LncRNA-mediated orchestrations of alternative splicing in the landscape of breast cancer.

Alternative splicing (AS) is a fundamental post-transcriptional process in eukaryotes, enabling a single gene to generate diverse mRNA transcripts, thereby enhancing protein variability. This process involves the excision of introns and the joining of exons in pre-mRNA(s) to form mature mRNA. The resulting mature mRNAs exhibit various combinations of exons, contributing to functional diversity. Dysregulation of AS can substantially modulate protein functions, impacting the onset and progression of numerous diseases, including cancer. Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) are distinct from protein-coding RNAs and consist of short and long types. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play an important role in regulating several cellular processes, particularly alternative splicing, according to new research. This review provides insight into the latest discoveries concerning how lncRNAs influence alternative splicing within the realm of breast cancer. Additionally, it explores potential therapeutic strategies focused on targeting lncRNAs.

Acclimation response and management strategies to combat heat stress in wheat for sustainable agriculture: A state-of-the-art review.

Unpredicted variability in climate change on the planet is associated with frequent extreme high-temperature events impacting crop yield globally. Wheat is an economically and nutritionally important crop that fulfils global food requirements and each degree rise in temperature results in ∼6% of its yield reduction. Thus, understanding the impact of climate change, especially the terminal heat stress on global wheat production, becomes critically important for policymakers, crop breeders, researchers and scientists to ensure global food security. This review describes how wheat perceives heat stress and induces stress adaptation events by its morpho-physiological, phenological, molecular, and biochemical makeup. Temperature above a threshold level in crop vicinity leads to irreversible injuries, viz. destruction of cellular membranes and enzymes, generation of active oxygen species, redox imbalance, etc. To cope with these changes, wheat activates its heat tolerance mechanisms characterized by hoarding up soluble carbohydrates, signalling molecules, and heat tolerance gene expressions. Being vulnerable to heat stress, increasing wheat production without delay seeks strategies to mitigate the detrimental effects and provoke the methods for its sustainable development. Thus, to ensure the crop's resilience to stress and increasing food demand, this article circumscribes the integrated management approaches to enhance wheat's performance and adaptive capacity besides its alleviating risks of increasing temperature anticipated with climate change. Implementing these integrated strategies in the face of risks from rising temperatures will assist us in producing sustainable wheat with improved yield.

Standardised ido-BR1 Cucumber Extract Improved Parameters Linked to Moderate Osteoarthritis in a Placebo-controlled Study.

BACKGROUND: According to the World Health Organization, osteoarthritis (OA) is one of the 10 most disabling diseases in developed countries, with worldwide estimates of 9.6% prevalence in men and 18.0% in women over 60 years old. Its management is not well established and involves the use of high doses of painkillers coupled with anti-inflammatory agents. OBJECTIVE: In the search for alternatives to manage the disease, previous studies have shown superior properties of Q-ActinTM in managing OA-related pain compared with standard treatments. Qactin is a cucumber extract with the anti-inflammatory iminosugar idoBR1 standardised to over 1%. This study investigated the effects of different doses (20 mg, 100 mg) of Q-Actin in a longitudinal placebo-controlled experiment. METHODS: There were 101 patients with knee OA enrolled for the 180-day study, with 91 patients completing it. Patients were grouped into a placebo group (PLBO), as well as a 20mg dose (Q-Actin 1) and 100 mg dose (Q-Actin 2) groups. The PLBO group received cellulose in capsules identical to the Q-Actin capsules. RESULTS: There was a significant improvement in the pain-related parameters over time that was dose-dependent. CONCLUSION: This study clearly demonstrated the effectiveness of Q-Actin compared to placebo in the management of pain related to moderate osteoarthritis.

