Kinetic and thermodynamic analysis of alizarin Red S biosorption by Alhagi maurorum: a sustainable approach for water treatment.

Synthetic dyes, such as Alizarin Red S, contribute significantly to environmental pollution. This study investigates the biosorption potential of Alhagi maurorum biosorbent for the removal of Alizarin Red S (ARS) from aqueous solutions. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) was used to analyze the biosorbent's adsorption sites. Various parameters were optimized to maximize dye adsorption. An optimal removal efficiency of 82.26% was attained by employing 0.9 g of biosorbent with a 25 ppm dye concentration at pH 6 and 60 °C over 30 min. The data were modeled using various isothermal and kinetic models to understand the adsorption behavior. Thermodynamic parameters indicated that the adsorption process was spontaneous and endothermic. The pseudo-second-order kinetic model best described the data, indicating chemisorption as the rate-limiting step. The data matched best to the Langmuir model, indicating that the adsorption occurs as a monolayer on uniform surfaces with a finite number of binding sites. The model showed a strong correlation (R² = 0.991) and a maximum adsorption capacity (qmax) of 8.203 mg/g. Principal component analysis (PCA) identified temperature as the dominant factor, with the primary component, PC1 capturing 100% of its effect. The mechanisms involved in ARS biosorption on A. maurorum include electrostatic interactions, hydrogen bonding, hydrophobic interactions, dipole-dipole interactions, and π-π stacking. Alhagi maurorum showed promising potential for biosorbing toxic dyes from contaminated water, suggesting further investigation for practical applications.

Genome-wide analysis and prediction of chloroplast and mitochondrial RNA editing sites of AGC gene family in cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) for abiotic stress tolerance.

BACKGROUND: Cotton is one of the topmost fiber crops throughout the globe. During the last decade, abrupt changes in the climate resulted in drought, heat, and salinity. These stresses have seriously affected cotton production and significant losses all over the textile industry. The GhAGC kinase, a subfamily of AGC group and member of serine/threonine (Ser/Thr) protein kinases group and is highly conserved among eukaryotic organisms. The AGC kinases are compulsory elements of cell development, metabolic processes, and cell death in mammalian systems. The investigation of RNA editing sites within the organelle genomes of multicellular vascular plants, such as Gossypium hirsutum holds significant importance in understanding the regulation of gene expression at the post-transcriptional level. METHODS: In present work, we characterized twenty-eight GhAGC genes in cotton and constructed phylogenetic tree using nine different species from the most primitive to the most recent. RESULTS: In sequence logos analyses, highly conserved amino acid residues were found in G. hirsutum, G. arboretum, G. raimondii and A. thaliana. The occurrence of cis-acting growth and stress-related elements in the promoter regions of GhAGCs highlight the significance of these factors in plant development and abiotic stress tolerance. Ka/Ks levels demonstrated that purifying selection pressure resulting from segmental events was applied to GhAGC with little functional divergence. We focused on identifying RNA editing sites in G. hirsutum organelles, specifically in the chloroplast and mitochondria, across all 28 AGC genes. CONCLUSION: The positive role of GhAGCs was explored by quantifying the expression in the plant tissues under abiotic stress. These findings help in understanding the role of GhAGC genes under abiotic stresses which may further be used in cotton breeding for the development of climate smart varieties in abruptly changing climate.

Phyto-ecological studies and distribution patterns of subfamily Polygonoideae in relation to edaphic factors across diverse ecological zones.

