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The research was aimed to determine the potential impact of cadmium contamination on Ricinus communis. The glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH) activity in the root was highest when exposed to 0.2 mM of Cd, with an increase of 15.63 % and 14.48 % at 0 and 24 h, respectively, compared to its control. However, citrate synthase (CS) activity declined in leaves, in contrast, to root, i.e., 12.22 % at 48 h of Cd stress. Isocitrate dehydrogenase (ICDH) activity was maximum in leaves at 0.2 mM of Cd at 0 and 24 h, i.e., 12.36 % and 13.08 % respectively, and later decreased in activity was seen in roots and leaves as the Cd stress increased. Moreover, the level of malate dehydrogenase (MDH) declined in leaves as the Cd level increased, while activity increased in roots at 0.4 mM of Cd i.e., 17.21 %, 17.52 %, and 10.53 % at 0, 24, and 48 h respectively. The important metabolite, glutathione level in the roots of SKP 84 was higher than in the leaf extract. A decline in biomass of up to 28.70 % and 30.91 % and plant length of up to 20.80 % and 26.10 % in shoot and roots, respectively, tolerance index was maximum at 0.2 mM, i.e., 98.62 % was seen. The leaves had 35.40 % catalase (CAT) activity, while the roots had 78.26 % guaiacol peroxidase (GPX) activity at 0.6 mM of Cd. At 0.2 mM of Cd, the maximum activity of ascorbate peroxidase (APX) was observed, with 67.32 % and 62.85 % activity in roots and leaves respectively. However, a reduction in the SOD activity was seen as the Cd stress increased. Increased Cd levels decreased chlorophyll but increased MDA and proline content in leaves at 0.8 mM of Cd, i.e., 82.92 % and 21.7 %, respectively. It indicated that R. communis SKP 84, a fusarium wilt resistance line, is also tolerant to Cd and can be used for phytoremediation in Cd-contaminated areas.

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Introduction: Plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) have been primarily studied for atmospheric nitrogen (N) fixation but they also have the capacity to improve nutrition and yield of crop plants. Methods: Therefore, the objective of this research was to investigate the effects of inoculation with PGPB in association with different N rates on N uptake, grain yield, and oil concentration of dwarf castor beans in succession to legumes and grasses in Ilha Solteira, Brazil. The treatments consisted of N rates (0 to 180 kg ha-1 of N) and inoculation with three plant growth-promoting bacteria (Azospirillum brasiliense, Bacillus subtilis, and Pseudomonas fluorescens, applied by leaf) and a control with no-inoculation. Results: The grain and oil yields of castor beans were increased by 20 and 40% at a rate of 103 kg ha-1 of N in succession to grasses as compared to without N application. In addition, the grain yield of castor bean after legumes was increased by 28, 64, and 40% with estimated rates of 97, 113, and 92 kg ha-1 of N in combination with inoculations of A. brasilense, B. subtilis, and P. fluorescens as compared to without N application, respectively. Shoot, grain, and total N uptake were improved with foliar inoculation of A. brasilense, B. subtilis, and P. fluorescens at the N rates of 45, 90, and 135 kg ha-1, respectively. Discussion and conclusions: Topdressing of N at the rate of 103 kg ha-1 and foliar inoculation in succession to grasses and 180 kg ha-1 of N without the effect of foliar inoculation in succession to legumes are recommended for higher grain and oil yield of castor beans. Foliar inoculations with A. brasilense, B. subtilis, and P. fluorescens increased grain yield under reduced use of N fertilizer by 44, 37, and 49% in dwarf castor cultivation in succession to legumes, potentially contributing to sustainable agriculture.

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Castor bean (Ricinus communis L.) is an important oil crop. However, the influence of transposable elements (TEs) on the dynamics of castor bean evolution awaits further investigation. This study explored the role of transposable elements in the genomes of wild castor bean accessions from Ethiopia (Rc039) and Kenya (WT05) as well as in the cultivated variety (Hale). The distribution and composition of repeat sequences in these three lineages exhibited relative consistency, collectively accounting for an average of 36.7% of the genomic sequences. Most TE families displayed consistent lengths and compositions across these lineages. The dynamics of TEs significantly differed from those of genes, showing a lower correlation between the two. Additionally, the distribution of TEs on chromosomes showed an inverse trend compared to genes. Furthermore, Hale may have originated from the ancestor of Rc039. The divergent evolutionary paths of TEs compared to genes indicate the crucial role of TEs in shaping castor bean genetics and evolution, providing insights into the fields of castor bean and plant genomics research.

