Presidency University, Kolkata

Natural products originating from microorganisms have been an important source of many successful lead molecules in the drug discovery and development process. The technological advances in analytical instrumentation and the development of various omics methodologies have provided new opportunities to accelerate the discoveries of new lead structures of microbial origin. Metabolomics is a rapidly emerging omics-based platform for the identification of diverse microbial metabolites on a large scale. The chapter emphasizes the importance of microbial metabolomics in identifying bioactive compounds and provides a general overview of the standard workflow of mass spectrometry (MS) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy-based metabolomics to identify large numbers of metabolites from cells. In addition, the chapter focuses on the synergistic use of multi-omics approaches—genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics—in the discovery of novel drug molecules from microbial sources. Special attention is given to how integrative omics techniques improve the identification and characterization of microbial natural products, including how genomics and metabolomics or transcriptomics and metabolomics work together to guide the discovery process. The synergistic use of multiple omics techniques in identifying the microbial targets to treat infectious diseases is also highlighted.

This study investigates pattern generation by selective surface modification through the analysis of individual machining parameters and Multi Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) method specifically TOPSIS to optimize output parameters based on the weightage of the responses. The results reveal that TWR and MDR rise with I p and T on at any CL of the green compact tool. Similarly, the Ra and ED increase with an increase in I p and T on at any CL setting. With equal weightage for all responses, the optimal setting is at CL 10 ton, I p 3 A, T on 400 µs, resulting in TWR 75.19 mg/min, MDR 6.59 mg/min, Ra 6.10 µm and ED 49.53 µm. Whereas, for weightage of 40% for Ra and ED and 10% for TWR and MDR, the optimal setting is CL 15 ton, I p 2 A, T on 100 µs, with TWR 50.21 mg/min, MDR 1.95 mg/min, Ra 3.67 µm and ED 35.44 µm. Surface characterization via FESEM confirms particle transfer and clustering under low-energy conditions, while random deposition occurs at higher energy levels. EDS and mapping analysis further confirm tool particle transfer, which enhances mechanical and physical properties.

By a result of D. Wigner, an irreducible unitary representation with non-zero $(\mathfrak {g},K)$-cohomology has trivial infinitesimal character, and hence up to unitary equivalence, these are finite in number, by a result of Harish-Chandra. We have determined the number of equivalence classes of these representations and the Poincaré-Hodge polynomials of cohomologies of these representations for the Lie group $S{O_0}(2,m)$ for any positive integer m. We have also determined, among these, which are discrete series representations and holomorphic discrete series representations.

Industry 5.0 is the key to a revolution in the banking industry. The driving forces are the Internet of Things (IoT) and fifth-generation (5G) high-speed communication technology. The article aims to propose a 5GIoT business model in the banking revolution with a neuro-fuzzy technique that will enhance banking services and operations. The developed model is based on the online survey of numerous customer categories, including international and national bankers, students, IT professionals, housewives and others. The survey’s data is used to verify the banking business model using Machine Learning (ML) & Neuro-fuzzy techniques. The fuzzy belongingness of each indicator strengthens the weights of the neural network. This developed model deals with instant loans, collateral monitoring, overspending by banks, Credit cards, Card readers, Automated Trailer Machines (ATM), Real-Time Data Sharing and online payments easily. The ML model is fed with 403 survey data and performs well, with an accuracy of 79.2% on the Python platform. The research proposes a banking business model that will make the banking system smarter concerning the smart customer with real-time data sharing.

MicroRNAs are a subtype of small non coding RNAs, 22–24 nucleotides long and play a pivotal role in the gene expression at the post transcriptional level. miRNAs are known to get dysregulated in many diseases including cancers, making miRNAs a promising target for cancer therapy. One such microRNA miR-23b, plays a very crucial role in different cancers like breast cancer, lung cancer, gastric cancer, cervical cancer, osteosarcoma, etc. The two mature forms of miR-23b i.e., miR-23b-3p and miR-23b-5p has different expression pattern that varies from cancer to cancer. This review focuses on the role of miR-23b in cervical cancer (CC) and modulation of the various oncogenic pathways viz., cell cycle, proliferation, metastasis, cell death, etc. miR-23b is reported to get downregulated in CC. CC being the 4th most highly diagnosed cancer and cancer related female mortality across the globe. CC is mainly caused due to the human papilloma virus, especially HPV 16 and 18 variants. The HPV16 E6 protein upon integration into human genome causes the upregulation of DNA methyltransferase enzyme (DNMT1) which further methylates miR-23b and causes its downregulation in CC. It further affects the regulation of many downstream genes like c-MET, ZEB1, SIX 1, CDH1, ALDH1, etc. eventually altering the cellular proliferation, metastasis, tumorigenesis and cellular resistance to various cancer therapies. Thus miR-23b is a very promising biomarker for CC treatment. Work flow of the bioinformatic study showing the role of miR-23b in cervical cancer

