Hira Ahsan^1,2, Maria Ayub¹, Mehraj Gul³, Amber Qureshi¹, Hani Z. Asfour⁴, Hafiz Muhammad Bilal⁵, Muhammad Azeem¹, Ammara Wahid¹, Nadeem Ali⁶, Rasheeha Naveed⁷, Mudasar shabir⁸, Nisreen Rajeh⁹, Ayaz Mammadov¹⁰, Abu Baker Siddique^1*

¹Institute of Microbiology, Government College University, Faisalabad, Pakistan

²Academy of Medical Sciences, College of Henan Medicine, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450052, China

³Quality Control Laboratory, National Institute of Health, Islamabad, Pakistan

⁴Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah-21589, Saudi Arabia

⁵Department of Rehabilitation and Allied Health sciences, Riphah International University, Lahore Campus, Lahore, Pakistan

⁶Center of Excellence in Environmental Studies, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah-21589, Saudi Arabia

⁷Institute of Microbiology, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan

⁸Institute of Advanced Materials and Flexible Electronics (IAMFE), Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology, Nanjing, China

⁹Department of Clinical Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah-21589, Saudi Arabia

¹⁰Department of Life Sciences, Western Caspian University, Baku, Azerbaijan

Abstract

Multi-drug resistant (MDR) bacterial infections rapidly increase morbidity, mortality, and treatment options. Therefore, the search for, development of, or discovery of antimicrobial drugs capable of combating MDR bacteria is urgently needed. The potential of nanotechnology to advance nanomedicine for human health is being studied. The purpose of the present research is to investigate the antimicrobial activity of silver oxide nanoparticles against carbapenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. For this purpose, a total of 240 pus and wound samples were collected from the burn patients and further processed for isolation and identification of P. aeruginosa and MRSA according to standard microbiological techniques. Using a species-specific primer for each bacterial strain, polymerase chain reaction was used for molecular detection. Antimicrobial susceptibility was performed according to the Kirby-Bauer Disk Diffusion method. Molecular detection of carbapenemase-producing P. aeruginosa was performed by PCR by using specific primers. The agar well diffusion assay was used to examine the antibacterial properties of silver oxide nanoparticles, and the broth dilution assay was used to estimate the minimum inhibitory concentration and bactericidal concentration respectively. Out of 240 samples, 42 (17%) were identified as P. aeruginosa and 32 were confirmed as S. aureus isolates. From positive isolates of P. aeruginosa, 25 (59%) were recorded MDR P. aeruginosa and from positive isolates of S. aureus, 18 (56.25%) were detected as MRSA. The highly resistant drug against S. aureus was Penicillin G (100%) followed by Gentamicin (84.37%) and Ciprofloxacin (81.25%). The highly resistant drug against P. aeruginosa was Meropenem (100%), Imipenem (100%) followed by piperacillin (71.42%), gentamicin (64.28%), and ciprofloxacin (64.28%). Out of 42 P. aeruginosa isolates, 8(19%) the prevalence of carbapenemase encoding was noted as blaOXA 3(37.5%), blaNDM 2(25%), blaVIM 1(12.5%) blaKPC 1(12.5%) and blaIMP 1(12.5%).  Silver oxide nanoparticles were considered an effective antibacterial agent with 0.0065mg/mL-0.026mg/mL concentrations that highly inhibited the growth of MRSA and 0.39mg/mL-1.56mg/mL concentrations inhibited the growth of P. aeruginosa. The statistical analysis showed that the MIC and MBC for MDR P. aeruginosa were 0.96±0.43 μg/mL and 1.99±0.90 μg/mL, respectively, while for MRSA they were 0.01±0.008 μg/mL and 0.04±0.012 μg/mL, respectively. The MBC values were higher than MIC values for both pathogens. Silver oxide nanoparticles have such effective antibacterial properties that they can be used as an adequate source of antibacterial agents as alternatives to antibiotics.

