Biocontrol effects of chemical molecules derived from Beauveria bassiana against larvae of Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae)

In this study, we conducted tests on the isolation, identification, characterization, and extraction of chemical molecules from Beauveria bassiana against Tuta absoluta larvae. The enzyme responses of T. absoluta to the crude extract were examined 24 h after treatment, and the number of dead larvae was calculated 24 and 48 h after treatment. Molecular docking studies were conducted to assess the interaction of important molecules with the acetylcholinesterase enzyme. The larvicidal activity of crude chemicals from fungi was high 24 h after treatment, with LC50 and LC90 values of 25.937 and 33.559 μg/mL, respectively. For a period of 48 h, the LC50 and LC90 values were 52.254 and 60.450 μg/mL, respectively. The levels of acetylcholinesterase, α-carboxylesterase, and β-carboxylesterase enzymes were lower in the treatment group after 24 h compared to the control group. The GC-MS test revealed that the crude extract consisted mainly of 9,10-octadecadienoic acid, which was the primary compound. Docking results indicated that 9,10-octadecadienoic acid showed a strong interaction with acetylcholinesterase (AChE). Our findings suggest that the chemical molecule 9,10-octadecadienoic acid derived from the entomopathogenic fungus B. bassiana is more toxic to T. absoluta larvae. We plan to conduct studies to test its effectiveness in semi-field conditions and to evaluate its stability in field conditions. We believe that this 9,10-octadecadienoic acid molecule could be used to control T. absoluta larvae in the near future without causing environmental pollution

Isolation of filter passing bacteria from a range of dental clinic surfaces

Filter passing bacteria have been isolated from a variety of natural environments, appearing as a mixture of Gram-positive and Gram-negative, as well as nano-forms and wall-free species. In this study, filter passing bacteria were isolated from surfaces located in various dental departments at the College of Dentistry, King Saud University Hospital. Surface samples were obtained by using Q-tip swabs, with ten different surfaces being sampled in each clinic during pre-patient and post-patient visits. Filterable bacteria (using 0.4 and 0.2 micron filters, but not 0.1 micron filter) were isolated, being mainly Gram-positive cocci. Isolation results of filterable bacteria were compared before and after patient treatment in the clinic. More frequently, filter passing bacteria were isolated on clinic surfaces after patient treatment. The results show that dental settings are contaminated with filterable bacteria which may act as a reservoir for the wider contamination of hospital environments

Sustainable remediation of chromium-contaminated soils: boosting radish growth with deashed biochar and strigolactone

Abstract Chromium (Cr) stress significantly hinders crop production by disrupting nutrient uptake, impairing plant growth, and contaminating soil, posing a substantial threat to agricultural sustainability. The use of deashed biochar (DAB) and strigolactone can be an effective solution to mitigate this issue. Deashed biochar enhances crop production by improving soil structure, water retention, and nutrient availability while mitigating the bioavailability of toxic substances. Strigolactone boosts plant growth by stimulating root growth, branching, shoot formation, and overall plant physiology. Nevertheless, the scientific rationale behind their collective use as an amendment to counter Cr stress remains to be substantiated. Therefore, in this study, a blend of DAB and strigolactone was employed as additives in radish cultivation, both in the absence of Cr stress and under the influence of 200Cr stress. Four treatments, i.e., 0, 20µM Strigolactone, DAB, and 20µM Strigolactone + DAB, were applied in four replications following a completely randomized design. Results demonstrate that 20µM Strigolactone + DAB produced significant improvement in radish shoot length (27.29%), root length (45.60%), plant fresh weight (33.25%), and plant dry weight (78.91%), compared to the control under Cr stress. Significant enrichment in radish chlorophyll a (20.41%), chlorophyll b (58.53%), and total chlorophyll (31.54%) over the control under Cr stress, prove the efficacy of 20µM Strigolactone + DAB treatment. In conclusion, 20µM Strigolactone + DAB is the recommended amendment for mitigating Cr stress in radish. Farmers should consider using Strigolactone + DAB amendments to combat Cr stress and enhance radish growth, contributing to a more resilient agricultural ecosystem

Nitrogen enriched chemically produced carbon supplementary impacts on maize growth under saline soil conditions