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To screen for Pb, Zn, and Cd composite heavy metal hyperaccumulator plants, a survey, sampling, and analysis of dominant plants in typical lead-zinc mines and smelter areas in Baoji City were conducted. Potential Pb, Zn, and Cd composite heavy metal hyperaccumulator plants were initially screened, and a pot experiment of soil cultivation was carried out to observe the response characteristics of chlorophyll （chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, carotenoids, and total chlorophyll）, antioxidant enzymes （SOD, CAT, and POD）, and other physiological indicators （MDA and proline） under the stress of Pb, Zn, and Cd composite heavy metals. A field experiment was also conducted to further verify and determine their enrichment ability for Pb, Zn, and Cd composite heavy metals, aiming to provide scientific basis and technical support for the remediation of Pb, Zn, and Cd composite heavy metal-polluted soil. The field survey revealed that Symphytum officinale L. met the international hyperaccumulator plant index requirements for the enrichment of Pb, Zn, and Cd, with enrichment quantity, bioconcentration factor （BCF）, and transfer factor （TF） all meeting the requirements. It was a potential hyperaccumulator plant for Pb, Zn, and Cd composite heavy metals. The soil cultivation pot experiment showed that as the gradient of Pb, Zn, and Cd composite heavy metal stress increased, the content of chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, and total chlorophyll in S. officinale L. leaves gradually decreased, causing disruption to the plant's photosynthetic system when the gradient was greater than or equal to IV. The chlorophyll content in Ricinus communis L. leaves exhibited a "low-stimulation-high-inhibition" phenomenon, while excessive stress stimulated the activation of its own protective systems, leading to reduced toxicity. In addition, there were significant differences （P < 0.05） in the content of chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, carotenoids, and total chlorophyll between S. officinale L. and R. communis L. both compared to the control treatment and between stress gradients. The SOD activity in the leaves of S. officinale L. and R. communis L. showed a trend of increasing first, then decreasing, and then increasing. The CAT activity in the leaves of S. officinale L. exhibited a "low-stimulation-high-inhibition" effect, whereas the CAT activity in the leaves of R. communis L. showed a trend of continuous decrease. The POD activity in the leaves of S. officinale L. generally increased, whereas in the leaves of R. communis L., it increased first, then decreased, and then increased. The MDA content in the leaves of S. officinale L. generally decreased, whereas in the leaves of R. communis L., it exhibited an upward trend. In addition, whether compared to the control between stress gradients, there were significant differences （P < 0.05） in the SOD, CAT, POD, MDA, and proline content of S. officinale L. and R. communis L. The field experiment results indicated that S. officinale L. could meet the hyperaccumulator plant index requirements for the enrichment of Pb, Zn, and Cd, making it a potential germplasm resource for Pb, Zn, and Cd composite heavy metal hyperaccumulator plants. It can be an ideal choice for the remediation of Pb, Zn, and Cd composite heavy metal-polluted soil.

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INTRODUCTION: Ricin intoxication is a serious condition with symptoms ranging from mild gastroenteritis to fatal outcomes due to shock and multi-organ failure. Intoxication from the ingestion of castor seeds is uncommon. However, its diagnosis is crucial, particularly with a clear history of exposure to castor seeds, regardless of the route of exposure (enteral or parenteral). Prompt diagnosis is essential to monitor and manage the patient effectively and to prevent potentially fatal outcomes. We report a case where ingestion of castor seeds resulted in gastroenteritis severe enough to necessitate emergency medical care. CASE REPORT: We present the case of a 47-year-old Belgian woman of Moroccan descent, previously healthy who was admitted to the emergency department with symptoms of colicky abdominal pain, diarrhea, and vomiting following the ingestion of six castor beans. The patient was diagnosed with ricin intoxication, admitted for observation, and received symptomatic treatment. She was discharged home after a complete recovery three days later. CONCLUSION: Our report underscores the clinical manifestations, hemodynamic changes, laboratory findings, and treatment of intoxication due to castor seed ingestion. It contributes to the limited literature on castor seed poisoning in humans, with a specific focus on cases in Belgium. This report aims to raise awareness among clinicians about this condition and emphasizes the importance of a comprehensive history-taking to prevent misdiagnosis and malpractice.

