Ce-Mn ferrite nanocomposite promoted the photosynthesis, fortification of total yield, and elongation of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.).

Recent advances in nano-enabled agriculture raised hope in the efficient delivery of bioactive minerals to crops. Nanocomposites (NCPs) are promising technologies in soil fertilizing without compromising environmental contamination. NCPs have shown positive impacts on plant growth and nanofortification of crop yield. Here, we have synthesized a nanocomposite that could induce the positive impacts of the Mn, Fe, and Ce nanoparticles for the crops. The NCPs were extensively characterized and applied at three levels 100, 250, and 500 ppm on T. aestivum L. seeds for 10 days. The germination, biomass, and elongation have been measured as the main physiological parameters of the plant. The total content of chlorophyll, carotenoids, and enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidant in response to NCPs was quantified. The concentration of essential minerals (iron and manganese) and the non-essential element of cerium in roots and shoots were quantified using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Briefly, the germination rate increased by 15%; total chlorophyll and carotenoid were augmented by 61% and 38%, respectively, in exposure to 100 ppm. Higher uptake of micronutrient Fe and Mn in shoots and led to higher yield production by 14% and 18%, respectively. A positive correlation between the increasing dose of NCPs and the total content of the superoxide dismutase (SOD), and peroxidase (POD) were quantified. Overall, the results indicate the high potential of NCPs applications in agricultural practice.

A glassy carbon electrode modified with a nanocomposite prepared from Pd/Al layered double hydroxide and carboxymethyl cellulose for voltammetric sensing of hydrogen peroxide.

A Pd/Al layered double hydroxide/carboxymethyl cellulose nanocomposite (CMC@Pd/Al-LDH) was fabricated using carboxymethyl cellulose as a green substrate via co-precipitation method. The synthesized nanocomposite was characterized using different methods such as scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, X-ray powder diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, and electrochemical techniques. A glassy carbon electrode (GCE) was then modified with the suspended composite to obtain an electrochemical sensor for hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). The voltammetric (cathodic) current of the modified GCE was measured at -380 mV (vs. Ag/AgCl), at the scan rate of 50 mV.s-1. Results show a linear dynamic range of 1 to 120 µM, and a 0.3 µM limit of detection (at S/N = 3). Intraday and interday relative standard deviations are in the ranges of 4.9-5.4% and 6.8-7.3%, respectively. The sensor was applied for the determination of H2O2 in basil extracts, milk, and spiked river water samples. The recoveries are between 96.60 and 102.30%. Graphical abstractA Pd/Al layered double hydroxide/carboxymethyl cellulose nanocomposite (CMC@Pd/Al-LDH) was fabricated via co-precipitation method and was characterized using scanning electron microscopy, Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, X-ray powder diffraction, transmission electron microscopy and electrochemical techniques. CMC@Pd/Al-LDH was used to fabricate H2O2 electrochemical sensor.

Paraoxonase-1 Q192R polymorphism and its association with hs-CRP and fasting blood glucose levels and risk of coronary artery disease.

AIMS: Paraoxonase-1 (PON1) has been shown to protect low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) against oxidative-modification and thereby might protect against coronary-artery-disease (CAD). Here we explored the relationship of a genetic variant (a substitution (R) Arg with (Q) Gln at position 192) of PON1 in 250 patients with/without CAD. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Genotyping of PON1 Q192R was carried out using Real-Time-PCR TaqMan-based-probe. Demographic-characteristics and biochemical-analyses, including fasting blood sugar (FBS), HDL, LDL, triglycerides (TG) and C-reactive protein (CRP) were evaluated. Univariate/multivariate analyses were performed to determine the association of the genetic polymorphism and CAD as well as with clinical-characteristics of population. RESULTS: Our findings showed that RR-genotype was more frequent in CAD-patients, compared to the wild-type genotype. Moreover, CAD patients with RR-genotype had an odd ratio of 5.0 (95% CI: 1.3-18.6; p = 0.017), versus wild-type genotype, in multivariate-analysis. Of note we also observed that CAD-patients with QQ-genotype had a significantly lower Hs-CRP level, compared to the RR-genotype. CONCLUSION: we demonstrate that PON1-Q192R-polymorphism was associated with CRP and FBS levels; R-allele of PON1-Q192R may be an independent risk factor for CAD. Further studies are warranted to determine the value of this marker as a surrogate marker in CAD patients.

In-vitro Evaluation of Antioxidant and Antibacterial Potential of GreenSynthesized Silver Nanoparticles Using Prosopis farcta Fruit Extract.

Nowadays, green synthesis of metal nanoparticles has become a promising synthetic strategy in nanotechnology and materials sciences. In this research, biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) was successfully accomplished in the presence of Prosopis farcta fruit extract as a reducing agent. Proceeding of the reaction was assessed by using UV-vis spectroscopy. Characterization of silver nanoparticles was carried out by X-ray Diffraction spectroscopy (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The influence of process variables such as temperature, reaction time, and extract concentration was also investigated to optimize the biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles. The average size of synthesized AgNPs was 12.68 nm (10.26-14.65 nm). Furthermore, fruit extract and AgNPs were evaluated for total phenolic and flavonoid contents and were subjected to determine their antiradical scavenging activity using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay and antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumonia, Escherichia, Salmonella typhi using the disk diffusion method. The total phenols and flavonoids in AgNPs-containing plant extract were 462.69 (mg GAE/g extract) and 386.94 (mg QE/g extract) respectively, which were significantly higher than fruit extract. Biosynthesized AgNPs showed a higher antioxidant and antibacterial activity compared to P. farcta fruit extract alone. It could be concluded that P. farcta fruit extract can be extensively used in the production of potential antioxidant and antibacterial AgNPs for biomedical application.

