Bacterial tolerance strategies against lead toxicity and their relevance in bioremediation application.

Among heavy metals, lead (Pb) is a non-essential metal having a higher toxicity and without any crucial known biological functions. Being widespread, non-biodegradable and persistent in every sphere of soil, air and water, Pb is responsible for severe health and environmental issues, which need appropriate remediation measures. However, microbes inhabiting Pb-contaminated area are found to have evolved distinctive mechanisms to successfully thrive in the Pb-contaminated environment without exhibiting any negative effects on their growth and metabolism. The defensive strategies used by bacteria to ameliorate the toxic effects of lead comprise biosorption, efflux, production of metal chelators like siderophores and metallothioneins and synthesis of exopolysaccharides, extracellular sequestration and intracellular bioaccumulation. Lead remediation technologies by employing microbes may appear as potential advantageous alternatives to the conventional physical and chemical means due to specificity, suitability for applying in situ condition and feasibility to upgrade by genetic engineering. Developing strategies by designing transgenic bacterial strain having specific metal binding properties and metal chelating proteins or higher metal adsorption ability and using bacterial activity such as incorporating plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria for improved Pb resistance, exopolysaccharide and siderophores and metallothionein-mediated immobilization may prove highly effective for formulating bioremediation vis-a-vis phytoremediation strategies.

Therapeutic potential of bioactive compounds from Punica granatum extracts against aging and complicity of FOXO orthologue DAF-16 in Caenorhabditis elegans.

Some natural fruits have significant importance in improving health which provides many nutritional supplements essential to maintain proper metabolism with the age. In this study, phytochemical screening of extract (methanolic) of Punica granatum arils, outer and inner peels was confirmed by the respective spot tests. Quantification of phytochemical constituents revealed the plentiful of total phenols in the outer peels in comparison to inner peels and juice whereas total flavonoids and vitamin C are abundant in inner peel and juice, respectively. High-performance liquid chromatography, Gas chromatography along with mass spectrometry and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy analysis revealed the presence of compound 9, 17-octadecadienal, (Z) in the outer/inner peels. A compound N-hexadecanoic acid was also observed in the outer peels. Extracts from every section of the fruits were comprehensively evaluated for their antioxidant activity. Contrary to fruit aril juice, the extracts of outer and inner peels exhibited significant and dose-dependent in vitro antioxidant and radical-scavenging potentials. The supplementation of P. granatum extracts (PGEs) significantly enhanced the lifespan of C. elegans. The protective effect of PGEs was also observed against oxidative stress in C. elegans. Additionally, the involvement of FOXO orthologue DAF-16 dependent longevity was obtained with PGEs (outer peel and inner peel) fed TJ356 worms. Overall, the results indicate the vital role of PGEs especially the extracts of outer peels in life-saving mechanisms of C. elegans by virtue of their antioxidant asset and life-prolonging effects via daf-16 dependent Insulin signaling pathway. See also Figure 1(Fig. 1).

Salt-tolerant plant growth-promoting Bacillus pumilus strain JPVS11 to enhance plant growth attributes of rice and improve soil health under salinity stress.

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) growth and productivity has been negatively affected due to high soil salinity. However, some salt-tolerant plant growth-promoting bacteria (ST-PGPB) enhance crop growth and reduce the negative impacts of salt stress through regulation of some biochemical, physiological, and molecular features. Total thirty six ST-PGPB were isolated from sodic soil of eastern Uttar Pradesh, India, and screened for salt tolerance at different salt (NaCl) concentrations up to 2000 millimolar (mM). Out of thirty-six, thirteen strains indicated better growth and plant growth properties (PGPs) in NaCl amended medium. Among thirteen, one most effective Bacillus pumilus strain JPVS11 was molecularly characterized, which showed potential PGPs, such as indole-3-acetic acid (IAA),1-aminocyclo propane-1-carboxylicacid (ACC) deaminase activity, P-solubilization, proline accumulation and exopolysaccharides (EPS) production at different concentrations of NaCl (0 -1200 mM). Pot experiment was conducted on rice (Variety CSR46) at different NaCl concentrations (0, 50, 100, 200, and 300 mM) with and without inoculation of Bacillus pumilus strain JPVS11. At elevated concentrations of NaCl, the adverse effects on chlorophyll content, carotenoids, antioxidant activity was recorded in non-inoculated (only NaCl) plants. However, inoculation of Bacillus pumilus strain JPVS11 showed positive adaption and improve growth performance of rice as compared to non-inoculated in similar conditions. A significant (P < 0.05) enhancement plant height (12.90-26.48%), root length (9.55-23.09%), chlorophyll content (10.13-27.24%), carotenoids (8.38-25.44%), plant fresh weight (12.33-25.59%), and dry weight (8.66-30.89%) were recorded from 50 to 300 mM NaCl concentration in inoculated plants as compared to non-inoculated. Moreover, the plants inoculated with Bacillus pumilus strain JPVS11showed improvement in antioxidant enzyme activities of catalase (15.14-32.91%) and superoxide dismutase (8.68-26.61%). Besides, the significant improvement in soil enzyme activities, such as alkaline phosphatase (18.37-53.51%), acid phosphatase (28.42-45.99%), urease (14.77-47.84%), and ß-glucosidase (25.21-56.12%) were recorded in inoculated pots as compared to non-inoculated. These results suggest that Bacillus pumilus strain JPVS11 is a potential ST-PGPB for promoting plant growth attributes, soil enzyme activities, microbial counts, and mitigating the deleterious effects of salinity in rice.

