Polystyrene nanoplastics synergistically exacerbate diclofenac toxicity in embryonic development and the health of adult zebrafish

In this study, we investigated the possible ecotoxicological effect of co-exposure to polystyrene nanoplastics (PS-NPs) and diclofenac (DCF) in zebrafish (Danio rerio). After six days of exposure, we noticed that the co-exposure to PS-NP (100 μg/L) and DCF (at 50 and 500 μg/L) decreased the hatching rate and increased the mortality rate compared to the control group. Furthermore, we noted that larvae exposed to combined pollutants showed a higher frequency of morphological abnormalities and increased oxidative stress, apoptosis, and lipid peroxidation. In adults, superoxide dismutase and catalase activities were also impaired in the intestine, and the co-exposure groups showed more histopathological alterations. Furthermore, the TNF-α, COX-2, and IL-1β expressions were significantly upregulated in the adult zebrafish co-exposed to pollutants. Based on these findings, the co-exposure to PS-NPs and DCF has shown an adverse effect on the intestinal region, supporting the notion that PS-NPs synergistically exacerbate DCF toxicity in zebrafish.

Knowledge mapping analysis of the global seaweed research using CiteSpace

Seaweed research has gained substantial momentum in recent years, attracting the attention of researchers, academic institutions, industries, policymakers, and philanthropists to explore its potential applications and benefits. Despite the growing body of literature, there is a paucity of comprehensive scientometric analyses, highlighting the need for an in-depth investigation. In this study, we utilized CiteSpace to examine the global seaweed research landscape through the Web of Science Core Collection database, assessing publication trends, collaboration patterns, network structures, and co-citation analyses across 48,278 original works published since 1975. Our results demonstrate a diverse and active research community, with a multitude of authors and journals contributing to the advancement of seaweed science. Thematic co-citation cluster analysis identified three primary research areas: "Coral reef," "Solar radiation," and "Mycosporine-like amino acid," emphasizing the multidisciplinary nature of seaweed research. The increasing prominence of "Chemical composition" and "Antioxidant" keywords indicates a burgeoning interest in characterizing the nutritional value and health-promoting properties of seaweed. Timeline co-citation analysis unveils that recent research priorities have emerged around the themes of coral reefs, ocean acidification, and antioxidants, underlining the evolving focus and interdisciplinary approach of the field. Moreover, our analysis highlights the potential of seaweed as a functional food product, poised to contribute significantly to addressing global food security and sustainability challenges. This study underscores the importance of bibliometric analysis in elucidating the global seaweed research landscape and emphasizes the need for sustained knowledge exchange and collaboration to drive the field forward. By revealing key findings and emerging trends, our research offers valuable insights for academics and stakeholders, fostering a more profound understanding of seaweed's potential and informing future research endeavors in this promising domain.

The Potential of Fish Protein Hydrolysate Supplementation in Nile Tilapia Diets: Effects on Growth and Health Performance, Disease Resistance, and Farm Economic Analysis

Fish protein hydrolysate (FPH) has shown immense potential as a dietary protein supplement and immunostimulant in aquaculture, especially in Nile tilapia production. Four isoproteic diets (30% crude protein) were prepared by including FPH at varying percentages (0%, 0.5%, 1%, and 2%). Nile tilapia fed with FPH diets for 90 days, and their growth performance, feed utilization, blood biochemistry, liver and gut morphology, and resistance against Streptococcus iniae were investigated. The findings revealed that diets physical attributes such as pellet durability index and water stability were remarkably (p < 0.05) varied between experimental diet groups. Furthermore, the test diets were more palatable when FPH was included at 1% and 2%. Fish that were fed with a 2% FPH-treated diet had significantly (p < 0.05) greater growth indices than other treatments. Additionally, their feed utilization was significantly (p < 0.05) improved. The experimental diets and intestinal total bacteria count (TBC) exhibited a rising trend with FPH levels, where the 2% FPH-treated diet recorded the highest TBC. Neutrophil (109/L), lymphocyte (109/L), eosinophil (109/L), and red blood cell(1012/L) counts were significantly (p < 0.05) higher in the 2% FPH-treated group, while the white blood cell (109/L), and basophil (109/L) counts were not influenced by the FPH inclusion. Moreover, the FPH-treated groups displayed lower creatinine, bilirubin, and urea levels than the control. The histological examination demonstrated that themid-intestine of 2% FPH-fed Nile tilapia had an unbroken epithelial wall, more villi with frequent distribution of goblet cells, wider tunica muscularis, and stronger stratum compactum bonding than other treatments. Additionally, this group exhibited more nuclei and erythrocytes and less vacuolar cytoplasm in liver than their counterparts. Nile tilapia that were given a diet containing 2% FPH had significantly (p < 0.05) higher resistance (83.33%) to S. iniae during the bacterial challenge test. A significant (p < 0.05) enhancement in farm economic efficiency was observed in the higher inclusion of FPH in diets. In summary, 2% FPH supplementation in Nile tilapia diets improved their growth performance, feed utilization, health status, disease resistance, and farm economic efficiency.

Comparative analysis of biometrical and reproductive indices, proximate composition, and hemato-biochemical variables of cuchia eel Monopterus cuchia (Hamilton, 1822) from six different localities of Bangladesh

Cuchia eel (Monopterus cuchia) is among the most sought-after freshwater fish, owing to its exceptional nutritional profile and high consumer demand. The current research aimed to establish baseline data by comparing the proximate composition, hematological, and plasma biochemical indices of Cuchia eel populations across six different geographical locations in Bangladesh: Bogra, Haluaghat, Jamalpur, Moktagacha, Sylhet, and Tangail. By examining these parameters, we aim to gain valuable insights into the nutritional benefits, physiological responses, and potential adaptations of this species to varying environments. The statistical analysis revealed no significant (P > 0.05) variances in the whole-body proximate composition of the fish captured from distinct areas. However, it was observed that different geographical regions had remarkable impacts on the variations of the majority of the hematological parameters, except for some cases. Additionally, there was a notable (P < 0.05) increase or decrease in most of the serum biochemical contents in certain localities as compared to others in this study. Light microscopic examination of Cuchia eel blood smears exhibited lower numbers but larger sizes of RBCs. The findings of this study lead to the conclusion that different localities had significant impacts on the hematology and blood biochemical indices of Cuchia eel, even though the whole-body proximate composition showed no significant variations. This research contributes to a deeper understanding of the physiological aspects of Cuchia eel.

Resveratrol impacts on aquatic animals: a review

Aquaculture has intensified tremendously with the increasing demand for protein sources as the global population grows. However, this industry is plagued with major challenges such as poor growth performance, the lack of a proper environment, and immune system impairment, thus creating stress for the aquaculture species and risking disease outbreaks. Currently, prophylactics such as antibiotics, vaccines, prebiotics, probiotics, and phytobiotics are utilized to minimize the negative impacts of high-density farming. One of the promising prophylactic agents incorporated in fish feed is resveratrol, a commercial phytophenol derived via the methanol extraction method. Recent studies have revealed many beneficial effects of resveratrol in aquatic animals. Therefore, this review discusses and summarizes the roles of resveratrol in improving growth performance, flesh quality, immune system, antioxidant capacity, disease resistance, stress mitigation, and potential combination with other prophylactic agents for aquatic animals.

Marine-derived κ-carrageenan-coated zinc oxide nanoparticles for targeted drug delivery and apoptosis induction in oral cancer

BACKGROUND

Kappaphycus alvarezii, a marine red algae species, has gained significant attention in recent years due to its versatile bioactive compounds. Among these, κ-carrageenan (CR), a sulfated polysaccharide, exhibits remarkable antimicrobial properties. This study emphasizes the synergism attained by functionalizing zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) with CR, thereby enhancing its antimicrobial efficacy and target specificity against dental pathogens.

METHODS

In this study, we synthesized ZnO-CR NPs and characterized them using SEM, FTIR, and XRD techniques to authenticate their composition and structural attributes. Moreover, our investigation revealed that ZnO-CR NPs possess better free radical scavenging capabilities, as evidenced by their effective activity in the DPPH and ABTS assay.

