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In this study, microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) was modified to oxidized cellulose (OC), 6-deoxycellulose hydrazide and 6-deoxycellulose(N,N-diethyl)amine (MCC-Hyd and MCC-DEM) derivatives and employed as supporting material for the synthesis of copper nanoparticles (NPs). Copper ions from aqueous solution were adsorbed and then reduced to zero valent copper (ZVC) NPs using sodium borohydride on films of prepared derivatives. The characterization of prepared derivatives and Cu NPs embedded films was performed using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR), Elemental analysis, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. Ultraviolet/Visible (UV-VIS) spectroscopy was performed for the degradation studies of 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) and various azo dyes viz. Congo Red (CR), Methylene Blue (MB), and Methyl orange (MO). Results revealed that all the films showed degradation only in the presence of ZVC NPs. Oxidized cellulose, MCC-Hyd and MCC-DEM showed excellent degradation efficiencies (> 85%) in all the cases. Our findings revealed that MCC derivatives could be efficient and renewable candidates for removal of water pollutants in future.

A provident, cost-effective, and environmentally benign plant-mediated approach is adopted for the synthesis of Fe2MgO4 nanoparticles (NPs), using Alstonia scholaris and Polyalthia longifolia leaves’ extracts. The method results in NPs with cubic crystal structure having particle size in range of 8.14–13.4 nm as confirmed by UV–Vis, FTIR, XRD and AFM. The prepared NPs are assessed for their antibacterial, antioxidant and larvicidal activities. Both NPs are found active against gram-positive (Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus) and gram-negative bacteria (Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella typhimurium, and Escherichia coli) obeying the order: NPs A. scholaris > NPs P. longifolia > A. scholaris extract > P. longifolia extract. Similar order is observed for the larvicidal activity against Aedes albopictus larvae; both NPs showed excellent activity with LD50 of 5-10 μg/ml which is much less than the simple plant extracts. Antioxidant potential of NPs is also evaluated using DPPH free radical scavenging and phospho-molybdenum assays and in both cases, NPs of A. scholaris perform better than the control, P. longifolia-based NPs and plant extracts. Hence, the prepared NPs can be potentially applied as antimicrobial and larvicidal agents, as well as for food packaging and medicinal applications.

Two glycolamide based functionalized ionic liquids (ILs) having imidazolium cations namely LI (mono-ionic) and LII (di-ionic) were synthesized for the extraction of Pb(II) and Co(II) from waste water. The synthesized ligands were characterized by FTIR and NMR spectroscopy. The extraction efficiency of both mono- and di-ionic liquids was evaluated in terms of contact time, pH of the aqueous phase and metal ion concentration. The metal extraction was carried out at various pH values viz. 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 whereas, at contact time of 15, 30, 45, 60, and 75 minutes. The optimized pH of 4 and equilibration time of 75 minutes was further utilized for extraction at various metal ions concentration (50, 100, 150, 200, and 250 ppm). LI exhibited low equilibration time as compared to LII whereas, both ligands showed maximum extraction at a pH of 4. A very high extraction efficiency of up to 99% for both metals was observed with LI and LII under optimized conditions. In addition to that effective separation of Co(II) and Pb(II) was observed at pH 10.

Poly ( l -lacticacid) (PLLA) is an FDA approved material for bone tissue engineering but its inherent brittleness and low melting ability are major challenges for its large-scale commercial applications. This challenge can be overcome by making its blends. This study reports blends of PLLA with a relatively new class of polymer i.e. cyclic olefinic copolymer and their miscibility, thermal behavior, morphology, crystallinity, degradability, and excellent biocompatibility is evaluated. Blends were prepared by taking 5–30 weight percent COC with PLLA matrix using solvent casting method. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images revealed that PLLA/COC form miscible blends up to 5–20 wt% of COC. FTIR, XRD, and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) data showed that addition of COC to PLLA resulted in decrease in crystallinity along with formation of new α′-crystalline phase which coexists with inherent α-phase of PLLA in the blends. The transformation of α′-form is due to the presence of Van der Waals forces of interactions of the polymer chain moieties between PLLA and COC. Interestingly, PLLA/COC blends exhibited superior mechanical properties in relation to the pure PLLA. Compressive modulus values for PLLA/COC 10wt% increased 117% as compared to pure PLLA. PLLA/COC blends at 10 wt% have maximum ultimate tensile strength, modulus, and toughness ~ 123%, 67.8% and, 18.87% respectively. PLLA/COC blends showed increased swelling and degradation results as compared to PLLA. PLLA/COC blends exhibited excellent cytocompatibility over PLLA with preosteoblast (MC3T3-E1) and bone marrow stem cells (BMSc) cell lines suggesting possible candidate for Bone Tissue Engineering.

Citrullus colocynthis has been used for treating ailments since ages. The ability of plant extracts obtained using various solvents to exhibit pharmacological effects was evaluated. To check for the antioxidant potential of whole plant and fruits of C. colocynthis, conventional antioxidant assays such as DPPH radical scavenging capacity were carried out, total content of flavonoids and phenolics was determined, and reducing power was estimated. The antimicrobial activity was evaluated using 96-well plate technique and Alamar Blue assay and the potential of plant extracts as antioxidant agents was evaluated using oxidative burst assay with chemiluminescent indicators. The highest phenolic content was obtained using 50% ethyl acetate, while highest total flavonoid content was provided by extraction with methanol. Aqueous extracts showed highest DPPH radical scavenging activity, while methanolic extracts showed maximum reducing power potential at different concentrations. Whole plant extracts of C. colocynthis showed higher antioxidant potential than fruit extracts only. For both in-vitro and in-vivo anti-inflammatory activity, the maximum inhibition of reactive oxygen species (ROS) was produced by 50% methanol whole plant extract. Among the five test bacterial strains used, namely Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Salmonella typhi, the antibacterial activity of extracts showed more pronounced growth inhibition of S. aureus and minimum effect upon E. coli. All extracts tested rendered zero potential as antiglycation agents.

