Thin Cell Layer Research Articles

Multipurpose Impacts of Silver Nitrate on Direct Organogenesis of Begonia rex cv. DS-EYWA via Transverse Thin Cell Layering (tTCL) Technique

Begonia rex cv. DS-EYWA is an important plant for indoor and outdoor cultivation, and cv. DS-EYWA is a rare unique cultivar with curly, colorful leaves. Due to their importance, applying plant tissue culture techniques for mass and healthy production in a short period of time without seasonal limitation is of immense economic value. Applying several concentrations of silver nitrate (AgNO3) in combination with varied concentrations of cytokinins including 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP), thidiazuron (TDZ) (0, 0.5, 1, 1.5 mgL−1), and 1-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) auxin (0, 0.5, 1 mgL−1) via focusing on transverse thin cell layer (tTCL) petiole explants for high-scale production was used to establish an efficient in vitro propagation protocol. Our results showed that even low concentrations (25 mgL−1) can control internal bacterial infection and increase shoot direct regeneration efficiency. A combination of 1.5 mgL−1 BAP, 0.5 mgL−1 NAA, and 25 mgL−1 AgNO3 was the best treatment to increase the number of direct regenerated shoots, and a lower concentration of BAP (0.5 mgL−1) can be suggested for shoot elongation. Elongated shoots were successfully rooted in MS basal medium and acclimatized in a 1:1 peat moss/perlite sterilized pot mixture.

Attenuation of testosterone-induced benign prostatic hyperplasia with Andrographis paniculata (burm.f.) leaf extract in Wistar rats

Andrographis paniculata (Burm.f.) Nees has been used traditionally in treating many diseases. This study investigated its potential to attenuate benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) in male rats. Rats were castrated, divided into five groups and orally treated for 14 days with: normal saline,10 mg/kg testosterone propionate sc, finasteride (0.5 mg/kg), 500 mg, and 1500 mg/kg of Andrographis paniculata. Relative prostate weights, the correlation between prostatic index and volume and the prostates’ histopathology as well as Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) were evaluated. Following treatment with Andrographis paniculata, the prostate weights were significantly reduced (p < 0.05) and the lost correlation observed in the untreated group was restored. Histopathological assessment showed reduced epithelial hyperplasia following treatment with a resultant thin layer of epithelial cells, similar to the healthy normal control group. The level of PSA was also reduced. Andrographis paniculata, thus, has the potential to inhibit the proliferation observed in testosterone-induced BPH.

Ameliorative potential of rosmarinic acid in a rat model of polycystic ovary syndrome: Targeting MCP-1 and VEGF: A histological, immunohistochemical, and biochemical study.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a multidisciplinary endocrinopathy that affects women of reproductive age. It is characterized by menstrual complications, hyperandrogenism, insulin resistance, and cardiovascular issues. The current research investigated the efficacy of rosmarinic acid in letrozole-induced PCOS in adult female rats as well as the potential underlying molecular mechanisms. Forty female rats were divided into the control group, the rosmarinic acid group (50 mg/kg per orally, po) for 21 days, PCOS group; PCOS was induced by administration of letrozole (1 mg/kg po) for 21 days, and rosmarinic acid-PCOS group, received rosmarinic acid after PCOS induction. PCOS resulted in a marked elevation in both serum luteinizing hormone (LH) and testosterone levels and LH/follicle-stimulating hormone ratio with a marked reduction in serum estradiol and progesterone levels. A marked rise in tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1β, monocyte chemotactic protein-1, and vascular endothelial growth factor (messenger RNA) in the ovarian tissue was reported. The histological analysis displayed multiple cystic follicles in the ovarian cortex with markedly thin granulosa cell layer, vacuolated granulosa and theca cell layers, and desquamated granulosa cells. Upregulation in the immune expression of TNF-α and caspase-3 was demonstrated in the ovarian cortex. Interestingly, rosmarinic acid ameliorated the biochemical and histopathological changes. In conclusion, rosmarinic acid ameliorates letrozole-induced PCOS through its anti-inflammatory and antiangiogenesis effects.

