Absence of c-Maf and IL-10 enables Type I IFN enhancement of innate responses to low-dose LPS in alveolar macrophages.

Alveolar macrophages (AMs) are lower-airway resident myeloid cells and are among the first to respond to inhaled pathogens. Here, we interrogate AM innate sensing to Pathogen Associated Molecular Patterns (PAMPs) and determine AMs have decreased responses to low-dose LPS compared to other macrophages, as measured by TNF, IL-6, Ifnb, and Ifit3. We find the reduced response to low-dose LPS correlates with minimal TLR4 and CD14 surface expression, despite sufficient internal expression of TLR4. Additionally, we find that AMs do not produce IL-10 in response to a variety of PAMPs due to low expression of transcription factor c-Maf and that lack of IL-10 production contributes to an enhancement of pro-inflammatory responses by Type I IFN. Our findings demonstrate that AMs have cell-intrinsic dampened responses to LPS, which is enhanced by type I IFN exposure. These data implicate conditions where AMs may have reduced or enhanced sentinel responses to bacterial infections.

Anthropogenic disturbances influence mineral and elemental constituents of freshwater lake sediments.

Lake sediments can provide valuable insights into anthropogenic disturbances such as intensive aquaculture and land use changes. These disturbances often manifest as elevated levels of nutrients and elements within the sediments. This paper uses several analytical techniques, i.e., FTIR (Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy), XRD (X-ray diffraction), EDS (energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy), and SEM (scanning electron microscopy), to examine the elemental constituents of lake sediments, along with their relative mineral abundances and surface morphology. The selected freshwater lakes are from the Central Gangetic Plain. The analysis provides a "fingerprint" of geogenic and biogenic mineral constituents of the sediments. Physicochemical, mineralogical, and elemental analysis shows that intensive aquaculture activities in lake alter the sediment chemistry as evidenced by the increase in pH, organic carbon, organic matter, and total phosphorus which is not observed in the lake where aquaculture is prohibited. Freshwater lake sediment is characterized by a high content of biogenic silica and carbonate minerals. The variations in sediment nutrients and mineral fluxes of the selected lakes are mainly attributed to diverse anthropogenic pressures, differences in lake productivity, and the overall ecological condition of the lakes. In the selected three lakes, major variation was reported in the autochthonous sediments in comparison to the allochthonous sediments. The study concludes that catchment and biotic deposit variations in the lakes cannot be evened out by in-lake mixing mechanisms due to variations in the terrigenous and pelagic deposits of the lake. The results highlight the importance of studying annual fluctuations and spatial variations in geogenic and biogenic mineral particle fluxes in lakes. Such investigations provide valuable insights into the annual dynamics of minerals within lakes, contributing to a more comprehensive understanding of their behavior and distribution.

Limited role of recombination in the global diversification of begomovirus DNA-B proteins.

Approximately half of the characterized begomoviruses have bipartite genomes, but the second genomic segment, the DNA-B, is understudied relative to the DNA-A, which is homologous to the entire genome of monopartite begomoviruses. We examined the evolutionary history of the two proteins encoded by the DNA-B, the genes of which make up ∼60% of the DNA-B segment, from all bipartite begomovirus species. Our dataset of 131 movement protein (MP) and nuclear shuttle protein (NSP) sequences confirmed the deep split between Old World (OW) and New World (NW) species, and showed strong support for deep, congruent branches among the OW sequences of the MP and NSP. NW sequences were much less diverse and had poor phylogenetic resolution; over half of nodes in both the NSP and MP NW clades were supported by <50% bootstrap support. This poor resolution hampered our ability to detect incongruent phylogenies between the MP and NSP datasets, and we found no statistical evidence for recombination within our MP and NSP datasets. Finally, we quantified the sequence diversity between the NW and OW proteins, showing that the NW MP has particularly low diversity, suggesting it has been subject to different evolutionary pressures than the NW NSP.