Degradation and Toxicity Analysis of a Reactive Textile Diazo Dye-Direct Red 81 by Newly Isolated Bacillus sp. DMS2.

An efficient diazo dye degrading bacterial strain, Bacillus sp. DMS2 was isolated from a long-term textile dye polluted environment. The strain was assessed for its innate ability to completely degrade and detoxify Direct Red 81 (DR81) textile dye under microaerophilic conditions. The degradation ability of strain showed significant results on optimizing the nutritional and environmental parameters. Based on statistical models, maximum efficiency of decolorization achieved within 24 h for 100 mg/l of dye supplemented with glucose (0.02%), MgSO4 (0.002%) and urea (0.5%) at 30°C and pH (7.0). Moreover, a significant catabolic induction of a laccase and azoreductase suggested its vital role in degrading DR81 into three distinct metabolites (intermediates) as by-products. Further, toxicity analysis of intermediates were performed using seeds of common edible plants, aquatic plant (phytotoxicity) and the nematode model (animal toxicity), which confirmed the non-toxic nature of intermediates. Thus, the inclusive study of DMS2 showed promising efficiency in bioremediation approach for treating industrial effluents.

Cyanobacterial pigment protein allophycocyanin exhibits longevity and reduces Aß-mediated paralysis in C. elegans: complicity of FOXO and NRF2 ortholog DAF-16 and SKN-1.

The allophycocyanin (APC) protein purified from Phormidium sp. A09DM was investigated for its in vivo antioxidant and anti-aging potential in Caenorhabditis elegans. An increased mean lifespan of APC-treated (100 µg/ml) worms (wild type) were observed from 16 ± 0.2 days (control) to 20 ± 0.1 days (treated). APC-treated worms also showed improved physiological marker of aging such as the rate of pharyngeal pumping and higher rate of survival against oxidative and thermal stress. Furthermore, APC was found to moderate the expression of human amyloid beta (Aß1-42) as well as associated Aß-induced paralysis in the transgenic C. elegans CL4176 upon increase in temperature. Furthermore, RNA interference (RNAi)-mediated studies revealed the dependence of downstream regulator daf-16, independent of stress-induced resistance gene skn-1 in the APC treated C. elegans. In the present study, we tried to demonstrate the anti-aging activity, longevity and protective effects of APC against cellular stress in C. elegans, which can lead to the use of this biomolecule in drug development for age-related disorders.

Phylogenetic and crystallographic analysis of Nostoc phycocyanin having blue-shifted spectral properties.

