electron injection time, and dye regeneration were studied for the isolated dyes under the DFT and TD-DFT frameworks. Index of spatial extent (S, D, and ∆q), the strength of charge transfer and separation along with the charge transfer process is explored. First principle approach including van der Waals density functional calculation of dye@TiO 2 interface indicates that all of the designed dyes have optimal interfacial behavior. Bader charge analysis, partial density of state (PDOS), charge density and electrostatic potential difference calculation confirms that THQ7 and THQ9 are the most efficient dye-sensitizers. The other five designed dyes also possess the required properties to emerge as effective dye-sensitizers potentially better than those already utilized.

Emerging Infectious Diseases (EIDs) are a major threat to wildlife and a key player in the declining amphibian populations worldwide. One such EID is chytridiomycosis caused by Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), a fungal pathogen. Aetiology of Bd infection is poorly known from tropical frogs in Asian biodiversity hotspots. Surveys were carried out in four biodiversity hotspots to ascertain the status of Bd fungus. We collected a total of 1870 swab samples from frogs representing 32 genera and 111 species. Nested PCRs revealed low prevalence (8.4%) and high Bd haplotype richness was revealed after sequencing. We document 57 Bd Internal Transcribed Spacer region (ITS) haplotypes, of which 46 were unique to the global database. Bd ITS region showed indels at the Taqman binding site and qPCR reverse primer binding site, suggesting qPCR is unsuitable for diagnosis in Asian Bd coldspots. Our median-joining network and Bayesian tree analyses reveal that the Asian haplotypes, with the exception of Korea, formed a separate clade along with pandemic BdGPL (Bd Global Panzootic Lineage) haplotype. We hypothesise that the frog populations in Asian tropics might harbour several endemic strains of Bd, and the high levels of diversity and uniqueness of Bd haplotypes in the region, probably resulted from historical host-pathogen co-evolution.

Flooding is one of the major constraints for rice production in rainfed lowlands, especially in years and areas of high rainfall. Incorporating the Sub1 (Submergence1) gene into high yielding popular varieties has proven to be the most feasible approach to sustain rice production in submergence-prone areas. Introgression of this QTL into popular varieties has resulted in considerable improvement in yield after flooding. However, its impact under non-flooded conditions or years have not been thoroughly evaluated which is important for the farmers to accept and adopt any new version of their popular varieties. The present study was carried out to evaluate the effect of Sub1 on grain yield of rice in different genetic backgrounds, under non-submergence conditions, over years and locations. The study was carried out using head to head trials in farmer's fields, which enable the farmers to more accurately compare the performance of Sub1 varieties with their recurrent parents under own management. The data generated from different head to head trials revealed that the grain yield of Sub1 varieties was either statistically similar or higher than their non-Sub1 counterparts under non-submergence conditions. Thus, Sub1 rice varieties show no instance of yield penalty of the introgressed gene.

During development, axonogenesis, an integral part of neurogenesis, is based on well-concerted events comprising generation, rearrangement, migration, elongation, and adhesion of neurons. Actin, specifically the crosstalk between the guardians of actin polymerization, like enabled, chickadee, capping protein plays an essential role in crafting several events of axonogenesis. Recent evidences reflect multifaceted role of microRNA during axonogenesis. Here, we investigated the role of bantam miRNA, a well-established miRNA in Drosophila, in regulating the actin organization during brain development. Our immunofluorescence studies showed altered arrangement of neurons and actin filaments whereas both qPCR and western blot revealed elevated expression of enabled, one of the actin modulators in bantam mutant background. Collectively, our results clearly demonstrate that bantam plays an instrumental role in shaping the axon architecture regulating the actin geometry through its modulator enabled.

Previously, association mapping (AM) methodology was used to unravel genetic complications in animal science by measuring the complex traits for candidate and non-candidate genes. Nowadays, this statistical approach is widely used to clarify the complexity in plant breeding program-based genome-wide breeding strategies, marker development, and diversity analysis. This chapter is particularly focused on methodologies with limitations and provides an overview of AM models and software used up to now. Association or linkage disequilibrium mapping has become a very popular method for discovering candidate and non-candidate genes and confirmation of quantitative trait loci (QTL) on various parts of the genome and in marker-assisted selection for breeding. Previously, various QTL investigations were carried out for different plants exclusively by linkage mapping. To help to understand the basics of modern molecular genetic techniques, in this chapter we summarize previous studies done on different crops. AM offers high-resolution power when there is large genotypic diversity and low linkage disequilibrium (LD) for the germplasm being investigated. The benefits of AM, compared with traditional QTL mapping, include a relatively detailed mapping resolution and a far less time-consuming approach since no mapping populations need to be generated. The advancements in genotyping and computational techniques have encouraged the use of AM. AM provides a fascinating approach for genetic investigation of QTLs, due to its resolution and the possibility to study the various genomic areas at the same time without construction of mapping populations. In this chapter we also discuss the advantages and disadvantages of AM, especially in the dicotyledonous crops Fabaceae and Solanaceae, with various genome-size reproductive strategies (clonal vs. sexual), and statistical models. The main objective of this chapter is to highlight the uses of association genetics in major and minor crop species that have trouble being analyzed for dissection of complex traits by identification of the factor responsible for controlling the effect of trait. Graphical Abstract.

