Search

Moringa plant with the scientific name Moringa oleifera L. has important medicinal chemical compounds including flavonoids, which have antioxidant and anticancer properties. In this research, the properties of metal nanoparticles such as Iron, Copper, Zinc and Silver biosynthesized from the aqueous extract of M. oleifera plant have been studied, and then the antioxidant and antibacterial properties of the aqueous extract obtained from the aerial parts of this plant and the nanoparticles have been studied. The resulting metal was treated. The size and structure of metal nanoparticles obtained from Moringa plant aqueous extract were confirmed by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD), respectively. The amount of antioxidant activity was measured using the DPPH method and the antibacterial properties of Moringa plant aqueous extract and metal nanoparticles obtained from it were measured with the help of disk diffusion and MIC method on two types of bacteria E. coli and S. aureus. The highest amount of antioxidant activity (89.23%) was related to copper nanoparticles at a concentration of 500 μg/ml. As well as E. coli bacteria were more sensitive than S. aureus to the same concentrations of the used treatments and had bigger inhibition zone. Additionally, the diameter of the inhibition zone (in millimeters) was also dependent on the concentration and grew with increasing concentration. The use of copper nanoparticles (especially in higher concentrations) has more antibacterial properties. In terms of survival rate and growth of cultured bacteria using the MIC method, the IC50 of E. coli bacteria compared to S. aureus bacteria in equal concentrations to the applied treatments was low, and the results demonstrated the high sensitivity of E. coli bacteria strain to S. aureus bacteria. According to the obtained results, a significant difference was observed between the aqueous extract obtained from the M. oleifera plant and the metal nanoparticles biosynthesized from it in terms of antioxidant and anticancer activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Green chemistry plays an important role due to its involvement in unusual syntheses of metal nanoparticles from plant extracts, which have antimicrobial potential. Therefore, green synthesis of nanoparticles from plant extracts is a suitable way to produce nanoparticles. Therefore, the aim of this research was to synthesize Sabznano Ag / AgCl / TiO2 composite using aqueous extract of Shirazi thyme, to evaluate the size and morphology of the produced nanoparticles. For this purpose, synthesis and characterization of ternary Ag / AgCl / TiO2 nanocomposite using Shirazi thyme plant was done with the help of UV-Vis, XRD, TEM, FTIR techniques. Then the antimicrobial property of nanocomposites was investigated. The results showed that the maximum diameter of the halo of non-growth in all investigated bacteria is observed in the nanocomposite containing 50% chlorine and in the nanocomposite containing 5% (Ag / TiO2mol).The diameter of the non-growth halo increased from 0.5% to 3% in the film containing TiO2 / Ag / AgCl nanoparticles in all investigated microorganisms. Also, TEM images showed the uniform loading of Ag / AgCl nanoparticles on the TiO2 surface. In general, the obtained results indicate the fact that thyme extract, along with silver and titanium dioxide nanocomposites, has a high potential in the production of nanoparticles with high purity and in nanometer sizes and with antimicrobial properties and application in the food industry as It has cover and film. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1. Introduction: Nanotechnology is an emerging technology which can revolutionize various scientific fields such as agriculture. Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs) are one of the metal oxide nanoparticles that are biocompatible and environmentally friendly. Zinc is an active element and a strong reducing agent. Ganoderma lucidum is a parasite fungus which has been used as a popular food and also to treat of various diseases. The medicinal value of strains of this fungus are related to their biologically active compounds such as proteins, flavonoids, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. Different issues have been reported for chemical synthesis of ZnONPs such as high cost and toxicity of chemicals, therefore, nowadays green synthesis method is widely used to synthesize metal nanoparticles due to its environmental friendliness, lower toxicity rate and more safety. Various natural components such as plants, algae, fungi and bacteria are used to synthesize zinc oxide nanoparticles which among them, green synthesis by plant extracts has attracted special attention for the synthesis of various metal nanoparticles. The purposes of the current study were to evaluate the possibility of using Foeniculum vulgare L. seed extract to synthesize green ZnONPs and the influence of ZnONPs and ZnO treatments on different characteristics of G. lucidum strains. 