Molecular forms of the Indian Anopheles subpictus complex differ in their susceptibility to insecticides and the presence of knockdown resistance (kdr) mutations in the voltage-gated sodium channel.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the differential insecticide-susceptibility of two molecular forms of Anopheles subpictus complex (A and B) against DDT and pyrethroids, the occurrence of knockdown resistance (kdr) mutations in these forms, and the association of kdr mutations with insecticide resistance. METHODS: Insecticide susceptibility tests of An. subpictus s.l., collected from coastal and inland areas of mainland India, were performed against DDT, permethrin and deltamethrin using the WHO standard insecticide susceptibility test kit. The mosquitoes were characterized for molecular forms using a diagnostic PCR developed in this study. Representative samples of An. subpictus molecular forms A and B were sequenced for a genomic region encompassing the IIS4-5 linker to the IIS6 segments of the voltage-gated sodium channel to identify kdr mutations. A common PIRA-PCR was developed for identifying L1014F-kdr mutation and used for genotyping in both molecular forms of An. subpictus. RESULTS: Molecular form A of An. subpictus was resistant to all three insecticides, i.e., DDT, Permethrin and deltamethrin, whereas Form B was categorized as 'possibly resistant' to these insecticides. Significantly higher mortalities in WHO insecticide susceptibility tests were recorded in Form B compared to Form A in sympatric populations. Molecular characterization of the IIS4-5 linker to IIS-6 segments of the voltage-gated sodium channel revealed the presence of two alternative nucleotide transversions at L1014 residue in Form A, both leading to the same amino acid change, i.e., Leu-to-Phe; however, such mutations could not be observed in Form B. PIRA-PCR-based kdr-genotyping of field populations revealed high frequencies of L1014F-kdr mutations in Form A and the absence of this mutation in Form B. The proportion of L1014F mutation was significantly higher in resistant mosquitoes following insecticide-bioassay with DDT (p<0.0001), permethrin (p<0.001) and deltamethrin (p<0.01) as compared to their susceptible counterparts. CONCLUSIONS: Significant differences in insecticide susceptibility were found between two molecular forms of An. subpictus complex in sympatric populations. The L1014F-kdr mutation was observed in Form A only, which was found to be associated with DDT, permethrin and deltamethrin resistance.

Molecular Tools for Early Detection of Invasive Malaria Vector Anopheles stephensi Mosquitoes.

Reports of the expansion of the Asia malaria vector Anopheles stephensi mosquito into new geographic areas are increasing, which poses a threat to the elimination of urban malaria. Efficient surveillance of this vector in affected areas and early detection in new geographic areas is key to containing and controlling this species. To overcome the practical difficulties associated with the morphological identification of immature stages and adults of An. stephensi mosquitoes, we developed a species-specific PCR and a real-time PCR targeting a unique segment of the second internal transcribed spacer lacking homology to any other organism. Both PCRs can be used to identify An. stephensi mosquitoes individually or in pooled samples of mixed species, including when present in extremely low proportions (1:500). This study also reports a method for selective amplification and sequencing of partial ribosomal DNA from An. stephensi mosquitoes for their confirmation in pooled samples of mixed species.

A comparative evaluation of the diagnostic accuracy of an infrared sensor device with standard mounting procedure in completely edentulous patients: A pilot clinical study.

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: The conventional diagnostic mounting procedure in completely edentulous patients is time-consuming and increases the laboratory workload. Alternatives like optical scanners and jaw tracking devices have been documented but have their own shortcomings. PURPOSE: The purpose of this pilot clinical study was to assess the suitability of an infrared sensor scan device in procuring the diagnostic data parameters for completely edentulous patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Twelve completely edentulous participants were enrolled in the study. For each, the distance between the arches was measured by 2 clinical techniques at 3 common reference points, M1, M2, M3, for the maxillary arch and m1, m2, m3 for the mandibular arch. The control group measurements were recorded by using a standard diagnostic mounting procedure on a semi-adjustable articulator, and the experimental group measurements were recorded by using an infrared sensor scan device. To convert the analog infrared sensor output into digital data, the Arduino ADC software program was used. The data from both study groups were statistically compared by using the independent t test (α=.05). RESULTS: No significant difference in variation was found between the mean measurements of the device and diagnostic mounting (P>.05). The maximum variation recorded by the experimental device was 1.7 mm, whereas the minimum variation was 0.8 mm (mean 1.25 mm). CONCLUSIONS: The use of precisely calibrated infrared sensors may be a cost-effective option for diagnostic mounting.