RESULTS

The antimicrobial properties of ZnO-CR NPs were systematically assessed using a zone of inhibition assay against dental pathogens of S. aureus, S. mutans, E. faecalis, and C. albicans, demonstrating their substantial inhibitory effects at a minimal concentration of 50 μg/mL. We elucidated the interaction between CR and the receptors of dental pathogens to further understand their mechanism of action. The ZnO-CR NPs demonstrated a dose-dependent anticancer effect at concentrations of 5 μg/mL, 25 μg/mL, 50 μg/mL, and 100 μg/mL on KB cells, a type of Human Oral Epidermal Carcinoma. The mechanism by which ZnO-CA NPs induced apoptosis in KB cells was determined by observing an increase in the expression of the BCL-2, BAX, and P53 genes.

CONCLUSION

Our findings unveil the promising potential of ZnO-CR NPs as a candidate with significant utility in dental applications. The demonstrated biocompatibility, potent antioxidant and antiapoptotic activity, along with impressive antimicrobial efficacy position these NPs as a valuable resource in the ongoing fight against dental pathogens and oral cancer.

Role of Phytobiotics in Modulating Transcriptomic Profile in Carps: A Mini-Review

Carp is a key aquaculture species worldwide. The intensification of carp farming, aimed at meeting the high demand for protein sources for human consumption, has resulted in adverse effects such as poor water quality, increased stress, and disease outbreaks. While antibiotics have been utilized to mitigate these issues, their use poses risks to both public health and the environment. As a result, alternative and more sustainable practices have been adopted to manage the health of farmed carp, including the use of probiotics, prebiotics, phytobiotics, and vaccines to prevent disease outbreaks. Phytobiotics, being both cost-effective and abundant, have gained widespread acceptance. They offer various benefits in carp farming, such as improved growth performance, enhanced immune system, increased antioxidant capacity, stress alleviation from abiotic factors, and enhanced disease resistance. Currently, a focal point of research involves employing molecular approaches to assess the impacts of phytobiotics in aquatic animals. Gene expression, the process by which genetic information encoded is translated into function, along with transcription profiling, serves as a crucial tool for detecting changes in gene expression within cells. These changes provide valuable insights into the growth rate, immune system, and flesh quality of aquatic animals. This review delves into the positive impacts of phytobiotics on immune responses, growth, antioxidant capabilities, and flesh quality, all discerned through gene expression changes in carp species. Furthermore, this paper explores existing research gaps and outlines future prospects for the utilization of phytobiotics in aquaculture.

Ecotoxicity of commonly used oilfield-based emulsifiers on Guinean Tilapia (Tilapia guineensis) using histopathology and behavioral alterations as protocol

This study examined the histological aberrations in the gill and liver tissues and behavioural changes of Tilapia guineensis fingerlings exposed to lethal concentrations of used Oilfield-based emulsifiers for 96 h. Various concentrations of the surfactants were tested, ranging from 0.0 to 15.0 ml/L. The behaviour of the fish was observed throughout the experiment, and the results showed that increasing concentrations of the surfactants led to progressively abnormal behaviour, including hyperventilation and altered opercular beat frequency. These behavioural changes indicated respiratory distress and neurotoxic effects. Histological analysis revealed structural aberrations in the gill and liver tissues, with higher concentrations causing more severe damage, such as lesions, necrosis, inflammation, and cellular degeneration. This implies that surfactants released even at low concentrations are capable of inducing changes in the tissues of aquatic organisms. These findings highlight the toxic effects of the surfactants on fish health and provide biomarkers of toxicity. Future research should focus on understanding the specific mechanisms and long-term consequences of surfactant toxicity on fish genetic composition, populations, and ecosystems to implement effective conservation measures.

Potentials of Aloe barbadensis inclusion in fish feeds on resilience to Aeromonas hydrophila infection in freshwater fish Labeo rohita

Aquatic bacterial pathogens can cause severe economic loss in aquaculture industry. An opportunistic pathogen, Aeromonas hydrophila is responsible for Motile Aeromonas Septicemia, leading to high mortality rates in fish. The present study was focused on the efficacy of Aloe barbadensis replacing fishmeal diets on hematological, serum biochemical, antioxidant, histopathological parameters, and disease resistance against A. hydrophila infection in Labeo rohita. Isonitrogenous fishmeal replaced diets (FMR) were prepared with varying levels of A. barbadensis at D1 (0%) (control), D2 (25%), D3 (50%), D4 (75%) and D5 (100%) then fed to L. rohita. After 60 days of post-feeding, the experimental fish were challenged with A. hydrophila. Blood and organs were collected and examined at 1- and 15-days post infection (dpi). The results demonstrated that on 1 dpi, white blood cells (WBC), total protein, cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels were significantly increased in D3 diet fed groups. The D2 and D3 diet fed group showed decreasing trends of serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase (SGPT) and antioxidant enzymes activity on 15 dpi. The histopathological architecture results clearly illustrated that the D3 diet fed group had given a higher protective effect by reducing the pathological changes associated with A. hydrophila infection in liver, intestine and muscle. Higher percentage of survival rate was also observed in D3 diet fed group. Therefore, the present study suggested that the dietary administration of A. barbadensis up to 50% fishmeal replacement (D3 diet) can elicit earlier antioxidant activity, innate immune response and improve survival rate in L. rohita against A. hydrophila infection.

Aquatic Peptide: The Potential Anti-Cancer and Anti-Microbial Activity of GE18 Derived from Pathogenic Fungus Aphanomyces invadans

Small molecules as well as peptide-based therapeutic approaches have attracted global interest due to their lower or no toxicity in nature, and their potential in addressing several health complications including immune diseases, cardiovascular diseases, metabolic disorders, osteoporosis and cancer. This study proposed a peptide, GE18 of subtilisin-like peptidase from the virulence factor of aquatic pathogenic fungus Aphanomyces invadans, which elicits anti-cancer and anti-microbial activities. To understand the potential GE18 peptide-induced biological effects, an in silico analysis, in vitro (L6 cells) and in vivo toxicity assays (using zebrafish embryo), in vitro anti-cancer assays and anti-microbial assays were performed. The outcomes of the in silico analyses demonstrated that the GE18 peptide has potent anti-cancer and anti-microbial activities. GE18 is non-toxic to in vitro non-cancerous cells and in vivo zebrafish larvae. However, the peptide showed significant anti-cancer properties against MCF-7 cells with an IC50 value of 35.34 µM, at 24 h. Besides the anti-proliferative effect on cancer cells, the peptide exposure does promote the ROS concentration, mitochondrial membrane potential and the subsequent upregulation of anti-cancer genes. On the other hand, GE18 elicits significant anti-microbial activity against P. aeruginosa, wherein GE18 significantly inhibits bacterial biofilm formation. Since the peptide has positively charged amino acid residues, it targets the cell membrane, as is evident in the FESEM analysis. Based on these outcomes, it is possible that the GE18 peptide is a significant anti-cancer and anti-microbial molecule.

The roles of soybean lecithin in aquafeed: a crucial need and update

Soybean lecithin is extensively used as the dietary supplementation of phospholipids in animal production. Soybean lecithin plays significant roles in aquafeed as growth promoter, feed enhancer, immunity modulator and antioxidant activity stimulator for aquaculture species. Besides, soybean lecithin is also reported to help aquaculture species being resilient to physical and chemical stressors. In this review, common sources, chemical structure and mode of action of lecithin, with highlight on soybean lecithin application in aquaculture over four-decadal studies published between 1983 and 2023, were evaluated and summarized. By far, soybean lecithin is best-known for its beneficial effects, availability yet cost-effective for aquafeed formulation. Findings from this review also demonstrate that although nutritional profile of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids and phosphatidylcholine from egg yolk and marine sources are superior to those from plant sources such as soybean, it is rather costly for sustainable application in aquafeed formulation. Moreover, commercially available products that incorporate soybean lecithin with other feed additives are promising to boost aquaculture production. Overall, effects of soybean lecithin supplementation are well-recognized on larval and juvenile of aquaculture species which having limited ability to biosynthesis phospholipids de novo, and correspondingly attribute to phospholipid, a primary component of soybean lecithin, that is essential for rapid growth during early stages development. In addition, soybean lecithin supplementation plays a distinguish role in stimulating maturation of gonadal development in the adults, especially for crustaceans.

