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The corrosion of metals poses a threat to the economy, the environment, and human health due to undesirable reactions and contaminated products. Corrosion inhibitors, including natural products, can play a key role in protecting metallic materials, especially under challenging conditions. In this study, the roots of the Inula viscosa plant were examined for their ability to act as corrosion inhibitors in a 1 M hydrochloric acid (HCl) solution. Different extracts of the plant were evaluated for their corrosion inhibition capacity in a 1 M HCl solution. The effectiveness of different plant extracts was assessed, including an aqueous extract, an ethanolic extract, and a combined water-ethanol extract. Compounds present in the roots of Inula viscosa were identified using high-performance liquid chromatography. The electrochemical properties of the extracts were studied using various techniques such as open circuit potential, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and potentiodynamic polarization. Additionally, surface analysis after immersion was performed using scanning electron microscopy. Electrochemical data revealed that Inula viscosa root (IVR) extracts acted as mixed-type corrosion inhibitors with pronounced cathodic characteristics. The inhibitory efficiency was closely related to the concentration of Inula viscosa ( I. viscosa ), showing a significant increase with higher concentrations. This resulted in a decrease in corrosion current and an increase in polarization resistance. Notably, inhibitory efficiency reached high levels, up to 97.7% in mixed extract which represents a mixture between water and ethanol. In our study, it was observed that the mixed extract (water + ethanol) allowed for a greater corrosion inhibition compared to the other solvents studied, 97.7%. Surface analyses confirmed the formation of an organic film layer on the steel surface, attributed to the bonding of functional groups and heteroatoms in I. viscosa components. Therefore, this study paves the way for the potential integration of I. viscosa as a promising corrosion inhibition material, offering durable protection against steel corrosion and opening avenues for various related applications., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest: Authors state no conflict of interest., (© 2024 the author(s), published by De Gruyter.)

Background: Dengue fever has become a significant worldwide health concern, because of its high morbidity rate and the potential for an increase in mortality rates due to lack of adequate treatment. There is an immediate need for the development of effective medication for dengue fever., Methods: Homology modeling of dengue virus (DENV) non-structural 4B (NS4B) protein was performed by SWISS-MODEL to predict the 3D structure of the protein. Structure validation was conducted using PROSA, PROCHECK, Ramachandran plot, and VERIFY-3D. MOE software was used to find out the in-Silico inhibitory potential of the five triterpenoids against the DENV-NS4B protein., Results: The SWISS-MODEL was employed to predict the three-dimensional protein structure of the NS4B protein. Through molecular docking, it was found that the chosen triterpenoid NS4B protein had a high binding affinity interaction. It was observed that the NS4B protein binding energy for 15-oxoursolic acid, betulinic acid, ursolic acid, lupeol, and 3-o-acetylursolic acid were - 7.18, - 7.02, - 5.71, - 6.67 and - 8.00 kcal/mol, respectively., Conclusions: NS4B protein could be a promising target which showed good interaction with tested triterpenoids which can be developed as a potential antiviral drug for controlling dengue virus pathogenesis by inhibiting viral replication. However, further investigations are necessary to validate and confirm their efficacy., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Mycotoxin contamination poses a significant problem in developing countries, particularly in northern Pakistan's fluctuating climate. This study aimed to assess aflatoxin contamination in medicinal and condiment plants in Upper Dir (dry-temperate) and Upper Swat (moist-temperate) districts. Plant samples were collected and screened for mycotoxins (Aflatoxin-B1 and Aflatoxin-B-2). Results showed high levels of AFB-1 (11,505.42 ± 188.82) as compared to AFB-2 (846 ± 241.56). The maximum contamination of AFB-1 in Coriandrum sativum (1154.5 ± 13.43 ng to 3328 ± 9.9 ng) followed by F. vulgare (883 ± 9.89 ng to 2483 ± 8.4 ng), T. ammi (815 ± 11.31 ng to 2316 ± 7.1 ng), and C. longa (935.5 ± 2.12 ng to 2009 ± 4.2 ng) while the minimum was reported in C. cyminum (671 ± 9.91 ng to 1995 ± 5.7 ng). Antifungal tests indicated potential resistance in certain plant species (C. cyminum) while A. flavus as the most toxins contributing species due to high resistance below 80% (54.2 ± 0.55 to 79.5 ± 2.02). HPLC analysis revealed hydroxyl benzoic acid (5136 amu) as the dominant average phytochemical followed by phloroglucinol (4144.31 amu) with individual contribution of 8542.08 amu and 12,181.5 amu from C. cyaminum. The comparison of average phytochemicals revealed the maximum concentration in C. cyminum (2885.95) followed by C. longa (1892.73). The findings revealed a statistically significant and robust negative correlation (y = - 2.7239 ×  + 5141.9; r = - 0.8136; p < 0.05) between average mycotoxins and phytochemical concentrations. Temperature positively correlated with aflatoxin levels (p < 0.01), while humidity had a weaker correlation. Elevation showed a negative correlation (p < 0.05), while geographical factors (latitude and longitude) had mixed correlations (p < 0.05). Specific regions exhibited increasing aflatoxin trends due to climatic and geographic factors., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)

Isatin, known as 1 H -indole-2,3-dione, was originally recognised as a synthetic molecule until its discovery in the fruits of the cannonball tree, Couroupita guianensis . It is naturally occurring in plants of the genus Isatis and serves as a metabolic derivative of adrenaline in humans. Isatin possesses significant pharmacological importance, and its synthetic versatility has prompted extensive interest in its derivative compounds due to their diverse biological and pharmacological properties. These derivatives represent a valuable class of heterocyclic compounds with potential applications as precursors for synthesizing numerous valuable drugs. In the pursuit of advancing our research on isatin hybrids, we investigate the utilisation of readily available hydrazonoindolin-2-one and isatin as starting materials for the synthesis of a wide range of analogues. Characterisation of the synthesized compounds was carried out through various analytical techniques. Furthermore, the obtained compounds were subjected to extensive testing to evaluate their anticancer and antimicrobial activities. Specifically, their efficacy against key proteins, namely Staphylococcus aureus protein (PDB ID: 1JIJ), Escherichia coli protein (PDB ID: 1T9U), Pseudomonas aeruginosa protein (PDB ID: 2UV0), and Acinetobacter baumannii protein (PDB ID: 4HKG), was examined through molecular docking calculations. Several molecules, such as 3, 4, 6, 16, and 19, displayed remarkable activity against the renal cancer cell line UO-31. Additionally, the results of antimicrobial activity testing revealed that compound 16 exhibited significant cytotoxicity against Candida albicans and Cryptococcus neoformans . Subsequently, ADME/T calculations were performed to gain insights into the potential effects and reactions of these molecules within human metabolism. This comprehensive study provides valuable insights into the potential pharmacological applications of isatin derivatives and underscores their significance in drug development.

Chenopodium ambrosioides aerial parts have been historically employed in traditional medicine for addressing various ailments such as headaches, abdominal discomfort, joint issues, and respiratory disorders, alongside treatments for lice and warts. This study aimed to conduct a comprehensive phytochemical analysis of C. ambrosioides and assess the acute and subacute toxicity of oral treatments using fractions in preclinical trials. Spectrophotometric analysis via LC-MS/MS was used to characterize the plant's chemical composition. Acute toxicity evaluation followed Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development code 42 guidelines, conducted on adult male and female Wistar strain mice. Subsequently, Swiss mice were divided into six groups for the subacute toxicity study, receiving oral doses of 200 mg/kg extracts and fractions for 28 days. Daily observations and biochemical analyses were performed, with LC-MS/MS revealing a diverse array of compounds including organic acids, flavonoids, phenolic acids, rutin, hesperidin, nicotiflorine, and fumaric acid. Results indicated no lethality or alterations in body weight in treated groups, though some organ weight changes were noted. Biochemical analyses demonstrated values within the normal range for all groups, suggesting that the treatments did not induce adverse effects. Acute and subacute treatments with fractions did not result in lethality or toxic alterations at therapeutic doses, implying the safety of the product at appropriate levels. This study underscores the potential of C. ambrosioides as a safe therapeutic option warranting further exploration., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest: Authors state no conflict of interest., (© 2024 the author(s), published by De Gruyter.)

Corn silk ( Zea mays L.), an abundant agricultural waste, contains various bioactive compounds that exhibit promising health benefits. The current study focuses on development and optimization of corn silk-based instant mix using response surface methodology. The optimized product, with 14.66% corn silk, 10% sugar and 0.22% xanthan gum in a skim milk powder base, scored 0.925 desirability. The physico-chemical and sensory parameters of optimized mix closely aligned with expected values. The instant mix packaged in metallised polyester yielded superior preservation of quality indicators over 120 days compared to low-density polyethylene (LDPE) and high-density polyethylene (HDPE). The microbial load in corn silk instant mix was observed across packaging materials and highlighting hydroxyl methyl furfural (HMF) as the primary predictor of product stability, the study calculated a 94.95 days half-life at 10 °C. Corn silk's rich bioactive compound supports its integration into nutraceuticals and instant mixes, mitigating food waste while enhancing nutritional value. Novelty statement. In this study, corn silk powder was utilized for the development of the instant mix. This innovative approach transforms corn silk, typically discarded as agricultural waste, into a commercially sustainable product that delivers the nutrients of corn silk to a broader population. Despite fresh corn silk being a perishable commodity, it has very low storage shelf life. The developed instant mix effectively preserves its nutritional value for up to six months, offering a sustainable and nutritious option for consumers., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2024 The Authors.)

