Biosynthesis of selenium nanoparticles using cell-free extract of Xenorhabdus cabanillasii GU480990 and their potential mosquito larvicidal properties against yellow fever mosquito Aedes aegypti.

Nanomaterials are successful due to their numerous applications in various domains such as cancer treatment, environmental applications, drug and gene delivery. Selenium is a metalloid element with broad biological activities and low toxicity especially at the nanoscale. Several studies have shown that nanoparticles synthesized from microbial and plant extracts are effective against important pests and pathogens. This study describes the bio fabrication of selenium nanoparticles using cell free extract of Xenorhabdus cabanillasii (XC-SeNPs) and assessed their mosquito larvicidal properties. Crystallographic structure and size of XC-SeNPs were determined with UV-a spectrophotometer, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDAX), Zeta potential and Transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The significant surface plasmon resonance at 275 nm indicated the synthesis of XC-SeNPs from the pure cell-free extract of X. cabanillasii. The XRD result exhibits the crystalline nature of XC-SeNPs. The Zeta potential analysis confirmed that the surface charge of XC-SeNPs was -24.17 mV. TEM analysis revealed that synthesized XC-SeNPs were monodispersed, spherically shaped, and sized about 80-200 nm range. In addition, the larvicidal potentials of the bio-fabricated XC-SeNPs were assessed against the 4th-instar Ae. aegypti. XC-SeNPs displayed a dose-dependent larvicidal effect; the larval mortality was 13.3 % at the minimum evaluated concentration and increased to 72 % at higher dose treatments. The LC50 and LC90 concentration of XC-SeNPs against mosquito larvae were 79.4 and 722.4 ppm, respectively.

OralNet: Fused Optimal Deep Features Framework for Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma Detection.

Humankind is witnessing a gradual increase in cancer incidence, emphasizing the importance of early diagnosis and treatment, and follow-up clinical protocols. Oral or mouth cancer, categorized under head and neck cancers, requires effective screening for timely detection. This study proposes a framework, OralNet, for oral cancer detection using histopathology images. The research encompasses four stages: (i) Image collection and preprocessing, gathering and preparing histopathology images for analysis; (ii) feature extraction using deep and handcrafted scheme, extracting relevant features from images using deep learning techniques and traditional methods; (iii) feature reduction artificial hummingbird algorithm (AHA) and concatenation: Reducing feature dimensionality using AHA and concatenating them serially and (iv) binary classification and performance validation with three-fold cross-validation: Classifying images as healthy or oral squamous cell carcinoma and evaluating the framework's performance using three-fold cross-validation. The current study examined whole slide biopsy images at 100× and 400× magnifications. To establish OralNet's validity, 3000 cropped and resized images were reviewed, comprising 1500 healthy and 1500 oral squamous cell carcinoma images. Experimental results using OralNet achieved an oral cancer detection accuracy exceeding 99.5%. These findings confirm the clinical significance of the proposed technique in detecting oral cancer presence in histology slides.

SARS-CoV-2 and its new variants: a comprehensive review on nanotechnological application insights into potential approaches.

SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) spreads and develops quickly worldwide as a new global crisis which has left deep socio-economic damage and massive human mortality. This virus accounts for the ongoing outbreak and forces an urgent need to improve antiviral therapeutics and targeted diagnosing tools. Researchers have been working to find a new drug to combat the virus since the outbreak started in late 2019, but there are currently no successful drugs to control the SARS-CoV-2, which makes the situation riskier. Very recently, new variant of SARS-CoV-2 is identified in many countries which make the situation very critical. No successful treatment has yet been shown although enormous international commitment to combat this pandemic and the start of different clinical trials. Nanomedicine has outstanding potential to solve several specific health issues, like viruses, which are regarded a significant medical issue. In this review, we presented an up-to-date drug design strategy against SARS-CoV-2, including the development of novel drugs and repurposed product potentials were useful, and successful drugs discovery is a constant requirement. The use of nanomaterials in treatment against SARS-CoV-2 and their use as carriers for the transport of the most frequently used antiviral therapeutics are discussed systematically here. We also addressed the possibilities of practical applications of nanoparticles to give the status of COVID-19 antiviral systems.

Isolation and growth inhibition potential of entomopathogenic nematodes against three public health important mosquito vectors.

