Magnetic Nanocomposites of Coated Ferrites/MOF as Pesticide Adsorbents.

Magnetic metal-organic frameworks (MMOFs) are gaining increased attention as emerging adsorbents/water remediation agents. Herein, a facile development of novel MMOFs comprised of coated ferrite nanoparticles (MNPs) and UiO-66 metal-organic framework is reported. In specific, coated Co- and Zn-doped ferrite magnetic nanoparticles were synthesized as building block while the metal-organic framework was grown in the presence of MNPs via a semi-self-assembly approach.

Magnetic nanoemulsions as candidates for Alzheimer's disease dual imaging theranostics.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most prevalent cause of dementia linked to the accumulation of amyloid-beta (Aβ) plaques-fibrils that impair cognitive functions. Magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) are emerging as promising tools for the crusade against AD owning to appropriate biocompatibility and facile functionalization that can lead to theranostic agents. Herein, the fabrication of a multimodal (magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), fluorescence imaging, and drug carrier) magnetic nanoemulsion (MNE) is reported as an AD theranostic candidate.

Structurally characterized gallium-chrysin complexes with anticancer potential.

Chemotherapeutic metal-based compounds are effective anticancer agents; however, their cytotoxic profile and significant side effects limit their wide application. Natural products, especially flavonoids, are a prominent alternative source of anticancer agents that can be used as ligands for the generation of new bioactive complexes with metal ions of known biochemical and pharmacological activities. Herein, we present the synthesis and detailed structural and physicochemical characterizations of three novel complex assemblies of Ga(iii) with the flavonoid chrysin and the ancillary aromatic chelators 1,10-phenanthroline, 2,2'-bipyridine and imidazole.

Structure Differentiation of Hydrophilic Brass Nanoparticles Using a Polyol Toolbox.

Nano-brasses are emerging as a new class of composition-dependent applicable materials. It remains a challenge to synthesize hydrophilic brass nanoparticles (NPs) and further exploit them for promising bio-applications. Based on red/ox potential of polyol and nitrate salts precursors, a series of hydrophilic brass formulations of different nanoarchitectures was prepared and characterized.

Leaf Age-Dependent Effects of Foliar-Sprayed CuZn Nanoparticles on Photosynthetic Efficiency and ROS Generation in .

Young and mature leaves of were exposed by foliar spray to 30 mg L of CuZn nanoparticles (NPs). The NPs were synthesized by a microwave-assisted polyol process and characterized by dynamic light scattering (DLS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). CuZn NPs effects in leaves were evaluated by chlorophyll fluorescence imaging analysis that revealed spatiotemporal heterogeneity of the quantum efficiency of PSII photochemistry (Φ) and the redox state of the plastoquinone (PQ) pool (), measured 30 min, 90 min, 180 min, and 240 min after spraying.

Interplay between Amyloid Fibrillation Delay and Degradation by Magnetic Zinc-Doped Ferrite Nanoparticles.

Amyloidosis, the aggregation of naturally soluble proteins into fibrils, is the main pathological hallmark of central nervous system (CNS) disorders, and new therapeutic approaches can be introduced through nanotechnology. Herein, magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) are proposed to combat amyloidosis and act as CNS theranostic (therapy and diagnosis) candidates through magnetomechanical forces that can be induced under a low-frequency magnetic field. In that vein, a modified one-step microwave-assisted polyol process has been employed to synthesize hybrid organic/inorganic zinc ferrite (ZnFeO) MNPs with different levels of zinc doping (0.

Nanobrass CuZn Nanoparticles as Foliar Spray Nonphytotoxic Fungicides.

Inorganic nanoparticles (NPs) have been proposed as alternative fertilizers to suppress plant disease and increase crop yield. However, phytotoxicity of NPs remains a key factor for their massive employment in agricultural applications. In order to investigate new effective, nonphytotoxic, and inexpensive fungicides, in the present study CuZn bimetallic nanoparticles (BNPs) have been synthesized as antifungals, while assessment of photosystem II (PSII) efficiency by chlorophyll fluorescence imaging analysis is utilized as an effective and noninvasive phytotoxicity evaluation method.

Elucidation of one step synthesis of PEGylated CuFe bimetallic nanoparticles. Antimicrobial activity of CuFe@PEG vs Cu@PEG.

There is a growing field of research on the physicochemical properties of bimetallic nanoparticles (BMNPs) and their potential use in different applications. Meanwhile, their antimicrobial activity is scarcely reported, although BMNPs can potentially achieve unique chemical transformations and synergetic effects can be presented. Towards this direction a reproducible simple hybrid polyol process under moderate temperature solvothermal conditions has been applied for the isolation of non-oxide contaminated bimetallic CuFe nanoparticles (NPs).

Albumin possesses intrinsic enolase activity towards dihydrotestosterone which can differentiate benign from malignant breast tumors.

Serum albumin was found to possess enolase activity towards the dihydrotestesterone (DHT) molecule, converting it from its 3-keto to 3-enol form. This activity was accompanied by albumin during all stages of purification, as well as following various treatments, a fact indicating that the enzymatic activity was an intrinsic property of albumin molecule and did not represent an impurity of the preparation. Enolase activity was decreased in parallel with the quantity of intact albumin molecules when proteolytic enzymes were used for their degradation.

