Essential Growth Research Articles

Cost-reduction strategy to culture patient derived bladder tumor organoids.

Organoids as self-organized structure derived from stem cells can recapitulate the function of an organ in miniature form which have developed great potential for clinical translation, drug screening and personalized medicine. Nevertheless, the majority of patient-derived organoids (PDOs) are currently being cultured in the basement membrane matrices (BMMs), which are constrained by xenogeneic origin, batch-to-batch variability, cost, and complexity. Besides, organoid culture relies on biochemical signals provided by various growth factors in the composition of medium. We propose sodium alginate hydrogel scaffold in addition to the fibroblast conditioned medium (FCM)-enriched culture medium that is inexpensive and easily amenable to clinical applications for the culture of bladder cancer PDOs. PDOs grown in sodium alginate and FCM based medium have proliferation potential, growth rate, and gene expression that are similar to PDOs cultured in BME. According to the results, sodium alginate has substantial mechanical properties and reduces variance in early passage bladder tumor organoid cultures collected from patients. Furthermore, using FCM based medium as an alternative solution to eliminate some essential growth factors can be considered, especially for low-resource situation and develop cost effective tumor organoids.

NEAT1 regulates BMSCs aging through disruption of FGF2 nuclear transport

BackgroundThe aging of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) impairs bone tissue regeneration, contributing to skeletal disorders. LncRNA NEAT1 is considered as a proliferative inhibitory role during cellular senescence, but the relevant mechanisms remain insufficient. This study aims to elucidate how NEAT1 regulates mitotic proteins during BMSCs aging.MethodsBMSCs were isolated from alveolar bone of human volunteers aged 26–33 (young) and 66–78 (aged). NEAT1 expression and distribution changes during aging process were observed using fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) in young (3 months) and aged (18 months) mice or human BMSCs. Subsequent RNA pulldown and proteomic analyses, along with single-cell analysis, immunofluorescence, RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP), and co-immunoprecipitation (Co-IP), were conducted to investigate that NEAT1 impairs the nuclear transport of mitotic FGF2 and contributes to BMSCs aging.ResultsWe reveal that NEAT1 undergoes significant upregulated and shifts from nucleus to cytoplasm in bone marrow and BMSCs during aging process. In which, the expression correlates with nuclear DNA content during karyokinesis, suggesting a link to mitogenic factor. Within NEAT1 knockdown, hallmarks of cellular aging, including senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP), p16, and p21, were significantly downregulated. RNA pulldown and proteomic analyses further identify NEAT1 involved in osteoblast differentiation, mitotic cell cycle, and ribosome biogenesis, highlighting its role in maintaining BMSCs differentiation and proliferation. Notably, as an essential growth factor of BMSCs, Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 (FGF2) directly abundant binds to NEAT1 and the sites enriched with nuclear localization motifs. Importantly, NEAT1 decreased the interaction between FGF2 and Karyopherin Subunit Beta 1 (KPNB1), influencing the nuclear transport of mitogenic FGF2.ConclusionsOur findings position NEAT1 as a critical regulator of mitogenic protein networks that govern BMSC aging. Targeting NEAT1 might offer novel therapeutic strategies to rejuvenate aged BMSCs.

Unlocking Digital Start-up Funding: How Innovation Intermediaries make It Happen. An Empirical Evidence from Italy

Start-ups are pivotal to the contemporary economy, yet securing essential growth capital remains a considerable challenge due to financial constraints arising from asymmetric information, regulatory frameworks and market conditions. Extant research has rigorously examined both traditional and non-traditional funding sources, addressing the myriad obstacles that entrepreneurs encounter when seeking finance. Despite substantial scholarly attention to the role of innovation intermediaries in supporting start-ups, there remains a paucity of understanding regarding their facilitation of access to both conventional and alternative finance. This study, through a comprehensive analysis of 157 Italian digital start-ups, elucidates that innovation intermediaries significantly enhance funding opportunities across diverse sources, including equity crowdfunding, venture capital and traditional bank loans. The findings contribute to the academic literature highlighting the crucial role of innovation intermediaries in shaping the financial ecosystem for digital start-ups, providing nuanced insights crucial for fostering sustainable growth and innovation.

