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Bamboo (subfamily Bambusoideae, Poaceae) ranks among the fastest-growing plants on Earth, achieving up to 1 m day−1, significantly faster than other fast growing woody plant such as Eucalyptus (up to 0.6 m day−1) and Populus (up to 0.5 m day−1). Native to Asia, South America and Africa, and cultivated on approximately 37 million ha worldwide, bamboo delivers multifaceted environmental, social, and economic benefits. Historically central to construction, handicrafts, paper and cuisine, bamboo has evolved into a high-value cash crop and green innovation platform. Its rapid renewability allows multiple harvests of young shoots in fast-growing species such as Phyllostachys edulis and Dendrocalamus asper. Its high tensile strength, flexibility, and ecological adaptability make it suitable for applications in bioenergy (bioethanol, biogas, biochar), advanced materials (engineered composites, textiles, activated carbon), and biotechnology (fermentable sugars, prebiotics, biochemicals). Bamboo shoots and leaves provide essential nutrients, antioxidants and bioactive compounds with documented health and pharmaceutical potential. With a global market value exceeding USD 41 billion, bamboo demand continues to grow in response to the call for sustainable materials. Ecologically, bamboo sequesters up to 259 t C ha−1, stabilizes soil, enhances agroforestry systems and enables phytoremediation of degraded lands. Nonetheless, challenges persist, including species- and age-dependent mechanical variability; vulnerability to decay and pests; flammability; lack of standardized harvesting and engineering codes; and environmental impacts of certain processing methods. This review traces bamboo’s trajectory from a traditional resource to a strategic bioresource aligned with Industry 5.0, underscores its role in low-emission, circular bioeconomies and identifies pathways for optimized cultivation, green processing technologies and integration into carbon-credit frameworks. By addressing these challenges through innovation and policy support, bamboo can underpin resilient, human-centric economies and drive sustainable development.

Decalepis arayapathra is an important medicinal plant known for several medicinal values, however, due to overharvesting, habitat destruction, and its limited geographical distribution, D. arayapathra faces severe threats of extinction. A synthetic seed protocol was developed for this plant, representing a novel approach in its propagation and conservation. Nodal segments (NS) were encapsulated in a sodium alginate (SA) matrix. 3% SA with 100 mM CaCl 2 solutions was best to obtain ideal beads with fine texture. Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium consisting of BA 5.0 µM + NAA 0.5 µM + ADS 20.0 µM resulted in a maximum regrowth frequency of 71.26% with 3.13 shoots per bead and a shoot length of 4.10 cm after six weeks of culture. Rooting in the microshoots was better observed with half- strength MS + 2.5 µM NAA, resulting in 3.1 roots per microshoot and a root length of 3.0 cm after four weeks of culture, followed by successful acclimatization. The study investigated the effect of photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD) levels of 50 and 300 PPFD on various physiological and biochemical parameters during the acclimatization of in vitro-derived plants. Results showed an increase in photosynthetic pigments, including chlorophyll and carotenoids, as well as an enhanced net photosynthetic rate (P N ) and stomatal conductance (gs) with prolonged acclimatization, with higher PPFD being more effective. Antioxidant enzyme activities, including SOD, CAT, APX, and GR, increased over time, except for SOD, which began to decline after 21 days under both light conditions. Stress markers such as malondialdehyde (MDA) and electrolyte leakage decreased over time, indicating successful acclimatization. Genetic fidelity was confirmed through clear and monomorphic banding patterns obtained using RAPD and ISSR markers. Quantification of 2H4MB (2-hydroxy-4-methoxy benzaldehyde) in synseed-derived roots using HPLC revealed a concentration of 16.27 µg/ml. Metabolic profiling of the synseed-derived root tuber using GC-MS identified several major and minor metabolites. This study offers a breakthrough in the conservation of D. arayapathra through synthetic seed technology, enabling sustainable propagation while preserving genetic stability. It ensures a consistent supply of the bioactive compound 2H4MB, promoting medicinal research and commercial applications. Graphical Abstract

2-Hydroxy-4-Methoxybenzaldehyde (2H4MB) is a valuable aromatic compound with applications in flavour, fragrance, and pharmaceuticals. Because of its endangered status and root-specific accumulation, its production in native plants is restricted. In order to increase 2H4MB yield, this study emphasises recent developments in metabolic engineering, synthetic biology, in vitro culture methods, and AI-assisted route prediction. This review discussed about how CRISPR-based genome editing can be used to modify important biosynthetic genes and regulatory components, as well as how predictive machine learning techniques can be used to improve production conditions. Inadequate genetic resources, poorly understood biosynthetic pathways, and a dearth of reliable transformation systems are among the present constraints. The work highlights the importance of using integrative plant biotechnology techniques to fully realise the industrial and medicinal potential of this underutilised chemical.

