Search

Cadmium, a hazardous heavy metal prevalent in plants and soil, poses a significant threat to human health, particularly as approximately 60% of the global population consumes wheat, which can accumulate high levels of Cd through its roots. This uptake leads to the translocation of Cd to the shoots and grains, exacerbating the potential health risks. However, promising results have been observed with the use of moringa leaf extract (MLE) foliar spray in mitigating the adverse effects of Cd stress. The current experiment was conducted to find out the Cd stress tolerance of wheat varieties V1 = Akbar‐19 and V2 = Dilkash‐2020 under exogenous spray of MLE. The treatments of this study were T0 = 0% MLE + 0 µM Cd, T1 = 3% MLE + 0 µM Cd, T2 = 0% MLE + 400 µM Cd, and T3 = 3% MLE + 400 µM Cd. Cd stress demonstrated a significant reduction in morphological attributes as shoot and root fresh weight (22%), shoot and root dry weight (24.5%), shoot and root length (22.5%), area of leaf and number of leaves 30.5%, and photosynthetic attributes (69.8%) in comparison with control. Exposure of wheat plants to Cd toxicity cause oxidative stress, increased H2O2, and MDA up to 75% while foliar application of MLE reduced the activities of reactive oxygen species (ROS). The activity of catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), and ascorbic acid (AsA) increased up to 81.5% as well as organic osmolytes such as phenolics, total soluble proteins, and total soluble sugars were improved up to 77% by MLE applications under Cd stress. Higher accumulation of ionic contents root Na+ (22%) and Cd (44%) was documented in plants under Cd stress as compared to control, while uptake of root mineral ions Ca2+ and K+ was 35% more in MLE‐treated plants. In crux, Cd toxicity significantly declined the growth, photosynthetic, and biochemical parameters while 3% MLE application was found effective in alleviating the Cd toxicity by improving growth and physiological parameters while declining reactive oxygen species and root Na+ as well as Cd uptake in wheat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bombax ceiba, an ethnomedically useful plant belonging to the Bombacaceae family, is traditionally used to treat various ailments. With the increase of interest in herbal remedies globally, it is imperative to scientifically validate the phytochemical profiling to ensure therapeutic utility and safety. The present study was designed to comprehensively analyze the phytochemical composition of Bombax ceiba seeds oil to provide evidence for its medicinal uses. The recommended standard Soxhlet extraction method was used to isolate the oil from the seeds. Its chemical profile, physicochemical parameters, and antioxidant potential were characterized. The GC-MS analysis revealed the presence of 31 diverse phytoconstituents including vital terpenoids, ketones, esters, alcohols, aliphatic acids, and other compounds in minor quantities which are known to possess wide pharmaceutical applications. The key unsaturated fatty acids identified with nutritional and therapeutic benefits were oleic, linoleic, palmitoleic, arachidonic, and docosahexaenoic acids. The high iodine value of 67.832g I/100g indicates a high degree of unsaturation. Although the DPPH assay showed minimal antioxidant activity, the myriad of bioactive components confers significant pharmacological utility to Bombax ceiba seeds oil. By providing in-depth phytochemical insights, this research work validates this oil's traditional and other medicinal uses, which can be further explored for newer ethnomedicine development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Excessive utilization of nanoparticles renders it necessary to produce safer and more secure nanoparticles while preserving their efficacy. In this study, Psidium guajava L. pulp extract-mediated silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were synthesized, characterized, and further evaluated regarding their antioxidant potential. The green synthesized silver nanoparticles (G-AgNPs) showed a higher level of radical scavenging activity (RSA) (25.85%), hydrogen peroxide scavenging activity (34.34%), and ferric reducing power (0.28). The comparison of the control group (G1) with the various treatment groups (G2-G6) revealed that the levels of catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione-S-transferase (GST) were significantly different (P < 0.05). The levels of blood urea, uric acid, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase (SGTP), serum creatinine, serum glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase (SGOT), alkaline phosphatase, total bilirubin, and serum electrolytes were also evaluated. The results of clinical biochemistry also strengthened our hypothesis that G-AgNPs are less toxic than C-AgNPs. Finally, the histopathology of liver, kidney, and intestinal tissues indicated that green-synthesized AgNPs are relatively safer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modern coal preparation plants are designed to achieve maximum overall clean coal yield with an acceptable amount of impurities to