Coordinated influence of Funneliformis mosseae and different plant growth-promoting bacteria on growth, root functional traits, and nutrient acquisition by maize.

Rhizospheric interactions among plant roots, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, and plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) can enhance plant health by promoting nutrient acquisition and stimulating the plant immune system. This pot experiment, conducted in autoclaved soil, explored the synergistic impacts of the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus Funneliformis mosseae with four individual bacterial strains, viz.: Cronobacter sp. Rz-7, Serratia sp. 5-D, Pseudomonas sp. ER-20 and Stenotrophomonas sp. RI-4 A on maize growth, root functional traits, root exudates, root colonization, and nutrient uptake. The comprehensive biochemical characterization of these bacterial strains includes assessments of mineral nutrient solubilization, plant hormone production, and drought tolerance. The results showed that all single and interactive treatments of the mycorrhizal fungus and bacterial strains improved maize growth, as compared with the control (no fungus or PGPB). Among single treatments, the application of the mycorrhizal fungus was more effective than the bacterial strains in stimulating maize growth. Within the bacterial treatments, Serratia sp. 5-D and Pseudomonas sp. ER-20 were more effective in enhancing maize growth than Cronobacter sp. Rz-7 and Stenotrophomonas sp. RI-4 A. All bacterial strains were compatible with Funneliformis mosseae to improve root colonization and maize growth. However, the interaction of mycorrhiza and Serratia sp. 5-D (M + 5-D) was the most prominent for maize growth improvement comparatively to all other treatments. We observed that bacterial strains directly enhanced maize growth while indirectly promoting biomass accumulation by facilitating increased mycorrhizal colonization, indicating that these bacteria acted as mycorrhizal helper bacteria.

Quasi-Planar Core based Spiro-Type Hole-Transporting Material for Dopant-Free Perovskite Solar Cells.

Hole-transporting materials (HTMs) are crucial for obtaining the stability and high efficiency of perovskite solar cells (PSCs). However, the current state-of-the-art n-i-p PSCs relied on the use of 2,2',7,7'-tetrakis(N,N-di-p-methoxyphenylamine)-9,9'-spirobifluorene (spiro-OMeTAD) exhibit inferior intrinsic and ambient stability due to the p-dopant and hydrophilic Li-TFSI additive. In this study, a new spiro-type HTM with a critical quasi-planar core (Z-W-03) is developed to improve both the thermal and ambient stability of PSCs. The results suggest that the planar carbazole structure effectively passivates the trap states compared to the triphenylamine with a propeller-like conformation in spiro-OMeTAD. This passivation effect leads to the shallower trap states when the quasi-planar HTMs interact with the Pb-dimer. Consequently, the device using Z-W-03 achieves a higher Voc of 1.178 V compared to the spiro-OMeTAD's 1.155 V, resulting in an enhanced efficiency of 24.02%. In addition, the double-column π-π stacking of Z-W-03 results in high hole mobility (~10-4 cm2 V-1 s-1) even without p-dopant. Moreover, when the surface interface is modified, the undoped Z-W-03 device can achieve an efficiency of nearly 23%. Compared to the PSCs using spiro-OMeTAD, those with Z-W-03 exhibit enhanced stability under N2 and ambient conditions.

Novel Schiff's base-assisted synthesis of metal-ligand nanostructures for multi-functional applications: Detection of catecholamines/antibiotics, removal of tetracycline, and antifungal treatment against plant pathogens.

The development of nanozymes (NZ) for the simultaneous detection of multiple target chemicals is gaining paramount attention in the field of food and health sciences, and waste management industries. Nanozymes (NZ) effectively compensate for the environmental vulnerability of natural enzymes. Considering the development gap of NZ with diverse applications, we synthesized versatile Schiff's base ligands following a facile route and readily available starting reagents (glutaraldehyde, aminopyridines). DPDI, one of the synthesized ligands, readily reacted with transition metal ions (Cu+2, Ag+1, Zn+2 in specific) under ambient conditions, yielding the corresponding nanoparticles/MOF. The structures of ligands and their products were confirmed using various analytical techniques. The enzymatic efficacy of DPDI-Cu (km 0.25 mM=, Vmax = 10.75 µM/sec) surpassed Tremetese versicolor laccase efficacy (km 0. 5 mM=, Vmax = 2.15 µM/sec). Additionally, DPDI-Cu proved resilient to changing pH, temperature, ionic strength, organic solvent, and storage time compared to laccase and provided reusability. DPDI-Cu proved promising for colorimetric detection of dopamine, epinephrine, catechol, tetracycline, and quercetin. The mechanism of oxidative detection of TC was studied through LC/MS analysis. DPDI-Cu-bentonite composite efficiently adsorbed tetracycline with maximum Langmuir adsorption of 208 mg/g. Moreover, DPDI/Cu and DPDI-Ag nanoparticles possessed antifungal activity exhibiting a minimum inhibitory concentration of 400 µg/mL and 3.12 µg/mL against Aspergillus flavus. Florescent dye tracking and SEM/TEM analysis confirmed that DPDI-Ag caused disruption of the plasma membrane and triggered ROS generation and apoptosis-like death in fungal cells. The DPDI-Ag coating treatment of wheat seeds confirmed the non-phytotoxicity of Ag-NPs.