CURRENT POSSIBILITIES AND PROSPECTS OF ALVEOLAR BONE DEFECT REPLACEMENT AND COVERING TISSUES: NARRATIVE LITERATURE REVIEW

BACKGROUND: The percentage of the need to increase the volume of supporting tissues remains high - from 43% to 77%, despite the fact that the currently used approaches for augmentation of tissue structures do not always show the expected results. A common cause of problems with the growth of new supporting tissues is the reduced activity of inducing factors of local and systemic levels in the human body. A critical deficiency of the integumentary structures significantly affects the result of reconstructive and reconstructive surgical interventions.Objective: to characterize the modern achievements of intraoral reconstruction of volumetric defects of supporting tissues, including bioengineering for the regeneration of the alveolar jaw bone and integumentary structures.Methods. The search strategy included an electronic search of literature sources performed in the PubMed database using keywords. The formats "Review", "Systematic Review" and "Clinical Trial" were requested. The search depth was 20 years.Results. Of the 378 articles found, 44 met the inclusion criteria set for this review. The prerequisites for the reconstruction of the alveolar ridge with an emphasis on early vascularization of de novo tissues are outlined, the advantages and disadvantages of bone and soft tissue grafts are characterized. The results of research efforts using mesenchymal stem cells, which play a crucial role in the regeneration of the alveolar bone and gum, are presented. The evolution of tissue engineering structures for integumentary tissues is presented – from thin layers of epithelial cells to 3D – epithelized equivalents of the oral mucosa.Conclusion. The rapidly increasing number of biomaterial studies involving stem cells, the active development of tissue engineering indicates the prospects for the development of biomaterials of the next generations, which will be able to work effectively together with their own mechanisms of tissue regeneration in their unique architecture.

Morpho-histology of co-occurrence of somatic embryos, shoots, and inflorescences within a callus of Limonium 'Misty Blue'.

This is the first attempt to report the co-occurrence of somatic embryos, shoots, and inflorescences and their sequential development from stem cell niches of an individual callus mass through morpho-histological study of any angiosperm. In the presence of a proper auxin/cytokinin combination, precambial stem cells from the middle layer of a compact callus, which was derived from the thin cell layer of the inflorescence rachis of Limonium, expressed the highest level of totipotency and pluripotency and simultaneously developed somatic embryos, shoots, and inflorescences. This study also proposed the concept of programmed cell death during bipolar somatic embryo and unipolar shoot bud pattern formation. The unique feature of this research was the stepwise histological description of in vitro racemose inflorescence development. Remarkably, during the initiation of inflorescence development, either a unipolar structure with open vascular elements or an independent bipolar structure with closed vascular elements were observed. The protocol predicted the production of 6.6 ± 0.24 and 7.4 ± 0.24 somatic embryos and shoots, respectively, from 400 mg of callus, which again multiplied, rooted, and acclimatised. The plants' ploidy level and genetic fidelity were assessed randomly before acclimatisation by flow cytometry and inter simple sequence repeats (ISSR) marker analysis. Finally, the survivability and flower quality of the regenerated plants were evaluated in the field.

Modernizing the evaluation of infantile nystagmus: the role of handheld optical coherence tomography

