Microwave-Assisted Green Synthesis of Carbon Quantum Dots Derived from Calotropis Gigantea as a Fluorescent Probe for Bioimaging.

An eco-friendly, cost-effective, and convenient approach for synthesizing biocompatible fluorescent carbon quantum dots (CQDs) from the leaf extract of the medicinal plant Calotropis gigantea, commonly known as crown flower, has been demonstrated in this work. Fluorescence quantum yields of up to 4.24 percent were observed in as-synthesized CQDs. The size distribution of the as-synthesized CQDs varied from 2.7 to 10.4 nm, with a significant proportion of sp2 and sp3 carbon groups verified by nuclear magnetic resonance analysis. The zeta potential of as-synthesized CQDs was measured to be -13.8 mV, indicating the existence of a negatively charged surface with incipient instability in aqueous suspension. Furthermore, as an alternative to organic or synthetic dyes, the development of simple, inexpensive, and non-destructive fluorescence-based staining agents are highly desired. In this regard, as-synthesized CQDs have shown remarkable fluorescent staining capabilities in this work and might be utilised as a suitable probe for optical and bio-imaging of bacteria, fungi, and plant cells.

Role of serum microRNAs as biomarkers for endometriosis, endometrioid carcinoma of ovary & endometrioid endometrial cancer.

Background & objectives: Accurate and early diagnosis is imperial in the management of endometriosis, endometrioid carcinoma of ovary (ECO) and endometrioid endometrial cancer (EC), yet there are no definitive diagnostic methods available for these diseases. Therefore, the present study was aimed to evaluate the diagnostic potential of differentially expressed miRNAs in serum samples of women with endometriosis, ECO and EC to establish them as diagnostic biomarkers. Methods: Blood samples (5 ml) were obtained from 40 patients (n=10/study group) undergoing laparoscopy/laparotomy/hysterectomy. miRNA-rich RNA was extracted from the serum samples, and quantitative real-time (qRT)-PCR was performed to check the expression levels of miR-16, miR-99b, miR-20a, miR-145, miR-143 and miR-125a in all the samples. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was done to check the diagnostic potential. Results: In endometriosis, miR-16 was downregulated (P<0.05) whereas miR-99b, miR-125a, miR-143 and miR-145 were upregulated (P<0.05). In ECO group, downregulated expression of miR-16 and miR-125a (P<0.05) was observed, whereas miR-99b, miR-143 and miR-145 were upregulated (P<0.05). In endometrioid EC, miR-16, miR-99b, miR-125 and miR-145 were downregulated (P<0.05), whereas miR-143 was upregulated (P<0.05). ROC curve analysis showed that, for endometriosis, miR-99b, miR-125a, miR-143 and miR-145 served as diagnostic markers. miR-145 showed diagnostic power for ECO, and for endometrioid EC, miR-16, miR-99b, miR-125a and miR-145 showed diagnostic potential. Interpretation & conclusions: The present findings suggested that certain circulating miRNAs (miB99b, miR-16, miR-125a, miR-145) might act as indicators and discriminators of endometriosis and endometrioid subtypes of EC and ovarian cancer and might serve as potential biomarkers for early diagnosis and management of these debilitating diseases.

Prakriti Analysis of COVID 19 Patients: An Observational Study.

RATIONALE & OBJECTIVE: The concept of Prakriti is unique to Ayurveda, which is used for deciding the preventive and curative strategy to be adopted in the treatment of patients. It is the total of anatomical, physiological, and psychological domains of an individual. The diseases often manifest by susceptibility that depends upon Prakriti of individuals. COVID 19 is a new disease, where the status of the susceptibility of its victim in terms of Prakriti is not known. This study has been undertaken to determine the Prakriti of COVID 19 positive patients. METHOD: The validated instrument CCRAS Prakriti assessment scale has been applied to the COVID 19 positive patients admitted between 16 May 2020 to 10 June 2020 at COVID hospital. RESULT: Data of 117 patients aged 10 to 80 years have been analyzed. The ratio of male-female patients was 1.8:1. Most patients belonged to Vata-KaphaPrakriti (27%).Individuals with their Prakriti found in order of frequency were Pitta-Kapha (21%), Kapha (20%), Vata (13%), Vata-Pitta (11%), Sama (4%) and Pitta (3%). CONCLUSION: Patients with Vata-Kapha, Pitta-Kapha, and Kapha dominant Prakriti have been found more in COVID19. The treatment strategies can be accordingly decided in respect of each patient.

