Organ-specific transcriptional regulation by HFR1 and HY5 in response to shade in Arabidopsis.

Light is crucial for plants and serves as a signal for modulating their growth. Under shade, where red to far-red light ratio is low, plants exhibit shade avoidance responses (SAR). () and () are known to be negative regulators of SAR and physically interact with one another.

PGR5-LIKE PHOTOSYNTHETIC PHENOTYPE1A redox states alleviate photoinhibition during changes in light intensity.

Plants have evolved photosynthetic regulatory mechanisms to maintain homeostasis in response to light changes during diurnal transitions and those caused by passing clouds or by wind. One such adaptation directs photosynthetic electron flow to a cyclic pathway to alleviate excess energy surges. Here, we assign a function to regulatory cysteines of PGR5-like protein 1A (PGRL1A), a constituent of the PROTON GRADIENT REGULATION5 (PGR5)-dependent cyclic electron flow (CEF) pathway.

Multiple paths of plant host toxicity are associated with the fungal toxin cercosporin.

The Cercospora species of fungi are responsible for leaf spot disease affecting many key economic crops. Most of these fungi secrete a toxic photodynamic molecule, cercosporin, that reacts with light and oxygen to produce reactive singlet oxygen ( O ) contributing to fungal virulence. We show similar cellular localization and aetiology of cercosporin in the non-host Arabidopsis and the host Nicotiana benthamiana.

Co-Doped Zeolite-GO Nanocomposite as a High-Performance ORR Catalyst for Sustainable Bioelectricity Generation in Air-Cathode Single-Chambered Microbial Fuel Cells.

High-performance cobalt (Co) nanoparticles supported on a zeolite-graphene oxide (1:2) matrix (catalyst Z) are synthesized through a facile reduction method. In multipoint Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (MBET) surface area analysis, catalyst Z demonstrates a higher surface area compared with other synthesized catalysts, indicating the presence of a larger number of catalytic active sites, and supports outstanding ORR performance due to an improved electron-transfer rate and a higher number of redox-active sites. Furthermore, it is observed that catalyst Z is an excellent electrocatalytic material due to its low charge-transfer resistance and higher oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) activity.

Copper nanoparticles embedded in polyaniline derived nitrogen-doped carbon as electrocatalyst for bio-energy generation in microbial fuel cells.

Microbial fuel cells (SC-MFCs) have emerged as green energy devices to resolve the growing energy and environmental crisis. However, the technology's application depends on the sluggish oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) kinetics. Among the electrocatalysts explored, transition metal-nitrogen-carbon composites exhibit satisfactory ORR activity.

Ruptured sinus of Valsalva aneurysm due to Infective Endocarditis managed by device closure - a case report.

Ruptured sinus of Valsalva aneurysm (RSOV) is an uncommon cause of high output heart failure. RSOV most commonly opens into the right ventricle followed by the right atrium and non-coronary cusp involvement is relatively uncommon. Infective endocarditis (IE) is a rare cause of RSOV.

Remote Follow-up of Shoulder Arthroplasty Patients During COVID-19 Pandemic - Is This the way Forward?

Background: The COVID-19 Pandemic has affected the way health care systems function across the globe. Apart from eliminating the risk of being in a vulnerable environment during the pandemic such as a hospital setting, virtual arthroplasty follow-up reduces the demand on funding and resources on the National Health Services (NHS).

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed our shoulder arthroplasty patients (55) operated between October 2018 to November 2020 at both our hospital sites.

Low light-regulated intramolecular disulfide fine-tunes the role of PTOX in Arabidopsis.

Disulfide-based regulation links the activity of numerous chloroplast proteins with photosynthesis-derived redox signals. The plastid terminal oxidase (PTOX) is a thylakoid-bound plastoquinol oxidase that has been implicated in multiple roles in the light and in the dark, which could require different levels of PTOX activity. Here we show that Arabidopsis PTOX contains a conserved C-terminus domain (CTD) with cysteines that evolved progressively following the colonization of the land by plants.

Cloning and functional characterization of the Na/H antiporter (NHX1) gene promoter from an extreme halophyte Salicornia brachiata.

Salinity is one of the major abiotic stresses which affect plant growth and productivity by imposing dual stress, ionic and osmotic stress, on plants. Halophytes which are adapted to complete their life cycle in saline soil keep the transcript expression of stress-responsive genes constitutively higher in the optimum growth environments, which can be further increased by several folds under stress conditions. The transcript expression of SbNHX1 gene, cloned from a leafless succulent halophyte Salicornia brachiata, was up-regulated under salinity stress, but its transcriptional regulation has not been studied so far.

A novel synthesis of 2-arylbenzimidazoles in molecular sieves-MeOH system and their antitubercular activity.

Arylbenzimidazoles have been synthesized as antimycobacterial agents. An efficient synthesis has been developed for 2-arylbenzimidazoles from o-phenylenediamines and aromatic aldehydes in molecular sieves-methanol system. The methodology is straightforward to get 2-arylbenzimidazoles (3a-3z) in excellent yields with high chemoselectivity over 2-aryl-1-benzylbenzimidazoles (4a-4z).

