Comprehensive Analysis Reveals Deoxyribonuclease 1 as a Potential Prognostic and Diagnostic Biomarker in Human Cancers.

BACKGROUND: Deoxyribonuclease 1 (DNASE1) is an important gene associated with several cancers, including liver, bladder, and gastric cancer. It has been linked to autoimmune illnesses, including systemic lupus erythematosus, which may lead to cancer formation. However, the role of DNASE1 in cancer has not been studied. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We performed a pan-cancer analysis using bioinformatics tools, including Tumor Immune Estimation Resource (TIMER), Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA), and University of Alabama at Birmingham Cancer Data Analysis Portal (UALCAN) databases, Kaplan-Meier plotter, and cBioPortal, to investigate the expression of DNASE1 across various cancers as well as its association with immune infiltration and genetic alterations. Public datasets were used to validate DNASE1 expression in kidney renal clear cell carcinoma (KIRC) and kidney papillary renal cell carcinoma (KIRP) samples. RESULTS: DNASE1 was found to be highly expressed in many cancers, such as bladder urothelial carcinoma (BLCA), breast invasive carcinoma (BRCA), head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSC), and was lowly expressed in other cancers, including KIRC, KIRP, and thyroid carcinoma (THCA). Additionally, TIMER results showed an association of DNASE1 with immune cell infiltration in KIRC and KIRP. Survival analysis indicated that high DNASE1 expression was associated with poor prognosis in KIRC. We also discovered that altered DNASE1 expression was related to poor prognosis in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) tumors. CONCLUSION: DNASE1 could potentially be used as a prognostic and diagnostic biomarker for KIRC and as a diagnostic biomarker for KIRP.

Paclitaxel-Coated Balloon vs Uncoated Balloon for Coronary In-Stent Restenosis: The AGENT IDE Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Drug-coated balloons offer a potentially beneficial treatment strategy for the management of coronary in-stent restenosis. However, none have been previously evaluated or approved for use in coronary circulation in the United States. Objective: To evaluate whether a paclitaxel-coated balloon is superior to an uncoated balloon in patients with in-stent restenosis undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention. Design, Setting, and Participants: AGENT IDE, a multicenter randomized clinical trial, enrolled 600 patients with in-stent restenosis (lesion length <26 mm and reference vessel diameter >2.0 mm to ≤4.0 mm) at 40 centers across the United States between May 2021 and August 2022. One-year clinical follow-up was completed on October 2, 2023. Interventions: Participants were randomized in a 2:1 allocation to undergo treatment with a paclitaxel-coated (n = 406) or an uncoated (n = 194) balloon. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary end point of 1-year target lesion failure-defined as the composite of ischemia-driven target lesion revascularization, target vessel-related myocardial infarction, or cardiac death-was tested for superiority. Results: Among 600 randomized patients (mean age, 68 years; 157 females [26.2%]; 42 Black [7%], 35 Hispanic [6%] individuals), 574 (95.7%) completed 1-year follow-up. The primary end point at 1 year occurred in 17.9% in the paclitaxel-coated balloon group vs 28.6% in the uncoated balloon group, meeting the criteria for superiority (hazard ratio [HR], 0.59 [95% CI, 0.42-0.84]; 2-sided P = .003). Target lesion revascularization (13.0% vs 24.7%; HR, 0.50 [95% CI, 0.34-0.74]; P = .001) and target vessel-related myocardial infarction (5.8% vs 11.1%; HR, 0.51 [95% CI, 0.28-0.92]; P = .02) occurred less frequently among patients treated with paclitaxel-coated balloon. The rate of cardiac death was 2.9% vs 1.6% (HR, 1.75 [95% CI, 0.49-6.28]; P = .38) in the coated vs uncoated balloon groups, respectively. Conclusions and Relevance: Among patients undergoing coronary angioplasty for in-stent restenosis, a paclitaxel-coated balloon was superior to an uncoated balloon with respect to the composite end point of target lesion failure. Paclitaxel-coated balloons are an effective treatment option for patients with coronary in-stent restenosis. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04647253.

Association of ACE1 I/D polymorphism and susceptibility to COVID-19 in Egyptian children and adolescents.

