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The development of seedless cultivars is a primary goal in grapevine breeding. Since grapes are stenospermic and tend to abort their embryos before development, traditional breeding methods often yield seedless cultivars at a low frequency. Therefore, embryo rescue has emerged as a promising approach for creating seedless grape cultivars. This study aimed to optimize the ideal sampling time and protocol for efficient embryo rescue in grapes. Ovules from immature berries collected at various days after pollination (20DAP, 30DAP, 40DAP, and 50DAP) were cultured on Nitsch and Nitsch (NN) medium with different concentrations of Benzyl aminopurine (BAP) (0.1, 0.2, and 0.5 mg/L) and Activated Charcoal (AC) (1.5, 2, and 2.5 g/L). Several parameters were assessed, including maximum ovule growth, the percentage of enlarged ovules, percentage of collapsed ovules, callus formation percentage, and embryo germination percentage. The study’s results indicated that berries collected at 40 DAP yielded the best outcomes across all parameters. Regarding treatments, the most favorable results were achieved when ovules were cultured on NN medium supplemented with 0.5 mg/L BAP and 2 g/L AC. In conclusion, the study underscores the significance of choosing the right sampling time and treatments to ensure efficient embryo rescue in grapes. The protocol standardized from this research is recommended for effectively rescuing embryos and developing seedless hybrids.

The current sea monitoring equipments are being used for a variety of purposes around the world. Currently used vehicles have some drawbacks. The first is the high fuel cost. The Vehicle engines cost more fuel as they have to release more power and environment and pollution. As well as not being able to stay under the sea for long days, there will often be a need for vehicles to come to the surface to refuel. The second is the vibrations and noise of these vehicles. The vibrations caused by these can be detrimental to the biodiversity of the ocean. Also, the noise makes it easier for enemies to identify our vehicles. Similarly when these vehicles go under water, water waves form on the surface. With this in mind, radar can detect what a vehicle under the sea looks like. In this paper, an artificial intelligence based microbiological model was proposed to monitor the sea level. With this biological model can greatly reduce fuels. It can get more capacity than normal vehicles. As fuel consumption decreases, so it does environmental pollution and since it operates quietly and without high vibrations, there is no threat to the biodiversity of the ocean.

Abstract Due to the high solubility of Cd in water, it is considered a potential toxin which can cause cancer in humans. In plants, it is associated with the development of oxidative stress due to the generation of reactive oxygen species. To overcome this issue, the roles of different plant hormones are vital. Strigolactones, one of such natural plant hormones, show promise in alleviating cadmium toxicity by mitigating its harmful effects. Acidified biochar (AB) can also effectively mitigate cadmium toxicity via ion adsorption and pH buffering. However, the combined effects of strigolactone and AB still need in-depth investigations in the context of existing literature. This study aimed to assess the individual and combined impacts of SLs (0 and 25 µM) and AB (0 and 0.75% w/w) on radish growth under Cd toxicity, i.e., 0 and 20 mg Cd/kg soil. Using a fully randomized design (CRD), each treatment was administered in four replicates. In comparison to the control under 20 mg Cd/kg soil contamination, the results showed that 25 µM strigolactone + 0.75% AB significantly improved the following: radish shoot length (~ 17%), root length (~ 47%), plant fresh weight (~ 28%), plant dry weight (~ 96%), chlorophyll a (~ 43%), chlorophyll b (~ 31%), and total chlorophyll (~ 37%). It was also noted that 0.75% AB was more pronounced in decreasing antioxidant activities than 25 µM strigolactone under 20 mg Cd/ kg soil toxicity. However, performing 25 µM strigolactone + 0.75% AB was far better than the sole application of 25 µM strigolactone and 0.75% AB in decreasing antioxidant activities in radish plants. In conclusion, by regulating antioxidant activities, 25 µM strigolactone + 0.75% AB can increase radish growth in cadmium-contaminated soils.

Abstract Salinity stress significantly impacts crops, disrupting their water balance and nutrient uptake, reducing growth, yield, and overall plant health. High salinity in soil can adversely affect plants by disrupting their water balance. Excessive salt levels can lead to dehydration, hinder nutrient absorption, and damage plant cells, ultimately impairing growth and reducing crop yields. Gallic acid (GA) and zinc ferrite (ZnFNP) can effectively overcome this problem. GA can promote root growth, boost photosynthesis, and help plants absorb nutrients efficiently. However, their combined application as an amendment against drought still needs scientific justification. Zinc ferrite nanoparticles possess many beneficial properties for soil remediation and medical applications. That’s why the current study used a combination of GA and ZnFNP as amendments to wheat. There were 4 treatments, i.e., 0, 10 µM GA, 15 μM GA, and 20 µM GA, without and with 5 μM ZnFNP applied in 4 replications following a completely randomized design. Results exhibited that 20 µM GA + 5 μM ZnFNP caused significant improvement in wheat shoot length (28.62%), shoot fresh weight (16.52%), shoot dry weight (11.38%), root length (3.64%), root fresh weight (14.72%), and root dry weight (9.71%) in contrast to the control. Significant enrichment in wheat chlorophyll a (19.76%), chlorophyll b (25.16%), total chlorophyll (21.35%), photosynthetic rate (12.72%), transpiration rate (10.09%), and stomatal conductance (15.25%) over the control validate the potential of 20 µM GA + 5 μM ZnFNP. Furthermore, improvement in N, P, and K concentration in grain and shoot verified the effective functioning of 20 µM GA + 5 μM ZnFNP compared to control. In conclusion, 20 µM GA + 5 μM ZnFNP can potentially improve the growth, chlorophyll contents and gas exchange attributes of wheat cultivated in salinity stress. More investigations are suggested to declare 20 µM GA + 5 μM ZnFNP as the best amendment for alleviating salinity stress in different cereal crops.

