Maternal supplementation of curcumin-olive oil nanocomposite improves uteroplacental blood flow, placental growth and antioxidant capacity in goats.

This experiment was designed to investigate the impact of curcumin-olive oil nanocomposite (CONC) supplementation on uteroplacental hemodynamics and ultrasonographic measurements as well as maternal oxidative status in midgestating goats. Twelve synchronized pregnant goats (85.58 ± 1.08 days of gestation; mean ± SD) were uniformly assigned to two groups (n = 6/group); the first group received daily oral supplementation of CONC (3 mg/kg body weight; nanocurcumin [NC] group) for 32 days, and the second group was offered physiological saline (control) following the NC group timeline. The goats of both groups were examined at 3-day intervals for middle uterine (MUA) and umbilical (UMA) arteries hemodynamics (pulsatility index [PI], resistive index [RI], systole/diastole [S/D] and blood flow rate [BFR]) and diameters, uteroplacental thickness (UPT), placentomes' diameter (PD) and echogenicity, steroid hormones (progesterone and estradiol 17ß), oxidative biomarkers (total antioxidant capacity [TAC], catalase [CAT], malondialdehyde [MDA]), nitric oxide (NO) and blood cells DNA integrity. The UPT (p = 0.012) and PD (p = 0.021) values were higher in the NC group than in their counterparts' control group (D11-32). There were increases in diameter (p = 0.021 and p = 0.012) and decreases (p = 0.021, p = 0.016 and p = 0.041 [MUA]; p = 0.015, p = 0.023 and p = 0.011 [UMA] respectively) in Doppler indices (PI, RI and S/D) of the MUA and UMA in the NC group compared to the control group (D14-32). On D20-32 (MUA) and D14-32 (UMA), the NC goats had higher BFR than the control group (p = 0.021, 0.018 respectively). The means of blood cells with fragmented DNA were lower (p = 0.022) in the NC group than in the control group on Days 8 and 21 postsupplementation. There were increases in CAT and NO (D20-32; p = 0.022 and p = 0.004 respectively), and TAC (D17-32; p = 0.007) levels in the NC goats compared to the control ones. The NC group had lower (p = 0.029) concentrations of MDA than the control group on Day 20 postsupplementation onward. In conclusion, oral supplementation of CONC improved uteroplacental blood flow and the antioxidant capacity of midgestating goats.

Experimental and density functional theory studies on some metal oxides and the derived nanoclusters: a comparative effects on human ferritin.

A comprehensive investigation into the green synthesis of metal oxide nanoparticles (NPs) has garnered significant attention due to its commendable reliability, sustainability, and environmentally friendly attributes. Green synthesis methods play a crucial role in mitigating the adverse effects associated with conventional approaches employed for nanostructure preparation. This research endeavors to examine the impact of ginger plant extract-assisted green synthesis of metal oxides NPs on the serum ferritin levels of anemic diabetic patients in vitro, focusing specifically on α-Fe2O3 and ZnO NPs. Sixty diabetic volunteers with anemia (35-50 years) and thirty healthy volunteers were enrolled as controls. The assessment was conducted using the VIDAS Ferritin (FER) assay. Photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy measurements were performed to elucidate the intrinsic and extrinsic transitions of these NPs, affirming the successful formation of α-structured iron oxide. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations were carried out at the B3LYP/6-311++G(d,2p) level of theory to investigate the geometry optimization and molecular electrostatic potential maps of the NPs. Furthermore, TD-DFT calculations were employed to explore their frontier molecular orbitals and various quantum chemical parameters. The binding affinity and interaction types of ZnO and α-Fe2O3 NPs to the active site of the human H-Chain Ferritin (PDB ID: 2FHA) target were determined with the help of molecular docking. Results unveiled the crystalline structure of ZnO and the α-structure of α-Fe2O3. Analysis of the frontier molecular orbitals and dipole moment values demonstrated that ZnO (total dipole moment (D) = 5.80 µ) exhibited superior chemical reactivity, biological activity, and stronger molecular interactions with diverse force fields compared to α-Fe2O3 (D = 2.65 µ). Molecular docking of the metal oxides NPs with human H-chain ferritin provided evidence of robust hydrogen bond interactions and metal-acceptor bonds between the metal oxides and the target protein. This finding could have a great impact on using metal oxides NPs-ferritin as a therapeutic protein, however, further studies on their toxicity are required.

