Assessment of the microbial electrochemical sensor (SENTRY™) as a potential wastewater quality monitoring tool for common pollutants found in Malaysia.

Bioelectrochemical sensors for environment monitoring have the potential to provide facility operators with real-time data, allowing for better and more timely decision-making regarding water and wastewater treatment. To assess the robustness and sensitivity of the Sentry™ biosensor in local conditions, it was tested in Malaysia using domestically available wastewater. The study objectives included (1) enrich the biosensor locally, (2) operate and test the biosensor with local domestic wastewater, and (3) determine the biosensor's responsiveness to model pollutants through pollutant spike and immersion test as well as response to absence of wastewater. Lab-scale operation shows the biosensor was successfully enriched with (1) local University Kebangsaan Malaysia's, microbial community strain collection and (2) local municipal wastewater microflora, operated for more than 50 days with a stable yet responsive carbon consumption rate (CCR) signal. Meanwhile, two independent biosensors were also enriched and operated in Indah Water Research Centre's crude sewage holding tank, showing a stable response to the wastewater. Next, a pilot scale setup was constructed to test the enriched biosensors for the spiked-pollutant test. The biosensors showed a proportional CCR response (pollutant presence detected) towards several organic compounds in the sewage, including ethanol, chicken blood, and dilution of tested sewage but less to curry powder, methanol, and isopropanol. Conversely, there was no significant response (pollutant presence not detected) towards hexane, Congo red, engine oil, and paint, which may be due to their non-biodegradability and/or insoluble nature. Additionally, the biosensors were exposed to air for 6 h to assess their robustness towards aerobic shock with a positive result. Overall, the study suggested that the biosensor could be a powerful monitoring tool, given its responsiveness towards organic compounds in sewage under normal conditions.

A review of the treatment technologies for hexavalent chromium contaminated water.

The toxicity of hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) present in the environment has exceeded the current limits or standards and thus may lead to biotic and abiotic catastrophes. Accordingly, several treatments, including chemical, biological, and physical approaches, are being used to reduce Cr(VI) waste in the surrounding environment. This study compares the Cr(VI) treatment approaches from several areas of science and their competence in Cr(VI) removal. As an effective combination of physical and chemical approaches, the coagulation-flocculation technique removes more than 98% of Cr(VI) in less than 30 min. Most membrane filtering approaches can remove up to 90% of Cr(VI). Biological approaches that involve the use of plants, fungi, and bacteria also successfully eliminate Cr(VI) but are difficult to scale up. Each of these approaches has its benefits and drawbacks, and their applicability is determined by the research aims. These approaches are also sustainable and environmentally benign, thus limiting their effects on the ecosystem.

Molecular Docking of Bacterial Protein Modulators and Pharmacotherapeutics of Carica papaya Leaves as a Promising Therapy for Sepsis: Synchronising In Silico and In Vitro Studies.

Sepsis is a serious health concern globally, which necessitates understanding the root cause of infection for the prevention of proliferation inside the host's body. Phytochemicals present in plants exhibit antibacterial and anti-proliferative properties stipulated for sepsis treatment. The aim of the study was to determine the potential role of Carica papaya leaf extract for sepsis treatment in silico and in vitro. We selected two phytochemical compounds, carpaine and quercetin, and docked them with bacterial proteins, heat shock protein (PDB ID: 4PO2), surfactant protein D (PDB ID: 1PW9), and lactobacillus bacterial protein (PDB ID: 4MKS) against imipenem and cyclophosphamide. Quercetin showed the strongest interaction with 1PW9 and 4MKS proteins. The leaves were extracted using ethanol, methanol, and water through Soxhlet extraction. Total flavonoid content, DPPH assay, HPTLC, and FTIR were performed. In vitro cytotoxicity of ethanol extract was screened via MTT assay on the J774 cell line. Ethanol extract (EE) possessed the maximum number of phytocomponents, the highest amount of flavonoid content, and the maximum antioxidant activity compared to other extracts. FTIR analysis confirmed the presence of N-H, O-H, C-H, C=O, C=C, and C-Cl functional groups in ethanol extract. Cell viability was highest (100%) at 25 µg/mL of EE. The present study demonstrated that the papaya leaves possessed antibacterial and cytotoxic activity against sepsis infection.