BackgroundInfantile nystagmus syndrome can be associated with an afferent problem (anterior or posterior segment) or constitute an isolated idiopathic disorder. With a normal ophthalmic examination, current guidelines recommend electroretinography (ERG) rather than magnetic resonance (MRI) for preliminary workup. Given the limited use of optical coherence tomography (OCT) in preverbal children, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the role of handheld OCT (HH-OCT) in the initial diagnostic evaluation of infantile nystagmus. MethodsIn this cross-sectional case series, the medical records of all children with infantile nystagmus and HH-OCT imaging at the Duke Eye Center from August 2016 to July 2021 were retrospectively reviewed. Children with anterior segment disorders or obvious retina/optic nerve structural pathology, bilateral ophthalmoplegia, or Down syndrome were excluded. Two masked pediatric ophthalmologists graded HH-OCT images for optic nerve head and macular abnormalities. A neuro-ophthalmologist reviewed clinical findings of each patient’s presenting visit and recommended appropriate testing (MRI vs ERG), initially without, and again with HH-OCT image review. ResultsA total of 39 cases were included, with mean presenting age of 1.3 years. Final diagnoses included retinal or foveal abnormalities (7), optic nerve pathology (13), idiopathic (10), or unknown (9). HH-OCT findings included optic nerve hypoplasia (1), optic nerve elevation (3), persistence of the inner layers at the fovea (9), thin ganglion cell layer (8), ellipsoid zone abnormality (3), and thin choroid (1). HH-OCT findings altered initial clinical-only management in 16 cases (41%), including avoiding MRI (5) and ERG (10) testing. ConclusionsOur results suggest that HH-OCT has the potential to augment and streamline the evaluation of infantile nystagmus.

The developmental architecture of the crop of quail embryos (Coturnix coturnix): Morphometric, light and scanning electron microscopy.

The present study focused on the histogenesis of the crop in quail embryos. The developmental sequence was recorded from day 10 of incubation to the hatching day (17th day) by gross anatomy, morphometric analysis and by using light and scanning electron microscope (SEM). Grossly, the crop was distinguished as an enlarged pouch of the cervical oesophagus on the 12th day of incubation. Histologically, the development of the crop began on the 10th day of incubation. The muscularis mucosae was observed as a small, thin layer of myoblast cells on the 10th day, then it appeared as longitudinally arranged smooth muscle fibres with progression of the developmental age till hatching day. The submucosal layer was also observed on the 10th day, while the lamina propria, muscular layer (inner circular and outer longitudinal layers of smooth muscle fibre) and glandular primordia were detected on the 12th day. The epithelial cells of crop revealed affinity for PAS stain and AB-PAS on the 10th day of incubation till the 17th day, while the affinity for AB stain appeared on the 14th day of incubation. Additionally, the glandular cells showed the positive for AB, PAS and AB-PAS on the 12th day of incubation. SEM sections showed variable sizes of the openings of the oesophageal glands. In conclusion, the present study provided a detailed overview of the histogenesis of the crop in quail embryos.

Harnessing the potential of transverse thin cell layer culture for high-frequency micropropagation of Thai ginseng (Kaempferia parviflora Wall. Ex Baker)

In vitro plant propagation techniques play an important role in modern agriculture and horticulture, offering efficient methods for the accelerated multiplication of high-value plant species. Thin cell layer (TCL) culture technique has emerged as a promising approach for large-scale in vitro plantlets production. This study explores the potential of TCL culture as a cutting-edge strategy to enhance the efficiency of multiple shoots formation in Kaempferia parviflora. An attempt was also made to look into the synergistic effects of cytokinin and auxin [6-benzyladenine (BA) - indole-3-acetic acid (IAA)] during micropropagation. Shoot tip explants (from rhizome sprouts) were cultured onto Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium enriched with BA (2.0–8.0 mg/L) and IAA (0.2–0.8 mg/L) in combination where the highest shoot number (7.3 shoots/explant) and length (5.9 cm) was obtained in 8.0 mg/L BA and 0.8 mg/L IAA. Subsequently, the transverse thin cell layer (tTCL) culture system was successfully utilized whereby the shoot tip explants were individually sliced from tips at the meristem and cultured onto MS medium supplemented with BA (2.0–8.0 mg/L) and IAA (0.2–0.8 mg/L) in combination. The regenerated tTCLs exhibited the highest shoot multiplication (9.3 shoots/tTCL; 28 shoots/shoot tip) and length (5.3 cm) in 4.0 mg/L BA + 0.8 mg/L IAA, thus significantly increased number of plantlets were obtained from tTCL culture (953.0 plantlets) compared to shoot tip culture (527.7 plantlets) after six sub-culture cycles. The tTCL regenerants were successfully acclimatized (with 90% survival) and displayed active growth. Genetic fidelity assessment via inter-simple sequence repeats, conserved DNA-derived polymorphism, directed amplification of minisatellite-region DNA, and start codon targeted polymorphism marker systems suggested that a very low level (5.8%; 148 out of 2572 scorable bands) of polymorphism was detected whereas the ploidy level remained unchanged, confirmed by flow cytometry analysis. The implementation of tTCL culture, coupled with a controlled sub-culture regimen, holds significant potential for the efficient commercial-scale production of K. parviflora.

