ZnSO4 Research Articles

Occurrence of Soil-Transmitted Helminths in Selected Waste Dumpsites in OtuokeCommunity, Ogbia Local Government Area, Bayelsa State, Nigeria

Background: Soil-transmitted helminths (STH) are global health concerns, particularly in tropical and subtropical regions with poor sanitation. Waste dumpsites contribute to STH transmission, polluting soil, groundwater, and air quality in any location where they are situated. This study was carried out to investigate the occurrence of soil-transmitted helminths in selected waste dumpsites in the Otuoke community, Ogbia Local Government Area, Bayelsa State. Methods: 46 soil samples were randomly collected from different dumpsites and analyzed using Zinc sulphate floatation, Baermann technique and concentration method. Eggs and larvae of parasites present were identified morphologically by microscopic examination under x4 and x 10 objective lenses using identification keys. The Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 22 was used to analyze the data at 0.05 significant levels. Results: The overall rate of contamination was 28.3%. Eggs and larvae of three soil-transmitted helminths were recovered from the soil samples. The species of soil-transmitted helminths encountered in the study were Ascaris spp. 4(8.6%), Hookworm specie 5(10.9%) and Strongyloides spp. 15(32.6%). The most prevalent soil-transmitted helminth recorded in this study was the larvae of Strongyloides spp. Nevertheless, variations in the distribution of soil-transmitted helminths across locations varied significantly (P = 0.035; P<0.05). Conclusion: The findings suggest a need for a strategic intervention to improve sanitary status precisely in the locations where parasitic contaminations were present, whereas continuous monitoring and preventive measures should be implemented in the locations with no parasitic contamination to prevent the emergence of soil-transmitted helminths infection.

Investigation of the distribution of some Gastrointestinal Helminths and protozoa in free-ranging dogs in Karbala province

This study aimed to determine the prevalence of intestinal parasites in stray dogs in urban and rural areas. From October 2022 to March 2023 80 fecal samples, which examined by using simple zinc sulfate flotation and Lugol’s solution staining then examined by macroscopically and microscopically for the presence of worm eggs and protozoal oocysts. The overall prevalence of infected dogs in this study is to identify the gastrointestinal parasites and Protozoa in stray dogs. The current study includes seven genera of intestinal helminths and protozoa as follows: three cestodes (Taenia sp. 12%), four nematodes (Toxocara canis 56%, Toxoascara canis. 16%) and two protozoa (Giardia sp. 20% and Cryptosporidium sp. 8%) from all fecal samples of dogs were collected from different regions of Kerbala. The results of high rates of infection were during winter months. The high prevalence of intestinal helminths in the dog’s population suggests the need for more efficient control measures. The high predominance of T. canis, and Giardia spp. suggested that dogs could play an active role in the transmission of zoonotic parasites in this area of Iraq. Educating the dog hunters and increasing their health awareness should be considered in the control program.
 The results of the present study provide relevant ‘‘baseline’’ data for assessing the effectiveness of future control strategies against canine parasitic infections.

Screening of salt hydrates and cellulose nanocrystal composites for thermochemical energy storage using life cycle assessment

Salt hydrate systems via thermochemical reactions can provide thermal storage for renewable-sourced alternatives to traditional heating systems like natural gas. In this study, we use life cycle analysis (LCA) along with the material prices to screen salts based on environmental impact and cost. Additionally, we performed LCA of producing a composite material of salt and cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) at a weight ratio of four to one. CNC is a stabilizing agent for salt. We assessed the salt-CNC composites based on a laboratory scale and scaled-up processing to identify low environmental impact formulations and to identify high environmental impact processes in the composite production. In general, lanthanum chloride, lithium hydroxide, and lithium chloride should be avoided due to high environmental impact or cost. For pure salts, our results showed magnesium sulfate, zinc sulfate, and calcium chloride are typically preferred with a close second tier of magnesium and strontium chlorides and strontium bromide. For the composite material, magnesium sulfate was preferred followed by zinc sulfate, sodium sulfide, and strontium chloride. CNC has a significant environmental impact, contributing over 50% of the environmental impact for these composites. Therefore, CNC production with lower environmental impacts needs to be pursued. In composite production, the environmental impact of mixing and sonication can be reduced by scaling production. However, drying remains a high-impact process. These results can help guide salt selection for other salt-based thermochemical materials and further development of the salt-CNC composite.