This paper presents the effects of silane coupling agent, which includes interfacial adhesive strength, water treatment, polymer composites and coatings that make it valuable for multi-materialization. The methoxy-type silane coupling agent composites-based modification is discussed using different methods exhibiting higher reactivity towards hydrolysis. The characteristics of developed vulcanization, in particular the dimethoxy-type silane-coupling agents than the trimethoxy-type have improved properties such as environment friendly fabrication process, mechanical, physical, swelling and dynamic viscoelastic properties of composites. The modification of aggregated surface along with asphalt binder excel their properties. Specifically, the silane coupling agent (SCA) Glycidoxypropyl trimethoxysilane (KH-560) utilization realizes the modification purpose. This review focuses on synthetic approaches, surface modification, surface thermodynamic properties, techniques, salinization reaction and recent development in use of silane modifiers in various applications.

Various strains of the mycoparasitic fungal species Clonostachys rosea are used commercially as biological control agents for the control of fungal plant diseases in agricultural crop production. Further improvements of the use and efficacy of C. rosea in biocontrol require a mechanistic understanding of the factors that determines the outcome of the interaction between C. rosea and plant pathogenic fungi. Here, we determined the genome sequences of 11 Clonostachys strains, representing five species in Clonostachys subgenus Bionectria, and performed a comparative genomic analysis with the aim to identify gene families evolving under selection for gene gains or losses. Several gene families predicted to encode proteins involved in biosynthesis of secondary metabolites, including polyketide synthases, nonribosomal peptide syntethases and cytochrome P450s, evolved under selection for gene gains (p ≤ .05) in the Bionectria subgenus lineage. This was accompanied with gene copy number increases (p ≤ .05) in ATP‐binding cassette (ABC) transporters and major facilitator superfamily (MFS) transporters predicted to contribute to drug efflux. Most Clonostachys species were also characterized by high numbers of auxiliary activity (AA) family 9 lytic polysaccharide monooxygenases, AA3 glucose–methanol–choline oxidoreductases and additional carbohydrate‐active enzyme gene families with putative activity (or binding) towards xylan and rhamnose/pectin substrates. Particular features of the C. rosea genome included expansions (p ≤ .05) of the ABC‐B4 multidrug resistance transporters, the ABC‐C5 multidrug resistance‐related transporters and the 2.A.1.3 drug:H + antiporter‐2 MFS drug resistance transporters. The ABC‐G1 pleiotropic drug resistance transporter gene abcG6 in C. rosea was induced (p ≤ .009) by exposure to the antifungal Fusarium mycotoxin zearalenone (1121‐fold) and various fungicides. Deletion of abcG6 resulted in mutants with reduced (p

Recent years have witnessed advancement in cancer research that has led to the development of improved cytotoxic therapies with reduced side effects. Methotrexate (MTX) is a commonly used anticancer drug having robust activity, but with serious side effects. Several derivatives of MTX have been reported by modification at different sites to reduce its side effects and enhance efficacy. The current work describes the development of active MTX Schiff base derivatives by treating MTX with several aldehydes viz 2-chlorobenzaldehyde, 3-nitrobenzaldehyde, 5-chloro-2-hydroxybenz-aldehyde, 2-hydroxy-5-nitrobenzaldehyde, 2-thiocarboxyaldehyde, trans-2-pentenal and glutaraldehyde. Newly synthesized derivatives were evaluated for their anticancer potential against human malignant glioma U87 (MG-U87) cell lines at different concentrations of 200 μM, 100 μM, 50 μM, 25 μM, 12.5 μm, 6.25 μm and 0 μM. MTX derivatives with 2-Chlorobenzaldehyde (IC

High-level production of recombinant human interleukin-24 (IL-24), a multifunctional immunomodulatory cytokine, has been challenging due primarily to its aggregation as inclusion bodies in the bacterial host while persistent poor-expression in the insect/mammalian expression systems. The present study presents a robust, vector-host combination (pE-SUMO-IL24), auto-inducible medium (YNG/M9NG), and a simple purification scheme for soluble, bioactive, and cost-effective production of native-like IL-24 (nIL-24) in Escherichia coli. The final protein yield, following a three-step purification scheme (IMAC, SEC, dialysis), was 98 mg/L in shake-flask culture (with scale-up potential), which was several folds higher than reported earlier. In vitro cytotoxicity assays with HeLa and HCT116 cancer cell lines (performed using different concentrations of nIL-24) and the fluorescence activated cell sorting analysis (FACS) revealed a dose- and concentration-dependent increase in the population of pro-apoptotic cells with concomitant, statistically significant drop in the number of cells existent at Go/G1-, S-, and G2/M-phases (P < 0.002). The bioactive nIL-24, developed through this study, holds promise for use in further functional characterizations/applications. KEY POINTS: • Yeast SUMO fusion partner at N-terminus for improved solubility of an otherwise insoluble IL-24 in E. coli. • Enhanced cell densities with concomitant several-fold increase in protein yield by lactose-inducible media. • Improved inhibition of cervical and colorectal carcinomas by native-like nIL-24 compared with Met-containing IL. • Heterologous nIL-24 may enable better understanding of the functional intricacies linked up with its unique cancer-specific features. Graphical abstract.