Withanolides are naturally occurring steroidal lactones found in certain species of the Withania genus, especially Withania somnifera (commonly known as Ashwagandha). These compounds have gained considerable attention due to their wide range of therapeutic properties and potential applications in modern medicine. To meet the rapidly growing demand for withanolides, innovative approaches such as in vitro culture techniques and synthetic biology offer promising solutions. In recent years, synthetic biology has enabled the production of engineered withanolides using heterologous systems, such as yeast and bacteria. Additionally, in vitro methods like cell suspension culture and hairy root culture have been employed to enhance withanolide production. Nevertheless, one of the primary obstacles to increasing the production of withanolides using these techniques has been the intricacy of the biosynthetic pathways for withanolides. The present article examines new developments in withanolide production through in vitro culture. A comprehensive summary of viable traditional methods for producing withanolide is also provided. The development of withanolide production in heterologous systems is examined and emphasized. The use of machine learning as a potent tool to model and improve the bioprocesses involved in the generation of withanolide is then discussed. In addition, the control and modification of the withanolide biosynthesis pathway by metabolic engineering mediated by CRISPR are discussed.

Background Our study aimed to compare efficacy and safety of Hetero’s adalimumab (Mabura®, Hetero Biopharma Limited) versus reference adalimumab (Humira®, Abbvie Inc.) in Indian patients with active rheumatoid arthritis (RA) concomitant on methotrexate (MTX) therapy. Methods Patients ( n  = 168) were randomized (2:1) to receive either test or reference product for 24 weeks with concomitant MTX. Proportion of patients achieving American College of Rheumatology 20 (ACR20) criteria at week 12 was the primary endpoint. Changes in Disease Activity Score of 28 joints–C-reactive protein (DAS28-CRP), Health Assessment Questionnaire–Disability Index (HAQ-DI), and patients achieving ACR20 at week 24, ACR50/70 at weeks 12 and 24 were secondary endpoints. Results Patients achieving ACR20 responses with test (96.43%) were similar to reference (96.43%) in intention-to-treat (ITT) analysis at week 12. Proportional difference (PD) between groups (PD [95% CI] 0.0 [− 6.0, 6.0], p  = 1.000) for ACR20 at week 12 for ITT analysis showed lower limit of the two-sided 95% CI was above the pre-specified noninferiority margin of − 15%. Similar trend in PP analysis (PD [95% CI] 0.0 [− 0.03, 0.07], p  = 1.000), confirmed therapeutic equivalence. No significant difference was noted between arms for patients attaining ACR20 at week 24 and ACR50/70 at weeks 12 and 24 (all p  > 0.05). DAS28-CRP and HAQ-DI were similar between groups. Total of 54 patients reported 88 AEs during the study. Out of these, 60 AEs were reported in 34 patients with Hetero-Adalimumab and 28 AEs were reported in 20 patients with Reference-Adalimumab. Total two patients, one in each group reported two serious adverse events (Sinusitis and Viral infection) during the study and resolved completely. No deaths and no life threatening AEs were reported. Conclusion Results demonstrated Hetero’s adalimumab is as effective and well tolerated as reference adalimumab in patients with active RA concomitantly on MTX therapy. Trial registration CTRI/2016/04/006884 , Registered on 28/04/2016.