Increasing concentrations of oxygen in the early atmosphere contributed to the development of the Earth’s ozone shield and thus ushered in the growth of photoautotrophs. The proliferation of multicellular life is linked with the rise of atmospheric oxygen, known as the Great Oxidation Event (GOE). However, it has become evident that the permanent trend of rising oxygen in the atmosphere was preceded by multiple fluctuations. It is imperative to gather information from immediate pre- and post-GOE successions for constraining this transformation. The greenstone successions from > 3.8 Ga to the Archean-Proterozoic transition are important candidates for deciphering the evolution of the atmosphere and hydrosphere. The Archean Singhbhum craton, eastern India, hosts a well-preserved low-grade greenstone succession, the Western Iron Ore Group (W-IOG), containing banded iron formations (BIF) from pre-GOE stratigraphy. We report here zircon U–Pb LA-ICPMS age of ~ 2500 Ma from felsic tuff below the BIF and detrital zircon age of ~ 2730 Ma from underlying sandstones that constrain the age of the younger cycle of BIF deposition in the W-IOG as Neoarchean grading into the Paleoproterozoic. The newly reported Neoarchean to Paleoproterozoic age of the W-IOG provides potential opportunity for future research on the tempos and events immediately ahead of the GOE in the oceanic realm at the Archean-Proterozoic boundary.

Azomethine ylides are 1,3‐dipolar zwitterions typically used for constructing N‐heterocycles by 3+2‐cycloaddition reactions. We report here a pyridyl‐tethered isolable azomethine ylide (AY) that activates a series of H−E bonds (E═B, Si, Al, O) in FLP‐like fashion. The reactions are probed mechanistically by DFT calculations and each case appears to be distinct from others. While the HBpin activation is stepwise, the same of PhSiH3 is concerted. The AlH3 activation is also stepwise but takes place across the 1,5‐(C⁺/N⁻) dipole. The hydrolysis of AY fits better with a “relay” mechanism with two H2O molecules working in tandem. The B−B bond of B2pin2 is also cleaved but in an intriguingly different way, by delivering both the Bpin moieties at the carbenic site. Though the challenging H2 activation fails, a transfer hydrogenation of AY by NH3•BH3 is readily achieved. AY also undergoes cycloadditions with various dipolarophiles including unactivated alkene and alkynes. In this regard, AY makes an interesting distinction between CO2 and CS2 by staying inert to the former but easily cycloadding the latter. DFT analysis justifies this dichotomy by showing the cycloaddition of CO2 as thermodynamically disfavored.

Mps1 kinase plays important roles in regulating centriole assembly, apart from its essential role in spindle assembly checkpoint. Here we report a novel mode of regulating centrosomal Mps1 level, which is governed by its own catalytic activity that promotes its degradation at centrosomes. A kinase‐dead mutant of Mps1 or catalytically inactive Mps1 due to treatment with a specific kinase inhibitor is protected from degradation at centrosomes. This autoregulatory mode of controlling Mps1 activity at centrosomes likely restricts excess centriole production in a dividing cell.

Nanoemulsions are tiny mixtures of water and oil stabilized by surfactants, and they have become increasingly popular across various industries, including medicine. With droplet sizes in the nanometer scale, these mixtures are both compact and effective. This discussion explores the potential of polysaccharide‐based nanotechnology as an innovative approach to drug delivery. Nanoemulsions offer several benefits, such as enhanced drug solubility and bioavailability, which are crucial for drugs that poorly dissolve in water. The incorporation of natural polysaccharides as emulsifiers in these nanoemulsions ensures their biocompatibility and safety within the body. Additionally, nanoemulsions can facilitate a sustained release of medications, allowing for gradual drug release over an extended period. This controlled release can be achieved through the careful selection and formulation of polysaccharides. This review addresses the methods for producing polysaccharide‐based nanoemulsions and examines their physical and chemical properties. It highlights the influence of polysaccharide molecular weight and structure on the stability of nanoemulsions and the effectiveness of drug encapsulation. By understanding these factors, researchers can develop more efficient and safe drug delivery systems utilizing nanoemulsions. Additionally, the present article provides explicit and thorough information about the use of NPLS‐based nano‐carriers encapsulating a number of drugs designed to treat a variety of conditions, such as diabetes, cancer, HIV, malaria, cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, and skin diseases. For this reason, it is very important to review the most recent developments in polysaccharide‐based nano‐biocarriers in drug delivery and their application in the treatment of diseases. In this work, we concentrated on the preparation of polysaccharide‐based nano‐biocarriers, commonly used polysaccharides for the preparation of nano‐biocarriers, and drugs loaded on polysaccharide‐based nano‐biocarriers to treat diseases. In the near future, polysaccharide‐based nano‐biocarriers will be used more and more frequently in drug delivery and disease treatment.