Response of Saidy date palm fruiting for potassium silicate and zinc sulphate spraying under New Valley climate conditions

Response of Saidy date palm fruiting for potassium silicate and zinc sulphate spraying under New Valley climate conditions

Maximizing Fruit Quality and Production of Mango cv Dashehari: The Impact of Micronutrient Treatments

Background: The research aims to enhance fruit quality and production of the Dashehari mango variety through micronutrient treatments in Rajasthan, India. Micronutrients play a crucial role in plant growth and development and their deficiency can lead to suboptimal yields and reduced fruit quality. This study seeks to investigate the effects of micronutrient application on mango trees, particularly focusing on the Dashehari variety, to improve both the quantity and quality of mango production. By understanding the impact of micronutrient treatments, the research aims to provide valuable insights into sustainable agricultural practices that can optimize mango cultivation and contribute to increased agricultural productivity. Methods: The research administered borax, ferrous sulphate and zinc sulphate to soil and trees in 10 treatments. The soil of an 18-year-old mango variety named Dashehari was treated in the first week of October with foliar sprays throughout the flower bud initiation, full bloom and pea stage initiation stages. A three-replication randomized block design was employed for the investigation. Result: The results show that the treatment known as “T9”-Application of borax to the soil in the amount of 125 grams, followed by the application of borax to the foliar in the amount of 0.2 per cent-produced the highest quality and quantity of mango fruit. Additionally, treatments of soil application of ZnSO4 per tree 125 g, followed by foliar application of ZnSO4 0.4% and soil application of FeSO4 per tree 125 g, followed by foliar application of FeSO4 0.4%, also showed promising results.

Modulating the Wnt Signaling Pathway in Wound Healing: The Potential of L-Carnosine, Zinc Sulfate, and B-Complex Vitamins Cocktail

Background: The process of wound healing is a dynamic event that starts with inflammation, proliferation, and migration of various types of fibroblast cells and aims to restore the integrity and functionality of damaged tissue. One crucial signaling pathway involved in wound healing is the Wnt signaling pathway. This study aimed to investigate the effects of a cocktail consisting of L-carnosine, zinc sulfate, and B-complex vitamins on the modulation of the Wnt signaling pathway during wound healing. Methods: The optimal dosages of L-carnosine, zinc sulfate, and B-complex were used to prepare the cocktail. Then, the cocktail-mediated wound healing was measured through scratch assay on human dermal fibroblast (HDF) cells. Finally, the effects of the cocktail on the expression of SFRP1, SFRP2, SFRP4, MMP7, and RSPO2 genes involved in the Wnt signaling pathway were measured during the wound closure phenomenon by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). Results: The scratch assay demonstrated the wound-healing effects of the prepared cocktail on HDF cells. Additionally, the RT-qPCR results showed that the cocktail can activate the Wnt signaling pathway by down-regulating the expression of SFRP1, SFRP2, SFRP4, and MMP7 and up-regulating the expression of RSPO2. Conclusions: The data suggest that the L-carnosine, zinc sulfate, and B-complex vitamin cocktail exhibits wound healing properties by increasing fibroblast proliferation via the activation of the Wnt pathway.

Zinc Biofortification through Biofertilizers, Foliar and Soil Application in Maize (Zea mays L.)

