Selecting Journal for Publication in the Era of "Haste Predatory Journals and COVID-19".

How to cite this article: Siddiqui S, Ahmed A, Azim A. Selecting Journal for Publication in the Era of "Haste Predatory Journals and COVID-19". Indian J Crit Care Med 2020;24(12):1284-1285.

Bioprospecting of Metabolites from Actinomycetes and their Applications.

Actinomycetes are present in various terrestrial and aquatic habitats, predominantly in the soil rhizosphere, encompassing marine and freshwater ecosystems. These microorganisms exhibit characteristics that resemble both bacteria and fungi. Numerous actinomycetes exhibit a mycelial existence and undergo significant morphological transformations. These bacteria are widely recognized as biotechnologically significant microorganisms utilized for the production of secondary metabolites. In all, over 45% of all bioactive microbial metabolites are produced by actinomycetes, which are responsible for producing around 10,000 of them. The majority of actinomycetes exhibit substantial saprophytic characteristics in their natural environment, enabling them to effectively decompose a diverse range of plant and animal waste materials during the process of decomposition. Additionally, these organisms possess a sophisticated secondary metabolic system, which enables them to synthesize almost two-thirds of all naturally occurring antibiotics. Moreover, they can create a diverse array of chemical compounds with medical or agricultural applications, including anticancer, antiparasitic, and antibacterial agents. This review aims to provide an overview of the prominent biotechnological domains in which actinobacteria and their metabolites demonstrate noteworthy applicability. The graphical abstract provides a preview of the primary sections covered in this review. This paper presents a comprehensive examination of the biotechnological applications and metabolites of actinobacteria, highlighting their potential for patent innovations.

Effect of Different Chemical Surface Treatments on the Shear Bond Strength of Acrylic Teeth With Different High-Impact Denture Base Resins.

Introduction The debonding of acrylic teeth from the denture base, particularly in cases of prominent ridges, is a common problem faced by clinicians and patients. The present study was conducted to assess the effects of various chemical treatments on the shear bond strength (SBS) of acrylic teeth bonded to different high-impact denture base materials. Materials and methods The present in vitro study was conducted on 80 wax specimens with acrylic teeth bonded to two high-impact denture base materials (DPI Tuff (DPI Dental Products of India Ltd, Mumbai) and Trevalon HI (Trevalon HI, Dentsply, Karnataka)). The two main groups were further divided into four subgroups of 10 specimens each, depending on the chemical treatment at the ridge lap area of the tooth: control group without any chemical treatment, chemical surface treatment (CST) with dichloromethane and monomer mix, CST with ethyl acetate, and CST with acrylic adhesive cyanoacrylate. The SBS was tested using a universal testing machine (UTM). Analysis of variance (ANOVA) and post-hoc Tukey tests were used for statistical analyses. Results The mean SBS of Group A (DPI Tuff) was 111.75 N as compared to 118 N in Group B (Trevalon HI). The differences were statistically significant (p<0.05). ANOVA and post-hoc Tukey's tests revealed significant differences between subgroups. The highest mean SBS was noted with a dichloromethane and monomer mix (1:1 volume), followed by the ethyl acetate, control, and cyanoacrylate subgroups. Conclusion The cross-linked acrylic teeth treated with a dichloromethane and monomer mixture (1:1 by volume), processed with Trevalon HI high-impact denture base resin had the highest SBS and thus were indicated for bonding teeth with the suggested denture base.

Bioprospecting of the novel isolate Microbacterium proteolyticum LA2(R) from the rhizosphere of Rauwolfia serpentina.

The study aimed to assess the proficiency of secondary metabolites (SMs) synthesized by actinobacteria isolated from the rhizospheric soil of Rauwolfia serpentina for its antimicrobial and anti-biofilm activity. After morphological and biochemical identification of actinobacteria, primary and secondary screening was done for specific metabolite production. The secondary metabolites were then tested for their antioxidant, antibacterial, and antibiofilm potential. Out of 29 bacterial colonies isolated, only one emerged as a novel isolate, Microbacterium LA2(R). Partial 16S rRNA gene sequence of the isolate LA2(R) was deposited in NCBI GenBank with accession number MN560041. The highest antioxidant capacity of the methanolic extract the novel isolate was found to be 474.183 µL AAE/mL and 319.037 µL AAE/mL by DPPH assay and ABTS assay respectively; three folds higher than the control. These results were further supported by the high total phenolic (194.95 gallic acid equivalents/mL) and flavonoid contents (332.79 µL quercetin equivalents/mL) of the methanolic extract. GC-MS analysis revealed the abundance of antibacterial compounds; where, n-Hexadecanoic acid was found to be the major compound present with a peak of 14 min retention time (RT) and 95% similarity index. MIC value of the metabolite was noted to be around 132.28 ± 84.48 µg/mL. The IC50 value was found to be 74.37, 71.33, 66.28 and 84.48 µg/mL against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumonia, and Salmonella abony, respectively. Treatment with IC50 of the extract decreased the biofilm formation up to 70%-80% against pathogenic strains viz. Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Salmonella abony. These significant activities of Microbacterium sp. LA2(R) suggests that it could be utilized for antibiotic production for human welfare and in various important industrial applications.