The species of the subfamily Polygonoideae is an essential component of temperate forests as well as the flora of the western Himalayan region. The aim of this research was to explore the taxonomic diversity, distribution patterns, and associated flora of Polygonoideae in relation to edaphic factors in various ecological zones in the Muzaffarabad division of the Kashmir Western Himalayan Region. We applied a random sampling approach for data collection from 10 different sites with a cumulative 780 quadrats to record the diversity of wild Polygonoideae species across the Muzaffarabad division between 2021 and 2022. This study revealed 279 plant species from 192 genera and 75 families associated with Polygonoideae, with the dominant families being Asteraceae, Poaceae, Lamiaceae, and Rosaceae. Herbs were predominant in the investigated area, with a proportion of 72.40 %, followed by shrubs (9.68 %) and pteridophytes (8.24 %). The flora was dominated by therophytes (37.35 %), whereas nanophylls (37.28 %) were the most dominant leaf form. Persicaria, Rumex, and Polygonum genera were observed and collected from various ecological zones, while Bistorta, Fagopyrum, Oxyria, and Rheum were only collected from a single zone, representing a restricted niche. A total of 28 taxa from 8 genera were studied in the investigative subfamily Polygonoideae, with the majority being therophytes (57.14 %), followed by hemicryptophytes (28.57 %), and leaf form dominated by microphylls (50 %) and nanophylls (17.85 %). The average values for Shannon and Simpson's diversity for the reported plant communities were 0.96 and 3.53, respectively, whereas species richness averaged 2.43 and species evenness 0.92. The vegetation exhibited a relatively lower (<50) maturity, averaging 32.08. Deforestation, overexploitation for medicinal purposes, soil erosion, overgrazing, forest fires, and the expansion of agricultural fields were identified as major threats to floral diversity. A significant correlation was observed between elevation and soil nutrient parameters, where moisture content, SOC, SOM, TK, and TN ratios showed a positive correlation, while pH and TP showed a negative correlation. Polygonum paronychioides and Rumex alpinus were the least observed of Polygonoideae taxa, whereas 39 species were found to be threatened, having low (<0.2) IVI values and seeking immediate conservation efforts. Climate change and anthropogenic pressure may lead to a change in the composition patterns and threaten the Polygonoidae species. We suggest community-based initiatives and sustainable conservation measures to safeguard the floral wealth of the Western Himalaya.

Cubic structured zinc ferrite methodically incorporated into porous graphene sheets as a selective Electrocatalyst for electrochemical detection of Carbendazim.

Carbendazim (CBZ) insecticides have been widely employed, raising serious concerns about their impacts on human health and the environment. A facile hydrothermal technique was used to prepare a zinc ferrite (ZnFe2O4) combined with porous graphene oxide (PGO) as a nanocomposite for selective CBZ detection. The ZnFe2O4/PGO nanocomposite was then used to modify a glassy carbon electrode (GCE), an affordable platform for CBZ detection. Various spectroscopic techniques were employed to confirm the nanomaterial. The electrochemical properties were further investigated using cyclic voltammetry (CV), differential pulse voltammetry (DPV), and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The ZnFe2O4/PGO nanocomposite modified the glassy carbon electrode surface for CBZ detection. A broad linear response range of 0.0039 to 200 µM, high sensitivity (2.184 µAµM-1 cm-2), a low detection limit of 0.0013 µM, outstanding stability, repeatability, and practical applicability are the intriguing qualities of the ZnFe2O4/PGO-modified electrode for CBZ detection.

Toxicity and bioassimilation of lead and nickel in farm ruminants fed on diversified forage crops grown on contaminated soil.

The cultivation of forage crops on wastewater-irrigated soils, while common in many developing countries, poses significant risks due to heavy metal pollution, particularly Lead (Pb) and Nickel (Ni). This practice, aimed at addressing water scarcity challenges and providing affordable irrigation, was investigated for its ecological and human health implications across three diverse sites (site A, site B, and site C). Our study unveiled increases in Pb concentrations in contaminated soil, cultivated with Sesbania bispinosa showing the highest Pb accumulation. The Ni concentrations ranged from 5.34 to 10.43 across all forage crop samples, with S. fruticosa from site C displaying the highest Ni concentration and S. bicolor from site A exhibiting the lowest. Trace element concentrations in the specimens were determined using an atomic absorption spectrophotometer. The Pb levels in the blood, hair, and feces of farm ruminants (cows, buffaloes, and sheep) varied across the sites, with buffaloes consistently displaying the highest Pb levels. Insights into daily Pb intake by ruminant's highlighted variations influenced by plant species, animal types, and sites, with site C, the cows exhibiting the highest Health Risk Index (HRI) associated with lead exposure from consuming forage crops. Soil and forage samples showed Pb concentrations ranging from 8.003 to 12.29 mg/kg and 6.69-10.52 mg/kg, respectively, emphasizing the severe health risks associated with continuous sewage usage. Variations in Ni concentrations across animal blood, hair, and feces samples underscored the importance of monitoring Ni exposure in livestock, with sheep at site B consistently showing the highest Ni levels. These findings highlight the necessity of vigilance in monitoring trace element (Pb and Ni) exposure in forage crops and livestock, to mitigate potential health risks associated with their consumption, with variations dependent on species, site, and trace element concentrations.