Aims: Here is clearly aim of study is to achieve the maximum grain yield and for improve the economic conditions of farmers. Study Design: The experiment was conducted in a split-plot design. Place and duration of study: The field experiment was conducted to study the effect of biofertilizers, foliar and soil application of zinc fertilizers in maize (Zea mays L.) at the research farm of the Khalsa College, Amritsar, Punjab (India) (31o63' N latitude, 74o83' E longitude and 234 m above sea level) during rainy seasons of 2018 and 2019. Methodology: The four levels of biofertilizers and foliar application as main plot [recommended dose of fertilizer (RDF: 150 kg nitrogen: 27.3 kg phosphorus: 25 kg K ha-1), RDF + Zn solubilizing bacteria (ZnSB), RDF + ZnSB + vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhiza (VAM) + 0.5% foliar ZnSO4.7H2O) at silking and early milk stage] and four subplot treatment of soil application of ZnSO4.7H2O @ 12, 25 and 50 kg/ha at the time of sowing along with no soil Zn control were evaluated in three replications. Results: Foliar application of zinc in addition to biofertilizers (ZnSB + VAM) produced significantly higher growth, yield and quality over control treatment. Soil application of zinc sulphate (50 kg ha-1) significantly improved growth, grain yield and Zn harvest index, Zn mobilization efficiency index and recovery efficiency over no Zn control treatment. The grain zinc content, zinc uptake and zinc use efficiencies were significantly maximum with the application of VAM + ZnSB along with 0.5% zinc sulphate foliar at silking and early milk stage than ZnSB, VAM and control treatment. Conclusion: Zn application of soil and foliar improved the growth, yield and quality parameters of maize.

Polarization to M1-type microglia in the hippocampus is involved in depression-like behavior in a mouse model of olfactory dysfunction

Impaired olfactory function may be associated with the development of psychiatric disorders such as depression and anxiety; however, knowledge on the mechanisms underlying psychiatric disorders is incomplete. A reversible model of olfactory dysfunction, zinc sulfate (ZnSO4) nasal-treated mice, exhibit depression-like behavior accompanying olfactory dysfunction. Therefore, we investigated olfactory function and depression-like behaviors in ZnSO4-treated mice using the buried food finding test and tail suspension test, respectively; investigated the changes in the hippocampal microglial activity and neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus by immunohistochemistry; and evaluated the inflammation and microglial polarity related-proteins in the hippocampus using western blot study. On day 14 after treatment, ZnSO4-treated mice showed depression-like behavior in the tail suspension test and recovery of the olfactory function in the buried food finding test. In the hippocampus of ZnSO4-treated mice, expression levels of ionized calcium-binding adapter molecule 1 (Iba1), cluster of differentiation 40, inducible nitric oxide synthase, interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor-α, cleaved caspase-3, as well as the number of Iba1-positive cells and cell body size increased, and arginase-1 expression and neurogenesis decreased. Except for the increased IL-6, these changes were prevented by a microglia activation inhibitor, minocycline. The findings suggest that neuroinflammation due to polarization of M1-type hippocampal microglia is involved in depression accompanied with olfactory dysfunction.

A Gaussian-mixture-model based peak splitting method in X-ray fluorescence for high concentration ratio solution

Simultaneous detection of multi-heavy metal ions in zinc sulfate solution facilitates the zinc hydrometallurgy process control. X-ray fluorescence spectrometry is widely used for composition detection due to its high detection speed and no sample pre-treatment. However, the high matrix ion-to-trace impurity ion ratio in zinc sulfate causes severe spectral overlap, hindering pure peak area acquisition—a vital feature in ion concentration detection. To address this, a peak-splitting method based on the Gaussian mixture model was proposed. Initially, two ion mixing spectra were obtained with optimized reagents. Subsequently, Gaussian models were established for the characteristic peak regions with varying distributions. Finally, the proposed model was combined with Chaotic Sparrow Search Algorithm to handle the overlapping peaks. The experimental results demonstrated superior stability and additivity compared to other methods. All coefficients of determination between single peak areas and ion concentrations exceeded 0.99, confirming the method's efficacy in resolving heavily masked overlapping peaks.

Variations in grain yield and nutrient status of different maize cultivars by application of zinc sulfate.

