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Trees with weeping shoot architectures are valued for their beauty and serve as tremendous resources for understanding how plants regulate posture control. ThePrunus persica(peach) weeping phenotype, which has elliptical downward arching branches, is caused by a homozygous mutation in theWEEPgene. Until now, little was known about the function of WEEP protein despite its high conservation throughout Plantae. Here, we present the results of anatomical, biochemical, biomechanical, physiological, and molecular experiments that provide insight into WEEP function. Our data suggest that weeping peach does not have defects in branch structure. Rather, transcriptomes from the adaxial (upper) and abaxial (lower) sides of standard and weeping branch shoot tips revealed flipped expression patterns for genes associated with early auxin response, tissue patterning, cell elongation, and tension wood development.This suggests that WEEP promotes polar auxin transport toward the lower side during shoot gravitropic response, leading to cell elongation and tension wood development. In addition, weeping peach trees exhibited steeper root systems and faster root gravitropic response, just as barley and wheat with mutations in theirWEEPhomologEGT2. This suggests that the role of WEEP in regulating lateral organ angles and orientations during gravitropism may be conserved. Additionally, size-exclusion chromatography indicated that WEEP proteins self-oligomerize, like other SAM-domain proteins. This oligomerization may be required for WEEP to function in formation of protein complexes during auxin transport. Collectively, our results from weeping peach provide new insight into polar auxin transport mechanisms associated with gravitropism and lateral shoot and root orientation.

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IntroductionThis research aimed to examine the effects of water-added betaine (BET) and/or nano-emulsified vegetable oil (MAGO) on carcass and meat quality characteristics of broilers raised under thermoneutral (TN) and heat stress (HS) conditions.MethodsOn day 21, 640 birds (Ross 308) were randomly assigned to one of two thermal conditions (thermoneutral 22 ± 1°C and heat stress 32 ± 1°C) each containing four treatment groups: Control, BET, MAGO, and a mixture of both (BETMAGO) in a 2 × 4 factorial arrangement (eight groups). Each group has eight replicates, with ten birds each. The birds' carcass and meat quality characteristics were evaluated at 35 days.Results and discussionThe dressing percentage, breast, leg, wing, heart, initial pH, color change, cooking loss (CL), water-holding capacity (WHC), shear force (SF), and texture profile with exception of springiness significantly affected by the treatments. The results showed that HS had negative effects on carcass weight and relative weights of the breast, spleen, and heart. Moreover, HS increased dressing percentage, wing, initial pH, final core temperature, initial lightness, WHC, and hardness. Significant differences in interactions between treatments and temperature were observed in the spleen, WHC, and SF.ConclusionWater supplemented with BET effectively improved carcass dressing percentage, breast weight, and meat quality in terms of water-holding capacity and tenderness under HS conditions. More studies on the use of BET and/or MAGO at different levels were recommended.

Determining and improving drought-tolerant cultivars is a major goal of plant breeding to face climate change. The productivity of faba bean in Egypt is affected by abiotic stresses, especially drought stress. This study evaluated eight Egyptian faba bean cultivars for drought tolerance under three soil water regimes consisting of well-watered (100% field capacity), moderate drought stress (50% field capacity), and severe drought stress (25% field capacity) regimes in pots under greenhouse conditions using biochemical, physiochemical, and molecular parameters. The cultivars Nubariya 1, Nubariya 3, and Giza 716 showed the highest proline content values under 50% field capacity conditions, with 4.94, 4.39, and 4.26 mmol/g fresh weights, respectively. On the other hand, the cultivars Sakha 1, Sakha 4, Nubariya 1, and Nubariya 3 exhibited the highest proline contents (7.8, 7.53, 6.17, and 6.25, respectively) under 25% field capacity treatment. The molecular profiling was conducted using SCoT and SRAP approaches. Fresh leaves were utilized to extract the DNA, and ten primers for SRAP and six for SCoT were used in the PCR procedures. SCoT and SRAP-PCR generated 72 loci, of which, 55 were polymorphic, and 17 were monomorphic. SCoT and SRAP each had 48 and 24 total loci, respectively. The average polymorphism (%) values achieved via SCoT and SRAP were 70.93% and 80%, respectively. Based on the molecular profiles, the cluster analysis identified three clusters. The first cluster comprised Giza 716 cultivars; the second cluster included Sakha 1, Sakha 3, Sakha 4, and Akba 3300 cultivars; the third cluster comprised two cultivars Nubariya 1 and Nubariya3. According to the study’s findings, Sakha 1, Sakha 4, Nubariya 1, and Nubariya 3 are remarkable parents for developing drought-tolerant faba bean genotypes. Additionally, this study concluded that SRAP and SCoT markers recreated trustworthy banding profiles to evaluate the genetic polymorphism among faba bean cultivars, which are regarded as the cornerstone for genetic improvements in crops.

