H-Glass Supported Hybrid Gold Nano-Islands for Visible-Light-Driven Hydrogen Evolution.

Flat panel reactors, coated with photocatalytic materials, offer a sustainable approach for the commercial production of hydrogen (H2) with zero carbon footprint. Despite this, achieving high solar-to-hydrogen (STH) conversion efficiency with these reactors is still a significant challenge due to the low utilization efficiency of solar light and rapid charge recombination. Herein, hybrid gold nano-islands (HGNIs) are developed on transparent glass support to improve the STH efficiency. Plasmonic HGNIs are grown on an in-house developed active glass sheet composed of sodium aluminum phosphosilicate oxide glass (H-glass) using the thermal dewetting method at 550 °C under an ambient atmosphere. HGNIs with various oxidation states (Au0, Au+, and Au-) and multiple interfaces are obtained due to the diffusion of the elements from the glass structure, which also facilitates the lifetime of the hot electron to be ≈2.94 ps. H-glass-supported HGNIs demonstrate significant STH conversion efficiency of 0.6%, without any sacrificial agents, via water dissociation. This study unveils the specific role of H-glass-supported HGNIs in facilitating light-driven chemical conversions, offering new avenues for the development of high-performance photocatalysts in various chemical conversion reactions for large-scale commercial applications.

A comprehensive review of biosurfactant production and its uses in the pharmaceutical industry.

Biosurfactants are naturally occurring, surface-active chemicals generated by microorganisms and have attracted interest recently because of their numerous industrial uses. Compared to their chemical equivalents, they exhibit qualities that include lower toxic levels, increased biodegradable properties, and unique physiochemical properties. Due to these traits, biosurfactants have become attractive substitutes for synthetic surfactants in the pharmaceutical industry. In-depth research has been done in the last few decades, demonstrating their vast use in various industries. This review article includes a thorough description of the various types of biosurfactants and their production processes. The production process discussed here is from oil-contaminated waste, agro-industrial waste, dairy, and sugar industry waste, and also how biosurfactants can be produced from animal fat. Various purification methods such as ultrafiltration, liquid-liquid extraction, acid precipitation, foam fraction, and adsorption are required to acquire a purified product, which is necessary in the pharmaceutical industry, are also discussed here. Alternative ways for large-scale production of biosurfactants using different statistical experimental designs such as CCD, ANN, and RSM are described here. Several uses of biosurfactants, including drug delivery systems, antibacterial and antifungal agents, wound healing, and cancer therapy, are discussed. Additionally, in this review, the future challenges and aspects of biosurfactant utilization in the pharmaceutical industry and how to overcome them are also discussed.

Extraction and characterization of carotenoid pigments with antioxidant and antibacterial potential from marine yeast Rhodotorula sp. KSB1.

Pigments are coloring agents used widely in different industrial sectors. There is a demand for using natural pigments rather than synthetic dyes because of the health hazards caused by synthetic dyes. Many natural pigments have different medicinal activities which can contribute to the nutritional value of the product. This study was carried forward with marine yeasts which can produce pigments. A total of 4 marine yeast isolates were recovered from the mangrove area of Sundarbans, West Bengal, India. Among them, the isolate KSB1 produced 856 µg/g total concentration of carotenoid pigment and the dry mass weight was 3.56 g/L. The stability of the extracted pigments was checked using temperature, pH, UV light exposure time, and different saline conditions. The pigments were characterized using HPLC and FTIR analysis. All of the extracted pigments showed good antioxidant activity in DPPH, metal chelating, and reducing power assay. The pigments were also found to have good antibacterial activity against the bacterial pathogens Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocytogenes, and Escherichia coli. Carotenoid pigment from KSB1 was found to have maximum activity in all the pathogens. The cytogenotoxicity using onion roots and phytotoxicity analysis indicated that the pigments were non-toxic and safe for cells. Finally, the potential marine yeast was identified using 18 s rRNA sequencing and identified as Rhodotorula sp. KSB1 (Accession no. MH782232).

