Fabrication of Nd3+ and Yb3+ doped NIR emitting nano fluorescent probe: A candidate for bioimaging applications.

The intentional design of rare earth doped luminescent architecture exhibits unique optical properties and it can be considered as a promising and potential probe for optical imaging applications. Calcium fluoride (CaF2) nanoparticles doped with optimum concentration of Nd3+ and Yb3+ as sensitizer and activator, respectively, were synthesized by wet precipitation method and characterized by x-ray diffraction (XRD) and photoluminescence. In spite of the fact that the energy transfer takes place from Nd3+ to Yb3+, the luminescence intensity was found to be weak due to the lattice defects generated from the doping of trivalent cations (Nd3+ and Yb3+) for divalent host cations (Ca2+). These defect centres were tailored via charge compensation approach by co-doping Na+ ion and by optimizing its concentration and heat treatment duration. CaF2 doped with 5 mol% Nd3+, 3 mol% Yb3+ and 4 mol% Na+ after heat treatment for 2 h exhibited significantly enhanced emission intensity and life time. The ex vivo fluorescence imaging experiment was done at various thickness of chicken breast tissue. The maximum theoretical depth penetration of the NIR light was calculated and the value is 14 mm. The fabricated phosphor can serve as contrast agent for deep tissue near infrared (NIR) light imaging.

Sertraline as a promising antifungal agent: inhibition of growth and biofilm of Candida auris with special focus on the mechanism of action in vitro.

AIM: The aim of this present study was to investigate the antifungal mechanism of sertraline against Candida auris (C. auris) and its effect on biofilm formation. METHODS AND RESULTS: Sertraline, a repurposing drug with a history of human use for the treatment of depression was screened against three different isolates of C. auris, and was found to possess efficient antifungal activity. The antifungal activity of sertraline was further confirmed by killing kinetics assay and post-antifungal effect (PAFE). Sertraline inhibited C. auris yeast to hyphae conversion and further the inhibition of biofilm formation showed 71% inhibition upon treatment. Cell damage caused due to C. auris after treatment with sertraline was observed using SEM and cell membrane damage was ascertained using flow cytometry by Propidium Iodide (PI) uptake assay. The results of sorbitol protection assay and ergosterol effect assay suggested that sertraline did not affect the cell wall and did not act by binding to membrane ergosterol. The mechanism of action of sertraline against C. auris was understood through in silico docking studies that revealed the binding nature of sertraline to the sterol 14 alpha demethylase which is involved in ergosterol biosynthesis. Ergosterol that was quantified from treated cells showed a 5·5-fold decrease in ergosterol production. CONCLUSION: Sertraline displayed promising antifungal activity against C. auris involved in candidiasis infection and the mechanism of action was predicted. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THIS STUDY: The results of this study can encourage for the development of new antifungal agents and can be promising antifungal agent against C. auris infection.

Tailor made alginate hydrogel for local infection prophylaxis in orthopedic applications.

Preventing implants associated infections is crucial in orthopedics. Local delivery of antibiotics through implants is a promising strategy to solve this issue. In this study, alginate is tailored to control its swelling, entrapment and release of ciprofloxacin (antibiotic) through the formation of interpenetrating polymer network and composite matrices using gelatin and hydroxyapatite. Developed matrices were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, x-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. The individual tailoring approaches exerted significant influence on the swelling behavior of alginate matrix consequently enhanced the drug entrapment and extended the release period. However, the alginate matrix tailored with the combined approaches resulted in a superior matrix, which had a better control over the burst release of ciprofloxacin. Drug release prolonged from 5h to 240h for composite matrix as compared with alginate matrix showing that alginate combined with gelatin and hydroxyapatite sustained the release for longer periods. This matrix revealed excellent biocompatibility with osteoblast like MG-63 cell lines and showed good antibacterial activity against S. aureus and E. coli.

Synthesis and characterization of cluster of grapes like pure and Zinc-doped CuO nanoparticles by sol-gel method.

Pure CuO and Zn-doped CuO nanoparticles were synthesized from sol-gel process by reacting copper acetate monohydrate with a urea in distilled water at 80°C. The synthesized Samples were different concentrations but same annealing temperature at 400°C. The obtained samples were characterized by means of UV-visible spectroscopy (UV-vis), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). UV-visible technique used to measure the band gap of the synthesized samples. The XRD spectra of the synthesized samples confirmed the CuO nanoparticles with monoclinic structure. All the functional groups of the pure and doped synthesized samples were investigated by FT-IR analysis. The morphological and elemental estimation of the pure and Zn-doped synthesized samples were examined by FE-SEM with EDS.

