Artificial intelligence models for validating and predicting the impact of chemical priming of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and light emitting diodes on in vitro grown industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa L.).

Industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) is a highly recalcitrant plant under in vitro conditions that can be overcome by employing external stimuli. Hemp seeds were primed with 2.0-3.0% hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) followed by culture under different Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) sources. Priming seeds with 2.0% yielded relatively high germination rate, growth, and other biochemical and enzymatic activities. The LED lights exerted a variable impact on Cannabis germination and enzymatic activities. Similarly, variable responses were observed for H2O2 × Blue-LEDs combination. The results were also analyzed by multiple regression analysis, followed by an investigation of the impact of both factors by Pareto chart and normal plots. The results were optimized by contour and surface plots for all parameters. Response surface optimizer optimized 2.0% H2O2 × 918 LUX LEDs for maximum scores of all output parameters. The results were predicted by employing Multilayer Perceptron (MLP), Random Forest (RF), and eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) algorithms. Moreover, the validity of these models was assessed by using six different performance metrics. MLP performed better than RF and XGBoost models, considering all six-performance metrics. Despite the differences in scores, the performance indicators for all examined models were quite close to each other. It can easily be concluded that all three models are capable of predicting and validating data for cannabis seeds primed with H2O2 and grown under different LED lights.

Prevalence of gestational diabetes mellitus in Pakistan: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: A variety of screening tools and criteria are used for the diagnosis of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). As a result, the prevalence rate of GDM varied from 4.41% to 57.90% among studies from Pakistan. Beside this disagreement, similar multi-centric studies, community surveys and pooled evidence were lacking from the country. Therefore, this first systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to measure the overall and subgroup pooled estimates of GDM and explore the methodological variations among studies for any inconsistency. METHODS: Using the PRISMA guidelines, seventy studies were identified from PubMed, ScienceDirect, Google Scholar and PakMediNet database. Of them, twenty-four relevant studies were considered for systematic review and nine eligible studies selected for meta-analysis. AXIS was used for measuring quality of reporting, I^2 statistics for heterogeneity among studies and subgroups, funnel plot for reporting potential publication bias and forest plot for presenting pooled estimates. RESULTS: The pooled sample of nine studies was 27,034 (126 - 12,450) pregnant women, of any gestational age, from all four provinces of Pakistan. Overall pooled estimate of GDM was 16.7% (95% CI 13.1 - 21.1). The highest subgroup pooled estimate of GDM observed in studies from Balochistan (35.8%), followed by Islamabad (23.9%), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (17.2%), Sindh (13.2%), and Punjab (11.4%). The studies that adopted 75g 2-h OGTT had a little lower pooled estimate (16.3% vs. 17.3%); and that adopted diagnostic cut-off values [≥ 92 (F), ≥ 180 (1-h) and ≥ 153 (2-h)] had a greater pooled estimate (25.4% vs. 15.8%). The studies that adopted Carpenter criteria demonstrated the highest subgroup pooled estimate of GDM (26.3%), after that IADPSG criteria (25.4%), and ADA criteria (23.9%). CONCLUSIONS: Along with poor quality of reporting, publishing in non-indexed journals and significant disagreement between studies, the prevalence rate of GDM is high in Pakistan. Consensus building among stakeholders for recommended screening methods; and continuous medical education of the physicians are much needed for a timely detection and treatment of GDM.

Height-for-age and weight-for-age growth charts for Pakistani infants under six months: derived from a novel case selection method using multiple indicator cluster survey data.

