GREEN SYNTHESIS, CHARACTERIZATION, AND ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITY OF ZINC OXIDE NANOPARTICLE

Objectives: Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles have received considerable attention due to their antimicrobial, UV blocking, and high catalytic and photochemical activities. Hence, an investigation has been carried out to synthesize the ZnO nanoparticle using aqueous Phyllanthus niruri (Keezhanelli) leaf extract. Aims and objectives of the present study are to synthesize using Keezhanelli (P. niruri) leaf extract, to study its characterization, and to determine its antibacterial activity. Methods: Green synthesized ZnO nanoparticle was characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), scanning electron microscope (SEM), and transmission electron microscope (TEM) analysis. Antimicrobial activity of ZnO nanoparticle was carried out using agar well diffusion method. Results: The result of the synthesized ZnO nanoparticle using Keezhanelli (P. niruri) leaf extract showed the change of color from pale white to brown color. The result of FTIR analysis of green synthesized ZnO nanoparticle revealed the presence of biomolecules such as polyphenols, flavonoids, alkaloids, polysaccharide, amino acid, and proteins. The result of the SEM studies showed that the green synthesized ZnO nanoparticle was spherical and cylindrical in shape. The size of the ZnO nanoparticle was recorded to be 5 μm. The result of TEM studies of ZnO nanoparticle showed that majority of the particles were spherical in shape with the size of 2 μm. The result of antibacterial activity against four bacterial species showed that green synthesized ZnO nanoparticle was found to be efficient in inhibiting the growth of the bacterial isolates. Maximum zone formation was exhibited against Staphylococcus saprophyticus. Conclusion: Thus, from the results of the present study, it can be concluded that synthesis of ZnO nanoparticle using leaf extract of Keezhanelli (P. niruri) has several advantages such as simple, cost-effective, time consuming, safe, and eco-friendly compared to other methods of nanoparticle synthesis as evidenced in the present study

Women's woes in Manimekalai

Manimekalai is identified as a renaissance epic and an epic that gives rise to women. Even though it is an epic that promotes women, it can be seen from the literary scenes that many tragedies have taken place in the lives of the women of that time. 'A woman is the enemy of a woman', says the feminist proverb. Many of the women's miseries in the twenty-first century are also present in the epic women's lives of the day. It is the need of the hour to make it come out. Inability of women to think for themselves, indecisiveness, inability to move about in public despite being brave, exclusion of women from home due to immorality, exclusion of women from society due to immorality, lack of respect in society for a child born to an illegitimate woman, lack of respect in the society for a child born to an illegitimate woman, man wanting to be ignorant of it even if he is a married woman (desiring his neighbor), drunken criminal punishment given to women, punishments given to women in the constitution, etc. This article with the help of Manimekalai

Effect on haemodynamic parameters following spinal anaesthesia in sitting versus left lateral position for lower segment caesarean section: a comparative study

Background: The percentage of caesarean deliveries carried out under spinal anaesthesia has greatly increased over the last 20 years. However, hypotension remains the most common complication of spinal anaesthesia. Methods: The study groups divided into two, named group S and group L. The total sample size was 76, 38 patients in each group. All the patients were given 2 ml of hyperbaric bupivacaine (0.5%) in L3-4 midline intrathecal space in sitting position in group S, and in left lateral position in group L. Results: The comparison of heart rate showed that there was less heart rate fluctuation in group S. Statistically significant difference in mean systolic and diastolic blood pressure was seen between the groups during 2nd to 6th minutes, with more stability in group S. The mean MAP was found to be statistically significant in between 2 to 6 minutes and after 25 minutes. The mean onset time of hypotension in the group S was 17.07±7.98 minutes and that in the group L was 11.54±4.66 minutes. Conclusions: There were no significant differences in the time to reach sensory block level T6, degree of motor blockade (Bromage scale), neonatal outcome and complications in between the two groups. However onset of spinal anaesthesia is faster in the lateral position. Similarly hypotension is more in the left lateral position. The insignificant difference in block height could be because of adjustments in table position

Carbon−Phosphorus Bond Activation of Tri(2-thienyl)phosphine at Dirhenium and Dimanganese Centers

