Vent is a medium-sized deciduous tree that belongs to the family Bignoniaceae. The roots of this tree are used as one of the ten ingredients to prepare the Dasamula formulation in the Ayurvedic system of medicine in India. Although traditional uses are attributed to the medicinal plant, there are limited scientific data on its potential. The present study thus analyzed the cytotoxic and apoptotic potential of the plant against different cancer cells. MTT assay was used to determine cytotoxicity using HeLa, HCT 15, and MDA-MB-231 cells, with the IC50 values, revealed at concentrations of 92.43, 133.0, and 112.84 µg/mL respectively. However, the extract was less toxic to non-cancer cells. HeLa cells further treated with OIM were subjected to flow cytometric analysis for studying the cell cycle stages. When untreated cells at G1 phase were found at a relative percentage of 71.9%, it increased to 79.3 and 86% with OIM treatment at concentrations of 50 and 100 µg/mL; cells in the S phase de... [more]

Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are thought to be ecologically friendly, despite electron transport and generation challenges. In order to address this, the efficiency of MFCs was investigated using two different anode electrodes made from biomass: graphene oxide (GO) and graphene oxide-metal oxide (GO-MO) (GO-ZnO). After 18 days of operation, the maximum power density for GO was 0.69 mW/m2, whereas the maximum power density for GO-ZnO was 1.05 mW/m2. Furthermore, the ability of MFCs to transform the soluble metal ions (Cd2+, Cr3+, Pb2+, and Ni2+) into an insoluble state was investigated, which is a secondary use of MFCs with significant benefits. In the soluble state of metal ion transformation into an insoluble state, the rate of GO-ZnO was higher (92.71%) than that of GO (81.20%). The outcomes of material, analytical, and biological tests undertaken to validate the efficiency of anodes are presented. It has been shown that using innovative materials as electrodes in MFCs is a potential... [more]

Objective: Post-COVID 19 depression has gained much attention due to the increasing percentage of depressive symptoms reported by COVID-19 survivors. Among many factors postulated to be responsible for this depression, neuroinflammation gained the most attention. Therefore, in current work, we selected an anandamide reuptake inhibitor, VDM11, as a possible candidate for managing post-COVID depression. Methods: The role of VDM11 in attenuating neuroinflammation was established by using network pharmacology, molecular docking, and an in vivo LPS-induced depression model. Results: The results of network pharmacology revealed that among all the genes that can be targeted by VDM11, 47 genes were directly linked to the pathophysiology of depression. Additionally, on the basis of protein−protein interaction (PPI) analysis, the top 10 hub genes probably responsible for VDM11 antidepressant attribute were screened. These genes include MAPK3, TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, PPARG, MAPK1, CNR1, MTOR, NR3C1,... [more]

The preparation of flavored vegetable oils using spice and herb plants is considered to be an indispensable opportunity for the application of these plants. In the present exploration, sunflower oil (SFO) samples flavored by Mentha spicata L. (spearmint) were prepared using the maceration method (MM) and ultrasound-assisted maceration (UM). The antioxidant effects, sensory evaluation and the oxidative stability during accelerated storage; the physicochemical properties including the levels for acid value (AV), peroxide value (PV) and p-anisidine value (AnV); and the specific extinction values at 232 nm (K232) and 268 nm (K268) of the SFO samples were measured. The contents of beneficial ingredients including chlorophylls, carotenoids, polyphenols and tocopherols, and the micro-organism colonies for yeasts, molds, Listeria monocytogenes and Enterobacteriaceae bacteria were determined. The results show that the physicochemical properties, beneficial ingredients, antioxidant effects, sens... [more]

Investigation of pulsed electric field (PEF) treatment of yeast at 20 kV/cm using chambers with BaTiO3 dielectric layers was conducted in this study. The sterile rate as well as concentrations of metallic ions and hydroxyl radicals were measured to assess the PEF performance. The results indicated that generation of metallic ions could be reduced by 90%. However, a much higher field strength would be required for satisfactory sterilization due to the Maxwell-Wagner field relaxation, and reactions between the dielectric barriers and liquid could also occur. It was also proven that the continuous presence of a sufficient electric field is the main factor that inactivates the microorganism.