Role of a probiotic strain in the modulation of gut microbiota and cytokines in inflammatory bowel disease.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the effect of a probiotic strain Bacillus clausii UBBC-07 on gut microbiota and cytokines in IBD patients. METHOD: Patients were randomly allocated to either placebo or probiotic Bacillus clausii UBBC-07 for four weeks along with the standard medical treatment (SMT). Enrolled patients were evaluated before and after intervention for presence of the given probiotic, change in gut microbiota, change in serum cytokines, serotonin and dopamine, symptoms of disease, physical, behavioral and psychological parameters. RESULTS: Probiotic strain Bacillus clausii UBBC-07 showed good survival in IBD patients in the treatment group (p < 0.01) without any reported adverse event. Metagenomic analysis showed that the given probiotic strain was able to modulate the gut microbiota in treated group. Phylum Firmicutes was increased and phylum Bacteroidetes was decreased in the probiotic treated group. A significant increase was observed in the abundance of anaerobic bacterial genera Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium and Faecalibacterium in the probiotic treated group (p < 0.01) as compared to placebo group. Significant increase was observed in IL-10 (p < 0.05) and variable decrease in the secretion of IL-1ß, TNF- α, IL-6, IL -17 and IL -23 in probiotic treated group. In the treatment group a significant decrease in the symptoms of IBD and improvement in the psychological parameter to various degrees was noted. CONCLUSION: These results indicated that probiotic strain B clausii UBBC-07 affected the gut microbiota and cytokine secretion and shown efficacy in IBD patients.

Constructed wetlands for the removal of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) from wastewater: origin, impacts, treatment methods, and SWOT analysis.

The continuous exposure to pharmaceuticals and personal care products can lead to a series of individual antagonistic and synergistic effects and long-lasting toxicity to humans and aquatic lives. This may also lead to developing antibiotic resistance, teratogenic, carcinogenic, and endocrine-disrupting effects. However, several PPCPs are also considered biologically active for non-target aquatic organisms, such as mosquito fish, goldfish, and the algae Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata. Various physicochemical methods such as ozonation, photolysis, and membrane separation are recognized for the effective removal of PPCPs. However, the high operation and maintenance costs and associated ecological impacts have limited their further use. Constructed wetlands are considered eco-friendly and sustainable for the removal of pharmaceuticals and personal care products together with antibiotic resistance genes. Several mechanisms such as sorption, biodegradation, oxidation, photodegradation, volatilization, and hydrolysis are occurring during the phytoremediation of PPCPs. During these processes, more than 50% of PPCPs can be eliminated through constructed wetlands. They also offer several additional benefits as obtained macrophytic biomass may be used as raw material in pulp and paper industries and a source for second-generation biofuel production. In this study, we have discussed the origin and impacts of PPCPs together with their treatment methods. We have also investigated the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats associated with constructed wetlands during the treatment of wastewater laden with pharmaceutical and personal care products.

The Status, Need, and Influence of Dental Prosthetics on Oral Health-Related Quality of Life in the Geriatric Population: An Epidemiological Survey.

Background An epidemiological survey was conducted among the geriatric population to determine the status and need for dental prosthetics and their influence on oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL). Methodology The study population consisted of 270 patients aged 60 or older. All pertinent demographic information, clinical data on prosthesis status and need, and the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP)-14 questions to assess OHRQoL were collected using a pretested structured questionnaire written in the patient's native tongue. In addition, a type 3 oral examination was performed on a sample of the geriatric population. Results The OHRQoL was found to be unaffected by the prosthetic status. However, there was a strong correlation between the elderly study population's OHRQoL and the need for a prosthetic. Of each variable in OHRQoL, physical pain, discomfort when eating, and loss of taste were the most affected in this population. Conclusions The prosthetic needs of the study population must be given high priority as there are many unmet needs. The concerned health departments need to seriously consider increasing facilities with an affordable system. There is a lack of appreciation for OHRQoL. However, given that a satisfactory clinical assessment of the mouth does not always indicate good oral health status, the justification for evaluating dental care with respect to oral well-being is compelling.

Interspecific competition and their impacts on the growth of macrophytes and pollutants removal within constructed wetland microcosms treating domestic wastewater.

