Spatial distribution of Nematalosa nasus (Bloch, 1795) of the Northern Indian Ocean in a changing climate

Globally, ocean climate is changing at unprecedented rates. Shifts of species distribution towards the northern latitudes are evident in many seas. The Northern Indian Ocean is warming at an alarming rate as compared to the other oceans. The increased rate of warming will cause substantial responses in the distribution of the pelagic fish species. Many fishes of the family Clupeidae form the mainstay of the marine fisheries of the countries bordering the Northern Indian Ocean. Nematalosa nasus is one of the important pelagic fish found in the region. This study tries to understand the distributional shifts of this species from the region in two future climate scenarios (RCP 6.0 & 8.5). The results indicate a higher influence of the current vector and mean temperature on the distribution of this species. A northward shift in the distribution range is observed in both the future scenarios as compared to the predicted current distribution

Botany, chemistry, and pharmaceutical significance of Sida cordifolia: a traditional medicinal plant

Sida cordifolia Linn. belonging to the family, Malvaceae has been widely employed in traditional medications in many parts of the world including India, Brazil, and other Asian and African countries. The plant is extensively used in the Ayurvedic medicine preparation. There are more than 200 plant species within the genus Sida, which are distributed predominantly in the tropical regions. The correct taxonomic identification is a major concern due to the fact that S. cordifolia looks morphologically similar with its related species. It possesses activity against various human ailments, including cancer, asthma, cough, diarrhea, malaria, gonorrhea, tuberculosis, obesity, ulcer, Parkinson’s disease, urinary infections, and many others. The medical importance of this plant is mainly correlated to the occurrence of diverse biologically active phytochemical compounds such as alkaloids, flavonoids, and steroids. The major compounds include β-phenylamines, 2-carboxylated tryptamines, quinazoline, quinoline, indole, ephedrine, vasicinone, 5-3-isoprenyl flavone, 5,7-dihydroxy-3-isoprenyl flavone, and 6-(isoprenyl)- 3-methoxy- 8-C-β-D-glucosyl-kaempferol 3-O-β-D-glucosyl[1–4]-α-D-glucoside. The literature survey reveals that most of the pharmacological investigations on S. cordifolia are limited to crude plant extracts and few isolated pure compounds. Therefore, there is a need to evaluate many other unexplored bioactive phytoconstituents with evidences so as to justify the traditional usages of S. cordifolia. Furthermore, detailed studies on the action of mechanisms of these isolated compounds supported by clinical research are necessary for validating their application in contemporary medicines. The aim of the present chapter is to provide a detailed information on the ethnobotanical, phytochemical, and pharmacological aspects of S. cordifolia

The Ayurvedic drug, Ksheerabala, ameliorates quinolinic acid-induced oxidative stress in rat brain

One of the mechanisms of neurotoxicity is the induction of oxidative stress. There is hardly any cure for neurotoxicity in modern medicine, whereas many drugs in Ayurveda possess neuroprotective effects; however, there is no scientific validation for these drugs. Ksheerabala is an ayurvedic drug which is used to treat central nervous system disorders, arthritis, and insomnia. The aim of our study was to evaluate the effect of Ksheerabala on quinolinic acid-induced toxicity in rat brain. The optimal dose of Ksheerabala was found from a dose escalation study, wherein it was found that Ksheerabala showed maximum protection against quinolinic acid-induced neurotoxicity at a dose of 15 µL/100 g body weight/day, which was selected for further experiments. Four groups of female albino rats were maintained for 21 days as follows: 1. Control group, 2. Quinolinic acid (55 µg/100 g body weight), 3. Ksheerabala (15 µL/100 g body weight), 4. Ksheerabala (15 µL/100 g body weight) + Quinolinic acid (55 µg/100 g body weight). At the end of the experimental period, levels of lipid peroxidation products, protein carbonyls, and activities of scavenging enzymes were analyzed. The results revealed that quinolinic acid intake caused enhanced lipid and protein peroxidation as evidenced by increased levels of peroxidation products such as malondialdehyde, hydroperoxide, conjugated dienes, and protein carbonyls. On the other hand, the activities of scavenging enzymes such as catalase, superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase, and glutathione reductase as well as the concentration of glutathione were reduced. On coadminstration of Ksheerabala along with quinolinic acid, the levels of all the biochemical parameters were restored to near-normal levels, indicating the protective effect of the drug. These results were reinforced by histopathological studies

Paradigm of integrative OMICS of microbial technology towards biorefinery prospects

Climate change, finite natural resources, and increasing population necessitate producing sustainable energy with positive economic growth. Recent advances in OMICS coupled with genome editing and synthetic biology have paved the way for the development of sustainable technologies. These techniques help identify critical genes/pathways and re-construct and redesign biological pathways to develop eco-friendly and economically viable industrial metabolites. With the help of microbial technology, biorefinery-related research is actively pursued in many countries to develop microbial strains, producing varied value-added biochemicals and biofuels. The application of multi-omics data in deciphering key genes, their manipulation, and outcomes implies the domain's potential to find new horizons in biorefineries using microbial factories to produce various biofuels and biorefinery products. This review illustrates OMICS role in developing industrial chemicals and microbial biorefineries. Besides, prospects for genome editing and synthetic biology have been elucidated

Genetic Diversity Analysis of Oryza glaberrima Derived Introgression Lines under Direct Seeded Condition

The increasing water scarcity and labour wages have led to the search for alternative crop establishment in rice, such as direct seeded rice (DSR). DSR can reduce unproductive water flow, reduce labour requirements, and mitigate greenhouse gas emissions. Genetic diversity was assessed for hundred and three rice introgression lines using Mahalanobis’ D2 analysis and Tochers’ clustering method. Cluster I had the largest number of genotypes (73), tailed by Cluster II with 15 genotypes. Cluster III and IV had the maximum intra-cluster distances, with Cluster IV having a significant number for desirable characters. The results disclosed that days to 50% flowering, tailed by plant height contributed much to diversity. The most significant inter-cluster distances were found in Clusters involving III and IV, II and III, I and IV and II and IV. These introgression lines can be utilised in crosses, resulting in fruitful recombination during the selection process