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Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) synthesized through biological methods have emerged as a difficult alternative to traditional chemical synthesis due to their increased biocompatibility and environmental attainability. In this study, we investigated the stability and various biological activities of AgNPs synthesized using Bacillus flexus BAgNPs. The solidification of the nanoparticles was monitored for one month using UV-Vis spectroscopy, which revealed consistent surface plasmon resonance (SPR) peaks around 430-450 nm, indicating sustained nanoparticle integrity. The synthesized B-AgNPs proved significant antifungal, antibacterial, and antioxidant activities. The antifungal efficacy was evaluated against multiple strains of Alternaria solani with B-AgNPs showing superior inhibition compared to standard antifungal drugs. Even at low concentrations, the nanoparticles demonstrated powerful inhibitory effects on Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Staphylococcus aureus. Results indicate that B-AgNPs exhibit antioxidant activity also approximate to that of DPPH, particularly at higher concentrations (50 ppm), where the scavenging activity of B-AgNPs is nearly the same as that of DPPH. These findings indicate that B-AgNPs synthesized using B. flexus possess important potential uses in agriculture and biomedicine, with superior stability and biological activity compared to conven- [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Storage & Process is the property of Tianjin Academy of Agricultural Sciences and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) synthesized through biological methods have emerged as a difficult alternative to traditional chemical synthesis due to their increased biocompatibility and environmental attainability. In this study, we investigated the stability and various biological activities of AgNPs synthesized using Bacillus flexus B-AgNPs. The solidification of the nanoparticles was monitored for one month using UV-Vis spectroscopy, which revealed consistent surface plasmon resonance (SPR) peaks around 430-450 nm, indicating sustained nanoparticle integrity. The synthesized B-AgNPs proved significant antifungal, antibacterial, and antioxidant activities. The antifungal efficacy was evaluated against multiple strains of Alternaria solani with B-AgNPs showing superior inhibition compared to standard antifungal drugs. Even at low concentrations, the nanoparticles demonstrated powerful inhibitory effects on Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Staphylococcus aureus. Results indicate that B-AgNPs exhibit antioxidant activity also approximate to that of DPPH, particularly at higher concentrations (50 ppm), where the scavenging activity of B-AgNPs is nearly the same as that of DPPH. These findings indicate that B-AgNPs synthesized using B. flexus possess important potential uses in agriculture and biomedicine, with superior stability and biological activity compared to conventional methods.

In order to study the chemical constituents from Chloranthus henryi and their antitumor activities in vitro. The chemical constituents of ethyl acetate fraction, extracted with 95% ethanol from C. henryi were isolated and purified by silica gel column chromatography, reversed phase column chromatography, Sephadex LH-20 column chromatography and preparation liquid chromatography, and their structures were identified by the physicochemical properties, spectral data combined with relevant literatures. The cytotoxic activities of these compounds were evaluated by MTT method. The results were as follows: (1) Twelve compounds were isolated and identified as pipercyclobutanamide C (1), chololactone A (2), sarcanolide B (3), oxacol A (4), chloramultiol D (5), chlorasessilifol B (6), chlorajaponol (7), tianmushanol (8), spicachlorantins B (9), spicachlorantins A (10), serrachlorin A (11), chloramultiols A (12). Among them, Compound 1 was identified as a new compound, and except for Compound 8, all the other compounds were isolated from the C. henryi for the first time. (2) The cytotoxic activity test results showed that only compounds 2 and 7 had good inhibitory effects on HeLa cells in vitro, while the other compounds showed no inhibition effects. The IC50 of the two compounds were (4.50±0.27) μmol·L-1 and (4.25±0.08) μmol·L-1 respectively. In conclusion, the study enriches the chemical constituents of C. henryi, and provides a reference for the further exploration and utilization of this Chloranthus herb plants.

Arnica montana (AM), which belongs to the daisy family Asteraceae, has a longstanding traditional use in Europe and North America for pain and inflammation treatment. This study investigates the inhibitory effects of ‘Arnica montana extract hydrogel patch (AHP)’ on Carrageenan-induced paw edema and hot plate-induced pain models. AHP exhibited transdermal permeability without the occurrence of issues like crystal precipitation. This study employed two animal model assessments using AHP, in comparison with Arnicare Gel (AG), to evaluate anti-inflammatory and pain relief effects. AHP treatment for 2 days showed a decrease in paw edema thickness in mice as compared to vehicle or AG groups; Carrageenan-induced swelling increased maximally at 1 h with the AHP group demonstrating a higher reduction. Thus, the AHP group exhibited a lower ratio of right/left paw thickness and a superior reduction in swelling, supportive of its ability to diminish edema. A histological analysis showed that AHP treatment reduced inflammatory cell infiltration. Consistently, the mRNA levels of inflammatory markers (tnfa, il1b, and il6) were decreased to a greater extent than the AG group. Particularly, tnfa inhibition was better in the AHP group, and the levels of il1b and il6 transcripts showed ~80% and 40% lower. Likewise, AHP reduced pain scores in a hot plate-induced rat model, although AG failed to do so. Together, these results demonstrate that AHP has long-lasting inhibitory effects on fluid effusion and edema formation, the production of inflammatory mediators, and pain-sensation, supporting its anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving pharmacological effects.

