Microalgal and activated sludge processing for biodegradation of textile dyes.

The textile industry contributes substantially to water pollution. To investigate bioremediation of dye-containing wastewater, the decolorization and biotransformation of three textile azo dyes, Red HE8B, Reactive Green 27, and Acid Blue 29, were considered using an integrated remediation approach involving the microalga Chlamydomonas mexicana and activated sludge (ACS). At a 5 mg L-1 dye concentration, using C. mexicana and ACS alone, decolorization percentages of 39%-64% and 52%-54%, respectively, were obtained. In comparison, decolorization percentages of 75%-79% were obtained using a consortium of C. mexicana and ACS. The same trend was observed for the decolorization of dyes at higher concentrations, but the potential for decolorization was low. The toxic azo dyes adversely affect the growth of microalgae and at high concentration 50 mg L-1 the growth rate inhibited to 50-60% as compared to the control. The natural textile wastewater was also treated with the same pattern and got promising results of decolorization (90%). Moreover, the removal of BOD (82%), COD (72%), TN (64%), and TP (63%) was observed with the consortium. The HPLC and GC-MS confirm dye biotransformation, revealing the emergence of new peaks and the generation of multiple metabolites with more superficial structures, such as N-hydroxy-aniline, naphthalene-1-ol, and sodium hydroxy naphthalene. This analysis demonstrates the potential of the C. mexicana and ACS consortium for efficient, eco-friendly bioremediation of textile azo dyes.

Rational management of the plant microbiome for the Second Green Revolution.

The Green Revolution of the mid-20th century transformed agriculture worldwide and has resulted in environmental challenges. A new approach, the Second Green Revolution, seeks to enhance agricultural productivity while minimizing negative environmental impacts. Plant microbiomes play critical roles in plant growth and stress responses, and understanding plant-microbiome interactions is essential for developing sustainable agricultural practices that meet food security and safety challenges, which are among the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. This review provides a comprehensive exploration of key deterministic processes crucial for developing microbiome management strategies, including the host effect, the facilitator effect, and microbe-microbe interactions. A hierarchical framework for plant microbiome modulation is proposed to bridge the gap between basic research and agricultural applications. This framework emphasizes three levels of modulation: single-strain, synthetic community, and in situ microbiome modulation. Overall, rational management of plant microbiomes has wide-ranging applications in agriculture and can potentially be a core technology for the Second Green Revolution.

Fate of five bisphenol derivatives in Chlamydomonas mexicana: Toxicity, removal, biotransformation and microalgal metabolism.

Bisphenols (BPs) are recognized as emerging contaminants because of their estrogenic properties and frequent occurrence in environmental matrices. Here, we evaluated the toxic effects of five common BPs on freshwater microalga Chlamydomonas mexicana and removal of the BPs by the alga. Bisphenols -AF (BPAF), -B (BPB), and -Z (BPZ) (96 h, EC50 1.78-12.09 mg·L-1) exhibited higher toxicity to C. mexicana compared to bisphenol -S (BPS) and -F (BPF) (96 h, EC50 30.53-85.48 mg·L-1). In contrast, the mixture of BPs exhibited acute toxicity (96 h, EC50 8.07 mg·L-1). After 14 days, C. mexicana had effectively removed 61%, 99%, 55%, 87%, and 89% of BPS, BPF, BPAF, BPB, and BPZ, respectively, at 1 mg L-1. The biotransformed products of all five BPs were analyzed using UHPLC QTOF, and their toxicity was predicted. All biotransformed products were observed to be less toxic than the parent compounds. The fatty acid composition of C. mexicana after exposure to the BP mixture was predominantly palmitic acid (34.14%), followed by oleic acid (18.9%), and γ-linolenic acid (10.79%). The results provide crucial information on the ecotoxicity of these five BPs and their removal by C. mexicana; the resulting biomass is a potential feedstock for producing biodiesel.

Sestrin2 Mediates Metformin Rescued the Age-Related Cardiac Dysfunctions of Cardiorenal Syndrome Type 3.

