Background Natural colorants from renewable biological resources are increasingly being explored as sustainable alternatives to synthetic textile dyes. In this study, the freshwater green algae Zygnema stellinum was investigated as a natural dye source for cotton, with emphasis on extraction, dyeing optimization, bio-mordanting, and fastness performance. Methods Colorants were extracted from dried algal powder using aqueous and alkaline media. Cotton dyeing conditions were optimized by varying alkali concentration, dyeing time, temperature, salt concentration, and dye liquor ratio. Bio-mordanting was performed using onion peel, turmeric, and neem bark in both pre- and post-mordanting approaches. Dyed samples were evaluated for color strength, fastness properties, and functional groups by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Results Alkaline extraction gave better color yield than aqueous extraction, with 4% sodium hydroxide producing the highest color strength. The optimum dyeing conditions were 30 min dyeing time, 50 °C dyeing temperature, 5% sodium chloride, and 45 mL dye-to-liquor ratio. Bio-mordanting improved color depth and generated a range of shades. In pre-mordanting, 4% onion peel and 3% turmeric or neem bark gave the best results, while in post-mordanting, 3% of each bio-mordant produced the highest color strength. Mordanted samples also showed good to excellent light, washing, and rubbing fastness. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy indicated the presence of phenolic constituents, which likely contributed to dye-fiber interaction. Conclusion Zygnema stellinum is a promising sustainable natural colorant for cotton dyeing, and bio-mordanting offers an eco-friendly route to improve shade development and fastness properties.

Background In the present scenario of the textile industry is contributing significant environmental pollution for the use of different types of synthetic dyes which are mainly toxic, non-biodegradable, and use a lot of resources. As a result, there is a growing demand of natural dyes which can be a sustainable alternative because it offers eco-friendly and health-conscious solutions for textile colorations.Method This research highlighted the use of binary natural dye paste extracted from red sandalwood (Pterocarpus santalinus) and chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla) for the screen printing of cotton fabric. The dye was extracted using microwave treatment and the process was optimized using statistical design through central composite design (CCD) under response surface methodology. The printing variables was the concentration of plant powder (1-6 g), amount of thickener (1-8 g), pH (7-12), and the irradiation time for microwave rays (1-4.2). The concentration of the both chemical (Al-3+, Cr-3+, tannic acid) and bio-mordants (pomegranate, myrobalan, red sumac) were 0.5-1.5%. The final printed fabrics were checked using different tests including color strength (K/S), colorfastness (ISO standards), antioxidant, and antibacterial properties.Results The optimization conditions were observed using 2.5 g each of red sandalwood and chamomile, 2.5 min microwave treatment, 4 g thickener, pH 9 with the high color strength (K/S) value of 4.71. Both mordanting conditions, including chemical and bio-mordant, showed good colorfastness properties where the bio mordants had the outstanding performance due to the avoiding of heavy metal pollution. The printed cotton fabric also showed strong antioxidant activity up to 89% and higher antibacterial efficacy against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli, particularly using microwave treatment.Conclusion As a result, the combination of binary plant extract can be effectively used as an alternative of synthetic dyes for the ecofriendly screen printing of cotton fabric. The combination of statistical analysis, microwave treatment for natural dye extraction and use of bio-mordants are the alternatives of sustainable solutions which will reduce the reliance on synthetic dyes.

This study reports the development of biologically and chemically synthesized zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) using a leaf extract of Conocarpus erectus and sodium hydroxide, respectively. The synthesized nanomaterials were characterized to determine their morphology, functional groups, and crystalline nature using SEM, FTIR, and XRD. The performance of ZnO-NPs was evaluated for the photocatalytic treatment of synthetic azo dye solutions and real textile wastewater. Furthermore, they were assessed for the mitigation of phytotoxicity in Vigna radiata. The results demonstrated that a lower catalyst dose of ZnO(B)-NPs showed higher efficiency for decolorizing Congo red as compared to ZnO(C)-NPs. However, dye concentration, light sources (sunlight and UV) and reducing agents had a significant effect on decolorization rates. In actual textile wastewater treatment, ZnO(B)-NPs reduced the pH, EC, TDS, sulfate, phosphate, color intensity, and COD more efficiently than ZnO(C)-NPs, showing enhanced remediation potential. Subsequently, phototoxicity studies revealed significant improvements in seed germination, growth parameters, photosynthetic content, and antioxidative enzymatic activity in Vigna radiata under wastewater stress. In contrast, ZnO(B)-NPs reduced the levels of oxidative stress indicators, such as hydrogen peroxide and malondialdehyde, and increased the activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase, and peroxidase. Multivariate analyses further confirmed the consistent and better performance of ZnO(B)-NPs in wastewater remediation and plant stress alleviation response metrics. Overall, this study suggests that Conocarpus derived ZnO-NPs represent green and sustainable high-performance materials to mitigate textile effluent toxicity and improve crop performance under stress conditions.

