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International Journal of Molecular... Mar 2024The circular economy, which attempts to decrease agricultural waste while also improving sustainable development through the production of sustainable products from...
The circular economy, which attempts to decrease agricultural waste while also improving sustainable development through the production of sustainable products from waste and by-products, is currently one of the main objectives of environmental research. Taking this view, this study used a green approach to synthesize two forms of silver nanoparticles: coated silver nanoparticles with olive leaf extract (Ag-olive) and uncoated pure silver nanoparticles (Ag-pure), which were produced by the calcination of Ag-olive at 550 °C. The extract and the fabricated nanoparticles were characterized by a variety of physicochemical techniques, including high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Adult ticks () (Acari: Ixodidae) were used in this study to evaluate the antiparasitic activity of synthesized nanoparticles and extract. Furthermore, the antifungal activity was evaluated against strain N (MW958085), (MT550034), and (MT550036). In both antiparasitic and antifungal tests, the as-synthesized Ag-olive showed higher inhibition activity than Ag-pure and olive leaf extract. The findings of this research suggest that Ag-olive may be a powerful and eco-friendly antiparasitic and antifungal agent. Ag-pure was also evaluated as a photocatalyst under sunlight for the detoxification of Eri-chrome-black T (EBT), methylene blue (MB), methyl orange (MO), and rhodamine B (RhB).
Topics: Antifungal Agents; Silver; Metal Nanoparticles; Antiparasitic Agents; Anti-Infective Agents; Plant Extracts; Sunlight; Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared; X-Ray Diffraction; Olea
PubMed: 38542055
DOI: 10.3390/ijms25063082 -
Foods (Basel, Switzerland) Aug 2023Huangjin green tea (HJC) is one of the most famous regional green teas in China, and has gained attention for its unique flavor. Research on HJC has focused mainly on...
Huangjin green tea (HJC) is one of the most famous regional green teas in China, and has gained attention for its unique flavor. Research on HJC has focused mainly on the synthesis of L-theanine, with fewer studies concentrating on sensory characteristics. In this study, molecular sensory science techniques, including color analysis, gas chromatography-ion mobility spectrometry, and E-tongue, were used to characterize the sensory properties of HJC, with Fuding Dabai and Anji Baicha teas used as conventional and high amino acid controls, respectively. The sensory characteristics and main quality components of HJC lie somewhere between these two other teas, and somewhat closer to the conventional control. They were difficult to distinguish by color, but significant differences exist in terms of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), E-tongue values on bitterness and astringency, and their contents of major taste components. VOCs such as (E)-2-octenal, linalool, ethyl acrylate, ethyl acetate, and 2-methyl-3-furanethiol were found to be the main differential components that contributed to aroma, significantly influencing the tender chestnut aroma of HJC. Free amino acids, tea polyphenols, and ester catechins were the main differential components responsible for taste, and its harmonious phenol-to-ammonia ratio was found to affect the fresh, mellow, heavy, and brisk taste of HJC.
PubMed: 37685167
DOI: 10.3390/foods12173234 -
Cell Death Discovery Feb 2024Parkinson's disease (PD) is characterized by the formation of Lewy body in dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc). Alpha-synuclein (α-syn) is...
Parkinson's disease (PD) is characterized by the formation of Lewy body in dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc). Alpha-synuclein (α-syn) is a major component of Lewy body. Autophagy eliminates damaged organelles and abnormal aggregated proteins. Thioredoxin-1 (Trx-1) is a redox regulating protein and plays roles in protecting dopaminergic neurons against neurotoxicity induced by 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP). However, the relationship between Trx-1 and α-syn in PD is still unknown. In the present study, the movement disorder and dopaminergic neurotoxicity in MPTP-treated mice were improved by Trx-1 overexpression and were aggravated by Trx-1 knockdown in the SNpc in mice. The expression of α-syn was increased in the SNpc of MPTP-treated mice, which was inhibited by Trx-1 overexpression and was exacerbated in Trx-1 knockdown mice. Autophagosomes was increased under electron microscope after MPTP treatment, which were recovered in Trx-1 overexpressing mice and were further increased in Trx-1 knockdown in the SNpc in mice. The expressions of phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome ten (PTEN)-induced putative kinase 1 (PINK1), Parkin, LC3 II and p62 were increased by MPTP, which were blocked in Trx-1 overexpressing mice and were further increased in Trx-1 knockdown mice. Cathepsin D was decreased by MPTP, which was restored in Trx-1 overexpressing mice and was further decreased in Trx-1 knockdown mice. The mRFP-GFP-LC3 green fluorescent dots were increased by 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP) and further increased in Trx-1 siRNA transfected PC12 cells, while mRFP-GFP-LC3 red fluorescent dots were increased in Trx-1 overexpressing cells. These results indicate that Trx-1 may eliminate α-syn in PD mice through potentiating autophagy-lysosome pathway.