Keywords: Silver oxide nanoparticles, Methicillin resistant, Gentamicin, Carbapenemase, Antimicrobial activity

Naphat Somala¹, Nutcha Manichart¹, Muanfan Thongbang¹, Pattharin Wichittrakarn², Chamroon Laosinwattana^1*, Montinee Teerarak¹

¹School of Agricultural Technology, King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang, Bangkok, 10520, Thailand

²King Mongkut Chaokhunthahan Hospital, King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang, Bangkok, 10520, Thailand

Abstract

Fungal extract-based natural herbicides are a promising avenue for the development of sustainable weed management. The study investigates the herbicidal activity of fungal extracts against the prominent aquatic invasive weed Eichhornia crassipes (water hyacinth). The ethanol crude fraction derived from Diaporthe sp. strain EC010 demonstrated the highest phytotoxicity. Chemical characterization using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry revealed 2(3H)-furanone, dihydro-4-hydroxy- (22.81%), linoelaidic acid (6.87%), and hordenine (6.62%) as major constituents. Phytotoxicity was evaluated by wrapping bioassay under greenhouse conditions. Observable foliar damage, such as necrosis, chlorosis, and depigmentation, occurred within 1 day after treatment (DAT). The rapid onset of visible damage within 1 DAT and the detailed analysis of tissue damage are particularly noteworthy. Lesion progression reflected the phytotoxicity of the extract, increasing to 77.33% visible phytotoxicity at 14 DAT for the highest concentration (8.0% w/v). Microscopic analysis revealed disintegration and complete deformation of epidermal and parenchymal tissues, and treated plants featured extensive aerenchyma spaces. Furthermore, the Diaporthe sp. extract decreased chlorophyll a, b, and carotenoid concentrations while increasing electrolyte leakage and malondialdehyde, indicative of weed deterioration. The current work offers valuable insights for sustainable and eco-friendly strategies in the management of water hyacinth populations in a lentic ecosystem. The findings suggest that Diaporthe sp. extract could serve as a natural herbicide, offering an environmentally friendly alternative to synthetic chemicals in managing water hyacinth.

Keywords: Allelopathy, fungi extract, natural herbicide, water hyacinth

Rungravee Chaiyod¹, Benyapa Prakit¹, Kittiya Khongkool¹, Wankuson Chanasit², Monthon Lertworapreecha^2*

¹Biotechnology program, Faculty of Science and Digital Innovation, Thaksin University, Phatthalung Province, Thailand

²Microbial Technology for Agriculture, Food, and Environment Research Center, Faculty of Science and Digital Innovation, Thaksin University, Phatthalung Province, Thailand

Abstract

This study investigates the production and characterization of bacterial cellulose (BC) by Novacetimonas pomaceti KMPG_12, focusing on enhancing its prebiotic properties through size reduction via high-pressure homogenization (HPH). Optimal conditions for BC production were established using Response Surface Methodology (RSM), yielding a maximum dry weight of 9.78 g/L under conditions of 15% glucose, 0.4% peptone, and 4.5% alcohol over a 14-day cultivation period. The produced BC was subjected to HPH at 20,000 psi for eight cycles, significantly reducing fiber size, as confirmed by SEM analysis. The transformation from a compact, net-like structure to a more separated fibrous network at the nanometer scale was observed. FTIR analysis revealed modifications in the BC’s molecular framework post-HPH, indicating a disruption of hydrogen bonds and a transition towards a less crystalline structure. The prebiotic potential of HPH-treated BC was assessed through in vitro experiments with Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, showing a significant enhancement in bacterial proliferation (P=0.0437) compared to untreated BC. This study highlights the potential of BC, particularly when processed to the nanoscale, to serve as a functional ingredient that supports gut health and microbial growth, marking a significant advancement in the development of sustainable and effective prebiotic products.

