Efficiency of exogenous zinc sulfate application reduced fruit drop and improved antioxidant activity of 'Kinnow' mandarin fruit / A eficiência da aplicação de sulfato de zinco exógeno reduziu a queda da fruta e melhorou a atividade antioxidante da tangerina 'Kinnow'

'Kinnow' mandarin (Citrus nobilis L.× Citrus deliciosa T.) is an important marketable fruit of the world. It is mainstay of citrus industry in Pakistan, having great export potential. But out of total production of the country only 10% of the produce meets the international quality standard for export. Pre-harvest fruit drop and poor fruit quality could be associated with various issues including the plant nutrition. Most of the farmers do not pay attention to the supply of micro nutrients which are already deficient in the soil. Furthermore, their mobility within plants is also a question. Zinc (Zn) is amongst those micronutrients which affect the quality and postharvest life of the fruit and its deficiency in Pakistani soils is already reported by many researchers. Therefore, this study was carried out to evaluate the influence of pre-harvest applications of zinc sulfate (ZnSO4; 0, 0.4%, 0.6% or 0.8%) on pre-harvest fruit drop, yield and fruit quality of ‘Kinnow’ mandarin at harvest. The treatments were applied during the month of October i.e. 4 months prior to harvest. The applied Zn sprays had significant effect on yield and quality of the "Kinnow" fruit. Amongst different foliar applications of ZnSO4applied four months before harvest, 0.6% ZnSO4 significantly reduced pre-harvest fruit drop (10.08%) as compared to untreated control trees (46.45%). Similarly, the maximum number of fruits harvested per tree (627), fruit weight (192.9 g), juice percentage (42.2%), total soluble solids (9.5 °Brix), ascorbic acid content (35.5 mg 100 g-¹) and sugar contents (17.4) were also found significantly higher with 0.6% ZnSO4 treatment as compared to rest of treatments and control. Foliar application of 0.6% ZnSO4 also significantly improved total antioxidants (TAO) and total phenolic contents (TPC) in fruit. In conclusion, foliar [...].

A tangerina 'Kinnow' (Citrus nobilis L. × Citrus deliciosa T.) é uma importante fruta comercializável do mundo. É o esteio da indústria cítrica no Paquistão, com grande potencial de exportação. Mas, da produção total do país, apenas 10% da produção atendem o padrão internacional de qualidade para exportação. A queda da fruta antes da colheita e a baixa qualidade da fruta podem estar associadas a vários problemas, incluindo a nutrição da planta. A maioria dos agricultores não se preocupa com o fornecimento de micronutrientes que já são deficientes no solo. Além disso, sua mobilidade dentro das plantas também é uma questão. O zinco (Zn) está entre os micronutrientes que afetam a qualidade e a vida pós-colheita da fruta, e sua deficiência em solos paquistaneses já é relatada por diversos pesquisadores. Portanto, este estudo foi realizado para avaliar a influência da aplicação pré-colheita de sulfato de zinco (ZnSO4; 0, 0,4%, 0,6% ou 0,8%) na queda dos frutos na pré-colheita, produtividade e qualidade dos frutos da tangerina 'Kinnow' em colheita. Os tratamentos foram aplicados durante o mês de outubro, ou seja, 4 meses antes da colheita. As pulverizações de Zn aplicadas tiveram efeito significativo no rendimento e na qualidade da fruta 'Kinnow'. Entre as diferentes aplicações foliares de ZnSO4 efetuadas quatro meses antes da colheita, 0,6% de ZnSO4 reduziu significativamente a queda de frutos antes da colheita (10,08%) em comparação com as árvores de controle não tratadas (46,45%). Da mesma forma, número máximo de frutos colhidos por árvore (627), peso do fruto (192,9 g), porcentagem de suco (42,2%), sólidos solúveis totais (9,5 ° Brix), teor de ácido ascórbico (35,5 mg / 100 g-¹) e os teores de açúcar (17,4) também foram significativamente maiores com o tratamento com 0,6% de ZnSO4 em comparação com o restante dos tratamentos e o controle. A aplicação foliar de 0,6% de ZnSO4 também melhorou significativamente os [...].

