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Bioactive secondary metabolites from fungi, including Trichoderma, are an excellent source of plant biostimulants. Although production of novel biostimulants from known microbes is critical, challenging them may produce novel bioactive compounds. With this hypothesis, the study used live Fusarium chlamydosporum (FOL7) culture as the inducer during T. harzianum (IF63) growth in broth. Plate assays and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis were used to characterise the metabolites. Microscopy, pot experiments and, biochemical estimations of the defence-related enzymes in tomato plants established the biostimulant activity of the induced Trichoderma metabolites. Fungal crude metabolites (FCM) obtained from IF63+FOL7 extracts (TF.ex) showed increased antimicrobial activity. TF.ex at 50 μg mL -1 , inhibited the FOL7 growth by 68.33% compared to the Trichoderma alone extract. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed morphological disruption of FOL7 mycelia by TF.ex. GC-MS analysis of the extracts revealed the presence of approximately 64 compounds, of which at least 13 were detected explicitly in TF.ex. Methyl (3-oxo-2-pentylcyclopentyl) acetate (Methyl dihydrojasmonate), a lipid functionally related to jasmonic acid, was the major metabolite (∼21%) present in TF.ex. Tomato seed dressing with TF.ex promoted plant growth and induced systemic resistance against FOL7 compared to alone Trichoderma and Fusarium extracts. The TF.ex treatment increased the superoxide dismutase (33%) and catalase activity by 2.5-fold in tomato plants. The study concludes that fungal secondary metabolites may be modulated by providing appropriate challenges to produce effective metabolite-based biostimulants for agricultural applications., 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.)

The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the functional activity and storage viability (at 4 °C and 35 °C) of an immobilized as well as lyophilized multienzyme, viz., pectinase, cellulase, and amylase (PCA) that was produced by Bacillus subtilis NG105 under solid state fermentation (SSF) at 35 ℃ for 10 days using mosambi peel as a substrate. After SSF, the culture media was divided into two aliquots. From the first aliquot, the produced ME was extracted, precipitated, and further immobilized on calcium alginate beads (MEICA). In order to immobilize on mosambi peel matrix, the second aliquot was mixed with acetone and subsequently lyophilized (MELMP). Thus, ready MEICA and MELMP extracted 87.5 and 91.5% juice from mango pulp, respectively. In the reusability study, after 5 cycles, MEICA exhibited 23.8%, 24.4%, and 36.5% PCA activity, respectively. The PCA activity of MEICA and MELMP was examined after 60 days of storage at 4 ℃. The result revealed that the PCA for MEICA declined from 100 to 66%, 58.2%, and 64.5%, respectively, while for MELMP, it dropped from 100 to 84.2%, 82.1%, and 69.7%, respectively. Further, after 60 days of storage, the reduction of total protein content (TPC) in free multienzyme (FME), MEICA, and MELMP was 92.2%, 91.5%, and 36.3% observed, respectively. In the localization study, the maximum levels of multienzyme activity were found in cell exudates. This study demonstrated that immobilizing of multienzyme through lyophilization on waste substrates like mosambi peel boosted its stability and shelf-life along with greatly reducing the cost of products., (© 2023. Institute of Microbiology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, v.v.i.)

Background: Bacterial community found in biodynamic preparations (BD500-BD507) can help improve soil health, plant development, yield, and quality. The current work describes a metagenomic investigation of these preparations to identify the bacterial communities along with the functional diversity present within them., Results: Metagenome sequencing was performed using the Illumina MiSeq platform, which employs next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology, to provide an understanding of the bacterial communities and their functional diversity in BD preparations. NGS data of BD preparations revealed that maximum operational taxonomic units (OTUs) of the phylum Proteobacteria were present in BD506 (23429) followed by BD505 (22712) and BD501 (21591), respectively. Moreover, unclassified phylum (16657) and genus (16657) were also highest in BD506. Maximum alpha diversity was reported in BD501 (1095 OTU) and minimum in BD507 (257 OTU). Further, the OTUs for five major metabolic functional groups viz carbohydrate metabolism, xenobiotic degradation, membrane transport functions, energy metabolism, and enzyme activities were abundant in BD506 and BD501., Conclusion: The bacterial communities in BD506 and BD501 are found to be unique and rare; they belong to functional categories that are involved in enzyme activity, membrane transport, xenobiotic degradation, and carbohydrate metabolism. These preparations might therefore be thought to be more effective. The investigation also found a highly varied population of bacteria, which could explain why BD preparations work well in the field. In view of this, the BD preparations may be utilized for unexploited bacterial communities for sustainable agriculture production., 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. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Coronaviruses are a diverse family of viruses, and new strains can emerge. While the majority of coronavirus strains cause mild respiratory illnesses, a few are responsible for severe diseases such as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS). SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19, is an example of a coronavirus that has led to a pandemic. Coronaviruses can mutate over time, potentially leading to the emergence of new variants. Some of these variants may have increased transmissibility or resistance to existing vaccines and treatments. The emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic in the recent past has sparked innovation in curbing virus spread, with sanitizers and disinfectants taking center stage. These essential tools hinder pathogen dissemination, especially for unvaccinated or rapidly mutating viruses. The World Health Organization supports the use of alcohol-based sanitizers and disinfectants globally against pandemics. However, there are ongoing concerns about their widespread usage and their potential impact on human health, animal well-being, and ecological equilibrium. In this ever-changing scenario, metal nanoparticles hold promise in combating a range of pathogens, including SARS-CoV-2, as well as other viruses such as norovirus, influenza, and HIV-1. This review explores their potential as non-alcoholic champions against SARS-CoV-2 and other pandemics of tomorrow. This extends beyond metal nanoparticles and advocates a balanced examination of pandemic control tools, exploring their strengths and weaknesses. The manuscript thus involves the evaluation of metal nanoparticle-based alternative approaches as hand sanitizers and disinfectants, providing a comprehensive perspective on this critical issue., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Green technology has been developed for the quick production of stabilized silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), with the assistance of nitrate reductase from an isolated culture of Aspergillus terreus N4. The organism's intracellular and periplasmic fractions contained nitrate reductase, with the former demonstrating the highest activity of 0.20 IU/g of mycelium. When the fungus was cultivated in a medium comprising 1.056% glucose, 1.836% peptone, 0.3386% yeast extract, and 0.025% KNO 3 , the greatest nitrate reductase productivity of 0.3268 IU/g was achieved. Statistical modeling via response surface methodology was used to optimize the enzyme production. The periplasmic and intracellular enzyme fractions were found to convert Ag + to Ag 0 , initiating synthesis within 20 min, with predominant nanoparticle sizes between 25 and 30 nm. By normalizing the effects of temperature, pH, AgNO 3 concentration, and mycelium age with a variable shaking period for enzyme release, the production of AgNPs with the periplasmic fraction was optimized. The synthesis of nanoparticles occurred at temperatures of 30, 40, and 50 °C, with the highest yield observed at 40 and 50 °C during shorter incubation periods. Similarly, the nanoparticles were synthesized at pH levels of 7.0, 8.0, and 9.0, with the greatest production observed at pH 8.0 and 9.0 at lower incubation periods. The antimicrobial activity of AgNPs was demonstrated against common foodborne pathogens, including Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella typhimurium, indicating their potential as non-alcoholic disinfectants., 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 B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: The MYB family is one of the most significant groups of transcription factors in plants. However, several MYBs have been linked to secondary metabolism and are important for determining the color of fruit's peel and pulp. Despite being a substantial fruit crop in tropical and subtropical areas of the world, wilt-resistant hybrid guava (Psidium guajava × Psidium molle; PGPM) has not yet been the subject of a thorough examination. This study's goal was to assess the expression of MYB in guava fruit pulp, roots, and seeds to predict its function by in silico analysis of the guava root transcriptome data., Results: In the current study, we have mined the MYBs family of MYB genes from the transcriptome of the PGPM guava root. We have mined 15 distinct MYB transcription factor genes/transcripts viz MYB3, MYB4, MYB23, MYB86, MYB90, MYB308, MYB5, MYB82, MYB114, MYB6, MYB305, MYB44, MYB51, MYB46, and MYB330. From the analyses, it was found that R2-MYB and R3-MYB domains are conserved in all known guava MYB proteins. The expression of six different MYB TFs was examined using semi-quantitative RT-PCR in "Shweta" pulp (white colour pulp), "Lalit" pulp (red color pulp), "Lalit" root, and "Lalit" seed., Conclusion: There were 15 MYB family members observed in guava. They were unequally distributed across the chromosomes, most likely as a result of gene duplication. Additionally, the expression patterns of the particular MYBs showed that MYB may be involved in the control of wilt, fruit ripening, seed development, and root development. Our results allow for a more thorough functional characterization of the guava MYB family genes and open the door to additional research into one essential MYB transcription factor family of genes and its involvement in the growth and ripening of guava fruit., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