BACKGROUND: Given the sparse data on the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) and its biological effector molecules ACE1 and ACE2 in pediatric COVID-19 cases, we investigated whether the ACE1 insertion/deletion (I/D) polymorphism could be a genetic marker for susceptibility to COVID-19 in Egyptian children and adolescents. METHODS: This was a case-control study included four hundred sixty patients diagnosed with COVID-19, and 460 well-matched healthy control children and adolescents. The I/D polymorphism (rs1799752) in the ACE1 gene was genotyped by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), meanwhile the ACE serum concentrations were assessed by ELISA. RESULTS: The ACE1 D/D genotype and Deletion allele were significantly more represented in patients with COVID-19 compared to the control group (55% vs. 28%; OR = 2.4; [95% CI: 1.46-3.95]; for the DD genotype; P = 0.002) and (68% vs. 52.5%; OR: 1.93; [95% CI: 1.49-2.5] for the D allele; P = 0.032). The presence of ACE1 D/D genotype was an independent risk factor for severe COVID-19 among studied patients (adjusted OR: 2.6; [95% CI: 1.6-9.7]; P < 0.001. CONCLUSIONS: The ACE1 insertion/deletion polymorphism may confer susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 infection in Egyptian children and adolescents. IMPACT: Recent studies suggested a crucial role of renin-angiotensin system and its biological effector molecules ACE1 and ACE2 in the pathogenesis and progression of COVID-19. To our knowledge, ours is the first study to investigate the association of ACE1 I/D polymorphism and susceptibility to COVID-19 in Caucasian children and adolescents. The presence of the ACE1 D/D genotype or ACE1 Deletion allele may confer susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 infection and being associated with higher ACE serum levels; may constitute independent risk factors for severe COVID-19. The ACE1 I/D genotyping help design further clinical trials reconsidering RAS-pathway antagonists to achieve more efficient targeted therapies.

Association between Serum 25-Hydroxyvitamin D Concentrations and Academic Performance among Adolescent Schoolchildren: A Cross-Sectional Study.

The level of association between 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) levels and students' academic performance has not yet been established. The current study aimed to investigate the association between serum 25(OH)D levels and academic performance among schoolchildren in Sudan. A cross-sectional study was conducted among schoolchildren during the 2021/2022 academic year from four randomly selected schools in Almatamah, River Nile State, northern Sudan. Sociodemographic data were collected using a questionnaire. Anthropometric measurements were performed in accordance with standard procedures. Academic performance was obtained from school records. Serum 25(OH)D levels were measured, and regression (multiple linear regression and multivariate logistic) analyses were performed. A total of 241 participants were enrolled in this study, of whom 129 (53.5%) were female. The mean standard deviation (SD) of the participants' ages was 15 ± 1.6 years. In multiple linear regression tests, being female, age, employment, and serum 25(OH)D level were positively associated with academic performance. The average overall academic score was 33.74%. Of the 241 participants, 95 (39.4%) and 149 (61.6%) had good and poor academic performances, respectively. In multivariable logistic regressions, age and 25(OH)D level were inversely associated with poor academic performance and vitamin D deficiency was associated with poor performance. The current study revealed a positive association between 25(OH)D levels and adolescents' academic performance. Effective interventional programs are needed to maintain sufficient vitamin D levels during childhood and adolescence and, as a consequence, to improve academic performance.

Understanding post-surgical decline in left ventricular function in primary mitral regurgitation using regression and machine learning models.

