Extraction, characterization, and therapeutic potential of Omega-3 fatty acids from Belone belone skin

This study provides the fatty acid profile, presence of Omega 3 fatty acids (ω3FAs) and therapeutic potential of the skin of Garfish (Belone belone), a highly nutritious fish. The ω3FAs were obtained using the urea crystallization method and confirmed by UV VIS spectroscopy, HPLC, FT-IR, and NMR. Additionally, the therapeutic potential of the ω3FAs was assessed through antioxidant, antimicrobial, antibiofilm, and toxicity assays. The oil extracted from Garfish skin (GS) predominantly contains ω3FAs, palmitic acids, and oleic acids. The ω3FAs exhibit high anti-free radical activity and ferric reducing activity. It reduces nitric oxide production as well as lipid peroxidation under certain time. They also demonstrate effective antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pneumoniae. The biofilm formation is efficiently reduced by ω3FAs and eradication effects on biofilm are higher at 4000 µg/mL of concentration. When tested against brine shrimp larvae, ω3FAs were found to be non-toxic. The study indicates that GS skin oil contains a significant amount of omega-3 fatty acids and has potential therapeutic benefits due to its antioxidant and antibacterial properties, without causing any toxic effects. Omega-3 fatty acids have the potential to enhance the treatment of infections caused by harmful bacteria and their biofilm formation. Further research is needed to understand how omega-3 fatty acids work to kill bacteria and how they affect bacterial gene expression.

Inept N2 Activation of Tri-Nuclear Nickel Complex with Labile Sulfur Ligands Facilitates Selective N2 H4 Formation in Electrocatalytic Conversion of N2

Conversion of N2 to the energy vector N2 H4 under benign conditions is highly desirable. However, such N2 fixation processes are extremely rare. It has been recently reported that N2 to N2 H4 conversion can be achieved electrochemically by using a trinuclear [Ni3 (S2 C3 H6 )4 ]2- complex (named as [Ni3 S8 ]2- ). There are hardly any precedents of Nitrogen Reduction Reaction (NRR) by molecular catalysts having Ni and the highly unusual selectivity for N2 H4 over NH3 makes this electrochemical reduction unique. A systematic theoretical study employing calibrated Density Functional Theory to unearth the mechanisms of NRR (4e- /4H+ ) and Hydrogen Evolution Reaction (2e- /2H+ ) was conducted for the aforementioned trinuclear Ni complex. Our findings unravel a curious case of ligand lability working in tandem with metal centers in facilitating this unprecedented electrocatalytic activity. Furthermore, it is shown that the poor N-N bond activation property of Ni is responsible for this unusual selectivity. Additionally, the Hydrogen Evolution Reaction (HER) mechanistic pathways have also been delineated in this report. The mechanistic intricacies thus unearthed in this study may assist in developing more efficient electrocatalysts for N2 H4 production through NRR.

Invasion potential of the aquarium pet snail Planorbella trivolvis in India: impact of certain abiotic and biotic factors

Planorbella trivolvis (ramshorn snail) is one of India's most extensively sold exotic aquarium pet snails. The unintentional or deliberate release of P. trivolvis may result in the colonisation and establishment as an invasive snail in freshwater ecosystems. However, the successful invasion of P. trivolvis will depend on several abiotic and biotic factors of the concerned freshwater ecosystem. We have assessed the possibility of overcoming the opposing factors in P. trivolvis invasion through laboratory-based experiments and examined the effects of household-derived pollutants on egg hatchability, adult survivability and fecundity, and temperature (15 to 35 °C) on growth, sexual maturity, and reproduction. Additionally, we have evaluated the potential of native predators as biotic resistance to invasion by prey-choice experiment. The results indicated that egg hatchability, adult survivability, and fecundity were reduced with increasing pollutant concentration. However, the same traits did not differ from a native freshwater snail, Indoplanorbis exustus. The fecundity of P. trivolvis increased with increasing body size, but no considerable differences at different temperature levels suggest a wide range of adaptation to temperature. Faster growth and the requirement of comparatively few days to attain sexual maturity were observed in the higher temperatures. The native predators, Glossiphonia weberi and Diplonychus rusticus, avoided P. trivolvis as prey over the alternative prey snails in most instances, suggesting the masking of biotic resistance against the colonisation. Our observations indicate that the chance dispersal of P. trivolvis from household or commercial aquaria may lead to a possible invasion of freshwater ecosystems under suitable conditions.