Publications by authors named "Celia M Ronconi"

Emerging contaminants, such as the hormone 17α-ethynylestradiol (EE), in aquatic environments pose a serious risk to both human and environmental health, making efficient removal essential. This study evaluated the effectiveness of three-dimensional porous carbon structures derived from poly(acrylic acid) (PAAc, Carbopol 990) as adsorbents for removing EE from aqueous solutions. Activated carbon materials were prepared using varying ratios of KOH as an activating agent (PAAc : KOH; 1 : 0 AAC, 1 : 1 AC1, 1 : 2 AC2, and 1 : 3 AC3).

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The Zika virus (ZIKV) is a global health threat due to its rapid spread and severe health implications, including congenital abnormalities and neurological complications. Differentiating ZIKV from other arboviruses such as dengue virus (DENV) is crucial for effective diagnosis and treatment. This study presents the development of a biosensor for detecting the ZIKV non-structural protein 1 (NS1) using gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) functionalized with monoclonal antibodies employing dynamic light scattering (DLS).

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Leishmaniasis, a critical Neglected Tropical Disease caused by protozoa, represents a significant global health risk, particularly in resource-limited regions. Conventional treatments are effective but suffer from serious limitations, such as toxicity, prolonged treatment courses, and rising drug resistance. Herein, we highlight the potential of inorganic nanomaterials as an innovative approach to enhance Leishmaniasis therapy, aligning with the One Health concept by considering these treatments' environmental, veterinary, and public health impacts.

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Article Synopsis
  • * The immunosensor employs 50-nm gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) attached to antibodies targeting the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, with various spectroscopic methods confirming its effectiveness.
  • * This method shows a high level of specificity, demonstrating no response to influenza viruses, and suggests potential for broader applications in other detection technologies for affordable mass COVID-19 testing.
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The data provided in this study are related to the fabrication of two light-responsive systems based on reduced graphene oxide (rGO) functionalized with the polymers Pluronic P123 (P123), rGO-P123, and polyethyleneimine (PEI), rGO-PEI, and loaded with amphotericin B (AmB), an antileishmanial drug. Here are described the experimental design to obtain the systems and characterization methods, such as Attenuated Total Reflectance-Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), Raman Spectroscopy, Powder X-Ray Diffraction, Transmission Electron Microscopy, Scanning Electron Microscopy and Thermogravimetric Analyses. Also, AmB spectroscopy studies are described.

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Two platforms based on reduced graphene oxide (rGO) functionalized with Pluronic® P123 (rGO-P123) and polyethyleneimine - PEI (rGO-PEI) polymers and loaded with amphotericin B (AmB) were fabricated and tested against Leishmania amazonensis, which can cause cutaneous and diffuse cutaneous leishmaniasis. The materials rGO-P123 and rGO-PEI were efficiently loaded with AmB - a polyene antibiotic - which resulted in rGO-P123-AmB (0.078 mg per mg of material) and rGO-PEI-AmB (0.

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Herein a 1D Co(II) coordination polymer of formula [Co(η-L1)(η-L1)(py)(HO)] (CoCP) has been synthesised using the rigid H2L1 proligand, containing a long spacer bearing two triple bonds. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction showed that Co(II) adopts a distorted octahedral geometry. The state-averaged complete active self-consistent field (SA-CASSCF) calculation showed that the ground state of CoCP is a high spin quartet with a highly multiconfigurational character of its electronic structure.

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In this work, we report the synthesis and structural characterisation of the ligand 2-(pyridin-3-yl)-benzo[]isoquinoline-1,3(2)-dione, 5, its isostructural Werner complexes ML(NCS) (L = 5; M = Co(II) and Ni(II)), and five clathrates with three aromatic guests, ML(NCS)·2G (M = Co(II) and Ni(II), G = nitrobenzene (NB); M = Co, G = 1,2-dichlorobenzene (1,2-DCB); M = Co(II) and Ni(II), G = -xylene (OX)). 5 was prepared in high yield by condensation in the solid-state (CS, Cocrystal Controlled Solid-State Synthesis). The Werner complexes ML(NCS) (M = Co(II) and Ni(II)) (apohosts) were prepared by reacting M(NCS) (M = Co(II) and Ni(II)) and 5 in 1-butanol at 60 °C for 24 h.

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A thermally stable carbocationic covalent organic network (CON), named RIO-70 was prepared from pararosaniline hydrochloride, an inexpensive dye, and triformylphloroglucinol in solvothermal conditions. This nanoporous organic material has shown a specific surface area of 990 m  g and pore size of 10.3 Å.

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The Cu(ii) heptanuclear complex (Cu7atac) was synthesised using the hydrated amino acid ligand 2-(5-amino-1H-1,2,4-triazol-3-yl)acetic acid (Hatac·H2O). Single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis revealed a μ3-hydroxo bridged Cu(ii) heptanuclear complex, consisting of two triangular subunits and one Cu(ii) ion as a bridge with the formula [Cu7(atac)6(μ3-OH)2(NO3)2(H2O)10](NO3)4. The magnetic behaviour of this discrete 0D complex shows strong antiferromagnetic couplings between Cu(ii) mediated by N,N bonding and an anti-anti modes of the carboxylate anion of the ligand atac-.