Eight free water surface constructed wetland microcosm (CWM) units are designed with single as well as mixed planting of Pistia stratiotes, Phragmites karka, and Typha latifolia with control to assess their competitive value (CV), relative growth rates (RGR), and pollutants removal efficiency. Further, the total dry biomass production and other growth parameters such as number of macrophytes, above-ground biomass, below-ground biomass, and root length were also measured to understand the dominant characteristics of the macrophytes. The CWM units with species mixture out-performed species monocultures. Removal of BOD, TP, SRP, NH4+-N, NO3--N, and NO2--N by mixed planting of P. stratiotes and P. karka was higher at most of the time. Typha latifolia was the superior competitor against both P. stratiotes and P. karka due to its aggressive characteristics that inhibits the growth of neighboring macrophytes. However, P. karka was the superior competitor against P. stratiotes. The RGR of T. latifolia in all experimental units was almost two times more than that of P. karka. Novelty Statement The CWM units with species mixture out-performed species monocultures. CWMs with more than one macrophytic species are less vulnerable to seasonal fluctuations and more effective in contaminants removal as compared to single macrophyte wetlands. Removal of BOD, TP, SRP, NH4+-N, NO3--N, and NO2--N by mixed planting of P. stratiotes and P. karka was higher at most of the time. The CWMs with P. stratiotes and P. karka are superior choice due to their higher wastewater nutrients removal capacity. The application of these three macrophytes in mixed cultures in free water surface constructed wetland is rare. The results are useful in designing large-scale multi-species wetlands which are less susceptible to seasonal variation and more effective in pollutants removal than single-species wetlands.

Interspecies Recombination Has Driven the Macroevolution of Cassava Mosaic Begomoviruses.

Begomoviruses (family Geminiviridae, genus Begomovirus) significantly hamper crop production and threaten food security around the world. The frequent emergence of new begomovirus genotypes is facilitated by high mutation frequencies and the propensity to recombine and reassort. Homologous recombination has been especially implicated in the emergence of novel cassava mosaic begomovirus (CMB) genotypes, which cause cassava mosaic disease (CMD). Cassava (Manihot esculenta) is a staple food crop throughout Africa and an important industrial crop in Asia, two continents where production is severely constrained by CMD. The CMD species complex is comprised of 11 bipartite begomovirus species with ample distribution throughout Africa and the Indian subcontinent. While recombination is regarded as a frequent occurrence for CMBs, a revised, systematic assessment of recombination and its impact on CMB phylogeny is currently lacking. We assembled data sets of all publicly available, full-length DNA-A (n = 880) and DNA-B (n = 369) nucleotide sequences from the 11 recognized CMB species. Phylogenetic networks and complementary recombination detection methods revealed extensive recombination among the CMB sequences. Six out of the 11 species descended from unique interspecies recombination events. Estimates of recombination and mutation rates revealed that all species experience mutation more frequently than recombination, but measures of population divergence indicate that recombination is largely responsible for the genetic differences between species. Our results support that recombination has significantly impacted the CMB phylogeny and has driven speciation in the CMD species complex. IMPORTANCE Cassava mosaic disease (CMD) is a significant threat to cassava production throughout Africa and Asia. CMD is caused by a complex comprised of 11 recognized virus species exhibiting accelerated rates of evolution, driven by high frequencies of mutation and genetic exchange. Here, we present a systematic analysis of the contribution of genetic exchange to cassava mosaic virus species-level diversity. Most of these species emerged as a result of genetic exchange. This is the first study to report the significant impact of genetic exchange on speciation in a group of viruses.

Nabumetone induced photogenotoxicity mechanism mediated by ROS generation under environmental UV radiation in human keratinocytes (HaCaT) cell line.