An improved vaccine is urgently needed to replace the now more than 100-year-old Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine against tuberculosis (TB) disease, which represents a significant burden on global public health. Mycolic acid, or cord factor trehalose 6,6' dimycolate (TDM), a lipid component abundant in the cell wall of the pathogen Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB), has been shown to have strong immunostimulatory activity but remains underexplored due to its high toxicity and poor solubility. Herein, we employed a novel strategy to encapsulate TDM within a cubosome lipid nanocarrier as a potential subunit nanovaccine candidate against TB. This strategy not only increased the solubility and reduced the toxicity of TDM but also elicited a protective immune response to control MTB growth in macrophages. Both pre-treatment and concurrent treatment of the TDM encapsulated in lipid monoolein (MO) cubosomes (MO-TDM) (1 mol %) induced a strong proinflammatory cytokine response in MTB-infected macrophages, due to epigenetic changes at the promoters of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin 6 (IL-6) in comparison to the untreated control. Furthermore, treatment with MO-TDM (1 mol %) cubosomes significantly improved antigen processing and presentation capabilities of MTB-infected macrophages to CD4 T cells. The ability of MO-TDM (1 mol %) cubosomes to induce a robust innate and adaptive response in vitro was further supported by a mathematical modeling study predicting the vaccine efficacy in vivo. Overall, these results indicate a strong immunostimulatory effect of TDM when delivered through the lipid nanocarrier, suggesting its potential as a novel TB vaccine.

Evidently proven medicinal benefits of Tinospora cordifolia and the growing demand of functional foods have created scientific interest in the functional beverage. Therefore, an attempt was made to prepare probiotic Lactiplantibacillus pentosus GSSK2 supplemented herbal wine having the benefits of both phytochemical and probiotic. Experimentally, fermentation of Tinospora cordifolia stem was found to be the most effective with ammonium dihydrogen phosphate, potassium phosphate, magnesium sulfate, isoleucine, and thiamine that yielded maximum ethanol (6.8 to 10%), total phenol (419 to 791.5 µg/ml), and antioxidants capacity (98.2 to 160.4 µmol/ml) after optimizing physical parameters, i.e., 20° Brix total soluble solid, pH 4.5, temperature 30 °C, and 10% (v/v) inoculum. Further, prepared herbal wine was supplemented separately with seven different probiotic strains and among these Lactiplantibacillus pentosus GSSK2 had the highest 88.6% survival rate compared with other probiotics and was safe showing 100% survivability of HEK-293 and THP-1 cells. Both herbal- and probiotic-supplemented herbal wine showed the antimicrobial potential against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria as probiotic-supplemented herbal wine had 19-21 mm inhibition zone compared with 18-19 mm with herbal wine. LC-MS analysis of the probiotic-supplemented herbal wine revealed the presence of various phytochemicals such as alkaloids, diterpenoid lactone, glycoside, steroids having anti-bacterial, anti-oxidant, and anti-inflammatory potential. This is the first ever such study to demonstrate the antibacterial, antioxidant potential and safety of probiotic supplemented herbal wine in vitro., Competing Interests: Conflict of interestOn behalf of all authors, the corresponding author states that there is no conflict of interest., (© King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology 2023, Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.)

