Actas Pink-2B dye removal in biochar nanocomposites augmented vertical flow constructed wetland (VF-CWs).

Industries generate hazardous dye wastewater, posing significant threats to public health and the environment. Removing dyes before discharge is crucial. The ongoing study primarily focused on synthesizing, applying, and understanding the mechanism of green nano-biochar composites. These composites, including zinc oxide/biochar, copper oxide/biochar, magnesium oxide/biochar, and manganese oxide/biochar, are designed to effectively remove Actas Pink-2B (Direct Red-31) in conjunction with constructed wetlands. Constructed wetland maintained pH 6.0-7.9. At the 10th week, the copper oxide/biochar treatment demonstrated the highest removal efficiency of total suspended solids (72%), dissolved oxygen (7.2 mg/L), and total dissolved solids (79.90%), followed by other biochar composites. The maximum removal efficiency for chemical oxygen demand (COD) and color was observed at a retention time of 60 days. The electrical conductivity also followed the same order, with a decrease observed up to the 8th week before becoming constant. A comprehensive statistical analysis was conducted, encompassing various techniques including variance analysis, regression analysis, correlation analysis, and principal component analysis. The rate of color and COD removal followed a second-order and first-order kinetics, respectively. A significant negative relationship was observed between dissolved oxygen and COD. The study indicates that employing biochar composites in constructed wetlands improves textile dye removal efficiency.

The novelty of this study is the selection of Cymbopogon as a proper plant for phytoremediation of dye along with green metal oxide coated biochar. These were selected due to their good ability to remove organic pollutant. This study demonstrates the uptake and degradation processes of persistent dye in constructed wetland.

Glucose input profit soil organic carbon mineralization and nitrogen dynamics in relation to nitrogen amended soils.

Exogenous carbon (C) inputs stimulate soil organic carbon (SOC) decomposition, strongly influencing atmospheric concentrations and climate dynamics. The direction and magnitude of C decomposition depend on the C and nitrogen (N) addition, types and pattern. Despite the importance of decomposition, it remains unclear whether organic C input affects the SOC decomposition under different N-types (Ammonium Nitrate; AN, Urea; U and Ammonium Sulfate; AS). Therefore, we conducted an incubation experiment to assess glucose impact on N-treated soils at various levels (High N; HN: 50 mg/m2, Low N; LN: 05 mg/m2). The glucose input increased SOC mineralization by 38% and 35% under HN and LN, respectively. Moreover, it suppressed the concentration of NO3--N by 35% and NH4+-N by 15% in response to HN and LN soils, respectively. Results indicated higher respiration in Urea-treated soils and elevated net total nitrogen content (TN) in AS-treated soils. AN-amended soil exhibited no notable rise in C mineralization and TN content compared to other N-type soils. Microbial biomass carbon (MBC) was higher in glucose treated soils under LN conditions than control. This could result that high N suppressed microbial N mining and enhancing SOM stability by directing microbes towards accessible C sources. Our results suggest that glucose accelerated SOC mineralization in urea-added soils and TN contents in AS-amended soils, while HN levels suppressed C release and increased TN contents in all soil types except glucose-treated soils. Thus, different N-types and levels play a key role in modulating the stability of SOC over C input.

Carbon trade-off and energy budgeting under conventional and conservation tillage in a rice-wheat double cropping system.

Amid rising energy crises and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, designing energy efficient, GHG mitigation and profitable conservation farming strategies are pertinent for global food security. Therefore, we tested a hypothesis that no-till with residue retaining could improve energy productivity (EP) and energy use efficiency (EUE) while mitigating the carbon footprint (CF), water footprint (WF) and GHG emissions in rice-wheat double cropping system. We studied two tillage viz., conventional and conservation, with/without residue retaining, resulting as CT0 (puddled-transplanted rice, conventional wheat -residue), CTR (puddled-transplanted rice, conventional wheat + residue), NT0 (direct seeded rice, zero-till wheat -residue), and NTR (direct seeded rice, zero-till wheat + residue). The overall results showed that the NTR/NT0 had 34% less energy consumption and 1.2-time higher EP as compared to CTR/CT0. In addition, NTR increased 19.8% EUE than that of CT0. The grain yield ranged from 8.7 to 9.3 and 7.8-8.5 Mg ha-1 under CT and NT system, respectively. In NTR, CF and WF were 56.6% and 17.9% lower than that of CT0, respectively. The net GHG emissions were the highest (7261.4 kg CO2 ha-1 yr-1) under CT0 and lowest (4580.9 kg CO2 ha-1 yr-1) under NTR. Notably, the carbon sequestration under NTR could mitigate half of the system's CO2-eq emissions. The study results suggest that NTR could be a viable option to offset carbon emissions and water footprint by promoting soil organic carbon sequestration, and enhancing energy productivity and energy use efficiency in the South Asian Indo-Gangetic Plains.