Background: Natural colorants from renewable biological resources are increasingly being explored as sustainable alternatives to synthetic textile dyes. In this study, the freshwater green algae Zygnema stellinum was investigated as a natural dye source for cotton, with emphasis on extraction, dyeing optimization, bio-mordanting, and fastness performance. Methods: Colorants were extracted from dried algal powder using aqueous and alkaline media. Cotton dyeing conditions were optimized by varying alkali concentration, dyeing time, temperature, salt concentration, and dye liquor ratio. Bio-mordanting was performed using onion peel, turmeric, and neem bark in both pre- and post-mordanting approaches. Dyed samples were evaluated for color strength, fastness properties, and functional groups by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Results: Alkaline extraction gave better color yield than aqueous extraction, with 4% sodium hydroxide producing the highest color strength. The optimum dyeing conditions were 30 min dyeing time, 50 degrees C dyeing temperature, 5% sodium chloride, and 45 mL dye-to-liquor ratio. Bio-mordanting improved color depth and generated a range of shades. In pre-mordanting, 4% onion peel and 3% turmeric or neem bark gave the best results, while in post-mordanting, 3% of each bio-mordant produced the highest color strength. Mordanted samples also showed good to excellent light, washing, and rubbing fastness. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy indicated the presence of phenolic constituents, which likely contributed to dye-fiber interaction. Conclusion: Zygnema stellinum is a promising sustainable natural colorant for cotton dyeing, and bio-mordanting offers an eco-friendly route to improve shade development and fastness properties.

Background Natural dyes are gaining popularity due to their environmental and health benefits over synthetic products, which are facing regulations due to hazardous effects, promoting the use of plants as eco-friendly alternatives.Objective This study was aimed at exploring binary colorant from berry (Zizyphus jujube) and henna (Lawsonia inermis) leaves extracts for colorfast artificial intelligence optimized dyeing of microwave (MW) treated unmordanted and mordanted cotton fabrics.Methods The binary plant extract and cotton fabrics were exposed to microwave (MW) treatment for 1-9 min using the dyeing and radiation conditions. The colorfast dyeing was assisted via central composite design, pre-, and post-mordanting techniquesResults Sustainable chemical- and bio-mordant (0.5-2.5 g/100 mL) incorporated new shades with excellent fastness properties onto the dyed cotton fabrics. It has been concluded that 7 min MW-rays treated cotton fabric using acidic binary dye extract of pH 5.5 having 1.5 g/100 mL salt at 50 degrees C gave colorant yield of 85.42% higher than that of untreated dyed cotton fabric counterpart. The shades made before and after mordanting developed new colorfast garments.Conclusion The study revealed microwave treatment as an environmentally friendly surface treatment method with excellent potential for textile modification and surface response methodology as an artificial intelligence technique for optimizing dyeing process.

