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Although vanadium-based nanomaterials have found extensive use in industry, their influence on ecosystems and living organisms is not yet well investigated. In this study, hydrothermal methods were utilized for the synthesis of vanadium pentoxide nanoparticles (V2O5 NPs). The gained NPs were characterized using XRD, FT-IR, EDS, DLS, SEM and TEM techniques. Subsequently, the toxic effects of V2O5 NPs on the model green microalgae Chlorella vulgaris were evaluated. According to the obtained results, V2O5 NPs caused a significant reduction in cell number and biomass production of algae in a dose and time dependent manner. Moreover, flow cytometric analysis confirmed a reduction in the quantity of living cells. Scanning electron microscopy showed plasmolysis and deformation of the cells after exposure to nanoparticles. The photosynthetic pigments and phenolics content exhibited a decrease in comparison with the control sample. Although, non-enzymatic antioxidant system in C. vulgaris displayed an average action, antioxidant enzymes, including superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) showed a dose dependent increasing trend. These intercellular reactions designated the activation of the antioxidant defense system in response to the induced oxidative stress by V2O5 NPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the total consumption of antibiotics to cure infections has widely increased. Consequently, the concentration of antibiotics in aquatic environments has remarkably heightened. Cefazolin sodium (CFZS) is a first-generation cephalosporin antibiotic with significant bactericidal activities. Immense consumption of CFZS for years along with its persistence in various environments led to its growing deposit in different ecosystems. In this study, the model microalga Chlorella vulgaris was chosen to evaluate the impacts of different concentrations of CFZS on aquatic organisms. Notably, the cell number of the microalgae has declined with the rising concentrations of CFZS. Prepared SEM images and flow cytometry charts confirmed the harmful effects of the antibiotic on the cells of C. vulgaris. Furthermore, CFZS caused an increase in the content of pigments (chlorophyll a, b, carotenoids and anthocyanins), level of non-enzymatic antioxidant compounds (total phenol and flavonoid) and activity of enzymatic antioxidants (CAT, SOD and APX) in C. vulgaris. However, C. vulgaris displayed remarkable potential to remove CFZS from the culture medium. The obtained data may shed light on the establishment of the possible risks of antibiotics to algal populations and also microalgae ability in antibiotics removal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traumatic brain injury is a complex phenomenon leading to neurological diseases and persistent disability that currently affects millions of people worldwide. Increasing evidence shows that a wide range of patients with mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) suffer from depression during the initial stages of injury and the post-acute stages of recovery. However, the underlying mechanisms involved in depression following mTBI are still not fully understood. The aim of this study was to determine whether serotonin 5-hydroxytryptamine-1A (5-HT1A) receptor is involved in the regulation of depression-related behaviors following mild traumatic brain injury in mice. Mice with or without mTBI received intracerebroventricular injections of 5-HT1A receptor agonist (8-OH-DPAT) or antagonist (WAY-100635) for 5 days, then animals were subjected to behavioral tests. Four behavioral tests including novelty-suppressed feeding test, forced swim test, sucrose preference test and tail suspension test were used to evaluate depression-related symptoms in animals. Our results indicated that mTBI induction increased depression-like symptoms through altering serotonin 5-HT1A receptor activity in the brain. Activation of 5-HT1A receptor by a subthreshold dose of 8-OH-DPAT led to a significant decrease in depression-like behaviors, whereas blockade of 5-HT1A receptor by a subthreshold dose of WAY-100635 resulted in a considerable increase in depression-like phenotypes in mTBI-induced mice. The major strength of the present study is that depression-related symptoms were assessed in four behavioral tests. The present study supports the idea that disturbances in the function of serotonergic system in the brain following mTBI can play an important role in the regulation of depression-related behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Aims There is increasing evidence showing that mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) is associated with increased depression-related disorders in humans. Recent studies suggest that dietary intake or supplementation of natural flavonoids like hesperidin can be used for therapy of patients with brain injury and depression. However, the exact mechanisms by which hesperidin indicates its neuroprotective effects are not fully understood. The purpose of this study was to explore the influence of hesperidin on depression-related symptoms in a mouse model of mTBI, and that what mechanisms are primarily involved in the antidepressant