Background: Fenugreek is known to have good anti-diabetes properties. Moreover, several studies accounted that the trivalent form of chromium [Cr(III)] also have anti-diabetic properties. However, its hexavalent form i.e., Cr(VI) is known to be highly toxic and carcinogenic to living beings and retarded plant growth even if it is present in low concentration in soil. Many plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) are reported to have the potential to reduce the Cr(VI) into Cr(III) in soil. In view of the above, the present objective was designed to effectively utilize Cr(VI) reducing PGPRs for the growth and development of fenugreek plant in Cr(VI) amended soil, apart from reducing Cr(VI) in soil and fortification of Cr(III) in the aerial part of plants., Methods: The experiment was carried out to evaluate the effect of Cr(VI)-reducing PGPRs viz. Bacillus cereus (SUCR44); Microbacterium sp. (SUCR140); Bacillus thuringiensis (SUCR186) and B. subtilis (SUCR188) on growth, uptake and translocation of Cr as well as other physiological parameters in fenugreek grown under artificially Cr(VI) amended soil (100 mg kg -1 of Cr(VI) in soil)., Results: The aforementioned concentration of Cr(VI) in soil cause severe reduction in root length (41 %), plant height (43 %), dry root (38 %) and herb biomass (48 %), when compared with control negative (CN; uninoculated plant not grown in Cr(VI) contaminated soil). However, the presence of Microbacterium sp.-SURC140 (MB) mitigates the Cr toxicity resulting in improved root length (92 %), plant height (86 %), dry root (74 %) and herb biomass (99 %) as compared with control positive (CP; uninoculated plants grown in Cr(VI) contaminated soil). The maximum reduction in bioavailability (82 %) of Cr(VI) in soil and its uptake (50 %) by the plant were also observed in MB-treated plants. However, All Cr(VI)-reducing PGPRs failed to decrease the translocation of Cr to the aerial parts. Moreover, the plant treated with MB observed diminution in relative water content (13 %), electrolyte leakage (16%) and lipid peroxidation (38 %) as well as higher chlorophyll (37 %) carotenoids (17 %) contents and antioxidants (18%) potential., Conclusion: This study demonstrates that MB can lower the Cr(VI) toxicity to the plant by reducing the bioavailable Cr(VI), consequently reducing the Cr(VI) toxicity level in soil and helping in improving the growth and yield of fenugreek. Additionally, Cr(III) uptakes and translocation may improve the effectiveness of fenugreek in treating diabetes., Competing Interests: Conflicts of interest The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.)

Waterborne diseases are known as a leading cause of illness and death in both developing and developed countries. Several pathogens can be present in contaminated water, particularly waters containing faecal material; however, routine monitoring of all pathogens is not currently possible. Enterococcus faecalis , which is present in the microflora of human and animals has been used as a faecal indicator in water due to its abundance in surface water and soil. Accurate and fast detection methods are critical for the effective monitoring of E. faecalis in the environment. Although conventional and current molecular detection techniques provide sufficient sensitivity, specificity and throughput, their use is hampered by the long waiting period (1-6 days) to obtain results, the need for expensive laboratory equipment, skilled personnel, and cold-chain storage. Therefore, this study aimed to develop a detection system for E. faecalis that would be simple, rapid, and low-cost, using an isothermal DNA amplification assay called recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA), integrated with a lateral flow assay (LFA). The assay was found to be 100% selective for E. faecalis and capable of detecting rates as low as 2.8 × 10 3 cells per 100 mL from water and wastewater, and 2.8 × 10 4 cells per 100 mL from saline water. The assay was completed in approximately 30 min using one constant temperature (38 °C). In addition, this study demonstrated the quantitation of E. faecalis using a lateral flow strip reader for the first time, enhancing the potential use of RPA assay for the enumeration of E. faecalis in wastewater and heavily contaminated environmental waters, surface water, and wastewater. However, the sensitivity of the RPA-LFA assay for the detection of E. faecalis in tap water, saline water and in wastewater was 10-1000 times lower than that of the Enterolert-E test, depending on the water quality. Nevertheless, with further improvements, this low-cost RPA-LFA may be suitable to be used at the point-of-need (PON) if conjugated with a rapid field-deployable DNA extraction method.

Aim: The aim of this study is to deduce the cephalometric norms for orthognathic surgery in Chhattisgarh population by comparing with the analysis given by Burstone et al. for hard tissue and Legan and Burstone for soft tissue., Materials and Methods: Lateral cephalograms of 70 subjects (35 male and 35 female) aged between 18 and 25 years having class I malocclusion, acceptable facial profile were recorded and traced for the analysis and interpretation using landmarks and values given by Burstone's analysis were obtained and further comparison was done for the values obtained for the Chhattisgarh population with that of Caucasians., Results: Findings of our study were statistically significant as considerable skeletal differences were found between men and women of Chhattisgarh origin compared to Caucasian origin. Many contrasting findings were discovered in our study group from that of the Caucasian population with respect to the maxillo-mandibular relation, vertical hard tissues parameters. Less differences were found in horizontal hard tissue parameters and dental parameters among the two study populations., Conclusion: The differences found must be kept in consideration during analysis of cephalogram for orthognathic surgeries. Values obtained can be considered to assess deformities and surgical planning to achieve optimal results for Chhattisgarh population., Clinical Significance: The understanding of normal human adult's facial measurements are important to assess craniofacial dimensions and facial deformities and to monitor postoperative results in orthognathic surgeries. Cephalometric norms can be a beneficial abet to clinicians in ascertaining the patient abnormalities. Norms define the ideal cephalometric measurements for patients based on factors such as age, sex, size and race. It has become apparent over years that significant variations do occur among and between the individuals of different racial origins., Competing Interests: Conflict of interestThe authors declare that they have no conflict of interest., (© The Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons of India 2021.)

Herein, we identified a potent lead compound RRA2, within a series of 54 derivatives of 1,2,4-triazolethiols (exhibit good potency as an anti-mycobacterial agents) against intracellular Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb). Compound RRA2 showed significant mycobactericidal activity against active stage Mycobacterium bovis BCG and Mtb with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values of 2.3 and 2.0 µg/mL, respectively. At MIC value, RRA2 compound yielded 0.82 log reduction of colony-forming unit (cfu) against non-replicating Mtb. Furthermore, RRA2 compound was selected for further target identification due to the presence of alkyne group, showing higher selectivity index (> 66.66 ± 0.22, in non-replicating stage). Using "click" chemistry, we synthesized the biotin linker-RRA2 conjugate, purified with HPLC method and confirmed the conjugation of biotin linker-RRA2 complex by HR-MS analysis. Furthermore, we successfully pulled down and identified a specific target protein GroEl2, from Mtb whole-cell extract. Furthermore, computational molecular modeling indicated RRA2 could interact with GroEl2, which explains the structure-activity relationship observed in this study. GroEL-2 identified a potent and specific target protein for RRA 2 compound in whole cell extract of Mtb H37Ra., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.)

