The application of green nanotechnology in agriculture has been receiving substantial attention, especially in the development of new nano-fertilizers and nano-insecticides. Herein, the metabolites ...secreted by the fungal strain Penicillium chrysogenum are used as a reducing agent for selenium ions to form selenium nanoparticles (Se-NPs). The synthesized Se-NPs were characterized using color change, UV-Vis spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and dynamic light scattering (DLS). The biomass filtrate of the fungal strain changed from colorless to a ruby red color after mixing with sodium selenite with a maximum surface plasmon resonance at 262 nm. Data exhibits the successful formation of spherical, amorphous Se-NPs with sizes ranging between 3–15 nm and a weight percentage of 38.52%. The efficacy of Se-NPs on the growth performance of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) and inhibition of cutworm Agrotis ipsilon was investigated. The field experiment revealed the potentiality of Se-NPs to enhance the growth parameters and carotenoid content in sunflower, especially at 20 ppm. The chlorophylls, carbohydrates, proteins, phenolic compounds, and free proline contents were markedly promoted in response to Se-NPs concentrations. The antioxidant enzymes (peroxidase, catalase, superoxide dismutase, and polyphenol oxidase) were significantly decreased compared with the control. Data analysis showed that the highest mortality for the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th instar larvae of Agrotis ipsilon was achieved at 25 ppm with percentages of 89.7 ± 0.3, 78.3 ± 0.3, 72.3 ± 0.6, 63.7 ± 0.3, and 68.7 ± 0.3 respectively after 72 h.
This study addresses the impacts of metabolites from different microbial taxa on the fabrication and multifunctional biological properties of spherical silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs). Three microbial ...taxa, a bacterial (Bacillus cereus A1-5), actinomycetes (Streptomyces noursei H1-1), and fungal (Rhizopus stolonifer A6-2) strains were used for Ag-NPs biosynthesis, whereas Streptomyces noursei is demonstrated for the first time. These isolates were identified using either 16S rRNA or ITS gene sequencing. Characterization of Ag-NPs was done using color change analysis, Uv-Vis spectroscopy, FT-IR spectroscopy, XRD, TEM, SEM-EDX, DLS, and Zeta potential analysis. All biosynthesized NPs exhibited spherical shape with different sizes ranged from 6‒50 nm, 6–30 nm and 6–40 nm for NPs obtained by A1-5, H1-1 and A6-2, respectively. The crystalline center cubic face of Ag-NPs was confirmed using XRD at 2θ values 38.08o, 44.27o, 64.41o and 77.36o. FT-IR analysis revealed varied intense absorption peaks for biomolecules required for NPs synthesize by each microbial strain. The stability of spherical Ag-NPs was confirmed due to highly DLS negative surface charge of ‒17.5mV, ‒18.9mV, and ‒15.6mV for NPs synthesized by strains A1-5, H1-1, and A6-2, respectively. Ag-NPs exhibited a broadspectrum of antibacterial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria with varied effectiveness. They also exhibited a cytotoxic effect against cancer cell line (caco-2) in a dose-dependent pattern with IC50 of 8.9 ± 0.5, 5.6 ± 3.0, 11.2 ± 0.5 μg/ml for NPs synthesized by strains A1-5, H1-1, and A6-2, respectively. Moreover, these spherical Ag-NPs showed larvicidal activity against the 3rd instar larvae of the dengue vector Aedes aegypti.