Catfishes: A global review of the literature

This study aims to elucidate the evolution of catfish research publications over recent decades, identify emerging research clusters, examine keyword patterns, determine major contributors (including authors, organizations, and funding agencies), and analyze their collaborative networks and citation bursts on a global scale. The USA, Brazil, China, and India collectively contribute approximately 67% of the total catfish research publications, with a marked increase in prevalence since 2016. The most frequently occurring and dominant keywords are "channel catfish" and "responses," respectively. Intriguingly, our findings reveal 28 distinct article clusters, with prominent clusters including "yellow catfish," "channel catfish", "pectoral girdle," "African catfish", "Rio Sao Francisco basin," "Edwardsiella ictaluri," and "temperature mediated". Concurrently, keyword clustering generates seven main clusters: "new species", "growth performance", "heavy metal", "gonadotropin-releasing", "essential oil", and "olfactory receptor". This study further anticipates future research directions, offering fresh perspectives on the catfish literature landscape. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first article to conduct a comprehensive mapping review of catfish research publications worldwide.

Autochthonous Bacilli and Fructooligosaccharide as Functional Feed Additives Improve Growth, Feed Utilisation, Haemato-Immunological Parameters and Disease Resistance in Rohu, Labeo rohita (Hamilton)

The effects of Bacillus spp. (7 Log CFU g-1 feed) and fructooligosaccharide (FOS, 1%) as functional feed additives, either alone or in combination, were evaluated in a study on rohu, Labeo rohita fingerlings. The fish were fed different diets for 90 days, including a control diet and diets supplemented with FOS, B. licheniformis, B. methylotrophicus or synbiotic formulations of these. The results showed that the combination of B. licheniformis and FOS significantly improved weight gain, feed utilisation and protease activity compared to the other groups. Overall, the groups supplemented with probiotics and synbiotics (B. licheniformis + FOS or B. methylotrophicus + FOS) showed improvements in haematology, serum biochemistry and immune parameters compared to the control group. After 90 days of experimental feeding, the fish were challenged with pathogenic Aeromonas hydrophila, and data on haematology, immunity and stress parameters were collected. The results indicated that the application of Bacillus spp. and FOS boosted immunity and resistance to physiological stress in the fish. The highest post-challenge survival rate was observed in fish fed a diet with B. licheniformis and FOS, indicating the potential of this particular combination of functional feed additives to enhance growth, immunity and disease resistance in L. rohita.

Comparative study of ovarian development in wild and captive-reared long-whiskered Sperata aor (Hamilton, 1822)

Long-whiskered catfish Sperata aor is a freshwater catfish known for its supreme flesh quality and fast growth, whose captive-reared broodstock denotes a difficult challenge for aquaculture. The reproductive dysfunctions in long-whiskered catfish raised in tank conditions were observed by comparing tissue biochemical composition and ovarian histology of wild female broodstock. Sixty (60) female broodstocks were used in the current study, consisting of 30 reared at sandy-muddy soil tank bottoms in captive conditions and 30 wild individuals collected from the haor basin during the breeding season. The fish reproductive state was investigated using the biometric and reproductive parameters, biochemical composition and levels of amino acids in the different tissues, and histological analysis of ovarian development. Results revealed that the biometrical parameters of wild and captive female broodstocks exhibited no remarkable difference (p > 0.05). Nevertheless, the wild fish had remarkably higher (p < 0.05) GSI (8.73%), oocyte weight (0.45 mg/egg), and ripeness (27.08%) in comparison with captive-reared broodstock. The total length and body weight, body weight and ovary weight, ovipositor diameter and ovary weight, and GSI and HSI displayed a positive relationship with R² = 1, R² = 1, R² = 0.993, and R² = 0.973, respectively, for wild broodstock, while R² = 0.994, R² = 0.806, R² = 0.804, and R² = 0.896, respectively, for captive broodstock. Additionally, the proximate composition in oocytes and liver tissues in both broodstocks did not differ significantly (p > 0.05). However, two essential amino acids (EAA), i.e., lysine and phenylalanine, and two non-essential amino acids, i.e., glutamic acid and glycine, were highly significant differences (p < 0.05) in the oocytes and liver of wild broodstock compared to the captive-reared broodstock. On the other hand, the EAA, e.g., isoleucine, threonine, leucine, and arginine, were highly dominated in both wild and captive female brood oocytes and liver. The ovarian histological slides from each fish group showed three oocytes developmental stages that indicated the asynchronous-reproductive ovarian oocytes of this fish. This study may be useful to fully understand the factors affecting the spawning and reproduction of S. aor broodstock, crucial for management in captive conditions as well as conservation and protection for sustainable aquaculture management of S. aor.

Ophthalmic Intervention of Naringenin Decreases Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor by Counteracting Oxidative Stress and Cellular Damage in In Vivo Zebrafish

Diabetes Mellitus is a metabolic disease that leads to microvascular complications like Diabetic retinopathy (DR), a major cause of blindness worldwide. Current medications for DR are expensive and report multiple side effects; therefore, an alternative medication that alleviates the disease condition is required. An interventional approach targeting the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) remains a treatment strategy for DR. Anti-VEGF medicines are being investigated as the main therapy for managing vision-threatening complications of DR, such as diabetic macular oedema. Therefore, this study investigated the effect of flavonoid naringenin (NG) from citrus fruits on inhibiting early DR in zebrafish. When exposed to 130 mM glucose, the zebrafish larvae developed a hyperglycaemic condition accompanied by oxidative stress, cellular damage, and lipid peroxidation. Similarly, when adult zebrafish were exposed to 4% Glucose, high glucose levels were observed in the ocular region and massive destruction in the retinal membrane. High glucose upregulated the expression of VEGF. In comparison, the co-exposure to NG inhibited oxidative stress and cellular damage and restored the glutathione levels in the ocular region of the zebrafish larvae. NG regressed the glucose levels and cellular damage along with an inhibition of macular degeneration in the retina of adult zebrafish and normalized the overexpression of VEGF as a promising strategy for treating DR. Therefore, intervention of NG could alleviate the domestication of alternative medicine in ophthalmic research.

Exploring the roles of phytobiotics in relieving the impacts of Edwardsiella tarda infection on fish: a mini-review

Edwardsiellosis caused by Edwardsiella tarda resulted in significant economic losses in aquaculture operations worldwide. This disease could infect a wide range of hosts, including freshwater, brackish water, and marine aquatic animals. Currently, antibiotics and vaccines are being used as prophylactic agents to overcome Edwardsiellosis in aquaculture. However, application of antibiotics has led to antibiotic resistance among pathogenic bacteria, and the antibiotic residues pose a threat to public health. Meanwhile, the use of vaccines to combat Edwardsiellosis requires intensive labor work and high costs. Thus, phytobiotics were attempted to be used as antimicrobial agents to minimize the impact of Edwardsiellosis in aquaculture. These phytobiotics may also provide farmers with new options to manage aquaculture species' health. The impact of Edwardsiellosis in aquaculture worldwide was elaborated on and highlighted in this review study, as well as the recent application of phytobiotics in aquaculture and the status of vaccines to combat Edwardsiellosis. This review also focuses on the potential of phytobiotics in improving aquatic animal growth performance, enhancing immune system function, and stimulating disease resistance.

Evaluation of anti-hyperuricemic effects of Alocasia longiloba Miq. (Keladi Candik) extracts in potassium oxonate induced rat model

Hyperuricemia has become a significant public-health concern in recent years, and the available treatments have been reported to have an adverse side effect on patients. Alocasia longiloba has been used traditionally in Malaysia for treating gout, inflammation, and wounds. However, the plant has not been investigated for its effects on hyperuricemia. This study investigated the anti-hyperuricemic and anti-inflammatory effects of A. longiloba extracts in hyperuricemic rats induced by potassium oxonate (250 mg/kg body weight). Rats were given A. longiloba extracts or a standard drug for two-week, and blood and tissue samples were collected for analysis. Results show that A. longiloba extracts significantly reduced serum uric acid levels in hyperuricemic rats and inhibited xanthine oxidase (XOD) activity in the liver and kidney, which could be the mechanism underlying the urate-lowering effects. The extracts also significantly (p < 0.05) reduced the levels of proinflammatory cytokines (IL-18 and IL-1β) in serum samples and had hepatoprotective and nephroprotective effects in hyperuricemic rats. The study supports the use of A. longiloba as a complementary therapy for treating hyperuricemia.