Acute kidney injury (AKI) leads to acute cardiac injury and dysfunction in cardiorenal syndrome Type 3 (CRS3) through oxidative stress (OS). The stress-inducible Sestrin2 (Sesn2) protein reduces reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation and activates AMP-dependent protein kinase (AMPK) to regulate cellular metabolism and energetics during OS. Sesn2 levels and its protective effects decline in the aged heart. Antidiabetic drug metformin upregulates Sesn2 levels in response to ischemia-reperfusion (IR) stress. However, the role of metformin in CRS3 remains unknown. This study seeks to explore how the age-related decrease in cardiac Sesn2 levels contributes to cardiac intolerance to AKI-induced insults, and how metformin ameliorates CRS3 through Sesn2. Young (3-5 months) and aged (21-23 months) C57BL/6J wild-type mice along with cardiomyocyte-specific knockout (cSesn2-/-) and their wild type of littermate (Sesn2f/f) C57BL/6J mice were subjected to AKI for 15 min followed by 24 h of reperfusion. Cardiac and mitochondrial functions were evaluated through echocardiograms and seahorse mitochondria respirational analysis. Renal and cardiac tissue was collected for histological analysis and immunoblotting. The results indicate that metformin could significantly rescue AKI-induced cardiac dysfunction and injury via Sesn2 through an improvement in systolic and diastolic function, fibrotic and cellular damage, and mitochondrial function in young, Sesn2f/f, and especially aged mice. Metformin significantly increased Sesn2 expression under AKI stress in the aged left-ventricular tissue. Thus, this study suggests that Sesn2 mediates the cardioprotective effects of metformin during post-AKI.

Optical coherence tomography-based assessment of macular vessel density, retinal layer metrics and sub-foveal choroidal thickness in COVID-19 recovered patients.

Purpose: The primary objective of the study was to assess the macular retinal vessel density, subfoveal choroidal thickness, and retinal layer metrics by optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA), enhanced-depth imaging optical coherence tomography (EDI-OCT), and spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT), respectively, in recovered COVID-19 patients and its comparison with the same in control subjects. The secondary objective was to evaluate differences in OCTA parameters in relation with the severity of COVID-19 disease and administration of corticosteroids. Methods: A case-control study was performed that included patients who had recovered from COVID-19 and age-matched healthy controls. Complete ocular examination including OCTA, SD-OCT, and EDI-OCT were performed three months following the diagnosis. Results: Three hundred sixty eyes of 180 subjects were enrolled between the two groups. A decreased mean foveal avascular zone area in both superficial capillary plexuses (P = 0.03) and deep capillary plexuses (P < 0.01), reduced average ganglion cell layer-inner plexiform layer thickness (P = 0.04), and increased subfoveal choroidal thickness (P < 0.001) were observed among cases in comparison to the control group. A significant correlation was found between sectoral macular vessel density in relation to disease severity and a decrease in vessel density with greater severity of the disease. Conclusion: OCTA detected retinal microvascular alterations following SARS-CoV-2 infection in subjects with the absence of any clinical ocular manifestation or systemic thrombotic events. These parameters could be used to help identify patients with a higher incidence of systemic thromboembolism on longer follow-ups and identify the impact of corticosteroids on retinal architecture.

Rhino-orbito-cerebral mucormycosis and its resurgence during COVID-19 pandemic: A review.

This study aimed to review the current literature for epidemiology, pathogenesis, clinical spectrum and management of rhino-orbito-cerebral-mucormycosis (ROCM), especially highlighting the association between ROCM and COVID-19 disease and factors resulting in its resurgence during the pandemic. Mucormycosis is a rare, but an important emerging opportunistic fungal infection, often associated with high morbidity and mortality. ROCM is the commonest and also the most aggressive clinical form occurring in debilitated patients in conjunction with sinus or para-sinus involvement due to the propensity for contiguous spread. Recently ROCM has shown an unprecedented resurgence during the current pandemic. Reports from different parts of the world indicated an increased risk and incidence of ROCM in patients who had required hospital admission and have recovered from moderate-to-severe COVID-19 disease. A majority of mucormycosis cases have been reported from India. The presence of diabetes mellitus (DM) and use of corticosteroids for COVID-19 pneumonia were found to be the key risk factors, resulting in higher mortality. Amidst the ongoing pandemic, with the third wave already having affected most of the world, it becomes imperative to adopt a risk-based approach toward COVID-19 patients predisposed to developing ROCM. This could be based on the most recently published literature and emerging data from centers across the world. The present review intended to elucidate the causes that brought about the current spike in ROCM and the importance of its early detection and management to reduce mortality, loss of eye, and the need for mutilating debridement.

Current Cannabidiol Safety: A Review.

