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In this current study, collagen protein extracted from eggshell membrane and calcium carbonate (a main component of eggshell) are used as additive to enhance the stability and hardness of the zirconia crystals. Five different samples are prepared by adding membrane containing eggshell content as, 1 g, 2 g, 3 g, 4 g and 5 g in aqueous zirconium oxychloride sol. Phase purity is confirmed by XRD and FTIR. Phase pure and dense particles divulges the high hardness (∼1389 HV) and fracture toughness (12.89 MPa m1/2). FESEM analysis illustrates the formation of dense, well separated, non-agglomerated and spherical nanoparticles at 5 g of eggshell content. Eggshell works as a surfactant and stabilizer for formation of phase pure tetragonal spherical nanoparticles. Biodegradation study of optimized tetragonal zirconia (t-ZrO2 )in phosphate buffered saline (PBS) presents that minor change in weight and hardness after 72 h of immersion. Antioxidant study shows the 96% of radical scavenging activity (RSA). In vitro bio-mineralization study shows the formation of new bone after 5 weeks. After 5 weeks all pores were filled and minerals were deposited on the surface of the scaffolds. SEM images confirms that eggshell-zirconia composite form new bone. So eggshell addition results in formation of phase pure t-ZrO2 nanoparticles with well-defined boundaries which exhibit higher hardness, fracture toughness, stability and enhanced antioxidant properties.

Nanomaterials have been increasingly popular in bioimaging and cancer therapy due to their unique characteristics to reachtarget-specific tumours. Due to this uniqueness, a drug delivery platform made of nanomaterials has been developed to deliver theanti-cancer drug to target sites. As the number of incidences of cancer increases, it is critical to provide a medication delivery platform for treating cancer as soon as possible. Also, nanosystems based on carbon have been widely used as a possible biomarker for cancer imaging and therapeutics. This research work primarily focuses on the development of a spherical-shaped porous CeO2/Au/GO hybrid nanocomposite to serve as a nanoplatform to treatcervical cancer. The stacked layer of graphene oxide (GO) was loaded with porous aminated cerium oxide nanoparticles (CeO2 NPs) and gold nanoparticles (Au NPs). X-ray Diffraction (XRD),Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) were used to investigate their physio-chemical properties and morphology. Furthermore, HeLa cells were interacted with the suggested porous Au/GO hybrid, CeO2/Au/GO hybrid nanosystem and cisplatin-loaded CeO2/Au/GO hybrid system (CeO2/Cis-Au/GO hybrid), under in-vitro conditions to assess the anti-cancer efficacy of the proposed nanoplatforms. In this study, the minimum concentration of Au/GO at which nearly 50% of the cells remain dead (IC50 concentration)is considered to be 62.5 µg/mL and 31.2 µg/mL for CeO2/Au/GO. Further, the cisplatin anticancer drug was chemically bonded with CeO2/Au/GO hybrid nanosystem for testing the apoptotic efficacy of cancer cells under in-vitro conditions. The IC50 value was 62.5 µg/mL which affirmed the anticancer property of the CeO2/Cis-Au/GO system with HeLa cells. According to the findings from the antiproliferative assay, CeO2/Au/GO nanoplatforms resulted in superior cytotoxicity effects on cervical cancer in comparison with CeO2/Cis-Au/GO and Au/GO nanoplatform. Lastly, the proposed CeO2/Au/GO hybrid nanosystem was subject to dual staining investigation using Acridine Orange/Ethidium Bromide (AO/EB) dyes for recording the morphological changes incurred and also to visualize live and dead cells using fluorescence spectroscopy. Based on these findings, the developed CeO2/Au/GO hybrid nanosystem can be taken to in vivo studies for the validation to act as a theranostic platform for cervical cancer.

The corrosion inhibition of orthodontic wire made of SS 18/8 alloy in artificial saliva, with and without the presence of tablet esomeprazole − 40 mg has been investigated by electrochemical analysis. Polarisation study indicates that in the presence of the mentioned tablet, polarisation resistance (Rp) value increases and corrosion current (Icorr) decreases. That is, the corrosion resistance of SS 18/8 alloy in artificial saliva increases. AC impedance spectroscopy reveals that charge transfer resistance value (Rct) value increases and double layer capacitance value (Cdl) decreases. The open circuit potential (OCP) values for the inhibited system are more negative than that of the uninhibited blank system. The vibration peaks obtained from the FTIR spectra indicates the presence of functional group in esomeprazole pill and these characteristic peaks are slightly shifted in the analyzed scratched film from the surface of the orthodontic wire after immersion. AFM micrograph image of the polished specimen sample immersed in artificial saliva (AS) with esomeprazole tablet solution shows lesser degree of surface deterioration than those for SS 18/8 specimen immersed only in artificial saliva. From the present work, it is reported that people clipped with orthodontic wire made of SS 18/8 alloy need not worry about orthodontic corrosion for taking esomeprazole tablet for the treatment of gastro esophageal reflux disease and other medicinal purpose.