Bioaccumulation and Bioremediation of Heavy Metals in Fishes-A Review

Heavy metals, the most potent contaminants of the environment, are discharged into the aquatic ecosystems through the effluents of several industries, resulting in serious aquatic pollution. This type of severe heavy metal contamination in aquaculture systems has attracted great attention throughout the world. These toxic heavy metals are transmitted into the food chain through their bioaccumulation in different tissues of aquatic species and have aroused serious public health concerns. Heavy metal toxicity negatively affects the growth, reproduction, and physiology of fish, which is threatening the sustainable development of the aquaculture sector. Recently, several techniques, such as adsorption, physio-biochemical, molecular, and phytoremediation mechanisms have been successfully applied to reduce the toxicants in the environment. Microorganisms, especially several bacterial species, play a key role in this bioremediation process. In this context, the present review summarizes the bioaccumulation of different heavy metals into fishes, their toxic effects, and possible bioremediation techniques to protect the fishes from heavy metal contamination. Additionally, this paper discusses existing strategies to bioremediate heavy metals from aquatic ecosystems and the scope of genetic and molecular approaches for the effective bioremediation of heavy metals.

Evaluating Biofilm Inhibitory Potential in Fish Pathogen, Aeromonas hydrophila by Agricultural Waste Extracts and Assessment of Aerolysin Inhibitors Using In Silico Approach

Aeromonas hydrophila, an opportunistic bacteria, causes several devastating diseases in humans and animals, particularly aquatic species. Antibiotics have been constrained by the rise of antibiotic resistance caused by drug overuse. Therefore, new strategies are required to prevent appropriate antibiotic inability from antibiotic-resistant strains. Aerolysin is essential for A. hydrophila pathogenesis and has been proposed as a potential target for inventing drugs with anti-virulence properties. It is a unique method of disease prevention in fish to block the quorum-sensing mechanism of A. hydrophila. In SEM analysis, the crude solvent extracts of both groundnut shells and black gram pods exhibited a reduction of aerolysin formation and biofilm matrix formation by blocking the QS in A. hydrophila. Morphological changes were identified in the extracts treated bacterial cells. Furthermore, in previous studies, 34 ligands were identified with potential antibacterial metabolites from agricultural wastes, groundnut shells, and black gram pods using a literature survey. Twelve potent metabolites showed interactions between aerolysin and metabolites during molecular docking analysis, in that H-Pyran-4-one-2,3 dihydro-3,5 dihydroxy-6-methyl (-5.3 kcal/mol) and 2-Hexyldecanoic acid (-5.2 kcal/mol) showed promising results with potential hydrogen bond interactions with aerolysin. These metabolites showed a better binding affinity with aerolysin for 100 ns in molecular simulation dynamics. These findings point to a novel strategy for developing drugs using metabolites from agricultural wastes that may be feasible pharmacological solutions for treating A. hydrophila infections for the betterment of aquaculture.

Evaluation of Phytochemical Screening, Pigment Content, In Vitro Antioxidant, Antibacterial Potential and GC-MS Metabolite Profiling of Green Seaweed Caulerpa racemosa

Exploration of seaweeds to unravel their bioactive metabolites from the perspective of wider applications gained substantial importance. The present study was performed to investigate the total phenolic, flavonoid, tannin content, antioxidant activity and antibacterial potential of various solvent extracts of green seaweed Caulerpa racemosa. The methanolic extract showed higher phenolic (11.99 ± 0.48 mg gallic acid equivalents/g), tannin (18.59 ± 0.54 mg tannic acid equivalents/g) and flavonoid (33.17 ± 0.76 mg quercetin equivalents/g) content than other extracts. Antioxidant activity was determined by using 2,2-diphenylpicrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) assay with different concentrations of C. racemosa extracts. The methanolic extract showed higher scavenging potential in both the DPPH and ABTS activity with the inhibition value of 54.21 ± 1.39% and 76.62 ± 1.08%, respectively. Bioactive profiling was also identified by using Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) techniques. These studies revealed the presence of valuable bioactive compounds in C. racemosa extracts and these compounds might be responsible for antimicrobial, antioxidant, anticancer and anti-mutagenic properties. Major compounds identified in GC-MS were 3,7,11,15-Tetramethyl-2-hexadecen-1-ol, 3-hexadecene and Phthalic acid. In terms of antibacterial activity, C. racemosa has promising antibacterial potential against aquatic pathogens Aeromonas hydrophila, Aeromonas veronii and Aeromonas salmonicida. Further evaluation studies focusing aquatic related aspects would reveal the novel bioproperties and applications of C. racemosa.

The Potential of Fermented Water Spinach Meal as a Fish Meal Replacement and the Impacts on Growth Performance, Reproduction, Blood Biochemistry and Gut Morphology of Female Stinging Catfish (Heteropneustes fossilis)

The identification and development of a new plant-based feed ingredient as an alternative protein source to FM have gained the interest of the aquafeed industrial players. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the physical, biochemical, and bacteriological properties of dietary FWM and the impacts on the growth and reproductive performances of farmed female stinging catfish, H. fossilis broodstock. Five experimental diets were formulated with different FWM inclusion (0, 25, 50, 75, and 100%). Fatty acid profiles such as 4:0, 10:0, 20:0, 21:0, 22:0, 24:0, 20:1n9, 18:3n6, 20:3n6, 20:4n6, and 22:6n3 were found in higher levels in FWM compared to the water spinach meal (WM). Meanwhile, there were no significant differences in the physical properties of the FWM experimental diets (p > 0.05). Furthermore, the experimental feed with 0%, 25%, 50%, and 75% FWM were more palatable to the broodstock than 100% FWM. The number of total bacteria (TB) and lactic acid bacteria (LAB) in catfish diets exhibited a rising trend with an increase in FWM, while 50% of FWM-fed fish intestines had a significantly (p < 0.05) higher TB and LAB than other treatment groups. The growth, feed utilization, and reproductive variables of H. fossilis were significantly (p < 0.05) influenced by FWM inclusion at various levels. Moreover, the significantly (p < 0.05) highest oocytes weight, fertilization, egg ripeness, and ovipositor diameter were observed in the treatment of 50% FWM diet treatment group. In addition, the spawning response was 100% in all treatments except for the control group (66.67%). Significant differences (p < 0.05) were found in the hematological and serum biochemical indices in most treatment groups. In addition, the histological analysis of H. fossilis midintestinal tissue indicated that the fish fed with a 50% FWM diet had an unbroken epithelial barrier with more goblet cell arrangements and a well-organized villi structure and tunica muscularis compared to other treatment groups. These outcomes suggested that FWM at 50% inclusion is an adequate protein supplement for fish feed, resulting in better growth, reproductive performance, and health of H. fossilis broodstock development.

LC-TOF-MS/MS and GC-MS based phytochemical profiling and evaluation of wound healing activity of Oroxylum Indicum (L.) Kurz (Beka)

Background: Beka (Oroxylum indicum (L.) Kurz) has been used as a culinary herb and natural remedy by the local communities in Malaysia. The leaf of O. indicum is traditionally used for the treatment of diarrhea, high blood pressure, and improving digestive health. Objectives: The present study was conducted to evaluate the phytochemical constituents and wound healing properties (in vitro and in vivo models) of aqueous and ethanol extracts of O. indicum leaves. Methods: The total phenolic (TPC) and total flavonoid (TFC) contents in the plant extracts were determined by the spectrophotometric methods. Further, the extract was characterized by Liquid Chromatography Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry (LC-TOF-MS/MS) and Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). The wound healing activity was assessed using the in vitro scratch wound-healing assay and in vivo excisional wound model. Results: The results show the ethanol leaves extract had the higher TPC (164 mg GAE/g) when compared with the aqueous leaves extract (30 mg gallic acid equivalents/g). The ethanol leaves extract was also found to have higher TFC (101 mg Catechin equivalents/g) than the aqueous leaves extract (76 mg Catechin equivalents/g). The ethanol leaves extract was then used for further chemical analysis. The LC-TOF-MS/MS analysis showed that the leaves extracts of O. indicum contains many important compounds such as Orientin, Chrysin, Pinoquercetin, Cupressuflavone, Puerarin xyloside, Forsythiaside and Paederoside. In GC-MS analysis, 19 compounds were identified in ethanolic leaves extract. The wound healing studies shows that O. indicum has promising wound healing activity by increasing the rate of wound contraction significantly (p < 0.05). Conclusion: In conclusion, the present study showed that O. indicum leaf contains important phytochemicals and the wound healing potential of the O. indicum extract may probably be as a result of the presence of various phytoconstituents.