Background: Class I echocardiographic guidelines in primary mitral regurgitation (PMR) risks left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) < 50% after mitral valve surgery even with pre-surgical LVEF > 60%. There are no models predicting LVEF < 50% after surgery in the complex interplay of increased preload and facilitated ejection in PMR using cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR). Objective: Use regression and machine learning models to identify a combination of CMR LV remodeling and function parameters that predict LVEF < 50% after mitral valve surgery. Methods: CMR with tissue tagging was performed in 51 pre-surgery PMR patients (median CMR LVEF 64%), 49 asymptomatic (median CMR LVEF 63%), and age-matched controls (median CMR LVEF 64%). To predict post-surgery LVEF < 50%, least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO), random forest (RF), extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost), and support vector machine (SVM) were developed and validated in pre-surgery PMR patients. Recursive feature elimination and LASSO reduced the number of features and model complexity. Data was split and tested 100 times and models were evaluated via stratified cross validation to avoid overfitting. The final RF model was tested in asymptomatic PMR patients to predict post-surgical LVEF < 50% if they had gone to mitral valve surgery. Results: Thirteen pre-surgery PMR had LVEF < 50% after mitral valve surgery. In addition to LVEF (P = 0.005) and LVESD (P = 0.13), LV sphericity index (P = 0.047) and LV mid systolic circumferential strain rate (P = 0.024) were predictors of post-surgery LVEF < 50%. Using these four parameters, logistic regression achieved 77.92% classification accuracy while RF improved the accuracy to 86.17%. This final RF model was applied to asymptomatic PMR and predicted 14 (28.57%) out of 49 would have post-surgery LVEF < 50% if they had mitral valve surgery. Conclusions: These preliminary findings call for a longitudinal study to determine whether LV sphericity index and circumferential strain rate, or other combination of parameters, accurately predict post-surgical LVEF in PMR.

Percutaneous debulking of tricuspid valve endocarditis in severe COVID-19 pneumonia after prolonged venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation with right-ventricular support: a case series.

Background: Over the past 2 years, the utilization of venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VV-ECMO) for the treatment of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) has increased. While supporting respiratory function, VV-ECMO requires large-bore indwelling venous cannulas, which risk bleeding and infections, including endocarditis. Case summary: We describe two adults hospitalized for COVID-19 pneumonia who developed ARDS and right-ventricular failure, requiring VV-ECMO and ProtekDuo cannulation. After over 100 days with these devices, both patients developed tricuspid valve vegetations. Our first patient was decannulated from ECMO and discharged, but re-presented with a segmental pulmonary embolism and tricuspid mass. The Inari FlowTriver system was chosen to percutaneously remove both the tricuspid mass and pulmonary thromboembolism. Pathological examination of the mass demonstrated Candida albicans endocarditis in the setting of Candida fungemia. Our second patient developed a tricuspid valve vegetation which was also removed with the FlowTriever system. Pathological examination demonstrated endocarditis consistent with Pseudomonas aeruginosa in the setting of Pseudomonas bacteremia. Both patients experienced resolution of fungemia and bacteremia after percutaneous vegetation removal. After ECMO decannulation and percutaneous debulking, both patients experienced prolonged hospital stays for ventilator weaning and were eventually discharged with supplemental oxygen. Discussion: VV-ECMO and right-ventricular support devices are invasive and create various risks, including bloodstream infection and infective endocarditis. Percutaneous debulking of valvular vegetations associated with these right-sided indwelling devices may be an effective means of infection source control. It is unclear whether prolonged use of VV-ECMO provides a mortality benefit in COVID-19 ARDS.

Mycotoxins from Tomato Pathogenic Alternaria alternata and Their Combined Cytotoxic Effects on Human Cell Lines and Male Albino Rats.

The Alternaria species are considered to produce a plethora of several mycotoxins constituting a risk factor for both human and animal health. This work aimed mainly to explore the cytotoxicity of a combined mixture of altenuene (ALT), alternariol (AOH), tenuazonic acid (TeA), and altenuisol (AS) toxins produced by pathogenic A. alternata toward human oral epithelial cells (PCS-200-014), lung fibroblast cells (WI-38), and male albino rats. The sequencing of the multi-locus, RNA polymerase second largest subunit (rpb2), glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (gapdh), and Alternaria major allergen gene (Alt a 1) was performed to infer relationships among isolated Alternaria species. The phylogenetic analysis of gapdh, rpb2, and Alt-a 1 sequence data indicated that all isolates resided in A. alternata. The pathogenic potentiality of A. alternata was investigated on tomato plants cv. super strain B under greenhouse conditions, and all isolates were pathogenic to tomato plants, with significant (p < 0.05) variations. The ability of A. alternata isolates to produce mycotoxins was also explored using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). All tested isolates were able to produce at least one of the assessed mycotoxins-ALT, AOH, TeA, and AS-and ALT was reported as the dominant mycotoxin, produced by 80% of A. alternata isolates. The cytotoxic properties of the combined mixture of ALT, AOH, TeA, and AS at concentrations of 31.25, 62.50, 125, 250, and 500 µg/mL were assessed via the MTT assay method after exposure for 24 h versus the control. The treatment of both cell lines with combined mixtures of ALT, AOH, TeA, and AS showed a dose-dependent decrease in cell viability. The highest concentrations tested at 62.50, 125, 250, and 500 µg/mL significantly decreased cell viability and caused cell damage compared to the lowest concentration of 31.25 µg/mL and the control. The cytotoxicity and genotoxicity of the combined mixtures of ALT, AOH, TeA, and AS on male albino rats were also investigated via the gene expression of (TNF-α) and using hematological (CBC), chemical (alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and urea and creatinine), and histopathological analyses. A marked increase was observed in the levels of ALT, AST, urea and creatinine, TNF-α gene expression, red blood cells (RBCs), white blood cells (WBCs), hemoglobin (Hb), and packed cell volume % (PCV) after 28 days of exposure relative to the untreated control. Pathological alterations were also observed in the liver and kidney tissues of rats. Conclusively, this work provides a new understanding on the cytotoxicity and genotoxicity of mycotoxins of pathogenic A. alternata from tomatoes.