Three cases of colon cancer in four generations of the Saudi family, caused by endogamous germline mutations.

Various research pieces of evidence have been published in recent years, establishing the increasing prevalence of early colon cancer among young people. In this background, the current study aimed to analyze the reasons behind colon cancer recurrence among endogamous consanguineous cases in four generations of a single Saud family. For this study, the authors conducted the whole-exome sequencing analysis to screen for germline mutations in DNA samples from consanguineous cases within the family. After collecting the colon samples, it was analyzed histologically and immunohistochemically with the help of Breast Cancer antibodies (BRCA2 and 1 correspondingly) and H&M staining (hematoxylin and eosin). For this study, 26 at-risk consanguineous cases were considered. Three cases were diagnosed with malignant colon cancer, two with breast cancer, and 17 with germline mutations, yet remain unaffected by cancerous tumors. The rest, four consanguineous cases, are healthy and non-carriers of the mutations. However, as per the exome analysis outcomes, 15 cases inherited germline mutations in nine genes. Nine substitution mutations were present in six of the nine inherited genes in these inherited germline mutations. Furthermore, it also presented six insertion and deletion frameshift mutations in five of nine inherited genes. The immunohistochemical staining process achieved positive staining outcomes for BRCA1 and 2. Therefore, germline mutations inherited from the nine genes of endogamous consanguineous cases of mutation carriers remain the primary reason behind colon cancer recurrence in the same family.

The importance of monitoring endocrine-disrupting chemicals and essential elements in biological samples of fertilizer industry workers.

Exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) can lead to adverse health effects, including immune and endocrine system disruption, respiratory problems, metabolic issues, diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular problems, growth impairment, neurological and learning disabilities, and cancer. Fertilizers, which contain varying levels of heavy metals, are known to pose a significant risk to human health, especially for those residing or working near fertilizer industries. This study aimed to investigate the levels of toxic elements in biological samples of individuals working in a fertilizer industry's quality control and production units and those residing within 100-500 m of the industry. Biological samples, including scalp hair and whole blood, were collected from fertilizer workers, individuals living in the same residential area, and control age-matched persons from nonindustrial areas. The samples were oxidized by an acid mixture before analysis using atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The accuracy and validity of the methodology were verified through certified reference materials from scalp hair and whole blood. The results showed that the concentrations of toxic elements, such as cadmium and lead, were higher in biological samples of quality control and production employees. In contrast, lower essential element levels (iron and zinc) were detected in their samples. These levels were higher than those found in samples collected from residents living within 10-500 m of the fertilizer manufacturing facilities and unexposed areas. This study highlights the significance of adopting better practices to reduce exposure to harmful substances and protect the health of fertilizer industry workers and the environment. It also suggests that policymakers and industry leaders should take measures to minimize exposure to EDCs and heavy metals to promote worker safety and public health. These measures could include implementing strict regulations and better occupational health practices to reduce toxic exposure and promote a safer work environment.

Correlation of endocrine disrupting chemicals with essential elements in biological samples of children (1-5 years) with different infectious diseases and impact on sustainable outdoor activities.

Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) have been extensively explored due to their harmful effects on individual health and the environment by interfering with hormone activity and disrupting the endocrine system. However, their relationship with essential trace elements remains uncertain. This research aimed to investigate the possible correlation between essential trace elements and toxic metals, including cadmium (Cd), and lead (Pb) in children aged 1-5 years with various infectious diseases, including gastrointestinal disorders, typhoid fever, and pneumonia. The study was conducted on biological testing and specimen (scalp hair and whole blood) of diseased and non-diseased children of the same residential area and referent/control age-matched children from developed cities consuming domestically treated water. The media of biological samples were oxidized by an acid mixture before being analyzed by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The accuracy and validity of the methodology were verified through accredited reference material from scalp hair and whole blood sample. The study results revealed that diseased children had lower mean values of essential trace elements (iron, copper, and zinc) in both scalp hair and blood, except for copper, which was found to be higher in blood samples of diseased children. This implies that the deficiency of essential residue and trace elements in children from rural areas who consume groundwater is linked to various infectious diseases. The study highlights the need for more human biomonitoring of EDCs to better comprehend their non-classical toxic properties and their concealed costs on human health. The findings suggest that exposure to EDCs could be associated with unfavorable health outcomes and emphasizes the need for future regulatory policies to minimize exposure and safeguard the health of current and forthcoming generations of children. Furthermore, the study highlights the implication of essential trace elements in maintaining good health and their potential correlation with toxic metals in the environment.

Enhancing coastal ecosystem resilience: Investigating the interplay between safety criteria and ferry employee's perceptions to address climate change impacts.

Coastal ecosystems play an important part in mitigating the effects of climate change. Coastal ecosystems are becoming more susceptible to climate change impacts due to human activities and maritime accidents. The global shipping industry, especially in Southeast Asia, has witnessed numerous accidents, particularly involving passenger ferries, resulting in injuries and fatalities in recent years. In order to mitigate the impact of climate change on coastal ecosystems, this study aimed to evaluate the relationship between employees' perceptions of safety criteria and their own safety behaviour on Langkawi Island, Malaysia. A straightforward random sampling technique was employed to collect data from 112 ferry employees aboard Malaysian-registered passenger boats by administering questionnaires. The findings shed light on the strong connection between providing safety instructions for passengers and safety behaviour among ferry workers. Safety instructions should contain climate-related information to successfully address the effects of climate change. The instructions might include guidance on responding to extreme weather events and understanding the potential consequences of sea-level rise on coastal communities. The ferry company staff should also expand their safe behaviour concept to include training and preparation for climate-related incidents. The need to recognise the interconnectedness between climate change, ferry safety and the protection of coastal ecosystems is emphasised in this study. The findings can be utilised by policymakers, regulatory agencies and ferry operators to design holistic policies that improve safety behaviour, minimise maritime mishaps and preserve the long-term sustainability of coastal ecosystems in the face of difficulties posed by climate change.

Assessing coastal bathymetry and climate change impacts on coastal ecosystems using Landsat 8 and Sentinel-2 satellite imagery.

Coastal ecosystems are facing heightened risks due to human-induced climate change, including rising water levels and intensified storm events. Accurate bathymetry data is crucial for assessing the impacts of these threats. Traditional data collection methods can be cost-prohibitive. This study investigates the feasibility of using freely accessible Landsat and Sentinel satellite imagery to estimate bathymetry and its correlation with hydrographic chart soundings in Port Klang, Malaysia. Through analysis of the blue and green spectral bands from the Landsat 8 and Sentinel 2 datasets, a bathymetry map of Port Klang's seabed is generated. The precision of this derived bathymetry is evaluated using statistical metrics like Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) and the coefficient of determination. The results reveal a strong statistical connection (R2 = 0.9411) and correlation (R2 = 0.7958) between bathymetry data derived from hydrographic chart soundings and satellite imagery. This research not only advances our understanding of employing Landsat imagery for bathymetry assessment but also underscores the significance of such assessments in the context of climate change's impact on coastal ecosystems. The primary goal of this research is to contribute to the comprehension of Landsat imagery's utility in bathymetry evaluation, with the potential to enhance safety protocols in seaport terminals and provide valuable insights for decision-making concerning the management of coastal ecosystems amidst climate-related challenges. The findings of this research have practical implications for a wide range of stakeholders involved in coastal management, environmental protection, climate adaptation and disaster preparedness.

Environmental sustainable: Biogenic copper oxide nanoparticles as nano-pesticides for investigating bioactivities against phytopathogens.

Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are of interest in human physiopathology and have been extensively studied for their effects on the endocrine system. Research also focuses on the environmental impact of EDCs, including pesticides and engineered nanoparticles, and their toxicity to organisms. Green nanofabrication has surfaced as an environmentally conscious and sustainable approach to manufacture antimicrobial agents that can effectively manage phytopathogens. In this study, we examined the current understanding of the pathogenic activities of Azadirachta indica aqueous formulated green synthesized copper oxide nanoparticles (CuONPs) against phytopathogens. The CuONPs were analyzed and studied using a range of analytical and microscopic techniques, such as UV-visible spectrophotometer, Transmission electron microscope (TEM), Scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The XRD spectral results revealed that the particles had a high crystal size, with an average size ranging from 40 to 100 nm. TEM and SEM images were utilized to verify the size and shape of the CuONPs, revealing that they varied between 20 and 80 nm. The existence of potential functional molecules involved in the reduction of the nanoparticles was confirmed by FTIR spectra and UV analysis. Biogenically synthesized CuONPs revealed significantly enhanced antimicrobial activities at 100 mg/L concentration in vitro by the biological method. The synthesized CuONPs at 500 µg/ml had a strong antioxidant activity which was examined through the free radicle scavenging method. Overall results of the green synthesized CuONPs have demonstrated significant synergetic effects in biological activities which can play a crucial impact in plant pathology against numerous phytopathogens.

Utilization of ZnFe2O4-Polyaniline (PANI), ZnFe2O4-Polystyrene (PST), and ZnFe2O4-Polypyrrole (PPy) nanocomposites for removal of Red X-GRL and Direct Sky Blue dyes from wastewater: Equilibrium, kinetic and thermodynamic studies.

In this study, ZnFe2O4-Polyaniline (PANI), ZnFe2O4-Polystyrene (PST), and ZnFe2O4-Polypyrrole (Ppy) nanocomposites were synthesized by the adsorption method and characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectrometer. Batch adsorption experiments were conducted for removing two types of hazardous dyes Red X-GRL and Direct Sky Blue 51 from an aqueous solution and the effect of pH, adsorbent dosage, contact time, and initial concentration of dyes were investigated. Meanwhile, kinetic, isotherm, and thermodynamic parameters were also determined. The electrolyte and surfactant effect was also tested for the prepared nanocomposites. To test the reusability desorption study was also conducted.

Adsorption of As(III) and As(V) by Fe/C composite nanoparticles synthesized via a one-pot hydrothermal approach without the addition of carbon sources.

Arsenic remediation from contaminated water has become a serious issue worldwide. Carbon-encapsulated Fe nanoparticle composites (Fe/C CNPs) were created utilizing a one-pot hydrothermal process with ferrocene and no carbon sources. The Fe/C CNPs produced were characterized using a variety of techniques. As(III) and As(IV) (V) were modeled using a pseudo-second-order kinetic model. The Langmuir model described As(III) adsorption on Fe/C CNPs with an extreme adsorption ability of 5.85 mg g-1, indicating monolayer adsorption. On the other hand, (V) adsorption was well matched with the Freundlich model, with a high adsorption volume of 5.05 mg g-1, demonstrating multilayer adsorption onto the surface of Fe/C CNPs. These findings imply that the Fe/C CNPs generated can be utilized to remediate As-contaminated water.

Process optimization of struvite recovered from slaughterhouse wastewater and its fertilizing efficacy in amendment of biofertilizer.