Morpho-physiological and biochemical responses of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) genotypes upon sucking insect-pest infestations.

The effects of sucking insect-pests on the morpho-physiological and biochemical changes in the leaves of four cotton genotypes-Bio 100 BG-II and GCH-3 (highly tolerant); KDCHH-9810 BG-II and HS-6 (highly susceptible)-were examined. Compared to tolerant genotypes, susceptible genotypes showed a decrease in relative water content, specific leaf weight, leaf area, photosynthetic rate, and total chlorophyll content, with an increase in electrolyte leakage. Hydrogen peroxide and total soluble sugar content were higher in susceptible plants. In contrast, resistant plants had higher levels of total soluble protein, total phenolic content, gossypol content, tannin content, peroxidase activity, and polyphenol oxidase. The findings demonstrated that the Bio 100 BG-II and GCH-3 genotypes effectively offset the impact of sucking insect-pests by modifying the factors mentioned above. The KDCHH-9810 BG-II and HS-6 genotypes could not completely negate the effects of sucking insect-pests. Customized metabolites and total soluble protein are more efficient in protecting cotton plants from damage brought on by infestations of sucking insects and pests. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12298-022-01253-w.

Evaluation of intron-1 of odorant-binding protein-1 of Anopheles stephensi as a marker for the identification of biological forms or putative sibling species.

BACKGROUND: Anopheles stephensi, an invasive malaria vector, has been reported to have three biological forms identifiable mainly based on the number of ridges present on the egg's floats. Recently, the first intron of the odorant-binding protein-1 (AsteObp1) has been introduced as a molecular marker for the identification of these forms, and based on this marker, the presence of three putative sibling species (designated as species A, B and C) has been proposed. However, there is no data on the association of proposed markers with biological form or putative species on field populations. METHODS: Field collected and laboratory-reared An. stephensi were characterized for biological forms based on the number of ridges on the egg's float. DNA sequencing of the partial AsteObp1 gene of An. stephensi individuals were performed by Sanger's method, either directly or after cloning with a plasmid vector. Additionally, AsteObp1 sequences of various laboratory lines of An. stephensi were retrieved from a public sequence database. RESULTS: AsteObp1 intron-1 in Indian An. stephensi populations are highly polymorphic with the presence of more than 13 haplotypes exhibiting nucleotides as well as length-polymorphism (90-to-121 bp). No specific haplotype or a group of closely related haplotypes of intron-1 was found associated with any biological form identified morphologically. High heterozygosity for this marker with a low inbreeding coefficient in field and laboratory populations indicates that this marker is not suitable for the delimitation of putative sibling species, at least in Indian populations. CONCLUSIONS: AsteObp1 cannot serve as a marker for identifying biological forms of An. stephensi or putative sibling species in Indian populations.

Designing a novel multi-epitope vaccine to evoke a robust immune response against pathogenic multidrug-resistant Enterococcus faecium bacterium.

Enterococcus faecium is an emerging ESKAPE bacterium that is capable of causing severe public health complications in humans. There are currently no licensed treatments or vaccinations to combat the deadly pathogen. We aimed to design a potent and novel prophylactic chimeric vaccine against E. faecium through an immunoinformatics approach The antigenic Penicillin-binding protein 5 (PBP 5) protein was selected to identify B and T cell epitopes, followed by conservancy analysis, population coverage, physiochemical assessment, secondary and tertiary structural analysis. Using various immunoinformatics methods and tools, two linear B-cell epitopes, five CTL epitopes, and two HTL epitopes were finally selected for vaccine development. The constructed vaccine was determined to be highly immunogenic, cytokine-producing, antigenic, non-toxic, non-allergenic, and stable, as well as potentially effective against E. faecium. In addition, disulfide engineering, codon adaptation, and in silico cloning, were used to improve stability and expression efficiency in the host E. coli. Molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations indicated that the structure of the vaccine is stable and has a high affinity for the TLR4 receptor. The immune simulation results revealed that both B and T cells had an increased response to the vaccination component. Conclusively, the in-depth in silico analysis suggests, the proposed vaccine to elicit a robust immune response against E. faecium infection and hence a promising target for further experimental trials.