Ocoxin as a complement to first line treatments in cancer.

Chemotherapy and radiotherapy are the most frequent treatment for patients suffering from malignant progression of cancer. Even though new treatments are now being implemented, administration of these chemotherapeutic agents remains as the first line option in many tumor types. However, the secondary effects of these compounds represent one of the main reasons cancer patients lose life quality during disease progression. Recent data suggests that Ocoxin, a plant extract and natural compound based nutritional complement rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory mediators exerts a positive effect in patients receiving chemotherapy and radiotherapy. This mixture attenuates the chemotherapy and radiotherapy-related side effects such as radiation-induced skin burns and mucositis, chemotherapy-related diarrhea, hepatic toxicity and blood-infection. Moreover, it has been proven to be effective as anticancer agent in different tumor models both in vitro and in vivo, potentiating the cytotoxic effect of several chemotherapy compounds such as Lapatinib, Gemcitabine, Paclitaxel, Sorafenib and Irinotecan. The aim of this review is to put some light on the potential of this nutritional mixture as an anticancer agent and complement for the standard chemotherapy routine.

Beneficial effect of oral administration of zinc sulfate on 5-fluorouracil-induced gastrointestinal mucositis in rats.

OBJECTIVE: This experimental study explored the potential of oral zinc sulfate to protect the gut mucosa from 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)-induced degenerative lesions in Wistar rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Female Wistar rats were used and divided into 2 interventional groups (Z with 6 animals and F with 5 animals) and one control group (M with 5 rats). After 2 hours of fasting, group Z received via oral gavage 1.5 ml of solution, corresponding to 15 mg zinc sulfate for 9 consecutive days. Groups F and M received only the vehicles. On day 3, 400 mg/kg of 5-FU was administered intraperitoneally to groups Z and F. Tissue samples were collected from the duodenum, jejunum, colon and liver. Histological assessment for each gastrointestinal tract segment was determined semi-quantitatively by rating 11 histological features from normal (0) to severe (3). The independent groups were analyzed using the Kruskal-Wallis test and the Mann-Whitney U-test, with a Bonferroni correction for alpha (p ≤ 0.016). RESULTS: In group F the jejunum was the most affected area with a mean histological score of  27 (25-32). In the Z group, significantly lower histological scores were obtained compared with group F (duodenum Z vs. F: U = 0, p = 0.004; jejunum Z vs. F: U = 0, p = 0.006 and colon: Z vs. F: U = 0, p = 0.005). Graded liver necro-inflammatory lesions were significantly lower in group Z compared with group F (U = 0, p = 0.004), suggesting fewer bacterial intestinal translocation processes. CONCLUSIONS: Zinc sulfate has a beneficial role, decreasing the severity of gut mucosal injuries induced by 5-FU in Wistar rats.

Nutritional interventions for treating foot ulcers in people with diabetes.