Although maize is sensitive to zinc (Zn) deficiencies, the responses of maize cultivars to the foliar application of Zn sulfate (ZnSO4) may vary significantly. Here, we quantified the responses of grain yields and nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) absorption to ZnSO4 using 22 modern maize cultivars. The results revealed that 40.9% of the cultivars were not affected by foliar ZnSO4, whereas only 45.5% of the cultivars responded positively to ZnSO4, which was evidenced by increased grain numbers and shortened bald tip lengths. The impact of Zn fertilizer might be manifested in the dry biomass, from the 8-leaf stage (BBCH 18). For Zn-deficiency resistant cultivars, the foliar application of ZnSO4 enhanced N accumulation by 44.1%, while it reduced P and K absorption by 13.6% and 23.7%, respectively. For Zn-deficiency sensitive maize cultivars, foliar applied ZnSO4 improved the accumulation of N and K by 27.3% and 25.0%, respectively; however, it lowered their utilization efficiency. Hence, determining the optimized application of Zn fertilizer, while avoiding Zn toxicity, should not be based solely on the level of Zn deficiency in the soil, but also, take into consideration the sensitivity of some cultivars to Zn, Furthermore, the supplementation of Zn-deficiency sensitive maize cultivars with N and K is key to maximizing the benefits of Zn fertilization.

Organic electrochemical transistors for monitoring dissolved oxygen in aqueous electrolytes of zinc ion batteries

Dissolved oxygen (DO) in the electrolyte of aqueous zinc ion batteries (AZIBs) can cause irreversible side reactions in zinc metal anode. Therefore, the accurate detection of the DO concentration in the aqueous electrolyte is crucial for the performance promotion and mechanistic studies of AZIBs. Herein, organic electrochemical transistor (OECT) based DO sensors are developed by utilizing a carbon fiber (CF) derived CF/platinum/Nafion/polydimethylsiloxane composite as the gate electrode and amine-doped poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene): polystyrene sulfonate as the channel semiconductor. Operating at a gate-source voltage of −0.1 V and a drain-source voltage of −0.025 V, the OECT-DO sensor demonstrates a high sensitivity (141 mV decade−1), a low detection limit (0.0011 mg L−1), a wide linear range (0.027–8.7 mg L−1), and good stability, which are attributed to the transconductance capability of OECT. The exceptional performance of the OECT-DO sensor enables the accurate monitoring of DO content in aqueous zinc sulfate electrolyte, which provides an opportunity to gain an insight of the impact of DO concentration on the zinc metal electrode. This study not only provides a cost-effective and efficient solution for detecting DO concentration in aqueous electrolytes, but also explores the potential applications of OECT sensors in the energy storage devices.

Effect of Foliar Application of Iron and Zinc Sulfate at Different Growth Stages on Vegetative Growth and Yield Components of Forage Corn (Zea mays L.)

Effect of Foliar Application of Iron and Zinc Sulfate at Different Growth Stages on Vegetative Growth and Yield Components of Forage Corn (Zea mays L.)

Strong and tough poly(vinyl alcohol)/xanthan gum-based ionic conducting hydrogel enabled through the synergistic effect of ion cross-linking and salting out

The mechanical properties of ionic conductive hydrogels (ICHs) are generally inadequate, leading to their susceptibility to breakage under external forces and consequently resulting in the failure of flexible electronic devices. In this work, a simple and convenient strategy was proposed based on the synergistic effect of ion cross-linking and salting out, in which the hydrogels consisting of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and xanthan gum (XG) were immersed in zinc sulfate (ZnSO4) solution to obtain ICHs with exceptional mechanical properties. The salt-out effects between PVA chains and SO42− ions along with the cross-linked network of XG chains and Zn2+ ions contribute to the desirable mechanical properties of ICHs. Notably, the mechanical properties of ICHs can be adjusted by changing the concentration of ZnSO4 solution. Consequently, the optimum fracture stress and the fracture energy can reach 3.38 MPa and 12.13 KJ m−2, respectively. Moreover, the ICHs demonstrated a favorable sensitivity (up to 2.05) when utilized as a strain sensor, exhibiting an accurate detection of human body movements across various amplitudes.

