Surfactant-modified titania for cadmium removal and textile effluent treatment together being environmentally safe for seed germination and growth of Vigna radiata.

The present work describes synthesis, detailed characterization, and application of bare and surfactant-modified titania nanomaterials (NMs) for various wastewater treatment applications as individual cases like cadmium (Cd) removal, methylene blue (MB) dye degradation, and treatment of real textile and dyeing industry effluent. These NMs are used as adsorbents and photocatalysts in an indegenously developed end-to-end treatment process and a photocatalytic reactor for treatment of textile wastewater. The used NMs are suitably filtered and recovered for reuse; however, still this work focusses on the extent of potential risk and environmental safety of these engineered NMs towards seed germination and plant growth, in the event they escape wastewater treatment plants and reach out to natural water bodies and soil systems, accumulate over a period of time, and comes in contact with plant species.

Equity in distribution of public subsidy for noncommunicable diseases among the elderly in India: an application of benefit incidence analysis.

Background: Rapid ageing of the population and increasing non-communicable diseases (NCDs) among the elderly is one of the major public health challenges in India. To achieve the Universal Health Coverage, ever-growing elderly population should have access to needed healthcare, and they should not face any affordability related challenge. As most of the elderly suffers from NCDs and achieving health-equity is a priority, this paper aims to - study the utilization pattern of healthcare services for treatment of NCDs among the elderly; estimate the burden of out-of-pocket expenditure for the treatment of NCDs among the elderly and analyze the extent of equity in distribution of public subsidy for the NCDs among the elderly.

Exploring greenhouse gas mitigation strategies for agriculture in Africa: The case of Nigeria.

We used the Agriculture and Land Use National Greenhouse Gas Inventory Software to estimate the total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the Nigerian agriculture sector in 2010. We went ahead to project future GHG emissions up to 2050. Two alternative GHG mitigation scenarios such as moderate (MS) and aggressive (AS) scenarios were developed and examined.

Genistein Modulates Signaling Pathways and Targets Several Epigenetic Markers in HeLa Cells.

Background: Several epigenetic changes are responsible for transcriptional alterations of signaling pathways and tumour suppressor genes (TSGs) contributing to carcinogenesis. This study was aimed to examine the effect of the phytochemical, genistein on various molecular targets in HeLa cells.

Methods: Quantitative PCR was used to analyze the expression of various molecular targets.

A Pediatric Case of Accidental Eucalyptus Oil Poisoning from New Delhi, India: Emergency Measures, Historical Context, and Implications for Practice.

Eucalyptus oil (EO) and EO containing products are readily available worldwide over the counter as topical nasal decongestants, rubefacients, anti-pyretics, and anti-inflammatory agents. However, EO is poisonous when orally ingested, or otherwise internally administered, resulting in serious outcomes such as seizures, vomiting, drowsiness, and even death. In this case report, we describe emergency measures adopted in a suspected case of EO ingestion by a 17-month-old female infant.

Arsenic enrichment in groundwater and associated health risk in Bari doab region of Indus basin, Punjab, India.

Contaminated groundwater is considered as one of the most important pathways of human exposure to the geogenic contaminants. Present study has been conducted in a part of Indus basin to investigate the presence and spatial distribution of arsenic (As) and other trace metals in groundwater. The As concentration varies from bdl-255.

screening of potential lead compounds against 3-oxo-5-alpha-steroid 4-dehydrogenase 2 for treating prostate cancer.

Increased levels of androgen dihydrotestosterone is responsible for the development of prostate cancer in humans. The formation of dihydrotestosterone from testosterone is catalysed by an intracellular enzyme 3-oxo-5-alpha-steroid 4-dehydrogenase 2, which is found to be the most promising target for the treatment of prostate cancer. In this study, the identification of a therapeutic inhibitor of 3-oxo-5-alpha-steroid 4-dehydrogenase 2 using in approach has been done to treat prostate cancer.

Investigation of Precise Molecular Mechanistic Action of Tobacco-Associated Carcinogen `NNK´ Induced Carcinogenesis: A System Biology Approach.

Cancer is the second deadliest disease listed by the WHO. One of the major causes of cancer disease is tobacco and consumption possibly due to its main component, 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK). A plethora of studies have been conducted in the past aiming to decipher the association of NNK with other diseases.

Exploration of Performance Kinetics and Mechanism of Action of a Potential Novel Bioflocculant BF-VB2 on Clay and Dye Wastewater Flocculation.