Biogenic synthesis, characterization, and in vitro biological investigation of silver oxide nanoparticles (AgONPs) using Rhynchosia capitata.

The current research aimed to study the green synthesis of silver oxide nanoparticles (AgONPs) using Rhynchosia capitata (RC) aqueous extract as a potent reducing and stabilizing agent. The obtained RC-AgONPs were characterized using UV, FT-IR, XRD, DLS, SEM, and EDX to investigate the morphology, size, and elemental composition. The size of the RC-AgONPs was found to be ~ 21.66 nm and an almost uniform distribution was executed by XRD analysis. In vitro studies were performed to reveal biological potential. The AgONPs exhibited efficient DPPH free radical scavenging potential (71.3%), reducing power (63.8 ± 1.77%), and total antioxidant capacity (88.5 ± 4.8%) to estimate their antioxidative power. Antibacterial and antifungal potentials were evaluated using the disc diffusion method against various bacterial and fungal strains, and the zones of inhibition (ZOI) were determined. A brine shrimp cytotoxicity assay was conducted to measure the cytotoxicity potential (LC50: 2.26 µg/mL). In addition, biocompatibility tests were performed to evaluate the biocompatible nature of RC-AgONPs using red blood cells, HEK, and VERO cell lines (< 200 µg/mL). An alpha-amylase inhibition assay was carried out with 67.6% inhibition. Moreover, In vitro, anticancer activity was performed against Hep-2 liver cancer cell lines, and an LC50 value of 45.94 µg/mL was achieved. Overall, the present study has demonstrated that the utilization of R. capitata extract for the biosynthesis of AgONPs offers a cost-effective, eco-friendly, and forthright alternative to traditional approaches for silver nanoparticle synthesis. The RC-AgONPs obtained exhibited significant bioactive properties, positioning them as promising candidates for diverse applications in the spheres of medicine and beyond.

In-situ growth of MOF-derived Co3S4@MoS2 heterostructured electrocatalyst for the detection of furazolidone.

The over-exploitation of antibiotics in food and farming industries ruined the environmental and human health. Consequently, electrochemical sensors offer significant advantages in monitoring these compounds with high accuracy. Herein, MOF-derived hollow Co3S4@MoS2 (CS@MS) heterostructure has been prepared hydrothermally and applied to fabricate an electrochemical sensor to monitor nitrofuran class antibiotic drug. Various spectroscopic methodologies have been employed to elucidate the structural and morphological information. Our prepared electrocatalyst has better electrocatalytic performance than bare and other modified glassy carbon electrodes (GCE). Our CS@MS/GCE sensor exhibited a highly sensitive detection by offering a low limit of detection, good sensitivity, repeatability, reproducibility, and stability results. In addition, our sensor has shown a good selectivity towards the target analyte among other potential interferons. The practical reliability of the sensor was measured by analyzing various real-time environmental and biological samples and obtaining good recovery values. From the results, our fabricated CS@MS could be an active electrocatalyst material for an efficient electrochemical sensing application.

Exploring water-absorbing capacity: a digital image analysis of seeds from 120 wheat varieties.