Copper doping effect in the back surface field layer of CdTe thin film solar cells

In this work, the Solar Cell Capacitance Simulator (SCAPS-1D) is employed to evaluate the characteristics of CdTe thin films with ZnTe as the Back Surface Field (BSF) layer and estimate the effective copper doping ratio at both the atomic scale and the device operational response perspective. The electrical characteristics of ZnTe, at varying levels of copper doping, were derived using density functional theory (DFT) by applying the generalized gradient approximation (GGA) and Hubbard U corrections (DFT+U). The performance of ZnTe with different Cu concentrations as a BSF layer was evaluated by analysing the values of four key parameters that are open circuit voltage (VOC), short circuit current density (JSC), fill factor (FF), and conversion efficiency (η). The results indicate that an increase in Cu concentration from 0% to 3%, 6%, 10%, and 12% resulted in a reduction of the energy band gap. Specifically, the energy band gap decreased from 2.24 eV to 2.10 eV, 1.98 eV, 1.92 eV, and 1.88 eV, respectively. Optimal Cu doping promotes the favourable shift in the valence band maxima (VBM) and formation of p + -ZnTe, lowering thermionic emission and improving carrier lifetime, which results in an improved ohmic contact, η = 18.73% for 10% of Cu content. Excessive doping in contrast degraded the overall device performance by forming an unmatched carrier band offset at the front interface with CdS, increasing the acceptor type defect and CdTe compensation rate. Overall, the findings suggest that incorporating a controlled level of Cu, which in this case is around 10%, promotes the efficiency and stability of the proposed CdTe device configuration to a certain extent.

Complementary information on the biology of Bactrian camels (Camelus bactrianus) in the Mangistau region of Kazakhstan

The morphometric body parameters of male and female Bactrian camels, Kazakh Bactrian, were studied. Compared to camels of other breeds, the Kazakh Bactrian turned out to be one of the largest camels, having up to 750 kg for males and 690 kg for females, as well as powerful musculature and thick fur. Sexual dimorphism in body size and weight of males and females has been shown. The height at the withers of males was higher than in females by about 3.2 %, oblique length of the trunk by 4.5 %, chest girth by 1.3 %, and tibia girth by 6.6 % higher than in females. The greatest difference was in the live weight of the animals - 23,4 %. A histological study of one of the important internal organs - kidneys - was carried out, which allow camels to adapt to the conditions of waterless deserts. As a result of histological study of the kidneys of Kazakh Bactrians, the following characteristics of camel kidneys were established: the kidney capsule is rather thick (470±12 μm) and is made up of two layers: a layer of collagen fibres (400 μm) and thin (70 μm) inner smooth muscle cells. The relative thickness of the capsule and the presence of the smooth muscle cell layer within it appear to be related to the kidney’s ability to hold high intrarenal pressure while producing highly concentrated urine. The second feature of the Bactrian kidney was that the medullary layer was much thicker than the cortical layer. Their ratio was 1:4. The thick cerebral layer in camels provides relatively long renal tubules and loops of Henle, which are essential for the excretion of concentrated urine.

