Evaluation of heavy metal speciation in waters of Hirakud reservoir: a Ramsar site in India.

The growing concern of aquatic heavy metal (HM) pollution is dependent on the toxic nature of its bio-available form. Thus, bio-availability is guided by the HM fractionation in water. This study was therefore conducted to evaluate the spatial impact on physicochemical fractionation of HM (Zn, Mn, Cu, and Fe) in the waters of the Hirakud reservoir in India. Speciation along different pores using a filtration technique was adopted to fractionate the HMs in water samples. The result suggests that the water of the study area is polluted with Cu (0.22-0.35 mg/L), Mn (0.15-0.23 mg/L), and Fe (1.90-3.10 mg/L) that have crossed their permissible limits while Zn (0.17-0.97 mg/L) was within the permissible standard. When studied for physical partitioning, the right dyke was comparatively more polluted than the left dyke. While the water samples were dominated by the dissolved fraction of heavy metals, it was construed that a large proportion of the HMs are in bio-available form. Further, a distinct impact of spatial variation on metal fractionation was also evident in the study with PCA revealing site-specific behaviour. Therefore, it can be concluded that multiple anthropogenic activities lead to the distribution and fractionation of HMs in water.

Bio-availability of potential trace elements in urban dust, soil, and plants in arid northwest China.

Potential trace elements pollution in cities poses a threat to the environment and human health. Bio-availability affects toxicity levels of potential trace elementss on organisms. This study focused on exploring the relationship between soil, plant, and atmospheric dust pollution in Urumqi, a typical city in western China. It aims to help reduce pollution and protect residents' health. The following conclusions were drawn: 1) potential trace elementss like Cr, Pb, As, and Ni are more prevalent in atmospheric dust and soil than in plants. Chromium was in the first group, Cadmium and Mercury were in the second, and Plumb, Arsenic, and Nickel were in the third. Atmospheric dust and soil exhibit a significantly higher heavy metal content than plants. For example, The atmospheric dust summary Chromium content was up to 88 mg/kg. 2) Soil, atmospheric dust, and plants have the highest amount of residual form. Residual form had the highest percentage average of 53.3%, whereas Organic matter bound form had the lowest percentage of just 7.7%. The plants contained less residual heavy metal than the soil and atmospheric dust. 3) The correlation coefficient between the carbonated form content of Cd of soil and atmospheric dust is 0.95, which is closely related. Other potential trace elements show similar correlations in their bio-available contents in soil, plants, and atmospheric dust.This study suggests that in urban area, the focus should be on converting potential trace elements into residual form instead of increasing plants' absorption of potential trace elements.

The current research in China primarily examines heavy metal pollution in the atmosphere, soil, and plants individually. Although there is significant international research on heavy metal bio-availability in the environment, few studies have focused on the presence of heavy metals in soil, vegetation, and atmospheric dust.Therefore, this study focused on Urumqi, the capital of Xinjiang, a typical oasis city in the arid region. To understand the bio-availability and morphological characteristics of heavy metals (Cd, Pb, Hg, Cr, As, Ni) in the soil-plant-atmosphere of its urban expressway.This study aims to establish a theoretical basis for understanding the pollution hazards caused by heavy metals in oasis cities. It will have practical significance in maintaining urban ecology, promoting sustainable development, and safeguarding citizens' health.

The Recent Development of Luteolin-loaded Nanocarrier in Targeting Cancer.