BACKGROUND: Foot ulcers in people with diabetes are non-healing, or poorly healing, partial, or full-thickness wounds below the ankle. These ulcers are common, expensive to manage and cause significant morbidity and mortality. The presence of a wound has an impact on nutritional status because of the metabolic cost of repairing tissue damage, in addition to the nutrient losses via wound fluid. Nutritional interventions may improve wound healing of foot ulcers in people with diabetes. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effects of nutritional interventions on the healing of foot ulcers in people with diabetes. SEARCH METHODS: In March 2020 we searched the Cochrane Wounds Specialised Register; the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL); Ovid MEDLINE; Ovid Embase and EBSCO CINAHL Plus. We also searched clinical trials registries for ongoing and unpublished studies, and scanned reference lists of relevant included studies as well as reviews, meta-analyses and health technology reports to identify additional studies. There were no restrictions with respect to language, date of publication or study setting. SELECTION CRITERIA: We included randomised controlled trials (RCTs) that evaluated the effect of nutritional interventions on the healing of foot ulcers in people with diabetes. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Two review authors, working independently, assessed included RCTs for their risk of bias and rated the certainty of evidence using GRADE methodology, using pre-determined inclusion and quality criteria. MAIN RESULTS: We identified nine RCTs (629 participants). Studies explored oral nutritional interventions as follows: a protein (20 g protein per 200 mL bottle), 1 kcal/mL ready-to-drink, nutritional supplement with added vitamins, minerals and trace elements; arginine, glutamine and ß-hydroxy-ß-methylbutyrate supplement; 220 mg zinc sulphate supplements; 250 mg magnesium oxide supplements; 1000 mg/day omega-3 fatty acid from flaxseed oil; 150,000 IU of vitamin D, versus 300,000 IU of vitamin D; 250 mg magnesium oxide plus 400 IU vitamin E and 50,000 IU vitamin D supplements. The comparator in eight studies was placebo, and in one study a different dose of vitamin D. Eight studies reported the primary outcome measure of ulcer healing; only two studies reported a measure of complete healing. Six further studies reported measures of change in ulcer dimension, these studies reported only individual parameters of ulcer dimensions (i.e. length, width and depth) and not change in ulcer volume. All of the evidence identified was very low certainty. We downgraded it for risks of bias, indirectness and imprecision. It is uncertain whether oral nutritional supplement with 20 g protein per 200 mL bottle, 1 kcal/mL, nutritional supplement with added vitamins, minerals and trace elements, increases the proportion of ulcers healed at six months more than placebo (risk ratio (RR) 0.80, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.42 to 1.53). It is also uncertain whether arginine, glutamine and ß-hydroxy-ß-methylbutyrate supplement increases the proportion of ulcers healed at 16 weeks compared with placebo (RR 1.09, 95% CI 0.85 to 1.40). It is uncertain whether the following interventions change parameters of ulcer dimensions over time when compared with placebo; 220 mg zinc sulphate supplement containing 50 mg elemental zinc, 250 mg magnesium oxide supplement, 1000 mg/day omega-3 fatty acid from flaxseed oil supplement, magnesium and vitamin E co-supplementation and vitamin D supplementation. It is also uncertain whether 150,000 IU of vitamin D, impacts ulcer dimensions when compared with 300,000 IU of vitamin D. Two studies explored some of the secondary outcomes of interest for this review. It is uncertain whether oral nutritional supplement with 20 g protein per 200 mL bottle, 1 kcal/mL, nutritional supplement with added vitamins, minerals and trace elements, reduces the number of deaths (RR 0.96, 95% CI 0.06 to 14.60) or amputations (RR 4.82, 95% CI 0.24 to 95.88) more than placebo. It is uncertain whether arginine, glutamine and ß-hydroxy-ß-methylbutyrate supplement increases health-related quality of life at 16 weeks more than placebo (MD -0.03, 95% CI -0.09 to 0.03). It is also uncertain whether arginine, glutamine and ß-hydroxy-ß-methylbutyrate supplement reduces the numbers of new ulcers (RR 1.04, 95% CI 0.71 to 1.51), or amputations (RR 0.66, 95% CI 0.16 to 2.69) more than placebo. None of the included studies reported the secondary outcomes cost of intervention, acceptability of the intervention (or satisfaction) with respect to patient comfort, length of patient hospital stay, surgical interventions, or osteomyelitis incidence. One study exploring the impact of arginine, glutamine and ß-hydroxy-ß-methylbutyrate supplement versus placebo did not report on any relevant outcomes. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: Evidence for the impact of nutritional interventions on the healing of foot ulcers in people with diabetes compared with no nutritional supplementation, or compared with a different dose of nutritional supplementation, remains uncertain, with eight studies showing no clear benefit or harm. It is also uncertain whether there is a difference in rates of adverse events, amputation rate, development of new foot ulcers, or quality of life, between nutritional interventions and placebo. More research is needed to clarify the impact of nutritional interventions on the healing of foot ulcers in people with diabetes.