DNA barcoding of marine macroalgae as bioindicators of heavy metal pollution.

Metal pollution in the marine coastal environment is an important topical issue. In this study, the water quality in five locations along the Alexandria coast (Eastern Harbor, El-Tabia pumping station, El Mex Bay, Sidi Bishir, and Abu Talat) was assessed by measuring physicochemical parameters from water samples. Depending on the morphological classification of macroalgae, the collected morphotypes were related to Ulva fasciata, Ulva compressa, Corallina officinalis, Corallina elongata, and Petrocladia capillaceae. Corallina officinalis and Corallina elongata demonstrated a high capacity for Cd, Pb, and Ni accumulation, and the highest values of Fe, Cu, and Mn were reported in Ulva fasciata and Ulva compressa. Two standard markers were applied, and results showed that the morphological classification matched the molecular data. Moreover, the analysis of algae can only reflect the accumulation of metals. The conclusion is that Ulva compressa and Corallina officinalis are potentially suitable indicators of localized short-term heavy metal pollution.

Benign Paratesticular Fibrous Pseudotumor in a Young Male: A Case Report.

Paratesticular fibrous pseudotumor (PFPs) is an uncommon intra-scrotal mass that originated from tunica vaginalis and resulted in a reactive fibrous proliferation after a history of inflammation, infection, trauma, or hydrocele. We report here on a case of a 17-year-old man with a mass in the hemiscrotum that was found to be PFP in the orchidectomy specimen pathologic examination. The diagnosis of PFPs, before and during the operation, can be complicated despite it being a benign tumor. Radical orchidectomy is usually performed for these types of lesions. A frozen section intraoperatively is essential to avoid unnecessary radical orchidectomy and preserve testicle.

Complications Associated With Transesophageal Echocardiography in Transcatheter Structural Cardiac Interventions.

BACKGROUND: Transesophageal echocardiograms (TEEs) performed during transcatheter structural cardiac interventions may result in greater complications than those performed in the nonoperative setting or even those performed during cardiac surgery. However, there are limited data on complications associated with TEE during these procedures. We evaluated the prevalence of major complications among these patients in the United States. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was conducted using an electronic health record database (TriNetX Research Network) from large academic medical centers across the United States for patients undergoing TEE during transcatheter structural interventions from January 2012 to January 2022. Using the American Society of Echocardiography-endorsed International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems Clinical Modifications (10th edition) codes, patients undergoing TEE during a transcatheter structural cardiac intervention, including transaortic, mitral or tricuspid valve repair, left atrial appendage occlusion, atrial septal defect closure, patent foramen ovale closure, and paravalvular leak repair, were identified. The primary outcome was major complications within 72 hours of the procedure (composite of bleeding and esophageal and upper respiratory tract injury). The secondary aim was the frequency of major complications, death, or cardiac arrest within 72 hours in patients who completed intraoperative TEE during surgical valve replacement. RESULTS: Among 12,043 adult patients (mean age, 74 years old; 42% female) undergoing TEE for transcatheter structural cardiac interventions, 429 (3.6%) patients had a major complication. Complication frequency was higher in patients on anticoagulation or antiplatelet therapy compared with those not on therapy (3.9% vs 0.5%; risk ratio [RR] = 8.09, P < .001). Compared with those patients <65 years of age, patients ≥65 years of age had a higher frequency of major complications (3.9% vs 2.2%; RR = 1.75, P < .001). Complication frequency was similar among male and female patients (3.5% vs 3.7%; RR = 0.96, P = .67). Among 28,848 patients who completed surgical valve replacement with TEE guidance, 728 (2.5%) experienced a major complication. CONCLUSIONS: This study found that more than 3% of patients undergoing TEE during transcatheter structural cardiac interventions have a major complication, which is more common among those on anticoagulant or antiplatelet therapy or who are elderly. With a shift of poor surgical candidates to less invasive percutaneous procedures, the future of TEE-guided procedures relies on comprehensive risk discussion and updating practices beyond conventional methods to minimize risk for TEE-related complications.