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to develop a new pyrimidine-2,4-dione hybrid with 2H-thiopyran molecules as a potential antibacterial and antifungal agents against clinical pathogens that cause infectious diseases, in addition to conducting the cytotoxic screening. Methods: The synthesis of 2H-thiopyran connecting pyrimidine-2,4-dionederivatives was carried out in a medium consisting of water with an Mg(II) acetate catalyst. The antimicrobial activity of all synthesized compounds was tested against Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC-25923), Enterococcus faecalis (clinical isolate), and Gram-negative (Klebsiella pneumoniae (clinical isolate), Escherichia coli (ATCC-2522), and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) bacteria. Antifungal activity was examined in vitro using Aspergillus niger, Candida albicans, Microsporum audouinii, and Cryptococcus neoformans as test organisms (clinical isolates). Cytotoxic assay was also performed in vitro at various concentrations. Results: The highly active compound in this study was 3-((2,6-di(furan-2-yl)dihydro-2H-thiopyran-4(3H)-ylidene)amino)dihydropyrimidine-2,4(1H,3H)-dione which exhibited the lowest MIC value (8 µg/mL) with broad activity against one Gram-positive and three Gram-negative. The compound, 3-((2,6-di(furan-2-yl)dihydro-2H-thiopyran-4(3H)-ylidene)amino)dihydropyrimidine-2,4(1H,3H)-dione showed least MIC value (MIC: 0.25 µg/mL) against C. albicans. The compound 3-((2,6-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)dihydro-2H-thiopyran-4(3H)-ylidene)amino)dihydro pyrimidine-2,4(1H,3H)-dione was highly active (GI50 0.03 µm) against HeLa cancer cell lines. Conclusions: The overall results indicated that a successful preparation of a few of the promising molecules, which are antimicrobials well as cytotoxicity has been achieved.

The present study demonstrates the synthesis of phase pure hematite (α-Fe2O3) nanoparticles (NPs) using collagen protein and calcium carbonate extracted from eggshell membranes and eggshells, respectively, as organic additives. To test the influence of organic additives on the quality of the resulting NPs, the amount of eggshell powder was varied between 1 to 5 g in aqueous iron nitrate solution. X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and RAMAN analysis confirmed the formation of hematite NPs without any impurities. FTIR spectra revealed the presence of polyphenolic constituents on the surface of the resulting NPs as stabilizers, which may potentially be responsible for the observed antioxidant and antibacterial properties. Furthermore, the stable phase and the presence of low defects divulged the high hardness value (~983 HV) and fracture toughness (8.59 MPa m1/2), which can be exploited for bone implantation. The FE-SEM results demonstrate the formation of spherical particles, which are well-separated NPs. The results of a biodegradation study which was carried out in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) revealed that the as-prepared NPs retained their hardness even after 72 h of soaking. These prepared NPs showed 95% radical scavenging activity (RSA) and were good carriers against S. aureus bacteria. Moreover, the SEM images of the mineralization of iron oxide NPs confirmed the formation of new bone. After 5 weeks, all pores were filled, and the minerals were deposited on the surfaces of the scaffolds.

The leaf extract of Indigofera linnaei Ali, an Indian medicinal plant, was utilized in the synthesis of copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO-NPs). Green chemistry is a safe and cost-effective method for the synthesis of nanoparticles using plant extracts. The synthesis of CuO NPs was confirmed using ultraviolet–visible (UV-visible) spectrum λ-max data with two peaks at 269 and 337 nm. Different functional groups were identified using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). X-ray diffraction (XRD) was used to confirm the crystalline structure of the CuO-nanoparticles. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) analyses were performed to examine the surface morphology and elemental composition of the biosynthesized CuO-NPs. Furthermore, the synthesized CuO-NPs exhibited antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, and Enterococcus faecalis. Additionally, they exhibited a good insecticidal effect on Culex quinquefasciatus larvae, with low LC50 55.716 µg/mL and LC90 123.657 µg/mL values. The CuO-NPs inhibited human breast cancer cells in a concentration-dependent manner, with an IC50 value of 63.13 µg/mL.

Tuberculosis (TB) in one of the dreadful diseases present globally. This is caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Mycobacterium tuberculosis dethiobiotin synthetase (MtDTBS) is an essential enzyme in biotin biosynthesis and is an ideal target to design and develop novel inhibitors. In order to effectively combat this disease six natural compound (butein) analogues were subjected to molecular docking to determine their binding mode and the binding affinities. The resultant complex structures were subjected to 500 ns simulation run to estimate their binding stabilities using GROMACS. The molecular dynamics simulation studies provided essential evidence that the systems were stable during the progression of 500 ns simulation run. The root mean square deviation (RMSD) of all the systems was found to be below 0.3 nm stating that the systems are well converged. The radius of gyration (Rg) profiles indicated that the systems were highly compact without any major fluctuations. The principle component analysis (PCA) and Gibbs energy landscape studies have revealed that the comp3, comp5 and comp11 systems navigated marginally through the PC2. The intermolecular interactions have further demonstrated that all the compounds have displayed key residue interactions, firmly holding the ligands at the binding pocket. The residue Lys37 was found consistently to interact with all the ligands highlighting its potential role in inhibiting the MtDTBS. Our investigation further put forth two novel compounds (comp10 and comp11) as putative antituberculosis agents. Collectively, we propose six compounds has plausible inhibitors to curtail TB and further can act as scaffolds in designing new compounds.