Keywords: Bacterial cellulose, High pressure homogenization, Prebiotic, Acetic acid, Bacteria, Novacetimonas pomaceti

Xue Jing Wong¹, Shiamala Devi Ramaiya², Wan Hee Cheng¹, Zheng-Feng Wang³, Muhammad Syahmi Hishamuddin^4*, Shiou Yih Lee^1*

¹Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, INTI International University, 71800 Nilai, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia

²Department of Crop Science, Faculty of Agricultural and Forestry Science, Universiti Putra Malaysia Bintulu Sarawak Campus, 97008 Bintulu, Sarawak, Malaysia

³Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Botany, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510650, Guangdong, China

⁴Department of Forestry Science and Biodiversity, Faculty of Forestry and Environment, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia

Abstract

Coelostegia griffithii is a member of Malvaceae, which is native to the west Malaysia region. It has been exploited as a timber species to produce clogs, furniture, and construction materials. However, genetic studies of this species are limited. Thus, this study describes the first complete plastid genome (plastome) sequence of C. griffithii. The quadripartite-structured plastome was 163,159 bp long, consisting of large (95,536 bp) and small (20,435 bp) single-copy regions, which are separated by a pair of inverted repeats (IR) regions (each 23,594 bp). A total of 133 genes were annotated, including 88 protein-coding (CDS), 37 tRNA, and eight rRNA genes. Repeat analyses recorded 250 simple sequence repeats and 50 large repeats. The preferred amino acid often ended with codon A/T based on relative synonymous codon usage analysis. When compared to the plastid CDS of Reevesia thyrsoidea, a total of 12 genes displayed positive selection. There was no evidence of gene block rearrangement or inversion in comparison to four other closely related species of Helicteroideae. To ascertain its molecular placement, the phylogenetic analysis was carried out with the concatenated dataset of 79 shared unique CDS of 32 taxa of Malvaceae, using maximum likelihood (ML) and approximate Bayesian test (aBayes) methods. Both the ML and aBayes trees revealed a nearly resolved and well-resolved relationship within Malvaceae, respectively; C. griffithii is placed in the Helicteroideae clade and has a close relationship to the three Durio species.

 Keywords: Chloroplast genome, Durian, Durioneae, Genetic resources, Phylogenomics

Yasmeen Rasheed¹, Nazia Ehsan¹, Muhammad Faisal Hayat¹, Asma Ashraf², Hammad Ahmad Khan¹, Aisha Khatoon³, Muhammad Umar Ijaz^1*, Yasir S. Raouf⁴, Abdelouahid Samadi^4*, Samir Chtita⁵

¹Department of Zoology, Wildlife and Fisheries, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad 38040, Pakistan

²Department of Zoology, Government College University, Faisalabad 38000, Pakistan

³Department of Pathology, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad 38040, Pakistan

⁴Department of Chemistry, College of Science, United Arab Emirates University, Ai-Ain P.O. Box 15551, United Arab Emirates

⁵Laboratory of Analytical and Molecular Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences Ben M’Sik, Hassan II University of Casablanca, P.O. Box No. 7955, Casablanca, Morocco

Abstract

Polyethylene microplastics (PEMPs) are one of the most toxic pollutants in our surroundings that induce damage to various organs including heart. Poncirin (PON) is a natural flavonoid that shows diverse pharmacological activities. This study was aimed to assess the alleviative potential of PON against PEMPs provoked cardiac damage in rats. Twenty-four rats were segregated into 4 groups including control, PEMPs (1.5 mg/kg) treated group, PEMPs (1.5 mg/kg) + PON (5mg/kg) exposed group and PON (5mg/kg) alone treated group. It was revealed that PEMPs exposure notably decreased the expression of Nrf2 and its associated antioxidant genes while upregulating the expression of Keap-1. Besides, PEMPs intoxication reduced the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), heme-oxygenase-1 (HO-1), peroxidase (GPx), glutathione reductase (GSR), and glutathione (GSH) content while increasing reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels. Additionally, exposure to PEMPs resulted in upregulation of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), creatine kinase MB (CK-MB), troponin I and phosphokinase (CPK).  Besides, PEMPs administration escalated the levels of TNF- α IL-6, NF-κB, TNF- α, IL-1β, and COX-2 activity. Moreover, the administration of PEMPs escalated the levels of Caspase-3 and Bax, while downregulating the levels of Bcl-2. Additionally, PEMPs exposure disrupted the architecture of cardiac tissues. Nonetheless, PON supplementation remarkably protected the cardiac tissues by regulating the aforementioned damages.