Spatially selective narrow band and broadband absorption in Ag/SiO2/Ag based trilayer thin films by oblique angle deposition of SiO2layer.

We have experimentally demonstrated spatially selective absorption in Ag-SiO2-Ag based trilayer thin films by tuning the deposition angle of SiO2layer. These structures generate cavity resonance which can be tuned across the substrate locations due to spatially selective thickness and refractive index of silicon oxide (SiO2) film sandwiched between metallic silver (Ag) mirrors. Spatially selective property of SiO2film is obtained by oblique angle deposition technique using an electron beam evaporation system. The resonance wavelength of absorption in this trilayer structure shifts across the substrate locations along the direction of oblique deposition. The extent of shift in resonance increases with increase in angle of deposition of SiO2layer. 4.14 nm mm-1average shift of resonance wavelength is observed when SiO2is deposited at 40° whereas 4.76 nm mm-1average shift is observed when SiO2is deposited at 60°. We observed that the width of resonance increases with angle of deposition of the cavity layer and ultimately the resonant absorption disappears and becomes broadband when SiO2is deposited at glancing angle deposition (GLAD) configuration. Our study reveals that there is a suitable range of oblique angle of deposition from 40° to 60° for higher spatial tunability and resonant absorption whereas the absorption becomes broadband for glancing angle deposition.

Low Mean Perfusion Pressure Indexed to Body Surface Area is a Powerful Predictor of Poor Outcomes After Heart Transplantation in Patients With High Pre-Transplant Venous Pressure: A Clinical Study With Physiological Insights From Mathematical Modelling of Biventricular Heart Failure.

BACKGROUND & AIM: The deleterious consequences of chronically elevated venous pressure in patients with profound right ventricular or biventricular dysfunction are well known, including renal and hepatic dysfunction, and volume overload. The only option for these patients, if they fail optimal medical treatment, is a heart transplant, as they are not candidates for left ventricular assist device therapy. Mean perfusion pressure (MPP) is important in the outcomes of critically ill patients with high venous pressure. The question arises whether MPP is important for the outcomes of heart transplants in patients with elevated pre-transplant venous pressure. Medical management of heart failure patients with reduced ejection fraction involves lowering the systemic afterload with vasodilators while awaiting a transplant. We hypothesised that when venous pressure is elevated prior to transplant, a substantial reduction in systemic arterial elastance (Ea) through vasodilation may significantly decrease MPP, resulting in compromised end-organ function and consequent unfavourable outcomes after heart transplantation. This study aims to investigate whether a low MPP serves as a risk factor for adverse outcomes in heart transplant recipients with high venous pressure. METHOD: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 250 heart transplant recipients undergoing isolated heart transplantation at a single institution from October 2012 to March 2020. Right atrial pressure (RAP) of more than 15 mmHg was considered high. Additionally, Ea calculated as the ratio of end-systolic pressure to stroke volume, and MPP calculated as the difference between mean arterial pressure and RAP were considered in our analysis. The outcomes of transplantation were measured in terms of 90-day mortality and survival up to 7 years. RESULTS: High RAP was a significant risk factor for short-term and medium-term survival if Ea was low (<2.7 mmHg/mL, the median value). This group had 39.39% in-hospital mortality compared to 14.49% for RAP<15 mmHg (p∼0.005). When Ea was high, this difference in survival was not evident: 8% for RAP<15 mmHg vs 4.8% for RAP>15 mmHg (p∼0.550). This effect was mediated through a lower MPP, and the mortality due to lower MPP increased strikingly with higher body surface area (BSA). A negative correlation was observed between MPP indexed to BSA (MPPI) and the Model for End-Stage Liver Disease score (r∼-0.3580, p<0.0001) as well as creatinine (r∼-0.3551, p<0.0001). MPPI less than 40 mmHg/m2 was associated with poorer short-term (23.2% for MPPI<40 mmHg/m2 vs 7.1% for MPPI>40 mmHg/m2, p∼0.001) and medium-term survival. The impact of high RAP and low Ea on survival was evident even on medium-term follow-up; only 30% survival at 7 years follow-up for high RAP and low Ea vs 75% for RAP<15 mmHg (p∼0.0033). CONCLUSION: The acceptable blood pressure during vasodilator therapy in patients with high RAP needs to be higher, especially in those with higher BSA. MPPI less than 40 mmHg/m2 is a risk factor for survival, in the short and medium-term, after heart transplantation.

