A hybrid effective medium description for nanoporous gold films and thickness-mediated control of optical absorption.

With the increasing demand for sensing platforms operating across UV, visible, and near-infrared wavelengths, nanoporous gold has emerged as an ideal substrate for rapid, quantitative detection of analytes with excellent specificity and high sensitivity. This study investigates thickness-mediated compositional changes and their impact on scattering characteristics of thin nanoporous gold films fabricated using selective chemical etching. Specifically, we observe thickness-induced morphological and structural changes across different fabricated samples from 25 to 100 nm in thickness. Upon their optical characterization across UV-VIS-NIR spectral regime, we notice that the constitutional differences among samples manifest distinctively & deterministically in their total optical scattering response. In order to gain insights into these observed scattering responses and to fathom the subtle connections between structural properties of NPG films and their optical response, a hybrid theoretical model comprising Maxwell-Garnett & Bruggeman effective medium approximations has been adopted. Our approach not only allows to appropriately account for the inhomogeneous nature of these films, but also corroborates well with the atomic force microscopy characterizations of the fabricated samples. Furthermore, tracing such a theoretical model is important as it helps in systematically ascertaining additional loss terms emerging in the complex dielectric function of films due to their nanoscale porosity & roughness, permitting a good reproduction of measured optical spectra. We believe, our approach will not only facilitate accurate regulation of losses in NPG thin films but will also aid in deriving customized optical performance from them, thereby advancing their potential applications in sensing and beyond.

Recent breakthroughs on the development of electrodeionization systems for toxic pollutants removal from water environment.

Since ecosystems are becoming inherently polluted, long-term contaminant removal methods are required. Electrodeionization, in particular, has recently been demonstrated as an effective approach for eliminating ionic compounds from contaminated water sources. Being a more environmentally friendly technology is most likely the main reason for its eminence. It uses electricity to replace toxic contaminants that are conventionally used to regenerate and hence reducing the toxins associated with resin regeneration. In wastewater treatment, continuous electrodeionization system overcomes several limitations of ion exchange resins, notably ion dumping. This prospective assessment delves into the mechanism, principle, and theory of electrodeionization system. It also focused on the design and applications, particularly in the removal of toxic compounds, as well as current advances in the electrodeionization system. Recent breakthroughs in electrodeionization were comprehensively discussed. Further developments in electrodeionization systems are also projected, with improved efficiency at the time of functioning at lower costs because of reduced energy use, proving them desirable for commercial usage with a broad array of applications across the globe.

Integration of dynaMic water extents towards imProved lake wAter suRface Temperature (IMPART).

Lake water surface temperature (LWST) is a critical component in understanding the response of freshwater ecosystems to climate change. Traditional estimation of LWST estimation considers water surface bodies to be static. Our work proposes a novel open-source web application, IMPART, designed for estimating dynamic LWST using Landsat reflectance and MODIS temperature datasets from 2004 to 2022. Results presented globally for over 342 lakes reveal a root mean square deviation of 0.86 °C between static and dynamic LWST. Additionally, our results demonstrate that 57% of the lakes exhibit a statistically significant difference between the static and dynamic LWST values. Improved LWST will ultimately enhance our ability to comprehensively monitor and respond to the impacts of climate change on freshwater ecosystems worldwide. Furthermore, based on the Koppen-Geiger climate classification, our zonal analysis demonstrates the deviation between static and dynamic LWST. It identifies specific zones where considering waterbodies as dynamic entities is essential.

Dynamics of sediment phosphorus in the middle and lower stretch of River Ganga, India: insight into concentration, fractionation, and environmental risk assessment of phosphorus.