Biodistribution and acute toxicity of cadmium-free quantum dots with different surface functional groups in mice following intratracheal inhalation.

Indium phosphide/zinc sulfate (InP/ZnS) quantum dots (QDs) are presumed to be less hazardous than those that contain cadmium. However, the toxicological profile has not been established. The present study investigated the acute toxicity of InP/ZnS QDs with different surface modifications (COOH, NH2, and OH) in mice after pulmonary aerosol inhalation. InP/ZnS QDs were able to pass through the blood-gas barrier and enter the circulation, and subsequently accumulated in major organs. No obvious changes were observed in the body weight or major organ coefficients. Red blood cell counts and platelet-related indicators were in the normal range, but the proportion of white blood cells was altered. The InP/ZnS QDs caused varying degrees of changes in some serum markers, but no histopathological abnormalities related to InP/ZnS QDs treatment was observed in major organs except that hyperemia in alveolar septa was found in lung sections. These results suggested that the effects of respiratory exposure to InP/ZnS QDs on the lungs need to be fully considered in future biomedical application although the overall toxicity of quantum dots is relatively low.

Reversible olfactory dysfunction impaired learning and memory with impaired hippocampal synaptic plasticity and increased corticosterone release in mice.

Olfactory dysfunction is related with various neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric disorders such as Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease, which show impaired cognitive functions. However, the effects of olfactory dysfunction on hippocampal dependent learning and memory remain elusive. In this study, mice were treated with intranasal zinc sulfate (ZnSO4) infusion which resulted in a complete but reversible loss of olfactory function. Olfaction was totally destroyed even 1 week after zinc sulfate treatment, but partially recovered 4 weeks later. We found learning and memory in Y-maze and fear conditioning were not affected by ZnSO4 1 week after the treatment, but learning and memory were severely destroyed 4 weeks later. Electrophysiology results showed impaired hippocampal long-term potentiation and long-term depression 4 weeks after the olfaction dysfunction, while only long-term depression was impaired 1 week after the treatment. Western blot showed that the expression and phosphorylation of GluA1 in zinc group did not show any increase after fear conditioning as the control mice. Serum corticosterone release was increased in olfactory deficit mice at baseline and after acute stress when tested 3, 10 and 20 days after the olfactory dysfunction. All these results indicated that reversible olfactory dysfunction elicited impaired hippocampal function in mice. The higher corticosterone release after olfactory deficiency might serve as an underling mechanism.

Pretreatment with zinc protects Kupffer cells following administration of microbial products.

BACKGROUND: Systemic inflammation and severe fibrosis can reduce serum zinc levels, while zinc supplementation is reported to improve the prognosis of patients with chronic liver disease (CLD). OBJECTIVES: We aimed to investigate the clinical application of serum zinc in patients with CLD and the anti-infective mechanism of zinc supplementation. METHODS: Based on the serum zinc level, 149 CLD patients were divided into 3 groups and their clinical parameters were compared. In in-vitro experiments, microbial isolates derived from patients were used to stimulate human liver non-parenchymal cells, and the zinc sulfate solution was added in certain experiments. The effect of zinc was compared by LDH and thromboxane A2 levels in the cell supernatant. RESULT: Compared with other groups, patients with low serum zinc levels had significantly higher C-reactive protein (CRP), total bilirubin, INR, creatinine, and MELD scores, while albumin and GOT levels were reduced. Only CRP and albumin were significantly correlated with serum zinc in both low and normal-zinc groups. Bacterial isolates significantly increased LDH levels in Kupffer cells (KCs) and stellate cells but had no effect on sinusoidal endothelial cells, whereas zinc pretreatment protected KCs but not stellate cells. Thromboxane A2 secreted by KCs can also be induced by bacterial stimulation, accompanied by increased gene expression of Myd88, MAPK and NF-kB, while zinc pretreatment can attenuate that. CONCLUSION: Serum zinc levels can be used to estimate infection and liver fibrosis in CLD patients. As a new antibacterial weapon, zinc supplementation acts on KCs through Myd88-MAPK related pathways.