BACKGROUND: Marijuana, also known as cannabis, is the second most widely used illegal psychoactive substance smoked worldwide after tobacco, mainly due to the psychoactive effects induced by D-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (9-THC). Cannabidiol (CBD) is extracted from cannabis and may be used as an anti-inflammatory agent. Some patents on cannabidiol are discussed in this review. The cannabinoid is a non-psychoactive isomer of the more infamous tetrahydrocannabinol (THC); and is available in several administration modes, most known as CBD oil. OBJECTIVES: This study aims to provide an enhanced review of cannabidiol properties used in treating inflammation. This review also emphasises the current safety profile of cannabidiol. METHODS: Cannabis is also called Marijuana. It is the second most commonly used illegal psychoactive substance in the universe after tobacco. D-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (9-THC) present in cannabis produces psychoactive effects. Cannabidiol (CBD) extracted from cannabis is used for antiinflammatory purposes. Cannabis smoking causes various types of cancer, such as lung, tongue, and jaw. The current review took literature from Google Scholar, PubMed, and Google Patents. Many clinical investigations are included in this review. RESULT: After analysing the literature on cannabis, it has been suggested that although cannabis is banned in some countries, it may be included in the treatment and mitigation of some diseases and symptoms like pain management, epilepsy, cancer, and anxiety disorder. Mild side effects were frequently observed in cannabis medications, which included infertility in females, liver damage, etc. Conclusion: Cannabis contains chemical compounds such as the cannabinoids delta-9- tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), a psychoactive substance, and non-psychoactive cannabidiol (CBD). Cannabidiol has been confirmed as an efficient treatment of epilepsy in several clinical trials, with one pure CBD product named Epidiolex. It is also used in treating anxiety and acne, as a pain reliever, and has anti-inflammatory properties.

Transcript profiling of Polycomb gene family in Oryza sativa indicates their abiotic stress-specific response.

The precise regulation of gene expression is required for the determination of cell fate, differentiation, and developmental programs in eukaryotes. The Polycomb Group (PcG) genes are the key transcriptional regulators that constitute the repressive system, with two major protein complexes, Polycomb Repressive Complex 1 (PRC1) and Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 (PRC2). Previous studies have demonstrated the significance of these proteins in regulation of normal growth and development processes. However, the role of PcG in adaptation of crops to abiotic stress is still not well understood. The present study aimed to a comprehensive genome-wide identification of the PcG gene family in one of the economically important staple crops, Oryza sativa. Here, a total of 14 PcG genes have been identified, which were distributed over eight chromosomes. Protein structure analysis revealed that both the complexes have distinct domain and motifs that are conserved within the complexes. In silico promoter analysis showed that PcG gene promoters have abundance of abiotic stress-responsive elements. RNA-seq based expression analysis revealed that PcG genes are differentially expressed in different tissues and responded variably in different environmental stress. Validation of gene expression by qRT-PCR showed that most of the genes were upregulated at 1-h time point in shoot tissue and at 24-h time point in root tissue under the drought and salinity stress conditions. These findings provide important and extensive information on the PcG family of O. sativa, which will pave the path for understanding their role in stress signaling in plants.

Targeted Delivery of Montelukast for the Treatment of Alzheimer's Disease.

Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is one of the most common neurodegenerative diseases, which affects millions of people worldwide. Accumulation of amyloid-ß plaques and hyperphosphorylated neurofibrillary tangles are the key mechanisms involved in the etiopathogenesis of AD, characterized by memory loss and behavioural changes. Effective therapies targeting AD pathogenesis are limited, making it the largest unmet clinical need. Unfortunately, the available drugs provide symptomatic relief and primary care, with no substantial impact on the disease pathology. However, in recent years researchers are working hard on several potential therapeutic targets to combat disease pathogenesis, and few drugs have also reached clinical trials. In addition, drugs are being repurposed both in the preclinical and clinical studies for the treatment of AD. For instance, montelukast is the most commonly used leukotriene receptor antagonist for treating asthma and seasonal allergy. Its leukotriene antagonistic action can also be beneficial for the reduction of detrimental effects of leukotriene against neuro-inflammation, a hallmark feature of AD. The available marketed formulations of montelukast present challenges such as poor bioavailability and reduced uptake, reflecting the lack of effectiveness of its desired action in the CNS. While on the other side, targeted drug delivery is a satisfactory approach to surpass the challenges associated with the therapeutic agents. This review will discuss the enhancement of montelukast treatment efficacy and its access to CNS by using new approaches like nano-formulation, nasal gel, solid lipid formulation, nano-structure lipid carrier (NSLC), highlighting lessons learned to target AD pathologies and hurdles that persist.

Insights on the role of periphytic biofilm in synergism with Iris pseudacorus for removing mixture of pharmaceutical contaminants from wastewater.