Despite continuous efforts, eutrophication is still occurring in freshwater and phosphorus (P) is the most important nutrients that drive the eutrophication in rivers and streams. However, little information is available about the distribution of P fractions in river sediment. Here, the sequential extraction approach was used to evaluate the sediment P fractionation and its content in the anthropogenically damaged river Ganga, India. Different sedimentary P fractions viz. exchangeable (Ex-P), aluminum bound (Al-P), iron bound (Fe-P), calcium bound (Ca-P), and organically bound phosphorus (Org-P), were quantified. Significantly higher level of total P was recorded in pre-monsoon season (438.5 ± 95.8 mg/kg), than other [winter (345.7 ± 110.6 mg/kg), post-monsoon (319.2 ± 136.3 mg/kg), and monsoon (288.6 ± 77.3 mg/kg)] seasons. Different P fractions such as Ex-P, Al-P, Fe-P, Ca-P and Org-P varied from 2.88-12.8 mg/kg, 7.64-98.8 mg/kg, 32.2-179.2 mg/kg, 51.97-286.1 mg/kg and 9.3-143.7 mg/kg, respectively, which correspondingly represented 0.5-10.54%, 3.41-20.18%, 17.27-37.82%, 37.35-60.2%, 4.15-25.88% of the Total P with a rank order of P-fractions was Ca-P > Fe-P > Org-P > Al-P > Ex-P. Bio-available P contributes a considerable portion (37.9-46.0%) of total P which may increase the eutrophication to overlying water. Results demonstrate that inorganic P species control the P bio-availability in both time and space. However, an estimated phosphorus pollution index based on sediment total P content showed no ecological risk of phosphorus to Ganga River sediment.

Ecological restoration amplifies riverine fish catch of Gudusia chapra (Hamilton, 1822): an impact study in the river Ganga using multivariate statistical tools and water quality indices.

Fish residing in the aquatic ecosystem are considered the best ecological indicator for monitoring environmental habitat. To evaluate the changes that occurred due to relative restoration in the ecological habitat, a study was conducted in the freshwater zone of the river Ganga between Buxar, Bihar, and Ballia, Uttar Pradesh, between July 2021 and July 2022. In the monitoring, the physico-chemical condition, as well as the food and feeding habits of the fish Gudusia chapra, were monitored with the help of various pollution evaluating indices, namely, the algal pollution index (API) for planktons, the comprehensive pollution index (CPI-WQI), and the National Sanitation Foundation Water Quality Indices (NSF-WQI) for water. The study showed that the relative restoration facilitated the amplification of the fish catch from 5.60 to 98.98% in two consecutive years. The reduction in the API (15 to 4) as well as CPI (0.80 to 0.72) during both years signified the reduction of the pollution status of the river in the region. The NSF-WQI also decreased from 88.27 to 79.27 from 2021 to 2022. The electivity index for the fish showed that fish preferred the groups Cyanobacteria, Rotifera, and Copepoda. The multivariate, as well as univariate analyses, revealed that the fish G. chapra is significantly influenced by multiple abiotic as well as biotic variables, among which the major contributors are riverine velocity, transparency, conductivity, pH, dissolved oxygen, total alkalinity, carbonate, bicarbonate, salinity, total hardness, calcium, silicate, and biochemical oxygen demand.

Seasonal influence of physicochemical and climatic parameters on phytoplankton diversity and abundance pattern in community managed semi-impacted floodplain wetland.

Wetlands provide numerous ecological services and are key habitats for aquatic flora and fauna. In the Beledanga wetland, the current study was conducted for 3 years, from July 2019 to June 2021, to evaluate the seasonal influence of physicochemical parameters on phytoplankton diversity and abundance patterns. Overall 48 genera of phytoplankton were observed. Bacillariophyceae (27%) contributed the maximum to the total phytoplankton density. The total abundance of phytoplankton was found utmost during monsoon (4.081 × 103 unit l-1) and least during post-monsoon (3.316 × 103 unit l-1). One-way analysis of variance indicated significant seasonal differences (p < 0.05) for some genera. The study gave the idea about the most influencing physic-chemical parameters (dissolved oxygen, turbidity, total hardness, Ca2+, and total nitrogen) on the growth of phytoplankton with the help of different multivariate and univariate analysis (canonical correspondence analysis and Karl Pearson's correlation). The study again highlighted that climate parameters (temperature and rainfall) had some effect on the phytoplanktonic groups. Our study conceded that N:P in the studied wetland was less than the Redfield ratio (16:1) in all three seasons, while the Si:P ratio was noticed in the high range (15:1) during pre-monsoon. The value of the Shannon diversity index and Margalef's species richness index were noticed to be > 3, which signified quite rich in phytoplankton diversity. But the value of Algal Pollution Index, which describes the ecological pollution level based on the present algal genera was observed high throughout all seasons, indicating organic load. So in future the studied wetland may get adversely affected with influence of anthropogenic activities. Therefore, for sustainable biodiversity of the waterbody, the anthropogenic activities (retting and intensification of agricultural farming) and macrophytes need to be controlled and regulated.