Heavy tillage practices to conserve moisture from monsoon rains are common in rainfed regions. Rainfed regions have wheat (Triticum aestivum) as a main crop while rest of the year minor crops are grown such as lentil. Heavy tillage practices not only destroyed the soil structure but also caused loss of carbon. This study was designed to investigate impact of different tillage practices on yield of lentil (Lens culinaris) and carbon dynamics. Three tillage practices were considered as: T1 = 6 cultivations (Control), T2 = moldboard plough + 2 cultivations, T3 = chisel plough + 2 cultivations. The experiment was conducted using a randomized complete block design with three replications to investigate the impact of tillage practices on carbon dioxide (CO2) emission, soil organic carbon (SOC), dissolved organic carbon (DOC), and the yield of lentil crop. Results indicated that during both the years (2018–2019), moldboard plough with 2 cultivations (T2) reduced CO2 emission (40.28%), DOC (22.58%) and SOC (51.07%) and increased lentil yield (56.39%) as compared to control. Results of soil carbon monitoring indicated that use of moldboard and chisel plough along with 2 cultivations before the onset of monsoon under rainfed conditions can reduce CO2 emission and improve the yield compared to conventional tillage practices. Results of the experiment suggest the farmers of the rainfed area that they should use moldboard and chisel plough along with 2 cultivations before the onset of monsoon so that CO2 emission can be minimized, and they can get more better yield compared to conventional tillage practices which causes loss of CO2 and nutrients.

Oat is an important winter fodder crop grown on large areas all over the world. Oat is good source of nutrition and energy but it is poor in zinc contents. Presently livestock is suffering from malnutrition due to deficiency of zinc which has greater impact on livestock and ultimately on human health. Easy and cost effective approach to add nutrient in plant without altering its genetic makeup is agronomic bio fortification. Application of nutrient to oat via bio-fortification may enhance the overall biomass production and quality of fodder. Hence, a field study was performed to understand the impact of bio-fortification with zinc on quality along with biomass production of oat. Treatment comprised of control (No Zn), Zn @ 4kg soil application, Zn @ 6kg soil application, Zn @ 8kg soil application, Zn @ 4kg soil application + 0.5% zinc sulphate as foliar application, Zn @ 6kg soil application + 0.5% zinc sulphate as foliar application and Zn @ 8kg soil application + 0.5% zinc sulphate as foliar application. Study revealed that Zn at 6kg soil application + 0.5% zinc sulphate foliar application produced maximum plant height (207.7 cm), leaf area index (15.78), crop growth rate (9.1 gm-2day-1), stem diameter (0.073 cm), number of tillers (204), fresh fodder yield (76.6 t ha-1), dry matter yield (32.27 t ha-1), ash contents (10.3%) and plant zinc contents (70.0 ppm). Control treatment produced maximum crude fiber contents (40.70%), acid detergent fiber contents (35.77%) and neutral detergent fiber contents (72.71%). In conclusion, bio fortification of zinc not only enhanced the biomass and yield of oat but it also increased the availability of zinc in plant.

Antioxidants play a vital role in food preservation. They ensure that food keeps its taste and color and stays edible over a longer period. In this study, the oxidative stability of Frozen beef incorporated with Moringa oleifera leaves was evaluated. Antioxidant activities were investigated using DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) and Phosphomolybdate assay. Whereas the effect of tested extract on frozen beef quality was monitored using Thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) lipid oxidation assay and organoleptic evaluation. Our results indicated that methanol extract of Moringa oleifera is the most active extract with IC50 of 22.52 µg/mL against DPPH free radical and 32.47 µg/mL against phosphomolybdate ion. Methanol extract also showed a considerable inhibition of lipid per oxidation along with some positive organoleptic effect, which indicates the presence of compounds with preservative effect on frozen beef. The GC-MS analysis of this extract resulted in the identification of 41 compounds. These identified compounds should be further purified and tested individually in order to indicate agents that have potential to be used commercially as natural meat preservatives.

Abstract Salinity stress is a significant challenge in agricultural production. When soil contains high salts, it can adversely affect plant growth and productivity due to the high concentration of soluble salts in the soil water. To overcome this issue, foliar applications of methyl jasmonate (MJ) and gibberellic acid (GA3) can be productive amendments. Both can potentially improve the plant’s growth attributes and flowering, which are imperative in improving growth and yield. However, limited literature is available on their combined use in canola to mitigate salinity stress. That’s why the current study investigates the impact of different levels of MJ (at concentrations of 0.8, 1.6, and 3.2 mM MJ) and GA3 (0GA3 and 5 mg/L GA3) on canola cultivated in salt-affected soils. Applying all the treatments in four replicates. Results indicate that the application of 0.8 mM MJ with 5 mg/L GA3 significantly enhances shoot length (23.29%), shoot dry weight (24.77%), number of leaves per plant (24.93%), number of flowering branches (26.11%), chlorophyll a (31.44%), chlorophyll b (20.28%) and total chlorophyll (27.66%) and shoot total soluble carbohydrates (22.53%) over control. Treatment with 0.8 mM MJ and 5 mg/L GA3 resulted in a decrease in shoot proline (48.17%), MDA (81.41%), SOD (50.59%), POD (14.81%) while increase in N (10.38%), P (15.22%), and K (8.05%) compared to control in canola under salinity stress. In conclusion, 0.8 mM MJ + 5 mg/L GA3 can improve canola growth under salinity stress. More investigations are recommended at the field level to declare 0.8 mM MJ + 5 mg/L GA3 as the best amendment for alleviating salinity stress in different crops.