Nanoparticles as Novel Emerging Therapeutic Antibacterial Agents in the Antibiotics Resistant Era.

Microorganisms are highly resistant to the antibiotics that are commonly used and thus are becoming serious public health problem. There is an urgent need for new approaches to monitor microbial behavior, and hence, nanomaterial can be a very promising solution. Nanotechnology has led to generation of novel antimicrobial agents such as gold, silver, zinc, copper, poly-£-lysine, iron, and chitosan which have shown remarkable potential, demonstrating their applicability as proficient antibiotic agents against various pathogenic bacterial species. The antimicrobial nanoproduct physically kills the organism's cell membranes that prevent the production of drug-resistant microorganisms. These nanosized particles can also be used as diagnostic agents, targeted drug delivery vehicle, noninvasive imaging technologies, and in vivo visual monitoring of tumors angiogenesis. These nanomaterials provide a promising platform for diagnostics, prognostic, drug delivery, and treatment of diseases by means of nanoengineered products/devices. This owes to their small size, prolonged antimicrobial efficacy with insignificant toxicity creating less environmental hazard or toxicity. Scientists address several problems such as health, bioethical problems, toxicity risks, physiological, and pharmaceutical concerns related with the usage of NPs as antimicrobial agents as current research lack adequate data and information on the safe use of certain tools and materials.

Gains beyond cosmesis: Recovery of fusion and stereopsis in adults with longstanding strabismus following successful surgical realignment.

We evaluated recovery of binocularity in 15 chronically strabismic, non-fusing (with neutralizing prisms) adults following successful surgical alignment. We included > or =12-year-olds, with best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) > or =20/60, and excluded those with: anisoacuity> 2 lines-Snellen; failed realignment judged by> 10 prism diopters (PD) horizontal and> 4 PD vertical. Six-week outcomes were: fusion by Worth Four-Dots (WFDT) and Bagolini striated glasses (BSG) and stereopsis by Titmus test and the Netherlands organisation for applied scientific research (TNO) test. Baseline data in medians (range): age 18 (12-40) years, strabismus 45 (19-95) PD, duration 14 (0.5-24) years, 12 females; 12 exotropes, three esotropes; visual acuity was 20/20 in 10, while none had BCVA < 20/60. Postoperative strabismus measured 6 PD (range:0-10). By six weeks none suppressed: WFDT findings showed eight fused at distance and 13 at near; and on BSG figures were 10 and 13 respectively. Stereopsis was demonstrated by 13 on Titmus and by 10 on TNO tests. It is concluded that longstanding strabismic adults with good vision can recover fusion and stereopsis following successful squint surgery.

Chrysophanol: A Natural Anthraquinone with Multifaceted Biotherapeutic Potential.

Chrysophanol is a unique anthraquinone having broad-spectrum therapeutic potential along with ecological importance. It is the first polyketide that has been reported to be biosynthesized in an organism-specific manner. The traditional Chinese and Korean medicinal systems provide evidence of the beneficial effects of chrysophanol on human health. The global distribution of chrysophanol encountered in two domains of life (bacteria and eukaryota) has motivated researchers to critically evaluate the properties of this compound. A plethora of literature is available on the pharmacological properties of chrysophanol, which include anticancer, hepatoprotective, neuroprotective, anti-inflammatory, antiulcer, and antimicrobial activities. However, the pharmacokinetics and toxicity studies on chrysophanol demand further investigations for it to be used as a drug. This is the first comprehensive review on the natural sources, biosynthetic pathways, and pharmacology of chrysophanol. Here we reviewed recent advancements made on the pharmacokinetics of the chrysophanol. Additionally, we have highlighted the knowledge gaps of its mechanism of action against diseases and toxicity aspects.