The role of contrast-enhanced ultrasound in the evaluation of hepatobiliary lesions and its correlation with pathological findings.

Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) in assessing hepatobiliary lesions, and to correlate the findings of CEUS for hepatobiliary lesions with those of pathological examination performed through fine needle aspiration. Material and methods: This prospective observational study included 50 patients with hepatobiliary lesions, who were referred for CEUS. The findings of CEUS were correlated with pathological findings. Results: CEUS was determined to be a highly sensitive and specific imaging modality for the detection and characterization of hepatobiliary lesions, with the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy of CEUS being 100.0%, 96.8%, 66.7%, 100.0%, and 96.7%, respectively, when correlated with pathological findings. Conclusions: CEUS is a highly sensitive and specific imaging modality for the detection and characterization of hepatobiliary lesions, with wide availability in the present scenario.

A Hybrid Oral Rehabilitation of Hypohidrotic Ectodermal Dysplasia: A Conservative Approach with Three-Year Follow-Up.

This case report presents a 19-year-old male patient with hypohidrotic ectodermal dysplasia, having a chief complaint of multiple missing teeth. Atraumatic extraction of the teeth with hopeless prognosis was done, and teeth with grade 2 mobility were submerged using cast dowel and coping. Following this, incremental increase in the vertical dimension was made using removable flexible splint of two-millimeter thickness. After facebow transfer and making appropriate eccentric bite records to program the semiadjustable articulator, wax-up was done at the desired vertical dimension (VD). The upper arch was finally restored using a long-span fixed partial denture and lower arch using bilateral attachment (Rhein 83) retained cast removable partial denture as a definitive prosthesis. Therefore, in conditions like hypodontia or oligodontia caused due to ectodermal dysplasia, attachment retained removable partial denture may prove beneficial by effectively distributing the occlusal forces. In clinical scenarios where implant is not feasible or not opted by the patient, this combination treatment may be a viable option.

Immunoinformatics and molecular docking studies reveal a novel Multi-Epitope peptide vaccine against pneumonia infection.

Pneumonia is a major endemic disease around the world, and an effective vaccine is the need of the hour to fight against the disease. When there are no appropriate antiviral and associated therapies available, vaccine development becomes even more essential. Therefore, in the present study, a variety of immunoinformatics techniques was utilized to develop a novel multi-epitope vaccine that targets the highly immunodominant type 3 fimbrial protein of Klebsiella pneumoniae, the causal organism for pneumonia. The putative B and T cell epitopes were predicted from the protein and screened for antigenicity, toxicity, allergenicity, and cross-reactivity with human proteomes. Subsequently, the selected epitopes were joined with the help of linkers to form a robust vaccine construct. In addition, an adjuvant was applied to the N-terminal of the construct to improve the immunogenicity of the vaccine. The physicochemical properties, solubility, the secondary and tertiary structure of the final vaccine were also established. MD simulations for 100 ns were employed to assess the stability of the vaccine-TLR-2 docked complex. The final vaccine was optimized and cloned in pET28a (+) vector with His-tag to achieve maximum vaccine protein expression for ease of purification. Immune simulation results indicated the potency of this vaccine candidate as a probable therapeutic agent. In conclusion, the overall results of various immunoinformatics tools and methods employed revealed that the constructed multi-epitope vaccine exhibits a high potential for stimulating both B and T-cells immune responses against pneumonia infection. However, experimental immunological studies are required to corroborate the viability of the novel multi-epitope construct as a commercial vaccine.