Abstract For centuries, medicinal plants have served as the cornerstone for traditional health care systems and same practice is still prevalent today. In the Himalayan region, Saussurea heteromalla holds a significant place in traditional medicine and is used to address various health issues. Despite its historical use, little exploration has focused on its potential for scavenging free radicals and reducing inflammation. Hence, our current study aims to investigate the free radical scavenging capabilities of S. heteromalla extracts. The n-hexane extract of entire plant revealed promising activity. This extract underwent extensive extraction on a larger scale. Subsequent purification, employing column chromatography, HPLC–DAD techniques, led to the identification of active compounds, confirmed via GC–MS and the NIST database as 1-O-butyl 2-O-octyl benzene-1,2-dicarboxylate and 2,4-ditert-butylphenol. Assessing the free radical scavenging properties involved utilizing RAW-264.7 macrophages activated by lipopolysaccharides. Notably, the compound 2,4-di-tert-butylphenol exhibited remarkable scavenging abilities, demonstrating over 80% inhibition of Nitric oxide. This study stands as the inaugural report on the isolation of these compounds from S. heteromalla.

Dragon fruit has significant economic value in many countries due to has excellent nutritional content, health advantages, and adaptability to different climates, making it an important crop in the global fruit industry. This study aimed to gather comprehensive nutritional data on three dragon fruit cultivars by analysing the levels of micronutrients, fibre, carbohydrates, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals in their pulps. Uniform dragon fruit samples underwent thorough analysis for proximate composition, mineral content, pigments, antioxidants, and vitamin C, with statistical methods used to assess significant differences among the parameters studied. The proximate composition analysis revealed significant differences among the three dragon fruit cultivars. Among the proximate components, protein (0.40 ± 0.02 g/100 g), moisture (91.33 ± 0.88%), crude fibre (0.32 ± 0.07 g/100 g), and ash (1.27 ± 0.09 g/100 g) were more abundant in Hylocereus costaricensis than in Hylocereus undatus and Hylocereus megalanthus. On the other hand, Hylocereus undatus had higher carbohydrate (17.02 ± 0.63 g/100 g) and energy (69.74 ± 2.44 kcal/100 g) contents. K (7.23 ± 0.35 mg/100 g), Ca (1.61 ± 0.13 mg/100 g), Fe (1.84 ± 0.05 mg/100 g), and Zn (0.37 ± 0.034 mg/100 g) are highly abundant in H. costaricensis. Additionally, Hylocereus costaricensis had the highest anthocyanin content (120.15 ± 3.29 mg/g FW) and total carotenoid content (72.51 ± 1.62 mg/g FW), along with the highest vitamin C content (8.92 ± 0.13 mg/g FW) and total soluble phenolic content (572.48 ± 20.77 mg/100 g). Its remarkable antioxidant activity was further highlighted by the lowest SC50 value (13.50 ± 0.4 mg/mL) for its DPPH radical scavenging capacity. The total soluble sugar content was highest in Hylocereus megalanthus (8.72 ± 0.30 g/100 g FW). Hierarchical clustering analysis revealed distinct trait and genotype associations; among the studied cultivars, Hylocereus costaricensis demonstrated superior performance across multiple traits. Correlation analysis indicated significant positive correlations among several traits, while principal component analysis highlighted the contribution of each trait to overall variance, with PC1 explaining 73.95% of the total variance. This study highlights the nutritional variations among dragon fruit cultivars, with Hylocereus costaricensis showing superior performance, guiding dietary planning and functional food development.

The deadliest forms of skin cancer, melanomas have a large fatality rate. In the United States of America, 196,060 new cases of melanoma are anticipated in 2020. In the past, many automated methods for diagnosing skin lesions have been proposed, but they have not yet proven to be very accurate. Based on skin cells’ exposure to sunlight, aberrant skin cell development frequently results in skin cancer. Ultraviolet radiation, viruses, bacteria, chemicals, and fungi are the main contributors to skin conditions. The creation of a precise computer-aided system for diagnosing breast cancer is of tremendous clinical importance. An improved machine learning framework has been developed in this research to detect skin lesions or skin cancer. Hence it is important to segment and classify the skin lesion. The research utilizes the fruit fly optimization algorithm and machine learning framework to segment and classifies skin disease and cancer. This platform's central idea is to use the fruit fly optimization algorithm (FOA) to improve two crucial SVM variables and create an FOA-based SVM (FOA-SVM) for the diagnosis of skin cancer. The integrative approach not only improves accuracy but also provides important data for more accurate classification.

