Peppermint (Mentha piperita L.) essential oil as a potent anti-inflammatory, wound healing and anti-nociceptive drug

The present investigation was designed to study the chemical composition of Algerian peppermint essential oil (PEO) as well as the in vitro and in vivo anti-inflammatory, wound-healing and anti-nociceptive properties. Twenty-three compounds were identified in the PEO with the main chemical component as menthol (53.29%). Also, PEO showed a high content of oxygenated monoterpene compounds (92.75%). Topical application of PEO at doses of 200 and 20 µL/kg significantly reduced the acute ear edema in 38.09% and 36.50, respectively. Histological observation confirmed that PEO inhibited the skin inflammatory response. In-vivo wound healing activity of the cream prepared from PEO (0.5% w/w) was assessed by circular excision wound model followed by histological examination. The topical administration of PEO cream showed a significant decrease of unhealed wound area rate between the 6th (1.67±0.14 mm2) and the 9th (0.49±0.22 mm2) days of treatment when compared with the vehicle (2.32±0.77 mm2; p<0.05) and Madecassol® 0.1% creams (2.23±0.35 mm2; p<0.05). The PEO reduced nociceptive behavior at all doses tested in the acetic acid-induced nociception test (p<0.05). These findings support the anti-inflammatory, wound-healing and analgesic properties of PEO. We suggest that PEO is a promising candidate for use in skin care products with anti-inflammatory and wound-healing properties. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.383104

Seed germination and radicle establishment related to type and level of salt in common bean (Phaseolus Vulgaris L. Var. Djedida)

Saline soils contain multiple types of salt, each of them may exert a different effect on seed germination and seedling growth. The aim of this study is to assess the effects of five types of salt on the seed germination and radicle establishment of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L. var. Djedida). The experiment was set out as a factorial experiment based on completely randomized design with four replications of ten seeds for the seed germination and twelve replicates for the seedling growth. We used five kinds of salts (NaCl, Na2SO4, CaCl2, CaCO3 and KCl) with concentrations of 0, 100, 200 and 300 mM. Seeds were incubated in Petri dishes at 25°C, in the dark, for 10 days. The results of analysis of variance indicated that the effects of salt types and concentrations, and their interaction effect were significant in all measured traits (P< 0.01). However, no significance effect was found on secondary roots number and seedlings dry biomass with CaCO3 treatment solution. According to the results, the inhibitory effects of the five salt types differed significantly. Indeed, germination of common bean seeds by various salts were in the order of NaCl > KCl > CaCO3 > Na2SO4 > CaCl2. However, the taproot length, the number of secondary roots and the seedlings dry weight by various salts were in the order of CaCO3 > KCl > NaCl > CaCl2 > Na2SO4. The effect of salt concentration was also obvious. The reduction in dry biomass of cotyledons is proportional to germination rates and to the development of seedlings in dry biomass and in size. Seeds of P. vulgaris var. Djedida were able to germinate under all concentrations of the various types of salt. The lowest final germination percentage (FGP) was obtained under 300 mM of all salts recording the following values: CaCO3 - 60%, NaCl - 60%, KCl - 52.5%, Na2SO4 - 50% and CaCl2 - 27.5%. During germination stage, the radicle emergence would be controlled by the environment osmolarity, while the later growth of the seedling would be limited by the reserve mobilization

Prediction of axial capacity of piles driven in non-cohesive soils based on neural networks approach

This paper presents an application of two advanced approaches, Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) and Princi­pal Component Analysis (PCA) in predicting the axial pile capacity. The combination of these two approaches allowed the development of an ANN model that provides more accurate axial capacity predictions. The model makes use of Back-Propagation Multi-Layer Perceptron (BPMLP) with Bayesian Regularization (BR), and it is established through the incorporation of approximately 415 data sets obtained from data published in the literature for a wide range of un-cemented soils and pile configurations. The compiled database includes, respectively 247 and 168 loading tests on large-and low-displacement driven piles. The contributions of the soil above and below pile toe to the pile base resistance are pre-evaluated using separate finite element (FE) analyses. The assessment of the predictive performance of the new method against a number of traditional SPT-based approaches indicates that the developed model has attractive capabili­ties and advantages that render it a promising tool. To facilitate its use, the developed model is translated into simple design equations based on statistical approaches

