Drosophila eIF3f1 mediates host immune defense by targeting dTak1.

Eukaryotic translation initiation factors have long been recognized for their critical roles in governing the translation of coding RNAs into peptides/proteins. However, whether they harbor functional activities at the post-translational level remains poorly understood. Here, we demonstrate that eIF3f1 (eukaryotic translation initiation factor 3 subunit f1), which encodes an archetypal deubiquitinase, is essential for the antimicrobial innate immune defense of Drosophila melanogaster. Our in vitro and in vivo evidence indicate that the immunological function of eIF3f1 is dependent on the N-terminal JAMM (JAB1/MPN/Mov34 metalloenzymes) domain. Mechanistically, eIF3f1 physically associates with dTak1 (Drosophila TGF-beta activating kinase 1), a key regulator of the IMD (immune deficiency) signaling pathway, and mediates the turnover of dTak1 by specifically restricting its K48-linked ubiquitination. Collectively, these results provide compelling insight into a noncanonical molecular function of a translation initiation factor that controls the post-translational modification of a target protein.

Response of dissolved organic matter (DOM) and microbial community to submerged macrophytes restoration in lakes: A review.

Microorganisms play a crucial role in the biogeochemical processes of Dissolved Organic Matter (DOM), and the properties of DOM also significantly influence changes in microbial community characteristics. This interdependent relationship is vital for the flow of matter and energy within aquatic ecosystems. The presence, growth state, and community characteristics of submerged macrophytes determine the susceptibility of lakes to eutrophication, and restoring a healthy submerged macrophyte community is an effective way to address this issue. However, the transition from eutrophic lakes dominated by planktic algae to medium or low trophic lakes dominated by submerged macrophytes involves significant changes. Changes in aquatic vegetation have greatly affected the source, composition, and bioavailability of DOM. The adsorption and fixation functions of submerged macrophytes determine the migration and storage of DOM and other substances from water to sediment. Submerged macrophytes regulate the characteristics and distribution of microbial communities by controlling the distribution of carbon sources and nutrients in the lake. They further affect the characteristics of the microbial community in the lake environment through their unique epiphytic microorganisms. The unique process of submerged macrophyte recession or restoration can alter the DOM-microbial interaction pattern in lakes through its dual effects on DOM and microbial commu-----nities, ultimately changing the stability of carbon and mineralization pathways in lakes, such as the release of methane and other greenhouse gases. This review provides a fresh perspective on the dynamic changes of DOM and the role of the microbiome in the future of lake ecosystems.

Dietary Supplementation of Aspirin Promotes Drosophila Defense against Viral Infection.

Aspirin, also known as acetylsalicylic acid, is widely consumed as a pain reliever and an anti-inflammatory as well as anti-platelet agent. Recently, our studies using the animal model of Drosophila demonstrated that the dietary supplementation of aspirin renovates age-onset intestinal dysfunction and delays organismal aging. Nevertheless, it remains probable that aspirin plays functional roles in other biological activities, for instance antiviral defense reactions. Intriguingly, we observed that the replications of several types of viruses were drastically antagonized in Drosophila macrophage-like S2 cells with the addition of aspirin. Further in vivo experimental approaches illustrate that adult flies consuming aspirin harbor higher resistances to viral infections with respect to flies without aspirin treatment. Mechanistically, aspirin positively contributes to the Drosophila antiviral defense largely through mediating the STING (stimulator of interferon genes) but not the IMD (immune deficiency) signaling pathway. Collectively, our studies uncover a novel biological function of aspirin in modulating Drosophila antiviral immunity and provide theoretical bases for exploring new antiviral treatments in clinical trials.

Synthesis, molecular structure and urease inhibitory activity of novel bis-Schiff bases of benzyl phenyl ketone: A combined theoretical and experimental approach.

