Analysis of gut bacteriome of in utero arsenic-exposed mice using 16S rRNA-based metagenomic approach

IntroductionApproximately 200 million people worldwide are affected by arsenic toxicity emanating from the consumption of drinking water containing inorganic arsenic above the prescribed maximum contaminant level. The current investigation deals with the role of prenatal arsenic exposure in modulating the gut microbial community and functional pathways of the host.Method16S rRNA-based next-generation sequencing was carried out to understand the effects of in utero 0.04 mg/kg (LD) and 0.4 mg/kg (HD) of arsenic exposure. This was carried out from gestational day 15 (GD-15) until the birth of pups to understand the alterations in bacterial diversity.ResultsThe study focused on gestational exposure to arsenic and the altered gut microbial community at phyla and genus levels, along with diversity indices. A significant decrease in firmicutes was observed in the gut microbiome of mice treated with arsenic. Functional analysis revealed that a shift in genes involved in crucial pathways such as insulin signaling and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease pathways may lead to metabolic diseases in the host.DiscussionThe present investigation may hypothesize that in utero arsenic exposure can perturb the gut bacterial composition significantly as well as the functional pathways of the gestationally treated pups. This research paves the way to further investigate the probable mechanistic insights in the field of maternal exposure environments, which may play a key role in epigenetic modulations in developing various disease endpoints in the progeny

Rapid detection of the adulterants in milk using gamma radiation

Milk and dairy adulteration practice nowadays is becoming a global concern. The present study discloses the role of gamma irradiation as a cost-effective and rapid-detection approach to detect adulterants in milk instead of using expensive and time-consuming chemical-based methods. In the present study, synthetic milk samples were prepared using different common adulterants (vegetable oil, urea, water) and a comparative analysis has been done with market milk samples along with fresh milk based upon the attenuation property. The obtained linear attenuation coefficient decreases significantly (p < 0.05) with the increasing concentration of adulterants in sample. The recorded attenuation coefficient for fresh milk was 0.379 ± 0.04 and that of adulterated samples found to be in the range of 0.296–0.188. Moreover, different protein coagulation patterns of the heat-processed milk samples were detected. The coagulated protein of adulterated milk shows a granular texture. The attenuation coefficient of milk samples decreases with the gradual increase of adulterants. The correlation between the attenuation coefficient and adulterants in milk indicated the possible use of gamma radiation as a significant adulterant-detection method

Chitosan Nanomaterials for Smart Delivery of Bioactive Compounds in Agriculture

Over the past few decades, agricultural production has mainly been relying on intense application of agrochemicals, such as fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides. However, application of such agrochemicals is not suitable in the long term due to serious concerns pertaining to health, microbial flora and mineral nutrients of soil, as well as development of resistance in pathogens. Use of numerous biopolymers for smart delivery of bioactive ingredients has become a new trend to minimize environmental contamination caused by over-application and non-specific delivery of agrochemicals. In recent times, chitosan-based nanomaterials have sought increased attention in agriculture for smart delivery of bioactive compounds due to their biodegradable, biocompatible and non-toxic nature. In order to tailor specific applications, these nanomaterials hold promise of slow release of agrochemicals, targeted delivery of bioactive ingredients and efficient nutrient utilization with lesser exposure to the environment. Encapsulation of fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, micronutrients and genetic material with chitosan nanomaterials can successfully be applied for sustainable agriculture. Herein, we discuss delivery systems for agriculture, encapsulation of various bioactive compounds in chitosan nanomaterials, and mechanisms of controlled and slow release