Effect of nitrogen fertilizer on growth, flowering, fruiting and nodulation of three varieties of common bean in the arid region of aïn naga (Biskra, Algeria)

Field experiments were conducted to investigate the response of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) to nitrogen fertilizer. The main factor included the fertilizer (Granular Urea 46% N), was made up of two levels: no fertilization (0 kg/plot: control) and fertilization (0.4 kg/plot), while the secondary factor was the variety (three varieties of common bean: Djedida, Nelson and Jalila). The experimental design was a randomized complete block design with split plot arrangement and replicated four times. The effect of fertilization was evaluated during two development stages (flowering and fruiting) for each variety and this on the total dry biomass, the length of the aerial and root parts, as well as on the number of secondary roots. On the other hand, the combined effect of fertilization and variety was studied on some yield parameters per plant, such as the number of flowers, pods, seeds and the harvest index. In addition, the number of nodules at the end of seed maturation was evaluated. The results indicated that the nitrogen fertilizer application significantly reduced the root length, the number of nodules and secondary roots in most of the common bean varieties. However, fertilizer application significantly increased dry matter in both flowering and fruiting stages, for the three studied varieties. Pod number per plant and seed yield was increased by the application of N fertilizer, depending on varieties and the parameters being measured. Djedida and Jalila varieties gave the best yield and can therefore be recommended to farmers. According to our results, the percentage of improvement by N fertilization on one parameter or another does not exceed an average of 20%, compared to the control. Indeed, the effect of fertilization is positive and seems to increase the harvest index by 18% in Djedida and by 20% in Jalila, compared to non-fertilized plants. Unfertilized plants of the variety Nelson showed the highest ability to nodulate

Spearmint (Mentha spicata L.) essential oil from tipaza (Algeria): in vivo anti-infl ammatory and analgesic activities in experimental animal models

Introduction: Although analgesic and nonsteroidal anti-infl ammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are usually used to treat a diversity of illnesses, their administration is linked with acute kidney injury and gastrointestinal side eff ects. The research of new biomolecules and natural products is still needed such as medicinal plants. Aims: The present research was aimed to investigate, for the fi rst time, the anti-infl ammatory and anti-nociceptive eff ects of spearmint essential oil (SEO) in mouse models of acute infl ammation and pain. Materials and Method: Chemical analysis of SEO was done by gas chromatography. The anti-infl ammatory activity was tested using two models of acute infl ammation namely carrageenan-induced paw edema and xylene-induced ear edema. Histological examination of both non-infl amed and infl amed tissues was evaluated. The anti-nociceptive activity was tested using the pain model induced by acetic acid. Results: The main constituent of the SEO was found to be carvone (52.60%). The SEO exhibited a promising anti-infl ammatory eff ect as demonstrated by statistically signifi cant (p<0.05) inhibition of paw volume by 77.24% at the dose of 20 μL/kg and 65.87% at the dose of 200 μL/kg. Furthermore, topical administration of the SEO inhibited xylene-induced ear edema in comparison with the control group (p<0.05). The higher dose (200 μL /kg) signifi cantly (p<0.001) reduced xylene-induced ear edema which was similar to that observed with positive control (ketoprofen). The pathological analysis of the paws and ears revealed that SEO was capable of reducing cellular infi ltration and subcutaneous edema. Else, the SEO produced signifi cant anti-nociceptive activity (p<0.001) at higher dose by inhibiting spontaneous nociception. Conclusion: These results support the use of SEO in the development of pharmaceuticals for the management of infl ammation and pain