Background: Urease belongs to the family of amid hydrolases with two nickel atoms in their core structure. On the basis of literature survey, this research work is mainly focused on the study of bis-Schiff base derivatives of benzyl phenyl ketone nucleus. Objective: Synthesis of benzyl phenyl ketone based bis-Schiff bases in search of potent urease inhibitors. Method: In the current work, bis-Schiff bases were synthesized through two steps reaction by reacting benzyl phenyl ketone with excess of hydrazine hydrate in ethanol solvent in the first step to get the desired hydrazone. In last, different substituted aromatic aldehydes were refluxed in catalytic amount of acetic acid with the desired hydrazone to obtain bis-Schiff base derivatives in tremendous yields. Using various spectroscopic techniques including FTIR, HR-ESI-MS, and 1H NMR spectroscopy were used to clarify the structures of the created bis-Schiff base derivatives. Results: The prepared compounds were finally screened for their in-vitro urease inhibition activity. All the synthesized derivatives (3-9) showed excellent to less inhibitory activity when compared with standard thiourea (IC50 = 21.15 ± 0.32 µM). Compounds 3 (IC50 = 22.21 ± 0.42 µM), 4 (IC50 = 26.11 ± 0.22 µM) and 6 (IC50 = 28.11 ± 0.22 µM) were found the most active urease inhibitors near to standard thiourea among the synthesized series. Similarly, compound 5 having IC50 value of 34.32 ± 0.65 µM showed significant inhibitory activity against urease enzyme. Furthermore, three compounds 7, 8, and 9 exhibited less activity with IC50 values of 45.91 ± 0.14, 47.91 ± 0.14, and 48.33 ± 0.72 µM respectively. DFT used to calculate frontier molecular orbitals including; HOMO and LUMO to indicate the charge transfer from molecule to biological transfer, and MEP map to indicate the chemically reactive zone suitable for drug action. The electron localization function (ELF), non-bonding orbitals, AIM charges are also calculated. The docking study contributed to the analysis of urease protein binding.

Impact of zinc and plant growth-promoting bacteria on soil health as well as aboveground biomass of desi and kabuli chickpea under arid conditions.

BACKGROUND: Zinc (Zn) deficiency and low soil fertility are the major factors responsible for low yield in chickpea. This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of Zn application and plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) (endophyte Enterobacter sp. MN17) on soil health and aboveground biomass of desi and kabuli chickpea under natural field conditions. Zn was applied as seed priming (0.001 mol L-1 ) and soil application (10 kg Zn ha-1 ) with and without PGPB. To determine the impacts of Zn and PGPB on soil biological health, soil microbial biomass carbon (MBC) and soil extracellular enzyme activities were analyzed at two growth stages: vegetative (90 days after sowing) and maturity (163 days after sowing). RESULTS: The highest aboveground biomass (5.1 t ha-1 ) was recorded with Zn seed priming + PGPB in kabuli chickpea and in desi chickpea (4.8 t ha-1 ) with Zn seed priming only. The application of Zn significantly increased soil MBC, which was higher in kabuli (795 and 731 µg C g-1 ) compared to desi chickpea (655 and 533 µg C g-1 ) at both vegetative and reproductive growth stages, respectively. The highest extracellular soil enzyme activities, - ß-glucosidase (4758 nmol g-1  h-1 ), acid phosphatase (5508 nmol g-1  h-1 ), chitinase (5997 nmol g-1  h-1 ) and leucine aminopeptidase (993 nmol g-1  h-1 ) - were recorded with Zn seed priming. Of the chickpea types, kabuli chickpea had higher soil extracellular enzyme activities in the rhizosphere than desi chickpea. CONCLUSION: Zn seed priming along with PGPB application may improve soil health and chickpea biomass in marginal soils. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.

Occurrence and risk assessment of volatile organic compounds in multiple drinking water sources in the Yangtze River Delta region, China.

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are widely present in water environment, which can threaten ecological sustainability and human health. The concentrations of VOCs and their ecological risks in drinking water are of great concern to human beings. Therefore, 54 kinds of VOCs were investigated from 58 locations of the Yangtze River Delta Region (Yangtze River, Qiantang River, Huangpu River, Taihu Lake and Jiaxing Urban River). Out of 54 target compounds, only 31 VOCs were detected, with total concentrations ranging from 0.570 to 46.820 µg/L from 58 locations of all drinking water sources. Among all detected VOCs compounds, only toluene and styrene can cause high-level ecological risk at location TH-2 of Taihu Lake. According to the carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risk index, compounds such as 1,2-dichloroethane, bromodichloromethane and 1,1,2-trichloroethane posed a higher carcinogenic risk, and 1,2-dichloroethane, trichloroethylene and toluene posed a higher non-carcinogenic risk. Olfactory risks of water bodies in the Yangtze River Delta region are negligible. Although the concentrations of VOCs in the Yangtze River Delta region did not exceed national standards in China and guidelines of the World Health Organization (WHO) for drinking water, the presence of some ecological and health risks indicated that future monitoring studies and control practices are important to ensure ecological safety of drinking water sources.

