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Nanotechnology now plays a revolutionary role in many applications; nanomaterials have experienced significant importance in both basic and applied sciences as well as in bio-nanotechnology. Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) have become one of the most important metal oxide NPs in biological applications due to their beneficial impacts. The purpose of this study was to explore the effects of ZnO-NPs in reducing Cd toxicity by studying the growth, photosynthesis reactions, antioxidant system, oxidative stress, and protein content in Lycopersicon esculentum (tomato). ZnO-NPs induced an upregulation of antioxidative enzymes which protect the photosynthetic apparatus in plants. Seeds of tomato were sown to create nursery. At 20 days after sowing (DAS), seedlings were transferred to soil pots. Varied concentrations (0.4, 0.6 or 0.8 mM) of Cd were applied to the soil after 24 and 25 DAS. Zinc (Zn; 50 mg/L) and ZnO-NPs (50 mg/L) treatments were given continuously for 5 days from 31 to 35 DAS and sampling took place at 45 DAS. The results indicate that a Cd-generated oxidative burst in the form of elevated hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) levels resulted in a decline in cell viability through enhanced activity of the antioxidant system and proline content; the data increased on follow-up treatment with ZnO-NPs. Foliar application of ZnO-NPs significantly enhanced plant height, fresh, and dry weight of plant, leaf area, SPAD chlorophyll, photosynthetic attributes, i.e., net photosynthetic rate (PN), transpiration rate (E), internal CO2 concentration (Ci), and stomatal conductance (gs). Application of ZnO-NPs reduced the adverse effects generated by Cd and increased protein content, activities of nitrate reductase and carbonic anhydrase over the control in both stressed and non-stressed plants. Additionally, microscopic studies showed a marked increase in stomatal aperture after ZnO-NPs treatment in the presence or absence of Cd. This was associated with decrease in malondialdehyde and superoxide radical (O2−) levels. The present study suggests that ZnO-NPs can be effectively used to reduce the toxicity of Cd in tomato plants and may also be suitable for testing on other crop species.

Recently, the application of salicylic acid (SA) for improving a plant’s resistance to abiotic stresses has increased. A large part of the irrigated land (2.1% out of 19.5%) is severely affected by salinity stress worldwide. In 2020, total production of wheat (Triticum aestivum) was 761 million tons, representing the second most produced cereal after maize; therefore, research on its salinity tolerance is of world concern. Photosynthetic attributes such as net photosynthetic rate (PN), stomatal conductance (gs), intercellular CO2 concentration (Ci), and transpiration rate (E) were increased significantly by the application of SA. Salt stress increased antioxidant enzyme activity; however, SA further boosted their activity along with proline level. We conclude that SA interacts with meristematic cells, thereby triggering biochemical pathways conductive to the increment in morphological parameters. Further research is required to dissect the mechanisms of SA within the wheat plants under stress.

The reported study investigated the interaction between salicylic acid (SA) and citric acid (CA) in cadmium (Cd)-stressed Brassica juncea plants. Seedling received Cd (0.6 mM) stress through soil at 5-day stage of growth. SA (0.01 mM) and CA (0.6 mM) treatments were applied at 25 days after sowing. Growth, photosynthesis, oxidative burst, and antioxidant systems were examined at 30-day stage of growth. Growth and photosynthetic parameters reduced significantly in the presence of Cd, and elevated levels of H2O2 were indicative of oxidative burst which resulted in decline of cell viability. Foliar spray of SA and CA alone or in combination mitigated the toxic effects generated by Cd and enhanced plant growth parameters. The inhibitory effects of Cd toxicity on width of stomatal pore resulted in reduced internal CO2 concentration and carbonic anhydrase activity which consequently limited the photosynthetic rate. SA and CA alleviated the inhibitory effect of Cd on photosynthesis by stimulating the stomatal activity and pore size. The Cd-generated oxidative burst was reduced via enhanced antioxidant activity (catalase, peroxidase, and superoxide dismutase) upon follow-up treatment with SA and CA alone or in combination. A combined dose of SA and CA countered Cd-induced damage by reducing levels of reactive oxygen species and strengthening plant antioxidant defense systems, which resulted in membrane stabilization and recovery from stress. Combined dose of SA and CA proved more effective than their individual application towards Cd stress which suggests an effective synergism between the two acids.

