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Plants (Basel, Switzerland) Apr 2024Boron toxicity significantly hinders the growth and development of cotton plants, therefore affecting the yield and quality of this important cash crop worldwide....
Boron toxicity significantly hinders the growth and development of cotton plants, therefore affecting the yield and quality of this important cash crop worldwide. Limited studies have explored the efficacy of ZnSO (zinc sulfate) and ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) in alleviating boron toxicity. Nanoparticles have emerged as a novel strategy to reduce abiotic stress directly. The precise mechanism underlying the alleviation of boron toxicity by ZnO NPs in cotton remains unclear. In this study, ZnO NPs demonstrated superior potential for alleviating boron toxicity compared to ZnSO in hydroponically cultivated cotton seedlings. Under boron stress, plants supplemented with ZnO NPs exhibited significant increases in total fresh weight (75.97%), root fresh weight (39.64%), and leaf fresh weight (69.91%). ZnO NPs positively affected photosynthetic parameters and SPAD values. ZnO NPs substantially reduced HO (hydrogen peroxide) by 27.87% and 32.26%, MDA (malondialdehyde) by 27.01% and 34.26%, and O (superoxide anion) by 41.64% and 48.70% after 24 and 72 h, respectively. The application of ZnO NPs increased the antioxidant activities of SOD (superoxide dismutase) by 82.09% and 76.52%, CAT (catalase) by 16.79% and 16.33%, and POD (peroxidase) by 23.77% and 21.66% after 24 and 72 h, respectively. ZnO NP and ZnSO application demonstrated remarkable efficiency in improving plant biomass, mineral nutrient content, and reducing boron levels in cotton seedlings under boron toxicity. A transcriptome analysis and corresponding verification revealed a significant up-regulation of genes encoding antioxidant enzymes, photosynthesis pathway, and ABC transporter genes with the application of ZnO NPs. These findings provide valuable insights for the mechanism of boron stress tolerance in cotton and provide a theoretical basis for applying ZnO NPs and ZnSO to reduce boron toxicity in cotton production.
PubMed: 38732398
DOI: 10.3390/plants13091184 -
International Journal of Molecular... May 2024Boronate esters are a class of compounds containing a boron atom bonded to two oxygen atoms in an ester group, often being used as precursors in the synthesis of other...
Boronate esters are a class of compounds containing a boron atom bonded to two oxygen atoms in an ester group, often being used as precursors in the synthesis of other materials. The characterization of the structure and properties of esters is usually carried out by UV-visible, infrared, and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopic techniques. With the aim to better understand our experimental data, in this article, the density functional theory (DFT) is used to analyze the UV-visible and infrared spectra, as well as the isotropic shielding and chemical shifts of the hydrogen atoms H, carbon C and boron B in the compound 4-(4,4,5,5-tetramethyl-1,3,2-dioxoborolan-2-yl)benzaldehyde. Furthermore, this study considers the change in its electronic and spectroscopic properties of this particular ester, when its boron atom is coordinated with a fluoride anion. The calculations were carried out using the LSDA and B3LYP functionals in Gaussian-16, and PBE in CASTEP. The results show that the B3LYP functional gives the best approximation to the experimental data. The formation of a coordinated covalent B-F bond highlights the remarkable sensitivity of the NMR chemical shifts of carbon, oxygen, and boron atoms and their surroundings. Furthermore, this bond also highlights the changes in the electron transitions bands → * and → * during the absorption and emission of a photon in the UV-vis, and in the stretching bands of the C=C bonds, and bending of BO in the infrared spectrum. This study not only contributes to the understanding of the properties of boronate esters but also provides important information on the interactions and responses optoelectronic of the compound when is bonded to a fluorine atom.
Topics: Benzaldehydes; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; Density Functional Theory; Fluorine; Boron; Models, Molecular; Esters; Spectrophotometry, Infrared; Molecular Structure; Ions
PubMed: 38732218
DOI: 10.3390/ijms25095000 -
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) Apr 2024Leishmaniasis and Human African trypanosomiasis pose significant public health threats in resource-limited regions, accentuated by the drawbacks of the current...
Leishmaniasis and Human African trypanosomiasis pose significant public health threats in resource-limited regions, accentuated by the drawbacks of the current antiprotozoal treatments and the lack of approved vaccines. Considering the demand for novel therapeutic drugs, a series of BODIPY derivatives with several functionalizations at the , 2 and/or 6 positions of the core were synthesized and characterized. The in vitro activity against and parasites was carried out alongside a human healthy cell line (MRC-5) to establish selectivity indices (SIs). Notably, the -substituted BODIPY, with 1-dimethylaminonaphthalene () and anthracene moiety (), were the most active against , displaying IC = 4.84 and 5.41 μM, with a 16 and 18-fold selectivity over MRC-5 cells, respectively. In contrast, the mono-formylated analogues and exhibited the highest toxicity (IC = 2.84 and 6.17 μM, respectively) and selectivity (SI = 24 and 11, respectively) against . Further insights on the activity of these compounds were gathered from molecular docking studies. The results suggest that these BODIPYs act as competitive inhibitors targeting the NADPH/NADP linkage site of the pteridine reductase (PR) enzyme. Additionally, these findings unveil a range of quasi-degenerate binding complexes formed between the PRs and the investigated BODIPY derivatives. These results suggest a potential correlation between the anti-parasitic activity and the presence of multiple configurations that block the same site of the enzyme.
