The present study aims to assess the physicochemical properties and prevalence of microbial communities in soils samples collected from different locations of Cachar district, Assam, India. Bacterial communities in the soil were screened by morphological, biochemical and 16S rDNA sequence analysis and were identified as Bacillus megaterium, Bacillus cereus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Chromobacterium pseudoviolaceum. High concentrations of toxic metals negatively affect bacterial growth, and therefore, the minimum inhibitory concentration of isolated bacteria was determined against Cd, Pb, Fe and Cu by agar dilution technique. Co-resistance of antibiotic was also determined, which demonstrated that most of the metal-tolerant isolates were resistant to Methicillin and Penicillin. However, P. aeruginosa showed resistance to other antibiotics such as Cefdinir, Ampicillin, Kanamycin, Rifampicin and Vancomycin. The development and evolution of antibiotic resistance in soil bacteria occurs very likely naturally as a result of unethical and non-scientific disposal of toxic substances and industrial discharge, which also includes heavy-metal effluents and other clinical by-products. Therefore, pragmatic measures must be taken to limit the spread of antimicrobial resistance across the environment and to reduce the incidence of healthcare-associated infections.

Cancer patients frequently experience malnutrition. Cancer and cancer therapy effects nutritional status through alterations in the metabolic system and reduction in food intake. In the present study, fifty seven cancer patients were selected as subjects from the oncology ward of Cachar Cancer Hospital and Research Centre, Silchar, India. Evaluation of nutritional status of cancer patients during treatment was carried out by scored Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment (PG-SGA). The findings of PG-SGA showed that 15.8% (9) were well nourished, 31.6% (18) were moderately or suspected of being malnourished and 52.6% (30) were severely malnourished. The prevalence of malnutrition was highest in lip/oral (33.33%) cancer patients. The study showed that the prevalence of malnutrition (84.2%) was high in cancer patients during treatment.

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Objective The screening of traditional fermented products is essential for the assessment of safety, security and further development of functional foods for the well-being of human health. The aim of the present study was to isolate and identify bacteria from fermented raw milk samples that exhibit health benefit upon consumption. Method In order to confirm the isolates as probiotics, several in-vitro assays were conducted to assess the probiotic properties of isolated bacteria. The initial screening includes tolerance to acid, bile, pancreatin and NaCl. The cell surface properties demonstrate their interaction with mucosal epithelium, which includes hydrophobicity and auto-aggregation assay. Safety assessment was done by performing hemolytic test and antibiotic susceptibility test. The antagonistic activity of probiotic strain was further evaluated against some pathogenic bacteria. Results Lactobacillus plantarum isolated from fermented raw milk was preliminarily identified by biochemical tests and further confirmed using 16S rRNA identification. The isolate designated as L. plantarum strain GCC_19M1, demonstrated significant tolerance to low pH, 0.3 % bile, 0.5 % pancreatin and 5 % NaCl. In the presence of simulated gastric juice (at pH 3), the isolate exhibited a survival rate of 93.48 to 96.97 %. Further, the development of ecological niches in the human gut and their successful accumulation has been revealed by auto-aggregation and hydrophobicity properties. Absence of hemolytic activity ensures the non-virulent nature of the strain. L. plantarum strain GCC_19M1 showed susceptibility towards towards gentamicin, tetracycline, kanamycin, meropenem and ceftriaxone, and exhibited an antagonistic effect on pathogenic bacteria. Conclusion The obtained results conveyed that L. plantarum strain GCC_19M1 has strong probiotic potential, and its presence in the fermented raw milk products may serve as a potent functional probiotic food.

Phytoremediation is an effective and affordable approach to extract or remove lead from contaminated soil. An understanding of the physiological responses of different species subjected to heavy metal contamination is necessary before considering their use for environmental clean-up. The objective of this study was to assess the effect of lead (Pb) on growth and nutrient uptake in three forest species native to Iran: Cappadocian maple (Acer cappadocicum), European ash (Fraxinus excelsior) and Oriental aborvitae (Platycladus orientalis). The capability of lead uptake in different organs was studied in oneyear-old potted seedlings grown in contaminated soils with Pb concentration ranging from 100 to 500 mg kg -1 for six months in a nursery. Several phytoextraction parameters such as translocation factor (TF), tolerance index (TI) and bioconcentration factor (BCF) were assessed to investigate the phytoremediation potential of these species. Increasing Pb application in the soil caused a gradual decrease in dry weight of leaf and shoot of all species, while the dry weight of root remains unaffected. However, such inhibition was less marked in the conifer (P. orientalis) compared to the two broad-leaf species. Phosphorus uptake of all species slightly declined in contaminated soils. Contrastingly, Pb application did not hinder nitrogen and potassium uptake in seedlings. Atomic absorption thermo electron analysis of Pb-treated plants showed an increasing Pb accumulation in all plant compartments, although the result was more evident in the tissues of P. orientalis. This species also showed the highest values for TF, TI and BCF, indicating this conifer species as a potential candidate for phytoremediation of lead-polluted soils in Iran.

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Precision agriculture (PA) has become an increasingly popular approach to sustainable intensification in agriculture, with the intent of a balance between agricultural productivity and environmental stewardship. Sustainable intensification aims to increase agricultural productivity while minimizing negative environmental impacts. To assist this, PA has been enabled through the use of advanced technologies such as the Internet of Things, global positioning system, geographic information systems, sensors, drones, and machine learning. These technologies have enabled farmers to practice more efficient and precise farming techniques. This review provides a vision of sustainable intensification and explores the potential of PA to contribute to this goal. This review emphasizes various PA practices, such as precise irrigation and fertilizer management, accurate pest and disease management, and precise livestock farming. PA is also explored for its role in addressing climate change through mitigation and adaptation, while proactively addressing the barriers and challenges that may arise in implementing sustainable PA. Therefore, the future of sustainable precision agriculture lies in technological innovation, sustainable farming practices, data analytics, and policy interventions.