The ubiquitous presence of mutagenic and potentially carcinogenic N-nitrosamine impurities in medicines has become a major issue in the pharmaceutical industry in recent years. Rigorous mitigation strategies to limit their amount in drug products are, therefore, needed. The removal of nitrite, which is a prerequisite reagent for the N-nitrosation of amines, has been acknowledged as one of the most promising strategies. We have conducted an extensive literature search to identify nineteen structurally diverse nitrite scavengers and screened their activity experimentally under pharmaceutically relevant conditions. In the screening phase, we have identified six compounds that proved to have the best nitrite scavenging properties: ascorbic acid (vitamin C), sodium ascorbate, maltol, propyl gallate, para-aminobenzoic acid (PABA), and l-cysteine. These were selected for investigation as inhibitors of the formation of N-methyl-N-nitrosoaniline (NMA) from N-methylaniline and N-nitroso-N’-pheny... [more]

The electrochemical oxidation (EO) of the breast-cancer drug anastrozole (ANZ) is studied in this work. The role of various operating parameters, such as current density (6.25 and 12.5 mA cm−2), pH (3−10), ANZ concentration (0.5−2 mg L−1), nature of supporting electrolytes, water composition, and water matrix, have been evaluated. ANZ removal of 82.4% was achieved at 1 mg L−1 initial concentration after 90 min of reaction at 6.25 mA cm−2 and 0.1 M Na2SO4. The degradation follows pseudo-first-order kinetics with the apparent rate constant, kapp, equal to 0.022 min−1. The kapp increases with increasing current density and decreasing solution pH. The addition of chloride in the range 0−250 mg L−1 positively affects the removal of ANZ. However, chloride concentrations above 250 mg L−1 have a detrimental effect. The presence of bicarbonate or organic matter has a slightly negative but not significant effect on the process. The EO of ANZ is compared to its degradation by solar photo-Fenton,... [more]

Sludge biochar can be used as bio-carrier to enhance aerobic granular sludge, however, its impact on the formation and especially long-term stability of aerobic granules has not been fully investigated. In this paper, aerobic granular sludge was cultivated in two parallel sequencing batch reactors (SBRs), R1 and R2, with and without sludge biochar addition in the activated sludge inoculum, respectively. The sludge characteristics, wastewater treatment performance, and microbial community structure of granular sludge were examined on a 240-day operation, during which aerobic granular sludge in the two reactors experienced dynamic changes including granule formation, maturation, breakage, filamentous proliferation, and recovery. Aerobic granules in R1 with biochar formed two weeks earlier than that in R2, presenting a larger mean size, and higher settling ability and biomass retention in the granule maturation period. Concurrently, aerobic granules in R1 showed higher denitrification abi... [more]

In this study, a microbial fuel cell (MFC) that can achieve simultaneous anode anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) and electricity generation (anode anammox MFC) by high-effective anammox bacteria fed with purely inorganic nitrogen media was constructed. As the influent concentrations of ammonium (NH4+-N) and nitrite (NO2−-N) gradually increased from 25 to 250 mg/L and 33−330 mg/L, the removal efficiencies of NH4+-N, NO2−-N and TN were over 90%, 90% and 80%, respectively, and the maximum volumetric nitrogen removal rate reached 3.01 ± 0.27 kgN/(m3·d). The maximum voltage and maximum power density were 225.48 ± 10.71 mV and 1308.23 ± 40.38 mW/m3, respectively. Substrate inhibition took place at high nitrogen concentrations (NH4+-N = 300 mg/L, NO2−-N = 396 mg/L). Electricity production performance significantly depended upon the nitrogen removal rate under different nitrogen concentrations. The reported low coulombic efficiency (CE, 4.09−5.99%) may be due to severe anodic polarization... [more]

extract from Palestine was tested in vitro for its antioxidant, antibacterial, and anticancer activities. Total phenolic content (TPC) and total flavonoid content (TFC) measurements were made concurrently. By using FRAP and DPPH methods, the antioxidant activity were measured spectrophotometrically. By using HPLC-PDA, phenolic and flavonoid compounds of the extract were determined. Results showed strong antioxidant activity of the plant extract revealed by inhibition of stable free radicals (DPPH test) and strong reducing ability (FRAP test). According to spectrophotometric methods for total phenolic compounds and total flavonoids content, the extracts were also found to be rich in polyphenolic compounds and flavonoids. Verthimia iphionoides extract had high antibacterial activity against three bacterial strains (Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Streptococcus aureus), with inhibition zone values of 14 mm, 25 mm, and 27 mm, respectively. Bioactivities were primarily attribut... [more]