Graphitic Carbon Nitride/MOFs Hybrid Composite as Highly Selective and Sensitive Electrodes for Calcium Ion Detection.

The metal-organic framework (MOF) is a class of materials that exhibits a notable capacity for electron transfer. This unique framework design offers potential applications in various fields, including catalysis, gas storage, and sensing. Herein, we focused on a specific type of MOF called Ti-MOF. To enhance its properties and functionality, the composite material was prepared by incorporating graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) into the Ti-MOF structure. This composite, known as g-C3N4@Ti-MOF, was selected as the active material for ion detection, specifically targeting calcium ions (Ca2+). To gain a comprehensive understanding of the structural and chemical properties of the g-C3N4@Ti-MOF composite, several analytical techniques were employed to characterize the prepared g-C3N4@Ti-MOF composite, including X-ray diffraction (XRD), SEM-EDX, and FT-IR. For comparison, different pastes were prepared by mixing Ti-MOF or g-C3N4@Ti-MOF, graphite, and o-NPOE as a plasticizer. The divalent Nernstian responses of the two best electrodes, I and II, were 28.15 ± 0.47 and 29.80 ± 0.66 mV decade-1, respectively, with concentration ranges of 1 µM-1 mM and 0.1 µM-1 mM with a content 1.0 mg Ti-MOF: 250 mg graphite: 0.1 mL o-NPOE and 0.5 mg g-C3N4@Ti-MOF: 250 mg graphite: 0.1 mL o-NPOE, respectively. The electrodes showed high sensitivity and selectivity for Ca2+ ions over different species. The suggested electrodes have been successfully employed for Ca2+ ion measurement in various real samples with excellent precision (RSD = 0.74-1.30%) and accuracy (recovery = 98.5-100.2%), and they exhibited good agreement with the HPLC.

Sonochemical synthesis of heterostructured ZnO/Bi2O3 for photocatalytic desulfurization.

In this study, metal oxides nanoparticles heterogeneous photocatalysts prepared by coprecipitation and ultrasonic techniques were used for diesel desulfurization. They were characterized by scanning electron microscope, powder X-ray diffraction, energy dispersive analysis, diffused reflectance spectra, photoluminescence analysis and BET surface area. The surface area of catalyst B is larger than catalyst A confirming its higher reactivity. X-ray reflectance spectroscopy was used to analyze the sulfur contents in feed. Thiophene was used as a model fuel to evaluate the photocatalytic activity of catalysts A and B. Using the Scherrer equation, sharp and intense signals suggesting their higher degrees of crystallinity, with average crystal sizes for ZnO, Bi2O3, catalysts A and B, respectively; of 18, 14.3, 29.7, and 23.8 nm. The operational parameters of the desulfurization process were optimized and have been studied and the maximum sulfur removal was achieved via a further solvent extraction step. A diesel fuel with a 24 and 19 ppm sulfur content and hence a total sulfur removal of 94.6% and 95.7% was acquired for catalysts A and B, respectively (sulfur compounds concentration in diesel fuel feedstock was 450 ppm). These findings demonstrated that photocatalysts A and B are good and effective catalysts for desulfurization of diesel fuel.

Exploration of PVC@SiO2 nanostructure for adsorption of methylene blue via using quartz crystal microbalance technology.

