Enhanced capacity of thiol-functionalized sugarcane bagasse and rice husk biochars for arsenite sorption in aqueous solutions.

The utilization of biowastes for producing biochar to remove potentially toxic elements from water represents an important pathway for aquatic ecosystem decontamination. Here we explored the significance of thiol-functionalization on sugarcane bagasse biochar (Th/SCB-BC) and rice husk biochar (Th/RH-BC) to enhance arsenite (As(III)) removal capacity from water and compared their efficiency with both pristine biochars (SCB-BC and RH-BC). The maximum As(III) sorption was found on Th/SCB-BC and Th/RH-BC (2.88 and 2.51 mg g-1, respectively) compared to the SCB-BC and RH-BC (1.51 and 1.40 mg g-1). Relatively, a greater percentage of As(III) removal was obtained with Th/SCB-BC and Th/RH-BC (92% and 83%, respectively) at a pH 7 compared to pristine SCB-BC and RH-BC (65% and 55%) at 6 mg L-1 initial As(III) concentration, 2 h contact time and 1 g L-1 sorbent dose. Langmuir (R2 = 0.99) isotherm and pseudo-second-order kinetic (R2 = 0.99) models provided the best fits to As(III) sorption data. Desorption experiments indicated that the regeneration ability of biochars decreased and it was in the order of Th/SCB-BC (88%) > Th/RH-BC (82%) > SCB-BC (77%) > RH-BC (69%) up to three sorption-desorption cycles. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy results demonstrated that the thiol (-S-H) functional groups were successfully grafted on the surface of two biochars and as such contributed to enhance As(III) removal from water. Spectroscopic data indicated that the surface functional moieties, such as -S-H, - OH, - COOH, and C = O were involved to increase As(III) sorption on thiol-functionalized biochars. This study highlights that thiol-grafting on both biochars, notably on SCB-BC, enhanced their ability to remove As(III) from water, which can be used as an effective technique for the treatment of As from drinking water.

Chemical Composition, Repellent, and Oviposition Deterrent Potential of Wild Plant Essential Oils against Three Mosquito Species.

In this study, the chemical composition, repellent, and oviposition deterrent effects of five plant essential oils (EOs) extracted from Lantana camara (Verbenaceae), Schinus terebinthifolia (Anacardiaceae), Callistemon viminalis (Myrtaceae), Helichrysum odoratissimum (Asteraceae), and Hyptis suaveolens (Lamiaceae) were evaluated against Aedes aegypti, Anopheles gambiae, and Culex quinquefasciatus. When tested at 33.3 µg/cm2, L. camara, S. terebinthifolia, C. viminalis, and H. odoratissimum were effective repellents against Ae. aegypti (89%, 91%, 90%, and 51% repellency, respectively), but they were less repellent against An. gambiae (66%, 86%, 59%, and 49% repellency, respectively). Interestingly, L. camara, S. terebinthifolia, C. viminalis, and H. odoratissimum exhibited 100% repellency against Cx. quinquefasciatus at 33.3 µg/cm2. In time-span bioassays performed at 333 µg/cm2, the EO of L. camara exhibited 100% repellence against Ae. aegypti and An. gambiae for up to 15 min and against Cx. quinquefasciatus for 75 min. The oviposition bioassays revealed that L. camara exhibited the highest activity, showing 85%, 59%, and 89% oviposition deterrence against Ae. aegypti, An. gambiae, and Cx. quinquefasciatus, respectively. The major compounds of L. camara, S. terebinthifolia, and C. viminalis were trans-ß-caryophyllene (16.7%), α-pinene (15.5%), and 1,8-cineole (38.1%), respectively. In conclusion, the L. camara and S. terebinthifolia EOs have the potential to be natural mosquito repellents.

Anti-pruritic effect of L-carnitine against chloroquine-induced pruritus mediated via nitric oxide pathway.