Exopolysaccharides (EPS) are exogenous microbial metabolites generated predominantly during the development of bacteria. They have several biological potentials, including antibacterial, antioxidant, and anticancer actions. Polysaccharide-coated nanoparticles have high biological activity and are used in treatments and diagnostics. In this research, selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) are synthesized and conjugated with bacterial (Bacillus sp. MKUST-01) exopolysaccharide (EPS). Initially, the creation of SeNPs conjugates was verified through UV–Vis spectral examination, which exhibited a prominent peak at 264 nm. Additionally, X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis further substantiated the existence of crystalline Se, as evidenced by a robust reflection at 29.78°. Another reflection observed at 23.76° indicated the presence of carbon originating from the EPS. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) analysis of the EPS capped with SeNPs displayed characteristic peaks at 3425 cm−1, 2926 cm−1, 1639 cm−1, and 1411 cm−1, corresponding to the presence of O-H, C-H, C=O, and COO–groups. The SeNPs themselves were found to possess elongated rod-shaped structures with lengths ranging from 250 to 550 nm and a diameter of less than 70 nm, as confirmed using scanning electron microscopy and particle size analysis. In contrast to the SeNPs, the SeNPs–EPS conjugates showed no hemolytic activity. The overall antioxidant activity of SeNPs–EPS conjugates outperformed 20% higher than SeNPs and EPS. Additionally, experimental observations involving gnotobiotic Artemia nauplii experiments were also recorded, such as the supplementation of EPS and SeNPs–EPS conjugates corresponding to enhanced growth and increased survival rates compared to Artemia nauplii fed with SeNPs and a microalgal diet.

A ternary nanocomposite was prepared using cerium oxide, chitosan, and graphene oxide (CeO2/CS/GO) using a simple and cost-effective wet chemical method. The physicochemical properties of the developed ternary nanocomposite were examined using X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy. Furthermore, the therapeutic behavior of the developed CeO2/CS/GO composite was assessed using anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, and anti-cancer assays. For Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Salmonella species, 750 µg/mL of the CeO2/CS/GO composite showed effective anti-bacterial activity, with a zone of inhibition of 9 mm. Additionally, the CeO2/CS/GO composite’s anti-fungal activity against Aspergillus niger was studied. The anti-cancer properties of different concentrations of the CeO2/CS/GO composite were assessed on MCF-7 cells, and 18.8% of cells were found to be viable at the maximum concentration of 1000 µg/mL CeO2/CS/GO and 46.37% at 125 µg/mL. The results of the hemolysis assay performed using human red blood cells and various concentrations of the CeO2/CS/GO composite indicated that the nanocomposite possesses biological properties. Overall, it can act as a therapeutic platform for breast cancer, bacterial and fungal infections.

Humankind is witnessing a gradual increase in cancer incidence, emphasizing the importance of early diagnosis and treatment, and follow-up clinical protocols. Oral or mouth cancer, categorized under head and neck cancers, requires effective screening for timely detection. This study proposes a framework, OralNet, for oral cancer detection using histopathology images. The research encompasses four stages: (i) Image collection and preprocessing, gathering and preparing histopathology images for analysis; (ii) feature extraction using deep and handcrafted scheme, extracting relevant features from images using deep learning techniques and traditional methods; (iii) feature reduction artificial hummingbird algorithm (AHA) and concatenation: Reducing feature dimensionality using AHA and concatenating them serially and (iv) binary classification and performance validation with three-fold cross-validation: Classifying images as healthy or oral squamous cell carcinoma and evaluating the framework’s performance using three-fold cross-validation. The current study examined whole slide biopsy images at 100× and 400× magnifications. To establish OralNet’s validity, 3000 cropped and resized images were reviewed, comprising 1500 healthy and 1500 oral squamous cell carcinoma images. Experimental results using OralNet achieved an oral cancer detection accuracy exceeding 99.5%. These findings confirm the clinical significance of the proposed technique in detecting oral cancer presence in histology slides.

Lichens are symbiotic organisms that are composed of fungal partners and photosynthetic algal partners. During the symbiotic process in lichen thallus, the fungus synthesizes certain secondary metabolites in which lecanoric acid is very important in terms of antibiotic properties. Considering the vital importance of lecanoric acid, the present study aimed to produce lecanoric acid from the thallus of Parmotrema austrosinense lichen using Modified Bold’s basal salt medium and evaluate the bio-efficacy against tea fungal pathogens. Lecanoric acid was purified and confirmed by micro-crystallization method and subsequently bioassayed against tea fungal pathogens. The results revealed that lecanoric acid registered a significant antifungal activity in terms of the growth inhibition of test pathogens. Companion systemic and botanical fungicides were found to be inferior to lecanoric acid in the percentage of growth inhibition. The inhibition rate varied among tea pathogens. Of the tea pathogens tested, tea leaf disease-causing pathogens including Cercospora theae (C. theae), Glomerella cingulata (G. cingulate), and Phomopsis theae (P. theae) showed the highest percentage of growth inhibition followed by stem and root rot diseases. The present study suggests that lecanoric acid showed an inhibitory effect against tea pathogens, which might be due to antibiotic properties and fungicidal action of lecanoric acid.