The distinct sequence feature and spectral blue-shift (~10 nm) of phycocyanin, isolated from Nostoc sp. R76DM (N-PC), were investigated by phylogenetic and crystallographic analyses. Twelve conserved substitutions in N-PC sequence were found distributed unequally among α- and ß-subunit (3 in α- and 9 in ß-subunit). The phylogenetic analysis suggested that molecular evolution of α- and ß-subunit of Nostoc-phycocyanin is faster than evolution of Nostoc-species. The divergence events seem to have occurred more frequently in ß-subunit, compared to α-subunit (relative divergence, 7.38 for α-subunit and 9.66 for ß-subunit). Crystal structure of N-PC was solved at 2.35 Å resolution to reasonable R-factors (Rwork/RFree = 0.199/0.248). Substitutions congregate near interface of two αß-monomer in N-PC trimer and are of compensatory nature. Six of the substitutions in ß-subunit may be involved in maintaining topology of ß-subunit, one in inter-monomer interaction and one in interaction with linker-protein. The ß153Cys-attached chromophore adopts high-energy conformational state resulting due to reduced coplanarity of B- and C-pyrrole rings. Distortion in chromophore conformation can result in blue-shift in N-PC spectral properties. N-PC showed significant in-vitro and in-vivo antioxidant activity comparable with other phycocyanin. Since Nostoc-species constitute a distinct phylogenetic clade, the present structure would provide a better template to build a model for phycocyanins of these species.

Cyanobacterial diversity in mat sample obtained from hypersaline desert, Rann of Kachchh.

Rann of Kachchh (RoK) is a unique geoformation, which is exposed to dynamic environmental changes such as salinity, temperature, and nutrients throughout the year. In this study, the pooled mat sample was examined for the cyanobacterial community structure using culture-dependent and culture-independent approaches. Taxonomic profiling was studied using amplicon sequencing that revealed the enrichment of Pseudanabaenales and Oscillatoriales by QIIME and MG-RAST, respectively. Other abundant orders were represented by Chroococcales, Nostocales, and unclassified cyanobacteria by both approaches. Nine cyanobacterial cultures were isolated from mat samples showing 90-98% similarities with available sequences in GenBank. The culture-dependent study suggested that mat was dominated by cyanobacterial orders such as Oscillatoriales-filamentous and Chroococcales-unicellular. Our results from the culture-dependent approach also indicated that despite high similarities in gene sequences, six cyanobacteria fall into the separate clade in the phylogenetic analysis that could be signs of evolution due to an extreme environment. Cultured isolates are correlated well with abundant taxa from amplicon sequencing. Further, protein profiling was done specifically for phycobiliproteins which will be helpful to elucidate their roles in light harvesting and energy transfer mechanism in the unique environment of RoK.

Therapeutic potential of cyanobacterial pigment protein phycoerythrin: in silico and in vitro study of BACE1 interaction and in vivo Aß reduction.

Cyanobacteria are an immense source of innovative classes of pharmacologically active compounds exhibiting various biological activities ranging from antioxidants, antibiotics, anticancer, anti-inflammatory to anti-Alzheimer's disease. In the present study, we primarily targeted the inhibition of Beta-site amyloid precursor protein cleaving enzyme-1 (BACE1) by a naturally occurring cyanobacterial protein phycoerythrin (C-PE). BACE1 cleaves amyloid-ß precursor protein (APP) and leads to accumulation of neurotoxic amyloid beta (Aß) plaques in the brain, as an attribute of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Inhibition of BACE1 was measured in terms of their association and dissociation rate constants, thermodynamics of binding using surface plasmon resonance (SPR) and isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC). The kinetic parameters for enzyme activity were also measured using synthetic decapeptide as a substrate. We further validated the potential of PE by in-vivo histopathological staining of Aß aggregate mutant Caenorhabditis elegans CL4176 by Thioflavin-T. The present studies pave the way for the application of naturally occurring C-PE as a putative therapeutic drug for the AD.

Correction to: Site, trigger, quenching mechanism and recovery of non-photochemical quenching in cyanobacteria: recent updates.

In the original publication, under the subtitle Recovery: fluorescence recovery protein (FRP), paragraph 4 the text section enclosed in quotation marks does not occur in one of the original publications cited (Sluchanko et al. 2017a, b).

Bioproduction and characterization of extracellular melanin-like pigment from industrially polluted metagenomic library equipped Escherichia coli.

