The cadmium tolerance and bioaccumulation mechanism of Tetratostichococcus sp. P1: insight from transcriptomics analysis.

Cadmium (Cd) has become a severe issue in relatively low concentration and attracts expert attention due to its toxicity, accumulation, and biomagnification in living organisms. Cd does not have a biological role and causes serious health issues. Therefore, Cd pollutants should be reduced and removed from the environment. Microalgae have great potential for Cd absorption for waste treatment since they are more environmentally friendly than existing treatment methods and have strong metal sorption selectivity. This study evaluated the tolerance and ability of the microalga Tetratostichococcus sp. P1 to remove Cd ions under acidic conditions and reveal mechanisms based on transcriptomics analysis. The results showed that Tetratostichococcus sp. P1 had a high Cd tolerance that survived under the presence of Cd up to 100 µM, and IC50, the half-maximal inhibitory concentration value, was 57.0 µM, calculated from the change in growth rate based on the chlorophyll content. Long-term Cd exposure affected the algal morphology and photosynthetic pigments of the alga. Tetratostichococcus sp. P1 removed Cd with a maximum uptake of 1.55 mg g-1 dry weight. Transcriptomic analysis revealed the upregulation of the expression of genes related to metal binding, such as metallothionein. Group A, Group B transporters and glutathione, were also found upregulated. While the downregulation of the genes were related to photosynthesis, mitochondria electron transport, ABC-2 transporter, polysaccharide metabolic process, and cell division. This research is the first study on heavy metal bioremediation using Tetratostichococcus sp. P1 and provides a new potential microalga strain for heavy metal removal in wastewater.[Figure: see text]Abbreviations:BP: Biological process; bZIP: Basic Leucine Zipper; CC: Cellular component; ccc1: Ca (II)-sensitive cross complementary 1; Cd: Cadmium; CDF: Cation diffusion facilitator; Chl: Chlorophyll; CTR: Cu TRansporter families; DAGs: Directed acyclic graphs; DEGs: Differentially expressed genes; DVR: Divinyl chlorophyllide, an 8-vinyl-reductase; FPN: FerroportinN; FTIR: Fourier transform infrared; FTR: Fe TRansporter; GO: Gene Ontology; IC50: Growth half maximal inhibitory concentration; ICP: Inductively coupled plasma; MF: molecular function; NRAMPs: Natural resistance-associated aacrophage proteins; OD: Optical density; RPKM: Reads Per Kilobase of Exon Per Million Reads Mapped; VIT1: Vacuolar iron transporter 1 families; ZIPs: Zrt-, Irt-like proteins.

Therapeutic Role of Hemp (Cannabis sativa) Against Copper-Induced Toxicity in Labeo rohita and Cirrhinus mrigala.

For decades hemp has been used as a therapeutic agent for enhancing immunity in animals. Current study was conceptualized to find out the protective role of dietary hemp seed products (hemp seed oil (HO) and hemp seed (HS)) against copper-induced toxicity in fish. Fingerlings of Labeo rohita (Rohu) and Cirrhinus mrigala (Mrigal) were exposed to copper at 20% of the 96 h LC50 (1.34 and 1.52 ppm, respectively) for 30 days. Following Cu exposure, fish were maintained on two types of hemp (Cannabis sativa)-supplemented feeds, on graded levels of hemp seed oil (HO: 1%, 2%, 3%) and hemp seed (HS: 5%, 10%, 15%) for 50 days, while one group was the control (without any copper exposure as well as any supplementation). Copper exposure significantly increased (P < 0.05) WBCs, hematocrit, MCHV, eosinophils, and lymphocytes in L. rohita and also in C. mrigala as compared to control. Copper exposure also significantly (P < 0.05) changed lysozymes, plasma protein, and IgM in both species, in comparison to control. Moreover, alkaline phosphatase, bilirubin, serum glutamic-pyruvic transaminase, and aspartate transaminase were significantly (P < 0.05) changed by copper exposure in comparison to control in both species. Additionally, Antioxidant enzymes like catalase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione reductase, and glutathione peroxidase were also significantly (P < 0.05) increased in the brain, gills, liver, and muscle of copper-exposed group in both species as compared to control. Interestingly, all the altered parameter of blood, serum, liver function tests, and antioxidant enzymes (in different organs) because of copper toxicity were successfully reverted to normal level in hemp seed oil (HO) and hemp seed (HS)-supplemented fed groups of both species. In conclusion, hemp seed supplementation showed significant (P < 0.05) improved results against copper toxicity. Thus, it could be recommended as an animal feed ingredient for its therapeutic role.

