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Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is known as the most common cancer among women in the world. Although overexpression of the EGFR1 gene is observed in more than 70% of patients, medications based on inhibitors of this receptor are ineffective. This is due to the fact that the protein remains active, even after administration with inhibitory drugs. We used siRNA to silence the EGFR1 gene in this study. The siRNA was packaged in a magnetic nanoparticle (MNP) that was functionalized with poly ethyleneimine (PEI), PEGylated folic acid (FA-PEG), and β-cyclodextrin (βCD). Multi-functionalized FA-PEG/βCD functionalized PEI-coated iron oxide magnetic nanoparticles (Fe3O4@CD-PEI/FA-PEG) were produced by post-surface modification. This multi-functionalized magnetic nanocarrier was structurally verified using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), dynamic light scattering (DLS), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM). Small interfering RNAs (siRNA) were used as a precise tool in gene therapy in this study to remove EGFR1 gene mRNA. siRNA molecules are about 21 nucleotides that cause cleavage in the complementary sequence of the target mRNA. The capacity to deliver siRNAs against EGFR1 to the breast cancer cell line (MD-MBA-231) was evaluated. According to flow cytometry, siRNA was efficiently delivered to the cells, with an absorption rate of 62%. In addition, confocal microscopy confirmed the cell uptake and endosomal escape. Also, the expression level of the EGFR1 gene was measured by the quantitative PCR method, which showed a 78% knockdown of this gene at the mRNA level. The fate of the siRNA@[Fe3O4@βCD-PEI/FA-PEG] complex after endocytosis. (1) siRNA@[Fe3O4@βCD-PEI/FA-PEG] entering the cell (early endosome) through endocytosis. (2) Entry of siRNA@[Fe3O4@βCD-PEI/FA-PEG] into the late endosome. (3a) Endosomal escape and cargo survival (siRNA). (3b) Lysosomal digestion pathway. (4) Release of siRNA to cytosol and interaction with RISC after rupture of endosome membrane. (5) mRNA degradation and EGFR1 gene silencing [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Slow-release fertilizers (SRFs) play an essential and necessary role in sustainable agriculture. Using slow-release and environment friendly fertilizers can increase the growth of plants and reduce the loss of nutrients. Considering the deficiency of iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn) in calcareous soils, a slow-release fertilizer was prepared based on the polymeric nanocomposite, which contains NPK, Fe, and Zn. Its potential was evaluated on tomato plant growth by conducting an experiment in a factorial completely randomized design with three replications. Two levels of salinity (2 and 5 ds m−1, two types of soil texture) clay loam and sandy loam) and five levels of fertilizers were examined in the experiment. To this, the graphene oxide-chitosan coated-humic acid@Fe3O4 nanoparticles (Fe3O4@HA@GO-Cs), and the graphene oxide-chitosan coated-ammonium zinc phosphate (AZP@GO-Cs) were used as Fe and Zn sources, respectively. Then, the optimal Fe and Zn fertilizers in the presence of urea, phosphorus, and potassium slow- release fertilizers (SRF) were investigated under greenhouse conditions. The results indicated that the best improvement in growth and nutrient uptake in plants was achieved by using the SRF. Notably, in the shoots of tomato plants, the nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, Fe, and Zn concentration increased by 44, 66, 46, 75, and 74% compared to the control. The use of nanofertilizer can be an effective, biocompatible, and economical option to provide Fe and Zn demand in plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The application of nanomaterials is a promising tool to achieve more efficient in vitro propagation. This study evaluated the effectiveness of rice husk derived biogenic silica nanoparticles (SiO2 NPs) and zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) on the growth and proliferation of in vitro cultures of quince rootstock 'QA'. In vitro cultures were exposed to six levels of SiO2 NPs (0, 1, 5, 25, 50, 100 mg L− 1) and seven levels of ZnO NPs (0, 0.5, 1, 2.5, 5, 25, 50 mg L− 1). Proliferation and growth rate were determined in plantlets recovered from ZnO NPs and SiO2 NPs-treatments and controls that were grown under in vitro conditions for 35 days. The results showed in vitro shoots of quince rootstock QA treated with SiO2 NPs at a concentration of 1 mgL− 1 had the highest number of axillary shoots (2.46). Also quince rootstock QA plantlets regenerated from ZnO NPs-treatments showed the highest shoot length and the number of leaves at a concentration of 2.5 mg L− 1 (6.86 and 14.26, respectively). This research demonstrated the use of 1 mg L− 1 of SiO2 NPs and 2.5 mg L− 1 of ZnO NPs