Prospects of phosphate solubilizing microorganisms in sustainable agriculture.

Phosphorus (P), an essential macronutrient for various plant processes, is generally a limiting soil component for crop growth and yields. Organic and inorganic types of P are copious in soils, but their phyto-availability is limited as it is present largely in insoluble forms. Although phosphate fertilizers are applied in P-deficit soils, their undue use negatively impacts soil quality and the environment. Moreover, many P fertilizers are lost because of adsorption and fixation mechanisms, further reducing fertilizer efficiencies. The application of phosphate-solubilizing microorganisms (PSMs) is an environmentally friendly, low-budget, and biologically efficient method for sustainable agriculture without causing environmental hazards. These beneficial microorganisms are widely distributed in the rhizosphere and can hydrolyze inorganic and organic insoluble P substances to soluble P forms which are directly assimilated by plants. The present review summarizes and discusses our existing understanding related to various forms and sources of P in soils, the importance and P utilization by plants and microbes,, the diversification of PSMs along with mixed consortia of diverse PSMs including endophytic PSMs, the mechanism of P solubilization, and lastly constraints being faced in terms of production and adoption of PSMs on large scale have also been discussed.

Zinc toxicity in plants: a review.

MAIN CONCLUSION: This review highlights the most recent updated information available about Zn phytotoxicity at physiological, biochemical and molecular levels, uptake mechanisms as well as excess Zn homeostasis in plants. Zinc (Zn) is a natural component of soil in terrestrial environments and is a vital element for plant growth, as it performs imperative functions in numerous metabolic pathways. However, potentially noxious levels of Zn in soils can result in various alterations in plants like reduced growth, photosynthetic and respiratory rate, imbalanced mineral nutrition and enhanced generation of reactive oxygen species. Zn enters into soils through various sources, such as weathering of rocks, forest fires, volcanoes, mining and smelting activities, manure, sewage sludge and phosphatic fertilizers. The rising alarm in environmental facet, as well as, the narrow gap between Zn essentiality and toxicity in plants has drawn the attention of the scientific community to its effects on plants and crucial role in agricultural sustainability. Hence, this review focuses on the most recent updates about various physiological and biochemical functions perturbed by high levels of Zn, its mechanisms of uptake and transport as well as molecular aspects of surplus Zn homeostasis in plants. Moreover, this review attempts to understand the mechanisms of Zn toxicity in plants and to present novel perspectives intended to drive future investigations on the topic. The findings will further throw light on various mechanisms adopted by plants to cope with Zn stress which will be of great significance to breeders for enhancing tolerance to Zn contamination.

Electrochemical aptasensor using boron-carbon nanorods decorated by nickel nanoparticles for detection of E. coli O157:H7.

The development of a label-free impedimetric aptasensor is reported for rapid and sensitive detection of Escherichia coli O157:H7 employing boron-carbon nanorods decorated by nickel nanoparticles (BC-Ni) nanostructured platform. These highly electroactive BC-Ni nanorods were synthesized to increase the sensitivity of the sensor surface and subsequently functionalized with a specific anti-E. coli O157:H7 aptamer (Kd = 69 nM) as bio-recognition moiety. This fully characterized high-affinity DNA aptamer against the bacteria was selected using a facile microtiter plate-based cell-SELEX methodology. The fabricated electrochemical aptasensor is demonstrated to detect E. coli O157:H7 selectively with a detection limit of 10 cfu and a dynamic detection range of 100 to 105 cfu in water, juice, and fecal samples. Graphical abstract.

Plasmonic DNA hotspots made from tungsten disulfide nanosheets and gold nanoparticles for ultrasensitive aptamer-based SERS detection of myoglobin.