Effect of Three Different Cooling and Insulation Techniques on Pulp Chamber Temperature during Direct Temporization with Polymethyl methacrylate-based Resin.

AIM AND OBJECTIVE: This in vitro study evaluates and compares the changes in pulp chamber temperature during direct fabrication of provisional restorations in maxillary central incisors after using three different cooling techniques. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Total of 60 samples of maxillary central incisors along with their putty indices were divided into four groups (one control and three experimental) and were prepared using a surveyor cum milling machine. Teeth were sectioned 2 mm below cementoenamel junction and a K-type thermocouple wire was inserted in the tooth and secured at the pulpal roof using amalgam. Putty index filled with DPI tooth molding resin material [polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA)] was placed on the tooth and temperature changes per 5 seconds were recorded by temperature indicating device for the control, on-off, precooled putty, and dentin bonding agent (DBA) group. RESULTS: The highest mean obtained was of the control (11.04°C), followed by DBA group (9.53°C), precooled putty group (6.67°C), and on-off group (1.94°C). Precooled putty index group took maximum time to reach the baseline temperature (847.5 seconds). CONCLUSION: On-off technique is the most effective method to reduce the intrapulpal temperature during polymerization, as compared to the other techniques used in the study. Retardation in the polymerization process was seen in precooled putty group, which may make this technique clinically inadvisable. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Thermal protection of pulp must always be considered during direct fabrication of provisional restoration when a PMMA-based resin is used. By using on-off technique, not only the thermal insult to the pulp can be effectively minimized but also the harmful effects of residual monomer (poor marginal fit and pulpal irritation) can be eliminated.

To Evaluate the Role of Positron Emission Tomography-Computerized Tomography in Initial Staging of Carcinoma Breast.

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer is the most common cancer in urban and second common in rural Indian women. In India, in spite of the best treatment available being given to the patients they lose their lives because of paucity of diagnostic aids and lack of an organized breast cancer screening program. Early detection, accurate staging, and initiation of appropriate therapy are the key factors for improving the treatment outcome and prognosis of the disease for the patients. Traditional staging methods include clinical examination, blood tests, chest X-ray, ultrasound of the abdomen, and/or skeletal survey. As these tests lack sensitivity and specificity, these are being scaled down. The hybrid positron emission tomography-computerized tomography (PET-CT) is a unique tool in the field of imaging modalities that combines the effectiveness of PET and CT. This study was undertaken to assess the efficacy and accuracy of PET-CT as a single-session staging modality in the very initial stage itself and if it can replace the conventional means of staging. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study conducted in the Radiotherapy department at GGS Medical College and Hospital Faridkot from March 2014 to October 2015. 52 patients with newly diagnosed and histopathologically proven carcinoma breast were staged by conventional modalities (clinical examination, blood tests, X-ray chest, mammography, ultrasonography abdomen, skeletal survey) and by 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F FDG) PET/CT. PET-CT images were used for the detection, localization, staging of tumors and detection, evaluation, and diagnosis of metastatic lesions, disease burden and organ function along with treatment planning and planning therapeutic procedures. Following the completion of initial study, the results of 18F FDG PET-CT staging in comparison with conventional staging method were assessed. Along with this, the accuracy, changes in staging of cases of carcinoma breast and cost-effectiveness of 18F-FDG PET-CT were also studied. RESULTS: All the pathologic entities identified by conventional imaging were also perceived with 18F-FDG PET/CT. Therefore, we recommend the use of PET/CT as an important imaging modality for initial diagnosis of carcinoma breast.

Tinospora cordifolia ameliorates brain functions impairments associated with high fat diet induced obesity.