in the tissue culture medium may improve proliferation and growth rate in quince rootstock 'QA' explants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study aimed to assess the effects of different concentrations of silicon (Si) nutrient sources, including bulk silicon dioxide (bSiO2) and two types of silica nanoparticles, nSiO2 (I) and nSiO2 (II) at different concentrations of 1, 5, 10, 25, 50, and 100 ppm in the germination process of stevia. The priming experiment was conducted using a completely randomized design with three replicates to ensure the reliability of the results. Results: All stevia seedlings subjected to nano-priming significantly improved the germination parameters. The germination percentage increased by 106%, reaching 68% in nano-primed seedlings. Similarly, the germination rate showed a remarkable increase of 128.12% at 7.3 day−1. Additionally, the root, shoot, and seedling dry weight increased by 283%, 168.9%, and 220% and determined 0.092, 0.078, and 0.17 g plant−1, respectively, compared to the control. Furthermore, seed priming with nSiO2 (I) at a concentration of 10 ppm resulted in an increased catalase (CAT) activity (36.15 Umg−1 protein) and peroxidase (POX) activity (approximately 0.057 U.mg−1 protein). Also, the highest sucrose amount was observed in the root (equal to 160.4 μg g−1 DW) and shoot (equal to 247 μg g−1 DW) of seedlings primed with 10 ppm of nSiO2 (I). However, it should be noted that nano-priming at the highest concentration led to oxidative damage indicated by an increase in H2O2 concentration. Conversely, bSiO2 demonstrated a lesser effect on improving germination, seedling growth, antioxidant activities, and biochemical attributes compared to nSiO2 (I), and nSiO2 (II). Conclusions: This study established that seed priming with nSiO2 (I) at a concentration of 10 ppm was the most effective in enhancing germination percentage and rate, root/shoot/dry weight, biochemical attributes, and enzyme activities (such as α-amylase, CAT, and POX). The results suggested that seed priming with nSiO2 (I) at the optimal concentration could improve the seed germination by enhancing the antioxidant system, starch metabolism, and ultimately protecting plants from oxidative damage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Traditional phosphorus fertilizers generally have low efficiencies due to their immobilization in soil, and a large part of these fertilizers are not plant-available. Also, phosphorus resources are non-renewable. In recent years, a great deal of attention has been paid to nanofertilizers because of their slow or controlled release and also their very small particle size which increases the solubility and uptake of nanoparticles in plant. Hydroxyapatite nanoparticles are of great importance as phosphorus nanofertilizer thanks to their very low toxicity, biocompatibility, and the fact that products obtained from their degradation, i.e., phosphate and calcium ions, are naturally available in soils. Results: In this study, hydroxyapatite nanoparticles were synthesized using the wet chemical precipitation method in three formulations and characterized with various techniques including electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, X-ray diffraction, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, and elemental analysis. Chemical and microscopic analyses showed that phosphorus was distributed in different parts of the wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) plant. To investigate the fertilizing effects of the nanoparticles, hydroxyapatite nanoparticles were used in different culture media including alkaline soil, acidic soil, the mixture of peat moss and perlite, and cocopeat. Based on our observations, hydroxyapatite nanoparticles showed fertilizing properties in all media. However, fertilizing potential strongly depended on the culture media. HAP nanoparticles demonstrated a high potential to be used as a fertilizer in acidic media. Nevertheless, only a slight fertilizing effect was observed in alkaline soils. Furthermore, the findings of our study showed fertilizing properties of powder hydroxyapatite nanoparticles without the need to convert them to suspension. Moreover, hydroxyapatite nanoparticles in all the three formulations showed low toxicity in such a way that their toxicity was even less than that of triple super phosphate. Conclusions: Hydroxyapatite nanoparticles in both suspension and powder forms can be considered an alternative to conventional phosphorus fertilizers in acidic culture media. Our study revealed that hydroxyapatite nanoparticles were likely dissolved in the culture media and absorbed by plant mainly in the phosphate form. