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The Himalayan ecosystem is one of the sensitive and fragile ecosystems with rich biodiversity that provides major ecosystem services. The study was conducted to measure the extent of vulnerability across forested grids of Uttarakhand—one of the States of Indian Western Himalayan (IWH) region. The forests of the state are exposed to various anthropogenic and natural climatic pressures, thus making them vulnerable. In this paper, we demonstrate how to map vulnerability of forest ecosystem by analyzing variability and trends of net primary productivity (NPP). The vulnerability of the forest ecosystem was evaluated through trends of sensitivity and adaptability of NPP. The sensitivity of a system was considered as the response degree of the system to climatic variability whereas adaptability was considered as the ability to maintain, recover or improve its structure in the face of climatic stresses. In our study, NPP was considered as the receptor of shock and stresses of climatic variability and human disturbances. We discuss the method and results with reference to productivity changes under the influence of changing climate for the forested landscape of a mountainous region. The results have been summarized to rank vulnerability at the level of administrative boundary of governance, i.e. district. Average value of vulnerability for all NPP pixels of forests grids in a district was used to compute the vulnerability at district level. The study will help forest managers in decision making for efficiently allocating resources and to prioritize management options in the identified regions to improve productivity in coming times.

The early Paleogene (56–48 Myr) provides valuable information about the Earth’s climate system in an equilibrium high \\[p_{{\\rm{CO}}_2}\\] world. High ocean temperatures have been reconstructed for this greenhouse period, but land temperature estimates have been cooler than expected. This mismatch between marine and terrestrial temperatures has been difficult to reconcile. Here we present terrestrial temperature estimates from a newly calibrated branched glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraether-based palaeothermometer in ancient lignites (fossilized peat). Our results suggest early Palaeogene mid-latitude mean annual air temperatures of 23–29 °C (with an uncertainty of ± 4.7 °C), 5–10 °C higher than most previous estimates. The identification of archaeal biomarkers in these same lignites, previously observed only in thermophiles and hyperthermophilic settings, support these high temperature estimates. These mid-latitude terrestrial temperature estimates are consistent with reconstructed ocean temperatures and indicate that the terrestrial realm was much warmer during the early Palaeogene than previously thought.

Medicinal mushrooms are higher fungi with additional nutraceutical attributes having low fat content and a trans-isomer of unsaturated fatty acids along with high fibre content, triterpenes, phenolic compounds, sterols, eritadenine and chitosan. They are considered as the unmatched source of healthy foods and drugs. They have outstanding attractive taste, aroma and nutritional value, so are considered as functional food, which means they are beneficial to the body not only in terms of nutrition but also for improved health. Medicinal mushrooms and their extract have a large number of bioactive components called secondary metabolites. The presence of polysaccharide β-glucans or polysaccharide–protein complexes content in mushroom extract have great therapeutic applications in human health as they possess many properties such as anti-diabetic, anti-cancerous, anti-obesity, immunomodulatory, hypocholesteremia, hepatoprotective nature along with anti-aging. The present review focuses on the comprehensive account of the medicinal properties of various medicinal mushrooms. This will further help the researchers to understand the metabolites and find other metabolites as well from the mushrooms which can be used for the potential development of the drugs to treat various life-threatening diseases.

Seed priming is a crucial method to induce tolerance capabilities in plants against various abiotic stresses. Seed priming is associated with an induction of number of physiological and biochemical changes in plants by the treatment of natural and/or synthetic compounds to the seeds before their germination. The aim of this study was to investigate whether salicylic acid (SA)-seed priming is involved in the regulation of hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)] and UV-B toxicity in maize seedlings. For this, the accumulation of dry mass, Cr and SA, chlorophyll fluorescence, oxidative stress markers i.e. reactive oxygen species (ROS; O ₂ ·⁻ , ·OH and H₂O₂) and antioxidants were determined. Treatment of Cr(VI) (50 and 250 µM) declined growth and chlorophyll fluorescence parameters- Fᵥ/Fₘ, Fᵥ/F₀, Fₘ/F₀ and qP which accompanied by an increase in NPQ and the accumulation of Cr, and a decline in level of SA. The UV-B also exerts similar effects on growth, chlorophyll fluorescence and level of SA, and damaging effects become intense when combined with Cr(VI). SA-seed priming reduced Cr(VI) and UV-B toxicity on growth which accompanied by a decline in the accumulation of Cr. Cr(VI) and UV-B enhanced generation of O ₂ ·⁻ , ·OH and H₂O₂ which subsequently cause damage to lipids and proteins and thus, a decrease in membrane stability was noticed. Both stresses enhanced activities of superoxide dismutase and ascorbate peroxidase while activities of catalase and glutathione reductase were inhibited significantly. Furthermore, the results show that Cr(VI) and UV-B declined contents of total ascorbate and glutathione. This study suggests that Cr(VI) and UV-B might alter biosynthesis of SA as indicated by a decreased level of SA. However, SA-seed priming might act as a signal that reduces the accumulation of Cr and ROS and triggers up-regulation of antioxidants, which subsequently counteract Cr(VI) and UV-B toxicity and hence an improved growth was noticed.