Layer by layer application of chitosan and carboxymethyl cellulose coatings delays ripening of mango fruit by suppressing cell wall polysaccharides disassembly.

Mango is a climacteric fruit that ripens quickly after harvest due to its climacteric nature. Edible coatings have been reported to delay the ripening of various harvested fruit. The efficacy of the applied edible coatings could be improved by using in combination as a layer-by-layer (LBL) approach. So, the influence of LBL application of chitosan (CH) and carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) was studied on mangoes during postharvest storage at 15 °C for 20 days. Mangoes were coated with monolayers of CH (1 % w/v) and CMC (1 % w/v) as well as LBL application of CH and CMC and were compared with control. The treatment of mangoes with CH and CMC-based LBL treatment resulted in lower decay percentage and weight loss along with higher total chlorophyll pigments and suppressed total carotenoid accumulation. The LBL application of CH and CMC showed lower activity of chlorophyll degrading such as chlorophyllase (CPS), pheophytinase (Phe), Mg-dechalatase (MGD) and chlorophyll degrading peroxidase (Chl-POD) enzymes as well as reduced changes in b*, a* and L* along with a suppressed increase in ethylene (EP) and CO2 production (CPR) rates having higher antioxidant such as catalase (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), peroxidase (POD) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) enzymes activity. In addition, mangoes coated with LBL treatment of CH and CMC exhibited lower water-soluble pectin (WSP) and higher protopectin (PP) having higher concentrations of chelate soluble (CSP) and sodium carbonate-soluble pectin (SCP). Similarly, LBL-coated mangoes showed significantly higher hemicellulose (HCLS) and cellulose (CLS) contents in contrast with control. It was observed that mangoes coated with CH and CMC-based LBL coating exhibited higher flesh firmness and showed suppressed cellulase (CS), pectin methylesterase (PME), polygalacturonase (PG) and ß-galactosidase (ß-Gal) enzymes activity. The concentrations of total soluble solids and ripening index were markedly lower and titratable acidity was higher in the LBL-based coating treatment in comparison with control. In conclusion, LBL treatment based on CH and CMC coatings could be used for the delay of ripening and softening of harvested mangoes.

Microbes-assisted phytoremediation of lead and petroleum hydrocarbons contaminated water by water hyacinth.

An experiment was carried out to explore the impact of petroleum hydrocarbons (PHs)-degrading microbial consortium (MC) on phytoremediation ability and growth of water hyacinth (WH) plants in water contaminated with lead (Pb) and PHs. Buckets (12-L capacity) were filled with water and WH plants, PHs (2,400 mg L-1) and Pb (10 mg L-1) in respective buckets. Plants were harvested after 30 days of transplanting and results showed that PHs and Pb substantially reduced the agronomic (up to 62%) and physiological (up to 49%) attributes of WH plants. However, the application of MC resulted in a substantial increase in growth (38%) and physiology (22%) of WH plants over uninoculated contaminated control. The WH + MC were able to accumulate 93% Pb and degrade/accumulate 72% of PHs as compared to initial concentration. Furthermore, combined use of WH plants and MC in co-contamination of PHs and Pb, reduced Pb and PHs contents in water by 74% and 68%, respectively, than that of initially applied concentration. Our findings suggest that the WH in combination with PHs-degrading MC could be a suitable nature-based water remediation technology for organic and inorganic contaminants and in future it can be used for decontamination of mix pollutants from water bodies.