This study explores production of an efficient bioflocculant; BF-VB2, by strain sp. TERI VB2 and proposes its potential application in wastewater treatment. One milligram of BF-VB2 can effectively flocculate 1980.

Achieving water security in rural Indian Himalayas: A participatory account of challenges and potential solutions.

The complex and diverse factors that influence water security in the Indian Himalayan Region were examined using problem and solution tree (PAST) mapping together with a field study. Five PASTs, each constructed by a different group of stakeholders, namely the state government, the local government, researchers, development agencies, and the local community, were analysed to obtain a holistic and multi-sectoral understanding of water security in the region, and the analysis was supplemented with field data. The systematic study helped in (1) identifying many factors - climatic, geographical, cultural, and socio-economic - that influence water security, (2) assessing their impacts on mountain livelihoods, and (3) documenting thirty-two potential interventions in the form of adaptations (e.

Comparative assessment of the therapeutic drug targets of C. botulinum ATCC 3502 and C. difficile str. 630 using in silico subtractive proteomics approach.

Growing antimicrobial resistance of the pathogens against multiple drugs posed a serious threat to the human health worldwide. This fueled the need of identifying the novel therapeutic targets that can be used for developing new class of the drugs. Recently, there is a substantial rise in the rate of Clostridium infections as well as in the emergence of virulent and antibiotic resistant strains.

Predicting groundwater arsenic contamination: Regions at risk in highest populated state of India.

Arsenic (As) contamination of groundwater is a public health concern, impacting the lives of approximately 100 million people in India. Chronic exposure to As significantly increases mortality due to the occurrence of several types of cancer, respiratory and cardiac diseases. Uttar Pradesh is a part of the middle Indo-Gangetic plains and has been found to be severely affected by As contamination of groundwater, as established by several small-scale studies.

Isolation, Purification, and Characterization of Heparinase from Streptomyces variabilis MTCC 12266.

Arterial/venous thrombosis is the major cardiovascular disorder accountable for substantial mortality; and the current demand for antithrombotic agents is extensive. Heparinases depolymerize unfractionated heparin (UFH) for the production of low molecular-weight heparins (LMWHs; used as anticoagulants against thrombosis). A microbial strain of Streptomyces sp.

Assessing national vulnerability to phosphorus scarcity to build food system resilience: The case of India.

The scarcity of phosphorus worldwide led researchers to develop indicators of national vulnerability to phosphorus scarcity, however this has not been applied at a national level so far. A systematic approach is described here to identify country-specific indicators of such vulnerability, in this case for India, based on literature and stakeholder engagement. The indicators are then aggregated to compute a phosphorus vulnerability index (PVI) to help policymakers formulate strategies towards building national resilience towards scarcity of phosphorus.

Field testing of over 30,000 wells for arsenic across 400 villages of the Punjab plains of Pakistan and India: Implications for prioritizing mitigation.

Most of the rural population of 90 million in Punjab province in Pakistan and Punjab state in India drinks, and cooks with, untreated water drawn from shallow wells. Limited laboratory testing has shown that groundwater in the region can contain toxic levels of arsenic. To refine this assessment, a total of 30,567 wells from 383 villages were tested with a field kit in northern Punjab province of Pakistan and western Punjab state of India.

Molecular mechanism of acetoacetyl-CoA enhanced kinetics for increased bioplastic production from 428.

Polyhydroxyalkanoates are gaining importance due to their biodegradable nature and close analogy to plastics. Polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) is the most widely used bioplastic from polyalkanoate family, which is produced by a legion of bacterial species via phbCAB operon encoding β-ketothiolase (PhaA), NADPH-dependent acetoacetyl-coenzyme A (acetoacetyl-CoA) reductase (PhaB) and polyhydroxyalkanoate synthase (PhaC). Augmentation in the activity of these enzymes is promising for increased PHB production which is achieved by enzyme engineering strategies including non-structural and structural approaches.

Structural basis for isoniazid resistance in KatG double mutants of Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

The failure of drugs for effective treatment against infectious diseases can be attributed to resistant forms of causative agents. The evasive nature of Mycobacterium tuberculosis is partly associated to its physical features, such as having a thick cell wall and incorporation of beneficial mutations leading to drug resistance. The pro drug Isoniazid (INH) interacts with an enzyme catalase peroxidase to get converted into its active form and upon activation stops the cell wall synthesis thus killing the Mycobacterium.

Drug repurposing against arabinosyl transferase (EmbC) of Mycobacterium tuberculosis: Essential dynamics and free energy minima based binding mechanics analysis.

