Frankincense-Based Functionalized Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes with Iron Oxide Composites for Efficient Removal of Crystal Violet: Kinetic and Equilibrium Analysis.

In this study, novel adsorbents were developed by functionalizing multiwalled carbon nanotubes with frankincense (Fr-fMWCNT) and adding iron oxide (Fe3O4) to the adsorbent (Fr-fMWCNT-Fe3O4). The morphology, surface characteristics, and chemical nature of the synthesized samples were analyzed by using various characterization techniques. The prepared adsorbents were then applied for the elimination of the toxic dye, crystal violet (CV), from water-based solutions by employing a batch adsorption method. The effectiveness of materials for the adsorption of CV was investigated by tuning various effective experimental parameters (adsorbent dosage, dye quantity, pH, and contact time). In order to derive adsorption isotherms, the Langmuir and Freundlich adsorption models were investigated and compared. The Fr-fMWCNT and Fr-fMWCNT-Fe3O4 were found to remove 85 and 95% of the CV dye within 30 min of the adsorption experiment at pH 6, respectively. It was found that a pseudo-second-order reaction rate was consistent with the experimental adsorption kinetics. The equilibrium data demonstrated that the Langmuir model adequately explained the adsorption behavior of the CV dye on the Fr-fMWCNT and Fr-fMWCNT-Fe3O4 surfaces, respectively. According to the Langmuir study, the highest adsorption capacities of the dye are 434 mg/g for Fr-fMWCNT and 500 mg/g for Fr-fMWCNT-Fe3O4. Remediation of the CV dye using our novel composite materials has not been reported previously in the literature. The synthesized Fr-fMWCNT and Fr-fMWCNT-Fe3O4 adsorbents can be economical and green materials for the adsorptive elimination of CV dye from wastewater.

Encyclopaedic Review of Glipizide Pre-clinical and Clinical Status.

Glipizide is an oral glucose-lowering medication that is beneficial for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. This study compiles exhaustively all accessible information on glipizide, from preclinical to clinical studies. Glipizide may be used in concert with TRAIL to treat cancer cells; in vitro studies have shown that it suppresses angiogenesis and vasculogenesis while shielding cells from glycation-induced damage. Anticonvulsant effects and modifications in the pharmacokinetics of other medications, such as Divalproex Sodium, were seen in glipizide in vivo experiments. Propranolol amplifies glipizide's hypoglycemic effect briefly in normal animals but consistently enhances it in diabetic ones. In the treatment of cancer and neurodegenerative poly(Q) illnesses, glipizide has demonstrated to offer potential therapeutic advantages. It is ineffective in preventing DENA-induced liver cancer and may cause DNA damage over time. The way glipizide interacts with genetic variants may increase the risk of hypoglycemia. Combining Syzygium cumini and ARBE to glipizide may enhance glycemic and lipid control in type 2 diabetes. Individuals with coronary artery disease who take glipizide or glyburide have an increased risk of death. The risk of muscular responses and acute pancreatitis is minimal when glipizide and dulaglutide are combined. In conclusion, glipizide has shown promising therapeutic efficacy across a variety of disorders.

Emerging environmentally friendly bio-based nanocomposites for the efficient removal of dyes and micropollutants from wastewater by adsorption: a comprehensive review.

Water scarcity will worsen due to population growth, urbanization, and climate change. Addressing this issue requires developing energy-efficient and cost-effective water purification technologies. One approach is to use biomass to make bio-based materials (BBMs) with valuable attributes. This aligns with the goal of environmental conservation and waste management. Furthermore, the use of biomass is advantageous because it is readily available, economical, and has minimal secondary environmental impact. Biomass materials are ideal for water purification because they are abundant and contain important functional groups like hydroxyl, carboxyl, and amino groups. Functional groups are important for modifying and absorbing contaminants in water. Single-sourced biomass has limitations such as weak mechanical strength, limited adsorption capacity, and chemical instability. Investing in research and development is crucial for the development of efficient methods to produce BBMs and establish suitable water purification application models. This review covers BBM production, modification, functionalization, and their applications in wastewater treatment. These applications include oil-water separation, membrane filtration, micropollutant removal, and organic pollutant elimination. This review explores the production processes and properties of BBMs from biopolymers, highlighting their potential for water treatment applications. Furthermore, this review discusses the future prospects and challenges of developing BBMs for water treatment and usage. Finally, this review highlights the importance of BBMs in solving water purification challenges and encourages innovative solutions in this field.