The intensive discharge of slaughterhouse waste into water bodies increases Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P) in the wastewater and leads to various environmental problems. On the other hand, the increasing treatment effort after the extraction of these valuable nutrients in the commercial fertilizer reduces the dependence on scarce phosphate resources. The viable solution is to recover N, P as struvite (magnesium ammonium phosphate) from nutrient rich waste water as a small scale treatment unit application. The main parameters that have a significant impact on the process, including pH, Mg: P ratio, and precipitation time, were investigated from slaughterhouse wastewater using a central composite design and the experimental data's were statistically analysed. The results indicated that pH and Mg/P ratio level had a significant impact and thus 85% struvite precipitation efficiency was achieved at 9.6 pH and 1.5 dose mol ratio (mol Mg per mol P), in an inexpensive, stirred tank batch reactor with a retention time of 70 min. The fertilization efficiency was tested on the growth of Solanum melongena L with the obtained struvite and the integration of struvite with the Azospirullum rhizobium and Bacillus megaterium. Treatment of struvite, struvite with Azospirillum rhizobium and Bacillus megaterium increased growth parameters by 10%, 20%, and 25%, respectively, over control. The assessment of growth factors showed the most amazing number of fruits, shoots, and root length in a standard ratio of 60:40 of struvite to bio-inoculants compared to sole struvite fertilizer. Findings of this study would be beneficial to determine the feasibility of slaughterhouse waste as a phosphorus source for struvite recovery.

Enhanced photocatalytic activity of novel Canthium coromandelicum leaves based copper oxide nanoparticles for the degradation of textile dyes.

The present study focused to synthesize the copper oxide nanoparticles (CuONPs) using novel Canthium coromandelicum leaves in a cost-effective, easy, and sustainable approach. The obtained Canthium coromandelicum-copper oxide nanoparticles (CC-CuONPs) were characterized using UV-Visible spectroscopy, FT-IR analysis, FESEM, HR-TEM imaging, and XRD study. The XRD pattern verified the development of crystalline CC-CuONPs with an average size of 33 nm. The biosynthesized CC-CuONPs were roughly spherical, according to HR-TEM and FESEM analyses. FT-IR research verified the existence of functional groups involved in CC-CuONPs production. Cu and O2 have high-energy signals of 78.32% and 12.78%, respectively, according to data from EDX. The photocatalytic evaluation showed that synthesized CC-CuONPs have the efficiency of degrading methylene blue (MB) and methyl orange (MO) by 91.32%, 89.35% respectively. The findings showed that biosynthesized CC-CuONPs might effectively remove contaminants in an environmentally acceptable manner.

Recent scenario and nexus of globalization to CO2 emissions: Evidence from wavelet and Quantile on Quantile Regression approach.

The ubiquitous increase in globalization and high carbon emissions, aiming to achieve non-zero emissions in the future, is a feasible challenge for a sustainable environment. Our study aims to investigate the impact of economic globalization on carbon emissions of the developed country covering the period of 1970-2019. The Wavelet Coherence (WC) and Quantile on Quantile Regression (QQR) approach have been used to analyse co-movements and feedback linkages of CO2 emissions with globalization, economic growth, and consumption of coal at different quantiles. The results obtained from WC show that there exist significant positive co-movements in the in-phase and leading globalization, economic growth, coal consumption with CO2 emissions. Further, the results of QQR indicate the existence of a positive and significant linkage between coal consumption and CO2 emissions for the majority of quantiles, the positive. Still, there is an insignificant association between CO2 with globalization and economic growth at most quantiles. Lastly, the quantile regression (QR) comparison with QQR suggests that our model is a good fit as the intercept estimates are similar and the slope coefficients follow a similar trend. To conclude, CO2 emissions have positive associations and co-movements with globalization, economic growth, and coal consumption, but their statistical significance varies and directly affects the Country.

Lotus-biowaste derived sulfur/nitrogen-codoped porous carbon as an eco-friendly electrocatalyst for clean energy harvesting.

Recent research is focused on biomass-derived porous carbon materials for energy harvesting (hydrogen evolution reaction) because of their cost-effective synthesis, enriched with heteroatoms, lightweight, and stable properties. Here, the synthesis of porous carbon (PC) materials from lotus seedpod (LP) and lotus stem (LS) is reported by the pyrolysis method. The porous and graphitic structure of the prepared LP-PC and LS-PC materials were confirmed by field emission scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy with selected area electron diffraction, X-ray diffraction, and nitrogen adsorption-desorption measurements. Heteroatoms in LP-PC and LS-PC materials were investigated by attenuated total reflection-Fourier transform infrared and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The specific surface area of LP-PC and LS-PC were calculated as 457 and 313 m2 g-1, respectively. Nitrogen and sulfur enriched LP-PC and LS-PC materials were found to be effective electrocatalysts for hydrogen evolution reactions. LP-PC catalyst showed a very low overpotential of 111 mV with the Tafel slope of 69 mV dec-1, and LS-PC catalyst achieved a Tafel slope of 85 mV dec-1 with a low overpotential of 135 mV. This work is expected to be extended for the development of biomass as a sustainable porous carbon electrocatalyst with a tunable structure, elements, and electronic properties. Furthermore, preparing carbon materials from the biowaste and applying clean energy harvesting might reduce environmental pollution.

