Rapid label-free visual assay for the detection and quantification of viral RNA using peptide nucleic acid (PNA) and gold nanoparticles (AuNPs)

A rapid label-free visual assay for the detection of viral RNA using peptide nucleic acid (PNA) probes and gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) is presented in this study. Diagnosis is a crucial step for the molecular surveillance of diseases, and a rapid visual test with high specificity could play a vital role in the management of viral diseases. In this assay, the specific agglomerative behavior of PNA with gold nanoparticles was manipulated by its complementation with viral RNA. The assay was able to detect 5–10 ng of viral RNA from various biological samples, such as allantoic fluids, cell culture fluids and vaccines, in 100 μl of test solution. The developed assay was more sensitive than a hemagglutination (HA) test, a routine platform test for the detection of Newcastle disease virus (NDV), and the developed assay was able to visually detect NDV with as little as 0.25 HA units of virus. In terms of the specificity, the test could discriminate single nucleotide differences in the target RNA and hence could provide visual viral genotyping/pathotyping. This observation was confirmed by pathotyping different known isolates of NDV. Further, the PNA-induced colorimetric changes in the presence of the target RNA at different RNA to PNA ratios yielded a standard curve with a linear coefficient of R² = 0.990, which was comparable to the value of R² = 0.995 from real-time PCR experiments with the same viral RNA. Therefore, the viral RNA in a given samples could be quantified using a simple visual spectrophotometer available in any clinical laboratory. This assay may find application in diagnostic assays for other RNA viruses, which are well known to undergo mutations, thus presenting challenges for their molecular surveillance, genotyping and quantification.     

“Green synthesis” of benzothiazepine library of indeno analogues and their in vitro antimicrobial activity

A novel series of indeno-benzothiazepine derivatives was synthesised via a “green” route. Synthesis of these compounds involves the treatment of dinucleophiles such as 2-aminobenzenethiols with α,β-unsaturated ketones in poly(oxyethylene) (poly(ethylene glycol), PEG-400) catalysed by acetic acid. The synthone α,β-unsaturated ketones were obtained by Claisen-Schmidt condensation of indan-1-one with substituted pyrazole-2-carbaldehydes prompted by bleaching earth (pH 12.5) as catalyst and PEG-400 as “green” reaction solvent. Screening of all the synthesised compounds for antimicrobial activity revealed that most of these compounds exhibited moderate to significant antimicrobial activity.     

A Comparative study on synthesis, characterization and photocatalytic activities of MgO and Fe/MgO nanoparticles

MgO and Fe/MgO particles in the nanometer-size regime have been successfully synthesized by a hydrothermal crystallization process using dodecyl benzenesulphonic acid as a surfactant. The prepared catalysts were characterized in details by multiform techniques: XRD, SEM, TEM, UV-DRS, TGA-DSC, BET surface area, and EPR spectroscopy. Comparative photocatalytic activity of the samples was evaluated through the photodegradation of Acid Blue 80 dye under sunlight. The results of the photocatalytic degradation of Acid Blue 80 dye in aqueous solution demonstrated that Fe ions doping greatly improved the photocatalytic efficiency of MgO nanoparticles. Most interestingly, this is the first time that it has been observed that the Fe/MgO system is quite an effective visible light active catalyst.     

Synthesis of All Enantiomerically Pure Diastereomers of Aprepitant

Syntheses of all eight enantiomerically pure diastereomers of aprepitant and assignment of absolute configuration at newly generated stereocenters by NMR and x-ray crystallographic analysis were achieved.     

Infrared chiral anomaly at finite temperature

We study the Schwinger model at finite temperature and show that a temperature dependent chiral anomaly may arise from the long distance behavior of the electric field. At high temperature this anomaly depends linearly on the temperature T and is present not only in the two point function, but also in all even point amplitudes.     

A Facile Synthesis of 2-Benzoyl-6-Hydroxy-3-Methyl-5-(2′-Substituted-2′,3′-Dihydro-1,5-Benzothiazepn- 4′-yl)Benzofurans and Their Antifeedant Activity

Abstract: The synthesis, characterisation and antifeedant activity of some new 1,5-benzothiazepines prepared from 4,6-diacetylresorcinol has been reported.     

Tensile and Thermal Properties of Poly(lactic acid)/Eggshell Powder Composite Films

Biodegradable composite films of poly(lactic acid) (PLA)/eggshell powder (ESP) were prepared by the composite film casting method using chloroform as the solvent. ESP was loaded in PLA in 1 to 5 wt.%. The films were subjected to tensile, FT-IR spectral, thermogravimetric, X-ray, and microscopic analyses. The tensile strength and modulus of the composite films were found to be higher than those of PLA and increased with ESP content up to 4 wt.% and then decreased. A reverse trend was observed in the case of percentage elongation at break. The X-ray diffractograms of the composite films indicated an increase in crystallinity with ESP content. The optical micrographs indicated uniform distribution of ESP particles in the composite films. However, the fractographs indicated agglomeration of ESP particles at 5 wt.% loading. The FT-IR spectra revealed no specific interactions between PLA and ESP. The thermal stability of the composite films increased with ESP content.