Recently, nanoparticles have received considerable attention owing to their efficiency in overcoming the limitations of traditional chemotherapeutic drugs. In our study, we synthesized a vanillic acid nanocomposite using both chitosan and silver nanoparticles, tested its efficacy against lung cancer cells, and analyzed its antimicrobial effects. We used several characterization techniques such as ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDAX), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) to determine the stability, morphological characteristics, and properties of the biosynthesized vanillic acid nanocomposites. Furthermore, the vanillic acid nanocomposites were tested for their antimicrobial effects against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, and Candida albicans. The data showed that the nanocomposite effectively inhibited microbes, but its efficacy was less than that of the individual silver and chitosan nanoparticles. Moreover, the vanillic acid nanocomposite exhibited anticancer effects by increasing the expression of pro-apoptotic proteins (BAX, Casp3, Casp7, cyt C, and p53) and decreasing the gene expression of Bcl-2. Overall, vanillic acid nanocomposites possess promising potential against microbes, exhibit anticancer effects, and can be effectively used for treating diseases such as cancers and infectious diseases.

The present work describes the synthetic procedure of 1,2,4-triazole derivatives (1–14) synthesized efficiently in a single step reaction. Basic skeleton confirmation was achieved through different characterization approaches, such as nuclear magnetic resonance(1HNMR and13CNMR) and high-resolution electron ionization mass spectrometry(HREI-MS). In vitro biological assessment of these scaffolds as anti-urease and anti-cancer agents was analyzed in presence of their standard compounds thiourea (IC50 = 9.30 ± 0.20 µM)and Tetrandrine (IC50 = 11.70 ± 0.10 µM), respectively. Inhibition ranges were observed for all scaffolds with IC50 = 2.10 ± 0.20–––37.40 ± 1.10 µM and IC50 = 4.10 ± 0.10–––39.90 ± 0.20 µM, respectively. Among the screened, the potent behavior were shown by scaffolds 3 (IC50 = 2.10 ± 0.20 and 4.10 ± 0.10 µM), 4(IC50 = 3.20 ± 1.10 and 5.20 ± 0.20 µM), 5(IC50 = 4.20 ± 0.30 and 5.60 ± 0.10 µM), 13(IC50 = 5.80 ± 1.10 and 5.90 ± 0.10 µM)and 14(IC50 = 4.30 ± 1.20 and 6.10 ± 1.20 µM).These analogs show the excellent inhibition owing to the spellbinding reactivity of –CF3, −F, −Cl and –OH moieties, which decelerate enzyme potential via effective binding between drug molecule and enzyme. These compounds were further investigated by means of molecular docking studies which explore the binding interaction of ligand within the binding pockets of enzymes. In this regard, excellent results were found in both the activity profiles of these scaffolds. Additionally, ADMET investigations also strengthen the drug profile of the potent compounds.

Alzheimer's dementia (AD), the most prevalent neurodegenerative disorder adversely affecting elderly citizens worldwide, is an incurable disorder with no effective medication found till date. Taking into account the seriousness of this issue, imidazopyridine-based benzothiazole-oxadiazole hybrid derivatives were synthesized as anti-Alzheimer's agents. The efficacy of these scaffolds was compared with the standard Donepezil (IC50 = 14.47 ± 1.20 μM for AChE and 19.90 ± 2.40 μM for BuChE). All the novel scaffolds exhibited biological activity covering a range of IC50 = 6.70 ± 1.65 μM and 41.65 ± 7.20 μM for AChE and 6.40 ± 1.80 μM for AChE and 44.65 ± 7.40 μM for BuChE. Analog 6p having IC50 = 6.70 ± 1.65 μM for AChE and 6.40 ± 1.80 μM for BuChE was found as the lead candidate of the series with maximum inhibition due to presence of small sized and highly electronegative fluoro moieties, inhibiting the enzymes through effective hydrogen bonds. These effective interactions were also studied in molecular docking investigations of the lead compounds. Furthermore, ADME analysis conducted in this study assisted the drug likeness of the potent analogs. Synthetic and structural confirmation of the hybrid derivatives was achieved through 13C NMR, 1H NMR and HREI-MS.

Objective: Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is a foremost complications among diabetic patients worldwide with growing prevalence and mortality rates annually. Nearly, 25–40% of diabetic patients suffer from DN. Objective: The current research work was done to ascertain the therapeutic properties of ononin against the streptozotocin (STZ)-challenged DN in rats via alleviating oxidative stress and inflammatory responses. Methodology: The DN was initiated to experimental rats via intraperitoneal injection of 60 mg/kg of STZ. Then DN animals were supplemented orally with three various doses of ononin at 10, 25, and 50 mg/kg once a day for 60 days. After the completion, the glucose level and bodyweight of the animals were recorded. The renal function markers like creatinine, BUN, uric acid, and microalbumin (U-mAlb) was assessed using hematological analyzer. The contents of IL-6, IL-1β, TNF-α, TGF-β1, and fibronectin was assessed using assay kits. The levels of ROS and antioxidant biomarkers were assessed using standard techniques and renal tissues were examined histologically. Results: The ononin treatment substantially improved the bodyweight and depleted the FBG level, BUN, creatinine, uric acid, and U-mAlb levels in the STZ-challenged DN animals. The levels of inflammatory and fibrosis factors i.e. IL-6, IL-1β, TNF-α, TGF-β1, and fibronectin was remarkably depleted by the ononin treatment. The ononin also decreased the ROS level and improved the GSH content, SOD and GPx activities in the STZ-challenged DN animals. The findings of histological study also confirmed the therapeutic roles of ononin against STZ-induced changes in renal tissues. Conclusion: Altogether, our results from this study evidences the beneficial roles of ononin treatment against the STZ-initiated DN in animals via its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Hence, it could be the potential candidate in the future for the management of DN.

