10 research outputs found
Anti-Microbial and Anti-Mycotoxigenic Activities of Endophytic Alternaria alternata Isolated from Catharanthus roseus (L.) G. Don.: Molecular Characterisation and Bioactive Compound Isolation
The present study investigated the anti-microbial and anti-mycotoxigenic activities of the ethyl
acetate extract (EA) and a bioactive compound obtained from an endophytic fungus Alternaria
alternata isolated from Catharanthus roseus leaves. A. alternata was identified using PCR-based
5.8S rDNA sequencing. The EA and bioactive compound, p-Coumaric acid (PC), showed concentration-dependent broad-spectrum anti-microbial activity against the tested bacteria, yeast, and
fungi with MICs ranging from 7.8 to 250 ”g/mL. The in vitro production of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) from
Aspergillus flavus and fumonisin B1 (FB1) from Fusarium verticillioides was completely inhibited by
EA and PC at 400 ”g/mL. The synthesis of the membrane-bound ergosterol from A. flavus and F.
verticillioides was strongly inhibited by PC at 200 ”g/mL. The EA and PC were found to show
significant anti-microbial and anti-mycotoxigenic activities, hence, they could be explored as
protective agents for preventing microbial deterioration and mycotoxins accumulation in food
and feedstuffs during pre- and post-harvest and storag
A White Paper on keV sterile neutrino Dark Matter
We present a comprehensive review of keV-scale sterile neutrino Dark Matter, collecting views and insights from all disciplines involvedâcosmology, astrophysics, nuclear, and particle physicsâin each case viewed from both theoretical and experimental/observational perspectives. After reviewing the role of active neutrinos in particle physics, astrophysics, and cosmology, we focus on sterile neutrinos in the context of the Dark Matter puzzle. Here, we first review the physics motivation for sterile neutrino Dark Matter, based on challenges and tensions in purely cold Dark Matter scenarios. We then round out the discussion by critically summarizing all known constraints on sterile neutrino Dark Matter arising from astrophysical observations, laboratory experiments, and theoretical considerations. In this context, we provide a balanced discourse on the possibly positive signal from X-ray observations. Another focus of the paper concerns the construction of particle physics models, aiming to explain how sterile neutrinos of keV-scale masses could arise in concrete settings beyond the Standard Model of elementary particle physics. The paper ends with an extensive review of current and future astrophysical and laboratory searches, highlighting new ideas and their experimental challenges, as well as future perspectives for the discovery of sterile neutrinos