Bacterial biofilm has been reported to be associated with more than 80% of bacterial infections. Curcumin, a hydrophobic polyphenol compound, has anti-quorum sensing activity apart from having antimicrobial action. However, its use is limited by its poor aqueous solubility and rapid degradation. In this study, we attempted to prepare quantum dots of the drug curcumin in order to achieve enhanced solubility and stability and investigated for its antimicrobial and antibiofilm activity. We utilized a newer two-step bottom up wet milling approach to prepare Curcumin Quantum Dots (CurQDs) using acetone as a primary solvent. Minimum inhibitory concentration against select Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria was performed. The antibiofilm assay was performed at first using 96-well tissue culture plate and subsequently validated by Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy. Further, biofilm matrix protein was isolated using formaldehyde sludge and TCA/Acetone precipitation method. Protein extracted was incubated with varying concentration of CurQDs for 4 h and was subjected to SDS-PAGE. Molecular docking study was performed to observe interaction between curcumin and phenol soluble modulins as well as curli proteins. The biophysical evidences obtained from TEM, SEM, UV-VIS, fluorescence, Raman spectroscopy, and zeta potential analysis confirmed the formation of curcumin quantum dots with increased stability and solubility. The MICs of curcumin quantum dots, as observed against both select gram positive and negative bacterial isolates, was observed to be significantly lower than native curcumin particles. On TCP assay, Curcumin observed to be having antibiofilm as well as biofilm degrading activity. Results of SDS-PAGE and molecular docking have shown interaction between biofilm matrix proteins and curcumin. The results indicate that aqueous solubility and stability of Curcumin can be achieved by preparing its quantum dots. The study also demonstrates that by sizing down the particle size has not only enhanced its antimicrobial properties but it has also shown its antibiofilm activities. Further, study is needed to elucidate the exact nature of interaction between curcumin and biofilm matrix proteins.

Nitrato briged dinuclear complexes of type [Cu 2 (L) 2 (bpy) 2 (NO 3 )](NO 3 )·4H 2 O, 1 and [Zn 2 (L) 2 (bpy) 2 (NO 3 )](NO 3 )·4H 2 O, 2 (L=deprotonated form of free ligand LH, [1-(2-hydroxyphenyl)-3-(9-anthracenyl) propenone; bpy=2,2'bipyridine] are synthesized and characterized using a battery of physicochemical techniques and X-ray crystallography. A distorted square pyramidal geometry is assigned to them with N 2 O 3 coordination core around the metal ion. The co-ligand L binds the metal ions through its O,O' atoms in anti-syn mode. The metal centers in complexes 1 and 2 are separated via bridging nitrato group at a distance of 6.073Å and 5.635Å respectively. Their structures and absorption spectra are supported by the computational studies using density functional theory (DFT) and TD-DFT. Both complexes exhibit nuclease activity and cleave supercoiled (form I) DNA. The complex 1 preferentially binds major groove of DNA and follows an oxidative pathway whereas complex 2 binds with minor groove of DNA via hydrolytic pathway. Both complexes inhibit topoisomerase I relaxation activity with IC 50 values of 7 and 35μM. Molecular docking studies support the groove binding and topoisomerase I binding of the complexes. The complex 1 showed a significant cytotoxicity against HeLa cell lines (a cervical cancer cell lines) in vitro with IC 50 value calculated as 2.9±0.021μM as compared to 28.2±0. 044μΜ for complex 2. Complex 2 induces the cell apoptosis at a later-stage as compared to complex 1. The cell apoptosis and topoisomerase inhibition by complexes enable them to be potential candidates as future anticancer drugs., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Growing smartphone usage among global and Indian college students has resulted in considerable issues of "nomophobia" (NMP) or feelings of discomfort or anxiety experienced by individuals whenever unable to use their smartphones. This significantly impacts their health, work, and study., Objective: The objective of this study is to find out the prevalence of NMP among smartphone using medical and engineering undergraduates of West Bengal and to compare the nomophobic behaviors, its predictors, and smartphone usage among them., Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 303 medical and 305 engineering undergraduates in West Bengal using a validated NMP questionnaire consisting of four factors. Comparison of means of individual questions and factor scores was done. Nomophobic clusters among the two groups were identified using two-stage cluster analysis. Binary logistic regression was used for comparison of predictors of NMP., Results: Engineering students showed a higher proportion of nomophobics (44.6%) than medical students (42.6%). Significant higher means was observed among engineering students for the factor "giving upconvenience" and individual variables like "scared due to running out of battery," "nervous due to disconnection from online identity," "uncomfortable when unable stay up-to-date with social media" and "anxious when unable to check E-mails." A Higher proportion of nomophobics among both groups were females, those owning smartphone beyond 2 years, having monthly mobile bill above Rs. 200 and spending over 4 h daily on smartphone., Conclusion: NMP has emerged as a significant cause of concern among both the groups. Standardized measures for identification and appropriate psychobehavioral therapy for those seeking help might alleviate the problem.