PubMed: 38388451
DOI: 10.1038/s41420-024-01848-0 -
Nanomaterials (Basel, Switzerland) Jul 2023In this study, bimetallic nanoparticles (NPs) of silver (Ag) and zinc oxide (ZnO) were synthesized using leaf extract for the first time. Monometallic NPs were also...
The Biogenic Synthesis of Bimetallic Ag/ZnO Nanoparticles: A Multifunctional Approach for Methyl Violet Photocatalytic Degradation and the Assessment of Antibacterial, Antioxidant, and Cytotoxicity Properties.
In this study, bimetallic nanoparticles (NPs) of silver (Ag) and zinc oxide (ZnO) were synthesized using leaf extract for the first time. Monometallic NPs were also obtained for comparison. The characterization of the prepared NPs was carried out using various techniques, including UV-Visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The latter confirmed the crystalline nature and diameter of the monometallic and bimetallic NPs of Ag and ZnO. The SEM images of the prepared NPs revealed their different shapes. The biological activities of the NPs were evaluated concerning their antibacterial, antioxidant, and cytotoxic properties. The antibacterial activities were measured using the time-killing method. The results demonstrated that both the monometallic and bimetallic NPs inhibited the growth of Gram-negative () and Gram-positive () bacteria. The antioxidant activities of the NPs were evaluated using the DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) assay and their cytotoxicity was checked using the MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) assay. The results indicated that the controlled quantity of the monometallic and bimetallic NPs did not affect the viability of the cells. However, the decreased cell (L-929) viability suggested that the NPs could have anticancer properties. Furthermore, the photocatalytic degradation of methyl violet and 4-nitrophenol was investigated using the prepared Ag/ZnO NPs, examining the factors affecting the degradation process and conducting a kinetic and thermodynamic study. The prepared Ag/ZnO NPs demonstrated good photocatalytic degradation (88.9%) of the methyl violet (rate constant of 0.0183 min) in comparison to 4-nitrophenol (NPh), with a degradation rate of 81.37% and 0.0172 min, respectively. Overall, the bimetallic NPs showed superior antibacterial, antioxidant, cytotoxic, and photocatalytic properties compared to the monometallic NPs of Ag and ZnO.
PubMed: 37513090
DOI: 10.3390/nano13142079 -
ACS Omega Oct 2023Eutectic solvent systems are versatile solvents that have found widespread use in numerous applications. Traditional solvents are homogeneous, having only one component,...
Eutectic solvent systems are versatile solvents that have found widespread use in numerous applications. Traditional solvents are homogeneous, having only one component, and their chemistry is relatively simple, with some exceptions. On the other hand, deep eutectic solvents (DESs) comprise binary components, generally a donor and an acceptor in hydrogen bonding with varying ratios. The interaction chemistry among the donor and acceptor involved in hydrogen bonding in DESs is complicated. Although numerous research is focused on the synthesis and application of DESs, few studies are reported to elucidate the complex structure and dynamic and interaction behavior of DESs. In this study, we employed calorimetry, vibrational spectroscopy techniques including FTIR and Raman, and nuclear magnetic resonance to derive insight into the structural feature and noncovalent contact of choline chloride (ChCl) and citric acid (CA) while they formed DESs. The 1:1 ChCl/CA eutectic system showed phase transitions and melting peaks with the most pronounced peak at 156.22 °C, suggesting the DESs melting at a lower temperature than the melting temperatures of ChCl and CA. In addition to IR and Raman findings, H NMR investigations demonstrate hydrogen bonding intermolecular interactions between ChCl and CA, supporting the formation of 1:1 ChCl/CA DESs based on the deshielded chemical shifts of the proton for Ch. The interaction of the chloride anion with the methyl protons (H4) and methylene protons (H3) of ChCl as well as the strong hydrogen bonding interactions between the hydroxyl hydrogen (H1) of ChCl with one of CA's carbonyl oxygens both supported the formation of conformer E. In addition, molecular dynamics followed by the density functional theory (DFT) was employed to visualize the structure and interaction of DESs using the ωB97XD theory and 6-311++G (d,p) basis set. Both experimental and theoretical IR, Raman, and structural analyses provided evidence of the formation of DESs by possessing hydrogen bonds. These multifaceted experimental and computational investigations provide details of structural and intermolecular interactions of ChCl/CA DESs.