To explore the potential genes from the industrially polluted Amlakhadi canal, located in Ankleshwar, Gujarat, India, its community genome was extracted and cloned into E. coli EPI300™-T1R using a fosmid vector (pCC2 FOS™) generating a library of 3,92,000 clones with average size of 40kb of DNA-insert. From this library, the clone DM1 producing brown colored melanin-like pigment was isolated and characterized. For over expression of the pigment, further sub-cloning of the clone DM1 was done. Sub-clone containing 10kb of the insert was sequenced for gene identification. The amino acids sequence of a protein 4-Hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase (HPPD), which is know to be involved in melanin biosynthesis was obtained from the gene sequence. The sequence-homology based 3D structure model of HPPD was constructed and analyzed. The physico-chemical nature of pigment was further analysed using 1H and 13C NMR, LC-MS, FTIR and UV-visible spectroscopy. The pigment was readily soluble in DMSO with an absorption maximum around 290nm. Based on the genetic and chemical characterization, the compound was confirmed as melanin-like pigment. The present results indicate that the metagenomic library from industrially polluted environment generated a microbial tool for the production of melanin-like pigment.

Site, trigger, quenching mechanism and recovery of non-photochemical quenching in cyanobacteria: recent updates.

Cyanobacteria exhibit a novel form of non-photochemical quenching (NPQ) at the level of the phycobilisome. NPQ is a process that protects photosystem II (PSII) from possible highlight-induced photo-damage. Although significant advancement has been made in understanding the NPQ, there are still some missing details. This critical review focuses on how the orange carotenoid protein (OCP) and its partner fluorescence recovery protein (FRP) control the extent of quenching. What is and what is not known about the NPQ is discussed under four subtitles; where does exactly the site of quenching lie? (site), how is the quenching being triggered? (trigger), molecular mechanism of quenching (quenching) and recovery from quenching. Finally, a recent working model of NPQ, consistent with recent findings, is been described.

Microalgal hydrogen production - A review.

Bio-hydrogen from microalgae including cyanobacteria has attracted commercial awareness due to its potential as an alternative, reliable and renewable energy source. Photosynthetic hydrogen production from microalgae can be interesting and promising options for clean energy. Advances in hydrogen-fuel-cell technology may attest an eco-friendly way of biofuel production, since, the use of H2 to generate electricity releases only water as a by-product. Progress in genetic/metabolic engineering may significantly enhance the photobiological hydrogen production from microalgae. Manipulation of competing metabolic pathways by modulating the certain key enzymes such as hydrogenase and nitrogenase may enhance the evolution of H2 from photoautotrophic cells. Moreover, biological H2 production at low operating costs is requisite for economic viability. Several photobioreactors have been developed for large-scale biomass and hydrogen production. This review highlights the recent technological progress, enzymes involved and genetic as well as metabolic engineering approaches towards sustainable hydrogen production from microalgae.

Phycoerythrin averts intracellular ROS generation and physiological functional decline in eukaryotes under oxidative stress.

In vitro antioxidant virtue and life-prolonging effect of phycoerythrin (PE; a pigment protein isolated from Phormidium sp. A09DM) have been revealed in our previous reports (Sonani et al. in Age 36:9717, 2014a; Sonani et al. in Process Biochem 49:1757-1766, 2014b). It has been hypothesized that the PE expands life span of Caenorhabditis elegans (bears large resemblance with human aging pathways) due to its antioxidant virtue. This hypothesis is tested in present study by checking the effect of PE on intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and associated physiological deformities using mouse and human skin fibroblasts, C. elegans, and Drosophila melanogaster Oregon R + and by divulging PE's structural attributes responsible for its antioxidant asset. PE treatment displayed noteworthy decrease of 67, 48, and 77 % in ROS level in mouse fibroblast (3T3-L1), human fibroblast, and C. elegans N2, respectively, arisen under chemical-induced oxidative stress. PE treatment delayed the development of paraquat-induced Alzheimer phenotype by 14.5 % in C. elegans CL4176. Furthermore, PE improved the locomotion of D. melanogaster Oregon R + under oxidative stress with simultaneous up-regulation in super-oxide dismutase and catalase activities. The existence of 52 Glu + Asp + His + Thr residues (having metal ion sequestration capacity), 5 phycoerythrobilin chromophores (potential electron exchangers) in PE's primary structure, and significant hydrophobic patches on the surface of its α- and ß-subunits are supposed to collectively contribute in the antioxidant virtues of PE. Altogether, results support the hypothesis that it is the PE's antioxidant asset, which is responsible for its life-prolonging effect and thus could be exploited in the therapeutics of ROS-associated abnormalities including aging and neurodegeneration in eukaryotes.

Randomized open-label trial of baclofen for relapse prevention in alcohol dependence.