Genetic characterisation of the North-West Indian populations: analysis of mitochondrial DNA control region variations.

BACKGROUND: Human mitochondrial DNA presents several interesting characteristics, making it a favourable tool in the field of molecular anthropology, medical genetics, population history, and forensic science. AIM: The present study investigated the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) control region variations in diverse ethnic groups of North-West India for which population data is insufficient. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The complete mtDNA control regions of 197 unrelated (for up to three generations) healthy individuals belonging to different ethnic groups of North-West India were sequenced. The haplotype frequencies, haplogroup distribution, and pairwise FST values between the studied and other worldwide populations were generated to study patterns of variation in human mtDNA. RESULTS: The results ascertained high gene diversity (0.998) in the studied maternal lineages, identifying 166 distinct haplotypes, of which 158 were unique and characterised by 117 variable sites. Three haplogroups: M3, M30, and U7 were observed to be the most prevalent, and phylogeographically a total of 55.86% of sequences were characterised into South Asian, followed by West Eurasian (40.18%) and East Asian (3.96%), ancestry haplogroups. Pairwise genetic differentiation comparisons revealed maternal homogeneity in the studied groups. No population substructure was detected within the North-West Indian populations. CONCLUSION: The results of this preliminary study will contribute to an existing database of mtDNA variations of the Indian population and facilitate prospective studies investigating population genetics and human diseases.

Development of cost-effective quantitative PCR method for parallel detection of porcine circovirus2 and porcine parvovirus in perspective of North-eastern India.

Pig farming performs as an intricate part in the socio-economic situation in the north-eastern region of India. This region contributes 38% (3.95 million) of total pigs in India. In spite of this, the region unables to flourish as an enterprise as per the expectation due to a low productivity rate. Porcine infectious pathogens like porcine cirovirus2 (PCV2) and porcine parvovirus (PPV) have a direct economic impact on pig farming through slow growth rate, abortion, and mortality and ultimately maximize the production cost by increasing the usage of antibiotic or antiviral drugs. The veterinary diagnostic infrastructure is a fundamental aspect of the development of livestock status by rapid and effective detection of pathogens. Quantitative PCR (qPCR) is a precise and fast-track technique used for the routine diagnostic method. Hence, we developed a highly precise and comparatively cost-effective SYBR Green reporter dye-based qPCR assay for parallel identification of PCV2 and PPV. In the present assay, the correlation coefficient (R2) value was 0.99, and 10 copies of the gene/µl were the least limit of detection (LOD) concerning both viruses. Melt curve analysis of this study represented PCV2-specific melt curve (Tm) at 81.2 °C and PPV-specific melt curve (Tm) at 73.5 °C. Therefore, the assay easily differentiates the true positive amplicons of PCV2 and PPV through specific Tm values. Among the 50 field samples, 26 (52%) samples were PCV2 positive, 18 (36%) samples PPV positive, and 11 (22%) samples were co-infected of both the viruses. This method is cost-effective, precise, and sensitive to diagnose the concurrent or individual infection of the PCV2 and PPV in the pig. Hence, considering the impact of pig farming in the north-eastern part of the country, the present assay gives an unprecedented achievement in disease diagnosis.

SARS-CoV-2 and the reproductive system: known and the unknown..!!

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 is the most recent zoonotic outbreak of coronaviruses. Mostly, it invades the cells of the respiratory system by binding to the receptor angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) which is also present in other organs like the kidney, testis, ovaries, breast, heart, and intestine, rendering them prone to be infected. The reproductive potential is a must for the sustenance of any species and it is our prime duty to safeguard the reproductive system of the present generation from such a deadly virus. The previously reported coronaviruses like severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) had a detrimental impact on reproductive organs. There is a dearth of sufficient research to provide substantial evidence for the harmful effects of this novel virus on the reproductive system. Hence, our review compiles the knowledge available until now to boost research in this regard and to take the necessary steps in time. MAIN BODY OF ABSTRACT: Here we tried to compile all the data available on the effect of SARS-CoV-2 on the reproductive system as well as vertical transmission of the virus. All related articles published from February to August 2020 were reviewed and thoroughly analyzed. SARS-CoV-2 has been found to affect the sperm concentration and motility, thus degrading the fertility of males. In females, it is suspected that this virus affects the oocyte quality and ovarian function, resulting in infertility or miscarriage. Traces of SARS-CoV-2 virus have also been found in the breast milk of the infected mothers and the semen of infected males. Vertical transmission of SARS-CoV-2 has also been reported in some cases. CONCLUSION: Based on the literature review, SARS-CoV-2 seems to have the potential of affecting both male and female reproductive tracts. This review brings together the findings and observations made in the area of reproductive health during the current pandemic. The reproductive system of the young population is preordained for subsequent disorders, infertility, reduced sperm count, and motility. Therefore, the research and medical practices should focus on possible vulnerability being posed by SARS-CoV-2 to the gametes and future generations. We, hereby, recommend close monitoring of young and pregnant COVID-19 patients concerning reproductive health with utmost priority.

