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•Fluorescent CQDs was successfully synthesized from CMC by infrared technique.•CQDs showed two intense FL peaks at 415–445 nm, with intensity of 490.•Fluorescent/antimicrobial cotton ...was obtained by treatment with CQDs.•CQDs@Q-cotton exhibited good durability as FL intensity was 417 after 5 washings.•Against E. coli, ZI diameter for CQDs@Q-cotton diminished from 21.0 to 17.0 mm, after 5 washings.
Carbon quantum dots “CQDs” were investigated as photo-luminescent nanomaterials as it advantageous with nontoxicity to be alternative for metallic-nanomaterials in different purposes. Therefore, the presented report demonstrates an innovative strategy for industrialization of antimicrobial/fluorescent cotton textiles via exploitation of “CQDs”. Unique/novel infrared-assisted technique was currently investigated for clustering “CQDs” form carboxymethyl cellulose. The successive nucleation of “CQDs” (8.0 nm) was affirmed via infra-red, Raman spectroscopy, NMR, TEM and Zeta-potential analysis. The clustered “CQDs” showed antimicrobial and fluorescent characters. The minimal inhibition concentration for “CQDs” (100 mg/mL) against E. coli and C. albicans showed pathogenic reduction of 96% and 82%, respectively. Fluorescent emission spectra for “CQDs” showed two intense peaks at 415–445 nm. “CQDs” were loaded upon pristine and cationized cotton to prepare CQDs@cotton and CQDs@cationized cotton. While, their physical/mechanical properties (air and water vapor permeabilities, tensile strength and elongation %) and thermal stability (TGA & DTG analysis) were studied. The CQDs@cationized cotton exhibited excellent antimicrobial activity with good durability as after ten repretitive washings, inhibition zone diameter against E. coli, was diminished from 21.0 mm to 14.0 mm. The fluorescent emmision intensity was diminished from 741 to 287 after 10 washing cycles. The produced cotton fabrics could be safely used in the medical and military textiles.
In recent years, suppressing tubulin polymerization has been developed as a therapeutic approach for cancer treatment. Thus, new derivatives based on thiazol-5(4
H
)-ones have been designed and ...synthesized in an eco-friendly manner. The synthesized derivatives have the same essential pharmacophoric features of colchicine binding site inhibitors. The anti-proliferative activity of the new derivatives was evaluated on three human cancer cell lines (HCT-116, HepG-2, and MCF-7) using MTT assay procedure and colchicine was used as a positive control. Compounds
4f
,
5a
,
8f
,
8g
, and
8k
showed superior antiproliferative activities against the three tested cell lines with IC
50
values ranging from 2.89 to 9.29 μM. Further investigation for the most active cytotoxic agents as tubulin polymerization inhibitors was also performed in order to explore the mechanism of their anti-proliferative activity. Tubulin polymerization assay results were found to be comperable with the cytotoxicity results. Compounds
4f
and
5a
were the most potent tubulin polymerization inhibitors with an IC
50
value of 9.33 and 9.52 nM, respectively. Further studies revealed the ability of
5a
to induce apoptosis and arrest cell cycle growth at the G2/M phase. Molecular docking studies were also conducted to investigate possible binding interactions between the target compounds and the tubulin heterodimer active site. From these studies, it was concluded that inhibition of tubulin polymerization yields the reported cytotoxic activity.
In recent years, suppressing tubulin polymerization has been developed as a therapeutic approach for cancer treatment.
Abstract Plants spontaneously accumulate γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), a nonprotein amino acid, in response to various stressors. Nevertheless, there is limited knowledge regarding the precise ...molecular mechanisms that plants employ to cope with salt stress. The objective of this study was to investigate the impact of GABA on the salt tolerance of eight distinct varieties of bread wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) by examining plant growth rates and physiological and molecular response characteristics. The application of salt stress had a detrimental impact on plant growth markers. Nevertheless, the impact was mitigated by the administration of GABA in comparison to the control treatment. When the cultivars Gemmiza 7, Gemmiza 9, and Gemmiza 12 were exposed to GABA at two distinct salt concentrations, there was a substantial increase in both the leaf chlorophyll content and photosynthetic rate. Both the control wheat cultivars and the plants exposed to salt treatment and GABA treatment showed alterations in stress-related biomarkers and antioxidants. This finding demonstrated that GABA plays a pivotal role in mitigating the impact of salt treatments on wheat cultivars. Among the eight examined kinds of wheat, CV. Gemmiza 7 and CV. Gemmiza 11 exhibited the most significant alterations in the expression of their TaSOS1 genes. CV. Misr 2, CV. Sakha 94, and CV. Sakha 95 exhibited the highest degree of variability in the expression of the NHX1, DHN3, and GR genes, respectively. The application of GABA to wheat plants enhances their ability to cope with salt stress by reducing the presence of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and other stress indicators, regulating stomatal aperture, enhancing photosynthesis, activating antioxidant enzymes, and upregulating genes involved in salt stress tolerance.
