Comparison of Efficacy of Topical Betamethasone Dipropionate and Topical Minoxidil in Patients With Alopecia Areata.

Background and objective Alopecia areata (AA) is a reiterative and nonscarring type of hair loss that can affect any hairy area of the body, particularly the scalp. It manifests as patchy or confluent hair loss with variations in demographics and ethnicity. There are numerous treatment options available, including topical and systemic steroids, topical minoxidil, dithranol, tacrolimus, psoralen and ultraviolet therapy (PUVA), contact immunotherapy, and oral immunosuppressive drugs. However, no previous contrast for efficacy is present between the topical betamethasone versus topical minoxidil alone in our population. This study aims to compare the efficacy of topical betamethasone dipropionate versus topical minoxidil in patients with AA. Methodology A nonrandomized controlled study was conducted at the Department of Dermatology, Jinnah Hospital Lahore, incorporating the data of patients between July 26, 2016, and January 26, 2017, after obtaining institutional ethical approval. One hundred patients with alopecia, either on the scalp or any other hairy part, from both genders, aged between 18 and 50 years, were included in the study. Two groups were created, and patients were assigned to these groups based on the clinician's choice. Group A patients were administered betamethasone dipropionate (0.05%) lotion twice daily on affected areas for 12 weeks. Group B patients were administered minoxidil (5%) solution twice daily on affected areas for 12 weeks. A four-week follow-up plan was followed. A five-point scale score system was used for alopecia grading. After 12 weeks, the hair regrowth score (RGS) was used to compare the efficacy of treatment between the two groups. Results A total of 100 patients with grades S1 to S3 AA of less than three months duration were enrolled. Two groups were created, with 50 patients in each group. The mean age in Group A was 29.08 ± 6.51 years, while in Group B, it was 29.38 ± 6.62 years. In Group A, there were 76% males and 24% females, while in Group B, there were 74% males and 26% females. Comparison of efficacy of topical betamethasone dipropionate versus topical minoxidil in patients with AA demonstrated a greater efficacy of 74% (Grade 3 and Grade 4 responses) in Group A, while in Group B, only 42% of patients showed efficacy. A statistically significant difference was found, with a P-value of 0.001. No serious side effects were noted. Conclusions Our study concluded that topical betamethasone dipropionate (0.05%) lotion has statistically significantly higher efficacy compared to topical minoxidil (5%) solution in patients with AA.

Recent Advances of Transition Metal Dichalcogenides-Based Materials for Energy Storage Devices, in View of Monovalent to Divalent Ions.

The fast growth of electrochemical energy storage (EES) systems necessitates using innovative, high-performance electrode materials. Among the various EES devices, rechargeable batteries (RBs) with potential features like high energy density and extensive lifetime are well suited to meet rapidly increasing energy demands. Layered transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs), typical two dimensional (2D) nanomaterial, are considered auspicious materials for RBs because of their layered structures and large specific surface areas (SSA) that benefit quick ion transportation. This review summarizes and highlights recent advances in TMDs with improved performance for various RBs. Through novel engineering and functionalization used for high-performance RBs, we briefly discuss the properties, characterizations, and electrochemistry phenomena of TMDs. We summarised that engineering with multiple techniques, like nanocomposites used for TMDs receives special attention. In conclusion, the recent issues and promising upcoming research openings for developing TMDs-based electrodes for RBs are discussed.

Anomalous catalytic and antibacterial activity confirmed by molecular docking analysis of silver and polyacrylic acid doped CeO2 nanostructures.

