For a significant period, conventional breeding and genetic modification were the key techniques that were effective in managing biotic and abiotic stresses in crops and adding desirable traits. However, the recent appearance of novel diseases and unexpected climatic changes that have substantial implications for agriculture worldwide have urged scientists to look for alternative methods to quickly manage seasonal crises. The primary emphasis of this chapter is on the obstacles and diverse biotechnological methods employed to enhance crop resilience against a range of biotic and abiotic stressors in plants. Furthermore, we consider gene transformation, omics techniques, genome editing, and other sophisticated biotechnological tools that utilize transcriptomic, proteomic, metabolomic, phenomics, RNA interference, and epigenome modifications for enhancing plant resilience. Lastly, we examine the potential of merging these eco-friendly and innovative methods with conventional breeding to promote modern agriculture and aid in enhancing tolerance to different biotic, abiotic stresses and growth promotion.

The renin-angiotensin system (RAS) plays a role in cardiovascular homeostasis and hydro-electrolyte balance influencing organ function throughout the body. The classical view of RAS focused on a single biologically active metabolite, the octapeptide angiotensin (Ang)ll, created by the Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE). The past two decades have revealed new functions for intermediate products of the RAS beyond their role as substrates. Angiotensin 1-7 (Ang-(1—7), a RAS peptide product with actions at the Mas receptor, reportedly prevents cardiovascular disease-induced cognitive decline and cancer-induced bone pain (CIBP). However, Ang-(1—7) has a short half-life in vivo; here, we hypothesized that activating the MasR1 with a lactoside Ang-(1—7) analogue- PNA6-would attenuate inflammatory, cancer pain confined to the long bones, and chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) for a longer-lasting efficacious therapeutic effect. PNA6, Asp-Arg-Val-Tyr-Ile-His-Ser-(O-β-Lact)-amide, was successfully synthesized on solid phase peptide synthesis (SPPS). PNA6 significantly reversed inflammatory pain induced by 2% carrageenan in mice. In a second study modeling a complex pain state, E0771 breast adenocarcinoma cells were implanted into the femur of female C57BLK/6J wild-type mice to induce cancer-induced bone pain (CIBP). Both acute and chronic dosing of PNA6 significantly reduced the spontaneous pain behaviors associated with CIBP. A third murine model of platinum drug-induced painful peripheral neuropathy was established using oxaliplatin. Mice in the oxaliplatin-vehicle treatment groups demonstrated significant mechanical allodynia compared to oxaliplatin- PNA6 treatment group mice. These data suggest that PNA6 is a viable lead candidate for treating chronic inflammatory and complex neuropathic pain.

In this study, we investigated, for the first time, the effects of the spatially varying effective mass, asymmetry parameter, and well width on the electronic and optical properties of the quantum well which has an improved Rosen-Morse potential. Calculations are made within the framework of the effective mass and parabolic band approximations. We have used the diagonalization method by choosing a wave function based on the trigonometric orthonormal functions to find eigenvalues and eigenfunctions of the electron confined within the improved Rosen-Morse potential. Our results show that the position-dependence mass, asymmetry, and confinement parameters cause significant changes in the electronic and optical properties of the structure we focus on since these effects create a significant increase in electron energies and a blue shift in the absorption spectrum. The increase in energy levels enables the development of optoelectronic devices that can operate at wider wavelengths and absorb higher energy photons. This offers potential advancements in fields such as optical communication, imaging technology, and solar cells.

Porphyrinic photosensitizers (PSs) and their nano-sized polymer-based carrier systems are required to exhibit low dark toxicity, avoid side effects, and ensure high in vivo tolerability. Yet, little is known about the intracellular fate of PSs during the dark incubation period and how it is af-fected by nanoparticles. In a systematic study, high resolution magic angle spinning NMR spectroscopy combined with statistical analyses was used to study the metabolic profile of cultured HeLa cells treated with different concentrations of the PS chlorin e4 (Ce4) alone or encapsulated in carrier systems. For the latter, either polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) or the micelle forming polyethylene glycol (PEG)-polypropylene glycol triblock copolymer Kolliphor P188 (KP) were used. Diffusion edited spectra indicated Ce4 membrane localization evidenced by Ce4 concentration dependent chemical shift perturbation of the cellular phospholipid choline resonance. The effect was also visible in the presence of KP and PVP, but less pronounced. The appearance of the PEG resonance in the cell spectra pointed towards cell internalization of KP whereas no conclusion could be drawn for PVP that remained NMR-invisible. Multivariate statistical analyses of the cell spectra (PCA, PLS-DA and oPLS) revealed a concentration-dependent metabolic response upon exposure to Ce4 that was attenuated by KP and even more by PVP. Significant Ce4-concentration dependent alterations were mainly found for metabolites involved in the tricarboxylic acid cycle and the phosphatidylcholine metabolism. The data underline an important protective role of the polymeric carriers following cell internalization. Moreover, the current study allowed - to our knowledge for the first time - to trace the intracellular PS localization on an atomic level by NMR methods.

Functional osseoconductive coatings based on hydroxylapatite (HAp) and applied preferentially by atmospheric plasma spraying to medical implant surfaces are a mainstay of modern implantology. During contact with the hot plasma jet, HAp particles melt incongruently and undergo complex dehydration and decomposition reactions that alter their phase composition and crystallographic symmetry, and thus, the physical and biological properties of the coatings. Surface analytical methods such as laser-Raman and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopies are useful tools to assess the structural changes of HAp imposed by heat treatment during their flight along the hot plasma jet. In this contribution, the controversial information on the existence or non-existence of oxyapatite, i.e. fully dehydrated HAp as a thermodynamically stable compound is highlighted.