Integrated emergent-floating planted reactor for textile effluent: Removal potential, optimization of operational conditions and potential forthcoming waste management strategy.

Native emergent and floating plants; local reed grass (Phragmites karka) and water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes), respectively, were used to treat textile wastewater using an integrated emergent-floating planted reactor (IEFPR) system at hydraulic retention times (HRTs) of 8, 14, and 19 days. Real textile effluent having characteristics of 1686.3 ADMI for colour, 535 mg/L for total suspended solid (TSS), 647.7 mg/L for chemical oxygen demand (COD) and 124 mg/L for biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) was used throughout this study. The IEFPR system experienced maximum removal of colour (94.8%, HRT 14 days, day 3), TSS (92.7%, HRT 19 days, day 7), and COD (96.6%, HRT 8 days, day 5) at different HRT and exposure time. The process conditions (HRT and exposure time) were optimized for maximum colour, TSS and COD removal from textile effluent by employing response surface methodology (RSM). The optimization has resulted 100% removal of colour, 87% removal of TSS and 100% removal of COD at HRT of 8 days and exposure time of 5 days, with 0.984 desirability. The integrated plant-assisted treatment system showed reliable performance in treating textile wastewater at optimum operational conditions to improve effluent quality before disposal into water bodies or being recycled into the process. The potential of phytoremediator (produced plant biomass) to be utilized as resources for bioenergy or to be converted into value added products (adsorbent or biochar) provides an alternative to management strategy for better environmental sustainability.

Aquaculture industry: Supply and demand, best practices, effluent and its current issues and treatment technology.

The aquaculture industry has become increasingly important and is rapidly growing in terms of providing a protein food source for human consumption. With the increase in the global population, demand for aquaculture is high and is estimated to reach 62% of the total global production by 2030. In 2018, it was reported that the demand for aquaculture was 46% of the total production, and with the current positive trends, it may be possible to increase tremendously in the coming years. China is still one of the main players in global aquaculture production. Due to high demand, aquaculture production generates large volumes of effluent, posing a great danger to the environment. Aquaculture effluent comprises solid waste and dissolved constituents, including nutrients and contaminants of emerging concern, thereby bringing detrimental impacts such as eutrophication, chemical toxicity, and food insecurity. Waste can be removed through culture systems, constructed wetlands, biofloc, and other treatment technologies. Some methods have the potential to be applied as zero-waste discharge treatment. Thus, this article analyses the supply and demand for aquaculture products, the best practices adopted in the aquaculture industry, effluent characteristics, current issues, and effluent treatment technology.

Potential Association of Triglyceride Glucose Index with Cardiac Autonomic Neuropathy in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Patients.

Cardiac autonomic neuropathy (CAN) is a common and most neglected complication of diabetes, estimated to be roughly 8% in recently diagnosed patients and greater than 50% in patients with chronic disease history. The insulin resistance (IR) itself is bidirectionally associated with increased risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and CAN is a predisposing factor. The primary objective of the present study was aimed to find a correlation of triglyceride glucose index (TyG index) in CAN patients along with the prevalence of CAN in T2DM patients as a secondary objective. This prevalence study was conducted on 202 patients visiting the diabetic clinic of Hamdard Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, Jamia Hamdard (HIMSR) teaching hospital in New Delhi, India who fulfilled the inclusion criteria. The Ewings autonomic function test was used for diagnosis of CAN. TyG index was calculated for patients based on fasting levels of glucose and triglyceride. The CAN was diagnosed in 62 participants out of 202 T2DM patients (overall prevalence 30.7%). The mean ± standard deviation (SD) for TyG index was 10.3 ± 0.2 and 9.5 ± 0.2 in CAN positive, T2DM patients, respectively. The difference of TyG index, in CAN positive and T2DM patients, was highly significant (P < 0.001). Further correlation analysis was performed to find an association of TyG index, duration, and age with patient groups. TyG index showed a positive correlation with heart rate during deep breathing (HRD), heart rate variation during standing (HRS), blood pressure (BP) response to handgrip and BP response to standing. Our finding highlights the TyG index, low-cost IR index, might be useful as an alternative tool for the early screening of patients at a high risk of diabetic neuropathy.