Nucleus softens during herpesvirus infection.

Mechanical properties of the nucleus are remodeled not only by extracellular forces transmitted to the nucleus but also by internal modifications, such as those induced by viral infections. During herpes simplex virus type 1 infection, the viral regulation of essential nuclear functions and growth of the nuclear viral replication compartments are known to reorganize nuclear structures. However, little is known about how this infection-induced nuclear deformation changes nuclear mechanobiology. Our analyses showed that the nucleus softens during the infection. To understand why this happens, we used microscopy and computational methods to study how the mechanical components of the nucleus are modified during the infection. We discovered that the viral replication compartment occupying the nuclear center has a low biomolecular density compared to the centrally located euchromatin in noninfected cells. The nuclear lamina was also modified such that in the infection the amount of lamin proteins increased and the nuclear envelope had more outward curved regions and moved less in infection compared to noninfected cells. The computational modeling of virus-induced changes in cellular forces showed that the most probable cause for the decreasing nuclear stiffness is the removal of lamina-associated domains or the decrease in outward forces, such as reduced intranuclear osmotic pressure and cytoskeletal pull. The simulations showed that an increase in the nuclear envelope tension can occur with a decrease in nuclear stiffness. Based on these findings, we propose a mechanical model that explains mechanistic coordination between the nuclear deformation in infection and decreased nuclear stiffness.

Calcium Chloride vs. Mechanical Preparation of Fibrinogen-Depleted Human Platelet Lysate: Implications for Umbilical Cord Mesenchymal Stem Cell Culture.

Fetal bovine serum (FBS) has long been the standard supplement in cell culture media, providing essential growth factors and proteins that support cell growth and differentiation. However, ethical concerns and rising costs associated with FBS have driven researchers to explore alternatives, particularly human platelet lysate (HPL). Among these alternatives, fibrinogen-depleted HPL (FD-HPL) has gained attention due to its reduced thrombogenicity, which minimizes the risk of clot formation in cell cultures and enhances the safety of therapeutic applications. This study investigates two preparation methods for FD-HPL from human platelet concentrates: the calcium chloride method and a mechanical approach. The concentrations of critical growth factors, including vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), insulin-like growth factor (IGF), and keratinocyte growth factor (KGF), were evaluated for both methods. Additionally, the impact of FD-HPL on the proliferation and morphology of umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells (UC-MSCs) was assessed. The findings revealed that the calcium chloride method produced significantly higher concentrations of all measured growth factors compared to the mechanical method. Moreover, UC-MSCs cultured in calcium chloride-prepared FD-HPL exhibited enhanced cellular characteristics, including increased cell size, elongation, and improved overall morphology compared to those cultured in mechanically processed FD-HPL. These results indicate that the preparation method significantly influences the biological properties of HPL and the effectiveness of UC-MSC culture. The calcium chloride method emerges as a superior technique for producing FD-HPL, offering a promising alternative to FBS in regenerative medicine applications. This study underscores the importance of preparation methods in optimizing HPL for cell culture and therapeutic uses.

Microfluidic 3D printing hydrogels based on fish liver decellularized extracellular matrix for liver regeneration.

Liver tissue engineering offers potential in liver transplantation, while the development of hydrogels for scalable scaffolds incorporating natural components and effective functionalities is ongoing. Here, we propose a novel microfluidic 3D printing hydrogel derived from decellularized fish liver extracellular matrix for liver regeneration. By decellularizing fish liver and combining it with gelatin methacryloyl, the hydrogel scaffold retains essential endogenous growth factors such as collagen and glycosaminoglycans. Additionally, microfluidic-assisted 3D printing technology enables precise modulation of the composition and architecture of hydrogels to fulfill clinical requirements. Benefiting from the natural source of materials, the hydrogels exhibit excellent biocompatibility and cellular proliferation capacity for incorporating induced pluripotent stem cell-derived hepatocytes (iPSC-heps). Furthermore, the macroscopic architecture and biomechanical environment of hydrogels foster optimal functional expression of iPSC-heps. Importantly, post-transplantation, the hydrogels significantly enhance survival rates and liver function in mice with acute liver failure, promoting liver regeneration and repair. These findings suggest that microfluidic 3D printed hydrogels represent promising candidates for liver transplantation and functional recovery.

