Enhancing the Sustainability of Eco-friendly Potentiometric Ion Selective Electrodes for Stability-Indicating Measurement of Ethamsylate: Application in Bulk and Pharmaceutical Formulations.

BACKGROUND: Through the use of sustainable and green chemistry concepts, scientists need to decrease waste, conserve energy, and develop safe substitutes for hazardous compounds, all for protecting and benefiting society and the environment. OBJECTIVE: Four novel eco-friendly ion selective electrodes (ISE) were created to determine Ethamsylate (ETM) in bulk powder and different pharmaceutical formulations. The present electrodes were fabricated and evaluated to clearly distinguish ETM from a variety of inorganic, organic ions, sugars, some common drug excipients and the degradation product, hydroquinone (HQ) of ETM, and thus could be used for stability-indicating methods. METHODS: The electrodes fabrication was based on 2-nitrophenyl octyl ether (NPOE) that was employed as a plasticizer in electrodes 1, 2, and 3 within a polymeric matrix of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) except for electrode 4, in which dibutyl sebacate was used as a plasticizer. Electrodes 1 & 2 were fabricated using tetra dodecyl ammonium bromide as an anionic exchanger and adding 4-sulfocalix-8-arene as an ionophore only to electrode 2, but electrode 1 prepared without incorporation of an ionophore. The fabrication of electrodes 3 & 4 was based on ethamsylate-tetraphenylborate (ETM-TPB) as an ion-association complex in a PVC matrix. The environmental sustainability was assessed using Green Analytical Procedure Index (GAPI), and Analytical Greenness Metric for Sample Preparation (AGREEprep). RESULTS: Electrodes 1 & 2 had linear dynamic ranges of (10-1-10 -5) and (10-1-10 -4) respectively, with a Nernstian slope of 49.6 and 53.2 mV/decade, respectively. Electrodes 3 & 4 had linear dynamic ranges of (10-1-10 -4), with a Nernstian slope of 43.9 and 40.2 mV/decade, respectively. CONCLUSION: The generated electrodes' selectivity coefficients showed good selectivity for ETM. The utility 4-sulfocalix-8-arene as ionophore had a significant influence on increasing the membrane sensitivity and selectivity of electrode 2 compared to other electrodes.

The efficacy of chemical inducers and fungicides in controlling tomato root rot disease caused by Rhizoctoniasolani.

Chitosan is an environmentally friendly natural substance that is used in crop disease management as an alternative to chemical pesticides. A significant issue restricting output in Egypt is root rot, which is a disease, caused by Rhizoctonia solani. Therefore, a greenhouse experiment was conducted to assess the effects of R. solani on 60-day-old tomato plants under fungal infection and to determine the antifungal activity of chitosan and Rizolax T fungicide against the pathogenic fungus. The findings demonstrated that 4 g/L of chitosan seed application completely obstructed the radial mycelial growth of R. solani and decreased the disease severity. Pathogenic infection significantly decreased morphological characteristics and total chlorophyll but significantly increased carotenoid, total thiol, non-protein thiol, protein thiol, antioxidant enzymes, oxidative stress, total phenolic, total flavonoid, and isoflavone compared to healthy plants. Tomato plants treated with chitosan exhibited lower rates of oxidative stress, but higher levels of all previously mentioned parameters compared to untreated infected plants. The number and molecular mass of protein banding patterns varied in all treated tomato plants as compared to the healthy control. There are 42 bands in the treatments, and their polymorphism rate is 69.55%. Moreover, the number and density of α- and ß-esterase, and peroxidase isozymes in treated tomato plants exhibited varied responses. Moreover, in treated and control plants, chitosan treatment raised the expression levels of phenylalanine ammonia-lyase, pathogenesis-related protein-1, ß-1,3-glucanases and chitinase. In conclusions, chitosan reduces R. solani infection by controlling the biochemical and molecular mechanisms in tomato plants during infection.

Quality-by-design ecofriendly potentiometric sensor for rapid monitoring of hydroxychloroquine purity in the presence of toxic impurities.

Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) is prescribed to treat malaria and certain autoimmune diseases. Recent studies questioned its efficiency in relieving COVID-19 symptoms and improving clinical outcomes. This work presents a quality-by-design approach to develop, optimize, and validate a potentiometric sensor for the selective analysis of HCQ in the presence of its toxic impurities (key starting materials), namely 4,7-Dichloroquinoline (DCQ) and hydroxynovaldiamine (HND). The study employed a custom experimental design of 16 sensors with different ion exchangers, plasticizers, and ionophores. We observed the Nernstian slopes, correlation coefficients, quantification limit, response time, and selectivity coefficient for DCQ and HND. The computer software constructed a prediction model for each response. The predicted responses strongly correlate to the experimental ones, indicating model fitness. The optimized sensor achieved 93.8% desirability. It proved a slope of 30.57 mV/decade, a correlation coefficient of 0.9931, a quantification limit of 1.07 × 10-6 M, a detection limit of 2.18 × 10-7 M, and a fast response of 6.5 s within the pH range of 2.5-8.5. The sensor was successfully used to determine HCQ purity in its raw material. The sensor represents a potential tool for rapid, sensitive, and selective monitoring of HCQ purity during industrial production from its starting materials.

Genetic variability and diversity analysis in Oryza sativa L. genotypes using quantitative traits and SSR markers.

The present study was aimed at evaluating the genetic variation and population structure in a collection of 22 rice genotypes. Twenty-two rice genotypes were assessed using quantitative traits and SSR molecular markers for genetic variability and genetic diversity. As for genetic diversity, the genotypes were clarified based on twelve quantitative traits. Clustering produced two large groups: the IR70423-169-2-2 variety was in a branch alone due to its long duration, while, the second group included all rest of genotypes and was split up into two sub-groups. The first sub-group included IR67418-131-2-3-3-3, IR67420-206-3-1-3-3, Giza181, Giza182, Sakha104, and P1044-86-5-3-3-2M. However, pedigree played in divided clustering with Giza181 and Giza182, which were belonging to the Indica type and produced from the same parents. SSR markers produced 87 alleles, with a mean of 4.3 alleles per locus, which were detected in 22 rice genotypes. A higher number of alleles were found with primers RM262, RM244, RM3843, RM212, and RM3330. With an overall mean of 0.837, the polymorphic information content values were high for all SSR markers, ranging from a low of 0.397 for M254 to a high of 0.837 for RM244. The dendogram was divided into six groups according to the types of genotypes, with the pedigree playing a major role for the genetic distance. In order to help breeders choose parents and create suitable hybrids to achieve genetic improvement in crops, particularly rice, SSR is a useful technique for analysing genotype diversity and aiding in the genetic fingerprinting of each variety.

In Silico Identification and Characterization of Rare Cold Inducible 2 (RCI2) Gene Family in Cotton.

RCI2/PMP3s are involved in biotic and abiotic stresses and have an influence on the regulation of many genes. RCI2/PMP3 genes, which particularly encode small membrane proteins of the PMP3 family, are involved in abiotic stress responses in plants. In this work, in silico studies were used to investigate RCI2's potential function in stress tolerance and organogenesis. We conducted an extensive study of the RCI2 gene family and revealed 36 RCI2 genes from cotton species that were distributed over 36 chromosomes of the cotton genome. Functional and phylogenetic examination of the RCI2/PMP3 gene family has been studied in Arabidopsis, but in cotton, the RCI2/PMP3 genes have not yet been studied. Phylogenetic and sequencing studies revealed that cotton RCI2s are conserved, with most of them categorized into six distinct clades. A chromosome distribution and localization study indicated that cotton RCI2 genes were distributed unevenly on 36 chromosomes with segmental duplications, suggesting that the cotton RCI2 family is evolutionarily conserved. Many cis-elements related to stress responsiveness, development, and hormone responsiveness were detected in the promoter regions of the cotton RCI2. Moreover, the 36 cotton RCI2s revealed tissue-specific expression patterns in the development of cotton performed by transcriptome analysis. Gene structure analysis indicated that nearly all RCI2 genes have two exons and one intron. All of the cotton RCI2 genes were highly sensitive to drought, abscisic acid, salt, and cold treatments, demonstrating that they may be employed as genetic objects to produce stress-resistant plants.

A review on endophytic fungi: a potent reservoir of bioactive metabolites with special emphasis on blight disease management.

