Oxidation of thiocarbamyls with lead tetraacetate

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Biodiesel Production From Lignocellulosic Biomass Using Oleaginous Microbes: Prospects for Integrated Biofuel Production

Biodiesel is an eco-friendly, renewable, and potential liquid biofuel mitigating greenhouse gas emissions. Biodiesel has been produced initially from vegetable oils, non-edible oils, and waste oils. However, these feedstocks have several disadvantages such as requirement of land and labor and remain expensive. Similarly, in reference to waste oils, the feedstock content is succinct in supply and unable to meet the demand. Recent studies demonstrated utilization of lignocellulosic substrates for biodiesel production using oleaginous microorganisms. These microbes accumulate higher lipid content under stress conditions, whose lipid composition is similar to vegetable oils. In this paper, feedstocks used for biodiesel production such as vegetable oils, non-edible oils, oleaginous microalgae, fungi, yeast, and bacteria have been illustrated. Thereafter, steps enumerated in biodiesel production from lignocellulosic substrates through pretreatment, saccharification and oleaginous microbe-mediated fermentation, lipid extraction, transesterification, and purification of biodiesel are discussed. Besides, the importance of metabolic engineering in ensuring biofuels and biorefinery and a brief note on integration of liquid biofuels have been included that have significant importance in terms of circular economy aspects.Fil: Chintagunta, Anjani Devi. Vignan’s Foundation for Science, Technology and Research. Department of Biotechnology; IndiaFil: Zuccaro, Gaetano. Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique; Francia. Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II; ItaliaFil: Kumar, Mahesh. Central Agricultural University; IndiaFil: Kumar, S. P. Jeevan. Indian Institute of Seed Science; India. Directorate of Floricultural Research; IndiaFil: Garlapati, Vijay Kumar. Jaypee University of Information Technology; IndiaFil: Postemsky, Pablo Daniel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Bahía Blanca. Centro de Recursos Naturales Renovables de la Zona Semiárida. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Centro de Recursos Naturales Renovables de la Zona Semiárida; ArgentinaFil: Kumar, N. S. Sampath. Vignan’s Foundation for Science, Technology and Research. Department of Biotechnology; IndiaFil: Chandel, Anuj K.. Universidade de Sao Paulo; BrasilFil: Simal Gandara, Jesus. Universidad de Vigo; Españ

LES investigation into the generation of momentum deficits in the supersonic wake of a micro-ramp

Implicitly implemented large eddy simulation (LES) with a fifth-order WENO scheme was conducted in this study. Based on Navier-Stokes equations, this LES was carried out to explore the origin of momentum deficit caused by a supersonic micro-ramp at flow conditions of M a = 2.5 and Re θ = 5760. The numerical results were validated through qualitative and quantitative comparisons with existing experimental data. After describing the aerodynamic properties of the supersonic wake, such as the deficit and the streamwise vortices, the momentum deficit was later detected to originate from the lower portion of the upstream boundary layer, while the high momentum fluid originated from close to the wall at the upper portion. Position alternation trigged by the micro-ramp was finally proposed as a revised mechanism

Virological, immunological and pathological findings of transplacentally transmitted bluetongue virus serotype 1 in IFNAR1-blocked mice during early and mid gestation

© 2020, The Author(s). Transplacental transmission (TPT) of wild-type Indian BTV-1 had never been experimentally proved. This study was first time investigated TPT of Indian BTV-1 (isolated from aborted and stillborn goat fetal spleens). The sequential pathology, virological and immune cell kinetics (CD4+, CD8+ T-lymphocytes and NK cells in spleen and PBMCs), and apoptosis in IFNAR1-blocked pregnant mice during early (infected on 1 GD) and mid (infected on 8 GD) gestation have been studied. There was higher rate of TPT during mid stage (71.43%) than early (57.14%) stage. In early stage reduced implantation sites, early embryonic deaths, abortions, and necro-haemorrhagic lesions had observed. Mid stage, congenital defects and neurological lesions in foetuses like haemorrhages, diffuse cerebral edema, necrotizing encephalitis and decreased bone size (Alizarin red staining) were noticed. BTV-1 antigen was first time demonstrable in cells of mesometrium, decidua of embryos, placenta, uterus, ovary, and brain of foetuses by immunohistochemistry and quantified by real-time qRT-PCR. BTV-inoculated mice were seroconverted by 7 and 5 dpi, and reached peak levels by 15 and 9 dpi in early and mid gestation, respectively. CD4+ and CD8+ cells were significantly decreased (increased ratio) on 7 dpi but subsequently increased on 15 dpi in early gestation. In mid gestation, increased CD8+ cells (decreased ratio) were observed. Apoptotic cells in PBMCs and tissues increased during peak viral load. This first time TPT of wild-type Indian BTV-1 deserves to be reported for implementation of control strategies. This model will be very suitable for further research into mechanisms of TPT, overwintering, and vaccination strategies