Filter passing bacteria have been isolated from a variety of natural environments, appearing as a mixture of Gram-positive and Gram-negative, as well as nano-forms and wall-free species. In this study, filter passing bacteria were isolated from surfaces located in various dental departments at the College of Dentistry, King Saud University Hospital. Surface samples were obtained by using Q-tip swabs, with ten different surfaces being sampled in each clinic during pre-patient and post-patient visits. Filterable bacteria (using 0.4 and 0.2 micron filters, but not 0.1 micron filter) were isolated, being mainly Gram-positive cocci. Isolation results of filterable bacteria were compared before and after patient treatment in the clinic. More frequently, filter passing bacteria were isolated on clinic surfaces after patient treatment. The results show that dental settings are contaminated with filterable bacteria which may act as a reservoir for the wider contamination of hospital environments.

Normally, gardens lower the ambient temperature, which would improve air quality, absorb pollutants, and produce oxygen. Trees reduce soil erosion, increase fertility, and help retain soil moisture. Decomposed leaves that fall in the garden become nutrients for tree growth and help microbes to thrive. When it comes to growing trees in a garden, one should try and choose native trees that are naturally found in a particular area. These trees are well adapted to the environment and require less maintenance. Many insects and birds rely on native trees for food and shelter. Therefore, they are best for the environment. However, not all native trees are evergreen trees. Many evergreen trees can be planted in a small garden. In this paper, a microplantation-based model was developed to enhance the biological impacts for a smart garden. Based on the garden requirements, the smart system was constructed. On this basis, the seeds are planted in the soil.

Novel methods and materials are used in healthcare applications for finding cancer in various parts of the human system. To select the most suitable therapy plan for individuals with domestically progressed cervical cancer, robustness metrics are required to estimate their early phase. The goal of the research is to increase the effectiveness of cervical cancer patients' detection by using deep learning-based radiomics assessment of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). From March 2016 to November 2019, 125 patients with early-stage cervical cancer provided 980 dynamic X1 contrast-enhanced (X1DCE) and 850 X2 weighted imaging (X2WI) MRI images for training and testing. A convolutional neural network model was used to estimate cervical cancer state based on the specified characteristics. The X1DCE exhibited high discriminative outcomes than X2WI MRI in terms of prediction ability, as calculated by the confusion matrix assessment and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve approach. The mean maximum region under the curve of 0.95 was found using an attentive ensemble learning method that included both MRI sequencing (Sensitivity = 0.94, Specificity = 0.94, and accuracy = 0.96). Whenever compared with conventional radiomic approaches, the results show that a variety of radiomics based on deep learning might be created to help radiologists anticipate vascular invasion in patients with cervical cancer before surgery. Based on radiomics technique, it has proven to be an effective tool for estimating cervical cancer in its early stages. It would help people choose the best therapy method for them and make medical judgments.

In the current research, AA6082 aluminium alloy matrix composites (AAMCs) incorporated with various weight fractions of titanium diboride (0, 3, 6, and 9 wt%) were prepared via an in situ casting technique. The exothermic reaction between inorganic powders like dipotassium hexafluorotitanate (K2TiF6) and potassium tetrafluoroborate (KBF4) in molten Al metal contributes to the development of titanium diboride content. The manufactured AA6082-TiB2 AAMCs were evaluated using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The mechanical properties and wear rate (WR) of the AAMCs were investigated. XRD guarantees the creation of TiB2 phases and proves the nonappearance of reaction products in the AMCs. SEM studies depict the even dispersion of TiB2 in the matrix alloy. The mechanical and tribological properties (MTP) of the AAMCs showed improvement by the dispersion of TiB2 particles. The WR decreases steadily with TiB2 and the least WR is seen at nine weight concentrations of TiB2/AA6082 AAMCs. Fabricated composites revealed 47.9% higher flexural strength and 14.2% superior compression strength than the base AA6082 alloy.

The development of alternate sources for the production of natural pigments has been targeted to overcome the utilization of artificial coloring, which is dangerous to human health and the environment. Dyes extracted from microbial sources are more important for beneficial food industry use, especially Monascus spp. produces several critical secondary metabolites such as lovastatin, g-amino butyric acids, monascodilone, monascorubramine, monascin, ankaflavin, rubropunctatin, and citrinin. Lovastatin is a fungal polyketide that inhibits the rate-limiting enzymes HMG-CoA reductase, an essential precursor in cholesterol biosynthesis. The light source regulates fungi’ growth, metabolism, and reproduction and is necessary for fungi’ existence and distribution. The impact of different color lights (red, green, blue, yellow, and white, darkness) and different temperatures (27°C and 37°C) on extracellular and intracellular pigment yield, lovastatin production, and biomass of Monascus ruber was studied, and appropriate incubation temperature and time enhance the intracellular, extracellular pigment, and biomass production. However, when exposed to other color lights, fungus growth and pigment yield are significantly reduced in Monascus ruber. Then, fungi and pigment yield development is decreased when exposed to other color lights. It can be concluded that darkness influenced pigment production and biomass yield at both temperatures (27°C and 37°C). Similarly, the production of lovastatin and its concentration were analyzed by HPLC. The highest concentration of lovastatin was obtained at 27°C when exposed to red color light (302.6 mg/ml for extracellular fermentation broth) and (86.7 mg/ml for intracellular fermentation broth). At 37°C, the highest concentration of lovastatin was obtained from (571.5 mg/ml extracellular fermentation broth) when exposed to darkness and (170.4 mg/ml intracellular fermentation broth) exposed to red color light. Thus, the result provides the knowledge to enable us to explore the pigments and lovastatin yield for functional foods and large-scale industrial applications.