INTRODUCTION: Luteolin (LUT), a naturally occurring flavonoid found in vegetables, fruits, and herbal medicines, has been extensively studied for its pharmacological activities, including anti-proliferative and anticancer effects on various cancer lines. It also exhibits potent antioxidant properties and pro-apoptotic activities against human cancers. However, its therapeutic potential is hindered by its poor solubility in water (5 µg/ml at 45°C) and low bioavailability. This research on the development of luteolin-loaded nanocarrier aims to overcome these limitations, thereby opening up new possibilities in cancer treatment. METHODS: This paper covers several nanoformulations studied to increase the solubility and bioavailability of LUT. The physicochemical characteristics of the nanoformulation that influence luteolin's solubility and bioavailability have been the subject of more in-depth investigation. Furthermore, it examines how LUT's anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties aid in lessening the side effects of chemotherapy. RESULTS: Most nanoformulations, including phytosomes, lipid nanoparticles, liposomes, protein nanoparticles, polymer micelles, nanoemulsions, and metal nanoparticles, have shown promising results in improving the solubility and bioavailability of LUT. This is a significant step forward in enhancing the therapeutic potential of LUT in cancer treatment. Furthermore, the study found that LUT's ability to scavenge free radicals can significantly reduce the side effects of cancer treatment, further highlighting its potential to improve patient outcomes. CONCLUSION: Nanoformulations, because of their unique surface and physiochemical properties, improve the solubility and bioavailability of LUT. However, poor in-vitro and in-vivo correlation and scalability of nanoformulations need to be addressed to achieve good clinical performance of LUT in oncology.

Bio-accessibility and bio-availability evaluation of each arsenic species existing in various edible seaweeds in vitro and in vivo for arsenic risk assessment.

Seaweeds consumption is one of main internal exposure sources of arsenic for human. However, the absence of representative bio-availabilities of arsenic species makes the accurate assessment of arsenic health risk originating from seaweeds consumption impossible. Herein, the arsenic species in various seaweeds collected from Fujian of China were investigated, and the bio-accessibilities/bio-availabilities of arsenic species existing in seaweeds were evaluated in vitro and in vivo. Results revealed that in vitro bio-availabilities of arsenic species presenting in seaweeds, which obtained with Caco-2 cells, were lower than those of pure arsenic standards, and varied with order of inorganic arsenic (iAs) > dimethylarsinic acid (DMA) ≈ arsenobetaine (AsB) > arsenosugars. During gastrointestinal digestion of mice, As5+ was partly methylated into monomethylarsonic acid (MMA) and DMA, which makes the in vivo bioavailability of iAs (⁓31.8 %) obtained with mouse metabolic experiment is much higher than its in vitro bio-availability (⁓10.3 %). The in vivo bio-availabilities of DMA and total arsenic (tAs) are similar to their in vitro bio-availabilities. As the dominant arsenic species in most seaweeds, arsenosugars have an ⁓0.0 % of in vivo bioavailability and only a ⁓3.7 % of in vitro bioavailability. The simulated calculation of target hazard quotient (THQ) and target cancer risk (TR) revealed that the arsenic risk originating from seaweeds was greatly degraded by taking into consideration of arsenic species and bio-availabilities, and all seaweeds collected from Fujian are safety for consumption. The simulated calculation also revealed that arsenic risk of seaweeds can be also more accurately assessed based on tAs together with bioavailability, which provides a simple but accurate and protective method for the risk assessment of arsenic originating from seaweeds. Our work provides the possible representative bio-availabilities of arsenic species presenting in seaweeds for accurately assessing arsenic risk of seaweeds, and novel insights into the bio-availabilities of arsenic in animal.

Common millet and soybean intercropping with bio-fertilizer as sustainable practice for managing grain yield and quality.

