Assessing the feasibility of integrating ecosystem-based with engineered water resource governance and management for water security in semi-arid landscapes: A case study in the Banas catchment, Rajasthan, India

Much of the developing world and areas of the developed world suffer water vulnerability. Engineering solutions enable technically efficient extraction and diversion of water towards areas of demand but, without rebalancing resource regeneration, can generate multiple adverse ecological and human consequences. The Banas River, Rajasthan (India), has been extensively developed for water diversion, particularly from the Bisalpur Dam from which water is appropriated by powerful urban constituencies dispossessing local people. Coincidentally, abandonment of traditional management, including groundwater recharge practices, is leading to increasingly receding and contaminated groundwater. This creates linked vulnerabilities for rural communities, irrigation schemes, urban users, dependent ecosystems and the multiple ecosystem services that they provide, compounded by climate change and population growth. This paper addresses vulnerabilities created by fragmented policy measures between rural development, urban and irrigation water supply and downstream consequences for people and wildlife. Perpetuating narrowly technocentric approaches to resource exploitation is likely only to compound emerging problems. Alternatively, restoration or innovation of groundwater recharge practices, particularly in the upper catchment, can represent a proven, ecosystem-based approach to resource regeneration with linked beneficial socio-ecological benefits. Hybridising an ecosystem-based approach with engineered methods can simultaneously increase the security of rural livelihoods, piped urban and irrigation supplies, and the vitality of river ecosystems and their services to beneficiaries. A renewed policy focus on local-scale water recharge practices balancing water extraction technologies is consistent with emerging Rajasthani policies, particularly Jal Swavlamban Abhiyan (‘water self-reliance mission’). Policy reform emphasising recharge can contribute to water security and yield socio-economic outcomes through a systemic understanding of how the water system functions, and by connecting goals and budgets across multiple, currently fragmented policy areas. The underpinning principles of this necessary paradigm shift are proven and have wider geographic relevance, though context-specific research is required to underpin robust policy and practical implementation

Isolation, Identification and Antimicrobial Susptability of Bacteria from Arpa River, Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh

The isolation and characterization of bacteria from the Arpa River water (Bilaspur, India) could give a better knowledge of their variety, distribution, and possible influence on antibiotic usage. Several species of bacteria were found and their potentiality against antibiotics was determined as a result of this research. Isolation entails collecting sample water and cultivating the microbial culture in a suitable medium. Bacteria were separated from microbial cultures and subjected to biochemical assays, antibiotic susceptibility tests, and microbial evaluation studies. The goal of the research is to determine the types of microorganisms found in the Arpa River as well as to expand our understanding of the river. The potential of microorganisms is assessed in this study. The antibacterial activity of isolated microorganisms was tested using five drugs. The bacterial colony exhibits a zone of inhibition against various antibiotics, including amoxicillin, ofloxacin, streptomycin, and ciprofloxacin, but not against Cefixime & L.A. The antibacterial activity of five different oils and extracts from plants were determined using the well diffusion method

Association between diarrheal duration and nutritional decline: implications for an empirically validated definition of persistent diarrhea

In an empiric approach to develop the definition of persistent diarrhea, we evaluated the relationship between diarrheal duration and risk of ensuing clinically significant decline in nutritional status, in a cohort of 395 children <24 mo. Weights were obtained at the onset of diarrhea (wt I) and after three months interval (wt II). The occurrence of an adverse outcome (AO) was defined as a decline of in 5% NCHS weight for age (% WFA) between weights I and II or death in this interval. The risk of AO was similar for episodes of \ or >7 days while it was substantially higher in episodes with >14 days duration (45%) than for shorter duration episodes, relative risk (RR) =2.5 (p<0.001). Relative risk remained similar for duration thresholds of 21 (2.3) and 28 days (2.6). As episode durations greater than 14 days are associated with substantial elevation of the risk of clinically cogent sequelae, such episodes may be termed ‘persistent’ atleast in terms of poor prognostic expectations