Phytopathogenic microorganisms have caused blight diseases that present significant challenges to global agriculture. These diseases result in substantial crop losses and have a significant economic impact. Due to the limitations of conventional chemical treatments in effectively and sustainably managing these diseases, there is an increasing interest in exploring alternative and environmentally friendly approaches for disease control. Using endophytic fungi as biocontrol agents has become a promising strategy in recent years. Endophytic fungi live inside plant tissues, forming mutually beneficial relationships, and have been discovered to produce a wide range of bioactive metabolites. These metabolites demonstrate significant potential for fighting blight diseases and provide a plentiful source of new biopesticides. In this review, we delve into the potential of endophytic fungi as a means of biocontrol against blight diseases. We specifically highlight their significance as a source of biologically active compounds. The review explores different mechanisms used by endophytic fungi to suppress phytopathogens. These mechanisms include competing for nutrients, producing antifungal compounds, and triggering plant defense responses. Furthermore, this review discusses the challenges of using endophytic fungi as biocontrol agents in commercial applications. It emphasizes the importance of conducting thorough research to enhance their effectiveness and stability in real-world environments. Therefore, bioactive metabolites from endophytic fungi have considerable potential for sustainable and eco-friendly blight disease control. Additional research on endophytes and their metabolites will promote biotechnology solutions.

Spectrophotometric resolution for quantitative analysis of aspirin and rivaroxaban combination therapy in biological fluids using simple and eco-friendly procedure.

Patients diagnosed with symptomatic peripheral artery disease (PAD) in the lower extremities have a higher likelihood of suffering from major vascular events. Recently, FDA has approved the combination therapy of aspirin (ASP) and rivaroxaban (ROX) to reduce acute limb ischemia and other comorbidities in (PAD) patients. Zero order and ratio absorption spectra were employed in three simple and accurate spectrophotometric techniques (dual wavelength (DW), ratio difference (RD) and derivative ratio (1DD) for concurrent detection and quantification of ASP and ROX in their pure forms, lab synthetic mixtures and in biological fluid. Our approach involves careful parameter optimization, including solvent selection, sample volumes, and instrumental settings, to reduce the analysis environmental impact. The acquired recovery percentages of accuracy were within 98-102% for pure active pharmaceutical ingredients and 90-110% for pharmaceutical formulations and biological determinations. A comprehensive assessment was done to compare the three methods regarding their ease of use, linearity, sensitivity, conditions, and limitations. The specificity of the proposed methods was evaluated by analyzing the lab synthetic mixtures. The suggested spectrophotometric methods were validated in compliance with ICH guidelines to confirm the validity claims. Also, statistical analysis was done to compare the outcomes obtained from the suggested methods with those obtained from the official ones and they agreed with null hypothesis regarding accuracy and precision. Furthermore, a comprehensive assessment of the environmental sustainability of the developed method was carried out using the Analytical Greenness Calculator, AGREE algorithm. The selected drugs can be efficiently, safely and economically analyzed by the suggested methods in pharmaceutical and biological matrices with no pretreatment or preliminary separation steps and thereby increasing their greenness level.

A size-of-loss model for the negatively skewed insurance claims data: applications, risk analysis using different methods and statistical forecasting.

The future values of the expected claims are very important for the insurance companies for avoiding the big losses under uncertainty which may be produced from future claims. In this paper, we define a new size-of-loss distribution for the negatively skewed insurance claims data. Four key risk indicators are defined and analyzed under four estimation methods: maximum likelihood, ordinary least squares, weighted least squares, and Anderson Darling. The insurance claims data are modeled using many competitive models and comprehensive comparison is performed under nine statistical tests. The autoregressive model is proposed to analyze the insurance claims data and estimate the future values of the expected claims. The value-at-risk estimation and the peaks-over random threshold mean-of-order-p methodology are considered.

Isolation and Screening of Zn (Zn) Solubilizing Rhizosphere Bacteria from Different Vegetations for Their Ability to Improve Growth, Zn Uptake, and Expression of Zn Transporter Genes in Tomato.

