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Mordants are materials used to fix long periods of colour on selected fabrics or fibres. The current research aimed to dye natural fibres like palm leaf (Borassus flabellifer L.), korai grass (Cyperus pangorei L.), banana fibre (Musa accuminata L.), screw fine fibre (Pandanus), sisal fibre (Agave sisalana Perrine), and pineapple fibres (Ananas comosus L.) with Calendula officinalis plant flower dye. The dye was fixed to the selected fibre material with the help of different mordants. The Calendula officinalis flower dye produced different colours, like black, brown, orange, sandal, yellow, etc., on the dyed materials. The different colour formations on the dyed materials are based on the mordents used to fix the dye. The mordants tonify the different colours in the same dyestuff of Calendula officinalis flower dye. Mordant-based dyed natural fibres have good fastness properties against light and water. Calendula officinalis dyes have potential activity against the skin infection-causing organism Pseudomonas aeruginosa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pakistan's economy largely depends on citrus cultivation, and citrus fruits generate significant foreign exchange. Xanthomonas citri pv. citri (Xcc) is the primary cause of citrus canker (CC), which poses a significant threat to the industry. The management of disease is made more difficult by the lack of resistant variants against different Xcc races. Understanding and addressing Xcc are critical for maintaining the industry given the economic reliance on citrus. In order to isolate Xcc in a lab, a thorough survey was conducted in the districts of Bahawalpur, Multan, and Dera Ghazi Khan to collect samples showing canker symptoms. Gram-negative bacteria were identified in the isolates by biochemical analysis, and Koch's postulates confirmed Xcc as the CC causing agent. DNA extraction and sequencing were used in the molecular characterization, which confirmed the phylogenetic relationship with Xcc. Using the disc sensitivity method, nine antibiotics were tested at 300, 500, and 700 ppm concentrations to evaluate CC management. Amoxicillin was found to be highly effective in inhibiting the growth of Xcc colonies. The study provided morphogenetic insights and established Xcc as the causal agent of CC. All strains matched Xcc in molecular characterization, but antibiotic sensitivity testing revealed inconsistent efficacy. Amoxicillin proved to be very effective at stopping the growth of Xcc colonies at every tested dosage. This study makes an important contribution to our understanding of XCC and helps the citrus industry develop better disease control plans. Future interventions against citrus canker can benefit greatly from the understanding provided by morphogenetic characterization and antibiotic sensitivity profiles. The discovery of amoxicillin's high efficacy highlights the drug's potential for treating diseases linked to Xcc. These results help to protect citrus growing, maintaining the viability of an important industry in Pakistan's agricultural landscape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria pose a serious threat to global health, which may be addressed using bacteriophage therapy. It is important to measure the susceptibility of bacteria to bacteriophages. We used a micromechanical sensor with a microfluidic channel for rapid antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST). The interior surface of the microfluidic channel was functionalized with a molecule linker to capture the bacterial cells inside the channel. The Escherichia coli response to the bacteriophage PhiX174 and Staphylococcus aureus response to the bacteriophage Phi44AHJD is observed. The micromechanical sensor measured the mechanical fluctuations induced by nano-movements of the bacteria, reflecting their metabolic activity, before and after viral infection. In other words, the time-dependent oscillations of the microchannel can be correlated to the membrane movement in the cells produced by the cell metabolisms. The initial magnitudes of the fluctuations were different in the two bacteria. Bacteria exposure to the bacteriophages induced a sharp reduction of the sensor response, indicating a marked decrease in bacterial metabolic activities. In contrast to E. coli, S. aureus was resistant to Phi44AHJD, and the significant reduction in its metabolic activity may be attributed to transient dormancy due to stress caused by the viral interaction. This technique provides a rapid and accurate assessment of the susceptibility of bacteria to bacteriophages in a small volume of 150 picolitres. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanoparticles (NPs), as a novel source of Nano fertilizers in crop production. Titanium dioxide nanoparticles (nTiO 2) also have the potential to improve plant growth, but their effect on the wheat crop is not studied enough. Nothing is known about that how nTiO 2 specifically effect on wheat crops especially with soil microbes and how much its dose is effective. Azospirillum brasilense is a promising bio-fertilizer that can be applied in combination with nano-fertilizers to increase crop productivity and can enhance the efficiency of other fertilizers. The present study was planned to investigate the role of different doses of titanium dioxide nanoparticles (nTiO 2) with Azospirillum brasilense on the growth and physiology of wheat, having three replications. Eleven treatments were planned in the field condition (T 0 = Control (No A. brasilense and No nTiO 2), T 1 = nTiO 2 @20 mg/L, T 2 = nTiO 2 @20 mg/L + A. brasilense , T 3 = nTiO 2 @30 mg/L, T 4 = nTiO 2 @30 mg/L + A. brasilense , T 5 = nTiO 2 @40 mg/L, T 6 = nTiO 2 @40 mg/L + A. brasilense , T 7 = nTiO 2 @50 mg/L, T 8 = nTiO 2 @50 mg/L + A. brasilense , T 9 = nTiO 2 @60 mg/L, T 10 = nTiO 2 @60 mg/L + A. brasilense) having randomized complete block design (RCBD). Results revealed that the individual application of A. brasilense showed significantly higher results in all treatments, but nTiO 2 application shows a positive impact on wheat growth, yield, and physiological parameters when used in a lower concentration. nTiO 2 @30 mg/L with A. brasilense gives the highest results as compared to all other treatments with the production of higher antioxidant enzymes, nutrient uptake, higher leaf area index, and photosynthesis. Use of nTiO 2 @40 mg/L or with the higher dose negatively affects wheat crops, but with the A. brasilense application its negative effect control up to a certain level. This study highlights the potential advantages of combining A. brasilense with nTiO 2 , for the growth of wheat crops. While A. brasilense alone consistently produced favorable results, lesser doses of nTiO 2 also showed promising results but with the combination of nTiO 2 and A. brasilense @ 30 mg/L producing the greatest outcomes. The detrimental effects of excessive nanoscale titanium dioxide on plant growth and development, which may result in stress and physiological abnormalities in the plants, are probably the cause of the decrease in crop output at greater nTiO 2 concentrations. However, care should be used while utilizing larger nTiO 2 concentrations since they could harm wheat crop growth and yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] The aim of the study is to develop an environmentally friendly development of isolating silver nanoparticles using Argyreia nervosa plant leaves and examine their potential pharmacological properties, including antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-diabetic activities. Various analytical techniques were employed to examine the isolated silver nanoparticles, encompassing UV spectroscopy, XRD, SEM, EDX, FTIR, zeta potential measurement, and particle size determination. Furthermore, Argyreia nervosa -mediated silver nanoparticles exhibited strong antioxidant, anti-inflammatory activity, and good anti-diabetic activity. Argyreia nervosa -mediated nanoparticles showed a significant antibacterial activity against selected pathogens. The findings indicate that Argyreia nervosa demonstrates encouraging pharmacological properties. However, additional in vivo research focusing on molecular-level investigations is necessary to substantiate these findings and explore the potential of Argyreia nervosa- mediated silver nanoparticles as a viable drug for antioxidant, antibacterial, and anti-diabetic purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most typical form of liver cancer. Apart from modern therapies, various natural chemical constituents have been tested for the treatment of HCC. However, the usage of the latter has declined due to their low bioavailability and stability. Considering the above drawback's, in this study, we describe a gelatin-syringic acid/ zinc oxide (ZnO) nanocomposite for liver cancer treatment, which showed antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anticancer activities. The hydrothermal method was used to synthesize ZnO nanoparticle and it was encapsulated with gelatin-syringic acid by coacervation technique. The nanocomposites were characterized by UV spec, FTIR, SEM, XRD, EDX, and DLS. The drug release profile of