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Different experiments were conducted to establish and optimize an efficient in vitro micropropagation protocol for Myrobalan 29C rootstocks. Disinfection of initial explants with AgNPs (2.5%) reduced the needed amount of NaClO (5.0%) by half. The highest rates of induced active buds were obtained in the DKW (90.63%), MS (86.67%), modified MS (82.22%), and WPM (78.15%) culture media supplemented with BAP (2.22 μmol L−1) + GA3 (2.88 μmol L−1) + IBA (0.05 μmol L−1) + Fe-EDDHA (228.72 μmol L−1). The highest quality of the proliferated shoots (5.0) was also achieved using DKW medium. Inclusion of GA3 (5.76 μmol L−1), Fe-EDDHA (114.36–228.72 μmol L−1), or BAP (2.22 μmol L−1) were also able to enhance the rate of shoot multiplication. Compared to the agar-solidified culture system, the established shoots proliferated more efficiently when immersed by bioreactor in the liquid DKW culture medium on a regular basis. Exogenous application of silica-based nanoparticles (NPs) including the chemically synthesized silica NPs (TSiO2 NPs, 1.0 ppm), rice husk derived biogenic silica NPs (RSiO2 NPs, 10.0 ppm), or amine modified silica NPs (ASiO2 NPs, 10.0 ppm) to the multiplication medium increased the number of regenerated lateral shoots by 520%, 360%, and 349%, respectively. Proliferated shoots with well-developed root system were obtained from the rooting medium supplemented with 19.68 μmol L−1 IBA. Our results indicated that the rootstocks of Myrobalan 29C could be efficiently propagated under in vitro condition providing proper culture medium and optimal concentrations of additives and plant growth regulators were adopted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) does not respond to HER2-targeted and hormone-based medicines. Epidermal growth factor receptor 1 (EGFR1) is commonly overexpressed in up to 70% of TNBC cases, so targeting cancer cells via this receptor could emerge as a favored modality for TNBC therapy due to its target specificity. The development of mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) as carriers for siRNAs remains a rapidly growing area of research. For this purpose, a multi-functionalized KIT-6 containing the guanidinium ionic liquid (GuIL), PEI and PEGylated folic acid (FA-PEG) was designed. Accordingly, KIT-6 was fabricated and modified with FA-PEG and PEI polymers attached on the surface and the GuIL placed in the mesopores. Subsequent to confirming the structure of this multi-functionalized KIT-6- based nanocarrier using TEM, SEM, AFM, BET, BJH, DLS and Zeta Potential, it was investigated for uploading and transferring the anti-EGFR1 siRNAs to the MD-MBA-231 cell line. The rate of cellular uptake, cellular localization and endolysosomal escape was evaluated based on the fluorescent intensity of FAM-labelled siRNA using flowcytometry analysis and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). The 64% cellular uptake after 4 h incubation, clearly suggested the successful delivery of siRNA into the cells and, CLSM demonstrated that siRNA@[FA-PEGylated/PEI@GuIL@KIT-6] may escape endosomal entrapment after 6 h incubation. Using qPCR, quantitative evaluation of EGFR1 gene expression, a knockdown of 82% was found, which resulted in a functional change in the expression of EGFR1 targets. Co-treatment of chemotherapy drug "carboplatin" in combination with siRNA@[FA-PEGylated/PEI@GuIL@KIT-6] exhibited a remarkable cytotoxic effect in comparison to carboplatin alone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Wheat is one of the main food for around 2 billion people worldwide. Among the biological stressors, Eurygaster integriceps Puton is a damaging insect in wheat and barley fields, which harms them both quantitatively (by overwintered adults) and qualitatively (by instar nymphs). The ovipositional and the new generation's production control are pivotal approaches to control the severe damages of Sunn-pest. Methods: In this study, to enhance the deltamethrin effectiveness while reducing its required dosage and also reducing the adverse health and environmental impacts, a novel MSN-based deltamethrin formulation was prepared and evaluated based on the laying-eggs number and oviposition behavior. To this, deltamethrin was loaded on KIT-6 mesoporous silica nanoparticles and characterized using SEM, TEM, and TGA analysis, and the insect potential of deltametrin@KIT6 was then evaluated. Results: The results showed that there might be differences between the treatments (KIT-6, deltamethrin@KIT-6, deltamethrin commercial formulation, and water as a control) in terms of the insect control via the laying-egg and next-generation prevention. The results showed that KIT-6 and deltamethrin@KIT-6 could reduce the oviposition rate compared to water as the control. Deltamethrin@KIT-6 not only caused the less oviposition done but the eggs were scattered and the batch of eggs did not have a uniform-shape similar to the control mode. The deltamethrin@KIT-6 nanopesticide could increase the pesticide effectiveness by reducing the