Sustained release hypoxia-activated prodrug-loaded BSA nanoparticles enhance transarterial chemoembolization against hepatocellular carcinoma.

Transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) is the standard of care for patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), but facing the problem of low therapeutic effect. Conventional TACE formulations contain Lipiodol (LP) and chemotherapeutic agents characterized by burst release due to the unstable emulsion. Herein, we developed a novel TACE system by inducing bovine serum albumin (BSA) loaded hypoxia-activated prodrug (tirapazamine, TPZ) nanoparticle (BSATPZ) for sustained drug release. In the rabbit VX2 liver cancer model, TACE treatment induced a long-term hypoxic tumor microenvironment as demonstrated by increased expression of HIF-1α in the tumor. BSATPZ nanoparticles combined with LP greatly enhanced the anti-tumor effects of the TACE treatment. Compared to conventional TACE treatment, BSATPZ nanoparticle-based TACE therapy more significantly delayed tumor progression and inhibited the metastases in the lungs. The effects could be partially mediated by the rebuilt immune responses, as BSATPZ nanoparticle can served as an immunogenic cell death (ICD) inducer. Collectively, our results suggest that BSATPZ nanoparticle-based TACE therapy could be a promising strategy to improve clinical outcomes for patients with HCC and provide a preclinical rationale for evaluating TPZ therapy in clinical studies.

One stone two birds: Recycling of an agri-waste to synthesize laccase-immobilized hierarchically porous magnetic biochar for efficient degradation of aflatoxin B1 in aqueous solutions and corn oil.

Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) contamination of oils is a serious concern for the safety of edible oil consumers. Enzyme-assisted detoxification of AFB1 is an efficient and safe method for decontaminating oils, but pristine enzymes are unstable in oils and require modifications before use. Therefore, we designed a novel and magnetically separable laccase-carrying biocatalyst containing spent-mushroom-substrate (SMS)-derived biochar (BF). Laccase was immobilized on NH2-activated magnetic biochar (BF-NH2) through covalent crosslinking, which provided physicochemical stability to the immobilized enzyme. After 30 days of storage at 4 °C, the immobilized laccase (product named "BF-NH2-Lac") retained ~95 % of its initial activity, while after five repeated cycles of ABTS oxidation, ~85 % activity retention was observed. BF-NH2-Lac was investigated for the oxidative degradation of AFB1, which exhibited superior performance compared to free laccase. Among many tested natural compounds as mediators, p-coumaric acid proved the most efficient in activating laccase for AFB1 degradation. BF-NH2-Lac demonstrated >90 % removal of AFB1 within 5.0 h, while the observed degradation efficiency in corn oil and buffer was comparable. An insight into the adsorptive and degradative removal of AFB1 revealed that AFB1 removal was governed mainly by degradation. The coexistence of multi-mycotoxins did not significantly affect the AFB1 degradation capability of BF-NH2-Lac. Investigation of the degradation products revealed the transformation of AFB1 into non-toxic AFQ1, while corn oil quality remained unaffected after BF-NH2-Lac treatment. Hence, this study holds practical importance for the research, knowledge-base and industrial application of newly proposed immobilized enzyme products.

Efficacy and mechanism of Jasminum sambac gel for musculoskeletal injuries.

