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The cypress family, Cupressaceae, has a global dispersion. Currently, endophytic microorganisms from plants are being investigated for their diversity and bioactivities. Here, we aimed at exploration and characterization of cultivable endophytic fungi from foliar tissues of Cupressaceae, i.e. Cupressus arizonica, C. sempervirens var. cereiformis, C. sempervirens var. fastigiata, Juniperus excelsa, Juniperus sp. and Thuja orientalis. Asymptomatic fresh foliar tissues, collected from mature healthy plants, were sterilized and the inner layers were plated on culture media at 26-28 °C for 2-12 weeks, until fungal colonies emerged and were purified. Endophytic Penicillia i.e. Penicillium aurantiogriseum, P. chrysogenum, P. commune, P. echinulatum, P. expansum and P. viridicatum were the dominant fungi recovered. Results indicated that both host plant and geographical location of sampling affected the biodiversity and bioactivity of endophytic Penicillia. Results also indicated that those endophytic Penicillia had significant bioactivities. According to our results, both intra-and extra-cellular secondary metabolites from all isolated Penicillia had significant cytotoxic and antifungal effects against the model fungus Pyricularia oryzae and cypress fungal phytopathogens Diplodia seriata, Phaeobotryon cupressi and Spencermartinsia viticola. Further studies indicated the significant antimicrobial bioactivities of superior Penicillia against model bacteria. Altogether, this study highlights, for the first time, the biodiversity of endophytic Penicillia from Cupressaceae plants and documents their significance for agrochemical/drug discovery and for plant disease biocontrol.  

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The occurrence of damage is considered as an unavoidable fact in fibrous polymers. For this reason, the self-healing systems could extend the service life time of materials by implementing the concept of autonomous or induced repair. In the present study, a self-healing E-glass fibers/epoxy composite based on micro-vascular channels has been designed and fabricated. The specimens were fabricated via the hand lay-up route, while the fabrication of micro-vascular channels was conducted through the removing of solid preforms. Due to the lack of previous studies about the utilization of anhydride resin-hardener system with lower viscosity and also their controllable miscibility in comparison to the amine systems, in the present work, these materials were selected as healing agent for repairing the primary defects created in the structure. For this purpose, mico vascular channels containing two various parts of epoxy resin and anhydride hardener (2, 3.2, and 3.7 Vol.% with respect to the matrix part) were incorporated in the structure of composites. The flexural behavior of the specimens was assessed during the different time span (0, 4, 8 and 11 days) from the primary damage creation. After the defect creation in the structure, the healing agents present in the micro vascular channels are flow into the defects and after the combining with catalysis dispersed in the matrix, local polymerization process and restoring of properties are started. According to the obtained results in this research, the highest flexural strength recovery of 46% was observed for the specimen with 3.2% healing agent after 8 days.