Publications by authors named "Marina Nisnevitch"

We report the development of amperometric biosensors (ABSs) employing flavocytochrome (Fc) coupled with nanoparticles (NPs) of noble metals on graphite electrode (GE) surfaces. Each NPs/GE configuration was evaluated for its ability to decompose hydrogen peroxide (HO), mimicking peroxidase (PO) activity. The most effective nanoPO (nPO) was selected for developing ABSs targeting L-lactate.

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Dental diseases, including conditions affecting oral structures, have become more common due to unhealthy lifestyle choices. Traditional antibiotic treatments face challenges related to the development of antibiotic resistance in bacteria. Photodynamic antibacterial chemotherapy is emerging as a promising alternative using photosensitizers to generate reactive oxygen species upon exposure to light.

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Food colorants are commonly used as excipients in pharmaceutical and nutraceutical fields, but they have a wide range of other potential applications, for instance, as cytotoxic drugs or mediators of physical antimicrobial treatments. The photodynamic antibacterial activity of several edible food colorants is reported here, including E127, E129, E124, E122, E133, and E150a, alongside Rhein, a natural lipophilic antibacterial and anticancer compound found in medicinal plants. Minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) values for and showed that E127 and Rhein were effective against both bacteria, while other colorants exhibited low activity against .

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L-Lactate is an indicator of food quality, so its monitoring is essential. Enzymes of L-Lactate metabolism are promising tools for this aim. We describe here some highly sensitive biosensors for L-Lactate determination which were developed using flavocytochrome b (Fc) as a bio-recognition element, and electroactive nanoparticles (NPs) for enzyme immobilization.

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Poiret (an evergreen shrub) represents a valuable source of medicinal compounds. In this study, we discovered compounds with antimicrobial and antiviral properties. The aim of this study was to identify compounds of and estimate the antimicrobial and antiviral activity of its phytochemicals.

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Laccase is a copper-containing enzyme that does not require hydrogen peroxide as a co-substrate or additional cofactors for an enzymatic reaction. Nanomaterials of various chemical structures are usually applied to the construction of enzyme-based biosensors. Metals, metal oxides, semiconductors, and composite NPs perform various functions in electrochemical transformation schemes as a platform for the enzyme immobilization, a mediator of an electron transfer, and a signal amplifier.

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Metallic nanoparticles potentially have wide practical applications in various fields of science and industry. In biosensorics, they usually act as catalysts or nanozymes (NZs) and as mediators of electron transfer. We describe here the development of amperometric biosensors (ABSs) based on purified oxidases, synthesized nanoparticles of CuCe (nCuCe), and micro/nanoporous gold (pAu), which were electro-deposited on a graphite electrode (GE).

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Photosensitizers (PSs) are known as powerful antibacterial agents that are activated by direct exposure to visible light. PSs can be noncovalently entrapped into the silica gel network for their controlled release into a contaminated area. The immobilization of PS-containing gel matrices on a polymer support expands their possible applications, such as antibacterial surfaces and coatings, which can be used for the disinfection of liquids.

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Prussian blue analogs (PBAs) are well-known artificial enzymes with peroxidase (PO)-like activity. PBAs have a high potential for applications in scientific investigations, industry, ecology and medicine. Being stable and both catalytically and electrochemically active, PBAs are promising in the construction of biosensors and biofuel cells.

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Conventional methods of onychomycosis treatment are ineffective in some cases because the cure of onychomycosis very often depends on the patient's individual response to the treatment; therefore, there is a crucial need to research and develop new methods of onychomycosis therapy. One of the most innovative treatments is photodynamic therapy (PDT) using photosensitizers (PSs). However, effective treatment depends on the correct choice of photosensitizer and substances that improve the characteristics of the final formulation.

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Replacing fossil fuels with biodiesel enables the emission of greenhouse gases to be decreased and reduces dependence on fossil fuels in countries with poor natural resources. Biodiesel can be produced by an esterification reaction between free fatty acids (FFAs) and methanol or by transesterification of triglycerides from oils. Both reactions require homogeneous or heterogeneous catalysis.

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The current review is devoted to nanozymes, i.e., nanostructured artificial enzymes which mimic the catalytic properties of natural enzymes.