In the last few decades, use of copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO NPs) has been increased significantly that eventually included as a growth stimulator. This makes it essential to examine their impact on several plants. In the study detailed here, we investigated the effects of CuO NPs on the growth, physiological efficiency, biochemical assays, and antioxidant system in the mustard plant. Varying concentrations (0, 2, 4, 8, and 16 mg/L) of CuO NPs were applied at 25 days after sowing (DAS), and sampling took place at 30 and 45 DAS. The results indicate that CuO NPs-treated plants registered an increase in the growth and biomass over their respective control. Among different concentrations of CuO NPs (0, 2, 4, 8, and 16 mg/L), 8 mg/L proved to be the optimum foliar spray treatment and increase the chlorophyll content, net photosynthetic rate, leaf proline content, and antioxidant enzymes activity. We concluded that CuO NPs interact with meristematic cells triggering biochemical pathways conductive to an enhancement of the growth attributes. Further studies are needed to investigate the mechanisms of CuO NPs in mustard.

Unfavorable environmental conditions pose a major barrier to sustainable agriculture. Among the various innovative strategies developed to protect plants from abiotic stress, the use of phytohormones and nanoparticles as “stress mitigators” has emerged as one of the most important and promising approaches. The objective of this study was to observe the protective role of melatonin (Mel) and silicon oxide nanoparticles (SiO-NPs) in rice ( Oryza sativa L.) seedlings under cadmium (Cd) stress. Rice seedlings have reduced growth and phytochemical attributes when grown in Cd-contaminated (0.8 mM) pots. Seedlings under Cd stress had 38% less shoot length (SL), 53% total soluble sugar (TSS) and 57% protein content. However, superoxide dismutase (SOD), hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) and malondialdehyde (MDA) increased by 51%, 37% and 34%, respectively, under Cd stress. Beside this, activities such as peroxidase (POX) also elevated in the plants subjected with Cd-stress. In contrast, Mel (100 µm) as foliar spray and SiO-NPs (100 mg/L) as root dipping reduced oxidative stress in rice seedlings under Cd stress by reducing reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation. Furthermore, the application of Mel and/or SiO-NPs significantly increased the activity of antioxidative enzymes that scavenge ROS. The combined application of SiO-NPs and Mel increased growth, gas exchange and photosynthetic attributes, chlorophyll value, and protein content. It causes alleviation in the activity of SOD, CAT and POX by 73%, 62% and 65%, respectively. Overall, this study findings show that Mel and/or SiO-NPs can potentially protect the rice crop against oxidative damage under Cd stress.

Aims: To assess the impact of newly implemented guidelines on the prescribing practices of valproate products in a clinical setting. Specifically, comparing the proportions of inpatients over 65 on valproate before and after the new guidelines were implemented in January 2024. Methods: This was a retrospective comparative study involving 2 patient cohorts admitted on the older adults ward at the North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare NHS Trust in Stoke-On-Trent, Staffordshire. Cohort 1: 30 patients who were admitted from October to December 2023 (approximately 1 month prior to implementation of new guidelines). Cohort 2: 30 patients who were admitted from July to September 2024 (approximately 6 months after implementation of new guidelines). Statistical significance between the 2 groups was determined using the Chi-square test. Results: A notable decrease (16.7% to 6.7%) was observed in the percentage of patients who were admitted on valproate after the new guidelines were implemented (2 out of 30) as compared with the group admitted prior to their implementation (5 out of 30). However, based on a Chi- square test, the proportion of patients prescribed sodium valproate before and after the implementation of new guidelines is not statistically significant in this study. This reduction may suggest that, although, not yet statistically significant, the new guidelines are influencing prescribing practices regarding valproate products. Conclusion: Although not statistically significant in this study, these findings suggest that there may be a trend toward reduced prescribing of valproate products after the introduction of these new treatment guidelines. This trend could be attributed to increased awareness among healthcare providers regarding the risks associated with valproate products. However, this study was limited by its sample size, scope and age group of participants, therefore, further research is warranted to explore more extensive datasets and longer follow-up periods. Such studies would provide a clearer understanding of the long-term influence of implementing these new guidelines on prescribing practices and patient safety.

Electrical resistivity tomography and induced polarization studies were conducted for groundwater exploration in eight selected agricultural sites in Brunei Darussalam. The study was undertaken to meet the growing demands for water supply in the agricultural sector, particularly for paddy field irrigation purposes. This study conducted nineteen surveys with lengths of up to 800 m and a depth of investigation of up to 150 m below ground level. 2D inverted resistivity and chargeability models delineated subsurface geological formations and aquifer zones in the study area. Aquifer zones were detected in all the investigated sites, with resistivity values ranging from 1 to 100 Ω m and chargeability values ranging from 0 to 10 ms. Based on the resistivity and chargeability interpretations, two new groundwater wells were drilled and constructed in two of the investigated sites. Borehole drilling encountered aquifer zones primarily in sand and sandstone layers. Hydraulic tests of the newly drilled boreholes revealed groundwater yields of 4.3 and 288 m3/day. Transmissivity values of the aquifer units estimated using the Cooper–Jacob time-drawdown solutions are 0.53 and 109 m2/day, while their hydraulic conductivity values are 0.05 and 2.75 m/day, respectively. Our findings suggest weak to moderate groundwater yield for withdrawal and distribution for irrigation purposes in the investigated sites. The present study helped decision-makers take suitable measures for placing future groundwater irrigation wells and achieve significant groundwater exploration results in the study area and other areas with similar geological settings.