MassARRAY analysis of twelve cancer related SNPs in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma in J&K, India.

BACKGROUND: MassARRAY (Agena Bioscience™) combines competitive PCR with MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry (MS) analysis that gives highly accurate, sensitive, and high-throughput methods for the quantitative analysis of variation of gene expression in multiple samples. SNPs (Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms) have a very high potential of discovering disease-gene relationships. SNP-genotyping through MassARRAY is not only a cost-effective genotyping method but also provides a platform to validate variants observed through a high-throughput Next-generation sequencing (NGS). METHODS: In the present study, we have incorporated the use of matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight, mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF) as a tool for differentiating genotypes based on the mass of variant. We have performed multiplex PCR and genotyped 12 SNPs in 758 samples (166 cases and 592 controls). The 12 studied SNPs were chosen with a rationale for their association with multiple cancers in literature. RESULTS: This is the first study to explore these SNPs with esophageal cancer within the J&K population. Out of 12 SNPs, two SNPs rs12190287 of TCF21 and rs10046 of CYP19A1 were significantly associated with esophageal cancer with Odds Ratio (OR) 1.412 (1.09-1.8 at 95% CI, p = 0.008) and 1.54 (1.21-2.072 at 95% CI, p = 0.0007) within the population of Jammu and Kashmir. CONCLUSION: We explored 12 SNPs that were found to be associated with multiple cancers in literature with esophageal cancer within the population of J&K. This is the first study to find the relation of these SNPs with ESCC within the studied population. This study explores the relation of genetic and environmental factors with the ESCC susceptibility.

MassARRAY-based single nucleotide polymorphism analysis in breast cancer of north Indian population.

BACKGROUND: Breast Cancer (BC) is associated with inherited gene mutations. High throughput genotyping of BC samples has led to the identification and characterization of biomarkers for the diagnosis of BC. The most common genetic variants studied are SNPs (Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms) that determine susceptibility to an array of diseases thus serving as a potential tool for identifying the underlying causes of breast carcinogenesis. METHODS: SNP genotyping employing the Agena MassARRAY offers a robust, sensitive, cost-effective method to assess multiple SNPs and samples simultaneously. In this present study, we analyzed 15 SNPs of 14 genes in 550 samples (150 cases and 400 controls). We identified four SNPs of genes TCF21, SLC19A1, DCC, and ERCC1 showing significant association with BC in the population under study. RESULTS: The SNPs were rs12190287 (TCF21) having OR 1.713 (1.08-2.716 at 95% CI) p-value 0.022 (dominant), rs1051266 (SLC19A1) having OR 3.461 (2.136-5.609 at 95% CI) p-value 0.000000466 (dominant), rs2229080 (DCC) having OR 0.6867 (0.5123-0.9205 at 95% CI) p-value 0.0116 (allelic) and rs2298881 (ERCC1) having OR 0.669 (0.46-0.973 at 95% CI), p-value 0.035 (additive) respectively. The in-silico analysis was further used to fortify the above findings. CONCLUSION: It is further anticipated that the variants should be evaluated in other population groups that may aid in understanding the genetic complexity and bridge the missing heritability.

ddRAD sequencing-based identification of inter-genepool SNPs and association analysis in Brassica juncea.