Diel variation of plankton in the highly impacted freshwater zone of Hooghly estuary in relation to ecological alteration.

Plankton are promising ecological monitoring tool that responds quickly to any sort of aquatic ecological alteration, of which many of them are much susceptible to ecological variations. Therefore, monitoring shifts in plankton composition can indicate changes in water quality and aid to identify potential pollution sources. In the present study, the variation in plankton dynamics in relation to ecological variables were monitored in the freshwater zone of the Hooghly estuary from May 2020 to April 2021. The study was conducted in the interval of every six hours. i.e., at 6 A.M., 12 P.M., 6 P.M., and 12 A.M. The present finding revealed the occurrence of 54 phytoplankton and 20 zooplankton taxa/species. Diel variation revealed that among different time intervals, the highest abundance of phytoplankton was recorded 28,307 cells l-1 at 12 P.M, while the lowest was recorded 10,632 cells l-1 at 6 A.M. However, the highest zooplankton abundance was observed 804 ind l-1 at 6 A.M., and the lowest was recorded 156 ind l-1 at 6 P.M. The ANOVA (p < 0.05) analysis indicated significant diel variation for many planktonic genera. The CCA exhibited that most of the phytoplankton were influenced by multiple water quality variables such as temperature, turbidity, calcium, pH, salinity, DO, and nutrients. However, the majority of the zooplankton were affected by turbidity, total phosphorus, sulphate, calcium and available nitrogen. Significant seasonal variation in plankton composition has also been observed. The present study will help to determine the varying diel pattern of planktons in retort to alterations in the water quality parameters and varying ecological niches.

Influence of the Steric/Electronic Properties of N-Aryl Substituents in Cycloplatinated Guanidinate(1-) Complexes on the Formation of Discrete Pt → Ag Complexes and One-Dimensional Coordination Polymer.

The reactions of cycloplatinated guanidinate(1-) complexes 1-6 with AgTFA (TFA = OC(O)CF3) in 1:1 and 1:2 PtII/AgI molar ratios afforded complexes containing three types of Pt2Ag2 skeletons (7-10, 11, and 13), one 1D CP containing Pt2Ag3 skeleton (16), and a Pt2Ag4 complex (17) in 91-95% (method 1), 73-82% (method 2) (7-10), and 54-79% (11, 13, 16, and 17) yields. The reactions of 11 with 2,6-XylNC (2,6-Xyl = 2,6-Me2C6H3) and 4-DMAP (4-dimethylaminopyridine) gave a neutral complex 18 and an ionic complex 19, respectively. Molecular structures of 12 complexes were unambiguously determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Ten complexes contain unprecedented PtAg skeletons and are shown to contain multiple number of dative Pt → Ag bonds supported by the TFA ligand, platinated carbon of the TAG ligand, or both these ligands in conjunction with the Ag-Ag contacts stabilized by argentophilic interaction. Further, the new complexes were characterized by analytical, IR, and multinuclear NMR (19F, 1H, 13C{1H}, and 195Pt) spectroscopies, powder X-ray diffraction, and TGA/DTA. In solution, 9 and 19 exist in more than one form as identified by multinuclear NMR, and this behavior is ascribed to the restricted (N2)C-N(H)Ar single-bond rotation of the TAG ligand. The photophysical properties of 9 and 11 are reported.

Riverine connectivity influences the phytoplankton ecology in the open floodplain wetland of the lower river Ganga.