Objective: The present study assessed physico-chemical, techno-functional, thermal and textural characteristics of propolis samples (n = 30) collected from four Northern zones of India. Methods: The propolis samples were analyzed according to the Association of Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC) official protocols for their ash, moisture, and protein content. Soxtech, Fiber tech, Hunter LAB Colorimeter, TA.XT2i Texture Analyzer, Thermo gravimetric Analyzer, Discovery DSC 25 have been used to assess the crude fat, fibre content, colour, texture and thermal properties, respectively. Results and conclusions: Physico-chemical properties of propolis differed significantly (p

Objectives: A field trial was carried out in Kashmir valley to determine the persistence of fenazaquin 10EC (Magister) in Red Delicious variety of apple at recommended (0.004%) and double the recommended (0.008%) application rates. Methods: The spray was conducted one month prior to harvest. The plants treated with simple tap water were treated as control. Samples were collected at 0, 3, 7, 10, 15, 20 days and harvest. The procedure followed for extraction and cleanup was that of Luke et al. (1985) modified by Sharma (2007) and the final analysis was carried out on a Varian 450 (Walnut Creek, CA, USA) gas chromatograph (GLC) equipped with Thermionic Specific detector (TSD). Results: After computation of data, the initial deposit was recorded as 3.18 ± 0.03 μg g − 1 and 6.98 ± 0.08 μg g − 1 at two concentrations, respectively. Fenazaquin (0.004%) dissipated to 96.91 per cent in 20 days after application and was not detectable beyond this period. Fenazaquin (0.008%) however, persisted upto 30 days recording 95.84 per cent dissipation at that time. Conclusions: The progressive dissipation of fenazaquin (0.004%) and fenazaquin (0.008%) residues down to their tolerance limits suggested a waiting period of 18.55 and 30.49 days with a half-life period of 3.62 and 4.12 days, respectively. The terminal residue of fenazaquin at the lower rate was below maximum residue limit (MRL) set by European Union, however above MRL at the higher rate.

Objectives: The present work aims at the synthesis of metal-doped and undoped titania photocatalysts for the degradation of methylene blue and neutral red dyes. Methods: Un-doped and metal-doped titania photocatalysts were synthesized by hydrothermal treatment, calcined at 673 K, and were evaluated by SEM, XRD, and XPS techniques for their phase composition. Results and conclusions: XPS studies of photo catalysts confirmed the presence of transition metal ions of Co, Ni, and Zn as dopants along with titania. XRD analysis indicated that all the synthesized photocatalysts were in the anatase phase. The morphology of prepared photocatalysts was confirmed through SEM analysis. The synthesized nanoparticle’s photocatalytic nature was examined through testing their degradation potentials of methylene blue and neutral red dyes under UV light irradiation. Under optimized conditions, like pH, contact time, initial dye concentration and catalyst amount metal-doped titania photocatalysts showed higher photodegradation efficiency than the pure parental material. Among the metal doped titania best results were obtained with Ni doped titania as 90% and 95% degradation were observed for neutral red and methylene blue dyes respectively. This photocatalyst can therefore be used successfully to degrade the selected dyes present in industrial effluents.

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is a global pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). Up to date, there has been no specific cure to treat the disease. Indonesia is one of the countries that is still fighting to control virus transmission. Yet, at the same time, Indonesia has a rich biodiversity of natural medicinal products that potentially become an alternative cure. Thus, this study examined the potency of a natural medicinal product, Sulawesi propolis compounds produced by Tetragonula sapiens, inhibiting angiotensin-converting activity enzyme-2 (ACE-2), a receptor of SARS-CoV-2 in the human body. In this study, molecular docking was done to analyze the docking scores as the representation of binding affinity and the interaction profiles of propolis compounds toward ACE-2. The results illustrated that by considering the docking score and the presence of interaction with targeted sites, five compounds, namely glyasperin A, broussoflavonol F, sulabiroins A, (2S)-5,7-dihydroxy-4′-methoxy-8-prenylflavanone and isorhamnetin are potential to inhibit the binding of ACE-2 and SARS-CoV-2, with the docking score of −10.8, −9.9, −9.5, −9.3 and −9.2 kcal/mol respectively. The docking scores are considered to be more favorable compared to MLN-4760 as a potent inhibitor.