2. Materials and Methods: In this study, the aqueous extract of F. vulgare L. seeds was used to synthesize green ZnONPs. G. lucidum strains (Gl01 and Gl16) were obtained from the forests of Mazandaran province and were used after verification of their nature. The formation of nanoparticles was confirmed by dynamic light scattering (DLS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The effect of different concentrations of ZnONPs and ZnO (0, 4, 6 and 8 mM) on total phenolic content, flavonoids, antioxidant capacity, carbohydrates, ascorbic acid, beta-carotene and lycopene, and the activity of antioxidant enzymes including polyphenol oxidase (PPO), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), glutathione peroxidase (GPX) and glutathione reductase (GR) of two wild strains of G. lucidum were studied in submerged culture. The study was conducted as a factorial experiment based on completely randomized design with three replications. Analysis of variance was performed using SAS v.19 software and mean comparisons were conducted based on SNK method. 3. Results and Discussion: The results indicated that the shape of ZnONPs was spherical and they had a uniform distribution, with an average particle size of 13 to 25 nm. Bulk ZnO and ZnONPs significantly affected the biochemical properties of G. lucidum strains. The flavonoid content of both G. lucidum strains increased with increasing the concentration of bulk ZnO and ZnONPs. The results showed that ascorbic acid content of G. lucidum significantly increased in response to different concentrations of bulk ZnO and ZnONPs. The results clearly revealed a significant difference between treatments in terms of β-carotene and lycopene content, so that β-carotene and lycopene content increased with increasing the concentration of bulk ZnO and ZnONPs to 6 mM, but increasing the concentration until 8 mM, led to a significant decrease in these traits. Also, the results indicated a significant difference between treatments in terms of the activity of antioxidant enzymes including GPX, APX, PPO and GR. Based on results, the antioxidant enzymes activity increased with increasing the concentration of bulk ZnO and ZnONPs to 6 mM, and then, decreased at concentration of 8 mM. Also in both strains, the activity of antioxidant enzymes on 8th day was higher than on 4th day. The stress caused by heavy metals induces the biosynthesis of antioxidant compounds in plant cells. Studies have shown that application of ZnOPNs leads to increasing total phenol content resulting in enhancing antioxidant capacity of treated crops. Also, based on reports enhancing the antioxidant enzymes activity and increasing flavonoids and ascorbic acid content caused by ZnONPs application lead to lower reactive oxygen species in plant cells under stress conditions leading to lower cellular damages. 4. Conclusion: Our study determined the appropriate concentrations of ZnONPs and ZnO based on positive effects on content and activity of antioxidant agents in G. lucidum strains. Among treatments, ZnONPs had a greater positive effect on mycelium antioxidant characteristics than bulk ZnO and also, the effects in Gl01 strain were more pronounced than in Gl16. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Among metal nanoparticles, elemental selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) are considered for their low toxicity and vitality in the human body. Yarrowia lipolytica yeast, due to its reductase enzymes, has the ability to accumulate and detoxify heavy metals and reduce metal salts to nanoparticles with a narrow size and less dispersion. The aim of the present study was to use Y. lipolytica strain MP10 as a biological safe source for the biological synthesis of SeNP. Materials and Methods: Agar dilution method was used for determining the resistance pattern of Y. lipolytica strain MP10 to selenite oxyanion. Synthesis of SeNPs was investigated under resting cell strategy. The effects of selenite oxyanion concentrations and also time incubation on the production rate, size, and dispersity of SeNPs were investigated in the bioconversion reaction. SeNPs produced with Y. lipolytica strain MP10 were defined by images obtained from Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) analysis, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Results: The obtained results demonstrated that Y. lipolytica strain MP10 showed tolerance to selenite oxyanion up to 10 mm. The yeast strain, at the optimal condition of 4 mM sodium selenite, and after 24 hours of incubation, was able to produce spherical SeNPs with an average size of 70 nm. As the incubation time increased, the dispersion of spherical SeNPs reduced and the average size of the nanoparticles increased to 117 nm after 72 h incubation. Discussion and Conclusion: The present study is a report on the capability of native yeast Yarrowia lipolytica for the successful synthesis of SeNP under resting cell strategy and the improvement in the dispersion and particle size of the nanoparticles in the optimal incubation time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Electronic wastes are the remnants of electronic devices buried in the soil without processing and contain toxic substances such as heavy metals. Lead is one of the heavy metals in many electronic goods that, if not properly processed, can cause toxicity in the soil and may harm living things in very low concentrations. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate the biosorption of lead metal by Bacillus tropicus isolated from soils containing electronic wastes in Isfahan. Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, sampling of contaminated soils in several areas of the Zainal Pass hills of Isfahan, which is the landfill of electronic wastes, was performed. After measuring the temperature, pH, TOC, and the amount of metals in the soil sample, lead-resistant bacteria were isolated. The growth rate of bacteria was evaluated at concentrations of 5 to 35 mM of lead. Then, the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and the minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) were determined. The morphology, antibiogram, and molecular identification of the bacteria were performed by colony-polymerase chain reaction method and bioabsorption of bacteria was evaluated by ICP-OES. Finally, XRD, SEM images, and EDS were evaluated to investigate the fabrication of lead nanoparticles. The raw data were analyzed by SPSS software, using an independent t-test. Results: Based on the findings of this study, the pH of the evaluated soil was 9.4, its temperature was 27.8 ° C, the TOC of the sample was 1.8%, and the amount of soil lead was measured at 658.4 ppm based on ICP-OES analysis. It was significantly higher than normal. The lead-resistant bacterial strain isolated to lead had 99/69% genetic affinity with Bacillus tropicus, which had a high biological removal potential (56.35%) of lead metal. The XRD, SEM, and EDS results showed the conversion of adsorbed lead metal to nanoparticles. Discussion and Conclusion: Considering that Bacillus tropicus showed high resistance and adsorption to lead metal, it can be a suitable option for the bio-removal of lead from electronic and other industrial wastes in the future after the removal of antibiotic resistance genes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to widespread use of nanoparticles in various fields and the possibility of entering these nanoparticles into aquatic ecosystems, it is necessary to study the effects of these nanoparticles on surrounding environment. Artemia salina nauplii as a suitable biological model in ecotoxicology were exposed to different concentrations of 0.0001, 0.001, 0.005, 0.01 and 0.1 ppm mercury ions separately and simultaneously with a constant concentration of 0.1 ppm and 1 ppm titanium dioxide nanoparticles. The mortality rate of Artemia after 48 hours and the effects of these contaminants on fatty acid profile of Artemia were investigated. Artemia mortality in co -exposure treatment showed a dual effect. The mortality in the simultaneous exposure with constant concentration of 0.1ppm titanium dioxide increased compared with separate treatment of mercury. The mortality in simultaneous treatment with constant concentration of 1ppm titanium dioxide decreased compared with the separate treatment of mercury and the effect of mercury toxicity was reduced. Also, a decrease in saturated fatty acids was observed in the simultaneous exposure of mercury and titanium dioxide nanoparticles with a constant concentration of 1ppm compared with the separate treatment of mercury. The amount of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids in the simultaneous exposure with constant concentration of 1ppm titanium dioxide was equal to control and increased compared with separate treatment of mercury. Present findings indicate the necessity of paying more attention to the potential interactions of pollutants in aquatic ecosystems and the effects of these interactions on the bioavailability and toxicity of pollutants regarding their concentration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Self-curing acrylic resins, mainly composed of Polymethyl Methacrylate (PMMA), are widely used to manufacture removable orthodontic appliances. Self-curing acrylic resins have higher porosity than heat-curing acrylic resins leading to a susceptible place for microbial plaque colonization. Due to some of these microorganisms' activities, a very unpleasant odor is emitted from orthodontic base plates, which has adverse effects on patients' cooperation. This study aimed to investigate the antimicrobial properties of cold-curing PMMA acrylic resin containing ZnO nanoparticles supported in 4A zeolite and evaluating its mechanical properties. Methods: The synthesized nanocomposite ZnO/4A zeolite was added to SR Triplex® Cold orthodontic self-curing