Cryptosporidium is a protozoan that causes acute gastroenteritis, abdominal pain, and diarrhea in many vertebrate species, including humans, animals and birds. A number of studies have reported the ...occurrence of Cryptosporidium in domestic pigeons. Thus, this study aimed to identify Cryptosporidium spp. in samples collected from domestic pigeons, pigeon fanciers, and drinking water, as well as to investigate the antiprotozoal activity of biosynthesized silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) on the viability of isolated Cryptosporidium parvum (C. parvum). Samples were collected from domestic pigeons (n = 150), pigeon fanciers (n = 50), and drinking water (n = 50) and examined for the presence of Cryptosporidium spp. using microscopic and molecular techniques. The antiprotozoal activity of AgNPs was then assessed both in vitro and in vivo. Cryptosporidium spp. was identified in 16.4% of all examined samples, with C. parvum identified in 5.6%. The highest frequency of isolation was from domestic pigeon, rather than from pigeon fanciers or drinking water. In domestic pigeons, there was a significant association between Cryptosporidium spp. positivity and pigeon's age, droppings consistency, housing, hygienic and heath conditions. However, Cryptosporidium spp. positivity was only significantly associated with pigeon fanciers' gender and heath condition. The viability of C. parvum oocysts was reduced using AgNPs at various concentrations and storage times in a descending manner. In an in vitro study, the highest reduction in C. parvum count was observed at the AgNPs concentration of 1000 µg/mL after a 24 h contact time, followed by the AgNPs concentration of 500 µg/mL after a 24 h contact time. However, after a 48 h contact time, a complete reduction was observed at both 1000 and 500 µg/mL concentrations. Overall, the count and viability of C. parvum decreased with increasing the AgNPs concentration and contact times in both the in vitro and in vivo studies. Furthermore, the C. parvum oocyst destruction was time-dependent and increased with increasing the contact time at various AgNPs concentrations.
Toxin-contaminated foods and beverages are a major source of illness, may cause death, and have a significant negative economic impact worldwide. Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) is a potent toxin that may induce ...cancer after chronic low-level exposure. This study developed a quantitative recombinant
gene antiserum ELISA technique for aflatoxin B1 detection in contaminated food products. Aflatoxin B1 residuals from 36 food samples were analyzed with HPLC and VICAM. DNA was extracted from aflatoxin-contaminated samples and the
gene amplified using PCR. PCR products were purified and ligated into the pGEM-T vector. Recombinant plasmids were sequenced and transformed into competent
(BL21). Molecular size and B-cell epitope prediction for the recombinant protein were assessed. The purified protein was used to induce the production of IgG antibodies in rabbits. Serum IgG was purified and labeled with alkaline phosphatase. Finally, indirect-ELISA was used to test the effectiveness of polyclonal antibodies for detection of aflatoxin B1 in food samples.
Concerns about food security worldwide have been raised due to the adverse impacts of climate change on agricultural productivity. Utilizing wild relatives of cultivated plants in breeding schemes is ...a potential solution to address the abovementioned challenges. Wild relatives refer to indigenous plant species that share genetic ancestry with recently cultivated plants. The capacity of plants to withstand abiotic stresses and enhance crop yield stability in cold and arid environments renders them a valuable prospective resource for breeding programs. Molecular markers are employed to assess the genetic variability of cultivated plants and their wild relatives under investigation. This study employed a set of five primers derived from ISSR (Inter Simple Sequence Repeats) and SCoT (Start Codon Targeted) to assess comparative research between cultivated species and their wild relatives from three families: Apiaceae (
Apium gravolens
L.,
A. leptophyllum
(Pers.) F.Muell.,
Daucus carota
L
.