The river Ganga has several floodplain wetlands that support its ecology and ecosystem. Phytoplankton is an important component of the aquatic ecosystem, which plays an important role as a bioindicator for the assessment of aquatic health. The present study was conducted between 2018 and 2019 to understand the seasonal variation in the phytoplankton diversity of the Charaganga wetland and, parallelly, in the river Ganga in Nabadweep, India. The study explains how riverine connectivity affects the structure of the algal community in the wetland ecosystem. In the study, it has been observed that in the wetland, maximum mean phytoplankton density was noticed during pre-monsoon, i.e., 4079 unit l-1 followed by post-monsoon 3812 unit l-1 and monsoon 550 unit l-1, respectively. In the river system, the phytoplankton density varied from 78 unit l-1 to 653 unit l-1 seasonally, i.e., highest during monsoon and lowest during pre-monsoon. In both the ecosystems, i.e., wetland and river, the supreme influential group was Cyanophyceae followed by diatoms. One-way ANOVA showed a significant variation (p > 0.05) of three algal groups of phytoplankton (Bacillariophyceae, Coscinodiscophyceae, Chlorophyceae) in the river, while in the wetland, no significant variation (p > 0.05) was found among the other algal groups. The observed higher Shannon and Margalef's species richness value in the wetland was observed than in the river defines the significance and importance of the wetland ecosystem, which may support the growth and conservation of various aquatic organisms as well. The study highlighted that the influencing abiotic factors like water temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, and nutrients have affected the phytoplankton community in both the water bodies, i.e., wetland and river. We concluded that river connectivity is required to restore the biotic flora of the wetland ecosystem.

Optimisation of Manganese Peroxidase (MnP) Activity of Enterobacter wuhouensis Using Response Surface Method and Evaluation of Its Maillard Reaction Products Along with Lignin Degradation Ability.

Manganese peroxidase (MnP), a microbial ligninolytic enzyme which plays significant role in lignin and melanoidin degradation has gained much attention in the field of industry. In the present study, 15 ligninolytic bacteria were isolated from the soil sample of Similipal Biosphere Reserve (SBR) and screened for MnP activity. The most efficient MnP-producing bacterium HNB5 was evaluated for alkali lignin and maillard reaction products (MRPs) degradation and identified as Enterobacter wuhouensis using 16S rRNA sequencing. This bacterium exhibited the highest MnP activity of 2.6 U mL-1 min-1 in un-optimized conditions. Further, optimization using response surface methodology E. wuhouensis showed increased MnP activity of 4.11 U mL-1 min-1 at pH 6.3, temperature 37 °C, substrate concentration 1.05%, and time 144 h. In both FT-IR and UV-Vis spectrophotometry analyses of control and bacterium degraded MRPs, the reduction in Maillard product colour was correlated with shifting absorption peaks. Also, the GC-MS analysis data showing a change in functional group revealed the rise of novel peaks caused due to the degradation of MRPs complex. The phytotoxicity study was conducted for bacterial degraded MRPs medium revealed that toxicity of the medium decreased after bacterial treatment. The findings of the current study suggest that the manganese MnP produced by E. wuhouensis isolated from SBR soil sample may be employed for bioremediation purposes to degrade MRPs.

Multidecadal assessment of environmental variables in the river Ganga for pollution monitoring and sustainable management.

The Ganga River is the major source of drinking water for humans over the decades. It is also the ecological niche for millions of relict species, i.e., for a variety of planktons, benthic organisms, fish, and various other aquatic organisms. The blasting population resulted in an enhanced rate of pollution in the river system emanating from various anthropogenic activities and industrialization in the bank of river Ganga. The study was made in the middle and lower stretch of the river to monitor the decadal changes in the water quality of river Ganga from 1960 to 2019 at six different study sites. In the present study, various water quality parameters such as dissolved oxygen, pH, free carbon dioxide, total alkalinity, conductivity, total dissolved solids (TDS), hardness, chloride, and nitrate have been studied during 2015-2019. The data for 1960 to 2006 were taken from ICAR-CIFRI publications. Based on the studied parameters, National Sanitation Foundation (NSF)-water quality index (WQI) was calculated. In the present study, it was found that the calculated NSF-WQI was 69.24 in 1960-1961 which increased up to 113.39 during 2001-2006. But, with the implementation of various rejuvenating strategies, the WQI of the river got reduced to 106.48 during 2015-2019. This reflected the positive changes in the riverine system. Different water quality parameters such as dissolved oxygen, pH, and hardness were observed mostly within the permissible range as based on the drinking water guidelines for humans and survival of the aquatic organisms as well, except a few location-specific observations.