Outer Membrane Vesicles: An Emerging Vaccine Platform

Vaccine adjuvants are substances that improve the immune capacity of a recombinant vaccine to a great extent and have been in use since the early 1900s; they are primarily short-lived and initiate antigen activity, mainly an inflammatory response. With the developing technologies and innovation, early options such as alum were modified, yet the inorganic nature of major vaccine adjuvants caused several side effects. Outer membrane vesicles, which respond to the stressed environment, are small nano-sized particles secreted by gram-negative bacteria. The secretory nature of OMV gives us many benefits in terms of infection bioengineering. This article aims to provide a detailed overview of bacteria’s outer membrane vesicles (OMV) and their potential usage as adjuvants in making OMV-based vaccines. The OMV adjuvant-based vaccines can be a great benefactor, and there are ongoing trials for formulating OMV adjuvant-based vaccines for SARS-CoV-2. This study emphasizes engineering the OMVs to develop better versions for safety purposes. This article will also provide a gist about the advantages and disadvantages of such vaccines, along with other aspects

Helicobacter pylori infected gastric epithelial cells bypass cell death pathway through the oncoprotein Gankyrin

H. pylori infection can lead to gastric diseases by modulating the various cellular processes such as cellular stress, apoptosis, autophagy, and metabolic changes. H. pylori exposed gastric epithelial cells bypass the cell death pathways. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms remain in infancy. Herein, we determined that H. pylori infection on gastric epithelial cells bypass the cell death pathway via the modulation of autophagy-related signaling molecules (LC3B and ATG7) through the host-associated oncoprotein Gankyrin. Upregulated expression of Gankyrin further enhanced the various antioxidant (gclm, gclc, sod2, cat, keap1, ant, and hsf1) and autophagy-associated genes’ transcripts (atg5, atg7, lc3b, beclin, and sqstm1). Elevated expression of Gankyrin also modulates the various downstream signaling proteins such as Akt, Beta-catenin, and NFkB. We also observed altered cancerous properties of gastric epithelial cells viz; apoptosis, wound healing, chemoresistance, biomass and membrane potential of mitochondria. Concisely, the study revealed that H. pylori infection promotes GC via autophagy through the modulation of oncoprotein Gankyrin and cellular reactive oxygen species (ROS). Overall, our study demonstrated the antiapoptotic property of H pylori-infected gastric epithelial cells might govern through Gankyrin-directed autophagy

4-Hydroxy-trans-2-nonenal (4-HNE) induces neuronal SH-SY5Y cell death via hampering ATP binding at kinase domain of Akt1

Inhibition mechanism(s) of protein kinase B/Akt1 and its consequences on related cell signaling were investigated in human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells exposed to 4-hydroxy-trans-2-nonenal (4-HNE), one of the most reactive aldehyde by-products of lipid peroxidation. In silico data indicate that 4-HNE interacts with kinase domain of Akt1 with the total docking score of 6.0577 and also forms H-bond to Glu234 residue similar to highly potent Akt1 inhibitor imidazopiperidine analog 8b, in which the protonated imidazole nitrogen involves in two hydrogen bonds between Glu234 and Asp292. The strong hydrogen bonding with Glu234 and hydrophobic interactions with several residues, namely Leu156, Gly157, Val164, Ala177, Tyr229, Ala230, Met281 and Thr291, at the vicinity which is normally occupied by the ribose of ATP, appear to be the main causes of Akt1 inhibition and lead to the significant conformational change on this region of protein. Results of mutational docking prove that Glu234 plays a major role in 4-HNE-mediated Akt1 inhibition. In silico data on Akt inhibition were further validated by observing the down-regulated levels of phosphorylated (Thr308/Ser493) Akt1 as well as the altered levels of the downstream targets of pAkt, namely downregulated levels of pGSK3ß (Ser9), ß-catenin, Bcl2 and upregulated levels of pro-apoptotic markers, namely Bad, Bax, P53 and caspase-9/3. The cellular fate of such pAkt inhibition was evidenced by increased reactive oxygen species, degraded nuclei, transferase dUTP nick end labeling positive cells and upregulated levels of pJNK1/2. We identified that 4-HNE-mediated Akt1 inhibition was due to the competitive inhibition of ATP by 4-HNE at the kinase domain of ATP binding sites