Phytoremediation by aquatic macrophytes is a promising technique for the cleanup of environmental toxins from wastewater. To our knowledge, this is the first study reporting the integrated use of water hyacinth (WH) plants and a newly developed multi-trait microbial consortium for the simultaneous remediation of organic (i.e., petroleum hydrocarbons) and inorganic (i.e., lead) pollutants from the contaminated water. Findings of this study provide the basic but important information on the combined use of WH and microbes for remediation of mix pollution from water bodies.

Plant based synthesis of silver nanoparticles, antimicrobial efficiency, and toxicological assessment using freshwater fish (Cyprinus carpio).

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are widely used and have various applications, including medicine, electronics, and textiles. However, their increasing use raises concern about their potential environmental impact, particularly on aquatic organisms, such as fish, which are the primary consumers of aquatic environments and can be exposed to AgNPs through various routes. For this purpose, the leaves of the plant species Bellis perennis were used as a reductive agent to convert silver nitrate into AgNPs, to assess its toxicity against fish. Well-dispersed and undersized AgNPs were obtained and confirmed using analytical techniques, including Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). Moreover, the AgNPs have shown significant antibacterial activity against Aeromonas hydrophila (25.71 ± 0.63) and Vibrio harveyi (22.39 ± 0.29). In addition, the toxicity of the obtained AgNPs was assessed by exposing Cyprinus carpio to various concentrations, including 0.06, 0.1, and 0.2 mg/L. The findings revealed that the AgNPs were significantly accumulated in the intestine, followed by the gills, liver, muscles, kidney, and brain. This bioaccumulation led to histological alterations and destruction in the villi of the intestine, regeneration of liver cells, and degeneration of the gill lamella. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS: Plants based synthesis of AgNPs is mostly considered as eco-friendly A significant antibacterial activity was obtained The plant mediated AgNPs were found less toxic The AgNPs was profoundly accumulated and causes histological alterations.

Nutritional value and therapeutic potential of Moringa oleifera: a short overview of current research.

A member of the Moringaceae family, Moringa Oleifera Lam is a perennial deciduous tropical tree known as the 'Miracle Tree' for its medicinal and nutritional benefits. Food and nutrition are crucial aspects of the development and maintenance of healthy health. Moringa oleifera is a multi-purpose herbal bush that is used as both human food and a medical alternative all over the world. Various parts of the tree are used to treat chronic diseases such as hypertension, heart disease, inflammation, oxidative stress, diabetes, and cancer. Moringa is an excellent source of essential nutrients and has been found to have a significant impact on improving nutritional deficiencies in populations with limited access to food. Moringa oleifera contains essential amino acids, carotenoids, minerals, fats, carbohydrates, proteins, phytochemicals, vitamins, and fibre. Moringa offers nutritional and economic advantages, medicinal and therapeutic uses, and future biological potential for human well-being.

Characterisation of the essential oil from Iphiona grantioides and investigation of its antibacterial and antioxidant properties.

Iphiona grantioides (Boiss) Anderb. is a medicinal plant featuring several traditional uses. Nevertheless, this plant has not been widely investigated by modern medicinal chemistry yet, as also the properties of its extracts.In this study, we report the extraction of the essential oil by hydrodistillation from the leaves of I. grantioides. This was characterised by GC-MS analysis and ten chemical constituents were identified.Our findings demonstrate that the essential oil is effective in inhibiting the growth of bacterial strains, and of Klebsiela pneumonia and Staphylococcus aureus in particular. Additionally, its antioxidant properties were evaluated, and it showed radical scavenging activity in vitro.

Navigating China's carbon neutrality journey: insights from policy instruments and implementation strategies across provincial regions.