Optimization of Different Auxin and Cytokinin Combination in Nutrient Medium for Establishment of Optimal in vitro Multiple Plantlet in Ficus carica L. cv Siyah Orak

Ficus carica Linnaeus is a flowering plant under the Moraceae family, usually propagated conventionally from cuttings due to the seeds being non-viable. However, this method is prone to diseases, and pests, time-consuming and space-intensive. Therefore, other methods are needed to overcome these issues. This study was conducted to induce callus and multiple shoots via plant tissue culture techniques enabling mass production of fig plants. Initially, leaf segments of Ficus carica L. cv Siyah Orak were cultured on different MS media strengths (¼, ½, ¾,1 MS) to induce callus. The highest callus means weight was observed on explant cultured in ¾ MS media (875±0.036). Callus was proliferated by subculturing explant into ¾ MS media supplemented with different concentrations of TDZ (0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, 2.5, 3.0 mg/L). MS media (3/4) supplemented with 2.0 mg/L TDZ (920±0.03) shows the best result for callus proliferation. Callus induction using transverse and longitudinal thin cell layers from nodal segments cultured on different MS media strengths (¼, ½, ¾,1 MS) shows ¼ MS as the optimum media for both tTCL (100±0) and lTCL (96.7±0.15). Friable callus (%) was observed the highest on ½ MS (63.33±0.55) and ¼ MS (76.67±0.50) media for both tTCL and lTCL, respectively. As for the number of leaves produced, both tTCL (0.83±0.0.28) and lTCL (1.00±0.33) explant showed the best results in ¼ MS media. Apical buds produced the highest mean for both the number of leaves and length of the shoot on 1MS media supplemented with 2.0 mg/L BAP (3.5±0.20, 13.73±0.66), respectively. For root formation (%) and number of roots, both show the best results in media supplemented with 2.5 mg/L IAA (10±0.31, 0.83±0.50). It can be concluded that the best shoot growth performance was observed from apical bud cultured on 1MS media supplemented with 2.0 mg/L BAP+ 2.5 mg/L IAA.

Stealthy Hyperuniform Surface Structures for Efficiency Enhancement of Organic Solar Cells

Low absorption in the thin active layer of conventional organic solar cells limits their power conversion efficiency. Structured surface layers are a common approach to diffracting incoming light, thus elongating its path through the active layer, thereby increasing the probability of absorption and hence the power conversion efficiency. While standard periodic structures diffract light into discrete angles, making them optimal only for specific wavelengths, random structures induce broadband, but nontailorable diffraction. Thus, instead, a stealthy hyperuniform structure, designed to exhibit beneficial diffraction properties is implemented: it directs the light into a predefined range of higher angles, prevents diffraction into small angles, and is thus ideal for a strong active path length enhancement. After numerical optimization of the feature height and diameter, the stealthy hyperuniform structure is fabricated in silicon by electron beam lithography and subsequently transferred into a transparent polymer via replica molding. Experimental diffraction images reveal a circular symmetric spectrum, inducing diffraction independent of the azimuthal angle and polarization of the incident light. The application of the stealthy hyperuniform structure on a poly[(2,6‐(4,8‐bis(5‐(2‐ethylhexyl)thiophen‐2‐yl)‐benzo[1,2‐b:4,5‐b′]dithiophene))‐alt‐(5,5‐(1′,3′‐di‐2‐thienyl‐5′,7′‐bis(2‐ethylhexyl)benzo[1′,2′‐c:4′,5′‐c′]dithiophene‐4,8‐dione)]:3,9‐bis(2‐methylene‐(3‐(1,1‐dicyanomethylene)‐indanone))‐5,5,11,11‐tetrakis(4‐hexylphenyl)‐dithieno[2,3‐d:2′,3′‐d’]‐s‐indaceno[1,2‐b:5,6‐b′]dithiophene organic solar cell leads to a sharp increase in current density and power conversion efficiency.