Sunn-pest's oviposition and nymphal population and subsequently decreasing the damage caused by them. So that the concentrations of 10, 25, and 125 mg L−1 of deltamethrin@KIT-6 reduced oviposition by 63.24%, 66.11%, and 67.62%, respectively, compared to the control group. On the other hand, descriptive observations showed that another possible tension is created through insect eggs deposition on the boundary layer of leaves. Conclusion: The MSN-based nanoformulation could be effectively considered to control the next-generation population density of Sunn-pest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Xylanase improves poultry nutrition by degrading xylan in the cell walls of feed grains and release the entrapped nutrients. However, the application of xylanase as a feed supplement is restricted to its low stability in the environment and gastrointestinal (GI) tract of poultry. To overcome these obstacles, Zeozyme NPs as a smart pH-responsive nanosystem was designed based on xylanase immobilization on zeolitic nanoporous as the major cornerstone that was modified with L-lysine. The immobilized xylanase was followed by encapsulating with a cross-linked CMC-based polymer. Zeozyme NPs was structurally characterized using TEM, SEM, AFM, DLS, TGA and nitrogen adsorption/desorption isotherms at liquid nitrogen temperature. The stability of Zeozyme NPs was evaluated at different temperatures, pH, and in the presence of proteases. Additionally, the release pattern of xylanase was investigated at a digestion model mimicking the GI tract. Xylanase was released selectively at the duodenum and ileum (pH 6–7.1) and remarkably preserved at pH ≤ 6 including proventriculus, gizzard, and crop (pH 1.6–5). The results confirmed that the zeolite equipped with the CMC matrix could enhance the xylanase thermal and pH stability and preserve its activity in the presence of proteases. Moreover, Zeozyme NPs exhibited a smart pH-dependent release of xylanase in an in vitro simulated GI tract. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Main conclusion: Engineered nanocarriers have great potentialto deliver different genetic cargos to plant cells and increase the efficiency of plant genetic engineering. Genetic engineering has improved the quality and quantity of crops by introducing desired DNA sequences into the plant genome. Traditional transformation strategies face constraints such as low transformation efficiency, damage to plant tissues, and genotype dependency. Smart nanovehicle-based delivery is a newly emerged method for direct DNA delivery to plant genomes. The basis of this new approach of plant genetic transformation, nanomaterial-mediated gene delivery, is the appropriate protection of transferred DNA from the nucleases present in the cell cytoplasm through the nanocarriers. The conjugation of desired nucleic acids with engineered nanocarriers can solve the problem of genetic manipulation in some valuable recalcitrant plant genotypes. Combining nano-enabled genetic transformation with the new and powerful technique of targeted genome editing, CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats), can create new protocols for efficient improvement of desired plants. Silica-based nanoporous materials, especially mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs), are currently regarded as exciting nanoscale platforms for genetic engineering as they possess several useful properties including ordered and porous structure, biocompatibility, biodegradability, and surface chemistry. These specific features have made MSNs promising candidates for the design of smart, controlled, and targeted delivery systems in agricultural sciences. In the present review, we discuss the usability, challenges, and opportunities for possible application of nano-enabled biomolecule transformation as part of innovative approaches for target delivery of genes of interest into plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There is a great interest in the efficient intracellular delivery of Cas9-sgRNA ribonucleoprotein complex (RNP) and its possible applications for in vivo CRISPR-based gene editing. In this study, a nanoporous mediated gene-editing approach has been successfully performed using a bi-functionalized aminoguanidine-PEGylated periodic mesoporous organosilica (PMO) nanoparticles (RNP@AGu@PEG1500-PMO) as a potent and biocompatible nanocarrier for RNP delivery. Results: The bi-functionalized MSN-based nanomaterials have been fully characterized using electron microscopy (TEM and SEM), nitrogen adsorption measurements, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), Attenuated Total Reflectance-Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), and dynamic light scattering (DLS). The results confirm that AGu@PEG1500-PMO can be applied for gene-editing with an efficiency of about 40% as measured by GFP gene