&
D. litoralis
Sm.), Asteraceae (
Lactuca sativa
L. &
L. serriola
L.) and Brassicaceae (
B. oleracea
L.,
Brassica tourneforttii
Gouan.,
Raphanus sativus
L. &
R. raphanistrum
L.). The ISSR technique yields approximately 206 bands, whereas the SCoT primers generate approximately 207 bands. The ISSR primers yielded 169 polymorphic bands, exhibiting a polymorphism rate of 82.04%, whereas the SCoT primers produced 169 polymorphic bands with a polymorphism rate of 81.64%. The Brassicaceae has been found to exhibit the highest resolving power (RP) of 48.25, as determined by ISSR. The primary objective of DNA barcoding is to create a communal database of DNA sequences that can be utilized to identify organisms and clarify their taxonomic classification. The findings indicate that the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions exhibit high efficacy as a DNA barcoding tool. Overall, the results obtained from two molecular markers and DNA barcoding analyses suggest a significant degree of genetic diversity and relatedness among the cultivated taxa and their wild relatives examined in this study.
The genetic diversity and the relationships among sesame cultivars were investigated using physiological and cyto/molecular analysis. To our information, no studies have yet been conducted on the ...genetic evaluation of sesame genotypes based on cyto/molecular analysis in Saudi Arabia. This study showed that genotype Bah-312 had the highest values from physiological and biochemical traits (plant height, harvest index, total plant dry matter, seed yield, oil content, and fatty acids content). Using 20 ISSR and 25 SCoT primers, the studied genotypes amplified 233 and 275 alleles, while the average polymorphism percentage (P%) was 65.32% (ISSR) and 77.8% (SCoT) across all the studied genotypes, respectively. To assess the markers efficiency analysis the polymorphism information contents (PIC), Marker Index (MI), Effective Multiplex Ratio (EMR), Resolving Power (Rp) were estimated. In general, primers (ISSR 2 & SCoT 21) and (ISSR 4 & SCoT 3) revealed the highest and lowest values for P %, PIC, MI, and EMR%. Furthermore, 188 positive and negative unique bands were detected, out of which ISSR generated 84, while 104 were amplified by SCoT analysis. In this regard, genotype Bah-312 generated 41 unique amplicons, and Jiz-511 genotype 23 unique amplicons. In the same context, the population genetics parameters, number of different alleles (Na), number of effective alleles (Ne), Shannon’s index (I), expected heterozygosity (He), and Unbiased Expected Heterozygosity (uHe), were calculated. ISSR marker showed the highest values for all the estimated parameters. In this regard, genotype Bah-312 exhibited the highest values (1.35, 1.37, 0.31, 0.21, 0.29) & (1.31, 1.35, 0.30, 0.20, 0.27) while, genotype Ahs-670 revealed the least values (1.29, 1.31, 0.26, 0.16, 0.23) &(1.14, 1.26, 0.22, 0.15, 0.20) for ISSR and SCoT markers respectively. For cytological data, according to the highest asymmetry index (AsK%) and lowest total form percentage (TF%) values, genotype Ahs-670 was the most advanced cultivar, and genotype Bah-312 was the most primitive one. According to the degree of asymmetry of karyotype (A) and intrachromosomal asymmetry index (A1), sesame genotype Ahs-670 was the most asymmetrical, and Bah-312 was the most symmetrical genotype. This study gives some helpful information about the genetic diversity of six sesame landraces. The variation harbored by these landraces could be used in sesame breeding programs.
This review presents the chemical composition, nutritional and health benefits of date. We also present possible application of date in the product development of nutrition bar for athletes.
Summary
...Date fruit is an excellent source of nutritional and health benefits. The chemical composition of dates includes carbohydrates, dietary fibre, proteins, fats, minerals and vitamins, enzymes, phenolic acid and carotenoids, all of which are directly linked to nutritional and health benefits for consumers. A number of studies have also confirmed the therapeutic effects of dates and their efficacy in the treatment of many disease conditions. As a result, a number of food products such as date syrup, date juice and date paste have been developed in order to harness the nutritional potential of dates. Adequate sources of nutrition are important for all consumers, especially for active lifestyle individuals such as athletes and sportspeople. As the goal of every athlete is to enhance athletic performance and prevent energy deficit, the use of dietary supplements has been highly recommended as a solution in this regard. For example, nutrition bars are one source of high energy and nutrients that can provide the required energy for enhanced athletic performance, and date fruits could be valorised into nutrition bars in order to help athletes to achieve their performance and nutritional goals. In this paper, we review the chemical composition and health benefits of date fruit, its food application and consequently its formulation in nutrition bars for athletes.