OBJECTIVE: Formulate a gel and test its scientific efficacy for treating musculoskeletal ailments with or without phonophoresis. METHODS: Gel was made from Jasminum sambac leaf extract (30:70 aqueous-methanolic). A pragmatic, community-based, double-blinded randomized clinical study (IRCT20230202057310N1) was undertaken on 380 pre-diagnosed individuals with 1st and 2nd-grade musculoskeletal injuries, divided into four parallel groups (n = 95 per group): Group I got phonophoresis-applied J. sambac 10% gel. Group II got phonophoresis-applied diclofenac diethylammonium 2% gel. J. sambac 10% gel was superficially massaged onto Group III. Group IV received a superficial massage with diclofenac diethylammonium 2% gel. Color, stability, pH, spreadability, beginning of pain relief, discomfort, stiffness, and activities of daily living were recorded using the Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS) and Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index (WOMAC) Scale. Methods included phytochemical analysis, molecular docking, and antioxidant quantification using 2,2-diphenylpicrylhydrazyl (DPPH), nitric oxide (NO), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) tests. RESULTS: J. sambac gel worked better than diclofenac gel in phonophoresis and massage, with regard to NPRS P<0.001, WOMAC pain P<0.001, WOMAC stiffness P<0.003, and WOMAC activities of daily living (ADLs) P<0.001. There were also significant differences in pain, stiffness, and ADLs. J. sambac showed significant (P<0.005-0.001) results. CONCLUSION: J. sambac gel relieved pain and inflammation in musculoskeletal injury patients. J. sambac gel is natural, cheap, and easy to make. Better drug absorption may explain the effectiveness of phonophoresis.

Sign Reversal of Spin-Transfer Torques.

Spin-transfer torque (STT) and spin-orbit torque (SOT) form the core of spintronics, allowing for the control of magnetization through electric currents. While the sign of SOT can be manipulated through material and structural engineering, it is conventionally understood that STT lacks a degree of freedom in its sign. However, this study presents the first demonstration of manipulating the STT sign by engineering heavy metals adjacent to magnetic materials in magnetic heterostructures. Spin torques are quantified through magnetic domain-wall speed measurements, and subsequently, both STT and SOT are systematically extracted from these measurements. The results unequivocally show that the sign of STT can be either positive or negative, depending on the materials adjacent to the magnetic layers. Specifically, Pd/Co/Pd films exhibit positive STT, while Pt/Co/Pt films manifest negative STT. First-principle calculations further confirm that the sign reversal of STT originates from the sign reversal of spin polarization of conduction electrons.

Efficacy of atoxigenic Aspergillus flavus from southern China as biocontrol agents against aflatoxin contamination in corn and peanuts.

Aspergillus flavus is a ubiquitous facultative pathogen that routinely infects important crops leading to formation of aflatoxins during crop development and after harvest. Corn and peanuts in warm and/or drought-prone regions are highly susceptible to aflatoxin contamination. Controlling aflatoxin using atoxigenic A. flavus is a widely adopted strategy. However, no A. flavus genotypes are currently approved for use in China. The current study aimed to select atoxigenic A. flavus endemic to Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region with potential as active ingredients of aflatoxin biocontrol products. A total of 204 A. flavus isolates from corn, peanuts, and field soil were evaluated for ability to produce the targeted mycotoxins. Overall, 57.3% could not produce aflatoxins while 17.15% were incapable of producing both aflatoxins and CPA. Atoxigenic germplasm endemic to Guangxi was highly diverse, yielding 8 different gene deletion patterns in the aflatoxin and CPA biosynthesis gene clusters ranging from no deletion to deletion of both clusters. Inoculation of corn and peanuts with both an aflatoxin producer and selected atoxigenic genotypes showed significant reduction (74 to 99%) in aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) formation compared with inoculation with the aflatoxin producer alone. Atoxigenic genotypes also efficiently degraded AFB1 (61%). Furthermore, atoxigenic isolates were also highly efficient at reducing aflatoxin concentrations even when present at lower concentrations than aflatoxin producers. The use of multiple atoxigenics was not always as effective as the use of a single atoxigenic. Effective atoxigenic genotypes of A. flavus with known mechanisms of atoxigenicity are demonstrated to be endemic to Southern China. These A. flavus may be utilized as active ingredients of biocontrol products without concern for detrimental impacts that may result from introduction of exotic fungi. Field efficacy trials in the agroecosystems of Southern China are needed to determine the extent to which such products may allow the production of safer food and feed.

Novel yellowish-green single-phased spinel Mg1-xBaxAl2O4:Mn2+ phosphor(s) for color rendering white-light-emitting diodes.