First report of Alternaria alternata causing Alternaria leaf spot of Fig in Pakistan.

Fig (Ficus carica) is a species of flowering plants within the mulberry family. During June 2020, leaf spots were observed on several fig plants (31°26'15.0"N 73°04'25.6"E) at the University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan. Early symptoms were small, oval to circular, light brown, sunken spots that were uniformly distributed on the leaves. Spots gradually enlarged and coalesced into circular to irregular dark brown to black spots that could be up to 3cm diam. with no or small sized fruit. Disease incidence was approximately 25%. To identify the causal agent of the disease, 15 symptomatic leaves were collected. Small pieces from all diseased samples were removed from the margin between healthy and diseased tissues were surface disinfested in 70% ethanol for 2 min, rinsed three times with sterile distilled water, plated on Potato dextrose agar and incubated at 25 ± 2°C with a 12-h photoperiod. Fungal isolation on PDA medium frequency was 95% from diseases leaves. Morphological observations were made on 7- day- old single-spore cultures. The colonies initially appeared light grayish which turned sooty black in color. All fungal isolates were characterized by small, short-beaked, multicellular conidia. The conidia were ellipsoidal or ovoid and measured 9 to 25 µm × 5 to 10 µm (n = 40) with longitudinal and transverse septa. The morphological characters matched those of Alternaria alternata (Simmons et al. 2007). Genomic DNA of a representative isolate (FG01-FG03) was extracted using DNAzol reagent (Thermo Fisher Scientific MA, USA) and PCR amplification of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) rDNA region, was performed with primers ITS1/ITS4 (White et al. 1990), partial RNA polymerase II largest subunit (RPB2) with RPB2-5F/RPB2-7cR (Liu et al. 1999) and glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) gene regions was performed with gpd1/gpd2 (Berbee et al. 1999). The obtained sequences were deposited in GenBank with accession numbers MW692903.1 to MW692905.1 for ITS-rDNA gene, MZ066731.1 to MZ066733.1 for RPB2 and MZ066728.1 to MZ066730.1 for GAPDH. BLASTn analysis showed 100% identity with the submitted sequences of A. alternata for ITS rDNA, RPB2, and GAPDH. To confirm pathogenicity, 2-month-old 15 healthy potted F. carica plants were sprayed at true leaf stage with conidial suspension by using an atomizer in a greenhouse. Each representative A. alternata isolate (FG01-FG03) was inoculated on every three plants with conidial suspensions (106 conidia/ml; obtained from 1-week-old cultures) amended with 0.1% (vol/vol) of Tween 20 until runoff (1.5 to 2 ml per plant) whereas, three control plants were sprayed with sterile distilled water amended with 0.1% Tween 20. All plants were incubated at 25 ± 2°C in a greenhouse, and the experiment was conducted twice. After 10 days of inoculation, each isolate induced leaf spots similar to typical spots observed in the field, whereas the control plants remained symptomless. The fungus was re-isolated from symptomatic tissues and reisolation frequency was 100%. Re-isolated fungal cultures were again morphologically and molecularly identical to A. alternata, thus fulfilling Koch's postulates. Previously, A. alternata has been reported cause fruit disease of fig in Pakistan and California, USA (Alam et al. 2021; Latinovic et al. 2014). To our knowledge, this is the first report of A. alternata causing leaf spot on common fig in Pakistan. In Pakistan, fig is widely grown for drying, and this disease may represent a threat to fig cultivation.

Impact of insulin treated and non-insulin-treated diabetes compared to patients without diabetes on 1-year outcomes following contemporary PCI.