A mini-review on co-supplementation of probiotics and medicinal herbs: Application in aquaculture

The aquaculture industry is geared toward intensification and successfully meets half of the world's demand for fish protein. The intensive farming system exposes the animal to the risk of disease outbreaks, which has economic consequences. Antibiotics are commonly used for the health management of aquaculture species. However, this has several drawbacks, including the increase in antibiotic resistance in pathogenic bacteria and the entry of antibiotic residues into the human food chain, which is a public health and environmental concern. The potential of probiotics, prebiotics, synbiotics, and medicinal herbs as alternatives to antibiotics for the health management of aquaculture species has been investigated in numerous studies. This review discusses the potential use of combinations of probiotics and medicinal herbs as prophylactic agents in aquaculture, along with the definitions, sources, and modes of action. The positive aspects of combining probiotics and medicinal herbs on growth performance, the immune system, and disease resistance of aquaculture species are also highlighted. Overall, this review addresses the potential of combinations of probiotics and medicinal herbs as feed additives for aquaculture species and the key role of these feed additives in improving the welfare of aquaculture species.

Antioxidative and immunostimulant potential of fruit derived biomolecules in aquaculture

Huge amounts of non-edible by-products could be generated from fruit industrial processes. They consist mainly of peels together with low amounts of pulp and seeds. These by-products pose an environmental hazard due to soil, air, and water pollution. Moreover, treating these by-products is very expensive and under strict governmental regulations. Nevertheless, they are an excellent source of bioactive constituents, such as phenols, flavonoids, terpenes, and glucans. Based on their constituents, these by-products can significantly enhance the antioxidant defense, immune response, and modulation of gut microbiota and host resistance against various diseases. Therefore, sustainable valorization of fruits by-products can efficiently obtain value-added products that improve the well-being of organisms and reduce environmental stress, in addition to earning an additional industrial income. Since aquaculture is a vital economic sector, there is urgent to look for inexpensive natural food additives that improve health and maintain high nutritional quality for farming organisms without harming the environment and human health. Therefore, using fruit wastes as feed additives represents a striking alternative for fruitful aquaculture. In order to make use of these value-added products, it is a dire need to determine their biological effects on aquaculture organisms by understanding their mechanism of action. In this context, this review will holistically address a comprehensive focus on utilizing fruits by-products and their immunostimulant and antioxidative action.

Bacteriocin: A natural approach for food safety and food security

The call to cater for the hungry is a worldwide problem in the 21st century. Food security is the utmost prime factor for the increasing demand for food. Awareness of human health when using chemical preservatives in food has increased, resulting in the use of alternative strategies for preserving food and enhancing its shelf-life. New preservatives along with novel preservation methods have been instigated, due to the intensified demand for extended shelf-life, along with prevention of food spoilage of dairy products. Bacteriocins are the group of ribosomally synthesized antimicrobial peptides; they possess a wide range of biological activities, having predominant antibacterial activity. The bacteriocins produced by the lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are considered to be of utmost importance, due to their association with the fermentation of food. In recent times among various groups of bacteriocins, leaderless and circular bacteriocins are gaining importance, due to their extensive application in industries. These groups of bacteriocins have been least studied as they possess peculiar structural and biosynthetic mechanisms. They chemically possess N-to-C terminal covalent bonds having a predominant peptide background. The stability of the bacteriocins is exhibited by the circular structure. Up till now, very few studies have been performed on the molecular mechanisms. The structural genes associated with the bacteriocins can be combined with the activity of various proteins which are association with secretion and maturation. Thus the stability of the bacteriocins can be used effectively in the preservation of food for a longer period of time. Bacteriocins are thermostable, pH-tolerant, and proteolytically active in nature, which make their usage convenient to the food industry. Several research studies are underway in the domain of biopreservation which can be implemented in food safety and food security.

Role of phytobiotics in relieving the impacts of Aeromonas hydrophila infection on aquatic animals: A mini-review

Aeromonas hydrophila is a ubiquitous bacterium with various hosts that causes mass mortality in farm-raised fish species and significant economic losses. The current antibiotic treatment is ineffective in controlling this bacterium infection in aquaculture species. Therefore, an evaluation of potential phytobiotics is needed to find an alternative antimicrobial agent to reduce the over-reliance on antibiotics in aquaculture and safeguard public and environmental health. Furthermore, the rise in antibiotic resistance cases among pathogenic bacteria indicates an urgent need for new fish and shellfish health management solutions. In this context, phytobiotics applications in aquaculture can be defined as any medicinal plant-based antimicrobial agent used in fish and shellfish health management. This review will focus on the impacts of Motile Aeromonas Septicemia (MAS) due to A. hydrophila in aquaculture, the potential of phytobiotics in enhancing the tolerance of aquaculture species against MAS and the combination of phytobiotics with other antimicrobial and therapeutic agents against MAS.

Anti-biofilm efficacy of green-synthesized ZnO nanoparticles on oral biofilm: In vitro and in silico study

The development of biofilm on the biotic and abiotic surfaces is the greatest challenge for health care sectors. At present times, oral infection is a common concern among people with an unhealthy lifestyle and most of these biofilms-associated infections are resistant to antibiotics. This has increased a search for the development of alternate therapeutics for eradicating biofilm-associated infection. Nanobiotechnology being an effective way to combat such oral infections may encourage the use of herbal compounds, such as bio-reducing and capping agents. Green-synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles (ZnO NP) by the use of the floral extract of Clitoria ternatea, a traditionally used medicinal plant, showed stability for a longer period of time. The NPs as depicted by the TEM image with a size of 10 nm showed excitation spectra at 360 nm and were found to remain stable for a considerable period of time. It was observed that the NPs were effective in the eradication of the oral biofilm formed by the major tooth attacking bacterial strains namely Porphyromonsas gingivalis and Alcaligenes faecalis, by bringing a considerable reduction in the extracellular polymeric substances (EPS). It was observed that the viability of the Porphyromonsas gingivalis and Alcaligenes faecalis was reduced by NP treatment to 87.89 ± 0.25% in comparison to that of amoxicillin. The results went in agreement with the findings of modeling performed by the use of response surface methodology (RSM) and artificial neural network (ANN). The microscopic studies and FT-IR analysis revealed that there was a considerable reduction in the biofilm after NP treatment. The in silico studies further confirmed that the ZnO NPs showed considerable interactions with the biofilm-forming proteins. Hence, this study showed that ZnO NPs derived from Clitoria ternatea can be used as an effective alternative therapeutic for the treatment of biofilm associated oral infection.

Distribution of 22 Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms in 13 Cytokine Genes in Malays, Chinese, and Indians in Peninsular Malaysia

Introduction: Cytokines are cell signaling glycoproteins that are particularly important in immunity and inflammatory responses. Therefore, variations, such as single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), in genes encoding for cytokines may have important consequences for their roles in health. Materials and Methods: A total of 222 unrelated, healthy, and un-admixed Malays (n = 97), Chinese (n = 77), and Indians (n = 48) with a median age of 30 years old (range 21-50) were typed for 22 cytokine gene SNPs: IL-1α -889 T/C, IL-1β (-511 T/C, +3962 T/C), IL-1R pst1 1970 T/C, IL-1RA mspa1 11100 T/C, IL-4Rα +1902 G/A, IL-12 - 1188 C/A, IFN-γ +874 A/T, TGF-β (cdn 10 C/T, cdn 25 G/C), TNF-α (-308 A/G, -238 A/G) IL-2 (+166 G/T, -330 T/G), IL-4 (-1098 T/G, -590 T/C, -33 T/C), IL-6 (-174 C/G, nt565 G/A), and IL-10 (-1082 G/A, -819 C/T, -592 A/C). This involved using well-established polymerase chain reaction procedures with sequence-specific primers and restriction fragment length polymorphism methods. Results: The majority of the screened cytokine gene SNPs are polymorphic in all three ethnicities. Exceptions include TGF-β cdn 25 (G/C), IL-1β +3962 (T/C), and TNF-α -238 (A/G), which were all observed to be monomorphic in Malays, Chinese and Indians. Many of the analyzed cytokine gene SNP genotypes deviated from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium and the three ethnic study groups were all well-separated from reference Asian, African and European populations in a principal component analysis plot. Conclusion: We successfully typed 22 SNPs in 13 cytokine genes from genetic material collected from unrelated and un-admixed Malay, Chinese and Indian individuals in Peninsular Malaysia. These new cytokine gene population datasets reveal interesting contrasts with other populations.

