Right Versus Wrong: A Qualitative Appraisal With Respect to Pandemic Trajectories of Transgender Population in Kerala, India.

The transgender population generally faces rights violations and discrimination in their day-to-day lives, which was exacerbated during the recent pandemic. This necessitates close scrutiny from an ethics perspective. Following directives from a 2014 Supreme Court judgement, Kerala became the first Indian state to implement a comprehensive policy to enforce the constitutional rights of transgender people. Despite such positive actions, a basic social tendency not to respect gender diversity has led to discrimination and marginalization. This was very evident during the pandemic. In this empirical work, we have documented the lives of the transgender community during the pandemic wherein they share experiences related to livelihood, interaction with the healthcare system, and acceptance in society vis-à-vis the pandemic. Simply providing third-gender status will not help the gender-marginalized community to grow to their fullest potential and have a better lifestyle on par with others in mainstream society.

Structural characterization, antioxidant and anti-uropathogenic potential of biogenic silver nanoparticles using brown seaweed Turbinaria ornata.

Alternative treatment strategies for urinary tract infections (UTIs) are becoming more necessary due to increasing drug resistance patterns in uropathogens. Nanoparticle-based therapeutics is emerging as a way to treat UTIs. In the present study, using Turbinaria ornata extract, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were synthesized, characterized, and their anti-uropathogenic activity was evaluated. The stability and formation of synthesized To-AgNPs were confirmed by UV-visible spectroscopy, FTIR, XRD, SEM, and DLS. An FTIR spectrum confirmed the presence of seaweed functional groups in To-AgNPs, a XRD analysis confirmed their crystalline nature, and SEM imaging confirmed their spherical nature with an average size of 73.98 nm with diameters ranging from 64.67 to 81.28 nm. This was confirmed by TEM results. DLS determined that the cumulant hydrodynamic diameter of To-AgNPs was 128.3 nm with a PdI of 0.313 and the zeta potential value were found to be -63.3 mV which indicates the To-AgNPs are negatively charged and more stable. DPPH assays were used to assess the antioxidant activity of biosynthesized To-AgNPs, while an agar well diffusion method was used to test the antibacterial activity against uropathogens, including Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterococcus faecalis, and Klebsiella pneumoniae. The To-AgNPs showed the highest susceptibility to S. aureus (15.75 ± 0.35 mm) and E. coli (15 ± 0.7 mm) with MIC values of 0.0625 and 0.125 mg/ml, respectively in macro broth dilution method and observed considerable membrane damage under CLSM and SEM. To-AgNPs displayed stronger antioxidant and antimicrobial activity, suggesting they may be developed as a new class of antimicrobial agents for treating UTIs.

Whole genome sequence analysis and in-vitro probiotic characterization of Bacillus velezensis FCW2 MCC4686 from spontaneously fermented coconut water.

In this study, the probiotic potential of B. velezensis FCW2, isolated from naturally fermented coconut water, was investigated by in vitro and genomic characterization. Our findings highlight key features of the bacterium which includes, antibacterial activity, high adhesive potential, aggregation capacity, production of nutrient secondary metabolites. In vivo safety assessment revealed no adverse effects on zebrafish. WGS data of B. velezensis FCW2 revealed a complete circular genome of 4,147,426 nucleotides and a GC content of 45.87%. We have identified 4059 coding sequence (CDS) genes that encode proteins involved in stress resistance, adhesion and micronutrient production. The genes responsible for producing secondary metabolites, exopolysaccharides, and other beneficial nutrients were identified. The KEGG and COG databases revealed that genes mainly involved amino acid metabolism, carbohydrate utilization, vitamin and cofactor metabolism, and biological adhesion. These findings suggest that B. velezensis FCW2 could be a putative probiotic in the development of fermented foods.

Tetramethylpyrazine contributes to the neuroprotection in a rodent epileptic model of pentylenetetrazole-induced kindling.

