Net photosynthesis, intrinsic water-use efficiency (WUE), leaf δ¹³C, and non-structural carbohydrate (NSC) pools were quantified in 288 individual trees representing four deciduous host species across a natural Viscum album load gradient at three elevational sites during pre-drought, peakdrought, and early-recovery phases. Intrinsic WUE increased with increasing mistletoe load in all seasons (Pearson r=0.23-0.40, n=288 per season, all P<0.001), with the strongest association observed during peak drought (r=0.40). High-load trees showed approximately 27% higher mean intrinsic WUE than uninfected trees at peak drought. Total NSC declined with load during drought (r=-0.73), driven mainly by starch depletion; soluble sugars remained relatively stable. Load was also associated with lower net photosynthesis (r=-0.39 at peak drought). Cluster-robust linear models confirmed significant load and season effects, and load × season interactions for WUE and NSC. The WUE load slope differed among hosts (load × host, P=0.008); for δ¹³C and NSC, the interaction was not significant when seasons were pooled (P=0.17 and 0.76). Within each season, higher V. album loads were associated with lessnegative leaf δ¹³C. Overall, higher mistletoe loads were associated with a higher WUE operating point and progressive starch depletion amplified during seasonal drought.
This study tests the hypothesis that the endothelial nitric oxide synthase (NOS3) intron 4 VNTR polymorphism is a significant genetic determinant of essential hypertension susceptibility within the Algerian population. A case-control study involving 221 participants (93 hypertensive patients and 128 controls) was conducted using PCR-based genotyping and multivariable logistic regression with stringent Bonferroni correction. Results revealed a significant association between the 4a allele and increased hypertension risk. This association was particularly robust in the female subgroup, where 4a carriers exhibited a 3.7-fold increased risk (OR=3.74, 95% CI: 1.88-7.70, P <0.0001). After adjusting for age and body mass index, both dominant and additive genetic models remained highly significant in women, even after applying the Bonferroni correction (P <0.001). Furthermore, integrating the NOS3 genotype with conventional risk factors improved predictive performance in the female cohort, increasing the area under the curve from 0.61 to 0.73 (DeLong’s P=0.0074), with 82.8% specificity. No significant association was observed in males, likely due to limited statistical power. These findings suggest that the NOS3 intron 4 VNTR polymorphism is independently associated with susceptibility to essential hypertension in Algerian women. However, further validation in larger, independent cohorts is required.
Titanium dioxide ( \mathrm{TiO_2} ) is one of the most widely used food additives (E171) in the food industry. This study investigated the protective effect of Cinnamomum cassia powder against food-grade \mathrm{TiO_2} (E171)-induced reproductive toxicity in male rats. Forty rats were divided into four groups and treated orally with titanium dioxide and/or a cinnamonsupplemented diet ( \mathrm{TiO_2} + Cin) for 30 days. The control group (C) received mineral water by oral gavage. The cinnamon group (Cin) received mineral water and a diet supplemented with 5% cinnamon powder. The TiO2 group received a subtoxic dose of \mathrm{TiO_2} (200 mg/kg /bw). Similarly, the \mathrm{TiO_2} -Cin group received the same subtoxic dose of \mathrm{TiO_2} , whereas the \mathrm{TiO_2} -Cin group received the same \mathrm{TiO_2} dose in combination with the 5% cinnamon-supplemented diet. At the end of the experimental period, sperm parameters, testicular histology, and oxidative stress biomarkers, including glutathione (GSH), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and malondialdehyde (MDA), were evaluated. The results revealed that exposure to the commercial \mathrm{TiO_2} food additive (E171) caused significant alterations in testicular weight, sperm concentration, motility, round cell count, velocity, oxidative stress markers, and testicular histological architecture compared with the control group. Dietary co-administration of Cinnamomum cassia significantly ameliorated these alterations, improving reproductive parameters and promoting the histological recovery of testicular tissue. Overall, C. cassia supplementation effectively attenuated most of the reproductive and oxidative damage induced by exposure to the commercial titanium dioxide food additive (E171) in male rats.
Aflatoxins, primarily produced by fungi belonging to Aspergillus section Flavi, are a major concern for food and feed safety. This study evaluated the seaweed Cystoseira compressa and its biosynthesized zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs) as green agents to inhibit fungal growth and reduce aflatoxin B1 contamination in animal feed. Aspergillus section Flavi isolates were obtained from maize grains and identified by ITS sequencing. The seaweed extract was chemically characterized by HPLC, while the ZnO-NPs were confirmed and analyzed using UV-Vis spectroscopy, FTIR, EDX, DLS, zeta potential, XRD, and SEM. HPLC-FLD analysis revealed significant variability in aflatoxin B1 concentration, ranging from 96.67 to 5501.4 μg/kg. ZnO-NPs displayed stronger antifungal activity than the seaweed extract, inhibiting mycelial growth by up to 75.33%. They also significantly reduced aflatoxin B1 production both in vitro and in situ. In addition, ZnO-NPs caused a concentration-dependent reduction in ergosterol content, reaching 66.4% at 5 mg/mL, suggesting disruption of fungal membrane integrity. These findings highlight the potential of seaweed-mediated ZnO-NPs as an environmentally friendly alternative to conventional antifungal agents for controlling A. flavus growth and reducing aflatoxin contamination in feed.
Rosmarinus officinalis ethanol extract (REE) was evaluated for its potential anti-acne activity by assessing its antioxidant, anti-sebogenic, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial properties. Phytochemical characterization showed that REE contained 144.66 ± 2.43 mg GAE/g REE of total phenolic content and 25.55 ± 0.42 mg/g REE of rosmarinic acid. REE exhibited potent DPPH radical-scavenging activity (IC₅₀=62.96 μg/mL) and markedly reduced intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) in HaCaT keratinocytes. In SEB-1 sebocytes, REE inhibited linoleic acid-induced sebum synthesis by up to 81.02% without inducing cytotoxicity, as confirmed by Oil Red O and Nile Red staining. Furthermore, REE significantly attenuated Cutibacterium acnes lysate-induced inflammatory responses in HaCaT cells by reducing the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines interleukin-8 (IL-8) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α). REE also demonstrated dosedependent antibacterial activity against C. acnes, as evidenced by progressively increased inhibition zone diameters with higher extract concentrations. Western blot analysis revealed that REE downregulated peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPAR-γ) and sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1 (SREBP-1), key transcriptional regulators of lipid biosynthesis. Collectively, these findings suggest that REE may alleviate acne-related pathological processes by reducing sebocyte lipid accumulation through the downregulation of PPAR-γ and SREBP-1 expression, while also exerting antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial effects.