Medicinal plants, an important source of herbal medicine, are gaining more demand with the growing human needs in recent times. However, these medicinal plants have been recognized as one of the possible sources of heavy metal toxicity in humans as these medicinal plants are exposed to cadmium-rich soil and water because of extensive industrial and agricultural operations. Cadmium (Cd) is an extremely hazardous metal that has a deleterious impact on plant development and productivity. These plants uptake Cd by symplastic, apoplastic, or via specialized transporters such as HMA, MTPs, NRAMP, ZIP, and ZRT-IRT-like proteins. Cd exerts its effect by producing reactive oxygen species (ROS) and interfere with a range of metabolic and physiological pathways. Studies have shown that it has detrimental effects on various plant growth stages like germination, vegetative and reproductive stages by analyzing the anatomical, morphological and biochemical changes (changes in photosynthetic machinery and membrane permeability). Also, plants respond to Cd toxicity by using various enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidant systems. Furthermore, the ROS generated due to the heavy metal stress alters the genes that are actively involved in signal transduction. Thus, the biosynthetic pathway of the important secondary metabolite is altered thereby affecting the synthesis of secondary metabolites either by enhancing or suppressing the metabolite production. The present review discusses the abundance of Cd and its incorporation, accumulation and translocation by plants, phytotoxic implications, and morphological, physiological, biochemical and molecular responses of medicinal plants to Cd toxicity. It explains the Cd detoxification mechanisms exhibited by the medicinal plants and further discusses the omics and biotechnological strategies such as genetic engineering and gene editing CRISPR- Cas 9 approach to ameliorate the Cd stress.

A number of phytochemicals have been identified as promising drug molecules against a variety of diseases using an in-silico approach. The current research uses this approach to identify the phyto-derived drugs from Andrographis paniculata (Burm. f.) Wall. ex Nees (AP) for the treatment of diphtheria. In the present study, 18 bioactive molecules from Andrographis paniculata (obtained from the PubChem database) were docked against the diphtheria toxin using the AutoDock vina tool. Visualization of the top four molecules with the best dockscore, namely bisandrographolide (−10.4), andrographiside (−9.5), isoandrographolide (−9.4), and neoandrographolide (−9.1), helps gain a better understanding of the molecular interactions. Further screening using molecular dynamics simulation studies led to the identification of bisandrographolide and andrographiside as hit compounds. Investigation of pharmacokinetic properties, mainly ADMET, along with Lipinski’s rule and binding affinity considerations, narrowed down the search for a potent drug to bisandrographolide, which was the only molecule to be negative for AMES toxicity. Thus, further modification of this compound followed by in vitro and in vivo studies can be used to examine itseffectiveness against diphtheria.

Chemotherapy has been the predominant treatment modality for cancer patients, but its overall performance is still modest. Difficulty in penetration of tumor tissues, a toxic profile in high doses, multidrug resistance in an array of tumor types, and the differential architecture of tumor cells as they grow are some of the bottlenecks associated with the clinical usage of chemotherapeutics. Recent advances in tumor biology understanding and the emergence of novel targeted drug delivery tools leveraging various nanosystems offer hope for developing effective cancer treatments. Topotecan is a topoisomerase I inhibitor that stabilizes the transient TOPO I-DNA cleavable complex, leading to single-stranded breaks in DNA. Due to its novel mechanism of action, TOPO is reported to be active against various carcinomas, namely small cell lung cancer, cervical cancer, breast cancer, and ovarian cancer. Issues of cross-resistance with numerous drugs, rapid conversion to its inactive form in biological systems, appended adverse effects, and higher water solubility limit its therapeutic efficacy in clinical settings. Topotecan nanoformulations offer several benefits for enhancing the therapeutic action of this significant class of chemotherapeutics. The likelihood that the target cancer cells will be exposed to the chemotherapeutic drug while in the drug-sensitive s-phase is increased due to the slow and sustained release of the chemotherapeutic, which could provide for a sustained duration of exposure of the target cancer cells to the bioavailable drug and result in the desired therapeutic outcome. This article explores nanoenabled active and passive targeting strategies and combinatorial therapy employing topotecan to ameliorate various cancers, along with a glimpse of the clinical studies utilizing the said molecule.