Nabumetone (NB) is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), prescribed for managing pain associated with acute/chronic rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis and other musculoskeletal disorders. Though some incidences of photosensitivity have been reported, there is limited information available on its phototoxicity potential. In this study, NB photodegraded in a time-dependant manner (0-4 h) under UVA (1.5 mW/cm2), UVB (0.6 mW/cm2) and natural sunlight as observed through UV-vis spectrophotometer and the results were further confirmed with Ultra High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (UHPLC). Photosensitized NB generated reactive oxygen species (ROS) as observed by lipid peroxidation, suggesting oxidative degradation of lipids in cell membrane, thereby resulting in cell damage. MTT and NRU (neutral red uptake) assays revealed that NB induced phototoxicity in concentration-dependent manner (0.5, 1, 5, 10 µg/ml) under UVA, UVB and sunlight exposure (30 min) in human keratinocytes cell line (HaCaT), with significant phototoxicity at the concentration of 5 µg/ml. Photosensitized NB generated intracellular ROS, disrupted mitochondrial and lysosomal membrane integrity, resulting in cell death. UV-induced genotoxicity by NB was confirmed through micronuclei generation, γ-H2AX induction and cyclobutane pyrimidine dimer formation. This is the first study which showed the phototoxicity and photogenotoxicity potential of NB in HaCaT cell line. We also observed that photosensitized NB upregulated inflammatory markers, such as COX-2 and TNFα. This study proposes that sunlight exposure should be avoided by patients using nabumetone and proper guidance should be provided by clinicians regarding photosensitivity of drugs for better safety and efficacy.

Recent advances in satellite mapping of global air quality: evidences during COVID-19 pandemic.

There was a significant decline in air pollution in different parts of the world due to enforcement of lockdown by many countries to check the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. In particular, commercial and industrial activities had been limited globally with restricted air and surface traffic movements in response to social distancing and isolation. Both satellite remote sensing and ground-based monitoring were used to measure the change in the air quality. There was momentous decline in the averaged concentrations of nitrogen dioxide (NO2), carbon dioxide (CO2), sulphur dioxide (SO2), methane (CH4) and aerosols. Many cities across India, China and several major cities in Europe observed strong reductions in nitrogen dioxide levels dropping by around 40-50% owing to lockdowns. Similarly, concentrations of SO2 in polluted areas in India, especially around large coal-fired power plants and industrial areas decreased by around 40% as evidenced by the comparative satellite mapping during April 2019 and April 2020. Recent advances in sensors on board various satellites played a significant role in real-time monitoring of emission regimes over various parts of the world. The satellite data is relying upon single scene profusion for real-time air quality measurements, and also using averaged dataset over certain time-period. The daily global-scale remote sensing data of NO2, as measured through the Copernicus Sentinel-5 Precursor Tropospheric Monitoring Instrument (S5p/TROPOMI) of European Space Agency (ESA), indicated exceptional decreases in tropospheric NO2 pollution in urban areas. Similarly, Greenhouse gases Observing Satellite (GOSAT) of Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, with a repeat cycle of three days helped in assessing the sources and sinks of CO2 and CH4 on a sub-continental scale. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s42398-021-00166-w.

Immunoglobulin Receptors Expression in Indian Colon Cancer Patients and Healthy Subjects Using a Noninvasive Approach and Flowcytometry.

BACKGROUND: Isolation of viable colonocytes from human stool is a noninvasive and convenient approach that can be used for diagnostic, screening, management, and research on various gastrointestinal (GI) diseases including colon cancer. Limited studies are available globally and for the first time in this article, we have reported the immunoglobulin (Ig) (IgA and IgG) receptors concentration on viable colonocytes for Indian colon cancer patients using this noninvasive approach. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Viable colonocytes from stool were isolated by the Somatic Cell Sampling and Recovery method (Noninvasive Technology, USA) and processed for the assessment of Igs (IgA and IgG) receptors expression using standard immunophenotyping and flow cytometry. RESULTS: IgA and IgG receptor expression was measured and reported on these viable colonocytes. There was a significant difference in the expression of IgA and IgG receptors on viable colonocytes between colon cancer patients and healthy individuals. CONCLUSION: This noninvasive technique is a promising approach for the detection of molecular and immunological markers that will help clinicians in the diagnosis, screening, monitoring, and management of different GI diseases including colon cancer.

