Seed biopriming with Ochrobactrum ciceri mediated defense responses in Zea mays (L.) against Fusarium rot.

Seed bio-priming is a simple and friendly technique to improve stress resilience against fungal diseases in plants. An integrated approach of maize seeds biopriming with Ochrobactrum ciceri was applied in Zn-amended soil to observe the response against Fusarium rot disease of Zea mays (L.) caused by Fusarium verticillioides. Initially, the pathogen isolated from the infected corn was identified as F. verticillioides based on morphology and sequences of the internally transcribed spacer region of the ribosomal RNA gene. Re-inoculation of maize seed with the isolated pathogen confirmed the pathogenicity of the fungus on the maize seeds. In vitro, the inhibitory potential of O. ciceri assessed on Zn-amended/un-amended growth medium revealed that antifungal potential of O. ciceri significantly improved in the Zn-amended medium, leading to 88% inhibition in fungal growth. Further assays with different concentrations (25, 50, and 75%) of cell pellet and the cultural filtrate of O. ciceri (with/without the Zn-amendment) showed a dose-dependent inhibitory effect on mycelial growth of the pathogen that also led to discoloration, fragmentation, and complete disintegration of the fungus hyphae and spores at 75% dose. In planta, biopriming of maize seeds with O. ciceri significantly managed disease, improved the growth and biochemical attributes (up to two-fold), and accelerated accumulation of lignin, polyphenols, and starch, especially in the presence of basal Zn. The results indicated that bioprimed seeds along with Zn as the most promising treatment for managing disease and improving plant growth traits through the enhanced accumulation of lignin, polyphenols, and starch, respectively.

Effects of vermicompost on soil microbiological properties in lettuce rhizosphere: An environmentally friendly approach for sustainable green future.

The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of vermicompost on the biological and microbial properties of lettuce rhizosphere in an agricultural field in Samsun, Turkey. The experiment was conducted in a completely randomised design (CRD) and included four vermicompost dosages (0%, 1%, 2%, and 4%) and two application methods (with and without plants). Batavia lettuce was selected as the test plant due to its sensitivity to environmental conditions and nutrient deficiencies. The study evaluated the changes in organic matter (OM), pH, electrical conductivity (EC), carbon dioxide (CO2), dehydrogenase activity (DHA), microbial biomass carbon (MBC), and catalase activity (CA) in the rhizosphere of lettuce plants treated with different vermicompost levels (0%, 1%, 2%, and 4%). The findings showed that vermicompost application significantly increased chlorophyll content in lettuce plants, with the highest content observed in plants treated with V1 compared to the control. Different vermicompost concentrations also influenced chlorophyll b and total chlorophyll levels, with positive effects observed at lower concentrations than the control. Plant height and fresh weight were highest in plants treated with V2, indicating the positive impact of vermicompost on plant growth. Additionally, vermicompost application increased plant dry weight and improved soil properties such as pH, organic matter content, and microbial activity. The findings showed that vermicompost increased the rhizosphere's microbial biomass and metabolic activity, which can be beneficial for plant growth and disease suppression. The study highlights the importance of understanding the effects of organic amendments on soil properties and the microbial community in the rhizosphere, which can contribute to sustainable agricultural practices. Overall, the results suggest that vermicompost can be used as an effective organic amendment for enhancing plant growth and improving soil properties in agricultural fields. Moreover, based on the data, it can be suggested that a dose between 1% and 2% vermicompost is beneficial for the overall growth of plants.

Investigation of antimicrobial and anti-cancer activity of thermally sensitive SnO2 nanostructures with green-synthesized cauliflower morphology at ambient weather conditions.

A tin oxide (SnO2) nanostructure was prepared using Matricaria recutita leaf extract to investigate its anticancer activity against SK-MEL-28 cells. The tetragonal crystal structure of tin oxide nanoparticles with an average crystal size of 27 nm was confirmed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. The tetragonal crystal structure of the tin oxide nanoparticles, with an average crystallite size of 27 nm, was confirmed by XRD an absorbance peak at 365 nm was identified by UV-visible spectroscopy analysis as belonging to the bio-mediated synthesis of SnO2 nanoparticles. The SnO2 NPs are capped and stabilized with diverse functional groups derived from bioactive molecules, including aldehydes, benzene rings, amines, alcohols, and carbonyl stretch protein molecules. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis validated the presence of these capping and stabilizing chemical bonds. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) studies revealed the cauliflower-shaped morphology of the SnO2 nanoparticles with an average particle size of 28 nm. The antimicrobial activity of both prepared and encapsulated samples confirmed their biological activities. Furthermore, both prepared and encapsulated tin oxide samples exhibited excellent anticancer activity against SK-MEL-28 human cancer cells. The present study introduces a reliable and uncomplicated approach to produce SnO2 nanoparticles and demonstrates their effectiveness in various applications, including cancer therapy, drug administration, and disinfectant.

