AN ANALYSIS OF EXPERIENCES AND PROBLEMS FACED BY THE DENTISTS DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC: A QUESTIONNAIRE-BASED SURVEY

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 pandemic started in December and spread around the globe in a few months. Nosocomial transmission of this virus shut down the dental clinics and creates many problems for patients. This study was designed to assess the experiences and problems faced by the dentist during the pandemic. The was a cross sectional questionnaire-based survey conducted in different dental sectors of Lahore. The questionnaire was distributed through online Microsoft form and total of seventy-eight complete responses were received out of 156 dentists contacted.69.2 % of participants reported that they stop taking appointments during the peaks of pandemic or have planned to stay at home till the end of the pandemic where 27% claimed to perform only emergency procedures. 86% of dentists reported having difficulty finding PPE and 97% had to buy it at a much higher cost. Dentists (96%) also reported that they are facing a significant decrease in income and needed some other source of income. Regarding financial issues they did not get any government support.The COVID-19 pandemic has a significant impact on dentistry. Most dental clinics remained closed, placing a financial burden on the dental profession. This burden was further increased as a result of the scarcity and high cost of PPE. There is a need for standardized protocols to prevent the spread of infection, and government agencies should also consider private clinics for funding and provision of low-cost PPE.

PHYTOCHEMICAL AND ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY ANALYSIS OF SWERTIA CHIRAYITA AND ARTEMISIA ABSINTHIUM PLANT EXTRACTS

The Swertia chirayita and Artemisia absinthium (Afsanteen) plants extracts were evaluated for phytochemicals and their antimicrobial activity against 3 bacteria and 2 fungal strains by using the disc diffusion technique. Phytochemical analysis showed the presence of tannins, flavonoids, saponins, and terpenoids in Swertia chirayita while in Artemisia absinthium only saponins, terpenoids were present. To a very small extent tannins were present in the ethanolic extract of Afsanteen. But both plant extracts gave negative results for the presence of cardiac glycosides. Antibacterial activity of Swertia chirayita and Afsanteen plant extracts were screened against 3 bacterial strains (E. coli, Bacillus subtilis, Pseudomonas syringola) and 2 fungal strains (Aspergillus niger and Fusarium Solani). Ampicillin was used as a standard drug for antibacterial and antifungal activity. Results showed that Afsanteen and chirayita extracts showed activity against bacterial strains except for chirayita n-hexane and ethanol extract for Bacillus subtilis and Chirayita n-hexane extract for Pseudomonas syringola. A maximum zone of inhibition was noticed for chirayita ethanol extract against Pseudomonas syringola. But both plant extracts showed zero activity against fungal strains except Chirayita acetone extract against Fusarium solani while chirayita ethanol extract against Aspergillus niger. Both extracts of plants gave concentration-dependent activity. It was concluded that the presence of antimicrobial activity for both plant extracts indicated that is due to the presence of phytochemical compounds.

ANTIBACTERIAL AND ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY OF KIWI FRUIT

The kiwi fruit has been drawing attention and a great deal of interest because of its health benefits. It is consumed in its natural form, while it is being presented in processed form by the food industry such as sweets, ice creams, frozen juice or pulp, and many other byproducts. The peel of kiwi fruit which is a byproduct of fruit is still under exploration, but it has raised much interest in this by-product because this has many bioactive molecule contents in it such as phenolic compounds. Kiwi fruit has shown antimicrobial activity apart from the antioxidant activity against many pathogenic bacteria i.e. Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, and Listeria monocytogenes as well as fungi like Penicillium funiculosum, Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus versicolor and Aspergillus ochraceus. With the presence of antibacterial, antifungal, and antioxidant activities in kiwi fruit, it may be used as a potential medicinal fruit.

MICROBIAL COMPOSITION OF PROCESSED FOODS

The higher hydrostatic pressure has been found as a high potential technique to safe microbiologically or protects and enhance the shelf life of foodstuffs. Microorganisms showed have different behavior under different types of high-pressure conditions. The higher pressure only can’t kill microbes because of the formation of highly stable or solid spores around bacterial cells; there is the use of synthetization therapy, pasteurization, sterilization under higher pressure and heat. The viruses showed fewer resistance against higher pressure and heat as compared to spores of bacteria which are much resistant than viruses. It can be abolished without eradicating contagion. The power detected antibodies leads to the chance of a vaccine creation. Depending on such factors, their reaction to pressure types is strain, operating climate, and substrate. The ability of what are the causes connect are needed to select optimal one food processing conditions.

ENZYME BIOCATALYSIS IN ORGANIC SYNTHESIS

The factor that makes enzyme biocatalysts for organic synthesis both fascinating and challenging from a scientific standpoint is the field's higher interdisciplinarity, and which necessitates expertise from a wide range of disciplines, including microbiology, organic synthesis, molecular biology, genetics, and reaction engineering. Enzymes can now carry out a wide variety of organic reactions, including hydrolytic reactions, redox reactions, and C-C bond formations, with higher performance. Enzyme catalysis has also evolved into a widely used manufacturing technology in the chemical industry, especially in the fields of fine organic chemicals and pharmaceuticals. More advances in molecular modeling for enzyme-catalysis syntheses are expected, allowing for a greater number of biocatalytic techniques based on the enzymes that have been optimized or engineered by rationalized protein engineering. The organic chemists mostly have successfully used these custom-made biocatalysts (the isolated pure enzymes, the recombinant genetically modified microorganisms, also known as the designer cells), an important milestone in the enzyme catalysis process in organic synthesis is into generally accepted synthetic technology for academia as well as industries.