BACKGROUND: In the past two decades, there has been a growing recognition of the need to establish indigenous standards or reference growth charts, particularly following the WHO multicenter growth study in 2006. The availability of accurate and reliable growth charts is crucial for monitoring child health. The choice of an appropriate model for constructing growth charts depends on various data characteristics, including the distribution's tails and peak. While Pakistan has reported some reference growth charts, there is a notable absence of indigenous charts for children under two years of age, especially for infants aged 0-6 months who are exclusively breastfed. Additionally, acquiring data poses a significant challenge, particularly for low-income countries, as it demands substantial resources such as finances, time, and expertise. The Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) constitutes a large-scale national survey conducted periodically in low-income countries under the auspices of UNICEF. In this study, we propose methods for generating selection variables utilizing the "Novel Case Selection Method," as previously published. Further our approach enables to select and fit appropriate model to the MICS data, selected, and to develop the standard growth charts. METHODS: Out of the 11,478 children under 6 months of age included in MICS-6 (Pakistan), 3,655 children (1,831 males and 1,824 females) met the specified criteria and were selected using the "Novel Case Selection Method". The sample was distributed across provinces as follows: 841 (23.0%) from KPK, 1,464 (40.1%) from Punjab, 819 (22.4%) from Sindh, and 531 (14.5%) from Balochistan. This sample encompassed both rural (76.4%) and urban (23.6%) populations. Following data cleaning and outlier removal, a total of 3,540 records for weight (1,768 males and 1,772 females) and 3,515 records for height (1,759 males and 1,756 females) were ultimately available for the development of standard charts. The Bayesian Information Criterion (BIC) was employed to determine the optimal degrees of freedom for L, M, and S using RefCurv_0.4.2. Three families within the gamlss class-namely, Box Cox Cole and Green (BCCG), Box Cox T (BCT), and Box Cox Power Exponential (BCPE)-were applied, each with three smoothing techniques: penalized splines (ps), cubic splines (cs), and polynomial splines (poly). The best-fitted model was selected from these nine combinations based on the Akaike Information Criteria. RESULTS: The Novel Case Selection Method yielded 3655 cases as per criteria. After cleaning the data, this method lead to selection of 3540 children for "weight for age" (W/A) and 3515 children for "height for age" (H/A). The "BCPE" family and "ps" as smoothing method proved to be best on AIC for all four curves, i.e. the W/A male, W/A female, H/A male, and H/A female. The optimum selected degrees of freedom for the curve "W/A", for both genders were (M = 1, L = 0, S = 0). The optimum degrees of freedom for H/A male were again (M = 1, L = 0, S = 0), but for females the selected degrees of freedom were (M = 1, L = 1, S = 1). The indigenous fitted standard curves for Pakistan were on lower trajectory in comparison to WHO standards. CONCLUSION: This study uses the Novel Case Selection Method with introduced algorithms to construct tailored growth charts for lower and middle-income countries. Leveraging extensive MICS data, the methodology ensures representative national samples. The resulting charts hold practical value and await validation from established data sources, offering valuable tools for policy makers and clinicians in diverse global contexts.

Artificial neural network modeling for deciphering the in vitro induced salt stress tolerance in chickpea (Cicer arietinum L).

Salt stress is one of the most critical abiotic stresses having significant contribution in global agriculture production. Chickpea is sensitive to salt stress at various growth stages and a better knowledge of salt tolerance in chickpea would enable breeding of salt tolerant varieties. During present investigation, in vitro screening of desi chickpea by continuous exposure of seeds to NaCl-containing medium was performed. NaCl was applied in the MS medium at the rate of 6.25, 12.50, 25, 50, 75, 100, and 125 mM. Different germination indices and growth indices of roots and shoots were recorded. Mean germination (%) of roots and shoots ranged from 52.08 to 100%, and 41.67-100%, respectively. The mean germination time (MGT) of roots and shoots ranged from 2.40 to 4.78 d and 3.23-7.05 d. The coefficient of variation of the germination time (CVt) was recorded as 20.91-53.43% for roots, and 14.53-44.17% for shoots. The mean germination rate (MR) of roots was better than shoots. The uncertainty (U) values were tabulated as 0.43-1.59 (roots) and 0.92-2.33 (shoots). The synchronization index (Z) reflected the negative impact of elevated salinity levels on both root and shoot emergence. Application of NaCl exerted a negative impact on all growth indices compared to control and decreased gradually with elevated NaCl concentration. Results on salt tolerance index (STI) also revealed the reduced STI with elevated NaCl concentration and STI of roots was less than shoot. Elemental analysis revealed more Na and Cl accumulation with respective elevated NaCl concentrations. The In vitro growth parameters and STI values validated and predicted by multilayer perceptron (MLP) model revealed the relatively high R 2 values of all growth indices and STI. Findings of this study will be helpful to broaden the understanding about the salinity tolerance level of desi chickpea seeds under in vitro conditions using various germination indices and seedling growth indices. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12298-023-01282-z.

Heterologous expression of bacterial dehydrin gene in Arabidopsis thaliana promotes abiotic stress tolerance.