Synthesis and Antimicrobial Analysis of High Surface Area Strontium-Substituted Calcium Phosphate Nanostructures for Bone Regeneration.

Continuous microwave-assisted flow synthesis has been used as a simple, more efficient, and low-cost route to fabricate a range of nanosized (<100 nm) strontium-substituted calcium phosphates. In this study, fine nanopowder was synthesized via a continuous flow synthesis with microwave assistance from the solutions of calcium nitrate tetrahydrate (with strontium nitrate as Sr2+ ion source) and diammonium hydrogen phosphate at pH 10 with a time duration of 5 min. The morphological characterization of the obtained powder has been carried out by employing techniques such as transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller surface area analysis. The chemical structural analysis to evaluate the surface properties was made by using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Zeta potential analysis was performed to evaluate the colloidal stability of the particles. Antimicrobial studies were performed for all the compositions using four bacterial strains and an opportunistic human fungal pathogen Macrophomina phaseolina. It was found that the nanoproduct with high strontium content (15 wt% of strontium) showed pronounced antibacterial potential against M. luteus while it completely arrested the fungal growth after 48 h by all of its concentrations. Thus the synthesis strategy described herein facilitated the rapid production of nanosized Sr-substituted CaPs with excellent biological performance suitable for a bone replacement application.

Curcumin nanoparticles: physicochemical fabrication, characterization, antioxidant, enzyme inhibition, molecular docking and simulation studies.

Curcumin is an extensively studied natural compound due to its extensive biological applications. However, there are some drawbacks linked to this compound such as poor absorption, low water-solubility, quick systemic elimination, fast metabolism, poor pharmacokinetics, low bioavailability, low penetration targeting efficacy and low stability. To overcome these drawbacks, curcumin is encapsulated in nano-carriers. In the current studies, we synthesized nanoparticles of curcumin without using nanocarriers by different methods such as nano-suspension (Cur-NSM), sonication (Cur-SM) and anti-solvent precipitation (Cur-ASP) to enhance the solubility of curcumin in water. The prepared nanoparticles were characterized by FTIR, SEM and XRD analysis. These curcumin nanoparticles were screened for their solubilities in water, DPPH scavenging, amylase, α-glucosidase and ß-glucosidase enzymatic activities. The particle size of nano-curcumin was found to be in the 47.4-98.7 nm range. The reduction in particle size of curcumin dramatically increases its solubility in water to 79.2 µg mL-1, whereas the solubility of curcumin is just 0.98 µg mL-1. Cur-ASP showed the highest free radical scavenging potential (48.84 ± 0.98%) which was comparable with standard BHT (50.48 ± 1.11%) at 75.0 µg mL-1. As well, Cur-ASP showed the highest inhibition of α-amylase (68.67 ± 1.02%), α-glucosidase (58.30 ± 0.52%), and ß-glucosidase (64.80 ± 0.43%) at 100 µg mL-1 which is comparable with standard drug acarbose. The greater surface area of nanoparticles exposes the various groups of curcumin for blocking the binding sites of enzymes. This strategy may be helpful in designing curcumin as a potent therapeutic agent against diabetes mellitus. Further, the molecular interactions of curcumin with α-amylase, α-glucosidase, ß-glucosidase, and polyphenol oxidase were assessed by analyzing the plausible binding modes of curcumin in the binding pocket of each receptor. The best binding mode of curcumin was used to make complexes with the target proteins and their stability was confirmed by 50 ns MD simulation.

Sustainable, economical and rapid treatment of multiple lung diseases using therapeutic potential of curcumin nanoparticles.

The study was designed to prepare pure curcumin nanoparticles in rapid and simple way for target specific drug delivery to kill bacteria lying deep down within the alveoli of lungs via inhaler. Three different methods including evaporation precipitation of nanosuspension (ENP), solid dispersion (SD) and anti-solvent precipitation (ASP) were selected to prepare nanocurcumin in pure form in very simple way. This was done to compare their efficiency in terms of particle size obtained and water solubility and bacterial toxicity of as prepared curcumin nanoparticles. In this comparative study, curcumin NPs obtained from three different methods having particles size 65.3 nm, 98.7 nm and 47.4 nm respectively. The NPs were characterized using various techniques like SEM, XRD, UV-Visible and FTIR for their particle size determination and solubility evaluation. These particles were screened off against five bacterial strains causing lung diseases. AB3 prepared by ASP method, being smallest sized nanostructures, showed maximum solubility in water. These nanoparticles can be used as drug directly via inhaler to the target area without using any support or nano-carrier. In this way minimum dose formulation is required to target bacteria.