Mitochondrial dysfunction plays a very vital role in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Several shreds of evidence have indicated that the mitochondrial function is severely compromised under AD pathogenesis. Most of the recent therapeutic strategies have been conversed to treat AD by pinpointing the pathways involved in the pathophysiology of AD. In AD, mitochondria progressively lose their proper functions that are ultimately responsible for their accumulation and removal via the autophagic process, which is called mitophagy that further worsens the progression of this incapacitating disease. Preclinical and clinical studies have suggested that mitochondrial dysfunction along with mitophagy significantly contributes to the accumulation of amyloid-beta (Aβ) fibrils and hyperphosphorylated tau protein tangles which lead to synaptic dysfunctions and cognitive impairments such as memory loss through reactive oxygen species (ROS)–mediated pathway. The present review is intended to discuss the recent advancements in the frontiers of mitochondrial dysfunction and consequent therapeutic strategies that have been employed to treat AD.

Sickle cell disease (SCD) and thalassemia are the most common hereditary disorders encountered in Central India. Timely identification of these disorders is critical to reduction in severe clinical manifestations and for identifying disease burden. Present study reports spectrum of hemoglobinopathies among the referred anemia patients to single centre in central India. All individuals referred to the institute from 1st January 2012 to 31st August 2020 for diagnosis were included in the study. Demographic details, clinical and transfusion history were obtained. Hemoglobin electrophoresis or High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (Variant II, Bio-Rad) was performed to identify the type of hemoglobinopathy. Molecular characterization of unknown or rare variants was performed  wherever necessary. During the study period 13,587 individuals were screened. Homozygous beta thalassemia was observed in 0.6% of the patients, whereas SCD was observed in 12% of the patients. Seventy-four individuals have either hereditary persistence of fetal hemoglobin (HPFH) or delta beta thalassemia. More than 50% of SCD patients referred were over the age of 12 years. SCD disease was more common among Pradhan, Gond and Baiga tribes whereas HPFH and delta beta thalassemia was found among Other socially and educationally backward classes. High occurrence of hemoglobinopathies in central India warrants the need of large scale screening in highly prevalent communities for its prevention.

Herbal medicines are widely used worldwide and much appreciated because of their fewer side effects and the ability to fight diseases at the root cause. Active ‘phyto’ ingredients require a scientific approach and a mechanism to distribute components at the target site for better therapeutic results. Nanotechnology, on the other hand, has created new hope for cancer treatment but is still far from being proven in clinical settings. This article combines a unique approach to synthesis with the use of Pleurotus sajor-caju, followed by microwave irritation of silver and gold nanoparticles that ensures the capping of the active phyto ingredient and further enhances the effects of nanomedicine to fight colon cancer, thus opening a new era of what we call herbonanoceutics. The article also compares the characteristics and properties of silver (Au) and gold (Ag) nanoparticles synthesized by an in house developed novel microwave-assisted rapid green synthesis method. The as-prepared Ag NPs and Au NPs were compared using ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). Our comparative study revealed that both assemblies display face-centred cubic structures (FCCs) and are nanocrystalline in nature. The advantage of the approach was that the sizes of gold and silver were identical in range with a similar distribution pattern. This has helped us to study the activity against colon cancer cell line (HCT-116) without incoherence since size plays a key role in the application. More specifically, morphological changes, cell viability, the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the fragmentation of DNA have been further reported to assess better the results obtained with the two metals. Our results suggest that the newly adopted synthesis method may ensure the dual benefits from phyto ingredients which further enhances the effectiveness of advanced nanomedicine.