Water quality assessment in the ecologically stressed lower and estuarine stretches of river Ganga using multivariate statistical tool.

Water quality of the Ganga River system is changing day by day due to multifold increase in population, especially near the banks of river Ganga, and associated exponential amplification of anthropogenic activities also played a remarkable role in it. The ecologically important lower and estuarine stretch of river Ganga comprising 7 different sampling stations, i.e., Jangipur, Berhampore, Balagarh, Tribeni, Godakhali, Diamond Harbour and Fraserganj, were selected for the study as the stretch is enriched with the vast number of floral and faunal diversity. The study was conducted for a period of 5 years, i.e., from 2016 to 2020. In the study, various analytical tools and techniques were used for the assessment of riverine water quality, i.e., for calculation of water quality index (WQI); The National Sanitation Foundation Water Quality Index (NSF-WQI) and the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment Water Quality Index (CCME-WQI) were used for the assessment. Along with WQI various statistical univariate as well as multivariate analytical tools like principal component analysis, correlation, ANOVA, and cluster analysis were also used to achieve the desired outputs. In the study, it has been observed that NSF-WQI varied from 61 to 2552, in which the higher value of NSF-WQI denoted the unsuitability of the water quality concerning the drinking water standards and vice versa. The CCME-WQI represented a similar trend as that of NSF-WQI, as it varied from 18 to 92 in which the lower value denoted degradation in the drinking water quality and vice versa. The study revealed that the Diamond Harbour-Fraserganj stretch is having an undesired level of water quality which were analyzed based on the drinking water guideline values of the Bureau of Indian Standards and that of NSF-WQI and CCME-WQI.

Microbial Journey: Mount Everest to Mars.

A rigorous exploration of microbial diversity has revealed its presence on Earth, deep oceans, and vast space. The presence of microbial life in diverse environmental conditions, ranging from moderate to extreme temperature, pH, salinity, oxygen, radiations, and altitudes, has provided the necessary impetus to search for them by extending the limits of their habitats. Microbiology started as a distinct science in the mid-nineteenth century and has provided inputs for the betterment of mankind during the last 150 years. As beneficial microbes are assets and pathogens are detrimental, studying both have its own merits. Scientists are nowadays working on illustrating the microbial dynamics in Earth's subsurface, deep sea, and polar regions. In addition to studying the role of microbes in the environment, the microbe-host interactions in humans, animals and plants are also unearthing newer insights that can help us to improve the health of the host by modulating the microbiota. Microbes have the potential to remediate persistent organic pollutants. Antimicrobial resistance which is a serious concern can also be tackled only after monitoring the spread of resistant microbes using disciplines of genomics and metagenomics The cognizance of microbiology has reached the top of the world. Space Missions are now looking for signs of life on the planets (specifically Mars), the Moon and beyond them. Among the most potent pieces of evidence to support the existence of life is to look for microbial, plant, and animal fossils. There is also an urgent need to deliberate and communicate these findings to layman and policymakers that would help them to take an adequate decision for better health and the environment around us. Here, we present a glimpse of recent advancements by scientists from around the world, exploring and exploiting microbial diversity.

Reactions of Cycloplatinated Guanidine Complexes with Hg(OC(O)CF3)2: Formation of a One-Dimensional Coordination Polymer Containing a Pt2Hg(µ2-S(O)Me2-S,O) Repeating Unit versus a Discrete Pt2Hg2 Complex.