Salinity, low temperature, and drought are major environmental factors in agriculture leading to reduced crop yield. Dehydrins (DHNs) are induced transcriptionally during cellular dehydration and accumulate in different tissues during abiotic stresses. Here we isolated and characterized a bacterial gene BG757 in Arabidopsis, encoding a putative dehydrin type protein. ABA induces the expression of various dehydrins in plants, therefore, to elucidate the potential role, ABA sensitivity was examined in Arabidopsis transgenic lines expressing BG757. Interestingly, BG757-expressing plants showed hypersensitivity towards NaCl and ABA during seed germination. In addition to germination, BG757-expressing plants also showed root growth retardation in the presence of ABA and NaCl when compared with wild type (WT), suggesting that BG757 positively regulate salt stress and ABA response. Furthermore, BG757-expressing plants showed significant drought tolerance compared with WT. Consistent with drought tolerance, expression levels of stress inducible genes (DREB2A, RD22, RD26, LEA7 and SOS1) were strongly upregulated in transgenic plants compared with WT. All together these results suggest that heterologous expression of bacterial gene, BG757 in plants promotes resistance to environmental stresses. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12298-023-01358-w.

Deciphering the iPBS retrotransposons based genetic diversity of nanoparticles induced in Vitro seedlings of industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa L.).

BACKGROUND: The phytochemicals contained in hemp are highly significant and can be modified or altered by employing in vitro elicitors like nanoparticles (NPs). Application of NPs type, concentration, and treatment time regulate the germination, growth, and phytohemicals. METHODS AND RESULTS: In vitro sterilized seeds of cannabis were augmented on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with silver (Ag) and titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles at different concentrations (0, 200, 400, 800, 1200 and 1600 mg/L) for one month. Results revealed that supplementation of NPs resulted in reduced germination (%), root length and longer shoots and seedling fresh wt compared to control. CONCLUSIONS: Maximum germination was recorded on MS medium supplemented with 1600 mg/L TiO2NPs (92.50%) followed by 1600 mg/L AgNPs (80.00%). Supplementation of 800 mg/L AgNPs yielded longer shoots, roots, seedlings fresh weight, and chlorophyll-b contents compared to all other treatments. Whereas, maximum chlorophyll-a, carotenoids, and MDA contents were attributed to 1200 mg/L TiO2NPs. PCR results using eight iPBS-retrotransposons primers yielded a total of 101 bands with 98 polymorphic bands. Whereas, minimum (0.28) and maximum (0.42) gene diversity was associated with 2095 and 2228 primers.

α-Glucosidase, α-Amylase and Antioxidant Evaluations of Isolated Bioactives from Wild Strawberry.

Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disorder and is a global challenge to the current medicinal chemists and pharmacologists. This research has been designed to isolate and evaluate antidiabetic bioactives from Fragaria indica. The crude extracts, semi-purified and pure bioactives have been used in all in vitro assays. The in vitro α-glucosidase, α-amylase and DPPH free radical activities have been performed on all plant samples. The initial activities showed that ethyl acetate (Fi.EtAc) was the potent fraction in all the assays. This fraction was initially semi-purified to obtain Fi.EtAc 1-3. Among the semi-purified fractions, Fi.EtAc 2 was dominant, exhibiting potent IC50 values in all the in vitro assays. Based on the potency and availability of materials, Fi.EtAc 2 was subjected to further purification to obtain compounds 1 (2,4-dichloro-6-hydroxy-3,5-dimethoxytoluene) and 2 (2-methyl-6-(4-methylphenyl)-2-hepten-4-one). The two isolated compounds were characterized by mass and NMR analyses. The compounds 1 and 2 showed excellent inhibitions against α-glucosidase (21.45 for 1 and 15.03 for 2 µg/mL), α-amylase (17.65 and 16.56 µg/mL) and DPPH free radicals (7.62 and 14.30 µg/mL). Our study provides baseline research for the antidiabetic bioactives exploration from Fragaria indica. The bioactive compounds can be evaluated in animals-based antidiabetic activity in future.