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Microfluidic systems aim to detect sample matter quickly with high sensitivity and resolution, on a small scale. With its increased use in medicine, the field is showing significant promise in prostate cancer diagnosis and management due, in part, to its ability to offer point-of-care testing. This review highlights some of the research that has been undertaken in respect of prostate cancer and microfluidics. Firstly, this review considers the diagnosis of prostate cancer through use of microfluidic systems and analyses the detection of prostate specific antigen, proteins, and circulating tumor cells to highlight the scope of current advancements. Secondly, this review analyses progressions in the understanding of prostate cancer physiology and considers techniques used to aid treatment of prostate cancer, such as the creation of a micro-environment. Finally, this review highlights potential future roles of microfluidics in assisting prostate cancer, such as in exosomal analysis. In conclusion, this review shows the vast scope and application of microfluidic systems and how these systems will ensure advancements to future prostate cancer management.

PADs are a group of calcium-dependent enzymes that play key roles in inflammatory pathologies and have diverse roles in cancers. PADs cause irreversible post-translational modification of arginine to citrulline, leading to changes in protein function in different cellular compartments. PAD isozyme diversity differs throughout phylogeny in chordates, with five PAD isozymes in mammals, three in birds, and one in fish. While the roles for PADs in various human cancers are mounting (both in regards to cancer progression and epigenetic regulation), investigations into animal cancers are scarce. The current pilot-study therefore aimed at assessing PAD isozymes in a range of animal cancers across the phylogeny tree. In addition, the tissue samples were assessed for total protein deimination and histone H3 deimination (CitH3), which is strongly associated with human cancers and also indicative of gene regulatory changes and neutrophil extracellular trap formation (NETosis). Cancers were selected from a range of vertebrate species: horse, cow, reindeer, sheep, pig, dog, cat, rabbit, mink, hamster, parrot, and duck. The cancers chosen included lymphoma, kidney, lung, testicular, neuroendocrine, anaplastic, papilloma, and granulosa cell tumour. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed that CitH3 was strongly detected in all of the cancers assessed, while pan-deimination detection was overall low. Both PAD2 and PAD3 were the most predominantly expressed PADs across all of the cancers assessed, while PAD1, PAD4, and PAD6 were overall expressed at lower, albeit varying, levels. The findings from this pilot study provide novel insights into PAD-mediated roles in different cancers across a range of vertebrate species and may aid in the understanding of cancer heterogeneity and cancer evolution.

Corn tassel (CT) is a waste part of the corn plant. It is a good co-product and rich in terms of bioactive compounds and phytochemicals. This research tried to show the phenolic profile, antioxidants, anticholinergic activities, and antibacterial properties of CT ethanol extract. The phenolic content analysis of the CT was determined quantitatively by LC-MS/MS, and the antioxidant capacity was measured using ABTS, DPPH, Cu2+–Cu+, and Fe3+–Fe2+ reducing methods. The anticholinergic measurements of CT were detected by inhibition of acetylcholinesterase (AChE). The antibacterial activity was determined by MIC and disc diffusion methods. Many phenolic compounds such as vanillic acid, caffeic acid, fumaric acid, acetohydroxamic acid, butein, myricetin, resveratrol, catechin hydrate, and 4-hydroxybenzoic acid were detected in ethanol extract of CT. The obtained plant ethanol extract had a 7.04% DPPH value, while it showed ABTS activity at 9.45%. Moreover, it had a 0.10 mg/mL inhibition effect on the AChE in terms of IC50 values. The ethanol extract of the CT had an antibacterial property on the investigated bacteria at different ratios. In conclusion, this research aims to consider CT as a source of phenolic compounds and to reveal its bioactive properties and its effects on the treatment of some diseases.

