Evaluation of biological (feed, water), seasonal, and geological factors affecting the heavy metal content of raw milk

In volcanic regions worldwide, soil and water can be contaminated with heavy metals. Aksaray province is also an important region in this respect. Because this city is located around Hasandağı, an extinct volcanic mountain. In addition, the city is also an important dairy center. In this regard, evaluating the milk produced in Aksaray in terms of heavy metal contamination and studying the effect of feed and water on this contamination is essential. For this purpose, feed, water, and milk samples from 7 milk producers determined in Aksaray province were collected in 3 different seasons within six months. The presence and levels of arsenic (As), aluminum (Al), nickel (Ni), cadmium (Cd), and lead (Pb) were determined by ICP-MS analysis of the 126 samples obtained. The study found varying levels of heavy metals in feed, water, and milk. It was also observed that milk contained considerably lower quantities of metals and metalloids than feed and water. In addition, it has been determined that the distance to Hasandağı does not affect the trace element levels in water, milk, and feed, but there is a significant relationship between seasonal changes and trace elements in the samples. According to the analysis results, the highest level is the feed's aluminum level (298,290.1 µg/kg). However, the aluminum level in milk remained well below this level (96.15 µg/kg). It was determined that the cadmium level in milk reached the highest level in spring (average 0.06 µg/kg), whereas lead levels reached the highest level in summer (average 2.14 µg/kg). On the other hand, the arsenic level showed a relatively small change according to the distance to the volcanic region. The average arsenic level in milk from regions near the volcanic area was measured as 1.01 µg/kg. In remote areas, this amount was measured as 0.94 µg/kg, Furthermore, the highest heavy metal level in the milk was 182.08 µg/kg for nickel during the summer months in the study. © 2023 Elsevier Inc

A new nanotheranostic based on azabodipy and nano graphene oxide: design and synthesis

Kanser, hücrelerin kontrolsüz çoğalmasıyla oluşan ve klinik görünümü, tedavisi ve yaklaşımı birbirinden farklı olan bir hastalık grubudur. Kanser tedavi yöntemleri; cerrahi, kemoterapi ve radyoterapidir. Son yıllarda geliştirilmiş tedavi yaklaşımları olan fotodinamik terapi ve fototermal terapi oldukça dikkat çekmektedir. Fotodinamik terapi kanserli veya kötü huylu olmayan bazı hastalıkların tedavisinde yaygın olarak kullanılmaktadır. Bu tedavi yöntemi, hastalıklı hücreleri seçici ve etkili bir şekilde yok eden bir fotoduyarlaştırıcı ve ona uygun bir ışık kaynağının, tercihen yakın kızıl ötesi bölgede (650-800 nm), kullanılması ile gerçekleştirilir. Son yıllarda geliştirilmiş bir çok fotoduyarlaştırıcı olmasına rağmen, klinik uygulamalar için onaylanmış terapi ajanı sayısı oldukça azdır. Fototermal Terapi (FTT), soğurulan yakın kızıl ötesi (NIR) ışığın ısı enerjisine dönüşmesi esasına dayanan bir tedavi yöntemidir. FTT son dönemde oldukça ilgi çekmektedir. Bu tezde indirgenmiş grafen oksitle kombine edilmiş AzaBODIPY temelli yeni bir nanoteranostik ajanın, AzaBODIPY@NrGO, sentezi ve karakterizasyonu yapılmıştır. Bu yeni malzemenin fotodinamik terapi ve fototermal terapi yapabileceği in vitro deneylerle gösterilmiş olup kanser tedavisinde umut vaat ettiği ortaya konmuştur.Cancer is a group of diseases caused by uncontrolled proliferation of cells and its clinical appearance, diagnosis and treatment approaches are completely different processes. Current cancer treatments are surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. In recent years, photodynamic and photothermal therapies have been very promising as new treatment modalities. Photodynamic therapy is widely used in the treatment of some non-cancerous or malignant diseases. This method of treatment is carried out by the use of a photosensitizer that selectively and effectively destroys diseased cells in the presence of a suitable light source, preferably in the near infrared region (650-800 nm). Although there have been many photosensitizers developed in recent years, a limited number of clinically approved therapeutic agents for real applications exists. Photothermal Therapy (FTT) is a treatment based on the conversion of absorbed near infrared (NIR) light into heat energy. FTT has also become very popular recently. In this thesis, synthesis and characterization of Aza BODIPY and reduced graphene oxide (rGO) based nanoteranostatic agent, namely AzaBODIPY®NrGO, were described. In vitro experiments have shown that this new nanomaterial can be used in both photodynamic therapy and photothermal therapy. It has been shown that AzaBODIPY®NrGO is a promising agent in the treatment of cancer

Aza-BODIPY based fluorescent and colorimetric sensors and probes

Aza-boron-dipyrromethenes (Aza-BODIPYs) represent an important class of chromophores absorbing and emitting in the near-infrared (NIR) region. They have unique optical and electronic features and higher physiological and photo stability than other NIR dyes. Especially after the development of facile synthetic routes, Aza-BODIPYs have become indispensable fluors that can find various applications ranging from chemosensors, bioimaging, phototherapy, solar energy materials, photocatalysis, photon upconversion, lasers, and optoelectronics. Herein, we review Aza-BODIPY based fluorescent and colorimetric chemosensors. We show the potential and untapped toolbox of Aza-BODIPY based fluorescent and colorimetric chemosensors. Hence, we divide the fluorescent and colorimetric chemosensors and probes into five sections according to the target analytes. The first section begins with the chemosensors developed for pH. Next, we discuss Aza-BODIPY based ion sensors including, metal ions and anions. Finally, we present the chemosensors and probes concerning reactive oxygen (ROS) and nitrogen species (RNS) along with biologically relevant species in the last two sections. We believe that Aza-BODIPYs are still in their infancy, and they have a promising future for translation from the bench to real biomedical and materials science applications. After two decades of intensive research, it seems that there are many more to come in this already fertile field. Overall, we hope that future work will further expand the applications of Aza-BODIPY in many areas