Lithium titanates are used in various applications, such as anode materials for lithium intercalation (Li4Ti5O12) or breeding materials in fusion reactors (Li2TiO3). Here, we report the formation of nano-crystalline lithium titanates by a mechanochemical approach and present a deeper insight into their structural characteristics by PXRD and solid-state NMR spectroscopy. The compounds were synthesized in a high energy planetary ball mill with varying milling parameters and different grinding tools. NaCl type Li2TiO3 (α-Li2TiO3) was formed by dry milling of lithium hydroxide with titania (rutile or anatase) and by a milling induced structure transformation of monoclinic β Li2TiO3 or spinel type Li4Ti5O12. Heating of mechanochemical prepared α Li2TiO3 induces a phase transformation to the monoclinic phase similar to hydrothermal reaction products, but a higher thermal stability was observed for the mechanochemical formed product. Microstructure and crystallographic structure were characterized by PXRD via Rietveld analysis. Detailed phase analysis shows the formation of the cubic phase from the various educts. A set of two lattice parameters for α Li2TiO3 was refined, depending on the presence of OH- during the milling process. An average crystallite size of less than 15 nm was observed for the mechanochemical generated products. The local Li environment detected by 6Li SPE MAS NMR revealed Li defects in the form of tetrahedral instead of octahedral site occupation. Subsequent adjustment of the structural model for Rietveld refinement leads to better fits, supporting this interpretation.

Cornelian cherry (Cornus mas L.) fruits, abundant in iridoids and anthocyanins, are natural products with proven beneficial impact on the functions of the cardiovascular system and the liver. The aim of this study is to stipulate and compare whether and to what extent two different doses of resin-purified cornelian cherry extract (10 mg/kg b.w. or 50 mg/kg b.w.) applied in a cholesterol-rich diet rabbit model affect the levels of ATP-binding cassette transporter A1, ATP-binding cassette transporter G1, CCAAT/enhancer binding protein α, sterol regulatory ele-ment-binding protein 1c, fatty acid synthase, endothelial lipase, carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1A, and adiponectin receptor 2 in liver tissue; lipoprotein lipase, visceral adipose tissue-derived serine protease inhibitor, and retinol-binding protein 4 in visceral adipose tissue; resistive index of com-mon carotid arteries and aortas, and histopathological changes in CCAs. Obtained outcomes are referred to the results of our previous works. Moreover, our study, to our knowledge, test the in-fluence of Cornus derivative on CPT1A, AdipoR2, RBP4, LIPG, and vaspin for the first time, with a relevant outcome for the first three. Oral administration of the cornelian cherry extract decreased the SREBP-1c and C/EBPα in both doses. The dose of 10 mg/kg b.w. increased ABCA1 and de-creased FAS, CPT1A, and RBP4, and the dose of 50 mg/kg b.w. enhanced ABCG1 and AdipoR2. Mitigation in atheromatous changes in rabbits’ CCAs was also observed. The beneficial results confirm that cornelian cherry fruit extract may constitute a potentially effective product in the prevention and treatment of obesity-related disorders.

Manufacturing systems need to meet I4.0 guidelines to deal with uncertainty in scenarios of turbulent demand for products. The engineering concepts to define the service’s resources to manufacture the products will be more flexible, ensuring the possibility of re-planning in operation. These can follow the engineering paradigm based on capabilities. The virtualization of industry components and assets achieves the RAMI 4.0 guidelines and (I4.0C), which describes the Asset Administration Shell (AAS). However, AAS are passive components that provide information about I4.0 assets. The proposal of specific paradigms is exposed for managing these components, as is the case of multi-agent systems (MAS) that attribute intelligence to objects. The implementation of resource coalitions with evolutionary architectures (EAS) applies cooperation and capabilities’ association. Therefore, this work focuses on designing a method for modeling the asset administration shell (AAS) as virtual elements orchestrating intelligent agents (MAS) that attribute cooperation and negotiation through contracts to coalitions based on the engineering capabilities concept. The systematic method suggested in this work is partitioned for the composition of objects, AAS elements, and activities that guarantee the relationship between entities. Finally, Production Flow Schema (PFS) refinements are applied to generate the final Petri net models (PN) and validate them with Snoopy simulations. The results achieved demonstrate the validation of the procedure, eliminating interlocking and enabling liveliness to integrate elements behavior.

The article describes the rational for inhibition of the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) pathways as specific targets in patients infected by SARS-CoV-2 in order to prevent the establishment of positive feedback loops triggered by COVID-19 in some predisposed subjects. Making use of a large quantity of published reports in which human/rodent ACE2 pathway inhibitors were administered in vivo, it is hypothesized a possible therapeutic pharmacological intervention through an inhibition strategy of the zinc metalloprotease ACE2 and its downstream pathway for SARS-CoV-2 patients. Of even more interest, metal (zinc) chelators and renin inhibitors (both FDA approved drugs) may also work alone or in combination in inhibiting the positive feedback loops, initially triggered by COVID-19 and subsequently sustained by hypoxia independently on viral trigger, when both arms of renin-angiotensin system (ACE2 and ACE) are upregulated, leading to critical, advanced and untreatable stages of the disease.