An integrated approach involving vermicompost, chromate reducing bacteria and AMF was tested to manage the toxic impacts of Cr(VI) on Ocimum basilicum as a model plant. Pot experiments were conducted on O. basilicum plants in an artificially Cr(VI)-contaminated soil in two phases of experiment as bioinoculants experiment and vermicompost experiment. In the first phase of the bioinoculants experiment the series of gradient concentrations of Cr(VI) (0, 25, 50 and 100 mg kg -1 in soil) were evaluated with previously isolated four efficient Cr(VI)-reducing rhizo-bacterial strains (Bacillus Cereus strain SUCR 44, BC; Microbacterium sp. strain SUCR 140, MB; Bacillus thuringiensis strain SUCR186, BT; and Bacillus subtilis strain SUCR188; BS) along with Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungus-Glomus fasciculatum (GF) in alone and in co-inoculation form. In the second experiment (vermicompost) the best performing strain (MB) was tested alone or in combination with GF along with different doses of vermicompost. It was observed that vermicompost by itself could be useful in decreasing the bioavailable Cr(VI), uptake of Cr besides improving the nutritional status of plants. The vermicompost also played an important and indirect role and improved herb yield by supporting the multiplication of MB (Microbacterium sp.), an efficient chromate reducing rhizobacteria, that further decreased the bioavailable and toxic form of Cr and improved population and colonization of GF too. The translocation of Cr(VI) was averted through improved colonization of GF, also prevented higher accumulation of Cr in aerial parts (leafy herb) of O. basilicum., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

The indiscriminate use of organophosphate insecticide chlorpyrifos in agricultural crops causes significant soil and water pollution and poses a serious threat to the global community. In this study, a microbial consortium ERM C-1 containing bacterial strains Pseudomonas putida T7, Pseudomonas aeruginosa M2, Klebsiella pneumoniae M6, and a fungal strain Aspergillus terreus TF1 was developed for the effective degradation of chlorpyrifos. Results revealed that microbial strains were not only utilizing chlorpyrifos (500 mg L -1 ) but also coupled with plant growth-promoting characteristics and laccase production. PGP traits, that is, IAA (35.53, 45.53, 25.19, and 25.53 μg mL -1 ), HCN (19.85, 17.85, 12.18, and 9.85 μg mL -1 ), and ammonium (14.73, 16.73, 8.05, and 10.87 μg mL -1 ) production, and potassium (49.53, 66.72, 46.14, and 52.72 μg mL -1 ), phosphate (52.37, 63.89, 33.33, and 71.89 μg mL -1 ), and zinc (29.75, 49.75, 49.12, and 57.75 μg mL -1 ) solubilization tests were positive for microbial strains T7, M2, M6, and TF1, respectively. The laccase activity by ERM C-1 was estimated as 37.53, 57.16, and 87.57 enzyme U mL -1 after 5, 10, and 15 days of incubation, respectively. Chlorpyrifos degradation was associated with ERM C-1 and laccase activity, and the degree of enzyme activity was higher in the consortium than in individual strains. The biodegradation study with developed consortium ERM C-1 showed a decreased chlorpyrifos concentration from the 7th day of incubation (65.77% degradation) followed by complete disappearance (100% degradation) after the 30th day of incubation in the MS medium. First-order degradation kinetics with a linear model revealed a high k -day value and low t 1/2 value in ERM C-1. The results of HPLC and GC-MS analysis proved that consortium ERM C-1 was capable of completely removing chlorpyrifos by co-metabolism mechanism., 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 © 2022 Kumar, Lal, Soni, Maurya, Shukla, Chaudhary, Bhattacherjee and Garg.)

Fruit and vegetable wastes create unhygienic conditions and pose a environmental pollution. The utilization of such wastes as carbon sources for production of enzyme with microbial intervention could be an ecofriendly and profitable approach, apart from diminishing the waste load. The present investigation focused on the feasibility of using mosambi (Citrus limetta) peel as substrate for multienzyme production (pectinase, cellulase and amylase) through microbial intervention. Fifteen fungi were isolated from organic waste and screened in vitro their potential of biodegradation of mosambi peel through enzymes production. The best performing isolate was selected and identified as Trichoderma asperellum NG-125 (accession number-MW287256). Conditions viz. temperature, pH, incubation time and nutrient addition were optimized for efficient enzymes production. The maximum enzyme activity (U ml -1  min -1 ) of pectinase (595.7 ± 2.47), cellulase (497.3 ± 2.06) and amylase (440.9 ± 1.44) were observed at pH 5.5, incubation temperature of 30 °C after 10 days of fermentation. Moreover, macro-nutrients such as ammonium sulfate (0.1%) and potassium-di-hydrogen-ortho-phosphate (0.01%) further also enhanced the production of enzymes. The SDS-PAGE analysis of purified pectinase, cellulase and amylase using showed molecular mass of 43, 66 and 33 kDa, respectively. The enzyme retention activity (ERA) of aforesaid enzymes was also tested with four different natural fiber matrices viz., bagasse, rice husk, paddy straw and wheat straw. Among these, the maximum ERA was observed on bagasse matrix (pectinase-56.35%, cellulose-77.68% and amylase 59.54%). Enzymatic juice clarification yield obtained with test enzyme was 75.8%, as compared to 80.5% of commercial enzyme. The result indicates that T. asperellum may be exploited as multifaceted biocatalysis., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Enzymes, also known as biocatalysts, display vital properties like high substrate specificity, an eco-friendly nature, low energy inputs, and cost-effectiveness. Among their numerous known applications, enzymes that can target biofilms or their components are increasingly being investigated for their anti-biofouling action, particularly in healthcare, food manufacturing units and environmental applications. Enzymes can target biofilms at different levels like during the attachment of microorganisms, formation of exopolymeric substances (EPS), and their disruption thereafter. In this regard, a consortium of carbohydrases that can target heterogeneous polysaccharides present in the EPS matrix may provide an effective alternative to conventional chemical anti-biofouling methods. Further, for complete annihilation of biofilms, enzymes can be used alone or in conjunction with other antimicrobial agents. Enzymes hold the promise to replace the conventional methods with greener, more economical, and more efficient alternatives. The present article explores the potential and future perspectives of using carbohydrases as effective anti-biofilm agents.

Aim  The aim of the study is to determine improvements in perinatal mortality at the end of the first 2 years from the initiation of the Samrakshan program of the Indian Radiological and Imaging Association. Methods  Samrakshan is a screening program of pregnant women that uses trimester-specific risk assessment protocols including maternal demographics, mean arterial pressure, and fetal Doppler studies to classify women as high risk or low risk for preterm preeclampsia (PE) and fetal growth restriction (FGR). Low dose aspirin 150 mg daily once at bedtime was started for pregnant women identified as high risk in the 11-13 6/7 weeks screening. The third-trimester screening focused on the staging of FGR and protocol-based management for childbirth and risk assessment for PE. Outcomes of childbirth including gestational age at delivery, development of PE, and perinatal mortality outcomes were collected. Results  Radiologists from 38 districts of 16 states of India participated in the Samrakshan program that screened 2,816 first trimester, 3,267 second trimester, and 3,272 third trimester pregnant women, respectively. At 2 years, preterm PE was identified in 2.76%, preterm births in 19.28%, abnormal Doppler study in 25.76% of third trimester pregnancies, and 75.32% of stage 1 FGR delivered at term. The neonatal mortality rate was 9.86/1,000 live births, perinatal mortality rate was 18.97/1,000 childbirths, and maternal mortality was 58/100,000 live births compared with 29.5, 36, and 113, respectively in 2016. Conclusion  Fetal Doppler integrated antenatal ultrasound studies in Samrakshan led to a significant reduction in preterm PE rates, preterm birth rates, and a significant improvement in mean birth weights. Perinatal, neonatal, and maternal mortality rates are significantly better than the targets for 2030 set by the Sustainable Development Goals-3., Competing Interests: Conflict of Interest None declared., (Indian Radiological Association. This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonDerivative-NonCommercial License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commercial purposes, or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ ).)