Controlled drug release contenders comprising starch/poly(allylamine hydrochloride) biodegradable composite films.

The blending of natural polysaccharides with synthetic polymers has attracted much attention in drug delivery models owing to their remarkable biodegradable and biocompatible characteristics. This study focuses on the facile preparation of a sequence of composite films having Starch/Poly(allylamine hydrochloride) (ST/PAH) in different compositions to propose a novel drug delivery system (DDS). ST/PAH blend films were developed and characterized. FT-IR evaluation confirmed the involvement of intermolecular H-bonding between the ST and PAH counterparts in blended films. The water contact angle (WCA) ranged from 71° to 100° indicating that all the films were hydrophobic. TPH-1 (90 % ST and 10 % PAH) was evaluated for in vitro controlled drug release (CDR) at 37 ± 0.5 °C in a time-dependent fashion. CDR was recorded in phosphate buffer saline (PBS) and simulated gastric fluid (SGF). In the case of SGF (pH 1.2), the percentile drug release (DR) for TPH-1 was approximately 91 % in 110 min, while the maximum DR was 95 % in 80 min in PBS (pH 7.4) solution. Our results demonstrate that the fabricated biocompatible blend films can be a promising candidate for a sustained-release DDS for oral drug administration, tissue engineering, wound dressings, and other biomedical applications.

Nanosecond Laser Induced Surface Structuring of Cadmium after Ablation in Air and Propanol Ambient.

In the present study KrF Excimer laser has been employed to irradiate the Cadmium (Cd) targets for various number of laser pulses of 500, 1000, 1500 and 2000, at constant fluence of 3.6 J cm-2. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) analysis was utilized to reveal the formation of laser induced nano/micro structures on the irradiated target (Cd) surfaces. SEM results show the generation of cavities, cracks, micro/nano wires/rods, wrinkles along with re-deposited particles during irradiation in air, whereas subsurface boiling, pores, cavities and Laser Induced Periodic Surface Structures (LIPSS) on the inner walls of cavities are revealed at the central ablated area after irradiation in propanol. The ablated volume and depth of ablated region on irradiated Cd targets are evaluated for various number of pulses and is higher in air as compared to propanol ambient. Fast Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS) and X-ray Diffraction (XRD) analyses show the presence of oxides and hydro-oxides of Cd after irradiation in propanol, whereas the existence of oxides is observed after irradiation in air ambient. Nano-hardness tester was used to investigate mechanical modifications of ablated Cd. It reveals an increase in hardness after irradiation which is more pronounced in propanol as compared to air.

Biodegradable Electrospun Nanofibrous Scaffolds for Bone Tissue Engineering.

Biodegradable nanocomposite scaffolds have been used for bone regeneration by serving as provisional template with optimal mechanical and biological properties analogous to native extracellular matrix (ECM). Their unique biomimicking structures aid in cell adhesion, differentiation, and proliferation with similar characteristics of the cells' ECM. Researchers are currently faced with a roadblock on ways to develop emerging process techniques to make biodegradable nanocomposite scaffolds and imitate these in exact synthetic ECM environments. This chapter particularly focuses on the technique of electrospinning for fabricating synthetic bone substitute materials for promoting bone repair and regeneration.

Use of cubic structure with primitive nanochannels for fabrication of free standing 3D nanowire network of Pt withPm3msymmetry.

In this work, we developed a lipid mixture based on phytantriol / polyoxyethylene surfactant (Brij-56) that forms aIm3msymmetry bicontinuous cubic phase based on the Schwartz primitive surface (QIIP), from which we templated highly ordered 3D nanoporous platinum with a novel 'single primitive' morphology (Pm3msymmetry). TheQIIPtemplate phase is obtained by incorporation of 17.5% w/w Brij-56 (C16EO10) (a type-I surfactant) into phytantriol under excess hydration conditions. Phytantriol alone forms the double diamondQIID(Pn3m) phase, and in previous studies incorporating Brij-56 at different compositions the cubic phase maintained this morphology, but increased its lattice parameter; mesoporous metals templated from theseQIIDlipid templates all exhibited the 'single diamond' (Fd3m) morphology. In contrast, the current paper presents the availability of ourQIIPcubic phases to template nanoporous materials of single primitivePm3mmorphology via chemical and electrochemical methods. To explore the structure porosity and morphological features of the templated Pt material, x-ray scattering and transmission electron microscopy are used. The resulting 3D nanoporous Pt materials are found to exhibit a regular network of Pt nanowires of âˆ¼4 nm in diameter with a unit cell dimension of 14.8 ± 0.8 nm, reflecting the aqueous network within theQIIPtemplate.