Comparison of Adsorption Performance of Biochar Derived from Urban Biowaste Materials for Removal of Heavy Metals.

This study investigated the adsorption performance of biochar produced from different types of urban biowaste material viz., sugarcane bagasse (SB), brinjal stem (BS), and citrus peel (CP) for removal of heavy metal ions (Pb, Cu, Cr, and Cd) from aqueous solution. The effects of biowaste material, dosage of biochar, solution pH, and initial concentration of heavy metal ions and isotherm models were performed to understand the possible adsorption mechanisms. The results showed that the biochar derived from BS and SB removes Cu (99.94%), Cr (99.57%), and Cd (99.77%) whereas biochar derived from CP removes Pb (99.59%) and Cu (99.90%) more efficiently from the aqueous solution. Biochar derived from BS showed maximum adsorption capacity for Cu (246.31 mg g-1), Pb (183.15 mg g-1), and Cr (71.89 mg g-1) while the biochar derived from CP showed highest for Cd (15.46 mg g-1). Moreover, biochar derived from BS and SB has more polar functional groups and less hydrophobicity than the biochar derived from CP. This study reveals that solution pH and biochar doses play a major role in removal of heavy metal ions from aqueous solution. The results of Langmuir model fitted well for Pb and Cu while the Freundlich model for Cr and Cd. Our study concludes that the biochar derived from different biowaste materials adsorbs heavy metal ions majorly through surface complexation and precipitation processes. The results of this study will be very useful in selecting the effective urban biowaste material for making biochar for heavy metal removal from the aqueous environment.

EPS-mediated biosynthesis of nanoparticles by Bacillus stratosphericus A07, their characterization and potential application in azo dye degradation.

Microbial exopolysaccharides (EPS) are biocompatible, biodegradable, and less toxic substances secreted outside the cell. They adsorb metal cations to its surface, making it another captivating property, which helps in stabilizing and biosynthesizing metal nanoparticles. Owing to these properties, we adopted bacterial EPS toward the green synthesis of nanoparticles and its application in the removal of azo dyes. Extracted EPS weighed 2.6 mg/mL from the most potential isolate A07 with 385 µg/mg of the carbohydrate content. The top three isolates were subjected to nanoparticle synthesis via the intracellular method and, by their extracted EPS, silver nanoparticles (AgNP) with the size around 87 nm were successfully produced by both methods mediated by the most potent isolate. The nanoparticles were characterized by UV-Vis spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction studies, atomic force microscopy, and FT-IR analysis. The nanoparticles were employed for dye degradation of azo dyes, namely, Methyl Orange (MO) and Congo Red (CO). EPS-Ag NPs showed fair degradation capability determined by UV-Vis kinetic studies. The work suggests electron transfer from reducing agent to dye molecule mediated by nanoparticles, destroying the dye chromophore. This makes EPS-Ag NPs a suitable, cheap, and environment-friendly candidate for biodegradation of harmful azo dyes. The most potential isolate was identified as Bacillus stratosphericus by 16S rRNA sequencing and submitted to GenBank under the accession id MK968439.

Fibrocartilaginous mesenchymoma of pelvis-a potential diagnostic pitfall.