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The dynamical behaviors of an epidemic model based on the susceptible–infected–susceptible (SIS) model are investigated. The Beddington–DeAngelis functional response is used for the infection rate to present the dependence of the transmission of the infection on the ratio of both susceptible and infected populations. A Caputo fractional derivative is applied to show the existence of memory in nature affects population dynamics. The disease-free and endemic equilibrium points are obtained as the equilibrium points that describe the condition when the population is free from the disease or the disease exists in the population throughout time. The existence, uniqueness, non-negativity, and boundedness are proven which state the biological validity of the mathematical model. The local and global stability of each equilibrium point is studied including the basic reproduction number and its influence on the dynamical behaviors. Some numerical simulations are portrayed to explore more about the dynamics of the model which are relevant to the analytical findings. The partial rank correlation coefficient is presented to investigate the dominant parameter with respect to the basic reproduction number and the density of susceptible and infected populations. The parameter continuations are demonstrated to show the impact of infection rate and the inhibitory effect which lead to the occurrence of forward bifurcations. The memory effect is also demonstrated numerically to show the changes in convergence rate due to the changes in memory strength.

Producing compost, mulch, or organic fertilizers are suitable methods for utilizing pruning residues, which are effective in reducing environmental problems caused by the accumulation of pruning residues. Wood is a part of pruning residues that, due to decomposition and release of biochemical compounds, have allelopathic effects. Since limited reports have been published regarding the allelopathic effects of wood from trees and ornamental shrubs, in the current experiment, the biochemical compounds and allelopathic effects of wood from eight species of ornamental trees and shrubs were investigated. Pruned wood of Bougainvillea, Albizia lebbeck, Cordia myxa, Conocarpus, Dodonaea viscosa, Nerium oleander, Leucaena leucocephala, and Callistemon citrinus was soaked in water for 24 and 48 hours to prepare water elutes. The analysis of biochemical compounds showed significant differences in the phenolic compounds, tannin index (A280), flavonoids, non-structural soluble carbohydrates, total suspended solids, and electrical conductivity in the water elutes of wood samples, but the pH of the water elutes did not show significant differences. The duration of soaking wood in water (24 or 48 hours) affected the electrical conductivity and biochemical compounds in the water elutes. The Leucaena leucocephala extract had the highest tannin index (67.10 A280/ml) and soluble carbohydrates (81.1 mg/g), while the highest total phenol content was in Leucaena leucocephala and Conocarpus (1.107 and 55.114 mg/g, respectively). The highest electrical conductivity was in the Cordia myxa extract (87.2 ds/m), and the highest total suspended solids were in the Callistemon citrinus extract (0.61%). The highest level of flavonoids was found in Bougainvillea, Nerium oleander, Leucaena leucocephala, and Cordia myxa. The allelopathic effects of the water elute prepared from wood samples resulted in a reduction in germination percentage and germination index of cucumber seeds, as well as a decrease in the root and shoot length of cucumber seedlings, indicating the presence of allelopathic effects of biochemical compounds present in the wood of trees and ornamental shrubs. These results can be useful in selecting these species for designing landscape plantings to their allelopathic effects of residues on neighboring grasses and ornamental plants, or in managing pruning residues and producing compost or mulch from the wood of ornamental trees and shrubs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Jurnal Fitopatologi Indonesia is the property of IPB University and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In the present study, indoor experiments were carried out to investigate the effects of rainfall on subsequent wind erosion processes on the simulated Gobi surface, with soils and gravels collected from the Alax Gobi in northwestern China. The results showed that the wind erosion rate (WR) ranged from 0.4 to 1931.2 g m−2 min−1 and that the sediment transportation rate (STR) ranged from 0.00 to 51.47 g m−2 s−1 under different gravel coverage conditions (0%, 20%, 40% and 60%) when the wind velocity changed from 6 m s−1 to 18 m s−1. Both WR and STR increased with increasing wind velocity as a power function and decreased with increasing gravel coverage. The rainfall event had significant inhibitory effects on WR and STR, and the complex effects of soil crust formation and the changing soil surface roughness (SSR) by rainfall event played significant roles in reducing these rates during subsequent wind erosion. In this study, a valuable exploration of the effects of rainfall events on subsequent wind erosion processes in the Gobi area was conducted. The findings are of great significance for a better understanding and effective prediction of dust emissions in this region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cocoa is an economically valuable plantation commodity, but its cultivation often faces a significant challenge, which is caused by the Phytophthora palmivora. Phylloplane yeast has an important role in protecting plant surfaces from pathogen infection. The aim of the study was to assess the diversity of phylloplane yeasts found on cocoa fruits, and determine them as biological control agents for P. palmivora. The metode include isolating yeasts from young, old and rotten cocoa pods and testing them as antagonists against P. palmivora. The findings of this study yielded eight yeast isolates that were significant in inhibiting the growth of P. palmivora. These isolates spanned across six genera, including Debaryomyces sp., Metschnikowia sp., Zygosaccharomyces sp., Candida sp., Wickerhamomyces sp., and Cryptococcus sp. Candida sp.2 and Wickerhamomyces sp. as particularly promising species species that had a consistently resistant level of inhibitory effect, achieved percentage inhibition of 36.26% (10.8 mm) and 34.44% (9.6 mm), respectively.