Endovascular Repair of an Ascending Aorta Dissection After Self-expanding TAVR by Suprasternal Approach.

Management of rare ascending aortic complications after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) remains a poorly defined area of knowledge. Furthermore, because most patients undergoing TAVR are at intermediate to high surgical risk, the treatment of such complications often requires endovascular approaches. Herein, we present a novel technique of endovascular ascending aorta stent graft delivery from the innominate artery for the treatment of a type A aortic dissection after self-expandable TAVR implantation, specifically addressing the landing of the aortic stent within the crown of the TAVR valve.

Vitamin D deficiency and vitamin D receptor FokI polymorphism as risk factors for COVID-19.

BACKGROUND: Given the sparse data on vitamin D status in pediatric COVID-19, we investigated whether vitamin D deficiency could be a risk factor for susceptibility to COVID-19 in Egyptian children and adolescents. We also investigated whether vitamin D receptor (VDR) FokI polymorphism could be a genetic marker for COVID-19 susceptibility. METHODS: One hundred and eighty patients diagnosed to have COVID-19 and 200 matched control children and adolescents were recruited. Patients were laboratory confirmed as SARS-CoV-2 positive by real-time RT-PCR. All participants were genotyped for VDR Fok1 polymorphism by RT-PCR. Vitamin D status was defined as sufficient for serum 25(OH) D at least 30 ng/mL, insufficient at 21-29 ng/mL, deficient at <20 ng/mL. RESULTS: Ninety-four patients (52%) had low vitamin D levels with 74 (41%) being deficient and 20 (11%) had vitamin D insufficiency. Vitamin D deficiency was associated with 2.6-fold increased risk for COVID-19 (OR = 2.6; [95% CI 1.96-4.9]; P = 0.002. The FokI FF genotype was significantly more represented in patients compared to control group (OR = 4.05; [95% CI: 1.95-8.55]; P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Vitamin D deficiency and VDR Fok I polymorphism may constitute independent risk factors for susceptibility to COVID-19 in Egyptian children and adolescents. IMPACT: Vitamin D deficiency could be a modifiable risk factor for COVID-19 in children and adolescents because of its immune-modulatory action. To our knowledge, ours is the first such study to investigate the VDR Fok I polymorphism in Caucasian children and adolescents with COVID-19. Vitamin D deficiency and the VDR Fok I polymorphism may constitute independent risk factors for susceptibility to COVID-19 in Egyptian children and adolescents. Clinical trials should be urgently conducted to test for causality and to evaluate the efficacy of vitamin D supplementation for prophylaxis and treatment of COVID-19 taking into account the VDR polymorphisms.

Diversity among Lasiodiplodia Species Causing Dieback, Root Rot and Leaf Spot on Fruit Trees in Egypt, and a Description of Lasiodiplodia newvalleyensis sp. nov.