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Aseptic seedlings of different ages derived from surface-sterilized mature seeds were applied as an explant source. Various explants such as 7- and 21-day-old hypocotyl fragments, 42-day-old nodal stem segments, and transverse nodal segments of stem, as well as leaf petioles, were cultured on the agar-solidified Murashige and Skoog (MS) basal medium supplemented with 0.1 mg/L IAA, 5 mg/L AgNO3 and different types and concentrations of cytokinin (1 mg/L zeatin, 0.25 mg/L thidiazuron (TDZ), and 5 mg/L 6-benzylaminopurine (6-BAP)). Consequently, it was found that 7- and 21-day-old hypocotyl fragments, as well as nodal stem segments obtained from adult aseptic seedlings, are characterized by a high explant viability and callus formation capacity with a frequency of 79.7-100%. However, the success of in vitro somatic shoot organogenesis was significantly determined not only by the culture medium composition and explant type but also depending on its age, as well as on the size and explant preparation in cases of hypocotyl and age-matched nodal stem fragments, respectively. Multiple somatic shoot organogenesis (5.7 regenerants per explant) with a frequency of 67.5% was achieved during 3 subcultures of juvenile hypocotyl-derived callus tissue on MS culture medium containing 0.25 mg/L TDZ as cytokinin source. Castor bean regenerants were excised from the callus and successfully rooted on ½ MS basal medium without exogenous auxin (81%). In vitro plantlets with well-developed roots were adapted to ex vitro conditions with a frequency of 90%.

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This research aims to develop and assess the anti-arthritic properties of a topically herbal gel including leaf extracts from Cardiospermum halicacabum and Ricinus communis L. in rats. Utilizing gelling agents carbopol 940 (2.5, 5, 7.5 g), nine herbal gel compositions were created. Prepared formulations were then assessed for physical appearance, spreadability, viscosity, net content, pH, extrudability, in vitro diffusion profile, and main skin irritant tests. According to the International Council for Harmonization of Technical Requirements for Pharmaceuticals for Human Use (ICH) recommendations, the stability research for the topical herbal gel composition was completed, and Freund's Complete Adjuvant (FCA) induced arthritis technique was used to assess the anti-arthritic efficacy. Additional procedures included measuring the body weight, paw volume, biochemical and hematological variables, histological analysis, and in vitro serum biomarker detection. The prepared gels followed the instructions and were uniform and stable. F5 performed better than the other compositions in terms of release kinetics (97.20%). The gel proved safe and non-toxic since no erythema or edema was seen during the skin irritation test. Comparing the herbal gel F5 comprising carbopol 940 to rats with arthritis, the topical treatment showed considerable (p < .001) anti-arthritic effect. The anti-arthritic action of the gel formulations was confirmed by decreased paw volume, absence of agglutination in reacting protein and rheumatic factor, a decline in TNFα level, restoration to baseline biochemical and hematological characteristics, decrease in thymus and spleen weight, and histopathological study.

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The objective was to evaluate the effect of detoxified castor bean replacing soybean meal in the concentrate diet or as nitrogen organic fertilizer replacing urea on intake and nutrient digestibility, blood parameters and productive performance of sheep finished on irrigated Tamani grass pasture under continuous stocking and variable stocking rate. The treatments were two concentrate diets: standard (ground corn and soybean meal) and alternative diet (ground corn and detoxified castor bean cake), and two nitrogen fertilizers: chemical (urea) and organic (fresh castor bean cake). The randomized complete block design was used in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement with four replications (500 m² paddocks). Four sheep (2 castrated males and 2 females) were distributed in each experimental unit, totaling 64 animals with an average initial weight of 19.42 ± 3.6 kg. No effects (P > 0.05) were observed on the variables inherent to the evaluation of the pasture. The average stocking rate (SR) among treatments was 85.50 sheep/ha, equivalent to 9.87 Animal Units (AU)/ha. The alternative diet presented lower dry matter digestibility (62.71%), with no negative effects on nutrient intake and kidney parameters. Animals fed the standard and alternative diet showed average daily gain of 103.75 and 86.76 g/day, respectively. A finishing period of up to 100 days is recommended for sheep selected for production systems in semi-arid regions managed intensively on pasture. Detoxified castor bean cake did not alter nutrient intake, liver and kidney parameters of the sheep and can be used in pasture-based sheep farming.