BACKGROUND: Pruritus, or itching, is a distressing symptom associated with various dermatological and systemic diseases. L-carnitine (ßeta hydroxy-γ-tri methyl amino-butyric acid), is a naturally occurring substance, it controls numerous physiological processes. The present research aims to identify L-carnitine for its anti-pruritic effect via nitric oxide-dependent mechanism. METHODS: Chloroquine-induced pruritus serves as an experimental model to investigate possible therapeutic interventions. In this study, we evaluated the efficacy of L-carnitine in combating oxidative stress, nitric oxide, and inflammatory cytokines in a chloroquine-induced pruritus model. RESULTS: L-carnitine treatment significantly reduced scratching behavior compared to the disease group (***P < 0.001 vs. chloroquine group), indicating its antipruritic potential. The markers of oxidative stress, GST, GSH, Catalase, and LPO were dysregulated in the disease model, but administration of L-carnitine restored GST, GSH, and Catalase levels and decreased LPO levels (***P < 0.001 vs. chloroquine group), thereby alleviating oxidative stress. L-carnitine also reduced nitric oxide synthase (NOS) activity, suggesting that it modulates nitric oxide signaling pathways involved in pruritus. In addition, L-carnitine lowered levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), inflammatory marker nuclear factor kappa B (p-NFκB) and also reduces an inflammatory enzyme, cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), determined by ELISA (Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay) (***P < 0.001 vs. chloroquine group). It downregulates nNOS mRNA expression confirmed by real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). CONCLUSION: These findings highlight the therapeutic effects of L-carnitine in alleviating chloroquine-induced pruritus.

Genome-wide association studies identifies genetic loci related to fatty acid and branched-chain amino acid metabolism and histone modifications under varying nitrogen treatments in safflower (Carthamus tinctorius).

Effective identification and usage of genetic variation are prerequisites for developing nutrient-efficient cultivars. A collection of 94 safflower (Carthamus tinctorius ) genotypes (G) was investigated for important morphological and photosynthetic traits at four nitrogen (N) treatments. We found significant variation for all the studied traits except chlorophyll b (chl b ) among safflower genotypes, nitrogen treatments and G×N interaction. The examined traits showed a 2.82-50.00% increase in response to N application. Biological yield (BY) reflected a significantly positive correlation with fresh shoot weight (FSW), root length (RL), fresh root weight (FRW) and number of leaves (NOL), while a significantly positive correlation was also observed among carotenoids (C), chlorophyll a (chl a ), chl b and total chlorophyll content (CT) under all treatments. Superior genotypes with respect to plant height (PH), FSW, NOL, RL, FRW and BY were clustered into Group 3, while genotypes with better mean performance regarding chl a , chl b C and CT were clustered into Group 2 as observed in principal component analysis. The identified eight best-performing genotypes could be useful to develop improved nitrogen efficient cultivars. Genome-wide association analysis resulted in 32 marker-trait associations (MTAs) under four treatments. Markers namely DArT-45481731 , DArT-17812864 , DArT-15670279 and DArT-45482737 were found consistent. Protein-protein interaction networks of loci associated with MTAs were related to fatty acid and branched-chain amino acid metabolism and histone modifications.

Structural elucidation and anti-psoriasis activity of a novel polysaccharide from Saussurea Costus.

PSCP, a novel water-soluble polysaccharide, was extracted from the root of Saussurea costus and subsequently purified using DEAE-52 cellulose and Sephadax G-50 columns. The elucidation of its structure involved various techniques including HPGPC, FT-IR, HPLC-ELSD, GC-MS, NMR, AFM, and SEM. The results show that PSCP was a homogeneous heteropoly saccharide having molecular weight of 4131 Da and mainly composed of 1-α-D-Glcp-(-2-ß-D-Fruf-1-)23-2-ß-D-Fruf. The anti-psoriasis activity of PSCP was evaluated in imiquimod-induced psoriasis in Balb/C mice. This study revealed that treatment with PSCP resulted in a significant improvement in the pathological morphology of the skin and a reduction in the PASI score. Analysis of liver RNA-Seq data indicated that the MAPK signaling pathway may play a crucial role in the ability of PSCP to ameliorate psoriasis. PSCP was found to effectively inhibit the phosphorylation of JNK, ERK, and p38, as well as down-regulate the expression of the transcription factor AP-1 (c-fos and c-jun) in the nucleus, thereby reducing the expression of inflammatory factors. These findings suggest that PSCP holds promise as a novel therapeutic approach for the treatment of psoriasis.

Validating an Ultrasonographical Assessment Tool for Predicting Difficult Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy in a Tertiary Care Hospital.