Keywords: Polyethylene microplastics, Poncirin, Cardiac damage, Oxidative stress, Inflammation

Muhmmad Kashif Shahzad Sarwar^1,2, Abdul Ghaffar³, Saghir Ahmad⁴, Shoaib Ur Rehman¹, Ummara Waheed^1*

¹Institute of Plant Breeding and Biotechnology, MNS University of Agriculture, Multan, Pakistan

²Cotton Research Station, Ayub Agricultural Research Institute, Faisalabad, Pakistan

³Departemnt of Agronomy, MNS University of Agriculture, Multan, Pakistan

⁴Cotton Research Institute, Multan, Pakistan

Abstract

Cotton diversity has long been studied using physiological and biochemical traits. This diversity has led to the development of various superior cotton cultivars over the year. At present and in face of climate change, development of high yielding and drought tolerant cotton varieties are necessary to fulfill the demand of ever-growing population of the world. In this study, Gossypium hirsutum L. germplasm (200) was evaluated under two irrigation regimes i.e., well-watered (W1) and limited water (W2) conditions. Various morphological and physiological traits were recorded under both irrigation regimes. A considerable reduction was recorded in W2 conditions in all the recorded traits except for glycine betaine, soluble sugars, and proline contents, highlighting the impact of drought on cotton germplasm. Cotton genotypes that maintained higher yield had positive correlation with biochemical traits. Out of 63 best performing genotype (superior parents based on the recorded data), FH-414, FH-415, FH-416, FH-326, FH-492, FH-Anmol, Gomal-105, Marvi, NIAB-878 and VH-327 were selected for hybridization to make crosses following Line x Tester fashion. F₁ hybrids (25 crosses) and 10 parents were again planted under W1 and W2 conditions. Out of 25 crosses, FH-326 × Marvi (CS5) and NIAB-878 × FH-414 (CS16) performed better under water deficit conditions. Quantitative real-time PCR was also performed using GhHH3 and GhIDD. CS5 and CS16 had higher expression of drought tolerance causing GhHH3 and GhIDD genes. The newly developed cotton crosses will pave the way for the development of high yielding drought tolerant cotton varieties in face of climate change.

Keywords: Biochemical attributes, Yield and yield components, GhHH3, GhIDD, Drought

Annum Jabar^1, Muhammad Athar², Kashf Mehmood⁴, Taha Ishfaq², Saqib Bashir ^2,3*, Zafar Iqbal⁵, Mureed Hussain², Anaam Zahra¹, Javaria Sherani⁶, Shahbaz Khan⁷*, Mohamed A. El- Sheikh⁸, Temoor Ahmed^9,10

¹Department of Botany, Ghazi University, Dera Ghazi Khan, Pakistan

²Department of Soil and Environmental Sciences, Ghazi University, Dera Ghazi Khan, Pakistan

³CAS Key Laboratory of Soil Environment and Pollution Remediation, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China

⁴Department of Biological Science, Superior University, Lahore, Pakistan

⁵Department of Botany, Sargodha University, Sargodha, Pakistan

⁶Department of Horticulture, Ghazi University, Dera Ghazi Khan, Pakistan

⁷Colorado Water Center, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA

⁸Botany and Microbiology Department, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