Methylene blue (MB) dye is considered a well-known dye in many industries and the low concentration of MB is considered very polluted for all environment if it discharged without any treatment. For that reason, many researchers used advanced technologies for removing MB such as the electrochemical methods that considered very simple and give rapid response. Considering these aspects, a novel quartz crystal microbalance nanosensors based on different concentrations of PVC@SiO2 were designed for real-time adsorption of MB dye in the aqueous streams at different pHs and different temperatures. The characterization results of PVC@SiO2 showed that the PVC@SiO2 have synthesized in spherical shape. The performance of the designed QCM-Based PVC@SiO2 nanosensors were examined by the QCM technique. The sensitivity of designed nanosensors was evaluated at constant concentration of MB (10 mg/L) at different pHs (2, 7 and 11) and temperatures (20 °C, 25 °C, and 30 °C). From the experimental, the best concentration of PVC@SiO2 was 3% for adsorbed 9.99 mg of cationic methylene blue at pH 11 and temperature 20 °C in only 5.6 min.

Synthesis and characterization of lead-based metal-organic framework nano-needles for effective water splitting application.

Metal organic frameworks (MOFs) are a class of porous materials characterized by robust linkages between organic ligands and metal ions. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) exhibit significant characteristics such as high porosity, extensive surface area, and exceptional chemical stability, provided the constituent components are meticulously selected. A metal-organic framework (MOF) containing lead and ligands derived from 4-aminobenzoic acid and 2-carboxybenzaldehyde has been synthesized using the sonochemical methodology. The crystals produced were subjected to various analytical techniques such as Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), Powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET), and thermal analysis. The BET analysis yielded results indicating a surface area was found to be 1304.27 m2 g-1. The total pore volume was estimated as 2.13 cm3 g-1 with an average pore size of 4.61 nm., rendering them highly advantageous for a diverse range of practical applications. The activity of the modified Pb-MOF electrode was employed toward water-splitting applications. The electrode reached the current density of 50 mA cm-2 at an overpotential of - 0.6 V (vs. RHE) for hydrogen evolution, and 50 mA cm-2 at an overpotential of 1.7 V (vs. RHE) for oxygen evolution.

Towards a circular economy: valorization of banana peels by developing bio-composites thermal insulators.

The building construction materials are responsible for a large amount of energy and natural resource consumption. In light of the current challenges of resource scarcity and global climate change, the circular economy (CE) is a promising strategy to mitigate pressure on the environment, improve supplying of raw materials, and increase new market and employment opportunities. Developing eco-friendly thermal insulation materials based on agro-waste is a new waste management trend to achieve the sustainability of the resource and energy consumption in the construction sectors. In this work, banana-polystyrene composites were prepared by mixing the banana peels powder (BP) with polystyrene (PS) in different weight ratios (90:10, 80:20, 70:30, and 60:40). The physical and thermal properties such as thermal conductivity, electrical conductivity, Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR), crystallographic structures of the fibers, X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA), and Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) were carried out on BP and BP-PS1 that were prepared with ten wt.% and 20 wt.% of polystyrene powder (BP-PS2). The bio-composites results showed low thermal conductivity ranging from 0.028 to 0.030 W/m.K. The BP-PS2 exhibited a lower thermal conductivity of 0.027 W/m.K, while the pure peel powder demonstrated notable thermal stability, indicated by a total weight loss of 66.4% and a high crystallinity value of 56.1%. Furthermore, the thermal analysis (TGA) and X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) demonstrated that the pure banana peel has the highest thermal stability and crystallinity. These findings indicate that using banana peel-polystyrene composites represents an innovative solution for thermal insulation in buildings as an alternative to conventional materials to reduce energy and resource consumption.

The Impact of Bacteriospermia on Semen Parameters Among Infertile Egyptian Men: A Case-Control Study.