Mouse models for preeclampsia: disruption of redox-regulated signaling

The concept that oxidative stress contributes to the development of human preeclampsia has never been tested in genetically-defined animal models. Homozygous deletion of catechol-Omethyl transferase (Comt-/-) in pregnant mice leads to human preeclampsia-like symptoms (high blood pressure, albuminurea and preterm birth) resulting from extensive vasculo-endothelial pathology, primarily at the utero-fetal interface where maternal cardiac output is dramatically increased during pregnancy. Comt converts estradiol to 2-methoxyestradiol 2 (2ME2) which counters angiogenesis by depleting hypoxia inducible factor-1 alpha (HIF-1 alpha) at late pregnancy. We propose that in wild type (Comt++) pregnant mice, 2ME2 destabilizes HIF-1 alpha by inhibiting mitochondrial superoxide dismutase (MnSOD). Thus, 2ME2 acts as a pro-oxidant, disrupting redox-regulated signaling which blocks angiogenesis in wild type (WT) animals in physiological pregnancy. Further, we suggest that a lack of this inhibition under normoxic conditions in mutant animals (Comt-/-) stabilises HIF-1 alpha by inactivating prolyl hydroxlases (PHD). We predict that a lack of inhibition of MnSOD, leading to persistent accumulation of HIF-1 alpha, would trigger inflammatory infiltration and endothelial damage in mutant animals. Critical tests of this hypothesis would be to recreate preeclampsia symptoms by inducing oxidative stress in WT animals or to ameliorate by treating mutant mice with Mn-SOD-catalase mimetics or activators of PHD

Report of the Task Force on Enhancing technology use in agriculture insurance

Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) is a flagship scheme of the Government of India to provide insurance coverage and financial support to farmers in the event of failure of any of the notified crops, unsown area and damage to harvest produce as a result of natural calamities, pests and diseases to stabilise the income of farmers, and to encourage them to adopt modern agricultural practices. The scheme is a considerable improvement over all previous insurance schemes in India and is heavily subsidised by the state and central governments. The scheme aims to cover 50 percent of the farming households within next 3 years. During its implementation in the last one season, several challenges relating to enrolment, yield estimation, loss assessment, and claim settlement were reported by farmers, insurance companies as well as the state governments. It was also noted that several technological opportunities existed for possibly leveraging support to the Indian crop insurance program for enhanced efficiency and effectiveness. NITI Aayog of the Government of India, therefore, constituted a Task Force to deliberate on this subject and identify such potential opportunities. This report summarises the recommendations of the Task Force. The Task Force constituted to address the issue of technology support to crop insurance comprised the following 5 sub-groups: (1) Remote Sensing & Drones; (2) Decision Support Systems, Crop Modelling & Integrated Approaches; (3) IT/ICT in Insurance; (4) Crop Cutting Experiments (CCEs); and (5) Technologies for Livestock and Aquaculture Insurance. Each sub-group had several discussions with experts in the respective areas, and submitted draft reports. More than 100 experts related to professional research agencies, insurance industry, banks, and the government contributed to these discussions. Technological options available in the country and abroad were considered by all groups. The Task Force together with the sub-groups then deliberated on key issues and formulated its recommendations as presented in this report. During the discussions it was realised that there were many administrative and institutional issues that needed to be addressed in PMFBY. However, the focus of the Task Force was on its main mandate, technology use in crop insurance. We hope these recommendations would help the Indian crop insurance sector take full advantage of the technological options suggested so as to increase its efficacy and effectiveness leading to reduced agrarian distress in the country

Clinicopathological studies of Pasteurella multocida B:2 experimental infection in rabbits