This research aimed to evaluate the antidiabetic, dermatoprotective, and antibacterial activities of Mentha viridis L. essential oil (MVEO) collected in the province of Ouezzane (Northwest Morocco). Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis revealed that the main constituents of MVEO were carvone (37.26 %), 1,8-cineole (11.82 %), limonene (5.27 %), α-terpineol (4.16 %), and β-caryophyllene (4.04 %). MVEO showed strong inhibitory effects on α-amylase and α-glucosidase activities, exceeding those of acarbose, but weak anti-elastase activity. The main compounds, β-caryophyllene (IC 50 =79.91±2.24 and 62.08±2.78 μg/mL) and limonene (IC 50 =90.73±3.47 and 68.98±1, 60 μg/mL), demonstrated the strongest inhibitory effects on both digestive enzymes (α-glucosidase and α-amylase, respectively). In silico investigations, using molecular docking, also showed the inhibitory potential of these bioactive compounds against the enzymes tested. In conclusion, MVEO, due to its main components such as limonene, 1,8-cineole, β-caryophyllene, carvone, and α-terpineol, shows promising prospects for drug discovery and natural therapeutic applications., (© 2024 Wiley-VHCA AG, Zurich, Switzerland.)

Background: Measles has been a significant public health concern in Pakistan, especially in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) province, where sporadic and silent epidemics continue to challenge existing control measures. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence and investigate the molecular epidemiology of the measles virus (MeV) in KPK and explore the vaccination status among the suspected individuals., Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted between February and October 2021. A total of 336 suspected measles cases from the study population were analyzed for IgM antibodies using Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA). Throat swabs were randomly collected from a subset of positive cases for molecular analysis. Phylogenetic analysis of MeV isolates was performed using the neighbor-joining method. The vaccination status of individuals was also recorded., Results: Among the suspected participants, 61.0% (205/336) were ELISA positive for IgM antibodies, with a higher prevalence in males (64.17%) compared to females (57.04%). The majority of cases (36.0%) were observed in infants and toddlers, consistent with previous reports. The majority of IgM-positive cases (71.7%) had not received any dose of measles vaccine, highlighting gaps in vaccine coverage and the need for improved immunization programs. Genetic analysis revealed that all MeV isolates belonged to the B3 genotype, with minor genetic variations from previously reported variants in the region., Conclusion: This study provides valuable insights into the genetic epidemiology of the MeV in KPK, Pakistan. The high incidence of measles infection among unvaccinated individuals highlights the urgency of raising awareness about vaccine importance and strengthening routine immunization programs., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest All authors have read the manuscript and declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Iron, a crucial micronutrient, is an integral element of biotic vitality. The scarcity of iron in the soil creates agronomic challenges and has a detrimental impact on crop vigour and chlorophyll formation. Utilizing iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) via nanopriming emerges as an innovative method to enhance agricultural efficiency and crop health. The objective of this study was to synthesize biogenic IONPs from Glycyrrhiza glabra (G. glabra) plant extract using green chemistry and to evaluate their nanopriming effects on rice seed iron levels and growth. The synthesized IONPs were analyzed using UV-Vis spectroscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Scanning electron microscope (SEM), Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and Energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) techniques. The UV-Vis peak at 280 nm revealed the formation of IONPs. SEM and TEM showed that the nanoparticles were spherical and had an average diameter of 23.8 nm. Nanopriming resulted in a substantial enhancement in growth, as seen by a 9.25% and 22.8% increase in shoot lengths for the 50 ppm and 100 ppm treatments, respectively. The yield metrics showed a positive correlation with the concentrations of IONPs. The 1000-grain weight and spike length observed a maximum increase of 193.75% and 97.73%, respectively, at the highest concentration of IONPs. The study indicates that G. glabra synthesized IONPs as a nanopriming agent significantly increased rice seeds' growth and iron content. This suggests that there is a relationship between the dosage of IONPs and their potential for improving agricultural biofortification., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Hypertension is a major global public health issue, affecting quarter of adults worldwide. Numerous synthetic drugs are available for treating hypertension; however, they often come with a higher risk of side effects and long-term therapy. Modern formulations with active phytoconstituents are gaining popularity, addressing some of these issues. This study aims to discover novel antihypertensive compounds in Cassia fistula, Senna alexandrina, and Cassia occidentalis from family Fabaceae and understand their interaction mechanism with hypertension targeted genes, using network pharmacology and molecular docking. Total 414 compounds were identified; initial screening was conducted based on their pharmacokinetic and ADMET properties, with a particular emphasis on adherence to Lipinski's rules. 6 compounds, namely Germichrysone, Benzeneacetic acid, Flavan-3-ol, 5,7,3',4'-Tetrahydroxy-6, 8-dimethoxyflavon, Dihydrokaempferol, and Epiafzelechin, were identified as effective agents. Most of the compounds found non-toxic against various indicators with greater bioactivity score. 161 common targets were obtained against these compounds and hypertension followed by compound-target network construction and protein-protein interaction, which showed their role in diverse biological system. Top hub genes identified were TLR4, MMP9, MAPK14, AKT1, VEGFA and HSP90AA1 with their respective associates. Higher binding affinities was found with three compounds Dihydrokaempferol, Flavan-3-ol and Germichrysone, -7.1, -9.0 and -8.0 kcal/mol, respectively. The MD simulation results validate the structural flexibility of two complexes Flavan-MMP9 and Germich-TLR4 based on no. of hydrogen bonds, root mean square deviations and interaction energies. This study concluded that C. fistula (Dihydrokaempferol, Flavan-3-ol) and C. occidentalis (Germichrysone) have potential therapeutic active constituents to treat hypertension and in future novel drug formulation., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

This study aimed to explore the possibility of enriching cold-pressed Virginia (VIO) and Valencia (VAO) peanut oils with omega-3 fatty acids (FAs) from walnut oil (WO) to produce blended oils with improved nutritional value. The oxidative stability of pure and blended oils was examined under accelerated conditions (60 °C) for 28 days. The FA and tocopherol profiles, as well as nutritional quality indices, were determined. As the proportion of WO increased in the blends, the levels of linoleic and α-linolenic essential FAs increased, while oleic acid content decreased. Furthermore, γ- and δ-tocopherol levels rose, whereas α-tocopherol declined. Among the studied blends, VIO:WO blends, especially at a (70:30) ratio, were nutritionally favorable with a balanced FA profile. During storage, notable changes were observed in tocopherol levels, along with subtle alterations in the FA profile of the blended oils. Hence, the oxidative stability of pure VIO and VAO decreased with WO incorporation., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2024 The Author(s).)

Imidazoles and phenylthiazoles are an important class of heterocycles that demonstrate a wide range of biological activities against various types of cancers, diabetes mellitus and pathogenic microorganisms. The heterocyclic structure having oxothiazolidine moiety is an important scaffold present in various drugs, with potential for enzyme inhibition. In an effort to discover new heterocyclic compounds, we synthesized 26 new 4,5-diphenyl-1H-imidazole, phenylthiazole, and oxothiazolidine heterocyclic analogues that demonstrated potent α-glucosidase inhibition and anticancer activities. Majority of the compounds noncompetitively inhibited α-glucosidase except for two that exhibited competitive inhibition of the enzyme. Docking results suggested that the noncompetitive inhibitors bind to an apparent allosteric site on the enzyme located in the vicinity of the active site. Additionally, the analogues also exhibited significant activity against various types of cancers including non-small lung cancer. Since tubulin protein plays an important role in the pathogenesis of non-small lung cancer, molecular docking with one of the target compounds provided important clues to its binding mode. The current work on imidazoles and phenylthiazole derivatives bears importance for designing of new antidiabetic and anticancer drugs., (© 2024 Wiley-VHCA AG, Zurich, Switzerland.)

SARS-CoV-2 infection affects and modulates serum as well as hematological parameters. However, whether it modifies these parameters in the existing disease conditions, which help in the erection of specific treatments for the disease, is under investigation. Here, we aimed to determine whether serum and hematological parameters alteration in various diseases, diabetes mellitus (DM), hypertension (HTN), ischemic heart disease (IHD) and myocardial infarction (MI) conditions correlate and signal SARS-CoV-2 infection, which could be used as a rapid diagnosis tool for SARS-CoV-2 infection in disease conditions. To assess the projected goals, we collected blood samples of 1,113 male and female patients with solo and multiple disease conditions of DM/HTN/IHD/MI with severe COVID-19, followed by biochemical analysis, including COVID-19 virus detection by RT-qPCR. Furthermore, blood was collected from age-matched disease and healthy individuals 502 and 660 and considered as negative control. In our results, we examined higher levels of serum parameters, including D-dimer, ferritin, hs-CRP, and LDH, as well as hematological parameters, including TLC in sole and multiple diseases (DM/HTN/IHD/MI) conditions compared to the control subjects. Besides, the hematological parameters, including Hb, RBC, and platelet levels, decreased in the patients. In addition, we found declined levels of leukocyte count (%), lymphocyte (%), monocyte (%), and eosinophil (%), and elevated level of neutrophil levels (%) in all the disease patients infected with SARS-CoV-2. Besides, NLR and NMR ratios were also statistically significantly ( p < 0.05) high in the patients with solo and multiple disease conditions of DM/HTN/IHD/MI infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus. In conclusion, rapid alteration of sera and hematological parameters are associated with SARS-CoV-2 infections, which could help signal COVID-19 in respective disease patients. Moreover, our results may help to improve the clinical management for the rapid diagnosis of COVID-19 concurrent with respective diseases., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Jan, Anwar Khan, Khan, Iftikhar, Ali, Khan, Gul, Nishan, Ali, Ullah and Bari.)