effects of this bioflavonoid. Main methods Ten days after mTBI-induction, mice received oral hesperidin treatment (50 mg/kg/14 days), then animals were subjected to different depression tests including sucrose preference test, forced swim test, novelty-suppressed feeding test, and tail suspension test. We also measured levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin-(IL)-1β, malondialdehyde (MDA), and brain-derived-neurotrophic-factor (BDNF) in the hippocampus. Key findings Our results show that mTBI induction induced depressive-like behaviors in mice by increasing inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β and TNF-α) and oxidative stress marker (MDA), and reducing BDNF levels in the hippocampus. Interestingly, hesperidin treatment was effective to significantly reduce depression-related symptoms in mTBI-induced mice. In addition, hesperidin decreased the levels of IL-1β, TNF-α and MDA, and increased BDNF levels in the hippocampus. The major strength of our study is that four behavioral tests gave similar results. Significance This study suggests that the antidepressant-like effect of hesperidin may be mediated, at least in part, by decreased neuroinflammation and oxidative damage, and enhanced BDNF production in the hippocampus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Artemisia absinthium has long been used traditionally as an anti-microbial and antioxidant agent. Various biologically active secondary metabolites, including phenolic compounds such as gallic acid and p-coumaric acid, have been reported from the species. In addition, growing the plants under in vitro conditions enriched with elicitors is a cost-effective approach to enhance secondary metabolite production. This paper examined microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) and nanocrystalline cellulose (NCC) effects on morphological characteristics, phenolic compounds, antioxidant activity, and volatile oil content of A. absinthium. The treated shoots with various concentrations of MCC and NCC were subjected to spectrophotometric, GC–MS, and LC–MS analysis. FESEM-EDX, TEM, XRD, and DLS methods were applied to characterize MCC and NCC properties. Morphological findings revealed that the stem length, dry, and fresh weights were improved significantly (P ≤ 0.05) under several MCC and NCC concentrations. Some treatments enhanced gallic and p-coumaric acid levels in the plant. Although 1.5 g/L of MCC treatment showed the highest antioxidant activity, all NCC treatments reduced the antioxidant effect. The findings suggest that both MCC and NCC, at optimized concentrations, could be exploited as elicitors to improve the secondary metabolite production and morphological properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clinical and experimental studies have shown that mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) is associated with increased anxiety- and depression-related behaviors and inflammation in the brain. Unfortunately, there are no specific therapies for long-term behavioral consequences of mTBI. This study set out to determine whether silymarin treatment compared to diazepam (DZP) and fluoxetine (FLX) can reduce neuroinflammation, anxiety- and depression-like behaviors after mTBI induction in mice. We used open field, elevated plus maze, light-dark box, zero maze, sucrose preference, forced swim, and tail suspension tests to assess anxiety and depression-like behaviors in mTBI-induced mice. The levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α protein, a marker of inflammation, in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus was also measured. This study identified that the long-term treatment with DZP, FLX or SIL results in decreased anxiety and depression-like behaviors in mTBI-induced mice. The results also showed that these drugs reduced TNF-α levels in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus. In addition, there were no significant differences between the effects of SIL and DZP or SIL and FLX on behavioral and cytokine levels in mTBI-induced mice. Our findings support the idea that mTBI could be a risk factor for anxiety- and depression-related disorders and neuroinflammation in the brain. Taken together, this study demonstrates that DZP, FLX or SIL can significantly reduce anxiety- and depression-like symptoms, and neuroinflammation after mTBI induction in mice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neonatal infection is associated with increased lifetime risk for neuropsychiatric disorders including anxiety and depression, with evidence showing that dysregulation of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal-(HPA)-axis system may be partly responsible. Preclinical and clinical studies demonstrate that minocycline exhibits antidepressant effects through inhibition of microglial activation and anti-inflammatory actions, and of interest is that recent studies suggest that minocycline alleviates the behavioral abnormalities induced by early-life insults. The current study was designed to determine if developmental minocycline treatment attenuates the neonatal immune activation-induced anxiety- and depression-like symptoms and HPA-axis-dysregulation later in life. To this end , neonatal mice were treated