Role of platelet-rich fibrin in soft and hard tissue healing after impacted third molar surgery: A triple-blind split-mouth randomized controlled clinical trial.

Platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) enhances tissue healing by releasing essential growth factors. Surgical extraction of deeply impacted mandibular third molars poses a common challenge, often leading to significant defects at the distal root of the second molar. This study explored the role of PRF in soft and hard tissue healing after surgical extraction. This triple-blind, split-mouth, randomized controlled trial involved patients with bilateral impacted mandibular third molars. Single-stage surgical extraction was performed, and PRF was applied at one site while the other served as the control. Plaque index (PI), sulcus bleeding index (SBI), clinical attachment levels (CALs), postoperative pain, edema, tenderness, sensitivity, and bone level were assessed on day 1, day 3, first week, and first, third, and sixth months. Sixty-four (34 males and 30 females) patients were found eligible for assessment. The test group exhibited a significant decrease in mean pain scores compared to controls (P<0.001), notably resolving by one month. Edema scores were significantly lower in the test group at all intervals up to one month (P=0.045). Tenderness showed a significant difference at one week (P=0.001), resolving by three months. No significant hard tissue changes were noted (P=0.825). Significant benefits over postoperative pain, bleeding, tenderness, and initial sensitivity underscored the importance of PRF in soft tissue healing following impacted mandibular third molar extraction. However, no improvement in bone height outlined its limited potential in hard tissue regeneration over exposed root surfaces of the mandibular second molar.

Improvement of Dentin Growth Parameters (Beta-catenin, bFGF, CD105, and BMP4) with Propolis as Adjuvant in Dental Caries Treatment.

The purpose of the study was to evaluate the efficacy of calcium hydroxide (Ca(OH)2) and propolis in pulp capping for dental caries treatment, focusing on dentin growth parameters. The study also aims to determine the role of propolis as a natural adjuvant therapy in enhancing reparative dentin development while emphasizing the importance of proper technique and material preparation with markers for the expression of beta-catenin, bFGF, CD105, and BMP4. The left bottom molar teeth from 28 Wistar rats were divided into four groups. The first group, the control group, was given only aqua dest, and the second group received drilling treatment and additional therapies with Ca(OH)2 (Ca(OH)2) 0.625 μg. The third group was given drilling treatment and additional therapies with a combination of propolis with Ca(OH)2 0.781 μg until day 7. Finally, the fourth group received a combination of propolis with Ca(OH)2 0.781 μg until day 14. This research analyzed the expression of essential basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), CD105, beta-catenin, and bone morphogenetic protein 4 (BMP4). This research reports that the average expression of BMP4 and bFGF showed a significant result in treatment with additional therapies with propolis and Ca(OH)2. The experiment indicates that propolis and Ca(OH)2 could induce reparative dentine on days 7 and 14. Propolis as an adjuvant shows better reparative dental formation with improvement in the expression of bFGF and BMP4 in 14 days of therapy.

Drug resistance mechanism of anti-angiogenesis therapy in tumor.

Angiogenesis refers to the process of forming a new network of blood vessels from existing ones through the migration, proliferation, and differentiation of endothelial cells. This process is crucial for the growth and spread of solid tumors, particularly once the tumor volume exceeds 2 mm3, as the newly formed vascular network provides essential oxygen, nutrients, and growth factors to the tumor. Anti-angiogenesis therapy has become one of the commonly used targeted treatments for cancer in clinical practice. Bevacizumab, the first anti-angiogenesis drug, has been widely applied in the treatment of various solid tumors. However, due to acquired resistance, its efficacy is typically sustained for only 1 to 2 years. Despite the relative genomic stability of endothelial cells, which makes resistance less likely, various types of resistance phenomena have been observed in clinical practice, indicating that resistance to anti-angiogenic therapy remains a challenging research area. This review focuses on the latest advances in the mechanisms of resistance to anti-angiogenic therapy in tumors and explores new prospects for anti-tumor angiogenesis treatment, in order to provide strong theoretical support and guidance for clinical practice.