This study aimed to detect the impact of bacteriospermia on semen parameters and sperm DNA fragmentation. This prospective case-control study was conducted over a period of 9 months. Samples were collected from andrology outpatient clinic attendants of Cairo University Hospitals. We enrolled 68 semen samples divided into two groups: a study group (34 semen samples with bacteriospermia) and a control group (34 semen samples without bacteriospermia). The characteristics of the semen, including morphology, motility, count, liquefaction, viscosity, pH, volume, and appearance, were evaluated according to the standard protocols. Patients with and without bacteriospermia had a comparable liquefaction time (p = .343), semen appearance and color (p = 1.00), semen pH (p = 1.00), velocity (p = .163), and total sperm count (p = .451). Patients with bacteriospermia were associated with lower progressive motility (p = .001), nonprogressive motility (p = .032), total motility (p = .001), and normal forms (p = .001). The prevalence of abnormal semen analysis was 64.71% in the study group compared with 35.29% in the control group. Staphylococcus aureus (67.6%) and Escherichia coli (14.7%) were the most commonly detected organisms. Samples from which Methicilin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus was isolated showed significant abnormalities in both progressive motility and normal morphology of sperm. Bacteriospermia has deteriorative effects on sperm quality parameters, such as semen volume, sperm motility, and sperm normal morphology.

Modified carbon paste ion selective electrode for determining Cr(iii) ions in aqueous solutions and some real samples using tetragonal zirconia nanoparticles.

Tetragonal zirconia (t-ZrO2) nanoparticles (ionophore) are used in newly designed and improved ion selective electrodes for chromium ion detection as an alternative, low-cost, high-precision, and selectivity method. Tetragonal zirconia nanoparticles were synthesized using a modified co-precipitation technique and calcined at 1000 °C for an hour. The phase composition, surface area, microstructure, pore size and particle size of synthesized t-ZrO2 nanoparticles were examined using the X-ray diffraction (XRD), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET), transmission electron microscope (TEM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) attached with an EDAX unit, respectively. Results from XRD showed that the t-zirconia was synthesized and have nanocrystallites size about 20.2 nm. The nano size of t-ZrO2 was confirmed by the SEM and TEM (the particle size between 26.48 and 40.4 nm), the mesoporous character (average pore size about 4.868 nm) and large surface area (76.2802 m2 g-1) was confirmed by BET analysis. The paste composition with 67.3 : 30.5 : 2.7 (wt%) graphite, t-ZrO2, and TCP, respectively, exhibited the best results. With a detection limit of 1.0 × 10-8 mol L-1, the electrode displayed a good Nernstian slope of 19.50 ± 0.10 mV decade-1 over the concentration range from 1.0 × 10-2 to 1.0 × 10-8 mol L-1 of Cr(iii) ions. The built-in sensor displayed a quick response time (7 s), was highly thermally stable in the range of 10 to 60 °C without departing from Nernstian behaviour and could be used for about 60 days in the pH range of 2.0 to 6.0. The electrode demonstrated excellent selectivity for the Cr(iii) ion towards a variety of metal ions. For chromium ion determination, numerous spiked real samples, including honey, water, tea, coffee, milk, cheese, and cosmetics, were used. Validation methods were used, and the results showed that there is no significant difference between the two methods (ICP and ISE) at a 95% confidence level. In several real water samples, the estimated limits of detection, limits of quantification, percent recovery, standard deviation, and relative standard deviation showed the effectiveness of the proposed electrode in the potentiometric detection of Cr(iii) ions.

Fabrication of nitrogen doped TiO2/Fe2O3 nanostructures for photocatalytic oxidation of methanol based wastewater.

An important industrial process that often occurs on the surface of a heterogeneous catalyst using thermochemical or photochemical could help in the oxidation of methanol-based wastewater to formaldehyde. Titania-based photocatalysts have drawn a lot of interest from scientists because they are a reliable and affordable catalyst material for photocatalytic oxidation processes in the presence of light energy. In this study, a straight-forward hydrothermal method for producing n-TiO2@α-Fe2O3 composite photocatalysts and hematite (α-Fe2O3) nanocubes has been done. By adjusting the ratio of n-TiO2 in the prepared composite photocatalysts, the enhancing influence of the nitrogen-doped titania on the photocatalytic characteristics of the prepared materials was investigated. The prepared materials were thoroughly characterized using common physiochemical methods, such as transmission electron microscope (TEM), scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX), X-ray photoelectrons spectroscopy (XPS), physisorption (BET), and others, in order to learn more about the structure The results obtained showed that nitrogen-doped titania outperforms non-doped titania for methanol photooxidation. The addition of nitrogen-doped titania to their surfaces resulted in an even greater improvement in the photooxidation rates of the methanol coupled with hematite. The photooxidation of methanol in the aqueous solution to simulate its concentration in the wastewater has been occurred. After 3 h, the four weight percent of n-TiO2@α-Fe2O3 photocatalyst showed the highest rate of HCHO production.