Enhancing Cu2+ Ion Removal: An Innovative Approach Utilizing Modified Frankincense Gum Combined with Multiwalled Carbon Tubes and Iron Oxide Nanoparticles as Adsorbent.

Aquatic pollution, which includes organic debris and heavy metals, is a severe issue for living things. Copper pollution is hazardous to people, and there is a need to develop effective methods for eliminating it from the environment. To address this issue, a novel adsorbent composed of frankincense-modified multi-walled carbon nanotubes (Fr-MMWCNTs) and Fe3O4 [Fr-MWCNT-Fe3O4] was created and subjected to characterization. Batch adsorption tests showed that Fr-MWCNT-Fe3O4 had a maximum adsorption capacity of 250 mg/g at 308 K and could efficiently remove Cu2+ ions over a pH range of 6 to 8. The adsorption process followed the pseudo-second-order and Langmuir models, and its thermodynamics were identified as endothermic. Functional groups on the surface of modified MWCNTs improved their adsorption capacity, and a rise in temperature increased the adsorption efficiency. These results highlight the Fr-MWCNT-Fe3O4 composites' potential as an efficient adsorbent for removing Cu2+ ions from untreated natural water sources.

Emerging Nanotechnology for the Treatment of Alzheimer's Disease.

Nanotechnology is a great choice for medical research, and the green synthesis approach is a novel and better way to synthesize nanoparticles. Biological sources are cost-effective, environmentally friendly, and allow large-scale production of nanoparticles. Naturally obtained 3 ß-hydroxy-urs-12-en-28-oic acids reported for neuroprotective and dendritic structure are reported as solubility enhancers. Plants are free from toxic substances and act as natural capping agents. In this review, the pharmacological properties of ursolic acid (UA) and the structural properties of the dendritic structure are discussed. UA acid appears to have negligible toxicity and immunogenicity, as well as favorable biodistribution, according to the current study, and the dendritic structure improves drug solubility, prevents drug degradation, increases circulation time, and potentially targets by using different pathways with different routes of administration. Nanotechnology is a field in which materials are synthesized at the nanoscale. Nanotechnology could be the next frontier of humankind's technological advancement. Richard Feynman first used the term 'Nanotechnology' in his lecture, "There is Plenty of Room at the Bottom," on 29th December, 1959, and since then, interest has increased in the research on nanoparticles. Nanotechnology is capable of helping humanity by solving major challenges, particularly in neurological disorders like Alzheimer's disease (AD), the most prevalent type, which may account for 60-70% of cases. Other significant forms of dementia include vascular dementia, dementia with Lewy bodies (abnormal protein aggregates that form inside nerve cells), and a number of illnesses that exacerbate frontotemporal dementia. Dementia is an acquired loss of cognition in several cognitive domains that are severe enough to interfere with social or professional functioning. However, dementia frequently co-occurs with other neuropathologies, typically AD with cerebrovascular dysfunction. Clinical presentations show that neurodegenerative diseases are often incurable because patients permanently lose some neurons. A growing body of research suggests that they also advance our knowledge of the processes that are probably crucial for maintaining the health and functionality of the brain. Serious neurological impairment and neuronal death are the main features of neurodegenerative illnesses, which are also extremely crippling ailments. The most prevalent neurodegenerative disorders cause cognitive impairment and dementia, and as average life expectancy rises globally, their effects become more noticeable.

Effect of Zn Doping on Structural/Microstructural, Surface Topography, and Dielectric Properties of Bi2Fe4O9 Polycrystalline Nanomaterials.