BACKGROUND: Alcohol dependence is a progressive chronic disorder characterized by narrowing of the drinking repertoire, salience of drinking, tolerance and withdrawal phenomenon, compulsion to drink, and frequent relapses. Baclofen has been shown to promote abstinence, to reduce craving, and to reduce anxiety in alcohol-dependent individuals, and it promises to be a useful agent, although clinical data are limited at present. OBJECTIVE: The current study aimed to test the utility of baclofen, a GABA agonist, in improving the relapse rates in alcohol-dependent subjects. METHODS: A total of 122 alcohol-dependent subjects were randomized into two groups. Groups were administered baclofen (30 mg/day) or benfothiamine (a nutritional supplement) using an open label design. Both groups received brief motivational intervention. Subjects were assessed at 0, 2, 4, 8, and 12 weeks for the primary outcome measures: time to first relapse, heavy drinking days, cumulative abstinence duration, and craving (measured by the Obsessive Compulsive Drinking Scale (OCDS)). RESULTS: Seventy-two participants received baclofen, and 50 received benfothiamine. Participants receiving baclofen remained abstinent for significantly more days than the benfothiamine group (p < 0.05). The percentage of heavy drinking days was significantly lower in the baclofen group (p = 0.001). Craving and anxiety scores (Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale) were also significantly decreased in the baclofen group relative to the control group (p = 0.001). Time to first relapse was similar in both groups. CONCLUSION: In this open-label trial, alcohol-dependent participants receiving baclofen showed significant improvements in drinking outcomes compared with participants receiving benfothiamine. This study provides further evidence that baclofen is useful for the treatment of alcohol dependence.

Recent advances in production, purification and applications of phycobiliproteins.

An obligatory sunlight requirement for photosynthesis has exposed cyanobacteria to different quantity and quality of light. Cyanobacteria can exhibit efficient photosynthesis over broad region (450 to 650 nm) of solar spectrum with the help of brilliantly coloured pigment proteins called phycobiliproteins (PBPs). Besides light-harvesting, PBPs are found to involve in several life sustaining phenomena including photoprotection in cyanobacteria. The unique spectral features (like strong absorbance and fluorescence), proteineous nature and, some imperative properties like hepato-protective, anti-oxidants, anti-inflammatory and anti-aging activity of PBPs enable their use in food, cosmetics, pharmaceutical and biomedical industries. PBPs have been also noted to show beneficial effect in therapeutics of some disease like Alzheimer and cancer. Such large range of applications increases the demand of PBPs in commodity market. Therefore, the large-scale and coast effective production of PBPs is the real need of time. To fulfil this need, many researchers have been working to find the potential producer of PBPs for the production and purification of PBPs. Results of these efforts have caused the inventions of some novel techniques like mixotrophic and heterotrophic strategies for production and aqueous two phase separation for purification purpose. Overall, the present review summarises the recent findings and identifies gaps in the field of production, purification and applications of this biological and economically important proteins.

Recognizing Body Dysmorphic Disorder (Dysmorphophobia).

Dysmorphophobia is a psychiatric condition which frequently presents in the clinics of dermatologists and plastic surgeons. This disorder (also called body dysmorphic disorder) is troublesome to the patient whilst being confusing for the doctor. This commonly undiagnosed condition can be detected by a few simple steps. Timely referral to a psychiatrist benefits most patients suffering from it. This article describes with a case vignette, how to recognize body dysmorphic disorder presenting in the dermatological or aesthetic surgery set up. Diagnostic criteria, eitiology, approach to patient, management strategy and when to refer are important learning points. The importance of recognizing this disorder timely and referring the patient to the psychiatrist for appropriate treatment is crucial. This article covers all aspects of body dysmorphic disorder relevant to dermatologists and plastic surgeons and hopes to be useful in a better understanding of this disorder.

Bloom Dynamics of Cyanobacteria and Their Toxins: Environmental Health Impacts and Mitigation Strategies.

Cyanobacteria are ecologically one of the most prolific groups of phototrophic prokaryotes in both marine and freshwater habitats. Both the beneficial and detrimental aspects of cyanobacteria are of considerable significance. They are important primary producers as well as an immense source of several secondary products, including an array of toxic compounds known as cyanotoxins. Abundant growth of cyanobacteria in freshwater, estuarine, and coastal ecosystems due to increased anthropogenic eutrophication and global climate change has created serious concern toward harmful bloom formation and surface water contamination all over the world. Cyanobacterial blooms and the accumulation of several cyanotoxins in water bodies pose severe ecological consequences with high risk to aquatic organisms and global public health. The proper management for mitigating the worldwide incidence of toxic cyanobacterial blooms is crucial for maintenance and sustainable development of functional ecosystems. Here, we emphasize the emerging information on the cyanobacterial bloom dynamics, toxicology of major groups of cyanotoxins, as well as a perspective and integrative approach to their management.