GENETIC FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH MUTATIONS OF MOLECULAR MECHANISM AND DRUG RESISTANCE IN MYCOBACTERIUM TUBERCULOSIS

Mycobacterium tuberculosis shows drug resistance patterns (drug-resistance tuberculosis DR-TB) for strains that are induced with high mortality rates. Because this acid-fast bacterium resists extensively against drugs and masks their effects to control the disease. However, these chromosomal mutations and genetic factors lead towards recent anti-TB drug discoveries. Anti-TB regimens are dearth to control this pandemic problem due to the high prevalence of this disease. These situations are remarkably given new ray to discover newer drugs that target such bacilli strains genetic factors and mutations. Also, it provides molecular updates to the resistance mechanism of mutations and genetic factors as a basic target then screened-out recent new anti-TB agents to limit the MDR-TB.

BIOSYNTHESIS OF POLY (HYDROXYALKANOATES)

Bioplastics are biodegradable polymers that are made by bacterial cells, whose molecules have biochemical properties similar to petrochemical polymers as they are concentrated inside intracellular granules as a carbon and energy sources, and which then degrade in the environment as they get exposed to light. Bioplastics have desirable biodegradable and renewable qualities, sustainable qualities as well as alternatives to petroleum-based plastics, and is used due to much of its biodegradability and durability. Due to their vast usefulness, Poly Hydroxy Alkanoate (PHAs) and their derivatives are used in many different sectors, PHAs are the most biodegradable bioplastics found throughout the world. These polymers are generated by microorganisms through metabolic pathways that start with hydroxy-acyl-A and end with different types of acyl-A. Bioplastic polymers have chemical characteristics that differ in structural and physical properties which also differ due to the source of their polymerization microorganisms.

EFFECTS OF SEED PRIMING WITH SALICYLIC ACID ON ZEA MAYS SEEDLINGS GROWN UNDER SALT STRESS CONDITIONS

Maize crop is cultivated as the 3rd most important cereal crop after wheat and rice in Pakistan. As an exhaustive crop maize required all essential nutrients at all crop growth stages. Among essential nutrients nitrogen involved with the greenish colors of the vegetative parts, leaves production, branching and end up with drier biomass. Hydro-priming and osmo-priming are the commonly used priming techniques. In both techniques the seeds were soaked in treatments for overnight followed by air drying before sowing. To overcome several a-biotic stresses of field crops seed priming techniques have been used globally. The current study was planned to evaluate effect of different salt treatments on the growth traits of maize. Two maize verities Raka-Poshi and Pak-Afgoi were evaluated for the effect of salts stress on maize. Three salts ZnSO4, MgSO4 and NaCl were used @0.5 M and 0.25M solutions. Treatments used in the experiment were ZnSO4 (0.5M), ZnSO4 (0.25M), MgSO4 (0.5M), MgSO4 (0.25M), NaCl (0.5M), NaCl (0.25M), ZnSO4 (0.5M) + MgSO4 (0.5M), ZnSO4 (0.25M) + MgSO4 (0.5M), ZnSO4 (0.5M) + MgSO4 (0.25M), ZnSO4 (0.25M) + MgSO4 (0.25M), ZnSO4 (0.5M) + NaCl (0.5M), ZnSO4 0.25M + NaCl (0.5M), ZnSO4 (0.5M) + NaCl (0.25M), ZnSO4 (0.25M) + NaCl (0.25M), ZnSO4 (0.5M) + MgSO4 (0.5M) + NaCl (0.5M), ZnSO4 (0.25M) + MgSO4 (0.25M) + NaCl (0.25M). Maximum growth was observed in the plants that were primed with ZnSO4 used alone @ 0.5M and 0.25M or in combination with MgSO4. However, NaCl retard the growth of plant used alone or in combination with other salts. Seed priming by 30 mg/l salicylic acid solution not only found vital to enhance the uniform seed germination and rate of seed germination but also are environment friendly, simple, low cost low risk techniques and easily adoptable

ROLE OF CRISPR TO IMPROVE ABIOTIC STRESS TOLERANCE IN CROP PLANTS

The study for genetic variation in plant genomes for a variety of crops, as well as developments of genome editing techniques, have made it possible to cultivate for about any desired trait. Zinc finger enzymes; have made strides in genome-editing. Molecular biologists can now more specifically target every gene using transcription activator-like effector nucleases and ZFNs. These methods, on the other hand, are expensive and time-consuming because they involve complex procedures. Referring to various genome editing techniques, CRISPR/Cas9 genetic modification is simple to construct and clone and the Cas9 could be used with different guide RNAs controlling different genes. Following solid evidence demonstrations using the main CRISPR-Cas9 unit in field crops, multiple updated Cas9 cassettes are often used in plant species to improve target precision and reduce off target cleavage. Nmcas9, Sacas9, as well as Stcas9 are a few examples. Furthermore, Cas9 enzymes are readily available from a variety of sources. Bacteria that had never been discovered before has found solutions available to improve specificity and efficacy of gene editing techniques. The choices are summarized in this analysis to plant's experiment to develop crops using CRISPR/Cas9 technology; the tolerance of biotic & abiotic stress may be improved. These strategies will lead to the growth of non-genetically engineered crops with the target phenotype, which will further improve yield capacity under biotic & abiotic stress environments.

BIOSYNTHESIS OF POLYPHENOLS IN SALVIA SPECIES

Chinese Salvia Species also called as “sages” are known as full of polyphenols that are rich source of natural antioxidants which are used to decrease levels of free radicals. Caffeic acid is an antioxidant present in Salvia as a secondary metabolite in plant metabolism. Many species of this plant are used in the treatment of degenerative disorders like cancer due to its anti-inflammatory, anti-oxygenation, anti-tumor and cytotoxic properties. Because of these specific properties of salvia species it is used in food, cosmetics and pharmaceutical industries.