Callus Induction of Dendrobium discolor Through The Thin Cell Layer (TCL) Technique Added with 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyaceticacid

Thin Cell Layer (TCL) is a plant propagation technique using thin explants (1-2 mm) through tissue culture. Callus induction is a crucial step in establishing plant regeneration. The type and concentration of growth regulators influence callus formation. 2.4 D is a growth regulator that is commonly used for callus induction in various plants. The research aims to determine the effectiveness of thin explants and 2,4-D in inducing Dendrobium discolor callus. The method used a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with four treatments (1, 2, 3, and 4 mg/L). Adding 1, 2, and 3 mg/L 2,4-D can induce 100% calluses through the TCL explant. The callus has a friable to compact texture. The result showed that 2 mg/L 2,4-D was the best concentration for callus induction of D. discolor through TCL technique, indicating the greenish color, friable texture, and meristematic tissue.

Simultaneous inclusion of quantum dots in multi-functional layers of thin film organic solar cells

The role of quantum dot (QD) decoration in the hole transport buffer layer and the photoactive medium on the photovoltaic parameters of thin film organic solar cells (TFOSCs) was investigated. A cadmium–tellurium-based QD was synthesized successfully and embedded in two of the functional layers of a TFOSC to improve its overall power conversion efficiency. The experimentally determined optimum concentration of the QD was maintained in the interfacial layer to investigate the effect of QD concentration in the active layer. The observed increased short-circuit current density (Jsc) and open circuit voltage (Voc) are attributable to the enhanced energy level tuning, broadened optical absorption, and charge transport process facilitated by the integration of QDs inside the media. Moreover, an improved device efficiency was obtained when the solvent additive was introduced into the bulk heterojunction photoactive layer films to facilitate QD dispersion and increase the interpenetrating network of the active layer blend that reduces the occurrence of trap sites, which, in turn, limits the Auger recombination rates. The QD-doped TFOSCs catalyzed with solvent additives displayed an enhanced overall photovoltaic parameter, which is quite appreciable in comparison with that of the pristine devices.

Effect of spermidine, glutamine, and proline on somatic embryogenesis and silver nanoparticles supplied culture improved rhizome formation of Panax vietnamensis var. langbianensis

Lang Bian ginseng (Panax vietnamensis var. langbianensis) is a rare and traditional herbal medicine with many pharmacological activities. It was first discovered by Duy et al. (2016) in Lam Dong province, Vietnam. Until now, there has been only one publication on Lang Bian ginseng micropropagation via somatic embryogenesis (Anh et al., 2022). However, this study still had limitations, including the small number of somatic embryos and the time-consuming. This study investigated the effect of spermidine, glutamine, and proline on the enhancement of somatic embryogenesis (SE) of Lang Bian ginseng using thin cell layer culture technology. The results showed that the optimal SE rate and the number of somatic embryos per explant were achieved on MS medium supplemented with 0.01 mM spermidine in leaf explants (93.32 % and 54.20 embryos, respectively) and petiole explants (96.66 % and 68.80 embryos, respectively) and higher compared to these in other treatments, including control, glutamine, and proline treatments. Besides, adding 0.01 mM spermidine to the culture medium also improved the quality of somatic embryos, mainly cotyledonary stage, through an enhanced synthesis of antioxidant enzymes [catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD), and ascorbate peroxidase (APX)]. In addition, the fluctuations of endogenous hormones during initiation and maturation of SE derived from 0.01 mM spermidine treatment were recorded. Endogenous CKs (ZEA, 2iP, KIN, mT), IAA, and GA3 concentrations were the highest during the induction stage in both explants. Meanwhile, the remaining endogenous hormones (MEL, ABA, and SA) exhibited no inevitable fluctuation trends. In addition, IAA was only detected at the induction stage of SE in both explants. Moreover, cotyledonary somatic embryos derived from 0.01 mM spermidine treatment grew well in MS medium supplemented with 1.2 mg/L AgNPs.