Papaya leaves are used frequently for curing scores of ailments. The medicinal properties of papaya leaves are due to presence of certain bioactive/pharmacological compounds. However, the papaya leaf curl virus (PaLCuV), a geminivirus, is a major threat to papaya cultivation globally. During the present investigation, we observed that PaLCuV infection significantly altered the anatomy, physiology, and bioactive properties of papaya leaves. As compared to healthy leaves, the PaLCuV-infected leaves were found to have reduced stomatal density (76.83%), stomatal conductance (78.34%), photosynthesis rate (74.87%), water use efficiency (82.51%), chlorophyll (72.88%), carotenoid (46.63%), osmolality (48.55%), and soluble sugars (70.37%). We also found lower enzymatic activity (superoxide dismutase (SOD), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), and catalase (CAT)-56.88%, 85.27%, and 74.49%, respectively). It was found that the size of guard cells (50%), transpiration rate (45.05%), intercellular CO 2 concentration (47.81%), anthocyanin (27.47%), proline content (74.17%), malondialdehyde (MDA) (106.65%), and electrolyte leakage (75.38%) was elevated in PaLCuV-infected leaves. The chlorophyll fluorescence analysis showed that the infected plant leaves had a significantly lower value of maximal quantum yield of photosystem II (PSII (Fv/Fm), photochemical quantum yield of photosystem I (PSI (Y(I)), and effective quantum yield of PSII (Y(II)). However, in non-photochemical quenching mechanisms, the proportion of energy dissipated in heat form (Y(NPQ)) was found to be significantly higher. We also tested the bioactivity of infected and healthy papaya leaf extracts on a Caenorhabditis elegans ( C. elegans ) model system. It was found that the crude extract of papaya leaves significantly enhanced the life span of C. elegans (29.7%) in comparison to virus-infected leaves (18.4%) on application of 100 µg/mL dose of the crude extract. Our research indicates that the PaLCuV-infected leaves not only had anatomical and physiological losses, but that pharmacological potential was also significantly decreased.

In this research, pure deterministic system has been established by a new Distributed Energy Efficient Clustering Protocol with Enhanced Threshold (DEECET) by clustering sensor nodes to originate the wireless sensor network. The DEECET is very dynamic, highly distributive, self-confessed and much energy efficient as compared to most of the other existing protocols. The MATLAB simulation provides aim proved result by means of energy dissipation being emulated in the networks lifespan for homogeneous as well as heterogeneous sensor network, which when contrasted for other traditional protocols. An enhanced result has been obtained for equitable energy dissipation for systematized networks using DEECET., (© The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2021.)

Endophytes are regarded with immense potentials in terms of plant growth promoting (PGP) elicitors and mimicking secondary metabolites of medicinal importance. Here in the present study, we explored Bacopa monnieri plants to isolate, identify fungal endophytes with PGP elicitation potentials, and investigate secretion of secondary metabolites such as bacoside and withanolide content under in vitro conditions. Three fungal endophytes isolated (out of 40 saponin producing isolates) from leaves of B. monnieri were examined for in vitro biosynthesis of bacosides. On morphological, biochemical, and molecular identification (ITS gene sequencing), the isolated strains SUBL33, SUBL51, and SUBL206 were identified as Nigrospora oryzae (MH071153), Alternaria alternata (MH071155), and Aspergillus terreus (MH071154) respectively. Among these strains, SUBL33 produced highest quantity of Bacoside A 3 (4093 μg mL -1 ), Jujubogenin isomer of Bacopasaponin C (65,339 μg mL -1 ), and Bacopasaponin C (1325 μg mL -1 ) while Bacopaside II (13,030 μg mL -1 ) was produced by SUBL51 maximally. Moreover, these aforementioned strains also produced detectable concentration of withanolides-Withaferrin A, Withanolide A (480 μg mL -1 ), and Withanolide B (1024 μg mL -1 ) respectively. However, Withanolide A was not detected in the secondary metabolites of strain SUBL51. To best of our knowledge, the present study is first reports of Nigrospora oryzae as an endophyte in B. monnieri with potentials of biosynthesis of economically important phytomolecules under in vitro conditions., (© 2021. Sociedade Brasileira de Microbiologia.)

Chronic disruption of circadian rhythms which include intricate molecular transcription-translation feedback loops of evolutionarily conserved clock genes has serious health consequences and negatively affects cardiovascular physiology. Sirtuins (SIRTs) are nuclear, cytoplasmic and mitochondrial histone deacetylases that influence the circadian clock with clock-controlled oscillatory protein, NAMPT, and its metabolite NAD + . Sirtuins are linked to the multi-organ protective role of melatonin, particularly in acute kidney injury and in cardiovascular diseases, where melatonin, via upregulation of SIRT1 expression, inhibits the apoptotic pathway. This review focuses on SIRT1, an NAD + -dependent class III histone deacetylase which counterbalances the intrinsic histone acetyltransferase activity of one of the clock genes, CLOCK. SIRT1 is involved in the development of cardiomyocytes, regulation of voltage-gated cardiac sodium ion channels via deacetylation, prevention of atherosclerotic plaque formation in the cardiovascular system, protection against oxidative damage and anti-thrombotic actions. Overall, SIRT1 has a see-saw effect on cardioprotection, with low levels being cardioprotective and higher levels leading to cardiac hypertrophy.

