Microwave-Induced CuO Nanorods: A Comparative Approach between Curcumin, Quercetin, and Rutin to Study Their Antioxidant, Antimicrobial, and Anticancer Effects against Normal Skin Cells and Human Breast Cancer Cell Lines MCF-7 and T-47D.

Herein, we explore the biological properties of curcumin, quercetin, and rutin by loading them onto porous CuO nanorods (NRs). The CuO NRs were synthesized using the microwave irradiation method through a chemical reaction between CuSO·5HO and NaOH in the presence of the anionic stabilizer sodium dodecyl sulfate. The shape and surface morphology of CuO NRs were examined with two microscopic techniques: high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM) and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM).

Targeting bacterial biofilms using vancomycin and multivalent cell-penetrating peptide labeled quantum dots.

Bacterial biofilms are highly resilient microbial musters that are difficult to eradicate, driving the development of novel therapeutic strategies. The current study aims to investigate the therapeutic efficacy of cell-penetrating peptide-based targeted delivery of vancomycin functionalized quantum dots in eradicating biofilm formation in gram-positive and gram-negative bacterial strains. The conjugate was characterized using fluorimetry, UV-visible spectroscopy, gel electrophoresis, and zeta potential.

Diagnostic Tools for Rapid Screening and Detection of SARS-CoV-2 Infection.

The novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has severely impacted human health and the health management system globally. The ongoing pandemic has required the development of more effective diagnostic strategies for restricting deadly disease. For appropriate disease management, accurate and rapid screening and isolation of the affected population is an efficient means of containment and the decimation of the disease.

Bioactive nano-metal-organic frameworks as antimicrobials against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria.

More effective antibiotics are needed to overcome the problem of multidrug resistance. The antibacterial efficacies of three Zn-based nano metal-organic frameworks (nMOFs) - IRMOF-3, MOF-5, and Zn-BTC - were explored, both alone and as mixtures with ampicillin and kanamycin. When tested against , , , and , the nMOF/drug mixtures demonstrated synergistic (IRMOF-3/kanamycin) or additive (other nMOF/drug combinations) effects compared with the nMOFs or antibiotics alone.

Facile synthesis of triphenylenes and triphenylene/phenanthrene fused heteroaromatics.

In the recent past, development of milder, safer and comparatively less toxic methods in organic synthesis has received great attention. We report a simple and facile method for the synthesis of substituted triphenylenes and their heteroaryl analogues using ceric ammonium nitrate (CAN) via oxidative biaryl coupling. We describe the structural and photophysical properties of these unique heteroaryl fused triphenylenes.

Ultrasonication assisted fabrication of l-lysine functionalized gadolinium oxide nanoparticles and its biological acceptability.

Gadolinium oxide nanoparticles (GdO) have recently gained attention due to their diverse bio-applications. However, their functionalization with amino acids has not been reported yet to the best of our knowledge. In the present report, the potential of sonication technique (for the first time to the best of our knowledge) in the fabrication of GdO nanoparticles was explored.

Biocompatible gadolinium oxide nanoparticles as efficient agent against pathogenic bacteria.

The inappropriate and surfeit use of antibiotics have generated a hunt for safe and alternative antimicrobial agents against pathogenic bacteria. With the advancement in nanoscience and nanotechnology, promising opportunities for examining the bacterial effect of metal nanoparticles were demonstrated in literature. Focusing on this, our present study presentssynthesis of l-ascorbic coated gadolinium oxide nanoparticles via a simple precipitation route.

Peptide Functionalized Metallic Nanoconstructs: Synthesis, Structural Characterization, and Antimicrobial Evaluation.

Biomolecule based conjugation of metallic nanoparticles has become an important area of research lately especially considering the role of such nanoconjugates in diverse applications. Herein, synthesis of cationic dipeptide conjugated gold/silver nanoparticles through the covalent approach using carbodiimide cross-linker chemistry has been reported. Owing to the exceptional optoelectronic properties of metallic nanoparticles, peptide-gold/silver nanoparticle conjugates were synthesized employing 2-mercaptopropanoic acid as a cross-linker.

Stabilized cationic dipeptide capped gold/silver nanohybrids: Towards enhanced antibacterial and antifungal efficacy.

The nanoparticles of silver/gold and cationic peptides have been recognized as potent antimicrobials for long, but their combined effect has so far not been explored. The present study reports the green synthesis of short cationic dipeptide stabilized AuNPs/AgNPs based nanohybrid materials. It thoroughly investigates the effect of conjugation of short cationic peptides on the antimicrobial properties of metallic nanoparticles.

Improved oral therapeutic potential of nanoencapsulated cryptdin formulation against Salmonella infection.

An encapsulated system for cryptdin-2 (a Paneth cell antimicrobial peptide) was developed, with a view to help it sustain adverse gut conditions and to ensure its bioavailability on oral administration. The formulation was characterized on the basis of particle size, zeta potential and polydispersity index. Cryptdin-2 loaded nanoparticles of size 105±7 nm, formulated by ionotropic gelation method using chitosan: tripolyphosphate (5:2), revealed 60% drug entrapment efficiency with 65% in vitro release in 4.

Immuno-fluorescence based Vi capsular polysaccharide detection for specific recognition of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi in clinical samples.

Typhoid fever is a life threatening bacterial infection that remains a major global health concern. This continued high burden associated with significant morbidity and mortality rate demands specific and rapid detection technique. This work reports a new sandwich type fluorescence immunoassay format using polymyxin B, a cationic receptor molecule, as a binder agent while anti-Vi antibody served as the capturing agent for specifically detecting Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi.

Structure-activity relationships of monoterpenes and acetyl derivatives against Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) larvae.

Background: Dengue fever virus transmitted by Aedes aegypti causes lethal mortalities of human beings, and, because of the lack of any vaccine, management of this vector, especially with phytochemicals, is essential. In the present investigation, the structure-activity relationship of monoterpenes and their acetyl derivatives was studied to identify structural features that are responsible for mosquitocidal activity.

Results: Derivatization of monoterpenes (eugenol, geraniol, linalool, L-menthol and terpeniole) followed by structure-activity relationship studies identified all five acetyl derivatives as having enhanced mosquitocidal activity against fourth-instar larvae of Aedes aegypti.

Immunological characterization of recombinant Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi FliC protein expressed in Escherichia coli.

Like any other enteric pathogen, Salmonella also encounters acidic stress in the stomach as well as within the host macrophage milieu. However, the pathogen is reported to combat this stress through acid tolerance response (ATR), expressing a number of genes and eventually the proteins. Recently, an acid induced outer membrane phenotype encoded by fliC gene in Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi has been identified.

A gold nanoparticles based immuno-bioprobe for detection of Vi capsular polysaccharide of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi.

A rapid and sensitive gold-nanobioprobe based immunoassay format has been presented for the detection of capsular Vi polysaccharide of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi (surface antigen) using anti-Vi antibodies. The Vi antigen was extracted from serovar Typhi cells, under the optimised growth conditions for its over-expression. Anti-Vi antibodies were produced and conjugated with gold nanoparticles (GNPs) of definite size (~30 nm), which served as the nano-bioprobe in the detection system.