For white light-rendering research activities, interpretation by using colored emitting materials is an alternative approach. But there are issues in designing the white color emitting materials. Particularly, differences in thermal and decay properties of discrete red, green, and blue emitting materials led to the quest for the search of a single-phased material, able to emit primary colors for white light generation. The current study is an effort to design a simple, single-phase, and cost-effective material with the tunable emission of primary colors by a series of Mg1-xBaxAl2O4:Mn2+ nanopowders. Doping of manganese ion (Mn2+) in the presence of the larger barium cation (Ba2+) at tetrahedral-sites of the spinel magnesium aluminate (MgAl2O4) structure led to the creation of antisite defects. Doped samples were found to have lower bandgaps compared with MgAl2O4, and hybridization of 3d-orbitals of Mn2+ with O(2p), Mg(2s)/Al(2s3p) was found to be responsible for narrowing the bandgap. The distribution of cations at various sites at random results in a variety of electronic transitions between the valance band and oxygen vacancies as well as electron traps produced the antisite defects. The suggested compositions might be used in white light applications since they have three emission bands with centers at 516 nm (green), 464 nm (blue) and 622 nm (red) at an excitation wavelength of 380 nm. A detailed discussion to analyze the effects of the larger cationic radius of Ba2+ on the lattice strain, unit cell parameters, and cell volumes using X-ray diffraction analysis is presented.

Hydrochemical, hydrogeological, and cancer health risk analysis of groundwater due to anthropogenic activities, Hasilpur, Pakistan.

Drinking water quality deteriorates rapidly due to anthropogenic activities and rapid population growth. These activities, in developing countries, will lead to water scarcity. In Pakistan, 70% of the population has no access to safe water, and people use canal water to drink. This study performed hydrochemical, hydrogeological, and cancer risk analyses on Tahsil Hasilpur, Bahawalpur, Pakistan. Thirteen tube wells were selected for groundwater and borehole log study. Twenty-two drinking water quality parameters were analyzed using standard methods and quality checks. The borehole data (2D and 3D) shows the abundance of sand (fine and coarse) with some uniformities, which changes the groundwater quality. The results of water quality parameters show that the concentration of TDS (2064-11,159 mg/L), Cl-1 (213-4917 mg/L), As+3 (0.048-0.158 mg/L), Pb+2 (1.294-1.673 mg/L), and Cd+2 (0.008-0.053 mg/L) were beyond guideline values. The statistical analysis showed that the parameters have a moderate to strong correlation (Pearson correlation), which may be due to the same origin (ANOVA). The principal component analysis and cluster analysis confirm the multiple sources of pollutants in the groundwater of the study area. The Piper, Durov, Stiff, and Scholler diagrams confirm that the groundwater system has an abundance of Ca+2 and Mg+2 with Cl-1. The Gibbs diagram showed that the groundwater is not saturated and tends to dissolve more minerals. The hazard quotient values are above 1.0, which indicates noncancer risk severity. The HQ trend was As+3 > Pb+2 > Cd+2 > Ni+2 > Cu+2 > Cr+2 > Zn+2 > Fe+2. The cancer risk values showed that 3-5 people/100 population were exposed to cancer risk. The trend of CR was As+3 > Cd+2 > Cr+2 > Pb+2 > Ni+2. The GIP mapping of pollutants showed that the concentration of pollutants near the canals was high compared to the locations away from the canal. The overall groundwater quality is alarming and needs immediate government attention.

Evaluation of polyherbal gel for musculoskeletal injuries in industrial workers.

BACKGROUND: Industrial workers often have musculoskeletal disorders due to the nature of their work. OBJECTIVE: The goal was to investigate the scientific use of polyherbal gel in relieving pain and stiffness due to musculoskeletal injuries and improving activities of daily living (ADLs) in industrial workers. METHODS: A pragmatic, single-blinded, randomized control study divided 200 musculoskeletal injury patients into four parallel groups (n = 50). Groups 1 and 2 were applied polyherbal gel via phonophoresis with therapeutic ultrasound and superficial massage. Groups 3 and 4 received diclofenac diethyl-ammonium 1% gel by phonophoresis and superficial massage. The Global Pain Relief Scale, Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS), and Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index (WOMAC) were used to measure pain, stiffness, and ADLs. Data was analyzed using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and paired t-test to compare mean±SD of four independent groups before and after gel application. The confidence interval was 95%, with p < 0.05 considered significant. RESULTS: The results revealed that polyherbal gel reduced pain (NPRS, WOMAC and Global pain relief scales) more efficiently (p≤0.000) when applied with phonophoresis as compared to applied with massage and standard diclofenac (p≤0.005), furthermore, polyherbal gel when applied with phonophoresis showed more efficient results. CONCLUSION: Industrial workers with musculoskeletal injuries benefited from the use of polyherbal gel for pain and inflammation relief. The polyherbal gel is natural, cost-effective, and easy to formulate.