Climate change results in continuous warming of the planet, threatening sustainable crop production around the world. Amaranth is an abiotic stress-tolerant, climate-resilient, C 4 leafy orphan vegetable that has grown rapidly with great divergence and potential usage. The C 4 photosynthesis allows amaranth to be grown as a sustainable future food crop across the world. Most amaranth species grow as weeds in many parts of the world, however, a few amaranth species can be also found in cultivated form. Weed species can be used as a folk medicine to relieve pain or reduce fever thanks to their antipyretic and analgesic properties. In this study, nutritional value, bioactive pigments, bioactive compounds content, and radical scavenging potential (RSP) of four weedy and cultivated (WC) amaranth species were evaluated. The highest dry matter, carbohydrate content, ash, content of iron, copper, sodium, boron, molybdenum, zinc, β-carotene and carotenoids, vitamin C, total polyphenols (TP), RSP (DPPH), and RSP (ABTS + ) was determined in Amaranthus viridis (AV). On the other hand, A. spinosus (AS) was found to have the highest content of protein, fat, dietary fiber, manganese, molybdenum, and total flavonoids (TF). In A. tricolor (AT) species the highest total chlorophyll, chlorophyll a and b , betaxanthin, betacyanin, and betalain content was determined. A. lividus (AL) was evaluated as the highest source of energy. AV and AT accessions are underutilized but promising vegetables due to their bioactive phytochemicals and antioxidants., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Background: Diabetes is a leading health disorder and is responsible for high mortality rates across the globe. Multiple treatment protocols are being applied to overcome this morbidity and mortality including plant-based traditional medicines. This study was designed to investigate the ethnomedicinal status of plant species used to treat diabetes in District Karak, Pakistan., Materials and Methods: A semi-structured survey was created to collect data about traditionally used medicinal plants for diabetes and other ailments. The convenience sampling method was applied for the selection of informants. The collected data was evaluated through quantitative tools like frequency of citation (FC), relative frequency of citation (RFC), informant consensus factor (FIC), fidelity level (FL), and use value (UV)., Results: A total of 346 local informants were selected for this research. Out of them, 135 participants were men and 211 participants were women. Overall 38 plant species belonging to 29 plant families were used to treat diabetes. The most dominant plant family was Oleaceae having 11 species. Powder form (19%) was the most recommended mode of preparation for plant-based ethnomedicines. Leaves (68%) were the most frequently used parts followed by fruit (47%). The highest RFC was recorded for Apteranthes tuberculata (0.147). The maximum FL was reported for Apteranthes tuberculata (94.4) and Zygophyllum indicum (94.11) for diabetes, skin, and wounds. Similarly, the highest UV of (1) each was found for Brassica rapa, Melia azedarach, and Calotropis procera. Based on documented data, the reported ailments were grouped into 7 categories. The ICF values range between 0.89 (diabetes) to 0.33 (Cardiovascular disorders)., Conclusion: The study includes a variety of antidiabetic medicinal plants, which are used by the locals in various herbal preparations. The species Apteranthes tuberculata has been reported to be the most frequently used medicinal plant against diabetes. Therefore, it is recommended that such plants be further investigated in-vitro and in-vivo to determine their anti-diabetic effects., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Uneven rainfall and high temperature cause drought in tropical and subtropical regions which is a major challenge to cultivating summer mung bean. Potassium (K), a major essential nutrient of plants can alleviate water stress (WS) tolerance in plants. A field trial was executed under a rainout shelter with additional K fertilization including recommended K fertilizer (RKF) for relieving the harmful impact of drought in response to water use efficiency (WUE), growth, yield attributes, nutrient content, and yield of mung bean at the Regional Agricultural Research Station, BARI, Ishwardi, Pabna in two successive summer season of 2018 and 2019. Drought-tolerant genotype BMX-08010-2 (G1) and drought-susceptible cultivar BARI Mung-1 (G2) were grown by applying seven K fertilizer levels (KL) using a split-plot design with three replications, where mung bean genotypes were allotted in the main plots, and KL were assigned randomly in the sub-plots. A considerable variation was observed in the measured variables. Depending on the different applied KL and seed yield of mung bean, the water use efficiency (WUE) varied from 4.73 to 8.14 kg ha -1  mm -1 . The treatment applying 125% more K with RKF (KL 7 ) under WS gave the maximum WUE (8.14 kg ha -1  mm -1 ) obtaining a seed yield of 1093.60 kg ha -1 . The treatment receiving only RKF under WS (KL 2 ) provided the minimum WUE (4.73 kg ha -1  mm -1 ) attaining a seed yield of 825.17 kg ha -1 . Results showed that various characteristics including nutrients (N, P, K, and S) content in stover and seed, total dry matter (TDM) in different growth stages, leaf area index (LAI), crop growth rate (CGR), root volume (RV), root density (RD), plant height, pod plant -1 , pod length, seeds pod -1 , seed weight, and seed yield in all pickings increased with increasing K levels, particularly noted with KL 7 . The highest grain yield (32.52%) was also obtained from KL 7 compared to lower K with RKF. Overall, yield varied from 1410.37 kg ha -1 using 281 mm water (KL 1 ; well-watered condition with RKF) to 825.17 kg ha -1 using 175 mm water (KL 2 ). The results exhibited that the application of additional K improves the performance of all traits under WS conditions. Therefore, mung beans cultivating under WS requires additional K to diminish the negative effect of drought, and adequate use of K contributes to accomplishing sustainable productivity., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

In this study, green synthesis of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) using aqueous extract from Hymenaea courbaril resin (HCR) is reported. The successful formation, functional group involvement, size, and morphology of the subject H. courbaril resin mediated gold nanoparticles (HCRAuNPs) were confirmed by Ultra Violet-Visible (UV-vis) spectroscopy, Fourier-Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) techniques. Stable and high yield of HCRAuNPs was formed in 1:15 (aqueous solution: salt solution) reacted in sunlight as indicated by the visual colour change and appearance of surface Plasmon resonance (SPR) at 560 nm. From the FT-IR results, the phenolic hydroxyl (-OH) functional group was found to be involved in synthesis and stabilization of nanoparticles. The TEM analysis showed that the particles are highly dispersed and spherical in shape with average size of 17.5 nm. The synthesized HCRAuNPs showed significant degradation potential against organic dyes, including methylene blue (MB, 85 %), methyl orange (MO, 90 %), congo red (CR, 83 %), and para nitrophenol (PNP, 76 %) up to 180 min. The nanoparticles also demonstrated the effective detection of pharmaceutical pollutants, including amoxicillin, levofloxacin, and azithromycin in aqueous environment as observable changes in color and UV-Vis spectral graph., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2024 The Authors.)

Background: Oral bacterial infections are difficult to treat due to emergence of resistance against antibiotic therapy. Essential oils are considered emerging alternate therapy against bacterial infections and biofilms. We investigated Citrus bergemia flower essential oil against oral pathogens., Methods: The essential oil was analsyed using Gas Chromatography(GC-MS), in silico investigations, antioxidant, antimicrobial, antibiofilm and antiquorum sensing assays., Results: Gas Chromatography analysis confirmed presence of 17 compounds including 1,6-Octadien-3-ol,3,7-dimethyl, 48.17%), l-limonene (22.03%) and p-menth-1-ol, 8-ol (7.31%) as major components. In silico analysis showed compliance of all tested major components with Lipinski's rule, Bioavailability and antimicrobial activity using PASS (prediction of activity spectrum of substances). Molecular docking with transcriptional regulators 3QP5, 5OE3, 4B2O and 3Q3D revealed strong interaction of all tested compounds except 1,6-Octadien-3-ol,3,7-dimethyl. All tested compounds presented significant inhibition of DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) (IC 50 0.65 mg/mL), H 2 O 2 (hydrogen peroxide) (63.5%) and high FRAP (ferrous reducing antioxidant power) value (239.01 µg). In antimicrobial screening a significant activity (MIC 0.125 mg/mL) against Bacillus paramycoides and Bacillus chungangensis was observed. Likewise a strong antibiofilm (52.1 - 69.5%) and anti-QS (quorum sensing) (4-16 mm) activity was recorded in a dose dependent manner., Conclusion: It was therefore concluded that C. bergemia essential oil posess strong antioxidant, antimicrobial and antibiofilm activities against tested oral pathogens., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Introduction: Haemonchus contortus ( H. contortus ) is a blood-feeding nematode causing infectious disease haemonchosis in small ruminants of tropical and subtropical regions around the world. This study aimed to explore the prevalence and phylogeny of H. contortus in small ruminants using the internal transcribed spacer-2 (ITS-2) gene. In addition, a comprehensive review of the available literature on the status of H. contortus in Pakistan was conducted., Methods: Fecal samples were collected from sheep and goats ( n  = 180). Microscopically positive samples were subjected to DNA extraction followed by PCR using species-specific primers., Results: The overall prevalence of H. contortus was 25.55% in small ruminants. The prevalence of H. contortus was significantly associated with months and area. The highest occurrence of haemonchosis was documented in July (38.70%), whereas the lowest occurred in December (11.11%), with significant difference. The prevalence was highest in the Ghamkol camp (29.4%) and lowest in the arid zone of the Small Ruminant Research Institute (17.5%) ( p  = 0.01). The results of the systematic review revealed the highest prevalence of haemonchosis (34.4%) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa ( p  = 0.001)., Discussion: Phylogenetic analysis revealed a close relationship between H. contortus and isolates from Asia (China, India, Iran, Bangladesh, Malaysia, and Mongolia) and European countries (Italy and the United Kingdom). It has been concluded that H. contortus is prevalent in small ruminants of Kohat district and all over Pakistan, which could be a potential threat to food-producing animals, farmers, dairy, and the meat industry. Phylogenetic analysis indicates that H. contortus isolates share close phylogenetic relationships with species from Asia and Europe., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Ahmad, Khan, Majid, Ali, Ullah, Bari, Akbar and Majid.)