Biogenic Fabrication, Characterization and Drug Loaded Antimicrobial Assay of Silver Nanoparticles Using Centratherum anthalminticum (L.) Kuntze.

Bionanotechnology is considered a safe and ecofriendly route for the biosynthesis of metal nanoparticles from plant extracts, microorganisms, and biomaterials. The present study was focused on the fabrication of silver nanoparticles (<50 nm) biogenically from the novel Centratherum anthelmminticum's aqueous seed extract. The obtained nanoproduct was evaluated by X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), UV-Visible spectroscopy, FTIR and Raman spectroscopy. The particle size and surface charge were estimated by Dynamic light scattering (DLS) and Zeta potential measurements. The nanoparticles showed cubic close packed (ccp) morphology with miller indices (111), (200), (220), (311) and (222). The λmax for synthesized silver nanoparticles was measured in the range of 436 nm, 464 nm and 467 nm for 1 mM, 5 mM and 10 mM samples, respectively. The bioreduction of silver ions exhibited a gradual color change which confirms the formation of silver nanoparticles under UV-visible spectrum. Ag-O and Ag-N stretching vibrations corresponding to the bond formation between silver and oxygen of the carboxylate group and nitrogen of amine was corroborated by the presence of a sharp peak in Raman spectra at 245 cm-1. Antimicrobial activity was assessed against eight bacterial and three fungal strains. The silver nanoparticles fabricated from 10 mM AgNO3 solution showed significant results against all Gram-negative bacteria, with the further restriction in growth of C. albicans and A. niger. From in-vitro antimicrobial assay, it was observed that drug-loaded silver nanoparticles (Ciprofloxacin +10 mM) displayed a stronger potential than the synthesized silver nanoparticles and ciprofloxacin alone to restrain the development of E. coli, and E. aerogenes.

Load-bearing biodegradable PCL-PGA-beta TCP scaffolds for bone tissue regeneration.

A biocompatible and biodegradable scaffold with load-bearing ability is required to enhance the repair of bone defects by facilitating the attachment, and proliferation of cells, and vascularization during new bone formation. However, it is challenging to maintain the porosity and biodegradability, as well as mechanical properties (especially compressive strength), at the same time. Therefore, in the present work, a biodegradable composite structure of poly(caprolactone) (PCL) was designed using compression molding with varying amounts of poly(glycolic acid) (PGA) (25, 50, 75 wt%) and fixed amount (20 wt%) of beta tricalcium phosphate (beta TCP). It was hypothesized that the fabricated composite structure will develop porosity during the degradation of the PGA and that the corresponding decrease in mechanical properties will be compensated by new bone formation and ingrowth, in vivo. Accordingly, we have systematically studied the effects of sample composition on time-dependent dissolution and mechanical properties of the PGA/beta TCP scaffolds. The compressive strength increased up to ~92 MPa at 50% compression of the designed PCL-PGA samples. Furthermore, the dissolution rate, as well as weight loss, was observed to increase with an increase in the PGA amount in PCL. Based on the mechanical properties and dissolution data, it is concluded that the PCL-PGA scaffolds with beta TCP can be suitable candidates for bone tissue engineering applications, specifically for the reconstruction of bone defects, where strength and biodegradation are both important characteristics.

Fabrication of polylactic acid (PLA)-based porous scaffold through the combination of traditional bio-fabrication and 3D printing technology for bone regeneration.

