Biocatalyst behavior under self-induced electrogenic microenvironment in comparison with anaerobic treatment: evaluation with pharmaceutical wastewater for multi-pollutant removal

Biocatalyst behavior was comparatively evaluated under diverse microenvironments viz., self-induced electrogenic (bioelectrochemical treatment, BET) and anaerobic treatment (AnT) microenvironments, with real-field pharmaceutical wastewater. Relatively higher treatment efficiency was observed with BET (COD removal, 78.70%) over AnT (32%) along with the power output. Voltammetric profiles of AnT showed persistent reduction behavior, while BET depicted simultaneous redox behavior. BET operation documented significantly higher bio-electrocatalytic activity (k_app, 245.22 s⁻¹) than AnT (k_app, 7.35 s⁻¹). The electron accepting conditions due to the presence of electrode in the BET might contributed to higher electrogenesis leading to enhanced substrate degradation along with the removal of multiple pollutants accounting for the effective reduction of toxicity levels of wastewater. Even at higher organic loads, BET operation showed good treatment efficiency without process inhibition. Introduction of electrode-membrane assembly in anaerobic microenvironment showed significant change in the electrocatalytic behavior of biocatalyst resulting in enhanced treatment of complex wastewater.     

Comparative data on effects of leading pretreatments and enzyme loadings and formulations on sugar yields from different switchgrass sources

Dilute sulfuric acid (DA), sulfur dioxide (SO(2)), liquid hot water (LHW), soaking in aqueous ammonia (SAA), ammonia fiber expansion (AFEX), and lime pretreatments were applied to Alamo, Dacotah, and Shawnee switchgrass. Application of the same analytical methods and material balance approaches facilitated meaningful comparisons of glucose and xylose yields from combined pretreatment and enzymatic hydrolysis. Use of a common supply of cellulase, beta-glucosidase, and xylanase also eased comparisons. All pretreatments enhanced sugar recovery from pretreatment and subsequent enzymatic hydrolysis substantially compared to untreated switchgrass. Adding beta-glucosidase was effective early in enzymatic hydrolysis while cellobiose levels were high but had limited effect on longer term yields at the enzyme loadings applied. Adding xylanase improved yields most for higher pH pretreatments where more xylan was left in the solids. Harvest time had more impact on performance than switchgrass variety, and microscopy showed changes in different features could impact performance by different pretreatments.     

Deletion of ABL/BCR on der(9) associated with severe basophilia

Chronic basophilic leukemia is a rare form in chronic myeloid leukemia patients. Only limited number of reports are available. Herein, we describe a patient who presented with fatigue, weight loss, leucocytosis, prominent basophilia, and mild eosinophilia. On biopsy, bone marrow was hypercellular with marked basophils. The immunophenotype showed abnormal expression of CD7, which is suggestive of basophilic maturation. Chromosomal analysis from GTG-banded metaphases revealed Ph positivity, and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) with BCR/ABL dual color, dual fusion probe showed single fusion on the der(22) chromosome and ABL/BCR fusion was deleted on the der(9) chromosome. The deletion (ABL/BCR) on der(9) may be associated with basophilia which may be also indicative of the transformation of CML to acute myeloid leukemia.     

Analysis of sequence diversity among IS6110 sequence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis: possible implications for PCR based detection

The IS6110 belongs to the family of insertion sequences (IS) of the IS3 category. This insertion sequence was reported to be specific for Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex and hence is extensively exploited for laboratory detection of the agent of tuberculosis and for epidemiological investigations based on polymerase chain reaction. IS6110 is 1361-bp long and within this sequence different regions have been utilized as targets in the identification of M. tuberculosis by PCR. However, the results are not always consistent, specific and sensitive. In recent years, a few clinical investigations raised concerns over IS6110 specificity and sensitivity in the diagnosis of tuberculosis due to false-positive (homology with other target DNA besides M. tuberculosis) or false negative (due to absence of copies of IS6110) results with IS6110 specific primers. To unravel the variations in IS6110 sequences, an insilico analysis of IS6110 sequence of different strains of M. tuberculosis was carried out. Our results of comparative analysis of IS6110 insertion sequences of M. tuberculosis complex suggests that, IS6110 insertion sequences harbored variations in its sequence, which is evident from the phylogenetic analysis. Importantly, IS6110 sequence has divergence within the copies of same strain and formed different clusters. A list of IS6110 specific primers used in various clinical investigation of tuberculosis was obtained from the literature and their performance scrutinized. Our study emphasizes the need to develop PCR assays (multiplex format) targeting more than one region of the genome of M. tuberculosis.     