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In growing plant population, effect of stress is a perturb issue affecting its physiological, biochemical, yield loss and developmental growth. Protein-L-isoaspartate-O-methyltransferase (PIMT) is a broadly distributed protein repair enzyme which actuate under stressful environment or aging. Stress can mediate damage converting protein bound aspartate (Asp) residues to isoaspartate (iso-Asp). This spontaneous and deleterious conversion occurs at an elevated state of stress and aging. Iso-Asp formation is associated with protein inactivation and compromised cellular survival. PIMT can convert iso-Asp back to Asp, thus repairing and contributing to cellular survival. The present work describes the isolation, cloning, sequencing and expression of PIMT genes of Carica papaya (Cp pimt) and Ricinus communis (Rc pimt) Using gene specific primers, both the pimts were amplified from their respective cDNAs and subsequently cloned in prokaryotic expression vector pProEXHTa. BL21(DE3) strain of E. coli cells were used as expression host. The expression kinetics of both the PIMTs were studied with various concentrations of IPTG and at different time points. Finally, the PIMT supplemented BL21(DE3) cells were evaluated against different stresses in comparison to their counterparts with the empty vector control.

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The objective of this study was to examine the effect of replacing soybean meal (SBM) with detoxified castor seed meal (DCM) on the intake, digestibility, feeding behavior, and performance of pasture-finished (rainy season) steers supplemented with concentrate at 0.4% of their body weight. Forty ½ Holstein + ½ Zebu steers (initial weight: 283.3 ± 36.3 kg) were allocated to four treatments in a completely randomized experimental design. Treatments consisted of diets in which DCM replaced 0, 30, 60, and 90% of SBM in the supplement dry matter (DM). The steers were finished on an Urochloa brizantha pasture and the experiment lasted 112 days. Replacing SBM with DCM did not influence (P > 0.05) the intake or apparent digestibility of DM, crude protein, or neutral detergent insoluble fiber of the animals. Grazing time increased (P < 005), whereas the intake and rumination efficiencies of the steers did not change (P > 0.05) with the substitution. The replacement of SBM with DCM in the supplement fed to the steers also did not influence (P > 0.05) their final weight, average daily gain, or feed conversion (P > 0.05). We recommend replacing up to 90% (DM basis) of SBM with DCM in the concentrate supplement of steers grazing on Urochloa brizantha pasture during rainy season while supplemented with concentrate at 0.4% of their body weight.

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Auto-inhibited Ca2+-ATPase (ACA) is one of the Ca2+-ATPase subfamilies that plays an important role in maintaining Ca2+ concentration balance in plant cells. To explore the function and gene expression pattern of the RcACA gene family in castor, bioinformatics analysis was used to identify the members of the RcACA gene family in castor. The basic physical and chemical properties, subcellular location, protein secondary and tertiary structure, conserved domain, conserved motif, gene structure, chromosome location and collinear relationship, as well as the evolutionary characteristics and promoter cis-acting elements were predicted and analyzed. The expression pattern of the RcACA gene under abiotic stress was analyzed by expression (fragments per kilobase of exon model per million mapped fragments, FPKM) in castor transcriptome data. The results showed that 8 RcACA gene family members were identified in castor, acidic proteins located in the plasma membrane. In the secondary structure of all proteins, the α-helix and random coil is more; the RcACA genes were clustered into three categories, and the design of the genes in the same category was similar to the conserved motif. Both of them had four typical domains, RcACA3-RcACA8 had a Ca2+-ATPase N-terminal autoinhibitory domain. The RcACA gene is mostly located on the long arm of the chromosome and has 2 pairs of collinear relationships. There are more light response elements but fewer hormone-induced elements located upstream of the RcACA coding region. Interspecific clustering showed that the evolution of ACA genes among species was conservative. Tissue expression pattern analysis showed that RcACA genes showed apparent tissue expression specificity, and most of the genes showed the highest expression level in male flowers. Expression analysis under abiotic stress showed that RcACA2-RcACA8 were up-regulated under high salt and drought stress, and RcACA1 was up-regulated at 0-24 h under low-temperature stress, indicating that RcACA genes positively responded to abiotic stresses. The above results provide a theoretical basis for exploring the role of the RcACA gene in castor growth, development and stress response.