Reaction of [Re2(CO)9(NCMe)] with tri(2-thienyl)phosphine (PTh3) in refluxing cyclohexane affords three substituted dirhenium complexes: [Re2(CO)9(PTh3)] (1), [Re2(CO)8(NCMe)(PTh3)] (2), and [Re2(CO)8(PTh3)2] (3). Complex 2 was also obtained from the room-temperature reaction of [Re2(CO)8(NCMe)2] with PTh3 and is an unusual example in which the acetonitrile and phosphine ligands are coordinated to the same rhenium atom. Thermolysis of 1 and 3 in refluxing xylene affords [Re2(CO)8(μ-PTh2)(μ-η1:κ1-C4H3S)] (4) and [Re2(CO)7(PTh3)(μ-PTh2)(μ-H)] (5), respectively, both resulting from carbon−phosphorus bond cleavage of a coordinated PTh3 ligand. Reaction of [Re2(CO)10] and PTh3 in refluxing xylene gives a complex mixture of products. These products include 3−5, two further binuclear products, [Re2(CO)7(PTh3)(μ-PTh2)(μ-η1:κ1-C4H3S)] (6) and [Re2(CO)7(μ-κ1:κ2-Th2PC4H2SPTh)(μ-η1:κ1-C4H3S)] (7), and the mononuclear hydrides [ReH(CO)4(PTh3)] (8) and trans-[ReH(CO)3(PTh3)2] (9). Binuclear 6 is structurally similar to 4 and can be obtained from reaction of the latter with 1 equiv of PTh3. Formation of 7 involves a series of rearrangements resulting in the formation of a unique new diphosphine ligand, Th2PC4H2SPTh. Reaction of [Mn2(CO)10] with PTh3 in refluxing toluene affords the phosphine-substituted product [Mn2(CO)9(PTh3)] (10) and two carbon−phosphorus bond cleavage products, [Mn2(CO)6(μ-PTh2)(μ-η1:η5-C4H3S)] (11) and [Mn2(CO)5(PTh3)(μ-PTh2)(μ-η1:η5-C4H3S)] (12). Both 11 and 12 contain a bridging thienyl ligand that is bonded to one manganese atom in a η5-fashion. The molecular structures of eight of these new complexes were established by single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies, allowing a detailed analysis of the disposition of the coordinated ligands

Modulation of Ocular Surface Glycocalyx Barrier Function by a Galectin-3 N-terminal Deletion Mutant and Membrane-Anchored Synthetic Glycopolymers

Background: Interaction of transmembrane mucins with the multivalent carbohydrate-binding protein galectin-3 is critical to maintaining the integrity of the ocular surface epithelial glycocalyx. This study aimed to determine whether disruption of galectin-3 multimerization and insertion of synthetic glycopolymers in the plasma membrane could be used to modulate glycocalyx barrier function in corneal epithelial cells. Methodology/Principal Findings Abrogation of galectin-3 biosynthesis in multilayered cultures of human corneal epithelial cells using siRNA, and in galectin-3 null mice, resulted in significant loss of corneal barrier function, as indicated by increased permeability to the rose bengal diagnostic dye. Addition of β-lactose, a competitive carbohydrate inhibitor of galectin-3 binding activity, to the cell culture system, transiently disrupted barrier function. In these experiments, treatment with a dominant negative inhibitor of galectin-3 polymerization lacking the N-terminal domain, but not full-length galectin-3, prevented the recovery of barrier function to basal levels. As determined by fluorescence microscopy, both cellobiose- and lactose-containing glycopolymers incorporated into apical membranes of corneal epithelial cells, independently of the chain length distribution of the densely glycosylated, polymeric backbones. Membrane incorporation of cellobiose glycopolymers impaired barrier function in corneal epithelial cells, contrary to their lactose-containing counterparts, which bound to galectin-3 in pull-down assays. Conclusions/Significance: These results indicate that galectin-3 multimerization and surface recognition of lactosyl residues is required to maintain glycocalyx barrier function at the ocular surface. Transient modification of galectin-3 binding could be therapeutically used to enhance the efficiency of topical drug delivery

The integration of triggered drug delivery with real time quantification using FRET; creating a super ‘smart’ drug delivery system

The ability to control drug release at a specific physiological target enables the possibility of an enhanced therapeutic effect with reduced off-target toxic side effects. The discipline of controlled drug release has grown to include most areas of medicine with examples in the literature of targeted drug delivery to the majority of organs within the human body. In addition, a variety of external stimuli used to meditate the drug release process have also been investigated. Nonetheless, the concurrent real time monitoring of drug release has not been widely studied. In this manuscript, we present a novel micellar drug delivery system that is not only capable of releasing its cargo when stimulated by light but also provides a real time analysis of the amount of cargo remaining. Controlled drug release from the delivery system was mediated by physicochemical changes of a spiropyran-merocyanine photochromic dyad, while drug quantification was enabled using a Förster Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET) relationship between the photochrome and a co-encapsulated BODIPY fluorophore. The percentage of drug released from the delivery system was significantly greater (24%) when exposed to light irradiation compared to an analogous control maintained in the dark (5%). Furthermore, the fluorescence read-out capability also enabled the drug-release process to be followed in living cells with a significantly reduced fluorescence emission observed for those cells incubated with the delivery system and exposed to light irradiation compared to control cells maintained in the dark. Combined, these results highlight the utility of this approach to theranostic drug delivery with the potential of light-triggered released together with a fluorescence read-out to enable quantification of the drug release process. [Display omitted

Construction of single-chain variable fragment antibodies against MCF-7 breast cancer cells.