The strong demand for biological materials in the food industry places chitosan at the forefront of other biopolymers. The present study aims to evaluate the antifungal properties of chitosan extracted from shrimp shell waste ( Parapenaeus longirostris ) against post-harvest strawberry ( Fragaria × ananassa ) spoilage fungi. The physicochemical characteristics (DD, Mw, and solubility) of extracted chitosan were determined. In addition, functional characteristics were studied by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The antifungal effect of chitosan on mycelial growth and spore germination of Aspergillus niger , Botrytis cinerea , Fusarium oxysporum , and Rhizopus stolonifer was evaluated. Yield, degree of deacetylation, molecular weight, and solubility were 21.86%, 83.50%, 180 kDa, and 80.10%, respectively. A degree of deacetylation of 81.27% was calculated from the FTIR spectrum and a crystallinity index of 79.83% was determined from the X-ray diffraction pattern. SEM images of extracted chitosan showed a combination of fibrous and porous structure. At 3% chitosan, mycelial growth inhibition rates of A. niger , B. cinerea , F. oxysporum , and R. stolonifer ranged from 81.37% to 92.70%. At the same chitosan concentration, the percentages of spore germination inhibition of the isolated fungi ranged from 65.47% to 71.48%. The antifungal activity was highly dose-dependent. As a natural polymer, chitosan offers a convincing alternative to synthetic antimicrobials for the post-harvest preservation of strawberries. Its potential lies in its ability to inhibit the growth of spoilage fungi., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2024 The Authors.)

This study examines the manufacturing, characterization, and biological evaluation of platinum nanoparticles, which were synthesized by Enterobacter cloacae and coated with Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA) and Resveratrol (RSV). The formation of PtNPs was confirmed with the change of color from dark yellow to black, which was due to the bioreduction of platinum chloride by E. cloacae. BSA and RSV functionalization enhanced these nanoparticles' biocompatibility and therapeutic potential. TGA, SEM, XRD, and FTIR were employed for characterization, where PtNPs and drug conjugation-related functional groups were studied by FTIR. XRD confirmed the crystalline nature of PtNPs and Pt-BSA-RSV NPs, while TGA and SEM showed thermal stability and post-drug coating morphological changes. Designed composite was also found to be biocompatible in nature in hemolytic testing, indicating their potential in Biomedical applications. After confirmation of PtNPs based nanocaompsite synthesis, they were examined for anti-bacterial, anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer properties. Pt-BSA-RSV NPs showed higher concentration-dependent DPPH scavenging activity, which measured antioxidant capability. Enzyme inhibition tests demonstrated considerable anti-inflammatory activity against COX-2 and 15-LOX enzymes. In in vitro anticancer studies, Pt-BSA-RSV NPs effectively killed human ovarian cancer cells. This phenomenon was demonstrated to be facilitated by the acidic environment of cancer, as the drug release assay confirmed the release of RSV from the NP formulation in the acidic environment. Finally, Molecular docking also demonstrated that RSV has strong potential as an anti-oxidant, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer agent. Overall, in silico and in vitro investigations in the current study showed good medicinal applications for designed nanocomposites, however, further in-vivo experiments must be conducted to validate our findings., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Medicinal plant-based cerium oxide nanoparticles (CeO 2 NPs) possessed excellent antimicrobial properties against multiple strains of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. The CeO 2 NPs are popular because their electropositive charged surface causes oxidation of plasma membrane and facilitates the penetration of CeO 2 NPs inside the pathogen body. In the present research work, CeO 2 NPs stabilized with Mentha leaf extract; as a result, nanoparticles surface-bonded with various functional groups of phytochemicals which enhanced the therapeutic potential of CeO 2 NPs. The inhibition percentage of CeO 2 NPs was evaluated against eight pathogenic Gram-positive bacteria Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus epidermidis; Gram-negative bacteria Escherichia coli , Stenotrophomonas maltophilia , Comamonas sp., Halobacterium sp., and Klebsiella pneumoniae; and plant bacteria Xanthomonas sp. The antifungal properties of CeO 2 NPs were evaluated against three pathogenic fungal species Bipolaris sorokiniana , Aspergillus flavus , and Fusarium oxysporum via the streak plate method. The antimicrobial inhibitory activity of CeO 2 NPs was good to excellent. The current research work clearly shows that three different medicinal plants Mentha royleana , Mentha longifolia , and Mentha arvensis based CeO 2 NPs, variation in nanoparticle sizes, and surface-to-volume ratio of green CeO 2 NPs are three factors responsible to generate and provoke antimicrobial activities of CeO 2 NPs against human pathogenic bacteria and plant infecting fungi. The results show that CeO 2 NPs possessed good antimicrobial properties and are effective to use for pharmaceutical applications and as a food preservative because of low toxicity, organic coating, and acceptable antimicrobial properties. This study showed a rapid and well-organized method to prepare stable phytochemical-coated CeO 2 NPs with three different plants M. royleana , M. longifolia , and M. arvensis with remarkable antibacterial and antifungal characteristics., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing financial interest., (© 2024 The Authors. Published by American Chemical Society.)

This study investigated the effects of varying water stress levels on Rosmarinus officinalis essential oils (EO). Three samples (S1, S2, and S3) were cultivated under different stress levels (40, 60, and 80%). Increased water stress led to changes in primary and secondary metabolites, EO contents, and physical properties. Antioxidant activity varied, with S2 exhibiting the highest IC 50 value. In terms of antidiabetic activity, S2 showed robust α-amylase inhibition, while S3 displayed a commendable influence. For α-galactosidase inhibition, S3 had a moderate effect, and S2 stood out with increased efficacy. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis revealed stress-induced changes in major compounds. The study enhances the understanding of plant responses to water stress, with potential applications in antioxidant therapy and diabetes management. The findings emphasize the importance of sustainable water management for optimizing the EO quality in its various uses., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing financial interest., (© 2024 The Authors. Published by American Chemical Society.)

This study investigates the valorization of coal fly ash (FA-C) generated by the Jerada thermal power plant, aiming to address the pressing need for sustainable construction practices and reduced greenhouse gas emissions in the concrete industry. It is widely used as a pozzolanic material. The key objective is to harness the potential of FA-C as a supplementary material in concrete production, which not only reduces costs but also contributes to environmental sustainability. To achieve this objective, various concrete mixtures were formulated, with FA-C serving as a partial substitute for cement at percentages ranging from 15 to 50%. According to ASTM standards, compressive strength tests were conducted on standard-sized cylinders at 7 and 28 days. The results revealed that the blend containing 15% FA-C exhibited the highest compressive strength, indicating its effectiveness as a concrete additive. Furthermore, this study delves into the rheological properties of concrete mixes, an essential aspect of successful concrete processing. It was observed that a higher replacement level of FA-C significantly improved the rheology, leading to reduced water demand and a linear decrease in plastic viscosity over time. The rheological parameters stabilized after a certain period, demonstrating the controllability of concrete flow behavior with FA-C. The investigation also employed three analytical methods-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM)-to comprehensively analyze both raw materials and processed samples. FTIR analysis highlighted the minimal impact of FA particles on hydration product formation, emphasizing the role of FA-C in enhancing the concrete's strength. XRD analysis confirmed the presence of an amorphous phase crucial for FA's reactivity. SEM observations revealed that concrete with 15% FA-C exhibited a more uniform microstructure with aluminosilicate gel, while 50% FA-C mixes showed increased porosity and nonhomogeneity due to unreacted FA particles., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing financial interest., (© 2024 The Authors. Published by American Chemical Society.)

The abundance of Panonychus citri McGregor 1916 (Acari: Tetranychidae) and its associated enemies ( Euseius stipulatus Athias-Henriot, 1960; Typhlodromus sp.; Phytoseiulus persimilis Athias-Henriot, 1957) was studied on two 12-year-old citrus cultivars, specifically Clementine "Nules" ( Citrus Clementina ) and Valencia ( Citrus sinensis ), in the Gharb region of Morocco. Throughout the entire monitoring period in the Valencia late cultivar, the density of the spider mite P. citri on leaves was notably higher at 38.0% ( n = 1,212 mobile forms). Predator P. persimilis exhibited a leaf occupancy of 25.0% ( n = 812), followed by Typhlodromus sp. at 20.0% ( n = 643). Conversely, the abundance of E. stipulatus was lower at 17.0% ( n = 538). In the Nules variety, P. citri abundance recorded a higher percentage at 48.0% ( n = 1,922). E. stipulatus emerged as the most abundant predator at 23.0% ( n = 898), followed by P. persimilis with 16.0% ( n = 639). Meanwhile, the population of Typlodromus sp. remained notably low at 13.0% ( n = 498). Regarding the fluctuation of the different mites studied on the two cultivars across monitoring dates, the period from May 4 to June 1 was characterized by low temperatures and a diminished presence of mite populations ( P. citri, E. stipulatus, Typhlodromus sp., and P. persimilis ). However, from June 7 to June 19, characterized by high temperatures, a notable increase in the presence of mite populations was observed. As regards the effect of the variety on the different mites studied, the varietal impact was significant., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest: Authors state no conflict of interest., (© 2024 the author(s), published by De Gruyter.)