knockdown of HT1080-GFP cells with no notable change in the morphology of the cells. Conclusions: Due to the high stability and biocompatibility, simple synthesis, and cost-effectiveness, the developed bi-functionalized PMO-based nano-network introduces a tailored nanocarrier that has remarkable potential as a promising trajectory for biomedical and RNP delivery applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pharmaceutical compounds with a toxic nature are released into the aquatic environment and can lead to adverse effects on ecological sustainability. Thus, enhancing the separation and treatment of the toxic compounds seem necessary. In this study, uptake and removal efficiency for the adsorption of two pharmaceutical compounds, ibuprofen (IBU) and penicillin G (PEN G), from aqueous solutions by Fe3O4@GO-IL were investigated. However, the effect of main effective variables including pH, concentrations, adsorbent dosage, and contact time were investigated. Isotherm and kinetic models also were studied. The maximum IBU removal rate was achieved about 97.58 (~5 mg/g) under optimal condition, pH 6.5, adsorbent dose 0.120 g/L, contact time 60 min, initial concentration 12.7 mg/L. At a condition of pH 4, adsorbent dose 0.3 g/L, contact time 97.5 min, initial concentration 32.43 mg/L, the maximum PEN G was 95% (9.14 mg/g). The Freundlich and Langmuir isotherms and pseudo-second-order models gave the best-fit to equilibrium experimental adsorption data. The findings of the study showed that new modified magnetic nanoparticles-graphene using ionic liquid (ILMNPs) can use as a high potential, simple, rapid separation, and re-generable material for adsorption pharmaceuticals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Imidazolium-based ionic liquid functionalized PEGylated mesoporous silica nanoparticles MCM-41 (denoted as [ImIL-PEGylated@MCM-41] NPs) is synthesized and evaluated as an efficient and reliable pH-sensitive nano-carrier for controlled release of cationic Lapatinib (Lap) drug. This nano-DDS was fully characterized by dynamic light scattering, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray powder diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, N2 adsorption–desorption measurement, and differential scanning calorimeter. Furthermore, the drug loading content and in-vitro drug release profile were studied. The entrapment and loading efficiency of the optimized formulation for Lap were 91 ± 2.0% and 32.21 ± 2.70%, respectively. The results of cytotoxicity assay demonstrated that ImIL-PEG@MCM-41 has no significant toxicity on both cancerous and normal cell lines and the anticancer activity of Lap@ImIL-PEG@MCM-41 was comparable to free drug in case of human breast cells (SKBR3) and human embryonic kidney 293 cells (HEK-293). Meanwhile, three-dimensional (3D) cell culture was performed by multicellular tumor spheroids for understanding of cell response to drugs in physiologically 3D microenvironments. The results of Lap@ImIL-PEG@MCM-41 uptake during 48 hours showed a gradual release of the Lap through the multicellular tumor spheroids. This showed that the pH-responsive controlled release of Lapatinib leads to the satisfactory results in the in vitro breast cancer therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this research, ultrasonic synthesis is applied for the fabrication of a novel catalyst, based on immobilization of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) on thiourea functionalized magnetic hydroxyapatite. A recoverable Ag nano-catalyst is constructed by decoration of AgNPs on the surface of thiourea modified magnetic hydroxyapatite. Magnetic hydroxyapatite is used as an organic–inorganic hybrid support for the catalyst. The organic–inorganic hybrid support is prepared by co-precipitation, followed by its surface modification through covalent functionalization of 1-(3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)-3-propyl)thiourea. The fabricated catalyst has been characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) analysis. The nanoparticles are mostly tubular in shape and their particle sizes are smaller than 100 nm. This nanocatalyst shows efficient and robust catalytic activity in different reactions, including selective reduction of 4-nitrophenol (4NP) and oxidation of primary amines by applying NaBH4 and urea hydrogen peroxide (UHP) as reagents, respectively. The catalyst shows good reusability in 10 sequential reaction runs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a novel methodology is introduced for the synthesis of novel 5-methyl-8H-isoquinolino[1,2-b]quinazolin-8-one derivatives based on an efficient immobilized palladium catalyzed intramolecular carbon–carbon bond formation. The novel catalyst is fabricated by immobilization of Pd on phosphinite polyethyleneimine functionalized Fe3O4@SiO2 core–shell nanoparticles (denoted as Pd@OPPh2–PEI–mSiO2 NPs). In this catalyst, PEI moieties act as both a water dispersant and base in the reaction. In the key step, 3-allyl-2-(2-bromophenyl)-2,3-dihydroquinazolin-4(1H)-ones (3a–i) were synthesized via a cyclization reaction between N-allyl-2-aminobenzamides and 2-bromobenzaldehyde. The latter obtained materials then underwent an intramolecular carbon–carbon bond formation in the presence of the Pd@Ph2PO–PEI–mSiO2 catalyst to give 5-methyl-13,13a-dihydro-8H-isoquinolino[1,2-b]quinazolin-8-ones (4a–i). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The green synthesis of 2‐(4‐((1‐phenyl‐1H‐1,2,3‐triazol‐4‐yl)oxy)phenyl)quinazolin‐4(3H)‐one derivatives is reported. The catalyst for this synthesis is copper‐supported β‐cyclodextrin‐functionalized magnetic silica–iron oxide nanoparticles ([Cu@BCD@SiO2@SPION]). [Cu@BCD@SiO2@SPION] simultaneously catalyses ‘click’ reaction, oxidation of CN bond and multicomponent reaction. The desired 1,2,3‐triazolylquinazolinone product is easily obtained in water at room temperature under mild reaction conditions. Another advantage of the catalyst is its reusability. It can simply be isolated using an external magnet and reused in reactions with no significant decrease in catalyst efficiency. Transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, vibrating sample magnetometry and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy are used for exact characterization of the [Cu@BCD@SiO2@SPION] catalyst. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

β-Cyclodextrin functionalized PEGylated porous silica nanoparticles KIT-6 (denoted as [β-CD@PEGylated KIT-6] NPs) is synthesized and evaluated as an efficient and reliable pH-sensitive nano-carrier. Curcumin (CUR), an anticancer drug, has low solubility and stability and these properties diminished its bioavailability. One way to overcome this problem is employing nano-carrier for delivery of CUR. In this study, the novel [β-CD@PEGylated KIT-6] NPs nano-carrier was employed for CUR delivery successfully. The nano-DDS was characterized using different techniques such as X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), transmission and scanning electron microscopy (TEM and SEM), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimeter (DSC), N 2 adsorption–desorption measurement, and dynamic light scattering (DLS). In this study, first, the combination of central composite design (CCD) and response surface methodology (RSM) was used to achieve the optimal condition of the loading step with investigation of two important factors: the loading time and the weight ratio of drug to nano-carrier. Maximum loading efficiency 88.55% was obtained at 43 h of loading time and 1.22 of the weight ratio. Then CUR was loaded onto the nano-carrier at this optimal condition and its released was investigated by CCD-RSM. The maximum drug release was obtained at 5.16 of pH and 107 h of release time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel design of gold-coated iron oxide nanoparticles was fabricated as a potential delivery system to improve the efficiency and stability of d, l-sulforaphane as an anticancer drug. To this purpose, the surface of gold-coated iron oxide nanoparticles was modified for sulforaphane delivery via furnishing its surface with thiolated polyethylene glycol-folic acid and thiolated polyethylene glycol-FITC. The synthesized nanoparticles were characterized by different techniques such as FTIR, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, UV-visible spectroscopy, scanning and transmission electron microscopy. The average diameters of the synthesized nanoparticles before and after sulforaphane loading were obtained ∼ 33 nm and ∼ 38 nm, respectively, when ∼ 2.8 mmol/g of sulforaphane was loaded. The result of cell viability assay which was confirmed by apoptosis assay on the human breast cancer cells (MCF-7 line) as a model of in vitro-cancerous cells, proved that the bare nanoparticles showed little inherent cytotoxicity, whereas the sulforaphane-loaded nanoparticles were cytotoxic. The expression rate of the anti-apoptotic genes (bcl-2 and bcl-xL), and the pro-apoptotic genes (bax and bak) were quantified, and it was found that the expression rate of bcl-2 and bcl-xL genes significantly were decreased when MCF-7 cells were incubated by sulforaphane-loaded nanoparticles. The sulforaphane-loaded into the designed gold-coated iron oxide nanoparticles, acceptably induced apoptosis in MCF-7 cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The surface of SBA-15 was functionalized using diphenylphosphine and then it was treated with butane sultone and sulfuric acid to obtain Brønsted acid HO3S-phosphonium based ionic liquid functionalized SBA-15 with 4-methylbenzenesulfonate (p-TS–) as a counteranion. [HO3S-PhospIL@SBA-15], efficiently catalyzed synthesis of 2-amino-3-cyano-4,6-diarylpyridine derivatives through the reaction of chalcones, malononitrile, and ammonium acetate in good yields at 50°C in EtOH. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Phosphonic acid functionalized KIT-6 confined ionic liquid (IL, 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate [BMIm][BF4]) catalyzed the one-pot condensation reaction of iminochromenes and salicylaldehydes with different primary alcohols to achieve the corresponding 4-alkoxy-5H-chromen[2,3-d]pyrimidines under solvent-free conditions and in good yields. This efficient nanocatalyst can be recovered for at least five reaction runs without significant loss of either activity or confined IL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, iron-gold core shell magnetic nanoparticles Fe@Au NPs was investigated as contrasting agent in radiation therapy in the breast cancer. Assessment of cytotoxic and radio sensitizing potential was done by MTT method and Flow cytometry. Radiation was done using Co 60 source. The response of cells to treatment with radiation alone and radiation with nanoparticles was assessed. The study demonstrates that Fe@Au nanoparticles do not have considerable cytotoxic effects, but they increase the effectiveness of radiation that means the survival of the group without nanoparticles exposed to 5 Gy radiations is 75%while the group with nanoparticles is 33%. With 2 Gy radiations the survival of the two groups are 87% and 80% respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Various monospiro-2-amino-4 H-pyran derivatives have been synthesized in high yields ( via three-component coupling of ninhydrin or different isatins with malononitrile and 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds) in the presence of catalytic amount of propane-1-sulfonic acid-modified magnetic hydroxyapatite nanoparticles in H2O. Due to easy magnetic removal of nanocatalyst and applying of H2O as solvent, this protocol enhanced product purity, and promised economic as well as environmental benefits, exemplifying a waste-free chemistry. More importantly, the catalyst could be easily recycled for more than five times without loss of activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modified β-casein (mβ- CN) was investigated as an efficient additive for thermal reversibility of human carbonic anhydrase II ( HCA II) at p H 7.75. The mβ- CN was obtained via modification of β-casein (β- CN) acidic residues using Woodward's reagent K. The effects of mβ- CN on the reversibility and stability of HCA II were determined by differential scanning calorimetry, UV-vis, and 1-anilinonaphthalene-8-sulfonic acid fluorescence spectroscopic methods. The mβ- CN, as an additive, enhanced thermal reversibility of HCA II by 33%. Together, our results indicated that mβ- CN is very efficient in decreasing thermal aggregation and enhancing the stability of HCA II. Using theoretical studies, we propose that the mechanism for thermal reversibility is mediated through formation of a salt bridge between the Woodward part of mβ- CN and the Zn ion of HCA II. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A variety of carbonyl compounds can be easily and rapidly converted to the corresponding 1,3-oxathiolanes in the presence of a catalytic amount of scandium(III) triflate [Sc(OTf)[sub 3]] in CH[sub 2]Cl[sub 2]. After completion of the reaction, the catalyst can straightforwardly be recovered using standard methods. Moreover, by employing this protocol, chemoselective oxathioacetalization of aldehydes in the presence of ketones can be achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a novel catalyst is introduced based on the immobilization of palladium on modified magnetic graphene oxide nanoparticles. The catalyst is characterized by several methods, including transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, X‐ray fluorescence, vibrating‐sample magnetometer, Fourier transform‐infrared and dynamic light scattering (DLS) analysis. The activity of the catalyst was investigated in the synthesis of 4(3H)‐quinazolinones via Pd‐catalyzed carbonylation‐cyclization of N‐(2‐bromoaryl) benzimidamides by Mo (CO)6. The Mo (CO)6 is used as a carbon monoxide source for performing the reaction under mild conditions. The catalyst showed good reusability, and no change in activity was observed after 10 cycles of recovery. A novel catalyst is designed and synthesized based on the immobilization of palladium on modified magnetic graphene oxide nanoparticles. For this purpose, magnetic graphene oxide was modified by dendrimer structures, prepared by triazine. The catalyst was used in the synthesis of 4(3H)‐quinazolinones via Pd‐catalyzed carbonylation‐cyclization of N‐(2‐bromoaryl) benzimidamides by Mo (CO)6, while the Mo (CO)6 generates carbon monoxide under mild conditions, and this is reported. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]