Climate changes are one of the biggest threats to food security. Sustainable agriculture, focused on eco-friendly practices for highly efficient food production, enables greater resilience and safety. This study experimented on intercropping and bio-fertilizer application as convenient ecological solutions for crop yield stability and quality. The experiment was conducted during 2018 and 2020 with soybean and common millet sown in three sowing patterns: alternating rows, alternating strips 1 (2 rows of soybean + 2 rows of millet), and alternating strips 2 (2 rows of soybean + 4 rows of millet), as well as sole crops (control), with or without a bio-fertilizer Coveron. Grain yield and nutrient grain yield response were calculated through land equivalent ratio (LER) and element-LER (E-LER), while quality was estimated based on the concentration of antioxidants (phytate phosphorus, total phenolic compounds, and yellow pigment) and elements in grains, including potential bio-availability of essential elements. Results revealed LER values to be >1 for all sowing patterns, with the highest one achieved in alternating strips 1 (1.38) together with a greater level of all antioxidants in millet grain. Intercropping significantly enhanced Fe and Mn accumulation in both crops and simultaneously decreased the concentration of potentially toxic elements (Al, Cr) in millet grain. Potential bio-availability of essential elements, expressed through the ratio between phytic acid and Ca, Mg, Fe, and Zn revealed smaller values in intercropped soybean and millet with the bio-fertilizer. The bio-fertilizer also increased the concentration of some micro-elements in millet grain, classifying it as a highly dependent plant to microbial inoculation. Interaction of intercropping and bio-fertilizer was most pronounced for LER, E-LER, and accumulation of Fe and Mn in grains. These results highlighted the benefits of soybean-common millet intercropping, especially in combination with the bio-fertilizer, in light of enhanced land utilization and nutrient absorption, thus increasing the resilience of soybean and millet under dry land conditions and low-input systems toward stability and food security.

Comparative analysis of metabolic mechanisms in the remediation of Cd-polluted alkaline soil in cotton field by biochar and biofertilizer.

To screen environmentally friendly and efficient Cd pollution remediation material, the effects of BC and BF on soil Cd bio-availability and cotton Cd absorption were analyzed under Cd exposure. Besides, the differences in metabolic mechanisms by which biochar (BC) and biofertilizer (BF) affect Cd-contaminated soil and cotton were also analyzed. The results showed that the application of BC and BF increased cotton dry matter accumulation, boll number, and single boll weight, and reduced the Cd content in cotton roots, stems, leaves, and bolls. At harvest, the Cd content in cotton roots in the BC and BF groups reduced by 15.23% and 16.33%, respectively, compared with that in the control. This was attributed to the conversion of carbonate-bound Cd (carbon-Cd) and exchangeable Cd (EX-Cd) by BC and BF into residual Cd (Res-Cd). It should be noted that the soil available Cd (Ava-Cd) content in the BF group was lower than that in the BC group. The metabolomic analysis results showed that for BC vs BF, the relative abundance of differential metabolites Caffeic acid, Xanthurenic acid, and Shikimic acid in soil and cotton roots were up-regulated. Mantel test found that cotton root exudate l-Histinine was correlated with the enrichment of Cd in various organs of cotton. Therefore, the application of BC and BF can alleviate Cd stress by reducing soil Ava-Cd content and cotton's Cd uptake, and BF is superior to BC in reducing Cd content in soil and cotton organs. This study will provide a reference for the development of efficient techniques for the remediation of Cd-polluted alkaline soil, and provide a basis for subsequent metagenomics analysis.

Kernel color and fertilization as factors of enhanced maize quality.