to either lipopolysaccharide or saline on postnatal days (PND) 3–5, then dams during lactation (PND 6–20) and male offspring during adolescence (PND 21–40) received oral administration of minocycline or water via regular drinking bottles. Anxiety- and depression-like behaviors, HPA-axis-reactivity (corticosterone), and hippocampal inflammation (TNF-α and IL-1β) after exposure to stress were evaluated. The results indicated that neonatal immune activation resulted in increased anxiety and depression-like symptoms, HPA-axis-hyperactivity, and elevated the levels of TNF-α and IL-1β in the hippocampus in response to stress in adulthood. Interestingly, developmental minocycline treatment significantly reduced the abnormalities induced by neonatal inflammation in adult mice. In addition, minocycline, regardless of postnatal inflammation, did not have any detrimental effects on the above measured parameters. Considering that minocycline is currently under exploration as an alternative or adjunctive therapy for reducing the symptoms of neurological disorders, our findings suggest that minocycline during development can decrease the behavioral abnormalities induced by early life inflammation in adulthood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Neuropsychiatric disorders, like anxiety and depression, are global problems for clinical researchers in neurology. Recently, some authors have shown neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory effects of Scrophularia striata Boiss (Scrophulariaceae) extract in rodents. Objective: The purpose of the current study was to investigate the effects of S. striata extract on anxiety and depressant-like behaviors and find a possible mechanism for these impacts. Materials and methods: In this study, the elevated plus-maze (EPM) and forced swimming test (FST), which are useful models for selective identification of anxiolytic and antidepressant drug effects in rodents, were used. We investigated the effects of S. striata ethanol extract at different doses (20, 50, 100, 160 and 220 mg/kg) on anxiety and depression behaviors in the EPM and FST, and then we assessed the role of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)A receptor in modulation of the effects of S. striata extract in the brain. Results: Our results showed that effective doses of S. striata (100 and 160 mg/kg) increased the percentages of open arm time and entries in the EPM and decreased immobility time in the FST in comparison with control group, indicating anxiolytic and antidepressant effects, respectively. Moreover, intracerebroventricular administration of GABAA receptor agonist (muscimol; 1 µg/rat) enhanced the impact of S. striata, and GABAA receptor antagonist (bicuculline; 1 µg/rat) blocked these effects in rats, indicating that significant interactions existed between S. striata and the GABAergic system in the brain. Discussion and conclusion: Findings of this study suggest that anxiolytic and antidepressant effects of S. striata may be modulated via the GABAergic system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) is an important risk factor for cognitive impairment. Despite intense efforts to develop efficient treatments, the current therapies are not often effective and far from satisfactory. Silymarin has been suggested as a therapeutic agent in the treatment of traumatic brain injury. This study aimed to determine whether silymarin can exert neuroprotective effects on memory impairment following mTBI in mice. After mTBI induction, mice were treated with silymarin once daily for 20 consecutive days by oral gavage. To investigate cognitive functions, animals were subjected to Y-maze, novel-object recognition, and Morris-water maze. Levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, glutamate, and brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) were measured in the hippocampus. Our findings showed that mTBI resulted in a significant decline in memory in the Y-maze and Morris-water maze in both sexes, whereas only impaired cognitive function in males in the novel-object recognition. We found notable increases in TNF-α and glutamate levels in the hippocampus of both sexes, while there was only a significant decrease in hippocampal BDNF in mTBI-induced females. In addition, silymarin treatment improved cognitive impairments in mTBI-induced males but not in females. Silymarin significantly reduced TNF-α and glutamate levels, and increased BDNF levels in the hippocampus of mTBI-induced male but not in female mice. This study demonstrates that silymarin treatment sex-dependently improves cognitive impairment in mTBI-induced mice, and suggests that silymarin may be a therapeutic agent for cognitive decline following mTBI in males. Further studies are needed to establish the validity of these findings in humans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• SnO 2 and Ag/SnO 2 NPs were successfully synthesized using polymer pyrolysis method. • SnO 2 NPs were demonstrated to be biocompatible and low toxic under in vitro experimental conditions. • Ag-doping played a key role in the induction of toxicity in tobacco cultures through oxidative stress. • The addition of NPs to the culture medium triggered the antioxidative defense system to