Separate reactions of cycloplatinated 2-tolyl- and 2-anisylguanidine complexes, [Pt{κ2(C,N)}(OC(O)CF3)(S(O)Me2)] (1 and 2), with Hg(OC(O)CF3)2 in 1:0.5 and 1:1 molar ratios afforded the one-dimensional coordination polymer (1D CP) {[PtIII{κ2(C,N)}(OC(O)CF3)2]2Hg0}(µ2-S(O)Me2-S,O)·C7H8 (3·C7H8) as bright red crystals and the discrete tetrametallic complex [PtII{κ2(C,N)}(µ2-OC(O)CF3)2HgI-]2 (4) as yellow crystals in good yields. The two different products obtained in the aforementioned reactions are ascribed to the subtle differences in the N substituent of the guanidinate(1-) ligands in 1 and 2. The plausible mechanisms of formation of 3 and 4 are outlined. Complexes 3 and 4 were characterized by elemental analyses and IR and multinuclear NMR (1H, 13C{1H}, 19F, and 195Pt) spectroscopy. Complex 4 was also characterized by 199Hg NMR spectroscopy. The molecular structures of 3·C7H8 and 4 were determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies. 1D CP 3·C7H8 contains a Pt(III)-Hg(0)-Pt(III)(µ2-S(O)Me2-S,O) repeating unit with a pair of unsupported Pt-Hg covalent bonds, while 4 contains a Pt(II)-Hg(I)-Hg(I)-Pt(II) chain with a pair of trifluoroacetate ligand supported Pt→Hg coordinate bonds. 1D CP 3·C7H8 falls apart into a mixture of three species, namely 6-8 and 9-11 in C6D6 and CDCl3, respectively, as revealed by multinuclear NMR spectroscopy. In CDCl3, 4 partially isomerizes to [PtII(OC(O)CF3)(µ2-OC(O)CF3){κ3µ2(C,N,O)}HgI-]2 (12), wherein each Pt→Hg coordinate bond is supported by one µ2-bridging trifluoroacetate ligand and one chelating bridging guanidinate(1-) ligand, as inferred from variable-temperature 1H and 19F NMR spectroscopy. Complex 12 is the major species and 4 is the minor species in CDCl3, while opposite situation prevails in C6D6. The observance of a mixture of two solution species for 4 is ascribed to a rapid "carboxylate shift" process induced by the oxygen atom of the ═N(C6H4(OMe)-2) unit of the guanidinate(1-) ligand through neighboring-group participation. UV-visible absorption and emission spectra of 4 were measured in CHCl3, and from the outcome of the investigation, the possible existence of [Cl2(H)C-Cl···PtII(OC(O)CF3)(µ2-OC(O)CF3){κ3µ2(C,N,O)}HgI-]2 (12″) was suggested, which is likely to have a pair of Pt-Hg covalent bonds made possible by CHCl3 coordination on the sixth site of the Pt(II) atom.

Comparative metagenomic analyses of a high-altitude Himalayan geothermal spring revealed temperature-constrained habitat-specific microbial community and metabolic dynamics.

Metagenomic surveys across microbial mat (~ 55 °C) samples of high-altitude (1760 m above sea level) Himalayan geothermal springs have revealed specialized community enriched with niche-specific functions. In this study, we have performed metagenomic sequence-based analyses to get insights into taxonomic composition and functional potential of hyperthermophiles in water (~ 95 °C) and sediment samples (78-98 °C). Community analyses revealed predominance of thermophilic bacterial and archeal genera dwelling in water in contrast to microbial mats (55 °C), namely Methylophilus, Methyloversatilis, Emticicia, Caulobacter, Thermus, Enhydrobacter and Pyrobaculum. Sediment samples having surface temperature (~ 78 °C) were colonized by Pyrobaculum and Chloroflexus while genus Massilia was found to be inhabited in high-temperature sediments (~ 98 °C). Functional analyses of metagenomic sequences revealed genetic enrichment of genes such as type IV secretion system, flagellar assembly and two-component system in contrast to mats. Furthermore, inter-sample comparison of enriched microbial diversity among water, sediment and microbial mats revealed habitat-specific clustering of the samples within same environment highlighting the role of temperature dynamics in modulating community structure across different habitats in same niche. However, function-based analysis demonstrated site-specific clustering among sediment, microbial mat and water samples. Furthermore, a novel thermophilic genotype of the genus Emticicia (designated as strain MM) was reconstructed from metagenome data. This is a correlative study between three major habitats present in geothermal spring environment, i.e., water, sediment and microbial mats revealing greater phylogenetic and functional dispersion emphasizing changing habitat-specific dynamics with temperature.