China's critical reliance on well-crafted public policies, coupled with the effective execution of central government directives at the local level, drives the achievement of the "dual carbon" goal including the peaking of CO2 emissions and attaining carbon neutrality. Therefore, examining policy records can unveil the holistic strategy for attaining carbon neutrality during the period of peak CO2 emissions; at the same time, it can also highlight the potential obstacles in policy implementation. In this study, we adopt a policy instruments perspective to investigate data related to policies addressing peak CO2 emissions across 29 provincial administrative regions in China. We apply Nvivo12 software to conduct a quantitative literature assessment and content analysis to establish a theoretical framework for the policy process. This framework encompasses dimensions such as political feasibility, regional coordination, attributes of low-carbon initiatives, and policy refinement. Subsequently, we employ the model to carry out a retrospective analysis of policy documents pertaining to peak CO2 emissions in China. Our research findings underscore the pivotal role of political feasibility in shaping policy effectiveness, while also highlighting the facilitative influence of regional coordination, shedding light on the essential synergy between provinces and cities in achieving emissions reduction goals. Similarly, the estimated results highlight the motivating impact of specific attributes within low-carbon initiatives. Moreover, policy enhancements are identified as a critical driver in advancing the path toward carbon neutrality. Consequently, to achieve the objective of carbon neutrality, it is imperative for every province and city to sequentially reach the peak of CO2 emissions. Our research offers a comprehensive "China strategy," providing valuable insights to guide future policy formulation and accelerate progress toward sustainable environmental objectives.

Antibacterial Activity of Economically Important Medicinal Plants in Pakistan Against Different Bacterial Strains.

The emergence of medication resistance and unfavorable side effects from existing antibiotics has prompted the quest for novel antimicrobial agents over the last 2 decades. Plant extracts have been shown to have antibacterial effects in numerous studies. The objective of this study was the evaluation of the antibacterial effect of economically important medicinal plants found in Pakistan. Onosma bracteatum (flowers and leaves), Viola odorata (flowers and leaves), Cuscuta reflexa (whole plant), Swertia chirata (whole plant), and Fagonia arabica (whole plant) were used against Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Water and ethanol extracts were obtained from different parts of the plants. To evaluate the antibacterial effect of these plants, qualitative assay agar well diffusion method was performed. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was determined by the broth micro dilution method. Results revealed that the highest inhibition zone (18 mm) was shown by ethanol extract of V odorata flower against P aeruginosa. Ethanol extract of C reflexa plants is best for all 3 tested microbes (P aeruginosa, B subtilis, and E coli). The results concluded that all these plants have abilities to fight against these tested bacteria. Ethanol extract of V odorata flower has the highest activity against P aeruginosa.

Investigating the effect of selenium nano-particles on microbial activity and cancerous cell line of MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231.

Selenium is a mineral that is essential to human health and is widely recognized for its responsibilities as a powerful anticancer vitamin and antibacterial vitamin. Selenium also plays a critical part in the production of vitamin D. The purpose of this research was to evaluate the particular effects that selenium nano-particles (SeNPs') had on the infectious agent Staphylococcus aureus as well as the breast cancer cell lines MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231. The proportion of MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 cells that underwent late apoptosis was dramatically increased by selenium nanoparticles, whereas the number of cells that underwent cell expansion was significantly reduced. There was a wide range of variability in the effects of selenium nanoparticle treatment on cell growth apoptosis, apoptosis rates and patterns of cell cycle arrest. After 2, 4 and 6 hours, researchers found that the development of S. aureus was significantly reduced by selenium nanoparticles at doses of 8.0, 16.0 and 32g/mL. In addition to this, the presence of selenium nanoparticles resulted in a reduced percentage of bacteria that were still alive. According to the findings of the study, there is a need for more research into selenium nanoparticles with the intention of preventing and treating infections caused by S. aureus.

Dengue Fever-Induced Hypokalemic Paralysis in a Pregnant Patient: An Uncommon Presentation of a Common Disease.

Dengue fever is a globally prevalent, viral disease transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes, which is becoming increasingly common and can cause a range of symptoms, including fever, flu-like symptoms, and circulatory failure. Although it is classified as a non-neurotropic virus, research has suggested that dengue fever can also affect the nervous system and lead to conditions such as myositis, Guillain-Barré syndrome, or hypokalemic paralysis. We describe a case study of a young pregnant female with dengue-associated hypokalemic paralysis, who made a full recovery within 48 hours of receiving potassium supplementation. The case underscores the importance of recognizing and treating neurological complications of dengue fever promptly, particularly in areas where the disease is prevalent.

