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The present study evaluates the effect of nickel oxide nanoparticles on some biochemical parameters and midgut tissues in the ground beetle Blaps polychresta as an indicator organism for nanotoxicity. Serial doses of the NiO-NPs colloid (0.01, 0.02, 0.03, 0.04, 0.05, and 0.06 mg/g) were prepared for injecting into the adult beetles. Insect survival was reported daily for 30 days, and the sublethal dose of 0.02 mg/g NiO-NPs was selected for the tested parameters. After the treatment, nickel was detected in the midgut tissues by X-ray microanalysis. The treated group demonstrated a significant increase in aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activities when compared to the untreated group. However, the treated group demonstrated a significant decrease in ascorbate peroxidase (APOX) activity when compared to the untreated group. Histological and ultrastructural changes in the midgut tissues of treated and untreated beetles were also observed. The current findings provide a precedent for describing the physiological and histological changes caused by NiO-NPs in the ground beetle B . polychresta .

This study aims to evaluate the protective role of curcumin (Curc) against hematological and biochemical changes, as well as renal pathologies induced by lead acetate [Pb (CH 3 COO) 2 ·3H2O] treatment. Male albino rats were intraperitoneally treated with Pb 2+ (25 mg of lead acetate/kg b.w., once a day) alone or in combination with Curc (30 mg of Curc/kg b.w., twice a day) for 7 days. Exposure of rats to Pb 2+ caused significant decreases in hemoglobin (Hb) content, hematocrit (Ht) value, and platelet (Plt) count, while Pb 2+ -related leukocytosis was accompanied by absolute neutrophilia, monocytosis, lymphopenia, and eosinopenia. A significant rise in lipid peroxidation (LPO) and a marked drop of total antioxidant capacity (TAC) were evident in the kidney, liver, and serum of Pb 2+ group compared to that of control. Furthermore, significantly high levels of total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TGs), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and a sharp drop in serum high-density lipoprotein (HDL-C) level were also seen in blood after injection of Pb 2+ . Additionally, hepatorenal function tests were enhanced. Meanwhile, Pb 2+ produced marked histo-cytological alterations in the renal cortex. Co-administration of Curc to the Pb 2+ -treated animals restored most of the parameters mentioned above to near-normal levels/features. In conclusion, Curc appeared to be a promising agent for protection against Pb 2+ -induced toxicity.

Tartrazine (E-102) is one of the most widely used artificial food azo-colors that can be metabolized to highly sensitizing aromatic amines such as sulphanilic acid. These metabolites are oxidized to N-hydroxy derivatives that cause neurotoxicity. Melatonin is a neurohormone. That possesses a free-radical scavenging effect. The present work was mainly designed to evaluate the possible ameliorative role of melatonin against tartrazine induced neurotoxicity in cerebral cortex and cerebellum of male rats. Adult male rats were administered orally with tartrazine (7.5 mg/kg) with or without melatonin (10 mg/kg) daily for four weeks. The data revealed that tartrazine induced redox disruptions as measured by significant (p < 0.05) increased malondialdehyde (MDA) level and inhibition of (GSH) concentration and catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) antioxidant enzyme activities. Besides, brain acetyl cholin (Ach) and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) were elevated while, dopamine (DA) was depleted in trtrazine -treated rats. Moreover, tartrazine caused a significant (p < 0.05) increase in the brain interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-1β (IL-1 β) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNFα). At the tissue level, tartrazine caused severe histopathological changes in the cerebellum and cerebral cortex of rats. The immunohistochemical results elucidated strong positive expression for Caspase-3 and GFAP and weak immune reaction for BcL2 and synaptophysin in tatrazine- treated rats. The administration of melatonin to tartrazine -administered rats remarkably alleviated all the aforementioned tartrzine-induced effects. It could be concluded that, melatonin has a potent ameliorative effect against tartrazine induced neurotoxicity via the attenuation of oxidative/antioxidative responses.