BACKGROUND: Narrow genetic base, complex allo-tetraploid genome and presence of repetitive elements have led the discovery of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in Brassica juncea (AABB; 2n = 4x = 36) at a slower pace. Double digest RAD (ddRAD) - a genome complexity reduction technique followed by NGS was used to generate a total of 23 million paired-end reads from three genotypes each of Indian (Pusa Tarak, RSPR-01 and Urvashi) and Exotic (Donskaja IV, Zem 1 and EC287711) genepools. RESULTS: Sequence data analysis led to the identification of 10,399 SNPs in six genotypes at a read depth of 10x coverage among the genotypes of two genepools. A total of 44 hyper-variable regions (nucleotide variation hotspots) were also found in the genome, of which 93% were found to be a part of coding genes/regions. The functionality of the identified SNPs was estimated by genotyping a subset of SNPs on MassARRAY® platform among a diverse set of B. juncea genotypes. SNP genotyping-based genetic diversity and population studies placed the genotypes into two distinct clusters based mostly on the place of origin. The genotypes were also characterized for six morphological traits, analysis of which revealed a significant difference in the mean values between Indian and Exotic genepools for six traits. The association analysis for six traits identified a total of 45 significant marker-trait associations on 11 chromosomes of A- and B- group of progenitor genomes. CONCLUSIONS: Despite narrow diversity, the ddRAD sequencing was able to identify large number of nucleotide polymorphisms between the two genepools. Association analysis led to the identification of common SNPs/genomic regions associated between flowering and maturity traits, thereby underscoring the possible role of common chromosomal regions-harboring genes controlling flowering and maturity in Brassica juncea.

Structural tuning of acridones for developing anticancer agents targeting dihydrofolate reductase.

Targeting dihydrofolate reductase, here, we report the tumor growth inhibitory activity of substituted acridones. The screening of the molecules over 60 cell line panel of human cancer cells identified (S)-oxiran-2-ylmethyl 9-oxo-9,10-dihydroacridine-4-carboxylate (19) with average GI50 0.3 µM. The specificity of the compound to CCRF-CEM, MOLT-4 and SR cell lines of leukemia and SW-620, SF268, LOXIMVI, ACHN and MCF7 cancerous cells exhibiting GI50 in the nM range was observed. C6 Glioma cells treated with compound 19 showed differentiated cell morphology and cell cycle arrest in G2/M phase. The interactions of the compound with dihydrofolate reductase were ascertained with the help of enzyme immunoassays, molecular docking and molecular dynamic studies.

Prevalence of multi drug resistant enteropathogenic and enteroinvasive Escherichia coli isolated from children with and without diarrhea in Northeast Indian population.

BACKGROUND: Diarrheagenic Escherichia coli are associated with infantile diarrhea in the developing countries. The present study was conducted to determine the occurrence and antimicrobial resistance pattern of enteropathogenic and enteroinvasive E. coli associated with diarrhoea among the paediatric patients. METHODS: A total of 262 stool samples were collected from children with and without diarrhea from Mizoram, Northeast India. E. coli were isolated and subjected to multiplex PCR to detect virulent genes of EPEC (eaeA and bfpA) and EIEC (ial). Isolates were subjected to antimicrobial sensitivity assay using disc diffusion method. Selected eaeA genes were sequenced for identification and genetic relationship. RESULTS: A total of 334 E. coli was isolated, of which 17.37% were carrying at least one virulent gene. Altogether, 14.97 and 2.40% isolates were categorized as EPEC and EIEC, respectively. Among the DEC isolates, 4.79% were EPEC and 7.78% were EIEC. A total of 8 (2.40%) isolates were EIEC (ial+), of which 6 (1.80%) and 2 (0.60%) were from diarrhoeic and non-diarrhoeic patients, respectively. A total of 24 (41.40%) DEC isolates were MDR (resistance against ≥5 antimicrobials). CONCLUSIONS: A high frequency of EPEC pathotypes associated with paediatric diarrhea was observed in Mizoram, Northeast India and majority of the isolates are resistant to antibiotics with a high frequency of MDR, which is a matter of concern to the public health. This also raises an alarm to the world communities to monitor the resistance pattern and analyse in a global scale to combat the problems of resistance development.

In vitro antimalarial activity of novel semisynthetic nocathiacin I antibiotics.

