The potential application of biochar and salicylic acid to alleviate salt stress in soybean (Glycine max L.).

Salt stress has been one of the major contributor which affect soybean seed germination, its establishment, growth, and physiology stages. Utilization of strategies such as soil amendment and elicitors are of significant importance to reduce the disadvantageous effects of salt stress. In this regard, the objectives of the present study were to evaluate the effect of biochar and salicylic acid on morphological and physiological properties of soybean subjected to salinity. The first experiment was carried out based on completely randomized design with three replications including 11 soybean cultivars such as Williams, Saba, Kowsar, Tapor, Sari, Telar, Caspian, Nekador, Amir, Katol and Sahar and various levels of salinity such as 0, 2, 4, 6 dS/m of NaCl. The second experiment was performed as factorial design in a randomized complete block design with three replications consisting of treatments of biochar (0, 5 and 10 WP), salicylic acid (0, 0.5 and 1 mM), and NaCl (0, 2.5, 5, 7.5 dS/m). With respect to seed germination result, various concentrations of salt stress showed negative impact not only on all studied traits, but also varied among soybean cultivars indicating Amir cultivar as the best salt tolerant soybean genotype among others. In addition, our data exhibited that the interaction effect of biochar and salicylic acid on salt treated soybean plant were positively significant on some morphological traits such as leaf area, shoot dry/fresh weight, total dry/fresh weight and physiological attributes including chlorophyll a, flavonoid, proline contents, catalase and peroxidase activities. Moreover, the resultant data showed that the combination treatment of 5 and 10 WP of biochar and 1 mM of salicylic acid caused increase of the aforementioned parameters in order to improve their performance subjected to higher concentration of salinity. In final, it was concluded that the coupled application of biochar alongside salicylic acid was recommended as proficient strategy to mitigate the injurious influences of salt stress in soybean or other probable crops.

Achieving agricultural sustainability through soybean production in Iran: Potential and challenges.

The utilization of soybean as a key oil crop to enhance sustainable agriculture has garnered significant attention from researchers. Its lower water requirements compared to rice, along with its reduced environmental impact, including greenhouse gas emissions, improved water quality, enhanced biodiversity, and efficient resource utilization, make it an attractive option. Unfortunately, Iran, like many other developing countries, heavily relies on soybean imports (over 90%) to meet the demand for oil and protein in human and livestock food rations. The decline in soybean production, coupled with diminishing cultivation areas, yield rates, and increasing import needs, underscores the urgent need to address the challenges faced in Iran. The decline in soybean production in the country can be attributed to various factors, including environmental stresses (both biotic and abiotic), limited variation in soybean cultivars, inadequate mechanization for cultivation, and economic policies. Hence, this review provides a comprehensive overview of the current status of soybean production in Iran and highlights its potential to enhance sustainable agriculture. Additionally, it examines the challenges and constraints associated with soybean cultivation, such as environmental changes and unbalanced marketing, and explores potential solutions and management strategies to bridge the gap between small-scale and large-scale production. Given the increasing global demand for plant-based protein and the significance of the feed industry, studying the limitations faced by countries with slower soybean production growth can shed light on the issues and present opportunities to capitalize on novel soybean advancements in the future. By addressing these challenges and unlocking the potential of soybean cultivation, Iran can contribute to sustainable agricultural practices and attain a more resilient food system.

The Therapeutic Potential of Targeting Key Signaling Pathways as a Novel Approach to Ameliorating Post-Surgical Adhesions.

BACKGROUND: Peritoneal adhesions (PA) are a common complication of abdominal operations. A growing body of evidence shows that inhibition of inflammation and fibrosis at sites of peritoneal damaging could prevent the development of intra-abdominal adhesions. METHODS: A search of PubMed, Medline, CINAHL and Embase databases was performed using the keywords 'postsurgical adhesion', 'post-operative adhesion', 'peritoneal adhesion', 'surgery-induced adhesion' and 'abdominal adhesion'. Studies detailing the use of pharmacological and non-pharmacological agents for peritoneal adhesion prevention were identified, and their bibliographies were thoroughly reviewed to identify further related articles. RESULTS: Several signaling pathways, such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha, tissue plasminogen activator, and type 1 plasminogen activator inhibitor, macrophages, fibroblasts, and mesothelial cells play a key part in the development of plasminogen activator. Several therapeutic approaches based on anti-PA drug barriers and traditional herbal medicines have been developed to prevent and treat adhesion formation. In recent years, the most promising method to prevent PA is treatment using biomaterial-based barriers. CONCLUSION: In this review, we provide an overview of the pathophysiology of adhesion formation and various agents targeting different pathways, including chemical agents, herbal agents, physical barriers, and clinical trials concerning this matter.

Rare Case of Small Cell Metastatic Prostatic Adenocarcinoma, Properly Staged by 68Ga-PSMA PET/CT Scan.

ABSTRACT: Small cell carcinoma (SCC) of the prostate is a very rare entity and one of most aggressive neuroendocrine malignancies of prostate. We present a 60-year-old man with pathology-proven prostatic SCC by transrectal biopsy with ultrasonography guidance and Gleason score of 5 + 5. He was referred to perform 68Ga-PSMA PET/CT scan for staging. The scan showed PSMA uptake in the prostate bed and multiple large pelvic lymph nodes. As we know, 68Ga-PSMA uptake in the de novo form of SCC of prostate is not commonly found in the literature.

