Defence Life Science Journal

Modern Approaches to Combat Antimicrobial Resistance: A Review

Rajesh Kumar Vaid, Alka Nokhwal, Upender ., Sudesh Kumar, Taruna Anand — Tue, 08 Jul 2025 00:00:00 +0530

The world has taken cognizance of the emergence of the threat of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria in a big way and has recognised the limited antimicrobial options before mankind. The ubiquity of bacteria and their role in our lives makes it urgent for us to solve this problem in a multifaceted manner. As the development of novel antimicrobials is few and difficult to come by, we need to manage our present antimicrobial arsenal prudently and also manage antimicrobial-resistant bacterial infections by applying various alternatives available in the scientific field to treat the diseases. An excellent option is to use new and old clinical therapeutic techniques and molecules to control AMR. Different strategies such as the application of bacteriophages alone and in combination with nano-based and liposomal delivery systems, and the usage of molecular adjuvants and probiotics can fight directly and indirectly against AMR bacteria. In addition, biological molecules such as monoclonal antibodies, vaccines, stem cells, and antimicrobials in conjunction with bacteriophages can be game changers in mitigating the emerging antimicrobial resistance pandemic.

Wastewater: A Reservoir of Antibiotic Resistance - Exploring the Impact on Public Health and the Environment

AMIT PATNAIK, Soumya Basu, L. Ponoop Prasad Patro, Duryodhan Sahu — Tue, 08 Jul 2025 00:00:00 +0530

Human waste carries more than just waste; it houses a hidden world of microorganisms, including some alarming residents: Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria (ARB). The overuse of antibiotics in medicine has fueled the rise of these “superbugs” in wastewater, posing a double threat to both human health and the environment. For humans, ARB in wastewater directly translates to infections that are harder to treat with traditional antibiotics. This especially concerns children, the elderly, and individuals with weakened immune systems. Beyond humans, ARB can contaminate water, soil, and food, potentially disrupting ecosystems and harming aquatic life. The impact does not stop there. ARB in agriculture can infect livestock, jeopardizing food safety and productivity. This, in turn, affects tourism, trade, and various other sectors. Confronting this challenge requires a multi-pronged approach. Regular monitoring of water, soil, and food helps identify contamination early. Tracking infectious diseases and antibiotic resistance patterns allows for targeted interventions. Ultimately, effective wastewater treatment and responsible antibiotic use are key to curbing the rise of these superbugs and safeguarding our health and the environment.

Integration of Allelopathy for Sustainable Weed Management in Agriculture: A Review

Ipsita Priyadarsini Samal, Sameer Jena, B. Jyotirmayee, Gyanranjan Mahalik — Tue, 08 Jul 2025 00:00:00 +0530

Inhibiting plant growth and development, weeds cause crop failure, causing a significant threat to agricultural output. Compared with any other pest, weeds reduce agricultural yields. Consequently, synthetic herbicides have become widely used for weed control. However, the widespread use of synthetic herbicides affects ecosystems and human health. The numerous adverse effects of synthetic herbicides have prompted scientists to seek less harmful alternatives. It is possible to significantly decrease the use of pesticides by implementing the method, i.e., allelopathy. In writing this review, we aimed to help readers better understand many allelopathic species that produce useful allelochemicals for both organic and conventional farming. The main goal of this research topic is SDG 2: Zero Hunger. The objectives of this SDG are to improve nutrition, achieve food security, eradicate hunger, and advance sustainable agriculture. The study also helps to understand the dynamics of terrestrial ecosystems and the relationships between plant species, which are crucial for sustainable land management and agricultural productivity. It is secondary to SDG 15 (Life on Land). Allelopathy is becoming increasingly significant in sustainable agriculture despite these obstacles, providing a way to cut chemical inputs while still controlling weeds effectively. We expect that more studies will be conducted into allelopathy as a weed management strategy for a complete, long-term, and ecologically acceptable weed control plan.

Role of Personality Traits, Self-Efficacy and Procrastination on Cyberloafing Behavior: A Moderated Mediation Study

Tue, 08 Jul 2025 00:00:00 +0530

The internet has revolutionised the way work is carried out and has contributed significantly to the enhancement of organisations, employees and students. With time, internet usage in organisations and institutes has taken a new turn. One such concern of internet usage is cyberloafing. Cyberloafing has caused an obvious drop in employee and student productivity, and subsequently cost organisation much time and money. Studies have tried to identify factors that influence cyberloafing behaviours; however, have led to few inconclusive arguments. With a total sample size of 315 (females=181 and males=134), the present study aims to understand how self-efficacy mediates and procrastination moderates the relationship between personality traits and cyberloafing behavior. Using a survey research design, the data was collected through online and paper-pencil modes. Pearson’s product moment correlations and stepwise regression revealed that personality traits have connection with cyberloafing behavior. Moreover, moderated-mediation analysis showed that self-efficacy does not act as a mediator for personality traits (conscientiousness and extraversion) and cyberloafing. Similarly, procrastination too does not moderate the relation between the two variables. The present study sheds light on existence of cyberloafing at workplace and academics, and emphasises on the importance of understanding the factors influencing cyberloafing

Effects of Exercise, Games, and Dance on Trace Element Concentrations in Human Saliva