meet end-user requirements. LIMN is commonly used to design and simulate coal processing circuits based on size and density distribution data of coal. In this study, particle distribution data for size, density, and floatability were established for Punjab coal after crushing it to 38 mm. Punjab coal contains high amounts of ash (34.70%) and sulfur (8.34%). Float-sink tests conducted on several size fractions disclosed that 16% target ash could be achieved at an overall yield of 63% with ash and sulfur rejection values in the range of 72.63–94.18% and 73.01–88.45%, respectively. However, the sulfur limit of 1.0% would be difficult to meet. Dell release analysis performed on – 0.25 mm fraction revealed poor flotation response of Punjab coal. Several process flowsheets were designed and simulated using LIMN to generate data for yield, ash and sulfur. End-User Beneficiation Number (EBN) was introduced and utilized for determining the best processing option that can provide maximum yield while meeting the quality requirements of the end-user. Economic analysis involving CAPEX, OPEX, and payback period validated the merit of EBN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To analyze the knowledge of the doctors dealing with pediatric patients about neonatal resuscitation. Methods: This was a cross sectional study conducted at The Lahore General Hospital over one year. Total 137 doctors related to pediatrics with different job descriptions were enrolled and requested to fill a questionnaire proforma regarding their knowledge about basic equipment required and about neonatal resuscitation steps. Data was entered and analyzed using SPSS 20. Results: Out of 137 participants, majority (71%) had >2 years of experience in pediatrics and 52.5% had higher postgraduate qualification. Neonatal resuscitation workshop was attended by 57% doctors. In resuscitation of newborns at the time of delivery, resuscitating doctors were assisted by nurse in 50%, by junior doctor in 35%, paramedic staff 11% and it was done by single doctor in 4% cases. Oxygen (central or O2 cylinder) and warmer facilities were available in 90% and 82% of health facilities respectively. Majority (86%) of participants were of view that every neonate must be attended at birth. Not a single doctor followed all the standard steps of neonatal resuscitation although 90% had knowledge about resuscitation equipment and common resuscitation drugs. Conclusion: Pediatric health care professionals had knowledge about neonatal resuscitation but there are gaps in the practical application. There is a strong need of frequent neonatal resuscitation workshops for improving neonatal outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water is a precious commodity for plant growth and metabolism; however, its scarcity and saline sand conditions have a drastic effect on plant growth and development. The main objective of the current study was to understand how silicon (Si) application might help Black gram ( Vigna mungo L.) against the negative impacts of salt stress and drought. The treatments of this study were: no silicon = 0 mg/kg; silicon = 40 mg/kg; control = no stress; drought stress = 50% field capacity (FC); salinity = 10 dSm -1 ; drought + salinity = 10 dSm -1 + 50% field capacity (FC). The findings showed that the application of silicon in the sand significantly affected growth indices such as leaf area (LA), shoot fresh weight (SFW), shoot dry weight (SDW), and shoot length (SL). Root length (RL) increased significantly up to 55.9% in response to drought stress. Applying Si to the sand increased the root length (RL) by 53.9%. In comparison to the control, the turgor potential of leaves decreased by 10.3% under salinity, while it increased by 44.7% under drought stress. However, the application of silicon to the sand significantly improved the turgor potential of leaves by 98.7%. Under both drought and salt stress, gas exchange characteristics and photosynthetic pigments dramatically decreased. Applying 40 mg/kg silicon to sand improved the gas exchange characteristics, protein contents, and photosynthetic pigments of plants under drought and salt stress, such as levels of chlorophyll ( a , and b ) increased by 18% and 26%, respectively. Under control conditions, the hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) concentration was lower but increased during periods of drought and salinity stress. The concentrations of peroxidase (POD), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT) were decreased by salt and drought stress and increased by sand application of silicon at a rate of 40 mg/kg. Application of silicon at 40 mg/kg sand rate improved the growth and development under control and stress conditions. Overall, this study provides an extensive understanding of the physiological mechanisms underlying the black gram's ability to withstand under salt stress and drought stress by application of Si which will serve as a roadmap for future cellular research., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing financial interest., (© 2024 The Authors. Published by American Chemical Society.)