• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.69-79
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• 2012

In an ongoing survey of the bioactive potential of microorganisms from Ladakh, India, the culture medium of a bacterial strain of a new Pseudomonas sp., strain ICTB-745, isolated from an alkaline soil sample collected from Leh, Ladakh, India, was found to contain metabolites that exhibited broad-spectrum antimicrobial and biosurfactant activities. Bioactivity-guided purification resulted in the isolation of four bioactive compounds. Their chemical structures were elucidated by $^1H$ and $^{13}C$ NMR, 2D-NMR (HMBC, HSQC, $^1H$,$^1H$-COSY, and DEPT-135), FT-IR, and mass spectroscopic methods, and were identified as 1-hydroxyphenazine, phenazine-1-carboxylic acid (PCA), rhamnolipid-1 (RL-1), and rhamnolipid-2 (RL-2). These metabolites exhibited various biological activities like antimicrobial and efficient cytotoxic potencies against different human tumor cell lines such as HeLa, HepG2, A549, and MDA MB 231. RL-1 and RL-2 exhibited a dose-dependent antifeedant activity against Spodoptera litura, producing about 82.06% and 73.66% antifeedant activity, whereas PCA showed a moderate antifeedant activity (63.67%) at 60 ${\mu}g/cm^2$ area of castor leaf. Furthermore, PCA, RL-1, and RL-2 exhibited about 65%, 52%, and 47% mortality, respectively, against Rhyzopertha dominica at 20 ${\mu}g/ml$. This is the first report of rhamnolipids as antifeedant metabolites against Spodoptera litura and as insecticidal metabolites against Rhyzopertha dominica. The metabolites from Pseudomonas sp. strain ICTB-745 have interesting potential for use as a biopesticide in pest control programs.

• Proceedings of the National Institute of Ecology of the Republic of Korea
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.79-85
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• 2023

The Tibetan Plateau is home to the only alpine crane species, the black-necked crane (Grus nigricollis). Conservation efforts are severely hampered by a lack of knowledge on the spatial distribution and breeding habitats of this species. The ecological niche modeling framework used to predict the spatial distribution of this species, based on the maximum entropy and occurrence record data, allowed us to generate a species-specific spatial distribution map in Ladakh, Trans-Himalaya, India. The model was created by assimilating species occurrence data from 486 geographical sites with 24 topographic and bioclimatic variables. Fourteen variables helped forecast the distribution of black-necked cranes by 96.2%. The area under the curve score for the model training data was high (0.98), indicating the accuracy and predictive performance of the model. Of the total study area, the areas with high and moderate habitat suitability for black-necked cranes were anticipated to be 8,156 km² and 6,759 km², respectively. The area with high habitat suitability within the protected areas was 5,335 km². The spatial distribution predicted using our model showed that the majority of speculated conservation areas bordered the existing protected areas of the Changthang Wildlife Sanctuary. Hence, we believe, that by increasing the current study area, we can account for these gaps in conservation areas, more effectively.

• (The) Research of the performance art and culture
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• no.25
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• pp.291-332
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• 2012

Cham is the Buddhist ritual dance performed at the religious festival of Lamaism. It has been spread and performed at the Lamaist monastery of Tibet, India, Nepal, Bhutan and Monglia. The type and style of Cham are differntiated by the region and sect. However, they share the common aim of exorcising all evils symbolized by linga who resists the Buddhist dharma, and thereby celebrating the victory of Buddhism. This paper deals with the ritualistic concept and structure of Cham with a focus on Hemis Chetsu of Ladakh located at the extreme north of India. The festival is held to honor the birthday of $Padm{\bar{a}}sambhava$ who is the founder of Tibetan Buddhism in the 8th century. As a result, this paper drew the characteristics of Cham performance such as dance as the incarnation of sacred beings, ritualistic offering, visualization meditation as well as the ritual space as a mandala, the ritualistic intent of stylized acting, accumulative performance structure, the $Mahay{\bar{a}}nic$ motif of performance.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.209-217
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• 2017