Maize is an important staple crop and a significant source of various nutrients. We aimed to determine the macronutrients, antioxidants, and essential elements in maize genotypes (white, yellow, and red kernel) using three different fertilizers, which could be used as a basis to increase the nutrient density of maize. The fertilizer treatments used bio- and organic fertilizers as a sustainable approach, urea, as a commonly used mineral fertilizer, and the control (no fertilization). We evaluated the yield, concentration of macronutrient (protein, oil, and starch), nonenzymatic antioxidants (phenolics, yellow pigment, total glutathione (GSH), and phytic phosphorus), and reduction capacity of the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical, as well as essential elements that are commonly deficient in the diet (Mg, Ca, Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, and S) and their relationships with phytic acid. The genotype expressed the strongest effect on the variability of grain yield and the analyzed grain constituents. The red-kernel hybrid showed the greatest accumulation of protein, oil, phenolics, and essential elements (Ca, Fe, Cu, and S) than a yellow and white hybrid, especially in the biofertilizer treatment. The yellow kernel had the highest concentrations of yellow pigment, GSH, phytic phosphorous, Mg, Mn, and Zn (19.61 µg g-1, 1,134 nmol g-1, 2.63 mg g-1, 1,963 µg g-1, 11.7 µg g-1, and 33.9 µg g-1, respectively). The white kernel had a greater starch concentration (2.5% higher than that in the red hybrid) and the potential bioavailability of essential metals, particularly under no fertilization. This supports the significance of white maize as a staple food in many traditional diets across the world. Urea was important for the enhancement of the antioxidant status (with 88.0% reduction capacity for the DPPH radical) and increased potential Zn bioavailability in the maize kernels (13.3% higher than that in the biofertilizer treatment). This study underlines the differences in the yield potential and chemical composition of red, yellow, and white-kernel maize and their importance as a necessary part of a sustainable human diet. This information can help determine the most appropriate genotype based on the antioxidants and/or essential elements targeted for kernel improvement.

Effect of probiotic fermentation on physico-chemical and nutritional parameters of milk-cereal based composite substrate.

Abstract: A dairy-cereal based composite substrate was prepared from whey-skim milk (60:40 v/v), germinated pearl millet flour (4.73% w/v) and liquid barley malt extract (3.27% w/v) and fermented using probiotic strain Lactobacillus acidophilus NCDC-13. Probiotic fermentation increased whiteness index, viscosity and water holding capacity of unfermented substrate. Fermentation caused a reduction in total solids, fat, ash and total dietary fibre content and increment in protein content. Fermentation brought a highly significant reduction in phytic acid (78%) and polyphenol (46%) content. The protein and starch digestibility increased significantly. The HCl- extractability of Ca, Fe, Mg and Zn of unfermented substrate was 32%, 25%, 64% and 17% respectively, which increased to 73%, 50%, 83% and 65% respectively after fermentation. Fermentation resulted in 77% decrease in phytate P as % of total P and significant increase in free P. The current investigation revealed that probiotic fermentation improved nutritional attributes of the composite substrate substantially. The low cost nutritionally enriched probiotic substrate can be utilized for preparation of a wide range of low- cost probiotic foods to address malnutrition and enhance immunity of common population.

Bio-Availability, Anticancer Potential, and Chemical Data of Lycopene: An Overview and Technological Prospecting.

The purpose of this review was to collect relevant chemical data about lycopene and its isomers, which can be extracted using different non-polar or polar aprotic solvents by SC-CO2 or biosynthesis as a friendly technique. Lycopene and other carotenoids can be identified and quantified by UV-Vis and HPLC using a C18 or C30 column, while their characterization is possible by UV-Vis, Fluorescence, FTIR, MS, NMR, and DSC assays. Among these techniques, the last four can compare lycopene isomers and identify cis or all-trans-lycopene. FTIR, MS, and NMR techniques are more suitable for the verification of the purity of lycopene extracts due to the signal complexity generated for each isomer, which enables identification by subtle differences. Additionally, some biological activities of lycopene isolated from red vegetables have already been confirmed, such as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and cytotoxic activity against cancer cells, probably by activating several pathways. The encapsulation of lycopene in nanoparticles demonstrated an improvement in oral delivery, and ex vivo assessments determined that these nanoparticles had better permeation and low cytotoxicity against human cells with enhanced permeation. These data suggest that lycopene has the potential to be applied in the food and pharmaceutical industries, as well as in cosmetic products.

Occurrence and dietary exposure risks of phthalate esters in food in the typical valley city Xi'an, Northwest China.