To investigate the effects of different types of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) on aerobic stability, microbial community and metabolites of whole crop corn silage ensiled with Lentilactobacillus plantarum (LP) and Lentilactobacillus buchneri (LB) or not (CK), the fermentation parameters, aerobic stability, microbial community and metabolite differential components of whole crop corn silage were analyzed after ensiling for 8 months. The results showed that the pH of the whole treatment was lower than 4.2, which indicates good fermentation quality. Compared with the LP group, the LB group significantly improved the aerobic stability of whole crop corn silage (p < 0.05). The addition of LB and LP both increased the number of LAB and the relative abundance of Lentilactobacillus. Metabolite analysis results showed that 28 metabolites were significantly different between the LP and CK groups (p < 0.01), 15 metabolites were significantly different between the LB and CK groups (p < 0.01)... [more]

Fc fusion proteins are used as therapeutic agents with unique structures by combining the Fc domain of an antibody with other active proteins, cytokines, and enzymes. Peptide Fc-fusion proteins are complex fusion molecules that possess a structure different from that of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) and are difficult to express, thereby affecting their quality. Many product/process-related impurities generated during the production of peptide Fc-fusion proteins pose a risk to the robustness of pre-existing three-column platforms for the purification of mAbs. Thus, we first evaluated the effect of pH, conductivity, and dynamic binding capacity (DBC; g of product per liter of resin) on the separation of host cell protein (HCP) and high molecular weight (HMW) and low molecular weight (LMW) proteins in strong cation exchange chromatography and then established an operating range using the design of experiments (DoE). Based on our studies, the optimal removal rates of HCP and HMW were achiev... [more]

The mainstream adoption of chickpea proteins and lipids requires a thorough understanding of the impact of critical extraction parameters (enzyme use, reaction time, and solids-to-liquid ratio—SLR) and modes of extraction (single-stage extraction—SSE and countercurrent extraction—CCE) on the simultaneous extraction of lipids and proteins from full-fat chickpea flour and economic process feasibility. A kinetics study revealed that 68.5% oil and 87% protein extraction yields can be achieved using 0.5% protease at pH 9.0, 50 °C, 60 min, and 1:10 SLR, highlighting the role of proteolysis and an adequate incubation time on overall extractability. An increased gradient concentration between the matrix and aqueous media solutes at a lower SLR (1:15), and reduced slurry viscosity increased oil and protein extractability to 80 and 91%, respectively. The high-water usage in the SSE was addressed by the development of a two-stage CCE that reduced water usage by 47% while increasing oil and protei... [more]

Stephaniae Tetrandrae Radix (STR) is a commonly used herb with a history of thousands of years. Accumulating evidence shows the therapeutic effect on breast cancer (BC) of STR. Here, we aimed to elucidate the active components and mechanisms of STR against BC. The active components and targets were retrieved and screened from the corresponding databases. A target protein−protein interaction (PPI) network was built and Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA) used to analyze and screen key targets and pathways. Subsequently, molecular docking was performed to visualize the patterns of interactions between components and targets. Finally, the main active components of STR in treating BC were confirmed by in vitro experiments, and 34 common targets were obtained. The PPI network and IPA showed that the key targets were TP53, JUN, CASP3, and so on. Additionally, signaling pathways were enriched. Docking verified that the active components have good binding potential with the key targets, especiall... [more]

As an agroindustrial waste product, potato peels contain valuable phenolic compounds that can be extracted before they are sent to the landfill. Based on previous work, this study focused on determining the efficacies of phenolic compound extraction from potato peels using conventional shaking extraction (CSE) and both direct ultrasound-assisted extraction (DUAE), and indirect ultrasound-assisted extraction (IUAE). The yield curve associated with each extraction method was measured and characterized. The maximum yield of phenolic compounds and its dependence on processing parameters were evaluated. The applicability of the Peleg model for describing the yield curve was evaluated. Based on the Peleg model, a recovery ratio was defined to calculate its corresponding extraction rate. This extraction rate, combined with the yield, can be used for describing the efficacy of an extraction method. Our results indicate that the ultrasound-assisted extraction methods were capable of extracting... [more]