Leg Ulcers in Sickle-Cell Disease: Treatment Update.

Significance: Sickle-cell leg ulcers (SCLUs) are a severe, chronic, and recurrent complication of sickle-cell disease (SCD). There are no official recommendations for treatment. Recent Advances: Only a few studies with a high level of evidence have been conducted to evaluate treatment of SCLUs. However, several studies have been conducted with a high level of evidence to evaluate the efficacy of treatments in venous leg ulcers, and SCLUs could benefit from these treatments, especially when a venous incompetence or an edema is associated. Pathophysiology of SCLUs includes a vasculopathy related to chronic hemolysis and an endothelial dysfunction, which could be therapeutic approaches to SCLU treatment. Critical Issues: Therapeutic approaches to SCLUs can target SCD on the one hand and skin healing and associated aggravating factors on the other. A review of the literature found only case series and six randomized controlled trials; some offered encouraging results, but most had serious biases. Clinical trials specifically targeting SCLUs are difficult to realize because of the small number of affected patients, in comparison with patients with leg ulcers from other causes. Future Direction: Treating SCLUs remains a challenge. Data in the literature are currently insufficient to offer clear treatment guidelines because of several biases in controlled studies. New studies are under way to assess the efficacy of topical treatments and describe the microbiome of SCLUs. Prevention of SCLU recurrence should be assessed in future clinical trials because the high risk of recurrence is an unsolved critical issue.

Comparative digestibility of polysaccharide-complexed zinc and zinc sulfate in diets for gestating and lactating sows.

We hypothesized that the digestibility of a zinc polysaccharide complex is greater than zinc sulfate when sows consume high fiber diets containing corn dried distillers grains with solubles (DDGS). Gilts and sows (n = 32) were blocked according to parity and assigned randomly to one of four dietary treatments (n = 8 sows per treatments). Dietary treatments consisted of: 1) Control (ConZnSO4)-corn-soybean meal-based diet + 100 ppm supplemental Zn from ZnSO4; 2) Control PSZn (ConPSZn)-corn-soybean meal-based diet + 100 ppm supplemental Zn from Zn polysaccharide complex; 3) DDGS/ZnSO4-corn-soybean meal-40% DDGS gestation diet and a 30% DDGS lactation diet, with each containing 100 ppm supplemental Zn from ZnSO4; 4) DDGS/PSZn-corn-soybean meal-40% DDGS gestation diet and a 30% DDGS lactation diet, with each containing 100 ppm supplemental Zn from Zn polysaccharide complex. A fifth dietary treatment was imposed using a subset of sows (n = 20) to determine basal Zn losses in gestating and lactating sows fed corn-soybean meal-based diets containing no supplemental Zn. Nutrient balance experiments were conducted in both gestation and lactation to evaluate the digestibility of Zn sources of the four dietary treatments and to determine basal Zn losses when no supplemental Zn was provided. The statistical model included fixed effects of diet, Zn source, and their interaction, and random effects of parity. Estimated endogenous losses of Zn were used to adjust apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) to true total tract digestibility (TTTD) of Zn in the four dietary treatment balance periods. There were no differences in Zn concentrations of urine, plasma, colostrum, or milk samples among treatments at any time of the experiment (P > 0.05). Gestating sows fed DDGS/PSZn had improved (P < 0.05) ATTD, TTTD, and overall retention of Zn compared with both Control treatments, with the DDGS/ZnSO4 treatment responses being intermediate. Lactating sows consuming diets without DDGS and supplemented with Zn polysaccharide complex had the greatest (P < 0.05) ATTD, TTTD, and retention of Zn, which were opposite to responses observed in gestation. Furthermore, ATTD, TTTD, and Zn retention for lactating sows consuming DDGS/PSZn were less (P < 0.05) than all other treatments. Overall, zinc digestibility of ZnSO4 and PSZn appears to be differentially influenced by the stage of the reproductive cycle and presence of dietary fiber from DDGS.