Biofilm formation on both biotic and abiotic surfaces accounts for a major factor in spread of antimicrobial resistance. Due to their ubiquitous nature, biofilms are of great concern for environment as well as human health. In the present study, an integrated process for the co-production of a cocktail of carbohydrases from a natural variant of Aspergillus niger was designed. The enzyme cocktail was found to have a noteworthy potential to eradicate/disperse the biofilms of selected pathogens. For application of enzymes as an antibiofilm agent, the enzyme productivities were enhanced by statistical modelling using response surface methodology (RSM). The antibiofilm potential of the enzyme cocktail was studied in terms of (i) in vitro cell dispersal assay (ii) release of reducing sugars from the biofilm polysaccharides (iii) the effect of enzyme treatment on biofilm cells and architecture by confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). Potential of the enzyme cocktail to disrupt/disperse the biofilm of selected pathogens from biopolymer surfaces was also assessed by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) analysis. Further, their usage in conjunction with antibiotics was assessed and it was inferred from the results that the use of enzyme cocktail augmented the efficacy of the antibiotics. The study thus provides promising insights into the prospect of using multiple carbohydrases for management of heterogeneous biofilms formed in natural and clinical settings.

Lipid nanoparticles of internal cubic symmetry, termed cuboplexes, are potential nonviral delivery vehicles for gene therapy due to their "topologically active" nature, which may enhance endosomal escape and improve delivery outcomes. In this study, we have used cationic cuboplexes, based on monoolein (MO) doped with a cationic lipid, for the encapsulation and delivery of antisense green fluorescent protein (GFP)-small interfering RNA (siRNA) into Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO)-GFP cells. Agarose gel electrophoresis has confirmed the successful encapsulation of siRNA within cationic cubosomes, while synchrotron small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) demonstrated that the underlying cubic nanostructure of the particles was retained following encapsulation. The cationic cubosomes were shown to be reasonably nontoxic against the CHO-GFP cell line. Fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) provided evidence of the successful transfection to CHO-GFP cells. Knockdown efficiency was strongly linked to the type of cationic lipid used, although all cubosomes had essentially the same internal nanostructure. The gene knockdown efficiency for some cationic cubosomes was shown to be higher than lipofectamine, which is a commercially available liposome-based formulation, while the controlled release of the siRNA from the cubosomes over a 72 h period was observed using confocal microscopy. This combination exemplifies the potential of cationic cuboplexes as a novel, nonviral, controlled-release delivery vector for siRNA.

The ability of the multidentate nucleobases, adenine and thymine, to coordinate polyoxometalate and metal ions leading to the formation of self-assembled nanostructures and their strong cytotoxicity toward cancer cell lines have been demonstrated. A unique synthetic approach is developed to make a series of functional nanoscale hybrid materials consisting of nucleobases (adenine and thymine) and phosphomolybdic acid (PMA) through solid state chemical reaction and self-assembly process. Adenine was protonated through its ring nitrogen, while the ketone group in thymine was protonated during the addition of PMA to these nucleobases. The self-assembled nanostructures formed as a result of the electrostatic interaction between the protonated nucleobases and polyanionic PMA. To promote the base pairing between the nucleobases, chloroaurate ions and silver ions were added to each PMA/adenine and PMA/thymine nanostructures. The complexation between the nucleobases and the added metal ions was found to drive the formation of subsequent self-assembled nanostructures. All the materials were screened for their anticancer activity against breast (MDAMB-231) and prostate (PC-3) cancer cells, and non-cancerous keratinocyte cells HaCaT. PMA/adenine/[AuCl4]- and PMA/thymine/Ag+ nanostructures were found to have strong anti-cancer activity, while PMA/adenine/Ag+, PMA/thymine/[AuCl4]-, and PMA/pdenine, PMA/thymine nanostructures did not exhibit such activity. The unique redox properties of these materials and the self-assembly of the PMA and metal ions were the major factors responsible for the cytotoxicity. This unique approach of making functional nanomaterials incorporate the nucleobase, PMA and metal ions using solid state self-assembly and their anti-cancer applications are considered to be an effective approach for the development of inorganic nucleoside analogue bio-pharmaceutical agents.

Several studies have reported activity patterns of various diurnal species from the order Rodentia, in which most of the species are nocturnal. Most of these studies have been performed under controlled laboratory conditions. These studies found that most of these species change their activity patterns when held under laboratory conditions, have a diverse masking response to light, and their activity pattern is influenced by the presence of a running wheel. Squirrels are reported to be strictly diurnal both in the field as well as in laboratory settings, and, therefore, form an interesting species to study to better understand the switch to diurnality. The aim of the current study is to characterize the masking response and temporal organization of wheel-running activity rhythms in the palm squirrel, Funambulus pennantii , under semi-natural (NLD) and controlled laboratory conditions using different lighting schedules. Squirrels were housed individually in a resting cage with running wheel under NLD (n = 10) and squared 12:12 h of light-dark cycle (LD) (n = 20). After stable entrainment under the LD condition, squirrels were divided into two groups. One group was housed under constant darkness (DD) (n = 10) and another group under constant light (LL) (n = 10). Following the stable free-running rhythm under DD and LL, the LD condition was reinforced. The kinetics of the endogenous pacemaker was studied following a 6 h phase advance or delay of LD cycle. Further, palm squirrels were subjected to a 3.5: 3.5 h LD cycle to evaluate the masking response to light and dark. Squirrels demonstrated stable, clear, robust, and strict diurnal activity rhythm during NLD and LD. In DD and LL, F. pennantii free-ran from the phase of the previous LD cycle, and the free-running period was longer in LL than in DD. The percentage of activity during the light phase was significantly higher in NLD and LD (above 96%) compared to activity during the subjective day in the DD and LL conditions (above 91%). The alpha/rho ratio was significantly higher in the LL compared to other lighting schedules. Further, all ten squirrels re-entrained to both 6 h advance and delay shifts within 11 days. In the ultradian cycle, significant positive masking of light was evident in nine of ten squirrels. These results suggest that the: (i) circadian system of F. pennantii is stable and functional under various lighting conditions; (ii) basic temporal organization in activity pattern remained unaltered even in the presence of a running wheel; (iii) diurnality is the inherent trait of F. pennantii , and (iv) behavioral activity rhythms are governed by both the circadian clock and external masking. Thus, palm squirrels can be used as a suitable diurnal model in circadian biology to study the underlying mechanisms of diurnality and effects of different light schedules, wavelengths, and non-photic cues on physiological and behavioral parameters.

