PHYTOCHEMICAL SCREENING, GAS CHROMATOGRAPHY-MASS SPECTROMETRY (GC-MS) ANALYSIS OF PHYTOCHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS AND ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITY OF CORIANDRUM SATIVUM (L) SEEDS

Objective: The present study was carried out to evaluate the phytochemical screening, Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry analysis of phyto-constituents and antibacterial activity of Coriandrum sativum (L.) seeds against the bacterial [Microbial Type Culture Collection (MTCC)] strains.Methods: Methanol, ethanol, ethyl acetate, acetone and water extracts of Coriandrum sativum (L) seeds were prepared using the Soxhlet apparatus. The antibacterial activity of various extracts of C. sativum seeds were identified by disc diffusion method against bacterial strains. The bioactive components of methanol and acetone fraction of C. sativum seeds were evaluated by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis. The minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) values were obtained by the well diffusion method between the ranges of 1000µg/ml to 7.8µg/ml.Results: The preliminary phytochemical screening of various extracts of C. sativum revealed the presence of different Phyto-constituents. Methanol extract of C. sativum showed the maximum inhibition zone (20 mm) against Staphylococcus aureus and followed by Klebsiella pneumoniae (17 mm). The MIC values of methanol extract were found to be 62.5µg/ml against Staphylococcus aureus, Proteus mirabilis and Bacillus subtilis. In the GC-MS analysis of phyto-compounds, the methanol extracts showed fourteen bioactive fractions and eleven compounds from acetone extract.Conclusion: The methanol and acetone extracts of Coriandrum sativum seeds showed maximum inhibitory activity against the tested bacterial strains.Â

Maximizing Sustainability: Leveraging Indigenous Fungal Cellulases for Sugarcane Bagasse Bioethanol Production and Agricultural Waste Management in Kano

This study aimed to investigate the potential of locally isolated cellulolytic fungi in the production of bioethanol from sugarcane bagasse. The research encompassed the identification of effective fungal isolates, the stimulation of cellulase production, the characterization and purification of these cellulases, and the assessment of their efficiency in the hydrolysis of pre-treated sugarcane bagasse to facilitate ethanol production via the Simultaneous Saccharification and Fermentation (SSF) process. In the pursuit of the most effective isolate, cellulolytic fungi were isolated from soil samples and subjected to a rigorous screening process. Subsequently, the chosen fungus was cultivated in an environment rich in cellulose to promote cellulase production.The purified cellulases exhibited a noteworthy enzymatic activity, measuring 0.108 FPU/ml. These meticulously purified cellulases were subsequently harnessed for the enzymatic depolymerization of pre-treated sugarcane bagasse. This process culminated in the generation of a hydrolysate instrumental in ethanol production via SSF, in conjunction with Saccharomyces cerevisiae.This study underscores the feasibility of utilizing locally isolated fungal cellulases to transform pre-treated sugarcane bagasse into a viable bioethanol feedstock. This study highlights the conversion of abundant agricultural waste, specifically sugarcane bagasse, into valuable bioethanol by leveraging cellulases from locally isolated fungi. This eco-friendly approach not only addresses waste management challenges but also provides a renewable and sustainable energy source. Particularly beneficial in regions with substantial sugarcane bagasse disposal, this research promotes cost-effective waste utilization and sustainable energy productio

Surveillance of Rodent and Fleas and Prevention of Plague in International Sea Ports in India in the context of International Health Regulations-2005