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The heavy metal pollution is a serious environmental pollution around the globe and threatens the ecosystem. The physicochemical traits (pH, Electrical conductivity, hardness, NPK, Al, Fe, Cd, Cr, Pb, Mg, and Mn) of soil sample collected from the polluted site were analyzed and found that the most of the metal contents were beyond the acceptable limits of national standards. The metals such as Mn (1859.37 ± 11.25 mg kg-1), Cd (24.86 ± 1.85 mg kg-1), Zn (795.64 ± 9.24 mg kg-1), Pb (318.62 ± 5.85 mg kg-1), Cr (186.84 ± 6.84 mg kg-1), and Al (105.84 ± 5.42 mg kg-1) were crossing the permissible limits. The pre-isolated L. ferrooxidans showed considerable metal tolerance to metals such as Al, Cd, Cr, Pb, Mg, and Mn at up to the concentration of 750 µg mL-1 and also have remediation potential on polluted soil in a short duration of treatment. The greenhouse study demonstrated that the bio/phytoremediation potential of metal tolerant L. ferrooxidans and R. communis under various remediation (A, B, and C) groups. Surprisingly, remediation group C demonstrated greater phytoextraction potential than the other remediation groups (A and B). These results strongly suggest that coexistence of L. ferrooxidans and R. communis had a significant positive effect on phytoextraction on metal-contaminated soil.

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Ricinus communis L. is a medicinal plant that displays valuable pharmacological properties, including antioxidant, antimicrobial, analgesic, antibacterial, antiviral and anti-inflammatory properties. This study targeted to isolate and identify some constituents of R. communis leaves using ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectroscopy (UPLC-MS/MS) and different chromatographic techniques. In vitro anti-MERS and anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity for different fractions and for two pure isolated compounds, lupeol (RS) and ricinine (RS1) were evaluated using a plaque reduction assay with three different mechanisms and IC50 based on their cytotoxic concentration (CC50) from an MTT assay using Vero E6 cell line. Isolated phytoconstituents and remdesivir are assessed for in-silico anti-COVID-19 activity using molecular docking tools. The methylene chloride extract showed pronounced virucidal activity against SARS-CoV-2 (IC50 = 1.76 µg/ml). It was also shown that ricinine had superior potential activity against SARS-CoV-2, (IC50 = 2.5 µg/ml). Lupeol displayed the most potency against MERS, (IC50 = 5.28 µg/ml). Ricinine appeared to be the most biologically active compound. The study showed that R. communis and its isolated compounds have potential natural virucidal activity against SARS-COV-2; however, additional exploration is necessary and study for their in vivo activity.

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Castor (Ricinus communis) seeds are rich in a type of hydroxy fatty acid called ricinoleic acid, which is in high demand for the production of plant-based plastics, lubricants, and hydraulic oils. However, the high content of ricin, a toxic protein, in these seeds has restricted further expansion in the area of castor cultivation. Therefore, the development of ricin-free castor is needed. Genome editing technology, although successfully applied in several plant species, is still in the developing stages in castor and awaits the identification of an endogenous U6 promoter with robust function. Here, we searched for U6 small nuclear RNA (snRNA) genes in the castor genome. This led to the identification of six U6 snRNA genes. The promoters of these U6 snRNA genes were cloned, and their function was examined in castor cells using the particle delivery method. The results showed that a U6 promoter length of approximately 300 bp from the transcription start site was sufficient to activate gene expression. This study provides insights into the endogenous castor U6 promoter sequences and outlines a method for verifying the function of U6 promoters in plants using the particle delivery system.