Structural and molecular properties of complexes of biomolecules and metal-organic frameworks: dispersion-corrected DFT treatment.

Investigation of complexes of nanostructured materials and biomolecules has attracted much attention by various researchers as it can contribute to coherent growth and extended application of nanostructures in different technologies. In this research, following a comprehensive approach, we examined the interaction between different amino acids and metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) at atomic scale using computational chemistry. For this purpose, we employed the density functional theory (DFT-D2) calculations to afford a molecular description of the interaction properties of the amino acids and MOF-5 by examining the interaction energy and the electronic structure of the amino acid/MOF complexes. We found strong interactions between the amino acids and MOF through their polar groups as well as aromatic rings in the gas phase. However, our findings were significantly different in solvent media, where water molecules prevent the amino acids from approaching the active sites of MOF, causing weak attractions between them. The evaluation of nature of interaction between the amino acids and MOF by the atoms-in-molecules (AIM) theory shows that the electrostatic attractions are the main force contributing to bond formation between the interacting entities. Furthermore, our DFT-PBE model of theory was validated against the comprehensive MP2 quantum level of theory.

Optimisation of nitrate reductase enzyme activity to synthesise silver nanoparticles.

Today, the synthesis of silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) is very common since it has many applications in different areas. The synthesis of these nanoparticles is done by means of physical, chemical, or biological methods. However, due to its inexpensive and environmentally friendly features, the biological method is more preferable. In the present study, using nitrate reductase enzyme available in the Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacterium, the biosynthesis of Ag NPs was investigated. In addition, the activity of the nitrate reductase enzyme was optimised by changing its cultural conditions, and the effects of silver nitrate (AgNO(3)) concentration and enzyme amount on nanoparticles synthesis were studied. Finally, the produced nanoparticles were studied using ultraviolet -visible (UV-Vis) spectrophotometer, dynamic light scattering technique, and transmission electron microscopy. UV-Visible spectrophotometric study showed the characteristic peak for Ag NPs at wavelength 405-420 nm for 1 mM metal precursor solution (AgNO(3)) with 1, 5, 10, and 20 cc supernatant and 435 nm for 0.01M AgNO(3) with 20 cc supernatant. In this study, it was found that there is a direct relationship between the AgNO(3) concentration and the size of produced Ag NPs.

Single Cell Protein Production by Saccharomyces cerevisiae Using an Optimized Culture Medium Composition in a Batch Submerged Bioprocess.

Saccharomyces cerevisiae PTCC5269 growth was evaluated to specify an optimum culture medium to reach the highest protein production. Experiment design was conducted using a fraction of the full factorial methodology, and signal to noise ratio was used for results analysis. Maximum cell of 8.84 log (CFU/mL) was resulted using optimized culture composed of 0.3, 0.15, 1, and 50 g L(-1) of ammonium sulfate, iron sulfate, glycine, and glucose, respectively at 300 rpm and 35 °C. Glycine concentration (39.32 % contribution) and glucose concentration (36.15 % contribution) were determined as the most effective factors on the biomass production, while Saccharomyces cerevisiae growth had showed the least dependence on ammonium sulfate (5.2 % contribution) and iron sulfate (19.28 % contribution). The most interaction was diagnosed between ammonium sulfate and iron sulfate concentrations with interaction severity index of 50.71 %, while the less one recorded for glycine and glucose concentration was equal to 8.12 %. An acceptable consistency of 84.26 % was obtained between optimum theoretical cell numbers determined by software of 8.91 log (CFU/mL), and experimentally measured one at optimal condition confirms the suitability of the applied method. High protein content of 44.6 % using optimum culture suggests that Saccharomyces cerevisiae is a good commercial case for single cell protein production.

Biological coating of paper using silver nanoparticles.

The capacity of Ag nanoparticles to destroy various micro-organisms makes it one of the most powerful antimicrobial agents, an attractive feature against antibiotic resistant bacteria. Here, a simple method to develop coating of colloidal silver on paper using a biological method is presented. The coated paper was studied by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction technique and atomic absorption spectroscopy. The antibacterial activity of the coated paper against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus was measured by agar diffusion method. This study shows the potential use of the coated paper as a food antimicrobial packing material for longer shelf life.

Ureterocystoplasty is safe and effective in patients awaiting renal transplantation.

OBJECTIVES: Surgical outcomes and bladder function were assessed in a group of patients who had undergone ureterocystoplasty while awaiting renal transplantation. METHODS: An observational cohort study was performed. A chart review was performed of 16 patients who had undergone ureterocystoplasty between 1997 and 2006. The postoperative assessment included measurement of bladder capacity and voiding cystourethrography findings. RESULTS: The median patient age at operation was 17 years (range, 3 to 44 years). The median follow-up was 38 months (range, 3 to 60 months). All patients achieved continence. The median increase in bladder capacity was 162 mL (range, 65 to 265 mL), representing a median proportional increase of 226% (range, 167% to 340%) of the original bladder capacity. None of the patients developed vesicoureteral reflux. Only 4 patients required subsequent intermittent catheterization to fully empty their bladders. Seven patients underwent renal transplantation within 3 to 7 months of ureterocystoplasty. CONCLUSIONS: Ureterocystoplasty in patients awaiting renal transplantation is safe and effective. Good results can be achieved when care is taken to preserve the blood supply of the ureter. The results of this study have confirmed the desirability of preserving the ureters in patients awaiting transplantation who might require bladder augmentation.