acrylic resin powder with 2wt% and 4wt% concentrations. X-ray diffraction (XRD), Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FE-SEM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX), MAP analysis, and Dynamic light scattering (DLS) were performed to investigate the sample's characteristics. Direct test method was used to assess the antibacterial properties of the fabricated acrylic samples against three bacterial strains Streptococcus mutans, Klebsiella Pnemoniae, and Esherichia coli. Flexural strength was evaluated by a three-point bending test, and One-way ANOVA and Tukey's post hoc test were used for statistical evaluation of data. The p-value of less than 0.05 was considered significant. Results: The addition of ZnO/4A in 2wt% and 4 wt% concentrations lead to more than 99% destruction of colonies in all three types of microorganisms. The mean flexural strength of acrylic specimens containing 2wt% and 4wt% of ZnO/4A significantly lower than the control group. Despite the considerable reduction, all mean values are greater than 50 MPa. Conclusion: The ZnO/4A zeolite nanocomposite due to its potent antibacterial properties and minimal toxicity can reduce the unfavorable odor of orthodontic base plates consequently increases patient cooperation and reaching the desired result. Method: The synthesized nanocomposite ZnO/4A zeolite was added to SR Triplex® Cold orthodontic self-curing acrylic resin powder with 2wt% and 4wt% concentrations. X-ray diffraction (XRD), Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy(FE-SEM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX), MAP analysis, and Dynamic light scattering (DLS) were performed to investigate the sample's characteristics. Direct test method was used to assess the antibacterial properties of the fabricated acrylic samples against three bacterial strains Streptococcus mutans, Klebsiella Pnemoniae, and Esherichia coli. Flexural strength was evaluated by a three-point bending test, and One-way ANOVA and Tukey's post hoc test were used for statistical evaluation of data. The p-value of less than 0.05 was considered significant. Results: The addition of ZnO/4A in 2wt% and 4 wt% concentrations lead to more than 99% destruction of colonies in all three types of microorganisms. The mean flexural strength of acrylic specimens containing 2wt% and 4wt% of ZnO/4A significantly lower than the control group. Despite the considerable reduction, all mean values are greater than 50 MPa. Conclusion: The addition of ZnO/4A zeolite nanocomposite due to its potent antibacterial properties and minimal toxicity can reduce the unfavorable odor of orthodontic base plates consequently increases patient cooperation and reaching the desired result.

The use of immune stimulants such as algae has a key role in enhancing of immunity. On the other hand, the presence of nanoparticles affects the physiological status of fish and reduces their immune function. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of enrichment of diet with algae on carp serum immune parameters in exposure to zinc oxide. 250 common carp were divided in four groups for 42 days, algae-free (treatment 1, control), food containing 0.5% algae (treatment 2), food containing 1% algae (treatment 3) and food containing 2% algae (treatment 4), then 50% of acute concentration of zinc oxide nanoparticles (1.5 mg/l) was added to each of the groups over a period of fourteen days. The results of this study showed that in general, experimental treatments had a significant effect on serum protein, immunoglobulin and serum albumin levels (P 0.05). Also, experimental treatments had a significant effect on ASA, ALP and ALT levels (P 0.05). It can be concluded that Padina algae may partially improve the reducing effect of nano-oxide on serum total protein and immunoglobulin levels, which requires further research in this regard.

Background: The ultrasound parameters such as intensity and time of radiation play an important role in cellular degradation. In this study, the effect of ultrasound radiation parameters on the degradation of 4T1 cells in the presence of gold nanoparticles was investigated. Methods: The 4T1 cells were cultured. The cells were divided into 4 groups including control, gold nanoparticle, ultrasound alone, and ultrasound at the presence of gold nanoparticle. Ultrasound irradiation were performed on the cells at intensity of 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 W/cm2, for 1, 1.5, and 2 minutes. The viability of cells was determined using MTT assay. Findings: There was a significant difference in cell viability between the ultrasound and gold nanoparticle group and the other groups at intensity of 1.0 and 1.5 W/cm2. Moreover, there was a significant difference between the ultrasound alone and the control groups at intensity of 1.0 and 1.5 W/cm2. Conclusion: Using ultrasound in the presence of gold nanoparticles increase cell death via increasing nuclei cavitation phenomenon.