Analysis of degradation of Sb2Se3 thin film solar cells deploying a time-dependent approach linked with 1D-AMPS simulation

In this paper, we have developed a time-dependent model to study defect growth in the absorber layer of Sb2Se3 thin film solar cells. This model has been integrated with the AMPS-1D simulation platform to investigate the impact of increasing defect density at different positions within the Sb2Se3 layer on the electrical parameters of the solar cell. We adopted the Gloeckler standard model for thin films in AMPS to represent Sb2Se3 materials. The study focuses on tracking the degradation of device performance parameters as donor-like mid-gap states accumulate in the Sb2Se3 layer over time. We monitored the variation of key electrical parameters, including efficiency (η), fill factor (FF), open-circuit voltage (Voc), and short-circuit current (Jsc), at three different positions: the interface with CdS, the bulk of the Sb2Se3 layer, and the interface with the top contact. These positions are susceptible to increasing defect density during prolonged operation and irradiation. To pinpoint the most sensitive part of the Sb2Se3 layer to defect accumulation, we divided the layer into three sub-layers. Our simulation results highlight that the CdS/Sb2Se3 interface is the most vulnerable position in the cell when it comes to defect accumulation. The practical implication of this study is that special attention should be given to the CdS/Sb2Se3 interface during material deposition and the development of high-stability Sb2Se3 thin film solar cells.“

Substrate Structured Bournonite CuPbSbS3 Thin Film Solar Cells

CuPbSbS3 has excellent photoelectric properties, such as high element abundance and optical absorption coefficient, and a suitable band gap, which is a material with the potential for absorbing layers of high-quality thin film solar cells. In addition, CuPbSbS3 is a material with a three-dimensional structure, which can guide the carrier to transport in all directions, so its performance can be regulated in multiple dimensions. At present, the substrate structure is often used in efficient solar cells since this structure does not affect other functional layers when the absorption layer is subjected to harsh annealing conditions. However, there have been no reports of the substrate structure of CuPbSbS3 solar cells so far. Therefore, in this work, CuPbSbS3 films deposited on a stable substrate of molybdenum (Mo) were prepared with butyldithiocarbamic acid (BDCA) solution, and the preparation process of reaction mechanism was described in detail. It was found that the band gap of the CuPbSbS3 thin film was 2.0 eV and the absorption coefficient was up to 105 cm−1, which is expected to be applied to the top absorption layer material in laminated cells. Thus, we first built a Glass/Mo/CuPbSbS3/CdS/ZnO/ITO substrate structured solar cell. From this, a photoelectric conversion efficiency of 0.094% was achieved. This work provides a tentative exploration for the future development of substrate structured CuPbSbS3 solar cells.

Enhancing drought resistance in Pogostemon cablin (Blanco) Benth. through overexpression of ACC deaminase gene using thin cell layer regeneration system.

