Differential impacts of various plant growth-promoting and osmotic tolerant bacterial strains on proline and sugar accumulation to enhance stress adaptations in tea plants.

Drought stress poses a severe threat to tea plantations globally, leading to a significant reduction in yields. Use of plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) has emerged as a promising strategy to alleviate the detrimental effects of water stress. This study investigates nine distinct bacterial strains, isolated from a drought-prone region in North-East India, for their plant growth-promoting (PGP) traits and their ability to mitigate osmotic stress.

The Biological Effects of Polystyrene Nanoplastics on Human Peripheral Blood Lymphocytes.

Environmental exposure to microplastics (MPs) and nanoplastics (NPs) is an increasing concern from human health perspectives. Little information on the genotoxic and cytotoxic potential of NP particles in human cells is available. We aimed to assess the cytotoxic and genotoxic potential of polystyrene nanoplastics (PSNPs) at different concentrations (2000μg/mL, 1000μg/mL, and 500μg/mL) by using chromosomal aberration (CA) and cytokinesis-block micronucleus assays (CBMN) on human peripheral lymphocytes.

Global emergence of West Nile virus: Threat & preparedness in special perspective to India.

West Nile virus (WNV) is a mosquito-borne single-stranded RNA neurotropic virus within the family Flaviviridae. The virus was first reported in the West Nile province of Uganda in 1937. Since then, sporadic cases have been reported until the last two decades when it has emerged as a threat to public health.

Black tea bioactives as inhibitors of multiple targets of SARS-CoV-2 (3CLpro, PLpro and RdRp): a virtual screening and molecular dynamic simulation study.

The global pandemic due to the novel Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Corona Virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has taken more than a million lives. Lack of definitive vaccine/drugs against this highly contagious virus has accelerated exploratory research on novel natural and synthetic inhibitors. Tea is a rich source of bioactives and known to have antiviral properties.

Tea Bioactive Modulate Innate Immunity: In Perception to COVID-19 Pandemic.

Innate immunity impairment led to disruption in cascade of signaling pathways upregulating pro-inflammatory cytokines, diminish interferons, depleted natural killer cells and activate reactive oxygen species production. These conditions severely affected body's ability to fight against infectious diseases and also plays a pivotal role in disease progression. Here, in emphasis is on nutritional immunity for regulating effective innate immune response for combating against infectious diseases like novel coronavirus disease (COVID 19).

Theaflavins, polyphenols of black tea, inhibit entry of hepatitis C virus in cell culture.

The treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection by combination of direct acting antivirals (DAA), with different mode of action, has made substantial progress in the past few years. However, appearance of resistance and high cost of the therapy is still an obstacle in the achievement of the therapy, more specifically in developing countries. In this context, search for affordable antivirals with new mechanisms of action is still needed.

Pharmacodynamics of aminoglycosides and tetracycline derivatives against Japanese encephalitis virus.

Objective: To explore the antiviral activity of antibiotic compounds, mainly aminoglycosides and tetracyclines against Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) induced infection in vitro.

Methods: Antiviral activity were evaluated against JEV using cytopathic effect inhibition assay, virus yield reduction assay, caspase 3 level, extracellular viral detection by antigen capture ELISA and viral RNA levels.

Results: JEV induced cytopathic effect along with reduction of viral progeny plaque formation indicated antiviral potential of the compounds suggesting that antibiotics had broad spectrum activity.

Immunogenic potential and protective efficacy of formalin inactivated circulating Indian strain of West Nile virus.

Objective: To assess the best suitable condition for virus inactivation, and to study the immunogenic potential and protective efficacy of a circulating West Nile virus (WNV) strain in Assam.

Methods: Bulk preparation of circulating WNV: WNIRGC07 (GeneBank ID: HQ246154), was undertaken in a bioreactor using cytodex-1. Virus Inactivation was done in three different conditions; 22 °C, 4 °C and room temperature.