In the present research work, bismuth ferrite mullite type Bi2Fe4-xZnxO9 (0.0 ≤ x ≤ 0.05) nanostructures are prepared by a chemical coprecipitation method and the effect of Zn doping concentration on the structural, surface topography, and dielectric properties is reported. The powder X-ray diffraction pattern of the Bi2Fe4-xZnxO9 (0.0 ≤ x ≤ 0.05) nanomaterial shows an orthorhombic crystal structure. Using Scherer's formula, the crystallite sizes of the nanomaterial Bi2Fe4-xZnxO9 (0.0 ≤ x ≤ 0.05) have been calculated and found to be 23.54 and 45.65 nm, respectively. The results of the atomic force microscopy (AFM) investigations show that spherical shape nanoparticles have grown and are densely packed around each other. AFM/scanning electron microscopy images, however, also illustrate that spherical nanoparticles transform into nanorod-like nanostructures with an increase in Zn concentrations. The transmission electron micrography images of Bi2Fe4-xZnxO9 (x = 0.05) showed elongated/spherical shape grains homogeneously distributed throughout the inside of the surface of the sample. The dielectric constants of Bi2Fe4-xZnxO9 (0.0 ≤ x ≤ 0.05) materials have been calculated and found to be 32.95 and 55.32. It is found that the dielectric properties improve with an increase in the Zn doping concentration, making it a good potential contender for multifunctional modern technological applications.

Fabrication of Nanoformulation Containing Carvedilol and Silk Protein Sericin against Doxorubicin Induced Cardiac Damage in Rats.

Nanotechnology has emerged as an inspiring tool for the effective delivery of drugs to help treat Coronary heart disease (CHD) which represents the most prevalent reason for mortality and morbidity globally. The current study focuses on the assessment of the cardioprotective prospective ofanovel combination nanoformulation of sericin and carvedilol. Sericin is a silk protein obtained from Bombyx mori cocoon and carvedilol is a synthetic nonselective ß-blocker. In this present study, preparation of chitosan nanoparticles was performed via ionic gelation method and were evaluated for cardioprotective activity in doxorubicin (Dox)-induced cardiotoxicity. Serum biochemical markers of myocardial damage play a substantial role in the analysis of cardiovascular ailments and their increased levels have been observed to be significantly decreased in treatment groups. Treatment groups showed a decline in the positivity frequency of the Troponin T test as well. The NTG (Nanoparticle Treated Group), CSG (Carvedilol Standard Group), and SSG (Sericin Standard Group) were revealed to have reduced lipid peroxide levels (Plasma and heart tissue) highly significantly at a level of p < 0.01 in comparison with the TCG (Toxic Control Group). Levels of antioxidants in the plasma and the cardiac tissue were also established to be within range of the treated groups in comparison to TCG. Mitochondrial enzymes in cardiac tissue were found to be elevated in treated groups. Lysosomal hydrolases accomplish a significant role in counteracting the inflammatory pathogenesis followed by disease infliction, as perceived in the TCG group. These enzyme levels in the cardiac tissue were significantly improved after treatment with the nanoformulation. Total collagen content in the cardiac tissue of the NTG, SSG, and CSG groups was established to be highly statistically significant at p < 0.001 as well as statistically significant at p < 0.01, respectively. Hence, the outcomes of this study suggest that the developed nanoparticle formulation is effective against doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity.

Receptor for Advanced Glycation End Products: Dementia and Cognitive Impairment.

The pathophysiological processes of dementia and cognitive impairment are linked to advanced glycation end products (AGEs) and their receptor (RAGE).The neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) of abnormally hyperphosphorylated tau protein and senile plaques (SPs), which are brought on by amyloid beta (Aß) deposition, are the hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease (AD), a progressive neurodegenerative condition. Advanced glycation end products that are produced as a result of vascular dysfunction are bound by the receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE). Dementia and cognitive impairment could develop when RAGE binds to Aß and produces reactive oxygen species, aggravating Aß buildup and ultimately resulting in SPs and NFTs. RAGE could be a more powerful biomarker than Aß because it is implicated in early AD. The resident immune cells in the brain known as microglia are essential for healthy brain function. Microglia is prominent in the amyloid plaques' outside border as well as their central region in Alzheimer's disease. Microglial cells, in the opinion of some authors, actively contribute to the formation of amyloid plaques. In this review, we first discuss the early diagnosis of dementia and cognitive impairment, and then detail the interaction between RAGE and Aß and Tau that is necessary to cause dementia and cognitive impairment pathology, and it is anticipated that the creation of RAGE probes will help in the diagnosis and treatment of dementia and cognitive impairment.