Insulin resistance is major factor in the development of metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes (T2D). We extracted 430 genes from literature associated with both insulin resistance and inflammation. The highly significant pathways were Toll-like receptor signaling, PI3K-Akt signaling, cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction, pathways in cancer, TNF signaling, and NF-kappa B signaling. Among the 297 common genes in all datasets of various T2D patients’ tissues including blood, muscle, liver, pancreas, and adipose tissues, 71% and 60% of these genes were differentially expressed in pancreas (GSE25724) and liver (GSE15653), respectively. A total of 169 genes contain highly conserved motifs for various transcription factors involved in immune response, thereby suggesting coordinated expression. Through co-expression analysis, we obtained three modules. The respective modules had 78, 158, and 55 genes, and TRAF2 , HMGA1 , and RGS5 as hub genes. Further, we used the BioNSi pathways simulation tool and identified the following five KEGG pathways perturbed in four or more tissues, namely Toll-like receptor signaling pathway, RIG-1-like receptor signaling pathway, pathways in cancer, NF-kappa B signaling pathway, and insulin resistance pathway. The genes NFKBIA and IKBKB are common to all these five pathways. In addition, using the NF-κB computational activation model, we identified that the reversal of NF-κB constitutive activation through overexpression of NFKB1 (P50 homodimer), PPARG, PIAS3 could reduce insulin resistance by almost half of its original value. To conclude, co-expression studies, gene expression network simulation, and NF-κB computational modeling substantiate the causal role of NF-κB pathway in insulin resistance. These results taken together with other published evidence suggests that the TNF-TRAF2-IKBKB-NF-κB axis could be explored as a potential target in combination with available metabolic targets in the management of insulin resistance.

Rapid urban growth and development over the past few years in Dubai has increased the rate at which the mean maximum temperatures are rising. Progressive soaring temperatures have greater effect of heat islands that add on to the high cooling demands. This work numerically explicated the effect of HIs in a tropical desert climate by adopting Heriot-Watt University Dubai Campus (HWUDC) as a case study. The study analysed thermal flow behaviour around the campus by using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) as a numerical tool. The three dimensional Reynolds-Averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) equations were solved under FLUENT commercial code to simulate temperature and wind flow parameters at each discretised locations. Field measurements were carried out to validate the results produced by CFD for closer approximation in the representation of the actual phenomenon. Results established that the air temperature is inversely proportional to wind velocity. Hotspots were formed in the zone 1 and 3 region with a temperature rise of 9.1% that caused a temperature increase of 2.7 °C. Observations illustrated that the building configuration altered the wind flow pattern where the wind velocity was higher in the zone 2 region. Findings determined increase in the sensible cooling load by 19.61% due to 1.22 °C temperature rise. This paper highlighted the application of CFD in modelling an urban micro-climate and also shed light into future research development to quantify the HIs.

Introduction: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disease with unknown aetiology. The prevalence of RA in South Asian Indians is 0.75%. Compared to the general population; RA patients have a reduced life span which is mostly due to cardiovascular disease (CVD). The increased risk of CVD, observed in RA, may be due to a combination of RA disease activity, medicines used to treat RA and traditional cardiovascular (CV) risk factors. Much of the published work exploring these associations has been conducted in North American and European RA cohorts. South Asian Indians are known to have an increased prevalence of traditional CV risk factors and metabolic syndrome as well as premature CVD events compared to Caucasians. It is not known, in South Asian Indian patients, whether having RA increases this CV risk further. In addition influence of increased RA disease activity and treatment on CV risk in Indian RA patients is not well studied. Aims: The aim of this thesis is to measure the prevalence of traditional risk factors for CVD in urban Indian patients with (RA) and to compare these risk factors with age and gender matched normal controls from similar geographic location. The effect of treatment by biologic disease modifying anti rheumatoid drug (DMARD), etanercept and newer traditional DMARD leflunomide on traditional CV risk factors are also studied. Methods: Consecutive South Asian Indian RA patients attending a rheumatology clinic in the city of Hyderabad, India, who fulfilled 1987 ACR criteria, were included in this study. Age and gender matched controls from the same geographic location were recruited. Traditional CV risk factors were measured and composite coronary heart disease (CHD) risk scores for the probability of a CHD event in next ten years were calculated. Metabolic syndrome criteria were applied to all participants. Prevalence of CV risk factors was explored in the RA patients. Prevalence of CV risk in RA cases was compared to that in the control group using logistic regression adjusting for age and gender. Within the RA cohort, associations between disease activity and measures of CV risk were explored. In addition, the influence of initiating drug therapy with leflunomide and etanercept on CV risk was evaluated in small subgroup analyses. Results: Eight hundred RA patients and 800 controls were recruited. RA patients had increased prevalence of almost all the traditional CV risk factors. The cases and controls displayed increased prevalence of increased BMI. Co morbidities were more frequently observed in RA cases and RA was associated with increased prevalence of diastolic hypertension, elevated fasting blood glucose, high waist hip ratio, elevated total cholesterol and a trend for lower HDL cholesterol. Almost half of the cases fulfilled criteria for metabolic syndrome. RA patients had a four times increased odds of having elevated CHD risk scores when compared to controls. RA disease activity was not associated with traditional CV risk factors. Leflunomide did not cause hypertension; interestingly the patients with pre treatment elevated systolic BP had a reduction in BP after treatment with leflunomide. There was a modest improvement in atherogenic index. No significant change in metabolic syndrome was observed. A short course of etanercept treatment did not have a sustained effect on CV risk factors. It was encouraging to notice a sustained reduction in disease activity even after etanercept therapy was withdrawn. Conclusions: South Asian Indian patients with RA have a very high prevalence of traditional CV risk factors despite their young age and predominantly female population. In particular, marked elevation in CV risk factors associated with the metabolic syndrome were observed in RA patients compared to population controls. This increased prevalence of CV risk does not appear to be associated with high RA disease activity. The effect of treatment to reduce disease activity has not demonstrated significant changes in CV risk factor profiles in patients with RA. As the background rate of CVD events is high in this population, the RA patient appears to be at greatly increased risk. Targeting CV risk factor reduction in these patients may substantially reduce CV event rates in RA.