Wheat is a staple food crop that provides a significant portion of the world's daily caloric intake, serving as a vital source of carbohydrates and dietary fiber for billions of people. Seed shape studies of wheat typically involve the use of digital image analysis software to quantify various seed shape parameters such as length, width, area, aspect ratio, roundness, and symmetry. This study presents a comprehensive investigation into the water-absorbing capacity of seeds from 120 distinct wheat lines, leveraging digital image analysis techniques facilitated by SmartGrain software. Water absorption is a pivotal process in the early stages of seed germination, directly influencing plant growth and crop yield. SmartGrain, a powerful image analysis tool, was employed to extract precise quantitative data from digital images of wheat seeds, enabling the assessment of various seed traits in relation to their water-absorbing capacity. The analysis revealed significant transformations in seed characteristics as they absorbed water, including changes in size, weight, shape, and more. Through statistical analysis and correlation assessments, we identified robust relationships between these seed traits, both before and after water treatment. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Agglomerative Hierarchical Clustering (AHC) were employed to categorize genotypes with similar trait patterns, providing insights valuable for crop breeding and genetic research. Multiple linear regression analysis further elucidated the influence of specific seed traits, such as weight, width, and distance, on water-absorbing capacity. Our study contributes to a deeper understanding of seed development, imbibition, and the crucial role of water absorption in wheat. These insights have practical implications in agriculture, offering opportunities to optimize breeding programs for improved water absorption in wheat genotypes. The integration of SmartGrain software with advanced statistical methods enhances the reliability and significance of our findings, paving the way for more efficient and resilient wheat crop production. Significant changes in wheat seed shape parameters were observed after imbibition, with notable increases in area, perimeter, length, width, and weight. The length-to-width ratio (LWR) and circularity displayed opposite trends, with higher values before imbibition and lower values after imbibition.

Exploring the synergistic effect of chromium (Cr) tolerant Pseudomonas aeruginosa and nano zero valent iron (nZVI) for suppressing Cr uptake in Aloe Vera.

Chromium (Cr) contamination of soil has substantially deteriorated soil health and has interfered with sustainable agricultural production worldwide and therefore, its remediation is inevitable. Inoculation of plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) in association with nanotechnology has exerted broad based impacts in agriculture, and there is an urgent need to exploit their synergism in contaminated soils. Here, we investigated the effect of co-application of Cr-tolerant "Pseudomonas aeruginosa CKQ9" strain and nano zerovalent iron (nZVI) in improving the phytoremediation potential of aloe vera (Aloe barbadensis L.) under Cr contamination. Soil was contaminated by using potassium dichromate (K2Cr2O7) salt and 15 mg kg-1 contamination level in soil was maintained via spiking and exposure to Cr lasted throughout the duration of the experiment (120 days). We observed that the co-application alleviated the adverse impacts of Cr on aloe vera, and improved various plant attributes such as plant height, root area, number of leaves and gel contents by 51, 137, 67 and 49% respectively as compared to control treatment under Cr contamination. Similarly, significant boost in the activities of various antioxidants including catalase (124%), superoxide dismutase (87%), ascorbate peroxidase (36%), peroxidase (89%) and proline (34%) was pragmatic under contaminated soil conditions. In terms of soil Cr concentration and its plant uptake, co-application of P. aeruginosa and nZVI also reduced available Cr concentration in soil (50%), roots (77%) and leaves (84%), while simultaneously increasing the relative production index by 225% than un-inoculated control. Hence, integrating PGPR with nZVI can be an effective strategy for enhancing the phytoremediation potential of aloe vera.

Combined effect of PGPR and nanotechnology in the bioremediation of toxic contaminants is well reported in literature. Most of these reports comprise the use of hyperaccumulator plants for phytoextraction of heavy metals. However, phytostabilization potential of hyperaccumulators is still un-explored. Current study investigated the role of PGPR and Fe-NPs in suppressing the uptake of Cr in aloe vera, a hyperaccumulator plant.

Micrometer insights into Nepeta genus: Pollen micromorphology unveiled.

This study provides a comprehensive pollen micromorphology within the Nepeta genus, revealing intricate details about the pollen grains' structure and characteristics. The findings shed light on the evolutionary and taxonomical aspects of this plant genus, offering valuable insights for botanists and researchers studying Nepeta species. The pollen grains of 18 Nepeta species were studied using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and light microscopy (LM) in Northern Pakistan. At the microscale, pollen quantitative measurements, qualitative traits, and diverse sculpturing patterns were reported and compared. Significant differences in pollen size, shape, ornamentation, and sculpturing patterns were discovered among the Nepeta species. Our data show that exine sculpturing is quite diverse, with most species exhibiting a reticulate perforate pollen pattern. Nepeta connata, Nepeta discolor, Nepeta elliptica, revealed a distinct bireticulate perforate exine stratification. Hexazonocolpate pollen is the most common. Furthermore, the surface membrane attributes of the colpus varied greatly, ranging from rough, scabrate, psilate, to sinuate patterns. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was used to discover the key factors influencing pollen diversity. PCA results showed that polar and equatorial diameters, colpi size, and exine thickness were the most influential pollen features between Nepeta species. This study adds to our understanding of pollen morphology in the Nepeta genus, offering information on the vast range of characteristics found in this economically important group. The extensive characterization of pollen features provides useful insights for the categorization and differentiation of Nepeta species, adding to the Lamiaceae micromorphology.