Lasiodiplodia (family Botryosphaeriaceae) is a widely distributed fungal genus that causes a variety of diseases in tropical and subtropical regions. During 2020−2021, a routine survey of fruit tree plants was conducted in five Egyptian Governorates, and fresh samples exhibiting dieback, decline, leaf spot and root rot symptoms were collected. Collection from eight different symptomatic leaves, twigs, branches and roots of fruit trees yielded 18 Lasiodiplodia-like isolates. The sequencing data from the internal transcribed spacer region (ITS), partial translation elongation factor 1-alpha (tef1-a) and ß-tubulin (tub2) were used to infer phylogenetic relationships with known Lasiodiplodia species. Two isolates obtained from black necrotic lesions on Phoenix dactylifera leaves were identified as a putative novel species, L. newvalleyensis sp. nov., and were thus subjected to further morphological characterization. The results of isolation and molecular characterization revealed that L. theobromae (n = 9) was the most common species on Mangifera indica, Citrus reticulata, C. sinensis, Ficus carica, Prunus persica, Prunus armeniaca and Pyrus communis trees. Lasiodiplodia pseudotheobromae (n = 5) was isolated from M. indica, Prunus persica and C. sinensis. Lasiodiplodia laeliocattleyae (n = 2) was isolated from C. reticulata. Pathogenicity test results suggested that all Lasiodiplodia species were pathogenic to their hosts. The present study is considered the first to characterize and decipher the diversity of Lasiodiplodia species associated with fruit trees in Egypt, using the multi-locus ITS, tef1-a and tub2 sequence data, along with morphological and pathogenic trials. To our knowledge, this is the first report of L. newvalleyensis on Phoenix dactylifera and L. laeliocattleya on C. reticulata in Egypt and worldwide.

Venous-Left Atrial Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Configuration Use in Right Ventricular Failure and Tricuspid Ring.

Mechanical circulatory support devices are used to support the heart in cardiogenic shock. We present a case of demonstrating the feasible use of left ventricular assistive device with reverse configuration to support severe right ventricular failure in a patient with recent tricuspid annuloplasty ring.

Interstitial Collagen Loss, Myocardial Remodeling, and Function in Primary Mitral Regurgitation.

Interstitial collagen loss and cardiomyocyte ultrastructural damage accounts for left ventricular (LV) sphericity and decrease in LV twist and circumferential strain. Normal LV diastolic function belies significantly abnormal left atrial (LA) function and early LV diastolic untwist rate. This underscores the complex interplay of LV and LA myocardial remodeling and function in the pathophysiology of primary mitral regurgitation. In this study, we connect LA function with LV systolic and diastolic myocardial remodeling and function using cardiac magnetic resonance tissue tagging in primary mitral regurgitation.

Clay-Alginate Beads Loaded with Ionic Liquids: Potential Adsorbents for the Efficient Extraction of Oil from Produced Water.

Produced water (PW) generated from the petroleum industry, during the extraction of oil and gas, has harmful impacts on human health and aquatic life, due to its complex nature. Therefore, it is necessary to treat it before discharging it into the environment in order to avoid serious environmental concerns. In this research, oil adsorption from PW was investigated using clay-alginate beads loaded with ionic liquids (ILs), as the adsorbent material. The effects of several process parameters, such as the initial concentration of oil, contact time, pH, and temperature on the removal efficiency of the beads, were analyzed and optimized. Different characterization methods, such as the Fourier transform infrared spectrophotometer (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX), and thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), were used to investigate the surface morphology, the chemical bond structure and functional group, and the thermal stability of the ILs-based beads. The results revealed that the clay-alginate-ILs beads indicated a removal efficiency of 71.8% at the optimum conditions (600 ppm initial oil concentration, 70 min contact time, 10 pH, and at room temperature) with an adsorption capacity of 431 mg/g. The FTIR analysis confirmed the successful chemical bond interaction of the oil with the beads. The SEM analysis verified that the beads have a porous and rough surface, which is appropriate for the adsorption of oil onto the bead's surface. The TGA analysis provides the thermal degradation profile for the clay-alginate-ILs. The beads used in the adsorption process were regenerated and used for up to four cycles.

Enhancing drought stress tolerance in Camelina (Camelina sativa L.) through exogenous application of potassium.

The current study was performed under controlled conditions to study the effects of exogenous potassium application on carotenoid contents and drought tolerance in Camelina. Water deficit levels such as 100% FC (control) and 40% FC (drought stress) were imposed after germination of Camelina plants grown to maturity, and different treatments of exogenous K+ were applied at the vegetative stage. We have reported 17 traits of plant growth, physiology, antioxidant enzyme activity, focusing on carotenoids in Camelina to explore their potential yield and yield components. For this purpose, we used multivariate analysis techniques (descriptive statistics, correlation matrix, analysis of variance [ANOVA] and principal components analysis [PCA] to determine the best relation between potassium and studied traits). The results showed a large number of variations in the studied trait under control and water deficit condition. Plant fresh weight (g) was negatively correlated with shoot length and SOD insignificantly correlated with plant fresh weight (g) under water deficit conditions. Potassium loading predicted that foliar application (3 mM K2 SO4 ), foliar application (6 mM KNO3 ), foliar application (12 mM KNO3 ) and foliar application (12 mM K2 SO4 ) are the important doses that contribute the most to enhance the growth, physiological and biochemical activities and carotenoids to improve the Camelina yield under water deficit condition. These doses should be considered in the future to improve the Camelina yield under semi-arid conditions with increased genetic diversity (varietal selection).