Elucidation of in-vitro anti-inflammatory bioactive compounds isolated from Jatropha curcas L. plant root.

BACKGROUND: The Jatropha curcas plant or locally known as "Pokok Jarak" has been widely used in traditional medical applications. This plant is used to treat various conditions such as arthritis, gout, jaundice, wound and inflammation. However, the nature of compounds involved has not been well documented. Hence, this study was conducted to investigate the anti-inflammatory activity of different parts of J. curcas plant and to identify the active compounds involved. METHODS: In this study, methanol (80%) extraction of four different parts (leaves, fruits, stem and root) of J. curcas plant was carried out. Phenolic content of each part was determined by using Folin-Ciocalteau reagent. Gallic acid was used as the phenol standard. Each plant part was screened for anti-inflammatory activity using cultured macrophage RAW 264.7 cells. The active plant part was then partitioned with hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate and water. Each partition was again screened for anti-inflammatory activity. The active partition was then fractionated using an open column chromatography system. Single spots isolated from column chromatography were assayed for anti-inflammatory and cytotoxicity activities. Spots that showed activity were subjected to gas chromatography mass spectrophotometry (GC-MS) analysis for identification of active metabolites. RESULTS: The hexane partition from root extract showed the highest anti-inflammatory activity. However, it also showed high cytotoxicity towards RAW 264.7 cells at 1 mg/mL. Fractionation process using column chromatography showed five spots. Two spots labeled as H-4 and H-5 possessed anti-inflammatory activity, without cytotoxicity activity. Analysis of both spots by GC-MS showed the presence of hexadecanoic acid methyl ester, octadecanoic acid methyl ester and octadecanoic acid. CONCLUSION: This finding suggests that hexadecanoic acid methyl ester, octadecanoic acid methyl ester and octadecanoic acid could be responsible for the anti-inflammatory activity of the J. curcas root extract.

Immobilization of cellulase on TiO2 nanoparticles by physical and covalent methods: a comparative study.

Immobilization of cellulase from Aspergillus niger on TiO2 nanoparticles was studied by two different approaches--physical adsorption and covalent coupling. A. niger was selected, as it is generally non-pathogenic, is found in nature in the broad range of habitats and produces cellulase extracellulary. For covalent method, TiO2 nanoparticles were modified with aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTS). The adsorbed and covalently immobilized enzymes showed 76% and 93% activity, respectively, as compared to the free enzyme. The catalytic efficiency V(max)/K(m) increased from 0.4 to 4.0 after covalent attachment, whereas in adsorption method, it increased slightly from 0.4 to 1.2. The covalently-immobilized and adsorbed cellulase lost only 25% and 50% of their activity, respectively after 60 min of incubation at 75 degrees C. The reusability and operational stability data also showed that covalent coupling increased the stability of the enzyme. The presence of enzyme on TiO2 nanoparticles was confirmed by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. The high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) studies indicated aggregation of enzyme when adsorbed on TiO2 surface and a monolayer of enzyme in covalent attachment. In conclusion, covalently attached cellulase retained good activity and thermal stability, as compared to physically adsorbed enzyme. The lower amount of enzyme activity and thermal stability in case of physically adsorbed immobilized enzyme was due to aggregation of the enzyme after adsorption on TiO2 nanoparticles, as revealed by HR-TEM and AFM. Thus, TiO2 nanoparticles could be suitable candidates for immobilization of cellulase for industrial applications like paper, textile, detergent and food industries.

Role of ribosomal pathways and comorbidity in COVID-19: Insight from SARS-CoV-2 proteins and host proteins interaction network analysis.

