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4-ethyl phenyl sulfate (EPS), a protein-bound uremic toxin found in serum of patients suffering from autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and chronic kidney disease (CKD). As per recent advances in the field, gut metabolites after their formation goes to blood stream crosses blood brain barrier and causes neuro related problems. Increased levels of 4-EPS in human body causes anxiety in patients and its role remains elusive. 4-EPS interacts with serum albumin in human body and thus, a model study of interaction of BSA with 4-EPS is presented in support of it. Absorption spectroscopy result demonstrated decrease in bovine serum albumin (BSA) absorption upon interaction with increasing concentration of EPS in a range from 2 μM to 100 μM. Moreover, this interaction was confirmed by the fluorescence quenching in presence of metabolite. The change in secondary structure was demonstrated by circular dichroism, synchronous fluorescence and Fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy. Docking studies reveals binding score of −5.28 Kcal mol −1 , demarking that 4-EPS is involved in interaction with BSA via amino acid residues, forming the stable complex. This interaction study may be helpful in devising strategies for the treatment of chronic kidney disease and other neuro related diseases, by producing synthetic compound that competes with albumin binding sites to allow 4-EPS clearance from the body.

•This study evaluated the humoral antibody response after first and second doses of SARS-CoV-2 vaccine CovishieldTM and CovaxinTM in Indian health-care workers.•Combined results of both vaccines showed 95% seropositivity to anti-spike antibody, 21–36 days after the second completed dose.•Seropositivity rates were higher in Covishield recipients compared to Covaxin in the propensity-matched analysis of SARS-CoV-2 naïve participants.•Gender, presence of comorbidities and the type of vaccine received were independent predictors of antibody response after the second dose. We assessed the humoral immune response of both ChAdOx1-nCOV (CovishieldTM) and BBV-152 (CovaxinTM) vaccines in Indian health care workers (HCW). A Pan-India, Cross-sectional, Coronavirus Vaccine-induced Antibody Titre (COVAT) study was conducted that measured SARS-CoV-2 anti-spike binding antibody quantitatively, 21 days or more after the first and second dose of two vaccines in both severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS-CoV-2) naïve and recovered HCW. Primary aim was to analyze antibody response (seropositivity rate, Geometric Mean Titre [GMT] and 95% Confidence Interval [CI]) following each dose of both vaccines and its correlation to age, sex, blood group, body mass index (BMI) and comorbidities. Here we report the results of anti-spike antibody response after first and two completed doses. Among the 515 HCW (305 Male, 210 Female) who took two doses of both vaccines, 95.0% showed seropositivity to anti-spike antibody. However, both seropositivity rate and GMT (95% CI) of anti-spike antibody was significantly higher in Covishield vs. Covaxin recipients (98.1 vs. 80.0%; 129.3 vs. 48.3 AU/mL; both p < 0.001). This difference persisted in 457 SARS-CoV-2 naïve and propensity-matched (age, sex and BMI) analysis of 116 participants. Age > 60-years, males, people with any comorbidities, and history of hypertension (HTN) had a significantly less anti-spike antibody GMT compared to age ≤ 60 years, females, no comorbidities and no HTN respectively, after the completion of two doses of either vaccine. Gender, presence of comorbidities, and vaccine type were independent predictors of antibody seropositivity rate and anti-spike antibody titre levels in multiple logistic and log transformed linear regression analysis. Both vaccine recipients had similar solicited mild to moderate adverse events and none had severe or unsolicited side effects. Both vaccines elicited good immune response after two doses, although seropositivity rates and GMT of anti-spike antibody titre was significantly higher in Covishield compared to Covaxin recipients.

Plants are excellent sources of functionally bioactive compounds and essential nutrients. The phytochemical constituents have enormous potential in treating both plant and human diseases. Parkia timoriana (Yongchak/Zawngtah), one of the most important underutilized plants popularly consumed in Manipur and Mizoram states of Northeastern region of India, is known for its ethnobotanical and ethnomedicinal values. A significant DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl), ABTS (2,2’-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid)), and Phosphomolybdate scavenging activity corresponding to high antioxidant potentials was shown by the extracts from different edible parts of P. timoriana . P. timoriana extract showed significant antibacterial potential against Bacillus pumilus , Bacillus subtillis , Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa . Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC–MS) analyses of the extracts revealed the functional groups and bioactive compounds present in different edible parts of the plant. Characteristic peaks of phenols, carboxylic acids, alkenes, glycogen, alkyl halides, halogen, aliphatic amines, primary and secondary amines, esters, ether, aromatics, lipids, triglycerides, nitro compounds that had antimicrobial, anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory properties etc. were observed. The GC–MS analysis also revealed the occurrence of 49 bioactive compounds that are known to possess a variety of pharmacological activities. Subsequently, in silico molecular docking studies of the identified bioactive compounds predicted potential anticancer and anti-inflammatory properties. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first-hand report on the bioactive compounds of edible parts of P. timoriana extracts showing antioxidant, antimicrobial and pharmacological significance. This study can lead to the production of new herbal medicines for various diseases employing P. timoriana and perhaps leading to the creation of new medications.

Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET)-based biosensors are being fabricated for specific detection of biomolecules or changes in the microenvironment. FRET is a non-radiative transfer of energy from an excited donor fluorophore molecule to a nearby acceptor fluorophore molecule. In a FRET-based biosensor, the donor and acceptor molecules are typically fluorescent proteins or fluorescent nanomaterials such as quantum dots (QDs) or small molecules that are engineered to be in close proximity to each other. When the biomolecule of interest is present, it can cause a change in the distance between the donor and acceptor, leading to a change in the efficiency of FRET and a corresponding change in the fluorescence intensity of the acceptor. This change in fluorescence can be used to detect and quantify the biomolecule of interest. FRET-based biosensors have a wide range of applications, including in the fields of biochemistry, cell biology, and drug discovery. This review article provides a substantial approach on the FRET-based biosensor, principle, applications such as point-of-need diagnosis, wearable, single molecular FRET (smFRET), hard water, ions, pH, tissue-based sensors, immunosensors, and aptasensor. Recent advances such as artificial intelligence (AI) and Internet of Things (IoT) are used for this type of sensor and challenges.

This study investigates the potential of incorporating recycled fine aggregates (RFA) into sustainable concrete. In this research, a conventional compaction technique is utilized to establish the order of compressive strength and, consequently, to assess particle packing density in terms of weight within a specific cylindrical volume and evaluate workability, compressive and flexural strengths, splitting tensile strength, elasticity modulus, and microstructural properties (analyzed through XRD, SEM, and EDAX). The study found that RFA can improve concrete properties, hardened characteristics, and microstructure up to an optimum 25 % RFA replacement threshold (RFA 25). Beyond this value, concrete strength and microstructure deteriorate. RFA 25 exhibits significantly higher compressive (14.75 %), flexural (6.61 %), and splitting tensile (13.14 %) strengths compared with the reference concrete, along with a 5.71 % decrease in the modulus of elasticity. Lower replacement levels promoted pozzolanic reactions, enhancing strength through additional hydration products, whereas higher replacements reduced strength.

Sustainable concrete using recycled coarse aggregates from construction and demolition waste is gaining popularity in the construction industry, but has poor mechanical characteristics due to old cement mortar adhering to aggregate surfaces. This study uses two processes (abrasion treatment and cement slurry treatment) to modify the surface of recycled coarse aggregates (RCA) to minimize the strength loss of RCA and enhance the bonding properties of the concrete matrix and RCA. Surface-modified RCA replaced coarse aggregates in varying percentages, ranging from 0 to 100% in 25% increments. To comprehend the effects of surface-modified RCA, the workability, compressive strength, flexural strength, split tensile strength, microstructural characteristics (XRD, SEM, and EDAX), and modulus of elasticity of concrete are evaluated. Surface-modified RCA improves concrete’s mechanical characteristics, but abrasion-treated RCA has significantly greater strength than reference concrete up to 50% replacement level, while cement slurry treatment has slightly lower strength. Test findings reveal that among all the two processes of surface modifications of RCA, abrasion treatment is more effective and efficient. At 100% replacement level, surface-modified RCA by abrasion treatment reduces compressive, flexural, and split tensile strength by 10.89%, 10.42%, and 09.92% compared to reference concrete, while surface-modified RCA by cement slurry treatment reduces these values by 14.80%, 13.27%, and 12.76%. Surface modifications improve bonding properties of RCA and cement matrix, reducing porosity and resulting in dense and strong ITZs compared to unmodified RCA.

[...]it is imperative to investigate horticultural crops’ physiological, biochemical, and molecular reactions to ascertain the impact of abiotic stresses and recognize potential resistance mechanisms and ameliorating approaches. According to projections, a 70 percent increase in agricultural output will be necessary by mid-century to satisfy the needs of the expanding population (Ortiz-Bobea et al., 2021). Given the impacts of climate change, such as elevated temperatures and severe weather phenomena, it is crucial to identify sustainable and effective methods for augmenting agricultural productivity (Zheng et al.). The study byZhang et al.revealed that chitosan treatment maintained high levels of starch and sucrose contents, regulated enzyme activities and gene expressions related to starch and sucrose metabolism, and reduced fruit softening and chilling injury (Zhang et al.). [...]the review on the aspect of the role of bio-stimulator such as salicylic acid (SA) in horticultural revealed that the use of SA can lead to enhance productivity and reduce the negative effects of abiotic stress conditions by enhancing signaling molecules, antioxidants, osmolytes, and secondary metabolites, as well as regulate the expression of stress-related genes (Chen et al.).