Fibrocartilaginous mesenchymoma (FM) is a rare bone tumor mimicking other fibrocartilaginous lesions on imaging and histologically. Hence, it is difficult to diagnose this entity especially on small biopsies. In this article, we report a case of FM mimicking desmoplastic fibroma on biopsy. A 36-year-old male presented with pain in the left hip. Imaging showed a large expansile lytic lesion involving the acetabulum and pubis. The differential diagnosis was suggestive of giant cell tumor, aneurysmal bone cyst, intraosseous desmoplastic fibroma, and chondrosarcoma. Biopsy revealed a low-grade spindle cell lesion with no evidence of osteoid or chondroid matrix. The lack of cartilaginous nodules in the biopsy prompted a preoperative diagnosis of desmoplastic fibroma. The excised mass showed bland spindle cell proliferation, benign cartilage nodules, and epiphyseal plate-like enchondral ossification suggestive of fibrocartilaginous mesenchymoma. Negative immunostaining for SATB2, CDK4, and MDM2 ruled out low-grade central osteosarcoma. Though GNAS mutations were not performed in this case, rimming of the bony trabeculae at the periphery of the epiphyseal growth plate-like cartilaginous nodule ruled out fibrous dysplasia. The absence of cartilaginous component misleads the diagnosis preoperatively in small biopsies.

Polyphenols with Anti-Inflammatory Properties: Synthesis and Biological Activity of Novel Curcumin Derivatives.

Herein, we describe the synthesis and evaluation of anti-inflammatory activities of new curcumin derivatives. The thirteen curcumin derivatives were synthesized by Steglich esterification on one or both of the phenolic rings of curcumin with the aim of providing improved anti-inflammatory activity. Monofunctionalized compounds showed better bioactivity than the difunctionalized derivatives in terms of inhibiting IL-6 production, and known compound 2 presented the highest activity. Additionally, this compound showed strong activity against PGE2. Structure-activity relationship studies were carried out for both IL-6 and PGE2, and it was found that the activity of this series of compounds increases when a free hydroxyl group or aromatic ligands are present on the curcumin ring and a linker moiety is absent. Compound 2 remained the highest activity in modulating IL-6 production and showed strong activity against PGE2 synthesis.

Tetrahydrocurcumin Derivatives Enhanced the Anti-Inflammatory Activity of Curcumin: Synthesis, Biological Evaluation, and Structure-Activity Relationship Analysis.

Tetrahydrocurcumin, the most abundant curcumin transformation product in biological systems, can potentially be a new alternative therapeutic agent with improved anti-inflammatory activity and higher bioavailability than curcumin. In this article, we describe the synthesis and evaluation of the anti-inflammatory activities of tetrahydrocurcumin derivatives. Eleven tetrahydrocurcumin derivatives were synthesized via Steglich esterification on both sides of the phenolic rings of tetrahydrocurcumin with the aim of improving the anti-inflammatory activity of this compound. We showed that tetrahydrocurcumin (2) inhibited TNF-α and IL-6 production but not PGE2 production. Three tetrahydrocurcumin derivatives inhibited TNF-α production, five inhibited IL-6 production, and three inhibited PGE2 production. The structure-activity relationship analysis suggested that two factors could contribute to the biological activities of these compounds: the presence or absence of planarity and their structural differences. Among the tetrahydrocurcumin derivatives, cyclic compound 13 was the most active in terms of TNF-α production, showing even better activity than tetrahydrocurcumin. Acyclic compound 11 was the most effective in terms of IL-6 production and retained the same effect as tetrahydrocurcumin. Moreover, acyclic compound 12 was the most active in terms of PGE2 production, displaying better inhibition than tetrahydrocurcumin. A 3D-QSAR analysis suggested that the anti-inflammatory activities of tetrahydrocurcumin derivatives could be increased by adding bulky groups at the ends of compounds 2, 11, and 12.

Unraveling anticancer potential of a novel serine protease inhibitor from marine yeast Candida parapsilosis ABS1 against colorectal and breast cancer cells.