The COVID-19 pandemic has become a significant global issue in terms of public health. While it is largely associated with respiratory complications, recent reports indicate that patients also experience neurological symptoms and other health issues. The objective of this study is to examine the network of protein-protein interactions (PPI) between SARS-CoV-2 proteins and human host proteins, pinpoint the central genes within this network implicated in disease pathology, and assess their viability as targets for drug development. The study adopts a network-based approach to construct a network of 29 SARS-CoV-2 proteins interacting with 2896 host proteins, with 176 host genes being identified as interacting genes with all the viral proteins. Gene ontology and pathway analysis of these host proteins revealed their role in biological processes such as translation, mRNA splicing, and ribosomal pathways. We further identified EEF2, RPS3, RPL9, RPS16, and RPL11 as the top 5 most connected hub genes in the disease-causing network, with significant interactions among each other. These hub genes were found to be involved in ribosomal pathways and cytoplasmic translation. Further a disease-gene interaction was also prepared to investigate the role of hub genes in other disorders and to understand the condition of comorbidity in COVID-19 patients. We also identified 13 drug molecules having interactions with all the hub genes, and estradiol emerged as the top potential drug target for the COVID-19 patients. Our study provides valuable insights using the protein-protein interaction network of SARS-CoV-2 proteins with host proteins and highlights the molecular basis of manifestation of COVID-19 and proposes drug for repurposing. As the pandemic continues to evolve, it is anticipated that investigating SARS-CoV-2 proteins will remain a critical area of focus for researchers globally, particularly in addressing potential challenges posed by specific SARS-CoV-2 variants in the future.

Integrating phytoremediation and mycoremediation with biosurfactant-producing fungi for hydrocarbon removal and the potential production of secondary resources.

Treatment of petroleum-contaminated soil to a less toxic medium via physical and chemical treatment is too costly and requires posttreatment. This review focuses on the employment of phytoremediation and mycoremediation technologies in cleaning hydrocarbon-contaminated soil which is currently rare. It is considered environmentally beneficial and possibly cost-effective as it implements the synergistic interaction between plants and biosurfactant producing mycorrhiza to degrade hydrocarbon contaminants. This review also covers possible sources of hydrocarbon pollution in water and soil, toxicity effects, and current technologies for hydrocarbon removal and degradation. In addition to these problems, this review also discusses the challenges and opportunities of transforming the resultant treated sludge and treating plants into potential by-products for a higher quality of life for future generations.

Preparation, characterization and biocatalytic activity of a nanoconjugate of alpha amylase and silver nanoparticles.

The primary challenge in developing nanoparticle based enzymatic devices is to be able to chemically immobilize an enzyme, which will retain its activity or improve its function while being attached to the nanoparticle. This would be of even greater significance if the whole process could be performed under benign conditions without having to resort to functionalization of key molecules at various steps. In the present study the conjugates of amylase and silver nanoparticles were synthesized using neem leaf extract as the reducing and stabilizing agent. The silver nanoparticles were characterized using Surface Plasmon Resonance Spectra, Dynamic Light Spectroscopy (DLS), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Circular Dichroism (CD) and Surface Tunneling Microscopy (STM). The silver nanoparticles retained 85% amylase activity. The nanobiocatalyst was further characterized in terms of kinetic parameters and thermal stability. It was thermally more stable as compared to the free alpha amylase enzyme.

Potential therapeutic effect of Carica papaya leaves extract on immune response, biochemical and hematological mechanisms on cecal ligation and puncture model of sepsis in rats: an in vivo study.