Diet is an important exposure pathway of phthalate esters (PAEs) for humans. A total of 174 food samples covering 11 food groups were collected from Xi'an, a typical valley city in Northwest China, and analyzed to assess the occurrence and exposure risks for PAEs in the food. Twenty-two PAEs were detected. The sum of the 22 PAEs (∑22PAEs) varied between 0.0340 and 56.8 µg/g, with a mean of 3.94 µg/g. The major PAEs were di-iso-butyl phthalate (DiBP), di-n-butyl phthalate (DnBP), bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), di-iso-nonyl phthalate (DiNP), and di-iso-decyl phthalate (DiDP), which were associated mainly with the usage of plasticizers. Bio-availability of the PAEs in the combined gastro-intestinal fluid simulant of digestion was higher than that in the single gastric or intestinal fluid simulant. Bis(2-methoxyethyl) phthalate exhibited the highest bio-availability in each of the three simulants. Bio-availability of the PAEs was negatively correlated with the molecular weight and octanol-water partition coefficient of the PAEs and positively correlated with the solubility and vapor pressure of the PAEs. The estimated daily intake (EDI) of PAEs based on national and municipal food consumption data was lower than the reference dose (RfD) of the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the tolerable dairy intake (TDI) of European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), except for the EDI of DnBP and DiBP being higher than the TDI of EFSA. Grains and vegetables were the major sources of human dietary exposure to PAEs. The hazardous quotient for human dietary exposure to PAEs was less than the critical value of 1 and the cancer risk of butyl benzyl phthalate and DEHP was in the range of 10-11-10-6, suggesting relatively low health risks. The results indicated that human exposure to DnBP, DiBP, DEHP, DiNP, and DiDP in food is considerable and a health concern.

Relationship of soil pH value and soil Pb bio-availability and Pb enrichment in tea leaves.

BACKGROUND: Lead (Pb) is not an essential element for the growth of tea trees, but it is an important index for evaluating the quality and safety of tea. Lead is a sensitive metal to pH. Exploring the changing trend of soil Pb and enrichment coefficient of Pb in tea leaves affected by soil acidification is significant for tea planting and tea quality safety control. RESULTS: A percent of 37.57% of the 364 tea plantations in Anxi county of China showed soil acidification that is a soil pH value < 4.5. However, the total Pb content in the soil and Pb content of tea leaves met the requirements stipulated in China. The soil available Pb content and Pb content in tea leaves were both significantly negatively correlated with soil pH value, and increased with the decrease of soil pH value. The soil available Pb content had a significant positive correlation with soil total Pb content. However, the soil total Pb content had no significant correlation with soil pH value. Moreover, the soil Pb bio-availability coefficient and the Pb enrichment coefficient of tea leaves decreased with the increase of soil pH value. CONCLUSION: More than a third of tea plantations in Anxi county had been acidified. The decrease of pH value leads to an increase in the bio-availability coefficient of soil Pb content and the enrichment coefficient of Pb content in tea leaves. The lower soil pH value resulted in the increase of the absorption and accumulation of Pb by tea trees, thus an increase of Pb content in tea leaves. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.

Resveratrol-Based Nanoformulations as an Emerging Therapeutic Strategy for Cancer.

Resveratrol is a polyphenolic stilbene derivative widely present in grapes and red wine. Broadly known for its antioxidant effects, numerous studies have also indicated that it exerts anti-inflammatory and antiaging abilities and a great potential in cancer therapy. Regrettably, the oral administration of resveratrol has pharmacokinetic and physicochemical limitations such as hampering its effects so that effective administration methods are demanding to ensure its efficiency. Thus, the present review explores the published data on the application of resveratrol nanoformulations in cancer therapy, with the use of different types of nanodelivery systems. Mechanisms of action with a potential use in cancer therapy, negative effects, and the influence of resveratrol nanoformulations in different types of cancer are also highlighted. Finally, the toxicological features of nanoresveratrol are also discussed.

Multi-objective Genetic Algorithm for De Novo Drug Design (MoGADdrug).