Coconut Palm: Food, Feed, and Nutraceutical Properties

Simple Summary

Different components of the coconut are being looked into and used as a potential substitute to create or substitute animal feed components. Different coconut products and by-products—such as coconut water, milk, copra, testa, flour, raw kernels, oil, and desiccated coconut—are used with livestock, especially ruminants and aquaculture industries. However, the use of coconut in animal feed may be limited by several things that make it less nutritious. There is a possibility to research new technologies, such as pre-treating coconut to reduce the effects of anti-nutritional substances before they can be used to feed the animals. This review article describes a few important discoveries, which gives a somewhat hopeful view of the future. Different parts of the coconut can and should be used more in animal feed. Coconut in animal feed makes it much cheaper to feed animals and helps them in the digestion process, growth, and health. However, innovative methods of processing, extracting, and treating coconut need to be encouraged to improve nutritional quality and make coconut products function efficiently in feed.

Abstract

The price of traditional sources of nutrients used in animal feed rations is increasing steeply in developed countries due to their scarcity, high demand from humans for the same food items, and expensive costs of raw materials. Thus, one of the alternative sources is coconut parts or coconut as a whole fruit. Coconut is known as the ‘tree of abundance’, ‘tree of heaven’, and ‘tree of life’ owing to its numerous uses, becoming a very important tree in tropical areas for its provision of food, employment, and business opportunities to millions of people. Coconut contains a rich profile of macro and micronutrients that vary depending on the parts and how they are used. It is frequently chosen as an alternative source of protein and fiber. Its uses as an antibacterial agent, immunomodulant, and antioxidant further increase its importance. Using coconut oil in ruminant feed helps to minimize methane gas emissions by 18–30%, and to reduce dry matter intake up to 4.2 kg/d. The aquaculture sectors also use coconut palm as an alternative source because it significantly improves the digestion, growth, lipid metabolism, health, and antioxidative responses. However, coconut is not widely used in poultry diets although it has adequate amount of protein and carbohydrate due to anti-nutritional factors such cellulose (13%), galactomannan (61%), and mannan (26%). This review considered the importance and potential of coconut usage as an alternative ingredient in feed and supplements in various livestock sectors as it has plentiful nutrients and functional qualities, simultaneously leading to reduced feed cost and enhanced production.

Recent advances in the utilization of insects as an ingredient in aquafeeds: A review

The aquafeed industry continues to expand in response to the rapidly growing aquaculture sector. However, the identification of alternative protein sources in aquatic animal diets to replace conventional sources due to cost and sustainability issues remains a major challenge. Recently, insects have shown tremendous results as potential replacers of fishmeal in aquafeed. The present study aimed to review the utilization of insects in aquafeeds and their effects on aquatic animals' growth and feed utilization, immune response and disease resistance, and fish flesh quality and safety. While many insect species have been investigated in aquaculture, the black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens), and the mealworm (Tenebrio molitor) are the most studied and most promising insects to replace fishmeal in aquafeed. Generally, insect rearing conditions and biomass processing methods may affect the product's nutritional composition, digestibility, shelf life and required insect inclusion level by aquatic animals. Also, insect-recommended inclusion levels for aquatic animals vary depending on the insect species used, biomass processing method, and test organism. Overall, while an appropriate inclusion level of insects in aquafeed provides several nutritional and health benefits to aquatic animals, more studies are needed to establish optimum requirements levels for different aquaculture species at different stages of development and under different culture systems.

Recent Advances of Phytobiotic Utilization in Carp Farming: A Review

Carp farming is a popular aquaculture activity that provides affordable protein sources and job opportunities to many people worldwide. As carp farming intensifies, farmers face major issues such as rising feed costs and excessive antibiotic usage. Thus, there is an urgent need to explore alternative resources to ensure the sustainability of the carp farming industry. One of the most promising resources is phytobiotics that possess various properties beneficial for carp production. Furthermore, most phytobiotics are derived from agricultural waste that is abundant and cheap, but some phytobiotics are produced commercially and available in the market. The main topics of this review are highlighted sources, characteristics of phytobiotics, and the usefulness of phytobiotics in improving growth performance, feed utilization efficiency, antioxidant activity, and health of carps against diseases. Furthermore, in this review, recent methods of administration of phytobiotics such as through feeding, bathing, and intraperitoneal injection in carp farming are also discussed and summarised.

Bioactivity and Pharmacological Potential of Date Palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) Against Pandemic COVID-19: a Comprehensive Review

A novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) or severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), transmitted from person to person, has quickly emerged as the pandemic responsible for the current global health crisis. This infection has been declared a global pandemic, resulting in a concerning number of deaths as well as complications post-infection, primarily among vulnerable groups particularly older people and those with multiple comorbidities. In this article, we review the most recent research on the role of date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) fruits (DPFs) to prevent or treat COVID-19 infection. The mechanisms underlying this preventive or therapeutic effect are also discussed in terms of bioactivity potentials in date palm, e.g., antimicrobial, antioxidant, anticancer, anti-diabetic, anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective, and hemolytic potential, as well as prospect against COVID-19 disease and the potential product development. Therefore, it can be concluded that regular consumption of DPFs may be associated with a lower risk of some chronic diseases. Indeed, DPFs have been widely used in folk medicine since ancient times to treat a variety of health conditions, demonstrating the importance of DPFs as a nutraceutical and source of functional nourishment. This comprehensive review aims to summarize the majority of the research on DPFs in terms of nutrient content and biologically active components such as phenolic compounds, with an emphasis on their roles in improving overall health as well as the potential product development to ensure consumers’ satisfaction in a current pandemic situation. In conclusion, DPFs can be given to COVID-19 patients as a safe and effective add-on medication or supplement in addition to routine treatments.

Potent Bioactive Compounds From Seaweed Waste to Combat Cancer Through Bioinformatics Investigation

The seaweed industries generate considerable amounts of waste that must be appropriately managed. This biomass from marine waste is a rich source of high-value bioactive compounds. Thus, this waste can be adequately utilized by recovering the compounds for therapeutic purposes. Histone deacetylases (HDACs) are key epigenetic regulators established as one of the most promising targets for cancer chemotherapy. In the present study, our objective is to find the HDAC 2 inhibitor. We performed top-down in silico methodologies to identify potential HDAC 2 inhibitors by screening compounds from edible seaweed waste. One hundred ninety-three (n = 193) compounds from edible seaweeds were initially screened and filtered with drug-likeness properties using SwissADME. After that, the filtered compounds were followed to further evaluate their binding potential with HDAC 2 protein by using Glide high throughput virtual screening (HTVS), standard precision (SP), extra precision (XP), and quantum polarized ligand docking (QPLD). One compound with higher negative binding energy was selected, and to validate the binding mode and stability of the complex, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations using Desmond were performed. The complex-binding free energy calculation was performed using molecular mechanics-generalized born surface area (MM-GBSA) calculation. Post-MD simulation analyses such as PCA, DCCM, and free energy landscape were also evaluated. The quantum mechanical and electronic properties of the potential bioactive compounds were assessed using the density functional theory (DFT) study. These findings support the use of marine resources like edible seaweed waste for cancer drug development by using its bioactive compounds. The obtained results encourage further in vitro and in vivo research. Our in silico findings show that the compound has a high binding affinity for the catalytic site of the HDAC 2 protein and has drug-likeness properties, and can be utilized in drug development against cancer.

Engineered Biofilm: Innovative Nextgen Strategy for Quality Enhancement of Fermented Foods

Microbial communities within fermented food (beers, wines, distillates, meats, fishes, cheeses, breads) products remain within biofilm and are embedded in a complex extracellular polymeric matrix that provides favorable growth conditions to the indwelling species. Biofilm acts as the best ecological niche for the residing microbes by providing food ingredients that interact with the fermenting microorganisms' metabolites to boost their growth. This leads to the alterations in the biochemical and nutritional quality of the fermented food ingredients compared to the initial ingredients in terms of antioxidants, peptides, organoleptic and probiotic properties, and antimicrobial activity. Microbes within the biofilm have altered genetic expression that may lead to novel biochemical pathways influencing their chemical and organoleptic properties related to consumer acceptability. Although microbial biofilms have always been linked to pathogenicity owing to its enhanced antimicrobial resistance, biofilm could be favorable for the production of amino acids like l-proline and L-threonine by engineered bacteria. The unique characteristics of many traditional fermented foods are attributed by the biofilm formed by lactic acid bacteria and yeast and often, multispecies biofilm can be successfully used for repeated-batch fermentation. The present review will shed light on current research related to the role of biofilm in the fermentation process with special reference to the recent applications of NGS/WGS/omics for the improved biofilm forming ability of the genetically engineered and biotechnologically modified microorganisms to bring about the amelioration of the quality of fermented food.

