Sodium Silicate, Potassium Silicate, and Copper Sulfate’s Effectiveness In Vitro and In Silico against the Wood-decaying Fungus Phanerochaete chrysosporium

Wood modification via silicon ingredients was investigated to increase its resistance to biological decay. Surfactant and desiccant features of derived products of silicates are considered the main contributors in wood resistance to decay. The detected fungus from decayed wood sample was identified as Phanerochaete chrysosporium. Inhibitory tests showed that sodium silicate (SS) was more effective than potassium silicate (PS) and copper sulfate (CS) against P. chrysosporium growth. The weight loss of infected wood with P. chrysosporium without treatment was 32.2%, while treatment by SS, PS, and CS reduced weight loss to 4.3%, 11.5%, and 14.3%, respectively, over 40 days. To ducument the effect of SS, PS, and CS on P. chrysosporium, molecular docking was used to evaluate the binding interactions of these compounds with the active site (Lignin peroxidase) of P. chrysosporium (PDB ID: 1QPA). Binding affinities were determined via docking scores, conformational energies, placement energies, and refinement parameters evaluation. SS exhibited the strongest docking scores (S = -6.17 to -5.83) and favorable interactions, including metal coordination and hydrogen bonding. PS and CS showed moderate to weak binding, with distinct interaction patterns. These computational results highlight SS as a potential candidate for further experimental validation in targeting the 1QPA protein

Neutrophil chemokines levels in different stages of nephrotic syndrome

Nephrotic syndrome (NS) is a disease of glomerular filtration barrier failure presenting with variable degrees of proteinuria, hypoalbuminemia, hyperlipidemia, and edema. Inflammation may contribute to the pathogenesis of NS. The aim of this study was to monitor the serum levels of three cytokines [i.e., granulocyte chemotactic protein-2 (GCP-2), growth-related oncogene-α (GRO-α), and interleukin-8 (IL-8)] in different stages of NS and to find out whether changes in the levels of these cytokines could be related to the severity of NS. This study included 125 patients who were divided into 40 patients with nephrotic range proteinuria (NRP), 45 patients with NS, and 40 patients who were in remission. This study also included 80 healthy participants as a control group. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used for the determination of the plasma levels of GRO-α, GCP-2, and IL-8. GCP-2 plasma levels were significantly higher in the NS and NRP groups when compared to the control group, whereas the GRO-α and IL-8 levels were significantly higher in all patient groups in comparison with the control group. All these chemokine levels were significantly decreased in remission as compared with the participants in the NS group (P <0.0001). There was a significant correlation between the cytokine levels and proteinuria and serum albumin in the NS group (P <0.0001). However, in the follow-up group, GCP-2 levels were significantly lower during remission as compared to those with active NS (P <0.0001). Our findings suggest that the pro-inflammatory cytokines GCP-2, GRO-α, and IL-8 could play a role in the pathogenesis of NS, particularly glomerular permeability

Thrombin generation and endothelial dysfunctional markers in different stages of nephrotic syndrome

Objectives: Venous thromboembolism is an important and potentially life-threatening complication of nephrotic syndrome (NS). This study aims to evaluate the functional test of thrombin generation (TG) in different stages of NS; determine its relation with the coagulation screening tests (prothrombin time [PT] and activated partial thromboplastin time), hemostatic activation markers (thrombin–antithrombin complex [TAT] and prothrombin fragment 1+2 [PF1+2]), and von Willebrand factor (vWF) and its proteolytic enzyme ADAMTS-13; and determine the correlation between TG and NS severity, as reflected by the levels of proteinuria and albumin. Materials and Methods: This case–control cross-sectional study included 125 patients (n = 40, nephrotic range proteinuria; n = 45, NS; n = 40, remission) and 80 controls. Calibrated automated thrombogram assay (endogenous thrombin potential [ETP]) was performed to determine TG. TAT, PF1+2, vWF, and ADAMTS-13 were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results: TG (ETP), TAT, PF1+2, and vWF levels were significantly higher in all of the patient groups (P < 0.0001) than in the control group. ADAMTS-13 levels were significantly lower in the NS group (P < 0.0001) than in the control group. Conclusion: Our findings confirm activation of the coagulation pathway in nephrotic patients. However, the degree of hypercoagulopathy (especially TG [ETP]) is positively correlated with proteinuria. Proteinuria could be considered an indirect indicator of the highest risk of thrombotic disease in patients with NS

Algal Biomass Extract as Mediator for Copper Oxide Nanoparticle Synthesis: Applications in Control of Fungal, Bacterial Growth, and Photocatalytic Degradations of Dyes