This study appraises pharmaceutical potential and phenolics profiling of various solvent extracts gained from bark and leaves of Calotropis procera plant. The extracts were obtained using various solvents including CH3OH, C4H8O2, CHCl3 (50 and 100% for each) and H2O. The extracts were evaluated for antioxidant potential, antibacterial, antianti-glycation and anti-inflammatory activities. The yield of extracts ranged from 5.61 to 48.16% of dry weight (DW) for different extraction solvents. The highest percentage extract yield was obtained with 100% CH3OH from leaves. Various solvent extracts from C. procera leaves and bark exhibited considerable total phenolic content (20.41 to 100.18 GAE mg/g DW and total flavonoid content (IC50 18.33 to 92.92 CE mg/g DW), radical scavenging activity (1.03 to 7.42 mg/mL) and reducing power (EC50 525.65 to 1157.74 mg/mL). The tested extracts showed notable antibacterial potential against bacterial strains such as Klebsiella pneumonia, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Bacillus subtilis, and Escherichia coli. The maximum antioxidant and antibacterial activities were exhibited by methanol extracts from both tested parts of C. procera plant. However, the anti-inflammatory activity (45.45% inhibition) was observed to be higher for 50% chloroform extract from the leaves. HPLC analysis established that the leaves and bark of C. procera contained considerable amounts of natural antioxidants such as sinapic acid (17.3 ± 2.11 to 9586.44 ± 0.78 mg kg-1), vanillic acid (9.43 ± 0.21 to 5051.7 ± 18.47 mg kg-1) and protocatechuic acid (2.46 ± 0.40 to 139.05 ± 1.37 mg kg-1). All extracts from the tested materials did not exhibit significant anti-glycation activity. Generally, the extracts from leaves of C. procera offered higher levels of phenolic acids and biological activities than the bark extracts.

Poly(methyl silsesquioxanes), PMSQ, are cyclic siloxanes with unusual features that are also widely known as silsesquioxanes due to their organic peripheral and inorganic silicate interior. These are organosilicon compounds with the chemical formula [RSiO3/2]n that are called silsesquioxanes where R may be alkyl, alkoxyl or aryl. These hybrid materials are quite famous to exhibit garner properties from their different inorganic and organic parts in a synergistic way. However, dealing with long-standing challenges and environmentally friendly requirements, we synthesized these PMSQ fine nanoparticles in our own laboratory. These nanoparticles were uniformly dispersed in a bio-based epoxy resin, and the mechanical properties, adhesive strength, and morphology of resultant nanocomposites were evaluated. PMSQ were found to be successfully dispersed into the bio-based epoxy resin in varying weight fractions of 1 wt%, 3 wt% and 5 wt%. The mechanical properties of PMSO-loaded epoxy resin samples are reported as functions of processing parameters. The highly dispersed PMSQ/bio-based epoxy resin nanocomposites showed high tensile modulus and strength values. In addition, it was found that fracture toughness values of all samples prepared by ultra-sonication were increased by increasing PMSQ content in nanocomposites. The corresponding synthesized epoxy resin composites were characterized by different techniques including, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). SEM analysis reported high uniformly dispersed spherical PMSQ particles in epoxy resin. The bonding properties including, tensile modulus and strength of PMSQ were determined using a general testing machine. The obtained results confirmed a significant improvement in bonding performance of PMSQ dispersed in bio-based epoxy resin. PMSQ attracts feasible widespread applications in mechanical and environmental engineering.

In this review, we have summarized the research progress on stability of solid acid catalysts. Three reasons for the deactivation of solid acids and corresponding catalytic activity improvement are discussed by taking several examples, giving a good inspiration for the study and development of stable solid acid catalysts in the future.

Amine-terminated core-shell silica coated magnetite nanoparticles were functionalized with diglycolic acid for the first time to create acid moiety on the surface of the nanoparticles. The formation of magnetite nanoparticles was scrutinised through XRD, SEM, EDS, TEM, VSM and FTIR spectroscopy. The BET surface area of nano-sorbent was found to be 4.04 m2/g with pore size 23.68 nm. These nanomaterials were then utilized to remove the Pb(II) and Cr(VI) ions from their aqueous media and uptake of metal ions was determined by atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS). A batch adsorption technique was applied to remove both ions at optimised pH and contact time with maximum adsorption efficiency for Pb(II) ions at pH 7 while for Cr(VI) ions at pH 3. Adsorption mechanism was studied using Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms and equilibrium data fitted well for both the isotherms, showing complex nature of adsorption comprising both chemisorption as well as physio-sorption phenomena. The nanosorbents exhibited facile separation by applying external magnetic field due to the ferrimagnetic behaviour with 31.65 emu/g saturation magnetization. These nanosorbents were also found to be used multiple times after regeneration.

Solvent extraction process is applied for the extraction of actinides/lanthanides from waste water produced in nuclear industry. Various extractants have been developed for this purpose. More recently separation scientists have shown extensive interest toward ionic liquids (ILs) due to their unique properties. ILs have extensively been used as extraction medium for the recovery of rare earths and actinides or modified to task specific ionic liquids (TSILs); where ionic liquid part has been covalently attached to the extractants. This article highlights some conventional extractants, the use of these extractants in IL medium and the development of TSILs. The effect of medium on extraction efficiency has also been discussed.