prevent oxidative damage. SnO 2 nanoparticles (NPs) are promising materials for electrochemical, catalytic, and biomedical applications due to their high photosensitivity, suitable stability characteristics, wide band gap energy potential, and low cost. Doping SnO 2 NPs with metallic elements such as Ag has been used to improve their efficiency. Despite their commercial importance, the current literature lacks investigations to determine their toxic effects on plant systems. In this study, SnO 2 and Ag/SnO 2 NPs were synthesized using polymer pyrolysis method and characterized by means of XRD, TEM, SEM, EDX, and DLS techniques. Subsequently, the toxicity of the synthesized NPs on cell viability, cell proliferation, and a number of oxidative stress markers were measured in tobacco cell cultures. SnO 2 and Ag/SnO 2 NPs were found to be polygonal in shape with the size range of 10–30 nm. Both NPs induced cytotoxicity by reducing the cell viability and cell proliferation in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, the generation of H 2 O 2 , phenolics, flavonoids, and increased activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and peroxidase (POD) were observed. According to the results, Ag-doping played a key role in the induction of toxicity in tobacco cell cultures. The obtained results confirmed that SnO 2 and Ag/SnO 2 NPs induced cytotoxicity in tobacco cells through oxidative stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cisplatin (Cis) has serious adverse side-effects that limit its clinical use. The mechanism underlying the effects is complex, including mitochondrial oxidative stress and inflammation. This study investigated whether Cornus mas, a fruit with high antioxidant contents, hydro-methanolic extract (CME) can modulate the cisplatin-induced changes. Forty Wistar rats were divided into a control group, Cis group, CME group, CME 300 + Cis group, and the CME 700 + Cis group. After the intervention, blood samples were taken for biochemical and hematological analysis. CME analysis showed noticeable total phenol and total antioxidant contents. The plasma glutathione peroxidase and catalase levels were significantly decreased and malondialdehyde and blood hemoglobin levels were significantly increased in the Cis group, which were reversed to the control levels in the CME + Cis groups. In the CME group, the red blood cell count was significantly lower and the red cell distribution width and hemoglobin distribution width levels were significantly higher. In the Cis-treated group, white blood cells, neutrophils, monocytes, basophils, and large unstained cells were significantly increased and lymphocytes were significantly decreased when compared with the control group that was reached to non-significant levels in CME 700 + Cis group. The blood cholesterol and high density lipoprotein in all CME-treated groups were significantly decreased. The eosinophils increased in the CME group significantly. The results showed considerable total antioxidant and total phenol contents and relative protective effects of CME against Cis-induced antioxidant and hematologic changes in rats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) has been reported using extract of Hyssopus officinalis L. by the conventional heating and microwave irradiation. The as-prepared AgNPs by both approaches were characterized using UV–vis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, SEM-EDS, transmission electron microscopy, and dynamic light scattering. The obtained data revealed that as-synthesized AgNPs by microwave irradiation (900 W) and conventional heating (100°C) have average size lesser than 50 nm. Moreover, a biophysical approach on bioconstituent-Ag+ interactions has been performed. The creation of AgNPs using bioconstituents in minimal time opens the way for future studies on AgNPs toxicity without risking interference from potentially toxic reagents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Essential oil of Moldavian dragonhead contained mainly oxygenated monoterpenes. • Moldavian dragonhead essential oil blocked the growth of Bromus tectorum. • Exposure to the obtained essential oil led to oxidative stress in Bromus tectorum. The incessant use of synthetic herbicides may cause several ecological problems including environmental contamination and developing herbicide-resistant species. These concerns led to exploring new eco-friendly weed control strategies. Present study is aimed to assess the phytotoxic activity of Moldavian dragonhead, Dracocephalum moldavica L., essential oil (EO) on Bromus tectorum L. All experiments were carried out as a completely randomized design with three replications. The EO of D. moldavica was analyzed using gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC–MS). The outcomes of GC–MS showed that geranyl acetate (32.57 %), geranial (24.50 %), neral (22.65 %), and geraniol (8.78 %) are the major bioactive compounds of EO. As a result of treatment of B. tectorum with EO, seed germination and plantlet growth parameters were reduced in a concentration-dependent manner, and were completely suppressed with an essential oil concentration of 2 μL/mL. The content of pigments was also reduced in a dose-dependent manner. Although, antioxidant