A nanohybrid mediated SERS substrate was prepared by in-situ synthesis and assembly of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) on exfoliated nanosheets of tungsten disulfide (WS2) to form plasmonic hotspots. The nanohybrid surface was functionalized with specific aptamers which imparted high selectivity for the cardiac marker myoglobin (Mb). The fabricated aptasensor was read by SERS using a 532 nm laser and demonstrated significant signal enhancement, and this allowed Mb to be determined in the 10 f. mL-1 to 0.1 µg mL-1 concentration range. The study presents an approach to synergistically exploit the unique chemical and electromagnetic properties of both WS2 and AuNPs for many-fold enhancement of SERS signals. Graphical abstract Schematic presentation of a nanohybrid-mediated SERS substrate prepared by in-situ assembly of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) reduced on exfoliated nanosheets of tungsten disulfide (WS2) to form plasmonic hot spots. Specific aptamers immobilized on the SERS surface impart high sensitivity and selectivity for the cardiac marker myoglobin (Mb).

Cardiovascular disease: extraintestinal manifestation of inflammatory bowel disease.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a spectrum of diseases characterized by the interplay of the aberrant immune system, genetic factors, environmental factors, and intestinal microbiota, resulting in relapsing inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. Underlying pro-inflammatory state and immune dysregulation act as a catalyst for increasing the likelihood of developing extraintestinal manifestations, including cardiovascular diseases (CVD) like atherosclerosis, pericarditis, myocarditis, venous and arterial thromboembolism, arrhythmias, despite a lower prevalence of classic CVD risk factors, like high body mass index or dyslipidemia compared to the general population. Chronic inflammation damages endothelium resulting in the recruitment of inflammatory cells, which induce cytotoxicity, lipoprotein oxidation, and matrix degradation, which increases the risk of atherosclerosis. Additionally, intestinal dysbiosis disrupts the intestinal mucosal barrier, releasing endotoxins and lipopolysaccharides into circulation, further exaggerating the atherosclerotic process. Abnormal collagen metabolism and alteration of nitric oxide-mediated vasodilation lead to blood pressure dysregulation in patients with IBD. Therefore, it is essential to make lifestyle modifications like smoking cessation, dietary changes, and increasing physical activity with adherence to medication to mitigate the risk of developing CVD in patients with IBD. This article reviews the potential links between IBD and the increased risk of CVD in such individuals.

Plant hormones and secondary metabolites under environmental stresses: Enlightening defense molecules.

The climatic changes have great threats to sustainable agriculture and require efforts to ensure global food and nutritional security. In this regard, the plant strategic responses, including the induction of plant hormones/plant growth regulators (PGRs), play a substantial role in boosting plant immunity against environmental stress-induced adversities. In addition, secondary metabolites (SMs) have emerged as potential 'stress alleviators' that help plants to adapt against environmental stressors imposing detrimental impacts on plant health and survival. The introduction of SMs in plant biology has shed light on their beneficial effects in mitigating environmental crises. This review explores SMs-mediated plant defense responses and highlights the crosstalk between PGRs and SMs under diverse environmental stressors. In addition, genetic engineering approaches are discussed as a potential revenue to enhance plant hormone-mediated SM production in response to environmental cues. Thus, the present review aims to emphasize the significance of SMs implications with PGRs association and genetic approachability, which could aid in shaping the future strategies that favor agro-ecosystem compatibility under unpredictable environmental conditions.

Lab testing overload: a comprehensive analysis of overutilization in hospital-based settings.

Overuse of laboratory tests has been a growing problem in the inpatient hospital setting for years, which adds to the rising cost of care. Various factors come into play, such as clinical routines, lack of cost transparency, and the convenience of electronic health record-based ordering. The financial ramifications of the overuse are significant, as lab costs drive most medical decisions. Eliminating unnecessary testing with clinical decision support and best practices is associated with marked cost savings, improved outcomes, and decreased patient distress. The excessive use of laboratory tests highly affects patients, resulting in hospital-induced anemia, low patient satisfaction, and poor outcomes. Tackling lab overuse requires a multifaceted approach that includes education, technology, and policy changes. In the era of precision healthcare, optimizing test utilization can reduce costs, decrease waste, and improve patient care.

Reconditioning of plant metabolism by arbuscular mycorrhizal networks in cadmium contaminated soils: Recent perspectives.