Sex-hormone binding globulin from sheep serum: purification and effects of pregnancy and treatment with exogenous estradiol.

Sex-hormone binding globulin (SHBG) is a protein that binds sex steroids in the serum of many species. SHBG binds androgens and estrogens in humans and primates with high affinity, but behaves as an androgen binding protein in other species. Here we purified SHBG from ewe and ram sera to homogeneity, by a simple and rapid method.

Chemopreventive activity of very low dose dietary tannic acid administration in hepatoma bearing C3H male mice.

Tannins are plant polyphenols comprising a heterogeneous group of compounds. Tannic acid is a common tannin found in tea, coffee, immature fruits, etc. and it has also been used as a food additive.

Sex hormone binding globulin inhibits strongly the uptake of estradiol by human breast carcinoma cells via a deprivative mechanism.

A controversy exists for many years about the role of sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) in the uptake of estradiol by the cells. Using the estradiol-sensitive human breast carcinoma cell line MCF-7 and SHBG isolated from human serum by a new method, we observed a strong inhibition of estradiol uptake. The inhibition was higher when the concentration of the hormone was low.

Ribonucleases protect RNA from acid precipitation.

Four, widely used, ribonucleases were found to protect their substrates from acid precipitation by causing, evidently, a modification of their physicochemical properties. The protection was dependent on the kind of substrate while the ratio of protective to nucleolytic activity varied widely between the four enzymes. The protection was enhanced by some nucleotides like UMP, CMP and IMP and decreased in the presence of several bivalent ions like Zn++, Co++ and Cu++.

Nonlinear binding of sex steroids to albumin and sex hormone binding globulin.

We have studied the binding of sex steroids to albumin and sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) using gel filtration chromatography for the separation of the bound from the free fraction of the steroid. It was found that estradiol binds to the globulin and albumin in a nonlinear manner: a lag period of binding was observed at low concentrations of the proteins, followed by an exponential increase of the bound hormone as the protein concentration increased. The same was observed with dihydrotestosterone (DHT) and albumin but not with globulin.

Enzymatic conversion of dihydrotestosterone from 3-keto to 3-enol form in the rat prostate.

Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) is the active androgen, as well as a strong tumor promoter in the prostate, where several enzymes are essential for the regulation of its activity. We localized four enzymes promoting the enolization of the 3-keto group of DHT in rat prostate. The enzymes were purified by ion-exchange chromatography, acetone fractionation and gel filtration to homogeneity, and found to have molecular sizes of 19.

Characterization of the protein protecting RNA from Acid precipitation and its evaluation as tumor-marker in gastrointestinal and gynecological cancer.

In a previous study, we observed increased protective activity against acid precipitation of poly (U) in the serum of tumor bearing mice and hepatoma patients. In the present study we purified and partially characterized the protein responsible for this phenomenon and measured the activity in the serum of patients with various cancers. Evidence is presented that this protein forms a complex with serum ribonucleases which results in the inactivation of enzymes and protection of RNA from acid precipitation.

Value of serum protective activity against acid precipitation of poly (U) in the differentiation between cirrhotic patients with and without hepatocellular carcinoma.

The serum protective activity against acid precipitation of poly (U) and a-fetoprotein levels were compared in 39 cirrhotic patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and in 33 patients with chronic liver disease (CLD) alone, in order to differentiate malignant and nonmalignant chronic liver disease. All but one (97.4%) patients with HCC were found to have serum protective activity levels of greater than or equal to 21 micrograms/ml, whereas all but one (97%) patients with CLD had serum protective activity levels of less than or equal to 20 micrograms/ml.

Increased protective activity against acid precipitation of poly(U) in the serum of tumor-bearing mice.

Transplantation of leukemia L1210 cells into DBA/2 mice and of Ehrlich ascites tumor cells into BALB/C mice resulted in a significant increase of protective activity against acid precipitation of poly (U) in the serum. The increase was observed as early as one day after the tumor transplantation and seems to be connected with cancer growth, since inoculation of L1210 cells into BALB/C mice did not affect the protective activity, evidently as a result of their well established inability to cause cancer in this strain. Furthermore, no increase of activity was observed when bacteria were inoculated into mice, or when the latter were partially hepatectomized.

Sialyltransferase and nucleoside diphosphatase as markers for tumor monitoring.

In this study we report serum sialyltransferase and nucleoside diphosphatase activities of patients with malignant tumors of various primary sites and extent, prior to and during chemotherapy. Enzyme levels were compared to clinical and laboratory parameters. The sialyltransferase and uridine diphosphatase (UDPase) activities in samples of 43 patients with advanced ovarian cancer was four to ten fold above the normal mean value (sialyltransferase 85.

Studies on the effect of homo-aza-steroidal ester of p-bis (2-chloroethyl) amino phenyl acetic acid in Ehrlich ascites tumor cells.

The effect of a homo-aza-steroidal ester (ASE) on the incorporation of radioactive precursor to DNA of Ehrlich ascites tumor (EAT) cells has been investigated. We found that treatment of cells with 80 micrograms/ml of ASE for 2 hours causes an inhibition of the incorporation of 3H-thymidine to DNA by 71%. This is partly because ASE affects the radioactive thymidine pool in the cell.