Abandoned agriculture soil can be recultivated by promoting biological phosphorus fertility when amended with nano-rock phosphate and suitable bacterial inoculant.

In semi-arid regions, post-restoration vegetation recovery on abandoned agricultural lands often fails due to inherently low organic matter content and poor soil fertility conditions, including phosphorus (P). As such, amending these soils with controlled release P fertilizer, especially with suitable P solubilizing bacteria (PSB) may promote plant growth and productivity by stimulating biological P fertility. To this aim, a pot study was performed to evaluate the agronomic potential of maize and soil biological P pools, using encapsulated (ENRP) and non-encapsulated (NRP) nano-rock phosphate as the P fertilizer source, on reclaimed agricultural soil in the presence and absence of PSB inoculant. The experiment was setup following a 3 × 2 factorial arrangement with four replicates. Without PSB, NRP treatment showed marginal positive effects on plant growth, P nutrition and P use efficiency (PUE) compared to control treatment. Although larger gains with NRP treatment were more noticeable under PSB inoculation, ENRP was the most convenient slow-release P fertilizer, increasing plant growth, P nutrition and grain yield compared to all treatments. Importantly, PSB inoculation with ENRP resulted in significantly higher increase in soil CaCl2-P (8.91 mg P kg soil-1), citrate-P (26.98 mg P kg soil-1), enzyme-P (18.98 mg P kg soil-1), resin-P (11.41 mg P kg soil-1), and microbial-P (18.94 mg P kg soil-1), when compared to all treatment combinations. Although a decrease in soil HCl-P content was observed with both types of P fertilizer, significant differences were found only with PSB inoculation. A significant increase in soil biological P pools could be due to the higher specific area and crystalline structure of nano materials, providing increased number of active sites for PSB activity in the presence of biobased encapsulated shell. Furthermore, the increase in PSB abundance, higher root carboxylate secretions, and decreased rhizosphere pH in response to nano-structured P fertilizer, implies greater extension of rhizosphere promoting greater P mobilization and/or solubilization, particularly under PSB inoculated conditions. We conclude that cropping potential of abandoned agricultural lands can be enhanced by the use of nano-rock phosphate in combination with PSB inoculant, establishing a favorable micro-environment for higher plant growth and biochemical P fertility.

Physiological responses of date palm (Phoenix dactylifera) seedlings to seawater and flooding.

In their natural environment along coast lines, date palms are exposed to seawater inundation and, hence, combined stress by salinity and flooding. To elucidate the consequences of this combined stress on foliar gas exchange and metabolite abundances in leaves and roots, date palm seedlings were exposed to flooding with seawater and its major constituents under controlled conditions. Seawater flooding significantly reduced CO2 assimilation, transpiration and stomatal conductance, but did not affect isoprene emission. A similar effect was observed upon NaCl exposure. By contrast, flooding with distilled water or MgSO4 did not affect CO2 /H2 O gas exchange or stomatal conductance significantly, indicating that neither flooding itself, nor seawater sulfate, contributed greatly to stomatal closure. Seawater exposure increased Na and Cl contents in leaves and roots, but did not affect sulfate contents significantly. Metabolite analyses revealed reduced abundances of foliar compatible solutes, such as sugars and sugar alcohols, whereas nitrogen compounds accumulated in roots. Reduced transpiration upon seawater exposure may contribute to controlling the movement of toxic ions to leaves and, therefore, can be seen as a mechanism to cope with salinity. The present results indicate that date palm seedlings are tolerant towards seawater exposure to some extent, and highly tolerant to flooding.

Antifungal, Antibacterial, and Cytotoxic Activities of Silver Nanoparticles Synthesized from Aqueous Extracts of Mace-Arils of Myristica fragrans.