Comparative efficacy of different salt tolerant rhizobial inoculants in improving growth and productivity of Vigna radiata L. under salt stress.

Worldwide, salinity severely affects agricultural production of crops such as mung bean in arid and semi-arid regions. In saline conditions, various species of Rhizobium can be used to enhance nodulation and induce salinity tolerance in maize. The present study conducted a pot experiment to determine the efficiency of three rhizobial isolates under different salinity conditions, such as 1.41, 4 and 6 dS m-1, on mung bean growth parameters, antioxidant status and yield. Results revealed that salt stress imparted adverse effects on the growth, antioxidants, yield and nodulation of mung bean. Under high salt stress conditions, fresh weights were reduced for roots (78.24%), shoots (64.52%), pods (58.26%) and height (32.33%) as compared to un-inoculated control plants. However, an increase in proline content (46.14%) was observed in high salt stressed plants. Three Rhizobium isolates (Mg1, Mg2, and Mg3), on the other hand, mitigated the negative effects of salt stress after inoculation. However, effects of Mg3 inoculation were prominent at 6 dS m-1 and it enhanced the plant height (45.10%), fresh weight of shoot (58.68%), root (63.64%), pods fresh weight (34.10%), pods number per plant (92.04%), and grain nitrogen concentration (21%) than un-inoculated control. Rhizobium strains Mg1, and Mg2 expressed splendid results at 1.41 and 4 dS m-1 salinity stress. The growth promotion effects might be due to improvement in mineral uptake and ionic balance that minimized the inhibitory effects caused by salinity stress. Thus, inoculating with these strains may boost mung bean growth and yield under salinity stress.

Morphological, pathogenic and genetic diversity in Diplodia seriata associated with black rot canker of apple in India.

Apple cankers are extremely destructive diseases threatening the global apple industry through direct and indirect losses. The population structure of the pathogens is of paramount significance for the development of efficient management strategies. Therefore, phenotypic, pathogenic, and genetic diversity of Diplodia seriata causing black rot canker of apple was investigated in this study. All the isolates were included for investigating the in vitro mycelial growth, conidial dimensions, and pathogenic variability on two-year-old potted apple seedlings. The ISSR approach was used to investigate the molecular diversity of D. seriata. Mycelial growth rates were found to vary significantly amongst the isolates; however, there were no major variations seen between the different geographical groupings of isolates. Pathogenicity tests revealed variations in the size of cankers among the isolates indicating the presence of virulence variability. The isolates were segregated into three virulence groups based on canker length. The Bayesian analyses of ISSR data divided the isolates into two genetic clusters. The genetic clustering of the isolates revealed no relationship with geographical origin of the isolates. Furthermore, no direct relationship of genetic clustering was observed with morphological or pathogenic variability. The ISSR primers revealed very high level of variability in D. seriata; however, no distinct populations of the pathogen existed which is an indication of high level of gene flow between the diverse geographical populations. According to our knowledge, this is the first thorough investigation on the diversity of D. seriata associated with apple black rot canker in India.

Postharvest starch and sugars adjustment in potato tubers of wide-ranging dormancy genotypes subjected to various sprout forcing techniques.