Fe(III) can be easily extracted from weak acidic solutions by organophosphorus extractants, but stripping a large amount of Fe(III) from the loaded extractants is very difficult. The extraction and stripping of Fe(III) from 2 pH chloride and sulfate solutions was performed with ionic liquids(ILs) and organophosphorus acidic extractants, and the behaviors compared. As ionic liquids, two succinimides ([N88SA][C4min] and ([N88SA][C4Py]) were used, and bi-functional ionic liquids (Bif-ILs) synthesized from Aliquat336 and the organophosphorus acids Cyanex272, D2EHPA, and PC88A were employed. The extraction of Fe(III) by the ILs and extractants employed in this work was in the following order: organophosphorus extractants > Bif-ILs > succinimide ILs. The extraction of Fe(III) by succinimide ILs and Bif-ILs was higher from the chloride solution than from the sulfate one, while the nature of the medium had little effect on the extraction of Fe(III) by the organophosphorus extractants. FT-IR spectra confirmed the ion exchange mechanism of Fe(III) by the succinimide ILs. There was little difference in the stripping of Fe(III) by H2SO4 from the loaded Bif-ILs and the organophosphorus acids. However, stripping of Fe(III) from the loaded Bif- ILs using HCl did not readily occur. Fe(III) was readily stripped from the loaded [N88SA][C4min] and [N88SA][C4Py], and the HCl solution was more effective for stripping than H2SO4. [N88SA][C4min] is considered a promising new extractant for the recovery of Fe(III) based on its Fe(III) extraction and stripping behavior from weak acidic solution. (Received September 18, 2019; Accepted October 29, 2019)

Synthetic dyes from textile and other manufacturing industries in the wastewater are harmful due to their toxic, mutagenic, and cancer-causing nature, thus compelling for agile development of necessary processes to purify wastewater efficiently. Being a significant step of industrial wastewater purification, the removal of synthetic dyes is always challenging due to complex and stable aromatic molecular structures, hence the prime focus of current research. The techniques such as biodegradation, photocatalytic degradation, Fenton reagent, adsorption, and absorption are either less effective or costly with operational problems. Recent research reveals that fibrous membranes offer high-throughput performance to remove dyes from contaminated water. The chapter will cover the recent advancements in developing novel strategies for active, economical, and facile removal of synthetic dyes from wastewater using fibrous membranes. Different types of dyes and innovative methods for synthesis and modification of fibrous membranes are also discussed in detail. The chapter's core focus is to investigate the underlying mechanisms of dye removal using fibrous membranes for wastewater treatment.

Imidazole has anti-inflammatory, antituberculotic, antimicrobial, antimycotic, antiviral, and antitumor properties in the human body, to name a few. Metronidazole [1-(2-Hydroxyethyl)-2-methyl-5-nitroimidazole] is a widely used antiprotozoan and antibacterial medication. Using fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, the current study models the antibacterial activity of already synthesised Metronidazole (MTZ) complexes ($$MTZ-Benz$$ M T Z - B e n z , $$MTZ-Benz-Cu$$ M T Z - B e n z - C u , $$MTZ-Benz-Cu-Cl_2CHCOOH$$ M T Z - B e n z - C u - C l 2 C H C O O H , $$MTZ$$ MTZ , $$MTZ-Cu$$ M T Z - C u , $$MTZ-Cu-Cl_2CHCOOH$$ M T Z - C u - C l 2 C H C O O H , $$MTZ-Benz-Ag$$ M T Z - B e n z - A g , $$MTZ-Benz-Ag-Cl_2CHCOOH$$ M T Z - B e n z - A g - C l 2 C H C O O H , $$MTZ-Ag$$ M T Z - A g and $$MTZ-Ag-Cl_2CHCOOH$$ M T Z - A g - C l 2 C H C O O H ) against E. coli, B. bronceptica, S. epidermidis, B. pumilus and S. aureus. To characterise the Metronidazole complexes for antibacterial activity against 05 microbes, the least angular regression and least absolute shrinkage selection operators were used. Asymmetric Least Squares was used to correct the spectrum baseline. Least angular regression outperforms cross-validated root mean square error in the fitted models. Using Least angular regression, influential wavelengths that explain the variation in antibacterial activity of Metronidazole complexes were identified and mapped against functional groups.

Two novel extraction chromatography resins (ECRs) containing two diglycolamide (DGA) -functionalized calix[4]arenes with n-propyl and isopentyl substituents at the amide nitrogen atom, termed as ECR-1 and ECR-2, respectively, were evaluated for the uptake of Th(IV) from nitric acid feed solutions. While both the resins were having a quite high Th(IV) uptake ability (Kd >3000 at 3 M HNO3), the uptake was relatively lower with the resin containing the isopentyl DGA, which appeared magnified at lower nitric acid concentrations. Kinetic modeling of the sorption data suggested fitting to the pseudo-second order model pointing to a chemical reaction during the uptake of the metal ion. Sorption isotherm studies were carried out showing a good fitting to the Langmuir and D-R isotherm models, suggesting the uptake conforming to monolayer sorption and a chemisorption model. Glass columns with a bed volume of ca. 2.5 mL containing ca. 0.5 g lots of the ECRs were used for studies to assess the possibility of actual applications of the ECRs. Breakthrough profiles obtained with feed containing 0.7 g/L Th(NO3)3 solution resulted in breakthrough volumes of 8 and 5 mL, respectively, for the ECR-1 and ECR-2 resins. Near quantitative elution of the loaded metal ion was possible using a solution of oxalic acid and nitric acid. A method for the separation of Th-234 from natural uranium was demonstrated for the possible application of ECR-1.

Applications of nanoceria in the biomedical field are quite promising, as previous data has shown potential use of nanoceria as therapeutics via radical scavenging and oxidative stress mitigating properties. But, still, there are contradicting reports regarding nanoceria activity, mode of action, and in vitro toxicity in the cell. There are different nanoceria synthesis methods and Ligands for functionalization and loading of nanoceria into drugs for targeted drug delivery. Redox chemistry of nanoceria exerts their anticancer properties through apoptosis and oxidative stress as it can switch between Ce3+ and Ce4+ and act as free radical scavengers. For breast cancer treatment, cerium oxide nanoparticles (CeONPs) can act as protectant for healthy cells against on-going radiotherapy. Similarly, CeONPs were used to make pancreatic cancer cells more sensitive to radiation damage setting them on the apoptotic pathway. Herein, the study reflects the use of nanoceria as a drug delivery system in chemotherapy due to its efficiency in acidic pH and oxidase activity in the microenvironment. A controlled drug delivery system was adapted using a nano-complexes of AMD-GCCNP-DOX, which were then employed against the retinoblastoma cells from the human eye to target the overexpressing chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4). In radiotherapy, nanoceria acts as radioprotectants due to their free radical scavenging property and inhibit the proliferation and migration of gastric cancer. This paper summarizes the synthesis methods and application of nanoceria in cancer.

