Designing of new trans-stilbene derivative: An entry barrier of Zika virus in host cell.

A large population in the world lives in tropical and subtropical regions, showing a high risk of Zika viral infection which leads to a situation of global health emergency and demands extensive research to create effective antiviral medicines. Herein, we introduce the design of a new derivatized trans-stilbene molecule to investigate the inhibition of Zika virus entry into the host cell by molecular docking approach. The synthesized compound has been characterized by different analytical techniques such as FTIR, H NMR,C NMR and UV-visible spectroscopy as well as Mass spectrometry (MS).

Strain induced crystal lattice softening and improved thermoelectric performance of hydrogenated silicene for energy harvesting applications.

In recent years, Silicene has attracted great interest in various fields but does not fit well in the field of thermoelectrics due to the absence of electronic band gap. Nevertheless, hydrogenation of silicene (SiH) delocalize the free electrons and induces gap widening (2.19 eV), but its thermoelectric performance is still limited due to the larger band gap.

Manifold roles of potassium in mediating drought tolerance in plants and its underlying mechanisms.

Drought stress (DS) is a major devastating factor affecting plant growth and development worldwide. Potassium (K) is considered a vigorous moiety and stress alleviator, which crop cultivars need for better yield. It is also helpful in alleviating the DS-induced negative consequences by regulating various morphological, physiological, biochemical, and molecular mechanisms in plants.

Combined application of earthworms and plant growth promoting rhizobacteria improve metal uptake, photosynthetic efficiency and modulate secondary metabolites levels under chromium metal toxicity in Brassica juncea L.

Chromium (Cr) toxicity impairs essential morphological and metabolic activities in plants. The present investigation was carried out to evaluate the beneficial role of plant growth promoting rhizobacterial strains namely Pseudomonas aeruginosa (M1), Burkholderia gladioli (M2) and earthworms (Eisenia fetida) in alleviating Cr toxicity in 10 days old Brassica juncea L. The findings delineated that addition of earthworms and PGPR restored growth, boosted Cr uptake and showed upregulation of metal transporter genes (SULTR 1-4).

A Click-generated chalcone allied triazole sensor for Co (II) with INHIBIT logic gate construction and its antioxidant properties.

This article presents the synthesis of chalcone allied 1,2,3-triazole via an aldol-click reaction. The newly synthesized compound chalcogenyl based 1,2,3-triazole (7) selectively detects Co (II) ion over other metal cations by UV-visible photophysical study with the limit of detection value of 1.24 × 10 M.

Fighting to thrive via plant growth regulators: Green chemical strategies for drought stress tolerance.

As global climate change intensifies, the occurrence and severity of various abiotic stresses will significantly threaten plant health and productivity. Drought stress (DS) is a formidable obstacle, disrupting normal plant functions through specific morphological, physiological, biochemical, and molecular mechanisms. Understanding how plants navigate DS is paramount to mitigating its adverse effects.

A conjugated oligoelectrolyte for the recognition of uranyl ion in aqueous and soil samples via RGB method.

The development of selective and practically applicable sensors for monitoring trace uranyl ions (UO) in an aqueous medium is the biggest challenge. This study presents the development of a conjugated oligoelectrolyte-based probe (COE) for the selective detection of UO ions in water bodies. The COE is a water-soluble probe having an organic backbone with two ionic pendants at the terminal points.

Air pollution tolerance and metal accumulation potential of some plant species growing in educational institutions of Amritsar, India.

Poor air quality in urban areas increases the exposure of individuals to air pollutants. Hence, it becomes mandatory to grow such plant species that have more potential to tolerate air pollution and can aid in its mitigation. Air pollution tolerance index (APTI) and anticipated performance index (API) are two indices that help in scientific evaluation of plant species before recommending them for plantation.

Silicon efficacy for the remediation of metal contaminated soil.

In the course of past two decade anthropogenic activities have reinforced, begetting soil and water defilement. A plethora of heavy metals alters and limits plant growth and yield, with opposing effect on agricultural productivity. Silicon often perceived as plant alimentary 'nonentity'.

Efficient oil spill cleanup from water: Investigating the effectiveness of a sustainable anti-swelling hydrogel for rapid water repellency and oil absorption.

Considering the significant harm caused to aquatic ecosystems and marine life by oil spills and the discharge of oily wastewater, there is a pressing need to address this issue to protect our environment and prevent the wastage of valuable resources. We introduced a two-step approach to create an anti-swelling, water-repellent sorbent using a green polysaccharide called gum gellan, functionalized with Octadecyl trichlorosilane (OTS) through dip coating method. Natural gums like gellan have high absorption capability due to their large surface area.

Fabricating whole pine needles biomass with phenylhydrazine-4-sulphonic acid for effective removal of cationic dyes and heavy metal ions from wastewater.

We applied a holistic, sustainable, and green approach to develop an effective multipurpose adsorbent from whole pine needles (PNs), a forest waste lignocellulosic biomass. The PNs were oxidized and modified with phenylhydrazine-4-sulphonic acid (ɸHSOH) to OPN-ɸHSOH. The latter was characterized and tested as an adsorbent for cationic dyes, malachite green (MG), methylene blue (MB), crystal violet (CV), and metal ions (Hg⁺ and Pb⁺).

Exploring the Impact of C-Terminal Based Pentapeptides on the Disassembly of Aβ Fibrils.