Maternal Fed Zinc-Deficient Diet: Effects on Relaxin Family Peptides and Oxidant System in the Testis and Liver Tissue of Male Offspring

Today, the studies are limited on roles of insulin-like peptide 3 (INSL3), insulin-like peptide 7 (INSL7), and relaxin family peptide receptor 1 (RXFP1) which are synthesized by the testis. It is aimed to investigate the levels of the sex hormone as testosterone and the family of insulin-like proteins (relaxin family peptides), which are important in the puberty transition, in the testicular and liver tissues of male offspring born to female rats fed a zinc-deficient diet during the pregnancy, and in the changes in lipid peroxidation markers. The study was performed on 40 male offspring. In Group I: Control group, both male offspring and mothers were fed with standard rat chow. In Group II: Zinc deficient diet, both male offspring and mothers were fed a zinc-deficient diet (2.8 mg/kg zinc). In Group III: Normal diet, male offspring fed standard rat chow for 45 days (66th day) after being separated from their mothers with a maternal zinc-deficient diet. In Group IV: Zinc-supplemented diet, offspring fed with zinc supplemented (5 mg/kg/day intraperitoneal zinc sulfate, i.p.) in addition to standard rat chow after being separated from their mothers with maternal zinc deficiency until the termination of the study (66th day). Our study suggests that zinc-supplemented diets play an important role in the changes in INSL3, INSL7, RXFP1, and testosterone levels during spermatogenesis. INSL7, INSL3, and RXFP1 levels were higher in zinc-supplemented group than the zinc-deficient diet group. Liver levels of INSL3, INSL7, and MDA were significantly different in zinc-deficiency diet group than zinc-supplemented group.

Impact of zinc supplementation on phenotypic antimicrobial resistance of fecal commensal bacteria from pre-weaned dairy calves.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of dietary zinc supplementation in pre-weaned dairy calves on thephenotypic antimicrobial resistance (AMR) of fecal commensal bacteria. A repository of fecal specimens from a random sample of calves block-randomized into placebo (n = 39) and zinc sulfate (n = 28) groups collected over a zinc supplementation clinical trial at the onset of calf diarrhea, calf diarrheal cure, and the last day of 14 cumulative days of zinc or placebo treatment were analyzed. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was conducted for Enterococcus spp. (n = 167) and E. coli (n = 44), with one representative isolate of each commensal bacteria tested per sample. Parametric survival interval regression models were constructed to evaluate the association between zinc treatment and phenotypic AMR, with exponentiated accelerated failuretime (AFT) coefficients adapted for MIC instead of time representing the degree of change in AMR (MIC Ratio, MR). Findings from our study indicated that zinc supplementation did not significantly alter the MIC in Enterococcus spp. for 13 drugs: gentamicin, vancomycin, ciprofloxacin, erythromycin, penicillin, nitrofurantoin, linezolid, quinupristin/dalfopristin, tylosin tartrate, streptomycin, daptomycin, chloramphenicol, and tigecycline (MR = 0.96-2.94, p > 0.05). In E. coli, zinc supplementation was not associated with resistance to azithromycin (MR = 0.80, p > 0.05) and ceftriaxone (MR = 0.95, p > 0.05). However, a significant reduction in E. coli MIC values was observed for ciprofloxacin (MR = 0.17, 95% CI 0.03-0.97) and nalidixic acid (MR = 0.28, 95% CI 0.15-0.53) for zinc-treated compared to placebo-treated calves. Alongside predictions of MIC values generated from these 17 AFT models, findings from this study corroborate the influence of age and antimicrobial exposure on phenotypic AMR.

Effect of micronutrients, rhizobium, salicylic acid, and effective microorganisms in plant growth and yield characteristics of green gram [Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek] in Rupandehi, Nepal