OBJECTIVE: We compared 1-year outcomes in insulin-treated diabetes mellitus (ITDM) and non-ITDM patients compared to nondiabetic (DM) patients following contemporary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). BACKGROUND: ITDM is associated with extensive atherosclerotic disease and worse cardiovascular prognosis compared to non-ITDM patients. METHODS: We evaluated PCI patients at a large tertiary center from 2010 to 2016, grouped according to diabetes and treatment status at baseline. One-year major adverse cardiac events (MACE) were defined as a composite of death, myocardial infarction (MI), or target vessel revascularization. Outcomes were adjusted using multivariable Cox regression methods. RESULTS: During the study period, 16,889 patients underwent PCI including 13.7% ITDM, 34.0% non-ITDM, and 52.3% non-DM patients. Patients with DM were younger, including more females and non-white patients, with higher body mass index and greater prevalence of prior revascularization and chronic kidney disease. Compared to others, ITDM patients more often presented with acute coronary syndrome, in-stent restenosis, or severe lesion calcification. There were no differences in discharge rates of dual antiplatelet therapy and statins, whereas beta-blockers were more commonly prescribed in DM patients. At 1-year, both ITDM and non-ITDM patients had greater risk of MACE compared with non-DM patients, and ITDM conferred greater adjusted risk than non-ITDM (ITDM = HR: 2.11, 95% CI [1.79,2.50]; non-ITDM = HR: 1.27, 95%CI [1.09,1.47]). CONCLUSIONS: The negative prognostic effect of DM following contemporary PCI is heightened in the presence of insulin treatment, compared to non-DM patients. Focus on secondary prevention, prescription of and adherence to optimal medical therapy is necessary for post-PCI risk reduction.

Recent advances in nucleic acid-based methods for detection of helminth infections and the perspective of biosensors for future development.

Pathogenic helminth infections are responsible for severe health problems and economic losses worldwide. Timely and accurate diagnosis of helminth infections is critical for adopting suitable strategies for pathogen control. Here, we review recent advances in nucleic acid-based diagnostic methods, including polymerase chain reaction, quantitative qPCR, loop-mediated isothermal amplification and recombinase polymerase amplification, and discuss their advantages and disadvantages for diagnosing helminth infections. In addition, we highlight recent advances in biosensors for the detection of nucleic acid biomarkers that can potentially be used for the diagnosis of helminth infection.

Use of nano-/micro-magnetite for abatement of cadmium and lead contamination.

Structural variations of a mineral dictate its adsorption capacity which affects the mobility and toxicity of contaminants in natural and engineered systems. Present batch study evaluates the adsorption of lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) onto three magnetites having nanometric (M1-30 nm and M2-60 nm) and micrometric particle sizes (M3-1.5 µm). Obtained data revealed that particle size of tested magnetites strongly affected the extent and kinetics of metal adsorption and desorption. Observed order of adsorption efficiency was M1 > M2 > M3 with optimum monolayer adsorption of 408.14, 331.40, 178.47 mg/g (for Pb) and 228.05, 170.86, 83.49 mg/g (for Cd), respectively. Adsorption data were well fitted to the Freundlich (R2 = 0.99), Langmuir (R2 = 0.99) and pseudo-first order models (R2 = 0.98). Electrostatic attraction and surface precipitation interaction via external mass transfer between bulk liquid-solid interfaces were the potential adsorption pathways. Pb showed higher affinity than Cd in multi-metal system. Desorption efficiency was higher in acidic environment (92%) than in distilled water (44%). Moreover, regenerated magnetite samples retained good adsorption capacity for six cycles. As soils are characterized by large variability of iron minerals, these findings have important implications regarding the transport and immobilization of contaminants particularly in the management of contaminated soils.

Cadmium mediated phytotoxic impacts in Brassica napus: Managing growth, physiological and oxidative disturbances through combined use of biochar and Enterobacter sp. MN17.