Photosynthesis is the vital metabolism of the plant affected by abiotic stress such as high temperature and elevated [CO2] levels, which ultimately affect the source-sink relationship. Triose phosphate, the primary precursor of carbohydrate (starch and sucrose) synthesis in the plant, depends on environmental cues. The synthesis of starch in the chloroplasts of leaves (during the day), the transport of photoassimilates (sucrose) from source to sink, the loading and unloading of photoassimilates, and the accumulation of starch in the sink tissue all require a highly regulated network and communication system within the plant. These processes might be affected by high-temperature stress and elevated [CO2] conditions. Generally, elevated [CO2] levels enhance plant growth, photosynthetic rate, starch synthesis, and accumulation, ultimately diluting the nutrient of sink tissues. On the contrary, high-temperature stress is detrimental to plant development affecting photosynthesis, starch synthesis, sucrose synthesis and transport, and photoassimilate accumulation in sink tissues. Moreover, these environmental conditions also negatively impact the quality attributes such as grain/tuber quality, cooking quality, nutritional status in the edible parts and organoleptic traits. In this review, we have attempted to provide an insight into the source-sink relationship and the sugar metabolites synthesized and utilized by the plant under elevated [CO2] and high-temperature stress. This review will help future researchers comprehend the source-sink process for crop growth under changing climate scenarios.KeymesageElevated [CO2] and high temperature (ECHT) affect the source-sink relationship. Starch synthesis and remobilization in source tissue, photoassimilate transport via phloem and starch accumulation in the sink tissue is a highly regulated mechanism under ECHT conditions.

The grain size is one of the complex trait of rice yield controlled by a plethora of interaction of several genes in different pathways. The present study was undertaken to investigate the influence of seven known grain size regulating genes: DEP1, GS7, GS3, GW8, GL7, GS5 and GW2. A wide phenotypic variation for grain length, grain width and grain length-width ratio were observed in 89 germplasm. The correlation analysis showed a strong association among these three grain traits viz. GL, GW, GLWR and TGW which play important roles in determining the final rice grain size. Except for GW2, all six genes showed strong association with grain size traits. A total of 21 alleles were identified with an average of 2.1 allele/locus in 89 germplasm of which seven alleles were found to be favourable alleles for improving the grain size with the frequency range of 24 (26.97%) to 82 (92.13%); the largest was found in GS5 followed by GW8, GL7, DEP1, GS3 and GS7 genes. Through ANOVA, four markers (GS3-PstI, S9, GID76 and GID711) of three genes (GS3, DEP1 and GL7) were found significantly associated with all the three traits (GL, GLWR and TGW). Concurrent results of significant associations of grain size traits with other markers were observed in both analysis of variance and genetic association through the general linear model. Besides, the population structure analysis, cluster analysis and PCoA divided the entire germplasm into three sub-groups with the clear-cut demarcation of long and medium grain types. The present results would help in formulating strategies by selecting suitable candidate markers/genes for obtaining preferred grain shape/size and improving grain yield through marker-assisted breeding.

The pharmacological actions of the glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RA) are largely predictable as they interact directly with GLP-1 receptors on beta cells to mediate their glucose lowering effects by increasing GLP-1 in pharmacological range and not at all dependent upon endogenous GLP-1 secretion. The mechanism of action of dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors (DPP-4I) are relatively less clear although classical mechanism is to inhibit the endogenous GLP-1 metabolism and thereby increasing GLP-1 level in the physiological range. DPP-4I also increase the half-life of GLP-1 to some extent by inhibiting their quick degradation by DPP enzyme ubiquitously present in the body. Interestingly, even with the effective blockade with currently existing DPP-4I, the half-life of GLP-1 only increases from 1 min to 5 min and therefore its residual time in plasma still remains pretty short. Intriguingly, this GLP-1 rise is so modest and so short-lived that it may be difficult to believe that this would sufficiently engage and activate the GLP-1 receptor in beta cell to produce significant insulinotropic effect. However, in clinical trials as well as in real life scenario, the anti-glycemic efficacies seen with DPP-4I are quite satisfactory and sometime very much competitive to GLP-1RA as evident from their head-to-head trials including meta-analysis. This efficacy outcome challenges the \"only\" GLP-1 dependent mechanism of glucose lowering and provokes an insight that other neuro-endocrine pathway may be playing a second fiddle. This review will collate those emerging concept and put a perspective as to how DPP-4I might be working though other pathway besides direct GLP-1 mediated receptor activation.