This study investigates free convective within an octagonal cavity, which is partitioned into two compartments by a flexible separator. One of the left walls is maintained at a high temperature, while a lower temperature is applied to one of the right walls. The position of these active walls is adjustable, and the separator can be oriented vertically or inclined with either a positive or negative slope. The deformation of the flexible separator is modeled using the Arbitrary Lagrangian–Eulerian method. The outcomes indicate that locating the hotter wall near the top and moving the colder wall downwards hinders free convection and reduces the stress in the separator. Moreover, upward movement of both active walls leads to a decrease in the average temperature. An inclined separator with a positive slope enhances the heat transfer rate and experiences the lowest stress levels compared to vertical and negatively sloped separators. Raising Rayleigh number enhances the flow intensity and the stress in the flexible separator. Furthermore, it is found that a decrease in the elasticity modules of the separator from 10 14 to 5 × 10 11 results in a 5% increase in the average Nusselt number.

Selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) have gained importance due to their potential biological properties. The present work is the first study to investigate the protective effect of selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) synthesized using L. seed extract on stomach ulcers in adult rats. The formation of SeNPs was confirmed by Ultraviolet-visible (UV), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (IR), Thermal-gravimetric analysis (TGA-DTA coupled system), X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD) and scanning electron microscope (SEM) analysis. Animals were classified into 4 distinct groups. Group 1, serving as controls; group 2, serving as ulcer-group where rats received a single oral dosage of 96% ethanol (5 mL/Kg BW). Rats in Group 3 were given orally 0.5 mg/kg BW of SeNPs 1 hour before ethanol-induced gastric ulcer. Group 4 received SeNPs only (0.5 mg/kg BW) by intragastric way and served as a positive control. Green synthesis was confirmed via UV-Vis spectroscopy (230 nm peak), FTIR revealed functional groups (O-H, C=O, Se-O or Se-Se). XRD pattern shows an average crystallite sizes of nanoparticles were around 26 (4) and 268 (4) nm for β-SeO2 and g-SeO2 forms, respectively. SEM examination indicated that SeNPs have a predominantly spherical to sub-spherical morphology. TG-DTA analysis demonstrates the good thermal stability of selenium nanoparticles, evidenced by initial moisture loss, controlled degradation of organic stabilizers and the formation of a stable inorganic selenium core. SeNPs' protective effects were assessed by evaluating the ulcer index, conducting histological analysis, measuring oxidative stress markers and antioxidant defenses, as well as examining key factors involved in gastric mucosal protection. Our results demonstrated that SeNPs reduced malondialdehyde (MDA), and advanced oxidation protein product (AOPP) levels, nitric oxide (NO) levels in stomach of ethanol-induced gastric ulcer, as well as the activities of Catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and superoxide dismutase (SOD); while glutathione (GSH) and non-protein thiols (NPSH) levels were restored reaching control values. Moreover, the gastric healing effect of SeNPs pretreatment was associated with an improvement in hematological parameters and a reduction in CRP levels. These findings underscore the potential of SeNPs to enhance the antioxidant defense system of gastric mucosal cells and prevent ethanol-induced gastric damage in rats.