Nepal has a very diverse topography and ecosystem, with mountains in the north and lush plains in the south. Despite the diverse ecology, the production of green gram is still in its minority. This experiment was conducted to assess the effect of micronutrients (Zn, B, Mo, Co, and Mn), rhizobium, effective micro-organisms, and salicylic acid in plant growth, yield, and yield attributes of green gram [Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek] in Rupandehi district of Nepal in March 2021. Pratikshya variety of green gram was used as a test crop. Different levels of ZnSO4 and Borax, Ammonium Molybdate, Cobalt Nitrate, MnSO4, effective microorganism, Mixture, Salicylic acid, and Rhizobia along with control constituted treatments. Various application methods were used for applying treatments including soil incorporation, seed priming, inoculation, and foliar application. The results revealed that leaf area index, number of branches, number of pods per plant, and yield were significantly different (P < 0.05). Among various treatments, the mixture was found most effective in the case of grain yield (1048.1 kg ha−1), stover yield (2472.7 kg ha−1), biological yield (3520.8 kg ha−1), harvest index (31.2%), and the number of primary branches (4.9). Likewise, the number of secondary branches (6.86) was better with Borax@10 kg ha−1. There was no significant difference in the plant height, number of pods per plant, pod length, pod weight, number of grains per pod, and test weight between different treatments. ZnSO4 @ 25 kg ha−1 was found to have an impact on the number of mature, immature, and total pods per plant. Overall, the study concluded that the mixture of all micronutrients performed better in terms of grain yield while zinc sulphate had great potential for plant growth parameters which could improve the farmers’ livelihood. It is recommended to conduct multi-location trials in a larger domain.

Effect of inclusion of zinc-glycine chelate and zinc sulphate on live performance, immunity and lipid peroxidation in broilers

ABSTRACT Zinc (Zn) is a biologically significant trace mineral, serving as a cofactor in various metabolic functions. This study aimed to assess the relative effectiveness of organic and inorganic Zn on the growth performance, lipid peroxidation and humoral immune response in broiler chickens (Ross 308). A total of 450 d-old broilers were divided into five groups: the control group, a group receiving a basal diet with 50 mg/kg organic Zn (T1), another with 60 mg/kg organic Zn (T2), and two groups with basal diets supplemented with inorganic Zn at rates of 50 and 60 mg/kg zinc sulfate for the fourth (T3) and fifth (T4) groups, respectively. The experiment spanned 35 days. Results indicated that zootechnical characteristics such as weekly weight gain, feed intake, feed conversion ratio and dressing percentage were significantly higher (P < 0.05) in T1 compared to both the control and the inorganic Zn supplementation groups. Additionally, the antibody titre against Newcastle disease was significantly (P < 0.05) elevated, while malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were significantly (P < 0.05) lower in T1 and T2 compared to the control and the inorganic Zn supplementation groups. In conclusion, broilers supplemented with 50 mg/kg organic Zn exhibited significantly improved growth performance, reduced MDA levels, and enhanced humoral immune response.

Effects of Zinc Compounds on the Enzymatic Activities of Lysozyme and Peroxidase and Their Antifungal Activities

This study aimed to investigate the effects of zinc compounds on the enzymatic activities of lysozyme, peroxidase, and the glucose oxidase–mediated peroxidase (GO-PO) system and their antifungal activities. Four different zinc compounds (zinc chloride, gluconate, lactate, and sulfate) were incubated with hen egg-white lysozyme (HEWL), bovine lactoperoxidase (bLPO), the GO-PO system, and human unstimulated whole saliva in solution and on a hydroxyapatite surface. Enzymatic activities of lysozyme, peroxidase, and the GO-PO system were measured through the hydrolysis of Micrococcus lysodeikticus, oxidation of fluorogenic 2′,7′-dichlorofluorescin, and glucose assay, respectively. Interactions between zinc and enzymes were analyzed by surface plasmon resonance (SPR). The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and candidacidal activities of zinc compounds were examined against three Candida albicans strains. Zinc gluconate and sulfate significantly increased the enzymatic activities of salivary lysozyme in the solution assay and of HEWL and salivary lysozyme on the hydroxyapatite surface. However, all examined zinc compounds significantly decreased the enzymatic activities of bLPO and salivary peroxidase in solution and on the surface. SPR analyses revealed binding of zinc to lysozyme and peroxidase, with affinity differing according to the zinc compounds. The MIC of zinc compounds against C. albicans was 1.0–2.4 mM. Candidacidal activities were 17.7–38.8% and 23.7–47.0% at 1.0 and 10 mM concentrations, respectively. In conclusion, zinc compounds enhanced lysozyme activity but inhibited peroxidase activity. Zinc compounds exhibited concentration-dependent candidacidal activity against C. albicans. Zinc compounds are potential therapeutic agents for oral health, especially for geriatric patients.