PubMed: 37867676
DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.3c04570 -
Plants (Basel, Switzerland) Nov 2023Citrus fruits are one of the most abundant crops globally in more than 140 countries throughout the world. Acid lime ( swingle) is one of the citrus fruits which...
Citrus fruits are one of the most abundant crops globally in more than 140 countries throughout the world. Acid lime ( swingle) is one of the citrus fruits which popularly has rich nutritional and therapeutic features. The storage period is the important factor that affects the economic and quality properties of this fruit. This study aims to demonstrate the enhancing effect of preharvest spraying with potassium, in addition to the postharvest dipping of fruits in some edible coatings, on the quality and storability of acid lime fruits. Preharvest spraying with organic and mineral forms of potassium, namely, potassium thiosulfate 1.75 g/L (S) and potassium tartrate 2 g/L (T), were carried out at three different times, in May, June, and July. On the other hand, postharvest treatments were carried out via dipping fruits in different types of biopolymers (carboxymethyl cellulose (E2) and gum arabic (E3)) and carboxymethyl cellulose/gum arabic composite (E4) as well as nanocoating formulation based on both biopolymers and doped zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs) (E1), which were prepared via acid lime peel waste extract. Herein, the physiochemical and morphological characterizations confirmed that the nanocoating was prepared at the nanoscale and doped with green synthesis ZnONPs, with recorded sizes of around 80 and 20 nm, respectively. Preharvest spraying with potassium tartrate enhanced fruit traits (Spraying with potassium tartrate at pre-harvest and nanocoating dipping at post-harvest (TE1), spraying with potassium tartrate at pre-harvest and carboxy methyl cellulose dipping at post-harvest (TE2), spraying with potassium tartrate at pre-harvest and gum arabic dipping at post-harvest (TE3) and spraying with potassium tartrate at pre-harvest and carboxymethyl cellulose/gum arabic composite dipping at post-harvest (TE4)), followed by potassium thiosulfate (spraying with potassium thiosulfate at pre-harvest and nanocoating dipping at post-harvest (SE1), spraying with potassium thiosulfate at pre-harvest and carboxy methyl cellulose dipping at post-harvest (SE2), spraying with potassium thiosulfate at pre-harvest and gum arabic dipping at post-harvest (SE3) and spraying with potassium thiosulfate at pre-harvest and carboxymethyl cellulose/gum arabic dipping at post-harvest (SE4)), compared to control. For postharvest treatments, E1 improved fruit quality, followed by E2, E4, and E3, respectively. The integration between pre- and postharvest treatments showed a clear superiority of TE2, followed by TE4, SE1, and SE2, respectively.
PubMed: 38005744
DOI: 10.3390/plants12223848 -
International Journal of Molecular... Sep 2023Soybean ( (L.) Merr.) is an important source of plant protein, the nutritional quality of which is considerably affected by the content of the sulfur-containing amino...
Soybean ( (L.) Merr.) is an important source of plant protein, the nutritional quality of which is considerably affected by the content of the sulfur-containing amino acid, methionine (Met). To improve the quality of soybean protein and increase the Met content in seeds, soybean cystathionine γ-synthase 2 (), the first unique enzyme in Met biosynthesis, was overexpressed in the soybean cultivar "Jack", producing three transgenic lines (OE3, OE4, and OE10). We detected a considerable increase in the content of free Met and other free amino acids in the developing seeds of the three transgenic lines at the 15th and 75th days after flowering (15D and 75D). In addition, transcriptome analysis showed that the expression of genes related to Met biosynthesis from the aspartate-family pathway and S-methyl Met cycle was promoted in developing green seeds of OE10. Ultimately, the accumulation of total amino acids and soluble proteins in transgenic mature seeds was promoted. Altogether, these results indicated that plays an important role in Met biosynthesis, by providing a basis for improving the nutritional quality of soybean seeds.
Topics: Glycine max; Amino Acids; Soybean Proteins; Plant Proteins; Seeds; Plants, Genetically Modified; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant
PubMed: 37762432
DOI: 10.3390/ijms241814125 -
Toxics Jul 2023Glitter particles are considered a model of microplastics, which are used in a wide range of products. In this study, we evaluated the toxicity of two types of glitter...