BACKGROUND: A multi-objective genetic algorithm for De novo drug design (MoGADdrug) has been proposed in this paper for the design of novel drug-like molecules similar to some reference molecules. The algorithm developed accepts a set of fragments extracted from approved drugs and available in fragment libraries and combines them according to specified rules to discover new drugs through the in-silico method. METHODS: For this process, a genetic algorithm has been used, which encodes the fragments as genes of variable length chromosomes and applies various genetic operators throughout the generations. A weighted sum approach is used to simultaneously optimize the structural similarity of the new drug to a reference molecule as well as its drug-likeness property. RESULTS: Five reference molecules namely Lidocaine, Furano-pyrimidine derivative, Imatinib, Atorvastatin and Glipizide have been chosen for the performance evaluation of the algorithm. CONCLUSION: Also, the newly designed molecules were analyzed using ZINC, PubChem databases and docking investigations.

Self-Nano-Emulsifying Drug-Delivery Systems: From the Development to the Current Applications and Challenges in Oral Drug Delivery.

Approximately one third of newly discovered drug molecules show insufficient water solubility and therefore low oral bio-availability. Self-nano-emulsifying drug-delivery systems (SNEDDSs) are one of the emerging strategies developed to tackle the issues associated with their oral delivery. SNEDDSs are composed of an oil phase, surfactant, and cosurfactant or cosolvent. SNEDDSs characteristics, their ability to dissolve a drug, and in vivo considerations are determinant factors in the choice of SNEDDSs excipients. A SNEDDS formulation can be optimized through phase diagram approach or statistical design of experiments. The characterization of SNEDDSs includes multiple orthogonal methods required to fully control SNEDDS manufacture, stability, and biological fate. Encapsulating a drug in SNEDDSs can lead to increased solubilization, stability in the gastro-intestinal tract, and absorption, resulting in enhanced bio-availability. The transformation of liquid SNEDDSs into solid dosage forms has been shown to increase the stability and patient compliance. Supersaturated, mucus-permeating, and targeted SNEDDSs can be developed to increase efficacy and patient compliance. Self-emulsification approach has been successful in oral drug delivery. The present review gives an insight of SNEDDSs for the oral administration of both lipophilic and hydrophilic compounds from the experimental bench to marketed products.

The effect of brewery sludge biochar on immobilization of bio-available cadmium and growth of Brassica carinata.

Biochar has gained an attention in reducing the bio-availability of toxic heavy metals and minimize threat of entering into food chain from contaminated soil. This study was aimed at evaluating the potential use of brewery sludge biochar (BSB) as a soil amendment for reducing cadmium bio-availability and uptake by Brassica carinata in a pot experiment. In this pot experiment, artificially cadmium spiked, moderately fertile, and slightly basic silty-loam soil was used. The biochar was produced by pyrolyzing of the brewery sludge at 500 °C. The obtained biochar was sieved with 0.5 mm mesh size and applied at the rate of 4 % (w/w) on the Brassica carinata grown cadmium spiked soil. The additions of BSB to the soil contributed a significant reduction of the bio-availability of cadmium in the soil and its accumulation in the shoot of Brassica carinata by 86% and 93%, respectively. Besides, it remarkably increased the dry weight of the edible part of Brassica carinata by 228%. The results revealed that BSB is very effective additive in cadmium immobilization, in turn, significantly (p-value = 0.00) promoting vegetable (Brassica carinata) growth. Therefore, BSB can be used as agricultural soil remedy for cadmium contamination and as safe disposal of brewery sludge.

Effect of in-vitro digestion on the bio active compounds and biological activities of fruit pomaces.