Repurposing of Drugs for Cardiometabolic Disorders: An Out and Out Cumulation.

Cardiometabolic disorders (CMD) is a constellation of metabolic predisposing factors for atherosclerosis such as insulin resistance (IR) or diabetes mellitus (DM), systemic hypertension, central obesity, and dyslipidemia. Cardiometabolic diseases (CMDs) continue to be the leading cause of mortality in both developed and developing nations, accounting for over 32% of all fatalities globally each year. Furthermore, dyslipidemia, angina, arrhythmia, heart failure, myocardial infarction (MI), and diabetes mellitus are the major causes of death, accounting for an estimated 19 million deaths in 2012. CVDs will kill more than 23 million individuals each year by 2030. Nonetheless, new drug development (NDD) in CMDs has been increasingly difficult in recent decades due to increased costs and a lower success rate. Drug repositioning in CMDs looks promising in this scenario for launching current medicines for new therapeutic indications. Repositioning is an ancient method that dates back to the 1960s and is mostly based on coincidental findings during medication trials. One significant advantage of repositioning is that the drug's safety profile is well known, lowering the odds of failure owing to undesirable toxic effects. Furthermore, repositioning takes less time and money than NDD. Given these facts, pharmaceutical corporations are becoming more interested in medication repositioning. In this follow-up, we discussed the notion of repositioning and provided some examples of repositioned medications in cardiometabolic disorders.

Synthesis and applications of graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) based membranes for wastewater treatment: A critical review.

Semiconducting membrane combined with nanomaterials is an auspicious combination that may successfully eliminate diverse waste products from water while consuming little energy and reducing pollution. Creating an inexpensive, steady, flexible, and diversified business material for membrane production is a critical challenge in membrane technology development. Because of its unusual structure and high catalytic activity, graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) has come out as a viable material for membranes. Furthermore, their great durability, high permanency under challenging environments, and long-term use without decrease in flux are significant advantages. The advanced material techniques used to manage the molecular assembly of g-C3N4 for separation membrane were detailed in this review work. The progress in using g-C3N4-based membranes for water treatment has been detailed in this presentation. The review delivers an updated description of g-C3N4 based membranes and their separation functions and new ideas for future enhancements/adjustments to address their weaknesses in real-world situations. Finally, the ongoing problems and promising future research directions for g-C3N4-based membranes are discussed.

Monitoring built-up area expansion led by industrial transformation in Delhi using geospatial techniques.

Historically, industrialization has been a catalyst for built-up expansion generated by economic growth that transforms a landscape. In India, there is a paucity of exploration into how the economic shift transforms the cityscape. Therefore, the objective of current research work was to monitor built-up growth induced by industrialization using Landsat datasets and registered industry data. The k-means clustering technique was applied for assessing land use/land cover, Shannon entropy for sprawl, and Pearson for correlation between industrial growth and built-up expansion. The results manifest exponential trend in industrialization with 102-year registered industry record along with increase in built-up density from 0.30 in 1989 to 0.69 by 2019 and in the entire Delhi; it rose from 0.16 to 0.39. Furthermore, Shannon entropy confirmed the sprawl and the strong positive correlation was found among built-up of industrial areas and built-up of Delhi and registered industries. The striking chorological change in industrial as well as city's landscape was observed co-occurring with the dynamics of economic reforms. The outcome of current research could be utilized for the sustainable planning of industrial landscape in Delhi and cities with alike geographical conditions.

Meticulous parade on naringin respecting its pharmacological activities and novel formulations.