Global technological advancements drive daily energy consumption, generating additional carbon-induced climate challenges. Modifying process parameters, optimizing design, and employing high-performance working fluids are among the techniques offered by researchers for improving the thermal efficiency of heating and cooling systems. This study investigates the heat transfer enhancement of hybrid "Al

Determining the appropriate parents for breeding programs is the most important decision that plant breeders must make to maximize the genetic variability and produce excellent recombinant genotypes. Several methods are used to identify genotypes with desirable phenotypic features for breeding experiments. In this study, five kalanchoe genotypes were morphologically characterized by assessing plant height, number of inflorescences, number of flowers, flower length, flower diameter and number of petals. The analysis showed the distinction of yellow kalanchoe in the plant height trait, while the orange kalanchoe was distinguished in the number of inflorescences, the number of flowers and flower length traits, whereas the violet kalanchoe possessed the largest flower diameter and the highest number of petals. The molecular profiling was performed by random amplified polymorphism DNA (RAPD), inter-simple sequence repeats (ISSR) and start codon targeted (SCoT)-polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tools. Genomic DNA was extracted from young leaves and the PCR reactions were performed using ten primers for each SCoT, ISSR and RAPD marker. Only four out of ten primers showed amplicon profiles in all PCR markers. A total of 70 bands were generated by SCoT, ISSR and RAPD-PCR with 35 polymorphic bands and 35 monomorphic bands. The total number of bands of RAPD, ISSR and SCoT was 15, 17 and 38, respectively. The polymorphism percentages achieved by RAPD, ISSR and SCoT were 60.25%, 15% and 57%, respectively. The cluster analysis based on morphological data revealed two clusters. Cluster I consisted of violet and orange kalanchoe, and cluster II comprised red, yellow and purple kalanchoe. Whereas the cluster analysis based on molecular data revealed three clusters. Cluster I included only yellow kalanchoe, cluster II comprised orange and violet kalanchoe while cluster III comprised red, and purple kalanchoe. The study concluded that orange, violet and yellow kalanchoe are distinguished parents for breeding economically valued traits in kalanchoe. Also, the study concluded that SCoT and RAPD markers reproduced reliable banding patterns to assess the genetic polymorphism among kalanchoe genotypes that consider the basis stone for genetic improvements in ornamental plants.

Ghufran Jassim,1 Mariam Jameel,2 Edwina Brennan,3 Manaf Yusuf,3 Nebras Hasan,3 Yusuf Alwatani4 1Family Medicine Department, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland — Medical University of Bahrain (RCSI Bahrain), Busaiteen, Bahrain; 2Department of Medicine, Salmaniya Medical Complex, Manama, Bahrain; 3RCSI, Busaiteen, Bahrain; 4Psychiatry Department, Serene Psychiatry Hospital, Manama, BahrainCorrespondence: Ghufran JassimFamily Medicine Department, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland — Medical University of Bahrain (RCSI Bahrain), PO Box 15503, Adliya-Bahrain, Busaiteen, BahrainTel +973 39-680-009Email gjassim@rcsi-mub.comPurpose: The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in mandatory isolation and quarantine. The objective of this study was to describe and compare the psychological impacts of COVID-19 isolation and quarantine.Methods: This was a cross-sectional retrospective study. Participants were Bahrainis aged > 18 years who had undergone either isolation or quarantine. Eligible participants were identified from the COVID-19 contacts (quarantine) and cases (isolation) database of Bahrain. Validated questionnaires for self-reported depression (Center for Epidemiological Studies — depression [CES-D]), posttraumatic stress (Impact of Event Scale — revised [IES-R]), and perceived stigma (Stigma Scale [SS]) were administered.Results: Mean CES-D, IES-R, and SS scores were 16.76± 5.65, 13.50± 14.67, and 25.29± 7.99, respectively. In sum, 40% (205 of 502) of participants showed clinically significant depression, and < 20% (98 of 502) had indications of some posttraumatic distress, with greater depression and distress in those isolated than those quarantined. Perceived stigma was reported by 53.4% (268 of 502) of participants, more prominent among those quarantined. Depression and posttraumatic stress scores were significantly higher in females, college students, those with a history of mental health conditions, knowing a COVID-19 fatality, and experiencing social conflict. Age was a significant variable correlated with all three scales, with younger participants indicating more distress, depression, and stigma. Duration of segregation was significantly correlated with CES-D, score showing more depressive symptoms as the duration of isolation increased. Significant predictors were age, sex, history of mental illness, and COVID-19 status.Conclusion: Isolated and quarantined individuals reported depression, perceived stigma, and to a lesser extent distress. Psychological interventions identifying and targeting people with different-severity psychological burdens are in urgent need.Keywords: COVID-19, psychological impact, isolation, quarantine, Bahrain