The potential of gene therapy has not yet been realized, largely due to difficulties in the targeted delivery of DNA to tissues and cells. Lipid-based nanovectors are of potential use in gene therapy due to their ability to enhance fusion with cellular membranes and transport the large polyanionic DNA molecules into the cytoplasm. While the research to date has mainly focused on liposome-based vectors, recently, nonlamellar phases with more complex internal architectures based on hexagonal or cubic symmetry have received increasing research attention due to their fusogenic properties, which may promote uptake of the DNA into the cell. Herein, we have carried out a fundamental physicochemical study to systematically analyze the encapsulation and release of nonfunctional double-stranded (ds) DNA fragments within monoolein (MO)-based cationic lipid phases of cubic symmetry (cationic cubic phases) and their dispersed submicron particles (cationic cubosomes). MO-based cationic cubic phases, both as the bulk phase and cubosomes, were formulated using six different cationic lipids, and their nanostructure was characterized in a high-throughput manner by synchrotron small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). dsDNA encapsulation was confirmed using agarose gel electrophoresis, and the effect on the internal nanostructure, size, and morphology of the cubosomes was investigated using synchrotron SAXS, dynamic light scattering, and cryo-transmission electron microscopy. Synchrotron radiation circular dichroism confirmed that the structure of the dsDNA fragments was unaffected by encapsulation within the cationic cubosome. The use of commercially available dsDNA ladders consisting of a controlled mixture of dsDNA fragments allowed us to determine release rates as a function of fragment size in a reasonably high throughput manner. An improved understanding of the loading capacity and release profile of nonfunctional biomolecules in cationic cubosomes will assist in the design of novel lipid nanovectors for gene delivery.

Melatonin, an essential pineal hormone, acts as a marker of the circadian clock that regulates biological rhythms in animals. The effects of exogenous melatonin on the circadian system of nocturnal rodents have been extensively studied; however, there is a paucity of studies on the phase-resetting characteristics of melatonin in diurnal rodents. We studied the phase shifting effects of exogenous melatonin as a single melatonin injection (1 mg/kg) at various phases of the circadian cycle on the circadian locomotor activity rhythm in the palm squirrel, Funambulus pennantii . A phase response curve (PRC) was constructed. Adult male squirrels ( N = 10) were entrained to a 12:12 h light-dark cycle (LD) in a climate-controlled chronocubicle with food and water provided ad libitum . After stable entrainment, squirrels were transferred to constant dark condition (DD) for free-running. Following stable free run, animals were administered a single dose of melatonin (1 mg/kg in 2% ethanol-phosphate buffered saline (PBS) solution) or vehicle (2% ethanol-PBS solution) at circadian times (CTs) 3 h apart to evoke phase shifts. The phase shifts elicited at various CTs were plotted to generate the PRC. A dose response curve was generated using four doses (0.5, 1, 2 and 4 mg/kg) administered at the CT of maximum phase advance. Melatonin evoked maximum phase advances at CT0 (1.23 ± 0.28 h) and maximum phase delays at CT15 (0.31 ± 0.09 h). In the dose response experiment, maximal phase shifts were evoked with 1 mg/kg. In contrast, no significant shifts were observed in control groups. Our study demonstrates that the precise timing and appropriate dose of melatonin administration is essential to maximize the amelioration of circadian rhythm-related disorders in a diurnal model.

Extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) produced by the microorganisms provides protection and stability to them when they are encased within biofilms. Heterogeneous polysaccharides form a major constituent of the EPS and are crucial for the formation and integrity of the biofilms/slime. Thus, breakdown of polysaccharides might help in dispersion of biofilms from abiotic surfaces. In the present study we isolated a fungus, Aspergillus niger APS, capable of concurrently producing a cocktail of carbohydrases and optimized the conditions for higher yields of all the enzymes by one variable at a time (OVAT) approach. The optimization studies resulted in 1.5 to 12 fold augmentation in the enzyme yields using biodegradable waste. Further, keeping in view the heterogeneous nature of polysaccharides in biofilm matrix, the in-house produced enzyme cocktail was used for the dispersal of biofilms formed by Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi, Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. Treatment with enzyme preparation caused 90.23 ± 4.0, 82.64 ± 5.0 and 76.32 ± 5.0% reduction of the biofilms formed by these organisms respectively which was also evidenced by Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) revealing the loss of biofilm architecture. Interestingly, the enzyme cocktail could also remove viscous slime formed under natural conditions in the kitchen drainage pipe (KDP). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on biotreatment of abiotic surfaces for removal of biofilms/slime formed under natural conditions. The study thus indicates the prospects of using multiple carbohydrases as an anti-biofouling agent on abiotic surfaces like equipments as well as implants/prostheses and pipelines.

Pullulan has many useful characteristics but, its high cost limits its potential applications. In the present work, kitchen waste (KW), which otherwise has zero commercial value, was evaluated for the economical production of pullulan. Before fermentation, the KW was hydrolyzed into free sugars using an in-house produced cocktail of enzymes. During hydrolysis, 46 ± 3.5 g/l and 31 ± 2.2 g/l of total reducing sugars and glucose were released, respectively. Hydrolyzed kitchen waste was then used as substrate for fermentation by Aureobasidium pullulans MTCC 2013 yielding 20.46 ± 2.01 g/l pullulan. Further, effect of different nitrogen sources was evaluated and yeast extract (3%) was found to be the best, yielding (24.77 ± 1.06 g/l) exopolysaccharide (EPS). The pullulan produced from KW was characterized in terms of organoleptic properties, physical strength, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and H nuclear magnetic resonance (H NMR) analysis. The results corroborated well with commercial pullulan. The biodegradable nature and water solubility of the film developed from pullulan was also confirmed. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on the validation of the biodegradability of in-house produced pullulan. Thus, kitchen waste appears to be a promising option for economical pullulan production. Additionally, the method may also prove to be helpful for managing the increasing load of municipal solid waste in an eco-friendly and scientific way.

The hydrophobic ionic liquid (IL) 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate [Bmim][PF 6 ] forms nanostructures with negatively charged plasmid DNA through electrostatic interactions. The formation of plasmid DNA/IL nanostructures was confirmed by measuring the zeta potential of plasmid DNA as well as plasmid DNA/IL nanostructures. The zeta potential of the nanostructures was positive, although plasmid DNA is negatively charged. The positive zeta potential is due to the complexation between plasmid DNA and positively charged ionic liquid [Bmim][PF 6 ]. The ability of ionic liquid [Bmim][PF 6 ] to protect plasmid DNA against ultrasonic shear stress was also investigated using an agarose gel electrophoretic assay and showed that ionic liquid stabilizes plasmid DNA against ultrasonication. The plasmid DNA and plasmid DNA/IL nanostructures were subjected to ultrasonic shear stress for different time periods and the biological functionality of pristine plasmid DNA ( i.e. , expression of the eGFP gene) as well as the self-assembled nanostructures was investigated in vitro using three different cell lines, COS7, HEK293 and HeLa. Ionic liquid [Bmim][PF 6 ] protected the plasmid DNA against ultrasonic shear stress and also enhanced gene transfection efficiency in vitro . Furthermore, the cytotoxicity of ionic liquid [Bmim][PF 6 ] was assayed in vitro using all three cell lines and the toxicity was very low. Therefore, the ionic liquid [Bmim][PF 6 ] stabilizes plasmid DNA against ultrasonic shear stress and also enhances its in vitro delivery efficiency., Competing Interests: There is no conflict to declare., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