Presently, the arsenal of antimalarial drugs is limited and needs to be replenished. We evaluated the potential antimalarial activity of two water-soluble derivatives of nocathiacin (BMS461996 and BMS411886) against the asexual blood stages of Plasmodium falciparum. Nocathiacins are a thiazolyl peptide group of antibiotics, are structurally related to thiostrepton, have potent activity against a wide spectrum of multidrug-resistant Gram-positive bacteria, and inhibit protein synthesis. The in vitro growth inhibition assay was done using three laboratory strains of P. falciparum displaying various levels of chloroquine (CQ) susceptibility. Our results indicate that BMS461996 has potent antimalarial activity and inhibits parasite growth with mean 50% inhibitory concentrations (IC50s) of 51.55 nM for P. falciparum 3D7 (CQ susceptible), 85.67 nM for P. falciparum Dd2 (accelerated resistance to multiple drugs [ARMD]), and 99.44 nM for P. falciparum K1 (resistant to CQ, pyrimethamine, and sulfadoxine). Similar results at approximately 7-fold higher IC50s were obtained with BMS411886 than with BMS461996. We also tested the effect of BMS491996 on gametocytes; our results show that at a 20-fold excess of the mean IC50, gametocytes were deformed with a pyknotic nucleus and growth of stage I to IV gametocytes was arrested. This preliminary study shows a significant potential for nocathiacin analogues to be developed as antimalarial drug candidates and to warrant further investigation.

Deciphering the dynamics of changing proteins of tolerant and intolerant wheat seedlings subjected to heat stress.

Indulgence of heat defense mechanism is crucial to allay undesirable effects by developing significant heat tolerant plants. Translation of heat stress related genes into proteins is a key tolerance strategy tailored by plants. In order to understand the possible mechanisms of heat tolerance in wheat at proteomic level, two wheat genotypes (WH 730-heat tolerant; Raj 4014-heat intolerant) along with their 10 extreme recombinant inbred lines (RILs) were exposed to heat stress (35 °C for 6 h) to identify important stress related proteins. 2-DE coupled with MALDI TOF/TOF of wheat seedlings revealed 14 differentially regulated protein spots. Compared to Raj 4014, 3 proteins viz. Rubisco activase A, Con A and PEP carboxylase 1 were differentially regulated only in WH 730 implying their practical role in heat tolerance. Above and beyond, increased expression of cytochrome b6f complex and catalase in tolerant RIL population signifies their role in accelerated electron flow during heat stress to cope up with the stress. Our results suggests that, compared to intolerant parent and RILs, tolerant parent and RILs might be actively modulating protein involved in photosynthesis, signal transduction and defense which signifies the activation of adaptation mechanism under heat stress.

Control of layer stacking in CVD graphene under quasi-static condition.

The type of layer stacking in bilayer graphene has a significant influence on its electronic properties because of the contrast nature of layer coupling. Herein, different geometries of the reaction site for the growth of bilayer graphene by the chemical vapor deposition (CVD) technique and their effects on the nature of layer stacking are investigated. Micro-Raman mapping and curve fitting analysis confirmed the type of layer stacking for the CVD grown bilayer graphene. The samples grown with sandwiched structure such as quartz/Cu foil/quartz along with a spacer, between the two quartz plates to create a sealed space, resulted in Bernal or AB stacked bilayer graphene while the sample sandwiched without a spacer produced the twisted bilayer graphene. The contrast difference in the layer stacking is a consequence of the difference in the growth mechanism associated with different geometries of the reaction site. The diffusion dominated process under quasi-static control is responsible for the growth of twisted bilayer graphene in sandwiched geometry while surface controlled growth with ample and continual supply of carbon in sandwiched geometry along with a spacer, leads to AB stacked bilayer graphene. Through this new approach, an efficient technique is presented to control the nature of layer stacking.

Physiological traits associated with heat tolerance in bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.).

Field experiments for evaluating heat tolerance-related physiological traits were conducted for two consecutive years using a mapping population of recombinant inbred lines (RILs) from the cross RAJ4014/WH730. Chlorophyll content (Chl) and chlorophyll fluorescence (CFL) were recorded under timely sown (TS) and late sown (LS) conditions. Late sowing exposes the terminal stage of plants to high temperature stress. Pooled analysis showed that CFL and Chl differed significantly under TS and LS conditions. The mean value of CFL (Fv/Fm) and Chl under both timely and late sown conditions were used as physiological traits for association with markers. Regression analysis revealed significant association of microsatellite markers viz., Xpsp3094 and Xgwm131 with coefficients of determination (R (2)) values for CFL (Fv/Fm) and Chl as 12 and 8 %, respectively. The correlation between thousand grain weight (TGW) with Chl and CFL were 14 and 7 % and correlation between grain wt./spike with Chl and CFL were 15 and 8 %, respectively. The genotypes showing tolerance to terminal heat stress as manifested by low heat susceptibility index (HSI = 0.43) for thousand grain weight, were also found having very low Chl, HSI (-0.52). These results suggest that these physiological traits may be used as a secondary character for screening heat-tolerant genotypes.