Thousands of different kinds of lichen metabolites are being examined for their biological activities, including anticancer properties. In this context, the present study aims to assess the anti-inflammatory activity of the acetone extract of Parmotrema austrosinense mycobiont. A lipid peroxidation assay was performed with the acetone extracts of P. austrosinense mycobiont, which was further used to evaluate its anti-inflammatory efficacy using a zebrafish model. Furthermore, the histopathological study was also carried out with muscle tissues and amplification of its inflammation marker. The results revealed that the lichen compound (i.e., lecanoric acid) in the acetone extract of P. austrosinense possesses anti-inflammatory activity. Histopathology studies confirmed the decreased numbers of neutrophil cells in the 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS)-induced zebrafishes, as confirmed by changes in the fishes’ weight before and after the sample treatment, prompted by TNBS inflammation. The present results also demonstrated a dose-dependent decrease in the lipid peroxidation (LPO) levels in the muscle tissues of zebrafishes. Gene amplification studies suggested that the lichen compound might perform dose-dependent downregulation of the inflammatory gene marker of the tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α gene; this further confirms that the extract should possess anti-inflammatory activity. As per the literature, this study is one of the most complete, comprehensive in vivo anti-inflammatory analyses in which inflammation was induced in zebrafish by using 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS). Particularly, this study successfully identified a bioactive compound isolated from the lichen P. austrosinense, and which exhibited decent anti-inflammatory activity.

Effective risk management and control methods for potentially genotoxic impurities (PGIs), including alkyl halides, are of significant importance in the medicinal (pharmaceutical) sector. The three alkyl halides in posaconazole are PGIs. The detection and assessment of genotoxic substances is a top priority for all regulatory organizations. Quantifying PGIs at trace levels using standard analytical techniques, such as gas chromatography (GC) and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), is challenging for the pharmaceutical manufacturing industry. Thus, the detection of trace quantities of PGIs in posaconazole is essential for developing sensitive analytical methodologies. The objective of this study was to establish an analytical technique for quantifying the three PGIs (alkyl halides) in posaconazole and its intermediate. These alkyl halides are 1-(2,4-difluorophenyl) ethan-1-one (PGI-1), (Z)-1-(1-bromoprop-1-en-2-yl)- 2,4-difluorobenzene (PGI-2), and 1-bromo-2-(2,4-difluorophenyl) propan-2-ol (PGI-3). To identify trace quantities (parts per million (ppm)) of these impurities, we employed a gas chromatography (GC-MS/MS) equipped with a triple quadrupole mass spectrometry detector. The GC column was a USP phase G43, which is a mid-polar 6% cyanopropyl; 94% polydimethylsiloxane, with a 60 m length, 0.32 mm inner diameter, and 1.8 μm film thickness. Helium (He) was used as the carrier gas, with a flow rate of 1.5 mL/min. A thermal gradient elution program was used for this procedure. The method was calibrated for the three PGIs with limits of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ) of 0.01 and 0.025 ppm, respectively. The linear range of concentrations (25–150%) was maintained with respect to the specification level. This method was validated according to the ICH regulations and was shown to be specific, rugged, robust, precise, sensitive, accurate, linear, and stable. Therefore, in this newly developed method, the combination of suitable analytical techniques, such as GC-MS/MS and proper chromatographic conditions and column selection with the lowest LOD and LOQ, have allowed the induction of excellent ionization. These conditions have successfully facilitated the identification of PGI-1, PGI-2, and PGI-3 in posaconazole and its intermediate during routine analysis.

Industrial activities release a large number of pollutants in the environment, which deteriorate environmental quality, and human health. Organic and inorganic pollutants increase the chemical oxygen demand (COD) of the receiving water bodies, one such pollutant is phenol, which is an organic compound that is toxic even at low concentrations. The high COD leads to a lower amount of dissolved oxygen (DO) which is important factor for aquatic life. These pollutants are a serious threat to human health and the environment. In this study, economic and environmentally friendly synthesis of iron copper (Fe/Cu) nanoparticles are reported, which were characterized using UV visible spectroscopy, FT-IR, XRD, TGA, and SEM. The developed particles were then employed to treat industrial wastewaters containing phenol and for reduction of chemical oxygen demand (COD). The average size reported by SEM analysis was between 140 nm and 160 nm. Batch experiments showed that a 83.33% mg/L reduction in COD and 76.91% of phenol removal was attained at pH 4, adsorbent dose of 0.5 g/100 mL, and contact time of 60 min, respectively. It was observed that the efficiency of phenol removal increased with an increase in the initial concentration of both, COD and phenols. The results demonstrated that the Fe/Cu nanoparticles are effective adsorbent material to remove phenols from industrial wastewaters as well as for the reduction of COD.