Cadmium (Cd) is a toxic heavy metal with unknown biological role. Interactive effect of Enterobacter sp. MN17 and biochar was studied on the growth, physiology and antioxidant defense system of Brassica napus under Cd contaminated soil. A multi-metal tolerant endophytic bacterium, Enterobacter sp. MN17, was able to grow in tryptic soy agar (TSA) medium with up to 160, 200, 300, 700, 160 and 400 µg mL-1 of Cd, Cu, Cr, Pb, Ni and Zn, respectively. Paper and pulp waste biochar was prepared at 450 °C and applied to pots (7 kg soil) at a rate of 1% (w/w), while Cd was spiked at 80 mg kg-1 soil. Application of Enterobacter sp. MN17 and biochar, alone or combined, was found effective in the amelioration of Cd stress. Combined application of Enterobacter sp. MN17 and biochar caused the maximum appraisal in shoot and root length (52.5 and 76.5%), fresh and dry weights of shoot (77.1 and 70.7%) and root (81.2 and 57.9%), photosynthetic and transpiration rate (120.2 and 106.6%), stomatal and sub-stomatal conductance (81.3 and 75.5%), chlorophyll content and relative water content (RWC) (78.4 and 102.9%) than control. Their combined use showed a significant decrease in electrolyte leakage (EL), proline, malondialdehyde (MDA), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPX), glutathione S transferase (GST) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) by 39.3, 39.4, 39.5, 37.0, 39.0 42.1 and 30.8%, respectively, relative to control. Likewise, the combined application of bacterial strain MN17 and biochar reduced Cd in soil by 45.6%, thereby decreasing its uptake in root and shoot by 40.1 and 38.2%, respectively in Cd contaminated soil. The application of biochar supported the maximum colonization of strain MN17 in the rhizosphere soil, root and shoot tissues. These results reflected that inoculation with Enterobacter sp. MN17 could be an effective approach to accelerate biochar-mediated remediation of Cd contaminated soil for sustainable production of crops.

Trophodynamics and parabolic behaviors of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in an urbanized lake food web, Shanghai.

Understanding the trophic movement and trophic magnification factor (TMF) of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) is an important criterion to assess their fate and potential effects in an aquatic ecosystem. This study investigated concentrations and trophodynamics of 16 priority PAHs in food webwb (food web comprising whole bodies) and food webm (food web containing only muscles) of total 14 species ((including plankton, shrimp, whitebait, mussels, snails, red-eared terrapin and seven other fish species) from the Dianshan Lake. Values of δ13C and δ15N were determined to assign trophic levels to organisms. In general, there was no evidence of biomagnification because of biological degradation of PAHs compounds, but only 9 PAH compounds in food webm showed a statistically significant negative relationship between trophic level and lipid normalized concentration compared to the 6 PAHs congeners in food webwb. However, TMF values of PAHs in food webm ranged from 0.32 for pyrene to 0.68 for phenanthrene compared to TMF values of food webwb ranged from 0.34 for pyrene to 0.74 for fluorene. Because of two opposing scientific views for biomagnification and biodilution of PAHs in the food web, albeit based on a rather limited number of studies, our study investigated that there is parabolic behavior of most of the PAHs. Concentrations of PAHs in the red-eared terrapin (Trachemys scripta elegans) were biodiluted which showed that this species metabolises such compounds. There was no particular relationship between Kow and TMFs of PAHs in the Dianshan Lake. Hepatobiliary system (such as gall bladder and liver) in the whole body considered to have higher bioaccumulation potential of organic compounds than extrahepatic tissue (muscles).

Revisional Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy in failed gastric banding and effects of exercise and frequent sweet-eating on its outcome.

OBJECTIVE: To find out effectiveness of revisional laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (RLSG) in the patients who had laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB) and failed to reduce or regained the weight and effectiveness of sweet abstaining and exercise on postoperative weight loss. METHODS: This retrospective observational study was conducted at AlMoosa Hospital, Al-Ahsa, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia from December 2011 to November 2016. The patients who failed to reduce, regained the weight or had complications after LAGB, were performed RLSG. They were followed-up at three, six, twelve and twenty-four months intervals. Their weight, percent excess weight loss (%EWL) and body mass index (BMI) at pre-RLSG were compared with post-RLSG. The data was recorded in SPSS 22 and analyzed. RESULTS: Thirty-six patients with male/female ratio of 1:5 underwent RLSG. Twelve (33.3%) were frequent sweet-eaters and twenty-four (66.7%) were not. Fourteen (38.88%) did not have exercise, while twenty-two (61.11%) had daily regular exercise. Their mean pre-RLSG weight, percent excess weight loss (%EWL)and BMI were compared with post-RLSG at the period of three, six, twelve and twenty-four months. Their mean weight reduced from 111.69 kilograms to 96.94, 87.25, 79.56 and 76.11 kilograms respectively. Their mean of the percent excess weight loss (%EWL) reduced to 22.08, 45.75, 59.64 and 66.42 kilograms respectively. Their mean pre-RLSG BMI was 43.50 kg.m-2, which reduced to the mean of 37.79, 34.02, 30.97 and 29.70 respectively. There were no post-operative complications in thirty (83.3%), mild like wound infection and seroma in four (11.1%) and bleeding in two (5.6%) patients. None of the patients had leakage. The patients who kept themselves abstained from sweet consumption and performed regular postoperative exercise had better results. They also had considerable reduction in appetite after RLSG. CONCLUSION: RLSG is an effective procedure after failed LAGB in terms of weight loss having minimal rate of complications. Moreover, abstaining from sweet consumption and continuing exercise postoperatively has better results.