Acacia nilotica, (Fabaceae), is valued for its medicinal properties. We examine the antiproliferative properties of the aqueous fruit extract of A. nilotica. Aqueous extract from Acacia has been associated with potential anticancer effects in fruits and vegetables through screening, antiproliferative, and molecular docking evaluation. Phytochemical screening reveals the presence of alkaloids, saponins, tannins, flavonoids, steroids, and carbohydrates. The extracts showed significant antiproliferative effects at eight concentrations (8–50 mg mL–1) examined in comparison to the standard (methotrexate). When compared to Sorghum bicolor seed radicles treated with methotrexate at 48, 72, and 96 h, 50 mg mL–1 extract significantly inhibited the generation of seed radicals, with potent inhibitions of 87.06, 83.48, and 81.45%. Analysis of molecular docking results showed that [(2R,3S)-2-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-3,5-dihydroxy-3,4-dihydro-2H-chromen-7-yl]3,4,5-trihydroxybenzoate (D21), (5R,9R,10R,13S,14S,17S)-17-[(2S,4R)-4-[(2S)-3,3-dimethyloxiran-2-yl]-4-hydroxybutan-2-yl]-4,4,10,13,14-pentamethyl-1,2,5,6,9,11,12,15,16,17-decahydrocyclopenta[a]phenanthren-3-one (D28) and [(2R,3S)-2-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-3,7-dihydroxy-3,4-dihydro-2H-chromen-5-yl] 3,4,5-trihydroxybenzoate (D29) have strong tendency to inhibit dihydrofolate reductase (1VDR), capase-9 (6J15) and Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) (6J17) better than methotrexate and azacitidine, known antiproliferative drugs. These findings support the use of A. nilotica in traditional medicine for the treatment of tuberculosis and cancer.

We investigated the allelopathic effects of A. philoxeroides stem on E. crassipes and found reduction in plant height (32 to 61 %), number of leaves (13 to 38 %), number of branches (20 to 43%) and fresh weight (63 to 73 %). The E. crassipes plants got dried in cisterns treated with A. philoxeroides. The allelochemicals present in A. philoxeroides plants were inhibitory to water hyacinth. The allelopathic leachate of A. philoxeroides caused maximum decrease in growth of E. crassipes, due to presence of alkaloids and phenols. In control, there were no detrimental effects on growth of E. crassipes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A convenient one-pot two-step strategy for synthesis of the novel tricyclic system 9-chloro-4-methyl-6,11-dihydro-5H-benzo[b]pyrimido[4,5-e][1,4]diazepine have been synthesized through the heterocyclization reaction of 2,4-dichloro-5-(chloromethyl)-6-methylpyrimidine with 4-chloro-o-phenylenediamine under basic conditions. Various derivatives were obtained via treatment with secondary amines. Also, the inhibitory effects of the synthesized compound against bromodomain-containing protein 4 (BRD4) have been evaluated by molecular docking. The results reveal that among the studied compounds (5f) is a more potent inhibitor against this enzyme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tobacco (Nicotiana tabaccum L.) is an agricultural commodity in Indonesia, with production reaching 261.40 thousand tonnes in 2020. Tobacco leaves contain flavonoids and alkaloids, which are helpful as antibacterial, antifungal, and anti-insect agents. This study aimed to optimize the extraction process of tobacco leaves as an antibacterial agent. The factors used were material-to-solvent ratio (w/v) and extraction time. The microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) was used, with the response surface methodology (RSM) for data processing. This study showed that thematerial-to-solvent ratio and extraction time significantly affected the total flavonoid value, the extract inhibitory activity against S. mutans bacteria, and the extract yield. However, no significant effect was observed on the extract’s pH. The highest total flavonoid value, inhibitory activity, and pH were obtained from the treatment with a ratio of 1:2172 (w/v) and 6 minutes extraction time, giving an average value of 524.67 mg EQ/g, 22.4 mm, and 5.6, respectively. The highest yield of 4.61% was obtained from the treatment with a ratio of 1:5 (w/v) and 6 minutes extraction time. The optimal solution for the tobacco leaves extraction process was obtained from material-to-solvent ratio of 1: 2.6 (w/v) and 7 minutes of extraction time, giving the total flavonoids, inhibitory activity, pH, and yield of 428.4 mg EQ/g, 20.7 mm, 5.8, and 3.1%, respectively.