In the present study, we used a simple ultrasonic approach to develop a Cerium oxide/Graphene oxide hybrid (CeO2/GO hybrid) nanocomposite system. Particle size analysis, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), and X-ray Diffraction (XRD) have been used to analyze the physio-chemical characteristics of the developed nanocomposite. The synthesized hybrid system has also been examined to assess its anticancer capability against MCF-7 cell lines and normal cell lines at different sample concentrations, pH values, and incubation intervals using an antiproliferative assay test. The test results demonstrate that as sample concentration rises, the apoptotic behavior of the CeO2/GO hybrid in the MCF-7 cell line also rises. The IC50 was 62.5 µg/mL after 72 h of incubation. Cytotoxicity of cisplatin bound CeO2/GO hybrid was also tested in MCF-7 cell lines. To identify apoptosis-associated alterations of cell membranes during the process of apoptosis, a dual acridine orange/ethidium bromide (AO/EB) fluorescence staining was carried out at three specified doses (i.e., 1000 µg/mL, 250 µg/mL, and 62.5 µg/mL of CeO2/GO hybrid). The color variations from both live (green) and dead (red) cells were examined using fluorescence microscopy under in vitro conditions. The quantitative analysis was performed using flow cytometry to identify the cell cycle at which the maximum number of MCF-7 cells had been destroyed as a result of interaction with the developed CeO2/GO hybrid (FACS study). According to the results of the FACS investigation, the majority of cancer cells were inhibited at the R3 (G2/M) phase. Therefore, the CeO2/GO hybrid has successfully showed enhanced anticancer efficacy against the MCF-7 cell line at the IC50 concentration. According to the current study, the CeO2/GO platform can be used as a therapeutic platform for breast cancer. The synergetic effects of the developed CeO2/GO hybrid with the MCF-7 cell line are presented.

All regulatory organizations are paying close attention to the identification and measurement of genotoxic contaminants. Using conventional analytical techniques like high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and gas chromatography to quantify probable genotoxic substances (PGIs) at the trace level is difficult (GC). Therefore, there is a necessity for advanced analytical techniques for the development of highly sensitive analytical procedures for the determination of trace-level PGIs in drug products and drug substances. This study’s goal is to develop and evaluate an analytical technique for measuring allyl chloride, a possible genotoxic contaminant in gemfibrozil. For the detection of very low and trace levels of impurities, a gas chromatography with a triple quadrupole mass spectrometry detector (GC-MS/MS) approach was developed and validated. Using a column USP phase G27, a nonpolar and low bleed 5% diphenyl, 95% dimethylpolysiloxane, with dimensions of 30 m in length, 0.32 mm internal diameters, and 1.5 m film thickness, along with a flow rate of 2.0 mL/min and Helium (He) as a carrier gas, this method uses a thermal gradient elution program. The method was calibrated with a linearity range from 30% to 150% concentration with respect to the specification level and achieved a limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) were 0.005 ppm and 0.01 ppm, respectively, for allyl chloride. According to current ICH requirements, the method was validated, and it was discovered to be specific, exact, accurate, linear, sensitive, tough, robust, and stable. This method is suitable for determining allyl chloride in the regular analysis of Gemfibrozil.

ZnO based ternary heterostructure ZnO/(X wt%)La2O3/NiO (X = 1%, 3% and 5% of La2O3) nanoparticles were successfully synthesized employing waste curd as fuel by facile one-pot combustion procedure. The composition, morphology and structure of the fabricated heterostructures were characterized using various microscopic and spectroscopic instruments including using XRD, FTIR, UV–Visible, EDX, FESEM and HRTEM analysis. To evaluate the photo-catalytic degradation efficacy of the prepared ternary nanocomposite, textile dye methylene blue (MB) was selected as benchmark reaction under solar irradiation. The influence of several catalytic variables including light source, catalyst loading, photocatalyst dose, MB concentration, irradiation time, and pH value on the photo-degradation performance was systematically examined and the results were discussed. The results reveal that 3 wt% La2O3 doped ternary ZnO/NiO photocatalyst exhibits excellent performance towards the photocatalytic degradation of the studied dye. The ternary heterostructure i.e. ZnO/(3 wt%) La2O3/NiO exhibits superior MB degradation efficacy of 98% at 150 min under natural solar irradiation. The obtained observations conclude that the prepared nanocomposite exhibits pH dependent photo-catalytic efficacy, and for better results, concentrations of dye and photocatalysts have to be kept in a specific range. Moreover, different light sources have also been applied and their results are compared.

Herein we demonstrate a novel tandem aldol condensation-thia-Michael addition process using a bimetallic catalyst (ZrCl4:Mg(ClO4)2). The novel bimetallic catalyst performs under very mild conditions. The catalyst helps in the efficient synthesis of β-mercapto carbonyl derivatives from chalcones and thiols in one-pot method. We successfully used the zirconium tetrachloride in combination with magnesium perchlorate in a specific ratio which is considered as green catalyst and efficiently worked for the synthesis of β-mercapto carbonyl derivatives at room temperature. This is the first report which presents the use of ZrCl4:Mg(ClO4)2 without calcination. Significant advantages of this method are that the reaction is performed under mild conditions, shows good selectivity and high yield, within short reaction times and easy workup. This method minimizes waste disposal problems as well, which makes present method highly efficient and convenient. The synthesized bimetallic catalyst was characterized by different analytical techniques such as XRD and SEM. Subsequently, the synthesized β-mercapto carbonyl products were identified by using FTIR, NMR, GC–MS and CHN elemental analyzer.