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Here we describe the assembly and pH-driven operation of two nanocarriers based on non-functionalized (MCM-41) and carboxylate-functionalized (MCM-41-COOH) containers loaded with the anticancer drug doxorubicin (DOX) and capped by quaternary ammonium pillar[5]arene (P[5]A) nanogates. MCM-41 and MCM-41-COOH containers were synthesized and transmission and scanning electron microscopies showed nanoparticles with spherical morphology and dimensions of 85 ± 13 nm. The nanochannels of MCM-41 loaded with DOX were gated through the electrostatic interactions between P[5]A and the silanolate groups formed at the silica-water interface, yielding the MCM-41-DOX-P[5]A nanocarrier.

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Polyaniline-decorated ZIF-8 nanoparticles (nPANI@nZIF-8) were easily synthesized and employed as a multifunctional system for the delivery of the antitumor drug 5-fluorouracil (5-FU). Because of the storage ability of the network ZIF-8, 68% of the total amount of the 5-FU drug was released at pH 5.2.

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Background: A deeper knowledge on the effects of the degradation of magnetic nanoparticles on their magnetic properties is required to develop tools for the identification and quantification of magnetic nanoparticles in biological media by magnetic means.

Methods: Citric acid and phosphonoacetic acid-coated magnetic nanoparticles have been degraded in a medium that mimics lysosomal conditions. Magnetic measurements and transmission electron microscopy have been used to follow up the degradation process.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study examined how different amine-functionalised variations of MCM-41, a type of mesoporous silica, affect CO2 adsorption capacity.
  • Specifically, MCM-41-N2 and MCM-41-N3 showed approximately double the CO2 adsorption compared to the unmodified MCM-41, while other functionalised versions had lower adsorption capacities.
  • The research found that the proton affinity of secondary amino groups was higher than that of primary groups, but the overall stability of the corresponding carbamates remained similar, with varying heat of adsorption based on amino group types.
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The interaction between CO2 and 1,2-diaminoethane was computed using pure and hybrid density functionals. The CAM-B3LYP and wB97X-D functionals using a triple-ζ basis set that includes diffuse and polarization functions are the best functionals for calculating the relative energies of the zwitterion intermediate compared to a coupled-cluster with a single, double and non-iterative triple excitation (CCSD(T)) approach extrapolated to a complete basis set limit. With the two functionals and the triple-ζ basis set, the zwitterion is 1.

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Two series of flexible dicyanomethylene compounds, specifically, class 1 and class 2 compounds, have been designed and synthesised. In class 1 compounds, the dicyanomethylene groups are separated by glycol chain spacers of different lengths, whereas, in class 2 compounds, the spacers are alkyl linkers of different lengths. The notion underlying the design of these compounds is that in class 1 molecules, the spacers contain donor oxygen atoms that could not only form hydrogen bonds during the course of crystal packing but also promote withdrawing effects that modify the photophysical and electrochemical properties of these molecules in solution; in contrast, these effects would be absent for class 2 molecules.

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Two dendrimers were designed and synthesized that contain a 1,3,5-trisubstituted benzenoid core and incorporate 9 and 21 viologen (4,4'-bipyridinium) units in their branches in addition to hydrophilic (aryloxy) terminal groups. For comparison purposes, model compounds containing one and two viologen units were also studied. These polycationic dendrimers form strong host-guest complexes with the dianionic form of the red dye eosin in dilute CH(2)Cl(2) solutions.

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In the title mol-ecule, C(18)H(18)O(5), the two aromatic rings are connected by a flexible 3-oxapentane chain. The mol-ecule has a crystallographic twofold rotation axis (C(2)) passing through the central O atom. An intra-molecular C-H⋯O hydrogen bond is observed in the solid state.

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Inspired by the concept of multivalency in living systems, two mechanically interlocked molecules have been conceived that incorporate not once or twice but thrice the features of a pH-switchable [2]rotaxane with two orthogonal recognition sites for dibenzo[24]crown-8 (DB24C8), and 2,3-dinaphtho[24]crown-8 (DN24C8)-one a dialkylammonium ion (CH(2)NH(2)(+)CH(2)) and the other a bipyridinium dication (BIPY(2+)). Whereas at low pH, the CH(2)NH(2)(+)CH(2) sites bind the DB24C8/DN24C8 macrocycles preferentially, at high pH, deprotonation occurs with loss of hydrogen bonding and the macrocycles will move to the BIPY(2+) sites, where they can acquire some stabilizing [pi-pi] stacking interactions. Such mechanically interlocked molecules have been assembled from a trifurcated rig-like component wherein the dumbbell-like components of three [2]rotaxanes have one of their ends fused onto alternate positions (1,3,5) around a benzenoid core.

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