BODIPY and 2,3-dihydrophthalazine-1,4-dione conjugates as heavy atom-free chemiluminogenic photosensitizers

We disclose an interesting concept for developing heavy atom-free chemiluminogenic photosensitizers. To accomplish this, conjugates 2 and 3, which are composed of boron-dipyrromethene (BODIPY) and 2,3-dihydrophthalazine-1,4-dione units, are investigated. 2 and 3 are compared in terms of their photophysical properties, chemiluminescence responses, and singlet oxygen production. Strikingly, the results indicate that decoration of BODIPY with the 2,3-dihydrophthalazine-1,4-dione scaffold boosts the singlet oxygen generation. Furthermore, treatment of epidermoid laryngeal carcinoma Hep-2 (Hep-2) cells with conjugates 2 and 3 results in efficient cellular internalization which ensures live- cell imaging of Hep-2 cells. Finally, it is noteworthy that in vitro cytotoxicity assays reveal that both 2 and 3 induce cytotoxicity when illuminated with red light. Thus, 2 and 3 represent heavy atom-free chemiluminogenic photosensitizers

BODIPY and 2,3-Dihydrophthalazine-1,4-Dione Conjugates As Heavy Atom-Free Chemiluminogenic Photosensitizers

We disclose an interesting concept for developing heavy atom-free chemiluminogenic photosensitizers. To accomplish this, conjugates 2 and 3, which are composed of boron-dipyrromethene (BODIPY) and 2,3-dihydrophthalazine-1,4-dione units, are investigated. 2 and 3 are compared in terms of their photophysical properties, chemiluminescence responses, and singlet oxygen production. Strikingly, the results indicate that decoration of BODIPY with the 2,3-dihydrophthalazine-1,4-dione scaffold boosts the singlet oxygen generation. Furthermore, treatment of epidermoid laryngeal carcinoma Hep-2 (Hep-2) cells with conjugates 2 and 3 results in efficient cellular internalization which ensures live- cell imaging of Hep-2 cells. Finally, it is noteworthy that in vitro cytotoxicity assays reveal that both 2 and 3 induce cytotoxicity when illuminated with red light. Thus, 2 and 3 represent heavy atom-free chemiluminogenic photosensitizers

Fabrication of PAMP/Au and GO/PAMP/Au nanosensors for electrochemical detection of paracetamol in pharmaceutical preparations

This paper reports on the modification of Pencil Graphite Electrode (PGE) surface with the poly(2-amino-4-methylphenol)/gold (PAMP/Au) and graphene oxide/poly(2-amino-4-methylphenol)/gold (GO/PAMP/Au) nanocomposites, in two steps. The first step is based on the one-pot preparation of composites by template-free chemical oxidation process. In the second step, composites are deposited at PGE surface by electro-oxidation process. Both nanocomposites and modified PGE surfaces are characterized by X-Ray Diffraction method (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), EDAX, and CV analyses. The electrochemical performances of modified electrodes (abbreviated as PAMP/Au-PGE and GO/PAMP/Au-PGE) were investigated. The limit of detection values for PGE, PAMP/Au-PGE, and GO/PAMP/Au-PGE were found to be 2.74 × 10–6, 5.29 × 10–7, and 2.91 × 10–8 mol/dm3, respectively. The limit of quantification values were determined as 9.14 × 10–6, 1.76 × 10–6, and 9.69 × 10–8 mol/dm3 for PGE, PAMP/Au-PGE, and GO/PAMP/Au-PGE, respectively

Material and design toolkit for drug delivery: state of the art, trends, and challenges

The nanomaterial and related toolkit have promising applications for improving human health and well-being. Nanobased drug delivery systems use nanoscale materials as carriers to deliver therapeutic agents in a targeted and controlled manner, and they have shown potential to address issues associated with conventional drug delivery systems. They offer benefits for treating various illnesses by encapsulating or conjugating biological agents, chemotherapeutic drugs, and immunotherapeutic agents. The potential applications of this technology are vast; however, significant challenges exist to overcome such as safety issues, toxicity, efficacy, and insufficient capacity. This article discusses the latest developments in drug delivery systems, including drug release mechanisms, material toolkits, related design molecules, and parameters. The concluding section examines the limitations and provides insights into future possibilities

Nanomaterial surface modification toolkit: principles, components, recipes, and applications

Surface-functionalized nanostructures are at the forefront of biotechnology, providing new opportunities for biosensors, drug delivery, therapy, and bioimaging applications. The modification of nanostructures significantly impacts the performance and success of various applications by enabling selective and precise targeting. This review elucidates widely practiced surface modification strategies, including click chemistry, cross-coupling, silanization, aldehyde linkers, active ester chemistry, maleimide chemistry, epoxy linkers, and other protein and DNA-based methodologies. We also delve into the application-focused landscape of the nano-bio interface, emphasizing four key domains: therapeutics, biosensing, environmental monitoring, and point-of-care technologies, by highlighting prominent studies. The insights presented herein pave the way for further innovations at the intersection of nanotechnology and biotechnology, providing a useful handbook for beginners and professionals. The review draws on various sources, including the latest research articles (2018-2023), to provide a comprehensive overview of the field