The selective enzymatic reduction of nitroaliphatic and nitroaromatic compounds to aliphatic amines and amino-, azoxy- and azo-aromatics, respectively, remains a persisting challenge for biocatalysis. Here we demonstrate the light-powered, selective photoenzymatic synthesis of aliphatic amines and amino-, azoxy- and azo-aromatics from the corresponding nitro compounds. The nitroreductase from Bacillus amyloliquefaciens , in synergy with a photocatalytic system based on chlorophyll, promotes selective conversions of electronically-diverse nitroarenes into a series of aromatic amino, azoxy and azo products with excellent yield (up to 97%). The exploitation of an alternative nitroreductase from Enterobacter cloacae enables the tailoring of a photoenzymatic system for the challenging synthesis of aliphatic amines from nitroalkenes and nitroalkanes (up to 90% yield). This photoenzymatic reduction overcomes the competing bio-Nef reaction, typically hindering the complete enzymatic reduction of nitroaliphatics. The results highlight the usefulness of nitroreductases to create selective photoenzymatic systems for the synthesis of precious chemicals, and the effectiveness of chlorophyll as an innocuous photocatalyst, enabling the use of sunlight to drive the photobiocatalytic reactions. The selective enzymatic reduction of nitroaliphatic and nitroaromatic compounds is challenging. Here, the authors report selective (sun)light-driven photoenzymatic reduction of a wide variety of nitro compounds to aliphatic amines and amino-, azoxy- and azo-aromatics using flavin-dependent nitroreductases and chlorophyll as photocatalyst

Nanoparticles (NPs) represent one of the most promising platforms for addressing challenges in drug delivery, biosensing, and the development of advanced biotechnological tools. These innovative materials are revolutionizing modern agriculture by enabling precision farming practices that optimize resource utilization and enhance crop productivity. This study investigates the role of silicon oxide nanoparticles (SiO 2 NPs, 200 ppm) in mitigating arsenic (As, 50 µM) toxicity in Brassica juncea . The results demonstrate that As stress significantly impaired morphological and physiological parameters, as well as the accumulation of key metabolites, including flavonoids, phenolics, proteins, soluble sugars, and free amino acids. However, foliar application of SiO 2 NPs effectively alleviated As-induced toxicity by enhancing antioxidant enzyme activities and maintaining nutrient homeostasis. The application of SiO 2 NPs also positively influenced growth parameters, net photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance, and soluble sugar content. Notably, SiO 2 NPs improved the transpiration rate by 52%, leaf nitrogen content by 33%, and phenolic content by 42%. Furthermore, there was a significant reduction in oxidative stress markers, with hydrogen peroxide and malondialdehyde levels decreasing by 41% and 39%, respectively, indicating reduced oxidative damage and lipid peroxidation. These findings underscore the promising potential of SiO 2 NPs in mitigating As stress and offer valuable insights for promoting sustainable crop production under environmental stress conditions.

Cadmium (Cd) stress is increasing at a high pace and is polluting the agricultural land. As a result, it affects animals and the human population via entering into the food chain. The aim of this work is to evaluate the possibility of amelioration of Cd stress through chitosan nanoparticles (CTS-NPs). After 15 days of sowing (DAS), Solanum lycopersicum seedlings were transplanted into maintained pots (20 in number). Cadmium (0.8 mM) was providing in the soil as CdCl2·2.5H2O at the time of transplanting; however, CTS-NPs (100 µg/mL) were given through foliar spray at 25 DAS. Data procured from the present experiment suggests that Cd toxicity considerably reduces the plant morphology, chlorophyll fluorescence, in addition to photosynthetic efficiency, antioxidant enzyme activity and protein content. However, foliar application of CTS-NPs was effective in increasing the shoot dry weight (38%), net photosynthetic rate (45%) and SPAD index (40%), while a decrease in malondialdehyde (24%) and hydrogen peroxide (20%) was observed at the 30 DAS stage as compared to control plants. On behalf of the current results, it is demonstrated that foliar treatment of CTS-NPs might be an efficient approach to ameliorate the toxic effects of Cd.