⁹Department of Life Sciences, Western Caspian University, Baku, Azerbaijan

¹⁰MEU Research Unit, Middle East University, Amman, Jordan

Abstract

Recently, conversion of organic waste into useful products (organic fertilizers) is an emergent option for soil health restoration and sustainable ecosystem. In developing countries, excessive use of untreated wastewater and agrochemicals caused serious impact on food security and soil health. In this regard, the incorporation of recycled organic byproducts like compost (CP) and vermicompost (VC) have significant contribution in soil restoration by providing carbon and nutrients in polluted soil. A pot study was carried out to investigate the influence of CP and VC on maize growth and yield under copper stress. Maize was sown as a test plant in pots with 7 different treatments along with three repeats, such as T1: Control (CK); T2: 1% compost (CP 1%); T3: 2% Compost (CP 2%); T4: 5% Compost (CP 5%); T5: 1% vermicompost (VC 1%); T6: 2% Vermicompost (VC 2%) and T7: 5% Vermicompost (VC 5%). The current findings exhibited that incorporation of CP and VC prominently enhanced maize growth, biomass, plant height, chlorophyll contents, NPK status in soil and plant tissues. In addition, the results revealed that soil pH was prominently reduced by 0.54 and 0.59 units when CP and VC were mixed in Cu polluted soil. The addition of CP and VC at 5% rate presented the profound reduction in soil Cu by 24.41% and 43.02% respectively over control. Whereas Cu uptake by maize tissues was also reduced by 45% and 47% when CP and VC were incorporated at 5% rate. Overall, among all the treatments and application rates VC at 5% exhibited prominent results over control as well as other soil additives.

Keywords: Copper, Compost, Vermicompost, Immobilization, Maize

Usama bin Naeem¹, Muhammad Adil Rasheed^1*, Muhammad Ashraf¹, Muhammad Yasir Zahoor²

¹Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Biosciences, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences Lahore, Pakistan

²Insititue of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biosciences, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences Lahore, Pakistan

Abstract

One of the most dominant diseases in the world, particularly among women, is breast cancer. Breast cancer has tumor suppressor genes called CHEK2 and TP53. When there is a mutation in CHEK2 and TP53 genes there are more chances of breast cancer. This study aimed to investigate the already prepared and characterized nanoparticles loaded with Chitosan for Cell death, Mitochondrial Membrane and cell cycle arrest estimated through Flow Cytometry and gene expression analysis of CHEK2 and TP53 genes by real-time PCR. The Livak method was used to evaluate the results. The mean (± S.D) comparison between the control and target genes were used to calculate gene expression. Results showed that Ivermectin and Tamoxifen NPs (B+C) represented 34.8% cell death that is better than other combinations with propidium iodide stain while with Acridine orange stain Tamoxifen+Ivermectin (A+B) combination showed the remarkable and maximum of the all cell cycle arrest with value of 69.7% cell arrest at G0/G1 phase, 7.11% of cell arrest at S Phase and 7.05% of G2/M Phase arrest. It was demonstrated that the expression levels of CHEK2 and TP53 genes were significantly increased (P<0.001) in Ivermectin+Tamoxifen NPs (B+C) compared with control groups. It is concluded that Tamoxifen nanoparticles with Ivermectin showed strong anti-proliferative activity against breast cancer cells. The expression levels of nanoparticles containing Tamoxifen were significantly increased compared to the other treatments and control groups (P<0.001). Gene expression change with change in dose concentrations.

Keywords: Breast cancer, Apoptosis, Cell cycle arrest, Pharmacogenomic, Gene expression

Uğur Yegül^*

Department of Agricultural Machinery and Technologies Engineering, Faculty of Agriculture, Ankara University, 06135 Ankara, Türkiye

Abstract

The present study aimed to develop a kit to collect data on important parameters for cultivation in a hydroponic farming environment and send and store these data online. This Study was carried out between February and August 2022. The area where the experiment was conducted is fully controlled (coordinates 39.962013 and 32.867491) and established within Ankara University, Ankara, Türkiye. The kit developed for indoor use in agriculture consisted of a microcontroller, different sensors, and hardware components. For all the hardware to be combined and work properly, a closed box was designed using SolidWorks solid modeling software and fabricated with a 3D printer. The code developed for the kit to fulfill the desired function was written in C++ and transferred to the microcontroller via Arduino software using a personal computer. This kit can measure T (temperature), H (humidity: %), carbon dioxide (CO₂), total volatile organic compounds (TVOC), LUX (luminous intensity: lux), Ultra-violet (UV) W m^-2, P (air pressure: pascal), and AQ (air quality: ppm). The developed kit can transmit and store the data simultaneously on the Internet. IoT technologies need further agricultural studies, and more data to be obtained can contribute to resolving more problems. The kit obtained in the study can be used in domestic agriculture and various agricultural activities.

Keywords: Internet of things, Indoor farming, Arduino, Sensor, Environmental parameters