The effect of gastro intestinal digestion on total phenolic contents (TPC), total flavonoid contents (TFC), radical scavenging activity (RSA) and vitamin C levels of apple (Malus domestica) pomace and a local variety of jujube (Ziziphus mauritiana) pomace was evaluated after drying at 110 °C for 3 h in a hot air oven. The physicochemical properties and functional properties of apple and jujube pomaces were also assessed. Prior to digestion, apple pomace displayed greater levels of TPC, RSA and vitamin C (17.30 ± 0.59 GAE/g DW, 81.16 ± 3.27%, 0.078 ± 0.01 g/L, respectively) in comparison with jujube pomace (16.90 ± 0.66 GAE/g DW, 54.65 ± 2.09%, 0.069 ± 0.01 g/L, respectively), whereas, TFC level was found to be higher in jujube pomace (19.22 ± 0.87 QE/g DW). After digestion, both samples showed an increase in TPC (56.17 ± 2.14 and 52.01 ± 2.18 GAE/g DW for apple and jujube pomaces) and TFC levels (48.45 ± 1.87 and 53.82 ± 2.34 QE/g DW for apple and jujube pomaces) and it was perceived almost 3 to 4 times higher than the TPC and TFC of the samples before digestion. But, RSA of the fruit pomaces were found to be affected by the in vitro digestion which was observed as 54.65 ± 2.09 and 81.16 ± 3.27% respectively for apple and jujube pomaces. It may be suggested that the fruit powders may be incorporated in developing new functional foods rich in bio active compounds and thus can be utilized in different food applications.

Evolution of the Speciation and Mobility of Pb, Zn and Cd in Relation to Transport Processes in a Mining Environment.

Elements in mining extracts can be potentially toxic if they are incorporated into soils, sediments or biota. Numerous approaches have been used to assess this problem, and these include sequential extractions and selective extractions. These two methods have limitations and advantages, and their combined use usually provides a rough estimate of the availability or (bio)availability of potentially toxic elements and, therefore, of their real potential as toxicants in food chains. These indirect speciation data are interesting in absolute terms, but in the work described here, this aspect was developed further by assessing the evolution of availability-related speciation in relation to the transport processes from the emission source, which are mainly fluvial- and wind-driven. This objective was achieved by characterizing tailings samples as the source of elements in soils and sediments at increasing distances to investigate the evolution of certain elements. The standard procedures employed included a sequential five-step extraction and a selective extraction with ammonium acetate. The results show that the highest percentages of Zn and Pb in tailings, soils and sediment samples are associated with oxyhydroxides, along with a significant presence of resistant mineralogical forms. In the case of Cd, its association with organic matter is the second-most important trapping mechanism in the area. The physicochemical mechanisms of transport did not transform the main mineralogical associations (oxyhydroxides and resistant mineralogical forms) along the transects, but they produced a chaotic evolution pattern for the other minor matrix associations for Zn and a decrease in exchangeable and carbonate-bound forms for Pb in soils. Interestingly, in sediments, these mobile forms showed a decrease in Zn and a chaotic evolution for Pb. The most probable reason for these observations is that Zn2+ can form smithsonite (ZnCO3) or hydrozincite (Zn5(CO3)2(OH)6), which explains the retention of a carbonate-bound form for Zn in the soil transect. In contrast, Pb and Cd can appear as different mineral phases. The order of (bio)availability was Pb > Zn > Cd in tailings but Cd > Pb > Zn in soils. The physicochemical processes involved in transport from tailings to soils produce an increase in Cd (bio)availability. The trend is a decrease in bioavailability on moving away from the source (tailings), with maximum values obtained for Cd near to the source area (200-400 m).

Multifaceted targeting of neurodegeneration with bioactive molecules of saffron (Crocus sativus): An insilco evidence-based hypothesis.