Effect of feeding pineapple waste on growth performance, texture quality and flesh colour of nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) fingerlings

The study aims to evaluate the effects of pineapples waste on the growth, texture quality and flesh colour of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) fingerlings. Fingerlings were fed with four different levels of pineapple waste diets throughout 56 days, which contain a control group (Diet 1) and experimental diets that formulated with 10% (Diet 2), 20% (Diet 3) and 30% (Diet 4) of pineapple waste. The experimental diet was formulated with rice bran, fish meal, soybean meal, vitamin and mineral premix, vegetable oil and binder to attain 32% dietary protein. The results revealed that the formulated fish diet with pineapple waste given the optimum weight gain, weight gain percentage, specific growth rate than the control group, where Diet 4 has shown the highest value (p < 0.05). There were no effects of the pineapple waste diet on the texture quality of the fillet, while only red chromaticity (a*) showed a significant difference (p < 0.05). In conclusion, the addition of pineapple waste can improve the growth rate of Nile tilapia, and the supplementation level of the pineapple waste in the diet was 30% of the total feed formulation.

Antioxidant, Antibacterial, and Anti-diabetic Activity of Green Synthesized Copper Nanoparticles of Cocculus hirsutus (Menispermaceae)

The emergence of new technologies has led to the discovery of the biological properties of nanoparticles through green approach. In the present investigation, we report the potential antibacterial, antioxidant, and anti-diabetic properties of copper nanoparticle (CuNPs) synthesized by reducing 3 mM copper acetate solution with aqueous leaf extract of Cocculus hirsutus. A colour change from deep brown to dark greenish brown indicated the formation of copper nanoparticles. The so-formed CuNPs were characterized by employing UV spectroscopy, FTIR, SEM, and EDX analyses which described sheet-like structure morphology having typical size of 63.46 nm. Later, the synthesized CuNPs efficiency was evaluated against bacterial pathogens, and was found highly toxic to B. subtilis and S. aureus strains. The synthesized CuNPs were examined through H₂O₂ and PMA assays which demonstrated the highest free radical scavenging activity. Besides, the resulted CuNPs revealed the higher anti-diabetic efficacy in both the [Formula: see text]-amylase and [Formula: see text] -glucosidase inhibition assays (64.5% ± 0.11 and 68.5% ± 0.11, respectively). Finally, our findings report that C. hirsutus can be exploited as a source for green synthesis of CuNPs, having potent in vitro antioxidant, antibacterial, and anti-diabetic properties.

Effect of papaya (Carica papaya) leaf extract as dietary growth promoter supplement in red hybrid tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus × Oreochromis niloticus) diet

The purpose of this experiment was to examine the potential use of Carica papaya leaf extract as a supplement to promote growth and improve feed utilization in red hybrid tilapia. Five diets were formulated containing isolipidic (80 g/kg) and isonitrogenic (350 g/kg) levels. All feeds contained similar types and amounts of raw materials but differed in the inclusion of papaya leaf extract (0, 5, 10, 20 and 40 g/kg feed). The initial size of fish used was 2.3 ± 0.01 g. Each diet was performed in triplicate tanks, and the feeding period was 12 weeks. Fish fed diet containing 2% papaya leaf extract (PLE) had the highest final weight, 31.14 ± 1.47 g, followed by 1% PLE (27.27 ± 1.75 g). These two diets (1% and 2%) were also showed significant improvements of weight gain, SGR, and feed efficiency of the red hybrid tilapia (p < 0.05). However, papaya leaf extract did not affect the HSI, VSI, PER, digestive enzymes activity, blood composition, and survival rate. Supplementing the diets with papaya leaf extract lowered serum urea. Findings of this research suggest that adding papaya leaf extract to the diet of red hybrid tilapia improves growth and feed efficiency without adversely affecting blood parameters. Therefore, an inclusion level between 1% and 2% of the papaya leaf extract is recommended as a feed additive to promote red hybrid tilapia fry growth.

Engineered Nanotechnology: An Effective Therapeutic Platform for the Chronic Cutaneous Wound

The healing of chronic wound infections, especially cutaneous wounds, involves a complex cascade of events demanding mutual interaction between immunity and other natural host processes. Wound infections are caused by the consortia of microbial species that keep on proliferating and produce various types of virulence factors that cause the development of chronic infections. The mono- or polymicrobial nature of surface wound infections is best characterized by its ability to form biofilm that renders antimicrobial resistance to commonly administered drugs due to poor biofilm matrix permeability. With an increasing incidence of chronic wound biofilm infections, there is an urgent need for non-conventional antimicrobial approaches, such as developing nanomaterials that have intrinsic antimicrobial-antibiofilm properties modulating the biochemical or biophysical parameters in the wound microenvironment in order to cause disruption and removal of biofilms, such as designing nanomaterials as efficient drug-delivery vehicles carrying antibiotics, bioactive compounds, growth factor antioxidants or stem cells reaching the infection sites and having a distinct mechanism of action in comparison to antibiotics—functionalized nanoparticles (NPs) for better incursion through the biofilm matrix. NPs are thought to act by modulating the microbial colonization and biofilm formation in wounds due to their differential particle size, shape, surface charge and composition through alterations in bacterial cell membrane composition, as well as their conductivity, loss of respiratory activity, generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), nitrosation of cysteines of proteins, lipid peroxidation, DNA unwinding and modulation of metabolic pathways. For the treatment of chronic wounds, extensive research is ongoing to explore a variety of nanoplatforms, including metallic and nonmetallic NPs, nanofibers and self-accumulating nanocarriers. As the use of the magnetic nanoparticle (MNP)-entrenched pre-designed hydrogel sheet (MPS) is found to enhance wound healing, the bio-nanocomposites consisting of bacterial cellulose and magnetic nanoparticles (magnetite) are now successfully used for the healing of chronic wounds. With the objective of precise targeting, some kinds of “intelligent” nanoparticles are constructed to react according to the required environment, which are later incorporated in the dressings, so that the wound can be treated with nano-impregnated dressing material in situ. For the effective healing of skin wounds, high-expressing, transiently modified stem cells, controlled by nano 3D architectures, have been developed to encourage angiogenesis and tissue regeneration. In order to overcome the challenge of time and dose constraints during drug administration, the approach of combinatorial nano therapy is adopted, whereby AI will help to exploit the full potential of nanomedicine to treat chronic wounds.

Effects of the inclusion of black soldier fly larvae (Hermetia illucens) meal on growth performance and blood plasma constituents in broiler chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus) production

The aim of this study was to identify the effect of inclusion of defatted black soldier fly larvae (Def-BSFL) meal as a protein source on the performance and blood plasma constituents of broiler chickens. A total of 360-day-old chicks were assigned into four dietary groups, which included four different levels of Def-BSFL meal namely control (0% BSFL), T1(4% BSFL), T2 (8% BSFL) and T3 (12% BSFL) for six weeks experimental feeding period. At the end of the experiment, the blood samples of three birds from each treatment were collected to measure plasma constituents. Birds fed control and T1 diets demonstrated higher feed intake during the finisher stage compared with T2 and T3 diets. The heaviest weight for the 6-week feeding trial was recorded at T1 (1043.8 ± 65.9 g). Birds fed T1 (1.1 ± 0.0) and T3 (0.9 ± 0.1) diets displayed lower feed conversion ratio during the finisher stage than those fed control (1.7 ± 0.1) and T2 (1.8 ± 0.3) diets. Birds fed the control diet demonstrated the highest red blood cell with mean and standard deviation of 7.5 ± 0.34, whereas those fed the T2 diet showed the highest haemoglobin levels with mean and standard deviation of 15.8 ± 0.24. Birds fed T1, T2, and T3 diets exhibited a higher number (P < 0.05) of monocytes than those fed a control diet. There were no differences in white blood cell count across all the groups. In addition, birds fed the T2 diet showed higher (P < 0.05) blood urea nitrogen followed by the T3, control, and T1 diets. As a conclusion, the 4% Def-BSFL in the broiler chicken diet could be used to replace fish meal (FM) and soybean meal (SBM) without compromising bird performance and blood traits.