Materials Science; Nanotechnology; Agriculture; Spherical silver nanoparticles; Ag-NPs biosynthesis; Antibacterial; Antitumor activities; Larvicidal; Aedes aegypti
The metabolites of the fungal strain
were used as a biocatalyst for the green-synthesis of magnesium oxide nanoparticles (MgO-NPs). The production methodology was optimized to attain the maximum ...productivity as follows: 4 mM of precursor, at pH 8, incubation temperature of 35 °C, and reaction time of 36 h between metabolites and precursor. The as-formed MgO-NPs were characterized by UV-Vis spectroscopy, TEM, SEM-EDX, XRD, DLS, FT-IR, and XPS analyses. These analytical techniques proved to gain crystalline, homogenous, and well-dispersed spherical MgO-NPs with an average size of 20.38 ± 9.9 nm. The potentiality of MgO-NPs was dose- and time-dependent. The biogenic MgO-NPs was found to be a promising antimicrobial agent against the pathogens including
,
,
,
, and
with inhibition zones of 10.6 ± 0.4, 11.5 ± 0.5, 13.7 ± 0.5, 14.3 ± 0.7, and 14.7 ± 0.6 mm, respectively, at 200 μg mL
. Moreover, MgO-NPs manifested larvicidal and adult repellence activity against
at very low concentrations. The highest decolorization percentages of tanning effluents were 95.6 ± 1.6% at 100 µg/ 100 mL after 180 min. At this condition, the physicochemical parameters of tannery effluents, including TSS, TDS, BOD, COD, and conductivity were reduced with percentages of 97.9%, 98.2%, 87.8%, 95.9%, and 97.3%, respectively. Moreover, the chromium ion was adsorbed with percentages of 98.2% at optimum experimental conditions.
The discovery of eco-friendly, rapid, and cost-effective compounds to control diseases caused by microbes and insects are the main challenges. Herein, the magnesium oxide nanoparticles (MgO-NPs) are ...successfully fabricated by harnessing the metabolites secreted by
. The fabricated MgO-NPs were characterized using UV-Vis, XRD, TEM, DLS, EDX, FT-IR, and XPS analyses. Data showed the successful formation of crystallographic, spherical, well-dispersed MgO-NPs with sizes of 7-40 nm at a maximum wavelength of 250 nm. The EDX analysis confirms the presence of Mg and O ions as the main components with weight percentages of 13.62% and 7.76%, respectively. The activity of MgO-NPs as an antimicrobial agent was investigated against pathogens
,
,
,
, and
, and exhibited zone of inhibitions of 12.0 ± 0.0, 12.7 ± 0.9, 23.3 ± 0.8, 17.7 ± 1.6, and 14.7 ± 0.6 mm respectively, at 200 µg mL
. The activity is decreased by decreasing the MgO-NPs concentration. The biogenic MgO-NPs exhibit high efficacy against different larvae instar and pupa of
, with LC50 values of 12.5-15.5 ppm for I-IV larvae instar and 16.5 ppm for the pupa. Additionally, 5 mg/cm
of MgO-NPs showed the highest protection percentages against adults of
, with values of 100% for 150 min and 67.6% ± 1.4% for 210 min.
This study was carried out using 22 promising restorer lines of rice and their parental lines to study genetic variability and genetic advance for yield and yield-associated grain quality traits and ...floral traits. These genotypes are evaluated in a replicated trial using Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications at the Experimental Farm of Sakha Agricultural Research Station, Sakha, Kafr El-Sheikh, Egypt, during the seasons from 2012 to 2020. Analysis of variance revealed that highly significant variations were observed among the genotypes for all the studied characters. Both GCV% and PCV% were high for the number of spikelets per panicle, the number of filled grains per panicle, and panicle weight. The genetic advance in the percentage of mean was high for days to plant height, panicle length, number of spikelets per panicle, number of filled grains per panicle, panicle weight, grain yield per plant, anther length, anther breadth, duration of floret opening, and head rice percentage. Mean performance of the rice genotypes indicated that the genotypes NRL 59, NRL 55, NRL 62, NRL 63, NRL 66, and NRL 54-2 were promising for grain yield and associated desirable traits. Thus, some of these promising lines can be promoted as a new rice variety and could be used as a source for developing new hybrid combinations in hybrid rice breeding programs. The percentage of advantage over better parent and Giza 178 as the commercial variety was significant and there were highly significant desirable values among the genotypes for all the studied traits in the two years, indicating that the selection is effective in the genetic improvements for these traits.