Arabinosyl tranferases (embA, embB, embC) are the key enzymes responsible for biogenesis of arabinan domain of arabinogalactan (AG) and lipoarabinomannan (LAM), two major heteropolysaccharide constituents of the peculiar mycobacterial cell envelope. EmbC is predominantly responsible for LAM synthesis and has been commonly associated with Ethambutol resistance. We have screened the FDA library against EmbC to reposition a drug better than Ethambutol with higher binding affinity to Embc.

Impact of intervention of biomass cookstove technologies and kitchen characteristics on indoor air quality and human exposure in rural settings of India.

This study investigates the impact of increased levels of indoor air pollution (IAP) caused due to biomass burning in the rural households of Northern India. A comparative assessment of the impact of traditional cookstoves (TCS) and improved cookstoves (ICS) coupled with the characteristics of kitchen was conducted to estimate the PM (PM, PM, PM), CO/CO concentrations in the micro-environments of kitchen and living area of the households. The study incorporated both extensive and intensive real-time indoor air quality (IAQ) monitoring during the two cooking sessions of the day.

Analyzing Social Networks to Examine the Changing Governance Structure of Springsheds: A Case Study of Sikkim in the Indian Himalayas.

The governance of natural resources now attracts greater participation of different stakeholders, ushering in a shift from conventional governance by the state to that by a network of stakeholders-a form of governance marked by a growing role of non-state and local actors. These changing dynamics are highlighted through a study of the governance network for springsheds in the Indian Himalayas by empirically mapping the changes in the Dhara Vikas Yojna, a plan or scheme (yojana) by the state for the development (vikas) of springs (dhara) in Sikkim, India, from policy planning to policy implementation. The study highlights the diverse existing and emerging roles of different stakeholders, the complex relationships between them, and the power dynamics that influence the management of springsheds.

Natural variation in Brassica FT homeologs influences multiple agronomic traits including flowering time, silique shape, oil profile, stomatal morphology and plant height in B. juncea.

Natural structural variants of regulatory proteins causing quantitative phenotypic consequences have not been reported in plants. Herein, we show that 28 natural structural variants of FT homeologs, isolated from 6 species of Brassica, differ with respect to amino-acid substitutions in regions critical for interactions with FD and represent two evolutionarily distinct categories. Analysis of structural models of selected candidates from Brassica juncea (BjuFT_AAMF1) and Brassica napus (BnaFT_CCLF) predicted stronger binding between BjuFT and Arabidopsis thaliana FD.

Health financing strategies to reduce out-of-pocket burden in India: a comparative study of three states.

Background: To achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, Indian States have implemented different strategies to arrest high out-of-pocket expenditure (OOPE) and to increase equity into healthcare system. Tamil Nadu (TN) and Rajasthan have implemented free medicine scheme in all public hospitals and West Bengal (WB) has devised Fair Price Medicine Shop (FPMS) scheme, a public-private-partnership model in the state. In this background, the objectives of the paper are to - 1.

Pyrazinamide drug resistance in RpsA mutant (∆438A) of Mycobacterium tuberculosis: Dynamics of essential motions and free-energy landscape analysis.

Pyrazinamide is an essential first-line antitubercular drug which plays pivotal role in tuberculosis treatment. It is a prodrug that requires amide hydrolysis by mycobacterial pyrazinamidase enzyme for conversion into pyrazinoic acid (POA). POA is known to target ribosomal protein S1 (RpsA), aspartate decarboxylase (PanD), and some other mycobacterial proteins.

Prokaryotic horizontal gene transfer within the human holobiont: ecological-evolutionary inferences, implications and possibilities.

The ubiquity of horizontal gene transfer in the living world, especially among prokaryotes, raises interesting and important scientific questions regarding its effects on the human holobiont i.e., the human and its resident bacterial communities considered together as a unit of selection.

In silico identification of immunodominant B-cell and T-cell epitopes of non-structural proteins of Usutu Virus.

Usutu Virus (USUV; flavivirus) is a re-emerging pathogen invading the territories of European countries, Asia, and Africa. It is a mosquito-borne zoonotic virus with a bi-directional transmission route from animal to human and vice versa, and causes neurological disorders such as meningoencephalitis in bats, Homo sapiens, birds and horses. Due to limited availability of information about USUV and its deleterious effects on neural cells causing neurologic impairments, it becomes imperative to study this virus in detail to equip ourselves with a solution beforehand.