Frequency of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and its associated risk factors among Type-2 diabetics.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the frequency of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) and its associated risk factors among Type-2 Diabetic patients. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted in Diabetic Clinic of Shaikh Zayed Postgraduate Medical Institute Lahore from September 2019-February 2020. Type-2 diabetics regardless of age were divided into two groups, one with fatty liver disease and the other without this, evaluated by Abdominal Ultrasonography and were further evaluated by measurement of BMI, obesity, HbA1c and lipid profile. Exclusion criteria were patients having history of or currently taking alcohol, chronic Liver Disease of any cause and intake of hepatotoxic drugs. Qualitative measures were compared between groups by using Chi-square test. Binary logistic regression was used to see the association of factors with fatty liver disease. P-value ≤ 0.05 was considered significant. RESULTS: A total of 185 subjects were included in the study with the mean age of 53.0±9.0 years. About 54.6% patients were diagnosed to have fatty liver disease. When compared the cases with and without fatty liver disease, age and HDL cholesterol had no significant difference between groups while other measures like BMI, TGs & cholesterol levels, ALT and AST were significantly higher among cases with NAFLD. BMI >24.5, HbA1c >7.0 and ALT >40.0 can predict NAFLD among Type-2 diabetic patients with 96.8% accuracy. CONCLUSION: There is high prevalence of NAFLD among Type-2 diabetic patients and strong association between Type-2 diabetics with NAFLD and risk factors like; obesity, high HbA1c, hyperlipidemia and high ALT. Therefore, early recognition by ultrasonography in high risk patients and intervention like life style modification, maintenance of healthy weight, obesity prevention, treatment of dyslipidemia and good glycemic control should be achieved in such subjects and can prevent NAFLD.

Therapeutic role of Typha elephantina leaves aqueous extract in paracetamol intoxicated rabbits.

Present study is aimed to investigate the hepatoprotective and hematopoietic effect of Typha elephantina leaves aqueous (T.E.AQ), extract in paracetamol (PCM) intoxicated rabbits. Experimental animals were divided into various groups. The blood was taken on day 7th (W1=Week 1), day 14th (W2 = week 2) and day 21st (W3 = week 3) of treatments and was analyzed for all hematological and serum biochemical markers. PCM administration caused marked increase in the levels of serum biochemical and hematological parameters. The leaves of T.E.AQ extract at dose rate 300mg/kg body weight significantly (P<0.05) reduced the elevated levels of serum biochemical and hematological indices towards normal values on third week (day 21st) of treatment while treatment in the first two weeks revealed non-significant effects even at all doses of extract. The levels of glutathione (GSH) and radical scavenging activity (RSA) were reduced and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) levels was high in the PCM feed animals. Administration of (T.E.AQ) extract at high dose (300mg/kg) significantly regulated and normalized these antioxidant values. The antioxidant capacity of (TE.AQ) extract, showed increase inhibition against various extract concentrations on the basis of percent scavenging of (DPPH) free radical. The histological sections of liver further supported the hepatoprotective activity of extract.

Cadmium and lead bioaccumulation potentials of an aquatic macrophyte Ceratophyllum demersum L.: A laboratory study.

Cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) pollutions caused by industrial activities are one of the most serious threats to aquatic ecosystems. The aim of this study is to investigate the Cd and Pb bioaccumulations and diverse physiological and biochemical properties of Ceratophyllum demersum L. exposed to different concentrations of Cd (0.5-2.0mg/L) and Pb (25-100mg/L) in aqueous media for 1, 3 and 5 days. Cd and Pb accumulations increased with increase in the exposure times and concentrations, and the highest accumulation values of Cd and Pb were recorded at 2mg/L (2668.33mg/kg dw) and 100mg/L (22,504.10mg/kg dw), respectively, after 5 days. However, higher bioconcentration factors (BCF) were calculated as 645.43 at 25mg/L Pb and as 1357.92 at 1mg/L Cd after 5 days. The results showed that photosynthetic pigments (chlorophyll a, b and carotenoids) and protein contents of the plants exposed to Cd and Pb toxicities decreased with increasing metal concentration and exposure time, whereas their malondialdehyde (MDA) contents increased. Additionally, the single and synergistic effects of duration and metal concentration on the fresh and dry weights of the plant were determined. The results of this study reveal that C. demersum, propagated by tissue culture technique, can be used effectively in the phytoremediation of aquatic environments contaminated by Cd and Pb. This study will also make a positive contribution to the progression of new phytotechnologies on the purpose of the remediation of wastewater by plants in future.

Simulation training using cadaver sheep chest in pleuroscopy - A step towards skills enhancement.