Phytochemical screening and allelopathic potential of phytoextracts of three invasive grass species.

Undoubtedly, it is important to remain vigilant and manage invasive grasses to prevent their spread and mitigate their negative impact on the environment. However, these aggressive plants can also play a beneficial role in certain contexts. For example, several invasive grasses provide valuable forage for livestock and have disease control potential. Therefore, a research experiment was conducted to explore the pros and cons of this approach, not only for surrounding vegetation but also for human and animal disease control. The study is primarily focused on developing livestock feed, plant-derived herbicides, and an understanding of the phytotoxic effects of invasive species. All plant parts of Cenchrus ciliaris L., Polypogon monspeliansis L., and Dicanthium annulatum (Forssk.) Stapf, were tested for their phyto-chemical screening, proximate, and toxicity analysis which was caused by the methanolic extract of these grass species. Qualitative phytochemical screening tests were performed for proximate composition analysis and toxicity assessment essays. The phytochemical analysis revealed the positive results for alkaloids, flavonoids, coumarins, phenols, saponins, and glycosides, while negative for tannins. Comparison of proximate analysis intimated maximum moisture (10.8%) and crude fat (4.1%) in P. monspeliensis, whereas maximum dry matter (84.1%), crude protein (13.95%), crude fiber (11%), and ash (7.2%) in D. annulatum. Five (10, 100, 500, 100, 10,000 ppm) and three (10, 1000, 10,000 ppm) different concentrations of methanolic extract prepared from C. ciliaris, P. monspeliansis, and D. annulatum were used respectively for root inhibition and seed germination essay. Furthermore, three different concentrations (10, 30, 50 mg) of plant fine powder were used for sandwich method test. There was a significant decline in the growth rate of experimental model radish seeds (P > 0.005), and results from sandwich method tests showed suppressed growth of root hairs, inhibiting the anchoring of the radish seed. In comparison, results manifest that; P. monspeliansis indicated an upsurge of inhibition (66.58% at 10,000 ppm), D. annulatum revealed soar germination (75.86% in controlled conditions), and C. ciliaris exhibited dramatic shoot up of inhibition because of sandwich method test (14.02% at 50 mg). In conclusion, although grasses are toxic, it is important to consider the beneficiary account.

Metaheuristic Optimization-Based Feature Selection for Imagery and Arithmetic Tasks: An fNIRS Study.

In recent decades, the brain-computer interface (BCI) has emerged as a leading area of research. The feature selection is vital to reduce the dataset's dimensionality, increase the computing effectiveness, and enhance the BCI's performance. Using activity-related features leads to a high classification rate among the desired tasks. This study presents a wrapper-based metaheuristic feature selection framework for BCI applications using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). Here, the temporal statistical features (i.e., the mean, slope, maximum, skewness, and kurtosis) were computed from all the available channels to form a training vector. Seven metaheuristic optimization algorithms were tested for their classification performance using a k-nearest neighbor-based cost function: particle swarm optimization, cuckoo search optimization, the firefly algorithm, the bat algorithm, flower pollination optimization, whale optimization, and grey wolf optimization (GWO). The presented approach was validated based on an available online dataset of motor imagery (MI) and mental arithmetic (MA) tasks from 29 healthy subjects. The results showed that the classification accuracy was significantly improved by utilizing the features selected from the metaheuristic optimization algorithms relative to those obtained from the full set of features. All of the abovementioned metaheuristic algorithms improved the classification accuracy and reduced the feature vector size. The GWO yielded the highest average classification rates (p < 0.01) of 94.83 ± 5.5%, 92.57 ± 6.9%, and 85.66 ± 7.3% for the MA, MI, and four-class (left- and right-hand MI, MA, and baseline) tasks, respectively. The presented framework may be helpful in the training phase for selecting the appropriate features for robust fNIRS-based BCI applications.