In the enduring investigation of the bioactive microbes, Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain (referred to as CGK-KS-1 (ICTB-315)), isolated from Chumathang hot spring, Ladakh, and India, was identified to possess a major bioactive fraction with antimicrobial and anti-biofilm properties. This bioactive metabolite was purified through bioactivity-guided fractionation. The chemical structure of this major compound was elucidated as phenazine-1-carboxamide (PCN) based on $^1H$ and $^{13}C$ NMR, FT-IR, EI-HR-MS and 2D NMR spectroscopic techniques. In the current study, PCN exhibited antimicrobial activity with MIC values ranging between $1.9-3.9{\mu}g/ml$ against various test human pathogens and Xanthomonas spp. PCN showed the anti-biofilm property with the $IC_{50}$ values ranging from 17.04 to $60.7{\mu}M$ against different test pathogens. The in silico docking studies showed PCN strongly interacted with various proteins of different Xanthomonas spp. with high binding energies. We report herein for the first time the anti-biofilm property and the docking studies of PCN. The extrolite from P. aeruginosa strain CGK-KS-1 showed promising bioactivities and may be considered as a potential candidate for application in various biocontrol strategies.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.267-273
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• 2011

Methyl violet, used extensively in the commercial textile industry and as a biological stain, is a hazardous recalcitrant. Aspergillus sp. strain CB-TKL-1 isolated from a water sample from Tsumoriri Lake, Karzok, Ladakh, India, was found to completely decolorize methyl violet within 24 h when cultured under aerobic conditions at $25^{\circ}C$. The rate of decolorization was determined by monitoring the decrease in the absorbance maxima of the dye by UV-visible spectroscopy. The decolorization of methyl violet was optimal at pH 5.5 and $30^{\circ}C$ when agitated at 200 rpm. Addition of glucose or arabinose (2%) as a carbon source and sodium nitrate or soyapeptone (0.2%) as a nitrogen source enhanced the decolorization ability of the culture. Furthermore, the culture exhibited a maximum decolorization rate of methyl violet after 24 h when the C:N ratio was 10. Nine N-demethylated decolorized products of methyl violet were identified based on UV-visible spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), and LC-MS analyses. The decolorization of methyl violet at the end of 24 h generated mono-, di-, tri-, tetra-, penta-, and hexa-N-demethylated intermediates of pararosaniline. The variation of the relative absorption peaks in the decolorized sample indicated a linear decrease of hexa-N-demethylated compounds to non-N-demethylated pararosaniline, indicating a stepwise N-demethylation in the decolorization process.

• CELLMED
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.11.1-11.7
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• 2012

Stachys tibetica Vatke (Lamiaceae) is an important medicinal plant in the folk medicine of Ladakh, India and Tibet for the treatment of various mental disorders. Infusion and decoction of the whole plant is used as a cup of tea for a severe fever, headaches and to relieve tension. The recent study is aimed to evaluate the preliminary pharmacognostical and phytochemical nature of Stachys tibetica Vatke. The whole plant material was subjected to successive soxhlet extraction with petroleum ether (40 - $60^{\circ}C$), chloroform, ethyl acetate, methanol and finally decocted with water to get the respective extracts. The fluorescence characteristics of the powdered materials were analysed under ultraviolet light and ordinary light. Different physicochemical parameters such as ash value, extractive value, foaming index, pH values, loss on drying and determination of foreign matter were carried out as per WHO guidelines. The total fat, flavonoid, saponin and volatile contents were also determined. Macroscopical studies revealed the authentication of the plant drug. Physicochemical parameters helped to standardize the plant material while preliminary qualitative chemical tests of different extracts showed the presence of Glycosides, Carbohydrates, Phytosterols/triterpenoids, Saponins, Fixed oils, Fats and phenols/tannins. Quantification of the total flavonoids and saponins and contents were determined as $54.66{\pm}0.58mg/g$ and $75.42{\pm}0.48mg/kg$ respectively, while the volatile and fat contents were 6.5% and 0.7% respectively. Results may lay the foundation for the standardization of the drug and discovery of new molecules from S. tibetica for the treatment of various diseases.