QbD-Based Fabrication of Biomimetic Hydroxyapatite Embedded Gelatin Nanoparticles for Localized Drug Delivery against Deteriorated Arthritic Joint Architecture.

Biomaterials such as nanohydroxyapatite and gelatin are widely explored to improve damaged joint architecture associated with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Besides joint damage, RA is associated with inflammation of joints and cartilage, which potentiates the need for both bone nucleation and therapeutic intervention. For such purpose, a modified nanoprecipitation method is used herein to fabricate tofacitinib (Tofa)-loaded nanohydroxyapatite (nHA) embedded gelatin (GLT) nanoparticles (NPs) (Tofa-nHA-GLT NPs). The quality by design (QbD) approach is chosen to assess the key parameters that determine the efficiency of the NPs, and are further optimized via Box-Behnken design of experiment. The particle size, polydispersity, zeta potential, and encapsulation efficiency (EE) of the prepared NPs are found to be 269 nm, 0.18, -20.5 mV, and 90.7%, respectively. Furthermore, the NPs have improved stability, skin permeability, and a sustained drug release pattern at pH 6.5 (arthritic joint pH). Moreover, rhodamine-B loaded nHA-GLT NPs demonstrates considerably higher cellular uptake by the murine-derived macrophages than free rhodamine-B solution. In vitro, cell-based experiments confirm the good cell biocompatibility with insignificant toxicity. Thus, QbD-based approach has successfully led to the development of Tofa-nHA-GLT NPs with the potential to target inflamed arthritic joint.

Synthesis of 2-amino-terephthalic acid crosslinked chitosan/bentonite hydrogel; an efficient adsorbent for anionic dyes and laccase.

This research article presents the fabrication of NH2-terephthalic acid crosslinked chitosan-bentonite composite, which adopted a facile synthesis approach and offered efficient adsorption capacity for organic dyes. A novel hydrogel material named CB 5:1 demonstrated remarkable adsorption for anionic dyes (Congo red (CR) and brilliant blue (BB)) while showing a negligible affinity for cationic dyes. Adsorption isotherm studies revealed the adsorption capacity of 4950 mg/g and 2053 mg/g (per g of composite's dry weight) for CR and BB following the Langmuir adsorption model. Kinetics and thermodynamic studies were also conducted while the adsorption of anionic dyes in the presence of metal ions, cationic dyes, anionic dyes, and in simulated water remained unaffected. Laccase, an industrially important enzyme, was also immobilized on CB 5:1 to achieve enzyme stability and reusability, resulting in a staggering immobilization capacity (4782 mg/g) at pH 6.0. Laccase immobilized product was employed to perform dye degradation (> 90 % for CR and > 75 % for BB), and the reusability was tested. Overall, our crosslinked product proved appealing for removing high concentrations of anionic organic dyes from polluted water and could be envisaged for practical use.

Towards sustainable electrochemistry: green synthesis and sintering aid modulations in the development of BaZr0.87Y0.1M0.03O3-δ (M = Mn, Co, and Fe) IT-SOFC electrolytes.