The ocean sampling day consortium

Ocean Sampling Day was initiated by the EU-funded Micro B3 (Marine Microbial Biodiversity, Bioinformatics, Biotechnology) project to obtain a snapshot of the marine microbial biodiversity and function of the world’s oceans. It is a simultaneous global mega-sequencing campaign aiming to generate the largest standardized microbial data set in a single day. This will be achievable only through the coordinated efforts of an Ocean Sampling Day Consortium, supportive partnerships and networks between sites. This commentary outlines the establishment, function and aims of the Consortium and describes our vision for a sustainable study of marine microbial communities and their embedded functional traits

The Ocean Sampling Day Consortium

Ocean Sampling Day was initiated by the EU-funded Micro B3 (Marine Microbial Biodiversity, Bioinformatics, Biotechnology) project to obtain a snapshot of the marine microbial biodiversity and function of the world’s oceans. It is a simultaneous global mega-sequencing campaign aiming to generate the largest standardized microbial data set in a single day. This will be achievable only through the coordinated efforts of an Ocean Sampling Day Consortium, supportive partnerships and networks between sites. This commentary outlines the establishment, function and aims of the Consortium and describes our vision for a sustainable study of marine microbial communities and their embedded functional traits

Aromatic Herbs, Medicinal Plant-Derived Essential Oils, and Phytochemical Extracts as Potential Therapies for Coronaviruses: Future Perspectives

After its recent discovery in patients with serious pneumonia in Wuhan (China), the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV), named also Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has spread quickly. Unfortunately, no drug or vaccine for treating human this coronavirus infection is available yet. Numerous options for controlling or preventing emerging 2019-nCoV infections may be predicted, including vaccines, interferon therapies, and small-molecule drugs. However, new interventions are likely to require months to years to develop. In addition, most of the existing antiviral treatments frequently lead to the development of viral resistance combined with the problem of side effects, viral re-emergence, and viral dormancy. The pharmaceutical industry is progressively targeting phytochemical extracts, medicinal plants, and aromatic herbs with the aim of identifying lead compounds, focusing principally on appropriate alternative antiviral drugs. Spices, herbal medicines, essential oils (EOs), and distilled natural products provide a rich source of compounds for the discovery and production of novel antiviral drugs. The determination of the antiviral mechanisms of these natural products has revealed how they interfere with the viral life cycle, i.e., during viral entry, replication, assembly, or discharge, as well as virus-specific host targets. Presently, there are no appropriate or approved drugs against CoVs, but some potential natural treatments and cures have been proposed. Given the perseverance of the 2019-nCoV outbreak, this review paper will illustrate several of the potent antiviral chemical constituents extracted from medicinal and aromatic plants, natural products, and herbal medicines with recognized in vitro and in vivo effects, along with their structure&ndash;effect relationships. As this review shows, numerous potentially valuable aromatic herbs and phytochemicals are awaiting assessment and exploitation for therapeutic use against genetically and functionally different virus families, including coronaviruses

Topology control for wireless sensor networks with irregular and dynamic radio coverage

Hassan, JA ORCiD: 0000-0002-0939-2106A critical issue in wireless sensor networks is represented by the limited availability of energy within sensor nodes. An effective approach for energy conservation is scheduling sleep intervals for extraneous nodes, while the remaining nodes stay active to provide continuous service. Most previous solutions assumed a perfect radio condition with a static, circular coverage. However, in real situations, radio signals are very dynamic and irregular in their coverage. This is especially true for wireless sensor networks, which usually employ low quality radio modules to reduce the cost. Assuming no location information is available, we approach the problem in this paper from two aspects: space and time. We present a topology control algorithm, termed OTC, for sensor networks with consideration of radio irregularity and dynamic radio coverage. It uses two-hop neighborhood information to select a subset of nodes to be active among all nodes in the neighborhood. Each node in the network selects its own set of active neighbors from among its one-hop neighbors. This set is determined such that it covers all two-hop nodes. OTC is evaluated against a well-known algorithm from the literature, namely Span through realistic simulations using TOSSIM. The results show that under dense deployment and irregular and dynamic radio coverage, our algorithm outperforms Span