Zinc-solubilizing bacteria (ZSB) can convert insoluble zinc to an accessible form and increase Zn bioavailability in soil, which helps mitigate Zn deficiency in crops. In this study, different bacterial strains were screened for different Zn solubilization and plant growth promotion traits. Two bacterial strains, Acinetobacter pittii DJ55 and Stenotrophomonas maltophilia DJ24, were tested for their Zn-solubilizing potential on plate media, and both showed variable levels of Zn solubilization. The results showed that the bacterial strains applied to the plants in the pot experiment caused improvements in growth parameters compared to control conditions. DJ55, when applied with an insoluble source, enhanced plant height, leaf number, and leaf area compared to DJ24 and control conditions, while the maximum fruit weight was noticed in plants treated with ZnSO4. An increase in chlorophyll contents was noted in plants treated with ZnSO4, while maximum carotenoid contents were observed in plants treated with DJ55 + ZnO when compared with their controls. Plants supplemented with ZnO and DJ55 showed higher zinc content and iron content as compared to their respective controls. The expression patterns of the SLZIP5 and SLZIP4 genes were changed in the root and shoot. Application of ZnO stimulates both gene expression and protein synthesis in tomato roots and shoots. Inoculation of tomato plants with ZSB and insoluble ZnO reduced the expression of the SLZIP5 and SLZIP4 genes in the root and shoot. In conclusion, both strains can be considered as potential zinc-solubilizing bioinoculants to promote the growth and production yield of tomato.

Improvement of postharvest quality, secondary metabolites, antioxidant activity and quality attributes of Prunus persica L. subjected to solar drying and slice thickness.

Peach is a fruit highly appreciated by consumers; however, it is highly perishable, so drying is an alternative to preserve its physical and chemical properties. In this study, the effect of different drying methods (oven, solar, and open sun) and slice thicknesses (0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 cm) on quality, shelf life, color, total phenol, flavonoid, reducing sugar, non reducing sugar, ascorbic acid contents and antioxidant capacity of peach (Prunus persica L. Cv. Indian blood red), were evaluated. The results showed that, 0.5 cm slice thickness recorded the best results with minimum moisture content (%), drying time (7 hrs), titratable acidity (%), reducing sugars (%), non-reducing sugars (%), total soluble solids (°Brix), disease incidence (%), drying rate, TSS-Acid ratio, ascorbic acid, color and flavor, and total phenolic contents. Storage conditions showed significant results on 90 days of storage with maximum total soluble solids (°Brix), TSS-Acid ratio, reducing sugars (%), minimum titratable acidity (%), ascorbic acid, disease incidence (%), and non-reducing sugars (%), while color and flavor also retained. Peach fruits sliced at 0.5 cm thickness and dried in a solar collector may be considered best to retain the bio chemical attributes for 90 days and solar collector considered as environmentally friendly technology.

Optimizations of exopolysaccharide production by Fusarium nygamai strain AJTYC1 and its potential applications as an antioxidant, antimicrobial, anticancer, and emulsifier.

BACKGROUND: Exopolysaccharides (EPSs) produced by microbes are recognized as biomacromolecules of great significance. EPSs from fungi are widely used in a variety of biotechnological fields, including medicine, bioremediation, and agriculture. RESULTS: In this study, ten fungal isolates were isolated from Kafir El-Dair, Qalubia Governorate, Egypt. Isolate 5 produced more exopolysaccharides than the other examined fungi. According to microscopic morphological traits and genetic confirmation by the 18S rRNA gene, isolate 5 was identified as Fusarium nygamai strain AJTYC1. The present study showed that Czapek's broth media, which contains 6 g/100 ml of sucrose, 10 g/100 ml of peptone, pH 6, and 1.8 × 105 CFU/ml of inoculum size and is incubated at 30 °C for 9 days, was suitable for the production of EPSs from Fusarium nygamai strain AJTYC1 by using static conditions. Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) was employed in the characterization of EPSs, which exhibited the presence of carboxyl groups, hydroxyl groups, carbonyl groups, and glycosidic bonds. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) detected that EPSs consist of sucrose and glucose. The scavenging activity indicates that EPSs have good antioxidant activity. The partially purified exopolysaccharides produced from F. nygamai strain AJTYC1 exhibited excellent antioxidant and antimicrobial activity against gram positive, gram negative and fungal strains. The EPSs at a dose of 1000 µg/ml exhibited anticancer activity against colorectal colon cancer (HCT116), breast cancer (MCF7), and hepatocellular cancer cell lines. Moreover, EPSs is an effective emulsifier of a variety of vegetable oils, and the emulsion it produces is generally stable for up to 168 h. CONCLUSIONS: The production of EPSs from F. nygamai strain AJTYC1 can be used as antioxidants, antimicrobials, anticancer, and emulsifiers.