The study was planned to isolate a serine protease inhibitor compound with anticancer potential against colorectal and breast cancer cells from marine yeast. Protease enzymes play a crucial role in the mechanism of life-threatening diseases like cancer, malaria and AIDS. Hence, blocking these enzymes with potential inhibitors can be an efficient approach in drug therapy for these diseases. A total of 12 marine yeast isolates, recovered from mangrove swamps of Sundarbans, India, showed inhibition activity against trypsin. The yeast isolate ABS1 showed highest inhibition activity (89%). The optimum conditions for protease inhibitor production were found to be glucose, ammonium phosphate, pH 7.0, 30 °C and 2 M NaCl. The PI protein from yeast isolate ABS1 was purified using ethyl acetate extraction and anion exchange chromatography. The purified protein was characterized using denaturing SDS-PAGE, Liquid Chromatography Electrospray Ionization Mass Spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS), Reverse Phase High Pressure Liquid Chromatography (RP-HPLC) and Fourier Transform Infra-red Spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis. The intact molecular weight of the PI protein was determined to be 25.584 kDa. The PI protein was further studied for in vitro anticancer activities. The IC50 value for MTT cell proliferation assay was found to be 43 µg/ml against colorectal cancer HCT15 cells and 48 µg/ml against breast cancer MCF7 cells. Hoechst staining, DAPI staining and DNA fragmentation assay were performed to check the apoptotic cells. The marine yeast was identified as Candida parapsilosis ABS1 (Accession No. MH782231) using 18s rRNA sequencing.

Patterns and determinants of soil CO2 efflux in major forest types of Central Himalayas, India.

Soil CO2 efflux (Fsoil) is a significant contributor of labile CO2 to the atmosphere. The Himalayas, a global climate hotspot, condense several climate zones on account of their elevational gradients, thus, creating an opportunity to investigate the Fsoil trends in different climate zones. Presently, the studies in the Indian Himalayan region are localized to a particular forest type, climate zone, or area of interest, such as seasonal variation. We used a portable infrared gas analyzer to investigate the Fsoil rates in Himalayan tropical to alpine scrub forest along a 3100-m elevational gradient. Several study parameters such as seasons, forest types, tree species identity, age of trees, distance from tree base, elevation, climatic factors, and soil physico-chemical and enzymatic parameters were investigated to infer their impact on Fsoil regulation. Our results indicate the warm and wet rainy season Fsoil rates to be 3.8 times higher than the cold and relatively dry winter season. The tropical forest types showed up to 11 times higher Fsoil rates than the alpine scrub forest. The temperate Himalayan blue pine and tropical dipterocarp sal showed significant Fsoil rates, while the alpine Rhododendron shrubs the least. Temperature and moisture together regulate the rainy season Fsoil maxima. Spatially, Fsoil rates decreased with distance from the tree base (ρ = - 0.301; p < 0.0001). Nepalese alder showed a significant positive increase in Fsoil with stem girth (R2 = 0.7771; p = 0.048). Species richness (r, 0.81) and diversity (r, 0.77) were significantly associated with Fsoil, while elevation and major edaphic properties showed a negative association. Surface litter inclusion presented an elevation-modulated impact. Temperature sensitivity was exorbitantly higher in the sub-tropical pine (Q10, 11.80) and the alpine scrub (Q10, 9.08) forests. We conclude that the rise in atmospheric temperature and the reduction in stand density could enhance the Fsoil rates on account of increased temperature sensitivity.

Different GCMs yet similar outcome: predicting the habitat distribution of Shorea robusta C.F. Gaertn. in the Indian Himalayas using CMIP5 and CMIP6 climate models.

Climate change impact on the habitat distribution of umbrella species presents a critical threat to the entire regional ecosystem. This is further perilous if the species is economically important. Sal (Shorea robusta C.F. Gaertn.), a climax forest forming Central Himalayan tree species, is one of the most valuable timber species and provides several ecological services. Sal forests are under threat due to over-exploitation, habitat destruction, and climate change. Sal's poor natural regeneration and its unimodal density-diameter distribution in the region illustrate the peril to its habitat. We, modelled the current as well as future distribution of suitable sal habitats under different climate scenarios using 179 sal occurrence points and 8 bioclimatic environmental variables (non-collinear). The CMIP5-based RCP4.5 and CMIP6-based SSP245 climate models under 2041-2060 and 2061-2080 periods were used to predict the impact of climate change on sal's future potential distribution area. The niche model results predict the mean annual temperature and precipitation seasonality as the most influential sal habitat governing variables in the region. The current high suitability region for sal was 4.36% of the total geographic area, which shows a drastic decline to 1.31% and 0.07% under SSP245 for 2041-60 and 2061-80, respectively. The RCP-based models predicted more severe impact than SSP; however, both RCP and SSP models showed complete loss of high suitability regions and overall shift of species northwards in the Uttarakhand state. We could identify the current and future suitable habitats for conserving sal population through assisted regeneration and management of other regional issues.