Rodents are among the most important competitors globally with humans for food and other resources. In the past century alone, more than ten million people died due to rodent borne diseases. Plague is a rodent borne zoonotic disease therefore, absence of human plague cases in a particular ecological zone would not justify the conclusion that plague has disappeared from the area. Plague continues to pose a threat to human health in certain regions of the world where natural foci still exist.An assessment of the effectiveness of the International Health Regulations (1969) in control of cholera, plague, and yellow fever reveals that WHO member states have not observed the regulations strictly. In consideration of the growth in international travel and trade, and the emergence or re-emergence of international disease threats and other public health risks, the International Health Regulations (2005) were adopted by the Fifty eighth World Health Assembly on 23rd May 2005. It came into force on 15th June 2007. The purpose and scope of IHR (2005) are to prevent, protect against, control and provide a public Health Response to the international spread of the disease in ways that are commensurate with and restricted to public health risks, and which avoid unnecessary interference with international traffic and trade.The Ship Sanitation Control Exemption Certificate/ Ship Sanitation Control Certificate replaces the narrower in scope Deratting/ Deratting Exemption Certificate as from 15th June 2007. It has greatly expanded the areas for public health inspections on international ships. Contaminated international vessels may transport rodent borne diseases (31-Viral, Bacterial, protozoan, nematode and 11 documented Hunta viruses) across geographical boundaries. Rodents can gain access to ships directly by mooring ropes, hulls and gang ways. Rodents may be concealed in cargo, ship’s stores and other materials taken on to the ship.All the international sea ports in India including residential areas of the ports were jointly surveyed by NCDC, Plague Surveillance Unit, Bangalore and Port Health Organizations in collaboration with Rodent control unit of Port Trusts every year from 2008 to 2011. During the survey, heavy infestation of different species of rodents were detected in and around of sea port areas. Rattus rattus and Bandicoota bengalensis, which were found to be the predominant rodent sp. in all the port areas along with Bandicoota indica, Mus musculus, Rattus norvegicus and Meriones hurrianae. In some ports, absolute and specific flea indices of Xenopsylla cheopis, the efficient vector of human plague transmission were found above critical level (≥1.0). Mooring ropes in 73.6 percent of the ships inspected during the survey were without the rodent guards or rodent guards without proper locking system. All the Gang ways in the ships, which were supposed to be lifted during night time to prevent the entry of the rodents were kept touching the ground. Suggestions were made for appropriate rodent control measures to keep the sea port areas rodent free

The impact of the use of personal-protective-equipment on the minimization of effects of exposure to pesticides among farm-workers in India

IntroductionAlthough excessive use of pesticides and unsafe agricultural practices may contribute to numerous intoxications, the role of PPE (personal-protective-equipment) in the minimization of toxicological effects due to pesticide exposure has not been addressed so far. The present study aimed to assess the impact of the use of PPE on the minimization of effects of exposure to pesticides among farm-workers.MethodsA community-based follow-up study with questionnaire-based survey and field observations was undertaken among farm-workers (n = 180) of Rangareddy district, Telangana, India. Biomarkers of exposure such as cholinesterase activity, inflammatory markers (TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, cortisol, and hs-C reactive protein), nutrients (vitamins A, E), liver function (total protein and A/G ratio, AST and ALT levels) were investigated in the laboratory by following the standard protocols.ResultsFarm-workers who had a mean farming exposure of 18 years of and who neither followed safe pesticide handling practices nor used PPE and also showed reluctance to obey good agricultural practices (GAPs). Inhibition of AChE (acetylcholine esterase) with increased inflammation was found among farm-workers as compared to their respective normal values when they have not used PPE. Linear regression statistical analysis revealed a profound effect on inhibition in the AChE activity and various inflammatory markers with the increase in the duration of pesticide exposure. Further, there was no effect of the duration of pesticide exposure on the levels of vitamins A, E, ALT, AST, total protein, and A/G ratio. Further, intervention studies carried out on the use of PPE provided (commercially available and cost-effective) for 90 days showed a significant reduction in the biomarker levels (p < 0.01).ConclusionThis study demonstrated the importance of the use of PPE during pesticide applications and other agricultural tasks to minimize pesticide-associated adverse health effects