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Consumption of contaminated water may lead to dangerous and even fatal water-borne diseases. Disinfection of drinking water is the most effective solution for this problem. The most common water treatment methods are based on the use of toxic disinfectants.

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Difficulties in obtaining human nails that are large enough for examining the penetration of drug formulations led us to produce keratin films regenerated from human hair. We assume that these films can simulate human nail plates in drug penetration and permeation tests and can serve as a biological model for studying onychomycosis. The films were formed from keratin extracted from human hair using dithiothreitol, urea and thiourea.

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The global spread of bacterial resistance to antibiotics promotes a search for alternative approaches to eradication of pathogenic bacteria. One alternative is using photosensitizers for inhibition of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria under illumination. Due to low penetration of visible light into tissues, applications of photosensitizers are currently limited to treatment of superficial local infections.

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Cuprous oxide nanoparticles (Cu₂ONPs) were used for preparing composites with linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) by co-extrusion, thermal adhesion, and attachment using ethyl cyanoacrylate, trimethoxyvinylsilane, and epoxy resin. The composites were examined by Scanning electron microscope and tested for their antibacterial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative . All of these composites-except for the one obtained by extrusion-eradicated cells of both bacteria within half an hour.

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The well-known and rapidly growing phenomenon of bacterial resistance to antibiotics is caused by uncontrolled, excessive and inappropriate use of antibiotics. One of alternatives to antibiotics is Photodynamic Antibacterial Chemotherapy (PACT). In the present study, the effect of PACT using a photosensitizer Rose Bengal alone and in combination with antibiotics including methicillin and derivatives of sulfanilamide synthesized by us was tested against antibiotic-sensitive and antibiotic-resistant clinical isolates of Gram-positive and Gram-negative .

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Fabrication and characterization of a new amperometric chemosensor for accurate formaldehyde analysis based on platinized gold electrodes is described. The platinization process was performed electrochemically on the surface of 4 mm gold planar electrodes by both electrolysis and cyclic voltamperometry. The produced electrodes were characterized using scanning electron microscopy and X-ray spectral analysis.

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Environmental pollution with heavy metals is a very serious ecological problem, which can be solved by bioremediation of metal ions by microorganisms. Yeast cells, especially Saccharomyces cerevisiae, are known to exhibit a good natural ability to remove heavy metal ions from an aqueous phase. In the present work, an attempt was made to increase the copper-binding properties of S.

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The photosensitizers Rose Bengal (RB) and methylene blue (MB), when immobilized in polystyrene, were found to exhibit high antibacterial activity in a continuous regime. The photosensitizers were immobilized by dissolution in chloroform, together with polystyrene, with further evaporation of the solvent, yielding thin polymeric films. Shallow reservoirs, bottom-covered with these films, were used for constructing continuous-flow photoreactors for the eradication of Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus, Gram-negative Escherichia coli and wastewater bacteria under illumination with visible white light using a luminescent lamp at a 1.

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Aliphatic amines, including methylamine, are air-pollutants, due to their intensive use in industry and the natural degradation of proteins, amino acids, and other nitrogen-containing compounds in biological samples. It is necessary to develop systems for removal of methylamine from the air, since airborne methylamine has a negative effect on human health. The primary amine oxidase (primary amine : oxygen oxidoreductase (deaminating) or amine oxidase, AMO; EC 1.

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A laboratory prototype of a microcomputer-based analyzer was developed for quantitative determination of formaldehyde in liquid samples, based on catalytic chemosensing elements. It was shown that selectivity for the target analyte could be increased by modulating the working electrode potential. Analytical parameters of three variants of the amperometric analyzer that differed in the chemical structure/configuration of the working electrode were studied.

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Antibiotic resistance of pathogenic bacteria is a major concern and presents a special challenge for development of alternative antibacterial modalities. One of these alternative approaches is based on using the photodynamic therapy (PDT) for eradicating bacteria. Photosensitizer-induced PDT exhibits unique properties and demonstrates efficient microbe-killing effects.

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Photodynamic antimicrobial chemotherapy based on photosensitizers activated by illumination is limited by poor penetration of visible light through skin and tissues. In order to overcome this problem, Rose Bengal was excited in the dark by 28 kHz ultrasound and was applied for inactivation of bacteria. It is demonstrated, for the first time, that the sonodynamic technique is effective for eradication of gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus and gram-negative Escherichia coli.

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