Silver nanoparticles act as antitumor agents because of their antiproliferative and apoptosis-inducing properties. The present study aims to develop silver nanoparticle-loaded liposomes for the effective management of cancer. Silver nanoparticle-encapsulated liposomes were prepared using the thin-film hydration method coupled with sonication. The prepared liposomes were characterized by DLS (Dynamic Light Scattering analysis), FESEM (Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope), and FTIR (Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy). The in vitro drug release profile of the silver nanoparticle-loaded liposomes was carried out using the dialysis bag method and the drug release profile was validated using various mathematical models. A high encapsulation efficiency of silver nanoparticle-loaded liposome was observed (82.25%). A particle size and polydispersity index of 172.1 nm and 0.381, respectively, and the zeta potential of −21.5 mV were recorded. FESEM analysis revealed spherical-shaped nanoparticles in the size range of 80–97 nm. The in vitro drug release profile of the silver nanoparticle-loaded liposomes was carried out using the dialysis bag method in three different pHs: pH 5.5, pH 6.8, and pH 7.4. A high silver nanoparticle release was observed in pH 5.5 which corresponds to the mature endosomes of tumor cells; 73.32 ± 0.68% nanoparticle was released at 72 h in pH 5.5. Among the various mathematical models analyzed, the Higuchi model was the best-fitted model as there is the highest value of the correlation coefficient which confirms that the drug release follows the diffusion-controlled process. From the Korsmeyer–Peppas model, it was confirmed that the drug release is based on anomalous non-Fickian diffusion. The results indicate that the silver nanoparticle-loaded liposomes can be used as an efficient drug delivery carrier to target cancer cells of various types.

In the present study, the anti-proliferative and apoptotic potential of Tabebuia roseo-alba in lung cancer was assessed. Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) of T. roseo-alba were synthesized using an ethanolic extract and characterized by adopting various parameters. Herein, the eco-friendly, cost-effective, and green synthesis of AgNPs was evaluated using an ethanolic extract of T. roseo-alba. The as-synthesized AgNPs were then characterized using various characterization techniques, such as UV-visible spectroscopy (UV-vis), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), dynamic light scattering (DLS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The AgNPs are crystalline, spherical, and highly stable AgNPs of varying sizes in the range of 5–20 nm. The anticancer activity of the ethanolic extract of T. roseo-alba and its AgNPs was determined using an MTT assay. The results indicated that, although both samples showed prominent anti-proliferative activity on lung cancer cell lines, the AgNPs of T. roseo-alba were found to be more potent than the ethanolic extract. Further, apoptosis induction ability was evaluated by FITC Annexin V and PI staining, the results of which demonstrated the efficiency of the ethanolic extract of T. roseo-alba and its AgNPs in causing oxidative stress and subsequent cellular death. This was subsequently further confirmed by measuring the mitochondrial membrane potential after staining the cells with JC1. The apoptotic mode of cell death was further confirmed by DNA fragmentation and caspase assays using Western blot analysis.

Cross contamination of β-lactams is one of the highest risks for patients using pharmaceutical products. Penicillin and some non-penicillin β-lactams may cause potentially life-threatening allergic reactions. The trace detection of β-lactam antibiotics in cleaning rinse solutions of common reactors and manufacturing aids in pharmaceutical facilities is very crucial. Therefore, the common facilities adopt sophisticated cleaning procedures and develop analytical methods to assess traces of these compounds in rinsed solutions. For this, a highly sensitive and reproducible ultra-performance liquid chromatography with triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) method was developed for the analysis of Cephapirin and Ceftiofur. As per the FDA guidelines described in FDA-2011-D-0104, the contamination of these β-lactam antibiotics must be regulated. The analysis was performed on an XBridge C18 column with 100 mm length, 4.6 mm diameter, and 3.5 µm particle size at an oven temperature of about 40 °C. The mobile phase was composed of 0.15% formic acid in water and acetonitrile as mobile phases A and B, and a flow rate was set to 0.6 mL/min. The method was validated for Cephapirin and Ceftiofur. The quantification precision and accuracy were determined to be the lowest limit of detection 0.15 parts per billion (ppb) and the lowest limit of quantification 0.4 ppb. This method was linear in the range of 0.4 to 1.5 ppb with the determination of coefficient (R2 > 0.99). This sensitive and fast method was fit-for-purpose for detecting and quantifying trace amounts of β-lactam contamination, monitoring cross contamination in facility surface cleaning, and determining the acceptable level of limits for regulatory purposes.