Scrub typhus masquerading as acute pancreatitis.

The clinical spectrum of scrub typhus ranges from mild to fatal depending on the virulence of bacterial strain, susceptibility of the host and promptness with which treatment is started. We report a case of a 14-year-old child with scrub typhus who developed acute pancreatitis. On serological confirmation, doxycycline therapy was started.

Functional Characterization of the Tau Class Glutathione-S-Transferases Gene (SbGSTU) Promoter of Salicornia brachiata under Salinity and Osmotic Stress.

Reactive oxygen or nitrogen species are generated in the plant cell during the extreme stress condition, which produces toxic compounds after reacting with the organic molecules. The glutathione-S-transferase (GST) enzymes play a significant role to detoxify these toxins and help in excretion or sequestration of them. In the present study, we have cloned 1023 bp long promoter region of tau class GST from an extreme halophyte Salicornia brachiata and functionally characterized using the transgenic approach in tobacco.

Introgression of the SbASR-1 gene cloned from a halophyte Salicornia brachiate enhances salinity and drought endurance in transgenic groundnut (arachis hypogaea)and acts as a transcription factor [corrected].

The SbASR-1 gene, cloned from a halophyte Salicornia brachiata, encodes a plant-specific hydrophilic and stress responsive protein. The genome of S. brachiata has two paralogs of the SbASR-1 gene (2549 bp), which is comprised of a single intron of 1611 bp, the largest intron of the  abscisic acid stress ripening [ASR] gene family yet reported.

The SbMT-2 gene from a halophyte confers abiotic stress tolerance and modulates ROS scavenging in transgenic tobacco.

Heavy metals are common pollutants of the coastal saline area and Salicornia brachiata an extreme halophyte is frequently exposed to various abiotic stresses including heavy metals. The SbMT-2 gene was cloned and transformed to tobacco for the functional validation. Transgenic tobacco lines (L2, L4, L6 and L13) showed significantly enhanced salt (NaCl), osmotic (PEG) and metals (Zn++, Cu++ and Cd++) tolerance compared to WT plants.

An efficient method of agrobacterium-mediated genetic transformation and regeneration in local Indian cultivar of groundnut (Arachis hypogaea) using grafting.

Groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) is an industrial crop used as a source of edible oil and nutrients. In this study, an efficient method of regeneration and Agrobacterium-mediated genetic transformation is reported for a local cultivar GG-20 using de-embryonated cotyledon explant.

The transcriptional regulatory mechanism of the peroxisomal ascorbate peroxidase (pAPX) gene cloned from an extreme halophyte, Salicornia brachiata.

Peroxisomal ascorbate peroxidase detoxifies H₂O₂ leaching out from peroxisomes into the cytoplasm. The present study describes transcript expression and cis-regulation of the SbpAPX gene cloned from an extreme halophyte, Salicornia brachiata, in the steady state and under different stresses. About 2-fold elevated transcript expression was found in salt- and drought-treated shoots at 12 h compared with control, while 1.

Synthesis of combretastatin A4 analogues on steroidal framework and their anti-breast cancer activity.

Combretastatin A4 analogues were synthesized on steroidal framework from gallic acid with a possibility of anti-breast cancer agents. Twenty two analogues were synthesized and evaluated for cytotoxicity against human breast cancer cell lines (MCF-7 & MDA-MB 231). The best analogue 22 showed potent antitubulin effect.

An efficient and novel approach for the synthesis of substituted N-aryl lactams.

A quick, efficient, one-pot method for the synthesis of substituted N-aryl lactams through the reaction of various kinds of corresponding substituted arenes with a variety of ω-azido alkanoic acid chlorides using a Lewis acid (i.e. EtAlCl(2)) at room temperature, through the in situ involvement of a Friedel-Crafts reaction followed by intramolecular Schimdt rearrangement was developed, and afforded good to excellent yields.

Gallic acid based steroidal phenstatin analogues for selective targeting of breast cancer cells through inhibiting tubulin polymerization.

Phenstatin analogues were synthesized on steroidal framework, for selective targeting of breast cancer cells. These analogues were evaluated for anticancer efficacy against breast cancer cell lines. Analogues 12 and 19 exhibited significant anticancer activity against MCF-7, hormone dependent breast cancer cell line.

Cloning and transcript analysis of type 2 metallothionein gene (SbMT-2) from extreme halophyte Salicornia brachiata and its heterologous expression in E. coli.

Salicornia brachiata is an extreme halophyte growing luxuriantly in the coastal marshes and frequently exposed to various abiotic stresses including heavy metals. A full length type 2 metallothionein (SbMT-2) gene was isolated using RACE and its copy number was confirmed by southern blot analysis. Transcript expression of SbMT-2 gene was analyzed by semi-quantitative Rt-PCR and real time quantitative (qRT) PCR.