Green Synthesized of Thymus vulgaris Chitosan Nanoparticles Induce Relative WRKY-Genes Expression in Solanum lycopersicum against Fusarium solani, the Causal Agent of Root Rot Disease

: Fusarium solani is a plant pathogenic fungus that causes tomato root rot disease and yield losses in tomato production. The current study's main goal is testing the antibacterial efficacy of chitosan nanoparticles loaded with Thyme vulgaris essential oil (ThE-CsNPs) against F. solani in vitro and in vivo. GC-MS analysis was used to determine the chemical constituents of thyme EO. ThE-CsNPs were investigated using transmission electron microscopy before being physicochemically characterized using FT-IR. ThE-CsNPs were tested for antifungal activity against F. solani mycelial growth in vitro. A pot trial was conducted to determine the most effective dose of ThE-CsNPs on the morph/physiological characteristics of Solanum lycopersicum, as well as the severity of fusarium root rot. The relative gene expression of WRKY transcript factors and defense-associated genes were quantified in root tissues under all treatment conditions. In vitro results revealed that ThE-CsNPs (1%) had potent antifungal efficacy against F. solani radial mycelium growth. The expression of three WRKY transcription factors and three tomato defense-related genes was upregulated. Total phenolic, flavonoid content, and antioxidant enzyme activity were all increased. The outfindings of this study strongly suggested the use of ThE-CsNPs in controlling fusarium root rot on tomatoes; however, other experiments remain necessary before they are recommended

Impacts of Anthropogenic Disturbance on Vegetation Dynamics: A Case Study of Wadi Hagul, Eastern Desert, Egypt

Irresponsible human interventions, encroachment of natural habitats, and climate change negatively affect wildlife. In this study, the effects of human influence on Wadi Hagul, an unprotected area in the north of the Egyptian Eastern Desert that has recently been subjected to blatant encroachments of vegetation, were studied. The most important of these threats is the construction of the new road Al-Galala–Wadi Hagul–Zafarana. In Wadi Hagul, 80 species are reported in this study; the most represented plant families are Asteraceae (15 species) and Brassicaceae (6 species). Perennial, chamaephyte and Saharo-Arabian species were recorded in the highest percentage. Detrended canonical correspondence analysis showed that latitude, longitude, altitude, silt, sand contents, pH, and CO32− content are the factors that have the highest effect on vegetation distribution in the studied stands. Several invasive and alien species such as Euphorbia prostrata have been listed; these species typically have a negative effect on native species. The Soil Adjusted Vegetation Index (SAVI) indicated a decrease in plant cover during the study period, as compared to previous years. In 2013 and 2020, SAVI ranged from −0.02 to 0.42 and from −0.18 to 0.28, respectively. Recently, the violation and destruction of wildlife have increased, therefore, preserving it along with general biodiversity has become an urgent necessity

Effect of Organic Amendments and Nano-Zinc Foliar Application on Alleviation of Water Stress in Some Soil Properties and Water Productivity of Barley Yield

The scarcity of water resources in arid and semi-arid areas is considered a threat to agricultural sustainability. Therefore, approaches are needed to rationalize use of irrigation water without reducing crop productivity or degrading soil properties. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of different organic amendments (O1 = control, O2 = compost, and O3 = vermicompost) combined with different rates of nano- zinc foliar spraying (Zn1 = 0, Zn2 = 1 and Zn3 = 2 gm/L), under irrigation supplements (I1 = 100%, I2 = 85%, and I3 = 65% of water requirements) on clay soil characteristics, on the production of Egyptian barley Giza 126. Over two successive winter growing seasons, 2018/2019 and 2019/2020, field experiments were conducted as a split-split plot design with three replications. The results show that using vermicompost is an appropriate organic amendment to improve the physical and chemical properties of soils as compared with compost. Application of vermicompost led to a reduction in soil salinity (ECe), exchangeable sodium percentage (ESP), and soil bulk density (BD), of −5.67%, −5.44%, and −2.21%, respectively; there was a significant increase in soil organic carbon (SOC), available nitrogen (A.N), and field capacity (F.C.), of 43.75%, 14.37%, and 18.65%, respectively, compared with unamended soil (O1). The maximum values for grain yield were increased by 13.2% and 14.9% in both seasons, respectively, and the irrigation water productivity of barley was increased more than compost and control. Vermicompost increased the irrigation water productivity for grain (1.69 and 1.69 kg grain m−3) and straw (1.23 and 1.17 kg straw m−3) in the first and second season, respectively. Similar trends were also observed from treatments on the water applied, stored water, and water application efficiency. Application of vermicompost and nano-Zn foliar spraying could be exploited for the development of barley growth and yield, which are enhanced under water-saving irrigation strategies