BackgroundBreast cancer is one of the major causes of mortalities noticed in women globally. DDX3 has emerged as a potent target for several cancers, including breast cancer to which currently there are no reported or approved drugs.MethodsTo find effective cancer therapeutics, three compounds were computationally designed tweaking the structure of natural compound butein. These compounds were synthesized and evaluated for their anticancer property in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cell lines targeting DDX3. The in silico molecular docking studies have shown that the compounds have occupied the binding site of the human DDX3 target. Furthermore, to investigate the cell viability effect of 3a, 3b, and 3c on MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cell lines, the cell lines were treated with different concentrations of compounds for 24 and 48 h and measured using MTT assay.ResultsThe cell viability results showed that the have induced dose dependent suppression of DDX3 expression. Additionally, 3b and 3c have reduced the expression of DDX3 in MCF-7 and MDA-MD-231 cell lines. 3b or 3c treated cell lines increased apoptotic protein expression. Both the compounds have induced the apoptotic cell death by elevated levels of cleaved PARP and cleaved caspase 3 and repression of the anti-apoptosis protein BCL-xL. Additionally, they have demonstrated the G2/M phase cell cycle arrest in both the cell lines. Additionally, 3c decreased PI3K and AKT levels.ConclusionsOur results shed light on the anticancer ability of the designed compounds. These compounds can be employed as chemical spaces to design new prospective drug candidates. Additionally, our computational method can be adapted to design new chemical scaffolds as plausible inhibitors.

The current study was performed with aim of evaluating antioxidant, cytotoxicity, α-amylase, and α-glucosidase inhibitory activities and mutagenicity properties of Martynia annua mediated Chitosan nanoparticles (MAL-CNPs). The green synthesized MAL-CNPs were characterized and confirmed through several characterization techniques, including UV-visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and dynamic light scattering (DLS). The HR-TEM analysis exhibited that the as-synthesized chitosan nanoparticles are spherical in shape. Furthermore, the DLS analysis exhibited that the average size of MAL-CNPs was 53 nm and the maximum diameter was 130.7 nm. The antioxidant activity results revealed that the MAL-CNPs showed DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) (66.78%) and H2O2 (91.65%) scavenging activities at 50 µg/mL concentration. The IC50 values were 2.431 μg/mL and 50 µg/mL for DPPH and H2O2, respectively. MTT (3-4, 5 dimethylthiazol-2yl-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) assay results exhibited dose-dependent cytotoxicity found from 50 μg/mL concentration of MAL-CNPs. The MAL-CNPs showed remarkable α-glucosidase and α-amylase inhibitory activity (IC50 1.981 μg/mL and 161.8 μg/mL). No toxic effect of MAL-CNPs was found through the Ames test. Further, the study concluded that MAL-CNPs are non-toxic and possess adequate antioxidants and cytotoxicity activity against cancer cells, α-glucosidase, and α-amylase inhibitory activity. Hence, the MAL-CNPs were considered for biomedical applications after the assessment of their efficiency and safety.

The herbal-based drug isolation-related research has increased recently around the globe. Accordingly, the current study was designed to evaluate the phytochemical content of ethanol extract of Martynia annua and its chitosan nanoparticles (MA-CNPs) antibacterial activity against bacterial pathogens such as Bacteroides fragilis, Streptococcus oralis MTCC 2696, Propionibacterium acnes MTCC 1951, Pseudomonas aeruginosa MTCC 424, Staphylococcus aureus MTCC 2940, E. coli MTCC 443, Bacillus cereus MTCC 441, Streptococcus mutans MTCC 890, Aeromonas hydrophila MTCC 12301, and Streptococcus faecalis by agar well diffusion methods. The obtained results showed that the ethanol extract of M. annua contains more pharmaceutically valuable phytochemicals than other solvent extracts and its mediated chitosan nanoparticles showed effective antibacterial activities. The ethanol extract also effectively reduced, capped, and stabilized the chitosan into MA-CNPs. The green synthesized MA-CNPs were characterized and confirmed through UV-visible spectrophotometer, FT-IR, SEM, and DLS analyses. The MA-CNPs exhibited considerable antibacterial activity in the order of Bacteroides fragilis > Streptococcus oralis > Propionibacterium acnes > Pseudomonas aeruginosa > Staphylococcus aureus > E. coli > Bacillus cereus > Streptococcus mutans > Aeromonas hydrophila> Streptococcus faecalis. Finally, the results strongly recommended that the ethanol extract of M. annua-mediated chitosan nanoparticles could be considered an effective nanomaterial to control microbial pathogens. Further, therapeutical uses of MA-CNPs need in vitro and in vivo investigation.

Pollution and global warming are a few of the many reasons for environmental problems, due to industrial wastes and greenhouse gases, hence there are efforts to bring down such emissions to reduce pollution and combat global warming. In the present study, zinc oxide nanoparticles are green synthesized using cow dung as fuel, through combustion. Synthesized material was characterized by FTIR, XRD, UV, and FESEM. The as-prepared ZnO-GS NPs were employed as a transesterification catalyst for the preparation of biodiesel from discarded cooking oil. The biodiesel obtained is termed D-COME (discarded cooking oil methyl ester), which is blended with 20% commercial diesel (B20). Additionally, this blend, i.e., B20, is further blended with varying amounts of as-prepared ZnO-GS NPs, in order to ascertain its effects on the quality of emissions of various greenhouse gases such as hydrocarbons, COx, NOx. Moreover, the brake thermal efficiency (BTHE) and brake specific fuel consumption (BSFC) were studied for their blends. The blend (B20) with 30 mg of ZnO-GS, i.e., B20-30, displays the best performance and reduced emissions. Comparative studies revealed that the ZnO-GS NPs are as efficient as the ZnO-C NPs, indicating that the green synthetic approach employed does not affect the efficiency of the ZnO NPs.