Lignite samples collected from Vastan, Rajpardi and Tadkeshwar lignite mines of Cambay basin （Gujarat） were subjected to organic petrographic investigations and geochemical analyses and the data, thus generated, is used to reconstruct the paleodepositional history of these lignite sequences. The lignites of Cambay basin dominantly comprise huminite maceral group （71.6%-86.3%） followed by liptinite （10.1%-19.3%） and inertinite （3.6%-11.0%） maceral groups. The mineral matter varies from 9.0% to 20.0%. The petrography based facies model indicates that these lignites have high values of gelification index （GI） and low tissue preservation index revealing a continuous wet condition in the basin and a relatively slower rate of subsidence during the decay of organic matter. On several occasions, during the formation of seams in Tadkeshwar, Rajpardi and Vastan mines, the value of GI exceeded 10 which indicates a forest permanently flooded and the cause of pronounced degree of degradation. However, few sections in Tadkeshwar seam had relatively drier spells of environmental conditions due to fluctuation in the water table as revealed by moderately high content of inertinite macerals. This is specially indicated by the occurrence of funginite which normally thrives in the upper oxy- genated peatigenic layer and indicates prevalence of oxic conditions during plant deposition. Such conditions prevailed during a transgressive phase but there were intermittent fluvial activities also giving rise to supratidal flood plain as reflected in the form of associated carbonaceous shales in the basin.

Background and Objectives: Urinary tract infection (UTI) is the most common clinical finding during pregnancy, and if it is asymptomatic bacteriuria (ASB), it can progress to pyelonephritis, leading to further complications. The present study aims to know the prevalence of ASB in pregnant females and the antimicrobial resistance pattern in our hospital setup. Materials and Methods: A total of 552 urine samples were collected from pregnant females (with no symptoms of UTI) both attending outpatient department and admitted in the wards of obstetrics and gynecology department. Urine culture was performed on blood agar, MacConkey agar, and UTI chromogenic agar. Antibiotic sensitivity test was done using Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method, and the results were interpreted. Results: The prevalence rate of ASB in pregnant females was 17.4%. It was common in the age group of 25-33 years (60.4%). The infection rate was higher in the second trimester (43.7%) compared to the third (29.2%) and first (27.1%) trimester. Multiparity (60.4%) was a common finding in ASB during pregnancy. There was a significant finding of previous history of UTI (22.9%) and anemia (58.3%) associated with ASB in pregnant females. Escherichia coli (39.2%) was the most common microorganism isolated followed by Staphylococcus aureus (34.3%), Enterococcus faecalis (14.7%), Klebsiella (4.9%), coagulase-negative Staphylococcus spp. (2.9%), and Citrobacter and Acinetobacter (1.9%). Most sensitive drugs to be given in ASB during pregnancy were nitrofurantoin and fosfomycin. Conclusion: It was emphasized that urine culture should be done in early antenatal visit as routine screening to identify ASB in pregnant females as it can prevent fetal and maternal complications.

Sickle cell disease has varied clinical symptoms, and patients having high fetal hemoglobin (HbF) have milder symptoms. Various genetic factors are known to modulate the HbF levels. Krüppel-like factor 1 (KLF1) is a transcription factor that regulates the beta-like globin gene expression. Any variation in KLF1 gene may alter the sickle cell disease phenotype. Xmn-I polymorphism is also known to regulate the gamma globin gene expression. Present studies were carried out to investigate the effect of KLF1 gene mutations and Xmn-I polymorphism on the sickle cell disease severity and to ascertain the genotype-phenotype correlation. One hundred and eighteen sickle cell disease patients having a median follow-up of 5 years (3–10 years) were recruited. Clinical details were recorded from their retrospective medical records. Xmn-I polymorphism were analyzed using PCR-RFLP method. Variations in KLF1 gene were identified using Sanger sequencing. Out of 118 patients, 24 had acute chest syndrome and 21 patients had more than 2 pain episodes per year. There were no significant differences in sickle cell disease-related morbidities in male and females barring leg ulcers. A total of 6 polymorphism were observed in KLF1 gene, out of which 3 are novel (c.-304G > C, c.*141A > G and c.*178A > G). No statistically significant association of any of SNPs identified in KLF1 gene or Xmn-I polymorphism was seen with HbF levels as well as the sickle cell disease-related morbidities. No association exists between fetal hemoglobin or sickle cell disease-related morbidities and Xmn-I polymorphism or with SNPs identified in KLF1 gene in the studied cohort.