Differential regulation of microRNAs in response to osmotic, salt and cold stresses in wheat.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are tiny non-coding regulatory molecules that modulate plant's gene expression either by cleaving or repressing their mRNA targets. To unravel the plant actions in response to various environmental factors, identification of stress related miRNAs is essential. For understanding the regulatory behaviour of various abiotic stresses and miRNAs in wheat genotype C-306, we examined expression profile of selected conserved miRNAs viz. miR159, miR164, miR168, miR172, miR393, miR397, miR529 and miR1029 tangled in adapting osmotic, salt and cold stresses. The investigation revealed that two miRNAs (miR168, miR397) were down-regulated and miR172 was up-regulated under all the stress conditions. However, miR164 and miR1029 were up-regulated under cold and osmotic stresses in contrast to salt stress. miR529 responded to cold alone and does not change under osmotic and salt stress. miR393 showed up-regulation under osmotic and salt, and down-regulation under cold stress indicating auxin based differential cold response. Variation in expression level of studied miRNAs in presence of target genes delivers a likely elucidation of miRNAs based abiotic stress regulation. In addition, we reported new stress induced miRNAs Ta-miR855 using computational approach. Results revealed first documentation that miR855 is regulated by salinity stress in wheat. These findings indicate that diverse miRNAs were responsive to osmotic, salt and cold stress and could function in wheat response to abiotic stresses.

28-homobrassinolide alters protein content and activities of glutathione-s-transferase and polyphenol oxidase in raphanus sativus L. Plants under heavy metal stress.

OBJECTIVES: The application of brassinosteroids (BRs), the plant steroidal hormones, results in an increased tolerance toward stress and thus helps improving the yield of crop plants. The present study was carried out to investigate the effect of 28-homobrassinolide (28-HBL) on the protein content as well as activities of antioxidant enzymes viz., glutathione-s-transferase (GST) and polyphenol oxidase (PPO) in radish plants grown under Cadmium (Cd) and Mercury (Hg) metal stress. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Shoots of 60 and 90 days old radish plants, grown under Cd and Hg metal stress (0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5 mM) and given the presowing treatment of 28-HBL (0, 10(-7), 10(-9), 10(-11) M) to seeds for 8 h, were analyzed for protein content and GST and PPO enzyme activities. RESULTS: Protein content showed decrease in plants given Cd and Hg metal treatment alone, while treatment with 28-HBL enhanced the protein content, suggesting its stress protective role. An increase in the activity of antioxidative enzymes was also observed in plants stressed with heavy metals as well as in those supplemented with 28-HBL. CONCLUSIONS: In the present investigation, the activity of antioxidative enzymes was found to increase due to metal stress and a further increase was noticed in plants given both metal and 28-HBL treatment, suggesting the stress protective role of 28-HBL via modulating the antioxidative enzymes.

Cerebral malaria pathogenesis: Dissecting the role of CD4+ and CD8+ T-cells as major effectors in disease pathology.

Cerebral malaria (CM) is a severe complication of Plasmodium falciparum (P. falciparum) infection, with complex pathogenesis involving multiple factors, including the host's immunological response. T lymphocytes, specifically CD4+ T helper cells and CD8+ cytotoxic T cells, are crucial in controlling parasite growth and activating cells for parasite clearance via cytokine secretion. Contrary to this, reports also suggest the pathogenic nature of T lymphocytes as they are often involved in disease progression and severity. CD8+ cytotoxic T cells migrate to the host's brain vasculature, disrupting the blood-brain barrier and causing neurological manifestations. CD4+ T helper cells on the other hand play a variety of functions as they differentiate into different subtypes which may function as pro-inflammatory or anti-inflammatory. The excessive pro-inflammatory response in CM can lead to multi-organ failure, necessitating a check mechanism to maintain immune homeostasis. This is achieved by regulatory T cells and their characteristic cytokines, which counterbalance the pro-inflammatory immune response. Maintaining a critical balance between pro and anti-inflammatory responses is crucial for determining disease outcomes in CM. A slight change in this balance may contribute to a disease severity owing to an extreme inflammatory response or unrestricted parasite growth, a potential target for designing immunotherapeutic treatment approaches. The review briefly discusses the pathogenesis of CM and various mechanisms responsible for the disruption of the blood-brain barrier. It also highlights the role of different T cell subsets during infection and emphasizes the importance of balance between pro and anti-inflammatory T cells that ultimately decides the outcome of the disease.