Metabolic disorders such as diabetes, hypertension, obesity, and lipid abnormalities (DHOL) demand early, non-invasive detection to mitigate health risks. This study introduces a gold-coated photonic crystal fiber (PCF) surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensor optimized for the near-infrared (NIR) spectrum (700–2500 nm), leveraging deeper tissue penetration and reduced scattering. The sensor design employs a quasi-honeycomb air-hole configuration in fused silica, coated with a 50 nm gold layer, to enhance refractive index (RI) sensitivity through localized SPR. Finite element simulations in COMSOL Multiphysics demonstrate strong coupling between the HE11-like core mode and surface plasmon polaritons, achieving resonance shifts proportional to biomarker concentrations. Key biomarkers (glucose, angiotensin II, leptin, cholesterol) were detected with sensitivities exceeding 92% and specificities above 90%, validated via a confusion matrix. A deep neural network (DNN) was integrated to predict optical parameters (core loss, confinement loss) from simulation data, reducing computation time by 99.99% compared to COMSOL. The DNN achieved mean absolute errors below 0.10 for core power and confinement loss predictions, enabling real-time analysis. This work bridges plasmonics, photonic engineering, and machine learning, offering a rapid, highly sensitive tool for metabolic disorder monitoring.

We report here our priorly nurtured bifunctional imidaozlium-phenol LH2Br ([HO-4,6-tBu2-C6H2-2-CH2{CH(NCH=CHNAr)}]Br; Ar = Dipp = 2,6-iPr2-C6H3) leading to three distinct outcomes with bismuth by simply altering the relative ratios of the...

Azomethine ylides are 1,3‐dipolar zwitterions typically used for constructing N‐heterocycles by 3+2‐cycloaddition reactions. We report here a pyridyl‐tethered isolable azomethine ylide (AY) that activates a series of H−E bonds (E = B, Si, Al, O) in FLP‐like fashion. The reactions are probed mechanistically by DFT calculations and each case appears to be distinct from others. While the HBpin activation is stepwise, the same of PhSiH3 is concerted. The AlH3 activation is also stepwise but takes place across the 1,5‐(C+/N−) dipole. The hydrolysis of AY fits better with a ‘relay’ mechanism with two H2O molecules working in tandem. The B−B bond of B2pin2 is also cleaved but in an intriguingly different way, by delivering both the Bpin moieties at the carbenic site. Though the challenging H2 activation fails, a transfer hydrogenation of AY by NH3•BH3 is readily achieved. AY also undergoes cycloadditions with various dipolarophiles including unactivated alkene and alkynes. In this regard, AY makes an interesting distinction between CO2 and CS2 by staying inert to the former but easily cycloadding the latter. DFT analysis justifies this dichotomy by showing the cycloaddition of CO2 as thermodynamically disfavored.

In our pursuit to explore the supramolecular properties and biological activities of metal-based complexes, a novel Hg(II) complex 1 having spodium bonds was synthesized in good yields from a o-nitrobenzaldehyde isonicotinoyl hydrazone (HL) ligand in methanol. Hg(II) complex 1 exhibits a 1D chain, constructed exclusively through N3-H3NÁ Á ÁO3 hydrogen bonding interactions. Furthermore, the 1D chain is strengthened by OÁ Á Áp and pÁ Á Áp stacking contacts, contributing to the overall stability of the structure. The crystal packing in Hg(II) complex 1 was explicated using supramolecular studies, revealing the existence of two types of intriguing HgÁ Á ÁI spodium bonds. HgÁ Á ÁI spodium bonds have also been assessed and described by employing density functional theory (DFT) computations. The anisotropic character of the Hg center and its function in controlling the geometry and strength of the spodium bonding contacts in Hg(II) complex 1 are highlighted by the variation in electrostatic potential (ESP) magnitudes. Hirshfeld surface (HS) and two-dimensional fingerprint plot analyses offered a further method for quantifying the HgÁ Á ÁI spodium bonding and hydrogen bonding in Hg(II) complex 1. Moreover, the antibacterial properties of Hg(II) complex 1 and the ligand (HL) against Gram-positive bacterial strains (Mammaliicoccus lentus, Staphylococcus cohnii, Corynebacterium stationis, and Bacillus cereus) and Gram-negative bacterial strains (Enterobacter cloacae, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Salmonella enterica, and Shigella sonnei) were assessed.

