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Aptamers are currently being investigated for their potential to improve virotherapy. They offer several advantages, including the ability to prevent the aggregation of viral particles, enhance target specificity, and protect against the neutralizing effects of antibodies. The purpose of this study was to comprehensively investigate an aptamer capable of enhancing virotherapy. This involved characterizing the previously selected aptamer for vaccinia virus (VACV), evaluating the aggregation and molecular interaction of the optimized aptamers with the recombinant oncolytic virus VV-GMCSF-Lact, and estimating their immunoshielding properties in the presence of human blood serum. We chose one optimized aptamer, NV14t_56, with the highest affinity to the virus from the pool of several truncated aptamers and built its 3D model. The NV14t_56 remained stable in human blood serum for 1 h and bound to VV-GMCSF-Lact in the micromolar range (Kd ≈ 0.35 μM). Based on dynamic light scattering data, it has been demonstrated that aptamers surround viral particles and inhibit aggregate formation. In the presence of serum, the hydrodynamic diameter (by intensity) of the aptamer–virus complex did not change. Microscale thermophoresis (MST) experiments showed that NV14t_56 binds with virus (EC50 = 1.487 × 109 PFU/mL). The analysis of the amplitudes of MST curves reveals that the components of the serum bind to the aptamer–virus complex without disrupting it. In vitro experiments demonstrated the efficacy of VV-GMCSF-Lact in conjunction with the aptamer when exposed to human blood serum in the absence of neutralizing antibodies (Nabs). Thus, NV14t_56 has the ability to inhibit virus aggregation, allowing VV-GMCSF-Lact to maintain its effectiveness throughout the storage period and subsequent use. When employing aptamers as protective agents for oncolytic viruses, the presence of neutralizing antibodies should be taken into account.

Abiotic stress factors are considered a serious threat to various growth parameters of crop plants. Stressors such as drought, salinity, and heavy metals (HMs) hamper the chlorophyll content in plants, resulting in low photosynthesis, hinder the integrity of cell membranes, reduce biomass, and overall growth and development of crops which ultimately results in the sharp decline of crop yield. Under such stressful conditions, various strategies are employed to overcome hazardous effects. Application of Zinc (Zn) or Selenium (Se) in different forms is an effective way to alleviate the abiotic stresses in plants. Zn and Se play a pivotal role in enhancing the chlorophyll level to improve photosynthesis, reducing oxidative stress by limiting reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, controlling HMs absorption by plant roots and their accumulation in the plant body, maintaining homeostasis, and alleviating all the detrimental effects caused by abiotic stress factors. The current review is focused on the usefulness of Zn and Se application, their uptake, sensitization, and different defence mechanisms to relieve adverse effects of abiotic stresses (such as drought, salinity, and HMs) on crops. In this connection, research gaps have also been highlighted.

Soil Zn amended is an efficient agronomical Zn biofortification approach in rice. However, it is still need to know if higher rate of Zn over recommended dose can influence other essential nutrient uptake, high accumulation of Zn in soils and health risk for human consumption. This study was conducted by taking ten treatments (T1: control, T2: RDF, T3: RDF + 1.25 mg kg-1, T4: RDF + 2.5 mg kg-1, T5: RDF + 3.75 mg kg-1, T6: RDF + 5 mg kg-1, T7: RDF + 6.25 mg kg-1, T8: RDF + 7.5 mg kg-1, T9: RDF + 8.75 mg kg-1, T10: RDF + 10 mg kg-1) on hybrid rice in Zn (1.20 mg kg-1) enriched soil. The findings have shown that 6.25 mg kg-1 Zn application significantly increased crop growth and grain concentrations of N, K, Zn, Cu and Fe by 71.4, 125, 78.9, 28.5 and 2.4%, respectively. Nutrient harvest index was significantly affected by ranged between 29.1–36.4%. Application of Zn at 6.25 mg kg-1 (T7) recorded the highest Zn concentration in grain (28.2 mg kg-1) and bioavailability of the fortified Zn (2.05 mg Zn day-1). The lowest phytatic acid concentration in grain was recorded in T8 (RDF + Zn at 7.5 mg kg-1) and after that a significant increase was observed. Transfer coefficient was inversely behaving with Zn application and ranged between 6.03–18.0 grain. The average daily intake of Zn was ranged between 0.075–0.118 mg-1 kg-1 day. Across different treatments the Zn build-up factor, geo-accumulation index and soil enrichment factor was ranged between 0.98–4.90, -0.61–1.70 and 0.24–1.82, respectively in post-harvest soil. In conclusion, agronomic biofortification of Zn through soil applications at 6.25 mg Zn kg-1 was a sustainable way to improving growth and grain Zn, N, K, Cu and Fe uptake of hybrid rice to meet human recruitment.

Thallium (Tl) was introduced into Haplic Chernozem in the amounts of 3, 30, and 300 mg/kg, and biological indicators were observed at 10, 30, and 90 days after incubation in the laboratory experiment. An increase in biological activities; i.e., the total number of bacteria, Azotobacter spp. abundance, enzymes (catalase, dehydrogenases), and phytotoxic indicators (germination rate of radish) after 30 days of Tl exposure were noted. The total number of bacteria and Azotobacter spp. abundance, enzyme activity, and phytotoxicity were more sensitive (16–76%) and informative (12–65%) indicators compared to the control, respectively. Integral biological indicators of soil state (IIBS) noted at 10, 30, and 90 days decreased at a dose of 30 and 300 mg/kg by 13–43% in relation to the control. An increase in Tl concentration and duration of exposure (up to 90 days) inhibited biological properties and caused ecotoxicological effects, respectively. We concluded that the use of individual indicators served as an indicator of the state of the soil.

In the 17th century, Yakutia Russia joined the Russian federation, and the Christianization of the indigenous population commenced. By the beginning of the 19th century, they had already been baptized; however, the newly baptized mainly did not keep strictly to the rules and ceremonies of the Christian religion. Thus, the Russian Orthodox Church and clergy had a great task--to convince the baptized indigenous population of the Christian truth.