The prevalence of mosquito vector borne diseases and the resistance of mosquitoes to conventional pesticides have been of important public concern to the mosquito endemic countries. Present study was conducted to identify the native bio-larvicidal potential of the entomopathogenic nematodes; Steinernema siamkayai (KPR-4) Heterohabditis indica (KPR-8), Steinernema glaseri and Steinernema abbasi. The isolated nematodes were subsequently cultured and evaluated their larvicidal potential against the larvae of Aedes aegypti, Anopheles stephensi and Culex quinquefasciatus. Among the tested four different nematode species, the S. abassi exerted the highest mortality against A. aegypti (97.33%), the H. indica (KPR-8) against A. stephensi (97.33%) and the S. siamkayai (KPR-4) against C. quinquefasciatus (98.67%). The maximal mosquito-larvicidal property of EPNs was found with the LC50 and LC90 values (IJs/larvae): S. abbasi = 12.47 & 54.35 on A. aegypti; H. indica KPR-8 = 19.88 & 66.81 on A. stephensi and S. siamkayai KPR-4 = 16.69 & 58.97 on C. quinquefasciatus, respectively. The presently generated data on the molecular and larvicidal characteristics of the entomopathogenic nematodes form an important baseline data that upon further research would lead to the development of eco-friendly mosquito-control agent.

Lantana camara Linn root extract-mediated gold nanoparticles and their in vitro antioxidant and cytotoxic potentials.

The Lantana camara Linn root extract derived gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) were characterized by Ultraviolet-Visible spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, fourier transform-infrared, high resolution transmission electron microscopy, selected area electron diffraction pattern and energy dispersive X-ray analyses. In DPPH assay, the inhibitory concentration (IC50) of Au NPs and gallic acid was 24.17 and 5.39 µg/ml, whereas, for cytotoxicity assay, the IC50 of Au NPs was 17.72 and 32.98 µg/ml on MBA-MB-231 and Vero cells, respectively. Thus, the Au NPs possess significant in vitro antioxidant and cytotoxic properties which could be considered as potential alternate for the development of anticancer drug in future.

Response of three cyprinid fish species to the Scavenger Deterrent Factor produced by the mutualistic bacteria associated with entomopathogenic nematodes.

The symbiotic bacteria, Photorhabdus and Xenorhabdus associated with entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) in the genera Heterorhabditis and Steinernema, respectively, produce a compound(s) called the Scavenging Deterrent Factor (SDF). SDF deters a number of terrestrial insect scavengers and predators and one bird species from feeding on host insects killed by the nematode-bacterium complex but has not been tested against aquatic vertebrates. Moreover, the Heterorhabditis-Photorhabdus association is believed to have evolved in an aquatic environment. Accordingly, we hypothesized that SDF will deter fish from feeding on nematode-killed insects and tested the responses of three omnivorous fresh water fish species, Devario aequipinnatus, Alburnoides bipunctatus, and Squalius pursakensis, to SDF in the laboratory. When the fish were exposed to Galleria mellonella larvae killed by the Heterorhabditis- or Steinernema-bacterium complex at 2 or 4days post-infection, all three fish species made several attempts to consume the cadavers but subsequently rejected them. However, all fish species consumed freeze-killed control larvae. In a choice test, when D. aequipinnatus or A. bipunctatus were offered a pair of nematode-killed larvae, both fish species rejected these cadavers; when offered a nematode-killed larva and a freeze-killed larva, both fish species consumed the freeze-killed larva but not the nematode-killed one. In further tests with D. aequipinnatus, there was no significant difference in the number of 2-day-old Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki-killed (Btk) larvae consumed compared to freeze-killed larvae, but significantly fewer 4-day-old Btk-killed larvae were consumed compared to freeze-killed larvae. When D. aequipinnatus was fed G. mellonella larvae killed by the symbiotic bacteria, the fish rejected the cadavers. When given freeze-killed or nematode-killed mosquito (Aedes aegypti) larvae, the fish consumed significantly more of the former larvae (99%) compared to the latter (55%). When D. aequipinnatus was placed in a symbiotic cell-free supernatant for 18h, a significant reduction in consumption of freeze-killed larvae compared to cell-free Btk or control broth supernatant was observed. We showed that SDF protects the nematode-killed insects from being consumed by omnivorous fishes and suggests that they will have minimal effects on recycling of EPNs in the aquatic environment.