Objective: Flavonols have different pharmacological actions that render them highly promising therapeutic targets. However, their water solubility and bioavailability are low, which restricts their therapeutic potential. ABNPs, albumin-based nanoparticles, are potential nanocarriers that enhance flavonol solubility, stability, and targeted delivery. By utilizing ABNPs, in this work we provide a detailed overview of strategies employed to attain maximum bioavailability of poorly water-soluble flavonols. The review critically evaluates ABNP-mediated delivery's pharmacokinetic advantage, physicochemical properties, and formulation principles. We also highlight existing gaps in research, such as the need for stringent in vivo validity tests, standardized formulation procedures, and in-depth mechanistic understanding of flavonol-albumin interactions. Significance: Despite having potential therapeutic activities, the utilization of flavonoids in the form of medication is limited. Some recent studies have shown that flavonoids exhibit low solubility, low permeability and chemical instability, thereby limiting their bioavailability and therapeutic responses. Methods: To overcome these drawbacks, multiple novel drug delivery approaches have emerged in the pharmaceutical research. Results: These novel approaches seem to offer a viable foundation for improving the bioavailability of the flavonoids and positioning them as viable therapeutic options. Out of all the polymers implemented in enhancing the solubility and bioavailability of the flavonoids, albumin-based nanomaterials have been the most efficacious one. Conclusion: Compared to all other polymeric nano-carriers, albumin nano-carriers offer a greater scale of drug entrapment and drug loading because of their capacity for surface modification, crosslinking, conjugation, coupling, and characteristics including biodegradability and biocompatibility.

Micronutrient deficiencies may lead to pathophysiological conditions and worse quality of life, making them crucial for overall health at all stages of life. Effective approaches are needed to track each person’s micronutrient status and enhance evidence-based recommendations for communities. Measuring food intakes for research and monitoring is also complex and prone to inaccuracy. Here, we describe different methods of micronutrient analysis and dietary assessment tools which are very important for both nutritional status assessment and nutrition research.

Hepatitis C viral infections are a leading cause of long‐term liver disease and hepatocellular cancer in drug addicts and other at‐risk people, including those who require frequent blood transfusions. Current drug treatments are expensive and have numerous side effects; hence, more affordable treatment plans are required. Furthermore, there are not any preventives in the market. HCV comes in 8 genotypes, and the prevalence of genotypes varies worldwide. Hence, affordable, pangenotypic preventives are needed. In this study, we selected 83 natural compounds that have been shown to have anti‐HCV properties. In silico screening was done via docking assays to check whether any of these compounds could potentially bind to the receptor interaction site of surface protein‐E2 of genotypes 1a, 1b, 2a, 3a, and 3b. From the binding energies, five compounds were selected that exhibited pangenotypic effects. MD simulation was conducted on these compounds to assess their interaction properties. ADME properties and further drug likeliness revealed one of the compounds, Terfenadine, to be similar to an anti‐allergy drug, Fexofenadine. To assess in vitro validation, a binding assay was set up using E2‐GFP expressed in HEK293T cells with the primary receptor CD81. It was observed that Terfenadine (used as the derivative Fexofenadine) could inhibit an interaction between CD81 and E2. We conclude that there is potential for Terfenadine/fexofenadine to be effective as a preventive against the HCV genotypes 1a, 1b, 2a, 3a, and 3b. Further clinical validation is required to confirm these findings.

Since 2011, West Bengal has experienced a significant political transformation with the rise of the Trinamool Congress (TMC). The existing literature examines TMC's politics through a number of prisms such as populism, welfarism and clientelism, focusing on the charismatic leadership and populist govern-ance model. This article offers a distinct contribution by focusing on the class composition of TMC's elites. Employing a mixed-method approach, the article analyses the socioeconomic profiles of TMC candidates contesting in state elections using data on caste, occupation, education and wealth. It reveals a significant shift in political leadership, characterized by the increasing representation of non-Brahmin forward castes and marginalized communities, alongside a rise in wealthy, business-oriented candidates. This emergent class, rooted in economic rather than cultural capital, reflects a broader socio-political change in the state. The article explores the implications of the increasing representation from non-forward non-corporate commercial class. It shows a complex interplay between political elites and policymaking, suggesting that the TMC's governance is shaped by the interests of its heterogeneous support base. Analysing state budgets (2016-2021), the study highlights the TMC's dual strategy: direct welfare transfers to cultivate clientelist voter relationships, and indirect investments in sectors like transport, real estate and retail trade to benefit the emergent commercial elites. This dual approach underscores the entrenchment of a new political-economic regime in West Bengal, where the TMC consolidates power by balancing populist welfare measures with the interests of a rising non-hegemonic commercial class.

The association between witnessing spousal violence (SV) as a child and the increased adult victimization is well-established, and explained in terms of neural adaptation. But establishing causation requires addressing issues of underreporting of both witnessing and facing violence, and endogeneity due to confounding variables. Moreover, the role of social pathways like nonrandom selection of partners also needs to be analyzed. Using India's Demographic Health Survey data (2019–2021), an endogenous treatment effects model is estimated allowing for different levels of predicted underreporting. Witnessing violence increases the chances of subsequent exposure to SV by 39–70% and may be explained in terms of assortative matching.