Stilbenes are polyphenolic allelochemicals synthesized by plants, especially grapes, peanuts, rhubarb, berries, etc., to defend themselves under stressful conditions. They are now exploited in medicine for their antioxidant, anti-proliferative and anti-inflammatory properties. Inflammation is the immune system’s response to invading bacteria, toxic chemicals or even nutrient-deprived conditions. It is characterized by the release of cytokines which can wreak havoc on healthy tissues, worsening the disease condition. Stilbenes modulate NF-κB, MAPK and JAK/STAT pathways, and reduce the transcription of inflammatory factors which result in maintenance of homeostatic conditions. Resveratrol, the most studied stilbene, lowers the Michaelis constant of SIRT1, and occupies the substrate binding pocket. Gigantol interferes with the complement system. Besides these, oxyresveratrol, pterostilbene, polydatin, viniferins, etc., are front runners as drug candidates due to their diverse effects from different functional groups that affect bioavailability and molecular interactions. However, they each have different thresholds for toxicity to various cells of the human body, and thus a careful review of their properties must be conducted. In animal models of autoinflammatory diseases, the mode of application of stilbenes is important to their absorption and curative effects, as seen with topical and microemulsion gel methods. This review covers the diversity seen among stilbenes in the plant kingdom and their mechanism of action on the different inflammatory pathways. In detail, macrophages’ contribution to inflamed conditions in the liver, the cardiac, connective and neural tissues, in the nephrons, intestine, lungs and in myriad other body cells is explored, along with detailed explanation on how stilbenes alleviate the symptoms specific to body site. A section on the bioavailability of stilbenes is included for understanding the limitations of the natural compounds as directly used drugs due to their rapid metabolism. Current delivery mechanisms include sulphonamides, or using specially designed synthetic drugs. It is hoped that further research may be fueled by this comprehensive work that makes a compelling argument for the exploitation of these compounds in medicine.

This study aimed to show the enhanced effect of nanoparticles cobalt ferrite CoFe2O4 with chlorhexidine on Enterococcus faecium isolated from failure root canal treatment cases. Sol-gel technique was used to prepare the spinel cobalt ferrite CoFe2O4 at 200 °C then sintering at 400 °C & 600 °C, whereas the antimicrobial susceptibility test of nanoparticles was carried out according to the Kirby-Bauer technique compared with chlorhexidine. Fifteen isolates of Enterococcus faecium obtained by inserting sterile paper points in root canals, from patients who consulted the Teaching Hospital of Dentistry College at the University of Mosul, Iraq. For the first time, results showed that the nanoparticle cobalt ferrite CoFe2O4 at 400 °C and 600 °C, when mixed with chlorhexidine, give the mean inhibition zone 8.5334 mm and 8.0667mm respectively, while the pure chlorhexidine was providing a mean inhibition zone of 3.1667 mm, and also the nanoparticles cobalt ferrite in both cases of sintering without mixing, there was no antimicrobial effect. Statistical analysis using Duncan showed significant differences among groups (p < 0.05).

Hydroponic systems are known to provide a platform for uniform growth conditions until the reproductive stage. However, many plant species, including sunflower, show poor growth and survivability under conventional hydroponic systems due to poor nutrient availability, hypoxia and algal contamination. Thus, we tested various hydroponic systems to select a hydroponic system suitable for screening of sunflower germplasm. Sunflower accessions showed better growth and leaf gas exchange in newly-designed over conventional hydroponic systems. Selected hydroponic systems were further engaged in sunflower accession screening under heat and osmotic stress in a two-pan system (210 cm × 60 cm). Heat stress treatment was applied by growing sunflower germplasm at 42 °C and osmotic stress by adding polyethylene glycol 8000 which decreased the osmotic potential to − 0.6 MPa. There was significant variability among the sunflower accessions for their ability to survive under stress. Accessions such as C-2721 (43%), C-291 (46%) and D-14 (43%) had lower cell membrane injury percentage under osmotic stress and high seedling survivability (60‒80%) under heat stress when compared with susceptible accessions. Moreover, resistant accessions exhibited greater cuticular waxes and root length but lower transpiration losses. The newly designed hydroponic platform proved reliable for the selection of resistant sunflower accessions. Selected parental lines were validated by assessing their hybrids under field trials across two seasons under water and temperature stress during the reproductive phase (autumn). Hybrid H3 obtained by crossing drought and heat resistant parents had the highest seed yield and water use efficiency.