Manisha Yadav, Jyoti Yadav, Arup Giri — Tue, 08 Jul 2025 00:00:00 +0530

Physical activities and sports are an essential part of our life. The interest of the younger generation in physical health is rapidly increasing. Therefore, there is also a need to identify and correct sport-linked misbalances and mineral imbalances. Saliva is an easy-to-collect, harmless biological fluid that might help us. Exercise is known to affect the trace elements level in biological substances. We aimed to highlight the significance of saliva as a mineral status biomarker. Sixty-eight healthy subjects participated in the study. Twenty-nine participants performed exercises, 26 played cricket games, and 13 participated in dance activities. Saliva samples were taken just before and after all three activities. Sixteen elements were analysed through inductively coupled plasma‒mass spectrometry (ICP‒MS). Among the 16 elements, four, namely, sodium (Na), boron (B), potassium (K), and iron (Fe), significantly varied. A substantial increase in trace element concentrations in saliva (p < 0.05) was observed after games (Fe), dances (Na, K, and Fe), and exercise activities (p < 0.05) (B, Na, and K). A significant decrease (p < 0.05) in the trace element concentration in saliva was observed after cricket (B) activity, and a significant reduction (p < 0.05) in the Fe concetration was observed after exercise activity. Our study highlights the use of saliva as a potential biomarker for mineral status evaluation. Saliva might be a beneficial tool for correcting mineral-associated imbalances in sports. If we successfully identify mineral deficiency through saliva, then there are also chances to diagnose mineral-based deficiency diseases at an early stage. To achieve this goal, further detailed research is needed. More research with a large population size is needed, considering the effects of changes in the intensity and regularity of physical activities on saliva composition and the associations of trace elements with health conditions.

Improvement in Seed Performance and Fruit Yield through Seed Nano-Priming with Silver Nanoparticles in Capsicum (Capsicum annum L.)

Rita Singh, Nirbhay Singh, Vikas Yadav Patade — Tue, 08 Jul 2025 00:00:00 +0530

The present study investigated the effects of seed nano-priming with bio-synthesised silver nanoparticles-SNP on germination, seedling establishment, and fruit yield in capsicum (Capsicum annum L.) cv. HC-201. Though nanoparticles are being developed for various potential applications, several concerns are related to their agricultural use. In the present study, seeds were treated by soaking with SNP solutions (25-1000 mg L-1) for 16 h before placing for germination. Seed pre-treatment with 200 mg L-1 SNP improved seed germination to 86.0+3.2 % over the control (66.7+3.2 %) and the other nano-priming treatments. The rate of germination was significantly (P ≤ 0.05) higher in the treated (Timson’s Index: 43.7+2.4) than in the control (Timson’s Index: 35.1+2.4) seeds. The pre-germination treatment also enhanced germination potential and emergence index. Seedling development was better in seeds treated with 200 mg L-1 SNP (53.3+3.2 %) than in the control (42.0+3.2 %). However, the higher concentrations of SNPs inhibited seed germination parameters. Pre-treatment with 75 mg L-1 SNP for 16 h resulted in higher fruit yield (170.9+16.5 g) over the control (141.4+16.5 g) and other treatments. Thus, the results revealed improved seed germination, seedling growth, and fruit yield in response to pre-treatment with 75-200 mg L-1 SNP in capsicum.

Phytochemical Evaluation and GC-MS Analysis of Leaf Extract of Manihot Esculenta Crantz

Barsha Sarma, Kakali Deka, Tapashi Sutradhar, Sonot Deori, Mridul Kr Borthakur — Tue, 08 Jul 2025 00:00:00 +0530

Plants contain a variety of bioactive compounds which makes them an important foundation of pharmaceutical research. Manihot esculenta Crantz is a perennial shrub with medicinal prospects. The current research was conducted to qualitatively estimate the phytochemicals and Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectroscopy analysis of its methanol extract to identify the compounds present. The qualitative phytochemical estimation was done using standard tests. The GC-MS study of the methanolic extract was done following standard protocol. The phytochemical analysis detected alkaloids, flavonoids, saponins, phenols, steroids, tannins, carbohydrates, glycosides, triterpenoids, ketones, and proteins. A total of 24 bioactive compounds were revealed through GC-MS analysis, including hentriacontane, tetrapentacontane, 1,54-dibromo-, dotriacontyl isobutyl ether, 3-methyl-2-(2 oxopropyl) furan, 4-dodecene-6,8,10-triyn-3-one, (e)-, z,z-6,27-hexatriactontadien-2-one, cholest-5-en-3-ol (3.beta.)-, and propanoate. The findings of this study support its traditional use in management of diabetes. Nevertheless, more research is needed to determine the specific mechanism of action and to characterise the active chemicals found in the extract.

Effect of Packaging Material on Moisture Migration and Textural Attributes of Bread During Storage

Tue, 08 Jul 2025 00:00:00 +0530

Bread as a commodity is included in the special inventory of Defence Forces, particularly as a morning or evening snack item. The present investigation pertains to the studies on the effect of various packaging materials, e.g. metalized polyester (MP-99.8 µm), low-density polyethylene with lower thickness (LDPE-1-78.33 µm), multi-layer flexible pouches (MLFP-106.2 µm), low-density polyethylene with higher thickness (LDPE-2-125.12 µm), and paper foil polyethylene (PFP-124.6 µm) on textural attributes of bread. Textural properties were significantly influenced by the change in moisture content which was clearly shifted from crumb to crust to the extent varying from -25.89% to +24.90% in LDPE-2; -29.11% to +29.77% in MP; -22.22% to +21.11%; in MLFP; -19.46% to +19.67% in PFP; -20.42% to +20.55% in LDPE-1 at the end of its expected shelf-life i.e. five days. Though overall bread moisture content was not much affected in PFP and MP, the marked difference was primarily observed in the case of bread packed in LDPE-2, LDPE-1, and MLFP. This difference may be attributed to the thickness and permeable properties of the packaging material used for the study. The hardness and resilience of samples depicted opposite trends, respectively, during their storage. The current study gives insight into physicochemical changes occurring in the bread system when variety commonly practiced packaging materials is used and a perspective strategy for its extended life during varied field conditions.

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Wed, 09 Jul 2025 00:00:00 +0530