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In the present study previously isolated Weissella cibaria CMG DEX3 capable of producing high molecular weight, water soluble dextran (Ahmed et al., 2012) is characterized for most efficient less expensive carbon, nitrogen sources, micro and macro nutrients by utilizing a multifactorial Placket-Burman statistical design for optimization of dextran production. A twelve run Plackett-Burman experimental model with slight modification was utilized to evaluate the impact of ten diverse nutrients on the production of dextran by the bacterial isolate Weissella cibaria CMG DEX3.

Viroids are tiny single-stranded circular RNA pathogens that infect plants. Viroids do not encode any proteins, yet cause an assortment of symptoms. The following review describes viroid classification, molecular biology and spread. The review also discusses viroid pathogenesis, host interactions and detection. The review concludes with a description of future prospects in viroid research.

Naturally occurring viral nanomaterials have gained popularity owing to their biocompatible and biodegradable nature. Plant virus nanoparticles (VNPs) can be used as nanocarriers for a number of biomedical applications. Plant VNPs are inexpensive to produce, safe to administer and efficacious as treatments. The following review describes how plant virus architecture facilitates the use of VNPs for imaging and a variety of therapeutic applications, with particular emphasis on cancer. Examples of plant viruses which have been engineered to carry drugs and diagnostic agents for specific types of cancer are provided. The drug delivery system in response to the internal conditions is known as stimuli response, recently becoming more applicable using plant viruses based VNPs. The review concludes with a perspective of the future of plant VNPs and plant virus-like particles (VLPs) in cancer research and therapy.

Plant viral satellites fall under the category of subviral agents. Their genomes are composed of small RNA or DNA molecules a few hundred nucleotides in length and contain an assortment of highly complex and overlapping functions. Each lacks the ability to either replicate or undergo encapsidation or both in the absence of a helper virus (HV). As the number of known satellites increases steadily, our knowledge regarding their sequence conservation strategies, means of replication and specific interactions with host and helper viruses is improving. This review demonstrates that the molecular interactions of these satellites are unique and highly complex, largely influenced by the highly specific host plants and helper viruses that they associate with. Circularized forms of single-stranded RNA are of particular interest, as they have recently been found to play a variety of novel cellular functions. Linear forms of satRNA are also of great significance as they may complement the helper virus genome in exacerbating symptoms, or in certain instances, actively compete against it, thus reducing symptom severity. This review serves to describe the current literature with respect to these molecular mechanisms in detail as well as to discuss recent insights into this emerging field in terms of evolution, classification and symptom development. The review concludes with a discussion of future steps in plant viral satellite research and development.

Several samples of sea water and sea organisms were collected for the isolation of luminescent bacterial strain. The samples were collected from Clifton, Hawksbay, fisheri at Landhi and Jeti at Korangi, Karachi, Pakistan, the sea organisms such as Crab, Prawn, Fish, Eel, Fish Gut, Electric Fish were collected. Three different media were used for enrichment of samples that is BOSS, Luminescent Agar (LA) and nutrient broth. A total of twenty one different bacterial strains were selected for further studies on the basis of different colonial morphologies. They were designated as DGU101 to DGU116, DGU221-DGU224 and DGU227. These strains were checked for luminescent and tolerance against antibiotics and heavy metal salts. Only one strain isolated from sea water (Clifton beach) designated as DGU227 showed luminescent on Luminescent Agar (LA) medium. It also exhibited multiple metal and antibiotic resistances. The two large plasmids were isolated from DGU227 which were more than 10 kb in size. The luminescence, growth, quorum sensing phenomenon of bioluminescent bacteria is affected by the presence of metal and antibiotics in environment, which act as inducer, and substrate in activating and enhancing these natural activities. Mostly Luminescent was observed after 24 hours of incubation it enhanced while growing in presence of antibiotic Ampicillin. The strain DGU227 was further identified by 16S rRNA gene analysis and exhibited 98% homology with Vibrio chigassi bacterial strain.

The aim of the present study was to investigate biosurfactant-producing culturable bacteria inhabiting the coast of the Arabian Sea at Karachi. Overall, 15 seawater samples were collected from the Arabian Sea coast of Karachi. Isolation, characterization, and screening for 89 biosurfactant-producing bacterial strains were conducted through 8 conventional screening tests. Through GSP agar plate method 22 strains were found to be Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Gram reaction revealed 70% of the isolates to be gram-negative. Furthermore, 24% of the isolates showed hemolytic activity, 44% exhibited positive results for oil-spreading test, 54% showed emulsification to at least 1 of the 3 hydrocarbons tested, BATH assay results indicated maximum adhesion for hexane, 52.8% produced positive results for CTAB agar plate assay, drop-collapse activity was found in 84% of the isolates, and emulsification assay revealed highest emulsification for xylene. Findings revealed none of the isolates to be negative for every screening test conducted, while only one gram-negative isolate, DGHE65, identified as Pseudomonas aeruginosa, was positive for all the tests for biosurfactant production. Results indicate that these isolates have potential for future environmental friendly applications such as bioremediation and industrial biotechnology.

Inexpensive technologies with less-than-optimal efficiencies as a strategy for countering economic restraints to pollution control have been evaluated by using a laboratory-scale biotreatment process for copper-containing effluent. Economizing measures include the use of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) cylinders fashioned from commercially available flexible PVC conduit to support a biofilm that was cultured in an inexpensive medium prepared in wastewater. The biofilm was challenged by aqueous copper solution in a bioreactor and subsequently analyzed under a scanning electron microscope with energy-dispersive X-ray microanalysis.

Drug addiction, relating to both licit and illicit substances, can be defined as an enduring disorder with certain chances of reversion categorised as uncontrollable drug consumption or the obsessive seeking and taking of drugs despite adverse consequences. It is a multifaceted complicated disorder with many inter-related causes, as well as neurobiological, environmental and genetic features. Genetic mutations and polymorphisms can be considered as reasons for instabilities inhuman regulatory systems like brain functioning, which lead to drug addiction. Environmental stimuli such as anxiety, stress and depression also play a crucial role in a person’s addictive behaviours. Therefore, addiction to drugs is caused by neuro-adaptive changes and genetic-environment interactional modifications. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4038/ijptsud.v1i2.7698 International Journal of Prevention and Treatment of Substance Use Disorders 2014;1(2):53-62