Single nucleotide polymorphisms are the most common form of DNA alterations at the level of a single nucleotide in the genomic sequence. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) were carried to identify potential risk genes or genomic regions by screening for SNPs associated with disease. Recent studies have shown that SCN9A comprises the NaV1.7 subunit, Na+ channels have a gene encoding of 1988 amino acids arranged into 4 domains, all with 6 transmembrane regions, and are mainly found in dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons and sympathetic ganglion neurons. Multiple forms of acute hypersensitivity conditions, such as primary erythermalgia, congenital analgesia, and paroxysmal pain syndrome have been linked to polymorphisms in the SCN9A gene. Under this study, we utilized a variety of computational tools to explore out nsSNPs that are potentially damaging to heath by modifying the structure or activity of the SCN9A protein. Over 14 potentially damaging and disease-causing nsSNPs (E1889D, L1802P, F1782V, D1778N, C1370Y, V1311M, Y1248H, F1237L, M936V, I929T, V877E, D743Y, C710W, D623H) were identified by a variety of algorithms, including SNPnexus, SNAP-2, PANTHER, PhD-SNP, SNP & GO, I-Mutant, and ConSurf. Homology modeling, structure validation, and protein-ligand interactions also were performed to confirm 5 notable substitutions (L1802P, F1782V, D1778N, V1311M, and M936V). Such nsSNPs may become the center of further studies into a variety of disorders brought by SCN9A dysfunction. Using in-silico strategies for assessing SCN9A genetic variations will aid in organizing large-scale investigations and developing targeted therapeutics for disorders linked to these variations., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2024 Waheed et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Salvia (Lamiaceae family) is used as a brain tonic to improve cognitive function. The species including S. plebeia and S. moorcroftiana are locally used to cure hepatitis, cough, tumours, hemorrhoids, diarrhoea, common cold, flu, and asthma. To the best of authors' knowledge, no previous study has been conducted on synthesis of S. plebeia and S. moorcroftiana silver nanoparticles (SPAgNPs and SMAgNPs). The study was aimed to synthesize AgNPs from the subject species aqueous and ethanol extracts, and assess catalytic potential in degradation of standard and extracted (from yums, candies, and snacks) dyes, nitrophenols, and antibiotics. The study also aimed at AgNPs as probe in sensing metalloids and heavy metal ions including Pb 2+ , Cu 2+ , Fe 3+ , Ni 2+ , and Zn 2+ . From the results, it was found that Salvia aqueous extract afforded stable AgNPs in 1:9 and 1:15 (quantity of aqueous extract and silver nitrate solution concentration) whereas ethanol extract yielded AgNPs in 1:10 (quantity of ethanol extract and silver nitrate solution concentration) reacted in sunlight. The size of SPAgNPs and SMAgNPs determined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were 21.7 nm and 19.9 nm, with spherical, cylindrical, and deep hollow morphology. The synthesized AgNPs demonstrated significant potential as catalyst in dyes; Congo red (85 %), methylene blue (75 %), Rhodamine B (<50 %), nitrophenols; ortho -nitrophenol (95-98 %) and para -nitrophenol (95-98 %), dyes extracted from food samples including yums, candies, and snacks. The antibiotics (amoxicillin, doxycycline, levofloxacin) degraded up to 80 %-95 % degradation. Furthermore, the synthesized AgNPs as probe in sensing of Pb 2+ , Cu 2+ , and Fe 3+ in Kabul river water, due to agglomeration, caused a significant decrease and bathochromic shift of SPR band (430 nm) when analyzed after 30 min. The Pb 2+ ions was comparatively more agglomerated and chelated. Thus, the practical applicability of AgNPs in Pb 2+ sensing was significant. Based on the results of this research study, the synthesized AgNPs could provide promising efficiency in wastewater treatment containing organic dyes, antibiotics, and heavy metals., Competing Interests: The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests:Nargis Jamila reports financial support was provided by Higher Education Commission Pakistan., (© 2024 The Authors.)

Three triorganotin(IV) compounds, R 3 Sn(L), with R = CH 3 ( 1 ), n -C 4 H 9 ( 2 ) and C 6 H 5 ( 3 ), and LH = 4-[(2-chloro-4-methylphenyl)carbamoyl]butanoic acid, were prepared and confirmed by various techniques. A five-coordinate, distorted trigonal-bipyramidal geometry was elucidated for tin(IV) centres both in solution and solid states. An intercalation mode was confirmed for the compound SS-DNA interaction by UV-visible, viscometric techniques and molecular docking. MD simulation revealed stable binding of LH with SS-DNA. Anti-bacterial investigation revealed 2 to be generally the most potent, especially against Sa and Ab , i.e. having the lowest MIC values (≤0.25 μg/mL) compared to the standard anti-biotics vancomycin-HCl (MIC = 1 μg/mL) and colistin-sulphate (MIC = 0.25 μg/mL). Similarly, the anti-fungal profile shows 2 exhibits 100% inhibition against Ca and Cn fungal strains and has MIC values (≤0.25 μg/mL) comparatively lower than standard drug fluconazole (0.125 and 8 μg/mL for Ca and Cn , respectively). Compound 2 has the greatest activity with CC 50 ≤ 25 μg/mL and HC 50 > 32 μg/mL performed against HEC239 and RBC cell lines. The anti-cancer potential was assessed against the MG-U87 cell line, using cisplatin as the standard (133 µM), indicates 2 displays the greatest activity (IC 50 : 5.521 µM) at a 5 µM dose. The greatest anti-leishmanial potential was observed for 2 (87.75 at 1000 μg/mL) in comparison to amphotericin B (90.67). The biological assay correlates with the observed maximum of 89% scavenging activity exhibited by 2 . The Swiss-ADME data publicised the screened compounds generally follow the rule of 5 of drug-likeness and have good bioavailability potential.

Dodonaea viscosa grows widely in Saudi Arabia, but studies evaluating its neuroprotective activity are lacking. Thus, this study aimed to isolate and identify the secondary metabolites and evaluate the neuroprotective effects of D. viscosa leaves. The isolation and identification of phytochemicals were performed using chromatographic and spectroscopic techniques. The neuroprotective potential of the extract was evaluated against focal cerebral ischaemia-reperfusion injury in rat model. Neurobehavioural deficits in the rats were evaluated, and their brains were harvested to measure infarct volume and oxidative biomarkers. Results revealed the presence of three compounds: a novel isoprenylated phenolic derivative that was elucidated as 4-hydroxy-3-(3'-methyl-2'-butenyl) phenyl 1-O-β-D-apiosyl-(1''' → 6'')- β-D-glucopyranoside (named Viscomarfadol) and two known compounds (isorhamnetin-3-O-rutinoside and epicatechin (4-8) catechin). Pre-treatment of the rats with the extract improved neurological outcomes. It significantly reduced neurological deficits and infarct volume; significantly reduced lipid peroxidation, as evidenced by decreased malondialdehyde levels; and significantly elevated antioxidant (superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione) activities. These results indicate that D. viscosa is a promising source of bioactive compounds that can improve neurological status, decrease infarct volume, and enhance antioxidant activities in rats with cerebral ischaemic injury. Thus, D. viscosa could be developed into an adjuvant therapy for ischaemic stroke and other oxidative stress-related neurodegenerative disorders. Further investigations are warranted to explore other bioactive compounds in D. viscosa and evaluate their potential neuroprotective activities., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no competing financial interests or personal relationships that may have influenced the work reported in this study., (© 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of King Saud University.)

Illustrating the population structure and genetic diversity in selected germplasm resources (after three year multi locations trials) plays a key role which directly utilize the selection of lines in a population for accumulative trait breeding in crops. In order to further understand, the structure of population and genetic variability, we explored 100 selected lines, cultivated for three consecutive years (2016-2019) in swat, University of Malakand, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Pakistan and Provinces of China (Chongqing and Beijing) with 33 mapped SSR markers. The integrated population structure analysis in a core of hundred germplasm with Pakistani origin with three approved commercial barley cultivars have strong stratification that allowed their division into four major subpopulations (i.e. PI, PII, PIII and PIV) and an admixture subpopulation, with 52, 9, 15 and 27 germplasm respectively. A total of 133 alleles were identified with mean value of 0.80 Polymorphic information content. The number of alleles detected by the system varied from two alleles amplified to as six with an average of 4.03 per SSR marker pair. The gene diversity ranged from 0.56 to 0.98 with an average of 0.82 in selected germplasm resources. Based on the SSR data, the 100 selected germplasm with three cultivars were classified into four main phylogenetic Linages (LI, LII, LIII and LIV) which corresponded to the phylogenic grouping in genotypes. We assembled a core set of 20 barley genotypes (~1/5 of original population size) to sustain sufficient mapping of SSR marker with Phenotype, in which we proposed four SSR markers, Bmac0040, Bmac0134, Bmag0125 and Bmag0211 for malt gene and marker (Bmac0399) for tolerance to salinity gene, which will be applicable for marker assisted breeding in barley gene resources.

Fennel ( Foeniculum officinale Mill. var. dulce Mill) is an annual aromatic plant of the Lamiaceae family. Its fruits are processed to obtain essential oil for use in the food industry and cosmetics. The physical parameters of the fruits, i.e. length (5.50-8.00 mm), width (1.50-2.00 mm), volume of 100 fruits (1.36 × 10 -6  m 3 ), density of 100 fruits (935.82 kg/m 3 ), average volume of one fruit (1.36 × 10 -8  m 3 ), average equivalent diameter of one fruit (2.96 mm), angle of repose, stainless steel (from 16 to 22°), angle of repose, black steel (from 19 to 28°), angle of repose, plywood (from 18 to 24°), and their chemical parameters, i.e. moisture (13.49%), ash (6.49%), protein (18.25%), essential oil (8.38%), vegetable oil (10.52%), and total carbohydrates (51.04%) were determined for the fruits. The adsorption and desorption isotherms of the fennel fruits were obtained using the static gravimetric method at two temperatures, 20 and 40 °C. The Halsey model provided a good description of the sorption isotherms, which were of type II according to Brunauer's classification. The increase in the temperature led to a significant decrease in the monolayer moisture. The contamination on the fruit surface at three relative humidities (0.43, 0.59, and 0.76) at 20 °C was determined., Competing Interests: The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests:Riaz Ullah, Ahmed Bari reports article publishing charges was provided by 10.13039/501100022230Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University., (© 2023 The Authors.)