Phytocompound Mediated Blockage of Quorum Sensing Cascade in ESKAPE Pathogens

Increased resistance of Enterococcus faecium, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Enterobacter sp. (ESKAPE) pathogens against various drugs has enhanced the urge for the development of alternate therapeutics. Quorum sensing (QS) is a density dependent cell-to-cell communication mechanism responsible for controlling pathogenicity with the regulation of gene expression. Thus, QS is considered a potential target for the development of newer anti-biofilm agents that do not depend on the utilization of antibiotics. Compounds with anti-QS effects are known as QS inhibitors (QSIs), and they can inhibit the QS mechanism that forms the major form in the development of bacterial pathogenesis. A diverse array of natural compounds provides a plethora of anti-QS effects. Over recent years, these natural compounds have gained importance as new strategies for combating the ESKAPE pathogens and inhibiting the genes involved in QS. Different pharmacognostical and pharmacological studies have been carried out so far for identification of novel drugs or for the discovery of their unique structures that may help in developing more effective anti-biofilm therapies. The main objective of this review is to discuss the various natural compounds, so far identified and their employed mechanisms in hindering the genes responsible for QS leading to bacterial pathogenesis.

Acute Oral Toxicity Assessment and Anti-hyperuricemic Activity of Alocasia longiloba Extracts on Sprague-Dawley Rats

Hyperuricemia is defined as a metabolic abnormality that occurs when serum uric acid (UA) level is abnormally high in the body. We previously reported that A. longiloba possesses various important phytochemicals and in vitro xanthine oxidase activity. Despite A. longiloba ethnomedicinal benefits, its toxicity and anti-hyperuricemic effects have not been reported. The present study was carried out to ensure the safety and investigate the anti-hyperuricemic effects of A. longiloba fruit and petiole ethanolic extracts on rats. In the acute toxicity study, extracts were orally administered at a dose of 2000 mg/kg bodyweight and closely monitored for 2-week for any toxicity effects. The rats were then sacrificed and samples were collected and analyzed for hematological, biochemical, and histopathological parameters. The anti-hyperuricemic effect of A. longiloba fruit or petiole extract was investigated through determination of UA levels on potassium oxonate (PO)-induced hyperuricemic rats. Extracts or standard drug treatments were orally administrated 1-h after PO administration for 14-day. Animals were euthanized and samples were collected for further experiments. The toxicity results show, no significant changes were observed in behavioral, bodyweight changes in experimental groups compared to the control. Moreover, there were no significant changes in hematological, biochemical, and histological parameters between extracts treated and control group. In the anti-hyperuricemia study, the fruit and petiole extracts treatments significantly reduced the level of UA in serum compared to the hyperuricemic model group. This study demonstrated that the extracts of A. longiloba have anti-hyperuricemic activity and was found to be non-toxic to rats in acute toxicity test.

Development of Polymer-Based Nanoformulations for Glioblastoma Brain Cancer Therapy and Diagnosis: An Update

Brain cancers, mainly high-grade gliomas/glioblastoma, are characterized by uncontrolled proliferation and recurrence with an extremely poor prognosis. Despite various conventional treatment strategies, viz., resection, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy, the outcomes are still inefficient against glioblastoma. The blood–brain barrier is one of the major issues that affect the effective delivery of drugs to the brain for glioblastoma therapy. Various studies have been undergone in order to find novel therapeutic strategies for effective glioblastoma treatment. The advent of nanodiagnostics, i.e., imaging combined with therapies termed as nanotheranostics, can improve the therapeutic efficacy by determining the extent of tumour distribution prior to surgery as well as the response to a treatment regimen after surgery. Polymer nanoparticles gain tremendous attention due to their versatile nature for modification that allows precise targeting, diagnosis, and drug delivery to the brain with minimal adverse side effects. This review addresses the advancements of polymer nanoparticles in drug delivery, diagnosis, and therapy against brain cancer. The mechanisms of drug delivery to the brain of these systems and their future directions are also briefly discussed.

Exosome-associated host–pathogen interaction: a potential effect of biofilm formation

Exosomes being non-ionized micro-vesicles with a size range of 30–100 nm possess the ability to bring about intracellular communication and intercellular transport of various types of cellular components like miRNA, mRNA, DNA, and proteins. This is achieved through the targeted transmission of various inclusions to nearby or distant tissues. This is associated with the effective communication of information to bring about changes in physiological properties and functional attributes. The extracellular vesicles (EVs), produced by fungi, parasites, and bacteria, are responsible to bring about modulation/alteration of the immune responses exerted by the host body. The lipids, nucleic acids, proteins, and glycans of EVs derived from the pathogens act as the ligands of different families of pattern recognition receptors of the host body. The bacterial membrane vesicles (BMVs) are responsible for the transfer of small RNA species, along with other types of noncoding RNA thereby playing a key role in the regulation of the host immune system. Apart from immunomodulation, the BMVs are also responsible for bacterial colonization in the host tissue, biofilm formation, and survival therein showing antibiotic resistance, leading to pathogenesis and virulence. This mini-review would focus on the role of exosomes in the development of biofilm and consequent immunological responses within the host body along with an analysis of the mechanism associated with the development of resistance.

Selenium Nanoparticles as a Natural Antioxidant and Metabolic Regulator in Aquaculture: A Review

Balanced aquafeed is the key factor for enhancing the productivity of aquatic animals. In this context, aquatic animals require optimal amounts of lipids, proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals. The original plant and animals' ingredients in the basal diets are insufficient to provide aquafeed with suitable amounts of minerals. Concurrently, elements should be incorporated in aquafeed in optimal doses, which differ based on the basal diets' species, age, size, and composition. Selenium is one of the essential trace elements involved in various metabolic, biological, and physiological functions. Se acts as a precursor for antioxidative enzyme synthesis leading to high total antioxidative capacity. Further, Se can enhance the immune response and the tolerance of aquatic animals to infectious diseases. Several metabolic mechanisms, such as thyroid hormone production, cytokine formation, fecundity, and DNA synthesis, require sufficient Se addition. The recent progress in the nanotechnology industry is also applied in the production of Se nanoparticles. Indeed, Se nanoparticles are elaborated as more soluble and bioavailable than the organic and non-organic forms. In aquaculture, multiple investigations have elaborated the role of Se nanoparticles on the performances and wellbeing of aquatic animals. In this review, the outputs of recent studies associated with the role of Se nanoparticles on aquatic animals' performances were simplified and presented for more research and development.

Green Synthesis of Silver Nanoparticles Using Diospyros malabarica Fruit Extract and Assessments of Their Antimicrobial, Anticancer and Catalytic Reduction of 4-Nitrophenol (4-NP)

The green synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) has currently been gaining wide applications in the medical field of nanomedicine. Green synthesis is one of the most effective procedures for the production of AgNPs. The Diospyros malabarica tree grown throughout India has been reported to have antioxidant and various therapeutic applications. In the context of this, we have investigated the fruit of Diospyros malabarica for the potential of forming AgNPs and analyzed its antibacterial and anticancer activity. We have developed a rapid, single-step, cost-effective and eco-friendly method for the synthesis of AgNPs using Diospyros malabarica aqueous fruit extract at room temperature. The AgNPs began to form just after the reaction was initiated. The formation and characterization of AgNPs were confirmed by UV-Vis spectrophotometry, XRD, FTIR, DLS, Zeta potential, FESEM, EDX, TEM and photoluminescence (PL) methods. The average size of AgNPs, in accordance with TEM results, was found to be 17.4 nm. The antibacterial activity of the silver nanoparticles against pathogenic microorganism strains of Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli was confirmed by the well diffusion method and was found to inhibit the growth of the bacteria with an average zone of inhibition size of (8.4 ± 0.3 mm and 12.1 ± 0.5 mm) and (6.1 ± 0.7 mm and 13.1 ± 0.5 mm) at 500 and 1000 µg/mL concentrations of AgNPs, respectively. The anticancer effect of the AgNPs was confirmed by MTT assay using the U87-MG (human primary glioblastoma) cell line. The IC50 value was found to be 58.63 ± 5.74 μg/mL. The results showed that green synthesized AgNPs exhibited significant antimicrobial and anticancer potency. In addition, nitrophenols, which are regarded as priority pollutants by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), can also be catalytically reduced to less toxic aminophenols by utilizing synthesized AgNPs. As a model reaction, AgNPs are employed as a catalyst in the reduction of 4-nitrophenol to 4-aminophenol, which is an intermediate for numerous analgesics and antipyretic drugs. Thus, the study is expected to help immensely in the pharmaceutical industries in developing antimicrobial drugs and/or as an anticancer drug, as well as in the cosmetic and food industries.