The present study was carried out to study pathology and virulence of Pasteurella multocida B:2 isolated from natural outbreak of Pasteurella infection in rabbits. Healthy Pasteurella multocida B:2 free rabbits (12) were divided in control and challenged group. The challenged group rabbits were inoculated intra-nasally by spraying of 0.5 ml of inoculum in each nares, containing 1 × 105 CFU of Pasteurella multocida B:2 in BHI. The control group of rabbits was inoculated with 0.5 ml uncultured BHI broth in each nares in the same manner. Live animals were observed for atleast 14 days. The main clinical signs observed in infected rabbits comprised of conjunctivitis, nasal discharge, pyrexia, sneezing, dyspnoea and abdominal breathing. The pathomorphological changes in lungs comprised of acute fibrinous and/or fibrino suppurative bronchopneumonia/pleuropneumonia. Trachea showed acute inflammatory changes with multifocal erosion/ulcer and necrosis. Nasal cavity showed acute inflammation with accumulation of cellular debris in nasal meatus. Three infected rabbits showed meningitis characterized by congestion, infiltration of heterophils and minimal oedema. Pasteurella multocida B:2 was successfully detected in blood and tissues of infected rabbits by PCR. The organisms were also demonstrated in blood/impression smear from different organs

Fast optoelectric printing of plasmonic nanoparticles into tailored circuits

Plasmonic nanoparticles are able to control light at nanometre-scale by coupling electromagnetic fields to the oscillations of free electrons in metals. Deposition of such nanoparticles onto substrates with tailored patterns is essential, for example, in fabricating plasmonic structures for enhanced sensing. This work presents an innovative micro-patterning technique, based on optoelectic printing, for fast and straightforward fabrication of curve-shaped circuits of plasmonic nanoparticles deposited onto a transparent electrode often used in optoelectronics, liquid crystal displays, touch screens, etc. We experimentally demonstrate that this kind of plasmonic structure, printed by using silver nanoparticles of 40 nm, works as a plasmonic enhanced optical device allowing for polarized-color-tunable light scattering in the visible. These findings have potential applications in biosensing and fabrication of future optoelectronic devices combining the benefits of plasmonic sensing and the functionality of transparent electrodes

Therapeutic and immunomodulatory activities of short-course treatment of murine visceral leishmaniasis with KALSOME™10, a new liposomal amphotericin B

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL), a potentially fatal disease, is most prevalent in the Indian subcontinent, East Africa and South America. Since the conventional antileishmanial drugs have many limitations we evaluated a new ergosterol rich liposomal amphotericin B formulation, KALSOME™10 for its leishmanicidal efficacy, tolerability and immunomodulatory activity. Normal healthy mice were treated with 3.5 mg/kg single and 7.5 mg/kg single and double doses ofKALSOME™10. Liver and kidney function tests were performed fourteen days after treatment. Next, normal mice were infected with Leishmania donovani amastigotes. Two months post infection they were treated with the above mentioned doses of KALSOME™10 and sacrificed one month after treatment for estimation of parasite burden in the liver and spleen by Limiting Dilution Assay. Leishmanial antigen stimulated splenocyte culture supernatants were collected for cytokine detection through ELISA. Flow cytometric studies were performed on normal animals treated with KALSOME™10, Amphotericin B (AmB) and AmBiosome to compare their immunomodulatory activities. The drug was found to induce no hepato- or nephrotoxicities at the studied doses. Moreover, at all doses, it led to significant reduction in parasite burden in two month infected BALB/c mice, with 7.5 mg/kg double dose resulting in almost complete clearance of parasites from both liver and spleen. Interestingly, the drug at 7.5 mg/kg double dose could almost completely inhibit the secretion of disease promoting cytokines, IL-10 and TGFβ, and significantly elevate the levels of IFNγ and IL-12, cytokines required for control of the disease. Mice treated with KALSOME™10 showed elevated levels of IFNγ and suppressed IL-10 secretion from both CD4+ and CD8+ subsets of T cells, as well as from culture supernatants of splenocytes, compared to that of normal, AmB and AmBisome treated animal Treatment of infected mice with 7.5 mg/kg double dose of KALSOME™10 was safe and effective in clearing the parasites from the sites of infection. The drug maintains the inherent immunomodulatory activities of AmB by effectively suppressing disease promoting cytokines IL-10 and TGFβ, thereby boosting IL-12 and IFNγ levels. This emphasizes KALSOME™10 as a promising drug alternative for lifelong protection from VL