Palynological characterisation of sedra honeys (Ziziphus lotus) produced in Algeria

Abstract

A melissopalynological study was carried out on 46 samples of Ziziphus lotus honey from Laghouat and Djelfa region (central Algeria). The number of pollen types identified per honey sample ranges between nine and 39 with a mean of 24. These correspond to 52 botanical families with 79 different pollen types in the whole samples. Asteraceae and Fabaceae families were present in all the samples where as Apiaceae, Brassicaceae and Nitrariaceae (Peganum harmala) were identified in more than 90%. Other plant families as Boraginaceae, Cistaceae, Myrtaceae, Oleaceae, Salicaceae or Urticaceae were identified in more than 50% of the samples but frequently as minor pollen. Ziziphus lotus pollen had a mean content of 68.9% (with a range of 45.3% to 93.4%). The secondary pollen types were Ononis natrix, Peganum harmala, Brassica napus, Echium and Olea europaea. Regarding the important pollen it is highlighted the presence Lotus t., Eucalyptus, Pimpinella anisum t., Trifolium t., Eryngium campestre t., Centaurea t., Galega officinalis t., Citrus or Scrophularia t. The sedra honeys of the studied region are characterised by their high content in pollen grains with a mean content of 188 403 grains/10 g. The presence of some pollen types in the pollen spectra of honeys such as Peganum harmala, Thapsia garganica, Launaea, Muscari comosum, Carthamus or Limonium bonduellei together several Asteraceae as Centaurea, Taraxacum, Carduus, Artemisia and Matricaria was proposed as geographical markers of this honey type.     

Alteration of thiol-disulphide homeostasis in acute tonsillopharyngitis

Objective: Thiol-disulphide homeostasis (TDH) has a critical role in various clinical disorders. We aimed to assess the association of TDH with acute tonsillopharyngitis (AT) in children.

Methods: This study included 94 (73 viral and 21 bacterial) tonsillopharyngitis patients and 88 control children. Their native thiol, total thiol, and disulphide levels were measured.

Results: Viral and bacterial tonsillopharyngitis patients had lower native thiol levels compared with healthy children (P?P?=?0.008, respectively). Both groups had lower total thiol levels compared with control children (P?=?0.002 for viral, P?=?0.011 for bacterial). The disulphide levels were lower in bacterial than in viral tonsillopharyngitis patients (P?=?0.04), and there was a significant difference between viral tonsillopharyngitis patients and the control group (P?P?P?=?0.017 for bacterial). The disulphide/native thiol and disulphide/total thiol ratios were significantly higher in viral (P?P?=?0.017 for both) than in healthy children. In all patients, a correlation was found between the levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) and native thiol (r?=??0.211, P?=?0.04), CRP and total thiol (r?=??0.217, P?=?0.036), white blood cell (WBC) and native thiol (r?=??0.228, P?=?0.002), WBC and total thiol (r?=??0.191, P?=?0.01), and WBC and disulphide (r?=?0.160, P?=?0.03).

Discussion: TDH is altered in AT in children. The alteration is more prominent in viral than in bacterial tonsillopharyngitis.     

Kinetics of the adsorption of lead on river-mud

Summary The effects of several factors on the rate and the capacity of lead adsorption by river-mud were studies. These factors included the concentration of mud, the concentration of lead, the organic matter content of mud, pH, time of adsorption, temperature and agitation. The reaction order of the adsorption process with respect to lead and the type of adsorption were determined. Also, indications of the rate-limiting step were discussed and an empirical equation describing the adsorption of lead on river-mud was developed.     

Identification of Four New Chemical Series of Small Drug-Like Natural Products as Potential Neuropilin-1 Inhibitors by Structure-Based Virtual Screening: Pharmacophore-Based Molecular Docking and Dynamics Simulation

Neuropilin-1 (NRP-1), a surface transmembrane glycoprotein, is one of the most important co-receptors of VEGF-A165 (vascular endothelial growth factor) responsible for pathological angiogenesis. In general, NRP-1 overexpression in cancer correlates with poor prognosis and more tumor aggressiveness. NRP-1 role in cancer has been mainly explained by mediating VEGF-A165-induced effects on tumor angiogenesis. NRP-1 was recently identified as a co-receptor and an independent gateway for SARS-CoV-2 through binding subunit S2 of Spike protein in the same way as VEGF-A165. Thus, NRP-1 is of particular value as a target for cancer therapy and other angiogenesis-dependent diseases as well as for SARS-CoV-2 antiviral intervention. Herein, The Super Natural II, the largest available database of natural products (∼0.33 M), pre-filtered with drug-likeness criteria (absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion/toxicity), was screened against NRP-1. NRP-1/VEGF-A165 interaction is one of protein-protein interfaces (PPIs) known to be challenging when approached in-silico. Thus, a PPI-suited multi-step virtual screening protocol, incorporating a derived pharmacophore with molecular docking and followed by MD (molecular dynamics) simulation, was designed. Two stages of pharmacophorically constrained molecular docking (standard and extra precisions), a mixed Torsional/Low-mode conformational search and MM-GBSA ΔG binding affinities calculation, resulted in the selection of 100 hits. These 100 hits were subjected to 20 ns MD simulation, that was extended to 100 ns for top hits (20) and followed by post-dynamics analysis (atomic ligand-protein contacts, RMSD, RMSF, MM-GBSA ΔG, Rg, SASA and H-bonds). Post-MD analysis showed that 19 small drug-like nonpeptide natural molecules, grouped in four chemical scaffolds (purine, thiazole, tetrahydropyrimidine and dihydroxyphenyl), well verified the derived pharmacophore and formed stable and compact complexes with NRP-1. The discovered molecules are promising and can serve as a base for further development of new NRP-1 inhibitors.     

Current progress in Striga management

The Striga, particularly S. he rmonthica, problem has become a major threat to food security, exacerbating hunger and poverty in many African countries. A number of Striga control strategies have been proposed and tested during the past decade, however, further research efforts are still needed to provide sustainable and effective solutions to the Striga problem. In this paper, we provide an update on the recent progress and the approaches used in Striga management, and highlight emerging opportunities for developing new technologies to control this enigmatic parasite.

Advances

• The recently established Striga control technologies, such as push-pull, toothpick, and imidazolinone seed dressing have opened up new opportunities for smallholder farmers to overcome this parasite.
• The development of low-cost and efficient germination stimulants together with an application protocol for rain-fed agriculture has made the suicidal germination strategy a realistic approach.
• Molecular elucidation of strigolactone biosynthesis and perception has led to the development of new chemicals that disrupt the communication between Striga and its hosts.