Antimicrobial Efficacy of Blended Essential Oil and Chlorhexidine against Periodontal Pathogen (P.gingivalis)-An In Vitro Study.

Background: Essential oils (EOs) have a considerable amount of therapeutic and preventive effect in treating dental diseases due to their wider potential as antibacterial and anti-inflammatory agents. EOs like virgin coconut oil, eucalyptus oil, peppermint oil thyme oil, and clove oil, when used in combination, may further have enhanced antimicrobial effects. However, limited information exists on the synergistic effect of these oils when used in combination, especially on the primary periodontal pathogen Porphyromonas gingivalis. Aim: The current study aims to compare the antimicrobial efficacy of commercially available EO on the periodontal pathogen, P. gingivalis, in comparison to chlorhexidine (CHX). Materials and Methods: Antimicrobial efficacy of EO and CHX was assessed at various concentrations against the periodontal pathogen P. gingivalis, by evaluating the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC). Results: P. gingivalis was seen to be sensitive at a MIC of 100 µg/ml and 50 µg/ml concentration of the EO, which is regarded as the MIC of EO against P. gingivalis and CHX effectively inhibited microbial growth at 0.4 µg/ml. Conclusion: A combination of EOs possesses a potent antibacterial activity against P. gingivalis, and the antibacterial efficacy increases with increasing concentration of EOs.

Motor neuron disease-associated loss of nuclear TDP-43 is linked to DNA double-strand break repair defects.

Genome damage and their defective repair have been etiologically linked to degenerating neurons in many subtypes of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients; however, the specific mechanisms remain enigmatic. The majority of sporadic ALS patients feature abnormalities in the transactivation response DNA-binding protein of 43 kDa (TDP-43), whose nucleo-cytoplasmic mislocalization is characteristically observed in spinal motor neurons. While emerging evidence suggests involvement of other RNA/DNA binding proteins, like FUS in DNA damage response (DDR), the role of TDP-43 in DDR has not been investigated. Here, we report that TDP-43 is a critical component of the nonhomologous end joining (NHEJ)-mediated DNA double-strand break (DSB) repair pathway. TDP-43 is rapidly recruited at DSB sites to stably interact with DDR and NHEJ factors, specifically acting as a scaffold for the recruitment of break-sealing XRCC4-DNA ligase 4 complex at DSB sites in induced pluripotent stem cell-derived motor neurons. shRNA or CRISPR/Cas9-mediated conditional depletion of TDP-43 markedly increases accumulation of genomic DSBs by impairing NHEJ repair, and thereby, sensitizing neurons to DSB stress. Finally, TDP-43 pathology strongly correlates with DSB repair defects, and damage accumulation in the neuronal genomes of sporadic ALS patients and in Caenorhabditis elegans mutant with TDP-1 loss-of-function. Our findings thus link TDP-43 pathology to impaired DSB repair and persistent DDR signaling in motor neuron disease, and suggest that DSB repair-targeted therapies may ameliorate TDP-43 toxicity-induced genome instability in motor neuron disease.

Outcome of pediatric germ cell tumor with comparison of carboplatin and cisplatin based regimens: A 10-year analysis.