This research presents the novel synthesis of CeO2 nanostructures (NSs) doped with a fixed amount of capping agent (polyacrylic acid-PAA) and different concentrations (0.01 and 0.03) of silver (Ag). This work aimed to examine the catalytic and antibacterial efficacy with evidential molecular docking analysis of Ag/PAA doped CeO2. Systematic characterization was used to analyze the effect of Ag and a capping agent on crystal structure, morphology, absorbance wavelength, and the exciton recombination rate of CeO2. The silver metal and capping agent (PAA) were added into CeO2 to reduce the size of NSs, enhancing the catalytic efficacy. These binary dopants (Ag-PAA) based CeO2 revealed remarkable results for catalytic de-colorization of rhodamine B dye and antimicrobial potential as the dopants provide more active sites. Notably, (0.03) Ag/PAA doped CeO2 NSs exhibited a substantial catalytic reduction (98.9%) of rhodamine B dye in an acidic medium. The higher doped CeO2 revealed a significant inhibition zone (3.75 mm) against Escherichia coli at maximal concentration. Furthermore, in silico docking showed the possible inhibitory impact of produced nanomaterials on the fatty acid biosynthesis enzymes FabI and FabH.

Catalytic evaluation and in vitro bacterial inactivation of graphitic carbon nitride/carbon sphere doped bismuth oxide quantum dots with evidential in silico analysis.

Herein, Bi2O3 quantum dots (QDs) have been synthesized and doped with various concentrations of graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) and a fixed amount of carbon spheres (CS) using a co-precipitation technique. XRD analysis confirmed the presence of monoclinic structure along the space group P21/c and C2/c. Various functional groups and characteristic peaks of (Bi-O) were identified using FTIR spectra. QDs morphology of Bi2O3 showed agglomeration with higher amounts of g-C3N4 by TEM analysis. HR-TEM determined the variation in the d-spacing which increased with increasing dopants. These doping agents were employed to reduce the exciting recombination rate of Bi2O3 QDs by providing more active sites which enhance antibacterial activity. Notably, (6 wt%) g-C3N4/CS-doped Bi2O3 exhibited considerable antimicrobial potential in opposition to E. coli at higher values of concentrations relative to ciprofloxacin. The (3 wt%) g-C3N4/CS-doped Bi2O3 exhibits the highest catalytic potential (97.67%) against RhB in a neutral medium. The compound g-C3N4/CS-Bi2O3 has been suggested as a potential inhibitor of ß-lactamaseE. coli and DNA gyraseE. coli based on the findings of a molecular docking study that was in better agreement with in vitro bactericidal activity.

Corrigendum: Strontium-doped chromium oxide for RhB reduction and antibacterial activity with evidence of molecular docking analysis.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2023.1167701.].

Strontium-doped chromium oxide for RhB reduction and antibacterial activity with evidence of molecular docking analysis.

The emergence of multi-drug resistance (MDR) in aquatic pathogens and the presence of cationic dyes are the leading causes of water contamination on a global scale. In this context, nanotechnology holds immense promise for utilizing various nanomaterials with catalytic and antibacterial properties. This study aimed to evaluate the catalytic and bactericidal potential of undoped and Sr-doped Cr2O3 nanostructures (NSs) synthesized through the co-precipitation method. In addition, the morphological, optical, and structural properties of the resultant NSs were also examined. The optical bandgap energy of Cr2O3 has been substantially reduced by Sr doping, as confirmed through extracted values from absorption spectra recorded by UV-Vis studies. The field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) micrographs illustrate that the composition of Cr2O3 primarily consisted of agglomerated, irregularly shaped NSs with a morphology resembling nanoflakes. Moreover, the presence of Sr in the lattice of Cr2O3 increased the roughness of the resulting NSs. The catalytic activity of synthesized NSs was analyzed by their reduction ability of Rhodamine B (RhB) dye in the dark under different pH conditions. Their antibacterial activity was evaluated against MDR Escherichia coli (E. coli). Sr doping increased antibacterial efficiency against MDR E. coli, as indicated by inhibition zone measurements of 10.15 and 11.75 mm at low and high doses, respectively. Furthermore, a molecular docking analysis was conducted to determine the binding interaction pattern between NSs and active sites in the target cell protein. The findings corroborated antimicrobial test results indicating that Sr-Cr2O3 is the most effective inhibitor of FabH and DHFR enzymes.