Betulinic acid is one such natural pentacyclic triterpenoid compound, holding various pharmacological properties but its poor bioavailability is the only limitation. One of the biological macromolecules such as Lignin is a plant-derived aromatic, eco-friendly and low-cost polymer that certainly self-assembles into nano-sized colloids. Therefore, onto the current investigation, we increased the bioavailability of betulinic acid by coating on to a nanopolymer prepared with poly vinyl alcohol, lignins and methyl acrylate. Betulinic acid loaded polyvinyl alcohol/ethylacrylate grafted Lignin polymer (PVA/Lig-g-MA) nanoformulation was characterized using FTIR, XRD, SEM and TEM analysis and also the drug entrapment, in vitro drug releasing capacity was done to examine the efficiency of the nanoformulation of a drug. The MTT assay was evaluated the cytotoxicity of synthesized nanoformulation against normal endothelial cells HUVEC and HAPEC to confirm the side effects of the drug. The anti-atherosclerotic property of the nanoformulation was ascertained in both in vitro condition (with HUVEC and HPAEC) and in vivo studies (with Wistar rats). As a result, the characterization studies and in vitro studies clearly confirmed the Betulinic acid loaded PVA/Lig-g-MA nanoformulation is an ideal nanopolymer and it doesn’t cause any cytotoxic effect in normal endothelial cells. It also decreased the lipopolysaccharides induced inflammation through the down-regulation of NFκB and MAP/JNK signaling molecule expressions. Following in vivo results confirmed the synthesized nanoformulation effectively decreased the hyperchlostremia, inflammation and vasoconstriction, which induced over high fat diet. The results of histopathological analysis of cardiac tissues also confirmed the cardioprotective role of synthesized nanoformulation. Overall, both the in vitro and in vivo studies authentically proven the Betulinic acid loaded PVA/Lig-g-MA nanoformulation would be a potent cost effective anti-atherosclerotic nanodrug.

Objectives: Alcohols oxidation is one of the important organic transformation in fine chemical industries. Prevailing processes are hazardous due to involvement of stoichiometric oxidants and homogeneous catalysts. In the present work, oxidation of cinnamyl alcohol was carried out using unconventional, affordable, and feasible heterogeneous catalysts. Method: Copper-titania (Cu-Ti) nanoparticles were prepared and supported on functionalized multi walled carbon nanotubes (F-CNTs). Various instrumental techniques such as X-ray Diffractometery (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX) Analysis and Brunauer Emmett Teller (BET) surface area analyzer were used to characterize the synthesized catalysts. Both catalysts; Cu-Ti and Cu-Ti/F-CNTs were evaluated for their potencies in conversion of cinnamyl alcohol (CnOH) to cinnamaldehyde (CnHO). Different derivatives of CnOH (with attached electron withdrawing and donating groups) were also oxidized in presence of prepared catalysts to determine the substituents effect and get maximum yield. The prepared catalyst was used five times to determine its reuseablity. Results: The presence of copper and titania in the synthesized catalyst structure was confirmed through XRD and EDX analysis. The agglomeration level was confirmed from SEM analysis. Little reduction in surface area on parental carbon nanotubes was observed due to deposited metals. Appreciable yield of CnHO were obtained at the optimal reaction conditions: temperature = 70 °C, catalyst amount = 0.1 g, pO2 = 760 Torr, substrate solution concentration and volume = 1 mmol CnOH/10 mL ethanol, stirring speed = 900 rpm, and time interval = 60 min. The conversion rate was improved to 100% through attachment of electron donating groups at ortho and para position of parental compound benzene ring. No appreciable decrease in activity of catalyst were observed after 4th cycle. Conclusion: Cu-Ti/F-CNTs showed excellent catalytic activity, selectivity, true heterogeneous nature, low cost, and recyclability, hence it could be used as a potent catalyst for CnOH to CnHO conversion.

AA5052 bead-on-plate processing has been achieved by the friction stir processing (FSP) technique to examine the manipulation of process parameters. It also improved the base metal surfaces to analyze the microstructure. The tool spinning speed, traverse speed, and axial load were preferred to investigate the effect of friction stir bead-on-plate processing on the tensile strength qualities and microhardness in AA5052. An optical microscope was used to dissect the fabricated processed zones of the microstructure. By using the design of the experiment, the orthogonal array of the L9 Taguchi method was used to construct the processing experiments. The analysis of variance and the signal-to-noise ratio methods were employed to identify the optimum unification of process parameters and the significant benefaction of a specific parameter on the responses. The outcomes showed that the tool spinning speed was the principal factor affecting the characteristics of tensile strength and microhardness, succeeded by the traverse speed and axial load. The intermetallic compound layer had formed during the processing under specified conditions. This examination revealed that the optimum parameters could intensify the mechanical behaviour of AA5052.

Background: While the prevalence of rheumatic heart disease (RHD) in Egypt is relatively high, data on the awareness of Egyptians about the cause of RHD are lacking. Methods: Using a pre-tested questionnaire, we performed a multicenter survey of outpatients attending 15 university hospitals across Egypt. Results: A total of 6958 participants were interviewed. Most subjects (81.7%) reported a previous experience of sore throat. Seeking treatment, most patients (69.3%) consulted a medical professional, while the others relied on self/peer medication. Individuals consulting a physician received antibiotics more frequently than those who did not (89.1 vs. 38.7%; OR: 12.4, 95% CI 10.8–14.1). The median RHD knowledge score in our sample was 4 (IQR = 6). While most subjects (56.3%) claimed knowledge of the complications of an untreated sore throat, only a third (34%) were aware of the association between sore throat and RHD. In a multivariate analysis, older age (Mean Difference [MD]: 1.58, 95% CI 1.37–1.79), female gender (MD: 0.89, 95% CI 0.75–1.04), higher education (MD: 1.10, 95% CI 0.90–1.30), and being interviewed outside Cairo (MD: 0.67, 95% CI 0.51–0.82) were significant predictors of knowledge about RHD. Conclusion: The current study showed low levels of awareness on the cause of RHD among Egyptians and highlights a pressing need for interventions to address this public knowledge gap.