Cleaning the River Ganga: Impact of lockdown on water quality and future implications on river rejuvenation strategies.

Clean rivers and healthy aquatic life symbolize that the ecosystem is functioning well. The Ganga River has shown signs of rejuvenation and a significant improvement on many parameters, following the eight-week nationwide lockdown due to coronavirus pandemic. Since industrial units and commercial establishments were closed, water was not being lifted by them with a negligible discharge of industrial wastewater. It was observed that during the lockdown period most of the districts falling under the Ganga basin observed 60% excess rainfall than the normal, which led to increased discharge in the river, further contributing towards the dilution of pollutants. Further, data analysis of live storages in the Ganga Basin revealed that the storage during the beginning of the third phase of lockdown was almost double than the storage during the same period the previous year. Analysis of the storage data of the last ten years revealed that the storage till May 6, 2020 was 82.83% more than the average of the previous ten years, which meant that more water was available for the river during the lockdown period. The impact could be seen in terms of increased dissolved oxygen (DO) and reduced biological oxygen demand (BOD), Faecal coliform, Total coliform and nitrate (NO3-) concentration. A declining trend in nitrate concentration was observed in most of the locations due to limited industrial activities and reduction in agricultural run-off due to harvesting season. The gradual transformation in the quality of the water has given a sign of optimism from the point of restoration. Yet, it is believed that this improvement in water quality is 'short-lived' and quality would deteriorate once the normal industrial activities are resumed, indicating a strong influence of untreated commercial-industrial wastewater. The paper concludes that the river can be rejuvenated if issues of wastewater and adequate flow releases are addressed.

Variation in extracellular enzyme activities and their influence on the performance of surface-flow constructed wetland microcosms (CWMs).

Eight constructed wetland microcosm (CWM) units have been designed using three macrophytes for domestic wastewater treatment. The main aim of this study is to evaluate enzyme activities with respect to time and soil depth and their correlation with removal efficiency of pollutants within different CWM units. The findings of this study show that the activity of enzymes and pollutants removal efficiency vary to a great extent on the soil depth, time of the sampling and type of pollutants. The correlation between removal of soluble reactive phosphorus and total phosphorus was significant with phosphatase activity in most of the CWM units. Activity of urease and NH4+-N removal was positively correlated with significant positive correlation in CWM units planted with Phragmites karka, and Pistia stratiotes (Ph + Pi) and Typha latifolia, Phragmites karka and Pistia stratiotes (T + Ph + Pi). Urease activity was found to be both positively and negatively correlated with respect to removal of NO3--N and NO2--N in different CWM units. Dehydrogenase activity showed negative correlation with respect to biological oxygen demand (BOD) removal except in CWM units with Ph + Pi and T + Ph + Pi. Similarly, a moderate positive and negative correlation exists between fluorescein diacetate hydrolysis and BOD removal. Removal of BOD and microbial biomass carbon (MBC) was negatively correlated with each other in most of the CWM units. With respect to vertical variation, the top layer of CWM units expressed significantly higher activity of extracellular enzymes and were significantly different from the deeper layer. CWM units exhibited significant variations in enzyme activity with respect to time.

Oxidative stress-mediated photoactivation of carbazole inhibits human skin cell physiology.

Prolonged exposure of the earth's surface to the sun's ultraviolet radiation may result in various skin diseases and cataract. Carbazole (CBZ), as a polycyclic-aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH), is blended with a five-member nitrogen-containing ring. It is found in cigarette smoke, coal, eye kohl, tattoo ink, and wood combustion and affects various types of flora and fauna. Our findings suggest that CBZ generates reactive oxygen species (ROS) like O2•- through type-I photodynamic reaction and causes phototoxicity in the human keratinocyte cell line (HaCaT), which has been proved by mitochondrial dehydrogenase and neutral red uptake assays. CBZ induces single strand DNA damage. We have investigated the involvement of the apoptotic pattern of cell death and confirmed it by cytochrome C release from mitochondria and caspase-9 activation. Similarly, photo-micronuclei formation was associated to CBZ-induced phototoxicity. The results of this study strongly support that the upregulation of bax, cyto-C, apaf-1, casp-9 and down regulation of bcl2, keap-1, nrf-2, and hmox-1 genes cause apoptopic cell death. Downregulation of antioxidant genes showed a significant amount of ROS generation by photosensitized CBZ. Therefore, the current study will be a step forward to safeguard human beings from sunlight-induced photosensitive CBZ prolonged exposure.