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This study investigated the phenomena associated with the separation and purification of biodiesel produced from Ricinus communis oil seeds using experimental and theoretical approaches. The alkaline transesterification technique was used to produce the biodiesel from the Ricinus communis oil seeds which were later compared with standards based on EN and ASTM. Experimental investigation of the components in the mixture for separation and purification was conducted using the standard turbidimetric method for binodal solubility and tie-line compositions. The gas chromatographic technique was used to determine the composition of the homogeneous mixture. Novel components separation and purification of the Ricinus communis seed oil biodiesel was achieved using ternary diagrams highlighting the constituent components of the biodiesel at different temperatures for enhanced separation and purification. At the coexisting extract and raffinate phases, the orientation angle of the component compositions increases as the methanol concentration increases and temperature increases. The analysis of seed oil in terms of its physicochemical properties showed density, refractive index, acid value, and free fatty acid values of 905 kg/m3, 1.486, 0.79 mg KOH/g, and 0.390 mg KOH/g respectively. The fatty acid composition of the seed oil and biodiesel revealed that the major characteristics of the oil and biodiesel were defined by the presence of linoleic acid (C18:2) and a ricinoleic acid hydroxyl group (C18:1, OH) with compositions of approximately 30% and 20% respectively. Fourier Transform Infra-Red (FTIR) spectrometry analysis of the oil and biodiesel showed that the absorption spectrum in terms of the wave number (cm-1) ranged from 1000 to 4000 cm-1 with esters as the main functional group providing the main structural backbone. The presence of different fatty acids leads to lateral homogeneity of the biodiesel molecules which can serve to organize the molecules into discrete domains with different properties for enhanced separation and purification at the investigated temperatures. Optimal separation and purification were achieved at the different temperatures showing the castor oil biodiesel, glycerol, and methanol components system at the prevailing composition, time, and temperatures from the tie-lines and binodal solubility compositions. This approach provides a means for the design of a more efficient separation process for optimal biodiesel purification after production with knowledge of how the components are distributed in the ternary mixture after the transesterification reaction. This, leads to greater efficiency of the process, reducing material and operational costs and eliminating environmental issues linked with the biodiesel production process as the volume of wastewater generated would be hugely eradicated. The findings of this study will be useful in the setting up of a small-to-medium-size biodiesel production facility with improvement in the efficiency of product separation and purification.

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Phytoremediation is a widely accepted bioremediation method of treating heavy metal contaminated soils. Nevertheless, the remediation efficiency in multi-metal contaminated soils is still unsatisfactory attributable to susceptibility to different metals. To isolate root-associated fungi for improving phytoremediation efficiency in multi-metal contaminated soils, the fungal flora in root endosphere, rhizoplane, rhizosphere of Ricinus communis L. in heavy metal contaminated soils and non-heavy metal contaminated soils were compared by ITS amplicon sequencing, and then the critical fungal strains were isolated and inoculated into host plants to improve phytoremediation efficiency in Cd, Pb, and Zn-contaminated soils. The fungal ITS amplicon sequencing analysis indicated that the fungal community in root endosphere was more susceptible to heavy metals than those in rhizoplane and rhizosphere soils and Fusarium dominated the endophytic fungal community of R. communis L. roots under heavy metal stress. Three endophytic strains (Fusarium sp. F2, Fusarium sp. F8, and Fusarium sp. F14) isolated from Ricinus communis L. roots showed high resistances to multi-metals and possessed growth-promoting characteristics. Biomass and metal extraction amount of R. communis L. with Fusarium sp. F2, Fusarium sp. F8, and Fusarium sp. F14 inoculation in Cd-, Pb- and Zn-contaminated soils were significantly higher than those without the inoculation. The results suggested that fungal community analysis-guided isolation could be employed to obtain desired root-associated fungi for enhancing phytoremediation of multi-metal contaminated soils.

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In the present study, Ricinus communis seed oil with high free fatty acid content was utilized for the one-pot biodiesel production using 1-(2,3-dihydroxy)-propyl-3-methylimidazolium hydroxide, a basic ionic liquid catalyst. The 97.83% biodiesel yield was obtained at the optimized conditions of 6.26 % (w/w) of catalyst concentration, 10.51:1 M ratio of methanol to oil, 57.87 °C temperature and reaction time of 61.01 min. The transesterification of Ricinus communis seed oil to biodiesel exhibited an activation energy of 37.60 kJ/mol. The technoeconomic analysis, the profitability and the sensitivity analysis were investigated for the simulated process design. The technoeconomic analysis reported a total revenue of 20,455,431 $/yr, with gross margins, ROI, payback period, IRR, and NPV of 23.54%, 35.72%, 2.8 years, 28.20%, and 19,287,000 $, respectively. According to the sensitivity analysis, the two most important factors determining the economic viability of the simulated process are Ricinus communis seed oil cost and biodiesel selling price.