Topics: Boron Compounds; Trypanosoma brucei brucei; Humans; Molecular Docking Simulation; Antiprotozoal Agents; Leishmania major; Drug Design; Structure-Activity Relationship; Cell Line; Molecular Structure; Trypanocidal Agents; Oxidoreductases
PubMed: 38731562
DOI: 10.3390/molecules29092072 -
Materials (Basel, Switzerland) Apr 2024This research study focused on the effect of adding boric acid to epoxy resin in order to obtain a composite material with improved properties and performance. To this...
This research study focused on the effect of adding boric acid to epoxy resin in order to obtain a composite material with improved properties and performance. To this end, a fine powder of boric acid (HBO) was introduced into epoxy resin in different amounts, i.e., 0.5 g, 1.0 g, and 1.5 g. As the matrix of the epoxy composites, styrene-modified epoxy resin based on bisphenol A (BPA) (Epidian 53) was used. It was cross-linked with two types of curing agents, i.e., an amine (ET) and a polyamide (PAC). The mechanical properties of the obtained epoxy composites (in terms of compressive strength, compressive modulus, and compressive strain) were determined at room temperature in order to assess the effect of the addition of boron acid and of the type of curing agent employed to cure the epoxy on these characteristics. Calorimetric measurements were made to highlight any changes in the glass transition temperature (Tg) as a result of the addition of boric acid to epoxy resin. Finally, flammability tests were performed on both Epidian 53/PAC and Epidian 53/ET epoxy composites to analyze their fire behavior and consequently establish the effectiveness of the selected additive as a flame retardant.
PubMed: 38730899
DOI: 10.3390/ma17092092 -
Materials (Basel, Switzerland) Apr 2024This study investigated the effect of fluoride and boron compound additives on the synthesis and hydration process of calcium aluminate (CA). The analysis showed that...
This study investigated the effect of fluoride and boron compound additives on the synthesis and hydration process of calcium aluminate (CA). The analysis showed that the temperature of the full synthesis of CA without mineralizing additives was 1500 °C. However, the addition of fluorine and boron compounds at 1% and 3% significantly reduced the synthesis temperature to a range of 1100-1300 °C. The addition of fluoride compounds did not result in the formation of fluoride compounds from CaO and AlO, except for the calcium borate phase (Ca(BO) under certain conditions. In addition, the cellular parameters of the synthesized calcium aluminate phases were not affected by the use of these additives. Hydration studies showed that fluoride additives accelerate the hydration process, potentially improving mechanical properties, while boron additives slow down the reaction with water. These results highlight the relevance of fluoride and boron additives to the synthesis process and hydration kinetics of calcium aluminate, suggesting the need for further research to optimize their application in practice. TG studies confirmed the presence of convergence with respect to X-ray determinations made. SEM, EDS and elemental concentration maps confirmed the presence of a higher Al/Ca ratio in the samples and also showed the presence of hexagonal and regular hydration products.
PubMed: 38730836
DOI: 10.3390/ma17092030 -
Materials (Basel, Switzerland) Apr 2024The synergistic effects of boron (B) and rare earth (RE) elements on the microstructure and stress rupture properties were investigated in a Ni-based superalloy. The...
The synergistic effects of boron (B) and rare earth (RE) elements on the microstructure and stress rupture properties were investigated in a Ni-based superalloy. The stress rupture lifetime at 650 °C/873 MPa significantly increased with the addition of B as a single element. Furthermore, the stress rupture lifetime reached its peak (303 h), with a certain amount of B and RE added together in test alloys. Although the grain size and morphology of the γ' phase varied a little with the change in B and RE addition, they were not considered to be the main reasons for stress rupture performance. The enhancement in stress rupture lifetime was mostly attributed to the segregation of the B and RE elements, which increased the binding force of the grain boundary and improved its strength and plasticity. In addition, the enrichment of B and RE inhabited the precipitation of carbides along grain boundaries. Furthermore, nano-scale RE precipitates containing sulfur (S) and phosphorus (P) were observed to be distributed along the grain boundaries. The purification of grain boundaries by B and RE elements was favorable to further improve the stress rupture properties.
PubMed: 38730815
DOI: 10.3390/ma17092007 -
Materials (Basel, Switzerland) Apr 2024This paper verified the possibility of applying chitosan and/or ferulic acid or polycaprolactone (PCL)-based coatings to polydimethylsiloxane/neodymium-iron-boron...