Role and Potential Mechanisms of Nicotinamide Mononucleotide in Aging.

Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) has recently attracted much attention due to its role in aging and lifespan extension. NAD+ directly and indirectly affects many cellular processes, including metabolic pathways, DNA repair, and immune cell activities. These mechanisms are critical for maintaining cellular homeostasis. However, the decline in NAD+ levels with aging impairs tissue function, which has been associated with several age-related diseases. In fact, the aging population has been steadily increasing worldwide, and it is important to restore NAD+ levels and reverse or delay these age-related disorders. Therefore, there is an increasing demand for healthy products that can mitigate aging, extend lifespan, and halt age-related consequences. In this case, several studies in humans and animals have targeted NAD+ metabolism with NAD+ intermediates. Among them, nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN), a precursor in the biosynthesis of NAD+, has recently received much attention from the scientific community for its anti-aging properties. In model organisms, ingestion of NMN has been shown to improve age-related diseases and probably delay death. Here, we review aspects of NMN biosynthesis and the mechanism of its absorption, as well as potential anti-aging mechanisms of NMN, including recent preclinical and clinical tests, adverse effects, limitations, and perceived challenges.

Regional differences in lead (Pb) and tetracycline (TC) binding behavior of sediment dissolved organic matter (SDOM): Effects of DOM heterogeneity and microbial degradation.

Lake Nansi, primarily dominated by macrophytes, faces threats from heavy metals and antibiotics due to human activity. This study investigated sediment dissolved organic matter (SDOM) characteristics and complexation of lead (Pb) and tetracycline (TC) in barren zone (BZ) and submerged macrophytes zone (PZ). Additionally, a microbial degradation experiment was conducted to examine its impact on the regional variations in complexation. SDOM abundance and protein-like materials in PZ was significantly greater than in BZ, indicating a probable contribution from the metabolism and decomposition of submerged macrophytes. Both zones exhibited a higher affinity of SDOM for Pb compared to TC, with all four components participating in Pb complexation. Protein-like materials in PZ had a higher binding ability (LogKPb=4.19 ± 1.07, LogKTC=3.89 ± 0.67) than in BZ (LogKPb=3.98 ± 0.61, LogKTC=3.69 ± 0.13), suggesting a potential presence of organically bound Pb and TC due to the higher abundance of protein-like materials in PZ. Although microbial communities differed noticeably, the degradation patterns of SDOM were similar in both zones, affecting the binding ability of SDOM in each. Notably, the fulvic-like component C4 emerged as the dominant binding material for both Pb and TC in both zones. Degradation might increase the amount of organically bound TC due to the increase in the LogKTC.

Effect of vitamin A on maternal, fetal, and neonatal outcomes: An overview of deficiency, excessive intake, and intake recommendations.

Vitamin A imbalance during pregnancy and lactation is a global public health concern with potentially negative consequences for fetuses and neonates. Inadequate vitamin A intake during this critical period can lead to anemia, weakened immune function, night blindness, and increased susceptibility to infections. Conversely, excessive intake of vitamin A can result in birth defects, hypercalcemia, and psychiatric symptoms. This review aims to identify risk factors contributing to vitamin A deficiency in pregnant women and its impact on maternal, fetal, and neonatal outcomes. It also examines the effects of high-dose vitamin A supplementation during pregnancy on offspring health. By analyzing existing literature and recommendations, the review emphasizes the significance of vitamin A in the development of various body systems and organs. It provides a comprehensive overview of the effects of vitamin A during pregnancy and lactation, encompassing deficiencies, excessive intake, and supplementation guidelines. The need for further research in this field is highlighted. In conclusion, maintaining a balanced vitamin A status is crucial during pregnancy to promote better outcomes for fetuses and newborns. Effective monitoring and intervention strategies are essential to address vitamin A deficiency and excess in pregnant women, thereby improving fetal and neonatal health.

