Cold plasma-activated water (PAW) is a novel technology that was recently used in biomedical research; Despite its potential, PAW’s safety remains inadequately assessed. The study explores the impact of PAW on behavioral responses and brain tissue histopathology in mice. Ten-week-old female albino mice were divided into three
groups each containing 10 mice (5 replicates, 2 mice/cage) and received either distilled water (DW), or distilled water exposed to cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) for 3 min (PAW-3), or 15 min (PAW-15) by oral gavage in a dose of 200 μL/mice (3 times/week) for four weeks. PAW exhibited altered physicochemical properties compared to DW. Mice exposed to PAW demonstrated reduced burrowing activity, marble burying ability, and
novel object recognition compared to controls, indicating potential neurobehavioral alterations. PAW-treated groups displayed notable histological lesions in brain tissues, including nerve cell necrosis, vascular congestion, and Purkinje cell degeneration, confirming neurotoxic effects. Positive reactions for NF-κB and iNOS in brain tissues of PAW-treated mice corroborated the histopathological findings, suggesting neuroinflammation and oxidative stress. The study highlights the need for further investigation into PAW’s safety profile and optimal treatment protocols to mitigate potential neurobehavioral toxicity in biomedical research.

This study was designed to assess the role of nano-zinc oxide in mitigating the deleterious effects of heat stress in African catfish (Clarias gariepinus) by evaluating parameters such as aggressive behavior (biting frequency and chasing duration), hematological indicators, and stress-related biochemical markers. A total of 96 catfish were divided into four distinct groups (24 fish/group): The first group (CON) served as the control group, receiving a diet free of nano-zinc oxide. The second group (HS) was exposed to heat stress at 35 °C±1 °C. The third group (ZN) was fed a diet containing nano-zinc oxide at 30 mg/kg of the diet, and the fourth group (ZHN) was exposed to heat stress (35 °C±1 °C) and fed a diet containing nano-zinc oxide at 30 mg/kg of the diet. The results clarified that the aggressive behavior and cortisol levels were significantly higher (P<0.05) in the HS group compared to the CON and ZHN groups. Additionally, the level of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) was significantly lower (P<0.05) in the HS group compared to the CON and ZHN groups. Meanwhile, a significant (P<0.05) decrease in red blood cells, hemoglobin, packed cell volume, white blood cells, alkaline phosphatase, and lymphocytes, was observed in fish belonging to the HS group, while the levels of alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, neutrophils, and monocytes showed a significant increase (P<0.05). Supplementation with nano-zinc oxide significantly recovered most hematological and biochemical parameters. In conclusion, nano-zinc oxide contributed significantly to the regulation of the negative impacts of heat stress on fish by reducing aggressive behavior and cortisol levels. Additionally, it improved the levels of AChE and certain hematological and biochemical parameters.

Alginate powder was applied as stabilizer and capping agent surfactant in green synthesis of SeNPs of cluster shapes for the first time by reduction of Se (IV) with vitamin C. The naked eyes observations noticed a rapid change in color of Se (IV) solution from colorless to bright crimson aggregates as just the solution gets in contact with added mixture of vitamin C and alginate of powder natures then is rapidly turned to a reddish-pink aggregate. The formed aggregate was converted into violet crystals by aging or heating. In absence of vitamin C, addition of alginate powder to Se (IV) electrolyte whilst stirring the mixture leads to the formation of a precipitate of granule grains nature. The FTIR, XRD and SEM and TEM investigations indicated the formation of SeNPs of cluster beans for the crystals and alginate-based Se (IV) complex for the granule grains, respectively. The complex was invested for evaluation the …

Mesoporous Zn_yCd_1-yS quantum dots (QDs) with mixed cubic–hexagonal phases prepared by sonochemical technique at varying Zn content. Incorporating Zn ions in the CdS lattice reduced the crystalline size and enhanced the corresponding surface areas at increasing Zn contents. The increase of Zn content in Zn_yCd_1-yS QDs increased the bandgap from 2.52 eV to 3.83 eV and enhanced the corresponding Urbach energy from 72 meV to 279 meV. Zn_yCd_1-yS QDs exhibited small electrical activation energies ranging from 249 mV to 361 mV. The effect of Zn content on the catalytic activity of Zn_yCd_1-yS QDs toward hydrogen production through NaBH₄ hydrolysis was investigated at different temperatures. Ternary alloys ZnCdS QDs exhibited higher catalytic activity than pure ZnS and CdS QDs, with Zn_0.5Cd_0.5S QDs displaying the highest hydrogen generation rate of 96 mL∙min⁻¹∙g⁻¹. The increase of reaction temperature from 30°C to 60°C enhanced the rate constant of hydrogen production from 0.071 to 0.36 min⁻¹. Based on the pseudo-first-order equation, the estimated apparent activation energy of Zn_0.5Cd_0.5S QDs was 45.3 kJ∙mol⁻¹. Overall, the obtained results underscored the potential of Zn_yCd_1-yS QDs as promising catalysts for hydrogen generation.

Metronomic chemotherapy (MC), long-term continuous administration of anticancer drugs, is gaining attention as an alternative to the traditional maximum tolerated dose (MTD) chemotherapy. By combining MC with other treatments, the therapeutic efficacy is enhanced while minimizing toxicity. MC employs multiple mechanisms, making it a versatile approach against various cancers. However, drug resistance limits the long-term effectiveness of MC, necessitating ongoing development of anticancer drugs. Traditional drug discovery is lengthy and costly due to processes like target protein identification, virtual screening, lead optimization, and safety and efficacy evaluations. Drug repurposing (DR), which screens FDA-approved drugs for new uses, is emerging as a cost-effective alternative. Both experimental and computational methods, such as protein binding assays, in vitro cytotoxicity tests, structure-based screening, and several types of association analyses (Similarity-Based, Network-Based, and Target Gene), along with retrospective clinical analyses, are employed for virtual screening. This review covers the mechanisms of MC, its application in various cancers, DR strategies, examples of repurposed drugs, and the associated challenges and future directions.