Poor organic matter and nitrogen (N) deficiency along with salinity in arid and semiarid region soils are major hurdles to optimization of cereal's yield. In different cereals, maize productivity is significantly decreased due to less availability of N in low organic matter soils. Scientists suggest the incorporation of organic fertilizers to overcome this issue. That’s why the current study was conducted to explore the effectiveness of chemically produced nitrate blended acidified carbon (NBC). There were 3 levels of NBC i.e., 0, 0.50 and 1.00% applied under naturally normal and saline soils having EC 2.75 and 6.19 dS/m respectively. Results showed that the addition of 1.00NBC was significantly better compared to 0NBC for improvement in maize growth attributes i.e., root (32.86 and 77.84%) and shoot (74.17 and 67.57%) length, shoot fresh (53.98 and 97.42%) and dry weight (53.20and 84.20%), root dry (45.97 and 53.66%) and fresh weight (45.62 and 25.14%) in normal and saline conditions respectively. A significant enhancement in chlorophyll a, b, total and carotenoids of maize leaves also validated the imperative role of 1.00NBC than 0NBC in saline and normal soil. Application of 1.00BC also significantly decreases leaves electrolyte leakage and Na concentration in root and leaves over 0NBC in saline soils. In conclusion, 1.00NBC is an effective amendment to improve maize growth in saline soil. More investigations are suggested on different cereal crops under variable agroclimatic zones to declare 1.00NBC as the most effective amendment for alleviation of salinity stress

Phyllanthin prevents diethylnitrosamine (DEN) induced liver carcinogenesis in rats and induces apoptotic cell death in HepG2 cells

Liver cancer is a critical clinical condition with augmented malignancy, rapid progression, and poor prognosis. Liver cancer often initiates as fibrosis, develops as cirrhosis, and results in cancer. For centuries, medicinal plants have been incorporated in various liver-associated complications, and recently, research has recognized that many bioactive compounds from medicinal plants may interact with targets related to liver disorders. Phyllanthin from the Phyllanthus species is one such compound extensively used by folklore practitioners for various health benefits. However, most practices continue to be unrecognized scientifically. Hence, in this work, we investigated the protective role of phyllanthin on diethylnitrosamine (DEN) induced liver carcinoma in Wistar Albino rats and the anti-tumor potential on human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) HepG2 cells. The DEN-challenged liver cancer in experimental rats caused increased liver weight, 8-OHD, hepatic tissue injury marker, lipid peroxidation, and tumor markers levels. Remarkably, phyllanthin counteracted the DEN effect by ameliorating all the liver function enzymes, oxidative DNA damage, and tumor-specific markers by enhanced anti-oxidant capacity and induced caspase-dependent apoptosis through the mTOR/ PI3K signaling pathway. MTT assay demonstrated that phyllanthin inhibited the HepG2 cell growth in a dose-dependent manner. Fascinatingly, phyllanthin did not demonstrate any substantial effect on the normal cell line, HL7702. In addition, HepG2 cells were found in the late apoptotic stage upon treatment with phyllanthin as depicted by acridine orange/ethidium bromide staining. Overall, this work offers scientific justification that phyllanthin can be claimed to be a safe candidate with potential chemotherapeutic activity against HCC

Assessment of combustion and acoustic characteristics of scenedesmus dimorphus blended with hydrogen fuel on internal combustion engine

Biodiesel, which may be produced from crops, animal fat, as well as waste products from both industrial and residential sectors, is one of the alternative fuels that are utilized extensively. These biodiesels may either be used on their own or combined with regular diesel. Because biodiesels are becoming increasingly popular as a substitute for fossil fuels, the amount of attention paid to studying them has been growing steadily over the past few years. However, the results on the features of the noise and vibration are still missing, and much more emphasis has to be placed on the study conducted in that particular field. In this study, the combustion, noise, and vibration properties of Scenedesmus dimorphus microalgae biodiesel were investigated both with and without the provision of hydrogen. At the rate of 5 l/min, the supply of hydrogen was made available. Both B10 (10% of Scenedesmus dimorphus microalgae biodiesel and 90% pure diesel) and B20 (20% of Scenedesmus dimorphus microalgae biodiesel and 80% pure diesel) were employed as the biodiesel compositions. In addition, the source of hydrogen was made available for the diesel in its purest form as well as the two biodiesel mixes that remained. The fuels that were obtained consisted of neat microalgae blends containing 0% microalgae B0H5, 10% microalgae B10H5, and 20% microalgae containing B20H5. In this study, the performance of pure diesel was compared to the findings obtained from hydrogen-enriched fuel blends, simple biodiesel blends, and a combination of the two. Each and every experimental test was carried out using a diesel engine with a single-cylinder, water cooling, and four strokes. The tests were carried out with the load varying 25% in-between from 0% to 100%. Based on the findings, it was discovered that increasing the proportion of biodiesel fuel and adding hydrogen to the engine both contributed to a reduction in the amount of vibration and noise that was generated by the vehicle. The combustion qualities were also improved by the mixing of hydrogen and biodiesel as hybrid fuel.National Key R&D Program of China [2022YFD2200105]; Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province [CX(22)2045]; Jiangsu Agriculture Science and Technology Innovation Fund [RSP-2022/230]; King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; [BK20200775

Corrigendum to “Anti-arthritic activity of Tin oxide-Chitosan-Polyethylene glycol carvacrol nanoparticles against Freund's adjuvant induced arthritic rat model via the inhibition of cyclooxygenase-2 and prostaglandin E2” [Arab. J. Chem. 14(9) (2021) 103293] (Arabian Journal of Chemistry (2021) 14(9), (S1878535221003087), (10.1016/j.arabjc.2021.103293))