Antibiotics and immunotherapies possess unavoidable adverse effects that hinder sepsis management. Herbal drugs have demonstrated potential immunomodulatory properties vital for sepsis treatment. We hypothesized in the present study that the use of Carica papaya leaves extract had the potential to improve survival and modulate immune cytokine release during sepsis. Animals were subjected to cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) to induce sepsis. Septic rats divided into 10 groups received ethanol extract of C. papaya leaves (50 and 100 mg/kg), imipenem (120 mg/kg) and cyclophosphamide (CP, 10 mg/kg). To investigate the immunomodulatory potentials of EE, cytokine levels like interleukin (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α), and IL-10 along with hematological and biochemical parameters were analyzed. Our results exhibited improved survival rates concerning ethanol extract treatment alone and in combination with imipenem and CP (100%) as compared to the CLP group (33.3%) on day 7 post-surgery. The combination treatment of ethanol extract with imipenem and CP significantly (P < 0.001) ameliorated cytokine levels and hematological and biochemical parameters in septic rats. A histopathological examination suggested improved liver and kidney tissue condition after combination treatment as compared to the CLP group. Therefore, it was concluded that combination therapy of extract with imipenem and CP improved survival rates and marked immunomodulatory potential in septic rats compared to monotherapy. The findings suggested the use of a mixture of these drugs in clinical settings to treat sepsis.

In-silico approaches for identification of compounds inhibiting SARS-CoV-2 3CL protease.

The world has witnessed of many pandemic waves of SARS-CoV-2. However, the incidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection has now declined but the novel variant and responsible cases has been observed globally. Most of the world population has received the vaccinations, but the immune response against COVID-19 is not long-lasting, which may cause new outbreaks. A highly efficient pharmaceutical molecule is desperately needed in these circumstances. In the present study, a potent natural compound that could inhibit the 3CL protease protein of SARS-CoV-2 was found with computationally intensive search. This research approach is based on physics-based principles and a machine-learning approach. Deep learning design was applied to the library of natural compounds to rank the potential candidates. This procedure screened 32,484 compounds, and the top five hits based on estimated pIC50 were selected for molecular docking and modeling. This work identified two hit compounds, CMP4 and CMP2, which exhibited strong interaction with the 3CL protease using molecular docking and simulation. These two compounds demonstrated potential interaction with the catalytic residues His41 and Cys154 of the 3CL protease. Their calculated binding free energies to MMGBSA were compared to those of the native 3CL protease inhibitor. Using steered molecular dynamics, the dissociation strength of these complexes was sequentially determined. In conclusion, CMP4 demonstrated strong comparative performance with native inhibitors and was identified as a promising hit candidate. This compound can be applied in-vitro experiment for the validation of its inhibitory activity. Additionally, these methods can be used to identify new binding sites on the enzyme and to design new compounds that target these sites.

Metabolic pathway of Cr(VI) reduction by bacteria: A review.

Heavy metal wastes, particularly hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)], are generated from anthropogenic activities, and their increasing abundance has been a research concern due to their toxicity, genotoxicity, carcinogenicity and mutagenicity. Exposure to these dangerous pollutants could lead to chronic infections and even mortality in humans and animals. Bioremediation using microorganisms, particularly bacteria, has gained considerable interest because it can remove contaminants naturally and is safe to the surrounding environment. Bacteria, such as Pseudomonas putida and Bacillus subtilis, can reduce the toxic Cr(VI) to the less toxic trivalent chromium Cr(III) through mechanisms including biotransformation, biosorption and bioaccumulation. These mechanisms are mostly linked to chromium reductase and nitroreductase enzymes, which are involved in the Cr(VI) reduction pathway. However, relevant data on the nitroreductase route remain insufficient. Thus, this work proposes an alternative metabolic pathway of nitroreductase, wherein nitrate activates the reaction and indirectly reduces toxic chromium. This nitroreductase pathway occurs concurrently with the chromium reduction pathway.

Coagulation-flocculation treatment for batik effluent as a baseline study for the upcoming application of green coagulants/flocculants towards sustainable batik industry.