Glitter particles are considered a model of microplastics, which are used in a wide range of products. In this study, we evaluated the toxicity of two types of glitter (green and white, with distinct chemical compositions) dispersions on the embryonic development of the sea urchins , , and the mussel . The Toxicity Identification and Evaluation (TIE) approach was used to identify possible chemicals related to toxicity. Glitter dispersions were prepared using 0.05% ethanol. The tested dispersions ranged from 50 to 500 mg/L. The white glitter was composed of a vinyl chloride-methyl acrylate copolymer. The effective concentrations of green glitter to 50% embryos (EC50) were 246.1 (235.8-256.4) mg/L to , 23.0 (20.2-25.8) mg/L to and 105.9 (61.2-150.2) mg/L, whereas the EC50 of white glitter to was 272.2 (261.5-282.9) mg/L. The EC50 for could not be calculated; however, the lowest effect concentration was 10 mg/L-that was the lowest concentration tested. The filtered suspension of green glitter had Ag levels exceeding the legal standards for marine waters. TIE showed that metals, volatiles, and oxidant compounds contribute to toxicity. The results showed that glitter may adversely affect marine organisms; however, further studies are necessary to determine its environmental risks.
PubMed: 37505582
DOI: 10.3390/toxics11070617 -
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) Nov 2023Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and flavor characteristics of Tratt. (RR) and (RS) were analyzed using headspace solid-phase microextraction coupled with gas...
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and flavor characteristics of Tratt. (RR) and (RS) were analyzed using headspace solid-phase microextraction coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC-MS). The flavor network was constructed by combining relative odor activity values (ROAVs), and the signature differential flavor components were screened using orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) and random forest (RF). The results showed that 61 VOCs were detected in both RR and RS: 48 in RR, and 26 in RS. There were six key flavor components (ROAVs ≥ 1) in RR, namely nonanal, ethyl butanoate, ethyl hexanoate, ()-3-hexen-1-yl acetate, ethyl caprylate, and styrene, among which ethyl butanoate had the highest contribution, whereas there were eight key flavor components (ROAVs ≥ 1) in RS, namely 2-nonanol, ()-2-hexenal, nonanal, methyl salicylate, β-ocimene, caryophyllene, α-ionone, and styrene, among which nonanal contributed the most to RS. The flavor of RR is primarily fruity, sweet, green banana, and waxy, while the flavor of RS is primarily sweet and floral. In addition, OPLS-DA and RF suggested that ()-2-hexenal, ethyl caprylate, β-ocimene, and ethyl butanoate could be the signature differential flavor components for distinguishing between RR and RS. In this study, the differences in VOCs between RR and RS were analyzed to provide a basis for further development and utilization.
Topics: Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; Rosa; Solid Phase Microextraction; Odorants; Volatile Organic Compounds; Styrenes
PubMed: 38067608
DOI: 10.3390/molecules28237879 -
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) Nov 2023Fosmidomycin (FOS) is a naturally occurring compound active against the 1-deoxy-D-xylulose 5-phosphate reductoisomerase (DXR) enzyme in the 2--methyl-D-erythritol...
Fosmidomycin (FOS) is a naturally occurring compound active against the 1-deoxy-D-xylulose 5-phosphate reductoisomerase (DXR) enzyme in the 2--methyl-D-erythritol 4-phosphate (MEP) pathway, and using it as a template for lead structure design is an effective strategy to develop new active compounds. In this work, by replacing the hydroxamate unit of FOS with pyrazole, isoxazole and the related heterocycles that also have metal ion binding affinity, while retaining the monophosphonic acid in FOS or replacing it with a bisphosphonic acid group, heterocycle-containing mono- and bisphosphonic acid compounds as FOS analogs were designed. The key steps involved in the facile synthesis of these FOS analogs included the Michael addition of diethyl vinylphosphonate or tetraethyl vinylidenebisphosphonate to β-dicarbonyl compounds and the subsequent cyclic condensation with hydrazine or hydroxylamine. Two additional isoxazolinone-bearing FOS analogs were synthesized via the Michaelis-Becker reaction with diethyl phosphite as a key step. The bioactivity evaluation on model plants demonstrated that several compounds have better herbicidal activities compared to FOS, with the most active compound showing a 3.7-fold inhibitory activity on , while on the roots and stalks of L. and in a pre-emergence inhibitory activity test, the activities of this compound were found to be 3.2- and 14.3-fold and 5.4- and 9.4-fold, respectively, and in a post-emergency activity test on and , 2.2- and 2.0-fold inhibition activities were displayed. Despite the significant herbicidal activity, this compound exhibited a DXR inhibitory activity lower than that of FOS but comparable to that of other non-hydroxamate DXR inhibitors, and the dimethylallyl pyrophosphate rescue assay gave no statistical significance, suggesting that a different target might be involved in the inhibiting process. This work demonstrates that using bioisosteric replacement can be considered as a valuable strategy to discover new FOS analogs that may have high herbicidal activities.
Topics: Fosfomycin; Herbicides; Arabidopsis; Aldose-Ketose Isomerases
PubMed: 38005231
DOI: 10.3390/molecules28227509