Human interferon α2 (IFNα2) and thymosin α1 (Tα1) are therapeutic proteins used for the treatment of viral infections and different types of cancer. Both IFNα2 and Tα1 show a synergic effect in their activities when used in combination. Furthermore, the therapeutic fusion proteins produced through the genetic fusion of two genes can exhibit several therapeutic functions in one molecule. In this study, we determined the anticancer and antiviral effect of human interferon α2–thymosin α1 fusion protein (IFNα2–Tα1) produced in our laboratory for the first time. The cytotoxic and genotoxic effect of IFNα2–Tα1 was evaluated in HepG2 and MDA-MB-231 cells. The in vitro assays confirmed that IFNα2–Tα1 inhibited the growth of cells more effectively than IFNα2 alone and showed an elevated genotoxic effect. The expression of proapoptotic genes was also significantly enhanced in IFNα2–Tα1-treated cells compared to IFNα2-treated cells. Furthermore, the HCV RNA level was significantly reduced in IFNα2–Tα1-treated HCV-infected Huh7 cells compared to IFNα2-treated cells. The quantitative PCR analysis showed that the expression of various genes, the products of which inhibit HCV replication, was significantly enhanced in IFNα2–Tα1-treated cells compared to IFNα2-treated cells. Our findings demonstrate that IFNα2–Tα1 is more effective than single IFNα2 as an anticancer and antiviral agent.

Chemotherapy appeared to be a significant advancement in cancer research, with fewer side effects. Methotrexate (MTX) is a widely used anticancer drug with strong activity but serious side effects. Several MTX derivatives have been reported, with modifications at various sites to reduce side effects and increase efficacy. The current study uses FTIR spectroscopy to predict the survival fraction of human malignant glioma U87 (MG-U87) cell lines against MTX derivatives. Together with Parent MTX several aldehydes viz. Benzaldehyde, Chlorobenzaldehyde, 2-Chlorobenzaldehyde, 3-Nitrobenzaldehyde, 5-Chloro-2-hydroxybenz-aldehyde, 2-Hydroxy-5-Nitrobenzaldehyde, 2-Thiocarboxyaldehyde, Trans-2-pentenal, and Glutaraldehyde are treated with MTX to obtain MTX derivatives. The prediction of survival fraction of malignant glioma cells is carried out by Lasso, Elastic net and Soft PLS at different concentration levels of synthesized derivatives, including 400 μM, 200 μM, 100 μM, 50 μM, 25 μM and 12.5 μM. The cross-validated prediction error is minimised to optimise spectral wavelength selection and model parameters. It appears that the RMSE computed from test data is significantly varying with the change of models (p = 0.012), with the change of concentrations levels (p $$\le 0.001$$ ≤ 0.001 ) and with the change of combination of models and concentration level (p $$\le 0.001$$ ≤ 0.001 ). StPLS outperforms in predicting survival fraction of glioma cells at the concentration level 50 μM, 100 μM and 400 μM respectively with relative RMSE = 0.1,0.14 and 0.55. Lasso outperforms at the concentration level 12.5 μM, and 200 μM respectively with relative RMSE = 0.4 and 0.14. Elastic net outperforms at the concentration level 25 μM with relative RMSE = 0.8. Consistently appeared influential wavelength identifies the influential functional compounds which best predicts the survival fraction. Hence FTIR appears potential candidate for estimating survival fraction of MTX derivatives.

Secondary metabolites produced by biological control agents may influence the outcome of their interactions with plant pathogenic microorganisms and plants. In the present study, we investigated the role of the nonribosomal peptide synthetase gene nps1 expressed by the biocontrol fungus Clonostachys rosea. A gene expression analysis showed that nps1 was induced during confrontations with the plant pathogenic fungus Botrytis cinerea. Gene deletion strains of nps1 displayed increased growth rates and conidiation. However, the nematicidal activity of culture filtrates from C. rosea Δnps1 strains was significantly weaker than that from wild-type filtrates (P ≤ 0.001); after 24 h of incubation with culture filtrates from nps1 deletion strains, only 13 to 33% of a mixed community of nematodes were dead compared with 42% of nematodes incubated with wild-type culture filtrates. The Δnps1 strains also showed reduced biocontrol efficacy during pot experiments, thus failing to protect wheat seedlings from foot rot disease caused by the plant pathogenic fungus Fusarium graminearum. Furthermore, C. rosea Δnps1 strains were not able to reduce populations of plant-parasitic nematodes in soil or in roots of wheat as efficiently as the wild-type strain. Both C. rosea wild-type and Δnps1 strains increased the dry shoot weight and shoot length of wheat by 20 and 13%, respectively. We showed that NPS1, a putative nonribosomal peptide synthetase encoded by nps1, is a biocontrol factor, presumably by producing a hitherto unknown nonribosomal peptide compound with antifungal and nematicidal properties that contributes to the biocontrol properties of C. rosea.

In the current research, we observed numerous suggestions are promoting the use of bio-based epoxy resins, replacing the petroleum-based products like Diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A type epoxy resin DGEBA. With the passage of time, the impending challenges include preparation of environmentally-friendly epoxy with minimum toxic side effect and improved properties. Therefore, we describe a very useful method for preparing new silicone-bridged dimethyl siloxane monomers in high quantity, derived from naturally occurring eugenol. By putting the methyl siloxane, computed with different chain lengths into their molecular backbone. Such epoxy monomers have different molecular structure with high purity. This dimethyl siloxane epoxy, with lower viscosity than commercial DGEBA epoxy, has superior thermal properties, which were evaluated using differential scanning calorimetry DSC. Modification of CMS increases the hydrophilicity. Bio-based epoxy (self-prepared) resin improved adhesive properties, with the help of modified CMS. This study presents a very easy and effective chemical modification to enhance interfacial adhesion composites with superior properties.