Objective: Medicinal plants having antioxidant potential possess numerous constituents which are responsible for different beneficial effects and are used as an alternative resource of medicine to lessen diseases linked with oxidative stress. Flavonoids are identified in the plants since ages and display wide spectrum of biological actions that might be able to stimulate the steps which are disturbed in different diseases. Flavonoids are significant natural compounds with various biologic properties, among which the most common is the anti-oxidant potential. Citrus flavonoids establish an important stream of flavonoids. Naringin, very common flavonoids present in the diet, belongs to the family of flavanone. It is the principal constituent of citrus family that contains flavonoids for example tomatoes, grapefruits and oranges. Materials and Methods: In this article, we reviewed naringin with respect to sources, chemical property, pharmacokinetics, pharmacological activity, and novel formulations. The literature survey has been done by searching different databases such as Psyc INFO, Science Direct, PubMed, EMBASE, Google, Google Scholar, Medline. Results: Naringin is known to behave as an antioxidant and possess anti-inflammatory, anti-apoptotic, anti-atherosclerotic, neuroprotective, anti-psychotic, anti-asthmatic, anti-diabetic, hepatoprotective, anti-tussive, cardioprotective, and anti-obesity activity. Further clinical studies using large sample sizes remain essential to obtain the appropriate dose and form of naringin for averting diseases. Furthermore, the therapeutic approach of these bioflavonoids is significantly inappropriate due to the lack of clinical evidence. Different plants must be explored further to find these bioflavonoids in them. Conclusion: The results of this exploration provides biological actions of bioflavonoid (naringin), predominantly on pharmacological and novel dosage forms of naringin.

Aftermath of AGE-RAGE Cascade in the pathophysiology of cardiovascular ailments.

Amidst several pathophysiological cascades, Advanced Glycation End products (AGEs) have been identified as a pivotal aetiology behind the pathogenesis and progression of cardiovascular disorders, by inducing oxidative stress and inflammation of myocardial and vascular tissues. Non-enzymatic glycation of reducing sugars with amino acids in proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids produce AGEs, which are a diverse set of compounds. Although AGEs are mostly generated endogenously, current research suggests that nutrition is a major exogenous source of AGEs. Extracellular and intracellular structure and function are affected by the presence and accumulation of AGEs in several cardiac cell types. AGEs give rise to several microvascular and macrovascular problems by establishing cross-links between molecules in the extracellular matrix's basement membrane as well as interacting with receptors for advanced glycation end products (RAGE). The transcription factor nuclear factor kappa B and its RAGE target genes are upregulated when RAGE is activated by AGEs. Engagement increases oxidative stress and triggers inflammatory and fibrotic responses, all of which contribute to the onset and progression of life-threatening cardiovascular diseases. This article discusses the probable targets of glycation in cardiac cells, as well as the underlying mechanisms that lead to heart failure.

Pleiotropic Benefits of Statins in Cardiovascular Diseases.

In 1976, Japanese microbiologist Akira Endo discovered the first statin as a product of the fungus Penicillium citrinum that inhibited the activity of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase. Their primary mode of action is to lower the blood cholesterol by decreasing hepatic cholesterol production, which upregulates hepatic low-density lipoprotein (LDL) receptors and increases LDL-cholesterol clearance. In addition to cholesterol lowering, statins inhibit other downstream products of the mevalonate pathway, causing the so-called pleiotropic effects. As a result of their pleiotropic effects statins modulate virtually all known processes of atherosclerosis and have beneficial effects outside the cardiovascular system Statins inhibit the post-translational prenylation of small GTP-binding proteins such as Rho, Rac, as well as their downstream effectors such as Rho kinase and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidases since they suppress the synthesis of isoprenoid intermediates in the cholesterol biosynthetic pathway altering the expression of endothelial nitric oxide synthase, the stability of atherosclerotic plaques, production of proinflammatory cytokines, reactive oxygen species, platelet reactivity, development of cardiac hypertrophy and fibrosis in cell culture and animal experiments. Inhibition of Rho and Rho-associated coiled-coil containing protein kinase (ROCK), has emerged as the principle mechanisms underlying the pleiotropic effects of statins. However, the relative contributions of statin pleiotropy to clinical outcomes are debatable and difficult to measure because the amount of isoprenoid inhibition by statins corresponds to some extent with the amount of LDL-cholesterol decrease. This article examines some of the existing molecular explanations underlying statin pleiotropy and discusses if they have clinical relevance in cardiovascular diseases.