Oxidative stress-mediated neurodegeneration is responsible for 12% mortality around the globe. Alzheimer's Disease (AD) and Parkinson's Disease (PD) are the most prevalent neurodegenerative diseases, associated with modulation of acetylcholine levels and amyloid beta accumulation & dopamine level and alpha-synuclein oligomerization, respectively. Therefore, a better understanding of their pathological mechanisms reveals novel target proteins and encourages exploitation of suitable lead molecules. In the present study, targets for AD and PD were sought not only to suppress the pathological condition but to restore the normal physiological function. In this view, activation of retinoic acid receptor alpha can be formulated as a novel target to improve choline acetyltransferase transcription that works together with acetylcholine esterase and beta-secretase 1 inhibition against AD. Likewise, inhibition of Polo-like kinase 2 fails to phosphorylate alpha-synuclein and motivates efficient autophagic clearance. Therefore, PLK2 inhibition, together with L-DOPA supplementation and monoamine oxidase B inhibition widens the therapeutic options for PD. As oxidative stress is the major factor for neurodegeneration, AMPK activation stabilizes energy metabolism and Sirtuin 1 (histone deacetylase 1) activation enhances AMPK, PGC1a and Nrf gene expressions. Phytochemical extracts from saffron stigma were broadly appreciated on memory enhancement and cognition. However, the exact mechanism was not established. Therefore, this inspires the exploitation of phytochemicals in saffron stigma extract using in-silico tools, to anticipate lead molecules that interact with various neurodegeneration associated protein targets.

Stability of antibiotics in drinking water: An advanced approach towards the impacts of water quality parameters on doxycycline bioavailability.

OBJECTIVE: This study was considered to explore the possible impacts of drinking water quality from different sources on the bioavailability of doxycycline. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixty-four tap and ground drinking water samples collected from poultry farms were scrutinized for their water quality limits (TH, pH, total dissolved solids, electrical conductivity, Cl-, Ca+2, Na+, and Mg+2) and heavy metals concentrations (Zn, Fe, Cu, and Ni). An in vitro study was conducted by adding the therapeutic concentrations of doxycycline to all tested water samples, and allowed to interact for 1 h, 3 h, 5 h, and 8 h followed by re-estimation of doxycycline concentrations after each contact time using thin layer chromatography. RESULTS: The therapeutic concentration of doxycycline was decreased in tap water samples by 1.92%, 9.63%, 22.42%, and 30.83% for the aforementioned contact times, respectively, while the corresponding reduction percentages in ground water samples were 2.14%, 17.14%, 28.57%, and 40.09%. However, the control samples had never showed any recorded decrease in their doxycycline concentrations overall contact times. All measured concentrations of doxycycline were significantly lower in tap and ground water than those of control at all times of contact. Both pH, Mg+2 showed significant positive correlations with decreasing values of doxycycline in water. CONCLUSION: Different drinking water sources reduce the concentrations of doxycycline in vitro in a time dependent manner, which can be attributed to their different physico-chemical parameters, i.e., pH and Mg+2 ions. This emphasizes the role of water quality on the stability of antibiotics concentrations administrated via drinking water.

Wood ash decreases cadmium toxicity to the soil nematode Caenorhabditis elegans.

Wood ash is a beneficial fertilizer and liming agent in nutrient depleted soils, but it also contains considerable amounts of cadmium (Cd), which can be toxic to organisms in the environment. Therefore, risk assessments regarding utilization of wood ash is required. Here, we studied how wood ash (applied in doses equivalent to 0, 3 and 6 t ha-1) and Cd (applied in doses of 0, 10, 150, 300, 600, 1200 and 2000 mg kg-1) affected growth of the soil nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. The treatments were combined in a full factorial design. Wood ash alone greatly stimulated both soil respiration and growth of C. elegans, whereas Cd alone had a toxic effect. However, unrealistically high Cd levels were needed to severely affect growth of C. elegans and soil respiration, especially soil respiration was very resilient to Cd amendment. Ash addition decreased Cd toxicity to C. elegans, with an EC50 value of 390 mg Cd kg-1 in the 3 t ash ha-1 treatment, and an increase of EC50 to 1894 mg Cd kg-1 in the 6 t ash ha-1 treatment. This is probably because ash increases the Cd sorption capacity of the soil, and thereby decreases the bio-availability of Cd. The results suggest that there is no acute toxic effect of Cd to nematodes associated with wood ash recycling; in fact, our results suggest that ash actually decrease Cd toxicity.