Copyright of Industrial Water Treatment is the property of CNOOC Tianjin Chemical Research & Design Institute and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

(1) Background: This study summarizes the findings of two studies investigating the inhibitory effects of Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains from clinical and environmental sources against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria and fungi. The studies also analyzed the correlation between enzyme production and inhibitory effects to gain insights into the antimicrobial capabilities of P. aeruginosa strains; (2) Methods: Both studies employed similar methodologies, including the use of disk diffusion and well diffusion methods to assess the inhibitory effects of P. aeruginosa strains against target pathogens. Enzyme production was analyzed through various biochemical assays to determine the diversity and frequencies of enzyme secretion among the strains; (3) Results: A comparative analysis of enzyme production in P. aeruginosa strains from clinical sources revealed significant variations in enzyme production, with hemolysin and protease being the most commonly produced enzymes. Gelatinase production showed lower rates, whereas chondroitinase and hyaluronidase were absent or occurred less frequently. In contrast, a comparative analysis of enzyme production in environmental isolates showed different patterns, indicating adaptation to environmental conditions. Pyocyanin production was absent in all environmental isolates. The inhibitory effects against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria varied among different P. aeruginosa strains, with strain-specific variations observed. Limited inhibitory effects were observed against fungi, primarily toward gram-positive bacteria; (4) Conclusions: The findings highlight the strain-specific nature of inhibitory effects and enzyme production in P. aeruginosa strains. The correlation between enzyme production and inhibitory effects against gram-positive bacteria suggest a potential role of specific enzymes, such as hemolysin and protease, in the antimicrobial activity. The complexity of the relationship between enzyme production and the inhibition of different pathogens requires further investigation. The results emphasize the potential of P. aeruginosa strains as sources for antimicrobial strategies, particularly against gram-positive bacteria. Future research should focus on understanding the mechanisms underlying these inhibitory effects and exploring their therapeutic applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a Bayesian network (BN)-based inhibition model is developed for the rainstorm–landslide–debris flow (R-L-D) disaster chain in the mountainous area of the Greater Bay Area (GBA), China, using the historical disaster data. Twelve nodes are selected for the inhibition model, which are classified into four types, including Hazardous Factor, Response Operation, Disaster Evolution, and Disaster Result. By combining the proposed inhibition with the scenario analysis method, the probabilities of the BN nodes under different rainfall scenarios are analyzed, and then the inhibitory effects of the environmental geological conditions and rescue speed on the R-L-D disaster chain under the most unfavorable rainfall scenario are investigated. On this basis, an inhibition framework consisting of the early warning, inhibition, and measures layers is proposed for the R-L-D disaster chain. The results reveal that under the most unfavorable rainfall scenarios, where the rainfall intensity is greater than 100 mm/d and the rainfall duration is greater than 24 h, the probability of landslides and debris flow is 0.930 and 0.665, respectively. Improving the environmental geological conditions such as slope, lithology and geological structure can greatly inhibit the occurrence of the R-L-D disaster chain. Moreover, the improvement of geological structure conditions is the most significant, and reduces the probability of landslides and debris flow by 0.684 and 0.430, respectively, as well as reducing the probability of death and direct economic loss by 0.411 and 0.619, respectively. Similarly, increasing the rescue speed leads to a reduction in the probability of death and direct economic loss by 0.201 and 0.355, respectively. This study can provide theoretical and practical insights into the prevention and inhibition of the R-L-D disaster chain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To study the inhibitory effects of Enterococcus faecalis Z096 on the biofilm and quorum sensing (QS) system of Vibrio parahaemolyticus, the competition, elimination and exclusion were performed to simulate the interaction between Z096 and V. parahaemolyticus in microbial communities. In addition, the effects of Z096 extract (Z096-E) on V. parahaemolyticus biofilm formation, mature biofilm elimination, cell surface hydrophobicity, auto-aggregation, QS signal molecule AI-2 activity, motility ability (swarming and swimming), extracellular polysaccharide and protein synthesis were further explored. The results showed that Z096 could significantly reduce the number of V. parahaemolyticus cells in plankton and biofilm by competition, elimination and exclusion, and interfere with the adhesion of V. parahaemolyticus on the carrier surface. Moreover, Z096-E could significantly inhibit biofilm formation and effectively eliminate the mature biofilm of V. parahaemolyticus. When treated with 1.6 mg/mL of Z096-E for 12 h, the biofilm inhibition rate was 70.43%, and the metabolic activity decreased by 84.15%; When the mature biofilm of V. parahaemolyticus was treated with 12.8 mg/mL of Z096-E for 4 h, the biofilm removing rate was 58.21%, and the metabolic activity decreased by 69.84%. The swarming and swimming ability, cell surface hydrophobicity and auto-aggregation, extracellular polysaccharide and protein synthesis of V. parahaemolyticus were inhibited by 1.6 mg/mL of Z096-E by 47.26%, 53.56%, 63.37%, 89.38%, 77.65% and 51.91%, respectively, and the inhibitory effect was dose-dependent. In addition, Z096-E weakened the activity of QS signal molecule AI-2 of V. parahaemolyticus, indicating that Z096-E was an AI-2 quorum sensing inhibitor, which could affect the physiological characteristics of V. parahaemolyticus by interfering with the QS system. Therefore, we found one strain of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) that could inhibit V. parahaemolyticus biofilm, and the Z096-E could be used as a novel LAB-based biological agent to prevent and control V. parahaemolyticus biofilm. This study would be of positive significance to eliminate V. parahaemolyticus biofilm pollution and develop novel antibacterial agents.