The potential of Iris pseudacorus and the associated periphytic biofilm for biodegradation of two common pharmaceutical contaminants (PCs) in urban wastewater was assessed individually and in consortium. An enhanced removal for sulfamethoxazole (SMX) was achieved in consortium (59%) compared to individual sets of I. pseudacorus (50%) and periphytic biofilm (7%) at concentration of 5 mg L-1. Conversely, individual sets of periphytic biofilm (77%) outperformed removal of doxylamine succinate (DOX) compared to individual sets of I. pseudacorus (59%) and consortium (67%) at concentration of 1 mg L-1. Enhanced relative abundance of microflora containing microalgae (Sellaphora, Achnanthidium), rhizobacteria (Acidibacter, Azoarcus, Thioalkalivibrio), and fungi (Serendipita) in periphytic biofilm was observed after treatment. SMX treatment for five days elevated cytochrome P450 enzymes' expressions, including aniline hydroxylase (48%) and aminopyrine N-demethylase (54%) in the periphytic biofilm. Nevertheless, I. pseudacorus showed 175% elevation of aniline hydroxylase along with other biotransformation enzymes, such as peroxidase (629%), glutathione S-transferase (514%), and dichloroindophenol reductase (840%). A floating bed phytoreactor planted with I. pseudacorus and the periphytic biofilm consortium removed 67% SMX and 72% DOX in secondary wastewater effluent. Thus, the implementation of this strategy in constructed wetland-based treatment could be beneficial for managing effluents containing PCs.

StCaM2, a calcium binding protein, alleviates negative effects of salinity and drought stress in tobacco.

KEY MESSAGE: Overexpression of StCaM2 in tobacco promotes plant growth and confers increased salinity and drought tolerance by enhancing the photosynthetic efficiency, ROS scavenging, and recovery from membrane injury. Calmodulins (CaMs) are important Ca2+ sensors that interact with effector proteins and drive a network of signal transduction pathways involved in regulating the growth and developmental pattern of plants under stress. Herein, using in silico analysis, we identified 17 CaM isoforms (StCaM) in potato. Expression profiling revealed different temporal and spatial expression patterns of these genes, which were modulated under abiotic stress. Among the identified StCaM genes, StCaM2 was found to have the largest number of abiotic stress responsive promoter elements. In addition, StCaM2 was upregulated in response to some of the selected abiotic stress in potato tissues. Overexpression of StCaM2 in transgenic tobacco plants enhanced their tolerance to salinity and drought stress. Accumulation of reactive oxygen species was remarkably decreased in transgenic lines compared to that in wild type plants. Chlorophyll a fluorescence analysis suggested better performance of photosystem II in transgenic plants under stress compared to that in wild type plants. The increase in salinity stress tolerance in StCaM2-overexpressing plants was also associated with a favorable K+/Na+ ratio. The enhanced tolerance to abiotic stresses correlated with the increase in the activities of anti-oxidative enzymes in transgenic tobacco plants. Overall, our results suggest that StCaM2 can be a novel candidate for conferring salt and drought tolerance in plants.

Exploring the synergic effect of fly ash and garbage enzymes on biotransformation of organic wastes in in-vessel composting system.

The aim of the present work was to study the synergic effect of fly ash (FA) and garbage enzymes (GE) on biotransformation of organic wastes in in-vessel composting system. In-vessel composting of organic waste (household + brown in vessel 1) was performed with fly ash (mixed 5% in vessel 2; 10% in vessel 3; 15% in vessel 4; and 20% in vessel 5) by addition of extra carbon source (5%) and garbage enzyme in a fixed-dose (5%) for 15 days and changes in chemical properties (C: N ratio, nitrates, sulphates, phosphates and macro-elements) were analyzed at maturity. Vessel 5 showed better results in terms of organic matter degradability and C: N ratio (13.68) of mature compost. Principal Component Analysis (PCS) also confirmed vessel 5 as the best performing among other vessels. FTIR analysis indicated a major shift in chemical structure of organic waste due to the composting action.

Bacteriological profile of neonatal sepsis and antibiotic susceptibility pattern of isolates admitted at Kanti Children's Hospital, Kathmandu, Nepal.

OBJECTIVE: Neonatal sepsis is a major cause of morbidity and mortality of newborns (< 1 month of age). Septicemia and drug resistance is a predominant issue for neonatal death in Nepal. This study is intended to find bacteriological profile of neonatal sepsis and antibiotic susceptibility pattern of the isolates from neonates at Kanti Children's Hospital, Kathmandu, Nepal. RESULTS: Out of 350 suspected cases of neonatal sepsis, 59 (16.9%) cases showed positive blood culture. The prevalent of positive blood culture with different neonatal risk factors (sex, age, birth weight, gestational age, and delivery mode) showed highest positive bacterial growth in male (52.3%); 3 or above 3 days age (71.2%); low birth weight (62.7%); preterm gestational age (31.4%); and caesarean delivery mode (63.3%). Among positive cases, the bacteriological profile was found highest for Staphylococcus aureus (35.6%) followed by Klebsiella pneumoniae (15.3%). The most sensitive and resistive antibiotics among Gram-positive isolates were gentamicin (93%) and ampicillin (78%), respectively. Meropenem and imipenem showed highest 100% effective and cefotaxime was least (28%) sensitive among Gram-negative isolates. This concludes broad ranges of bacteria are associated with neonatal sepsis and revealed variation in antibiotic susceptibility pattern among bacterial isolates.