enzymes activities were enhanced in low concentrations of the EO, they were inhibited in high concentrations especially at 2 μL/mL. H 2 O 2 and malondialdehyde content as well as electrolyte leakage were enhanced with the increasing concentration of EO. Overall, the outcomes of present study suggest that essential oil of D. moldavica can be used industrially to develop bio-herbicides owing to its noteworthy phytotoxic activity and weed killer potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Green synthesis of nanoperlite and MgO/perlite NCs using aqueous leaf extract of Melissa officinalis was conducted. • The effect of nanostructures on the growth characteristic and secondary metabolite of the plant was studied. • The production of secondary metabolites was stimulated by nanoperlite and MgO/perlite NCs. • There was a direct connection between the amount of essential oils and glandular structures with the nanostructures. In this work, biological synthesis of MgO/perlite nanocomposites (NCs) besides their effects on morphology and secondary metabolite profiles of Melissa officinalis plant organ cultures were evaluated. MgO NPs were immobilized on the surface of nanoperlite using M. officinalis extract as a capping agent. The as-synthesized MgO/perlite NCs were characterized by using FTIR, XRD, SEM, EDS and DLS. The average particle size of nanoperlite and MgO/perlite NCs was about 10 and 30 nm, respectively. Morphological observations showed that nanoperlite and MgO/perlite NCs had no effect on root number, as well as root and shoot length. None of the applied concentrations of perlite and MgO/perlite NCs could significantly increase the growth parameters in comparison to the control, except for 150 mg/L of nanoperlite which caused an increase in the shoot number. Although, the contents of chlorophyll and carotenoids were not affected, the maximum content of volatile compounds obtained at 100 of MgO/perlite NCs. Rosmarinic acid was detected in shoots, which treated with 25–100 mg/L of perlite and 25, 50 and 150 mg/L of MgO/perlite NCs. Our results provided the evidence that nanoperlite and MgO/perlite NCs at specific levels may act as a novel elicitor for in vitro biosynthesis of valuable secondary metabolites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increased applications of nanomaterials in industry and biomedicine have resulted in a rising concern about their possible toxic impacts on living organisms. It has been claimed that the phytosynthesized nanomaterials have lower toxicity in comparison to their chemically synthesized counterparts. Therefore, it is important to evaluate their toxic effects on the environment. In the present study, we investigated the toxic effects of microwave-synthesized silver-reduced graphene oxide nanocomposites (MS-Ag-rGO) on Chlorella vulgaris. Algal cells were treated by 1, 2, 4 and 6 mg L−1 MS-Ag-rGO for 24 h. The obtained data with three replicates were examined using analysis of variance. Analysis of different growth parameters revealed that MS-Ag-rGO possessed significant dose-dependent toxic effect on C. vulgaris. Scanning electron microscope and fluorescence microscope images of the treated cells established morphological shrinkages and alteration in position of nucleoli. Moreover, reduction in the phenol and flavonoid contents, enhancement of H2O2 content, changes in the antioxidant enzymes activity and decreases in the growth parameters as well as photosynthetic pigments quantities confirmed the toxicity of MS-Ag-rGO to the C. vulgaris cells. Our findings revealed that MS-Ag-rGO possessed higher toxicity on C. vulgaris than Ag-rGO synthesized by hydrothermal technique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, the rapid extracellular biofabrication of CuO nanoparticles (CONPs) was performed through microwave irradiation (MI) using rosehip extract. Not any hazardous reagents were employed during the fabrication period. The as-synthesized CONPs were characterized using XRD, SEM, EDS, antioxidant activity and FT-IR. The CONPs were crystalline and had average sizes about to 20-40 nm according to SEM. This methodology has the advantages of elimination of any chemical surfactants, simple rout and easy work up. The formation mechanism of CONPs was detected, for the first time, by marginal decrease in pH, potentiometric data, XRD and FTIR techniques. Moreover, CONPs as nano-photocatalyst could effectively photodegrade 4-nitrophenol as an environmental pollutant. The degradation rate is about 88% (for 20 ppm of catalyst) in 120 min under Vis irradiation. It demonstrated that the bio-capping had not any retarding effect during photodegradation. This fabrication protocol opens the windows for a large-scale and green approach for generating other metal oxide that are useful as nano-photocatalyst. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) is an efficient pattern in acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) therapy, further studies are required due to the extant clinical limitations of ATRA. It has been reported that Silymarin, an anti-cancer herbal substance extracted from milk thistle (Silybum marianum), is able to regulate apoptosis in various types of cancer cells through different mechanisms of action. This study investigated the apoptosis-inducing effect of Silymarin (SM) alone and in combination with ATRA on human acute promyelocytic NB4 cells. Examination using MTT assay indicated that SM treatment leads to growth inhibition in NB4 cells in a dose-dependent manner. The IC50 values of SM and ATRA were calculated 90 μM and 2 μM, respectively. Cell cycle analysis by flow cytometry revealed that a more increase in the sub-G1 phase (a sign of apoptosis) when cells were exposed to SM in combination with ATRA. The incidence of apoptosis was confirmed through Hoechst 33258 staining and Annexin V-FITC analysis. The results showed that Silymarin enhances ATRA-induced apoptosis. The flow cytometric analysis also indicated an enhancement in levels of ROS in the treated cells with both compounds. The real-time PCR illustrated that SM targets apoptosis by down-regulation in Survivin and Bcl-2 while up-regulation in Bax. The findings showed that the combination of the two compounds is more effective in the induction of apoptosis in NB4 cells. Molecular docking studies indicated that Sylibin, as a primary compound of the SM, binds to the BH3 domain of Bcl-2 and the BIR domain of Survivin with various affinities. Based on the findings, it seems that SM used alone and in combination with ATRA may be beneficial for inducing apoptosis in APL cells. [Display omitted] • The combination of Silymarin with ATRA enhanced apoptosis induction in NB4 cells. • Silymarin in combination with ATRA can enhance the intracellular ROS level in NB4 cells. • Silymarin triggers apoptosis in NB4 cells via the down-regulation of Survivin and Bcl-2., • Sylibin, the major compound of the Silymarin, can bind to the BH3 domain of Bcl-2 and the BIRdomain of survivin, with high affinity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of plant extract in the biosynthesis of nanoparticles (NPs) can be an eco-friendly approach and have been suggested as a possible alternative to classic methods namely physical and chemical procedures. In this study, the biosynthesis of zinc oxide (ZnO) NPs by both “conventional heating” (CH) and “microwave irradiation” (MI) methods has been reported. Stable and spherical ZnONPs were produced using zinc nitrate and flesh extract of Rosa canina fruit (rosehip) which was used as a precursor. The flesh extract acts as a reducing and capping agent for generation of ZnONPs. The structural, morphological and colloidal properties of the as-synthesized NPs have been confirmed by X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX), Fourier transform Infrared (FT-IR) and Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS). In comparison with the CH method, the MI method has some advantages such as significantly short reaction time (within 8 min) owing to the high heating rate and thus the accelerated reaction rate. Both methods led to the synthesis of nearly identical NPs with respect to shape and size according to the results of DLS, XRD and SEM techniques. The possible mechanism for synthesis pathway has been proposed based on FT IR results, XRD patterns, potentiometric data and antioxidant activity. In addition, the antibacterial activity of as-prepared ZnONPs was investigated against several bacteria such as Listeria monocytogenes , Escherichia coli , Salmonella typhimurium . Moreover, the efficacy of ZnONPs to treat cancer cell lines were measured by means of cell viability test via MTT assay in which concentrations of 0.05 and 0.1 mg/mL of ZnONPs induced a very low toxicity. Thus, the present investigation reveals that ZnONPs have the potential for various medical and industrial applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Early life overfeeding is associated with cognitive decline and anxiety-like behaviors in later life. It is not clear whether there are individual differences in the effects of early life overfeeding and what the underlying mechanistic pathways are. We investigated the long-lasting effects of small litter size, an experimental manipulation to induce neonatal overfeeding, in two strains of mice, C57BL/6 and NMRI. We measured body weight, learning and memory, anxiety-related behaviors, interleukin-(IL)-1β and brain-derived-neurotrophic-factor (BDNF) levels in the hippocampus, and both basal and stress corticosterone levels in adult mice which have been nursed in small litters compared with those from control litters. Our findings showed that small litter size led to increased body weight in both strains of mice. Small litter size significantly decreased spatial memory and hippocampal BDNF levels, and increased hippocampal IL-1β, in NMRI mice, but not C57BL/6 mice. Interestingly, we found that small litter size resulted in a significant increase in anxiety-like behaviors and stress-induced corticosterone in NMRI mice, whereas small litter size reduced anxiety-like symptoms and stress-induced corticosterone levels in C57BL/6 mice. These data show that small litter size, which is life-long associated with increased body weight, affects memory and anxiety-related behaviors in a strain-dependent manner in male mice. This suggests that there are individual differences in the developmental consequences of early life overfeeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]