This laboratory investigation aimed to synthesize and characterize micron-sized Gum Arabic (GA) powder and incorporate it in commercially available GIC luting formulation for enhanced physical and mechanical properties of GIC composite. Oxidation of GA was performed and GA-reinforced GIC in 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 4.0 & 8.0 wt.% formulations were prepared in disc-shaped using two commercially available GIC luting materials (Medicem and Ketac Cem Radiopaque). While the control groups of both materials were prepared as such. The effect of reinforcement was evaluated in terms of nano hardness, elastic modulus, diametral tensile strength (DTS), compressive strength (CS), water solubility and sorption. Two-way ANOVA and post hoc tests were used to analyze data for statistical significance ( p < 0.05). FTIR spectrum confirmed the formation of acid groups in the backbone of polysaccharide chain of GA while XRD peaks confirmed that crystallinity of oxidized GA. The experimental group with 0.5 wt.% GA in GIC enhanced the nano hardness while 0.5 wt.% and 1.0 wt.% GA in GIC increased the elastic modulus compared to the control. The CS of 0.5 wt.% GA in GIC and DTS of 0.5 wt.% and 1.0 wt.% GA in GIC demonstrated elevation. In contrast, the water solubility and sorption of all the experimental groups increased compared to the control groups. The incorporation of lower weight ratios of oxidized GA powder in GIC formulation helps in enhancing the mechanical properties with a slight increase in water solubility and sorption parameters. The addition of micron-sized oxidized GA in GIC formulation is promising and needs further research for improved performance of GIC luting composition.

Guava fruits have a short shelf life due to climacteric nature. The current work was conducted to extend the shelf life of guavas with garlic extract (GRE), ginger extract (GNE), gum arabic (GA), and Aloe vera (AV) gel coatings. After coating, fruits of guava were stored at 25 ± 3 °C and RH 85 ± 2% for 15 days. Results showed that guavas treated with plant-based edible coatings and extracts had lower weight loss than that of the control. GRE-treated guavas had the maximum shelf life in contrast to all other treatments including the control. GNE-treated guavas showed the lowest nonreducing sugar content, whereas they had higher antioxidant activity, vitamin C content, and total phenolics compared with all other coating treatments. After the control, antioxidant capacity was the highest in GNE- and GRE-treated fruits. On the other hand, GA-treated guavas had reduced total soluble solids and juice pH (more acidic) and exhibited higher total flavonoids compared with the control, while both GA- and GNE-treated guavas had the highest flavonoid content. GRE-treated fruits exhibited the highest total sugar content and taste and aroma scores. In conclusion, GRE treatment was more effective in conserving the quality and extending the shelf life of guava fruits., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing financial interest., (© 2023 The Authors. Published by American Chemical Society.)

Herein, a novel optical chemosensor, ( CM1 = 2, 6-di((E)-benzylidene)-4-methylcyclohexan-1-one), was designed/synthesized and characterized by 1 H-NMR and FT-IR spectroscopy. The experimental observations indicated that CM1 is an efficient and selective chemosensor towards Cd 2+ , even in the presence of other metal ions, such as Mn 2+ , Cu 2+ , Co 2+, Ce 3+ , K + , Hg 2+ , , and Zn 2+ in the aqueous medium. The newly synthesized chemosensor, CM1 , showed a significant change in the fluorescence emission spectrum upon coordination with Cd 2+ . The formation of the Cd 2+ complex with CM1 was confirmed from the fluorometric response. The 1:2 combination of Cd 2+ with CM1 was found optimum for the desired optical properties, which was confirmed through fluorescent titration, Job's plot, and DFT calculation. Moreover, CM1 showed high sensitivity towards Cd 2+ with a very low detection limit (19.25 nM). Additionally, the CM1 was recovered and recycled by the addition of EDTA solution that combines with Cd 2+ ion and, hence, frees up the chemosensor.

The ever-increasing demand for healthy diet by consumers has prompted the research adopting cutting-edge methods that can maintain the quality of fruits and vegetables without the use of preservatives. Emulsion based coating approach has been regarded as a viable way to extend the shelf life of fresh produce. New opportunities are being created in a number of industries, (medicines, cosmetics and food) because of new advancements in the developing field of nanoemulsions. Nanoemulsion based methods are efficient for encapsulating the active ingredients including antioxidants, lipids, vitamins and antimicrobial agents owing to the small droplet size, stability and improved biological activity. This review provides an overview of recent developments in preserving the quality and safety of fresh-cut fruits & vegetables with nanoemulsion as a carrier of functional compounds (antimicrobial agents, antibrowning/antioxidants and texture enhancers). In addition, material and methods used for fabrication of the nanoemulsion is also described in this review. In addition, material and methods used for fabrication, of the nanoemulsion is also present., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2023 The Author(s).)

The genus Nepeta , belonging to the family Lamiaceae, includes about 300 species, most of which are used in folk medicine due to their pronounced biological properties. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the agrobiological characteristics of Nepeta transcaucasica ( N. transcaucasica ) Grossh. and Nepeta cataria ( N. cataria ) L., cultivated in Bulgaria, and obtain their essential oils and determine their antimicrobial and antioxidant activities. The agrobiological characteristics of the two species growing in Kazanlak were analyzed; therefore, high variability in the population of N. transcaucasica and comparative homogeneity in N. cataria was shown. The species N. transcaucasica contained 0.28% essential oil with main components β-citronellol (52.05%), eucalyptol (7.34%), β-citronellal (6.06%), germacrene D (5.45%), ( Z )-β-ocimene (5.14%), and β-caryophyllene (3.06%). The species N. cataria consisted of 0.19% essential oil with main components β-citronellol (26.31%), geraniol (15.92%), neral (11.45%), nerol (9.56%), carvacrol (6.04%), and β-citronellal (5.35%). The antibacterial activity against Gram-positive bacteria Listeria monocytogenes and Staphylococcus aureus and Gram-negative bacteria Escherichia coli ( E. coli ) and Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Abony was determined. The essential oils showed antimicrobial activity only against E. coli . The diameters of the inhibition zones were found to be 26 mm for the species N. transcaucasica and 10 mm for the species N. cataria . The antioxidant activity of the two essential oils was also determined by four different methods, DPPH, ABTS, FRAP, and CUPRAC, with the highest values for the ABTS radical, for the species N. transcaucasica (48.72 μM TE/mL), and the species N. cataria (310 μM TE/mL)., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing financial interest., (© 2023 The Authors. Published by American Chemical Society.)

Amoxicillin is the most widely used antibiotic in human medicine for treating bacterial infections. However, in the present research, Micromeria biflora's flavonoids extract mediated gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) were conjugated with amoxicillin (Au-amoxi) to study their efficacy against the inflammation and pain caused by bacterial infections. The formation of AuNPs and Au-amoxi conjugates were confirmed by UV-visible surface plasmon peaks at 535 nm and 545 nm, respectively. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM), zeta potential (ZP), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) studies reveal that the size of AuNPs and Au-amoxi are found to be 42 nm and 45 nm, respectively. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) absorption bands at 3200 cm -1 , 1000 cm -1 , 1500 cm -1 , and 1650 cm -1 reveal the possible involvement of different moieties for the formation of AuNPs and Au-amoxi. The pH studies show that AuNPs and Au-amoxi conjugates are stable at lower pH. The carrageenan-induced paw edema test, writhing test, and hot plate test were used to conduct in vivo anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive studies, respectively. According to in vivo anti-inflammatory activity, Au-amoxi compounds have higher efficiency (70%) after 3 h at a dose of 10 mg/kg body weight as compared to standard diclofenac (60%) at 20 mg/kg, amoxicillin (30%) at 100 mg/kg, and flavonoids extract (35%) at 100 mg/kg. Similarly, for antinociceptive activities, writhing test results show that Au-amoxi conjugates produced the same number of writhes (15) but at a lower dose (10 mg/kg) compared to standard diclofenac (20 mg/kg). The hot plate test results demonstrate that the Au-amoxi has a better latency time of 25 s at 10 mg/kg dose when compared to standard Tramadol of 22 s at 30 mg/ kg, amoxicillin of 14 s at 100 mg/kg, and extract of 14 s at 100 mg/kg after placing the mice on the hot plate for 30, 60, and 90 min with a significance of ( p ≤ 0.001). These findings show that the conjugation of AuNPs with amoxicillin to form Au-amoxi can boost its anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive potential caused by bacterial infections.

Depression is a serious psychological disorder which negatively affects human feelings and actions. The use of antidepressants is the therapy of choice while treating depression. However, such drugs are associated with severe side effects. There is a need for efficient and harmless drugs. In this connection, the present study was designed to synthesize several substituted benzodiazepine derivatives and explore their antidepressant potentials in an animal model. The chalcone backbone was initially synthesized, which was then converted into several substituted benzodiazepine derivatives designated as 1 - 6 . The synthesized compounds were identified using spectroscopic techniques. The experimental animals (mice) after acclimatation were subjected to forced swim test (FST) and tail suspension test (TST) after oral administration of the synthesized compounds to evaluate their antidepressant potentials. At the completion of the mentioned test, the animals were sacrificed to determine GABA level in their brain hippocampus. The chloro-substituent compound ( 2 ) significantly reduced the immobility time (80.81 ± 1.14 s; p < 0.001 at 1.25 mg/kg body weight and 75.68 ± 3.73 s with p < 0.001 at 2.5 mg/kg body weight dose), whereas nitro-substituent compound ( 5 ) reduced the immobility time to 118.95 ± 1.31 and 106.69 ± 3.62 s ( p < 0.001), respectively, at the tested doses (FST). For control groups, the recorded immobility time recorded was 177.24 ± 1.82 s. The standard drug diazepam significantly reduced immobility time to 70.13 ± 4.12 s while imipramine reduced it to 65.45 ± 2.81 s ( p < 0.001). Similarly, in the TST, the compound 2 reduced immobility time to 74.93 ± 1.14 s ( p < 0.001) and 70.38 ± 1.43 s ( p < 0.001), while compound 5 reduced it to 88.23 ± 1.89 s ( p < 0.001) and 91.31 ± 1.73 s ( p < 0.001) at the tested doses, respectively, as compared to the control group immobility time (166.13 ± 2.18 s). The compounds 1 , 3 , 4 , and 6 showed weak antidepressant responses as compared to compounds 2 and 5 . The compounds 2 and 5 also significantly enhanced the GABA level in the brain's hippocampus of experimental animals, indicating the possible involvement of GABAergic mechanism in alleviating the depression which is evident from the significant increase in mRNA levels for the α subunit of the GABA A receptors in the prefrontal cortex of mice as well. From the results, it can be concluded that compound 2 and 5 could be used as alternative drugs of depression. However, further exploration in this connection is needed in other animal models in order to confirm the observed results in this study.