Carboplatin is being advocated more frequently for treatment of childhood germ cell tumors (GCT), due to less long-term toxicity, and demonstrable equivalence in outcome as compared to cisplatin. This analysis presents the survival of GCT in a low middle-income country and compares two different chemotherapeutic regimens. A retrospective analysis of patient case records was carried out over 10-years (January 2007-December 2016). Chemotherapy regimen used was bleomycin, etoposide, and cisplatin (PEb) for initial 6-½ years and carboplatin, etoposide, and bleomycin (CEb) subsequently. Ninety patients with GCT were treated over 10-years. Malignant GCT was diagnosed in 69 (77%) patients, with 21(23%) having teratoma. The chemotherapy protocol was PEb in 38 (42%), CEb in 28 (31%) patients, while 24 patients were treated with surgery only. Stage 4 tumor was observed in 19 (21%) patients. Relapse or disease progression was seen in 11(12%). Overall and event-free survival at 5-years for the entire cohort was 77% and 73%, being similar with PEb (OS:77%; EFS:72.5%) vs. CEb (OS:69%; EFS: 69%). Significantly better overall survival was noted for patients with gonadal GCT) and non-stage 4 disease, while event-free survival was significantly better in patients with non-stage 4 disease. The chemotherapeutic regimen (PEb vs. CEb), very high AFP (value ≥10,000 IU/L), and risk stratification (low, intermediate, or high-risk disease) did not affect survival significantly. Carboplatin-based strategy was equivalent in our cohort to cisplatin-based strategy, and could be used safely in the LMIC set-up. The overall survival is suboptimal, with delayed presentation, abandonment, and relapse being barriers to survival.

Tillage and crop establishment effects on weeds and productivity of a rice-wheat-mungbean rotation.

Weeds are one of the key threats in sustaining the productivity of the rice-wheat cropping system in the Indo-Gangetic Plains. The development of sound integrated weed management technologies requires knowledge of mechanisms that influence weed flora composition and weed seedbank dynamics. A long-term study was initiated in 2015 at Patna, Bihar, India to evaluate the effect of seven tillage and crop establishment methods on weed density, weed seedbank composition, and crop productivity in rice-wheat-mungbean rotation. All the treatments included zero-till mungbean after wheat. Tillage and crop establishment methods had differential effects on weed and weed seedbank composition. In rice, zero-till direct-seeded rice recorded 62% lower emergence of Cyperus iria, 82-90% of Echinochloa colona, and 81-83% of total weeds compared to tilled systems, but the system of rice and wheat intensification favoured E. colona. In wheat, the system of wheat intensification favoured the Phalaris minor and Solanum nigrum. Zero-till rice and wheat reduced the seedbank of Trianthema portulacastrum by 95%, and total weed seedbank by 62% compared to the system of rice and wheat intensification. Nearly, 72% of C. iria seeds, 62% of grasses, and 64% of broad-leaved weeds were in 0-15 cm soil layer. Zero-till direct-seeded rice produced a 13% lower rice grain yield than conventional puddled transplanted rice. Compared to the system of wheat intensification, zero-till wheat under triple zero-till systems produced an 11.5% higher grain yield. Managing weed seedbank is a long-term endeavour. The present study revealed that tillage and crop establishment methods influence weed density and diversity. Under zero-till rice-wheat system, rice yield decreases marginally, but the system productivity maintains due to improvement in succeeding wheat yield. This system is also helpful in reducing the weed flora density and soil weed seedbank. Regular monitoring and management of emerging pests such as armyworm (Mythimna separata) are, however, required. The study suggests that the adoption of triple zero-tillage can be a viable option for reducing the weed density and weed seedbank concurrently increasing the system productivity of the rice-wheat-mungbean cropping system in eastern Indo-Gangetic Plains.

Sorption and thermodynamic properties of dry crystallized Palada payasam mix prepared using manual and mechanical stirring.