A fluorimetric sensor for dual and sensitive detection of Cd 2+ ion and Cysteine (based on 2-picolylamine platform) was developed.The sensor was designed and synthesized by simple condensation method and characterized by using common spectroscopic methods. The observations made from the kinetics of absorption and emission profile shows that probe Pdac behaves as ‘‘ON–OFF’’ fluorescent quenching sensor for cadmium ions. The probe exhibit selectivity in fluorescence quenching behaviour over other competitive metal ions, and also the Pdac-Cd 2+ ensemble behave as an efficient ‘‘OFF–ON’’ type sensor for an essential amino acid Cysteine. Moreover, this dual sensing nature of the sensor makes it successfully applied for the designing of a molecular keypad lock system.

The development of multifunctional nanomaterials with both superior dielectric and electrochemical properties is crucial for advancing modern electronic and energy storage technologies. In this study, hexanediamine-functionalized zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) were synthesized and systematically investigated. ZnO nanoparticles were successfully functionalized with 1,6-hexanediamine, and comprehensive analysis confirmed modifications in structural, optical, chemical, and morphological properties, validating the effectiveness of the functionalization process. PXRD confirmed enhanced crystallinity and increased crystallite size upon capping, while FTIR verified successful amine functionalization through characteristic NH and CH 2 vibrations. Optical studies revealed a blue shift in absorption and reduced trap emissions in capped ZnO NPs due to quantum confinement, with band gaps of 3.02 eV (pure) and 2.87 eV (capped). TEM analysis confirmed improved morphology and dispersion in capped ZnO NPs with hexagonal shape and reduced agglomeration. The dielectric behavior of the functionalized ZnO NPs showed real and imaginary dielectric permittivity of 115 and 99 at 1 MHz, respectively. Additionally, the material exhibited an AC conductivity of 0.0056 Ω -1  mm -1 , highlighting its potential for advanced electronic application. Furthermore, an asymmetric device was fabricated to investigate the electrochemical properties, which displayed cyclic stability. After 15,000 cycles at a current density of 15 mA cm -2 , the device retained 81% of its capacitance and achieved nearly 100% Coulombic efficiency. The device also exhibited notable energy and power densities of 10.94 mWh cm -2 at 1 mA cm -2 and 5000 mW cm -2 at 10 mA cm -2 , respectively. These findings underscore the device’s superior performance and long-term durability, positioning it as a desirable candidate for advanced energy storage applications. Finally, a real-time supercapacitor was demonstrated, showcasing the practical application of the functionalized ZnO NPs in energy storage technologies.