Delpinium uncinatum mediated green synthesis of AgNPs and its antioxidant, enzyme inhibitory, cytotoxic and antimicrobial potentials.

Green synthesis of nanoparticles is becoming a method of choice for biological research due to its environmentally benign outcomes, stability and ease of synthesis. In this study, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were synthesized using stem (S-AgNPs), root (R-AgNPs) and mixture of stem and root (RS-AgNPs) of Delphinium uncinatum. The synthesized nanoparticles were characterized by standardized techniques and evaluated for their antioxidant, enzyme inhibition, cytotoxic and antimicrobial potentials. The AgNPs exhibited efficient antioxidant activities and considerable enzyme inhibition potential against alpha amylase, acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) enzymes. S-AgNPs showed strong cytotoxicity against human hepato-cellular carcinoma cells (HepG2) and high enzyme inhibitory effect (IC50 values 27.5µg/ml for AChE and 22.60 µg/ml for BChE) compared to R-AgNPs and RS-AgNPs. RS-AgNPs showed significant inhibition of Klebsiella pneumoniae and Aspergillus flavus and exhibited higher biocompatibility (<2% hemolysis) in human red blood cells hemolytic assays. The present study showed that biologically synthesized AgNPs using the extract of various parts of D. uncinatum have strong antioxidant and cytotoxic potentials.

Crotofoligandrin, a new endoperoxide crotofolane-type diterpenoid from the twigs of Croton oligandrus Pierre ex. Hutch (Euphorbiaceae).

Crotofoligandrin (1), a new endoperoxide crotofolane-type diterpenoid was isolated from the dichloromethane/methanol (1:1) extract of the twigs of Croton oligandrus Pierre Ex Hutch along with thirteen known secondary metabolites including 1-nonacosanol (2), lupenone (3), friedelin (4), ß-sitosterol (5), taraxerol (6), (-)-hardwickiic acid (7), apigenin (8), acetyl aleuritolic acid (9), betulinic acid (10), fokihodgin C 3-acetate (11), D-mannitol (12), scopoletin (13) and quercetin (14). The structures of the isolated compounds were determined based on their spectroscopic data. The crude extract and the isolated compounds were assessed in vitro for their antioxidant, lipoxygenase, butyrylcholinesterase (BChE), urease and glucosidase inhibitory potentials. Compounds 1-3, and 10 displayed activities on all the performed bioassays. All the tested samples showed strong to significant antioxidant activity with compound 1 being the most potent (IC50 39.4 µM).

The effects of short term blue light treatment on promoting nutrition value in Chinese cabbage.

Chinese cabbage is a nutrients-rich vegetable with diverse leaf colors. Here, we used widely-targeted metabolomics technology to study the metabolic responses of three Chinese cabbage varieties with representative leaf colors after blue light treatment. The inner leaf color of orange varieties 20S530 and 15S1094 changed from yellow to golden yellow, while no visible color change occurred in the common variety 14S23 after the treatment. A total of 844 metabolites were measured from the leaf samples of these three varieties in a time course study after short term blue light treatment, with kaempferol-4'-O-glucoside, isoquercitrin, hyperin, arbutin, sulforaphane as enriched nutritional metabolites. Orange Chinese cabbage varieties showed additional nutrition enhancement after the treatment. This study is the first to explore the global metabolic responses of Chinese cabbage after blue light treatment, and our findings provided valuable insights on how to effectively use lighting conditions to enhance specific groups of nutrients in vegetables.

HIPEC with CRS versus cytoreductive surgery (CRS) for the gastric cancer metastasis to peritoneum.

BACKGROUND: Peritoneal metastases (PM) have a poor prognosis in gastric cancer (GC). Cytoreductive surgery (CRS) gives favorable outcomes, but the influence of hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) remains contentious. We designed to distinguish results between CRS versus HIPEC-CRS in patients with peritoneal metastases from gastric cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: PubMed, Scopus, Embase and Cochrane library accessed to collect data and language is restricted to English. RevMan 5.4 was used to perform statistical analysis. The outcomes for categorical variables are mentioned in the risk ratio. RESULTS: Ten trials involving 1367 patients in which 707 were CRS-HIPEC, while 660 CRS. We got significant results in 3rd year survival (P < 0.05), while 1st and 5th years are not statistically significant P > 0.05. CONCLUSION: To compare with CRS, CRS-HIPEC has improved survival rate in deprived of further morbidity or mortality.