The Nickel ferrite (NiFe2O4) nanoparticle size was successfully prepared using the sol-gel method, while, the conducting polymer (PANI-PTSA) the chemical oxidative method was used. The nanocomposit...

Microorganisms dwell in diverse plant niches as non-axenic biotic components that are beneficial as well pathogenic for the host. They improve nutrients-uptake, stress tolerance, phytohormone synthesis, and strengthening the defense system through phyllosphere, rhizosphere, and endosphere. The negative consequences of the microbial communities are largely in the form of diseases characterized by certain symptoms such as gall, cankers, rots etc. Uncultivable and unspecified nature of different phytomicrobiomes communities is a challenge in the management of plant disease, a leading cause for the loss of the plant products. Metagenomics has opened a new gateway for the exploration of microorganisms that are hitherto unknown, enables investigation of the functional aspect of microbial gene products through metatranscriptomics and metabolomics. Metagenomics offers advantages of characterizing previously unknown microorganisms from extreme environments like hot springs, glaciers, deep seas, animal gut etc. besides bioprospecting gene products such as Taq polymerase, bor encoded indolotryptoline, hydrolases, and polyketides. This review provides a detailed account of the phytomicrobiome networks and highlights the importance and limitations of metagenomics and other meta-omics approaches for the understanding of plant microbial diversity with special focus on the disease control and its management.

Hydroxylated polyphenols, also called flavonoids, are richly present in vegetables, fruits, cereals, nuts, herbs, seeds, stems, and flowers of numerous plants. They possess numerous medicinal properties such as antioxidant, anti-cancer, anti-microbial, neuroprotective, and anti-inflammation. Studies show that flavonoids activate antioxidant pathways that render an anti-inflammatory effect. They inhibit the secretions of enzymes such as lysozymes and β-glucuronidase and inhibit the secretion of arachidonic acid, which reduces inflammatory reactions. Flavonoids such as quercetin, genistein, apigenin, kaempferol, and epigallocatechin 3-gallate modulate the expression and activation of a cytokine such as interleukin-1beta (IL-1β), Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and interleukin-8 (IL-8); regulate the gene expression of many pro-inflammatory molecules such s nuclear factor kappa-light chain enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB), activator protein-1 (AP-1), intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM), vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM), and E-selectins; and also inhibits inducible nitric oxide (NO) synthase, cyclooxygenase-2, and lipoxygenase, which are pro-inflammatory enzymes. Understanding the anti-inflammatory action of flavonoids provides better treatment options, including coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-induced inflammation, inflammatory bowel disease, obstructive pulmonary disorder, arthritis, Alzheimer’s disease, cardiovascular disease, atherosclerosis, and cancer. This review highlights the sources, biochemical activities, and role of flavonoids in enhancing human health.