Toward Efficient Bactericidal and Dye Degradation Performance of Strontium- and Starch-Doped Fe2O3 Nanostructures: In Silico Molecular Docking Studies.

In this study, various concentrations of strontium (Sr) into a fixed amount of starch (St) and Fe2O3 nanostructures (NSs) were synthesized with the co-precipitation approach to evaluate the antibacterial and photocatalytic properties of the concerned NSs. The study aimed to synthesize nanorods of Fe2O3 with co-precipitation to enhance the bactericidal behavior with dopant-dependent Fe2O3. Advanced techniques were utilized to investigate the structural characteristics, morphological properties, optical absorption and emission, and elemental composition properties of synthesized samples. Measurements via X-ray diffraction confirmed the rhombohedral structure for Fe2O3. Fourier-transform infrared analysis explored the vibrational and rotational modes of the O-H functional group and the C=C and Fe-O functional groups. The energy band gap of the synthesized samples was observed in the range of 2.78-3.15 eV, which indicates that the blue shift in the absorption spectra of Fe2O3 and Sr/St-Fe2O3 was identified with UV-vis spectroscopy. The emission spectra were obtained through photoluminescence spectroscopy, and the elements in the materials were determined using energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy analysis. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy micrographs showed NSs that exhibit nanorods (NRs), and upon doping, agglomeration of NRs and nanoparticles was observed. Efficient degradations of methylene blue increased the photocatalytic activity in the implantation of Sr/St on Fe2O3 NRs. The antibacterial potential for Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus was measured against ciprofloxacin. E. coli bacteria exhibit inhibition zones of 3.55 and 4.60 mm at low and high doses, respectively. S. aureus shows the measurement of inhibition zones for low and high doses of prepared samples at 0.47 and 2.40 mm, respectively. The prepared nanocatalyst showed remarkable antibacterial action against E. coli bacteria rather than S. aureus at high and low doses compared to ciprofloxacin. The best-docked conformation of the dihydrofolate reductase enzyme against E. coli for Sr/St-Fe2O3 showed H-bonding interactions with Ile-94, Tyr-100, Tyr-111, Trp-30, ASP-27, Thr-113, and Ala-6.

Assessment of catalytic, antimicrobial and molecular docking analysis of starch-grafted polyacrylic acid doped BaO nanostructures.

The removal of cationic dyes from water has received a great attention of researchers considering their influence on environment and ecosystem. In current work, starch-grafted-poly acrylic acid (St-g-PAA) doped BaO nanostrucutures have been synthesized by co-precipitation approach. The aim of this research was to reduce the harmful methylene blue dye and evaluate the antibacterial activity of St-g-PAA doped BaO. XRD spectra exhibited the tetragonal structure of BaO and no variations occurred upon doping. The optical properties of St-g-PAA doped BaO have been evaluated by UV-Vis spectrophotometer. The existence of a dopant in the product was verified using EDS spectroscopy. TEM revealed the formation of cubic-shaped NPs of BaO and upon the addition of St-g-PAA, a few nanorod-like structures. The higher concentration of St-g-PAA doped BaO exhibit a remarkable reduction of methylene blue in a basic environment. Furthermore, St-g-PAA doped BaO revealed higher antimicrobial efficacy against Staphylococcus aureus in comparison to Escherichia coli. In silico studies were conducted against enoyl-[acylcarrier-protein] reductase (FabI) and beta-lactamase enzyme to evaluate the potential of both St-g-PAA and St-g-PAA doped BaO nanocomposites as their inhibitors and to rationalize their possible mode of action.

Chitosan and carbon nitride doped barium hydroxide nanoparticles served as dye degrader and bactericidal potential: A molecular docking study.