This paper verified the possibility of applying chitosan and/or ferulic acid or polycaprolactone (PCL)-based coatings to polydimethylsiloxane/neodymium-iron-boron (PDMS/NdFeB) composites using the spin-coating method. The surface modification of magnetic composites by biofunctional layers allows for the preparation of materials for biomedical applications. Biofunctional layered magnetic composites were obtained in three steps. The spin-coating method with various parameters (time and spin speed) was used to apply different substances to the surface of the composites. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) were used to analyze the thickness and surface topography. The contact angle of the obtained surfaces was tested. Increasing spin speed and increasing process time for the same speed resulted in decreasing the composite's thickness. The linear and surface roughness for the prepared coatings were approximately 0.2 μm and 0.01 μm, respectively, which are desirable values in the context of biocompatibility. The contact angle test results showed that both the addition of chitosan and PCL to PDMS have reduced the contact angle from 105° for non-coated composite to ~59-88° depending on the coating. The performed modifications gave promising results mainly due to making the surface hydrophilic, which is a desirable feature of projected biomaterials.
PubMed: 38730780
DOI: 10.3390/ma17091973 -
Nanomaterials (Basel, Switzerland) May 2024Heavy metal poisoning has a life-threatening impact on the human body to aquatic ecosystems. This necessitates designing a convenient green methodology for the...
Heavy metal poisoning has a life-threatening impact on the human body to aquatic ecosystems. This necessitates designing a convenient green methodology for the fabrication of an electrochemical sensor that can detect heavy metal ions efficiently. In this study, boron (B) and nitrogen (N) co-doped laser-induced porous graphene (LIG) nanostructured electrodes were fabricated using a direct laser writing technique. The fabricated electrodes were utilised for the individual and simultaneous electrochemical detection of lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) ions using a square wave voltammetry technique (SWV). The synergistic effect of B and N co-doping results in an improved sensing performance of the electrode with better sensitivity of 0.725 µA/µM for Pb and 0.661 µA/µM for Cd ions, respectively. Moreover, the sensing electrode shows a low limit of detection of 0.21 µM and 0.25 µM for Pb and Cd ions, with wide linear ranges from 8.0 to 80 µM for Pb and Cd ions and high linearity of R = 0.99 in case of simultaneous detection. This rapid and facile method of fabricating heteroatom-doped porous graphene opens a new avenue in electrochemical sensing studies to detect various hazardous metal ions.
PubMed: 38727400
DOI: 10.3390/nano14090806 -
Nanomaterials (Basel, Switzerland) May 2024The reversibility of the covalent interaction between boronic acids and 1,2- or 1,3-diols has put the spotlight on this reaction for its potential in the development of...
The reversibility of the covalent interaction between boronic acids and 1,2- or 1,3-diols has put the spotlight on this reaction for its potential in the development of sensors and for the fishing of bioactive glycoconjugates. In this work, we describe the investigation of this reaction for the reversible functionalization of the surface of CdSe/ZnS Quantum Rods (QRs). With this in mind, we have designed a turn-off Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) system that ensures monitoring the extent of the reaction between the phenyl boronic residue at the position of a BODIPY probe and the solvent-exposed 1,2-diols on QRs' surface. The reversibility of the corresponding boronate ester under oxidant conditions has also been assessed, thus envisioning the potential sensing ability of this system.
PubMed: 38727388
DOI: 10.3390/nano14090794 -
Nanomaterials (Basel, Switzerland) Apr 2024In the last two decades, significant efforts have been particularly invested in two-dimensional (2D) hexagonal boron carbon nitride -BCN because of its unique physical...
In the last two decades, significant efforts have been particularly invested in two-dimensional (2D) hexagonal boron carbon nitride -BCN because of its unique physical and chemical characteristics. The presence of the carbon atoms lowers the large gap of its cousin structure, boron nitride (BN), making it more suitable for various applications. Here, we use density functional theory to study the structural, electronic, and magnetic properties of Pt-doped BCN (Pt-BCN, as well as its adsorption potential of small molecular gases (NO, NO, CO, NH). We consider all distinct locations of the Pt atom in the supercell (B, N, and two C sites). Different adsorption locations are also considered for the pristine and Pt-doped systems. The formation energies of all Pt-doped structures are close to those of the pristine system, reflecting their stability. The pristine BCN is semiconducting, so doping with Pt at the B and N sites gives a diluted magnetic semiconductor while doping at the C1 and C2 sites results in a smaller gap semiconductor. We find that all doped structures exhibit direct band gaps. The studied molecules are very weakly physisorbed on the pristine structure. Pt doping leads to much stronger interactions, where NO, NO, and NH chemisorb on the doped systems, and CO physiorb, illustrating the doped systems' potential for gas purification applications. We also find that the adsorption changes the electronic and magnetic properties of the doped systems, inviting their consideration for spintronics and gas sensing.
PubMed: 38727356
DOI: 10.3390/nano14090762