Comparison of contrast sensitivity among strabismic and anisometropic amblyopes and its association with disease-related parameters.

PURPOSE: To evaluate and contrast the contrast sensitivity defects present in strabismic and anisometropic amblyopes. And to find out the association of contrast deterioration with the visual acuity of the amblyopic eye, the magnitude of strabismus, and the amount of anisometropia in both groups. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was carried out in the orthoptics unit of a tertiary eye care facility between October 2021 and December 2021. There were 45 patients altogether. In the first phase, the patient's history and ocular examination data were recorded after informed consent. The Pelli-Robson chart was used to measure contrast sensitivity. In the second phase, results were interpreted using the SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences) version 26.0. RESULTS: Strabismic amblyopes were 24 and anisometropic amblyopes were 21. A significant positive association existed between both groups' contrast sensitivity and visual acuity (P = 0.000). A moderately negative correlation between contrast and anisometropia was statistically significant (P = 0.025) in anisometropic amblyopes. However, no association (P > 0.050) existed between the contrast and magnitude of strabismus in any group. CONCLUSION: The study concluded that contrast sensitivity decreases in both groups, whereas anisometropic amblyopes have poorer contrast than strabismic amblyopes. Excessively decreased contrast sensitivity among anisometropic amblyopes was solely because of the worst amblyopia in this group, whereas the magnitude of strabismus does not affect contrast sensitivity.

Essential Oil from Tagetes minuta Has Antiquorum Sensing and Antibiofilm Potential against Pseudomonas aeruginosa Strain PAO1.

Biofilms are complex communities of microorganisms that are enclosed in a matrix that shows increased resistance to antimicrobial and immunological encounters. Mostly, the traditional methods to control biofilm are exhausted; therefore, the aim is to evaluate the potential of essential oil (EO) from Tagetes minuta to encounter biofilm and other related virulence factors. The EO of T. minuta was extracted through steam-distillation, analyzed on gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, and the biofilm inhibition assays were performed with various concentrations of EO. Mainly the EO from T. minuta contains cis-ß-ocimene (29.1%), trans-tagetenone (23.1%), and cis-tagetenone (17.7%). The virulence factors were monitored while applying different concentrations of EO and it was recorded that the EO from T. minuta significantly inhibited the virulence factors linked with quorum sensing (QS), such as pyocyanin production, protease production, and swarming motility. Biofilm formation is one of the most important virulence factors associated with the QS pathway and was inhibited up to 79% in the presence of EO. Antibacterial activity against the PAO1 of EO was not so promising particularly and it has high MIC (325 µg/mL) and MBC (5000 µg/mL). EO is quite efficient to inhibit biofilm in a very small concentration of 20 µg/mL, which confirms that the biofilm inhibition by EO is not by killing bacterial cells but by inhibiting the QS pathway. The study on PAO1 constructs carrying various QS reported genes confirmed that the EO interferes with the QS pathway that ultimately controls various virulence factors caused by PAO1.

Syntheses and structural characterization of divalent metal complexes (Co, Ni, Pd and Zn) of sterically hindered thiourea ligand and a theoretical insight of their interaction with SARS-CoV-2 enzyme.

Reacting two equivalents of sterically hindered 1,3-bis(2,6-diethylphenyl)thiourea ligand (L) with CoCl2, NiBr2, PdX2 (X = Cl; Br) and ZnI2 in acetonitrile afforded the corresponding bulky thiourea ligand stabilized four coordinated monomeric [L2CoCl2] (1), [L2NiBr2] (2), [L2PdX2] (3a: X = Cl; 3b: X = Br) and [L2ZnI2] (4.2CH3CN) complexes. Compound 1, 2 and 4.2CH3CN are tetrahedral whereas Pd complexes (3a and 3b) are square planar. In solution, palladium complexes are dominated by cis-isomers. Structural characterization shows inter- and intramolecular hydrogen bonding. Hirshfeld surface and fingerprint plots indicated significant intermolecular interactions in the crystal network. Molecular docking analysis revealed relatively higher SARS-CoV-2 enzyme interacting abilities of the synthesized complexes compared to the free ligand. All compounds have been characterized by elemental analyses, NMR spectroscopy and single-crystal X-ray diffraction.

Carboxymethyl Cellulose/Gelatin Hydrogel Films Loaded with Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles for Sustainable Food Packaging Applications.

The current research work presented the synthesis of carboxymethyl cellulose-gelatin (CMC/GEL) blend and CMC/GEL/ZnO-Nps hydrogel films which were characterized by FT-IR and XRD, and applied to antibacterial and antioxidant activities for food preservation as well as for biomedical applications. ZnO-Nps were incorporated into the carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) and gelatin (GEL) film-forming solution by solution casting followed by sonication. Homogenous mixing of ZnO-Nps with CMC/GEL blend improved thermal stability, mechanical properties, and moisture content of the neat CMC/GEL films. Further, a significant improvement was observed in the antibacterial activity and antioxidant properties of CMC/GEL/ZnO films against two food pathogens, Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. Overall, CMC/GEL/ZnO films are eco-friendly and can be applied in sustainable food packaging materials.

PMMA/ABS/CoCl2 Composites for Pharmaceutical Applications: Thermal, Antimicrobial, Antibiofilm, and Antioxidant Studies.