Surface-enhanced Raman spectral characterization of antifungal activity of selenium and zinc based organometallic compounds.

Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) is used to identify the biochemical changes associated with the antifungal activities of selenium and zinc organometallic complexes against Aspergillus niger fungus. These biochemical changes identified in the form of SERS peaks can help to understand the mechanism of action of these antifungal agents which is important for development of new antifungal drugs. The SERS spectral changes indicate the denaturation and conformational changes of proteins and fungal cell wall decomposition in complex exposed fungal samples. The SERS spectra of these organometallic complexes exposed fungi are analyzed by using statistical tools like principal component analysis (PCA) and partial least square discriminant analysis (PLS-DA). PCA is employed to differentiate the SERS spectra of fungal samples exposed to ligands and complexes. The PLS-DA discriminated different groups of spectra with 99.8% sensitivity, 100% specificity, 98% accuracy and 86 % area under receiver operating characteristic (AUROC) curve.

Commiphora myrrh: a phytochemical and pharmacological update.

Medicinal plants have a long track record of use in history, and one of them is Commiphora myrrh which is commonly found in the southern part of Arabia, the northeastern part of Africa, in Somalia, and Kenya. Relevant literatures were accessed via Google Scholar, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science to give updated information on the phytochemical constituents and pharmacological action of Commiphora myrrh. It has been used traditionally for treating wounds, mouth ulcers, aches, fractures, stomach disorders, microbial infections, and inflammatory diseases. It is used as an antiseptic, astringent, anthelmintic, carminative, emmenagogue, and as an expectorant. Phytochemical studies have shown that it contains terpenoids (monoterpenoids, sesquiterpenoids, and volatile/essential oil), diterpenoids, triterpenoids, and steroids. Its essential oil has applications in cosmetics, aromatherapy, and perfumery. Research has shown that it exerts various biological activities such as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-microbial, neuroprotective, anti-diabetic, anti-cancer, analgesic, anti-parasitic, and recently, it was found to work against respiratory infections like COVID-19. With the advancement in drug development, hopefully, its rich phytochemical components can be explored for drug development as an insecticide due to its great anti-parasitic activity. Also, its interactions with drugs can be fully elucidated.This review highlights an updated information on the history, distribution, traditional uses, phytochemical components, pharmacology, and various biological activities of Commiphora myrrh. Graphical summary of the phytochemical and pharmacological update of Commiphora myrrh.

A critical analysis of sources, pollution, and remediation of selenium, an emerging contaminant.

Selenium (Se) is an essential metalloid and is categorized as emerging anthropogenic contaminant released to the environment. The rise of Se release into the environment has raised concern about its bioaccumulation, toxicity, and potential to cause serious damages to aquatic and terrestrial ecosystem. Therefore, it is extremely important to monitor Se level in environment on a regular basis. Understanding Se release, anthropogenic sources, and environmental behavior is critical for developing an effective Se containment strategy. The ongoing efforts of Se remediation have mostly emphasized monitoring and remediation as an independent topics of research. However, our paper has integrated both by explaining the attributes of monitoring on effective scale followed by a candid review of widespread technological options available with specific focus on Se removal from environmental media. Another novel approach demonstrated in the article is the presentation of an overwhelming evidence of limitations that various researchers are confronted with to overcome achieving effective remediation. Furthermore, we followed a holistic approach to discuss ways to remediate Se for cleaner environment especially related to introducing weak magnetic field for ZVI reactivity enhancement. We linked this phenomenal process to electrokinetics and presented convincing facts in support of Se remediation, which has led to emerge 'membrane technology', as another viable option for remediation. Hence, an interesting, innovative and future oriented review is presented, which will undoubtedly seek attention from global researchers.