Drug loaded phosphate glass/hydroxyapatite nanocomposite for orthopedic applications.

In orthopedic surgery, bone infection (osteomyelitis) is one of the most challenging issues encountered in the last few decades and the local drug delivery is the key strategy to overcome this issue. Drug loaded bioactive hydroxyapatite based nanocomposite bone substitutes are widely studied materials for local drug delivery application. In the present work, a cylindrical shaped gentamicin sulfate (GS) loaded phosphate glass/hydroxyapatite (PG/HA) nanocomposite has been developed. The physico-chemical characterization and in vitro bioactivity and biocompatibility of the synthesized PG/HA nanocomposite were studied. Dissolution studies demonstrated that the PG/HA nanocomposite has better degradation than pristine PG and HA. The drug loaded PG/HA nanocomposite exhibited higher antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Escherichia coli (E. coli). Also the nanocomposite displayed good apatite forming ability in simulated body fluid (SBF), a sustained drug release profile and excellent cytocompatibility with MG63 cells. The developed PG/HA nanocomposite can be a promising carrier for drug delivery in treating osteomyelitis.

In situ synthesis, characterization and in vitro studies of ciprofloxacin loaded hydroxyapatite nanoparticles for the treatment of osteomyelitis.

Bioactive materials in combination with antibiotics are widely developed for the treatment of osteomyelitis which play a dual role: as bone substitutes at the affected site and as local drug delivery systems for antibiotic delivery. In the present study, a series of ciprofloxacin loaded hydroxyapatite (HA) nanoparticles with sustained and prolonged release behavior has been synthesized by an in situ precipitation method. The amount of ciprofloxacin loaded on HA nanoparticles can be easily adjusted by changing the initial concentration during the synthesis. It was observed that as the loaded concentration of ciprofloxacin increases the release is sustained and prolonged. The in situ loading of ciprofloxacin onto HA nanoparticles does not significantly affect the bioactivity and cytocompatibility of HA whereas it provides antibacterial activity to HA against S. aureus and E. coli that causes osteomyelitis. Consequently synthesized ciprofloxacin loaded HA nanoparticles can be potential candidates for the treatment of osteomyelitis.

Surfactant free rapid synthesis of hydroxyapatite nanorods by a microwave irradiation method for the treatment of bone infection.

Mesoporous nanocrystalline hydroxyapatite (nHAp) rods of size 40-75 nm long and 25 nm wide (resembling bone mineral) were synthesized under microwave irradiation without using any surfactants or modifiers. The surface area and average pore size of the nHAp were found to be 32 m(2) g(-1) and 4 nm, respectively. Rifampicin (RIF) and ciprofloxacin (CPF) loaded nHAp displayed an initial burst followed by controlled release (zero order kinetics). Combination of CPF and RIF loaded nHAp showed enhanced bacterial growth inhibition against Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), Staphylococcus epidermidis (S. epidermidis) and Escherichia coli (E. coli) compared to individual agent loaded nHAp and pure nHAp. In addition, decreased bacterial adhesion (90%) was observed on the surface of CPF plus RIF loaded nHAp. The biocompatibility test toward MG63 cells infected with micro-organisms showed better cell viability and alkaline phosphatase activity (ALP) for the combination of CPF and RIF loaded nHAp. The influence on cell viability of infected MG63 cells was attributed to the simultaneous and controlled release of CPF and RIF from nHAp, which prevented the emergence of subpopulations that were resistant to each other. Hence, apart from the issue of the rapid synthesis of nHAp without surfactants or modifiers, the simultaneous and controlled release of dual drugs from nHAp would be a simple, non-toxic and cost-effective method to treat bone infections.

Synthesis and characterization of bioactive hydroxyapatite-calcite nanocomposite for biomedical applications.