Exploring the Dynamic Link Between Trade Openness, External Debt, and Economic Growth in Sub-Saharan Africa: Challenges and Considerations

This study investigates the dynamic relationship between trade openness, external debt, and economic growth in Sub-Saharan Africa, focusing on the period from 1990 to 2023. The research examines how trade openness and external debt impact regional economic performance by employing Panel Autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) techniques utilizing the pool mean group and mean group estimator’s approach. The analysis reveals that while trade openness does not stimulate economic growth, external debt similarly has significant challenges, often hindering long-term development prospects within Sub-Saharan African countries. The findings underscore the importance of managing debt sustainably and aligning trade policies with growth-enhancing strategies. Additionally, human capital and institutional quality are essential endogenous growth factors that significantly influence economic growth in Sub-Saharan Africa. The study recommends that while trade openness alone may not directly drive economic growth, its benefits can be amplified by complementary strategies such as investing in human capital, technological adoption, and industrial policy. The study concludes with policy recommendations to enhance economic resilience and foster sustainable growth, such as attracting foreign direct investment, combined with infrastructure development and sound fiscal management.

Enhancing Animal Nutritional Security Through Biofortification in Forage Crops: A Comprehensive Review

Livestock nutrition is crucial for sustaining the health and productivity of farm animals, which are a cornerstone of the global food supply. Proper nutrition ensures that animals receive the necessary nutrients for essential bodily functions, growth, reproduction and lactation. Tailored, balanced diets that cater to the specific nutritional needs of different livestock species and their developmental stages also boost reproductive performance, leading to higher birth rates and healthier offspring. Conversely, inadequate nutrition can lead to stunted growth, diminished productivity, and increased vulnerability to diseases, ultimately resulting in significant economic losses. Nutritional imbalances among animals, especially in dairy goats and cattle, pose a significant challenge in livestock management. These disorders result from inadequate or imbalanced nutrient intake, leading to a range of metabolic and health issues. Fodders are essential to livestock nutrition, providing a balanced diet that supports overall animal health, growth and productivity. They are primary sources of energy, with grasses and cereals supplying carbohydrates needed for maintenance and production activities. Leguminous fodders like alfalfa and clover are rich in protein and crucial for muscle development, milk production and growth. Additionally, green fodders offer vital vitamins (A, D, E, K) and minerals such as calcium and phosphorus, which are necessary for various metabolic functions. The high fibre content in fodders aids in proper digestion and prevents digestive disorders. Overall, the review highlights the impact of various nutrient deficiencies on livestock, including the effects of anti-nutritional factors and the mechanisms of nitrate, oxalate and prussic acid toxicity in animals. It underscores the importance of agronomic bio fortification as a promising strategy to enhance the nutritional quality of fodder crops, thereby improving animal health and welfare, while also contributing to food security and sustainable agriculture.

Oncofetal MCB1 Is a Functional Biomarker for HCC Personalized Therapy.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the leading causes of cancer-related death worldwide and lacks biomarkers for personalized therapy. Herein, it is reported that MCB1 could be a novel oncofetal protein that is upregulated in the preneoplastic lesions and serum of early HCC patients. Functional studies reveal that MCB1 modulated p53 protein degradation to promote T-IC generation and drive HCC initiation. Furthermore, the MCB1/p53 axis is shown to determine the responses of hepatoma cells to conventional chemotherapeutics and predict transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) benefits in patients. Importantly, MCB1 can mediate sorafenib/lenvatinib resistance by downregulating two essential drug targets fibroblast growth factor receptor 1 (FGFR1) and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 3 (VEGFR3) expression in a proteasome-dependent manner. Patient-derived tumor organoids (PDOs), patient-derived xenografts (PDXs), and patient cohorts analysis suggested that MCB1 levels in HCCs may determine the distinct responses to conventional therapeutics and targeted drugs. Furthermore, treatment of targeted drugs-resistant HCC with adeno-associated virus (AAV) targeting MCB1 or a proteasome inhibitor restores targeted drug response, suggesting their clinical significance in HCC combinational therapy. In conclusion, these findings demonstrate that MCB1 could act as a driver for HCC initiation, a contributor to drug resistance, and a biomarker for individualized HCC therapy.

