Salinity stress restricts rice (Oryza sativa L.) germination and early establishment through osmotic stress, ionic toxicity, and excessive reactive oxygen species production. Although ZnO nanoparticles (ZnONPs) can enhance salinity tolerance, the influence of their biological synthesis source on nanoparticle properties and efficacy remains poorly understood. ZnONPs were synthesized using leaf extracts of sorghum (S 1), seaweed (S 2), and sugar beet (S 3) and compared with commercial ZnONPs (S 4). The nanoparticles were characterized using UV–Vis spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, field-emission scanning electron microscopy, and zeta-potential measurements. Rice seeds were nano-primed with ZnONPs at 25–100 ppm and evaluated under salinity stress for germination, growth, biomass, water uptake, hydrolytic enzyme activity, antioxidant responses, and lipid peroxidation. All biogenic ZnONPs exhibited characteristic crystalline ZnO structures, nanoscale dimensions, and predominantly spherical morphology. Seaweed-mediated ZnONPs showed superior physicochemical properties, including an average particle size of approximately 23.7 nm, high crystallinity, and enhanced colloidal stability (−24.85 mV). Nano-priming significantly mitigated salinity-induced inhibition of germination, seedling growth, and biomass accumulation. Seaweed-derived ZnONPs at 50–75 ppm produced physiological and biochemical responses comparable to those obtained with commercial ZnONPs at 100 ppm, demonstrating greater efficacy at lower concentrations. These treatments enhanced water uptake, hydrolytic enzyme activity, and the activities of superoxide dismutase, peroxidase, and catalase while reducing lipid peroxidation. Multivariate analyses further distinguished the effective ZnONP treatments based on coordinated improvements in germination, growth, antioxidant defence, and physiological traits. The biological synthesis source significantly influenced the physicochemical properties and functional efficacy of ZnONPs. Seaweed-derived ZnONPs were particularly effective at lower application rates and therefore represent a promising nano-priming strategy for improving early rice establishment under saline conditions.
Cissus quadrangularis L. (CQ) is one of the most promising medicinal plants owing to its prominent phytochemical composition and pharmacological potentiality. The current review provides an insight into the recent progress of CQ based nanoparticles. The biosynthesis of plant-based nanoparticles using CQ extract was found to be an efficient, cost effective, and eco-friendly approach to conventional chemical methods due to presence of phenolics, flavonoids, and other phytochemicals. In the case of CQ, Silver nanoparticles were extensively used followed by zinc oxide, copper oxide, calcium oxide, titanium dioxide and nanocomposite. The synthesized nanoparticles demonstrated potent antibacterial and antifungal activity against a wide range of bacteria and fungi including multidrug resistant strains as well as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, wound healing, and antidiabetic effects. CQ nanoparticles application in bone, dentistry, tissue engineering, drug targeting, biomaterials, and other fields was also well explored. Most of the studies have been carried out only at the preclinical level. The current review focuses on in depth clinical and toxicological evaluation to explore all possible therapeutic avenues and establish the biosafety and commercial viability of developing new medicines and therapeutics.
The popularity of the work-from-home culture and extended hours of work in computer-centric jobs have led to a surge in posture-related musculoskeletal problems among office workers, IT professionals, banking staff, and students. The spinal cord, cervical region, lumbar muscles, and shoulder joints are under undue pressure from extended sedentary activities and poor sitting postures, resulting in continued physical discomfort and decreased ergonomic efficiency. In this work, a smart embedded posture monitoring system based on a Force Sensitive Resistor (FSR) sensor is developed based on electrically poled Sodium Bismuth Titanate called “NBT” (Na 0. 5 Bi 0. 5 TiO 3) single crystals manufactured by the slow bottom cooling flux approach, proposed in this study. Structural study revealed the production of a single-phase rhombohedral perovskite structure without any secondary impurities. The electromechanical and mechanical behaviors of the produced crystals were studied using Vickers microhardness and piezoelectric coefficient (d 33) experiments. The electrical poling resulted in considerable enhancement in the ferroelectric domain alignment and, hence, the electromechanical charge generation and mechanical stiffness. After poling, the hardness values increased significantly while the Meyer index fell, showing an improved resistance to deformation and cyclic mechanical loading. The produced charge output demonstrated a proportional increase with the applied force, validating its ability to grow appropriately with applied force and validating the efficient force-sensing behaviour suitable for FSR applications. The designed embedded system incorporates six FSR sensors, two Time of Flight (ToF) sensors, and an ESP32 microcontroller to classify the posture in real time. The proposed system could identify numerous sitting postures with excellent accuracy and predictable response characteristics. The outcome obtained reveals that the electrically poled NBT single crystal has excellent piezoelectric sensitivity, mechanical robustness, and sensing stability, which are attractive lead-free materials for future smart healthcare and ergonomic monitoring systems.
This study investigates the microstructural attributes and elastic response of graphene oxide (GO)-modified concrete, focusing on relating morphological changes to its macroscale mechanical performance. To meet this aim, three mixes with varying GO dosages (0.00%, 0.04%, and 0.08% by weight of cement) were selected, and FESEM was used to assess concrete morphology, compactness, and microstructural heterogeneity. Finite element analysis (FEA) was then performed in COMSOL Multiphysics to explore the behaviour of elastic displacement, von Mises stress distribution, and reaction-force response of the control and GO-modified concrete under uniaxial compression. The findings from the SEM micrographs comprising 0.04% GO revealed a refined microstructure, denser CSH gel formation, and improved fibrillar crystalline growth, which supported a 30.97% increase in 28-day compressive strength compared to the control concrete. This behaviour is mainly associated with GO nucleation. Conversely, the 0.08% GO mix exhibited localized aggregation, resulting in inconsistent hydration behaviour. On the other hand, under the application of the same displacement inputs in COMSOL Multiphysics, the 0.04% GO mix showed a 14.44% increase in reaction force response compared to the control mix. This leads to improved stiffness, greater resistance to elastic deformation and improved load-bearing capacity. The numerical assessment is thus interpreted as a macroscale analysis of stiffness-dependent elastic behaviour, and not as an independent prediction of compressive strength. Collectively, the combined experimental and finite element observations indicate that 0.04% GO provided a better response among the dosages investigated under the adopted material and testing conditions.
Bioactive compounds derived from plants have attracted significant attention due to their diverse therapeutic potential. However, their practical application in food and pharmaceutical systems is limited by poor stability, low solubility, rapid degradation, and inadequate bioavailability. To overcome these challenges, micro- and nanoencapsulation technologies have emerged as effective strategies to protect bioactive compounds from environmental stress, improve physicochemical properties, and enable controlled release. Nanoencapsulation involves entrapping bioactive compounds within suitable carrier matrices in solid, liquid, or gaseous forms, thereby enhancing their functional efficiency and health-promoting effects. Over time, there has been a surge in research into the encapsulation of bioactive substances for a variety of applications. Recent advances highlight the use of techniques such as spray drying, freeze-drying, emulsification, coacervation, and electrospinning for developing encapsulated systems using lipids, natural polymers, and synthetic materials. The performance of these systems largely depends on the composition and characteristics of the wall materials employed. This article focuses on recent progress in nano-enabled encapsulation approaches and their potential applications, with particular emphasis on improving the stability, bioavailability, and therapeutic efficacy of phytochemicals.