Sunscreen-induced expression and identification of photosensitive marker proteins in human keratinocytes under UV radiation.

Solar ultraviolet (UV) radiation is the main factor of photocarcinogenesis, photoaging, and photosensitivity; thus protection from biological damaging UV radiation is a concern. Sunscreens containing UV filters are the most preferred means of photoprotection but the safety and efficacy of UV filters are in question. Benzophenone (BP) and its derivatives, namely, benzophenone 1 (BP1), is commonly used in sunscreens as a UV blocker. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of BP and BP1 on the differential expression of proteins in human keratinocytes (HaCaT cells) under exposure to ultraviolet A radiation. Photosensitive proteins were screened from HaCaT cells by two-dimensional (2-D) gel electrophoresis, and identification of these differentially expressed proteins was performed by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF)/TOF mass spectrometry. Protein identification was performed using the search program MASCOT and a database made of SUMO and GhJMJ12 amino acid sequences. Our results showed that the proteins involved directly or indirectly in apoptosis are 70 kDa heat shock protein, long-chain specific acyl-CoA dehydrogenase, serine/threonine-protein kinase, and FAM78A protein, which were upregulated in comparison to control HaCaT cells. The expressions of binding immunoglobulin protein, podocalyxin-like protein, actin, cytoplasmic, and calreticulin precursors were downregulated. The altered protein expression indicated that cell growth arrest and apoptosis were potential mechanisms of cytotoxicity and genotoxicity of BPs. The results of 2-D gel electrophoresis followed by mass spectrometry showed expression of novel proteins involved in promoting or initiating apoptotic pathways. Hence, we conclude that BPs should be avoided as a UV blocker from sunscreens because of its potential to promote apoptotic proteins in human skin keratinocytes.

Photoexcited triclosan induced DNA damage and oxidative stress via p38 MAP kinase signaling involving type I radicals under sunlight/UVB exposure.

Triclosan (TCS) is an antimicrobial preservative used in personal care products. Here, we have studied the phototoxicity, photogenotoxicity of TCS and its molecular mechanism involving p38 mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway under UVB/sunlight exposure. We found that TCS showed photodegradation and photoproducts formation under UVB/sunlight. In silico study suggests that photosensitized TCS loses its preservative property due to the formation of its photoproducts. Photosensitized TCS induces significant O2•-, •OH generation and lipid peroxidation via type-I photochemical reaction mechanism under UVB/sunlight exposure. We performed intracellular study of TCS on human skin keratinocytes (HaCaT cell-line) under the ambient intensity of UVB (0.6 mW/cm2) and sunlight exposure. Significant intracellular ROS generation was observed through DCFH2-DA/DHE assays along with a significant reduction in cell viability through MTT and NRU assays in photosensitized TCS. Photosensitized TCS also induces endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress as shown through ER-tracker/DAPI staining and Ca2+ release. It further induced cell cycle arrest through the sub-G1 phase augmentation and caused lysosomal/mitochondrial destabilization. Photogenotoxicity was shown through significant tail DNA, micronuclei and cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers (CPDs) formations. Cell signaling mechanism implicated upregulated expression of cleaved Caspase-3, Bax, phospho-p38, phospho-JNK and cytochrome C, thereby downregulated Bcl-2 expressions. Results advocate that TCS induces phototoxic effects via type I mediated photodynamic mechanism and activation of MAPK pathway. We conclude that photoexcited TCS may be deleterious to human health at the ambient environmental intensities of sunlight reaching at the earth's surface. Therefore, it may be replaced by alternative safe preservative.