OBJECTIVE: For assessing the use of if simulation training on animal cadavers as a useful tool for training in pleuroscopy. METHODS: The email-based cross-sectional study was conducted in December 2014 at Shaikh Zayed Hospital, Federal Postgraduate Medical Institute, Lahore, Pakistan, and comprised respiratory physicians and trainees after their participation in a two-day hands-on training course on pleuroscopy and pleural medical procedures. The responses were analysed and the responses of physicians and trainees were compared. RESULTS: Of the 44 individuals who attended the course and were contacted through emails, 38(86.4%) responded, including 20(52.6%) physicians and 18(47.3%) trainees. All the 38(100%) subjects uniformly accepted the utility of simulation training in enhancing education, improving skill, and improving confidence by repeated practice, and felt that the inclusion of animal models for learning fundamental pleuroscopic procedures can help a lot in teaching. CONCLUSIONS: Animal cadavers can be used as an effective teaching tool for pleuroscopy training.

The role of ligands on protein retention in adsorption chromatography: a surface energetics approach.

Protein adsorption onto hydrophobic chromatographic supports has been investigated using a colloid theory surface energetics approach. The surface properties of commercially available chromatographic beads, Toyopearl Phenyl 650-C, and Toyopearl Butyl 650-C, have been experimentally determined by contact angle and zeta potential measurements. The adsorption characteristics of these beads, which bear the same backbone matrix but harbor different ligands, have been studied toward selected model proteins, in the hydrated as well as dehydrated state. There were two prominent groups of proteins observed with respect to the chromatographic supports presented in this work: loosely retained proteins, which were expected to have lower average interaction energies, and the strongly retained proteins, which were expected to have higher average interaction energies. Results were also compared and contrasted with calculations derived from adsorbent surface energies determined by inverse liquid chromatography. These results showed a good qualitative agreement, and the interaction energy minima obtained from these extended Derjaguin, Landau, Verwey and Overbeek calculations were shown to correlate well with the experimentally determined adsorption behavior of each protein.

Role of C-reactive protein as a marker for microalbuminuria in type 2 diabetics.

BACKGROUND: One of the most important complications of Type 2 diabetes mellitus is diabetic nephropathy which is reported as the leading cause of premature deaths due to renal failure. This study was being conducted to see the role of C-reactive protein a marker in type 2 diabetic patient with micro-albuminuria. METHODS: This cross sectional study was carried out in the Diabetic Clinic of Pakistan Medical Research Council, Research Centre Lahore. Personal history about the disease was collected on a questionnaire. Blood and urine sample of 50 type 2 diabetic patients between the ages of 40-65 years were collected to analyze C-reactive protein and micro-albuminuria respectively. Data were analyzed using SPSS-15. The Pearson correlation coefficient test was used to determine correlation between urine albumin and C-reactive protein. RESULTS: There were 22 micro- albuminuria positive cases out of total 50 diabetic cases. Of these 14 (63%) showed raised C-reactive protein levels (p < 0.00). CONCLUSION: There is significant association between the level of serum C- reactive proteins and micro-albuminuria in type 2 diabetics.

A unified framework of response surface methodology and coalescing of Firefly with random forest algorithm for enhancing nano-phytoremediation efficiency of chromium via in vitro regenerated aquatic macrophyte coontail (Ceratophyllum demersum L.).

Nano-phytoremediation is a novel green technique to remove toxic pollutants from the environment. In vitro regenerated Ceratophyllum demersum (L.) plants were exposed to different concentrations of chromium (Cr) and exposure times in the presence of titania nanoparticles (TiO2NPs). Response surface methodology was used for multiple statistical analyses like regression analysis and optimizing plots. The supplementation of NPs significantly impacted Cr in water and Cr removal (%), whereas NP × exposure time (T) statistically regulated all output parameters. The Firefly metaheuristic algorithm and the random forest (Firefly-RF) machine learning algorithms were coalesced to optimize hyperparameters, aiming to achieve the highest level of accuracy in predicted models. The R2 scores were recorded as 0.956 for Cr in water, 0.987 for Cr in the plant, 0.992 for bioconcentration factor (BCF), and 0.957 for Cr removal through the Firefly-RF model. The findings illustrated superior prediction performance from the random forest models when compared to the response surface methodology. The conclusion is drawn that metal-based nanoparticles (NPs) can effectively be utilized for nano-phytoremediation of heavy metals. This study has uncovered a promising outlook for the utilization of nanoparticles in nano-phytoremediation. This study is expected to pave the way for future research on the topic, facilitating further exploration of various nanoparticles and a thorough evaluation of their potential in aquatic ecosystems.