The use of seaweed in the production of ornamental plants

Ornamental plants play a crucial role in urban green spaces by enhancing aesthetic value and providing ecological and economic benefits. They help improve air quality, support biodiversity, and contribute to environmental purification. The horticultural industry benefits from cultivating ornamental plants, it faces challenges such as soil health and environmental pollution due to high-yielding cultivars and chemical fertilizers. To address these challenges, integrating sustainable practices, such as using seaweed as an organic fertilizer, can provide solutions. Seaweed, rich in essential nutrients and growth hormones, improves soil fertility, plant growth, and resilience against environmental stresses. Studies have shown its effectiveness in enhancing growth parameters, mitigating salinity stress, and increasing yield and quality in various ornamental plants. However, the response to seaweed varies across species and conditions. To optimize its use, tailored application rates, combined sustainable practices, and continuous monitoring are recommended. Further research is also needed to develop comprehensive guidelines for its application in ornamental plant production.

Diethyl aminoethyl hexanoate ameliorates salt tolerance associated with ion transport, osmotic adjustment, and metabolite reprograming in white clover

BackgroundSoil salinization is a serious environmental hazard, limiting plant growth and production in different agro-ecological zones worldwide. Diethyl aminoethyl hexanoate (DA-6) as an essential plant growth regulator (PGR) exhibits a beneficial role in improving crop growth and stress tolerance. However, the DA-6-regulated effect and mechanism of salt tolerance in plants are still not fully understood. The objective of current study was to disclose salt tolerance induced by DA-6 in relation to changes in water and redox balance, photosynthetic function, ionic homeostasis, and organic metabolites reprogramming in white clover (Trifolium repens).ResultsA prolonged duration of salt stress caused water loss, impaired photosynthetic function, and oxidative injury to plants. However, foliar application of DA-6 significantly improved osmotic adjustment (OA), photochemical efficiency, and cell membrane stability under salt stress. In addition, high salinity induced massive accumulation of sodium (Na), but decreased accumulation of potassium (K) in leaves and roots of all plants. DA-6-treated plants demonstrated significantly higher transcript levels of genes involved in uptake and transport of Na and K such as VP1, HKT8, SOS1, NHX2, NHX6, and SKOR in leaves as well as VP1, HKT1, HKT8, H+-ATPase, TPK5, SOS1, NHX2, and SKOR in roots. Metabolomics analysis further illustrated that DA-6 primarily induced the accumulation of glucuronic acid, hexanoic acid, linolenic acid, arachidonic acid, inosose, erythrulose, galactopyranose, talopyranose, urea, 1-monopalmitin, glycerol monostearate, campesterol, stigmasterol, and alanine.ConclusionsThe DA-6 significantly up-regulated transcript levels of multiple genes associated with increased Na+ compartmentalization in vacuoles and Na+ sequestration in roots to reduce Na+ transport to photosynthetic organs, thereby maintaining Na+ homeostasis under salt stress. The accumulation of many organic metabolites induced by the DA-6 could be attributed to enhanced cell wall and membrane structural stability and functionality, OA, antioxidant defense, and downstream signal transduction in leaves under salt stress. The present study provides a deep insight about the synergistic role of DA-6 in salt tolerance of white clover.

Whole cell affinity for 4-amino-5-hydroxymethyl-2-methylpyrimidine (HMP) in the marine bacterium Candidatus Pelagibacter st. HTCC7211 explains marine dissolved HMP concentrations.