nanocomposite was studied by dialysis bag method, which exhibits a sustained drug release. The antioxidant ability of nano-composite was studied by performing an ABTS and DPPH assay and the IC50 was recorded as 76.5 and 47.63 µg/mL, respectively. The anti-inflammatory potential was studied by assessing the ability of nanocomposite on denaturation of protein and the results exhibited a dose-dependent inhibition. The acute toxicity of nanocomposite tested on zebrafish liver and heart showed that it is non-toxic. Moreover, the nanocomposite inhibits the Hep G2 cell viability with an increasing concentration and it increases oxidative stress caused by the mitochondrial damage, which leads to cell death. Based on the findings of the present study, gelatin-syringic acid/ZnO nanocomposite has been shown to possess antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties, and thus can be used against HCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Camptothetin (CPT) is a quinoline alkaloid originally isolated from the Chinese tree, Camptotheca acuminata Decne. CPT was found to have anticancerous and antiviral properties. Derivatives of natural CPT, including topothecan and irinotecan are used clinically to treat a variety of cancers. Apart from Camptotheca acuminata Decne, CPT production was also found in the perennial plant Ophiorrhiza mungos. In this study we attempted the immobilization of the tissue culture grown callus of Ophiorrhiza mungos for the continuous production of a higher concentration of CPT. As evident from previous studies about the antiviral effects of CPT, we wanted to bioinformatically analyze the binding potential of CPT towards two important proteins of SARS-CoV-2, protease (Mpro) and RNA dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp). Further docking analysis of the CPT against the exterior spike glycoprotein of SARS-CoV-2 was also done to determine their potential interaction. The immobilized callus of Ophiorrhiza mungos produced CPT at a concentration of 420 µg/l by the end of 12 days of growth. The HPLC analysis was done to determine the purity of the CPT synthesized by the immobilization technique. The bioinformatic analysis revealed a higher binding efficiency of CPT and its derivatives, toptecan and irinotecan against Mpro and RdRp. The docking analysis of CPT against the spike glycoprotein of SARS-CoV-2 showed hydrogen bonding with the amino acids at K466 with a bond distance of 2.56A° and K355 with a bond distance of 2.40A°. This finding was of particular importance that other compounds including hydroxychloroquine sulphate, lopinavir and ivermectin could bind with the spike protein only by weak Vander wall bonds and no hydrogen bond formation was noticed. Our studies hence evaluate the efficiency of CPT against SARS-CoV-2, by potentially blocking the interaction of the spike glycoprotein with the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor found on host cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study designed to investigate the protective efficacy of maslinic acid (MA) and gallic acid (GA) against isoproterenol (ISO) administered cardiac toxicity in rats by exploring in vivo and in silico approaches. The animals were divided into five different groups. The individual animal groups were orally pretreated with MA (15 mg/kg) and GA ((15 mg/kg) for 7 days and ISO administered subcutaneously on 8th and 9th days to induce MI. Blood, heart and liver were collected from sacrificed animals and used for biochemical analysis. The results represented significant decrease in the levels of high density lipoprotein cholesterol, lipoprotein lipase and lecithin cholesterol acyl transferase whereas significant increase in the levels of total cholesterol, triglycerides, low density lipoprotein cholesterol, very low density lipoprotein cholesterol and HMG-CoA reductase in ISO (85 mg/kg) treated rats. However, pretreatment of ISO treated rats with MA and GA markedly brought all the parameters such as lipids, lipoproteins and lipid metabolic marker enzymes to near normal level indicating the ameliorating effect of MA and GA against MI. Further, the investigation extended to in silico analysis to study the interaction of MA and GA with the key lipid metabolizing enzymes by using Gold 3.0.1 software. The molecular docking studies revealed that HMG-CoA reductase, LPL and LCAT formed strong enzyme ligand complexes with MA and GA. MA and GA exhibited protective efficacy against ISO administered cardiotoxicity and the results further supported by molecular docking studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]