In this work, ZnO nanocrystals (NCs) have been effectively synthesized by a simple, efficient and cost-effective method using coconut husk extract as a novel fuel. The synthesized NCs are characterized by UV-Vis, XRD, FT-IR, SEM, EDX, Raman and PL studies. The obtained ZnO were found to be UV-active with a bandgap of 2.93 eV. The X-ray diffraction pattern confirms the crystallinity of the ZnO with hexagonally structured ZnO with a crystallite size of 48 nm, while the SEM analysis reveals the hexagonal bipyramid morphology. Photocatalytic activities of the synthesized ZnO NCs are used to degrade methylene blue and metanil yellow dyes.

A-π-D-π-A-based small molecules 6,6′-((thiophene-2,5-diylbis(ethyne-2,1-diyl))bis(thiophene-5,2-diyl))bis(2,5-bis(2-ethylhexyl)-3-(thiophen-2-yl)-2,5-dihydropyrrolo[3,4-c]pyrrole-1,4-dione) (TDPP-T) and 6,6′-(((2,3-dihydrothieno[3,4-b][1,4]dioxine-5,7-diyl)bis(ethyne-2,1-diyl))bis(thiophene-5,2-diyl))bis(2,5-bis(2-ethylhexyl)-3-(thiophen-2-yl)-2,5-dihydropyrrolo[3,4-c]pyrrole-1,4-dione) (TDPP-EDOT) have been designed and synthesized. The diketopyrrolopyrrole acts as an electron acceptor, while the thiophene or 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene acts as an electron donor. The donor–acceptor groups are connected by an ethynyl bridge to further enhance the conjugation. The optoelectronics, electrochemical, and thermal properties have been investigated. Organic thin film transistor (OTFT) devices prepared from TDPP-T and TDPP-EDOT have shown p-type mobility. In as cast films, TDPP-T and TDPP-EDOT have shown a hole mobility of 5.44 × 10−6 cm2 V−1 s−1 and 4.13 × 10−6 cm2 V−1 s−1, respectively. The increase in the mobility of TDPP-T and TDPP-EDOT OTFT devices was observed after annealing at 150 °C, after which the mobilities were 3.11 × 10−4 cm2 V−1 s−1 and 2.63 × 10−4 cm2 V−1 s−1, respectively.

Zinc oxide-ternary heterostructure Mn3O4/ZnO/Eu2O3 nanocomposites were successfully prepared via waste curd as fuel by a facile one-pot combustion procedure. The fabricated heterostructures were characterized utilizing XRD, UV–Visible, FT-IR, FE-SEM, HRTEM and EDX analysis. The photocatalytic degradation efficacy of the synthesized ternary nanocomposite was evaluated utilizing model organic pollutants of methylene blue (MB) and methyl orange (MO) in water as examples of cationic dyes and anionic dyes, respectively, under natural solar irradiation. The effect of various experimental factors, viz. the effect of a light source, catalyst dosage, irradiation time, pH of dye solution and dye concentration on the photodegradation activity, was systematically studied. The ternary Mn3O4/ZnO/Eu2O3 photocatalyst exhibited excellent MB and MO degradation activity of 98% and 96%, respectively, at 150 min under natural sunlight irradiation. Experiments further conclude that the fabricated nanocomposite exhibits pH-dependent photocatalytic efficacy, and for best results, concentrations of dye and catalysts have to be maintained in a specific range. The prepared photocatalysts are exemplary and could be employed for wastewater handling and several ecological applications.

Angiogenesis is defined as the formation of new blood vessels and is a key phenomenon manifested in a host of cancers during which tyrosine kinases play a crucial role. Vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 (VEGFR-2) is pivotal in cancer angiogenesis, which warrants the urgency of discovering new anti-angiogenic inhibitors that target the signalling pathways. To obtain this objective, a structure-based pharmacophore model was built from the drug target VEGFR-2 (PDB code: 4AG8), complexed with axitinib and was subsequently validated and employed as a 3D query to retrieve the candidate compounds with the key inhibitory features. The model was escalated to molecular docking studies resulting in seven candidate compounds. The molecular docking studies revealed that the seven compounds displayed a higher dock score than the reference-cocrystallised compound. The GROningen MAchine for Chemical Simulations (GROMACS) package guided molecular dynamics (MD) results determined their binding mode and affirmed stable root mean square deviation. Furthermore, these compounds have preserved their key interactions with the residues Glu885, Glu917, Cys919 and Asp1046. The obtained findings deem that the seven compounds could act as novel anti-angiogenic inhibitors and may further assist as the prototype in designing and developing new inhibitors.