The potential use of Indian rice flour or husk in fortification of pan bread: assessing bread's quality using sensory, physicochemical, and chemometric methods.

Hassawi rice is an Indica variety cultivated in Saudi Arabia with a higher nutritional value than the commercial Basmati rice varieties. The present study has investigated the feasibility of combining Hassawi rice flour (HRF) or husk (HRHF), an abundant byproduct, with wheat flour to produce nutritious economical pan bread. To achieve this aim, the physicochemical properties of HRF and HRHF were assessed using techniques such as UPLC-tandem MS, ICP-OES, and colorimeter. The proximate composition (moisture, crude fiber, and ash) and mineral contents of HRHF are significantly (p < 0.05) higher than HRF. On the other hand, the compounds p-coumaric acid, vanillic acid, γ- and δ-tocotrienols, and γ-oryzanol were unique to HRF. We further determined the changes in sensory, technological, and physicochemical properties of wheat flour bread substituted with 5%, 10%, and 15% of HRF or HRHF. The rheological tests showed that the addition of HRF and HRHF increased dough development and stability time. Further, substituting wheat flour for HRF and HRHF at levels higher than 10% affected sensory attributes, such as color, taste, odor, flavor, and appearance. These changes, however, were not always at a significant level. The causes of the differences in properties between control and fortified bread samples were investigated by chemometric methods. Samples of bread +HRF at 5 and 10% had comparable overall profiles to the control. On the other hand, bread +HRHF samples proved to retain higher concentrations of bioactive molecules compared to the control bread. Our findings shed light on the possible use of rice husk fibers in baking goods, notably pan bread. Furthermore, by integrating rice husk fibers into baked goods, we may boost their health benefits while also contributing to the long-term use of agricultural waste.

Physiological response, phytochemicals, antioxidant, and enzymatic activity of date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) cultivated under different storage time, harvesting Stages, and temperatures.

The quality of date palm is highly influenced by postharvest techniques, storage, and processing effects. Fruits stored at room temperature result in dehydration, whereas higher temperatures accelerate the enzymatic browning of fruit. This study aimed to enhance postharvest quality of date palms through improved harvesting and storage techniques. The fruits of date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L. cv. Dhakki) were harvested at khalal (mature, firm), rutab (fully ripe), or tamar (dry) stages and stored at different temperatures (12, 18, or 24 °C) for 0, 15, 30, or 45 days. The analysis of the data showed that the studied attributes significantly different at various ripening stages and storage temperatures. The fruits harvested at Khalal stage proved to be the best in retaining moisture content (23.16%), total soluble solids (20.36 oBrix), fruit juice pH (4.97), ascorbic acid (24.65 mg 100 g-1), non-reducing sugars (26.84%), percent acidity (0.39%), antioxidant activity (211.0 mg 100 g-1), total phenolic (40.07 mg100g-1), flavonoids (45.8 mg 100 g-1), tannin (70.7 mg100g-1), catalase (1.82 U g-1), peroxidase (1.4 U g-1), soluble protein (38.2 mg kg-1), brightness (29.9), chroma (16.4), hue angle (34.9), color (16.8), and with minimum weight loss (8.48%) as compared to fruit harvested at Rutab and Tamar stage. Regarding the means for storage temperature, the fruits stored at 12 ± 3 °C retained the highest moisture content (23.2%), total soluble solids (13.5 oBrix), fruit juice pH (5.42), percent acidity (0.29%), ascorbic acid (24.4 mg100g-1), reducing sugars (31.1%), non-reducing sugars (26.5%), antioxidant activity (214.6 mg100g-1), total phenolic (41.6 mg100 g-1), flavonoids (44.7 mg100 g-1), tannin (71.7 mg 100 g-1), catalase (1.56 U g-1), peroxidase (1.21 U g-1), soluble protein (31.8 mg kg-1), brightness (28.8), chroma (15.3), hue angle (29.6), color (16.2),with minimum weight loss (9.91%). It was concluded that for quality fruit production of date palm cv. Dhakki could be harvested at Khalal stage and stored at a temperature of 12 ± 3 °C.