Artemisinin is an anti-malarial sesquiterpene lactone derived from

CdO nanostructure was synthesized using the simple co-precipitation method at three concentrations of ethylene glycol (EG) (0.01, 0.1 and 1 M) as stabilization materials. The prepared samples were calcined at 450 °C for 3 h. The structural properties of samples were studied using X-ray diffraction (XRD). The XDR patterns showed good crystallinity of CdO samples and the crystallite size increased from 32.5 nm to 35 nm as the EG concentration increased from 0.01 M to 1 M. The optical properties of CdO samples were investigated using UV-visible spectroscopy. The absorbance spectra of the prepared samples showed UV absorption band with cut-off wavelength less than 271 nm. The optical band gap decreased from 4.09 eV to 3.59 eV as crystallite size increased from 32.5 nm to 35 nm due to the nanostructure nature of the prepared samples. Antibacterial activities of CdO samples were evaluated against three types of bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) and the zone range of the inhibition (9 – 14 mm). The reactive oxygen species (ROS), such as, superoxide anion radical, hydroxyl radical and hydrogen peroxide have been generated on the surface of the CdO nanoparticles. The released Cd2+ from the surfaces of the CdO nanostructure and ROS come into contact with the bacterial cell membranes and cause membrane and protein denaturation damage. في هذا الدراسة، تم تحضير مركب اكسيد الكادميوم النانوني بطريقة الترسيب البسيطة وذلك باستخدام ثلاثة تراكيز من بولي ايثلين الجلايكول (0.01 و 0.1 و 1 مولار) للحصول على تغيير في حجم المركب النانوني. لقد تم تكسير الراسب المتكون من التجربة عند درجة حرارة 450 درجة مئوية لمدة 3 ساعات في وجود الهواء. تم دراسة الخواص التركيبية للمركبات المحضرة باستخدام جهاز حيود الاشعة السينية وقد اظهرت نتائج الدراسة ان المركبات المحضرة لها تركيب متعدد التبلور ذو تركيب مكعبي متمركز الوجه. كما اظهرت الدراسة ان الحجم البلوري لأكسيد الكادميوم يزيد من 32.5 الى 35 نانومتر بزيادة تركيز البولي ايثلين الجلايكول من 0.01 الى 1 مولار. تم دراسة الخواص البصرية للمركبات المحضرة باستخدام جهاز مطيافية الفوق بنفسجية و المنطقة المرئية. لقد اظهرت اطياف الامتصاصية ان العينات قيد الدراسة تملك اطوال موجية قطع ضمن المنطقة فوق البنفسجية. كما اظهرت قيم فجوة الطاقة للمركبات انها تقل من 4.09 الى 3.59 الكترون فولت عند زيادة الحجم البلوري لتلك المركبات من 32.5 الى 35 نانومتر وهذا يعود الى الخاصية النانونية التي تميزت بها العينات قيد الدراسة. تم دراسة الفعالية المضادة للبكتريا للعينات المحضرة على ثلاثة انواع من البكتيريا المعدية (Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa). لقد اظهرت اختبارات الفعالية المضادة للبكتريا ان عرض الهالات المتكونة بسبب اضافة العينات قيد الدراسة تتراوح بين 9 و 14 مليمتر. يمكن تفسير تكون تلك الهالات والتي تعبر عن قتل البكتريا من انتاج مركبات الاكسجين الفعالة (ROS) مثل جذور البيروكسيد الهيدروجين و جذور السوبر بيروكسيد. يتم توليد تلك الجذور على سطح مركبات اكسيد الكادميوم النانوية. بالإضافة لتلك الجذور المتولدة، فان ايونات الكادميوم تظهر عند سطح مركبات اكسيد الكادميوم النانوية والتي تعمل كلها (الجذور وايونات الكادميوم) على الاتصال بجدار الخلية البكتيرية ومن ثم تسبب اضرار بليغه له. هذا يؤدي بدوره الى دخول الجذور الفعالة المتولدة وتدمير البروتينات وبقية المكونات الحيوية للخلية البكتيرية مما يسبب موتها في النهاية.

Common fig (Ficus carica L.), an economically-important fruit species widely cultivated in the Mediterranean Basin, is gaining increasing interest in the tropical and subtropical regions. A vast genetic diversity of common fig is available; however, systematic studies of cultivar performance in a particular new environment are scarce. The objective of this study was to evaluate the performance of 17 common fig cultivars grown under the Malaysian tropical climate. Evaluation was based on 15 parameters relevant to fruit yield, fruit quality and pest susceptibility. The results showed variable performance among the cultivars tested; 10 cultivars performed well for orchard establishment. Cultivar ‘A134’ produced the highest fruit yield per plant (3410 g) compared to the average yield of the cultivars studied (2500 g). Cultivars ‘Fen Chan Huang’ and ‘Wuhan’ produced the highest number of fruits per plant, 119 and 82 fruits, respectively. Mealybug infestation and ostiole-end splitting are major limitations to fig cultivation in Malaysia. Cultivar ‘Longue d’Aout’ was the most susceptible to mealybug infestation; whereas cultivar ‘B110’ was the most resistant. Above 60% of the fruits of cvs. ‘Brunswick’ and ‘Qing Pi’ had split ostiole; however, this was less than 20% in cvs. ‘Longue d’Aout’ and ‘Alma’. This study facilitates successful farming of figs in Malaysia and provides insights for future development programs.