Green Fabrication of Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles Using Phlomis Leaf Extract: Characterization and In Vitro Evaluation of Cytotoxicity and Antibacterial Properties

Green nanoparticle synthesis is an environmentally friendly approach that uses natural solvents. It is preferred over chemical and physical techniques due to the time and energy savings. This study aimed to synthesize zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) through a green method that used Phlomis leaf extract as an effective reducing agent. The synthesis and characterization of ZnO NPs were confirmed by UV-Vis spectrophotometry, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Dynamic light scattering (DLS), Zeta potential, and Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FESEM) techniques. In vitro cytotoxicity was determined in L929 normal fibroblast cells using MTT assay. The antibacterial activity of ZnO nanoparticles was investigated using a disk-diffusion method against S. aureus and E. coli, as well as minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) content concentrations. XRD results confirmed the nanoparticles’ crystalline structure. Nanoparticle sizes were found to be around 79 nm by FESEM, whereas the hydrodynamic radius of nanoparticles was estimated to be around 165 ± 3 nm by DLS. FTIR spectra revealed the formation of ZnO bonding and surfactant molecule adsorption on the surface of ZnO NPs. It is interesting to observe that aqueous extracts of Phlomis leave plant are efficient reducing agents for green synthesis of ZnO NPs in vitro, with no cytotoxic effect on L929 normal cells and a significant impact on the bacteria tested

Well-Orientation Strategy Biosynthesis of Cefuroxime-Silver Nanoantibiotic for Reinforced Biodentine™ and Its Dental Application against <i>Streptococcus mutans</i>

Dental caries results from the bacterial pathogen Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans) and is the maximum critical reason for caries formation. Consequently, the present study aims to evaluate the antibacterial activity of a newly synthesized nanoantibiotic–Biodentine formulation. The silver nanoparticles (ROE-AgNPs) were biosynthesized from the usage of Rosmarinus officinalis L. extract (ROE) and conjugated with cefuroxime to form Cefuroxime-ROE-AgNPs. Using Biodentine™ (BIOD), five groups of dental materials were prepared, in which Group A included conventional BIOD, Group B included BIOD with ROE-AgNPs, Groups C and D included BIOD with Cefuroxime-ROE-AgNPs at concentrations of 0.5% and 1.5% cefuroxime, respectively, and Group E included BIOD with 1.5% cefuroxime. The synthesized ROE-AgNPs or Cefuroxime-ROE-AgNPs were characterized for conjugating efficiency, morphology, particle size, and in vitro release. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the cefuroxime, ROE-AgNPs, and Cefuroxime-ROE-AgNPs were additionally evaluated against cefuroxime resistant S. mutans, which furthered antibacterial efficacy of the five groups of dental materials. The UV-Visible spectrum showed the ROE-AgNPs or Cefuroxime-ROE-AgNPs peaks and their formation displayed through transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern, and Fourier transforms infrared (FTIR) analysis. The end result of Cefuroxime-ROE-AgNPs showed conjugating efficiency up to 79%. Cefuroxime-ROE-AgNPs displayed the highest antibacterial efficacy against S. mutans as compared to cefuroxime or ROE-AgNPs alone. Moreover, the MIC of ROE-AgNPs and Cefuroxime-ROE-AgNPs was detected against S. mutans to be 25 and 8.5 μg/mL, respectively. Consequently, Cefuroxime-ROE-AgNPs displayed that a decrease in the MIC reached to more than three-fold less than MIC of ROE-AgNPs on the tested strain. Moreover, Cefuroxime-ROE-AgNPs/BIOD was employed as a novel dental material that showed maximum antimicrobial activity. Groups C and D of novel materials showed inhibitory zones of 19 and 26 mm, respectively, against S. mutans and showed high antimicrobial rates of 85.78% and 91.17%, respectively. These data reinforce the utility of conjugating cefuroxime with ROE-AgNPs to retrieve its efficiency against resistant S. mutant. Moreover, the nanoantibiotic delivered an advantageous antibacterial effect to BIOD, and this may open the door for future conjugation therapy of dental materials against bacteria that cause dental caries

Short Versions of the Arabic Psychosocial Impact of Dental Aesthetics Questionnaire for Yemeni Adolescents: Cross-Sectional Derivation and Validation