Cadmium (Cd) is one of the most perilous nonessential heavy metal for plants, owing to its high water solubility and obstruction with various physiological and biochemical processes. It enters food chain via plant uptake from contaminated soil, posing a grave menace to ecosystem and mankind. Green remediation comprises approaches intended at prudent use of natural resources for increasing profits to humans and environment. Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi are considered a promising green technological tool for remedial of Cd-polluted soils. They are naturally associated with root system of plants in Cd-contaminated soils, evidencing their tolerance to Cd. AM can decrease Cd uptake by plants broadly through two strategies: (1) extracellular mechanisms involving Cd chelation by root exudates, binding to fungal cell wall/structures or to the glycoprotein glomalin; (2) intracellular means involving transfer via hyphal network, detoxification and vacuolar sequestration mediated by complexation of Cd with glutathione (GSH), phytochelatins (PCs), metallothioneins (MTs) and polyphosphate granules. Additionally, mycorrhizal symbiosis facilitates reconditioning of plants' metabolism primarily through dilution effect, increased water and mineral uptake. Recently, AM-induced remodelling of root cell wall synthesis has been reported to improve plant vigor and survival under Cd stressed environments. The present article highlights Cd impacts on AM growth, its diversity in Cd contaminated soils, and variations among diverse AM fungal species for imparting plant Cd tolerance. The most recent perspectives on AM-mediated Cd tolerance mechanisms in plants, including cellular and molecular studies have also been reviewed for successful utilization of these beneficial microbes in sustainable agriculture.

Herbal Medicine- A Friend or a Foe of Cardiovascular Disease.

BACKGROUND: Herbal remedies are used by 80% of the Asian population in primary health care as per WHO. According to current research, the herbal medicine market was valued at nearly USD 166 billion in 2021 and is expected to reach approximately USD 348 billion by 2028. Increased incidence of chronic conditions such as diabetes, asthma, coronary artery disease, osteoarthritis, has fueled the growing interest in traditional herbal and plant-derived treatments among researchers. In addition, rural communities in developing nations have renewed interest in herbal treatments due to lower cost and easy availability. OBJECTIVE: Aim of the paper is to highlight the role of five of more commonly used herbal medicines that are Ginkgo biloba, Garlic, Flaxseed, Ginseng, Salvia miltiorrhiza in cardiovascular disorders. METHODS: A PubMed search was done using the keywords Herbal Medicine, Ginkgo biloba, Garlic, Flaxseed, Ginseng, Salvia miltiorrhiza. Articles which were available for free access were utilized. No formula inclusion or exclusion criteria was followed. A total of 42 papers were included for the study. CONCLUSION: Although there have been encouraging outcomes with the use of these herbal medications, many of these products are poorly monitored and are yet to be studied in detail regarding their adverse effects. Moreover, these medicinal products are known to interact with various drugs. To compete with the expanding pharmaceutical industry, more medicinally helpful herbal items must be used and scientifically validated.

Beyond Glycemic Control: Mechanistic Insights Into SGLT-2 Inhibitors in Heart Failure Management.

Heart failure is a common and clinically significant cardiac condition that causes significant morbidity and mortality in the United States. Diabetes and hypertension are 2 of the most common comorbidities associated with heart failure. Other risk factors for heart failure include smoking, obesity, and intrinsic cardiac diseases such as myocardial infarction and valvular pathologies. All of these conditions, to some extent, cause remodeling within the cardiomyocyte, which eventually leads to the development of congestive heart failure. Over the years, using diuretics and medications that inhibit the Renin-Angiotensin-Aldosterone System has been the traditional treatment for congestive heart failure. But in recent years studies in the diabetic population revealed that sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors had a negative impact on the remodeling of cardiomyocytes. In this review, we discuss the numerous molecular mechanisms by which these recently developed medicines inhibit remodeling in cardiomyocytes, independent of their intended effect of decreasing blood glucose levels. Furthermore, it emphasizes the use of these drugs in diabetic as well as non-diabetic patients as a promising adjunct to ongoing heart failure treatment.

Narrative Review of Anomalous Origin of Coronary Arteries: Pathophysiology, Management, and Treatment.