Effects of zinc supplementation on metallothionein levels in ischemic renal tissue.

We investigated how zinc (Zn) supplementation affects metallothionein levels in the cortex and medulla of ischemic renal tissue of rats. We used adult male rats divided into four groups: group 1, untreated control; group 2, sham-operated; group 3, ischemia-reperfusion; group 4, ischemia-reperfusion + 5 g/kg Zn. Renal tissue was analyzed using immunostaining of rat metallothionein. Cells stained with metallothionein were counted and their percentage was calculated. We found that the Zn supplemented ischemia and reperfusion group exhibited a greater percentage of cells stained strongly for metallothionein in the renal cortex than all other groups. In the renal medulla, percentages of weak staining for metallothionein in the control and ischemia and reperfusion groups were greater than those in the sham and Zn-supplemented ischemia/reperfusion groups. Our findings indicate that the main effect of Zn in the renal tissue occurs in the cortex, while metallothionein synthesis in the renal medulla is unaffected.

Evaluation of serum interleukin 17 and zinc levels in recalcitrant viral wart.

BACKGROUND: Warts are benign epithelial proliferations of the skin and mucosa caused by infection with HPV. Low IL-17 levels may contribute in occurrence, maintenance, severity, and recurrence of different types of cutaneous wart that depend mainly on the cell-mediated immunity defect. In a majority of the patients, zinc deficiency was associated with persistent, progressive, or recurrent viral warts. A careful dose of oral zinc sulfate may be helpful in the management of such patients. Zn deficiency negatively affects the Th17 cells. IL 6 induced STAT3 activation during chronic inflammation and Th17 development suppressed by Zn via attenuating this activation critically controls Th17-cell development. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the role of interleukin 17 and zinc in recalcitrant warts. PATENTS AND METHODS: All studied patients were subjected to history taking and dermatological examination. The evaluation of serum IL-17 level was done by ELISA in 25 recalcitrant wart patients and 25 wart patients. The measurement of serum zinc level was determined by colorimetric methods, using Au 480 Beckman coulter chemistry analyzer. RESULTS: The results revealed a significant decrease in serum IL-17 and zinc levels in recalcitrant wart patients. CONCLUSION: Both IL-17 and zinc deficiency have a role in the pathogenesis of recalcitrant warts through the imbalance of immune system and deficiency of immune cells. There is no significant correlation between serum levels of IL-17 and zinc, suggesting that they have different mechanisms in affecting the immune system.

Effect of Zinc Supplementation on Renal Anemia in 5/6-Nephrectomized Rats and a Comparison with Treatment with Recombinant Human Erythropoietin.

Anemia is a severe complication in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Treatment with exogenous erythropoietin (EPO) can correct anemia in many with CKD. We produced 5/6-nephrectomized rats that became uremic and anemic at 25 days post surgery. Injection of the anemic 5/6-nephrectomized rats with 2.8 mg zinc/kg body weight raised their red blood cell (RBC) levels from approximately 85% of the control to 95% in one day and continued for 4 days. We compared the effect of ZnSO4 and recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEPO) injections on relieving anemia in 5/6-nephrectomized rats. After three consecutive injections, both the ZnSO4 and rHuEPO groups had significantly higher RBC levels (98 ± 6% and 102 ± 6% of the control) than the saline group (90 ± 3% of the control). In vivo, zinc relieved anemia in 5/6-nephrectomized rats similar to rHuEPO. In vitro, we cultured rat bone marrow cells supplemented with ZnCl2, rHuEPO, or saline. In a 4-day suspension culture, we found that zinc induced erythropoiesis similar to rHuEPO. When rat bone marrow cells were supplement-cultured with zinc, we found that zinc stimulated the production of EPO in the culture medium and that the level of EPO produced was dependent on the concentration of zinc supplemented. The production of EPO via zinc supplementation was involved in the process of erythropoiesis.