Chitosan (CS) and different concentration of graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) (0.02 wt% and 0.04 wt%) doped barium hydroxide (Ba(OH)2) nanoparticles (NPs) were harvested through co-precipitation route. Degradation of the potentially harmful methylene blue (MB) dye and evaluation of the antibacterial potential of the produced CS/g-C3N4-doped Ba(OH)2 NPs were the primary objectives of this study. In addition, the produced NPs were analyzed through structural, optical and morphological techniques to evaluate optical features, phase formation, elemental composition, functional groups presence, surface morphology, crystallinity, and interlayer spacing. The photocatalytic activity was assessed against the degradation of MB by varying pH, whereas Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) pathogens were utilized to determine bactericidal potential in terms of inhibition zone (mm) measured through Vernier caliper. Highly (4 %) CS/g-C3N4-doped Ba(OH)2 NPs explored effective degradation and antibacterial results as 89.39 % in neutral medium and 7.85 mm against E. coli pathogens, respectively. In silico, molecular docking studies against DNA gyrase and ß-lactamase enzyme from both E. coli and S. aureus were performed to rationale mechanism governing the anti-bacterial potential of these synthesized NPs.

Graphitic-C3N4/chitosan-doped NiO nanostructure to treat the polluted water and their bactericidal with in silico molecular docking analysis.

Different concentrations (2 and 4 wt%) of graphite carbon nitride (g-C3N4) was doped into fixed amount of chitosan (CS) and nickel oxide (NiO) nanoparticles (NPs) via a co-precipitation route. The aim of study is to remove the pollutants from wastewater through catalytic activity (CA) and determine the bactericidal activities of synthesized products. X-ray diffraction pattern confirmed the cubic structure of NiO NPs and peak shifted to higher angle upon g-C3N4 doping. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy revealed the existence of bending and stretching vibration mode. The absorption decreased gradually accompanied blue-shift and assessed bandgap energy increased upon doping. The high resolution transmission electron microscopy micrographs confirmed the formation of cubic-shaped NPs and elongated nanorods were seen for NiO and co-doped NiO. The catalytic efficiency of samples was examined using methylene blue (MB) in the presence of reducing agent. A remarkable dye de-colorization was confirmed with a g-C3N4 and CS doping; moreover, the bactericidal efficacy compared to Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) was observed as 3.15 and 13.8 mm, respectively. In silico, molecular docking investigations targeting against b-lactamaseS. aureus and FabHE. coli enzymes assisted to elaborate the mechanism underlying microbicidal action of the NPs.

Gastrointestinal Dysbiosis in Neuro-Critically Ill Patients: A Systematic Review of Case-Control Studies.

The human gastrointestinal tract (GIT) has a rich and pre-programmed microbiome. This microbiome is essential for physiological functions such as digestion, immunity, metabolism, and structural integrity, and of prime concern to us in conducting this study is the nervous system communication. This two-way communication between the GIT and central nervous system (CNS) is known as the gut-brain axis (GBA) and has implications for neurocritical disease. A change in any factor relating to this microbiome is known as gut dysbiosis; this can lead to aberrant communication through the GBA and in turn, can contribute to disease states. The primary objective of this study is to determine the cause-specific dysbiotic organisms in neuro-critically ill patients and their effects. We performed this study by searching published literature as per Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Studies that defined gastrointestinal dysbiosis in neuro-critically ill patients were retrieved using Boolean search from 2000 to 2023 via PubMed and Google Scholar and narrowed the results down to five prospective case-control studies. We performed their quality assessment. The results concluded that in neurocritical illnesses such as encephalitis, brain tumors, intracerebral hemorrhage, and ischemic stroke, fluctuations in specific microbiota correlated with disease severity and prognosis. Moreover, the inhabiting population of dysbiotic organisms in neuro-critically ill patients were different in different diseases and there were no similarities in the composition of gut microbiota in these diseases. Taking stroke patients as an example; increased Enterobacteriaceae and lower Lachnospiraceae microbiome levels were found in patients with a higher stroke dysbiosis index (SDI). Those patients who developed stroke-associated pneumonia (SAP) displayed higher levels of Enterococcus species. In conclusion, dysbiosis has a major effect on neuro-critically ill patients' disease states and dysbiotic organisms can be used as a biomarker for disease. Further prospective studies on this topic are warranted for potential neurological and prognostic correlations.