Silica-coated Fe3O4 nanoparticles were prepared and functionalized with trimellitic anhydride generating novel amide and two acid moieties on the surface of the nanoparticles. These nanoparticles were found to be ferrimagnetic with average particle size 50–60 nm as characterized by XRD, SEM, EDS, VSM and FTIR analyses. The functionalized nanoparticles were exploited as adsorbent for the removal of Pb(II) cations and Cr(VI) anions from their aqueous solutions and uptake of metal ions was monitored by atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS). These nanoparticles were found to be more effective for the removal of Pb(II) cations due to the negatively charged surface groups relative to Cr(VI) anions. The adsorption data fitted well with Langmuir as well as Freundlich adsorption isotherms, showing a complex nature of adsorption phenomena, comprising electrostatic as well as chemical attraction between surface groups and metal ions. The metal bearing nanoparticles were easily separated from the solution by simply applying external magnetic field.

The present study is focused on the thermal decomposition of Levofloxacin in the absence and presence of different excipients (sodium starch glycolate, magnesium stearate, microcrystalline cellulose and lactose using Thermogravimetry (TG). Fourier Transform Infra Red Spectroscopy (FTIR) and Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) were used to study the possible drug – excipient interaction. It has been shown that the interaction of the first three excipients (sodium starch glycolate, magnesium stearate, and microcrystalline cellulose) with Levofloxacin is physical in nature. Lactose was shown to decrease the degradation temperature to a maximum extent. This indicates a strong chemical interaction between the drug and lactose. The activation energies in the former case were found almost similar but deviated considerably in the latter case.

Purpose This review aims to focus on recent reported research work on the construction and function of different electrochemical DNA biosensors. It also describes different sensing materials, chemistries of immobilization probes, conditions of hybridization and principles of transducing and amplification strategies. Design/methodology/approach The human disease-related mutated genes or DNA sequence detection at low cost can be verified by the electrochemical-based biosensor. A range of different chemistries is used by the DNA-based electrochemical biosensors, out of which the interactions of nanoscale material with recognition layer and a solid electrode surface are most interesting. A diversity of advancements has been made in the field of electrochemical detection. Findings Some important aspects are also highlighted in this review, which can contribute in the creation of successful biosensing devices in the future. Originality/value This paper provides an updated review of construction and sensing technologies in the field of biosensing.

This research work was carried out to assess the variations in the chemical composition, yield, antibacterial and haemolytic activities of hydro-distilled peel essential oils from unripe and ripene...

The objective of the present study was to achieve the successful encapsulation of a therapeutic agent to achieve antifouling functionality regarding biomedical applications. Considering nanotechnology, drug-loaded polycaprolactone (PCL)-based nanoparticles were prepared using a nano-precipitation technique by optimizing various process parameters. The resultant nano-formulations were investigated for in vitro drug release and antifouling applications. The prepared particles were characterized in terms of surface morphology and surface properties. Optimized blank and drug-loaded nanoparticles had an average size of 200 nm and 216 nm, respectively, with associated charges of −16.8 mV and −11.2 mV. Studies of the in vitro release of drug were carried out, which showed sustained release at two different pH, 5.5 and 7.4 Antifouling activity was observed against two bacterial strains, Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus and Gram-negative Escherichia coli. The zone of inhibition of the optimized polymeric drug-loaded nanoparticle F-25 against both strains were compared with the pure drug. The gradual pH-responsive release of antibiotics from the biodegradable polymeric nanoparticles could significantly increase the efficiency and pharmacokinetics of the drug as compared to the pure drug. The acquired data significantly noted that the resultant nano-encapsulation of antifouling functionality could be a promising candidate for topical drug delivery systems and skin applications.

Two solid phase extraction resins (SPER) were prepared by impregnating solutions of two diglycolamide-functionalized calix[4]arenes in 10% isodecanol in n-dodecane into Chromosorb W, as the stationary phase. While SPER-I contained n-propyl functionalized calix[4]arene, SPER-II contained the calix[4]arene with isopentyl groups at the carboxamide nitrogen atoms. The SPERs were characterized by SEM, TGA, FTIR, etc. and were used for the batch uptake of neptunium(IV) from nitric acid feed solutions. While the uptake of Np(IV) was extremely high with SPER-I (Kd: 47,544 at 3 M nitric acid, ca. 8% extractant loading), SPER-II displayed a significantly lower extraction efficiency (Kd: 13,724 under identical conditions) as indicated by the batch uptake studies. Sorption isotherm studies were carried out which indicated good fitting to the Langmuir model suggesting uptake conforming to monolayer sorption. Fitting to the D-R isotherm model conformed to a chemisorption model. Column studies were also carried out and the elution profiles, obtained with solutions of oxalic acid and nitric acid indicated very sharp peaks suggesting that the column can be used for the separation of Np(IV) from acidic radioactive feeds.