In this study, BaZr0.87Y0.1M0.03O3-δ perovskite electrolytes with sintering aids (M = Mn, Co, and Fe) were synthesized by a sustainable approach using spinach powder as a chelating agent and then compared with chemically synthesized BaZr0.87Y0.1M0.03O3-δ (M = Mn, Co, and Fe) electrolytes for intermediate temperature SOFCs. This is the first example of such a sustainable synthesis of perovskite materials with sintering aids. Structural analysis revealed the presence of a cubic perovskite structure in BaZr0.87Y0.1M0.03O3-δ (M = Mn, Co, and Fe) samples synthesized by both green and conventional chemical methods. No significant secondary phases were observed in the samples synthesized by a sustainable approach. The observed phenomena of plane shift were because of the disparities between ionic radii of the dopants, impurities, and host materials. The surface morphology analysis revealed a denser microstructure for the electrolytes synthesized via green routes due to metallic impurities in the organic chelating agent. The absence of significant impurities was also observed by compositional analysis, while functional groups were identified through Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. Conductivity measurements showed that BaZr0.87Y0.1M0.03O3-δ (M = Mn, Co, and Fe) electrolytes synthesized by oxalic acid have higher conductivities compared to BaZr0.87Y0.1M0.03O3-δ (M = Mn, Co, and Fe) electrolytes synthesized by the green approach. The button cells employing BaZr0.87Y0.1Co0.03O3-δ electrolytes synthesized by the chemical and green routes achieved peak power densities 344 and 271 mW·cm-2 respectively, suggesting that the novel green route can be applied to synthesize SOFC perovskite materials with minimal environmental impact and without significantly compromising cell performance.

Mitigative potential of rhoifolin against cisplatin prompted testicular toxicity: biochemical, spermatogenic and histological based analysis.

Rhoifolin (ROF) is a naturally occurring flavonoid compound with diverse pharmacological and therapeutic benefits. The current investigation was designed to evaluate the curative potential of Rhoifolin (ROF) against Cisplatin (CP) induced testicular damage. Mature male albino rats (n = 48) were randomly distributed into 4 equal groups: control, CP (10 mg/kg), CP + ROF (10 mg/kg + 20 mg/kg) and ROF (20 mg/kg) supplemented group. Following 56 days of the trial, biochemical, inflammatory markers, spermatogenic, steroidogenic, hormonal, apoptotic, anti-apoptotic, and histopathological parameters were evaluated. The exposure to CP markedly (p < 0.05) lowered the activities of anti-oxidant enzymes, glutathione reductase (GSR), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) as well as superoxide dismutase (SOD) in testicular tissues of male albino rats. Besides the levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) were considerably augmented in CP exposed rats. The administration of CP also increased the level of inflammatory cytokines i.e. IL-6, TNF-α, 1L-1ß and NF-κß as well as COX-2 activity. Additionally, a notable (p < 0.05) upsurge was observed in dead sperms count, abnormality in the tail, midpiece as well as head of sperms along with a notable decline in sperm motility in CP treated rats. Moreover, the expressions of steroidogenic enzymes were also lowered in CP administered group. The levels of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and plasma testosterone as well as luteinizing hormone (LH) were decreased in CP treated group. Moreover, the expression of Bax as well as Caspase-3 (apoptotic markers) were increased. On the other hand, Bcl-2 expression (anti-apoptotic marker) was reduced. Furthermore, the histopathological analysis showed that CP considerably (p < 0.05) damaged the testicular tissues. However, the administration of ROF significantly reduced the damaging effects of CP in testicular tissues. The results of our study suggested that ROF can potentially alleviate CP-induced testicular damages due to its androgenic, anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory as well as anti-apoptotic nature.

Rhamnazin ameliorates 2, 3, 7, 8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin-evoked testicular toxicity by restoring biochemical, spermatogenic and histological profile in male albino rats.

2,3,7,8 tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) is a potential environmental toxin that has the ability to affect male reproductive tract. Rhamnazin is a naturally present flavone that displays multiple medicinal properties. Therefore, the current study was designed to determine the mitigative role of rhamnazin against TCDD induced reproductive damage. 48 adult male albino rats were randomly separated into four groups: control, TCDD (10 µgkg-1), TCDD + rhamnazin (10 µgkg-1 + 5 mgkg-1 respectively) and rhamnazin (5 mgkg-1). The trial was conducted for 56 days. TCDD intoxication notably affected superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione reductase (GSR) and catalase (CAT) activities, besides reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malondialdehyde (MDA) concentrations were augmented. TCDD administration also lowered sperm motility, viability, sperm number, while it augmented the sperm morphological (tail, neck/midpiece and head) anomalies. Moreover, it decreased the levels of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH) and plasma testosterone. Moreover, TCDD reduced steroidogenic enzymes i.e., 17-beta hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (17ß-HSD), steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR) and 3-beta hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3ß-HSD) as well as B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) expressions, but increased the expressions of Bcl-2-associated X protein (Bax) and cysteine-aspartic acid protease (Caspase-3). Furthermore, TCDD exposure also induced histopathological anomalies in testicular tissues. However, the supplementation of rhamnazin recovered all the mentioned damages in the testicles. The outcomes revealed that rhamnazin can ameliorate TCDD induced reproductive toxicity due to its anti-oxidant, anti-apoptotic and androgenic nature.