Synergistic effect of dietary selenium nanoparticles and riboflavin on the enhanced thermal efficiency of fish against multiple stress factors.

An experiment was designed to delineate the efficacy of a dietary mixture of selenium nanoparticles (Se-NPs) and riboflavin (RF) on the thermal efficiency/tolerance of Pangasianodon hypophthalmus reared under arsenic (2.8 mg/L) and high-temperature (34 °C) stress. A green synthesis method was employed for the synthesis of Se-NPs using fish gills, which are normally discarded as by-products. Four isocaloric and iso-nitrogenous experimental diets were used, namely, a control diet (Se-NPs and RF @ 0 mg/kg diet) and diets containing RF @ 5, 10 or 15 mg/kg diet and Se-NPs @ 0.5 mg/kg diet, and feeding was performed for 95 days. At the end of the feeding trial, the thermal tolerance was evaluated by determination of the following parameters: critical thermal minimum (CTMin), lethal thermal minimum (LTMin), critical thermal maximum (CTMax), and lethal thermal maximum (LTMax). The anti-oxidative status in the form of catalase (CAT), glutathione-s-transferase (GST) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activities was significantly (p < 0.01) enhanced upon concurrent exposure to arsenic and high temperature at LTMin and LTMax, whereas a non-significant (p > 0.05) change in superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity was observed in the brain at LTMin and brain, gill and kidney at LTMax. Supplementation with Se-NPs @ 0.5 mg/kg diet and RF @ 5, 10 or 15 mg/kg diet significantly (p < 0.01) improved the anti-oxidative status with or without stressors. AChE activity in the brain was significantly (p < 0.01) inhibited upon concurrent exposure to arsenic and high temperature and improved in the treatment group supplemented with Se-NPs and RF. The arsenic concentration in muscle and experimental water and Se concentration in muscle and experimental feed were analysed. Overall, the results indicated that supplementation with RF @ 5 mg/kg diet and Se-NPs @ 0.5 mg/kg diet could confer protection to the fish against arsenic and thermal stress and led to enhanced thermal efficiency/tolerance of P. hypophthalmus.

Deep Learning/Artificial Intelligence and Blood-Based DNA Epigenomic Prediction of Cerebral Palsy.

The etiology of cerebral palsy (CP) is complex and remains inadequately understood. Early detection of CP is an important clinical objective as this improves long term outcomes. We performed genome-wide DNA methylation analysis to identify epigenomic predictors of CP in newborns and to investigate disease pathogenesis. Methylation analysis of newborn blood DNA using an Illumina HumanMethylation450K array was performed in 23 CP cases and 21 unaffected controls. There were 230 significantly differentially-methylated CpG loci in 258 genes. Each locus had at least 2.0-fold change in methylation in CP versus controls with a FDR p-value ≤ 0.05. Methylation level for each CpG locus had an area under the receiver operating curve (AUC) ≥ 0.75 for CP detection. Using Artificial Intelligence (AI) platforms/Machine Learning (ML) analysis, CpG methylation levels in a combination of 230 significantly differentially-methylated CpG loci in 258 genes had a 95% sensitivity and 94.4% specificity for newborn prediction of CP. Using pathway analysis, multiple canonical pathways plausibly linked to neuronal function were over-represented. Altered biological processes and functions included: neuromotor damage, malformation of major brain structures, brain growth, neuroprotection, neuronal development and de-differentiation, and cranial sensory neuron development. In conclusion, blood leucocyte epigenetic changes analyzed using AI/ML techniques appeared to accurately predict CP and provided plausible mechanistic information on CP pathogenesis.