In a number of recent reports on the synthesis of hydroxyapatite (HA) by sol-gel method using citric acid as an organic modifier, washing was an essential step to remove the byproducts and citric acid. In the present study we made an attempt to synthesize HA by sol-gel method in the presence of citric acid, wherein we have employed calcination technique instead of the conventional washing process. The products thus obtained were analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier Transform-Infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, thermogravimetry and scanning electron microscopy which confirmed the formation of a nanocomposite of HA and CaCO(3) (calcite) when citric acid was added during synthesis. HA is known to be bioactive and bioresorbable but the rates are too low. On the other hand, CaCO(3) is highly biodegradable. The combination of HA and CaCO(3) compromised the demerits of each others. The dissolved Ca ions from CaCO(3) enhanced the supersaturation of the surrounding fluid which resulted in higher bioactivity of HA.

Hydrothermal synthesis of porous triphasic hydroxyapatite/(alpha and beta) tricalcium phosphate.

A novel, porous triphasic calcium phosphate composed of nonresorbable hydroxyapatite (HAp) and resorbable tricalcium phosphate (alpha- and beta-TCP) has been synthesized hydrothermally at a relatively low temperature. The calcium phosphate precursor for hydrothermal treatment was prepared by gel method in the presence of ascorbic acid. XRD, FT-IR, Raman analyses confirmed the presence of HAp/TCP. The surface area and average pore size of the samples were found to be 28 m2/g and 20 nm, respectively. The samples were found to be bioactive in simulated body fluid (SBF).

Preparation of thermally stable nanocrystalline hydroxyapatite by hydrothermal method.

Thermally stable hydroxyapatite (HAp) was synthesized by hydrothermal method in the presence of malic acid. X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy (FT-IR), Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), differential thermal analysis (DTA), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) was done on the synthesized powders. These analyses confirmed the sample to be free from impurities and other phases of calcium phosphates, and were of rhombus morphology along with nanosized particles. IR and Raman analyses indicated the adsorption of malic acid on HAp. Thermal stability of the synthesized HAp was confirmed by DTA and TGA. The synthesized powders were thermally stable upto 1,400 degrees C and showed no phase change. The proposed method might be useful for producing thermally stable HAp which is a necessity for high temperature coating applications.

Self-assembled right handed helical ribbons of the bone mineral hydroxyapatite.

A self-assembled right handed helical ribbon of bone mineral, hydroxyapatite (HAp) was crystallized in sodium meta silicate gel matrix at 27 degrees C and the physiological pH (7.4). At temperatures 37 and 47 degrees C, helical structures were followed by many Liesegang rings. The samples were characterized by FT-IR, XRD, SEM, ICP-OES and TG-DTA techniques. The helical ribbon consisted of platy Ca-deficient apatite crystals of size 2.8 microm. Liesegang ring had a continuous network of fibers with interconnected pores. The samples exhibited bioactivity when soaked in SBF.

Investigations on the in vitro bioactivity of swift heavy oxygen ion irradiated hydroxyapatite.

The effect of swift heavy oxygen ion irradiation of hydroxyapatite on its in vitro bioactivity was studied. The irradiation experiment was performed using oxygen ions at energy of 100 MeV with 1 x 10(12) and 1 x 10(13) ions/cm2 fluence range. The irradiated samples were characterized by glancing angle X-ray diffraction (GXRD), photoluminescence spectroscopy (PL) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). GXRD showed that irradiated samples exhibited better crystallinity. The irradiated samples revealed an increase in PL intensity. In addition, the irradiated hydroxyapatite was found to have enhanced bioactivity.

Apatite formation on collagen fibrils in the presence of polyacrylic acid.

Recently, we reported the formation of bone-like apatite on collagen fibrils by biomimetic method. Compounds containing carboxyl moieties are believed to be effective in the formation of apatite. Polyacrylic acid [-CH2CH(COOH)-]n (PAAc) is widely used in dentistry. In the present study, the effect of PAAc in the formation of apatite from revised simulated body fluid (R-SBF) on collagen fibrils was studied. Two different experimental approaches were tried to study the effect of PAAc present in the collagen and in the R-SBF solution. In the first, collagen gel was soaked with 1 mg/ml PAAc (molecular weights 25000 and 100000) for the time intervals of 30 min and 6 h. The gels were then dried in air and incubated in R-SBF. Characterization of the precipitates formed on the collagen fibrils in gel showed that the formation of apatite was inhibited when soaked in PAAc for 6 h. In the second experiment, when PAAc (0.1 and 1.0 mg/ml) was mixed with R-SBF the microstructure of the precipitates formed on collagen fibrils was affected partially. Hence, it is confirmed that the presence of PAAc in the biomimetic environment of collagen affects the mineralization of apatite.