Simple Summary: Osteosarcoma is the most prevalent orthotopic bone tumor. Due to its high metastatic properties, it has become the leading cause of cancer death worldwide. At this time, there is no effective treatment for osteosarcoma. Hence, we aimed to investigate the efficacy of ononin on osteosarcoma cell migration, invasion, and the underlying mechanisms. The dose-dependent manners of ononin treatment increased the expression of apoptosis and inhibition of cell proliferation in MG-63 and U2OS osteosarcoma cell lines through the EGFR-Erk1/2 signaling pathways. For consistency, we used the MG-63-xenograft mice model to confirm the in vivo anti-tumorigenic and anti-migratory efficacy of ononin. These findings suggest that ononin could be a potentially effective agent against the metastasis of osteosarcoma. Osteosarcoma is a common malignancy of the bone. Due to its high metastatic properties, osteosarcoma becomes the leading cause of cancer death worldwide. Ononin is an isoflavone glycoside known to have various pharmacological properties, including antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the efficacy of ononin on osteosarcoma cell migration, invasion, and the underlying mechanisms. The in vitro anti-tumorigenic and anti-migratory properties of ononin were determined by MTT, colony formation, invasion, and migration in MG-63 and U2OS osteosarcoma cell lines. The results were compared with the standard chemotherapeutic drug, doxorubicin (DOX), as a positive control. The dose-dependent manners of ononin treatment increased the expression of apoptosis and inhibition of cell proliferation through the EGFR-Erk1/2 signaling pathways. Additionally, ononin significantly inhibited the invasion and migration of human osteosarcoma cells. For consistency, we used the MG-63-xenograft mice model to confirm the in vivo anti-tumorigenic and anti-migratory efficacy of ononin by inhibiting the protein expressions of EGFR-Erk1/2 and MMP2/9. According to the histological study, ononin had no adverse effect on the liver and kidney. Overall, our findings suggested that ononin could be a potentially effective agent against the development and metastasis of osteosarcoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research on natural compounds provides new alternatives for effective and sustainable control of plant viral pathogens. Herein, we prepared and investigated the in vitro antiviral activity of 60 plant species from 22 families. The hydroethanolic extracts of Rhus coriaria, Chenopodium quinoa and Ailanthus altissima have strong inhibitions on Tobacco Mosaic Virus (TMV) infection. Hydroethanolic extract of C. quinoa with half-maximal Effective Concentration (EC50) value of 1.64 mg mL-1 exhibited the highest inhibitory effect against TMV. The extracts of R. coriaria and A. altissima with EC50 values of 2.82 and 4.42 mg mL-1, being compared with C. quinoa, showed an anti-TMV activity at higher concentrations, respectively. The systemic assay indicated that all of the three extracts reduced the symptoms and negative effects of TMV on tobacco plants. The chemical analysis of C. quinoa extract demonstrated a rich profile of saponins and anthocyanins, while A. altissima and R. coriaria extracts were rich in phenolic compounds. These results displayed that C. quinoa, R. coriaria, and A. altissima extracts had significant antiviral activity, and could be used as suitable sources for discovering new antiviral agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cladophora members are present in seawater and freshwater ecosystems worldwide. Their growth poses a serious threat to water environment, fisheries, production and living. In order to explore safe and ecological treatment methods, the inhibitory effects and oxidative damages (48 and 96 h) in Cladophora sp. (Cladophoraceae) exposed to 0–0.30 g L−1 berberine were investigated. Results showed that the LC 50 of berberine to Cladophora was 0.147 g L−1 and 0.063 g L−1 at 48 h and 96 h, respectively. Malondialdehyde and total protein contents first increased and then decreased sharply with increasing exposure concentrations of berberine. The Cladophora cells accelerated protein synthesis when their cell membranes were subjected to oxidative damage. Superoxide dismutase activity was down-regulated slightly after exposure to low berberine concentration (0.05 g L−1) and strongly when the Cladophora cells suffered from great oxidative damage. Total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) first decreased sharply and then increased with increasing exposure concentrations of berberine. The decrease in T-AOC indicated the enzymatic antioxidants were continuously inhibited with increasing exposure concentrations of berberine. The increase in T-AOC indicated the secretion of non-enzymatic antioxidants was continuously strengthened with increasing exposure concentrations of berberine. Cladophora DNA also underwent oxidative damage due to berberine. Low concentrations of berberine activated its repair mechanisms, but high concentrations could cause irreparable damage. Therefore, these results suggested that berberine could inhibit the growth of Cladophora by oxidative damage, and Cladophora responded physiologically to this stress accordingly.