Comparison of in-house developed ELISA with HPLC for measurement of hba1c.

In-house developed ELISA for HbA1c was evaluated in comparison with Bio-Rad D-10 Dual Program (HPLC). % HbA1c was estimated using said methods in 40 blood samples. Intra and inter assay coefficient of variation (CV) were in acceptable range i.e., <3%. HbA1c results obtained by two methods showed good correlation, (y = 0.8942x + 0.7229 R2 = 0.877). Sensitivity, specificity, positive, and negative predictive value for in-house ELISA classifying patients as controlled and uncontrolled diabetes against HPLC were recorded as 87%, 94.1%, 95.0%, and 93.8%, respectively, while accuracy of the test was 90.0%. In-house ELISA for HbA1c is not only accurate, cost effective and simple but also precise comparable to HPLC in deciding glycemic status of patients.

Adventitious shoot regeneration from leaf explant of dwarf hygro (Hygrophila polysperma (Roxb.) T. Anderson).

Dwarf hygro (Hygrophila polysperma) is an ornamental aquatic plant that changes its leaf colours to pinkish in high light. It is listed as a medicinal plant in medicinal plant lists of Indian states of West Bengal and Karnataka. It is also used as a screening tool for toxicities and a bioindicator to detect and control algae. The study reported in vitro adventitious shoot regeneration from leaf explants cultured on MS medium containing 0.10-1.60 mg/L Kin/TDZ with or without 0.10 mg/L IBA and 500 mg/L Amoklavin to eradicate endogenic bacterial contamination. Direct adventitious shoot regeneration started within one week from both culture mediums followed by late callus induction which was more prominent on TDZ containing media compared to Kin containing media. Addition of 0.10 mg/L IBA with both Kin and TDZ increased shoot regeneration frequency, mean number of shoots per explant, and mean shoot length. Maximum number of 16.33 and 20.55 shoots per explant was obtained on MS medium containing 0.80 + 0.10 mg/L Kin-IBA and 0.10 + 0.10 mg/L TDZ-IBA, respectively. Regenerated shoots were rooted on MS medium containing 0.20-1.00 mg/L IBA followed by successfull acclimatization in aquariums. Regenerated plantlets were also tested in jars containing distilled water that showed the pH 6-9 for the best plant growth and development.

TiO2 nanoparticle synthesis, characterization and application to shoot regeneration of water hyssop (Bacopa monnieri L. Pennel) in vitro.

Water hyssop (Bacopa monnieri L. Pennel) is a medicinal aquatic herb used to treat diseases in South Asia. Various regeneration protocols have been developed or modified in vitro to ensure the availability of biomass and secondary metabolites of Bacopa. We applied hydrothermally treated titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles (NPs) (TiO2-NPs) at different concentrations. Three explants, distal portion of half leaf (DPHL), proximal portion of half leaf (PPHL) and full leaf (FL), were used to evaluate response to TiO2. Regeneration from the three explants in vitro was similar except for shoot length. Application of TiO2-NPs exerted significant, but variable, effects on all parameters except percentage of shoot formation, which was 100%. Interactive effects of explant and TiO2-NPs exhibited significant, but variable, effects on fresh weight and percentage of callus formation. All explants produced more shoots using TiO2-NPs compared to control treatments. DPHL explants with application of 8 mg/l TiO2 produced more shoots than controls. Similarly, FL explant treated with 2 mg/l TiO2-NPs produced more shoots/explant than controls. All concentrations of TiO2-NPs produced significantly longer shoots compared to controls. Increased elongation of shoots justifies use of TiO2-NPs for propagation of plants in vitro during acclimatization. Use of TiO2-NPs for rapid elongation of shoots ultimately fosters survival of plants.

Delphinium uncinatum mediated biosynthesis of zinc oxide nanoparticles and in-vitro evaluation of their antioxidant, cytotoxic, antimicrobial, anti-diabetic, anti-inflammatory, and anti-aging activities.