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Heart failure is caused by various factors, making the underlying pathogenic mechanisms difficult to identify. Since cardiovascular disease tends to worsen over time, early diagnosis is key for treatment. In addition, understanding the qualitative changes in the heart associated with aging, where information on the direct influences of aging on cardiovascular disease is limited, would also be useful for treatment and diagnosis. To fill these research gaps, the focus of our study was to detect the structural and functional molecular changes associated with the heart over time, with a focus on glycans, which reflect the type and state of cells. METHODS: We investigated glycan localization in the cardiac tissue of normal mice and their alterations during aging, using evanescent-field fluorescence-assisted lectin microarray, a technique based on lectin-glycan interaction, and lectin staining. RESULTS: The glycan profiles in the left ventricle showed differences between the luminal side (medial) and wall side (lateral) regions. The medial region was characterized by the presence of sialic acid residues. Moreover, age-related changes in glycan profiles were observed at a younger age in the medial region. The difference in the age-related decrease in the level of α-galactose stained with Griffonia simplicifolia lectin-IB4 in different regions of the left ventricle suggests spatiotemporal changes in the number of microvessels. CONCLUSIONS: The glycan profile, which retains diverse glycan structures, is supported by many cell populations, and maintains cardiac function. With further research, glycan localization and changes have the potential to be developed as a marker of the signs of heart failure.

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Ricinus communis is an important oilseed crop worldwide and is also considered one of the best potential plants for salt-affected soil improvement in northeast China. However, little is known about photosynthesis and carbohydrate metabolism in this plant, nor the distribution of carbohydrates in cotyledons and roots under salinity stress. In the present study, seedling growth, gas exchange parameters (PN , E, gs and Ci ), carbohydrate (fructose, sucrose, glucose, soluble sugar and starch) metabolism and related enzymes and genes were measured in Ricinus plants. Under salt stress, PN of cotyledons decreased significantly (P < 0.05), resulting in weak photosynthetic capacity. Furthermore, salt stress increased sucrose and glucose content in cotyledons, but decreased soluble sugar and starch content. However, sucrose increased and starch decreased in roots. This may be correlated with the increasing sugar metabolism under salinity, including notable changes in sugar-related enzyme activities (SPS, SuSy, α-amylase and ß-amylase) and gene expression of RcINV, RcSUS, RcAmY, RcBAM and RcGBE1. The results suggest that salinity reduces photosynthesis of cotyledons, alters carbohydrate allocation between cotyledons and roots and also promotes starch utilization in cotyledons and starch biosynthesis in roots, leading to a functional imbalance between cotyledons and roots. Together, these findings provide insights into the crucial role of sugar metabolism in improving salt-tolerance of Ricinus during the early seedling growth stage.

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Dermatophytosis has been the most common cause of superficial fungal infections which invade the keratinized tissues of body such as nail, hair, and skin, respectively. Although these infections are treatable and many commercial drugs are available that can be applied topically (clotrimazole, fluconazole, itraconazole, miconazole, voriconazole) on the infected areas but they have very low efficacy and has high probability of relapse. To increase the efficacy of treatment, the patient receives supplementary oral medicines for prolong duration that leads to hepatotoxicity. Previously, it has been reported that some wild medicinal plants possess antifungal capacity due to the presence of bioactive molecules. In present study, these phytochemicals (viz. tannins, saponins, alkaloids, flavonoids) derived from three test plants [Acacia nilotica (babul), Catharanthus roseus (sadabahar) and Ricinus communis (Arandi)] are used as sources of direct medicinal agents to develop an antidermatophytic drug formulation against the clinical fungal isolates associated with affected population. The mechanism of their antifungal potential of partially purified phytochemicals were analyzed using agar well diffusion method, food inhibition assessment and DNA cleavage analysis. The data revealed that the alkaloids are the most potent component possessing antifungal property that is recommended to be used to formulate topical ointment for the dermatophytic infection after competent regulatory approvals. This can be used as promising source of alternative treatment approach and as a competent substitute for chemically synthesized hepatotoxic drugs that are available in market.

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