Rice is one of the most important crops in Egypt. Due to the gap between the demand and the availability of the local edible oils, there is need to raise the nutritional value of rice and, therefore, ...to improve the nutritional value of the consumer. This research was carried out at the Experimental Farm of Sakha Agricultural Research Station, Sakha, Kafr El-Sheikh, Egypt, during the 2019 and 2020 seasons. Five newly developed genotypes of rice, namely NRL 63, NRL 64, NRL 65, NRL 66, and Giza 178 as check variety (control), were used to evaluate the analytical characterization of raw rice bran and rice bran oil from rice bran, study the genetic variability and genetic advance for various quantitative and qualitative traits in rice as well as, rice bran oil. The genotypes were evaluated in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. Analysis of variance revealed highly significant variations among the genotypes for all the studied characters. Data revealed that high estimates of the phenotypic coefficient of variance (PCV%) and genotypic coefficient of variance (GCV%) were observed for amylose content percentage, peroxide value (meq/kg oil), myristic C14:0, and arachidic C20:0, indicating that they all interacted with the environment to some extent. The line NRL66 and NRL64 showed the highest and high values of mean performance for grain yield (t/h), grain type (shape), amylose content percentage, crude protein, ether extract and ash of milled rice, crude protein, ether extract, ash, phosphorus, magnesium, manganese, zinc, and iron of stabilized rice bran oil. Genetic advance as a percentage of mean was high for most of the studied traits. It indicates that most likely, the heritability is due to additive gene effects, and selection may be effective. The percentage of advantage over the Giza 178 as the commercial variety was significant and highly significant among the genotypes for all the characters studied in the two years, indicating that the selection is effective in the genetic improvements for these traits.
In this study, we report a simple technique for the pyrofabrication of a novel photocatalyst of titanium dioxide quantum dots‐kaolinite nanocomposite (TiO2‐QDs‐Kao) used for rhodamine B (RhB) dye ...degradation. The photocatalyst was characterized by using different analytical techniques, including XRD, XRF, XPS, FTIR, DTA/TGA, SEM–EDX, TEM, BET, BJH, ZP and UV–Vis DRS. The photocatalytic degradation of RhB was performed in aqueous solutions using the sustainable sunlight energy under atmospheric conditions and fixed neutral medium (pH = 7). The produced photocatalyst exhibited optical band gap energy of 2.85 eV, an improved large specific surface area of 107.724 m2/g with pore radius of 1.45 nm and total pore volume of 0.123 cm3/g. The study indicated a maximum 91% degradation efficiency of RhB after 120 min using the optimum dose 1,400 mg/l of the TiO2‐QDs‐Kao photocatalyst. The degradation of RhB dye fitted the Langmuir first‐order kinetics with rate constant 0.0151 min−1. The radical trapping experiments based on scavengers confirmed that the mechanism of photocatalytic degradation activity was potentially based on electron (e−) and hole (h+) conduction band. The potential energy of the valence and conduction bands EVB and ECB were calculated 2.73 and −0.12 eV, respectively. A triple reusability study confirmed a high stability of TiO2‐QDs‐Kao photocatalyst with detected degradation efficiencies of 91.0, 89.9, 88.8 and 87.5%, respectively.
A simple technique for the pyrofabrication of a novel photocatalyst of titanium dioxide quantum dots‐kaolinite nanocomposite (TiO2‐QDs‐Kao) used for rhodamine B (RhB) dye degradation as a model organic contaminant. The pyrofabricated TiO2‐QDs‐Kao nanocomposite product was characterized by using different spectroscopic techniques. The study indicated a maximum 91% degradation efficiency of RhB after 120 min using the optimum dose 1,400 mg/l of the TiO2‐QDs‐Kao nanocomposite photocatalyst. The degradation of RhB dye fitted the Langmuir first‐order kinetics with rate constant 0.0151 min−1. The radical trapping experiments based on scavengers confirmed that the mechanism of photocatalytic degradation activity was potentially based on electron (e−) and hole (h+) conduction band.
Objective
To evaluate diagnostic performance and inter-reviewer agreement (IRA) of the Gynecologic Imaging Reporting and Data System (GI-RADS) for diagnosis of adnexal masses (AMs) by pelvic ...ultrasound (US).
Patients and methods
A prospective multicenter study included 308 women (mean age, 41 ± 12.5 years; range, 15–73 years) with 325 AMs detected by US. All US examinations were analyzed, and AMs were categorized into five categories according to the GI-RADS classification. We used histopathology and US follow-up as the reference standards for calculating diagnostic performance of GI-RADS for detecting malignant AMs. The Fleiss kappa (
κ
) tests were applied to evaluate the IRA of GI-RADS scoring results for predicting malignant AMs.