Design, Synthesis, Spectroscopic Inspection, DFT and Molecular Docking Study of Metal Chelates Incorporating Azo Dye Ligand for Biological Evaluation.

A new heterocyclic azo dye ligand (L) was synthesized by the combination of 4-amino antipyrine with 4-aminophenol. The new Cr(III), Mn(II), Fe(III), Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II), Zn(II), and Cd(II) complexes were synthesized in excellent yields. The metal chelate structures were elucidated using elemental analyses, FT-IR, 1H-NMR, mass, magnetic moment, diffused reflectance spectral and thermal analysis (TG-DTG), and molar conductivity measurement. According to the FT-IR study, the azo dye ligand exhibited neutral tri-dentate behavior, binding to the metal ions with the azo N, carbonyl O, and protonated phenolic OH. The 1H-NMR spectral study of the Zn(II) complex supported the coordination of the zo dye ligand without proton displacement of the phenolic OH. Diffused reflectance and magnetic moment studies revealed the octahedral geometry of the complexes, as well as their good electrolytic nature, excepting the Zn(II) and Cd(II) complexes, which were nonelectrolytes, as deduced from the molar conductivity study. The theoretical calculations of optimized HOMO-LUMO energies, geometrical parameters, electronic spectra, natural atomic charges, 3D-plots of MEP, and vibrational wavenumbers were computed and elucidated using LANL2DZ and 6-311G (d, p) basis sets of density functional theory (DFT) with the approach of B3LYP DFT and TD-DFT methods. The ligand and complexes have been assayed for their antimicrobial activity and compared with the standard drugs. Most of the complexes have manifested excellent antimicrobial activity against various microbial strains. A molecular docking investigation was also performed, to acquire more information about the binding mode and energy of the ligand and its metal complexes to the Escherichia coli receptor using molecular docking. Altogether, the newly created ligand and complexes showed positive antibacterial effects and are worth future study.

Reducing disinfection byproduct precursors through coagulation enhancement as particle weight and size control using potassium permanganate.

The widespread use of chlorine pre-oxidation in water purification has been limited in several countries owing to the production of carcinogenic byproducts when combined with naturally occurring organic matter. This study investigates the efficient use of potassium permanganate (KMnO4) pretreatment and coagulation enhancement as particle size and molecular weight distribution controlling parameters. KMnO4 pretreatment significantly reduced the apparent molecular weight of humic acid due to KMnO4 reduction and the continuous generation of manganese dioxide (MnO2) formed in situ under neutral and alkaline conditions. The MnO2 formed in situ had adsorption characteristics that enabled it to form large and stable flocs with the hydrolysis products of aluminum sulfate. However, under acidic conditions, KMnO4 pretreatment exhibited strong oxidation characteristics due to Mn(VII) reduction to Mn(II), and the mean particle floc size was the same as without KMnO4 pretreatment. Overall, KMnO4 pretreatment is a useful alternative strategy for traditional pre-oxidation using chlorine and a good coagulant enhancement agent in neutral and basic media.

Inhibition of branched-chain alpha-keto acid dehydrogenase kinase augments the sensitivity of ovarian and breast cancer cells to paclitaxel.