Pogostemon cablin cultivation faces massive constraints because of its susceptability to drought stress that reduces patchouli propagation and oil yield. The present study has achieved an efficient and rapid direct regeneration system for the transgenic production of P. cablin using Agrobacterium-mediated genetic transformation. To establish an efficient regeneration protocol for fast in-vitro multiplication of patchouli plants, leaf, petiole, and transverse thin cell layer (tTCL) explants were used and inoculated on an MS medium supplemented with different combinations of phytohormones. A comparative study showed a maximum regeneration frequency of 93.30 ± 0.56% per explant was obtained from leaf segments on optimal MS medium fortified with 0.2mg/L BAP and 0.1mg/L NAA. Leaf and petiole explants took 25-35 days to regenerate while tTCL section showed regeneration in just 15-20 days on the same medium. Subsequently, productive genetic transformation protocol OD600 0.6, AS 200µM, 30mg/L kanamycin, and infection time 5 min. was standardized and best-suited explants were infected at optimum conditions from the Agrobacterium tumefaciens (LBA 4404) strain harboring ACC deaminase to generate transgenic P. cablin Benth. (CIM-Samarth) plants. The investigation suggested that the optimized protocol provides a maximum transformation frequency of 42 ± 1.9% in 15-20 days from tTCL. The transgenic plants were shifted to the greenhouse with a 52.0 ± 0.8% survival frequency. A molecular docking study confirmed significant binding affinity of ligand ACC with ACC deaminase at the catalytic site, and ligand interactions showed four H-bonds at the binding pocket with amino acids Cys-196, Val-198, Thr-199, and Gly-200 that validate gene relative expression in transgenic plants. Among all transgenic acclimatized greenhouse-grown patchouli plants, line PT4 showed improved drought resistance under severe water stress as its RWC was 71.7 ± 2.3% to 75.7 ± 2.1% which is greater than the RWC of the control plant, 58.30 ± 0.21%. Analysis of the other physiological indicators, H2O2, chlorophyll content, and ROS result support drought resistance ability. Our study concluded that the first report on P. cablin, tTCL direct regeneration, and standardized transformation protocol created a new opportunity for genetic manipulation to achieve drought-resistant patchouli plants for cultivation in all seasons at the commercial level.

Micronuclei and nuclear buds in amniotic tissue of rats treated with cyclophosphamide.

Fetal development can be altered by DNA damage caused by maternal exposure to chemical, physical, or biological agents during gestation. One method of assessing genotoxicity is to detect micronuclei (MNs) and/or nuclear abnormalities. This can be performed in vivo and requires only frequently dividing tissues, such as amniotic tissue (AT), which is in contact with the fetal environment and is composed of very thin layers of cells. This study evaluated the presence of MNs, nucleoplasmic bridges, and nuclear buds (NBs) in the fetal AT following maternal exposure to cyclophosphamide (CP) during pregnancy. Pregnant Wistar rats were divided into a negative control group and an experimental group that was orally administered CP (10mg/kg). Daily blood smears were obtained from pregnant rats on days 14-19 of gestation. The rats were dissected, and fetal ATs were obtained on the 19th day of gestation. The MN and NB frequencies in AT cells were analyzed using a fluorescence microscope (100×). Micronucleated erythrocytes in the peripheral blood of the control rats were also assessed. Micronucleated polychromatic erythrocyte frequencies were significantly higher than those in the controls. Polychromatic erythrocyte frequencies were lower in CP-treated rats than in controls at 48-120h. Fetuses in the CP-treated group also showed a significant increase in MNs and NBs in AT cells. In conclusion, AT could be used for analyzing MNs and NBs in rats following maternal exposure to a genotoxic agent and as a viable alternative for analyzing the integrity of fetal DNA during gestation.

An Overview: Effect of Plant Growth Regulatory on Orchid Propagation through The Thin Cell Layer technique

Thin cell layer (TCL) is a micropropagation method using thin-sized explants. A TCL can be prepared from any explant source and the thichness of explant less than 5 mm. TCL is more efficient in producing total plantlet output than conventional in vitro methods. TCL have been applied to the in vitro culture of orchids, field, vegetable crops and medicinal plants The successful in vitro orchid propagation is influenced by many factors, such as plant genotype and media composition. Additions of plant growth regulator (PGR) in media culture is essential factor. The formation of complete plant depent on concentration and type of plant growth regulator. TCL explants require growth regulators to form an embryonic callus and zygotic embryos. Explant in medium without supplemented of growth regulators resulted in browning and failed to grow. The most commonly plant growth regulator in tissue culture are thidiazuron (TDZ), 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP) 2,4 dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), α-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA), and meta-Topolin. Recently, microalgae can also be used as an alternative source of hormones to increase plant growth through in vitro culture techniques