Recombinant human interferon regulatory factor-1 (IRF-1) protein expression and solubilisation study in Escherichia coli.

Interferon regulatory factor-1 (IRF-1) is a tumor suppressor gene, which encodes a mammalian transcription factor that serves various vital functions in a cell, such as cell cycle regulation, immunomodulation, and antiviral response. We report full-length human IRF-1 cDNA cloning and expression in E. coli/BL21 cells with complete solubilisation of recombinant protein. We cloned the gene by the RT-PCR technique using ORF-specific primers followed by expression of recombinant IRF-1 in E. coli under GST fusion system. The profound expression of recombinant protein was observed after inducing with 0.5 mM IPTG for 3 h at 37 °C. We observed few degradation products of low molecular mass along with full-length fusion protein. We successfully minimized the formation of low molecular mass degradation products of GST-huIRF-1 protein at 16 °C. Simultaneously, we achieved the expression of recombinant protein in soluble fraction of E. coli/BL21 cells at 20 °C with higher yield, which is crucial to the study of the biological functions of any protein. We further confirmed it by the immunoblotting technique using anti-IRF-1 and anti-GST antibodies under the induction of E. coli cells harboring the IRF-1 recombinant plasmid after sonicated and fractioned fractions. This work will serve as a platform for characterizing the recombinant protein that may pave the way to understand molecular mechanism of tumour suppression caused by this molecule.

Paracoccus sordidisoli sp. nov., isolated from an agricultural field contaminated with hexachlorocyclohexane isomers.

A novel bacterial strain, designated LP91T, was isolated from an agricultural field contaminated with hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) isomers at Ummari Village, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India. Cells of the strain were aerobic, short rod or coccoid, Gram-stain-negative and non-motile. Colonies of the strain were initially transparent but with time changed to a creamy white colour. Phylogenetic analysis based on the 16S rRNA marker gene showed that it was closely associated with Paracoccus aestuariivivens GHD-30T (99.1 %) and Paracoccus limosus NB88T (98.0 %), followed by Paracoccus laeviglucosivorans 43PT (97.9 %) and Paracoccus marinus KKL-A5T (97.0 %). The DNA-DNA hybridization values of strain LP91T with the closely related type strains mentioned above were below 51.2±0.64 %, confirming it as a distinct species from other known species of the genus Paracoccus. The major cellular fatty acids of strain LP91T were C18 : 0 ω7c/C18 : 0 ω6c and C16 : 0. The major polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine and aminophospholipid, along with other lipids including glycolipids, aminolipids and other unknown phosphoglycolipids. Spermine was the major polyamine, along with putrescine in a minor amount. Ubiquinone (Q-10) was the sole isoprenoid quinone. Based on the results of phylogenetic, phenotypic and chemotaxonomic analysis, it is proposed that the isolate represents a new species of the genus Paracoccus, for which the name Paracoccus sordidisoli sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is LP91T (=KCTC 42938T=CCM 8696T=MCC 3128T).

Microbial taxonomy in the era of OMICS: application of DNA sequences, computational tools and techniques.

The current prokaryotic taxonomy classifies phenotypically and genotypically diverse microorganisms using a polyphasic approach. With advances in the next-generation sequencing technologies and computational tools for analysis of genomes, the traditional polyphasic method is complemented with genomic data to delineate and classify bacterial genera and species as an alternative to cumbersome and error-prone laboratory tests. This review discusses the applications of sequence-based tools and techniques for bacterial classification and provides a scheme for more robust and reproducible bacterial classification based on genomic data. The present review highlights promising tools and techniques such as ortho-Average Nucleotide Identity, Genome to Genome Distance Calculator and Multi Locus Sequence Analysis, which can be validly employed for characterizing novel microorganisms and assessing phylogenetic relationships. In addition, the review discusses the possibility of employing metagenomic data to assess the phylogenetic associations of uncultured microorganisms. Through this article, we present a review of genomic approaches that can be included in the scheme of taxonomy of bacteria and archaea based on computational and in silico advances to boost the credibility of taxonomic classification in this genomic era.