Root-Knot Disease Suppression in Eggplant Based on Three Growth Ages of Ganoderma lucidum.

This investigation presents a novel finding showing the effect of culture filtrates (CFs) of macrofungi, Ganoderma lucidum, against Meloidogyne incognita evaluated in vitro and in planta. To determine the nematicidal activity, juveniles of M. incognita were exposed to Ganoderma CFs of three different ages (Two, four and eight weeks old) of pileus and stipe at different concentrations, i.e., 100%, 50%, 10% and 1% for different time intervals (12, 24, 48 and 72 h). Ganoderma species were examined morphologically based on external appearance and analytically using SEM. The ethanolic samples of basidiocarp were prepared and analyzed for in vitro nematicidal assay and different bioactive compounds. The in vitro experiment results revealed that among all three ages of pileus and stipe, two-week-old pileus and stipe exhibited great nematotoxic potency and caused 83.8% and 73.8% juveniles' mortality at 100% concentration after 72 h of exposure time, respectively. Similarly, the two-week-old pileus and stipe showed the highest egg hatching inhibition of 89.2% and 81.0% at the 100% concentration after five days. The eight-week-old pileus and stipe were not more effective than the two- and four-week-old pileus and stipe. The metabolites were characterized using GC-MS, including sugar alcohol, steroids, silanes, glucosides, pyrones, ester, oleic acid, phthalic acid, linoleic acid, palmitates and ketones. The in planta study conducted in the greenhouse demonstrated that the root dip treatment for 30 min with Ganoderma CFs curtailed the infection level of M. incognita and promoted the eggplant plant growth. The maximum percent increase in plant length, plant fresh weight, plant dry weight, total chlorophyll, carotenoids and yield/plant was obtained at 100% conc. of fungus CFs, whereas a reduction was observed in nematode infestation parameters. It was concluded from the study that Ganoderma CFs can be explored as an effective and eco-friendly antinemic biocontrol agent in fields infected with root-knot nematodes.

Isolation and optimization of extracellular PHB depolymerase producer Aeromonas caviae Kuk1-(34) for sustainable solid waste management of biodegradable polymers.

Bioplastics, synthesized by several microbes, accumulates inside cells under stress conditions as a storage material. Several microbial enzymes play a crucial role in their degradation. This research was carried to test the biodegradability of poly-ß-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) utilizing PHB depolymerase, produced by bacteria isolated from sewage waste soil samples. Potent PHB degrader was screened based on the highest zone of hydrolysis followed by PHB depolymerase activity. Soil burial method was employed to check their degradation ability at different incubation periods of 15, 30, and 45 days at 37±2°C, pH 7.0 at 60% moisture with 1% microbial inoculum of Aeromonas caviae Kuk1-(34) (MN414252). Without optimized conditions, 85.76% of the total weight of the PHB film was degraded after 45 days. This degradation was confirmed with Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and Scanning electron microscope (SEM) analysis. The presence of bacterial colonies on the surface of the degraded film, along with crest, holes, surface erosion, and roughness, were visible. Media optimization was carried out in statistical mode using Plackett Burman (PB) and Central Composite Design (CCD) of Response Surface Methodology (RSM) by considering ten different factors. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), Pareto chart, response surface plots, and F-value of 3.82 implies that the above statistical model was significant. The best production of PHB depolymerase enzyme (14.98 U/mL) was observed when strain Kuk1-(34) was grown in a media containing 0.1% PHB, K2HPO4 (1.6 gm/L) at 27 ℃ for seven days. Exploiting these statistically optimized conditions, the culture was found to be a suitable candidate for the management of solid waste, where 94.4% of the total weight of the PHB film was degraded after 45 days of incubation.

Green Nanotechnology: Plant-Mediated Nanoparticle Synthesis and Application.