The batik industry has been one of the main family businesses in most of the east-coast region of the Malaysian peninsula for many years. However, appropriate water treatment is still a major challenge for this industry. Stringent laws introduced by the Malaysian authorities and the intention to protect the environment are factors that drive researchers to search for suitable, appropriate, affordable and efficient treatment of batik wastewater. Treatment research on batik wastewater is still lacking and coagulation-flocculation treatment using alum was introduced and chosen as a stepping stone toward the selection of green coagulants. This study aimed to determine the best conditions for alum flocculation-coagulation using a standard jar test method. Four main factors were investigated: alum dosage (0.1-3.5 g/L), pH (4-11), settling time (0.5-24 h) and rapid mixing rate (100-300 rpm). Results obtained were further analysed statistically using SPSS software prior to determining the significant effect of variable changes. From this study, the best conditions for batik wastewater treatment using the flocculation-coagulation process were found to be at alum dosage of 1.5 g/L, pH 8, 4 h settling time and a rapid mixing rate of 100 rpm. Chemical oxygen demand (COD), turbidity, colour and total suspended solids (TSS) were removed by 70.7, 92.2, 88.4 and 100%, respectively, under these conditions. This study showed that batik wastewater can be treated by the coagulation-flocculation process using chemical means of alum. This indicates the need for forthcoming developments in natural-based-coagulant-flocculants toward the sustainability of the batik industry.

The sudden transition to remote learning in response to COVID-19: lessons from Malaysia.

Higher education students are frequently required to assess lecturers with a convenient, fast, and anonymous learning management system. Following the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic outbreak, Universiti Teknologi MARA Malaysia (UiTM) adopted a remote teaching and learning approach. This study examined how lecturers' professionalism, course impression, and facilitating conditions at UiTM affected undergraduate and graduate students' remote learning pre- and mid-pandemic. The higher prediction accuracy of the model demonstrated that students' remote learning activities were highly related to lecturers' professionalism, course impression, and facilitating conditions. The structural model demonstrated that the t-statistics of all measurement variables were significant at 1%. The strongest predictor of students' enjoyment of remote learning pre- and mid-pandemic was lecturers' professionalism. In the importance-performance matrix, lecturers' professionalism was in the quadrant for 'keep up the good work'. Facilitating conditions and course impression did not require further improvement even during the pandemic. The influence of remote learning was demonstrated in the students' graduation rates and grades. The results also presented theoretical and practical implications for the UiTM hybrid learning plan post-pandemic.

Microplastic Removal in Wastewater Treatment Plants (WWTPs) by Natural Coagulation: A Literature Review.

Urban industrialization has caused a ubiquity of microplastics in the environment. A large percentage of plastic waste originated from Southeast Asian countries. Microplastics arising from the primary sources of personal care items and industrial uses and the fragmentation of larger plastics have recently garnered attention due to their ubiquity. Due to the rising level of plastic waste in the environment, the bioaccumulation and biomagnification of plastics threaten aquatic and human life. Wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluents are one of the major sources of these plastic fragments. WWTPs in Southeast Asia contribute largely to microplastic pollution in the marine environment, and thus, further technological improvements are required to ensure the complete and efficient removal of microplastics. Coagulation is a significant process in removing microplastics, and natural coagulants are far superior to their chemical equivalents due to their non-toxicity and cost-effectiveness. A focused literature search was conducted on journal repository platforms, mainly ScienceDirect and Elsevier, and on scientific databases such as Google Scholar using the keywords Wastewater Treatment Plant, Coagulation, Microplastics, Marine Environment and Southeast Asia. The contents and results of numerous papers and research articles were reviewed, and the relevant papers were selected. The relevant findings and research data are summarized in this paper. The paper reviews (1) natural coagulants for microplastic removal and their effectiveness in removing microplastics and (2) the potential use of natural coagulants in Southeast Asian wastewater treatment plants as the abundance of natural materials readily available in the region makes it a feasible option for microplastic removal.

Rapid Surface Modification of Stainless Steel 304L Electrodes for Microbial Electrochemical Sensor Application.