An attempt was made to develop mathematical models to describe the sorption behaviour and determine the thermodynamic properties of sorption of dry-crystallized Palada payasam mix at different water activities (between 0.113 and 0.973) and temperature ranging from 25 to 35 °C. Samples were prepared using both manual and mechanical mixing during the crystallization process and the equilibrium moisture content (EMC) was recorded using the isopiestic technique to compare the sorption behaviour of both samples. The sorption isotherms were found to follow a J-shape-type III plot, with the sorption capacity decreasing with temperature. The isotherms also exhibited a typical temperature inversion of EMC at water activity > 0.70. The sorption data obtained was fitted to 12 mathematical models for sorption and the Guggenheim, Anderson and de Boer (GAB), Peleg and Iglesias and Chirife models were found to describe the data over the entire range of water activity with a good fit. The isosteric heat of sorption and spreading pressure were determined as a function of moisture content. Isosteric heat of the samples was computed and found to decrease from 51.75 to 47.16 kJ/mol for control (manually stirred) and 49.38 to 47.58 kJ/mol for experimental sample (mechanically stirred) for a range of moisture content up to 29% (d.b). The spreading pressures increased with increasing water activity but decreased with increasing temperature. No significant difference was observed between the sorption properties of the dry crystallized samples prepared using manually and mechanically stirring.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-associated TDP-43 mutation Q331K prevents nuclear translocation of XRCC4-DNA ligase 4 complex and is linked to genome damage-mediated neuronal apoptosis.

Dominant mutations in the RNA/DNA-binding protein TDP-43 have been linked to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Here, we screened genomic DNA extracted from spinal cord specimens of sporadic ALS patients for mutations in the TARDBP gene and identified a patient specimen with previously reported Q331K mutation. The patient spinal cord tissue with Q331K mutation showed accumulation of higher levels of DNA strand breaks and the DNA double-strand break (DSB) marker γH2AX, compared to age-matched controls, suggesting a role of the Q331K mutation in genome-damage accumulation. Using conditional SH-SY5Y lines ectopically expressing wild-type (WT) or Q331K-mutant TDP-43, we confirmed the increased cytosolic sequestration of the poly-ubiquitinated and aggregated form of mutant TDP-43, which correlated with increased genomic DNA strand breaks, activation of the DNA damage response factors phospho-ataxia-telangiectasia mutated (ATM), phospho-53BP1, γH2AX and neuronal apoptosis. We recently reported the involvement of WT TDP-43 in non-homologous end joining (NHEJ)-mediated DSB repair, where it acts as a scaffold for the recruitment of XRCC4-DNA ligase 4 complex. Here, the mutant TDP-43, due to its reduced interaction and enhanced cytosolic mislocalization, prevented the nuclear translocation of XRCC4-DNA ligase 4. Consistently, the mutant cells showed significantly reduced DNA strand break sealing activity and were sensitized to DNA-damaging drugs. In addition, the mutant cells showed elevated levels of reactive oxygen species, suggesting both dominant negative and loss-of-function effects of the mutation. Together, our study uncovered an association of sporadic Q331K mutation with persistent genome damage accumulation due to both damage induction and repair defects.

Amelioration of plant responses to drought under elevated CO2 by rejuvenating photosynthesis and nitrogen use efficiency: implications for future climate-resilient crops.

The contemporary global agriculture is beset with serious threats from diverse eco-environmental conditions causing decreases in crop yields by ~ 15%. These yield losses might increase further due to climate change scenarios leading to increased food prices triggering social unrest and famines. Urbanization and industrialization are often associated with rapid increases in greenhouse gases (GHGs) especially atmospheric CO2 concentration [(CO2)]. Increase in atmospheric [CO2] significantly improved crop photosynthesis and productivity initially which vary with plant species, genotype, [CO2] exposure time and biotic as well as abiotic stress factors. Numerous attempts have been made using different plant species to unravel the physiological, cellular and molecular effects of elevated [CO2] as well as drought. This review focuses on plant responses to elevated [CO2] and drought individually as well as in combination with special reference to physiology of photosynthesis including its acclimation. Furthermore, the functional role of nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) and its relation to photosynthetic acclimation and crop productivity under elevated [CO2] and drought are reviewed. In addition, we also discussed different strategies to ameliorate the limitations of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate (RuBP) carboxylation and RuBP regeneration. Further, improved stomatal and mesophyll conductance and NUE for enhanced crop productivity under fast changing global climate conditions through biotechnological approaches are also discussed here. We conclude that multiple gene editing approaches for key events in photosynthetic processes would serve as the best strategy to generate resilient crop plants with improved productivity under fast changing climate.