Knowledge, Adherence, and Perception of Patients on Maintenance Hemodialysis to Treatment Regimens at a Tertiary Care Hospital in Pakistan.

Background The management of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) demands meticulous adherence to treatment regimens, encompassing hemodialysis (HD) sessions, medication protocols, dietary guidelines, and fluid restrictions. The intricate interplay of factors impacting treatment adherence warrants comprehensive exploration, particularly within Pakistan. Objective To assess knowledge, adherence, and perception regarding the treatment regimens and their determinants among ESRD patients. Methodology Employing a nonprobability, consecutive sampling method, this prospective, cross-sectional study was conducted in July and August 2023 at Lahore General Hospital, Lahore, Pakistan. It exclusively enrolled adult patients with a minimum three-month history of hemodialysis. Thorough demographic data were collected, followed by the meticulous administration of a translated version of the End Stage Renal Disease-Adherence Questionnaire (ESRD-AQ) through face-to-face interviews in the native language. IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 26 (released 2019; IBM Corp., Armonk, New York, United States) was used to acquire descriptive statistics, as well as Pearson's and Spearman's correlations and univariate and multivariate regression analysis. Results The study encompassed 119 patients, with a mean age of 43.13 ± 14.99 years. Adherence scores revealed means of 921.83 ± 28.37 for males and 865.18 ± 28.81 for females, out of 1200. Notably, only 10.1% demonstrated good adherence, 31.9% displayed moderate adherence, and 58% exhibited poor adherence. A statistically significant association emerged between better adherence and access to personal transportation (ß=-0.225; 95% CI -178.24 to -20.77, p=0.014), with no other demographic factors predicting adherence. Conclusion The study underscores the sobering reality of minimal optimal adherence. Chief impediments include anxiety, alongside challenges such as fistula complications, financial constraints, transportation barriers, and inadequate counseling and motivation. Evidently, robust patient education, sustained motivation, and unwavering support from healthcare providers and institutional entities are imperative to surmount the multifaceted barriers that compromise treatment adherence.

Efficient Photocatalytic Dye Degradation and Bacterial Inactivation by Graphitic Carbon Nitride and Starch-Doped Magnesium Hydroxide Nanostructures.

The removal of hazardous pollutants from water is becoming an increasingly interesting topic of research considering their impact on the environment and the ecosystem. This work was carried out to synthesize graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) and starch-doped magnesium hydroxide (g-C3N4/St-Mg(OH)2) nanostructures via a facile co-precipitation process. The focus of this study is to treat polluted water and bactericidal behavior with a ternary system (doping-dependent Mg(OH)2). Different concentrations (2 and 4 wt %) of g-C3N4 were doped in a fixed amount of starch and Mg(OH)2 to degrade methylene blue dye from an aqueous solution with bactericidal potential against Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) pathogens. The textural structures, morphological evolutions, and optical characteristics of the as-prepared samples were analyzed using advanced characterization techniques. X-ray diffraction confirmed the hexagonal phase of Mg(OH)2 with improved crystallinity upon doping. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy revealed Mg(OH)2 stretching vibrations and other functional groups. UV-visible spectroscopy exhibited a red shift (bathochromic effect) in absorption spectra representing the decrease in energy band gap (E g). Photoluminescence patterns were recorded to study recombination of charge carriers (e- and h+). A significant enhancement in photodegradation efficiency (97.62%) and efficient bactericidal actions against E. coli (14.10 mm inhibition zone) and S. aureus (7.45 mm inhibition zone) were observed for higher doped specimen 4% g-C3N4/St-Mg(OH)2.

Synthesis of Al/starch co-doped in CaO nanoparticles for enhanced catalytic and antimicrobial activities: experimental and DFT approaches.