CONTEXT: Many cancer patients who initially respond to chemotherapy eventually develop chemoresistance, and to address this, we previously conducted a RNAi screen to identify genes contributing to resistance. One of the hits from the screen was branched-chain α-keto acid dehydrogenase kinase (BCKDK). BCKDK controls the metabolism of branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) through phosphorylation and inactivation of the branched-chain α-keto acid dehydrogenase complex (BCKDH), thereby inhibiting catabolism of BCAAs. METHODS: We measured the impact on paclitaxel sensitivity of inhibiting BCKDK in ovarian and breast cancer cell lines. RESULTS: Inhibition of BCKDK using siRNA or two chemical inhibitors (BCKDKi) was synergistic with paclitaxel in both breast and ovarian cancer cells. BCKDKi reduced levels of BCAA and the addition of exogenous BCAA suppressed this synergy. BCKDKi inactivated the mTORC1-Aurora pathway, allowing cells to overcame M-phase arrest induced by paclitaxel. In some cases, cells almost completed cytokinesis, then reverted to a single cell, resulting in multinucleate cells. CONCLUSION: BCKDK is an attractive target to augment the sensitivity of cancer cells to paclitaxel.

Behavior of Silica Nanoparticles Synthesized from Rice Husk Ash by the Sol-Gel Method as a Photocatalytic and Antibacterial Agent.

Silica nanoparticles (SiO2 NPs) are one of the most well-studied inorganic nanoparticles for many applications. They offer the advantages of tunable size, biocompatibility, porous structure, and larger surface area. Thus, in this study, a high yield of SiO2 NPs was produced via the chemical treatment of rice husk ash by the sol-gel method. Characteristics of the prepared SiO2 NPs were validated using different characterization techniques. Accordingly, the phase, chemical composition, morphological, and spectroscopic properties of the prepared sample were studied. The average particle size of the SiO2 NPs was found to be approximately 60-80 nm and the surface area was 78.52 m²/g. The prepared SiO2 NPs were examined as photocatalysts for the degradation of methyl orange (MO) dye under UV irradiation. It was found that the intensity of the characteristic absorption band of MO decreased gradually with exposure time increasing, which means the successful photodegradation of MO by SiO2 NPs. Moreover, the antibacterial activity of obtained SiO2 NPs was investigated by counting the coliform bacteria in the surface water using the most probable number (MPN) index method. The results revealed that the MPN of coliform bacteria untreated and treated by SiO2 NPs was estimated to be 170 CFU/100 mL and 10 CFU/100 mL, respectively, resulting in bacterial growth inhibition of 94.12%.

Highly Efficient Elimination of Pb+2 and Al+3 Metal Ions from Wastewater Using Graphene Oxide/3,5-Diaminobenzoic Acid Composites: Selective Removal of Pb2+ from Real Industrial Wastewater.

In this study, graphene oxide (GO) was functionalized with 3,5-diaminobenzoic acid (DABA) by a one-step method to produce functionalized graphene oxide (FGO). FGO is a new type of absorbent crystalline substance that has a high surface area and a large porosity site as well as a large number of dentate functional groups which lead to enhanced adsorption performance for heavy metal ions. The adsorption efficiency of FGO for Pb+2 and Al+3 metal ions was extra satisfactory when compared with GO due to the ease of design and the homogeneous structure of FGO. The structure of synthesized GO and FGO was confirmed by different techniques such as FTIR, XRD, TGA, BET nitrogen adsorption-desorption methods, and TEM analyses. The mass of utilized adsorbents, the pH of the medium, the concentration of ionic species in the medium, temperature, and process time were all investigated as variables in the adsorbent procedure. The experimental data recorded that the maximum adsorption efficiency of the 0.5 g/L FGO composite was 99.7 and 99.8% for Pb+2 and Al+3 metal ions, respectively, while in the case of using GO, the maximum adsorption efficiency was 92.6 and 91.9% at ambient temperature in a semineutral medium at pH 6 after 4 h. The adsorption results were in good conformity with the Freundlich model and pseudo-second-order kinetics for Pb+2 and Al+3 metal ions. Also, the reusability study indicates that FGO can be used repeatedly at least for five cycles with a slight significant loss in its efficiency.

Design, Structural Inspection and Bio-Medicinal Applications of Some Novel Imine Metal Complexes Based on Acetylferrocene.