In this study, pomegranate peel extract was used to dye cotton fabrics. Generally, natural dyes have low affinity for cellulosic fibers and therefore need treatment for attachment. Air atmospheric plasma was applied to lower the concentrations of mordants needed and enhance dyeability. The outcomes showed that the residual concentrations of metallic ions decreased when applying the plasma treatment. ATR-FTIR and SEM analysis were performed to evaluate the effect of plasma modification on the surface chemistry and topography of the cellulosic fibers. The traces of metals released from finished fabric were quantified using ICP OES spectrometry. Color fastnesses (wash, rubbing and light) were evaluated to assess the mordanting step effect and the durability of the color. All tested fastnesses were good to very good. The concentrations of metal ions in finished fabrics were 32.4 for Fe, 0.28 for Al, 0.29 for Cr and 1.21 for Cu. Plasma treatment can be considered an efficient strategy to re... [more]

This work utilizes the anthraquinone (AQ) database to identify potential inhibitors of the RIPK1 protein for developing medicines targeting AP-associated necroptosis. Screening for necroptosis-related genes that play a crucial role in AP is based on the GEO and GSEA databases. An optimum AQ for receptor-interacting protein kinase 1 (RIPK1) inhibition was virtually screened using the Discovery Studio 2019 tool, with a previously described RIPK1 inhibitor (necrostatin-1) as a reference ligand. Using LibDock and CDOCKER molecular docking, an AQ that robustly binds to RIPK1 was identified. The DOCKTHOR web server was used to calculate the ligand−receptor binding energy. The pharmacological properties and toxicity of potential AQ were evaluated using the ADME module and ProTox-II web server. The stability of ligand−receptor complexes was examined using molecular dynamics (MD) simulation. All 12 AQs showed solid binding activity to RIPK1, 5 of which were superior to necrostatin-1. Rheochrysi... [more]

Despite the development of many antibiotics, excessive inflammation caused by endotoxins is still a subject of interest to biomedical researchers. The hyper-inflammatory response of macrophages activated by endotoxins is an important topic in the development of natural product-based anti-inflammatory drugs. Conioselinum tenuissimum, a perennial herb of the family Apiaceae, contains levistolide A, demethylsuberosin, and fraxetin. One of the synonyms of Conioselinum tenuissimum is Angelica tenuissima. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of Conioselinumtenuissimum root water extract (AT) on the hyper-inflammatory responses of macrophages activated by endotoxin (lipopolysaccharide; LPS) and the mechanisms involved in such effects. Levels of cytokines, nitric oxide (NO), hydrogen peroxide, and cytosolic calcium in LPS-activated RAW 264.7 murine macrophages were evaluated by the multiplex cytokine assay (MCA), Griess reagent assay (GRA), dihydrorhodamine 123 assay (DHR),... [more]

Airborne fungi emitted from livestock manure composting plants are one of the major harmful factors causing respiratory disease for workers and nearby residents. Their generation of emissions is relatively high compared to other workplaces. This study investigated the emission characteristics of airborne fungi generated in livestock manure composting plants and utilized them as basic data to prevent workers’ health. The livestock manure composting plants selected for the survey in this study were according to the fermentation mode, including screw type, rotary type and natural dry type. The field evaluation period was from September 2019 to August 2020 and was surveyed monthly. The equipment for collecting airborne fungi was a six-stage cascade impactor. An analysis of the quantification and qualification of airborne fungi was conducted through a culture method and identification technique, respectively. The mean levels of airborne fungi in livestock manure composting plants were 1143... [more]

Photodynamic therapy and photoacoustic (PA) imaging are emerging therapeutic modalities for the diagnosis and treatment of various types of cancer or other diseases. In this study, the second-generation photosensitizer Chlorin e6 was prepared on a pilot scale by using the rapid, simple, and green synthetic method as compared to a conventional protocol. In the modified method, the extraction/reaction time and volume of solvents were significantly reduced. The dark and photodynamic cytotoxicity of Ce6 was measured against B16F10 melanoma cell line. Ce6 did not affect cancer cells in the dark up to 192 µM, ensuring their safety in the absence of light. After PDT, it displayed significant cytotoxicity at lower concentrations (IC50: 18.9 µM). For in vivo study, B16F10 allograft mice were treated with Ce6 at 2.5 mg/kg and then exposed to red light (660 nm) after 3 h. The Ce6-PDT caused the inhibition of tumor growth. Furthermore, Ce6 was also used as a photoacoustic imaging agent in ICR mice... [more]