Maize (Zea mays L.), an important crop used for animal feed and human consumption, is currently threatened by water shortage. Recently, the usage of nanomaterials has attracted worldwide attention due to their applications in various fields. This research aimed to evaluate the comparative efficacy of different metal oxide nanoparticles for mitigating drought stress in maize. Iron oxide, manganese oxide, and copper nanoparticles were biosynthesized from the leaf extract of Conocarpus erectus L. and characterized via UV-Vis, XRD, FTIR, and SEM. The synthesized nanomaterials were initially optimized at different concentrations (0, 25, 50, 75, and 100 ppm). The optimized doses of each nanoparticle were then applied to maize plants under different drought stress levels (50% FC, 75% FC, and 100% FC). Compared to the control, the application of nanomaterials significantly improved the growth parameters of the maize by 30% at 50% FC, 27% at 75% FC, and 26% at 100% FC. The chlorophyll content also improved significantly at different levels of drought stress by 35%, 32%, and 29% as compared to the control, respectively. The antioxidants (CAT, POD, SOD, and APX) also improved significantly at different levels of drought by 37%, 34%, and 31%, as compared to control, respectively. Moreover, the use of nanoparticles resulted in a significant decrease in cellular oxidative stress (MDA, H2O2) parameters by 23% at 50%FC, 26% at 75% FC, and 27% at 100% FC. Biosynthesized FeO NPs, MnO NPs, and Cu NPs have demonstrated significant potential in mitigating drought stress in maize, suggesting a promising approach to enhance crop performance under water-limited conditions. Further research is recommended to explore the long-term impacts and practical applications of these findings in sustainable agriculture.

The research highlights the extracting of natural dyes from the amaltas brown pods of Cassia fistula and their application on the coloration of leather. Herein, a series of experiments was conducted to optimize the dyeing parameters, and it was found that the maximum color yield was achieved using the conditions of 3.5 pH, 0.5 g/100 mL salt concentration, 40 min dyeing time with a temperature of 50 degrees C. It was also observed that the using bio-mordant provided the more sustainable shades when 0.5 % madder was used. On the other hand, the 0.5 % of Fe as a chemical mordants also shown higher color strength for the dyed leather sample. As a result, postmordanting with 0.5 % madder (bio-mordant) and 0.5 % Fe (chemical mordant) gave excellent colorfastness ratings (washing 5, light fastness 5). The characterizations using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy also revealed that there were no alternations of chemical structure when the microwave radiation was applied before dyeing. The main color components found in the amaltas brown pods was anthraquinone, which was responsible for producing color shades during the leather dyeing using Cassia fistula extraction. Therefore, this research provides the alternative of synthetic dyes for the coloration of leather which can one of the environmentally friendly sustainable approaches in the leather industry.

Tissue-specific gene regulation in mammals involves the coordinated binding of multiple transcription factors (TFs). Using the forebrain as a model, we investigated the syntax of TF occupancy to determine tissue-specific enhancer regions. We analyzed forebrain-exclusive enhancers from the VISTA Enhancer Browser and a curated set of 23 TFs relevant to forebrain development and disease. Our findings revealed multiple distinct patterns of combinatorial TF binding, with the HES5-FOXP2-GATA3 triad being the most frequent in forebrain-specific enhancers. This syntactic structure was detected in 2614 enhancers from a genome-wide catalog of 25,000 predicted human forebrain enhancers. Notably, this catalog represents a computationally predicted dataset, distinct from the in vivo validated set of enhancers obtained from the VISTA Enhancer Browser. The shortlisted 2614 enhancers were further analyzed using genome-wide epigenetic data and evaluated for evolutionary conservation and disease relevance. Our findings highlight the value of these 2614 enhancers in forebrain-specific gene regulation and provide a framework for discovering tissue-specific enhancers, enhancing the understanding of enhancer function.