Introduction: Nowadays, the widespread use of antimicrobial peptides as a natural preservative due to the side effects of synthetic preservatives (cancers and liver damages in medicines and foods) has received much attention. Materials and methods: In the present study, five antibacterial peptides including Nisin A of Lactococcus lactis, melitin of Apis mellifera, copsin from Coprinopsis cinerea, Terpene of Erythrolobus australicus, and thionin from Arabidopsis thaliana were studied using bioinformatics analysis. Results: The results showed that these peptides (peptides studied in eukaryotics and prokaryotics) had cytoplasmic targeting and the studied peptides were not protected in different organisms. There was a variation in the number of α helixes and β sheets among the studied peptides. The results of the phylogenetic tree by Mega5 showed that besides Apis mellifera, four other species were located in the same cluster. The domains were different in the five studied species, but all domains had antibacterial properties. These peptides showed a wide range of physicochemical properties. The substitution template, substitution model, and D-Tajima sequence of the studied peptides showed that Apis mellifera was isolated from other species during evolution. Three-dimensional (3-D) modeling of peptides by the homology modeling method and Swiss Model database showed that the three-dimensional structure of terpene and thionin had high quality. Using peptidecutter and allermatch websites, it was found that nisin A, melitin, copsine, terpene, and thionin were not allergenic. To determine the minimum lethal concentration and minimum inhibitory concentration, the disk diffusion method was used. The highest inhibition of nisin of Lactococcus Lactis was obtained in Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli by disk diffusion. Blank discs were 19, 23 mm, 5, and 1 mm, respectively. Discussion and conclusion: The results showed that nisin can be used as a natural preservative to delay food spoilage against gram-positive bacteria.

(1) Background: This study summarizes the findings of two studies investigating the inhibitory effects of Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains from clinical and environmental sources against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria and fungi. The studies also analyzed the correlation between enzyme production and inhibitory effects to gain insights into the antimicrobial capabilities of P. aeruginosa strains; (2) Methods: Both studies employed similar methodologies, including the use of disk diffusion and well diffusion methods to assess the inhibitory effects of P. aeruginosa strains against target pathogens. Enzyme production was analyzed through various biochemical assays to determine the diversity and frequencies of enzyme secretion among the strains; (3) Results: A comparative analysis of enzyme production in P. aeruginosa strains from clinical sources revealed significant variations in enzyme production, with hemolysin and protease being the most commonly produced enzymes. Gelatinase production showed lower rates, whereas chondroitinase and hyaluronidase were absent or occurred less frequently. In contrast, a comparative analysis of enzyme production in environmental isolates showed different patterns, indicating adaptation to environmental conditions. Pyocyanin production was absent in all environmental isolates. The inhibitory effects against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria varied among different P. aeruginosa strains, with strain-specific variations observed. Limited inhibitory effects were observed against fungi, primarily toward gram-positive bacteria; (4) Conclusions: The findings highlight the strain-specific nature of inhibitory effects and enzyme production in P. aeruginosa strains. The correlation between enzyme production and inhibitory effects against gram-positive bacteria suggest a potential role of specific enzymes, such as hemolysin and protease, in the antimicrobial activity. The complexity of the relationship between enzyme production and the inhibition of different pathogens requires further investigation. The results emphasize the potential of P. aeruginosa strains as sources for antimicrobial strategies, particularly against gram-positive bacteria. Future research should focus on understanding the mechanisms underlying these inhibitory effects and exploring their therapeutic applications.

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Xian-Ling-Gu-Bao (XLGB) capsule, a well-known traditional Chinese medicine prescription, is widely used for the treatment of osteoporosis. It could significantly increase the levels of estrogen in ovariectomized rats and mice. However, this working mechanism has not been well elucidated. Considering that UDP-glucuronosyltransferase (UGT) enzymes are the important enzymes that inactivate and regulate estrogen activity in vivo, this study aimed to identify the bioactive compounds from XLGB against the glucuronidation of estrogens. First, thirty compounds were considered as candidate bioactive compounds based on our previous studies including pharmacological evaluation, chemical profiles, and metabolic profiles. Second, the characteristics of estrogen glucuronidation by uridine diphosphate glucuronic acid (UDPGA)-supplemented human liver microsomes (HLM), human intestine microsomes (HIM), and expressed UGT enzymes were determined, and the incubation systems of their key UGT enzymes were optimized. Then, inhibitory effects and mechanisms of XLGB and its main compounds toward the key UGT isozymes were further investigated. As a result, estrogen underwent efficient glucuronidation by HLM and HIM. UGT1A10, 1A1, and 2B7 were mainly responsible for the glucuronidation of estrone, ß-estradiol, and estriol, respectively. For E1 and E2, UGT1A10 and 1A1 tended to mediate estrogen-3-O-glucuronidation, while UGT2B7 preferred catalyzing estrogen-16-O-glucuronidation. Furthermore, the incubation system for active UGT isoforms was optimized including Tris-HCl buffer, detergents, MgCl2 concentration, ß-glucuronidase inhibitors, UDPGA concentration, protein concentration, and incubation time. Based on optimal incubation conditions, eleven, nine, and nine compounds were identified as the potent inhibitors for UGT1A10, 1A1, and 2B7, respectively (IC50 < 4.97 µM and Ki < 3.35 µM). Among them, six compounds (bavachin, isobavachin, isobavachalcone, neobavaisoflavone, corylifol A, and icariside II) simultaneously demonstrated potent inhibitory effects against these three active enzymes. Prenylated flavanols from Epimedium brevicornu Maxim., prenylated flavonoids from Psoralea corylifolia L., and salvianolic acids from Salvia miltiorrhiza Bge. were characterized as the most important and effective compounds. The identification of potent natural inhibitors of XLGB against the glucuronidation of estrogen laid an important foundation for the pharmacodynamic material basis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Abstract Drought is one of the most damaging abiotic stress that hinder plant growth and development. The present study aimed to determine the effects of various Ca/Mg quotients under polyethylene glycol (PEG)–induced osmotic stress on growth, uptake and translocation of Ca and Mg in Avena sativa (L). Plants were grown in nutrient solution supplemented with three different Ca/Mg molar quotients (0.18, 2, and 4). After 30 days plants were exposed to two different PEG (Polyethylene glycol) concentrations (0.6 MPa & 0.2 MPa) for 8 days, and solutions were renewed after 4 days. A solution containing Ca and Mg nutrients has mitigated the negative impact caused via osmotic stress on relative growth rate (RGR), absolute growth rate (AGR), crop growth rate (CGR), leaf area ratio (LAR), Leaf index ratio (LAI), root-shoot ratio (RSR), water use efficiency (WUE) and net assimilation rate (NAR). In addition, it adversely affected germination parameters, including final emergence percentage (FEP), mean germination time (MGT), Timson germination Index (TGI), germination rate index (GRI) and percent field capacity (%FC), of oat (Avena sativa L.). Mg and Ca in shoot and root and Ca translocation factor decreased with increasing Ca in solution, while Mg translocation factor increased with increasing Ca in nutrient solution. In this work, the combined effects of various Ca/Mg quotients and osmotic stress produced by polyethylene glycol (PEG) in different concentrations (0.6 MPa, 0.2 MPa) on the growth and element uptake of Avena sativa L. are examined. As a result, the Ca/Mg Quotient may naturally combat the moderate drought stress experienced by field crops.