The key pathways for synthesizing nanoparticles are physical and chemical, usually expensive and possibly hazardous to the environment. In the recent past, the evaluation of green chemistry or biological techniques for synthesizing metal nanoparticles from plant extracts has drawn the attention of many researchers. The literature on the green production of nanoparticles using various metals (i.e., gold, silver, zinc, titanium and palladium) and plant extracts is discussed in this study. The generalized mechanism of nanoparticle synthesis involves reduction, stabilization, nucleation, aggregation and capping, followed by characterization. During biosynthesis, major difficulties often faced in maintaining the structure, size and yield of particles can be solved by monitoring the development parameters such as temperature, pH and reaction period. To establish a widely accepted approach, researchers must first explore the actual process underlying the plant-assisted synthesis of a metal nanoparticle and its action on others. The green synthesis of NPs is gaining attention owing to its facilitation of the development of alternative, sustainable, safer, less toxic and environment-friendly approaches. Thus, green nanotechnology using plant extract opens up new possibilities for the synthesis of novel nanoparticles with the desirable characteristics required for developing biosensors, biomedicine, cosmetics and nano-biotechnology, and in electrochemical, catalytic, antibacterial, electronics, sensing and other applications.

Nemato-toxic analysis of several chopped plant leaves against Meloidogyne incognita affecting tomato In vitro and In pots.

Tomato plant is affected by several pathogens, including root-knot nematodes (RKNs), belonging to the genus Meloidogyne. Meloidogyne incognita is among the most potent pests infecting tomato roots. Therefore, it is of interest to discuss the management of Meloidogyne incognita using selected botanicals such as Cammelina benghalensis, Evolvulus nummularius, Gomphrena celosioides, Lindenbergia indica, Scoparia dulcis and Vernonia cinerea. The second-stage juveniles (J2s) of M. incognita were directly treated with the aqueous extracts of the botanicals at varied concentration ranging from 10-100%. 100% concentration of Lindenbergia indica was found to be the most toxic against the survival of J2s of M. incognita as compared to other concentrations. In vitro tests also showed the maximum inhibition in egg hatching at 100% concentration after seven days in the extract of Lindenbergia indica. Moreover, botanicals significantly reduced the infestations in relation to number of root galls, eggmasses/root and nematode population/250 g soil in pots. The plant treated with Scoparia dulcis leaves showed the highest nematicidal efficacy with maximum reductions in all the pathological parameters as compared to the untreated control. All treatments resulted in increased growth, physiological parameters and decreased pathological parameters of tomato.

Adult brain neurons require continual expression of the schizophrenia-risk gene Tcf4 for structural and functional integrity.

The schizophrenia-risk gene Tcf4 has been widely studied in the context of brain development using mouse models of haploinsufficiency, in utero knockdown and embryonic deletion. However, Tcf4 continues to be abundantly expressed in adult brain neurons where its functions remain unknown. Given the importance of Tcf4 in psychiatric diseases, we investigated its role in adult neurons using cell-specific deletion and genetic tracing in adult animals. Acute loss of Tcf4 in adult excitatory neurons in vivo caused hyperexcitability and increased dendritic complexity of neurons, effects that were distinct from previously observed effects in embryonic-deficiency models. Interestingly, transcriptomic analysis of genetically traced adult-deleted FACS-sorted Tcf4-knockout neurons revealed that Tcf4 targets in adult neurons are distinct from those in the embryonic brain. Meta-analysis of the adult-deleted neuronal transcriptome from our study with the existing datasets of embryonic Tcf4 deficiencies revealed plasma membrane and ciliary genes to underlie Tcf4-mediated structure-function regulation specifically in adult neurons. The profound changes both in the structure and excitability of adult neurons upon acute loss of Tcf4 indicates that proactive regulation of membrane-related processes underlies the functional and structural integrity of adult neurons. These findings not only provide insights for the functional relevance of continual expression of a psychiatric disease-risk gene in the adult brain but also identify previously unappreciated gene networks underpinning mature neuronal regulation during the adult lifespan.