Some novel imine metal chelates with Cr3+, Mn2+, Fe3+, Co2+, Ni2+, Cu2+, Zn2+, and Cd2+ cations were produced from 2-acetylferrocene and 3-aminophenol. The new acetylferrocene azomethine ligand ((Z)-cyclopenta-1,3-dien-1-yl(2-(1-((3-hydroxyphenyl)imino)ethyl)cyclopenta-2,4-dien-1-yl)iron) and its metal ion chelates were constructed and elucidated using FT-IR, UV/Vis, 1HNMR, DTA/TGA, CHNClM studies, mass spectrometry and SEM analysis. According to the TGA/DTG investigation, the ferrocene moiety spontaneously disintegrates to liberate FeO. The morphology of the free acetylferrocene azomethine via SEM analysis was net-shaped with a size of 64.73 nm, which differed in Cd(II) complex to be a spongy shape with a size of 42.43 nm. The quantum chemical features of the azomethine ligand (HL) were computed, and its electronic and molecular structure was refined theoretically. The investigated acetylferrocene imine ligand behaves as bidinetate ligand towards the cations under study to form octahedral geometries in case of all complexes except in case of Zn2+ is tetrahedral. Various microorganisms were used to investigate the anti-pathogenic effects of the free acetylferrocene azomethine ligand and its metal chelates. Moreover, the prepared ligand and its metal complexes were tested for anticancer activity utilizing four different concentrations against the human breast cancer cell line (MCF7) and the normal melanocyte cell line (HBF4). Furthermore, the binding of 3-aminophenol, 2-acetylferrocene, HL, Mn2+, Cu2+, and Cd2+ metal chelates to the receptor of breast cancer mutant oxidoreductase was discovered using molecular docking (PDB ID: 3HB5).

Evaluation of the wound healing effect of neomycin-silver nano-composite gel in rats.

Objectives: Both nano silver and neomycin have wound healing properties. Silver nanoparticles have been used as main compounds for therapeutic drug delivery systems against various ailments. The present study aimed to prepare a neomycin silver nano-composite gel easily, rapidly, and cheaply method to improve wound healing. Methods: Forty-five Wistar rats (150-200 g) divided into nine groups: wound untreated, wound fusidic acid treated, wound neomycin treated, three groups with wound and neomycin silver nano-composite gel at 1:1, 1:2, and 1:3 concentrations, respectively, and three groups wound treated silver nano gel at the previous concentrations, respectively. Percentages of wound healing and histopathological examination of the wound area were assessed in all groups. Results: Atomic force microscopy (AFM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images demonstrated the spherical shape of neomycin silver nano-composite gel without aggregation but homogenous dispersion in a gel matrix. Dynamic light scattering (DLS) showed a 4 nm size of nano silver, which agrees with AFM image data analysis but not with TEM image due to the good coating of the gel matrix to silver nanoparticles. Dynamic light scattering Zeta potential was -21 mV, illustrating the high bioactivity of the neomycin silver nano-composite. The groups receiving neomycin silver nano-composite gel showed a significantly higher and dose dependent wound healing compared to other treatment groups. Conclusion: The present work confirmed the potential wound healing activity of neomycin silver nano-composite gel compared to either alone.

The antibacterial effect of silver, zinc-oxide and combination of silver/ zinc oxide nanoparticles coating of orthodontic brackets (an in vitro study).

BACKGROUND: Preventive measures are essential during the length of orthodontic treatment to reduce the risk of decalcification and white spot lesions formation. With the evolution of procedures that enable coating of the orthodontic brackets using nanoparticles known for their good antibacterial activity, coating the brackets with nanoparticles of silver, zinc oxide and combination of silver and zinc oxide to evaluate their antibacterial effect in comparison to a control group without coating was carried out in this study. METHODS: Four groups of 12 brackets each were included in the study. The coating procedure was carried out using physical vapor deposition. The antibacterial activity was tested on Streptococcus mutans and Lactobacillus Acidophilus using colony forming count. The antibacterial activity was evaluated immediately after coating and later after 3 months. RESULTS: Brackets coated with combination of silver and zinc oxide nanoparticles had the highest ability on reduction of both Streptococcus mutans and Lactobacillus Acidophilus count followed by silver nanoparticles and then zinc oxide nanoparticles. No significant difference was found between the first and second antibacterial tests. CONCLUSION: The silver/zinc oxide nanoparticles coated brackets had the highest antibacterial effect in comparison to silver nanoparticles and zinc oxide nanoparticles individually coated brackets on Streptococcus mutans and Lactobacillus acidophilus, and all types of coatings showed enhanced antibacterial effect in comparison to the uncoated bracket. Coating of orthodontic brackets could be further assessed in clinical application to prevent decalcification.