Genetic and Morphological Diversity Assessment of Five Kalanchoe Genotypes by SCoT, ISSR and RAPD-PCR Markers.

Determining the appropriate parents for breeding programs is the most important decision that plant breeders must make to maximize the genetic variability and produce excellent recombinant genotypes. Several methods are used to identify genotypes with desirable phenotypic features for breeding experiments. In this study, five kalanchoe genotypes were morphologically characterized by assessing plant height, number of inflorescences, number of flowers, flower length, flower diameter and number of petals. The analysis showed the distinction of yellow kalanchoe in the plant height trait, while the orange kalanchoe was distinguished in the number of inflorescences, the number of flowers and flower length traits, whereas the violet kalanchoe possessed the largest flower diameter and the highest number of petals. The molecular profiling was performed by random amplified polymorphism DNA (RAPD), inter-simple sequence repeats (ISSR) and start codon targeted (SCoT)-polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tools. Genomic DNA was extracted from young leaves and the PCR reactions were performed using ten primers for each SCoT, ISSR and RAPD marker. Only four out of ten primers showed amplicon profiles in all PCR markers. A total of 70 bands were generated by SCoT, ISSR and RAPD-PCR with 35 polymorphic bands and 35 monomorphic bands. The total number of bands of RAPD, ISSR and SCoT was 15, 17 and 38, respectively. The polymorphism percentages achieved by RAPD, ISSR and SCoT were 60.25%, 15% and 57%, respectively. The cluster analysis based on morphological data revealed two clusters. Cluster I consisted of violet and orange kalanchoe, and cluster II comprised red, yellow and purple kalanchoe. Whereas the cluster analysis based on molecular data revealed three clusters. Cluster I included only yellow kalanchoe, cluster II comprised orange and violet kalanchoe while cluster III comprised red, and purple kalanchoe. The study concluded that orange, violet and yellow kalanchoe are distinguished parents for breeding economically valued traits in kalanchoe. Also, the study concluded that SCoT and RAPD markers reproduced reliable banding patterns to assess the genetic polymorphism among kalanchoe genotypes that consider the basis stone for genetic improvements in ornamental plants.

Ionic Liquid Agar-Alginate Beads as a Sustainable Phenol Adsorbent.

Cleaning wastewater containing low concentrations of phenolic compounds is a challenging task. In this work, agar-alginate beads impregnated with trihexyltetradecylphosphonium bromide ([P66614][Br]) ionic liquid adsorbent were synthesized as a potential adsorbent for such applications. FTIR, TGA, SEM, EDX and PZC studies were performed to characterize and understand the physicochemical properties of the adsorbent. The Fourier transformation infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) study showed that [P66614][Br] ionic liquid was effectively incorporated into the agar-alginate structure. TGA and SEM confirmed comparative enhanced thermal stability and porous surface, respectively. Chemical reaction rate-altering parameters, i.e., pH, contact time, initial phenol concentration and temperature, are optimized at highest phenol removal. It was found that the maximum phenol adsorption capacity and highest removal efficiency by the adsorbent occurred at pH 2, initial phenol concentration of 150 mg/L, beads dosage of 6 mg/mL and contact time of 2 h with values of 16.28 mg/g and 65.12%, respectively. The pseudo-second order model fitted the adsorption kinetics well, and the Freundlich isotherm model gave the experimental data the best fit. Analysis of thermodynamic data demonstrated that the adsorption process is fundamentally exothermic in nature, and low temperature favors spontaneity of the chemical reaction. Regeneration studies indicated that the adsorbent can at least be used for four cycles in such applications without any considerable loss in adsorption efficiency.