Recently, algae have attracted the attention of investigators as a renewable source of compounds that can contribute to nanoparticle creation. The use algae biomass to facilitate preparation of copper oxide nanoparticles (CuONPs), as well as their application, were the aims of the present study. High performance liquid chromatography analysis of algal biomass indicated the presence of daidzein (2550 µg/mL), followed by ellagic acid (596 µg/mL). Algal biomass extract was successful as a bio-reducing agent for CuONPs fabrication at different temperatures up to 50 °C. Transmission electron microscopy characterized the created CuONPs with average size 5 to 17 nm. The colony radius of M. anisopliae, T. harzianum, C. lunata, F. oxysporium, A. flavus, and A. terreus was 1.84 ± 0.08, 1.97 ± 0.03, 1.00 ± 0.08, 2.04 ± 0.03, 2.32 ± 0.06, and 2.42 ± 0.05 cm, respectively at 200 mg of CuONPs. CuONPs exhibited inhibition zones of 26, 23, 25, and 22 mm when tested against B. subtilis, E.coli, K. pneumoniae, and S. aureus, respectively. Methyl orange and methyl green dyes were degraded by CuONPs with percentages ranging from 9.5 to 63.7% and from 22.3 to 75.7% at 15 to 90 min, respectively. Therefore, the created CuONPs can be regarded as excellent candidates for controlling fungal/bacterial development and dyes degradation

Algal Biomass Extract as Mediator for Copper Oxide Nanoparticle Synthesis: Applications in Control of Fungal, Bacterial Growth, and Photocatalytic Degradations of Dyes

Recently, algae have attracted the attention of investigators as a renewable source of compounds that can contribute to nanoparticle creation. The use algae biomass to facilitate preparation of copper oxide nanoparticles (CuONPs), as well as their application, were the aims of the present study. High performance liquid chromatography analysis of algal biomass indicated the presence of daidzein (2550 µg/mL), followed by ellagic acid (596 µg/mL). Algal biomass extract was successful as a bio-reducing agent for CuONPs fabrication at different temperatures up to 50 °C. Transmission electron microscopy characterized the created CuONPs with average size 5 to 17 nm. The colony radius of M. anisopliae, T. harzianum, C. lunata, F. oxysporium, A. flavus, and A. terreus was 1.84 ± 0.08, 1.97 ± 0.03, 1.00 ± 0.08, 2.04 ± 0.03, 2.32 ± 0.06, and 2.42 ± 0.05 cm, respectively at 200 mg of CuONPs. CuONPs exhibited inhibition zones of 26, 23, 25, and 22 mm when tested against B. subtilis, E.coli, K. pneumoniae, and S. aureus, respectively. Methyl orange and methyl green dyes were degraded by CuONPs with percentages ranging from 9.5 to 63.7% and from 22.3 to 75.7% at 15 to 90 min, respectively. Therefore, the created CuONPs can be regarded as excellent candidates for controlling fungal/bacterial development and dyes degradation

Algal Biomass Extract as Mediator for Copper Oxide Nanoparticle Synthesis: Applications in Control of Fungal, Bacterial Growth, and Photocatalytic Degradations of Dyes

Recently, algae have attracted the attention of investigators as a renewable source of compounds that can contribute to nanoparticle creation. The use algae biomass to facilitate preparation of copper oxide nanoparticles (CuONPs), as well as their application, were the aims of the present study. High performance liquid chromatography analysis of algal biomass indicated the presence of daidzein (2550 µg/mL), followed by ellagic acid (596 µg/mL). Algal biomass extract was successful as a bio-reducing agent for CuONPs fabrication at different temperatures up to 50 °C. Transmission electron microscopy characterized the created CuONPs with average size 5 to 17 nm. The colony radius of M. anisopliae, T. harzianum, C. lunata, F. oxysporium, A. flavus, and A. terreus was 1.84 ± 0.08, 1.97 ± 0.03, 1.00 ± 0.08, 2.04 ± 0.03, 2.32 ± 0.06, and 2.42 ± 0.05 cm, respectively at 200 mg of CuONPs. CuONPs exhibited inhibition zones of 26, 23, 25, and 22 mm when tested against B. subtilis, E.coli, K. pneumoniae, and S. aureus, respectively. Methyl orange and methyl green dyes were degraded by CuONPs with percentages ranging from 9.5 to 63.7% and from 22.3 to 75.7% at 15 to 90 min, respectively. Therefore, the created CuONPs can be regarded as excellent candidates for controlling fungal/bacterial development and dyes degradation