A phage display library of single chain variable fragment (scFv) against MCF-7 breast cancer cells was constructed from C3A8 hybridoma cells. RNA from the C3A8 was isolated, cDNA was constructed, and variable heavy and light immunoglobulin chain gene region were amplified using PCR. The variable heavy and light chain gene regions were combined with flexible linker, linked to a pCANTAB 5E phagemid vector and electrophoresed into supE strain of Escherichia coli TG1 cells. Forty-eight clones demonstrated positive binding activity to MCF-7 breast cancer cell membrane fragments and the strongest of 48 clones was selected for analysis. The anti-MCF-7 library evaluated by SfiI and NotI digests demonstrated that anti-MCF-7 scFv antibodies possess individual patterns that should be able to recognize distinct human breast cancer cells. The C3A8 scFv, with an apparent molecular weight of 32 kDa, showed high homology (99%) with single chain antibody against rice stripe virus protein P20. In summary, the anti MCF-7 scFv antibody can be used for pretargeting breast cancer for clinical diagnosis of patients; it also has potential for therapeutic applications

Immunomodulatory effects of betulinic acid isolation from the bark of Melaleuca cajuputi

Betulinic acid and its derivatives showed cytotoxicity against variety of tumour and cancer cell lines comparable to some clinically used drug. In the present study, the immunomodulatory effects of betulinic acid, isolated from the roots of Melaleuca Cajuputi, was studied. Immunomodulatory effect was evaluated by using lymphocytes proliferation assay on mice splenocytes, thymocytes and human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC), while the cell cycle progression of betulinic acid treated PBMC was also studied by using flow cytometer. The production of human interleukin-2 (IL-2) and human inteleukin-12 (IL-12) cytokines was also assessed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The results showed that betulinic acid was able to stimulate the proliferation of mice thymocytes, splenocytes and human PBMC in a time and dose-dependent manner. Meanwhile, betulinic acid treated immune cells were proliferated well at lower concentration (7.5 µg /mL), but growth inhibition occurred at a higher concentration (30 µg /mL). The findings obtained from the cell cycle analysis exhibited the proliferation effect of betulinic acid on PBMC, whereby 43.66 ± 2.60% and 42.83 ± 2.40% of the cells entered G2/M phase after 24h and 48h, respectively. Moreover, betulinic acid also induced extracellular IL-2 and IL-12 production. This finding demonstrates that betulinic acid acts as an immunomodulatory agent that may be useful in enhancing immune system. A. R. Mashitoh, S. K. Yeap, A. M. Ali, A. Faujan, M. Suhaimi, M. K. Ng, H. Y. Lam and N. B. Alithee

Hierarchical graphene oxide-Ni3S2 quantum dots nanocomposites modified glassy carbon electrode for electrochemical detection of dopamine and tyrosine

A facile synthetic strategy is demonstrated to generate nickel sulfide quantum dots (Ni3S2). The thus formed Ni3S2 quantum dots are assembled onto exfoliated graphene oxide sheets hydrothermally to form nickel sulfide-graphene oxide nanocomposite material (GO-Ni3S2). The microscopic and spectroscopic characterization of the GO-Ni3S2 nanocomposites revealed the shape, size, crystalline phases, and oxidation states (of elements) of the hybrid material. The GO-Ni3S2 nanocomposites are then coated onto the glassy carbon electrode by drop casting to form GO-Ni3S2@GCE. The modified electrode is then used to detect dopamine and tyrosine simultaneously. The effect of scan rate, analyte concentrations, pH, and interfering agents on the peak current are studied to establish a plausible mechanism for oxidizing dopamine and tyrosine at GO-Ni3S2@GCE. The GO-Ni3S2@GCE is stable for 3 weeks and ten cycles of washing with minimal loss in the peak current in each cycle. Dopamine with a concentration as low as 12 nM can be detected using the GO-Ni3S2@GCE system