Obesity is a rapidly growing health problem worldwide and its prevalence has increased markedly in both the developing and developed nations. It is associated with a range of co-morbidities such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and cognitive dysfunctions. Therefore, the need for a safe and effective treatment has led to the exploration of natural products for the management of obesity. In the present study, we tested the anxiolytic, anti-apoptotic, and anti-neuroinflammatory potential of Tinospora cordifolia in a high fat diet-induced obesity rat model system. Young female Wistar albino rats were divided into three groups: (1) Low fat diet (LFD), fed on normal chow feed; (2) High fat diet (HFD), fed on diet containing 30% fat by weight; and (3) High fat diet containing extract (HFDE), fed on high fat diet supplemented with the stem powder of T. cordifolia (TCP). The rats from each group were kept on their respective feeding regimen for 12 weeks. The body weight and calorie intake were recorded weekly. The elevated plus maze test and rotarod performance test were performed to evaluate the anxiety-like behavior and locomotor coordination, respectively. The levels of serum cytokines (IL-6 and TNF-α) were estimated and various markers for inflammation, synaptic plasticity, apoptosis, and energy homeostasis were studied by western blotting. The HFDE rats showed reduced anxiety-like behavior and improved locomotor behavior as compared to HFD-induced obese rats. The TCP supplementation in high fat diet suppressed the expression of inflammatory molecules, including serum cytokines (IL-6 and TNF-α), and modulated apoptosis and synaptic plasticity. TCP was found to be effective in managing body weight in HFD-fed rats by maintaining energy metabolism and cellular homeostasis. T. cordifolia may be recommended as a potential therapeutic agent to prevent the adverse effects of obesity and obesity-associated brain dysfunctions.

The neuroplasticity marker PSA-NCAM: Insights into new therapeutic avenues for promoting neuroregeneration.

Neuroplastic alterations are the key processes involved in adaptation and rehabilitation after all neurological injuries and pathologies. Being the central contributor to the developmental and adult neuroplasticity, the polysialylated form of Neural Cell Adhesion Molecule (PSA-NCAM) may prove to be a potential target to facilitate repair/regeneration after CNS injury and disease. Over the years, several experimental approaches have been developed to exploit the therapeutic potential of PSA-NCAM. Broadly, the studies focused on cell-transplantation strategies to alter PSA-NCAM properties at the injury site, injection of peptide based as well as synthetic PSA mimetics directly into the injury site or the application of PSA containing hydrogels and scaffolds as biomaterials. A comprehensive understanding of the PSA-based experimental approaches, as well as their pros and cons, is urgently required for successful implementation of this molecule in therapeutics. The current review, therefore, has been designed to give the readers a thorough account of all the diverse roles of PSA in the adult nervous system and the recent progress that has been made in developing PSA-based therapeutic approaches for neuroregeneration.

A new knockdown resistance (kdr) mutation, F1534L, in the voltage-gated sodium channel of Aedes aegypti, co-occurring with F1534C, S989P and V1016G.

BACKGROUND: Aedes aegypti is a primary vector of dengue, chikungunya and Zika infections in India. In the absence of specific drugs or safe and effective vaccines for these infections, their control relies mainly on vector control measures. The emergence of insecticide resistance in vectors, especially against pyrethroids, is a serious threat to the insecticide-based vector control programme. This study reports the presence of multiple knockdown resistance (kdr) mutations present in an Ae. aegypti population from Bengaluru (India), including a new mutation F1534L. METHODS: Aedes aegypti collected from Bengaluru were subjected to insecticide susceptibility tests with DDT, deltamethrin and permethrin. The DNA sequencing of partial domain II, III and IV of the voltage-gated sodium channel (VGSC) was performed to screen kdr mutations present in the population and PCR-based assays were developed for their detection. Genotyping of kdr mutations was done using PCR-based assays, allelic frequencies were determined, and tests of genetic association of kdr mutations with the insecticide resistance phenotype were performed. RESULTS: The Ae. aegypti population was resistant to DDT, deltamethrin and permethrin. The DNA sequencing of the VGSC revealed the presence of four kdr mutations, i.e. S989P and V1016G in domain II and two alternative kdr mutations F1534C and F1534L in domain III. Allele-specific PCR assays (ASPCR) were developed for the detection of kdr mutations S989P and V1016G and an existing PCR-RFLP based strategy was modified for the genotyping of all three known kdr mutations in domain III (F1534L, F1534C and T1520I). Genotyping of Ae. aegypti samples revealed a moderate frequency of S989P/V1016G (18.27%) and F1534L (17.48%), a relatively high frequency of F1534C (50.61%) and absence of T1520I in the population. Mutations S989P and V1016G were in complete linkage disequilibrium in this population while they were in linkage equilibrium with kdr mutations F1534C and F1534L. The alleles F1534C and F1534L are genetically associated with permethrin resistance. CONCLUSIONS: A new kdr mutation, F1534L, was found in an Ae. aegypti population from Bengaluru (India), co-occurring with the other three mutations S989P, V1016G and F1534C. The findings of a new mutation have implications for insecticide resistance management.