The development of an efficient, safe, and environment-friendly technique to terminate tuber dormancy in potatoes (Solanum tuberosum L.) is of great concern due to the immense scope of multiple cropping all over the globe. The breakage of tuber dormancy has been associated with numerous physiological changes, including a decline in the level of starch and an increase in the levels of sugars during storage of freshly harvested seed potatoes, although their consistency across genotypes and various dormancy-breaking techniques have not yet been fully elucidated. The purpose of the present research is to assess the efficacy of four different dormancy-breaking techniques, such as soaking in 90, 60, or 30 mg L-1 solutions of benzyl amino purine (BAP) and 30, 20, or 10 mg L-1 gibberellic acid (GA3) alone and in the combination of optimized concentrations; cold pre-treatment at 6, 4, or 2 °C; electric shock at 80, 60, 40, or 20 Vs; and irradiation at 3.5, 3, 2.5, 2, 1.5, or 1 kGy on the tuber dormancy period and sprout length of six genotypes. Furthermore, the changes that occurred in tuber weight and endogenous starch, sucrose, fructose, and glucose contents in experimental genotypes following the application of these techniques were also examined. Overall, the most effective technique to terminate tuber dormancy and hasten spout growth was the combined application of BAP and GA3, which reduced the length of dormancy by 9.6 days compared to the untreated control, following 6.7 days of electric current, 4.4 days of cold pre-treatment, and finally irradiation (3.3 days). The 60 mg L-1 solution of BAP greatly reduced the dormancy period in all genotypes but did not affect the sprout length at all. The genotypes showed a weak negative correlation (r = - 0.4) (P < 0.05) of endogenous starch contents with dormancy breakage and weight loss or a moderate (r = - 0.5) correlation with sprout length, but a strong positive correlation (r = 0.8) of tuber glucose, fructose, and sucrose contents with dormancy breakage and weight loss. During 3 weeks of storage, sprouting commencement and significant weight loss occurred as tuber dormancy advanced towards breakage due to a reduction in starch and an increase in the sucrose, fructose, and glucose contents of the tubers. These findings could be advantageous for postponing or accelerating seed potato storage as well as investigating related physiological research in the future.

Synergistic Effects of Rhizobacteria and Salicylic Acid on Maize Salt-Stress Tolerance.

Maize (Zea mays L.) is a salt-sensitive plant that experiences stunted growth and development during early seedling stages under salt stress. Salicylic acid (SA) is a major growth hormone that has been observed to induce resistance in plants against different abiotic stresses. Furthermore, plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) have shown considerable potential in conferring salinity tolerance to crops via facilitating growth promotion, yield improvement, and regulation of various physiological processes. In this regard, combined application of PGPR and SA can have wide applicability in supporting plant growth under salt stress. We investigated the impact of salinity on the growth and yield attributes of maize and explored the combined role of PGPR and SA in mitigating the effect of salt stress. Three different levels of salinity were developed (original, 4 and 8 dS m-1) in pots using NaCl. Maize seeds were inoculated with salt-tolerant Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain, whereas foliar application of SA was given at the three-leaf stage. We observed that salinity stress adversely affected maize growth, yield, and physiological attributes compared to the control. However, both individual and combined applications of PGPR and SA alleviated the negative effects of salinity and improved all the measured plant attributes. The response of PGPR + SA was significant in enhancing the shoot and root dry weights (41 and 56%), relative water contents (32%), chlorophyll a and b contents (25 and 27%), and grain yield (41%) of maize under higher salinity level (i.e., 8 dS m-1) as compared to untreated unstressed control. Moreover, significant alterations in ascorbate peroxidase (53%), catalase (47%), superoxide dismutase (21%), MDA contents (40%), Na+ (25%), and K+ (30%) concentration of leaves were pragmatic under combined application of PGPR and SA. We concluded that integration of PGPR and SA can efficiently induce salinity tolerance and improve plant growth under stressed conditions.

Anticancer potential of phytochemicals from Oroxylum indicum targeting Lactate Dehydrogenase A through bioinformatic approach.