An effective therapeutic strategy to suppress Alzheimer's disease (AD) progression is to disrupt β-sheet rich neurotoxic soluble amyloid-β (Aβ) aggregates. Previously, we identified new pentapeptides (RVVPI and RIAPA) with notably enhanced ability to block Aβ aggregation as compared to Aβ C-terminal derived peptide RIIGL using integrated computational protocol. In this work, the potential of RIIGL, RVVPI, and RIAPA for the structural destabilization of Aβ protofibril was assessed by molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and in vitro studies.

Design and Synthesis of Polyphenolic Imidazo[4,5-]quinoline Derivatives to Modulate Toll Like Receptor-7 Agonistic Activity and Adjuvanticity.

TLR-7/8 agonists are a well-known class of vaccine adjuvants, with a leading example now included in Covaxin, a licensed human COVID-19 vaccine. This thereby provides the opportunity to develop newer, more potent adjuvants based on structure-function studies of these classes of compounds. Imidazoquinoline-based TLR7/8 agonists are the most potent, but when used as a vaccine adjuvant side effects can arise due to diffusion from the injection site into a systemic circulation.

Estimation of radon concentration in groundwater in the mining zone of Haryana, India, for lungs and stomach annual effective dose.

The groundwater is being used for drinking and irrigation purposes in vast swathes of the Aravalli Mountain range. Since the radioisotope presence in groundwater is affected by the local mining processes, the radiation monitoring in groundwater of mining regions is of paramount importance. In the present work, we have estimated the 222Rn presence in the mining region of Aravalli in the southern part of Haryana.

Synthesis of Triazolo[4',5':4,5]furo[2,3-]pyridine via Post Modification of an Unusual Groebke-Blackburn-Bienaymé Multicomponent Reaction.

The Groebke-Blackburn-Bienaymé (GBB) reaction is a well-established three-component reaction for synthesizing imidazofused scaffolds from heterocyclic amidines, aldehydes, and isonitriles. However, the replacement of pyridoxal as an aldehyde component in this reaction results in the formation of the furo[2,3-]pyridine skeleton as an "unusual GBB product". Despite the interesting nature of this unusual reaction, not much work was further reported.

Harnessing the Therapeutic Potential of Peptides for Synergistic Treatment of Alzheimer's Disease by Targeting Aβ Aggregation, Metal-Mediated Aβ Aggregation, Cholinesterase, Tau Degradation, and Oxidative Stress.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive multifaceted neurodegenerative disease and remains a formidable global health challenge. The current medication for AD gives symptomatic relief and, thus, urges us to look for alternative disease-modifying therapies based on a multitarget directed approach. Looking at the remarkable progress made in peptide drug development in the last decade and the benefits associated with peptides, they offer valuable chemotypes [multitarget directed ligands (MTDLs)] as AD therapeutics.

Diving into progress: a review on current therapeutic advancements in spinal muscular atrophy.

Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is an uncommon disorder associated with genes characterized by the gradual weakening and deterioration of muscles, often leading to substantial disability and premature mortality. Over the past decade, remarkable strides have been made in the field of SMA therapeutics, revolutionizing the landscape of patient care. One pivotal advancement is the development of gene-targeted therapies, such as nusinersen, onasemnogene abeparvovec and risdiplam which have demonstrated unprecedented efficacy in slowing disease progression.

Insights into the baicalein-induced destabilization of LS-shaped Aβ protofibrils using computer simulations.

Amyloid-β (Aβ) peptides aggregate spontaneously into various aggregating species comprising oligomers, protofibrils, and mature fibrils in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Disrupting β-sheet rich neurotoxic smaller soluble Aβ oligomers formed at early stages is considered a potent strategy to interfere with AD pathology. Previous experiments have demonstrated the inhibition of the early stages of Aβ aggregation by baicalein; however, the molecular mechanism behind inhibition remains largely unknown.

Structure-Activity Relationships toward the Identification of a High-Potency Selective Human Toll-like Receptor-7 Agonist.

Toll-like receptor (TLR)-7 agonists are immunostimulatory vaccine adjuvants. A systematic structure-activity relationship (SAR) study of TLR7-active 1-benzyl-2-butyl-1-imidazo[4,5-]quinolin-4-amine led to the identification of a potent hTLR7-specific -hydroxymethyl IMDQ with an EC value of 0.22 μM.

Structure-activity relationship in NOD2 agonistic muramyl dipeptides.

Nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain 2 (NOD2) is a receptor of the innate immune system that is capable of perceiving bacterial and viral infections. Muramyl dipeptide (MDP, N-acetyl muramyl L-alanyl-d-isoglutamine), identified as the minimal immunologically active component of bacterial cell wall peptidoglycan (PGN) is recognized by NOD2. In terms of biological activities, MDP demonstrated vaccine adjuvant activity and stimulated non-specific protection against bacterial, viral, and parasitic infections and cancer.

Blending polydopamine-derived imprinted polymers with rice straw-based fluorescent carbon dots for selective detection and adsorptive removal of ibuprofen.

Dual-functioning probes capable of detecting and removing hazardous substances have recently received increased attention compared to exclusive sensory probes. Herein, a new composite is synthesized by blending polydopamine imprinted polymers with fluorescent carbon dots (PIP-FCDs) for the selective recognition and adsorption of Ibuprofen (IBF). IBF is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug and is excessively released in the pharmaceutical wastes.

Apigenin enhances sorafenib anti-tumour efficacy in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Background: The "one drug-one target" paradigm has various limitations affecting drug efficacy, such as resistance profiles and adverse effects. Combinational therapies help reduce unexpected off-target effects and accelerate therapeutic efficacy. Sorafenib- an FDA-approved drug for liver cancer, has multiple limitations.