The status quo of a high-fat diet can impair the integrity of the intestinal barrier and promote inflammatory bowel diseases. The exploration of natural products as sources of new lead compounds that control such diseases becomes essential. Sweetpotato leaves (SPLs) have strong biological activity, and their phenolic acids were recently reported to be able to impart antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotection. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects and mechanisms of sweetpotato leaf phenolic acids (SPLPAs) extract on interleukin 1 beta (IL-1β)-induced barrier injury of Caco-2 monolayers. The safety from 0.02 to 0.2 mg/mL SPLPA extracts were demonstrated using the 3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) method and Trypan blue staining. The 0.2 mg/mL SPLPA extract significantly decreased the release of Nitric oxide (NO) generation and its contribution to the expression of inflammation-related nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), tumor necro... [more]

We assessed a reactivity of chloroacetyl-modified tripeptides consisting of various amino acid residues (Cl-3X) and mercaptoundecahydrododecaborate (BSH) by converting Cl-3X to its reactant (BS-3X). We showed that the Cl-3X consisting of basic amino acid residues (e.g., Arg) reacted with BSH effectively and its conversion decreased as the number of Arg residues in the Cl-3X decreased. Furthermore, a reactivity of the peptides with introduction of an alkyl linker between the triarginine and the chloroacetyl group (Cl-Cn-3R) with BSH decreased with increasing alkyl linker length. These results indicate that an electrostatic attraction of positively charged amino acid residues in the tripeptides and negatively charged BSH causes BSH to gather in a vicinity of the chloroacetyl group, resulting in an accelerated reaction. This work should aid a development of new boron agents using BSH in boron neutron capture therapy.

: The bacterial destructing activity toward pesticides has been the focus of research in the last few decades. Hexachlorobenzene is included in the organochlorine pesticides group that are prohibited for use. However, large hexachlorobenzene amounts are still concentrated in the soil, stressing the relevance of research on hexachlorobenzene-destroying bacteria.: The ability to destroy hexachlorobenzene by Comamonas testosteroni UCM B-400, B-401, B-213 strains was investigated and established. Bacteria were cultivated (7 days at 28 °C) in mineral Luria-Bertrani (LB) medium with three hexachlorobenzene doses: 10, 20, 50 mg/L. The hexachlorobenzene concentrations were recorded by a gas chromatography method.: The results showed that C. testosteroni UCM B-400, B-401 have high destructive activity toward hexachlorobenzene. The highest (50 mg/L) initial concentration decreased to 41.5 and 43.8%, respectively, for C. testosteroni UCM B-400, B-401. The unadapted C. testosteroni UCM B-213 was t... [more]

The recovery of metal resources from wastewater is very important for both resource recovery and wastewater treatment. Compared with traditional metal-polluted wastewater treatment technologies, advanced wastewater treatment technologies with the functions of both recovering metals and generating electricity have been developed rapidly in recent years. These advanced technologies include microbial fuel cells, photo fuel cells, coupled redox fuel cells, etc. In this paper, these advanced technologies are elaborated from their principles to their applications in wastewater treatment for metals recovery and electricity generation. The recent progress of these technologies was also reviewed. The effects of different metal ions, cell configurations, and various operating parameters on their performance were also discussed. Although these technologies are promising, the challenges and the efforts needed to overcome them are also highlighted.

Plain film X-ray scanners are indispensable for medical diagnostics and clinical procedures. This type of device typically produces two radiographic images of the human spine, including the anteroposterior and lateral views. However, these two photographs presented perspectives that were distinct. The proposed procedure consists of three fundamental steps. For automated cropping, the grayscale lumbar input image was initially projected vertically using its vertical pattern. Then, Delaunay triangulation was performed with the SURF features serving as the triangle nodes. The posture area of the vertebrae was calculated by utilizing the edge density of each node. The proposed method provided an automated estimation of the position of the human lumbar vertebrae, thereby decreasing the radiologist’s workload, computing time, and complexity in a variety of bone-clinical applications. Numerous applications can be supported by the results of the proposed method, including the segmentation of l... [more]