Reversible, Covalent DNA Condensation Approach Using Chemical Linkers for Enhanced Gene Delivery.

Nonviral gene delivery has emerged as a promising technology for gene therapy. Nonetheless, these approaches often face challenges, primarily associated with lower efficiency, which can be attributed to the inefficient transportation of DNA into the nucleus. Here, we report a two-stage condensation approach to achieve efficient nuclear transport of DNA. First, we utilize chemical linkers to cross-link DNA plasmids via a reversible covalent bond to form smaller-sized bundled DNA (b-DNA). Then, we package the b-DNA into cationic vectors to further condense b-DNA and enable efficient gene delivery to the nucleus. We demonstrate clear improvements in the gene transfection efficiency in vitro, including with 11.6 kbp plasmids and in primary cultured neurons. Moreover, we also observed a remarkable improvement in lung-selective gene transfection efficiency in vivo by this two-stage condensation approach following intravenous administration. This reversible covalent assembly strategy demonstrates substantial value of nonviral gene delivery for clinical therapeutic applications.

Agro-morphological, biochemical, and molecular markers of barley genotypes grown under salinity stress conditions.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of salt stress on morphological, yield, biochemical, and molecular attributes of different barley genotypes. Ten genotypes were cultivated at Fayoum Research Station, El-Fayoum Governorate, Egypt, during two seasons (2020-2021 and 2021-2022), and they were exposed to two different salt concentrations (tap water as a control and 8000 ppm). The results showed that genotypes and salt stress had a significant impact on all morphological and physiological parameters. The morphological parameters (plant height) and yield attributes (spike length, number of grains per spike, and grain yield per plant) of all barley genotypes were significantly decreased under salt stress as compared to control plants. Under salt stress, the total soluble sugars, proline, total phenol, total flavonoid, ascorbic acid, malondialdehyde, hydrogen peroxide, and sodium contents of the shoots of all barley genotypes significantly increased while the potassium content decreased. L1, which is considered a sensitive genotype was more affected by salinity stress than the tolerance genotypes L4, L6, L9, and Giza 138. SDS-PAGE of seed proteins demonstrated high levels of genetic variety with a polymorphism rate of 42.11%. All genotypes evaluated revealed significant variations in the seed protein biochemical markers, with new protein bands appearing and other protein bands disappearing in the protein patterns of genotypes cultivated under various conditions. Two molecular marker techniques (SCoT and ISSR primers) were used in this study. Ten Start Codon Targeted (SCoT) primers exhibited a total of 94 fragments with sizes ranging from 1800 base pairs to 100 base pairs; 29 of them were monomorphic, and 65 bands, with a polymorphism of 62.18%, were polymorphic. These bands contained 21 unique bands (9 positive specific markers and 12 negative specific markers). A total of 54 amplified bands with molecular sizes ranging from 2200 to 200 bp were produced using seven Inter Simple Sequence Repeat (ISSR) primers; 31 of them were monomorphic bands and 23 polymorphic bands had a 40.9% polymorphism. The techniques identified molecular genetic markers associated with salt tolerance in barley crop and successfully marked each genotype with distinct bands. The ten genotypes were sorted into two main groups by the unweighted pair group method of arithmetic averages (UPGMA) cluster analysis based on molecular markers and data at a genetic similarity coefficient level of 0.71.

The Bioactive Substances in Spent Black Tea and Arabic Coffee Could Improve the Nutritional Value and Extend the Shelf Life of Sponge Cake after Fortification.