AI is a viable alternative to high throughput screening: a 318-target study

: High throughput screening (HTS) is routinely used to identify bioactive small molecules. This requires physical compounds, which limits coverage of accessible chemical space. Computational approaches combined with vast on-demand chemical libraries can access far greater chemical space, provided that the predictive accuracy is sufficient to identify useful molecules. Through the largest and most diverse virtual HTS campaign reported to date, comprising 318 individual projects, we demonstrate that our AtomNet® convolutional neural network successfully finds novel hits across every major therapeutic area and protein class. We address historical limitations of computational screening by demonstrating success for target proteins without known binders, high-quality X-ray crystal structures, or manual cherry-picking of compounds. We show that the molecules selected by the AtomNet® model are novel drug-like scaffolds rather than minor modifications to known bioactive compounds. Our empirical results suggest that computational methods can substantially replace HTS as the first step of small-molecule drug discovery

Factors causing variability in formation of coronary collaterals during coronary artery disease

Coronary artery disease is one of the major cause of death worldwide. Coronary artery disease are  narrowing of coronary arteries that prevents adequate blood supply to the heart muscles results in Acute coronary syndrome which includes unstable angina and myocardial infarction. The only remedy for it is to restore the perfusion through percutaneous Intervention and grafting which may sometime cause reperfusion injury and other complications. Coronary collaterals are small inter-arterial connections that act as natural bypass which provide blood flow to the vascular territory, when the artery supplying to it gets obstructed. Acute collateral recruitment can be done, as a remedy for these adverse cardiac events. Various methods of therapies have been focussed, for the promotion and sustenance of functional coronary collaterals. The determinants of human coronary collaterals give clear evidence for prognosis in coronary artery diseases and a new insight for further therapeutic promotion of coronary collaterals. This review mainly focus into various studies done on coronary collaterals and the affect of various demographic, morphological and cardiovascular risk factors in the formation of coronary collaterals during obstructive Coronary artery disease. Many studies prove that various independent variables like morphology of coronary artery, location of the lesion, duration of the occlusion, coronary dominance, biochemical factors, cardiac risk factors like diabetes, hypertension also affects collateral formation. The current update review gives a holistic view on coronary collaterals and findings of various authors on the affect of these independent variables on collateral formation

Data_Sheet_1_The impact of the use of personal-protective-equipment on the minimization of effects of exposure to pesticides among farm-workers in India.PDF

IntroductionAlthough excessive use of pesticides and unsafe agricultural practices may contribute to numerous intoxications, the role of PPE (personal-protective-equipment) in the minimization of toxicological effects due to pesticide exposure has not been addressed so far. The present study aimed to assess the impact of the use of PPE on the minimization of effects of exposure to pesticides among farm-workers.MethodsA community-based follow-up study with questionnaire-based survey and field observations was undertaken among farm-workers (n = 180) of Rangareddy district, Telangana, India. Biomarkers of exposure such as cholinesterase activity, inflammatory markers (TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, cortisol, and hs-C reactive protein), nutrients (vitamins A, E), liver function (total protein and A/G ratio, AST and ALT levels) were investigated in the laboratory by following the standard protocols.ResultsFarm-workers who had a mean farming exposure of 18 years of and who neither followed safe pesticide handling practices nor used PPE and also showed reluctance to obey good agricultural practices (GAPs). Inhibition of AChE (acetylcholine esterase) with increased inflammation was found among farm-workers as compared to their respective normal values when they have not used PPE. Linear regression statistical analysis revealed a profound effect on inhibition in the AChE activity and various inflammatory markers with the increase in the duration of pesticide exposure. Further, there was no effect of the duration of pesticide exposure on the levels of vitamins A, E, ALT, AST, total protein, and A/G ratio. Further, intervention studies carried out on the use of PPE provided (commercially available and cost-effective) for 90 days showed a significant reduction in the biomarker levels (p ConclusionThis study demonstrated the importance of the use of PPE during pesticide applications and other agricultural tasks to minimize pesticide-associated adverse health effects.</p