The contamination of water resources by tannery wastewater containing Cr(III) presents significant public health risks due to its carcinogenic nature. Addressing this critical issue, the purpose of this research is to develop and evaluate novel alkylammonium-modified bentonite adsorbents for the efficient removal of Cr(III) from tannery wastewater. Batch experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of Cr concentration (0.02-0.2 mg/L), adsorbent dose (0.25-2.5 g/L), pH (2.0-8.0), and temperature (293-313 K) on adsorption performance. The alkylammonium modifications enhanced the surface area and ion-exchange capacity of bentonite by 40% and 50%, respectively. Optimal conditions for Cr adsorption were identified as 313 K, 1 g/L adsorbent dosage, pH 2.0, 30 min of reaction time, and 150 rpm of agitation speed. The Langmuir isotherm model (R2 = 0.998 for trimethylammonium bentonite [TMB], 0.994 for triethylammonium bentonite [TEB]) confirmed monolayer adsorption, while negative Gibbs free energy values demonstrated the spontaneous nature of the process. Enthalpy changes (ΔH°) of 21.1 kJ/mol (natural Navbahor bentonite [NNB]), 26.7 kJ/mol (TMB), and 28.4 kJ/mol (TEB) indicated endothermic reactions. This work highlights the novelty of alkylammonium-modified bentonite as a cost-effective and scalable solution for reducing Cr(III) in wastewater, providing a promising pathway for sustainable water resource management. PRACTITIONER POINTS: Optimum conditions: 313 K, 1 g/L of dose, pH 2.0, 30 min of reaction, and 150 rpm of speed. Alkylammonium-modified bentonites remove 95% of Cr ions at pH 2.0 and 80% at pH 7.0. The adsorption capacity of modified bentonites is 19, 21, and 22 mg/g for NNB, TMB, and TEB. The modified bentonites retained 55% of their adsorption capacity after five regeneration cycles.

TRPS1 serves as the causative gene for tricho-rhino phalangeal syndrome, known for its craniofacial and skeletal abnormalities. The Trps1 gene encodes a protein that represses Wnt signaling through strong interactions with Wnt signaling inhibitors. The identification of genomic cis-acting regulatory sequences governing Trps1 expression is crucial for understanding its role in embryogenesis. Nevertheless, to date, no investigations have been conducted concerning these aspects of Trps1. To identify deeply conserved noncoding elements (CNEs) within the Trps1 locus, we employed a comparative genomics approach, utilizing slowly evolving fish such as coelacanth and spotted gar. These analyses resulted in the identification of eight CNEs in the intronic region of the Trps1 gene. Functional characterization of these CNEs in zebrafish revealed their regulatory potential in various tissues, including pectoral fins, heart, and pharyngeal arches. RNA in-situ hybridization experiments revealed concordance between the reporter expression pattern induced by the identified set of CNEs and the spatial expression pattern of the trps1 gene in zebrafish. Comparative in vivo data from zebrafish and mice for CNE7/hs919 revealed conserved functions of these enhancers. Each of these eight CNEs was further investigated in cell line-based reporter assays, revealing their repressive potential. Taken together, in vivo and in vitro assays suggest a context-dependent dual functionality for the identified set of Trps1-associated CNE enhancers. This functionally characterized set of CNE-enhancers will contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of the developmental roles of Trps1 and can aid in the identification of noncoding DNA variants associated with human diseases.

Natural dyes are chromophores obtained through extraction or isolation from various sources, including plants, invertebrates, and minerals. The prevailing composition of natural dyes consists of vegetable dyes derived from plant origins, Comprising roots, berries, bark, leaves, and wood, as well as other biotic sources, such as fungi. [1]. Natural dyes are derived from naturally occurring sources such as plants, animals, etc. Sources of natural dyes are given below in Figure. 1

Abstract Green products such as plant tints are becoming more and more well-known worldwide due to their superior biological and ayurvedic properties. In this work, colorant from Amba Haldi (Curcuma aromatica) was isolated using microwave (MW), and bio-mordants were added to produce colorfast shades. Response surface methodology was used to develop a central composite design (CCD), which maximizes coloring variables statistically. The findings from 32 series of experiments show that excellent color depth (K/S = 12.595) was established onto MW-treated silk fabric (RS = 4 min) by employing 65 mL of radiated aqueous extract (RE = 4 min) of 5 pH cutting-edge the existence of 1.5 g/100 mL used sodium chloride at 75 °C for 45 min. It was discovered that acacia (keekar) extract (1%), pomegranate extract (2%), and pistachio extract (1.5%) were present before coloring by the use of bio-mordants. On the other hand, upon dyeing, acacia extract (1.5%), pomegranate extract (1.5%), and pistachio extract (2%) have all shown extremely strong colorfast colors. Comparatively, before dyeing, salts of Al3+ (1.5%), Fe2+ (2%), and TA (1.5%) gave good results; after dyeing, salts of Al3+ (1%) and Fe2+ (1.5%) and TA (2%) gave good results. When applied to silk fabric, MW radiation has increased the production of dyes recovered from rhizomes. Additionally, the right amount of chemical and biological mordants have been added, resulting in color fastness ratings ranging from outstanding to good. Therefore, the natural color extracted from Amba Haldi can be a sustainable option for the dyeing of silk fabric in the textile dyeing and finishing industries.