CM is potentially fatal complication of P. falciparum infection that presents with high mortality and morbidity. Vaccines are extensively being developed against the Plasmodium parasite but very few of them are effective. Artemisinin Combination Therapy (ACT) is a major treatment for malaria, but its effectiveness is declining due to Plasmodium sp. developing resistance to it, necessitating the need for development of new drugs and treatments. During infection, the parasite is responsible for causing infected red blood cell (RBC) sequestration and cytoadherence in brain vasculature and extreme pro-inflammatory response that ultimately causes endothelial dysfunction and bloodbrain barrier (BBB) disruption. The host initiates a pro-inflammatory response against the parasite which includes activation of cells of both innate and adaptive immune response. These cells control the parasite growth and aid in parasite clearance from host's body. The inflammatory response generally targets foreign pathogens and provides protection against possible infection but can also cause harm to the self when left unchecked. It has been reported that activated immune cells, mainly T-lymphocytes often migrate to brain vasculature and ultimately results in neuronal damage characteristic CM. To counteract the overwhelming pro-inflammatory response, the host immune system deploys an anti-inflammatory response, which often involves regulatory cells and cytokines that help the body maintain immunological homeostasis. The review briefly highlights the necessity of balancing the pro- and anti-inflammatory responses for successful parasite clearance without the deleterious effects to the host that might increase disease severity in CM.

PGPR-Enabled bioremediation of pesticide and heavy metal-contaminated soil: A review of recent advances and emerging challenges.

The excessive usage of agrochemicals, including pesticides, along with various reckless human actions, has ensued discriminating prevalence of pesticides and heavy metals (HMs) in crop plants and the environment. The enhanced exposure to these chemicals is a menace to living organisms. The pesticides may get bioaccumulated in the food chain, thereby leading to several deteriorative changes in the ecosystem health and a rise in the cases of some serious human ailments including cancer. Further, both HMs and pesticides cause some major metabolic disturbances in plants, which include oxidative burst, osmotic alterations and reduced levels of photosynthesis, leading to a decline in plant productivity. Moreover, the synergistic interaction between pesticides and HMs has a more serious impact on human and ecosystem health. Various attempts have been made to explore eco-friendly and environmentally sustainable methods of improving plant health under HMs and/or pesticide stress. Among these methods, the employment of PGPR can be a suitable and effective strategy for managing these contaminants and providing a long-term remedy. Although, the application of PGPR alone can alleviate HM-induced phytotoxicities; however, several recent reports advocate using PGPR with other micro- and macro-organisms, biochar, chelating agents, organic acids, plant growth regulators, etc., to further improve their stress ameliorative potential. Further, some PGPR are also capable of assisting in the degradation of pesticides or their sequestration, reducing their harmful effects on plants and the environment. This present review attempts to present the current status of our understanding of PGPR's potential in the remediation of pesticides and HMs-contaminated soil for the researchers working in the area.

Multilevel Conductance States of Vapor-Transport-Deposited Sb2S3 Memristors Achieved via Electrical and Optical Modulation.

The pursuit of advanced brain-inspired electronic devices and memory technologies has led to explore novel materials by processing multimodal and multilevel tailored conductive properties as the next generation of semiconductor platforms, due to von Neumann architecture limits. Among such materials, antimony sulfide (Sb2S3) thin films exhibit outstanding optical and electronic properties, and therefore, they are ideal for applications such as thin-film solar cells and nonvolatile memory systems. This study investigates the conduction modulation and memory functionalities of Sb2S3 thin films deposited via the vapor transport deposition technique. Experimental results indicate that the Ag/Sb2S3/Pt device possesses properties suitable for memory applications, including low operational voltages, robust endurance, and reliable switching behavior. Further, the reproducibility and stability of these properties across different device batches validate the reliability of these devices for practical implementation. Moreover, Sb2S3-based memristors exhibit artificial neuroplasticity with prolonged stability, promising considerable advancements in neuromorphic computing. Leveraging the photosensitivity of Sb2S3 enables the Ag/Sb2S3/Pt device to exhibit significant low operating potential and conductivity modulation under optical stimulation for memory applications. This research highlights the potential applications of Sb2S3 in future memory devices and optoelectronics and in shaping electronics with versatility.