Coronary artery anomalies (CAA) are a diverse group of congenital anomalies and are the second most common cause of sudden cardiac death in the young population after Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM). Symptoms range from chest pain, syncope, or sudden cardiac arrest to completely asymptomatic. The prevalence of congenital coronary artery anomalies in the general population is estimated to be between 1% and 2%. CAA often gets underdiagnosed due to the lack of knowledge of the disease process. Approximately 5% of patients with acute myocardial infarction do not have atherosclerotic coronary artery disease or luminal narrowing due to other causes. Congenital coronary artery anomalies account for 50-60% of this 5% of patients. Most patients are asymptomatic for most of their lives, and chest pain is the most common symptom in symptomatic patients when referred for coronary angiography, typically when the diagnosis is typically made. The malignant coronary artery is a rare presentation of a coronary anomaly when associated with atherosclerotic coronary artery disease or valvular heart disease. Patients with symptoms of an abnormal coronary artery origin will receive medical treatment/observation, exercise restriction, coronary angioplasty with stent deployment, or surgical repair.

Biolayer interferometry-SELEX for Shiga toxin antigenic-peptide aptamers & detection via chitosan-WSe2 aptasensor.

We report biolayer interferometry based in-vitro selection technique (BLI-SELEX) for fishing out specific aptamers against E. coli Shiga toxin subtypes viz., stx1 & stx2 via epitopic peptides. BLI-SELEX is a one-step technique for rapidly generating aptamers against protein biomarkers in a microtiter plate format, obliterating the need for multiple enrichment rounds to harvest high-affinity aptamers as in conventional SELEX. Two unique aptamers selected against stx1 & stx2 with picomolar Kd (~47 pM & ~29 pM, respectively) were successfully used to fabricate voltammetric diagnostic assay via immobilization onto chitosan exfoliated 2D tungsten diselenide (WSe2) nanosheet platform. These aptamers modified nanosensors showed high sensitivity of ~ 5.0 µA ng-1 mL, a dynamic response range from 50 pg mL-1 to 100 ng mL-1, with a detection limit of 44.5 pg mL-1 & 41.3 pg mL-1 for stx subtypes, respectively and showed low cross-reactivity in spiked urine, serum and milk samples. The synergistic effect of selective aptamers & high sensitivity imparted by 2D transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD) highlights the superior potential of a fabricated nanosensor for bacterial toxin detection.

A Review on Si Uptake and Transport System.

Silicon (Si) was long listed as a non-essential component for plant growth and development because of its universal availability. However, there has been a resurgence of interest in studying the underlying uptake and transport mechanism of silicon in plants because of the reported dynamic role of silicon in plants under stressed environmental conditions. This uptake and transport mechanism is greatly dependent upon the uptake ability of the plant's roots. Plant roots absorb Si in the form of silicic acid from the soil solution, and it is moved through different parts of the plant using various influx and efflux transporters. Both these influx and efflux transporters are mostly found in the plasma membrane; however, their location and pattern of expression varies among different plants. The assessment of these features provides a new understanding of different species-dependent Si accumulations, which have been studied in monocots but are poorly understood in other plant groups. Therefore, the present review provides insight into the most recent research exploring the use of Si transporters in angiosperms and cryptogams. This paper presents an extensive representation of data from different families of angiosperms, including monocots and eudicots. Eudicots (previously referred to as dicots) have often been neglected in the literature, because they are categorized as low/intermediate Si accumulators. However, in this review, we attempt to highlight the accumulating species of different plant groups in which Si uptake is mediated through transporters.

Nanomaterial based aptasensors for clinical and environmental diagnostic applications.

Nanomaterials have been exploited extensively to fabricate various biosensors for clinical diagnostics and food & environmental monitoring. These materials in conjugation with highly specific aptamers (next-gen antibody mimics) have enhanced the selectivity, sensitivity and rapidness of the developed aptasensors for numerous targets ranging from small molecules such as heavy metal ions to complex matrices containing large entities like cells. In this review, we highlight the recent advancements in nanomaterial based aptasensors from the past five years also including the basics of conventionally used detection methodologies that paved the way for futuristic sensing techniques. The aptasensors have been categorised based upon these detection techniques and their modifications viz., colorimetric, fluorometric, Raman spectroscopy, electro-chemiluminescence, voltammetric, impedimetric and mechanical force-based sensing of a multitude of targets are discussed in detail. The bio-interaction of these numerous nanomaterials with the aptameric component and that of the complete aptasensor with the target have been studied in great depth. This review thus acts as a compendium for nanomaterial based aptasensors and their applications in the field of clinical and environmental diagnosis.