In the present study, mace-mediated silver nanoparticles (mace-AgNPs) were synthesized, characterized, and evaluated against an array of pathogenic microorganisms. Mace, the arils of Myristica fragrans, are a rich source of several bioactive compounds, including polyphenols and aromatic compounds. During nano synthesis, the bioactive compounds in mace aqueous extracts serve as excellent bio reductants, stabilizers, and capping agents. The UV-VIS spectroscopy of the synthesized NPs showed an intense and broad SPR absorption peak at 456 nm. Dynamic light scattering (DLS) analysis showed the size with a Z average of 50 nm, while transmission electron microscopy (TEM) studies depicted the round shape and small size of the NPs, which ranged between 5-28 nm. The peaks related to important functional groups, such as phenols, alcohols, carbonyl groups, amides, alkanes and alkenes, were obtained on a Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) spectrum. The peak at 3 keV on the energy dispersive X-ray spectrum (EDX) validated the presence of silver (Ag). Mace-silver nanoparticles exhibited potent antifungal and antibacterial activity against several pathogenic microorganisms. Additionally, the synthesized mace-AgNPs displayed an excellent cytotoxic effect against the human cervical cancer cell line. The mace-AgNPs demonstrated robust antibacterial, antifungal, and cytotoxic activity, indicating that the mace-AgNPs might be used in the agrochemical industry, pharmaceutical industry, and biomedical applications. However, future studies to understand its mode of action are needed.

Oral cancer among Khat users: finding evidence from DNA analysis of nine cancer-related gene mutations.

BACKGROUND: Khat leaves contain the alkaloid cathinone. Research shows that khat might provoke toxicity, mutagenicity, as well as carcinogenicity. METHODS: Two groups were identified as khat abusers and were categorized by abuse time and diagnosis of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Here, 41 participants from Group 2 were short-term khat users, and 42 participants were long-term khat users. The control group included 30 healthy individuals. The coding exons included nine cancer-related genes and were analysed. The histopathological research was conducted with H&E staining along with the TP53 protein expression by implementing immunohistochemical analyses. RESULTS: Here, 41 short-term khat users carried seven somatic mutations in four out of nine cancer-related genes: 29/41(70.73%) ARID1A, 24/41(58.53%) MLH1, 34/41(82.92%) PIK3CA and 36/41(87.80%) TP53. The 42 long-term khat users incorporated nine somatic mutations in five out of nin ecancer-related genes: 40/42(95.23%) ARID1A, 36/42(85.71%) ARID2, 29/42(69.04%) PIK3CA, 27/42(64.28%) MLH1, and 35/42(83.33%) TP53. Every khat user had somatic mutations related to OSCC affecting the gingiva and the lower lip. TP53 protein expression was confirmed in all immunohistochemical oral tests. Carcinoma was also positive in the histopathological analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Khat is a mutagenic and carcinogenic plant that provoked OSCC among short-term khat users (<15 years of use) and long-term users (>15 years of use).

Modulation of reproductive dysfunctions associated with streptozocin-induced diabetes by Artemisia judaica extract in rats fed a high-fat diet.

We investigated the palliative effect of Artemisia judaica extract (AjE) on testicular deterioration induced by DM in high-fat diet/streptozocin (HFD/STZ)-injected rats. Forty rats were allocated to the following five groups: control, AjE, HFD/STZ, HFD/STZ-AjE, and HFD/STZ-metformin. HFD/STZ-diabetic rats showed a marked decrease in testicular weight and male sex hormones. There was significant suppression of testicular antioxidant enzymes and glutathione content in HFD/STZ-diabetic rats. However, rats that had received the STZ injection and the high-fat diet displayed increased malondialdehyde content and nitric oxide levels as well as tumour necrosis factor-alpha. High levels of Bax and low levels of Bcl-2 were detected after the STZ injection. Obvious pathological alterations were found in the testicular tissue of the HFD/STZ-diabetic rats. Thus, the administration of AjE attenuated the biochemical, molecular, and histopathological changes in the testes of the diabetic rats. The obtained findings showed that AjE treatment attenuated the diabetes-induced reprotoxicity in male rats via its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antiapoptotic properties.