Nano-fertilizers are superior to conventional fertilizers, but their effectiveness has not yet been adequately explored in the field of agriculture. In this study, silver nanoparticles using leaves extract of an Alnus nitida plant were synthesized and further doped with urea to enhance the plant biomass and metabolic contents. The synthesized Alnus nitida silver nanoparticles (A.N-AgNPs) and urea-doped silver nanoparticles (U-AgNPs) were characterized using Scanning Electron Microscopy, Transmission Electron Microscopy, Powder X-ray Diffraction, and Energy Dispersive X-ray. The wheat seeds were grown in media under controlled conditions in the plant growth chamber. The effectiveness of nanoparticles was studied using different A.N-AgNPs and U-AgNPs concentrations (0.75 μg/ml, 1.5 μg/ml, 3 μg/ml, 6 μg/ml, and 15 μg/ml). They were compared with a control group that received no dose of nanoparticles. The plant biomass, yield parameters, and wheat quality were analyzed. The effect of silver nanoparticles and U-AgNPs were examined in developing wheat seeds and their potency in combating biotic stresses such as nematodes, herbivores, fungi, insects, weeds and bacteria; abiotic stresses such as salinity, ultraviolet radiation, heavy metals, temperature, drought, floods etc. In the seedlings, six possible phytochemicals at a spray dose of 6 μg/ml of U-AgNPs were identified such as dihydroxybenzoic acids, vanillic acid, apigenin glucosidase, p -coumaric acid, sinapic acid, and ferulic acid whereas in other treatments the number of phenolic compounds was lesser in number as well as in concentrations. Moreover, various parameters of the wheat plants, including their dry weight and fresh weight, were assessed and compared with control group. The findings of the study indicated that A.N-AgNPs and U-AgNPs act as metabolite elicitors that induced secondary metabolite production (total phenolic, flavonoid, and chlorophyll contents). In addition, U-AgNPs provided a nitrogen source and were considered a smart nitrogen fertilizer that enhanced the plant biomass, yields, and metabolite production., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.The authors declared that they do not have any conflict in publishing this research article., (© 2023 The Authors.)

Herein, a molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) was prepared using bulk polymerization and applied to wastewater to aid the adsorption of targeted template molecules using ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA), methacrylic acid (MAA), acid black-234 (AB-234), 2,2'-azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN), and methanol as a cross linker, functional monomer, template, initiator, and porogenic solvent, respectively. For a non-molecularly imprinted polymer (NIP), the same procedure was followed but without adding a template. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and a surface area analyzer were used to determine the surface functional groups, morphology and specific surface area of the MIP and NIP. At pH 5, the AB-234 adsorption capability of the MIP was higher (94%) than the NIP (31%). The adsorption isotherm data of the MIP correlated very well with the Langmuir adsorption model with Qm 82, 83 and 100 mg/g at 283 K, 298 K, and 313 K, respectively. The adsorption process followed pseudo-second-order kinetics. The imprinted factor (IF) and Kd value of the MIP were 5.13 and 0.53, respectively. Thermodynamic studies show that AB-234 dye adsorption on the MIP and NIP was spontaneous and endothermic. The MIP proved to be the best selective adsorbent for AB-234, even in the presence of dyes with similar and different structures than the NIP.

Understanding the impacts and constraints of climate change on Ziziphus nummularia's geographical distribution is crucial for its future sustainability. In this study, we analyze information obtained from the field investigation, the distribution and response of climatic changes of Ziziphus nummularia by the use of ArcGIS analysis. The genetic diversity of 180 genotypes from three populations was studied by morphological attributes and simple sequence repeat (SSR). The results showed that the significant bioclimatic variable limiting the distribution of Z. nummularia was the mean temperature (bio 10&#95;18.tif and bio19). Under the current climatic change, the suitable growth region of Z. nummularia is Swat (35.22° N, 72.42° E), while the future distribution would be Buner (34.39° N, 72.61° E), respectively. A total of 11 phenotypic traits were noted and had significant phenotypic variation among the traits. A total of 120 alleles were amplified. The alleles per locus ranged from 2 to 6, averaging 4.42, whereas PIC ranged from 0.33 to 0.79. Within a mean value of 0.67 per locus, expected heterozygosity was 0.57, observed heterozygosity was 0.661, and average gene diversity was 0.49. Flow estimates (6.41) indicated frequent gene flow within genotypes. The clustering, STRUCTURE, and PCoA analysis indicated Swat and Buner migration routes and evolution as well. The results indicated the prevalence of genetic variability and relationships among Z. nummularia across geographical boundaries had retained unique alleles. This may facilitate the development of agronomically desirable cultivars. However, climate change has impacted species distributions, requiring strategies to conserve genetic resources in different areas.

Background: Nanotechnology finds broad applications in the field of nanomedicine, an emerging new field used for diagnosis, treatment, prevention of diseases, and improvement of health., Objectives: To synthesize silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) from Withania somnifera and Fagonia indica and to carry out their antimicrobial, insecticidal, and phytotoxic activities, a step toward the new range of nanomedicines., Methods: Silver nanoparticles were synthesized from Withania somnifera and Fagonia indica by chemical reduction method, and further biological activities of these nanoparticles were compared with crude methanolic extract, prepared through cold maceration process, at the concentration of 50 mg/ml., Results: Among all tested bacterial pathogens, crude extract of W. somnifera showed a statistically high significant inhibition zone in millimeter against Pseudomonas aeruginosa (21; p < 0.01). AgNPs showed highly significant result against Streptococcus pneumonia (14; p < 0.01). In comparison with crude extracts, AgNPs showed statistically significant ( p < 0.01) results against S. pneumonia (AgNPs, 14; crude, 8.33 mm). Crude extract showed significant inhibition zone against two bacterial strains, P. aeruginosa (crude, 21; AgNPs, 11.67 mm) and Klebsiella pneumoniae (crude, 11.33; AgNPs, 8 mm). Crude extracts of F. indica showed the significant activity against Vibrio cholera ( p < 0.01; 11.33 mm). Silver nanoparticles of F. indica exhibited the highest significant activity against Aspergillus flavus and Fusarium oxysporum while AgNPs of W. somnifera were active only against A. flavus . Extracts of W. somnifera and F. indica showed increasing phytotoxic activity with increasing concentrations. The highest significant inhibition was obtained for crude extract (46.7) and AgNPs (45.7) of F. indica at 1000  μ g/ml. Insecticidal activity of crude and AgNPs of both plants showed significant inhibition against all tested insects with increasing time intervals, and the highest significant result was obtained at 72 hours with a value of p < 0.01 except T. castaneum ., Conclusions: Both crude and AgNPs showed potent activity; however, in comparison, silver nanoparticles showed slightly enhanced activity. Crude and AgNPs of both plants showed good phytotoxic and insecticidal inhibition. Antimicrobial studies of AgNPs on diseases causing pathogens open a door for new antimicrobial agents and could be the answer to antibiotic resistance after further analysis., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Muhammad Adnan et al.)

Due to poor diagnosis breast cancer in women has emerged as the most common cause of death disease in developing countries. Medicinal plants have been used for thousands of years and can be useful in healthcare, especially in developing countries. Ethanol extracts of leaves of fire bush or arta ( Calligonum comosum; EECC), exhibited significant anticancer potencies against two breast cancer cell lines, MCF-7 and MDA 231. These in vitro effects of EECC indicated potential anticancer activities that were determined to be specific since minimal toxicity was recorded against MCF-12, a non-cancerous breast cell line used as a reference. EECC also induced cell cycle arrest in MCF-7 and MDA 231 as revealed by the increased proportions of sub-G1 cells. Fluorescence-activated cell sorter analysis (FACS), utilizing double staining by annexin V-FITC/propidium iodide, revealed that the observed cytotoxic effects were mediated via apoptosis and necrosis. FACS measurement of thegreater in fluorescence intensity, linked with oxidation of DCFH to DCF, revealed that apoptosis was attributable to production of free radicals. EECC-mediated apoptosis was further validated by observation of up-regulation in the "executioner" enzyme, caspase 3. The current findings reveal that EECC exhibits significant, selective cytotoxicity to breast cancer cells, that proceeds via the generation of ROS, which culminates in apoptosis. The anti-proliferative effects of EECC weres further verified by use of a structure-based, virtual screening between its major bioactive polyphenolic constituents and the apoptosis executioner marker enzyme, caspase-3. Based on their glide score values against the active site of caspase 3, some phyto-constituents present in EECC, such as DL-alpha-tocopherol and campesterol, exhibited distinctive, drug-like potential with no predicted toxicity to non-target cells. Taken together, the usefulness of natural phenolic and flavonoid compounds contained in Calligonum comosum were suggested to be potent anticancer agents., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Kumar, Alfhili, Bari, Ennaji, Ahamed, Bourhia, Chebaibi, Benbacer, Ghneim, Abudawood, Alghamdi, Giesy, Al-Sheikh and Aboul-Soud.)