Low-grade neuroinflammation due to chronic sleep deprivation results in anxiety and learning and memory impairments.

Chronic sleep loss/fragmentation prevalent in the current 24/7 society is associated with irreversible consequences on health and overall wellbeing. Various studies have well documented the ill effects of acute sleep loss on cognitive functions of individuals; however, the underlying mechanism behind the chronic sleep loss is yet to be explored. The present study was aimed to investigate whether chronic sleep deprivation (CSD) triggers anxiety-like behaviour and memory decline in male Wistar rats. Rats were sleep deprived by placing them over slowly rotating drum (2 rpm) for 18 h (between 4 pm and 10 am) followed by 6 h of recovery sleep for 21 consecutive days. Post CSD regimen, rats were subjected to behavioural tests such as elevated plus maze (EPM), Novel Object Recognition (NOR) and Rotarod performance test and then sacrificed to remove brain for further molecular studies. The study demonstrated that CSD rats showed anxiogenic behaviour along with recognition memory decline compared to control rats. CSD rats further showed elevated levels of inflammatory cytokines (TNFα, IL-1ß) along with activation of NFκB and AP1 transcription factors in hippocampus and piriform cortex (PC) regions of brain. These observations were also accompanied by enhanced expression of GFAP and Iba1 in the two brain regions. The data suggest that CSD triggered low-grade neuroinflammation which caused anxiogenic response and recognition memory impairment. The study provides preliminary leads to further explore the role of astrocytes/microglial cells and inflammatory cytokines in mediating these neurobehavioural consequences of chronic sleep loss and to develop effective interventions to combat them.

Catalyst-coated cement beads for the degradation and mineralization of fungicide carbendazim using laboratory and pilot-scale reactor: catalyst stability analysis.

The fixed-bed photocatalytic degradation of fungicide carbendazim using catalyst-coated spherical cement beads has been investigated. Thirty beads with optimum size 13 mm along with 0.3 gL-1 H2O2 with an initial concentration of carbendazim of 10 mgL-1 were the optimized conditions for better degradation. The reduction in COD and total organic carbon along with the generation of nitrite and nitrate ions under the optimized conditions confirms the complete mineralization of compound. The suggested degradation pathway for carbendazim has also been proposed as intermediates formed during photodegradation were analyzed through gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The coated cement beads were found to be durable even after 30 cycles as confirmed by scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive spectroscopy analysis. Scale-up trails have also been carried out in a solar-baffled fixed-bed reactor for the degradation of pollutant to seek the commercial viability of the technique.

A naphthalimide-based solid state luminescent probe for ratiometric detection of aluminum ions: in vitro and in vivo applications.

A naphthalimide-based fluorescent probe 4 has been designed and synthesized that detects Al3+ ions in solution, solid state and in biological systems, including cells, tissues and nematodes. Further, a portable kit has been developed using probe 4 for the on-site detection of Al3+ ions.