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Background & Aims: The increasing rate of vancomycin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (VRSA) with biofilm formation may become a new threat to humans. In such cases, finding an effective treatment strategy such as using Nanotechnology (Nano- drugs) to deal with these types of infections may be promising. This study aimed to investigate the inhibitory effects of silver nanoparticles (SNPs) on biofilm formation of VRSAs. Materials and Methods: Clinical S. aureus isolates were identified to the species level by conventional methods, and their identities were later confirmed by PCR. Following the determination of susceptibility patterns of the isolates; all the screened S.aureus isolates have been assessed regarding their susceptibility to vancomycin. Detection of vanA gene and determination of minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of VRSAs were carried out using PCR and Etest methods, respectively. The biofilm production was assessed on all VRSA isolates in the presence/absence of SNPs using micro-titer plate method. Results: In total, 11 (6.21%) VRSAs were identified among 177 S. aureus clinical isolates. These isolates were included in the biofilm production assay. All of the VRSAs were multidrug resistance and biofilm producers. The inhibitory effect of SNPs in concentration of 250 µg/ml on biofilm formation of VRSA isolates was significant (Pv = 0.01). Conclusion: Based on our findings, SNPs can prevent biofilm formation of VRSAs and applying of these nanoparticles may prohibit from the persistence and colonization of such resistant isolates.

This paper aims to explore the effect and mechanism of rising housing prices on residents' physical and mental health. Using data from the China Family Panel Studies from 2014 to 2018, we investigate the impact and mechanism of rising housing prices on the mental and physical health of urban residents through multiple grouping regression and analysis of variance. The study finds that overall, rising housing prices have a positive effect on residents' mental health but a negative effect on physical health, and those who do not own a house show the greatest adverse effect. The impact of rising housing prices on health is mainly reflected in three aspects: the wealth effect, cost effect, and comprehensive environmental expectation effect. Of these, the wealth effect and comprehensive environmental expectation effect play a role in promoting residents' health, whereas the cost effect has a strong inhibitory effect. This paper also analyzes how house prices impact health and finds that having health insurance reduces residents' active health behavior, thus affecting their physical and mental health levels, which has a positive effect on uninsured residents.