Hydrogels were prepared by mixing protein and carbohydrate-based biopolymers to increase the mechanical properties and efficient cell adhesion and proliferation for wound healing applications. Microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) and its 6-deoxy-aminocellulose derivatives (6-deoxy-6-hydrazide Cellulose (Cell-Hyd), 6-deoxy-6-diethylamide Cellulose (Cell-DEA), and 6-deoxy-6-diethyltriamide Cellulose (Cell-DETA)) were embedded in methacrylated gelatin (GelMA). GelMA and 6-deoxy-aminocellulose derivatives were synthesized and characterized by spectroscopic techniques. MCC and cellulose derivatives embedded GelMA gels were characterized by FTIR, SEM and Tensile mechanical testing. SEM images revealed that, porosity of the amine MCC incorporated GelMA was decreased compared to GelMA and MCC incorporated GelMA. Tensile strain of GelMA 61.30% at break was increased to 64.3% in case of GelMA/Cell-HYD. In vitro cytocompatibility and cell proliferation using NIH-3T3 cell lines showed cell density trend on scaffold as GelMA/Cell-DETA>GelMA/Cell-Hyd > GelMA. Scratch assay for wound healing revealed that GelMA/Cell-DETA showed complete wound closure, while GelMA/Cell-Hyd and GelMA exhibited 85.7%, and 66.1% wound healing, respectively in 8 h. In vivo tests on rats revealed that GelMA/Cell-DETA exhibited 98% wound closure on day 9, whereas GelMA/Cell-Hyd exhibited 97.7% and GelMA 66.1% wound healing on day 14. Our findings revealed that GelMA embedded amine MCC derivatives hydrogels can be applied for achieving accelerated wound healing.

Neptunium is one of the most important minor actinide elements with some of its isotopes having very long half-lives, therefore necessitating its separation from acidic radioactive wastes. Solvent extraction of Np4+ and NpO2 2+ was studied using three multiple diglycolamide (DGA) extractants with n-propyl, n-octyl and 3-pentyl substituents termed as L I , L II and L III , respectively, in a mixed diluent of 5% isodecanol and 95% n-dodecane. For comparison purpose, the extraction of Pu4+ and UO2 2+ was carried out under identical conditions. The extraction efficiency of the ligands for the tetravalent ions followed the trend: L II > L I > L III , which changed to L III > L II > L I for the hexavalent ions. While the extraction of the tetravalent ions was reasonably good (ca. 90–98%) with an extremely low (5.0 × 10−5 M) ligand concentration, poor extraction (ca. 5–16%) of the hexavalent ions was seen even with a 20 times higher concentration of the ligand. In general, Pu4+ was better extracted than Np4+, while NpO2 2+ was marginally better extracted then UO2 2+. A ‘solvation’ type extraction mechanism was proposed based on the extraction profiles obtained as a function of the concentrations of the feed nitric acid, extractant as well as nitrate ion. The extracted species were found out to be M(NO3)4·mL and MO2(NO3)2·nL (M = Np or Pu, 1

Cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) obtained from natural bio resources building blocks for the design of new biomaterials in nanotechnology...

Bio-based epoxy resins are being used due to their green chemistry. They have better properties than petroleum-based epoxy resins. Recently, environment friendly nanomaterials have been used for different industrial applications. Cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) are among the best naturally occurring materials. Therefore, the surface of cellulose nanocrystals are modified by eugenol-based silane coupling agent (EBSCA). Chemical composition and surface morphologies of CNCs were analyzed and characterized by FTIR, AFM, SEM, TEM and 1H-NMR. The SEM and AFM results confirmed eugenol-based silane coupling agent was successfully grafted on cellulose nanocrystals. Modified CNCs demonstrated an excellent tensile strength (2190 MPa) and modulus (16.00 MPa), as well as storage modulus (1622 MPa) exhibited by 1wt% modified cellulose nanocrystals composites. Additionally, modified CNCs displayed hydrophobic behavior (CA=102 ± 2°). The corresponding modified CNCs have significant applications in combination of high stiffness and strength to the epoxy resins. This study lays a foundation towards full bio-based, environment friendly polymers fabrication and consumptions most desirable in adhesive and mechanical industrial fields.

Synthesis and characterization of novel copper complexes of metronidazole benzoate (MTZ Benz), metronidazole (MTZ) in the presence of another ligand; dichloroacetic acid (DCA) were compared and reported in the present work. Different bacterial and fungus strains were ascertained to evaluate the biological potency of the synthesized complexes, that is, Escherichia coli, Bordetella bronceptica, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Baccilus pumilus, Staphylococcus aureus and yeast strain Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Agar diffusion method was employed to investigate in vitro antibacterial activities of the synthesized metal complexes and the tested parent ligands. α-Amylase and α-glucosidase inhibition studies of the synthesized complexes were also carried out. The antibacterial potential and α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibition studies of complexes were further investigated by molecular docking studies, which supported the experimental results. Significant α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibition activities were shown by the synthesized complexes. S-1 and S-5 were found to be most inhibitors of α-amylase and α-glucosidase having IC50 42.50, 44.80 and 4.52 µg/mL, 4.80 µg/mL, respectively. The newly synthesized copper complexes showed overall better biological activities compared to each parent ligands used. Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma

Amphiphilic copolymers are recognized as important biomaterials and used as antibacterial agents due to their effective inhibition of bacterial growth. In current study, the amphiphilic copolymers of P(DMAEMA-co-MMA) were synthesized using free radical polymerization by varying the concentrations of hydrophilic monomer 2-dimethylamino ethylmethacrylate (DMAEMA) and hydrophobic monomer methyl methacrylate (MMA) having PDI value of 1.65&ndash, 1.93. The DMAEMA monomer, through ternary amine with antibacterial property optimized copolymers, P(DMAEMA-co-MMA), compositions to control biofilm adhesion. Antibacterial activity of synthesized copolymers was elucidated against Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 6538) and Gram-negative Escherchia coli (ATCC 8739) by disk diffusion method, and zones of inhibition were measured. The desired composition that was PDM1 copolymer had shown good zones of inhibition i.e., 19 &plusmn, 0.33 mm and 20 &plusmn, 0.33 mm for E. coli and S. aureus respectively. The PDM1 and PDM2 have exhibited significant control over bacterial biofilm adhesion as tested by six well plate method. SEM study of bacterial biofilm formation has illustrated that these copolymers act in a similar fashion like cationic biocide. These compositions viz. PDM1 and PDM2, may be useful in development of bioreactors, sensors, surgical equipment and drug delivery devices.