Background Eustoma grandiflorum is a new floral crop for the international flowers market, moderately cold-tolerant annual or biennial plant. A large number of seedlings can be produced by seed propagation but the quality is not uniform due to variations in the flowering time, plant height, and the number of flowers. Propagation of Eustoma grandiflorum plant by tissue culture technique is relatively low. Inducing mutations is one of the powerful tools for breeding biotechnology. Laser mutagenesis is an easy and new tool. The goal of the present work was to investigate the influence of laser irradiation on in vitro growth, anatomy, flowering, chemicals composition, and gene mutagenesis. Results The most of morphological, floral parameters, total chlorophyll, carotenoids, and anthocyanin pigment contents in the flower recorded increment by most treatments of laser types. The highest survival percentage of acclimatized plants (95%) and highest values of number of branches and branches length (cm) were obtained from treated plantlets by 20 min of green laser, while most of highest floral parameters, anthocyanin pigment contents in flower, and anatomical structural parameters recorded increasing using 20 min of blue laser and 20, 25 min of green and red laser, respectively. Contrary, the lowest values of photosynthetic pigments and carotenoids were obtained from 20 min of green laser. Conclusions The current research concluded that laser irradiation has remarkable effect on plant morphology, flowering, chemical constituents, and gene mutagenesis.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the probable protective effect of quercetin (QUE) against cadmium (Cd)-induced sub-chronic toxicity in rats. Adult male rats were given either Cd (as cadmium chloride; 5 mg/kg) alone or in combination with QUE (50 mg/kg) daily for 4 weeks by oral gavage. At the end of the experimental period, Cd accumulation, and selected hematological, thyroid, and reproductive markers were assessed. Results revealed that Cd treatment significantly increased Cd concentrations in blood, thyroid gland, and testicular tissue of rats. Cd also caused a decline in hemoglobin content, hematocrit value, and total erythrocyte and leucocyte counts. Further, significant suppressions in the blood levels of hormones related to thyroid gland function, and male reproductive hormones (i.e., testosterone, luteinizing hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone), were observed in Cd-treated rats compared to the control. In parallel, low sperm count and sperm motility, increased sperm abnormalities, and marked pathology occurred in testis. Combination with QUE recorded amelioration of the deleterious effects of Cd, involving regulation of hematological toxicity and thyroid hormonal levels and subsequently modulation of testicular function. In conclusion, it appears that dietary QUE can rescue from Cd-induced hematological dysfunctions and testicular damage by reversing the hypothyroid state.

Dromedary camels are natural host of the Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV). However, there are limited studies of MERS-CoV infection of other domestic mammals exposed to infected dromedaries. We expanded our surveillance among camels in Egypt, Tunisia, and Senegal to include other domestic mammalian species in contact with infected camels. A total of 820 sera and 823 nasal swabs from cattle, sheep, goats, donkeys, buffaloes, mules, and horses were collected. Swabs were tested using RT-PCR and virus RNA-positive samples were genetically sequenced and phylogenetically analysed. Sera were screened using virus microneutralization tests and positive sera (where available) were confirmed using plaque reduction neutralization tests (PRNT). We detected 90% PRNT confirmed MERS-CoV antibody in 35 (55.6%) of 63 sera from sheep collected from Senegal, two sheep (1.8%) of 114 in Tunisia and a goat (0.9%) of 107 in Egypt, with titres ranging from 1:80 to ≥1:320. We detected MERS-CoV RNA in swabs from three sheep (1.2%) of 254 and five goats (4.1%) of 121 from Egypt and Senegal, as well as one cow (1.9%) of 53 and three donkeys (7.1%) of 42 from Egypt. Partial sequences of the RT-PCR amplicons confirmed specificity of the results. This study showed that domestic livestock in contact with MERS-CoV infected camels may be at risk of infection. We recommend expanding current MERS-CoV surveillance in animals to include other livestock in close contact with dromedary camels. The segregation of camels from other livestock in farms and live animal markets may need to be considered.

Acrylamide (AA) is a well-known potent carcinogen and neurotoxin that has been recently linked to atherosclerotic pathogenesis. The present study is aimed at investigating the protective effect of silymarin (SIL) as an antioxidant against AA-induced hyperlipidemic cardiomyopathy in male rats. The obtained results showed that animals exposed to AA exhibited a significant increase in the levels of cardiac serum markers, serum total cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and very-low-density lipoprotein cholesterol with a significant decrease in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Furthermore, AA intoxication significantly increased the malondialdehyde level (a hallmark of lipid peroxidation) and reduced antioxidant enzyme activities (i.e., superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase). SIL administration significantly attenuated all these biochemical perturbations in AA-treated rats, except for the decreased high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Our results were confirmed by histopathological assessment of the myocardium. In conclusion, this study demonstrated a beneficial effect of SIL therapy in the prevention of AA-induced cardiotoxicity by reversing the redox stress and dyslipidemia in experimental animals.