Introduction and Aims The development of eco-friendly methods for the synthesis of nanomaterial shape and size is an important field of nanotechnology. In the present study extracellular biosynthesis of gold nanoparticle was done by Fusarium oxysporum fungus strain and the obtained nanoparticles were conjugated with streptomycin. Finally, the anti-bacterial property of the conjugated gold nanoparticles, was studied. Materials and Methods Fusarium oxysporum cultured in Sabouraud Dextrose Broth (SDB) medium. Culture supernatant was subjected to chloroauric acid solution at the final concentration of 1 mmolar. Mixture was used to confirm the presence of nanoparticles with spectrophotometry methods, X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD) and Transition Electron Microscope (TEM). Conjugation of the antibiotics with gold nanoparticles was confirmed through spectrophotometry methods, TEM and infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Minimal Inhibitory Concentration (MICs) of the mixtures evaluated by broth dilution methods and agar well diffusion plate. Results Gold nanoparticles had spectral absorption peak around 530 nm wavelength. XRD results confirmed presence of the elemental gold in the mixture and TEM images have shown the nanoparticles were spherical or hexagonal and their sizes were around 25-30 nanometer. Spectrophotometry, TEM and FTIR results confirmed the conjugation process. Based on the structure of the used antibiotics and the tested bacterial strains, gold nanoparticles that were conjugated with the antibiotics had different antibacterial properties. Conclusion Biological production of gold nanoparticles by Fusarium oxysporum can be done and conjugation of gold nanoparticles with streptomycin confirmed without any additional linkers. * Corresponding Author: Neyshabur Branch, Islamic Azad University, Department of Biology. Email: S_dolatabadi1436@yahoo.com

Background and purpose: The use of nanotechnology is increasing in different fields of medical sciences including diagnosis and treatment. Metal nanoparticles such as Iron nanoparticles are proposed as novel radiation-sensitizing agents in enhancing the efficiency of radiotherapy because they have a large number of atoms. This study aimed at investigating the radiosensitivity effect of dextrancoated iron oxide nanoparticles on irradiated cervical cancerous HeLa cell line using 6MV photon beams. Materials and methods: In this experimental study, the cytotoxicity of the nanoparticles on the HeLa cells was measured using MTT assay. To investigate the radiosensitivity effect of the nanoparticles, the cells were incubated with these nanoparticles at 20 and 50µg/ml concentrations and irradiated with different doses of 6MVphoton beams. Results: The incubation times of 6, 12 and 24 hours at concentrations of 20 and 50µg/ml of nanoparticles on the cells did not show significant cytotoxicity. According to the results, dextran-coated iron oxide nanoparticles showed more radiosensitivity effect at 50µg/ml concentration compared to 20µg/ml. The mean values of dose enhancement factors using 6MV photon beams were 1.19±0.15 and 1.49±0.11, at 20 and 50µg/ml concentrations, respectively. Conclusion: Dextran-coated iron oxide nanoparticles can significantly enhance the radiation absorbed dose and consequently increase radiotherapy efficiency in cervical cancer cells irradiated with mega voltage photon beam and this could be considered in treatment of cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a kind of composite materials made up of noble metal nanoparticles (such as gold, silver, copper) and a dielectric material (such as silica) with unique properties. In this paper, using Strong Permittivity Fluctuation Theory (SPFT) method, the coefficient of effective permittivity and the effective susceptibility coefficient are calculated for combining glass with metal nanoparticles, assuming that the nanoparticles are spherical. Coefficient of effective permittivity and the effective susceptibility index are estimated for the sample of homogeneous composite materials. And the results of this study are compared with experimental results and other models. It is observed that the data obtained for the zero-order estimate do not match the experimental results. By appropriate correlation length for the second- and third-order, specially for the second-order estimate of SPFT method, conformity between results can be established. Therefore, it can be concluded that SPFT method is better than other models for calculating and improving the properties of the non-linear model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]