In this work, aluminum/starch (St)-doped CaO nanoparticles (NPs) were synthesized by a co-precipitation method to degrade harmful dyes in various pH media. Systematic characterization was performed to investigate the influence of Al/St dopants on the composition, crystal structure, functional groups present, optical characteristics, and morphology of CaO NPs. Further hybrid density functional analyses corroborated that the band gap energy was reduced as the Al concentration in starch-doped CaO is increased. Optical absorption spectra of the synthesized materials revealed a redshift upon doping, which indicated depletion in the band gap energy of Al/St-doped CaO. PL spectroscopy showed that the intensity of CaO was reduced by the incorporation of Al and St assigned to minimum electron-hole pair recombination. Interlayer spacing and morphological features were determined by HR-TEM. HRTEM revealed that the control sample has cubic NPs and the incorporation of St showed overlapping around agglomerated NPs. The d-spacing of CaO was little enhanced by the inclusion of dopants. Experimental outcomes indicated that the addition of Co-dopants improved the catalytic potential of CaO NPs. Al (4%)/St-doped CaO NPs expressed a significant reduction of methylene blue in a basic environment. The maximum bactericidal performance was observed as 10.25 mm and 4.95 mm in the inhibition zone against S. aureus and E. coli, respectively, after the addition of Al and St in CaO.

Nb/Starch-Doped ZnO Nanostructures for Polluted Water Treatment and Antimicrobial Applications: Molecular Docking Analysis.

Nb/starch-doped ZnO quantum dots (QDs) were prepared by a coprecipitation route. A fixed quantity of starch (st) and different concentrations (2 and 4%) of niobium (Nb) were doped in a ZnO lattice. To gain a better understanding of synthesized nanostructures, a systematic study was carried out utilizing several characterization methods. The goal of this research was to undertake methylene blue (MB) dye degradation with a synthetic material and also study its antibacterial properties. The phase structure, morphology, functional groups, optical properties, and elemental compositions of synthesized samples were investigated. Our study showed that ZnO QDs enhanced photocatalytic activity (PCA), resulting in effective MB degradation, in addition to showing good antimicrobial activity against Gram-negative relative to Gram-positive bacteria. Molecular docking study findings were in good agreement with the observed in vitro bactericidal potential and suggested ZnO, st-ZnO, and Nb/st-ZnO as possible inhibitors against dihydrofolate reductase (DHFRE. coli) and DNA gyraseE. coli.

Photocatalytic and antibacterial activity of graphene oxide/cellulose-doped TiO2 quantum dots: in silico molecular docking studies.

Graphene oxide (GO) and cellulose nanocrystal (CNC)-doped TiO2 quantum dots (QDs) were effectively synthesized by employing the co-precipitation method for the degradation of dyes and antimicrobial applications. A series of characterizations, i.e., XRD, FTIR, UV-visible spectroscopy, EDS, FE-SEM, and HR-TEM, was used to characterize the prepared samples. A reduction in PL intensity was observed, while the band gap energy (E g) decreased from 3.22 to 2.96 eV upon the incorporation of GO/CNC in TiO2. In the Raman spectra, the D and G bands were detected, indicating the presence of graphene oxide in the composites. Upon doping, the crystallinity of TiO2 increased. HR-TEM was employed to estimate the interlayer d-spacing of the nanocomposites, which matched well with the XRD data. The photocatalytic potential of the prepared samples was tested against methylene blue, methylene violet, and ciprofloxacin (MB:MV:CF) when exposed to visible light for a certain period. The antibacterial activity of GO/CNC/TiO2 QDs against Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria in vitro was tested to determine their potential for medicinal applications. The molecular docking investigations of CNC-TiO2 and GO/CNC-doped TiO2 against DNA gyrase and FabI from E. coli and S. aureus were found to be consistent with the results of the in vitro bactericidal activity test. We believe that the prepared nanocomposites will be highly efficient for wastewater treatment and antimicrobial activities.

The enhanced photocatalytic performance and first-principles computational insights of Ba doping-dependent TiO2 quantum dots.