Group 1 and 2 LEA protein expression correlates with a decrease in water stress induced protein aggregation in horsegram during germination and seedling growth

Plants produce an array of proteins as a part of a global response to protect the cell metabolism when they grow under environmental conditions such as drought and salinity that generate reduced water potential. The synthesis of hydrophilic proteins is a major part of the response to water deficit conditions. An increased expression of LEA proteins is thought to be one of the primary lines of defense to prevent the loss of intercellular water during adverse conditions. These LEA proteins are known to prevent aggregation of a wide range of other proteins. In this study we report the water stress induced protein aggregation and its abrogation followed by expression of group 1 and group 2 LEA proteins of water soluble proteomes in horsegram. Water stress caused an increased protein aggregation with magnitude and duration of stress in horsegram seedlings. Tissue-specific expression of LEA 1 protein decreased in the embryonic axis when compared to cotyledons in 24 h stressed seedlings. We found no cross reaction of LEA 1 with proteome of 48 h stressed embryonic axis and 72 h stressed root and shoot samples. However, LEA 2 antibodies were cross reacted with four polypeptides with different molecular mass in shoot tissue samples and found no reaction with root proteome as evidenced from immuno-blot analysis. The role of LEA proteins in relation to protein aggregation during water stressed conditions was discussed.     

Natural attenuation of endocrine-disrupting estrogens in an ecologically engineered treatment system (EETS) designed with floating, submerged and emergent macrophytes

Natural attenuation of estrogenic endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) such as estriol (E3, natural) and 17α-ethinylestradiol (EE2, synthetic) were evaluated in a designed ecologically engineered treatment system (EETS) along with domestic sewage. These two estrogens are the major contaminants of sewage and found to cause adverse effects on the endocrine system of humans and animals when exposed even in nanogram concentrations. The EETS consisted of three tanks containing diverse biota, viz., aquatic macrophytes, submerged plants, emergent plants, algae and bacteria present in the system mimic the natural cleansing functions of wetlands and help in the treatment of pollutants present in wastewater. During operation, 22 μg/l of E3 and EE2 were separately fed for 10 days each and operated in continuous mode (20 l/day). The floating macrophytes system (Tank 1) was more effective in removing estrogens [E3 - 61.77% (13.59 μg/l); EE2 - 69.09% (15.20 μg/l)] compared to the submerged-emergent macrophytes-based integrated system (Tank 2) [E3 - 16.58% (3.65 μg/l); EE2 - 18.52% (4.08 μg/l)] and submerged-rooted microphytes system (Tank 3) [E3 - 15.20%, (3.35 μg/l); EE2 - 7.72%, (1.70 μg/l)]. On the whole, EETS can effectively treat EDCs [E3 93.56% (20.59 μg/l); EE2 95.34% (20.97 μg/l)]. Removal of COD (68.06%), nitrates (60.02%) and turbidity (83.43%) was also observed simultaneously during EETS operation. The designed EETS is ecologically complex and mechanically simple and has very low energy consumption and function based on a natural cleansing mechanism (attenuation) with esthetic value.     

Concomitant colonization of nifH positive endophytic Burkholderia sp. in rice (Oryza sativa L.) promotes plant growth

Six diazotrophic bacteria were isolated from surface-sterilized roots of rice variety HUR-36, which is grown with very low or no inputs of nitrogen fertilizer. Out of six bacteria one isolate, RREM25, showed appreciable level of nitrogenase activity, IAA production, and Phosphate solubilization ability, and was further characterized with a view to exploiting its plant growth promoting activity. Based on 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, this isolate was identified as Burkholderia cepacia. Diazotrophic nature of this particular isolate was confirmed by Western blot analysis of dinitrogenase reductase and amplification of nifH. Microscopic observation confirmed colonization of gfp/gusA-tagged RREM25 in the intercellular spaces of cortical as well as vascular zones of roots. Inoculation of RREM25 to rice plants resulted in significant increase in plant height, dry shoot and root weight, chlorophyll content, nitrogen content and nitrogenase activity. Plant growth promoting features suggest that this endophytic bacterium may be exploited in rice cultivation after a thorough and critical pathogenicity test.     

Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) Reverses β-Amyloid1-42 Induced Toxicity in Human Neuronal Cells: Implications in HIV-Associated Neurocognitive Disorders (HAND)

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is characterized by progressive dysfunction of memory and higher cognitive functions with abnormal accumulation of extracellular amyloid plaques and intracellular neurofibrillary tangles throughout cortical and limbic brain regions. At present no curative treatment is available, and research focuses on drugs for slowing disease progression or providing prophylaxis. Withania somnifera (WS) also known as ‘ashwagandha’ is used widely in Ayurvedic medicine as a nerve tonic and memory enhancer. However, there is a paucity of data on the potential neuroprotective effects of W.somnifera against β-Amyloid (1–42)-induced neuropathogenesis. In the present study, we have tested the neuroprotective effects of methanol:Chloroform (3:1) extract of ashwagandha against β-amyloid induced toxicity and HIV-1_Ba-L (clade B) infection using a human neuronal SK-N-MC cell line. Our results showed that β-amyloid induced cytotoxic effects in SK-N-MC cells as shown by decreased cell growth when tested individually. Also, confocal microscopic analysis showed decreased spine density, loss of spines and decreased dendrite diameter, total dendrite and spine area in clade B infected SK-N-MC cells compared to uninfected cells. However, when ashwagandha was added to β-amyloid treated and HIV-1 infected samples, the toxic effects were neutralized. Further, the MTT cell viability assays and the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPARγ) levels supported these observations indicating the neuroprotective effect of WS root extract against β-amyloid and HIV-1_Ba-L (clade B) induced neuro-pathogenesis.