The study aimed to evaluate the potential use of spent coffee powder (SCP) and spent tea powder (STP) as bioactive supplements for sponge cake. To achieve this aim, we initially compared the chemical properties of spent tea and coffee powders with those of their raw forms. Subsequently, three supplemented cake blends were prepared (1, 2, and 3% of SCP and STP) to test the effect of their addition on the chemophysical characteristics, sensory attributes, and shelf life of the final products. Our results indicated that spent tea and coffee are prospective materials for polyphenols. Spent tea powder could retain up to 72% (theaflavin trigallate), while spent coffee powder could retain up to 63.9% (1-caffeoylquinic acid) of the identified compounds compared to the raw materials. Furthermore, spent tea and coffee powders contained high levels of dietary fiber (18.95 and 31.65 g/100 g dry weight) and the elements potassium (254.6 and 1218.2 mg/100 g of DW), phosphorus (189.8 and 161.3 mg/100 g of DW), calcium (904.1 and 237.8 mg/100 g of DW), and magnesium (158.8 and 199.6 mg/100 g of DW). In addition, the fortified samples with SCP and STP significantly enhanced the nutritional values while retaining good sensory qualities compared to those of the control sample. Moreover, cakes fortified with the highest concentrations of SCP and STP (3%) showed a significant decrease in malondialdehyde content (MDA; 17.7 and 18.0 µg/g) and microbiological counts (2.4 and 2.5 log cfu/g) compared to the control cake after 14 days of storage. These findings suggest that incorporating SCP and STP into cakes not only enhances their nutritional value but also extends their shelf life. By utilizing these waste products, we can contribute to a more sustainable and ecofriendly food industry.

Blockchain-Powered Healthcare Systems: Enhancing Scalability and Security with Hybrid Deep Learning.

The rapid advancements in technology have paved the way for innovative solutions in the healthcare domain, aiming to improve scalability and security while enhancing patient care. This abstract introduces a cutting-edge approach, leveraging blockchain technology and hybrid deep learning techniques to revolutionize healthcare systems. Blockchain technology provides a decentralized and transparent framework, enabling secure data storage, sharing, and access control. By integrating blockchain into healthcare systems, data integrity, privacy, and interoperability can be ensured while eliminating the reliance on centralized authorities. In conjunction with blockchain, hybrid deep learning techniques offer powerful capabilities for data analysis and decision making in healthcare. Combining the strengths of deep learning algorithms with traditional machine learning approaches, hybrid deep learning enables accurate and efficient processing of complex healthcare data, including medical records, images, and sensor data. This research proposes a permissions-based blockchain framework for scalable and secure healthcare systems, integrating hybrid deep learning models. The framework ensures that only authorized entities can access and modify sensitive health information, preserving patient privacy while facilitating seamless data sharing and collaboration among healthcare providers. Additionally, the hybrid deep learning models enable real-time analysis of large-scale healthcare data, facilitating timely diagnosis, treatment recommendations, and disease prediction. The integration of blockchain and hybrid deep learning presents numerous benefits, including enhanced scalability, improved security, interoperability, and informed decision making in healthcare systems. However, challenges such as computational complexity, regulatory compliance, and ethical considerations need to be addressed for successful implementation. By harnessing the potential of blockchain and hybrid deep learning, healthcare systems can overcome traditional limitations, promoting efficient and secure data management, personalized patient care, and advancements in medical research. The proposed framework lays the foundation for a future healthcare ecosystem that prioritizes scalability, security, and improved patient outcomes.

Green synthesized silver nanoparticles mediated by Fusarium nygamai isolate AJTYC1: characterizations, antioxidant, antimicrobial, anticancer, and photocatalytic activities and cytogenetic effects.

Green biosynthesized nanoparticles have a bright future because they can be produced using a method that is more energy-efficient, cost-effective, repeatable, and environmentally friendly than physical or chemical synthesis. In this study, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were produced using the Fusarium nygamai isolate AJTYC1. Several techniques were used to characterize the synthesized AgNPs, including UV-Vis spectroscopy, transmission electron microscope, zeta potential analysis, X-ray diffraction analysis, energy dispersive X-ray, and Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy. AgNPs showed a distinctive surface plasmon resonance (SPR) peak in the UV-visible range at 310 nm. The morphology of the biosynthesized AgNPs was spherical, and the TEM image shows that they ranged in size from 27.3 to 53.1 nm. The notable peaks of the FT-IR results show the different groups for the alkane, alkynes, cyclic alkenes, carboxylic, aromatic amine, esters, and phenolics. Additionally, the results showed that AgNPs had superior antioxidant activity when compared to ascorbic acid and butylated hydroxytoluene, which is a powerful antioxidant. Additionally, AgNPs have antibacterial action utilizing agar diffusion against gram-positive bacteria, gram-negative bacteria, and antifungal activity. AgNPs' anticancer activity varied depending on the type of cancer it was used to treat, including hepatocellular cancer (HepG2), colorectal carcinoma (HCT116), and breast cancer of the mammary gland (MCF7). The viability of the cancer cell lines was reduced with increasing AgNP concentration. AgNPs also demonstrated promising photocatalytic activity by reducing methylene blue, safranin, crystal violet, and green malachite by 88.3%, 81.5%, 76.4%, and 78.2%, respectively. In addition, AgNPs significantly affected the Allium cepa plant's mitotic index and resulted in chromosomal abnormalities as compared to the control. Thus, the synthesized AgNPs demonstrated an efficient, eco-friendly, and sustainable method for decolorizing dyes as well as antioxidant, antibacterial, antifungal, and anticancer activities. This could be a huge victory in the fight against numerous dynamic diseases and lessen wastewater dye contamination.