Isatin is an indole derivative firstly synthesized in the laboratory by Erdmann and Laurent by oxidation of indigo pigment having chromic acid. It is orange-red in color with freezing point 2000C...

Isatin is an important class of nitrogen containing heterocyclic aromatic compounds, found in plants, human blood and tissue...

Methotrexate (MTX) is a chemotherapeutic agent with certain side effects. Efforts were made to synthesize analogues of MTX to enhance the activity and reduce side effects. Various derivatives were synthesized by structural modification of parent drug and mainly assayed for anticancer activity and binding affinity with dihydrofolatereductase (DHFR) and folylpolyglutamate synthetase (FPGS). In vitro study was carried out on cell lines CCRF. CEM, ATCC8, L. Casei, P388, L1210, L1210/R81, and H35. These synthesized derivatives have been assayed for human squamous cell carcinoma namely SSC25, SSC68, SSC78, SSC25/R1, SSC68/R1, and SSC78/R1. Some modification proved to enhance anticancer activity while others are detrimental. Some of derivatives were also tested for other biological activity like anti-malarial, anti-bacterial and anti-diabetic and show better activity. This article deals with a comprehensive overview of the synthesized derivatives by structural modifications and the impact of these modifications on its activity.

Electrocatalytic water splitting is an environmentally benign technique for hydrogen (H2) and oxygen (O2) production. Here, synthesis of Ti3C2@MoO3 nanocomposite by hydrothermal method with improved electrocatalytic activity and stability for overall water splitting is reported. In Ti3C2@MoO3 nanocomposite, Ti3C2 acts as a conductive material to facilitate rapid electron transfer whereas; MoO3 provides long-term stability and prevents Ti3C2 nanosheets from restacking. These combined properties of Ti3C2 nanosheets and MoO3 nanobelts exhibited improved HER and OER performance at a low overpotential of 91 mV and 190 mV at a current density of 10 mAcm−2 with long term durability for 50 h. The strong electronic coupling effect between Ti3C2 MXene and MoO3 nanobelts can accelerate HER/OER kinetics. This study opens new avenues for developing efficient and durable electrocatalytic systems for water splitting.

In this work, 2D Nb2C MXene, synthesized from the wet-chemical etching route, is used as direct electrode material for electrochemical hydrazine sensing. Also, the Erbium (Er)adsorbed Nb2C MXene was prepared using the hydrothermal process in a weight-percentage ratio of 2.5%, 5%, 7.5% and 10%. The X-ray diffraction of Nb2C and Er-doped Nb2C samples confirmed the existence of 2D MXene structure with c-lattice parameter increase from 13.83 A to 22.7 A and successful adsorption of Er into MXene, respectively. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) shows the layered structure morphology of all the samples with clear sheet separation. The sample with the highest surface area, determined by Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) technique, was used for hydrazine sensing using cyclic voltammetry and linear sweep voltammetry techniques. The sensitivity for MXene and Er-doped sample was observed to be 169µA m−1 M−1 cm−2 and 276µA m−1 M−1 cm−2, respectively which shows that the Er-doped MXene is much more sensitive than the unmodified one. Our results provide hydrazine sensing ability for 2D Nb2C MXene as well as Er-doped Nb2C which will help explore their potential for future sensor applications.

The plant based renewable biosorbents have extensively been investigated for removing water pollutants. The present study describes the sequestering of metal ions by exploiting a low cost biomaterial derived from Tribulus tresstris as sorbent. The batch equilibrium studies have been carried out both with raw and chemically/thermally treated biomaterial as a function of pH, contact time, shaking speed and shaking time to decide the effectiveness of biosorbent. The sorbent was activated chemically by utilizing 0.1M HCl and 0.1M K 2 CO 3 . A close muffle furnace was used for thermal treatment of the sorbent. The adsorption capacity was enhanced to 25% by thermal treatment and 54% by chemical treatment because of increase in pore volume and surface area. The greatest sorption was found for particle size of 200 µm with a 0.5 g dosage at pH 6 for 20 min at shaking speed 100 rpm. The FT-IR and SEM study was performed to discover the adsorption capacity of various functional groups and their binding mechanism. The adsorption data demonstrates that Langmuir, Freundlich and Dubinin-Radushkevich isotherm models were very much fitted to describe the adsorption behavior.

The use of interferon α-2 in combination with thymosin α-1 shows higher anti-cancer effect in comparison when both are used individually because of their synergistic effects. In this study we produced an important human interferon α-2-thymosin α-1 (IFNα2-Tα1) fusion protein with probable pharmaceutical properties coupled to its high-level expression, characterization, and study of its biological activity. The IFNα2-Tα1 fusion gene was constructed by over-lap extension PCR and expressed in

We report here the synthesis, characterization, and antibacterial evaluation of transition metal complexes of Ni, Cu, Co, Mn, Zn, and Cd (6a&ndash, f), using a Schiff base ligand (5) derived from naproxen (an anti-inflammatory drug) and 5-bromosalicylaldehyde by a series of reactions. The ligand and the synthesized complexes were characterized by elemental analysis, UV-Visible, FTIR, and XRD techniques. The ligand 5 behaves as a bidentate donor and coordinates with metals in square planar or tetrahedral fashion. In order to evaluate its bioactivity profile, we screened the Schiff base ligand and its metal complexes (6a&ndash, f) against different species of bacteria and the complexes were found to exhibit significant antibacterial activity. The complexes showed more potency against Bacillus subtilis as compared to the other species. Moreover, we modeled these complexes&rsquo, binding affinity against COX1 protein using computational docking.