A common modern cultivation practice is bagging the fruit bunch if date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) which may influence fruit maturity and nutraceutical quality. Exposure of fruits to photooxidative stress induces changes in the endogenous concentrations of plant hormones and other metabolites, which may cause accelerated fruit maturity. This study was conducted to examine the effect of exposure to direct and indirect sunlight on date palm fruit development. The indirect sunlight treatment was simulated by fruit bunch bagging, a common practice in modern date production. The exposure of date palm fruits to direct sunlight-induced photooxidative stress causing an increased concentration of ascorbic acid and decreased content of chlorophyll, anthocyanins, carotenoids, and phenols compared to the fruit bagging treatment. Direct sunlight also reduced the concentration of phytohormones, including indoleacetic acid, gibberellin, and zeatin, but increased abscisic acid accumulation. The directly-exposed fruits reached a partially-mature stage (Rutab) in August, whereas the bagged fruits remained at the immature stage (Khalal). This study is the first to describe the biochemical basis of the observed improvement of date palm fruit development in response to reduced light intensity. Besides, it provides insights into controlling date palm fruit maturity and subsequently prolonging the shelf life dates on the tree; thus, extending the marketing period for the benefit of the farmers.

Myiasis is an infestation of living tissue with larvae of dipteran flies that commonly inhabit tropical and subtropical regions. The infection principally affects animals but human cases have been also reported. The larvae commonly invade the contaminated cutaneous structures such as wounds or furuncles, but sometimes can invade inner deeper structures. Many cases of myiasis affecting the newborn infants are globally reported with the highest incidence in rural communities with poor hygienic conditions. In this piece of research, we report a case of umbilical myiasis of an 11-day-old infant from Al-Mikhwah city, South Western Saudi Arabia. Parasitologic examination identified the infestation with tumbu fly (Cordylobia anthropophaga) larvae. The clinical presentation and epidemiology were discussed.

The threat of desertification is considered a global concern that occurs in many environments in different parts of the world, where extensive lands are transformed gradually into desert or semi-desert areas, and this causes economic and health issues. Iraq and many other parts of the Middle East are facing desertification threats in the last twenty years. Despite the significance of this issue, relevant reviews are scarce. The removal of vegetation cover, overgrazing, deforestation in times of war, poor irrigation practices and water scarcity are some of the main causes of desertification in Iraq. Fighting desertification requires cooperative efforts including the utilization of innovative practices, biotechnological approaches, restoration of oases, continuous reforestation, and rehabilitation of agricultural lands. The objective of this review article is to discuss the causes of desertification and land degradation in Iraq, highlighting the main natural and human factors involved, and the consequent impact on the national security, economy, society, and health. In addition, it suggests recommendations for policies and actions that can be integrated to mitigate this problem.

Essential oils are hydrophobic liquids produced as secondary metabolites by specialized secretory tissues in the leaves, seeds, flowers, bark and wood of the plant, and they play an important ecological role in plants. Essential oils have been used in various traditional healing systems due to their pharmaceutical properties, and are reported to be a suitable replacement for chemical and synthetic drugs that come with adverse side effects. Thus, currently, various plant sources for essential oil production have been explored. Coriander essential oil, obtained from the leaf and seed oil of Coriandrum sativum, has been reported to have various biological activities. Apart from its application in food preservation, the oil has many pharmacological properties, including allelopathic properties. The present review discusses the phytochemical composition of the seed and leaf oil of coriander and the variation of the essential oil across various germplasms, accessions, at different growth stages and across various regions. Furthermore, the study explores various extraction and quantification methods for coriander essential oils. The study also provides detailed information on various pharmacological properties of essential oils, such as antimicrobial, anthelmintic, insecticidal, allelopathic, antioxidant, antidiabetic, anticonvulsive, antidepressant, and hepatoprotective properties, as well as playing a major role in maintaining good digestive health. Coriander essential oil is one of the most promising alternatives in the food and pharmaceutical industries.