Fatima Mata National College

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in aquatic ecosystems is a growing global concern. This study investigated AMR profiles of bacteria isolated from hospital-, poultry-, and aquaculture-adjacent sectors of Ashtamudi Lake, Kerala, India. Twelve isolates (Bacillus cereus and Citrobacter freundii) were isolated and tested against ten antibiotics. Isolates from all sectors showed consistent resistance to β-lactam antibiotics, including amoxicillin, ampicillin, amoxicillin–clavulanic acid, and ceftriaxone. Notably, ceftriaxone resistance and intermediate resistance to imipenem were detected in C. freundii, phenotypes which correspond to WHO designated Critical Priority pathogens, raising serious public health concerns. Multidrug resistance (≥ four antibiotics) was observed in 75% of the isolates, with aquaculture strains exhibiting the highest resistance. Gentamicin, chloramphenicol, and tetracycline retained full activity against all the isolates. These findings identify Ashtamudi Lake as a reservoir of multidrug-resistant bacteria and highlight the need for integrated One Health surveillance and improved effluent management.

Population ageing has emerged as one of the most significant demographic transformations of the twenty-first century. Kerala, which has completed an advanced stage of demographic transition, is witnessing a rapid increase in the proportion of elderly persons. This demographic shift has led to the emergence of the Silver Economy, which encompasses economic activities,products and services designed to meet the needs of older adults. The present study examines the demographic profile, economic status and policy responses associated with population ageing in Kerala and analyses the opportunities generated by the silver economy. The study is based on secondary data collected from the India Ageing Report 2023, Economic Review Kerala 2025, Census Reports and government publications. The findings indicate that Keralas elderly population is projected to reach 8.4 million by 2036, accounting for nearly 22.8 per cent of the total population. Rising old-age dependency, increasing demand for healthcare, long-term care services, age-friendly housing and financial security mechanisms are creating substantial opportunities for economic growth. The study concludes that strategic investments in healthcare, care services, digital inclusion and active ageing programmes can transform Keralasageing challenge into a sustainable economic advantage.

Malaxis acuminata was evaluated as a representative indigenous medicinal botanical species to characterize transcriptome-derived secondary metabolite pathway potential. This study used a publicly available de novo transcriptome annotation dataset containing transcript/scaffold identifiers, KEGG orthology identifiers, pathway annotations, protein accessions, alignment scores, and E-values. The dataset was cleaned, standardized, and screened for secondary metabolite associated pathways using terms related to phenylpropanoid, flavonoid, stilbenoid, gingerol, steroid, terpenoid, diterpenoid, alkaloid, tryptophan, phenylalanine, and zeatin metabolism. Descriptive pathway analysis identified 147 transcript-level annotation records, including 130 unique KEGG orthology identifiers and 70 pathway names. Among these, 23 records were associated with secondary metabolite biosynthesis or precursor metabolism, representing 10 pathway categories. Phenylalanine metabolism was the most represented pathway, followed by stilbenoid, diarylheptanoid, and gingerol biosynthesis. Pathway-class analysis showed that phenolic and phenylpropanoid-related pathways accounted for 60.9% of secondary metabolite-associated records, followed by alkaloid-related, terpenoid/steroid-related, flavonoid-related, and phytohormone-related pathways. High-confidence annotations were observed for stilbenoid/gingerol biosynthesis, zeatin biosynthesis, phenylalanine metabolism, phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, and flavone/flavonol biosynthesis. These findings indicate diverse molecular pathway potential in M. acuminata, with dominant phenylalanine-derived and phenolic biosynthetic signatures. The analysis supports transcriptome annotation as a useful approach for molecular characterization of secondary metabolite pathways in non model indigenous medicinal plants. However, findings require future targeted validation using expression profiling, metabolomics, and enzyme assays.

This study explores the development of a biodegradable bioplastic derived from banana stem waste, aiming to create a sustainable alternative to conventional plastics. Comprehensive characterization was performed using FTIR, UV-Visible spectroscopy, XRD, SEM, tensile strength testing, and biodegradability analysis. FTIR confirmed the presence of hydroxyl, aliphatic, and ester/ether functional groups, indicating lignocellulosic content. UV-Visible analysis revealed strong UV absorption and low visible light absorbance, suggesting potential for UV-shielding applications. XRD patterns indicated a semi-crystalline structure typical of natural biopolymers, while SEM imaging displayed a dense polymeric matrix interwoven with plant-derived fibres, showing good interfacial adhesion. Tensile testing showed consistent performance, with a mean tensile strength of 0.84 MPa. Soil burial tests demonstrated rapid degradation within 30 days, contrasting with the non-degradable polyethylene control. These results confirm the banana stem-derived bioplastic’s structural integrity, mechanical adequacy, and environmental compatibility, positioning it as a promising candidate for biodegradable packaging and sustainable material applications.

In the present work, structural and optical behaviour of sol-gel synthesized TiO2 and Nitrogen doped TiO2 (N-doped TiO2) nanoparticles calcined under air and vacuum atmosphere have been analysed. N-doped TiO2 samples were synthesized by adding ammonia as nitrogen source and as reducing agent. The molar concentration of Ammonia was fixed at 1 M and 2 M respectively. The incorporation of nitrogen into the TiO2 samples was verified using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). X-ray diffraction (XRD) was used to examine the structural characteristics of air and vacuum-annealed samples, and Scherrer equation was used to determine the average crystallite size. Raman analysis was carried out to understand all the major modes of vibration in the annealed samples. UV-visible spectroscopy was carried to analyse the effect of different atmospheres on the band gap of the samples. Photoluminescence studies were used to understand the presence of defect states in the sample.