Nanotechnology is perhaps the most widely explored scientific domain in the current era. With the advent of NPs, revolutionary changes have been observed in various scientific disciplines. Among the NPs, ZnO-NPs are the center of contemplation owing to their biocompatible nature. These nanoparticles have been prepared using a number of techniques; however, biological methods are among the most popular synthesis approaches. The current research therefore reports the phyto-fabrication of ZnO-NPs mediated by Delphinium uncinatum root extract. The resulting NPs were subjected to standard characterization methods such fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. The resulting NPs are exploited to their possible antioxidant, antimicrobial, antidiabetic, cytotoxic, anti-inflammatory and anti-ageing potency. FTIR confirmed the capping of ZnO-NPs by a variety of phytochemicals. ZnO-NPs average size was approximately 30 nm. ZnO-NPs exhibited substantial bio-potency and proved to be highly biocompatible even at higher concentrations. ZnO-NPs revealed strong antimicrobial potency for Pseudomonas aeruginosa proving to be the most susceptible strain showing inhibition of 16 ± 0.98. ZnO-NPs also showed dose dependent antidiabetic and cytotoxic potential. COX-1, COX-2, 15-LOX and sPLA2 were efficiently inhibited upon exposure to ZnO-NPs confirming the anti-inflammatory potential of ZnO-NPs. Similarly, ZnO-NPs also revealed considerable anti-aging potential. With such diverse biological potentials, ZnO-NPs can prove to be a potent weapon against a plethora of diseases; however, further study is necessary in order to discover the precise mechanism that is responsible for the biological potency of these NPs.

Solvent based fractional biosynthesis, phytochemical analysis, and biological activity of silver nanoparticles obtained from the extract of Salvia moorcroftiana.

Multi-drug resistant bacteria sometimes known as "superbugs" developed through overuse and misuse of antibiotics are determined to be sensitive to small concentrations of silver nanoparticles. Various methods and sources are under investigation for the safe and efficient synthesis of silver nanoparticles having effective antibacterial activity even at low concentrations. We used a medicinal plant named Salvia moorcroftiana to extract phytochemicals with antibacterial, antioxidant, and reducing properties. Three types of solvents; from polar to nonpolar, i.e., water, dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), and hexane, were used to extract the plant as a whole and as well as in fractions. The biosynthesized silver nanoparticles in all extracts (except hexane-based extract) were spherical, smaller than 20 nm, polydispersed (PDI ranging between 0.2 and 0.5), and stable with repulsive force of action (average zeta value = -18.55±1.17). The tested bacterial strains i.e., Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, and Enterococcus faecalis were found to be sensitive to even small concentrations of Ag-NPs, especially P. aeruginosa. The antibacterial effect of these Ag-NPs was associated with their ability to generate reactive oxygen species. DMSO (in fraction) could efficiently extract antibacterial phytochemicals and showed activity against MDR bacteria (inhibition zone = 11-12 mm). Thus, the antibacterial activity of fractionated DMSO extract was comparable to that of Ag-NPs because it contained phytochemicals having solid antibacterial potential. Furthermore, Ag-NPs synthesized from this extract owned superior antibacterial activity. However, whole aqueous extract-based Ag-NPs MIC was least (7-32 µg/mL) as compared to others.

First-Principles Investigation of Novel Alkali-Based Lead-Free Halide Perovskites for Advanced Optoelectronic Applications.

Lead-free halide perovskites are considered promising candidates as visible light absorbers with outstanding optoelectronic properties. In this work, novel kinds of lead-free halide perovskites were studied for their electronic, optical, and thermoelectric properties by employing the most precise and enhanced modified Trans-Blaha Beck-Johnson potential. The estimated band spectra of the studied materials were comparable. The materials are confirmed to have an indirect band gap semiconducting nature due to the existence of energy band gaps. Among the studied materials, CsSnI3 has a smaller band gap, confirming the excitation to be more energy efficient. Examining the predicted density of states and true electronic orbital contributions, we observed a progressive fluctuation along the energy axis was observed. Furthermore, the linear optical properties are calculated and studied in terms of possible optoelectronic applications. The absorption in KSnI3 was greater compared to the other two materials. The studied materials could be used for antireflecting coatings against UV radiation, owing to the prominent peaks in their reflectivity spectra. The Seebeck coefficient and electrical properties, as well as the positive value of RH all pointed to a p-type nature in these materials. From the anticipated thermoelectric properties, the materials also appear to be suitable for application in thermoelectric devices.