BACKGROUND: Laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) is the preferred treatment option in non-complicated symptomatic cholelithiasis. In some cases, the surgery might be complicated by different factors resulting in difficult LC. Ultrasound remains the first-line modality for diagnosing symptomatic cholelithiasis; however, its role in predicting difficult LC remains unclear. The aim of this study was to validate an ultrasonographic scoring system in predicting difficult LC. METHODS: We prospectively enrolled patients undergoing LC in a tertiary care unit over six months. All adult (≥18 years) patients undergoing LC for symptomatic cholelithiasis were included. Patients were excluded if they refused to consent, and those who underwent cholecystectomy for indications other than cholelithiasis. Patients were stratified into two groups based on intra-operative difficulty (easy LC and difficult LC) and were compared. Our primary outcome was radiologic difficulty among these groups. Univariate analysis and kappa statistics were performed. RESULTS: We identified 68 patients with an overall mean (SD) age of 42.2 (12.3) years, a mean (SD) weight of 74.1 (10.9) kg, and 73.5% were female. Of the study cohort, 52 patients had easy LC and 16 patients experienced difficult LC. Amongst the total, 14.7% suffered from diabetes mellitus, 29.4% had hypertension, 7.4% had a known ischemic heart disease, and 63% had a body mass index (BMI) ≥30 kg/m2 with no statistically significant difference between the two groups. On the Chi-square test, there was no statistical difference between the two groups in terms of ultrasonographic difficulty (p>0.05). However, we found a Kappa value of -0.127 (p=0.275) corresponding to a strong disagreement between the intraoperative and ultrasonographic difficulty. CONCLUSION: Despite its role in diagnosing cholelithiasis, an ultrasonographic assessment did not have a role in predicting difficult LC according to the present study. Further studies are required to develop a scoring system for predicting difficult LC based on clinical, laboratory, and ultrasonographic assessment.

3D Printed Polymer Piezoelectric Materials: Transforming Healthcare through Biomedical Applications.

Three-dimensional (3D) printing is a promising manufacturing platform in biomedical engineering. It offers significant advantages in fabricating complex and customized biomedical products with accuracy, efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and reproducibility. The rapidly growing field of three-dimensional printing (3DP), which emphasizes customization as its key advantage, is actively searching for functional materials. Among these materials, piezoelectric materials are highly desired due to their linear electromechanical and thermoelectric properties. Polymer piezoelectrics and their composites are in high demand as biomaterials due to their controllable and reproducible piezoelectric properties. Three-dimensional printable piezoelectric materials have opened new possibilities for integration into biomedical fields such as sensors for healthcare monitoring, controlled drug delivery systems, tissue engineering, microfluidic, and artificial muscle actuators. Overall, this review paper provides insights into the fundamentals of polymer piezoelectric materials, the application of polymer piezoelectric materials in biomedical fields, and highlights the challenges and opportunities in realizing their full potential for functional applications. By addressing these challenges, integrating 3DP and piezoelectric materials can lead to the development of advanced sensors and devices with enhanced performance and customization capabilities for biomedical applications.

Genetic diversity and population structure of endangered rosewood from the Peruvian Amazon using ISSR markers

Rosewood, Aniba rosaeodora is an endangered species in Amazon forests and its natural stands have been heavily depleted due to over-exploitation for the cosmetic industry. This study aimed to investigate the genetic diversity and population structure of 90 rosewood accessions from eight localities in the Peruvian Amazon through 11 Inter Simple Sequence Repeats (ISSR) primers. The ISSR primers produced a sum of 378 bands, of which 375 (99.2%) were polymorphic, with an average polymorphism information content (PIC) value of 0.774. The mean effective number of alleles (Ne), Shannon informative index (I), gene diversity (He) and total gene diversity (Ht) were 1.485, 0.294, 0.453 and 0.252, respectively. Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) showed the presence of maximum variability within populations (88%). The Structure algorithm, neighbor joining and principal coordinate analysis (PCoA) grouped the 90 rosewood accessions into three main populations (A, B and C). Diversity indices at the inter-population level revealed a greater genetic diversity in population A, due to higher gene flow. The neighbor-joining analysis grouped populations A and B, while population C was found to be divergent at the inter population level. We concluded that population A reflects higher genetic diversity and should be prioritized for future management and conservation plans. (AU)