BACKGROUND Higher fungi such as oyster mushrooms have been well reported to have vast therapeutic and nutritive importance due to their bioactive constituents. Today, many interesting facts are also emerging regarding their importance in pest control. In this study, Pleurotus floridanus, P. ostreatus and P. sajor‐caju were studied for exopolysacharide (EPS) and antioxidant production under different carbon sources, and assayed for larvicidal properties. RESULTS: We observed a positive response of these mushrooms to carbon sources. The highest EPS was produced by P. sajor‐caju under sucrose carbon source, whereas P. ostreatus and P. floridanus preferred glucose. The antioxidant activity of their EPS was confirmed using radical scavenging of 1,1‐diphenyl‐2‐picrylhydrazyl and potassium ferricyanide reduction methods. We also established the inhibition of lipid peroxidation by the EPS produced by these mushrooms, although this was concentration dependent, while P. floridanus EPS had the highest antioxidant properties. An EPS concentration of 100 mg L−1 from all the mushrooms was sufficient for inhibition of lipid peroxidation; this also showed a significant difference from the scavenging effect of butylated hydroxytoluene. All the mushroom extracts in this study had positive inhibitory effects on the late third and early fourth stages of Anopheles gambiae. However, they were significantly different from each other as P. floridanus recorded a lethal concentration (LC50) of 0.0.563, P. ostreatus had an LC50 of 0.352, while P. sajor‐caju had an LC50 of 0.715. CONCLUSION: This study affirms the influence of carbon source on EPS production by selected oyster mushrooms, and reveals their antioxidant properties and potential applications in pest control. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We determined the role of endophytic bacteria of C. equietifolia, involved in synthesis of allelochemicals. The root endophytic bacteria were isolated and their biological activity was studied to determine their allelopathic potential in fermentation broth. Twenty one species of endophytic bacteria were isolated from the C. equisetifolia roots, of which Bacillus were the dominant genus, Acinetobacter and Staphylococcus were other dominant genera. These 21 endophytic bacteria inhibited the seeds germination of C. equisetifolia, among which Bacillus amyloliquefaciens was most inhibitory. Main allelopathic components of fermentation broth of 3-endophytic bacteria (Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, Bacillus aryabhattai and Paenibacillus glycanilyticus) with strongest allelopathic potential were rich in phenols, esters, organic acids, aldehydes, alcohols, ketones etc. Among them, two allelopathic substances [2,2'-methylenebis[6-(1,1-dimethylethyl)-4-methyl-Phenol and 1,2,3,4-Butanetetrol] were present in both endophytic bacteria fermentation broth and in root and soil extracts. These results confirmed that the secondary metabolites of C. equisetifolia root endophytic bacteria were allelopathic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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[Display omitted] • Characterizing leachate helps anticipate seasonal changes and challenges. • TKN, ammonia, BOD and TP removals improved at volumetric leachate ratios ≤0.02%. • At high hydraulic loading, most removals experienced a decrease except for ammonia. • Leachate COD, TKN and VLR% impacted nitrite, UVT% and removal rates. • Leachate chloride, arsenic, F1 and F2 negatively impacted TKN and BOD removal. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impacts of leachate co-treatment on a full-scale municipal WWTP by comparing plant performance at varying levels of leachate contributions and hydraulic loadings. Leachate BOD:COD ratio was 0.08 ± 0.07 and indicated a stabilized, old matrix and concentrations of zinc, iron, aluminum, chloride and sulfate were 0.174, 38, 1.47, 1803 and 119.1 mg/L, respectively. The average volumetric leachate ratio (VLR%) was approximately 0.01% corresponding to a daily volume of 30 m3 but reaching a maximum of 270 m3 (VLR% = 0.1%) and fluctuating on a daily-basis. A cluster analysis revealed 5 VLR% groupings that were used for subsequent analyses: no leachate, 0 < Low ≤ 0.001, 0.001 < Medium ≤ 0.02, 0.02 < High ≤ 0.05, 0.05 < Very high ≤ 0.2. Treated effluent concentrations of TKN, ammonia, fecal coliforms (FC), E. coli (EC), TSS and TP experienced a trend where effluent quality was improved at low and medium VLR% compared to no leachate addition, but deteriorated in high and very high VLR%. Treated effluent UVT% and EC were not statistically significantly different at varying VLR%, but FC was. Plant hydraulic had a significant impact on removal rates. Ammonia removals and nitrite concentrations improved in high flow conditions, while TP, BOD and cBOD removals deteriorated. Finally, VLR%, leachate COD, TKN ammonia, chloride and arsenic had significant relationships with plant performance. Thus, for leachate with comparable age and strength, VLR% should not exceed low to medium contributions (0 and 0.02%) during co-treatment at this WWTP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Among popular artisanal dairy products, kariesh cheese, Laban Rayeb and yoghurt are occupying advanced rank in the human consumers` interest in Egypt. The current study included the microbiological investigations of 25 each of such products primarily to isolate and discriminate staphylococci and different lactobacillus strains and secondly to search for some of this lactobacillus to be considered as a probiotic. via investigating several characteristics including, their ability to resist and survive gastrointestinal tract conditions represented in gastric acidity (pH 2.5-3) and duodenal bile acids, and at the same time, having safety or non-pathogenicity, which principally includes non-harboring of antibiotic resistance (AR) patterns or virulence factors. Finally, the isolated lactobacillus strains were tested as inhibitors for some pathogenic bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus and E. coli.

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A new eudesmane sesquiterpenoid (1), named sapleudesone, together with four known analogs (2-5) were isolated from the aerial parts of Salvia plebeia. The structure of compound 1 was established by NMR and HRESIMS data, and the absolute configuration of 1 was determined by comparing the experimental ECD spectrum with the calculated ECD spectra. The known compounds were identified to be salplebeone A (2), linderolide I (3), chlorantene D (4), and chlomultin B (5), respectively, by comparing the NMR data and specific rotations with reported data. All five compounds were tested for the inhibitory effects against NO production in LPS-activated RAW 264.7 macrophages. As a result, compound 2 exhibited weak inhibitory effects with an IC50 value of 42.3 ± 1.4 μM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Biological Journal of Microorganism is the property of University of Isfahan and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)