In this study, PMMA/ABS/CoCl2 ternary composite films were fabricated by the solution casting technique. The different weight ratios of cobalt chloride (≤10 wt) were incorporated into the PMMA/ABS blend (80:20). The chemical structure and thermal properties of the synthesized composites were assessed by FT-IR, TGA, and XRD. The biological properties of ternary composites, such as in vitro antibacterial activity and antioxidant capacity, were investigated. The enhanced thermal stability and promising antibacterial, selective antibiofilm, and potential antioxidant properties of PMMA/ABS/cobalt chloride composites demonstrated that they can be used for high-quality plastics and in many pharmaceutical applications.

Mononuclear Tricoordinate Copper(I) and Silver(I) Halide Complexes of a Sterically Bulky Thiourea Ligand and a Computational Insight of Their Interaction with Human Insulin.

Reaction of two equivalents of the bulky 1,3-bis(2,6-diethylphenyl)thiourea ligand (L) with MX (being M = Cu+, Ag+; and X = Cl-, Br-, I-) in acetonitrile afforded neutral complexes of the type [MXL2] [CuClL2].2CH3CN (1a); [CuBrL2].2CH3CN (1b); [CuIL2] (1c): [AgClL2] (2a); [AgBrL2] (2b) and [AgIL2] (2c). The two aromatic groups in free ligand were found to be trans with respect to the thiourea unit, which was a reason to link the ligand molecules via intermolecular hydrogen bonding. Intramolecular hydrogen bonding was observed in all metal complexes. The copper complexes 1a and 1b are acetonitrile solvated and show not only intra- but also intermolecular hydrogen bonding between the coordinated thiourea and the solvated acetonitrile molecules. Silver complexes reported here are the first examples of structurally characterized tricoordinated thiourea-stabilized monomeric silver(I) halides. Molecular docking studies were carried out to analyze the binding modes of the metal complexes inside the active site of the human insulin (HI) protein. Analysis of the docked conformations revealed that the electrostatic and aromatic interactions of the protein N-terminal residues (i.e., Phe and His) may assist in anchoring and stabilizing the metal complexes inside the active site. According to the results of docking studies, the silver complexes exhibited the strongest inhibitory capability against the HI protein, which possesses a deactivating group, directly bonded to silver. All compounds were fully characterized by elemental analysis, NMR spectroscopy, and molecular structures of the ligand, and five out of six metal complexes were also confirmed by single-crystal X-ray diffraction.

Formation of a dimeric tungsten(i) complex via C-H activation.

An aminopyridinato ligand stabilized and coordinatively unsaturated dimeric tungsten(0) complex having an electronic structure with six metal centred HOMOs (σ2,π2,π2,δ2,δ2, and δ*2) has been isolated and structurally characterized. Its reaction with a cryptand leads to a C-H bond activation of one of the isopropyl groups of the N-ligand to form a dimeric tungsten(i) complex.

CO2 and SO2 activation by a Cr-Cr quintuple bond.

A quintuply bonded dichromium complex stabilized by aminopyridinato ligands activates CO2 and SO2 by reducing the (formal) bond order of the metal-metal bonds. Oxygen abstraction is observed during CO2 activation. SO2 activation proceeds via formation of a unique dithionite complex/coordination. Furthermore, N2O activation was investigated and the formation of a tetrameric Cr-oxo complex was observed.

Quintuple bond reactivity toward group 16 and 17 elements: addition vs insertion.

The low valent, coordinatively unsaturated, and formally quintuply bonded bimetallic aminopyridinato chromium complex 1 was investigated regarding its reactivity toward group 16 and 17 elements. Reaction of 1 with O(2) yielded a dimeric Cr oxo complex 2, a compound with a high formal oxidation state carrying both bridging and terminal oxo ligands. Reactions with the higher homologues of the group lead to the formation of dimeric Cr(II) complexes in which E(2)(2-) ligands were formed [E = S (3), Se (4), and Te (5)]. Here the quintuply bonded dichromium unit formally undergoes an addition reaction. Reaction of 1 with the homo diatomic molecules of the group 17 elements leads to products in which the Cr-Cr quintuple bond is inserted into the corresponding X(2) molecule [X = Cl (6), Br (7), and I (8)]. Complex 1 was also found to insert into the S-S and Se-Se bonds of 1,2-diphenyldisulfane or the corresponding selenium compound (complexes 9 and 10, respectively). All the compounds have been characterized by NMR and elemental analysis. Additionally, eight of the complexes have been characterized by X-ray analysis. The bimetallic Cr(II) complexes feature metal-metal distances between 1.8369(18) and 1.918(12) Å.

Reversible chain transfer between organoyttrium cations and aluminum: synthesis of aluminum-terminated polyethylene with extremely narrow molecular-weight distribution.

Aminopyridinato-ligand-stabilized organoyttrium cations are accessible in very good yield through alkane elimination from trialkyl yttrium complexes with sterically demanding aminopyridines, followed by abstraction of one of the two alkyl functions using ammonium borates. At 80 degrees C and in the presence of small amounts of aluminum alkyl compounds, very high ethylene polymerization activities are observed if very bulky aminopyridinato ligands are used. During these polymerizations a reversible polyethylene chain transfer is observed between the organoyttrium cations and aluminum alkyls. The chain-transfer catalyst system described here is able to produce relatively long-chain (up to 4000 g mol-1) Al-terminated polyethylene with a molecular-weight distribution<1.1. In the synthesis of higher molecular PE a slight increase in polydispersity with increasing chain length (15,600 g mol-1, approximately 1.4) is observed owing to reduced reversibility caused by higher viscosity and precipitation of polymer chains (temperature of 80-100 degrees C).