Accurate evaluation of viable Ascaris ova in wastewater is the key to mitigating Ascaris reinfections in endemic regions. In this study, the viability of Ascaris ova in raw wastewater was determined using three different detection methods: culture-based, BacLight Live/Dead staining and propidium monoazide-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PMA-qPCR). Furthermore, comparative assessment of viability utilising the aforementioned detection methods was performed using seeded experiments in wastewater. The percentage of viability was: culture-based (82%), BacLight Live/Dead staining (87%) and PMA-qPCR (85%) respectively. Despite the fact that no statistical difference was shown in the viability determination among the three methods, PMA-qPCR-based viability determination would be preferable over the other two methods for evaluating potential public health risks with A. suum ova due to its accuracy, being least subjective and its rapid reaction time.

In this study, a presumptive colorimetric method was used to detect and differentiate the ova of two major soil transmitted helminths in wastewater, Ascaris and Trichuris . Gold nanoparticles were synthesised following the reduction of tetrachloroauric acid by the surface moiety of Ascaris suum , resulting in a colour change. In contrast there was no colour change with Trichuris suis indicating the absence of gold nanoparticle synthesis. Analysis of the ova using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed that the synthesis of nanoparticles on the surface of ova was confirmed as gold nanoparticles (91 w/w %) by energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX). This study indicated that the surface moieties of helminth ova could be a potential target for ova detection and differentiation using the biosynthesis of nanoparticles by colorimetry methods. Three advantages: •Simple colorimetry based method requiring no sophisticated devices.•No trained personnel required.•Cost-effective and can be a potential candidate for biosensors.

An electro-responsive PAAm-g-Dxt copolymer was synthesized and characterized by 1 HNMR & FTIR spectroscopy, neutralization equivalent, elemental and thermogravimetric analysis to ascertain the grafting reaction. Further, we developed an electro-responsive transdermal drug delivery system (ETDS) utilizing PAAm-g-Dxt copolymer for rivastigmine tartarate delivery through skin. The ETDS were developed using drug-loaded PAAm-g-Dxt hydrogel as the reservoir, and cross-linked dextran-poly(vinyl alcohol) blend films as rate controlling membranes (RCM). In the absence of electrical stimuli, a small amount of drug was permeated from the ETDS, while in the presence of electrical stimuli, the drug permeability was increased. On application of electric stimulus, the flux was increased by 1.6 fold; drug permeability was enhanced when the strength of applied electric current was raised to 8 mA from 2 mA. The drug permeability characteristics studied under "on-off" stimuli suggested that there was faster drug permeation when electrical stimuli was 'on' and it decreased when electrical stimuli was 'off.' The histopathology study confirmed the altered skin structural integrity after application of electrical stimuli. Hence, the PAAm-g-Dxt based ETDS are useful for transdermal drug delivery triggered by an electric stimulus to deliver on-demand release of drug into systemic circulation., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Rapid depletion of fossil fuels worldwide presents a dire situation demanding a potential replacement to surmount the current energy crisis. Lignocellulose presents a logical candidate to be exploited at industrial scale owing to its vast availability, inexpensive and renewable nature. Microbial degradation of lignocellulosic biomass is a lucrative, sustainable, and promising approach to obtain valuable commercial commodities at gigantic scale. The enzymatic hydrolysis involving cellulases is fundamental to all the technologies needed to transform lignocellulosic biomass to valuable industry relevant products. Cellulases have enormous potential to utilize cellulosic biomass, thus reducing environmental stress in addition to production of commodity chemicals resolving the current challenge to meet the energy needs globally. The substitution of petroleum-based fuels with bio-based fuels is the subject of thorough research establishing biofuel production as the future technology to achieve a sustainable, eco-friendly society with a zero waste approach.

Glycerol is a by-product of many industrial processes and huge amounts of it are generated in the form of waste, thereby necessitating a search for the method of its disposal. An interesting solution is the valorization of crude glycerol into value added product such as polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs). The feasibility of producing PHAs by Cupriavidus necator was evaluated using crude glycerol (WG). Various cultivation strategies were designed for the production of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) copolymer by adding different organic acids as precursors at different concentrations levels. Batch cultivation of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) production showed accumulation of 6.76g/L biomass containing 4.84g/L copolymer on WG with a maximum 3-hydroxyvalerate content of 24.6mol%. PHAs extraction using a non-toxic and recyclable solvent, 1,2 propylene carbonate, showed the highest recovery yield (90%) and purity (93%) at 120°C temperature and 30min incubation. This is the first report on jatropha based glycerol valorization for poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) production coupled with extraction using non-toxic solvent., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

A natural variant of Pyrenophora phaeocomes isolated from natural biodiversity was able to grow on various agricultural residues by co-producing laccase, xylanase and mannanase. Solid state fermentation of rice straw induced the highest productivities corresponding to 10,859.51±46.74, 22.01±1.00 and 10.45±0.128IUgds -1 for laccase, xylanase and mannanase respectively after 4days. Besides producing the ligno-hemicellulolytic enzyme cocktail, 40days cultivation of P. phaeocomes S-1 on rice straw brought about the 63 and 51% degradation of lignin and hemicellulose. These components were further removed with mild alkali extraction revealing the overall losses amounting to 78 and 60% respectively for lignin, and hemicellulose. The biologically pretreated straw upon enzymatic hydrolysis revealed 50% saccharification efficiency releasing 470mgg -1 sugars. Application of this knowledge will lead to efficient management of waste rice straw with low cost production of industrially important enzymes cocktail and its biological delignification for effective enzymatic hydrolysis to free sugars., (Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

We present an extensive overview of the evolution and progress made in the field of microstructures and nanostructures preparation using microfluidic techniques in recent times. A microfluidic system creates particles that are within a narrow range of shape and size distribution. It enables controlling the shape, size and composition of nanomaterials (NMs) for various applications. A brief evaluation of the advantages of both droplet-based and continuous flow synthesis of nanoparticles (NPs) is discussed in detail and compared with the traditional wet chemical batch synthesis approach. Due to increasing applications of biosensing, nanobiotechnology, nanomedicine and diagnostics devices, special attention should be paid to metal NPs developed through microfluidic routes.