Knowledge, Attitude, and Practices Regarding Vitamin D in Middle-Aged Pakistani Population and the Impact of Sun Exposure on Their Serum Vitamin D Levels.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practices regarding vitamin D (D-KAP) among middle-aged individuals in Pakistan and examine the impact of sun exposure on their serum vitamin D levels. METHODOLOGY: A cross-sectional study was conducted, involving 80 middle-aged individuals from Lahore, Pakistan. Data on demographics, sun exposure, and D-KAP were collected. Serum vitamin D levels were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits. RESULTS: The study revealed inadequate knowledge and awareness of vitamin D among the participants. There was a positive correlation between sun exposure duration and serum vitamin D levels, indicating the importance of sun exposure for maintaining optimal vitamin D status. However, there was no significant difference in practice scores between groups, highlighting the need for interventions to bridge the gap between knowledge and practice. CONCLUSION: The study emphasizes the need to improve D-KAP in the middle-aged Pakistani population. Public health initiatives should focus on promoting accurate information, addressing cultural beliefs, and encouraging responsible sun exposure practices. Collaborative efforts are crucial to address vitamin D deficiency and its associated health consequences.

Design and Evaluation of Continentalic Acid Encapsulated Transfersomal Gel and Profiling of its Anti-arthritis Activity.

Rheumatoid arthritis restricts the physical ability of patients and increases the disease burden; therefore, research has always been focused on evaluating better therapeutic options. The present research aimed to design Continentalic acid (CA)-loaded transfersomes (CA-TF) embedded in Carbopol gel containing permeation enhancer (PE) for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. CA-TF was developed via a modified thin film hydration method and incorporated into Carbopol 934 gel containing Eucalyptus oil (EO) as PE. The fabricated CA-TF showed particle size of < 140 nm with spherical geometry, optimal encapsulation efficiency (EE), and sustained drug release pattern. CA-TF-gel along with PE (CA-TF-PE-gel) showed better ex vivo skin penetration than plain CA gel and CA-TF-gel without PE. In vivo evaluation supported improved therapeutic outcomes of CA-TF-PE-gel in terms of behavioral findings, arthritic index, and histological findings whereas biochemical assays and pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α and IL-1ß) showed a significant decrease in their levels. Furthermore, immunohistochemistry assay for Nrf2 and HO-1 signaling pathways showed significant improvement in the expression of the Nrf2, and HO-1 proteins to depict improvement in arthritic condition in the animal model. CA-TF-PE-gel significantly delivered CA to the diseased target site via a topical route with promising therapeutic outcomes displayed in the CFA-induced arthritic model.

Dual pH and microbial-sensitive galactosylated polymeric nanocargoes for multi-level targeting to combat ulcerative colitis.

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a type of inflammatory bowel disease characterized by inflammation, ulcers and irritation of the mucosal lining. Oral drug delivery in UC encounters challenges because of multifaceted barriers. Dexamethasone-loaded galactosylated-PLGA/Eudragit S100/pullulan nanocargoes (Dexa-GP/ES/Pu NCs) have been developed with a dual stimuli-sensitive coating responsive to both colonic pH and microbiota, and an underneath galactosylated-PLGA core (GP). The galactose ligand of the GP preferentially binds to the macrophage galactose type-lectin-C (MGL-2) surface receptor. Therefore, both stimuli and ligand-mediated targeting facilitate nanocargoes to deliver Dexa specifically to the colon with enhanced macrophage uptake. Modified emulsion method coupled with a solvent evaporation coating technique was employed to prepare Dexa-GP/ES/Pu NCs. The nanocargoes were tested using in vitro, ex vivo techniques and dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) induced UC model. Prepared nanocargoes had desired physicochemical properties, drug release, cell uptake and cellular viability. Investigations using a DSS-colitis model showed high localization and mitigation of colitis with downregulation of NF-ĸB and COX-2, and restoration of clinical, histopathological, biochemical indices, antioxidant balance, microbial alterations, FTIR spectra, and epithelial junctions' integrity. Thus, Dexa-GP/ES/Pu NCs found to be biocompatible nanocargoes capable of delivering drugs to the inflamed colon with unique targeting properties for prolonged duration.