Results
A total of 325 AMs were evaluated: 127 (39.1%) were malignant and 198 (60.9%) were benign. Of 95 AMs categorized as GI-RADS 2 (GR2), none was malignant; of 94 AMs categorized as GR3, three were malignant; of 13 AMs categorized as GR4, six were malignant; and of 123 AMs categorized as GR5, 118 were malignant. On a lesion-based analysis, the GI-RADS had a sensitivity, a specificity, and an accuracy of 92.9%, 97.5%, and 95.7%, respectively, when regarding only those AMs classified as GR5 for predicting malignancy. Considering combined GR4 and GR5 as a predictor for malignancy, the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of GI-RADS were 97.6%, 93.9%, and 95.4%, respectively. The IRA of the GI-RADS category was very good (
κ
= 0.896). The best cutoff value for predicting malignant AMs was >GR3.
Conclusions
The GI-RADS is very valuable for improving US structural reports.
Key Points
• There is still a lack of a standard in the assessment of AMs.
• GI-RADS is very valuable for improving US structural reports of AMs.
• GI-RADS criteria are easy and work at least as well as IOTA.
Lactobacilli probiotics have been suggested to reduce cholesterol with low side effects to host. Bacteriocins and exopolysaccharides (EPSs) production are two meaningful examples of functional ...applications of lactobacilli in the food industry. Eight Lactobacillus strains were isolated from some Egyptian fermented food and tested for their probiotic properties. Analysis of the monosaccharide composition by thin layer chromatography showed the presence of glucose, galactose and unknown sugar. The main functional groups of EPSs were elucidated by Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy. Their fermentation cultures displayed powerful antioxidant activities extending from 97.5 to 99%, 40–75% for their EPSs and free cells, respectively, and exhibited in vitro cholesterol downgrading from 48 to 82% and 72 to 91% after 48 and 120 h, respectively. Their EPSs showed good anticancer activities against carcinoma cells with low IC50 values for HCT–116, PC–3 and HepG–2 cells. To the best of our knowledge, there have been no previous reports on the potential of Lactobacillus EPSs activity against PC–3. The selected strains, L. plantarum KU985433 and L. rhamnosus KU985436 produced two different bacteriocins as detected by gel permeation chromatography with good antimicrobial activities. In vivo study demonstrated that feeding Westar rats with fermented milk exhibited greater cholesterol, LDL and blood triglyceride reduction for both strains. Whereas, HDL was increased by about 43 and 38%, respectively, and the atherogenic indices decreased.
•Exopolysaccharides and bacteriocins of L. plantarum and L. rhamnosus•Anticancer activities of EPS with low IC50 values for HCT–116, PC–3 and HepG–2.•In vivo application of L. plantarum KU985433 and L. rhamnosus KU985436 for reduction of serum cholesterol level and lipid profile
Hydrothermal alteration processes are connected to many mineral formations, particularly auriferous deposits. In this study, airborne gamma-ray spectrometry (GRS) data and the analysis of radioactive ...materials (eU, eTh, and K) are applied to search for regions with hydrothermal alteration activity. An example is presented from Wadi Al-Allaqi, South Eastern Desert, Egypt. GRS was used to analyse various radiometric data to address potential mineral deposit areas, to map regions potentially showing metallic ore mineralisation, and to point out new geological mineral resources. The Kd (potassium deviation), "F" parameter and Th-normalisation of the K and eU anomalies were calculated, and locating new exploratory targets in the study area that exhibit high F-parameter, Kd, and K/eTh values was recommended. Additionally, the research region has a few isolated enriched spots of (K). Therefore, GRS data was used to characterise and estimate potential metallic ores, nonmetallic deposits, and gold ore zones associated with the alteration zones. Results show that most of the known mineral deposits and gold occurrences in the area, according to the metallogenic map of Egypt, are located in zones with a ratio value of (0.25-0.30) (K%/(U or Th ppm)) maps which may suggest a moderate degree of alteration. Also, most mineral deposits and gold occurrences are found in intermediate altered zones, or K-enriched sites, with a Kd% of (0.2. The work represents an attempt to map hydrothermal alteration zones associated with mineral deposits in the Wadi Al-Allaqi area. Generally, natural radiation characteristics and attributes suggest criteria that can be used globally for regional mineral exploration.
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