Psychiatric Morbidity in Infertility Patients in a Tertiary Care Setup.

CONTEXT: Infertility is regarded as a trigger for psychological morbidity. Infertile couples often suffer from anxiety, depression and lack of self confidence. AIMS: To study the demographic factors associated with infertility in a tertiary care setup and to determine the level of anxiety and depression associated with it by using standardized scales. The study protocol also included studying the various coping strategies employed by these patient groups. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: Case control study. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A prestructured questionnaire based study conducted for a span of 6 months. The study population included the patients attending the infertility and the family planning outpatient department. We applied the Hospital Anxiety and Depression scale (HADS) and the Becks Depression Inventory (BDI). Brief COPE Inventory was applied to look for the various coping measures that are employed by the anxious and depressed patients. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: Data analysis was done using SPSS ver20. RESULTS: A total of 280 study subjects were included in the study; which included 140 women from the infertility clinic and 140 from the family planning OPD. A total of 56.4% (79/140) of the females were found to be suffering from depression and 68.9% (96/140) of the females were found to be suffering from anxiety and depression both. Seven risk factors were found to be significant for depression based on the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) scale and 6 risk factors were found to be significant based on the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). The most common coping method employed by depressed women was venting 72.2% (57/79) followed by behavioural disengagement 70.9% (56/79); whereas the most important coping method employed by the anxious and depressed women was behavioural disengagement 71.9% (69/96). CONCLUSION: Anxiety and depression is common among patients suffering from infertility and measures should be taken to alleviate it.

The phycobilisomes: an early requisite for efficient photosynthesis in cyanobacteria.

Cyanobacteria trap light energy by arrays of pigment molecules termed "phycobilisomes (PBSs)", organized proximal to "reaction centers" at which chlorophyll perform the energy transduction steps with highest quantum efficiency. PBSs, composed of sequential assembly of various chromophorylated phycobiliproteins (PBPs), as well as nonchromophoric, basic and hydrophobic polypeptides called linkers. Atomic resolution structure of PBP is a heterodimer of two structurally related polypeptides but distinct specialised polypeptides- a and ß, made up of seven alpha-helices each which played a crucial step in evolution of PBPs. PBPs carry out various light dependent responses such as complementary chromatic adaptation. The aim of this review is to summarize and discuss the recent progress in this field and to highlight the new and the questions that remain unresolved.

Assesment of Heart Rate Variability As A Measure of Cardiac Autonomic Status in Psychiatric Patients Exposed to Chemical Irritants.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: However, little is known about the cardiac autonomic activity due to chemicals in psychiatric patients. Therefore, the objective of this study was to assess the effect of chemical irritants on the ANS of the person and measure that in the form of Heart Rate Variability (HRV), a noninvasive method to estimate the cardiac autonomic activity. The autonomic nervous system can significantly compromised by use of chemical irritants. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional hospital based study was conducted in which 33 patients (mean age: 29.94 years) of depression/anxiety were compared with 37 age matched controls (mean age: 28.10). The patients who were diagnosed as either depressed or anxious by the psychiatry were included in the study group by random sampling. Out of these 8 patients gave positive history of odour use. Thirty seven age matched healthy persons were taken as controls. Grading of patients was done according to DSMV-IV criteria and short- term HRV was recorded. Five minute HRV recording was done and time domain and frequency domain indices of HRV were assessed using RMS Polyearite D. The result in case and control groups was compared. RESULTS: We have reported a poor HRV compared to control group in patients of depression/anxiety as reflected by NN50 values (p< 0.05). Although not significant the trend shows a better HRV control in almost all the time domain and frequency domain parameters in controls compared to cases. Regarding the history of use of chemical irritants the trend showed a poor HRV control in these cases compared to the patients who did not give any such history. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that impaired cardiac autonomic nerve function characterized by sympathetic over activity may occur in depression/phobic patients. The study also proves a poor HRV in psychiatric subjects with history of use of odoriferous substances.