Bioceramics, graphene oxide, and metal oxide-based biomaterials are intriguing prospects for hard tissue biomedical applications. Combining hydroxyapatite (HAP), graphene oxide (GO), and Zinc oxide ...(ZnO) to fabricate HAP/ZnO/GO nanocomposite presented a noticeable improvement in bioactivity biocompatibility and antimicrobial activity. The crystal lattice changes and structural arrangement of these nanocomposites are examined using XRD, TEM, and SEM. Moreover, the GO nanosheets, HAP, and ZnO bonding are reported in FTIR and XPS spectra. The TEM micrographs showed the nanocomposite structural alteration and revealed the uniformity of HAP and ZnO distribution into GO nanosheets with 10 nm in diameter and length of 25 nm. Furthermore, the SEM scan explained the porosity and integrated structure that showed a size of 0.3–1.4 μm. HAP/ZnO/GO roughness average reached 40.2 nm. The cell viability test for the nanocomposite revealed a high value of 99.5 ± 1.5%. The antibacterial property of HAP/ZnO/GO was confirmed with the reported inhibition zone of 20.4 ± 1 mm and 15.3 ± 1.1 mm against E. coli and S. aureus. Herein, combining HAP and ZnO with GO nanosheets alters morphological features and enhances roughness parameters of the fabricated nanocomposite. Besides structural porosity, cell adhesion and bioactivity improved. The resulting porous reinforced nanocomposite that showed excellent antibacterial activity is a biomaterial of interest in bone replacement utilization.
•Hydroxyapatite, zinc oxide, and graphene oxide nanocomposite for bone implant fabrication.•Explain the uniform incorporation of HAP and ZnO into GO sheets.•The highest roughness average value is obtained by HAP/ZnO/GO nanocomposite, which is 40.2 nm.•An osteoblasts cell line is used to test the cell viability of the nanocomposites.•HAP/ZnO/GO possessed a synergistic antimicrobial activity against E. coli and S. aureus.
The utilization of plants with therapeutic properties in traditional medicine has a longstanding practice. Among them, the well-known Allium cepa L. commonly known as onion has been valued for its ...anti-inflammatory and antioxidant potential in the treatment of various ailments, including gastric ulcers.
This study investigated the gastroprotective potential of red onion peel extract and its fractions in a rat model of ethanol-induced gastric ulcer. Moreover, their phytochemical profiles were compared to identify the active metabolites.
Mass spectrometry-based metabolomics and chemometrics were performed for phytochemical analysis. Ethanol-induced gastric ulcer model was used to assess the gastroprotective activity. Nine groups of rats were allocated as follows: Group 1 was the normal control; Group 2 rats were used as a positive control (1 mL of absolute ethanol); and Group 3 rats were treated with famotidine at a dose of 20 mg/kg orally. Group 4 and 5 rats were treated with total acidified ethanolic extract (T1, T2). Group 6 and 7 rats were treated with anthocyanins-rich fractions (P1, P2). Groups 8 and 9 were the flavonoids-rich fraction (S1, S2) treatment. Prior to scarification, the ulcer index in mm was obtained from gastric tissues photographed beside a ruler with further analysis using ImageJ software.
Seventy key major and discriminatory metabolites were identified including flavonoids, anthocyanins, phenolic acids, and miscellaneous compounds. The examined extract and its fractions significantly reduced the ulcer index and inflammatory cytokines via downregulating HMGB-1/NF-κB. Also, they augmented the expression of Nrf2/HO-1 and reduced NOX1/4 mRNA expression. Moreover, there was a significant reduction in the oxidative stress and apoptotic biomarkers as well as a noticeable enhancement in histopathological changes of the stomach tissues.
Red onion peels have a promising dose dependent gastroprotective potential in alcohol-induced ulcers via modulating Nrf2/HO-1 and HMGB-1/NF-κB trajectories. This highlights the potential of red onion peels in treating gastric ulcers.
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•Red onion peels acidified ethanolic extract and enriched fractions showed an antiulcerogenic solid effect.•Potential red onion peel effect exerted by modulating HO-1/Nrf2 and HMGB-1/NF-κB expressions and reducing cytokine levels.•Antioxidant defense mechanisms and ulcer-healing properties besides the anti-apoptotic action were enhanced.•UPLC/MS-based chemometrics allowed tentative identifications of the key major and discriminatory metabolites.