In recent years, small molecule inhibition of LDHA (Lactate Dehydrogenase A) has evolved as an appealing option for anticancer therapy. LDHA catalyzes the interconversion of pyruvate and lactate in the glycolysis pathway to play a crucial role in aerobic glycolysis. Therefore, in the current investigation LDHA was targeted with bioactive phytochemicals of an ethnomedicinally important plant species Oroxylum indicum (L.) Kurz. A total of 52 phytochemicals were screened against LDHA protein through molecular docking, ADMET (Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism, Excretion and Toxicity) assay and molecular dynamics simulation to reveal three potential lead compounds such as Chrysin-7-O-glucuronide (-8.2 kcal/mol), Oroxindin (-8.1 kcal/mol) and Oroxin A (-8.0 kcal/mol). ADMET assay unveiled favorable pharmacokinetic, pharmacodynamic and toxicity properties for all the lead compounds. Molecular dynamics simulation exhibited significant conformational stability and compactness. MM/GBSA free binding energy calculations further corroborated the selection of top candidates where Oroxindin (-46.47 kcal/mol) was found to be better than Chrysin-7-O-glucuronide (-45.72 kcal/mol) and Oroxin A (-37.25 kcal/mol). Aldolase reductase and Xanthine dehydrogenase enzymes were found as potential drug targets and Esculin, the FDA approved drug was identified as structurally analogous to Oroxindin. These results could drive in establishing novel medications targeting LDHA to fight cancer.

Potassium bromate-induced oxidative stress, genotoxicity and cytotoxicity in the blood and liver cells of mice.

Potassium bromate (KBrO3) is an oxidising agent that is extensively used as a food additive, it is also a product of cosmetic and pharmaceutical relevance. The objective of this study was to evaluate the oxidative stress, genotoxicity, and apoptosis induced by KBrO3 in an experimental animal model. To study the toxic effects and oxidative stress, different doses of KBrO3 below LD50 (The half maximal lethal dose, 50, 100 and 150 mg/kg body weight) were given intraperitoneally to the mice for multiple time periods (24, 48, and 72 h). The results showed that KBrO3 significantly induces oxidative damage by increasing the levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and lipid peroxidase and depleted the levels of catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione (GSH) enzymes in the serum and liver. Moreover, a significant increase of chromosomal aberrations in bone marrow cells and an elevated incidence of micronuclei in the peripheral blood of mice were observed. KBrO3 induces 3 ´ -OH end double-strand DNA breaks, which was evident in liver sections of the treated mice, and increases the percentage of apoptotic cells, as observed in TUNEL assays and flow cytometry analysis. The present findings indicate that KBrO3 induces oxidative stress, genotoxicity, and cytotoxicity in a dose- and time-dependent manner in mice.

Differential gene expression analysis following olfactory learning in honeybee (Apis mellifera L.).

Insects change their stimulus-response through the perception of associating these stimuli with important survival events such as rewards, threats, and mates. Insects develop strong associations and relate them to their experiences through several behavioral procedures. Among the insects, Apis species, Apis mellifera ligustica are known for their outstanding ability to learn with tremendous economic importance. Apis mellifera ligustica has a strong cognitive ability and promising model species for investigating the neurobiological basis of remarkable olfactory learning abilities. Here we evaluated the olfactory learning ability of A. mellifera by using the proboscis extension reflex (PER) protocol. The brains of the learner and failed-learner bees were examined for comparative transcriptome analysis by RNA-Seq to explain the difference in the learning capacity. In this study, we used an appetitive olfactory learning paradigm in the same age of A. mellifera bees to examine the differential gene expression in the brain of the learner and failed-learner. Bees that respond in 2nd and 3rd trials or only responded to 3rd trials were defined as learned bees, failed-learner individuals were those bees that did not respond in all learning trials The results indicate that the learning ability of learner bees was significantly higher than failed-learner bees for 12 days. We obtained approximately 46.7 and 46.4 million clean reads from the learner bees failed-learner bees, respectively. Gene expression profile between learners' bees and failed-learners bees identified 74 differentially expressed genes, 57 genes up-regulated in the brains of learners and 17 genes were down-regulated in the brains of the bees that fail to learn. The qRT-PCR validated the differently expressed genes. Transcriptome analyses revealed that specific genes in learner and failed-learner bees either down-regulated or up-regulated play a crucial role in brain development and learning behavior. Our finding suggests that down-regulated genes of the brain involved in the integumentary system, storage proteins, brain development, sensory processing, and neurodegenerative disorder may result in reduced olfactory discrimination and olfactory sensitivity in failed-learner bees. This study aims to contribute to a better understanding of the olfactory learning behavior and gene expression information, which opens the door for understanding of the molecular mechanism of olfactory learning behavior in honeybees.