The current study proceeded to reduce the environmental hazards spreading worldwide due to synthetic dyes. To overcome these problems, eco-friendly natural dyes are introduced as alternative sources of synthetic dyes. The present study was focused on exploring the bio-colorant of the aqueous and acidic extract of the bark of Melia azedarach L. for the dyeing of both silk and cotton samples. The results of the extraction medium specified that the aqueous extract gave maximum colorant solubility and upon fabric dyeing produced higher color strength in contrast to the acidic medium. The optimization experimentation data showed that excellent color strength of silk fabric was found at 45 min dyeing time duration, in 35:1 mL dye extract, and using 2% salt (NaCl) as an exhausting agent, whereas cotton fabric showed the maximum K/S value at 60 min dyeing time, in a 45:1 mL liquor ratio, and with the use of 2% salt. Bio-mordants produce different shades on both fabrics. Bio-mordanting experiments on silk revealed that pre-mordanting with 2% turmeric and 3% pomegranate, and post-mordanting using 3% turmeric and 2% pomegranate produced a darker shade. In the case of cotton, the pre-mordanted samples with 2% turmeric and 3% pomegranate and the post-mordanted samples with 4% turmeric and 4% pomegranate gave the highest color strengths. All the mordanted samples gave excellent fastness ratings. Overall, it has been found that Bakain bark proved to be an excellent source of tannin. The result of this study showed that it could be a cost-effective and eco-friendly dye source for textile progress.

Enhancers are non-coding cis-regulatory elements crucial for transcriptional regulation. Mutations in enhancers can disrupt gene regulation, leading to disease phenotypes. Identifying enhancers and their tissue-specific activity is challenging due to their lack of stereotyped sequences. This study presents a sequence-based computational model that uses combinatorial transcription factor (TF) genomic occupancy to predict tissue-specific enhancers. Trained on diverse datasets, including ENCODE and Vista enhancer browser data, the model predicted 25 000 forebrain-specific cis-regulatory modules (CRMs) in the human genome. Validation using biochemical features, disease-associated SNPs, and in vivo zebrafish analysis confirmed its effectiveness. This model aids in predicting enhancers lacking well-characterized chromatin features, complementing experimental approaches in tissue-specific enhancer discovery.

Cotton Leaf Curl Virus (CLCuV) is a significant threat to cotton production, as it causes Cotton Leaf Curl Disease (CLCuD). Whitefly serves as a vector for the transmission of this virus. It can be controlled by developing barriers against whitefly infestation. The leaf epicuticle wax acts as a protective barrier against whitefly attacks. Research into wax biosynthesis and the fatty acid elongation pathway has highlighted the role of the 3-ketoacyl-CoA synthase (KCS) gene family in producing very-long-chain fatty acids (VLCFAs) in plants. The 3-ketoacyl-CoA synthase 6 (GaKCS6) gene, isolated from the CLCuV-resistant FDH-170 variety of Gossypium arboreum, was cloned under the control of the CaMV35S constitutive promoter and transformed into the CLCuV-susceptible Gossypium hirsutum variety CKC-3 resulting in significantly higher leaf epicuticle wax deposition. Overexpression of GaKCS6 in the transgenic cotton plants was confirmed through quantitative real-time PCR. The transgenic plants not only exhibited average growth but also showed improvements in agronomic traits. Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) analysis further validated the enhanced leaf epicuticle wax deposition in transgenic plants compared to non-transgenic (control). A free-choice bioassay against whiteflies demonstrated that the transgenic plants remained free of viral infection, as confirmed by real-time PCR. These findings indicate that increased leaf epicuticle wax deposition in transgenic cotton effectively prevents whitefly attacks and the transmission of CLCuV. It suggests that the GaKCS6 gene plays a crucial role in producing leaf epicuticle wax through the VLCFAs biosynthesis pathway.