Electrogenic microorganisms serve as important biocatalysts for microbial electrochemical sensors (MESes). The electrical signal produced is based on the rate of electron transfer between the microbes and electrodes, which represents the biotoxicity of water. However, existing MESes require complex and sophisticated fabrication methods. Here, several low-cost and rapid surface modification strategies (carbon powder-coated, flame-oxidized, and acid-bleached) have been demonstrated and studied for biosensing purposes. Surface-modified MESe bioanodes were successfully applied to detect multiple model pollutants including sodium acetate, ethanol, thinner, and palm oil mill effluent under three different testing sequences, namely, pollutant incremental, pollutant dumping, and water dilution tests. The carbon powder-coated bioanode showed the most responsive signal profile for all the three tests, which is in line with the average roughness values (Ra) when tested with atomic force microscopy. The carbon powder-coated electrode possessed a Ra value of 0.844, while flame-oxidized, acid-bleached, and control samples recorded 0.323, 0.336, and 0.264, respectively. The higher roughness was caused by the carbon coating and provided adhesive sites for microbial attachment and growth. The accuracy of MESe was also verified by correlating with chemical oxygen demand (COD) results. Similar to the sensitivity test, the carbon powder-coated bioanode obtained the highest R2 value of 0.9754 when correlated with COD results, indicating a high potential of replacing conventional water quality analysis methods. The reported work is of great significance to showcase facile surface modification techniques for MESes, which are cost-effective and sustainable while retaining the biocompatibility toward the microbial community with carbon-based coatings.

Use of gold nanoparticle-silibinin conjugates: A novel approach against lung cancer cells.

Lung cancer presents one of the most challenging carcinomas with meager 5-year survival rates (less than 20%), high metastasis and high recurrence due to chemo- and radio- resistance. An alternative or complementation to existing prognosis modalities is the use of phytochemicals such as silibinin, which targets essential cytokines, angiogenic factors and transcription factors for a profound anti-tumor effect. However, the problems of low solubility in an aqueous physiological environment, poor penetration, high metabolism and rapid systemic clearance limit the therapeutic use of silibinin. Conjugation of gold nanoparticles (GNPs) with silibinin may overcome the above challenges along with distinct advantages of biocompatibility, optical properties for monitoring and causation of cytotoxicity in cancer cells. The current study thus aims to develop silibinin conjugated gold nanoparticles (Sb-GNPs) with pH responsive release in the cancer microenvironment, optimizing several parameters for its higher activity and further evaluate the nanoplatform for their efficacy in inducing cell death in vitro against A549 lung cancer cells. GNPs was synthesized using trisodium citrate dihydrate as the reducing agent and further used for the conjugation of silibinin. The synthesized GNPs were found to be monodispersed and spherical in shape. The silibinin was successfully conjugated with gold nanoparticles and long-term stability of GNPs and Sb-GNPs nanoconjugates in suspension phase was confirmed by FTIR and DLS. Anticancer properties of Sb-GNPs were confirmed by different assay using MTT, Trypan blue dye exclusion assay and cell cycle analysis assay. After conjugation of silibinin with GNPs, the efficacy of silibinin increased 4-5 times in killing the cancer cells. This is the first report on using silibinin gold nanoconjugate system for lung cancer therapy with promising future applications.

Preparedness for the Dengue Epidemic: Vaccine as a Viable Approach.

Dengue fever is one of the significant fatal mosquito-borne viral diseases and is considered to be a worldwide problem. Aedes mosquito is responsible for transmitting various serotypes of dengue viruses to humans. Dengue incidence has developed prominently throughout the world in the last ten years. The exact number of dengue cases is underestimated, whereas plenty of cases are misdiagnosed as alternative febrile sicknesses. There is an estimation that about 390 million dengue cases occur annually. Dengue fever encompasses a wide range of clinical presentations, usually with undefinable clinical progression and outcome. The diagnosis of dengue depends on serology tests, molecular diagnostic methods, and antigen detection tests. The therapeutic approach relies completely on supplemental drugs, which is far from the real approach. Vaccines for dengue disease are in various stages of development. The commercial formulation Dengvaxia (CYD-TDV) is accessible and developed by Sanofi Pasteur. The vaccine candidate Dengvaxia was inefficient in liberating a stabilized immune reaction toward different serotypes (1-4) of dengue fever. Numerous promising vaccine candidates are now being developed in preclinical and clinical stages even though different serotypes of DENV exist that worsen the situation for a vaccine to be equally effective for all serotypes. Thus, the development of an efficient dengue fever vaccine candidate requires time. Effective dengue fever management can be a multidisciplinary challenge, involving international cooperation from diverse perspectives and expertise to resolve this global concern.