Synthesis, Spectroscopic, Structural and Molecular Docking Studies of Some New Nano-Sized Ferrocene-Based Imine Chelates as Antimicrobial and Anticancer Agents.

The newly synthesized organometallic acetyl ferrocene imine ligand (HL) was obtained by the direct combination of 2-acetyl ferrocene with 2-aminothiophenol. The electronic and molecular structure of acetyl ferrocene imine ligand (HL) was refined theoretically and the chemical quantum factors were computed. Complexes of the acetyl ferrocene imine ligand with metal(II)/(III) ions (Cr(III), Mn(II), Fe(III), Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II), Zn(II) and Cd(II)) were fabricated. They were inspected by thermal (DTG/TG), spectroscopic techniques (FT-IR, 1H NMR, mass, UV-Vis), molar conductivity, and CHNClM to explicate their structures. Studies using scanning electron microscope (SEM) were conducted on the free acetyl ferrocene imine ligand and its Cd(II) chelate to confirm their nano-structure. To collect an idea about the effect of metal ions on anti-pathogenic properties upon chelation, the newly synthesized acetyl ferrocene imine ligand and some of its metal chelates were tested against a variety of microorganisms, including Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella typhimurium, Escherichia coli, Aspergillus fumigatus, and Candida albicans. The ligand and its metal chelate were tested for cytotoxic activity in human cancer (MCF-7 cell viability) and human melanocyte cell line HBF4. It was discovered that the Cd(II) chelate had the lowest IC50 of the three and thus had the prior activity. Molecular docking was utilized to investigate the interaction of acetyl ferrocene imine ligand (HL) with the receptors of the vascular endothelial growth factor receptor VEGFR (PDB ID: 1Y6a), human Topo IIA-bound G-segment DNA crystal structure (PDB ID: 2RGR), and Escherichia coli crystal structure (PDB ID: 3T88).

Development of Ag-dendrites @Cu nanostructure for removal of selenium (IV) from aqueous solution.

Removal of selenite (Se (IV)) from wastewater is vital due to its more toxic and mobile properties. In this study, a novel dendritic silver-dendrites@ copper with hierarchical side-branches were synthesized through a two-pot rapid, facile, and green precipitation route. Characterization of the dendrites by transmission electron microscope (TEM), scanning electron microscope (SEM), dynamic light scattering (DLS), and X-ray diffraction spectroscopy (XRD) confirmed the proper preparation of dendritic AgCu nanostructure. Significantly, the Ag@Cu nanostructure has high specific surface area (150 m2 /g) and excellent adsorption activity toward selenite. The adsorption rate of Se (IV) on the dendritic AgCu reaches 94% within 60 min under normal adsorption procedures. Both adsorption kinetics and isotherms have been described well by the pesudo-second order model and Langmuir model, respectively. The noticeable high adsorption capabilities can mainly accredit to the effect of the hierarchical side-branched structure. Therefore, the dendritic AgCu nanostructure has a room of treating heavy metals-contaminated industrial wastewater streams. PRACTITIONER POINTS: Silver-dendrites@ copper with hierarchical side-branches were synthesized through a rapid and green precipitation route using copper nanoparticles. The prepared nanostructure was applied for Se (IV) adsorption at varying operational conditions (contact time, pH, and dose). High adsorption capacity for Se (IV) up to 173.1 mg/g was achieved using the prepared nanoparticles applying Langmuir isotherm model.