Centaurea calcitrapa has been intensively utilized in ethnomedicinal practices as a natural therapeutic recipe to cure various ailments. The current study aimed to chemically characterize ethanolic extract of C. calcitrapa (EECC) aerial parts (leaves and shoots) by use of gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analyses (GC-MS) and investigate its antioxidant and in vitro anticancer activities, elucidating the underlying molecular mechanism by use of flow cytometry-based fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) and conducting in silico assessment of binding inhibitory activities of EECC major compounds docked to caspase-3. CG-MS profiling of EECC identified a total of 26 major flavonoids and polyphenolic compounds. DPPH and ABTS assays revealed that EECC exhibits potent antioxidant activity comparable to standard reducing agents. Results of the proliferation assay revealed that EECC exhibit potent, dose-dependent cytotoxic activities against triple-positive (MCF-7) and triple-negative (MDA-MB-231) breast cancer cell models, with IC50 values of 1.3 × 102 and 8.7 × 101 µg/mL, respectively. The observed cytotoxic effect was specific to studied cancer cells since EECC exhibited minimal (~<10%) cytotoxicity against MCF-12, a normal breast cell line. FACS analysis employing annexin V-FITC/propidium iodide double labeling demonstrated that the observed anti-proliferative activity against MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 was mediated via apoptotic as well as necrotic signaling transduction processes. The increase in fluorescence intensity associated with DCFH oxidation to DCF, as reported by FACS, indicated that apoptosis is caused by generation of ROS. The use of caspase-3-specific fluorogenic substrate revealed a dose-dependent elevation in caspase-3 substrate-cleavage activity, which further supports EECC-mediated apoptosis in MCF-7 cells. The major EECC compounds were examined for their inhibitory activity against caspase-3 receptor (1HD2) using molecular docking. Three compounds exhibited the highest glide score energy of −5.156, −4.691 and −4.551 kcal/mol, respectively. Phenol, 2,6-dimethoxy established strong binding in caspase-3 receptor of hydrogenic type, with residue ARG 207 and of PI-PI stacking type with residue HIS 121. By contract, hexadecenoic acid showed 3 H-bond with the following residues: ASN 615, ASN 616a and THR 646. Taken together, the current findings reveal that EECC exhibits significant and specific cytotoxicity against breast cancer cells mediated by the generation of ROS and culminating into necrosis and apoptosis. Further investigations of the phytoconstituents-rich C. calcitrapa are therefore warranted against breast as well as other human cancer cell models.

Investigation of alternative energy sources is need of current time due to growing power crisis and associated environmental issues. Biodiesel is considered as sustainable power source and promising alternative to fossil fuels. Therefore, our current investigation aimed to identify micromorphological characters of 10 novel nonedible oil-yielding seeds through scanning electron microscopy. It was revealed from light microscopic study that there is variation in seed size from 3 to 15 mm in length and 2 to 11 mm in width. Likewise, a huge variation in color was observed such as light green, greenish yellow, blackish brown, and various shades of brown. Presence and absence of Hilum was observed, and compression of seeds varied from depressed, lateral, and dorsoventral. Seed's shape differs from ovate, clavate, triangular ovate, cuneiform, ovoid, and elliptical shape. Seed oil content fall in range of 18-58% (wt/wt). Free fatty acid content of the seeds varies from 0.3 to 3.1 mg KOH/g. Ultrastructure of seeds exhibited huge variation in shape, size, periclinal wall, anticlinal wall, and surface ornamentation. Nonedible seeds varied in wall structure from angular, wavy, dentate entire, irregular, puzzled, elongated, even, and polygonal. The periclinal wall arrangements show alteration from flat, looped, raised, depressed, lofty, even, pentagonal, polygonal, and undulate seed margins. Outcomes of this investigation recommended that scanning electron microscopy could act as a helpful tool in disclosing the hidden micromorphological characters among nonedible oil-yielding seeds and subsequently helping in correct, authentic seed identification and classification as potential feedstock for biodiesel., (© 2021 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Paramphistomosis is a neglected ruminant parasitic disease caused by trematodes known as Paramphistomum , which has a diheteroxenic life cycle involving freshwater snail genera, i.e., Planorbis and Lymnaea as the intermediate host and mammals as the definitive host. Snail vector distribution, infection with Paramphistomum spp. cercariae, preferred habitat, and their relationship with certain meteorological factors were not investigated in the province Khyber Pakhtunkhwa of Pakistan. Therefore, this study is designed to evaluate the effects of meteorological factors on the occurrence and severity of Paramphistomum spp. cercariae in Indoplanorbis and Lymnaea intermediate snail hosts. For this purpose, a cross-sectional survey was conducted from October 2018 to September 2019, and snails were collected and then identified using snail shell morphology; their infection with Paramphistomum spp. cercariae was determined through microscopy; and descriptive statistics were used to estimate the prevalence of infection and evaluate their occurrence relationship with a certain meteorological factors including temperature, humidity, rainfall, and pan evaporation in different districts of the above-mentioned province of Pakistan, i.e. , adjacent areas of Bara and Kabul rivers in district Nowshehra, Kabul River (Sardaryab) of district Charsadda, Kalpani River of district Mardan, and Indus River (Hund) of district Swabi. A total of 2,706 Indoplanorbis (1539) and Lymnaea (1167) snails were collected, in which overall 10.30% shed Paramphistomum spp. cercariae. The highest infection rate was found in the river of district Swabi (13.20%), while the lowest in adjacent rivers of district Nowshehra (8.19%). Meteorological factors play an essential role in the causation of Paramphistomum spp. infection, parasitic reproduction, vector growth, and survival. Due to these factors, high significant prevalence was found in the summer season (11.83), followed by autumn (11.25), which might be due to optimum temperature, relative humidity, and rainfall ( p < 0.05). It was concluded from the study that meteorological factors contribute to the prevalence of Paramphistomum species in the Indoplanorbis and Lymnaea, which act as vectors for the disease paramphistomosis, which may lead to the increased intensity of infection outbreaks of the parasite population in humans and domestic animals., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Naseem Rafiq et al.)

Choroidal neovascularization (CNV) is a major cause of visual impairment that results from excessive growth of blood vessels in the eye's choroid. The limited clinical efficacy of the current therapy for this condition requires the emergence of new treatment modalities such as microRNA (miRNAs). A recent study identified microRNA-539-5p (miR-539) as an angiogenic suppressor in a CNV animal model; however, its therapeutic delivery is limited. Therefore, this study aims to formulate miR-539 in targeted nanoparticles (NPs) prepared from polylactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA). The NPs were decorated with internalizing arginylglycylaspartic (RGD) peptide (iRGD), which specifically targets the alpha-v-beta-3 (αvβ3) integrin receptor that is overexpressed in blood vessels of ocular tissue in CNV patients. The 1 H NMR spectra results revealed successful conjugation of iRGD peptide into PLGA NPs. The miR-539-PLGA.NPs and miR-539-iRGD-PLGA.NPs were prepared and showed a particle size of 300 ± 3 and 306.40 ± 4 nm, respectively. A reduction in human retinal microvascular endothelial cell (HRMEC) viability was shown 48 and 72 h post transfection with miR-539 incorporated in PLGA NPs and iRGD-PLGA.NPs. iRGD-functionalized PLGA NPs caused further significant reduction in cell viability when compared with plain ones, revealing an enhancement in the NP uptake with iRGD-grafted NPs. The current study showed that miR-539-PLGA.NPs and miR-539-iRGD-PLGA.NPs are promising approaches that reduced the viability of HRMECs, suggesting their therapeutic potential in the treatment of CNV.

The silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were synthesized via green synthesis approach using Euporbia serpens Kunth aqueous extract. The synthesized AgNPs were characterized by UV-visible spectroscopy and Furrier Transformer Infra-Red spectroscopy to justify the reduction and stabilization of AgNPs from its precursors. AgNPs characteristic absorption peak was observed at 420 nm in the UV-visible spectrum. The SEM and TEM analysis demonstrated the spherical shape of the synthesized nanoparticles with particle sizes ranging from 30 nm to 80 nm. FTIR transmission bands at 2920 cm -1 , 1639 cm -1 , 1410 cm -1 , 3290 cm -1 , and 1085 cm -1 were attributed to C-H, C=O, C-C, N-H, and C-N functional groups, respectively. XRD peaks could be attributed to (111), (200), (220), and (311) crystalline plane of the faced-centered cube (FCC) crystalline structure of the metallic silver nanoparticles. The AgNPs showed good antibacterial activity against all the tested bacteria at each concentration. The particles were found to be more active against Escherichia coli ( E. coli ) with 20 ± 06 mm and Salmonella typhi ( S. typhi ) with 18 ± 0.5 mm zone of inhibition in reference to standard antibiotic amoxicillin with 23 ± 0.3 mm and 20 ± 0.4 mm zone of inhibition, respectively. Moderate antifungal activities were observed against Candida albicans ( C. albicans ) and Alternaria alternata ( A. alternata ) with zone of inhibitions 16.5 mm and 15 mm, respectively, compared to the standard with 23 mm of inhibition. Insignificant antifungal inhibition of 7.5 mm was observed against Fusarium gramium ( F. gramium ). All the tested concentrations of AgNPs showed comparable % RSA with the standard reference ascorbic acid in the range sixty percent to seventy five percent. The percent motility at 3 hours postincubation showed quick response and most Tetramorium caespitum were found deceased or paralyzed. Similarly, the percent mortality showed a linear response at concentration and time. It was observed that 1  μ g/mL to 2  μ g/mL concentration of AgNPs displayed a significant cytotoxic activity against Artemia salina with LD 50 of 5.37 and 5.82, respectively., Competing Interests: The authors have declared no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Nisar Ahmad et al.)