La excepción que confirma la regla: herpes zoster duplex y multiplex / Herpes Zoster Duplex and Multiplex: The Exception That Confirms the Rule

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Effects of foliar application of zinc sulfate and zinc nanoparticles in coffee (Coffea arabica L.) plants.

A greenhouse study comparing the physiological responses and uptake of coffee (Coffea arabica L.) plants to foliar applications of zinc sulfate (ZnSO4) and zinc nano-fertilizer (ZnO NPs) was conducted with the aim to understand their effects on plant physiology. One-year old coffee plants were grown in greenhouse conditions and treated with two foliar applications of 10 mg/L of Zn as either zinc sulfate monohydrate (ZnSO4 ‧ H2O) or zinc oxide nanoparticle (ZnO NPs 20% w/t) and compared to untreated control plants over the course of 45 days. ZnO NPs positively affected the fresh weight and dry weight (FW and DW) of roots and leaves, increasing the FW by 37% (root) and 95% (leaves) when compared to control. The DW increase was 28%, 85%, and 20% in roots, stems, and leaves, respectively. The net photosynthetic rate increased 55% in response to ZnO NPs treatment at the end of experiment when compared to control. ZnO NPs-treated leaves contained significantly higher amounts of Zn (1267.1 ±â€¯367.2 mg/kg DW) when compared to ZnSO4-treated plants (344.1 ±â€¯106.2 mg/kg DW), while control plants had the lowest Zn content in the leaf tissue (53.6 ±â€¯18.9 mg/kg DW). X-ray micro-analyses maps demonstrated the increased penetrance of ZnO NPs in coffee leaf tissue. Overall, ZnO NPs had a more positive impact on coffee growth and physiology than conventional Zn salts, which was most likely due to their increased ability to be absorbed by the leaf. These results indicate that the application of ZnO NPs could be considered for coffee systems to improve fruit set and quality, especially in areas where Zn deficiency is high.

Intralesional 2% zinc sulfate solution for plane warts: A case report.

Warts are benign epithelial proliferations of the skin and mucous membranes caused by human papilloma viruses (HPVs). Plane warts are mainly caused by HPV-3 and HPV-10. There is no absolute effective single treatment, and multiple treatment modalities may be combined. One must take into consideration the probability of spontaneous regression, and so the therapeutic approach should not be too aggressive. We report a case of 11 years immunocompetent child presenting with recalcitrant multiple plane warts who was successfully treated with intralesional 2% zinc sulfate solution injection in one lesion after a failure of many other treatment modalities. Our case may represent a starting point for further studies to evaluate the best dose used for management and to avoid any side effects. Intralesional zinc sulfate injection could be a promising treatment option for plane warts.

Combined effects of olfactory dysfunction and chronic stress on anxiety- and depressive- like behaviors in mice.

There is a close relationship between olfactory dysfunction and depression, but the underlying mechanism remains unknown. Studies have shown that olfactory deprived animal experience a higher level of stress compared with controls. In the present study, we aimed to investigate whether olfactory deprived mice would be more vulnerable to develop cognitive and emotional impairments under chronic stresses. Mice were treated with intranasal zinc sulfate infusion which resulted in a complete but reversible loss of olfactory function, and then they were treated with either chronic restraint stress (CRS) or chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) for three consecutive weeks. After that, anxiety- and depressive-like behavior, as well as spatial learning and memory were measured. We found that olfactory deficit induced depressive-like behavior and impaired spatial learning and memory in mice, and the olfactory scores were significantly correlated with depressive-like behavior or the spatial learning. After CRS, olfactory deprived mice showed less anxiety- and depressive- like behaviors and better olfactory recovery than non-stressed anosmia mice. In contrast, CUMS led to increased anxiety- and depressive-like behavior and deterred the olfactory recovery. These results indicated that transient olfactory deprivation induces emotional and cognitive impairment in mice, which could be modulated by chronic stresses with a stressor intensity dependent way.