Graphitic carbon nitride QDs impregnated biocompatible agarose cartridge for removal of heavy metals from contaminated water samples.

Highly fluorescent, water-stable graphitic carbon nitride quantum dots (gCN QDs) synthesized by microwave assisted solvo-thermal technique and characterized via optical spectroscopy, XRD, HR-TEM, Fluorescence spectroscopy, FT-IR and Raman spectroscopy. Synthesized gCN were used for the removal of mercury ions from polluted water samples in a microcartridge format. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations revealed a possible interaction of mercury atoms, and embedment of mercury atom onto synthesized gCN surface lead to moderate structural distortion, reduced band gap and altered dielectric response. Experimentally, the excitation dependent fluorescence of QDs is highly compromised in presence of mercuric (Hg2+) and other ions, validating the theoretical findings, and establishing their use as metal sensor probes. Hg2+ binding ability with gCN QDs was further utilized in developing bioinspired micro-cartridge via covalent conjugation to Agarose microbeads. Micro-cartridge can remove heavy metal contamination from polluted water with a binding efficiency of 24.63 mg HgCl2 for 10 mg of Agarose-gCN conjugate.

Microtitre Plate Based Cell-SELEX Method.

Aptamers have emerged as a novel category in the field of bioreceptors due to their wide applications ranging from biosensing to therapeutics. Several variations of their screening process, called SELEX have been reported which can yield sequences with desired properties needed for their final use. We report a facile microtiter plate-based Cell-SELEX method for a gram-negative bacteria E. coli. The optimized protocol allows the reduction of number of rounds for SELEX by offering higher surface area and longer retention times. In addition, this protocol can be modified for other prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells, and glycan moieties as target for generation of high affinity bio-receptors in a short course of time in-vitro.

Bridged Rebar Graphene functionalized aptasensor for pathogenic E. coli O78:K80:H11 detection.

We report a novel fabrication method of functionalised Bridged Rebar Graphene (BRG) onto newly designed nanostructured aptasensor for label free impedimetric sensing of pathogenic bacteria E. coli O78:K80:H11. The chemical facilitated unscrolling of MWCNT and subsequent bridging with terephthalaldehyde (TPA) to form 3D-hierarchical BRG nanoconstruct exhibited synergistic effect by combining enhanced electrical properties and facile chemical functionality for stable bio-interface. The bacteria-DNA interactions were captured on BRG nanostructured electrode by using specific anti-E.coli DNA aptamer (Kd~ 14nM), screened by new in-situ developed SELEX method using phenylboronic acid on microtitre plate. The developed nanostructured aptasensor demonstrated a low detection limit and sensitivity of ~ 101cfu/mL towards E. coli O78:K80:H11 with a dynamic response range from 101 to 106cfu/mL in water, juice and milk samples.

Nanostructured Aptamer-Functionalized Black Phosphorus Sensing Platform for Label-Free Detection of Myoglobin, a Cardiovascular Disease Biomarker.

We report the electrochemical detection of the redox active cardiac biomarker myoglobin (Mb) using aptamer-functionalized black phosphorus nanostructured electrodes by measuring direct electron transfer. The as-synthesized few-layer black phosphorus nanosheets have been functionalized with poly-l-lysine (PLL) to facilitate binding with generated anti-Mb DNA aptamers on nanostructured electrodes. This aptasensor platform has a record-low detection limit (∼0.524 pg mL(-1)) and sensitivity (36 µA pg(-1) mL cm(-2)) toward Mb with a dynamic response range from 1 pg mL(-1) to 16 µg mL(-1) for Mb in serum samples. This strategy opens up avenues to bedside technologies for multiplexed diagnosis of cardiovascular diseases in complex human samples.