Role of Ribes khorassanicum in the biosynthesis of AgNPs and their antibacterial properties.

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have been biosynthesised through the extracts of Ribes khorassanicum fruits, which served as the reducing agents and capping agents. Biosynthesised AgNPs have been found to be ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) absorption spectra since they have displayed one surface plasmon resonance peak at 438 nm, attesting the formation of spherical NPs. These particles have been characterised by UV-vis, field-emission scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy analysis. The formation of AgNPs at 1.0 mM concentration of AgNO3 has resulted in NPs that contained mean diameters in a range of 20-40 nm. The green-synthesised AgNPs have demonstrated high antibacterial effect against pathogenic bacteria (i.e. Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa). Biosynthesising metal NPs through plant extracts can serve as the facile and eco-friendly alternative for chemical and/or physical methods that are utilised for large-scale nanometal fabrication in various medical and industrial applications.

Kaurene as the major constituent of the essential oils of the narcotic plant, Khat (Catha edulis Forsk).

Khat (Catha edulis Forsk) is a narcotic plant which contains significant amounts of amphetamines, like alkaloids. Herein, analysis of the essential oil composition showed that Khat has useful volatile chemicals in addition to its alkaloids. Results indicated that among 35 identified constituents including mono and sesquiterpenes, the diterpene kaurene, comprises the major part of the essential oil, around 50 percent of total. Kaurene is known as a potent biological agent for the treatment of cancer patients. The presence of kaurene at high levels indicates that the essential oil of Catha edulis can potentially be more effectively exploited rather than its narcotic stimulant amphetamine-like alkaloids.

Enhanced production of phenolic acids in cell suspension culture of Salvia leriifolia Benth. using growth regulators and sucrose.

Salvia leriifolia Benth. (Lamiaceae) is an endangered medicinal plant with hypoglycemic, anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties. Many of the beneficial effects of Salvia spp. are attributed to the phenolic compounds. In the present study, an efficient procedure has been developed for establishment of cell suspension culture of S. leriifolia as a strategy to obtain an in vitro phenolic acids producing cell line for the first time. The effect of growth regulators and various concentrations of sucrose have been analyzed, to optimize biomass growth and phenolic acids production. The callus used for this purpose was obtained from leaves of 15-day-old in vitro seedlings, on Murashige and Skoog (MS) basal medium supplemented with different hormone balances including benzylaminopurine (BAP) and indole butyric acid (IBA); 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) and kinetin (KIN); naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) and BAP. Modified MS medium supplemented with 5 mg/L BAP and 5 mg/L NAA was the optimal condition for callus formation with the highest induction rate (100%), the best callus growth and the highest phenolic acids content. No callus induction was observed in combinations of IBA and BAP. Cell suspension cultures were established by transferring 0.5 g of callus to 30 mL liquid MS medium supplemented with 5 mg/L BAP and 5 mg/L NAA. Dynamics of phenolic acids production has been investigated during the growth cycle of the suspension cultures. The maximum content of caffeic acid and salvianolic acid B were observed on the 15th day of the cultivation cycle while the highest amount of rosmarinic acid was observed on the first day. In response to various sucrose concentrations, cell cultures with 40 g/L sucrose not only produced the highest dry biomass but also the highest induction of caffeic acid and salvianolic acid B. The highest amount of rosmarinic acid was observed in media containing 50 g/L sucrose. These prepared cell suspension cultures provided a useful system for further enhanced production of phenolic acids at a large scale.

Phenolic content and antioxidant properties of seeds from different grape cultivars grown in Iran.

This study investigated the antioxidant activity and phenolic composition of seed extracts from three grape cultivars grown in Iran. Folin Ciocalteu method was used for the determination of the total phenolic contents and GC-MS was used for the analysis of phenolic compositions. 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) method was used to evaluate the antioxidant activity. The highest and the lowest total phenolic contents of seed extract were found in the black and green grape, respectively. The content of individual phenols such as Frulic acid, Gentistic acid, Syringic acid, (+) Catechin, Chlorogenic acid and (-)- Epicatchin gallate was cultivars dependent. The antioxidant activity of the seed extracts ranged from 34.03% (Green) to 53.63% (Black). Generally, the Black grape seed extract with the total phenolic content (3 ± 0.01 mg tannic acid/g DM), DPPH (53.63 ± 0.34%), IC50 and AEAC (7.41 and 16.92 mg/mL) showed the highest level of total antioxidant capacity.

Time-course changes in fungal elicitor-induced lignan synthesis and expression of the relevant genes in cell cultures of Linum album.

Linum album has been shown to accumulate anti-tumor podophyllotoxin (PTOX) and its related lignans. In the present study, we examined the effects of five fungal extracts on the production of lignans in L. album cell cultures. Fusarium graminearum extract induced the highest increase of PTOX [140µgg(-1) dry weight (DW) of the L. album cell culture] which is seven-fold greater than the untreated control, while Rhizopus stolonifer extract enhanced the accumulation of lariciresinol, instead of PTOX, up to 365µgg(-1) DW, which was 8.8-fold greater than the control. Quantitative PCR analyses showed that expression of the enzyme genes responsible for the PTOX biosynthesis cascade, such as pinoresinol-lariciresinol reductase (PLR), phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL), cinnamoyl-CoA reductase (CCR) and cinnamyl-alcohol dehydrogenase (CAD) genes, were also up-regulated in a fungal extract-selective fashion. These results provide evidence that the fungal extracts used in this study differentially increase the production of PTOX or larisiresinol via the up-regulation of the genes in lignan biosynthesis in L. album cell cultures, and suggest that such selective actions of fungal elicitors on the lignan synthesis will lead to more efficient metabolic engineering-based production of PTOX and other beneficial lignans using L. album cell cultures.