Due to the green revolution, the demand for natural plant-based cosmetics has increased in recent decades. Plants represent a rich and sustainable source of bioactive compounds that showed a wide range of therapeutic properties. Recently, natural colorants have gained attention in the cosmetic industry due to the increasing awareness among modern consumers about the toxicity of synthetic chemicals in cosmetics. Natural colorants can be employed in personal care products due to their therapeutic properties such as antioxidant, sunscreening, noncytotoxicity, antiaging, antityrosinase activities, etc. This chapter aims to explore the application of eco-friendly, biodegradable, therapeutic, and nontoxic plant-based colorants for the formulation of sustainable cosmetics. Hair coloring formulations based on natural extracts have been developed for dyeing gray hair. Due to their antimicrobial and inflammatory properties, natural colorants have been employed for skin-cleansing cosmetics as well. Skin is a biopolymer that can develop pigmentation and wrinkles on exposure to exogenous free radicals and UV radiations. Natural colorants can reduce skin aging and pigmentation owing to their strong antioxidant and antiaging potential and ability to absorb ultraviolet radiation. The antityrosinase activity of natural colorants can be employed for the formulation of skin-brightening cosmetics. A variety of colorants extracted from various plant parts have been used in the development of coloring cosmetics such as lipsticks. Plant-based colorants have great potential to be utilized in the cosmetic industry due to their wide range of therapeutic properties.

In the industrial sector, vegetable residual materials have received attention in the production of bio-colorant for textile dyeing. The current research endeavor is centered on investigating the possibility of using sugar beet leaves as a natural source of dye for the purpose of dyeing cotton fabrics. Different extraction methods were utilized to isolate the bio-colorant present in sugar beet residual material, and the most favorable colorant yield was obtained using a 5% methanolic KOH solution. For optimal dyeing results, the cotton fabric performed dyeing for a duration of 45 min at a temperature of 60 °C, using a salt solution concentration of 6 g/100 mL and 50 mL of the extracted dye solution. Characterization of dye using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis confirmed the presence of quercetin in the leaf extract. For the creation of a range of color variations, mordants that were chemical in nature, such as tannic acid, iron sulfate, potassium dichromate, and copper sulfate, as well as mordants that were bio-based, such as onion peel, pomegranate peel, henna, golden shower bark, and turmeric, were employed in harmony. In comparison, the utilization of bio-mordants resulted in darker shades that exhibited enhanced color intensity and superior color fastness properties with the value of 4–5 for wash, 4 for wet rubbing, 4–5 for dry rubbing, and 4–5 for light. The findings of this study hold significant value in terms of ecofriendly waste management and contribute to advancements in the industrial sector by utilizing waste residual materials as a natural source of colorants.

In the industrial sector, vegetable residual materials have received attention in the production of bio-colorant for textile dyeing. The current research endeavor is centered on investigating the possibility of using sugar beet leaves as a natural source of dye for the purpose of dyeing cotton fabrics. Different extraction methods were utilized to isolate the bio-colorant present in sugar beet residual material, and the most favorable colorant yield was obtained using a 5% methanolic KOH solution. For optimal dyeing results, the cotton fabric performed dyeing for a duration of 45 min at a temperature of 60 °C, using a salt solution concentration of 6 g/100 mL and 50 mL of the extracted dye solution. Characterization of dye using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis confirmed the presence of quercetin in the leaf extract. For the creation of a range of color variations, mordants that were chemical in nature, such as tannic acid, iron sulfate, potassium dichromate, and copper sulfate, as well as mordants that were bio-based, such as onion peel, pomegranate peel, henna, golden shower bark, and turmeric, were employed in harmony. In comparison, the utilization of bio-mordants resulted in darker shades that exhibited enhanced color intensity and superior color fastness properties with the value of 4–5 for wash, 4 for wet rubbing, 4–5 for dry rubbing, and 4–5 for light. The findings of this study hold significant value in terms of ecofriendly waste management and contribute to advancements in the industrial sector by utilizing waste residual materials as a natural source of colorants. Keywords Sugar beet leaves , natural dye , cotton fabric , bio-mordants , chemical mordant