Artificial bone grafts possess the advantages of good biodegradability, customizable dimensions, and sufficient mechanical properties, which can promote cell proliferation and differentiation in bone tissue regeneration. 3D printing is a delicate approach that endows the scaffolds with excellent controllability and repeatability when compared with conventional bio-fabrication methods. However, the limitation of printing resolution somehow makes it difficult to prepare bone defect substitution with high porosity and hierarchical construct. In this study, we utilized polylactic acid (PLA) as printing materials and developed a smart strategy to combine 3D printing technology with bio-fabrication methods. A porous planar scaffold was printed and then rolled up into a spiral structure with adjustable pore size and porosity. The topographic features and morphology of the artificial scaffolds were examined through stereomicroscope and SEM, respectively. The porous spiral scaffold presented good mechanical properties in a set of mechanical testing. Later, the human fetal osteoblasts (hFOB) were cultured on the porous spiral scaffold and its control groups for a total of 28 days. The MTS analysis, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) assay, and alizarin red S (ARS) staining were used to analyze the cell proliferation, osteogenic differentiation, and mineral deposition after a certain period of time. The results indicated that compared with the other two scaffolds, the porous spiral scaffold with larger surface area and better interconnections between internal porous networks could significantly improve the spatial cell compartment and promote cell growth and differentiation. The porous spiral scaffold may see versatile applications in large-volume bone defects regeneration.

Nanofibrous Nerve Conduits with Nerve Growth Factors and Bone Marrow Stromal Cells Pre-Cultured in Bioreactors for Peripheral Nerve Regeneration.

Peripheral nerve injury (PNI) was the leading cause of permanent dysfunction in movement and sensation. Synthesized nerve guide conduits (NGCs) with Schwann Cells (SCs) can help peripheral nerve regeneration. However, poor accessibility of SCs and lack of full coverage of seeded cells on NGCs can lead to failure of nerve regeneration across long gaps and full functional recovery. To overcome these limitations, bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) and a novel culture method were proposed in the current study. BMSCs were harvested and seeded on a never growth factor (NGF)-loaded PCL nanofibrous NGCs and cultured with a rotary cell culture system (RCCS) before implantation. The NGCs were tested in vitro with PC-12 cells to validate the bioactivity of released NGF and to access its ability to promote neurite extension. Also, the NGCs were tested in vivo with rat sciatic nerve model to exam its potential in bridging the long gap (15 mm segmental defect). The efficacy of the NGCs was investigated based on the results of the functional test, electrophysiology test, muscle atrophy, and histological analysis. The results of in vitro PC-12 cell study confirmed the bioactivity of released NGF and showed a significant increase in the neurite extension with the help of PEG-diamine and BSA. These results showed that the novel loading method could preserve the bioactivity of growth factors and achieve a sustained release in vitro. Besides, the results of the in vivo study exhibited a significant increase with the combination of all additives. These results showed that with the help of NGF and RCCS, the NGCs with the seeded BMSCs could enhance peripheral nerve regeneration across long nerve injury gaps.

Phytantriol based smart nano-carriers for drug delivery applications.

From the last couple of decades, lyotropic liquid crystals have garnered enormous attentions in medical and pharmaceutical sciences. Non-toxic, chemically stable, and biocompatible properties of these liquid crystal systems are contributing to their applications for drug delivery. Among a large variety of liquid crystal phases, inverse bicontinuous cubic and inverse hexagonal mesophases have been extensively investigated for their ability to encapsulate and controlled release of bioactive molecules of various sizes and polarity. The concept of changing the drug release rate in situ by simply changing the mesophase structure is much more fascinating. The encapsulation of bioactive compounds in mesophase systems of desirable features in sub-micron sized particles such as hexosomes and cubosomes, at ambient and high temperature is bringing innovation in the development of new drug applications. This review article outlines unique structural features of cubosomes and hexosomes, their methods of productions, factors affecting their formations and their potential utilization as smart nano-carriers for biopharmaceuticals in drug delivery applications.

Microbial-enhanced Selenium and Iron Biofortification of Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)--Applications in Phytoremediation and Biofortification.

Selenium (Se) is an essential trace element for humans and other mammals. Most dietary Se is derived from crops. To develop a Se biofortification strategy for wheat, the effect of selenate fertilization and bacterial inoculation on Se uptake and plant growth was investigated. YAM2, a bacterium with 99% similarity to Bacillus pichinotyi, showed many plant growth promoting characteristics. Inoculation with YAM2 enhanced wheat growth, both in the presence and absence of selenate: YAM2-inoculated plants showed significantly higher dry weight, shoot length and spike length compared to un-inoculated plants. Selenate also stimulated wheat growth; Un-inoculated Se-treated plants showed a significantly higher dry weight and shoot length compared to control plants without Se. Bacterial inoculation significantly enhanced Se concentration in wheat kernels (167%) and stems (252%), as well as iron (Fe) levels in kernels (70%) and stems (147%), compared to un-inoculated plants. Inoculated Se-treated plants showed a significant increase in acid phosphatase activity, which may have contributed to the enhanced growth. In conclusion; Inoculation with Bacillus sp. YAM2 is a promising Se biofortification strategy for wheat and potentially other crops.