Objectives: To shorten the 24-item Arabic Psychosocial Impact of Dental Aesthetics Questionnaire (PIDAQ(A)) for adolescents in Yemen. Material and methods: Two shortening methods derived six-item and nine-item versions: the item impact method selected items with the highest impact scores as rated by 30 participants in each subscale; and the regression method was applied using data of 385 participants from the PIDAQ(A) validity study, with the total PIDAQ(A) score as the dependent variable, and its individual items as the independent variables. The four derived versions were assessed for validity and reliability. Results: The means of the six-item and nine-item short versions of both methods were close. Cronbach&rsquo;s alpha values extended from 0.90 to 0.92 (intra-class correlations = 0.85&ndash;0.88). In criterion validity, strong significant correlations were detected between scores of all short versions and the 24-item PIDAQ(A) score (0.96&ndash;0.98; p &lt; 0.001). Construct validity displayed significant associations among all short versions and self-perceived dental appearance rank and self-perceived need for orthodontic braces rank (p &lt; 0.05). Mean scores of all short versions were significantly different between adolescents with severe malocclusion and those with slight malocclusion in discriminant validity tests. In conclusion, all PIDAQ(A) short versions are valid and reliable

Influence of the Extraction Solvent and of the Altitude on the Anticancer Activity of Lebanese Eucalyptus camaldulensis Extract Alone or in Combination with Low Dose of Cisplatin in A549 Human Lung Adenocarcinoma Cells

Background: Lung cancer is the second most common cancer worldwide. Eucalyptus plant extract has been shown to have anti-neoplastic effects. We investigated the antitumor effect of ethanolic and aqueous extracts of Eucalyptus camaldulensis collected at different altitudes on A549. In addition, we evaluated the additive effect of its combination with low-dose cisplatin (CDDP). Methods: Qualitative and quantitative analyses of secondary metabolites present in the plants were carried out. The antioxidant and cytotoxic activities of the different extracts on A549 were evaluated using the 2.2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity and neutral red assay, respectively. The cytotoxic effect of the combination of certain extract concentrations with low-dose CDDP on A549 cells was studied. Results: In the Ethanoic extract, a higher number of active substances and antioxidant activities were observed. The four E. camaldulensis extracts showed cytotoxic activity on A549 cells, with a higher cytotoxicity for the Ethanoic extract and the sea-level altitude species. Moreover, the dual exposure of cells to both E. camaldulensis extracts and a low dose of Cisplatin showed an additional cytotoxic effect on A549 cells in certain concentrations. Conclusions: This study opens novel therapeutic options in combinational therapies of Eucalyptus camaldulensis with low-dose CDDP for the treatment of adenocarcinoma cells of human lungs

Recent Advances in Plant-Mediated Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles with Their Significant Biomedical Properties

Compared to traditional physical and chemical approaches, nanobiotechnology and plant-based green synthesis procedures offer significant advantages, as well as having a greater range of medical and biotechnological applications. Nanoparticles of zinc oxide (ZnO NPs) have recently been recognized as a promising option for many industries, including optics, electrics, packaged foods, and medicine, due to their biocompatibility, low cytotoxicity, and cost-effectiveness. Several studies have shown that zinc ions are important in triggering cell apoptosis by promoting the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROSs) and releasing zinc ions (Zn2+), which are toxic to cells. The toxic nature of the chemicals used in the synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles limits their clinical utility. An overview of recent developments in green ZnO NP synthesis is presented in this review, emphasizing plant parts as reducing agents and their medical applications, including their antimicrobial, anticancer, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties, as well as key mechanisms of action for these applications to facilitate further research on the biomedical fields in the future

Growth Optimization and Secondary Metabolites Evaluation of <i>Anabaena variabilis</i> for Acetylcholinesterase Inhibition Activity

Cyanobacteria comprise a good natural resource of a potential variety of neuro-chemicals, including acetylcholinesterase inhibitors essential for Alzheimer’s disease treatment. Accordingly, eight different cyanobacterial species were isolated, identified, and evaluated on their growth on different standard nutrient media. It was found that the modified Navicula medium supported the highest growth of the test cyanobacteria. The effects of methylene chloride/methanol crude extracts of the test cyanobacteria on acetylcholinesterase activity were examined and compared. Anabaena variabilis (KU696637.1) crude extract recorded the highest acetylcholinesterase inhibition (62 ± 1.3%). Navicula medium chemical components were optimized through a Plackett–Burman factorial design. The biomass of Anabaena variabilis increased significantly when grown on the optimized medium compared to that of control. The chemical analysis of the fractions derived from Anabaena variabilis showed the presence of two compounds in significant amounts: the flavonoid 5,7-dihydroxy-2-phenyl-4H-chrome-4-one and the alkaloid 4-phenyl-2-(pyridin-3-yl) quinazoline. Molecular docking studies revealed that both compounds interact with the allosteric binding site of acetylcholinesterase at the periphery with π-π stackings with Tyr341 and Trp286 with good, predicted partition coefficient. The compounds obtained from this study open the door for promising drug candidates to treat Alzheimer’s disease for their better pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetic properties