Green chemistry routed sugar press mud for (2D) ZnO nanostructure fabrication, mineral fortification, and climate-resilient wheat crop productivity

Nanotechnology appears to be a promising tool to redefine crop nutrition in the coming decades. However, the crucial interactions of nanomaterials with abiotic components of the environment like soil organic matter (SOM) and carbon‒sequestration may hold the key to sustainable crop nutrition, fortification, and climate change. Here, we investigated the use of sugar press mud (PM) mediated ZnO nanosynthesis for soil amendment and nutrient mobilisation under moderately alkaline conditions. The positively charged (+ 7.61 mv) ZnO sheet-like nanoparticles (~ 17 nm) from zinc sulphate at the optimum dose of (75 mg/kg blended with PM (1.4% w/w) were used in reinforcing the soil matrix for wheat growth. The results demonstrated improved agronomic parameters with (~ 24%) and (~ 19%) relative increases in yield and plant Zn content. Also, the soil solution phase interactions of the ZnO nanoparticles with the PM-induced soil colloidal carbon (− 27.9 mv and diameter 0.4864 μm) along with its other components have influenced the soil nutrient dynamics and mineral ecology at large. Interestingly, one such interaction seems to have reversed the known Zn-P interaction from negative to positive. Thus, the study offers a fresh insight into the possible correlations between nutrient interactions and soil carbon sequestration for climate-resilient crop productivity.

Effect of probiotics plus zinc supplementation on clinical outcomes of infants and children with acute infectious diarrhea: a randomized controlled trial.

Findings are conflicting regarding the effect of zinc supplementation on disease severity in children with acute gastroenteritis. To examine the effects of probiotics and zinc on the clinical outcomes of infants and children with acute infectious diarrhea. In this randomized controlled trial, children with mild or moderate to severe acute gastroenteritis in the Kurdistan Region from November 2021 to June 2022 were diagnosed clinically and randomly assigned to the experimental or control group. The experimental group (n=50) received probiotics and zinc, whereas the control group (n=51) received probiotics alone for 1 week. The product contained live Bifidobacterium infantis, Lactobacillus paracasei, and Lactobacillus rhamnosus (10×106 colony-forming units/day for 7 days). Zinc syrup was administered to the probiotic plus zinc group. Each 5 mL of syrup contained 15 mg of zinc sulfate. Dehydration and disease severity in both groups were measured using the Clinical Dehydration Scale and the Modified Vesikari Scale, respectively. An illness episode was defined as an episode of gastroenteritis with a total score of ≥9 on the Modified Vesikari Scale (range, 0-20). The probiotic and probiotic plus zinc groups were similar in age (1.79 years vs. 1.69 years, respectively; P= 0.645), sex (male/female ratio: 1.43 and 1.0, respectively; P=0.373), and medical characteristics. The groups had similar mean dehydration and disease severity scores and a similar incidence of dehydration recovery (some dehydration, 3.92% and 4.00%, respectively; P=1.000), and recovery from mild gastroenteritis (0.0% and 2.0%, respectively; P=0.495) at 2 weeks. Significant decreases in mean dehydration severity and disease severity score (1.80 to 0 and 6.66 to 0, respectively; P<0.001) and the development of dehydration (some dehydration, from 94.0% to 4.0%; P<0.001) from baseline to 2 weeks were noted in the probiotics plus zinc group. The probiotics group responded similarly. The development of mild gastroenteritis was significantly reduced from baseline to 2 weeks (90.2% to 0% and 78.0% to 2.0% in the probiotics and probiotics plus zinc groups, respectively; P<0.0001). The probiotics plus zinc group had a shorter mean recovery time (1.34 days vs. 2.00 days, respectively; P<0.001). Taking probiotics plus zinc did not significantly affect disease severity in children with gastroenteritis at 2 weeks. However, the probiotics plus zinc group recovered more quickly than the probiotics group.