Vitamin B1 is a universally required coenzyme in carbon metabolism. However, most marine microorganisms lack the complete biosynthetic pathway for this compound and must acquire thiamin, or precursor molecules, from the dissolved pool. The most common version of Vitamin B1 auxotrophy is for thiamin's pyrimidine precursor moiety, 4-amino-5-hydroxymethyl-2-methylpyrimidine (HMP). Frequent HMP auxotrophy in plankton and vanishingly low dissolved concentrations (approximately 0.1-50 pM) suggest that high-affinity HMP uptake systems are responsible for maintaining low ambient HMP concentrations. We used tritium-labelled HMP to investigate HMP uptake mechanisms and kinetics in cell cultures of Candidatus Pelagibacter st. HTCC7211, a representative of the globally distributed and highly abundant SAR11 clade. A single protein, the sodium solute symporter ThiV, which is conserved across SAR11 genomes, is the likely candidate for HMP transport. Experimental evidence indicated transport specificity for HMP and mechanistically complex, high-affinity HMP uptake kinetics. Km values ranged from 9.5 pM to 1.2 nM and were dramatically lower when cells were supplied with a carbon source. These results suggest that HMP uptake in HTCC7211 is subject to complex regulation and point to a strategy for high-affinity uptake of this essential growth factor that can explain natural HMP levels in seawater.

ISOLATION, IDENTIFICATION AND ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE PROFILES OF BACTERIA FROM SPOILED FRUITS IN RAWALAKOT DISTRICT POONCH, AZAD JAMMU AND KASHMIR

Fruits play a vital role in human diet by providing essential growth factors such as vitamins and minerals in daily diet which help to live healthy life. Bacteria are important factor for spoilage of fruits. Bacterial degradation first causes softening of tissues as pectin are degraded and the whole fruit may eventually degenerate into a slimy mass. Spoilage refers to any change in fruit condition in which fruit become unacceptable or undesirable for human use. Therefore present study was conducted at Rawalakot, District Pooch AJK, to identify the bacteria (E. coli and Staphylococcus aureus) from spoiled fruit samples as well as to determine the antimicrobial resistance pattern of these isolated bacteria using antibiotic disc diffusion method. For this purpose a total of 100 spoiled fruit samples (50 samples of spoiled apple and 50 samples of spoiled banana) were randomly collected from different locations of Rawalakot including Kharick, Kasaigali, D. Chowk, Nala Bazar and Supply Bazar by random sampling technique. Results of the study showed that out of 50 samples of Banana 25(50%) samples were positive for Staphylococcus aureus and 25(50%) were positive for E. coli. While among 50 samples of Apple 25(50%) were positive for E. coli and 25(50%) were positive for Staphylococcus aureus respectively. For antimicrobial susceptibility test disc diffusion method was followed. S. aureus from apple samples the highest resistance was observed for Sulphamethox 25(100%) and Cefoxtin 25(100%) while for banana the highest %age was recorded for Amoxicillin 25(100%) and Sulphamethox 25(100%) respectively. E. coli from apple samples strains were highly resistant to Erythromycin 22(88%), while for banana the highest percentage was recorded for Amoxicillin 23(92%) and Erythromycin 20(80%).

Optimizing workflow efficiency for analyzing low molecular weight endogenous peptides in colostrum.

Bovine milk and colostrum play pivotal roles in the nutritional support of both human and bovine infants. Colostrum, the initial milk secretion, is crucial for neonatal growth, providing essential nutrients, growth factors, immunity, and defense mechanisms through a diverse array of bioactive compounds, including bioactive proteins and peptides. Peptidomics, leveraging the potential health benefits of peptides derived from food and body fluids, has become prominent in contemporary research. Endogenous peptides (EPs) have gained notable scientific and commercial interest due to their potential biofunctional significance in areas such as immune health, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antihypertensive, and antioxidative studies. In this investigation, we aimed to extract and analyze low molecular weight EPs from colostrum using four distinct peptide extraction methods, previously employed for EPs extraction from other bodily fluids. The efficiency of these methods was systematically compared and analysed to identify the most effective extraction technique for maximizing the identification of low molecular weight EPs from colostrum. This study represents a pioneering effort as no prior research has systematically compared different extraction methods for low molecular weight EPs from colostrum. Given the unique physical and chemical composition of colostrum compared to milk and other body fluids, a comprehensive analysis of EPs extraction methods was deemed essential. In the present study, we successfully extracted over 3200 EPs from colostrum using trichloroacetic acid (TCA) and a molecular weight cut off (MWCO) extraction method. The findings of this study revealed the extraction of EPs from colostrum, demonstrating potential inherent bioactivities as predicted by in silico tools.