Electrocatalytic detection of noxious antioxidant diphenylamine in fruit samples with support of Cu@nanoporous carbon modified sensor.

Herein, the facile synthesis of copper(II) and benzene-1,3,5-tricarboxylate (Cu-BTC) and copper nanoporous carbon (Cu@NPC) for the electrochemical detection of diphenylamine (DPA) was systematically investigated. The Cu-BTC and Cu@NPC materials structural, morphological, and thermal stability were evaluated and confirmed using FE-SEM, HR-TEM, XRD, FT-IR, and TGA. The electrocatalytic behavior of sensor materials was examined by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV). It is presumed that the structural stability and synergic effect exhibited in Cu@NPC are favorable for enhanced sensitivity and selectivity towards the detection of DPA. The Cu@NPC exhibited a wide linear range (0.09-396.82 µM) and the lowest limit of detection (5 nM). Furthermore, the real sample analysis of the sensor for the detection of DPA in apples and pears confirms its potential capability in practical application.

Detection of trizole contaminated waste water using biocatalyst and effective biodegradation potential of flubendiamide.

Flubendiamide is a new class of chemical pesticide with broad spectrum activity against lepidopteran pests. Due to limited approach and high specificity towards various non targeted organisms, the unrestricted application of this pesticide as a prominent alternate for organochlorine and organophosphate pesticides, causing serious environmental pollution. In this study, wastewater was used for the determination of microbial strains and pesticide degrading fungi. Microbial population and flubendiamide resistant fungal strains were characterized using enriched medium. Aerobic bacteria (6.38 ± 0.23 log CFU/mL), nitrifying bacteria (2.73 ± 0.31 CFU/mL), Lactobaillus (0.72 ± 0.03 log CFU/mL), actinomycetes (5.36 ± 0.27 log CFU/mL) and fungi (4.79 ± 0.22 log CFU/mL) were detected. The prominent fungi genera were, Fusarium, Trichoderma, Cladophialophora, Paecilomyces, Talaromyces, Penicillium, Aspergillus, Candida, Phyllosticta, Mycosphaerella, Ochroconis, and Mucor. Minimum inhibitory concentration of the rapidly growing organism (FR04) revealed its ability to tolerate up to 1250 mg/L flubendiamide concentration. Morphological, biochemical and molecular analysis revealed that the strain was Aspergillus terreus FR04. The residual pesticide was detected using a High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). High performance liquid chromatography analysis revealed that 89 ± 1.9% pesticide removal efficiency was observed in strain FR04 at optimized culture conditions (96 h, pH 6.5, 30 °C and 300 mg/L pesticide concentration). The strain FR04 degraded pollutants from the wastewater and improved water quality. A. terreu sFR04 is an indigenous fungus and has the ability to degrade trizole pesticides from the wastewater significantly.

Mechanochemical synthesis of ternary heterojunctions TiO2(A)/TiO2(R)/ZnO and TiO2(A)/TiO2(R)/SnO2 for effective charge separation in semiconductor photocatalysis: A comparative study.

TiO2, ZnO, and SnO2 metal oxides were synthesized by the sol-gel method and heterojunctions were fabricated by combining TiO2 with either ZnO or SnO2 in a 1:1 ratio using mechanochemical ball milling process. The ball milling process promotes phase transition of TiO2 from anatase to rutile and yields ternary heterojunction of the type TiO2(A)/TiO2(R)/ZnO and TiO2(A)/TiO2(R)/SnO2 (A-anatase and R-rutile). These ternary heterojunctions were characterized by various analytical techniques and its photocatalytic efficiency is evaluated using 4-Chloro Phenol as a model compound under UV and solar light. The enhanced catalytic activity of TiO2(A)/TiO2(R)/ZnO heterojunction is attributed to the formation of Ti3+-Vo defect states which leads to the efficient charge carrier separation. During the ball milling process severe crystal deformation takes place in TiO2 and ZnO lattices by creating crystal lattice distortion which leads to the formation of defects due to valency mismatch between Ti4+ and Zn2+. A mechanistic pathway is proposed for the enhanced photocatalytic activity of the ternary heterojunctions.