Isolation and in vitro assessment of chicken gut microbes for probiotic potential.

Poultry production occupies an important place in the economy of any country. High broiler production in recent years has badly affected its profitability due to bad feed quality, excessive use of chemotherapeutic agents, emergence of diverse pathogens, and the deficiencies in management practices during rearing cycle. Microbiological improvement of the meat quality using potential probiotics can be beneficial for broiler farming. Present study was initiated to isolate chicken gastrointestinal tract (GIT) bacteria with probiotic potential. To isolate probiotics from chicken gut, alimentary canal of chickens of known sizes and ages was suspended in ringers soln. Under shaking conditions for overnight followed by serial dilutions of ringers soln. Bacterial isolates were analyzed via growth curve analysis, biochemical testing using RapID™ NF Plus Panel kit, molecular characterization, antimicrobial activity assay, antibiotic sensitivity assay, GIT adherence assay, bile salt and gastric acid resistant assay, and cholesterol assimilation assay. Four bacteria isolated in present study were identified as Limosilactobacillus antri strain PUPro1, Lactobacillus delbrueckii strain PUPro2, Lacticaseibacillus casei strain PUPro3, and Ligilactobacillus salivarius strain PUPro4. L. delbrueckii strain PUPro2 grew extremely fast. All isolates exhibited exceptional resistance to increasing concentrations of NaCl and bile salts with value of p >0.5. L. delbrueckii strain PUPro2 adhered to chicken ileum epithelial cells and demonstrated the highest viable counts of 320 colony forming units (CFUs). Antagonistic action was found in all isolates against P. aeruginosa, B. subtilis, B. proteus, and S. aureus, with value of p >0.5. Antibiotic susceptibility testing showed sensitivity to all the antibiotics used. Cholesterol assimilation was detected in all bacteria, with values ranging from 216.12 to 192.2 mg/dL. All isolates exhibited γ-hemolysis. In future, these bacteria might be tested for their impact on broilers meat quality and growth and can be recommended for their use as supplements for broilers diet with positive impact on poultry production.

Omega-3 and omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids and their potential therapeutic role in protozoan infections.

Protozoa exert a serious global threat of growing concern to human, and animal, and there is a need for the advancement of novel therapeutic strategies to effectively treat or mitigate the impact of associated diseases. Omega polyunsaturated fatty acids (ω-PUFAs), including Omega-3 (ω-3) and omega-6 (ω-6), are constituents derived from various natural sources, have gained significant attention for their therapeutic role in parasitic infections and a variety of essential structural and regulatory functions in animals and humans. Both ω-3 and ω-6 decrease the growth and survival rate of parasites through metabolized anti-inflammatory mediators, such as lipoxins, resolvins, and protectins, and have both in vivo and in vitro protective effects against various protozoan infections. The ω-PUFAs have been shown to modulate the host immune response by a commonly known mechanism such as (inhibition of arachidonic acid (AA) metabolic process, production of anti-inflammatory mediators, modification of intracellular lipids, and activation of the nuclear receptor), and promotion of a shift towards a more effective immune defense against parasitic invaders by regulation the inflammation like prostaglandins, leukotrienes, thromboxane, are involved in controlling the inflammatory reaction. The immune modulation may involve reducing inflammation, enhancing phagocytosis, and suppressing parasitic virulence factors. The unique properties of ω-PUFAs could prevent protozoan infections, representing an important area of study. This review explores the clinical impact of ω-PUFAs against some protozoan infections, elucidating possible mechanisms of action and supportive therapy for preventing various parasitic infections in humans and animals, such as toxoplasmosis, malaria, coccidiosis, and chagas disease. ω-PUFAs show promise as a therapeutic approach for parasitic infections due to their direct anti-parasitic effects and their ability to modulate the host immune response. Additionally, we discuss current treatment options and suggest perspectives for future studies. This could potentially provide an alternative or supplementary treatment option for these complex global health problems.