Role of Seaweed extracts for plant disease management

Seaweeds are the essential plant growth bio-stimulants due to their high composition of phenols, flavonoids, polysaccharides and antioxidant compounds. Seaweed extracts stimulated the seed yield, seed germination, plant growth parameters, biometric attributes, thousand grain weight, plant height, protein and fat composition in Agricultural and Horticultural crops which were increased. Foliar application, soil application or seed treatment of seaweeds against various phytopathogens including biotic such as fungi, bacterial, nematode and mesobiotic pathogens like viral diseases as well as insects has been confirmed by many scientific reports. They are mostly used as a powder and some times available also as a liquid form. They are having the mode of action of inducing systemic resistance, bio-protectant activity by induced or combined activity of microbial biota and enhancing crop yield. This review explains about the role of seaweed extracts for plant diseases management strategies.

Temporal regulation of BMP2 growth factor signaling in response to mechanical loading is linked to cytoskeletal and focal adhesion remodeling

Biophysical cues have the ability to enhance cellular signaling response to Bone Morphogenetic Proteins, an essential growth factor during bone development and regeneration. Yet, therapeutic application of Bone Morphogenetic Protein 2 (BMP2) is restricted due to uncontrolled side effects. An understanding of the temporal characteristics of mechanically regulated signaling events and underlying mechanism is lacking. Using a 3D bioreactor system in combination with a soft macroporous biomaterial substrate, we mimic the in vivo environment that BMP2 is acting in. We show that the intensity and duration of BMP2 signaling increases with increasing loading frequency in synchrony with the number and size of focal adhesions. Long-term mechanical stimulation increases the expression of BMP receptor type 1B, specific integrin subtypes and integrin clustering. Together, this triggered a short-lived mechanical echo that enhanced BMP2 signaling even when BMP2 is administered directly after mechanical stimulation, but not when it is applied after a resting period of ≥30 min. Interfering with cytoskeletal remodeling hinders focal adhesion remodeling verifying its critical role in shifting cells into a state of high BMP2 responsiveness. The design of biomaterials that exploit this potential locally at the site of injury will help to overcome current limitations of clinical growth factor treatment.

Trichoderma role as an essential plant growth promotion-a review

In the world, pest infestation is responsible for 70% or more of per cent losses in agricultural productivity, and mycopesticide can provide an alternative option to pest control option as an alternative to synthetic pesticides. Trichoderma is a genus of fungal species, and Trichoderma viride is one of the known fungal species in categories that exhibit biocontrol mechanisms since it is well-identified for 100% effectiveness in pest control. The mycelium of T. viride has shown its capabilities for the production of various types of enzymes, including cellulases and chitinase, with degradation capability for celluloses and chitin polymers, respectively. It is ubiquitous in nature. It is widely used for the management of crop diseases and is basically soil-borne, but it is also foliar. Trichoderma has shown its potential due to diversity, ecology, and application. The mechanism of action includes competition, production of different metabolites, induced resistance and enzymes, etc. There are several commercial formulations available all over the world that are used against crop diseases. Trichoderma, due to its potential for degradation capability, can be utilised from waste to wealth. Later on, with the development of more research on Trichoderma, various utilities were found. This includes its effective control against harmful insects in agricultural as well as health sectors. It also can detoxify the heavy metals. In the health sector, continuous exploration of its benefits for drug discovery is being done. As a whole, it can be considered soil gold and a promising future beneficial microbe.