OBJECTIVES: In this study, tetramethylpyrazine (TMP) was evaluated for its therapeutic potential as an alternative therapy for epileptogenesis and its associated comorbidities in rats. METHODS: The sub-convulsant dose of pentylenetetrazole (PTZ) (35 mg/kg, intraperitoneally) was injected on alternative days to produce kindling for 32 days and observed for seizure score percent of kindled animals in each group. After kindling, the animals were evaluated in models of anxiety, memory and predictive of depression. The neuroprotective effect of TMP was assessed by estimating the biochemical parameters in the cortex and hippocampus of the brain. Histopathological alterations were also observed in the cortex and hippocampus (CA1, CA3 and DG). KEY FINDINGS: The administration of TMP reduced the seizure score and percentage of kindled animals dose-dependently. Furthermore, TMP significantly improved the behavioural parameters measured in the predictive models of depression but not in the anxiety and cognitive performances of the animals. The oxidative-nitrosative stress, excitotoxicity, neuroinflammation and histological alterations in the brain induced by PTZ were significantly mitigated by administering the TMP high dose of 60 mg/kg. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, the TMP attenuated the depression behaviour in the PTZ-induced kindled rats, and reduced the oxidative-nitrosative stress, excitotoxicity, neuroinflammation and histological alterations of the brain.

Genomic and metabolic properties of Staphylococcus gallinarum FCW1 MCC4687 isolated from naturally fermented coconut water towards GRAS assessment.

Staphylococcus gallinarum FCW1 was isolated from naturally fermented coconut-water and identified by biochemical and molecular methods. Probiotic characterization and safety assessment were conducted through a series of in vitro tests. A high survival rate was observed when the strain was tested for resistance to bile, lysozyme, simulated gastric and intestinal fluid, phenol, and different temperature and salt concentrations. The strain showed antagonism against some pathogens, was susceptible to all antibiotics tested except penicillin, and showed no hemolytic and DNase activity. Hydrophobicity, autoaggregation, biofilm formation, and antioxidation tests indicated that the strain possessed a high adhesive and antioxidant ability. Enzymatic activity was used to evaluate the metabolic capacities of the strain. In-vivo experiment on zebrafish was performed to check its safety status. The whole-genome sequencing indicated that the genome contained 2,880,305 bp with a GC content of 33.23%. The genome annotation confirmed the presence of probiotic-associated genes and genes for oxalate degradation, sulfate reduction, acetate metabolism, and ammonium transport in the FCW1 strain, adding to the theory that this strain may be helpful in treating kidney stones. This study revealed that the strain FCW1 might be an excellent potential probiotic in developing fermented coconut beverages and treating and preventing kidney stone disease.

Mutations within the cGMP-binding domain of CNGA1 causing autosomal recessive retinitis pigmentosa in human and animal model.

Retinitis pigmentosa is a group of progressive inherited retinal dystrophies that may present clinically as part of a syndromic entity or as an isolated (nonsyndromic) manifestation. In an Indian family suffering from retinitis pigmentosa, we identified a missense variation in CNGA1 affecting the cyclic nucleotide binding domain (CNBD) and characterized a mouse model developed with mutated CNBD. A gene panel analysis comprising 105 known RP genes was used to analyze a family with autosomal-recessive retinitis pigmentosa (arRP) and revealed that CNGA1 was affected. From sperm samples of ENU mutagenesis derived F1 mice, we re-derived a mutant with a Cnga1 mutation. Homozygous mutant mice, developing retinal degeneration, were examined for morphological and functional consequences of the mutation. In the family, we identified a rare CNGA1 variant (NM_001379270.1) c.1525 G > A; (p.Gly509Arg), which co-segregated among the affected family members. Homozygous Cnga1 mice harboring a (ENSMUST00000087213.12) c.1526 A > G (p.Tyr509Cys) mutation showed progressive degeneration in the retinal photoreceptors from 8 weeks on. This study supports a role for CNGA1 as a disease gene for arRP and provides new insights on the pathobiology of cGMP-binding domain mutations in CNGA1-RP.