A Compact Circular Rectenna for RF-Energy Harvesting at ISM Band.

With low-power gadgets proliferating, the development of a small, effective rectenna is crucial for wirelessly energizing devices. A simple circular patch with a partial ground plane for RF-energy harvesting at ISM (2.45 GHz) band is proposed in this work. The simulated antenna resonates at 2.45 GHz with an input impedance of 50 Ω and a gain of 2.38 dBi. An L-section matching a circuit with a voltage doubler is proposed to provide excellent RF-to-DC transformation efficiency at low power input. The proposed rectenna is fabricated and the results show that the return loss and realized gain have good characteristics at the ISM band with 52% of RF-to-DC transformation efficiency, with an input of 0 dBm power. The projected rectenna is apt for power-up low sensor nodes in wireless sensor applications.

Coal fly ash application as an eco-friendly approach for modulating the growth, yield, and biochemical constituents of Withania somnifera L. plants.

The solid waste known as fly ash, which is produced when coal is burned in thermal power plants, is sustainably used in agriculture. It is an excellent soil supplement for plant growth and development since it contains some desired nutrients (macro and micro), as well as being porous. The present study was done to evaluate the effect of different fly ash levels on Withania somnifera. The present study aimed to assess the impact of various fly ash (FA) concentrations on growth, yield, photosynthetic pigments, biochemical parameters, and cell viability of W. somnifera. The results showed that FA enhanced physical and chemical properties of soil like pH, electric conductivity, porosity, water-holding capacity, and nutrients. The low doses of FA-amended soil (15%) significantly increased the shoot length (36%), root length (24.5%), fresh weight of shoots and roots (107.8 and 50.6%), dry weight of shoots and roots (61.9 and 47.1%), number of fruits (70.4%), carotenoid (43%), total chlorophyll (44.3%), relative water content (109.3%), protein content (20.4%), proline content (110.3%), total phenols (116.1%), nitrogen (20.3%), phosphorus (16.9%), and potassium (26.4%). On the other hand, the higher doses, i.e., 25% of fly ash showed a negative effect on all the above parameters and induced oxidative stress by increasing lipid peroxidation (33.1%) and hydrogen peroxide (102.0%) and improving the activities of antioxidant enzymes and osmolytes. Compared to the control plants, the plants growing in soil enriched with 15 and 25% fly ash had larger stomata pores when examined using a scanning electron microscope. In addition, according to a confocal microscopic analysis of the roots of W. somnifera, higher fly ash concentrations caused membrane damage, as evidenced by an increase in the number of stained nuclei. Moreover, several functional groups and peaks of the biomolecules represented in the control and 15% of fly ash were alcohols, phenols, allenes, ketenes, isocynates, and hydrocarbons. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis of the methanol extract of W. somnifera leaves cultivated in soil amended with 15% fly ash shows the presence of 47 bioactive compounds. The most abundant compounds in the methanol extract were cis-9-hexadecenal (22.33%), n-hexadecanoic acid (9.68%), cinnamic acid (6.37%), glycidyl oleate (3.88%), nonanoic acid (3.48%), and pyranone (3.57%). The lower concentrations of FA (15%) can be used to enhance plant growth and lower the accumulation of FA that results in environmental pollution.