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused largescale morbidity and mortality and a tremendous burden on the healthcare system. Healthcare workers (HCWs) require adequate protection to avoid onward transmission and minimize burden on the healthcare system. Moreover, HCWs can also influence the general public into accepting the COVID-19 vaccine. Therefore, determining COVID-19 vaccine intention among HCWs is of paramount importance to plan tailor-made public health strategies to maximize vaccine coverage. A structured questionnaire was administered in February and March 2021 among HCWs in Saudi Arabia using convenience sampling, proceeding the launch of the vaccination campaign. HCWs from all administrative regions of Saudi Arabia were included in the study. In total, 674 out of 1124 HCWs responded and completed the survey (response rate 59.9%). About 65 percent of the HCWs intended to get vaccinated. The intention to vaccinate was significantly higher among HCWs 50 years of age or older, Saudi nationals and those who followed the updates about COVID-19 vaccines (p < 0.05). The high percentage (26 percent) of those who were undecided in getting vaccinated is a positive sign. As the vaccination campaign gathers pace, the attitude is expected to change over time. Emphasis should be on planning healthcare strategies to convince the undecided HCWs into accepting the vaccine in order to achieve the coverage required to achieve herd immunity.

This study deals with the green synthesis of chromium oxide (Cr2O3) nanoparticles using a leaf extract of Abutilon indicum (L.) Sweet as a reducing and capping agent. Different characterization techniques were used to characterize the synthesized nanoparticles such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), Scanning electron microscope (SEM), Transmission electron microscope (TEM), Energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and ultraviolet-visible (UV-VIS) spectroscopy. The X-ray diffraction technique confirmed the purity and crystallinity of the Cr2O3 nanoparticles. The average size of the nanoparticles ranged from 17 to 42 nm. The antibacterial activity of the green synthesized nanoparticles was evaluated against four different bacterial strains, E. coli, S. aureus, B. bronchiseptica, and B. subtilis using agar well diffusion and a live/dead staining assay. The anticancer activities were determined against Michigan Cancer Foundation-7 (MCF-7) cancer cells using MTT and a live/dead staining assay. Antioxidant activity was investigated in the linoleic acid system. Moreover, the cytobiocompatibility was analyzed against the Vero cell lines using MTT and a live/dead staining assay. The results demonstrated that the green synthesized Cr2O3 nanoparticles exhibited superior antibacterial activity in terms of zones of inhibition (ZOIs) against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria compared to plant extracts and chemically synthesized Cr2O3 nanoparticles (commercial), but comparable to the standard drug (Leflox). The green synthesized Cr2O3 nanoparticles exhibited significant anticancer and antioxidant activities against MCF-7 cancerous cells and the linoleic acid system, respectively, compared to chemically synthesized Cr2O3 nanoparticles. Moreover, cytobiocompatibility analysis displayed that they presented excellent biocompatibility with Vero cell lines than that of chemically synthesized Cr2O3 nanoparticles. These results suggest that the green synthesized Cr2O3 nanoparticles’ enhanced biological activities might be attributed to a synergetic effect. Hence, green synthesized Cr2O3 nanoparticles could prove to be promising candidates for future biomedical applications.

Over the past few years, the photogenic fabrication of metal oxide nanoparticles has attracted considerable attention, owing to the simple, eco-friendly, and non-toxic procedure. Herein, we fabricated NiO nanoparticles and altered their optical properties by doping with a rare earth element (lanthanum) using Sesbania grandiflora broth for antibacterial applications. The doping of lanthanum with NiO was systematically studied. The optical properties of the prepared nanomaterials were investigated through UV-Vis diffuse reflectance spectra (UV-DRS) analysis, and their structures were studied using X-ray diffraction analysis. The morphological features of the prepared nanomaterials were examined by scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy, their elemental structure was analyzed by energy-dispersive X-ray spectral analysis, and their oxidation states were analyzed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Furthermore, the antibacterial action of NiO and La-doped NiO nanoparticles was studied by the zone of inhibition method for Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacterial strains such as Escherichia coli and Bacillus sublitis. It was evident from the obtained results that the optimized compound NiOLa-04 performed better than the other prepared compounds. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on the phytosynthetic fabrication of rare-earth ion Lanthanum (La3+)-doped Nickel Oxide (NiO) nanoparticles and their anti-microbial studies.

The color of food is a critical factor influencing its general acceptance. Owing to the effects of chemical colorants on health, current research is directly aimed at producing natural and healthy food colorants from microbial sources. A pigment-producing fungal isolate, obtained from soil samples and selected based on its rapidity and efficiency in producing red pigments, was identified as Monascus ruber OMNRC45. The culture conditions were optimized to enhance pigment production under submerged fermentation. The optimal temperature and pH for the highest red pigment yield were 30 °C and 6.5, respectively. The optimum carbon and nitrogen sources were rice and peptone, respectively. The usefulness of the pigment produced as a food colorant was evaluated by testing for contamination by the harmful mycotoxin citrinin and assessing its biosafety in mice. In addition, sensory evaluation tests were performed to evaluate the overall acceptance of the pigment as a food colorant. The results showed that M. ruber OMNRC45 was able to rapidly and effectively produce dense natural red pigment under the conditions of submerged fermentation without citrinin production. The findings of the sensory and biosafety assessments indicated the biosafety and applicability of the red Monascus pigment as a food colorant.