All people who meet authorship criteria are listed as authors, and all authors certify that they have participated sufficiently in the work to take public responsibility for the content, including participation in the concept, design, analysis, writing, and revision of the manuscript. All authors confirm the name of Dr. Yingang Zhang with “Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University. Address: 277 Yanta Road, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710061, China” affiliation and “[email protected]” Email addresses has been forgotten to add at the revision step, and now want to add him as “Unique corresponding and second author”. Dr. Yingang Zhang helped the authors for applying the respectable reviewers' comments as the best. The corrected details are updated as above

Synthesis and utilization of biomass-derived sulfonated heterogeneous catalyst-BT-SO3H for microalgal biodiesel production

The study investigates the potential of utilizing banana trunk-derived porous activated biochar enriched with SO3H- as a catalyst for eco-friendly biodiesel production from the microalga Chlorella vulgaris. An extensive analysis, employing advanced techniques such as XRD, FTIR, TGA, XPS, NH3-TPD, BET, SEM-EDX, and TEM, was conducted to elucidate the physicochemical properties of BT-SO3H catalysts. The synthesized catalyst demonstrated its efficiency in converting the total lipids of Chlorella vulgaris into biodiesel, with varying concentrations of 3%, 5%, and 7%. Notably, using a 5% BT-SO3H concentration resulted in remarkably higher biodiesel production about 58.29%. Additionally, the fatty acid profile of C. vulgaris biodiesel indicated that C16:0 was the predominant fatty acid at 24.31%, followed by C18:1 (19.68%), C18:3 (11.45%), and C16:1 (7.56%). Furthermore, the biodiesel produced via 5% BT-SO3H was estimated to have higher levels of saturated fatty acids (SFAs) at 34.28%, monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) at 30.70%, and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) at 24.24%. These findings highlight the promising potential of BT-SO3H catalysts for efficient and environmentally friendly biodiesel production from microalgal species

Utilization of enriched hydrogen blends in the diesel engine with MgO nanoparticles for effective engine performance and emission control

The influence of hydrogen on the diesel engine has been examined in this study. In addition, the impact of MgO nanoparticles was also analysed by conducting a series of tests on samples such as Diesel (100 % diesel), DN (Diesel-50 ppm MgO), H1N (10 % Hydrogen-50 ppm MgO) and H2N (20 % Hydrogen-50 ppm MgO). Hydrogen was injected through intake manifold at the volume of 10 % and 20 %. Nanoparticles were dispersed using the ultrasonication techniques to accrue stable suspension. The experiments were conducted between 6 N-m to 24 N-m loads on a four-stroke single cylinder engine. The parameters such as brake thermal efficiency (BTE), brake specific fuel consumption (BSFC), and heat release rate (HRR) were assessed. In addition to the performance and combustion, the environmental impact of the test blends was also analysed by examining the exhaust with a gas analyser. From the series of tests, it was evident that hydrogen enrichment in the test blends reported lower levels of emissions compared to neat diesel. The formation of the hydrocarbons (HC), nitrogen of oxides (NOx), carbon monoxide (CO), and carbon dioxide (CO2) was reduced due to the drop in the carbon atoms and enriched oxygen content in the combustion chamber. With regard to the performance, the hydrogen enriched nanoparticle blends reported peak BTE (37 %) and HRR (75 J/deg) than the other test blends. By assessing all the results, the addition of hydrogen is a potential option to reduce the environmental impact created by the fossil fuel without forfeiting the engine efficiency. © 2022 Elsevier LtdKing Saud University, KSU; Chiang Mai University, CMU: RSP-2022/23

Attenuation of STAT3 Signaling Cascade by Daidzin Can Enhance the Apoptotic Potential of Bortezomib against Multiple Myeloma

Daidzin (DDZ) extracted from Pueraria lobate (Fabaceae) is a widely known phytoestrogen. DDZ can display anti-cancer activities against breast and prostate cancers, but its anti-oncogenic actions in multiple myeloma (MM) cells have not been studied. The signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) can control key processes including proliferation, differentiation, and survival in MM cells. Here, we noted that DDZ abrogated STAT3 activation (both constitutive as well as inducible) at Tyr705 and Ser727 in MM cells. Additionally, DDZ mitigated the phosphorylation of STAT3 upstream Janus-activated kinases (JAK1/2) and c-Src kinases. Pervanadate (tyrosine phosphatase blocker) exposure altered the DDZ-induced inhibition of STAT3 activation, thus affecting the action of this phytoestrogen on apoptosis. Moreover, DDZ impeded proliferation and augmented the apoptotic effects of bortezomib (Bor) in MM cells. Overall, the data indicate that DDZ may act as a potent suppressor of STAT3 signaling cascade, and the co-treatment of DDZ and Bor could be a promising therapeutic strategy, specifically in MM