Degradation in the presence of visible light is essential for successfully removing dyes from industrial wastewater, which is pivotal for environmental and ecological safety. In recent years, photocatalysis has emerged as a prominent technology for wastewater treatment. This study aimed to improve the photocatalytic efficiency of synthesized TiO2 quantum dots (QDs) under visible light by barium (Ba) doping. For this, different weight ratios (2% and 4%) of Ba-doped TiO2 QDs were synthesized under ambient conditions via a simple and modified chemical co-precipitation approach. The QD crystal structure, functional groups, optical features, charge-carrier recombination, morphological properties, interlayer spacing, and presence of dopants were analyzed. The results showed that for 4% Ba-doped TiO2, the effective photocatalytic activity in the degradation process of methylene blue (MB) dye was 99.5% in an alkaline medium. Density functional theory analysis further corroborated that the band gap energy was reduced when Ba was doped into the TiO2 lattice, implying a considerable redshift of the absorption edge due to in-gap states near the valence band.

Improved catalytic activity and bactericidal behavior of novel chitosan/V2O5 co-doped in tin-oxide quantum dots.

The novel V2O5/chitosan (CS) co-doped tin oxide (SnO2) quantum dots (QDs) were synthesized via co-precipitation technique. The optical, structural, morphological, and catalytic properties of the concerned specimens were examined by UV-Vis, PL, FTIR, X-ray diffraction, HR-TEM, and EDS. Structural analysis through XRD confirmed the tetragonal structure of SnO2; meanwhile, HR-TEM measurements unveiled quantum dot morphology. Rotational and vibrational modes related to functional groups of (O-H, C-H, Sn-O, and Sn-O-Sn) have been assessed with FTIR spectra. Through UV-Vis spectroscopy, a reduction in band-gap (4.39 eV to 3.98 eV) and redshift in co-doped spectra of SnO2 were identified. Both CS/SnO2 and V2O5-doped CS@SnO2 showed promising catalytic activity in all media. Meanwhile, CS/SnO2 showed higher activity for use in hospital and industrial dye degradation in comparison to dopant-free Ch/SnO2. For V2O5/CS@ SnO2 QDs, inhibition domains of G -ve were significantly confirmed as 1.40-4.15 mm and 1.85-5.45 mm; meanwhile, for G +ve were noticed as 2.05-4.15 mm and 2.40-5.35 mm at least and maximum concentrations, correspondingly. These findings demonstrate the efficient role of V2O5/CS@SnO2 QDs towards industrial dye degradation and antimicrobial activity.

Facile Synthesis of La- and Chitosan-Doped CaO Nanoparticles and Their Evaluation for Catalytic and Antimicrobial Potential with Molecular Docking Studies.

In the current study, a low-cost and straightforward coprecipitation technique was adopted to synthesize CaO and La-doped CS/CaO NPs. Different weight ratios (2 and 4) of La were doped into fixed amounts of CS and CaO. Synthesized samples exhibited outstanding catalytic performance by degrading methylene blue (MB) in a highly efficient manner. The X-ray diffraction technique detected the presence of a cubic phase of CaO and a decrease in crystallite size of the samples with the addition of La. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy confirmed the presence of the dopant and the base material with functional groups at 712 cm-1. A decrease in the absorption intensity of doped CaO was observed with an increasing amount of dopants La and CS accompanied by a blueshift leading to an increase in the band gap energy from 4.17 to 4.42 eV, as recorded with an ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometer. The presence of dopants (La and CS) and the evaluation of the elemental constitution of Ca and O were supported with the energy-dispersive spectroscopy technique. In an acidic medium, the catalytic activity against the MB dye was reduced (93.8%) for 4% La-doped CS/CaO. For La-doped CS/CaO, vast inhibition domains ranged within 4.15-4.70 and 5.82-8.05 mm against Escherichia coli while 4.15-5.20 and 6.65-13.10 mm against Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) at the least and maximum concentrations, correspondingly. In silico molecular docking studies suggested these nanocomposites of chitosan as possible inhibitors against the enoyl-acyl carrier protein reductase (FabI) from S. aureus.